On the hill on the west side of the official road, Luo Ru just rode his horse and stood still.
In fact, he had made preparations before dawn. Lu Xiangsheng's men and horses arrived in the west of the city yesterday. However, the Xijian area was close to Langya Mountain and the nearby slopes were crisscrossed, making it unsuitable for an attack. The officers and soldiers immediately moved to the east of the city.
The number of Lu Xiangsheng's troops exceeded Luo Rucai's estimate, about 10,000. Among them, the ones Luo Rucai feared most were the Liao army Zu Kuan and Li Chongzhen. Both of them were cavalry. In addition, there were a large number of infantry, which were also his.
Old acquaintances confirm that the flag officers and soldiers include Yang Shien, Lei Shisheng and other troops, and they also have their own servants who are cavalry.
Like Pang Yu, Luo Rucai kept sending people to inquire last night, but the sentries all went from Baijiaqiao to Wuli Bridge, because the water under Baijiaqiao came down from Langya Mountain and poured into Qingliu River. The water level of Qingliu River in this section was higher than that of Qingliu River.
The bridge is five miles deep and no one wants to cross the river in this weather.
Luo Rucai looked back and saw that there were more than 500 horse soldiers and more than 200 old battalions under the hills behind him. This was the backbone of his rampage across the world. It also played a decisive role yesterday, trapping the officers and soldiers from Jiang Pu here.
At dawn, the outpost cavalry observed the officers and soldiers cooking. Luo Rucai guessed that they would start taking action after dawn, so he hid the cavalry soldiers behind the hills early and released only a small number of rangers to confuse the officers and soldiers.
Luo Rucai has been out of the army for eight years. He already has a lot of experience in dealing with such officers and infantry. What is a little troublesome is that these officers and soldiers have a lot of armor and have stronger willpower than ordinary officers and soldiers. They still advanced despite the harassment.
In three days, other officers and soldiers may have turned around and returned to Jiangpu.
He knew the structure of the army very well. Those who could fight were the servants, generally speaking they were the dozens of people who rode yesterday.
If it were an ordinary battalion, the infantry would have collapsed when they were attacked while marching yesterday, so this group of officers and soldiers was still beyond his expectation.
If the officers and soldiers did not move, he would be reluctant to use the cavalry to fight. The camp relied on official roads, ponds, and trenches were dug in other places, so the cavalry was useless. Those who supported the infantry were no match for the armored infantry.
, so he would rather wait.
This morning, the officers and soldiers had cooked early, but they had not taken action yet, which surprised him a little.
At this time, there were still bursts of fireworks in the camp over there, and there was a lot of smoke nearby, making the vision very blurry. Luo Rucai could only keep sending rangers to get closer to the sentry.
There was a sound of horse hooves from the north, and Luo Ru saw several riders coming from the north. One of them looked familiar, and he knew he was slippery from a distance.
You Li Hua immediately climbed to the top of the slope and came to Luo Rucai and said, "Just as you guessed, Brother Luo, Lu Xiangsheng came in person. The Liao army suppressed King Chuang and just defeated the King of Sweepers. Lao Ba and Lao Ba
The position was stabilized only by the support of the horses, and the infantry has not yet engaged."
Luo Rucai pursed her lips and thought for a moment, "The family members in the old camp are all staying south of Baijiaqiao. King Lu Yan has arrived by himself. This battle will not be easy to fight."
You Liliu came over and whispered, "Each battalion is afraid of the Liao army and won't rescue each other. I don't think the Wuli Bridge is appropriate."
"Then we have to keep an eye on these officers and soldiers. If we let them pass, then all the battalions will say that it is you and me who are not honest. Who is willing to join the camp with us in the future?"
After he finished speaking, he took another look at the smoky camp. There was still no movement inside. As long as the officers and soldiers moved, there would be loopholes everywhere. Luo Rucai also planned to fight, and he could not let other leaders despise him and damage his position among the thieves.
good name.
Luo Rucai didn't say much. He knew that Luo Rucai had a good reputation. Sometimes when a leader of a certain family was in trouble, he would entertain him in the camp and give food to the horses. His reputation was indeed very good and he was popular with the leaders of the camps.
, many small camp leaders are willing to defect to him, so his strength has always been good.
There were sporadic explosions in the northeast, and the main force of the Central Plains region's army was there. Youlihua was not afraid that it was a lie. In fact, everyone was about the same. He said it was a decisive battle with Lu Xiangsheng, but in fact everyone couldn't escape. Somehow they just let it go.
Lu Xiangsheng was blocked in front.
Just as they were worrying, a group of cavalry ran out of the camp opposite. The number was still the same as yesterday. They moved towards Baijiaqiao to drive away the cavalry in that direction.
You Lihua said decisively, "They are going to Baijiaqiao."
Luo Rucai squinted his eyes for a moment and said, "The old camp is walking north behind the slope. Send out a hundred horsemen and follow them on three sides, dragging them along."
The smoke in the officers and soldiers camp became thicker and the vision became blurry.
..."All the frames were burned."
On the other side of the smoke, Pang Yu finished ordering his soldiers.
Turning to Yao Dongshan, "The first division set off, remembering to form a formation on the west bank of the ferry in the second division. After the remaining two divisions crossed the river, they continued a hundred steps east and formed a formation to leave space for the troops behind.
.”
Yao Dongshan nodded, then waved his hand, and the first division set off one after another.
This time, the First Division had a heavy responsibility in the task of crossing the river. They had to be the first to reach the west bank of the ferry. The Second Division had to cover the entire army and then cross the river. After that, the Seventh Division guarded the east bank and acted as the rearguard of the entire battalion.
The garrison battalion will first march to the river, then cross the river at the ferry, and then go to Wuli Bridge. The terrain of this route is simple, with only fields and ponds. It is not complicated for one person, but more than a thousand people have to complete the crossing in front of the enemy.
The operation turned into a quite complex military operation with many links and many dangers.
The purpose of burning smoke and having the cavalry attack Baijiaqiao was to confuse Luo Rucai, try to delay his dispatch of cavalry, and deploy the main force of cavalry in the direction of Baijiaqiao.
After the first division left the camp, they first walked to the river. Luo Rucai's sight would still be obscured by the smoke from the camp. Once they started to move north along the river bank, Luo Rucai would quickly spot them.
However, Luo Rucai may not immediately judge the purpose of the garrison. Pang Yu hoped that he would think that he was going along the river to Baijiaqiao, so as to avoid being raided by the cavalry like yesterday.
Pang Yu rode his horse to the edge of the smoke. Some horsemen appeared under the hill there. They dispersed their formations in three directions and tried to surround themselves with hundreds of horses.
King Chen Yu and Chen Rulie's cavalry had just driven away the rangers from the north. At this time, they immediately retreated to the camp to protect the western part of the camp. Because all the infantry were already assembled, that side was undefended and closest to the rangers.
To prevent the cavalry soldiers from crossing the official road.
The bandits sent out a small number of horsemen. Luo Rucai probably hadn't discovered the garrison's actions yet. These horsemen were here for reconnaissance. The previous actions to confuse the enemy were effective.
The distance from here to the ferry is only more than a mile. The cavalry soldiers have to report back after the reconnaissance, and only then can Luo Ru make adjustments. The garrison camp needs to make full use of the time in between.
At this time, the third division all left the camp. Pang Yu rode back to the south of the camp and said to Wang Zenglu, who was ready to go, "The second division is setting off."
The team of the second division began to move. Pang Yu rode his horse to the back. After giving some instructions to the soldiers, he went directly to the third division.
Zhuang Chaozheng was wearing chain mail and a helmet on his head. He was holding a waist knife with the blade drawn out, as if he was personally participating in the fight.
"Have you talked to all the captains?"
Zhuang Chaozheng nodded and said, "Every team in the seventh game, my subordinates went to talk to them. Everyone knows the situation. After the adults mobilized with them, the morale is now very high."
I glanced at the queue at the back and saw that behind Zhuang Chaozheng was the seventh round. It would not be true to say that the morale was high, but the team was also very quiet. Some people were just minding their own meals.
Pang Yu told them the situation when mobilizing. The only way to attack Wuli Bridge now was to attack Wuli Bridge, and he guaranteed compensation for casualties. These soldiers had no other choice.
"I will defeat the bandits as soon as possible and then come back to rescue you."
Zhuang Chaozheng bowed and said to Pang Yu, "I will definitely guard the ferry. Take care, sir."
Pang Yu touched his nose. At this time, all the soldiers had set off. After taking a breath on the horse, Pang Yu leaned over and patted Zhuang Chaozheng on the shoulder, "Let's go."
The soldiers of the 7th Bureau walked past Pang Yu and looked up at Pang Yu. Their faces were all dark, and their simple eyes revealed nervousness.
Pang Yu stood on his horse and looked at the faces seriously. After leaving here, there must be a hard battle at the back of the ferry in the seventh round. Pang Yu knew that many people in this queue would not survive today. Many faces were unfamiliar and seemed to be unfamiliar.
The same, but Pang Yu still looked at it seriously, hoping to remember it in his mind like a photo.
"Sir, this is the last group of people."
Pang Yu looked back and saw that Guo Fengyou was still with him. Yesterday, the Guards Corps lost its combat effectiveness in one bureau, and the remaining people could only be used to carry the wounded, and even occupied a flag corps in another bureau. After crossing the river today,
They were walking south with the wounded, and only two flag teams were left in the entire Guards Corps to fight. The command was handed over to the Chief Hundred Officer, and Guo Fengyou was still following Pang Yu.
"Where are the Marines?"
"We have already raised our guns and headed for the river."
Pang Yu pulled the horse's head and said, "Let's go too and blow the trumpet to notify the cavalry."
...the sound of "Bai Luo" spread far and near.
Tang Ershuan, who was sweating profusely, looked back hastily. Smoke was billowing in the camp, and all the frames were burning.
"Hurry up, the thieves and horse soldiers will come soon."
After the captain in front finished speaking, he shouted again.
The 700 to 800 kilogram copper cannon barrel was so heavy that it was carried by eight marines. They had all worked hard at the dock and knew that they couldn't go much faster even if they wanted to.
The Marines were originally supposed to move after the Second Division, but the artillerymen themselves could not lift the artillery, so the Marines from Vanilla Oil came to do the hard work and even left before the First Division.
They took apart the artillery, and fifty marines and twenty artillerymen were required to transport two artillery pieces, thirty rounds of solid ammunition, and forty packets of propellant across the river.
The other parts could go through the ferry, but the gun barrel really couldn't be picked up to the ferry. After they arrived at the river, they planned to use the reinforced raft to drag them upstream and cross the river at the ferry. At this time, they were already behind the brigade.
Finally reaching the river bank, a few people stepped into the water and carefully put the gun barrel on the raft. The raft was shaking on the water and needed a few people to hold it up so it didn't capsize.
There was a sound of hoofbeats from the south, and five or six horsemen appeared in sight.
The rest of the infantry has turned north and is marching along the river bank. Only the marines carrying the two guns are nearby. The cavalry of the garrison battalion is covering the infantry. No one can support them.
"Cross the river now!"
The captain shouted, "Let's go!"
Tang Ershuan ignored all that and pushed the raft towards the river. This was not a suitable fording point. The icy cold water was getting deeper and deeper. It was useless to roll up the cotton pants to the highest position. They were completely soaked.
The sound of horse hoofbeats approached on the west bank. Tang Ershuan looked back and saw the horsemen stopped on the bank. Several bandits dismounted and raised their bows, and arrows flew towards this direction.
He quickly squatted down, and there was a pop in front of him. An arrow hit the captain's back. The arrow didn't seem to be very strong, but it penetrated into the cotton-padded clothes. Blood stains quickly appeared around it, and several other marines screamed.
Tang Ershuan was also a little frightened. They were pushing the raft so slowly and were being shot at by the bandits. He felt an urge to escape across the river quickly.
"No skin or flesh can hurt me.
Don't drop the cannon, I'll push you hard!"
The captain yelled and struggled to drag the raft in front. The arrow was stuck in his back, and the blood stain was still expanding.
Tang Erchuan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly roared and pushed the raft with all his strength. The other marines howled together, and the raft gradually accelerated, getting closer and closer to the east bank.