(PS: To explain, it's because there's something in the afternoon today, and I get up at five o'clock in the morning to code words, so there is only one chapter today.) ）

The first large-scale siege of the Jingyuan coalition army, which lasted from half the morning to more than half of the evening unitary hour, turned out to be no progress, not only did not break through the Xuzhou army's Chaisang city defense, but also paid a very heavy price, with a total loss of more than 3,500 troops, and finally the generals and soldiers who could successfully ascend the city on the first day of the siege were only a handful, and only Gan Ning, who could come back alive after landing the city, was only one of the few fierce generals in Jingzhou, and the remaining few climbers, whether they were grassroots generals or ordinary soldiers, All of them were cut to pieces on the city wall by the powerful Xuzhou soldiers, and they did not give the companions behind the slightest chance to go to the city.

For the besieging side, this is a not surprising result, because in the first large-scale siege battle, the defenders are at the peak of both manpower and material resources, and it is normal to block the enemy's first siege by virtue of their geographical advantages.

Speaking from the heart, in the case of commanding such a large-scale siege battle for the first time, Liu Qi's command in this siege battle can be regarded as remarkable, even if it is not outstanding, it can be regarded as remarkable, at least it is clear and orderly, the combination of troops is reasonable, and the investment time of the reserve team is also relatively correct. Therefore, even if the siege on the first day was not successful, no one in the Liu Yuan coalition army blamed or muttered that Liu Qi's command was wrong, and the soldiers died in vain.

The same is true for the defenders of the city, in addition to cheering the victory of defending the city, the Chaisang defenders are also glad that the army has inflicted a large number of heavy losses on the enemy in the first battle, weakening the enemy's strength and hitting the enemy's morale and morale. He also ordered a reward for the three armies. rewarded the soldiers defending the city with good wine and food, and cheers sounded again in the ranks of the Chaisang defenders, and the generals and soldiers were all happy.

Only Yang Zheng did not open his face, and the Chai Sangzhong will celebrate the victory in the city tower. Yang Zheng found an excuse to sneak out of the castle tower. led Li Lang to inspect the night guard on the city wall. While taking the opportunity to think hard about some questions, there was still a worried look on his obscene thin face. Li Lang, who had always been by Yang Zheng's side, yawned and couldn't help but say, "Young Master." It's the second shift, if you don't want to drink, go back and rest, you're tired today. ”

"Uncle Li, if you're tired, go and rest first, I'm not sleepy." Yang Zheng replied casually.

"Young master, it's okay." Li Lang knew Yang Zheng's thoughts, so he persuaded: "I know that you are worried about that Gan Ning, in fact, it's okay, you see that Qiao Taishou guards the city so well, as long as we accompany him to guard the city carefully, and insist until the main force of Lu Dudu comes to help, it doesn't matter if you can kill Gan Ning, young master, you don't need to be so anxious." ”

"Is Uncle Qiao's castle really well guarded?" Yang Zheng was a little noncommittal, and said to Li Lang in a low voice: "Uncle Li, do you know how many arrows and city defense materials we have consumed in the past ten days? ”

"I don't know." Li Lang shook his head, and then added: "There must be a lot, especially arrows, at least tens of thousands." ”

Yang Zheng nodded, and sighed lightly: "Uncle Qiao is indeed good at defending, but his strategy of defending the city is to fortify and pile baggage, now we are surrounded by the enemy, the military baggage is used a little less, there is no way to replenish, but the enemy is backed by the Yangtze River waterway, and the military baggage can be replenished endlessly, so that if the consumption continues, once our garrison is exhausted, and Lu Dudu's reinforcements have not yet had time to come to reinforce, or our sailors are repelled by the enemy on the surface battlefield and cannot provide us with reinforcements, so what should we do?" ”

"This ......." Li Lang, who was not good at this, scratched his head, and then said, "Impossible, right? How could Rudutu's reinforcements be repulsed by the enemy? ”

"It's not impossible, because our surface strength is always at a disadvantage, even if the Poyang Lake Sailor and the Chaohu Sailor are combined, they still can't overpower the Jingzhou Sailor in terms of strength." Yang Zheng sighed softly again, and said: "Although fighting a war does not rely solely on the comparison of troops and ships, but people have no foresight, there must be near-term worries, if we are not prepared to not be able to get reinforcements, once the reinforcements are really repelled by the enemy, it is too late to make up for the loss." ”

"That's the same, so in the young master's opinion, what should we do?" Li Lang nodded and asked.

"The best thing to do, of course, is not to count on reinforcements, and to prioritize how to repel the enemy on our own strength alone." Yang Zheng replied: "In this way, if we can get reinforcements, it will be a big victory, and if we can't get reinforcements, we will not lose." ”

"Repelling the enemy on our own strength alone? This seems to be a bit difficult. Li Lang smiled bitterly.

"It's more difficult, but it's not hopeless." Yang Zheng said distressedly: "Actually, I have already had a strategy to break the enemy, our enemy is full of internal contradictions, there are many hidden dangers, not only do they distrust each other at all, but many people have been secretly hostile to each other, but these contradictions and hidden dangers have not broken out for the time being." Now I lack an opportunity and a breakthrough, as long as Liu Qi gives me a chance, I can let his internal contradictions completely explode and defeat himself without a fight. ”

Yang Zheng's words were a little too profound, and Li Lang, who only liked to follow Xiangfu and pretend to be a thief, could barely understand it, so he could only comfort: "Young master, don't worry, I believe you will do it, you are much smarter than that Liu Qi kid, he pretended to be in front of you last time, didn't you see through it at a glance?" I believe that in a few days, you will definitely be able to find this opportunity to break through and play him to death! ”

"You can't underestimate my senior brother, he is also a very smart and talented person." Yang Zheng didn't dare to underestimate the enemy at all, and said: "The last time I saw through his desire to cover up, it was just because Uncle Cai inadvertently said that he leaked his mouth. It made me a little suspicious at first, and then the timing of my brother's appearance was not right, otherwise ......, huh? Make matters worse by attempting a coverup? ”

Speaking of this, Yang Zheng suddenly stopped himself, and there was a look of surprise on his thin face, Li Lang had been following Yang Zheng inseparably for a long time, and it was the first time he saw Yang Zheng with such a look, and he hurriedly asked, "Young Master, what's wrong?" What's wrong? ”

Yang Zheng waved his hand to silence Li Lang. After a few more moments. A smile appeared on Yang Zheng's lewd thin face, and he said, "I know how to create an opportunity, Uncle Li, let's go." Go and see Uncle Qiao to discuss things. "And then very quickly. Yang Zheng led Li Lang to drag Qiao Rui, who had already gone to bed, out of bed again. He introduced his trick in front of Qiao Rui, Qiao Rui laughed, and immediately sent guards to pass Yang Zheng overnight to designate the Jingzhou prisoner of war to meet.

Yang Zheng designated the Jingzhou prisoner of war. That is, the Jingzhou soldier who was rescued by the Xuzhou army from cleaning the battlefield during the river filling last time, it doesn't matter what Yang Zheng has long forgotten, in short, after the full rescue of the Xuzhou military doctor, this Jingzhou soldier has already picked up his life, although the injury has not healed, but he can barely move freely, which also makes the Jingzhou soldier full of gratitude to the Xuzhou army, and repeatedly took the initiative to express his willingness to surrender and join the Xuzhou army. So after Qiao Rui came forward to summon the Jingzhou soldier to explain the task, the Jingzhou soldier named Wang Qinian immediately patted his chest and expressed his willingness to work for Qiao Rui to repay the Xuzhou army for saving his life.

As a big-headed soldier who knows almost nothing except selling stupid strength, Wang Qinian of course has not yet approached the gate of the Jingzhou military camp, and has been held by the Jingzhou soldiers patrolling, but fortunately, Wang Qinian was originally from the Jingzhou army, and immediately reported his name, his team and the name of his boss, and the Jingzhou army patrol naturally did not abuse him, and then Wang Qinian said that he escaped from Chaisang City, and asked to immediately see Liu Qi to report a major matter, and the Jingzhou army patrol did not dare to slack off, After disarming Wang Qinian, he was escorted into the camp to report to Liu Qi.

When Wang Qinian was escorted into the camp, the time was already more than half of the fourth watch, Liu Qi slept soundly, in order to let Liu Qi rest for a while, Han Xi did not immediately report to Liu Qi, but let people find out Wang Qinian's identity first, until the next morning Liu Qi woke up before reporting the news, as a result, Liu Qi heard that the soldier Wang Qinian escaped from Chaisang City, but scolded Han Xi, and asked Han Xi to report himself immediately if he encountered such a thing in the future, and then did not have time to freshen up, so he ordered the guards to urgently mention Wang Qilai to visit him in the bed.

In a moment, Wang Qinian, who had been carefully identified by Wang Qinian, was put into Liu Qi's bed, Liu Qi urgently asked Wang Qinian about his entry into the city, Wang Qinian kowtowed and replied: "My lord, the villain was captured by the Xuzhou thief army on the evening of the third day of the winter month, when the villain was ordered to participate in the river filling, unfortunately he was caught in a coma on the battlefield, and then it may be that our soldiers did not clean the battlefield carefully enough, thinking that the villain was dead and did not take it away, the villain was caught in the city by the Xuzhou thief army, forcing the villain to join the Xuzhou thief army, and the villain had to be wronged in the enemy camp, but the villain was loyal to the lord and the eldest prince, and found an opportunity last night to sneak down the city wall and fled back to meet the eldest prince. ”

"Good, good." Liu Qi was overjoyed, and he didn't have time to inquire about the various details of Wang Qinian's capture by the Xuzhou army, so he couldn't wait to ask: "You said that you have a big report, what is the big thing?" ”

"Yu Gongzi, the villain heard in Chaisang City that there are rumors that General Gan Ning, who slandered our Jiangxia, colluded with the Xuzhou thief army, saying that General Gan is the internal response of the Xuzhou thief army." Wang Qinian's answer made Liu Qi fall through his glasses, and then Wang Qinian kowtowed and said: "Eldest son, General Gan was wronged, and the villain can testify for him. ”

"What did you say?" Liu Qi was a little speechless, and then suddenly came to his senses and blurted out: "What you said, could it be that it was the night of the tenth day of the winter month?" The Xuzhou thief army sent troops to attack our sailor camp, Gan Ning led the army to chase and kill the Xuzhou thief army to the north gate of Chaisang, but Gan Ning refused to enter the city after Chaisang opened the door? ”

"yes, yes, that's it." Wang Qinian nodded hurriedly, and said: "In fact, that night, the villain was also on the city wall of the north gate of Chaisang, and the walls around the urn city were already full of crossbowmen of the Xuzhou thief army, and they were also covered with firewood and grass in the urn city, and sulfur and fire oil were prepared. The villain is also responsible for throwing the oil can, just waiting for the Xuzhou thief army to lure General Gan into the urn city, he immediately put down the jack gate to block General Gan in the urn city, and then threw the torch and oil, you can burn General Gan and his team to death and shoot to death, but also thanks to General Gan's cleverness, timely Ming Jin to withdraw the troops, which did not fall into the Xuzhou thief army's tricks, and saved the lives of many of our Jingzhou soldiers. So General Gan is wronged, he only has merit and no crime. ”

It's good that Wang Qinian didn't cry out for Gan Ning. This painting adds to the cry of injustice. Liu Qi immediately became suspicious, and immediately remembered what happened that night, when he learned that the Chaisang defenders had ventured to open the city gate at night to let the defeated army return to the city, and indeed asked Gan Ning why he did not take advantage of the situation to attack Chaisang City. Gan Ning explained that it was the enemy who dared to open the door late at night. There must be an ambush hidden in the city. Risking into the city not only failed to take the city, but also only sacrificed the lives of the soldiers in vain, and he agreed with Gan Ning's judgment. Afterwards, he was busy taking care of Zhang Yun and the Cai family brothers, and completely left this matter behind.

A trivial matter that had been forgotten in the back of his mind was mentioned in front of a captive who had escaped from the enemy's city, no matter how inexperienced Liu Qi was, he would inevitably be suspicious, and looked Wang Qinian up and down for a moment, Liu Qi suddenly asked: "Where did you hear the rumor that someone in our army framed and slandered General Gan Ning?" ”

"From the ranks of the Xuzhou thief army." Wang Qinian hurriedly replied: "The Xuzhou thief army in Chaisang City has been spread all over, saying that the eldest prince you forced General Gan to personally attach ants to attack the city, just because you suspect that General Gan is colluding with the Xuzhou thief army. ”

Of course, Liu Qi did not force Gan Ning to join the city in person, and it was also his own choice for Gan Ning to take the lead, but after hearing Wang Qinian say this, Liu Qi inevitably immediately remembered a detail that happened yesterday - among the more than 20,000 troops that were successively invested in the siege of the city, only Gan Ning killed the city wall alone, and escaped from the city wall safe and sound! Thinking of this, Liu Qi finally began to be suspicious, looked at Wang Qinian for a moment, and asked, "When Gan Ning landed in the city yesterday, were you on the city wall?" ”

"Nope." Wang Qinian answered truthfully.

"And where were you?" Liu Qi asked again.

"The villain ......." Wang Qinian, who had never been instructed by Qiao Rui, hesitated, and it took a while to answer: "Back to the eldest prince, at that time, the villain was guarding the city at the north gate of Chaisang, and after the villain was captured, he was compiled on the north gate city to help defend the city. ”

"Then who was the general of our army who was in charge of attacking the north gate yesterday?" Liu Qi asked again.

"It's ......." Wang Qi began to panic, and only replied after a while: "Hui Gongzi, the villain doesn't know, the villain is a Qianshou grass people, and he doesn't know how to read, so he doesn't know." ”

Liu Qi didn't speak, just looked at Wang Qinian coldly, Wang Qinian was already weak-hearted, and no matter how much he pretended to be calm by Liu Qi, he inevitably looked panicked, and his body was still trembling slightly, Liu Qi suddenly slapped the case and asked: "Since you are guarding the city at the north gate of Chaisang, why did you go down from the city wall of the west gate of Chaisang last night?!" ”

"Ahh Wang Qinian's face changed greatly, and it took a long time before he said: "Villain, villain is from the city wall under the north gate, then ......, and then went around to the west!" ”

"Nonsense!" Liu Qi roared: "If you go down from the north gate, you should go to the front of our army's water village to surrender, why do you want to go around to the west and surrender in front of our army's Chinese army camp?" Say! Why is that?! ”

Wang Qinian was already paralyzed on the ground, trembling and afraid to speak, while Liu Qi snorted coldly: "Also, since you were seriously injured and captured, how could your injuries heal so quickly?" A few days after being captured, he was incorporated into the Xuzhou Thief Army to participate in the defense of the city? Where are you hurt? Let me see the wound. ”

Wang Qinian was about to pee on the spot, and Liu Qi's guards had already dragged Wang Qinian up, and knelt in front of Liu Qi with both hands, Liu Qi was also kind, and said: "Say it, tell the truth, I will spare you from death." ”

For the sake of the Xuzhou Army's precious medicines, good wine and good food, Wang Qinian hesitated and did not confess immediately, while Liu Qi waved his hand and ordered: "Drag it down, torture him, and beat him until he confesses." Also, by the way, check the location of his wound and the condition of his injury for me. ”

Wang Qinian, who was wet in the crotch, was soon dragged out, tied to a shelf outside the camp and whipped by Liu Qi's guards to extract a confession, leaving Liu Qi alone in the tent to think hard, and after a while, after receiving the news, Kuai Yue also came to Liu Qi's bedroom to understand the situation, Liu Qi introduced Wang Qinian's confession and his own suspicions, Kuai Yue was inevitably suspicious, and wondered: "Xuzhou thief army, why do you want to make so much effort to use our prisoners of war to make up confessions to refute the rumors for Gan Ning?" What happened that day, we didn't doubt Gan Ning? ”

"The little nephew is also confused." Liu Qi frowned and said: "That night, someone reported to me that Gan Ning refused to seize the opportunity to enter the city, and I also asked Gan Ning why he refused to take the opportunity to attack the city, but I didn't suspect Gan Ning?" ”

"Could it be the discord of the Xuzhou thief army?" Kuai Yue questioned and said: "General Gan is extraordinary, and the Xuzhou thief army is afraid of his force, so he deliberately refuted the rumors for Gan Ning, wanting us to be suspicious and unwilling to reuse Gan Ning." ”

"That's supposed to be the explanation." Liu Qi nodded, and said, "But don't be in a hurry to make a judgment first, and wait until you ask for a specific confession." ”

Kuai Yue also nodded, and Liu Qi said again: "Uncle, did you find a suspicious point?" Yesterday during the siege of the city, Gan Ning alone attacked the city wall of Chaisang, and escaped back unharmed, and afterwards said that he killed a lot of Xuzhou thieves, only one step away from the bridge to capture the thief first capture the king, just because of a veteran oil harassment to fall short, failed to succeed, but we have no soldier to see this situation, such a thing, is it too much coincidence? ”

"What does Childe mean is that Childe suspects that the Xuzhou thief army came forward to refute the rumors for Gan Ning, or is it because of Gan Ning's visit to the city this time that he got in touch with the Xuzhou thief army?"

Kuai Yue was a little surprised, and after seeing Liu Qi nodding and admitting, Kuai Yue hurriedly said: "Childe, don't think so, General Gan is the number one military general under your command, and he has a lot of merits, if you doubt him so much, it will chill the hearts of the soldiers." ”

"I'm not suspicious of him, I just think it's a bit of a coincidence."

Liu Qi shook his head, at this time, the guards had already dragged Wang Qinian, who was covered in bruises, into the tent, and reported: "Gongzi Qiqi, he is already willing to recruit, his wound is on the left rib, it is a very serious arrow wound, and he is dressed with good lard gold sore medicine, but the wound has not healed yet, and it is impossible to go to the city to fight." ”

"Good." Liu Qi nodded with satisfaction, and then said to Wang Qinian, who was covered in blood: "Say, who sent you to say this to me?" ”

"It's ......, it's Qiaorui." Wang Qinian was pressed to his knees in a dying breath, and explained in a weak voice: "Last night, Qiao Rui called the villain to his lobby, sent the villain out of the city to deceive him, and explained to the villain, saying ....... ”

Wang Qinian's voice became weaker and weaker the more he spoke, and finally he simply tilted his head, and there was no more sound, Liu Qi was in a hurry, and hurriedly left the table to test Wang Qinian's breathing, but found that Wang Qinian's nose had no more breath, obviously seriously injured and suffering, but he had already gone to Lord Yama to explain the truth. Liu Qi was suddenly furious, raised his leg and kicked Wang Qinian's chest, and said angrily: "Piff! Can't you die after you say that? I'd like to die if I only say half of it! ”

After kicking Wang Qinian's corpse again, Liu Qi shouted: "Drag this traitor out of the camp to feed the dogs, and besides, by the way, Gan Ning came here to see me!" (To be continued......)