Li Cunxu rode his horse like the wind, rushing left and right in the chaos. The Sui soldiers were so frightened that they retreated one after another. The cavalry of the Tang army who were originally trapped outside the shield formation also followed suit and rushed their horses to jump into the Sui army.
Most of these cavalrymen come from Guanlong and Bingzhou, and some are even Turks who have excellent equestrian skills. Except for a few who unfortunately fell down in mid-air and were stabbed to death by the Sui army's random guns, most of them still fought their way into the hands of the commanders at the rear.
As soon as the Tang army cavalry jumped into the crowd, they immediately transformed into a vengeful god of death. They slashed with their long swords and waved their horses, constantly hacking and stabbing the Sui soldiers in front of them, killing and wounding the Sui army.
"Brothers, fight out!"
After killing the Sui troops blocking the road, Li Cunxu waved his flag and shouted, leading the remaining soldiers and horses to fight straight out of the city.
When Meng Gong saw this, he couldn't help but roared angrily. He took the crossbow, pulled the bow string like a full moon, and aimed an arrow at Li Cunxu who was under the city.
With a "swift" sound, the arrow left the string and flew through the air with the sound of howling wind. Unexpectedly, Li Cunxu had been prepared for it. When the arrow came close to him, he waved his horse spear and knocked the arrow to the ground.
"Meng Gong, your plan is indeed good. Even Du Ming fell into your hands. But with your martial arts skills, you still can't keep me, Li Cunxu!"
After Li Cunxu knocked down the feather arrow, he looked up at Meng Gong who was still standing with his bow, laughed wildly, then rode away on horseback.
Hearing Li Cunxu's teasing words, Meng Gong couldn't help but punched the city battlement and said bitterly: "If Yang Zaixing and Gao Siji can be here alone, how can Li Cunxu be so arrogant? Today I will definitely We can completely annihilate this Tang army."
Behind Meng Gong, the lieutenant general who had just been talking to Li Cunxu on the top of the city saw this and was afraid of causing discord among the generals in the future. He quickly said: "A wise man will always make mistakes. The general deployed carefully. Although he was lucky enough to let the remnants of the Tang army break out, But our army annihilated at least two thousand Tang troops in this battle, which is still a great victory!"
Meng Gong glanced at the deputy general and said calmly: "Are you worried that I will be dissatisfied with Yang Zaixing because of this, which will lead to quarrels with the generals in the future, which will not be conducive to the defense of Luoyang?"
"This..." The deputy general opened his mouth slightly when he heard this, and was stunned for a moment.
Meng Gong shook his head and said calmly: "I, Meng Gong, have not been so narrow-minded. Yang Zaixing has an arrogant personality and has many military exploits. With my qualifications, I expected that he would not accept it. What's more, if Without Yang Zaixing and others coming out of the city to fight, the Tang army would not have sent troops to raid Hanjiacang City."
When the deputy general heard what Meng Gong said, he knew that he was not dissatisfied with Yang Zaixing. He breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile: "General, you have a broad mind. No wonder Commander Xue appointed you as the city guard general."
Meng Gong smiled slightly, looked the lieutenant up and down again, and asked, "I think you have a good face. You must be Wang Shichong's old subordinate, right?"
The deputy general cupped his hands and replied: "What General Meng said is true. Zhang Gongjin, who held a humble position, was transferred to Wang Shichong's subordinates during the Daye period. He followed him to fight against the Wagang rebels and was promoted to Yitong with meritorious service. An old friend of Longxing's three years of low-ranking Cui Shu wanted to lead his army to surrender to the Tang Dynasty, but was defeated and killed.
Since the last general had hated Wang Shichong's second son Wang Xuanshu in the past, he seized the opportunity and launched a massive attack. Although he barely saved his life, he was relieved of his military power and stayed at home. It was not until recently when Master Zeng Guopan was reorganizing Luoyang's personnel that he was recommended by several former colleagues and valued by Master Zeng Guopan, so he came to the general's tent to listen to his instructions. "
According to normal historical development, Zhang Gongjin returned to the Tang Dynasty in the first year of Wude in the Tang Dynasty, together with Cui Shu, who he said was responsible for him.
It's just that history has changed because of Yang Gao's time travel. Zhang Gongjin, who was originally supposed to be sent to Weizhou by Wang Shichong, could only stay in Luoyang City because Weizhou was occupied by Yang Gao.
Luoyang City is Wang Shichong's home base. Zhang Gongjin is a delicate person, so naturally he does not dare to cause trouble in Luoyang City.
Like Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin, Zhang Gongjin also appears in novels and official histories at the same time. But unlike Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin, Zhang Gongjin in the novel is basically a dispensable character. After becoming sworn friends in Jialiuzhuang, apart from guarding Luo Yi's family members with Luo Chun and defecting to Wagang, he was almost never seen. In the end, Li Shimin was killed by Yeon Gaesumun's flying knife during the Eastern Expedition, and he ended his life hastily.
But in official history, he was a famous general with a high reputation as Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin. After returning to the Tang Dynasty, he was recommended by Xu Shiji and Yu Chigong, and was summoned to the Qin Palace by Li Shimin, where he was highly regarded.
On the eve of the Xuanwumen Incident, it was Zhang Gongjin's impassioned speech that made Li Shimin determined to launch a mutiny. After the incident, Li Jiancheng's former subordinates Feng Li, Xue Wanche, and Xie Shufang led their troops to kill Xuanwu Gate to avenge Li Jiancheng. Zhang Gongjin relied on one person to defend Xuanwu Gate and stabilize the situation in the palace for Li Shimin.
After Li Shimin ascended the throne, Zhang Gongjin made many comments on the pros and cons of current affairs, all of which were adopted by Li Shimin. In the third year of Zhenguan, he followed Li Jing to attack the Eastern Turks and defeated the arrogant Jieli Khan. After Zhang Gongjin's death, Li Shimin rushed to the outskirts to express his condolences, regardless of the taboo of not crying in Chenri.
Of course, it was impossible for Meng Gong to know these deeds of Zhang Gongjin, but Meng Gong was also a discerning figure and had trained a large number of talents such as Wang Jian and Li Tingzhi for the Southern Song Dynasty at that time. Based on Zhang Gongjin's performance just now, he could see that this was a promising talent, and immediately nodded to Zhang Gongjin and said in a deep voice.
"Although the Tang army suffered a defeat, there is no guarantee that they will not come again in the future. I will go back to take charge of the defense of Luoyang City, and I will leave this place to you. As long as you can defend Cangcheng, I will report to you after this battle is over. Commander Xue and His Majesty have come forward to reinstate your position!"
Zhang Gongjin was overjoyed when he heard this, and he immediately bowed his hands and thanked him: "General, the kindness of supporting me will be unforgettable despite my humble position!"
Meng Gong waved his hand lightly and said: "You don't have to thank me. Your official position was obtained by your own merits. It's just that Wang Shichong controlled Luoyang back then, and His Majesty could only turn a blind eye to his appointments in Luoyang's personnel affairs. Close one eye. Now that Wang Shichong is dead, His Majesty will naturally use you Sui Zhongliang who are unwilling to join him. In the future, you must thank Your Majesty!"
"Yes, yes, what General Meng said is absolutely true!"
Zhang Gongjin nodded repeatedly, knelt down three times and kowtowed nine times towards the south very wisely, and said respectfully: "General Zhang Gongjin, I wish your majesty good health and the early elimination of the pseudo-Tang Dynasty to unify the world!"
