Five days later, the 17,000-strong army arrived outside the city of Hedong and began to set up camp.

Jiang Hong and Li Xing, with a part of the guards, went to survey the terrain to see how they could recover the city at the lowest cost.

But after the two of them turned around, they both frowned in unison.

Because Hedong City is the seat of the Governor's Mansion of Hedong Province, it is equivalent to the current provincial capital.

Built on the side of the mountain and water, it is not only majestic and tall, but also has a moat that is 30 meters wide.

What Li Xing didn't expect was that between the outer city wall and the moat, there was also a defensive urn city.

In ancient times, when siege equipment was scarce, if you want to break through such a city, you will pay a great price for a strong attack.

"Lao Li, things are very strange, Hedong City is so strong, and there are no traces of battle on the outside, how can the White Lotus Sect be able to break through the outcasts?"

After walking around the outside of the city, Jiang Hong asked the doubts in his heart.

"Your Highness, what you said is redundant, someone can connive at the Heavenly God Sect to take root in the northwest, and naturally there will be people who secretly echo the White Lotus Sect."

Jiang Hong saw that Li Xing's opinion was the same as the guess in his heart.

Jiang Hong nodded: "Sure enough, what the hero saw is slightly the same, it seems that the White Lotus Sect's occupation of Hedong City this time is not an accidental event, it should be a serial plan with the court's last forced palace, but the father emperor did not have an accident and broke their plan." ”

Speaking of fighting here, Jiang Hong thought of Emperor Yuan Kang's words, the governor of Hedong was his father's man, but he was killed.

This is even clearer.

The White Lotus Sect conspired with some families or the rise of the White Lotus Sect should be the same as in the northwest, which was secretly funded by some families.

At this moment, Jiang Hong could be regarded as understanding why his father was angry when he heard that he was going to lead troops to suppress bandits.

If you want to recover this fortified city, you can't take it without 50,000 soldiers and horses.

Now he only has 17,000, which is indeed very difficult.

Seeing that Li Xing didn't reply to him just now, he touched Li Xing's arm and said, "Lao Li, what you said before is to attack the heart first, and the siege is supplementary, can you tell me in detail?" ”

"Then let's go back to the camp and talk about it in detail."

Li Xing didn't expect that the defense of Hedong City would be stronger than any other city of the same level.

There is a wide moat and an urn city, and even if you use a strategy to attack the heart, you need to plan carefully so that you can be foolproof.

"Okay."

Jiang Hong responded.

So they returned to the camp.

Arrived at the camp of the Chinese army.

Jiang Hong couldn't wait to ask Li Xing how to attack his heart.

Li Xing explained his thoughts in detail.

It is nothing more than using arrows to shoot some written leaflets into it, telling the people and victims inside that the imperial court's suppression of bandits is not aimed at the common people, but at the White Lotus Sect anti-thieves.

He told them that the court had found a cure for smallpox and that it was free of charge.

All they had to do was to leave the city and come to the side of the imperial army.

It's just that when Li Xing finished speaking, Jiang Hong was a little disappointed: "Lao Li, I thought you had some brilliant ideas!" Your method is of little use, how many literate people can there be? Those White Lotus Sect rebels, as long as they are controlled, the common people may not be able to hear a little bit about this matter. ”

"Your Highness, don't worry! You hear me finish the full plan. ”

Li Xing naturally knew what Jiang Hong said.

But the plan must be a series of plans, and it must not be one.

Especially in another world, a certain battle to overthrow the old world is a victory for propaganda.

So Li Xing decided to follow suit.

After all, the grain and grass they brought this time was enough for the army to consume for half a month, and the night before the expedition, the emperor and Xing Guogong made a promise that during their arrival in Hedong City and stationing, grain would be transported from the nearby state capitals one after another.

So they now have enough time to create public opinion.

"Then you say it quickly, I'm dying, do you know, if we don't make any achievements this time, it will be very troublesome in the future."

Jiang Hong urged.

Of course Li Xing knows.

If the two fail this time, the family and the local powerful faction will feel that the two guards of the court are nothing more than that.

I am afraid that there will be another world in Great Xia, the situation of the central government being unable to control the localities in the late Eastern Han Dynasty or the late Tang Dynasty, and the warlords fighting each other.

If that is the case, the good country will inevitably collapse, and the common people will be even worse than they are now.

This is what Li Xing does not want to see.

So Li Xing is trying to change all this at this time.

"You forgot the horn, after we round the leaflet into the city, let the soldiers around Hedong City read out the contents of it loudly with the loudspeaker, as long as the displaced people or people defending the city hear it, it will be spread ten, ten to hundred, so that the whole city of the displaced people know."

"In the past few days when we are attacking the heart, we have sent fast horses to inform the marching soldiers who are treating the village, and let them pay attention to whether there are people in the village who have followed the White Lotus Sect thieves into the city, so that they can show up and say that as long as the people in the city believe that we can cure smallpox, Hedong City will not be attacked."

"Haha, Lao Li, no wonder I said that you didn't object to leaving some soldiers and marching soldiers, it turns out that you have already thought of this."

Jiang Hong suddenly saw Li Xing say this, so he relaxed and smiled.

……

Hedong Governor's Palace.

At this time, the head of the White Lotus Sect and the governor and admiral of Hedong sat separately.

White Lotus Sect Leader Chen Xiulian looked at the two people who came early in the morning: "Isn't it just the 20,000 military horses of the Kyoto Guard?" With more than 100,000 believers of my White Lotus Sect, as well as 5,000 men and horses under the two of you, plus the moat and the strong city in Hedong, it is simply wishful thinking for the prince to take it in a short time. ”

"Why are you two so anxious?"

"Sect Leader Chen, what you said does have some truth, but now that there is a smallpox epidemic in the city, the people are panicking, and this morning, the prince and they shot these leaflets into the city, and I am worried that something will happen."

The governor of Hedong regretted it a little at this time, and for the sake of those people's illusory promises, he cooperated with them to rebel against the imperial court.

But he also knew that it was useless to regret it, and the only thing he could do now was to hold Hedong City and force the prince to retreat.

As long as the person who promised him ascends to the throne, he will have a way to live.

"What flyer?"

The White Lotus Sect Leader was obviously stunned, obviously she hadn't received the news yet.

The governor of Hedong glanced at Wu Yi, the governor of Hedong.

Wu Yi understood in seconds, took out the leaflet presented by the people below today, got up and took two steps forward and handed it to the White Lotus Sect Master: "That's it, preach that it can cure smallpox epidemic, and ensure that these people go out of the city for free treatment, and they will not be held accountable for attacking the government and leaving the village without authorization." ”

After the White Lotus Sect Leader took it, after carefully reading the above content, she had been calm, and her face also showed solemnity.

He looked at Wu Yi and asked, "Admiral Wu, are there many of these leaflets?" Have they all been confiscated? ”