Chapter 478: Enter the Customs! Enter the Customs! (Thanks to the book friend JIA. 24439 for the reward!)
According to the military regulations of the Fengwu Army, drinking is not allowed in the army. However, because this battle was fought in the cold winter, the army had limited means of keeping warm. In addition, because of the sneak attack, in order to prevent being discovered by the enemy, they could not make large-scale fires for heating.

Because of this, Ye Mingsheng made an exception and ordered the wine shop to prepare some wine for the soldiers to warm up. However, in order to prevent the soldiers from getting drunk, each person was supplied with a limited amount, and private substitution was not allowed. Violators would be severely punished...

Looking in the direction of Jizhou City in the distance, Yuan Song suddenly asked Ma Zhongjun beside him:

"Zhongjun, I heard that the commander-in-chief has a great liking for you. I guess you will be promoted after this battle, right?"

Ma Zhongjun was a little surprised when he heard this, and after hesitating for a while, he nodded and said:
"That should be the case. Thank you General Yuan for your support!"

Hearing this, Yuan Song smiled and patted Ma Zhongjun on the shoulder, then continued to say to him;
"Today I will be in charge of the Central Army, Zhongjun, you lead the siege!"

Upon hearing this, Ma Zhongjun looked at Yuan Song with some surprise. He knew that Yuan Song was intending to give the credit to him!

Facing Ma Zhongjun's gaze, Yuan Song smiled and nodded to indicate that he had not heard wrong!
Seeing this, Ma Zhongjun did not refuse, and bowed deeply to Yuan Song and said:

"Thank you, General Yuan!"

"Work hard! The future of Fengwu Army belongs to you young people!" Yuan Song urged:

"Ok!"

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"belch············"

Li Mazi, holding a spear, stood on the city wall of Jizhou, rubbing his hands and burping. At this moment, he looked as if he had lost all hope in life.

He was an ordinary soldier of the Yan army stationed in Jizhou City. Today was the seventh day of the Lunar New Year and everyone was very happy. Among the meals in the canteen that were usually very stingy, there was finally some meat. Each person could get a few more pieces of meat in their bowl and a bowl of wine. After eating and drinking, he was about to play a few dice with others, but he did not expect that he was sent out by the sergeant to stand guard.

Feeling the biting cold outside, Li Mazi, who was already mentally unbalanced, felt even more resentful. He couldn't help but start to curse in a low voice to vent:

"Fatty Wang, you bastard who can't even give birth to a child. I just won two copper coins from you. Do you have to do this to me?"

"The Luobei people have been driven back. Who would come to attack Jizhou on New Year's Day, you son of a bitch..."

"Fatty Wang, you bastard, don't let me get up one day. If one day I become the head of the city, I will kill you and your old guys." When Li Mazi said this, he seemed to have thought of something. There was a hidden obscene light in his eyes. Thinking of the proud thing, Li Mazi couldn't help laughing out loud.

After being silent for a while, Li Mazi became a little interested. He looked around and saw that there was no one around, so he started to do his handicraft on the city wall. In the army, let alone women, even sows are rarely seen all year round. For a young man like Li Mazi, fishing nets can be said to be the most abundant.

Maybe it was particularly exciting to be on the city wall, so Li Mazi soon entered the sage time. Just as he squinted his eyes and recalled Shu Shuang just now, he suddenly heard some sound outside the city wall. However, he didn't care about it, he just thought there was a wolf walking outside.

There are often groups of wolves appearing in Jizhou, which is close to the grassland. Li Mazi has been stationed in Jizhou for five years and is no longer surprised or accustomed to this.

For Li Mazi, although life in Jizhou was a little bit boring, it was acceptable as long as he did not have to go to the battlefield. He did not join the army to make achievements as those generals kept saying. He, Li Mazi, did not even have his own land or house. He joined the army because he could not survive in his hometown and joined the army just to make a living...
Thinking of this, Li Mazi suddenly sighed, with a trace of confusion and fear in his eyes. Now the news spread throughout the military camp that the governor was not making good progress in Yunbing and would be drawing troops to support Youyan. Their General Shen was going to be the second division general, and they would also be drawing thousands of people from Jizhou to follow him.

Although he knew that he might not be chosen, Li Mazi still had some worries. He joined the army just to make a living, save some money, buy a few acres of land in his hometown, and marry a good woman to carry on the family line. He didn't want to fight on the battlefield.

If this goes on the battlefield it will be a life-and-death fight. During these years in the army, Li Mazi has seen the miserable looks of soldiers with missing limbs, and he doesn't want to end up like that. Although he doesn't want to go to the battlefield, Li Mazi has no other choice but to leave it to fate...
Just as Li Mazi was walking forward and getting anxious, he suddenly heard the footsteps of a large group outside the city wall. Li Mazi thought that his brothers who were away on official business had returned. Although some of them were worried about the possibility of going out on official business during the New Year, Li Mazi still shouted to the outside of the city as usual:

"Which part are you from? What's the password?"

As soon as Li Mazi finished speaking, the footsteps outside suddenly stopped. For a moment, there was only a whistling sound outside the city. Seeing that the other party didn't speak, Li Mazi was a little surprised, but Jizhou had been peaceful for a long time and he still didn't react. He lit a lantern and wanted to use the light of the fire to see what was going on outside the city.

However, just as the lanterns were lit, several gunshots were suddenly heard outside the city. Li Mazi, who had not yet figured out what was happening, was shot several times and fell from the city wall.

Although Li Mazi was just an insignificant little person whom no one cared about, his death marked the beginning of a sneak attack by the Fengwu Army on Jizhou!

From today on, the Fengwu Army from Liaoyang has entered the pass!

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In the General's Mansion in Jizhou City, Shen Zhuo was drinking flower wine. When Shen Zhuo, who was holding a beautiful woman in one hand, was drinking to his heart's content, he suddenly heard explosions and shouts from outside.

Although he was also a veteran of many battles, his brain was numbed by alcohol and beauty at this time, so he did not realize that the war had come. He only thought that the explosions were people in the city setting off firecrackers during the New Year, and the soldiers' shouting was because the soldiers were drunk and fighting.

Shen Zhuo, who originally wanted to drown his sorrows in alcohol, was undoubtedly even more furious. Even though he said in front of Zhao Jianan that day that he would go to be the Second Division General to help Zhao Fuqu, it was just a face-saving remark. Who would have thought that Zhao Jianan would really send him over...

He is already old and has stayed in the peaceful Jizhou for too long. He no longer has the drive he had in the past. If he is asked to go to Yunbing and fight with others now, wouldn't that be tantamount to asking him to die?
Although he wanted to refuse, but thinking of what he had said in front of Zhao Jianan that day, Shen Zhuo couldn't open his mouth. He could only drink to drown his sorrows, which made him even more sorrowful. But even so, those little bastards outside wouldn't let him leave it alone. Is there any law in this world?
The drunk Shen Zhuo pushed the woman in his arms away, threw the wine glass to the ground and roared angrily:
"Catch the bastards causing trouble outside, hang them on a tree and whip them severely!"

"Yes!"

After receiving Shen Zhuo's order, his personal soldiers immediately started to act. However, before Shen Zhuo could sit down and have a sip of wine, his personal soldiers ran back with a look of fear on their faces and shouted:
"My Lord, it's bad. The Fengwu Army has launched a surprise attack on Jizhou. There are Fengwu Army soldiers everywhere outside the city..."

Before the guards could finish their words, Shen Zhuo roared again:
"What nonsense are you talking about, you son of a bitch? How dare the Fengwu Army attack Jizhou!"

In response to Shen Zhuo's scolding, the guards did not dare to refute and could only continue to explain:
"Sir, it is absolutely true that the Fengwu Army has really attacked us. I heard from brothers outside that the Fengwu Army is everywhere outside the city. There are more than 100,000 of them!"

Shen Zhuo still seemed unconvinced after the soldiers finished speaking. At this moment, a general covered in blood ran into Shen Zhuo's room. This man was Liu Dazhi, the general most trusted by Shen Zhuo, who was stationed at the north gate of Jizhou. Seeing Liu Dazhi running in like this, Shen Zhuo was also shocked. Just when Shen Zhuo wanted to say something, Liu Dazhi got ahead of him and said anxiously:
“Sir, the Fengwu Army outside the city is attacking fiercely. Our army was caught off guard and suffered heavy casualties. The four gates in the southeast, northwest, northeast and southwest are all in danger, and the situation at the South Gate is the most critical. Old Sun, who was in charge of guarding the South Gate, was shot in the chest by a Fengwu Army musketeer. His life or death is currently unknown... The war is extremely urgent. Sir, please make a decision quickly!”

After listening to Liu Dazhi's words and seeing his anxious expression covered in blood, although he still couldn't understand why the Fengwu Army didn't just stay at home and celebrate the New Year, but came out in the cold winter to attack him, Shen Zhuo still believed the fact that the Fengwu Army was really coming.

Although he was drunk, Shen Zhuo was still a veteran of the battlefield after all. Although he was a little panicked for a while because of the suddenness of the incident, he still found a solution based on his years of marching experience. He searched through the boxes in the room and found his seal. He handed it to Liu Dazhi and said,

"Dazhi, take my seal now and call all the men in the city to bring weapons. Those who have machetes can use them, those who don't can use shoulder poles, and if all else fails, use kitchen knives!"

“In short, everyone go up to the city walls now to stop the Fengwu Army. In addition, send a few soldiers to disguise themselves and sneak out of the city to ask the eldest master for help in Yijing…”

After listening to Shen Zhuo's instructions, the anxious Liu Dazhi immediately gained confidence and nodded heavily to Shen Zhuo:
"My Lord, I'll do it right away!"

After saying that, he turned around and left in a hurry. Seeing Liu Dazhi's disappearing back, Shen Zhuo was completely frightened out of his drunkenness. He thought for a while and then waved his hand, handed his personal soldiers to him, and then asked in a very serious voice:

"You have seen clearly that the Fengwu Army has really arrived with more than 100,000 troops. Is it true that Jizhou City can no longer be defended?"

Although the soldiers only heard what Shen Zhuo said, they certainly couldn't slap themselves in the face when facing Shen Zhuo's question. They immediately said with certainty:

"Sir, this is true. I heard many people on the city wall say that the Fengwu Army outside is so dense that you can't see the end of it. There must be more than 100,000 of them. Moreover, their artillery and muskets are very sharp. Our people can't stop them at all. They die one by one, and all of them are missing limbs. It's really tragic..."

Listening to the description of the personal guard, Shen Zhuo's expression was uncertain, red and black at the same time. After hesitating for a moment, he instructed the personal guard:
"Now go and tell your family to pack up their gold and silver jewelry, and also find some ordinary clothes. You must do it quickly, and don't let anyone else know. Do you understand?"

Having been with Shen Zhuo for so long, the personal soldier naturally understood that he was going to run away when he heard what Shen Zhuo said, so he quickly nodded and said:
"Sir, I know what to do. I will definitely get this done for you!"

"Stop wasting time and go!"

"okay!"

After the personal soldiers left, Shen Zhuo's heart, which had been beating "bang bang bang", gradually calmed down. After pondering for a long time, Shen Zhuo sighed with some resentment and helplessness.
Even though he looked down on Ye Mingsheng and thought that this guy and his crappy Fengwu Army were just a bunch of wimps, Shen Zhuo knew very well in his heart that he had fallen into Ye Mingsheng's hands this time. Even in the best case scenario, he could escape from Jizhou City and return to Yijing, and he would be finished. He could only hope that Shen Zhuo would spare his life because of his service to the Zhao family over the years.

Just when Shen Zhuo was worried in his general's mansion, Ma Zhongjun outside the south gate of Jizhou was looking at the south gate with a smile. Under his gaze, more and more soldiers of the First Division climbed up to the south gate tower through ladders. The resistance of the Yan Army on the south gate wall became weaker and weaker, and was replaced by the shouts of the Fengwu Army soldiers, which became more and more deafening.

After a cup of tea, the southern gate of Jizhou City slowly opened. Seeing this, Ma Zhongjun reminded the generals around him:
"You all remember this: the commander-in-chief wants to capture Shen Zhuo alive. No one is allowed to kill this old man. Do you understand?"

"Listen clearly!"

The generals answered loudly:
Ma Zhongjun nodded and waved his hand. Behind him, tens of thousands of soldiers from the First Division rushed into Jizhou City, fearing that if they were a second late, all the credit would be snatched away by others...

(End of this chapter)