On the seventh day of August in the autumn of the second year of Yanhe, at dawn.

The soldiers who came to change the guard in Luntai City lined up to walk up to the castle tower, and as usual, they looked west at the plain in the direction of Qiuzi.

At this time, the east is first white, the morning fog will rise, the visibility is not high, and the field of vision is also very narrow.

But......

In the field, there was a 'crunch, crunch' sound.

It's like there are a lot of people pushing a deer cart, close to the wheels.

The leader of the team, listening to this voice, immediately said: "Go and get the copper hammer!" ”

In fact, without his orders at all, the adjutant in charge of the copper hammer had already taken the copper hammer hidden in the nearby arrow tower.

The team leader took the copper hammer, took a deep breath, poked his head out of the castle tower, looked into the distance, and observed it with wide eyes.

I saw in the distance, about ten miles away in the wilderness, densely packed with human heads, already approaching.

Although I couldn't see clearly at all, I could only hear some noise.

However, without any hesitation, the team immediately turned around, picked up the brass hammer, and struck the gong that hung on the city wall.

"Knock knock...... Knock knock knock ......"

Immediately, inside the luntai plug, all the gatekeepers in Luli and the camp rang the gong.

Countless people woke up from their sleep, and when they heard the noise, they immediately fell asleep, and immediately jumped up, put on their armor, took up their weapons, and hurried out.

Then, at the door, they met the officials or their immediate superiors.

Under the leadership of these people, the entire Luntai City, like a precision machine, was running rapidly.

The archers, crossbowmen, and men who were good at defending the city began to go up the walls.

And in all parts of the city, a large number of craftsmen have been gathered.

Then, along the inner walls of Luntai City, they began to dig up the soil and put down the empty water tanks one by one.

This was to prevent the enemy from digging tunnels, digging into the city, or digging down the walls.

And with these water tanks, any attempt to dig tunnels to siege the city will be discovered as soon as possible.

At this time, Li Sheng took his own soldiers and hurriedly walked up to the city tower.

He stared into the distance, listening to the noise coming from the distant wilderness, far away, and couldn't hear it clearly, but ...... From these noises that entered his ears, Li Sheng clearly knew that it was the language of the Qiuzi people and the Weili people.

"It seems that the Huns really plan to use the servant army to fill the ravine of my Luntai!" Li Sheng sneered: "Li Ling has finally learned well!" ”

Listening left and right, they all laughed along.

Because in the past, when Li Ling was training in Jiuquan and Zhangye, he made countless small reports to the Son of Heaven, reporting and exposing the Hexi generals for 'not caring for the soldiers', and portraying himself as the spokesman of the middle and lower-class soldiers.

Even if he went to the Huns, he still retained this character.

Be generous to the bottom, loyal to the top, righteous to friends, and affectionate to others.

Now, Li Ling's self-smashing signboard in disguise, of course, others have reason to laugh at it.

But, ridicule is ridicule.

The urgency of the situation is well known to all.

"Hurry up, immediately send scouts to report in the direction of Loulan!" Li Sheng calmly ordered: "Remember to send more scouts......"

"Once Li Ling is here, he will never give us another chance to send envoys abroad!"

The siege is to be besieged!

It is necessary to cut off the internal and external contact of the target!

This is something that any soldier can think of, not to mention, the opponent is still Li Ling!

That Li Ling Li Shaoqing, who was once boasted as 'the famous general of the ancients'!

With his means, Li Sheng dared to bet that from this moment on, before the main force of the second division general arrived, Luntai would definitely become an isolated island.

……………………

When the sun rose, Li Sheng knew that his judgment was incomparably correct.

Luntai has really become an island!

The Huns came from all sides and surrounded the city completely.

One by one, the flags are displayed, and the top is like a cloud.

The royal banners of the kings of the seven kingdoms, such as Qiuzi, Weili, Yanluxe, and Jingjue, also appeared on the battlefield.

"It's really damn bad!" Li Sheng observed his enemy, and sighed with a sigh in his mouth: "It seems that it is really inevitable to raise the troops of the country to come!" ”

"It's just...... Since ancient times, how simple has it been? My round stopper, Li Ling, can you shake it? ”

There have always been big battles and sieges, which one hasn't fought for a year and a half?

What's more, the Huns have never had offensive weapons, and they come and go with three axes.

Li Sheng could think of it with his eyes closed, it was nothing more than ant attachment, digging the city, and shooting at close range to suppress the firepower of the city.

But......

His Luntai Fortress now has fifteen bed crossbows, more than thirty ballista carts, and dozens of solid arrow towers made of masonry.

The city wall is more than three zhang high and one zhang wide.

The food, grass, ordnance, and drinking water in the city were all well equipped, enough for the soldiers of the city to eat for three months.

In other words, the fortress could hold on for at least three months.

And Li Sheng's uncle, Li Guangli, the general of the Second Division, gave him the task, but he only held on for a month and a half.

During this period, the Han army's troops in Loulan, Yumen and Yangguan would continue to arrive and exert pressure on the periphery, cooperate with the defenders of Luntai, and drag the main force of the Xiongnu under this Luntai fortified city.

When the enemy is exhausted, winter in the Western Regions begins to come again.

The general of the second division personally commanded the main force of the Han army out of Loulan, went straight to the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, cut off its way back, and left the main force of the Xiongnu in the south of the Tianshan Mountains and west of Puchanghai, counting the area north of the water.

Thinking of this, Li Sheng couldn't help but feel proud.

However......

At this time, in the Xiongnu army array, dozens of huge wooden structure instruments were dragged and dragged by countless people out of the military array.

Li Sheng looked at those instruments, and the whole person was stupid, and after a long time, he scolded: "Li Ling, you traitor who has forgotten his ancestors!" ”

He knows, what are those devices?

Gun carriage!

The siege weapon of the Warring States period was active in the battlefields of Qin, Wei and Qin.

Countless fortified fortresses have fallen because of it.

Although these artillery trucks in front of him are no match for those sealed in the Chang'an arsenal in any case.

But......

They're big enough and thick enough!

Even if there are some flaws and problems, I am afraid that they are enough to threaten the defenders of the city, especially the defensive equipment of the defenders.

Li Sheng could no longer sit still.

He clenched his fists and immediately ordered: "Go and invite the captain of the material officer and the captain of the crossbow!" ”

Those artillery carriages, they must be destroyed!

And only the most powerful weapon can do this - the bed crossbow!

……………………

Li Ling's eyes were always looking at the artillery carriages that required hundreds of people to drag and tow.

After these artillery carriages gradually entered the front line, he immediately ordered: "Let the troops of Qiuzi and Weili attack immediately!" ”

"Those who dare to withdraw without an order ......" he had a cold face: "Chop!" ”

"Your will...... King! A Hun nobleman was ordered to go at once.

Then, thousands of Qiuzi and Weili troops carried all kinds of siege equipment, densely lined up, and came towards Luntai.

Li Ling personally rode forward and observed the battle.

He needed to assess the defensive strength of the wheels, and more importantly, the capabilities of the gun carriages.

Tie! Tie! Tie!

With a dull loud bang, the first artillery carriage, pulled by dozens of people, bounced violently, throwing the stones loaded in the cannon spoon composed of vines and furs in the direction of Luntai City.

Syllable!

The stone didn't fly far, maybe only about a hundred and fifty steps, and it fell from the sky and smashed into the Qiuzi team that was attacking the Luntai city wall, smashing the two unlucky eggs directly to the ground.

Li Ling looked a little embarrassed when he saw it, but he was not discouraged, because the gun carriage was like this.

The range and accuracy are completely face-dependent.

However, he had heard that the Qin people had a set of methods to increase the range and accuracy of artillery carriages.

Unfortunately, it has been lost.

However, it doesn't matter, anyway, it was only Qiuzi and Wei Li who were stoned to death.

Li Ling's heart has no waves at all.

In this battle, he has already made up his mind!

Be sure to quickly take down the wheel, and then quickly evacuate this place of right and wrong.

Therefore, no matter how big the price is, he doesn't care.

……………………………………

The big war thousands of miles away, not even a shadow can be seen in Chang'an.

The attention of the common people and literati in the market was basically attracted by Liu Zhong's entry into the Xiongnu Shan Yu in Longcheng.

Even the courtiers were busy preparing for the ceremonies of the tombs of the first emperors of the previous dynasties.

In addition to Liu Quyu Group, Zhang Yue has been paying attention and doing his homework nervously.

In the past two days, Zhang Yue copied a copy of the materials, archives, and reports about Hexi, Lingju, and Luntai collected by the Lantai, Shiquge, Prime Minister's Mansion, Zhijinwu, Guangluxun, and other Yousi Yamen through various channels, and sent them to himself.

Based on this information, he cooperated with Sima Xuan and others to create a large sand table in his 'Jianwen Jun's Mansion'.

The entire Hexi, Hehuang, and the southern part of the Western Regions were all visible in front of him.

Looking at the completed sand table, Zhang Yue was full of emotion.

"It turns out that Lingju is in Yongdeng County, Gansu...... Its side wall is from the snow mountain of Tianzhu County to the Wusheling Ridge, extending to Xiu Tuze, Jiuquan Sai ......" Zhang Yue, who has a retrospective, in his mind, compared the map of the later generations of the retrospective, and easily found the place names and mountains and rivers of the later generations corresponding to the side wall of Lingju and the west of the river.

Of course, two thousand years of vicissitudes of life, now and later generations in terms of geography and landform, in many places have been unrecognizable, the map of later generations can only be referred to, it is really a fool.

However, just by comparing it like this, Zhang Yue knows that the key to Lingju is it!

By controlling the choke and ordering the residence, the Han family could strangle all external threats from the western part of Hexi in the Yellow River and the mountains.

On the contrary, if Lingju is lost, not only will the defense system around Lingju fall apart, but foreign enemies can drive straight in, threatening Wuwei, Hutu, and even cutting off the connection between Beidi, Longyou and Hexi.

Therefore, in history, after Lingju was built into the city, it has always been a battleground for all generations of soldiers.

Compared with Lingju, Zhang Yue is more interested in the Western Regions and Luntai.

Because, in later generations, with the two diversions of the Tarim River, Lop Nur (Puchanghai) gradually evaporated, and eventually became a desert and Gobi.

Now, there are at least a few hundred years before the Tarim River was first diverted.

In the present, this river of life still follows its old path, panting, bringing water to the dry southern part of the Western Regions.

Its southern tributary is called the South River.

It is currently the largest river system in the Western Regions.

Luntai, located in the middle of the Nanhe River to Puchanghai, was directly nailed under the nose of the Xiongnu servant Duwei.

What makes Zhang Yue feel interesting is that the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains at this time should be called Bogda Mountain on the map of later generations.

And it does bear the honor of 'Tianshan'.

Because, behind him, is the Turpan Basin, which is famous even in later generations.

Today's Western Regions is a rich place and a country of abundant products.

"No wonder the general of the second division has always been obsessed with Tuntian Luntai......" Zhang Yue smashed his mouth, and he almost laughed: "No wonder in history, Huo Guang and others want to hide from the present and secretly support Luntai Tuntian......"

"Such a good place, who gives up who 213!"

As a traverser, Zhang Yue knew that Bogda Mountain was the geographical dividing line between southern and northern Xinjiang in later generations, and it was also the dividing line between agriculture and animal husbandry.

Beyond this mountain, you will enter the largest, richest, and warmest oasis region in the Western Regions.

As long as it is properly developed, it is enough to reclaim millions of acres of land and feed two or three million people.

Seeing this, Zhang Yue couldn't help but ask Sima Xuan and the others: "Xiang Envoy and others are the commanders of the Huns, if you want to take my Luntai, what should you do?" ”

Sima Xuan scratched his head, thought about it carefully, and replied: "General, the last general thinks that if the last general is the commander of the Huns, the best way at this time is to retreat immediately to avoid the harsh winter!" ”

He said: "Luntai, the fortified city, even if it is besieged with ten times the strength, it is not a city that can be attacked overnight!" ”

"Once dragged by the defenders of Luntai until September, the heavy snow will cover the mountain, and the main force of the Huns will have no escape!"

Zhang Yue shook his head when he heard this, and said: "Sima Gong is too subjective, since the Huns dare to come, they must have something to rely on!" There must be a certain certainty that you can capture Luntai in a short period of time and avoid a decisive battle with the main force of the Second Division! ”

If it is really a decisive battle for the main force, Li Guangli, the general of the second division, will definitely win!

The answer is very simple - now Li Guangli's opponent is only one Xiongnu Richai King.

The main cavalry of the Xiongnu royal court is now licking their wounds in Yuwushui and Mobei, and they have no ability or time to rush to the battlefield.

Therefore, once the main decisive battle appears, there is only one end for the king of the day - to be defeated by the Han army!

With his tens of thousands of cavalry, he is even less qualified to stuff Li Guangli's elite legion.

Not to mention, now Li Guangli's main elite has been replaced with horseshoes and stirrup saddles.

The combat effectiveness soared more than a little bit, and basically the field saw who abused whom.

Therefore, Zhang Yue judged from the beginning that the Huns must have made up their minds when they chose to attack Luntai now!

Otherwise, the sage would not have chosen to start a war at this time - to be reasonable, his wisest thing to do is actually to be a pug in the Western Regions, paralyzing the Han family while recuperating and waiting to ascend to the throne......

"Alone on the throne?" Zhang Yue raised his head suddenly, looked at Sima Xuan, he clenched his fists, and immediately said, "Prepare a car for me, I want to enter the palace!" ”

If the sages were worried about the top, then everything would be explained.