When the blazing flames filled the not too wide river surface of Yongji Canal, everything was a foregone conclusion, but it was difficult to see clearly from within.
Cheng Mingzhen rode his horse down the hill and headed south. Qi Shanxing shouted and commanded, and the Tang army began to attack the ferry and the bridge, and there were straight wolf smoke rising into the sky.
Li Daoxuan and Liu Jun, who had not yet arrived at the battlefield, saw the fire in the distance and began to accelerate, vowing to avenge the humiliation of the battle.
But Liu Heitai was stunned for a moment and became furious. Cao Zhan, a loser, could not handle such a trivial matter, but he actually allowed the Tang army to succeed in a sneak attack!
At the edge of the battlefield, a majestic young man frowned tightly, suddenly jumped on his horse, and looked at the firelight on Yongji Canal from a distance.
"Zhou Erlang, what's going on?"
"Second brother, there was a noise earlier that the grain ship was burned?"
Dozens of people below were all asking questions. After looking at it for a while, Zhou Zuolang got off his horse and sneered: "The grain boat... These days, Chen Daozi's group is eating a little better, and the rest... who Aren’t the rations only half of the original half?”
A middle-aged man next to him nodded and said: "Chen Daozi and his gang robbed the granary of a large family in Yuancheng."
"But there are grain ships going south every day. Maybe it's not enough?"
The people around him whispered and gradually became quiet, waiting for this young man's decision.
Zhou Erlang was a meticulous person, and he pondered it over and over in his mind. He remembered that before the Turkic soldiers left, he had already begun to feel hungry. After that, Po Yuancheng only had one or two full meals. Let alone a hug now. There is not even enough fodder for the war horses.
There are dozens of grain ships every day, and the news spreads in a chaotic manner, but no one has confirmed that it has been eaten.
In the chaos of the army, if you want to save your life, you must act cautiously, but you must also be able to seize fleeting opportunities.
Zhou Zuorang gritted his teeth. He was originally from Dingzhou. His family had a house and fields. He had parents, elder brother, younger brothers, sisters, wives and children.
Last year, Liu Heitai invaded Dingzhou, and the Zhou family was destroyed. Brothers, sisters, parents, wives and children were scattered without a trace, and they didn’t know whether they were dead or alive. Zhou Lang was kidnapped by the rebels and had no choice but to survive in the army. Because he was good at riding and shooting, he had no choice but to survive in the army. He was proficient in writing and had gathered hundreds of subordinates.
To be fair, Zhou Erlang deeply hated Liu Heitai, but he also knew that once he was captured by the Tang army, he would definitely die.
But today, when a fire broke out in the Yongji Canal, Zhou Erlang found a way to escape safely.
"Watch those horses..."
Zhou Erlang's deep voice sounded among the gathered crowd, "Further north is fodder..."
"Lao Qi, I remember you got some tung oil in Yuancheng..."
"Second brother, you want to..."
"Listen to me!"
At this moment, Liu Heitai, who was standing on the hill, was livid. Looking down, although the tens of thousands of troops were far from disintegrating, the riots were spreading everywhere at a speed that was almost visible to the naked eye.
Liu Heita was filled with hatred. Whoever set up the poisonous plan obviously didn't see through the deception of the grain ship, but he directly set it ablaze, and made such a big noise in front of thousands of people.
If there is enough food and grass in the army, this fire will have almost no effect, but the problem is that after the army's rations are replenished in Poyuan City, it can only support a quarter or even less. The morale of the army depends on the food ships. .
Although he could not hang up for a few days... Liu Heitai hoped to make a surprise attack on Liyangcang, but this fire burned down the morale of the few soldiers.
Looking to the north, Liu Heitai had no other choice. The Tang army attacking south from Guantao could only rely on Wang Xiaohu's more than two thousand cavalry to deal with it. What he needed most now was to resist the attack of the Tang army on the other side of the river.
On the other side of the river, in the Tang army, flags were flying, swords were shining, and a large number of soldiers carried shields, giant trees, and even armors and rushed forward. Blood splattered on the bridge, screams continued, and soldiers from both sides kept falling from the bridge.
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Liu Heitai knew very well that once the Tang army crossed the river calmly, the infantry guarding the river bank would be difficult to resist, and his own cavalry was on the periphery, making it difficult to mobilize for a while.
Attacked from two sides, the grain ships were burned, morale was greatly reduced, and the infantry was in chaos. The Tang army's cavalry had a place to use, driving the infantry to rebel against their own formation. By then, it would be useless for the gods to come down to earth.
On the hill, Liu Heitai kept giving orders, moving a group of direct troops from all directions to the ferry and the bridge where the battle took place.
On the other side of the river, Ma Zhou clicked his tongue and said: "Liu Heita is really talented. His army stormed the bridge crossing and was defeated without breaking out or disrupting his formation."
Qi Shanxing nodded after hearing this and said: "Use small forces on the left and right to flank, delay our army's advance speed, and stabilize the position at the rear... After all, the advantage in strength is too great."
Ma Zhou sighed. The attacking Tang army had no more than a thousand infantry. Although they were elite, there were too many enemy troops on the other side. If they did not break up, they would be piled up to death.
It has to be said that in the late Sui and early Tang dynasties, a great era when powerful heroes emerged in the world, Liu Heitai was from a humble background. He served under Wagangzhai, Wang Shichong, and Dou Jiande successively, and later formed his own sect. Regarding the threat to Li Tang,
In fact, he is more dangerous than the top three.
This is a general who can personally go into battle and has extremely high military talent. Liu Heitai's failure does not lie in his lack of ability, but in the fact that he does not have enough confidence and can only take risks.
Once you fail, it's hard to get back on your feet.
"Not here yet?"
"It will take at least a quarter of an hour." Qi Shanxing shook his head slightly, "Brother Mingzhen insisted on leading the troops in person. Now that the war has begun, even if the other side's scouts find out, Liu Heitai will not be able to mobilize his troops to deal with it."
Ma Zhou pointed with his right hand in the air and said with a smile: "General Manager Tian is leading his troops south, and Liu Heitai will respond with his own men and horses. Just now he saw at least a thousand and five cavalry heading north.
If General Manager Cheng successfully crosses the river and leads 500 cavalry to attack... the city wall of Wei County happens to be used as a cover. Even if Liu Heitai knew about it, he would not be able to mobilize the cavalry to stop it."
After communicating with the Tang army in Guantao via messenger, Cheng Mingzhen thought over and over again before deciding on the strategy of forcibly crossing the river and attacking on the flank.
Under normal circumstances, it takes quite a while to build a simple bridge that can pass through. The enemy scouts are not blind... When the two armies are facing each other across the bank, the most wary thing is for the opponent to sneak across the river from upstream and downstream.
Once the pontoon bridge is built in advance, it will be detected by the opponent's scouts, which loses the significance of the cavalry raid.
But Cheng Mingzhen was really a ruthless man. He had the determination and reasons to kill Liu Heita. He also loved his soldiers like his own son, and he was willing to die for his soldiers.
Cheng Mingzhen was a local who had served in Weizhou and Xiangzhou for a long time. He was very familiar with the Yongji Canal. He found a shallow water area that was not too deep, and simply built a bridge with long giant trees and bamboos. He took off his armor and led his horse into the water to cross the river.
It is already the end of October, not the twelfth lunar month, but the coldest winter. Although the water has not yet turned into ice, it is still cold enough... In such weather, crossing the river in the water will be a tough werewolf.
Qi Shanxing looked at the battle situation on the other side. The Tang army had captured the bridge crossing, but it was difficult to expand the victory. Enemy soldiers armed with spears attacked on both wings, and the soldiers in the front blocked them with huge shields. The Tang soldiers fought hard, but it was difficult to break the formation.
Moreover, the Tang army only had 2,000 infantrymen in total, and only 1,560 of them could directly participate in the battle. It would be difficult to break the formation even if they were all thrown in.
Of course, Qi Shanxing and Cheng Mingzhen also had other considerations. Ma Zhou clenched his hands nervously and said, "Manager Qi, is that okay?"
"No rush, no rush."
Qi Shanxing felt that he could still hold on, but Liu Heitai on the other side of the river couldn't hold on anymore and was already preparing to pick up the knife and go into battle with his own hands... The burning of the grain boat on the Yongji Canal was a huge blow to the morale of the army.
At the ferry, other places were already in chaos, with people neighing and various noises heard.
In other words, now Liu Heitai can no longer control the tens of thousands of men under his command except blocking the ferry bridge.
Liu Heitai took a deep breath, got on his horse, and stared intently at the battle situation at the ferry. Under the hill, there were hundreds of cavalry who had finally been mobilized from the flanks. He tried to defeat the Tang army at the ferry in one fell swoop and drive them across the river, even
Spread the war to the other side of the river.
But now there was a problem. Liu Heita couldn't help but turn his head and look to the north.
At the same time, Qi Shanxing on the other side of the river and Cheng Mingzhen, who was insisting on moving forward in the river, were both looking north.
The fire on the Yongji Canal had a more serious impact on the morale of the army than Liu Heitai imagined... These two thousand cavalrymen were all direct descendants of Liu Heitai.
Although the truth has not been announced, and although they do not know that the grain transport ship is a cover, no one is stupid... At least it is true that the army's grain and grass have been halved and then halved again, and it is also true that they cannot feed their war horses in the middle of the night.
Unknowingly, the formation of the two thousand cavalry had become loose. The generals had no generals and the soldiers had no fighting spirit... On the contrary, among the Tang cavalry gathered in the formation, the horses in Li Daoxuan's hands slowly flattened, and the surging fighting spirit surged in his chest.
He was rolling around, and there was a coldness in his eyes.
"Your Highness, Your Highness!"
"Wait a little longer..."
Li Daoxuan snorted coldly and urged his horse to speed up. Wang Junkuo should have led his cavalry to join him half an hour ago, but there has been no sign of him yet.
Li Daoxuan didn't know why, but he knew that today's battle was a coordinated battle with Cheng Mingzhen and Qi Shanxing on the west bank of the Yongji Canal. If they retreat at this moment, the battle will be lost.
First there was a hail of arrows. Li Daoxuan, Su Dingfang and other generals lowered their heads slightly, relying only on their armors to resist.
With a loud shout, Su Dingfang swept across, and several enemy Roman soldiers were the first to break the formation.
Li Dao
Li Dao
"Wang Xiaohu!"
"Wang Xiaohu!"
Li Daoxuan stared at Wang Xiaohu, who was wearing Mingguang armor. The two horses only met each other and were quickly blocked by the guards and cavalry of both sides.
At this time, Liu Jun and other hundreds of cavalrymen who rushed into the formation shouted loudly, "After burning fifty grain ships, the Liu thieves will have no food. Anyone who abandons his weapons and flees will forget the past!"
These words may not be effective to the infantry. Firstly, they may not be willing to believe them. Secondly, they may not be able to escape even if they want to.
But for these cavalry, the lack of food in the army is most likely true. The fire on the Yongji Canal also proves this. Moreover, if they want to escape, they can escape... The Tang army will not chase the fleeing ones.
The soldiers dispersed, Liu Heitai was still there after all.
Wang Xiaohu did not want to escape, so he shouted to gather his troops and tried to stand up and fight again. However, the cavalry formation was quite chaotic. Before he could sort it out, Li Daoxuan, who was eager for revenge, had already entered the formation.
The enemy army has not yet been broken up, and its strength is several times greater than our own. The cavalry rushes into battle. It is supposed that the whole team should rush into battle again... But Li Daoxuan is usually gentle and elegant, and after he goes into battle, he does not care about life and death, not to mention the Mingguang armor on Wang Xiaohu's body.
It was ripped off from his body, Li Daoxuan.
With only more than a hundred cavalry, Li Daoxuan dared to charge into the formation... Su Dingfang who followed behind was calm, but he couldn't help but have a headache. No wonder Li Shan was worried about letting him protect him.
But this time, the timing of the charge was perfect, and the two thousand cavalry did not suffer much loss. After all, the formation was scattered, and the Tang army easily penetrated the formation.
But after a charge, the formation of the two thousand cavalry was even more disorganized, especially after hearing the Tang army loudly preaching, "Liu thieves have no food, and those who abandon their weapons and flee will forget the past."
Wang Xiaohu could no longer control the cavalry under his command, and he only had more than a hundred personal guards around him.
When Li Daoxuan took the lead and shouted Wang Xiaohu's name to fight all the way, the enemy troops in front of him actually dispersed...
Wang Xiaohu was so angry that he almost vomited blood. His name was yelled and cursed loudly. The subordinates around him opened a passage and let Li Daoxuan go straight to the Chinese army.
Li Daoxuan clamped his legs, pointed his spear directly at Wang Xiaohu with one hand, and slashed hard with the long knife in his left hand, cutting down the enemy soldiers who passed by the left and right guards.
Su Dingfang slowed down his horse, took off the big bow on his back with his backhand, and hit the first arrow right in front of Wang Xiaohu, who was gathering his bodyguards to fight the enemy.
The second arrow hit the personal guard holding a big flag not far away from Wang Xiaohu.
To what extent can personal force be used on ancient battlefields, and how profoundly can it affect the outcome of the battle?
The first arrow made Wang Xiaohu's personal guards stunned, and the first arrow made Wang Xiaohu's flag fall to the ground.
The first arrow caused Li Daoxuan, who kept accelerating, to break through the formation. The second arrow made Wang Xiaohu lose all courage and try to escape.
The next moment, amid loud shouts, Li Daoxuan tightened his grip on the reins with his left hand, and the tip of the horse's spur in his right hand had already sunk under Wang Xiaohu's shoulder.
Li Daoxuan didn't seem to feel the pain of the sword, and didn't seem to notice the opponent's personal guards rushing towards him. Li Daoxuan held the spear in both hands and lifted Wang Xiaohu high into the air.
There seemed to be a moment of silence, and then a huge noise filled the entire battlefield.
Amidst the loud shouts of "Wang Xiaohu is the leader", the enemy army could hardly organize any formation and was driven away by hundreds of Tang cavalry.
At this time, hundreds of cavalry appeared on the east side. A middle-aged man with a square appearance but a cunning look in his eyes said twice, "He actually broke through the formation, King Huaiyang."
I’m not afraid that Tian Liu’an will be the second former Duke!”
The guards on the left and right didn't say a word, but one of the generals asked in a low voice: "General, do you want to defeat the enemy with a side attack?"
This middle-aged man is Wang Junkuo, the minister of the Ministry of War in Daxingtai, Shaanxi Province. He has always been known for taking advantage and not losing. Today, he joined forces and went south, specifically to imitate the flying general... No one can find this reason wrong, and he is not from Shandong.
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Wang Junkuo also didn't expect that Li Daoxuan could break the enemy's front line so easily. A great victory was almost in his hands. Without the Turkic cavalry... he knew what kind of weight the two thousand cavalry had in Liu Heitai's army.
Just when Wang Junkuo was about to lead his army to march westward, a huge noise suddenly sounded outside Wei County.
There were huge pillars of smoke flying in the air, blazing flames spreading in the enemy camp, and the city of Wei County fell into uncontrollable chaos.
Liu Heitai, who was personally mounting his horse and leading his troops to defeat the Tang army at the ferry, couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood.
But Wang Junkuo's eyes were bright, he waved his horse and shouted: "Follow me!"
I didn't expect that I would have the opportunity to directly capture the Chinese army, and maybe capture and kill Liu Heitai!