April of the fourth year of Tongguang in the Later Tang Dynasty (926).

Arrows flew like locusts at the head of the city, shouting to kill and shake the sky.

The small Xiaoyi City in Gong County, Henan Province, is full of fire and smoke.

The outer walls of the eastern city have been broken in many places, and outside the city are densely packed with siege rebels, and the huge logs are still pounding against the city walls. The defenders at the head of the city put up a desperate resistance, preventing the enemy from pouring into the city through the gap. Beneath the city walls, corpses were everywhere, and almost every inch of the land was stained with blood.

After the Tang Dynasty, Li Shaorong, the commander of the Wuning Army, was covered in armor, holding a Glaive made of stainless steel in his hand, standing at the head of the city, with a solemn face.

On the Pingchuan River in the southeast of Luoshui outside the city, the enemy troops who are approaching like a tide are waving their flags and waving their flags, and they are lined up in military formations, waiting for the time of siege.

Around Luoyang, great chaos is spreading.

After Xingyang Pass was broken by the rebels, the scattered Later Tang forbidden army scattered and fled, and Li Shaorong gathered the remnants of the army and refused to defend the city in Xiaoyi City. This is the last barrier in the capital Luoyang, and there is no way to retreat. And the rebels did not stop after capturing Xingyang Pass, and rushed towards Xiaoyi City like a tide.

The sound of horses' hooves shook the whole earth, and Yuan Xingqin narrowed his eyes and looked at the city.

I saw a horse galloping first, followed by more than 100 pro-army cavalry.

Immediately a burly veteran, with a gray beard, a dark complexion, and an iron in his hand, it was Li Siyuan, the general of the Later Tang Dynasty who was elected as the leader of the rebels and the head of the Thirteen Taibao. Behind Li Siyuan, the tooth general held a huge cyan flag embroidered with a huge Li character in his hand.

At this time, Li Siyuan led the rebels to Lianke Bianliang, Zhengzhou and Xingyang Pass, and the troops were in full swing!

Li Siyuan looked at Li Shaorong at the head of the city, and scolded angrily: "Yuan Xingqin, you ungrateful dog thief, what is the old man sorry for you, he actually killed my son!" ”

This Li Shaorong was originally a general of Liu Shouguang, the king of Yan, known as Yuan Xingqin, and was adopted as an adopted son by Li Siyuan after the demotion. Because the king of Jin, Li Cunmiao, saw his bravery, he asked him to his subordinates and gave him the name Li Shaorong. Li Shaorong was extremely brave on the battlefield, saved the King of Jin in danger, and was promoted to Tongping Zhangshi because of his merits, and won the trust of Emperor Tongguang.

Wei Bo mutinied, Li Shaorong and Li Siyuan led the army to quell the rebellion, but Li Siyuan secretly united with the Wei rebel general Zhao Zaili, Li Shaorong noticed that something was wrong, that is, he retreated to defend the state.

The Son of Heaven Li Cunqiao heard the news that Li Siyuan had rebelled, but he wanted to send Li Congjing, the eldest son of Li Siyuan, who was beside him, to persuade him. Li Congjing traveled to Xingze, but was detained by Li Shaorong, who had retreated here. Later, Li Siyuan marched to Liyang, and Zhuang Zong wanted to send Li Congjing to recruit him, but he was dissuaded by Li Shaorong and ordered Li Congjing to be killed.

After listening to Li Siyuan's questioning, Li Shaorong was not moved at all, and stood at the head of the city and shouted to Li Siyuan: "Miao Jilie, the first emperor adopted you as the head of the righteous son, and today the son appointed you as the envoy of the Chengde Army, with a high position, the first emperor's father and son have something to be sorry for you!" ”

Li Siyuan was born poor, he had no surname, and he was the most taboo in his life to call him by his nickname, coupled with the hatred of killing his son, he was furious when he heard this: "Yuan Xingqin, a certain will cut you with a thousand knives to avenge the hatred of killing your son!" ”

Li Shaorong also laughed loudly, and shouted loudly to the rebels under the city: "The prince has led a large army back to help, and you can go to Luodu today, and you are now following Li Siyuan and Zhao Zaili to rebel and rebel, and then the whole family will definitely be harmed!" ”

Li Siyuan didn't say more, and he was afraid that Li Shaorong would continue to bewitch the army, so he took his right hand in one fell swoop, and a tragic siege battle began again!

More than 2,000 rebels formed dozens of siege arrays, holding shields in their hands and carrying ladders to rush towards the city.

Behind them, a dozen or so archers covered the city, and a rain of arrows flew up into the air and landed on the city. The defenders of the city were also firing arrows to prevent the enemy from approaching the city. The arrows rained intensively, slamming into the ground, on the shields, or on the bodies of people, and there were sudden screams on the battlefield.

The siege ladder was erected, and the heavily armored soldiers began to climb the ladder with large shields in their hands.

The defenders at the head of the city began to pour stones and boiling oil down the city. The armoured soldiers who had ascended the city were still fearless, holding shields and stepping on ladders to climb to the top of the city.

The "snort" of crossbow shots was incessant, and soldiers were constantly being shot and falling from the wooden ladder. From time to time, some of the defenders at the head of the city were shot by arrows and fell from the top of the city......

The boulders and logs on the top of the city were thrown down, and the soldiers besieging the city under the city were even more smashed by the boulders.

A group of armor soldiers finally broke through the defenses of the defenders, and attacked the city through a gap in the wall, and before they could gain a foothold, a cavalry rushed from under the inner city, and under the cover of feathered arrows, they fought in the group of armor soldiers who attacked the city in just one breath. The galloping horses slammed into the unprepared armor soldiers, and the unstable armor soldiers fell heavily to the city, and before he could get up again, he was trampled to death by the horse's hooves.

The spears in the hands of the cavalrymen were caught under the ribs, and there was no need for force, but with the help of horse speed, the sharp spear head pierced the body of these armored soldiers, and the long wooden pole broke because it could not withstand the violent impact.

The infantry, unable to form a formation, was as vulnerable as the broken barrels of their guns in front of the cavalry......

The besiegers who followed had no choice but to retreat back, and above their heads, crossbow arrows were still pouring down like a torrential rain. Some of the besieging armoured soldiers burst up to the top of the city with round shields full of crossbow arrows above their heads.

Li Shaorong took his 300 pro-army, did not live in the city, went back and forth to rescue the emergency, and where it was dangerous, he immediately rushed over. Li Shaorong, who was wielding a glaive knife in his hand, was like a killing god, covered in blood and unstoppable......

As the sun was getting westerly, at the head of the city of Xiaoyi, I saw the spreading siege team slowly retreating to the rear. There were still flames burning above and below the city, and thick smoke filled the air. Beneath the city walls, dark red blood and corpses are intertwined into a tragic picture. The dead mingled with the seriously wounded, groans of pain still rang out from time to time, and countless corpses and mortal wounded were abandoned under the city.

Li Shaorong stood at the top of the wall, looking at the rebel camp at the river, the surface of the armor on his body was stained with mottled blood, and the worry on his face was even worse.

He had less than 3,000 defenders under his command, and the rebels outside the city numbered more than 50,000, so he would never hold out for more than three days. I hope that the reinforcements from Luoyang will come soon......

After a day of fierce fighting, people have long since lost fear and compassion, and only numbness is left in their bodies and minds.

A big man in armor, followed by more than a dozen personal soldiers, came to Li Shaorong, bowed down and saluted: "Big brother, the rebels have withdrawn their troops at this time, just because the siege equipment is not ready, they will never retreat. If they wait for them to make the equipment properly, this small city of filial piety cannot be defended. ”

Li Shaorong looked outside the city and sighed: "I was born in a reckless background, but I am fortunate to be appreciated by His Majesty, so I can sit in the position of this prime minister." Now when the country is in danger, we must repay the country with death! Now, the safety of the entire Luoyang Imperial Capital is pinned on us, everyone...... But do your best! ”

……