After the battle, Song Jingang came to inspect the battlefield. Zhang Da was tied up and escorted over by several soldiers. His helmet was missing, his hair was disheveled, and his face was covered in dust. Song Jingang stared at him, snorted coldly, and said: "Five hundred infantry dare to fight against my army. What's the point of keeping such a reckless man? Pull him down and chop him down!"
The reason why Song Jingang wanted to kill Zhang Da was not because he thought Zhang Da was a reckless man as he said on the surface, but because he had just read the battle report. Although the 500 Tang troops were all wiped out, his cavalry was actually broken. More than six hundred people. Using cavalry to fight infantry, and occupying a favorable location, the losses were so heavy that he couldn't help but become angry and murderous.
When the soldiers heard this, they pulled Zhang Da to leave. Zhang Da broke free from the soldier's hand and shouted to Song Jingang who turned to leave: "Wait, General Song, I can help you capture Jiexiu."
Upon hearing this, Song Jinjiang turned around and looked at him, doubtful: "Really?" Zhang Da looked directly at the other person and nodded seriously. Song Jingang raised his hand and ordered: "Untie him!" After hearing this, the soldiers immediately took off the prison guards on Zhang Da.
Zhang Da suffered several injuries, two of which were still bleeding, so he tried his best. He was unwilling to betray the Tang Dynasty, but for the sake of his wife and children, he had to live. So, he has no choice. Song Jingang asked the military doctor to bandage his wounds, and then took him to the military tent.
After Zhang Da revealed his plan, Song Jingang was overjoyed and immediately mobilized 500 soldiers to put on Tang army uniforms. Led by Zhang Da, they rushed to Jiexiu City, while Song Jingang led an army to follow him. back.
After marching all night, Zhang Da led his team to Jiexiu City at midnight the next day. He took out the token from his arms and said that he was sent by the King of Qi to lead the troops to defend the city. The gatekeeper happened to know him, so he believed him and opened the gate to let them in. The soldiers quickly occupied the city gate and welcomed Song Jingang's army into the city. In this way, Song Jingang easily captured Jiexiu City.
On this day, Li Zhiyun and his fourth brother were discussing the military situation in the lobby. Liu Dewei walked in, clasped his fists and said, "Report to the two princes that Jiexiu has been lost." When the fourth brother heard this, he was horrified: "What's going on?"
"Zhang Da surrendered after his defeat at Huangsheling. The men leading Song Jingang disguised themselves as our troops and fraudulently opened the city gate."
When the fourth brother heard this, he stood up and slapped the case, gritting his teeth: "This bastard, if he falls into my hands, he will be cut into pieces!" Li Zhiyun looked up at the fourth brother, "What should we do?" Brother thought for a moment and said: "We must take back Jiexiu City! I will personally go out and lead the troops to attack Jiexiu." After hearing this, Li Zhiyun said quickly: "Then I will go with you too!" Fourth brother looked at him and nodded. nodded.
The next day, Fourth Brother gathered more than 10,000 soldiers and horses at the military training ground in the suburbs, burned incense to worship, and beat drums to swear an oath. After a lot of trouble, he gave the order and the army immediately set off and rushed to the front line. Li Zhiyun asked Scarface to take two thousand troops from the "Women's Army" and go out with the army.
After two days and one night of rapid march, the Tang army arrived outside Jiexiu City three days later and stationed themselves at Dusuoyuan outside the city.
The terrain of Dusuoyuan is relatively high, and it is an open land with a flat river, backed by Jiexiu Mountain, and Jiexiu City is only three or four miles away. Looking from Dusuoyuan, from a high position, you can have a panoramic view of everything in Jiexiu City.
After the army set up camp, Li Zhiyun followed his fourth brother out of the barracks and came to a place with a clear view to observe the situation in Jiexiu City. I saw flags fluttering on the city wall and soldiers lined up neatly. The armor on their bodies and the weapons in their hands glowed dazzlingly under the sunlight. It seems that Song Jingang is ready to defend the city. Li Zhiyun said with a smile: "If a dozen cannons are mounted here, Jiexiu City will be reduced to ruins in less than an hour."
"Cannon? What is a cannon?" Fourth Brother asked inexplicably.
"It's a long-range weapon."
"Oh, I see, is it a trebuchet?"
"It's a bit like a trebuchet. However, the cannon has a longer range than the trebuchet. The projectiles will explode when they hit the ground, damaging buildings and killing people."
"Wow, so powerful?" Fourth Brother was surprised, "Then hurry up and make it. Once you have the cannon, it will be much easier for us to fight in the future."
After the Tang army rested for a day, the next day, Fourth Brother ordered three thousand troops and horses, came to the east gate of Jiexiu City, arranged themselves in formation, and then asked the soldiers to call for formation. The soldiers shouted for a while, but when they saw that the city gate was still not open, they began to curse and curse. Finally, the city gate opened, and three thousand soldiers and horses rushed out from the city, lined up in a row, and put on a showdown posture.
The fourth brother held the horse-stem in his hand and drove the horse forward. A general also rushed out of the opponent's formation, wearing bright armor and holding a bright broadsword in his hand.
"Who is coming? Tell me your name." The fourth brother called.
"Yan is a general under Emperor Tianxing, and so is Ma Tai."
"Unknown rat, let Song Jingang come out and answer."
"The King of Song Dynasty is a noble person, how can he be moved lightly? Who are you?"
"I, Li Yuanji, will take the head of an unknown young man like you first, and then go to settle the score with Song Jingang!" After the fourth brother said this, he stepped forward on horseback, raised his horse's hood and slashed at it. The enemy general hurriedly raised his sword to resist. The fourth brother was extremely powerful and brave. The two sides only fought for seven or eight rounds before his opponent was easily knocked off his horse.
When Li Zhiyun saw the opportunity, he immediately ordered the drums to attack. As soon as the war drums sounded, three thousand soldiers rushed forward with shouts, and the enemy and ourselves fought together. After a short battle, the enemy army could no longer hold on and retreated into the city in defeat, closing the city gates.
The next day, Tang Jun went to challenge again, but Song Jingang stayed behind closed doors and hung up his no-war card. The fourth brother had no choice but to order an attack on the city. However, the Tang army's troops did not have much advantage. They attacked for several days but made little progress, and the war fell into a stalemate.
At dusk that day, Li Zhiyun followed his fourth brother to inspect the barracks. The group walked to the east of the camp, which is close to Jieshan Mountain. He saw a dozen soldiers carrying buckets of water walking out of the valley. The fourth brother also saw it and pointed with his horsewhip: "What's going on?" A general next to him replied: "The terrain in Dusuoyuan is too high, so we can't dig wells to get water. We can only go to the mountain streams to fetch water."
The fourth brother suddenly became interested and turned to Li Zhiyun and said, "Fifth brother, let's go over and have a look." The group walked up the hillside along the path used by the soldiers to carry water. After walking about two miles, they heard the "ding-dong" sound of the spring water.
When everyone walked up to it, they saw a mountain stream running down the mountain. The spring water rushed to a huge pebble, forming a pool. The water swirled here and then flowed lower...
The forest here is lush, the birds are singing and the flowers are fragrant, and the environment is beautiful. The fourth brother walked to the pool, squatted down, took a sip of water with both hands. The spring water is clear and the sand and stones at the bottom are clearly visible.
"Fifth brother, the water in this mountain stream is very cool. Why don't you come over and have a taste?"
Li Zhiyun smiled and shook his head. He looked up and saw the surrounding mountains and beautiful scenery. It was a good place for tourism and leisure. The fourth brother washed his face with water again, stood up and shook off the water drops on his hands, and said: "If there is no war, I will lead people to set up camp in the mountains and have a good hunting time." They left. From that pool, he returned to the military camp and continued to inspect the camp's defenses.
Two days later, Li Zhiyun was discussing the military situation with his fourth brother in the central military tent. The general walked in hurriedly, cupped his fists and said, "I am telling you two princes that the water in the mountain stream that I saw that day has stopped flowing." Fourth brother Upon hearing this, he was surprised: "What's going on?"
"It's probably Song Jingang who cut off the water source."
"This bastard!" Fourth brother cursed and turned to Li Zhiyun, "Fifth brother, let's go over and take a look."
They took people to the pool, and sure enough they saw that the water in the mountain stream had dried up. The pool was originally very shallow and did not contain much spring water. Now there was only a layer of black mud left. The fourth brother looked up at the surrounding mountains and said, "Are there any other water sources nearby?"
"We have sent people to search and found no other water sources."
"What can an army of more than 10,000 people do without water? Find it farther away."
"yes!"
The next day, the general came to report that there was a river twenty or thirty miles away from here, named Jiehe. There is a large beach beside the river with flat terrain, which can be used for garrisoning troops. When the fourth brother heard this, he was overjoyed and said: "We will break up camp early tomorrow morning and go to Jiehe." Upon hearing this, Li Zhiyun was a little worried: "Let's camp there. Is it too far from Jiexiu City?"
"No," the general said, "the King of Chu didn't know something. Dusuo is located northeast of Jiexiu, and Jiehe is southwest of Jiexiu. In fact, there is not much difference in the distance between the two from Jiexiu City. "
Li Zhiyun felt relieved after hearing his explanation.
Early the next morning, the army set up camp and marched along a dirt road in the direction of Jiehe River. After walking for about a stick of incense, they came to a valley. Li Zhiyun took a look while riding on his horse, oh, the terrain here is too dangerous. The valley is about ten feet wide, with mountains on both sides. The mountains are rugged, with steep peaks. The mountains are densely wooded and overgrown with weeds.
Li Zhiyun tightened the reins, reined in the horse and asked, "Where is this place?" Cai Hu on the side said, "I checked the map and found that this place is called Hulukou."
Hulukou? An unknown place name! Li Zhiyun asked again: "How long is this valley?"
"About seven or eight miles."
At this time, the fourth brother led people to catch up from behind. He drove his horse to the front: "What's the matter, fifth brother? Why did you stop?" Li Zhiyun looked at the mountains on both sides of the valley and frowned: "Fourth brother, the terrain here is If it's not good for me, can I go around it?"
"There are mountains all around, how to get around?"
"Then, send soldiers to search the mountains on both sides to make sure there is no ambush. It won't be too late to pass."
"This is unnecessary. Song Jingang is trapped in Jiexiu City. How to set up an ambush here?"
Li Zhiyun wanted to say something else, but the fourth brother said without doubt: "I will lead the army first, and you lead the troops behind!" After that, he rode away. Li Zhiyun stared at the back of his fourth brother in a daze. Seeing his frown, Scarface felt uneasy, so he drove his horse over and said, "Yes, King Chu, Song Jingang is surrounded in Jiexiu City, how can he escape and set up an ambush here?" ?Are you too careful?"
However, Li Zhiyun was still worried. He had watched many war movies in his previous life, and the terrain here was perfect for an ambush. As the saying goes, don't be afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of the unexpected. It is better to be cautious. He thought for a moment, then turned to Scarface and said: "Let's not enter the valley first. Divide your people into two groups and guard both sides of the valley entrance. If Fourth Brother successfully passes the valley, it won't be too late for us to go there. If they If you encounter an ambush, you must guard the entrance of the valley so that my fourth brother can come out."
When Scarface heard this, he immediately clasped his fists and said, "Yes!"
