A moment later, there was a huge earthquake all over the city. The generals from all ministries returned to their camps to mobilize before the battle. Under the orders of the governor, they were ready to march out to Baoding to suppress the bandits, and no private gains could be handed over...
They rode fast horses and rushed to Xushui City, thirty miles to the northeast. "If the governor orders, we can go south to suppress the bandits. The spoils won will not be entered into the national treasury, but rewards will be given based on merit."
Li Yan, who had assembled his army early in the morning and was waiting for orders, was also surprised when he heard this. He couldn't help but sigh with emotion. After sending the order to all the troops, the soldiers were overjoyed and their morale soared. Everyone knew that Li Zicheng was rich and this battle was going to be won. As long as he didn't die, he would definitely make a fortune.
After a little mobilization, Li Yan immediately ordered to march out, leaving five hundred people to guard Xushui. The red lady sat down and calmed down, and the rest devoted themselves to the battle. More than ten thousand people sent troops towards Baoding City.
"General Li, how sure are you of this battle?" Wu Weiying became a little braver after traveling outside the customs, led the Shenji Battalion to assist in the battle, and walked side by side with Li Yan, looking as usual.
"Dragon and tiger are fighting, we don't know who will win. Let's see who has better means!" Li Yan smiled faintly, and Wu Weiying couldn't help but shuddered: "It's half life and death, this..." His face turned pale.
.
Li Yan glanced at him: "When the young governor killed the Tatars outside the customs, there was no narrow escape from death. In the end, the Tatars were killed in the piss. This time, I am half sure, so what does the Marquis have to fear?"
"Afraid...what should I be afraid of? What should I be afraid of? The Shenji Battalion under my command has made great achievements in the battle outside the pass. Killing the Tatars is like cutting grass, let alone these mountain bandits, huh..."
Li Yan smiled slightly: "That's right. Oh, by the way, I heard that the Shenji Battalion will soon be organized under the command of Dongchang. I wonder if that's true?"
"Ah, who did you listen to? The little governor told you?" Wu Weiying was startled. If Shenji Camp was taken over by Dongchang, she would really be the bare commander.
Li Yan chuckled and beat the horse quickly: "It doesn't matter who the Shenji camp is with, the important thing is that you can fight."
"Of course..." Wu Weiying rushed to chase: "The Shenji Camp is useless..."
Overnight, Chang Yu crossed the line of fire from Zhending Mansion and sneaked back to the north of Baoding City. He mobilized two groups of troops from the northwest to send troops to reinforce Baoding City. At the same time, Shi Kefa of Baoding City got his secret letter and agreed, and ordered all the troops to prepare for war in the city and wait for the time.
move.
The three parties raised their bows and set up arrows, and the war was about to break out.
Here Chang Yu dispatched troops and generals, and Li Zicheng was idle again by the Qingshui River. He discussed with a group of advisers and generals until early in the morning. Hao waved the flag and Zhang Nai led 10,000 troops to attack Mancheng. Liu Fangliang, Gu Ying, and Gao Yigongze
Thirty thousand men were gathered to break Li Yan's defense line, and Liu Zongmin led the remaining thieves to lay siege to Baoding City.
Today we not only want to break the city, we also need to break the defense lines of the officers and soldiers, and tear apart his ridiculously vulnerable so-called dragnet.
Early the next morning, Li Zicheng ordered all the troops to light fires, make food, and mobilize for battle. He said that after breaking the city, besides not killing anyone, he could plunder for a day. The morale of the army was really boiling.
The intruders have always claimed to be the masters of justice. They only torture the rich gentry when breaking the city and do not disturb the civilians. At least on the surface, this is absolutely not allowed. This time, this sudden order seems extremely unusual.
But why?
First, Baoding City tried to persuade them to surrender for several days, but the city guard was determined not to surrender. This made him extremely angry and he had to take revenge.
Secondly, when the refugees in the south are causing trouble, he needs to use some means to scare the monkeys. It is best for the refugees to stay safe and be honest, otherwise they will be like the people of Baoding City, where life and death depend on my words.
The soldiers were dispatched, and the spies went first. Although a fire was being made to make food, the rebel army had already sent out a large number of spies to watch every move of the officers and soldiers.
Li Zicheng, who was confirming his tactics with Niu Jinxing and other subordinates in the commander's tent, soon received news that there was a sudden movement of the officers and soldiers!
At dawn, a detachment of more than a thousand men and horses arrived from Dingxing to Xushui City, including the heavy armored cavalry, and then officers and soldiers spies went around.
Li Yan, Li Yan, you are really cautious, Li Zicheng squinted his eyes and cursed secretly. He knew this former subordinate very well and was extremely alert. He must have sensed something. He personally went to the front line to take charge, and used the heavy armor of a young eunuch.
The cavalry is a guise, and I want to mistakenly think that the little eunuch is so close that I am afraid to act rashly. Hehehe, it’s ridiculous!
Li Zicheng didn't know that his speculation had nothing to do with it. He thought Li Yan was bluffing and ignored it. When he made the final decision with the generals, the detective horse reported urgently that the heavy armored cavalry of the officers and soldiers suddenly arrived at the gate of Baoding City. Bai Guangen, who was stationed by the river west of the city,
and Chen Yongfu discovered that the two sides were fighting fiercely, the rebel army came out of the camp, and the officers and soldiers fled to the northwest and fled all over the city...
Here we go again! Li Zicheng felt that the situation was not as simple as he thought before. The last time the heavy armored cavalry arrived at Baoding City was when officers and soldiers from the north first arrived, and the identity of the little eunuch was also exposed.
This time, the battle suddenly came to the city, circled around the city, and ran all over the city. Why?
"Li Yan made a series of changes. It seems that he has been alarmed that we are about to take action. He first went to the city and then westward. The city was as expected. He is uniting the inside and outside to prepare for the battle. I am afraid that there will be a tough battle today." Niu Jinxing Goat
A stroke of beard revealed a secret.
"You're wrong." Li Zicheng sneered and shook his head: "It's not one big war, it's three big wars. I don't care whether he sees through it or not, the arrow is on the string and has to be fired. Even if he sets up his posture, the war will still be fought. Just start the war according to the original plan.
One is to attack Manchu City, the other is to attack Xushui and Dingxing, and the other is to attack Baoding City. I will fight three battles and win every one of them."
Li Zicheng's arrogance made all the thieves' leaders excited, and they shouted to pacify Baoding City and go north to capture the emperor.
Liu Zongmin even shouted arrogantly: "Liu Fangliang, please don't kill Li Yan right away. After I break the city, I will help you kill that kid immediately and make him regret being a traitor." The implication is that breaking Baoding City is
A matter of hands.
At 9 o'clock in the morning, the rebel troops were divided into three groups and marched towards Mancheng, Xushui and Baoding City. Hao Yaoqi and Liu Fangliang's troops marched towards their targets respectively. Liu Zongmin led tens of thousands of soldiers to surround Baoding City and ordered cannon fodder.
Set up a pontoon bridge to transport baggage and prepare for the siege.
Li Zicheng led his troops to the south moat of the city, which is also the Qingshui River, to supervise the battle. He saw the officers and soldiers on the city in a hurry and panic. He couldn't help but look up to the sky and laugh: "If you don't surrender, you will bring it upon yourself. After the city is breached, you will be cut into pieces."
…”
Boom... Before he could finish his words, several loud noises were deafening, and the officers and soldiers on the city actually fired!
After feigning an attack for several days, the officers and soldiers in the city remained calm and did not fire a single shot. Today, they took the initiative to open fire. Li Zicheng was so shocked that he couldn't help but laugh: "You have the guts, you have the guts!"
Shi Kefa, who was on the city, was wearing armor. He glared at the bandits surrounding the city and wiped away his old sad face. He said proudly: "Generals, listen to my order and guard the four gates with the southwest as the emphasis. Wait for reinforcements to rush out of the city and attack the bandits' den!"
"Go straight to the thieves' den" the generals roared, and their aura led the people in the city to unite and immediately echoed: "Kill the thieves and guard the city..."
The sound spread for several miles and once covered up the sound of the cannon, making the rebels outside the city frightened. Li Zicheng just shrugged: "The momentum is quite strong, but I don't know if he can really resist the beating."
The officers and soldiers acted first and bombarded the rebels on the moat to prevent them from crossing the river. However, this played into Li Zicheng's hands. They were all cannon fodder. The more people died, the easier it would be for him.
Outside the city, Liu Zongmin ordered the rebels to fight back, bombarded the city with heavy artillery, and fired hundreds of trebuchets. His momentum was unparalleled. He also ordered the cannon fodder to march forward bravely to build a bridge and cross the river. He pointed his whip at the top of the city and laughed: "To be broken."
Behind the city, I visited all the wives and daughters of the great men, not sparing any of them..."
The siege war has begun!
"General, general, fighting is starting in the north." A messenger came to report hurriedly. Liu Zongmin was stunned. Bai Guangen attacked the west gate, Chen Yongfu attacked the north gate, and he was stationed at the south gate. He hadn't crossed the river yet, but Chen Yongfu was one step ahead of him?
After careful questioning, it was revealed that Liu Fangliang's army passed twenty miles north of Baoding City and encountered the main force of Li Yan's tribe. The enemies were extremely open-minded when they met, and started fighting without saying a word!
The officers and soldiers could only hold out 20,000 troops there, but Liu Fangliang led an army of 30,000 and had a lot of cannon fodder. Although Liu Fangliang was defeated in the previous two battles, Li Yan did not take much advantage. What's more, the cannon fodder was the main battle in the past.
Starting the fight with the main force, Li Yan might not be able to hold on for even one round. Thinking about this, Liu Zongmin became a little jealous and ordered his men to speed up the attack. How could that kid Liu Fangliang steal all the limelight?
Is it really so easy? When Li Zicheng got his reward, he raised his eyebrows. He knew Li Yan's cautious character. Xushui was more than forty miles away from Baoding, and Liu Fangliang encountered him within twenty miles. How dare Li Yan
If you don't defend Xushui or Dingxing, it's probably not that simple to take the initiative to take risks and go deep into the fierce battle.
"What's the formation of Li Yan's thieves?" Li Zicheng asked carefully.
The spies reported: "The troops are divided into three groups two miles apart, and they are all cavalry."
All cavalry? Li Zicheng secretly complained, and immediately led his troops north. Liu Fangliang was most likely to have fallen into Li Yan's trick. The two had fought three times before, and Li Yan used vanguard cavalry to provoke him, and the main infantry was behind...
That is to say, his main force was infantry before, but now he is all cavalry. This thief is extremely cunning. He actually set up a trap early to deliberately show weakness and paralyze his opponent. This time, he brought out all his belongings and struck with all his strength. Liu Fangliang
If you are careless, you may be afraid...(To be continued)