At noon on the first day of the first lunar month, Chen Qing's army left Hu County and continued to march westward in the hilly areas between the south bank of the Wei River and Zhongnan Mountain. Three days later, 10,000 cavalry arrived in the Wuzhangyuan area near Yi County, which had entered the territory of Fengxiang Prefecture.
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According to past experience, there should be Jin soldiers stationed in Xi County, but the number would not be too many, about a thousand.
But Chen Qing did not want to attack Fengxiang City secretly, but wanted to build momentum and force Wanyan Wushu to withdraw his troops.
He needs to kill a chicken in a bloody way to make this momentum effective.
As for this chicken, Chen Qing kept an eye on the defenders of Yi County.
In the afternoon, Zhao Xiaoyi led a caravan to the woods where Chen Qing's army was stationed. Chen Qing's army had moved to a pine forest about ten miles away from the county seat of Yi County.
Soon, Zhao Xiaoyi brought the businessman leader into the forest. The businessman's surname was Wang, who was from Xi County and was a medicinal materials merchant. He was setting off to Bianliang to purchase medicinal materials. Unexpectedly, he met Zhao Xiaoyi as soon as he left the city.
When proprietor Wang heard that it was the demon Chen Qing, he was so frightened that he trembled all over and knelt on the ground speechless.
Chen Qing smiled gently and said: "You don't have to be afraid. My killings are all aimed at Jin soldiers and puppet Qi soldiers. At least I have never killed innocent people. I will ask you something and you can answer it truthfully."
"You villain...don't dare to hide it!"
After Wang Dongzhu calmed down a little, Chen Qing asked: "How many golden soldiers are there in the city?"
"Reporting back to the general, there are about a thousand people."
As expected, there were a thousand gold soldiers in the city. Chen Qing asked again: "Are they all Jurchens?"
"They are all Jurchens!"
Chen Qing nodded and continued to ask: "Are there any controls on entering and exiting the city?"
"There are no controls. Ordinary people can come and go as they please, but businessmen have to pay taxes."
"What's the current price of food in the city?"
"The cheapest wheat is about forty cents per bushel."
"Has the price increased?"
"Food prices are basically relatively stable."
The reason why Chen Qing asked about the price of grain was because he wanted to know about the grain situation in the city. Guanzhong is a famous granary. There should be no shortage of grain. He could use Xi County as a garrison place.
After asking about the situation in detail, Chen Qing comforted the businessman with a few words and sent him away.
Yang Zaixing smiled at Chen Qing and said: "It's such a cold weather and there are only a thousand soldiers. Judging from how relaxed they are during the day, there should be no one on the city at night. Let the lowly officials seize the city!"
Liu Cui said anxiously: "You should go every time! It should be my turn this time."
Chen Qing glanced at Liu Qiong and Gao Ding next to him. They were both eager to try. Chen Qing smiled and said: "The four of you draw lots, whoever wins the prize will go!"
The results of the lottery came out quickly, and Liu Qiong won the lottery, and the three of them had to leave in anger.
Chen Qing said to Liu Qiong: "The moat has frozen. Don't worry about it. You can lead five hundred brothers and take a few special scouts up to the city on a ladder."
"I understand the humble position!"
"It will be easier to go to the city from the northeast corner!" Chen Qing added with a smile.
Liu Qiong nodded, "After dark, I will take the people with me as soon as possible. What else does the commander-in-chief have to say?"
"Old rule, after capturing the east city gate, light three torches."
Liu Qiong cupped her fists and saluted, turned around and left...
It gets dark early in winter, and soon night falls quietly. Liu Qiong leads five hundred soldiers and rushes on foot to Xi County, which is ten miles away...
The night was not completely dark yet, Chen Qing could clearly see the outline of the county in the distance, and hoped that Liu Qiong would not disappoint him.
.........
Liu Qiong led 500 soldiers around to the northeast corner. He was not in a hurry to go to the city, but sent his men to observe the entire city wall. There were only two gates in Xi County, the east city and the west city. The west city was the main gate, facing
Fengxiang City also faces Dashan Pass.
Soon his subordinates came to report, "The West City and the East City are similar. There are only two people at the top of the city guarding the city.
It is impossible to have only two people. At least twenty or thirty people are suitable. The others should sleep in the tower.
Liu Qiong waited patiently, and finally at the first watch, he waved his hand and said: "The first team is following me!"
He led a hundred soldiers wearing white cloaks and ran in the snow, running towards the city wall from the north. A few miles to the north was the Wei River. Now the Wei River was completely frozen and there were no ships coming. There were basically no soldiers in sight at the top of the northern city. It is estimated that
It was also covered in white snow.
Liu Qiong had his own plan. One hundred men were enough to seize the city gate. If all five hundred men climbed the city, the target would be too big and they would be easily discovered by the enemy. Therefore, one hundred men went up to the city and the others entered through the city gate.
Hundreds of soldiers rushed across the moat covered with a thick layer of ice, rushed to the bottom of the city, and stood close to the city wall. They were standing at the northeast corner, which was a better position. They could see the situation at the east gate, but the guards on the city wall
But the army couldn't see them. The key was that there was a corridor leading down to the city. From here, they could go down to the city and then go up to the city from the east. In this way, they didn't have to walk a long way on top of the city and be discovered by the enemy.
They brought several scout soldiers with special talents. The so-called special talents are climbing, diving, throwing objects, etc. They have specialties that others do not have.
The first scout soldier was very good at throwing ropes. He stepped back seven or eight steps and gently threw the rope noose in his hand. The rope noose accurately caught the battlement. He carried the ladder on his shoulders and climbed up.
Not long after, the scout soldiers climbed to the top of the city, put the ladders on the battlements, and dropped the three ladders one after another. Hundreds of soldiers quickly climbed up the ladders to the top of the city...
There was a thick layer of snow on the top of the city, reaching up to the ankles, and it was bitingly cold. There was not even a single footprint on the snow, which meant that no soldiers had patrolled the city wall for ten days, and the snow had happened ten days ago.
After everyone went up to the city, they went directly down the corridor from the other side and gathered at the foot of the city.
Below the city is Shuimen, but Shuimen and the Caohe River are also frozen and frozen solid.
When everyone arrived, Liu Qiong waved his hand and ran towards the east gate with a hundred of his men.
Each of them holds a short spear, carries a bow and arrow on his back, has a sword in his waist, and runs very fast.
In just a moment, they rushed to the foot of the east city.
The city was silent, there was not a single pedestrian on the street, and the sound of the watchman's clapper could be heard faintly in the distance.
There is no one inside the city gate. It is too cold and it is not a strategic location. There is basically no defense in the city, and there is no need to guard it so carefully. Only a few people are left to prevent the transmission of urgent news.
Liu Qiong and his men walked towards the city wall step by step, and after exploring the female wall, the two soldiers just now were squatting on the ground, and a fire was lit beside the wall. It was estimated that the two soldiers just now were rubbing their hands to warm themselves up.
From Liu Qiong's perspective, he only saw the back of one of them.
He asked the rest of his men to stay still for the time being, and he led a few of them to lightly jump up to the top of the city, and walked around to the front. Sure enough, there were two soldiers squatting in front of the fire.
Liu Qiong made a gesture, and the soldiers surrounded him from both sides. They took action almost simultaneously, covering the Jurchen soldier's mouth and stabbing him in the back of the heart.
The two Jurchen soldiers fell down softly. They poked a hole in the paper and looked into the tower. Generally speaking, the soldiers would hide in the tower to sleep.
However, to Liu Qiong's surprise, the city tower was empty, and there was not a single defender. This surprised Liu Qiong. It was impossible that there were only two soldiers guarding the city at night. Where were the others?
Dutou Yang Qu whispered: "General, it's frozen inside the city tower. There's no grass, no bedding or beds. They can't sleep here. They're probably sleeping in a nearby house."
Liu Qiong nodded, "Take a dozen brothers to monitor the city. If there is any movement, notify me immediately!"
Yang Qu took a dozen soldiers to the female wall to monitor the city.
The remaining soldiers opened the city gate and lowered the drawbridge. Liu Qiong personally lit three torches and asked his three men to wave them into the distance.
Several miles away, Chen Qing saw the waving torches and immediately ordered: "The army is entering the city!"
The 10,000-strong army slowed down their horses. The hoofs of the war horses were wrapped in thick cloth. They walked on the snow with almost no sound. The 10,000-strong army marched towards Xi County in a mighty manner...