Strictly speaking, Zhang Ji is Liu Rui's fiancé, but Liu Xin will not admit this. In his impression, Zhang Ji's ability is not as good as that of his nephew Zhang Xiu, and Zhang Ji's age is also too high.
A little older. Liu Xin really regards Liu Rui as his daughter. There are many heroes in the world, and he doesn't want his daughter to marry Zhang Ji. However, Liu Xin also heard Zhao Yun say that Zhang Ji has been asking about Liu Rui.
The whereabouts of Rui seem to be a person who values love and justice.
Looking at Zhang Ji being escorted in front of him, Liu Xin really hoped that Zhao Yun did not capture him alive, but shot him to death directly, so that he could save himself more brains. Despite this, Liu Xin still felt that he was an aboveboard person.
Well, he decided to tell Zhang Ji the truth of the matter and test what Zhang Ji was thinking.
Liu Xin glanced at Zhang Ji and asked, "Are you Zhang Ji, Dong Zhuo's favorite general?"
Zhang Ji glared with a pair of bull's eyes and said "hum" without answering.
Liu Xin was not angry and continued to ask: "I heard from Zilong that you are looking for a family named Zou in Wancheng?"
After Zhang Ji was captured, he thought he was certain to die, so he deliberately acted as if he was ready to die. Now that he heard Liu Xin mentioned the Zou family's affairs, he was quite surprised, and he couldn't help but feel a desire to live again, and his face softened.
, said: "Yes, I saved a man many years ago, and he promised to betroth his daughter to me. This man did not tell me his name. He only said that he was from a wealthy family in Wancheng, and his surname was Zou. I would know it when I asked.
"
Liu Xin said calmly: "I know this family."
Zhang Ji's eyes suddenly shone and he asked, "Please tell me their whereabouts."
Liu Xin said with an indifferent look: "You are already a dying person, why do you still ask about them?"
"This..." Zhang Ji suddenly choked.
Liu Xin still said expressionlessly: "The person you saved back then died at the hands of the Yellow Turbans. Only the mother and daughter are left, living in my house."
"Ah!" Zhang Ji was shocked.
Liu Xin didn't care about the expression on Zhang Ji's face at all, and still said calmly: "The person who agreed to marry that girl to you is your biological father, and I am your stepfather. I have no need to acknowledge your engagement, because
You are not worthy of my daughter at all. However, for the sake of her biological father, I will give you two choices. One, you hold a wedding with her, and after the ceremony, I will immediately push you out and behead you. Two, you
If you take the initiative to terminate the engagement, I will let you go back to Luoyang now."
Zhang Ji didn't expect Liu Xin to say such words. He made his choice without any hesitation: "I choose the second option, and please don't break your promise."
In fact, it is normal for Zhang Ji to make such a choice. He saved Liu Rui's biological father that year by chance, but when Liu Rui's biological father betrothed his daughter to him, he was still a little moved. Because he
She knew that the Zou family was very wealthy, and that Liu Rui was the only daughter in the family and very beautiful. However, all of this was insignificant compared to her own life.
Liu Xin had also expected that he would make such a choice. After all, this was an era where men were superior to women. Not to mention Zhang Ji, even in Liu Bei's eyes, a woman was just like a piece of clothing, not as important as his own life.
If he chooses the first option, Liu Xin will definitely not kill him, but will marry Liu Rui to him and take him as his own. After all, he can be considered a kind and righteous person. However, now Zhang Ji
Choosing the second option, Liu Xin also felt relieved. At least he didn't have to bear the psychological burden of breaking up Zhang Ji's marriage.
Just after Zhang Ji fled the Jingzhou Army's camp in embarrassment, the soldiers of the Jingzhou Army assembled the trebuchet overnight.
Early the next morning, before the defenders of Yique Pass had started eating breakfast, a loud "boom, boom" sound suddenly came from outside the city. Before they could understand what had happened, the sky, which had not yet been fully lit, suddenly went dark. Then, large and small stones fell overwhelmingly on the top of the city. This rain of stones did not stop for two hours. The defenders had never experienced such a blow, and they could not even evade at first. I don't know, many people raised their shields to resist, but still got their heads smashed and bloody.
Not to mention how to deal with this kind of siege equipment, the defenders had never even heard of it. They were originally panicked because Dong Zhuo wanted to move the capital to Chang'an, but now they suffered heavy losses and finally couldn't hold on any longer, so they quickly raised the white flag. .
Dong Zhuo's men were still driving the people away in Luoyang, frantically plundering women and property. Lu Bu, who had just returned to Luoyang after blocking Cao Cao's pursuers, heard that his Bingzhou cavalry would be transferred to block Liu Xin, and he didn't even blink an eye. Of course he understood the danger of this mission. These 5,000 people were all veterans who followed him and were all his brothers. The result of blocking Liu Xin this time was almost certain to be that the entire army would be annihilated. But Lu Bu didn't do anything. Feeling heartbroken, he is now Dong Zhuo's adopted son, and all he has to consider is how to win Dong Zhuo's favor. The life and death of these people have long been no longer in his heart. Lu Bu can't wait to take the Xiliang cavalry newly allocated to him. Excavate the tombs of emperors and empresses on the outskirts of Luoyang city as well as the tombs of ministers and officials.
Liu Xin did not climb the tower of Yique Pass. He stood at the foot of the pass, looked up at the tall and majestic city wall, and said: "Zhang Ren, I will leave you 10,000 people, and I will leave this pass to you. "
Zhang Ren did not expect Liu Xin to trust him so much. He was surprised and said: "My lord has an order, and I will do my best in the end. It's just that Zhang Ren is just a surrendered general. This Yique Pass connects Yingchuan and Luoyang." How can my lord entrust such an important task to the general?"
Liu Xin smiled and said: "Zhang Ren, I know that you are loyal and righteous, and you are definitely not the kind of person who talks twice or goes back on your word. Don't worry, I know you are still grateful to your old master. If you have any conflicts with Xichuan again in the future, It won’t embarrass you.”
Zhang Ren clasped his hands in his fists and choked with sobs: "I will definitely go through fire and water for my lord from now on, no matter what. As long as Zhang Ren is still breathing, I will never let this pass go wrong!"
Liu Xin patted his shoulder and said with a smile: "It's not that serious. Our army left the border and headed for Luoyang. Yingchuan is also in our hands behind. There shouldn't be anyone coming to seize the pass in the near future. The people of Luoyang are suffering. Dong Zhuo is very vicious, and we are in dire straits. It is inevitable that some people will flee south. You cannot close the gate tightly to guard the pass, making it impossible for the people to pass. Just conduct strict inspections to prevent spies from sneaking into the pass. In addition, according to what the surrendering army said, Dong Zhuo wants to flee to Chang'an, so there is no need to delay. Our army will rush to Luoyang without stopping. All the food, grass and baggage will be temporarily stored in the pass. You must take good care of it and don't lose anything!"
Zhang Ren stepped aside, cupped his hands and said, "I will obey the Lord's orders!"
Liu Xin knew that Dong Zhuo would burn, kill, and loot Luoyang before moving to Chang'an. He had to rush there as soon as possible to avoid the devastating damage to the capital, so he did not stop at Yique Pass and ordered all the officers and soldiers of the three armies to do so. We marched lightly and headed straight for Luoyang.
The army had not been marching for half a day when a group of cavalry suddenly emerged from the valley ahead and blocked Liu Xin's path. These cavalry were well-trained and had been hiding in the valley just now without making any movement. The Jingzhou army and horses did not notice it at all. This is strange.
Liu Xin was in a hurry and did not send enough reconnaissance cavalry. The cavalry rushed out of the valley while bending their bows and shooting arrows at the Jingzhou Army. With superb riding skills, they roared past the front of the Jingzhou Army, turned their horses' heads, and then
It's a hail of arrows.
Although the Jingzhou Army was caught off guard, their daily hard training allowed them to react quickly, almost as if by conditioned reflex. They formed a formation, raised their shields, and bent their bows to counterattack. These actions were all done in one go. Even so, people in the army were still hit by arrows.
Fallen. Under the counterattack of the Jingzhou Army, some of the cavalrymen kept falling off their horses.
Liu Xin turned to look at Zhao Yun beside him and asked: "How do these cavalry compare with the cavalry you met yesterday?"
Zhao Yun raised his hands on horseback and replied: "Returning to my lord, these cavalrymen have a faint murderous intent. They are all warriors who have fought many battles. They are not the same as Zhang Ji's subordinates."
Zhang Fei said dissatisfiedly: "Old Seven, how can you increase the prestige of others and destroy your own ambition? I think they are like chickens and dogs."
Liu Xin's face was solemn, and he waved his hand and said: "Yide, don't underestimate the enemy. These cavalry in front of you are good at riding and shooting, and are not afraid of danger. They are opponents worthy of respect. Pull out the cavalry you trained and fight with them without going through the battlefield.
A baptized army will never become an elite! Remember, don’t let any of these cavalry go!”
After receiving the order, Zhang Fei excitedly raised the snake spear in his hand and shouted: "Cavalry, attack!"
The shields in front split to both sides like a tide, and a highway opened in the middle, and a group of Jingzhou cavalry swarmed out. When the group of cavalry on the opposite side saw it, they howled with excitement, threw away their bows and arrows, and drew out their long swords.
, roared and rushed over, and the torrent of two groups of cavalry collided with each other in an instant.
Liu Xin's cavalry can be regarded as the elite of the Jingzhou army in terms of the quality of the soldiers, training, and equipment, but Liu Xin has never used them in actual combat. There are many reasons for this. In the past, he mainly used them in Jingnan
There are many rivers, swamps, or dense mountains and forests, which are not suitable for large groups of cavalry to fight. In addition, these cavalry began to be equipped with stirrups, sabers, and horseshoes produced by the research institute a year ago. These things were all used by Liu Xin
It is listed as the top military secret and is strictly prohibited from being spread to outsiders. He is also worried that using this cavalry on the battlefield too early will reveal the secrets of these pieces of equipment. The main reason is that in Jingzhou, war horses are hard-earned and consumed.
It was difficult to add in time later. Although Liu Xin secretly set up a horse breeding farm in the Yunmeng Daze area, the horses he bred were still not as good as the war horses in the north.
This time, Liu Xin decided to let the cavalry attack because the cavalry on the opposite side were very cunning. They relied on their superb riding skills and did not attack Liu Xin's battle formation. Instead, they always kept a certain distance from the Jingzhou Army's forward, and
They ride and shoot. They are flexible in combat. It is difficult for the archers of the Jingzhou Army to accurately shoot the knights on horseback. Although they are protected by shields, the casualties of the Jingzhou Army are still significantly higher than those of these cavalry. On the other hand, these cavalry have no flags and cannot
It's hard to tell who is their leading general, but they are unambiguous when it comes to fighting, and they are indeed an opponent worthy of respect.
When the two cavalry collided, Liu Xin felt a pain in her heart.