Fenghou

Chapter 970 Luoshui
Although there are Xiongguan guards around Luoyang City, Hangu Pass in the west, Hulao Pass in the east, Yique Pass in the south, backed by the Yellow River and Beiman Mountain, Luoyang City itself is not difficult to break through, mainly because it has a huge The defensive loophole is Luoshui.

It would be unrealistic to attack the city. Luoyang City also stored tens of thousands of barrels of kerosene and hundreds of thousands of dans of wheat straw, which were enough to burn the soldiers of the Song army who attacked the city into black charcoal.

But if the Song army attacked Luoshui, it would pose a greater threat to Luoyang City.

Luoshui is not a few feet wide moat, it is hundreds of feet wide, passes through the city, and divides Luoyang City in two. If the Song Army's warships attack Luoyang City along Luoshui, the army will directly enter the city.

Zhe Keqiu was also well aware of this loophole. He organized civilians to lay hundreds of wooden stakes in the Luoshui River in the city to prevent the ships of the Song Army from entering the city. Thousands of soldiers stored a large amount of kerosene and became the second line of defense.

Although the wooden defense line is far from being as strong and strong as the city wall, it is not so easy to break through.

In particular, two iron cables to block the river were deployed on the east and west sides, and two hundred soldiers were responsible for manipulating them.

At this time, Zhe Keqiu was standing on the western city wall. Here was the broken city, and Luoshui was in front of it. The hundred-foot-wide Luoshui flowed into Luoyang City from between the two broken cities.

Wang Zan was killed in battle, [-] people were wiped out, the Song army had surrounded Luoyang City, he knew that he had no way out, the Song army would not write him a letter of persuasion, and he would die if he fell into the hands of the Song army undoubtedly.

It is also desperate, Wanyan Wushu and Wanyanchang can't just watch the Song army attack Luoyang, they will definitely take action, as long as he can hold on to Luoyang, he will be able to usher in the final victory.

Inspired by his faith, he can find anything, and he devoted his whole mind to the defense of Luoyang City, and the defense of Luoshui became the top priority.

"Commander, I have an idea!" Commander Ding Hengshan whispered.

Zhe Keqiu glanced at him, "What do you think?"

Ding Hengshan pointed to the Luoshui Road under the city: "I feel that it is meaningless to deploy kerosene on the west pontoon bridge. The west side is downstream. When the kerosene is thrown out, it flows back. Instead, it burns the wooden piles and the pontoon bridge."

Zhe Keqiu nodded, it really made sense, he asked with a smile: "What do you think?"

"The humble officer thinks that the west side should use gunpowder kegs and boulders to shoot down from the city wall, and directly use the gunpowder kegs to sink the enemy's boats."

Another general next to him said: "If the Song army's ship is full of kerosene, and the ship is blown up, the kerosene will still float over."

Zhe Keqiu nodded, which also made sense. The Song army was upstream. No matter which plan was used, the kerosene would drift downstream, so the key was how to intercept the kerosene.

Ding Hengshan also knew the key point here, and put forward a new suggestion, "Hizhi suggested pulling two iron cables on the water surface, and piled up all kinds of broken garbage in front of the iron cables, such as vegetable leaves and leather, which would float on the water surface. But it is not easy to burn, if the bunk is several feet wide, the opponent’s ships and kerosene will be blocked when they float in, and the flames will burn, but the flames will not enter the city.”

Zhe Keqiu nodded again and again, and said happily: "This plan can be adopted!"

Zhe Keqiu immediately ordered: "Go and implement this plan!"

Thousands of soldiers acted together, pulled two iron chains on the river, tied iron nets on them, and collected a large amount of household garbage in the city and threw them on the river, causing the river to float a garbage area seven to eight feet wide.

That night, the Song army's fire attack plan began to be implemented. Hundreds of small sampans were thrown into the water, and each sampan was filled with four or five barrels of kerosene. The fire ignited, braving billowing black smoke, drifting along the water to the city of Luoyang
On the top of the city, more than a dozen trebuchets were launched together. They fired stones weighing dozens of kilograms. The stones fell from the sky like hailstones, knocking over the sampans, pouring out kerosene, and burning on the water surface. I continued to drift downstream, and was blocked by garbage piled up on the water. Sure enough, the river was raging, but I just couldn't get through.

Needless to say, there are wooden pile arrays and pontoon bridges behind, and more than a thousand soldiers with bows and crossbows are waiting.

"Report to Dutong, there is a lot of rubbish floating on the water, and the sampan is blocked, so we can't get through!" A soldier reported to Yang Zaixing.

"Use a big boat!" Yang Zaixing ordered immediately.

The advantage of being on the water is that it is easy to be swung away. Since small sampans can't get through, a few big boats can open a way.

Three five-hundred-stone cargo ships sailed towards the city quickly, with soldiers rowing oars on them, and they rushed towards the city at a very high speed, chopping through the waves.
Chen Qing and several generals were also watching the battle from a high place, and they could see clearly. At this time, Liu Cui said to Chen Qing, "Your Highness, it is impossible for the garbage on the water to stay still. There must be iron chains blocking the water, and the ships may not be able to get through."

Chen Qing nodded, "I know, let's try it first!"

The big ship rushed through the raging fire and swept away a large piece of garbage. The front ship suddenly shook, as if it had hit something, and the ship immediately slanted and stopped horizontally on the water.

The soldiers on the pontoon bridge in front raised their crossbows and shot arrows. Thousands of arrows were fired at once. More than a dozen oar soldiers were unable to dodge, and their arrows fell into the water one after another. , the poisonous nails splashed everywhere, and the soldiers of the two ships behind were unfortunately also shot by the poisonous nails, so they had to dive for their lives.

One of the soldiers took out a fire bag, ignited the kerosene in the ship, and then jumped into the water to escape for his life. The third cargo ship caught fire and collided with the two previous ships, and the three large ships began to burn.

The initial attack failed and dozens of soldiers were lost. Yang Zaixing had no choice but to order his troops to withdraw.

In the big tent, Yang Zaixing made a self-criticism to Chen Qing, "Your Highness, you have underestimated the enemy with a lowly position. You think things are too simple, too easy. The opponent's iron chains lock the river, and the opponent also has kerosene and gunpowder barrels. He wants to break through The opponent's blockade is not so easy."

Chen Qing nodded: "Actually, you haven't seen where the opponent's most difficult defense is?"

"Humble and dull, please give me advice, Your Highness!"

Chen Qing said indifferently: "It's the iron chains of the other party. There are three in total, and each one is one foot apart. This is not the point. The point is that the two chains behind are alive, and there are dozens of people pulling at each end. , If you want to burn it with fire, the soldiers will loosen the iron chain, let the chain sink into the water, fish it out and blow it up with fire and mines, but more than a thousand people on the other side aim at you with bows and arrows, and the two iron chains can even Easily overturn the ship, this is the most difficult enemy defense weapon!"

"What if we attack from the east of Luoshui?"

Gao Ding asked cautiously, "Will it be easier?"

Chen Qing shook his head and said, "You didn't understand me. The garbage piled up on the water is not important, but the two iron chains. As I said just now, these two iron chains are controlled by soldiers. They are constantly burning, exploding, and even It can overturn the ship, and such an iron chain can also appear on the Luoshui in the East City. Think about it, how can you break it?"

Everyone fell into deep thought. At this moment, Yang Zaixing glanced at Chen Qing, who was smiling and silent, and suddenly realized that he was really confused. They had nothing to do, but His Highness has a way!

Yang Zaixing hurriedly said: "I implore Your Highness to tell me, is there any good way?"

Everyone followed suit and looked at Chen Qing together. Chen Qing smiled and said, "Of course there is a way. It is wise to break through the city by water, but why do we have to stare at Luoshui? Can't we just leave?" The city above the moat?"

Suddenly, everyone attacked the city by water, but boarded the city directly with a big ship.

Chen Qing knew that everyone didn't really understand what he meant, so he continued: "I'm not only talking about the direction of attacking the city, but also the means of attacking the city. It's not impossible to attack from Luoshui, the key is to use big ships , a big ship of about five thousand shi will definitely be able to rush directly into the city, even if the opponent uses iron chains, it will be useless."

Li Muqing immediately reported loudly: "His Royal Highness, there are hundreds of [-] stone boats at Mengjindu on the Yellow River!"

Chen Qing nodded, and immediately ordered: "Immediately dispatch fifty large ships of five thousand shi from the Yellow River to Luoshui!"

(End of this chapter)