Iron Dynasty

The fragrant smell of green grass mixed with the earth blows from the land north of Cangzhou City.

Outside the city of Cangzhou, the golden sun shines on the endless grassland, a path leads to the distance, and occasionally a collapsed thatched cottage on the side of the road tells of the past here.

After the barbarians captured Youzhou, they burned the houses and forests, and arrested the people. A prosperous land was overgrown with weeds for ten years, and it became a grazing land for Huyan Tuo Buluo.

On the city wall, Niu Ben looked at the endless grassland, and his words were full of desolation.

Ten years ago, he stood on this city wall and witnessed the barbarian cavalry galloping here and there.

Zhan Xingchang was also on the city wall. After working hard for more than two months, everyone else lost a lot of weight. However, with tens of thousands of slaves working day and night, a majestic city wall appeared.

Unfortunately, King Yong guarded Youzhou. He used to be the most powerful vassal king, but he couldn't resist the barbarians. Zhan Xingchang said.

Xiao Ming looked at the fertile soil outside the city, starting from Cangzhou City to Youzhou, a total of more than 400 miles, and this Youzhou is the location of the modern Ming Dynasty Forbidden City.

The Ming Dynasty, known as the emperor who guarded the country's gate and the king's death, disappeared from history like dust after the loss of Shanhaiguan, and after the destruction of Shanhaiguan, the entire fiefdom was trampled by barbarians.

If it wasn't for Niu Ben's strong defense of Cangzhou City at that time, and the fact that the Western Regions encountered the Ottoman Empire, the barbarians would definitely not have given up their plan to continue their journey south.

In this way, the Ottoman Empire inadvertently delayed the destruction of the Great Yu Kingdom.

Don't raise other people's ambition and destroy your own prestige.

Xiao Ming said lightly, Dayu Country has changed quite a bit, and what is most needed at this time is morale. Now Xiao Ming has nowhere to go. If he doesn't defend Cangzhou, he is not far from death.

Zhan Xingchang woke up, and he fell into the same sympathy and compassion as many scholars in the Great Yu Kingdom.

Niu Ben nodded, The barbarians are nothing to be afraid of. They are also flesh and blood, and there is nothing to be afraid of. The only thing to worry about is that the soldiers are afraid before they fight.

Zhan Xingchang looked embarrassed and said, Let Your Highness and the General laugh.

Xiao Ming patted him on the shoulder and said, But what you said is not entirely wrong. Tactically, you must pay attention to the enemy, and strategically, you must despise the enemy.

Hahaha... Your Highness's words are classic, but they can be written into the art of war. Niu Ben was startled, and suddenly said.

When Zhan Xingchang heard the words, he fell into thinking.

Xiao Ming said with a smile, I didn't say these words, but a great man. But these words are in response to the current situation with the barbarians.

The three of them said while patrolling the city wall, which was five hundred meters away from the city wall on the side of the grassland.

Now Xiao Ming has transferred most of the fief's troops to Cangzhou City, the number is as expected, a total of 50,000 people.

Except for the Qingzhou Army, which was equipped with new plate armor and weapons, the other new armies were poorly equipped and could only be used as a backup.

After inspecting the city wall of Cangzhou, Zhan Xingchang basically realized the original idea.

Now there is a gun tower every ten meters on the city tower, and a prominent battlement every fifty meters.

These battlements were perpendicular to the walls, so that soldiers could have more defensive positions.

At this time, crossbows and catapults have been arranged in the battlements, and the archers are already in place, ready to fight at any time.

On the city wall outside the battlements, there are still logs, stones, caltrops, long forks and other defensive tools stacked on the city walls. The long forks are used to push the ladder away.

And everything else is for throwing away.

Along the inner side of the city wall are hanging baskets leading to the city, and under the hanging baskets are more materials for the defense of the city.

At the same time, there is a large iron pot every 20 meters under the city wall. These iron pots are filled with oil, which is also used to deal with the climbing barbarian soldiers.

Outside the city walls is another scene.

A trench three meters deep and three meters wide was dug along the city wall, and in the trench were buried bamboo pieces that were raised and sharpened.

Barbarian soldiers in this era wore nothing but leather boots, and the soft bottom could not resist such sharp bamboo chips.

On the outside of the trench are densely packed half-person-high pillars. These pillars are buried under the foundation to prevent the barbarians from charging on a large scale, so that the barbarian soldiers are piled up and become the targets of artillery.

His Royal Highness, there are many traps on the outside. These traps are covered with turf and are not easy to detect.

This time, the defense strategy of the city wall was formulated by Zhan Xingchang, such as trenches, stone pillars and so on.

Niu Ben said to Xiao Ming: This young man is not bad, he is insidious enough. Now the barbarians are here, but they will suffer.

Zhan Xingchang said depressedly: Captain, are you praising me or hurting me?

Of course I'm complimenting you. Niu Ben laughed loudly. Like Pang Yukun, he was also a lover of talent.

In his opinion, this Zhan Xingchang is much stronger than many powerful children.

Xiao Ming was also satisfied with Zhan Xingchang's arrangement, because between the stone pillars, Zhan Xingchang also used hemp rope to trap the rattan soaked in tung oil on the stone pillar.

These rattans are very strong after being soaked in tung oil, and it takes a while to chop with a sword.

During this time, the crossbowmen on the city wall were able to shoot with all their strength.

Good job. Xiao Ming said with satisfaction.

Generally speaking, the siege of the city is relatively difficult, and it is difficult to win a siege with five times the force.

The more obstacles are set up in the siege process, the greater the loss of the siege party.

Walking around the city wall, Xiao Ming remembered that he had not seen Lu Fei and Luo Xin, and he asked, Old General, what about Lu Fei and Luo Xin?

Mention this Niuben with a wry smile.

He said: Since receiving His Highness's telescope, these two have not been idle, but went out with soldiers to inquire every day. With this telescope, they can discover barbarian scouts in advance every time, which makes them one by one. Unreceivable.

Xiao Ming shook his head helplessly. Going out with the binoculars was the same as bullying the nearsighted. No wonder the two couldn't stop.

The two were talking, talking about Cao Cao, when Cao Cao arrived, they saw a pair of cavalry figures appear in the distance, and the two in front were Lu Fei and Luo Xin.

When they got close, the two also saw Xiao Ming.

Entering the city, the two immediately climbed to the city wall, and Lu Fei was out of breath: His Royal Highness, the Huyantuo department has accelerated the marching speed, and it is estimated that they will reach the city at noon tomorrow.

This time, the entire tribe of Huyantuo migrated to Cangzhou City. It is very important to be stationed here. It seems that the barbarian army is behind. They are providing cattle and sheep for the follow-up army.

Niu Ben asked, What about the number of troops?

Only Huyantuo has 20,000 cavalrymen and countless slaves. Luo Xin looked solemn.