Smelting and Exploding the Heavens

Chapter 137 Preparation for Siege
Fan Zhuoyuan thought of the massive luggage he had seen during the day, which contained the things he needed, plus the more than [-] captives, they were basically Khitan and Xi people.

Although many Han people in the north can ride horses, it is of course more time-saving and labor-saving to train cavalry with nomads.

Fan Zhuoyuan was thinking about how to attack the city next, when Mu Qingyan walked over with a smile on his face.

"The three generals worked together to achieve a rare victory since the Northern Expedition. Now Yanjing City is in front of us. If we can capture it, maybe this defeat will be defeated immediately."

Guo Yaoshi said with a look of admiration: "What Fairy Mu said is right! Our army now has nine thousand victorious troops and five thousand victorious troops, both of which can be regarded as elite! The defenders in the city are only two thousand, and we can definitely capture them. This city!"

This person said just now that the people in the city might defend the city with all their strength, but now he turned around and started boasting nonsense again, Wang Ting couldn't help but smile.

However, Fan Zhuoyuan was still seriously thinking about the countermeasures. He would not think of things so simply. The Song army had a history of robbery and murder, and it was inevitable for the people to defend the city with their lives in fear of revenge.

At this time, Wang Bao looked at Fan Zhuoyuan and said with a smile: "Fan Yuhou, it's cold in the north at night, so I need to find some clothes to wear."

Fan Zhuoyuan said: "Fan has a strong body, and his clothes need to be customized. I think it's better to just wear a cloak on your body, so that it doesn't affect the battle."

As he spoke, he casually took a relatively clean cloak from the soldier, laughed and wrapped it up and down. It looked like a Tianzhu man, and everyone couldn't help laughing at it.

Mu Qingyan smiled and said: "It's not appropriate to do this. The little girl was in the studio, and all the clothes were sewn by the disciples themselves. Why don't you let me help the general change them."

Guo Yaoshi said: "Brother Fan, there are fairies helping you to sew clothes, I really envy others."

Mu Qingyan took Fan Zhuoyuan's cloak and walked aside alone, took out the needle and thread from the pocket, and began to modify it on the spot.

Fan Zhuoyuan frowned slightly, and asked in a low voice: "This girl really doesn't look like she should appear on the battlefield. Why did the Xuan Fu envoy arrange her here?"

Wang reported: "The people in Cihang Jingzhai have always been determined to restore rivers and mountains, and they often walk around courts and rivers and lakes. This trip to the Northern Expedition is a rare opportunity to recover Yanyun. They are here as a link between us and Tong Shuai. On the one hand, it is also to prevent people from the Demon Sect."

Guo Yaoshi said: "Ha, with the fairies around to boost morale, the morale of the army will be much more stable."

Fan Zhuoyuan asked in surprise, "Demon Gate?"

Wang Ting smiled wryly, "I don't know much about the specifics. After all, I am not from the rivers and lakes. However, it is said that the Five Dynasties Rebellion and the rise of the Liao Kingdom are all behind the shadow of the Demon Gate. It may even be related to the rise of the Jinren this time." It's about the magic gate."

Fan Zhuoyuan was silent for a moment, glanced at Mu Qingyan who was modifying his cloak in the setting sun, and then led the two of them to a distance.

"I have a plan on how to capture Yanjing City!"

Wang Ting immediately said: "Brother Fan, please speak directly!"

Fan Zhuoyuan briefly explained the siege strategy, but the two looked at Fan Zhuoyuan suspiciously, both expressing doubts about the feasibility of the plan.

Fan Zhuoyuan didn't explain too much, just said: "Yanjing City is very big, if there are common people defending the city together, we don't spend time making relevant siege equipment, just relying on ants to attach to death is an act of death for nothing. This method is feasible.

It's just that after the city is broken, I need two people to control the subordinates well, and the mistakes Yang Keshi made must not be repeated!Strictly order all the troops not to disturb the people and rob everywhere. If not, Fan will definitely turn his face! "

Guo Yaoshi's face turned red, because those who participated in the looting also included the Ever Victorious Army who followed him into the city, which is the current army.

Wang Ting nodded calmly, "If the city is destroyed, it will surely restrain the troops. The Shengjie army has never been deprived of their usual treatment, and will not lose righteousness because of small profits.

But the walls of Yanjing are high and thick, is Brother Fan's method really feasible? "

Fan Zhuoyuan nodded confidently, "Captives can't do it, Fan's method is absolutely feasible!"

The two of them thought for a while, but they really couldn't think of a better way, so they could only listen to Fan Zhuoyuan's strategy first.

At this time, Mu Qingyan came over, "General Fan, are you discussing the siege?"

Fan Zhuoyuan casually said: "Some plans have not been finalized yet. By the way, Fan has a request. I also ask the girl to make a hard trip at night to find the Xuanfu envoy and inform him of the situation here. If he can gather some more troops It’s best to come and support.”

Mu Qingyan nodded solemnly, and gave the modified cloak to Fan Zhuoyuan.

After Fan Zhuoyuan put it on, apart from feeling that the material itself was rough, the overall fit was very good, and it was much more comfortable than being shirtless. This woman's workmanship is really good, so she quickly thanked her.

Mu Qingyan smiled, waved goodbye to the three of them, and rode back to look for Tong Guan.

Wang Ting was surprised and said: "Brother Fan seems to be deliberately dismissing Fairy Mu, why?"

Fan Zhuoyuan said coldly: "If three thousand captives are forced to attack the city gate, there will be no death or injury. Do you think this Fairy Mu is kind-hearted, and she will stand it?
Her reputation is not bad everywhere, if she speaks out to question, won't it easily affect the morale of the army? "

Then Fan Zhuoyuan added: "In war, it's best to keep women away."

That night, after tidying up the battlefield, a group of people came to the place where the Song army abandoned the luggage near the Sanggan River, which is called Liangxiang.

20 Song troops built camps relying on townships. At this time, the camps as a whole are still sound, and can be used as military camps with a little repair.

The third general arranged for night defense and did not rest immediately. Since he was determined to take Yanjing, he would naturally have to race against time.

Fan Zhuoyuan ordered the captives to start digging tunnels leading to the city wall.

Then let people find all the saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur for making.

There was gunpowder in the Song army, but the gunpowder of this era was mixed with arsenic, lime, yellow lead, flour, clear oil, dry lacquer and other messy things. The formula was extremely impure and the ratio was quite problematic.

Therefore, gunpowder is mostly only used to ignite fire, or used as a chemical weapon to throw into the enemy army to affect the enemy's combat power, and it is not used as the main weapon itself.

Fan Zhuoyuan surrounded the material with a tent, and then asked for some coffins.

Then he began to adjust it himself. He now has a very fine control over his body, and he can tell the difference between one gram of weight when he lifts his palm.

Therefore, using both hands as a scale, it took most of the night to finally mix and match the black powder for five coffins.

The ratio of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal is 7.8:1.1:1.1, which is exactly the gunpowder ratio used by the British army during the Opium War.

Of course, there are more simple and rough ratios in the Ming Dynasty, such as the "shun medicine" used for firecrackers, the ratio of saltpeter to sulfur is 9:1, charcoal is replaced by plant ash, and the "horizontal medicine" used for blasting, the ratio of saltpeter to sulfur is 7:3. [-]:[-].

This is of course relatively backward, but the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom basically used this formula, which can blow up the walls of Nanjing City, and it is certainly enough to blow up the current Yanjing City.

(End of this chapter)