After Li Dao and the others arrived, they did not have a moment to rest, and immediately launched a desperate onslaught on Chang'an City, investing nearly 200,000 troops at one time, which was already the total number of all soldiers in Liangzhou.

The offensive and defensive battle of Chang'an City lasted for two days and two nights. Zhang Ji glanced at Ma Teng, who had been sticking to the city with him in the past two days, and found that Ma Teng's face was extremely pale. Ma Teng was fighting with injuries, and after two days of hard fighting, his body did not get a good rest, which further worsened the injury, and the two scars under his ribs and chest had already festered.

"It can't go on like this, Li Dao's offensive is too fierce, and there are too many soldiers invested, and Chang'an can't hold it." Zhang Ji said bitterly.

Ma Teng glanced at the city, Li Dao and the others were taking a short rest, believing that before long, they would launch another onslaught. Chang'an may fall into the hands of Li Dao and others at any time, as Zhang Ji said. After hesitating for a moment, Ma Teng sighed and said in a low voice: "General Zhang, hand over your soldiers and horses to a certain one, and a certain person will stay in Chang'an." You leave from the east gate with a certain bearded soldier, and hurry to Luoyang to help the Son of Heaven defend against the rebels. ”

Chang'an City is easy to defend and difficult to attack, the east gate is close to Guanzhong, and now it has not been invaded by the war, Li Dao and others put the direction of attack on several other city gates. After hearing Ma Teng's words, Zhang Ji frowned and said: "Brother Shoucheng, a certain is the chief general of Chang'an, since he should live and die with Chang'an, and report to the Son of Heaven, it is better for Brother Shoucheng to complete it." ”

Ma Teng said with a wry smile: "General Zhang doesn't have to fight with someone, you and I know it." Those who stay behind will inevitably die, and a certain has already escaped once, and he doesn't want to run away a second time. This time, a certain must fight to the death with the rebels! ”

Zhang Ji was silent, yes, it would be difficult to escape death after staying, but if he was afraid of death, how could he be worthy of Ao Lie, who tried to protect himself at the beginning? How can you be worthy of Liu Xie, who has trusted him over the years? How can you be worthy of these old brothers who guard Chang'an with you? Zhang Ji had already made up his mind and decided to leave the opportunity to escape from Chang'an to Ma Teng.

Standing up and walking a few steps as if at random, Zhang Ji came behind Ma Teng. Take advantage of the horse's unpreparedness. A palm slashed at the back of Ma Teng's head, knocking Ma Teng unconscious. Holding Ma Teng's fainted body, Zhang Ji said loudly: "Bearded soldiers! Protect your lords, and go out of the city through the east gate! Rush to Luoyang to help the Son of Heaven defend against the rebels. "After two days of hard fighting. More than 1,000 bearded soldiers were killed in battle. The 4,000 people who were still alive saluted Zhang Ji with a standard military salute at the same time. Then he helped Ma Teng down the city, tied his body to the horse's back, and ran out of the east gate.

After sending Ma Teng away. Zhang Ji's eyes returned to the rebels under the city. He decided to delay the rebels as much as possible and give Ao Lie and Liu Xie more time to prepare. "Come, go to the treasury and use the money and grain to buy fire oil from the people in the city, and inform the people that those who are willing to leave can leave the city from the east gate." Zhang Ji instructed his subordinates.

After years of war in Chang'an, the existing residents are only one-tenth of the heyday, in recent years, under the restoration of Zhang Ji's governance, the population has been increased to a certain extent, but unfortunately the good times are not long, Chang'an City is about to face the catastrophe again. In order to prevent the people in the city from suffering from the poison of the rebels, Zhang Ji was very open-minded to let the people flee Chang'an, and he wanted to leave the rebels with a completely empty city, and the rebels could not find a grain of food or a weapon in the city.

A large number of oil canisters were piled up on the walls of Chang'an City, and Zhang Ji's subordinates used up all the money and grain in the treasury and bought all the fire oil that could be bought in the city. With a sad look, Zhang Ji's gaze swept over the canister of oil, and then commanded his sergeants to boil the oil and sprinkle it on the city while resisting the onslaught of the rebels.

The boiling oil immediately inflicted a lot of damage on the rebels, and the pain of the burn caused the rebels who were climbing on the ladder to let out a terrible wail, and then fell down the ladder, breaking bones and tendons. When the rebels under the city piled up to a certain extent, Zhang Ji ordered his subordinates to raise fires and throw torches under the city. After the torch landed, it immediately ignited the oil of ignorance, and even ignited the corpses of the rebels, and the fire rose instantly, blocking the rebels' continued siege of the city.

Taking advantage of the gap between the rebels being blocked by the fire, Zhang Ji asked his cronies to pour fire oil on all the places where grain, grass and ordnance were hoarded in Chang'an City, such as the treasury and weapons depot, and arranged for people to stand on the side with torches in their hands, and as long as Chang'an fell, they would immediately use the torches in their hands to set these places on fire. Burning the city to block the enemy, this desperate plan appeared in Youbeiping ten years ago, in order to resist the invasion of aliens, Xun Yu and Jia Xu teamed up to burn one-third of Youbeiping, successfully blocking the enemy. Now, Zhang Ji is ready to follow the example of the two of them and use a fire, a fire that will spread to the entire Chang'an, to stop the rebels' rebellion!

After several times of throwing and igniting the oil, the oil stored in the city was finally exhausted. Zhang Ji raised his long sword expressionlessly and said loudly: "Soldiers, now we have nothing to rely on except for the weapons in our hands. Now, let's use our bodies and weapons in our hands to build the last line of defense! ”

The remaining more than 10,000 soldiers in Chang'an City, driven by Zhang Ji, raised their weapons one after another and shouted vigorously: "Fight to the death!" ”

The shouts from the top of the city aroused the endless anger of Li Dao under the city. This time to launch a rebellion, Li Dao originally wanted to take advantage of Zhang Ji's unpreparedness, concentrate superior forces to take Chang'an in a short period of time, and then drive straight in, conquer Luoyang, and drive Liu Xie, who is high above, off the dragon chair. Who would have thought that Zhang Ji and Ma Teng would resist the rebels from all walks of life in Liangzhou for three days and three nights with absolutely inferior troops! The rebels who died in these three days and three nights, at least there were 30,000 or 40,000 people, which already made Li Dao and others very annoyed, and now they heard the cry of a desperate battle on the city, and the anger in everyone's hearts burned even more.

Li Dao waved his hand suddenly and shouted: "Attack the city with all your might, regardless of the losses!" Before dawn tomorrow, be sure to take Chang'an! Since Zhang Ji wants to die, let's fulfill him! After the city was broken, all men and women in the city, old and young, were killed, and no one was left! The soldiers can take the money and food in the city at will! ”

There will be brave men under the great reward. After Li Dao threw out the great temptation of slaughtering the city and taking money and food at will, the rebels from all walks of life shook their spirits and launched a fierce attack on Chang'an City again......

Ma Teng, who woke up from a coma, found that he was tied to the back of a horse, hurriedly looked around, and found that there were familiar bearded soldiers around him, so he relieved himself and shouted: "Untie up!" "The bearded soldiers, who have always been obedient to Ma Teng, did not obey Ma Teng's orders this time. One of the leaders said to Ma Teng, "General Zhang Ji has ordered. After entering Luoyang, you can loosen the tie to the lord. ”

Ma Teng was stunned, and then reacted, this is because Zhang Ji doesn't want to let himself die in Chang'an together. Deliberately knocked himself unconscious. Then let your own subordinates bearded soldiers. Rush to Luoyang with yourself. Sighing heavily, Ma Teng shed two tears and muttered, "General Zhang Ji." It's an honor to have fought alongside you......"

That night, Liu Xie, who was just about to go to bed, suddenly received a report from Wang Yue: Ma Teng took Zhang Ji's handwritten letter, covered in blood and asked to face the saint. Liu Xie immediately realized that the situation was not good, Ma Teng was the Taishou of Xiliang, and Zhang Ji was the Taishou of Chang'an, how could Ma Teng cross the Chang'an natural danger and come to Luoyang with Zhang Ji's handwritten letter?

Immediately, Liu Xie asked Wang Yue to send someone to take Ma Teng to the side hall, where he prepared to meet Ma Teng. At the same time, Liu Xie asked Qu A to bring people to quickly inform Zhong Xuan, Huangfu Song and other important ministers to discuss matters in the side hall.

When Zhong Xuan, Huangfu Song and others rushed to the side hall, they found that Liu Xie's face was pale, and he sat on the dragon chair in a distracted manner, without saying a word. In the center of the side hall, Xiliang Taishou Ma Teng was wearing iron armor and stood still on the spot, and a large amount of blood oozed out of his chest and ribs.

Seeing the arrival of the ministers, Ma Teng lowered his voice and repeated what he had just told Liu Xie. After saying these words, the fatigue of the past few days swept over, and Ma Teng could no longer support his seriously injured body, and passed out on the floor of the side hall. Zhong Xuan and others hurriedly called the imperial doctor and treated Ma Teng in the side hall.

Liangzhou as a whole mutiny, the local Han people and the Qiang people who have been in trouble for nearly a hundred years in the Han Dynasty are in the same stream, and the barrier of Luoyang, Chang'an City, is in danger under the onslaught of 200,000 rebels, this series of bad news, caused Liu Xie to temporarily lose the ability to think, until the imperial doctor after Ma Teng was treated, and said to Liu Xie that Ma Teng's injury was too serious and could not return to the sky, Liu Xie returned to reality little by little from sluggishness.

Standing up and stepping off the dragon chair, Liu Xie came to Ma Teng, squatted down and grabbed Ma Teng's hand, and said in a low voice: "General Ma is loyal and courageous, and the world admires him!" I am incompetent, I can't save the general's life, does the general have any last wishes? If I can repel the rebels in Liangzhou, I will definitely help you achieve it. ”

Ma Teng knew that he would die soon, especially the scar on his chest, which had already hurt his heart, and he had been like a knife all the time in the past few days, but Ma Teng gritted his teeth and persevered, and now that the task has been completed, Ma Teng recognized himself as a frank and frank death. After hearing Liu Xie's inquiry, Ma Teng pulled out a smile and said weakly: "Your Majesty, after the minister is General Fubo, he should be loyal to the country. It is hateful not to see with your own eyes the day when the rebels are destroyed. His Majesty, the four thousand bearded soldiers brought by the minister can be of great use, and I hope that His Majesty's letter will be used. The situation is ...... now The situation is critical, and can ...... The only one who can save the Han is ...... Only the champion Hou, please summon the champion Hou to come quickly...... Come to the rescue...... Ma Chao under the command of champion Hou is ...... It's the son of a minister, please...... Your Majesty will take care of one or two...... The other sons of the ministers have ...... They're all dead in battle......"

At the beginning, Ma Teng's words were quite neat, but as life passed, after talking about the most, Ma Teng's voice gradually became lower, and his voice became weaker and weaker.

Stretching out his hand to wipe Ma Teng's dead eyes, and closing Ma Teng's open eyes, Liu Xie slowly stood up, and without consulting with everyone, he directly gave an order: "Mrs. Zhong, draft the will." The first edict sealed Xiliang Taishou Ma Teng as General Fubo and buried him. The second edict issued a notice in Luoyang City, recruiting young people to temporarily serve the country and fight against the Liangzhou rebels! ”

Huangfu Song took a step forward and said: "Your Majesty, with the strength of the soldiers and civilians in the city alone, I am afraid that I will not be able to resist the 200,000 rebels in Liangzhou. ”

Liu Xie shook his head firmly, looked at the north deeply, and said, "Brother Huang is at war with Yuan Shao, if you rashly divide your troops, I am afraid that it will be disadvantageous to fight." If the royal brother loses, I will have nothing to rely on in the future. Therefore, I can't tell the imperial brother about guarding Luoyang, I want to repel the rebels in person! ”

Looking at the determined look on Liu Xie's face, Zhong Xuan, Huang Fusong and others suddenly realized that Liu Xie in front of them had become mature, bold, and more majestic overnight.

"The ministers are willing to swear to follow His Majesty!" All the old ministers of the Han Dynasty were moved, knelt in front of the standing Liu Xie and the dead Ma Teng, and said in unison. (To be continued......)