Han Hai Tang Ergui

Chapter 553 The Great Merciful Dharma King Knows My Heart
In Xuzhou, Hucile has actually been prepared for a long time.

Since Xuzhou was the key city to guard against the Southern Tang Dynasty, the Jiedushi of the Wuning Army guarding Xuzhou has always been a big town of the Central Plains court.

The Wuning Army originally had a military strength of [-], but after Jiedu took office in the past dynasties, he liked to bring some of his own soldiers.

By the time Hucile took over the Wuning Army Jiedushi, the Wuning Army already had more than 3000 people, and tens of thousands of family members lived around Xuzhou City, and they could pull out two or three thousand people at any time.

Most of the 3000 people he sent to Liu Yanzhen were used to maintain the supply line from Songzhou to Xuzhou, mainly the smooth flow of Bianshui, which allowed them to escape the fate of destruction.

It can also be seen from this point that Liu Yanzhen really has no experience, he is really an experienced general of the Southern Tang Dynasty, and he will definitely hold Hucile and Wuning Army hostage.

If they are not pushed to the front line as cannon fodder, then at least Wu Ning Army must be stained with the blood of Zhou Army and accept the votes, so that they can be used with a little peace of mind.

However, Liu Yanzhen did not understand this point, so the strength of the Wuning Army was not damaged, and it was still capable of defending Xuzhou City.

And at this time, as the key to the North and the gateway to the South, Xuzhou's geographical advantage is not comparable to that of Xuzhou in later generations.

Because at this time, the Yellow River has not taken the Huaihe River into the sea, and the area around Xuzhou is still a fertile Yellow River impact plain, not the Yellow River flooding area of ​​later generations.

Without a large amount of Yellow River sediment accumulation, the altitude of Xuzhou at this time is generally more than ten meters lower than that of later generations.

This makes the large hills behind Xuzhou look much taller than later generations. Although it is not high, it is not so easy to pass.

The Bian River and Surabaya River from the northwest and the true north are very stable. Xuzhou City is built at the confluence of the two rivers, so that they perfectly surround Xuzhou. It is a natural moat that is basically impossible to cut off.

More importantly, cut off by the left and right mountains and tall hills, Xuzhou became the hub for the Central Plains forces to enter and exit Huainan, and the Jiangnan separatist forces entered and exited the Central Plains, and there was no way to bypass it.

Therefore, the city is blocked by mountains on three sides, facing the river on one side, leading Pisu to the south, Yanji to the north, and Biansi to the west.

Coupled with the barriers of the nearby hills, the enemy's large corps cannot be deployed here. It is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and it can advance and retreat freely. It is truly a unparalleled fortress in the Jianghuai area.

That is to say, Zhang Zhao bullied Li Jing as a sand sculpture. After more than ten years of Taiping in the Southern Tang Dynasty, the people were not used to the flames of war, so he dared to fish leisurely.

If the leader of the southern separatist regime is Song Wu Emperor Liu Jinu, no!He is at the level of Chen Wudi Chen Baxian and Chen Wendi Chen Qian.

Zhang Zhao had already mobilized all the soldiers of the whole country and attacked Xuzhou. Maybe he would talk nicely and make an official wish to persuade the tiger to surrender.

. . . .

At the end of March, after Zhang Zhao dealt with Du Chongwei, he immediately led the army to the east along the Bian River.

This time, nearly 30,000 people from the Southern Tang Army were captured, and they could be used as civilian husbands. They also captured more than a hundred ships of various sizes, and the grain and grass amounted to as much as [-] shi. Without the logistical pressure, the mood was extraordinarily comfortable.

Prior to this, Zhang Zhao had ordered Bai Congxin and Gao Xingzhou to command [-] soldiers each as forwards to attack Xuzhou, while he himself boarded a boat and led [-] main forces down the river.

Zhang Shengren, who was in a good mood, even recruited Hu Guang to his side, and calmly discussed the issue of tiger thorns with him.

Zhang Zhao actually thought that Hucile would escape from his control, but he didn't expect Hucile to deviate so completely, so he asked Huguang what he thought.

Hu Guang looked at Zhang Zhao's expression and saw that he was in a good mood, so he was cruel and said what was in his heart. He cupped his hands and looked at Zhang Zhao.

"The reason why the sage wants to know is actually very simple. According to the observation of my subordinates, my father does not think that he is the first group of people who followed the sage.

In terms of closeness, they are not as good as Fanquan Fanshun and Man Xiong Dunzhu, and in terms of ability, they are not as good as Yan Jin, Bai Congxin, Ma Yaozi, etc., and they are also older than others, so their status has not been considered high. "

Zhang Zhao nodded. This was indeed the case. Hucile was on Zhang Zhao's side. He was still considered a character when he lacked cavalry at the beginning, but after the team expanded several times, his value dropped.

In addition, he is too old. When he followed Zhang Zhao, he was over [-] years old. It is indeed not his key training object. Zhang Zhao's key training is the Hu Guang in front of him.

Here, Hu Guang went on to say: "Danchen's father has always regarded himself very highly. Before he followed the saint, he also served in the palace guard army, but his relationship with his colleagues was not good.

His colleagues think he is domineering, and he also thinks that his colleagues are mediocre.

I often tell my ministers that the biggest disappointment in this life is not being able to enjoy being ahead and enjoying all the wealth.

After following the saint, although he can indeed show his skills, he is not very prominent among the heroes under the saint.

In the past, the saint used his father to replace Qinghai County Duke, and his father was very dissatisfied. Now that I think about it, the resentment in his heart probably started from that time. "

After Hu Guang finished speaking, Zhang Zhao was also stunned. Hu Cile's character was something he hadn't considered before.

Because he sent Hucile to the Central Plains at that time, firstly because Huguang was in the Central Plains, and secondly because Hucile was a person who was not bad in his army, but he didn't feel very distressed if he lost it.

So if what Hu Guang said is correct, the series of actions that Hu Cile made later can be explained clearly.

It's nothing more than old age, and I feel that there is no hope of getting ahead on Zhang Zhao's side, so I might as well live in a festival town in the Central Plains, earn more money, and enjoy the glory and wealth.

As for why he took refuge in Southern Tang, it may be because Li Jing did give a lot, and Hucile had left Liangzhou for six or seven years after all, and he did not have a clear understanding of Zhang Zhao's ambitions and the development of his power.

He felt that Zhang Zhao might not enter the Central Plains, or that he would not enter the Central Plains so smoothly, and he didn't want to bend his knees and seek refuge with the Khitans, so he simply sought refuge in the Southern Tang Dynasty.

This is a normal choice of a normal person, and of course it proves from the side that Hucile is indeed an ordinary person.

If Murong Xinchang or Bai Congxin and others believed that Zhang Zhao would definitely enter the Central Plains, and then guarded Xuzhou to support Zhang Zhao, then, what kind of wealth would there be?
It's a pity that Hucile doesn't have this kind of vision.

But Zhang Zhao still blamed himself and let out a long sigh, "I am also at fault for this matter! You father and son should not have been allowed to stay in Tokyo for so long.

If your father had been recalled to Liangzhou at that time, and another person had been chosen to replace him, what happened today would not have happened! "

After hearing this, Hu Guang burst into tears. Although he despised Hu Cile's choice, it was his father after all!
Moreover, although Zhang Zhao promised to save Hucile's life, under the fierce battle, Hucile had to live until he was captured.

Thinking of this, Hu Guang arched his hands and said to Zhang Zhao: "I want to go to Xuzhou again before the army attacks the city. If I can persuade my father to open the city and surrender, I can redeem some sins."

Zhang Zhao hesitated for a moment, then said slowly: "But you have to think carefully, although you want to be filial, your father doesn't necessarily think you are filial, just in case something unexpected happens..."

Hu Guang shook his head, and said decisively: "As a son of man, life is bestowed by parents. How can you just watch your parents fall into a desperate situation and ignore them just because you cherish your life?"

It is not easy to say this, but it is even more difficult to do it. Zhang Zhao looked at Hu Guang with some emotion, and his evaluation of him in his heart also went up to a higher level.

"Hucile has a son like you, so he will have no regrets in this life! Go ahead, I can give Hucile three days to think about it, starting from the time when the Chinese army's big banner arrives at the city of Xuzhou."

. . . .

In the city of Xuzhou, Hu Cile also arranged defenses. He shrank Xuzhou's defenses into a model of one city and three castles. These four cities have the advantage of being surrounded by Surabaya and backed by mountains.

In addition, a large number of Xuzhou local fishermen and boatmen were recruited, and they could supply and transport troops on Surabaya at night. Hu Cile felt that even if the Southern Tang Dynasty didn't send people, he would be fine for a few months.

Thinking that the defense system has been completed, Hucile is also a little happy.

When he returned to the mansion, he saw that his old wife had cooked meals, all of which were his favorite Khotan dishes, such as lamb chops with cheese, lamb shank in honey sauce, baked rice with salty cheese, etc., as well as purple wine, which was extremely difficult to buy in Xuzhou.

However, there were no maids around, only the old wife was there.

Hucile didn't know why his old wife was like this, but he didn't think much about the food, he ate meat and drank heavily.

The old wife also served him vegetables and wine as before he had taken in a bunch of beautiful concubines, showing warmth.

All of a sudden, Hucile seemed to have returned to the old days in Khotan, and he still missed it a little bit. Seeing that his old wife did not eat or drink, he said with a smile.

"You and I have been together for 30 years. We are not like an ordinary couple. Now it is not unattended. Find a few people. Put down the wine jar and have a glass of wine with me."

Hearing this, the old wife smiled softly, and had a glass of wine with Hucile, but the wine and wine glass were not the same pot as Hucile's.

After drinking a glass of wine together, the old wife suddenly looked at Hu Cile sadly.

"30 years have passed in a flash, and the children have achieved something, and the concubine has no regrets. I will bid farewell to the general tonight. If the Great Merciful Dharma King agrees, after reincarnation, I will continue my relationship with the general in the next life."

Hucile's old wife is a very devout believer, and she really regards Zhang Zhao as a god and Buddha.

After returning to the east, even the Buddha stopped chanting, and the chanting that he chanted was always Zhang Zhao's Supreme Merciful Dharma King.

When Hu Cile turned his back on Zhang Zhao, the old wife tried her best to dissuade him because of this.

When Hucile heard what his old wife said, he was shocked and turned pale, and quickly explained: "Xuzhou may not be able to hold it, this is the imperial court's gate in Huaibei, and it is inevitable to increase troops and food.

Even if we can't keep it, we can still retreat to Jiangnan, Jiangnan is good!Enough for us to spend our old age in peace. "

The old wife looked at Hucile sadly, "General, do you really think you can hold it? Now you Hucile have betrayed the Great Merciful Dharma King, and the Wu Ning army has never betrayed the Great Compassionate Dharma King.

They are not traitors, but heroes who did not go to Khitan, why did they follow the general to defend?What are the benefits? "

This sentence hit the tiger's thorn, and he broke out in cold sweat.

Hucile actually thought about this before, but he just didn't want to think about it. At this moment, his old wife pointed it out and found that it was indeed the case. Why did the whole Wuning army stick to him?

Seeing that the tiger was stunned, the old wife continued: "The general may also want to say that you can dedicate the city.

right!You can sacrifice the city, but Wei Geer is dead. If you surrender to the enemy, Emperor Tang will definitely kill him. "

Hu Cile's face became even more ugly, but the old wife continued to say, "The general can ignore Wei Geer's life and death, but if the Great Merciful Dharma King forgives you, it must be Guang Ge'er begging desperately.

What a pity!My Brother Guang is a hero on horseback, but because of you, his father, he will spend his entire life burying his talent and being pointed at by others for the rest of his life. "

Speaking of this, Hucile's old wife suddenly coughed violently, and with the coughing, a lot of blood foam spewed out of her mouth.

Hu Cile took a closer look, the old wife's face was already pale, she also fell to the ground, and began to hunched over and convulsed continuously.

Is this a symptom of poisoning?
Only then did Hucile realize that the old wife's jug and wine glass were not the same as his own, so he howled terribly, and rushed over to report to his old wife.

Scenes from his youth kept flashing before his eyes. The most beautiful beauty in the clan married him, gave birth to him three sons and two daughters, sewed clothes for him during expeditions, and repaired nail leaves for him under the oil lamp. .

Those moments that were almost forgotten by the tiger thorns unfolded one after another.

Hucile burst into tears, but the old wife in his arms was weakly supporting him and singing.

"The Great Merciful Dharma King of the Supreme Heaven, knows my heart, knows my pain, knows my injury, and has mercy on me."

This is the compassionate mantra of the Great Merciful Dharma King. Only now did Hucile understand that his betrayal had completely destroyed the old wife's faith, and she had died since then.

Bang Dang, the door was suddenly pushed open, the cold wind blew in suddenly, and the fat Hutai appeared at the door with Hu Guang.

It was such a coincidence that Huguang was afraid that the tiger's thorn would not open the city gate, so he found Hutai first, and wanted to go home to persuade him, but he did not expect to see this scene.

Crying in despair, Hu Guang kicked the tiger thorn away with a flying kick, snatched his mother's body, and began to cry loudly.

"Auntie! Auntie! Don't! Don't!"

Hucile's old wife managed to raise her last glimmer of vision, and saw Huguang right in front of her eyes, with a smile on her mouth covered in blood foam.

Hu Guang was no longer in the mood to pay attention to Hu Cile, he picked up his mother and walked out of the house without looking back.

Hutai sat down on the ground in a daze and trembled.

Hucile didn't come back to his senses for a while, and after an unknown period of time, he looked at the pot of poisoned wine that his old wife had drunk on the table, after hesitating again and again, he uncorked the pot abruptly, and drank it down in one gulp!

(End of this chapter)