Although Luoyang City is surrounded by Xiongguan Guards, Hangu Pass in the west, Hulao Pass in the east, and Yique Pass in the south, with the Yellow River and Beimang Mountain as its back, Luoyang City itself is not difficult to break, mainly because it has a huge
The defensive loophole is Luoshui.
It was not realistic to attack the city. Luoyang City also stored tens of thousands of barrels of kerosene and hundreds of thousands of dans of wheat straw, enough to burn the attacking Song soldiers into black charcoal.
But if the Song army attacks Luoshui, the threat to Luoyang City will be greater.
Luoshui is not a moat a few feet wide, it is as wide as a hundred feet, passing through the city and dividing Luoyang City into two. If the Song army's warships attacked Luoyang City along Luoshui, the army would directly enter the city.
Zhe Keqiu was also well aware of this loophole. He organized civilians to lay hundreds of wooden stakes in the Luoshui River in the city to prevent the Song army's ships from entering the city. At the same time, he built a pontoon bridge with boats and iron chains to lock the river. Each pontoon bridge deployed a
Thousands of soldiers, storing a large amount of fire oil, became the second line of defense.
Although the wooden defense line is far from as strong and strong as the city wall, it is not that easy to breach.
In particular, Zhe Keqiu deployed two river-blocking iron cables on the east and west sides, manned by two hundred soldiers.
At this time, Zhe Keqiu was standing on the west city wall. This was the Broken City, and in front was Luoshui. The hundred-foot-wide Luoshui River flowed into Luoyang City from between the two broken cities.
Zhe Keqiu was also worried. Wang Zan was killed in battle, and the entire army of 10,000 people was destroyed. The Song army had surrounded Luoyang City. He knew that he had no way out. The Song army did not write him a letter to persuade him to surrender. He would die if he fell into the hands of the Song army.
undoubtedly.
Zhe Keqiu also made a desperate move. Wanyan Wushu and Wanyan Chang could not just watch the Song army attack Luoyang. They would definitely take action. As long as he could defend Luoyang, they would usher in the final victory.
Inspired by faith, Zhe Keqiu devoted his whole mind to the defense of Luoyang City, and the defense of Luoshui became the top priority.
"Commander, I have an idea!" Commander Ding Hengshan whispered.
Zhe Keqiu glanced at him, "What do you think?"
Ding Hengshan pointed to Luoshui Road under the city: "I think it is meaningless to deploy kerosene on the west pontoon bridge. The west side is downstream. If the kerosene is thrown out, it will flow back and burn the wooden piles and pontoon bridge."
Zhe Keqiu nodded, it did make sense. He smiled and asked, "What do you think?"
"I think the west side should use gunpowder barrels and boulders, shoot them down from the city wall, and directly use the gunpowder barrels to sink the enemy's boats."
Another general next to him said: "If the Song army's ship is full of kerosene and it blows up and capsizes, the kerosene will still float over."
Zhe Keqiu nodded, and it made sense. The Song Army was upstream. No matter which plan was used, the kerosene would drift downstream, so the key was still to intercept the kerosene.
Ding Hengshan also knew the key here, and made a new suggestion, "I suggest you pull two iron cables on the water. In front of the iron cables, there are all kinds of broken garbage, such as vegetable leaves, leather, etc., which will float on the water.
But it is not easy to burn. If it is spread a few feet wide, the opponent's ships and kerosene will drift in, and it will be blocked. It will burn and burn, but the flames will not enter the city."
Zhe Keqiu nodded repeatedly and said happily: "This plan can be adopted!"
Zhe Keqiu immediately ordered: "Go and implement this plan!"
Thousands of soldiers took action together, pulled two iron chains on the river, tied an iron net on them, and collected a large amount of domestic garbage in the city and threw it on the river, causing a garbage area seven to eight feet wide to float on the river.
That night, the Song Army's fire attack plan began to be implemented. Hundreds of small sampans were put into the water, and four or five barrels of kerosene were poured into each sampan. The small sampans were ignited, and a huge fire broke out on the river.
The fire point was billowing with black smoke, drifting towards Luoyang City along the current.
On the top of the city, more than a dozen trebuchets were launched together, and the stones they fired were tens of kilograms. The stones fell from the sky like hail, knocking over sampans one after another, and kerosene poured out and burned on the water.
Continuing to float downstream, it was blocked by garbage accumulated on the water. Sure enough, the river was blazing with fire, but it was impossible to get through.
Needless to say, there are wooden pile formations and pontoon bridges behind, and more than a thousand soldiers holding bows and crossbows are waiting in formation.
"Reporting to the capital, there is a lot of garbage floating on the water. The sampan is blocked and cannot pass!" A soldier reported to Yang Zaixing.
"Use a big boat!" Yang Zaixing immediately ordered.
The advantage of being on the water is that it is easy to swing away. Since a small sampan cannot pass, a few large boats can open a way.
Three five-hundred-stone cargo ships were approaching quickly, with soldiers on them rocking oars. They were very fast, rushing into the city like cutting through the waves.
Chen Qing and several generals were also watching the battle from a high place. They could see clearly. At this time, Liu Cui said to Chen Qing: "Your Highness, the garbage on the water cannot stay still. There must be iron chains on the water to block it, and the ships may not be able to pass."
Chen Qing nodded, "I know, let's try it first!"
The big ship rushed through the raging fire, sweeping away a large amount of garbage. The first ship suddenly shook, as if it hit something, and the ship immediately tilted over and stopped sideways on the water.
The soldiers on the pontoon bridge in front raised their crossbows and fired thousands of arrows. More than a dozen soldiers rocking the oars were unable to dodge and were hit by arrows and fell into the water. At this time, the trebuchet on the top of the city dropped the gunpowder barrels one after another, and the gunpowder barrels exploded in the air.
, poisonous nails flew everywhere, and unfortunately, the soldiers in the two ships behind were also hit by poisonous nails, and had to dive to escape.
One of the soldiers took out a fire stick, ignited the fire oil in the ship, and then jumped into the water to escape. The third cargo ship burst into flames and collided with the first two. The three large ships began to burn.
The initial attack failed and dozens of soldiers were lost. Yang Zaixing had no choice but to order the withdrawal of troops.
In the big tent, Yang Zaixing reviewed Chen Qing, "Your Highness, I have despised my position and underestimated the enemy. I think things are too simple and too easy. The opponent's iron chain locks the river, and the opponent also has kerosene and gunpowder barrels. I want to break through it."
It’s not that easy to block the other side.”
Chen Qing nodded and said: "Actually, you haven't seen where the opponent's most difficult defense is to break through?"
"I am humble and stupid, please give me some advice, Your Highness!"
Chen Qing said calmly: "It's the opponent's iron chain. There are three in total, each one is one foot apart. This is not the point. The point is that the two iron chains at the back are alive, and there are dozens of people pulling on each end.
, if you want to burn it with fire, the soldiers will loosen the iron chain, let the chain sink into the water, take it out and blast it with fire and thunder, but on the other side, more than a thousand people are aiming their bows and arrows at you, and two iron chains can even
Easily overturning a ship is the most difficult enemy defensive weapon to deal with!"
"What if we attack from the east of Luoshui?"
Gao Ding asked cautiously: "Would it be easier?"
Chen Qing shook his head and said: "You didn't understand what I meant. The garbage accumulated on the water is not important. What is important is the two iron chains. As I said just now, these two iron chains are controlled by soldiers. They are constantly burning, exploding, and even
It can overturn a ship, and such an iron chain can also appear on the Luoshui River in Dongcheng. Think about it, how can you break it?"
Everyone was lost in thought. At this time, Yang Zaixing glanced at Chen Qing, who was smiling and saying nothing, and suddenly realized that he was really confused. They had no way, but His Highness did!
Yang Zaixing said quickly: "Your Highness, please tell me if there is any good solution?"
Everyone also followed suit and looked at Chen Qing. Chen Qing smiled and said: "Of course there is a way. Breaking the city by water is a wise move, but why do we have to focus on Luoshui? Can't we leave?
City on the moat?”
Everyone suddenly realized that they still attacked the city by water, but directly boarded the city with large ships.
Chen Qing knew that everyone did not really understand what he meant, so he continued: "I am not just talking about the direction of siege, but also the means of siege. It is not impossible to attack from Luoshui. The key is to use big ships.
, a large ship of about five thousand stones will definitely be able to rush directly into the city, even if the opponent uses iron chains, it will be useless."
Li Muqing immediately reported loudly: "Your Highness, there are hundreds of five thousand stone ships on the Mengjin ferry on the Yellow River!"
Chen Qing nodded and immediately ordered: "Immediately transfer fifty large ships worth five thousand stones from the Yellow River to the Luoshui River!"
