Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 512: Release the Beast Within

There was no fire in the granary of the "Tianxia Beiku" in Qinghe County. Judging from the scene, the battle to attack the granary did not seem to be as heroic as the Battle of Wuchao.

However, Fang Chongyong and his Silver Spear Filial Piety Army saw a different scene.

It was unexpectedly bloody and hideous.

A few hundred meters away from the south gate of the granary, Fang Chongyong saw from afar a soldier of the Hebei rebel army escaping from the south gate of the granary. He was then caught by the angry people and then drowned in the crowd.

More than ten people surrounded him and beat him. Although they all used carrying poles, wooden sticks, and at most farm tools such as rakes, in less than an incense stick of time, only a pool of blood and a pile of rotten meat were left on the ground.

It was no longer recognizable as a human being, and even the armor was covered in blood.

Fang Chongyong and his trusted generals who were watching the battle on the sidelines were all shocked by this scene and broke out in cold sweats.

After He Changqi led his men to break through the granary gate, the battle became one-sided. The smaller granary defenders were unable to form a battle array inside the granary and were overwhelmed by the influx of civilians.

That is a real case of ants killing elephants.

Yin Ziqi led a few cavalrymen and broke out from the north gate at the first opportunity, and disappeared. It is possible that he went to Qinghe County or Weizhou.

The granary defenders, scattered throughout the granary and without command, were completely unable to organize any resistance.

After killing their way through the granary, He Changqi led the vanguard troops to retreat. Because there were already too many people rushing into the granary, if they didn't leave, they would probably be accidentally injured by the blood-thirsty Bozhou people.

"Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. Emperor Taizong was not deceiving me."

Fang Zhongyong, who was riding on a horse, muttered to himself.

If the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army knew to hold back when breaking the formation, these people were bloodthirsty and released all the anger in their hearts.

At this time, all they wanted was to kill, kill, and kill, and no one could stop them!
Later on, they killed anyone wearing armor, which became a habit. Many soldiers of the Hebei rebel army were tortured to death or beaten to death with sticks.

Even though many civilians had already snatched swords from the granary defenders, they still performed the same mechanical actions.

Fang Zhongyong's friends Che Guangqian, Guan Chongsi, Wang Nande and others were silent when they saw this scene. They did not expect that the battle for the granary would be such a different scene.

It was as if a ferocious beast that was originally locked in a box was released by them!

At this moment, a group of cavalry slowly approached from the front. They were He Changqi and his vanguard troops.

"General, the granary has been breached, I, your general..."

He Changqi dismounted from his horse, and the other party, Chongyong, clasped his fists and saluted, seeming to be hesitant to speak.

"Organize the troops and just watch from the sidelines."

Fang Zhongyong nodded calmly.

"Order!"

He Changqi didn't say anything else. He took his troops back to the base, and then came to Fang Chongyong to watch the battle.

As time passed, the cries and shouts in the granary ahead gradually died down. Under the light of the fire, the distorted figures that appeared from time to time also stopped.

"He Lao Hu, you led the team to evacuate the granary in time, avoiding accidental injuries to the people. You did a good job in this battle, and I will give you a credit."

Fang Chongyong glanced at He Changqi and said.

He Changqi, who had a constipated expression before, said with lingering fear at this time:
"Hey, Marshal Ji, you don't know. Those local people in Bozhou were like man-eating devils just now!

I felt anxious, fearing that if I turned my troops back, they would kill anyone wearing armor, and we would be killed too.

So after breaking down the warehouse doors on the east and west sides, we withdrew from the east gate.”

Judging from the daily style of the vanguard troops under He Changqi's command, this battle was as weak as a woman's, and to some extent it could even be said to be "deserting the battlefield."

After He Changqi came back, he was always afraid that Fang Chongyong would punish him. He was relieved after hearing these words.

As a general who was present at the time and witnessed the frenzied killing of the people, he saw the usually honest faces become ferocious and vicious, as if evil spirits were leaning over them.

It is hard to imagine that such different expressions can appear on the same person's face.

"A strong army is one that can enforce discipline. It is not only able to charge into battle, but also able to stop the killing, and put away the sword when told to do so.

But this mob of common people can’t do it.”

Fang Zhongyong shook his head helplessly and said with a long sigh.

Everyone was silent. They had not realized the importance of "stopping killing" before. Now it seems that many things were just what they thought was natural.

The scenery is different elsewhere.

Because they all had a high starting point, even the small number of people in the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army who were later recruited in Bianzhou were elite veterans of the border army and had rich combat experience.

If the commander shouts stop, then stop; if he says retreat, then retreat; kill the enemy with one blow and then replace him with the next one; if the enemy's morale has been crushed and they kneel down to surrender, there is no need to kill them like crazy; you can just end the battle as soon as possible.

These seemingly self-evident battlefield common sense are not possessed by the mob fighting in the front.

They are now monsters ruled by emotions!

"Let the military band sound the horn, and the central army march forward in formation. Stop when the granary is within an arrow's reach, and put out the fire for those hot-headed people in Bozhou!"

Fang Zhongyong gave a deep order to Che Guangqian beside him.

"Order!"

Che Guangqian took the order and left. Soon, the sound of gongs was heard in the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army.

Bang!Bang!Bang!
Bang!Bang!Bang!
Bang!Bang!Bang!
The captivating sound of the gong, like the "Great Compassion Mantra", stopped the people of Bozhou who were waving sticks at the Hebei rebels who were kneeling on the ground and begging for mercy.

They looked around in confusion, as if they had just woken up from a dream. The corpses everywhere on the ground, the rotten meat and broken limbs that could be seen from time to time, and the blood that had already soaked their feet, and the blood that had gradually gathered, all showed that they were now in a dangerous battlefield.

At this moment, the courage and bravery in their bodies had dissipated, and the physical exhaustion after the fierce battle came over them, making them unsteady on their feet and their legs weak.

I don't know who started crying loudly, and then the crying and meaningless shouting spread like a plague.

There was a huge echo in the granary.

Fang Chongyong saw one Hebei rebel soldier after another who had survived the disaster staggering out from the south gate of the granary. Seeing that the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army had already lined up outside the gate and beat gongs, they hurriedly knelt in front of the formation and kowtowed to the generals on horseback, begging for their lives.

It was not until this time that Che Guangqian and others finally understood what Fang Zhongyong meant by "borrowing strength".

Although Huangfu Weiming has many troops under his command, there are more people in the world! Whoever controls the hearts of the people controls the general situation!

The only difficulty is how to organize the people!
"You take two hundred brothers with you to deal with the aftermath here. The enemy prisoners are nothing to be feared. The most important thing is to appease the people. After daybreak, open the granaries and release the grain.

Anyone who dares to steal food will be killed on the spot!"

Fang Zhongyong gave an instruction to Che Guangqian.

"Order!"

Che Guangqian took the order and left.

"You guys, take your men to seize the ferry and the floating bridge and prepare to cross the river!"

Fang Zhongyong continued to give orders.

Because Beizhou is the location of the "Northern Repository of the World", there are wooden bridges on both sides of the canal. It is also the largest material distribution center on the Yongji Canal.

Soon, Fang Chongyong led the main force of the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army to the ferry on the south bank of the canal in Qinghe County.

The boats on both sides of the pier were lined up in rows, blocking out the sun and the sky! Although the canal had been shut down because of the battle, it was clear that the Hebei rebels had very effective logistics.

Although the space in the canal is limited, the layout of the ferry is very reasonable, and there is even a special "boat channel" for diversion.

There is also a well-made "crane" on the ferry, which is a one-armed windlass with four wheels underneath, which can be moved and even equipped with a special "sling" to transport many bags of grain at a time. It can save manpower and load grain from the shore to the ship.

There is also a small workshop next to it that specializes in "packaging" grain, which packs the bulk grain and fodder shipped from various places into bags.

Seeing this, Fang Zhongyong and others were stunned! The infrastructure of Beizhou Ferry was not even inferior to that of Bianzhou, and in some aspects it was even better.

The Hebei rebels have such advanced logistics, Huangfu Weiming must be planning something big! No wonder he is so rampant!
Fang Chongyong and his men couldn't imagine what kind of dire situation they would face after winter if they didn't cross the Yellow River now.

"Let's cross the river and take over Qinghe County first."

Fang Chongyong ordered He Changqi.

Everyone was silent and busy with their own things. The vanguard had already started to cross the river. In the distance, the outline of Qinghe County could be vaguely seen, just within a mile or two of the north bank.

At this time, the sky was already turning pale. In the past few days, they first attacked Liaocheng at night, then mobilized the people of Bozhou to go to Beizhou to ask for food, and finally approached the county seat of Qinghe County. This series of combined attacks made Fang Chongyong feel physically and mentally exhausted.

But he couldn't relax yet.

There was chaos in Bozhou and Beizhou, and Huangfu Weiming could not just stand by and watch. The team to quell the rebellion might already be on the way.

If they cannot capture Qinghe County, they still have to be ready to flee at any time. The change of victory or defeat may happen in an instant.

……

"Yin Ziqi! You lost the granary, and you still have the nerve to come to the county town? Why don't you just die?"

In the lobby of the government office, Yuwen Kuan pointed at Yin Ziqi, who was covered in blood, and cursed him.

The united soldiers behind him had already drawn their swords, waiting for Yuwen Kuan's order to chop Yin Ziqi into meat paste.

That’s right, although Yin Ziqi broke through with dozens of cavalrymen, those people refused to go back to Qinghe County with him!
Losing the granary is a capital crime no matter what. There might be a glimmer of hope if I escape to my hometown in Youzhou. But wouldn't returning to the county town mean waiting for death?

Yin Ziqi is not afraid of being punished by military law, but his personal soldiers are very afraid!

So when Yin Ziqi crossed the canal and returned to Qinghe County, he was the only one left.

Back then, Yin Ziqi was also the vanguard of the Hebei rebels, and he was very proud of conquering cities and territories. But after he was defeated and lost face, Huangfu Weiming hated him and sent him to Beizhou to guard the granary.

His fate went through many ups and downs, and finally he became a penniless general.

Life is so helpless.

Now, even a governor dares to scold him.

Yin Ziqi was about to curse, but when he looked at the fierce and united soldiers behind Yuwen Kuan, he swallowed his curse.

"Yuwen Kuan, the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army is already outside the county. What's the point of you saying this now?"

Yin Ziqi also called him by his name, without showing any sign of weakness in his tone.

Yuwen Kuan did not want to surrender because his family and the Huangfu family were old friends. No matter who he surrendered to, he would not be treated like this now.

But Yin Ziqi just wants to go back to Yecheng!
"There are at least 2,000 people guarding the granary. How come you couldn't even hold it for one night?"

When Yuwen Kuan thought of this, he became so angry that he wanted to kill someone.

"We were careless. The mob interfered with the scouts' investigation."

Yin Ziqi sighed helplessly.

Because the civil commotion during the day yesterday had obscured the movement of the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army, Yin Ziqi did not send out scouts to investigate. In fact, there were people everywhere in the south who were unwilling to leave, and if the scouts went there, they might be defeated and beaten to death by the angry people.

Unexpectedly, I encountered "two ghosts knocking on the door" at night.

"What about the reinforcements? When will they arrive?"

Yuwen Kuan was a little out of control and asked anxiously.

Yin Ziqi spread his hands, indicating that he didn't know either.

Now is the time for the army to gather and prepare to march south to the various states of Henan after winter. It is not that you can mobilize troops whenever you want.

It takes time to convey military orders and prepare military supplies.

At this time, a messenger hurried into the hall of the government office. He handed an arrow with a letter tied to it to Yuwen Kuan and said, "Sir, there is a letter shot in from outside the city. Please take a look at it."

After saying that, he stepped aside.

The eyes of everyone present were focused on the arrow in Yuwen Kuan's hand.

"Take it apart quickly!"

Seeing that Yuwen Kuan did not move, Yin Ziqi urged him hurriedly, feeling anxious and angry.

Look at your horse!
"Humph!"

Yuwen Kuan snorted coldly, opened the letter, read it quickly, and immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

He handed the letter in his hand to Yin Ziqi. After reading it, the latter looked strange but said nothing.

In the letter, Fang Zhongyong asked them to open the city and surrender. Anyone who did not want to stay in Qinghe County could leave, and they would never stop them and would even provide dry food.

"Could it be a scam?"

Yin Ziqi was unsure and asked in a low voice.

He is a cunning villain who likes to use despicable tricks on a daily basis.

People who have shit in their eyes see everyone as shit. Yin Ziqi immediately felt that Fang Zhongyong was trying to trick them.

Once we trick the city gates into opening, and kill all of them, who will remember this letter?
"There are no soldiers in Qinghe County, so resistance is futile. For now, it is better to open the city and surrender."

Yuwen Kuan said with a long sigh.

He is only in his early forties and really doesn't want to die!

And although the Beizhou treasury for storing silk was in the city, there was not much left. Because of the war, Huangfu Weiming used the silk to buy the stored grain of the wealthy families in Hebei and to bribe the Uighur cavalry.

There are not many valuable things in the treasury in Qinghe County.

Although surrendering may result in bad consequences, if you do not surrender, you will definitely be punished.

Yuwen Kuan is not a fool, he knows the pros and cons very well. In this case, the opponent has already made the conditions, but you "shamelessly give up". It is inevitable that your head will be hung on the city wall as a warning to others.

"No, if you don't surrender you can drag a few people down with you. If you surrender you will definitely die a miserable death!"

Yin Ziqi hurriedly stopped Yuwen Kuan.

"Open the city gate!"

Yuwen Kuan ignored Yin Ziqi's chatter and spoke directly to the Qinghe County Lieutenant beside him.

"Leader!"

Yin Ziqi watched the county lieutenant walk away without even daring to move, because Yuwen Kuan had surrounded him with the united soldiers around him.

"Yin Ziqi, let's go to the city gate together. If you're lucky, you might be able to save your life."

Yuwen Kuan sighed and walked out of the government office, only to see a rising sun hanging in the sky.

The group arrived at the gate of the county town, only to see that the towering gate had been opened. In front of them was the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army, which had dismounted and lined up.

Yuwen Kuan walked out of the city gate alone, holding up the bundle containing various seals of Beizhou in both hands, kneeling on the ground and shouting: "Beizhou Governor Yuwen Kuan, respectfully welcome the royal army into the city."

(End of this chapter)