Although the city was in chaos on this day, it was not without good news. The pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info the siege Tang army in Beicheng did not attack until dark, which made Shi Siming breathe a long sigh of relief. After dark, the Tang army will not be able to attack the city, so today's silence can only mean one thing, that is, the Tang army can't bear it.

Although his defenders have reached the limit, the situation of the Tang army is probably not much better than his own. The night was extremely cold, and their soldiers and horses were probably suffering in the camp outside the city. Moreover, during the three-day siege of the city, the Tang army and the Hui coalition army suffered heavy losses, and the number of dead and wounded was roughly estimated to be as high as 80,000 or 90,000, and they did not have many troops at hand. At this time, how could they still have the strength to continue the siege. Maybe...... Maybe hold on for a few more days, and the siege of Chang'an will be solved.

The only thing that worried Shi Siming was Wang Yuan's Shence Army. However, the Shence Army has not seen a shadow so far, what does this mean? Shi Siming has been thinking about an intractable problem all along. Why did Li Mao borrow back the soldiers and horses to attack, but he didn't join forces with Wang Yuan's Shence army? Why did Li Mao go to Lingzhou to ascend the throne instead of succeeding him in Chengdu? So combined with the current situation, Shi Siming felt that he had an answer. That is, Li Mao's accession to the throne was actually not recognized by other people in the Tang Dynasty, and it is even possible that he blatantly ascended the throne without the permission of Xuanzong. The reason why this is the case is that Li Mao had to borrow the Hui army to expand his strength, which can also explain why Wang Yuan's Shence army has not appeared on the left side of Chang'an City to participate in the siege.

In this way, in fact, the Tang Dynasty has fallen apart, and the father and son of Xuanzong and Li Mao have turned against each other. And Li Mao attacked Chang'an so fiercely, I am afraid that he wants to recapture the land of the capital of the Tang Dynasty to show the legitimacy of his throne. And this point may not be supported by Wang Yuan and others.

Thinking about this made Shi Siming extremely excited. After figuring out this matter, it means that in fact, what Li Mao said about the Divine Ce Army participating in the siege of the city in the last persuasion decree was all blackmailing himself, in fact, he couldn't mobilize the Divine Ce Army at all. It is even possible that the Shence Army and his Li Mao's soldiers and horses are still opponents. In this way, there will be no one to help Li Mao attack the city, and this crisis may pass soon. After that, the grain route was unobstructed and the crisis was resolved. If you go to the court with strict wording to ask for some soldiers and horses to replenish the troops, this Chang'an City will always be your own. The three major palaces live by themselves, and the emperor's throne sits by himself, and he is the actual emperor in this Chang'an city.

Thinking of these, Shi Siming was in a much better mood, and he was even in the mood to order someone to serve wine and food, and poured himself a few glasses. Before this, he didn't dare to drink a drop of wine, for fear of ruining the city's defense.

When a pot of wine bottomed out, the footsteps outside the door were hurried, and a guard reported in a deep voice outside the door: "Report to the marshal, a letter has been shot from the Tang military camp outside the city, please take a look at it." ”

Shi Siming, who was drunk, laughed and said, "Bring it in." Isn't this Li Mao coming to deceive me again? But he didn't know that I had already seen through his details. ”

The guard sent the letter in, Shi Siming tore open the envelope and looked at it a few times, and the laughter shook the roof tiles: "Li Mao, Li Mao, the more you persuade me to surrender, the more it shows that you are weak-hearted." You said that Wang Yuan's soldiers and horses were about to attack the city and give me one last chance to surrender, I can only say that you can save these blackmail words to scare the three-year-old child. ”

Shi Siming smiled, reached out and threw the letter into the brazier and burned it to ashes. The guard arched his hand and said, "Marshal, how to reply?" ”

Shi Siming drank the wine in the cup and smiled: "What is the reply?" There was no need to reply, and the soldiers at the head of the city were ordered to shoot the messenger, and this was my reply to them. ”

The guard took the order and left, and Shi Siming sneered in a low voice.

……

Shi Chaoyi was prostrate on the bed, and the pain in his body made it difficult for him to sleep. Several of the women who were serving were scolded by him, and with gloating expressions in the eyes of these women, Shi Chaoyi could see it clearly. If it was usual, with such expressions on their faces, Shi Chaoyi would pull their hair and punch and kick them. However, today, Shi Chaoyi can only scold them, because he really can't get up, and he is not in the mood to be angry with these sluts.

The sound of the second more leakage sounded, Shi Chaoyi was also a little tired, and was about to fall asleep, when suddenly the personal servant of the old. Hu picked up the curtain and came in, and the cold wind blowing in made the dazed Shi Chaoyi shiver. Shi Chaoyi opened his mouth to scold, old. Hu spoke first.

"Eldest son, there is a visitor."

"Visiting? Who came in the middle of the night? Blasting me out, how can I see people like this? Shi Chaoyi said angrily.

"It was General Tian Chengsi, Cao Ji, and Luo Yue who asked to see you, and General Tian said that he would invite you to see them no matter what." Old. Hu hurriedly said.

"What are they coming?" Shi Chaoyi frowned and thought about it, waved his hand and said, "Ask them to come to see them, but I can only see them on my stomach." ”

"It's okay, several of them were carried on their stomachs." Old. Nonsense.

Shi Chaoyi then remembered that last night, the three of them all spread a hundred military sticks, and their buttocks were all blooming, and I am afraid that they will not be able to stand.

Soon after, three soft couches were brought in from outside the door in turn, and the three generals including Tian Chengji were lying on the couch, and Yuguan was carried into Shi Chaoyi's bedroom. The three soft couches were placed in turn at the head of Shi Chaoyi's bed, and the three generals on the couch did not forget to pout their butts and bow their hands.

"See the eldest prince."

Shi Chaoyi also pouted his butt and saluted back: "The three generals are polite." ”

A servant couldn't help but see the scene of these four people lying on their stomachs and pouting their butts, and covered his mouth and laughed. Shi Chaoyi scolded angrily: "Get out, if you laugh again, you will pry your mouth full of teeth." ”

The servants fled in disgrace, and Shi Chaoyi said to the three of them: "The house slaves don't understand the rules, I'll clean them up when I go back." ”

Tian Chengsi arched his hand and smiled: "It's okay, it's okay, I heard that the eldest prince was punished today, and I want to come to visit." Is the eldest prince okay? ”

Shi Chaoyi heard the sadness coming from it, and said with a sad face: "It's okay, my back and ass are broken." My father beat me to death, and if someone hadn't stopped me, I would have been a corpse today. ”

Tian Chengsi sighed: "Marshal Shi is too ruthless, people say that tigers don't eat poison, how can the marshal be so vicious to the eldest prince?" The matter of grain and grass is clearly not the fault of the eldest prince alone, why use this matter to punish the eldest prince? ”

Shi Chaoyi waved his hand and said, "General Tian, don't mention it." I don't know if I can survive this level or not, my father said, tomorrow I want to go to the city to defend the city, and I want to be the first to die, hey, after tomorrow, I am afraid that you will have to collect the body for me. ”

Tian Chengsi and Cao Ji Luo Yue glanced at each other and nodded slightly. Luo Yue said in a deep voice: "Don't worry, the eldest prince, maybe the marshal is just angry." How could a marshal do that? ”

Shi Chaoyi sighed and said: "Hey, you don't know, my father has been looking at me more and more unpleasantly recently. He said I was either his son, or a wreck. I don't think he's telling a lie. That's it, let's die, anyway, just this life, he gave it, take it back. ”

Tian Chengsi said in a low voice: "Don't say these frustrating words. I waited to see the eldest prince because I wanted to discuss something with the eldest prince. ”

Shi Chaoyi opened his eyes full of sorrow and said, "Discuss with me?" What's that? ”

"Does the eldest prince know? Outside came to persuade the surrender letter again, and I just got the news that the Tang army rushed to the city and shot the persuasion letter to Marshal Shi. Marshal Shi burned the letter, and even the Tang army who delivered the letter was shot. Tian Chengsi frowned.

Shi Chaoyi opened his mouth blankly and said, "Huh? Is there such a thing? I don't know. This is not unusual, how can the father be willing to surrender? My father said that he would never surrender. ”

Tian Chengsi said softly: "Eldest prince, this is the last persuasion of the Tang army, and the marshal completely rejected them, and there will be no room for maneuver after that." ”

Shi Chaoyi was stunned and said, "Could it be ...... Do you mean to surrender? ”

Tian Chengsi glanced at Cao Ji and Luo Yue, who were lying on his stomach beside him, and turned around and said, "The eldest prince misunderstood, we don't have this idea. We're just thinking about the eldest prince. We greatly admire Marshal Shi's idea of repaying the kindness of the first emperor and being loyal to Dachu, but Marshal Shi doesn't seem to have thought it through. ”

Shi Chaoyi was a little stunned, frowned, and said, "Why didn't I understand your words?" ”

Tian Chengsi thought for a while and said, "That's it, let's make it clear." Does the eldest prince think Chang'an City can still be defended? ”

Shi Chaoyi shook his head and said, "How do I know? We now have less than 40,000 soldiers and horses left, and I'm afraid it will be difficult to hold on. But what's the solution? The father is in charge of this matter, and what I said is a piece of. ”

"Eldest Prince, a few of us discussed the situation and felt that we couldn't hold it at all. The eldest prince is right, we only have 40,000 defenders, and there are no more soldiers to replenish. Today, there was a great rebellion in the city because of Raff's conscription, and the common people were about to rise up and rebel. We don't have food, and we don't have soldiers. The imperial court didn't care about us, and didn't send troops to help at all. And soon Wang Yuan's Shence army will join the siege battle. This evening, my people have come back to report that there is a movement in the direction of Jinzhou and Pizhou, and the Shence Army is moving towards Chang'an in a big way. In such a situation, how can we hold on? Tian Chengsi said.

Shi Chaoyi said dumbfounded: "If you say that, can you still hold it there?" But what can we do? ”

Tian Chengsi said: "Eldest son, now only you have a way." As soon as you come forward, maybe everyone will be saved. Otherwise, we're all going to die here. Don't even think about living. ”

Shi Chaoyi was stunned and said, "What can I do?" Do you want me to persuade my father to surrender the city? Didn't that tell me to die? As soon as I say such a thing, my father will cut me down. ”

Tian Chengsi said: "Of course, I don't want the eldest prince to persuade the marshal. The marshal had made up his mind, and he even shot the Tang army to deliver the letter, which was already a break with the Tang people. ”

"So what do you say?" Shi Chaoyi said.

Tian Chengsi sighed: "Eldest prince, I don't know if you understand the situation, the imperial court has already given up on us at all, they neither took the initiative to send food, nor did they increase troops to rescue, they just watched us die here." We are now embattled, with no way to heaven and no way to enter the earth. ”

Shi Chaoyi gritted his teeth and scolded: "Speaking of An Qingxu, this bastard, I get angry. We're going to die anyway, and I don't want to call him His Majesty the Emperor. This dog thief killed his father and ascended the throne, and reused the strict dog thief. The two of them were already dissatisfied with my historian, we are going to die, and they are afraid that they will celebrate each other. An Qingxu is most worried about my historian looking for him to settle accounts and seek justice for the emperor, how can he save us? I told my father this, but my father scolded me with blood. ”

Tian Chengsi picked his fingers and praised: "It's still the eldest prince who understands people, many people can't understand these things, but the eldest prince understands them at a glance." How many people's hearts have been chilled by the things An Qingxu did, he is a thief, and what he is most afraid of is that someone will not accept his throne. And among all of them, the one he feared the most was Marshal Shi. Marshal Shi is a meritorious veteran who rose up with the emperor to win the world, and of course he can't wait for Marshal Shi to die to be at ease. Marshal Shi actually understands these things, but Marshal Shi is probably pretending not to know for the sake of the emperor's intentions. ”

Shi Chaoyi said angrily: "That's why we have today, everyone is dead, An Qingxu is also happy, and the Tang people are also happy, but we have no place to be buried." ”

Tian Chengsi said softly: "That's why we came to see the eldest prince, and things may be promising." As long as the eldest prince is willing to do it, then not only will we not die here, but we will live better. ”

Shi Chaoyi was stunned and said, "How can you say this?" ”

Tian Chengsi said in a low voice: "Eldest prince, we have all heard the Tang people's surrender letter. The Tang Emperor said that as long as we surrender the city, he will crown your historian as the king of Pingyang, and let your historian guard the two towns in the northeast, then he will be a soil emperor, what a free glory? Our generals who follow the historian will also be forgiven, what a generous condition is this? It's a pity that Marshal Shi just doesn't agree. ”

Shi Chaoyi frowned and said, "Yes, I also think the conditions are very good, but my father doesn't agree to what is the way?" Didn't you say that he had just refused the last persuasion to surrender and killed the messenger of the other party? In this way, how can the Tang people allow us to live? After the city is broken, it must be a dead end. ”

Tian Chengsi said: "Not necessarily, the eldest prince can come forward to accept Datang's conditions." ”

"Me?" Shi Chaoyi propped himself up and pointed to his nose in surprise.

"Yes, the eldest prince must say that Marshal Shi refuses to agree, and you can't do anything. But in fact, you forgot that the court recruited your historian, and the eldest prince is also a member of the historian. If the eldest prince comes forward to agree to surrender the city, the court will definitely allow it. It depends on whether the eldest prince has the guts. Tian Chengsi said.

Shi Chaoyi began to sweat on his body, and he understood. Although Tian Chengsi never said it explicitly, Shi Chaoyi understood. Tian Chenghei wanted to come forward to accept the surrender on behalf of his father. How to replace, the father is not persuaded, it can only be a way to kill the father.

"No, I can't do that kind of thing, how can I be like a dog thief like An Qingxu, do things that are not as good as beasts. It can't be done, it can't be done. Shi Chaoyi's head shook like a rattle.

"Where does the eldest prince think, what we mean is that we only need to control Marshal Shi, and we will support the eldest prince to lead the army, and then the eldest prince will come forward to accept the surrender. I would never do anything unseemly. Think about it, do we all need to die here? The court doesn't want to see us, and we want to become a thorn in the side of the Tang Dynasty. We're dead here, and they're still watching. Marshal Shi can't betray the grace of the first emperor, you don't have this concern. In the future, the imperial court will crown you as the king of Pingyang, and let's go to the northwest to have a leisurely getaway, isn't this beautiful? It was the An family who rebelled, they wanted to be the emperor, but they wanted your Shi family to send them to death, is this in the past? Tian Chengsi said quietly.

Shi Chaoyi's eyes rolled, and his mind was thinking fiercely and struggling.

Tian Chengsi waited for a long time, and saw that it was difficult for Shi Chaoyi to make a decision, so he finally sighed and said: "That's it, don't embarrass the eldest prince, since the eldest prince is difficult to decide, this matter will be stopped." If the eldest prince thinks that my words today are abrupt, he can go and tell the marshal to kill us, anyway, everyone will not live for a few days, and it doesn't hurt to die a few days early. When Wang Yuan's soldiers and horses arrived, and the city was broken and died, I hope that the eldest prince will not regret that he has not been able to make a decisive decision today. I waited for a few people not only to save myself and tens of thousands of brothers, but also for the sake of the eldest son. By the way, I'm afraid the eldest prince won't live to the day when the city is broken, and tomorrow the eldest prince will be forced by the marshal to go to the city to defend the city, and we may be able to meet it on the bridge tomorrow. That's all I have to say, my lord, I'm waiting to leave. ”

Tian Chengsi bowed his body and gave his hand, and Cao Ji and Luo Yue also pouted their butts and gave up. Tian Chengsi took a breath, and opened his mouth to call the servants waiting outside to carry away the soft couch and leave, but saw Shi Chaoyi suddenly bow and said, "A few are slow." ”

Tian Chengsi showed an imperceptible smile on his face, and said in a deep voice: "What else does the eldest prince command?" ”

Shi Chaoyi swallowed and whispered, "Won't you really hurt my father's life?" I don't want to be poked in the back. ”

Tian Chengsi and the others said in a loud voice: "Of course, we can swear to the sky." ”

Shi Chaoyi wiped the sweat from his head and said in a low voice: "That's it, I believe you." What are you going to do? I'd like to hear it in detail.

……

In the middle of the night, the biting north wind whistled over the dark Chang'an City, and the sky and the earth were cold and cold, like a lifeless ghost town. On the Jingyao Gate in the northern city of Chang'an, the rebel defenders curled up under the battlements, their necks curled up in a ball from the cold, occasionally stretching their frozen numb bodies, and muttering a few curses in their mouths, hoping that this long and cold winter night would end soon. Even if you fall into the battle of blood and fire again after dawn, it is better than being slowly swallowed by the cold in the harsh night wind.

In the silence, the sound of horses' hooves came from the streets on the side of the Yong'an Canal below the city, and three or four knights trotted in the darkness, dragging long shadows under the cold wind lamp. The rebel defenders at the head of the city were alarmed, and they all poked their heads out to look inside the city gate, but saw the three or four knights dismount and slowly descend along the stone steps to the small pier beside the Yong'an Canal, where several small boats were quietly crossing the pier.

"Who, what?" Someone asked in a loud voice.

One of the knights walked quickly back to the avenue and walked in the direction of the city gate, walking in a somewhat strange manner.

"I'm Tian Chenghei, what about Zhang Wenchong? Tell him to come to me. The man in the city shouted in a deep voice.

"It turned out to be General Tian, and the villain sued him. General Zhang was resting in the castle tower, and the villain went to call him. The soldiers at the head of the city hurriedly asked.

Soon after, Zhang Wenchong, the deputy general in charge of guarding the Jingyao Gate, hurriedly came down from the steep stone steps on the city wall with sleepy eyes, walked quickly in front of Tian Chenghe, who was on the avenue, and saluted: "General Tian, why are you here?" In the middle of the night, I heard that you are still injured, why don't you take care of yourself at your residence? ”

Zhang Wenchong deliberately glanced at Tian Chenghe's buttocks, and the whole army knew that General Tian was spanked by Marshal Shi, and it was only a day, and it was probably difficult to heal, so he felt a little strange.

"Go, go, if you don't open any pot and mention which pot, thirty or forty military sticks can beat Lao Tzu down? If you get a stick, you don't care about the city defense, don't you turtle grandchildren? Tian Chengsi chirped.

"Yes, yes, yes. Humiliation is not what it means. Zhang Wenchong said with a hippie smile: "The general is here to check the night?" Don't worry, I, Zhang Wenchong, don't dare to be lazy at all, the brothers are staring at Tang Jun with round eyes, once there is any trouble, the brothers will know immediately. ”

Tian Chengsi smiled: "Very good, can I not worry about your affairs?" Don't forget, but I've always tried to recommend you to be the one on your own. Otherwise, the lieutenant general in the army will have a big basket, and the wheel will not be your turn. ”

"Thank you General Tian for your support, and keep your humble duties in mind. But I don't know what General Tian has ordered here? Zhang Wenchong arched his hand.

Tian Chengsi said softly: "I want to go out of the city, you opened the sluice gate and let me go out by boat." ”

Zhang Wenchong was startled and said in a low voice: "General Tian, what are you going to do?" Marshal Shi strictly forbade the opening of the city gates. Last night, more than 100 soldiers from Guanghuamen defected to the Tang Army, and Wan Dabao, the guard of Guanghuamen, was dismissed from his post by Marshal Shi and questioned. Humble ......"

"Phew, do you think I'm going to go out of the city and surrender to the Tang army? Bastard stuff. I went out of the city precisely on the orders of the marshal. It's a confidential matter, and it's okay to tell you, but you can't spread it out there. The marshal thought that it would be difficult for us to retreat from the enemy if we held the city, so he ordered me to take a boat to rush out of the city to watch the layout of the enemy camp, and if the opportunity was right, we could take the initiative to attack the Tang army camp. Got it? Tian Chengsi said in a low voice.

"Oh. I see. Zhang Wenchong suddenly realized, nodded and said: "It's really time to think of some way, otherwise we won't be able to withstand a few more siege battles." If you can find an opportunity to sneak up on the enemy camp, that's a good idea. ”

"Shhh This is a secret, so don't make it loud. It's known to everyone, but is it still a sneak attack? The Tang army may also have eyeliner in the city, if the Tang army is on guard, won't we fall into the net? Don't say it, time is pressing, I have to rush back before dawn, and I will quickly order someone to open the sluice gate, and we will go out of the city. Tian Chengsi said in a low voice.

"Let's do it, the general must be careful." Zhang Wenchong arched his hand.

Tian Chengsi arched his hand, turned around and walked quickly down to the Yong'an Canal wharf, where the three soldiers had already gotten into a small boat and were waiting with oars in hand. Tian Chengsi jumped onto the boat and waved his hand. The soldiers paddled lightly, and the boat left the dock and slowly slid silently towards the curved bridge under the city gate.

Coming to the bottom of the bridge, a black barrier crossed in front of him, dividing the Yong'an Canal in two. It was an iron gate that controlled the Yong'an Canal in and out of Chang'an City. There was a commotion in the towers, dozens of soldiers pushing the machine shaft to turn, thick iron chains pulling heavy sluices slowly up from the mud, and the air suddenly filled the air with the rotting smell of rotting branches, leaves, and silt deposited at the bottom of the river. As the water churned, the sluice gate left the surface of the water and hung upwards to a halt in the air.

"Out of town." Tian Chengsi urged in a low voice. Several guards paddled hard, quickly passed under the iron gate hanging overhead, passed through the arc-shaped bridge hole several zhang long, and in the huge roar of the iron gate falling into the water behind, the boat successfully exited Jingyao Gate.

Faced with a cold and strong wind, the boat almost stopped, but Tian Chengsi couldn't take care of it, and personally operated an oar to help row the boat, and the boat went north along the canal with the wind, and disappeared into the darkness soon after.