Ma Huaide and Li Weixian stood at the head of the city, watching the battle under the city, anxious. Yesterday's Khitan grain and grass arrived, and today there will be a large-scale attack, which is really not waiting for a moment. With the help of iron cavalry, it was quite difficult for the Song army to resist. If it weren't for Meng Xuexuan's proper command, I am afraid that he would have to collect all the troops into the city and defend the Qianning Military City.

Putting down the binoculars, Ma Huaide said, "Captain, have all the soldiers and horses you had there transferred?" ”

Li Weixian said: "Naturally, all of them have been transferred." Now I am the only one with more than 10,000 people in the city. ”

Ma Huaide groaned and said, "Otherwise, more than 10,000 people will be sent out." Outside, the Meng Party has a strong command, and it can all be attributed to his command. Looking at the appearance of the Khitans, they will not stop for a moment. ”

Li Weixian said: "Everything is under the orders of the captain!" ”

After speaking, he called himself to send an order to his own soldiers, and ordered the army in the city to leave the city and return to Meng Xuexue. More than 10,000 people are under the direct command of Li Weixian, and they are not attributed to the divisions. His troops and horses were originally more than Ma Huaide.

Soon after the army left the city, the Khitan attacked again. They saw that Meng Xuexue's department was very strong and difficult to break through, so they changed direction and attacked the flank commanded by Xie Chi. It's just that Meng Xuexue commanded the law and rescued quickly, but he was still in a bitter battle.

It was not until the evening when the sun went down that the Khitans finally stopped their attack and withdrew to the barracks. The Song army gathered its troops and seized the time to rectify. Ma Huaide and Li Weixian went out of the city to visit the soldiers who participated in the war.

The marshal of Hejian Mansion, Du Zhongxiao held Ma Huaide's official document in his hand, looked out the window, and didn't speak for a long time.

Liu Jianji came in from the outside and said with his hands crossed: "Captain, my whole army has been assembled, just wait for the military order, and then drive to the Qianning army." Seeing that it is almost noon, if you don't give a military order, you won't be able to leave today! ”

Du Zhongxiao shook the official document in his hand lightly, and said, "Ma Huaide asked for reinforcements, saying that it was difficult to defend, but I couldn't make up my mind." The Qianning Military City was still there, but it was only a bitter battle outside the city, and it was not forced to the point that the whole army entered the city. The Khitan attacked fiercely, and now that it goes, it must be fought to the death. If the First World War drove the Khitan away, it would not be a good thing. The Khitans attacked Cangzhou, although they got our artillery, but they have not made much progress. If the Khitan army was defeated in the Qianning military city, they might have retreated. ”

Fu Bi said: "The Khitan retreats from the army, you can let Zhang Qi go north and block them." ”

Du Zhongxiao shook his head: "Zhao Zi is still a little worse there, if he marches, he always feels that he can't stop the Khitans." Now is the coldest time of the year, the world is frozen, and the Khitans can go anywhere. Even if we occupy Youzhou, the Khitans can still go to Pingzhou from the east of Wuqing. There are ponds and marshes, and there are no cities, so it is difficult to stop them. ”

To the east of Wuqing was the Tianjin area of later generations, but at this time, it was the estuary of several major rivers such as the Yellow River, which was full of swamps and basically undeveloped. Most of the Khitans are cavalry, and they are really forced to do their part, and they can still escape after starving for a few days. The purpose of this battle was to encircle and annihilate all the main Khitan forces, and not to leave a gap.

Fu Bi sighed: "You can't just watch the Qianning Army have an accident in order to block the Khitans." If the city falls, the saliva of the officials of the DPRK and China will also spray us to death. Tai Lieutenant, it's really not good, while saving the Qianning Army, it's good to go north. ”

Du Zhongxiao hesitated for a while. After a long while, he sighed: "This decision is not easy to make." It's late December, and if you wait another month, everything will be fine, but it's a little early. But if the Qianning army is lost, it will not be able to explain to the imperial court. What I mean is that it's better to wait for Ma Huaide's troops to be defeated by the Khitan army, and all of them are withdrawn to the city, and then go and save them. ”

After pacing back and forth for a few steps, Du Zhongxiao suddenly turned around and asked Liu Ji on the side: "How many people are there in the Hebei Road Forbidden Army after training?" ”

Liu Jidao: "There are more than 40,000 people, guarding various cities. There were 300,000 people in the original Hebei Road Forbidden Army, and after the training, only 130,000 people were willing to continue to serve in the army, and the rest were selected to be discharged from service, or they were old and decrepit. ”

Du Zhongxiao said categorically: "Order all the forbidden troops that have been trained in various places to be sent to the Qianning Army." Now the Qianning army has 80,000 people, which is less than the Khitans, and the battle is really difficult. No matter how many soldiers there are, it will be much easier to fight the Khitans. ”

Liu Ji promised, saw that Fu Bi on the side did not speak, and went to give an order.

Du Zhongxiao said to the soldier on the side: "Go and invite Zhao Zi to come over." ”

After a while, Zhao Zi came in and saluted a few people.

Du Zhongxiao said: "Outside the city of the Qianning Army, there is a fierce battle with the Khitan. According to Ma Huaide's newspaper, for three days, the war between Japan and Japan did not stop. More than 20,000 people have been lost there, and among the generals, three regimental commanders have been killed in battle. However, there are also generals who have repeatedly made military exploits and commanded properly, which can withstand the Khitan army. You immediately ordered Ma Huaide to report the military situation every day, and the soldiers who had been killed or injured should do a good job of dealing with the aftermath. Soldiers who have made meritorious contributions should report immediately. ”

Zhao Zi forked his hand and promised. said: "Tai Lieutenant, what should I do if the meritorious soldier returns?" ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Most of the officers of the forbidden army on Hebei Road were taught by the military academy in Hejian Mansion. The military academy is only one year, and the time is too short to select a suitable officer. The battlefield is the examination room, and those who fight well will be promoted immediately, and the vacant positions will be filled as soon as possible. It's just a pity that some general officers, staff officers, and so on, it is not easy to choose them on the battlefield. But the command of the army is most obvious. ”

Zhao Zi nodded: "Using the battlefield as the examination room is also a way." There are more than 100,000 forbidden troops on Hebei Road, and more than a dozen Khitans should be able to deal with it. To tell the truth, Tai Lieutenant, if the number of people is about the same, they can't beat the Khitans, and this forbidden army is really too weak. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "Yes." It's just that there are not enough forbidden army officers on Hebei Road, which always makes people feel worried. That's it, for the sake of the whole battle situation, this time they can only rely on themselves. Get through it, they're the strongest army in the world, and they can't get through—"

Du Zhongxiao shook his head. can't get through it, and the forbidden army in the future will probably have nothing to do with the forbidden army on Hebei Road. Since the middle and late Tang Dynasty, and even earlier, Hebei Road has been an area with a strong army, which has greatly influenced Chinese history. After the war, a lot of things had to change.

Liu Ji came back and said to Du Zhongxiao: "Taiwei, there are still 48,000 people in the forbidden army on Hebei Road. Except for some places where transportation was inconvenient, the forbidden troops in other areas were all assembled and marched to the Qianning Army in batches. Within two days, 15,000 people were there. Within 10 days, everyone could arrive. In this way, there are a total of 150,000 troops in the Qianning Army. Such a heavy army is enough to keep the place safe. ”

Du Zhongxiao shook his head: "It can't be counted like this." Now there is a daily war there, there are many casualties every day, and there are not so many people who can really go to the battlefield to fight. In short, the soldiers and horses are transferred, and how to fight depends on the generals of Hebei Road. ”

On the other hand, Yifu Bi said: "Even if the troops are increased, Liu Jianji's army must still be ready at any time and can go to the rescue." In this battle, the Khitan did not break a city, and the Qianning army really fell, and it was impossible to explain to the imperial court. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "That's fine." However, now it is only fighting outside the city, and it is not easy to attack the Qianning military city, but I am afraid that it is not easy for the Khitan. ”