Chapter 620 0615 [End of the Road]

The heavy rains of the past few days have stopped, and the sky has finally cleared up.

Just looking at the rainfall in the Xiangjiang River Basin, it is estimated that there will be floods in Dongting Lake again this year. Moreover, the rainy season has not passed yet, and it may start to rain again one day.

Anyway, the climate is quite complicated and is related to solar activity.

The world has been in a weird state for the past two hundred years. The temperature first gets hotter and then colder, and the coldness has only happened in the past two or three decades.

In fact, the temperature has been rising in the Northern Song Dynasty, but it is sometimes dry and sometimes wet, sometimes dry, and sometimes flooded.

The situation is similar around the world. The Mayan civilization in Central America declined during this period. The rainfall from Arabia to India has increased greatly, but the price is the crazy drought in East Africa and North America.

Today, the world is cooling down, and the climate is even worse!

The dividing point is just a few years before Song Huizong ascended the throne. The temperature is getting lower and lower every year, and the cold winter is getting longer and longer every year.

Let's say the rain stopped, and the Ming army began to attack the city.

To the north of Changsha City is the Liuyang River, and to the west is the Xiangjiang River. The water level is rising sharply and the flow rate is turbulent.

The Ming army first went around the upper reaches of the Liuyang River to cross the river. The speed of crossing the river was extremely slow. Only two or three thousand people crossed the river in a whole day.

The wooden cannon was almost unusable. The gunpowder was well protected from moisture, but the wooden gun barrel was seriously damp.

Large siege equipment could not be used either. It was too difficult to push forward on the muddy ground. Therefore, they were too lazy to build them for the time being. Fortunately, they brought many flying ladders from Xiangyin.

The flying ladder is to add a wooden handle and an iron hook to the top of the wooden ladder. The iron hook can hook the parapet, and the wooden handle can defend against rolling logs.

All the soldiers of the Ming army took off their shoes and walked barefoot in the mud.

If you want to attack the city, you have to wait for a few more days. At least you have to build a trench bridge and a floating bridge to pass through the moat.

Without half a month of preparation, don't even think about crossing the moat.

It is estimated that the defenders in the city can't wait any longer. They began to try to connect with each other, and soon formed a surrender faction with Yin as the center.

Yin Mingdao sent someone to contact again, saying that the Ming army only needed to send two or three thousand people across the moat and pretend to attack the city, so that the surrendered forces in the city could take the opportunity to launch an attack.

Bai Qi discussed with Wang Yuan and Lin Chong and decided to send Yang Hua to lead the troops to make a feint attack.

Anyway, Yang Hua's soldiers all surrendered, and Yang Hua was eager to make merit, so he would not feel sorry for the death of many false surrenders.

The next day, in the morning.

Yang Hua personally led 2,000 soldiers and began to cross the moat by boat. Tens of thousands of Ming troops beat drums and shouted in the south and east of the city, and carried flying ladders to approach the moat.

A Chu general named Wu Liang ran to Zhong Xu and volunteered: "The Ming thieves did not fill the moat, nor did they build a floating bridge, but they wanted to come by boat. I am willing to take 800 soldiers out of the city to intercept and kill them, and severely dampen their spirit!"

Zhong Xu carefully checked the situation outside the city and felt that he should take the initiative to fight out.

Several city gates were all Zhong Xu's trusted troops.

At the moment when one of the city gates was opened, Wu Liang, who was supposed to lead his troops out of the city to fight, suddenly raised his sword to the friendly troops defending the city gate.

"Kill!"

Wu Liang attacked and killed while leading his troops to shout.

The other surrendering generals received the signal and immediately attacked the friendly troops nearby, and shouted to the friendly troops to lay down their weapons and not kill them.

Yang Hua saw that one of the city gates was opened and fighting broke out on the top of the city. He shouted excitedly: "It's time to make achievements!"

They climbed from the moat to the shore and rushed to the city gate without time to form a team.

"Lin Chong, you lead the troops to follow, and the rest of the troops will follow!" Bai Qi ordered.

The fighting outside was lively, but Yin Mingdao led his troops to rush to the palace and shouted to the few remaining imperial guards: "Open the city quickly, there are rebellions outside, I want to lead the troops to protect the queen and the prince!"

The uncle of the king came in person, and the imperial guards did not suspect him and hurriedly opened the palace gate.

Yin Mingdao rushed in and started to kill the imperial guards, then went to protect his sister and capture the prince.

Yin heard the noise and sent someone to invite Zhong Ziyi to call the second prince to her side.

Seeing Yin Mingdao leading his troops to attack, Zhong Ziyi turned to look at his stepmother in horror: "Is mother going to surrender to the enemy too?"

Yin said calmly: "If you don't take away Li Herong's military power, Changsha City can still be defended. Li Herong is under house arrest, and the soldiers are disunited. How can they defend the city together? My son, surrender. You are young and ignorant, and you may still be able to save your life."

Zhong Ziyi cried and said: "My uncle misled me. I said long ago that General Li should not be arrested!"

Yin Mingdao took the queen and the prince to the outer city and ordered the defenders to surrender. Those Chu troops who were still resisting laid down their weapons.

Only Zhong Xu was still leading his troops to fight, but he was also blocked on the city wall and could not continue.

"Boom!"

The sky thundered again, but this time it only rained, and the sun came out soon.

Zhong Xu did not survive this rain, and was shot to death in the rain.

The city gates on all sides were wide open, and the Ming army rushed in to take over Changsha.

...

Hengyang.

The day after receiving the urgent report from Changsha, Zhong Xiang led his troops out of the city in the rain for a decisive battle.

The ground outside the city was muddy, and some rice fields were flooded. There was not even an open battlefield suitable for fighting.

How could the coalition forces fight?

Zhong Xiang attacked the coalition camp and suffered heavy losses on the first day. He retreated back to the city to lick his wounds.

That night, the coalition generals held a meeting.

Li Gong now gave Cao Cheng face, and said, "General Cao is a veteran general, and he must have guessed that Zhong Xiang is probably in an emergency in the rear."

Cao Cheng was reminded by this and his thoughts became clear instantly: "Changsha must be surrounded and the Duke of Shu has won a series of victories. Otherwise, why would Zhong Xiang be so eager to fight? The road is not easy to walk on now. It is difficult to pull out if you step into the mud. It is also slippery to walk on the firm ground. The more armor you wear, the harder it is to move. The armor of the pseudo-Chu soldiers is better than ours. They will suffer a loss if they fight at this time!"

Yang Zaixing said: "Then we will stay in the camp and not leave. Even if we delay, we will drag Zhong Xiang to death!"

"Will Zhong Xiang run away? Leave a part to defend Hengyang and take the majority to rescue Changsha?" Tang Danian expressed his thoughts.

Yang Zaixing said: "The water level of Xiangjiang River is rising and flowing very fast. Even if it doesn't rain, it will take another two or three days before it is easy to sail. If he wants to leave, it will be two or three days later."

"Whether he leaves or not, we will defend the camp first." Cao Cheng made the decision.

Li Gong nodded like he was coaxing a child and said, "General Cao is right."

In Hengyang City, Zhong Xiang was caught in the rain when he went to battle, and he was worried about the situation in Changsha. He became more and more angry and fell asleep in the middle of the night.

It was already mid-morning the next day, and Zhong Xiang hadn't gotten up yet, so the guards could only remind him outside the door.

After shouting several times, Zhong Xiang finally agreed: "Help me up!"

The guards pushed the door open as soon as they heard the voice was wrong and his voice was hoarse.

Zhong Xiang was running a high fever, and he told his personal soldiers, "Call Xie Shenggong, and don't let anyone know that I'm sick, not even the doctor."

Xie Baoyi came to pay his respects quickly, and was shocked to see Zhong Xiang's appearance: "Master, this is not the time to be sick!"

"Alas, I'm old, and I've been exhausted these days. It rained yesterday," Zhong Xiang leaned against the head of the bed and said, "Changsha will probably fall, and Da Chu may be gone."

Xie Baoyi said, "With Li Herong in Changsha, it won't be a problem to hold on for two or three months."

Zhong Xiang said, "The enemy army is at the gates of the city, and Zhong Xu has taken away Li Herong's military power."

"What?" Xie Baoyi screamed in shock.

"This idiot is so stupid," Zhong Xiang said helplessly, "I asked Li Herong to lead the defense of Changsha because I was afraid that someone would do something wrong. I didn't expect Zhong Xu to be so bold that he dared to capture Li Herong and put him under house arrest. God wants to destroy Chu, what can I do?" Xie Baoyi stood there in a daze, not knowing how to react. Zhong Xiang said, "I have an unwelcome request." Xie Baoyi said, "Just do what the master tells you." "Your wife and children are all in Changsha. I shouldn't let you abandon your family," Zhong Xiang said, "but I don't trust others, so I can only ask you to do it. There is no enemy camp in the north. After nightfall tonight, you take the prince and escape in the dark, find a place to live in anonymity. Don't think about revenge, and don't start a rebellion. Let the prince find a village woman to marry, at least to continue the incense of my Zhong family." "If I leave and the master gets sick again, what should I do in Hengyang?" Xie Baoyi asked. Zhong Xiang said: "I will surrender in three days. Within these three days, you can take the prince as far as you can."

"I obey your order!" Xie Baoyi's eyes were filled with tears.

These tears were shed for Zhong Xiang and Da Chu, as well as for his wife and children. He knew that he would never see his family again in this life.

That night, Xie Baoyi left the city with a basket hanging from his waist, wearing gold and silver, and took the crying Zhong Ziang, and told the soldiers guarding the city that they were going to Changsha to get reinforcements.

The two of them disappeared from the world.

Zhong Xiang had a high fever but did not seek treatment. He did not call a doctor throughout the whole process, and he actually survived by himself.

On the third day, he only had symptoms such as coughing.

He called all the generals and told them: "Changsha is probably gone. You have followed me in the war for four years and have not enjoyed any wealth. Now you are at the end of your rope, so open the city and surrender to the enemy. But you cannot surrender to the people outside the city. They have poor military discipline and will definitely plunder and kill after entering the city. The military discipline of the Ming army is excellent. Tell those bastards outside the city to let the Duke of Shu of Ming come in person to take over Hengyang City."

"Your Majesty!"

All the generals knelt down in unison, and some cried loudly.

Zhong Xiang shook his head: "Most of your families are in Changsha. If you surrender early, you may be able to save them. Let's all withdraw and let me be alone."

The generals cried again, and some advised Zhong Xiang to hold on to the end.

Zhong Xiang waved his hand helplessly. After a long time of fussing, he was the only one left in the room.

Zhong Xiang picked up a pen and wrote his last words, which were nothing more than asking Bai Qi to treat the surrendered soldiers and the people in the territory of Chu well.

After finishing writing, he put it in an envelope and placed it on the table.

Zhong Xiang held the hilt of the knife, somewhat nostalgic for this good world. After hesitating for a long time, he finally drew the knife across his neck and ended his life.

Until the personal soldiers brought food, he shouted several times but no one responded, then he pushed the door to see the situation.

"Your Majesty..."

In Hengyang City, the whole army was in mourning.

The remaining soldiers defended the city to the death, resolutely refusing to surrender to the coalition forces outside the city, but waiting for Bai Qi to lead the troops to take over.