Chapter 642: Shangdang Battle (IV)

Li Guangbi led two thousand cavalry to rush around the edge of the vast forest, running parallel to the official road, but the official road was five miles away. Li Guangbi was a hundred times more confident, but he didn't know that the hill he had just crossed was the mouth of the trap set by An Shouzhong.

At this time, a team of scouts rushed over. They looked a little frightened and said a few words in Li Guangbi's ear. Li Guangbi's face changed, but he waved his hand and signaled the soldiers to continue moving forward. The deputy general next to him was stunned. He knew there was a tiger in the mountain, but he was going to the tiger mountain?

It was already the first update of the night. A team of horse-drawn carriages were parked on the official road twenty miles north of Wuyang County, about 500 cars, and the carriages were full of forage. There was a time when the forages in Hebei were more precious than grains.

The coachman and soldiers were sleeping in the carriage. They would rest for two hours and then continue to rush south. The task of this carriage was to transport food and grass, coming and going, and I didn't know how many trips I walked, and the people became tired, and I didn't even know where to sleep the necessary guard posts.

The carriage was parked in a row on the official road, and the horses also ate the grass and drank water. They stood in front of the carriage and slept. The surroundings were quiet, filled with the sound of insects.

At this moment, a rocket shot towards the haystack on a carriage, and the flames quickly ignited. With the wind, the fire became more and more prosperous. After a moment, it soared into the sky. The groom hiding in the haystack and fell from the carriage screamed and the fire had already burned his hair.

The rockets shot in the sky, and in an instant, more than 300 carriages were lit. The official road was in chaos. The soldiers of the guards turned over the horses and tried their best to pull the reins, trying to stabilize the already frightened war horses.

"kill!"

Li Guangbi roared, and two thousand cavalry rushed out of the forest like tigers, rushed straight into the convoy, fighting fiercely with the guard Yan army. The jingle of weapons colliding, and the cavalry was slashed and screamed and fell off the horse. The Yan army was obviously no match for the Tang army. In a moment, more than half of the guards were killed or injured. The remaining guards fled in scattered. All the carriages were completely engulfed by the fire. Countless carriages with fire ran desperately in the official roads and fields. They soon turned to the ground, and the horses were buried by the burning forage.

At this time, Li Guangbi's eyes looked coldly around the forest. He had heard the sound of killing and the sound of horse hooves coming from front, back and left and right. He saw dense Yan army appearing from all directions, most of them were infantry. Judging from Li Guangbi's experience, it should be no less than 30,000 people.

Li Guangbi's judgment was very accurate, with 35,000 people, Li Guiren, Cai Xide and Li Huaixian each produced 10,000 people, and 5,000 grain-protecting troops led by An Shouzhong.

He was responsible for the hunt for the Tang army this time, and it was important to take the lead, not the commander. First of all, he could not command Li Huaixian's army. Li Huaixian could send troops at An Qingxu's order, but the command power would never be diplomatic.

The three armies were like a huge hunting net, quickly gathering towards their prey, but when they were about four hundred steps away from Li Guangbi's army, more than 30,000 Yan troops stopped.

It was as if the prey was a ferocious lion. No one dared to go up to catch the prey. Generally, the lion was waiting for the lion to die by hunger and thirst. What's more, these were three hunters with their own thoughts. No one wanted to take the risk of catching the prey, but everyone wanted the best spoils, Li Guangbi's head.

During the siege of the heavy army, Li Guangbi's two thousand troops quickly formed a circle formation, with two large circles inside and outside, and the outer circle horses were one step apart, while the inner circle war horses were also one step apart, arranged in and out, so that both sides could enter and exit, forming two sections of shooting.

Each cavalry holds a newest crossbow in his hands.

This is a kind of crossbow that has just been developed for cavalry, which is quite similar to the later Divine Arm crossbow. It has a bow length of three feet and a string length of two feet and five feet and a range of three hundred steps, and an effective killing range of one hundred and eighty steps.

Its main difference lies in the way of winding. Generally, crossbow arrows are pulled back with force, and use foot pedals or arm strength. However, this crossbow arrow has a copper rod like a crowbar, which pulls the crowbar forward from the lower end. Using the principle of leverage, you can easily turn the string.

For infantry, this reverse winding method is not very practical, but it is different for cavalry. The crossbow arrow has a wooden handle, and the cavalry can hold the shield with one hand, and the cavalry can hold the handle with one hand. There is an iron ring-like thing on the edge of the cavalry's stirrup. This iron ring is the key to winding. It is specially added in conjunction with this kind of crossbow. Just insert the pry rod into the iron ring and lift it up with one hand. With just a "click" sound, the winding will be completed.

Arrows are also made of box crossbows. One box of twenty arrows. As long as the crossbow is horizontal and you use your index finger to push the cover of the arrow cover, a crossbow arrow will fall accurately into the arrow groove. Even if there is a slight deviation, it can be adjusted manually. The arrow is only seven inches, but it is sharper, faster, and has better armor penetration. This kind of crossbow riding is convenient, fast and powerful. Ten thousand crossbows have just been equipped into the army and are deeply loved by the cavalry. Because the arrow box is very similar to rhino horns, the cavalry also calls it the "Rhino Moon-looking Crossbow".

In addition, it has a unique handle, so many smart soldiers used the grooves on the shield to use this crossbow to shoot with one hand. This shooting method quickly became popular in the military camp and attracted the attention of military craftsmen. They began to study the cooperation between shields and crossbow arrows.

Two thousand cavalry formed two large circles inside and outside, and two thousand cavalry crossbows coldly aimed at the enemy troops three hundred steps away, and the two sides formed a confrontation.

But this confrontation lasted for only a moment. Li Guiren's army in the southwest launched the first attack. Then Cai Xide's army in the east also launched the attack. An Shouzhong's five thousand grain-protecting troops also came up, but the 10,000 Li Huaixian Army in the north did not move. They shook flags and shouted, drums and cheered, but none of them came out.

Li Huaixian's powerful general Li Riyue received the commander's instructions: not to send troops, in order to preserve his strength.

The 25,000 Yan troops rushed from three directions, with a storm of momentum, which was shocking, but Li Guangbi did not move. He had secret weapons and was not panicked. Seeing that although the army in the north shouted to kill Lian Tian, ​​Li Guangbi did not actually attack. He felt something in his mind, so he quickly adjusted the formation, from a circle formation to a half-moon formation, with a larger launch surface.

Although there were only two thousand Tang troops, they were as solemn as Mount Tai. They all looked cold and rode crossbows on their hands, aiming at the Yan army that was rushing towards them. They had no fear or desire to retreat. The powerful murderous aura emitted by the two thousand groups was no less than that of the 25,000 Yan army.

The Yan army was quickly rushing towards the Tang army, three hundred steps.

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Two hundred and fifty steps.

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Two hundred steps.

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At 180 steps, the cavalry was the first to enter the killing distance. A rapid sound of chungsten suddenly sounded among the Tang army. Following the sound of chungsten, a thousand crossbow arrows shot out like rain, and rushed towards the dense Yan cavalry. A group of people and horses were shot, hundreds of Yan cavalry were shot, and they fell to the ground and were in a mess. Then the cavalry in the inner circle urged the horse to step forward, and another thousand crossbow arrows shot out, as dense as rain, and three or four hundred cavalry were shot down.

Another thousand cavalry had already launched crossbow arrows and fired again. The Tang soldiers gradually understood that they no longer had one after another, but instead fired arrows side by side. Each of them formed a time difference with their comrades next to them. One round of arrows was shot, and another round of arrows was fired immediately.

Entering the ring, lifting the crossbow, falling into the groove, and shooting were almost done in one go. The movements were extremely skillful, so that the arrow formation did not stop at any time, as comfortable as the flowing water. The overwhelming arrows shot at the enemy army formation one by one. In just a hundred steps, six rounds of 12,000 arrows had been shot. The casualties of the cavalry were close to 5,000. Li Guiren's 8,000 cavalry collapsed first and withdrew from the siege.

An Shouzhong was also an experienced veteran. He was shocked to see that the crossbow arrows of the Tang cavalry were so sharp. Moreover, Li Huaixian's army did not participate in the siege, so there would be military loopholes on both sides, and the Tang army could escape calmly from these two loopholes.

He immediately shouted, "Get off!"

The sound of the gongs withdrew! Dang! Dang! Dang! The ground rang. The Yan army, who felt unfavorable, retreated like a tide and retreated three hundred steps away. When the Tang army's shooting did not stop, it shot densely at the ground. Thousands of Yan soldiers who were injured and struggling on the ground, as well as war horses lying on the ground, twitching blood. After a while, the battlefield was silent, and all the wounded soldiers and horses were shot and killed.

The Tang army soldiers were also injured by more than 30 people and were injured by the opponent's hawkish arrows, but none of them were killed. The battlefield became quiet and the two sides entered a new round of confrontation.

An Shouzhong rode his horse to the north and angrily scolded General Li Riyue and said, "The soldiers of the three armies all use their lives, why don't your troops come out?"

Li Riyue replied coldly: "The time is not right, the casualties are too great, and the gains are not worth the loss."

An Shouzhong was filled with anger and cursed: "You... bastard! If you hadn't sent troops, we wouldn't have suffered such casualties. You have selfish intentions!"

"General An!"

Li Riyue still said indifferently: "It is up to us to decide whether to send troops or not. You are not Young Master An and have no right to command us, so please do not overstep your authority."

"you!"

An Shouzhong was so angry that he shivered all over. He pulled out an arrow, broke it in two pieces, turned around and urged the horse to leave. Li Riyue glanced at the broken arrow on the ground and sneered disdainfully.

In the Tang army, Li Guangbi was extremely passionate. He loudly encouraged his soldiers, "Good example, it is worthy of being the Anxi Army. Mount Tai collapsed without being shocked. Let the dog thieves in the Yan army take a look at what is the world's number one army and what is it to block ten. Brothers, today we want the people of the world to know that the soldiers who came out of the Tochari battlefield are invincible!"

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On the official road, two thousand Tang troops were confronting 30,000 Yan troops, while the shouts of killing in the Yan army granary in Linming County were shocked. Linming originally had 8,000 Yan troops stationed, but An Shouzhong took away 5,000 people to ambush Li Guangbi, and another thousand cavalry went to disguise and carry food and grass. There were only two thousand troops left in the granary, and the troops were very weak.

At this time, a three thousand Tang army led by Yong Xihao, the general of Li Guangbi, broke through the desperate resistance of the Yan army to protect the grain and rushed into the heavy area of ​​the granary. Bags of turbulent oil were sprayed on the granary, and torches ignited the turbulent oil, and the flames rose into the air. The granaries were engulfed by the raging fires. The fires soared into the sky, illuminating the dark night sky. Red flames and rolling smoke could be seen a hundred miles away.

On the official road thirty miles away, the Tang army and the Yan army were still confronting each other. A Tang army suddenly pointed to the north and shouted: "General, General Yong has succeeded!"

The Yan army also discovered the change, and there was a sudden commotion. The troops were in an uproar. Everyone was stunned. An Shouzhong slapped his forehead heavily, and his eyes were in great pain. He was hit by Li Guangbi's plan to lure the tiger away from the mountain.

Seeing that the time was right, Li Guangbi shouted, "The sky-shaking laser shot out!"

Immediately, more than a dozen Tang army craftsmen unloaded a small stone shooting machine from their horses. The small stone shooting machine was divided into four parts and installed in a short while. Dozens of Tang army carried the small stone shooting machine dozens of steps away.

This stone shooting machine is like a large crossbow, which is ten feet long. It can shoot thirty kilograms of objects weighing 30 kilograms away with force.

The 20,000 Yan army was staring at them busy. No one knew what the Tang army was doing. Do they want to throw stones into battle? But there was only one stone shooting machine, what's the point?

A Tang soldier lit a black pumpkin-like thunder, and the fuse burned quickly. When it reached the scale of 300 steps, the stone-shooting machine fired. A dark sky-booming thunder drew an arc in the air, sniffing! Swish! The ground was emitting white smoke, shooting at the top of the most densely populated infantry group of Yan's army. This was Cai Xide's subordinate. More than 10,000 Yan soldiers looked up together and watched helplessly as the black sphere smashed towards their heads.

At this time, the two thousand Tang troops turned around and ran northward, rushed out one hundred and fifty steps away in one breath, and escaped the killing radius of the thunder. Many people blocked their ears, even the ears of the war horses blocked them.

An Shouzhong suddenly realized something was wrong, and he shouted, "Not good!"

As soon as the words were finished, the thunder exploded violently among the Yan army crowd. A red flame burst out, followed by a shocking explosion. Red light flashed, thick smoke rolled, and gray-white smoke rose into the air, quickly forming a mushroom cloud.

Under the triple blow of gunpowder, air waves and iron shells and broken leaves, the Yan army suffered heavy casualties. The center of the explosion was full of broken limbs and broken arms, broken heads, broken bodies, and soldiers killed by air waves. The injured soldiers lay all over the ground, with painful moans everywhere. The Yan army crowd was too dense, which made the killing effect of this thunder and earth reach the extreme. More than a thousand Yan soldiers were killed and injured.

But the shock caused by the shocking thunder was more frightened. The more than 20,000 Yan soldiers present were frightened. They had never seen such a powerful weapon, and it was simply anger of Thunder God.

Most of the soldiers were Hu people. They knelt on the ground and kowtowed desperately to beg for mercy. This was a punishment of heaven, a cruel punishment of heaven against them.

Although the Tang army was prepared, they were still shocked by the huge explosion that shook the sky thunder and quickly returned to normal. Li Guangbi waved his sword and shouted loudly: "Brothers! The time for heroes is coming, let the thieves tremble under our horse's hooves!"

The Tang army roared in unison, and two thousand horizontal swords cut out a huge murderous aura. The two thousand cavalrymen were as fast as thunder, sweeping towards the devastated Yan army with a devastated momentum.

The Yan army was in chaos, and they had no intention of resisting and collapsed in an instant. They ran around in scattered, crying and shouting, their heads rolling under the horse hooves of the Tang army, and the pleading sound turned into a scream of death.

Seeing that the Yan army was unable to resist, especially the granary he was responsible for had been burned by the Tang army. He knew that Li Guiren would not spare him, so he led two thousand confidant soldiers to flee to the southeast and defected to Tian Chengsi. Li Riyue was also shocked by the thunder of the sky. He was even more unwilling to fight, devoted himself to preserving his strength, and led 10,000 troops to quickly evacuate the battlefield.

The most miserable thing was the army of Li Guiren and Cai Xide, especially Li Guiren's army, which was the focus of the Tang army's attack and massacre. In this battle, the Yan army was killed and blood flowed into a river, and corpses were everywhere. More than 18,000 Yan army were killed in 35,000 people, while the Tang army had only two thousand cavalry. In the end, the two thousand Tang army cavalry were killed and injured less than two hundred, creating the most glorious battle in the Anshi Rebellion.
Chapter completed!