Liu Chengyou walked into the Privy Council, and Ruan Zheng was talking about something with Guo Rong. Raising his hand to stop the two, he took his robe and sat on the short chair presented by Zhang Dejun, and asked, "What is the matter of what the second secretary is talking about?" ”

Fold from Ruan Yingdao: "The Military Intelligence Department reported that four days ago, Hunan Zhou Xingfeng broke Wuling City, and now, it has completely occupied Chen, Lang, Tan, Heng and other places, in Hunan, I am afraid that there will be no opponents of the Zhou family!" ”

"Oh?" Liu Chengyou sighed, not surprised: "Between Tan and Lang, after a fierce battle for more than half a year, the winner is finally decided!" Sun Lang and Cao Jin were not Zhou Xing's opponents, but they didn't expect that the two of them would be able to persist until now! ”

"The siege of the Zitan army lasted several months, but the result is predictable!" Guo Rong's tone was a little regretful, and said: "I just didn't expect that other forces in Hunan would sit back and watch success or failure, and let the two attack." Zhang Wenbiao, who supported the army in the south, was even more indulged in pleasure, and did not add a little trouble to Zhou Xingfeng, so that he could calmly trap the city and break it! ”

In the summer of this year, Wuling, Langzhou, repeated turmoil, starting from Wang Kui, Liu Yan and Pan Shuhei, civil strife and hard work, and finally let Sun Lang and Cao Jin, two penniless northern generals, become famous.

Zhou Xing saw the opportunity, held high the "banner of righteousness", and set up the water and army to go north. Sun Lang and Cao Jin were not waiting to be killed, and the five thousand-strong armies of Helang and Chen Erzhou went south to meet them, and the two sides fought in Yiyang.

This county of Yiyang, since the time when Ma Xicao raised his army, has been the key area of the military struggle between Lang and Tan, and has been repeatedly devastated by war, and has witnessed almost all the wars since the end of Ma Chu. The same is true this time, and the two sides have been fighting in Yiyang for more than ten days.

However, Cao Jin and Sun Lang were only a general, and they were foreign generals, who carried the main and killed the generals, and took the army city, and the mixed soldiers, although they were fierce soldiers in Duolangzhou, but the people's hearts were unstable, and they were worthy of their dependence, and only the Central Plains soldiers who had followed the two for many years were not more than seven hundred.

Although the soldiers mobilized by Zhou Xingfeng were less than 10,000, there was no disparity in the number of people who responded to the battle head-on. However, Zhou Xingfeng had a good command of his troops and was united in his heart, and he had the upper hand from the beginning of the engagement.

And Sun Lang and Cao Jin, although they are young and talented, are also warriors who walk on the tip of the knife all year round. Although it was difficult to detect the defeat, he felt that it was not good, and decisively withdrew his troops, and his actions were fast. Zhou Xingfeng took the opportunity to chase and kill, and although he killed more than 2,000 soldiers, he still let the two lead the remnants of the army and retreated to Wuling City.

Zhou Xingfeng took the opportunity to reorganize the soldiers and horses, and then besieged the city with land and water soldiers. Originally, if there was no accident, the situation of Wuling's people being scattered and suffering from internal and external difficulties could be broken in ten days.

However, the rabbit was eager to bite people, the dog was anxious to jump over the wall, and Sun Lang and Cao Jin were in the city to resist the Tan soldiers. Wuling City, although it is the source of many years of turmoil in Hunan, but in fact it has not suffered much substantial damage, plus a few festivals, spare no effort to repair and strengthen the city, and the previous time and collect the grain of the two states in the city.

In the face of such a situation, Sun and Cao desperately defended the city, and Zhou Xingfeng's army attacked two formations, and they were really defended for a while. And Zhou Xingfeng is here, with insufficient military strength, more than trapped and not enough to break.

The two sides confronted each other inside and outside Wuling, from summer to autumn, and there were more than three months. Before the winter, seeing that the veteran soldiers of the division were tired and the fortified city was difficult, some subordinate generals persuaded Zhou Xingfeng to temporarily withdraw from the army, and then try to do it later, but Zhou Xingfeng decisively refused.

Summoned the generals and colonels of the army, and said to them: "The siege of the city has not been carried down for months, but the thief army is strong, but I have mercy on the soldiers, and I do not want to waste my life to break the city." In this way, the Wuling thieves have declined, sitting and waiting to be killed, the people in the city have little food, and I am full of food and warm clothes outside, how long can they last? The matter has come to this point, and we must not give up halfway, and all the previous achievements will be wasted. If he retreats today, he will come back day by day, and the effort will be doubled! There will be those who retreat again! ”

In this way, Zhou Xingfeng unified the army's heart, and also gave Sun Lang and Cao Jin the hope of "strictly guarding the city defense, consuming their morale, and waiting for the enemy to retreat".

Of course, Zhou Xingfeng is so stubborn, and it is also a decision after judging the situation.

On the one hand, the Northern Han Dynasty in the Central Plains was busy with internal affairs and had no intention of going outside, and only issued some painless edicts to Hunan, so that Zhou Xingfeng had no distractions and could rest assured. The surrounding forces, Jingnan Gao's Su self-defense, the Southern Tang Dynasty through Huainan heavy losses, is reforming, Hou Shu is busy with the Northern Palace, it can be said that Zhou Xingfeng has an almost perfect stable external environment.

Both, a lonely city in Wuling, and the surrounding counties and towns all surrendered to him and provided military service and food. He stationed troops outside, no less than food, grass, ordnance, and clothing, and had enough confidence. And Changsha has been gradually restored through its governance.

Speaking of which, I have to mention that Zhou Xingfeng has a good wife. He was murderous, harsh, and often punished indiscriminately, but he was often admonished by his wife and suspended his sentence to accumulate virtue. During the farming season, his wife also worked in the field to take care of the people's livelihood and make them less worry-free.

Of the three, the only thing to worry about is Zhang Wenbiao and other old brothers in the south, who are the elbow and armpit trouble. For these people, Zhou Xingfeng increased the stability with generous gifts. Especially Zhang Wenbiao, Zhou Xingfeng also selected five beauties to give to him, one of whom is the most beautiful and favorite concubine in his back house.

Therefore, when Zhou Xingfeng was fighting under Wuling City, Zhang Wenbiao was busy enjoying the wine and beauty. Especially Zhou Xingfeng's favorite concubine, as early as Langzhou, there was envy, and now Zhou Xingfeng is dedicated to the couch, and he is even more complacent, often talking to people, Zhou Xingfeng is afraid of him so much.

By this winter, the food in Wuling City was exhausted, and he was no longer able to resist, and together with the chaotic soldiers, Zhou Xingfeng easily broke into the door and was able to go down the city. Although a lot of money and grain have been lost, but in Wuling, the harvest is always greater than the pay.

Liu Chengyou, on his side, is busy sorting out internal affairs, but he is still concerned about the war in Hunan, and he has to inquire about it from time to time.

Quickly digesting the news that Zhou Xingfeng broke Wuling and Langzhou, Liu Chengyou asked: "What about Sun Lang and Cao Jin?" If you escape, you may be able to keep it and make some articles in the future! ”

Guo Rong shook his head: "Both of them were captured alive, and Zhou Xingfeng entered the city, beheaded the two, and hung their heads at the city gate." In addition, after entering the city, Zhou Xingfeng collected the Lang soldiers, but he killed all the Central Plains generals who followed Sun and Caoren, and more than 500 sergeants, not one was left! ”

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou couldn't help but take a breath and condensed: "This week, the killing is decisive, and the means are really ruthless!" ”

It is reported that Zhou Xingfeng killed the northern soldiers, nominally to avenge Liu Yan and Pan Shuhei. However, the minister speculated that the northern soldiers were the source of the trouble, and the killing would prevent future troubles, and in addition, there may not be no intention to deter Langzhou to surrender! Guo Rong analyzed.

Zhi Congruan, sighed, and said: "After the destruction of Wuling City, there were only less than 20,000 soldiers and civilians left in the city, and many of them were cold and hungry. Now, after receiving the surrender of troops in Langzhou, according to the essence of Xianghu Lake, there are more than 20,000 troops. Just wait for its digestion and recuperation to end, the land of Jinghu is afraid that there will be no more opponents! ”

"Zhou Xingfeng is bound to be!" Liu Chengyou raised his fingers and said in a deep voice.

"Don't let it sit down any longer, otherwise, it will be a disaster for the court!" After thinking about it, Liu Chengyou looked at Zhi and Guo: "Erqing thinks, how to make it?" ”

"The minister and the prince are talking about it!" Guo Rong said: "The ministers thought that after the first battle of Wuling, Zhou Xingfeng's next goal must be Zhang Wenbiao and other generals in the south, in order to unify Hunan.

However, Hunan has been hit by wars in the past three years, and it has been the most violent, and the people have suffered from it, the soldiers are tired and the people are poor, and the government is empty. In a short period of time, Zhou Xingfeng was afraid that he would not start the sword again. But after a year and a half of sabbatical, the vitality has recovered a little, and it depends on his choice! ”

"If that's the case, after a year and a half, the imperial court will have the spare strength to mix up in Hunan!" Liu Chengyou thought about it, and his words were full of confidence: "However, now that Zhou Xingfeng has taken possession of Langzhou, the imperial court should also say something, what do you think?" ”

At this time, Zhi Congruan said to Li Chuyun, who was standing beside him: "Zhengyuan, don't you have an opinion?" Kedao and Your Majesty! ”

It can be seen that Zhe Congruan really appreciates Li Chuyun and often looks for opportunities to give him a performance. Seeing this, Liu Chengyou also looked at him, Li Chuyun raised his hand and saluted, and calmly said: "Your Majesty, Sun Lang and Cao Jin, killed Jiedu to stand on their own, and Zhou Xingfeng raised the 'banner of righteousness' to quell the rebellion, and the court also acquiesced." Now that Sun and Cao are the heads, they can send their cousins to do their work, and at the same time, severely punish them for the crime of indiscriminate killing!

The land of Chen and Lang has been in its hands, and the imperial court can take advantage of the situation to lead the two towns of Wuping and Wu'an to calm their hearts. However, the Zhou family must be controlled, and in Hunan, the person who can do this is nothing more than Zhang Wenbiao.

A few days ago, the imperial court issued an edict and led the troops north with Zhang Wenbiao, wanting to wait for Wuling to be pacified and succeeded by him. Zhang did not move, but now it seems that it is also a good thing. Zhang Wenbiao can be promoted to the Jingjiang military festival envoy, with his Zhenquan, Yong, Dao, Gui, Chenzhou five states, in his name, so that he and Zhou Xingfeng divided the north and south, they will fight against each other! ”

Listening to his suggestion, Liu Chengyou couldn't help but smile faintly: "Zhou Xingfeng has been painstakingly and lonely, planning for a long time, and following the trend, it can be regarded as suffering a lot, so as to occupy half of Hunan." Zhang Wenbiao was just a prostitute who ate and drank, and I gave him the other half of the edict. Hehe, your intentions are very dangerous! ”

Li Chuyun said: "This is a yang scheme!" ”

"Even if there is an edict from the imperial court, the southern states are afraid that they will also go their own way. Even if the imperial court vigorously promoted Zhang Wenbiao, I am afraid that he is not Zhou Xingfeng's opponent, and it is inevitable that he will be merged! Guo Rong said.

Li Chuyun saluted again and responded calmly: "Once Zhou and Zhang fight each other, Hunan will raise troops again, and the imperial court can send an edict to stop the war." If they don't listen, they will use the Jingnan Gao clan to send troops to the south and promise the land of Langzhou. The imperial army can follow it to the south and collect Jinghu in one fell swoop! ”

In a few words, Li Chuyun has planned a blueprint for Liu Chengyou to collect Jinghu, and the feasibility is not small.

Liu Chengyou raised his eyebrows, looked at Li Chuyun a few times, and said: "Collect Jinghu, this is Li Qing's strategy, the real purpose!" ”

"Your Majesty is wise!" Li Chuyun said affirmatively: "Jinghu Lake is the heart of the world, if the imperial court can accept it, the day when the world will return to unification is not far away!" ”