After scolding Jiang Qi, Feng Ji and the two persuaded Yuan Shao: "Lord, our army's catapults have been destroyed, and the sharpness of the soldiers has been lost, why don't you collect the troops for the time being and continue to attack the city tomorrow?" ”

Unexpectedly, Yuan Shaochong rolled his eyes at the two of them, and said stubbornly: "No, if I don't capture the pavilion today, I will not give up!" Where is Yan Liang and Wen Chou? ”

Hearing Yuan Shao call his name, Yan Liangwen, who was standing on the side, hurriedly stepped forward: "The end will be!" ”

"Yan Liang led two generals, Lu Xiang and Lu Kuang, led 20,000 troops to attack the east of the city; Wen Chou led Meng Dai and recruited two generals, led 20,000 troops, and attacked the west of the city. If you don't break the pottery, you won't collect the troops! ”

"The last general leads the troops!" Yan Liangwen said yes, then turned around and ordered his troops to leave.

As soon as the two left, Yuan Shao shouted at a general not far away, "Where is Zhu Ling?" ”

"The end will be here!" Zhu Ling, who has been playing the role of soy sauce, heard Yuan Shao's call and hurriedly trotted over.

"You lead 20,000 troops to attack the south of the city." After Yuan Shao finished instructing Zhu Ling, he turned his head to look at Jiang Qi, who had just been reprimanded by the staff, and added: "You also lead the men and horses of your headquarters to attack the city with Zhu Ling." If you retreat and avoid the war, and the two crimes are punished together, I will be killed. Do you understand? ”

Jiang Qi was frightened into a cold sweat, and hurriedly replied: "The last general is ordered!" ”

…………

Seeing the black-pressed Yuan army coming towards the city wall, Han Zhan behaved extremely calmly. He called Sima Jiang Fan of the crossbow battalion to the front and ordered: "Jiang Sima, you divide the crossbowmen into three columns, and as soon as the Yuan soldiers enter the firing range, they will immediately take turns to shoot." Do you understand? ”

"Subordinates obey!" Jiang Fan agreed, and was about to go to the assignment, but was stopped by Han Zhan again.

Han Zhan asked with some concern: "Judging from Yuan Shao's division of troops, there are also heavy troops attacking the city on the east and west sides of the city, is the number of crossbowmen there enough?" ”

"Please rest assured, my lord." Jiang Fan replied: "Although there are only five hundred strong crossbowmen in the east and west of the city, the Marquis of Chu Jun and the Marquis of Chen Jun are people who have been in battle for a long time, even if there are more Yuan Jun, they will still shoot them to the point of crying father and mother." ”

Seeing that Jiang Fan was so confident, Han Zhan's heart was also much more steady, and he waved his hand at the other party, signaling that he could leave.

After Zhao Yun waited for Jiang Fan to leave, he walked over and said to Han Zhan and Guo Jia: "Second brother, Mr. Guo, this time is too dangerous, you better go back to Taishou Mansion." I will send someone to report to you at any time about the war in the city. ”

Hearing Zhao Yun say this, Guo Jia smiled and didn't say anything, just looked at Han Zhan sideways, wanting to hear what he had to say. Han Zhan shook his head and said, "Big brother, no matter how dangerous the city is, can it be more dangerous than the attack I just led the troops?" I stayed here, even if I couldn't kill the enemy with my own hands, I could stabilize the morale of the army and boost morale. It's Feng Xiao, he has no power to restrain the chicken, it's too dangerous to stay here, big brother, you send a few people to send him back to Taishou Mansion. ”

"Thank you for your kindness." When Guo Jia heard Han Zhan say this, he first laughed, and then said: "Since the lord has to stay in Qinmao Yashi, how can we be greedy for life and afraid of death as subordinates?" Jia has already made up her mind, and she is here to accompany the lord! ”

Seeing that the Yuan soldiers under the city had entered the firing range, Jiang Fan raised his right hand high and shouted loudly: "Strong crossbowman, prepare!" ”

With his shout, the three hundred strong crossbowmen raised the crossbow arrows in their hands and calmly aimed at the Yuan soldiers moving under the city.

Jiang Fan shouted: "Release!" At the same time, his hand slammed down.

Three hundred crossbow arrows plunged into the ranks of Yuan's army below from the top of the city, and most of the crossbow arrows were blocked by the sword and shield men in the front row with shields, but still twenty or thirty soldiers were shot by the crossbow arrows and fell to the ground with a puff. The soldiers in the back hurriedly quickened their pace and filled the gaps in those soldiers.

After the crossbowmen of the first great power retreated, the second column stepped forward again, and under Jiang Fan's order, they shot another round of crossbow arrows at the Yuan army under the city. Since they were aiming at the pikemen, who had no shield behind them, they achieved a greater result than the crossbowmen in the first column, and at least nearly a hundred soldiers fell to the ground with arrows.

Soon, the crossbowmen of the Third Great Power fired another volley, causing more Yuan soldiers to fall. However, the archers behind the sword and shield soldiers also opened their bows and arrows, and shot at the head of the city, although most of the arrows shot by the Yuan soldiers under the city were blocked by the sword and shield soldiers standing at the battlement, but there were still a few unlucky strong crossbowmen who were shot in the face and fell to the head of the city.

After Yuan's army reached the edge of the moat, the neat queue immediately cracked dozens of passages. The soldiers carrying the long ladder, in groups of six, rushed from the passage to the moat, and those who rushed in front put the long ladder in their hands on the moat. The soldiers behind hurriedly rushed across the moat on the bamboo ladder, rushed to the corner of the wall, and erected the long ladder above the city wall.

The original piles of corpses and broken siege equipment under the city have been cleaned up, although the weather is cold now, but allowing so many corpses to rot under the city may still cause epidemics, so Han Zhan saw that Yuan Shao did not attack a few days ago, so he arranged for people to clean up these corpses and dig a pit to bury them.

Seeing that the long ladder was set up on the city wall, the Yuan army fired from the back with archers to suppress the defenders at the head of the city. The ordinary soldiers, on the other hand, quickly rushed over the long ladder erected over the moat, rushed to the bottom of the city wall, and began to climb up one after another along the long ladder leaning against the city wall.

Seeing Yuan Bing climbing along the long ladder, Zhao Yun hurriedly issued an order. The defenders who manipulated the wolf's tooth slap hurriedly untied the ropes. The wolf's fangs that fell from the sky smashed the long ladder below, and smashed Yuan Bing on the ladder to the point that his bones were broken and his flesh and blood were blurred. Then the soldiers pulled up the wolf's fangs, preparing to wait for Yuan Jun to take a new long ladder before launching the next round of attacks.

The Yuan army under the city also had a lot of wisdom, and when they saw that the defenders' wolf teeth were so terrifying, they hurriedly changed the position of the long ladder to escape the blow. Seeing that the wolf tooth slap could no longer continue to attack Yuan Jun, the defenders hurriedly used a fork rod to push and chop hard along the ladder, and used the horizontal blade in front of them to cut off the hands and feet of Yuan Bing on the long ladder.

For those Yuan soldiers who had already emerged from the battlements, they were stabbed with spears or beaten with flail sticks to knock them down from the city.

Because the defenders at the head of the city had sufficient equipment to defend the city, those Yuan soldiers who climbed up the long ladder fell towards the city like dumplings. Some of them fell down and smashed right on the soldiers who were holding the ladder below, smashing them into screams.

The soldiers of Feng Ji and Xian Pei in the distance suffered so heavy casualties, they couldn't help but say to Yuan Shao again: "Lord, our army is short of siege equipment, and forcing the city like this can only make the soldiers die in vain, so it is better to collect the troops for the time being and fight again tomorrow, right?" ”

Seeing that Yuan Shao was indifferent after hearing this, the judge hurriedly glanced at Xin Ping and motioned for him to help say a few words. Xin Ping nodded, came to Yuan Shao's face, and said, "Lord, what Feng Yuantu and Zhengnan said is extremely true. We don't have enough siege equipment, so such a strong attack will only increase casualties, so it is better to stop the army for the time being. Tomorrow, the soil pit outside the city will be filled, and the city will be attacked with wells and cars, and the pavilion pottery will be broken. ”

Yuan Shao heard Xin Ping say this, although he was a little moved, but he did not agree immediately, but called the two junior colonels, and ordered: "Wait for the east and west of the city to hurry up, and see the two generals Yan Liangwen and Chou, have you ever broken into the city?" ”

The two colonels took the order, and then rode away.

Not long after, the two junior colonels came back from the east and west of the city one after the other, and reported to Yuan Shaoyu: "Lord Qiqi, the defenders' defense is too strict, and General Yan Liang and Wen Chou have not attacked the city wall. ”

Yuan Shao sighed and ordered: "Mingjin retreats!" ”

Hearing the sound of gold from the rear, the soldiers who were besieging the city breathed a sigh of relief, and they immediately stopped the siege and withdrew in an orderly manner.

…………

After dark, Deng Sheng took a box of gold cakes and a bag of jewels out of the city from the east of the city, and after making a big circle, he came to the south of Yuanying.

A chief outside the gate saw Deng Sheng, who was wearing a cloth coat, leading a horse over, and hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, and said loudly: "The barracks are heavy, and the trespassers are dead!" ”

Deng Sheng arched his hand at the other party and said politely: "This military master, who is the old man of Captain Jiang Qi, is in a hurry, and I ask the military master to be accommodating." As he spoke, he shoved a cloth bag containing five baht coins.

took the cloth bag containing the money, weighed it with his hand, and found that there was still a lot of money in it, so he changed his smile and said to Deng Sheng: "This brother, Captain Jiang's camp is not far from here, let me take you there." ”

Shi Chang took Deng Sheng into the barracks, and walked towards the location where Jiang Qijun was stationed, and at the same time he was using Deng Sheng's words: "I don't know what kind of friendship Brother Tai and Captain Jiang have?" ”

"Fellow townsmen," Deng Sheng hurriedly said with a haha: "I am a fellow townsman with Captain Jiang, and I heard that he is here, so I came here to visit him." ”

When Shi Chang heard Deng Sheng say this, he first looked left and right, and saw that there were no people patrolling the night except for tents nearby, so he lowered his voice and said to him: "Brother Tai, I won't tell you, you almost won't see Captain Jiang today." ”

"Huh?!" Although Deng Sheng knew the reason, he still pretended to be surprised: "Why did the military master say this?" ”、

It may be for the sake of the five-baht bag just now, Shi Chang told Deng Shengyuan what happened during the day today, and finally added: "Fortunately, there are other strategists who intercede, otherwise Captain Jiang would have been beheaded by the lord to show the public." ”

"What man, stop!" The two were talking, when suddenly there was a loud shout from the front.

Deng Sheng looked in the direction from which the voice came from, and saw a burly soldier standing in front of him, holding a torch in one hand and the hilt of the sword at his waist with the other, looking at himself and the chief with a wary gaze.

"It's me!" The chief hurriedly said to the soldier: "There is an old man of your school captain who came to visit late at night, and I was afraid that he would not find his way, so I brought him here. ”

The burly soldier walked over, looked Deng Sheng up and down, and asked vigilantly, "Who are you, why do you call yourself the old man of my captain?" ”

Before Deng Sheng spoke, he stuffed a bag of five baht coins into the past, and after seeing the expression on the soldier's face soften, he said: "This military master, please tell your school captain, just say that the old man Deng Sheng came to visit!" ”

Money can make ghosts grind, Jiang Qi's personal soldiers accepted Deng Sheng's money, and his tone of voice became much more polite: "Please wait here, I'll go in and report to the captain." His old man is in a bad mood today, and I won't wait to see you. ”

Deng Sheng bowed to the other party again: "There is Master Lao!" ”

When the soldiers walked into the tent, Shi Chang, who led the way, said to Deng Sheng with a smile: "Brother Tai, you wait patiently here, I will go back first." ”

"Thank you, Master Jun!" Deng Sheng politely bowed to the other party again.

Not long after the soldiers entered, they ran out of the tent and said to Deng Sheng respectfully: "My captain is invited!" ”

When Deng Sheng walked into the tent, he saw a thick woolen blanket on the ground, and Jiang Qi was lying on it. He hurriedly stepped forward to salute Jiang Qi: "Brother Xian, I haven't seen you for a long time, how are you doing?" ”

Jiang Qi glanced behind Deng Sheng, and saw that his own personal soldier was standing behind him, and hurriedly waved his hand at him, signaling him to leave. After waiting for only him and Deng Sheng to be left in the tent, he asked coldly: "Brother Deng, aren't you in Guantao City, why did you think of coming here to me?" ”

Deng Sheng smiled faintly and said, "I came here to save my brother's life!" ”

"Save my life?!" After Jiang Qi waited for Deng Sheng to finish speaking, he repeated his words and asked disdainfully, "I don't know how Brother Deng plans to save my life?" ”

"Today, when Yuan Shao humiliated his virtuous brother in front of the army, he saw it in the city." Deng Sheng put on a sad look and said: "Brother Xian is loyal to the Yuan family, he is actually going to kill Brother Xian if he disagrees, how can you continue to work for this person?" ”

"If you don't work for the Yuan family, who should you serve?"

"Brother Xian, you and I were originally Han Fujun's subordinates. Han Fujun was deceived by traitors and ceded Jizhou to Yuan Shao. Deng Shengyi said rhetorically: "The Marquis of Zhangshui Pavilion is the son of Han Fujun, and his recovery of Jizhou is where the righteousness lies. The virtuous brother might as well serve him, how so? ”

Hearing Deng Sheng's proposal, Jiang Qi just sneered and didn't speak. Deng Sheng hurriedly went out of the tent, took out the gold cakes and jewels that Han Zhan had given Jiang Qi from the saddle, and re-entered the tent.

Seeing the gold cakes and jewels in front of him, Jiang Qi couldn't help but ask in surprise: "Brother Tai, I don't know where this thing came from?" ”

"Brother Xian," Deng Sheng replied with a smile, "This is a gift from the Marquis of Zhangshui Pavilion, if you lead the army to vote, there will be more rewards." ”

Jiang Qi stared at the gold cakes and jewels in front of him, and after a long time, he said: "Yuan Shao's army is here, if I lead my troops to leave the camp, it is estimated that I will not be able to walk two miles, and he will send troops to catch up, and even if I have money, I will not have a life to spend at that time." ”

"What the virtuous brother said is extremely true," Deng Sheng nodded and said, "If you want to leave the Yuan camp, it is not an easy thing, we need to think long-term. But don't worry, as long as you can lead the troops out of the Yuan camp, my lord will definitely send troops to meet you. We must now think of a reason to justifiably take the soldiers and horses out of the camp. ”