The army of Youyiwei still set off as scheduled, the army passed through the ancient road of Kunhan, and found that the Zheng army of Kip Stone City had withdrawn, and only after inquiring did he know that Hongnong County guarded Yang Xuanxian, Hu Benlang General Chen Zhiluo, and Huya Lang General Qian Jie sent 7,000 troops from Hongnong County and was attacking Lingbao County. Zhang Jin was overjoyed and immediately waved his army to attack Shaanxi County, and Wang Shichong had ordered Guo Shiheng to command an army of 20,000 to arrive at Mianchi and mobilize people from all counties on the East Road to meet the battle.

On the second day of Zhang Jin's army encamping in Shaanxi County, Sima Caizhang, the counselor of the Yueguo Mansion, hurried to the army and brought Yang Chong's secret order, Zhang Jin, Cheng Yanjin and others only knew after reading it that Yang Chong did not take Chang'an's affairs to heart, but decided to take it by surprise and attack Luoyang for the second time.

Yang Chong issued a letter in Nanyang to crusade against Wang Shichong, and the Hexi army immediately rushed to Yingchuan County; The defender of Xiangcheng was Wang Shichong's cousin Wang Shibian, who defended the city according to the city, and the city was broken in less than four days, and Wang Shiban was captured. Shi Derui of Weishi County, Cui Shu of Weizhou, and Wang Yaohan of Bianzhou suddenly announced that they would return to Chang'an, and the Zheng army was in chaos.

Wang Shichong immediately made a series of reactions, sending Guo Qing to guard Guanzhou, Wei Lu to guard Xingyang, Zhang Yin to guard Yizhou, Zheng Yuanshou to guard Ruzhou, and Liu Jun to guard Xuchang, appointing Xiahou Duan as Henan's pacification envoy to recruit military horses from Shangqiu to help, and sending his nephew Wang Wan and Neishi Ling's eldest grandson Anshi to Hebei to ask Dou Jiande for help; He also went to Bozhou with his younger brother Wang Shiyun as an envoy, and Uncle Ding mobilized troops and horses to persuade Du Fuwei to attack Nanyang together.

But in less than ten days, Zheng Yuanshou was defeated by Shi Daqian and was trapped in Ruzhou; Liu Jun lost Xuchang and Changshe counties in a row, and fled back to Chenggao in a hurry. The 80,000 troops of Xu Shiji and Meng Haigong of the Hexi Army successively crossed the river from Bianzhou, where Wang Yaohan was stationed, and Wei Lu offered Xingyang and Yangcheng to surrender to Xu Shiji; Meng Haigong swept the cities around Shangqiu and attacked Xiahouduan.

Wang Shichong learned of the front-line war report, sent his nephew Wang Xingben to the Tiger Prison to preside over the war, in Luoyang to rule the troubled times, announced that there was a person in the family defected, the whole family was connected, father and son, brothers, husband and wife as long as they reported each other can be exempted, the five families for one protection, mutual supervision, if someone defects successfully with the whole family, the surrounding neighbors will be executed. The generals went out to fight, and their relatives were detained in the palace as hostages, and for a time, everyone in Luoyang City was in danger, and the palace became a big prison, which was overcrowded.

Xingyang Zheng had to make a choice, Shi Daqian, Yang Gongqing, and Xu Shiji were all digesting the captured counties, and the next shot must be the original Xingyang area that was renamed Guanzhou by Wang Shichong, Zheng did not imagine that the Li family in Longxi was like the Li family, and the foundation was shaken for the dignity that could not be defended, and took the initiative to send Zheng Yuanshou's younger brother Guichang Gong Zheng Shanyuan to Xiangcheng to meet Yang Chong.

Zheng Shanyuan is a fat man, looking in his forties, dressed in brocade and silk robes, like a master who only knows how to eat and drink and does not care about things, but the guest and the host sat down, holding a cup of fragrant tea, and every word Zheng Shanyuan said went straight to the point: "Yue Guogong is ready to take Luoyang?" Or are you preparing to besiege Luoyang? ”

Yang Chong took a sip of tea, closed the tea lid and said: "After clearing the periphery of Luoyang, I will negotiate with Wang Shichong, as long as he is willing to cancel the emperor's title, he can temporarily suspend his troops, and then slowly discuss the matter of him handing over his military power and leaving Luoyang." ”

Zheng Shanyuan said with a smile: "Guogong is insincere, Wang Shichong is a tiger and wolf, even the negotiation is also delaying time, I hope that Dou Jiande, Li Shimin, and Du Fuwei will come to help, could it be that Guogong is ready to gather and annihilate him?" ”

Yang Chong was silent for a moment, sighed and said: "As Gui Changgong said, Wang Shichong is a tiger and wolf, even if the deep trench fortress surrounds Luoyang, there is a shortage of food and salt in Luoyang City, it will not have much impact on Wang Shichong. The people in the city will eat all the grass roots and leaves, and sooner or later they will mix the rice dregs with floating mud to satisfy their hunger, and when the time comes, the dead will be everywhere, even if Luoyang is taken, it will be an empty city, what use do you want him. ”

Zheng Shanyuan was not deceived by Yang Chong's appearance, a person who can start from Zhangye County and run rampant in the world will not be sentimental, hypocritical, benevolent, and righteous, Yang Chong must have a way to deal with it. Zheng Shanyuan said politely: "Shanyuan has been fond of Guogong for a long time, but he has been separated by Li Yuan and Wang Shichong, and he is worried about the safety of his family, so he doesn't dare to make many moves; I heard that Dou Jiande and Li Shimin have sent troops to the south, I don't know if Guogong has a way to resist the enemy? ”

Yang Chong put down the teacup and said with a smile: "Qu Tutong and Xu Yuanlang are still in Hebei and Shandong, and Dou Jiande may not have the courage to break the kettle; Li Shimin will not go south to rescue Luoyang, all the way is Dou Jiande's territory, he can't say at all whether he is here to attack the Hexi army or attack the Xia army, according to my estimate, Li Shimin will unify Youzhou. ”

"If that's the case, Guogong is still ready to negotiate with Wang Shichong when he has the advantage?" Zheng Shanyuan understood what Yang Chong meant, and asked randomly; Yang Chong bowed his head and said affirmatively: "For the sake of the 200,000 people in Luoyang, it is appropriate to restrain yourself." ”

Zheng Shanyuan couldn't help but look at Yang Chong carefully, a person who was only thirty years old at most, but he could suppress his impulse and give up the prestige of the so-called success, in history, only Wang Mang, Liu Bei and others could do it. Zheng Shanyuan stood up, bowed deeply, took out a letter from his sleeve, presented it in his hand, and said, "This is the letter of Guo Qing, the assassin of Guanzhou. ”

Su Dingfang went up to take the letter, turned around and walked to Yang Chong's side, and handed it to Yang Chong; Yang Chong took it and pondered Zheng Shanyuan while watching, this is a very cautious and capable person, the boss Zheng Yuanshou's edge is too much, so that many people ignore Zheng Shanyuan's ability. Guo Qing's surrender did not have much complicated content, Yang Chong quickly read it, raised his head and said to Zheng Shanyuan: "I am going to guard the left and right in Luoyang, if Guo Qing is willing, he can serve as the general of the left imperial guard; I'm here to send a Xiangcheng county guard, I don't know if Guichang Gong is interested in his career. ”

Zheng Shanyuan got up and thanked him: "Thank you Guogong, it's just that the third brother Yuancong has gone to Ruzhou to persuade his brother to surrender." ”

Yang Chong waved his hand and said, "Don't get in the way." Zheng Yuanshou is an old minister of this dynasty, if he can get lost, he can return to Chang'an to serve as Taichang Shaoqing; The prince of Chenggao County can serve as the general of the right imperial guard. ”

The prince of Chenggao County is the third Zheng Yuancong, Yang Chong is so generous, Zheng Shanyuan has nothing to say, so he can only thank him again; Yang Chong was also very satisfied, three official positions for a piece of land and the support of the Zheng family were definitely a bargain. Yang Chong held a banquet in the army, Zheng Shanyuan was willing to go away, and a day later, Zheng Yuanshou surrendered in Ruzhou; Two days later, Zheng Jun's Guanzhou assassin Guo Qingxian Guanzhou's ten counties surrendered, and the Hexi Army approached Luoyang in great strides.

(End of chapter)