Late Tang Dynasty Floating Life

Chapter 692 Stone
Among the high mountains, there are bursts of pines and waves.

The towering giant tree that has grown for an unknown number of years rises from the ground, propping up the blue sky above.

There are many low shrubs and grasses among the big trees, and birds and beasts lurk among them. When they meet people for the first time, they will fly away in shock.

Only those who have been wandering in the mountains and forests all year round can truly understand the magnificence and --- danger.

"Ah—" The scream of extreme pain was interrupted as soon as it came out. The cruel opponent didn't give him a second chance to utter a second cry, and quickly and decisively ended his life.

You can't be too cautious!

The elite warriors who had spied on the important information of the enemy army, killed and captured many enemy scouts also died in the mountains and rivers in a daze.Scouts are probably the unit with the highest replacement rate. No one can guarantee that they will come back alive the next time they go on a mission, no one!
After hastily burying the corpses of the enemy scouts, a group of several people came out day and night, approached Taigu Pass cautiously, and observed carefully.

Guancheng is located at the mouth of Taigu Valley, with steep mountains on both sides.At the end of the Later Han Dynasty, Sun Jian once stationed troops here.

Soldiers can pass through the mountains, but similar to Luyangguan and Huoyi, only a small group of troops can pass through, and horse-drawn carriages cannot pass through. Even mules and horses cross the border with difficulty, causing countless deaths and injuries.

Generally speaking, the site selection of Guancheng in ancient times was very particular.Even if there are 2000 people after a detour, they don’t carry a lot of armor, and the food may only be enough for a few days. They are tired from a long journey, they are in an enemy’s situation, and they are panicked and anxious. It is difficult to win a war under such circumstances.

Such an adventure generally consists of surprise, in the hope that the enemy will be alarmed.If the enemy doesn't panic and responds calmly, then you are the one panicking, and there is a high probability that the entire army will be wiped out.

The scouts had been lurking next to Guancheng for many days, and observed that there were about 3000 soldiers in the city.These extra people should be Xiangyong transferred from the rear. Under the elite organization of the Changzhi Army, they are very suitable for defending the city.

On the post road in the valley, there are still horse-drawn carriages continuously transporting supplies.It had just rained and the roads were muddy, making transportation very difficult.Judging from the heavy weight of the carriage, most of the goods are transported by equipment and the like.There are also quite a few trucks transporting grain, with bags stacked in the compartments and covered with rain cloths, making it difficult to move forward.

This is determined to block the mouth of this valley.

After the observation was almost done, the scouts changed places, some of them left, and returned to Luoyang to report.

Lu Huaizhong, Marquis of Yu, the camp capital, had not yet arrived, so the information was directly reported to Li Tangbin.Li Tangbin listened casually, he didn't really care, since the attack on Taigu Pass was just a fake attack anyway.

Today is different.Back then when you confronted Liang Ren on the Xiaohangu Road, you had no choice but to go around the back and gnaw hard along the road.However, King Xia made a strategic detour, that is, captured Heyang, which changed the entire battle situation at once.Now that the Liang people are full of flaws, since the defenders of Taigu Pass want to defend to the death, they must be prepared to become the turtle in the urn.

The thousands of people in Huo Cun's Department couldn't leave even if they wanted to.

"Here's an order to recruit 5000 people from the Luoyang Tutuan Township, and hand them over to Ma Sixun's leadership to attack Taigu Pass together with his headquarters."

"Here's an order to dispatch the Shunyi Army to attack Taigu Pass alternately with Ma Sixun's troops."

"Writing to the Eastern Capital Shogunate, the spring sowing is over, and the master is called to transfer grain and grass."

"Urge Shanzhou to speed up the transfer of food, grass and equipment. If you delay the king's offensive, can you afford it?"

After finishing speaking, he paused again, and said, "Modify the tone of the last order."

The staff will understand.Shaanxi Jiedu envoy Ren Yuji was an old man from Yuan Cong of King Xia, and the two Jiedu deputy envoys, Sun Ba and Huang Tao, were also well-connected. You should be more polite when talking to them, lest you accidentally offend someone and cause trouble for yourself.

After the order was issued, Ma Sixun immediately set out with his army.As a food envoy, Duan Ning will also escort the first batch of supplies to the south, and later he will go back and forth between Luoyang and Taigu to supervise the transfer.

Ma Sixun's face was gloomy, looking at Duan Ning hesitant to speak.

"General Ma, just follow the order and don't overthink it." Duan Ning knew what he was thinking, and persuaded him, "Xu Huaiyu has gone to be the governor of Danzhou. What do you think of this arrangement?"

"Not bad." Ma Sixun had to admit.

Danzhou was Shangzhou in the heyday of the country, but it was reduced later.After the Prince Xia's Mansion took over, it was designated as Zhongzhou, the governor's annual salary was more than 800, and there was a big house provided by the state, and he could get some other benefits, and he also had a status, which can be said to be quite rich.

"What can the general's two thousand soldiers do in this situation?" Duan Ning asked again.

Ma Sixun hesitated for a moment, then sighed: "I am a fugitive from Haozhou, I was a guest general in Bianzhou, and I was also a guest general in Xiazhou. If I want to start a career, it will be even more difficult. That's all, that's all!"

After finishing speaking, Ma Sixun saluted Duan Ning, and said sincerely: "There are some things that I know clearly in my heart, but I always feel a little unwilling. Listening to what you said, Mo Sai suddenly understood."

"Today, I will also fight for my future." Ma Sixun laughed loudly and said, "Let's go."

The army marched south and arrived outside Taigu Pass on March 21, and then set up camp, felled trees, and made equipment.

A day later, [-] Shunyi soldiers also arrived.

Three days later, Duan Ning arrived with thousands of villagers escorting food and grass.

On the 25th, Ma Sixun selected elites, handed them over to his eldest son, and launched the first tentative attack on Taigu Pass.

The news quickly spread to Ruzhou and Dengfeng.

"Why did Xia thief attack Taigu?" In Dengfeng County, Zhao Lin first raised a question.

"What's so hard to guess?" Zhu Hanbin said: "After leaving Taigu, we will reach Yingyang County. The road divides into two roads. It travels [-] miles east to Dengfeng, connects to Zhiyuan Road, and travels more than [-] miles southeast to Ru The state is located in Liang County, connected to Yique Road. Xia Bandit wants to occupy Yingyang, to meet the army and move forward, and then go south or north, and move freely."

"Nonsense! From Ruzhou to Yingyang, there are endless mountains. It's not easy to think about it." Zhao Lin said, "We must attack Dengfeng."

Zhu Hanbin gave Zhao Lin a sideways look, and joked, "If you attack Dengfeng, you'll have to go to Xuzhou to make trouble."

Zhao Lin's face was very ugly.

"Shut up!" Zhang Guihou couldn't listen anymore.

Zhao Lin and Zhu Hanbin immediately shut up.

"Taiguguan came to report that there were thieves crossing mountains and ridges to plunder Yingyang County. Yingyang has few soldiers, so Yingcheng can only defend itself. If we want to drive out the thieves, we have to find a way here." Zhang Guihou got up. Said: "I want to take Ting Zima to go straight to Yingyang, and make a quick decision to destroy this group of bandits. You wait carefully to guard Dengfeng, and don't let the bandits capture it. As long as Dengfeng is not lost, the bandit army There is no way to pass. Even if it passes, it can also cut off its way back."

"Of course." The two replied in unison.

……

The Xia army's offensive against Heyang Nancheng suddenly became intensive again.

The first part of the Iron Forest Army fought fiercely with the rebels at the ferry in the north of the city. Within ten days, hundreds of rebels had been killed, and the position was as stable as Mount Tai.

Under Shao Shude's order, the Iron Forest Army also dispatched the main force to launch a fierce attack on Heyang from the south.

Under the tragic siege battle, the mental outlook of the troops has been changed to a certain extent.Tens of thousands of recruits faded a little, and experienced the cruelty of the killing field.The veteran who was a bit slack because of the lack of battles also perked up, and slowly regained a little bit of the feeling of the past, and his hands were very sharp.

The army still has to fight frequently, otherwise it will be difficult to maintain its combat effectiveness for a long time without declining.

The pontoon bridge has been built.Under the five blockade lines of fire boats, strong crossbows, artillery carts, long poles, and iron chains, Liang Ren's navy was still unable to approach.

They didn't dare to fight hard with heavy losses. Over time, the Mengzhou soldiers in Zhongli City became more confident and their morale was high.

Opposite them is Liang Jun in the southern city of Heyang. After witnessing the navy's three failed approaches, their morale became increasingly low, so that some people sneaked out of the city at night and surrendered to Xia Jun.

Fu Cunshen was keenly aware of the ebb and flow of the morale of the enemy and us, so he decisively slowed down the offensive and turned to persuade him to surrender.

"Brother Liang Jun, you have also seen that the navy is gone, and no one will come to rescue you."

"What's the point of guarding? No one will come to save you until the Dragon Boat Festival, and no one will come to rescue you until the Double Ninth Festival. If you count the food, can you last until the Double Ninth Festival?"

"Are the arrows almost used up? Do wounded soldiers have wound medicine? How long has it been since you received your reward?"

"The king of Xia is benevolent and generous. Xu Huaiyu of Xin'an has surrendered, and he is the seat of Dezhou County. Those who surrender can join the army. Everyone will work hard, who can't fight for it?"

"Saving your life is the most important thing. If you lose your life, you will lose everything."

The loud cavalry shouted in unison outside, causing chaos in the city.In a rage, Huo Cun climbed up the tower, fired three arrows in a row, and shot the two dead, which made them disperse.

That night, Huo Yanwei personally patrolled the night, arrested dozens of people who wanted to escape from the city, beheaded them all, and hung them outside the barracks to frighten the troops.

During the day, another wave of civilians were driven out of the city and stormed the Xia army's trenches. The result was obvious, and more than a thousand people were killed or injured.

Shao Shude was a little annoyed when he received the news.

This Huo Cun is really stinky and hard, it's at this level, why don't you surrender?
"How many soldiers are there in the city?" He asked Zhao Guangfeng who was in charge of this.

"According to what the garrison said, it should be less than four thousand paces." Zhao Guangfeng replied.

Seven or eight thousand soldiers and horses, part of Cangcheng was lost, part of the city was lost at the north ferry, part of the defense was lost, and part of the city was lost in raids and killings. The number of 4000 people should be about the same.

This guy, who has blocked himself in Heyang for almost three months, is really a stone in the latrine.

Shao Shude thought about it again, and there was no major problem with Fu Cunshen's strategy.Continuing to attack at this time will only make the defenders lose their minds and fight desperately under external pressure.But if they relax a bit and focus on persuading capitulation, chaos may arise within them.

This is different from ordinary siege warfare, because everyone knows that the Xia army has no possibility of breaking through the siege, and a large area around has been occupied by the Xia army. The people in the county are even plowing in the spring. Does this seem to be leaving?

The reward had been announced long ago, and we'll see when Liang Jun couldn't take it anymore and took the heads of Huo Cun and his son.Uh, if Huo Yanwei took Huo Cun's head, it would be a joy.

"What do you think about the formation of the Black Army?" Leaving aside Heyang South City, Shao Shude asked another question.

The Black Army has so far recruited more than 3000 people, of which more than [-] are prisoners of the Changzhi Army, and there are another [-] recruits who have excellent training results in the continued army, and thousands of newly recruited frontier experts.After the next batch of surrendered troops arrives in Lingzhou, they will continue to select the best and stronger ones, and the recruits and Tibetans will also contribute some. They will be reorganized after they are broken up, and after rough training, they will be dragged to the grassland to fight with the bandits.

"I have no objection." Zhao Guangfeng said, "In the Guanbei area, I'm not afraid of them making trouble. After breaking up and reorganizing, they won't be able to make trouble. After a few rewards, no one has the intention of making trouble. Liang Bing , there are many Qin Zongquan descendants, just changing the court."

Shao Shude nodded, and said, "Does Shi Renyu have anything to say?"

"Shi Renyu seems to be righteous and unwilling to agree, but he sent the envoy back without harming him, so it can be seen that he is not an absolutely loyal person." Zhao Guangfeng said: "Recently, he even restrained his troops and did not cooperate with them. If there is a conflict between our troops, your majesty will know who it is."

"That's right." Shao Shude said with a smile, "From top to bottom, Wei Bo is all cunning, capricious, and cannot be trusted. But we still have to continue to send envoys, mess around, and make things bigger with excuses. It’s so uproarious, let everyone know.”

"Of course." Zhao Guangfeng replied.

That night, the envoy quietly left Mengzhou again and headed east.At the same time, a seemingly accidental yet inevitable event happened in the southern city of Heyang, which caused an uproar.

(End of this chapter)