Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 426 Deeply Rooted Problems (A Long Chapter of 10,000 Words)
"Susu...susu..."

In the summer of the ninth year of Xiantong (6th month), Henan Province, which had been waiting for the rainy season, was not experiencing a severe drought, but the water levels of rivers in various prefectures and counties dropped by about ten or even twenty feet.

The drop in water level rendered the original waterwheels and canals useless.

The crops, deprived of irrigation, now lie fallen in the cracked, parched land, like corpses drained of their flesh and blood.

The people of Huazhou carried buckets of water, swaying as they walked towards their own paddy fields, carefully sprinkling water onto the fields, but still could not save their crops.

Everyone's face was filled with bitterness, and then suddenly a dark cloud appeared in the northern sky.

"cloud?"

Is it going to rain?!

Looking at the dark clouds in the distance, the people who had become numb suddenly had a look of surprise in their eyes.

But as the dark cloud drew closer, the expressions of the people in the fields changed drastically.

The so-called dark clouds were now churning and spreading, almost completely obscuring the sunlight.

"Locusts! Locusts are coming!!"

"Go home! Hide at home!"

Before the people's terrified cries had even subsided, the "dark cloud" had already loomed overhead.

Thousands upon thousands of locusts flew in, their wings rubbing together, the sound like thousands of blunt knives scraping against a pottery jar, sending chills down one's spine.

They rained down on the ground like a storm, landing on the ridges of fields, rooftops, and even on people.

The hungry swarm of insects instantly covered all the greenery, including wheat stalks, leaves, wild grass, and even coarse linen clothes drying in the sun. Everything was reduced to dust under their serrated mouthparts.

They rushed into the fields, devouring the withered millet and wheat.

"Locust plague! A locust plague has broken out!"

Amidst a scene resembling a rain of locusts, countless people tumbled and crawled, shouting loudly.

Upon hearing the news, people in the nearby villages all closed their doors and windows tightly, but it was to no avail.

A piercing sound kept coming from the roof, as if something was gnawing at it.

The straw that was originally used for shelter was completely devoured by the locust swarms, and the people could only hold earthenware jars containing grain and keep lighting torches to drive away the locusts.

However, the number of locusts was endless, and they were unable to drive them away at all. The village heads lit torches and ran frantically toward the county town.

However, when they arrived in the county town, they found that the town was also in chaos.

The people in the city, regardless of their social status, were all surrounded by locusts and fled in panic.

Many people lit torches and frantically swatted at the locusts, but their individual abilities were limited and they were unable to disperse the swarms.

Countless locusts spontaneously searched for things to gnaw on, and even more locusts burrowed into the shops' granaries, beginning to wreak havoc on the straw and bran used for moisture protection.

Many locusts died on the grain, their bodily fluids contaminating bags of food.

Two hours later, as the locusts gradually decreased, the people, who had been on edge, finally saw the locusts swarming southward.

“Mother! Mother…”

"My food! My food!!"

As the locust plague receded, the streets of Fengqiu County were filled with people crying out in despair after being attacked by locusts, and merchants sitting in front of their shops, wailing as they held onto grain contaminated by the locusts.

Fengqiu County at present is just a small microcosm of the overall situation.

Faced with a prolonged drought, the locust plague that originated in Huazhou spread to Hebei, Shandong, Huainan, and the eastern capital region in just two or three days.

When the locust plague, which blotted out the sky, reached Huainan, Kang Chengxun, who was leading the Tang army in battle against the rebel army, had just captured Shuzhou and Qizhou.

A sudden gust of wind arose, and a low hum came from the horizon, initially like distant thunder rolling, gradually approaching, as if thousands of rusty bowstrings were vibrating simultaneously.

The soldier on the watchtower squinted and looked into the distance, initially thinking it was a dark cloud, and his face showed slight joy. But when he saw clearly what the so-called dark cloud was, his face turned pale instantly.

"Beep--"

"A locust plague has arrived!!"

The piercing sound of wooden whistles and the screams of terror threw the Tang soldiers camped outside Qizhou City into a sudden panic.

Before they could even react, a swarm of locusts swept over the military camp, attacking countless Tang soldiers who could only helplessly swat the locusts off their bodies.

The swarm of locusts was so dense that you could easily swat several of them with a simple wave of your hand.

But precisely because of this, the horse feed in the military camp's stables was completely eaten up, and the sound of the rotting crops was like a storm, making people's scalps tingle.

"General! General, you can't go out!"

From the direction of the tent, the dozen or so generals hiding inside had finally managed to deal with the locusts inside, when they saw Kang Chengxun about to leave.

Kang Chengxun was nearly sixty years old, with half of his hair and beard turned white. Everyone was worried that he would fall ill due to the locust plague.

In response, Kang Chengxun glared and retorted, "How can mere locusts possibly withstand the might of a golden spear and iron horse?!"

Before anyone could respond, he suddenly pulled back the tent, and countless locusts swarmed in. The others were busy swatting at the locusts, while Kang Chengxun rushed out of the tent and shouted to the surroundings.

"Protect the granaries! Protect the granaries! We must not let the locust plague ruin our crops!"

At this moment, the camp was shrouded in darkness, as if day and night were reversed, and countless buffer zones poured down like a burst dam.

The tent tops, spears, and grain carts were instantly covered with wriggling, yellowish-brown insects, and the armor crackled with the sound of locusts swarming.

The soldiers in the camp roared and swung their swords, but the blades only stirred up a foul-smelling liquid as they swept across the swarm of insects.

The warhorse neighed in alarm, broke free of its reins, and galloped wildly through the camp, its hooves crushing the corpses of insects scattered on the ground and tripping over the braziers.

Flames leaped onto the grain and fodder, black smoke swirled with locusts, adding to the chaos.

The Tang soldiers guarding the granary were now swatting away the swarms of locusts on the grain sacks with their bare hands, but the locusts' mouthparts were like iron spikes, and they could gnaw through the sacks in just a few breaths.

No one knows who started a huge fire, but countless locusts were burned and fell like moths to a flame. The air was filled with the stench of fish and cooked meat, a disgusting mixture.

In less than half an hour, the Tang army camp was ravaged by war. The ground was covered with half an inch of dead insects, and the living ones were still crawling out from the soldiers' collars and clothing seams. People were so frightened that they kept swatting the locusts that fell down and then quickly stomping them to death.

Only after the locusts had completely passed through did Kang Chengxun hurriedly lead a dozen generals to the place where the grain was stored.

Looking at the chaotic scene before him, his face suddenly turned ashen. He stepped forward and used a knife to cut open the fragile sacks, only to find that much of the grain was stained with the body fluids of locusts, which was extremely disgusting.

"General, is this military ration still edible?"

"If we lose our military supplies, how can our army possibly march south and fight the Yellow rebels?"

"We shouldn't be talking about this now. This locust plague is so severe that countless people will suffer because of it. When they have nowhere to make a living, most of them will join the rebel army."

"The rebel army's strength was finally suppressed, but now a locust plague has struck. Could it be that they are about to rise again..."

The generals expressed their opinions, and Kang Chengxun, with a dark face, instructed them: "Order men to separate out the grain that has been contaminated by locusts and burn it all."

"The remaining uncontaminated grain was all processed into military rations."

"Yes!!" Upon hearing Kang Chengxun's words, the generals opened their mouths, hesitated, but finally agreed.

At the same time, Kang Chengxun also hurriedly submitted a memorial and dispatched a fast horse to Chang'an with urgent news.

By the time the news reached Chang'an, it was already the third day since the locust plague broke out.

Inside Xianning Palace, Li Cui, holding the memorial, felt his blood rushing to his head and was momentarily dizzy.

[In the summer of the ninth year of Xiantong (6th month), during the Great Heat, a great locust plague struck Guandong. It spread from Huazhou in all directions. Swarms of locusts arrived, like smoke or waves, like the dust of a great army, stretching for hundreds of miles, without end. Hebei, Henan, Huainan and other provinces suffered from the disaster...]

[A strange calamity struck from the heavens; an insect infestation invaded the camp. Suddenly, locusts covered the sky, coming from the north, their force like a dark cloud pressing down, their roar like thunder... When the locusts left, the camp was in ruins, with less than three-tenths of the stored grain remaining, and much of the equipment destroyed.]

Dozens of memorials were on the table, all concerning the locust plague, making Li Cui's hands tremble as he read them.

"Why did the locust plague have to break out at this particular time of year? Why?"

Li Cui trembled with anger, her tone questioning yet seemingly muttering to herself.

Inside the palace, the six officials from the Northern and Southern Offices all looked equally grim. Yu Cong, who had already reviewed the memorials from various prefectures, stepped forward and bowed, saying:
"Your Majesty, this year the Yellow River and Huai River basins suffered a severe drought and were also hit by a locust plague. The affected areas extend from Yan and Ji in the north to the Yangtze River in the south, from Dengzhou and Laizhou in the east to Luoyang in the west. Hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmland have been affected, and more than 100,000 hectares have been completely destroyed."

"Although some prefectures and counties have exaggerated the situation, the locust plague is real. I believe that an imperial edict should be issued immediately, ordering all prefectures and counties to gather the people to catch locusts together, and one dou of locusts can be exchanged for one jin of grain."

"In addition, the diligence and laziness of officials can also be used as a criterion for evaluating their performance and achievements."

As soon as Yu Cong finished speaking, Li Cui glared at him angrily, his eyes seeming to spit fire: "Where did the locust plague originate?"

"This..." Yu Cong hesitated for a moment, and seeing that no one came forward to explain, he immediately realized that this official had no background, so he bowed and replied:

"Last year, the Yellow River breached its banks in Huazhou, flooding for dozens of miles and submerging tens of thousands of acres of land, forming mudflats."

"The people of Lingchang County were displaced and all sought refuge with the bandits Huang and Wang."

"The mudflats have been left unattended, so locusts have hatched here. Today they have broken through the soil and are wreaking havoc on three provinces and thirty-seven prefectures, affecting millions of people."

Yu Cong explained the whole story clearly, and Li Cui became even angrier after hearing it: "The Yellow River breached its banks, how come I didn't know?!"

"Issue an imperial decree to strip all officials of Lingchang County of their posts and exile them all to Lingnan for their crimes!"

Before he could finish speaking, Li Cui picked up the memorial again and said, "The remaining forces of the Huang bandits in Huainan Circuit have been completely annihilated by Kang Chengxun and Li Guochang, leaving only tens of thousands in Jiangnan West Circuit."

"Issue an imperial edict to Kang Chengxun, ordering him to raise funds and provisions on his own, and to lead a large army across the Yangtze River to completely annihilate the Huang bandits before their strength grows again!"

"Your Majesty, we obey." Lu Yan and the others bowed in response, and then Yu Cong spoke up again:

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Zheng's memorial arrived today, and the imperial troops have already gathered at Zhisheng Pass, Baili City, Lingtai City, Xinping, Liyuan Village, and other places."

"The troops led by Supervisor Yang held Changwu City for three days. After the city fell, Supervisor Yang led his remaining troops of more than 3,000 men to cut off the earthen embankment and retreated south to Lingtai County."

"The rebel army is at its peak and is currently attacking Liangyuan, Yilu and Ningqing counties."

"Of the people of Ning, Qing and Jing prefectures, only more than 30,000 households have been relocated, while 50,000 households remain in their original places of residence, which are now likely to be captured by the rebels."

"Fortunately, Zheng Xiang's military orders were decisive, and all the granaries in the prefectures and counties were burned down. The rebels had no food and could only rely on the money and grain from Longyou to be transported to Longdong."

Upon hearing Yu Cong's words, Li Cui's expression remained neither joyful nor sorrowful, but his heart grew increasingly aggrieved.

Although Yu Cong made many amends for Zheng Tian, ​​the scorched-earth policy did not achieve its intended effect.

Now that Liu Jilong has acquired 50,000 households in three prefectures, he can at least mobilize another 50,000 laborers to transport money and grain.

Even though more than 100,000 shi of grain in various prefectures and counties were burned, as long as there were 50,000 laborers, plus the produce from Longyou and the harvest from Sanchuan, the rebels did not seem to be in a weakened state.

With this in mind, Li Cui calmly said, "Keep a close eye on Longdong; Xinping must not be lost!"

“Yes…” Yu Cong knew perfectly well that if Xinping was lost, even if Liyuan Village was easy to defend and difficult to attack, the emperor and his ministers would still choose to make an eastern tour.

It's only a little over two hundred li from Xinping to Chang'an, so it would be strange if the emperor and his ministers could sit still.

Thinking of this, Yu Cong couldn't help but shake his head, while Li Cui continued to discuss the matter of the eastern tour and dining with his ministers.

While these emperors and their ministers were conversing, the city of Chang'an was bustling with activity.

Zhang Huaiding is about to lead three thousand men of the Left and Right Divine Martial Armies to Beidu, not only to oversee the capital but also to suppress the local arrogant guards.

That's why Zhang Huaiding has been selling off his assets these days, since he doesn't know if he'll ever be able to come back.

He arrived at Zhang Sikong's residence and saw Zhang Yichao, who was frowning as he held a letter.

Facing Zhang Yichao, he bowed respectfully and said, "Father, have you not yet dealt with the horse farms and fields in the manor?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yichao frowned and looked at Zhang Huaiding: "Your elder brother will handle the affairs of the manor; you don't need to ask."

Zhang Huaiding knew that Zhang Yichao disapproved of him bowing down to a eunuch for the sake of power, but he didn't care.

Submitting to the Northern Division was merely to better exercise power.

This time, he led the Left and Right Divine Martial Armies to Taiyuan. Although he was to be supervised by the eunuchs of the Northern Division, if things really changed, these eunuchs would only be a matter of a knife or two.

What he cared more about was whether Liu Jilong could defeat the government troops and enter Guanzhong.

If Liu Jilong were to conquer Guanzhong, wouldn't he be able to ascend the throne and become emperor?

Thinking about this, Zhang Huaiding couldn't help but have wild thoughts. He felt that supporting the emperor seemed to have no future, and it would be better to join Liu Jilong instead.

As for his many preconceived notions about Liu Jilong from the past, they have long since vanished as Liu Jilong continued to defeat the government troops.

"Father, I'm back!"

As Zhang Huaiding was lost in thought, Zhang Huaiquan's voice suddenly rang out. Zhang Huaiding turned around and looked at Zhang Huaiquan: "Brother, where have you been?"

“I went to sell my fields and horse farms, but now all the powerful and wealthy people in Chang’an are selling their fields and shops. There are people who want to buy our horse farms, but the price is too low. They want to buy the horse farms and horses for only 17,000 guan.”

Zhang Huaiquan described the current situation in Chang'an, where the market was undoubtedly in a state of chaos.

Liu Jilong's troops were only four hundred li away from Chang'an, and the imperial court had also decided to make an eastern tour to Luoyang, which naturally indicated that Chang'an was about to face a military disaster.

If they do not deal with the land in their hands as soon as possible, it will likely be occupied by the rebels.

Because so many people held this view, there were especially many people selling off fields, shops, and houses in Chang'an.

"How much are fields, shops, and houses worth right now?"

Zhang Huaiding couldn't help but ask Zhang Huaiquan, who replied, "Dry land can only be valued at three strings of cash, while paddy fields can be valued at seven strings of cash."

"Shops were priced between thirty and eighty strings of cash, and houses ranged from ten to several hundred strings of cash depending on their size, all of which had fallen in value significantly."

Land in the capital region was expensive, with each mu (unit of land area) worth a thousand taels of gold; at its peak, mansions in Chang'an were worth over a thousand strings of cash.

Now that war has struck, the price of land has fallen by nearly 30%, and the prices of shops and houses have also dropped considerably, by about 30% to 40%, which shows how panicked the powerful and wealthy in Chang'an are.

Such a price drop would not have been possible without a large-scale sell-off.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Huaiding's eyes flickered, and he said directly to Zhang Yichao, "Father, we have a history with Liu Muzhi. If it is our Zhang family's farmland and property, Liu Muzhi will certainly not touch it lightly."

"Since that's the case, why not take this opportunity to buy up land, shops, houses, and villas, so that even if none of our descendants become officials in the future, we can still make a living from them?"

Zhang Huaiding's words did make sense, but Zhang Yichao frowned after hearing them and said:

“The powerful and wealthy release land, and the poor obtain land as a result. You know very well how poor the people of Guanzhong are.”

“Right now, the people have finally managed to acquire their own land through buying and selling. Yet you are competing with them for profit and denying them a way to survive. How can the people forgive you?”

Zhang Huaiding was richer than Zhang Yichao because he had allied himself with the Northern Division and controlled the Left and Right Divine Martial Armies. Many people paid tribute to him, and he also used the Left and Right Divine Martial Armies to amass wealth.

If Zhang Huaiding were to purchase land under Zhang Yichao's name, Liu Jilong would certainly not touch these fields and houses after capturing Chang'an, but this was something Zhang Yichao did not want to see.

He had long felt guilty towards the people of Hexi and Longxi, and now, having witnessed the infighting within the court, he would feel immense joy if he could see Liu Jilong conquer Chang'an and restore peace and prosperity to the people of Guanzhong and Guannei, even if it was his land that was being divided among them.

However, not only Zhang Huaiding could not understand his idea, but Zhang Huaiquan and his other sons could not understand it either.

While Zhang Yichao is alive, they can maintain their wealth and status, but if Zhang Yichao dies, they will only have the option of living off their savings.

Zhang Huaiding understood this point. Even though he held the Left and Right Divine Martial Armies in his hands, he still had to rely on his father.

However, he didn't take his father's words seriously at all.

“Father, I can’t stop you from thinking this way. You can stop yourself, but you can’t stop the children in your family.”

After speaking, he bowed to Zhang Yichao and then turned and left the Sikong Mansion.

As Zhang Huaiding had predicted, not long after he left, the Zhang family members who had followed Zhang Yichao to Chang'an quickly joined the ranks of those buying land, houses, and shops.

The powerful and wealthy in Chang'an were worried about their property being confiscated by the rebels, but they were not afraid.

Their actions naturally did not escape the notice of many officials, so in recent days there have been more and more memorials impeaching Zhang Yichao and his son, but they have all been suppressed by Li Cui.

Li Cui also needs to treat Zhang Yichao, Feng Bangyan and others as hostages. If he really cannot defeat them, he can use them to negotiate with Liu Jilong.

Although this idea was humiliating, Li Cui was no longer worried about humiliation at this moment, but rather whether the Tang Dynasty would perish in his hands.

Natural disasters, man-made calamities, and war—all these things forced Li Cui to re-examine himself.

However, he still didn't think he was wrong, because no one in his position as emperor would allow a powerful and independent regional military governor to take root near the capital.

He simply lost the fight, not that he did anything wrong...

As he was thinking this, the Han army in the north advanced triumphantly, successively occupying Qingzhou, Ningzhou, and Jingzhou, among other prefectures and counties.

The Han and Tang armies faced each other across the Daxi River, but the so-called rainy season had not yet arrived.

"Screw rustle..."

Outside Yilu County, as the sound of armor plates clashing echoed, groups of people were returning to their camps outside Yilu County, including Anpohu and Husiguang.

The generals, weary from their journey, rushed back to Yilu, traversed a road about a mile long, and then entered the military camp.

"King of Han!"

"Are you all back?"

As the generals bowed and paid their respects, Liu Jilong, who was talking to someone, also nodded and looked at everyone with a smile on his face.

The person standing beside him and talking to him was Gao Jinda, who was originally supposed to be in charge of organizing the grain and fodder transportation in Longyou.

"Commander Gao, what brings you here?"

Upon seeing Gao Jinda, Husiguang couldn't help but speak, and Gao Jinda replied with a smile, "If it weren't for an urgent report, I naturally wouldn't have come."

"Sit down, everyone, let's talk after we sit down," Liu Jilong reassured everyone, then gestured for them to take their seats.

After everyone had taken their seats, Liu Jilong addressed them:
“Gao Pian is indeed restless. Three days ago, he gathered troops in Shuzhou. According to Zhang Wu’s report, there were no fewer than 40,000 government troops on the battlefield. He is probably preparing to attack Chengdu.”

"I have already given orders to Zhang Wu, giving him full command of affairs in both the eastern and western Sichuan regions. The new recruits in the eastern and western Sichuan regions have been training for more than half a year, while Gao Pian's troops, although they have many veterans, may not be able to defeat Zhang Wu."

"Even if we defeat Zhang Wu, it won't be difficult to reclaim the prefecture and county afterwards."

"In addition, spies from the Eastern Capital have sent military intelligence that a locust plague has broken out in the Hebei, Huaihe and Hebei regions. Although the extent of the impact is unknown, the scale should be considerable."

"With this locust plague, at least half of the crops in the Hebei and Huaihe River basins have been lost, and Hebei will not fare any better."

"The imperial court is running out of money and grain, and may also face refugees heading south to join the rebels. It is already in a state of utter chaos."

"Zheng Tian has deployed his troops along the Daxi River, which is exactly what I wanted."

"Issue my military order: Husi Guang shall lead 5,000 cavalry and infantry, and 8,000 infantrymen to attack Xinping."

"An Pohu, you will take command of the remaining troops and dispatch cavalry to bypass Baili City by taking a detour through Yilu Plain and cutting off Baili City's supply lines."

"I will personally lead 12,000 cavalry and infantry to attack Lingtai County. After defeating them on all three sides at the same time, do not rush to attack. Wait for my orders to proceed."

"Yes!!" The generals bowed in response, while Liu Jilong looked at Gao Jinda:
"You return to Zhisheng Pass, mobilize troops from various passes, and gather 10,000 new soldiers for Jiu Juyan. After we break through the Daxi River defense line and cut off the rear of Zhisheng Pass, we will order Jiu Juyan to launch a strong attack on Zhisheng Pass and persuade the officers and soldiers inside the city to surrender."

"Yes!" Gao Jinda replied without hesitation. Liu Jilong also stood up at the right time and said, "Time waits for no one. The army will break camp at dawn tomorrow. I hope to hear your good news!"

"As the King of Han commands!!" the generals responded in unison. Then, the more than 30,000 troops of Yilu County began to redivide their camps, awaiting their departure the next day.

The Han army was stationed on Yilu Plain, while Zheng Tian was stationed on Lingtai Plain, with Lingtai County located in the river valley behind him.

The two armies were sent out on patrol across the Liang River, so the Han army's movements were naturally under the watchful eyes of the Tang army.

Before long, Tang Qi brought the military intelligence back to the camp, and Zheng Tian, ​​who was in the Lingtai Yuan military camp, couldn't help but panic after receiving the intelligence.

"In just ten days, the rebels captured all the prefectures and counties of Qingzhou, Ningzhou, and Jingzhou except for Baili City and Lingtai County."

"If it weren't for Liangmao blocking their way, they probably would have already invaded Suizhou and Fuzhou."

At this point, Zheng Tian looked at Wang Shi, who was dressed in plain clothes: "Yang Xuanji retreated without cause, which caused our army's plans to fail."

"The rebels have now captured at least 100,000 people and can recruit 50,000 laborers at any time."

"As long as we have enough food and supplies, let alone taking Chang'an, it wouldn't be a problem to occupy all the prefectures and counties west of the Yellow River."

"Our army clearly anticipated everything, but was always a step too slow."

"A step behind means a step behind; only on the battlefield will the true test."

Zheng Tian made up his mind, but Wang Shi frowned, staring at the sand table in front of him, unable to think of any solution.

Unable to win in open battle, their strategies were thwarted by their own people, and the rainy season was delayed. Apart from having a numerical advantage, they were at a disadvantage in every other respect.

In this situation, Wang Shi could only hope that his troops could kill as many rebels as possible. Even if the entire army was wiped out, as long as they could kill 10,000 to 20,000 rebels, the rebels would be unable to capture Tongguan in the short term.

Thinking this, he saw Zheng Tian summon the generals of the camp.

More than thirty generals gathered inside the tent, and none of them looked too good.

Even without direct combat, the strength of the Han army could be discerned from the Battle of Pinggao and the Battle of Changwu.

Thirty thousand government troops were wiped out, and Yang Fugong's 10,000 Binning troops, despite having the advantage of terrain, were defeated and fled after only three days.

Although they currently have 70,000 troops on the Daxi River defense line, it is hard to say whether they can be a match for these 40,000 rebels.

Zheng Tian wasn't blind; he could naturally tell what the generals' expressions were like.

"boom--"

He couldn't help but slam his hand on the table and stand up, drawing everyone's attention to himself.

He rested one hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist and couldn't help but say, "I don't understand why all the generals think that our army is inferior to the rebels, as if the Longdong battlefield is destined to be more dangerous than victorious for our army."

"In the past, Emperor Taizong confronted Xue Ju and his son with tens of thousands of troops at Qianshuiyuan, which was only a few dozen miles away. He turned defeat into victory and recovered Longxi by using the strategies of 'striking after the enemy has moved, exhausting the enemy to achieve victory, holding firm and not venturing out, and relentlessly pursuing and attacking'."

"After Emperor Taizong led his troops out of Guanzhong and defeated the warlords Liu Wuzhou, Dou Jiande, Wang Shichong, and Liu Heita, the people welcomed his army wherever it went, and he won the hearts of the people."

"That vibrant, flourishing scene is still right before our eyes."

"Our army is here now. If we can defeat the rebels, we will ensure peace in the land. Even if we are defeated, we will still be worthy of the name of heroes who serve the country."

Zheng Tian scanned the crowd, then drew his dagger and cleaved the table in front of him, revealing a rare ruthless side.

"No matter what, the troop strength in this battle is 70,000 against 40,000, so the advantage is on our side!"

"By order of the army, all troops shall stand firm and defend to the death, and shall keep the rebels at bay north of the Daxi River!"

"Your subordinate obeys!!" The generals all stood up and bowed, their spirits stirred by Zheng Tian's words.

Before long, all the Tang army units released their scouts and cavalry, who roamed freely along both banks of the Daxi River.

At the same time, the Han army's scouts were also released, and the two armies clashed repeatedly at Daxi River and on the original site.

The battle had not yet reached its climax, but the scouts and soldiers in the embankment were already getting heated.

The following day, the Han army broke camp and marched down from Yiluyuan, heading south along the Liangshui River.

Liu Jilong originally intended to attack Lingtai Plain directly, but to get to Lingtai Plain, one had to pass through a narrow passage that was more than ten miles long.

This narrow passage is no more than two zhang wide and more than ten li long, with ridges and mounds on both sides, making it extremely easy to set up an ambush.

After careful consideration, Liu Jilong still chose to take a longer route, descending from Yiluyuan and leading his army to Jingshui. After heading south along Jingshui, they then marched to the north bank of Daxishui to attack Lingtai County.

The army detoured for more than sixty li, and finally attacked Lingtai County along the official road on the north bank of the Daxi River, which was about ten zhang wide.

Only when the army caught sight of Lingtai County in the distance did Liu Jilong understand why Zheng Tian had gathered his troops there for a decisive battle.

Lingtai County is located in the valley of the Daxi River, which is no more than two miles wide from north to south.

Both the north and south are plateaus, and Zheng Tian has already ordered the deployment of catapults on these plateaus; a rough estimate suggests there are no fewer than a hundred.

Due to the terrain, with catapults supporting each other from the north and south, the Han army attempting to attack Lingtai County would inevitably suffer heavy losses.

In addition, Zheng Tian stationed 20,000 troops on Lingtai Plain, who could cut off the Han army's retreat at any time via Yixiantian.

It can be said that as long as the Han army's frontal attack fails and its morale is dampened, and it tries to retreat, he can lead his army through the narrow pass to attack from the rear and completely surround Liu Jilong's troops.

"King Han, this place is not easy to attack. Why don't we wait until Governor An and Governor Husi have captured Xinping and Baili City, and then our army can join forces with Governor An to launch a pincer attack on Lingtai County?"

Wang Chongrong was unwilling to miss the opportunity to show off, but Liu Jilong merely glanced at him and said:

"There's nothing that Zheng Tian and Wang Shi couldn't have thought of."

"The number of troops they have deployed in Baili City is not much less than here."

"Including the troops that Yang Fugong withdrew, there are either more than 30,000 or 40,000 troops here."

Liu Jilong stationed his troops in place, surveying the terrain to his left and right.

Although it is called Taiyuan, there are only two roads leading to Lingtaiyuan. One is Yixiantian (a narrow passage between two cliffs), and the other is behind Lingtai County.

It seemed that the Han army had no choice but to launch a full-scale attack.

"Retreat one mile and set up camp!"

Liu Jilong turned his horse around and then commanded his soldiers and laborers to begin retreating and setting up camp.

At the same time, Zheng Tian also rode his horse to the top of the platform, and from a distance of two or three miles and a height difference of several tens of feet, he looked out at the Han army's deployment.

Wang Shi, dressed in plain clothes, followed him. Seeing the Han army retreat a mile and set up camp, Zheng Tian couldn't help but stroke his beard.

"Brother Xiaonian's prediction was correct; Liu Muzhi indeed dared not attack Lingtai easily."

“That being said, Liu Muzhi possesses magical arts, and I’m worried that something might go wrong,” Wang Shi replied, shaking his head.

In response, Zheng Tian couldn't help but laugh and said, "What could possibly go wrong? Brother Xiao Nian is worrying too much."

In Zheng Tian's view, the only way for Liu Jilong to attack Lingtai County was by force, and that the rebels would suffer at least tens of thousands of casualties if they attacked the strategically important Lingtai County.

Lingtai County, along with Bailicheng and Liyuanzhai, these three strategic locations could have claimed the lives of at least 20,000 rebel soldiers.

Xinping is easy to attack but difficult to defend; it wouldn't matter if it were taken away.

If the rebels can be severely damaged, Gao Pian in the south will take action, and the powerful families and clans within the Three Rivers region will also be unable to resist making their move.

If the rebels suffer a defeat, the court can quickly quell the Huang bandits in Jiangnan. Even if it cannot reclaim Shuofang and Qinzhou from the rebels, it can force Liu Jilong to withdraw from Liangmao in Longdong.

Thinking of this, Zheng Tian couldn't help but stroke his beard, his face full of self-satisfaction.

Just as he was enjoying himself, Liu Jilong, who had already set up camp and entered the tent, immediately ordered someone to bring a sand table, pile up soil to form a mountain, and arrange stones to represent soldiers.

After doing all this, Liu Jilong pointed to the sand table and addressed the people around him:

"Zheng Tian used catapults to launch cross-attacks on our army on the plateau. If our army launches a strong attack on Lingtai County, we will inevitably be attacked by catapults."

"There are no fewer than a hundred catapults on each side of the viewing platform, requiring at least 20,000 to 30,000 laborers to operate them."

“The government troops rushed here from Zhisheng Pass. They must not have prepared too many laborers, otherwise they could not have arrived so quickly and were able to build camps here.”

"In that case, all the laborers they used were recruited from Baili City and Lingtai County."

“Our army couldn’t get up here. Although Lingtai County has rammed earth walls, according to the officers and soldiers of Jingyuan Town that our army captured, the walls are two zhang high and the piers are two zhang and four chi thick. Even if we use gunpowder to blast them open, it would take at least two blasts.”

"In addition, there are an unknown number of government troops on Lingtai Plain, which must be quite a lot. They can detour to the rear of Lingtai County at any time to support Lingtai County."

After Liu Jilong explained the situation, the generals in the tent looked at each other in disbelief, clearly stunned by the arrangements made in Lingtai County.

"King Han, as long as our army presses forward, Lingtai County can be easily taken."

Wang Chongrong retained his temperament from his time in the Tang army, attempting to exchange the lives of his rank-and-file soldiers for victory.

Liu Jilong frowned and looked at him with a cold gaze.

“Every brother in the army is someone we have painstakingly recruited and trained. How can we make such a judgment so easily?”

"Any further remarkes will result in dismissal!"

"Yes!" Wang Chongrong broke out in a cold sweat, realizing that Liu Jilong was not so easy to talk to after all.

At least the look in his eyes when he was angry made Wang Chongrong unable to help but look away.

Seeing that he agreed, Liu Jilong easily withdrew his fierce gaze, then stood up, patted the dirt off his palms, pondered for a moment, and then spoke:

"Order to cut down trees, reinforce the shield carts, and cover them with wet cowhide. Tomorrow, launch a feigned attack to test the government troops' tactics."

"Yes!!"

The generals readily agreed and then began ordering the army to cut down trees.

At this time, the Han army was in the densely populated counties and prefectures of Liangmao in Longdong. Near Lingtai County, the larger trees had long been cut down by the people, and many ridges and mounds even revealed yellow dust-like soil.

In order to obtain usable timber, the Han army had to order laborers to walk twenty or thirty miles away from Lingtai County to cut down trees.

Fortunately, the laborers found the trees, and the soldiers in the army who were skilled in carpentry worked through the night to process the timber.

The following day, the army had thirty more shield carts, each eight feet high and ten feet long, covered with wet cowhide.

The shield-cart had eight wheels, which were inside the vehicle. Except for the rear, the other sides were covered with wooden planks covered with wet cowhide.

The shield cart was heavy, so it required two horses to pull it with great difficulty.

At dawn, Liu Jilong led his troops out of the camp in full armor. Twelve thousand cavalry and infantrymen were arrayed in three lines. As Liu Jilong waved his command flag, more than three hundred men stepped forward.

They were dressed in armor, fully armed, and carried gunpowder pouches and pickaxes.

"One person drives the vehicle, the rest of you hide inside the shield vehicle, dig and fill the river, and be quick!"

Liu Jilong did not forget to give instructions, and the one leading this army was Wang Jian, who had been promoted to the rank of Cavalry and Infantry Captain.

Liu Jilong was unaware of his identity, but after giving the order, he reminded him, "If things become unworkable, retreat for now to preserve yourselves, so that you can achieve your goals."

Wang Jian was so moved by Liu Jilong's words that he bowed in agreement without hesitation, then picked up the wooden whistle and blew it.

"Beep--"

As Wang Jian blew his wooden whistle, the thirty shield carts began to advance.

At the same time, the Tang army on the North and South Taiyuan also reacted quickly.

"Launch catapults, attack at the sound of the drums!"

"Beep--"

"Launch the catapults!!"

Hundreds of Tang soldiers on the plateaus on the north and south sides immediately began to drive tens of thousands of laborers to counterweight the catapults, and then put the catapults on in preparation for the attack.

Among these laborers were men ranging in age from fifteen to fifty, and even some strong women, indicating that Zheng Tian had practically emptied the ranks of the able-bodied in Lingtai County.

"Boom boom boom——"

"put!"

In an instant, countless catapults began to operate, launching more than two hundred stones at once, hurtling towards the Han army on the official road.

"Beep--"

The Han soldiers driving the chariots blew their wooden whistles. Those hiding inside the shield carts and following the fleeing Han soldiers, including Wang Jian, held their breath upon hearing the whistle.

"Bang bang bang-"

"Hiss!!"

Countless stones rained down, and three stones struck either the horse pulling the chariot or the Han soldiers driving it.

All the men and horses were killed by stones thrown at them, their deaths were gruesome.

At this moment, they were less than two hundred paces from the city wall of Lingtai County, and the Han soldiers inside the shield carts all started pushing the shield carts.

The two shield carts were hit by the catapult, the wet cowhide was torn, the wooden planks broke, and the soldiers' exposed skin was cut and bled by sawdust.

"Send word to those two groups of soldiers to withdraw!"

Seeing that the two shield vehicles were broken, Liu Jilong immediately wanted to withdraw them.

Before the flag signal could be waved, Han soldiers rushed out of their shield carts, carrying gunpowder pouches and pickaxes, and charged toward Lingwu County.

Even with flag signals waving from behind, they kept their heads down and charged forward; no one knew what they were thinking.

"Damn it! Make them get back here!"

Liu Jilong felt a chill run down his spine, but Wang Chongrong in the corner couldn't help but gasp.

He was certain the soldiers had seen the flag signal, but they still launched the charge.

Clearly, for them, the task of breaching the city walls was more important than their own lives.

"Damn it, they're really not afraid of death!"

Wang Chongrong recalled the scenes from his previous battles against the Han army.

Previously, this statement was merely a question, but now he was truly certain that some soldiers in the Han army were genuinely unafraid of death.

He had already learned about the Han army's system, and he couldn't imagine that a literate soldier would give up his life for the success or failure of the army.

"put!!"

"Boom bang bang-"

Countless catapults appeared again, and by this time the shield carts had reached the moat outside Lingtai County.

Lingtai County was, after all, a small county, and its walls were made of rammed earth, so the moat was only a few feet wide.

The soldiers who abandoned their shield carts arrived first and then began to dig the soil with pickaxes.

"Crossbow ready!"

"put!"

On the horse trail, Yang Fugong directed the Tang army to raise their crossbows and fire arrows at the soldiers about thirty paces away.

Countless arrows rained down, instantly turning the soldiers into pincushions, but the Han soldiers, clad in heavy armor, continued digging, even after being wounded.

The Tang army continued to hurl arrows, and at that moment, two shield carts rushed to the scene.

Driven by soldiers, the two shield carts rushed into the moat. The soldiers on the carts cut the reins with their swords and then blew wooden whistles.

The horses were freed, and the shield carts, propelled by soldiers who heard the wooden whistle, charged directly into the moat.

The two shield vehicles disappeared into the moat, but their roofs could still be vaguely seen.

Four groups of Han soldiers began digging in the soil, and more shield carts arrived one after another, but they did not rush into the moat.

"Form ranks and fight back!"

Two hundred Han soldiers formed a zigzag formation and began to retaliate against the Tang army on the city wall with bows and crossbows, while the remaining hundred or so buried themselves in digging the soil.

At this moment, countless stones fell on them, and everyone began to dodge, but more than twenty people were still killed on the spot because they were standing too close together.

Even so, they did not disperse, but instead continued to retaliate and dig at the time while the catapult was being loaded.

"Beep--"

The wooden whistle blew, and the two hundred-odd Han soldiers immediately scattered and began to return to the shield carts located a dozen paces behind them, pushing the carts in an attempt to cross the moat.

The soft, damp soil covered the wooden wheels of the shield cart with mud, making movement difficult.

Even so, the first shield vehicle still managed to reach the other side of the moat.

"rush!!"

Seeing the shield vehicle rush forward, Wang Jian and the others' eyes flashed with excitement.

Next, one after another, shield carts crossed the moat and crashed violently into the city wall, followed by the sound of digging at the base of the wall.

Yang Fugong, who had gained experience in defending Changwu City, was well prepared. He threw stones, logs, and grease, and the fire was lit.

In an instant, the base of the city wall was engulfed in flames, and the catapults on both sides of the valley dared not attack because the Han army had arrived at the city wall.

One shield cart after another rammed against the city wall, the sound of digging was constant, and Yang Fugong was extremely anxious watching.

Countless pieces of molten rock were thrown down, and the fire grew even more ferocious.

"Rumble--"

Suddenly, the rammed earth city wall cracked from the fire, a sight that made Yang Fuguang curse out loud:

"Damn it! Who the hell built this city wall! Damn it! Damn it!!"

Rammed earth city walls are not resistant to fire, but they shouldn't crack after only half an incense stick's time to burn.

This scene can only mean that someone cut corners when building the city wall, using too little of the three-component soil.

Yang Fugong and the generals defending the city understood, but it was too late now.

"Beep--"

"Retreat! Get off this section of the city wall!!"

When the wooden whistle sounded from inside the shield cart, Yang Fugong immediately ordered his troops to withdraw from this section of the city wall.

Upon receiving the military order, the Shence Army, which had long heard of the rebels' magic, fled to both sides of the city wall. The Han soldiers inside the shield carts also escaped and, led by Wang Jian, fled to the left side of the city wall.

The Tang soldiers on the horse path kept shooting arrows, and many people were hit. Wang Jian then led his men to protect them and retreat.

The Tang army's arrows kept raining down, and just when things seemed hopeless, the gunpowder they had buried was ignited.

"Boom——"

(End of this chapter)