The weather is getting a bit cold. In the past few days, the wind blowing from the north has brought more and more dust. The dust covers the sky and blocks the sun a lot. Until around noon, the sky near Usha Castle became gloomy.
It gradually turned brighter.
The people on duty on the city wall looked around and saw that there was a flat land with a radius of several miles to the north of Wusha Castle. The original grass on the flat land was covered with sand, and only clumps of shrubs could still be seen.
.
This flat land was a place where cattle and sheep grazed in the past when there were troops stationed here. Several streams flowed through the meadows, and they did not dry up completely even in winter. Because there was water, after the sand was covered, it
It will slowly turn black all over until the coming spring warms up. Hence the name Usha Castle.
"Cheer up! Don't let anyone take the opportunity to get closer!"
The man who had led the fight earlier and had four fingers of his left hand chopped off by the Mongols was patrolling the city with his knife, wiping the sand between his eyebrows on his face from time to time.
This man's name is Yang Woyan, a native of Shuozhou. He was originally a subject of the Jurchen Tang Kuodi La tribe, and he once worked as a field official in the north of the boundary trench. When the Mongolian army invaded, the Tang Kuo Di La tribe fled south to Kaifeng, and Yang Woyan led them
The tribesmen fled into Chaqi Valley in Nanshan, Shuozhou to protect themselves. At most, there were thousands of people.
As the Mongolian army pursued them, Yang Woyan's troops immediately dispersed. He fled and fled, but was finally caught. He was about to be beheaded, but fortunately the Mongolian army was eager to penetrate deep into the Central Plains. A certain centurion waved his hand.
, and all the strong men were used as herdsmen accompanying the army.
The life of a shepherd slave is not something that normal people can live.
Yang Woyan soon witnessed countless unbelievable experiences of being killed or tortured. Under such torture, people's lives were like ants, and they would die casually.
When the Mongolian army broke through Feihukou in Yuzhou, there were hundreds of herder slaves like him who were assigned to a certain thousand households. The Mongolian army continued to burn and kill, and captured Dingkou's followers. However, when they returned to the grassland, there were everywhere on the road along the way.
They were all the corpses of ordinary people who had died after being unable to withstand the suffering. In the end, no more than a hundred herder slaves arrived alive on the grassland. After that, many died of disease, cold and hunger.
Yang Woyan's tenacity has supported him to survive to this day, and his methods in gathering companions in the valley in his early years have helped him win a little prestige among the Han slaves. When Lu Shu, Lu Wusi and others arrived, he became the
He is a capable person among slaves and has shown quite a lot of achievements. Recently, he has been given the title of inspector to assist in military affairs.
After assisting with military affairs for a few days, Yang Woyan was actually a little confused.
He heard from Lu Shu that this group of people had no choice but to flee here. In that case, shouldn't they try their best to escape back to the Central Plains?
To say that the Han'er slaves were in the way of traveling around was actually a hindrance to the Han'er slaves in the grassland. When Lu Shu and others wanted to leave, everyone immediately gathered around them. Even if one-tenth of them could return to their hometown, it would still be a profit.
It doesn't seem like they want to do something big in Wushabao. After all, the number of slaves is small, so it is impossible to compare with the thousands of Mongolian households in the eastern part of the grassland. After grabbing the pasture, the Mongols were the ones on the outside.
Three layers outside and three layers...
What happens next?
Yang Woyan didn't understand at all.
He was secretly calculating in his mind, how many days had he been trapped in Usha Castle? Five days? Seven days? Ten days? The last time he went out to fight was three days ago. After that time, there were too many Mongolians outside, and our side was overwhelmed. He was pressed back into Usha Castle and could no longer move freely.
Fortunately, these men who had been disciplined by the Mongols for a long time, even if they broke off with their slave owners, the effects of being disciplined for several years were still there, and they were all obedient and obedient, and did not dare to disobey their new masters. Even if everyone is desperate, they still wait honestly.
"It's coming! It's coming again! Everyone is on alert!" Yang Woyan suddenly shouted.
The Mongols have been attacking every now and then, and they are almost all pretending. Yesterday, there were about 2,000 people attacking from the front, and several hundreds of troops climbed over the slope from behind. Everyone thought they would not be able to survive, but a few people used makeshift tornado cannons. After throwing some stones, those people retreated angrily.
This kind of appearance with no fighting spirit does not look like the ferocious Mongolians, but more like the frontier army men in everyone's memory who eat and wait for death on the Daikin border all day long. After many times, everyone is a little tired. , the posture when ascending the city to defend was less cautious.
They thought it was ridiculous to think that they were just making cattle and horses for such goods. Some people also suspected that the Mongols were deliberately trying to show their favor and had some special conspiracy.
But this time, the Mongols seem to be serious!
Large groups of cavalry came galloping from a distance.
They are still the tribe of thousands of households in the eastern part of the grassland that besieged Wusha Castle. The weapons they are equipped with are very ordinary. Almost no one wears armor. Most of the horn bows they hold are the traditional Mongolian type. There are few fine ones made by Han craftsmen. But The momentum of their charge this time was obviously more fierce and murderous. Many Na Ke'er wearing leather armor no longer urged the rear as they did a few days ago, but charged in front. The defenders with good eyesight could see The fierce looks on their faces!
The Han slaves have lived in the eastern part of the grassland for several years and have some experience. Some people have already noticed that the Mongols are using several tribes that often fight with the Jurchens and Huli Gai people in the Northeast. This The warriors of several tribes are much stronger than the ordinary grassland herdsmen who live their lives.
"Where's the cyclone cannon? Drag the cyclone cannon up quickly!"
Yang Woyan shouted loudly and kicked a kid who was running past him staggering: "What are you doing here? Go down to the city quickly and inform our young father-in-law!"
The boys climbed up and down the wooden escalator and went down the city wall. Several men on the inside of the city wall ran towards the escalator, trying to climb the city to help in the battle, but Yang Woyan slapped him in the face and yelled: "Shield! Where's the shield! I don't have it!" Shield, are you here to seek death?"
Yang Woyan was not a soldier, but he had guarded the valley with his tribe a few years ago and knew the basic principles of fighting on the battlefield. Otherwise, he would not have been promoted.
Following his roar, the men each raised wooden shields and wooden rafts. Some of them were stronger and brought a few extra pieces for replacement.
Yang Woyan looked back at the outside of Wubao, and saw that the sky was gradually revealing blue. Under the sky, there were green grasslands, newly laid yellow-brown sand and dust, and black and gray Mongolia that was constantly surging forward. people.
"At least five thousand households...and there are five more behind them. Damn it, these Mongolians have all left the camp! Why are they crazy?"
Yang Woyan's curses were quickly silenced by the surging hooves of the Mongolian cavalry.
The Mongols were approaching, their horses were galloping, their knights were roaring, and a large number of cavalry began to run in circles in front of Usha Fort. If you look down from a high altitude, it would seem that a huge whirlpool suddenly appeared on the grassland, and in the center of the whirlpool,
It is Usha Castle and the surrounding hills and slopes.
The power of the galloping horses caused the ground to tremble slightly. Even the herds under the cover of the hilly slopes began to become nervous. The cattle and sheep neighed uneasily, and the particularly irritable rams even began to lower their heads and hit the fence.
After a while, the Mongols started shooting.
The sound of the bow string being pulled out and flicking was heard together, and then was overshadowed by the shrill sound of arrows streaking through the air. The Mongolian cavalry were not in a hurry to attack. They passed dozens of steps outside the village wall and kept firing arrows.
Iron arrow clusters, ground bone and stone arrow clusters swept over the wall like a storm. They hit the stone wall foundation, making a clanging sound, and scattered little bits of fire and gravel, hitting these
The wooden fence that had been built during the day immediately made a sound, as if dense withered grass suddenly grew on the wooden fence.
There were few defenders on the city wall with rich combat experience. After all, they were just craftsmen and slaves. They were suddenly hit by the rain of arrows and could not lift their heads.
There was a young man who was a little careless. He carefully hid his head behind the wooden sign, but accidentally exposed his back. Immediately, an arrow pierced his back, instantly penetrating the flesh and bones, and reaching the organs.
.
The young man who had been hit by the arrow screamed, his hands and feet immediately lost strength, and he fell to the ground twitching. Before he could twitch a few times, multiple arrows fell from the sky, and hit his body with a puff, causing blood to flow.
Rushing out.
When the young man went to Usha Castle, he brought his younger brother with him. The young man was also on the wall at this time, hiding in a recessed corner. Seeing his brother being shot to death, he roared and struggled to drag the body to the
Every time I stood up from the place where I was sheltered from arrows, I was pulled back hard by my companions.
"Don't panic! Shut up! Stop screaming!" Yang Woyan shouted twice, and suddenly he heard the creak of the ladder behind him, and someone came up with a hail of arrows.
"Has the cyclone cannon arrived? Move to the pier to the east quickly!"
As he gave the order, he turned back, only to find that his companions carrying the cyclone cannon were still below. At this moment, it was Lu Shu who climbed up the ladder to the city under the cover of several people raising shields.
When arrows are flying, wouldn't it cause chaos if a nobleman like Lu Shu suddenly arrives here? If Lu Wusi or A Duo are here, they can take over the command. What can Lu Shu do when he comes? He is the brother-in-law of the Emperor of Zhou, so
Even if one hundred people were sent to protect him, it wouldn't be too much!
Yang Woyan laughed twice and asked: "Young Master, what are you doing here?"
Under the sound of crackling arrows falling to the ground, Lu Shu bent down, holding the shield on his head, and walked towards the village wall in small steps. He smiled and said to Yang Woyan: "It's time, let me take a look.
"
"Ah, young master, what are you here to see?"
Lu Shu patted the rammed earth of the village wall at his feet: "I often came to this place when I was a child. My father, mother and brother-in-law's parents also came here. The view here is the best. Today I have to let them all
have a look."
Yang Woyan was completely confused: "Little Master, what are you talking about? We are at war! The Mongols are shooting arrows!"
Lu Shu didn't pay much attention to him. Instead, he took out several jars from his arms and placed them one by one beside the wooden fence.
Each jar is well wrapped in silk and satin, like the jars used in the army to bury the bones of soldiers.