At the end of the Sui Dynasty

Chapter 566 The Battle of Xingyang

The new moon is still like a hook, Zhang Xutuo is stationed in Yangwu County, which is less than a hundred miles east of Xingyang City, like a beast, silently watching the hundreds of thousands of Wagang troops besieging Xingyang City, waiting for an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow .

No matter how large the flock of sheep is, wolves are impossible to be afraid of. Facing the thieves everywhere, Zhang Xutuo has always played the role of wolves. This time... Will there be an exception?

At the end of April this year, Zhang Xutuo led his army back to Qi County from Hejian County. He wanted to rest for a period of time so that the sons of Qi County under his command could go home to visit their relatives. Seeing that his family was in sight, Qijun Erlang could only pass through the door, and immediately rushed to Henan to join the fierce battle again.

However, Zhang Xutuo is worthy of being Zhang Xutuo, and Bafengying is worthy of being Bafengying. Although there are only more than [-] soldiers and exhausted from long-term battles, they are still extremely powerful. For several months, they have swept all the way from east to west. There were more than [-] battles, large and small, and every battle was victorious, killing the Wagang army, throwing away their helmets and armor, and their hearts were terrified.

But at this moment, Zhang Xutuo's Bafeng Camp had crossed most of the territory controlled by the Wagang Army, as if entering a no-man's land, and killed it in Yangwu County, a hundred miles east of Xingyang City. They are attacking Xingyang City on the outskirts of Baili.

Zhang Xutuo felt that the time for a decisive battle had come. He wanted to defeat the main force of Wagang in one fell swoop and eliminate Zhai Rang and Li Mi. Before the decisive battle, the soldiers under his command had to get a full rest, so he chose to station in Wuyang County and stand still. In order to recharge your batteries.

The mid-autumn night was already a bit cool, and two torches were burning in the Chinese military tent, shining as brightly as day.There seemed to be more wrinkles on Zhang Xutuo's face, like a relief on a rock, and his eyes were as sad as ever. The blood on his forehead had already dried, and he hadn't bothered to wash it off. At this time, he was watching quietly. A marching map spread out on the table.

Qin Shubao, Luo Shixin, and Cheng Yaojin surrounded them, also quietly looking at the map, waiting for General Zhang's order in silence.

Zhang Xutuo's fingers were as rough as his face, he pointed at the map to draw a line, and said in a deep voice: "This general will attack from here to attract the main force of the Wagang bandits. After arriving behind the Wagang Bandits, Shi Xin led a cavalry all the way to the north, and Yao Jin led a cavalry to the south, and they met here on August [-]th, attacking from all sides, and completely defeated the Wagang Bandits, and it was all over!"

Zhang Xutuo pointed his fingers heavily near the Dahai Temple in the north of Xingyang City, raised his head and glanced at the three beloved generals, and asked solemnly: "Do you understand?"

"This subordinate understands." The three replied in unison.

Zhang Xutuo nodded and said: "Go, remember, you must arrive on August [-]th, not early or late, success or failure depends on this, wipe out the Wagang thieves, and the emperor can go from here Jiangdu returns to Dongdu, and within a few years, the world will be peaceful."

Qin Shubao, Luo Shixin and Cheng Yaojin bowed solemnly and withdrew from the Chinese army.Looking at the backs of the three of them, Zhang Xutuo said to himself as if relieved of a heavy burden: "It's about to end, after this battle, I'll take you home."

The three of Qin Shubao walked out of the large tent of the Chinese army, stopped at the same time, and looked at the crescent moon in the sky.

The autumn wind was bleak, the night was as cool as water, and the sound of insects chirped. Except for the guard post on patrol, all the brothers fell asleep, and the barracks was silent.

"Yijin, what day is it today?" Qin Shubao's voice was low, but it was clearer in the quiet night.

Cheng Yaojin replied: "On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, there are still ten days until the moon will be full."

Luo Shixin glanced at Cheng Yaojin, and corrected him: "There are still ten days before the decisive battle with the Wagang bandits." He waved his fist as he spoke, obviously looking forward to it.

Cheng Yaojin nodded and said, "The main force of Wagang bandits besieging Xingyang is 300,000."

Luo Shidao said, "The Wagang bandits are nothing more than a mob, so what if there are millions of them?"

Cheng Yaojin said again: "Li Mi is not someone who waits for nothing."

Luo Shixin curled his lips and said, "We are not the ones who wait for nothing, and General Zhang is not the one who waits for nothing."

Cheng Yaojin said: "Li Mi and Zhai Rang also have strong generals under their command."

Luo Shixin frowned and said, "Old Cheng, what's wrong with you tonight? Why do you grow up others' ambitions and destroy your own prestige?"

Cheng Yaojin patted his big belly and said: "I just want to remind you not to take it lightly. Although we have won consecutive battles and victories all the way, we have defeated Wagang's peripheral teams. Now we are going to face a few of the Wagang Army. One hundred thousand main force, don't be careless!"

Luo Shixin wondered: "Could it be that you, Cheng Yaojin, are also afraid?"

Cheng Yaojin looked at the crescent moon in the sky, but did not answer, but asked instead: "Shi Xin, are you homesick?"

Luo Shixin shook his head and said, "Did you forget? I'm an orphan, I don't have a home, my home is the military camp."

"Oh, by the way, Shixin, you don't have a home, the barracks is your home, and the brothers are your family." Cheng Yaojin continued talking to himself and walked away.

Looking at Cheng Yaojin's lonely and desolate back in the autumn night, Luo Shixin felt ominous in his heart. He looked at Qin Qiong, this man who was like a father and brother, it was Brother Qin who brought him to the barracks back then , Big brother Qin taught himself martial arts, taught himself how to fight, he is an orphan, the person closest to him is Brother Qin, and the person he respects the most is General Zhang.

"Brother Qin, are you homesick too?" Luo Shixin asked.

Qin Shubao nodded and said: "I miss my old mother a little bit. My eldest brother hasn't gone back to see her for many years, and I don't know how she is well now."

"After this battle is over, I will go back with my elder brother to visit my mother, and my elder brother's mother is my mother." Luo Shi said.

Qin Shubao put his hand on Luo Shixin's shoulder, and said solemnly: "With your words, I am relieved, take care!" After speaking, he went straight away.

Luo Shixin felt inexplicably heavy, and silently returned to his camp, gathered a thousand cavalrymen under his command, and conveyed General Zhang's order.

There was no gearing up, no eagerness to try, no expression, everyone just stood silently holding the reins, only the bleak autumn wind passing by was whimpering softly.

Luo Shixin's eyes sank, and he said loudly: "What's the matter? It's like Shuang beating eggplants. We are winning battles, and we have been winning battles. The Wagang bandits are beaten by us, why do you seem to have lost the battle?" Don't you have the confidence to win?"

"General Luo, after this battle, can we really go home?" a cavalryman asked weakly.

Luo Shixin originally wanted to reprimand him sharply, but in the face of thousands of silently expecting eyes, he fell silent, and swallowed the words that came to his lips. He is an orphan, has no home, no family, but the brothers all There is a family, there are parents, wives and children to worry about, and they have been fighting abroad for seven or eight years, and they have hardly stopped. After the war, quite a few of these brothers in front of us will die in the battle, their souls will die in a foreign country, and returning home will eventually become a luxury that will never be fulfilled.

Thinking of this, Luo Shixin's chest was suddenly congested, and he didn't even dare to face the earnest gazes of the brothers, and these earnest gazes were slowly dimming because of his avoidance and silence.

"Go home, go home after this battle, General Zhang said, after this battle, even if the sky falls, he will take everyone home!" Luo Shixin said loudly, clenching his fists secretly, He swore secretly that no matter what the outcome of this battle was, he would do everything in his power to bring all the brothers back home.

When the brothers heard the words, their dim eyes suddenly lit up again, and they embraced each other in surprise. They will be able to go home after this battle. General Zhang said that after this battle, even if the sky falls, he will take everyone home. , General Zhang has always followed his word, and he will definitely do it. The reason why he broke his promise last time was nothing more than the emperor's order!

They have long been tired of this endless war. Although they have defeated countless thieves and won one victory after another, they will never be able to completely win. Is it really meaningful to continue this battle?
Luo Shixin boosted morale with a lie, and then led a thousand cavalry to set off overnight, according to the agreement, to detour to the north.

Cheng Yaojin also set off, leading a thousand cavalry to detour to the south as agreed.

Qin Qiong was the last one to dispatch. His mission was to penetrate to the west of Xingyang City and attack the rear formation of the Wagang Army from the rear.

On this day, Qin Qiong led two thousand cavalry quietly to the territory of Yuanwu County south of Xingyang, and the front army suddenly stopped advancing.Qin Qiong hurriedly rushed forward to check what happened, and found that the road was blocked by several big trees, obviously someone did it deliberately.

Qin Qiong immediately gave the order to be vigilant, and quickly observed the surrounding terrain, but the surrounding area was very open, and the possibility of the enemy ambushing here was very small. Just when he was puzzled, a brother who was in charge of cleaning up the big tree ran over and sent a letter. The letter said: "To General Qin, there is a letter under the tree trunk, which seems to be specially reserved for you, General."

Qin Qiong was slightly startled, took a look at the letter, and found that the words "General Qin Qiong personally" were written on the envelope of the letter.

Qin Qiong frowned, tore off the seal of the letter, and took out the contents to have a look, his complexion changed drastically!

Inside the envelope was a crude wooden hairpin for binding hair, and a lock of gray hair!

Qin Qiong opened the letter paper with trembling hands, and after a long time, he folded the letter paper and put it in the envelope, then tore off a piece of cloth from his body, carefully wrapped the lock of hair and hairpin, and put it close to his body.

"General Qin..." All the subordinates looked at Qin Qiong worriedly.

Qin Qiong waved her hand: "Go ahead...wow!"

As soon as Qin Qiong finished speaking, he spit out a mouthful of blood, his body staggered, and he fell headfirst from the horse.

"General Qin!" All the subordinates froze in shock and gathered around to check.

(End of this chapter)