Li Shimin saw that Luoyang's achievements were not enough, so he had to adopt a siege strategy, digging ditches and building fortifications around Luoyang, intending to trap Wang Shichong's army in it. 23us．

There is a shortage of food in Luoyang City, a horse of silk is worth three liters of millet, and ten horses of cloth are worth one liter of salt.

When the people had eaten up all the grass roots and leaves, they took the mud together, put in the crumbs of rice and made cakes to eat, and after eating they all got sick, and their bodies were swollen and their heels were weak, and the starving people fell on the road.

When the emperor moved the people into the palace, there were 30,000 families, but by this time there were less than 3,000. It is a noble minister, at this time he can't even eat enough coarse chaff, and the officials below Shang Shulang need to participate in the labor themselves, and they often starve to death.

When the two sides were attacking on the outskirts of Luoyang, Wang Huaiwen, the hussar general of the Tang Dynasty, personally brought scouts to reconnoiter the enemy, but was captured by Wang Shichong, who wanted to encircle him and place him by his side.

On June 14, Wang Shichong went out of the right door, and when he was in Luoshui array, Wang Huaiwen suddenly raised a spear to stab Wang Shichong, Wang Shichong was wearing armor in his clothes, and the spear was broken and failed to pierce in, and the people around him were caught off guard, and they were stunned and at a loss.

Wang Huaiwen saw that he missed a blow, so he immediately mounted his horse and fled to the Tang army camp, but when he fled to the mouth of the river, he was caught up by the pursuers, resisted desperately, refused to surrender, and finally died of exhaustion.

After Wang Shichong returned to the city, he took off his inner armor, showed it to his ministers, and said loudly: "Wang Huaiwen stabbed me with a spear, but I was unscathed, doesn't this mean that the mandate of heaven belongs to my Da Zheng?" ”

Wang Shichong said this, in order to boost the morale of some ministers, and the ministers also responded in unison, but many people did not care about this matter in their hearts.

Wang Shichong's imperial historian Zheng did not want to be Wang Shichong's official, and always said that he would not participate in political affairs if he was sick, so he took the opportunity to say to Wang Shichong: "I heard that the Buddha has a vajra without a bad body, and Your Majesty is this vajra without a bad body." The minister is very honored to be born in the Buddha world, and the minister is willing to give up the official title to cut his hair and become a monk, and be diligent in practicing Buddhism to help His Majesty's divine martial arts. ”

Wang Shichong said: "Qing is a minister of state, and he has always been highly prestigious, and once he enters the Buddhist gate, he will be shocked. When the war is over, I will definitely respect Aiqing's ambitions. ”

Zheng repeatedly requested, but Wang Shichong did not allow it.

Zheng Xia said to his wife: "I have been an official since I was a child, and I have longed for honor and discipline, but unfortunately I have encountered troubled times, and I have fallen to such a point, in this court of mutual suspicion, based on a country in danger, and my intelligence is limited, and I cannot protect myself. There is always a death in life, what is the difference between morning and night, let me fulfill my wish, there is nothing to regret when I die. ”

So Zheng Shafa put on a monk's robe and became a monk in a small temple. When Wang Shichong heard the news, he was furious, and secretly said in his heart: "Okay, you Zheng Pifu, do you think that I am bound to fail, and I want to escape death?" If I don't kill you, how can I control the crowd! ”

So Wang Shichong ordered Zheng to be beheaded in the downtown area, Zheng was about to be tortured and laughed freely, and wrote a poem about the execution: "The illusion is still disillusioned, and the big illusion is not over." Peace of mind has its own place, and there is no one to ask for it. ”

The onlookers admired Zheng's demeanor and courage.

……

After Dou Jiande decided to rescue Wang Shichong, he immediately began to prepare, and after gathering the army, he first led his troops to spend more than two months to conquer Zhouqiao, capture Meng Haigong, and ensure the safety of the flank.

In July, Dou Jiande ordered his general Fan Yuan to guard Caozhou, and then transferred all the soldiers and horses of Meng Haigong and Xu Yuanlang to the west to rescue Luoyang.

When they arrived in Huazhou, Wang Shichong's servant shot Han Hong and opened the city gate to welcome them into the city. On July 21, the army arrived at the sour date.

Subsequently, Dou Jiande captured Guanzhou and killed Guo Shi'an, the assassin of Guanzhou; It also captured Xingyang, Yangzhai and other counties, advanced by land and water, transported grain by ship, and traced the Yellow River to the west.

Wang Shichong's younger brother, Xuzhou Xingtai Wang Shibi, sent his general Guo Shiheng to bring thousands of soldiers and horses to meet Dou Jiande, a total of more than 100,000 people, claimed to have 300,000, camped in Chenggao Dongyuan, built a palace in Banzhu, and sent people to exchange news with Wang Shichong.

For the menacing Dou Jiande, Li Shimin's army besieging Luoyang felt the pressure, so he convened the generals to discuss the matter.

Many generals asked to avoid Dou Jiande's troops, Guo Xiaoke said: "Wang Shichong is at the end of the road, he will soon become a prisoner, Dou Jiande came from afar to help Wang Shichong, this is the will of God to Zheng and Xia to perish." We should rely on the danger of the prison to resist Dou Jiande, and if we move according to the situation, we will definitely be able to defeat them! ”

Xue Shu said: "Wang Shichong is based in the eastern capital, the warehouses are full, and the soldiers and horses under the command are all the elite of the Jianghuai region, and the current difficulty is just a lack of food." Because of this, we were dragged back, and we couldn't fight if we wanted to, and it was difficult to hold on for a long time. Dou Jiande personally commanded the army to come to the aid from afar, and he would also do his best. If he is allowed to come here, the two Kou join forces and transport the grain from Hebei to supply Luoyang, then the war will begin, and I don't know when it will end, and the day of unifying the world is even more distant.

Now we should divide our forces to besiege Luoyang, deepen the trenches and increase the barriers, if Wang Shichong sends troops, be careful not to fight with him, the king you personally lead the brave elite, first occupy Chenggao, sharpen the weapons and train the soldiers and horses, and wait for them to arrive, and wait for them to wait for work, and they will definitely be able to defeat the enemy. After defeating Dou Jiande, Wang Shichong will naturally be defeated, and within twenty days, he will capture two monarchs! ”

However, Xiao, Qu Tutong, Feng Deyi and others all believed: "Our army is tired and demoralized, Wang Shichong is holding on to the fortified city, it is not easy to conquer quickly, Dou Jiande came with the momentum of victory, morale is high and unstoppable, our army is attacked by the enemy, it is not a good way, it is better to retreat and guard Xin'an, so as to wait for the opportunity." ”

Just when Li Shimin felt in a dilemma, suddenly a soldier came to report, Li Yin, the king of Jin, sent a messenger to come, Li Shimin hesitated slightly, and then asked the soldier to bring the messenger.

After Li Yin's messenger entered the military tent and saluted, he then explained his intention to Li Shimin: "The King of Jin sent me to tell His Highness that he will personally lead troops to garrison the Tiger Prison Pass to resist Dou Jiande's 300,000 army, and if he is in the Tiger Prison for a day, he will not let the Dou army take a step forward, please Your Highness and the army continue to besiege Luoyang with peace of mind." ”

After the messenger spoke, he took out the handwritten letter from his bosom and handed it to Li Shimin.

After Li Shimin took the letter and read it, his expression was very complicated, and Xiao, Qu Tutong, Feng Deyi and others in the big tent were even more speechless in surprise......

At this time, on the wall of the Tiger Prison Pass, Li Yin led the generals to stand there, looking at the endless Dou Jiande army, and after a long time, Li Yin smiled at the generals: "A few years ago, Dou Jiande was almost caught by this king, and now he can't let him slip away!" ”