It's just that at this moment, everyone's eyes are on Fang La, as the master of Manichaeism, no matter what opinions Lou Minzhong, Lu Shinang, or Li Tianyan and others have, it will ultimately depend on Fang La's decision.

Fang La, who was groaning, swept his gaze over the crowd, and finally said slowly: "Avoid Jiaxing City, as long as Chu Yi's subordinates don't take the initiative to attack our Manichaean people, I, Manichaeism, will retreat from them." ”

Hearing Fang La say this, Li Tianyan and the others breathed a sigh of relief slightly, although it sounded very aggrieved to Chu Yi for retreating, but it was better than losing his life.

And Lu Shinang, Lou Minzhong and the others had a gloomy face, looking at Fang La's eyes with a little disappointment, obviously very disappointed in Fang La's decision.

Seeing the expressions of Lou Minzhong and the others, Fang La sighed secretly in his heart, didn't he want to take such a nail as Jiaxing City, it was because of the existence of Jiaxing City that the connection between Hangzhou City and Suzhou City was not so stable, if he could, he would definitely take Jiaxing City without hesitation.

On the issue of Chu Yi's department, Fang La made a decision, no matter how disappointed Lou Minzhong and the others were, it was not good to say anything, after all, as subordinates, it was not good for them to force Fang La to change their minds, right.

Lu Shibao took a step forward and said: "It's okay for my Manichaeism to retreat from Chu Yi's department, but the upcoming imperial army still asks the king to make up his mind, how should we deal with it." ”

Needless to say, the imperial army in Lu Shinang's mouth is Zhang Shuye's department.

As the governor of Pingnan, Zhang Shuye led the imperial army to come this time, which can be said to be a mobilization of the army, plus the auxiliary local army, etc., adding up to no less than 100,000 people.

The court is so enthusiastic that it can be said that the world is a sensation, not to mention Manichaeism, which has been watching every move of the imperial court.

Just when the imperial court made a decision, the Manichaean spies lurking in the capital had already sent the news out, and by the time Uncle Zhang sent troops out at night, the Manichaean sect in the south of the Yangtze River had already received the news.

Regarding how to deal with the soldiers and horses of Uncle Zhang's night department, in fact, there have been discussions between the Manichaean high-level more than once or twice, and in the face of the soldiers and horses of Uncle Zhang's night department, there are not too many differences between the Manichaean high-level people, and the unanimous opinion is to rise up to fight.

Chu Yi's subordinates stayed in Jiaxing City and didn't care about some of the actions of Manichaeism, which made Manichaeism faintly aware of something.

Combined with the rumors of discord between Chu Yi and Zhao Ji in the Jingshi, Fang La and the others faintly felt that Chu Yi's actions had a faint meaning of self-respect, and at the same time, when Fang La and the others realized this, they were inexplicably relieved in their hearts.

But Uncle Zhang's department is different, Uncle Zhang's attitude towards local bandits in Qingzhou is very tough, which can be seen from the fact that during Zhang Shuye's tenure as the prefect of Qingzhou, he almost eradicated the bandits in Qingzhou.

Therefore, Chu Yi's subordinates raised Kou Zizun and ignored them, but Uncle Zhang came here at night because it was not good.

At this moment, Lou Minzhong and Lu Shisang once again mentioned the matter of Uncle Zhang's subordinates in Jiangnan, and Fang La's eyes flashed with a gleam and stared at Lou Minzhong and said, "Where has Uncle Zhang's subordinates arrived now?" ”

Lou Minzhong said immediately: "According to the news from yesterday, Uncle Zhang's night station has arrived in Nanjing, and at most half a month can approach the periphery of Suzhou, and there is not much time left for us. ”

Fang La bowed slightly: "Uncle Zhang's department went straight to Suzhou non-stop, originally to relieve the siege of Suzhou, but he was afraid that he couldn't imagine that my Manichaeism was one step ahead of him to capture Suzhou City, but I don't know what choice Uncle Zhang would make at night when Suzhou fell?" ”

Brushing his beard, Lu Shinang, as one of Fang La's think tanks, said to Fang La with a confident look: "King, from the perspective of his subordinates, if Uncle Zhang learns the news of the fall of Suzhou, the most likely thing is to turn to Yangzhou, and then take Zhenjiang as the front, and then he can completely encircle and suppress our people from all walks of life in Jiangnan step by step." ”

Lou Minzhong nodded on the side and said: "Yes, in the case of the fall of Suzhou, Uncle Zhang will definitely not be running to Suzhou, as Brother Lu said, Uncle Zhang will only turn to Yangzhou." ”

Fang La nodded with satisfaction and said: "The two important towns of Suzhou and Hangzhou have fallen into our hands, and it can be said that one-third of the land south of the Yangtze River has fallen into our hands. ”

While the Manichaean high-level was judging what kind of reaction Zhang Shuye might make next, under Zhang Shuye's urging, the imperial army had already passed through Nanjing and was heading towards Suzhou City, as Manichaeism said.

On this day, the army was encamped outside a town, and saw a fast horse galloping towards him, but everyone who saw the fast horse was in their hearts.

In the handsome tent that had just been set up, Zhang Shuye was asking about the arrangements of his generals' camps, after all, he had now entered the land south of the Yangtze River, and even entered the range of activities of Manichaeism, although Zhang Shuye had sprinkled hundreds of elite spies to spread the search range to a radius of more than ten miles, but with Zhang Shuye's caution, he was very concerned about the camp.

After all, once attacked at night, the camp is the biggest reliance, if the camp is not well established, then what soldiers to bring, what kind of battle.

A rush of footsteps sounded outside the tent, and the brothers Zhang Bofen and Zhang Zhongxiong, who were dressed in armor, couldn't help frowning.

Zhang Bofen strode out of the handsome tent, looked at the eyes of several people outside the tent and couldn't help but stare and shouted: "You are in such a hurry, what do you want to see the handsome." ”

Several envoys had beads of sweat on their foreheads, and at this time they glanced at Zhang Bofen, and one of the leaders stepped forward and saluted Zhang Bofen and said, "This general, please also ask the commander to present an urgent military situation." ”

At this time, Uncle Zhang's voice came from the tent, "Please let them in." ”

Zhang Bofen opened his body, and several messengers walked into the tent, and when they saw Uncle Zhang sitting there, several people stepped forward and bowed respectfully and said, "I have seen the governor of Pingnan." ”

Uncle Zhang flicked his hand and said: "A few people don't have to be formal, just now this governor heard a few people say that there is an urgent military situation, I don't know what kind of military situation?" ”

The leader hurriedly took out a secret letter from his bosom and presented it to Zhang Bofen and said, "The military report is here, and the governor will know it when he sees it." ”

Uncle Zhang took the military newspaper, and when he saw the content of the military newspaper, Uncle Zhang couldn't help frowning, with a little anger in his expression, and slammed the table and said: "Pang Wending is really a waste, and a place like Suzhou can even allow Manichaean rebels to attack." ”

It can be seen how strong the anger in Zhang Shuye's heart is, you must know that this expedition, Zhang Shuye has already made a calculation, the situation in the land of Jiangnan is not erosive to the point of being out of control, especially Chu Yi's first war suppressed the rise of Manichaeism, if not, I am afraid that most of the Jiangnan will be eroded.

Several major towns in the south of the Yangtze River, such as Nanjing, Suzhou, Yangzhou, Hangzhou and other places, only Hangzhou fell to the city, as long as he could lead the army to Suzhou, and then down the Grand Canal, facing the Manichaean rebels entrenched in Hangzhou, it was completely overwhelming.

But the premise is that Suzhou City, an important town in the south of the Yangtze River, must be in the hands of the imperial court, and Pang Wending, as the prefect of Suzhou City, can be said to be able to defend the entire Suzhou City, which depends entirely on Pang Wending's ability.

The imperial court around Suzhou City almost all retreated into Suzhou City when the Manichaeans raised troops, so the strength of the imperial court in Suzhou City was not bad at all, otherwise it would not have been able to hold out for so long under the siege of Manichaeism.

But if you defend it for a long time, Suzhou City was finally broken by Manichaeism, Pang Wending escaped from Suzhou City, which is okay, there is a court to punish Pang Wending, the key is that Suzhou City, which was selected by Zhang Shuye as the forefront of suppressing the Jiangnan rebellion, suddenly fell into the hands of Manichaeism.

Zhang Shuye's previous overall plan completely collapsed because of the fall of Suzhou City, otherwise, Zhang Shuye would not be so angry.

Mo said that it was Uncle Zhang's night, and even several generals in this handsome tent couldn't help but show stunned looks on their faces when they heard this.

In the big tent, a figure was sitting there moving, with a calm look on his expression, and at the moment he was brushing his gray beard, and sighed slightly: "It seems that Manichaeism is not a group of rabble, there are still capable people in this Manichaeism." ”

When Uncle Zhang heard this person's words, he immediately turned his fist into this person and said, "Zongtong's judgment is reasonable, and it is quite surprising that Manichaeism can break through Suzhou. ”

Zong Ze was originally sentenced to Dengzhou, but not long ago, because he offended the powerful, he was almost thrown off the official and questioned, but fortunately, Uncle Zhang got the will of the Son of Heaven at night and could recruit good generals from all over the world to enter Beijing.

Uncle Zhang and Zong Ze are also old friends, so Zong Ze was recruited into the Pingnan army.

Zong Ze is extraordinary in terms of talent and military attainments, although his own cultivation is not too strong, but he is not the kind of person who has no power to restrain the chicken, although he is over sixty years old, he still has the enthusiasm to serve the country.

This choice to use Suzhou as the front line to suppress the Manichaean rebellion was agreed upon by Zong Ze and Zhang Shuye, but they never thought that before they arrived in Suzhou, Suzhou City would have fallen.

After asking the envoys about the current situation in Suzhou Prefecture, Zhang Shuye, Zong Ze and others had a detailed understanding of how Suzhou fell.

It was precisely because the Manichaeans could not attack for a long time that the court officials in the originally united Suzhou City suddenly relaxed, and even because a large number of officials from various counties around Suzhou City fled into the city, Suzhou City gathered a large number of officials.

These officials honestly did not make any trouble in the precarious situation of Suzhou City, but after a period of time, they seemed to feel that the Manichaean thieves outside the city were nothing more than this, and it was impossible to break through Suzhou City, so many officials sprouted in a solid state.

Even the grain donated by the gentry in the city was so greedy that the soldiers defending the city could not even eat.

In this case, the morale of the soldiers who defended the city of Suzhou can be imagined, so after the arrival of the general Shi Bao, it was just a blow, and many of the soldiers who defended the city of Suzhou who had plummeted their morale did not even have the strength to wave the weapons in their hands because they could not eat enough, but in half a day, the city of Suzhou was breached.

waved his hand and ordered his soldiers to take those messengers down to rest, and there were few people in the tent, so he heard Uncle Zhang gritted his teeth and said: "I really deserve to be killed, these corrupt officials really want money and don't want to die, it's not a pity to die." ”

Zong Zehu said with a face: "If they die, they will die, but it is the fall of Suzhou City, Pang Wending should be killed, should be killed." ”

In Zong Ze's view, Suzhou City fell, as the prefect Pang Wending should at least account for more than half of the responsibility, as the most powerful one in Suzhou City, anything that happened in the city could never escape Pang Wending's attention, but in this case, it was possible to have the salaries and grain of the soldiers defending the city being deducted, it is conceivable that if there was no Pang Wending's acquiescence and even Pang Wending's personal participation, how could this kind of thing happen.

Venting his anger, Zong Ze looked at Uncle Zhang and said, "Now that Suzhou City has fallen, the plan we agreed to take Suzhou Mansion as the frontier has to be changed. ”

Uncle Zhang stroked his beard at night, his eyes swept over the table in front of him, a map on the table was spread there, and he stretched out his hand and pointed to a place on the map and said: "Since Suzhou has fallen, then we will turn to Yangzhou, take Yangzhou as the front, and exterminate the Manichaean rebels." ”

Zong Ze nodded and said: "For today's plan, it can only be like this, if Yangzhou fails, half of the south of the Yangtze River will be in danger." ”

The words fell, but Zong Ze's eyes flashed with a fierce color, and he looked at Uncle Zhang and said, "Ji Zhong, can you dare to fight?" ”

Hearing Zong Ze's words, Uncle Zhang was slightly stunned and looked at Zong Ze in surprise.

I heard Zong Ze's voice say in a low voice: "What you and I can think of, people who want to come to Manichaeism can also think of it, you said that if the Manichaean people think that we will go to Yangzhou, but we don't change our plans and still go to Suzhou City......

Uncle Zhang's eyes flashed with a bright light, and he clapped his hands and exclaimed: "Wonderful, Zong Tong is really a person who wakes up in a dream, everyone thinks that we will go to Yangzhou, but we are going to Suzhou, and when the time comes, we will definitely be able to catch Suzhou City by surprise, and at least half of the certainty that Suzhou City can be recaptured." ”

Zong Ze said with a smile: "Half of the hope is worth fighting, Ji Zhong, as the commander of the first army, what choice you make, everything is up to you." ”

As Zhang Shuye made a decision, on the second day, the imperial army, one of them changed its route under the banner of covering the sky and the sun, and went straight to Yangzhou, but one of them stayed, day and night, all the way to Suzhou City.

Suzhou City

As a state city that has just been taken, Manichaeism's control of Suzhou City is more superficial, and it is not a complete occupation of Suzhou City at all.

In order to celebrate the capture of Suzhou City, Fang Xiang, as the commander of the army, ordered a feast for several days, and it can be said that the Manichaean people celebrated in Suzhou City for several days before they were born.

As one of the most powerful people under the appearance, Shi Bao's days in Suzhou City are called a comfortable ah, the land of Jiangnan Water Town, especially Suzhou City, is a gathering of Jiangnan Lingxiu, and the daughter's family here is called a water spirit.

The words of the gentle township hero mound are true, but it is only a few days of hard work, and the high-level Manichaean leaders hug each other left and right, enjoying the glamorous blessings.

This night, on the high city wall of Suzhou City, sparse figures kept yawning against the wall battlements, and some people even slept directly against the wall battlements.

Anyway, even if you fall asleep, there will be no punishment, but it is conceivable that in this atmosphere, there are a few people who will be loyal to resist there.

There was a faint movement under the city, as if something was approaching, if these soldiers defending the city could cheer up, the custodian could detect the movement outside the city, but unfortunately the soldiers on the city wall did not have the slightest vigilance.

Several figures quietly appeared on the city wall, and the people at the head were Zhang Bofen, Han Shizhong and other carefully selected military experts.

With a sweep of his eyes, Zhang Bofen made a gesture at Han Shizhong and the others, and soon on a section of the city wall, more than a dozen city guards lost their lives silently.

One rope after another hung down, and the officers and soldiers under the city were quietly climbing up along the ropes, while Han Shizhong and Zhang Bofen were reaping the lives of the soldiers guarding the city on the city wall with their deep cultivation.

Whether it is Han Shizhong or Zhang Bofen, they are both the strongest in the Great Song Army, and in the huge city of Suzhou, there are few generals on the Manichaean side who are their opponents, but it is conceivable that in this case, if they can still alarm the soldiers on the city wall, it will be a strange thing.

However, there are so many officers and soldiers, it is impossible for all of them to be so smooth, one of the officers and soldiers accidentally slipped off the city wall, and the screams of falling to the ground resounded in all directions in the middle of the night, which immediately alarmed the remaining soldiers defending the city.

The guards who woke up from their sleep shouted loudly almost reflexively, and then someone found that the officers and soldiers who had lit up the torches outside the city couldn't help screaming: "Enemy attack, enemy attack ......"

Soon, most of the city of Suzhou was alarmed by the movement on the city wall, and when Fang Xiang, Shi Bao and other high-ranking Manichaean generals crawled out of the pile of fat powder, the city gate had been opened violently, and a large number of officers and soldiers poured in.

Dressed neatly, Shi Bao, who had gathered a group of pro-soldiers, had not had time to figure out what was going on, and a rain of arrows fell in front of him.

The big knife in his hand danced, and the rain of arrows in the sky was all blocked by it, and his eyes were condensed and shouted: "Who dares to steal the city, your grandfather Shibao is here, and he will not get off the horse and die." ”