Chapter 237 Array (3)

On May 27th, here in Lihu, it started to rain lightly again in the morning.

Zhang Xing received reports from Li Shu that the troops in front had crossed Fan County and continued towards Dong County without any hesitation or notice.

At the same time, there are still troubles and progress here in Lihu - someone suggested that a reserve force of 5,000 people should be retained and not be included in the military formation, but should be hidden in the military camp at the rear so that it can be easily dispatched in any direction to fill in the gaps.

, this seems to be a feasible suggestion, but some people are worried that this will lead to the lack of strength in the military formation in front of them, and it is like taking off their pants and farting; some people suggest that the supplementary ordnance should be unified, but with long guns, steel crossbows, swords and shields.

Large-scale centralized use, the leaders who actually controlled the troops had different attitudes towards this, and some people were very resistant; at the same time, it seemed that many people in the army were suddenly infected with the epidemic because of the rain, and some leaders proposed to do it before the war.

Releasing some soldiers to visit relatives nearby also caused a commotion.

And just when Zhang Xing appeared to be sound and dignified on the surface, almost commanding calmly, but on the inside he was almost embarrassed and making all decisions blindly. Little did he know that due to the dispatch and gathering of the army, Dongfang had been stabilized for almost a year.

In the county and Jiyin County, people's hearts began to gradually become turbulent, and order began to show signs of failure.

Internally and externally, many issues that had been covered up due to the previous military presence tended to spiral out of control as military operations unfolded. Many things also accelerated passively due to the tense atmosphere and came to a crossroads.

There is nothing that can be done about it. When a person clenches his fist desperately, he will unconsciously cause damage to the surrounding bits and pieces, bottles and cans, and will also unconsciously expose the veins and destroy the body.

The wound collapsed.

Of course, as long as we win, everything seems easy.

But things always have two sides. No one knows how much impact these bottles, jars, bits and pieces, and these original small wounds will have on the punch itself?

Continuous accidents and the general trend are always a symbiosis of the double helix.

There are different days in hundreds of miles, although they are all in the rainy season, but when it is raining lightly in Lihu, Jiyin City is just gloomy and rainy. Not only that, at the same time that Lihu is almost reduced to a large military camp,

Jiyin City, which was originally the core and most lively place in Jiyin County, seemed a bit empty.

As the first city to realize that a full-scale war was about to begin, the merchants had long since disappeared. After being recruited half-forced and half-indulgent, every household seldom went out unless necessary. That is to say, civilians occasionally came and went to transport supplies.

Sometimes, it seems as if the city can temporarily come back to life.

On the morning of the 27th, under the gloomy clouds, the county prison in the west of Jiyin City was as dull and dark as ever, mixed with the year-round stench and the overflow of insects and ants. Coupled with the recent humidity, it was particularly...

It's unbearable... but there is no way, no one will care about the treatment of these guests in the prison. It is already very good if they don't forget to give them food and drink.

Footsteps sounded, and a figure was reflected on the wall of the prison by a torch, but it seemed slightly different from the past.

Li Qingchen, whose limbs were shackled and covered in filth, was sitting on a stool with his back against the cell wall, being tortured by the wounds on his chest and abdomen. The rainy weather this month had been too difficult for him, but

At this time, I heard the noise and frowned to look, but unexpectedly behaved strangely, so that I became motionless and just stared at the corner through the fence, waiting for the other party to appear.

After a while, a young woman dressed in men's clothing appeared in front of Li Qingchen holding a torch.

However, this person has a delicate appearance, fair skin, and excessively clean clothes, which really does not fit in with the atmosphere of the prison cell.

Seeing the person coming, Li Qingchen breathed a sigh of relief, then became weak: "Thirteenth Mother, why did you come here today?"

Without saying a word, the woman first placed the torch on the socket in front of the cell door, then pulled out a standard embroidered scimitar from her waist, channeled Duanjiang Zhenqi, and continued to chop hard. After two or three cuts, she finally

Finally, he opened the cell door chain. After entering the cell, he repeated the same thing and split Li Qingchen's anklets and bracelets, but he quickly dragged him out.

At this time, the rest of the people in the prison had been alarmed and shouted for help. Li Qingchen staggered and pointed at the two people opposite him and said: "Thirteenth Mother, don't care about the others. These two are my companions in the county. If you don't rescue them, they will return."

It is difficult to see their family members in Huaiyang."

"You also know that it's not good to see other people's family members?" The so-called Thirteen Niangs, Li Qingchen's clan sister Li Qingzhou, and Huaiyang County's newest resident Heishou, finally sneered. "There are so many corpses on the Bianshui Pier.

Okay, are we still missing these two people?"

Li Twelve was ashamed and angry for a moment.

But even so, Li Shisanniang still stepped forward and struggled to open the door lock. The two people had no chains on their hands and feet, and they were not injured. They were extremely grateful and followed them immediately, and even took the initiative to help Li Qingchen up so that they could finally give him a hand.

Li Qingzhou's strong combat power left him some room.

However, the four people quickly escaped, climbed over the wall and left the prison, and then jumped into a house on the street opposite the prison. Surprisingly, they did not hit anyone during the whole process, let alone use force.

It's also strange.

"What's going on?" As soon as he sat down on the stone steps in the courtyard, Li Qingchen became confused. "Why is it so empty?"

"What can we do? Just go out in full force." Li Qingzhou hurriedly went into the house to get something and explained a little. "There is a war in the east. Dragon Sword Zhang San has already led his troops to Lihu. Not only

In Jiyin, all the government officials from all over the county have been mobilized, and almost all the civilians have been recruited and distributed. Today, even the prison guards went to Cangcheng and the ferry in the north to help distribute things. I tied up the remaining two and went in grandly.

...Hurry and wipe your face, there are clean clothes here, let’s climb over the city wall immediately and go from the south!”

Li Qingchen responded and went to clean up and change clothes with his two subordinates. However, after the three of them had changed their clothes and the other two were fine, Li Qingchen was still a little unwilling:

"If his city is so empty, why don't we burn down his city?"

"You think too much." Li Qingzhou became more and more angry. "Do you really think there are no people left in the city? It's just that they are all in important places like Cangcheng! And if you are like this, can't I still be burned?

Burn? Where did I get the manpower and ability?"

Li Qingchen remained silent.

The four people climbed out of the city wall without any danger, but there were only two horses here. Li Qingzhou simply made it clear to the two people and asked them to go separate ways.

The two of them had nothing to say, so they could only hand it over and flee to the west on foot, while the Li brothers and sisters walked toward the southwest on horseback.

But after walking only two or three miles, Li Qingchen finally couldn't bear it anymore and reined in his horse again and called out to his sister: "Thirteenth Mother, since there is a war ahead, how can we, as imperial officials, escape directly like this? That's it.

If Cangcheng cannot be burned, it is time to burn the government prison and shock him. It is best to send some troops back..."

"Let me tell you the truth." Li Qingzhou sighed, reined in his horse, and told him seriously. "I don't dare! Sister Sisi is in Lihu now, hanging out with the dragon-slaying knife. If we are burned

There probably aren't any soldiers in the government office or anything like that, but I'm afraid there is a Heavenly Sword. Even I will be recaptured with you... If you have such thoughts, why not go back to Huaiyang to recuperate as soon as possible."

After saying that, Li Shisanniang immediately rode away. After walking for more than a hundred steps, she found that there was no one around her. She turned back again and found that her brother was still there, covering his chest and abdomen with one hand, and his face was ferocious.

have no choice:

"Will you go back to Huaiyang or not?"

"What on earth is going on in this battle?" After a moment, Li Qingchen, probably having regained his composure, asked seriously, holding the reins with one hand and pressing the wound between the chest and abdomen with the other. "Who is Zhang Xing going to fight?

Why did Sister Sisi come? The British father directly rebelled against me? I have only been detained for a few days, how come the situation has changed drastically!"

"How can there be so many things?" Li Shisanniang was completely helpless and could only tell them one by one. "It was the thing that you, Qian Tang, Lu Changheng and others planned for Zhong Cheng. The three families joined forces to wipe out the Dragon Gang. And now.

Zhang Xing went to the east because Zhang Xuguo was the best at fighting. He suddenly defeated Yuncheng and Li Shu returned with a huge defeat. He had to go and take over the battle. As for why Sister Sisi came, how do I know? I only know that she

I came here unexpectedly a few days ago, and I didn’t avoid anyone. There is also the British Duke. Anyway, I didn’t hear that the British Duke was rebelling.”

Li Qingchen was silent for a moment and then asked again: "When I was in prison, it was said that Zhang Xing took Ma Hu?"

"yes."

"What about Han Yingong? Still in Xiao County?"

"No, I came to Xiayi and Dang County. As soon as you were captured, Zhongcheng sent me to continue delivering messages to him. Later, Zhang Xuguo captured Yuncheng and asked Lu Changheng to rush through the prefectures and counties with the news.

Xiao County, it is said that they made a huge concession and came with their troops." After speaking angrily, Li Shisanniang glanced at the gloomy clouds above her head and simply responded. "Now that things have happened, what else do you want?"

"I want to do something!" As dark clouds rolled overhead, Li Qingchen gritted his teeth. "I don't care how useful it is, but I can't do nothing like this, I can't stay out of it like this, I have to do something!"

"What do you want to do?" Unexpectedly, Li Shisanniang, who had always been impatient, didn't get angry anymore.

"Go to the south and ask Han Yingong to send troops. Jiyin is so empty, how can we block Han Yingong's army?" Li Qingchen said simply. "As long as Han Yingong comes, Zhang Xing in front will definitely be defeated."

"Then go to Xiayi?" Li Shisanniang was equally straightforward.

Li Twelve said nothing and just turned the horse's head due south. Li Shisan had no choice but to follow.

The two of them were galloping, how could they compare with marching? However, they crossed the Bianshui River in the afternoon and arrived at the foot of Xiayi City before evening. Here, Han Yingong led an army of 10,000 people.

Not to mention the captain and Hei Shou from Huaiyang County next door, nor the messenger who had always negotiated privately with Han Yingong in the Eastern Capital, but the Twelve Lang and Thirteenth Niang of the Longxi Li family's Pushefang, who were related by marriage.

When he arrived, President Han Yingong also wanted to receive him.

In fact, the previous choice of Li Qingchen to take charge of this matter had this meaning in itself.

When the two sides met and took their seats after bowing, Li Qingchen couldn't wait to speak directly, and then asked the other party to send troops.

Han Yingong, who was just in his early forties this year, had a thin beard and eagle eyes. After hearing this, he just twisted his beard and smiled: "Li Twelve Lang, Thirteenth Mother, you are late. In fact, I already knew about Jiyin's emptiness yesterday. Already."

Li Qingchen was stunned for a moment, and then asked: "So, why is General Han still at the gate of Xiayi City at this time?"

This was a somewhat rude question.

But Han Yingong always knew the temperament of these high-ranking disciples, so he just continued to laugh: "How can it be so simple to send out a large army? Besides, if Jiyin is an empty city, and we only take an empty city to cut off their retreat, why do we need the whole army to go?" "

Li Qingchen was stunned for a moment, and then he immediately realized: "Does the general want the five thousand troops from Dang County to go north?"

"That's right." Han bowed his head and answered openly, pointing to the outside of the tent with his finger. "And I arrived at Xiayi shortly after. The servants had been under attack for several days and were already extremely poor... They only thought that I was still selling money. Those father-in-laws in Jiangdu are so proud!"

Li Qingchen hesitated for a moment and continued to persuade: "General Han, there are urgent matters. Jiyin is where Zhongcheng focuses."

"That's the case." Han Yingong said unceremoniously. "Why don't you ask Li Twelve Lang to go into the city to persuade me to surrender? You go in and tell them clearly that now that I have received the grace of Zhongcheng, I don't care about Niu Du Gong or Ma Du Gong... ...If Xiayi surrenders, I will only reorganize for one day and then follow the five thousand troops of Dang County to continue northward."

Li Qingchen was completely powerless when he heard this.

How could he not see that the other party seemed to be smiling and treating him politely, but in fact he was very stubborn and did not take him seriously at all.

And this can be regarded as a kind of normal state.

Because even within the Guanlongmen valve, there must be a distinguished family and a noble family.
To be continued...