Since Situ Tai moved the governor's office of Bingzhou to Zhenlin County, the seat of Fenzhou Prefecture, this county that was not prosperous in the past has become a lot more lively, and of course, there has been a lot of turmoil.
In Zhenlin County, Bingzhou soldiers wearing armor were moving back and forth everywhere. But whether they were patrolling soldiers or soldiers handling private matters, they all had panic expressions on their faces. In addition to some of these soldiers being local soldiers, most of them were soldiers from Bingzhou who had evacuated with Situ Tai from other prefectures and counties or who had fled here after being killed by the Zhao army.
The Zhao army won many battles, and the soldiers of Bingzhou fled in panic. The soldiers of Bingzhou could not help but be nervous. Even the people in Zhenlin County have reduced their outing activities, waiting for the final end of the war.
¡°I don¡¯t know whether it was because Zhao Jun was getting closer and closer, which caused the soldiers of Bingzhou to cause trouble many times in Zhenlin County. In order to expand his personal guard team, Situ Tai removed the elite soldiers from the Bingzhou soldiers, and his jurisdiction over the remaining Bingzhou soldiers was much looser. It is also because of this that the people here hope that Zhao Jun will come here as soon as possible. After all, Zhao Jun's reputation for military discipline is notoriously good. Of course, what is more important is that Zhao Jun's new policy is extremely superior to the people.
"Brother Wei, this Fenzhou Prefecture is just like other places. The coins of Zhao Di have become the mainstream coins here." On the main street of Zhenlin County, a group of people looked around and whispered. conversation. They were Wei Chen and others sent by Zhao Xun to negotiate with Situ Tai.
Wei Chen smiled and said: "Not only coins, but also the numbers, statistical methods, and pinyin literacy methods created by my lord are also spread here. You have also seen that my merchants from Zhao are already spread all over Bingzhou. As you can imagine, You know how widely some things about our Zhao land are spread. In addition, not only here, but also in the Central Plains and the states in the south. Through businessmen, many things about our Zhao land are known to outsiders, and the lord's reputation is also known. Otherwise, how could so many southern and Central Plains scholars come to seek official positions and study in Youzhou?"
"Brother Wei, through two days of observation and our understanding from other counties in Fenzhou Prefecture that came here, we learned that Situ Tai has begun to gather his troops and has no intention of fighting our army. It seems that this mission is not It¡¯s not difficult to complete,¡± the young man in warrior uniform said softly. The people who came with Wei Chen this time were all the best among the Guards and the Young Guards. Zhao Xun sent them to negotiate with Situ Tai in order to cultivate their ability to handle matters independently.
Wei Chen nodded and said: "Well, it seems that Situ Tai values ????the position of King Yong more. He also knows very well that without the strength in his hands, he will have nothing. After all, defeat is certain when fighting our army. Yes. Come on, you have seen the situation in Fenzhou Prefecture along the way, how many subordinates do you think this Situ Tai will take before he is willing to leave? "
"I believe that Situ Tai's purpose is to bring his personal guards. After all, Situ Tai has already begun to organize his troops in Fenzhou Prefecture. Although on the surface it is just to assemble the army and prepare for a deadly battle with our army. However, judging from the panic of the soldiers here and the lack of strict supervision, I am afraid that Situ Tai has already made plans to abandon these ordinary Bingzhou soldiers," the young man with an elegant face said with a smile.
"The subscript also agrees with Brother Li. The evacuation of the army is not a simple matter. Without knowing our army's actions, Situ Tai must leave a team to cover up or delay our army's attack. And most of Bingzhou's soldiers They are all from Bingzhou, and they may not necessarily be willing to follow Situ Taiyuan to fight in Yongzhou, especially since the current Bingzhou army is not the frontier army of the past. They are composed of local county soldiers and government soldiers, and are only responsible for local security and family members. But they were all in the local area. Although they were organized into the Bingzhou Army and became regular soldiers, it did not last long, otherwise, it would not have happened after Situ Tai evacuated Taiyuan Prefecture. The soldiers surrendered. It can be seen that the defenders here are not qualified soldiers." Xiao Yan, the captain of the Guards, said solemnly.
?????????????? Then everyone else also expressed their own thoughts, and they all talked about the pros and cons of both sides. In general, it was quite reasonable, and they also saw Situ Tai¡¯s current situation.
Wei Chen nodded secretly, quite satisfied with the performance of several people. He knew very well the purpose of his master letting them come with him. Zhao Xun somewhat expanded the personal guards and established the Eighth Guards Army, forming two internal and external armies with the town army to control each other. Expanding the army naturally requires a large number of officers. Zhao Xun has now begun to gradually train the best leaders of the Guards and Young Guards, allowing them to experience in various aspects to become qualified generals.
"Part of the real elite of the Bingzhou Army was surrounded by our army in the Dingping area. Some of them were annihilated by our army in the eastern and northern counties from the beginning. What remains now are those stationed in the western and southern counties.Most of the Bingzhou army was temporarily expanded by Situ Tai after he arrived in Bingzhou and became the governor of Bingzhou. In order to defeat Cao Gang and gain control of Bingzhou, its strength was naturally much worse. Okay, brothers, let¡¯s go meet the Governor of Bingzhou now. Let him go back as soon as possible, he will feel at ease, and we will be happy too. "Wei Chen said quietly.
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Dingping is the only important city in the middle of Bingzhou that is no longer under the control of Zhao Jun. Here, there are still more than 18,000 Bingzhou Army and more than 25,000 Bingzhou Northern Army stationed. There are quite a lot of troops, but recently there has been a lot of noise and murderous intent
Yang Li had a headache, was worried and had difficulty making a decision. Ever since the soldiers who were released from Dingyun City and Dingyang City entered Dingping yesterday, the situation in the city has been very delicate. Cao Gang immediately came to ask Yang Li aggressively if he had any collusion with Zhao Jun. Then he began to mobilize the troops in the city and at the same time increased the guards on the four gates. At the same time, the Bingzhou Northern Army also began to increase surveillance around his military camp.
Originally, for Yang Li, being watched around his military camp was intolerable. However, because his own soldiers were released by Zhao Xun, he still wanted to kill Cao Gang and surrender the city. However, none of Cao Gang's soldiers returned, making Cao Gang suspect that he and Zhao Xun were colluding again. Yang Li was suddenly put in a passive situation, making it difficult for him to explain clearly to Cao Gang.
There are two armies in Dingping, but our own side is weak. Once he is in civil strife, he will only benefit Zhao Xun in the end. Therefore, Yang Licai gave in and allowed Cao Gang to do this. But no matter what, the situation now has reached a very critical moment. He has to make a decision whether to fight or surrender.
"General, the land of Bingzhou has been occupied by King Zhao, the governor has been defeated, and even His Highness King Yong has no intention of sending reinforcements. It seems that the land of Bingzhou has been abandoned by His Highness King Yong. We are alone. Outside, there are enemies on all sides, so what's the point of fighting Zhao Jun to the death?" Yang Li's younger brother Yang Xiong said in a deep voice.
"Yes, General, it's not that the General is afraid of death at the end of the day. It's that after we were besieged here by the Zhao army, the Governor never issued an order or sent anyone to support us. We have been forgotten by the Governor, and we died here in battle. , and no one will remember. In addition, since the brothers who were released by Zhao Jun came back, in addition to letting Cao Gang strictly defend us, most of our soldiers have lost their fighting spirit. The strength of Zhao Jun has been spread by these brothers. After leaving, the morale of the army is gone." Qin Ling, who had just been promoted to general, also said in a deep voice.
Unlike Yang Li, Qin Ling was not a die-hard confidant of Situ Tai. He was from Bingzhou and had no intention of risking his life for Situ Tai who had fled regardless of them.
"What do the sergeants and the people below think?" Yang Li did not make any direct choice.
"Most of the soldiers and low-level officers have the intention to surrender. The treatment of Zhao's soldiers is much better than that of Bingzhou Army. After they have made meritorious service, it goes without saying. Even if you don't want to continue to serve in the army, it is better to be an ordinary citizen than in the past in Situ Tai Under the jurisdiction. So" Qin Ling said directly, and now he even called Situ Tai by his name.
Yang Xiong on the side also nodded in agreement, fully agreeing with Qin Ling's meaning.
"You two met Zhao Jun's envoy? To be honest, don't play tricks on us anymore." Yang Li said in a condensed voice.
Yang Xiong and Qin Ling's expressions changed slightly. After looking at each other, they nodded and said, "Yes, we saw Zhao Xun's personal guard captain among the soldiers released by Zhao Jun. They want us to surrender. Don't let any more Bingzhou soldiers suffer casualties. At the same time, King Zhao also promised not to care about what has happened and let our soldiers choose whether to continue to serve in the army, and we will also assign positions according to ability."
Yang Li said quietly: "Although no superior conditions were given, this is the only way to reassure us. By the way, have they informed us of the situation in Bingzhou? Has Bingzhou really been completely occupied by the Zhao army? "
Yang Xiong said: "Although not all have been occupied, it is still close. In addition, according to their wishes, King Yong may have started negotiations with King Zhao, and the land that merges the states may belong to King Zhao. As for No one will care about us. At least, not even King Yong or the governor of Bingzhou, Situ Tai."
"What do they want us to do? Fight with Cao Gang?" Yang Li asked in a deep voice.
"They want us to open the city gate and let Zhao Jun enter the city. If that fails, they hope that we will not participate in the Nancheng and Dongcheng, which are mainly defended by the Bingzhou Northern Army." Qin Ling responded.
"Brilliant, let us open the city gate now. That chance is impossible. Cao Gang's people are in charge of the gates around the city, and our soldiers are intersecting with Cao Gang's Bingzhou Northern Army on the city wall. , even if there is going to be an uprising, there will be no?Get it done in an instant. If we really take action, I am afraid that our Bingzhou Army will bear the brunt of the attack by the Bingzhou Northern Army. By then, there is no telling whether the Zhao army will storm the city and assist us. To ask us to ignore Nancheng and Dongcheng seems to be to weaken Cao Gang. Why not to create a conflict between the two of us that is difficult to resolve? "Yang Li murmured to himself.
"Brother, what should we do? You should also give us the regulations. At the very least, we must be prepared now. Even if we have to fight, we must be prepared for the battle. If we have to conflict with the Bingzhou Northern Army, we must hold on to the city. The big deal Just die fighting for the Situ family. But your lack of accurate information has caused us to be suppressed by Cao Gang and also had a very bad impact on the situation. If this continues, I'm afraid. Our soldiers had already collapsed before Zhao Jun could attack. Brother, many officers and generals in our army have begun to contact Zhao Jun¡¯s people. They are also from Bingzhou. Among Zhao Xun¡¯s guards and officers Our army was persuaded by the soldiers who were released, but we still don¡¯t know what will happen,¡± Yang Xiong said anxiously. He is Yang Li's clan brother, so he naturally supports his eldest brother and does not want his eldest brother to hesitate.
Yang Li's face turned cold and he said sternly: "What? Zhao Jun's troops have already begun to meet with our army's officers and generals? Damn it, I shouldn't let them leave the barracks at will. Send the order, all the soldiers in the army are in the barracks. In the meantime, prepare your troops for battle. Remember, be careful of Cao Gang's men."
"Are we going to fight Zhao Jun to the death?" Yang Xiong and Qin Ling's expressions changed and they said in unison.
Yang Li shook his head and said: "No, wait until Zhao Jun comes. But no matter what, we can't let Zhao Jun's people meet our people anymore. Don't forget, Cao Gang's people are also watching us. Don't At that time, we were unprepared and were attacked by Cao Gang before we made a decision. Since Cao Gang deliberately targeted us, we did not need to be polite to him and let the soldiers stay in the barracks except for necessary defense. Apart from the city mission, let¡¯s ignore Cao Gang. Since he doesn¡¯t believe us, let them fight to the death with Zhao Jun.¡±
On the morning of the second day, Zhao Xun¡¯s army gathered outside the south city of Dingping County, and then surrounded Dingping on all sides. More than 100,000 troops gathered together, and the momentum was overwhelming, making the defenders terrified.
After setting up camp, Zhao Xun was in the main camp and said quietly: "This Dingping County has been tortured very hard by these two armies. This city defense does not need to be governed by a state. If we want to attack by force, if the two armies in the city cooperate, If it¡¯s good, without tens of thousands of casualties and without more than ten days of fierce attack, it would be difficult to break the city!¡±
Yang Hu said loudly: "When my subordinates attacked Dingyang City, the defenders were not very able to defend it. Although the city here is strong, it shouldn't be that difficult, right?"
Zhang Yuanjing smiled and said: "General Yang doesn't know something. This Dingping County is different from Dingyang and Dingyun City. Dingyang City and Dingyun City are both small cities. This Dingping County used to be a transfer station for border troops to transport grain and grass. Not to mention that the city is strong and the city is thick, there should be a lot of food, grass and defense equipment in the city. In addition, there are two army commanders stationed here, but after our siege, Dingyun City and Dingyang City were only two. The small city was isolated, so the defenders of the two cities were attacked by us without support. Of course, the lack of sufficient defensive equipment in the two cities was also one of the important reasons. "
"But here, as far as we know, Cao Gang spent a lot of money and food in order to gain the support of the people here, which all belong to the Cao family. In addition, the Bingzhou Northern Army here belongs to the Cao family The clan's private soldiers are all elite soldiers. Moreover, the troops here are many times more powerful than those in Dingyun City and Dingyang City, so they are naturally different."
Zhao Xun smiled and said: "What? General Yang didn't have a good fight three days ago? Don't worry, the world is in chaos. It's still early to calm down. There are still many wars."
Yang Hu chuckled and said: "I still feel that it is refreshing to fight head-on. Of course, it is the best if you can defeat the enemy without fighting. However, I am afraid that if this place is solved, there will be no land in Bingzhou." Gotta fight."
Zhang Yuanjing shook his head and said with a smile: "Well, General Yang, you clearly want to go to the Qiang and Hu lands or the northern Turkic grasslands to participate in the war, what excuse are you looking for!"
Zhao Xun said with a smile: "Well, after the Bingzhou land is restored, you will not be allowed to stay here. Whether it is the Qianghu land or the Turkic grassland, you will be able to fight. By the way, everyone, let's see how we should act. How can we capture this place with minimal losses? According to our spies, the food in the city is enough for them for half a year, but not for our more than 100,000 troops. , and less than half are auxiliary soldiers. If the stalemate here lasts for a long time, it will be a waste of food and supplies for us. "
"Besieged but not attacked, spreading rumors can confuse people's minds.! Attacking a strong one, if the army is in chaos and unified, causing internal strife, the internal chaos will occur within ten days. By then, our army will be able to easily capture this place! "Zhang Yuanjing said concisely and to the point.
Wei Zilin also nodded and said: "We can take turns to attack Nancheng from tomorrow, and besiege the other three sides without attacking. Heavy weapons and light casualties will be used to wear down the troops of the northern army of Bingzhou. At the same time, spread the news that our army has conquered the entire territory of Bingzhou "After three days, we can spread the news that our army and the Bingzhou Army can weaken the Bingzhou Northern Army, and spread the rumors to Yang Li within ten days."
"Okay, let's do it like this, General Yang. Although we can't attack the city as much as we can, let's treat it as a training exercise. Let each unit take turns to attack the city, using catapults and crossbows as the main ones, supplemented by archers and crossbowmen, to launch the siege." Zhao Xun said in a deep voice.
On the third day of the siege, Zhao Xun received the news brought back by Deng Zhongyao and couldn't help but secretly breathed a sigh of relief. To talk about success, it means that he won Bingzhou from Situ Lei and made Situ Lei and Murong Cheng confront each other. In this way, the changes in the current situation are moving according to the plans of Zhao Xun and the military affairs envoys of the Military Affairs Department. This also allowed Zhao Xun to remain aloof from the incident.
On the fifth day of the siege, which was September 13th, Situ Tai and Wei Chen reached an agreement and agreed to withdraw from Bingzhou with 18,000 soldiers and army provisions, and completely hand over the land of Bingzhou to the Zhao army. After receiving the news, the three armies of Li Huaiyuan, Qin Daolin and Xue Qinglan immediately took over the Fenzhou Prefecture and Changping Prefecture. At this point, Zhao Xun basically seized the entire territory of Bingzhou from Situ Lei. Next, apart from the tens of thousands of enemy remnants in this peaceful land, management began.