Chapter 41: The Change of Luoyang
PS: Revision complete!
Wei Zhi naturally did not collude with the Qin State, he was originally ordered by the King of Wei to open and let the Qin army pass guò. It's just that the "messenger" from Daliang is obviously unwilling to give him a chance to justify, just like the so-called crime that he wants to add, there is no excuse! This "messenger" was really an envoy sent by the King of Wei, but the order given to him by the King of Wei was to assist Wei Ji in defending Hangu Pass, not to kill Wei Ji. Therefore, the tiger talisman is real, but the customs clearance document is fabricated. The messenger is real, but the army is disguised by the Korean army.
When the lives of the "envoy's" family were in the hands of the Han army, when the Korean fine work successfully entered the palace of the King of Wei and stole the tiger talisman and seal, everything was explained.
According to the order of the king of Wei, Hedong mobilized 60,000 troops to the south, of which 10,000 came to reinforce Hangu Pass. The remaining 50,000 were the Han army responsible for containing Sanchuan County. It's a pity that this news was quickly grasped by the details of South Korea's lurking in Daliang. The Korean fine work who went to Xinzheng to warn him set off almost at the same time as the envoy of King Wei, and as a result, it was naturally Xinzheng who took the lead in reacting. South Korea simply planned and quietly set up an ambush at the ferry. The 10,000 Wei troops who were the first to cross the river were ambushed and caught off guard with heavy casualties. The Koreans put on a dignified army, held the crossing of the river (Yellow River), and blocked the way for the Wei army to move south.
Taking advantage of this time, Korea did not hesitate to lose a deeply hidden chess piece, successfully stole the tiger talisman, and forged the customs clearance document and the edict of the king of Wei. The next thing is simple, 10,000 Han troops disguised themselves as Wei troops, and they were coerced by the real envoys of the King of Wei. On the one hand, loyalty to the monarch is righteousness, and on the other hand, the family is a close relative, and it is a high-ranking official promised by Korea, and the envoy of King Wei, whose willpower is not firm, finally fell to Korea.
Half of Sanchuan County's troops were used to defend the river crossing and attack Hangu Pass, and half were transferred to Luoyang. The war in Luoyang was far from over, although the Han and Zhao coalition armies in Luoyang City now had less than 10,000 troops, but they successfully attracted 100,000 Qin troops firmly under Luoyang City. Wrong. There are only 50,000 left of the 100,000 Qin army at the moment, and it should be 50,000 Qin troops.
The greater the casualties of the Qin army, the more the Qin army's commander-in-chief, Duke Qi, believed that the kings of Han and Zhao were in Luoyang City. Otherwise, why would the Han and Zhao coalition forces defend Luoyang and not retreat?! The only thing that made the Duke a little puzzled was that the Korean reinforcements had not crossed the river to reinforce for a long time. Although the army on the other side of the river was longing, they just did not dare to cross the river to fight. It seems to be worried about casualties. Or fear of failure. Before you know it, the Qin army has entered the eighth day of siege, but the reinforcements of South Korea are much slower than expected! This made the Duke of Qi puzzled on the one hand, and rejoiced on the other!
In the view of Duke Qi, there are only two possibilities for this situation, on the one hand, with the siege of King Han, Korea has completely fallen into the situation of a group of dragons without a leader, and the ministers are constantly arguing and cannot give decisive orders. On the other hand, there was civil strife in Xinzheng. Or for other reasons, the command was not effective, and the reinforcements in various places fought separately.
It wasn't until Fang that Gong's guess came to a clear judgment that there was indeed turmoil in Xinzheng. The source of the news came from the envoy of Wei, who claimed that Wei sent 100,000 troops to surround Xinzheng, and now Korea is in turmoil, and the counties are fighting their own wars and are not convinced by each other. In this case, there is not a unified command. The people are uneasy, how can an army be willing to cross the river to save them?!
The development of events was obviously beyond the expectations of the Duke of Qi. Duke Qi didn't expect that Wei would actually send troops at this critical moment. The Wei State, which was originally a spectator from the sidelines, obviously took a fancy to huge interests this time and wanted to take the opportunity to carve them up. This is both a good and a bad thing for the Qin State. The benefits are obvious, precisely because of the dispatch of the Wei army. cut off the connection between Xinzheng and the outside world, and guided the Korean people's hearts to fluctuate, and the Korean reinforcements that had arrived one after another completely lost their unified command, giving the Qin army, which was unfavorable to attack Luoyang, more time. The disadvantage is also natural, if Wei can coerce Korea to agree to cede land in advance. Then the Qin State did not dare to guarantee that the Wei State would not fight back. After all, South Korea's territory is big enough and the benefits are enough, whether Qin and Wei divide it together or Wei alone or swallow it alone, there are many differences! Once the Wei State had a different ambition, these 100,000 Qin troops (only 50,000 at the moment) penetrated deep into the Central Plains, hundreds of miles away from Guanzhong, and it was obvious that a lone army would be in danger of being destroyed at any time!
Therefore, after making peace with the envoy of Wei, Duke Qi was overjoyed and happy on the surface, but behind the scenes, he gathered the four military marquis (in charge of 5,000 people) who were responsible for attacking Luoyang and gave the final order. Duke Qi ordered the whole army to conquer Luoyang City before sunset tomorrow, otherwise, Duke Qi would behead the four of them on the charge of ineffective combat.
The four military marquis summed up left and right, knowing that if they don't sell their lives again, the four of them will not be able to see the sun on the third day, and they will die left and right. Luoyang City is already crumbling, although the enemy army is still holding on, but they only have 10,000 people, and they have never had a chance to good news, even if it is not for the heavy reward issued by the King of Qin, just for the sake of survival, the military marquis have no reason to retreat.
So, after the military marquis went back, they gathered the two or five hundred lords under their subordinates, and said through gritted teeth: "General Qi has already said that before sunset tomorrow, if we can't take Luoyang City, he will cut off Lao Tzu's head as a urinal." However, before Lao Tzu dies, he will not let you have a good time! Lao Tzu will cut off your heads and charge with the last wave of soldiers! Even if you die, Lao Tzu will also die in Luoyang City! ”
The two or five hundred lords also gathered the hundred men under their command as if they had been beaten with chicken blood, and told them the death order of the Duke of Qi. Layer by layer, when I waited for the Qin army at the bottom, I heard such rumors!
"Did you hear that? The general gave the order to die! If we can't take Luoyang before sunset tomorrow, the law enforcement team behind us will kill us all! ”
"I heard that! Shi Chang also said that if we can't take Luoyang City, the general will take our hearts and livers as snacks! ”
"Fight! Lao Tzu doesn't believe it! This projectile land can still block Lao Tzu! Someone said unconvinced.
"It's done! People die and birds rise to the sky, and they will not die for thousands of years! We can't let the Korean dogs look down on us! Fuck it! There are so many dead and wounded brothers, let's settle this account! ”
Soon, the Qin army, whose morale had been reinvigorated, launched wave after wave of offensives, although the Qin army's offensive seemed to be disorganized and unconcealed. But the Han and Zhao coalition army, or the Han army, is more suitable, because less than 200 of the 10,000 Zhao army are still alive, and most of the troops in Luoyang City are Han troops, so there is no good way. The arrows have long since run out, and the wood and rolling stones have run out. All that remains of the Luoyang defenders is the courage and honor of some soldiers.
The weapons in the hands of the Korean army at the head of the city are all kinds of weapons. The original weapon has been unusable after countless collisions and thirsty for the blood of countless enemies. Maybe a pikeman is using a long sword, maybe an archer is using a long ge, maybe a shield soldier actually picked up a wooden stick, there is no doubt about this, the Korean army is just using all the equipment that can be used around them. Waiting for the moment when you die with Luoyang or are reborn from the fire.
This time, the Qin army had no reservations, and the Korean army also had no reservations, and from the afternoon to the whole evening, from the dawn of the next day to the noon of the next day, the offensive of the Qin army did not stop. The Qin army has the advantage of strength and can also attack in turns, but the South Korean army is forced to be overstretched. There is no moment of message time at all. So, over time. The advantages of the Qin army were accumulating step by step. The Qin army suffered another 10,000 casualties, and the Han army had less than 4,000 people left. With less than 4,000 men against an enemy army ten times their size, these 4,000 people are still tired and alone! No matter how you look at it, the South Korean army has no chance of winning this battle to defend Luoyang.
There were less than two hours before the deadline set by the Duke of Qi, but the Duke knew it. Before sunset, this sad place where 60,000 Qin troops were buried will soon belong to the Qin State. With 60,000 elites of the Qin State in exchange for 30,000 Han and Zhao coalition troops, plus the lives of King Han and King Zhao, Duke Qi felt that it was worth it. Qin Guo also felt that he had taken advantage. King Qin had already told himself before leaving, he didn't want casualties, he only wanted Luoyang, as long as King Han and King Zhao, and now, he could be lucky not to be dishonored! Lu Gong thought secretly.
"Pass the order! Let the general's 10,000 personal guards assemble and be on standby at any time! ”
The adjutant general glanced at the Duke and replied respectfully, "Oh! ”
Lu Gong's move is naturally meaningful, everyone knows what a great credit it is to win Luoyang! King Qin didn't care what credit everyone had made before taking Luoyang! He only cares about one thing, that is, who is the first to lead the army to attack Luoyang City! Under the premise that Luoyang is about to be conquered, Lu Gong's move is obviously suspected of stealing merit! But no one dared to criticize the commander of the Duke of Qi. What's more, Gong Qi has already given the former army time! After all, now the 10,000 guards who are waiting for work are just gathering, and although there is not much time left for the front army, it is still half an hour. In this half an hour, it was decided whether the sacrifice of the former army had a price or not! The lives of all the people in the front army are saved, and as for the future, it depends on the table for the next half an hour!
Finding that the elite of the Chinese army behind him was gathering unhurriedly, the front army of the Qin army that was besieging the city suddenly became anxious. I have worked hard for a day and a night, and I have been injured and injured for a day, if I am robbed of my great achievements at this time, I will not die at a loss! No way! This is absolutely not a no-go! Thinking of this, the only two remaining marquis of the former army commanded the front army of less than 10,000 and increased the offensive against Luoyang City!
Han Jun has already played all his hole cards at this time! No matter how strong your willpower is, no matter how good your endurance, in the face of an absolutely superior enemy, in the face of an enemy who also sees death as home, you are completely helpless and have nothing to do! Han Jun gritted his teeth, and did not escape from the city, at least he could die like a man, once he lost his courage and retreated to the city, what was waiting for him would be the bloody revenge of the Qin army!
Inflicting such a big casualty on Lao Tzu for the Qin army, no matter how stupid a person is, he knows that the Qin army will never spare himself! If the Qin army would accept its surrender, it would have come out to recruit the Korean army when its number plummeted to less than 10,000! Maybe at the moment when Luoyang's envoy who guarded the Qin State to surrender was beheaded and then hung his head at the West City Gate, or maybe from the moment when the seven captains of the Qin army died in Luoyang, there was no possibility of reconciliation between the Han and Qin armies on this battlefield! In front of the two armies, there are only two ways, either you die or I die, and there is no other way out.
The Qin army thought that the defenders of Luoyang were so desperate because the kings of Han and Zhao who were trapped in Luoyang promised rich rewards, but in fact they were not. Because, the ultimate goal of the Qin army, King Han and King Zhao were not in Luoyang City at all. Although the 30,000 Han and Zhao coalition troops who participated in the alliance did not move an inch in Luoyang City, who stipulated that the 30,000 Han and Zhao coalition troops were in Luoyang. It must mean that King Han and King Zhao are also here?!
If you want to describe the situation of Qin in one sentence, it is that the state of Wei is also successful, and the state of Wei is defeated! The reason why the Qin State was able to attack Luoyang by surprise, all the way to Kemichi, Xincheng, and more than a dozen cities of Henan and other sizes relied on the connivance of the Wei State. Without Wei's excuse, Qin's bold plan would not have been able to go so far! One step away from success!
The reason why the Qin State fell short. failed to besiege King Han and King Zhao in Luoyang, also because of Wei! If it weren't for the fact that Wei Guoshang's doctor Duan Ganchong lost his words after drinking, South Korea would never have imagined that Wei would secretly collude with Qin. South Korea did know that Wei Ran, the prime minister of Qin, had visited Daliang, but the problem was that since then, Wei's cousin has been in a decent manner and has not rebelled against Korea. It is impossible for Korea to be on guard against Wei all the time. After Wei agreed to participate in the Luoyang Alliance, this vigilance fell to the limit! Although the king of Wei said that his illness delayed the time of the alliance, a message from the palace of the king of Wei said that the king of Wei was indeed bedridden, and the last trace of vigilance disappeared!
Fortunately, the imperial historian Fan Sui began to secretly collect folk girls two years ago and trained them to become the eyes and ears of Korea. This time it is also God to protect South Korea, otherwise. How did Duan Ganchong accidentally lose his words after getting drunk, and the object of the gaffe happened to be an ear and eye arranged by South Korea in Daliang. Fear. Even Duan Ganchong couldn't believe that his pillow person, his favorite concubine, was actually the eyes and ears of South Korea!
Because of such coincidences, when the army of Qin State rushing to Luoyang had not yet sent a letter to Guguan, King Han received a warning in time. As soon as things became clearer. King Wei pretended to be sick, but he was worried that he was also trapped in Luoyang. The Qin army launched wars in succession in Taiyuan County and in the three directions of Hanzhong and Nanyang, but they wanted to distract all the attention of Korea. In fact, the Qin State secretly gathered 100,000 elites, with the acquiescence of the Wei State. wants to hit South Korea and Zhao Guo in one fell swoop.
King Han and King Zhao were furious after understanding that the wolves of Qin and Wei were traitors, but after being angry, they couldn't help but admire the courage of Qin and the decisiveness of Wei. The more they admired Qin and Wei, the more Han and Zhao were deeply jealous of the two countries.
The Qin State dared to mobilize the troops of the whole country and gamble with the national fortunes, which must have been the lifeblood of the Wei State. Wei really did not disappoint Qin, and fought back when Han and Zhao were at their most lax. The two countries joined forces, and the Qin army was free to enter and exit Hangu Pass, and there was no obstacle to the eastward advance into the Central Plains, and the Central Plains became the main battlefield of the Qin wrestling. However, King Han chose Luoyang as the location of the alliance, giving Qin the best chance!
According to King Han's original intention, the reason why he chose the Luoyang Alliance was originally to use the momentum of the Three Jin Dynasty to form an alliance again to deter the world, especially the turbulent Qin State in the Guan. The collapse of the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Eastern Zhou Dynasty was just a Korean attempt to eliminate internal hidden dangers, after all, in history, the Qin State suffered such grievances. Luoyang is too close to Xinzheng, and under the so-called couch, how can others be allowed to snore! No matter how small the Western Zhou and Eastern Zhou are, they can recruit more than 10,000 troops. The Qin State could have gradually co-opted the Western Zhou and Eastern Zhou dynasties, disgusting Korea from time to time, or using Luoyang as a foothold to draw all countries in the world against Korea. King Han wanted to take advantage of the surrender of Zhao State to stand in Luoyang, the core territory of the Central Plains, in one fell swoop. In the future, whether it is to attack the Qi State down the river or to reject the Qin State in the west, it will have an innate advantage!
After hearing that Qin's 100,000-strong army was rapidly attacking Luoyang, and even did not rule out the matter of Wei sending troops, King Zhao immediately lost his opinion. Luoyang City, a city in disrepair, naturally couldn't resist the Qin State for too long, even if the 30,000 Han and Zhao coalition troops were the elite of the elite, it was impossible! Therefore, the first mention of King Zhao was the wild king who went to Korea, guarding according to the river. With the obstruction of the river moat and the Taihang Mountain, neither the 100,000 army of the Qin State nor the Wei army of the east of the river could threaten the safety of the wild king. As for escaping back to Xinzheng, haven't you heard that Wei is gearing up to send troops? According to the nature of Wei State, I am afraid that as soon as King Han and King Zhao return to Xinzheng, the army of Wei will surround Xinzheng.
Of course, the subtext of King Zhao was not spoken. At this time, there was no precedent for a king of one country to go to the capital of another country, unless the person had taken refuge in the king of a dead country or had been captured in defeat. No matter which one it is, it is not something that King Zhao is willing to accept. At the very least, it's not a good sign! No matter how polite and courteous the King of Han is to himself, no one can guarantee that those Korean nobles in Xinzheng will drum up to detain the King of Zhao and force Zhao to cede more cities. At the very least, if it is King Han who goes to Handan, King Zhao does not dare to guarantee how many people will persuade him to detain King Han.
As for the next move of Han and Zhao after retreating to the wild king. King Zhao didn't think so long-term. However, Shangqing Lin Xiangru proposed his own construction, that is, South Korea, as the host, naturally gathered a large army and drove the 100,000 troops back to Guanzhong, and even annihilated them all! As for the possible actions of the Wei State, as long as the 100,000 Qin army is defeated, the Wei State will inevitably be frightened. The two countries will not pursue the fault of Wei for the time being, and the right to treat Wei as overwhelmed and attacked Hangu Pass by Qin, and when the two countries can draw enough troops, they will teach Qin a lesson!
It's just that King Han put forward a different opinion! (To be continued......)