After the battle, Song Jingang came to inspect the battlefield. Zhang Da was escorted over by several soldiers. His helmet was gone, his hair was disheveled, and his face was covered in dust. Song Jingang stared at him, snorted coldly, and said, "Five hundred foot soldiers, you dare to confront my army, such a reckless man, what's the use of keeping him?" Pull it down and cut it! ”

The reason why Song Jingang wanted to kill Zhang Da was not because he thought Zhang Da was a reckless man as he said on the surface, but because he had just read the battle report, although the 500 Tang troops were all annihilated, his cavalry had lost more than 600 people. Fighting with cavalry, occupying a favorable position, and suffering such heavy losses, he couldn't help but be angry and moved to kill.

As soon as the soldiers heard this, they pulled Zhang Da and were about to leave. Zhang Da broke free from the soldier's hand and shouted to Song Jingang, who turned around and wanted to leave: "Wait, General Song, I can help you take Jiexiu." ”

When Song Jingang heard this, he turned to look at him, and said in disbelief: "Really? Zhang Da looked directly at the other party and nodded heavily. Song Jingang raised his hand and ordered: "Untie up!" When the soldiers heard this, they immediately untied the shackles on Zhang Da's body.

Zhang Da suffered several injuries, two of which were still bleeding, and he did his best. He was unwilling to betray Datang, however, for the sake of his wife and children, he had to live. So, he had no choice. Song Jingang asked Junzhong Langzhong to bandage his wounds, and then took him to Zhongjun's tent.

After Zhang Da told his plan, Song Jingang was overjoyed when he heard it, and immediately transferred 500 soldiers, asked the soldiers to change into the clothes of the Tang Army, led by Zhang Da, and rushed to Jiexiu City, while Song Jingang led the army to follow.

After a night's march, Zhang Da led the team to Jiexiu City the next day. He took out the token from his bosom and said that he was sent by the king of Qi to lead the men and horses to help defend the city. The gatekeeper happened to know him, believed it, and opened the gate and let them in. The soldiers quickly occupied the city gates and welcomed Song Jingang's army into the city. In this way, Song Jingang easily took Jiexiu City.

On this day, Li Zhiyun and the fourth brother were talking about the military situation in the lobby, and Liu Dewei walked in, hugged his fists and said: "Report to the two princes, Jiexiu has lost." When the fourth brother heard this, he was shocked: "What's the matter?" ”

"Zhang Da surrendered after the defeat at Yellow Snake Ridge, and Qiao, the man who led Song Jingang, disguised himself as our army and opened the city gate by fraud."

When the fourth brother heard this, he stood up and patted the case, gritting his teeth: "This bastard, if it falls into the hands of this king, he must be broken into pieces!" Li Zhiyun looked up at the fourth brother, "What should we do?" The fourth brother pondered for a moment and said, "You must take back Jiexiu City!" The king himself went out and led his troops to attack Jiexiu. Li Zhiyun heard this, and hurriedly said: "Then I will go with you too!" The fourth brother looked at him and nodded.

The next day, the fourth brother gathered more than 10,000 soldiers and horses on the military drill ground in the suburbs, burned incense to worship, and beat drums to swear. After tossing and turning, he gave an order, and the army immediately opened and rushed to the front. Li Zhiyun asked Scarface to take the 2,000 men of the "Women's Army" and set out with the army.

After a rapid march of two days and one night, the Tang army came to the outside of Jiexiu City three days later and was stationed in Dusuoyuan, outside the city.

The terrain of Dusuoyuan is higher, it is an open land with a flat river, and the Jiexiu City is three or four miles away from the Jieshan Mountain. Looking from Dusuoyuan, it is condescending, and everything in Jiexiu City is in full view.

After the army set up camp, Li Zhiyun followed the fourth brother out of the barracks and came to a place with a wide line of sight to observe the situation in Jiexiu City. I saw flags waving on the city wall, soldiers lined up neatly, the armor on their bodies and weapons in their hands, shining dazzlingly in the sunlight. It seems that Song Jingang is ready to defend the city. Li Zhiyun said with a smile: "If a dozen cannons are set up here, it won't take an hour, and Jiexiu City will be in ruins."

"Cannons? What is a cannon called? The fourth brother asked inexplicably.

"It's a long-range weapon."

"Oh, I see, isn't it a trebuchet?"

"It's a bit like a trebuchet. However, cannons have a longer range than trebuchets, and projectiles that land on the ground can explode, damaging buildings and killing people. ”

"Wow, that's amazing?" The fourth brother was surprised, "Then you hurry up and make it, and when we have a cannon, it will be much more convenient for us to fight in the future." ”

After the Tang army rested for a day, on the second day, the fourth brother ordered 3,000 soldiers and horses, came to the east gate of Jiexiu City, lined up in formation, and then asked the soldiers to call the formation. The soldiers cried for a while, and when they saw that the city gates were not opened, they began to use foul language and curse. Eventually, the gates opened, and three thousand soldiers and horses rushed out of the city, lined up, and put on a posture of duel between men and women.

The fourth brother held the horse lance in his hand and drove the horse forward. A general also rushed out of the opponent's formation, with bright armor all over his body, and a bright big knife in his hand.

"Who is coming? Give your name. The fourth brother shouted.

"He is a general under the account of Emperor Tianxing, and Ma Tai is also."

"Nameless rat, let Song Jingang come out and answer."

"King Song is a noble daughter, how can he move lightly? Who are you? ”

"This king, Li Yuanji, first take the head of your unknown junior, and then go to Song Jingang to settle accounts!" The fourth brother said, stepped forward on the horse, raised the horse lance and chopped it, and the enemy general hurriedly raised his sword to resist. The fourth brother was strong and brave, and the two sides only fought for seven or eight rounds, and the opponent was swept off the horse by him.

As soon as Li Zhiyun saw the opportunity coming, he immediately ordered the drum to attack. As soon as the drums of war sounded, 3,000 soldiers rushed forward with shouts, and the enemy and us fought together. Not long after the battle, the enemy army could not support it, and retreated into the city in defeat, closing the city gates.

The next day, the Tang army went to challenge again, but Song Jingang closed the door and hung up the war-free card. The fourth brother had no choice but to order the siege of the city. However, the strength of the Tang army did not occupy much advantage, and after attacking for a few days, little progress was made, and the battle fell into a stalemate.

At dusk that day, Li Zhiyun followed the fourth brother to inspect the barracks, and the group walked to the east of the camp, which is close to Jieshan. He saw a dozen soldiers come out of the valley carrying buckets. The fourth brother also saw it, and pointed with a horsewhip: "What's going on?" A general next to him replied: "The terrain is too high to dig a well to get water, so we have to go to the mountain stream to fetch water." ”

The fourth brother suddenly became interested, turned his head to Li Zhiyun and said, "Fifth brother, let's go over and have a look." The group followed the path where the soldiers carried water and walked up the hillside. They had walked about two miles before they heard the sound of the spring water.

When they approached, they saw a mountain stream coming down the mountain, and the spring water rushed to a huge pebble, forming a pool. The water swirled here and then went down to .......

The forest here is lush, the birds are singing and the flowers are fragrant, and the environment is beautiful. The fourth brother walked to the edge of the pool, squatted down and took a sip of water with both hands. The spring water is clear, and the sand and gravel at the bottom of the water are clearly visible.

"Fifth brother, the water of this mountain stream is very cool, why don't you come and taste it?"

Li Zhiyun smiled and shook his head. He raised his eyes and saw that the surrounding mountains were stacked on top of each other, and the scenery was beautiful, which was a good place for tourism and leisure. The fourth brother washed his face with water again, stood up and shook off the water droplets in his hands, and said, "If it weren't for the war, this king would have led people to set up camp in this mountain and hunt happily." They left the waterhole and returned to the barracks, where they continued to patrol the fortifications.

Two days later, Li Zhiyun was discussing the military situation with the fourth brother in the Chinese military tent, and the general hurriedly walked in, hugged his fists and said: "Tell the two princes that the water of the mountain stream you saw that day has been cut off. When the fourth brother heard this, he was surprised: "What's the matter?" ”

"It is estimated that Song Jingang cut off the water source."

"This bastard!" The fourth brother scolded, turned his head to Li Zhiyun and said, "Fifth brother, let's go over and have a look." ”

They led the people to the waterhole, and sure enough, they saw that the water of the mountain stream was gone, and the waterhole was already very shallow, and there was not much spring water in it, and now only a layer of black silt remained. The fourth brother looked up at the surrounding mountains and said, "Are there any other water sources near here?" ”

"No one has been sent to look for it, and no other water sources have been found."

"How can an army of more than 10,000 people do without water? Look for it a little further away. ”

"Yes!"

The next day, the general came to report that twenty or thirty miles away there was a river called the Jiehe. There is a large beach on the riverside, and the terrain is flat enough to garrison troops. When the fourth brother heard this, he was overjoyed and said, "Pull out the camp early tomorrow morning and go to Jiehe." When Li Zhiyun heard this, he was a little worried: "Let's go there and set up camp, is it far away from Jiexiu City?" ”

"No," the general said, "The King of Chu doesn't know that Du Suo Yuan is in the northeast of Jiexiu, and Jiehe is in the southwest of Jiexiu, and the distance between the two is not too much difference from Jiexiu City." ”

Li Zhiyun listened to his explanation, and then he was relieved.

In the early morning of the next day, the army set up camp and marched along a dirt road in the direction of the Jiehe River. After walking for about a stick of incense, they came to a valley. Li Zhiyun rode on the horse and looked, oh, the terrain here is too dangerous. The valley is about ten zhang wide, and there are big mountains on both sides, the mountains are rugged, the peaks and peaks are mountainous, and the mountains are densely wooded and overgrown with weeds.

Li Zhiyun tightened the reins, reined in the war horse and said, "What kind of place is this?" Cai Hu on the side said: "The lower official has checked the map, and this place is called Hulukou." ”

Gourd mouth? An ominous place name! Li Zhiyun asked again: "How long is this valley?" ”

"About seven or eight miles."

At this time, the fourth brother led someone to catch up from behind, and he drove his horse to him: "What's the matter, fifth brother?" How did it stop? Li Zhiyun looked at the mountains on both sides of the valley, frowned, and said, "Fourth brother, the terrain here is unfavorable to me, can I go around?" ”。

"There are mountains all around, how do you get around?"

"Then, send soldiers to search the mountains on both sides to confirm that there is no ambush, and then it is not too late to pass."

"In one more move, Song Jingang is trapped in Jiexiu City, how to set up an ambush here?"

Li Zhiyun wanted to say something, but the fourth brother was undoubted: "I will lead the army first, and you will lead the people behind!" "Then he beat the horse and left. Li Zhiyun looked at the back of the fourth brother and was stunned, and Scarface saw that his brows were tightly locked, and his heart was uneasy, so he drove over and said: "Yes, King Chu, Song Jingang is surrounded in Jiexiu City, how can he withdraw from this ambush?" Are you being overly careful? ”

However, Li Zhiyun still couldn't rest assured. He had seen a lot of war movies in his previous life, and the terrain here was too suitable for ambushes. As the saying goes, if you are not afraid of 10,000, you are afraid of what happens, it is better to be cautious. He pondered for a moment, then turned to Scarface and said, "Let's not go into the valley first, divide your people into two and guard the two sides of the valley mouth." If the fourth brother successfully passes through the valley, it will not be too late for us to go over. If they encounter an ambush, you must hold the valley so that my fourth brother can come out. ”

When Scarface heard this, he immediately clenched his fists and said, "Obey!" ”