Late Tang Dynasty: I

Chapter 229 You hit you, I hit me
In May of the third year of Dazhi, the imperial army crossed the Bian River.

Li Ye listened to Zhu Zhen's suggestion and ordered Wang Rulin's [-] cavalry to cruise along the line between Chenzhou and Bianzhou, and Zhou Xian's Zuo Shence Army to stay in Sandu and set up camps on both banks to guard the Bianhe pontoon bridge.

In one month, the grain in Shannan Dongdao can be harvested, and the summer tax can be directly transported to Caizhou, along the Caizhou-Chenzhou-Bianzhou line, to transport the grain and grass to the front line.

Of course, more than 8 soldiers and civilians don’t count on this line for food and grass. There are 40 million shi of grain and grass in Luzhou, Zhaoyi, which can go south through Weibo, cross the Yellow River, and go directly to Bianliang.

There is no problem with these two food roads supporting the army for several months. When the food in Caizhou and Yingzhou is ripe, the follow-up food and grass will naturally continue to flow.

His Majesty the Emperor can naturally let go.

……

Luoyang
Zhu Wen went all the way to Mi County, went to Songshan Mountain, took Gaocheng County, all the way to the northwest, went down to Dengfeng County and Yanshi County, bypassed Sishui Pass, and soon arrived at the city of Luoyang.

Li Kexiu is ready to fight.

There are not many other things in Luoyang, but there are a lot of bricks, stones and wood. The burned Luoyang palace is full of ruins. There are many slaves under the command of the Youshenwei Army and the Hedong Army. There is no shortage.

There are hundreds of thousands of stones of grain and grass in the city, so don't panic if you have food.

This is the time when people are in short supply, as long as they provide two meals a day, the people of Luoyang can mobilize as much as they want.

In one day, all the eight gates of Luoyang City were sealed tightly with bricks, stones and rice juice. Gao Wenmin still felt inadequate. Two urns were built at the south gate and north gate. Since the suspension bridges were not in use, they were all burned down.

Li Kexiu ordered the men to move all the boulders and wood from the dilapidated palace to the city wall.

"Luoyang has a copper wall and an iron wall, so what if there are millions of troops?"

According to the emperor's decree, Jingxiang opened the treasury and rewarded the three armies. The army and the people of Luoyang are united and united.

The only thing that feels quite uncomfortable is that Dongdu stayed behind with Zhao Ji.

"Zhu Wen entered Xuanwu, wiped out Huangchao, and rejected Qin's patriarchal power. He contributed to the community. The first emperor felt his rebellious heart and gave him the name of Quanzhong. But now he is a thief?"

Zhao Ji really couldn't figure it out.Compared with domineering, Li Keyong in Hedong is even more serious, but the emperor seems to be aiming at Xuanwu everywhere, and wants to put Xuanwu to death. Why?
Jing Xiang and Zhao Ji knew each other. When they were in Xuanwu, they used to save weapons, food and grass. The two had a lot of contact. Seeing Zhao Liushou's behavior, he shook his head.

What's the reason? There should be no reason why Zhao Ji couldn't think of it, but he just didn't want to admit it.

"If Xuanwu is loyal, how could he come to Luoyang!"

Zhao Ji shook his head, he still thought that the court forced Zhu Wen to do this.

Jing Xiang said: "The disease in the feudal town has been poisoned for a hundred years. Does it mean that Zhao Liushou doesn't know the ambition of the emperor?"

Zhao Ji was startled suddenly, and said: "The ambition of the Son of Heaven, could it be..."

Jing Xiang smiled and said: "Your Majesty wants to clean up the world, rejuvenate the Tang Dynasty, and Xuanwu's possession of the four states is not enough. He attacked Linzhen and occupied the prefectures and counties by force, and the imperial edict was not obeyed. Isn't it right to conquer them?"

After Jingxiang finished speaking, he didn't speak anymore. If Zhao Liushou thought about what the emperor did after he succeeded to the throne, what else would he not understand?

But Jingxiang also sympathizes with Zhao Ji, Chenzhou and Xuanwu are too deeply involved, I don't know how the emperor will deal with it!

……

Zhu Wen set up camp in the east of the city, and sent his cavalry troops to plunder the surrounding counties within [-] li and take their people captive.

He personally led the cavalry of the Ya'nei Army, and went around Luoyang to observe the Luoyang city defense. Along the way, his face became worse and worse.

Zhu Wen said to the officers and men beside him: "Luoyang City is fortified and well-defended. Giant logs and rocks can be seen everywhere on the city walls. So, what strategy should be used to break the city?"

All the soldiers were silent, just looked around, Luoyang city is watertight.

Liu Handao: "Jie Shuai, I humbled you to think that a strong attack would lead to huge casualties, but you can coerce the people to fill the river, and then use the Batu army to attack Luoyang at night, take the opportunity to open the city gate, and the army will enter the city, and the event will be settled."

Zhu Wen nodded, that's all he could do.

That night, the entire Batu camp came out, aiming at the west gate. More than a thousand people poured water across the moat, while the rest secretly filled the river with earth.

At this time, Luoyang City was quiet, and the defenders seemed unaware.

When all the troops in the capital camp were on the city wall, Zhu Wen was overjoyed, and hurriedly ordered the Zuo Changzhi army to gather at the west gate.

But Zhu Wen didn't wait for the west gate to open.

With the sound of a drum, a large number of torches and braziers appeared on the gate tower. On the gate tower of the west gate, archers stood ready to shoot and kill the Zuo Changzhi army gathered at the west gate.

The Batu camp soldiers finally gathered soldiers and horses in the inner city, and wanted to kill Ximen.

But when they rushed to the west gate, they found that the city gate had been sealed with bricks and stones, so how could they open the city gate.

Batu Ying wanted to visit other city gates.

But it was too late at this time. On a street in the west city of Luoyang, the soldiers of the Batu camp met the soldiers of the Eight Capitals of the Right Shenwei Army, and when they wanted to return, they ran into the Hedong Army.

Fighting back and forth, there is no way to escape.

In the silence of the night, shouts of killing, screams, and marching drums were mixed together, and Zhu Wen, who was hundreds of steps away, could hear it very clearly.

He looked at Liu Han, and Liu Han also looked at Zhu Wen. The two looked solemn, knowing that they must have been tricked.

Before Zhu Wen could breathe a sigh of relief, the messenger who was spying on the military situation in Bozhou rushed to Zhu Wen's military tent overnight.

"Report to Marshal Jie, the Imperial Army reported that the imperial court's tens of thousands of troops besieged General Zhang Cunjing, wiped out the Zhongwu Army, and Zhang Cunjing died in battle!"

"Ah, Cunjing..."

Zhu Wen's face changed drastically. He had lost several generals on his side, Li Si'an, Wang Tan, and now Zhang Cunjing.Now that Chenzhou has also fallen, the situation is becoming more and more unfavorable for Xuanwu.

As far as Zhang Cunjing's death was concerned, Zhu Wen was already dealt a huge blow, and the news that followed was like five thunderbolts, knocking Zhu Wen dizzy.

What are you really afraid of, what are you getting more and more?
"Jieshuai, the imperial army has already crossed the Bianhe River, only fifty miles away from Bianliang."

"How many people are there?" Zhu Wen asked anxiously:

"Lian Minfu is no less than [-]."

"call!"

Eighty thousand troops, eighty thousand troops!
Zhu Wen paced back and forth with a worried expression on his face.

After a long time, Zhu Wen asked, "Are any Batu camp soldiers returning from Luoyang City?"

Liu Han shook his head.

Zhu Wen's face turned cold, it seemed that Batuying was hopeless, and said: "Order Kou Yanqing to lead his troops to collect forests in a radius of [-] li and build siege equipment. After three days, the whole army will attack the city."

"promise!"

After all the soldiers left, Zhu Wen left Liu Han behind and said, "After three days, no matter whether Luoyang can be captured or not, the army must return to Bianliang."

Liu Han nodded. He was also worried. Their parents were all in Bianliang. If Bianliang fell and the court threatened them with their family members, how would they deal with themselves?
Zhu Wen was even more nervous. If the imperial court captured Bianliang, not to mention his own family members, the soldiers under his command might not have the heart to fight. By that time, the entire Xuanwu army might be destroyed.

(End of this chapter)