The fierce fighting lasted from Mao hour to the end of Chen hour. The Weizhou town army camp was full of casualties. Almost all the more than 200 tooth soldiers who remained in the camp were killed.
The will of these people to resist is extremely strong, because according to the rules of this era, if they fight to this extent, they will definitely fight to the death.
Other soldiers usually have a way to survive if they take refuge, but these tooth soldiers who have accumulated a lot of treasure in the city definitely have no way of survival.
Because generally speaking, in order to seize their property, they will definitely choose to kill them all. If they don't kill them all, how can the people who seize the property feel at ease?
Before the shouts of killing from the military camp stopped, the state government office had been breached. General Wang Zhen led more than a hundred soldiers and quickly retreated to the Wubao built behind the state government office.
This is the family fortress of the Wang family of General Wang Zhen. General Wang Zhen relied on this fort to survive several turmoils in the Chang Yi Army. He survived many of his comrades who were jumping up and down, and became a signature of the Chang Yi Army.
The sign of being able to be stubborn.
But this time, General Wang Zhen knew that he might not be able to escape, but he did not dare to open the gate of Wubao to surrender now. According to the ethics of rebels in this era, opening the gate would mean the annihilation of the clan.
As the sky grew brighter, a large number of men, women, and children began to gather outside Wangjiawu Fort. They were all ordinary people living in Weizhou City. People in troubled times were not as good as Taiping dogs, that's all.
Although the rebellious tooth soldiers of the Zhangyi Army did not wash out Weizhou City in order to have a stable logistics base, but when these tooth soldiers were defeated, how could Weizhou City avoid the reckoning of the Autumn Queen?
In the eyes of the imperial court, they must have colluded with the rebel soldiers, and they were traitors who would not hesitate to die.
Therefore, in their eyes, the Guiyi Army who entered the city undoubtedly represented the imperial court, and they would definitely kill all the 'rebellious' people like them.
More and more people gathered, and the cries and pleas became louder and louder. Although Wang Zhenjiang was a little greedy for money, and he was not necessarily a good person in ordinary times, he was a native of Weizhou after all, and it was not easy for him to behave in front of the elders in his hometown.
It's too much.
Therefore, compared to He Chuan's brutal tooth soldiers, General Wang Zhen is still reliable to the people of Weizhou.
At this moment, they were suddenly in trouble. Most of the people dragged their families and ran outside Wangjiawu Fort, hoping to get shelter.
But General Wang Zhen would not dare to open the door, but everyone has the mentality of following the crowd. Even if General Wang Zhen did not open the door, they would not be able to be protected, but there were still people running to Wangjiawu Fort. Gradually, rumors spread directly to the Wang family.
Wubao can survive.
After Shanzhu'er and Lu Sanlang took over the state government, they found no trace of General Wang Zhen and immediately came to Wangjiawu Fort. However, when they saw this situation, they had no choice but to do anything.
They both know Zhang Zhao's temper. This King Sikong always pays attention to the principle. Although he is by no means a good person, he certainly will not kill innocent people indiscriminately.
While he could only keep an eye on Wangjiawu Fort, he sent people straight to the military camp to look for Zhang Zhao.
The situation on Zhang Zhao's side was even more chaotic. After the chaos in the military camp, a large number of defeated troops fled from the east city. Along with them, a large number of people also fled out of the city.
The fire in the military camp also ignited nearby residential buildings, and the fire began to burn after dawn.
Fortunately, most of the Guiyi army also entered the city, but there was a problem: Zhang Zhao did not dare to use the thousands of people in Yuanzhou Dangxiang.
These party members are often sent to Sanguankou by the Weizhou Army to hunt grass and valleys. The hatred between the two sides is not small. If they enter the city and there are no strict restrictions, who knows what they can do?
"Sir! The boy from the Wu family is here again, and he has brought someone with him. He must see you!"
While arrangements were being made for putting out the fire and chasing down the deserters, Murong Nobunaga walked in while wiping the blood on his body with a piece of silk cloth.
Wu Guoer knelt down in front of Zhang Zhao with a pop, pointed at the people behind him who were also kneeling on the ground and said.
"Wu Guo'er pays homage to Sikong. This is Wu Ying'er, the elder brother of the servant. Both brothers are willing to serve Sikong."
Zhang Zhao looked at the middle-aged man behind Wu Guoer. He was wearing a green round-collared robe. He had long hands and big feet, and there were calluses on his left and right hands. He seemed to be a long-term wielder of guns and sticks.
"I think Sikong's first priority is to go outside Wangjiawu Fort now. If Sikong doesn't want to go on a killing spree, this is the best chance to regain the hearts and minds of Weizhou. A certain martial arts family is willing to help Sikong pacify Weizhou."
"Wangjiawu Fort? What's going on? Can you tell me?"
Shanzhu'er's envoy hadn't arrived yet, and Zhang Zhao didn't know anything about Wangjiawu Fort yet, so he asked a little strangely.
Wu Ying'er hurriedly told the story about Wangjiawubao, "We are people in Weizhou, mainly with the surnames of Wang, Li, Sun, and Wu. We have about 6,000 households and 37,000 people. There are about three or four people."
Cheng, they all live in the city.
Wang Zhenjiang has been in Weizhou for more than 20 years. He has been fairly fair in his dealings and has not done much harm to the people, so people are still convinced.
If Sikong wants to plunder and leave, he can just set fire to it, but if he wants to win back the hearts of Weizhou and defeat He Chuan and other rebels, he must win over General Wang Zhen."
After listening to this, Zhang Zhao felt that it was a bit outrageous and magical. How low are people’s expectations at this time?
Judging from the information he received, this Wang Zhenjiang has been plucking feathers in Weizhou for more than 20 years and accumulated a large amount of wealth. Apart from only taking by chance and not plundering, and rarely killing anyone, he has no advantages at all.
.
Most of the fertile fields outside Weizhou City, which are easy to irrigate, belong to the family of General Wang Zhen. This kind of guy has a long-standing reputation.
Wu Ying'er certainly didn't expect that Zhang Zhao was thinking this. He thought that Zhang Zhao was no different from other military commanders. They all wanted to plunder and plunder in order to replace rewards and maintain military morale and morale.
"Sikong, the property of the rebellious soldiers has been kept under guard by the tribe, and we are waiting for Sikong to go and check it. A certain martial arts family is also willing to pay three thousand guan to be used by Sikong to reward the army. I believe that the Wang family and other wealthy families are also willing to pay money."
Zhang Zhao waved his hand and signaled the Wu brothers on the ground to get up. He smiled noncommittally. At this time, the Shanzhuer faction people also arrived.
Zhang Zhao asked Murong Nobunaga to lead people to collect the goods brought back by the rebel soldiers, and said to the Wu brothers: "Then I will ask your brother to lead the way. I will go to Wangjiawu Fort to have a look."
Outside Wangjiawu Fort, at least three to four thousand people had gathered, accounting for almost half of the entire city's population.
Zhang Zhao looked around on the horse and saw that almost all of them were civilians wearing linen clothes and their hair was wrapped with a few strips of cloth.
Thousands of people gathered together, but not much sound was made. Even the ignorant and ignorant children huddled tightly in the arms of their parents, with fear in their eyes.
These civilians gathered at the main entrance of Wangjiawu Fort, blocking the door and unable to open it. Men were outside, women and children were inside, and all kinds of tattered household items were thrown on the floor. The desperate atmosphere revealed a suffocating feeling.
nervous.
Lu Sanlang saw Zhang Zhao approaching and hurried forward. His mind was much more flexible than Shanzhuer's, and he was also more sensitive to politics.
"Sikong, since these people arrived, no one from the Wang family has come out. But just now, hundreds of strong men who looked like soldiers were hoisted up in hanging baskets."
"In Wangjiawu Fort, there are five large warehouses and several wells, which can hold thousands of people for several months. It is better for the servants to come forward and persuade them. As long as Sikong does not pursue the Wang family's mistakes, General Wang Zhen will be willing to open the door and seek refuge.
"Wu Ying'er said beside Zhang Zhao.
A bright smile appeared on Zhang Zhao's face, "A certain person led troops from Hexi to the east. He actually came to serve the country. Those who committed the rebellion were He Chuan, the envoy of the Changyi Army Jiedu Yaqian, and other thieves. They had nothing to do with the residents of the city.
Wu Ya can tell General Wang Zhen that what he wants is just to destroy the rebels, collect their ill-gotten gains, and prevent Guanzhong from being corrupted.
After a few days of repairs, we will march eastward to fight the bandits. At that time, we will need General Wang Zhen and Wu Yaya to serve the country together."
Wu Ying'er took a careful look at Zhang Zhao without leaving any trace, and saw that there was no trace of sullenness on Zhang Zhao's face, and his words were very sincere, and he was immediately relieved.
From Zhang Zhao's words, he judged that the main purpose of Zhang Zhao's advance was to show off his skills to the world.
It is true that there is some intention to perform meritorious service for the imperial court, and it may be that he wants to be recognized and rewarded by the imperial court.
Besides, Wu Ying'er thought about it and found out that He Chuan and others' belongings in Weizhou City amounted to 50,000 to 60,000 guan, plus the property of Sun Shijiang and others, it also amounted to several thousand guan, which should be enough to satisfy Zhang Sikong.
"Hexi has not been owned by the state for more than a hundred years, and its connections with the Central Plains are not smooth. In the past, when the Tang Dynasty was in power, Liangzhou was the capital of Dayi, where business and travel exchanges continued without interruption.
However, it was later captured by the Tibetans and the trade routes were blocked. Times became increasingly difficult. If the chaos can be settled this time and everyone in the world knows that Liangzhou has returned to the country, it will definitely be a blessing to the people of Hexi if the past prosperity can be restored to some extent.
."
Zhang Zhao seemed to be afraid that Wu Ying'er wouldn't believe it, so he explained it carefully, and this was indeed the second effect he wanted to achieve by sending troops this time.
After Tubo captured Liangzhou, not to mention the people in the Central Plains, even the people in Weizhou on the border did not know the situation in Liangzhou.
I don’t understand, but merchants from the Central Plains, except for the Sogdians from Hexi, basically don’t consider coming here.
The small loop of the Silk Road that Zhang Zhao worked so hard to build was no longer followed when it arrived in Liangzhou. How could this be possible?
Therefore, through this battle to quell the chaos, Liangzhou was returned to the eyes of the people of the world, and it was transformed from a place occupied by the barbarians outside the territory in the hearts of the Central Plains people to a place owned by the Han people themselves.
In this way, no matter whether they are businessmen or others, they would dare to go to Liangzhou, and it would also be beneficial for Zhang Zhao to recruit talented and learned people from the Central Plains to Liangzhou.
These words, eight truths and two lies, immediately convinced Wu Ying'er.
It turned out that Zhang Sikong's dream was bigger than his own. He actually wanted to develop trade routes and bring Liangzhou back to his country.
In this way, the Guiyi Army must establish a good image in front of the world, and then they will be safe.
"Sikong is indeed a loyal minister of the country. I will go in and persuade General Wang Zhen. If we unite as one, we will be able to quell the rebellion for the imperial court as soon as possible!"
Wu Ying'er felt a little emotional. In this era, there are really not many people like Zhang Zhao, even those who can say these few words.
Zhang Zhao watched Wu Ying'er enter Wangjiawu Fort, his face immediately darkened, and he pulled Guo Tiance aside.
"Wu Ying'er and General Wang Zhen must be colluding. Go and find all the Weizhou soldiers who have been lowered from the city wall in the past few days and are willing to join us. I will be of great use!"
Huh! Zhang Zhao snorted in his heart. This General Wang Zhen is quite good at winning people's hearts. I'm afraid it won't be long before Weizhou City will spread the legend that it was General Wang Zhen who persuaded Zhang Sikong to save the whole city.
Unfortunately, in Wang Zhenjiang's view, this was just a trivial matter to manipulate public opinion in order to protect himself, but it deeply offended Zhang Zhao's taboo.
People's hope is something that cannot be seen or touched, and is of little use to ordinary people at ordinary times.
But for Zhang Zhao who wants to take over the Central Plains, it is of great use. You, a small town general, come to compete with Zhang Sikong for popularity. If you don't die, who will die?
Moreover, after Zhang Zhao repaired things in Weizhou, he would definitely send troops again to quell the rebellion. In this way, Weizhou has become an important rear base. How can Zhang Zhao keep such a "popular" person in Wangzhen?