After the entire army began to deteriorate, even good generals like Gao Shun and Zhang Liao were unable to control their troops more effectively. While Gao Shun was struggling to support the situation in the east, the Xiliang Army had already pushed forward for the third time.
Near Chencang.
They came with great ferocity, crushing all the resistance in the western part of Fufeng County, until they crashed into the camps outside Chencang. Those camps started to be built two years ago, and after such a long period of continuous reinforcement, they are already extremely strong.
.Each camp is built in a dangerous place, blocking the mountain trails or being able to block the roads below with bows and arrows.
After the Battle of Chencang a few years ago, Duan Yan learned from the experience and believed that the catapults of the Xiliang people were too powerful. If they were allowed to be bombarded by the enemy, even Chencang's strength might not be able to withstand it, so he built many buildings on the periphery.
camp, hoping to use this to gain more time for oneself.
The defense facilities inside and outside the camp are complete, including trenches, suspension bridges, horses, watchtowers, warehouses, military camps, etc., which have not only been stocked with a lot of drinking water, food and weapons, but also, like Chencang City, nearby
The trees and grass were all cleared away, leaving no chance for the Xiliang people. More than a dozen camps, large and small, were erected outside Chencang, blocking the waves of the Xiliang army.
After a little testing, the Xiliang Army temporarily stopped. They ran for hundreds of miles, and it was time for the soldiers and horses to rest. Although the places to the west of Fufeng County could not cause much damage to the Xiliang Army,
More or less, we can still buy some time and have some hysteresis effect.
Chen Cheng rode his horse to an enemy camp and observed it carefully. The enemy camp in front of him was built on a mountain peak. Facing the road, there were bare rocks with obvious peeling layers.
, it is very weathered, let alone grass and plants, not even a trace of soil can be seen.
It was probably impossible to climb up a rock more than ten meters high and then attack the camp above. He rode around on horseback to observe the situation in other directions of the enemy camp. It was impossible to have everything like this on all sides.
It is not suitable for attacking. Otherwise, how could the enemy build a strong camp on it?
Sure enough, there is a mountain trail in the northeast direction. Although it is not very flat, it can be used for war horses to gallop on. However, if you attack from there, due to the terrain, you will be attacked by the crossbows on the camp.
Shoot, if you continue to throw stones down the slope, even the most elite soldiers will not be able to carry them.
Chen Cheng was speechless. Even if he could only place one or two hundred people to build a camp on such terrain, the manpower and material resources it would consume would not be a small amount. Moreover, although the location of the camp was cleverly chosen, if the attacker did not attack by force,
Instead, they sent troops to erect a barrier on the only passage. Wouldn't the defenders become turtles in a urn?
This is a plan to hold on to!
Chen Cheng first admired the enemy's courage and audacity, and then thought of more things the enemy could do, such as sending dead soldiers down ropes from above, attacking the grain transport team, or sneaking into the camp.
There is only one camp, so that's nothing, but there are more than ten camps outside Chencang, and the total number of soldiers and horses in them is at least one or two thousand.
At a critical moment, a hundred people can be the last straw, let alone more than a thousand people?
It was impossible to go around it. Camps had been built on several important roads. Only after breaking down four or five of them could the army continue to move forward. Chen Cheng estimated that if he used ordinary troops to fight, it would probably take
Several days were wasted in the outer camps.
It is now the turn of spring and summer, and it may rain at any time. With tens of thousands of troops encountering continuous rain in the fields, the number of non-combat attrition may be greater than the number of casualties.
The army starting from Hanyang was divided into two parts, one led by Zhao Yun and the other led by Yang Qiu. They both encountered the same problem. Chen Cheng followed Yang Qiu with 300 bodyguards, but Yang Qiu hesitated.
By that time, news had already arrived from Zhao Yun's route.
"Report, General Zhao has broken through three enemy camps and the army has arrived at the Liuchuan River!"
Yang Qiu's face changed color and he asked in disbelief: "How could it happen so fast?"
Cheng Yi, Ma Teng and others were also shocked. How could a camp like this be taken down without two or three hundred people dying and fighting for a whole day? Even if Zhao Yun brought elite tooth soldiers, it would be too fast.
A little bit.
Chen Cheng smiled and was about to speak when Liu Qian, who was following him, had already said first: "The brave man wins when he meets on a narrow road. Don't you know such a simple truth?"
She is sixteen years old this year, and her height has jumped up again, reaching a height of seven feet. Now Liu Qian, like other generals, wears heavy armor and has a horizontal sword hanging on her waist. In front of everyone
After everyone turned their attention to her, Liu Qian pointed to the enemy camp in front and said loudly: "In this situation, what else can be done? First send people to persuade them to surrender and tell the enemy that if they don't surrender, they will be defeated later.
After that, no one will be left behind!”
Although she only came here for an internship, because of her status, she was able to express her own opinions many times.
Yang Qiu looked a little embarrassed, but she still held up her hands and said, "That's what the princess said."
He turned around and said to Chen Cheng: "My lord, please retreat for now, we will launch a strong attack immediately!"
Liu Qian also invited the battle: "Master, let me lead the troops to charge!"
The Army Primary School is a place to train junior officers. It does not teach too much strategic knowledge, but cultivates martial arts and tactical abilities. Liu Qian ranks first in the school in terms of martial arts and command ability, so she does not give up on the dangers in front of her.
In the eyes.
Chen Cheng glared at Liu Qian, and then said to Yang Qiu: "You are General Zuo, you can make your own decisions about this kind of thing."
After receiving the order, Yang Qiu looked at the faces of the prefects who followed him, and then said: "General Ma, I leave this first formation to you!"
Ma Teng is eight feet tall, half a head taller than Yang Qiu. He is a Xiliang rebel who is older than Yang Qiuchengyi and others, and is only a little behind Han Sui. But Liangzhou now is not
Qualifications alone can occupy a high position. Besides, the current Liangzhou Mu is Chen Cheng. The original qualifications not only cannot bring benefits to Ma Teng, but also have a negative impact.
That is to say, his daughter married Zhao Yun, so he could continue to maintain a close relationship with the Prefectural Mufu after Song Jian died and Han Sui lost power. When Ma Teng heard what Yang Qiu said, he knew it was to give him a chance to show his face.
, so he clasped his fists and said loudly: "No!"
Turning around, Ma Teng shouted at the resting army behind him, "Where is Pang De?"
An eight-foot tall Angzang man ran out and shouted: "The general is here!"
"I order you to take five hundred people, take a detour to the northeast, and attack this camp!"
"promise!"
Pang De took the order, then returned to the military formation, ordered five hundred of his elite troops, and prepared to launch a strong attack. Ma Teng saw Ma Chao following Pang De at a glance, and said angrily: "What are you doing here?"
More than three years have passed and Ma Chao has turned eighteen. His body has become stronger, but he still cannot compare with Ma Teng. He is the eldest son of Ma Teng, and his mother is a Qiang, so he has quite a reputation among the Qiang people.
But he was not very fond of his father. Especially as Ma Tie and Ma Xiu grew up, Ma Chao often felt marginalized.
Hearing Ma Teng's question, Ma Chao raised his head and replied: "Of course we have to go forward and fight, otherwise what else can we do?"
He was getting more and more boring in An'ding, and he had long wanted to leave home far away. Now it was time to show off his martial prowess in front of Chen Cheng, so that he could go out and lead troops to fight in the future, without having to look at the adults' faces at home!
Ma Teng snorted and said: "Swords have no eyes on the battlefield, so be careful."
Although he prefers Ma Tie and Ma Xiu, Ma Chao is the eldest son after all, and Ma Teng still has deep feelings for Ma Chao.
Ma Chao couldn't understand this, so he hummed in the same way and said arrogantly: "Of course I know!"
Because of their in-laws with Zhao Yun, Anding County has priority in obtaining weapons and equipment from Yinchuan. The armor rate of Ma Teng's troops is higher than that of other counties. Ma Chao and Pang De both wear more than thirty kilograms of steel armor.
The defensive power is astonishing. It is difficult for a sword to penetrate the hardened steel plate. It is easier to cause effective damage by thrusting with a spear or a blunt instrument like a mace.
However, the armor on their bodies was not as exaggerated as what Chen Cheng had prepared for himself. They were not able to cover their whole bodies in thick steel. If they attacked those areas with weak protection, they could still break through the defenses.
Pang De and Ma Chao led five hundred elite troops forward and climbed up the steep mountain road. Arrows began to be fired from the camps on the mountain, but because the distance was still relatively far and the armor of the Ping An Army was very strong,
, the arrows did not cause any damage. Before climbing to a relatively flat place, only one unlucky guy was shot in the arm, but it was just a little flesh wound.
After climbing to the platform halfway up, hundreds of people were crowded into a small place. The road above was even more rugged. People in front moved slowly, and people behind continued to squeeze in, making the place crowded.
There was a bang in the camp, and dozens or hundreds of people poked their heads out and attacked the Anding army with bows and crossbows.
The density of the arrows suddenly increased, and the power of the six-stone or above crossbow was astonishing. With just one salvo, a burst of screams broke out in the Anding army. Several soldiers were shot through the armor by the crossbow arrows and fell to the ground.
The number of steel armors was limited and extremely expensive. Ma Teng did not have enough money to equip ordinary soldiers with them.
The steel armors worn by Ma Chao and Pang De were not afraid of arrows and crossbow bolts, but they did not dare to just stand there and let others shoot at them. Pang De shouted loudly, commanding the sword and shield soldiers to stand outside and block the incoming arrows with their shields.
Arrow. Ma Chao quickened his pace and climbed up the mountain using his hands and feet.
