At the top of Yunzhou City, Wu Luan, the judge of the Datong Army, stood at the top of the city, looking at the Khitan camp in the distance in the wind and snow in silence.
There was wind and snow, but it was too light and far from enough to freeze away the Khitan people.
If Yelu Deguang had come to besiege Yunzhou last year, those two blizzards alone would have caused heavy losses to the Khitans and they would have withdrawn the siege.
Now in Yunzhou City, although there is sufficient food and grass, and there are still more than 4,000 defenders, people's hearts are wandering.
Wu Luan was just a judge. Although he was elected as the leader, he did not have enough prestige. He had no way or ability to do many things.
Sighing, Wu Luan looked to the southwest. If the person in his position at the moment was Zhe Congyuan, the commander of the Yong'an Army, things would have been very different.
The Zhe family is a wealthy family in Yunzhou and has settled in Yunzhou since the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Regardless of the network or prestige, Zhe can convince everyone from afar.
But Wu Luan couldn't do it. As the siege lasted longer, people's hearts became less united than before.
After all, as long as they are human beings, they cherish their lives. The nobles hope to keep their wealth, and ordinary people also hope to live a normal life.
They Yunzhou people were frightened repeatedly by the killing and killing of hundreds of Khitan soldiers and Yelu Deguang. They could not believe the discipline of the Khitan troops outside the city and had to join forces to fight.
If Yelu Deguang came out in person now and vowed not to pursue the case, Wu Luan believed that Yunzhou City would not be able to survive for five days.
Where to go? Wu Luan now has no idea. He can only make up his mind secretly. At worst, he will die in Yunzhou City!
Just as he was feeling sad, shouts, curses, and the sound of rapid horse hooves suddenly came from outside the west gate.
Then there were screams and the sound of bow strings vibrating. It seemed that someone had passed through the Khitan military tent and was heading towards Yunzhou City.
Yunzhou has been under siege for almost two months, and all connections with the outside world have been cut off. If there is any disturbance, the whole city will pay attention.
Soon, dozens of military generals collectively ran to the west gate tower to look around.
I saw a few figures appearing in the distance. They were wearing white cloaks, and their horses were also pure white.
It seemed to blend into the whiteness of the sky and earth in the distance, completely different from the Khitans in leather robes who were chasing after them. Perhaps it was the whiteness that allowed them to get through the numerous blockades.
When they got closer, everyone could see clearly that there were about a dozen riders coming towards the west gate.
They cooperated very skillfully, and a dozen of them were able to set up an open crane-wing formation. Whether they turned around to shoot or stopped their horses to shoot, they would always shoot in an obvious sequence.
More than a dozen bows fired arrows in a continuous stream, shooting down the pursuing Khitans all over the ground.
Among them, two young men in white robes were particularly brave. They were holding large yellow hard bows. Every time they opened the bow strings, they would definitely shoot down a Khitan cavalry.
When they arrived at the foot of Yunzhou City, at least 20 or 30 Khitan people were shot dead. For a while, they did not dare to surround them, but just gathered and made noise in the distance.
"Zhe De, the second son of Zhe Gong, the governor of Yong'an Army, is willing to be here. Please ask Judge Wu of Datong Army to come out and answer the question!"
A white-robed knight under the city opened his pocket, revealing a slightly green face.
There was still someone who supported the Zhejia family in Yunzhou City. He took a closer look and then shouted excitedly: "Yes, this is my Zhejia's Mr. Zheerlang, Brother Yuan!"
"This is Wu Luan. Why are Mr. Zhe Erlang here? But he was sent here by Mr. Zhe Ling?" Wu Luan asked hopefully.
Everyone knows that the emperor in Tokyo is unreliable, and Taifu Liu in Hedong will probably not offend the Khitans for them.
The only one who can hope for a little bit is that his ancestral home is Yunzhou, and he also has to face the threat of the Khitans. The Yong'an Army Jiedu Envoy, Fuzhou Governor Zhe Congyuan.
"Of course!" Zhe Deku replied loudly: "Not only are there people from the Zhe family, but someone is now serving as the ambassador of Longyou Jiedu in Hexi Province, the envoy of the Guiyi Army, and the order of His Highness the King of Han to break into Yunzhou to inform you.
King Zhang sent five thousand cavalry to join forces with a certain Zhejia family, and they defeated the Khitan Zuo Pishi army by the Hun River, beheading more than a thousand people."
"Heaven will not stop us from waiting for the people of China! His Royal Highness the King of Han in Hexi is a hero who returned from the Eighteen States. With his old man leading the troops, Yunzhou City can be saved." Next to Wu Luan, a man wearing a black t-shirt
The robed scribe looked up to the sky and laughed.
Well, I, King Zhang, haven't even reached the age of twenty-eight yet, and I have already become an old man.
Although Zhang Zhao has a good reputation as a returnee from the Eighteen Prefectures, people in Yunzhou in the north do not know him well.
Many people thought that Zhang Zhao was an old loyal minister with great prestige like Guo Ziyi or Zhang Yichao, but they never thought that King Zhang was still in his thirties.
"Please Mr. Zhe Erlang, follow a certain red flag to go to West Wengcheng!" Wu Luan was overjoyed and immediately ordered the small school around him to hold a big red flag and guide the dozen or so cavalrymen under the city to enter the city from Wengcheng.
Xiweng City is the only city gate in Yunzhou that is not closed. Under the guidance of the red flag, Zhe Deyuan and others entered from Xiweng City. As soon as they passed Wengcheng, the residents of Yunzhou who came after hearing the news surrounded them.
Already.
While Wu Luan sent people to guide them, he also shouted that the heavenly troops from the imperial court had arrived. The King of Han personally led tens of thousands of Hexi soldiers to cross the Hun River.
Suddenly, the colorful flags of Yunzhou City in the snow were flying, there was a burst of joy, the old and the weak, women and children were singing and dancing, and the children were running all over the ground excitedly.
They had just spent a silent New Year's Day, and this meeting seemed to make up for the joy.
However, compared with the joy outside, the atmosphere at Yunzhou Datong Military Office was much more depressing.
After Zhe Deyuan and others were invited into the city, Wu Luan couldn't wait to ask: "But the emperor summoned His Highness the King of Han to lead the troops from Hexi to the east?"
It makes sense for Wu Luan to ask this. In this world, the siege of Yunzhou must be lifted unless the emperor of Tokyo issues an edict.
Let Liu Zhiyuan, the military governor of Hedong Province, and Zhang Zhao, the military governor of Longyou County in Hexi Province, work together to advance from the south to the west. Only then can we possibly push back Yelu Deguang's personal expedition.
Zhe Deyuan was speechless, looking at the ardent hopeful eyes of Wu Luan and the generals and officials in the Yazhong Army, he said "No", but he couldn't say it out loud.
But he couldn't say it. Li Xiaojie, the eldest grandson of Li Zhongchao who followed him in Huizhou, couldn't understand this sadness because he was a party member and had no one else in his eyes except Zhang Zhao.
And because he didn't feel aggrieved, King Zhang unified Hexi Longyou and went on a rampage everywhere. Only the Guiyi army beat people, and no one else attacked the Guiyi army.
As an officer trained by King Zhang and a member of the Volunteer Army, Li Xiaojie could not understand and had never felt this kind of aggrievedness, so he raised his hand.
"So that Judge Wu and everyone know that Yunzhou was betrayed by the Emperor of Tokyo, so how could they send troops to rescue him?
This time there are soldiers and horses coming, and the King of Han is still benevolent. He can't bear to see our land of China lost to the Khitan, so he sells iron and steel, so he pulls out thousands of cavalry and fights to the east."
Although Wu Luan had been prepared in his heart, his expression still changed, as if he had been struck by lightning.
Everyone in the office was also in an uproar, some were silent, some were sobbing, and some even started to have other plans in their minds.
"The imperial court has no troops to come. Even if the King of Han sends all his troops to Hexi, how can he withstand the arrival of the Lord of Khitan in person?"
Wu Luan had a look of despair on his face. This hope came quickly, and the blow came even faster.
Li Xiaojie bowed his hands to everyone in the office, "It is indeed impossible to drive away the Khitan by relying on my rebel army, Hexi soldiers and horses. What's more, if we drive away today and come back tomorrow, what can we do?
But you have already hated the Khitan ruler, and as the Khitan people are wolves by nature, Yunzhou has no way out for a long time. Once the city is defeated, your life will be in danger.
Fortunately, my king is unparalleled in benevolence and righteousness. Although he cannot save Yunzhou City, he is willing to do everything possible to save you all!"
When everyone in Yunzhou heard this, their hopes suddenly rose again. They pushed past Wu Luan, surrounded Li Xiaojie, and started asking questions.
"If you want to be saved, it's actually not difficult! Now the Khitan has seen the capabilities of Yunzhou's soldiers and civilians. They will definitely not be able to break through Yunzhou City until the spring comes and the siege equipment is built.
In addition, our lord is stationed near the Hun River, so how can the Khitans dare to launch a fierce attack?
The easiest way is to threaten the imperial court with envoys and ask the emperor to issue an edict to vacate Yunzhou City."
Li Xiaojie said slowly, the faces of the generals in Yunzhou were also proud. There were only three or four thousand of them. In their haste, they actually blocked Yelu Deguang, who was marching in person. At least for now, there is nothing that can be done against them.
.
Li Xiaojie saw that the emotions of everyone in Yunzhou were aroused, and then continued: "So all we need is to work together to defend Yunzhou City.
With our Hexi soldiers and horses peeping from the side, Yelu Deguang must have the intention of compromising. If we give up the city on the condition that no one in Yunzhou City is harmed and the people are not relocated, the Khitan people should agree."
After Li Xiaojie finished speaking, a military general bowed his hands to him and said, "In this way, the people of Yunzhou can be saved.
But if we kill and injure hundreds of Khitan soldiers, what if the Khitan leader lets us off today and retaliates after we hand over our military power?"
Li Xiaojie showed two big white teeth and smiled, "Don't worry, general. My lord, King Zhang of Hexi, has just defeated the Li family of the Dingnan Army. You are all Han heroes who fought against the Khitan. If you are willing, the king is willing to invite you to settle down in Xiazhou."
.
When the king came, he told the young general that anyone willing to go to Xiazhou would be promoted to a higher rank, given 500 acres of land, and several male and female slaves from the Xia tribe.
The soldiers and the common people each receive rewards for their great service in protecting Yunzhou."
Wu Luan was immediately shocked. He looked at Li Xiaojie in disbelief. The Li family of the Pingxia Division, which had been fighting for hundreds of years, was just gone?
However, the largest number of people in the office looked at Zhe Deyuan. In the eyes of these people, King Zhang of Hexi was unfamiliar to them, and only Erlangjun of the Zhe family was the most trusted by them.
"That's right! King Zhang Tianzong, Lord Ying, while we were waiting to defeat the Khitans by the Hun River, the Hexi soldiers had been besieging Xiazhou for several months, and the city could only be breached in the blink of an eye.
But before that, in the battle of Baiyanchi, the 40,000-strong Dingnan Army was defeated, and all the armored cavalry and soldiers were lost."
Zhe Deyuan raised his hand. Although he did not go to Xiazhou, his brother Zhe Deqin lost Xiazhou and saw with his own eyes that the Guiyi Army defeated Li Yiyin and had no choice but to retreat to the inner west city.
Just talking about the Hexi soldiers does not give the Yunzhou generals an image of reference, but when it comes to the Li family of the Dingnan army, everyone will understand.
It turned out that the Hexi Guiyi Army was already so powerful! It was able to destroy the Dingnan Army, which had 40,000 soldiers and horses, armored cavalry, and three or four thousand soldiers.
At this time, Li Xiaojie offered his hand to Wu Luan and said, "When the spring comes, the special envoy of the King of Han will arrive in Yunzhou, and Judge Wu can send someone to meet him.
At the end of the day, the king has already said that Judge Wu is a loyal minister and a righteous man. If he is willing to go to Xiazhou, he should be rewarded with the post of Sima of the Han Palace and the actual appointment of the governor of Xiazhou!"