In Xiangyang City, Zhang Xun killed his concubine, cooked the meat and distributed it to the soldiers around him, but he felt a little guilty in his conscience and didn't eat it himself.

The soldiers ate the general's gift with tears in their eyes, vowed to repay with their lives, and each stuck to the city.

The Yong army intensified the siege of Xiangyang, raining cannonballs with artillery on three sides, and all the giant Kong Ming lanterns flew over the city, throwing fierce fire and thunder at the outcropping Tang army.

Since the Yong army attacked the city on three sides with siege ladders, their defense was stretched. Zhang Xun divided the few hundred stone of grain left in the warehouse equally among all the soldiers, so as to inspire them to have the last courage.

Zhang Xun personally guarded the north gate, Nanba and Lei Wanchun held the east gate and the west gate, and the south gate had the natural moat of Hanshui, and the Yong army was only a feint attack at most.

Lei Wanchun was pierced by five or six arrows, he leaned on the pillar at the head of the city, holding a knife in his hand and fighting to the death, there were already Yongjun troops climbing the city wall, the defenders of the city pounced on the enemy and rolled down together, and more people poured into the city.

After several hours of decisive battle, the West City Gate was the first to fall, and all the soldiers defending the city died heroically. Tian Chengji was overjoyed, he thought that this siege battle would last for three or four days, after all, Zhang Xun's gang was so tenacious that even monsters could not resist the powerful enemy of hunger.

But even after the city was broken, Zhang Xun still held on to the danger and refused to give up, and Nanba led the remnants to join him, retreated to the top of the Nancheng Tower, and held out until night.

The southern tower was completely turned into an island, and all the stairs leading to the city wall were destroyed, and only two watchtowers were clustered around the castle tower. In reality, such insistence is meaningless, but they have decided not to surrender.

The Yongjun deliberately cooked at the root of the city wall, and the aroma of rice spread out, wafting to the city tower to torture the stomachs of the soldiers defending the city.

"Hot rice porridge and lamb underneath! As long as you are willing to come down and surrender, all these delicious things are yours, come and eat them. Surrender now and open our net, after tomorrow there will be no chance. ”

That night, dozens of people jumped off the tower, some of them broke and retreated, but they also had a good meal, and many of them ate so quickly that they died of death.

On the morning of the second day, Zhang Xunnan and more than a dozen people were still alone on the city tower, Tian Chengsi suggested to Li Siye that the city tower should be blown down by artillery and Kong Ming lantern bombardment from all sides, but Li Siye loved his talent and had to force Zhang Xun to surrender alive.

So they held out on to the ruined tower for another six days, and even the sound of hunger and moaning gradually disappeared. Tian Chengji sent a few brave soldiers to act as death squads to climb up the stairs with wooden ladders, and saw more than a dozen people dying against the wall. They carried these people down in turn, and Li Siye ordered the military doctor to go to treat them, and basically everyone was hungry to the point of weakness, so they sent people to cook white rice porridge and feed them one by one.

Zhang Xun gradually woke up in a daze, suddenly opened his eyes and rolled out of the straw mat, he supported the ground with both hands to get up, but he felt top-heavy and had no strength in his body, and the two soldiers had already put the knife on his shoulder.

He turned his head to look at his side, and his good brother Nanhachi was also sitting on the ground like him, pressed against the back of his sword by three samurai.

The medical officer hurriedly ran in and scolded several warriors: "On Lao Tzu's territory, how can you wield knives and guns, they are already unarmed and weak, and they can still break through your heavy encirclement and run!" ”

The murderous warriors, who seemed to be quite afraid of the medical officer, put away their steel knives and forks, and turned away from the medical tent.

The medical officer stepped forward to help the two of them up, brought two bowls of decoction, and handed them to take them.

Zhang Xuntie asked with a blushing face, "Are you a medical officer sent by Li Siye?" We would rather die than receive its favor. ”

The medical officer sighed and said expressionlessly: "I am a doctor, I only care about treating diseases and saving people, and I have nothing to do with loyalty or enemy." ”

"If you don't distinguish between loyalty and treachery, you still help and abuse after all."

The medical officer sat cross-legged on the ground and laughed: "Those of us who are medical officers, who cares who is the emperor, as long as there are fewer deaths and no more blood is shed, why should I care." ”

……

After the two were recuperated, they were immediately transferred to the rear with an ink cart, and Li Siye placed them in the former Huainan Jiedu Envoy's Mansion in Nanyang County, the environment was elegant and quiet, the building was magnificent, and the dozen or so of their surviving subordinates who had not descended were also arranged in nearby houses. It's heavily guarded, but it's just a relatively large birdcage.

Li Siye arranged three groups of people to persuade him to surrender, the first group of people were Yan Zhuang and Gao Shang, the chief of staff of Jiannan, and the two put forward Li Siye's promise to the high-ranking officials Houlu, as well as the beauties of the mansion, and even the wife and shadow of the son, to promote the family. It's a pity that Zhang Xun has a will to die and always has a cold eyebrow.

He invited Zhang Xun's mother and patriarch over again, and the mother and son wept and were speechless. The old patriarch with a goatee persuaded him in front of him: "You sacrificed your life to stick to Xiangyang, and fought until the last person was defeated and captured, you are already worthy of the Tang Dynasty Sheji and the emperor's grace, and now that you are in a desperate situation, it is time to turn around." ”

Zhang Xun looked out the window with resolute eyes, and said in a cold voice: "With my enthusiasm, I have already decided to flow for the Tang Society, and I will never switch to the second master." If the old man is worried about being implicated by me, then please take the initiative to mark me out of the family tree and kick Zhang Xun out of the clan.

The patriarch hid his face and left, how dare he do this kind of thing, the whole world admires Zhang Xun's loyalty, his branch may not be able to produce a figure like Zhang Xun for thousands of years in the future, Zhang Xun alone is enough to make him Puzhou Zhang's family heard in the world of Kyushu.

The third group of people arranged by Li Siye was even more painstaking, he visited Puzhou, invited Zhang Xun's mentor to solve his doubts, and asked him to persuade him to surrender, this thought already has the flavor of Wen Tianxiang.

It's just that Zhang Xun still doesn't change his original intention, and he is also cold to his mentor and treats it indifferently.

Li Siye stood on the top of the attic not far from the mansion, and after Zhang Xun's mentor retreated, he came to Li Siye's side and said helplessly: "The king forgives his sins, the sinner Zhang Xun's heart is like an iron stone, and he can't burn it even if he is afraid of fire." ”

Li Siye snorted contemptuously: "Get out!" ”

He walked up the stairs and stood at the highest point of the entire Huainan Jiedu Envoy's Mansion, with a panoramic view of the staggered buildings below the attic. The house where Zhang Xun was under house arrest was at his feet, looking down and looking through the window, he saw Zhang Xun sitting in front of the desk in front of the window, holding the book in both hands and slowly turning the pages, and he would smile indifferently when he saw the place where he knew.

This is not like a dying man in prison, but like a sage who lives in seclusion in the mountains and forests. There is a way that is tolerant and great, and there is no desire to be strong, there seems to be nothing in this world that this person is afraid of, and people who can even eat human flesh are really terrifying.

Unless the monks who abandon the wealth and prosperity and escape into the empty door, any mortal should have **. But what is the ** of a person like Zhang Xun? Li Siye doesn't believe that he only has a pure loyalty, but this ** is not contrary to loyalty.

"I see," Li Siye suddenly realized, and said to himself with a smile: "It turns out that you are asking for a lot." ”

He said to Yan Zhuang and Gao who were standing beside him: "Go and prepare a linen cloth dress for me, and I will meet this Zhang Xun for a while." ”

"My lord." Gao Shang hurriedly crossed his hands and said: "This Zhang Xun is no more than a scholar, the lord can't condescend to meet him, this person is not afraid of death, but he is afraid of colliding with the lord." ”

"It's okay, this bit of energy is still there."