Three Kingdoms

From the siege of Yangcheng, to the city gate suddenly burning and exploding, to Zhu Ling taking advantage of the chaos to board the city, almost in the blink of an eye, the successive changes and methods made Cao's army, including Yan Kuang, unable to cope with it.

By the time Yan Kuang came to his senses, Zhu Ling had already led his men to the other side, captured the city gate tower, unlatched the winch of the suspension bridge, and lowered the suspension bridge...

Yan Kuang was shocked and was about to order someone to intercept him, but he heard the sound of arrows whizzing in the dark night, and then there was a dinging sound around the battlements of the city wall, which scared not only Yan Kuang, but also Yan Kuang. Even the surrounding Cao soldiers hid their heads and did not dare to move rashly.

Among the echelons of Cao Cao's army's combat effectiveness, the private military headquarters of the generals are undoubtedly the first echelon, followed by the Qingzhou soldiers, followed by Yuan Shao's original Jizhou soldiers and the Yanzhou soldiers who accompanied Cao Cao for many years, and finally Yan Kuang. These field soldiers led by them.

To put it roughly, it's almost like "Ashigaru". They spend most of their time farming. Although there are military controls and some training, compared to those soldiers who have to face life and death all the time, the biggest enemy of the field soldiers is probably They are weeds on the ground and pests in the fields.

Therefore, when there was a sudden attack and new changes occurred on the battlefield, big problems arose in the response speed and response measures of Yan Kuang's field soldiers.

In addition, Yan Kuang had previously ordered to extinguish the torches on the city, and these field soldiers, due to nutritional deficiencies and vitamin deficiencies, had greatly reduced their vision in dim light, and the attack on Zhu Ling and others was almost They had no ability to resist. When Yan Kuang finally organized his troops to arrive at the city gate tower where Zhu Ling had captured, he discovered that only the remains of Cao's troops who were originally on duty were left in the gate tower, and the suspension bridge winch had been completely destroyed. , unable to pull the suspension bridge, Zhu Ling and others ran down the Chi Road and started fighting near the city gate entrance!

Yan Kuang had no time to think about it, so he hurriedly held a knife in one hand and rushed towards the city gate, shouting for Cao Jun to resist and encircle Zhu Ling and others...

But when Yan Kuang arrived at the city, he suddenly heard the rapid sound of horse hoofbeats. He raised his head and looked forward, and saw that a horse was already flying towards him!

Yan Kuang subconsciously raised his knife to chop!

The man on the horse seemed not to move at all, as if he was completely unaware, but just when Yan Kuang's sword fell, a long halberd appeared in front of Yan Kuang like a whirlwind, and the head cover was His face bumped into Yan Kuang.

Yan Kuang was shocked and wanted to struggle again, but the halberd was tightened and twisted suddenly, and Yan Kuang's sword flew away from his hand. Then his shoulders sank, and the crescent of the halberd was already pressed against it. At the neck, Yan Kuang was suddenly unable to stand firmly and was directly pressed to the ground!

All the Cao soldiers around looked at it dumbfounded, as dumb as a chicken for a moment...

Taishi Ci snorted coldly and glanced at Yan Kuang, "Oh, isn't this Yan Zhonglang?" Are you okay? 』

Guard Yan Kuang reacted and rushed up with a howl.

Taishi Ci didn't even look at it. He just swung his halberd away and immediately swept up the people at the front. Then he shouted, "Are you trying to kill your general?" 』

The remaining Cao soldiers were immediately embarrassed. They were neither advancing nor retreating. They were stuck in place tremblingly.

"Where is Wenbo?" ! Tai Shi Ci sat on his horse and shouted loudly, "Get the flag!" 』

Zhu Ling responded proudly, then rushed up from behind Tai Shici, raised something in his hand high, and then slammed it to the ground!

The tail of the flagpole was pierced into the bluestone slab. The stone slab couldn't bear the strength, and it immediately fell apart. The tail plug continued to force itself, and was nailed into the soil under the stone slab, and then stretched out in the night wind, making a fierce sound.

This large flag was carried on a flagpole that was three or four feet tall. The end of the flagpole was deeply inserted into the ground, while the other end pointed towards the night sky with bright moon and sparse stars. At this time, the strong wind was blowing, and the flags were fluttering. As they gathered from the city gate, more and more firelight illuminated the surrounding Cao soldiers, and they could clearly see where this was a wooden flagpole. It is a large flag with an iron handle. On top of the big flag are three colors, and in the middle are four huge characters "Han Hussars"!

All the Cao soldiers stood stunned for a long time, then with a "boom", they scattered and fled...

Outside the city gate, the hooves of cavalry rolled over, with the power of a mountain collapsing and the earth cracking. Taishi Ci pointed at Yan Kuang, who was lying on the ground like a salted fish, "Bind it!" 』

……?(????)???……

In the middle of August of the fourth year of Taixing in the Han Dynasty.

The entire Xu County was still in a tense, anxious, noisy, and somewhat forced atmosphere of joy.

The prince of Han Emperor Liu Xie is full moon today.

In ancient times, the neonatal mortality rate was extremely high. Ordinary civilians, almost every household had babies who died young, so they generally gave their children nicknames. First, they tried to interfere with and hide the so-called monsters and ghosts, making these guys think It’s really just a piece of shit. Don’t try to harm the baby’s life. Another aspect is that even if you really can’t survive it, you can still have psychological comfort. Just treat it like a piece of shit and throw it away...

The main reason for the high infant mortality rate is that medical skills are not well developed, the delivery process is not professional, and disinfection cannot be thorough. If you are not careful, you will be infected with "tetanus". There has always been a saying of "wind in seven days, throw away in eight days" After saying the Dharma, both mother and son died, and the happy event turned into a funeral in an instant.

As for other infectious diseases, it is also easy to kill babies, such as measles, smallpox and other serious diseases. Even cold and typhoid, which are considered minor illnesses in later generations, were often fatal in ancient times...

Therefore, only after the baby is one month old, can it be considered that it has barely passed the first gate of hell, is it out of the scope of the prying eyes of monsters and ghosts, and can come out to formally meet outsiders, and the family of the baby will hold a banquet at this time. , called the full moon wine, and then after a hundred days, there is another level, and there is a hundred-day banquet.

The son of the emperor is extremely valuable, so this full moon banquet naturally needs to be organized.

Even though we had previously learned that Taishi Ci was roaming around Yangcheng, the fighting situation in northern Jingzhou seemed to be normal. There were rumors in the court and the people were restless, but such a happy event still had to be held.

At least, you can get rid of bad luck, right?

Whether there will be war or peace between Cao Cao and Fei Qian in the future, related matters and news were widely circulated inside and outside Xu County. People were looking forward to this war passing quickly, and some people thought that Cao Cao would give Piao a favor. The Cavalry General taught him a harsh lesson, but some people also hold a pessimistic attitude, believing that the Cavalry is stronger. Cao Cao had the upper hand before, but the Cavalry only caused the Cavalry to not attack...

Of course, only some people who know the true situation of the chaos in Jingzhou are qualified to know, and the information most people get is one-sided. After all, even the "official" information cannot be said to be all deception. , but there will inevitably be some screening or delays.

It's just that this method will always make people have some bad premonitions over time, so they use the emperor's son's full moon wine and such a happy event to guide their attention and shift their focus. Of course This is Xun Yu’s current best choice.

If Cao Cao maintained the stability of the Cao family's military group outside, then it was Xun Yu who maintained the order of the Cao family's political group inside. Xu County, which seems to be still enjoying peace and prosperity, is actually in danger, and may even be under attack in the blink of an eye.

Faced with such a situation, Xun Yu still has to appear optimistic and relaxed to the outside world at all times, showing a state of confidence, otherwise...

However, the actual situation of the Cao Group is already unsustainable.

After years of fighting, there is almost no pause. The consumption caused by the huge number of soldiers in military operations has made all classes in Jizhou and Yuzhou very dissatisfied. Under such circumstances, even if Cao Cao wins, he may not be able to support As the next wave of offensive begins, many people have already stood up and openly opposed the continuation of the war. Of course, there has not yet been direct obstruction and resistance, but the idea is always there.

"The great general's outstanding achievements are naturally attributed to the country, but this merit... is below... Haha, I think you all understand..."

"What Brother Wu said is very true..."

"So, the general is going to return victorious?" The place in Yangcheng...ah, haha...could it be that everything is just vegetation? 』

"Where is this place?" This is the emperor's feet! To put it bluntly, if this place is caught in a war... hmph, could it be that you don't think about the way out? 』

"Have Liangzhou warriors ever had a way out?" If a dog jumps over the wall in a hurry...well, it would be bad if it burns the boat..."

"You can't be of the same mind up and down. How do soldiers use their lives? 』

"The war should not have started lightly... The war cannot be estimated like this, but the hussars are strong. When Dong Thief was alive, the Xiliang cavalry was already dominant. Although it has declined since then, most of them belong to the hussars... ... Now that Hussar has Liu Jingzhou's son in hand, if Hussar is dissatisfied with this battle... it will inevitably be tragic in the end! At that time...if the war continues, what will the Emperor do at his feet..."

As soon as this statement came out, the expressions of everyone discussing could not help but become a little solemn.

"At that time, the Hussar will attack with all their strength. Although it may not be invincible, in the end it is expected to be just like last time... Once they consume each other, Shandong's power will only gradually bottom out. By then, the Hussar will always be strong, and you and I, Shandong, will be doomed." Got it! 』

"This, this is a bit alarmist!" 』

"That's right, that's right!" The hussars suddenly rise up, but they have no background. If they come by surprise, they will not last long. As the saying goes, if you work hard at one time, it will fade away, and it will be exhausted after three times. Its power is powerful, but it may not know how to govern people's livelihood. As time goes by, government affairs will be withered and corruption will inevitably occur. At that time, you and I may have a chance..."

"Alas! Shouldn't the big men want to take care of the people better and make the place more peaceful than that family? How did it become the current situation to see who is worse and who can't hold on any longer? ! 』

"Why! Some things, the reality is like this, and it is definitely not something you or I can change... This situation now has caused suffering to the people all over the world, and to the soldiers inside and outside the city..."

"When the world is prosperous, the people suffer; when the world is in chaos, the people also suffer!" 』

"Oh, brother, what you said is so true, so true..."

There are such chattering voices on the streets and in the markets. In this slightly dull Xu County, it seems that this is the only way to avoid being like a pool of stagnant water. These discussions were like the wind of the Mid-Autumn Festival, whistling through the streets and alleys, and then crashed into General Cao's mansion, and were suppressed by the four characters "loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and justice" on the festival hall, unable to move.

Xun Yu and a group of Xu County officials were having a meeting.

"The Lord indicated in the letter that the Battle of Jingzhou is about to end. General Xiahou recaptured Fancheng, and the land north of Jing no longer had any worries. It's just that Taishi's army of hussars is watching covetously outside Yangcheng. They may suddenly attack at any time, so they must be on guard. Xun Yu said.

"I have sent people to Yangcheng. I want to remind Yan Zhonglang to be more vigilant... But Yan Zhonglang is alone, I'm afraid..." Man Chong looked at Xun Yu, "I am worried that Taishi will repeat his old tricks and cross the city. And then... when the army comes to the city, they will force us..."

"It might as well..." Xun Yu said, "Wancheng has been trapped in the hands of the lord, that is..."

Xun Yu didn't finish his words, but his meaning was obvious.

Liu Ye suddenly raised the corner of his mouth, glanced at Man Chong, and then at Xun Yu.

Although Xun Yu did not look at Liu Ye, he felt Liu Ye's gaze. When he looked back, he only saw Liu Ye's lowered forehead, which was shining brightly.

Xun Yu knew that what he said now was no longer as convincing as before. After all, trust is very difficult to establish, but it is very easy once it collapses. In the past, Xun Yu deliberately concealed a lot of information for the sake of the overall situation. Although such behavior is understandable, it also inevitably broadens the lower limit of his own family. Sometimes it is doubtful, and it is inevitable.

Especially a guy like Liu Ye...

But what can be done?

All I can say is that I have a clear conscience.

Thinking of this, Xun Yu's eyes suddenly dropped slightly, and then quickly raised them again, "Your Majesty is blessed with Linzi, and the full moon is celebrating. How is Ziyang doing with various affairs?" 』

Ordinary people's full-moon banquet is just to do it casually at home, and then eat and drink. But when the emperor's son is one-month-old, you can't do it casually. What's more, when the queen was pregnant last year, she was dismissed because she said that the son had extraordinary luck. The supervising official boasted for a while and granted amnesty to the world.

When it came to the content that he was responsible for, Liu Ye was naturally not ambiguous. He took out a piece of wooden tablet from his sleeve and started describing it in detail...

On August 13th, the six gods are on duty, and everything goes well. It can be regarded as an unprecedented good day in this period of time.

early morning.

The emperor Liu Xie walked forward with his head held high and led a group of people to the Ancestral Temple.

When the son is one month old, he will officially join the Liu family tree and have a formal "name". The "word" will not be given until he grows up, at least until he is twelve or thirteen years old. .

Liu Xie was wearing a mian robe, a crown on his head, a jade pendant and a colorful ribbon on his body. The mainly red and black mian robe was embroidered with gold and silver threads, which looked particularly luxurious under the rising sun in the morning.

According to the request of the Supervisor Tianguan, and then invited by the Shaofu, a total of five names were prepared for Liu Xie's new son, namely: "Qian", "璿", "肜", "Feng", and "Yao" , as an alternative for the full moon's new son.

Liu Xie is like most fathers. When faced with the names of their children, most of them find it difficult to choose. The word "Yao" was first excluded by Liu Xie. As for the word "Qian", Liu Xie felt that it was a little weak and had a general meaning, so it was naturally excluded.

Although the remaining two characters "蜜" and "Feng" are considered good, compared with "璿" which represents Beidou, they seem to be a little worse...

Therefore, "璿" should be the best?

Liu Xie is in the center and at the top, and behind him are all the officials arranged according to their respective statuses. They are all wearing court uniforms and showing respect. In the current ceremony, Liu Xie needs to choose a name, and then let the etiquette officer in charge of the sacrifice burn it, which represents the announcement to the old man in the sky above his head, and the ancestors of the Liu family in the air or the imperial power, indicating to the new son Put up a sign and give some attention and blessing...

The ceremonial officer Jiubinsi stood in front of the hall, and Huangmen drummers, musicians, etc. were located on both sides of the main hall of the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Smoke lingers.

Flags fluttering.

Liu Xie was filled with emotions.

In fact, he had never seen his son several times before. Strictly speaking, he only saw his son twice. Once was when the queen gave birth that day. He took a quick look outside the delivery room without even hugging him. Then, one day before the full moon, he met again. I looked at it once, and this last time I held it in my hands, feeling a little bit like flesh and blood were connected.

Of course Liu Xie would never admit that he was frightened at that time. Queen Cao's painful cries in the delivery room, the repeated and heart-rending shouts, made Liu Xie break into a cold sweat even when he heard it from a distance...

So at that time, Liu Xie didn't feel the joy of a new father at all, but more of the fear of being overwhelmed. So after hearing that he had given birth, what filled his heart was not the closeness to his own flesh and blood, but a sigh of relief. He escaped from the harem as if he was on a mission.

Later, both the queen and the prince were in the deep palace. After all, the officials said that the prince had great blessings, but it could also attract ghosts and ghosts to spy on him. It was not suitable to be exposed when he was weak. In addition, the battle between Cao Cao and Fei's potential in Jingzhou was still undecided. , attracting attention, so Liu Xie temporarily put the new son in the back of his mind.

Until now, when facing these words, perhaps because of his participation, Liu Xie felt a sense of joy as a father and expectation for the future...

The auspicious time has arrived.

The ceremonial officer shouted: "Ritual...xing..."

"Dong dong dong..."

First the drums rumbled, and then the golden bells joined in, beating the drums nine times and ringing the gold nine times, in this way to indicate the beginning of the entire announcement ceremony.

The Huangmen waiter brought a carved gold foil lacquer plate, which was covered with red silk, and in the middle were five pieces of yellow silk, each with five different characters written on it.

Liu Xie stretched out his hand to the "璿" in the middle, but for some reason, when he reached the sky above "璿", he turned to the word "Feng" next to him, then hesitated and picked up the word "Feng" …

The Huangmen waiter glanced at Liu Xie, saw Liu Xie nodded, and then loudly announced the name of the new prince...

The drums and bells rang again.

Liu Xie burned incense to enter, then knelt down in the middle, kneeling three times and kowtowing nine times.

The ministers inside and outside the palace also knelt down together.

Liu Xie prayed silently: "Great ancestors, great ancestors, ancestors, fathers and emperors are above me. Today, I have this new son. It is thanks to the mercy of my ancestors that I have received great blessings... Now that the world is in turmoil, I hope that my ancestors have the spirit to bless me." I protect the big man..."

The green smoke swirled up, and then was blown by the wind, swaying, and dissipated...