(If you have something to do tomorrow, please take a day off, forgive me.) ）

The sky did change, and at the end of the day, the cloudless sky began to gather low clouds at some point. The wind also blew at some point, first with a slight north wind, and soon the wind became stronger and stronger. Standing on the top of the city, the wind blows the banner and hunts, the sky is low and the clouds are dark, and there is a feeling that the dark clouds are pressing the city and want to destroy it.

Beginning in the morning, the scout cavalry returned at regular intervals to report the movements of the rebel ships. Originally, according to everyone's estimates, the time of arrival of the rebels should be around mid-afternoon. But the sudden weather change will obviously make the rebels arrive even earlier. Because under the strong north wind, the rebel ships will take advantage of the wind to speed faster, according to Wang Yuan's estimate, they should arrive in the middle of noon.

The latest report from the scout cavalry proved Wang Yuan's expectation, and at the beginning of the afternoon, the rebels had already arrived on the canal twenty miles north of Yangzhou City, and at the speed of the ships borrowing the wind, they would reach the city of Yangzhou at about three o'clock in the afternoon.

Wang Yuan urgently adjusted his countermeasures and ordered all the soldiers to eat immediately in advance and prepare to meet the rebels within a quarter of an hour. Shen Zifang, who was in charge of logistics and supply, immediately ordered the preparation of the meal, and soon after, the hot soup and white flour steamed rice were transported to the city in buckets. The soldiers began to be well fed and ready for battle.

Wang Yuan brought a bowl of soup and a few steamed buns to the command room specially prepared for him in the city tower, and munched on a simple table. When I had just bitten half of the steamed bun and was chewing on my cheeks, I suddenly saw a figure flashing in front of the door, and Cui Ruoyu, who had gone down to the city not long ago, appeared in front of the door with a food box.

Wang Yuan stuffed the steamed buns in his mouth, and he couldn't speak, so he stood up and hurriedly swallowed the steamed buns. Cui Ruoyu pursed her lips and smiled when she saw Wang Yuan stretching his neck and swallowing steamed buns, walked quickly to Wang Yuan, put the food box on the table, and said with a smile while taking food out: "Why did you eat it all?" The dignified generalissimo Daxiangguo, why is he gnawing on steamed buns? Come, this is the meal I just brought from home, eat it while it's hot. ”

Wang Yuan easily swallowed the steamed buns in his mouth, looked at the seven or eight plates of exquisite dishes on the table like a trick, and said with a smile: "What? You even went home to help me bring food, do you want me to open a small stove? ”

Cui Ruoyu smiled and said, "It's not specially prepared for you, it's a home-cooked meal." Grandpa asked me to send some to you, Daddy, and Master Liu. I can't let you eat steamed buns too. Eat it. ”

Wang Yuan looked at these dishes one by one, each plate was delicious, full of color and fragrance, and he knew that it must be delicious when he smelled the taste. But Wang Yuan didn't start eating, but took another bite on the steamed bun in his hand.

Cui Ruoyu was surprised: "Why are you nibbling on steamed buns again?" ”

Wang Yuan swallowed the steamed buns in his mouth and smiled: "Miss Ruoyu, I can't eat these." ”

"Why? Am I going to put poison in it? Cui Ruoyu pouted.

Wang Yuan said in a low voice: "Where is this meaning." Miss Ruoyu, you understand that you take care of me, and I appreciate it. If it weren't for today, I would have enjoyed the delicious food that Miss Ruo brought to me. But not now. If you go outside, tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians in the city eat steamed buns and rice, and drink large barrels of vegetable and meat soup, how can I enjoy the food alone? I just told them that the generals will take the lead and treat everyone equally, and now they are here to specialize, what do they think? ”

Cui Ruoyu suddenly realized, blushed and said, "Oh, I didn't even think of this." I'm so stupid, isn't this trying to accuse you of not believing in your words? I'm sorry, it's my fault. ”

Wang Yuan smiled: "That's not a fault, these are the details that unite the army's heart, and you are not the one who leads the army, of course you don't know these things." ”

"Then I'll pour all these dishes down." Cui Ruoyu hurriedly reached out and cleaned up the dishes on the table.

Wang Yuan smiled: "What did you do? Won't it ruin the heavens? ”

"What then? They'll think you're eating it. Cui Ruoyu said with annoyance.

Wang Yuan got up with a smile and came outside, and said to the soldiers who were squatting on the ground on the city wall to eat: "I have a few plates of good dishes here, but unfortunately I still think the steamed buns are delicious, so I will cheapen you." You went and ate for me. ”

These soldiers watched Cui Ruoyu go in with the food box, and knew in their hearts that Wang Xiangguo must be eating alone, and suddenly saw Wang Yuan chewing steamed buns and coming out, asking everyone to help him eat food, one by one with a happy smile, and hurriedly got up and rushed in.

Wang Yuan smiled: "There is one thing, you remember it." Whoever eats a good dish will kill one more enemy for me later, otherwise I won't follow. ”

The soldiers agreed repeatedly, and more than a dozen people rushed into the house, and in an instant, they ate seven or eight plates of dishes cleanly, and there was not even a drop of soup left.

Cui Ruoyu was stunned and watched this group of gluttonous soldiers eat the dishes in an instant, and said in a daze: "You can't eat it, they can eat it?" ”

Wang Yuan smiled and said, "Yes, isn't it unreasonable?" ”

"yes, it really doesn't make sense. I'm hungry too, I want to...... I wanted to eat with you, but now...... But it's okay, give me a steamed bun, and I'll eat the same as you. Cui Ruoyu smiled.

Wang Yuan laughed and said: "I didn't expect you to eat, but now it's okay, even half of the plate is almost gnawed off." Steamed buns? Give you one, I'm afraid you won't get used to it. ”

Wang Yuan stretched out his hand and handed over a steamed bun, Cui Ruoyu opened his mouth and took a big bite, chewed a few times and swallowed it, but the steamed bun immediately choked in his throat, and his face turned red.

Wang Yuan chuckled in a low voice, reached out and patted her back, and handed over the soup bowl again, Cui Ruoyu drank a few sips of soup before finally swallowing the steamed bun.

"This steamed bun is so unpalatable." Cui Ruoyu said with a red face.

Wang Yuan said with a smile: "Of course, most of the food in the army is coarse grain. Do you think it's really white-flour steamed buns? There is a small amount of white flour mixed with corn cob noodles and some other coarse grains. It's not delicious. Yangzhou's military rations are not bad, my Shence army ate flour bran steamed buns back then, and my throat hurts when I swallow it. If you are not used to it, don't eat it, and there is no need to suffer this sin. ”

Cui Ruoyu shook her head and said, "You can suffer this, why can't I?" ”

Under Wang Yuan's gaze, this stubborn woman bit the steamed bun one by one, and soon ate up a steamed bun. Cui Ruoyu clapped her hands and said, "How?" ”

Wang Yuan smiled: "Female man." Admire, admire, admire. ”

After eating, the two sat on a wooden bench in the corner and drank water, and there was no sign of the rebels arriving, so Wang Yuan seized the time to rest for a while. Cui Ruoyu looked at Wang Yuan differently, looking like she wanted to say something. Wang Yuanben squinted his eyes and saw her strange expression, so he smiled and asked, "What's wrong with you?" Is there something to say. ”

Cui Ruoyu's face was a little red, and she mustered up the courage to say, "Does what you said on the boat last night count?" ”

Wang Yuan squinted and smiled: "What did I say?" ”

Cui Ruoyu said angrily: "You say...... You will never fail my ......"

Wang Yuan didn't speak, Cui Ruoyu frowned and said, "What? Is this already a hexagram? ”

Wang Yuan sighed and said, "Miss Ruoyu, you should know that I have a wife and concubine." And there is more than one. With your background and conditions, you really don't have to suffer this grievance. ”

Cui Ruoyu bit her lower lip and said, "That's my business, you only say what you think, do you think I'm not good?" ”

Wang Yuan smiled: "How come? Miss Ruo Ying is knowledgeable, generous, beautiful and dignified, and has a good background. Anyone who thinks you're bad is really blind. I can get the favor of the young lady, and I am also happy in my heart. ”

Cui Ruoyu blushed and said, "I'm not as good as you say, but I know I'm not bad." I have to make my own decisions about my life, and I don't want to marry those sons and brothers, it's very boring to watch. After meeting you, I realized what kind of man I wanted to marry. ”

Wang Yuan smiled: "You can go and be a concubine, that's a great honor." ”

Cui Ruoyu changed color and said: "Who is rare to be a concubine?" How can you make fun of me about this? ”

Cui Ruoyu got up and picked up the food box and left, obviously really angry. Wang Yuan jumped up, grabbed Cui Ruoyu, and pulled Cui Ruoyu into his arms with a hard pull. Cui Ruoying panicked and didn't know what to do. Wang Yuan pressed her against the corner, looked into her eyes and said, "Do you really want to marry me?" ”

Cui Ruoyu gritted her teeth and said, "I don't want to do it now." ”

Wang Yuan smiled and said: "That's too late, you can't be a concubine, you're mine." ”

Cui Ruoyu was just about to speak, but suddenly her mouth was blocked by a pair of warm lips, and she was suddenly at a loss, and her whole body stiffened.

Wang Yuan easily pried open Cui Ruoyu's lips and teeth, and grabbed her lilac tongue in her mouth, Cui Ruoyu whined, and tears fell from her eyes. Wang Yuan felt the warmth on his face, hurriedly left her lips, and whispered, "I'm sorry, don't cry." ”

Cui Ruoyu looked at Wang Yuan with tears in her eyes, and suddenly hugged Wang Yuan's head and kissed Wang Yuan's mouth, this time without any force, Cui Ruoyu herself poked out her tongue and intertwined Wang Yuan's lips and teeth. The two squeezed into the corner and kissed darkly.

"You're a bad person. No wonder my second and third uncles want to kill you. After parting her lips, Cui Ruoyu squinted and muttered.

Wang Yuan stroked her delicate face and said with a smile: "Do you regret not being their accomplice?" ”

Cui Ruoyu said angrily: "If you treat me like this, I will be your person, if you bear me, I will jump from this tower." ”

Wang Yuan said in a low voice: "Don't worry, how can I let you down?" Do you know what kind of bet I made with your grandfather last night? ”

Cui Ruoyu flashed her eyes and said, "I was about to ask you, but I didn't dare to ask." When I asked my grandfather, he didn't say anything. What kind of gamble is that? ”

Wang Yuan smiled and said, "There are some things you don't need to know for the time being, but one of the things in this gamble is about you." ”

"About me?" Cui Ruoyu said with wide eyes.

"If I win this bet, your grandfather will marry you to me." Wang Yuan said with a smile.

"What?" Cui Ruoyu was surprised.

Wang Yuan smiled: "You don't mind being a part of this gamble, and you don't mind me winning this gamble." ”

Cui Ruoyu bit her lower lip and said, "You people, how can you hide from others and treat others as bets?" I have to talk to my grandfather about this. He kept saying that I was the pearl of his palm, and then he made a bet on me. Hmph, I won't do it. ”

Wang Yuan was stunned and said: "Don't make trouble, this gambling matter is absolutely confidential." ”

Cui Ruoyu said angrily: "I don't care. ”

Wang Yuan smiled: "Okay, you go and make trouble, I don't want to marry you anyway." ”

Cui Ruoyu said angrily: "You dare." ”

Wang Yuan pecked her lips and said with a smile: "Of course I don't dare." ”

Cui Ruoyu's face was as red as fire, she lowered her head and pondered for a moment and said, "If you win, grandpa will marry me to you, but what if you lose?" ”

Wang Yuan frowned and said, "This is a troublesome matter, what do you say to do?" ”

Cui Ruoyu gritted her teeth and said: "If you lose, you don't admit it, I often do this with my grandfather." ”

Wang Yuan laughed, picked his fingers and praised: "Good idea, I am a person all the way, and I am worthy of being the future wife of my Wang family." ”

……

After lunch, the city ushered in the most tense time before the war. All the soldiers knew that the rebels were about to arrive and that a great battle was about to begin, so countless pairs of eyes were glued to the distance of the river in the north of the city, and everyone looked solemn and thoughtful.

There was silence above and below the city, except for the sound of the flowing water of the canal, the whistling of the north wind, and the sound of hunting and fluttering of dozens of flags on the city, no one made any sound. Even the dense crowds of Yangzhou people who were crowded on the streets hundreds of steps away from the city to watch the battle were waiting with bated breath, and no one made any noise at this time.

In the silence, on the wide official roads on both sides of the canal outside the city, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly sounded, and in the distance, two teams of dozens of cavalry horses galloped along the avenues on both sides of the canal. At the same time, the cavalry on horseback let out a terrible cry that made people tremble.

"Enemy to the enemy! Enemy to! Enemy to! ”

The shout drifted in all directions with the wind, and the soldiers and horses defending the city above and below the city, and even the people in the streets of the city heard this terrifying shout. "It's coming!" These are the two words that immediately flashed through everyone's hearts, and these two words represent a fierce battle of blood and fire, the baptism of life and death, the trial of bravery and cowardice.

Wang Yuan quietly looked at the misty canal in the distance, and in his field of vision, the towering mast and wide sail of the first warship appeared at the small bend of the canal in the distance. Immediately, there was a commotion in Wang Yuan's ears, and the soldiers at the head of the city also saw the shadow of the ship, and many people shouted in surprise.

Almost instantly, behind the previous pair of white sails, countless black-pressed ships appeared, with tall masts and white sails standing like a forest, and the black-pressed rebel soldiers on the ships were as dense as ants, and the distance between the two sides approached at a speed visible to the naked eye. At first, only a foggy outline could be seen, but after tea time, the shape of the blade in the hands of the opposing soldier and the dim light of the armor were all visible.

The area of the river, which stretched for miles away, was densely covered with boats, making the entire river seem to be covered with a layer of black clouds. The rumbling of war drums on the enemy ships was also carried into the city with the wind, and the war drums were thumping, each of which seemed to beat on everyone's heart, making people tremble and chill.

"Wang Xiangguo, what should I do?" Cui Yuanbo asked beside Wang Yuan in a little panic, although Wang Yuan had said countless times how to meet the enemy's countermeasures, but after seeing the huge momentum of the rebels, Cui Yuanbo had forgotten everything in shock.

"Close the gates and pile up sandbags." Wang Yuan shouted loudly.

"Close the gates and pile up sandbags!" The herald will convey the order quickly.

"At the suspension bridge, the archers are ready to meet the enemy. Prepare for the river army archers! Wang Yuan shouted.

"At the suspension bridge, the archers are ready to meet the enemy. Prepare for the river army archers! The herald repeated the order aloud, conveying it.

Wang Yuan issued seven or eight orders in one breath, and the last order was: "Soldiers, the time has come to kill the enemy and make meritorious contributions." I will live and die with you, and swear to live and die with Yangzhou. ”

This last sentence was naturally not a military order, but this sentence ignited the fighting spirit of the soldiers and civilians in the city, and everyone rolled their Adam's apple and shouted this oath with a roar.

The rebel fleet approached the river 500 paces north of the city, and the canal to the north of the city was very wide, which gave the rebels an opportunity to set up their formation. Dozens of small boats quickly approached both banks, and thousands of rebel soldiers rushed to the official roads on both sides of the river, and soon formed a land barrier on the official roads on both banks.

More than a dozen big boats moved slowly, lined up across the river, and a golden dragon head boat slowly sailed out from the middle, which was An Qingxu's giant dragon boat.

An Qingxu sat on the throne at the bow of the ship in a wide dragon robe, surrounded by hundreds of tall Praetorian Guards like iron towers. Beside him, Yan Zhuang and dozens of other subordinates stood in a row on the side, and everyone's eyes were staring at the low city wall of Yangzhou City in front of them.

The rebels came south this way, in addition to succeeding in Xuzhou and plundering a lot of supplies, grain and ships, starting from entering Chuzhou, although they passed through many cities and towns along the way, they were all up in vain every time they went ashore to attack. Almost every city has become an empty city. This made An Qingxu and Yan Zhuang extremely annoyed.

They knew that the news of the arrival of the army from the south must have been known to all parts of the southeast, and the people and officials had abandoned the city and fled. So Yan Zhuang said to An Qingxu that since this is the case, he doesn't have to care about the towns along the way, but should go straight to Yangzhou, capture Yangzhou and seize the passage into the Yangtze River, and then go straight to the south of the Yangtze River.

The good news is that although the news of the arrival of the large army from the south has been known to the respective state capitals in the southeast, with the strength of the large army and the defense of the southeast state capital