At the same time, the Sui army crawling in the mountains and forests also found the fire in the cottage, which was the signal that they had made an appointment with Shen Guang, and the soldiers suddenly shouted excitedly, Pei Xingyan couldn't help but be excited: "General, let the lowly charge!" ”

Zhang Xuan calmly looked at the cottage, although the cottage was chaotic, but the thieves had not left the wall, he shook his head, "Wait a little longer!" ”

Shen Guang led 300 soldiers into the cottage, the cottage was in chaos, chickens and dogs jumped, everywhere was the crying of women and children, the families of the soldiers in Zuo Xiaoyou's army were at the foot of the mountain, and the families of all the generals above the brigade commander were in the cottage, there were thousands of people, most of them were old and weak women and children.

The fire in the Juyi Hall and the entry of the Sui army brought great fear to the women and children in the cottage, and they cried and screamed in fright, adding to the chaos in the cottage.

Duan Xuande was so anxious that he stomped his feet, Zuo Xiaoyou's mansion was next to Juyi Hall, Juyi Hall was burned, will something happen to the lord's family, he was so anxious that he ordered his subordinates to say: "You resist me, I'll save the little lord!" ”

He led dozens of people to Zuo Xiaoyou's mansion, and the king entrusted his family to himself, in case there were any three long and two short, how could he explain to the king?

But Shen Guang's real purpose was not to create chaos, but to respond to the Sui army's attack on the mountain, he ordered more than a dozen people to continue to set fire to create chaos, and he himself led hundreds of his men to attack the front gate of the cottage, he took the lead in rushing to the wall of the wall, and the thief army fought hard.

Zhang Xuan also saw Shen Guang's figure, at this time, there was no defense on a hundred-step-long wall in the northwest corner, the Sui army and the defensive soldiers were fighting in one place, Zhang Xuan waved his sword, "Attack the northwest corner!" ”

Pei Xingyan yelled, "Follow me!" He didn't need a shield either, picked up two sledgehammers and rushed to the northwest corner, and more than a thousand Sui troops followed him like a tide to charge.

In just a moment, Pei Xingyan attacked under the wall, he picked up a sledgehammer and smashed it at the wall, 'Boom! There was a loud bang. Rubble was splashed, and the wall made of stone slabs staggered.

Pei Xingyan struggled to exert his strength, only to see him smash it with four hammers in a row, with a bang. The wall collapsed, revealing a five-foot-wide gap, and several thieves fled in panic, Pei Xingyan was anxious and didn't wait for the soldiers to open the wall. He jumped into the enemy village.

The soldiers of the Sui army quickly opened a gap two feet wide, and more than 1,000 people quickly entered the cottage, and the thieves saw that the general trend had gone, and they knelt down and surrendered

In less than half an hour, the Sui army completely controlled the cottage, all the soldiers surrendered, the fire was extinguished, except for the families of the main generals who were detained separately, the rest of the ordinary generals' families were ordered not to go out.

At this time, Shen Guang escorted Duan Xuande, who had been captured alive, into the official hall that had not yet been burned. He bowed to Zhang Xuan, "My subordinates are fortunate not to be dishonored!" ”

"Hard work General Shen, in this battle, General Shen will make the first contribution!"

"Thank you, General!"

Shen Guang waved his hand, "Bring it up!" ”

More than a dozen Sui soldiers took Duan Xuande and Zuo Xiaoyou's family up, Zuo Xiaoyou's wife was about thirty years old, a little bit of beauty, and she was followed by two seven or eight-year-old children, a boy and a woman, all trembling and hiding behind their mother. There was also an old man, Zuo Xiaoyou's father, who was also brought up by Sui Jun.

Shen Guang whispered a few words to Zhang Xuan, and Zhang Xuan nodded. looked at Duan Xuande and saw that he was quite majestic, so he said coldly: "The dignified commander of the Sui army, he actually fell into the grass, don't you think you have smeared your ancestors?" ”

Duan Xuande's arms were tied behind his back, and he held his head high and said, "I don't think it's discrediting my ancestors. The Sui army is too dark, the meritorious ones are falsely accused, and the cowardly are rewarded, no matter how hard a low-level officer like me sells, it is also a stepping stone for the children of the powerful, it is better to occupy the mountain as the king and be free! ”

Zhang Xuan pointed at Shen Guang, "Since you participated in the first battle of Goguryeo, then this Captain Shen, you should have seen it!" ”

Duan Xuande glanced at Shen Guang, "I've seen him, he took Liaodong City, he is a man!" ”

Zhang Xuan smiled at Shen Guang and said, "Does Captain Shen think that the Sui Army is dark? ”

Shen Guang felt something, and he let out a long sigh, "Why isn't it dark?" If he hadn't met the general, I'm afraid Shen Guang would have returned to his hometown and fallen into the grass. ”

Zhang Xuan said to Duan Xuande: "I am also from a humble background, but I have come up step by step with my own efforts, in my army, the rewards and punishments are clear, I don't look at the door, only look at the merits, I think General Duan is also a loyal protector, if General Duan is willing to surrender to me Zhang Xuan, I will continue to let you be the brigade commander, as for whether you can be promoted to a general, it depends on how much credit you make." ”

After speaking, Zhang Xuan waved his hand, "Let him go!" ”

The soldier untied the rope on his body, and Zhang Xuan said to him again: "If you are not willing to surrender, I will also let you go, and you go and send a letter for my Zuo Xiaoyou." ”

Duan Xuande bowed his head and said nothing, although he was majestic, he was not stupid, he knew Shen Guang, even an outstanding person like Shen Guang was willing to follow this Zhang Xuan, it can be seen that Zhang Xuan was convincing, he was a little tempted in his heart, and glanced back at Zuo Xiaoyou's wife, Zuo Xiaoyou's wife is his eldest sister, the two sisters and brothers' parents died early, and they grew up dependent on each other since childhood.

Mrs. Duan nodded, "Erlang, you can descend!" ”

Duan Xuande gritted his teeth and said, "As long as the general doesn't kill them, I am willing to surrender!" ”

Zhang Xuan shook his head, "I, Zhang Xuan, never kill the old and weak, women and children. ”

Duan Xuande knelt down on one knee and hugged his fists and said, "Duan Xuande is willing to serve the general!" ”

Zhang Xuan hurriedly helped him up and said with a smile: "From now on, you will be the commander of our army." ”

The reason why Zhang Xuan was willing to surrender Zuo Xiaoyou's generals was because he found that Zuo Xiaowu's army had many elite soldiers, and he could use this opportunity to expand his military government to 5,000 people.

The military government of 5,000 people is not without precedent, like the military government in Yuwen Chengdu I heard that it has been expanded to 6,000 people, and in the Flying Eagle Army, Qin Qiong's subordinates are also 5,000 people.

What's more important is that their military food and materials are all raised by themselves, and have nothing to do with the imperial court, as long as he has a good relationship with the imperial court, even if the imperial court knows that he has broken through the limit of troops, it will turn a blind eye, and the imperial court allows them to temporarily recruit people to transport grain, and the additional 2,000 soldiers can be prevaricated with the establishment of people's husbands, the key is that Zhang Xutuo does not object.

Zhang Xuan came from Gaomi County and thought about all the way, he originally wanted to pick people from Meng Rang's army, but Meng Rang's military discipline was chaotic and his reputation was too bad, and Zuo Xiaoyou's army was relatively better, so he finally decided to expand his own troops from Zuo Xiaoyou's army.

Zhang Xuan immediately wrote a letter and asked Duan Xuande to take it to Zuo Xiaoyou

Although the soldiers squatting on Dog Mountain more than once let off smoke and begged the main army to come back, they could not have imagined that the army led by Zuo Xiaoyou encountered a more severe test.

At this time, the 40,000 army led by Zuo Xiaoyou was located in a hilly valley about fifty miles away from Squatting Dog Mountain, which was also the place where Zhang Xuan ambushed Zuo Xiaoyou's grain team.

Zuo Xiaoyou retreated overnight, and even the camp tent was not dismantled, just to confuse the Sui army, and retreated north unconsciously, so how did he know that Zhang Xutuo was a lion, just when Zuo Xiaoyou raised troops and retreated, Zhang Xutuo led 15,000 elite soldiers and also set off at the same time.

They followed closely behind the enemy like a predatory lion, and at the fourth watch, Zhang Xutuo led the army to attack Zuo Xiaoyou's rear army like lightning, and seized all their baggage and grain and grass.

Zuo Xiaoyou did not expect the problem to be so serious, in order to march lightly, they brought not much grain and grass, a little grain and grass was taken away by the Sui army, they have run out of food, the sky is not yet dawn, Zuo Xiaoyou got a bad news, Zhang Xutuo led the army around the road to grab their front, cut off their way home.

The grim reality is in front of Zuo Xiaowu, what should I do? Is the bloody battle rushing over?

Although Zuo Xiaoyou was bent on fighting a decisive battle with the Sui army before, but now he no longer has that idea, since the fiasco of the bow and crossbow battle, the morale of his army is extremely low, and if he fights hard with Zhang Xutuo, it will inevitably end in a fiasco.

He could have turned around and gone south, but without food, the soldiers couldn't support it for half a day, not to mention that everyone from the general to the small soldier was like an arrow, and wanted to go home, and no one wanted to go south anymore.

Zuo Xiaoyou is like an ant on a hot pot, pacing back and forth in the temporary tent with his hands, and there is a decisive battle book on his small table, which is sent by Zhang Xutuo, which makes him upset, a few days ago he desperately challenged the Sui army, the Sui army just ignored it, but now it is the other way around, Zhang Xutuo challenged him, but he did not dare to fight.

Zuo Xiaoyou was thinking hard about countermeasures, and at this time, the voice of his general Zheng Dabiao came from outside, "I have something urgent to see the king!" ”

"What's the matter?" Zuo Xiaoyou walked to the tent door and asked impatiently.

"My lord, there are deserters in the army."

Zuo Xiaoyou was taken aback, "How many deserters are there?" ”

"There are about 3,000 people, mainly those wounded soldiers released by the Sui army, who fled, driving many other soldiers to escape, and the situation is about to be uncontrollable."

Zheng Dabiao said impatiently: "King, let's go a long way back to Squatting Dog Mountain!" I can go back in two days at most. ”

Zuo Xiaoyou sighed, "Do you think Squatting Dog Mountain will still be in our hands?" ”

Zheng Dabiao was stunned, "What news did the king receive?" ”

Zuo Xiaoyou said helplessly: "I didn't dare to say it for fear of causing chaos in the army, in fact, I have received news that Squaogou Mountain has been captured by the Sui army." ”

"Ahh

Zheng Dabiao was stunned, and after a while, he said: "Otherwise, we will fight to the death with the Sui army, and the king can kill the horses in the army and give the soldiers a full meal, and we will have a decisive battle with the Sui army today, 40,000 against 15,000, and I feel that there is still a great chance of victory." ”

Zuo Xiaoyou shook his head, "It would be nice if things were so simple, if it comes to the step of killing horses and eating them, this is equivalent to telling the soldiers that our food and grass have been cut off, and morale is already low, and I am afraid that it will completely collapse at this time." ”

Both sighed at the same time, did they really have no way out?

At this moment, a soldier quickly stepped forward to report: "King, General Duan is here!" ”

Zuo Xiaoyou was silent for a long time, and Duan Xuande's appearance confirmed the news of the loss of Squatting Dog Mountain, he felt physically and mentally exhausted, waved his hand and said, "Bring him to see me!" (To be continued.) )