Lei Changming is a native of Chazhou. In his early years, he played darts with others. He did coolies and never read a book. During the Yongyi years, his sister was taken as a concubine by the commander-in-chief of the Duanzhou garrison. It's a pity that the good times didn't last long. The commander-in-chief of Duanzhou was not a long-term lover. He hated his sister within a few years. The debts he owed were not repaid, so he had to come out again to play darts with others.
At the end of Yongyi's year, Lei Changming took the dart from the Yan family in Hezhou, and on the way, in order to protect Yan's young son Yan Heru, he sacrificed his life to fight against the gangsters, and he won the favor of the Yan family. After Bo was defeated in the middle of the Xiande period, he began to recruit troops and horses with the money of the Yan family, launched a mutiny in the Duanzhou garrison, killed the commander-in-chief assigned by the court at that time, and completely became a bandit in Duanzhou.
Lei Changming had only a few thousand people at first, but with the negative arrangements of the imperial court after the defeat, Zhongbo has not recovered from the heavy losses. More and more people have turned from ordinary people to bandits, and he has gradually become a leader. State tyrant. Up to now, the soldiers and horses under his command have far exceeded the number of the garrison troops of the Central Bo states.
"Half a year ago, Lei Changming had a total of more than 14,000 people in Duan and Dunzhou." Zhou Gui raised his sleeve and pointed to Xiao Chiye a map, "He took Luoshan between Duan and Dunzhou as the The base camp has established its own bandit den. When the court was rebuilding the Dengzhou garrison, it tried to encircle Luoshan, but it was unsuccessful several times, so it was abandoned, and no one was left to take care of it.”
Xiao Chiye tied his arms, leaned halfway against the table, looked at the map, and said, "He brought 40,000 people to Cizhou, and Luoshan must have enough soldiers and horses to guard him. It seems that he at least There are 60,000 soldiers and horses, which is the number of garrison troops in the two counties of Qidong."
Although Xiao Chiye didn't mean to blame, he still made Zhou Gui feel ashamed. Because the six states of China and Bo are all governed by regular state capitals, they actually watched the bandit family dominate in six years, forming a scale comparable to the regular army.
"Although my lord has no contact with Duan and Dunzhou, there are usually field officials who come to handle the case of the guardhouse." Kong Ling sat on the chair and said, "In just half a year, he has gathered so many people, we Didn't get any wind of it."
"Master Hou," Zhou Gui said earnestly, "I originally thought that Lei Changming had no more than 10,000 people, and it would only take a few months to encircle him, but now he has 40,000 horses heading straight for Cizhou, and we can only rely on two soldiers from the forbidden army. Ten thousand people, I’m afraid it’s dangerous! Why don’t you…”
It is better to find someone to go to Libei immediately, tell Xiao Fangxu the news, and let the Libei iron cavalry guarding the northeast grain and horse road move south to come to support.
Xiao Chiye fastened his arms, but did not speak. Zhou Gui wanted to persuade, but Kong Ling noticed something else from Xiao Chiye's silence. With the action of serving tea, he pressed Zhou Gui's arm, and Zhou Gui swallowed the words back.
"Sir and Mr. Chengfeng don't need to panic," Shen Zechuan sat in another chair, still reading the post newspaper, "Lei Changming's 40,000 people also need to eat, he can't travel fast, and the logistics must carry sufficient rations. Only then can we support him to travel thousands of miles to Ibaraki to fight with us. Besides... "
Shen Zechuan's expression appeared a little strange.
"This post may not be accurate either."
"Why did Tongzhi say this?" Zhou Gui hurriedly approached with his robe, and also looked at the post newspaper, "This is an urgent report personally sent by the official who went to Dunzhou to deal with the robbery case, how could it be inaccurate? Woolen cloth?"
"He didn't see Lei Changming's 40,000 horses with his own eyes," Shen Zechuan pondered, "it is too hasty to believe Lei Changming's words based on the traces of the stove. That's why the banner of 40,000 people was launched, just to want us to mess up first."
"Yes," Xiao Chiye said with his eyes lowered, "If he really had 40,000 people, it would be easier to fight. The consumption of a protracted war is astonishing, and he is even more strapped than us."
"But he still has the support of the Yan Clan in Hezhou," Zhou Gui said in a hurry. "He was able to achieve this scale because of the support of the Yan Clan. Hezhou has a river channel that leads directly to the Juexi granary, and I want to supply him with follow-up supplies. Grain and grass are very simple things."
"Your Excellency is confused," Shen Zechuan suddenly laughed. "If Lei Changming still has Yan's support behind him, why would he be in such a hurry to come to Ibaraki? Did you forget, he came to Ibaraki to ask for food."
"He came here once a few months ago, and again after a few months." Xiao Chiye said, "It not only shows that he is likely to fall out with the Yan family, but also shows that his old bottom in Luoshan is not enough for him to eat. Now. He is the Chashi River to the east, and the Biansha cavalry can plunder more than him. He is helpless and can only come to Cizhou many times to ask for food."
"Then why doesn't he come sooner rather than later, so he has to wait until the Imperial Guard arrives in Cizhou?" Kong Ling walked around the table, taking two steps slowly, and said, "The Marquis has arrived in Cizhou, and it will do him no harm."
"Because Han Jin is in the hands of the forbidden army," Shen Zechuan closed the post newspaper, got up and said, "He can survive for so long because of the help of the Yan family. Now he has parted ways with the Yan family. If he wants to continue to occupy the mountain and be the overlord, he has to Looking for new help. He is a bandit, the more people he has, the more troublesome he will be. Other places can rely on the mountains to eat the mountains, but Zhongbo is poor, so he can only eat the soil when he digs the mountains. This person is very good at grasping the opportunity and he can make a fortune , that is, he got on the right boat at the three turning points of his life. He had soldiers, and Zhongbo was short of soldiers, but he had no way, and it happened that Ce An was taking the forbidden army to pass through Cizhou. If he could defeat the forbidden army and rescue Han Jin, he would be able to fight Qidu reported the credit and obtained the position of military attache of Zhongbo through the Han family."
"He had a good idea. He wanted to become a serious official." Zhou Gui was angry and stomped his feet, "Don't care about the people of Cizhou!"
"This is just a guess, you still have to fight this person first to get a better understanding." Xiao Chiye hung up the wolf's sword and said to Zhou Gui, "Cizhou is backed by Libei, and Lei Changming can't cross the border. After that, we can’t besiege the city and trap us. The adults immediately ordered people to block the city gates, and even the dog hole was blocked. He has three religions who have lost their household registration, and it is impossible to prevent them.”
"Master Hou is going to confront the city?" Kong Ling looked embarrassed, "The city walls of Cizhou are old, I'm afraid they can't resist the impact of Lei Changming."
"The forbidden army can't enter the city and defend it," Xiao Chiye held the knife, showing his sharp teeth slightly, "I bet you, Lei Changming is determined not to charge my soldiers head on, this is what he fears. ."
* * *
At dusk, Xiao Chiye and Shen Zechuan were patrolling the city wall, both of them carrying knives and walking on the city wall side by side.
"The last time this city wall was repaired was during the Yongyi years." Shen Zechuan tried to push the wall, and the soil eroded by wind and rain fell to the ground.
"Zhou Gui is also poor. He has been anxious to solve the problem of eating in recent years, and naturally he has no time to take care of the military defense in the city." Xiao Chiye picked up a piece of soil and smashed it in his hands, "The forbidden army can rely on Cizhou, but it cannot retreat. into the city."
Xiao Chiye knew that Zhou Gui wanted to seek support from Li Bei, but he refused to open his mouth. He will be able to return to Libei soon, but how to arrange the 20,000 imperial troops with him is something he has not discussed with his father and brother. He knew that the Libei Iron Cavalry, such a complete team, would not be able to quickly accept the Imperial Army—the two armies were expected to experience a very difficult run-in. At this time, he opened his mouth to ask for support. If Xiao Fangxu really came, then Xiao Chiye would have no chance to come back to Libei again.
This battle was his first home, and he had to win it, he had to win it himself.
The sunset glowed across the horizon, dyeing half of the sky red. The houses in the city are row upon row, the smoke from the cooking is curling up, and the voices of people are noisy and lively. Shen Zechuan covered Xiao Chiye's heart with his hands down, and the two of them stood and squatted down, looking down.
"Lei Changming is a capable man," Shen Zechuan said, "but it is you who decides whether he is a bandit or a hero."
"A hero comes out of troubled times," Xiao Chiye put his arms on his knees and slowly stood up, "I'll go with the Overlord Bow."
He stood here, like a thick tree in the light and shadow of dusk, and like a mountain standing in front of the city wall. Shen Zechuan watched those restraints gradually disappear, Xiao Chiye was ready to go, he should show his edge in this chaotic situation.
"When you return to Libei," Shen Zechuan looked at him, "Your Highness should find out that you have grown taller again."
"I was taller than him the last time I saw him," Xiao Chiye laughed. "When I was young, I thought my father was like a towering tree. He put me on his shoulders and tricked me into touching the clouds. Big brother also wanted to sit on my father's side. Shoulder, but he had already gone to school at that time, he felt like an older brother, and in order to be dignified and steady, he never said a word to his father, just watching me sit would make him happy."
Shen Zechuan also laughed. He looked back at the sky and said, "It is said that the prince looks like a princess."
"Two or three points," Xiao Chiye's eyes were filled with the glow of the sky, "it's just that I don't look like my father. In fact, my eldest brother was very distressed. When my father retired to the palace due to illness, he was only a teenager. It is very difficult to find a way out among those wolf-like men. He was ridiculed the most at first because he was not physically strong enough, he once said to Zhaohui... "
Xiao Chiye's face was serene, he seemed to recall that day, and inexplicably fell into a kind of sadness. He turned his head and held Shen Zechuan's hand, rolling his throat a few times before he said, "It's strange that we are brothers. I envy the eldest brother's steadiness and his calmness. I always thought like this before, 'If I wish I was born a few years earlier', then I am the eldest brother and the prince, and I can gallop to the fullest without leaving Libei. Say to Zhaohui 'I really envy Ah Ye'."
"I thought neither my father nor my eldest brother would be hurt or collapsed. They bleed and shed tears. But on the day my eldest brother got married, he was very drunk, and such a prudent person took the elder sister-in-law's hand carefully, as if he had expected it. In the future, his eyes are red at his sister-in-law. He regards his family as a treasure, and he will be afraid too."
"I have nothing better than my eldest brother. If I really want to say it, I just have a good physique given by my father." Xiao Chiye clenched Shen Zechuan tightly, "I didn't understand why he had red eyes at sister-in-law before, but now I understand."