Just when Yang Yuanqing destroyed Li Mi and pacified Jiangnan, the Sui army's battle to defeat Qingzhou reached its most critical moment. Luo Shixin led an army of 10,000 Sui troops and 20,000 Dou Jiande to attack southward against Liu Heitai's army entrenched in Langya County.
In Dong'an County, Xintai County and Fei County, the Sui army won three battles and three victories, annihilating more than 10,000 Liu Heitai's troops. Liu Heitai had to lead thousands of remaining troops to retreat to Linyi County.
Although Linyi County is the seat of Langya County, it is not Liu Heitai's hometown. Liu Heitai is in Dong'an County. Linyi County is just a middle county with a population of less than 20,000. The perimeter of the city is only more than ten miles and the height of the city is only
It has not been repaired for many years and has become very dilapidated.
Liu Heitai was now running out of troops and food. He only had 3,000 troops left in his hands. The military rations were exhausted. Seeing that the morale of the army was unstable, Liu Heitao simply tore off his mask of hypocrisy and treating the people, and plundered the army.
From Fei County to Linyi, they were burned and killed all the way, and the people's wealth and food were plundered.
After occupying Linyi County, he forced young men to join the army. All men and women aged fourteen or under sixty were sent to the city to participate in the defense. All food in the city was distributed by the army. The soldiers took the opportunity to extort, extort, and humiliate.
Women make Linyi County feel like it has descended into hell.
At dawn, Liu Heitai rode up to the city for inspection. After a night of chaos and sleeplessness, both soldiers and ordinary civilians were exhausted and lay down in the corner to sleep.
Groups of women squatted together, and many women held their heads and cried. Last night, many women were taken away by soldiers at night and humiliated. At this time, their hearts were full of fear, and they didn't know whether they could survive this disaster.
Liu Heitai turned a blind eye to these chaotic scenes. He had been through the troubled times and ordinary people were like grass. He had no sympathy or sympathy in his heart. If women could appease his military spirit, he would not hesitate to strip off all the women and throw them away.
If you join his soldiers, looting money can improve morale. Even if it is the palace of the Jade Emperor's son, he will let the soldiers enter the palace with only one purpose. The soldiers must work for him, Liu Heitai.
Liu Heitai's war horse clattered past a group of women. He didn't even look at it, but the soldiers behind him fiercely whipped several women who were blocking the way. They screamed and the women hid.
Go to the corner.
The laziness of the soldiers and civilians on the city wall made Liu Heitai frown, and his eyes were very angry. Of course he knew that the soldiers had been working hard all night and needed to rest. But if the Sui army arrived at this time, how could they fight with such a military appearance?
He shouted angrily, "I order everyone to get up and not sleep!"
After the order was issued, the soldiers rushed forward and whipped the sleeping soldiers and civilians with whips, which frightened the soldiers to their feet. No one dared to sleep anymore. At this moment, a whimpering horn suddenly sounded in the distance.
"Woo——"
Liu Heitao turned his head anxiously. This was the horn sound he least wanted to hear, but it still appeared. A dark army in the distance was rushing towards here. Liu Heitao shouted anxiously: "Ring the bell."
!Everyone go to the city to defend!"
'Dang! Dang! Dang! Dang!'
The piercing bells rang on the top of the city, and groups of soldiers rushed up to the city along the corridor. The civilians stood aside blankly, not knowing what to do, while the women panicked and ran to their homes below the city with screams.
When the war came, only the children at home were the most important. There was chaos below and above the city.
At this time, Liu Heitai could no longer care about the fleeing woman. He stared nervously at the approaching Sui soldiers. Just as he feared, the Sui cavalry was full of energy and the infantry was running vigorously. In fact, they had been here long ago.
, and rested nearby for the night.
And his soldiers had been struggling all night last night. They didn't know if they could hold on physically. They were anxious in their hearts. Liu Heitai yelled, "Cheer up, I. If a woman has done it, you have to fight hard. Get your bows and arrows ready. Let's fight."
The peasants brought up the rolling logs and rocks!"
More than 10,000 people were running back and forth on the top of the city. The civilians were forced to carry up sections of huge trees and rocks. Thousands of soldiers, with their bows and arrows drawn, nervously and uneasily watched the Sui army getting closer and closer. Thirty thousand Sui troops came overwhelmingly to kill.
, the spears were like a forest, the armor was shining, and the blackness could not be seen at all, making the defenders on the city tremble in their legs.
The Sui army rushed to a mile away from the city and gradually stopped. Among the 30,000 army, 10,000 cavalry were the Sui army led by Luo Shixin who went south, while the other 20,000 infantry were Dou Jiande's surrendered army and had been reorganized into the Sui army.
It's just that the armor and weapons are slightly inferior to those of the Sui army.
At the front of the cavalry, Luo Shixin held a big iron spear in his hand and stood upright, staring coldly at the low and dilapidated city. He had already experienced hundreds of battles and participated in countless siege battles, and had rich experience in attacking cities.
Based on experience, he just took a rough look and found at least three options to capture this ruined city.
But the first thing a general should do is to cherish his soldiers and try not to make unnecessary sacrifices. Although the city was crowded with people, Luo Shixin knew very well that Liu Heitai actually only had 3,000 capable soldiers, and the rest were probably captured by him temporarily.
husband.
This kind of grassroots people can't stand the tragedy and blood. As long as they put a little pressure, these people will collapse. What's more important is that this city is too dilapidated and cannot withstand the blow.
"The right army has three thousand sword and shield soldiers, one hundred steps closer to the city!"
Luo Shixin gave an order, and the right army marched out three thousand sword and shield soldiers, one hundred men per team, arranged into thirty teams. They lined up neatly, held their giant shields high, and walked towards the city wall step by step.
The defenders on the city never dreamed that the Sui army would launch an attack immediately, and they suddenly panicked. They shouted and screamed on the top of the city, held their bows and arrows high, and piled up rolling logs and rocks. In less than a hundred steps, arrows were fired from the city, like arrows.
The sword-and-shield army came like raindrops.
But the Sword and Shield Army stopped advancing when they were still a hundred steps closer to the city wall. Luo Shixin stared at the city. Just as he thought, the defenders did not have crossbows and heavy stone cannons. He then issued another order, "The Sword and Shield Army
Withdraw, the whole army retreats three miles and sets up camp."
The Sui army retreated and set up a large camp three miles away. There were nearly a thousand tents stretching for nearly ten miles. The defenders on the city also breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what the Sui army's purpose was, at least they could rest.
Liu Heitai was also puzzled. He didn't know what kind of medicine was sold in the gourds of the Sui army. However, his soldiers really needed to rest. Liu Heitai immediately ordered, "The whole army rests on the spot!"
For a whole day, there was no movement from either side, as if they had a tacit understanding with each other. They were both recuperating and taking as much time as possible to rest.
When night fell, many sharp-eyed soldiers unexpectedly discovered that tall giants appeared three hundred steps away from the city wall. They were as tall as the city and looked like huge monsters squatting in the night. There were fifteen of them in total.
many.
"It's a sling!" a soldier shouted in surprise,
Liu Heitai also came after hearing the news. Looking at the fifteen heavy catapults three hundred steps away, his heart suddenly went cold. He knew very well the defense capabilities of Linyi City. As long as a burst of huge rocks hit it, the city would inevitably collapse.
.
"What should we do?" Liu Heitai had beads of sweat on his forehead. He knew very well that they would not survive the night.
At this time, a soldier whispered: "Lord, we still have three hundred horses, why not take advantage of the chaos and night to escape from the city."
Liu Heitai thought for a long time and finally nodded. At this moment, there was a shout from the defenders at the top of the city. The Sui army had an attack. Fifteen huge rocks roared over and hit the top of the city with a bang.
Amid the dull and loud noise, the city was shaking. Seven of the boulders hit the city head. The rubble shook the sky, and flesh and blood flew everywhere. More than a dozen people were smashed to pieces by the boulders.
The civilians on the top of the city were so frightened that they cried and yelled and ran desperately to the bottom of the city. There was chaos on top of the city, but in the chaos, someone carefully discovered that their leader had disappeared.
In the second and third round, boulders continued to hit, and the dilapidated city wall could no longer withstand such continuous huge impacts. A section of the city wall about twenty feet long near the gate collapsed first...
In the darkness, the Sui army lined up again, waiting to rush into the city. Luo Shixin watched the city shaking under the bombardment, and saw that the city wall was about to collapse. At this moment, a scout rushed over. He cupped his fists and reported: "Report to General Qi.
, found that a cavalry force of about 300 people had left the city and fled to the south."
Luo Shixin immediately guessed that Liu Heitai must have run away first when he saw something was going wrong. He immediately ordered his deputy Zhou Long, "After entering the city, you are not allowed to disturb the people. No one of Liu Heitai's soldiers will be left alive. All of them will be beheaded!"
"Yes!" Zhou Long quickly bowed and agreed.
Luo Shixin turned around, waved his hand, and shouted loudly: "The first five battalions of cavalry, follow me to chase the enemy!"
Five thousand cavalry galloped out and followed Luo Shixin to the south.
The 300 cavalrymen who sneaked out of the city were indeed Liu Heitai. He knew that the city was dilapidated and could not withstand the Sui army's attack. Taking advantage of the chaos, he led 300 personal guards and left Linyi City from the south gate to attack
Fleeed towards Pengcheng County.
It's not far from Linyi County to Pengcheng County. It's only more than a hundred miles apart. It's basically an endless plain. Liu Heitai is running away in front, and Luo Shixin is chasing after him with his army. It's getting daybreak. Luo Shixin is leading his army.
They had pursued him nearly thirty miles into Pengcheng County, but Liu Heitai had disappeared.
Just when Luo Shixin was puzzled, suddenly a soldier pointed in the distance and shouted: "General, look, there are troops coming over there!"
Luo Shixin looked to the southwest and saw a few miles away, a dark army of about 20,000 people appeared in the wilderness. Luo Shixin was taken aback and reined in his horse.
‘Is this Li Mi’s army?’
He knew that there would be no Sui army in Pengcheng County, but 20,000 troops actually appeared. It was easy to guess that this could only be Li Mi's army. Luo Shi was doubtful in his confidence. He immediately turned around and ordered: "Reorganize the troops and prepare."
Fight!"
Although they had been chasing for a whole night and were already exhausted, the five thousand cavalrymen quickly organized themselves into battle formations as the enemy was in front of them.
But the strange thing is that the other party also stopped two miles away, and saw a group of cavalry coming up, about a hundred people. Several scouts rushed forward and asked loudly: "Is this General Luo Shixin's team?"
Luo Shixin waved his spear, "I am exactly that. Who are you?"
When several scouts heard that it was Luo Shixin himself, they immediately dismounted, stepped forward and knelt down on one knee. The leading officer raised a package high and said in a deep voice: "We are the Wei army's general Chen Zhilue. The Wei Dynasty has been destroyed, and we have nowhere to go."
Go, General Chen is willing to surrender to General Luo. This is the head of Liu Heitai, who was beheaded by us and dedicated to General Luo!"
Luo Shixin was stunned. He actually came to surrender. He used the tip of his spear to open the cloth bag. Inside the cloth bag was indeed Liu Heita's head. The face was lifelike and dripping with blood. It could be seen that it had just been beheaded.
"Where is General Chen? Please come to see me."
A scout rushed away, and a moment later a general and a dozen generals hurried forward. The leading general knelt down on one knee, clasped his fists and saluted Luo Shixin, "Wei General Chen Zhilue has no way to go, and he is willing to lead his army to surrender."
General Luo!"
Luo Shixin was overjoyed. He got off his horse and helped him up. "Those who know the current affairs are heroes. General Chen is able to surrender to the Sui Dynasty. This is General Chen's wisdom. I will definitely ask His Highness the King of Chu to grant the general a generous title. I will never let General Chen down."