First Minister of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 243 Wang Shichong's Dead End

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Compared with Zhu Can, Wang Deren and others, Meng Haigong is quite famous. Meng Haigong was born in a humble family, and he was a farmer for generations. Treating the common people kindly, ignoring the corvee and paying little attention to taxes, is not a notorious person like Zhu Can.

After Meng Haigong occupied Caozhou, he built two cities in the north and south, named Menghai City, and later named Haicheng.

According to the original trajectory, after Meng Haigong was executed, the local people spontaneously raised funds to transport Meng Haigong's body from Chang'an back to Haicheng for burial. In the coffin, this is the origin of the bronze head Meng Haigong.

Since then, the people of Haicheng in all dynasties will worship Meng Haigong, and until later generations, there will be temple fairs in the local area. It can be seen that Meng Haigong, the leader of the peasant uprising, is deeply supported by the people.

If Meng Haigong is to be recruited, firstly, he can get a brave general who is good at fighting, and secondly, he can recruit the people of Cao and Dai states, killing two birds with one stone, but he doesn't understand that Li Shimin would rather treat an unknown lieutenant Zhao Jiqing kindly than Meng Haigong. Say a few words.

As if sensing Gao Chong's doubts, Li Shimin slowed down and whispered to Gao Chong: "Meng Haigong was born as a commoner and hated his family, and he slaughtered all the wealthy families in the two states of Cao and Dai."

Hearing these words, Gao Chong suddenly realized.

In this case, even if Meng Haigong is worthy of surrender, Li Shimin can't show it. Meng Haigong is a commoner who revolts and hates the wealthy family extremely, and the position of Gao Chong and others belongs to the aristocratic family. And to offend many families.

Li Shimin led his army to rest for a day in the old city of Luoyang, and the next day they went straight to Luoyang city to join Li Yuanji's troops.

As soon as he met Li Shimin, he reprimanded Li Yuanji, and set up a table of tributes on the high slope outside the city to pay homage to the marching chief Lu Jun'e and other soldiers in public.

It turned out that under Qu Tutong's arrangement, Li Yuanji was lucky enough to defeat Zheng Jun and captured Zheng Jun's army Le Renfang alive. But that's all.

From then on, he fought under the city of Luoyang every day and stormed several times, which made the soldiers exhausted and the army complained. On the top of the city, Yang Gongqing, the general of the Zheng army, saw all this in his eyes.

After Li Yuanji's desperate attack on the city failed again, Yang Gongqing led his troops out of the city and counterattacked while the Tang army was exhausted. Li Yuanji was in a panic.

For Lu Jun'er, Gao Chong is still very sorry. Lu Jun'er is from Taiyuan. He is loyal to Li Tang. It is a pity that Song Laosheng, such a brave general, died in battle at the age of twenty under the command of Li Yuanji.

The next day, Li Shimin summoned Dou Jiande, "Maybe persuade Wang Shichong to surrender?"

Dou Jiande was taken aback for a moment, and then bowed straight: "The guilty minister is willing to give it a try."

Under the city of Luoyang, the Tang army marched forward with great authority, "Wang Shichong came out to answer", Yu Chigong shouted the loudest.

Li Shimin led Dou Jiande forward and stationed his horse outside the range of the bow and crossbow. Not long after, Wang Shichong came to the top of the city.

Seeing Dou Jiande, Wang Shichong's face suddenly changed, he was trembling with fear.

"Brother Xingman, my [-] army has been defeated once, and you are trapped in the isolated city, and your defeat will only happen overnight. It is better to sacrifice the city and surrender, and save the people from the disaster of swords and soldiers." Dou Jiande looked at Wang Shichong and sighed. .

Wang Shichong burst into tears when he heard the words, and everyone was very surprised, "It's all because of me that King Xia's army was defeated and suffered, which really makes me feel unbearably guilty."

Dou Jiande sighed, "It's been like this since ancient times. Brother Xingman, don't hesitate, let's surrender in Kaesong."

"Wang Shichong, this is the end of the matter, what confidence do you have to resist."Li Shimin scolded loudly.

Wang Shichong frowned, looked at Li Shimin and praised: "Li Yuan gave birth to a good son", then turned and left.

Dou Jiande was also helpless, "King Qin, this...".

"Siege of tomorrow".Li Shimin threw down a word, turned around and left.

The next day, the Tang army attacked fiercely. Yu Chigong and others once attacked the top of the city, but under the desperate resistance of General Zheng Jun Shan Xiongxin, Yang Gongqing and others, they could not advance an inch and had to stop at the top of the city.

Ziwei Palace, Qianyang Palace.

Wang Shichong looked decadent, "Everyone, we have reached the point of life and death, so don't hide your thoughts if you have any thoughts."

Hearing this, Yang Wang said bluntly: "Forgive me for speaking bluntly, now there will be no fighting spirit, no fighting spirit in the soldiers, and insufficient food and grass. The shortest time is three to five days, and the longest time is ten and a half months. Luoyang will be destroyed."

Originally, with Wang Shichong's irritable temper, he must have been furious when he heard this, but now he just bowed his head and said nothing, what Yang Wang said was the truth.

"A person's head is no more than a scar the size of a bowl. Following His Majesty to do such a great cause is worth living in this life. I would have died without regret."The army Yang Gongqing yelled straight, Yang Gongqing was born in a wild family, originally joined the army with Zhang Jincheng, and later joined Wang Shichong, his bones are rebellious.

Hearing these words, Shan Xiongxin shook his head and said, "It's not that far yet."

"What does General Shan mean?" Hearing Shan Xiongxin's words, everyone was startled, Duan Da looked at Shan Xiongxin and asked.

Sure enough, Shan Xiongxin took a cautious look at Wang Shichong, and tentatively said: "If your majesty doesn't go to the emperor's title, dedicate the city and surrender, you will definitely be able to preserve your wealth forever."

Shan Xiongxin's words immediately aroused everyone's discussion, the general Guo Shizhu immediately said angrily: "Shan Tong, you are a villain who is greedy for life and afraid of death. If Zhai Rang is dead, you will vote for Li Mi. If Li Mi is defeated, you will vote for Your Majesty. Now Your Majesty is weak. You want to vote for Li Tang again, you are really shameless."

Shan Xiongxin was ashamed and angry at being scolded, he just glared at Guo Shizhu, but he couldn't refute it.

Wang Shichong reached out his hand to stop the furious Guo Shizhu, and said bluntly: "Xiangyang is still in the hands of King Wei, or we can break out and go to Xiangyang to make a comeback."

Wang Shichong canonized his nephew Wang Honglie as the king of Wei and stationed in Xiangyang.

Duan Da shook his head when he heard the words: "A few days ago, it was reported that Fancheng, Juzhou, Huacheng and other places on the outskirts of Xiangyang have all fallen, and Suizhou and Xuzhou in the northeast have also fallen to the Tang Dynasty. Even if we succeed in breaking through the siege, we will only be trapped in another place to defend the isolated city."

Wang Shichong's face darkened when he heard the words, and General Yun Dingxing sighed: "We are relying on King Xia's rescue, and now King Xia's [-] army has been defeated in an instant. , Even if we forcibly break through, we will not be able to succeed, Your Majesty will descend, only descending to Tang can preserve wealth and honor."

(End of this chapter)