Qinghe County Yellow River Wharf, 40,000 Sui troops stationed in the wilderness on the north side of the wharf, stationed neatly one after another big tents, endless, hundreds of warships transferred from Beihai County moored in the Yellow River, masts like forests, very spectacular, but nine transoceanic boats are not among them, they temporarily stay in Beihai County.

At this time, it was the middle of February, the Yellow River had completely thawed, and the southeast wind was blowing on the river, which was very conducive to the fleet going westward against the current.

But Zhang Xuan is still waiting patiently, he is waiting for the news of the scout, after all, sending troops to Liyangcang is a major event that everyone in the world has paid attention to, and he must wait for a suitable opportunity.

This is a life experience of Zhang Xuan, there will be opportunities in everything, the key is to see whether he can seize the opportunity in a moment, but when the opportunity has not come, he has to learn to be patient, or he can also take the initiative to create opportunities.

In the early morning, on the bank of the Yellow River, Zhang Xuan stood on a hill and watched the calm Yellow River, although the volume of the Yellow River in the Sui Dynasty was much larger than that of later generations, and it was not as turbid as that of later generations, but because of the severe drought in the Central Plains, it also greatly affected the flow of the Yellow River.

The water volume of the Yellow River has decreased significantly, and now it should be the time of the spring flood, but there are large riverbeds on both banks, but the starving camels are larger than the horses, and although the flow is less than half of that of previous years, it is still barely able to carry warships of more than 2,000 stones.

Looking at the large dry riverbed, Zhang Xuan sighed and said to Fang Xuanling: "It seems that this year's drought is very serious, the Central Plains region will undergo great changes, Qingzhou will be the place of yearning for the victims, we must be fully prepared to meet the wave of refugees." ”

"Don't worry! Wei Changshi personally sat in Qi County, hundreds of officials assisted, and tens of thousands of soldiers contributed. It shouldn't be a big problem. ”

"Are the relief sites and supplies fully prepared?" Jao Hyun turned around and asked Pei Hong.

Pei Hong joined the army as Cangcao of the Qingzhou Army, and he had been assisting Wei Yunqi in preparing various supplies for the disaster victims, and was specifically responsible for the transportation and allocation of various disaster relief materials.

Pei Hong hurriedly said: "Qiqi Dashuai, this time the rescue victims will be set up in six counties, including Fan County and Shouzhang County in Jibei County, Rencheng County and Pinglu County in Lu County, and Xuchang County and Sucheng County in Dongping County, and 200,000 stone grain and 100,000 pieces of cloth have been mobilized. In addition, we have prepared 20,000 large tents, which can help one million victims in a short period of time, and if the number of victims continues to increase, we will send an additional 200,000 stone of grain and 20,000 tents. ”

Zhang Xuan nodded silently, the victims would definitely try their best to help, but he also felt a huge pressure on his shoulders, although they had a stock of 700,000 stone of grain, but a million victims had to consume a minimum of 100,000 stone of grain a month, facing a huge wave of refugees. 700,000 stone grain is not much, only the grain of Liyang Cang can relieve a little pressure, and this time he is bound to seize Liyang Cang.

At this time, more than a dozen patrol cavalry rushed over, and the cavalry led by the cavalry bowed down on their horses and said: "Marshal Qiqi, General Liyang Cangwang has an urgent letter delivered!" ”

Zhang Xuan was overjoyed, the opportunity really came, and he hurriedly said: "Bring a messenger to see me quickly!" ”

A messenger was brought up. Salute to Zhang Xuan, "See the general of the envoy!" ”

"How's the situation in Liyangcang?" Jang Hyun asked with concern.

"General Qiyu. Lu Mingyue's army began to transport earth to fill the moat, the situation was critical, and General Wang implored General Zhang to rescue Liyangcang! ”

After speaking, the messenger presented a letter to Zhang Xuan, who read Wang Bian's distress letter and forwarded the letter to everyone for a look. He said to the messenger: "Since I am recruiting envoys for Hebei, it is my bounden duty to rescue Liyangcang, and I will immediately raise troops and arrive at Liyangcang in three days at the latest." ”

Zhang Xuan immediately ordered: "Order the army to pack up the camp tent and prepare to go!" “

He said to a personal soldier again: "Quickly summon General Wei Chi and General Zhou Meng of the Navy Army to meet me!" ”

Wei Chigong is in Gaotang County. It took at least half an hour to arrive, and Zhou Meng, who had just been promoted to the rank of general of the Navy, walked quickly to Zhang Xuan's side, and he knelt down on one knee and saluted, "See Dashuai!" ”

"General Zhou, please get up!"

Zhang Xuan ordered him to get up and instructed him: "This time I led the army to the west, the most uneasy thing is the six counties of Qingzhou, I have stationed 10,000 troops in Jibei County and Lu County, which should be able to resist the sneak attack of the Wagang army, but Hebei Dou Jiande and Gao Shida I can only rely on the Yellow River to block, your naval army will shoulder a heavy responsibility, from today the Yellow River will be banned from navigation, strictly prohibit any ships from appearing, you obey the command of General Wei Chi, I only have one order for you, any suspicious ships going south, let me sink directly!" ”

"Obey the order!"

At this time, Wei Chi Gong also hurried over, he happened to meet Zhang Xuan's personal soldiers on the way to the bank of the Yellow River, this time Wei Chi Gong did not go out with the army, he led 10,000 troops to guard Gaotang County, and strictly prevented Gao Shida and Dou Jiande's army from going south.

Wei Chigong saluted Zhang Xuan, Zhang Xuan patted him on the shoulder, and said to him seriously: "I have just told General Zhou Meng that his naval army will fully cooperate with you, once Dou Jiande or Gao Shida makes a move, immediately retreat south by boat, do not underestimate the enemy, do not take chances, do not delay, the 10,000 troops of Qinghe County must not be surrounded and annihilated by the other party, do you remember?" ”

"I will take the commander's instructions to heart."

Zhang Xuan said slowly: "I will entrust Beihai County to you!" ”

"I understand!"

An hour later, 300 large ships loaded with food and supplies began to leave the banks of the Yellow River, spread their sails and sailed westward, while Zhang Xuan led an army of 40,000 troops to march to Liyangcang.

．．．．．．．

In just five days, Lu Mingyue's army had filled the river for 200 zhang, and the soil had been piled up to about three zhang away from the city wall.

Even so, Lu Mingyue's army paid the price of thousands of casualties.

Liyangcang's counterattack methods were mainly bows and arrows and bed crossbows, but the results were not great, mainly the soldiers who participated in the river reclamation, each of whom carried a large shield to effectively defend against the shooting of bows and arrows, but the shield could not block the penetration of the heavy crossbow, and most of the soldiers died under the heavy crossbow.

On the bank of the moat, nearly 10,000 soldiers are dumping baskets of mud into the river, stirring up rolling turbid waves, and in the distance, tens of thousands of soldiers are constantly transporting mud to the river with wheelbarrows.

The arrows of the soldiers at the head of the city rained down on the thief soldiers who poured the earth on the shore, and although most of the arrows did not work, a few arrows still hit the soldiers who were moving the earth, and some soldiers were constantly hit by arrows falling into the moat.

Lu Mingyue rode on a war horse and watched the progress of the soldiers' river reclamation, the river reclamation has been completed for two hundred zhang, and it is basically ready to attack the city, although Lu Mingyue hopes to fill up to four hundred zhang, but experience tells him that the night is long, and the longer the time drags on, the more unfavorable situations will occur.

He immediately ordered: "The army withdraws, stop filling the river!" ”

The military order is given, knock-knock-knock! The drums of war sounded, and the soldiers immediately retreated like a tide, and soon the moat became deserted, and countless wheelbarrows and corpses were piled up.

The soldiers in the city also stopped shooting, and Wang Wei stared solemnly at the large river that had been filled, and the river channel, which was originally twenty zhang wide, had also become a narrow trickle, more than a mile long, so that the powerful defensive effect of the moat had been lost, and they would face the most severe test.

"General!"

A partial general said beside him: "In terms of time, the Qingzhou army should have already sent troops." ”

"I hope so, but I can't pin my hopes on them."

As soon as Wang Wei's words fell, a soldier hurriedly came to report: "General Qiyu, our messenger to Qingzhou has returned. ”

Wang Wei was overjoyed and asked anxiously, "Where is the person?"

"General Qiyu, people are in Nancheng!"

Without waiting for the soldiers to go and bring the people, Wang Wei hurried to the southern city.

There is a special short canal outside the south city and the moat and the Cao River in the city, and the other end is connected to the Yongji Canal, and finally leads to the Yellow River, a fast boat sailed from the canal, anchored next to the moat outside the south city gate, and the messenger on the boat has entered the city.

As soon as the messenger and the people sent by Zhang Xuan walked up to the city wall, they met Wang Bian, who was already impatient, grabbed the messenger's arm and asked urgently, "Has General Zhang sent troops?" ”

"General Qiyu, General Zhang has sent troops, and has now been killed in Tanyuan County, Wuyang County, which is less than sixty miles away from us."

At this time, the subordinates sent by Zhang Xuan knelt down on one knee and saluted, "See General Wang!" ”

Wang Wei was overjoyed in his heart, and helped Zhang Xuan's subordinates with a smile on his face, "It's hard work, I don't know if General Zhang has any news for me?" ”

The sergeant took out a letter from his arms and handed it to Wang Bian, Wang Bian hurriedly opened the letter, read it in a hurry, and suddenly a big stone fell to the ground, Zhang Xuan has sent 40,000 troops, and is currently stationed in Tanyuan County, and then can kill Liyangcang, in the letter Zhang Xuan hopes that they must hold Liyangcang.

The sergeant said: "We are advancing by land and water, and we have encountered a thief army in Tanyuan County, and there is no fierce battle for the time being, my marshal asks General Wang to wait for two days, and he will definitely come to help as soon as possible." (To be continued.) )