Crossing the river is still the boundary of the Song Dynasty, but the lingering influence left by the Khitan people's clearing of grass valleys over the years has left this hundred-mile area deserted.
Even the fortresses of the Northland Forbidden Army were far away from this river bank. There were only a few lonely beacon towers about fifty miles to the north, standing lifelessly on the slopes.
Song Wen asked An Chun to clean up the convoy, and he took Daruch and several guards to a high hill on horseback.
Daruch pointed to a ravine in the distance and said: "It is agreed that after that ravine is the land of the Liao Kingdom, but there are not many people there, and clearing grass and valleys is not a unique method of the Khitan people... At that time, the Song Army also
They have done a lot of harm to the people there, whether they are Han Chinese or Khitan people, they will kill, capture or burn them whenever they are caught..."
Song Wen shook his head: "The struggle between the great powers only brings suffering to the people. Will Brother Yelushan's people encounter obstruction from the Liao border troops?"
Daruch shook his head: "How could it be? Yelu Deshan's position is now stable. He has no intention of participating in the internal struggle for the throne of the Liao Kingdom. He just wants to keep his position as the king of the Southern Court, so all parties are wooing him... The Song Dynasty in the south
All the border troops are under the command of Yelu Deshan, and at least the thousand-mile border to the east of the Liao and Song Dynasties are all under the command of King Nanyuan... Who will intercept the young marquis’ men?”
A fast horse galloped back, and the young knight immediately clasped his fists at Song Wen and said, "Mr. Lang, there are nearly a hundred cavalry in front of us, crossing the boundary ditch and heading straight towards us..."
"But the Khitans?"
"There is no flag, so you can't see clearly! His clothes suggest that he is a Khitan."
Song Wen frowned, what the hell... According to the agreement, Young Lord Yelushan would send someone to pick up his convoy here, and then the two parties separated outside Nanjing City in the Liao Kingdom. The convoy went into the city to trade with Yelushan's people.
And Song Wen led the camel team to the grassland...
Could it be that Brother Yelushan wanted to swallow up his caravan? Or was he being targeted by other Khitan nobles? Or maybe he was just unlucky to meet the Liao border troops who didn't know the inside story of his deal with the young marquis?
Song Wen shook his head and couldn't care anymore. He had nearly fifty people in his party and more than thirty large vehicles. He couldn't run away unless all the goods and baggage were discarded!
Song Wen rode his horse back to the side of the convoy and shouted: "Make a formation, prepare your crossbows! There are also gunpowder shells, light the torch, and if necessary, light the Tiandi Chun Shaojiu to break the rear!"
An Chun stood on the roof of the cart, drew his sword and shouted: "Qingshan Camp, prepare for war!"
"Roar……"
Everyone quickly untied their horses and formed a circular formation with the carts, leaving only a gap in the northeast corner, but they blocked the gap with five powerful crossbows.
Everyone was still busy, and suddenly there was a burst of smoke and dust from the fork in the road next to them. The sound of war horses neighing and the sound of horse hooves hitting the ground came over. A group of about a hundred Khitan knights came roaring in with swords, round hammers and other short weapons.
!
Daruch frowned and stood next to Song Wen and said: "It's a bit bad, it seems to be coming specifically for us! If the young marquis' subordinates are not guilty of changing into herdsmen's clothes, they don't want to leave evidence!"
Song Wen narrowed his eyes and said, "Are you trying to steal money halfway? Do Yelushan and his son have enemies on their own territory?"
"There are many noble people in the Liao Kingdom, and there are also some who can't deal with King Yelu Deshan..."
The Khitan cavalry suddenly let out a strange cry, unsheathed their swords and waved their round hammers, and came straight towards the car formation!
As soon as Song Wen raised his hand, dozens of crossbows were slowly raised. An Chun's face turned red and he was extremely nervous... Holding the saber tightly in his hand, he was thinking about who would cut off the back and cover Song Wen as he retreated towards the Song Dynasty.
Getting closer and closer, the charging momentum of hundreds of Khitan cavalry was as strong as that of thousands of troops, with smoke and dust billowing and murderous intent...
Daruch suddenly lowered his voice and said in Song Wen's ear: "Nothing, it must be a joke of the young marquis...or a shock! If we charge at this distance, there should be heavy armored cavalry leading the charge, and light cavalry galloping on both sides.
Cover! These people won’t attack, so don’t worry, Master.”
Song Wen sneered, Brother Yelushan wanted to scare him? He was not a mouse, someone with a gun and a stick wanted to crush him?
Song Wen waved his hand and said to An Chun on the side: "Throw the wine jar...use gunpowder bombs to light a firecracker and show the little Marquis the excitement!"
"yes!"
Two strong Qingshan camp soldiers picked up two cowhide rope bags and threw several watermelon-sized wine jars far away. There was a crackling sound, and the special spirit spilled to the ground, and then
An Chun shouted: "Gunpowder bombs! Get ready to throw..."
Three more country soldiers with strong bodies and strong arms stood in front, followed by three people holding torches.
I saw a prototype ceramic head on the front of this new gunpowder bomb, with a faintly pointed iron piece mixed in. Behind it was a five or six-inch long wooden handle with a hole at the bottom of the wooden handle. When the plug was removed, it was revealed.
A piece of medicine thread...
After Song Wen provided the drawing ideas, the world's first-generation explosive fragmentation grenade, which took the craftsmen in the back mountain several months to develop, appeared!
"Prepare!"
The three grenadiers stepped forward excitedly, holding the grenade in their right hands and guiding it behind them...
The cavalry on the opposite side seemed a little surprised, but they still screamed and came straight towards the car formation, waving their swords!
Three hundred steps to go!
Two hundred and fifty steps...two hundred steps...
Song Wen drew his saber and pointed forward... An Chun shouted, "Drop the bomb!"
The three rural soldiers hurriedly lit the grenade cord. The three grenadiers glanced at the grenade cord and burned it into the handle. They immediately roared and threw the three gunpowder bombs directly in front of the vehicle formation...
Two of them fell within the area where the wine jar shattered, and one of them flew out more than a hundred steps away with too much force!
Boom boom boom...
The Khitan cavalry on the opposite side suddenly became confused, and the war horse in front raised its hooves and shook its head in shock. Fortunately, the knights on the horse were all good hands, and the general was calmed down... What's going on? Why is it like thunder on the ground!
Before the loud noise dissipated, a flame suddenly burst out from the ground, bright blue and green... and a strange aroma of wine wafted out.
The cavalry's charging formation was disrupted, and they watched helplessly as the team lost speed and became a mess... Then they saw rows of swords and crossbows in the opposite car formation, aiming calmly at them.
A loud arrow suddenly flew into the air behind the Khitan cavalry and made a loud roar. A tall Khitan man raised his right hand and cursed a few times. The Khitan cavalry turned their horses to the side with some annoyance. The team gradually slowed down and then stopped.
On a hillside.
Song Wen breathed a sigh of relief... Fortunately, the Khitans didn't have any evil intentions.
Daruch whispered: "It seems that he is the centurion of Xiao Teng. I don't know what official he has been promoted to now. He is a qualified general... You can see that when he retreats, the rear team rolls forward and gyrates, so that he can slowly cover
The whole team retreats. The place where the horses stop is on a low slope. You can escape over the hillside at any time and charge downwards with the help of the height of the slope..."
Song Wen sighed secretly...
These Tatars have the gene for cavalry warfare in their bones. Han Chinese from the Central Plains... how can they be opponents if they play pure cavalry tactics?