Five Dynasties River Mountains Fengyue

Chapter 507 Start the War Machine

To the north of Sanguan, on the banks of the Daqing River, is the camp of the Qin army.

The Qin army camp is very different from ten years ago. All the changes lie in the fact that the main defensive weapon at the top of the city has changed from a crossbow to a cannon.

In order to ensure the shooting range of the artillery, the craftsmen continued to improve.

In the beginning, in order to counteract the blind spots of artillery shooting, Zhou Jun’s city walls gradually no longer were circular towers or straight-line walls, but gradually became prismatic walls, so that as long as two cannons were placed behind the prismatic city walls, they could shoot at the boundary can completely cover the area ahead.

This made Zhou Jun's fortresses and city walls more and more angular. After about ten years of evolution, they have gradually become a combination of many prismatic shapes. This kind of fortress and city wall does have a unique beauty when viewed from a height. .

The soldiers gave these forts an appropriate name, Lotus Fort.

With the continuous popularization of artillery and its use in city defense fortifications, many fortifications outside the city have gradually been cancelled, such as fences and deer villages, leaving only horses to be used.

Because although Luzhai and others can slow down the enemy's speed, they also interfere with the shooter's vision, and will make the enemy's advance difficult to disperse.

It was true in the past. The enemy's formation was loose, and the dispersion of personnel meant that there was an opportunity to take advantage of it. Therefore, Luzhai and other fortifications were not very lethal but easy to build. They were mainly used to hinder the enemy's advance, and the fortifications that dispersed their formation were liked by all experienced soldiers.

Even if you need to get a little as long as you settle down, but with the popularity of field artillery over the years, the Qin army's philosophy has changed. They are not afraid that the soldiers on the opposite side are too tight. .

Therefore, the deer village, which would block the gunner's vision and disperse the enemy, was slowly abandoned by the Qin army. Only the horses that blocked the cavalry were still used in due course.

Moreover, the craftsmen found that the soldiers outside the moat and close to the city wall would constantly change their positions in the view of the defenders at the top of the city as they moved, requiring the artillery at the top of the city to adjust the angle, which was very unfavorable for aiming.

At first, it was just a joke of soldiers saying that it would be nice if the enemy could stand still and let them fight.

Unexpectedly, the craftsmen really listened to this opinion, so they tried their best to come up with a solution, that is, to pile up a section of road outside the moat near the city wall and build a long gentle slope, so that the enemies who want to approach the moat can only Can go uphill.

The slope is not steep, and even old people with bad hands and feet can walk. The purpose is not to use the slope to stop the enemy from advancing, and the people who walk in and out of the city on weekdays do not need to consider the passability of such a slope.

The key point is that the enemy approaching the city wall on a slope is completely static from the perspective of the defenders, and their positions have not changed. The defenders at the head of the city do not need to re-adjust the angle of the artillery. With the help of the slope, the artillery trajectory is always in line with the approaching enemy On, you can shoot and kill enemies non-stop.

Gradually, the forts and cities of the Qin Army's northern defense line took on a unique appearance.

Li Chuyun inspected these prismatic fortresses on horseback, as well as the interrupted gentle slope outside the city, and sighed, "Back then, the government paid so much attention to the craftsmen of the secret department, but now I understand that when I think about killing people, I have ten heads that are not as good as one of them." what."

Everyone laughed: "These Lotus Fortresses are truly impenetrable, no matter how many people come, they will not be afraid. If the Liao Kingdom dares to come down to the south to compete with them, they will definitely be overwhelmed."

Liu Qingchuan said, "How dare those bastards come here, I'm afraid we won't dare to leave the city when we go to find them. Isn't that the case a few years ago, when my army went to Youzhou, even if I squatted on their heads and shit, they came out The gates of the city are closed, and people are sent to ask for peace, and the cattle, sheep and daughters are given to the officials, what else dare to do."

Speaking of this, everyone became excited. Meng Xuanzhe, who was dressed in military uniform and lost a lot of weight after being tanned, interjected: "They are all officials who are wise and powerful. They defeated Khitan twice. They lost their troops and lost their generals. They were shocked." I am timid, where there is still the prestige of the past, no one can match this matter 100 years ago, even Zhuangzong of the later Tang Dynasty was not as good as the officials."

"I don't know what kind of bird is pretending. How can anyone compare with officials in the world!" Veteran Li Hanchao said with certainty. He didn't read much, but he had great military exploits. Everyone didn't refute his statement, but just laughed. Well, many of them have followed the official family all the way for so many years, and they feel the same way.

On the contrary, the young Jinshi Zhang Qixian said calmly: "Even so, we should not underestimate the enemy. The Liao Kingdom is a big country, and there are tens of thousands of conservative troops in the Shangjing area of ​​Youzhou."

His words are not pleasing. No one knows that Liao has tens of thousands of troops. It is not necessary for him to be a young man with no military achievements and no beard. Someone answered.

The atmosphere was a bit awkward, and everyone continued to inspect the camp along the gentle slope outside the city. Li Chuyun took over the Guanbei Army. He felt that this was his job, and he had to lead the generals to inspect all the camps to check for any omissions.

But when they were patrolling, a few fast horses suddenly ran over in the distance, and the outer guards stopped them, and let them go after correcting the password, and then a dusty cavalry quickly delivered a secret letter to Li Chuyun.

Li Chuyun saw that he was busy, did not ask a word, immediately paid attention to it, and after reading ten lines at a glance, he said succinctly: "Several informants from the north have received news, the Liao army dispatched, there are tens of thousands of troops going north near Yongxing Palace. "

After finishing speaking, without waiting for everyone's reaction, he said resolutely: "Go back and gather the army immediately. This opportunity must not be missed. No matter what happens in the north, we must be prepared."

Then he ordered someone to tell the news to Xiang Gong and others in Hedong immediately, and he had sent people to the south to inform the navy of Si Chao, who was waiting in the sea port of Qidi. Although they may have known the news, double insurance is always better it is good.

Everyone was shocked by the unpredictability of the emperor, but they didn't hesitate at all. They were veteran generals who had experienced many battles, and immediately mounted their horses and went back to gather the army.

Li Chuyun asked the soldiers who reported the news to settle down, and beckoned his own soldiers from afar to bring the horses over. He also ran over quickly, got on the horses a few steps, and then called Zhang Zhenghai, "Go south immediately and tell the officials."

Zhang Zhenghai didn't dare to delay, he immediately appointed fifty elite scouts and galloped southward.

The post stations along the way had been explained earlier, and they had prepared horses, food, and clean water for them to ensure that they could go straight to the south of the Yangtze River.

On the other side of the Qing Dynasty, a large number of soldiers of the Qin Army were gathering, and there was an endless stream of people and horses coming and going.

The Liao people never imagined that what they thought was an internal plan, a high-level conspiracy that no one knew about, would be known by General Qin after only one day.

And only one day after Gao Xun of Yongxing Palace escorted Ye Luxian northward, and the imperial army of the South Court marched northward, the Qin army on the banks of the Daqing River also began to gather on a large scale.

Only in the afternoon of the same day, the forwards of the army north of Sanguan rode the fifth battalion, led by Li Chuyun's eldest son Li Jilong, and galloped northward. Their goal was to inform the Gu'an garrison and at the same time raid the Liao army post in the south to march for the main force behind. Pave the way.

More than ten years ago, the army of the Later Zhou Dynasty marched north under the command of Emperor Shi. At that time, they only dared to attack defensively. Since they were defending against the threat of the Liao army and the Northern Han army in the west, they were afraid of being blocked in Youzhou. Although they won the battle, In the end, he only dared to stop in Youzhou and attack limitedly.

Six or seven years ago, the army went north to Yanmen, but because the lone army went deep and the logistics supplies were insufficient, they did not dare to cross Yanmen Pass, attack Lingqiu County, and stop at Hedong.

This time, the three-way army, more than [-] horses, marched side by side on the fronts hundreds of miles east and west, and it was a completely aggressive attack!

No reservations, no worries, only reckless forward, only reckless attack, attack, attack again!
The tiger and wolf division of the Qin Dynasty was mobilized in an instant. The strict military discipline and high morale made them gather and act as quickly as thunder and lightning. The huge and cruel war machine was preparing to run across the Bohai Sea without sparing any effort. The Wuding River crosses the Yanmen Pass and goes straight into the heart of the Liao Kingdom.
(End of this chapter)