While everyone was in a daze, a soldier carried a wooden cage and walked to the city gate tower. He first looked back and measured his position, then patted an arrow stack and asked: "Master Liu, where is the head?" Hang here!"
Liu Yan came back to his senses and looked at the soldier as if he were looking at a monster.
Feng Yiji trembled and screamed: "You can't do it!" As he spoke, he stepped forward quickly and said loudly: "Once the news of Xiesang's murder is known to the barbarian army, the barbarian army will definitely counterattack. Fight back!"
The soldier was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing, and said nonchalantly: "Don't worry, Mr. Feng, we have already made the plan. Now there are 20,000 defenders in the county and city, and the barbarian army is only one To attack 20,000 with only 10,000 is tantamount to seeking death. If the barbarians are not afraid of death, just let them attack!"
After hearing what the soldiers said, Liu Yan and Liu Xiu almost laughed and smiled bitterly.
How stupid do you have to be to say such ignorant things? Give back 20,000 defenders? This is a joke! The 20,000 civilians who voluntarily joined the defenders are all here to make a living, and Wang Xun actually treats them as soldiers To use?
Feng Yi held his forehead and was silent for a moment. He suppressed the emotions in his heart and said in a calm tone: "Brother, it's dark now, so there is no point in hanging Xiesang's head!"
"But our Lords have already told us that Xiesang's head must be hung up tonight so that the barbarian army's spies can discover it at dawn tomorrow!"
Ha! Feng Yi couldn't even laugh or cry. He looked up to the sky and sighed, shaking his head. He didn't know what to say anymore.
Liu Yan pulled Liu Xiu, walked aside, and whispered: "Axiu, I think the county will definitely not be able to hold it this time. You and I, brothers, must find a chance to escape from this place of right and wrong!" "
Liu Xiu was silent. After a while, he murmured: "Escape? Brother, where can we escape?"
If the monk can escape, he cannot escape from the temple. Don't think that they are fine if they escape from Hanzhong City. If they are held accountable in the future, they and their families will not be able to survive.
Liu Yan smiled bitterly and said: "With the current situation, if we don't escape, the only way to stay is to die."
Liu Xiu frowned, looked at the people gathered in the city, and said quietly: "The county has not reached the point where no one can use it, but the people lack the courage to fight the barbarians, and they are really forced to a dead end. , I think they will all fight to the death with the barbarians!"
Liu Yan followed Liu Xiu's gaze and looked at the people in the city. He really didn't dare to have much hope for them.
But Axiu was right. They couldn't escape at all. Firstly, their families would be harmed. Secondly, even if they left hundreds of thousands of people in the city and escaped alone, they wouldn't be able to pass the test of their own conscience.
Four soldiers hung the wooden cage directly above the north city gate. Then they came to Liu Yan and Liu Xiu and said with a smile: "Two Mr. Liu, please follow the younger one to the prefect's mansion for a banquet!"
Liu Xiu didn't say anything. Liu Yan nodded and said hello. Then he walked to Feng Yi and said, "Brother Gongsun, you can't postpone it any longer when we go to the prefect's mansion for a banquet tonight!"
Feng Yi shook his head and said, "I still won't go." He was afraid that after seeing Wang Xun, he would point at his nose and yell at him.
Liu Yan said seriously: "Brother Gongsun, even if you don't want to eat this meal in the prefect's mansion, you still have to think about it, there are still 20,000 mouths waiting for food!"
Feng Yi's heart was shaken, and he subconsciously looked at the strong men below the city. Most of the people were sitting on the ground, with their heads raised one by one, looking eagerly at the top of the city, as if they were waiting for them to serve food!
He sighed secretly, raised his chin towards Liu Yan, and said feebly: "Let's go!"
Liu Yan, Liu Xiu, and Feng Yi followed the four officers and soldiers to the prefect's mansion.
Just like last time, tonight there is also a grand banquet in the Prefect's Mansion. The food and wine are sumptuous and luxurious, which is staggering.
Looking at the food at the banquet and thinking about the hungry and exhausted people in the city, Feng Yi slowly put his hands under the table and clenched them into fists.
Wang Xun ignored Feng Yi at all, and didn't even look at him. He just kept talking to the two brothers Liu Yan and Liu Xiu.
After some pleasantries, Liu Yan took the initiative and expressed the hope that the Taishou Mansion could provide military rations to the soldiers and civilians guarding the city.
He thought he would have to spend a lot of money to get grain from Wang Xun, but he didn't expect that as soon as he started talking, Wang Xun agreed and promised Liu Yan that he would give five hundred shi of grain to the defenders.
One stone at that time was equivalent to 120 kilograms today. Five hundred stones was equivalent to 60,000 kilograms of grain. If the 20,000 people ate sparingly, they could barely survive for three or four days. There was no need to worry about being full, anyway. It can make people starve to death.
For more than 20,000 people, five hundred shi of food is not much, but Wang Xun's generosity surprised Liu Yan. He stood up, bowed deeply to Wang Xun, and said, "Master Wang, these five A hundred stones of grain can solve the urgent need of the defenders!"
Wang Xun looked up and smiled, waved to Liu Yan, and motioned for him to sit down. He said: "I think tomorrow the barbarian army will get the news of Xiesang's murder. If nothing happens, Xietu will definitely lead the barbarian army and fight again." Come to attack the county city, Bo Sheng, Uncle Wen, the safety of the county city depends on you two brothers!"
Since you want the horse to run, you must let the horse eat grass.
Whether he could annihilate the barbarian army that invaded again, Wang Xun was counting on 20,000 strong men. Of course, he had to feed and drink them well so that they could work hard for his official career.
Liu Yan could more or less understand what Wang Xun was thinking, but in any case, the problem of military rations was finally solved temporarily, and he finally had a little bit of confidence in commanding the 20,000-strong garrison.
The atmosphere of the ensuing banquet was very relaxed, with Wang Xun doing most of the talking, degrading the barbarian army to nothing, and elevating the two brothers Liu Yan and Liu Xiu to the sky.
After the banquet was over, they saw that Liu Yan and Liu Xiu's clothes were dirty and tattered. He also specially asked people to buy them an outfit. It couldn't be said to be very gorgeous, but at least they were new clothes, which were better than his. Both of them are much better dressed now.
When sending the two of them out of the palace, Wang Xun had not forgotten his promise. As long as Liu Yan could annihilate the invading barbarian army, he would definitely report to the court and recommend Liu Yan as the captain of Hanzhong County.
Liu Yan acted flattered in front of Wang Xun and thanked him repeatedly. However, after leaving the prefect's mansion and returning to the north of the city, Liu Yan scorned Wang Xun's promise.
Feng Yi asked in confusion: "Brother Bo Sheng thinks Lord Wang will not fulfill his promise?"
Liu Yan raised the corner of his mouth and said: "No matter whether he will fulfill his promise or not, I will not stay in Hanzhong."
Feng Yi was startled and looked at him in surprise.
Liu Yan smiled calmly and asked: "Brother Gongsun, how many years do you think the Xinmang court can last given the current world situation?"
When Feng Yi heard this, his expression suddenly changed. Liu Xiu cleared his throat and whispered, "Brother, you drank too much."
Although Liu Xiu also admired Feng Yi's talents and qualities, after all, they had just met Feng Yi not long ago, and their relationship was far from the point where they could talk about everything. Besides, Feng Yi was not a simple rebel. , he holds an official position in the government.
The eldest brother confides in him, but who can guarantee that he will not spread his words to others.
Liu Yan has a very forthright personality and loves to make friends. After these days of fighting side by side, he has long regarded Feng Yi as a brother with whom he has a life-long friendship. However, after Liu Xiu reminded him, he also realized that he was Feng Yi said something he shouldn't have said in front of him. He laughed, waved his hand and said, "I seem to have drunk too much. Brother Gongsun, I just said something unintentionally. Don't take it seriously!"
As the saying goes, telling the truth when drunk, Feng Yi did not think that what Liu Yan just said was drunken talk.
He glanced at Liu Xiu subconsciously. Compared with Liu Yan, he felt that Liu Xiu was more like a person who could achieve great things. He was cautious and unobtrusive, but he was very sophisticated.
Moreover, Liu Xiu was a very good person, and everyone who came into contact with him was full of praise for his character.
He laughed and said the words lightly, but in his heart, he firmly remembered Liu Yan's words.
The next day, it's dawn.
As expected, the news of Xiesang's murder reached the barbarian army immediately.
According to the agreement with Liu Xiu, the barbarian army led by Xie Tu retreated a hundred miles, and they are currently stationed in Lan Town, a hundred miles south of the county town.
Lan Town is located near the Lan River, which is a tributary of the Han River. There are more than a thousand people living in Lan Town, which is considered a very large town in Hanzhong. However, with the arrival of the barbarian army, all the people in the town suffered. .
The huge town was not only looted, but also burned to the ground by a fire set by the barbarian army. The people in the town also became prisoners of the barbarian army.
In the camp of the barbarian army, the Chinese army tent.
Xie Tu heard that the spies had come to report that Xiesang's head was hanging on the top of Hanzhong City. He was stunned for a while and did not react because in his opinion, the news was too unbelievable.
By catching Xiesang, the Han people had a head start and could at least be invincible. Unless the Han people had their brains damaged, they would kill Xiesang!
He took a deep breath, stared coldly at the spy who reported the news, and said in a deep voice: "Do you know that lying about military information and disrupting military morale is a capital crime?"
The spy knelt down on the ground with a pop and said loudly: "I can swear to God that everything I said is true..."
Teng! Xietu suddenly stood up, stared at the spies with bright eyes, and asked word for word: "Did the Han people really kill the clan leader?"
"Yes, General, the head of the clan leader has been seen by this villain with his own eyes!"
The barbarian generals standing on both sides of the camp all had their eyes widened, their livers and lungs exploded with anger, and their fists clenched loudly.
The Han people bullied others too much, went back on their word, and even killed the clan leader. The Xie clan has never suffered such a shame and humiliation!
People's eyes all fell on Xie Tu, and as soon as he gave the order, they immediately led the army and fought back to Hanzhong City.
Xie Tu stood there and said nothing for a long time. He had to use all his strength to suppress the urge to laugh wildly in his body.
Dead! He should have died a long time ago. Xiesang finally died! And he died at the hands of the Han people! This is simply God’s greatest favor for him!
Thinking of this, Xie Tu sniffed, his eye circles suddenly turned red, and he knelt down on the ground with a bang, facing the direction of Hanzhong City, kowtowed to the ground, and burst into tears.
