Hanhou

Woyang County is located in the north of Yanmen County, named after the Wo River.There is a salt pond in the northeast of the city, and Chang Cheng is stationed there.The population within its jurisdiction once exceeded [-]. It was not only a large county in Yanmen County, but also an important gateway to resist the Huns' invasion of the south.

The county seat was built in the Qin Dynasty and covers a large area. Most of the city walls and buildings in the city are built of rammed earth, and they still stand firm after repeated wars.The surface of the city wall is full of pits and hollows, most of which are traces left over from the war.There are large black marks on the bottom of the wall on the north and east sides, as if it had been burned.

When the Xiongnu went south, the city of Woyang County was breached. The food, livestock and merchants' goods in the city were looted, the old and young were slaughtered, and all the women and children were looted.

Zhidu went to the border county, punished the villains with severe punishment, vigorously resumed production, and Liu Rong moved to the city to reclaim wasteland outside the city, and Woyang gradually showed signs of recovery.The dilapidated walls were replaced by new houses, the grass and dead trees were burned in large quantities, and the ashes of plants and trees that still had smoke were dumped into the ground to become nourishment for the barren fields.

Life had just begun to look forward to, but unexpectedly, drought and locust plagues followed one after another, and there was no harvest in the fields.Just after the natural disaster, the Xiongnu in the north attacked again with their swords. The days are beyond hard to describe.

The county city issued a relocation order, and border residents came from the north one after another, dragging their families to Shanwu City.The young and strong in the team were recruited, and most of them stopped in Woyang, went to the county arsenal to collect weapons, and stationed with the frontier army.

A small number of young and strong guards, old and young, women and children continued to move forward.Everyone in the team helped each other, carried the packed belongings, and drove away the remaining cattle and sheep, all the way in silence.

When the child is tired from walking, he will be carried into a rattan basket and carried on the woman's shoulder.The woman was also tired, and her steps were unavoidably staggering.An old man got off his horse and motioned for the woman to put the child on the horse's back.

Several half-grown boys stepped forward and dragged a piece of wood with thick ropes, with wooden wheels embedded under the board, before the old man and the woman could speak, they directly hugged the child onto the board.

"Father has a leg injury and can't walk much. Wife is also tired. Let me take care of the little boy, so I won't let him bump into it."

"What is this?"

"Trailer." The young man puffed up his chest and said proudly, "My brother once went to Yunzhong County. He said that the son of Shaling Zhao came up with the idea. It was only in Shaling County at first, but now it has spread throughout Yunzhong County. With this, It can drag heavy objects with little strength.”

As the boy spoke, he asked the boy to hold on to the rope, and the two walked ahead, pulling the trailer forward with ease.Due to the hasty production, and its purpose is not to pull people, it is inevitable that the wooden wheel will bump when it rolls forward.

The child didn't care at all, but found it very interesting, and grinned.

Childish laughter dispelled the gloom above their heads, like a ray of sunshine shining in the darkness. The border residents in the team lost their bitterness. Looking back at Woyang County behind them, they remembered their relatives guarding the city, and their eyes became firm.

"No matter how hard life is, you have to live on. It's useless to hang your head down, just be more energetic." The old man jumped on the back of the horse. The old horse shook its neck, its teeth were badly worn, and its limbs were still strong. It snorted and carried the old man on.

The team meanders southward, like a long surging river.

On the top of the city, Army Sima patrolled past. When he met Liu Rong, who was wearing leather armor and holding a long sword, his expression flashed with a complicated expression, and he approached and said, "You should go to the county city."

Liu Rong bowed to the army Sima, and said solemnly: "Rong went to the north to guard the border, and the Huns came to invade. How could he cherish his life and leave without fighting?"

Seeing his determination, Jun Sima didn't say anything, just nodded, turned and left the city wall.

After the people of Woyang County left, a large number of young and strong frontier soldiers entered the city and boarded the top of the city to garrison.

More than a hundred sons-in-law of merchants and businessmen drove carts back and forth outside the city according to orders. The carts were filled with full sacks, and the wheels crushed the unfrozen land, one after another, leaving ruts half a foot deep.

The frontier soldiers waved torches at the top of the city, and the convoy was led into the city, and the sacks filled with broken wood and even animal skins were removed from the carts, some were sent to the barn, and some were sent to the official temple, arsenal and surrounding dwellings.

As early as the last batch of border residents moved away, the border soldiers stationed here began to prepare fire starters.The gunpowder brought from Shanwu City was sent to the barn, and the rags soaked in sesame oil were stuffed into sacks. As long as there was a spark, it would immediately ignite a fire.

There are also a large number of sun-dried herbs buried in the city, which will release thick smoke when it encounters a fire. The smoke is no less poisonous than the poisonous chimney in Yunzhong County.

After the prisoners from the county city arrived, the defenders blocked the gates on three sides and nailed them to death with cross-bars one after another.Only the north gate was left as a channel to lead the Huns into the city.

"hang up!"

There is a wooden wheel across the top of the city, and the shirtless army chanting chant, pushing the wooden pole together, pulling the rope, and hanging several giant logs high.

Everything was ready, and ten scouts were ordered to go north. Their task was to act as a bait to lure the Huns into a trap.This trip is difficult and dangerous, no matter whether it succeeds or not, it will be a narrow escape.

"Excellent!"

The army commander was beating drums at the top of the city, and the scouts replaced the iron arrows with wooden arrows, tapped the armguards with short knives, and rode out with whips.

The city gate closed behind them, and the north wind rolled up the yellow sand. Woyang City was isolated in the wind, and it was destined to fall into the flames of war and become a dead place.

The scout rode his horse and galloped, and according to his experience, he deliberately walked in the direction that the Huns might advance.Sure enough, less than half a day away from the city, they encountered the Huns' rangers. The two sides fought fiercely, and the situation of the scouts was unfavorable.

Those who were seriously injured were trampled to death by the Huns, while those who were lightly injured were put on ropes and dragged all the way to King Zuo Xian standing in front of a single horse.

Compared with the high-spiritedness when he went south, at this moment, Yu is sinking on one side, and he is in a bad mood to a certain extent.

The [-] army attacked Hanbian, people ate horses and chewed horses, and the rations they carried were limited, and they were about to run out.I thought that I would be able to get replenishment when I entered Yanmen County, but I never thought that the Han people would go so far, remove all the border residents, take away all the grain and livestock, and even burn the hay.

Killing the waiting officer guarding the beacon tower, crushing the fortress that was not considered strong, the Huns' army came all the way, and everything was desolate, and the villages that passed by were either evacuated or abandoned.After a lot of effort, they didn't get a grain of grain, and only a few thin yellow sheep were harvested, which were hunted by the rangers by chance.

There was no need for counselors to remind him, but Yu Shan knew very well that if he could no longer get food and livestock, the morale of the army would be unstable, and there would be troubles in the headquarters and other departments.

When he was restless, the rangers who went out brought back two scouts from the Han army. Yu Shan was overjoyed, and after some threats and lures, he wanted to ask where the grain and livestock of the Han people were hidden.

Unfortunately, with the knife resting on his neck, one scout still refused to spit.

Furious, Yu Dan ordered his hands and feet to be cut off, and he was trampled into a pulp on the spot.As if frightened by the scene in front of him, the scout who was still alive turned pale, and said the answer Shan wanted.

The military counselor was skeptical and reminded Yu Shan that it might be a trick.

Yu Dan laughed out loud, and asked Ranger to repeat the process of catching the scout, then pointed to the dead scout, and said indifferently, "Is this a trick?"

The counselor was still worried, but Yu Shan insisted on going his own way and didn't listen to his advice at all.Annoyed by the words, he simply flicked his horsewhip, left him behind, and ordered the army to approach Woyang.

The sound of rumbling horseshoes shattered the ground, and the scout walked at the forefront of the team without riding a horse, his hands were tied, and his body was constantly being whipped, making him look hunchbacked and humble.

Where the Xiongnu couldn't see, the man covered with welts gritted his teeth, his eyes were red, and the tragic scene of his comrades dying under the horse's hooves flashed before his eyes. The robbers from the north lead to the purgatory of death.

Across a dry waterway, Woyang County is close at hand.

Yu Dan flicked his whip, and the ranger rode forward, swung his knife and cut off the scout's neck.

Blood gushed out from the broken neck, and the headless corpse fell to the ground. The head rolled into the mud, and the eyes were always open. They did not witness the demise of the Huns with their own eyes, and they refused to rest in peace until they died.

"My lord, there are car marks in front, very deep, and there are footprints of people, cattle and sheep. It seems that this man is not lying, there is indeed food in the city!"

With a grin on his face, Yu waved his hands to the left and right. The horn sounded, and the army made way for a passage. Hundreds of slaves wrapped in sheepskin were driven forward, carrying simple wooden ladders, holding wooden sticks, stones and bones. Dao, walked down the city with a numb expression.

The Xiongnu were not good at siege, Yu Dan didn't want to lose the knights in his headquarters, and the other troops didn't work hard, so they simply used the slaves as cannon fodder.It's good to be able to break through the defense, but it doesn't matter if you can't. No matter how bad it is, it can consume the arrows of the Han army and reduce the threat to the attacking headquarters and other departments.

The death of slaves is not a problem either.

As long as they enter the city, cattle, sheep and food can be plundered freely, and the population can also be plundered easily.

"Let them rush, who dare not rush to kill on the spot!"

Batch after batch of slaves were driven forward, arrows fell like rain from the top of the city, followed by boiling water with rolling logs, as well as gravel and broken logs thrown by catapults.

Seeing such tight defenses, Yu Shan was even more convinced that there must be a large amount of food and livestock in the city.

"Your Majesty, if there are too many casualties here, it may hinder the march." A Wuhuan advisor said.

"March into the army?" Another Di counselor sneered, "Do you think the Han people will stay for us to rob? Going forward, it will be the same as here. There are no people in the hundreds of miles. If you miss this place, you will have to go to Shanwu City if you want to get food. It's a county town! What's more, there are heavy troops deployed here, and it's easy to bypass, so what should I do if I encounter a rear attack?"

"How can it be?"

"Why not?" The Di people's counselor sneered even more, "This is the Han land, and the Han army is in front, not the courageous Wuhuan, nor the stupid Yuezhi!"

The Wuhuan counselor's face was livid, and Yu Shan listened impatiently to their quarrel. After the slave died, he directly ordered other troops to attack, and vowed not to stop until the city gate was opened.

After two days of fierce fighting, the other cavalry finally climbed to the city wall, and miraculously stood still without being defeated.

Seeing the hope of breaking through the city, Yu Shanxin ordered the cavalry of the headquarters to charge.

The army surged up like a tide, and the battle at the top of the city was extremely brutal.Soldiers from both sides continued to fall from the city wall, and the corpses below the city quickly piled up, and the walls were stained with blood.

As the evening approached, there were more than [-] corpses left by the Huns under the city. Although most of them were from other tribes, Yu Dan still felt a pain in his flesh.

"Blow the horn and tell Gu Chuan that I will enter the city before sunset! I will use the heads of the generals of the Han army as wine vessels, and sit on their corpses to drink to my heart's content!"

"Follow your Majesty's order!"

The horns of the Xiongnu army sounded again, and except for the thousands of cavalry guarding Yu Shan, the rest of the cavalry of the headquarters and other troops gathered in one place, and all of them marched on.The ant army swarmed in, and the defenders finally couldn't hold on.

After a fierce battle, the city gate was finally opened. The ecstatic Huns brandished Guduo daggers and rushed into the city screaming. Even though they found that the city gates were blocked on three sides, they did not slow down their speed of entering the city.

"Go to the barn!"

After hacking and killing a defender, the Xiongnu Qianchang gave a loud order and took the lead in charging forward.

Before rushing to the barn, the Huns encountered the prisoners guarding here. The two sides fought fiercely. Some prisoners cut the bait prepared in advance, and the golden millet scattered all over the ground.

When the news spread, the Huns' eyes were red, and one after another, they kept rushing towards the barn.

In a short period of time, more than half of the prisoners were killed or injured, but they showed no intention of retreating at all.

A prisoner was hacked by the Huns, and his left arm was broken at the shoulder level. As if he couldn't feel the pain, the Huns jumped off the horse, bit the opponent's neck, and tore off a large piece of flesh.

"How long?"

"Hurry up, Hu Kou has come in so many, it should be soon."

The two prisoners were back to back, one was stabbed in the abdomen, half of his body was stained red with blood; the other had a broken leg and could no longer stand.Facing the approaching enemy with a knife, the two of them spat out a mouthful of blood without any fear, and shouted, "Come on! Nai Gong can take your head if he can lift the knife!"

After receiving the emergency report from the barn, the army Sima knew that he could not wait any longer, so he ordered to cut the rope.

Liu Rong stopped him, dragging his injured leg, and said: "Sima, there are still thousands of Hu Kou outside the city, so let them leave the city and surrender, and tell Xiongnu Rong to be here."

"what?!"

"Honored to be the emperor's son."

It is true that Liu Rong was deposed as a commoner, but he is the son of Emperor Jing after all.Knowing that he is in the city, even if he has doubts, Yu Dan will send someone to arrest him. If he is lucky, Zuo Xianwang will even enter the city himself.

Army Sima wanted to say more, but Liu Rong didn't give him this chance, so he tried his best to defy the military order and ordered Qitong, who was still alive, to leave the city.

"Respect!"

Qi Tong took the order with his fists in his hands, hacked and killed two Hu Qi, and ran down the city.Jun Sima stared at Liu Rong, but Liu Rong smiled slightly, turned around, and slashed at Hu Qi who was facing him regardless of his leg injury.

Not long after Qi Tong left, the Xiongnu outside the city changed, and another 1000 people galloped into the city.

Liu Rong's strategy worked, but unfortunately, among the 1000 people, there was no figure of Zuo Xianwang.

"Sima, we can't wait any longer!" A military marquis rushed forward and said to Sima, "The barn can't hold it anymore!"

Jun Sima nodded, suddenly turned his knife back, hit Liu Rong on the back of the neck with his back turned to him, and handed him over to the blood-soaked cavalry boy.The latter didn't say anything, he clasped his fists to the army Sima, quickly carried Liu Rong on his back, and killed all the way down the wall.

After confirming how many people had gone away, Jun Sima lit a torch with his own hands and sent a signal at the top of the city.

The soldiers swung their knives to cut the thick ropes, ignoring the blades coming from behind, one, two, three times, the giant log hanging on the wall crashed down, blocking the only way out.

Several Hu Qi were crushed under the tree and turned into a puddle of meat.

"The military order has been issued, light the fire!"

At the barn, the prisoners who had ambushed in advance started to move, the flames shot up into the sky, and the pungent smoke quickly filled the air.The Huns had a premonition that something was wrong, and turned around to escape, but the prisoners who were still alive suddenly jumped up and blocked the way of the Huns.

"Naigong gathers robbers, is cast aside by the world, becomes righteous before he dies, and goes to the earth to meet his ancestors. It's worth it!"

"Accompany Naigong to die together!"

A burly prisoner with knife marks all over his body grabbed a Huqi with one hand, and with blood gushing out of his mouth, he continued to laugh. With his last strength, he jumped into the sea of ​​flames.

No matter the prisoner, the defender or the young and strong, the moment the giant tree falls, it is known that the county has been sealed and there is no way out.

In the raging flames, Hu Qilang rushed to the city gate desperately, crying and howling.

The Han army brandished long knives and blocked the enemy's way desperately. They were seriously injured and unable to swing the knives. They simply jumped into the fire with the enemy in their arms, no longer fearing life and death.

Barns, official temples, arsenals, houses, everything in Woyang City was burning.

Yu Shan stood outside the city, looking at the city covered in flames, thinking of the nearly ten thousand people trapped in the city, a fishy sweetness gushed out of his throat, and he fell headlong on his horse.