Seeing Cai Mao abandoning them and running away alone, Han Xuan was so angry that he lost all his grace and cursed loudly: "Cai Mao, you dead soldier! You have always been a hero in vain, but now you have done such a disgraceful thing! If I come back,
When we get to Xiangyang, we will definitely be at odds with you!" No wonder Han Xuan was so angry. Cai Mao's escape was tantamount to completely cutting off their return path.
Although they could return north by land, they must know that Linxiang was also affected by floods. There was a lot of water along the Xiang River and the roads were muddy, making it not suitable for escape at all.
Therefore, taking the land route was a dead end. Even if they broke through Liu Jingjun's encirclement and interception, it would be useless. At their walking speed, traveling twenty or thirty miles a day was already the limit. Liu Jingjun took a boat and traveled along the river in a day.
It can reach hundreds of miles and can easily catch up with them.
Han Xuan cursed loudly and continued, "Our army's defeat began with Cai Mao. The general ordered Xun Lin's father and Meng Ming to view the story and pardon his sins, hoping that he would realize his shame and become brave.
It is a pity that Cai Mao failed the general's hard work and lost his troops several times when facing Liu Jing. If the general had been ruthless to punish him severely and replaced good generals to lead the navy, why would he have suffered today's defeat?" Han Xuan thought in his heart.
He hated Cai Mao to the core and directly blamed Cai Mao for the defeat.
Kuai Qi was also so angry that his face was livid, and he sighed: "What Military Master Cai did is really chilling." However, this was not completely beyond his expectation. Cai Mao had refused to enter Linxiang before, wasn't it?
Do you have the intention of running away when the situation is unfavorable?
At this time, Han Xuan noticed that the sergeants on his left and right were gradually getting separated, and he couldn't help feeling desolate. He couldn't help but sigh to Kuai Qi: "The prefect is the minister of the country and is responsible for guarding the land. Now that he has lost the city and lost the land, he is extremely ashamed."
, I must not surrender to the enemy, lose my loyalty, and become the laughing stock of the world. I want to return on foot to the north and accuse the general. What is Kuai Yu’s plan?"
Kuai Qi replied in an extremely firm tone: "I am not willing to bow down to the enemy, so naturally I am in the same boat as Han Changsha."
"good."
Now most of the soldiers under Han Xuan and Kuai Qi have left, leaving only more than 200 people. The two of them took the remaining people, pushed the carriage carrying the coffins of Kuai Yue and Liu Pan, and fled north from the city.
Before setting off, Han Xuan and Kuai Qi anticipated the difficulty of this trip, but the reality was ten times, a hundred times more difficult than they imagined...
The team could only travel a few miles. The difficulty of the road and the enemy's siege made the soldiers miserable. It didn't take long before almost all of them fled. Han Xuan and Kuai Qi had only twenty or thirty confidants left, and they never left.
abandoned.
"Kuaipu, it seems we can't escape..." Han Xuan said to Kuai Qi with a wry smile. Both of them were from noble families, and they were usually the most elegant, but now they were covered in mud and in a miserable state.
Kuai Qi was silent and pushed the cart forward with all his strength.
Soon, they were blocked by Liu Jingjun and the coalition forces of Linxiang's powerful families in the northern suburbs of Linxiang and by the Liushui River, and they were all taken prisoner.
…………
Wang Qiang and Liu Zhu, surrounded by many soldiers and the powerful allied forces of Linxiang surnames, headed towards Linxiang. Wang Qiang said with some emotion: "In the past, Xiang Ji once said: 'Wealth and honor do not return to the hometown, like fine clothes.
Traveling at night, who knows! 'Wenxiu, have you ever thought that one day we would return to Linxiang in this capacity?"
"No." Liu Zhu slowly shook his head. He had fantasized more than once about following Liu Jing and returning home in rich clothes, but he had never dreamed of this day. Five years ago, he was just a penniless thief in Linxiang City. Five years later,
The whole of Linxiang lay at his feet.
Wang Qiang looked at Linxiang with the city gates wide open and the hustle and bustle, and chuckled: "Neither did I." Pan Qin must have neither, right?
He just made special inquiries and learned that Pan Qin did not live and die with his "brother-in-law" Zhang Yi. He ran away with his whole family long before the Jingzhou army went south. He did not return until this year when everything settled. Linxiang.
"I really look forward to meeting him again..." Thinking of this, a meaningful smile appeared on Wang Qiang's deep face. He had been waiting for this day for four full years.
While they were talking, the two arrived at the Nanguo Gate of Linxiang and found Huan Jie, who was leading dozens of Linxiang officials and people to welcome him at the gate.
The two of them couldn't help but look at each other. It was just about their grades and others. Huanjie was the leader of Changsha, and even Liu Jing respected him. They didn't dare to show off in front of Huanjie. The two immediately restrained their arrogance and walked faster. When he arrived in front of Huan Jie, he bowed solemnly and said, "How virtuous and capable we are, that we dare to ask Huan Jun to condescend to greet you."
Huan Jie stroked his beard and smiled and said: "What are you saying, gentlemen? You have raised righteous troops to defeat the rebels and come back to Hunan to save the people of Changsha from the fire and water. How can we not eat pots of pulp to welcome them?" "
Huan Jie only knew Liu Zhu, who was Liu Jing's former confidant, but this was his first meeting with Wang Qiang. However, he had already learned about the situation of the two of them from Song Lin before. They were Liu Jing's subordinates second only to Liu Zong. The general of the army repeatedly defeated the Jingzhou Navy. This time, Cai Mao almost completely wiped out his army and fled with his life.
More than that, according to Song Lin, Wang Qiang played the most important role in Liu Jing's army being able to annihilate the Jingzhou army in one battle. This attack on Linxiang was also based on his suggestion.
Huan Jie looked at Wang Qiang and Liu Zhu and couldn't help but feel filled with emotion. Wang Qiang was a merchant in the past, and Liu Zhu was a thief. They were humble people, and they were destined to have little success in the future, but they didn't want to be recognized by Liu Jinghui's eyes. , emerged from the wind and dust and became a good general of Chu.
Huan Jie served as a meritorious official in Changsha for ten years and promoted countless young talents. He considered himself to be a good fortune teller and a good judge of people, which was comparable to that of Liu Jingyi. There was a huge difference between heaven and earth.
Wang Qiang and Liu Zhu said: "We are only acting under Liu Jun's order and we dare not take credit."
"Gentlemen, you don't have to be too modest," Huan Jie smiled and waved his hand, then briefly introduced the people around him to the two of them, and finally stepped aside to make way and invited the two of them to enter the city.
"please."
"please."
Wang Qiang and Liu Zhu, accompanied by Huan Jie, passed through Nanguo Gate and entered the city.
In order to attract the attention of the Jingzhou army, Huan Jie ordered people to set fires everywhere in the city. Although he succeeded in achieving his goal, it also caused considerable hidden dangers.
After Linxiang City was destroyed, Huan Jie immediately organized manpower to put out the fire. Unfortunately, it was easy to set a fire, but difficult to put it out. The fire spread all over the place, so it was not easy to put it out completely.
Linxiang was the foundation for Liu Jing's future and there was no room for loss. Wang Qiang and Liu Zhu sent their soldiers to put out the fire without thinking.
After tens of thousands of people worked tirelessly throughout the night, the fire was finally completely extinguished at dawn the next day. Afterwards, statistics showed that hundreds of houses were burned, and the losses were heavy.