Xu Shiji looked at Weicheng County with complicated eyes in the team. This county, which once placed all his hopes and ambitions, has gradually become blurred in his memory and gradually faded away, like the shed shell of a cicada.
Although he was only twenty-three years old and the youngest general in the Sui army, he felt that he had gone through many vicissitudes of life and his heart gradually became old. Xu Shiji sighed softly, feeling that he had no passion for a long time.
At this time, the city gate opened, and a soldier rushed out, rushed to the Sui army and asked loudly: "I'm looking for General Xu!"
"I'm here!"
Xu Shiji urged his horse out. He glanced at the soldier and recognized him, "You are Wang Xiaomazi."
The soldier was so excited that he stepped forward and knelt in front of Xu Shiji, "The fourth leader is me!"
Xu Shiji took a deep breath and said, "Fourth Leader," this title is already very far away. He smiled softly and said, "Do you have anything to ask me about?"
"General Song invites the fourth master to come to the city for a talk!"
The deputy general Luo Ziyu immediately stepped forward and said, "General, you can't enter the city, it's too dangerous."
Xu Shiji shook his head, "If I want to take Liyang City, I have to enter Weicheng County. There are five thousand fine knights here. I'm sorry they don't dare to do anything. Just wait for me here. I'll be back soon."
Xu Shiji turned around and waved to the soldiers, "Follow me!"
He led more than a hundred soldiers and followed the soldiers towards the city. As soon as Xu Shiji entered Weicheng County, he saw hundreds of veterans kneeling down and saying, "Four leaders!" Many people burst into tears, and some even burst into tears.
, the grievances they had suffered for more than half a year were poured out at this moment with the appearance of Xu Shiji.
Xu Shiji quickly got off his horse, walked to the middle of the veterans, and said to everyone: "Thank you all old brothers for remembering me, but now I am no longer the fourth leader, and I have nothing to do with the Wagang Army now. I only hope that all old brothers can get
If I die well, can farm and support my family, and have my children and grandchildren around me, then I will have no regrets."
The veterans were extremely moved and shouted: "Fourth Leader, take us all away!"
At this time, General Song Jianpu came over and raised his hands: "General Xu, are you okay?"
Xu Shiji also returned the courtesy and said with a smile: "I am here this time to trouble General Song."
"You're welcome, please come with me."
Song Jianpu took Xu Shiji into a room not far away. There were only two of them in the room. Xu Shiji immediately asked: "Is Sun Changle's mother in Weicheng County?"
Xu Shiji was very nervous. If Sun Changle's mother was not in Weicheng County, then his plan would have failed. Although she should be in Weicheng County or Wagangzhai, Sun Changle was also very likely to take his mother to Liyang City privately.
·This speculation has been weighing on his heart like a stone. It has made him uneasy for the past two days. At this time, Xu Shiji looked at Song Jiansu, his heart full of expectation and nervousness.
Song Jianpu joined Wagang Village eight years ago and is considered a veteran. He understood Xu Shiji's nervousness, but he had his own ideas.
"Sun Changle's mother is in Weicheng County, I have sent someone to pick her up, but...
At this point, Song Jianpu stopped and said meaningfully to Xu Shiji: "But I hope that the Fourth Master can lead the brothers to build Wagang again and revive the former glory of the Wagang Army."
Xu Shiji was stunned. He didn't expect Song Jianpu to say such a thing. After a while, he smiled bitterly and said, "Does General Song think this is possible?"
"Nothing is impossible. Now Wagang Village and nearby counties are in my hands. There are thousands of troops, and there are more old troops who miss Brother Zhai. There are no less than 100,000 people. As long as the fourth master raises his arms and shouts, we can revive
Under the banner of Wagang, I believe that countless old brothers will come to join us as the fourth master. Now that Li Mi is being dragged by Yu Wenhuaji to Pengcheng County, this is a once-in-a-decade opportunity, do it!"
Song Jianpu looked at Xu Shiji with bright eyes, his eyes full of eager anticipation. Xu Shiji still shook his head, "My wife, children and father are all in Taiyuan. How could I abandon them and fall into trouble again..."
"The fourth master!"
Song Jianpu became excited and shouted: "A man should put the world first, there is nothing he can't give up. As long as the fourth master becomes a powerful man, will Yang Yuanqing really kill your wife, children and father? Fourth master, you must do it today."
Listen to my words, I, Song Jianpu, am willing to support you as the new master of Wagang!"
Song Jian simply pulled out a long knife, put it on Xu Shiji's neck, knelt on one knee in front of him, stared at Xu Shiji, and said fiercely every word in a tone that could not be refused: "Fourth Leader, you must agree!
"
Xu Shiji lowered his head and was silent for a while, "Have you ever thought about the five thousand cavalry outside the city? They are only loyal to Yang Yuanqing. I am just the leader of the army. There is no way they can rebel against me."
"You can let them leave and leave my wife, Sun Changle, to them. I know that you want to take Liyang City, so let them go and take the city by themselves, and the fourth master will stay."
"Okay! I will ask the soldiers to send Sun Changle's mother out of the city. I will stay. Maybe I can fulfill Brother Zhai's last wish and reunite all the old brothers."
Song Jianpu was overjoyed. He kowtowed three times to Xu Shiji, "This is my apology to the fourth master. After the incident, I will donate blood and wine to make amends according to Wagang's rules."
He stood up and shouted: "Someone, send Sun Changle's wife out of the city!"
Xu Shiji's soldiers escorted a carriage out of the city. Xu Shiji stood on the top of the city and watched the five thousand cavalry turn around and head north. They gradually disappeared. He turned around and walked to the end of the city. Under the city were a thousand old men.
The weak soldiers have lined up in order, while Song Jianpu and more than a dozen of his men are crowding behind Xu Shiji. They hold the hilts of their swords and have doubts in their eyes. Song Jianpu will have to force Xu Shiji to swear a strong oath before he will believe Xu Shiji's sincerity.
.
"Brothers!"
Xu Shiji's voice was not loud, but everyone could hear it clearly, "I, Xu Shiji, would like to ask everyone, are you willing to follow me to revive Wagang?"
"I am willing to die for the Fourth Master!" A soldier raised his arms and shouted, and all the soldiers followed up and shouted, "I am willing to die for the Fourth Master!"
Everyone's eyes were full of expectations and enthusiasm. They longed for Xu Shiji to take them back to the heyday of the Wagang Army. Xu Shiji sighed secretly in his heart, why no one was willing to retreat and return to the fields, why must they loot and kill?
The sword on Xu Shiji's body has been taken away by Song Jiansu. He is bare-handed. Dozens of his soldiers stand a hundred steps away, also without weapons. This is the condition for sending Sun Changle's mother out of the city.
"Fourth Leader, you can make your oath now. The brothers are all looking forward to it!" Song Jiansu urged from the side.
Xu Shiji glanced down. He was standing just above the corridor of the upper city. He was only one foot away from the corridor. He slowly raised his arms and knelt down. Everyone followed him and knelt down, including
Song Jiansuan also knelt down.
At this moment, Xu Shiji jumped up and jumped down the corridor from the three Song Jian simple soldiers. Before everyone could react, he jumped up again, jumped down from the corridor and rushed into the city with more than a thousand people.
among soldiers.
The sudden change shocked everyone. Song Jianpu was the first to react. He pointed at Xu Shiji and shouted: "Catch him!"
More than 300 of his soldiers rushed down from the top of the city and rushed towards Xu Shiji. Xu Shiji had already grabbed a spear. He swung the spear, knocked over two soldiers in a row, and shouted: "Brothers, Song Jiansu is the
Li Mi’s spies arrested him!”
More than a thousand soldiers looked at each other, no one knew which one of them to listen to. The soldiers remained motionless, just like bystanders. At this time, eighty of Xu Shiji's personal guards rushed up. They had already seized the weapons, and Xu Shiji
Fighting side by side, the two armies mingled under the city wall.
I don't know who shouted, "Listen to the fourth master!"
More than a thousand soldiers, as if they were just waking up from a dream, shouted together and fought towards Song Jianpu. Outside the city, five thousand Sui army cavalry came back to fight again. Song Jianpu saw that the situation was not good, so he got on his horse and rushed out of the city.
Xu Shiji ran two steps, raised his arms and threw the spear. The spear was so powerful that it flew dozens of steps away, 'Pfft!', piercing Song Jiansu's back and the tip of the spear came out from his chest. Song Jiansu screamed in agony,
He rolled off his horse and died on the spot.
Song Jiansu's death stopped the melee in the city. Song Jiansu's soldiers put down their weapons one after another and squatted on the ground with their heads in their hands. At this time, Luo Ziyu wanted to lead the cavalry into the city to help in the battle, but a soldier of Xu Shiji ran out of the city and confronted Luo Ziyu.
: "I am reporting to General Luo and General Xu to ask the Sui army not to enter the city. He can solve the chaos in the city."
In the city, Xu Shiji was filled with tears and shouted passionately to the veterans for the second time, "We are all veterans of the Wagang Army. Think about it, how many of the 3,000 veterans who followed Brother Zhai in the uprising are there now? Most of them
They all died in the battle. What did they get? Except for the destruction of their families and their wives and children, they had nothing. Brothers, put down your weapons! Go back to your homes. Maybe your wives, children, and parents are still waiting for you. Go home.
!Don’t die on the battlefield anymore, the era of the Wagang Army is over!”
More than a thousand veterans looked at Xu Shiji silently and said, "Crack!" I don't know who was the first to put down his spear, followed by the second, the third, and more and more soldiers put down their weapons.
At noon the next day, Xu Shiji led 5,000 cavalry to Liyang City. He sent people into the city to deliver a message to Sun Changle, along with his mother's token, and ordered his own soldiers to help Sun Changle's trembling mother onto the horse, and let the city
Everyone above your head can see it.
Xu Shiji knew that Sun Changle was a well-known filial son in the Wagang army, and coercion and inducement might not be effective. Only by using his mother as a hostage could Sun Changle surrender.
Five thousand cavalry lined up and waited outside Liyang City. They had been waiting for almost half an hour, but there was still no movement in Liyang City. Lieutenant General Luo Ziyu lost his temper and asked, "General Xu, could it be Sun Changle who surrendered?"
Xu Shiji bit his lip tightly. The manager only gave him three days. He put his future and reputation on this move. He spent a day on it. If he couldn't win, he would become the laughing stock of the Sui army. Xu Shiji was extremely nervous.
"Calm down!"
He whispered, which also told Luo Ziyu, "No matter what, he will have another reaction."
An hour had passed. Just when the Sui army was getting impatient and even Xu Shiji himself was about to despair, suddenly a soldier pointed at the city gate and shouted: "General, look, the city gate is open!"
The gate of Liyang City slowly opened, the suspension bridge was lowered, and groups of Wagang Army soldiers walked out of the city with white flags. The leader was none other than General Sun Changle. Faced with his filial piety to his mother and his loyalty to Li Mi, he finally chose
former.
Xu Shiji was so excited that he almost shouted that the five thousand defenders of Liyang City surrendered to the Sui army on the last day of the first year of Jiye's reign in the Sui Dynasty.