Yeli Wangrong's camp lived in the Jinze grassland, two hundred miles northwest of Linzhou, and it took Liu Keshi about half a day to ride a horse to the outside of the camp, and the patrolling cavalry immediately discovered him.

Liu Keshi said: "Trouble spread, I want to see Marshal Yeli Wangrong, there is important information." ”

After a while, Liu Keshi was taken to the Yeli Wangrong Tent, where most of the Xia people were bald.

Nori Wangrong asked, "Who is coming, and what is the urgent matter?" ”

Liu Keshi replied: "Villain Li Qing, it was Ye Limin who sent me to deliver urgent information, this is a gold medal and a secret letter. ”

Yeli Wangrong took the gold medal and the secret letter, the secret letter was written in the name of Ye Limin, Yeli Wangrong's face changed after reading the secret letter, he slapped the table, and shouted angrily: "Li Qing, you are a spy sent by the Song State, come here, arrest him for me." ”

The three soldiers went up and tied up Liu Keshi, Liu Keshi did not struggle, and said loudly: "Marshal, you are wronged!" ”

Yeli Wangrong said: "How could Yeli people send a Han man to pass on information, and honestly explain who you are, otherwise you will be pushed out and beheaded." ”

A soldier pulled out a dagger and put it on Liu Keshi's chest, and a chill pierced through his chest, but he was not afraid, and said: "I am Han, but I am willing to serve the Great Xia Kingdom, I am a native of Daizhou of the Song Kingdom, because I killed someone by mistake and was exiled to Linzhou, and it was Lord Ye Limin who took me in when I was homeless." ”

Yeli Wangrong said: "It turns out that you are a death row prisoner wanted by the Song Kingdom, why didn't Ye Limin come back in person?" ”

Liu Keshi said: "He is reconnoitring the situation of the Song army on Hedong Road, and he can't get out of his body, let me tell you this information first, and he also wants me to make a contribution." ”

Yeli Wangrong asked, "What else did Yelimin tell you?" ”

Liu Keshi replied: "He said that this time the Song army escorted half a year's grain and grass to Linzhou, and if the grain robbery was successful, the defenders of Linzhou would be unstable and collapse without a fight. ”

Yeli Wangrong smiled: "Well, I believe in you, come on, loosen the tie!" ”

Liu Keshi said: "The villain has been to the field to check, only Tu'erping is a flat place, suitable for cavalry combat, I am willing to lead the way." ”

Yeli Wangrong said: "Well said, after the deed is completed, you will be credited." ”

At dusk the next day, Wang Yuan, a partial general, led 400 infantry to escort grain and grass from Zhenchuan Fort to Linzhou City, with a total of more than 100 carriages and ox carts, surrounded by wooden planks more than one meter high, and grain and grass were piled inside.

Yang Huaide and Yang Huaixing also wore infantry leather armor and walked in the center of the team with Wang Yuan.

Wang Yuan, who was in his thirties, said as he walked: "Little brother, you must remember that on the battlefield, either you die or the enemy dies, don't be merciful. ”

The two of them went to the battlefield for the first time, and they were quite nervous.

When the team walked to Rabbit Ping, it was getting dark, Wang Yuan ordered to light torches, slow down, when the team all entered Rabbit Ping, only to hear the neighing of war horses in the northwest, and the party Xiang Lang buried a thousand light cavalry rushed over.

When they were fifty meters apart, Wang Yuan shouted loudly, "Crossbowmen ready." ”

More than 300 crossbowmen suddenly appeared on the grain and grass carts, stretching their bows and arrows.

When the distance was thirty meters, Wang Yuan shouted loudly again: "Shoot." "The cavalry of the Xia Kingdom were hit by arrows one after another.

Liu Keshi was caught in the middle by two cavalrymen, and when he rushed to a distance of fifty meters from the Song army, he cut down the Xia cavalry on the right side of the horse with a knife, and ran forward with a sharp grip on the horse's belly, and the cavalry on the left side followed closely behind.

Wang Yuan shouted: "Don't shoot, your own people." ”

Yang Huaide and Yang Huaixing rushed out to meet Liu Keshi, and when they saw that Liu Keshi wanted to run, they bent their bows and arrows.

Yang Huaide shouted: "Keshi, be careful, there are people shooting arrows in the back, come this way." ”

Liu Keshi immediately climbed on the horse's back, the arrow flew overhead with a "whoosh", the two let Liu Keshi pass, Yang Huaixing stabbed the chasing cavalry in the thigh with a shot, Yang Huaide gritted his teeth, and a shot stabbed him in the chest, and the cavalry fell to the ground.

The two sides scuffled together, and Wang Yuan saw that the cavalry of the Xia Kingdom had rushed over, so he shouted, "Let go of the arrows." ”

Two ringing arrows flew into the air, only to hear the sound of shouting and killing from the northwest, Yang Zhen led two hundred light cavalry to surround from behind, although Tuerping is flat, but three sides are hills, only the northwest is flat, the cavalry maneuver range is limited, and it is completely blocked in the pocket by the Song army.

Lang buried a fancy to the ambush, rushed to kill, led more than 100 cavalry to flee in embarrassment, and the remaining more than 800 cavalry were solved by the Song army in less than an hour, the Song army's casualties were very small, it was really a beautiful battle.

Liu Jiqian greeted everyone at the gate of the city, Wang Yuan and Yang Huaide dismounted, Wang Yuan said: "General Liu, the three of them are very brave, I want to give them some rewards." ”

Yang Huaide said: "Uncle Liu, we each want a war horse. ”

Liu Jiqian said with a smile: "I will hand over these horses to the imperial court, and I will reward you when you make more merits, don't worry." ”

Yang Huaide and the three were a little lost, and Wang Yuan said to the three: "I'm still riding an old horse now!" ”

He said to Liu Jiqian again: "The general should change me to a good horse this time, don't blame me if you can't catch up with the Xia people during the war!" ”

Liu Jiqian said: "You bargain with me again. Everyone burst into laughter.

Let's say that Lang Bury led the remnants of the army to flee back to the camp, and said to Yeli Wangrong: "Marshal, we were fooled and ambushed. ”

Yeli Wangrong said: "What, there is an ambush." ”

Lang Bury said: "That kid is a spy, I didn't shoot him with an arrow and let him escape." ”

Yeli Wangrong frowned, and said hatefully: "Yelimin, these people must have been caught by Liu Jiqian, and Liu Jiqian, a little Linzhou guard, dared to beat my idea. ”

Lang buried and said: "Marshal, give me another team, and I will destroy Liu Jiqian." ”

Yeli Wangrong pondered for a moment and said: "Tomorrow morning, you will lead the vanguard army of 5,000 cavalry to challenge Liu Jiqian. ”

Lang replied, "Yes, Marshal." ”

In the afternoon of the next day, Liu Jiqian and his generals were discussing countermeasures, and some soldiers came to report that they had led 5,000 cavalry to challenge under the city.

When the generals heard this, they all rushed to fight, and Liu Jiqian understood that the 3,500 men and horses in Linzhou City were not Yeli Wangrong's opponents at all, but their morale was high, and it was possible to win a small battle.

Liu Jiqian said: "Wang Yuan, you bring 2,500 infantry and archers as the front army, and Yang Zhen leads 400 light cavalry as the rear army to meet the enemy in the city. ”

Yang Huaide and the three followed Liu Jiqian to the city tower, only to see that the front army of the Xia Kingdom was two teams of iron harriers, and all the light cavalry were behind.

Liu Jiqian ordered: "Let Wang Yuan withdraw five hundred archers to the rear army, and the light cavalry to protect the flanks and rear flanks." ”

Yang Huaide and the three of them were very excited when they saw this formation, and Yang Huaide said: "Uncle Liu, we also have to go down to the city to fight." ”

Liu Jiqian said: "You still don't know how powerful the people of Xia are here, you first watch carefully in the city." ”

The first team of three hundred iron harriers of the Xia Kingdom began to charge, the front and flanks of the Song army were pikemen, the first three rows stood with guns, and the iron harriers quickly rushed to the front of them at a distance of one hundred meters, these iron harriers were all heavily armoured, holding spears, and rushed straight to the Song army, such as tigers descending the mountain, the first few rows of the Song army could not be stopped at all, these iron harriers rushed into the Song army and rampage, almost invulnerable.

Wang Yuan shouted to the soldiers in the first few rows: "Don't chase, keep in formation." ”

The second team of three hundred iron harriers also launched a charge, and the two teams of iron harriers rushed and trampled in the front army, and when the wave saw that the formation of the Song army was loose, all the light cavalry rushed over with a wave of their hands.

Yang Huaixing asked, "Uncle Liu, why didn't our cavalry rush forward." ”

Liu Jiqian said: "We have too few cavalry to fight hard, and now the cavalry is responsible for protecting the archers. ”

The two armies fought for half an hour, and there were casualties among each other, Liu Jiqian saw that it was almost over, and when he saw it, he accepted it, and ordered the front army to retreat and the rear army to cover.

The Xia army was in hot pursuit, the Song army fired a salvo of five hundred archers, and the light cavalry of the Xia Kingdom retreated, but these arrows did not penetrate the armor of the iron harrier, and the iron harrier still caught up, Yang Zhen led the cavalry to cover the archers retreat, and Liu Jiqian ordered the city to shoot with a strong bow and a hard crossbow, which repelled the iron harrier.

Yang Huaide asked, "Uncle Liu, why don't we form a heavy cavalry like the Iron Harrier?" ”

Liu Jiqian said impatiently: "Our Great Song Dynasty lacks horses, and there are few existing war horses that can withstand such heavy armor. ”

The vanguard army buried in the waves began to camp under the city, and Yang Huaixing said: "Uncle Liu, is the Xia army ready to attack the city?" ”

Liu Jiqian replied: "Linzhou City is surrounded by ravines and cliffs on three sides, which cannot be climbed, only the west side is flat, but it is also a chaotic stone road, it is difficult to concentrate a large army to attack the city, and the Xia army has suffered many losses and will not come to attack the city." ”

In the next few days, Xia Jun came to call for battle again, and Liu Jiqian said to everyone: "You can only hold on and not fight." ”

The water of Linzhou City depends on a well a hundred meters outside the west gate, and after a week, most of the water in the city's water cellar has been used up.

At dusk on this day, Liu Jiqian sent more than 100 soldiers to protect the people to fetch water, and Yang Huaide and Yang Huaixing also went to help.

After a while, the Xia army found out, and more than a hundred cavalrymen rushed towards with a wild laugh.

Some shouted: "Don't let them fetch water, these Song people are thirsty to death." ”

Some shouted, "If you don't surrender, you'll die of thirst." "The people hurried to the city,

A middle-aged man ran towards the Xia Guo camp, and Yang Huaide shouted: "Uncle, you ran in the wrong direction, come back, there is an enemy over there." ”

The middle-aged man didn't seem to hear it, and kept running forward, Yang Huaide chased after him and grabbed his right arm, and said, "Uncle, you ran in the wrong direction, go back with me." ”

The middle-aged man suddenly turned around, held a dagger in his left hand, and stabbed Yang Huaide in the arm, Yang Huaide let go of his hand to dodge, the middle-aged man continued to run forward, a Xia cavalry rushed over, the middle-aged man shouted a few words in the party language, only to see the Xia cavalry stretched out his hand to pull him on the horse and run towards the Xia military camp. Yang Huaide understood, and he was another spy.

When he returned to the city, he told Liu Jiqian about it, Liu Jiqian frowned, and Yang Huaide asked, "Uncle Liu, why don't we dig a well in the city to get water?" ”

Liu Jiqian said: "The terrain inside the city is high, and it is impossible to dig wells for water. ”

He immediately uploaded an order: "Inform all the officers and soldiers and the people, just say that the reinforcements will arrive in a few days, so that everyone can save water." ”

Four days later, Liu Jiqian took Yang Huaide and the three to inspect the situation in the city, and the soldiers had dry mouths.

Some people said: "General, we would rather die in battle than surrender, you lead us out to kill the enemy!" ”

Liu Jiqian encouraged: "Everyone be patient, we are short of water, and the Xia army's grain and grass are about to run out. ”

The soldiers were immediately refreshed, and the people of the city slaughtered poultry and livestock to drink blood to quench their thirst.

Liu Jiqian said to Yang Huaide and the others: "Yeli Wangrong refused to withdraw his troops because he knew the lack of water in the city through the escaping spy, and wanted to die of thirst, and then captured Linzhou City without much effort. ”

When everyone passed by a muddy pond under the east city wall, Yang Huaide saw several children playing with mud to build a house, and he had a plan, and said, "Uncle Liu, if Xia Jun knows that we are not short of water, he may retire from the army?" ”

Liu Jiqian replied: "Well, there is a possibility. ”

Yang Huaide said: "I have a plan to use this mud to build a city wall, so that the people of Xia will think that we are not short of water." ”

Liu Jiqian praised: "Good plan, do it right away." The soldiers in the city shouted and called for the construction of the city wall, and the Xia army really sent people to inspect it.

At midnight on the third day, Liu Jiqian asked Wang Yuan to select 500 soldiers with better physical strength, give them all the rest of the water to drink, and give Wang Yuan the task.

Wang Yuan led the soldiers from the east city wall down the rope to the outside of the city, and quietly went around to the back of the Xia Guoying plate.

Wang Yuan gave an order, and the five hundred soldiers shouted: "The Great Song reinforcements have arrived, the Great Song reinforcements have arrived." Rushing into the rear camp of the Xia army and setting fire everywhere, Liu Jiqian saw that the rear camp of the Xia army was on fire in the city, and immediately ordered Yang Zhen to lead a thousand soldiers to attack the front camp of the Xia army, and everyone also shouted in unison: "Reinforcements have arrived, kill!" ”

Liu Keshi also took the initiative to fight, wielding a big knife to cut down many people in a row, and the Xia army was still asleep, and he didn't know how many Song troops there were, so he blindly responded to the battle.

Everyone set fire to it, Wang Yuan led the soldiers to withdraw to Zhenchuan Fort, and the Xia army did not dare to pursue without knowing the situation. Liu Jiqian saw that the shouting and killing of Xia Guohou's camp was getting quieter, so he ordered Yang Zhen to withdraw to the city.

The next morning, Yeli Wangrong held a meeting in the big tent, and Lang buried and said: "Marshal, the secret agent who ran back from Linzhou City a few days ago couldn't tell that there was no water to drink in the half-moon city, but two days ago, the Song army was building the city wall, and I saw that this spy was also bought by the Song army, wasting a few days of food and grass for our army in vain. ”

Yeli Wangrong said angrily: "This is reasonable, pull that spy out and cut it down." ”

At this time, a herald ran in and said, "Marshal, there is a Song army behind our camp that is faintly visible. ”

Yeli Wangrong said: "In the past few days, our grain and grass are almost running out, last night it should be the guerrilla troops of the Song reinforcements, if we fight with the main force of the reinforcements, it will be very disadvantageous, I order the immediate withdrawal of the army." ”

Liu Jiqian was in the city paying attention to the movements of the Xia army, and Liu Keshi said eagerly: "Dad, let's hurry up and pursue the victory!" ”

Liu Jiqian said: "Keshi, you see, the people behind the palace are all iron harriers of the Xia army, the formation is strong, and the front is the light cavalry, this is not a rout at all, if we pursue, we will be surrounded and annihilated." ”

Liu Keshi asked again: "Dad, why haven't our reinforcements arrived yet?" ”

Liu Jiqian smiled and said: "There are no reinforcements at all, that's what I use to encourage everyone's morale!" ”

Liu Keshi said proudly: "Dad, you are so powerful. ”

In the afternoon, Wang Yuan, Yang Huaide and Yang Huaixing also returned to Linzhou City, and Liu Jiqian ordered to kill chickens and sheep to celebrate.