Chapter Eighteen: The Unexpected Person

  After Li Fude led the troops out, Pang Zhong looked at Geshu Han and stepped forward to ask Yang Gui for orders: "Yang Junma Shi, Mo Jiang also requests to lead the army out of the city to set up an ambush! The Hantangguan City is a great place to set up an ambush and defend. If we set up troops there, we can slow down the rebel army's advance speed by half a day! Geshu Yuanshuai, Yang Junma Shi, Mo Jiang is willing to leave 500 men and horses in Hantangguan City to resist the rebel army!"

  The current Tongguan City was built during the Sui Dynasty, and the Han Dynasty's Tongguan City is located several miles southeast of the present city, on the top of Tongguan Ridge, between the Longluo Highway and the original Wanggou. There is no road to the north along the Yellow River, and one can only take a detour over the ridge. To pass through Han Tongguan City, one must descend from its west side to the bottom of Jin Gou, then head north to enter the present Tongguan City. If the gate of Han Tongguan City is closed, it can block the Longluo Highway. The east of Han Tongguan City is the original Wanggou Sky Moat, which even monkeys cannot climb, let alone humans, and can be described as "one man guards the pass, and ten thousand men cannot open it".

  But because of the recent defeat of the great army, the garrison of Hantong Pass also fled and escaped to the present Tongguan City, leaving Hantong Pass undefended.

  Pang Zhong, after understanding Yang Hui's intention, also took the initiative to propose that he lead his army to defend the city of Hantonguan. If he was planning to fight with all his might, then relying on the city of Hantonguan to hold off the rebel army for half a day would be more than enough!

  Yang Kai thought for a moment and also glanced at Ge Shuhan, but without waiting for Ge Shuhan to make any statement, he immediately ordered: "General Peng is allowed! General Peng will lead 800 men to defend the city of Hantonguan, and work together with General Li to delay the rebel army's advance speed! I will order General Li that after completing his task, your troops, General Peng, will retreat to Hantonguan City together, and after successfully blocking the rebel army, you will return to Tongguan City!"

  "Yes, I will obey your order!" Pang Zhong gave a solemn military salute to Geshu Han and Yang Hui, then strode away with his head held high.

  After knowing that he had initially gained the trust and respect of Pang Zhong, Yang Hui slightly put his mind at ease, turned his head to look at Ge Shuhan, and a hint of a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. "General Ge Shu, I'm sure Generals Pang and Li will be able to slow down the rebel army's advance, maybe even hold them off outside Hanchang for a day or two! Let's continue discussing other defensive arrangements, we can also summon other generals to the commander's tent to discuss matters!"

  Geshu Han did not object, but instead loudly ordered the outside: "Come on, quickly bring each general to the commander's account to discuss matters!"

  When Pang Zhong left, he left some of his personal guards with Geshu Han. Geshu Han then ordered these men to summon the various generals for a meeting.

  If Yang Guozhong were to send his own personal soldiers to summon the various generals for a meeting, it would definitely not work! Not to mention Geshu Han's prestige in the army, which he could not replace at all, just relying on the fact that he was Yang Guozhong's son, no general would listen to him.

  It may even have the opposite effect!

  This was embodied in Pang Zhong just now.

  If he hadn't handled the Hu Nu return Ren decisively after entering the city and rescued Ge Shuhan, Pang Zhong would not have paid attention to him. It was his unexpectedly decisive action that won Pang Zhong's initial trust and favor, and he would temporarily follow his arrangements.

  But there is a premise, that is, Guo Shuhan did not express any objection throughout the whole process. If Guo Shuhan had objections or showed extreme distrust towards him, even to the point of defiance, then it would be pointless to expect Pang Zhong to listen to his orders.

  With Ge Shuhan's attitude, Yang Kai felt that it was most closely related to the time when he and Ge Shuhan were rescued from Huo Bu's hands. This could be a good start for him to take charge of the military affairs in Tongguan. The timing of his arrival in Tongguan was indeed excellent, as if everything was predestined!

  While waiting for the other generals to arrive, Yang Guozhong also briefly inquired about the current military strength and distribution within Tongguan City. Geshu Han was very cooperative and carefully explained everything Yang asked about.

  But just as he had said a few words, the sound of horseshoes came from outside, and the generals sent by Geshu Han arrived one after another.

  The first to report was Wang Silie, the most trusted general under Geshu Han.

  This was a tall and sturdy middle-aged general, half a head taller than Yang Guiyuan, who thought he should be around 1.78 meters tall. His black eyebrows and beard, as well as his fitted armor, made him look very majestic, but the dust and fatigue all over his body made him look a bit haggard. Wang Silie hastily entered, saluted Gesu Han, and was shocked to see Yang Guiyuan standing beside Gesu Han!

  He was familiar with Yang Guozhong and several of his sons, and suddenly found that Yang Hui was standing beside Ge Shuhan, while none of the familiar guards were in sight. Suddenly, he thought of Yang Hui having received an imperial edict to capture Ge Shuhan and these defeated generals at Tong Pass. A wave of anger rose up, and his hand naturally fell on the sword at his waist, ready to strike first.

  "General Wang, Yang Bingma Shi has brought the imperial edict and led three thousand cavalrymen to rush here overnight for three hundred miles. He arrived at Tongguan early in the morning to provide reinforcements. Now he has ordered his troops to ambush the rebels outside the city, create a diversion for our army, and slow down the enemy's advance. Next, we need to carefully discuss how to defend Tongguan!" Geshu Han said to Wang Silie with an ordinary tone, while constantly exchanging glances with him.

  As one of Geshu Han's most trusted generals, Wang Silie was not a fool and naturally understood the meaning behind Geshu Han's words and gaze. He felt a sense of doubt in his heart, but his hand had already left the hilt of his sword and he sat down beside Geshu Han.

  "General Wang, just now Huo Bajun killed all the personal soldiers around me, coerced me, and was about to gather all the generals in the name of this commander to discuss matters. He would capture all the leaders inside Tongguan City and then open the city gate to surrender to the rebels. It was at this time that Yang Bingmashi led his troops into the city and happened to encounter this situation. Fortunately, Yang Bingmashi decisively killed Huo Bajun and his followers, and sent someone to control the south gate. Otherwise, I would have become a prisoner of Huo Bajun by now!"

  "What?" Wang Silie suddenly stood up, his neck muscles bulging, with a fierce expression, and his heart also filled with fear.

  If what Geshuhan said is true and it's not because of Yang Hui's coercion that he said so, then it's too frightening.

  They led the defeated soldiers and generals back to the city, and all their energy was focused on gathering the remaining troops and re-deploying the defense of Tongguan.

  But unexpectedly, Geshu Han, the commander of this large army, was almost taken hostage and forced to surrender to the rebels. If Geshu Han had really been taken out of the city, Tongguan City would not have been able to hold on at all, and there would have been no need to make defensive arrangements, and they could have simply abandoned the city and fled.

  Ge Shuhan waved his hand, indicating for Wang Silie to sit down.

  Wang Silie also sat down obediently, but still had an angry expression on his face and glared at Yang Hui with anger.

  Yang Kai met Wang Silie's gaze calmly, sat up straight and said in a slightly stern voice: "General Wang, today we need to discuss how to find ways to defend Tongguan, rush to the imperial court after the arrival of reinforcements, and other personal grievances will be discussed later! The imperial edict ordered our general to assist Geshu Yuan Shuai in presiding over the military affairs of Tongguan, and also hopes that General Wang can put the overall situation first, focus on fighting the enemy, otherwise don't blame our general for not being polite!"

  Yang Hui's words were not very heavy, but his eyes were very sharp and piercing, staring at Wang Silie all the time, making Wang Silie feel a chill in his heart.

  Wang Silie was extremely puzzled, such a young man, leading the army for the first time, actually had such majesty, those eyes seemed to have experienced many life and death struggles, that majesty was in no way inferior to the one revealed on Geshu Han's face, this shocked him, and he dared not glare at Yang Hui again.

  Outside, there were loud noises and hoofbeats, and a general rushed in after receiving the report. However, after seeing the visitor's appearance, Yang Hui was shocked. It wasn't someone else, but that person named Gao Shi whom he had met at the Chang'an wine house and had a conversation with! This person he met at the Chang'an wine house, who shared the same name as the famous border poet in history, how could he appear in Gesu Han's military camp?

  Yang Gui observed Gao Shuai's armor and his self-introduction when he met with Gesu Han, and concluded that Gao Shuai held a high position in Gesu Han's army. He immediately connected this Gao Shuai to the historical records of Gao Shuai, and couldn't help but pay special attention to him.

  Gao Shi was also surprised to see here the young man he had met a few days ago in the Chang'an wine house, who had given a passionate and stirring speech. Looking at the armor worn by this young man named Yang Hui, as well as his equal posture with Geshu Han, Gao Shi was shocked just like Wang Siyi.

  However, he has been following Geshu Han abroad for many years and knows Yang Guozhong but does not know his son, so he cannot judge Yang Hui's identity. It was only after hearing Geshu Han introduce him that he realized who Yang Hui was.

  After understanding Yang Jie's identity, Gao Shi was both surprised and delighted. He was surprised that the young man who had made such extreme remarks back then turned out to be the son of the treacherous official Yang Guozhong, and yet he had come today as the commander of the Tongguan army to take charge of military affairs - it was hard to predict what would happen now. He was delighted because he had heard this person's views on war back then, and now that he had come to lead the army, his views on the war effort must be different from those of Yang Guozhong.

  It's a pity that Yang Guozhong arrived too late. Geshu Han had already been defeated, and the 200,000-strong army was almost completely annihilated. Tongguan is in danger!

  Gao Shi followed Geshu Han for many years, serving as a staff officer under his command. He is now the chief secretary of Geshu Han's army and holds the positions of Left Rectifier and Investigating Censor, making him one of Geshu Han's trusted confidants. After their defeat, he was among the few who escaped with Geshu Han back into the city. He is fully aware of the precarious situation at Tong Pass and before being summoned to discuss matters, he had been ordered by Geshu Han to deploy troops for defense and prepare to resist the enemy.

  Yang Hui and Gao Shi did not expect that after their brief reunion in the hotel on that day, they would meet again a few days later under such circumstances.