Shuhan

Tian Le and Ma Chao are about the same age, but they are obviously more energetic than Ma Chao.

At least the skin and flesh on Tian Le's body are still close to each other, unlike Ma Chao, who has lost twice as much weight compared to his youth.

"Old General Tian Le pays homage to Duke Ming."

Tian Le treated Ma Chao as a master and servant.

"Why do you need to do this great ceremony? Now you serve Wei and I assist Han, each is his own master."

"Why did Ming Gong say this? All the old troops in Xiliang are eagerly waiting for Ming Gong to raise his arms!"

Tian Le knelt on the ground and just raised his head.

His eyes were firm, and there seemed to be faint waves rolling in his firm eyes.

"In the past, our Qiang tribe had hundreds of thousands of troops and swept across Yongliang. We were so majestic. But now we have to stay in a barren land and serve as servants and slaves of the Han people. The Qiang people are all slaves of the Han people. My Lord, don't you feel heartbroken? "

In this sentence, Tian Le is half sincere and half false.

It was true that after Ma Chao fled Yizhou, Han Sui was pushed further and further by the Wei army, and was finally killed by his tribe. After that, the life of the Qiang people was indeed not as smooth as it was during the uprising.

Back then, when there were hundreds of thousands of soldiers, Han women would indulge in sexual intercourse, eat meat, and drink wine. Now, these are things of the past.

The lie is that most of the Qiang people suffered from conscription and corvee labor, and most of the old brothers were consumed by the Wei State and died in foreign lands.

But as a leader, he still enjoys a lot of meat and fish, and is very happy every day.

Seeing that Ma Chao had not responded, Tian Le immediately said: "Nowadays, all the tribes of Western Qiang and Eastern Qiang are leaderless. As long as Ming Gong raises his arms, tens of thousands of elites will be gathered in ten months. By then, why bother? Becoming a Han official? Wouldn’t it be great to establish oneself as the king of the Qiang people and separatize Yongliang? Even when the war is at its peak, you can plot the Central Plains and achieve temporary hegemony!"

Are there really tens of thousands of people under the roar?
Ma Chao smiled bitterly, shook his head and said, "You are here to persuade me to surrender on behalf of Cao Zhen. You should also know that even the Wei State will not allow another Han Sui or another Ma Chao to appear in the land of Yongliang."

Tian Le immediately said: "Although I am Cao Zhen's envoy, I also think about Duke Ming and the Qiang people. If Duke Ming has tens of thousands of troops and the Wei State does not agree, then what will happen?"

In this world, one still relies on his fists to speak.

If Ma Chao were ten or twenty years younger, he might be moved and even take action.

But
Now he is old.

The generals around him either left him or were unable to defeat him.

For example, Ma Chao is actually unbeatable now.

People have to obey old age!

No matter how great your ambition is, it will be wasted by time.

How much time did Taishan Mansion give Ma Chao?
How much effort does it take and how much danger does it take to separate Xiliang?

His son is no longer from Xiliang. Except for the blood of Xiliang people flowing in his body, he looks exactly like a Han.

On weekdays, he works as a servant in the Prince's Mansion, and his daughter has entered into a marriage contract with Liu Bei's son Liu Li.

Even if he has laid a foundation, can his son keep it?
Once people stop thinking about things, they will naturally become more honest.

"I am getting old and I no longer have the courage. As for the old brothers in Xiliang, you should also open your eyes and see the current world. It is no longer the chaotic times of Jian'an. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Han is also a hero. , it is impossible to separate Xiliang."

During the Jian'an period, the general trend of the world was unclear.

But now the world is very clear.

No matter whether Han wins or Wei wins, the Qiang people in Xiliang have no chance.

"Ming Gong is still in his forties and has not yet known his destiny. How can he be called old?

When Jiang Ziya was 72 years old, he was fishing in Fenxi River on the shore of the Wei River. He took the opportunity of fishing to ask for an audience with Ji Chang. During the enfeoffment of the Western Zhou Dynasty, Jiang Shang was granted the title of the first meritorious official in Qi State, with the highest title of Duke.

Chong'er lived in exile for nineteen years and moved to eight vassal states. Jin State welcomed back Chong'er from Qin State. He was already over sixty years old at this time, but this did not affect him from becoming a wise monarch. In his sixtieth year, he became the overlord of the Central Plains.

Emperor Gao, Taizu of the Han Dynasty, had just killed the White Snake at the age of forty-seven and proclaimed himself emperor at the age of fifty-five. From a small pavilion chief to the emperor of a country, it only took Emperor Gao 55 years.

Ming Gong is like this, he is seventy-seven in his forties, why not follow the example of his predecessors and achieve great achievements? "

Ma Chao sighed, stood up slowly, and said, "Tian Le, long time no see, you have learned how to talk."

If he were younger, he might have been convinced by Tian Le.

But it's too late to say this now.

"I, Ma Chao, are so virtuous and capable that I dare to compare with Emperor Gao. Tian Le, you are uttering arrogant words here, and you already have a way to die. I will use your head today to prove my will!"

Use my head?

Tian Le had a look of horror on his face.

"Ming Gong, the two armies are fighting, don't kill the envoy!"

However, Ma Chao didn't hear it.

"Ming Gong, spare my life!"

"We are all from Xiliang, why should Xiliang people kill Xiliang people!"

"Spare my life!"

Tian Le's begging for mercy was followed by a click outside the tent, and immediately fell into silence.

Mi Zhu stood up slowly. He bowed to Ma Chao and said, "The sincerity of the monarch to the great man can be seen from the sun. There is no need for me to come here today."

Ma Chao smiled bitterly and said: "In the past years, we suffered great losses due to mutual distrust. Naturally, I will not be knocked down by the same stone again."

Back then, he fell into Cao Cao's counter-intentional plan. Otherwise, the ownership of this Yongliang land is still unknown!

"The Wei army is attacking. Do you have any way to deal with the enemy?" Mi Zhu changed the subject decisively.

Ma Chao pondered for a moment and said: "The total number of the Wei army, Master, is probably one hundred thousand. Now that the vanguard has arrived, there is no need to worry. When the infantry comes, we must be prepared for a sneak attack."

"The Qiang people from all over Guanzhong have come to join us. Now there are nearly 6,000 people under the general's tent. As long as we don't rush in and defend Yumi, when Chang'an City is captured by the Han army, it will be Cao Zhen's turn to be afraid."

If Guanzhong is occupied by the Han State, the land of Xiliang will be separated from the Wei State.

What can Cao Zhen do who is trapped in the land of Yongliang?
I am afraid that the Han Kingdom will continue to send troops towards Yongliang.

Once Guanzhong is owned by the Han Kingdom, the powerful local nobles in Yongliang will definitely not obey Cao Zhen again. The situation is over, and no matter how powerful Cao Zhen is, he will not be able to escape the path of defeat.

"We can still hold Yumi, but there is more than just Yumi from Xiliang to Guanzhong."

If Cao Zhen is willing to walk hundreds of miles more, he can bypass Qixian and take Yunyang directly to the north of Chang'an.

"This road is too long, and it is not on the Wei army's food route, so it is difficult for logistics supplies to keep up."

Although the Wei army occupied the land of Yongliang, most of the cities were actually owned by the Qiang people, and they only occupied them in name.

Able to levy grain and taxes, and have them send troops.

But there is no complete control over these places.

If you choose to take this path, the food and grass for tens of thousands of people will have to be provided locally. I am afraid that there will be no need for the Han army to fight, and those Qiang and Di will rebel first.

"Tens of thousands of people can't leave, but 10,000 or 20,000 people can still leave."

Mi Zhu nodded and said: "Our army has released its exploration cavalry in the direction of Yunyang in Qixian County. There are three thousand people stationed in the direction of the valley entrance. However, they are unable to defeat the Wei army that sprang out from the north. They will delay for a while to give our army time to respond. , it’s still more than enough.”

After hearing this, Ma Chao finally relaxed a little.

On the other side, Lianshui City.

The news of Tian Le's murder soon reached Cao Zhen's ears.

"It seems that Ma Chao is determined to become a minister of the Han Kingdom."

Guo Huai sighed on the side.

Cao Zhen's face was expressionless. The death of an insignificant Tian Le was like the death of an ant. It would not cause any waves in Cao Zhen's heart.

"It's a pity that Ma Chao can't be used by the Wei Dynasty. Now, we have no choice but to attack Yumi."

So what if you are Ma Chao?
You have Qiang soldiers following you, so what?
Since you are shameless, let me give you a taste of the power of my great Wei Tianbing!

Since arriving in the land of Yongliang, Cao Zhen has not been defeated.

It’s Ma Chao, and he’s also late Ma Chao.

Can those Qiang soldiers under your command who dare to surrender be able to regain the glory of the Xiliang cavalry?

"Now mobilize the people in the city to build siege equipment. When the infantry arrives in three days, we will begin to attack the city!" Cao Zhen's eyes were firm. Three days later, there was a bloody battle.

now.

Changan.

The city wall of Chang'an City stands tall and strong, like an insurmountable barrier.

On the city wall, the bricks and stones are closely arranged, and they still appear to be indestructible after being baptized by wind and rain. On the walls, the traces left by the years and the marks of war are intertwined, adding a bit of vicissitudes and heaviness to this giant city.

The Wei troops guarding the city were ready. They were dressed in neat armor, holding spears and swords, and their eyes were firm and sharp.

The money and food in Chang'an's treasury and the women's families of the people in the city also fed their wild nature.

On the city wall, the Wei army deployed dense arrow stacks and rolling stones. Once the enemy attacked, these defensive tools would exert great power.

In addition, there are beacon towers and observation towers on the city walls to detect enemy situations and deliver messages in a timely manner.

Of course, Chang'an City at this moment is not indestructible.

The originally sparkling moat under the city had been completely filled in by Han soldiers and civilians.

Outside the giant city, the neatly arranged Han troops, behind various siege equipment, were already preparing to attack the city.

dong dong dong~
After the Han army formed its formation, the sound of war drums was already ringing.

"kill!"

"kill!"

"kill!"

The Han troops attacking the city opened their throats and roared loudly, not only to dispel the fear of death in their hearts, but also to scare the Wei troops defending the city.

More than a dozen huge chariots with five levels of armor, each with an indestructible shield made of cowhide, each carrying more than a hundred Han troops, charged towards Chang'an City.

More ladder chariots, driven by the Han army, followed more than ten Linchong chariots towards the Chang'an city wall.

And a huge assault vehicle slowly passed behind these chariots.

The ram was pushed by hundreds of people, with an iron ram in front and a huge iron shield behind the ram. Behind the shield was an iron shield similar to the back shell of a centipede, which protected the soldiers pushing the ram.

further away.

The trebuchet has begun to show its power.

The catapults were like giant beasts, roaring in the Han army's camp. Their huge arms were raised high, with destructive power, and they smashed huge rocks into Chang'an City. With a loud "rumbling" sound, the boulder cut through the sky and roared away with the sound of wind.

The Wei soldiers on the Chang'an city wall watched in horror as these huge rocks flew towards them. Although they had experienced hundreds of battles, they still felt palpitations in the face of such terrifying weapons.

Some soldiers subconsciously raised their shields to resist, but the power of the boulder was too strong. The shields were instantly smashed into pieces, and both the man and the shield were thrown away.

The boulder hit the city wall with a deafening sound, and the city wall seemed to tremble under the force. The bricks and stones on the city wall were smashed in all directions. Some soldiers were unable to dodge and were hit by the bricks and stones, causing blood to splash everywhere.

The soldiers who were directly hit by the boulder were even more miserable. They were smashed into a pulp, their flesh and blood were blurred, and even their human shapes were difficult to identify.

The air was filled with a strong smell of blood and dust, and the walls of Chang'an seemed to be a purgatory on earth.

Although the surviving Wei soldiers were full of fear, they knew that they must stick to their posts at this moment and not allow the Han army to take the opportunity to invade the city.

They gritted their teeth and raised their weapons, because the Han army's Linchong chariot had already arrived.

"Come on!"

"Kill!"

In a war, only the sword in your hand can save your life.

At dusk, the sky in Chang'an City was dyed blood red.

The Han army and the Wei army launched a fierce offensive and defensive battle under this impregnable city wall. Under the cover of siege equipment, the Han army launched fierce attacks one after another.

However, Wei Jun is not easy to deal with.

They took advantage of the height and advantage of the city wall to continuously fire bows, arrows and rolling stones at the Han army, causing huge casualties to the Han army.

After being rewarded by Zhang He, the elite Wei soldiers on the city wall fought back without fear of death, trying to drive the Han army back outside the city.

The battle lasted for a whole day, and both sides paid a heavy price.

The walls of Chang'an City were stained with blood. The soldiers of the Wei Army and the Han Army lay there lifeless.

Outside the city wall, countless Han troops died because the Wei army rolled wooden arrows and poured gold, liquid, and fire oil on them.

But no matter what, after the Han army's formation, the sound of gold was heard, and today's battle was considered over.

"It seems that Zhang He is really determined to defend Chang'an."

In today's siege, the Han army suffered heavy losses. Of course, because the Han army had the advantage of siege equipment, even the Wei army suffered heavy losses within the tall city walls of Chang'an.

"At night, let the civilian men collect the corpses and pile up the earth!" During the day, the Han army sergeants attacked, and at night, they asked the masters to carry the earth and rocks to lower the height of the city wall of Chang'an.

As for the losses suffered by the civilians below the city.

It was no longer within Zhang Fei's consideration.

As long as Chang'an did not send troops, he could hold on to these losses. But if he dared to send troops, the Han army would not be able to get what he wanted.

In field battles, Zhao Yun has never been afraid of anyone!
The actions of the Han army were naturally noticed by Zhang He.

But since the Chang'an garrison was disorganized, their combat effectiveness has dropped a lot. The defenders still can't tell much about it, but if they go out to fight in the city, their secrets will definitely be exposed immediately.

Therefore, Zhang He saw this and was anxious in his heart, so he could only use arrows and rolling logs to consume the people under the city.

However.
How can the lives of civilian husbands be equated with the lives of Han soldiers?

There are thousands of civilians casually caught nearby, and no matter how many arrows and rolling wood the Chang'an city treasury has, they can't withstand such consumption.

Zhang He's heart became heavier and heavier.

If this continues, Chang'an City will really be undefendable.

"Father, there is trouble in the city again."

Zhang Xiong stepped forward in a panic.

"Making trouble? Who dares to make trouble nowadays?"

Is it because Zhang He didn't kill enough people?
"I don't know who caused the rebellion and set fires everywhere in Chang'an City."

I'm coming.

Jian Junsi Xizuo, who was hiding in the darkness of Chang'an City, and the undiscovered forces of the Jingzhao Wei family and the Jingzhao Du family began to exert their strength.

Zhang He knew in his heart that the situation in Chang'an City was getting worse.

The money and silk in Chang'an's treasury has almost been distributed. If the Wei troops guarding the city do not receive new rewards, they may be passive in defending the city.

Paying rewards has the advantage of stimulating the morale of soldiers and making them work for you, but it also has disadvantages.

If you whet their appetites and don't reward them, they won't work hard and may even dare to cause trouble.

"How many days?" Zhang He asked.

Zhang Xiong knew that his father was asking how many days the city had been guarded, so he immediately said: "It's almost twenty days."

Twenty days later, support is almost here.

"Issuing an order: From now on, the common people in Chang'an City, five families or ten families, are not allowed to move without authorization. They will supervise each other and report each other. If there is a military officer among them, the children of Jingzhao Du family and Jingzhao Wei family will If you don’t expose it, ten families will be killed together. If a fire breaks out in one of the ten families, all ten families will be killed!"

no solution anymore.

At the critical moment, Zhang He could only use stricter laws to restrain the people.

The city must be stable. As long as you dare to harbor someone who is set on fire and refuse to report it, then I will not kill the person who set the fire. I will kill you.

He, Zhang He, solves problems. Does it matter whether he solves the problem for the victim or the perpetrator?

and.

If the rewards from Chang'an's treasury are gone, the family assets and women of these people will be the rewards for the soldiers who defend the city.

Now, in order to defend Chang'an City, Zhang He has done whatever it takes! (End of chapter)