"Hold your position and fire arrows!" At this moment, Cao Xiaoda's voice suddenly sounded. The reserve team finally arrived. Arrows roared in. Many Bashu soldiers who did not carry shields for the convenience of climbing screamed and fell.
Down.
The number of garrison troops in Xiangyang City is also insufficient. This is certainly related to the fact that Yuchishun lost a lot of troops on the bank of Tanxi River before. Another reason is that Xiangyang City is really big. In the definition of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Xiangyang City is the largest city in the south.
As an important place for garrisoning troops and grain, Xiangyang City should be able to garrison at least about 40,000 troops and horses. At the same time, there should be nearly 100,000 troops and horses garrisoned outside the city. Such a large number of troops and horses are the guarantee for the Northern Zhou Dynasty to move southward.
In the Battle of Jiangling more than ten years ago, Wu Mingche finally fell short. It was not because of Xi Liang's desperate resistance at that time. Although Xi Liang was very determined to fight, after all, there were only a few soldiers. With them, it was impossible to stop Wu Mingche. The main reason was that
Because the Northern Zhou army came from Xiangyang, Xiangyang is very close to Jiangling, so these armies arrived at dawn and at night, almost making it impossible for Wu Mingche to escape. But now the huge Xiangyang City built for the purpose of stationing troops, its huge city has become a city
Disadvantages of guarding.
In the eyes of the generals who defend the city, a high wall is a good thing, but a large city is not necessarily a good thing. This means that more troops are needed to defend the city, and it also means that the enemy has more choices in the direction of attack. For example, now, Li Xingchen
The main attack directions were one in the east and the other in the west, which meant that Cao Xiaoda, who led the reserve team, could only run around to put out fires.
What's more important is that Xiangyang City was built by the Northern Zhou Dynasty to face Nanchen. The main direction of attack for soldiers and horses coming from the south is of course the south. Therefore, compared with the east and west sides, the city wall on the south side is taller and thicker. After all, the south side is
Chen's troops mainly came from the south. If they were arrayed on the east and west sides, it meant that they might have to face reinforcements coming from the direction of Hanzhong, Fancheng and the Central Plains at any time.
Facts have proved that this is exactly the case. Every time Xiao Maha raised his troops to go north, he crossed the Xian Mountain and attacked the south side of Xiangyang.
As for the city wall on the north side of Xiangyang facing Mianshui, it is even lower, mainly to prevent possible attacks by the Nanchen Navy. For the original designer of Xiangyang, in these troubled times, when money and food were most urgent,
Therefore, building a practical and cost-effective city is the key. When the enemy can attack from other directions, it means that the Northern Zhou Dynasty is already in turmoil. As the southernmost defense line of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Xiangyang is just an isolated city. It can be defended or not.
It doesn't have much practical meaning anymore.
What's more, with the strength of the Northern Zhou Dynasty at that time, who could have imagined that we would be in the situation we are in today?
So now Cao Xiaoda felt deeply helpless when facing Xiangyang City, which he had accompanied Yuchi Jiong and guarded for quite some time.
"Shield!" Chen Zhishen's voice was a little hoarse, and his physical strength was quickly drained from the days of fighting. However, he also knew that if he could not withstand the enemy's counterattack this time, these people would have to be driven off the top of the city.
It is easier to go up to the city than to go down. It is not that easy to get down from the top of the city safely. Several shield bearers were guarding Chen Zhishen at the same time. Chen Zhishen suddenly raised the ax in his hand. He did not know that he still had the strength.
As he continued to charge a few times just now, more and more wounds on his body forced him to face the problem that his physical strength was losing faster than before.
Several battle leaders and generals had subconsciously gathered around Chen Zhishen, and behind them, there was a steady stream of Bashu soldiers ascending the city. Apparently Li Xingchen also realized that this was the opportunity for a final breakthrough, so he kept sending troops upwards. But.
Because reinforcements from the Northern Zhou Dynasty were also rushing up in a steady stream, the two sides could only see back and forth on the city wall.
Chen Zhishen looked sideways subconsciously. On the city wall not far away, the flag of the Northern Zhou Dynasty had been removed and replaced by the general flags of Li Xun, Zheng Kaiyuan, Lu Qing and others. It was obvious that Li Xingchen had commanded all the flags he could command here.
The generals have all been sent to the city. I am afraid that if there is no way to achieve a breakthrough, Pei Zilie and even Li Xingchen will go to the city.
Arrows whizzed between the shields. The Northern Zhou crossbowmen almost shot arrows against the shields of the Bashu soldiers. The arrows hit the shields with great force. Many swordsmen and shieldmen could only stagger back. But Chen Zhishen could not help but
He retreated instead of advancing. When he saw the two crossbowmen facing him retreating into the crowd and starting to draw their bows and arrows, he reached out and pushed away the guards in front, roared, and went straight towards the soldiers of the Northern Zhou Dynasty!
Several battle leaders and generals exerted their strength at the same time, and the Northern Zhou swordsmen and shieldmen who were caught off guard in front were violently rushed away, while the crossbowmen who were standing behind their companions with their bows and arrows looking at the swords and axes that were approaching in the blink of an eye,
There is only fear in his eyes!
A sharp "whoosh" sound pierced the air, and a general following Chen Zhishen was hit by an arrow and fell down. Chen Zhishen did not retreat but advanced instead. The mountain-opening ax in his hand was opened and closed. It really had the momentum to split mountains and cut off water. More than ten Northern Zhou Dynasty soldiers
The crossbowman was almost chopped to the ground by him like he was chopping melons and vegetables.
"Fire the arrow!" Cao Xiaoda frowned. He didn't want to kill anyone against such an opponent.
"Dang, Dang, Dang!" A sharp sound echoed on the top of the city. Some of these arrows were deflected by Chen Zhishen swinging his axe, and some were deflected by a person who came out from the sloping ground.
Li Xun grabbed Chen Zhishen's sleeve: "General Chen, Ming Jin, withdraw your troops!"
"What?!" Chen Zhishen's eyes widened and he just said that he heard wrongly.
"The general has an order, please withdraw your troops!" Li Xun shouted again at the top of his lungs, and pointed in the direction of the city.
At this time, Chen Zhishen realized that although Li Xinchen's voice was not very loud, it could still be heard very clearly on the top of the city. It was just that Chen Zhishen had been concentrating on the fighting and did not notice it.
"Why are you calling me gold at this time?" Chen Zhishen said with a frown.
Li Xun stretched out his hand and pointed in the direction of the city gate: "Cao Xiaoda's flag has been raised, and the enemy's reinforcements are probably on their way. Our speed of climbing the city cannot match the speed of the enemy's reinforcements!"
Chen Zhishen stamped his feet and could only wave his hand: "Retreat!"
A famous sword and shield hand began to shrink, and the Bashu troops who originally occupied a small area on the city wall also began to gather. Li Xun, Zheng Kaiyuan and others were at the front with their personal guards. The spearmen followed closely behind them.
, forcing the enemy back.
"Damn it, get out of the way!" Chen Zhishen did not retreat into his own formation like Li Xun and others. Instead, he took half a step forward and blocked two or three Northern Zhou soldiers who wanted to advance.
"Cover General Chen's return!" Chen Zhishen was not here, so Li Xun naturally took charge of the two men's troops. Following his order, the few five or six crossbowmen in the upper city concentrated their firepower on this side, firing arrows continuously.
They fell on Chen Zhishen's left and right sides, blocking those Northern Zhou soldiers who wanted to besiege Chen Zhishen. (To be continued)