Peony sat on the stone on the side of the road and said with a bitter face: "Outside, we have been walking for a few days, and we really can't walk." On the way, I heard that Yelu Chongyuan of the Khitan had been beaten away by Du Zhizhi, and Yu Dujian had been dealt with, so we might as well go back to Tanglong Town. ”

Yan Yuanwai said: "I have my own store in Dongshengzhou, why do I want to go back to Tanglong Town?" Wait until everything is settled, and the business will come back to business. ”

Qiaoqiao whispered: "Outside, what about our sisters?" ”

Yan Yuanwai said: "I have a big house, what's wrong with you going to be a girl!" ”

Qiaoqiao looked at the peony and didn't dare to speak again. At their age, they have been locked up for several years, and their daily routines are not good, and their thoughts are already different from ordinary people. If it was an ordinary person, he just had a meal and changed into new clothes when he went out of the city, and he would have left Yan Yuan a long time ago when the situation calmed down. But these two people didn't know what the outside world was like, so they followed Yan Yuanwai in a daze, and when it came to Dongshengzhou, they followed.

At this moment, the sound of rumbling horses' hooves was heard in the north, and the smoke and dust rolled in the figures, and it was impossible to see how many Khitan cavalry figures.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Yan Yuanwai hurriedly pulled Qiaoqiao and led the others to run to the hill on the side of the road. When I arrived at the hillside, I saw an unknown number of Khitan troops coming from the north, and I couldn't see the end at a glance. The horses' hooves rumbled, and the smoke and dust rolled, all the way to the town of Tanglong in the south.

Some people couldn't dodge, and were swept into the dust by the cavalry, and thousands of troops and horses trampled into flesh.

Yan Yuanwai was frightened, and hurriedly asked the people who ran over from the north: "Brother, why are there soldiers and horses from the Northern Dynasty?" ”

The man said: "The official family of the Northern Dynasty heard that Tanglong Town had suffered a defeat, so he personally ordered soldiers and horses to kill, and he had to wash Tanglong Town in blood!" Behind, the soldiers of the Northern Dynasties are all over the mountains and fields, robbing people everywhere, you still hide in the mountains early! Otherwise, they will be caught, and the men will be slaves, and the women will be prostitutes! ”

Yan Yuanwai couldn't help but be anxious when he heard this, although he had a house and shop in Dongsheng Prefecture, and he was a Khitan person, but the Khitan people's habit of fighting wars didn't care about this. The proceeds of looting on the road, whether it is property or people, are the private property of the generals. Wherever the army passes, unless it is restrained by military discipline, everything will be robbed. There is no valley here, theoretically belonging to Tanglong Town, not Khitan land, and it will inevitably be robbed if it encounters soldiers.

In desperation, Yan Yuanwai had no choice but to take two girls and other entourages to hide in the mountains.

While walking, Yan Yuanwai reprimanded Peony and Qiaoqiao: "Do you see it?" You still have to go back to Tanglong Town, not to kill yourself! Although Du Zhizhi defeated Yelu Chongyuan, it was just to take advantage of the unpreparedness of the northern country to fight more and less. Now that the officials of the Northern Dynasty have personally come with a large army, no matter how powerful Du Zhizhi is, and how brave the officers and soldiers under him are, how can they resist the enemy? escaped this catastrophe, and it is serious to go back to Dongshengzhou with me. ”

In Tanglong Town, Du Zhongxiao was dealing with the papers, and the rangers came in a hurry to report, and the Khitan army marched south from Dongshengzhou again.

Putting down the affairs in hand, Du Zhongxiao hurriedly invited Shi Quanbin and several important generals to his handsome hall to discuss the matter.

Liu Ji, who had already rushed to Tanglong Town, heard the report from the rangers, and couldn't help frowning: "According to the news I got now, the Khitan lord came south with 100,000 heavy troops to fight with us for Tanglong Town. Although we have just defeated Yelu Chongyuan, we are too few in number. In the past two days, the artillery has arrived, and the whole army has arrived, and there are only 30,000 people. With 30,000 against the Khitan army of 100,000 tigers and wolves, this battle is not easy to fight. ”

Shi Quanbin said: "It's not just 100,000. The current news is 100,000, and there are still more than 100,000 troops in Dongsheng Prefecture and Yunnei Prefecture. The Khitan attacked the party with the army of the whole country, and hundreds of thousands of troops gathered in the land of the meander.

Liu Ji shook his head: "This is a Tanglong Town, and the Khitan really wants to fight with us?" This matter should be played immediately, and we will keep it. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Of course, the newspaper has to be reported, but we defend the city, 30,000 against 100,000, which is a lot." In any case, if Tanglong Town is not lost, even if the imperial court does not send troops to rescue, how long can the Khitan stay? ”

Shi Quanbin asked in a low voice, "What if the Khitan doesn't stop here in Tanglong Town and go south to plunder the states of the Volcano Army?" ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Then what can be done?" When the enemy soldiers come, we just have to fight. As long as Tanglong Town is not lost, the Khitans dare to go south, don't they want to go back? In the past few days, more rangers have been dispatched, and every two hours, the military situation is reported! ”

Yelu Chongyuan was defeated and walked across the Yellow River, Du Zhongxiao didn't expect that Yelu Zongzhen would personally lead the army south, which was too much for Meng Lang. Du Zhongxiao's 30,000 soldiers and horses here are indeed not much, but how many people do you need to defend the city? The Khitan could not really march south to plunder a few states, and the war would be inevitable. Thinking about it, it can only be that the Khitan has just conquered the party, and lost face in Tanglong Town, desperate to get it back. Just to collect troops, a large number of soldiers and horses have gathered in several states of Hequ, so there is no need to collect, and by the way, they will go south to fight.

Although the number of troops is small, Du Zhongxiao now has confidence in the Yingtianxiang army, and he is still sure of holding Tanglong Town. The artillery had already arrived, occupying the surrounding heights, and the passage to Tanglong Town was completely stuck, and they were not afraid of the Khitan army attacking south.

After discussing the military situation for a while, Du Zhongxiao said to Liu Ji and Yao Shouxin: "The military city of Tanglong Town is not big, and there is no artillery on the city wall. In the past two days, you have chosen positions on the high ground outside the city, linked them with the military city, and arranged your positions with artillery as the center. The battlefield was chosen in the valley under the city, one infantry and cavalry guarded the artillery position, and the other was mobile, attacking at any time according to the army's orders. ”

Liu Ji and Yao Shouxin promised.

A few days ago, when the battle was against Yelu Chongyuan, Liu Ji and the artillery did not arrive, although they also recorded military merits, they were always far behind. Because the artillery did not fire a single shot, they only replaced the officer's fake camera with a real post, and there was no promotion. This time there was finally a chance, and Yao Shouxin was extremely excited.

A few days ago, Du Zhongxiao's subordinates had already measured the terrain, but Yelu Chongyuan was defeated too quickly, and the whole army did not deploy. This time, Yelu Zongzhen brought the army to come, and everything was used, and the whole army could be deployed with the military city as the center.

Yao Shouxin said: "With the range of our heavy artillery, the valley under the city is covered. To be made, do you want to concentrate the heavy artillery, if the Khitan lord arrives and is targeted by us, a round of heavy artillery will kill him! ”

Shi Quanbin was startled when he heard this. Thinking of the scene covered by a wave of flowering shells when he went to Zaoyang to watch the army, he couldn't help but jump his eyelids, and asked Yao Shouxin: "Gun master, if you really keep an eye on the Khitan lord, when the heavy artillery is all used with flowering shells, what is the chance to kill him under the artillery?" ”

Yao Shouxin thought for a while and said, "There is always a certainty of seventy or eighty percent. Even if he doesn't die, he is seriously injured. There are 28 heavy artillery pieces in the whole army, and there is still a target 1,000 paces away. A cannon can reach a radius of one or two zhang, twenty-eight guns, and it is difficult to survive within a radius of thirty zhang. ”

Shi Quanbin listened, looked at Yao Shouxin blankly, and said for a while: "Doesn't that mean that the Khitan lord is dead?" ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Whenever you are in battle, you don't have to risk the arrows and stones yourself, just be able to deal with it on the spot." When the enemy army comes, the Khitan lord may not come forward. ”

Liu Ji nodded: "Yes, the camp field army drill has always been like this." When the battle is approaching, the commander and above are not allowed to personally supervise the battle formation. Otherwise, if you are targeted by the enemy and come down with a round of artillery fire, where will there be a way to live? ”

Shi Quanbin shook his head again and again: "Military master, you are like this, how do the Khitan people know?" We captured their guns here, did you go and see them? It's too bulky, it's inaccurate, and we can't get far, so how do we know what the cannon we use looks like? The habits of the Khitan people, when the war is about to happen, the lord of the country is eager to fight in person, how could Yelu Zong really not come forward? In my opinion, this time the arrangement was bolder, and according to the idea of the Khitan lord before he arrived at the battle, he gathered heavy artillery. It's done, that's it."

Speaking of this, Shi Quanbin rubbed his hands excitedly. Defeating Yelu Chongyuan was already a great military feat for the Song Dynasty, and there has been a lot of noise in the court in the past few days, and many officials don't believe it. The battle reports ahead are conclusive, and many people still think that victory will not be as easy as said in the front. If the Khitan Emperor was destroyed before the real battle, what kind of military merit would it be? shot and wounded Xiao Rin under the city of Lanzhou, and he kept peace for forty years, and he was just a general.

The chamberlains came out to lead the army, some were greedy for life and afraid of death, and some were reckless, but their desire for military merit was higher than that of other officials. has a great military exploit in the body, and the establishment of the festival is not a problem, which has always been the ultimate dream of the inner servants.

According to common sense, the battle between the two armies should not be arranged in this way. It is a basic principle that operational deployment should not be based on the mentality of chance, otherwise it will pay a huge price if it fails. However, what Shi Quanbin said also made sense, the Khitans were not familiar with this camp Tianxiang army, and the musket fired a threat and beat Yelu Chongyuan away, maybe they thought it was the strongest weapon of the Song army.

But in fact, everything in the operation of the battalion and Tianxiang army was centered on artillery, and the artillery did not arrive last time.

After discussing with Liu Ji for a long time, Du Zhongxiao said in a deep voice: "Okay, what Shi Tuanlian said is good, since he has fought, he will aim at the Khitan Lord!" Twenty-eight heavy guns only, less will not affect too much! If you can't beat the Khitan lord, you need at least a few generals in front of them! Count it out, I won't suffer any loss in this way of playing! The last time I let Yelu Chongyuan go, it was because the dynasty was unprepared and didn't want to fight. Since the Khitan is moving south, such concerns can go. Dragged the Khitan army of more than 100,000, and the dynasty had no time to prepare for it. If you kill the Khitan lord before the battle"

Liu Jidao: "The meaning of waiting to be made"

Du Zhongxiao waved his hand: "Let's not talk about those!" Pegasus merged with the state, reported to the Korean Prime Minister, the Khitan lord army came south, and our army should fight! ”

Du Zhongxiao is the deputy envoy of Hedong Road and the actual coach of the road. There are several military roads in the entire Hedong Road, which are under the unified command of Han Qi, the envoy of the Economic Strategy. This kind of major military situation should be reported to him as soon as possible.

After thinking for a while, Du Zhongxiao felt that what Shi Quanbin said made sense. In the past few years, I have trained the Tianxiang Army, and many times I have formed the inertia of thinking, and the battle plan is too steady. Hundreds of steps away from the battlefield in person was something that the Khitan emperors often did, and there was no threat in this era. Their own heavy artillery is able to cover almost a thousand steps, how would the Khitans know? Even most of the officials of the Song Dynasty did not know.