stubborn thief

Chapter 207

The news of the bandits' attack has been going on for five days.

Xu Zongxian, the county magistrate of Zhenyuan, leaned on the parapet wall and looked at the sky-covering banners stretching outside the city, frowning.

He knew early on that the bandits were coming, and in the past few days, gentry who fled into the city from the river valley kept sending intermittent information.

The thieves built villages in the valleys, felled forests and picked trees, incited the people to denounce big households in the fields and villages, used lynching, attacked castles and destroyed villages, burned IOUs and IOUs, and distributed food from the fields to tenant farmers and long-term laborers, deceiving the hearts of the people.

But Xu Zongxian never thought that the rogues would dare to attack the city.

The county magistrate was the first official position selected by the Ministry of Officials after he was elected. His term of office has expired and he is only waiting for inspection.

A friend who entered the Imperial College in the same year wrote a letter a while ago saying that there were various levels of vacancies for officials in various places in Beizhili due to the invasion of gold, and advised him not to miss the rank of magistrate.

Even if you go to the mansion of Beizhili to have an eighth-rank experience, it is much better than being a county magistrate in Shaanxi.

Xu Zongxian wrote back saying that he was not afraid of bandits, and told his friends in the same year that the situation in Shaanxi was a bit more difficult, but it was not enough to scare the court officials away.

What Liu Wu Liu Liu was the governor of the Han Dynasty, but the hungry people gathered together.

His Zhenyuan, even now, still has thousands of residents in the city, and more than [-] people outside the city. He can protect the people under his rule, and the people can also protect him.

What's more, as a border town, the county treasury is equipped with all kinds of weapons, and the city is highly dangerous. Even if there are only 5000 defenders, it can block the attack of [-] people from the east.

As for the gathering of hungry people, the more they come, the more they can hold on.

If 10 people come, he doesn't even have to defend, and he wins after two days.

But Xu Zongxian didn't know until this morning when he was woken up that not all the thieves in Shaanxi were gathered together by hungry people like Liu Wu Liu Liu Liu Han Chaozai.

Outside the east gate of Zhenyuan City, Wei Qian'er rode out alone, carried a shield and walked across the stone bridge over the moat.

He looked at the closed city gate twenty or thirty steps away, and the bows and arrows of the hastily assembled defenders on the city wall, and shouted: "I will wait ten times as long as you. Surrender quickly to keep the people safe. With one arrow, the commander-in-chief's cannon fires together, don't blame the lives of the people!"

Across the moat, the flag with the character Liu character in Phnom Penh on a red background is waving.

Xu Zongxian looked at the neat cavalry under his banner, everyone was wearing red cotton armor, and the cannons displayed by the river, he couldn't help feeling fear in his heart.

He withdrew his gaze, searched the faces of the Muyou and the secretary of the book office, and asked, "Where is Cui Cong, the supervisor?"

The supervisor's name was Cui Cong. He was originally an official in charge of horse affairs at Taipu Temple in Shaanxi Province in Pingliang Prefecture. His rank was higher than that of the county magistrate.

In the first two years, the county could not collect apportionments. After the old Dianshi was gone, no one in Dianshi took up his post, and the inspectors disappeared. Xu Zongxian did not ask the court for a new inspection. Yes, the basic defense depends on the Enjun of Qingpingyuan.

Therefore, in Zhenyuan County, Cui Cong, the supervisor, is the only military talent Xu Zongxian can rely on.

After asking all over the book office, no one knew where Cui Cong had gone, making Xu Zongxian anxious like an ant on a hot pot.

Seeing that the county magistrate was in a hurry, the county clerk had no choice but to ask the Min Zhuang led by the military secretary's office, who were gathering on the city, and finally said: "My lord, it seems that Supervisor Cui has just gone to the county treasury!"

County library?

Xu Zongxian wanted to ask Cui Cong whether to fight or surrender, but when he looked in the direction of the county treasury, he already knew Cui Cong's answer.

Dust-covered arrow chariots were rolled out from the county treasury, and the peasants gathered by Cui Cong carried bundles of weapons to the head of the city. At this time, the Enjun rode up the city wall from the horse path, and ran across the urn city to deliver the message: "My lord, Supervisor Cui is asking you to stabilize the enemy army first, delay the time, he will come right away."

Then Enjun drove mule carts full of gunpowder into the east gate urn city, and used shovels and picks to lift the bricks and stones of the urn city floor and dig tunnels.

Cui Cong led more than a dozen county student members to arrive late, stepped across the city to take a look at the city, looked around the guards at the top of the city, and asked the county magistrate, "My lord, you...did nothing?"

Xu Zongxian was very at a loss for this question: "I'll wait for you!"

Cui Cong closed his eyes helplessly, this county magistrate is good everywhere, but he doesn't know soldiers.

A few days ago, when he first heard the news that the bandits had entered the valley, he suggested that the county magistrate should discuss the matter of defending the city, but the gentry and officials in the county thought that the bandits would not dare to attack the city.

He was not in the same system as the county officials, so he had to give up and go to the county warehouse to check the weapons and equipment, contact the county students, and get them ready to defend the city.

In the early years, Zhenyuan was often plundered by northern captives who broke into the side wall. Therefore, in terms of military affairs, the local students knew the importance better than the officials.

At this time, Xu Zongxian panicked and asked: "Cui Jianzheng, bandits and bandits are approaching the city, what should we do?"

At this moment, You En's army came running along the north wall and reported: "My lords, there are more than a thousand bandit soldiers lined up outside the north gate, and they have robbed more than three hundred garden horses."

"Bastard bastard!"

Cui Cong cursed, waved his hand and asked, "Are there any casualties in En Jun?"

The source of the herding army in Yuanma Temple is complex, including the reorganized army, the filled army, and the withdrawn army. In fact, it is mainly divided into the En army from the expelled army and the army drawn from the guard.

But at this time, there were so many deserters in the guard, and it was too late for the Goujun to get out; therefore, the horse herdsmen in Qingpingyuan were all Enjun, and they were not recruited from the army, but basically recruited refugees.

Because Qingpingyuan is in charge of many horse farms, from which the land suitable for growing grain is selected to farm, and the drought has a great impact on them.

It’s amazing to say that, the drought made Enjun’s soldiers not enough to eat, and Cui Cong refused to send soldiers’ food every time he wrote a letter.

Later, he changed his strategy, instead of asking the army for food, he turned to the Taipu Temple in Pingliangxing, the headquarters of the Trilateral Government, and told him that there was not enough food for the horses in the grazing land, so he could always get beans.

And there are also a lot of beans. After all, it is well known that one horse can eat eight people, and the number of horses in Qingpingyuan is five times that of Enjun.

So Cui Cong's Enjun's food is not bad, and it is a very enviable job in Zhenyuan County in the drought.

"A few people were detained, but they didn't use their weapons. They asked us to come back and spread the word, saying that surrendering to Kaesong will not hurt any officials or civilians."

Cui Cong heaved a sigh of relief when he heard that the person was fine, but then became worried about gains and losses.

The news that bandits don't kill people spreads, and the city will be more difficult to defend.

After all, defending the city has never been a matter of one person or a few people.

It requires the officials, army and people in the city to reach an agreement on the issue of sticking to it.

But at present, it seems that this requirement is difficult to meet.

The county magistrate asked him what to do. Cui Cong thought of countless opportunities to win in his mind. Finally, he took a deep breath and asked with firm eyes: "Mother and Dad Xu, I can hold off the enemy for half a day. Can your Excellency and colleagues take the city back?" All the people moved west?"

Xu Zongxian was very surprised, and blurted out: "Move all to the west?"

"Yes, all the people moved westward. The people and merchants in the city entered Guyuan sixty miles west, and transported weapons, soldiers and food to the southwest fortress. I can stand there and wait for help."

Cui Cong sighed inwardly seeing the astonished faces of the people on the city wall.

It was difficult for him to explain the city's offensive and defensive issues to these officials who were ignorant of military affairs, so he could only say: "Zhenyuan City has more than 700 crenels on Thursday, and I only have [-] benevolent troops."

The city is very tall and strong, and the terrain is very dangerous, but Cui Cong thought that leading the [-] En army to retreat to the fortress in the southwest of the city with weapons and food, even if there is no moat there, it is easier to defend.

A city is a permanent military formation, and it needs to be matched with a field force of a corresponding size to maximize its defensive effectiveness.

What's more, they also have a defensive purpose. What is the purpose of defending the enemy?
"The governors of the three sides have entered Ningzhou. So far, the bandits have only two possibilities. Either Ningzhou has fallen and fell into the hands of the bandits; or the bandits dare not attack Ningzhou and march against Guyuan, which is short of troops."

Cui Cong explained: "We are waiting to defend Zhenyuan. The people in the city can only go in and out. It consumes a lot of money. There are many battlements. The gate of Beicheng needs to mobilize civilians. If it is attacked, it will be broken."

"The bandits occupy Zhenyuan, and they will still march westward. Guyuan has no soldiers to defend. At that time, the bandits will loot everywhere. We are all guilty of the crime, and I am afraid we will die."

Cui Cong said, pointing to the southwest castle, and said: "If I guard for half a day, Xu's parents evacuate the people, store the food and weapons in the fort, and when the people withdraw, I will also lead five hundred benevolent troops to enter the small fort, and the fort has only 170 people. a crenel."

"What's more, with the mountain wall to the west, even if the rebels besiege day and night, I have enough troops to defend day and night. As long as the fortress is still there, the rebels will not dare to go past me. They will stand by and wait for reinforcements. Keep Guyuan, Zhenyuan County has nothing to be robbed, and within a few days, the bandits will retreat."

Cui Cong clasped his fists and said, "This is the only chance Cui can think of to win."

These words were heard in the ears of the officials in the city, but that was not the case.

He focused on Guyuan Prefecture, Pingliang Prefecture, and Qingyang Prefecture to imagine this battle.

When the battle is over, the city will still return to their hands.

The most important thing is that Cui Cong's job is horses. As long as most of the horses are still there and the city is not lost, he will not be held responsible.

Therefore, only Zhenyuan City was not considered, but the city walls were full of officials from Zhenyuan County. The city fell, and their crimes were worse than death.

People looked at each other in blank dismay, defending the city to the death was still in the name of loyalty, abandoning the city and moving, even if they could win this battle, their official careers would be over.

The first one to speak was the county instruction, who flatly refused: "Master Xu, right now there are enemy troops in the east and north of the city, and who can guarantee that there will be no enemy troops in the west of the city? Aid, you can get a chance."

The Household Book Office also said: "There are many battlements, so we recruit militiamen. The villagers know loyalty and will stick to it."

Xu Zongxian also said: "This city can't be lost, and the benevolent army can't leave. We can only defend to the death. Defending the city is not because of the high danger of the city, but because of the people's hearts in the city. We will be united as one, and the thieves will not break the city; Even if the city is as strong as gold, it cannot be defended."

After all, the magistrate turned to Cui Cong and said, "Jianzheng Cui, you know soldiers best, so think about defending the city."

Speaking of this, Cui Cong knew that his suggestion was useless, and the instruction was also reasonable. If there were enemy troops in the west of the city, then his plan would not be able to be completed.

He bowed to the surroundings and said, "Parent Xu, colleagues, have made up our minds to defend to the death, I think the most important thing right now is for us to work together, count the defenders, divide the defenders into five divisions, and deploy defenses on all sides."

"Place a guard on each side, according to the priority, the most urgent is the east gate, followed by the south wall, then the north gate, and the last west gate."

After Cui Cong finished speaking, everyone nodded, and then he continued: "Xu's parents lead another reserve army to coordinate in the city. If there is an emergency on all sides, they will send reinforcements; if there is no danger in the city, they will recruit people and prepare food and grass transportation. Weapons, raise wood, fire, oil, soldiers, food and dung.”

Xu Zongxian knew that his ability was not in the military, and felt that Cui Cong's words were reasonable, so he nodded to him first and said, "Just follow Cui Jianzheng's words."

Then he turned his head to look at the people around him, bowed his hands in a circle, and said: "Everyone has heard that Supervisor Cui is a member of the Ministry of War. If the city falls, you can still take Yuanma away; we are all local officials. If Zhenyuan falls, no one will be able to escape if the court blames it."

Immediately, four defenses were set up, the most important east gate was handed over to Cui Cong, and the remaining three sides were guarded by Jiaoyu and two scholars who had read military books.

At this time, the earth hill built by Liu Chengzong outside the city was completed.

The mound was two feet higher than the city wall. He climbed up the mound and looked through the binoculars, and saw officials in colorful official uniforms gathered on the gate tower.

I also saw that a lot of defense ordnance had been placed on the city wall.

Knowing that it was unlikely that the city would be destroyed without an attack, he ordered the flag bearer to wave the flag, recall Wei Qian'er from the city, call Cao Yao to climb the earth mountain, and hand over the telescope.

"Brother Cao, what do you see in the city?"

Cao Yao took a look through the binoculars, grinned and said, "Isn't that a nest of beasts in clothes?"

Liu Chengzong said unhappily: "I didn't ask you to watch people and guard the city's equipment. I haven't used those things and I don't know them."

"That car is a magic arrow, there is a bowl cannon in the city, the wooden box is a hundred tigers rushing together and a rocket, and there is a general cannon... you have to go down here in a while, the rocket and the cannon can hit here .”

Liu Chengzong was surprised and said: "Can the rocket go so far? I let go of one at Yuhebao, and it flew into the sky after thirty steps."

"Yes, it depends on how it is done. The medicine must be compacted, the thread must be drilled straight and upright, and the fire will fly straight after it comes out of the thread. fly."

After finishing speaking, Cao Yao turned his head and said, "We don't know how the rockets are made in the city, so it's best to be careful, but I think these beasts in clothes and clothes are all on the top of the tower. The distance is good...I'll try, push the red barbarian up the dirt hill, Cannonball the gate tower?"

Liu Chengzong estimated the distance, it was about two hundred steps, then raised his arm and pointed at Cao Yao and asked, "The one in the green robe is the county magistrate, can you be sure?"

Cao Yao shook his head resolutely: "Give me a wind gun and I can kill him. Asking me to use a cannon to aim at a person is a difficult task."

As he spoke, he called the artillerymen to push the Hongyi Pao up along the dirt road that circled the mountain, and said, "The seven-pound iron bullet will definitely not work, but if you spray it with scattered bullets, I think it can knock down all of it."

"Spray, after spraying, first take two siege vehicles to cross the bridge in the east for a feint attack, and then attack from the south."

A moment later, just as the city tower officials were about to disperse, Cao Yao set up his big treasure on the mound, aimed at the gate tower and fired at it, shaking the whole mound of dust.

For a moment, the city was in chaos, and the artillery positions lined up by the moat roared in unison. One cannon shot at the city, overwhelming the defenders so that they did not dare to raise their heads. Only then did the mighty army push the siege vehicles. Cross the moat.

　good afternoon!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)