Chapter 129 A Hundred Years Still Remember Shuofang Town (1)
On October 13, the third year of Tianqi's reign, the sun was shining brightly in the sky. However, the weather began to get colder at this time, and the wild geese had already lined up and headed south several times.
Twenty miles east of Xingqing City, Gaotai Temple City, backed by the Hanyuan Canal, was cleared and became the former enemy headquarters of the Song Army. In a lobby, Zhao Si sat at the top, followed by Yao Lin on the left.
Liu Zhongwu, Zhong Pu, Zhe Keshi, Bai Chonghu, Gao Shixuan, Wang Shunchen, Zhao Long, Gao Yongnian and other generals. On the right are Tan Shiji, Yu Wenxuzhong, Li Gang, Zhao Ding, Ye Xun and other civil servants.
"How well are Yang Jingxian (Yang Zongmin) and Zhe Zhonggu (Zhe Yanzhi) sorting out the military situation?" Zhao Si asked.
"Everything has been sorted out when I get back to Your Majesty."
"Then let me tell everyone."
"Here!"
Yang Zongmin was responsible for explaining, and Zheyanzhi was responsible for pointing on the map with a wooden stick and adding supplements.
"There were originally 150,000 soldiers and civilians in Xingqing City. Since our army was launched, Xia's army has been retreating steadily, and some of its troops have been transferred. There are still many nobles and common people fleeing in all directions. But there are also many defeated armies from other places.
They retreated into the city one after another. It is reported that there are now about 100,000 soldiers and civilians in the city."
Yang Zongmin talks about it.
"Currently there are 70,000 soldiers and horses in the city. Among them, there are 30,000 original guards, bodyguards, garrison guards and other forbidden troops, and the rest are young men recruited from the government and the people. Then the rest, regardless of old, weak, women and children, are all organized into teams.
Carrying grain and equipment for later use."
"...In Xingqing City, the soldiers, armor and bows are fully equipped, and there is sufficient food and grass. It is said that it can support 100,000 soldiers and civilians for half a year..."
Zhe Keshi added from the side: "It is reported that the Xixia King has collected and stored all the autumn harvests in the Lingwu area in the past two years in Xingqing City."
Yang Zongmin continued to describe Xia Jun's defense deployment.
"... At present, all the states and counties in Xixia have been exterminated, leaving only an isolated city in Xingqing Prefecture. There should be many defeated Xia army remnants everywhere, but they will not come to reinforce Xingqing City. Now, it is isolated and helpless
!”
"Our army has 170,000 infantry and 130,000 cavalry. Sixty giant trebuchets have been transported and are being assembled in the supply camp. They will be ready for test firing tomorrow morning. The supporting stone bombs, flame bombs, etc. have also been transported.
In addition, four mortars and two long cannons have also been transported. Technicians from the Firearms Research Institute are doing inspections and preparing for subsequent actual combat tests."
At this time, Yang Zongmin gave Zhe Keshi a look.
After receiving this look, Zhe Keshi walked to the map, raised the wooden stick, and prepared to point out the place mentioned by Yang Zongmin on the map.
"Xingqing City is backed by Tang Lai Canal. The city is rectangular and has a circumference of more than 18 miles. The city wall is two feet and five feet high and one foot thick. The moat is three feet wide, and water from the Yellow River is poured into it. There are two gates in the north and south, and one gate in the east and west."
"Since our army besieged the city five days ago, we have driven the captured 200,000 Xixia soldiers and civilians to block the source of the water in the moat and dug canals to divert the water from the moat. We have also demolished the city walls of Shun, Jing, Yong, Huai and other prefectures.
Bricks and stones were filled into the dry moat bed. At the same time, two trenches surrounding the city were being excavated. The excavated soil was combined with the bricks and stones to form a wall surrounding the city..."
After Yang Zongmin finished speaking, Zhao Si looked at everyone, turned to the left and said: "Yao Gong, General Liu (Liu Zhongwu), General Zhong, General Zhe (Zhe Keshi)... you guys tell me, what should Xingqing City do?
How to capture it?"
After hearing Zhao Si's words, Yao Lin and others looked at each other and felt a little excited.
In previous years, how could the generals have any say in such major military affairs? Civilian ministers were the ones who anticipated the enemy and planned strategies. The generals only had to fight with their lives.
If the battle is won, it is naturally due to the clever calculations of the civil officials; if the battle is lost, it is definitely due to the military generals who missed the opportunity to fight and made rash advances.
After the officials took charge of the army in the northwest, they began to change the rules. They just determined the strategic goals, discussed the implementation strategy, and then the generals dealt with the situation as appropriate.
After taking the throne, he went a step further and fully listened to the opinions of the generals, whether it was military management or strategy. Although military management seemed to be more rigorous than before, when war started, he fully delegated power to the frontline generals.
Nowadays, officials do not first ask the close civilian staff, but directly ask the generals for their opinions, which fully reflects his philosophy of running the army.
As the leading general, Yao Lin respectfully replied: "Your Majesty has inquired, and I believe that to defeat Xingqing City, it is nothing more than water, fire, earth attack methods and ant attack. For water attack, Xingqing City is backed by Tang Lai Canal, but there is insufficient water.
It is used to irrigate the city. It is a little far away from the Yellow River. If we use water attack method, most of the fertile fields and canals in this area will be washed away."
"These are the foundations for Lingwu to become the fortress of Jiangnan. It was inherited from the Han and Tang Dynasties. It is easy to destroy but difficult to restore."
Zhao Si nodded: "Yao Gong is absolutely right. Attacking with water will destroy the foundation of the vitality of the Lingwu land. I, the Song Dynasty, do not want to get ruins when we regain the old land of Lingwu."
"The officials are wise. The next step is the fire attack. Sixty trebuchets are set up and flaming bombs are fired day and night into the city, just like Liangzhou City. But with the advance, the Xia army will definitely be prepared. According to
I have gone to the city in the past few days to observe carefully. The Xia army has demolished all the wooden fortifications such as war tents and regiments on the city wall and replaced them with hollow enemy towers made of bricks and stones."
"I also asked the military professors from the Gewün Academy to evaluate that the effect of burning the entire city may not be ideal. In addition, the desperate Xia army may block all six gates with bricks and stones. Even if our army burns down each city gate,
I can’t rush in either.”
Yao Lin paused and continued: "The earth attack is to dig a tunnel directly into the city, and then lurk elite soldiers. When the opportunity comes, jump out to attack, and then cooperate internally and externally. However, there are 100,000 Xia soldiers and civilians gathered in Xingqing City.
Their eyes and ears are everywhere, and it is difficult to find a gap to dig out the tunnel exit."
At this time, Yu Wenxuzhong added a few words: "According to the latest information received, the Xia army dug many deep trenches in the city and placed many pottery jars. Our army dug tunnels and entered them, and they were easily discovered.
.”
Zhao said nonchalantly: "Look, the enemy is not a fool. There are many experienced generals in the city. So the first thing to know about the enemy is not to treat the enemy as trash."
"Your Majesty is wise, and you are absolutely right." Yao Lin paused and continued: "Your Majesty, the rest are just ants, using all kinds of siege equipment and using human lives to pile them up."
Zhao Si shook his head without hesitation: "No! There are 100,000 soldiers and civilians in Xingqing City, most of them are die-hard loyalists who will fight to the death. If the ants attack the city, how many lives of the soldiers do I need to kill? No! My soldiers.
, they are all raised by my mother and my parents, I can’t wait to take them all back. If there are fewer casualties, it will be better.”
"Your Majesty is so benevolent and virtuous!" everyone said in unison.
After everyone finished speaking, Yao Lin continued: "Your Majesty, the only way left is to besiege. Although Xingqing City is not short of food and grass, there will always be a time when it runs out. They have no external aid, as long as we surround them tightly
, there will always be a day when they will be trapped to death.”
"It's been too long." Zhao Si said immediately.
"Our army has 300,000 soldiers and horses to eat. There are also hundreds of thousands of prisoners surrendered by the Xia Kingdom, waiting for food. In addition, there are reserve troops and millions of civilians. With so many mouths, Qinchuan Guanzhong has long been unable to support it. All food and grass depend on the Central Plains.
It was transferred here. It was a lot of hard work and a huge expense. Just two days ago, I just opened the bank (that is, the temporary agency that handles government affairs when the emperor is on tour), and I received a bunch of complaint memorials from the Prime Minister, saying that the cost was huge and the national treasury was about to bear it.
Can’t live.”
"Half a year of siege, Xia Jun might not be trapped to death yet, and we won't be able to hold on ourselves for a while."
There was silence in the lobby, as everyone gathered and listened attentively to Zhao Si's words.
Seeing that no one had any good suggestions, Zhao Si pondered for a while and finally made a decision.
"Water attack is too harmful and cannot be used. Ant attack...cannot be used unless it is absolutely necessary. Fire attack and earth attack will be carried out as usual. Although a long siege will not work, we can still do it after a month or two. First of all
Attack with fire, attack with earth secretly, and patiently look for the weak points and gaps of the defenders. In the war room of the enemy's headquarters, formulate a detailed plan as soon as possible."