The city is called the eight views inside and the eight views outside, the "Fanzhong dusk drum" on the west mountain is the first of the eight views outside, when the sun sets, sit on the embroidery pavilion in the middle of the mountainside, hear the bell of the Lotus Temple in the west of the city and the drum sound on the city tower, look at the surging Yellow River flowing eastward, there is indeed a feeling of relaxation and happiness.

Wang Ben, who has a loose temperament, is no stranger to all this, but Yang Hao and Shi Xiong are seeing it for the first time. Shi Xiong has a wide temperament, and when he saw this scene, he couldn't help but look at the mountains and let out a long howl, and the echoes were bursting for a long time. Yang Hao also shouted, he was originally a restrained and quiet person, and this voice was completely casual. After shouting, Yang Hao felt a burst of happiness in his heart, and the distance between him and Shi Xiong was invisibly shortened.

In August of the first year of Kaicheng, outside Fengzhou City, Yang Hao secretly helped Shi Xiong get out of danger. Shi Xiong kept this in mind and was always thinking about finding an opportunity to repay him. Therefore, when Yang Hao proposed that the three families meet in the embroidery pavilion, Shi Xiong agreed without hesitation. Not only that, but he and his four sworn brothers, Chang Songlin, Zhang Huayang, Wan Tao, and Mu Minzhong, rushed to the meeting together and showed full sincerity.

Wang Ben came as promised, in addition to Xiong Lindai, he was also followed by a cadre of veterans of the Tiande Army, these veterans had already disarmed and returned to the field, because of this civil strife, they obeyed Wang Ben's call to re-put on the battlefield. The so-called veteran is a top trick. Although the old generals have been absent from the battle formation for a long time, and their bodies are not as good as their prime, their prestige and qualifications are there, and the armor is like erecting a big banner to that station, and they immediately gather.

The three of them met for the first time, but they fell in love at first sight, and they all had the feeling of reuniting with old friends without saying a few words, and there was no separation in their hearts, and it was much easier to say, plus Yang Hao had told the two of them the essence of the alliance before, and the three of them went straight to the topic without gossiping.

Wang Ben proposed that the three families enter into a secret agreement to implement military mutual protection, and if one was violated by a third party, the other two families were obliged to provide assistance with all their troops, financial resources, and material resources. Yang Hao and Shi Xiong both agreed. Xiong Lindai took out the agreement he drafted overnight, Yang Hao handed over Qu Qingquan and Guan Suo to review, and Shi Xiong handed over Chang Songlin and other four people to review.

Yang Hao said: "Let them slowly scrutinize the matter on the text, and the three of us will discuss the matter of the knife and gun first." Liu Desan led the army to cross the Yellow River at night and had already stationed troops in the east of the city. Do the two brothers have a clever plan to retreat from the enemy? ”

Wang Ben said: "Liu Desan is a famous general in Hedong, and he is by no means under Dong Bacheng. Liu Desan came from afar, and the military rations were bound not to be much, and it took ten days and half a month, and his army was naturally defeated without food. ”

Shi Xiong said: "I have also heard of Liu Desan's name for a long time, against such a strong opponent, blindly defending may not be a good strategy, with my brother's humble opinion or taking the initiative to attack, the city is surrounded by mountains, we rely on the mountain to fight with him, Hedong infantry army has more cavalry and less, take him around the mountains twice, drag the fat thin, thin drag to death, and then turn around and bite him to death when he is exhausted." ”

Wang Ben didn't say a word when he heard it, but asked Yang Hao: "What does Brother Yang think?" ”

Yang Hao groaned: "Liu Desan's wisdom and courage are both complete, and he has many generals, and he is afraid that he is not his opponent when he faces him head-on." Although it is possible to dissipate its military strength and temper its fighting spirit, it will inevitably fall into the dilemma of fighting alone and fighting alone. Liu Desan can rely on the superiority of troops to defeat us individually. Although Brother Shi's method is exquisite, what if Liu De does not go into the mountains to pursue, but guards the camp and holds on to me? He is short of food, and I am short of food, if he is not consumed, will he not be defeated without a fight? ”

Wang Ben said with a smile: "It seems that Brother Yang said so, let's just surrender to him, why bother to discuss it?" All three laughed.

Yang Hao also smiled: "I have no such intention, with my intentions, it is better to implement the strategy of clearing the wilderness, shrink the force to defend a few large villages, consume its troops, and consume its will." And hide the main force in the valley, and wait for it to be tired and then find an opportunity to break it. This is just like setting up an iron cage array, letting Liu Desan, a fierce beast, crash in, so that he can hit walls everywhere but can't bite people, and he will starve to death if he is not tired to death after a long time. ”

The two praised in unison when they heard this, and in view of Wang Ben's weakest troops, Yang Hao assigned the Jinfeng Battalion and the Flying Tiger Battalion that were advancing east along the river to Wang Ben's command, and Wang Ben handed over Wang Lin's troops to Yang Hao's command. The three agreed to concentrate their forces to defend Huyan Valley, Huile Village, Black Sheep Valley, Xincheng and the three villages built by Baishui Fox. In addition, the Yellow River in the south of the city is like an iron cage that just encloses the middle city in the center.

The decision was made, Wang Ben ordered to transfer grain and grass to Yang Hao's department, and Yang Hao transported the grain and grass to the Shixiong military camp nearby.

The draft of the secret agreement was finally finalized, and all three signed the contract with their seals. Yang Hao proposed: "Since the three of us are so heart-to-heart, why don't we become brothers." He lives and dies together, and he will share good and bad. Wang Ben and Shi Xiong also had this intention, so they set up an incense case in the embroidery pavilion, and the three of them worshiped with incense and became brothers of the opposite sex. In terms of age, Wang Ben is the most open, Shi Xiong is the second, and Yang Hao is the youngest.

When the three of them just finished worshipping, it happened that the dusk drum sounded on the west city floor under the mountain, and at this time the sunset set in the west sprinkled the last ray of light on the Yellow River in the south of the mountain, the fly in the ointment is that the Lotus Temple has been destroyed in the war, and the sound of the bell can no longer be heard.

Just when the three of them were in the embroidery pavilion, Liu Desan's secret envoy also arrived in the city. The white water fox had already secretly formed an alliance with Hedong through Qu Chuji, but he did not go step by step according to Qu Chuji's arrangement, which caused Liu Desan's dissatisfaction. However, dissatisfaction is dissatisfaction, and the relationship between allies must be maintained. Liu Desan's envoy told the white water fox in a condescending posture: Hold the city, do not go out of the city to fight without an order, and do not harass the people in the city during this time, otherwise there is no need for Wang Ben to do it, he will personally lead the army to break the city and crusade. The white water fox was very annoyed by Liu Desan's arrogance, but he was helpless. is in a desperate situation, who else can save himself except Liu Desan.

At the same time as Liu Desan contacted the white water fox, he sent someone to find Ma Yue and asked him to raise five days of food and grass for himself. and is responsible for transporting across the Yellow River. He clearly told Ma Yue that if he could do this, he would help him arrange a place in the Tiande army with Baishui Fox as the envoy of the Jiedu, including making Ma Yue the deputy envoy of the Tiande army and maintaining his own independent forces in the thirteen counties of Henan. If the matter is smashed, Liu Desan will send an army to clear the rest of Ma Yue, so that he will not even be able to do horse bandits and thieves.

Ma Yue, who was desperate, had to bow his head and agree, raising 20,000 people for five days of military rations was a chore, but as long as he risked his life, it was not difficult to do; It's just that to transport these grains and grass across the Yellow River, in Ma Yue's opinion, unless a miracle happens, it will be difficult to complete.

According to the plan, Yang Hao's main force will defend Huyan Valley, Black Sheep Valley and the Xizhai set up by the White Water Fox. Of the three, only the Black Sheep Valley is in Yang Hao's hands, and the other two have to be captured by themselves, but this is not a difficult task. The main force of the White Water Fox has entered the city, and both places are empty. It took half a night for the Iron Bell Battalion and the 1st Police Battalion to take Huyan Valley and capture more than 300 defenders. Yu Lianwan and Wu Bohan urged the soldiers and prisoners to repair the city wall overnight, preparing to meet Liu De's three divisions.

At the same time as attacking Huyan Valley, Wang Linbu broke through the north village of the white water fox, and a little later the cavalry battalion captured the west village. Nanzhai was broken by Zhang Huayang and Wan Tao. The villages were busy reinforcing the fortifications and resting the ordnance.

In this way, among the strongholds that are agreed to be defended. Yang Hao was responsible for defending Heiyang Valley, Huyan Valley and Xizhai, Wang Lin was stationed in Huile Village and Beizhai, and Shixiong was responsible for defending Xincheng and Nanzhai. Troops, ordnance, grain and grass were deployed at each point according to their size and terrain. The smallest number of troops was Nanzhai, with only more than 800 people, and the largest number of troops was Huyan Valley, where two battalions of more than 2,000 people were stationed. The grain and grass are concentrated in Huyan Valley, Huile Village and Xincheng.

Liu Desan is worthy of being a generation of famous generals, and his use of soldiers is unfathomable. As soon as he made a move, he smashed sixty percent of the 20,000 people, about 12,000 people, into Huyan Valley. Caught Yang Hao off guard. At the same time, he attacked Xincheng and Nanzhai with partial divisions to contain Shixiong's main force. Liu Desan personally rushed to Huyan Valley to sit in the town, with a group of 2,000 people, six groups a day to attack the southern pass of Huyan Valley.

Huyan Valley only lasted one day before falling, Yu Lianwan was seriously injured, and the first police battalion was completely lost. If it weren't for the high mountains and dense forests on both sides, there would be almost a risk of annihilation. After Liu Desan broke the Huyan Valley, he immediately moved westward, and he abandoned Beizhai, Xizhai, and Huile Zhai, and directly attacked the Black Sheep Valley. Yang Hao was caught off guard, lost in the first battle, and only held on for half a day before abandoning the village and retreating westward. At the same time, Xizhai was declared to have fallen.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Wang Lin took the initiative to abandon Beizhai and concentrated his forces on the defense of Huile Village. Zhang Yue, a fierce general in Hedong, led an army of 3,000 to attack back to Lezhai, thinking that he would be captured, but he didn't want to touch a boss's nail, not only did his subordinates lose more than half, but he also became a prisoner. Fortunately, he was elf enough, concealed his identity, and escaped in the chaos.

Yang Hao was overwhelmed by Liu Desan's generals, so he had no choice but to break the Xiaocai battalion into pieces and disperse and retreat into Muna Mountain. Liu Desan seized the fighter plane and rushed to rush to increase the number of 3,000 people, spreading a vast net all over the mountains and wilderness to search for Yang Hao. At the same time as Yang Hao's defeat, Shi Xiong took the initiative to attack and break through Liu Desan's three camps, killing thousands of enemies and seizing some military rations and equipment. But a small victory can't cover up a big defeat. Under Liu Desan's stormy offensive, Yang Hao's carefully planned iron cage tactics looked naïve and ridiculous.

But the war did not end, Wang Lin, who was not taken seriously, shined, and after Zhang Yue fell into the fight, he defeated the three tiger generals under Liu Desan's account: Wu Chizan, Sui Crouching Tiger, Yang Tianhua, and finally forced Liu Desan to transfer to Chongchong back to the division to besiege Huile Village.

Yu Chongchong concentrated 4,000 "iron shield armor", with a row of 80 people, a total of 50 columns, and pushed it violently along the flat land in the south of Huile Village. The so-called "iron shield armor" is the heavy armor infantry, the sergeant wears heavy armor, holding a gun in one hand and a shield in the other. When attacking, marching in a queue, whether arrows are raining down or swords and axes are chopping, the sergeants do not even frown.

At the same time as the "Iron Shield Armor" attacked, Liu Desan transferred the longbow array to help in the battle. The longbow used by the Hedong Army was modified from the longbow of the Yan people. It is one size larger and one-third longer than the standard bow issued by the Tang Army, and the firing range is about fifty zhang longer, the disadvantage is that the accuracy is not high, but the large number of people can make up for this shortcoming. The longbow array of the Hedong army had 250 men in each formation, including 200 archers and 50 archers. The archers were divided into two groups, each firing a hundred arrows per round, and the alternation between the two groups was negligible.

The Hedong Army had only eight longbow formations, six of which were under the command of Liu Desan. Liu Desan dispatched four longbow formations, not that he was stingy, but that Huile Village was too small to use so many people. Arrows rained down on Huile Village, causing at least 200 casualties in the first round of fire. While suppressing the enemy with bows and arrows, the "Iron Shield Armor" rumbled and forced towards the walled gate. It was not until the advance of the "Iron Shield" cut open the camp gate that the archers stopped firing.

This kind of effort is the most visible.

After that, things became bland and tasteless, and the pride and ambition of Wang Lin and the young master soldiers were ruthlessly crushed by the cold "iron shield armor". Wang Lin had no choice but to lead the remnants to flee to the mountains to the north, and Liu Desan's two cavalry were already in ambush on the left and right. As soon as Wang Lin came out of the village, the two armies smashed Wang Lin's head like twin peaks. Wang Lin and his young master soldiers were wiped out on a slope four miles away from the camp.

Wang Lin, Wang Zeng, and 450 soldiers were captured, and all the others were killed in battle.