Eight hundred and twentieth chapter Pujin ferry battle
The wind on the Yellow River was blowing quietly. Zhaoyi soldiers holding swords and guns squatted behind the half-completed fortifications, looking at the rolling heat and gradually rising dust on the fields in the distance, as if there was a tornado over there.
Get close to them.
According to Li Guangbi's original idea, he planned to build a semicircular fortification around the Yellow River beach, surrounding Tieniu and the pontoon bridge. Although the cavalry had the advantage of mobility and the pressure of charging from a high position, in the face of complete fortifications,
No matter how strong the cavalry is, they have to dismount and fight hard.
Unfortunately, the fortifications were not completed, and there was still a gap of more than 70 steps directly in front of Puzhou City, which served as the main defensive direction for Li Guangbi's infantry formation.
Due to several changes in the course of the Yellow River, Puzhou City is getting closer and closer to the bank of the Yellow River. Recently, a major change of course actually separated Puzhou City on the west bank. This is where the name of Hezhong Prefecture comes from.
Li Guangbi personally held a horizontal sword in the center of the formation of thousands of Tang troops. There were several small horse traps arranged in front, which might cause casualties to the Flying Tiger Cavalry.
The rolling iron hooves of the cavalry have appeared on the fields on both sides of the official road, and formed three formations shaped like arrows. Li Chongbao, who was in the center of the formation, raised his arms, and the Flying Tiger Cavalry soldiers controlled the restless horses behind him.
.
He did not launch an attack immediately, but carefully observed the array layout of the Tang army. There were a small number of soldiers defending behind the fortifications on both sides of the river beach. The Tang army formed a crescent moon formation on the nearly 100 paces wide river beach without fortifications in front. Due to Zhao
The rebel army did not have enough troops and the Yanyue Formation was not deep enough. This was the only shortcoming of Li Guangbi's arrangement.
Fortunately, he worked hard and arrived early. If he had allowed the other party to complete the fortifications, he would have only looked at the river and sighed.
But is the front of the Tang army's formation safe? Of course not necessarily. Maybe the opponent has already dug a trap and is waiting for them to rush forward and fill it with their lives.
He turned to a general behind him and ordered: "Take some people to find some logs and cut them into two feet long."
The general asked in surprise: "Now?"
"That's right, now is the time, why don't you go quickly!"
The general immediately crossed his arms and took the order, leading the two regiments of cavalry behind him to leave. The others just sat on their horses and waited quietly. The entire Pujin Crossing River Beach was completely silent. No one knew what Feihuqi was going to do and why.
There was no immediate attack.
Li Guangbi did not dare to attack rashly. The infantry formation was always passive in front of the cavalry. He stared at the young general on the other side with his eyes. He heard that this was Li Siye's son. He looked very young and had not yet performed the crown ceremony.
But he did not underestimate this young man. They did not launch an attack as soon as they entered the battlefield. It was difficult to deal with enemies who could keep their composure.
Half an hour later, General Li Chongbao brought dozens of logs, which had no bark and looked round. He asked sternly: "You tore down the beams and rafters of people's houses?
"
The general lowered his head and said: "Trees are not easy to cut down, and they are only borrowed. They will be returned after borrowing."
Li Chongbao did not care about this with him, and immediately ordered people to tie the two ends of the log with hemp ropes, and let the strong cavalry grab the two ends of the hemp ropes and drag them forward slowly.
Li Guangbi saw clearly on the river beach, and his face suddenly turned pale. He certainly knew what Li Chongbao was using these things for.
The terrain of the entire Pujin Ferry is formed by the diversion of the Yellow River. It is a very gentle slope. If they use the acceleration of the horse to give the log a forward force, the log will roll forward along the slope.
, this move can not only break through the horse traps covered by the Tang army, but can even be used to break the infantry formation.
Li Guangbi hurriedly ordered: "The back row of the phalanx! Quick, drive wooden stakes in front immediately! Use it to prevent the logs from rolling down!"
The soldiers hurriedly looked for unfinished wooden piles. In front of their formation, one person poked the piles vertically into the sand, while the other wielded a sledgehammer and hammered down and drove the nails into the sand.
How could Li Chongbao let them get what they wanted? He immediately drew his horizontal sword and loudly ordered, "Open the way with logs in front and cover with arrows in the rear!"
The cavalrymen in the front row each grabbed a log and held it between the belly of the horse and rushed forward. After running a few feet quickly, they shouted in unison: "One, two, three, loose!"
They let go of the hemp rope, and the logs rolled down the long slope happily. The rest of the cavalry followed closely behind, firing their horned bows at the enemy formation. The Tang army's crossbowmen also started
Shooting, the arrows from both sides shuttled back and forth in the air.
The rolling logs touched several traps that had been laid out and immediately fell down. The cavalry at the rear had tied up the logs again and rushed farther than before, passing through the gaps between the horse pits.
Go over, release your hands and continue rolling down the slope.
After all, Li Guangbi's hasty preparation was not sufficient. There was a large gap between the pits. The Flying Tiger Cavalry had already bypassed the pits and rushed over. The log rolled to the bottom of the slope and directly hit the soldiers who were driving the piles. The soldiers vomited blood and fell over.
Fall to the ground.
"The crossbowmen continue shooting at the enemy and driving stakes!"
Li Chongbao ordered his men to roll out all the remaining logs. They hit the wooden piles due to the acceleration of the long slope and jumped up, directly hitting the Tang army's formation.
"Good opportunity! Lancers charge forward!"
Li Guangbi shouted loudly: "Get all back and form formations, don't let the Flying Tiger Cavalry rush to the bridge!"
The shield spearmen of the Tang Army stood at the front of the team, cocking the shiny silver spear heads to scare the horses. The forward of the Flying Tiger Cavalry had already approached the shield formation, turned their horses' heads and withdrew back, pointing their horn bows at the Tang Army.
Shooting arrows in formation.
Several cavalrymen were hit by arrows and fell from their horses, and the battle reached a stalemate.
Li Guangbi was really good at supervising battles and arranging troops in battle. He had a tight shield formation on the front and walls and other defensive fortifications on the sides, which made the cavalry's flexible ability to outflank the cavalry useless.
"Continue to use logs to break the formation!"
The Flying Tiger cavalry pulled out the logs that had fallen into the pit halfway up the slope. The rest of the cavalry charged forward to cover them. After approaching the enemy's formation, they were hindered and quickly retreated. The cavalry in the rear row were ready, holding on to the horse with both hands.
Rope spurred his horse forward, and this time he rushed almost ten feet away from the Tang army. He shouted loudly and let go of his hands. The rolling logs that flew forward directly hit the Tang army's shield array.
How could the soldiers holding shields withstand such a huge impact? They fell to the ground one after another.
"Cavalry Army, charge again!"
Li Chongbao personally held a spear in his hand and penetrated through the loose formation of the Tang army. The cavalry followed closely behind him and penetrated Li Guangbi's Yanyue Formation directly. They rushed to the river beach and then turned back, continuing to charge with their spears, one after another.
After two rounds of charges, the Tang army was directly defeated, and the soldiers began to flee in all directions.
Li Guangbi was exhausted and shouted: "Don't scatter! Only by gathering together can we fight against the enemy's cavalry. If we hold on for one more day, our reinforcements from the Tang Dynasty will arrive!"
He sat on the horse and looked behind him desperately, his eyes suddenly filled with joy. He could see the Tongguan army with dense banners on the opposite river beach. The horse roared like thunder at the throat: "You see, reinforcements are coming.
!Rebels! Accept your fate, our Tang Dynasty will eventually rise to the top!"
The nearly defeated Zhaoyi army seemed to have found the strength to persevere, and gathered again with swords and guns in hand, with their backs against the floating bridge on the Yellow River, determined to persevere to the end.
Li Chongbao's heart seemed to have sunk to the bottom of the cold water. Is fate just kidding him? He had clearly seen victory, but the Tang Army on the other side appeared not too early or too late. As long as it was later, he would be able to completely control it.
Jinpu Ferry Floating Bridge.
The lieutenant beside him sighed and asked hesitantly: "Withdraw, eldest son, their reinforcements have arrived on the other side, and we are still a step too late after all."
"Are you slow?" Li Chongbao's eyes gradually became confused, but suddenly he regained his clarity in an instant, and shouted loudly: "We have not lost yet! The Tang Army on the other side has not crossed the bridge yet! Who can determine the outcome without fighting to the end!"