Poor Family Chapter 856

  Chapter 856 Waiting for the gun

In the night, the camp of the Song army was heavily guarded. Groups of soldiers patrolled around the camp fence, and cavalry patrols appeared from time to time within a mile outside. Deep trenches were dug around the camp, and many thorns were scattered. It is safer to enter and exit through the two camp gates in the north and south.

  The gates of the camp are naturally the most important. There are more than 500 soldiers standing guard at night in front of the two city gates. The sentries on the sentry towers on both sides are also watching the movement around them sharply, not daring to relax for a moment.

  The chief general on duty tonight is Dou Niu Gao. He is currently patrolling the North Camp Gate. Today is the first night of the camp, especially to prevent the enemy from stealing the camp at night.

Niu Gao is relatively low-key in the Jingzhao Army. In terms of affiliation, he belongs to the subordinate of the deputy capital commander Wang Gui. Although he is low-key, he is very straightforward and decisive in his actions. Generals, second only to Yan Qing and Cao Meng.

   "General Niu, the security is so tense, isn't it a little bit of a fuss? How could the defenders of Weicheng go out of the city to steal the camp?" A general whispered to Niu Gao.

  Niu Gao waved his hand, "You guys have to figure it out, we are not for the army in Weicheng, but to defend the army in the east."

   "But if you can loosen the outside and tighten the inside, maybe you can lure them to attack the camp. If it is too tight, they will not dare to come."

  Niu Gao sighed softly, "Vice-Tong Wang also proposed this suggestion, but Du Tong has other ideas. He doesn't want the enemy to steal the camp."

   "Do you want to go on a trip"

   Before the general finished speaking, Niu Gao slapped him, "Don't talk nonsense, this matter is not for us to ask, just follow the military order properly."

  The general stuck out his tongue and didn't dare to say anything. At this moment, the sound of horseshoes came from outside the camp gate. Niu Gao hurriedly urged the horse to go over, only to hear the sentinel shout: "Who is it?"

   "East Outer Scout!"

   "Password!"

   "Longevity fruit!"

   After checking the password, a scout urged his horse to gallop over and dismounted in front of the gate of his camp. The gatekeeper verified his scout card again before letting him into the camp.

   "But do you have information to report?" Niu Gao asked.

   "Report to General Niu, I found the main force of the enemy army thirty miles away."

  The main force of the enemy army should be in Luocheng fifty miles away, but now it appears in thirty miles. Obviously, the main force of the enemy army has made a move. Niu Gao hurriedly said: "Follow me!"

  He took the scouts and hurried to the main tent of the Chinese army.

At this time, the main tent of the Chinese army was still brightly lit. Li Yanqing stood in front of the map in deep thought. He was thinking about what to do next. Early this morning, he received a news report that the Xixia Army stepped up their attack on the Dasan Pass of Fengxiang Mansion. The Xixia army obviously wanted to enter Guanzhong as soon as possible and cut off their retreat from behind. Xixia did not intend to withdraw from Xihe Road, which showed that the pressure they exerted was not enough, and Xixia had not yet felt a crisis.

   "Dutong, it's a bit strange to be humble. Since Xixia has insufficient troops, why doesn't it mobilize the tribe to send troops?" Wang Gui asked puzzledly.

Li Yanqing smiled slightly, "Xixia also has to consider the strength of the country. Xixia has been in war these years, and he largely relied on the support of Liao. It should be that Xixia's national strength can't bear it."

Liu Kai also added with a smile: "Dutong is right. Xixia is not like the Song Dynasty, which is centralized. They are actually composed of various tribes. Even the largest Tuoba tribe is not of one mind. In recent years, Xixia has The losses were heavy, and the tribes could not get benefits. Of course, they would not obediently obey the court's call as before. Li Qianshun needed to exchange benefits in an equal way before the tribes would send troops. It is estimated that Li Qianshun did not mobilize the whole country because he was reluctant to give benefits. "

  Wang Gui pondered for a moment and said, "Could it be that Li Qianshun would rather mobilize the tribal armies at the end than withdraw from Xihe Road?"

   "It is possible, and the possibility is very high. Our strategy itself is only 40% certain. If Xixia refuses to withdraw, then we can only lose the national power of Xixia as much as possible."

  The three of them were talking, when a soldier outside the tent reported, "Qi reports to Dutong, Niu Tongzhi urgently asks to see you!"

   "Dutong, there must be an enemy!" Liu Qi was the first to react.

  Li Yanqing nodded, "Let him in!"

   After a while, Wang Gui walked in quickly with his scouts, bowed and saluted, "See Du Tongzhi, see Liu Dutong!"

   "General Wang, what military report?" Li Yanqing asked with a smile.

   "Report to Dutong, this scout brother has discovered the enemy's movements!"

  Wang Gui winked at the scout **** team next to him, and the **** team hurried forward and said: "Report to Dutong, the humble officer and his subordinates have found the main force of the enemy army in Baimagou!"

  Li Yanqing immediately walked to the map, and quickly found Baimagou, which was located at the northern end of Tagua Ridge, about 30 miles away from the Song Army camp.

   Judging from this position, the target of the Xixia army is obviously Tagualing. Li Yanqing and Liu Qi looked at each other, and Li Yanqing asked again: "How many troops does the enemy have?"

   "About 15,000 to 20,000 people, with light soldiers and no luggage!"

   It doesn't matter whether they carry luggage or not. Taguazhai is only 70 miles away from Luocheng, so they can't be attacked, and retreating quickly will not affect the survival of the army. But what if Luocheng falls?

  Li Yanqing paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. He was thinking about how to annihilate the Xixia Army at the lowest cost. At this time, Liu Qi asked again: "Are you sure the other party has no baggage?"

   "The luggage is definitely not accompanying the army, but I don't know if it will be sent later."

  Liu Qi waved his hand, telling the scouts to retreat. At this moment, Li Yanqing smiled and asked Niu Gao, "What's Lao Niu thinking?"

  Niu Gao bowed and said: "It's unwise for a humble official to think that the enemy army is going deep alone!"

  Liu Qi smiled slightly, "General Niu is right, after all, Li Qianshun still underestimates the enemy."

  Li Yanqing nodded, "Now I am thinking about how to annihilate this enemy army with the least cost?"

  "If you want to use the least cost, you must avoid direct combat."

  Li Yanqing sighed, "Then it depends on whether Zhang Shun can hold on to the Tagua village."

   "The capital may wish to deploy at both ends!"

  Li Yanqing pondered for a moment, then said to Niu Gao: "I will give you three thousand troops, you must take Luocheng for me!"

   "The humble job will never let you down!"

  Niu Gao took the military order, saluted, turned around and left.

  Of course Niu Gao will not leave immediately, he will go to see Wang Gui to discuss the matter of dispatching troops in detail.

  Li Yanqing immediately said to Liu Qi: "We divide into two groups, you continue to keep an eye on Weicheng, and I will be in charge of the enemy troops in the south!"

The reinforcements of the Xixia Army totaled 20,000 people, commanded by General Gao Tingyi. This Xixia Army belonged to the Shanye Army, that is, it was composed of frontier Qianghu people. They were good at fighting in the mountains and were mainly infantry. The lower-level army is relatively backward in terms of equipment and training.

  They rushed from Xiazhou for more than 700 miles, Luocheng replenished the logistics and rations, and after two days of rest, they went to Taguaizhai.

The intention of the Xixia Army is very obvious, that is, to recapture Tagouzhai and cut off the Song Army's retreat. This intention was put forward by the monarch Li Qianshun. implement.

  The only tactic Gao Tingyi can do is to march at night, travel lightly, throw away the burden of luggage, and march rapidly under the cover of night, killing the Song army by surprise.

   It's a pity that his opponent is Li Yanqing. Li Yanqing has long guessed the strategy of the Xixia Army and deployed powerful scouts, so that the whereabouts of the Xixia Army are completely exposed to the surveillance of the Song Army.

  At dawn, 20,000 Xixia troops arrived at the foot of Taguazhai Mountain.

  The north side of Tagua Village is also easy to defend and difficult to attack. The mountain road spirals up, and the distance from the foot of the mountain to the straight line of the village is about 300 steps. If it winds up, it will take at least two miles.

  The Xixia army had no time to rest, and it would be dawn in half an hour at most. After the army arrived at the foot of the mountain, Gao Tingyi immediately issued an attack order.

  The Shanye army is good at mountain warfare and also knows how to sneak attack. Gao Tingyi sent 300 elites to rush up the mountain quickly under the cover of Can Ye.

Zhang Shun had already received the news three hours ago that the Xixia Army was about to attack Tagouzhai at night. He led three thousand defenders and had already been ready for battle. Bows and kerosene, firearms.

However, the Song army also added a large number of special defensive weapons after capturing Tagouzhai, mainly thunderbolts and thorns. In addition, Zhang Shun extended the battle line to the mountain road, built fortifications on the mountainside, and sent a team Thousands of soldiers lay in ambush on the mountain road.

  Although the night is dark, there are a few stars, and there are many figures, who are quietly touching the mountain.

The general of the Song army guarding the mountainside is called Zhang Hua. He is Zhang Shun's brother-in-law. His original surname was Zhang, but he changed his surname to Zhang after sworn in. He is Zhang Shun's most trusted confidant. More than a thousand people, currently serving as generals in the Song Army.

  Zhang Hua had already seen the Xixia army who was stupidly going up the mountain. He sneered and waved his hands. All the soldiers leaned behind the sandbags, raised their crossbows, and waited patiently for the order to shoot.

  (end of this chapter)

Chapter end