Chapter 1037
The Marquis Wants to Persuade Surrender
Chapter 1037 The Marquis Wants to Persuade Surrender
Although the official road was in disrepair, which slowed down the march, they arrived in just over an hour.
The imperial army marched northward, and saw the outline of the wall of Shizhou City getting closer and closer.
"Report, Lord, we have arrived at Shizhou City. The enemy troops on the city walls are already on high alert, with crossbows and other weapons to defend the city."
"Report, Lord, a camp has been set up on the official road at the valley entrance to the west of Shizhou City, forming a pincer attack with Shizhou City."
"Report, Lord, General Yang is here to report that there is a trap set by the enemy army on the official road ahead, and General Yang is leading his troops to fill it."
Three urgent calls in succession,
Zhang Jinyu, who was still lying on the bed in the car, was startled and sat up. He thought to himself, "Wow, this guy really has a backup plan. It turns out that he has been giving in again and again, and he is waiting here."
So he stopped lying there, stood up suddenly, put on his cloud-soled boots, and knocked on the window of the carriage.
"Prepare a fast horse, and come with me to have a look."
"Yes, Lord Marquis,"
With a reply, Zhang Jinyu put on his cloud-bottomed boots, bent over and lifted the carriage curtain, then with a few kicks of his legs, he got on a warhorse beside the carriage, pulled the reins, squeezed the horse's belly, and led Ning Bian and others to the front of the army.
Several generals, the four leaders of Xihe County, and the White Lotus Sect's Master Chu were already waiting here. Zhang Jinyu glanced at them, still a little puzzled, and asked;
"Master Chu is not staying in Runan City, so why did he come with the army? Don't you need to train those women?"
"My Lord, I surrendered to you, and you promised me to properly place my sisters. I have no regrets, so how can I not repay you for your kindness?"
Chu Minjun had a heroic look on his face, his eyes were determined, and he didn't look the least bit pretentious. He changed into a set of black martial arts clothes that he had found somewhere. Moreover, this set of clothes always felt inexplicably familiar.
"You are very grateful. Come with me and take a look. Who is the commander of Shizhou?"
Zhang Jinyu just closed his eyes for a while, and was still a little confused after he stood up. After asking the question, he remembered that he had forgotten the name of the bandit general who retreated from Runan City.
"My Lord, the garrison commanders of Shizhou City are the leader of the White Lotus Sect's Jingnan Branch, Lü Chuanjiang, and the leader of the Qinzhou Garrison Commander Hall, Tian Ziang."
The answer was quite quick, and at first it seemed a bit mysterious. What leader of the Jingnan branch? Could it be that these rebels can be found everywhere in the interior of the country? Tsk tsk, it seems that this imperial court is also a sieve!
"I remember now, what suggestions do you have for these two men defending the city?"
As the saying goes, no matter how strong a fortress is, it will collapse from within. I wonder if the leader of the White Lotus Sect will surrender to the imperial court and accept the amnesty order. However, it is impossible. If a group of women are sent to the border to take care of their husbands and children, they will give up the idea after a few years. However, how can these ambitious people feel at ease? Perhaps only the slave army and civilians still have hope for stability. Unfortunately, the imperial court will not let them go.
"My Lord, these two are the Right Protector's trusted aides. Otherwise, they would not have left Runan City to them to guard. I dare not speak nonsense!"
Chu Minjun shook her head. She didn't know the details, but since he was able to keep Captain Lu, he must be someone he trusted.
Zhang Jinyu listened and thought about it. Leaving such an important place like Runan City to this person showed his trust. However, there was still something strange on his face. A few days ago, it was this confidant who handed over a big city for nothing. The helmsman was really thoughtful.
Zhang Jinyu couldn't understand this. It was not easy for the leader of Qinzhou to persuade the bandit leader who stayed in an important town to retreat with his eloquence.
"Yes, since he is a confidant, he must be a stubborn person. As for his ability, it is not clear at present. I wonder if we can let him surrender and I can also issue an edict of peace. How about that?"
It was almost a sudden idea. Although the Shizhou City in front was not big, it was built on the only high ground on the east side of the valley entrance. Standing on the city, one could overlook the entire official road. The valley entrance was not wide, and now there was a solid fortress with countless traps. The defenders were not brainless either. In this way, it would be really difficult to fight. If they really surrendered, it would be the first time in the Dawu Dynasty.
But these words made Chu Minjun look horrified. How could the Marquis come up with such a plan? The leader and helmsman of the White Lotus Sect were all personally selected by the leader. They were loyal to the leader. How could they surrender to the court?
"My Lord, since the last dynasty, have you heard of any White Lotus sect members surrendering to the imperial court?"
Well, it seems that there really isn't one. Zhang Jinyu touched his chin. From what he heard after entering the Pass, no matter what religion they belonged to, when fighting with the imperial court, no one would surrender unless they were all dead. It was really a bit weird. Looking at the person in front of him, he immediately realized that this person was a...
"That makes sense. I have never heard of anyone from the Thief Cult surrendering to the imperial court. However, there are exceptions. Master Chu is one of them. If the helmsman of Shizhou City thinks it through and surrenders to the light, I will treat him well."
Zhang Jinyu really didn't lie when she said this. If they really surrendered, she might have to make some concessions and use this person as an example to announce it to the world. Perhaps there would be unexpected results. Chu Minjun, who was wearing a bamboo hat, blushed. The Marquis' words were meaningful. If these women did not surrender, how could they hope to survive? This thought flashed through her mind.
"I wonder what the Marquis thinks?"
"Well, how about this? You write a letter yourself, and then have the cavalry shoot it into the city with a crossbow. This way, the enemy general can see it. If they really surrender, I guarantee that the imperial court's policy of peace will definitely be effective. How do you think?"
As for this method, I still need to go back and discuss it with King Jin. I thought this woman would hesitate for a moment, but unexpectedly, Chu Minjun clasped her fists and responded,
"I will follow your instructions, my Lord. I will write it right away."
"Okay, come here, get ready with your writing brush and ink, and the rest of you, follow me to check the enemy situation."
"Yes, Lord Marquis,"
Several lieutenant generals and four sect leaders followed Ning Bian and rode to the front of the team. Looking at Shizhou City from afar, the walls were already covered with dried blood and there was a gloomy atmosphere. There were still many arrows nailed on the city towers. This place was actually surrounded by mountains and rivers. There was a cliff on the west side and gentle slopes of mountains on the east side. After the gentle slopes, there was the fishtail of the mountain range with rocks everywhere. Between the two mountains was the bottom of the valley of the official road. Shizhou City was built on a flat ground to the east of this place, guarding the important road here. The city really lived up to its name.
It seems that the team cannot be deployed and it is difficult to fight.
Zhang Jinyu could see that the other generals and the four sect leaders all looked a little solemn. Attacking from below was already difficult. If the valley entrance was narrow and the army could not be deployed, how could they make use of their military strength?
At this moment,
Vanguard General Yang Shixiong had already come over on horseback with his personal soldiers, clasping his fists and saying;
"Report, Lord, I went to check it out myself. There is no other way into the valley except Shizhou City. There is only this one road. If you want to besiege Shizhou, you must first take down the camp. Otherwise, the army will be unable to pass through the official road and will not be able to encircle Shizhou."
"Yes, Lord, the camp was built very cleverly. It is not far from the official road and not far from the west gate of Shizhou City. It is built between the two places. If you besiege one of them, you will definitely receive support from the other. Moreover, the camp is very solid, with almost three layers of walls."
Feng Zhuang, the left guard, looked at the camp not far ahead. There was a camp wall built in front, and another one built not far behind. There were three camp walls in a row, tightly connected together.
Seeing this, Zhang Jinyu couldn't help smacking his lips. It was really painstaking and talented.
"Order the troops to set up camp and rest today. The siege will be conducted tomorrow."
Fighting a war is not something that can be done overnight. Since we can't think of a good solution now, we might as well go back and rest. The generals looked at each other and clasped their fists.
"Yes, Lord Marquis,"
Even Yang Shixiong and others who were originally anxious to attack the city had to give up the idea. Shizhou City was not easy to attack.
When the generals were about to return, Chu Minjun had already handed over the written letter.
"My Lord, the letter has been written. Please take a look at it." Zhang Jinyu pulled the reins, a little surprised that it was written so quickly. He reached out to take it and took a look. The handwriting on the letter was elegant and the pen tip was strong. It was indeed learned. Looking at what was written in the letter, it was well-reasoned and thought-provoking. After reading it carefully, there was no secret code in it.
"Okay, Ningbian, arrange for someone to shoot this letter onto the top of the city wall."
"Yes, Lord Marquis,"
After responding, Zhang Jinyu continued riding back to the camp. As the saying goes, let the arrow fly for a while.
Just after the imperial army retreated five miles, they began to set up camp.
On the south tower of Shizhou City,
The defenders of Runan City, Lü Chuanjiang, and Qinzhou, Tian Ziang, stood on the top of the city wall and watched. Seeing the army of Marquis Luo Yun approaching, the terrifying murderous aura rushed towards them, especially the endless number of soldiers, which made the two of them feel depressed.
"Captain Tian, how come the leader replied?"
Captain Lu had a gloomy face. Since yesterday, he had sent his trusted men to Yangping to ask for help, but until today, he had not seen a single person in the north.
"Replying to the Captain, the Left Protector of Yangping sent a letter saying that there are no troops to send, and asked us to hold out for ten days. Now half of the time has passed, and there are still five days left. I think it should be no problem."
He stammered in reply and glanced at the army outside the city. He didn't know whether the countermeasures he had discussed would work.
"Whether we can hold out for five days is not something you and I can decide. Even if you don't tell me, I know that the leader is in trouble. In addition, the Taiping Cult's troops have already retreated south. The Linshan County City is so strong, but it was taken by Luo Yunhou within five days."
He took a steady look outside the city, then continued with a firm look in his eyes;
"You must secretly gather 10,000 elite religious troops in the city, and the rest of you must go to supervise the battle. Anyone who dares to retreat will be killed."
"Yes, Captain, I understand."
Tian Ziang had a sinister look on his face, and could only risk his life. At this moment, suddenly, a cavalryman in golden armor came from the south of the city, and rushed to a distance of a hundred steps from the city. Before he could figure out what was going on, he saw the man in front of him took out his crossbow and shot at the two people on the top of the city. With a "whoosh" sound, the arrow feathers were fixed on the door frame of the tower.
The guards around the two men were so frightened that they immediately drew their swords and shields to block. Before the enemy soldiers on the top of the city could take out their bows and crossbows, the golden-armored cavalryman below the city immediately pulled the reins and retreated to his camp.
This action made the two of them feel a little puzzled.
"Captain, the golden-armored cavalryman just now should be the personal guard of Marquis Luo Yun. Many people said that Marquis Luo Yun spent a lot of money to make 500 golden armors for his personal guards."
Tian Ziang was also a little suspicious. It was simply unrealistic to think that he could kill them with just a crossbow at such a long distance.
Only Lu Chuanjiang silently watched the departing Jin Jia, frowning, wondering what this meant. He turned around and saw that the arrow nailed to the door frame was larger than the average arrow feather, and there seemed to be something tied to it. He turned around a few steps, walked over, and pulled the arrow down. Sure enough, there was a letter tied to the arrow shaft.
"Captain, this couldn't have been given by Marquis Luo Yun."
Master Tian was a little surprised. To this day, he had never heard of the imperial court taking the initiative to write a letter to the White Lotus Sect.
"Humph, whether it is true or not, you can know it by opening it. But according to the court's intention, even if the marquis has an idea, he will not write it himself. I don't know whose idea it is."
He untied the string from the arrow, took the letter in his hand, and unfolded it. The first thing he saw was the delicate handwriting, but there was a strength in the font, as if it was written by a woman. He read on and suddenly realized that it was her.
Dear Mr. Qian,
Zhan Xin'an, now Marquis Luo Yun is personally leading a fierce army to attack the border, with iron cavalry blocking the sun and drums shaking the sky. The Left Protector of the Taiping Sect led 200,000 elite soldiers of the sect to defend Linshan County City, but in just five days, they were defeated and fled the city.
It is not wise for the leader to use an isolated city to resist the Thunder Army. Although Shizhou is a strategic location, the subordinates guess that the leader has no reinforcements to the south. Shizhou is a small city with no food and grass support. If we defend it, it will be tantamount to death.
Zhu Tangzhu of Linzhou City has already led 50,000 religious troops to retreat southwards. Their retreat route has been cut off. Although they do not know what the leader is doing, they will certainly not sit and wait for death. I think they have already planned a retreat route. If the leader is unaware of this, he will be abandoned and in imminent danger.
If the helmsman insists on resisting, the day the city is broken, there will be a massacre of people. If the helmsman can abandon darkness and join the light, otherwise, Marquis Luo Yun personally guarantees that the court will issue an amnesty and give the helmsman an official position. If the helmsman makes meritorious services and serves the court, his name will be recorded in history. In this way, the people can be protected, the soldiers can be at peace, and the helmsman can also have a good end. Why not do it?
I hope Captain Lu and Master Tian will think twice and not be stubborn, Chu Minjun.
After reading a letter, Lu Chuanjiang's face turned blue with anger, and he cursed through gritted teeth.
"This bitch actually defected to the imperial court. If she hadn't vowed to die together with me, I wouldn't have been fooled by her."
Even the usually articulate Tian Hall Master was speechless after reading the letter. This woman was from the Sect Leader's side, and was said to be in contact with the Saint. I thought she was a direct descendant of the sect, but unexpectedly she defected to the court. I think Luo Yunhou knew about the military strength in Shizhou City, so it would be difficult to defend the city.
Furthermore, the letter in my hand said that Marquis Luo Yun actually dared to issue a decree to pacify the White Lotus Sect. Is this true or false?
"Captain, it's useless to regret this matter. Since Chu Minjun has surrendered to the court, he must have made up his mind. However, there is one thing I don't understand. Why did the leader insist on going to Xihe County? Although there are many mountains and rivers here, there are also many martial arts sects. These people are not easy to deal with. If they surrender to the court, it will be difficult for us to hide even if we occupy the mountain. The leader, please think of a way out."
He handed the letter forward, and then pointed at a sentence in it. Lu Chuanjiang was not a fool. After cursing, he lowered his eyes. What did this sentence mean?
"You mean, the leader of the North has already discussed a retreat plan?"
"Captain, I don't know, but seeing that the Left Protector was mobilizing troops, it should have been decided long ago. As for how to retreat, I don't know."
As he spoke, he looked at the captain's expression. He didn't seem to be hiding something. If the leader had planned it earlier, the 50,000 elite soldiers in Linzhou City would have figured it out when they evacuated southward. But what he couldn't figure out was why he didn't receive any orders. If he hadn't left early, he would have died in Qinzhou.
Thinking of this, he immediately broke out in a cold sweat. It seemed that Captain Lu was also an abandoned pawn.
As if he had thought of something, Lu Chuanjiang also understood a little, with some thought and surprise in his eyes. No wonder when he was in Runan, all the elite troops he had left were transferred to Yangping. If it weren't for the 30,000 religious guards of Master Tian entering the city, let alone defending the city, even this place would not last a day.
Suddenly, as if understanding, he asked;
"Master Tian, tell me, did you receive any orders when you came north from Qinzhou?"
He took the letter in his hand, folded it up and placed it on his upper body without tearing it up. He turned his head and stared at Tian Ziang's face and asked.
Master Tian smiled bitterly and replied;
"Captain, you and I are probably abandoned. I received an order from the Dharma Protector to defend Qinzhou to the death. But a few days ago, my scouts reported that Master Zhu in Linzhou City led 50,000 elite troops to the south and set fire to Linzhou City to prevent the imperial army from pursuing. When I saw that Qinzhou was isolated and helpless, I led my troops north without authorization. I didn't expect that you didn't have any elite troops under your command. It's really unbelievable."
If some religious troops were left here, it would make sense, but there weren't even 10,000 religious troops in the city. Who would believe it? Could it be because of the North Leader? Hesitantly, he asked;
"Captain, is it because of the incident involving the Northern Captain Qian Xihai that you are implicated?"
At present, there are many factions in the sect. In addition to the powerful family of the Left Protector, the North and South Leaders are also quite powerful. In addition, the Right Protector is in the north, and the Saint Girl does not come out. The White Lotus Sect is ruled by the leader alone.
The more they thought about it, the more they felt something was wrong. They felt that something was wrong.
"Master Tian, you and I are in the same boat. Send your own soldiers to investigate in Yangping and other places. Don't alarm anyone. No matter how much you find out in one day, report back immediately. I will hold the line here."
"Yes, Captain! I'll go right away."
(End of this chapter)