Chapter 729: The Gale Wind Rolls Up Shocking Waves
But before the battle in Duncheng started, Zhang Gao knew that Shulu Ping would definitely lose.
Because now there are eight enemy tribes and a group of Khitan, Shiwei and other tribesmen with their backs on Kedun City, and they also want to use the Luqu River to block the powerful Zhou army's elite cavalry, which seems a bit reliable.
But in fact, this is not the fighting method of the prairie cavalry at all. This has always been the method of the Han army using infantry and cavalry.
But now, a grassland tribe was forced to fight on foot and on horseback against the Han army, which had a large amount of iron armor and was even more brave in foot combat. Their defeat was doomed from the beginning.
In other words, this battle ended as early as the two days when the Zhou army advanced towards Kedun City.
In the past two days, the heroic men of the eight enemy tribes and other tribes fought a bloody battle with the Zhou army under extremely disadvantaged equipment. More than 10,000 fine cavalry were damaged and nearly 2,000 were injured. It is a fact that they dare not continue to fight now.
The battle was defeated.
At present, they are guarding the city of Ketun and fighting the Han people using Han methods. In fact, they are just like desperate beasts desperately guarding their homeland. If they don't want to fight, they have no choice.
But, no wonder others, if you follow the wrong person or choose the wrong path, you will always have to pay the price!
The sound of the war drums became more and more exciting, and cheers from the Tang Dynasty kept ringing out. This was Cao Bin and Pan Mei, one on the left and one on the right, defeating thousands of enemy cavalrymen who came out to harass. Cao Bin even killed the eight enemy cavalry troops in formation.
That is, a noble military attaché.
The Zhou army used two squads (500 men) from the Qianxiangdu of Hanshandu and the Chen Huoer Golden Spear Squadron directly under Zhang Gao as the central army.
These are 1,500 heavy armored infantry. Their goal is to destroy the 500 Khitan heavy armored infantry and the more than 2,000 Xi infantry brought by Shuluping.
On both wings, the Lin Wei Ying on the right led by Li Cunhui attacked the capital, and the Fenghuo Cavalry Battalion on the left Lin Wei led by Qu Yanqing waited for an opportunity for the Jingqi to break through.
Yang Jiye and other generals each commanded tens of thousands of cavalry recruited from Helong, and were located on the two wings of Li Cunhui and Qu Yanqing.
If the Zhou army wants to attack Kedun City, they must first cross the Luqu River and then reach the main battlefield.
Zhang Gao had already ordered people to collect the boats, carriages, and large logs for tents that had been confiscated along the way. The pontoons had already been built, and there was no shortage of sheepskin rafts.
There was an explosion of gunpowder in the distance, and then there was a burst of drums. Yang Jiye and Zhang Cheng respectively led five hundred cavalry to disperse from the left and right wings.
Two miles away from the main army, there were three thousand cavalrymen on each side. The explosion of gunpowder meant that they had found a wide and shallow place where the Luqu River could be crossed.
Although Shuluping was ruthless and good at politics, she was not good at fighting. She could only give all the military power to the only remaining famous general of the Khitan people. Originally, the Khitan's Zuopishi was in charge of Yelu Pode.
During the battle between Yongliao and Luoyang in the past, Yelu Pode protected Yelu Deguang until the end.
After Yelu Deguang's wound burst and bled to death, Yelu Pode wanted to be buried as a sacrifice, but was later stopped by Zhang Gao.
Zhang Zhi took pity on his bravery and allowed him to escort the body of Yelu Deguang back to the north. Later, when Yelu Lihu and his mother were still trying to struggle in Shuluping, Yelu Pode was disheartened and returned to fish and hunt with his family near the Daxianbei Mountains.
Among the mountains and forests.
It was only after the Khitan Kingdom was completely overthrown that he agreed to Shuluping's request and made a last-ditch effort.
However, the reality gave Yelv Pode a blow to the head, who was not very determined. At this time, the Khitan people passed the "big sale" by Yelu Lihu Daling River. It can be said that three emperors were killed by the Zhou formation, and the morale of the Khitan army had been reduced.
Got to very low lows.
Originally, the Khitans were expected to be the main force in this battle, but in fact they could not be counted on at all.
The two thousand armored soldiers brought by Shu Luping looked mighty, but their spirit was not as good as that of Shiwei and Wugu tribes.
Yelvbode had an excellent view on the hillside. He could watch the Zhou army's cavalry spread out to both sides, blocking out the sky and sun, looking for a wide and shallow place to cross the river.
His subordinates came to report several times, but Yelupode remained indifferent until Baliyi from the Eighth Division of Enemy Lie came to look for him.
Yelu Pode raised his hand with a wry smile, pointed to the place where the right feather Lin Wei's eagle banner and the Han Shandu lion banner were displayed, and said: "Qi Jin, the Zhou people have three elite cavalry.
One is the Zuoyu Linwei Fenghuo Cavalry Camp and the White Horse Silver Spear Capital, and is the commander of the Liaoyang County Prince Murong Baipao, the second son of the Zhou Lord.
The two were Lin Weiying, the right feather, who attacked the capital, and Li Cunhui, the third son of the Zhou Lord, from the Li family in Longxi, the commander-in-chief.
The third one is the Hanshan Doubeiwei Iron Cavalry Battalion. Although this battalion was mobilized during the war, its combat power is extremely strong.
These three cavalry, no! It should be said that the four cavalry are the best in the world. Even the leather cavalry of the emperor who ascended to heaven in the past cannot compare with them. I am afraid that the only one that can compare is the black armor cavalry of the Khan of the past.
Now three of the four cavalry units are not dispatched on the opposite side. If I use my elite cavalry to intercept the Zhou army's cavalry, and they suddenly use three elite cavalry units to escort the army across the river, I am afraid that before the two wings of cavalry can attack, we will wait.
It’s already been defeated.”
Yelupode's analysis was sound and logical, and Bali Yi also felt that what he said made sense.
However, Baliyi pointed to the thousands of Zhou army cavalry on both wings and said: "If we don't care about these cavalry who go around to both ends to cross the river, once they finish crossing the river, like wolves tearing apart buffalo, we will be dead sooner or later!"
Yelupode took a deep look at Bo Liyi and slowly shook his head, "The number of warriors we can fight hard now is no more than 10,000. If we send too little, the Zhou army's cavalry cannot defeat the two wings. If we send too many, the front will collapse.
It is better to be slowly bitten to death by wild wolves than to be swallowed directly by tigers. Let the warriors on both wings form a formation and defend.
Our only chance of winning now is to attack suddenly when the Zhou army is halfway across the river. If we can defeat the main force of the Zhou army crossing the river and make the Lord of Zhou realize that we are not white sheep that can be slaughtered at will, this disaster will be in the past.
Already."
Baliyi looked at Yelupode in surprise. He did not expect that Yelupode had become so discouraged.
The only way to survive this catastrophe is to win. If we lose, we don't know whether the Eight Divisions of Dilie will be finished. Bali Yi knows that he will definitely be finished.
Dark clouds were gathering on the battlefield outside Kedun City. People like Yelvpode and Baliyi didn't have much confidence in how high-spirited the other soldiers would be.
Especially Yelu Pode, he is a famous Khitan general and the commander-in-chief of the army!
However, Zhang Gao still gave full recognition to Yelu Pode's composure. Zhang Gao pointed to where Yelu Pode's banner was and said to Li Fang beside him with a smile.
"Wugu Lin is indeed a veteran Khitan general, and he is really able to keep his composure.
But it's just the difference between dying early and dying later. Notify the army to postpone crossing the river, let both wings come together, bite the Khitan people all over, and then prepare to attack."
Since Yelu Pode wants to be as immovable as a mountain, I, Sage Zhang, would like to see how his concentration is.
However, before the order was issued, Li Fang, who was beside him, disagreed and raised his hand to Zhang Gao.
"Saint, he is just a man struggling to death, while I, an athlete, are like tigers descending from the mountain, so why wait. And the morale is high at this time. If we stand still, we may hurt the soldiers' desire to serve."
Li Fang originally had no knowledge of military affairs, and historically he was mostly responsible for peace between the Song and Liao dynasties.
But in this time and space, he often followed me, Zhang Shengren, on my expeditions to the north and south. Not only did he become proficient in military matters, but his temperament became bolder and he dared to express his own opinions.
As soon as he finished speaking, Yuan Heng (Tuoba Heng), the original leader of the Eighteen Scholars of Ma Chu and Ma Chu, who was far more professional than Li Fang in military matters, but thought he was not Zhang Sheng's confidant and did not dare to say more, also stood up and said
.
"Sage, Li Sheren's words are right. Since our army left the fortress, our morale has been as high as a rainbow. We feel the kindness of the saint and are willing to die for it.
If the Khitan had to be cautious before the Luoyang battle, at this moment, they should show off the might of our Zhou army like a strong wind whipping up a stormy sea!"
Hey, Zhang Yan thought for a moment and really felt that he might not have considered this aspect. He looked at the black boy Zhang Xianyu next to him and asked: "What do you think, my son?"
Zhang Xianyu's dark face flushed with excitement. He looked at Zhang Yan expectantly, "Sage, I am willing to hold the flag and march forward to show the might of our army!"
The flag that Zhang Xianyu wanted to hold was the gold sun and moon flag with silver and white background behind Zhang Xian, which symbolized the emperor's presence.
Originally, the Sanchen Banner of the Tang Dynasty was added with Zhang Zhou's silver-white Sanchen Banner. Now it is mostly used by the commander of an army.
The new silver-white gold sun and moon flag began to be used to mark the emperor's personal visit or to symbolize the emperor's personal visit.
Zhang Hao glanced at Murong Xinchun who was beside him. Murong Xinchun nodded and said there was no problem. Zhang Hao then laughed three times.
"Zhang Xianyu received the order and ordered you to lead two hundred cavalry and carry the flag to encourage the generals, so that the soldiers will defeat the Hulu in one battle. They will be so scared that they can only watch the wind and surrender!"
....
The former army had actually been waiting for the order to cross the river. The officers and soldiers of each army had been prepared long ago. The elite crossbowmen of each army had already shot eight enemy soldiers so that they did not dare to approach the river.
With the arrival of the gold sun and moon flag with silver and white background, which symbolized the emperor's personal visit to the front line, tens of thousands of soldiers cheered and the general offensive began immediately.
The first batch of people to board the sheepskin raft were none other than brothers Zhou Fengyi and Zhou Fenquan from Jiangdu who had been personally given armor by Zhang Zhao, as well as Wang Sheng, a warrior from Wuyue Neiya, Hu Zhao and dozens of soldiers from Hanshandu.
These four people can go to the front because they are from the south of the Yangtze River and are familiar with water properties.
Hu Zhao could even hold a cup of tea in the water without sinking while wearing thirty kilograms of chainmail, which was so terrifying.
Yelupode was still very calm, and only allowed thousands of infantrymen from each department to come forward, and relied on the heights to fire downwards. The most elite cavalry still did not move at all.
The Zhou army used crossbows on the other side to suppress the enemy's herdsmen who came to throw them. Especially the big fuyuan crossbow, which could kill several people with one shot.
However, most of the arrows still had to be resisted by the troops crossing the river themselves.
Just after crossing the river more than half way, Hu Zhao and others immediately jumped into the chest-deep water with the soldiers from Shandu, holding up their large shields to block the arrows shot from afar like locusts.
A few strong-armed men could even raise their bows and crossbows to reflect on the herdsmen at high places with the sound of their chain mail.
Yelupode was slowly making calculations in his mind. After the Zhou army had crossed about 1,500 people, his face darkened and he shouted loudly.
"The whole army attacks, victory or defeat depends on this!"