Morale, something that can't be seen or touched, is so strange, when morale is low, the defenders of Shangchun Gate, even if they do the most basic bow pulling action, can also lose their balance and fall to the ground because of the force on their waists, and the wolf is ridiculous.

But after fighting a battle to defend the city, although it was only a small victory of less than 500 enemies, the mysterious thing of morale suddenly returned to the defenders of the eastern capital, and saw the rebel siege team retreating backwards like a tide, since the completion of the new city of the eastern capital, the first time there was a thunderous cheer on the wall of Shangchunmen, without the orders of senior generals such as Pei Hongce and Xie Zichong, and without the command of the middle and grassroots generals, the already exhausted defenders and soldiers suddenly recovered as before. Desperately drawing the bow and releasing arrows, using the strength of milk to throw stones and javelins, and not hesitating to expand the results of the battle, the rebel team has already escaped out of range, and the city walls are still shooting arrows, and the strength is strong, as if they have not just experienced a battle to defend the city.

After learning the news that the defenders of Shangchunmen repelled the rebel siege, the other eleven gates of the eastern capital also erupted in cheers of different sizes, and the defenders gathered in the north city, up to the commander Hu Benlang general Liu Changgong, down to the ordinary soldiers, all breathed a sigh of relief, rejoicing in the victory, and glad that they did not have to go to the city wall to fight.

The news then spread into the imperial city, and Fan Zigai and Huangfu Wuyi, who were accompanying and comforting Yang Tong, and other important ministers of the eastern capital were also smiling, and immediately asked Ling to reward the defenders of Shangchunmen, and Huangfu Wuyi, who had been ill for a long time, also came to Shangchunmen in person, and announced in public that each soldier of the Shangchunmen defenders would be rewarded with consistent money, and the team commander and the team deputy would be doubled, and the team was doubling with the brigade commander, and so on, and at the same time rewarding wine, meat, and good dishes, Pei Hongce and Xie Zichong also received a face-to-face verbal reward from Huangfu Wuyi.

As Pei Hongce's staff secretary, Chen Yingliang, who did not belong to the establishment of the Right Military Guard, did not receive the reward of Huangfu Wuyi, but Chen Yingliang did not mind, but just focused on the issuance of the bounty, and the result was the same as Chen Yingliang was worried about, as an army that only dared to hide on the city wall and smash arrows and stones, the internal corruption of the right military guard was really very strict, and the Eastern Capital Imperial Court gave each soldier a consistent reward of money, and after the layers of deductions by generals at all levels, only half of the five hundred yuan was really issued to the soldiers!

What made Chen Yingliang feel even more incredible was that after receiving half of the reward, the defending soldiers not only did not make a big noise, but also thanked their superiors with a smile, Chen Yingliang inquired carefully and knew that the original situation this time was already the best, and the rewards issued to the soldiers by the right guards were only three or four percent at most able to be sent to the soldiers, and this time half of them could be issued, which was already overjoyed for the right guards soldiers.

After carefully investigating the situation, Chen Yingliang found Pei Hongce with a try-and-see attitude, and Pei Hongce intervened in the matter, striving to distribute all the rewards in place, so as to boost the morale of the army, so that they could have a better performance in the next battle to defend the city. But the result was still the same as Chen Yingliang's worries, Pei Hongce said with a wry smile: "Virtuous nephew, although you are talented and intelligent, you still lack some experience and experience, your uncle is a civil official, not a general of the right military guard, such a thing, neither has the right to meddle, nor is it convenient to meddle." ”

Chen Yingliang lowered his head and said: "Uncle, the little nephew also knows that this matter makes you very embarrassed, but if you ignore such a thing, the morale of our army will still be sluggish, and the combat effectiveness will not be improved, and it will always be in a passive position. ”

"Virtuous nephew, of course my uncle understands what you said, but my uncle really can't help it." Pei Hongce smiled even more bitterly and said, "Do you think your uncle didn't know about these situations before?" My uncle also held the official position of a prisoner, and often commanded tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians to build civil works, and he had long known such things. But what's the use of knowing? The generals who participated in the impeachment of embezzlement and deduction of rewards for military salaries? Offended them to death, and my uncle wanted to command the army to build civil engineering in the future, what should these generals do if they deliberately let the army slack off on the construction period? It's not my uncle, I can't eat and walk around? ”

"And." Pei Hongce pointed in the direction of the Eastern Capital Imperial City again, lowered his voice and said, "Virtuous nephew, do you think that sick Yang Zi Right Wuwei General Huangfu Wuyi doesn't know these things?" Do you think Fan Liushou doesn't know these things? They know it in their hearts! But why don't they, the world's famous Qing officials, dare not take care of it, why don't they take care of it? It's because they still have to count on these generals to lead troops to defend the city, and they also expect these generals to go into battle to kill the enemy, what if they are forced to hurry? What choice do they have but to turn a blind eye? ”

Pei Hongce actually doesn't need to say so much to Chen Yingliang, Chen Yingliang, who is not a good bird in his own right, knows these ways better than Pei Hongce, and the corruption methods that are more than 1,000 years ahead are far more clever than Pei Hongce, but as an ambitious traverser, Chen Yingliang is willing to correct this shortcoming of himself - at least temporarily, in order to get ahead and become prosperous and wealthy. So after Chen Yingliang thought about it for a while, he suddenly knelt down on Pei Hongce's knees, clasped his fists and said: "Uncle, the little nephew is brave, and I want to ask my uncle to try to let the little nephew lead an army, charge into battle for my uncle, and quell the rebellion and kill the enemy!" ”

"Why did the virtuous nephew have the idea of commanding the army?" Pei Hongce asked.

"Uncle Yu, the little nephew wants to build an invincible and invincible hero for you to reverse the current passive situation of being beaten for you." Chen Yingliang replied in a deep voice: "The little nephew carefully observed the battlefield situation today, and found that the defenders of the Eastern Capital are far superior to Yang Yi's team in terms of equipment and training, but they only lack high morale and fighting spirit to win, as well as the courage to fight to the end!" The little nephew felt that he had a way to change this, so he begged his uncle to give the little nephew a chance to let the little nephew lead an army alone, for your uncle and the Great Sui court, to create an invincible and invincible hero! ”

"Ambitious!" Pei Hongce praised it, then shook his head and said, "However, it's not realistic!" Don't forget, you are only seventeen years old, and you are not even qualified to join the government soldiers, and although your uncle is a noble Duke of Li and an important minister in the Eastern Capital, there is no way for you to command an army. ”

"Uncle, the little nephew found out that there are a lot of families in your house, can you lend the little nephew two hundred families?" Chen Yingliang refused to give up, and said: "The little nephew doesn't need to command the regular army, just a volunteer soldier, give the little nephew a little time, and the little nephew can build his uncle's family into an elite army." ”

"You kid, you're usually very smart, how do you sometimes talk stupidly?" Pei Hongce smiled bitterly and said, "What time is it?" When the rebel army besieged the city, my uncle organized the family into an army in the eastern capital at this time, and then issued them weapons and armor. ”

Chen Yingliang thought about it carefully, so he could only reluctantly confess and retract this plea, Pei Hongce picked up Chen Yingliang, patted Chen Yingliang on the shoulder and said: "Virtuous nephew, your uncle understands your eagerness to serve the country, so my uncle won't blame you for saying these children's words." Listen to your uncle's words, don't be impatient, and when the rebellion of Yang is quelled, my uncle promises to get you a formal official position, and you can also choose a civil and military position. ”

"Uncle Xie." Chen Yingliang promised to thank him, but secretly pondered in his heart: "Do you want to give up, follow Pei Hongce to fight soy sauce in Yang Xuangan's rebellion, and make some small contributions?" No, I can't miss this opportunity, my time is running out, I must do something in this counterinsurgency war to earn the capital of future development! Solution, is there any way for me to lead the army into battle? Make a difference! ”

…………

At noon the next day, a messenger from Kim Yong Cheng rushed into the eastern capital and brought a second letter of help from Liu Ziyi, the defender of Jin Yong City, to Fan Zigai and Huangfu Wuyi, the main force of the rebel army, had gathered under Kim Yong City and launched a fierce attack on the acropolis in Luoyang! And what made Fan Zigai and Huangfu Wuyi thunderous was that none of the scouts sent out by the Right Wuwei found out about this situation, and they didn't even report such a big move of the main rebel army to Kim Yong City!

Fan Zigai sent a messenger to contact Liu Ziyi, asking Liu Ziyi to defend the Acropolis of Kim, the city is in the people, and the city is dead, and at the same time he clearly told Liu Ziyi in the letter, saying that the rebels attacked Kim Yong City in order to encircle the point and send reinforcements, in order not to give the rebels a chance to ambush, he would never send a single soldier to Liu Ziyi, and he could only rely on Liu Ziyi himself.

Luck was on the side of the rebels, what Fan Zigai never dreamed of was that the messenger he sent out to the city was intercepted and attacked by the rebel scouts on the road, and the messenger was greedy for life and afraid of death, so he chose to surrender to the rebels.

As the outstanding leader of the rebel army in the future, Li Mi, the rebel military advisor, naturally did not waste this fluke letter in vain, and immediately asked the rebels to escort the messenger to the city of Kim Yong City, read this letter by Fan Zigai in public, and told the defenders of Kim Yong City that they would not have a single soldier to reinforce them, and that continuing to defend the city would only be in vain.

It is conceivable that the reaction of the defenders of Kim Yong Cheng after learning of this news, the morale of the defenders of Kim Yong City, who was already extremely low, heard Fan Zigai's decision, and immediately made a big uproar, and their morale was wildly discharged, if it were not for Liu Ziyi, he still had some military talent and resourcefulness, and promptly announced that the letter was forged by the enemy, and declared that reinforcements would arrive before sunset on the third day in Luoyang, and the desperate defenders of Kim Yong City might open the city gate and surrender to the rebels on the spot.

That night, Liu Ziyi sent his own personal army captain to sneak out of Kim Yong City, came to the Eastern Capital overnight, reported the incident to Fan Zigai, and made it clear to Fan Zigai, saying that if he did not see reinforcements before sunset on the third day, he would no longer be able to control the defenders of Jin Yong City, and he could only prepare to be martyred.

What else can Fan Zigai say? In addition to beating his chest and scolding the messenger for his bad luck and incompetence, Fan Zigai could only find Huangfu Wuyi overnight to discuss, and decided to send a support army to Liu Ziyi to help Liu Ziyi fulfill his lies and stabilize the hearts of the defenders of Kim Yong City.

Considering that Pei Hongce fought well in Shangchunmen on the first day, Fan Zigai finally did not force Pei Hongce to lead the troops to save Liu Ziyi this time, and chose to let Huyalang lead Yuan Chaoqun with an army of 3,000 to carry out this order, and at the same time, Fan Zigai only gave Yuan Chaoqun a task that could not be simpler, that is, to let Kim Yongcheng see Luoyang's rescuers! Then it doesn't matter whether Yuan Chaoqun can enter Kim Yong Cheng to rescue, or whether he can help Kim Yong Cheng defend and kill the rebel siege team, as long as Kim Yong Cheng can see the Luoyang rescuers!

Explain such an easy task, of course, because Fan Zigai has been completely disappointed in the field ability of the right Wuwei army, and dare not hope for them anymore, but the cruel reality has made Fan Zigai completely desperate, the three thousand troops led by Yuan Chaoqun have just been ten miles out of the city, and they were immediately attacked by the rebel team led by Yang Xuangan himself, and then the heroic and invincible Yang Xuangan took the lead, brandished a spear and took the lead in rushing into the Sui army to vent his anger, and the rebel team was inspired by the commander and attacked like a tide. The Sui army team collapsed instantly, as the main general Yuan Chaoqun took the lead in fleeing for his life, three thousand Sui troops disarmed together, threw down their armor and weapons and rushed to flee the battlefield, and most of them scattered and fled, only a few troops fled back to the eastern capital with Yuan Chaoqun, Yang Xuangan chased all the way to the eastern capital, and showed off his might under the city wall, and the defenders on the city wall trembled, and did not dare to have a soldier out of the city to fight.

Although Fan Zigai did not hesitate to cut off Yuan Chaoqun's head and instructed Zhumen to correct military law, but it was impossible to curb the resulting chain of reactions, first of all, nearly half of the 3,000 Sui troops brought out of the city by Yuan Chaoqun surrendered to the rebel ranks, and then the defenders of Kim Yong City did not see reinforcements arrive, and their morale completely collapsed, and on the fourth day, when Yang Xuan rebelled and attacked the acropolis of Kim Yong Yong, whose fortifications were far inferior to those in the eastern capital, some of the defenders in the acropolis opened the city gate and surrendered to the rebels because of their cowardice. Seeing that the general trend had gone, Liu Ziyi could only lead some of the defenders who could still control zhì to break through and flee back to the eastern capital, and the rebels easily took Kim Yong City and obtained a large number of ordnance hoarded in the city.

Liu Ziyi only fled back to Anximen, which is adjacent to Shangchun Gate, with more than ten horsemen, although there were more than 100 Sui soldiers outside the city who did not have time to enter the city, but because Yang Xuangan had chased and killed the city, the Anximen defenders still closed the city gate, and the Sui soldiers who could not enter the city cried under the city wall, begging bitterly, but they said that they had no courage to pick up arms, killed the rebel soldiers who were not far behind them, and fought for a way to live for themselves with their own hands, either kneeling on the ground and crying for surrender, or holding their heads and crying, Let the rebel soldiers chop them to pieces.

Fan Zigai and Huangfu Wuyi, the two important ministers of the Eastern Capital, happened to pass by the vicinity, and when they rushed to Anxi Gate to check the situation, they also saw this tragic scene with their own eyes, and saw the poorly equipped rebel soldiers like tigers descending the mountain, wantonly slaughtering the Sui soldiers who had not entered the city, and also saw the well-equipped Sui soldiers like lambs to be slaughtered, kneeling on the ground and crying and pleading, allowing the rebels to add swords and guns, and did not dare to resist at all. Fan Zi's heart is like a knife, and the sick emperor's face is like ashes, but they are helpless together.

Liu Ziyi, who was covered in sweat and cement, was carried to the Anxi Gate, and came to Fan Zigai to cry about the fall of Kim Yong City, Fan Zigai did not get angry this time, and after listening carefully to Liu Ziyi's report, he waved his hand weakly and said: "Kim Yong City has fallen, your responsibility is not great, go down and rest, the old man will truthfully report to His Royal Highness King Yue, and ask him to be lenient with you." ”

Liu Ziyi thanked him with tears, and then retreated to the city with the support of the soldiers, and Fan Zigai turned his eyes to the rebel team in the distance, many soldiers held willow shields and sails as armor of the rebel team, and then looked back at the defenders wearing iron helmets, and suddenly became angry, and roared at the generals next to him: "You still have the face to eat the rice of the imperial court, and the face to take the salary of the imperial court, what kind of soldiers are you bringing out?" With such sophisticated equipment, such sufficient military rations, and such a long period of training, why can't even the Yang rebels with a single knife be defeated? Are you ashamed?! ”

No one dared to say anything, and all the defending generals lowered their heads, including the current boss of the Right Guard, Huangfu Wuyi, who had a fever on his face, but more of the Right Guard's generals didn't even feel hot on their faces.

"Don't forget, you are the generals of the imperial court, and the generals of the right military guard of the Eastern Capital of the Great Sui!" Fan Zigai roared even louder, "You want the soldiers of the Right Guards to kill the enemy bravely and kill thieves for the country, this is the reason why the imperial court gives you high-ranking officials, why can't you even do this?" ”

Still no one dared to say anything, and they all lowered their heads, Fan Zigai was even more furious when he saw it, and roared angrily: "Raise your heads, the old man wants you and the soldiers to raise your heads and fight to the end with the Yang rebel army!" What do you have to do to make your soldiers fight bravely, no longer collapse at the slightest touch, and no longer flee from the wind?! ”

Of course, no one could answer Fan Zigai's question, and many generals were already trembling slightly, Fan Zigai noticed this situation, and was completely desperate, and was about to shake his head and sigh, but suddenly heard a loud voice say: "Give them courage!" Give our soldiers courage! ”

Fan Zigai suddenly turned his head to follow the sound, and the right military guard generals led by Huangfu Wuyi also turned their heads to follow the sound, but they were extremely surprised to see that the person who spoke was actually a young man wearing a civilian official's uniform, and a young man with a childish face on his face, a few of them recognized that this young man was Chen Yingliang, the newly acquired nephew of Pei Hongce, an important minister in the Eastern Capital.

"Chen Yingliang, why are you here?" Huangfu Wuyi, who knew Chen Yingliang, shouted: "Fan Liushou lectured to the generals of the Right Guard, what are you talking about?" Don't have a head?! ”

"Lord Fan forgives his sins, and General Huangfu forgives his sins." Chen Yingliang lit up the official document in his hand and replied: "The villain was ordered by Pei Zanzhi to come to Anximen to deliver an official document, and he happened to hear Lord Fan asking, so he couldn't help but answer. ”

Huangfu Wuyi was a little angry, and just wanted to continue to scold Chen Yingliang, but Fan Zigai waved his hand to stop him, and then strode in front of Chen Yingliang, lowered his head slightly and asked Chen Yingliang: "What did you say just now?" ”

"On the battlefield, our soldiers are not only faced with the enemy's swords, guns, swords, halberds, but also our own superintendent swords, axes, and severe punishments by military law. Chen Yingliang was not afraid, and said loudly: "If we want our soldiers to cheer up and face the enemy with fighting spirit, we must give them courage!" Let them love the Great Sui and be loyal to the Great Sui! Let them be willing to sacrifice for the court, for the emperor, for the Great Sui, so that the soldiers are eager to fight, want to fight, and have the courage to fight, only in this way can our army in the eastern capital defeat the enemy and exterminate Yang Xuangan's rebels! ”

Fan Zigai groaned, and suddenly asked again: "Then what can be done to make our soldiers eager to fight, want to fight, and have the courage to fight?" Willing to sacrifice for the court, willing to sacrifice for the emperor, willing to sacrifice for the Great Sui? ”

"Set an example, set an army by example!" Chen Yingliang replied: "The villain thinks that we should now have an outstanding army, an elite division that dares to fight, an elite division that dares to fight, a division that is eager to fight and is not afraid of sacrifice, the number is not too much, three or five hundred people are enough, and then let them go to war with the thieves and defeat the traitor army again and again, so that our other soldiers will have an example to learn, an object to imitate, a backbone on the battlefield, and the courage and hope to defeat the enemy, so that it will be difficult for us not to win!" ”

"It's all nonsense!" Fan Zigai suddenly started a fire and roared: "I thought you could have any high opinions, it's all nonsense!" If there is such an elite, the old man still uses you to come here to speak wildly?! ”

"Lord Fan, the villain dares to ask again, do you want such an army?" Chen Yingliang asked suddenly.

"What do you mean by that?" Fan Zi covered a flute.

"If the adults want it." Chen Yingliang replied: "Let the villain command of three or five hundred soldiers, and then provide the villain with some necessary things, and after half a month, or even ten days, I will be able to give the adult such an army!" ”

Everyone present opened their mouths wide, Fan Zigai's eyes widened, and after staring at Chen Yingliang for a long time, Fan Zigai said viciously: "Boy, there is no joke in the army!" ”

"The villain is willing to make a military order, if he can't do it, beg to be beheaded!" Chen Yingliang replied: "Whether to be beaten passively and let the rebels run rampant outside the city, or to build an elite army to make the thieves fearful, and cooperate with the imperial court to return to the army to completely exterminate the rebels faster and faster during the counterattack, please make a decision." ”

After hesitating for a long time, Fan Zigai slowly asked, "You, what do you need?" ”

"A military flag, three or five hundred white cloaks, necessary weapons and equipment, and some money and food rewards are enough." Chen Yingliang replied.

Fan Zigai hesitated for a moment, shook his head and said: "It's not enough for you to set up a military order, if you can't do it, killing your head is just a trivial matter, the money and food paid are also a trivial matter, and the old man's reputation is a big thing." ”

Chen Yingliang, who was full of expectations, began to be disappointed, but Fan Zigai's next words rekindled Chen Yingliang's hope, Fan Zigai said solemnly: "That's it, for the sake of your considerable achievements in the past few days, the old man will give you a chance, you sue the old man, how do you plan to conjure up an elite soldier for the old man, if your words are reasonable, and the method you say is also reliable, the old man can take a lifetime of clear name and gamble on you." ”