Chu Fang lay prone on his horse and galloped with all his strength. At this time, the Jingzhou army finally reacted belatedly. In shock and anger, they all drew their bows and shot at him. Arrows flew randomly for a while.
However, Chu Fang had already rushed far away at this time, and most of his arrows fell into the air. Even if they occasionally hit, Chu Fang's men and horses were well armored and could not hurt them at all.
But in the blink of an eye, Chu Convenient drove two horses across the moat bridge and arrived directly under the walls of Linxiang City.
Now that Jingzhou's army has just arrived, Linxiang has not yet sealed the city gates. It is expected that the defenders will open the door and welcome them in.
As Chu Fang entered the city alone, the soldiers on the Linxiang city wall suddenly burst into cheers.
The Jingzhou army outside the city was demoralized and fell into a dead silence.
Chu Fang crossed thousands of enemy troops and killed six people. He entered the city unscathed and dealt a huge blow to them.
Linxiang City faces the Xiang River to the west and the Liu River to the north. Only the south and east sides have open terrain, and these two directions are naturally the focus of defense. Chu Fang entered Linxiang from the south, but Zhang Xian was currently on the east side.
On the city wall, this is also the direction where the main force of Jingzhou's army is located.
Under Liu Biao's rule, Nanyang, Zhangling, Nanjun, Jiangxia and other places all produced iron. Therefore, Jingzhou's army was well-equipped and ranked among the best among the princes in the world. Every soldier wore a dagger on his head and no less than 10,000 people wore armor. This is
This is why Liu Biao was able to repeatedly repel invading enemies.
Looking at the dark sun, the crimson flags in the sky, and the majestic Liu Biao army, Zhang Xian's face showed no expression, but he felt quite sad in his heart.
He now has ten thousand soldiers under his command, more than five thousand newly recruited soldiers, and less than two thousand armors. Naturally, he lacks confidence when facing Liu Biao's army.
Suddenly, Zhang Xian heard huge cheers coming from the south of the city. He was quite puzzled by this. He couldn't figure out what else could be worthy of cheering under the current situation.
It wasn't until the soldiers shouted Chu Ziping's name that Zhang Xian knew the whole story and couldn't help but be overjoyed. He didn't lack soldiers now, but he lacked generals. Especially in the battle of Baqiu, all the generals suffered casualties, so they were even more lacking. As soon as Chu Fang arrived,
This solved his urgent need.
Although Chu Fang was not a great general and had only led a battalion of less than a thousand men in the past, he was brave and good at fighting and had a very high reputation. The soldiers all respected him for his filial piety and bravery. In such difficult times, he could greatly boost the morale of the army.
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Huan Jie couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief and said with a smile: "Chu Ziping is finally here. He and I used to work together under the Marquis of Wucheng. I have always known him to be a filial and courageous man, and he is also famous for his trustworthiness. I expected that he would know that the prince of the mansion has
Difficult, I must come, and Chu Ziping did not disappoint me."
Zhang Yi, on the other hand, looked ashamed and ashamed. He had previously cursed Chu Fang for not arriving, but now it seemed that he was using the heart of a villain to judge the heart of a gentleman.
In fact, not only him, but even Zhang Xian had no hope for Chu Fang. After all, he had written three invitation letters to Chu Fang this year, but all of them fell into the dust.
Unexpectedly, when Linxiang was safe, he refused to come, but when Linxiang was in crisis, he came.
Zhang Xian immediately led Zhang Yi, Huan Jie, Liu Pan and others down the city wall to greet Chu Fang.
Not long after, Chu Fang, who was wearing robes and armor and riding two horses, was guided by two horsemen to the gate of the east city of Linxiang.
When Chu Fang dismounted, Zhang Xian couldn't wait to stride forward, took Chu Fang's hand, and said: "When I went to Changsha to take office, I passed through Lingxian County. The Wu people Su Dai caused great disasters and the people suffered.
I servant hurriedly went north to Linxiang to put down the rebellion and was unable to visit in person. It was only today that I had the opportunity to meet him formally."
To be honest, Zhang Xian didn't pay much attention to Chu Fang back then, at least not worthy of a visit. However, after all, Chu Fang was also the leading general in Changsha, so Zhang Xian sent someone to express condolences to his mother and gave him generous gifts.
It has been like this every year since.
One is to appreciate his filial piety, and the other is the means to win over him. Anyway, this small amount of property is insignificant to Zhang Xian. But the years of unremitting persistence finally paid off today.
Chu Fang said in a deep voice: "In the past, when my mother was still alive, she often received gifts from the emperor. When she was dying, she never forgot the kindness of the emperor. She repeatedly told me to repay her in the future.
I received a letter from Mr. Fu, because I was in the process of conquering the bandits in Ling County, and it was difficult to escape in a hurry. A few days ago, I heard that the Northern Army was marching south, and Linxiang was in danger. Thinking of Mr. Fu's past kindness, I did not dare to hesitate, so I dropped everything and came quickly.
.”
After Zhang Xian heard this, he couldn't help but sigh: "Baqiu was defeated, all the soldiers were lost, and the whole army was almost wiped out. When the foreign army went south, the servants were transferred to other camps to guard Linxiang to fight against the enemy.
But few people responded. Facing the rampant Liu Biao army, the generals supported each other and were afraid. However, Ziping did not avoid danger and went north alone. This is how brave and fearless he is."
Zhang Yi said from the side: "Like Liu Bosi, Cai Hongchao and others, they usually pride themselves on being heroes, but at critical moments, they run away. It's really a huge difference between them and their feet."
The behavior of the two people is definitely related to Liu Jing, but Zhang Yi did not dare to mention Liu Jing's name. Chu Fang's current identity is still Liu Jing's chief clerk. Insulting Liu Jing in front of him is simply more serious than insulting him himself.
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When Liu Pan heard this, his face immediately darkened.
Chu Fang retorted: "I'm afraid I'm telling the truth. I listened to the people's discussion on the lower road. When Liu Bosi was in Baqiu, when the whole army was defeated, he gathered thousands of broken troops and returned safely. And Cai Hongchao not long ago pacified Yuzhang in the east.
Thief, Changsha's worries have been relieved. I have not made any achievements so far, how can I compare with these two?"
Being rebutted by Chu Fang face to face, Zhang Yi couldn't help but blush and felt that he had lost face.
Zhang Xian calmly nodded and said: "What Ziping said is true. Liu Bosi and Cai Hongchao did make great contributions to Changsha. Although they did not return to Linxiang, they did not surrender to the enemy. We should not criticize them too harshly. On the contrary, they were trusted by the servants."
, Wu Ju, whom I regard as a confidant, actually descended to the north and destroyed our army, it is really hateful!"
Zhang Xian felt heartbroken every time he thought of Wu Ju. If he hadn't stabbed him in the back, the situation wouldn't have deteriorated to this point.
Zhang Xian said again: "Forget it, let's not mention that despicable villain. Ziping, I want you to be the magistrate of Luo County, the captain of the northern part of Changsha, and supervise the troops in Linxiang. I wonder what Ziping wants?"
The magistrate of Luo County, the captain of the northern part of Changsha, was Wu Ju's previous official position. In Changsha, it can be said that he is only lower than Zhang Xian, but higher than ten thousand people. The most important thing is to supervise the troops in Linxiang, which is equivalent to an appointment.
He was the commander-in-chief of the garrison.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Xian was so courageous. Chu Fang was greatly surprised. He couldn't help but feel respect in his heart. He immediately bowed down and said, "Thank you so much for your trust. I will live up to your trust."
Zhang Xian helped Chu Fang up and said with a smile: "I have Ziping as my servant to supervise the army to defend against the enemy. Even if there are 100,000 soldiers, what worries does the servant have?"
Chu Fang clasped his fists and said: "The prince of the government has won the hearts of the people. The soldiers are dedicated to their lives and work as one heart. Even though the army is large, they can't even think of shaking Linxiang in the slightest."
"Good." Zhang Xian said with a smile, stroking his palms, "Come on, Ziping, follow me to the city to watch the enemy."
"promise."
The thunderous cheers in Linxiang city inevitably attracted the attention of the Jingzhou army in the eastern suburbs of Linxiang. When Kuai Yue went south this time, he held a list in his hand. All the celebrities and heroes in Changsha were listed on it, and Chu Fang was naturally on it.
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Unlike Wu Ju, Kuai Yue never thought of recruiting Chu Fang. He had no choice. Who told him to be Sun Jian's general in the past? Just like Huan Jie, he would never surrender. The two sides were destined to become enemies, and there was no turning back.
room.
According to the intelligence obtained by Kuai Yue, Chu Fang was currently serving under Liu Jing in Ling County. Why was his name shouted in the city? It was only when the scouts from the south came to report that Chu Fang suddenly understood.
Kuai Yue never thought much of warriors in his heart, but he was also very impressed by Chu Fang's loyalty and bravery. He did not hesitate to boast in front of all the generals, thinking that he had the style of the ancients.
The more Kuai praised Chu Fang, the more harsh it became for Wu Ju. He felt that the eyes of the people around him were all looking at him with strange colors, which made him irritable.
Liu Pan, who has a strong body and a handsome face, said: "I heard before that Chu Ziping was the leading general in Jingnan. In the past, Sun Jian also loved his bravery and regarded him as a vanguard, destroying enemies and being good at fighting. However, he was serving sick
Mother, she just stayed in the south. I still have some disbelief in my heart. Looking at his behavior today, it is not all lies. I only regret that I was not in the south at that time, otherwise I would have killed him under the horse."
After hearing this, Kuai Yue suddenly felt a little unhappy. He despised this kind of person who could only show off his bravery. However, the other person was Liu Biao's nephew and he had to use it.
Kuai Yue persuaded patiently: "Chu Ziping is so famous, how can it be without reason? When we meet on the battlefield in the future, Liu Zhonglang must not underestimate the enemy."
Liu Pan disagreed in his heart. In terms of martial arts, he only obeyed Han Sheng. Others, including Chu Fang, were not taken seriously by him. He said: "I will never underestimate the enemy. I only look forward to the day when I can ascend first."
, meet him.”
Kuai Yue was surprised. He had never thought of letting Liu Pan climb first. Since ancient times, it was the most dangerous to climb first. He was Liu Biao's nephew. If anything happened, Liu Biao would blame him in his heart even if he didn't say anything.
he.
Kuai Yue ignored Liu Pan and turned to the person next to him. He had a big face, big ears, outstanding facial features, and a beard. He was very heroic. Who else could he be if he wasn't Lai Gong?
"As the saying goes, be polite first and then fight. Bo Jing, you are from Lingling, and Zhang Xian used to be the commander of Lingling. You two are quite close friends. How about you go to the city to persuade him to surrender?"
Lai Gong couldn't help but frown and said: "Zhang Changsha has a stubborn and unyielding personality and will never surrender."
Kuai Yue said with a smile: "There's no harm in giving it a try. Even if Zhang Xian doesn't surrender, Linxiang's persistence can be broken down a little with words."
Lai Gong secretly shook his head, it was of no use, the effect was almost useless. Zhang Xian had been in Changsha for several years, and he had spread benevolence and won the hearts of the people. On the contrary, Liu Biao had never been kind to Changsha, so he was naturally regarded as an enemy by the people of Changsha.
But the arms are not as strong as the thighs. Kuai Yue is the coach, so he can do whatever he says.
Lai Gong did not bring any guards, so he went out on horseback and reached the bottom of the moat.
Although he had some friendship with Zhang Xian and was a native of Lingling County in southern Jingnan, this did not change his intention to support Liu Biao's unification of Jingzhou.
Although Liu Biao did not have the tyranny of a king, he had the talent to govern, and the people under his rule could live and work in peace and contentment. Although Jingnan was quite peaceful, it was still in a semi-separatist regime and did not listen to the orders of the state government. This situation must be changed as soon as possible.
This situation is because the current situation in Jingzhou is definitely not good. Cao Cao is in the north, Liu Zhang is in the west, and Sun Ce is in the east, all of whom are old enemies.
Cao Cao has temporarily made peace, and Liu Zhang has no other long-term strategy. The most worrying person is Sun Ce. This son has a grudge against Liu Biao for killing his father. Since crossing the river, he has swept through several counties in just a few years. I am afraid that it will not be long before he is killed.
It will unify Jiangdong. If Jingzhou is still divided by then, it will inevitably fall into a multi-faceted war.
Therefore, Jingzhou must be unified in order to resist the coveting enemies from all around.
In the past, Lai Gong would still be worried about the safety of his sister Lai Ci, but he learned that his sister had been taken to Ling County by Liu Jing, and during that period, he also brought his nephew Hutou back home to visit his parents. Lai Gong was completely relieved.
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Lai Gong rode his horse and wandered by the moat, raising his voice and saying: "My old friend Lai Bojing of Lingling, please come forward and tell me about it."
Zhang Xian had just returned to the city wall when he heard Lai Gong's call, leaned forward and said: "Bo Jing, you and I have known each other for many years. I remember that when we were in Lingling, we often talked and discussed strategies to manage the county and bring peace to the people.
I don’t want to see you apart for so many years, but the day we meet again is in front of the two armies. Could it be that today, you want to meet me in battle?"
Lai Gong said loudly: "I often recall the past. Mr. Zhang has been in Jingnan for many years, and he has done good government work. The people have been greatly benefited. This is also the case for me.
Following the army to the south this time is really a last resort. Mr. Zhang knows that the current situation in Jingzhou is very dangerous. The unification of Jingzhou is the general trend and the will of the people.
If Mr. Zhang doesn't want to fight with me, it's better to surrender the three counties. Liu Mu is a gentleman of the clan and will treat Mr. Zhang well."
Zhang Xian laughed loudly and said: "If Bo Jing comes to reminisce about old times, I would like to talk to you. If you are lobbying for Liu Biao, please leave quickly."
Lai Gong knew that Zhang Xian was very strong-willed, and finally said: "Zhang Fujun, if we fight together, life will be ruined. Do you really want the people of the three counties to die with you?"
Zhang Xian couldn't help but fell silent. He had almost never left Jingnan since he became an official. It could be said that he had devoted half his life here. The last thing he wanted to see was that his foundation was destroyed.
But now he didn't care about that much. He and Liu Biao vowed to be incompatible.
"Bo Jing, please don't say anything more and leave quickly."
"Mr. Zhang Fu, take care." Lai Gong slowly shook his head, pulled the reins, turned the horse's head, and returned to the formation.
Lai Gong returned without success. As expected by Kuai Yue, he had no hope at all, so naturally he was not disappointed.
Kuai Yue led the army to retreat slowly.
When the army first arrived, it was difficult to attack the city immediately because the siege equipment was inconvenient to transport and they were basically made from local materials. In addition, several deep trenches had to be dug around the periphery to trap Linxiang. Finally,
Fill in the moat. If necessary, build several hills to suppress the defenders on the wall.
Anyway, if you want to attack a city, it will not take a moment, and it requires extremely complicated preliminary preparations.