Lord: Start with a book of Water Margin

Chapter 723 Unstoppable
Next, after discussing the matter, Xu Jing and Li Jun decided that Li Jun would lead Yu Gui (the "Diving Kun") and Shi Quan (the "Golden Carp") to guard the prisoners and protect the city, while Xu Jing would lead Ou Peng (the "Golden Wings of the Clouds") and Zhu Xiaoba (the "Water-Dividing Rhinoceros") with 10,000 troops to attack Chuzhou.

Chuzhou has three counties: Qingliu, Quanjiao, and Lai'an.

Li Cheng, Zhang Yong, and Cao Cheng occupied the area respectively, while Shang Yuan occupied Baita Town, the northernmost part of Chuzhou.

To be honest, even seasoned military commanders like Zhen and Yang, and Guo Zhongwei, who were well-versed in military affairs, were not on guard, let alone bandits like Li Cheng.

Taking advantage of the Jin dynasty's southward migration and the court officials' focus on fleeing south, these four men occupied three counties in Chuzhou. They gathered 100,000 able-bodied men and divided them to guard the three counties and one town.

During the cold winter, there are at most thirty to fifty people guarding the city gates.

Xu Jing led his troops and, under cover of night, personally climbed the city wall using a single bamboo pole with footholds on both sides. He then lowered a rope and allowed a whole unit of elite soldiers to ascend the wall, scattering the city gate guards who were only concerned with sleeping.

They allowed the soldiers to enter the city, and on the first day, they captured Lai'an County, which was adjacent to Zhenzhou.

At dawn, Xu Jing executed Cao Cheng, whom he had captured, by beheading him at Caishikou.

This is all because this fellow is a bloodthirsty and licentious man.

The people of Lai'an County all wished to get rid of him as soon as possible.

Cao Cheng's army also had many trusted accomplices, and Xu Jing showed no mercy to these men either. On that day, heads rolled everywhere, and a thick layer of blood-soaked ice covered the execution platform at Caishikou.

By posting notices to reassure the people, Xu Jing and his men spread the name of Zhao Zhen, also known as "Little Mengchang." The people and soldiers in the city were reassured, believing that the famous Zhao Zhen had sent troops to rescue them.

After capturing Lai'an County, Xu Jing left only Zhu Xiaoba, the "Water-Dividing Rhinoceros," with two thousand soldiers to guard the city and hold the prisoners. He and Ou Peng, the "Golden-Winged Cloud-Piercing Cloud," split their forces into two groups to launch a surprise attack on Qingliu County and Quanjiao County.

Using the same method, both men stormed into the city at night. The soldiers inside, unaware of what was happening, surrendered without a fight. Li Cheng, Zhang Yong, and their confidants were all killed.

The last town of Baitazhen, where Shang Yuan was located, was captured by Xu Jing, who was returning with his troops.

Now let's talk about the troops from Chuzhou. Although their combined forces are not as large as Xu Jing's, they are the elite troops from Chuzhou, Haizhou, and Lianshui.

The army set out from Hongze County and headed straight for the nearest Linhuai County.

Even with fire beans, fire wheat, and fire cotton cloth to keep warm, such weather is still a great hardship for soldiers on the march.

When An Zhiqiang, the garrison commander of Linhuai County, saw the army approaching the city, he drove his soldiers and able-bodied men to the city walls to defend it, showing no intention of going out to fight. In this kind of weather, there was no need to send out troops; the cold would be enough to make the enemy troops below the city retreat.

【Double Whip】Huyan Zhuo was impatient and went out to challenge him to battle, but An Zhiqiang ignored him completely.

This continued for two days in a row.

【Ugly Prince Consort】Xuan Zan clasped his hands to his chest and said, “General, it’s not just us who are cold; the soldiers and able-bodied men on the city walls are also enduring the cold. We have plenty of cotton-padded clothes and charcoal here, but at least half of the able-bodied men on the city walls don’t have cotton-padded clothes.”

“This place is already close to Jingdong Road, and everyone knows the King’s reputation. The people of Linhuai County were first slaughtered by the Jin army and then plundered by Kong Yanzhou’s army. Why not have dozens of military proclamations written and shot into the city?”

"If we can hold out for another three to five days, the able-bodied men on the city walls will surely succumb to the bitter cold. At that point, it won't be difficult to choose between freezing to death while defending the city or surrendering. Even if that doesn't work, it can at least sow discord between An Zhiqiang and the people in the city."

Upon hearing this, Huyan Zhuo ordered someone to write a military proclamation, still using the name Zhao Zhen had used when he was in the Song Dynasty.

Zhao Zhen, the military governor of Qing and Xu, the Grand General of the State, and the founding duke of Liangshan (also known as "Little Mengchang"), hereby issues this edict to the soldiers and civilians guarding Linhuai County: An Zhiqiang has rebelled, betrayed his country for personal gain, and defected to the Jin dynasty. He must be executed according to the law. The others who were coerced into following him are excusable.

Those soldiers defending the city who can repent and reform, leading the people to open the gates and surrender, will be pardoned and employed by Liangshan. If the soldiers remain unrepentant, you, the people, are all loyal subjects of the Heavenly Dynasty; you must quickly rise up in righteousness, capture the soldiers, and submit to the Heavenly Dynasty. The leader will be richly rewarded and a memorial will be submitted for leniency. If they remain obstinate and hesitant, on the day the city falls, everything will be destroyed, leaving nothing behind.

Special edict.

Huyan Zhuo ordered his soldiers to attach arrows to the proclamation and fire them into the city from all sides. He also ordered all gates to assume siege positions and observe the situation inside the city.

The next day at dawn, shouts echoed throughout the city, and surrender flags were raised at all four gates.

Yesterday, An Zhiqiang heard that military orders were being circulated throughout the city. He ordered his men to confiscate them and kill those who carried them. Some soldiers took the opportunity to extort money, causing fear to spread throughout the city.

Some people, driven to desperation, killed soldiers and rebelled.

After capturing Linhuai County, Huyan Zhuo left Qiao Zheng, nicknamed "Chongbolong," to defend the city. He then divided his forces into two routes. One route, led by Huyan Zhuo and accompanied by Xuan Zan and Xu Ding, consisted of 6,000 troops and attacked Hong County.

Another force was led by Han Cunbao, the General of Xihe, and Zhai Yuan, the Brocade Dragon, who also commanded 6,000 troops to attack Huaiping County.

The garrison commanders of Hong County and Huaiping County were much more arrogant.

Upon seeing the large army, he disregarded everything and urged his soldiers to leave the city and engage in battle.

Already filled with rage, Huyan Zhuo smashed the head of the bandit leader who had come to fight with a single whip.

The army advanced and drove them away, taking advantage of the defeated soldiers entering the city to capture Hong County.

The same was true of Huaiping County. [Xihe General] Han Cunbao raised his halberd and killed Ji Ze, who was leading the attack, and seized the city.

Having achieved his goal, Huyan Zhuo focused on defending the city and ceased engaging in battle.

Given the weather, Huyan Zhuo would be very satisfied if he could hold out and capture Sizhou.

As for going any further, Huyan Zhuo, having experienced the bitter cold of marching, had completely given up on that idea.

Also acting together were the four routes of Xuzhou, Huaiyang Army, Shanzhou, and Xingren Prefecture.

The armies of Xuzhou and Huaiyang each charged into Suzhou. Chao Gai, the "Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King," led a large and powerful force, capturing Linhuan, Fuli, and Qi counties in succession. Liu Tang and his companion, the "Red-Haired Devil," captured Lingbi and then marched eastward to Sizhou, where they encountered Huyan Zhuo in Hong County.

The last force was the troops from Shanzhou and Xingren Prefecture, who together stormed into Yingtian Prefecture.

This place originally belonged to Jingdong West Circuit, which consisted of one prefecture and six counties.

After leaving Danzhou, Pang Yi (Sai ​​Lianpo), Fu Yu (Feichui), and Sheng Ben (Heimianquan) headed straight for Yucheng, Xiayi, and Gushu. These three places had few troops, and wherever the army passed, the officials in the cities opened the gates and surrendered.

Liang Heng, Bian Xi, and [Heavenly King] Li Cheng departed from Jiyin County, marched towards Chuqiu, and then turned towards Ningling. Finally, they joined forces with Pang Yi in Songcheng.

Ironically, Kong Yanzhou, the military commander of Huainan East Road appointed by the puppet Qi regime, grew up in a bandit stronghold and later joined the Song army's imperial guards. When the Jin army invaded, this fellow was dissatisfied with Zhao Gou's rewards and, together with other rebel leaders, rebelled against Zhao Gou, assisting the Jin army in attacking Southern Song cities. Along the way, they plundered the people, and his troops survived by burning, killing, and looting, causing panic among the populace.

After taking office under the puppet Qi regime, he became even more ruthless and persecuted the people.

For this reason, this fellow was extremely afraid of death, and the entire army of Yingtian Prefecture gathered in Song City.

(End of this chapter)