The drums of "Knock Knock ......" shook the sky. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

The Yangzhou army advanced slowly, the military flag fluttered in the wind, the hunting sounded, the military appearance was prosperous, and the power was pressing.

Trebuchets, rammers, ladders, one siege machine after another were pushed off the ship.

The ramming vehicles began to move in the direction of the city gate, the trebuchets were lined up, and thousands of soldiers with wooden shields and sandbags on their backs were also ready.

With Cao Xu's order, the first wave of attack began, the ramming cart headed towards the city gate, the catapult began to attack the city wall, and the soldiers responsible for filling the moat also began to gallop.

After a stick of incense, the Yangzhou army left nearly 100 corpses under Danyang City.

The boulders that fell from the city sealed the gates, making it impossible for the crashing cars to get close. The trebuchets suppressed the offensive on the ramparts and caused many casualties. The most important thing is that the moat has been filled.

At the beginning of the second wave of attacks, the Yangzhou army was in a group of 3,000 people, with a total of seven groups, attacking in turn.

There were few defenders of the city, and they did not have time to rest at all, and they were exhausted.

As the sun set, the tragic siege battle had been going on for most of the day.

Cao Xu said: "Raising soldiers for a thousand days is used for a while. White Tiger Battalion, sortie. ”

You Niaoti and Ding Jiuzhong both had hideous smiles on their faces, and each led three hundred people to attack and kill from the cloud ladders on the left and right sides of the city gate.

In a short time, two gaps were torn open at the head of the city, and the soldiers behind saw this, shouted loudly, and flew forward.

Before sunset, Danyang City fell into Cao Xu's hands.

The scenery in the city is unique, the river is vertical and horizontal, hundreds of stone arch bridges are erected on the river, people live according to the water, the dwellings of high and low are lined up one after another, because the water becomes the street, because the water becomes the city, because the water becomes the road, the water, the road, the bridge, the house become one. A tranquil and simple water city scenery, tender like water.

This is in stark contrast to the brutal bloody killing fields outside the city.

There was nothing to say all night, and the next day, when the army was repairing in Danyang City, several orders were passed out, and they were sent to Lishui and Dangtu two counties, asking them to surrender immediately.

Danyang County is too guarded to kill himself, but others don't have this kind of mind. A group of demoted officials led by Juncheng Huanghe were accepted by Cao Xu, these people were known for their prestige in the local area, and with their help, Danyang City quickly stabilized.

A few days later, there was good news that Li Jing's partial division had successfully taken Piling County.

At this point, the three counties occupied by the Yangzhou army were connected and dominated the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

At this time, Cao Xu received a letter from the Lingnan Song valve.

The Song clan is the most powerful clan in the south, and the lord of the "Heavenly Knife" Song Que is known as the world's first knife master.

At that time, Yang Jian ruled the world and established the Great Sui, because he was afraid of the power of the Song people, he adopted a policy of appeasement towards them, and named Song Que as "Zhennan Gong", and Song Que also knew that the general trend of the Southern Dynasty had gone, so he deceived and bowed down to protect the family.

Among the four surnames, the other three surnames are all mixed with Hu blood, and the only surviving southern clan that maintains its prestige has always adhered to the tradition and strictly forbiddens intermarriage between clansmen and people other than the Han nationality, so it is regarded as Han orthodoxy in the rivers and lakes.

During the reign of Emperor Wen Yang Jian, with Song Quan's majestic strategy, he still did not dare to act rashly, and he also kept his light and kept his secrets, and devoted himself to cultivating and hiding to avoid major disasters. It was not until Yang Guang ascended the throne that internal strife and external worries, the government was corrupted, and rebellions broke out, and the Song valve became active again.

The most lucrative business that Song Valve is now engaged in is to transport illicit salt from coastal counties into the interior through the Yangtze River to make huge profits.

And now, the waterways in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River have been controlled by Cao Xu. If Song Valve's business wants to continue, he has to deal with Cao Xu.

In the Taishou Mansion of Danyang County, Cao Xu met with Song Shidao, the only son of the "Heavenly Sword" Song Que.

"The name of the Song valve is like thunder. Song Gongzi came with a big arrival, and he was disappointed, and he asked for forgiveness. Cao Xu bowed his hand and said.

"The manager is polite, Song is really ashamed. Song Shidao said and immediately returned the salute. He is elegant, chic and handsome, and his attitude is neither humble nor arrogant, which makes people feel good.

"I have heard for a long time that Song Valve's business is all over the country, I wonder if Song Gongzi is willing to do the business of my Yangzhou Army?" Cao Xu asked.

Song Shidao said with a smile: "I am taking care of all kinds of business at home, I don't know what the chief manager wants to buy?"

Cao Xu said: "Rice grain." ”

"Although I, Song Valve, am not specialized in the rice and grain business, I have some inventory, I don't know how much the chief manager needs?" He came this time to observe the newly rising Yangzhou Army and see if the two sides could cooperate, and if they could, Song Valve would not mind investing.

"Naturally, the more the merrier, I can exchange it for table salt. Cao Xu said. The salt farms controlled by the Yangzhou army have now been changed from the traditional salt boiling method to the more advanced salt drying method. The production increased greatly, and it was just used to exchange grain with the Song Valve.

The south of this era has not yet been developed, coupled with the Sui Dynasty's policy of emphasizing the north over the south, most of the grain in the past was concentrated in the north, mainly in warehouses near Chang'an and Luoyang. couldn't get these granaries, Cao Xu had no choice but to open up for himself and exchange salt for food.

People are iron, and rice is steel. If you can't eat enough, even if it is the Qin Emperor and Han Wu, it is at a loss.

After the business was finalized, the two chatted for a while.

Song Shidao just said goodbye and left.

After sending Song Shidao away, Cao Xu returned to the study, picked up the pen, splashed ink, and a simple map of Kyushu appeared on the paper.

Looking at the map, Cao Xu quietly thought, Lingnan Song valve is full of investment all over the world, betting everywhere, so what is Taiyuan Li valve doing?

Yang Guang has never left the north for a day, more than 100,000 elite soldiers are sitting in Luoyang, even if Li Valve is a real dragon, he has to be obediently coiled.

It can be said that Yang Guang is a nail that firmly nails the world to this game of chess.

After thinking for a while, Cao Xu casually burned the map.

After walking out of the door, he looked to the north, Yang Guang, what kind of decision will you make?

In the imperial palace in Luoyang, Yang Guang also stood in front of a map, frowning and thinking.

Go south to Jiangdu, or west to Guanzhong?

Luoyang is in the middle of the world, and it is also the place of the four wars. Since ancient times, those who have been fighting for hegemony in the world, except for Cao Cao, who became more and more brave and unified the north according to the Central Plains, everyone else rose from the corner and then dominated the world.

The golden-horned silver-edged grass belly should be this reason.

Yang Guang walked to a game of Go indoors and stood still, holding a chess piece in his hand, struggling and hesitating in his heart.

The pieces slipped out of their hands and landed on the board. (To be continued.) )