At the end of July in Jingnan, it is not an easy task to trek in the rain of Lili which is stopped nowadays.
The pavement full of mud and puddles made most soldiers walk and don’t know when to chirp. The brisk sandals and walking have already slipped off their feet and sunk in the slimy mud, and then they were caught in the mud. After a few more steps, it disappeared at all.
This also made it possible for many of them to wear a good pair of shoes in their lives. The soldiers who hadn't been long before were very distressed and helpless; therefore, many people simply put their shoes away and fasten them around their waists and walked barefoot.
Not to mention those animals that carry things; if one accidentally steps on a deep hidden puddle or mud pit, it may break the hooves, which is very painful. In contrast, those old pawns who were lucky enough to get a pair of high-top hard-soled fast boots in Cantonese were undoubtedly much luckier;
Although the feet were covered with mud and looked cumbersome, the boot uppers with high-side closures and leggings tied together did not get much muddy water and still fit tightly with the ankles. The nitrified glued boot surface is also very strong and wear-resistant, and coupled with the hard base inlaid with iron, it is not afraid of the gravel hidden in the mud.
Therefore, compared with most of the soldiers in the team with tired and tired faces, they are a group of people who still have a little more energy or are comfortable with it. And responsible for exploring the path at the forefront or staying at the end of the team, supervising and accommodating those who are getting slower and slower, mainly new pawns who have not been recruited for a long time and some gentle pawns.
Despite this, Cao Shixiong, who was also struggling to trek with the load-bearing mount, was still very energetic and encouraged with a somewhat hoarse voice:
"Everyone, work harder... it's not far away anymore..."
"As long as I rush to the next place, I will keep the hot soup cakes and jars of meat for everyone..."
As his voice dispersed under the low cloud cover, upon hearing the news of the meat supply of this jar, this muddy and exhausted team finally lifted up a spirit and energy again.
This jar of meat is the same as the hard marching rations, but it is one of the great inventions made by the rebels in Guangfu; it is said to use a lot of dried beancurd and offal with secret heavy ingredients such as cornel coarse salt sauce and soy, stewed it into a large altar. The sealed special military supplies that can be stored for a long time and are easy to transport; therefore, in terms of the specific taste and taste, they are much more like marching rations except for chewing salty crumbs.
Therefore, many people only grew up once when they broke down Tanzhou City, and they were already obsessed with it. So more than an hour later, in an abandoned village as a temporary stop, these soldiers Regardless of the old and new, they were so happy that they got a piece of meat for each person, and dipped it in the rations soaked in water, and chewed them with taste.
However, Cao Shixiong didn't sit down and rest like the others, and took some hot food with a fire and dry clothes and armor. Instead, he continued to patrol the camp in his clothes. After this trek, he still inevitably left behind and scattered about 10% of the soldiers, almost all of whom were newly recruited, but they were still expected in his heart.
In order to pursue the remnant enemy this time, he even persuaded Wang Chongyin to allocate most of his troops, and led his troops to the north; however, he gave up on the army's raid for several days and routine self-defense after the destruction of Tanzhou City. Fun-seeking rest activities; just to grab the first hand and opportunity that was secretly told.
"Monk, I have put all my net worth on top of this... I just hope that there is not much deviation in what you said..."
According to the other party’s previous expectations, the more accurate face-to-face instruction is appropriate. Compared with the heavily armed Tanzhou, the current Jingnan Jiedu and Prime Minister Wang Duo, who is based in Jiangling, is actually a civil servant with limited military strategy. Much weaker; therefore, after hearing that Tanzhou has fallen, there is a high probability that he will flee without fighting.
And this is where Cao Shixiong's back-horse has a chance, as long as he can take down this relatively empty Jiangling town, and the population and property it gathers; let alone stand alone among the rebels. The army, and even the opportunity and foundation for another way out.
It is important to know that the Jingnan area controlled by Jiangling, although the area is small, the economy is quite prosperous. Therefore, during the reign of Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty, it was twice set as the southern capital of Jiangling Prefecture. One of the five capitals of the Tang Dynasty after southern Chengdu. It is also a prosperous place of cultural gatherings known as "pipa is more than rice bowl" and "flowers are more than farming", and water and land shipping is extremely developed.
Therefore, this time he only brought ten days of food to advance lightly; and originally in the other party’s suggestion, taking a boat up the water was the highest priority; but because of the newly established navy envoy in the General’s Mansion, almost. The ships that can be found in the local area have been searched; therefore, he can only retreat to the next best place, abolishing the favor and price of the boss in exchange, and exchanged many livestock for transportation from other parts of the rebel army, and went on land. A dangerous sneak attack.
To be honest, even if he has walked here without hindrance, he still has some faint regrets and contradictions. How can he be like a ghost, so he followed the plan of the monk with doubts and doubts. Know him. But it's too far to be far away in Canton; is it because the other party really has such a magical foresight, or is it purely because of the gambling sex that he would rather take a hand
But because he got here, he couldn’t help but have much room for remorse; although it’s really impossible, he can retreat to the next best thing, including the second-class public security and stone head land that has already been occupied. That is such a big expense. After the setbacks, the benefits that can be obtained will be greatly reduced.
As if conforming to some of his irritating feelings, the rain in the sky became thicker again, and after a while, when Cao Shixiong wanted to give an order to stop the camp for repairs and stay overnight; A fast horse that broke through the rain curtain brought the latest report from the scouts ahead.
"Gangling City has been discovered... the suburbs outside the city are unsuspecting, but there are still pedestrians and business travelers coming and going..."
He couldn't help being filled with a burst of ecstasy, and he hurriedly hurriedly finally arrived first.
. . . . .
Two days later, on a sunny day, Cao Shixiong led a horrible team, stepped across the wet fields and arrived, and made a camp and attack outside the city of Jiangling on the bank of the big river. Come.
"It's such a big city..."
"I'm afraid it's bigger than Tanzhou..."
"Is this city wall several feet high..."
"How can people attack directly..."
Hearing the comments of the generals around him, Cao Shixiong's face tightened again; but in his heart he silently said: Monk, monk, you have come this far, I will believe you again for the time being. Then ordered:
"Beat the drums and gongs, prepare to push the city..."
In fact, with the exception of Cao Shixiong leading the more than 4,000 rear soldiers and horses, the others have broken the surrounding Wubao villages, and then used loose grains to gather along the way. Quan is a hungry hometown of bluffing and shouting. People only.
It's just that he deliberately placed the best equipment in front of the line and made detailed preparations for the siege; while most of the old, weak, sick and disabled were covered and hidden in the back team, responsible for waving the flag and shouting and carrying out the construction of the camp; For a time, such a huge crowd of people was clustered under this Jiangling city, and they shouted such a slogan back and forth with the sound of the mountains and the tsunami.
"Break Jiangling and capture Wang Duo alive..."
"Break Jiangling and catch the king thief alive..."
In the whistling sound of this piece, those "bang crowds" (cannon fodder) who were holding simple large rows and temporary growth ladders, or dump trucks, began to slowly move forward; Cao Shixiong squeezed his hands. The handle of the whip is getting tighter and tighter, and it is soaked with slimy sweat. His mood was like being directly burned in the scorching sun, full of suffering.
And until those "bang people" close to the trenches, they have already begun to fill the moat; the flag-lined Jiangling city is still unclear, and there is not much reverse and movement; Cao Shixiong's mind is also more and more lifted. When I got up, I only felt the sweat of the alternating hot and cold behind me, and it was quickly evaporated by the sun.
The four thousand volunteer soldiers he brought, but the rear army is where the horses are strong, and the food in the army is only a few days' worth; definitely not all of them are damaged here for their own sake. And there are at least tens of thousands of defenders in the city, and perhaps as long as half of the troops go out to fight once, it is enough to break the false situation that he has created.
"its not right.."
"Something's wrong, why is there no movement in the city..."
"How can there be no arrows falling in the city? Is there any fraud..."
Such a noise again rang out from Cao Shixiong's side uncontrollably; but it calmed his mood again; is it true that the monk is sincere to deceive me.
However, there was a sudden burst of loud noise and movement in the city, which made his mood sink into the abyss again; this is obviously the movement of the city gate being suddenly opened and the team killed by the team. Is the other party really cheating and reconciling? Ambush
He raised his hand involuntarily, ready to order the good people already listed, and immediately abandon the "leaders" of the front-drivers, shrink back to the unfinished camp, and stand by; but he saw a few people who were waiting outside. The scout came over lifelessly and yelled something:
Cao Shixiong couldn't help but hesitated, only to hear their faint shouts:
"Run... all run away"
"The officer opened the door and ran..."
"Running from the east..."
After more than an hour, Cao Shixiong stood on the head of a messy city, looking at the dusty city square.
Sure enough, only some local soil groups took the opportunity to looting in the city, and long before the arrival of the army, the prime minister Wang Duo, who was in Jiangling, still led his troops north to Xiangyang; even the soldiers and horses that Wang Duo commissioned to stay in the city knew it. Liu Hanhong also took the lead and flew away along the Yangtze River in the direction of Yuezhou in the southeast.
At this moment, Cao Shixiong couldn't help being filled with indescribable awe and other feelings:
"This monk is really an enchanting character... He knew every step of the way..."
"Wang Wang really missed this..."
"Quickly, quickly gather the crew, count the gains in the city, and ship it to the south as soon as possible..."
"We still have places to continue to rely on and rely on..." (End of this chapter)