Chapter 367 The Song Army’s cavalry pursues Emperor Xia
"Bang, bang!"
Zhang Jun and Yang Xinzhong used the muskets given by Zhao Guan's family to kill two party members who were good shooters in the front position.
In an instant, the Xia army soldiers were shocked and their positions became more and more panicked.
"Swish, swish, swish..."
After receiving this military order from the pioneer officer Zhang Jun, one hundred powerful crossbowmen in the Song army immediately fired their crossbow arrows at the Xia army blocking the road ahead who was stubbornly resisting...
They used the latest type of [Stringed Continuous Crossbow] invented by the Zhao Guan family to continuously shoot powerful and sharp arrows, accurately harvesting the lives of Xia army generals.
The body-protecting armor that the Xia army soldiers were once proud of was now like paper, easily penetrated by the arrows fired by the Song army.
"Ahhhhhh..."
Nearly a hundred of the Xia Army's frontline resisters were shot by the Song Army's powerful crossbows. Some were hit in vital points and died on the spot. Although some people were not hit in the vital points, the Song Army's powerful continuous crossbows fired.
The arrows fired were extremely powerful. Even at a distance of 140 to 5 steps, they could easily pierce their armor, break through their skin and flesh, and make them scream in pain.
Immediately, Xia Jun, who was hit by arrows, lost his fighting power, whether dead or alive.
The generals in the middle and rear ranks of the Xia Army saw that their front line leader, Pao Ze, had been shot and killed by the Song Army so far away, causing heavy casualties. They were all horrified.
The Song Army's powerful crossbowmen were riding on war horses. After firing the first round, they only needed to hold the handle of the latest crossbow machine with one hand and press the "winding lever" with the other hand to use the arrow stored in the arrow case.
One of the multiple arrows is automatically loaded onto the fully drawn crossbow string, and then the crossbow is aimed, and then the trigger of the repeating crossbow is pulled, allowing a precise and powerful crossbow arrow to be fired quickly.
"Swish, swish, swish..."
"Ahhhhh..."
The front line of the Xia Army's formation screamed again and again. They never expected that the hand-held crossbow used by the Song Army, which they had never seen before, was actually a continuous fire, and it also had high accuracy and power.
The penetrating power and even the operation were so convenient, which shocked the soldiers who were left behind by the Xia army.
"This...how is this possible?!"
In the Xia Army formation, a bearded general opened his eyes in horror, looking at the soldiers falling around him, his heart filled with horror and disbelief.
The soldiers and generals under him are the imperial guards responsible for protecting the Emperor of Great Xia!
The armor they were wearing, which was the most sophisticated armor in the Great Xia Kingdom, was easily penetrated by arrows fired from the repeating crossbows of the Song Army so far ahead?!
The armor of the Sixth Division of the Great Xia Imperial Guard Lin Army, which they had always been proud of, turned out to be as weak as rotten wood when faced with the powerful crossbows held by the Song Army!
Suddenly, nearly a hundred people in the Xia Army's front line who were still alive hurriedly retreated, and the soldiers on the Xia Army's temporary position became a mess...
Zhang Jun hurriedly ordered: "Continue to shout to the Xia army in front to persuade them to surrender!"
"Follow the order!"
He called Yang Xinzhong affectionately and said: "Brother Zhengfu, you lead your own cavalry and the cavalry that has recently returned to our unit, and you will kill all the enemies who stubbornly resist or flee!"
"Got the order!"
"Brothers, why are you working for Xia Emperor Li Qianshun who treats us as abandoned sons?!"
"Brothers, why not follow our example and surrender to the army of the Song Dynasty?"
"If we don't surrender at this time, there will be only death!"
"..."
The more than 300 former Xia Imperial Guard cavalry who had surrendered to the Song Dynasty once again shouted in unison to persuade the Xia army to surrender in front of them.
…
At the same time, Yang Xinzhong led 600 cavalry, with their horses and guns drawn, and charged towards the Xia army's position in front, killing hundreds of enemy soldiers who did not surrender immediately...
More Xia troops saw that the situation was over, and they were the hostages of the powerful tribes who were suspected and resented by the Xia Emperor. Now they were fighting to the death against the fierce Song Army's cavalry, which would only lead to their own destruction, and even cause the Xia Emperor to flee. Secretly delighted at the success of his plan to kill someone with a borrowed knife.
On the temporary position of the Xia army arrayed on the road, the remaining 800 soldiers threw away their weapons one after another, dismounted and surrendered to the Song army...
…
At this time, Li Qianshun, who had lost the golden crown with a spire of flowers, was riding on a fast horse. He took the lead and fled back to the moat at the foot of the east city of Xingqing Mansion in the capital.
Previously, because it was predicted that the Song Army might attack Xingqing Mansion in the near future, Emperor Xia issued an order in advance to demolish all the bridges across the river leading to the city gates of Xingqing Mansion, leaving only the suspension bridge.
Li Qianshun listened to the killing cry of the Song army more than a mile away behind him. When he saw that the suspension bridge on the wide and deep moat in front of him had not been lowered, he was anxious and shouted an order:
"Quickly lower the drawbridge and open the city gate. I want to return to the city!"
Behind him, Shu Wang Li Renli, who was guarding the frame, led the remaining 200 cavalrymen surrounded by six squadrons, and also shouted urgently:
"Quickly lower the drawbridge and open the city gate. Your Majesty wants to return to the city!"
Behind the two hundred guards protecting Xia Emperor Li Qianshun, there were thousands of defeated remnants of Li Liangfu's troops who were rushing back one after another.
Although they did not dare to overstep their bounds and rushed to the side of the Emperor of Great Xia, rushing to cross the moat and return to the city, they desperately scrambled to rush to the rear of the escorting six squadrons of imperial cavalry, and even had several trampling accidents on each other. Try to be the first to follow Emperor Xia's imperial guards to escape back to the city, to avoid being massacred by the Song cavalry that is about to pursue them.
They shouted in panic and confusion:
"Quickly lower the drawbridge and open the city gate. Your Majesty wants to return to the city! We also want to return to the city!"
"..."
The soldiers guarding the city suddenly heard shouts and noises outside the city, and they all stuck their heads out to look down at the city.
They did not recognize Xia Emperor Li Qianshun at first glance, because the current Li Qianshun had disheveled hair and looked completely different from the majestic Li Qianshun who wore a golden crown with a floral spire on his head when he left the city.
It was only when the general of the garrison in the east city of Xingqing Mansion looked carefully down at the city walls that he realized that Emperor Xia and his few remaining escorts were not fakes.
He also recognized that those following the Xia Emperor's escort were actually Li Liangfu's defeated troops guarding the Yellow River position outside the city...
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! What made him even more frightened was that he also looked at the open space more than a mile away outside the east city. Thousands of Song Army cavalry led nearly a thousand The traitorous cavalrymen of Great Xia Kingdom are running towards Dongcheng!
In shock and horror, he shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Quickly lower the drawbridge, open the city gate, and let His Majesty return to the city quickly!"
"Follow the order!"
…
"Squeaks", after the suspension bridge was just put down, Li Ganshun's whip was frightened.
The war horse neighed and galloped forward, carrying the embarrassed Emperor of Daxia. He was the first to rush onto the suspension bridge, ran across the moat, and stumbled back to the east gate of Xingqing Mansion.
Li Qianshun listened to the killing cries of the Song Army cavalry two to three hundred paces away behind him, his face full of panic and fear.
The golden crown with a floral spire on his head, which symbolized the supreme authority of the Emperor of Great Xia, had long since disappeared. His long hair was disheveled, his clothes were disheveled, and his hands were firmly holding the reins of the frightened war horse he was riding. There is no trace of the emperor's majesty anywhere.
"Your Majesty, please don't be alarmed. Your Majesty is waiting for help to come too late. You deserve death!"
The guard at the east city gate shouted when he saw this. He led several warriors under his command and hurriedly rushed forward. After a great effort, they worked together to subdue the frightened horse that Emperor Xia was riding.
The soldiers helped the embarrassed Xia Emperor Li Qianshun off his horse.
…
At the same time, the opposite of the embarrassed Emperor Xia was the high-spirited Emperor Zhao Ji. He had led his army to land successfully.
Zhao Ji, wearing a helmet and armor, holding a long sword, stood majestically on the high ground of the Yellow River position in the eastern suburbs of Xiajing, which was captured by the Song army.
He heard several batches of reporting officers reporting that the Song armies from all directions had marched smoothly and that the battles were victorious.
"Hahaha, my Song Dynasty soldiers are really invincible!" Zhao Ji laughed loudly, waved his long sword, pointed in the direction of Xia Kingdom's capital, and shouted loudly
"According to the battle plan I previously arranged, the entire army will attack the Xia capital! The Song Dynasty will win and Xixia will be defeated!"
When the generals around Zhao Ji saw this, they were all shocked and admired. They had never seen Zhao Guan's family be so powerful and domineering, as if everything in the world was under his control.
The civil servants and generals who accompanied the king praised one after another:
"Your Majesty is truly a gifted and talented person, and his civil and military skills are a role model for others!"
"Yes, with His Majesty here, why should I, the Song Dynasty, worry about not destroying the Xia Kingdom!"
Zhao Ji smiled slightly, but his heart was full of pride. He knew very well that this war was related to the future historical direction of the Song Dynasty! It must be won!
…
At this time, inside the gate of Xingqing Mansion, the capital of Xia Kingdom,
"Trash! They are all trash!" Li Qianshun roared angrily:
"My beloved general Li Liangfu was actually a waste in name only! Li Liangfu was not only killed by the Song army, but his troops were also routed, allowing the Song army's cavalry to kill them outside the city so quickly! I was almost killed in the rebellion!"
All the soldiers guarding the east city were in shock, they couldn't believe their ears. Li Liangfu, that's a famous general of Daxia!
Two-quarters of an hour ago, when Emperor Xia left the city, didn't you boast to our soldiers that Li Liangfu and his troops were on the bank of the Yellow River outside the city, and they would definitely defeat the invading Song army, and even capture alive the soldiers who were marched by the emperor himself? The Song Dog Emperor Zhao Ji?
The war has just begun. How come Li Liangfu, our famous general from Daxia, was killed by the Song army so quickly?
Suddenly, they saw Emperor Xia's angry and desperate expression, and they looked through the open city gate at the countless soldiers of Li Liangfu's army who had returned in defeat outside the moat. Bees crowded towards the suspension bridge over the moat.
"Rush..."
"Kill..."
"The defeated Xixia army in front surrender quickly, otherwise you will surely die!"
"Capturing Xixia Emperor Li Qianshun alive will definitely result in a heavy reward from the Zhao Guan Family of the Great Song Dynasty!"
"..."
Li Qianshun and the soldiers around him, who had just entered the east city gate, heard the shouts of the Song army's cavalry approaching.
Li Qianshun was so frightened that he shouted: "Raise the suspension bridge quickly and close the East City Gate!"
"Follow the order!"
…
"Your Majesty, the suspension bridge on the moat is crowded with the defeated troops of Li Liangfu's army, and the suspension bridge cannot be raised or pulled now!"
Emperor Xia Li Qianshun heard the report and said angrily: "Li Liangfu and his subordinates have failed more than succeeded and failed!"
"To pass on my imperial edict, we must first close the east city gate. The soldiers guarding the city will hold fast to the city, shoot arrows and throw stones at the Song army! Shout to the defeated troops of Li Liangfu's department and not allow them to enter the city. Quickly return to the other side from the suspension bridge and fight back the invading troops on the spot. Anyone in the Song Army who disobeys orders will be punished without mercy and killed!"
"The general will obey the order..."
"Send His Majesty's decree and close the city gate quickly!"
"Follow orders..."
A team of Xia troops guarding the city gate obeyed the order and hurriedly sent out twenty burly men, each in groups of ten, hiding behind the gate, and worked together to push the two tall and thick wooden gates open at the city gate.
"Squeak..." The two tall and heavy city gates slowly rotated around the axes in the door hinges. The squeaking sound was mixed with the screams of Xia Jun on the bank of the moat outside the city, making it particularly special. Harsh and miserable.
The Xingqing Mansion of the Xia Kingdom was built a hundred years ago after the Bianjing City of the Song Dynasty, and its city gate was also built after the city gate of Bianjing during the Song Dynasty.
This city gate is made of wood. If it is open to the outside for a long time, it will be eroded by rainwater, causing the wood to swell or even rot. Therefore, the city gate of Xingqing Mansion is opened inward to avoid direct erosion by rainwater and extend the service life of the city gate. In addition, , opening the city gate inward can also help protect the defending soldiers when closing the door. Because when the enemy attacks the city, the city gate opening inward can allow soldiers to hide behind the door and push forward to close the city gate.
At this time, ten Xia soldiers were ordered to push down the wall of the city gate. Although they were very nervous when they heard the shouts of killing from the Song army outside the city and the screams of the remnants of the Xia army, they were glad that they were guarding the city gate.
Yes, it must be very safe to be able to hide behind such a tall and thick city gate and push it shut. You will not be attacked by Song cavalry with swords and arrows like the Xia army brothers on the bank of the moat outside the city.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."
Several crossbow arrows from the Song Army came and drove into the thick city gate that was slowly closing.
"ah?!"
"ah?!"
Several Xia soldiers who were hiding behind the tall and thick city gate and went to push the gate closed had their palms pierced by clusters of arrows and screamed in agony.
The soldiers guarding the city gate of the Xia army were shocked. They couldn't believe how the penetrating power of the Song army's crossbows could be so strong.
The general guarding the city gate quickly mobilized his troops and increased his manpower before closing the city gate.
As for the defeated Xixia troops crowded on the moat suspension bridge below the city, they saw the city gate of Xingqing Mansion right in front of them, and there were pursuers not far behind them. They all pushed forward desperately for their lives, but they were not willing to listen to the calls from the city.
How about returning to the other side from the suspension bridge that you finally squeezed onto, and then risking your life to fight against the powerful Song army?
The garrison on the east city ordered the archers and stone cannons to fire arrows with bows and arrows and throw stones with trebuchets at the defeated generals of Li Liangfu's army who disobeyed the imperial edict on the suspension bridge...
"Ahhhh..."
The numerous Xia army generals who retreated onto the suspension bridge never imagined that the defenders on the east wall of Xingqing Mansion would mercilessly shoot and kill their own people...
The lower suspension bridge in the east city was filled with Xia Jun's corpses, and many large rocks fell down, causing the wooden suspension bridge to be overwhelmed.
With a "click" sound, the wooden suspension bridge broke, and the people on the bridge fell into the wide and deep moat.
At this time, Song Army pioneers Zhang Jun and Yang Xinzhong led the cavalry to kill the remaining Xia Army troops who could not cross Hejing City in the future.
On the bank of the moat under the east city of Xingqing Prefecture, Xia soldiers suffered many casualties. Their bodies lay horizontally and vertically, and the moat was dyed red with blood.
During the chaotic battle, the Song army also suffered casualties, but the number was small.
Yang Xinzhong, who was riding a war horse and fighting hard to kill the enemy, was hit in the chest by two feather arrows secretly shot by the enemy. Because of his excellent armor, the injury from the arrows was not serious, and the arrow clusters only penetrated his skin for more than an inch.
Yang Xinzhong broke the shafts of the two arrows on his chest, and continued to lead the charge, leading his troops to the bank of the moat under the east city of Qingfu. He happened to see the suspension bridge on the moat of the east city in front of him, which broke due to excessive load and fell into the river.
.
"Oops!" Yang Xinzhong shouted regretfully:
"If our army kills the enemy blocking the road faster, we can rush through the Xia enemy's suspension bridge and break into the east city of Xingqing Mansion!"
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."
The Xia army generals on the east city of Xingqing Mansion, in compliance with Emperor Xia's imperial edict, began to use their bows and arrows to attack the Song army and Xia army who were fighting together on the bank of the moat, shooting hundreds of arrows at once.
"Bang bang bang..." The defenders on the east city, in accordance with Emperor Xia's imperial edict, used the cyclone cannon they had stolen from the Han and Song dynasties to throw down a large number of weapons at the melee between the Song and Xia armies.
stone.
(The cyclone gun was originally invented by Ma Jun during the Three Kingdoms period. It looks like a windmill, but is actually a centrifugal trebuchet. It uses centrifugal force to throw stones and kill enemy troops.)
In fact, the Song army has long been equipped with this kind of cyclone cannon. Over the past hundred years, during the long-term battle between the Xia army and the Song army, they also captured the artillerymen and craftsmen of the Song army. Some Song people even took the initiative to defect to Xia for glory and wealth. Xixia party members had already
Learn how to make and use a cyclone cannon.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."
"Bang bang bang..."
Now on the bank of the moat under the city, there are not only the front cavalry of the Song Army, but also a large number of defeated soldiers of the Xia Army Li Liangfu who wanted to return to the city. They were hit by arrows and stones fired from the east city of Xingqing Mansion.
Before the blink of an eye, the Song and Xia armies on the bank of the moat in the east city of Xingqing Mansion had no time to fight anymore. They looked at the river and sighed. In order to avoid the indiscriminate attack of the Xia army on the city, they had to retreat three to four hundred steps away from the city.
The Shang Xia army attacked with arrows and stones.
At this time, the seven or eight hundred soldiers of Li Liangfu's army who survived by chance saw the unstoppable power of the Song army's cavalry. They also saw that after the Emperor of Daxia fled into the capital, he not only kept them out of the city, but even treated them as a loyalist.
Emperor Xia's men attacked and killed them, which chilled them to the extreme.
Therefore, after they were once again surrounded by the Song Army's cavalry, they all took the initiative to surrender...
After the battle situation in the east city of Xingqing Mansion was slightly stabilized, Xia Emperor Li Qianshun boarded the east city tower surrounded by Li Renli and other generals.
Li Qianshun's hands were trembling. He held the city wall and looked down. He saw that the water in the moat below the city had been dyed red with blood. There were thousands of corpses of Xia soldiers lying on the bank. The corpses of Song soldiers among them were only a mere hundred in total.
This not only made him heartbroken, but also made him feel very pessimistic and disappointed, with a vague feeling that the country was in decline and the country could not be saved...
"Report!"
"Your Majesty, what's wrong, I looked at the lookout soldiers on the high platform in the east city and saw a large number of Song troops rushing towards here in the distance..."