In the evening of the tenth day of July, a pre-war meeting was once again held in Huan Wen's tent. This meeting was to discuss tonight's all-out attack strategy. Because tonight, the death squads were going to enter the city from the tunnels to carry out destruction, and the city
The army outside is about to launch a comprehensive siege. This will be the last desperate fight, and success or failure depends on this one move.
After arranging the siege echelons and attack areas outside the city, the core of the meeting came to the issue of who would lead the death squad into the city.
As soon as the meeting began, Xie Xuan requested that he lead two thousand death squads into the city. Huan Wen did not express his position, but asked Xie Xuan to calm down and discuss combat missions outside the city first.
"It is very important to enter the city from the tunnel to fight. Just now Xie Xuan has requested to lead the army to fight in the city, but I don't think it is suitable. Is there anyone who is willing to lead the army to the city?" Huan Wen asked.
"The final general is willing to go." Huan Yi said loudly.
Huan Wen smiled and nodded. In fact, when the attack mission outside the city was assigned, Huan Yi did not get the mission to attack. Huan Wen's intention was to let Huan Yi lead the army into the city to fight, and he knew that Huan Yi would be the first to jump out.
"Well, I think it's okay. I'll give you two thousand soldiers and horses. You must disrupt Shouyang City and cooperate with the army inside and outside." Huan Wen nodded.
Huan Yi promised loudly and happily stepped forward to receive the order. This was an opportunity to make a great contribution in the limelight. Naturally, he was overjoyed to get this opportunity.
"Wait a minute. Da Sima, why can't I lead the army into the city?" Xie Xuan said loudly.
Huan Wen looked at Xie Xuan and smiled and said: "Xie Xuan, nephew, you have done what you should do. The successful digging of the tunnel has made me very satisfied. There is no need to go to the city. You just stay with me to supervise the battle."
Xie Xuan cupped his hands and said: "I don't agree with this. I proposed the method of digging tunnels to attack the city. Now that I have dug the tunnels, Da Sima will let others lead the army into the city. What does this mean?"
Before Huan Wen could speak, Huan Xu laughed and said: "Xie Canjun, this is the great Sima's love for you, don't you understand? It is very dangerous to fight in the city. If something goes wrong, how will the great Sima explain to Xie Shizhong? Enter
The soldiers and horses in the city are suicide squads. You may run the risk of being besieged by a large number of enemies. You should just stay outside the city. Huan Yi's thick skin and thick bones are not so valuable. Xie Canjun's thin skin and tender flesh are not hurt.
good."
After hearing this, someone nearby couldn't help laughing. Huan Xu's words were ridiculing and sarcastic, and anyone could hear that.
Xie Xuan was furious when he heard this and shouted in a deep voice: "Prefect Huan, do you mean that I, Xie Xuan, am relying on my uncle's protection? Although Xie Xuan has no ability, he has read military books and practiced martial arts for several years.
You may not be invincible on the battlefield, but Huan Xu can handle three or two of you. You can lead an army in battle, but am I worse than you?"
Huan Xu's face turned red and he shouted: "What are these words? Why did he suddenly turn against you? It's really inexplicable."
Xie Xuan sneered and said: "Da Sima, in my opinion, this is an insult to me, Xie Xuan. In this case, Xie Xuan please resign from office today and go back to Jiankang Xiaoyao. It will save you the chance of being humiliated and beaten by others here."
A shame."
Huan Wen said hurriedly: "My dear nephew, how can this be so? I just need you to be by my side to supervise the battle. You are overthinking. What Huan Xu said is a joke, you don't have to take it seriously."
How could Xie Xuan buy it? He didn't say much. He cupped his hands and walked out of the tent. Although this was against military discipline, he was Xie Xuan and no one dared to stop him.
Seeing that Xie Xuan was about to walk out of the tent, Xi Chao shouted loudly: "Wait a minute!"
Xie Xuan stopped. Xi Chao turned to Huan Wen and said: "Da Sima, you really shouldn't do this. Xie Canjun's plan was to dig tunnels. Now letting others lead the army into the city, wouldn't it make people think that they are crossing the river and demolishing the bridge and enjoying the gains? This is unfair. Since Xie Canjun has a strong desire to join the war, he should be allowed to lead the army into the city."
Huan Wen stared at Xi Chao and thought: I don't know what you are thinking. You know the danger of entering the city to fight, but you said these words. You really want Xie Xuan to die in Shouyang City. Although he doesn't care whether Xie Xuan lives or lives. But after all, he is Xie An's beloved nephew. If there is really something wrong, Xie Anshi will definitely get angry at me, and it will be difficult to deal with him in the future.
However, what Xi Chao said struck a direct blow to Huan Yi's weakness. It was indeed suspected of letting Huan Yi pick the fruit. It would have been fine if he didn't say it, but if he said it, there would be no room for him.
Huan Wen sighed and said in a deep voice: "My dear nephew, you have to know that it is very dangerous to fight in the city. As Huan Xu said, if something goes wrong with you, how can I explain it to Anshi? Doesn't he have to blame me? What?"
Xie Xuan turned around and said: "Everyone here testifies that it is not the Grand Sima who does not love and protect Xie Xuan. It is Xie Xuan who took the initiative. If there are any casualties, it is all my own and has nothing to do with others. Besides, this is a war, and casualties are inevitable. My fourth uncle Could it be that he is so unreasonable? Could it be that Da Sima underestimated him?"
Huan Wen's face turned cold and he said in a deep voice: "Okay, in that case, Xie Xuan listens to the order. I order you to lead two thousand dead soldiers into the city. You must disrupt the city and help the army break the city. There must be no mistakes."
Xie Xuan was overjoyed, cupped his hands and said: "Xie Xuan obeys your order!"
…
After dark, on the battlefield outside the south city, the Jin siege soldiers began to assemble in whole teams.
The defenders at the top of the city didn't feel anything unusual at all. After all, Jin soldiers and horses would attack the city every night in the past few days, and they had even become accustomed to this rhythm. Many of the soldiers defending the city were even able to calm down amidst the thundering shouts of killing. Fell asleep.
However, they soon discovered that the posture of the Jin army was different today. Looking from the top of the city, the mountains and plains outside the south city were covered with Jin army's torches, and they were as dense as stars in the sky.
A large number of siege equipment were pushed to the front of the battlefield under the light of torches, and countless phalanxes of shield soldiers began to assemble and line up. Outside the entire southern city, tens of thousands of soldiers and horses were densely assembled within a radius of several miles.
This obviously indicates that tonight's siege battle will probably be no small matter.
The general of the garrison at the head of the city immediately reported the situation to Yuan Zhen. Yuan Zhen had been weak these days. After insisting on guarding the city for a few days, he couldn't hold on any longer. So he wanted to rest early tonight to regain his energy. After receiving the report, he had to get up. He came and hurriedly went to the city accompanied by his other two sons Yuan Shuangzhi and Yuan Aizhi.
As soon as he saw the situation below the city, Yuan Zhen had a premonition that the Jin army's siege tonight would be a ferocious attack that would not leave any room.
Yuan Zhen immediately summoned everyone to the south city tower and said to them in a deep voice: "Everyone, look at this posture, Huan Wen can't stand it any longer. This night must be his desperate move. Can he defend the city tonight? It is related to our life and death. As long as we hold on to tonight's attack, Huan Wen will definitely retreat, because tonight is the last blow of their last effort. Everyone, success or failure depends on this battle. If we defeat Huan Wen, we will be able to stand firm. Next step , I will personally go to Chang'an to meet Fu Jian and make an alliance with them. After that, we will lead the army south, fight to the bank of the Yangtze River, and capture the land north of the Yangtze River. In the future, we can rely on the power of the Qin State to establish a foothold in the Yangtze and Huaihe River areas. At that time, you will all be ministers of meritorious service."
Everyone cupped their hands and said, "I am willing to die in the service of our lord."
Some mature and prudent people sighed in their hearts, Yuan Zhen's idea was so unrealistic. He wanted to gain a foothold in the Jianghuai land between Qin and Jin, and occupy this territory to become a powerful force. It was a good idea, but it was impossible.
Qin is like a tiger and a wolf, how can he be allowed to gain a foothold? Qin will let him occupy the land of Jianghuai? I'm afraid it's a dream. Qin and Yan, who are five barbarians, can't tolerate it, let alone Yuan Zhen.
Besides, is the Jin Dynasty so easy to mess with? If the Jin Dynasty was a fish belly, Qin and Yan would have gone south long ago. However, the Jin Dynasty frequently made northern expeditions, and Qin Yan did not go south to attack the south of the Yangtze River. There is naturally a reason for this.
But at this time, of course, we can't spoil the scenery. We always have to have dreams, and besides, this is also a way to boost morale.
At that time, Yuan Zhen issued an order to divide the south city wall into three sections. The east side was guarded by Zhu Fu, the prefect of Chen County, and Yuan Ping, the prefect of Shouyang. The west side of the city wall was guarded by two generals led by Yuan Zhen's second son, Yuan Shuangzhi. Yuan Zhen was stationed in the middle part.
Near the city gate.
In addition, in order to ensure the safety of other city gates and the city, Yuan Zhen ordered his third son, Yuan Aizhi, to patrol the city with 5,000 soldiers and horses to ensure the safety of the city and prevent enemy troops from sneak attacks on other city gates or chaos in the city.
Yuan Aizhi is the youngest son of Yuan Zhen. This son is ferocious and powerful by nature. However, his temper is a bit violent and he is not suitable for defending the city, so he is asked to lead people to patrol and protect the city.
At the first watch, the siege operation began. Huan Wen gave an order, and the thunderbolt catapults began to bombard the city head from a distance of two hundred steps. Rocks flew, smoke and dust flew, and falling rocks fell like rain.
Under the cover of thunderbolt catapults, a large number of Jin soldiers rushed to the bottom of the city. After reaching a distance of a hundred steps, they charged forward with shields and attacked under the city wall.
At the same time, thousands of strong archers fired arrows at the top of the city from outside the moat to suppress the defenders at the top of the city.
The defenders on the city were not to be outdone. The archers and crossbowmen behind the arrow towers and crenels began to attack the swarming enemy troops from a high position. Above and below the city, arrows were raining like rain, locusts were like clouds, and there were shouts of killing everywhere.
, screams, the whistle of arrows and the roar of stones. Everything fell into madness.
When the shouts of killing in Nancheng shook the sky, the ground in a small forest in the northeast corner of Shouyang City was lifted up in the darkness. A soldier stuck his head out and looked around cautiously for a moment, and then came in from inside like a field mouse.
Drilled out.
Then, soldiers emerged from the underground one after another. The first thing they did when they came out was to take a deep breath of fresh air. Passing through the narrow underground corridor that was more than 500 steps long was simply a kind of torture.
Half an hour later, the entire desolate forest and the surrounding darkness were filled with soldiers coming in from the tunnel. More than two thousand soldiers were crowded into this dark corner, which seemed extremely crowded.
Xie Xuan was one of the first people to enter the city. He organized people to guard the surrounding area and waited anxiously for everyone to enter through the tunnel. Then, he issued an order to attack the neighborhood.