The clouds are lined up in a battle formation, and the birds cannot pass them. Fighting hard with a long halberd will last forever.
Tongguan, "Shui Jing Zhu" records: The river flows south of the pass to Tongjiguan Mountain, so it is called Tongguan. Tongguan is located at the crossing of the Yellow River. It is at the center of the three provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan. It is the key to the post road from Chang'an to Luoyang. It is the key to entering and exiting the Three Qin Dynasty. Since the end of the Han Dynasty, it has been the only place to go east to the Central Plains and west to Guanzhong and the Western Regions. As well as key passes for defense, it has always been a battleground for military strategists. It is known as "the most dangerous place in the region", "the throat of four towns" and "one hundred and two important passes".
There are Qinling Mountains in the south, Forbidden Valley in the southeast, and twelve connected cities in the south of the valley; Wei and Luo Rivers meet the Yellow River and hug the pass down in the north, and Huayue is near Huayue in the west. The surrounding mountains are surrounded by mountains and peaks, with deep valleys and cliffs. The mountains are high and the road is narrow. There is a narrow catwalk in the middle, which can only accommodate one car and one horse. It can be said that one man is in charge and no one can open it.
But at this time, the major city gates of Tongguan were closed tightly, and the golden soldiers on the city wall were watching to the west of the city as if they were facing a powerful enemy.
The wasteland to the west of the city was filled with darkness, filled with helmets and horse heads, and there were thousands of them at least. The men and horses are armored, a torrent of steel, the cavalry formation is solemn, and the armor is bright. Such brave cavalry is frightening to watch.
"Couldn't this be the Tatar army? What are they here to do?"
On the city wall, Jin Guotong Pass guard Li Ping looked at the cavalry outside the city, puzzled.
They were all cavalry, but they didn't look like they were here to attack the city.
In the cavalry formation outside the city, a cavalry came slowly and went straight to the west city forty or fifty steps before stopping.
"Tongguan is an important place, and no idlers should come near it. Swords and arrows have no words, be careful not to hurt your own life!"
Li Ping signaled, and the golden soldiers at the top of the city shouted loudly towards the outside of the city.
"If you dare to fire an arrow randomly, your Tongguan City will be destroyed!"
The Confucian scholar on the horse was wearing a wide robe and long sleeves, and he was elegant. He bowed his hands in salute, but his words were strong.
Scared by the Mongolian army, they cowered in the city, and then showed off their power in front of the Song army. It was not very lethal and full of insults.
"This arrogant...dog thief!"
Li Ping cursed secretly in a low voice and explained to the soldiers.
"Let me ask, what is he here for? Where did he come from? Is he trying to persuade you to surrender?"
The Tuo Lei tribe led the Mongolian west route army to take advantage of the Song Dynasty, and Wokuotai led the Mongolian middle route army to go south. The elite troops from Tongguan were all led by Yang Woyan, the left supervisor, and were transferred to Henan to protect the safety of Bianliang City. Although there is Prime Minister Wanyan Sai in Tongguan City who does not supervise the army, he is the chief general of Tongguan.
Wanyan Sai was not ill in bed, so he stationed himself on the city wall and commanded the troops.
"Listen up, generals of the Kingdom of Jin who are guarding the city. I, the King of the Song Dynasty, have conquered Shaanxi, and the army will soon attack Tongguan. I, the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, understand that Shaanxi is suffering from repeated military disasters and do not want to fight again. The soldiers who defend the city of Tongguan are willing to stay. , I, the Song Dynasty, will treat you kindly, just like my fellow disciples of the Song Dynasty. If you want to leave on your own, I will never stop you."
The Song envoy paused and then said loudly:
"What you still don't know is that our King's Division of the Song Dynasty defeated the Tatar army Tuo Lei in Hanzhong, and 70,000 Tatars were wiped out. If the defenders of Tongguan persist in resisting, our King's Division of the Song Dynasty will come, just like the Tatar army marching westward. Just like the army, it was wiped out in ashes!"
After Messenger Song finished speaking, he raised the things in his hands high.
"This is a letter of persuasion to surrender. Please accept the letter of persuasion to surrender or allow me to enter the city!"
Envoy from the Song Dynasty!
All the Jin soldiers on the city wall, including the guard Li Ping, were shocked.
"The 70,000 Tatar army was wiped out in ashes. Damn it!"
"Destroyed into ashes? Do you have what it takes?"
"General, the thief is too arrogant, let me shoot this thief!"
Some Jin soldiers and generals at the top of the city were filled with indignation and started to drink angrily.
The envoys of the Song Dynasty also dared to go wild in their own territory, really thinking that the impregnable Tongguan was made of mud.
The Mongolian army was arrogant and arrogant, and the Han army's lackadaisical foxes and tigers pretended to be powerful, but they could not do anything to Tongguan and left in despair. What can a mere two to three thousand Song cavalry do?
"Brothers, please be patient! Let Song Shi come to the city!"
Li Ping remained calm and handed down the military order.
As the defender of Tongguan City, he is not a three-year-old child, and he is also past the age of impulsiveness.
When the Song envoy arrived at the city, he dropped baskets on the top of the city. The Song envoy put down the letter and did not forget to give an instruction to the Jin soldiers outside the city.
"Three days, you only have three days to think about it!"
The Song envoy's tone was cold and his attitude was arrogant. Several Jin soldiers were furious. Some of them wanted to pull out arrows and shoot the Song envoy.
"Bold! Do you want to make the decision without authorization? How about you become the guard of this ruined city?"
Li Ping's face turned pale and he said lightly.
Several Jin soldiers generals became quiet.
"Your Majesty, may I ask what happened to the Tatar army that attacked Fengxiang Mansion?"
Seeing that Ambassador Song was about to ride away, Li Ping couldn't help but shout.
This is what he cares about most.
"Torre sent his troops south. In the battle of Hanzhong, the Tatar commander Torre was killed in the battle. The 70,000 Tatar army was wiped out. Now they have fled to the east of the river!"
After the Song envoy finished speaking, he rode away.
The Mongol army of 70,000 men was wiped out.
The Jin army on the top of the city was silent. Li Ping frowned and opened the surrender letter.
Li Ping read it carefully for a moment and passed the letter on without saying a word.
"Kill Torre and Kuoduan? Who believes it!"
"The 70,000 Tatar army was wiped out and fled north in a hurry? Is the Song army really so ferocious?"
"General, no matter it is true or false, we must not surrender!"
Several hard-line generals still have a tough attitude.
"The enemy is here, you guys, get out of here! Just defend the city and don't cause any trouble here!"
Li Ping frowned and drove out several chattering generals angrily.
Everyone dispersed, leaving only Li Ping and his staff Du Zicai.
"Sir, how long can the food and grass in the city last?"
He knows how much food and grass there is without asking him. The reason why I ask this is purely because I am worried about the current situation.
"General, the food and grass will not be used for a few days. Now there is a shortage of supplies, and people in the city are starving to death every day. The situation is like this, general, you must make plans in advance!"
Du Zicai shook his head, his face full of worry.
Last year, the Tatar army occupied Shaanxi and captured the city and territory. It was devastated. Shaanxi had no food and grass to supply Tongguan. If Henan could not transport part of it, Tongguan would have been destroyed long ago.
Last winter, Wokuotai crossed the Yellow River and entered politics, and the supply of grain and grass in Henan was also interrupted. If this continues, Tongguan will probably run out of food in less than ten days and a half.
"Sir, in your opinion, is what the Song envoy said true? Can the Song army really destroy the 70,000 Tatar army?"
Li Ping asked softly, with indescribable loneliness and surprise in his eyes.
If Song Jun really had this strength, why would he have gone there so early? So fierce, why not just go to the north and destroy the Jin Kingdom?
"General, didn't your brother follow the Song army into Jingzhao Mansion? Didn't he reveal the military situation of the Song army to the general?"
Du Zicai suddenly said something, and Li Ping smiled.
"He did write a letter to persuade him to surrender, but he did not say that Tuo Lei was defeated. He only said that hundreds of thousands of Song troops gathered in Hanzhong and seemed to be fighting Tuo Lei to the death."
He had always looked down on his cousin Li Dajie, a domestic slave with the third surname, who was good at dancing and had long sleeves. Therefore, although he received a letter persuading him to surrender, he still hesitated to wait and see.
"now it's right!"
Du Zicai spoke softly, and every word struck Li Ping's heart.
"General, I learned from the refugees who escaped from Jingzhao Mansion that the Song Army has taken control of Jingzhao Mansion. It seems to be consistent with what your brother said. I think the Song envoy is not lying. If the Song Army had not defeated Tuo How dare Lei Suo take over Jingzhao Mansion? Even if they deceive Tongguan, aren't they afraid that the Tatar army will attack from the north and south and cut off the Shaanxi Song Army's retreat? "
Li Ping nodded repeatedly, his face turning red.
Du Zicai's words seemed to make sense.
"Sir, please continue!"
Even though he was dubious about what Ambassador Song said. But the other party obviously had no need to deceive him for the sake of a useless Tongguan City.
You know, there are tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians in Tongguan City now, waiting for food. Song Jun accepted Tongguan, which was a big burden.
"General, please don't forget that five years ago, the Song army and the Tatar army fought several battles northwest of Shukou. The Tatar army did not seem to take advantage and had to retreat in the end."
Du Zicai spoke to Li Ping and spoke directly to his heart.
"Five years have passed. The Song people have worked hard to conquer the country, have sharp weapons, well-trained soldiers, and occupy Hanzhong at the right time and place. How can the Tatar army be undefeated?"
He pointed outside the hall and continued:
"After three days of separation, you should look at each other with admiration. You have also seen the cavalry outside the city. The Song army is as elite as wolves and tigers. It is no longer what it used to be. Now in this world, the only one who can compete with the Tatar army is the Song army! "
Du Zicai's analysis was incisive, and Li Ping nodded involuntarily.
The Song army occupied Shaanxi, and everything north of the Yellow River belonged to it. It will definitely be very difficult for the Kingdom of Jin to fight back.
What's more, the Kingdom of Jin is being attacked by Wokuotai's army, and it's hard to say whether it can survive. Even if they survive, they probably won't be able to reinforce Tongguan if they have too much time to take care of themselves.
"In this way, the Yellow River and Tongguan defense lines are over, and so is the Great Jin Kingdom."
Li Ping felt uncomfortable and said slowly.
Without food and grass supplies, Tongguan is a dead city.
And with only a dilapidated Henan, the Kingdom of Jin existed in name only.
Du Zicai stopped talking. As the head coach of the first army, Li Ping has his own decision.
"Sir, I heard that the Song army did not commit any crimes wherever they went. Is it true?"
Sure enough, Li Ping said with deep thoughts.
"General, the Song people are a country of etiquette. The reason why the Song army was able to defeat the Tatars was because of strict military discipline and no offense. This has always been the case with strong armies in ancient times."
Du Zicai muttered secretly. Li Ping had already made a move and wanted to surrender the city.
"General, although good birds choose trees to roost and loyal ministers choose their masters, for generals, they have to think about the lives of the more than ten thousand soldiers in the city and the lives of tens of thousands of people. As for where to go, it is up to the generals to decide!"
Du Zicai saw Li Ping's serious expression and added another element of anger.
Li Ping was speechless and lowered his head in thought. There was silence in the lobby for a moment.
"Sir, even if I want to find a way for the soldiers and people to survive, I'm afraid it won't be easy."
Li Ping raised his head and met Du Zicai's eyes. Du Zicai saw the helplessness in Li Ping's eyes clearly and understood.
Tongguan is a dangerous place, and among the generals guarding the city, there are many who are loyal to the Jin Kingdom. This is exactly what Li Ping is worried about.
During the hundred years since the founding of the Jin Dynasty, there were a large number of loyal ministers and filial sons. There are so many people who are loyal to the emperor. If the measures are not taken properly, it will lead to defeat and death.
"What the general said is absolutely true!"
Du Zicai also frowned slightly when he thought of the angry-looking Jin Bing generals on the city wall.
"General, why don't we convene the generals to discuss matters early tomorrow morning, then..."
Du Zicai said softly, and Li Ping felt disappointed. After a while, he said in a solemn voice:
"But, here, there are many generals who have been with me for many years. I can't bear it!"
"General, for the persistence of twenty or thirty people, are you risking the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians in the city? General, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. If you hesitate, I'm afraid there will be endless troubles!"
Du Zicai's words made Li Ping silent for a while, and then he said:
"But, sir, I feel bad that the court has treated me badly. Besides, Wanyan Saibu is still in the city, and there are many generals following him. I'm afraid the people are not convinced."
"General, do big things without hesitation. Dajin only has a ruined land in Henan. The Tatar army is still raging, and the Dajin Kingdom is over. Do you still want to bury him with him? Life is short. It is better to surrender late than to surrender early. General, don’t be indecisive and miss a great opportunity!”
Du Zicai urged, and Li Pingcai nodded slightly, his eyes becoming cold and stern.
"At this point, for the sake of the tens of thousands of soldiers and the tens of thousands of people in the city who don't starve to death, this is all I can do."
Now that things are cut off from east to west and food and grass are cut off, we can't starve to death in Tongguan City, right?
Using the heads of these arrogant and powerful generals as certificates of surrender can also help the people of Song Dynasty feel at ease.
"General, there are rumors in the streets that Princess Wen and Song Emperor Zhao Hong have an extraordinary relationship. Wanyan Sai is not a member of the Jin clan. Does the general want to..."
Du Zicai was mysterious, and Li Ping nodded lightly. He suddenly remembered something and said excitedly:
"Wang Kui, the surrendered general from the Song Dynasty, isn't he in the city? We just happened to take him and give him as a greeting gift to the Song army!"
Early the next morning, a not-so-fierce fight ended in the Tongguan lobby. The ground was covered in blood and a mess, with bloody corpses scattered everywhere.
Li Ping was wearing armor, and the sword on his body was covered with blood. He looked at the corpses in the hall, took off his helmet, knelt down in a pool of blood, and kowtowed three times.
"Brothers, I have no choice!"
"Li Ping, you thief! You betray your country and seek glory, you will die a good death!"
Da Jin Guopingzhang Zhengshi Wanyan Saibu, who was tied up at the side, was sitting on a chair, his face was like gold paper, and he was yelling curses. Next to him, Song general Wang Kui, who was also tied up, was pale and trembling.
"Mr. Wanyan, I have no choice but to do so. With so many people and soldiers in the city, I can't be buried with your Wanyan family, right?"
Li Ping said softly and stood up with the help of the generals.
"Kill me! Kill me!"
Wanyan, who was seriously ill, screamed hoarsely and Li Ping gently shook his head.
"Xiangong Wanyan, you are a member of the Jin Kingdom clan. I will not kill you, nor will I kill Song General Wang Kui. How to deal with you is the Song Army's business. Brothers, open the city gate and follow me. Welcome the Song army into the city!"
In the spring of the third year of Jianwu's reign in the Song Dynasty, the Song army came to Tongguan City, and Jintongguan guard Li Ping surrendered with the city. At this point, all the front lines in Guanzhong, Shaanxi, were under the rule of the Song Army.
