Chapter 713: Attack from both sides
On March 21, Liu Ling led his troops to launch an attack.
However, they have not yet reached the bottom of Guancheng, but are entangled with the enemy on the outside.
"Rumble..." The thick wood rolled down and pressed into the crowd with great force. There were screams and screams, and countless people suffered broken bones and muscles.
The sergeants were so beaten that they were disoriented, their formations were scattered, and they were running around and bumping into each other.
The soldiers of Shile on the hillside took advantage of the situation to cover up and kill them. Their morale was high and they killed heavily, almost a one-sided massacre.
Liu Ling watched silently on the hillside in the distance.
In this kind of terrain, he did not dare to attack directly along the hillside. He had to let the ordinary sergeants use their lives to consume a group of people on the opposite side, so that the wood and rolling stones were almost consumed, and the people were exhausted.
Elite soldiers wearing heavy armor rushed straight in.
Now is the consumption stage.
This is the advantage of the defensive side, but it is also the human life price that the attacking side must pay.
The first group of soldiers who rushed up quickly dispersed.
Under the threat of sharp arrows from behind, they divided into two sides, stumbled and fled in all directions.
Someone was stabbed to the ground by the enemy soldiers who were pursuing them.
Someone accidentally fell into the valley and screamed.
Some people were lucky enough to escape and were taken in by the soldiers from the rear formation who arrived.
After the containment and reorganization were completed, they still had to go on. They had no choice - maybe they could choose to resist, but it was really difficult when the rear group was overwhelming the front line. Military law was extremely strict. Many soldiers knew they were going to be beheaded, but they didn't just surrender.
, close your eyes and wait for death?
Liu Ling quickly ordered the second wave of troops to attack.
These peasants from Qingzhou, Tianshi Taoist disciples, thieves and even landlords' servants roared and charged upward.
The enemy used various means to fight tooth and nail.
The fighting continued like this for three days. After paying the price of two thousand casualties, Liu Ling finally reached the foot of Jingxing Pass.
The terrain in front of Guancheng is slightly wider, allowing more troops to be deployed.
The auxiliary soldiers brought up the finished equipment.
There are no complicated siege equipment because the terrain conditions do not allow it.
Even a ladder truck cannot be built, only a ladder can be used.
Catapults are almost useless for attacking cities on flat ground, let alone on mountainous terrain.
The parapet wall cannot be deployed, nor can it be transported.
The smoke-generating car is still being assembled on the hillside, but it is also difficult to transport it up.
The trench-filling trucks couldn't transport it up, but fortunately there were no trenches at Jingxing Pass.
The city rush vehicle can only be temporarily cut down in front of the pass, but there are no trees on the left and right, and there is no wide space.
…
The pass is such a pain in the ass. What I didn’t mention is that the only way to attack the city is with the most primitive form of ant attack, which means using human lives to defeat the pass at the cost of seven or eight times more casualties than the number of defenders - it also depends on luck.
On the 24th, more than a thousand soldiers from Changshan's powerful clan arrived at Guanxia and were temporarily put under Liu Ling's command.
Lao Liu was not polite at all and sent them directly up, then used Qingzhou soldiers to suppress the formation.
On the 25th, 1,500 soldiers from Zhongshan's powerful clan arrived to replace the Changshan soldiers who suffered heavy casualties.
On the 26th, two thousand Hejian soldiers arrived...
Fierce attacks came one after another without stopping.
So far, the defenders as a whole are doing well. Because Jingxing is very strong, even though it is open in front of the pass, it is still narrow and cramped compared to the city on the plain. Only three to five hundred people can be deployed at a time, so it is easier to resist.
But after several days of fighting, Zhang Jing, who was guarding this place, discovered that Shao's troops were endless and non-stop.
After being broken up, they were taken to the valley to reorganize, replenish equipment, and be ready to fight again - many people with minor injuries were hastily wrapped up and then thrown into the battlefield with the obvious intention of killing you.
Two rebellions broke out among the defeated troops, which were quickly and severely suppressed. Human heads were hung on tree branches all over the mountains and plains.
The "weakness" of the defeated soldiers - their families may also be implicated.
Liu Ling was so "crazy" that Zhang Jing did not dare to take it lightly. He gathered almost all the young men he could recruit nearby, even the strong women, and went to the back of Guancheng to collect wood, wash and make wood.
He also provided meals and took care of the wounded, so as to free up men to go to the city to guard the city and allow the defenders to have sufficient rotation.
In addition, he did not forget to ask for reinforcements from Shi Le - no matter whether there are enough troops or not, it is always right to ask for reinforcements first. What if there are not enough troops in the future?
****
On the 24th, Lu Ya had arrived at Shangai County with more than 2,000 people.
The county magistrate climbed over the wall and fled without trace.
The county magistrate refused to surrender and was executed on the spot.
The county captain only hesitated for a moment and was also beheaded.
Guo Rong took control of the entire county, summoned two familiar powerful men, and obtained thousands of troops.
Other wealthy families had already received orders from the county magistrate to recruit their young men and march eastward to cut down trees and set up fences at the edge of Wei Ze as a precaution. When they heard that the county seat had changed its flag, they immediately withdrew their troops and went home to wait and see the situation.
The Xiongnu lost consecutive battles, and now, this is the moral character of the place.
When Guo Rong heard the news of Master Wang's arrival, he immediately sent people out of the city with pigs, sheep, cattle and wine to work the army.
The two sides met in the east of the city.
As soon as they met, Guo Rong was shocked.
Is this the fucking Master Wang? Worse than a refugee.
My whole body was covered in mud, which had dried and was stuck on my legs.
Many of the clothes and shoes were damaged, and many people also lost equipment.
The food I brought with me was almost all eaten, except for the last bit.
Everyone was so exhausted that they collapsed on the ground and gasped for breath.
Guo Rong felt that if he did not capture Shangai County and let Wang Xiu come to supervise and recruit a group of strong men, he might not be unable to defeat the two thousand or so Wang divisions in front of him.
"General Lu." Guo Rong stepped forward and saluted, looked at Master Wang's majestic appearance, and finally suppressed his words: "He is really an iron army."
"Stop dawdling." Lu Ya glanced at him angrily and said, "Hurry and prepare hot water and rice so that the boys can rest and take a breath."
"Okay." Guo Rong didn't hesitate, and immediately sent someone back to summon him, ordering the city to free up houses and beds for Master Wang to rest, and recruit additional manpower to make hot soup and rice.
"Is there an arsenal in the city?" Lu Ya asked again.
"No."
"Try to find some equipment and send it over. It would be better if you have armor, good bows, and draft animals."
"This is a bit difficult." Guo Rong said: "General Lu, why don't you stay a few more days? I'll send people to Wubao in the countryside to collect money. Maybe something will be gained. In this situation, the Wubao commanders must know the importance and won't be confused.
.”
"No." Lu Ya said, "We are only going to rest here for one day and night. At the latest tomorrow afternoon, we will send out troops to attack Jingxing Pass."
"Why should the general be so anxious?" Guo Rong advised: "The north and south roads of Jingxing Pass converge here. As long as we occupy Shangai County, we can cut off the supply route of the Jingxing garrison. Why risk it again? If the field battle is defeated, the enemy will be defeated.
It can be said that the gain outweighs the loss by resolving the military siege."
"You don't understand!" Lu Ya was too lazy to talk to Guo Rong. He looked very arrogant and just listened to him say: "We must defend Shangai County, but we must also send troops to the east. Do you know that Governor Liu is storming Jingxing Pass?"
"I know." Guo Rong nodded subconsciously.
"Then do you know how many people will be killed or injured every day of delay?" Lu Ya asked: "Although the food road is cut off, the garrison in Guancheng will not be able to run out of food for a while. They may not know what is happening behind the scenes, and they will still defend the city with all their strength.
Or even if they knew it, it would only be known to the upper-level generals, and the sergeants would be kept a secret. No matter what, I have to go eastward."
Guo Rong sighed and said: "In that case, I don't have much advice. The general can just decide on his own. But can you leave some people for me?"
"How much?" Lu Ya asked.
"Five hundred people are enough."
Lu Ya hesitated for a moment, nodded, and said, "I'll give you five hundred people."
"Give me more support."
"I didn't bring it."
Guo Rong was speechless and forced a smile and said: "Okay, let's do it. Five hundred people are enough. I will use this army to visit the surrounding Wubao. I will show my righteousness and ask them to send some men to guard Shangai."
"Where is Shi Le?" Lu Ya asked again.
"In Xinxing, there is no peace there either. They have to guard against the Xianbei people in Yanmen."
Lu Ya nodded and said, "Let's enter the city."
****
On the morning of the 25th, after a hearty breakfast, Lu Ya looked at the sergeants who had recovered some of their strength. With a wave of his hand, nearly two thousand people came out of the south gate, escorting some of the baggage vehicles, and headed eastward.
Fa——At this time, the battle at Jingxing Pass has become increasingly fierce.
Jingxing is a narrow mountain road with two mountains facing each other and a line in the middle, about a hundred miles long.
The east entrance is in Hebei Province, and the west entrance is eighty miles east of Shangai County, Leping County, Bingzhou.
Jingxing Pass and Tianchang Town are actually both within Jingxing. It’s just that Jingxing Pass is more dangerous and Tianchang Town is not so dangerous. But in theory, they can block each other. During the Tang Dynasty, Wang Rong, the military governor of the Chengde Army, sent people
Garrisoned troops in Tianchang Town to block Li Keyong. As a result, the field battle failed miserably and the military town could no longer defend.
Lu Ya led his army from Shangai County and walked along the post road. Along the way, he saw many strong men and women transporting supplies in large and small cars. He went directly to kill them and seized all the supplies.
The enemy was very frightened. They really didn't expect a troop to suddenly appear from behind.
At first, they even thought that a wealthy family had rebelled, but after hearing a few words with a foreign accent, they immediately understood that Shao Bing had entered Bingzhou and that the situation was over.
Lu Ya secretly breathed a sigh of relief and led nearly two thousand men and horses to fight and walk. The eighty-mile journey took a total of three days and arrived a few miles behind Jingxing Pass on the night of the 27th.
Under the dark night, the sergeant hiding in the col was sitting on the ground, chewing the captured meat - the texture of the meat was a little strange.
After eating, continue to rest, and you can even sleep with your clothes on.
Lu Ya climbed up the hillside and waited patiently while observing the Jingxing Pass where the sound of killing was loud.
The army outside Guancheng attacked all night without any signs of stopping.
The soldiers and horses in Guancheng are also frequently mobilized, either for reinforcements or for rotation.
Without surprise troops, it would be really difficult to capture this Guancheng, and perhaps tens of thousands of people would be killed and injured even without being able to defeat it.
In the middle of the night, Lu Ya went down to the mountain col and asked the officers to wake up the sergeants one by one.
Half an hour later, everyone checked the equipment, quietly left the col, and climbed up the post road.
The sound of "rustling" footsteps sounded in the mountains, and occasionally there was the sound of clashing weapons.
After walking for a while, the torches were lit one after another.
Looking down from a high place, on the winding mountain road, a long dragon bared its teeth and claws, rushing forward at an extremely fast speed.
Many tents were set up behind Guancheng and many wounded were placed there.
This is also a huge camp, where craftsmen are constantly repairing equipment and armor, making arrow shafts, polishing rolling stones, etc. day and night.
The healthy women were also divided into several groups, taking turns to pound rice, preparing to send it to the city at dawn.
Guancheng has limited space and cannot accommodate many non-combatants, so this is the logistics base for the defenders.
The sound of piercing the sky came, and countless arrows were shot from the grass, hillsides, and post roads. There were constant screams in the camp, and dozens of people fell down in an instant.
"Kill the thieves!" roars came, and countless Qingzhou soldiers rushed out of the night, killing old men, healthy women, craftsmen and doctors, the sick and wounded, and a small number of compression guards.
In the midst of the fighting, there were still people rushing everywhere with firewood in their arms.
Soon, fires were everywhere and burning brightly.
The entire camp was in a state of disorder and collapse, with cries and screams piercing the sky.
The footsteps on Guancheng suddenly became denser, and some people looked around and shouted loudly, but the only answers they received were arrows.
There is no doubt that the rear of Guancheng was lost.
As for the defenders, they lost more than half of their baggage personnel, their food routes and retreat routes were cut off, and they were now alone.
Chapter completed!