The wind whistled with the yellow sand, and in front of him was the wizened sand willows, struggling to stretch into the sky in the ancient river channel that had long been unrecognizable. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

"Western Xia army," the sentry shouted.

The low billowing smoke and dust on the dusky and rugged horizon in the northwest gathered silently in groups of three or five, pressing towards Yongding City.

"Is it finally here?" The tall young man crossed his arms, frowning at the dust, and the herald hurriedly came and went in front of him, and after a long time, someone reported: "General Meng, please come to the main hall." ”

At this time, almost all the generals in Yongding City were concentrated in the main hall, and there was a scroll of Liao Eagle in the middle of the hall, and the main general Zheng Yande was sitting in the middle of the position, and the city defense was arranged.

"Meng Yunping, you lead 500 people to guard the east gate, and you are not allowed to move without an order."

"The last general commands." Meng Yunping knelt down on one knee to receive the order, his heart couldn't help but darken, it was the east gate again, the east gate was facing Isoziling, the strange rocks on the mountain were craggy, there were so many trees that it was extremely difficult to walk, the party people put the west gate facing the river beach plain, the south gate was not attacked, and it was strange to attack the east gate when they had time.

Among his colleagues, Fan Yi came over and patted him on the shoulder, not knowing whether to encourage or convince him. There was a tense atmosphere in the air, except for Zheng Yande's loud voice, which was the rustle of armor rubbing.

The Song Dynasty built a city at the throat of the Xia Kingdom, and the Xia Kingdom naturally went all out to attack, and there was a great ambition to win it, and Yongding City is now barely taking shape, and whether it can withstand this attack is not counted in everyone's heart.

"General, why don't you take advantage of the fact that the Western Xia army has not yet been assembled, and take it by surprise first. Judging from the dust in the northwest, the Xixia people were anxious to march, obviously the cavalry arrived first, at this time the weather was dry and the water was shallow, if the five thousand elite soldiers could take advantage of the wind and sand to hide, along the ancient river beach to detour its side, it would definitely be able to take the lead. A clear voice broke the solemn thoughts of the generals.

"Bold!" Zheng Yande slapped the case and shouted.

There was silence in the hall, and Meng Yunping hurriedly turned his head to find the person who had just spoken.

It was a young military general at the end of the table, and he couldn't see his face clearly against the light, only to see those eyes, with an awe-inspiring cold light.

"Do you know what it is to talk nonsense here without the permission of the Lord?"

"Twenty rods," the young man took a step forward and knelt down.

Zheng Yande snorted coldly: "Young and crazy, the Western Xia cavalry is powerful, I'm afraid you can't dream of it." ”

"Since the beginning of this dynasty, our court has never defended but not attacked the Western Xia cavalry, and they never dreamed that our army would dare to take the risk of attacking," still in a steady tone.

"You!"

Meng Yunping couldn't help but gasp, and said in vain that he was in the army, and it was a crime to be beheaded.

The young military general raised his head, this time, it was clear that he was in his early twenties, and he seemed to be a little younger than Meng Yunping, with a handsome face and a firm expression.

"General, in fact, what he said is not unreasonable, his subordinates think ......"

"Indeed, this may be a great opportunity."

When the general heard this, he stood up and began to talk about it.

"Enough," Zheng Yande shouted to stop the generals, "I will build Yongding City to strangle the throat of Li thief, show the army to the country, how can I do a sneak attack, our army should face the Western Xia in a dignified manner, let them see the bearing and majesty of the ****." ”

The hall fell silent, and I don't know who started first, shouting: "Raise the prestige of our army!" Raise the prestige of our army! This cry spread in waves, and the whole courtyard saw men raising their arms and shouting.

Meng Yunping glanced at the young man kneeling in the hall, and there seemed to be a hint of disappointment in his bright eyes, which was fleeting.

Zheng Yande finally waved his hand to stop the excited sergeant, bowed his head and said, "I remember, you were originally General Ning's subordinate. ”

The young man said, "Yes." ”

"General Ning is willing to cut his love with me, I am very grateful, I think you are earnest, this time I will spare you once, and I will not do it again. Let's do what we should do. ”

And all the generals were commanded.

"General Meng."

Meng Yunping led his subordinates and was about to go to the east gate, when he heard someone calling behind him, it was the young general.

"Under Xiao Yanran," he crossed the spear in his hand and smiled and hugged his fists.

"General Xiao," Meng Yunping replied, puzzled, "...... you are?"

"The general asked me to help you guard the east gate, and now I am your lieutenant general, just call me Yan Ran."

"I can't ask for it, I'm worried that no one will speak," Meng Yunping said with a smile, "I'll take you to see the most boring east gate in Yongding City." ”

Xiao Yanran was stunned for a moment, and the two immediately laughed at the same time.

"This is the Isoziling where the yellow sheep are too lazy to come, the Wuding River is in the south, and there is a sand river ditch over there, flowing through Yongding City, and then ...... to the north."

"The beachhead plain, facing the mountain pass, is the only way for Western Xia to enter Shaanxi Road."

Meng Yunping nodded approvingly: "So we have to hold here." ”

Xiao Yanran turned his head to look in the southwest direction, under the dim sky, the rolling dust was getting closer and closer, and the hand holding the gun couldn't help but tighten.

Meng Yunping followed the direction he was looking at, and his heart fell hard. "Look at this dust, the Xixia people will be able to organize their teams in the evening at most."

"I don't know when the war will start," Xiao Yanran smiled slightly at the corner of her mouth.

"Tomorrow, preferably tomorrow," he said silently.

Xiao Yanran was stunned for a moment, and when she turned around, she saw the hand of the soldier standing on the side holding the scabbard tightly, and nodded heavily.

The wind mixed with the yellow sand blew the battle flags and rolled uneasily.

However, their desire to fight was in vain.

The Western Xia army stopped outside the three arrows, and began to camp unhurriedly, looking out from the head of Yongding City, the day is the black that continues to extend in the wind and sand, and the night is the continuous extension of the firelight, little by little, the loess earth that can be seen is slowly covered, like boundless despair, slowly devouring the morale of the soldiers defending the city.

"What are they waiting for!"

Uneasy emotions flowed in all corners of Yongding City.

"These self-proclaimed smart Tangut people just want to weaken the morale of our army, and they can't fall for them!" Zheng Yande sneered, "I want to see how they can afford it." ”

"That is, so tens of thousands of people are empty, don't they sit and eat empty."

"Li Boyuan is not that stupid," Xiao Yanran said in a low voice, "I have a bad premonition. ”

Meng Yunping nodded in his heart, but he couldn't figure out what the Xixia people were trying to do.

"Report, general, the Shahe ditch has broken off for some reason."

Zheng Yande stood up abruptly and said in astonishment: "What! Check it out. ”

The generals looked at each other, and everyone's hearts understood at this time.

"Fooled."

The Tanguts used their army to attract the attention of the Song army, and then sneaked into the upper reaches of the Wuding River, blocking the only water source in Yongding City.

"General," Fan Yi hurriedly stepped forward two steps, "let me take five hundred people and go to dismantle the dam of the Tangut people overnight." ”

Zheng Yande waved his hand: "The people of Western Xia must be prepared, you will be sent to death if you go, hurry up and order someone to dig a well in the city." ”

"Report, General, two wells have been drilled, but there is no water."

"Report, five wells, still no water."

“……”

"General, it's been four days, and the water in the city is almost exhausted, let your subordinates break through!" Fan Yi knelt down again and said hatefully.

Zheng Yande shook his head. There is still a scorching sun and sand overhead, Yinzhou is a place with little rain, and in March this year's drought, it is simply delusional to want to draw water from Yong'an City on this Shiling sand dune.

"General, retreat, fight the whole city, there is still hope to break through, and then make plans. It's better than dying here by drought! ”

Zheng Yande said coldly: "Lin Hao, what did you say?" ”

"At this time, there is still hope for a breakthrough, general, retreat, even if there is still water, we have no chance of winning in the face of this Western Xia army."

"Confuse the army's heart, drag it out and cut it off!"

"General!"

"If anyone dares to say that they will retire, the end will be the same as him!" Zheng Yande roared, "It is a supreme honor for a military general to sacrifice his life for the country, and the Yongding City that he has worked so hard to build must not be given to Li Thief!" Go dig a well again! ”

Xiao Yanran took half a step forward, but was pulled by Meng Yunping and shook his head gently.

"We're sitting still!"

Meng Yunping looked at the eyes that were filled with anger: "I understand, but just now you stood up and died in vain!" Are you here to die? ”

Xiao Yanran lowered her head and said with a wry smile: "Yes, I really didn't come to send me to death." The geographical location of Yongding City made it impossible for the Western Xia people to form a siege, and the retreating army could at least keep the 20,000 soldiers in the city. ”

Meng Yunping shook the gourd in the air on his waist, silently walked to the side of a soldier on the city wall with chapped lips and bleeding, and said in a low voice: "Moisten it, take it in your mouth, don't swallow it immediately." ”

Xiao Yanran looked at the black-pressed Western Xia army outside the city, and fiercely plunged his spear into the earthen wall.

"It's better for me to beg the general to let me and Fan Yi break through than to sit here and die of thirst," Meng Yunping said categorically after giving the last bit of water to the soldiers.

Xiao Yanran glanced at him, suddenly pulled out the gun, and walked away without looking back.

At dusk, a blood-thick darkness slowly engulfed the city of Yongding. The soldiers leaned against the earthen wall, and some of them unwillingly tore the dry and hard dough with their cracked and bleeding mouths, and there was a dry sound in their throats.

Meng Yunping and Fan Yi were close together in black, with long knives on their backs, and behind them were five hundred soldiers with solemn faces.

"Vice General Xiao," Meng Yunping said with a dry smile, "......"

He looked at the tense atmosphere, lowered his voice and said, "I'm afraid that the east gate will be in your hands." ”

Xiao Yanran threw something over casually, and also said in a low voice: "As your lieutenant, I will try my best to collect the body for you." ”

Meng Yunping smiled bitterly, grabbed the sheepskin bag containing a small half pot of water, touched it on his lips, and turned around and handed it to the soldier behind him.

One by one, the Song soldiers slipped silently from the top of the wall into the darkness, and the inside and outside of the city wall were so quiet that only the rustle of the wind through the dry sand willows and the sound of the uncertain river flowing in the distance could be heard.

I don't know how long it took, but there was a shout of killing in the distance, and a fire rose on the mountain road in the distance.

"It's a Tangut person!" A veteran shouted in despair, "It's the voice of the Tangut people!" They were discovered by the Tanguts. *" (To be continued.) (To be continued.) )