But he said that when Lao Cao heard that Fang La was defeated, he couldn't help being surprised and happy.
It is really incredible that the dignified Holy Duke Fang La, with the help of brave generals such as "Flower Monk" and "Green-faced Beast", could defeat Zhao Song who was like a candle in the wind.
I am glad that Fang La has experienced this battle, and probably no other thoughts will arise. In this way, the monarch and his ministers will be in harmony, and the father-in-law and his son-in-law will be in harmony forever. How many troubles will be saved?
He did not dare to neglect, and immediately ordered Xiao Jiasui, Xiaozhong Xianggong and others to assist Wu Song in Bianliang, and personally raised 30,000 strong soldiers to march in person.
The brothers who accompanied him on the expedition were Wu Yong, Lin Chong, Hua Rong, Fang Jie, Shi Xiu, Liu Yuan, Zhu Jing, Zhang Bofen, Fan Rui, An Daoquan, Dai Zong, Shi Qian, Song Jiang, Song Qing, Su Ding, and Ou Peng. , Ma Lin, Li Yun, Kong Ming, Kong Liang, Wang Dingliu, a total of twenty-one people.
A few days after setting off, the army arrived at Yingtian Mansion, where two generals, Fang Xuedu and Xia Houcheng, were stationed there. They begged for a battle, and Cao Cao allowed him to join the army and march south together.
After walking for more than ten days, there were more than 10,000 Chuzhou defenders. When they heard about it, Lao Cao's soldiers and horses came far away and dispersed.
When Lao Cao arrived, he saw only the city gates were open, so he occupied the city without bloodshed, issued a notice to calm the people, and ordered generals Dai Zong and Shi Qian to cross the river pretending to be common people, contact the soldiers and horses in the south of the Yangtze River, and inquire about the defeat.
After two or three days, the scouts reported back. Luzhou on the left and Yangzhou on the right were each attacked by tens of thousands of soldiers and horses. Among them, the commander-in-chief of the Luzhou army was Taiwei Du Chong, and the commander-in-chief of the Yangzhou army was Wang Xie, the former commander of the imperial camp. .
Wu Yong offered advice: "Now that the rivers and mountains are unified, the Song Dynasty is defending along the Yangtze River. Its power is also weakening, and its courage is also cold. Your Majesty can divide the troops and attack."
Cao Cao waved his hands and smiled and said: "Although this theory is highly educated, I don't want to take it. Why? The number of his troops on both sides is very small. Once defeated, he will turn his troops into bandits and cause trouble to the place. I can't bear it. Let him come to Chuzhou. If you defeat them in one fell swoop, how many troubles will you avoid?"
Wu Yong cupped his hands and sighed: "Having a king like this is a blessing to the world."
Cao Cao laughed loudly and sent an order: "Lin Chong and Su Ding listen to the order, and you two lead an army of three thousand horses, and so and so. Hua Rong and Ou Peng listen to the order, and you two lead an army of three thousand horses, and so and so!"
The four generals clasped their fists to accept their orders and went to lead their own troops.
At this time, word spread outside the camp that Dai Zong and Shi Qian had returned. Lao Cao was overjoyed and hurriedly summoned the two of them to see him. They quickly went to the hall and told each other what happened.
It turned out that a few months ago, after Fang La defeated Tong Guan's soldiers and horses surrounding Maoshan, he followed Yu Wupo's plan and deployed suspicious soldiers to wander around Jinling Mansion, scaring his soldiers and horses in the city from moving without permission, while his own lords moved to fight around. , captured Chizhou, Ningguofu, Guangdejun, Huzhou, Huizhou, and Yanzhou. .
These places were originally the places where Fang La's former rebels had rebelled, and there were many believers. At one time, there were more than 100,000 followers of Jing, and the prestige was restored. Fang La was overjoyed, so he dispatched his troops to attack Jinling Mansion.
In the Jinling Mansion, Zhao Ji, an old official, told the world that the emperor was harmed by the Ming Cult. He was worried about the country, so he had to re-assume the throne. He appointed the old commander Zhang Zuo as the Grand Marshal of the National Guard and guarded Jinling. He also sent orders to the soldiers and horses from all directions.
Although Zhao Ji had good intentions, where were the soldiers and horses from all directions at this time? Only Li Gang, a loyal minister who had previously been demoted to Sha County in Nanjian Prefecture, heard about this and asked his grandfather to tell his grandmother. He sent 5,000 soldiers and horses from the surrounding prefectures and counties and led King Qin to escort him.
During this period, he passed through Qiwu Mountain and killed a strong man on the mountain who wanted to seize the officers and soldiers' food and supplies. Li Gang was so angry that he cried loudly: "It is really a time when the country is ruined and the family is destroyed. Even grassroots bandits dare to come and rob the officers and soldiers. All the sons and gentlemen are just like grassroots bandits." Fight to the death, let’s all die together to serve the country!”
However, the soldiers all laughed and said: "In all these years we have been soldiers, we have not deducted food and salary for a single month. Why do we owe him, the old Zhao family, and we have to die to repay him? Now, if we are willing to leave home thousands of miles to fight, it still depends on Li Li. As a loyal minister, I am willing to accompany you for a while, but if you really want to fight to the death, I forgive you - please find someone else!"
Li Gang shook his head and sighed: "When you are a soldier, you don't have enough to eat and you run away from the battle. If you say so, I can't blame you!"
Ignoring these soldiers at the moment, he drew his sword and rode towards the bandits.
There was a loyal and brave general under his command, named Zhang Bao, who could wield a muddy iron rod. When he saw Li Gang working hard, he said: "I am a general in Master Li's house. Master Li has never treated me lightly in these years. Although he is a poor official, I always eat whatever he eats, so how can I not accept his kindness?"
Immediately he pulled his legs apart, caught up with Li Gang's galloping horse, and shouted: "Master, please stand back a little, and I will kill the thief general later to repay you for your kindness over the years!"
Immediately he crashed into the crowd, swung the iron rod, and knocked over dozens of people with his hands.
When the leader of the thieves saw it, he was surprised and said: "What a fierce warrior, wait until I go meet him!" Then he swung the two hammers in his palms and came to fight Zhang Bao.
This thief chieftain was young and had a good pair of hammers. Although Zhang Bao was brave, he was no match for him. The two fought for more than thirty years. Zhang Bao's stick proved to be unstoppable. Li Gang saw it and shouted: "Zhang Baoxiu is afraid, your master and servant will die together today!" He stepped forward with his horse and swords to attack.
The thief chief was surprised when he saw it: "I have never seen such a pair of master and servant in my life, so loyal!"
He split the hammer, blocked the two men, and shouted: "Guan Wu, who are you, so fearless about life and death?"
Li Gang smiled miserably and said: "The country does not exist now, how can the ministers care about life and death? I am Li Gang, and I am leading the troops to Jinling to serve the king. Unexpectedly, I was blocked by you, a thief. Since I can't repay the country, I will die here." .”
The thief chief was surprised when he heard this: "I have heard for a long time that there is a loyal minister Li Gang in the court, but unexpectedly it is you? Hey, if I had known this, I wouldn't have come to rob you."
After saying that he dismounted and cut his whisk, Li Gang quickly dismounted and helped him up, and asked his name. He was a well-known hero in the world, called "General Hammer" He Yuanqing. Li Gang pulled him and said: "General He, I see you are doing this." Your martial arts skills are earth-shattering, wouldn't it be a pity to be buried in the grass? Why don't you come with me to rescue him? I will protect you as a high official in front of the emperor and grant you the title of wife and daughter-in-law. Your martial arts skills will not be in vain!"
He Yuanqing said happily: "He has been looking for a future for a long time, but he just hates that there is no one to guide him. Now that he has been favored by Li Gong, how can he be willing to become a bandit again?" When he fell under Li Gang's command, Li Gang was overjoyed and ordered him to be a vanguard and continue on his way. capital.
Fang La was besieging the city for a long time. Suddenly, a Song general, Yang Cunzhong, shot out a letter in the city, claiming to be a former general under Tong Guan. Because Tong Guan lost power and was bullied, he was willing to offer the city gate as a way to enter.
Fang La showed the letter to the generals, thinking that it was a sign of people's disapproval. Zhang Jue and Li Ying recalled that this man was indeed a general under Tong Guan's command. He had also fought in the attack on Yuguan before, and even took away several flying knives from Li Ying. , martial arts is truly extraordinary.
After hearing this, Fang La became more and more suspicious, so he made an appointment with Yang Cunzhong to sacrifice the gate and seize the city. Lu Zhishen frowned and said: "We have been besieging the city for a long time. Sooner or later we will surely defeat him, so why take risks? If General Song deliberately deceives me, how should he deal with it?"
Fang La said: "I have already made a plan in my mind. I just need to divide my troops into two groups and enter the city one after another. Even if he does have an ambush, I will go up behind and kill him with one shot."
At the second watch of the day, the city was indeed lit with fire as a sign of belief. Fang La was overjoyed and personally led an army to attack him. However, when he saw the city gate was wide open, Yang Cunzhong fell to the ground to greet him. Laughing, he still ordered Yang Cunzhong to lead his troops to guard the city gate, and went straight to the palace to kill him.
When Lu Zhishen and others saw that Fang La had succeeded, they also let go of their arms and used their troops to cover up the attack.
Fang La fought all the way to the imperial city, and was about to rob it when he suddenly heard the sound of a bang. Countless men and horses stood on the imperial city, raining down bows, ballistas and rocks. At the same time, many soldiers poured out from the rooftops on both sides of the long street. From a high position, crossbows, arrows and tiles were thrown at random, and countless torches were thrown down, but the ground was already covered with straw. The fire suddenly ignited, and Fang La's troops were in chaos.
Lu Zhishen realized that something was not going well, so he wanted to return his troops to occupy the city gate. Unexpectedly, Yang Cunzhong had already taken back the city gate. He first lowered the Qianjin gate, then blocked the city wall stairway with the knife cart, and fired bows and arrows from a high position. Fang La's rear army was also in chaos. one slice.
At this time, a cannon sounded, and the gates of the imperial city opened wide. Veteran general Zhang Suo led his troops to fight straight out. Several fierce generals under his command were: He Guan, Miao Fu, Zhang Xian, Yelu Derong, and Yelu Dezhong, walking forward side by side. With a fierce killing, Chen Sanqiang was caught off guard. Chiyelu Derong killed him and knocked him off his horse. Fang La's army was even more defeated.
During the melee, the Ninth Prince Zhao Gou put on his armor and went into battle in person, shooting three arrows in a row. Fang La only dodged one arrow and was shot down. Li Ying and Yu Hualong were horrified. They rushed in at the risk of death and came out with Fang La on their backs. At the foot of the south city, seeing that there was no way to retreat, all the troops started making noises.
"Flower Monk" Lu Zhishen yelled: "We have been ordered by Brother Wu to run Jiangnan. If we fail so miserably, how can we have the face to see him? You all put your butts between your legs and wait until the Sa family takes you out of the city!"
The reckless monk immediately dismounted, took off his armor, danced a Zen staff like a wheel, and drove straight into the city gate. He bent down and held the thousand-jin gate with both hands, and was about to lift it.
The surrounding sergeants exclaimed: "Grandpa, are you crazy? If you put this iron gate down, unless the Vajra in the temple appears as a saint, who can hold it up?"
Lu Zhishen said with a sinister smile: "The Vajra in the temple is a fart. If you eat it, it will knock your house over. If you don't believe it, don't even blink!"
While he was talking, I saw that his muscles were rolling like a tide, the veins on his arms popped out, and spread all over his body like a horned dragon, and he shouted: "Get up, get up, get up!"
He heard the constant creaking of the iron gate, and sure enough, he lifted it up bit by bit!
Until one person stood up, Lu Zhishen fit under the gate, roared like a tiger, raised the iron gate with both arms, and shouted: "Everyone, let's go, let's go!"
All the troops were surprised and shouted in unison: "Grandpa, could it be that the Ming Zun showed his sage!" They all looked out and fled. Seeing this, Yang Cunzhong quickly led his troops to kill the city, but was blocked by Yang Zhi and Wu Shangzhi.
On Lu Zhishen's side, he held the iron door alone for about two sticks of incense, until most of the people escaped. His strong body was already shaking. Knowing that he could not escape, he raised his head and laughed. Just as he was about to speak, Yang Zhi stabbed Lu Zhishen and flew out. The two brothers rolled into a ball, and the iron gate crashed to the ground, sending dust flying.
Lu Zhishen's arms were now more than a circle thick, sore and swollen as if they were useless. He laughed and said, "Brother, if it weren't for you today, it would be difficult for the Sa family to survive."
Yang Zhi shook his head and smiled: "If it weren't for senior brother, everyone would be dead!"
When the next generals hurriedly reorganized their troops and were about to retreat, two more troops suddenly came out, one on the left and one on the right, causing chaos in the army.
This is exactly:
Just as he was about to accomplish his extraordinary feat, unexpectedly, a storm arose from the ground. King Kong raised the gate with his arms, and the fighting was like a boiling whirlpool.
(End of chapter)
