After all the cavalry of the Zuo Army crossed the river from this ford, Miao Youyong, his cousin Miao Youyong, led nearly a thousand cavalry and rushed to the shore in billowing smoke.
This general wanted very much to get the heads of Zuo and his son back to receive the reward. If he could at least please Hong Shaobao, the food and salary supply for the tribe would not be a problem in the future.
It's just that Zuo Liangyu didn't seem to intend to be captured without mercy. Not only did he escape, he also set up a blockade on the other side, intending to attack him halfway across the river when his troops were crossing the river.
The soldiers and horses of the Left Army on the north bank changed from the front to the rear. Hao Zhongzhong led 300 horsemen to block the pursuers on the bank. Any enemy who wanted to cross the river would be shot by the bows and arrows of the Left Army on the bank.
"...The left thief is really hateful!"
His own side had a large number of people, but after all, if he charged straight forward, he would encounter a dense rain of arrows from the opponent. Miao Youyong did not intend to lose hundreds of horsemen for this.
He was unwilling to let Zuo Liangyu go just like this. On one side, he asked his men to guerrilla in search of other shoals nearby, while on the other side, he asked his soldiers to line up to confront the Zuo army.
"Listen, officers and soldiers of the Zuo Army opposite, Zuo Liangyu has betrayed the imperial court and is now absconding in fear of crime. He is at the end of his rope. Hong Shaobao has an order that the culprits must be punished and those who surrender will be spared death. If you can find your way back, you can continue to serve the imperial court. , if you persist in your obsession, you will be guilty of the same crime as Zuo Liangyu! Now Zuo Liangyu ordered you to resist the army, but in fact he has abandoned you and fled for your own life. It is a pity that you risked your life for such a despicable person. It is better to surrender as soon as possible. If you follow Hong Shaobao and suppress the bandits, your merits will be complete, but what do you think?"
Miao Youyong is not just a man who can show off his bravery. As a general of the imperial court, the most basic ability is to say what to say at what time.
Being able to persuade the left army soldiers on the other side to surrender as soon as possible will save a lot of effort than killing them directly, and it can also avoid serious attrition.
The eldest brother didn't have many soldiers under his command. Before he could attack the bandits, he lost hundreds of soldiers and horses chasing Zuo Liangyu. Even for his cousin, Miao Youyong's face was not good.
If we can surrender without losing any blood, or even devour these hundreds of horsemen, we will get twice the result with half the effort, and we will be able to explain to our elder brother when we go back.
Hao Xiaozhong believed that Zuo Liangyu had always treated him well, but at a critical moment, he really should reciprocate the favor and repay the kindness of General Rong to him.
If Hong Shaobao wanted to put the general to death, he would probably not agree to it. But now that the opponent has a large number of people and he is alone, it is difficult to defeat him. Moreover, he and his soldiers can avoid death, which makes Hao Xiaozhong begin to hesitate. stand up.
He estimated that the opponent held more than a thousand soldiers and horses. If he did not count the casualties of the soldiers and charged quickly from the shoal, even if his troops could half-cross the river and attack, it would be difficult to withstand the enemy's attack that was three times his own.
The most ideal result is to lose both sides. Not only will one side be defeated, but he may also be killed in the rebel army. Seeing the erratic looks in the eyes of everyone on the left and right, Hao Xiaozhong guessed what everyone was thinking.
In the past, everyone was an army officer. They could loot the people with ease and act according to the opportunity when suppressing the bandits. But now we have become rebels, which is a bit unacceptable to everyone.
Is there really a way out by following Zuo Liangyu? No one knows how it will turn out.
If these pursuers pursue Zuo and his son, it will be difficult for the general army to resist them with only the 400 horsemen.
Those rogue bandit leaders who commanded tens of thousands of people were unable to resist the attack of the official army. The general army tried to resist with only a few troops. Isn't it like a mantis trying to block the chariot?
It's one thing to repay a favor, it's another thing to be killed by one's own people while carrying the title of rebel. Hao Xiaozhong didn't want to die so useless, and his soldiers were not willing to go to Zuo Liangyu. Burial.
Zuo Zongrong's soldiers were all taken away by him, and most of the soldiers left to block the pursuers were Hao Xiaozhong and other generals' soldiers.
If this fight breaks out, it will definitely be a life-and-death battle. If one versus three, everyone will be killed or injured, and few will survive without protection.
The three hundred soldiers and horses under Hao Xuanzhong were so entangled, hesitant, hesitant, and hesitant. They wanted to fight but were afraid, wanted to run but couldn't get rid of their tails.
Seeing that everyone no longer wanted to fight and had their own thoughts, Hao Xiaozhong could only assess the situation and discuss it with his subordinates in a good-natured manner. The result was very simple, that is, surrender.
After dawdling back and forth for almost a quarter of an hour, Zuo Liangyu should have run away by taking this opportunity. In this way, they could be regarded as "holding off" the pursuers and repaying General Rong for his previous care.
Hao Xiaozhong believed that in this way, he and Zuo Liangyu were not involved in each other, and he could take care of the lives of his soldiers, so both sides were worthy.
As for what Zuo Liangyu thinks, he has nothing to do with it. Presumably the chief military officer is still focused on escaping to Dengzhou at this moment!
Miao Youyong was afraid that the other side was pretending to surrender, and Hao Xiaozhong was also afraid that the pursuers would come and launch a sneak attack while he was unprepared, so the two sides broke their arrows and swore an oath to reassure the other side.
It took a long time, but finally no one died. Miao Youyong asked Hao Zhongzhong about Zuo Liangyu's whereabouts. The latter only knew that his former boss's first destination was Dengzhou.
Looking north, not even a single person could be seen across the undulating hills. Miao Youyong had no choice but to pat the probing horse more and order it to search along the hoof marks left on the road.
"Father, the pursuers have been thrown away!"
Zuo Mengeng heard the report from Wu Xueli, who was responsible for cutting off the rear guard, and immediately rode up to Zuo Liangyu. As long as there were no pursuers, it would not be a problem for his troops to reach Dengzhou.
"...It's so good! Good people will have God's help!"
This Hao Xiaozhong was a capable general, but it was a pity that he was used to block the pursuers. Zuo Liangyu still felt sorry for him in his heart, but the situation was such that he had to make such arrangements.
The four hundred cavalry brought out are the foundation for his livelihood. If he wants to make a comeback, he must rely on the protection of these personal soldiers. No matter what, he cannot afford to lose anything.
Since God has blessed me with Zuo Liangyu, I must make good use of it. First go north to Dengzhou, collect some money and food by myself, and then go straight to Nanyang. If I can recruit troops and horses here, I can expand my strength and occupy the city to retreat the enemy.
Before entering Dengzhou, the soldiers and horses had to pass through Xikuma Mountain, which is about 70 miles away from the city, and then cross the Diao River. However, since there were no pursuers behind them, there was more or less plenty of time, so the mood was very different.
For safety reasons, Zuo Liangyu did not choose the official road from Guanghua to Dengzhou, or Fancheng to Dengzhou, but planned to take the Kumayama line.
If you take the official route, your own troops can gallop, but the same can be said for pursuing troops. On the contrary, if you go over mountains and rivers, it will be difficult for the pursuers to track your whereabouts.
Analyzing Kuma Mountain is not that big. If we speed up the march, the horsemen can pass through quickly and reach the Diaohe River. The river is only twenty feet wide in the dry season, and the shallow part is less than four feet, so it is easier to cross. After that, you can ride to Dengzhou.
"Zuo Liangyu! I have been waiting here for a long time!"
Just when the left army's soldiers were about to enter the mountain, a group of soldiers and horses suddenly came out of the valley and blocked the left army's path. The leading general had a general's flag with the word "he" behind him.
This was He Chao, the deputy general sent by Feng Ju to hunt down Zuo Liangyu. He bet that Zuo Liangyu was guilty of being a thief and did not dare to take the official path. His bet turned out to be right, and he blocked Zuo's army at the foot of Xikuma Mountain. Upright.
There is a risk in splitting forces with Miao Youyong. Once Zuo Liangyu is captured and killed by him, he will not get the slightest share of the credit, and vice versa, it will not be much different.
But today He Chao was lucky, Zuo Liangyu bumped into his arms, and the military orders were like mountains, so no wonder he didn't miss Pao Ze.
"Father! Why not..."
Zuo Mengeng no longer has any extravagant hopes for this enemy. There will be a battle sooner or later anyway, so why not just fight it out here.
"Absolutely not! Let my father meet with him for a while before making a decision!"
Zuo Liangyu waved his hand to reject his son's idea. Now that they had few soldiers, they could make peace as much as possible without fighting.
Thinking of this, he rode up to the front of the formation alone and greeted the other party in a loud voice: "It turns out to be Brother He. Long time no see! I was plotted by Hong Chengchou and fell into such a miserable state. I hope Brother He can leave a way for me and the soldiers behind me to survive. I wish you the best." Thank you with a thousand taels of gold!"
As long as this guy is a man who loves money, it will be much easier to handle. Zuo Liangyu has been fighting for many years and has saved nothing else. His family is quite rich. At least when it comes to life and death, he still has some money to buy.
After saying that, he asked General Ya to take some soldiers to throw the cowhide bags containing gold in front of the battle. There were ten bags, each bag was one hundred taels. If the opponent was tempted, he would ask his men to come and get them, and after checking, they could stop the army. There is a truce.
One thousand taels of gold is equivalent to ten thousand taels of silver, which is considered a serious purchase of money. Even a general at the level of a general officer cannot save these assets without taking more than a year's free pay.
Considering that he still had to support his own soldiers, after eating up the empty pay, the general soldiers actually didn't have much silver left, and a thousand taels of gold became even more precious.
"...I still have to leave two hundred horses, half of the armor and weapons!"
He Chao sent someone to get it, and he was tempted after seeing it, but he just let Zuo Liangyu run away. If someone leaked the news back home, and Hong Shaobao learned about it, he, a foodie, was about to fall to the ground, and he had to pull the trick. Just make it more realistic.
"It's so deceiving!"
Zuo Mengeng thought that the other party could withdraw the soldiers and horses after collecting the money, and let the father and son pass. Unexpectedly, he was even more greedy than the bandits.
"This is what the soldiers need on their way, so it's reasonable to keep it. Why don't you give me another five thousand taels of silver so that Brother He can take care of it?"
The other party's refusal to agree directly was simply because he thought the money he received was not enough. Since he was a obsessed person, Zuo Liangyu followed his fancy.
Without their horses and weapons, the horsemen are no different from common people carrying hoes. Before they reach Dengzhou, if something unexpected happens on the road, Zuo Liangyu will use these four hundred horsemen as his talismans.
"Haha! Brother Zuo is so calculating! In someone's opinion, Brother Zuo's men and horses can be sold for twenty thousand taels of silver! If Brother Zuo wants to exchange for everyone's equipment, he must add another five thousand taels!"
If the other party was really rich, He Chao wouldn't mind giving him a heavy price before letting him pass. At worst, he could just go back to Feng Ju and get some left army infantry armor to replenish his balance.
Zuo Liangyu is now in Pingyang, and with only the few troops in front of him, he probably won't be able to do much. Taking his life is the second most important thing, and making money is the most important.
Hong Shaobao said that the heads of Zuo and his son could be exchanged for a reward of 10,000 taels of silver. Now that they were released, they could get 20,000 taels of silver, which was double the price offered by Hong Shaobao.
If the other party does not agree to this condition, He Chao will let his followers take action. They are here to make money, otherwise it will be a loss to come all the way to see the scenery.
After being set up by him, Zuo Liangyu probably didn't have much gold and silver left with just the few soldiers and horses around him. If he encountered other officers and soldiers who were chasing him, he would be dead.
He Chao thought that he was very good at "killing people with a borrowed knife". He felt a little "unbearable" to attack his colleagues, but he was still very happy to get some benefits from his colleagues.
Perhaps Zuo Liangyu is good at plundering people, and I am not as good as him. But it is fate to meet today. Why should we meet half, or more than half, otherwise there is no need to blame myself for doing business!
"...I came out in a hurry, and all the wealth I brought with me has been given to Brother He. I hope Brother He will be magnanimous. If I see you in the past, I will definitely give you twice as much!"
Zuo Liangyu opened his eyes to see such a master who wanted money rather than his life. If he robbed him of thousands of taels of gold and ten thousand taels of silver, even if he could capture Dengzhou, he would not be able to expand his troops.
Five thousand taels of silver is not a small amount. If it is used to recruit auxiliary soldiers, two thousand taels of silver a month can recruit 2,500 people, and it will be easy to conquer Nanyang.
Unexpectedly, He Chao was not satisfied with his sincere contribution, and was even more greedy than some bandits. Why didn't this guy go up the mountain and become a bandit earlier?
"In the past? I can't wait that long! I know that the heads of your father and son are worth ten thousand taels of silver. I led my troops to travel for dozens of miles, and the charge of twenty thousand taels of silver was very high? If you don't agree, there is no need to elaborate. , I’ll just wait until the swordsmen meet!”
If he could not earn even double the bounty, He Chao believed that there was no need for his troops to risk being severely punished by Hong Shaobao and let go of Zuo Liangyu's remaining troops.
Five thousand taels of silver was quite a lot, but the current top official was "Mad Man Hong" who killed his own people without blinking an eye. This was no joke. He Chao thought it was not worth offending Hong Chengchou for this money.
If something really happened, would Feng Ju be able to protect himself?
Most likely, he sold himself directly, even if that guy also benefited from it.
"Go up! Take his head! Take his treasure!"
Seeing that Zuo Liangyu was still hesitant, He Chao couldn't wait. He had twice as many troops as his opponent, so he was not afraid of a fight.
Since Zuo Liangyu, who is almost desperate, is still so stingy, he wants his gold and silver, as well as his head, even if you don't give them to him.
I'm just having fun today, what can you do to me, you rebel? ? ?
After beheading you and your son, you can still receive Hong Shaobao's reward when you go back, why not?
"You super rat, you have bullied me too much! The soldiers will follow me and charge forward to kill him, and behead him from his horse before heading north!"
Zuo Liangyu was also forced to panic. He was already dark enough. He didn't expect to meet someone even darker than himself when he fled. Maybe if he met this condition, he would have other requirements later. He was simply a master who pushed his limits.
You've already started fighting, so I'll take the fight. As long as I, Zuo Liangyu, am still alive, you bastard can't even think of getting a tael of silver.
This is not Huarong Road, and you are not Guan Yunchang!
If you want to stop me on my way, you should first weigh your own weight before doing so!
"Fire the arrow!"
The two sides charged towards each other, and when they were thirty or forty steps away, they began to launch a large-scale volley. Since the horses were faster, they would have to draw their swords and chop after one or two rounds of shooting. Otherwise, they would not have time to draw back their bows, and they would be charged by the other side. The horsemen were hacked to death.
"ah……"
After the horsemen on both sides shot their arrows, they saw countless black spots appear in the sky in an instant. It was too late to dodge. Dozens of people were hit by arrows and fell off their horses. He was trampled to death by his companion's mount.
A hand-to-hand encounter was imminent, and no one cared about the life or death of the people on the ground. They only focused on the prey in front of them. Only by dodging the opponent's arrows could they slash the enemy's horsemen with their swords.
Then, the two torrents collided in front of the mountain pass. The sound of blades clashing was continuous, and the screams never stopped. It was common for horses to stumble and fall to the ground.
"Ah~Father..."
After Zuo Mengeng chopped off two enemy soldiers with a long-handled sword, he wanted to continue to rush through the opponent's last line of cavalry defense. Before he could successfully break through, he was shot by the 100 cavalry soldiers left behind by He Chao. Hedgehog.
"My son..."
Zuo Liangyu was not far from the place where the incident occurred. Hearing the sound, he turned around and saw a scene that made his liver and gallbladder split. His son had no less than ten arrows in his body. He vomited blood after he fell from his horse and fell to the ground. His chest heaved several times with four or five arrows stuck in it. He fell down and died soon after.
