As early as nearly a year ago, the Hexi Army built a logistics base in Yanfu County, Suizhou, on the other side of the Yellow River, storing a large amount of grain and grass supplies, making Yanfu a springboard for the Hexi Army to attack the pass. This advantage is that the Hexi Army directly
Transporting troops to the other side of the Yellow River without having to consider logistical support issues can greatly save time.
The Guannei area refers to the large area north of Guanzhong and south of the Great Wall, including today's northern Shaanxi and parts of Gansu and Ningxia, including Yuanzhou, Qingzhou, Longzhou, Yanzhou, Yinzhou, Suizhou, and Danzhou,
Eleven prefectures, including Yanzhou, Ningzhou, Fangzhou, and Jingzhou, form the northern defense line guarding Guanzhong.
These eleven states are divided into two parts. The six states of Wonju, Gyeongju, Yeonju, Yinzhou, Suizhou, and Danzhou belong to the periphery and are equivalent to the outer armor of Guanzhong. Even if they are broken, they will pose a threat to Guanzhong.
Not very big yet.
The five states of Longzhou, Yanzhou, Ningzhou, Fangzhou and Jingzhou belong to the inner armor of Guanzhong. Once these five states are defeated, the northern gate of Guanzhong will be opened, and the enemy can fight from Jingyuan Road.
Two lines of Luoshui Road enter Guanzhong.
Guanzhong is the core of Zhu Si's rule. Zhu Si attaches great importance to the area within the Guan. Therefore, after Guo Song captured Shuofang, Zhu Si impatiently signed a non-aggression treaty with Guo Song in order to ensure the security of the states within the Guan.
There were three routes for Guo and Song's armies to advance into the pass. One was the western route, which was to capture Liupan Pass or Longshan Pass. This was the Jingyuan Pass, but it was more difficult. Not only were the passes dangerous, but Zhu Si stationed 30,000 heavy troops here to guard them.
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Next is the northern line, which is Xiaoguan. Zhu Si stationed 10,000 troops in Xiaoguan, which is also more difficult.
The third line is the east line, which crosses the Yellow River and enters Yanzhou. This line is the easiest to invade the pass and is almost undefended. Especially in winter, when the Yellow River freezes, the Hexi Army can almost march straight in.
After Guo Song captured Hedong Road, the defensive significance of Xiaoguan on the north line and Longshan Pass on the west line to the Hexi Army basically disappeared.
After Zhu Si ascended the throne, various public criticisms lasted for more than a month, and then gradually disappeared. By the beginning of October, the Hexi Army began to massively increase its troops to Lingzhou, with the number of troops reaching 30,000.
This news immediately aroused Zhu Si's vigilance, and he summoned his ministers in the imperial study to discuss countermeasures.
Zhu Si's imperial study room was still the original imperial study room of Li Shi. Li Ji had never used it. After Zhu Si ascended the throne, he decorated the imperial study room. He was quite diligent and sat in the imperial study room every day to handle court affairs.
Li Ji became emperor because he coveted the emperor's luxury enjoyment, while Zhu Si became emperor because he was greedy for power. He extremely enjoyed the emperor's pomp and style, and even more enjoyed the emperor's power.
"The news is accurate. The Hexi Army has sent an additional 30,000 troops to Lingwu County. I am very worried that the Hexi Army will attack Xiaoguan, so I invite you to come and discuss it."
After Zhu Si finished speaking, he turned his attention to Liu Sigu. For such things, he usually asked Liu Sigu first.
Liu Sigu pondered for a while and said: "It is logically not necessary. They crossed the Yellow River directly and entered Yanzhou. Is this a normal troop movement?"
Zhu Si was a little confused. Liu Sigu did make sense. He must attack Xiaoguan again. Is there really a problem with the intelligence?
"Yuan Xiangguo, what do you mean?"
Yuan Xiu hesitated and said: "It has only been a year since our two countries signed the armistice agreement, and Guo Song tore up the agreement so quickly?"
Liu Sigu sneered and said: "Without hostages and mortgages, the agreement is meaningless."
Liu Sigu said to Zhu Si again: "I just thought about it. This may be the Hexi Army's attack in the east, gathering troops in Lingzhou to attract our attention. They are actually marching from Yanzhou."
Zhu Si suddenly realized it and slapped his thigh hard, [51 fo] "Why didn't I think of it? This must be what happened. No, I have to send a large army to Yanzhou."
At this time, Zhang Guangsheng couldn't help but said: "Perhaps both are possible, the Hexi Army will advance in two directions."
"The general is right!"
Liu Sigu nodded, "It is indeed possible. We cannot be careless."
Zhu Si nodded and said: "Two lines of defense work together, we must not take it lightly!"
Zhu Si immediately sent General Liang Tingfen to lead 30,000 troops to Yanzhou, and at the same time added 20,000 troops to Xiaoguan...
The main general of Xiao Pass is still Pan Nong. He has been promoted from Zhonglang General to a general, commanding 10,000 troops to guard Xiao Pass. Although he once lost Xiao Pass, he was Zhu Si's personal soldier and followed Zhu Si several times.
In ten years, he won Zhu Si's trust, and after he ascended the throne, he was named the former Duke of the Kingdom and General Zuo Xiaowei.
Pan Nong had just received a letter from Liu Sigu, warning him to take more precautions. The Hexi Army was likely to attack Xiaoguan in the near future. He also told him that the lord had sent 20,000 additional reinforcements to Xiaoguan. During the period before the reinforcements arrived, especially
Don't take it lightly.
After receiving the letter from Eagle, Pan Nong immediately took action. He divided the garrison into three squads, each with 3,000 people. They took turns to be on duty at Xiao Pass, even at night, with another 1,000 people as supplements at night. In fact, at night
The number of defenders reached 4,000, which was more than during the day.
Teams patrolled Guancheng back and forth, with torches placed on top of the city, making it shine like daylight. Pan Nong even set up a secret sentry outside the city, making the entire Guancheng defense like an iron barrel.
At night, Pan Nong patrolled back and forth on the top of the city, watching the movements outside the city with vigilance. After the lesson of the fall of Xiaoguan last year, he was especially wary of nighttime. The Hexi Army often carried out sneak attacks at night.
At this moment, a scream of "Ah——" came from below the city, which immediately shocked the entire Guancheng.
Pan Nong immediately leaned out and looked outside the city, only to see a flash of black shadows, and the large group of black shadows had disappeared. He immediately realized that the Hexi Army was going to sneak attack Guancheng, and shouted sharply: "Archers on alert!"
‘Dang! Dang! Dang!’ The alarm bell rang, and countless archers rushed to the battlements, arrows cocked, waiting for the enemy to appear.
.........
At this time, the 30,000 Hexi Army was waiting five miles away, led by Liang Wu, the Lingzhou military envoy. Liang Wu received two tasks. One task was to capture Xiaoguan, and the army went south to occupy Yuanzhou. The second task was to capture Yuanzhou.
An amendment to the mission. If the enemy forces are heavily massed in Yuanzhou, there is no need to go south to occupy Yuanzhou. You only need to occupy Xiaoguan and create momentum.
But no matter which mission it was, Xiao Pass must be captured, so Liang Wu led his army to prepare to attack Xiao Pass at night.
Last year, when the Hexi Army withdrew from Xiaoguan, they placed a large iron fire mine inside the wall of the city. As long as the iron fire mine was detonated, the city would collapse. The person who performed the task was General Liang Juer.
Liang Wu was patiently waiting for news about him.
At this time, hundreds of soldiers retreated on horseback in the darkness. The leader was Liang Ju'er. He seemed to be injured, with an arrow stuck in his back, and he was unconscious.
"What's going on?" Liang Wu stepped forward and asked.
A school captain saluted and said: "To inform the commander, we reached the bottom of the city, but we didn't expect that the enemy had ambushed a sentinel outside the city and fired an arrow, injuring General Liang!"
Liang Wu was extremely angry. He turned around and shouted: "Send the order for the army to advance!"
Since the sneak attack is unsuccessful, then simply attack with a large force, which can still crush Xiao Guan.
In the dark night, 30,000 troops marched toward Xiaoguan in a mighty manner.
At this time, Xiaoguan was already facing a formidable enemy. All 10,000 soldiers came to the city and stood all over the city and the Great Wall. Although the torches on top of the city illuminated the city above and below like daylight, after all, it was the second watch of the night, and the Hexi Army again
We chose a night with no moonlight and dark clouds to carry out the sneak attack. We couldn't see anything fifty steps away. We were swallowed up by the thick night. Instead, we could see the top of the city very clearly from the bottom of the city.
At this time, a series of screams came from the city. This was the hidden sentry that was ambushed outside the city and was pulled out by the Hexi Army. Before the soldiers on the city could react, raindrop-like arrows suddenly appeared in front of them, hitting the defenders.
The army was caught off guard.
Countless soldiers guarding the city were hit by arrows, and screams rang out from the top of the city. Only then did the soldiers on the top of the city react and fire arrows into the darkness outside the city. An arrow battle broke out between the two sides.
The strength of the Hexi Army was three times that of the defenders, and they suppressed the defenders at the top of the city. The defenders had no choice but to retreat, squat down and fire arrows outside the city. At this time, dozens of soldiers from the Hexi Army rushed to the bottom of the city with giant shields held high.
Running towards the base of the city wall, I quickly found the mark left last year: a cluster of bushes.
The soldiers used iron hooks to hook out four large blue bricks, revealing a large dark hole. The large iron fire mine installed last year could be vaguely seen. The soldiers filled the hole with the hay and sulfur they carried, and sprayed two bags of fire.
Oil, then he turned around and ran away.
After they disappeared into the darkness, more than a dozen gunpowder arrows were shot into the dark wall hole at the same time. The fire ignited. In just a moment, there was an earth-shattering explosion in the city wall hole, and hundreds of soldiers on the top of the city were blown up.
It had to fly, bricks and stones flew everywhere, the city wall shook violently, a large section of the city wall collapsed, dust and gunpowder smoke mixed together, thick smoke filled the city inside and outside, and there were cries and cries.
Liang Wu waved his sword and said, "Come into the city!"
There was a loud sound of iron hoofs, and three thousand Hexi Army cavalry took the lead to kill into Guancheng!