"Since we can't eliminate the officers and soldiers outside the city for a while, why don't we put Yu Jue aside for the time being and go directly to attack the city?

Hua Bushi shook his head and said, "No." Thousands of officers and soldiers outside the city still existed, and the rebel army could not mobilize all of them when they attacked the city. Moreover, Yu Jue has not been destroyed, and the morale of the defenders in the city is not discouraged, even if there is no commander to command, it is difficult to attack in a short time. ”

Morale is far more important than the strength of the army, and when the morale of the defenders is exhausted, it is also the time when the city is breached. There are still 3,000 officers and soldiers in Huaiqing City, if they see that the main general Yu Jue is still leading the troops to fight outside the city, the fighting spirit will not collapse, how easy is it for the rebels to break the city in one fell swoop?

Chu Yiyi hurriedly said: "Can we only wait for the arrival of reinforcements from the official army like this, and the success will be lost?"

Hua Bushi's eyes rolled and said, "Of course not, there is still a plan to try now." ”

He turned his face to Ximen Hitomi and ordered: "Ah Tong, you quickly go to find Brother Li, bring a word for me, and tell him that it is better to open the net in all directions." ”

Ximen Hitomi agreed, and immediately rode away.

Chu Yiyi frowned and said: "What does this sentence mean by Gongzi, isn't it to let Li Zicheng let Yu Jue go?"

Hua Bushi said: "Now this battle has become a stalemate, there is no hope of consuming it, if you want to capture Huaiqing City, you can only change this situation, after all, we are only to take the city, not to eliminate the official army." ”

Chu Yiyi suddenly realized, stroked the jade palm and said: "This is really a good plan! Let's let them escape back to the city, as long as the righteous army team follows closely behind, they can rush straight to the city gate, maybe they can open the city gate and rush in, then they can take this Huaiqing City in one fell swoop!"

Hua Bushi said: "Madame is right. Now these more than 4,000 officers and soldiers are trapped on the hill, there is a fire behind them, and there is only one way to retreat, so they will fight with the righteous army so bravely, just like the ancient Chu overlord Xiang Yu broke the cauldron when he broke the Qin, this is exactly the cleverness of Yu Jue's use of troops. Instead of fighting with them, we should let them escape, which can not only break the fighting spirit of those soldiers, but also take advantage of the situation to break the city. ”

Most of the soldiers who fought to the death were forced to do so, and as long as they had the opportunity to flee for their lives, few would go desperately for no reason.

Chu Yiyi said: "But although we can open the net, that Yu Jue is very shrewd, but he may not be fooled." ”

As long as he held on to the top of the hill and held on until the reinforcements arrived, the situation could be reversed, and of course Yu Jue knew that he didn't need to escape.

Hua Bushi said: "As a general, Yu Jue will not be fooled, but his soldiers may not have his knowledge. ”

After a few moments, Ximen Hitomi was gone and returned, and the situation of the rebels' onslaught on Xiaoshanbao also changed. Li Zicheng is also a resourceful person, and of course he can understand the meaning of Hua Bushi's "open the net".

The men and horses of the rebel army changed from the previous swarm to the left side of the main hillside, and the men and horses surrounding the mountain also gathered to the left, leaving a gap more than ten zhang wide on the other side.

The troops on both sides were infantry, and there were no cavalry with greater mobility, and as long as the officers and soldiers on the mountain pack rushed down from that passage, they could run directly to the east gate of Huaiqing City, and as long as they ran faster, they would definitely be able to escape with their lives.

This is really a great temptation! Officers and soldiers who have been surrounded by an enemy who has outnumbered their strength by several times the number of troops, who were already in a situation of certain death, suddenly have a way to live, and how easy is it to hold on and not escape?

Soon several officers and soldiers broke away from the formation and fled down the hill through the gap. The rebels did not intercept these deserters, but only stormed the other side, as if they could attack the hill and ignore everything else.

Now that there was a successful example of the precursors, more soldiers soon tried to escape through that exclusive safe passage, and they were all unintercepted, and they escaped from the encirclement of the brigade of rebels without any problems.

From three people and five people to eight people and ten people, then twenty or thirty people, fifty or sixty people, more and more officers and soldiers ran out of the gap in groups. Yu Jue in the big array on the top of the mountain shouted loudly that he was not allowed to escape, and the violator would be beheaded immediately, but if he didn't escape, he would die in front of him, who could care so much, and the big guys in the entire team were running, how could this kind of thing be left behind!

Originally, more than 4,000 officers and soldiers on the mountain fled before more than 3,000 people could make a cup of tea, and less than 1,000 remained. The "Xuanwu Great Array" had collapsed, and Yu Jue had to order to shrink the formation, retreat the defensive line, and only hold the square inch on the top of the mountain.

The once crowded safe passage was finally empty, and the remaining eight or nine hundred people on the mountain, probably all of Yu Jue's cronies, would not abandon the lord and flee. But if Yu Jue wants to use such a small amount of strength to resist the charge of the rebels, even if he deploys a battle to defend it, it is already too difficult.

Everyone on the hillside was overjoyed, and even Hua Bushi, who had always had a solemn expression, smiled and said, "Yu Jue's men don't have any soldiers! I think at most, Brother Li will be able to solve them, and then attack the city wall, there will be more than enough time!"

But at this moment, a horse galloped from behind the hillside, and the young man on the horse was Meng Huan. He galloped on his horse, and only stopped when he was close to the reins and presented a small piece of paper to Chu Yiyi.

Chu Yiyi took the piece of paper and glanced at it, his face changed greatly, and said: "Master Hua, the secret sentry we laid on the official road has sent a message to say that the 20,000 official troops led by Zhang Yingchang have left Huangshiyu and rushed to Huaiqing City, and they will be here in half an hour!"

Hearing this, Hua Bushi was taken aback, and his face changed. He originally estimated that Zhang Xianzhong would be able to delay for at least three hours to intercept the official army in Huangshiyu, but he didn't expect that it would be less than an hour and a half, and Zhang Yingchang's men and horses would be about to arrive! Mo said that Yu Jue outside the city had not been able to solve it yet, even if he only attacked Huaiqing City, half an hour would not be enough!

Chu Yiyi said: "Zhang Xianzhong has always been known for his bravery, and the 8,000 men and horses under his command are all elite soldiers, and they have set up an ambush in Huangshiyu and occupy a favorable location, how could they be broken through by Zhang Yingchang so quickly? Could it be that there was a mistake in the secret sentinel investigation, Meng Huan, you go and check it again!"

Hua Bushi sighed and said, "There should be no mistake in the report." We probably neglected a little, Zhang Xianzhong failed to become the commander of the 36th Battalion that day, and he was not angry in his heart, because he was unwilling to contribute to this battle. ”

The "Eight Kings" Zhang Xianzhong is second only to Wang Ziyong in strength among the rebels in the camps, and he is on par with Gao Yingxiang, just because he is cruel and easy to kill, and his reputation is not very good, and Li Zicheng has already wooed other rebel leaders that day, and everyone recommended Gao Yingxiang to be the commander, and the "Eight Kings" are not convinced.

Sending Zhang Xianzhong to lead his men and horses to intercept the officers and troops was also a helpless move. Just because after Wang Ziyong left, there were only two families left in the righteous army, Gao Yingxiang and Zhang Xianzhong, Gao Yingxiang's men and horses had to stay to attack the city, Zhang Xianzhong had no choice to go, but in the end there was still a problem.

Chu Yiyi said: "The reinforcements of the official army are coming in a blink of an eye, how can this be good? Zhang Xianzhong is really damned, we have to settle accounts with him when we go back!"

The 36th Battalion Volunteer Army is not one, and all walks of life have their own interests, and it is understandable that Zhang Xianzhong wants to protect his own soldiers and horses from attrition, and is unwilling to go all out to intercept the officers and soldiers.

It's just that this will delay the plan.

Hua Bushi's eyes rolled a few times, and he saw that everyone was full of sadness, only Li Hu had a leisurely look on his face, and there was no anxiety at all, and he asked at the moment: "Li Hu, you don't seem to be worried at all, but do you have an idea in your heart?"

Li Hu said with a smile: "Boss Shi, you don't know, I don't know anything about this march and war, where do I have an idea at this moment? I just think that the boss is extremely smart, no matter when he will always come up with a way, I don't need to worry about Li Hu at all." ”

Hearing this Li Hu say this, Hua Bushi couldn't help but be happy, and said, "You know how to be lazy! Okay, I do have an idea, but I need you and Ah Tong to help." Hey, I didn't want you to fight directly with the officers and soldiers, but now I'm afraid I can't. ”

Li Hu said: "As long as the boss has an idea, then what problems can there be! There is no need to worry too much about fighting with the officials and soldiers, the third senior brother and I have covered our faces, who can still recognize who we are!"

Hua Bushi said: "This is also true. Okay, you and Ah Tongmo revealed their identities and rushed into the formation of the official army to assassinate the chief soldier Yu Jue, but you have to remember that you can only kill, and you can never kill, can you do it?"

Li Hu said: "Since you want to kill him, wouldn't it be happy to kill him directly, why does the boss have to be so soft-hearted!"

Hua Bushi's face sank, and he said, "Of course it is useful for me to spare his life, I just ask if you can do it?"

Li Hu said: "Okay, the boss said to stay, it's no problem!"

He has always been brutal and fierce, unruly, but he dare not disobey the words of the "stone boss".

Hua Bushi turned his eyes to Ximen Hitomi, and Ximen Hitomi also said, "Master, don't worry!"

Hua Bushi nodded and said, "Okay, time is urgent, you guys go quickly! Yu Jue's sword skills are not weak, you should be careful!"

The two of them agreed, and the reins urged the horses to gallop away.

Li Hu and Ximen Tong left, and Chu Yiyi said: "What is the purpose of the prince to kill and injure Yu Jue, but not take his life?"

Hua Bushi smiled slightly, and said: "The battle between the two armies is the battle of wits and strength of the main generals of the two sides, although Yu Jue is a general, but he is not without weaknesses, this time I will let him lead the righteous army into the city." ”