A cannonball flew over from a distance with a sharp whistling sound, crossed the city wall, and then hit the middle of the city heavily.
The moment it hit the ground, the cannonball bounced up again, as if a stubborn enemy knew that he was destined to die, but still wore iron armor and carried a weapon and rushed towards the enemy.
But in front of the cannonball, there was no enemy, only a series of ruins. The cannonball penetrated many ruins, finally exhausted its kinetic energy, and slowly stopped.
This turned out to be a house, the residence of most of the soldiers in the military fort. A few days before the war began, these houses had been destroyed by the cannonballs and stones that fell into the city day and night, but they survived from that day.
No one knows how many of these soldiers are still alive today.
There are more than 7,000 troops stationed in Xiguanbao, and the total number of civilians in the city exceeds 10,000. Today, less than half of them are still standing on the city wall, preparing to resist the Tartar siege.
The only belief that supported the persistence of this city full of soldiers was that they were convinced that they would have reinforcements.
No matter whether the reinforcements come from Jinzhou or Liaoyang, as long as they hold on to the city, they can hope to survive. If they give up, Xiguan Fort will turn into a hell on earth in an instant.
"Everyone, stay alert, the Tatars are coming!"
The several Franco machine cannons installed on the top of the city have long been turned into waste. The cannons were out of gunpowder and shells more than ten days ago. The gunners who used to operate the cannons are now like ordinary soldiers, picking up swords and guns.
Facing the enemy at the top of the city.
In the distance, a dense crowd of people came towards the city wall on the side of gunner Yang Zhao. Yang Zhao held the spear tightly in his hand and stared calmly ahead.
The first time he fought face to face with a Tartar, the spear in his hand was almost soaked with sweat. He even stabbed the Tartar who climbed up to the top of the city with a shot, but before he could take back the spear, he was almost fired by the opponent.
Take the body down to the city.
But it was really thrilling. At that moment, he thought he was dead. However, at the last moment, he still withdrew his spear and kicked the Tatar hard into the city.
Of course, the price he paid was the knife the Tatar gave him on his thigh when he was about to die, and he still hasn't healed yet.
Now, of course, he won't be nervous anymore. Anyway, he just listens to the orders from above and stabs the Tatars who climb up the city. After being besieged for so many days, all the various defensive equipment in the city are almost exhausted.
Now, there isn’t much fancy work to do, it’s just hard work.
"Be careful to avoid the arrows. They don't have a ladder and can't get up!"
One of them was always shouting there. He glanced at the other person and then at the companions around him, and found that everyone, like him, looked like they didn't care at all. Some guys even had their knives tucked under the creaking nest.
I haven't even taken my hands out of my clothes yet.
The weather is really too cold. Putting your hands in your clothes is always warmer than outside.
"If you are not afraid of death, come and see how the Tatars climb the city!"
Someone shouted loudly, and everyone suddenly had a knowing smile on their face. The weather was so cold, and the equipment used to defend the city was almost exhausted. The order from above was to water the city wall over and over again. Now on the outer wall of the city wall
The ice is as thick as a palm.
Although the Tatars outside looked menacing, without ladders and shields, they were just showing off, running to the bottom of the city and shooting a few arrows. If they really wanted to attack the city, they would have to rely on those big guys. However, those big guys were dispatched.
If so, it's hard to say whether I can survive today.
Several times, the Tatars only needed to work harder and seemed to be able to break through Xiguan Fort. But every time when the critical moment came, the Tatars would retreat inexplicably, and then, as if venting their anger, they would rush towards the city.
Use catapults to smash rocks or fire cannons.
So far, the whole military fort is the safest, and the city wall is the safest. At least, it is much better than staying in the city and being stoned to death without knowing when.
The Tatars who rushed into the bow and arrow range still fired arrows at the city. Except for a few lookouts on the city top, most of them hid their bodies behind the walls. Yang Zhao felt a little regretful. If he
If the Folang machine cannon can still be used, if you fire a few shots at the outside at this time, you can really hit a large area with one shot!
What a pity!
"Back off, back off!"
Before a stick of incense could be used, the lookout shouted, and General Yang Zhao went out to spy out. Sure enough, the dark Tartars were retreating back. He stretched his body and said, "Okay, the fight is over for today!"
The attack was so loud and powerful that people were busy for a while, and the casualties on both sides were almost zero. This situation has been going on for several days.
The Tartars outside the city and the people in the city seemed to be at a stalemate.
"Boss, why don't you go down and warm yourself by the fire?"
The brothers beside him were members of his artillery team. Unlike others, the people in his artillery team only assisted in defending the city. They had no fixed fighting positions and were relatively free.
He nodded, took his brothers with him, said hello to the side, and walked down the city wall.
There was a fire at the base of the city wall, and many people were huddled here to warm themselves up. There were already cases of people freezing to death in the city, and countless people suffered frostbite on their hands and feet. He didn't want himself and his brother to become one of them.
He would not miss the opportunity to warm up.
"Give way, give way!" He approached the fire and stretched out his hand without hesitation. His brother carried back a broken door panel from nowhere, split it open and threw it into the fire.
"From the artillery team?"
An officer on the opposite side looked at them sideways and said: "The city has been bombarded by the Tartars. Why don't you think of a way to kill them and still have the nerve to warm yourself?"
"Give me gunpowder and cannonballs, and I'll do it to you now!" Yang Zhao said without raising his head. He had experienced many such questionings and now he didn't care at all.
The people warming themselves by the fire fell silent, and suddenly, someone's stomach rumbled a few times.
"At least, there is still food now!" the officer muttered: "Our reinforcements won't wait until we all starve to death before coming back!"
"hehe!"
"Why are you sneering!" The officer suddenly became angry: "I can't help but think that you bunch of cowards are useless and just a waste of food!"
"I laugh at you for being simple-minded!" Yang Chao said without politeness at all: "If there were reinforcements at this time, they would have arrived long ago. Does it take more than a month to get to us from Liaoyang?"
"Fuck you, you cowards are shaking the morale of the army!" The officer was furious: "Kill these cowards to death, I will bear the responsibility if anything happens!"
"Who dares!" Someone shouted loudly: "Where are the people from the artillery team? Someone is bullying our people!"
A melee suddenly broke out after a few quarrels. By the time the guerrilla leaders in charge of military discipline arrived, more than a dozen people from both sides had been beaten to the ground with bruises and swollen faces.
Fights during wartime were both trivial matters and major matters. Without exception, those who participated in the fights were beaten with several sticks, while Yang Zhao and the officer were given double lashes.
"Do we really have no reinforcements?"
The two people with bruises and swollen faces were leaning against the base of the city wall, as if they had forgotten what had just happened. The officer came closer to Yang Zhao and said, "Don't be yin and yang, tell me the truth!"
"The truth is, if the Tartars really wanted to capture us, they would have captured us long ago!" Yang Zhao sighed: "I don't want to die, and I also want reinforcements to come, but I'm afraid the Tartars also want to wait for our reinforcements to arrive.
of!"
He shook his head: "Maybe, the reinforcements have already arrived, but they were stopped by the Tartars halfway! Do you think our frozen city wall can stop the tens of thousands of Tartars outside?"
"So, none of us can survive?" A stern look appeared on the officer's face: "I have lived enough, and I have killed two Tatars. That's enough!"
"Leave it to fate!" Yang Zhao smiled bitterly and shook his head: "I haven't lived enough yet. No matter how many Tatars I kill, I feel like I haven't lived enough yet!"
In the distance, there was another whistling sound. The officer shrank his neck and subconsciously wanted to find a place to hide.
Yang Zhao shook his head lightly: "It's a catapult, just a thing to scare people. Don't worry, there's nothing in our military fort for them to smash!"
Liaoyang City, Governor's Mansion!
A general knelt in front of Lu Xiangsheng, knocking his head on the bluestone floor in front of him, making a loud banging sound.
"Governor, please send troops to rescue Xiguan. The General of the Army sent a group of generals out to ask for help. It was my brothers who sent me to the Governor with their orders. Our Lord of the Army said that if Liaoyang does not send troops,
, the whole army in Xiguan will definitely be destroyed!"
Lu Xiangsheng sat on the chair expressionlessly, his eyes moved slightly, and Lu Xiong beside him stepped forward and forcibly helped the general opposite him up.
"Whether or not to send troops, how to send troops, naturally I have the planning and decision-making, it will be useless even if you smash your head here!" Lu Xiangsheng said coldly: "How did you get out of the city, and how did you encounter the Tatars?
Tell me the details of the situation, and also explain clearly the situation in Xiguan Fort. I don’t want your judgment, only what you saw and heard!"
The officer calmed down his emotions and spoke slowly...
After a while, Lu Xiangsheng nodded: "Okay, you can retreat and rest for now. There is no need to go back to Xiguan. The war in Liaoyang is also tense. I will appoint you later!"
After the officer left, Lu Xiangsheng fell into silence. Lu Xiong was aside and did not dare to disturb Lu Xiangsheng's thinking.
"Keep an eye on him and the people he brings. Don't let them come into contact with other people. News from Xiguan must be tightly blocked!"
After a while, Lu Xiangsheng slowly said: "Xiguan, we can't hold it anymore!"
"Master, let them withdraw. There are thousands of them. Even if Xiguan cannot be defended, these people can increase our strength by returning to Liaoyang!"
Lu Xiong nodded and said: "Since the people who asked for help can come out, then if they are caught by surprise, they may not be able to fight their way out. When the time comes, we will send troops to respond..."
"No!"
Lu Xiangsheng narrowed his eyes slightly: "The Tartars thought the same way. They were just waiting for us to get into trouble and those who asked for help could come over. That was the Tartars who let them come over. If the Tartars deliberately prevented them from coming over, then Xiguan
You can surround them like iron barrels, huh, learn from me, the Ming Dynasty, in using tactics, these barbarians are still far behind..."
"The soldiers and horses in Xiguan..."
Lu Xiong swallowed hard, probably because he was his master's confidant, so his master would not hide his thoughts in front of him, but when he wanted to see the military fortress with thousands of people,
He couldn't bear to just sit back and watch them die.
"Compassion does not command troops!" Lu Xiangsheng's face became solemn: "The meaning of the existence of Xiguan Fort is to defend Liaoyang and respond to Liaoyang. If I ignore the safety of Liaoyang and send troops to save them, then I am putting the cart before the horse!"
"The general died in hundreds of battles. The Xiguan soldiers should have had this consciousness from the day they were stationed in Xiguan!" Lu Xiangsheng said solemnly: "What I can do is to guard Liaoyang and make their death meaningful!"
"master……"
"Xiguan is in danger, Liaoyang sent troops to rescue Xiguan, but I, Liaoyang, are not optimistic now, who will rescue me, Liaoyang..."
"master……"
"There is no need to persuade me anymore. I have decided this. In the future, I will have a clear conscience even if the court calls me guilty!"
"No, sir!" Lu Xiong waved his hands anxiously: "What I mean is that it has been more than a month and there has been no movement at all in Dongjiang Town. Otherwise, we should send people to ask for help. If they just sit back and ignore it,
, when the time comes, I can ask the court to take a copy of them!"
What he said was not very clear, but Lu Xiangsheng understood. If the same thing happened to Dongjiang Town, then it would be easier for him, Lu Xiangsheng, to be in the court.
In the front, even if the battle situation is unfavorable, the blame can be placed on his head.
After all, Liaoyang has been supporting it for more than a month and has tried its best.
"You don't understand..." Lu Xiangsheng shook his head: "It's not time to ask Jiang Wan for help, and we in Liaoyang can still persist. Even if Jiang Wan sends troops at this moment to break the siege of Liaoyang and the Tartars retreat, it will have a negative impact on the overall situation.
Nothing has changed!"
There was a sharp look in his eyes: "The overall situation remains unchanged. The Tartars can come this year, next year, and every year. I don't know how many good men will die in Ming Dynasty, and the people don't know how much torture they will suffer..."
Lu Xiong scratched his head. He really didn't understand what his master was saying. At this time, isn't it normal to ask for help? Moreover, Jiang Wan and his master seemed to appreciate each other. Dongjiang Town was not as urgent as Liaoyang. He
Reinforcements should be sent out!
"However, although it is not a request for help, it can indeed let Dongjiang Town know the situation in Liaoyang!" Lu Xiangsheng pondered for a moment: "It's just that the Tartars around Liaoyang may not be as easy as the Tartars in Xiguan to let me go in Liaoyang.
The soldiers and horses have passed!"
"Leave it to the younger one to arrange this!"
When Lu Xiong heard this, he immediately felt something in his heart: "Send a few more scout teams, and don't be afraid of even taking a detour. There will always be one or two who can deliver the news!"
"Try your best. If you can't send the news at all, don't force it!" Lu Xiangsheng nodded: "If it's not as expected, Dongjiang Town should always pay attention to the battle situation in Liaoyang and just communicate with us.
It’s just that there is no news. At this time, even if I don’t believe Jiang Wan, I can only believe him. I hope there is still a trace of tacit understanding between me and him!”