The defenders of Yicheng did not play any tricks, they had few soldiers, and no one to command, and surrendered very simply under the siege of Zhao Junsheng's army, Zhao Junsheng first sent a number of troops into the city to investigate, and only after confirming that there was no abnormality did he lead the army into the city.

The soldiers marched all the way and worked hard, Zhao Junsheng ordered to kill cattle and slaughter sheep to give them enhanced nutrition, and also ordered to rest for two days, except for morning exercises and evening classes, there was no need to carry out other drill tasks, and they were allowed to go out of the camp to have fun, but they were only allowed to be in the city, but they must abide by military discipline and not spare their lives.

After a few months of going out on the expedition, the soldiers had some savings in their salaries, and they had been marching and fighting these days, and they had no land to spend money, so they were allowed to go out shopping at this time, and they naturally went to the streets in groups.

Zhao Junsheng lived in the backyard of the county office, and the security was still in charge of the imperial guards and the dragon guards, and the scouts had been dispatched, and the messengers sent to contact Sima Chuzhi had also been sent out, but they had not yet returned.

On this day, Zhao Junsheng came to Lin Jinghui and asked: "How are the black-clothed guards investigating the situation of the Xiangyang guards and the defenders in the city?" ”

Lin Jinghui bowed and hugged his fists and said: "Back to Your Majesty, the commander of the western and northern defense line of the Southern Dynasty is Xiao Bin, the marshal's mansion is located in Xiakou, and the generals under his command are veteran Shen Qingzhi, generals Liu Yuanjing, Zong Wei and others, and the commander of the eastern defense line in the north is Liu Shuo, the king of Nanping, and there are generals Zang Zhen, Wang Fang and others under his command, and the marshal's mansion is located in Shouchun!" ”

"Xiao Bin has a total of 30,000 troops, of which Xiangyang City is an important town, there are 10,000 soldiers and horses, and the guard will be the veteran Shen Qingzhi!"

Zhao Junsheng knows Xiao Bin, this person is Xiao Sihua's younger brother, the Xiao family can be described as powerful in the Southern Dynasty, which can be seen from Xiao Sihua, Xiao Bin, one is a protector general, and the other is a leading general, and Xiao Chengzhi, the father of Xiao Daocheng, the founding emperor of the Southern Dynasty Liang, was the general of the right army at this time, and he was also the younger brother of Xiao Siyan and Xiao Bin.

Veteran Shen Qingzhi, he can be described as a living fossil of the Southern Song Dynasty, in several dynasties of the Southern Dynasty, there are two famous generals whose names are Qingzhi, one is Shen Qingzhi, and the other is Chen Qingzhi, the general of the Southern Dynasty Liang!

Chen Qingzhi will not say, this person is too famous, since the confrontation between the North and the South, no matter which dynasty of the Southern Dynasty is at a military disadvantage in the face of the Northern Dynasty, often pressed and beaten by the Northern Dynasty, no general can lead the troops into the hinterland of the Northern Dynasty, but it is Chen Qingzhi who led 7,000 Liang troops all the way to break through the pass and kill the generals into Luoyang, the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty, across thousands of miles, repeatedly victorious, for a time the Northern Dynasty talked about Chen Sechang, there was a folk song at that time: "Famous teachers and generals Mo Zijiao, thousands of troops and horses avoid white robes", It is said that the white-robed general Chen Qingzhi led an army of 7,000 to break through Xingyang, which was guarded by 70,000 troops, and it is not a new thing to win more with less, but with a small number of troops to attack Xingyang, which is defended by ten times the number of troops, and break the city, this is not something that anyone can do.

Shen Qingzhi is also a famous general, he was born in the late Eastern Jin Dynasty, he is the same as Chen Qingzhi, he is a late bloomer, there are many talented people from ancient times to the present, but there are not many people who can become famous, just because many talented people do not have the opportunity to get the stage to display their talents.

Shen Qingzhi did not enter the army until he was thirty years old, when he was appointed as a soldier in Ningyuan to join the army, that is, a staff officer, and at the age of thirty-five he was appointed as a general in the outer hall, and later followed Zhao Bofu's Northern Expedition, after Zhao Bofu returned from illness, he followed Tan Daoji to fight, was appreciated by Tan Daoji, and was recommended to Liu Yilong to guard the Dongye Gate, and later served as the Huailing Taishou.

And Chen Qingzhi began to do secret arts at the age of eighteen, and was later placed as an idle official, and did not officially lead the army until he was forty-one years old.

Although Shen Qingzhi was a late bloomer, although he was a veteran, he had a lot of experience in leading troops to fight, he not only participated in several Northern Expeditions, but also led troops to counterinsurgency several times.

Zhao Junsheng stood in front of the map and pondered, he had already sent troops to guard the Hanshui Water Village southeast of Huya Pass, if the Song army wanted to cut off his connection with Dongfang Chen and Lu Shuang's army, he must break through the Huya Pass or take the Hanshui Water Village, but since Zhao Junsheng already had the experience of breaking through the Huya Pass, how could the Song army easily take these two positions? Therefore, he sent people to defend these two positions tightly.

If the Song army wanted to reinforce Xiangyang, there was only one way to go, and that was to go to Suijun, and if the defenders of Xiangyang wanted to retreat, they could only go to Suijun.

Now it depends on whether Sima Chuzhi can take Fancheng, if Sima Chuzhi can take Fancheng, Xiangyang City will face the situation of being surrounded.

"Newspaper—"

Zhao Junsheng was thinking about it when the voice of the messenger came from outside the lobby, and he turned around and shouted, "Let the messenger in!" ”

The messenger came in and reported: "Your Majesty, General Sima sent a villain to deliver a letter!" ”

"Bring it on!"

The eunuch Kang Yide took the letter from the messenger's hand and examined it, and handed it to Zhao Junsheng.

Zhao Junsheng waved his hand: "What did Sima Chuzhi say?" ”

Kang Yide opened the letter and looked at it, and replied: "Back to Your Majesty, Sima Chuzhi said in the letter that he attacked Fancheng several times in a row, but Shen Qingzhi of Xiangyang repeatedly sent troops across the river for reinforcements, and he could only withdraw his troops several times in order to avoid being attacked from inside and outside. ”

Zhao Junsheng asked, "How many defenders are there in Fancheng?" ”

"Back to Your Majesty, there are three thousand defenders!"

Zhao Junsheng thought for a moment, turned around and said, "Pass Li Bao!" ”

"No!"

Soon Li Bao arrived, "Your Majesty!" ”

Zhao Junsheng said: "Sima Chuzhi's letter said that Xiangyang's reinforcements had brought him a lot of obstacles to attack Fancheng, and I ordered you to lead 10,000 infantry cavalry to force Xiangyang to force Shen Qingzhi to withdraw and return to help!" ”

"Command!"

Early the next morning, Li Bao led a total of 10,000 infantry cavalry to advance north to Xiangyang.

The scouts in Xiangyang received the news as soon as possible, and the news was quickly reported to Shen Qingzhi.

Shen Qingzhi listened to the scout's report with a solemn expression, he had a total of only 10,000 men and horses in his hands, including the defenders of Fancheng, these days to defend Fancheng, and sent troops to cross the river to reinforce, lost more than 1,000 people, only 9,000 remained, not counting the 3,000 who went north to reinforce Fancheng, there were only 3,000 men and horses left in Xiangyang City, and it was really stretched in terms of strength to defend the huge Xiangyang City with such a small number of men and horses.

Shen Qingzhi looked at the map and frowned for a while, and after pondering for a while, he said to the generals: "Defend Xiangyang with 3,000 people to resist the siege of the cadre army, but I'm afraid it won't be able to hold it!" ”

Gu Bin, who joined the army in Anbei, stood up and said: "General, this cadre army from Yiling is a newcomer, they definitely don't have much siege equipment, we just need to send someone to ask Xiao Dashuai for help, and hold on for more than ten days, just wait for Xiao Dashuai's reinforcements to arrive, and we will definitely be able to lift the siege of the cadre army!" ”

Shen Qingzhi was experienced and his eyes were vicious, he shook his head and said: "You think too simply, how can you know if the cadres have the intention of encircling the point to send reinforcements?" According to the scout's report, this cadre army going north has a total of 5,000 cavalry, and we all know that the light cavalry of the cadre army comes and goes like the wind, even if Xiao Dashuai sends reinforcements, I am afraid that they will be eaten clean by the cavalry of the cadre army on the road! ”

"Besides, whether Dashuai Xiao will send reinforcements or not, it's not up to you and me to have the final say!"

At this time, a small colonel walked in outside the door, and he saluted Shen Qingzhi: "General Qiyu, Marshal Xiakou Xiao sent someone to send a military order!" ”

"Let the Courier in!" Shen Qingzhi said immediately.

The messenger quickly walked into the lobby, and he saluted Shen Qingzhi and said, "General Shen, the marshal has a military order for the general, please take the order from the general and the generals of Xiangyang!" ”

Shen Qingzhi and the generals under his command immediately bowed down and clenched their fists, Shen Qingshang stepped forward to take the military order, unfolded it and looked at it, and his face changed several times in a row.

Zong Wei asked, "General, what's wrong?" What is Xiao Dashuai's military order? ”

Shen Qingzhi frowned and said: "The marshal ordered Shen to lead the army to retreat in the direction of Suijun, so as not to be attacked by the north and south, and the soldiers will be crushed into powder!" ”

"What, abandon Xiangyang? How does this work? Xiangyang is an important military town to prevent the cadres from moving south to the hinterland of our dynasty, once Xiangyang is captured by the cadres army, the cadres march south to the south, and our army will no longer be in danger to defend! ”

All the generals and schools were shocked.

Shen Qingzhi looked at the messenger and asked, "What does Marshal Xiao mean by issuing this military order?" In this way, will you not give up the great rivers and mountains to the Qianguo? ”

The messenger said: "General, before the next departure, Xiao Dashuai asked the general to convey a few words, the general said, as long as the general and the generals are still there, as long as the strength of our army is still there, even if the city and land are lost to the Qianguo, we can still take it back in the future, if all the soldiers are buried here, then people and land will not exist!" The main purpose of this Qianguo is Sichuan and Shu, they have to spend time and energy to treat Sichuan and Shu, and they are in a hurry to send troops, whether it is soldiers or logistics are not well prepared, this battle will not last long, only when their troops are scattered, the soldiers are tired, and then it is the time for our army to counterattack! ”

Shen Qingzhi didn't say anything after hearing this, he admitted that he was inferior to Xiao Bin in terms of overall situation, and he had never considered it in this regard, he only considered the problem from a local battlefield in Xiangyang, and the messenger's relay made him feel that he was really one-sided in his consideration of the problem.

After some thinking and weighing, he ordered: "Send an order to Liu Yuanjing, let him lead the army to break through, and send an order to Lu Shangqi, let him lead the army to meet Liu Yuanjing's breakthrough, and after the two armies converge, they will retreat to Suixian together, and this general will join them in Suixian!" ”

Zong Wei hurriedly said: "General, do you think about it again, once you retreat, I am afraid that the army will be defeated, and the general has listened to Xiao Dashuai's military orders, how to explain to the court and the emperor?" ”

Shen Qingzhi sighed: "Now we can only obey the military orders of the marshal, otherwise we will not wait for the orders of the imperial court, not only will I be abandoned by the marshal Xiao, and I will not get the reinforcements of a single soldier, but I will also be punished for disobeying the military order. ”

Zong Wei was speechless, and the other generals were speechless.

Shen Qingzhi waved his hand: "This matter is so decided, everyone go down and prepare, the speed of the cadres is not slow, let's withdraw from Xiangyang tonight and march towards Suixian!" ”

"No!"

The next day, when Li Bao and his army arrived outside Xiangyang, Xiangyang City had become an empty city, and Shen Qingzhi's Song army had crossed the Han River and headed for Suixian.