In the melee in the dark night, Chushan Jianrui's casualties were actually not low, at least not much lower than those of the Red Husbands.
However, the Red Husbands were unable to confirm the casualties on both sides in the darkness, and there was no way to focus on a more vulnerable direction as the main attack direction.
The old tactical experience is no longer applicable in the darkness, and the Red Husbands only know that they themselves are suffering huge casualties.
Several tentative attacks could not disrupt the formation of the Chushan Army. The Chushan Army was even further shrinking and gathering, with deafening shouts everywhere. The Chihu people who never flinched on the killing battlefield, this time
We can only choose to avoid its front temporarily, keep distance, and wait for the arrival of dawn.
This time it can be said to be a battle of wills.
Even though Chushan Jianrui has experienced countless bloody battles and has honed his tough and powerful nerves, in the darkness where he couldn't see his fingers, he heard fierce fighting on the front, back and left, heard the swords clashing, and heard the blades breaking apart.
Armor, the sound of skin and flesh being cut, and the sound of bones being severed. Listening to the continuous falling of robes around them, the painful groans and howls, and the sound of the wind caused by the horses screaming and galloping, they were also panicked, fearful, and their hands and feet were in panic.
I couldn't help but shiver.
However, panic and fear were not enough to crush their will.
Amidst the familiar and fierce shouts, the fighting spirit in the chests of the generals was quickly ignited, and with the help of extremely weak light and familiar commands, they continued to shrink their formation toward the center.
After confirming that the prisoners and cavalry had distanced themselves, a small amount of torches were relit in the rear for illumination. The bonfire at the head of Linying City eight or nine miles away outlined the outline in the darkness. The generals could not help but clenched the swords in their hands and quietly
Waiting for the dawn to come.
The distinction between night and day is blurred. It seems that the darkest moment has passed, and a glimmer of light penetrates between the sky and the earth, making the people, horses, shrubs, and woods that cannot be illuminated by the fire reveal extremely vague shadows; and then it looks like someone
Take a pen mixed with water and use very light and light layers to draw the outlines of the world and all things.
It wasn't until groups of horsemen launched another attack from the periphery and approached that Chushan Jianrui suddenly discovered that the misty blue sky could already make it clear that the nearby vegetation was covered with hoarfrost.
"Drive out the Hulu and return our mountains and rivers!"
"Eating Hulu meat, thirsty for Xiongnu blood!"
Chushan Jianrui also quickly entered a battle preparation situation on the spot, and the generals who were resting on the ground gathered tightly together again with spears, swords and shields in hand.
A cloud of arrows covered the area like locusts, while Chu Shan Jianrui used layers of shields, which were gathered together as densely as fish scales to block the rain of arrows.
Elite archers organized a counterattack behind the shield array.
The enemy organized hundreds of armored cavalry to charge over. Chushan Jianrui did not flinch, nor did he simply use a dense formation to resist. Instead, every three or five combat groups gathered around a fine iron chariot, facing the tide of prisoners.
The armored cavalry array charged in the opposite direction.
There were many inconveniences in the rapid march at night. A large number of fine iron shield chariots were pushed directly down the Yingshui River at the mouth of the Xiliu River. However, forty or fifty fine iron shield chariots were dragged by oxen and horses, and they trudged forward with the generals through the muddy wilderness.
.
A small number of fine iron shield vehicles could hardly play any role in the melee in the dark. However, at this time, they gave the soldiers the courage and support to face the impact of the enemy's armored cavalry head-on, and forcibly suppressed the speed of the enemy cavalry's impact in the wilderness.
So that it cannot directly attack the main formation.
At this time, the guards' armored cavalry also attacked diagonally from the side and rear very decisively. The enemy had no intention of withdrawing the armored cavalry. Both sides were forced to invest more and more troops in the narrow left-wing battlefield, engaging in a battle of blood and flesh, iron and fire.
Contest.
Every moment, spears, halberds and long knives pierced the opponent's body, and soldiers on both sides fell every moment; ownerless horses galloped aimlessly on the battlefield.
The chest is densely packed with feathered arrows.
Niu Er was like a tiger descending from the mountain. He no longer just carried a heavy shield to fight. He had an iron mace weighing more than thirty kilograms in his hand. Every time he struck it hard, he exerted tremendous force, destroying those who stood in front of him.
There are few long swords and iron shields that do not break and shatter.
The Mobei horses used by the captive soldiers are famous for their strong endurance, good physical strength, and adaptability to fighting in various harsh environments, but they are short in stature.
This makes Niu Er, who is nearly six feet tall and weighs more than two hundred kilograms, like an iron tower standing on the killing battlefield, and is not weak at all when facing the captives.
The iron mace Niu Er held even had a wooden handle that was more than five feet long, which was enough to attack the main torso of the horseback soldiers.
Of course, compared to directly cutting the weapon in the prisoner's hand or taking a step forward to attack the prisoner's torso,
, Niu Er even enjoyed the pleasure and excitement brought by the moment when the iron mace was slashed down and the horse's head was broken.
Most of the cavalry near Linying City are the Red Husbands themselves and the earliest tribesmen who attached themselves to the Red Husbands. They can be said to be the most elite Red Husband cavalry, as well as middle- and lower-level military officials such as ten-centurions and centurions.
He was a master of one block and ten, good at riding and shooting, and had excellent swordsmanship, but no one could withstand Niu Er's ferocious attack from the front.
Niu Er was like a tiger descending from the mountain at this time.
"Ouch!"
The pleasure of killing surged through the chest like a tide, and the two cows fought more and more happily. It seemed that there was endless power pouring out from the limbs and bones, gathering on the mace, and the mace was swung more and more vigorously.
"Take it easy for me!" Xu Huai held a spear and shot out a ray of cold silver light, severing half of an enemy soldier's neck. He then pressed Niu Er's shoulder with his backhand to stop him.
They have already wiped out the ten enemy soldiers in front of them, and if they rush forward ten steps further to kill them, then they are too forward.
Xu Huai dragged Niu Er, and the two groups of armored soldiers on the left and right, each surrounded by a fine iron shield chariot, rushed out diagonally, forming a cover in front of them and giving them a chance to breathe and watch the battle.
Xu Huai himself also liked more intense infantry battles. Seeing that the enemy would focus their attack on the left wing, he took Niu Er, Zhang Xiongshan, Liu Yueting, Su Mi, Han Qihu and other generals to lead a group of bodyguards.
Come to join Xu Xin'an to strengthen the left wing's ability to withstand enemy attacks and counterattack.
Xu Huai did not lead thousands of elite troops to stand still, although it would be much easier to fight that way and the casualties would be much less.
On the one hand, they are still far away from Linying City, and they will stay where they are, surrounded by thousands of horsemen. There will be a large gap in the east, north and south of Linying City, called the gap along the Yingshui River.
The enemy troops quickly retreated into Linying City.
On the other hand, the Xuanwu Army on the left and right and the soldiers and horses of Chushan starting from Xiaoquegang, among which the cavalry units that advanced were weak in field combat capabilities, and it was difficult to withstand the head-on cover attack of the elite red cavalry during the march.
Therefore, Xu Huai needs to command his troops and horses to advance further towards Linying City. At the same time, he must also attract the main force of the captive cavalry to the northeast side of Yinglin City to the maximum extent, making it impossible to divide his troops to intercept and raid other roads to Linying City.
Ying joined the troops who came over.
At daybreak, Tang Pan led four thousand cavalry to Linying.
These four thousand cavalry can also be said to be the last few cavalry families in Chushan. Their field combat capabilities and armor and equipment are still slightly inferior to those of the guards' personal camp.
Tang Pan led his troops northward from Xiaoqueshan and stopped when they were nearly twenty miles away from Linying City. He waited until dawn when the sky was slightly bright before setting off again. He then detoured back to the northeast of Linying to meet Xu Huai first.
The main thing is to avoid direct and indirect battles with the elite cavalry in the wilderness as much as possible.
These four thousand cavalrymen had been recuperating on the north bank of Xiaoquegang for more than a month. The night march of forty to fifty miles was not difficult at all. After rendezvous, they entered the fierce battle in batches from the left and right wings, relying on the formation of armored soldiers.
At the same time, Yin Peng and Han Qi led three thousand infantrymen through the wilderness and successfully arrived at the outskirts of Linying.
The horse infantry's ability to fight on horseback is even worse, but the generals are equipped with large shields, spears, and bows. They wear strong armor and use oxen and horses to drag a large number of chariots. Six thousand horse infantry are east of Linying and about 100 meters south of Linying.
At eleven or twelve miles, they dismounted and formed a formation. Relying on the dense formation of infantry, they slowly advanced towards Linying City...
…………
…………
The Yingshui River in the south of Xuchang City is much shallower and narrower than the lower reaches.
In order to prevent the pontoon bridge from being attacked, the Xuchang defenders laid a large number of wooden piles in the river downstream of the pontoon bridge, wrapped them with iron ropes and hemp ropes, and cut down a large number of giant trees to tie them to both banks.
The warships of the Chu Shanshui Army came upstream. The defenders were the first to cut off the ropes and let go of the giant trees to rush downstream.
Although the flow of water in Yingshui was slow at this time, hundreds of giant trees drifted down the current, and there were some bamboo rafts in the middle. The rafts carried lit firewood and crowded the river, which still caused great hindrance to the Chushan navy.
However, destroying the pontoon bridge and cutting off the communication between the enemy forces on the western front and Xuchang on the north bank are the core combat tasks of the Chu Shanshui Army.
More than a dozen red horse boats were in front, and the soldiers stepped barefoot on the side of the boats. Even if some soldiers were hit by feather arrows, they were not afraid. They used long poles and spears to hold back the giant trees floating along the river, or directly used their spears to
The hook gun caught the burning raft.
The rowers, bare-chested, rowed hard through the water, dragging the hooked rafts and giant trees to the river beaches on both sides, clearing the waterway for the large-winged boats behind to attack.
The red horse boat was still too small, and it was bumped into by huge trees from time to time.
The boat shook, and the soldiers fell into the cold river water; two red horse boats were accidentally knocked over by giant logs, and three red horse boats were too close to the burning rafts filled with firewood, and the fire quickly spread...
…
The large-winged boat rushed out of the barely cleared waterway and quickly approached the direction of the intercepting wooden pile.
The enemy troops on both sides of the bank and guarding the pontoon bridge were covered with arrows like rain. There was a stream flowing into the south bank downstream of the pontoon bridge. At this time, thirty or forty light boats loaded with soldiers came out of the stream mouth.
Xuzhou does not have the ability to build warships, and has never had a naval force. However, when the Chushan navy entered the Ying River, the Xuchang defenders could not collect many boats from the people, so they urgently built a batch of smaller sampans.
In a small boat, which is not much bigger, the people and horses are organized to practice water fighting.
The Xuchang navy did not plan to go down the river to find a showdown with the Chushan navy near Xihua. However, at this time, the floating bridge was threatened and the passage across Ying was cut off.
Although the Xuchang Navy only has three axes, the Chushan Navy is not that strong, especially since the Yingshui River in this section of the river is narrow.
Several large-winged warships and Mengchong ships blocked the way and were unable to approach the wooden pile group in the river.
When the stalemate continued, a group of cavalry from the south bank came from behind to cover them up. They waved their swords, stabbed with spears and spears, and the archers galloped and fired on horseback. They quickly defeated the defenders on the long embankment on the south bank.
"Drive out the Hulu and return our mountains and rivers!"
Yu Gong led his cavalry onto the long embankment on the south bank, brandished his sword, roared loudly, and ordered the soldiers to shoot their bows at the light boat on which the Xuchang navy was riding.
The small sampan-like boat did not have a roof. The Xuchang navy squeezed the soldiers onto the small boat with shields. They could barely resist the Chushan navy's warships and attacked them against the current. At this time, they were shot from across the south bank. Suddenly, time left.
The clumsy right branch cannot resist.
Dozens of people were shot into the water, and the Xuchang navy panicked and retreated.
When Xu Ling saw the reinforcements arriving in time, he also led his navy soldiers to approach the wooden piles erected in the river without caring about their own safety. He used a sharp ax to cut off the iron ropes and hemp ropes wrapped around the wooden piles, and then headed towards the pontoon bridge.
.
The four large-winged boats used hook guns to secure the pontoon bridge. While resisting the defenders from attacking from the pontoon bridge, the navy generals lit hundreds of fire oil cans and quickly threw them onto the pontoon bridge, until the pontoon bridge of more than 200 steps was completely destroyed.
Caught in the raging fire, the four large-winged boats released their hook guns and swam down the water to participate in the rescue of the fallen generals...
…………
…………
Yue Hailou stood on the Linying City Wall, his heart was filled with ice and he did not want to look at the scene in front of him.
At this time, the warm sunrise had just climbed up to the treetops. The field covered with weeds and shrubs was covered with white frost. The mist had dissipated and the view was no longer blocked. Countless soldiers and horses from the Southern Dynasties came from the southeast, south and west.
The face was dark and the people were approaching.
Yue Hailou was so painful that he wanted to close his eyes.
Before Muchi had to order the cavalry troops that suffered heavy casualties to be recalled to the city, and before Linying City's communication with the outside world was cut off by the overwhelmingly superior Southern Dynasty soldiers and horses, Yue Hailou knew that the south pontoon of Xuchang City had been set on fire by the Chushan navy;
The flooding that spread from Miaowang Valley to the north last night also quickly cut off the camp area on the south bank of Yingshui River. The flooding is still spreading to both sides, and the position is still rising.
Although there are some areas with higher terrain along the Yingshui River, including the long embankment on the south bank of the Yingshui River, which have not yet been flooded by Taishui, they are too narrow.
At the same time, because the flooding cut off the camp area in the north of Miaowang Valley and continued to spread to both sides, the soldiers and horses in the north of Miaowang Valley had to evacuate hastily to the two wings to avoid flooding. The people and horses were in a mess, and
No one thought of controlling this narrow unflooded area along the Yingshui River to ensure that the east-west line was not cut off.
Of course, there may be people who think of it but don’t have the ability to do it.
After all, Chushan still has seven or eight thousand men and horses in Xihua City on the north bank of Yingshui River, and there are navy warships that can quickly recover.
In order to prevent Xu Huaihui from breaking out and escaping from the lower reaches of Yingshui River, they took the initiative to sink a large number of boats loaded with sand and gravel in the Yingshui River in Xiangcheng, Shenqiu and other places to block the river. This actually hindered their movement to Yingzhou.
The navy marched westward and fought a decisive battle with the Chushan navy on the Yingshui River, which was the biggest failure in opening up the connection between the north and the south.
This time means that before the rivers and Huaihe Rivers freeze and reinforcements arrive, their troops on the western front are completely trapped in the dilemma of working on their own.
Yue Hailou still doesn't know how many soldiers and horses on the Western Front have been divided and surrounded, let alone how many soldiers and horses will survive until reinforcements arrive...
