Although Zhao Chengxiao was puzzled, he also knew that Qiu Yi's actions were always strange and unusual, so he ordered his seventy crossbowmen to shoot at the opposite side of the cliff, just to be careful not to hit the man in gorgeous armor.
The crossbowmen under Qiu Yi were originally derived from the old Youyan Dao army and were specially designed to deal with the northern nomadic cavalry. Therefore, apart from the Turkic horse archers who came and went like the wind and could fight them on equal terms, there was no other rival in the Central Plains.
Therefore, these three waves of crossbow arrows flew over like a torrential rain, killing or wounding more than a hundred people on the opposite side in an instant, especially the two sharpshooters who had just exposed their position, who were hit by dozens of arrows. They were like two lifeless porcupines, lying on the hillside with sharp spines all over their bodies.
Qiu Yizi was very pleased to see this scene, so he said with a smile: "I wonder if the Second Prince is satisfied with my crossbowmen? If you are not satisfied, I have another good show for you!"
As he spoke, Qiu Yizhi reached out his hand to call Meng Hong, pointed at the deputy general who had just whispered to Zheng Yu about sniping him, and ordered: "This man almost killed me, shoot him to death and vent my anger!"
Meng Hong was originally a sharpshooter. After special training in the past few days, his archery skills became more and more sophisticated. He shot the deputy general in the face with one arrow, causing him to lose his balance and fall off the cliff headfirst.
So far, in the long-range firepower competition, Qiu Yizhi's accuracy, density, and intensity far surpassed Zheng Yu's, which made him speak with great confidence: "Second Prince has just seen it. As long as I give the order, all the crossbows around me will be fired. Not only these Lingnan Road soldiers, but also you, Second Prince, will be destroyed together."
"Well...well...then just give the orders. I'm not the cowardly person!" Although Zheng Yu's words were still firm, his tone was a little loose.
Qiu Yizi said seriously: "No. The Prince of Lingnan once spared my life. Although he and I are rivals, I am also fascinated by him and am willing to follow his example. Therefore, as long as the Second Prince can agree to my condition, I will let the Second Prince and all your soldiers return to the camp safely..."
"What...what conditions?" Zheng Yu blurted out, but he already felt regretful.
However, as soon as he said this, it was like a sparrow that was released and flew into Qiu Yizi's ear canal.
Qiu Yizhi heard Zheng Yu's words, which showed his weakness, but he didn't want to point it out. He smiled and said, "It's nothing, but I just want the Second Prince to leave all the food and military supplies at the foot of the mountain. As for the soldiers, please do as you please. How do you think?"
If Qiu Yizhi had made such a request an hour ago, Zheng Yu would definitely not agree. But now the situation has completely reversed. Regardless of whether he agrees or not, as long as Qiu Yizhi, who is in a high position, is willing, he can shoot all the soldiers escorting the grain and grass at the foot of the mountain. The soldiers and horses he brought with him may not be able to survive under the rain of arrows, and the grain and grass at the foot of the mountain will naturally be at the mercy of Qiu Yizhi.
However, if he agreed to this request, Zheng Yu would be obeying Qiu Yizi under great pressure. He would be too embarrassed to keep his face and hesitated, not knowing what to do.
Lin Shuhan, who was beside Qiu Yizi, was well versed in human nature. Seeing Zheng Yu's expression, he had already guessed what he was thinking, and whispered a few words in Qiu Yizi's ear.
Qiu Yizhi listened, nodded, and said with a sneer: "Second Prince, don't be stingy. I have led the army in the mountains for who knows how long, eating raw meat and drinking blood. These grains are like a long-awaited rain. I also know that you and I serve our respective masters, and we will have to fight a war in the end. Second Prince, why don't you show mercy and let us have a full meal before the war? Even if we die on the battlefield, we can die with a full stomach. How do you think?"
Qiu Yizi handed the stairs up, and Zheng Yu hurried down the slope, saying, "You are quite sensible in what you said. All right, I will give you these grains as a reward. When you are full, come and fight me again!"
Qiu Yizhi listened to Zheng Yu's bluffing words, smiled, and replied: "Then I will thank you for the reward. Second Prince, please go back to the camp first! Don't go in the wrong direction!"
The last sentence he added was to ask Zheng Yu to return to the city of Shanyin and not go to any other place - this was more of an order than a reminder.
Of course Zheng Yu understood what was said, but he was now "under a low roof and had to bow his head", so he had to suppress the anger in his heart, led his soldiers to carry up his comrade who was shot to death by the sharp arrow, and went down the mountain in disappointment.
Although An Ping, who was in the valley below the mountain, did not dare to interrupt, he was concentrating on listening to the conversation between the two people on the mountain which was related to his life and death.
When he heard Qiu Yizi suggesting to Zheng Yu that he should be spared, he felt strange and grateful. Later, when he heard that the second prince Zheng Yu personally ordered him to return to the camp, he felt as if he had been pardoned. He quickly ordered his soldiers to only take their personal belongings and not to take care of the escorted baggage and food. After counting the heads, he returned to the original route, waded through the waist-deep river, and came to the city of Shanyin County to meet up with the large group of people.
The "Iron Head Dragon" beside Qiu Yizi saw the enemy troops who had finally got into his pocket withdrawing calmly. He was anxious and couldn't help asking: "Sir, it's okay to let those grain escorts escape, but why did you let Zheng Yu go as well? As long as you let go, Meng Hong and the others will be able to shoot Zheng Yu to death immediately!"
Qiu Yizi smiled but did not answer. Lin Shuhan beside him used his folding fan to tap the shiny bald head of "Iron Head Dragon" and laughed, "Idiot! What do you know!"
“Iron Head Jiao” was originally a bandit from the Funiu Mountains, and even among the bandits, he was considered wild and unruly; but he was sincerely convinced by those who were truly capable and competent, and was not angry at being “reprimanded” by the weak scholar Lin Shuhan. Instead, he smiled calmly and said, “I don’t understand, Mr. Lin, just teach me... Just ask Mr. Lin to be gentler next time when you hit me...”
Lin Shuhan was also amused by his words and replied, "You are just a dog who talks nonsense all day long. I won't teach you anything. I just want to ask you one question. Even if Zheng Yu is released now, is it difficult for your Lord Qiu to catch him again?"
The Iron-Headed Dragon suddenly realized, "Oh, I understand. So you want to learn from Zhuge Wuhou and capture and release him seven times. But I want to advise you that Zheng Yu has no ability and is just a show-off. There is no point in arresting him. It's just a waste of food. Just kill him."
Qiu Yizi glared at the Iron-Headed Dragon and said, "You are talking nonsense again, why don't you go down and help your brother Zhao with his work? You are still talking nonsense here and making a big mistake. I will pull out your tongue!"
After hearing this, the "Iron-headed Dragon" with a ferocious look on its face stuck out its tongue in fear, then quickly shrank it back and went to find Zhao Chengxiao timidly.
Lin Shuhan watched the Iron-Headed Dragon disappear into the dense bushes, then smiled and said to Qiu Yizi: "Sir, this Iron-Headed Dragon is a rough man after all, I'm afraid he doesn't know your true meaning, right?"
Hearing this, Qiu Yizi revealed a sly smile at the corner of his mouth: "I still can't hide it from Mr. Lin. Zheng Yu is a mediocre person. Only if he stays in the Lingnan army to command the battle, I will have the confidence to... "He was halfway through his words when he suddenly felt that he was too confident. He remembered the comments of his emperor's adoptive father Zheng Rong and prime minister's teacher Zhongli Kuang about his "frivolous" behavior, so he quickly closed his mouth.
After Zheng Yu managed to escape, he gasped in shock for two or three days in the camp. He finally figured out one thing - it was impossible to capture Qiu Yizi in the vicinity of Shanyin County - and his previous plan to capture him with a small elite force was nothing but wishful thinking.
When the situation develops to this point, if a wise general finds that he is in a situation where he can neither break through the enemy's strong city, capture the enemy's main general, nor destroy the enemy's main force, he should take the initiative to withdraw and return to his own camp to recuperate before looking for an opportunity to fight again.
However, Zheng Yu was afraid that such efforts would be in vain and would lead to punishment from his father, King Zheng Gui, so he was unwilling to evacuate Shanyin County. Instead, he ordered the garrisons in various places in Jiangnan to immediately raise military rations and send them to Shanyin County. In order to avoid the risk of food shortage, he also issued a strict order that all places must deliver military rations on time. If they were late by one day, the officers and soldiers transporting the rations would be punished with ten military sticks; if they were late by two days, they would be punished with twenty military sticks...
Poor Lingnan troops from all over the country, they collected food and grass with great difficulty, and they were trembling like fish that slipped through the net set by Qiu Yizhi. How could they deliver the food and grass on time? No one was spared.
For a while, transporting and transferring food and fodder, which was originally a very easy job, became the most dreaded task for the troops stationed in Lingnan.
As for Qiu Yizhi, since he defeated Zheng Yu, he seemed to be getting more and more successful in robbing food and grass. Most of the teams he attacked had heard of his methods. Once the food and grass were robbed, they would not resist at all, nor dare to move forward to report to Zheng Yu, but would abandon the goods they were transporting and turn around to run back.
Qiu Yizi didn't want to, nor did he have enough troops to pursue. Fortunately, he had no one in front of him or behind him, so he could easily deal with the looted items and wait for the opportunity to rob the next wave of grain transport convoys.
As a result, although the amount of food and fodder transported by the Lingnan Army to Shanyin County increased, the amount of food and fodder that actually crossed the blockade was less than one-fifth of the amount when it set out, and the supply of food and fodder for Zheng Yu's army became increasingly tight.
In desperation, Zheng Yu had to reduce his soldiers' daily meals from three to two, and reduce the frequency of daily patrols and drills to reduce consumption. He thought that if he could hold out one day longer than the defenders in Shanyin County, he would be able to win this brutal war of attrition.
In this way, the two armies confronted each other for half a month, and finally arrived at the end of the year.
Poor Zheng Yu's army under the city, on New Year's Eve, each soldier was only given an extra steamed bun made of mixed grains, and every ten people were given a bottle of wine, which was considered a New Year's Eve...
On the other hand, the soldiers and civilians of Shanyin County in the city deliberately lit up all the torches and lanterns to let the light shine through the city walls. They also called a few opera singers in the city to set up a theater inside the city gate and sang "Shikongzhan".
This "Shikongzhan" tells the story of how Zhuge Liang made a mistake in employing people and "lost" a key location. He had to use the "empty" city plan to scare away the invading enemy troops, and finally "killed" his beloved general who failed.
Although this play is a famous piece handed down from generation to generation, and the protagonist is the extremely intelligent Zhuge Wuhou, it is actually a true defeat, and it is rarely performed on festive occasions such as the Spring Festival. Today, the defenders deliberately performed this play just to disgust the defenders outside the city and make them unable to speak out their grievances.