At this time, it is the New Year, but there is no New Year's atmosphere in Lingzhou. The city was full of troops, the houses were reorganized, and many houses were occupied by the army. The streets that used to be bustling also seem deserted.

Ling Jie Chuqing walked on the street in the early morning, his face was heavy, and his steps were hurried. Today is his duty at the head of the city, and it is another busy day.

At this moment, suddenly there was a burst of cannons, and the city was shaken. Ling Jie Chuqing was stunned for a moment, and said to the soldiers around him: "The sun hasn't risen yet, and the Song army is coming to attack?" When the cannon is fired at the head of the city, why can't you see the smoke of gunpowder? ”

As soon as the words fell, the soldiers pointed to the outside of the city and said, "Captain, it looks like the Song army fired the cannon?" ”

Ling Jie Chuqing listened, looked up, and saw the smoke outside the city. I couldn't help but be taken aback, and said, "Go faster and see what's going on!" ”

When I arrived at the head of the city, I saw that the artillery position of the party was hurriedly loading and loading, and the city wall was scattered with iron pellets. Leaning on the head of the city and looking out, he saw that in the light outside, a large number of Song artillery soldiers approached the city.

Turning around suddenly, Ling Jie Chuqing said sharply to the guards at the head of the city: "How could you let the Song army artillery get to the city?" Quickly fire the cannon and knock the Song army away outside the city! How can we hold the head of the city at such a close distance! ”

The guard said: "Tai Lieutenant, the Song army secretly pushed the artillery to the city at night, who knows?" As soon as the morning dawned, they began to fire cannons, which caught us off guard for a while. The artillery over there is loading the artillery, and after a while, the Song army will be driven away. ”

As he spoke, the cannon at the head of the city rang out. The party's artillery went out and covered all the artillery of the Song army. It's just that the accuracy is limited, and there is not even a single shot that really hits the Song army's artillery, but only some soldiers are injured.

The Song army outside the city saw the party artillery position, hurriedly adjusted the muzzle, and the two sides bombarded each other. At this time, Ling Jie Chuqing discovered a serious problem. Since the artillery of the party at the head of the city could not move, the advantage of range was useless, and it completely became a confrontation between the artillery of the two sides. The Song army had far more artillery than the party, and it was good at accuracy and fast, and it didn't take long for the good and bad to be distinguished.

Ling Jie Chuqing figured out the situation and couldn't help but be startled. If this continues, how long can the party hold out? Once the cannons at the head of the city were damaged by the Song army, how could the city still be able to hold on? Looking around, I didn't know what to do for a while.

Outside the city, Di Qing held a telescope and looked at the city with Zhang Yu and others. In less than half an hour, the Song army suppressed the party artillery at the head of the city, and his heart couldn't help but be overjoyed. In this way, it shouldn't take much time to capture Lingzhou.

Putting down the binoculars, Zhang Yu said: "In this way, it seems that in just one or two days, you can knock out the cannon at the head of the party." When the time comes, the army outside the city will be arrayed, and I will personally lead the troops to attack the city! Capture Lingzhou and see how long the party can hold out! ”

Di Qing said: "This is the key place where the party is second only to Xingqing Mansion, and it is not so easy to attack. Today is the sixth day of the first lunar month, and there should be another month to use for siege. We are not in a hurry, wouldn't it be good to wait until the Lingzhou melons are ripe and pick them easily? ”

Zhang Yu said: "What the Taiwei said is true. It's just that since the troops were dispatched in September last year, it has been nearly four months now, which is really impatient! ”

Di Qing said: "As long as Lingzhou is captured, everything in front of you will be worth it." The courtiers thought we were slow, mainly because the time to capture Lingzhou was too thick. In a month or two under Lingzhou, what else can others say? 300,000 troops, fighting for several months, no big chaos, capturing the party's important cities, I am worthy of the imperial court! ”

Lu Zhengdao: "What the Taiwei said is true. As long as Lingzhou is captured, there is only one city left in Xingqing Mansion for the party, and it will be difficult to resist. ”

Di Qing nodded, raised the telescope in his hand, and looked at the city full of artillery fire. At this time, the artillery of the two sides fought for a long time, and the smoke around the city was full of gunsmoke, and it was difficult to see clearly. It can be roughly seen that the party artillery at the head of the city has been firmly suppressed.

At the head of Lingzhou City, Wei Minglangbu looked at the firelight that flashed from time to time in the cannon muzzle of the Song army under the city, and his brows were tightly locked. To Ling Jie Chuqing beside him: "How can it go on like this!" The Song army has a lot of artillery and fights accurately, how can we be their opponents! In more than an hour, half of the cannons at the head of the city have been destroyed, how long can it last! We must find a way to make Song Jun not like this! ”

Lingjie Chuqing said: "Tai Lieutenant, there is only one way, which is to go out of the city to drive away the Song artillery." If you don't go out of the city to fight, let the Song army bombard us like this, the city will definitely not be able to hold on! Elected as a good general, go out of the city and kill for a while! ”

Wei Minglangbu looked outside the city and said in a deep voice: "The Song army has sealed the city gate with cannons, how can you go out and fight?" If they come out of the city, the hundreds of thousands of Song troops outside the city are not their opponents. This matter should be carefully considered and not reckless. ”

Hearing that he was going to go out of the city to fight with the Song army, Wei Minglangbu played the drum unconsciously. Since Du Zhongxiao opened up the Hequ Road, the party members were beaten to the bone and did not dare to fight with the Song army. Relying on Jiancheng, Wei Ming Langbu can lead his troops to defend and fight with the Song army in the field, so forget it.

In Jingzhou City, Han Qi handed the official document in his hand to Liu Ji on the side, and said: "In Lingzhou, Captain Han has ordered the artillery to push closer to the city wall to fight with the party artillery, and he has the upper hand in one day. Lieutenant Yi Di estimated that in only five or six days, the defense of the party city could be defeated. At that time, how difficult will it be for the ants to attack the city? Zhao Zi has already decided the way to the north, why don't we stay in Jingzhou for a few days and see how about the movement in Lingzhou? ”

Liu Ji read the official document and said, "That's fine." Look at the city of Xingqing Mansion, and leave directly without attacking the city, after all, I am unwilling. ”

Han Qi said: "Yes, now it seems that the party has no good way to resist us. If you don't take the opportunity to extinguish, it will not be good to leave the aftermath after all. ”

Until now, the party has been beaten passively and has no power to fight back. With the railway, the army can be easily transferred, and Han Qi is unwilling not to take advantage of this good opportunity to destroy the party. When he was defending the northwest back then, his army was not strong and he was defeated near the Zhenrong army, and Han Qi has been haunted by it all these years. Now that I have the opportunity to be ashamed, I can't let it go.

Liu Jidao: "Our 50,000 troops are in Jingzhou, and the siege of Xingqing Mansion may be slightly insufficient, but it is more than enough to cut off the two states of Xingling. So I will stay here first to see if Captain Di can capture Lingzhou in a short time. As soon as Lingzhou is broken, our two troops will join forces, how difficult is it to break Xingqing Mansion! ”

Jingzhou to Xingqing Mansion fifty miles, but one day away. Han Qi's army was stationed in Jingzhou, and he actually monitored the party army in Xingqing Mansion, so that they did not dare to go out of the city. In this way, Di Qing can let go of his hands and feet and attack Lingzhou with all his might, without worrying about the harassment of the party army.

Han Qi stood up, walked to the door, and looked at the Helan Mountains not far away. After a while, he turned around and said: "Ten years ago, the imperial court fought against the party, although there was a small victory, the big battle was bound to be lost. When the imperial court was overwhelmed, the front-line soldiers had no desire to fight and had to negotiate peace with the party. Who would have thought that more than ten years later, we would be able to enter a no-man's land, and the party would not dare to go out of the city to face the battle! Now I think about the past, and it's like a dream. ”

Liu Jidao: "The vicissitudes of life have changed dramatically, who can think completely." For more than ten years, the party item was not the party item of more than ten years ago, and the Great Song Dynasty was not the Great Song Dynasty of the year. Taiwei led Zhao Zi with 30,000 soldiers, 3,000 miles long, invincible, who would dare to believe it more than ten years ago? ”

Han Qi shook his head: "Speaking of which, Zhao Zi is a veteran of Hequ Road, and he has his own rules for fighting. This battle was all up to him, and nothing went wrong on the way. It can only be said that since Du Zhongxiao went to Suizhou to train the new army, the training was really orderly, leaving behind such an army and such a general. ”

Speaking of which, there is no further explanation. In fact, Yidu Zhongxiao's record on Hequ Road should have been his command to destroy the party. It's just that due to various reasons in the court, Du Zhongxiao returned to the court, and Han Qi and Di Qing came.

If it is still the same as it was more than ten years ago, how much military merit should it be to destroy the party? But now, it doesn't seem to matter that much. The gap between the current Song army and the party army is too big, and it is only a matter of speed and slowness to change people.