Just as the two people were discussing in low voices how to use the rope ladder to attack and how to use the rope ladder to retreat, Zhang Chen, who had been away for a while, suddenly appeared next to the two people, and his voice suddenly rang out, knocking them down.

A big jump.

Zhang Chen seemed to be equally excited and whispered: "Sir! I saw it! There really weren't many tents in the Tatar camp! Instead, there were patches of haystacks and patches of grain hoards!

"There are rows of stables in the northwest corner! It's just that you can't see clearly whether there are horses inside! There are six watchtowers in the camp, one on each corner, and the other two are concentrated on both sides of the gate of the Tatar camp!

"Although there are many open posts in the camp, there are fire basins everywhere, making it easy to avoid! And there are indeed patrols, but each patrol team seems to be responsible for separate areas, each with its own fixed area, and does not interfere with each other!"

"Zhang Chen, can you see clearly?!"

When Yang Zhen heard Zhang Chen's statement, his previous judgment became more firm in his heart. However, in his excitement, he was still a little unbelievable, so he asked eagerly.

"Sir! I can see clearly! What are Tatar tents, what are Tatar haystacks, grain hoards, and what are Tatar stables? In the twenty years I have been in the army, I have not yet understood this issue.

You’ve made a mistake!”

Zhang Chen's firm answer immediately put Yang Zhen at ease.

By this time, this field investigation had achieved its purpose.

However, in order to further clarify whether the Tatar patrol outside the camp happened once in the first half of the night and once in the second half of the night, a few people still endured hunger and cold and persisted in the black pine forest for another hour.

This hour of persistence was of course useful. Although he did not encounter the Tatar patrol outside the camp again, Zhang Chen used this time to once again observe the entire Tatar camp.

Moreover, it was not until Zhang Chen firmly memorized the distribution map of the entire Tatar camp in his mind, climbed down from the tall pine tree again, and returned to Yang Zhen and Yan San that Yang Zhen decided to evacuate.

The way back will be much easier.

Although the way back is still the same - first quietly walking through the woods, groping down the slope, then hunching over the back, carefully crossing the grassy beach, and finally reaching the reed swamp.

The edge meets -, but the mood is different. Walking on the same road, the speed and feeling have completely changed.

When I went to explore the edge of the Tatar camp, I suffered a lot of psychological and physical torture along the way and it took more than an hour. However, when I went back, the same journey was much faster. It took only a quarter of an hour.

Quickly pass through the tidal flat covered with grass and puddles.

Because they understood the true situation of this Tatar camp, several people were extremely excited. They forgot about hunger, cold, exhaustion, and the pain caused by various small superficial wounds they suffered while crawling across the tidal flat.

At this time, Yang Zhan'ao and two of his men were already waiting at the same spot with their eyes wide open.

Because it has been two or three hours since Yang Zhen left, and the sky in the east has begun to turn white, and the darkness before dawn is about to pass. Yang Zhen, Zhang Chen, and Yan San have not come back yet, and there is no trace of them. They can't help but

They don't think wildly.

They thought of various possibilities, such as being killed quietly by the Tatar's secret whistle, or falling into a trap set outside the Tatar camp and unable to get out, or entering the Tatar camp and getting trapped...

But Yang Zhan'ao knew Yang Zhen better - of course he knew the old Yang Zhen better. He stared at him and told him what Yang Zhen said before leaving, and he did not dare to forget it for a moment, nor did he dare not not do it.

Because once he did something bad, based on past experience, Yang Zhen would not mind killing relatives for justice, even the captain of the personal soldiers would be useless.

Those who have merit must be rewarded, and they must be heavily rewarded; those who have made mistakes must be punished, and they must be severely punished. This is the rule Yang Zhen set in the military in the past.

Fortunately, Yang Zhan'ao's fear of military law overcame his inner entanglement. Although he had several thoughts of rushing across the grassy beach to find out what was going on, and even thought of withdrawing quickly to ask for reinforcements, he finally stayed where he was.

At every turn, they finally returned to Yang Zhen, Zhang Chen and Yan San.

Yang Zhen took the lead and ran back to the reed marsh. When he saw Yang Zhan'ao and others excitedly approaching him, he didn't care to say anything else. Instead, he immediately whispered: "Let's go! Hurry! Get back to the boat!"

Except for this simple order from Yang Zhen, the group of people did not say anything. Just like when they arrived, they hunched over and quickly crossed the reed swamp under the dim moonlight.

Zhang Chen, who was walking at the end, was a little slower.

Because he has a rough appearance but a delicate heart, he is also responsible for picking up the reeds that were accidentally knocked down after everyone passed by.

When the group of people quickly arrived at the reeds where the centipede boat was originally stored, the six oarsmen from Yuan Jin's navy camp immediately let out a deep cheer.

Yan San stepped forward to stop them from making any more noise, then called the others with gestures, and they all stepped forward to help the rowers pull the centipede boat out of the reeds.

"Sir! The tide is going out! We have to hurry!"

Hearing Yan San's words, Yang Zhencai suddenly realized that there was water everywhere in the reed marsh when he came, but now, except for the silt, there was no water anymore.

Others also knew what Yan San meant. They pushed the centipede boat and jumped on the boat as soon as it entered the river.

Zhang Chen, who finally jumped on the boat, counted the number of people. Including the oarsmen, there were still twelve people when they came, one more.

After everyone got on the boat, Yan San was still at the helm. The others rowed hard together with the oarsmen. Amidst the gentle sound of oars, the centipede boat sailed into the main river, taking advantage of the low tide, and sailed in the pre-dawn sky.

In the darkness, we quickly rushed towards the mouth of Xiaoling River.

Once out of the river mouth, everyone's view suddenly broadened.

Looking at the large and small sandbars dotted outside the estuary, and the maze-like waterways formed by large and small sandbars, Yang Zhen's tense mood suddenly relaxed. He was extremely tired, and he still held the paddle in his hand, but he was already

Fell asleep soundly.

Yang Zhan'ao, who was rowing hard next to Yang Zhen, turned around and saw Yang Zhen's appearance, and felt moved and distressed at the same time.

Zhang Chen and Yan San, who also saw this scene, kept nodding their heads, secretly admiring Yang Zhen - Yang Zhen's example of taking the lead and sharing the joys and sorrows was not just talk, but absolute words and deeds.

While Yang Zhen was sleeping soundly, the centipede boat helmed by Yan San skillfully skirted the sandbars one after another, rushed through the waterways, and finally arrived at the huge sandbar where the advance battalion was stationed.

Zhang Degui, Li Lu and others who had been watching on the "island" for a long time and were already waiting extremely nervously, as well as Yuan Jin, Zu Keyong, Xu Changyong and others who had received the news of the fleet's "lookout", all rushed to

We arrived at the beach where the centipede boat docked to welcome them back.

Ever since Yang Zhen took Zhang Chen and others away, Zhang Degui's heart has not been at ease for a moment. Without Yang Zhen, the Guangning rear guard has been completely dispersed.

Although Yang Zhen has a younger brother named Yang Jie, this Yang Jie has been adopted by Yang Zhen's uncle Yang Guozhu.

As the chief military officer of Xuanfu Town, Yang Guozhu refused to take concubines. After the two sons born to his first wife died, he did not give him another son.

A dignified military officer with such a huge reputation and family fortune cannot be inherited by anyone, so Yang Zhen's younger brother was adopted and passed to Yang Guozhu at the discretion of Yang Zhen's father during his lifetime.

The most important position in the Ming Dynasty, since he has passed away, naturally he cannot come back to inherit Yang Zhen's worldly duties. Now, if Yang Zhen is gone, the Guangning rear guard will be completely finished.

Of course, Zhang Degui was not entirely thinking about this. He had followed Yang Zhen's father and Yang Zhen himself for many years, and feelings were still the most important thing. As for the issue of the Guangning rear guard, it was just a passing thought.

But when Yang Zhen left and didn't come back for several hours, Zhang Degui was really nervous.

Just as nervous as him was Li Lu, the advance battalion commander who had won the trust and respect of Yang Zhen and who had always regarded Yang Zhen as his elder brother.

A few short hours, in the hearts of anxious people, seem to be extremely long and difficult.

Many people in the musketry team, artillery team, and grenadier team in the advance camp were like Zhang Degui and Li Lu.
Chapter completed!