Across the Water Margin: Officials of Ximen

Page 390

The inner city of Zuzhou City is located in the second half of the city. The city wall is about [-] feet wide from east to west and [-] feet long from north to south.

In the city of Zuzhou, [-] Khitan soldiers were stationed to guard the ancestral mausoleum, and their general was Yelu Alihu from the Khitan Dieti tribe.

Outside the Wangjing Gate of Zuzhou City, along both sides of the official road, there are hundreds of stone houses built side by side.There are hundreds of families living outside this city, and now it is the opening time of the market, and the market is bustling with people coming and going.

Yelu Alihu stood on the Wangjing Gate, looking at the peaceful scene of the city outside the city, but his brows were furrowed, he couldn't help looking at the mountains to the east.

The Jin Army has already invaded Linhuang Mansion, and the birthplace of the Dieti tribe's life for generations is in danger of falling into the hands of the Jurchens, why not let him, a member of the Dieti tribe, worry?

Yeluta Buye stayed behind has already issued a conscription order, and it is presumed that officers and volunteers from all over the country will gather in the capital in the next few days.I really want to fight side by side with them!

Yelu Alihu was charged with guarding the holy land of the ancestral tomb, so he could not leave his post without authorization.However, he was looking forward to leading his troops to the front line of Langhe and fighting the Jurchens.

"A Lihu, look, there is an army from the east coming towards me at the Wangjing Gate." A Khitan warrior beside Yelu A Lihu said.

Yelu Ali suddenly took a closer look, and saw a Liao army of hundreds of people carrying military banners passing through the crowds in the market and coming to the Wangjing Gate.

The leader of the army, Yelu Alihu, also knew that he was a famous brave general in the Linhuang Mansion of Shangjing, Changtai Mao Zilian, who was the enshrined official at the east end of Shangjing at that time.

6 Chapter Forty

Yelu Ali suddenly saw it, and asked on the city wall: "Is the general here, Mao Zilian, the enshrined official at the east end of Changtai County? If you don't go to Shangjing City to help defend the city, how come you come to my Zuzhou City?"

Mao Zilian replied under the city: "A Lihu, I haven't seen you for a long time. I am Mao Zilian in Changtai County. Tarbuye asked me to go back to Changtai County to dispatch troops. I have recruited [-] warriors, and I will rush to the top today. The capital expelled the Jurchen barbarians and defended my Linhuang homeland. Before leaving, I specially led them to Zuzhou City to worship their ancestors and pray for blessings, hoping that the Taizu would bless our army and win the battle. A Lihu, quickly open the door and let me enter the city."

In addition to guarding the tomb of Yelu Abaoji, the ancestor of the Liao Dynasty, this Zuzhou City also has a function for the people of the Liao Kingdom to worship their ancestors.Before the Liao army on the Shangjing Road set out for the expedition, most of them would come to this Zuzhou city to worship their ancestors and pray for blessings to boost morale according to the old practice.

Yelu Ali suddenly saw that the person who came was Mao Zilian, and what he said about going to Beijing to stay in Yeluta Buye to conscript soldiers was true, so he ordered his subordinates to open the Wangjing Gate and let Mao Zilian and his party enter the city without doubting it. .

Yelu Alihu himself also came down from the city to welcome the first batch of Liao troops who arrived at Zuzhou City today.

Inside the Wangjing Gate, when Yelu Ali suddenly stretched out his upper arms to embrace Mao Zilian warmly, an accident happened suddenly.Yelu Ali suddenly felt that Mao Zilian's arms locked his body tightly like iron hoops. Before he could understand, he had already been picked up by Mao Zilian and fell to the ground.

Yelu Ali was thrown suddenly so that one Buddha was born and two Buddhas ascended to heaven. Before he could be ashamed and annoyed, a big foot stepped on his back, and a gleaming machete was placed on his neck.

"Mao Zilian, you bastard! You want to rebel?" Yelu Ali suddenly came to his senses, lying on the ground and yelling.

Before Mao Zilian could answer Yelu Alihu, the shouts of killing erupted in the city and the sound of horseshoes on the ground made Yelu Alihu understand that he was attacked by Mao Zilian and Zuzhou City could not be saved.

"You bird man, you still didn't close your bird's beak, which annoyed the master, and the master chopped off your bird's head with a knife!" At this time, Yelu A Lihu was restrained by dressing up as a Liao army and sneaking into Zuzhou The city's "faceless" Jiao Ting.

After Jiao Ting cursed, the guards behind him who were also dressed as Liao soldiers rushed forward, tied up Yelu A Lihu, gagged him, and threw him by the city gate.

At this time, Mao Zilian had already taken advantage of the unpreparedness of the guards in Zuzhou City, and led his soldiers and horses to the inner city.Outside the Wangjing Gate, Ximen Qing led a large group of cavalry from the Golden Army who came galloping suddenly and entered through the opened city gate.

The people outside the city panicked and wanted to flee in all directions, but the cavalry of the Golden Army surrounded them on all sides and drove them all to the market to form a group.

There was no suspense about the outcome of the battle. After Yelu Alihu, the guard of Zuzhou City, was captured alive, Mao Zilian rushed into the inner city and occupied the city gate. The Bailiao army did not make any tenacious resistance, so they dropped their weapons and surrendered.

But in a short while, Ximen Qing occupied this Zuzhou City, which was of special significance to the Khitan people of the Liao Kingdom, almost without bloodshed.

Last night, after Mao Zilian informed Ximen Qing of the situation around Linhuang Mansion in Shangjing in detail, a plan to surprise Zuzhou City emerged in Ximen Qing's mind.

After Ximen Qing discussed his plan with Wanyan Shenguo, Wanyan Shengguo immediately allocated him an additional [-] fine riders for Ximen Qing to implement overnight.

Mao Zilian, who was familiar with the geography of Linhuang Mansion, led the way. Ximenqing led [-] cavalrymen of the Golden Army to smuggle the Lang River south through Zhenzhuzhai. Guan, took Changtai County lightly before dawn.

After Mao Zilian used his fame to persuade the local tyrants and common people in Changtai County to switch to the Kingdom of Jin, Ximenqing asked Qiao Yun to divide his troops to guard the Changtai Pavilion. He and Jiao Ting and Mao Zilian led the troops directly Take Zuzhou City.

Now that Zuzhou City has been successfully obtained, Ximenqing is determined to set a trap here, and then trap the Liao army.

Most of the people outside the city were Han Chinese. After Mao Zilian and Ximenqing comforted them, they finally dispelled their fear and gradually calmed down.Ximen Qing told everyone to stay at home quietly today, not to make noise, just follow his orders to keep the people here safe.

The people outside the city had long heard that the Jinjun soldiers were murderous devils without batting an eyelid. Seeing such an elegant and kind Jinjun general Ximen Qing today, they were secretly amazed in their hearts.Thousands of elite cavalrymen of the Golden Army were scattered around Zuzhou City. Wherever these common people dared to resist, they all obediently followed Ximen Qing's instructions and hid in their stone houses at home.

In Zuzhou City, the Liao army guarding the city and their chief general Yelu Alihu were gagged and imprisoned in the inner city.Jiao Ting and Mao Zilian still disguised themselves as generals of the Liao army and guarded the outer city with hundreds of soldiers.These sergeants included Jiao Ting's guards, Ximen Qing's Jin Army, and Mao Zilian's old troops in Changtai County. They all pretended to be the Liao Army and guarded the vital points of Zuzhou City.At several city gates, many net bags and ropes were specially prepared.

In the street market outside the city, there was a group of Liao people brought by Mao Zilian from Changtai County. They were selling and buying there, as if they were people living here.If people don't know it and look at it, they don't know that Zuzhou City has changed hands.

Ximen Qing went out of the city and led a thousand elite riders to lie in ambush in the valley near Zuzhou City, waiting to see who would fall headfirst into the net if they were out of luck today.

About half an hour later, outside the Yeshan Gate in the west of Zuzhou City, a Liao army reinforcement of hundreds of people meandered along the mountain road to the outside of Zuzhou City, intending to enter the city to worship the ancestors.After the defenders in the city found out that the Liao army came from Fuyu City, Huaizhou, west of Linhuang Mansion, they opened the Wengcheng and let the leader of the Liao army into the gate.

……

Within half a day, several Liao army reinforcements from Qingzhou, Raozhou, Xiao'an and other places came to Zuzhou City to worship ancestors one after another, and fell into the net of Ximen Qingbu one by one.

When the inner city was full of Liao army prisoners, many prisoners had to be detained in the outer city. After the overcrowding, Ximenqing finally ended the hunting and planted the banner of the Jin army on Zuzhou city.

According to the agreement with Wanyan Shenguo, now is the time for Ximen Qingjun to startle the snake.

A Liao army from Xuanhua County, Linhuang Prefecture, came to the outside of Zuzhou City. After finding that the sacred land of the Liao Kingdom, the Zuling and Zuzhou City, were both occupied by the Jin Army, they fled to Linhuang Mansion in Beijing in fright.At the same time, Brother Qiao Yun, who was guarding Changtai County, received Ximenqing's general order, and also unfurled the banner of the Golden Army in the Changtai Pavilion, and deliberately let some Khitan people in the county escape to report to the Linhuang Mansion in Shangjing. .

Tonight, Lu Yanlun Yeluta Buye and Lu Yanlun, the commander of the Langhe Camp, who stayed behind in Shangjing of the Liao Kingdom, must be sleepless all night!

Chapter 641

On the west bank of the Langhe River, in Ganquan Temple, Lu Yanlun, the chief general of the Liao Army, received an urgent military message from the Linhuang Mansion in Shangjing at midnight.

Yelv Tabuye, who stayed behind in Shangjing, told Lu Yanlun that the Jin army had crossed the Langhe River and made a long-distance raid on Zuzhou City and Changtai County to the west of Shangjing.Now the reinforcements in Huaizhou, Qingzhou, Raozhou and other places to the west of Shangjing are silent, I am afraid they have been blocked and isolated by the Jin army.The Linhuang Mansion in Shangjing was under attack from the east and west by the Jin army, so it was meaningless for Lu Yanlun to fortify the Langhe.Therefore, Yeluta ordered Lu Yanlun to withdraw his army overnight, bring [-] troops back to Shangjing, and stand firm for reinforcements.

Why is the Jin army so fast?After Lu Yanlun learned about the military situation, he was stunned and speechless for a while.

After taking a few breaths and calming down in his chest, Lu Yanlun pondered for himself, and suddenly remembered someone.Changtai County was occupied by the Jin army?Mao Zilian must have defected to the enemy and treason!That guy has been in the Linhuang Mansion army for many years, and he knows Linhuang Mansion in Shangjing very well. If he votes for the Jin Army, it will be very detrimental to the defense of Shangjing City.Hey~ How did I not realize that Mao Zilian had different ambitions earlier!

Lu Yanlun hurriedly beckoned Sun Yanshou to his side, and asked him if he had captured Mao Zilian's family during the day.

Sun Yanshou apologized to Lu Yanlun and said, "Reporting to the general, the final general is ineffective. The [-] cavalry sent to Changtai County have not returned yet, and no news has been sent back. General, please allow another day. At the end of tomorrow, we will add more troops." Send people to Changtai County to find out."

"No need! Changtai County has already fallen into the hands of the Jin army, and the soldiers you sent out may have met with misfortune. Yelv Tabuye sent a letter urging our army to withdraw overnight." Lu Yanlun handed the secret letter in his hand to Sun Yanshou .

Sun Yanshou read the secret military intelligence report and said in shock: "How could this be so! Our army is strictly on guard, and the Jin army has just arrived, so how can they quietly go around behind our army? Could it be that the Jin army really has ghosts and gods to help it? "

"From my point of view, the Jin army must be supported by a traitor, and the traitor is probably the missing Changtai Mao Zilian." Lu Yanlun said.

"Damn it! General, please allocate [-] fine horsemen to the last general, who will rush to Changtai County overnight to kill the traitor Mao Zilian." Sun Yanshou roared angrily.

"You must not be reckless in prolonging your life. The most urgent task at this moment is to gather the generals to discuss how to withdraw the troops and return to the city." Lu Yanlun waved his hand to signal Sun Yanshou not to be impatient.

Not long after, all the generals of the Liao army who had been summoned gathered together, waiting for Lu Yanlun to issue orders.

Lu Yanlun informed the generals that the Jin army had captured Zuzhou City and Changtai County and other places, cutting off the connection with the states west of Shangjing.

All the generals looked at each other with big eyes and small eyes, but they didn't have an idea, so they clasped their fists together and asked the chief general Lu Yanlun to show if they should take advantage of the cover of night and quietly withdraw their troops back to the city.

Lu Yanlun made plans with his hands, and said to the generals, for the current plan, our army must be like this...

While the generals of the Liao army were plotting to withdraw their troops, the Jin army did not rest on the east bank of the Wolf River. Instead, they sent many scouts to lurk on the bank, secretly monitoring the Liao army barracks under the night.