Song Xiu

Chapter 63 All counties were terrified; winning hearts and minds is the best strategy.

As the sunlight grew stronger and the scorching wind swept through the gates of Huguan, a dozen or so elite riders in black armor, each with a vermilion wooden box hanging from their waist and wielding long whips, galloped out of the city gates.

They spurred their horses toward Tunliu and Changzi counties near Huguan.

The box contained Li Li's severed head.

The first destination of these dozen or so riders was Changzi County.

The sun was high in the sky, and the scorching sunlight relentlessly beat down on the county soldiers on the city walls. Unable to bear the oppressive heat, many soldiers sought refuge in the shade on the walls.

I thought today would be another long, sweltering day, just like any other.

Unexpectedly, just as a sentry on the outskirts of Changzi County was cursing the county magistrate for his lack of virtue, he suddenly caught sight of something.

Beyond the horizon, distorted by the scorching sun, appeared to be a dozen or so cavalrymen galloping in.

Due to the strong sunlight, the sentry did not initially see the attire of the dozen or so riders.

Considering the direction from which the dozen or so cavalrymen had come, the sentry couldn't help but think to himself:

"Could it be that General Li, the garrison commander of Huguan, has sent someone to urge us for military rations again?"

In the past, Li Li relied on his relationship with Li Jun and took advantage of the fact that Huguan was a military stronghold to plunder the counties of Luzhou.

Li Li's arrogance and infamy were well-known in Luzhou.

As the dozen or so riders drew closer to Changzi County, the sentry, after several attempts to focus, finally managed to make out their attire.

The leader of the dozen or so riders was holding aloft a gilded battle flag, which shone brightly in the sunlight.

When the sentry saw the words on the battle flag, fear appeared on his face.

In disbelief, he rubbed his eyes several times. When he realized that what he saw was not an illusion, he quickly struck the gong in his hand.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

The sharp sound of the gong, mixed with the trembling shouts of the sentries, startled many county soldiers who were huddled in the shade back to their posts.

The next moment, arrows rained down from the city walls, attempting to force back the rapidly approaching Song cavalry.

Due to their panic, the arrows fired from the city walls were weak and inaccurate, falling to the ground before they had traveled far, causing no harm whatsoever to the dozen or so Song cavalrymen below.

Since they were not attacking the city, a dozen or so Song soldiers stopped a few dozen paces away from the city wall.

The Song cavalrymen, who had reined in their horses, burst into laughter upon seeing the sparse arrows being shot down from the city walls.

The arrogant laughter was like a deadly bell, causing the county soldiers on the city wall to panic once again.

When the leading Song cavalryman stood still, the majestic "Song" character on his battle flag shone brightly in the sunlight, stinging the eyes of the county soldiers on the city wall.

After Li Jun decided to rebel against the Song Dynasty, he ordered all cities and troops under his jurisdiction to put on the "Zhou" flag again.

With Li Jun's strict orders in place, no one dared to disobey and travel in broad daylight.

Based on the above facts, the origin of this cavalry squad below the city is not difficult to guess.

But this very judgment made the soldiers of Changzi County even more suspicious. Changzi County was located in the heart of Luzhou. How did the Song army get in?
Could it be?

While the county soldiers on the city wall were filled with doubt and surprise, the county magistrate, having heard the news, led the county constable up the city wall.

Even as the head of a county, when the eldest son magistrate saw the grand Song-character battle flag outside the city, his heart was filled with intense suspicion and fear.

When the Song cavalry leader saw a man dressed as a county magistrate climb the city wall, he took down the powerful bow from his back.

After attaching something to the arrow, with a "whoosh," the arrow flew towards the city wall.

Because he deliberately controlled his strength, the arrow lost its momentum after flying up the city wall and fell to the ground. The county constable, who was standing nearby, saw an object that looked like a document tied to the fallen arrow. He mustered up his courage, picked it up, and handed it to the county magistrate.

The magistrate of Changzi County unfolded the document with trembling hands. When he saw the contents of the document, he almost collapsed.

This is indeed an appointment document, and it belongs to Li Li!

To further demoralize the people on the city wall, the leading Song cavalryman opened the wooden box and used the tip of his long sword to decapitate Li Li.

The blade was still stained with the blood of the enemy, and the head on the tip of the blade looked fearful and begging for mercy.

As officials in the same region, the former magistrate of Changzi County had met Li Li.

Although the distance was somewhat far, affecting his vision, the resemblance to the man and the document he had just received made an undeniable fact clear in the mind of the magistrate of Changzi County.

"Huguan! Huguan is lost!"

At this moment, the eldest son magistrate could no longer suppress his fear and fell to the ground with a thud.

With Huguan lost, Changdang has no more protection. How long can they hold out?

If the county magistrate behaves this way, what about the soldiers in other counties?

Many of the county soldiers were unaware of any military strategy matters, but they were familiar with Li Li's past arrogant demeanor.

The thought that such an arrogant "fierce general" had died so quietly at the hands of the Song army made them wonder how they could stop the Song army if they sent troops north.
A sense of fear and unease instantly filled the hearts of every county soldier, and the sound of many weapons falling to the ground echoed from the city wall.

The sound of weapons hitting the ground reached the city walls, causing the Song cavalry below to proudly raise their heads.

"The Chanzhou Defense Commissioner has captured Huguan, and Li Jun is about to be defeated and killed. I hope you will stop aiding and abetting the tyrant."

Otherwise, Li Li's fate will be a bloody testament to you all.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you! "

After saying this, a dozen or so Song soldiers rode away, leaving only the people on the walls of Changzi City to endure the torment of their inner fear.

Defense Commissioner of Chanzhou!
The greater the fear in his heart, the deeper these five words were imprinted on the mind of the magistrate of Changzi County.

In the following days, Li Li's head was transported to several counties in the heart of Luzhou.

This inevitably plunged all the counties of Luzhou into panic.

Although they did not yet know who the Chanzhou Defense Commissioner was, all the counties in Luzhou knew that what the Chanzhou Defense Commissioner had sent them was not just a head.
It was like a sword hanging over their heads, ready to fall at any moment under the scorching sun!

A few days later, at the Jiedushi's residence in Changdang County.

A mournful cry echoed in the main hall of the mansion.

Li Shoujie, who was in charge of staying behind, was crying loudly in front of Li Li's severed head on the table in the hall.

After the dozen or so Song soldiers completed their mission of "delivering the heads to the counties," they finally arrived belatedly outside Shangdang City.

The arrival of a dozen or so Song soldiers quickly attracted the attention of the garrison in Shangdang.

After leaving behind the wooden box containing Li Li's head, the Song cavalry quickly retreated.

And so, this head, which had traveled all the way through the heart of Luzhou, was finally delivered to Li Shoujie by the Shangdang garrison.

Hearing Li Shoujie's sobs, Lü Qiu Zhongqing, an official standing nearby, sighed repeatedly.

Zhao Dexiu is practically at our doorstep. At this point, instead of thinking about how to repel the enemy, how can we wallow in our personal grief?
As the eldest sons of both families, the difference between the two is immediately apparent.

(End of this chapter)