Zheng Zan's original horse was a bit poor, but now it was replaced by a tall war horse. It was like a man in another world who changed his favorite car from a sacred car to a four-tube sports car and couldn't put it down.
Cai Mo looked at his subordinates and saw that their morale was high. Then he pointed forward and shouted: "Their horses have not rested enough, let's pursue them!"
"Kill!"
Amidst the overwhelming shouts, thousands of thieves ran away.
When passing by the camp, all the cooked meals were swept away, leaving only some broken pots. Under the heat of the remaining fire, the rice stuck to the broken porcelain shards exploded.
A straggler Southern Zhou official shouted wildly, "Save me!"
Wang Zhong turned around and said, "Run!"
Yuan Xiao said: "They don't dare to kill officials, right?"
Yang Xuan and Qin Jian looked at each other, and Qin Jian said: "You don't dare to kill an official, do you?"
Cheng Ran nodded, "We should capture him alive and use him as a bargaining chip, and then bargain with the officials."
Yang Xuan asked: "What are you worried about?"
Qin Jian said uncomfortably: "I'm not worried."
"Then why are you trembling?"
"I'm not trembling."
The clerk was caught...
Suddenly everyone turned around on horseback, not caring even if their necks were sore.
A group of thieves swamped the petty officials, and all they could see was long knives waving and blood splattering.
Is the conflict between the government and the people so deep?
Yang Xuan felt that he was too dedicated, even at such a critical moment, he was still calmly analyzing the situation in Southern Zhou Dynasty.
The old thief found that the officials of the Southern Zhou Dynasty and the officials of the mission were as sad as if they were dead, so he asked: "Why is this, Mr. Wang?"
"He's dead." Wang Zhong looked desolate.
Yes ha!
His men were dead.
The old thief asked curiously: "Does Deputy Qin feel the same way?"
"Yes!" Qin Jian sighed.
There were several rebellions among the people in the Tang Dynasty last year. He was far away in Chang'an, where he was shouting for prosperity and peace, and he had never seen such scenes. Now, he saw it.
The Southern Zhou Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty were different, but the experiences of the people were similar.
Moreover, the people of the Tang Dynasty were more bold and brave.
The old thief stood side by side with Yang Xuan, "Lang Jun, this is the death of a rabbit and the sorrow of a fox."
The thieves began to swarm behind me.
"The suffering of the people is closely related to the greed of those powerful officials and local gentry. This is one layer of oppression, and another layer is the local officials."
"Officials are even more ruthless."
"Yes, local officials are more terrifying than ghosts when they are ruthless."
There is a folk saying: It is better to meet a fierce ghost than an official.
"Mr. Lang, in many places officials are regarded as the most poisonous people in the world, more terrifying than tigers and wolves."
"What do you think?"
"The villain thinks that if the tiger and wolf come, the people can still run away. At least one person will be enough for him to eat."
Wang Laoer asked: "How much can the officials eat?"
Yang Xuan said: "Officials can eat up the whole world!"
Along the way, stragglers appeared again.
"Help!"
The miserable howl and the helplessness of being drowned among the thieves gave Yang Xuan some enlightenment in his heart.
It turns out that those people who seem weak and can only laugh at the officials who have been trampled upon them, can they actually burst out with such power?
"We can't escape." Someone shouted in despair.
The kings looked pale and said, "There may be a city nearby."
The local official said: "Yecheng is on the left."
"lead the way!"
"But Yecheng is small."
"lead the way!"
"Servant!"
The kings asked: "How many troops?"
"five hundred."
"It's enough to defend the city." The kings' hearts moved, thinking that this was a great opportunity.
The old thief looked sideways and said, "Lang Jun, that magistrate looks strange, his eyes flicker."
Yang Xuan also saw that the local officials seemed extremely reluctant to take them to Yecheng.
This Southern Zhou Dynasty is really full of mysteries!
The old thief said: "Lang Jun, how about we leave them alone?"
This is a good idea.
Yang Xuan turned around, but found that it was too late.
There are thieves everywhere!
Surrounded them from the left and right.
There is a big river on one side, and mountains on the other... What the heck, there is only one easy road left, and it is so rugged that people can run faster than horses.
"Run!"
…
Yecheng guard Zhang Chunqiu, this name makes people awe-inspiring.
But when you see a fat man wearing tight armor and standing at the top of the city with his curves exposed, and his face is covered with oil when he casually wipes it, you can't feel the slightest respect.
"Where are the people?"
"Coming."
Dozens of riders are galloping towards us.
"It's okay, it's okay." Zhang Chunqiu ordered: "Open the city gate."
The city gate opens, and smoke and dust billow in the distance.
The deputy general beside him trembled, "The thief is coming."
Zhang Chunqiu said coldly: "Remember, keep it secret."
There were five hundred people in the city, but half of them were old and weak. The deputy general looked at these old and weak people and nodded, "Yes."
"It's Ye Cheng!"
In the distance, Zheng Zan pointed at Ye Cheng and said, "Do you want to retreat?"
Cai Mo raised his hand, and someone beside him picked up a clock and started ringing it.
Clang clang clang!
At any rate, after practicing for a while, the thieves knew that this was a signal to stop.
Thousands of people stopped, and the sound of gasping filled their ears.
"Who knows Ye Cheng?" Cai Mo asked.
More than a dozen thieves raised their hands, and Cai Mo pointed to one person and said, "Say."
"Leader, there are five hundred sergeants in Yecheng..."
Zheng Zan looked serious, "If we are not afraid outside the city, it will be difficult to attack the city."
Cai Mo asked: "What about the five hundred people?"
The thief said: "There are five hundred people, half of them are old and weak."
Cai Mo and Zheng Zan looked at each other, and a surge of ecstasy surged into their hearts.
"The opportunity has come." Zheng Zan whispered: "It is useless to kill the officials of the Southern Zhou Dynasty. We must kill the envoy of the Tang Dynasty. If you kill him, the dog emperor will not be able to explain to the Tang Dynasty. In this way, the Tang Dynasty will be unable to get off the tiger, even if it does not send troops."
"Yes, kill them, hang their heads on the flagpole, and plant them on the roadside to tell everyone that the Southern Zhou Dynasty is coming to an end!"
Cai Mo looked at his subordinates and said, "Surround Yecheng and rest for a while before attacking the city."
At the top of the city, Zhang Chunqiu and his men respectfully greeted the king and his entourage.
Yecheng is so small that standing at the top of the city feels like a bird cage.
"Is it possible to defend it?" Wang Zhong was concerned about this issue as soon as they reached the top of the city.
"Even if I risk my life, I will defend Yecheng!" Zhang Chunqiu's face shone with oil.
Wang Zhong said with satisfaction: "Work hard, and I will definitely come to Bianjing to ask for credit for you later."
"This stick." Yang Xuan had already discovered the problem with the defenders, "Damn it, there are so many old and weak people, the defenders have no time to spare."
The old thief took a deep breath and asked, "Mr. Lang, what should I do?"
"They will die first." Wang Laoer took out the oil paper bag and distributed the food.
At this time, Yang Xuan and others found that their chests were pressed against their backs.
The rice was a little undercooked, but the mutton was cooked.
"Is this mutton?"
Yuan Xiao was so hungry that he came over shamelessly, thinking that you might as well score some points.
Yang Xuan and others stuffed the food into their mouths and looked at him.
Not afraid of choking to death!
Yuan Xiao went back angrily.
The old thief began to observe the situation and said, "Mr. Sir, it's not very good."
The city was so lifeless that even if we tried to mobilize the power of the people, we couldn't.
Yang Xuan had a toothache, "This is so damn bad!"
Snap!
The king over there finally discovered the fishy behavior of the five hundred soldiers and slapped him away. However, because Zhang Chunqiu's face was oily and he couldn't use any force, he almost stumbled.
"You are a thief with an army, how dare you take empty pay?"
Zhang Chunqiu's face turned pale and he said, "If you are an incompetent official, there will be no one available to you."
"You should save these prevarications for the censor!" Wang Zhong said through gritted teeth.
Yuan Xiao looked at the city, where the thieves were resting, "Servant, the situation is not good."
The kings pressed their hands on the city head, "I know. The defenders are unreliable. Who can we rely on?"
Yuan Xiao whispered: "It is said that Yang Xuan is quite fierce in fighting in Northern Xinjiang. In this case, let him take command?"
The kings stroked their beards with firm eyes, "How can the Southern Zhou army be commanded by Tang people? It's ridiculous!"
Yuan Xiao nodded, "Yes, yes, the minister is absolutely right, but this is just to follow the authority in a hurry, and then leave him alone."
Wang Zhong coughed dryly.
This is a hint that a stronger reason is needed.
Yuan Xiao said: "The court has always wanted to know the strength of the Tang army. Isn't this a good opportunity?"
"Ahem!"
This was a signal that Shangguan was very satisfied. Yuan Xiao bowed slightly, not daring to be proud.
The kings came over.
"What did he come for?" Qin Jian sneered, "A group of idiots came out and said that the Southern Zhou Dynasty was a peaceful and prosperous time, but they were surrounded by thieves without any precautions."
Cheng Ran said: "I thought we could use Wang Zhong and others as bargaining chips to throw them out to make those thieves retreat."
Everyone looked at him.
You are so shameless!
Qin Jian coughed dryly and said, "It's too much."
Cheng Ran said sternly: "If you are not from the Tang Dynasty, I will not feel sorry for you no matter how many times you die."
These words made everyone nod their heads.
It's true what you say.
"Your Majesty."
"Wang Shilang."
"Your Majesty, please take a moment to speak."
"Xiao Xuanzi, ask him which drama he is from."
When the two of them reached the edge, the king smiled and said: "Although the situation is dangerous, the five hundred defenders are enough to defend against the enemy."
"yes!"
"Your Majesty, the Southern Zhou Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty have been on good terms for generations."
"Yes! Just a strip of water, no, the mountains and rivers are in a foreign land, but the wind and moon are in the same sky."
"Exactly."
"What's the matter, Mr. Wang? If nothing happens, Yang is going to the city to find a place to rest."
"I heard that your envoys are fighting fiercely in Northern Xinjiang?"
"It's funny."
"The Southern Zhou Dynasty has had good relations with the Tang Dynasty for generations. Your envoy is a famous general. Can you open our eyes to this?"
"Killing someone?"
"???"
"Not killing? Then please arrange a place, Yang wants to sleep."
"!!!"
The kings knew that their tact was of no use in front of this envoy, and that if they continued speaking they would only bring humiliation to themselves, they could only forcefully smile and say: "I would like to ask your envoy to take action and direct this attack and defense."
Yang Xuan was stunned.
This is the Southern Zhou army!
The Tang Dynasty and the Southern Zhou Dynasty were not said to be feuding, but if they had the opportunity to bite each other, neither side would let it go.
Who came up with the idea of letting the envoys of the Tang Dynasty command the Southern Zhou army?
Why?
Yang Xuan took a look at Zhang Chunqiu's plump figure and the oily face, and he had some enlightenment in his heart.
After the empty pay incident occurred, Wang Zhong and others could not believe Zhang Chunqiu's ability.
Yang Xuan thought of something, "On the way, Wang Shilang once said that he had read many military books. If he had the opportunity to go to war, he would definitely frighten the enemy."
"Ah... ho ho ho!" Wang Zhong smiled with an ugly look on his face.
The civil servants of the Southern Zhou Dynasty were just like this. While they despised the warriors, they also boasted about the mastery of their ancestral military skills and their own self-taught military skills... Therefore, whenever troops were dispatched, they must be led by civilian officials.
The kings laughed and looked at Yang Xuan.
I even laughed awkwardly, you should give me some face and agree to it!
Yang Xuan looked outside the city in boredom.
The thieves began to build a ladder to attack the city. It looked very crude, but Yang Xuan knew that with just two to three hundred capable defenders, Yecheng could not be defended at all.
what to do?
"Your Majesty, please lend me a helping hand!"
"If the city is destroyed, the envoy will not be spared either. Dear envoy, we are all in the same boat and we should work together to help each other!"
"Your Majesty..."
There were beads of sweat on Wang Zhong's forehead.
On the other side, Zhang Chunqiu was with the deputy general, and said calmly: "I will be exiled later, please keep an eye on Ye Cheng."
The lieutenant general said: "The lower officials will take responsibility."
"Danny! I'm here, it's not your turn!"
The lieutenant sniffed, tears glistening in his eyes.
Zhang Chunqiu exclaimed, "What do you mean, Minister Wang?" He even bent down and apologized."
Yuan Xiao also saw it. When the official below asked him, he said calmly: "The minister probably wanted to appease the envoy."
Over there, Yang Xuan nodded lightly.
The kings turned around and said with red faces: "All of you, obey the envoy's command!"
What about face?
Where is my face in Nanzhou?
Zhang Chunqiu and others were stunned.
What kind of face, what kind of etiquette, the thief is outside the city, and his life is not safe, who the hell takes these seriously?
The officials were stunned.
Someone said: "The envoy is a famous general of the Tang Dynasty!"
The chance to survive has come!
The officials couldn't help but cheered.
The soldiers were lifeless.
Zhang Chunqiu smiled bitterly, "It's such a shame and humiliation to let the generals of the Tang army command us!"
Yang Xuan came over.
"From now on, you will hear every word I say clearly and act accordingly. If anyone dares to disobey the order, kill him!"
The soldiers were a little dissatisfied and muttered together.
Yuan Xiao scolded: "Who dares to disobey orders when a thief joins the army? Who? Stand up and show me? You bitch, who dares?"
The sergeants stood up timidly, "Don't dare."
The old thief was stunned, "Lang Jun, such an army..."
Yang Xuan whispered: "It is a good thing for the Tang Dynasty."
Qin Jian was filled with joy, "This time I have discovered the reality of the Southern Zhou Dynasty, which is a great achievement."
The kings said: "Your Majesty, what should we do next?"
Yang Xuan pointed at the old and weak, "Take off your armor and go home."
The kings looked at Zhang Chunqiu. Although they despised this corrupt general, they had to rely on his experience at this moment.
The old and the weak staying will only drag down the defenders and affect morale. This envoy seems to have some tricks... Zhang Chunqiu nodded.
It seems that Yang Xuan's achievements are not a boast... The kings were relieved.
How can three hundred people defend the city? Yang Xuan looked at the crowd and said, "The men in the city, aged sixteen to forty, assemble."
Clang clang clang!
Some officials left with a vicious look.
"The thieves are about to attack the city."
Some soldiers shouted.
When everyone walked to the edge of the city and took a look, they saw the thieves forming a formation. The people in front were holding freshly made ladders, looking murderous!
"The situation is critical! What should we do?" Yuan Xiao asked tremblingly.
More than ten thieves rushed over on horseback.
"Open the door and surrender, but I will spare you the chance to die!"
"If you don't surrender, after the city is broken, no chickens or dogs will be left!"
"Should we surrender? Surrender or not?!"
Thousands of thieves shouted together, and the sound was like a huge wave crashing into the city.
The officials at the top of the city looked pale.
In their eyes, the common people, who are as lowly as pigs and dogs, can now control their life and death.
Yang Xuan stretched out his hand.
The old thief handed over the long bow.
"What do you want your envoy to do?"
"It's too far!"
Open your bow, nock an arrow, and let go.
call out!
The thief who yelled the loudest was immediately captured.
Instant.
All the shouting seemed to have been pressed on the pause button.
Gone!
Everyone looked at the envoy of the Tang Dynasty at the top of the city.
Until the deputy general couldn't help shouting: "What a great arrow!"
Yang Xuan handed the long bow to the old thief.
Turn around.
The kings asked: "What should I do?"
These civil servants had lived in peace for countless years, but when faced with such a situation, they were almost at a loss.
Yang Xuan looked at them.
"Wear armor and defend the city!"
moment.
The civil servants of the Southern Zhou Dynasty looked pale.