The news of the incoming bandits has been going on for five days.
Xu Zongxian, the magistrate of Zhenyuan County, supported the female wall and looked at the sky-covering flags stretching out of the military formation outside the city, frowning.
He had known that the rogue bandits were coming. In the past few days, gentry who had fled from the river valley into the city had been sending intermittent information.
The thieves built strongholds in the valleys, felled forests and harvested wood, incited people in the fields and villages to denounce big households, used lynchings, stormed forts and destroyed strongholds, burned IOUs, and distributed farmland and grain to tenant farmers and long-term and short-term workers, deceiving the people.
But Xu Zongxian never thought that rogue bandits would dare to attack the city.
County magistrate was his first official position selected by the Ministry of Civil Affairs after he was elected. His term has expired and he is just waiting for inspection.
A good friend who entered the Imperial College in the same year wrote a letter some time ago saying that due to the invasion of the Jin Dynasty in Beizhili, there were vacancies of varying degrees of officials in various places, and he advised him not to miss the rank of county magistrate.
Even if you go to a government in Beizhili to have an eighth-grade experience, it will be much better than being a county magistrate in Shaanxi.
Xu Zongxian wrote back that he was not afraid of bandits, and told his friends of the same year that the situation in Shaanxi was a little more difficult, but it was not enough to scare away the imperial officials.
Why Liu Wu Liu Liu Han Chao Zai, but the hungry people gathered together.
His Zhenyuan, even today, still has thousands of residents inside the city, and more than 10,000 people outside the city. He can protect and rule the people, and the people can also protect him.
What's more, as a border town, the county treasury is equipped with all kinds of weapons, and the city is highly dangerous. Even if there are only 500 defenders, they can block the attack of 5,000 people from the east.
As for hungry people gathering in crowds, the more people come, the better they can be defended.
If 100,000 people came, he wouldn't even have to defend, he would win in two days.
But it wasn't until he was woken up this morning that Xu Zongxian knew that the thieves in Shaanxi were not all hungry people like Liu Wu Liu Liu Han Chao Zai.
Outside the east gate of Zhenyuan City, Wei Qian'er rode out into battle alone, carrying his shield and riding his horse across the stone bridge on the moat.
He looked at the closed city gate twenty or thirty steps away, and at the bows and arrows of the hastily assembled defenders on the city wall, and shouted loudly: "I am ten times as good as you. Surrender quickly to ensure the safety of the people. Dare to join us?"
With one arrow, the commander's artillery blasted together, but don't blame it for killing the people!"
Across the moat, a banner with the Chinese character Liu on a red background and gold rim flutters.
Xu Zongxian looked at the neatly organized cavalry under his banner, everyone wearing red cotton armor, and the artillery placed by the river, and he couldn't help but feel fear in his heart.
He withdrew his gaze, searched the faces of his friends at the top of the city and the secretary's office, and asked, "Where is Cui Cong, the supervisor?"
The supervisor's name was Cui Cong. He was originally an official in charge of horse administration at Taipu Temple in Shaanxi Province in Pingliang Prefecture. His rank was higher than that of the county magistrate. However, after too many war horses died, he was demoted to Qingpingyuan as the supervisor.
In the first two years, the county could not collect taxes. After Lao Dianshi left, no one from Dianshi took up his post, and there were no inspectors. Xu Zongxian did not ask the court for new inspections. Later, he simply eliminated all inspectors and Minzhuang.
Now, basic defense depends on the benefactors of Qingpingyuan.
Therefore, in Zhenyuan County, Supervisor Cui Cong was the only military talent Xu Zongxian could rely on.
After asking around the book office, no one knew where Cui Cong had gone, which made Xu Zongxian as anxious as an ant on a hot pot.
Seeing that the magistrate was anxious, the county clerk had no choice but to ask the Minzhuang, led by the military secretary, who was gathering on the city. Finally someone said: "Sir, Superintendent Cui seems to have gone to the county treasury!"
County Treasury?
Xu Zongxian originally wanted to ask Cui Cong whether to fight or surrender, but when he looked in the direction of the county treasury, he already knew Cui Cong's answer.
The dust-covered magic machine arrow carts were rolled out from the county treasury, and the civilians gathered by Cui Cong carried bundles of weapons to the city head. At this time, the benevolent army rode up the horse road to the city wall and ran across the barbican to deliver the message:
"Sir, Supervisor Cui is asking you to stabilize the enemy army first and delay it. He will come soon."
Then the enemy army drove mule carts loaded with gunpowder into the East Gate Wengcheng, used shovels and picks to lift up the bricks and stones on the Wengcheng floor, and dug tunnels.
Cui Cong led more than a dozen county student members who arrived late. They climbed onto the city and took a look at the city. He looked around at the defenders at the top of the city and asked the county magistrate: "Sir, you...have done nothing?"
Xu Zongxian was very confused about this question: "I'll wait for you!"
Cui Cong closed his eyes with some helplessness. This magistrate is good at everything, but he doesn't know how to fight.
When he first heard the news that the rebels had entered the valley a few days ago, he suggested that the county magistrate should discuss the matter of defending the city. However, the gentry and officials in the county believed that the rebels did not dare to attack the city.
He and the county officials were not in the same system, so he had to give up and go to the county treasury to inventory weapons and equipment, contact the county student members, and let them prepare to defend the city.
In the early years, Zhenyuan was often plundered by the northern barbarians who broke into the border wall. Therefore, in military matters, local soldiers knew more about the importance of military affairs than the exiled officials.
By this time, Xu Zongxian started to panic and asked: "Cui Jianzheng, the bandits are approaching the city. What should we do?"
At this moment, a benevolent army came running along the north city wall and reported: "My lords, there are more than a thousand thieves arrayed on the plateau outside the north gate, and they have robbed more than 300 garden horses."
"You bastard!"
Cui Cong cursed, waved his hand and asked: "Are there any casualties in the benevolent army?"
The sources of the herding army in Yuanma Temple are complex. They include reorganized troops, full-fledged troops and drawn-out troops. In fact, they are mainly divided into benefactor troops from the conscripted troops and troops drawn from the guards.
But by this time, there were so many deserters at the guard station that it was too late for the hookers to withdraw them. Therefore, the horse herding soldiers in Qingpingyuan were all benefactors, and they were not exiled from the army. They were basically recruited refugees. p>
Because Qingpingyuan manages many horse farms and selects land suitable for growing grain, the drought also has a great impact on them.
It's amazing to say that the drought left the enemy's army with insufficient rations, and Cui Cong refused to receive rations every time he submitted a letter.
Later, he changed his strategy and instead of asking for food from the army, he went to the Trilateral General Administration and Heping Liangxing Taipu Temple and said that if there was not enough food for the horses in the pasture, he could always ask for beans.
And there are a lot of beans. After all, it is known that one horse can eat as much as eight people, and the number of horses in Qingpingyuan is five times that of the enemy.
Therefore, Cui Cong's enjun's food is not bad, and it is a very enviable job in Zhenyuan County during the drought.
"A few people were detained, but they did not use weapons. They asked us to come back and send a message that surrendering to Kaicheng would not hurt any officials or civilians."
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Cui Cong breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that he was okay, but then he began to worry about gains and losses.
If word spreads that thieves do not kill, the city will be more difficult to defend.
After all, defending a city is never the job of one person or a few people.
It requires the officials, troops and people in the city to reach an agreement on the issue of defense.
But at present, it seems that this requirement is difficult to meet.
The magistrate asked him what to do. Cui Cong thought about countless opportunities to win. Finally, he took a deep breath and asked firmly: "Xu parents, I can hold off the enemy for half a day. Can you and your colleagues take over the city?"
Are all the people moving westward?"
Xu Zongxian was so surprised that he blurted out: "All of them moved westward?"
"Yes, all the people and merchants in the city moved westward. They entered Guyuan territory sixty miles west and transported weapons and food to the southwest fortress. I can stand there waiting for reinforcements."
Seeing the shocked expressions of everyone on the city wall, Cui Cong sighed in his heart.
It was difficult for him to explain the city's offensive and defensive issues to these officials who had no knowledge of military affairs, so he had to say: "Zhenyuan City has more than four square miles and more than 1,700 crenellations. I only have 500 benefactors."
The city is very tall and strong, and the terrain is very dangerous, but Cui Cong believed that he could lead his 500 benevolent troops to retreat to the fortress southwest of the city with weapons and supplies. Even if there was no moat there, it would be easier to defend it.
A city is a permanent military formation, and it needs to be equipped with a field force corresponding to its size to maximize its defensive effectiveness.
What's more, they also have a defensive purpose. What is the purpose of defending the enemy?
"The governors of the three sides have stationed in Ningzhou, and the bandits have only two possibilities at this point. Either Ningzhou has fallen and fell into the hands of the bandits; or the bandits dare not attack Ningzhou and march against Guyuan, which lacks troops."
Cui Cong explained: "We are guarding Zhenyuan. The people in the city can only get in and out, which consumes a lot of money. There are many battlements. Civilians need to be mobilized to prepare the city gate. If it is attacked, it will be broken."
"The thieves have occupied Zhenyuan and will still march westward. There will be no soldiers to defend Guyuan. When the time comes, the thieves will loot everywhere. We and all of us are deeply responsible for our crimes and we may not be able to escape death."
Cui Cong pointed to the southwest castle in the distance and said: "If I defend for half a day, Xu's parents evacuate the people and store the food and weapons in the fortress. When the people withdraw, I will also lead 500 benevolent troops to garrison the small fort. There is only one person in that fort.
One hundred and seventy crenels."
"What's more, with the mountain wall to the west, even if the bandits besiege me day and night, I still have enough troops to defend day and night. As long as the fortress is still there, the bandits will not dare to cross me. I will stay and wait for reinforcements. No matter where the reinforcements arrive from the east or west of the valley, I will be able to defend them day and night."
Protect Guyuan, there is nothing to be robbed in Zhenyuan County, and the bandits will retreat in a few days."
Cui Cong cupped his fists and said, "This is the only chance Cui has to win."
To the ears of officials in the city, these words were not what they were.
He focused on Guyuan Prefecture, Pingliang Prefecture, and Qingyang Prefecture to imagine this battle.
When the battle is over, the city will still be back in their hands.
The most important thing is that Cui Cong's job is horses. As long as most of the horses are still there and the city is not lost, he is not responsible.
Therefore, Zhenyuan City was not considered, but the city walls were filled with Zhenyuan County officials. If the city fell, their guilt would be worse than death.
People looked at each other in disbelief, clinging to the city still had a reputation for loyalty. If they abandoned the city and moved away, even if they could win the battle in the end, their careers would be over.
The first person to speak was the county magistrate, who flatly refused: "Master Xu, there are enemy troops in the east and north of the city. Who can guarantee that there will be no enemy troops in the west of the city? If you rush out of the city, you will lose everything. It is better to defend and seize the opportunity."
Help can give us a glimmer of hope."
The Hufang Secretary also said: "There are many battlements, so we will recruit militiamen. The villagers know their loyalty and will defend it to the death."
Xu Zongxian also said: "This city cannot be lost, and the benevolent army cannot leave. We can only defend it to the death. Defending the city is not because of the high danger of the city, but because of the people's hearts in the city. We are united as one, and the thieves will not be able to break the city. If you are frightened, this
Even if the city is impregnable, it cannot be defended."
After that, the county magistrate said to Cui Cong: "Cui Jianzheng, you know the best about soldiers, so just think about defending the city."
Speaking of this, Cui Cong knew that his suggestions were useless, and the instructions made sense. If there were enemy troops in the west of the city, his plan would not be completed.
He bowed to those around him and said: "Xu's parents and colleagues have made up their minds to defend to the death. I think the most important thing at the moment is for us to work together to count the defenders, divide them into five groups, and deploy defenses on all sides." p>
"One guard will be placed on each side, in order of priority. The most urgent point is the east gate, followed by the south wall, then the north gate, and finally the west gate."
After Cui Cong finished speaking, everyone nodded, and then he continued: "Xu's parents led another group of reserve troops and horses to coordinate in the city. If there is an emergency from all sides, they will send reinforcements; if there is no danger in the city, they will recruit people and prepare for the transportation of grain and grass.
Weapons, raising wood, fuel, oil, food, dung, and water."
Xu Zongxian knew that his ability was not in military affairs, but also felt that what Cui Cong said was reasonable, so he nodded to him and said, "Just follow what Cui Jianzheng said."
Then he turned to look at the people around him, bowed his hands in a circle, and said: "Everyone has heard that Cui Supervisor is from the Ministry of War. The city has fallen, so Yuan Ma can still be taken away; we are all local officials.
If Zhenyuan falls, no one can escape the blame of the imperial court."
Immediately, four gates of defense were deployed, and the most important east gate was handed over to Cui Cong. The remaining three sides were guarded by Jiaoyu and two scholars who had read military books.
At this time, the earth mountain built by Liu Chengzong outside the city had been completed.
The mountain was two feet higher than the city wall. He climbed up the mountain and looked through the telescope, and saw officials in colorful official uniforms gathered on the city gate tower.
I also saw that a lot of defensive weapons had been placed on the city wall.
Knowing that it was unlikely that the city would be destroyed without attack, he ordered the flag bearer to wave the flag, recall Wei Qian'er from the city, and called Cao Yao to climb the mountain and hand over the telescope.
"Brother Cao, what do you see on the city?"
Cao Yao took the telescope and looked at it, grinning and saying: "Isn't that a nest of dressed-up beasts?"
Liu Chengzong said angrily: "I'm not asking you to watch people or guard the city equipment. I have never used those things and I don't know them."
"That car is a magical arrow, there is a bowl-mouth cannon on the city, the wooden box is a hundred tigers running together and it is also a rocket, and there are general cannons... You have to get down from here in a while, rockets and cannons can hit this place
."
Liu Chengzong was surprised and said: "Can a rocket hit so far? I let one off at Yuhe Fort, and it flew thirty steps into the sky."
"Yes, it depends on how it is done. The medicine needs to be compacted, and the thread needs to be drilled straight and straight. After the fire comes out of the thread, it will fly straight. If the craftsman does not compact the medicine and drill the holes straight, it will be messy.
Fly."
After speaking, Cao Yao turned around and said: "We don't know how the rockets are made in the city, so it's better to be careful. But I think these beasts are all at a good distance on the city tower... I'll try to push Hongyi up the mountain.
Bombard the city gate tower?"
Liu Chengzong estimated the distance and found it was about two hundred steps. Then he raised his arm and pointed at Cao Yao and asked, "The man in green robe is the county magistrate. Can you get it right?"
Cao Yao shook his head decisively: "Give me a wind-chasing gun and I can kill him. Asking me to use a cannon to aim at a person would be too much."
With that said, he called on the artillerymen to push the red barbarian artillery up the winding dirt road along the mountain, and said: "Seven pounds of closed-mouth iron bullets will definitely not work, but if you spray them with loose bullets, I think I can knock down all the bullets."
"Let's spray. After spraying on the east side, first use two siege vehicles to cross the bridge and pretend to attack, and then attack mainly on the south side."
A moment later, just as the gate tower officials were about to disperse, Cao Yao set up his big treasure on the mountain, aimed at the city gate tower and blasted it, causing the entire mountain to be filled with smoke and dust.
For a moment, there was chaos at the top of the city. The artillery positions lined up along the moat also roared in unison. A barrage of artillery fire was fired at the top of the city, so heavy that the defenders did not dare to raise their heads. The mighty army then pushed the siege vehicles.