When the city was originally built, it was built quite irregularly to accommodate the terrain. It covers an area of nearly 12,000 acres and is a gathering place for residents and markets.
The three cities of Shuofang are parallel to each other from east to west, with Wuding River to the southeast.
Waiguo City is also called Toudao City by the locals. It is more than ten feet higher than the Wuding River. Due to the attack by the Tang army, Liang Shidu moved a large number of people from the surrounding areas into the castles. A large number of people also moved into Waiguo City.
There are people everywhere.
Many of them are refugees who were forced into the city. They have no houses to live in, so they can only build shacks or even live in the open air in the corners.
There is a sudden influx of so many people, but there is no guarantee of supply.
We can only let them become refugees who enter the city.
Compared with the dignitaries, Liang Huangxun and others living in the east and west cities, the outer city is already very miserable. Many people have become beggars and can only beg on the streets, or simply become thieves. Some people are forced to sell their children and daughters.
He even sold his wife just to get a bite to eat.
The price of food in the city keeps rising every day.
Those businessmen also deliberately took the opportunity to hoard the goods and sell them at a high price.
Every morning, many corpses of starved to death were taken away in carts, but even so, Master Liang still did not allow the soldiers to let anyone leave the city.
Many people were hungry and exhausted and wanted to leave the city, but they were not allowed to do so. People who tried to break out of the city every day were eventually killed at the city gate.
"Master Liang has gone crazy. He wants to drag everyone to be buried with him."
In a brothel in the Waiguo Market, the cripple Song Jiang was meeting with the Kunlun slave Tang Fengxiao. The two of them were drinking and lamenting the current situation in Shuofang City.
"How is the discussion between Sun Da and Li Zhengbao going?"
Kunlun Nu shook his head, and the two of them entered Shuofang one after another. Sun Da and other Shanlu City surrendered generals were arrested by Master Liang when they came back and interrogated for three days and three nights.
Later, it was Liang Luoren who came forward to intercede, saying that now that the war was underway and it was time to hire people, even though they had lost the city and the army, they were still very loyal if they were willing to come back.
In the end, Liang Division released Sun Da and more than a hundred officers, but they were all demoted to soldiers.
After all, I still didn't trust him, so I didn't kill him directly because I was afraid of causing unrest in the morale of the army.
"Li Zhengbao is a bit stubborn. At this time, he is still loyal to Master Liang. Sun Da took the opportunity to visit him and complained a few times, but was scolded by him and could not continue at all. Very soon
It is difficult to instigate rebellion."
The lame man chuckled twice, "It's really stupid. It's now this time and I still can't figure it out. That's all, since he insists on being buried with Master Liang, let him go and start the backup plan."
Kunlun slave nodded.
After the meeting, we left Waiguocheng. The streets and alleys along the way were full of refugees. When they saw the cars and horses passing by, they all gathered around to beg.
Kunlun Nu's followers waved their sticks desperately to drive them away, but there were still people surrounding them.
"Give it to those who stutter,"
"Okay, okay."
"A bushel of millet, this girl will give it to you."
"Give it to the one who stutters. I can be a cow or a horse for you."
Hungry people are desperate.
Tang Fengxiao looked at all this and was very numb. Seeing that the carriage and horses were difficult to move, he asked his entourage to grab a handful of copper coins and scatter them on both sides of the road.
Sure enough, when the crowd saw the scattered money, they all jumped on it.
Taking this opportunity, the carriage drove away.
Tang Fengxiao returned to Dongcheng, first went to see Sun Da, and then took him to see Liang Xu.
"Your Majesty, Li Zhengbao is collaborating with the enemy to rebel!"
As soon as they met, Sun Da immediately knelt on the ground and shouted loudly.
Liang Xuan looked at Tang Fengxiao.
"Your Majesty, General Sun is loyal and does not want to associate with the rebels. Li Zhengbao wants to ask General Sun to join him in surrendering to the Tang Dynasty."
Liang Xuan was still unhurried. He half-closed his eyes, half-lying and half-lying there, surrounded by a group of young and beautiful maids behind him. Some were fanning him, some were tapping his legs, and some were rubbing his shoulders.
Someone even put sliced iced watermelon in his mouth.
"Sun Da, General Li is the number one general in our dynasty. You have just been captured and released from Shanlu. Are you trying to alienate our Liang Kingdom's monarchs and generals? What are your intentions?" Liang Xu suddenly shouted angrily.
Sun Da put his head on the ground, "Your Majesty, I don't dare to tell any lies. Li Zhengbao is really going to rebel. If Your Majesty doesn't believe it, you can take down Li Zhengbao's deputy general Yang Ling. We will know after the first trial. Yang Ling is Li Zhengbao's confidant, and he is also
Lieutenant General, I heard that he is liaising with the Tang people for Li Zhengbao."
Liang Xuan sat up straight and stared at Sun Da.
"Sun Da, you rebelled against Tang Dynasty and joined Liang Dynasty, and you have been under Li Zhengbao ever since. Li Zhengbao even married his sister to you, right?"
"Back to your Majesty, it is indeed true. When Xiaguan rebelled against the Tang Dynasty and defected to the Liang Dynasty, there was no room for him. I am also grateful to Li Zhengbao for helping me over the years. But if he wants to betray the Liang Dynasty and defect to the Tang Dynasty, I will never follow him."
"Sun Da, I have always been confused. When you rebelled against the Tang Dynasty and defected to the Liang Dynasty, Shanlu was captured. Why didn't the Tang people kill you?"
Sun Da fell on the ground, knowing that if he didn't answer well, his life would be at risk.
"Back to your Majesty, the last general was guarding Shanlu. He only lost the position because of the traitors. At that time, I was directly captured by the traitors. I didn't even have a chance to resist. I was forced by the situation.
Later, the Tang people wanted to kill me, but then the Tang general Wu Huaiyu personally went out to instigate a rebellion and recruit us to surrender. The general was loyal to Daliang, so how could he surrender to the Tang Dynasty?
So he pretended to accept the offer and surrender, and promised to return to Shuofang City to serve as his internal support, but in reality he would never be loyal to the court and the emperor..."
Liang Xuan's eyes rolled around.
After a long time, he asked Sun Da to follow him into the palace to meet the saint.
The news of Li Zhengbao's rebellion was reported to Emperor Liang in person.
The Emperor of Liang drank his sorrow with wine every day these days, and there was no news from the envoys he sent to the Turks for help. As the Tang army approached the city, he could only send one hundred stones of grain and one hundred sheep every three days.
But the Tang army refused to retreat.
All the Liang divisions were considering whether they should agree to remove the imperial title and give the Tang Dynasty a lower rank in order to persuade the Tang army to retreat.
Although generals such as Li Zhengbao, Xin Li'er, and Liang Luoren all said that the Tang army's in-depth penetration was astonishing, it had no plan for a long-term battle. It did not carry siege equipment, and the logistics craftsmen and civilians did not carry many, and they blindly looted, so
It won't actually attack the city.
As long as they hold on for a few more months, the Tang army will withdraw on their own.
But Master Liang didn't believe it, especially after the news came that Dai Beiyuan Junzhang surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, he was very uneasy now.
He is already the last separatist rebel king.
Without Turkic reinforcements, who can be sure that the Tang army will not attack by force?
But reinforcements could not arrive for a long time, so he could only retreat into the city.
Li Zhengbao and others repeatedly requested to go out of the city to fight, but Master Liang just refused. If they were defeated, they would really be unable to defend the city.
The Liang army had been defeated by the Tang army several times before, and even Shuofang's outer city and the east city had been breached. He did not dare to gamble again.
Liang Xuan took Sun Da to report the news that Li Zhengbao was planning to rebel.
Master Liang was so drunk that his eyes were red. Hearing the news, he was so shocked that he lost all his drunkenness and broke into a cold sweat.
"I have always treated Li Zhengbao well, and even accepted his sister as my concubine. How dare he betray me?"
Master Liang was angry and frightened.
Like a cat whose tail was stepped on, its hair exploded.
I simply couldn’t believe it, and I didn’t dare not believe it.
"Brother Imperial, you should immediately bring people to arrest Yang Ling. Keep it secret. I want definite evidence of Li Zhengbao's rebellion."
"Your Majesty, I suggest that Li Zhengbao be relieved of his military power first, just in case."
Master Liang thought for a while and did not make up his mind easily. After a long time, he said, "I will summon Li Zhengbao to the palace soon and keep him in the palace for a day or two. You can quickly arrest Yang Ling and interrogate him."
When Liang Xuan took Sun Da into the palace to secretly report, Kunlun slave Tang Fengxiao had already sent someone to see Yang Ling secretly.
"Sun Da took refuge with Liang Xu and falsely accused the commander-in-chief of treason in the Tang Dynasty."
When Yang Ling heard the sudden news, she was so shocked that she couldn't speak for a long time.
But out of caution, he hurried to see Li Zhengbao.
"Sun Da is my brother-in-law and my confidant. I have always treated him well. This time he lost his troops and came back from Shanlu City. I begged the prince to let him go. How could he betray me?"
Li Zhengbao is now the most powerful general in the Liang Kingdom. He holds a large number of troops and has great power.
"Commander, Sun Dadu has betrayed you,"
"I want to enter the palace to meet the saint,"
Li Zhengbao believed that he had great military exploits and was loyal to the emperor. Even if Sun Da suddenly betrayed him, he would not be afraid.
"Don't you understand, Marshal? This is definitely not Sun Da's intention to betray the Marshal. The instigator behind the scenes is Liang Xu. Liang Xu has always been at odds with the Marshal and has always wanted to kill him and seize his military power.
, Now Sun Da must have returned because he was defeated and captured, and he got some evidence, so he was ordered to falsely accuse the commander. They came well prepared."
"Even if Liang Xu instigates Sun Da to accuse me of collaborating with the enemy and treason, he still needs evidence. Without evidence, can he falsely accuse me out of thin air in front of His Majesty?"
Faced with this sudden accusation, Li Zhengbao firmly believed that his integrity was not afraid of his shadow.
He fought directly with Liang Xuan for several years and was not afraid of him.
"You go back first. Don't act rashly. Don't mess up the situation and let the thief Liang Xuan succeed."
As soon as Yang Ling returned home, Sun Da led the palace envoys to come. After reading the imperial edict, he was secretly arrested. The palace envoys also interrogated Yang Ling's wives and concubines.
A concubine of the Yang Ling family named Helian Jinzhu reported her identity to the palace envoy. She was a secret agent under the Ministry of War of Liang, an informant placed around Yang Ling. After she revealed her identity, she reported to the palace envoy.
Yang Ling’s movements and so on.
It proved that Yang Ling was indeed planning to surrender the city to the Tang Dynasty, and provided a lot of definite evidence, including that Yang Ling had just gone to see Li Zhengbao to persuade him to strike first, and he also handed over several secret letters.
The palace envoy was a little surprised, but he quickly contacted the Ministry of War Staff Department and quickly confirmed that this Yang Ling family trick was indeed one of theirs. He had been sent to Lingzhou before and was installed as a maid in Li Daozong's house.
Later, the assassination attempt on Wu Huaiyu failed, and he was finally rescued. After returning to Shuofang, he took on a new mission and was assigned to Yang Ling's house.
The results are reported layer by layer.
Liang Xuan was very satisfied with these results and went to the palace to meet the saint again.
"Your Majesty, Yang Ling has indeed collaborated with the enemy and conspired to rebel."
Master Liang looked at the evidence and said, "These can only prove that Yang Ling is collaborating with the enemy and conspiring to rebel, but they do not mean that Li Zhengbao is also involved."
"I still need more evidence, more direct evidence."
Although he said so, Master Liang already believed it in his heart.
As soon as Liang Xuan left, he summoned Li Zhengbao, who was still visiting his sister Li Guifei in the palace.
Master Liang poured a glass of wine for Li Zhengbao, "Originally I wanted to call you into the palace so that we brothers could chat more, but an emergency military situation broke out and the Tang army seems to have made some changes. You are still required to personally command the city defense."
Li Zhengbao raised his glass.
Master Liang touched his lips to the cup and watched Li Zhengbao drink the glass of wine in one gulp. The look in his eyes gradually turned sinister.
He suddenly said, "Li Zhengbao, I treat you well, why are you betraying me?"
"Your Majesty, did Liang Xuanjin slander and accuse me falsely? Your Majesty must not believe the slander. I am loyal to your majesty..." Li Zhengbao was holding an empty wine glass. Before he could finish his sentence, he suddenly vomited blood. He didn't dare
Staring at the emperor in front of him with wide eyes in belief,
They have been good brothers for many years. They were officers of the Yingyang Mansion in Shuofang County together. He assisted Liang Shidu in killing the prefect in rebellion and conquered the Liang Kingdom together. He even married his sister to Liang Shidu.
"Why...why?" Li Zhengbao asked puzzledly.
Master Liang stood up angrily and asked Li Zhengbao condescendingly, "Why? You said why, why did you betray me? Why?"
He looked like crazy.
"Official...no."
Li Zhengbao tried his best to defend himself, but the wine he drank was highly poisonous, and he was no longer able to survive.
Master Liang drew his sword angrily, swung it down fiercely, and chopped off Li Zhengbao's lowered head. Finally, he picked up the head, raised it in front of him, and shouted hysterically, "Why, why do you even want to betray me?"
?”
Li Zhengbao could no longer answer him, his eyes widened and he refused to close his eyes.
If he could have predicted this outcome, maybe he would agree to Sun Da's persuasion.
The angry Master Liang, his eyes red, summoned his attendants and ordered Liang Xu to lead troops to arrest and purge Li Zhengbao's accomplices. They must kill them all to prevent these rebellious officials and traitors from colluding with the Tang army, and to cooperate internally and externally.
It is better to kill by mistake than to let go and leave no one alive.
