Chapter Three Hundred and Fortieth: Only Punish Rebel Generals
Liu Guoneng clearly understood the situation he was in now.
Tens of thousands of rebel troops outside the city of Ye County are surrounded on all sides. With only two thousand officers and soldiers, it is impossible to break through. Although it is also very difficult to defend the city, after all, Ye County is not as high as Kaifeng. The city is tall and wide, but he
He was also determined to fight to the death and wait for help.
However, he also knew that the people in the city might not necessarily be able to defend the city with him, so he issued a notice: If anyone dared to associate with thieves outside the city without authorization, his entire family would be beheaded!
At the same time, he strictly ordered the civilians and soldiers who participated in the defense of the city not to talk to the rebels outside the city.
However, the officers and soldiers under his command were afraid that if they pressed too hard, they would provoke changes in the people in the city, which would be counterproductive and might even cause them all to die without a burial place.
Therefore, even if the common people participating in the defense of the city were found on the city wall and dared to talk and chat with the rebels outside the city, they would just continue to scold and curse, and even came forward to threaten beheading, but they never took out their sabers.
Sheath, didn't really move his hands.
The next morning, on the eve of the rebels forming formation outside Ye County to attack the city, Li Zicheng and Luo Rucai also came to the south gate of the city trench and ordered people to shout for Liu Guoneng to come out and answer.
Deputy Commander-in-Chief Liu Guoneng was also on the city wall at this time, but he refused to show up because he did not want to have anything to do with bandits like Li Zicheng and Luo Rucai.
Therefore, when the generals on the left and right urged him to come forward and answer, and listened to Li Zicheng's tone, he said angrily to everyone: "What can I say to the traitor?
As for today's matter, if you can fight, fight, if you can't fight, die. Anyway, we no longer have the same friendship with the traitors, so we can only fight to the death to serve the country."
One of the generals was unwilling to give up and took a step forward to continue to persuade him: "General, although we are doing our own thing now, after all, we are all people from Yan'an Prefecture, not to mention that the general, King Chuang, and Commander Cao all worshiped him.
Brother, there is always a bit of old love still there.
Maybe they can express some gratitude for the old friendship, show some loyalty, and let us live?"
After hearing this, Liu Guoneng shook his head and sighed and said, "Don't say such stupid things again. I, Liu Guoneng, have been favored by the imperial court, and I have been a king's minister. I travel with the rebels on the road and the horse on the road. Everyone does his own thing and is his own master."
Now that we are clearly divided, our friendship has been severed long ago, and our grudges are based on swords and guns, how can he and other thieves show any loyalty to me, Liu!"
Another general also stepped forward and said: "General, even so, you have not harmed King Chuang and Commander Cao. After we were recruited, we have not fought with them, and there is no hatred at all."
Liu Guoneng said with a sneer: "How come there is no hatred? You still remember that after the battle at Agate Mountain, I can no longer have any friendship with these bandits.
Although we were fighting the old thief Zhang Xianzhong at that time, Cao Cao and the thief Xian were entangled with each other that day, wouldn't he hold grudges?"
At this time, another general said with some confusion: "But King Chuang and the Xian thieves have always been at odds with each other, and there is some resentment. Even if we beat him Zhang Xianzhong, what does it have to do with him Li Zicheng?"
Liu Guoneng sneered and said: "You are so confused! Although Cao Cao and King Chuang are at odds with Xian Thief, they are still very worried about me being supported by the imperial court. Now they are wearing the same pants and hate me.
I will not continue to be thieves with them to the end."
The generals on the left and right were unwilling to give in and persuaded him again: "Although Commander Cao was fighting with the traitor Xian during the battle at Agate Mountain, they also fell out later. Now Commander Cao is working together with King Chuang.
together.
Marshal Cao had a good relationship with the general in the past. Today we are in crisis. He may be able to help us say something. As long as Marshal Cao can make King Li Chuang postpone the attack on the city and open up a way out, we can try to break out of the city.
As for whether Ye County can be defended, it depends on their own destiny!"
Liu Guoneng sighed and said: "You are so confused! You know, today Cao Cao has completely obeyed the orders of the intruders, and has been threatened by the intruders everywhere. How can he speak for us?"
For today's matter, we can only fight to the death and wait for help. There is no other good strategy. If the city defense is not good, and once the city defenses are attacked by bandits, you can do whatever you want, but I am willing to die for my country, and I will never do it.
Become a thief again.
Liu Guoneng will only be a loyal minister of the Ming Dynasty in this life, and his reputation will last forever!"
After he finished speaking, he looked to the left and right, stepped hard on his feet, and said loudly: "You haven't fired the cannon yet."
The soldiers and generals gathered around him were still hesitating, and Liu Guoneng couldn't help but shouted angrily: "Hurry up and shoot!"
For a time, the soldiers and generals no longer dared to hesitate and took action one after another. They adjusted the muzzles of their guns and aimed them at the position where Li Zicheng and Luo Rucai were.
…………
Li Zicheng, the king of the intruders outside the city, saw the cannon muzzles moving quickly on the city wall. He glanced at Luo Rucai beside him, and first waved his hand to ask everyone to avoid the artillery fire.
At the same time, he smiled at the people around him and said, "As expected!"
Everyone immediately followed him to hide behind the ruins of a nearby house. Li Zicheng even shouted an order to Zhang Nai, who was about twenty feet away: "Little Nai, fire the cannon and blast his mother!"
After all, the bandits launched their attack first, and the artillery on the walls of Ye County was the first to make a roaring sound, but it only hit two dilapidated houses outside the city, and did not injure any of the bandits.
Zhang Nai's side had already repaired the fort during the night last night. At dawn, more than ten cannons were fired, knocking down a corner of the city tower and making several craters of varying depths on the battlements.
Now, the three artillery pieces on his side were ignited almost at the same time, and the cannons roared and flew out at high speed, hitting Ye County City.
Liu Guoneng only saw a flash of fire on the city wall, and he waved his hand and ordered everyone to spread out in all directions and duck down to avoid the cannon fire. As a result, both cannonballs hit the city wall, leaving only two
A useless shallow pit.
However, one of the cannonballs crossed the city wall, flew straight into the city, and fell into a house of a commoner in the city, immediately causing a moderate commotion.
Li Zicheng, the king of Chuang, stood at the foot of the city and ordered more than twenty cannons to be fired. Then he ordered that the cannon fire be stopped temporarily to avoid accidentally injuring the people in the city.
At the same time, he also sent out his cavalry along the south city, shooting rattling arrows into the city from all directions, with King Chuang's "Edict" tied to the rattling arrows.
The content is as follows: King Chuang made a decree, and the army and the people obeyed it. Within two days, they burned incense and opened the doors to dedicate the city. The army did not commit any crimes in autumn and saved the lives of the city. The righteous army entered Ye County and only punished the traitorous general Guoneng.
When the people in Ye County City first saw the sound of arrows being fired from outside the city, they all rushed to avoid it.
Sure enough, a moment later, the rapid sound of horse hooves was heard, and at the same time, a shout was heard: "No one is allowed to pick up the thieves' arrows, and those who violate it will be punished as traitors!"
But before these Liu Guoneng's soldiers galloped forward to collect the rattling arrows, some brave people had already secretly put the rattling arrows into their arms and hid them.
There were also some sounding arrows that fell into some houses on the inside of the city wall and were secretly hidden by them, making it impossible to collect them all.
What's more, Liu Guoneng has only been in Ye County for more than two months, and his prestige has not yet been established. Although the people in the city are afraid of his soldiers, they do not obey his orders in private.
Soon all the officials and gentry in Ye County saw these "Edicts" issued by King Chuang, and the contents quickly spread throughout the city. Private discussions arose, and it was impossible to stop them.
For a time, the people in Ye County were panicked and the soldiers had no fighting spirit.
After all, even Luoyang, which has a high city, deep trenches, and well-equipped soldiers, cannot withstand the attack of the bandits. What's more, in a small Ye County, only Liu Guo can command more than 2,000 capable soldiers?
At the same time, the news that Xiangcheng, Linxian County, had surrendered and the whole city was saved from disaster, had also reached Ye County.
It is said that Cao Si, the magistrate of Xiangcheng County, summoned the gentry in the city to discuss the matter overnight after receiving the "little edict" from King Chuang. However, only Zhang Yongqi and his family refused to surrender, and everyone did not stop him and allowed his family to flee the city.
There are even rumors that just two days ago, after Xiangcheng Cao Sizheng personally surrendered to King Li Chuang, King Chuang did not send a large army into the city. Only a few elites entered the city to maintain law and order, and there was not too much killing or looting.
The gentry and people in Ye County are willing to surrender to the bandits. There has been an uproar everywhere, and Liu Guoneng naturally knows everything.
He hurriedly summoned several of his trusted subordinates to discuss countermeasures, but no one could come up with any good ideas. Some even very tactfully persuaded him to leave the city and surrender, believing that Li Chuang and Wang Nian were friends with him in the past and would definitely not harm him.
Liu Guoneng categorically rejected the proposal. After everyone left, he stayed alone in the room and thought hard, but could not think of any better way.
At this time, there was another rumbling sound of cannon outside the city. Liu Guoneng couldn't help but sigh. He wandered around the pillar and said to himself: "Oh, I didn't expect that I, Liu Guoneng, would end up like this!"
Just before noon, the officials and gentry in Ye County came to the door of Liu Guoneng's house to ask for an audience. He ordered people to welcome him into the meeting hall to meet him. The atmosphere was deserted and awkward, but it was very different from when he first arrived.
same.
He vaguely remembered that when he first arrived in Ye County two months ago, he set up his deputy general's office in this mansion. At that time, it was also in this meeting hall, which was very majestic.
What's more, just ten days ago, Liu Guoneng summoned local officials and gentry in this hall to discuss various matters of strengthening the city's defense.
At the banquet after the meeting that day, the guests and hosts enjoyed themselves. At that time, everyone thought that the intruder Li Zicheng would not come in person. Even if a small group of thieves invaded, and they were happy that Liu Guo could bring 2,000 troops, Ye County would be safe.
That night, the officials and gentry in Ye County were chatting and laughing even more, and they praised Liu Guo's ability to clean up the troops and make the place look like the Great Wall.
However, once upon a time, who could have imagined that the situation would suddenly change. Today, the hall is full of sad faces, and the atmosphere is extremely heavy, as if the city is about to be breached by thieves and everyone is on the verge of death.
After the guests and hosts were seated, the leading gentry took the lead and said: "Now the officials and gentry of a city have come to see the general for no other reason than to ask the general to try to save the lives of the officials, gentry, soldiers and civilians of my city."
Liu Guoneng naturally understood their intention in his heart, but he deliberately said on his face: "This town is working hard to strengthen the city defense, defend it with all its strength, and prepare to fight to the death with the bandits.
The reason is to preserve the wealth and lives of the officials and gentry in the city!"
Another gentry then followed up and said: "Looking at the situation inside and outside today, there are many thieves and powerful soldiers, but I have a small number of soldiers. We can never win in a deadly battle, and we have no confidence in defending the city. If we hold on, we will not be able to save the officials, gentry and people.
, but will suffer the massacre of the city.
Has the general ever thought about this?"
After hearing what Liu Guoneng said, although he was very angry in his heart, he did not show any anger on his face. He said impassionedly and loudly: "As a royal minister and a general, I have no reason to surrender to the thieves.
All I want to think about is how to hold on to the city and lead the soldiers to fight to the death with the thieves. I don’t care about anything else!"
At this time, there was an older gentry who was originally a judge in the county and had also taught in other counties. Now he was idle at home. After listening to Liu Guoneng's words, he asked disapprovingly: "The general is one of his own."
For the sake of 'loyalty', have you ever thought about the wealth and lives of the people of Hecheng?"
Liu Guoneng was speechless for a moment. After being stunned for a moment, he sighed and said firmly: "As a military general, I only have three words in my heart."
The old Juren couldn't help but blurt out and asked: "What three words?"
"Not afraid of death."
Deputy Commander-in-Chief Liu Guoneng looked resolute and emphasized three words firmly in his tone. Although his voice was not loud, all the officials and gentry in the room could hear it clearly.
But today's goal has not been achieved, how could these gentry let him go?
I saw another gentleman immediately say angrily: "General, these three words 'not afraid of death' will affect the lives of the people in my city."
He stood up suddenly and shouted: "Has the general forgotten the original meaning of 'loving and protecting the people'?"
Liu Guoneng was not frightened by him. Instead, he looked at him angrily and said in a deep voice: "This town loves the people, so we were ordered to garrison in Ye County. The soldiers of this town have never disturbed the people without reason since they were stationed in the city.
.
This...everyone has witnessed it."
Seeing that the atmosphere was becoming tense, a gentleman said: "When the general came here, he did not disturb the place and he also cared about the people.
But today is different from the past. The current thieves are extremely powerful and difficult to defeat. For the sake of the people in the city, whether to surrender or fight, a decision must be made today.
If you surrender, a city will be preserved, but if you fight, the whole city will be massacred. What is the general thinking?"
Although Liu Guoneng was very disappointed with them, he still insisted: "In the opinion of this town, Ye County can be sustained for a long time, and the intruders will never stay here too long."
Zhang Woyi, the magistrate of Ye County, originally didn't want to talk, but now the gentry couldn't persuade Liu Guoneng at all. The two sides were already at loggerheads, and there might be a conflict if the argument continued.
When he saw this, he had no choice but to speak: "Please give General Liu a second thought. At present, the soldiers have no fighting spirit, the people have no solid will, and the city is isolated without help. It is inevitable that everything will be destroyed."
This county is also an official of the imperial court. Since I came here, I naturally have the responsibility to defend the territory. The general is loyal to the imperial court. Doesn't this county have no loyalty?
This county was also a Jinshi. He read the books of sages and received the teachings of Confucius and Mencius when he was young. The four words "loyalty to the emperor and patriotism" have always been kept in mind since he was a child.
However……
However, now the people of the city are waiting for a decision, and the safety of the whole city depends entirely on the general. If the general and the county can consider the safety of the people, temporarily surrender to the bandits, and save the lives of the people in the city, it will also be possible.