Eighth year of Chongzhen

Chapter 98
In the arrow tower at the head of Shouzhou City, Liu Zhiyuan, Wang Wei, Xu You, and Li Long were discussing today's thieves attacking the city.

Liu Zhiyuan said with a smile: "Today, the officers and soldiers won both battles. Congratulations for defeating the bandit army! Commander Li even went to the front line himself, so brave! I will definitely make a statement to the imperial court to honor General Li. Bravery!"

Wang Wei interjected: "When the bandits attacked the top of the city, the officials thought the city was going to be broken. Fortunately, General Li arrived in time and drove the bandits down. What a fluke! A fluke!"

Xu You said worriedly: "The lower officials don't understand one thing: the bandits are clearly powerful, why only send hundreds of people to attack the city? If thousands of bandits attack me together, what should I do?"

Li Long cupped his hands and said: "Three lords, it is indeed a fluke that today's two victories against the thieves are true. I feel that the thieves are just testing the truth today, and did not really work hard, so we can win twice. All the lords also know that the Inland Guards The soldiers are actually not much different from the peasants and common people, and the two thousand or so people under the humble staff are already obedient compared to the many guards in Southern Zhili, but the bandits want to attack with all their strength, and the humble staff is worried that they won't last long!"

Liu Zhiyuan was silent, Wang Wei couldn't help but said first: "Then what should be done according to Commander Li's intention?"

Li Long sighed: "Now we can only hope that the reinforcements will arrive soon! Next time the bandits gather heavy troops to attack, I will have to fight to the death!"

Wang Wei and Xu You were silent when they heard the words, why didn't they know the result of sticking to it?However, the imperial court clearly ordered local officials to be responsible for guarding the land, and anyone who abandoned the city would be executed, and their families would be lost for three thousand miles.Not only did he lose his life, but he also left infamy and dragged his family down.In desperation, all the prefectural and county officials who were breached by the thieves chose to perish with the city, and it seemed that they could not escape such a fate.

Liu Zhiyuan suddenly called Wang Wei's watch and said, "You Zhi, what happened to the recruiting of the people in the city?"

Wang Wei was taken aback, working together for more than two years, it was the first time Liu Zhiyuan called him by name.He hurriedly cupped his hands and said: "My lord, after the lower officials are ordered, they will immediately send government servants to post government notices everywhere. And let the clerks of each house in the state government work in groups of several people to spread the word through the streets and alleys, preaching that everyone has protection. It is the responsibility of guarding the home, explaining to the common people the atrocities committed by the thieves in the past, and calling on everyone to participate in the defense of the city. All the gentry and common people in the city have signed up enthusiastically, and more than 50 people have been recruited, all of them are above and below the age of [-]. Young and strong!"

Liu Zhiyuan praised: "You Zhi did a great job!"

Then he changed the subject and said in a firm tone: "More than 5000 civilians, plus more than 5000 Shouzhou guards, total 2000 people. The 1000 people are divided into three teams, the first and second teams each have 200 people, and take turns to defend! The third team of [-] people will be used as a reserve, and they will support it everywhere during the war! Commander Li, you will break up the Shouzhou guard army, form a small team of [-] people, divide the crenels, and choose a reliable person to lead the defense!"

Li Long stood up and received the order.

Liu Zhiyuan continued: "This time the thieves gathered outside the south gate, and the other three gates have not seen the enemy, which shows that they despise it! It has been four days since we arrived in Shouzhou, and we have just begun to attack the city. There must be something strange! Finally, you go to contact the big gentry in the city, and all those with high martial arts skills must go to the city to participate in the guards! General Li, you immediately send your trusted people to Fengyang, first to report the letter, and second to lead the way for the reinforcements! The reserve team is divided There are two teams, each with 500 people, and you will lead one team to support at any time! The other team will be led by someone selected from your army!"

After saluting, Li Long turned around and left the watchtower to make arrangements.

Wang Weidao: "My lord, who is commanding the two guards? Could it be that I'm waiting?"

Liu Zhiyuan smiled and said: "The first team is in command, you lead the second team! Mr. Xu led the team to patrol the city and the four gates to prevent civil strife!"

Xu You cupped his hands and said: "My lord, it's dangerous to defend the city. It's better for your lord to lead a team to patrol, and it's better for the lower officials and Lord Wang to lead a team to defend the city!"

Liu Zhiyuan waved his hands and said with a smile: "I am the chief official of a state, how can I be the one who seeks advantages and avoids disadvantages! No need to say too much, just remember, the day the city is destroyed is the day when you and I die for the country! You must not fall into the hands of thieves, and you must not do anything that will leave you with an eternal infamy!" After speaking of the last sentence, Liu Zhiyuan's tone suddenly became severe.

Wang Wei and Xu You got up and bowed their hands solemnly. Wang Wei said with emotion: "Wang has received the emperor's grace, and he will never do anything like that!"

Xu You said solemnly: "The lower officials can't show themselves to the world, but I hope to leave a name after death!"

Liu Zhiyuan got up to return the salute, looking at the two colleagues who have worked together for several years, he was filled with emotion: Usually there is no unity between the few people, and there are often fights for power and profit.But now it's life and death, looking back, all the dirty things in the past are so ridiculous.

In the bandit camp, Gao Yingxiang was listening to his younger brother Gao Yingen's report on today's battle.Gao Yingen gave a detailed account of Zhang Xianzhong's siege of the city today, and then continued: "Brother, this man surnamed Zhang is pretending to be acting for us today. Could it be that he has connections with the city? Let's be careful, don't worry about it Such a thief!"

Gao Yingxiang shook his head and said: "He Huanghu kills people like hemp, and even dug up the Zhu family's ancestral grave last year. Even if he is willing to surrender, the emperor in the capital will not let him go! Strange, this thief has thousands of men who can fight If you don’t count the casualties and attack the city, it’s not difficult to take it in two days, so why do you have to do it this way?”

The octopus dragon on the side said: "I see, this Huanghu is afraid that after breaking Shouzhou, we will rob him of money and women, so he can't do anything! King Chuang, why don't you take Huanghu away?" Transfer it, I will lead the team to fight, and I promise to win it in one day!"

Another bandit leader, the general manager, said: "I don't think that's the case. Huang Hu is very smart. We have to be careful of him! King Chuang, let me see that, call a team of two thousand cavalry to watch him, or he will really make a fool of himself." Moths come!"

Gao Yingxiang thought for a while and then ordered: "Old Gao is right! No matter what, watch him first! Yingen, you take two thousand cavalry to move to his side, if there is anything wrong, rush to the camp immediately! Let Huang Hu cut off his head!"

The big boss He Shuangquan said: "King Chuang, there are still more than 2000 Liaodong barbarians behind! If we have internal strife, I'm afraid the officers and soldiers will take advantage of it! I think it's better not to rush him, or send someone away." Go and urge him, make it clear to him, let him move to camp if he can’t fight tomorrow, and we will fight by ourselves! Find time to be him in the future!”

Gao Yingxiang was not a resourceful and decisive person, so he felt that He Shuangquan's words made sense. He nodded and said, "Yingen, don't bring the cavalry there, and you can go to the camp again, just like Shuangquan just now." Tell him what you want to say! Grandma! I wanted to take this opportunity to tell Huang Hu to lose some of his men, but I didn’t expect this thief to be so thoughtful! After taking down Shouzhou, he must not be allowed to live again!"

When Gao Yingen came to the camp again, Zhang Xianzhong was discussing countermeasures with a few cronies in the tent, and he saw Gao Yingen riding a horse from a long distance away from the open tent door.

After the personal report was passed, Gao Yingen strode in, Zhang Xianzhong sat motionless, and the rest of the people squinted at Gao Yingen, showing no respect for Gao Yingxiang, his younger brother.

Gao Yingen was annoyed at Zhang Xianzhong's rudeness in his heart, and said to himself: "This is not the time to seek refuge with my elder brother after digging Zhu's family ancestor's grave. At that time, when I saw me, I didn't smile or talk, and I yelled at each other. Now that I have a lot of money, I start to turn my face. ! If you fall into my hands, you thief, I will kill you with a knife!"

He slightly clasped his hands and said with a smile: "The eighth king is here! My elder brother sent me to inform the eighth king: we can't break the city tomorrow, we will break into the king's department and fight it ourselves! Then please move the eighth king to watch the battle!"

The corners of Zhang Xianzhong's mouth twitched, and he squeezed out a smile and said, "King Chuang is so aggressive, I, Lao Zhang, will accept it! Go back and tell King Chuang, I will make him wish tomorrow!"

Gao Yingen didn't say much, after cupping his hands, he turned around and strode out of the tent, mounted his horse, and drove away with his own soldiers.

Zhang Xianzhong's general, Shi Tatian, spat at Gao Yingen's back: "Donkey day! Come to my camp to play your mother's prestige! If I have time, I will chop him up!"

Another confidant, Sole Guang, said: "Eight Great Kings, what should we do next? It seems that Gao Chuangzi is going to turn his back on him, and if he drags on, he might not succeed! Gao Chuangzi has a lot of people, and if we don't break the city tomorrow, we will have to move." The camp is over, he is going to destroy Shouzhou, and we will destroy it if we eat dirt and mud behind us!"

Yizhangqing continued: "No way, tomorrow we will directly break the city, open the south gate and let the elite soldiers go in to rob it, then close the city gate and block it, and go out the north gate directly after the robbing is over! The ditch in the northwest is deep and dense, and his cavalry cannot escape. Get up! When Gao Chuangzi finds out that something is wrong, gathers all the men, and takes time to open the city gate, and then comes out from the north gate to chase us, we will have run away long ago!"

Sun Kewang behind Zhang Xianzhong sneered, "How much food and grass can a few thousand veterans take away? Most of us are infantry, can we outrun the cavalry that broke into the camp? If so, Gao Chuang will definitely fight us with all his might, "

Zhang Xianzhong waved his hands irritably, and ordered: "You guys go back to the camp and wait for my general order! I hope you stay here, I have something to order!"

Shi Tatian and the others got up, said goodbye and went back to the camp, while Sun Kewang, Li Dingguo and others stayed behind.

Sun Kewang said: "Father, you can't turn against Gao Chuang right now, if you can't, you can only bear with it for now, and he doesn't dare to openly fight with the officers and soldiers behind you. As long as father don't go to the camp again, Gao Chuang will be fine." There is no way!"

Li Dingguo said: "Brother is right. Tomorrow we will break through Shouzhou. After the robbing, we will find an opportunity to leave Gao Chuang and go to Huguang! Now Gao Chuang has been targeted by the imperial army, and it is very dangerous to cooperate with him!"

Liu Wenxiu also said: "Father, take most of the veterans to the north overnight, and then turn back to the west. Just leave a thousand veterans for us! We will hunt for you after we have captured Shouzhou!"

Ai Nengqi nodded vigorously in agreement, and Sun Kewang and Li Dingguo also echoed.

Zhang Xianzhong felt extremely relieved, and his family was still trustworthy at the critical moment.What Liu Wenxiu said was right, there was no need for him to wait here for Gao Yingxiang to turn his face, it was better to leave the dangerous place overnight.He believed in the abilities of the adopted sons, and the little Shouzhou was no problem.

He opened the mouth and said: "Kaiwang, Dingguo, you guys go to prepare and ask Shi Tatian to select some veterans, and we will leave overnight! Wenxiu, Nengqi, you will attack the city tomorrow, and you can rob as much as you can. We have tens of thousands As much as a person can take away, Gao Chuangzi will not attack soldiers because of his reputation! That's it! "

　This paragraph is poorly written.Unified reply: I heard a joke that an online writer, encouraged by readers, desperately updated, at least three times a day, and after finishing the book with 200 million words a year, he earned a total of 1 yuan. In his 30s, he has gray hair and looks like an old man.You are not urging the update, you are using a ripening agent.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)