In order to win the trust of Dou Jiande, Shi Wanbao introduced to Dou Jiande in the letter that the Luoyang Zheng army’s counterattack was of course not fake news. In order to win more chances for Dou Jiande and Wang Xuanying, Zheng Jun of Luoyang used the cover of night to launch a counterattack against the Sui Army's camp in the besieged city, which caused the Sui Army to suffer a lot and almost won the victory.
The reason why the Sui army suffered was because Yuan Tiangang and Qu Tutong, two ministers, were greedy for meritorious service. In order to confuse the Sui army, the treacherous Wang Shichong falsely and publicly declared that he would sneak attack on the Sui army camp outside the east gate at night, and deliberately let the Sui army A Zheng Jun soldier who violated the military law escaped outside the city and reported the news. Yuan Tiangang and Qu Tutong believed the report to be true. In order to gain merit and weaken Wang Shichong's defense force, they mobilized the army to arrange an ambush outside the east gate after nightfall. In the circle, who would have thought that the Zheng army would come and attack the west at the same time, sending troops from the east and west at the same time at night, a small number of troops pretended to attack the east, attracting the attention of the main force of the Sui army, and the main force took the opportunity to storm the Sui army general Qiu Shili who was stationed in Xiyuan. Leading the way with elite dead soldiers, he successfully entered Qiu Shili's camp.
The Qiu Shili army, who was completely caught off guard, was almost kicked into the camp by Zheng Jun, and the main force of the Sui army who was tricked by Zheng Jun to the east line would not be able to react for a while to send reinforcements to Qiu Shili. Entering Qiu Shili's camp of the Chinese army, Qiu Shili didn't even have time to put on his helmet, and led his own soldiers to guard the fence of the general's tent, and fought with Zheng Jun until the sky was dark, but the soldiers of the Chinese army who gradually reacted came to rescue and helped Qiu Shili kept the general flag, but more than half of the outer battalion, which bore the brunt, was destroyed by the Zheng army. In the end, it was Qu Tutong himself who brought the main force to reinforce, and then the generals of the Zheng army retreated back to the imperial city, causing more than 1,700 casualties to the generals of the Sui army.
After the war, Qiu Shili honestly ran to Yuan Tiangang and Qu Tutong to plead guilty, and Yuan Tiangang and Qu Tutong, who knew that they were equally responsible, also honestly sent their envoy Ben Shu to plead guilty. When the letter of guilt was sent to Chen Sangliang, the battles at Luokoucang and Hulaoguan had not yet ended. Chen Sangliang was afraid to shake the morale of the army and did not dare to announce it immediately. After the war on the Eastern Front was completely over, Chen Sangliang Only then did he tell the news to his accomplices and lackeys, and wrote to Yuan Tiangang and Qu Tutong, punishing them for half a year's salary, asking them not to have any greed for success, and honestly stick to the camp to surround and kill Wang Shichong, the old fox. It is the best policy.
This battle also reminded the Sui army of the Eastern Expedition that Wang Shichong's army, who was able to survive Li Mi under various unfavorable conditions and staged a comeback miracle, was indeed not bragging in terms of tenacity. With the power to fight back, the rear of the Sui Army's Eastern Expedition is not foolproof, and there are still dangers. So after returning to Hulao Pass, Li Keshi and Feng Deyi, who were somewhat cautious, suggested that Chen Sangliang might as well consider solving Wang Shichong's danger first, and then deal with Dou Jiande's threat with all his strength.
Chen Sangliang resolutely rejected Li Keshi's and Feng Deyi's proposals. Although Chen Sangliang knew that their proposals were truly foolproof, but the battle had progressed to this point. If Chen Sangliang was negligent, he would immediately fight with him. Take the opportunity to kill Dou Jiande and pass by. If you want to send troops to conquer Dou Jiande who has returned to the lair, you don’t know how much more food you will spend and how many more people will die. A quick end to this troubled world will be far away, innocent people He didn't know how much more suffering he would have to suffer, so even though he knew that the rear could not be completely relieved, Chen Sangliang gritted his teeth and decided to continue at Hulao Pass, waiting for the opportunity to kill Dou Jiande in one fell swoop.
Fortunately, Dou Jiande did not disappoint Chen Sangliang, fell into Chen Sangliang's provocative and false surrender tactics, missed the opportunity to retreat calmly, and chose to continue to rush to build siege weapons, preparing to launch another frontal attack. Chen Sangliang understood his face-loving character and his unwillingness to let it go, so he decided to fight another city defense battle to consume some of Dou's troops and vigor, and then planned to defeat the enemy in a field battle, and immediately started repairing the city defense and Hurry up to build defensive weapons and prepare for the next defensive battle.
While preparing for the battle of defending the city, Chen Sangliang couldn't wait to start preparations for defeating the enemy in a field battle. First, he ordered the rear army and asked Qin Qiong to lead 3,000 cavalry to escort a batch of military supplies and ten artillery pieces to Hulao Pass to assist in the battle. The strong mobile force was also preparing to surprise Dou Jiande with artillery. At the same time, Chen Sangliang ordered to slaughter all the wounded horses seized from the Luokou Cang battlefield, and used horse meat to improve food and supplement nutrition for the soldiers of the Sui Army in the Eastern Expedition.
All other orders were faithfully carried out by the loyal lackeys. Only killing the horse and rewarding the army was opposed by some accomplices and lackeys. Zhang Wansui, a horse expert who surrendered from Ding Yangjun, ran directly to Chen Sang Protesting in front of Liang, he said: "Your Highness, those wounded horses cannot be killed. Of the more than 600 wounded horses, at least 60 to 70% of them can be cured and reused in battlefield operations. It is a pity to slaughter them as vegetable horses."
"It's a pity, but there's no way." Chen Sangliang replied helplessly: "If we only eat food, it will not help the soldiers to recover quickly and supplement the fat and protein consumed in successive fierce battles. The soldiers quickly regained their physical strength and went to the battlefield to slash people with their knives, so they had no choice but to sacrifice these horses that were still hopeful to be cured."
Zhang Wansui couldn't understand the new term Chen Sangliang said, and still insisted: "Your Highness, you want to treat the soldiers generously, and the soldiers are very grateful, but it's a pity to kill these horses, and the soldiers will eat less." Meat is nothing, as long as you eat less meat, you can keep these horses, why do you need to slaughter so many precious horses in vain just to let the soldiers eat two more catties of horse meat."
"Human life is more expensive than horse life. If you eat more meat, you will have more strength on the battlefield. If you have more strength, our soldiers will have more hope of survival. These war horses cannot be cured immediately and put back into battle. It is better to save them first." What is urgent." Chen Sangliang shook his head, then waved his hand and said, "No need to say more, this king knows that you have good intentions, but this king has made up his mind, so you don't need to persuade him anymore."
Zhang Wansui had a frowning face, he kept moaning and sighing, and felt distressed. Chen Sangliang knew that he loved horses like his life, so he comforted him: "It's okay, we now have two horse farms in Longxi and Pingliang, and they can provide us with horses every year. , You can also get war horses from Gaochang Tubo through trade. Li Shangshu’s side has also come to Shanyang City. The horse government seal you gave me before is well written. When Mayi is captured, I will seal you as Mayi Prefect, let you go to Mayi to show your strengths and raise more horses for us, then I will support you with money and food as many horses as you want."
Zhang Wansui hurriedly thanked him, but he was still very reluctant in his heart. He couldn't bear to see the tragic appearance of those innocent horses who had hoped to recover and died tragically under Chen Sangliang's butcher knife. The fragrant and thick horse meat was also sent to the exhausted Sui army soldiers. The Sui army soldiers who had fought many battles in succession devoured each one more deliciously, but they didn't know that Zhang Wansui was secretly wiping tears behind his back.
The meat provided by more than 600 wounded horses is only enough for more than 30,000 soldiers of the Sui Army to eat twice, and it has little effect on replenishing physical strength, but Chen Sangliang's capital for this battle is beyond everyone's expectations , After more than three days, when Qin Qiong led three thousand cavalry to escort artillery and military supplies to the Hulaoguan battlefield, the soldiers of the Sui Army who marched eastward were very pleasantly surprised to see that Qin Qiong's army had brought more than Four thousand pigs and sheep! After meeting, Qin Qiong also complained to Chen Sangliang immediately: "Your Highness, are you too biased? There are more than 60,000 people in our rear army, and only 30,000 people in the front army. Send pigs and sheep with the army? The front army has finished eating, what about our rear army?"
"Easy to handle!" Chen Sangliang waved his claws, pointed to the east and said, "Kill Dou Jiande of Niukou, grab all his pigs, sheep, mules and donkeys from the army, and I will let the rear army eat the meat to their fullest!"
"It's no problem to kill Dou Jiande." Qin Qiong rubbed his fists and said with a playful smile: "But the emperor does not send hungry soldiers. Your Highness, if you want the last general to kill Dou Jiande, shouldn't you let the last general eat pork and mutton with the former army first?" ? There are pickles and vegetables every day, and even tofu is rarely eaten once, and the birds are almost fading out of my mouth at the end."
Chen Sangliang laughed loudly, and immediately ordered the slaughter of pigs and sheep according to the ration of one catty of meat per person, so as to replenish the strength of the former army and Qin Qiong's cavalry. With the sound of cheers, all the generals and soldiers were smiling, and their morale was greatly boosted. Then, Chen Sangliang, who knew more or less modern culinary skills, even cooked in person, and brought his cook to make a meal of braised pork knuckle for civil and military generals above the rank of school lieutenant, to win people's hearts and show off his versatility along the way.
There was good news and bad news. Just as the soldiers of the Sui army were devouring the rare food, the scouts outside the city sent Chen Sangliang bad news—Dou Jiande was also rewarding the soldiers to motivate the soldiers. Combined with the information that Dou Jiande's army had stopped logging at noon today, Chen Sangliang and the Sui Army's civil and military forces also unanimously concluded that Dou Jiande would soon re-launch the siege, and it was very likely that he would launch the siege tomorrow.
However, this is not bad news at all. After reaching this conclusion, the generals of the Sui army, who were in high morale and happened to be having a banquet, scrambled to lead their troops to take on the task of defending the city. Luo Shixin, who was wearing gauze, also howled indistinctly to fight, "Your Highness, let the last general guard the front of the city gate, and the last general will chop off the heads of twenty or thirty thieves to avenge my teeth!"
Chen Sangliang did not accept the enthusiastic invitation of the main generals to fight, he did not even hesitate, and immediately ordered Li Keshi and others: "Biao Shu, General Yin, General Hao, Xinggong, Shiji, if tomorrow The bandit army is really coming to attack the city, you should go up, bring the soldiers from the last battle to defend the city, and strive to fight better than last time."
Li Keshi and others agreed, Luo Shixin, Yuchi Jingde and other main generals quit after hearing this, and asked one after another: "Your Highness, why don't you let us go? Don't you think we are no better than General Li in the battle of defending the city?" them?"
"Of course not." Chen Sangliang shook his head, and said in a deep voice: "I don't let you go up, so that you can continue to rest. Only if you rest more and recover your strength, can we go out of the city and fight the Dou thief army with confidence!"
After all, Chen Sangliang hurriedly added another sentence, and said with a smile: "Of course, if you insist on participating in the city defense battle, it's okay. Whoever's team fights tomorrow's city defense battle will have no part in the decisive battle outside the city." , replace the soldiers who did not defend the city and leave the city."
Luo Shixin, Yuchi Jingde and other generals quickly changed their words when they heard this, saying that His Highness is wise, we should rest more and recover our strength. Chen Sangliang smiled, turned to Master Li Ke and the other generals and said, "Cousin, generals, it will be up to you tomorrow. You must let your soldiers fight as bravely as last time and resist tenaciously. Let ours The main force in the field battle should rest at ease and get enough energy to face the more intense decisive battle outside the city."
Li Keshi, Yin Kaishan, Hao Xiaode and others will leave the table and stand up together, clasping their fists and singing promises, promising to complete the task with full confidence. Chen Sangliang nodded in satisfaction, and said to himself: "Dou Jiande, come on, let's fight another battle tomorrow in the fortified battle. Let me see how much combat power your main soldiers have left!"
…
According to Chen Sangliang and the Sui army's literature and military information, Dou Jiande once again personally raised troops to attack Hulao Pass in the early morning of this day, and he also brought a larger number of various siege weapons than last time. The front row of the prison gate is still very powerful. According to Chen Sangliang's request, the Sui army still went up to the city to fight with the troops from the last city defense battle. Chen Sangliang also continued to hand over the battlefield command to Uncle Bird Thieves, and let him continue to be in charge of commanding the city defense battle. Then he freed up his hands to deal with a mountain of military and political affairs, and took time to visit the wounded soldiers in the camp, condolences to the main soldiers, and showed off the superb acting skills of the actor of the Sui Dynasty.
The moat outside the east gate of Hulao Pass was basically filled up by Dou Jun in the last battle, and the exhausted Sui Army soldiers didn't waste time to dredge it again, so Dou Jun's ant-attached siege this time started smoothly. Much earlier than the last time, the earth and rocks were transported by a toad cart to fill the river, completely filled up several sections of pits near the city gate, and cleared the way for heavy siege weapons to reach Hulao Pass. Dou Jiande couldn't wait. In the first wave of the attack, four thousand ants were sent to the east gate of Hulao Pass, which was only four miles long from north to south. At the same time, Dou Jiande naturally had to pray secretly in his heart, "Shi Wanbao, do it quickly, open the city gate, and I will make you a prince!"
Once again, arrows and stones were coming and going like locusts in the sky, and the infantry team of Dou Jun was also surging like the waves of the sea like last time. There were bursts of earth-shattering shouts of killing. However, the main force of the Sui army was not nervous or excited at all. They all concentrated in the west of the city far away from the east gate to rest peacefully in accordance with Chen Sangliang's request. He was no longer as worried as last time, and was always distracted to pay attention to the battle at the East Gate. He led Mulan and other soldiers just to visit the soldiers camp by camp, and turned a deaf ear to the shouts of killing after wave after wave.
After lunch with the main soldiers in the west of the city, Chen Sangliang returned to the command and deployment to handle official duties. During the busy work, without knowing it, Feng Deyi, Sun Fujia and other civil servants left the signing room for business, and only Chen Sangliang and Mulan were left in the room. After realizing this situation, Chen Sangliang turned back He looked at Mulan who had been standing behind him all the time, and saw that although she was still standing upright, her expression was obviously a little tired, and Chen Sangliang's conscience, which hadn't been eaten by dogs, couldn't help feeling a little ache, so he said: "Mulan , are you tired? Go down and rest, you don’t have to stay by my side all the time.”
"Not tired." Since returning to Chen Sangliang, Mulan has never given Chen Sangliang any good looks, and this time is the same, she said with a straight face: "The bandits are attacking the city, and General Yuchi is in the camp again." , As the deputy general of the Chinese army, I must stay here and be ready to organize the Chinese army to participate in the battle."
"It's okay, the thieves can't kill the city." Chen Sangliang smiled, and said: "Our main force has withdrawn to Hulaoguan City. The thieves and soldiers know this very well. No matter how Dou Jiande forces them Attacking the city, they will not be able to move forward like last time. I deliberately lured Dou Jiande to attack, just to waste his soldiers' physical strength and consume his main force. In the evening, I took a dummy head to the If the city is bright, it is said that it is Shi Wanbao's head, and Shi Wanbao's dedication to the city has already been thwarted by us, so Dou Jiande will obediently go away."
After giving Chen Sangliang a blank look, Mulan snorted, "Sure enough, it hasn't changed. It's still the same as before. I only like stealing and cheating."
"You are still the same as before, you haven't changed at all." With no outsiders present, Chen Sangliang said without many scruples, and said with a smile: "I don't understand why I offended you , why have you never been kind to me?"
"It's a shame you still have the face to ask me this question!" Mulan's pretty face and eyes turned red, and she asked viciously, "Do you think you are sorry for Shan Yingying? How do you explain it to me?"
"Do I need to explain to you?" Chen Sangliang said with a smile: "I helped you marry a wife, and I also helped you not be called a fake girl behind your back. You have to thank me."
Mulan subconsciously supported the handle of the knife at her waist. Knowing her violent temper, Chen Sangliang hurriedly waved his hand and said it was a joke, and finally let Mulan let go of the handle. However, seeing Mulan's coquettish appearance, he hadn't met a woman for a long time. Chen Sangliang couldn't help but feel a little itchy, and couldn't help but said again: "Mulan, how about discussing something?"
Mulan looked at Chen Sangliang suspiciously, and Chen Sangliang turned around, faced Mulan, and said with a smile: "After this battle is over, Luoyang has been captured and Yingying has been rescued, and you will be my side princess with her." How about it?"
With a thunderbolt from the blue sky, Mulan opened her mouth wide and looked at Chen Sangliang in amazement and forgot to even hold the knife. Chen Sangliang took the opportunity to grab her hands that were extremely rough from the weapon, and said with a smile: "There is no need to be so surprised, I have already I knew you were a girl, and I used your name to deceive Shan Yingying in Wagangzhai, because I was afraid of hurting her innocent reputation, but I really didn't expect at the time that it would lead to these things later. Let Yingying guard for so many years Being a widow also makes you, a girl, forced to marry a wife and get married, and if you complain about it, as an apology, I really have no other choice but to marry you at the same time."
The surprised expression gradually disappeared from his face, and after many doubts in his heart were solved, Aojiao also returned to Mulan's body, turned his face away, and hummed: "Dream!"
As soon as he finished humming, Chen Sangliang suddenly pulled, his heart was in a mess. Mulan was caught off guard, and was pulled into his arms by Chen Sangliang. Before Mulan could react, Chen Sangliang had already kissed her deeply. On the red lips, Mulan struggled desperately, but she couldn't get rid of Chen Sangliang's clutches, and her strength was getting weaker and weaker...
The sudden sound of official documents falling in front of the door awakened Chen Sangliang and Mulan who were in the middle of a passionate kiss. When Chen Sangliang and Mulan looked sideways, they saw Feng Deyi was already standing in front of the door with incredible surprise on his face Then Mulan quickly pushed Chen Sangliang away, got up and stood with her back to Feng Deyi. Chen Sangliang was also extremely embarrassed and didn't know how to explain to Feng Deyi. In the end, Feng Deyi was the first to come back to his senses, stretched out his hand and pretended to grope, and said, "Your Highness, why are your eyes blurred suddenly? Can't see anything? This servant has to go to see the doctor, please leave, leave."
While talking, Feng Deyi ran away, and at the same time said to himself in his heart: "I didn't expect His Royal Highness Tang Wang to have such a hobby, well, hurry up and pick a few beautiful boy prostitutes for preparation, and give them away if you have the opportunity." In front of His Highness, there is hope for promotion and title."
When Chen Sangliang, who knew that Feng Deyi had misunderstood him, was smiling helplessly, and when Mulan was stamping his feet desperately to lose his temper, Dou Jiande yelled wildly at the east gate of Hulaoguan, which was bleeding violently on the imperial chariot outside Hulaoguan, " Step up the attack! Step up the attack! Those who take a step back will be killed immediately! Shi Wanbao, the son of a bitch, why don't you do it? Why don't you do it?! If you don't do it, I won't give you the prince!"