Under the attention of the four reconnaissance cavalry, the main force of the Taiping army's eastward advance slowly changed direction.

To their surprise, the Taiping army, numbering tens of thousands, did not attack the nearest Gaoning County, but crossed the official road leading to Fucheng and advanced towards Hanjing County, which was relatively further east.

It was determined that the Taiping army had no intention of attacking Gaoning, and the scouts sent by Gaoning County were amnesty. After leaving the two to watch, the rest of the riders rushed back to report the good news with joy.

On the contrary, the scouts sent by Hanjing County were like mourners, and their faces were as black as the bottom of a pot.

They couldn't figure out why the rebels were so far away.

Under normal circumstances, shouldn't it be a map to attack city by city?

However, no matter how doubtful I was, the direction of the Taiping army's eastward advance remained unchanged, and it was firmly approaching at a speed of twenty miles a day. The county magistrate of Hanjing County could only lament his bad luck, and rushed his relatives to Dongguan Mansion before the Taiping army arrived; While starting to prepare for the worst. Under the ruin, the county magistrate of Hanjing County recruited nearly 2,000 militia groups, and at the same time secretly prepared a small bottle of poison in his arms.

He had already thought about it, and he would kill himself by poisoning the moment the city was broken.

Death is also decent!

"The county commander should not fall into his own prestige, a group of thieves, it has been less than half a year since the army was raised, how can it be strong?" Zhang Fang, the leader of the militia in Hanjing County, was a little unaccustomed to the pessimism of this parent official, rolled up his sleeves, waved the Daguan knife in his hand and said: "There are only 10,000 thieves on the left and right, and there are so many people pulling carts among them. We have 200 officers and troops on our side, 2,000 militia groups, and city walls, and we are fighting to the death, maybe we can make the thieves retreat. ”

Finally, he still has some self-knowledge, and he is embarrassed to use the word "elimination". Just say that you know the difficulties and retreat.

"If that's the case, it's all the best."

The county magistrate of Hanjing County smiled bitterly, his perfunctory look was very obvious, and he obviously did not relax because of Zhang Fang's few words.

If this is the case, Longshan City and Wu'an City will not be breached.

Finally, it was getting afternoon.

At the end of the horizon, smoke and dust are flying. Gradually, a large number of figures appeared.

The city gate of Hanjing County has long been closed, and the city gate hole has also been sealed with earth-clad stones, and a large number of city defense battalion soldiers and militia groups are waiting for the city. But even so, seeing a large number of thieves approaching, these officers, soldiers and civilian groups still couldn't help but stir. The Taiping Army's record of consecutive victories since its inception, as well as various rumors about the demonization of the Taiping Army over the past few days, have put heavy pressure on them.

The army slowly approached.

Looking down from the top of the city, this mighty procession stretched all the way to the end of the official road. The number of people exposed to their sight seems to be more than tens of thousands. It was said that it was 30,000 or even 50,000, and the militia groups at the head of the city believed it. Although it looks a little messy because of the long journey, it does not hide the essence of these thieves.

Zhang Ning, who was lying on the battlement of the city wall and looking down, looked a little reluctant, but still held on to this breath and said: "Look at this queue, it's not better than our people......

Before he could speak, the drums and flags of the rebels changed.

At the sound of an order, the army quickly stopped advancing. The convoy stood still, and the 1,000 Taiping battalion soldiers quickly moved to the front of the formation. Assemble in formation. Strong physique, fine armor and swords, neat movements, neat queues. All of them show that these soldiers are well trained.

In an instant, a thousand soldiers completed the whole formation, marched slowly to the beat of the drum, and advanced towards the head of the city.

Two hundred horsemen followed from behind, patrolling around the camp.

"Qianyuan is dead, Taiping should stand!"

It stopped abruptly with the drums. The soldiers of the Taiping Battalion ordered the ban, stopped in unison a hundred meters in front of Hanjing County, and shouted in unison under the leadership of the wing commander. The loud slogans that suddenly sounded were like overwhelming the mountains, and the power contained in the sound made the morale of the already low military morale at the head of the city to the extreme.

Many of the people's legs trembled. It looks like he can't stand on his feet.

"All of them have ...... armor"

The county magistrate of Hanjing County reluctantly settled down, and looked carefully at the city, his face became more and more pale.

Of their own officers and militias, only these two hundred city defense battalions have standard leather armor. But on the other hand, these soldiers are all wearing armor and knives, and their equipment is better than that of the officers and soldiers. At this moment, if the positions of the two sides are reversed, saying that the thief army under the city is an official army, I am afraid that many people will believe it!

"Lord Prefectural, they're demonstrating!"

Mao Baihu of the Hanjing County County Defense Camp is quite capable, although his face is pale when he looks at it, but he is not frightened to the point of being overwhelmed. He saw very clearly that the thieves under the city did not prepare any siege equipment, did not even take out the simplest ladder, and stopped a hundred steps in front of the city wall. Looking at this posture, it doesn't look like it's going to attack the city immediately.

"Do you want me to surrender Kaesong on our own initiative?"

The county magistrate of Hanjing County reacted quickly and quickly thought of this possibility.

Feeling insulted, he tried to stand up straight, snorted coldly, and made a righteous and awe-inspiring appearance.

I'd rather die than surrender!

At this moment, the horse team of the thief army under the city suddenly divided into a group of cavalry and went straight to the city. Just when the county magistrate of Hanjing County thought that the other party was going to call for battle or persuade him to surrender, the other party made a request to let the city put a rope basket and take him up.

"What do you mean by that, thief?"

The county magistrate of Hanjing County was a little undecided, and turned his head to look at Mao Baihu and Zhang Fang, the leader of the militia group.

It seems that the thief has something to talk to him.

Will this be an opportunity?

Or is it a thief's trap?

Mao Baihu hesitated for a moment, and said to the county order: "My lord, the situation is already like this, it is better to bring this person up and listen to what they say." He personally led two teams of city defense battalions to guard the side, no matter how outstanding that person's martial arts were, he was only alone after all, so he couldn't play any tricks. ”

"It's fine."

The Hanjing County Commander nodded.

Soon, the rope basket was lowered from the city wall and the man who was as tall as an iron man and was two meters tall was pulled up. Because he was not allowed to carry weapons, the man had to throw the male and female double-stranded swords he carried with him to his men and come up empty-handed.

The officers and soldiers of the surrounding city defense battalions immediately raised their vigilance and stared at this person.

Although the other party is alone, after all, he is from the Taiping bandit army, and his body is so strong, God knows what he is capable of.

"It's called Chen Yunfeng!"

Before he finished speaking, Mao Baihu's face changed, and he was shocked: "You are Lin Yunfeng!" The first martial artist of the Wu'an Lin family! When I went to Wu'an to meet the general of the Protector Army the year before last, I saw you before! ”

Wu Anlin's family!

These four words have a great deterrent effect. The county magistrate of Hanjing County shook his body violently, his eyes widened, and he couldn't believe the identity of the person in front of him.

The first martial artist of the Lin family!

Such a person actually got mixed up with a gang of anti-thieves. Could it be that after the Lin family of the Eight Great Gates was breached in Wu'an City, in order to protect themselves, they actually joined the thieves?

This speculation was so terrifying that several officials and military attachés in Hanjing County were all stunned.

"You have recognized the wrong person, a certain name is Chen Yunfeng, and it has nothing to do with the Lin family!"

Chen Yunfeng's face remained unchanged, and he directly denied Mao Baihu's identification.

"But ......"

Mao Baihu really can't imagine that there will be two people who are so similar in the world, both in physique and appearance. But Chen Yunfeng's denial gave him more hope. After all, if the Taiping army colludes with the Eight Great Lords, the destructive power will be too great.

"Listen! Whether it's Chen Yunfeng or Lin Yunfeng, it doesn't matter. The county order of Hanjing County, a certain one only asks you, do you want to guard this Hanjing County? ”

The county magistrate of Hanjing County was stunned, nodded and said, "That's natural, but if it's ......"

"It's not a surrender!"

Chen Yunfeng directly interrupted him and said, "Our Taiping Army has a brother in Hanjing County, if you hand him over and his family, our Taiping Army will immediately turn around and leave." If we don't see anyone within an hour, our army will immediately attack the city. At that time, from the county order to the people who defend the city, all the people will be killed, and then the city will be set on fire, and the chickens and dogs will not be left! ”

"Who's that man?"

Chen Yunfeng's threat made the county magistrate of Hanjing County very angry, but the conditions proposed by the other party made him even more tempted. Although he should not compromise with the thief in the general sense, he still couldn't help but ask.

"That person's name is ......" Chen Yunfeng recalled Chen Wu's advice, scratched his head and said: "The brewing master of Hanjingfang Wine Shop, Du Chun!" ”

"Du Chun?"

The county magistrate of Hanjing County, Mao Baihu, Zhang Fang and others were all stunned. How could it be him?

The man who ******** wanted to make good wine, didn't go to the cave room on the night of his wedding, and slept in the winery, he must have not seen him out of the Hanjing City Gate for several years, right? How could such a person know a thief?

Wine!

A few people were not stupid, and quickly recovered from their surprise, realizing that the other party's words were just excuses, but they actually fell in love with Du Chun's winemaking skills. At the beginning of this year, when the new wine of Hanjingfang was released, they all drank it, and they knew how good the taste of that wine was, which was comparable to the famous wines such as Zhuyeqing and Jiannanchun of the empire. It's just that limited to this year's famine, there is not much food, and it has not been able to brew a few pots, so that until now, the fame of Hanjingfang is still limited to the local area, and it has not spread much.

This gang of thieves must have heard about Du Chun's Hanjingfang somewhere, so he hit his idea!

What to do?

Wouldn't it be tantamount to pushing Du Chun's family into the fire pit with their eyes in the open? But if you don't agree, what if the thieves really get angry and storm Hanjing County?

At the time of the dilemma, the rebels under the city saw that there was no movement on the city wall, and once again called out the slogan of the Taiping army.

More than 100 archers of the infantry battalion stepped forward under the escort of the shield-wielding infantry army. With nearly thirty Gaochang archers as the vanguard, they lined up an arrow array and stretched their bows towards the officers and soldiers on the city wall. After capturing Wu'an, the Taiping army, which had a large number of craftsmen and resources, was able to wrap a layer of iron on the surface of the original wooden shield, and its defensive power was one step further than before.

was pointed at by these hundred foot archers, and the Hanjing officials and soldiers at the head of the city panicked.

The county commander of Hanjing County, who was at war with heaven and man in his heart, couldn't help but sigh when he saw the clusters of sharp arrows shining with cold light, ready to launch a projectile attack on the city wall at any time. (To be continued.) )