Chapter 349 Sleepiness
But Liu Hui told Zhang Xiang all his plans, and Zhang Xiang stopped hiding them.
He also told Liu Hui that they had already decided to join the Taishan Army.
It turns out that since the Taishan Army's Feilong and Feihu cavalry suddenly arrived at the border between Zhao and Changshan, that is, the Bai people area, the heroic rangers in the southern part of Changshan Kingdom were in a frenzy.
They have heard too much about the glorious military exploits of the Taishan Army.
In particular, the battle of Xingyang was well-known to the whole world. After the defeat of Aocang, more than 100,000 poor people in the head of Guizhou were rescued up and down the river, making everyone know that this was a rebel army.
In the eyes of the head of Guizhou, the Taishan Army was a rebel army; in the eyes of the powerful, the Taishan Army was a violent army.
But these are not important to the heroic rangers of Changshan, because in their eyes, the Taishan Army is the largest force that can win Hebei. These people have long wanted to defect to the Taishan Army for the sake of wealth.
Don't say anything that will carve up their land. I'm sorry, but our ranger heroes have nothing but this knife in our hands.
So they didn't lose anything, but they gained the possibility of great wealth, which made them uneasy.
And people like Zhang Xiang, although they seem to have some wealth, are actually just hunters who rely on their backers to make a living. Therefore, Zhang Xiang had already discussed with some nearby rangers and planned to go south to join the Taishan Army.
And now his old master Liu Hui has also arrived and wants to join the Taishan Army.
At this moment, Zhang Xiang felt that the Taishan Army was more ambitious.
After all, in Zhang Xiang's eyes, his old master was a real princely family and the ruling class of the Han Dynasty. Even he abandoned the dark side and turned to the bright side and wanted to join the Taishan Army. Doesn't it mean that he has a bright future?
Therefore, Zhang Xiang introduced some nearby heroes to Liu Hui, such as Bu Sheng, Zhang Yan, Li Feng, Guo Chao, etc., who were all nearby warriors. In addition, dozens of miscellaneous Huye also joined the list.
Unlike most people who think that Hebei is all Han people, in fact many Hu people have been living in Hebei. For example, Changshan and Zhongshan were both the lands of the Rong and Di, and after the Huaxia, there were still many tribes and Rong people living together.
In the following hundreds of years, a steady stream of grassland barbarians came to Changshan from Daidi. Although they were not registered as households, they also thrived in the Changshan area.
Therefore, these dozens of miscellaneous men are similar to the savages from Shanliao. This time, Zhang Xiang called them to strengthen their momentum.
After all the heroes knew that Liu Hui turned out to be the true king, they all recommended him as the master. Liu Hui also did his part. He swore an alliance first, then chopped wood into soldiers, split clothes into flags, and led more than a hundred people south to join the Taishan Army.
……
The first year of Chengtian, the first year of Guanghe, March 10th.
To the west of Xiangguo City, there is the Jitoushan Camp of the Taishan Army.
At this time, half a month had passed since the Taishan Army besieged Xiangguo City, and all the engineering equipment in the camp had been completed. The officers and men of each camp were well fed by the constant supply of supplies at the back.
It seems that the time to attack the city is coming.
Therefore, Guan Yu called Dian Wei Yigan and all the main attack officers to the camp to inquire about the war preparations.
After years of fighting, Dian Wei has grown into a qualified military commander.
At this moment, he was serious about his words and led the next cadre of the army into the Chinese army's tent.
After paying homage to Guan Yu, Dian Wei and others took their seats separately.
They all knew what Guan Yu called them to do.
Like Qu Shuai Zhang Chong, Guan Yu is also a strategic, able and calm coach. Although he is still slightly inferior to Qu Shuai in all aspects, old subordinates such as Dian Wei all respect Guan Yu.
Knowing that Guan Yu has the most military power, even at night, Dian Wei and other generals still put on their helmets and armor and put their uniforms into the tent.
Because he understood Guan Yu's style of conduct, Dian Wei directly introduced his previous main attack tactics.
Dian Wei summarizes it in four words:
"Step by step."
Dian Wei wanted to take advantage of the Taishan Army's sufficient combat readiness and abundant troops. Instead of rushing to attack the city wall, Dian Wei first dug trenches, piled up barriers, and advanced layer by layer to the bottom of the city.
After that, they used watchtowers and powerful crossbows to continuously harass the Han troops on the top of the city.
Then they bombarded the city with stone carts to undermine the morale of the city. Wait until the morale and reserves in the city are exhausted before organizing an siege. This can be decided in one go.
In fact, Dianwei did this for half a month.
Now the camp has been advanced to a position only 500 steps away from the city wall. Three giant nest carts have been pushed to the front of the base, and twenty stone machines have been set up on the high slopes of the camp.
Just wait for Dian Wei's order to launch the first wave of attacks on the city.
So Dian Wei came here to ask for orders.
"All the officials are ready and are just waiting for Commander Guan's order."
Dian Wei said this.
Guan Yu smiled and said:
"Since you already have a strategy, go ahead and do it. I will watch you destroy the city from here in the camp."
General Dian Wei stood up, cupped his fists and sang to Guan Yu.
……
The next day, Dian Wei stood on a chariot in military uniform and shouted to Jushou on the top of the city:
"Is Mr. Ju in the city in front of you? Can you listen to my words?"
Under the cover of several decks of cards, Jushou looked at Dianwei below and replied loudly:
"I am Jushu. If you have anything to say, just say it."
As if reciting something from memory, Dian Wei read out the prepared words of surrender:
"Today, the business is over, and the Han Dynasty that you so called to hold on to is no longer there. Are you holding on to the dangerous city for the sake of the court in the east, or for the court in the west? I think neither of them cares about you, so why bother? ”
Jushou hesitated for a moment, held the city wall and cursed:
"You're such a bastard, you can also show off your words. My loyalty is to one person and one surname. I am loyal to the name of Taoism. And those Tao thieves are all unfaithful and unjust, how can they know that I am loyal? Thoughts? ”
After hearing this, Dian Wei turned to a scribe next to him and said:
"Feng Sheng, why is this different from what you said? Aren't you the one who left out all the omissions? You asked me to say these docile words, and you were humiliated by this person in front of the battle? What do you want me to say? Kill him directly.”
The scribe next to him was Feng Fang. He was a little embarrassed at the moment, but he changed quickly and immediately complimented Dian Wei:
"That's right, General Dian is simple, let's just do it."
Dian Wei ignored Feng Fang, who was sometimes ineffective, and waved the triangular yellow flag in his hand.
Then, sixteen big cowhide drums were beaten behind the chariot.
"Squeaky"
First, twenty stone-shooting machines, under the command of a muscular man, placed polished stone bullets on their long arms, and then under the command of a small military officer under his command:
"Let it go!"
Twenty polished stone bullets were fired at Xiangguo City on the opposite side.
Because these stone bullets are polished almost the same, their accuracy is slightly higher. But even so, only two hit the city, and the others hit the city. But just these two people destroyed the city.
The Han army had used stone machines to defeat the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans before, so they naturally recognized these things. But they never expected that the Taishan Army's stone machine would be so powerful.
The generals around Jushu were so frightened that they hugged Jushu and went down from the city, fearing that the stone bullets would kill them.
The results of the first round of launches were not ideal.
Taishan Army quickly adjusted the distance and started the second round of firing. This time, fifteen of the twenty shots hit, and the accuracy was undoubtedly greatly improved.
Afterwards, the Taishan Army's stone-throwing motorcycle continued to hit the city head with stones from this distance.
In the blink of an eye, the two hundred stone bullets polished in half a month were consumed here.
At this time, the appearance of Xiangguo City had changed. The tent poles originally erected were all broken. From time to time, the soldiers of the Han Dynasty let out horrifying wails.
But even so, except for a few places where turning stones collapsed, the rest of Xiangguo City was intact. It seems that it is difficult to conquer Xiangguo just by relying on the stone machine.
After taking a look at the situation at the top of the city, Dian Wei waved the second red flag.
The Qingzhou Army, which had been waiting for a long time, began to charge forward under the leadership of their respective military officials, carrying their carriages and trench carriages.
……
It was a hundred miles south of the Xiang Kingdom where the fighting was taking place.
At this time, in the wilderness, Zhang Nan and Guo Mo, the two generals who were supposed to be stationed in Yiyang, were retreating to Tantai, the nearest stronghold with 700 remaining soldiers in embarrassment.
Among the team, the wretched county official Feng Wei was also included. He looked at the seven hundred soldiers who, although defeated, could still ensure the order of retreat, and couldn't help but nodded:
"This is a strong soldier."
But why couldn't such a strong army defend Yiyang?
Feng Niao himself is not sure. I only know that yesterday when he was working in the military mansion, he suddenly heard a boil outside, and then saw Zhang Nan Jiayi leading a wave of soldiers rushing in with blood on his face.
At that time, Feng Min was startled, thinking that there was a fight within the Taishan Army and wanted to kill old people like them.
However, Zhang Nan burned the documents in the city and retreated from the west of the city with the county officials, including Feng Wei.
At that time, the city was in chaos, and shouts of killing could be heard everywhere, followed by closed gates on all sides. It was obvious that the people in the city were afraid and did not want to get involved in the fighting outside.
After fighting out of the city, Zhang Nan and Guo Mo retreated lightly armed with 700 remaining soldiers, but there were no pursuers on the road. It seems that those people have already gone to the city to loot.
Alas, those common people have no idea that not making a choice is the worst choice. The war is fierce and dangerous, and not all the troops entering the city will be like the Taishan Army.
In fact, Zhang Nan, like Feng Niao, didn't know how he lost the city.
On the way, Zhang Nan still learned the details of the lost city from several informed subordinates, especially Guo Sheng, the defender of the East City. Zhang Nan learned that the Han cavalry who invaded the city were the same group months ago.
According to the defenders of the city at the time, a group of Han cavalry suddenly burst out of the dense forest to the north of the city. The Taishan Army on the city had no time to react before they were killed by the Han army and entered the city.
Some people ask, why is the city gate open?
In fact, it is difficult to keep the door closed forever when defending a city in this world. Whether you are going out to collect firewood or supply supplies, you must open the door.
At that time, after Zhang Nan and others defeated the attacking Han cavalry more than half a month ago, there was no enemy situation for many days. Under this situation, the military officials in the city became a little slack.
Who knew that Gao Lan didn't leave at all after his attack on Yi Yang failed. They raided some nearby towns to replenish supplies, and then continued to secretly observe the situation in Yiyang City with light cavalry.
Gao Lan could endure it and lurked for more than a month, finally catching Taishan's army slacking off.
After that, more than a thousand fine cavalry went out day and night, lurking outside Yiyang City. In the early morning, Fo Xiao took advantage of the firewood harvesting in the city to directly launch an attack.
Zhang Nan didn't know about this. But soon he knew why the Han cavalry was so persistent in attacking Yi Yang.
Not long after the team headed north, Guo Mo, who led the investigation in front, brought a message:
"A large army is coming from the east, lurk quickly."
Then Zhang Nan and Guo Mo took their troops to hide in a mountain valley, and then they saw a scene they had never imagined.
I saw a large army meandering along the official road, with sparkling chariots and horses, and shining armor. The countless flags fluttering in the wind finally allowed Zhang Nan and others to see clearly which team this was.
It turned out that the person here was Guo Dian, the governor of Julu. In order to support Jushou of Xiang State, he mobilized 15,000 troops from the county and marched south.
It turned out that the Gao Lan cavalry before that was not to attack the so-called grain road, but to clear the way for this army.
Zhang Nan and Guo Mo, who were lying on the hillside, looked livid, obviously knowing what this enemy force was doing.
Their journey must be heading towards the grain platform set up by the Taishan Army in Handan.
At that moment, Zhang Nan gave up his original plan of retreating to Tantai and decided to stay to snipe the enemy. He also asked the capable Guo Sheng to take five runner and quickly went to Handan to report the military situation here. He also ordered Zhang Yu, a member of the Dashangli tribe, and took three people north to the front line of Xiangguo to report the situation here.
Afterwards, Zhang Nan narrowed his eyes slightly and made up his mind to win back his glory from this Han army.
……
The front line of Xiangguo is still attacking Xiangguo according to the established siege rhythm.
When another group of Qingzhou soldiers crossed the trench on the trench bridge, the silent city woke up.
The Han army threw the prepared wood and stones at the city walls, and even poured boiling oil on them.
After being attacked tenaciously from above, the Qingzhou soldiers quickly withdrew amid the Ming Jin behind them.
These days, the Taishan Army has maintained this low-intensity siege rhythm. After testing the attack every time, it retreated.
But even with such a low-intensity attack, the Han army on top of the city would not have an easy time.
Because three piles of earth mountains have been lined up outside the city, all of which are as high as the mountains. The long archers of the Taishan Army fired at the Han Army on the top of the city.
The Han army on the top of the city naturally had bows and arrows, but they could not match the archers of Mount Tai's commander on the hillside.
In fact, Xiangguo City has been completely suppressed by this point.
Now, the Taishan Army under the city is waiting for a suitable opportunity to launch a thunderous strike.
This time, the low-intensity fighting lasted until dusk.
The Han army city was covered with corpses, and under the dusk light, it was full of blood.
Juhong, who was guarding the city head, once again ordered the brothers' bodies to be moved down to the city. After trying hard to breathe in the air, he walked down the city with heavy steps.
Along the way, Juhong looked at the corpses collected under the city, and saw confusion, surprise, fear and anger on their faces. Juhong's heart tugged together.
Since the war started, the Han army has already filled the bloody mill at the top of the city with the originally recruited disciples and heads of Guizhou. In fact, most of those who died were these people. The actual damage to the elite Han soldiers was not serious.
Juhong knew that this was the result of his clan brother's arrangement, and he must have his reasons. So I suppressed my discomfort and stepped over a body that was leaning outside. I accidentally stepped on the bloody water with my feet.
Ju Hong no longer cares about taking care of himself. The mental exertion on the city is too great. He is now exhausted and just wants to go down to the city and have a good sleep.
Just take a nap.
(End of chapter)