After resting in Fuling, Xiao Yuan immediately decided to prepare to march to Zitong and then march to Yizhou.

Zitong is not a small city, it is a large county in Shuzhong, and it is also the last barrier in Yizhou.

According to the normal situation, Huang Songyuan should have heavily defended the city, and now Yizhou also has his 10,000 guards, but he did not do it.

Zitong did not have a Shu army garrison, in Xiao Yuan's opinion, his own army could directly cross this place, and everyone else also thought so, therefore, when discussing the troops, the focus of the discussion among the generals was not on Zitong, but on Chen Tai's department.

Su Yi said: "Shu lord Huang Songyuan urgently ordered all departments to come back to help, now Chen Tai has given up General Peng Shuang's department, is leading the army to rush back to Yizhou, in the opinion of the last general, our army's top priority now is not to conquer the city, but to grab time with Chen Tai to see who arrives in Yizhou first." ”

"Whoever arrives in Yizhou first, who occupies the complete initiative, no matter how many Shu troops there are, as long as Yizhou is certain, the overall situation will be determined."

He was right, Xiao Yuan also nodded when he heard this: "Su Yi is reasonable, there is no need to discuss this matter, let's march through Zitong directly." ”

Everyone in the Qin army thought that Zitong could go through directly, but no one expected that they would be met with stubborn resistance here.

A few days later, Xiao Yuan's soldiers came to the city.

At this moment, on Zitong City, the county guard Zhang Jingrui was wearing an official uniform and holding a sword, ready to personally command the battle.

Everywhere in the city pass, there are dense militiamen, all dressed in cloth clothes and holding spears, which are the people in the city organized by this one.

Outside the city pass, the black armor and red tassels are overwhelming, and the Qin army camp has no end in sight.

Seeing this situation, Xiao Yuan was also slightly stunned, and then smashed the horse's belly and came to the place where the city was an arrow, ready to persuade it to switch.

Because of the previous military intelligence, Xiao Yuan knew the name of the Zitong County Guard, he rode a war horse, wore a brocade robe, and tied his hair with a hosta, and shouted loudly:

"Lord Zhang! Now our army is besieging the city, and Zitong can break it with a snap of his fingers! Don't be stubborn, lest you make mistakes! ”

Hearing this, Zhang Jingrui naturally knew that the following was Lord Qin, he was located in the center of the city, holding a sword and pointing at Xiao Yuan in the air, and shouted:

"Xiao thief! Thief! You wolf ambition! Invade my Shu land! This official can't wait to eat your flesh! Sleep on your skin! ”

He scolded badly, and when Xiao Yuan heard this, he smiled on his back and said, "Master Zhang! Don't be so excited, why not follow Yong'an, take the initiative to open the city, with the talent of Lord Zhang, if you are willing to surrender sincerely, this official will ensure that you do not lose your glory and wealth. ”

"Traitor!" Who knew that Zhang Jingrui was glaring and scolding again: "The head of this official and a county!" The food of the king, the matter of loyalty! Is it Li Minggui's shameless rats! Soldiers can be killed, but not humiliated! Thief, don't say more! This official vows to live and die with Zitong! ”

"Shoot the arrows!" As he spoke, he waved his hand.

Following his order, some of the militia in the city began to bend their bows and arrows, and launched indiscriminate fire at the city.

Most of the sparse rain of arrows was nailed to the ground in front of Xiao Yuan, who tugged at the reins slightly, and his face became a little gloomy.

He didn't expect that Zhang Jingrui, a civil official, had no power to restrain the chicken, and he had such backbone.

The conversation between the two has already come to this, and there is no need to say more, after Xiao Yuan returned to the main formation, he also ordered the siege of the city.

However, the Qin army was exhausted after a long journey and a hurried journey, so the siege on the first day did not last long, and Zhang Jingrui organized the people to defend the city, collected a lot of fire oil, and used these things to barely block the first wave of the Qin army's offensive.

In the end, Xiao Yuan could only temporarily collect his troops.

As the sound of gold sounded, the Qin army retreated, and Xiao Yuan's face became more and more gloomy.

"Zhang Jingrui is hateful! Dare to organize the people to block the way of our army in Zitong! ”

He couldn't help but scold, but having said that, he understood more in his heart that Zhang Jingrui could organize so many people with such ability, which just showed that this person was a good official, otherwise, how could the people work for him.

Shangguan Wenruo said: "With the strength of the people, it is impossible for Zhang Jingrui to hold Zitong, and he himself knows this very well, but he did it anyway, which shows that he is trying to delay time, stop my army from approaching Yizhou, and create an opportunity for Chen Tai's troops to return to help." ”

"This person is not simple, he has a strategy and backbone, he knows that he is dead, but he is still like this, just to keep Yizhou, and his loyalty can be learned." Xiao Yuan exclaimed.

Hearing this, Su Yi clenched his fists and said: "Lord, in the opinion of the last general, although Zitong defends the city with the people, but at this critical juncture, our army must not be benevolent, so as not to delay the fighter!" ”

He is right, if he can't pass Zitong, after Chen Tai returns to aid Yizhou, the battle situation will change dramatically, and at that time, Yizhou will not be able to attack, and the rear will be cut off by Lian Xiao, and the situation will be a little dangerous.

Thinking of this, a cold light flashed in Xiao Yuan's eyes, he was not an indecisive person, and immediately said in a straight voice: "Tomorrow, Zitong must be attacked!" ”

His military order represents that the Qin army is about to launch a fierce attack.

The next day, the war drums beat, and the Qin army began to rush frantically towards the city pass.

Ladders were erected all over the city wall, and arrows from both sides shot back and forth in the air.

The military order, the Qin soldiers don't care whether the people defending the city above are the people, on the battlefield, either you die or I die!

This siege battle is many times more fierce than on the first day!

The Qin army is brave and good at fighting, it can be called the army of tigers and wolves, and when it fought a tough battle with Xirong, the opponent who could fight was terrified, and it is conceivable that when the attack is really launched, how can it be resisted by the people alone.

Where have these people been on the battlefield, and where have they seen such a formation!

Many people could still put arrows down at first, but when the Qin army emerged along the ladder, it was a face-to-face white-knuckle battle.

On the closure of the city, screams erupted and chaos erupted, and many people were so frightened that they threw away their weapons and fled by the way.

How could civilians confront the regular army, it didn't take long for the Qin army to take advantage of the situation to attack the city.

This scene, looking at Zhang Jingrui's eyes, his eyes were split, holding a sword, and he couldn't help shouting:

"Hold on! Folks! As long as we can hold on for two days! You can keep the state safe! At that time, the Qin army will retreat! ”

His purpose is very clear, but ordinary people, after all, are not regular soldiers, and they have never been on the battlefield at all, so they are powerless to return to heaven at this time.

Immediately afterwards, the city gate was also smashed open, and countless Qin troops swarmed in.

The people who were originally defending the city in the city began to flee in all directions, and Zhang Jingrui was still holding a sword and standing at the head of the city in a daze.

ABC