Almost at the same time, Li Xiaogong's army also arrived from the south, and Wu Shi Tong hurriedly came to pay respects, "Xiaguan Wu Shi Tong see His Royal Highness King Zhao Jun!" ”

Li Xiaogong asked, "Is there anything to be gained by Wu Taishou going south?" ”

The warrior sighed, "Xia Guan fell for Wang Renze's plan to get rid of the golden cicada, and he got nothing!" ”

Li Xiaogong nodded, "My scouts found them crossing the river, but unfortunately I didn't have a boat myself, so I had to rush desperately, or was it a step too late, can Wu Taishou have a boat to cross the river?" ”

"There are more than 30 ferries in Beizhi, but in Xiahong County, about 40 miles away. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ”

"Without further ado, we will immediately join forces and go north to pursue the enemy."

The samurai hurriedly ordered the soldiers to assemble, joined forces with Li Xiaogong, and the two armies combined to 35,000 men, and quickly killed them to the north.

The army marched quickly, but Wu Shi Tong slowed down his horse and walked side by side with Li Xiaogong, and he asked in a low voice, "Has Your Highness also received a quick letter from Chen Xiangguo?" ”

Li Xiaogong nodded and sighed: "This should be the meaning of the Son of Heaven, to preserve his strength and give up Jingzhou, Chen Xiangguo is going to Jiangxia to negotiate with Zhang Xuan, although I can understand the difficulties of the Son of Heaven, but I am really unwilling to give up Jingzhou with the blood and sweat of the soldiers." ”

"We are also very helpless, but using the destruction of Wang Shichong to compensate for the loss of Jingzhou will somewhat make people's hearts balanced."

Li Xiaogong was silent, he had seen through the current situation, all of this was in Zhang Xuan's layout, luring Wang Shichong to attack Xiangyang, wasn't it just to transfer the Tang Army's battle situation to the north? As a result, in addition to keeping Bashu, the Tang army lost the entire south, he didn't know what to say, Zhang Xuan planned and then moved, but the Tang Dynasty was passive step by step, where is the root of all this?

At this time, Li Xiaogong suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked, "Is Li Shenfu's army also in Xiangyang?" ”

Wu Shi Tong shook his head, "He was originally going to retreat to Xiangyang, but then he changed his route and retreated to Yiling, it should be into Shu, I thought His Highness would meet him." ”

Li Xiaogong suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, he just didn't want to meet Li Shenfu, this was not just an embarrassing problem, but the two had completely torn their faces in the Jiangxia battle, and it was difficult to work together again, Li Shenfu was the best to enter Shu, and it also showed that he was correct in his judgment, and he did not go west according to Chen Shuda's intentions, but chose to go north.

Of course, Li Xiaogong also knew why Li Shenfu chose to enter Shu, and he didn't dare to face the people of the world, and purge all the main generals of the Jiangxia army, would the people let him go?

Li Xiaogong suddenly had his spirits and ordered the army to speed up and move north........

There are only 2,000 Tang troops left in Xiangyang City, and 2,000 defenders are unable to hold Xiangyang City with a circumference of 40 miles, but after the news of Wang Renze's army brutally slaughtered the city reached Xiangyang, Xiangyang City immediately mobilized, tens of thousands of families have money to contribute, and they have a strong contribution, under the leadership of Yang Shilin, the county leader, quickly formed a militia of 20,000 people, the weapons are insufficient, hoes, sickles are also on the battlefield, and 20,000 people swear to defend their homes.

At the same time, the civilians of Xiangyang who lived outside the city and those who had fled also moved into the city, and there were nearly 400,000 civilians in the city, making the city overcrowded.

Although the morale of the head of Xiangyang City is high, Yang Shilin is still very worried, after all, they have to face 20,000 vicious thugs, and they are also well-trained professional soldiers, and their 20,000 militia basically have no armor, and only half of the real weapons are used, and the rest are hoes, sickles, iron rakes, wooden sticks, etc., and there is no training, just relying on a bloody blood to guard Xiangyang, I am afraid that Xiangyang will still be more auspicious.

Yang Shilin is about 30 years old, a native of Fancheng, Xiangyang County, born in the fourth year of the Great Cause, successively served as the county commander of Shanghong County and Xiangyang County, very shrewd and capable, a few years ago in order to oppose the cannibal king Zhu Wei stationed in Xiangyang, he led hundreds of thousands of Xiangyang people to revolt, defeated Wang Shichong's army, and finally forced Wang Shichong to replace Hongnong County with Xiangyang County and the Tang Dynasty, Wu Shitong served as the Taishou of Xiangyang County, and Yang Shilin was promoted to the county leader.

A month ago, Wang Shichong's army marched south again and captured Xiangyang County, Yang Shilin knew that Wang Shichong would not let him go, and fled before the city was broken, hiding in a peasant family outside Xiangyang City, although Wang Shichong offered a reward of 50,000 yuan to capture him, but still no one was willing to betray him.

When the warrior Tong army returned to Xiangyang County, Yang Shilin returned to Xiangyang City and continued to serve as the county leader, but he didn't expect that in just half a month, Xiangyang City fell into crisis again, but this time Yang Shilin did not flee again, he stayed to organize the militia to resolutely resist Wang Renze's brutal army, and vowed to live and die with Xiangyang City.

At the head of the city, Yang Shilin looked at the south worriedly, he estimated that in half a day, Wang Renze's army would be killed, once the other party began to attack the city strongly, how long could his militia support?

At this time, Sima Zhaoqiu stepped forward and said in a low voice: "Juncheng, the thief army does not have siege weapons, maybe they will go around the city, and we don't have to be too nervous." ”

Yang Shilin shook his head, "Of course I hope so, but is it possible?" It's like there is a pile of gold and silver treasures in front of them, thieves will never take a detour, there are countless big trees outside Xiangyang City, and it is easy for them to make siege ladders. ”

"Jun Cheng, it's better to ask the Sui army for help!"

Yang Shilin didn't speak, he knew that there were Sui army sailor warships on the Han River, just because there were still two thousand Tang troops in the city, and the Sui army sailor did not enter Xiangyang City.

Yang Shilin was loyal to the Tang Dynasty, and he would not forget that it was Zhang Xuan who gave Xiangyang County to Wang Shichong, and as a result, Wang Shichong wanted to send Zhu Jian to guard Xiangyang, triggering them to resist desperately, and the Tang army saved Xiangyang at the most critical moment, and the whole of Xiangyang was resentful of Zhang Xuan, but full of gratitude to the Tang army.

"Juncheng, after all, the Tang Dynasty ceded Jingzhou to the Northern Sui, otherwise Wu Taishou would not have led the army to leave, we must face the reality." Zhao Qiu persuaded again.

Yang Shilin still didn't say anything, Zhao Qiu was a little anxious, and he couldn't help but say: "I don't like the Sui army either, but after all, it is the net worth of hundreds of thousands of people!" We can't send them into the wolf's mouth for the sake of our own emotions, we can't do it! ”

This sentence was said very hard, and it also hit Yang Shilin's vital point, Yang Shilin sighed for a while, "But the Sui army is here, what should the Tang army in the city do?" ”

"The Tang army can leave temporarily, it can go to Wu Taishou, and it is okay to temporarily stay in other counties, I believe General Han himself will have a choice."

Although Yang Shilin was very reluctant, he had no choice, Zhao Qiu was right, he couldn't ruin Xiangyang for his own likes and dislikes, and let hundreds of thousands of people be slaughtered, then he would be the sinner of Xiangyang through the ages, Yang Shilin finally nodded, "Just ask Zhao Sima to go to Sui Jun!" Hurry, we don't have time. ”

"Humble duty understands!"

Zhao Qiu turned around and walked towards the city, Yang Shilin sighed, if Bei Sui really took over Xiangyang, he would have to leave.

........

In the Han River outside Xiangyang City, there were more than 100 Sui warships of more than 1,000 stones, and Lai Hu'er led 15,000 sailors to Xiangyang first, blocking the Hanshui River, and more than 20,000 follow-up troops of the navy were also starting from Jiangxia and marching in the direction of Xiangyang with hundreds of warships.

Standing on a large ship moored on the north shore, Lai Hu'er looked at the tall and sturdy Xiangyang City from afar, a few years ago, the lord made a mistake to assign Xiangyang County to Wang Shichong, resulting in the loss of the hearts of Xiangyang County, and this time to recover Xiangyang County, it is necessary to make full use of Wang Shichong's army to win the hearts of the people of Xiangyang County.

Although this is only a small means of conspiracy, Lai Hu'er also knows that the effect of sending charcoal in the snow is far stronger than the Sui army directly taking over Xiangyang City, and he must be patient enough to wait for Xiangyang City to take the initiative to ask for help.

At this moment, an overlook soldier shouted from the mast: "General, someone on the south bank is waving to us!" ”

Laihu'er immediately realized that this was him waiting for Xiangyang City to call for help, and he immediately ordered: "The big ship is coming to the south shore!" ”

Several big ships creaked away from the north shore and sailed towards the south bank, and after a while, the big ships docked, and some soldiers got off the boat to inquire, and came back in a moment to report: "General, the person who came is Sima of Xiangyang County, named Zhao Qiu, he said that there is an urgent matter to ask to see the old general." ”

"Bring him to me!"

After a while, the soldiers led Zhao Qiu onto the big boat, and Zhao Qiu stepped forward and bowed, "Humble Xiangyang County Sima Zhao Qiu see the old general!" ”

Lai Hu'er was a general in the Sui Yang era, Zhao Qiu and others were also Sui officials, Lai Hu'er had a great deterrent effect on them, Lai Hu'er waved his hand, "Zhao Sima has something urgent to see the old man?" ”

"Come to the old general, Wang Renze's army has appeared forty miles away, and is now killing Xiangyang City, Xiangyang City is in danger, I implore the old general to send troops to rescue!"

Lai Hu'er frowned, "Didn't the Tang army go south to intercept it?" Didn't they intercept Wang Renze's army? ”

"We don't know what the reason is, but Wang Renze's army is about to be killed, there are only militia groups in Xiangyang City, the armor is incomplete, the combat effectiveness is weak, it is difficult to resist the army of tigers and wolves, once the city falls, Xiangyang City will inevitably be ruined, 350,000 people! Old general, send troops to save us! ”

In a hurry, Zhao Qiu knelt down, and Lai Hu'er hurriedly helped Zhao Qiu up, comforting him: "His Royal Highness the King of Qi also hates Wang Renze's army for being brutal, so he ordered us to intercept this army to go north, of course we will not sit idly by and watch the thief army commit violence against Xiangyang, Zhao Sima, please rest assured, I will send an army into the city to assist in the defense!" ”

Zhao Qiu cried with joy, thanked him repeatedly, and immediately ordered Hu Benlang to lead Zhu Kuan to lead 5,000 troops into Xiangyang City.

In less than half an hour, the 5,000 troops disembarked and assembled, and under the leadership of Zhu Kuan, they went to the north gate of Xiangyang, and at the same time, Laihu'er took out 10,000 pairs of armor and asked Zhao Qiu to send the militia soldiers to come and collect them, and quickly armed the militia soldiers, and Xiangyang City was jubilant, and tens of thousands of people rushed to the north gate to welcome the Sui army into Xiangyang City.

The 2,000 Tang troops who were originally stationed in the city had to withdraw from Xiangyang and retreat westward to Gucheng County, and the 5,000 Sui soldiers quickly became the backbone of Xiangyang City's defense.

(To be continued.) )