Yu Jue was almost overwhelmed with pride, and immediately bowed his hands deeply and said: "Thank you Master Shi for your support and recommendation. If I am really lucky enough to be promoted in the future, I will naturally treat Master Shi as a great benefactor. How can I forget it?"
When the two stood on the city wall and talked about getting promoted and getting rich, the charge of the rebels under the city wall did not stop.
After the first thousand people in the battle crossed the moat, there were only less than three hundred people left, and all of them were injured. Even if they rushed to the bottom of the wall, they could not climb up and could not form a wexe. Only the drums of the rebel army could be heard.
With a rumbling sound, more than a thousand soldiers poured out and rushed towards the moat. It seemed that the rebel army planned to attack the city continuously today, instead of the one-on-one attack and then another attack like the previous days.
Since the artillery and torch stones took some time to reload, and only bows and arrows in the city could fire continuously, the rebels who rushed over in the second round received less attacks than the first one, and most of them swam across the moat and arrived.
Under the city wall, ladders were put up on the city wall and people climbed up.
However, Yu Jue had already prepared and placed dozens of large vats on the city wall, all of which were filled with boiling black oil. The officers and soldiers used giant ladles to scoop up the black oil and poured it down along the ladders, then moved them up the ladders.
The rebel soldiers who climbed up were burned until their skin and flesh were torn apart, and the officers and soldiers on the city threw down a torch, and the entire ladder immediately burst into flames![
Amidst the shrill screams, the rebels climbing on the ladders instantly turned into burning men. Wherever they could climb, they fell straight down and fell to the base of the city wall.
After a while, more than twenty ladders erected on the city wall were all on fire. Although the rebels who attacked the city crossed the moat, they all died on the city wall. No one was able to climb to the top of the wall.
Seeing that only a few of the two thousand men were left, the drums in the rebel formation continued to beat, and the third round of thousands men rushed out again.
But at this time, the Hongyi artillery, giant crossbows and other long-range ordnance on the city were all loaded. The roar was loud and the smoke was flying. Half of the rebel soldiers who had rushed halfway were killed and injured in an instant!
However, the remaining rebel soldiers did not retreat. As long as the drums in the military formation did not stop, they would keep charging forward until they fell.
On the hillside a few miles away, Li Zicheng's eyes were bloodshot and turned red, staring intently at the battlefield outside the gate of Huaiqing City.
In these three rounds of strong attacks today, the rebels have suffered more than 2,000 casualties, which is almost the total number of casualties in the previous three days. Although on the battlefield, the death and injury of soldiers are inevitable, such tragic losses can be overwhelming even for those with a hard heart.
It is impossible for the general to be moved.
The bitter trick used by Huang Gai during the Three Kingdoms period was just a slap in the face and he deceived Cao Cao's trust. However, the current strategy cost the lives of thousands of rebels just to make Yu Jue lose his vigilance.
To lure him out of the city, the price is too high!
"Is it okay?" Li Zicheng's voice was already trembling, "Can it be started now?"
Hua Bushi frowned and looked at the rebel soldiers attacking the city in the distance. He then raised his eyes to look at the position of the sun in the sky and said, "We still have to wait a quarter of an hour before we attack the city wall again."
※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※The fourth city has begun.
Upstairs at the city gate, Shi Dongchang looked at the poorly equipped rebel soldiers under the wall, but they were as fearless as a swarm of ants, carrying ladders and rushing towards the city wall crazily. He couldn't help feeling a little scared. After all, he was only a civil servant.
I have never experienced a war, have I ever seen such a scene?
"General Yu, these bandits are so... so ferocious, isn't it a mistake?" He couldn't help but ask.
But Yu Jue laughed loudly and said: "Master Shi, you must be worried. The general has already said that no matter how many people come, they will only die! If Master Shi doesn't want to see this bloody scene, go back to the government office to rest."
It’s okay, I have Yu Jue here to guard the city, and I will be sure to prevent it from being lost!”
As a military general, Yu Jue was of course much more courageous than Shi Dongchang. He had clearly seen that the opponent's fierce attack at all costs was just a final battle between trapped beasts. Even at this time, there was no way.
The fact that wexe was actually caused to the city wall only further illustrates that the combat power of these rebels is so weak that it is really not worth mentioning.
Sure enough, before the rebel army's fourth round of charge reached the city wall, they were beaten to pieces by long-range weapons on the city. Shi Dongchang blushed a little and said: "I'd better watch the battle from the city! I'm not talking about Kaifeng Mansion.
Will the reinforcements arrive today? I will stay here to welcome the reinforcements when they arrive."
Yu Jue took a look at the sky and said: "Yesterday, I received a message from Fei Ge. Lord Fan sent envoy Zhang Yingchang to bring 20,000 horses from Kaifeng Mansion. They will arrive at the time of the day today. It's not even close to now."
It’s been a quarter of an hour.”
Shi Dongchang said happily: "Okay! Once Zhang Zhenfu's army arrives, we will attack from inside and outside, and we will definitely kill these bandits and defeat them!"
Before he could finish his sentence, several rumbling cannon shots suddenly came from far away. Shi Dongchang and Yu Jue both widened their eyes and looked over.[
But they saw smoke and dust billowing from the rear of the rebel company camp. No one knew how many troops were coming, and the formation outside the city was also in a commotion. The sound of gongs sounded, and the rebel troops who had originally rushed to attack the city retreated and threw their weapons away.
After getting off the ladder, he turned around and retreated.
Reinforcements must have arrived!
Shi Dongchang was still a little confused, but Yu Jue was convinced. The rebels had never used artillery in their attack on the city in the past few days, which meant that these mud-legged people did not have such large firearms at all. Therefore, the sound of artillery coming from outside the city must be
The puff of smoke and dust set off by the government troops was obviously caused by the arrival of a large group of cavalry. The rebel army's only cavalry unit was defeated by Yu Jue's envoy as early as the first day they came to Huaiqing. At this time, there were also cavalry arriving.
, no one else except the officers and soldiers.
The time now happened to be the time of day as promised in the letter sent the day before yesterday. Although it could not be seen clearly from the city, there were many signs that Zhang Yingchang must have rushed to the back of the company camp outside the city with 20,000 troops, and very quickly.
May have started fighting with the rebels in the camp.
"Is...reinforcements arrived?" Shi Dongchang had just come to his senses and asked.
Yu Jue said: "Yes, Zhang Zhenfu has led his troops to attack the company camp outside the city. Now the main force of the bandits is arrayed below the city wall. The camp must be empty, and it will not take long for it to be broken. By then, this camp will be attacked."
The bandits will all collapse!"
Shi Dongchang was overjoyed and clapped his hands and said: "Great! As long as we stay on the city now, these bandits will be finished soon!"
What Yu Jue expected was true. In fact, the company camp had not yet been breached, and the large group of rebels arrayed outside the city had turned from a commotion into chaos. Among the crowd, the commander-in-chief Gao Yingxiang was very conspicuous in his red robe, and now he had a knife in his hand.
, was opening his mouth to shout. Although it was too far away to hear what he was shouting, he must have been telling the soldiers not to be confused and to maintain good formation.
Seeing this scene, a thought suddenly entered Yu Jue's head: If we lead the army out of the city now, we will definitely defeat the rebel army and capture Gao Yingxiang alive!
Staying on the city wall in case of loss is the safest way at the moment. As a general, Yu Jue knows this very well.
However, looking at the situation in front of him, the defeat of the rebel army is a foregone conclusion. Zhang Yingchang will soon capture the company camp and will inevitably attack the rebel army's military formation. And the rebel army's already chaotic formation will certainly not be able to withstand the impact of the official cavalry brigade.
, will collapse soon. In this case, Zhang Yingchang will take away the credit for defeating the bandits. Although Yu Jue has merit for defending the city, it is much less than Zhang Yingchang.
What Shi Dongchang said just now is still fresh in my mind. If Yu Jue wanted to be appreciated by Governor Fan Jingwen and get promoted and make a fortune if he only made such a small contribution, it would be wishful thinking. He also knew this truth very well.
The commander of the Thirty-sixth Battalion, Gao Yingxiang, is right in front of him. This is the bandit leader who has been offered a reward of 100,000 silver taels by the imperial court! As long as he leads the army and rushes out of the city, he can be captured immediately, and the first victory over the bandits will be achieved. This temptation,
In fact, Yu Jue could not resist it!
He immediately slapped the handle of the knife at his waist and shouted: "Come here, pass on my general order! Five thousand soldiers and horses from the three battalions on the left, center and right are lined up inside the city wall, ready to follow me out of the city to kill the enemy!"
There are eight thousand troops stationed in Huaiqing City, and five thousand men and horses make up the majority of them. Shi Dongchang was shocked when he heard this and said hurriedly: "General Yu, the bandits below the city have not yet been defeated.
The situation of the battle is not very clear, is it too reckless to lead the troops out like this?"
Yu Jue said: "Master Shi doesn't understand the art of war and how to unite an army in battle. Now the formation of bandits under the city is in chaos. It's the best time to attack. If the general leads his men and horses to rush out of the city, he will be able to win a huge victory! This is!
The fighter opportunity is fleeting, but you must not delay it!"
He said this, but what he was thinking in his heart was that whoever stops me from leaving the city now is my enemy! The opportunity to capture Gao Yingxiang and make his first contribution is only once in a lifetime, and it is fleeting. If Zhang Yingchang's troops break through and the company comes to kill him,
Then it will be too late, there is no need to delay this!
Shi Dongchang said: "But...this..."
Although he didn't know how to command an army, and he didn't know what military tactics Yu Jue was talking about, he could still tell that General Yu was actually eager to make meritorious deeds when he went out at this time, and it wasn't too safe.
Yu Jue couldn't bear it any longer and said loudly: "Master Shi, you have to worry, just stay in the city and wait for the general to come back victorious!" After saying that, he walked towards the bottom of the tower.
Although Shi Dongchang was one rank higher than Yu Jue, Yu Jue was the commander-in-chief of the army. According to the official system of the Ming Dynasty, all the troops and horses in Huaiqing Mansion were at his disposal. Shi Dongchang also had the right to intervene. He saw Yu Jue descending the tower.
, he was about to lead his troops out of the city. The prefect knew that something was wrong, but he had no choice.
After a while, Yu Jue gathered five thousand elite soldiers, issued an order to the general to open the east gate, lowered the drawbridge, and rushed out of the city at the lead.[