Chapter 964 is a matter of life and death for tens of thousands

Those who consciously have talents and have never met them are arrogant.

The reason why Yan Zeng left Eastern Xinjiang to go to the imperial court army to conquer the west was to let those people in the Yan family who looked down on him see what kind of clothes he had returned to. Although his father is a descendant, he is also a descendant, but his status in the family is far from being comparable to Yan Li. Yan Li's father is the eldest son, and Yan Li is also the eldest son, which has an unshakable position in the family.

Yan Li entered the Mu Mansion as soon as he joined the army and was soon promoted to general. And he, even if he enters the Mu Mansion, he will get a military rank of captain at most, and he doesn't know what year and month he wants to be promoted to a general from the fifth grade. Seeing that Yan Li got so much, Yan Zeng did not have a moment of peace in his heart.

On the day he left Dongjiang, Yan Zeng told himself that if he didn't have Dachengda, he would never come back. The great achievement in his mind is to climb higher than the highest position that the family has ever reached. Someone in the Yan family did it when the Great Sui was founded, but unfortunately it was not hereditary.

It was precisely because of such a goal that Yan Zeng didn't even think about going back to Dongjiang when it was so difficult, even if he knew that he might die. When the Northwest Army was defeated, he really knew that he might fall asleep and close his eyes and never open them, because no one knew if Meng Yuan's cavalry would appear when he was asleep.

It was an experience he would never forget, fleeing all the way back from the vast grassland, not daring to walk in the daytime, not daring to appear in any place where there were people. But the moment he saw Wolf Milk Mountain, he almost jumped up with excitement, and he believed that not everyone could understand that feeling.

There is always a saying among the people of the Central Plains, which is called that if you don't die in a great disaster, you will have a blessing.

Yan Zeng didn't die in that fierce battle, he thought it was a test of God for himself.

Then, he waited for the imperial expedition of the Great Sui Emperor, and the ambition and pride of the big man who must do something returned to his heart, and at that moment he understood what it meant to be reborn from the ashes. He firmly believes that he has become more mature after going through so much, and he will never have another Northwest fiasco.

It's a pity that what he was waiting for was Gao Kaitai's rebellion.

"Yan Li...... Now you're a marquis, aren't you? ”

Thinking of his Yan Li, who was stronger than himself everywhere, and thinking of his cousin enjoying the awe and worship of others in the barracks at this moment, Yan Zeng's heart was a little blocked.

"When you were in Mufu, you always said that you would help me, always said that you would not let me be buried, and always said that you would not let the people of the Yan family not be able to raise their heads, but Yan Li...... You're the one who keeps me from holding my head up. Growing up, your life and I were very different. The only thing that is the same is that both your parents and my parents love their sons so much. Your parents and my parents want their son to achieve greatly. ”

"Unfortunately, it's the only similarity that makes you and me more and more different. You have a father who can help you the most, and my father can't do the one percent that your father can do, even if he tries his best. The start is different, why is it the same? ”

Yan Zeng sat at the window and muttered to himself.

"Actually, when I was a child, I always admired you, because I always thought that you were more responsible than me. When I was a child, we went out together to steal other people's plums, and we were afraid that people would recognize them and change into the clothes of the children, but when I was caught, you stayed and asked me to go back to get the silver to ransom people, and I didn't dare to tell my grandfather and mother to hide in the corner and cry, or was found out and forced to say it. ”

Yan Zeng sighed slightly: "Then my grandfather asked me why I took you out to do such a bad thing, and you stood up in front of me and said that you took me there, and the idea was also yours." You always want to defend me, but it's a pity that no matter how responsible you are, it will be me and not you who will be punished. I almost broke my leg that time, it was my father who beat me, and it was my father who hugged me and cried when I came home, and when I was so young, I suddenly understood that my father's tears must be bitter, although I have not tasted them. ”

"Actually, sometimes I think about it, my situation is much better than those children who came out of the house. They live in the house all day long, and they see that the housekeeper has to flatter and flatter just to get the monthly money. However, if there is no comparison in life, it is like rotten wood. ”

"I can do it!"

Yan Zeng, who was talking to himself, suddenly stood up and slapped the table heavily: "I won't lose, I will definitely stick to the choice I made." I must go back to Dongjiang with honor, and let you who are dogs in Mufu see how I am a person! ”

He looked back at the iron armor hanging on his side, and his eyes gradually became fierce.

"Someone!"

He shouted outside, "Go to town!" ”

……

……

Standing on the city wall, you can clearly see the team driving across the moat, and the black pressure is like a heavy dark cloud in the sky falling to the ground, but the sense of oppression brought to people is not less than a point but becomes heavier and heavier. Soldiers in black leather armor lined up in a neat line, with fiery red battle flags fluttering above their heads.

The defenders on the Liyin city wall couldn't help but look at each other, and they all saw fear in the eyes of their companions. To tell the truth, all of them were fortunate that they were left to defend Liyin instead of attacking Chang'an City with a large army. They all now knew how many corpses were lying under Chang'an City.

"I heard that the Black Flag Army hasn't lost a single battle?"

Someone asked with a dry voice.

The comrades beside him also had a hot pain in their throats: "I heard that Fang Jie, the commander of the Black Flag Army, is really amazing, from the beginning of the army to the present to the south, there has never been a defeat in the southern and northern wars." Even in the face of the famous Luo Yao, in the face of Meng Yuan's iron cavalry, and in the face of the barbarians in southern Xinjiang, he never lost once. Moreover, I have heard that he never leaves the enemy alive...... As long as you dare to resist, you will be killed. ”

"That's all rumors, right?"

Not far away, a soldier lowered his voice and said, "In Jiangnan, Xie just defeated the people of the imperial court, didn't he kill all the troops?" ”

"All they want is food, and if we surrender, we'll be fine, right?"

The speaker used these two words in his words, but where was the little affirmation in the tone?

"Anyway, this battle is not easy to fight. You all know it, I heard that now our Liyin is already a lonely city. All sides have been broken by the Black Flag Army, and only our Liyin is surrounded by four miles. Without reinforcements, we can only resist. But the harder you resist, the more fierce the massacre of the Black Flag Army will be on the day the city is broken, right? ”

"Can't!"

Another person said: "We have grain and grass, as well as 20,000 horses, plus we all know General Yan's ability to lead the troops, and we have done the best in defense, so it will not be a problem for us to hold on." As for saying that the surrounding cities have been breached, nine times out of ten it is a rumor spread by the Black Flag Army. ”

The soldiers talked a lot and said everything.

Yan Zeng climbed the city wall and frowned as he looked at the Black Flag Army array outside. He raised his clairvoyance and looked at it, and had to admit in his heart that the Black Flag Army's training was definitely above his own soldiers. A team, just look at the marching formations to know how strong the battle is.

"There are quite a few siege engines."

One of his generals, said in a heavy tone: "General, you see, many of those auxiliaries are carrying burdens, and if nothing else, the Black Flag Army plans to fill in a section of the moat." Our moat is the water that leads to the distance of the river, and the river is too gentle...... Whether it's building a pontoon bridge or filling a river and paving a road, it's not too difficult. Now it's up to our archers to hold the enemy down. ”

"Hmm"

Yan Zeng nodded: "The enemy only has this direction to attack, so it is not difficult to suppress the enemy army when defending." Gather all the ballistas, it will not be so easy for the enemy to cross the river. ”

"The enemy didn't have a catapult."

Another general put down his clairvoyance and said with some surprise: "A large stone-throwing cart can throw stones up the city wall from a distance of five hundred paces, and there is no need to cross the river at all. As long as the enemy uses a stone thrower to suppress the archers on our walls when building a pontoon bridge or filling up the river, the enemy's casualties will not be very large. ”

Yan Zeng frowned, raised his clairvoyance and looked at it, and indeed found that there were no stone throwing vehicles in the Black Flag Army.

"That's good news."

The general who spoke before smiled and said, "The enemy must not be familiar with the terrain of our Liyin, so he didn't bring a stone-throwing cart." That thing was sharp enough to siege, but it was too difficult to transport. ”

"It's not a rush to say this now, but there is something more urgent."

Yan Zeng's pro-soldier captain Niu Ben said with a solemn face: "Before my subordinates walked among the soldiers, many people were talking about the fact that our Liyin is already a lonely city, although there is nothing too excessive, but people are panicking. If you don't find a way to make the soldiers settle down, you will lose your morale before you can start it. ”

Yan Zeng nodded and glanced back at the soldier who was reporting the news not far away.

"Call him over, and I'll ask him how the Black Flag Army attacked the city."

The soldiers hurriedly went over and called the soldier who came from Ming'an, but the man still had a bad face before he rested. Yan Zeng carefully inquired about the Black Flag Army's attack method, and the soldier knew that the survival of Liyin City was at stake, so he described it in great detail.

"Thank you."

After hearing this, Yan Zeng solemnly thanked him: "Although I can't send troops to help Ming'an, I admire you and your comrades for fighting to the death. My soldiers and I will be like you, and we would rather die on the walls than surrender to the enemy. But you can't go back now, and if nothing else, your home has been breached by the enemy. The only thing you can do now is to do your best to avenge your fellow relatives and friends, and do your ...... Best effort. ”

The soldier who reported the message sighed: "What else can I do now?" ”

"Yes"

Yan Zeng glanced at him and said seriously: "My soldiers are stubbornly guarding Liyin, and the longer they stay, the more enemies they will kill, which is equivalent to avenging your comrades." But now because of the bad news you brought, my soldiers are panicking, where can they fight to the death? ”

The soldier's face changed, and a look of guilt appeared on his face.

"General, humble ...... Wrong. ”

"It's okay, you did something wrong, but you can make up for it, and it's up to you to restore the morale of my soldiers."

"Huh?"

The soldier who reported the news didn't understand, and just as he was about to ask a question, he saw Yan Zeng clasping his fists and saluting him: "I want to thank you again, thank you for restoring the morale of my soldiers." ”

After saying this, Yan Zeng waved his hand: "Take this person down, take off his jaw, and escort him to the school field to be beheaded!" This person is a spy sent by the Black Flag Army, spreading rumors, in order to make my Liyin defenders lose their fighting spirit. ”

The soldier's face changed greatly, and before he could shout anything, he was held down by Yan Zeng's pro-soldier captain Niu Ben and took off his jaw, and then several pro-soldiers rushed up and tied him up and escorted him away.

Yan Zeng looked at the backs of those people and shook his head: "If it weren't for the life and death of tens of thousands of people, how would I dare to do such a hurtful thing." ”