Chapter 427: Attacking the City Gate
Jiangyang City was besieged by the Xizhou Army for many days, and the people in the city were in panic. The officials of Jiangyang City dared not close their eyes at night, for fear that King Chang'an would lead his troops to attack at any time.
In fact, the people of Jiangyang City also wanted to open the city gates to welcome Prince Chang'an and the Xizhou Army, but Prince Rui did not come earlier or later, but just when Prince Chang'an was about to arrive in Jiangyang City. The troops of the capital took over the defense of Jiangyang City. Even if some officials had already given their hearts to Prince Chang'an, they did not dare to openly confront Prince Rui at this time.
Huo Yang's generals were killed one after another on the battlefield. He himself became more and more afraid to fight in person, so he stayed in the city.
This is how things have been going on inside and outside the city these days.
The officials of Jiangyang City were extremely anxious. Every morning they would wake up King Rui to discuss countermeasures. They would routinely ask:
"Does Prince Rui have any plan to retreat today?"
A few days ago, Huo Yang had been perfunctorily trying to convince them that the temporary ceasefire was to restore the morale of the soldiers, but today he suddenly became more confident.
He said: "Within three days, Huo Zheng will definitely withdraw his troops and retreat back to Xizhou."
When Jiang Hao heard this, he knew that Huo Yang must be up to something.
Prince Rui brought Jiang Hao with him when he came to Jiangyang City this time, but he never sent him to the battlefield, and even kept his secret plots from him.
Even though Jiang Hao had planted people in the Rui Wang Party, he was unable to get the news in advance.
The secret was concealed so well, which showed that Huo Yang's trick this time was extremely serious.
When the officials of Jiangyang City heard what Huo Yang said, they couldn't help but be stunned, because Prince Rui was already showing signs of defeat and had no chance of winning, but he was so sure that Prince Chang'an would withdraw his troops, and he gave a deadline of three days. Everyone felt that this sounded unreliable.
Just as someone was about to ask, a soldier came running over and shouted, "No, it's bad! The King of Chang'an has ordered an attack on the city!"
"What?!"
"The King of Chang'an has been besieging the city without attacking for days. Why would he suddenly order an attack?"
"Impossible!" Huo Yang's expression suddenly changed. "Is Huo Zheng pretending to attack the city?"
The soldier who brought the news said with a bitter face: "They've already taken out the ladders and siege spikes, how can it be fake?"
Seeing this, the officials of Jiangyang City were immediately thrown into disarray. "What should we do?"
"Didn't Prince Rui say that Prince Chang'an would withdraw his troops within three days? I doubt Prince Chang'an will take Jiangyang City today!"
Huo Yang still refused to believe it was true and insisted on taking everyone to the city wall to see it with their own eyes.
Jiang Hao and others followed him up to the city wall.
Outside the city, there were thousands of soldiers and horses, with high morale. Ladders were set up on the city walls. The Xizhou army kept climbing up the city towers and fighting with the guards on the towers. The huge siege cones hit the city gates, and the whole tower seemed to be shaking.
Huo Yang was nearly chopped to pieces by a Xizhou soldier who climbed onto the city wall. It was only because the guards nearby intervened in time that they saved him.
Huo Yang was still in shock as he looked towards Huo Zheng, who was riding a tall horse outside the city and commanding his soldiers to attack the city.
The sky was filled with wind and snow, and the fighting continued.
The two of them met eyes from a distance.
There was murderous intent in Huo Zheng's eyes. This was the first time Huo Yang saw such a fierce side of Huo Zheng. Previously, some of Rui Wang's party said that Chang'an Wang was a man of thundering means and extremely fierce. At that time, Huo Yang just thought that those people were timid. Lao Qi was just a cold person, but he was actually easy to talk to at heart.
Until today, he saw with his own eyes what Huo Zheng looked like on the battlefield.
A group of officials from Jiangyang City kept talking on the side, asking King Rui to come up with a plan to withdraw the troops as soon as possible, and if that didn't work, to open the city gates and talk frankly.
Rumors are flying everywhere now, and no one can tell which of the two princes is plotting to usurp the throne, but the winner will be the king and the loser will be the bandit.
If King Rui cannot force King Chang'an to withdraw his troops, then King Chang'an will break through the city gate. Since the outcome is already decided, why not open the city gate earlier to reduce casualties?
There are still many good officials in Jiangyang City. King Rui does not care about the life and death of these soldiers, but they, the local officials, cannot help but care.
Huo Yang was now in a state of panic. After yelling at the Jiangyang City officials, he shouted to Huo Zheng outside the city, "Huo Zheng, why aren't you returning to Xizhou yet? Are you not going to care about the life and death of your princess and young master?"
Huo Zheng had long guessed that the Beizhou Army's siege of Xizhou was Huo Yang's work, but now that this man shouted this in public, he was furious. He did not reply and focused more on commanding the battle.
On the contrary, Jiang Hao, who was standing next to Huo Yang, couldn't help but sneer when he heard this.
He knew Huo Yang was shameless, but he never expected a person to be so shameless as to be worse than pigs and dogs.
"Huo Zheng!"
Huo Yang saw that Huo Zheng ignored him completely and had no intention of stopping the attack on the city.
Huo Yang took great pains to recruit the chief general of Beizhou and sent him to lead the troops to capture Xizhou.
He was thinking of a win-win strategy. If the Northern State Army could go fast enough and take over the Western State, which had almost no military force, he could use Chunzhi and her son to threaten Huo Zheng.
If Huo Zheng rushed back to provide support immediately after receiving the news that Xizhou City was under siege, the crisis in Jiangyang City could be resolved, and Huo Zheng would be caught in a dilemma.
Huo Yang originally had a good plan. Huo Zheng valued Chunzhi and her son very much and would never leave them in danger.
After all, the emperor only asked Huo Zheng to demote Chunzhi to a concubine, but he refused to marry the Princess of Xiling and even voluntarily gave up the position of crown prince.
So this time, Huo Yang used the safety of Xizhou and Chunzhi's mother and son to force Huo Zheng to withdraw his troops, and he thought it was a brilliant strategy.
But instead of retreating, Huo Zheng ordered an attack on the city.
What is going on?
Which step went wrong?
Huo Yang couldn't figure it out and stared blankly at Huo Zheng sitting on the horse.
Could it be that Huo Zheng’s deep affection for Chunzhi is all fake?
He had voluntarily given up the crown prince's position, left the capital, and retreated to Xizhou, just to make his father look at him differently?
All kinds of possibilities flashed through Huo Yang's mind. He seemed to be unable to hear all the noise around him and what everyone was saying to him.
At this moment, Huo Zheng outside the city suddenly drew his bow and arrow, aiming at Huo Yang. The arrow broke through the wind and snow and shot directly at Huo Yang's vitals.
"Prince, be careful!"
King Rui's guard shouted and rushed forward to block the arrow for Huo Yang.
The guard was shot through the chest and died on the spot.
The blood splattered on Huo Yang's face, still warm.
Huo Yang was shocked and took several steps back. Jiang Hao reached out and held him up, "Your Highness, be careful."
When Huo Yang saw that it was Jiang Hao standing behind him, he immediately took a step back. Before he could say anything, he heard Huo Zheng outside the city shouting, "Open the city gate and capture Huo Yang!"
Thousands of soldiers and horses responded in unison, the sound like thunder.
Huo Yang's face was extremely ugly. It was not advisable to stay here for long. Now he could only hope that the Beizhou Army had taken over Xizhou and captured Chunzhi and her son alive, so that he could turn the tables!
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