Chapter six hundred and seventy fourth interception
At dawn, Brother Richard finally got the news. Xiping Mansion sent people overnight to send intelligence. Thirty miles south of Xiping Mansion, a large number of Song Army cavalry was discovered, at least 50,000 people. Their intentions were unknown.
Brother Richard has rich experience. The Song cavalry discovered by Xiping Mansion is definitely not the army that attacked his manor. The distance and time do not match up. They are two armies. Adding the two together, the other party has sent more than 80,000 troops.
Brother Richard immediately signed an order to transfer the 100,000 white-armored troops outside the city into the city first.
Brother Richard immediately entered the palace to ask for an audience with the emperor.
After listening to Brother Richard's report calmly, Li Qianshun asked after a while: "What does the emperor think is the intention of the Song army to go north?"
Brother Richard bowed and said: "Brother Emperor, I believe that the Song Army sent cavalry northward, obviously not to attack the city, but if there is no benefit, they will not go north in a large scale. After repeated consideration, I believe that the other party's intention is Targeting various manors outside the city."
“How much material wealth will these estates have?”
Brother Richard shook his head, "These powerful people never tell the truth. I can't guess how much wealth they have, but they must have a lot of food. Alas! These powerful people would rather let the Song army take away the food than use it for support." own army."
"Then just watch the other party plunder all the manor?
"Brother Imperial, Xiping Mansion has discovered that tens of thousands of cavalry from the other side are heading north. They will soon reach Xingqing Mansion. If my brother guessed correctly, they are here to restrain us from sending troops to rescue the manor. My opinion is that we divide the troops into two groups. , one army went to rescue the manor, and another army confronted the Song army, and even a fierce battle broke out, please ask the emperor to make a decision."
Li Qianshun sighed, "We have been fighting against the Song Dynasty for many years. When the Song army comes to the city, it is simply a shame and a great humiliation. As the king of Xixia, I cannot accept this shame. Emperor brother, please send troops!"
"My brother obeys the order!"
.........
Brother Richard immediately sent 100,000 troops and ordered the capital commander Li Liangfu to lead 30,000 troops to rescue the manor. He personally led 70,000 troops south to intercept the Song Army's cavalry.
Gao Ding led 30,000 cavalrymen to sweep across the Hetao Plain of the Yellow River. In just one day and one night, he destroyed ten manor houses, annihilated more than 40,000 villagers, liberated more than 300,000 Han slaves, and seized money, food, and wealth. Counting millions, there were also various kinds of property, soldiers and armor, and countless livestock, cattle and sheep, including 15,000 camels alone. Seventy-seven large flat-bottomed ships were also captured.
Gaoding ordered the 14,000 cavalry to be divided into ten teams, led by Tang Qian, to continue raiding other small and medium-sized estates. The remaining 20,000 cavalry were responsible for transporting more than 300,000 Han slaves and a large amount of supplies to the west bank of the Yellow River.
At this time, the commander Zhao Xiaoyi also rushed to the west bank of the Yellow River with 30,000 camels. Including the captured camels, 45,000 camels were carrying money, food and supplies, and more than 250 large flat-bottomed boats were used to transport the elderly, weak, women and children, and tens of thousands more were transported. A mule and a donkey were also used for the old man's transportation.
Even so, half of the money and food supplies could not be transported away. The Song Army simply used more than 5,000 large-scale leather rafts seized to transport them. From the first group of people set off at dawn in the morning, by the first watch in the evening, the last batch of supplies was transported. They loaded onto their rafts and set off. The team was more than 40 miles long, guarded by 20,000 cavalry, and headed south in a mighty manner.
Li Liangfu once led an army of 100,000 to attack Ganquan Fort, but was defeated by Song's military attack. After returning to Xixia, he has been silent, but the emperor Li Qianshun admired him very much, and this time he named him as Brother Richard's deputy general.
Li Liangfu was over sixty years old, but he was very efficient in his work. He received the order in the morning and set off with 30,000 troops at noon.
In the middle of the West Yellow River is the vast and fertile Hetao Plain. Gaoding led more than 300,000 people to cross the West Yellow River, while Li Liangfu led his army to cross the East Yellow River.
Thousands of Xixia soldiers used rafts to build pontoon bridges. Tang Qian had always suspected that a large number of ferries were hidden in the city. In fact, this was not the case. There was no water gate in Xixia, and more than 300 large ships were all hidden in various manors. They had been captured by the Song army.
There are more than 250 ships, and there are not many big ships left.
But the pontoon bridge had just been built and the troops had not yet boarded the boat. Two large ships suddenly appeared upstream, each with dozens of Song soldiers on board. The ships were very fast and rushed towards the pontoon bridge. Li Liangfu was shocked.
He shouted urgently: "Soldiers rush up and shoot arrows!"
Gu Yu
But it was too late. As soon as the two thousand soldiers ran to the pontoon bridge, two large ships hit the pontoon bridge heavily, breaking the pontoon bridge into three parts. The Song soldiers immediately set fire to it. They poured kerosene on the pontoon bridge, ignited the fire, and broke it.
The pontoon suddenly burst into flames.
Li Liangfu was dumbfounded, but they had many rafts. Since building a pontoon bridge was not possible, he immediately ordered medium-sized rafts to be launched into the water. Six thousand rafts entered the Yellow River, each carrying four to five soldiers. The soldiers rowed
The raft sailed towards the other shore.
This move was really powerful, and the two large ships were able to stay far away. The water of the Yellow River was covered with dense black spots. Although the river was more than ten miles wide, the wind was calm and the current was gentle, making it very suitable for boating.
In less than half an hour, most of the rafts gradually approached the other bank. At this moment, countless Song Army cavalry suddenly appeared on the other bank. They lit the reeds along the bank, and the fire started. The west bank was suddenly blazing with fire and thick smoke filled the air.
Hundreds of rafts stuck in the reeds were surrounded by fire and had no way forward and back. The soldiers jumped into the water to escape.
In the diffuse smoke, Liu Qiong led the Song cavalry to rush and shoot arrows, but their targets were the rafts and the Xixia soldiers struggling in the water.
Generally, there is a wooden board on the raft, but the wooden board is relatively thin and does not provide buoyancy, but is only a fixed support. Balance is very important for the raft, especially this medium-sized raft that can carry four or five people. Once the sheepskin raft underneath leaks,
If there is too much air, the entire raft will lose its balance.
Arrows were flying like rain, rafts kept overturning, and soldiers fell into the water.
The rafts in the rear turned around one after another and returned to the east bank. Except for a few soldiers who fell into the water, they swam back to the other side holding sheepskin bags. The other three thousand soldiers who fell into the water were all shot by Song cavalry or drowned in the Yellow River.
For a time, Li Liangfu was at his wits' end. There were actually 10,000 cavalry blocking him on the other side. No matter where he crossed the river, he could not escape the enemy's interception.
.........
Sixty thousand Song Army cavalry appeared about 30 miles south of Xingqing Mansion. Chen Qing received news from the scouts that the Xixia Army had sent troops. He immediately led an 80,000 backup army northward. Twenty miles away from the 60,000 Song Army Cavalry,
Waiting for the battle between the two armies.
At this time, the 60,000-strong army was divided into three square formations, arranged in an inverted "pin" shape in a wilderness, about ten miles in length. It was magnificent, the autumn wind was blowing, and the army's battle flags were flying.
A long black line also appeared in the distance, and King Richard of Jin led 70,000 Xixia troops.
These 70,000 troops are Xixia's elite cavalry, including his own 30,000 cavalry, the 20,000 cavalry who retreated from Shazhou, and the 20,000 cavalry of the Tuoba tribe. In comparison, the 30,000 troops led by Li Liangfu are all
They were Dangxiang herdsmen recruited by various tribes. They were very weak-willed and turned around and retreated when they encountered slight setbacks in the Yellow River.
The 70,000 Xixia army slowly approached, getting closer and closer. The distance between the two armies was only three miles. At this time, a cavalry rushed over and handed Liu Cui a warrant. Liu Cui checked the warrant and found that it belonged to Chen Qing.
The order only has four words, 'Take the initiative!'
Liu Cui drew his sword and shouted: "Beat the drum and go to war!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The earth-shattering drums beat, and the 60,000 cavalrymen raised their spears and shields and shouted, suddenly launching into action.
Brother Richard also raised his sword and shouted: "For Xixia's century-old glory, kill!"
'Woo--Woo--'
The low horns kept blowing, and the 70,000-strong army was launched. The overwhelming Xixia cavalry faced the Song army and killed them.