Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 184 How can I explain such a large amount to the imperial court?
Tong Guan already had a bitter smile on his face: "I really didn't expect that Tan Zhen is so anxious... In this case, why not let him fight? Go down along the Qiantang and Zhejiang waterways, all the way to Fuyang City, Xincheng City, Tonglu City, Jiande City, Qingxi City, they are all big cities in Liangzhe. I heard that the defenses of these cities are strong. Fang La's thieves are fighting like trapped beasts. Tan Zhen has few elite troops under his command. How can it be so easy to climb the wall and attack the enemy..."

Tong Guan's words are indeed based on his experience.

Su Wu thought for a moment and replied: "Prime Minister, although this is true, we cannot allow Tan Zhen to be defeated over and over again. If the government army is defeated over and over again, it will only allow the bandits to regain momentum and win back the army's morale..."

This matter is a bit complicated.

Tong Guan frowned when he heard this: "What are you thinking?"

Su Wu continued slowly, "If Tan Zhen wants to rob like this, we can't stop him. For some things, it's better to go at the right time than to go early. We have plenty of horses and boats under our command. It's fast to go by land, and it's also fast to go by water, which is exactly the Qiantang and Zhejiang waterways that the Prime Minister mentioned. It's fast to march and get supplies. Then we should send an elite force to follow Tan Zhen. If Tan Zhen fails in repeated battles, we will have to clean up his mess. In this way, we can prevent Tan Zhen from getting what he wants, and prevent the bandits from winning the hearts of the army again..."

"Are you planning to divide our forces?" Tong Guan asked.

Su Wu nodded and said, "Prime Minister, it's not a bad idea. We have elite troops in each unit and our numbers are not small. The bandits in various places are like frightened birds, so it's not a bad idea to divide our forces..."

"Tell me in detail!" Tong Guan obviously heard it.

Su Wu then explained in detail: "Yuezhou is very close, and the waterway is unobstructed. The Hangzhou bandits were defeated, and Yuezhou will know about it within two or three days. Just send a group of elite troops there quickly. Fang La's real main force must be in Muzhou's lair. Yuezhou's military strength must be weak. If a group of elite troops go there quickly, Yuezhou will definitely be wiped out."

"Who should be sent?" Tong Guan asked again. His words were concise and to the point, indicating his approval of Su Wu's proposal.

Su Wu thought for a moment and said, "I will assign Yao Pingzhong from Guanzhong as the leader, and Guan Sheng from Hedong as the commander. I will also assign 8,000 auxiliary troops, 10 large ships, and a number of small and medium-sized ships."

Tong Guan thought about it seriously and nodded: "Yes! What about Wuzhou?"

"Wuzhou is even easier..." Su Wu said with a smile, and then said, "Wang Bing and Wang Xun are very famous in Wuzhou. Just wait for them to lead their troops into Wuzhou. Once the banner is raised, they will surely be followed by a large crowd. This time in Hangzhou, we have captured a lot of spoils. Just give Wang Bing armor and weapons as much as he wants. Food and grass will be continuously supplied by the Puyang River. Wuzhou will be taken in a few days."

Su Wu's idea was not only to help Wang Bing take Wuzhou as soon as possible, but also to give Wang Bing a certain degree of autonomy. He wanted Wang Bing to truly raise a usable army in Wuzhou. Five or eight thousand would not be too few, and ten or twenty thousand would not be too many.

Wang Bing and his son will definitely be of great use in the future. As for the soldiers in Wuzhou, we are not afraid of having too many of them, but too few of them.

Even if the progress was slower, Su Wu could accept it, but Su Wu also knew that once Wang Bing went to Wuzhou, the progress would definitely not slow down.

Tong Guan just nodded: "That's great, what about you?"

Su Wu replied, "I, along with General Liu, led the army along the Qiantang and Zhejiang waterways and followed Tan Zhen into Muzhou. Doesn't he want to take credit for it? Let him take the credit first and I'll just watch from the side. If he gets the credit, it's his. If he doesn't have the ability... then there's no one else to blame..."

"Haha... the mantis stalks the cicada, that's all. Very good, very good. Ziqing, I can rest assured with you here. This plan has already come to fruition!"

There is no need to explain the relief on Tong Guan's face. In addition to being relieved, Tong Guan also felt relaxed, as if a mountain-like pressure had suddenly been lifted...

Su Wu just continued to say: "When the time comes, Wang Bing will take Wuzhou, and then he can go to Quzhou and Chuzhou. The bandits there are just a mob, not to mention the people there. Wang Bing's main force may be able to rush to Muzhou to join forces to suppress the main force of the bandits. As for Shezhou, I have two ideas. One is to go directly east from Hangzhou and fight in Shezhou. In this way, we can directly cut off Muzhou's retreat. The second idea is to attack Muzhou first and then eliminate the bandits in Shezhou. I would like to ask the Prime Minister for advice on this..."

Su Wu, I don't know if he has high emotional intelligence or he really can't make up his mind, so he leaves the final decision to Tong Guan...

The so-called Muzhou is the place where Fang La rose to power and also the location of Fang La’s base camp.

To the northeast of Muzhou is Hangzhou, to the northwest is Shezhou, to the west is Shezhou, to the southwest is Quzhou, and to the southeast is Wuzhou. In other words, Hangzhou, Shezhou, Wuzhou, and Quzhou, four states, surround Muzhou in the middle.

Strategically, this is a siege.

Tong Guan thought about it carefully and asked only one question: "Should we divide the troops again?"

"It can be divided, or not divided..." Su Wu answered this way, letting Tong Guan make the final decision.

Tong Guan said: "Then don't divide the troops. If we divide the troops, many things will be difficult to deal with..."

Su Wu also thought, what is there that is hard to say?
However, he also figured it out. The matter of merit is also the matter of competitors. Tong Guan's intention is that the credit for defeating Fang La must be in the hands of Su Wu. In other words, troops can be divided to the south and east, where Fang La is not.

But it is not advisable to divide the troops toward the west, for one reason only, and that is to prevent someone from capturing Fang La before Su Wu. When the time comes to reward people based on merit, Su Wu will definitely be the first.

Even if Liu Yanqing took it away, it wouldn’t work.

This is not strategy or tactics, this is politics!

In fact, Su Wu had not thought of this just now, but Tong Guan had really thought of it.

Is this kind of politics good? Sometimes, it is good, but many times, in this kind of war, considering politics first and then considering strategy and tactics is putting the cart before the horse, which is a dead end.

So Su Wu asked: "Prime Minister, if we go down to Muzhou, what should we do if Fang La flees westward?"

Tong Guan waved his hands and said, "If even Muzhou is taken, then even if Fang La goes to Shezhou, or goes west from Shezhou, he will be nothing but a lost dog. We can just chase him. A lost dog will be at a dead end, and will eventually reach the end of its rope..."

Su Wu understood that in the current situation, the government army was much stronger than Fang La and had the upper hand.

This method of considering politics first and then strategy and tactics is not really a risk, mainly because Fang La is already at the end of his rope. However, if this method is used against a strong enemy, the hidden dangers are self-evident...

But it is also possible that the people will suffer more. If Fang La really flees everywhere, how can he not plunder everywhere when he flees like a stray dog? The places he passes by will suffer.

After Tong Guan made this decision, Su Wu did not say much. Su Wu knew that in the end, Fang La did not flee everywhere, but returned to Bangyuan Cave with countless food, ready to rely on the geographical advantage to fight to the end in the cave.

Su Wu nodded: "I will follow the Prime Minister's plan."

"Well, then you should get ready quickly." Tong Guan nodded and waved, signaling Su Wu to get busy. At the same time, he also had to finish the work in Hangzhou city as soon as possible and set off quickly.

Su Wu bowed and left. When he left the government office again, the situation in Hangzhou city gradually became different.

There were no bandits on the streets anymore, but the military camp outside the city was filled with bandits. They were tied up and driven away in groups. The auxiliary soldiers held weapons and searched the bandits one by one. Even if there was a copper coin on the bandits, they would search it out.

Ordinary people began to appear on the streets. They were all pale and thin, with some traces of fear on their faces, but they were all smiling. Their clothes were all the same. All over Hangzhou, people were wearing gray linen clothes, and no one was wearing fancy clothes.

In the streets and alleys everywhere, carts of food were being distributed, and soldiers were maintaining order and counting the household registrations moved out of the government office...

Su Wu wanted to look for someone, so he asked Wang Xun about it. There were divisions in different parts of the city, and Su Wu could just go there.

I found Wang Bing at a street corner where food was being distributed. The place was already overcrowded with hungry mouths waiting for a bite of food to save their lives. There was not even a cat or dog to be seen in the city, and even mice had disappeared...

If the siege lasts another 20 to 30 days, the tragedy will be unimaginable...

Wang Bing also had a sad face. He only said to Su Wu: "Fang La's bandits are really hateful! In Jiangnan, Liangzhe, and Hangzhou, the people are suffering... I wonder what the situation is like in Wuzhou..."

Su Wu also knew that it was hard to describe the cruelty of history, and the same is true of the glorification of history. For example, the Taiping Rebellion in the Qing Dynasty attacked ordinary people, killing and injuring tens of millions of people, and even led to cannibalism, which was even euphemistically called "rice meat". The tragic situation in Nanjing under the Taiping Rebellion was unimaginable...

But in the thousands of years of history, has this kind of thing always happened like this?
Even Liu Bei, the most righteous man in the Three Kingdoms period, had cannibalism among his soldiers...

This is ancient warfare in its purest form.

It also strengthened Su Wu's idea that the Song Dynasty must not be destroyed.

Su Wu sighed and said, "We were able to capture Hangzhou so quickly, perhaps this is also the merit of you and me."

Wang Bing nodded: "It is the general's merit."

"I have something to tell you..." Su Wu went straight to the point.

"That's what the general ordered..." Wang Bin bowed.

"I have discussed with the Prime Minister that we will send your troops to fight the bandits in Wuzhou. We will provide you with weapons, armor, food, and other supplies if you ask..."

Wang Bing's face lit up with joy: "That couldn't be better. I was afraid that the Prime Minister and the General would go to Wuzhou later for the sake of the overall situation. Since we have to go now, I and my soldiers will fight to the death!"

Defending the country, protecting the territory and the people, sometimes for soldiers, hometown means everything. If they really go to their hometown to fight, the morale of the soldiers will be high, which is beyond words.

"I have an important task for you..." Su Wu's voice became softer.

"The general's order!" Wang Bing bowed and his hands clasped. The gratitude in his heart was self-evident. Nothing made him more excited than returning to Wuzhou.

"I want you to gather a strong army in Wuzhou to suppress Jiangnan and Liangzhe. You don't have to worry about money, food and armor. I will give you as much as you want. I want you to have a strong army. Once the imperial army returns, there will be no more chaos in Jiangnan and Liangzhe."

Su Wu said this deliberately, and it was justified, but what Su Wu really wanted was that this powerful army of Wuzhou would appear in the north one day.

There are too few strong troops in the Song Dynasty now. It would be a waste if we don’t raise a strong army in Wuzhou during this opportunity. We should plan ahead and make preparations early.

It was also the land of Zhejiang and Zhejiang where so many people were devastated. Those who survived such a catastrophe naturally had a different mentality. If the strongest among these people could be gathered as an army and they were used to seeing life and death, then the morale of the army would be extraordinary.

What Wang Bing had to do was to rally the troops and deal with the bandits in Wuzhou and Quzhou while training them well so that they would be put to good use in the future.

Wang Bing did not say much, and simply replied: "How dare I disobey the general's order? I will definitely get this done, but... I don't know how strong the army you are talking about is?"

Su Wu thought seriously and said: "20,000 combat troops, this is the organization of the imperial guards. As for the auxiliary troops, you can handle them as you wish."

Wang Bing was surprised when he heard this: "So many?"

"That's all I need!" Su Wu said with certainty. This was what Su Wu had been thinking in his heart. If Su Wu really thought about it, the more the better, fifty or eighty thousand would be fine, but too much would be impossible to handle.

Wang Bing also asked: "How can we explain this amount to the court?"

In the Song Dynasty, no matter how high or low the officer's rank was, he was actually a regiment commander or at most a brigade commander. Suddenly Wang Bing became a division commander or an army commander, which was not in line with the underlying regulations.

In fact, it is ultimately a compilation issue.

Su Wu had to give a reassurance: "Just do this. After the war, you will be the commander-in-chief of the troops in Liangzhe. The army in Liangzhe has long been in name only. When the time comes, just compile the rosters of various places. It will be easy to talk to the Privy Council..."

This move was taught to Su Wu by Tong Guan, so use it once you learn it.

Wang Bing understood and nodded, "Then I have a clear idea. Wuzhou's 20,000 elite soldiers must be there, not one less!"

Wang Bing answered seriously, which meant he was already thinking about how to do this matter. He would first enter Wuzhou and call for help, and then select and choose. General Su and the Prime Minister attached so much importance to it, so this matter must be done properly.

"Well, you only need to know about this matter. No matter whether it is money, food, armor, or anything else, you only need to write to me in the future, and I will take care of it."

This matter needs to be done a little more secretly. Although it does not need to be hidden, it does not need to be high-profile either.

This means that Su Wu has raised a group of trusted soldiers in Wuzhou, and then he can take Wang Xun away and keep him by his side, and the matter will be settled.

Wang Bing was moved when he heard Su Wu's words. Su Wu had solved all the problems of money, food and armor for him. How could it be bad to have such a superior? What was wrong with him?
He just bowed again and said: "General, I am deeply grateful for your appreciation. I will never let you down if you place such trust in me!"

"Okay, I'm leaving. We will hold a meeting in the military tent the day after tomorrow. In the next two days, you should quickly finish the work in the city." Su Wu was actually urging him. The matter in Hangzhou City cannot be delayed for long, and the army should act quickly.

Whether it was the Hangzhou government office or the officials, the entire administrative system was gone, and Su Wu had to take responsibility for these things.

Su Wu mounted his horse and left. Wang Bing bowed to see him off. Needless to say, the army of Wuzhou was completely bound to General Su. When had Wang Bing ever met such a good superior in the past?
In the past, Wang Bing was just a small infantry commander, how could he have imagined that he would be like this today?
Speaking of the military achievements made by Han Jun, he was the commander-in-chief of the troops in Liangzhe Road, which was already an achievement.

Wang Bing stood in the distance, watching Su Wu go away, and also watching the huge crowds of people collecting food. For a moment, he didn't know whether to be happy or sad...

I couldn't help but think of the ancient saying that "a general's success is built on the bones of thousands of dead bodies." Now that I am considered that general who has achieved success, it seems that I have really achieved my success standing among a pile of dead bodies.

Speaking of heroic deeds, it is better not to fight a war, to travel the world with a sword in hand!
With a sigh, Wang Bing reentered the crowd, worked hard, and saved more people!
Su Wu finally returned to his troops, a temporary command post in a wealthy mansion in the city, and summoned Du Xing to make arrangements.

Du Xing stayed in Hangzhou and did not leave. On the one hand, he served Tong Guan, and on the other hand, he bought up land, houses, and shops in Hangzhou. No matter how small the house was, as long as the seller was willing to sell it, Du Xing would buy it.

During this era, the rental business was extremely developed. Even in the city of Bianliang, the emperor and his royal family would personally run this business. There was even a special court agency called Dian Zhai Wu, which was the emperor's main way to make money.

In the city of Bianjing, whether it was the common people or officials, at least half of them rented houses. The number of houses in Bianjing controlled by the emperor and his family reached more than 20,000. In order to expand the business and make more money, the emperor did everything he could, and the sufferings were too numerous to mention... Not only the common people suffered, but even ordinary officials were often cheated and speechless...

As for the noble families in the city of Bianjing, how could they not follow suit?
In other words, doing rental business in big cities can also make a lot of money...

Generally, houses had to be bought, and as for the large mansions and shops in Hangzhou city, they had to be bought by themselves. In fact, most of them could still find their owners and heirs. The families in that era were very large, and the inheritance rights were actually spread very widely. If the owner could not be found in the city, the side branches in the countryside or other places could still be found. As long as there was a male adult, there would be an owner.

Whether it was in the countryside or in other places, as long as they could get in touch, it would be fine. In fact, from the dark side of human nature, these people would happily rush to Hangzhou City when they knew that Hangzhou City had been recovered and their relatives had all died...

Seeing that Hangzhou is so desolate and lifeless, it would be great if I could go back with some money.

As for the very few who could not find their owners, it is actually easier to say that they were just government offices...

After explaining these things to Du Xing, it was already late at night. After meeting many military generals, Su Wu went to rest.

The next day, I was very busy, running around and urging people everywhere.

The next day, the army held a meeting and began to pack up their horses, carriages, food and fodder and set out on their respective routes.

Su Wu led the army from Jingdong and the northwest and headed southwest. The cavalry rode quickly by land, while the rest of the infantry, auxiliary troops, and logistical supplies all went up the Qiantang River to the southwest.

The two Zhejiang provinces in the south of the Yangtze River have a dense network of waterways, which also has its advantages. That is, the boats are easy to use, which greatly facilitates marching.

Su Wu also knew that Tan Zhen was surrounding Fuyang with his troops. Fuyang was actually not far away. Tan Zhen had left for three days before, but he was still here.

Just ask who the Fuyang defender is, Baoguang National Master Deng Yuanjue, who is also one of the four marshals.

He was so strong that he could be evenly matched with Lu Da.

There were still many defeated soldiers from Hangzhou in Fuyang City. Although not many people escaped from Hangzhou City, there were at least 20,000 to 30,000 people. Even the Nanli Marshal Shi Bao and others, whom Su Wu did not find in Hangzhou City, were most likely in Fuyang.

Fuyang City is the gateway to Hangzhou, and it controls the Qiantang and Zhejiang waterways. How can it not be of great importance? Moreover, Fang La also has a navy under his command, called the "Four Dragons of Zhejiang". Zhejiang is not the name of a province, but actually the waterway controlled by Fuyang, which is the upper reaches of the Qiantang River at that time.

Tan Zhen has already surrounded Fuyang. He built some long ladders in the past few days and tried to take it down once, but failed.

Tan Zhen was also angry in the middle army: "Such a small city, why is it so difficult to attack?"

No one answered, and only Xin Xingzong answered: "Sir, you don't know, small cities are generally harder to attack than big cities..."

"Why is this so?" Tan Zhen didn't believe it.

Xin Xingzong wanted to explain again: "My lord, you know that if the city is small, there are fewer places to attack, which is more conducive to defending one side. In addition, the city can also mobilize quickly, and it is difficult to make a feint to the east and attack the west. It's like when Fan Wencheng was managing the northwest in the past, he built forts everywhere, more than a hundred steps in a square, and hundreds of thousands of people guarded it, which could often stop the Tangut army of tens of thousands for a long time."

Tan Zhen understood, and said helplessly: "When we set out, you all said that the enemy was already like a frightened bird, and once the army arrived, they would be invincible. Why is it that now, a small Fuyang has been blocked for several days? That would be fine, but let me ask you, how many more days will it take?"

Xin Xingzong looked at everyone. In fact, this problem was not that complicated. The key to the problem was these people in front of him, Ma Wanli, the general manager of Ruzhou’s army, Wang Yi of Dengzhou, Chen Zhu of Zhengzhou…

As long as these people are united and brave, and the army of tens of thousands is here, they can surround the city of Fuyang and attack fiercely. The people in Fuyang will be in panic. How can they not take the city after a fierce attack?

It all depends on Xin Xingzong alone. How many times can his Xihe soldiers fight?
Xin Xingzong was extremely helpless and could only say: "Sir, just surround and fight again, and we will eventually be able to take it down..."

"You don't know, I just got the news that Su Wu is here!" Tan Zhen said this, very anxious.

Xin Xingzong was surprised, so he asked: "Why didn't he go to Yuezhou or Wuzhou, but came here? This is exactly... Sir, we can write a letter to the court and impeach him. It must be a serious crime!"

The words were correct. This was of course a crime. The Northern Army was now the Western Army. Since Tan Zhen had come west, Tong Guan should have gone south and east, but he did not go. In front of the emperor, wasn't this using public power for personal gain? This was unacceptable!
How could Tan Zhen not know this? He could only helplessly say: "Tong Guan and Su Wu have divided their forces..."

Xin Xingzong said, "How many men does he have? Why is he dividing his troops like this? There is nothing wrong with dividing the troops, but it is also a crime of being eager for quick success and seeking personal gain, and competing for credit. If the troops he divided cannot be sent to Yuezhou, Wuzhou, and Quzhou, it will be an even greater crime, a crime of losing the battle and losing the opportunity!"

This is the truth, how could Tan Zhen not know it, he just frowned and said: "It will take many days to go back and forth from the capital, no matter how fast we travel 800 miles. Besides, if he divides his troops to Yuezhou and Wuzhou and wins in a few battles, then what crime can he commit? For now, Su Wu's cavalry has many horses, and they will be at the battlefront in one day at most."

Xin Xingzong understood what he heard. No wonder Tan Zhen was so anxious. He thought for a moment and said, "Don't worry, sir. No matter what happens, we have taken the initiative and have already occupied all sides of the city. If Su Wu comes, he will also watch from behind..."

"Fight quickly, fight quickly, and take the city!" Tan Zhen just kept saying this, and he sounded anxious.

"Yes, sir. I will organize them right away... Colleagues, let's surround the city and attack again!" Xin Xingzong was helpless and decided to try again, building more ladders and attacking from three sides.

It depends on everyone present here. Since Mr. Tan is urging us so much, shouldn't we also pay more attention and work harder to climb the wall?

After everyone left, the siege of the city began again.

On the top of the city wall, Deng Yuanjue, the national master of Baoguang, was standing there, and standing next to him was none other than the great general of Nanli, Shi Bao.

There were not many places Shi Bao could go after leaving Hangzhou, so he headed southwest. The southwest was where the Saint Princess' elite forces were located.

As soon as the government troops besieged the city again, Deng Yuanjue was heard saying: "The government troops' attack on the city doesn't seem to be very brave..."

Shi Bao nodded and said, "This is the Northern Army. The leader is not Tong Guan, but a eunuch named Tan Zhen. His subordinates are not good enough. The Southern Army is Tong Guan's elite. They have Su Wu and others under their command. They are very brave. Hangzhou was captured by Su Wu!"

"Su Wu, is he the Su Wu who defeated Lu Shumi and the emperor's uncle's 300,000-strong army?" Deng Yuanjue asked.

"Except for this man, there is no other Su Wu. Su Wu is the commander-in-chief of the two armies in Jingdong!" Shi Bao nodded.

"Alas..." Deng Yuanjue sighed. There were not many people around him, so he said, "Once Hangzhou was destroyed, the prince died, and the Holy Lord just hid far away in Muzhou. I heard that he is still transporting grain to Bangyuan Cave. The country of Yongle, Yongle, Yongle..."

Shi Bao frowned and said, "Fortunately, it is Tan Zhen who is here, not Su Wu... In the current situation, Fuyang City has sufficient food and grass, and can hold out for a long time."

He also looked at the government troops attacking the city. None of them were really brave. Most of them were shooting at the bottom of the city and were not very active in climbing up...

"I hope so..." Deng Yuanjue actually had great wisdom. He was a monk, so why did he follow the bandits? He saw the suffering of the people, too much. He was also a martial artist, full of passion and compassion, and followed the bandits to rebel.

Once on board the ship, his official position became higher and higher, and he had more and more people under his command. He could not get off the ship and was surrounded in the city of Fuyang.

But fortunately, the government troops in front of us were not able to fight.

But when I really think about the future, it’s so bleak.

The government troops failed to capture the city, so they sounded the horn and retreated.

How could Tan Zhen not curse when he was in the central military tent?

None of the generals could raise their heads. They were helpless. It was not that they were unwilling to make achievements at this moment, but it was the soldiers under their command who were of no avail no matter how much they urged them.

On the top of the city wall, the bandits were really brave. Although their morale was not as high as before, they were still fighting like trapped beasts. At this critical moment of life and death, they always wanted to survive.

It was Xin Xingzong who advised him: "Please calm down, sir. Siege wars are often like this. Just wait and see. After a few days, the morale of the soldiers in the city will gradually decrease. There will be no reinforcements outside the city, and then it will be easier to fight..."

This statement is half true and half false.

Tan Zhen suddenly said, "If we keep going like this, I think the enemy's morale will weaken!"

Xin Xingzong was embarrassed, thinking in his heart, if it really doesn't work... then... then let's fight bravely? These insects, pigs, dogs and animals around him really can't be relied on at all.

Even if the loss is heavy, we still have to fight. After Fuyang is broken, the bandits can be suppressed to their heart's content. Then the people in Xincheng will be in a panic and it will be easy to break, or they will flee at the sight of the enemy...

After Xin Xingzong made up his mind, he said, "Sir, tomorrow, the city will be taken!"

Tan Zhen was stunned when he heard this, looked at Xin Xingzong, and asked, "Why are you suddenly saying this again?"

Xin Xingzong replied: "Tomorrow, I will personally lead the troops to the front!"

"Okay, okay, I've been waiting for you to say this. After we capture the city, the money and food in the city will be rewarded to your troops first!" This was what Tan Zhen was waiting for. Although he didn't understand battle formations, he had seen them several times.

How could he not see some trickery? Xin Xingzong could even climb up the wall of Hangzhou City, so why couldn't he climb up in Fuyang?

He also knew that Xin Xingzong wanted to preserve his strength and was reluctant to sacrifice the lives of the Han soldiers under his command.

In Tan Zhen's opinion, how much are the lives of the soldiers worth? If there are none left, just go back and recruit more. Even if the soldiers of Xihe are all lost here, as long as they make merit, they will get money and official positions. Why doesn't Xin Xingzong understand this truth?
Fortunately, Xin Xingzong understood it at this time. How could Tan Zhen not be happy?

Xin Xingzong glanced around and heard that the money and food in the city were given to him first. Xin Xingzong felt much more comfortable and said, "Thank you, sir!"

On the second day, they cooked early in the morning, and a moment later they beat drums to gather the troops, still attacking from three sides.

Xin Xingzong had already stood in front of the troops, looked back at his soldiers, gritted his teeth, and said, "Brothers, we have been fighting for a few days. Today we will go up to the city. After we break the city, there will be a big reward. Just go and take the money and food in the city!"

Just take the money and food in the city. This sentence actually has a deeper meaning, which is... let the soldiers plunder and loot, as long as they enter the city, how much they can take depends on their abilities.

Why did Tan Zhen say this?

Even if it is human nature, the soldiers are not without thoughts. Every time they go to the battlefield, they only see their allies as pigs and dogs. How can the Xihe soldiers feel happy? If others don't fight for their lives, how can they be willing to fight for their lives?
This is the only word of encouragement.

Soldiers and bandits, soldiers and bandits, since ancient times, soldiers and bandits are often one family, breaking into cities and looting have been common occurrences for thousands of years.

He also thought that, anyway, the people in the city had been robbed by the bandits, so he could just rob the bandits.

Logically speaking, the attack on Hangzhou should have been a way to motivate the soldiers. After entering the city, whoever grabbed the items would own them...

However, Xin Xingzong did not know that Deng Yuanjue did not plunder much in Fuyang City. Deng Yuanjue was not one of those rabble.

As long as the military order was given and passed on to each other, looking at the thousands of Xihe soldiers, their eyes were shining with fire. They all came from the northwest, and the friendly troops were all well-off, while they were still poor. How could they not be envious?
The army's morale is ready!

Xin Xingzong didn't say much. He just waited for the drum to sound and walked forward.

But looking to the east, two thousand light cavalry appeared. Su Wu arrived, leading the light cavalry as the vanguard, galloping over.

It happened just as Xin Xingzong made up his mind to launch a large-scale attack on the city.

Su Wu stood at a distance, stopped his horse's hoof, and said to his left and right: "Watch for a while!"

Everyone looked out from afar. Han Shizhong, who was accompanying the army, said, "It's been several days, but we still can't take the city. Will we have to besiege it for another ten or twenty days? If we keep fighting like this, there will be fifty or sixty counties. How long will it take to defeat them? We won't be able to return home for a year or two..."

Su Wu smiled and said, "Don't worry, it will take more than one or two years..."

"Hehe...if my brother leads the troops and lets us fight, it will not take more than one or two years." Han Shizhong said with a smile.

"After passing Fuyang, the Zhejiang waterway will be unblocked. There may be more water battles to be fought. Once the waterway is cleared, the army will march straight in. It should be very fast!"

Su Wu was talking about the plan in his mind.

Han Shizhong also said: "The areas of Jiangnan and Liangzhe are really different from my hometown. The waterways are so useful. This is really a great experience."

Han Shizhong, worthy of being called a famous general, is still learning, and he learns very quickly.

"In fact, our Song Dynasty has several large water systems and waterways that are all very useful. There are also sea routes. Many people don't pay attention to them, but in fact, sea routes are even more useful..." Su Wu also came to teach, and he knew that Han Shizhong was a rookie and did not understand many things.

Han Shizhong nodded, and suddenly raised his hand and pointed: "Brother, those are Xihe soldiers. Do you think Xin Xingzong can capture Fuyang?"

Look at the top of the city wall, it is Xin Xingzong who is bravely leading the charge!

(End of this chapter)