Back to half a month ago, when the siege of Shouzhou broke out, Meng Huan, the governor of Haozhou in the Southern Tang Dynasty, finally overcome all difficulties and entered Xiapi City.
This trip was considered to be very difficult and dangerous for Meng Hua. After he led 200 light cavalry from Haozhou to the north across the Huai River, he had just traveled eighty miles when he ran into a group of wandering Zhou cavalry.
Although the enemy and we were about the same number, these enemy cavalry had all fought against the Tang army under Xuzhou City. At this time, when they saw Meng Hua wearing the official uniform of the Southern Tang Dynasty, they all became red-eyed. Fortunately, his subordinates fought hard, and Meng Hua finally succeeded. He was able to escape, but there were less than eighty riders left around him.
It was the first time that Meng Huan had witnessed the cruelty of war. While he was still worried, he was even more worried about Yan King Li Hongji and the Northern Expedition army in Xiapi City. This was not because of the powerful fighting power of the Zhou army he encountered, but because he had clearly understood Yes, the previous battle report from the north was obviously lagging behind.
According to Chen Jue's latest report, although the army was defeated in Xuzhou and then retreated to Xiapi City, the Northern Expedition was not without results. Since Guo Wei personally led the expedition, all the main forces of the Zhou army were transferred to Yanzhou and Xiapi City. The Zhou army outside was just a partial force and was unable to go south. Now the Tang Army still controls the newly occupied prefectures and counties from Suzhou to Haozhou, and has recruited state soldiers to guard them.
This is also the direct reason why the weak Meng Hua dared to go north wearing the official uniform of the Southern Tang Dynasty, but this is obviously a big trap.
Just after crossing the river for eighty miles, we met the Zhou army. They were almost at the national border. This must mean that not long after the report came, all the so-called newly occupied lands had been recovered by Zhou. The Northern Expedition army in Pi City is truly alone.
Determined to survive despite death, Meng Hua and his party did not flinch. Instead, they quickened their pace, determined to avoid the official road, and headed north along the shore of Surabaya to travel by day and night. Although they met many Zhou army scouts along the way, they still They marched arduously toward the northeast for four hundred miles.
After finally arriving outside Xiapi City, Meng Hua had less than twenty riders with him at this time, but he saw the Zhou army camp in despair.
Faced with this dilemma, Meng Hua and others endured on the gentle slope until midnight. They happened to encounter the Tang army's light cavalry rushing out of the city to attack. After witnessing the Zhou army's defeat in several battles, Meng Hua burst into tears, and finally took advantage of the chaos to retreat into the city with the Tang army.
On his way to meet the King of Yan Li Hongji, Meng Hu happened to bump into the general who was leading the army to attack the Zhou camp, so Meng Hu walked with him. When he was filled with emotion, he couldn't help but ask: "I saw the general's bravery with my own eyes and admired it so much! But since our army has the means to repel the Zhou army, why have we been trapped in Xiapi City?"
The general named Zhou Xingfeng didn't know why, but he just stared at Meng Hua gloomily for a moment without making any reply, and then he quickened his pace.
The situation in Xiapi City does not seem to be very good.
The city is not big, but it is crowded with 50,000 troops, including the sick and wounded, and there is a lack of medical treatment here. Meng Hua walked along the street. Everywhere he passed his eyes, there were dilapidated houses. Except for the common people traveling in small groups, there were soldiers lying down on the street everywhere. They were hurriedly carried away by other soldiers who rushed over. Walking away, you can't help but sigh at the depressing scenes everywhere.
When the King of Yan Li Hongji arrived at the palace, it was a completely different scene. No matter how small and dilapidated Xiapi City is, wherever there are people living there, there must be rich and poor.
Li Hongji's residence was located in a mansion that originally belonged to a wealthy merchant in Xiapi City. This extraordinary mansion not only had a spacious and gorgeous inner hall, but also a small bridge, flowing water, pavilion and flower garden in the courtyard. At this time The soldiers of Prince Yan's Palace were already standing inside and outside, and the demeanor of these soldiers was obviously different. They looked not tired at all, and their tall and straight postures showed high fighting spirit.
In the inner hall, the generals were standing in two rows. Li Hongji was sitting on top wearing a purple king's robe, and below, someone was talking. He was Liu Yanzhen, the Shenwu general who was "recovering from a serious injury."
Before Meng Huan walked in, Liu Yanzhen held up her aquiline nose, cupped her hands towards Li Hongji, and said with a sad look on her face: "Your Highness! It's not that the general is unwilling to lead the army into battle, it's because the general was seriously injured before. It's getting better, but I still can't get on the horse..."
"Oh?" Li Hongji raised his forehead and smiled jokingly: "Liu Tongjun, haven't you always claimed to be the current Han Bai? Were Han Xin and Bai Qi like you in the past? Can you defeat a battle and escape from the battle? Besides, You were hit by an arrow in the chest, not in the waist or legs, so why can't you even get on the horse?"
"Your Highness, you are aware of this! The general was hit by an arrow in the chest. The so-called "one shot affects the whole body" may be an old disease! Moreover, Your Highness, the defeat of the army was not caused by one person. On the day when the Zhou army attacked the camp, the general If you are seriously injured, how can you fight on the bed? You can only stay here and think about serving the country again!"
Seeing Liu Yanzhen's shameless reply, Li Hongji was filled with anger. He closed his eyes and twirled the tea cup in his hand, scolding: "What a good person to stay here and think about serving the country again! If it weren't for the random command of you and Chen Jue, our Northern Expedition army , how could such a defeat happen?! Forty-six generals under Zhou Tongjun were killed in the battle, and sixty-seven percent of the eighty thousand army was lost in the battle! You can't even mount a horse, why are you running the fastest? Since you are determined to serve the country, , why didn’t you die for your country that day?!”
Li Hongji's voice was low and magnetic. He was obviously wearing an elegant royal robe, and his movements were elegant, but his words were full of murderous intent.
No matter how eloquent Liu Yanzhen was, she couldn't help but shiver at this moment, and then she didn't dare to say anything.
Seeing the generals in the hall standing silently, Li Hongji snorted, and then quickly regained his calm tone and said: "Since Liu Tongjun is injured, I can't force him! Why don't Liu Tongjun hand over the tiger talisman and continue to recover from his injuries? ?”
As soon as these words came out, there was no emotion on the faces of the generals. Some of them just sighed secretly, because everyone was already used to the following lines.
Since the army retreated to Xiapi City, Chen Jue and Liu Yanzhen had already lost their fighting spirit and repeatedly asked to withdraw their troops and return south. However, Li Hongji never agreed. Instead, he asked them for their military power more than once, but the results can be imagined.
This matter is ridiculous. Others usually hold military power in order to conquer all directions and make achievements, but these two are holding on to military power now to ensure that the army can protect them and return safely. At this time, the military power was used by the two of them to save their lives. How could it be easily given to Li Hongji to fight against the Zhou army?
In recent days, due to Li Hongji's repeated persecution, Chen Jue simply claimed to be ill in the camp and Liu Yanzhen also claimed that he was seriously injured. Today, when Li Hongji was inspecting the city, he happened to bump into this "Han Bai" who seemed to have recovered. In the tent, they hugged the women of the country and drank fine wine. Now that he was broken, Liu Yanzhen had no choice but to go to the camp to pay his respects.
As everyone expected, Liu Yanzhen still said what he said before: "Your Highness! Please forgive me for being rude! This Tiger Talisman was given by Your Majesty, and I would never dare to hand it over without His Majesty's order! Besides, this time During the Northern Expedition, Ambassador Chen is the commander-in-chief of the entire army. If His Highness wants to control the troops of the generals, he needs to ask Ambassador Chen before he can do so!"
Li Hongji slammed the tea cup on the table, clenched his fingers tightly, and said as if to vent his anger: "I am telling the minister one sentence at a time, how many days has it been since I saw him? If we continue like this, the army will come sooner or later. Trapped to death! Liu Yanzhen, you——"
At this moment, the voice suddenly stopped. Li Hongji suddenly stopped what he was doing, looked up at the direction of the door, then stood up and said excitedly: "You are finally here!"
