Outlaws of the Marsh

Chapter 505 Yizhou Changes Owner (Please Subscribe!)
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The situation in Yanjing is so bad, Song Guozhen is at your fingertips?

Yes.

The situation in Yanjing is really bad. On the surface, Song Guozhen is within easy reach.

Now, people in Yanjing City are discussing that Empress Dowager Xiao is about to order Xiao Qian to kill Han officials.

This is not aimless.

Xiao Pu Xiannv has always hated the Han people, this is a well-known fact.

In addition, the Liangshan Army and the Song Army surrounded Yanjing from the west to the north and did not give the Khitan, Xi, Bohai and other tribes a way out.

In addition, not long ago, Li Chuwen and his son wanted to kidnap Xiao Puxian's daughter and return to the south.

It is not impossible for the strong-tempered lady Xiao Puxian to make the decision to kill all the Han officials.

In fact, Mrs. Xiao Puxian had already expressed similar meanings. Of course, Mrs. Xiao Puxian was angry at that time.

Later, Xiao Pu Xiannv was persuaded by Xiao Qian and Yelu Dashi. Their reason was that Yanjing could no longer stand the trouble.

Yes, Yanjing can no longer stand the toss.

The entire Yanjing now has less than 5 horses, and a small half of them are Han soldiers. After removing them, there may be less than 20. Compared with Li Yan's 50 army and the Northern Song Dynasty's [-] million army, it is really too little.

All Han officials are in danger and are looking for their own way out.

All kinds of news are like the wind, blowing from Yanjing to Zhuozhou, and from Zhuozhou to Yizhou.

Gao Feng, the prefect of Yizhou, was a Han official in his fifties, and his family of dozens of people lived in the city of Yizhou.

After hearing these rumors, Gao Feng was restless and anxious.

Knowing that the Northern Expeditionary Army of the Song Dynasty has assembled and may soon go north to capture Yanjing, Gao Feng thought: "Why don't you take the opportunity to sacrifice Yizhou City and leave Daliao for self-protection?"

Yizhou is located in the southwest of Yanjing, about 200 miles away. It goes to the mountains in the west and looks at Yimapingchuan in the east. It is named after a Yishui. Saying farewell to each other by the Yishui River, the famous saying "The wind is rustling and the water is cold, and the strong man will never return when he is gone." is written here.

After thinking about it for a few days, Gao Feng decided to discuss with Tongshou Wang Ji, who had a good relationship.

After some probing, the two agreed by coincidence.

Wang Ji is also a Han official, and his family also lives in Yizhou, and he is also worrying about his way out.

Seeing that Wang Ji also supported Nangui, Gao Feng made up his mind.

Gao Feng said: "We should immediately send someone to Xiongzhou to contact Xuanfu envoy Tong Guan, and tell him our intention to return to the south. When the Song army goes north to Yizhou, we will kill all the Khitan people in the city. Returning to the Song Dynasty, what do you think of Brother Wang Xian?"

Wang Ji said: "I completely agree. But who will be sent to Xiongzhou? This matter must be done in secret, and this person must be very reliable."

Gao Feng paced back and forth, he couldn't find anyone by his side who was worthy of his trust.

Wang Ji thought for a while and said, "I have a monk friend named Ming Zan. I have a life-and-death relationship with him. I think he is competent. Moreover, monks will not attract attention or arouse suspicion when they enter and leave the city. "

Gao Feng asked: "Are you talking about that old monk from Jingjue Temple?"

Wang Tang nodded and said: "It's him. Five years ago, he committed a crime in Yanjing Minzhong Temple. I once saved him."

Gao Feng said: "Well, it's not too late, you go to Taining Mountain early tomorrow morning to invite Master Mingzan."

Early the next morning, Wang Tai came to Jingjue Temple in Taining Mountain to find Mingzan, and then quietly explained to Mingzan his intention.

Mingzan understands the righteousness and is very much in favor of joining the Song Dynasty. He readily agrees that he is willing to go to Xiongzhou to convey the message to Tong Guan, the envoy of Xuanfu of the Song Dynasty.

On September [-]th, Mingzan secretly came to Xiongzhou.

Tong Guanzheng and Yu Wenxuzhong, the staff officer, were discussing matters in the Xuanfu Department, when the guards suddenly came in and reported that there was a monk outside the door asking to see Tong Xuanfu by name, saying that he had something important to tell.

Tong Guan felt a little strange, "I have never interacted with monks or Taoist priests. How could a monk ask to see me?"

Considering that it is an extraordinary period, Tong Guan said: "Please go to the West Hall, I will meet him in a while."

After the guards withdrew, Yu Wenxu stood up and said, "I'll go see him first to see why he's here, and then Prime Minister Xuan decides to see him or not?"

Tong Guan nodded in agreement.

Yu Wenxu came to the west hall, and said to Ming Zan: "Grand Master Tong is busy with work and can't come out, the special dispatcher will come to receive him first... I don't know where the master came from? What can I learn here?"

Mingzan smiled and said: "The old monk, named Mingzan, came from Yizhou. He was entrusted by someone, and he has something important to tell Tong Xuan Fushi."

When Yu Wenxuzhong heard that Ming Zan came from Yizhou, he immediately realized that something good might be coming, and said: "Master, please sit down for a while, Grand Master Tong will be here soon."

Yu Wenxuzhong immediately reported Mingzan's situation to Tong Guan, and Tong Guan ordered Liu Yanqing to investigate Mingzan immediately to find out his true identity.

Liu Yanqing quickly sent someone to Xiongzhou Tiefo Temple to inquire about Yizhou Mingzan's relevant information.

After a while, Tong Guan came to the west hall, cupped his fists and said, "Forgive me, I'm late for a certain family, please forgive me... I heard that the master came from Yizhou? How is the situation in Yizhou now?"

Mingzan stood up, clasped his palms together, bowed slightly, and said: "Mingzan pays homage to the envoy Tong Xuanfu...Nowadays, the Han people in Yizhou look forward to each other day and night, stretching their necks and knees, waiting for the arrival of the heavenly soldiers. They have been waiting for a year. Yizhou Zhizhou Gaofeng and Tongshou Wangji specially sent old monks to tell Tong Xuanfu envoy that they were willing to donate the city of Yizhou and return to the Song Dynasty. The old monk came here just for this matter, and asked Tong Xuanfu envoy to agree to send troops At that time, when the army arrives in Yizhou, they are willing to lead the army to kill the Khitan in the city, join forces inside and outside, and dedicate the city to the soil."

After Tong Guan heard this, his expression was very calm, and his mind was also very calm. He still had some doubts about this good thing that suddenly came to his door.

Tong Guan smiled, and said in an official tone: "Now, there are no less than a thousand people who come to return to the court every day. Gaofeng Zhizhou and Wang Ji are guarded together. They can obey the hearts of the people, understand the general situation, and raise the flag of righteousness. This Xuanfu welcomes them."

At this time, Liu Yanqing quietly walked into the west hall, and then whispered to Tong Guan: "This person's situation is true, there is nothing false."

It was only then that Tong Guan believed that what Ming Zan said was true, and it was not a trick by the Liao Kingdom. Tong Guan was overjoyed and asked, "How many soldiers and horses are there in Yizhou?"

Ming Zan replied: "There are now 5000 troops, all of whom are willing to obey Tong Xuanfu's command."

Tong Guan said: "Okay! Then please go back to Yizhou immediately, master, and tell Gaozhizhou and Wang Tongshou that our army will arrive at the city of Yizhou on the [-]th of this month, and ask them to open the gate to offer the city. It must be reported to the imperial court, rewarded according to merit, and will never break its word."

On September [-]th, the Xuanfu Department sent a message to Liu Guangshi, the West Route Army, and ordered him to raise his troops immediately and march towards Yizhou, demanding that Liu Guangshi lead the West Route Army to the city of Yizhou on September [-].

After receiving the order, Liu Guangshi immediately deployed and dispatched Ji Jing, Zhao Ming, and Zhai Jin to lead a team each to form the vanguard army. He himself and Yang Weizhong led the central army, and Zhang Sizheng led the rear army.

The Guangxin Army is in the south of Yizhou, and the distance between the two places is actually not too far.

On this day, the vanguard soldier Ma quietly entered the territory of Liao State and marched towards Yizhou.

At the beginning, the march was quite smooth.

On September [-]th, on the road not far from Yizhou, Tan Ma suddenly came back and reported that the road ahead was dusty and found a troop of soldiers and horses galloping from a distance.

Ji Jing, Zhao Ming, and Zhai Jin judged that this was probably the team sent by Gao Feng, the prefect of Yizhou, so they did not order any preparations for battle.

But they were wrong, this is not Yizhou soldiers and horses, but a Niulan army killed from the ancient city.

The so-called Niulan Army refers to the army commanded by the Niulan Du Commander.

As early as the period of Emperor Shengzong of the Liao Dynasty, in order to defend the Song State, the Liao State set up a "Niulan Capital Commanding Division" in Niulan Mountain, which was affiliated to the Nanjing Metropolitan Marshal's Mansion. ", the two armies are the horns of each other, and the defensive range is more than [-] miles from east to west along the Baigou River, Song and Liao borders.

The commander of the Niulan Jianjun Village, commonly known as the Niulan Jianjun.

Now, Xiao Yelu, the deputy commander of the Southwest Road, also serves as the supervisor of the Niulan Army, commanding this team.

Xiao Yulu was the main commander of the Song and Liao front lines. He was originally stationed in Xincheng, but he was ordered to retreat to the ancient city not long ago. The ancient city is located between Zhuozhou and Yizhou. The Niulan army went out of the city and faced them.

The vanguard army led by Ji Jing, Zhao Ming and Zhai Jin was caught off guard by the Niulan army and was finally defeated.

After Liu Guangshi heard the news, he urgently ordered the Central Army and the Rear Army to stop advancing and prepare for battle on the spot—he wanted to stabilize the troops to prevent the whole army from breaking down.

Zhai Jin led a vanguard army and moved to the west of Gufengtai, which is very close to Yizhou City - Zhai Jin planned to move closer to the city after dark.

Gao Feng and Wang Tai learned that the Song army had reached the west of Gufengtai, so they ordered the guard Zhao Bingyuan to start massacring the Khitan people in the city according to the predetermined plan, especially those with the surname Yelu.

In the city of Yizhou, although the Khitan population is not very large, there is a bloodbath at the moment, and the atmosphere is terrifying.

Soon, the spies came to report that the Song army was defeated by the Niulan army and retreated south.

Gao Feng, Wang Ji and Zhao Bingyuan looked at each other pale and at a loss when they heard the news.

Fortunately, Ming Zan was calm-headed at the critical moment. He suggested: "The matter has come to this point, and we have no way to turn back. Therefore, close the city gate as soon as possible and wait for it. Song Jun will probably come again."

In the evening, Xiao Yulu led the Niupen army to the city of Yizhou - he wanted to go to the city to rest.

Seeing that the gate was closed tightly, Xiao Yulu ordered the soldiers to shout loudly to open the gate.

But no matter what Xiao Yulu's soldiers called the gate, the city gate was always closed.

Xiao Yelu concluded that internal changes have taken place in the city!
Xiao Yulu was furious about this. At the same time, he also suspected that the Song army's southward retreat was a fraudulent defeat. He was worried that the Song army and the army inside the city would cooperate with Mali and attack him from the north and the south, so he hurriedly led his army to leave Yizhou and head for the ancient city.

Seeing Xiao Yulu leading the Niu Lan army away, Gao Feng and others who were hiding on the tower were relieved.

Gao Feng said to Mingzan: "Master Mingzan, I have to trouble you to go to Xiongzhou overnight and report to the envoy Tong Xuanfu that the Khitan in Yizhou city has been wiped out by us, and the Niulan army has also gone northward." , ask him to send troops to Yizhou immediately."

Then Zhao Bingyuan sent more than a dozen cavalry to escort Mingzan out of the city.

After Ji Jing and Zhao Ming returned to the Chinese army, they pleaded guilty to Liu Guangshi.

Liu Guangshi was very angry when his three generals and thousands of fine cavalry were defeated by a thousand Liao cavalry.

That night, Liu Guangshi issued a secret order to the other general Feng Xuanqing, asking him to lead five hundred elite riders and set off quietly in the dark to march towards Yizhou City.

Liu Guangshi thought to himself: "I must complete the combat mission of coming to Yizhou City on the [-]th."

Feng Xuanqing led his army to go north along the road, and happened to meet Mingzan and his party on the way, and both sides were very pleasantly surprised.

So Mingzan acted as a guide and led Feng Xuanqing's [-] cavalry to the city of Yizhou at dusk.

When Gao Feng heard the news, he hurried out of the city to meet him in person, but when he went out of the city to see that the Song Army had only arrived with more than 500 horses, he couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.

Feng Xuanqing stepped forward and explained: "Kochi Prefecture, we are the vanguard army. The [-] army is still behind, and will soon be approaching the city."

Hearing what Feng Xuanqing said, Gao Feng felt relieved.

Feng Xuanqing immediately sent someone back to report to Liu Guangshi: "Our army has entered the city, and Yizhou has been controlled by our army."

Liu Guangshi was overjoyed, so he immediately ordered the army to set off for Yizhou, and at the same time sent someone to report to Tong Guan.

Tong Guan, Cai You, and Liu Yanqing were very happy to learn that the Song army had captured Yizhou.

Cai You said with a smile: "From this point of view, Yanjing will be recovered by our army in a short time."

Tong Guan said calmly: "I'm afraid it's not that simple. Xiao Qian and Lin Ya Dashi have not yet appeared, which means that the Khitan main force has not yet entered the battle. How dare you say so?"

Cai You restrained his smile and said, "It's a bit strange. Where did the main force of the Liao army go?"

Liu Yanqing said: "The main force of the Liao army is likely to be deployed around Yanjing. Yanjing is an ancient city with strong defenses. It may cost a lot to take it down quickly. I think the army should be cautious and slow down. After the Jurchen soldiers and horses enter Gubeikou, let them take down Yanjing first, and then we will redeem them with old coins, this is the perfect strategy to recover Yanjing."

Tong Guan and Cai You were noncommittal to Liu Yanqing's statement.

Liu Yanqing was personally selected by Zhao Ji to rule the capital, and before taking office, Liu Yanqing had met with Zhao Ji and received many rewards from Zhao Ji, so they all believed that Liu Yanqing's ideas should represent Zhao Ji's ideas, so, how Liu Yanqing entered the army How to recover Yanjing, Tong Guan and Cai You do not want to interfere more.

……

(End of this chapter)