Yingtao is about sixty miles away from Pingji. Practitioners of Qi Jing and above, regardless of horse power, can reach it within an hour by galloping away. However, if the cavalry unit is well-organized and equipped and does not carry baggage, it may take two days.
An hour, if you include preparation time, you may need to add half an hour or an hour.
The first batch of messengers was about an hour after Su Jingfang left. After guessing that the other party had arrived, Li Ding sent the second batch of messengers and documents.
He told Deng Long that the Wu'an army had traveled a long distance and was extremely exhausted. It was obvious that some of its high-level combat forces were left behind to ensure a retreat, so the siege was very slow and the soldiers were gradually exhausted. Please come to the rescue quickly, otherwise Wu'an
The army is likely to withdraw its troops and flee directly to Xindu in the east. Then there will be trouble.
An hour later, after the first wave of messengers, that is, Su Jingfang, took the trouble to return and confirmed that the other party promised reinforcements, Li Ding estimated that the other party had already set off, so Li Ding continued to send the third wave of messengers and documents.
It was to inform the Youzhou Army that the Wu'an Army could no longer hold on and had already withdrawn. The main force indeed fled towards Xindu, but a small number of troops clearly broke up and fled to the surrounding countryside. He, Governor Zhang, had few troops and horses.
Don't dare to move lightly, please ask General Deng to speed up to Pingji for negotiation.
After the envoy left, Li Ding gave orders one after another, first detaching two thousand soldiers and horses, assigned by Su Mu, to go out of Pingji City and "pursue" in all directions, and at the same time avoid the unorganized people and others to approach the official road from where they came; then, he ordered
The remaining soldiers and horses climbed onto the city respectively, hiding in towers and barracks, and preparing more spears and crossbows. Of course, they could not help but comfort Qi Ze with good words, and let him lead the newly surrendered troops to concentrate on the northern area of the city... After all, at this time,
You can't do too many bells and whistles, you can only deal with the key points as much as possible, and then let nature take its course.
After the second wave of messengers turned back and informed them that the encounter distance was about thirty or forty miles away, and the distance to Pingji was estimated to be less than twenty miles at this time, Li Ding sent out the fourth wave of messengers and documents again.
Then, he ordered the people in the city to hold a large-scale activity to prepare dinner.
The person carrying the documents was still Su Jingfang, who was almost exhausted... but there was nothing he could do. Li Ding had only a few generals, and there were not many people around him. Gao Shisheng and today's Qi Ze were both very good, and they obviously had both experience and cultivation.
You have a brain, but how can you dare to use it now?
Fan Lihua is trustworthy and a strong force, but she is too straightforward.
So I can only rely on Su Jingfang for the time being. Fortunately, this time I go out, the distance is very short.
"Preparing food?"
Deng Long glanced at the panting young man in front of him, and then looked at the sky. He got the message in the afternoon, then mobilized the cavalry, and galloped for another fifty miles to this point. It is estimated that the remaining ten miles to Pingji would be considered evening. "That's fine.
, we can only have dinner... That guy Li Ding has been running away for almost an hour?"
"It should be two hours." Su Jingfang's face was covered with sweat and dirt, but he tried his best to correct it. "Calculating the time, it should be shortly after General Deng came out, but my master had to make sure that he really withdrew before he dared to say that.
After sealing the document, there were many delays on the way..."
"I understand, that means your family's documents are actually a step late." After Deng Long was sure that Li Ding had gone far, he couldn't help but feel frustrated, so much so that his tone was slightly sarcastic.
However, that was the end of it, and he did not continue to utter more sarcastic words, because Deng Long knew very well that he had also wasted a lot of time... At first, he did not believe that Li Ding was coming, so he was a little bit nervous about setting off.
After dragging, I walked leisurely for the first half of the way until I got halfway. After confirming from the villagers on the roadside that a large group of soldiers and horses were marching from south to north in the morning, I truly believed that Li Ding had indeed rushed for hundreds of miles to kill people, and finally accelerated northward.
But it seemed like it was too late.
Moreover, it was almost evening, so I had no choice but to go to Pingji for a meal first.
In this way, knowing that there was no fighting and no chance of fighting ahead, Deng Long, out of pity for the horses, only ordered to slow down and then continued to move forward.
After walking only a mile or two, I saw that the roads between the four fields were full of county soldiers carrying the banners of Zhaojun and Zhang and Qi. I couldn't help but look sideways: "Didn't your Lord say that there are few soldiers and horses?
Don’t you dare to move lightly?”
Su Jingfang next to him immediately laughed in embarrassment: "I guess it's because my uncle is eager to make contributions and to clean up the battlefield..."
Deng Long curled his lips and couldn't help but be curious: "You kid ran away twice. He must be a member of the Zhang family, but you don't know which one is your uncle?"
"My uncle's surname is Qi, and he is the captain of this county." Su Jingfang blurted out.
Deng Long was surprised for a moment: "Back then, Lao Qi and I were bandits in Hengshan Mountain with Wang Chenkuo, the Pishan sword. Later, the army became so powerful that Wang Chenkuo fled to the mountains. He came to Zhaojun, and I went to Youzhou, but I never heard what Lao Qi said.
I woke up to you."
Su Jing did not change his tone: "My uncle knew from my accent that I did not grow up locally. My family grew up in Xindu in the early years. As a result, I was taken to Kansai by the imperial court for resettlement. I grew up in Kansai and only returned this year."
Township."
"That's right." Deng Long immediately woke up, but reached out to touch the other person's shoulder on horseback. "Since you call me uncle, it shows that I know more about things than your uncle. In the future, the county will feel that there is no future, so my good nephew will only come here."
Find me."
Even if I go to seek help, I don’t need to look for you!
Su Jingfang was speechless in her heart, but her face was filled with gratitude and flattery.
While speaking, Pingji City had already appeared in the field of vision, and at the same time, there was also the obvious water vapor and green smoke over this old county city that served as a garrison point... It could be seen that they were indeed cooking.
.
Some people even smell the aroma of rice with their noses.
So everyone speeded forward.
After a while, the hungry and exhausted cavalry arrived at Pingji City. My good nephew Xiao Su came forward to talk to the officer at the top of the city. The city gate was immediately opened, and then he turned back and said, "Master Fu is a bit tidy and doesn't want to come out.
I just ask General Deng to lead his troops into the city to rest."
"It doesn't matter, I am the prince." Deng Long responded while looking around. The soldier's instinct prompted him to consider the danger of entering the city without permission... This has nothing to do with his position. Even friendly troops must be on guard... However, thinking that the other party has only
Of the three thousand county soldiers, they saw no more than one or two thousand people going back and forth in the fields to clean up the battlefield. However, they immediately felt relieved and wanted to enter.
In any case, if the opponent has no soldiers in the city, what do you have to fear?
When I came to the city gate, I felt something was wrong, and then I asked seriously: "Is the war so casual? Didn't you even try to attack the city gate?"
Su Jingfang was stunned, and immediately replied with a wry smile: "My uncle asked me... As soon as the rebels arrived, I detoured out of the city from the north gate and went to report to my uncle... I guess there are twists and turns in this matter, but I still have to ask
Only the master of my house can do it."
Deng Long also laughed, but in his heart he thought that the other party was hinting that Zhang Dunli might have exaggerated the facts in the letter. The siege did not happen at all... It may be that Li Ding traveled a long distance and the entire army reached its limit. Seeing that no one was scared, he fled directly to the capital.
It could also be that Li Ding wanted to join the Hejian Army in Xindu and crossed here specifically to try to intimidate him, but he left without success... As for why Zhang Dunli was so timid but was not intimidated, I'm afraid it must be attributed to
That old acquaintance of mine is Captain Qi.
Just when Deng Long was thinking wildly, the Youzhou knights behind him had already gathered forward. They were simply getting impatient at the smell of rice, so he no longer insisted. He nodded directly, held his head high and took the lead in riding into the city.
.
Su Jingfang entered the city with him, but stood still inside the city gate, and then called the knights behind him to enter one after another.
On the other side, Deng Long was more or less concerned about the superiority of host and guest, so he took the initiative to go to the county hall, and then he saw the pale-white County Sheriff Zhang himself sitting behind the table in the hall.
Deng Long saluted and asked a few questions, but Zhang Fujun just raised his forehead and turned his face, casually answering.
The former didn't seem to be a problem, but he didn't know how to deal with it, so he casually said a few words and took the initiative to leave.
At this time, the setting sun was still setting and the autumn wind was picking up. Deng Long, who was suspicious but didn't know what went wrong, stood outside the lobby of the old county mansion. He looked around and saw that the city was bustling with soldiers and horses, and three thousand Youzhou cavalry were rushing back and forth.
There was a lot of commotion when we entered the city. People were tying up horses, taking off their armor, asking for fodder, going directly to eat, and even looking for a place to stay first. It was a complete mess.
This caused General Deng's brain to completely lose its ability to function.
However, there was no need for him to think too much, because as soon as he turned around, he directly discovered a strange phenomenon on the city wall - troops were pouring out from the towers on the city wall from all sides, and then gathering on the city wall.
There is nothing to say about this phenomenon. It is always possible to switch defenses...but the number is completely wrong!
You know, there are already one or two thousand soldiers outside the city. Logically speaking, there should not be many Zhao County troops in the city... But what I saw now was obviously beyond expectation.
Not only that, with an inexplicable trumpet sound, flags were swaying all over the city, and several Zhang-character flags were thrown down together and replaced with Li-character flags. Then, suddenly, he and others entered.
There was an obvious muffled sound from the south gate, followed by a chorus of exclamations and noises.
Deng Long's body swayed, and he realized what was going on - the thousand-jin pendant in the city gate to prevent masters from breaking through had been put down!
His first reaction was to go back into the hall and question Zhang Dunli.
As the Youzhou Army general returned to the hall, he was shocked to find that Zhang Dunli had stood up awkwardly and stood aside. At this time, sitting in the middle of the hall was a middle-aged man in his thirties.
This person was not wearing anything, only ordinary plain-colored brocade clothes, and a small samurai crown. His eye sockets were slightly black, and he was staring at himself coldly from behind the eucalyptus. Beside this person, stood a female general in leather armor.
His body-protecting Qi clearly has a red light, making him look like a master of Lihuo Qi. He is capable of condensing pills and above, and may be a Cheng Dan like the rumors.
Deng Long was silent for a moment, then suddenly prostrated to the ground: "Master Li Fu, I was blind and did not recognize Hongshan, so I took this matter by mistake. Please, Mr. Li Fu, please let us go for the sake of the brothers from twenty counties in Youzhou."
A way out."
"Okay, the Jiawei War Horse will stay." Li Ding answered softly.
After losing these three thousand horses, the Youzhou Army would tear him apart as a surrendered general... Therefore, Deng Long wanted to discuss it, but after thinking about it, he did not dare to speak because of this situation.
, once things are not harmonious, it will be a massacre.
The pigs are lured into the pig pen and then slaughtered.
You are that pig!
As soon as he thought of this, he couldn't help but ask: "At the end of the day, Qi Ze is still alive?"
"It's surrendered, in the north of the city." Li Ding narrowed his eyes slightly.
"The last general is also willing to surrender. I would like to ask Lord Li to appoint him." Deng Long lay on the ground and spoke sincerely.
"Okay." Li Ding had no expression on his face and agreed on the spot.
But my heart was unavoidably turbulent, and after I took off the heavy pendant, I felt a surge of pride again.
In the evening of that day, Li Ding, who had restored Qingming, immediately wrote several letters and sent people to Youzhou, Hejian, Jiangling, Taiyuan, Hengshan, and Daijun respectively according to the original plan to explain the situation and seek understanding.
However, the letter was delivered on flying horse, but there was no response from everywhere, as if it was like a stone sinking into the sea.
This made Li Ding feel a little uneasy.
Then, in early August, the land of Hebei began to bloom and harvest from south to north.
At this moment, Feng Wuyi, the head of the Feng family in Changle, Xindu, and a former important minister of the imperial court, suddenly received a letter claiming to invite General Manager Xue of Hejian, General Manager Li of Youzhou, Prefect Li of Wu'an, Chief Zhang of Jiangling and other key officials.
The characters all brought only a hundred horses with them, and then went to the Nangong area on the Hejian border to meet together to mediate the war in Hebei and ensure the autumn harvest.
It is said that Zhang Xing, the gang leader at Jiangling, has promised to go there in person.
Li Ding was inexplicably panicked. How could he not know that this matter was Zhang Xing's handiwork... But after hesitating for a night, he still followed his reason and immediately wrote back, expressing his willingness to attend the meeting in person.
On the fifth day of August, without saying a word, Xue Changxiong led hundreds of horses to leave Hejian and go to Nangong. This undoubtedly declared his attitude.
There was also a group of soldiers and horses from Youzhou heading south, but hundreds of cavalry were separated from Shanggu to escort the Li and Luo banners into Boling.
On the sixth day of August, Zhang Xing's "deposed" flag left Jiangling.
On the seventh day of August, Li Ding, who was closest, did not dare to wait any longer and set out with Zhang Shiniang.
At the time agreed upon on August 10, the four forces openly gathered in Nangong County, regardless of the fact that one of them was a recognized rebel... And Li Ding indeed saw Zhang Xing, whom he had not seen for a long time. At that time, the other party, a big rebel,
He was chatting with Feng Wuyi on the bank of Nangong Lake in the east of the city.