Yangzhou (now Yangxian County, Shaanxi Province), this is the name of the Later Zhou Dynasty and even the New Han Dynasty. In fact, since the accession of Meng Zhixiang, the lord of Shu, Yangzhou has been changed to Yuanzhou because of the avoidance of problems.

The Han River, after flowing through Xingyuan Mansion, passes under the city of Yangzhou, and then rolls eastward.

This also means that as long as Li Zhongyi takes Yangzhou, he can advance by land and water, and go against the Han River to attack Xingyuan Mansion. As a result, the pressure on the transportation of logistical materials has been suddenly reduced by more than ten times.

Therefore, after Zhang Sanzheng led his troops to Yangzhou City, the first thing he did was to send the cavalry department ◇ net 00ksw◆ team to search for and seize all kinds of ships in all directions.

By the time Li Zhongyi led the main army to Yangzhou, it was already five days later.

According to the information obtained before the war, Yangzhou was an important town in Beichuan, and the Shu army in the city was as many as 12,000 people.

However, Li Zhongyi did not take the Shu army in Yangzhou City in his eyes at all. After the heavenly moat in the Qinling Mountains has passed, even if the Shu army in the city is doubled, it is nothing.

After the main army arrived in Yangzhou, Li Zhongyi did not adopt the strategy of encircling three queyi, but surrounded Yangzhou to the ground.

Annihilate one more soldier of the Shu army in Yangzhou, and the general decisive battle to destroy Shu will be easier to score, and the reason is self-evident.

In this battle of Shu, the Eastern Route Army led by Li Zhongyi carried a total of twenty 6-pounder guns.

According to the field investigation conducted by Li Yongtang, the commander of the artillery battalion, if five to ten six-pounder guns were prepared to bombard a certain city gate in Yangzhou, it would take about three hours to blast through the wooden and iron-inlaid city gates.

Professional personnel do professional things, Li Zhongyi has always been open-handed, and will not interfere arbitrarily.

So, on the morning of the second day when the main force arrived, ten 6-pounder guns were placed in front of the west gate of Yangzhou under the personal command of Li Yongtang.

In this shelling of Yangzhou, Li Yongtang had already made it clear to Li Zhongyi that he planned to take advantage of the opportunity of actual combat to train reserve personnel for the artillery army.

Therefore, the five commanders under Li Yongtang were responsible for the aiming and firing of ten artillery pieces.

It's a mule or a horse, pull it out and slip away, and you'll know!

In line with the idea of training the team, Li Zhongyi very much supported Li Yongtang's approach, and sent a message that the artillery group that was the first to break through the gate of Yangzhou City would be rewarded with 100 yuan per person and promoted to the next rank.

In the Li family's army, the promotion of military ranks, or the promotion of military lords, the system is extremely strict and extremely rare.

For a while, the soldiers of the artillery crew were gearing up and eager to try.

The defender of the Shu army in Yangzhou, the assassin Shi Fangzhen, watched the Han army come out of the camp in a mighty way, and lined up the formation of the attack.

"Nourishing ......"

Seeing the majestic military might of the Han army, Fang Zhen couldn't help but gasp several times, worthy of being an elite hero who can rival the Khitan barbarians!

The Shu army has not fought for many years. And the Han army outside the city fights almost every year, and in terms of combat experience alone, the Shu army can't be compared at all.

"What's that?" Fang Zhen raised his hand and pointed to the 6-pounder gun that had already been placed in the form of a bombardment, and asked his generals in confusion.

Shi Zhigang, the deputy head of the Yangzhou Soldiers and Horses, looked left and right, looked up and down, and never understood, so he hesitated and said: "Could it be a trebuchet?" ”

"No, it's not a trebuchet, I don't see any stones." Shi Zhigang immediately rejected his view.

None of the Shu generals and colonels in the city recognized the artillery. This is not to blame them, after all, this battle was the first war against Shu after the establishment of the New Han Dynasty.

In other words, the Shu army and the New Han army, this is the first time to deal with each other. It is understandable that they do not understand each other.

Li Zhongyi completely ignored what the generals of the Shu army thought, how to fight, how to fight.

Anyway, the tactic of using artillery to break through the city gate has been used N times, and even a fool can practice it.

Five commanders, each responsible for two artillery, whoever is afraid of the city gate of Yangzhou first will be a great achievement.

The facts are clear, the conditions are clear, the powers and responsibilities are clear, and the military merits are easy to calculate. Whoever should have military merits belong to whom, and no one can claim it.

Li Zhongyi rode on the back of the "Little Blood Kill", holding a monocular in his hand, silently watching Fang Zhen's demeanor.

It was very clear in the binoculars that although Fang Zhen pretended to be nothing, his clenched right fist revealed his nervousness.

About half a pillar of incense, Li Yongtang ran to report, "Get ready, please attack." ”

Li Zhongyi nodded with a smile and said, "Since everything is ready, let's start." ”

I don't know why, fighting against the Shu army, even if it is to attack Yangzhou, which is crucial, Li Zhongyi has never been able to keep his spirits up, and he is far less excited than he was in the decisive battle with the Khitans.

"I'll be in command of you." Li Zhongyi handed over the command of the whole army to Zhang Sanzheng, the commander of the Guards.

Zhang Sanzheng was immediately pleasantly surprised, this was the first time he had taken over the command of the whole army, how could he not be happy?

"Whoa." Zhang Sanzheng happily took over the command of the whole army, while Li Zhongyi took small steps with his hands behind his back and paced back to the big tent of the Chinese army.

The military of the New Han Dynasty, under normal circumstances, was able to take over the command of the whole army, that is, only a few important ministers. For example, Yang Lie, Liu Heyang, Liao Shanhe, Song Yunxiang and Ma Guangda.

Today, Zhang Sanzheng is the sixth military general to obtain the command of the whole army, and the meaning contained in this is extremely rich and evocative.

"Test firing ruler two, all ready."

The five groups of artillery corps, under the command of their respective commanders, constantly raised the muzzles of the guns and aimed at the gates of Yangzhou.

Unlike the 12-pounder heavy gun, the 6-pounder gun belongs to the category of field artillery and is not particularly suitable for sieges. However, as long as the artillery is well-trained and accurate, it can still break through the wooden city gates.

Li Yongtang, the commander of the artillery army, did not stand on the front line, but silently behind, carefully observing his subordinates' every move through a telescope.

Li Yongtang knew very well in his heart that the training of the artillery corps in peacetime had been extremely hard. It's just that in actual combat, Li Yongtang's marksmanship is too reliant on it.

This is not good, Li Yongtang knows it, and Li Zhongyi also knows it very well. Therefore, in today's artillery attack, Li Yongtang completely let go of his hands and feet, and let his subordinates command.

"Ready, light!"

"Listen to me, get ready...... Put! ”

"Aim for the hole in the city gate and fight!"

At the time of the battle, Li Yongtang's subordinates, the military orders they issued were varied, and there were no duplicates.

"Boom ......"

"Boom ......"

"Boom ......"

Just when Fang Zhen was a little distracted, he suddenly heard five loud bangs.

"What's going on?" When Fang Zhen was still confused, he suddenly noticed that the wall under his feet was hit by some heavy object, and it immediately shook violently.

"Alas, it's a pity!" Li Yongtang saw very clearly, all five shells missed and smashed on the city wall.

On the outer city wall ......of Yangzhou, five big holes were smashed, and a large piece of bricks wrapped in the wall suddenly fell.