Fenghou

In the afternoon, the Queen Mother Wei finally heard from the harem, agreeing to transfer Liu Guangshi away from Bashu.

Director Zhao Gou breathed a sigh of relief, and issued an order that night to remove Liu Guangshi from his position as Xuanfu envoy of Sichuan and Shaanxi, and asked him to return to Lin'an immediately to report on his duties. He led an army of [-] to guard the dangerous and important roads in the north of Bashu.

At the Jianmen Pass, Wu Ling stared sternly into the distance. This time, the emperor's handbook was sent to Chengdu by means of flying pigeons, and Wu Ling took office before the Jin soldiers attacked.

He took over Li Qiong's [-] troops, which were the elite western troops withdrawn from Dasan Pass. As long as they were there, Wu Ling was confident that Jianmen would not be lost.

Wu Ling has been in office for two days, but he has not seen any movement from Jinbing. He is really puzzled. This is completely different from the style of Jinbing in the past few times. Why?

For this reason, Wu Ling sent a team of scouts to the north to investigate.

At this time, the sound of horseshoes was heard in the distance, and Wu Ling was refreshed, and he quickly looked to the north. After a while, five cavalrymen rushed to them, and they were the scouts he sent to the north to investigate.

The scouts got off their horses and led the horses up to Jianmen Pass. Soon, the leader of the scouts was brought to Wu Ling.

"Reporting to Dutong, we found that Jin soldiers were building Guancheng at Eagle Rock, forty miles to the north."

"what?"

Wu Ling was stunned for a moment, "What kind of Guancheng are they building?"

"It's the same as Jianmen Pass, but it's just for defending the south, which is the exact opposite of Jianmen Pass."

"Ah!" Wu Ling immediately understood that the Jin soldiers not only wanted to capture Bashu, but also prevented the Song army from counterattacking Hanzhong, so a defensive pass had to be built first.

Eagle Rock is also notoriously steep. If Jin Bing builds a pass there, it will be a big trouble.

"How far has it been built?"

"It's almost completed, and the front is heavily guarded. We can't get close. We climbed to the cliff to see it."

Wu Ling understood the opponent's intention. The opponent wanted to occupy Hanzhong for a long time, and then use Hanzhong as a springboard to attack Bashu.

Commander Wang Jundao: "I believe that the reason why the opponent does not attack Bashu for the time being is not because Jianmen Pass is difficult to attack, but because they have a poisonous thorn in their back."

"You mean Chen Qing?"

Wang Jun nodded, "They don't have a lot of troops. If the army invades Bashu, Chen Qing attacks Guanzhong, or attacks Han and interrupts their retreat, won't they face a dilemma, so I estimate that if they don't wipe out Chen Qing's army will not attack Bashu."

Wu Yu thought it was true, the Jin soldiers had suffered a great loss in Chen Qing's hands, if they didn't deal with Chen Qing, how could they leave Chen Qing with an empty rear area?

Thinking of this, Wu Ling also breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. If this is the case, he will have time to recruit and train soldiers.

……

Wang Jun's guess was correct. The reason why the Jin soldiers did not attack Jianmen Pass was because of the news that Pingliang City had fallen.

The fall of Pingliang City made Wan Yanchang suddenly realize that Chen Qing's ambition was not only to support the army, but also to capture the entire Shaanxi Road. The capture of Pingliang City was obviously aimed at Jingzhao Mansion.

Aware of this, Wan Yanchang stopped his plan to attack Bashu, immediately wrote a letter, sent people to Shangjing overnight, and handed it to the wolf lord Wanyan Sheng.

In Hechi County, Wan Yanchang walked into this almost deserted county town. The southern part of the county town was burned, and most of the buildings in the county town were still intact. However, the streets were full of mess, and smashed furniture could be seen everywhere. The good thing the army did was to turn the county upside down in order to search for property.

On the city wall, Wan Yanchang looked at the county seat, and said to Li Cheng next to him, "I plan to change this place into a logistics area for attacking Beixianrenguan. You arrange the army to tidy up the county seat and demolish all the houses, leaving only the city wall. You have three days."

Li Cheng hurriedly bowed and saluted, "The humble job will arrange it now!"

Li Cheng left in a hurry, Wanyan Heli said with a gloomy face, "The Dujian army really doesn't intend to attack Bashu?"

He was very dissatisfied with Wanyan Chang's cancellation of his plan to attack Bashu. You must know that this was his chance to surpass Wanyan Wushu. How many years he waited for it, but Wanyanchang canceled it with a single sentence. How convinced was he? ?

Wan Yanchang gave him a cold look, "If you can take back Pingliang City, I will approve your attack on Bashu, otherwise it will be impossible!"

Wanyan and Lisa said angrily: "If you take Pingliang City, you will take Pingliang City, so why attack Beixianren Pass?"

Wan Yanchang explained to him patiently: "I guess the wolf lord will ask us to annihilate Chen Qing's army first before considering attacking Bashu. Instead of waiting for the wolf lord's order to come before we act, it is better to start preparing now and capture Beixianren pass first.

When the wolf lord's order comes, we can directly send troops to attack Chengji County. Even if the wolf lord doesn't ask us to attack Chen Qing, we can also erect fences to prevent Chen Qing from going south from Beixianren Pass to attack Hanzhong. "

"What about Pingliang City? To fight or not to fight?"

Wan Yanchang could hear the anger in his tone, and said calmly: "Wait for news from Lord Wolf!"

After finishing speaking, he ignored Wanyan and his dismissal, turned around and left.

Chapter 527 North Gate

In Yuchang Valley, the pass is being built in full swing. Huyanyun is very particular about the site selection. Since he built the pass in the valley, he must first ensure that the enemy cannot attack from above. He had already sent people to detour up the mountain to ensure that the enemy could not attack from the top of the mountain, so he determined the address of Guancheng.

Thousands of carts continuously transport bricks for the city from Chengji County. These are not bricks for the common people to build houses, but are specially fired for building the city. Each brick weighs dozens of kilograms.

These big city bricks were originally fired to build Cangcheng, but now Guancheng is more important, and they are all transported to build Guancheng.

Two thousand engineering soldiers were busy building the wall, and in just half a month, the height of the city wall exceeded one zhang five feet.

Hu Yanyun himself estimated that if the delivery of the city bricks could be guaranteed, it would definitely be completed within a month. What he was worried about now was the city gate. He had agreed to deliver it five days ago, but it still has not arrived until now, which really made him a little worried Well, he issued a military order, and if he can't build Guancheng within a month, even if Dutong doesn't kill him in the end, he will be dismissed from office.

"I'm coming!"

Just when Hu Yanyun was about to see through, a large convoy appeared in front of him, and the soldiers all yelled.

Hu Yanyun was overjoyed, and quickly got on his horse to meet him.

Sure enough, two large gates were transported on two specially-made carts, which looked thick and heavy, and were covered with iron sheets. Other carts carried accessories such as door frames, door bolts, suspension bridges, and iron chains, and a complete set of gates came out. up.

Huyanyun heaved a long sigh of relief. In this way, he will definitely be able to complete the construction of Guancheng within a month.

……

At the same time when Yuchanggu was constructing the Guancheng, Beixianrenguan encountered a severe test.

Wanfu Commander Wanyan Aguru led two thousand Jurchen soldiers and five thousand puppet Qi troops to attack Beixianrenguan. This was the first official attack on Beixianrenguan. They all watch the battle from afar.

On the mountain road, a thousand puppet Qi soldiers held spears, and there was a thick battering ram in the crowd. They lined up slowly. In the first and second rows of the team, eighty soldiers were divided into two rows. Walking side by side, they each held a large shield, forming two shield walls.

The team approached Guancheng step by step.

On the city wall, [-] soldiers of the Song Army were waiting in formation. Most of them were soldiers operating bed crossbows. One hundred bed crossbows were densely arranged on the city wall. Each bed crossbow required four soldiers to operate. Fortunately, the city wall was relatively wide. There is room to operate.

The chief general Zhang Xuefei stared at the enemy army 150 paces away, and he turned his head and waved his hands. In the closed city, three medium-sized trebuchets were ready, and they could throw [-]-jin heavy objects [-] paces away.

At this time, the red flag was raised, and everyone shouted, "Launch!"

Three trebuchets threw three gunpowder barrels violently, and the gunpowder barrels sizzled and burned in the air, flying towards the heads of the soldiers of the puppet Qi army.

"Poisonous nails, get down!"

Someone yelled, and the soldiers of the puppet Qi army fell down in fright. Three gunpowder barrels exploded, and the poisonous nails inside were scattered everywhere. However, most of the soldiers of the puppet Qi army lay on the ground, and there were not many casualties.

This is the method that Li Cheng discovered in the gunpowder explosion experiment. As long as the soldiers can get down in time, at least [-]% of the poisonous nail damage can be reduced. For this reason, all the puppet Qi troops have conducted targeted training.

Wan Yanchang, who was observing from a distance, was greatly surprised, he turned his head and asked, "Can you avoid the poisonous nails by lying down?"

Li Cheng nodded, "This is what the soldiers accidentally discovered during the gunpowder dodging training. Maybe it's because the poisonous nails shoot upwards when they explode, so they won't get hurt if they lie on the ground. The humble job is also specially equipped with reminders. As soon as the enemy gunpowder barrel is fired, a reminder will be shouted immediately."

Wan Yanchang said happily: "This is a good way. General Lisa, the Jurchen army also needs to conduct training."

Wanyan and Lisa had already seen most of the soldiers of the Qi army get up from the ground, and they were not affected by the explosion. He was convinced, and he nodded, "I know about it, I will arrange training as soon as possible!"

There were not many casualties in the explosion of the gunpowder barrel, and the soldiers of the puppet Qi army suddenly boosted their morale, shouting and speeding up to Guancheng.

Li Cheng's face changed drastically, and he cursed, "A bunch of bastards!"

Wanyan Lisa didn't react, Wanyanchang also sighed, "The formation is messed up!"

At this time, there was a sound of clappers on the top of the city, hundreds of bed crossbows were fired at the same time, and five hundred jackdaw iron arrows shot at the enemy soldiers like a storm. There was a scream, and large areas fell down.

A thousand puppet Qi soldiers were shot and killed more than [-] people, causing heavy casualties.

But the main general Wanyan Aguru turned a blind eye and shouted: "Beat the drum to urge the battle!"

He wanted to take advantage of the time when the other party was pulling the string and shooting the arrow, and let the army rush forward. As long as the soldiers approached the city, the bed crossbow had to be withdrawn, otherwise there would be no place for soldiers to stand on the top of the city.

This is also Wanyan Aguru's experience. He has long seen that the bed crossbow occupies too much land. As long as one army can rush up, the bed crossbow has to be withdrawn, creating opportunities for the troops behind.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The earth-shattering sound of war drums was beating, which was the sound of the drums urging the war, but for the soldiers, this was not called urging the war, but forcing the war. If they did not charge, they would be beheaded on the spot by the Jurchen law enforcement soldiers behind.

More than 600 soldiers of the Puppet Qi Army had to bite the bullet and rush forward.

When they were fifty steps away from the city wall, the soldiers suddenly felt that their feet were not right. There was actually a layer of wheat straw under their feet. Some people found that there was actually a dark liquid under the wheat straw.

"No, it's kerosene!"

Suddenly someone shouted, but it was too late, hundreds of soldiers on the top of the city shot gunpowder arrows together, and they fell to the ground one after another, and the fire on the ground was ignited.

Within eighty steps, it suddenly turned into a sea of ​​flames, with thick smoke billowing and flames burning. The soldiers screamed wildly in fright, pushing and shoving each other, and fled back desperately.

At this time, the second gurney crossbow was fired, and a thousand soldiers in the city fired crossbow arrows outward at the same time. The dense Jackdaw arrows swept across the enemy army, and a thousand crossbow arrows roared down from above their heads.

More than half of the more than 600 soldiers were hit by arrows, and many soldiers survived the arrows. They struggled and howled in the raging fire.

Out of 600 soldiers, only a hundred or so escaped in the end, but strict military laws awaited them. As soon as they escaped, Wanyan Aguru waved his hand cruelly, and hundreds of Jurchen cavalry rushed up and swung their axes. The soldiers screamed and were all hacked to death with axes.

Li Cheng was so angry that his face was flushed, and he said angrily: "Soldiers of the Qi army are not beasts, why treat them like this?"

Wan Yanchang said indifferently: "Military law is like a mountain, you can only advance and never retreat, and those who retreat will be killed without mercy!"

Li Cheng snorted, "Then please let the Jurchen soldiers come up next time, I want to see if the military law is as good as a mountain?"

Wan Yanchang glanced at him coldly, "Is Li Dutong going to instruct me to set up troops?"

Li Cheng had no choice but to hold back the anger in his heart, bowed his head and said, "Don't dare to be humble!"

"If you don't want to watch the battle, you can step back, I will not force you!"

Seeing that another two thousand Qi soldiers were threatened by the Jurchen cavalry to fight, Li Cheng felt a pain in his heart and said in a low voice, "Please resign from your humble position!"

"Go get it!"

Li Cheng turned and left with a heart full of sadness, he really couldn't bear to see two thousand soldiers go down to die again.

He is an experienced general, how could he fail to see that the Song army was too well prepared, making full use of all the advantages of defending the city, with powder kegs, trebuchets, enough fire oil, and overlooking the attack Or, it can be said that the advantages are exhausted.

And they didn't have any siege preparations at all, not even a siege ladder, how could they be able to attack Xiaguan City with a battering ram made of temporarily cut down trees?

Even if the entire army dies in battle, they will not be able to move the city at all.

He believed that Wan Yanchang also saw this, but he still ordered the Qi army to attack. This was clearly using the Qi army's life to find loopholes in the defense. It can be seen that in the eyes of the Jurchens, the Han soldiers are not as good as pigs and dogs.

Li Cheng was sad and resentful, but he had no choice but to leave in tears.

The meat-grinding battle at Beixianren Pass was still going on cruelly, round after round of soldiers fell under the fire and crossbow attack, even if the returning soldiers knelt down and begged bitterly, they could not escape the ruthlessness of the Jurchen cavalry's sharp axes hack.

Chapter 528 The Spy

Zhang Xiao hurried into Chen Qing's official room and put a battle report on Chen Qing's desk, "This is just from Beixianrenguan. Seven thousand troops attacked Beixianrenguan and killed more than [-] people. It is said that the puppet Qi army was wiped out, and the Jurchen army did not attack."

Chen Qing looked at the report and praised: "We only killed 41 people and injured 57 people. This Zhang Xuefei is not bad, with less than [-] casualties. He is also a rising general. He is only in his twenties."

"Can you all see the other party's intentions?"

Chen Qing took two steps with his hands behind his back and said, "It's because of us that they didn't attack Bashu?"

"It should be that we took Pingliang City and put great pressure on them. If they insist on attacking Bashu, the next consequence is that we seize Guanzhong and cut off their retreat."

"So they are now consolidating Hanzhong, and then turn around and attack us?"

Zhang Xiao nodded, "Xiaozhi also thinks so, Jin Bing will definitely increase its troops massively, Dutong, I have a suggestion."

"you say!"

"Beiqian recommends relocating family members and supplies to Huangzhou."

Chen Qing paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back. He walked to the window and stared into the distance. He understood Zhang Xiao's suggestion that seizing Sichuan and Shaanxi was the national policy of the Kingdom of Jin. To realize this national policy, the Kingdom of Jin would definitely attack Xihe Road. , Transferring family members is one way, but everything has two sides, and transferring family members will inevitably disperse the Song Army's defensive capabilities.

Thinking of this, Chen Qing said slowly: "I think it is better to strengthen the defense of Chengji County than to disperse the family members. I am considering building another outer city wall, but I don't know if there is enough time."

"If the city wall is fired in time, it should be in time."

Chen Qing said decisively: "Anyway, let's do it first, even if the Jin soldiers attack Xihe Road, it will take time to prepare!"

"Humble job to arrange!"

At this time, an attendant reported at the door, "Report to the envoy, the commander of the King of Neiwei must report all important matters."

"Let him in!"

Chen Qing motioned to Zhang Xiao to wait a while before leaving and listen to Wang Hao's report.

After a while, Wang Hao walked in quickly, knelt down on one knee and gave a military salute, "See Dutong!"

"Free gift!"