The low thunder in the distance kept coming, and Guo Dajing couldn't help but feel relieved. Although the army also had the strength to break through Crow Falcon Pass on its own, the effect of a flanking attack from two sides increased the certainty of victory.
After pondering for a long time, Guo Dajing mobilized hundreds of artillerymen and carried ten field guns to Crow Falcon Pass to cooperate with the special operations battalion to launch an attack.
The battle formation has been deployed, and the sentinels kept reporting back and forth about the fierce fighting with Jianlu's pursuing troops.
Sentinels have already climbed up the mountain and used telescopes to look out and grasp the approximate strength of the Jianlu troops. This gave Guo Dajing and other generals increased confidence in the victory of the counterattack and adjusted the battle plan.
Guo Dajing dismissed his men, went to a quiet place in the forest, and took out more than two thousand rockets from the space. After coming out, he called in the artillery and asked them to move them into the forest, and then he returned to the command position with his own soldiers.
With more than four thousand rockets, even if they are all used up, as long as the pursuing enemy is defeated, this long-distance attack deep behind the enemy's rear can be concluded perfectly.
"Shuai Guo, the formation has been adjusted." Mao Chenglu came to report, pointed with his finger, and said with a bad smile: "The enemy has been left with space to deploy, but not all the troops."
If Jianlu continued his pursuit, he would emerge from a road with mountains and forests on both sides and arrive at an open wilderness area more than two miles ahead.
According to the normal distance between the two armies in ancient times, it was only about three to five hundred meters. But for the Dongjiang Army, which has a longer strike distance, it can be completely covered.
To put it simply, if the enemy and our troops maintain a distance of one mile, the rockets can hit nearly two miles behind the enemy's formation. The enemy's battle formations and even the road behind them are all within the striking range.
The area left for Jianlu to set up an array should not be enough for seven or eight thousand men and horses. In other words, unless Jianlu were arranged very closely, or part of them would be deployed in the wild, the other part would have to stay on the road.
It is wide in front and narrow in the back, like a trumpet. Guo Dajing left this rather awkward position for Jianlu. Once Jianlu was defeated, he would have to crowd to the main road, which is the narrowest trumpet.
The battle plan is also very simple. Use powerful firepower to defeat the pursuing Jianlu in one fell swoop, and inflict heavy damage on them as much as possible to prevent them from pursuing any more.
Without the plan of total annihilation, the more complex the battle plan, the more likely it is that accidents will occur. Guo Dajing wanted to fight in the simplest and most direct way, which could boost the fighting will of the soldiers and undermine the confidence of the captives.
You can't attack if you rely on strong defense, and if you fight in the field, you will still fail. So what other methods and means can Jianlu have to win?
In response to Mao Chenglu's showoff, Guo Dajing smiled and nodded, saying: "General Mao, you will command this battle, and I will hold the battle from behind."
Mao Chenglu bowed and said: "Commander Guo, don't worry, we will definitely live up to our expectations and defeat Jianlu."
Guo Dajing smiled and said: "General Mao has experienced hundreds of battles, why should I be worried? Go ahead, I am waiting for a happy victory here."
Mao Chenglu cupped his hands, reined in his horse and drove away.
After the Jianlu troops arrived, they did not have to wait for them to take the initiative to attack. The troops would use full firepower and start a fierce attack.
Artillery and rockets are basically concentrated here, and the number of rockets dropped at one time will reach more than two hundred. This kind of firepower intensity is almost the same as the Zunhua War.
From a firepower perspective, it should indeed be an enjoyable battle.
Fang Zhenghua followed Guo Dajing honestly, and he was about to witness another battle. He was more excited than he appeared.
Jiannu once roamed the Gyeonggi area, and the Dongjiang Army marched hundreds of miles and penetrated Jianzhou. This scene was repeated in Jiannu's lair. How happy would the emperor be when he found out?
"Guo Shuai." Fang Zhenghua swallowed dryly, relieved his tension, and suggested: "Should we show the commander's flag to intimidate Jianlu?"
Guo Dajing laughed twice and said, "Eunuch Fang is too flattering. How can Guo have such a great reputation?"
Fang Zhenghua shook his head and said seriously: "Shuai Guo has never suffered a defeat against Jianlu, and the Zunhua War has been heard both at home and abroad. Doesn't his illustrious name have a deterrent effect?"
Guo Dajing scratched his head and said: "It is better to raise the flag after passing the test, so as not to put more pressure on Mao Shuai."
After a pause, he added with a smile: "Since Guo is so powerful, don't scare away Jianlu who bumps into you!"
Fang Zhenghua suddenly understood, nodded repeatedly, and said: "Yes, yes, showing weakness to the enemy is a good strategy!"
Guo Dajing smiled and said nothing. He felt that this Eunuch Fang was a bit arrogant. Perhaps he was overconfident. After several battles, he already looked down upon Jianlu.
In fact, Fang Zhenghua had overwhelming confidence in Guo Dajing. As long as Guo Dajing was in command, he felt that he was sure of victory.
And this kind of mentality has unknowingly arisen in the hearts of many Dongjiang Army soldiers.
As the saying goes: A general is the courage of a soldier, and a soldier is the power of a general. If a general is brave, the soldiers will be brave; if the soldiers dare to fight, the general will be more powerful.
There is a similar saying in the West: A flock of sheep led by lions can defeat a flock of lions led by sheep.
The best example is in Liao Town. There were generals who couldn't cower. How could they train soldiers who dared to fight? They all huddled in the city and relied on the city's cannons to save their lives.
Regardless of whether it is personal superstition or worship, Dongjiang Town and even the Ming Dynasty need such a leading hero.
In the past, Mao Wenlong could barely stabilize people's hearts and unite the military and civilians in Dongjiang Town. Guo Dajing's rapid rise has become even more dazzling, and he is quickly replacing Mao Wenlong's position in the hearts of the military and civilians in Dongjiang Town.
Not only in Dongjiang Town, after the Zunhua War, Guo Dajing's name and the achievements of the Dongjiang Army have been heard by both the government and the public, and he has become famous at home and abroad.
Here they were ready for a decisive battle, but Du Du's troops were blocked and had no choice but to retreat again.
As he expected, the artillery fire struck again, just when the obstacles were broken through, the troops were densest, and they were about to engage in close combat with the enemy.
The casualties were close to 1,000, which was a greater defeat and heavier losses than Turg's. Dudu led his troops to retreat slightly, but was still unwilling to do so because he heard the sound of enemy artillery attacking Crow Falcon Pass in the distance.
"No matter what, our army will continue to attack and contain the enemy."
Du Du met with Jilharang and Turge again and gave his advice, "We cannot allow the enemy to attack the pass calmly and let the defenders fight alone. If I remember correctly, there should be open fields in front of the pass. For
It is more advantageous for our army to fight."
"Master Baile is right. Not far ahead, there is an open area." Turg immediately agreed.
"The Exotic Land Development of Vegetable-Growing Skeletons"
Jierhalang nodded vigorously and said: "If this is the case, then we will fight repeatedly and not let the enemy have a chance to breathe."
At this point in the battle, the enemy had made a desperate move, which was to break through the barrier. If they wanted to stop it with all their strength, they could only continue the attack regardless of casualties.
Leaving behind the wounded again, Jianlu regrouped and continued to move forward. There was no need for them to attack, and the enemy who blocked them had already retreated.
"Layered interceptions are consuming our troops." Jirhalang was a little helpless, but he also raised hope, "But we are not far from Crow Falcon Pass, and the enemy's room for maneuver is getting smaller and smaller."
Du Du pondered for a moment and said: "Two or three thousand troops should be left to build fortifications here to prevent the enemy from breaking through and launching a desperate counterattack."
Turge blinked and said hesitantly: "We are weak when we divide our troops. Our army should not have an advantage in terms of strength."
Jirhalang stroked his forehead, thought for a while, and said: "Leave a thousand men and horses to build fortifications. If our army cannot withstand it, we will have a basis to stabilize our position if we retreat."
If it weren't for Du Du's concern, Jierhalang wouldn't even want to keep a thousand people.
If you want to fight, you go all out. Even if you fail, you still try your best. This way, you have to attack the enemy from both sides, but you are also afraid of the enemy's counterattack. Looking forward and backward makes Jierhalang secretly sigh in his heart.
When did senior generals feel so self-conscious and fearful of the enemy? They no longer had the momentum to move forward.
Alas, why am I not like this? I have always been cautious. What is the difference between me and Du Du?
Jierhalang calmed down his emotions, dispatched his troops, and the vanguard and the main force joined forces and moved forward in pursuit.
Can Guo Dajing's troops really be restrained and the defenders of Crow Falcon Pass be able to hold on longer? Jierhalang, Du Du and others could not have imagined that Crow Falcon Pass was already in danger.
Guo Dajing's troops only used part of their strength, but concentrated the main force and were waiting for them to crash into them.
To the east of Crow Falcon Pass, the special operations battalion broke through the third pass in one fell swoop, then took advantage of the victory to advance and storm the second pass.
At the first pass, the three thousand troops supported by field artillery and rockets no longer limited themselves to blocking the defenders from leaving the city, but began a formal attack.
The enemy defenders at Crow Falcon Pass were forced to divide their troops into two groups and resisted desperately at the first and second passes. Under the fierce artillery fire, they were completely at a disadvantage.
Heavy cannonballs hit the fort gate again. As debris flew across the gate, the dilapidated fort gate collapsed. From the outside, panic-stricken captives could be seen running and screaming.
Boom, boom, boom... The field artillery was spitting out clouds of flames, and the solid shells hit the city wall with huge impact. The gravel flew out, causing constant casualties to the Jianlu.
Dozens of rockets flew into the sky again, crossed the city wall, and fell into the pass. After the explosion, fireworks rose, exacerbating the chaos in the pass.
The heavy musketeers had already approached the city wall, firing rows of heavy lead bullets at the city wall. The counterattacks on the city wall were getting weaker and weaker, and the arrows fired were becoming increasingly sparse.
The Jianlu at the second pass also fell into a bitter battle. Under the bombardment of mortars, the stubborn Jianlu inside the pass continued to suffer casualties. In addition to the frontal attack, the special operations battalion also sent small groups of troops to climb the cliff. This was for the Jianlu at the two passes.
In the valley where cliffs face each other, the second barrier made of stone is the most deadly means of attack.
The Jianlu at Crow Falcon Pass were already at an absolute disadvantage in terms of military strength; in terms of firepower, they were even more difficult to match. Under attack from both front and rear, failure was a foregone conclusion, but it was just a matter of time.
"Block the fort gate, block the fort gate." Jia La'e Zhen Saltai roared and hurriedly mobilized his troops.
A raging fire has been ignited in the pass. The houses where the prisoners were built and the warehouses where food supplies were stored all burst into flames under the constant bombardment of rockets. The fire spread and was completely uncontrollable.
Even if the enemy couldn't rush in, Saltai knew that it would be difficult to hold on. If the food and supplies were burned, would he starve to death in the pass?
But he knew that he must continue to resist and could not escape through the mountains and forests. Because the enemy would not wait for the defenders to abandon the pass and retreat because they ran out of ammunition and food. They were trapped in Jianzhou and must break through the pass as soon as possible.
Boom! The simple wooden and silk city tower, which was not spectacular, was continuously hit by cannonballs and finally collapsed. The remaining wood and bricks fell down, raising dust and dust all over the sky, killing and injuring some of the nearby captives.
"Guard the city gate with all your strength!" Saltai just glanced at the city gate shrouded in dust and smoke, then withdrew his gaze and sent out another team of men.
Although the enemy has strong firepower and many troops, the lack of siege equipment should be the biggest flaw. They don't even have ladders, so they can only attack through the city gate.
You should know that the first pass is in a valley, and the city wall extends to the left and right, directly reaching the mountain ridges on both sides, which is more dangerous than the second pass.
Although the city gate was bombed, Saltai felt that there was still hope. The first was to block it with carts, wood and other debris, and the second was to form an array to block it inside the pass.
In his heart, he was worried about the second level. If it was breached by the enemy, he would be directly attacked from both front and rear.
The fire became more intense, and the scorching air waves made people uncomfortable. Saltai gave up the hope of putting out the fire, recalled his troops and built a defensive line at the gate, preparing to fight with the enemy who rushed into the gate with more troops and fewer enemies.
However, the enemies outside the pass were not in a hurry to launch a charge. Seeing that there were only a few defenders on the city wall, they also weakened their bombardment, as if they were waiting for the fire inside the pass to complete their task of seizing the pass.
But Saltai did not feel the slightest relief, because the second pass was lost due to the enemy's fierce bombardment and superior force attack, and only a few hundred people escaped back in embarrassment.
The enemy pursued them to the first pass almost front and back, and quickly launched an attack. The situation at the first pass suddenly became serious.
Saltai had just finished adjusting his deployment when the enemy had already set up mortars and launched a bombardment into the pass.
Cannonballs landed on the city walls and passes, rolling and bouncing, and soon exploded.
This was a very beneficial blow. The Jianlu who gathered at the city gate were originally in a blind spot from the rocket attack. But when the mortars came from behind, they could not avoid them.
Similarly, Jianlu, who was preparing to block the attack at the city gate on the other side, was also attacked by rockets and had to scatter to avoid them.
At this time, the attack teams on both sides were able to observe each other's movements and began to communicate and respond using flag rockets and sounds.
Boom, boom, boom! After a series of loud noises, the east city gate was blown open by the commando team with mines, and three flag-flower rockets quickly flew into the sky.
After a while, the siege troops to the west responded by firing three flag-flower rockets, stopped the bombardment, and the musketeers launched an attack.
Jianlu resisted desperately and in vain, and engaged in a fierce and bloody close combat with the enemy at the city gate.
The sound of gunshots was like exploding beans, and the shouts of killing were loud. Both the enemy and ours lay corpses on the pillows at the city gate, but the victory was already decided, and the outnumbered Jianlu could no longer save themselves from the fate of defeat.