Chapter 365: Offensive and Defensive Battle of Shanzhou (1)
Shanzhou was the land of Qiang in ancient times. In the second year of Emperor Wu's Yuanshou, the Han army entered the Huangshui River Basin west, and the Han general Huo Qubing built a military stronghold Xipingting, which was the beginning of the establishment of Shanzhou; Xiping County was established in the Eastern Han Dynasty and governed by Xidu County.
In the third year of Huangchu, Emperor Wen of Wei expanded into Xiping County and began to build a city here. It was renamed Huangshui County during the Sui Dynasty. It was established since the Tang Dynasty and renamed Shanzhou. It is located at the westernmost end of the Hehuang Valley. The two mountains in the north and south confront each other and to the west.
There is also Huangshui passing by the city, and it is full of geographical advantages. Since the rise of Tubo, Shanzhou has been an important town in the border city. The city defense has been renovated many times, with tall walls and complete offensive and defensive facilities. There are more than 6,000 infantry and cavalry stationed, making it the border.
The crown of the state is the front line against Tubo. Since Cheng Hedong ordered to defend this city, it has not only greatly improved the city defense, but also strictly enforced military discipline. The city's defense is known for its orderliness, but it will wait for Tubo to be successful.
As the army rolled in, there was still a burst of uproar on the city, because the enemy was so powerful that it was too shocking.
"Bastard, how about you? The whole army obeyed the orders and cheered me up. Don't let the Tubo dog thieves look down on me!"
Seeing the Tubo army rolling in like locusts, Cheng Hedong's heart was extremely nervous. However, when he saw his soldiers exclaiming, he immediately became angry and roared, finally making the officers and soldiers nervous.
Emotions were forcibly suppressed.
"Empress, the thief has come so anxiously. If he doesn't accept it with a smile, he will be sorry for the thief's kindness."
Although Zhuang Mingyi is a civil servant, he is quite brave and is not afraid of war. Seeing that the atmosphere on the city was too tense, he couldn't help but feel a little worried. Then he smiled and said, his tone was plain
It is also relaxed, although there is no bold statement, but the meaning of self-confidence is very strong.
"Sima Zhuang said, it's really tiring to kill so many mobs. I just want to deal with it."
After all, Cheng Hedong and Zhuang Mingyi have been working together for a long time, and there is no shortage of tacit understanding between them. As soon as he heard it, he knew what Zhuang Mingyi was thinking about this. Then he laughed and replied, "The heroic spirit is beyond words, and the crowd guards are all here."
When the city officers and soldiers saw that the two chief officials in the city were so arrogant, they regarded the Tubo army as nothing. Their originally nervous mood immediately relieved the young and old, and their morale gradually became higher without realizing it.
“Woo woo…”
A shrill sound of trumpets passed, and the Tubo army that was coming slowly stopped less than two miles away from the city. They did not camp on the spot, but instead set up a strong attack formation on the hem of the city, and it was a whole sect.
He took over the position of Shanzhou in one go.
"Listen to the people in the city, my family is leading a million powerful troops to sweep the eight deserts. If you surrender early, you can be rich and honorable. Otherwise, you will die without a place to bury!"
The formation of the Tubo army was adjusted very quickly, and it was only a stick of incense before and after, and it was already arranged. Then a member rushed to the city and persuaded him to surrender at the top of his throat.
"court death!"
Cheng Hedong, who was originally observing the enemy formation, heard that the Tubo general was making a big spell under the city, and immediately became furious. He took up the iron bow on his waist without hesitation, pulled it into a circle, and aimed at it.
A famous general shot out an arrow.
"ah……"
The Tubo general under the city was just proud of himself, and suddenly saw Cheng Hedong's arrow aiming at him. He was so scared that he was so scared that he didn't care about his face that he turned his head and leaned over his back.
, turned around and ran back towards the formation. The series of movements were very smooth, but it was too late. But after hearing the sound of a string, the eagle arrow had cut through the space like a meteor and shot into the Tufan quickly.
The general's vest roared in pain, then fell off the horse's back, his hands and feet twitched a few times, and then he returned to the underworld.
"The great prime minister, the Tang thief is extremely rude, and the last general asks to lead his troops to attack the city!"
"Master, the last general is willing to lead his troops to capture the city. He will not withdraw his troops until he captures this beast alive!"
"Master, please give an order. I will be the pioneer!"
...
In the Tubo Central Military Office, Hezzzan, Dawang and other Tubo 1000-strong commanders surrounded by Gar Qinling were all angry by Cheng Hedong's actions. They all stepped out with red eyes and asked for battle.
"Second brother, the thief is too rude and should be destroyed. However, when our army arrived, the equipment for siege was not complete. If we attacked the city, we might lose more troops. I would like to ask my second brother to investigate it in detail."
Although Gar Zanpo was also very angry by Cheng Hedong's actions of shooting and killing him in front of the formation, he was not so confused. After thinking for a while, he gave a sincere advice.
"Zan Po, don't be ambitious and destroy your own prestige. If you are afraid, stay there, but you are not afraid. This city will take it by yourself!"
The ten thousand men, Hetzan, was an impatient person and had always been incompatible with the steady Gar Zanpo. When he heard Gar Zanpo's proposal to slow down, Hetzan refused to rely on it and stared at his bloodshot eyes.
He started to yell in anger.
"Master, even if we fill the city of Shanzhou, we can fill in more than 200,000 troops, how can we allow the Tang thieves to be so rampant!"
"Master, after the battle, the last general is willing to attack as the leader!"
"Da Xiang, we are all willing to fight. Please be kind to the big Xiang!"
...
The Tubo generals were all warlike people, and no one was willing to fall behind. They started to chaoticly. Everyone wanted to fight and compete for the first place, but their momentum was extremely high.
"Um!"
Although Gar Qinling has not been able to move his troops in the past half month, the preparations have never been relaxed. He has long had a good plan to destroy the city. What he has sent is just the morale of the soldiers.
At this moment, seeing the generals yelling to fight, I was very satisfied, but I didn't rush to express my opinion. Instead, I let the generals make a noise, and then raised my hand to stop the yelling of the generals.
Looking around everyone with a solemn expression, he pressed his hands and ordered with murderous intent: "Herzzzan's first attack, Dawang is second, and Sorenzan is third, and attacks one after another, trying to break the city in one fell swoop, and the rest of the tribes will follow
Let it spread out and stop the flow!”
"promise!"
After Gar Qinling made up his mind, the generals did not dare to be negligent. They all bowed to their promises and rushed back to their headquarters. In a moment, the horns were loudly sounded, and the Tubo soldiers and horses of all the troops launched together.
Get up, Herzszan led his cavalry to the moat and used cavalry to suppress the archers on the top of the city. Then, teams of Tubo soldiers all untied the small cloth bags hanging around their waists and put them all on the spot.
The soil came, and then, either riding horses or hiking, under the cover of a large group of cavalry, they rushed to the moat and threw cloth bags filled with soil into the moat.
"Shoot, hurry up, shoot the arrow!"
As soon as the Tubo military moved, Cheng Hedong had already guessed the opponent's intention to cut off the moat. He couldn't help but feel anxious and roared and directed the crossbowmen on the top of the city to shoot arrows to block the opponent's actions. However, the one on the top of the city
The crossbowmen gathered only more than a thousand people. Under the suppression of the opposing cavalry brigade, the results achieved were really bad. Although they shot hundreds of aggressive Tubo soldiers, they also lost dozens of troops and could only watch.
Seeing a section of moat in the west being filled into flat ground by the Tubo army.
"Fill the city, fill the city!"
Seeing that the war had started less than half an hour, the moat had been filled, and Herzan was so proud that he led his 5,000 cavalry brigade to gallop back and forth under the city, while constantly suppressing the city with his cavalry.
He fought back, shouting loudly while yelling, and ordered the troops to transport the soil to the death to fill the city.
"Quick, lift the oil cylinder up!"
The Tubo army was obviously prepared this time. More than 200,000 troops cooperated with a considerable understanding. Teams of infringements and cavalry, under the command of the horn, braved the arrows that were constantly shooting down from the city and pushed the city to the death.
, One by one, one cloth bags filled with soil were piled up under the city. Although the price was not small due to the force of suppression on the city, nearly two thousand soldiers fell under the city, but the earth was on the slope.
However, the progress never stopped. The piles were astonishingly fast. In just a moment, it had piled up half of the city wall. Seeing that the situation was wrong, Cheng Hedong was sweating profusely and did not dare to neglect it.
Go, shouting as Min Zhuang, who was commanding and guarding, lifted a cylinder of vegetable oil and turbulent oil onto the top of the city, poured it down to the city regardless of the situation, pouring the Tubo soldiers who rushed to the city covered in oil.
"Ignite! Pour!"
The Tubo army that filled the city was not stupid. When they saw that the city was pouring oil downward, they didn't dare to delay any more, and they were going to run back in chaos. However, it was too late, but when Cheng Hedong shouted loudly, ten
Several lit torches floated down from the city and fell swaying into the chaotic Tubo army. The fire suddenly started to burn unstoppable, and hundreds of unlucky Tubo soldiers were burned into
The human-shaped torch was heard, and the howling sounded so hard that it was connected.
"Play arrows, shoot arrows quickly, and those who retreat will be killed without mercy!"
Hutzzan was just proud of himself, but he didn't expect that the defenders would actually have such a fire attack. He was immediately anxious. When he saw the ragged army running towards the formation, his eyes were almost dripping.
He came to the blood, but he didn't dare to let the rioters approach, so he could only order his own defeated soldiers with a dark face.
"ah……"
"No..."
"General, please spare me..."
...
Since Herzan had issued an order, the archers and cavalrymen who had been on high alert did not dare to neglect them. They were complacent, but they still made up their minds and poured a rain of arrows on the fleeing army.
, and a burst of howling sounds suddenly aroused.
"Hahaha..., a little gift, no respect, Tubo children, come back if they have the courage, and kill as many as they have the grandfathers!"
"Tubo dog thief, come and die, grandpas are waiting!"
"Burn these dogs to death/mother raises them, burn, burn, burn!"
...
Seeing a big fire burning the Tubo army to pieces, the defenders on the city were naturally motivated. Under the leadership of Cheng Hedong, they pointed at the chaotic Tubo army under the city, laughed and scolded loudly.