It's time to look back at the situation on Wang Shichong's side in Luoyang. He won a game by attacking the east and the west, which not only proved that the main force of the Sui army was by no means invincible, but also finally stopped the momentum of Zheng Jun's continuous defeat in front of the main force of the Sui army. It greatly encouraged the morale of the generals of the Zheng army, not to mention, their confidence returned to Wang Shichong and the generals of the Zheng army. Taking advantage of the absence of his unfilial son-in-law, he strived for another big victory, and even smashed the encirclement of the main force of the Sui army in one fell swoop.
As far as the current situation is concerned, Wang Shichong must also fight one or two more counterattacks to exert strong pressure on the main force of the Sui army besieging Luoyang, so that he can effectively cooperate with Dou Jiande's attack on Hulao Pass and increase the chances of Xia Zheng's coalition forces defeating the Sui army. odds. At the same time, the facts also proved that Yuan Tiangang and Qu Tutong, the chief and deputy commanders of the Sui Army who were ordered to besiege Luoyang, were far inferior to Wang Shichong in terms of playing tricks. As long as Wang Shichong can seize the opportunity, it is definitely not a problem to win another big battle.
What annoyed Wang Shichong was that Yuan Tiangang and Qu Tutong didn't give him such a chance again. After being beaten by Wang Shichong, Yuan Tiangang and Qu Tutong also understood that they couldn't play tricks against Wang Shichong, so they made up their minds and never played with Wang Shichong again. Any tricks, just stick to the camp and the siege fortifications, even if Zheng Jun took the initiative to open the gate of the imperial city, he was not allowed to attack. Wang Shichong sent small groups of troops to attack the Sui army's fortifications several times, and the Sui army soldiers just shot away with bows and arrows. He refused to leave the fortifications to protect Wang Shichong. Wang Shichong exhausted all means but couldn't find the last opportunity, and he had nothing to do with Yuan Tiangang and Qu Tutong for a while.
But fortunately, Wang Shichong had hoarded grain in the imperial city and palace city before. Although he failed to complete the planned grain hoarding plan because of Li Keshi’s troubles, after the main force of Zheng’s army was severely injured by Chen Sangliang in the outer city of Luoyang, The number of soldiers suddenly decreased by nearly two-thirds. If there are fewer mouths, there will be less food, and the food that is not too much will become a little more abundant. Wang Shichong still has the capital to continue to confront the main force of the Sui army. At the same time, as long as Dou Jiande is a little bit stronger, Chen Sangliang will definitely make adjustments to the army and take the initiative to create opportunities for Wang Shichong. Therefore, Wang Shichong was not in a hurry, and just waited patiently for the main force of the Sui army to move by itself, showing his flaws to create opportunities for Wang Shichong.
Facts have proved that Wang Shichong did not wait in vain. Although he did not dare to deploy a large number of troops to Hulaoguan to participate in the battle, in order to supplement the assault force, Chen Sangliang still dispatched 3,000 main cavalry from the Luoyang battlefield to join the battle eastward. Seeing the mobilization of the main force of the Sui army on the city wall, Wang Shichong, who knew that Dou Jiande had already arrived at Hulaoguan, also immediately concluded that the battle situation at Hulaoguan had passed. New changes have taken place, and our own army must launch a counterattack as soon as possible to share the pressure on the battlefields of Luokoucang and Hulaoguan.
In view of this situation, on the first day of Chen Dou's decisive battle, Wang Shichong mustered up the courage to personally lead an army of 10,000 people out of the city, and once again attacked the camp of the Sui Army's Qiu Shili Division stationed in Xiyuan, and sent troops during the day. However, when there was a great chance of defeating the enemy in field battles, Yuan Tiangang and Qu Tutong kept in mind the lessons from the last time and Chen Sangliang's advice, and resolutely stood still to defend the siege fortifications. The back door of Qiu Shili's camp entered the battlefield and helped Qiu Shili defend the camp fortifications. Wang Shichong, who led Huainan's direct lineage out of the city, could not find a chance for a decisive battle in the wild, and the storming of the strong camp added a lot of unnecessary casualties. After a long stalemate with the Sui army, he could not find a hole to exploit, and had no chance of capturing any prisoners for interrogation. , had to withdraw into the city in a desperate manner in the afternoon.
After returning to the city, Duan Da, Wang Long, Xue Deyin and other cronies went to the gate of the palace to welcome Wang Shichong. They flattered and praised Wang Shichong's majesty. He also threw his golden armor into the hands of the guards, and said bitterly: "Yuan Tiangang, Qu Tutong, you are really good at learning. If you don't get out of the camp and don't give me a chance to fight, what should I do? "
"Don't worry, Your Majesty." Duan Da hurriedly comforted: "The Chen thief's army sticks to the camp and does not come out, which is enough to show that the Chen thief and Dou Wang's army are still in a stalemate, and there is no winner, so Yuan Tiangang and Qu Tutong two No one dares to act rashly, so as long as we wait patiently, we will surely be able to wait until the opportunity to defeat the enemy arises, and then our army will make a big attack and win a big victory!"
"That's the only way to go." Wang Shichong nodded sullenly, and then sighed softly: "Dou Jiande, you must fight hard, and Ying'er, you also have to guard the Luokou warehouse for your father!"
Duan Da really got it right this time. Three days later, at three o'clock in the evening, there was a sudden commotion in the southwest section of the siege fortification with the least number of Sui army defenders, and then another man wearing Sui army uniform came out of the dark Zhong rushed out quickly, followed by a group of soldiers from the Sui army. While firing arrows to kill the man, he yelled, "Seize that spy! Grab that dog spy!"
Hearing the yelling, the defenders of the Zheng Army on the imperial city wall immediately started preparing for battle, closely observing and listening to the movement below the city, but it was a pity that the man in Sui Army uniform screamed and fell to the ground as soon as he ran near the moat. I don't know whether he sprained his ankle or was shot by an arrow, and then the man roared again: "Brothers in the city, I am the messenger sent by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince! Report to His Majesty for me that Thief Chen sent an army to attack King Dou's camp, and he was shot." King Dou lay in ambush and suffered heavy losses. King Dou won a big battle outside Hulao Pass! A big victory... "
"Ah!" Before he finished shouting the last sentence, the brave messenger let out another scream, and then there was no more news. Vaguely, the soldiers of the Zheng army on the city only saw the loyal soldier being dragged away by the soldiers of the Sui army, and they could vaguely hear the words of quick body search. In front of Guo Shiheng, General of the Zheng Army, Guo Shiheng was overjoyed when he heard the report, and hurried into the palace overnight to report the matter to Wang Shichong.
Hearing the good news on the woman's belly, Wang Shichong couldn't wait to get dressed, so he couldn't wait to applaud the hammer bed, then hurriedly put on his clothes and got up, and went to the scene in Xicheng to understand the situation in person. After repeatedly inquiring about various details from the soldiers, Wang Shichong was even more joyful, but his heart was unavoidably agitated, and he said to himself, "Could it be that little bastard's kneeling plan? That little bastard is playing with false letters." Leading the snake out of the hole is a good game, if I take risks to fight, maybe I will fall into his ambush."
Doubts are doubts, but in order to boost morale, Wang Shichong still ordered to convey this unconfirmed news to the whole army, so as to boost morale and boost the morale of the army. Wang Shichong asked Wang Shichong to launch a counterattack immediately, and further put pressure on the Sui army to force Chen Sangliang to withdraw from the siege. Wang Shichong shook his head calmly and said, "Don't be in a hurry. The more good news comes, the more we have to beware of Chen's tricks. After all, Yinger's letter to me has not been delivered to me."
The generals of Zheng Jun were disappointed and promised, but Wang Shichong said again: "From now on, I will pay close attention to the movement of the bandit army, and report immediately if there is any abnormality! Also, remember to carefully count the number of kitchen fires and bonfires of the bandit army. If you find a significant change in the number, report it to me immediately!"
Facts have proved that Wang Shichong's worries were not unreasonable. The next day, the officers and men of the Zheng army carefully counted the number of stoves and smoke in the Sui army's camp on the city. In the morning of the three days, the number of Sui army stoves outside the north gate was more than a hundred more than the next day. Wang Shichong was both fortunate and disappointed when he heard the news, and even more hated that Wang Xuanying's letter could not be sent to the city, so that he could know the specific situation of the Hulao Pass battlefield.
When disappointed and remorseful, Wang Shiyun, Wang Renze and his son hurried to Wang Shichong, and said to Wang Shichong: "Your Majesty, there seems to be something wrong with the bandit camp outside the north gate. In the distance from their back camp, there are obviously birds constantly Up and down, it seems to be an empty camp!"
Without even blinking his eyelids, Wang Shichong jumped up and led the crowd to the north gate of the imperial city in a hurry. When he got to the city and observed carefully, Wang Shichong found that just as Wang Shiyun played, the area around the back camp of the Sui army that seemed to have a well-organized banner , it is true that there are often flying birds constantly rising and falling-this is obviously not in line with common sense. At the same time, some generals of the Zheng army with good eyesight also discovered another important detail-the soldiers beside the fence in the back camp of the Sui army had never moved at all! After being reminded by his subordinates to discover this, a thought quickly flashed through Wang Shichong's mind, "Could it be a scarecrow?!"
Some soldiers with good eyesight were dispatched to observe the situation of the Sui army camp in that area. Until noon, the Sui army soldiers guarding the fence still did not move. After personally confirming this situation, Wang Shichong finally made up his mind and ordered: "Start preparing for the night battle immediately, leave the city at midnight tonight, and attack the bandit camp outside the north gate!"
After finally getting such a good opportunity, Wang Shichong of course took out his bottom line capital and bet it on the gambling table. Needless to say, he carefully and carefully prepared the plan to rob the camp. Wang Shichong also named Shan Xiongxin, Wang Long, Wang Renze and others All the fierce generals were brought into the army, and he personally led them to rob the Sui army camp, promised various rewards to the soldiers, and tried their best to smash the encirclement of the main force of the Sui army in one fell swoop!
It was three o'clock in the night, and the Longguang Gate, the north gate of the Eastern Capital Imperial City, was quietly opened. Under the personal leadership of Wang Shichong, more than ten thousand generals and men of the Zheng Army quietly slipped out of the city to assemble, with Wang Renze as the vanguard. Next to the Sui army's siege fortifications, they suddenly attacked the Sui army's earthen trenches. Wang Shichong was overjoyed, and hurriedly sent his troops across the Sui army's fortifications, and led the army directly to the main gate of the Sui army's camp. The Sui army's camp was also littered with torches, shouting and yelling, obviously insufficiently prepared.
Knowing that the Sui army was afraid and was afraid to leave the camp at night, Wang Shichong urged the troops to charge directly at the gate of the Sui army's camp. However, waves of neat arrows flew out of the camp at the north gate of the army, which in turn shot the generals of the Zheng army who were shouting for the charge at a loss, causing heavy casualties. Then, when the generals of the Zheng army refused to give up and continued to rush forward, they were not only blocked by the trenches of the Sui army camp, but also received a head-on blow from a strong crossbow. Wearing iron armor is all right.
As the charging soldiers were forced to retreat, Wang Shichong also vaguely sensed that something was wrong, and then naturally, suddenly, a trumpet was fired inside the gate of the Sui army camp, and the flames suddenly increased. , and Chen Sangliang, a white horse and white robe and silver armor, also appeared in the firelight surrounded by the generals of the Sui army, and laughed triumphantly: "Old man Wang Shichong, what is the plan of the king's empty camp? Can you, an old fox, be killed?" Lied to, is it a miracle?!"
"It's been tricked! Withdraw quickly! Withdraw quickly!"
Wang Shichong yelled subconsciously, but it was too late to do so. Cheng Yaojin led the Sui cavalry to kill from the east, Liu Heita also led the infantry to kill from the west, and Qu Tu beside Chen Sangliang Tong Ze led the army to attack Zheng Jun's front, and the slogan of capturing Wang Shichong alive resounded throughout the world. Zheng Jun was attacked on three sides and dared not fight, so he quickly retreated to the back road, and Wang Shichong rushed to the front even more.
The siege fortifications of the Sui army that had been crossed before became a nightmare for the soldiers of the Zheng army. When they passed through in an orderly manner, the soldiers of the Zheng army could certainly cross the wide and deep trenches with the bridge vehicles and sandbags to fill up the road, and cut the road in the antlers. However, when they fled in embarrassment, the generals of Zheng Jun could only fill up the trenches with corpses and wounded soldiers, and they could only be pushed by their companions into the sharp antlers, pierced through their bodies by the antlers, and died miserably screaming. Incomparably, the generals of the Sui army rushed from the rear and both wings, desperately hacking and killing the soldiers of the Zheng army who had planned to escape from the city, so as to reduce the resistance of the future siege. The soldiers of the Zheng army trampled on each other, causing countless casualties.
Chen Sangliang, who only led a small number of cavalry back to Luoyang to preside over the battle, originally wanted to arrange an ambush inside the siege fortifications, cut off Wang Shichong's return to camp, and tried to take advantage of the chaos to enter the city, but he was afraid that Wang Shichong, an old fox, would detect any clues. , leading to the wastage of previous efforts, Chen Sangliang had to give up this wishful thinking. As a result, Wang Shichong naturally got the chance to quickly withdraw into the city to survive, but the soldiers of the Zheng army he brought out of the city were unlucky. When they could not quickly withdraw from the Sui army's fortifications, they were first ambushed by the Sui army. The fortifications of the siege resulted in heavy casualties, and when the corpses and wounded soldiers overturned Lujiao to fill up the ditch, they managed to escape to the Longguang Gate, but they had to face the fatal problem of not being able to quickly enter the city and cross the moat. In order to facilitate the future siege of the city, the generals of the Sui army brutally massacred the soldiers of the Zheng army, and tried to rush into the city against the rain of arrows. The soldiers were crying and running outside the city, and were hacked and slaughtered by the Sui army.
In the end, less than half of the more than 10,000 troops brought out of the city by Wang Shichong fled back into the city. The remaining 5,000 people were either beheaded by Sui soldiers in battle, or fell into the moat and were trampled to death and drowned. Nearly 2,000 people became prisoners of the Sui army. After this battle, not only was Wang Shichong completely powerless to fight back in front of the besieging Sui army, but even the troops defending the city suddenly became stretched.
The next morning, Chen Sangliang ordered the soldiers to transport all forty cannons to the Tushan Fort outside the north gate built before, and at the same time ordered the soldiers to be captured on the Hulaoguan battlefield. Wang Xuanying, Yang Gongqing, Wang Wan and others loaded into the prison car and escorted to the city of Luoyang, and asked them to introduce the battle at Hulao Pass to the Zheng army officers and men, and let the guarding Zheng army know that Dou Jiande was dead, and the main force of the Dou army who came to rescue Wang Shichong was all gone. The army was annihilated, and the remnants of Zheng's army were required to lay down their weapons and surrender in Kaesong.
Hearing the words of Wang Xuanying and others, Wang Shichong, despite crying bitterly, still refused to give up. He convened all the civil and military officials in the Daye Hall to discuss abandoning the city to break through, and led the remnants to flee to Xiangyang, to meet with the Wang who had been stationed there before. The Shibian Department meets. The generals of Zheng Jun had different opinions, some agreed, and some worried that if they could not fight the siege, they would die in vain. Some people cautiously reminded Wang Shichong that he might as well make peace with his son-in-law, suggesting that Wang Shichong considered surrendering.
The person who suggested Wang Shichong to surrender was immediately pushed out of the palace and beheaded. His own family knew about his family affairs. The self who killed Yang Tong with his own hands - will definitely use his own head to promote his loyalty to the country. Therefore, Wang Shichong not only categorically refused to surrender, but also made a decision on the spot to lead the army to break out of the siege, and he had to gamble no matter what!
Just as Wang Shichong decided to break through, the artillery of the Sui army on the earth hill outside the city finally started to show its power, roaring and shooting the shells directly into the palace city in the middle of the imperial city. all day long. After Wang Shichong was shocked, he immediately found that he had to face a fatal problem-how to assemble the army and prepare for the breakout while facing the continuous bombardment of the Sui army's artillery
While Wang Shichong was thinking hard about this issue, Chen Sangliang had already returned to his headquarters in Beishi, the outer city. All the civil and military soldiers of the Sui army came up to greet him, and they couldn't wait to find out when the siege would be launched. The final battle of the Eastern Capital. Chen Sangliang replied with a wry smile: "Don't worry, our artillery and gunpowder siege tactics are not very effective against the imperial city and Miyagi of the eastern capital. It is not so easy to quickly destroy the city. We have to face the war in the eastern capital An uphill battle.”
"Your Highness, why don't you think about encircling the Three Queyi and deliberately leaving a way out for Wang Shichong?" Fang Xuanling suggested: "Dou Jiande is dead, Wang Shichong has no reinforcements to count on, and he will definitely have the idea of abandoning the city to break through. To open a way out, Wang Shichong must abandon the city and go, and we will send troops to block and chase, and it is not hopeless to capture and kill Wang Shichong."
"No!" Chen Sangliang flatly refused, saying: "It is very hopeful that this will cause the bandit army to abandon the city, but we must not forget that after Li Mi's defeat, many counties and counties in Jingchu and Xu Peng surrendered voluntarily. Wang Shichong, Wang Shichong also stationed cronies in important towns such as Xiangyang and Xuzhou. Weisan Queyi deliberately gave Wang Shichong a chance to break through, so once Wang Shichong escaped and ran to these places to regain his strength, if we want to eradicate this old fox completely, we will I don't know how much time and troops will be spent, the gain outweighs the loss. Therefore, we must not give Wang Shichong a chance to break through, we can only kill him in Luoyang at any cost!"
When Fang Xuanling nodded, a messenger suddenly rushed in from outside the door, and said to Chen Sangliangji: "Your Highness, Wang Shichong, the leader of the bandits, went up to the tower of Xuanrenmen in person and shouted loudly, asking to meet and answer with you. He also escorted a woman to the city, saying that if your Highness refuses to meet, he will make that woman suffer the crime of living on the spot."
"Who? Are there any other hostages in Wang Shichong's hands?"
All the civil and military personnel of the Sui army looked at each other, unable to remember any important hostages in Wang Shichong's hands, Chen Sangliang was also slightly taken aback, and then, Chen Sangliang stood up abruptly, his face suddenly changed. Turning into iron blue, said: "Oh no! It's Cuiyun!"