Thief Emperor

Chapter 381 Dialogue between strengths!
Zhou Xu lived a very comfortable life.

When he was young, his father was already famous and was assigned by the court to lead expeditions everywhere. However, there was no one to supervise him, so he naturally became a playboy.

But no matter how mischievous he was, he was always safe as he had a father who was a military governor at home. When he was young, he slept with many women, and after he turned 30, his old father passed away. It was natural for him to inherit his father's position as the military governor and become the local emperor of Qingzhou... or the ten states near Qingzhou.

Up to now, he has been the governor for nearly twenty years, and he is still living a carefree and happy life.

People like him actually don't have much ambition. They don't even want to see any changes in the Great Zhou. They just want to live in peace and enjoy their life.

But being in the position of Jiedushi of Pinglu, sometimes, you can't live in peace just because you want it too much.

All the military governors were taking action. If he did not take any action and did not make progress, the best outcome for the entire Pinglu Army in the future would be that they would surrender to a wise leader, and his Zhou family would abandon Wu Zhou and become a vassal of another family.

If he is not careful, the entire Pinglu Army, including his Zhou family, will be wiped out!
After some people win, if they are ruthless, the Zhou family's eggs will be shaken apart and the yolks will be scattered.

Therefore, even though General Zhou missed the old Zhou Dynasty very much, he had to pull himself out of the comfortable life at this age and take the family business left by his father to give it a try!
As for the question he asked.

Why did the Great Zhou Dynasty fall into decline?

The answer is simple.

It’s probably because there are more and more people like Zhou Xu who enjoy good fortune!

There are more and more people like him. If social productivity does not improve, people's lives will naturally become more and more difficult.

The contradictions became more and more acute day by day. Any slight spark would cause this huge dynasty to begin to rapidly collapse.

Until the old class is completely broken, the new order is formed, and social resources are redistributed again.

A cycle lasts two to three hundred years, and it repeats itself over and over again.

Major General Zhou Chang lowered his head and thought for a moment, then slowly said, "This shows that you, father, are a great hero who responds to the will of heaven. Who knows, it may be you who will take care of the world in the future."

General Zhou came to his senses, glanced back at him, and said in a muffled voice: "Flattering."

"Your father has been fighting for so many years, and I don't know how many years I can live. Who do you think I am fighting for?"

He hummed softly, "I am running low on energy right now, and I won't have many chances to lead the troops myself. This time you should stay by my side and learn as much as you can."

"The Zhou family's foundation will be entrusted to you sooner or later."

What General Zhou said was right. With the strength of the Pinglu Army, if they just shrink and only maintain their territories in Qingzi and other ten states, then there may not be too many problems within ten years. Although these ten years are not long, it is enough for General Zhou to continue to enjoy himself.

As for ten years later, General Zhou probably won't be able to enjoy any happiness.

At his age, he still wants to make progress, all for the sake of his children, grandchildren and family.

Zhou Xu turned around, took a deep look at his son, and said slowly: "If we are to talk about responding to the heaven, it is your generation that is responding to the heaven. This time when we go south, if we can't kill that little Li Yun, it will not be your father who will fight with him in the future."

"But you."

"do you understand?"

Zhou Chang lowered his head quickly.

"My child understands!"

…………

After the vanguard of the Pinglu Army arrived, their numbers increased day by day.

After five or six days, more than 10,000 Pinglu troops had gathered outside Yangzhou City, and the number was still increasing.

On this day, General Zhou's siege equipment was almost completed, so he sent an envoy to Yangzhou City to persuade them to surrender.

This envoy was also a scholar, about forty years old. After meeting Li Yun, he talked for a long time without stopping.

The main point is that the Pinglu Army has surrounded Yangzhou City and is just waiting for the general's order. The fall of Yangzhou City will happen in a matter of days.

General Zhou couldn't bear to see the people suffer, so he promised Li Yun the position of deputy general of the Pinglu Army and gave his beloved daughter to him in marriage as long as Li Yun was willing to open the city and surrender.

The two sides put aside their hostility and became one from then on, and everyone was happy.

Li Yun patiently listened to the man's chatter, then had him killed. He cut off his head and hung it on the city wall. He also had someone drop a letter from the city wall to the foot of the city, which was a reply to General Zhou.

The content of the letter is also very simple.

Officials and thieves cannot coexist, and Li Yun has nothing to talk about with the traitors.

General Zhou outside the city could not help cursing after seeing this. He was furious: "Two armies are fighting, but they don't kill the envoys. This kid is simply a mountain barbarian!"

"There is no courtesy at all!" After killing the envoy, there would be no room for peace talks. General Zhou did not waste any words. After asking his writers to write a manifesto to fight the enemy, he waved his hand and started the first siege of the Pinglu Army.

First, an army of about two thousand people rushed towards the north gate of Yangzhou City. After reaching the moat, these people waded directly and rushed towards the Yangzhou city gate.

Even Li Yun, who was a half-outsider, could see the use of these people.

Consume the defenders' long-range "firepower", such as arrows, and at the same time break through the moat to create favorable offensive conditions for the subsequent main force.

At this time, Li Yun was standing on the city wall of the north gate, commanding the troops on the battlefield. Two civil servants, Du Qian and Xu Ang, stood on his left and right sides.

Du Qian was a little nearsighted, and only by squinting could he see the situation below the city. Looking at the troops rushing in from the city, he sighed slightly: "They keep coming forward to die."

Xu Ang also looked at the situation below the city and said silently: "This is how you attack a city."

At this moment, the first batch of Pinglu troops had already entered the range of an arrow. Li Yun had a blank expression on his face and waved his hand, saying, "Shoot!"

Although we clearly know that this first batch of Pinglu troops will be used for consumption, we still have to shoot arrows when the time comes. If you don't shoot arrows in this round, the main force may be at the forefront in the next round of attack.

Moreover, it would be a troublesome thing if these "consumables" were really washed under the city wall.

No matter it is attacking or defending a city, as long as there is no clever strategy, it is actually a war of attrition. In the end, it depends on who runs out of energy first.

Li Yun looked calm as he watched the Pinglu soldiers under the city falling one after another and rushing forward in an endless stream.

When ordinary people go to the battlefield, they may feel weak in their hands and feet, tremble all over, and even become a coward.

But Li Yun is different. For some reason, once he arrives on the battlefield, his blood boils and his mind becomes highly focused.

At the same time...because of the soul from another world, he will be extremely calm.

After watching for a while, Li Yun turned around, looked at Du Qian and Xu Ang, and said, "In the first few days, they will never make any progress. The battle will only become fierce when our arrows are almost used up."

"There are no eyes for arrows on this wall."

While he was speaking, a stone fell on the city wall near him. Although it did not hit Li Yun, people standing nearby still clearly felt the movement.

Mr. Li looked at Du and Xu, put on his armor, and said with a smile: "You two, you should go into the city first to take shelter."

Du Qian and Xu Ang looked at each other, and both bowed to Li Yun. Xu Ang bowed his head and said, "Take care, Your Excellency!"

Du Qian bowed his head and said in a deep voice, "Erlang, don't tire yourself out."

"For Yangzhou, and the entire Jiangdong."

He reminded: "What is needed more is Erlang's brain, not a fierce general who charges into battle."

Li Yun was now covered with a mask, so his expression could not be seen, but his hearty laughter could be heard.

"Don't worry, don't worry."

Li took off his ox-horn bow from behind and held it in his hand. Although his expression could not be seen, there seemed to be a hint of excitement in his voice: "I know my limits."

Seeing that Du Qian and Xu Ang had both come down from the city wall, Li Yun's gaze fell on the enemy troops who were attacking the city. He bent his bow and aimed at the Pinglu soldiers who were almost at the foot of the city wall, and shot an arrow.

Although the arrow did not hit the vital point, it hit the man's thigh.

Because he was not the main force, he was not wearing iron armor, and even his leather armor was very simple. The arrow pierced his thigh and he was nailed to the ground. He could not move and could only wail.

Although it was not fatal, on the battlefield, this kind of injury basically meant that he would not be able to return alive.

This is a battlefield made of iron and blood, extremely cruel.

Li Yun shot an arrow, bent the bow again, and shot and killed another Pinglu soldier. Then he drew the bow three times and shot three times and hit the target!

At this time, Li Yun's fingers were a little numb.

This is the professionalism of the bow and arrow. Even a tough guy like Li Yun can't shoot many arrows with a heavy bow.

It is common for some archers to have bloody fingers from pulling the bow after a battle!

After shooting a few arrows, Li Yun paused for a while. At this time, a part of the Pinglu army had already rushed over from under the city.

Li Yun, on the other hand, looked up and gazed into the distance.

In the distance, about two to three thousand elite main forces of the Pinglu Army have already formed a battle formation and are rushing over!
Neat and tidy, almost...

All in armor!
(End of this chapter)