The rebels of King Pingyang came very quickly, and they almost encountered decent resistance on the way, so they rushed to Pucheng, surrounded them all, and told them to take down the city within a few days.

The rebels naturally had confidence in saying this. First, the incident happened suddenly, and the time for the rebels to prepare for the imperial court and the cities along the way north was too hasty. Second, the number of people on both sides was very different. King Pingyang had been planning for a long time in secret. This time, this time, he sent nearly 50,000 troops except for some left behind Pingyang Prefecture, while Pucheng only had 5,000 troops.

Faced with such a dilemma, Puchengling was not very nervous at the beginning of the siege.

He also has reasons for optimism.

He was born in a brigade and had great experience in commanding battles. He was under his command of 5,000 troops, all of whom were elite soldiers and brave generals. He was well-trained and obeyed orders. Although the number of people was far less than that of the rebels who came to attack the city, it should be no problem to resist for a while with the city defense.

In addition to this, what is more important is that Pucheng has a special status.

Since many years ago, the imperial court has set up three lines of defense on the road north to defend Shangjing.

Pucheng is the southern end of this line of defense.

Behind Pucheng, hundreds of miles away, a few days away, is Longguan located in the middle of the defense line.

When the country's national strength was at its peak, there were 50,000 permanent troops in Longguan alone. Although it is not as big as before, there are still 10,000 or 20,000 people.

Pucheng is like the gate of Longguan. The court clearly stated that as long as Pucheng encounters an attack, Longguan must send troops to support it.

Before the rebels arrived, Pucheng Order had sent people to Longguan to report the news, asking the Longguan Guard to send troops to support him in time. As long as he stayed for a few days, he would wait for the reinforcements to arrive, and then take advantage of the terrain and cooperate with the inside and outside. Even if the rebels could not defeat the rebels, the problem would be small.

However, the development of the situation exceeded Puchengling's expectations.

Three days passed, and the Longguan reinforcements he was waiting for did not appear as scheduled.

Three more days passed, and reinforcements were still missing. Faced with the fierce attacks launched by the rebels, the defenders on the top of the city suffered continuous casualties, and the entire city was in danger. Fortunately, Pucheng City was strong in defense, Pucheng ordered the leader to lead the way, inspiring people, and the people also heard of the rebels burning, killing, looting, and spontaneous support. Only then did they fight back the rebels' strong attacks many times and continue to hold on.

But the hearts of the people in the city were no longer stable. Rumors began to spread, saying that the court had given up on Pucheng.

Puchengling's initial confidence was gradually shaken. But he still held a glimmer of hope, just because he encountered obstacles on the way to reinforcements.

His last glimmer of hope was finally shattered a few days ago.

That day, after repelling the attack organized by the rebels again, he waited for an imperial edict from the court.

The court ordered him to stay in the city for a month, regardless of all costs, otherwise he would be punished for dereliction of duty, and his family.

At this point, Pucheng Ling finally understood the intention of the court.

The terrain of Longguan is dangerous, easy to defend and difficult to attack. The court wanted to gather the troops that could be called into Longguan at the cost of Pucheng, and prepare to do its best to block the rebels there.

Pucheng is just a pawn in this "lost pawns and protects the cart" plan.

Pu Chengling's parents and wives were all in Beijing. He could only do so.

He concealed the news and continued to inspire the morale of the remaining soldiers with reinforcements that would never arrive.

Within the besieged city, more and more people died, and the pessimistic atmosphere in the city became stronger and stronger.

There is no airtight wall in the world.

When he was struggling to the fifteenth day, the news that Pucheng was abandoned by the court spread completely.

Pucheng Order killed two deserters who shook the morale of the army, and brought the last fewer than a thousand soldiers, holding weapons, and climbed to the wall.

No one believed that they could resist the rebel attacks again, including themselves.

Towering ladders were erected on the wall. The rebels climbed up along the ladder and rushed to the city.

The city is about to be broken.

Pucheng Ling was hit by several arrows. Behind him were the desperate people in the city. The man called his mother and the mother hugged her son, running around the city like a headless fly. At the last moment before the city was broken, he wanted to find a place to hide.

There were terrifying crying everywhere.

The end of the world has come, but there is no way to retreat. Puchengling, with his tragic spirit, fought with the rebels who kept jumping down the ladder, and made last efforts that were destined to be useless.

Suddenly, there seemed to be a sound of killing in the depths of the field in the distance.

At first he thought he had heard it wrong. But soon, with the sound of killing, a large black shadow appeared on the horizon in the distance.

It was a huge cavalry army that could only be nurtured by the border.

Ten thousand horses galloped like black tides from the underground, rushing quickly towards the direction of the city from all directions.

Under the clear sky, a huge black flag that changed the color of the enemy was flying in the strong wind.

The rebels under the city also found that the situation was different, so the general immediately ordered the siege to stop and line up.

Pucheng Ling and the hundreds of soldiers left beside him chopped the rebels who had not had time to retreat on the top of the city. Then, as if they were dreaming, rushed to the city wall and stared at the flag opposite that became clearer as the cavalry advanced.

They finally recognized it.

Pu Chengling was stunned for a moment, and suddenly, he let out a roar full of unbelievable ecstasy: "I will not perish me!"

"Hexi Jiedushi Xie is here!"

He shouted this roar with all his strength, and tears rolled, and with a "thump", the man fell on the top of the city.

In the wilderness outside Pucheng, the Hexi army, who had arrived from afar, fought with the rebels.

The bows and arrows in the sky, the flints of rain. The newly flowing blood was covered with layers of old blood, and the red walls burned by the fire.

The rebels knew that Empress Liu wanted to abandon Pucheng and do their best to protect Long Pass. Even if Xie Changgeng was summoned to quell the rebellion, the greatest possibility was to meet in Long Pass.

They didn't expect that he would rush to help here in person.

Although the troops gained the upper hand, the rebels gradually showed signs of decline in the face of this elite cavalry with amazing combat power from the border.

After half a day of fighting, several generals were damaged, and the rebels were disintegrated and retreated in a hurry while the night was dark.

The trap of siege that lasted for half a month was finally resolved. The gate of Pucheng was wide open, and fire sticks nearby were dotted, and the light was as bright as day.

There had been news in the city that Hexi Jiedushi Xie Changgeng personally led his troops here to fight back the rebels. The whole city was full of life, and the people were grateful. Thousands of people rushed to the gate of the city and squeezed on both sides of the street, hoping to see with their own eyes the true appearance of the youngest Jiedushi in history.

The Pucheng Order had already awakened and led the city officials to the city gate to welcome Xie Changgeng into the city.

He was supported by someone. When he was waiting there, he finally heard the sound of horse hooves coming from the end of the night, and came towards the city gate, getting closer and closer.

Pu Chengling looked up at him.

Soon, accompanied by a neat and heavy step sound, two rows of tall armored soldiers were reflected in his sight, and a man walked in a big way.

The man's armor was not removed, covered in blood, and the raging torches around him shone out his face.

His face was handsome, his eyes were blood-red, and the terrifying murderous aura throughout his body had not yet dissipated.

The people crowded at the gate of the city knew that this man was Xie Changgeng, the governor of Hexi.

The noise around him became quiet in an instant as he appeared.

Everyone held their breath and looked at the blood-covered man with a gaze that was almost worshipful and fearful. When he was walking in front of him, he couldn't help but kneel down and bow to him.

The man paused for a moment, glanced in front of him, and quickly fell on Pu Chengling's body among countless faces.

This man who has always been persevering could not suppress his excitement at this moment, and his eyes were red, saying, "The Jiedushi descended from heaven to save the whole city from water and fire. He is a great kindness and great virtue. I will never forget it. Please accept a bow from the lower officials!"

He led the officials behind him and hundreds of surviving soldiers to kneel down and kowtow solemnly.

Xie Changgeng nodded, ordered him to get up, his eyes quickly swept across the nearby faces again, and said lightly: "Where did you place the Lord of Changsha and his group?"

Pu Chengling was helped up from the ground by the people beside him, and then he said respectfully: "My lord doesn't know anything. The master is no longer in the city."

Xie Changgeng was stunned and frowned: "What do you mean by this? Where did she go again if she is not in the city?"

Pucheng Ling listened to his tone and quickly explained: "More than half a month ago, Master Weng and his party passed by nearby. At that time, in order to avoid the chaos, they did enter the city. But then, the people who came to pick her up in Changsha arrived. Master Weng followed the people of the Changsha Kingdom to take the water route, and went from Pushui to the south of the Yangtze River. It should be safe."

Xie Changgeng settled down.

"Is the one who came to pick her up, but the one named Yuan?"

After a moment, he asked slowly.

"That's right. Master Weng called his brother. Before leaving, Master Weng asked Guard Liang and others to go back by themselves, so there was no need to send him away. But Guard Liang said that before he came out, he had received your order from Lord, so he must send Guard Weng to Changsha and still travel with him."

Xie Changgeng didn't speak for a long time.

"I have prepared a resting place for the Lord, please enter the city."

Seeing that his face seemed a little pale, Pu Chengling said hurriedly.

Xie Changgeng closed his eyes and opened his eyes and said, "No need. The army is temporarily stationed outside the city, so you can provide food and grass."

After saying that, he turned around and strode out of the city gate amid the calls of "Send the Jiedushi" behind him.

The army had been stationed in the wilderness outside Pucheng. From a distance, campfires were lit.

Xie Changgeng returned to the military tent and as soon as he entered, his pace slowed down.

He slowly removed his armor and lowered his head. He saw a wound on the side of his abdomen with a broken arrow shaft that had already oozed out a large cloud of dark red blood, which wet his close-fitting blue shirt.

The military doctor rushed over and pulled out the hook-shaped arrow cluster that penetrated deep into the flesh and blood for him. He then burned the knife on the fire and applied it to the flesh of the wound to stop bleeding.

After disposing of the wound, Xie Changgeng wiped away the cold sweat from his forehead, calmed down, and immediately called a close guard and ordered: "Go south along the Pushui River, go chase the Liang group immediately, call him back, and tell him not to send him back!"

When his close follower went out, in order to ensure that he could track and contact, he would leave secret notes along the way that only his own people could track them.

The guard looked at his ventral side and said, "Take care, please." Then he left the camp and disappeared into the night.
Chapter completed!