Zhenzhou, Zhending City (now Zhengding, Hebei).

In front of Zhang Bangchang, who once again tasted the taste of a sad city, the lobbyist from Liaozhou, Hedong (now Yangquan City, Shanxi Province) had just left.

Since Yun, Heng and Yingzhou, which were adjacent to the mountains to the north, fell one after another, he has completely cut off the possibility of leaving the border.

Could it be that if he really surrendered to the newly emerged Western Army, he could save everything he had left? If he still had the overall situation before, he would have seized this life-saving straw at all costs, but now he is even more hesitant and hesitant in this situation of trapping beasts.

It’s a pity that no matter what the other party said, the Huai Army, which was still trekking in Hedong without any obstacles, was already close to the armpits. Could it be that if the Huai Army condescend and attack the Western Army, the Huai Army retreated or slowed down the offensive slightly? This is obviously completely unrealistic.

Could it be that he was humble and led his troops to escape to the territory of his mortal enemy Zhang Dekun through Jingxing, a natural danger adjacent to Hedong? As the saying goes, heresy and traitors are more hated than the enemy. He and the other party fought to the death and were full of blood debts in their hands;

To be honest, he was really not sure that after retreating to the other party's territory, he would have enough enemy cavalry and confidence to maintain his power and independence, so as not to become a resentful opponent, a soft knife-cut fish object.

These opponents in Zhenzhou were originally gathered and resident for a long time to prevent attacks from Hedong. There were no shortage of continuous battles between the two sides. Once they reached the opponent's land, they still didn't know what would happen.

If this is the case, why did he resist the Huai Army until the end when he had an advantage, instead of taking more chips to seek a place to stay. At least there is no blood hatred or old grudges in the hands of the other party, but just a pure struggle for power. Most of them will not hesitate to give those who are voluntarily quitting the current affairs to a decent opportunity to step down and exit.

However, after thinking about it, he couldn't help but feel lucky. Seeing that the Western Army was about to advance eastward, as long as he continued to persevere here, the Huai Army would soon have no time to take care of his side. Perhaps, he could also rely on this situation to negotiate better conditions from the other party.

Otherwise, even at a critical moment of danger, I could open up Jingxing’s natural danger and take the initiative to lead Hedong County and the Western Army, and borrow this pass to invade Hebei and do the same thing as the jade and stone burning.

But the premise of all this is that he can still rely on his past gratitude and prestige to continue to capture several key personnel under his command, and to make them rely on the city defense to continue to fight for themselves for a period of time to usher in more turning points and changes.

As for the other people's wavering and overwhelming thoughts, he has no time to care about it;

For example, those envoys, judges, Sima, military and chief secretary who were "disbanded" and disappeared on the way to Zhenzhou, as well as all kinds of direct officials, marriages, and household registration, were left half of the people halfway.

For example, those who were appointed by him but left halfway, and those who were in charge, observation, defense, guard and group training envoys; some of them were more polite, who sent people to inform them, saying that they were taking their relatives back to their hometown to fight against the thieves, gaining time for the transfer of the Taiwan Strait and dragging the enemy down;

But in fact, their intention and attitude were already obvious. In other words, even if they were allowed to successfully return to their hometown and raise a group of people, they were just a base for more Huai troops to bargain for the conditions and treatment.

But no matter what, the result of their actions in fact has somewhat resisted the preparations for the rectification of the industry, and has won time in disguise and achieved the actual effect of delay. Even under the current situation, it is a bit of a poison to quench thirst.

At this last moment of danger, he was once flattered and vigorously praised by all kinds of flattery and hard work, and his mind became clear and self-reflective again; at least he could see clearly the loyalty and treacherous among his subordinates, and also understand who is the mainstay around him who can rely on and reuse.

But the price was too heavy, and it made him almost unwilling to face it.

Therefore, he had already used the supplies in the Dafa treasury to reward the nearby army, generously promising to give good land and beautiful houses, and everyone had a share; he also used the prestige of priority protection to concentrate many military families on his own eyelids, and monitored and used them as quality;

He also sent people to send troops and armor everywhere, and even showed up everywhere to promote wherever Huaizhen passed. Whether it was a wealthy gentry or a wealthy family, they could not help but compete to break up their families and separate their wives and children, and drive them into slavery. At this time, the hearts of the people were stabilized and created a superficial atmosphere of shared hatred and hatred.

Then, among the powerful households and relatives who fled from all over the country, they recruited five thousand strong men again, trained and armed, and called them "Dangdangzi". Together with their yamen guards, they specially dealt with pessimistic and disappointing remarks and surrendered behaviors in the city.

This forced the declining momentum and depressed heart. Although he didn't know how long this means of expediency could last, for him, it would be a victory for him to persevere every day.

This is another sudden sound that came to mind from the outside world.

"Bingzhuan, things are not going well"

"So what's wrong..."

Zhang Bangchang waved his hand helplessly, and he didn't even feel the same or the spirit to scold these close relatives who brought the news; after all, the bad news and bad news he heard during this period was already numb.

At least these subordinates who are constantly bringing news from all parties are still loyal people who are willing to continue to stick to their posts despite the current situation.

"There are many people in front of the formation. I personally saw that the Qin (Ming) chief minister stood in front of the Huai bandit army and was recruiting surrenders and rebels everywhere."

"The reorganized Pili Army has not heard of any news since it launched aid to Hengzhou."

Zhang Bangchang sighed heavily, but said nothing more. The seven generals under his command, "Three Biao and Four Elephants" who were his confidant and Gancheng, also had brave generals who were known as the Eleven Hawks as guards; but now those who were dead, those who were captured were captured, and those who had withered were only a few people in front of him.

It seems that one more person is going to be removed from the list. At this moment, he no longer has anger, but only a faint regret and loss. He should have noticed something when Qin Ming asked to go to the enemy alone to surrender to delay time.

The Huai Army was indeed not so good at and credulous. Even if Qin Ming was still nostalgic and unwilling to act, as long as the other party waved him forward, everything would be clear and irreversible. But he was still too lucky and wanted to use the power and deception of delaying the army?

"Come,"

It seemed like he had spoken again after a long time,

"Go and call the Hedong messenger here..."

"Report, Jingxing is in an emergency..."

However, the next news made him jump.

"From Xiguan City and North Entrance, South Entrance are all trying to capture the enemy..."

"Deputy Envoy Zhang has led his troops to retreat to Baoping Village, and he also asked the governor to send troops to reinforce and capture the return..."

What, this waste, he couldn't help but see the darkness in front of him and fell softly on his couch.

Jingxing City is one of the nine barriers in the world that is bounded by Taihang and facing the Hebei Plain and crosses the traffic throat of Hedong. It is known as the Taihang aperture, the hub of the five prefectures, and the military strategists must compete for victory. It is also his last retreat;

For this reason, he specially handed it over to Zhang Shunshui, the nephew whom he regarded as his adopted son, the Hebei Capital Tuanjian envoy. With Zhao Jiuling, a veteran who had been through many battles, he led a team of specially selected elite cadres to garrison for half a year during the period of garrisoning, in order to prepare for the Hedong side to come uninvited to get a bargain.

As a result, it was easily taken away by a surprise Huai Army soldier who suddenly appeared.

...........

At the west entrance of Jingxing, it is also called Tumen Pass; it was named after the mountainous state of Zhao in the Spring and Autumn Period, which was built with a crumpled channel that blocked the Taihang Mountains.

On the earthen walls and wooden whistle towers filled with arrows, Chen Baoshan waving his gunstop and smashing them on a face that was exposed. He saw that the other party's skin was blooming and flesh was sunk in front of him, falling to the ground and dying.

He didn't even have time to load the bullet, and the gun pierced had been too long to be used. He could only continue to hold the hook swung by an enemy soldier in front of the gun, and push him to the wall of rammed earth, and shouted as if he had broken wings and fell down.

After a while, looking at the enemy's momentum that was retreating again with the roar of cannons, he felt that his strength had been exhausted, and his breathless lung leaves were spit out; his hands were stiff and he couldn't even let go of the slightly deformed musket, but he could only sit on the uneven ground with his straight butt;

An unexpected situation still occurred. I just captured this Jingxing City, defeated and dispersed the local defenders, but immediately attracted the Hedong army, who had been waiting for a long time, to attack on the opposite side of the valley.

However, these scattered soldiers were raiding lightly and did not carry much medicine. Thanks to the four mountain cannons that were brought along but were not useful, they repeatedly disrupted the opponent's position. Unfortunately, dozens of sporadic ammunitions were quickly shot and there were very few left.

As a result, they had to release some of the local prisoners who were imprisoned to assist the guards.

Fortunately, after the medicine gradually became tight, the local coal stones were burned red and threw them out. Whether it was arson or attacking the enemy, it was also a very sharp way to defend the city. In addition, they had a limited number of firearms and ammunition, and they were forced to kill the Hedong soldiers under the city walls, and their corpses were piled up like mountains and blood flowed into a river.

Fortunately, the other party had only a large number, but it was difficult to win in the relatively narrow natural victory - in front of the western entrance of Jingxing. The narrowest part of the mountain gorge channel inside the entrance was the narrow stone walls on both sides, the car could not be square, and the riders could not be in parallel. It was almost unhappy and difficult to move;
Chapter completed!