There are six gates in Xinyang City, two in the north gate, and outside the city gate is a hilly area, which is the top priority of defense, so the north gate is guarded by Jin Shenghuan and his son with 5,000 people. There is a west gate, and outside the door is the Shishui River, which leads directly to the Huai River.

Xinyang Wharf is at the West Gate, this place is easy to defend and difficult to attack, plus there is no naval army in Liukou, and the West Gate is handed over to a partial general to lead a thousand people to guard. One at the east gate, outside the gate is a plain, originally where the grain field was, due to the arrival of the Xiaoice period, the Zhuang family died, and the villagers either fled or became rogues.

This place is the second most difficult place to guard, and it is handed over to Zhu Hongsan and Ma Rufeng to lead 2,000 people plus 900 regiments to practice guarding. There is a city gate in the recess of the southwest city wall and the south city wall, which is a daily door, which is useless, a few months ago Jin Shenghuan ordered to fill in with a boulder, and this place left two thousand households, five hundred people per person. If each door is in danger and can be contacted with a letter cannon, it can be quickly mobilized through the horse path inside the city walls.

Jin Shenghuan finished arranging for everyone to go down to prepare. Zhu Hongsan and the two returned to their barracks. Find Tong Yangjia and Zhao Guodong. arranged for Zhao Guodong to prepare to defend on the city wall, and Tong Yangjia prepared 1,000 grenades* and 500 horizontal knives to send to Jin Shenghuan.

Tong Yangjia said: "Didn't the lord have a bad relationship with Jin Shengheng? ”

Zhu Hongsan said: "Now we are in the same boat, if we don't help him, we can't run away if the city is broken." The grievances will come later. ”

Tong Yangjia nodded and went out to arrange without mentioning it.

Zhu Hongsan put on the chain armor made by the iron bull, and put on a layer of heavy armor of sword and shield soldiers on the outside and came out of the big tent. Seeing that the troops have been assembled. Zhu Hongyi wore three layers of heavy armor and stood at the door with an extra-large mace in his hand.

At this time, Qian Lide came over and whispered to Zhu Hongsan: "Big brother, can I take care of the house at home?" ”

Zhu Hong's three eyebrows stood and said, "Fat man, what do you want to do?" Don't force me to kill you by military law. ”

Qian Lide saw that Zhu Hongsan was really moving, and hurriedly stood behind Zhu Hongyi.

Zhu Hongsan glared at him, stepped forward and said, "Brothers, now the Liukou is outside the city. None of us will survive if they come in. Everyone can only fight hard. I promise you all that each of those who survive will be fifty taels of silver. and gave to each of the dead a hundred taels of silver, and gave them to his family. ”

Zhu Hongsan knew that most of his 900 people were adapted from Liukou, and only 300 of them he brought from Huguang followed, and most of them stayed in Dongjiawu Fort. This new army has just been running in for less than half a month, and it is useless to talk about anything at this time, but it is the most practical to give money.

After Zhu Hongsan finished speaking, he asked Tong Yangjia to pull out the silver box and said, "Now each person will be given twenty taels first, and thirty taels will be sent after the fact." Those who have made meritorious contributions are being added. ”

The crowd below thundered with joy. shouted for the commander's death.

After distributing the silver, Zhu Hongsan led people to the east gate. Ma Rufeng was already waiting for him here with his helmet and armor. Zhu Hongsan came to the city wall and looked down, and the people and horses outside had already arrived five miles outside the city. Zhu Hongsan saw that the black pressure on the opposite side was full of people, and asked Ma Rufeng, "How many people are on the other side?" How many people are there at the North Gate? ”

Ma Rufeng smiled bitterly: "The Xinyang city wall is only five or six miles long, so it will be attacked separately." What the brother-in-law saw was lined up from the north gate, and it seemed that in addition to the west gate by the water, the south gate was also surrounded. I'm afraid Xinyang is going to end this time. ”

Zhu Hongsan gasped. He thought that his east gate was the main direction of attack, but he didn't expect Liukou to attack five gates together. Look outside, if there are people outside the five city gates, there are about two or three hundred thousand, could it be that Luo Rucai brought all the horses?

really let Zhu Hongsan guess right. Luo Rucai and Zhang Xianzhong were estranged. led the troops to go north to surrender to Li Zicheng, who was attacking Kaifeng. I am afraid that I will go north directly from Nanyang and be copied by Zhang Xianzhong. Only then did he pretend to go south to Xinyang and make it look like he was going to attack Hefei. In fact, he was preparing to go north to Kaifeng directly after taking Xinyang.

Therefore, Luo Rucai brought not 200,000 or 300,000, but all 500,000 people. Of course, there are many people in Liukou, and the real elite is only Luo Rucai's old battalion of 50,000 horses, and the others are all old and weak. But this is also very scary, you must know that there are 50,000 people in Xinyang City, and there are only 10,000 officers and soldiers defending the city.

Zhu Hongsan lay on the battlement and looked out, his legs trembling with fright. After all, this was the first time Zhu Hongsan had participated in such a large-scale conference battle. In the past, the battle of a thousand people was compared to a child's play.

Now that it was getting dark outside, it seemed that the rogues were not planning to attack the city at night. Ma Rufeng said on the side: "Most of the rogues have night blindness, and they don't attack the city at night. Looks like tomorrow morning will be a bloody battle. ”

When it was dark, the walls were lit with torches, and they shone like day. The walls were full of officers and soldiers who were on patrol at night, and the others slept in their clothes by the walls.

Zhu Hongsan could sleep at this time, lying on the battlement and looking at the camp of the rogue opposite. A little campfire is like a star in the sky, stretching far away. The distance has been connected to the horizon, and it is impossible to tell whether it is a campfire or starlight.

Zhu Hongsan asked Zhu Hongyi on the side: "Big brother, are you afraid?" ”

Zhu Hongyi said: "I'm afraid, but I already have a son." Zhu Hongyi turned his head to look at Zhu Hongsan and said, "Little San, don't worry, I will definitely protect you." If we both die, my second surname is Zhu, let him pass on the incense to you. ”

Zhu Hongsan patted Zhu Hongyi's shoulder with emotion.

Tong Yangjia here said: "I think this time eighty percent will be enough to choke, there are too many rogues, there are more than 300,000, and Xinyang will be broken." The lord should find a way as soon as possible. ”

Zhu Hongsan nodded, thinking in his heart that it was really impossible to open a city gate to attract the attention of the Liukou. Run away from other doors yourself. Thinking of this, Tong Yangjia said, "Mr. led a hundred people down to guard the camp. Also pay attention to the terrain around Mafu. Wait for me to inform you, it's really not possible, we have to flee with the Ma family. ”

Tong Yangjia said: "Is the whole Ma family with it? ”

Zhu Hongsan shook his head and said, "Bring Ma Jiyuan's father and son and two boys, and the female dependents bring Ma Rufeng's wife, and nothing else." Ma Jiyuan: If they don't leave, they will tie me up. Tong Yangjia nodded and took someone down to make arrangements.

Zhu Hongsan said to Ma Rufeng: "You send a henchman home to tell your mother and wife to get ready." If it doesn't work, we'll kill it. Remember not to tell anyone else, not your father. ”

Ma Rufeng said: "Then my wife doesn't bring it either?" ”

Zhu Hongsan said: "Women are not yet, do you say that the old lady is important or the wife is important?" ”

Ma Rufeng bowed his head and said, "The old lady is important. ”

Zhu Hongsan said with a smile: "That's right, there are not many women who are famous for their husbands, and my brother-in-law will find you a good one in the future." ”

In the middle of the night, Zhu Hongsan was sleepy, and when he saw that the rogues outside the city had no intention of attacking the city, he asked Ma Rufeng to pay attention to it, and he lay down on the leeward place under the battlement to sleep.

Zhu Hongsan slept soundly, feeling that someone was pushing him. When I got up, I saw that it was Ma Rufeng. The guy stared at a pair of red eyes and said, "Brother-in-law, you help me look at it, I'll squint for a while." ”

Zhu Hongsan nodded, got up and saw that it was almost dawn, and the east was already white. I should have slept for three hours.

After a while, the sun came out, and I could already see people clearly. Smoke rose from the camp on the opposite side. They're cooking, I don't know if it's human flesh.

Zhu Hongsan's breakfast was also delivered, and it was a big meat steamed bun. Three soldiers for each regimental training, plus a piece of bacon meat. The 2,000 officers and soldiers defending the city frothed at the sight. But they all know that Zhu Hongsan kills without blinking, but no one comes to rob him.

Zhu Hongsan saw each of them a cake and a bowl of boiled cabbage, which was too much. Zhu Hongsan waved his hand and called Ma Rufeng and asked, "They just eat this?" ”

Ma Rufeng said: "This is still good, it is usually thin, and I have to work hard to eat it dry today." ”

Zhu Hongsan called Qian Lide and said, "Go and tell the kitchen that in the future, if you cook for 3,000 people, you will immediately make 2,000 meat steamed buns." Qian Lide went down and prepared not to mention it.

After a while, the meal was ready, and Zhu Hongsan said: "Brothers, since we are all comrades-in-arms now, don't divide each other, you eat what we eat." After speaking, he stuffed his steamed buns and salted meat into the hands of a soldier of the left battalion beside him.

The guys in Zuo Ying thanked Zhu Hongsan loudly.

Ma Rufeng whispered: "Brother-in-law, you can't hold on for a few days like this, there are 3,000 people on the east side." ”

Zhu Hongsan sighed and said, "Do you still think you can hold on for a few days?" It would be nice to stick with it today. ”

While the two were talking, the horn sounded in the camp opposite, and the sound was simple and long. Zhu Hongsan knew that it was finally going to start.

The gates of the camp opened, and a band of ragged homeless people poured out. For every 100 people, there is a ladder. Displaced people lined up at the station gate. Ten chariots were rolled out from the gate, with four wheels underneath, covered with cowhide to defend against arrows from the city, and the men pushed the carts forward in the carts, and when they reached the city wall, they lowered the jumping bridge, and the soldiers inside could be released.

These cars must have been made last night, and some of the tree trunks still have bark on them. Zhu Hongsan is glad that there are no craftsmen among the homeless, and if he gets the stone machine, he won't have to guard it at all (Zhu Hongsan thinks a little too much about the homeless). This kind of high-tech thing is a stone machine, which these mud legs can play).

Zhu Hongsan looked at his own side, there were no firearms at all, only more than 20 large sky-shaking thunderbolts. Plus countless rolling wood stones. It would be nice if there were a few redcoat cannons. But now the red-coated cannons in the whole country are in Jingshi and Liaodong, which is really beyond the reach of the whip.

The displaced people spread out and moved forward slowly. Zhu Hongsan has the feeling of watching a blockbuster. It's so real, it's better to have another long shot of an airplane aerial to be perfect.

Zhu Hongsan didn't dream about it, and when the sun rose, that is, at about eight o'clock, the team of displaced people finally advanced to a mile away from the city wall and stopped.

Ma Rufeng had rich experience in actual combat and knew that the next step was to attack the city, and shouted: "Archers prepare." ”

Four hundred archers on the city wall took out their bows and arrows, drew their bowstrings, and waited for the officer's order.

After the Liukou entered a mile, the camp behind sounded the earth-shattering drums. Boom.. Boom... It shook everyone's heart. Zhu Hongsan was also rendered by the atmosphere, his palms were a little sweaty, he touched his clothes, wiped off the sweat, and clenched the horizontal knife in his hand. said to Zhu Hongyi: "Big brother, it's about to start." ”

Without waiting for Zhu Hongyi to speak, the rogue on the opposite side let out an earth-shattering shout, and the girl ran towards the city wall. The Battle of Xinyang officially began.