Zhao Meng realized that Pang Meng was plotting rebellion. While he organized the manpower of the county government to prepare to resist Pang Meng's army, he also sent people to the county army camp and quickly mobilized the county troops to the county government.
His response measures were all correct, but unfortunately, no matter how well he responded, it was already too late.
After Pang Meng's men entered the city, they rushed to the county army camp with lightning speed and disarmed more than a thousand county soldiers and captured them. Pang Meng himself led the rest of his men to the county government in a grand manner.
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Looking at the closed gate of the county mansion, Pang Meng laughed out loud. He shouted loudly into the courtyard of the county mansion: "Prefect Zhao is here! I am Pang Meng, please come out of the house to speak!"
Not long after, a row of people stood on the wall of the county mansion. Most of them were soldiers and government servants holding crossbows. Zhao Meng was also among the crowd.
He looked at Pang Meng outside and asked loudly: "General Pang suddenly led his troops into the city and besieged the county government. What is the purpose?"
Pang Meng said: "Our army camp has long been short of food and grass. I have repeatedly asked Governor Zhao for food and grass, but Governor Zhao has refused with various excuses. Since Governor Zhao refuses to give it, I have no choice but to take my brothers with me."
Let’s go to the city and get it ourselves!”
When Zhao Meng heard this, her face turned red with anger. She raised her hand and pointed angrily at Pang Meng and said, "Pang Meng, you... you are such a shameless person!"
"Haha!" Pang Meng laughed. After a while, he stopped smiling, his face became gloomy, and he said solemnly: "You are just a prefect, using chicken feathers as arrows, how can my tens of thousands of brothers, Pang Meng, be controlled?
For you?"
After a pause, he added: "Today, if you are willing to take the initiative to admit your mistakes and surrender to me, I can forget the blame. If not..."
Having said this, Pang Meng opened his arms, looked to his left and right, and said: "Prefect Zhao, you have also seen that my hungry brothers can do anything!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard a crashing sound from all around. The soldiers either raised their spears or halberds and glared at Zhao Meng, ready to attack at any time.
Zhao Meng gritted her teeth and said: "You...you led troops into the city privately and besieged the county government. This is an act of rebellion!"
"So what if you rebel?!" Pang Meng replied loudly: "I, Pang Meng, rebelled because I was forced to rebel by you dog officials!"
Zhao Meng roared angrily: "Pang Meng, if you want to enter the county mansion, you must first fall over my corpse!"
Pang Meng laughed angrily, nodded, and said: "Since you are bent on seeking death, I will help you today!" As he spoke, he drew out the sword from his side, swung it forward, and shouted: "Attack in!"
Following Pang Meng's order, all the soldiers present shouted loudly, and then people began to move forward. Upon seeing this, Zhao Meng did not hesitate and shouted loudly: "Fire the arrow!"
The soldiers and government servants of the county government drew their bows and crossbows one after another, and fired arrows at the approaching Pang Meng army.
Bang, bang, bang! With the sound of the crossbows being ejected, in an instant, a dozen soldiers fell to the ground after being struck by arrows. This not only failed to stop the advance of Pang Meng's army, but instead aroused the hostility in everyone.
The people's step-by-step advancement turned into a charge forward, and a large number of soldiers rushed to the county mansion like a tide. The courtyard wall of the county mansion was only three meters high, which could not stop the wolf-like tiger Pang Meng's army at all.
People rushed to the courtyard wall and immediately set up ladders. Many soldiers took off their armor and climbed up the wall on the shoulders of their companions. There were also a large number of soldiers gathered in front of the gate of the county mansion and shouted with rough
A heavy wooden stake hammered the door of the mansion.
There are less than a hundred soldiers in the county and about a hundred government officials. Taken together, there are only about 200 people in total. It is undoubtedly a fantasy to withstand Pang Meng's army of tens of thousands with just such a small number of people.
What's more, Pang Meng's army is not just a mob. Pang Meng is a meritorious general who followed Liu Xiu in the battle in Hebei and laid the foundation of Hebei. The soldiers under his command are all experienced in hundreds of battles and are among the elite who have fought through the dead.
scholar.
There is no need to fight with more than less, even if it is a one-on-one confrontation, the county army and government officials are no match for them.
Pang Meng's army broke through the county's defense line without much effort. Then, a large number of soldiers poured into the county government and surrounded Zhao Meng who was standing in the courtyard of the county government.
The soldiers surrounding Zhao Meng automatically and consciously separated to the left and right to make way for a passage. Pang Meng walked along the passage and walked into the crowd. He held his sword and came straight to Zhao Meng. He raised the sword in his hand forward.
, put the tip of the sword against Zhao Meng's throat, and sneered: "The mantis is using his arms as a chariot, and he doesn't know whether to live or die! Zhao Meng, I will give you one last chance now. If you are willing to be loyal to me, you will still be the prefect of Chu County in the future. You..."
Before Pang Meng could finish what he said, Zhao Meng puffed up his chest and cursed loudly: "Pang Meng, you are an official of Xie Gong. His Majesty is so kind that he will spare your life. He will also take you under his command and entrust you with important responsibilities. Pang Meng will treat you well."
, you are highly regarded and your kindness is as great as a mountain. Now that you have betrayed His Majesty, do you still have the nerve to talk so shamelessly in front of me? Although I, Zhao Meng, am not talented and am only a mere prefect, I know how to repay kindness and how to eat the emperor's salary.
Repay your kindness! I, Zhao Meng, fell into the hands of you and other rats today, and I will die to repay my country!"
Pang Meng laughed angrily. He nodded and snorted coldly: "You are quite brave! I want to see how hard your bones are!" As he spoke, he raised his sword,
Aim at Zhao Meng and chop down suddenly.
Sha! The edge of the sword sliced open the skirt of Zhao Meng's chest, and along with it, opened a large gash more than a foot long on the chest. Blood flowed out instantly, dyeing a large area of Zhao Meng's skirt red.
Zhao Meng groaned and fell to the ground on his back. Pang Meng's sword did not kill Zhao Meng, but only wounded Zhao Meng.
Looking at Zhao Meng who was lying on the ground, he took a step forward, stepped on Zhao Meng's abdomen, forced him with the tip of his sword, and asked: "Let me ask you again, will you surrender or not?"
Zhao Meng was lying on the ground, her face and head were covered with sweat in pain, and her body was trembling, but she gritted her teeth and refused to scream.
After a while, he squeezed out a sentence from between his teeth: "Pang Meng, if you want to kill me, just give me a pleasure!"
Pang Meng nodded and slashed with the sword again, and immediately there was another long gash on Zhao Meng's body.
The latter's eyes were so painful that his eyes were bloodshot, his face was red, and his teeth were clenching, but he refused to scream, let alone say a word for mercy.
Even Pang Meng's subordinates were moved by this scene. Although Zhao Meng was just a civil servant, he was indeed a man of iron bones, loyal, strong-willed, and upright.
Pang Meng's subordinates admired Zhao Meng, and so did Pang Meng himself. However, the more loyal and fierce Zhao Meng acted, the more shameless and despicable he was made out to be. Pang Meng was aroused by Zhao Meng and swung his hands.
The sword struck Zhao Meng four more times.
At this time, Zhao Meng was lying on the ground. He was already as bloody as a gourd. His body was covered in blood and he almost fainted. However, he still gritted his teeth and did not cry out in pain or beg for mercy.
At this time, even Pang Meng, who hated Zhao Meng deeply, was impressed by him. This was the first time in his life that he had seen such a strong-willed person.
He shook off the blood on his sword, sheathed it, then withdrew his foot from Zhao Meng's abdomen and said to the subordinates around him: "Bandage him, and then... let him go!"
After finishing speaking, he sighed softly.
After all, Pang Meng was not a vicious person. Even though he was plotting rebellion and betraying the Han Dynasty and Liu Xiu, he still admired Zhao Meng from the bottom of his heart for a man of character and integrity.
The same kind of subordinates as there are generals. Pang Meng's subordinates, like Pang Meng, admired Zhao Meng who was unyielding and would rather die than surrender.
People made a stretcher with spears, put Zhao Meng on it, and carried him down for treatment.
Although Pang Meng did not kill Zhao Meng, his rebellion was a real rebellion.
After the 30,000-strong army led by Pang Meng captured Pengcheng in one fell swoop, they immediately joined forces with Dong Xian to launch a sneak attack on the Gaiyan tribe who was fighting guerrillas everywhere in Beihai County.
Gai Yan did not expect that Pang Meng would suddenly rebel, and was caught off guard by the coalition composed of Pang Meng and Dong Xian.
The Eastern Expeditionary Army was completely defeated when it was attacked from both sides by the enemy. In the end, Gai Yan only led a small number of remnants and hurriedly crossed Surabaya and fled northward.
At this point, the Eastern Expedition Army led by Gai Yan had been completely defeated.
It has to be said that Gai Yan's ability to lead troops in war is undoubted, but he is really not that good at dealing with interpersonal relationships.
In the past, Su Mao was his subordinate. Because he did not get along well with him, Su Mao rebelled and defected to Liu Yong's side, becoming Liu Yong's general. To this day, Su Mao is still loyally assisting Liu Yu.
Similarly, Pang Meng was also a subordinate of Gai Yan. Because he did not get along well with Gai Yan, he chose to rebel and defected to the side of Liu Yu, Dong Xian, and Zhang Bu. He also teamed up with Dong Xian to defeat Gai Yan's Eastern Expeditionary Army.
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In fact, based on Pang Meng's achievements to Liu Xiu, as well as Pang Meng's own abilities, and even Liu Xiu's appreciation and love for him, if he did not betray Liu Xiu, he would enter Yuntai and become one of the twenty-eight generals of Yuntai.
Totally possible.
Unfortunately, due to various reasons, Pang Meng betrayed Liu Xiu in the end and chose to stand on the opposite side of Liu Xiu. This also made this general, who was the founding father of the Eastern Han Dynasty and had brilliant military exploits, permanently nailed down in the history of Qing Dynasty.
On the pillar of shame.
Pang Meng's betrayal led to the complete failure of the Han Army's Eastern Expedition, and also allowed the precarious forces of Liu Yu, Dong Xian, and Zhang Bu to stabilize the situation at once.
The news spread back to Luoyang, and the government and the public were shocked. Everyone knew that Pang Meng was the emperor's favorite general, and it was incredible that Pang Meng would rebel.
How high does Liu Xiu think of Pang Meng? He can entrust a six-foot orphan, and he can entrust the land of a county.
You must know that when Liu Xiu said these words, he was not yet the emperor, and he was still fighting in Hebei. A county was extremely important to Liu Xiu at that time.
When Liu Xiu said this, he meant that if he unfortunately died in battle, Pang Meng was worthy of being his orphan. He could inherit his legacy, assist his children, restore the Han Dynasty, and dominate the world.
If a minister who was so highly regarded by the emperor rebelled, could the government and the public not be shocked? Of course, the most shocked person was Liu Xiu.
It is not that Liu Xiu has never experienced betrayal, first by Peng Chong and then by Deng Feng, but their betrayal only made Liu Xiu angry, while Pang Meng's betrayal really made Liu Xiu heartbroken.
After receiving the memorial from Chu County and the battle report of Gai Yan's defeat, Liu Xiu sat in the main hall and remained motionless for a long time.
He didn't understand why Pang Meng wanted to rebel. Pang Meng made a mistake, and he was angry with him, but he didn't want to punish him. After so many years of friendship between monarch and minister, what could possibly force Pang Mengfei to go to the stage of rebellion?
Liu Xiu's emotions were first angry, then sad, and then confused. For a moment, his mood could be described as all kinds of boring.
