At the beginning of September, the weather was getting colder and colder, and Xu's artillery had not been fired for several days.

The evening was like morning for Zhang Da and others. There was a rush in the barracks, and everyone washed and dressed, and tried to change into a clean lining...... If only there was time to wash and dry. There is a rule on the top, the lining is worn cleanly, and it is not easy to suppurate if injured; But the soldiers have been here for too long, and they have been on duty for too long, and they are so tired that many people don't wash their clothes at all.

Everyone helped each other, Zhang Da put on a four-piece set of twenty or thirty pounds of board skin, picked up the gun and cleaned the iron pipe again, checked the complicated firearm accessories, and then took off the barrier knife and hung it on his belt. You have to work every day, and you are also skilled.

Everyone went to the open space in the fort to "light the mao", and then lined up on the wall.

The neat footsteps of the "Titicacaa ......" were mixed with the grinding sound of armor and the sporadic sound of fire guns. Occasionally, someone coughed, but no one spoke. The last rays of the setting sun sprinkled on the earth, and when he looked up, an iron helmet swayed.

Sometimes, Zhang Da seems to be incarnated as a wooden beam or a piece of rammed earth in that earth cave, because he has to stand in the same place every day.

As the sun set, the sound of guns on both sides never stopped. The trench below has reached within dozens of paces! They built thick planks in front and behind the earthen ditch, which had a good protective effect on the fire and spear lead shots from a distance...... It's a pity that Xu Jun has little artillery ammunition left, and the last reserve must be kept to deal with the more threatening cloud ladder! Otherwise, a salvo of artillery can blast those things to smithereens!

However, the thick planks could not fully protect the army, so there were few people in the ditch during the day. The trench faces the corner wall on the side of the wide, but the side is facing away from the other corner wall, and shooting diagonally from the wall can completely threaten the enemy soldiers in the ditch; Even the bottom of the corner wall, facing the longitudinal part of the trench, under which all the enemy soldiers in the trench were exposed...... There is no way for the army, no matter how they repair it, there is always a corner wall that can threaten them.

But after dark, it's different.

The day was clear, but the night was very dark, and the moonlight at the beginning of the month was uncertain, and there were clouds.

"Bang!" A rocket exploded in the air like fireworks, and the night flashed. The soldiers of the Xu army on the wall took advantage of the brighter light to observe the earthen ditch under the city with wide eyes.

There are no soldiers outside the fort, and there is no need to send even scouts, because the military fortifications have been dug within dozens of steps!

The flash soon dimmed and vanished into the darkness.

After a long period of silence and darkness, the frequency of Xu Jun's flares became lower and lower...... Countless launches are being launched every night, and the rockets are running out. In addition to the shortage of ammunition, there is also little fuel left.

For a long time, people could only remain alert silently, listen with their ears, and search for clues in the darkness with their eyes.

Not long after, suddenly there was another explosion in the air, and when Zhang Da hurriedly stared at the round eyes, his heart suddenly tightened! The trench was full of people with their bodies on their backs, and wooden ladders! Even outside the ditch stood sparsely with people. The sudden light made Yue Jun also startled, and many people looked up at the sky.

"Bang bang bang ......bang" The muskets on the wall immediately rang out, and the rows of flashes were dazzling.

Zhang Da also picked up the musket and stretched out the battlement, took a rough aim, listened to the sound of the gong, and then "bang" a shot, and quickly hid behind the female wall.

Yu Liang blew the whistle in the soil cave, Zhang Da turned around and left, and the other three soldiers walked up with firearms.

Suddenly, there was a scream of "ah", and the soldier who had just passed by in the darkness cried out in pain.

The sound of killing under the wall shook the sky, and there was a frantic shout. Yu Liang's voice shouted: "The fierce fire oil tank is by the wall, and if you see a ladder, throw it!" ”

But once the fire oil is consumed, you can only use stones, or desperately try to lift the ladder!

…… The hard night finally passed, and from time to time wounded soldiers groaning in pain were carried off the walls. The soldiers dragged their tired bodies and sighed as they looked at the pale Dongtian; The light of the morning sun seems to be able to dispel the ghost-like army!

Everyone waited for another group of soldiers to come up and change their guards.

However, Commander Zhang walked up to the top of the city wall first, he looked at the ladder being built in the camp in the distance, and said loudly with full anger: "We serve the army and serve the country, and the horse leather shroud is a natural destination. This fort is the place where Ben will be buried! At this time of life and death, may you all fight to kill the enemy and abide by the righteousness! ”

Commander Zhang shouted again: "Long live Daxu......"

But his cry was lonely on this earthen fort, a fortress full of weary soldiers, like an empty wilderness.

The breath of death inevitably enveloped the entire Iwami Castle. The ammunition and military supplies are running out day by day, and the army is building ladders again...... Without artillery and heavy weapons, the ladder can reach the fortress without stress...... And Liuhua Fort, which has lost its firepower, is even more fragile than the ordinary cities in the Central Plains, and the walls of ordinary cities are at least higher. The final blow may not be too long, Zhang Jiankui thinks that it will be difficult for Iwami Fort to hold on for another half a month!

Zhang Jiankui boosted his morale and returned to the command office. It was just dawn, and only Zan Jurun was in the signing room inside.

The two looked at each other, the situation was in front of them, they knew each other, and they didn't need to say anything more.

Zan Jurun said in a deep voice: "To be honest, this official regrets coming here a little...... I am a squire of the six ministries, and if I hadn't come myself, the officials wouldn't have sent me. ”

Zhang Jiankui was a little surprised when he heard this, the dignified minister of the court should not have said such a thing. But at the moment, there is obviously no life, as if it is nothing, and they will die.

Zhang Jiankui's expression was very bad, he hadn't slept well for many days, and he said casually: "The last general thought that Zan Shilang was righteous and Lingran, and he was not afraid of death." ”

Zan Jurun shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Commander Zhang, can you know what the rich and noble care about the most?" It was peaceful, and the official didn't expect this battle to be like this at first...... This is the most bastard hardship in the battle formation that this official has ever seen......"

Zhang Jiankui said coldly and whispered: "Isn't Zan Shilang Mo trying to surrender? ”

Zan Jurun said without hesitation: "Compared to the loss of moderation, I still die." ”

He added: "From today onwards, we will start smashing some artillery. When the iron bullets are used up, the army will not be able to defend it for a long time when they go up the ladder, and Commander Zhang will definitely give an order to stuff the remaining ** into the barrel and blow up all the artillery! ”

Zhang Jiankui hugged his fists and said: "The last general will obey the order of Zan Shilang." ”

Zan Jurun replied: "This official is a civil minister, and he can't die on the battlefield with the soldiers, and on the day the city is broken, he will kill himself on the road in the government office first!" ”

……

Not only did Xu Jun suffer, but Ono didn't feel good either, he had already paid the price of no less than ten times the casualties of Xu Jun! And it takes a long time, and it can't be attacked for a long time.

But the battle came to this, and the battle of Iwami Fort was finally coming to an end. There is no joy in victory, but it can finally bring a hint of relief.

"The strategy we have set will still work." Ono said tiredly.

Yang Gon nodded and said, "So far, I haven't thought of a better way. ”

Ono Yoshiko looked at the towering ladder and said, "It's just the last blow." ”

Yang Gon said: "I'm afraid not. After these days, I think that the civil and military forces in Xu Junbao are quite orderly, and I am afraid that there is still a small amount of artillery ammunition left, and the fierce fire oil can also destroy the ladder that reaches the city wall...... Watering can't extinguish the fierce fire oil. ”

Ono Haogu nodded, but in any case, Xu Jun's artillery can't always have ammunition, and the ladder is destroyed, so continue to build it.

Yang Gon said in a deep voice: "The more the last few steps, the more you can't be anxious, you have to walk steadily." ”

At this moment, a person hurriedly walked into the big tent of the Chinese army, bowed and said, "Ono-kun, I just got an urgent report." A large number of Xu military fleets were found on Tsushima Island, at least a hundred ships! ”

"Huh?" Ono Haogu's face turned pale uncontrollably.

Yang Gon frowned and said, "Where did Xu Guoren get so many sea ships?" Do you use the river sailors to make up the numbers and take risks on an expedition? ”

Ono Yoshiko quickly stabilized his mood and muttered: "It is possible to buy a sea ship from Goryeo, the sea ship of the Goryeo people is not very good, but it is still easy to get to Tsushima Island." ”

The visitor said: "Heiankyo has gathered thousands of warships from Kitakyushu, Shikoku and other waterways to meet the battle!" ”

Ono looked at the smoky and crumbling earthen fort with mixed emotions, and then looked at the towering ladder in the camp, and said, "There is still a chance!" His face turned red, "Maybe this is also an opportunity!" The siege of Iwami Fort forced more men and horses of the Xu army to be forced into naval battles, and I said that the country is surrounded by seas, good at naval warfare, and the strength of the troops is several times that of the Xu army, and the chances of winning are very large. ”

Yang Gon also felt that Ono Haogu made sense. Although the Liao navy is worse, the Central Plains is not much better, and the one who is best at water warfare should be the original Southern Tang Kingdom...... In that year, the Southern Tang Kingdom sent sea ships to take the sea route, bypassing the Central Plains to communicate with Youzhou, and two ships were blown over by the wind and failed to reach Youzhou.

This incident can at least confirm that the original sea in the Central Plains basically had no military strength, otherwise it would be possible to intercept the sea ships loaded with fierce fire oil in the Southern Tang Dynasty. And the Southern Tang Kingdom was faced with the threat of annihilation, and the sea ships sent must have been selected, and they were blown over in this way, which shows that the Southern Tang Kingdom was also good at running rampant on the Yangtze River, and it was not good at sea!

Yang Gon groaned, and then said: "If the water army defeats the Xu army at sea, Iwami Fort can no longer be defended. If the battle of land and water is successful, the country will be regarded as winning the war, and Xu Jun may not be able to cross the sea for many years. ”

Ono Yoshiko nodded and said, "Pay equal attention to land and water, this is also the strategy that Ben proposed to the Minister of Regent when he was in Heiankyo!" ”

Yang Gon said: "If this naval army really has a thousand warships, this battle is promising!" ”

"Absolutely." Ono Yoshiko affirmed, "Although it is a small sailing ship, the navy is familiar with the sea routes near the left of the country, and it is quite flexible. ”

His tiredness had been swept away, and strong emotions such as great anticipation and worry came to his heart, but more than that, he was looking forward to a greater gain than fighting Iwami-Castle to make up for his suffering!