After nightfall, Li Yan's troops lit a bonfire outside the camp as usual to guard against the sneak attack of the Dashun army, and everything was no different from last night. The other army in the north was the same, camped four miles away from Taiyuan City, and there was no sign of attack.

The Dashun army in Taiyuan City could still be vigilant at the beginning, but in the second half of the night, the sentries on the city wall and outside the city were all sitting on the edge of the bonfire or went directly to the city gate tower to fall asleep. Because Li Yan's barracks were quiet and there was nothing abnormal, they had nothing to worry about.

But when it was time to arrive, there was movement in Li Yan's military camp. The soldiers dressed themselves in their tents and began to eat the hard bread they had been holding in their arms. Before that, the bonfires outside the camp had been extinguished by themselves. Before, they had calculated the time, and there was a lot less firewood for the campfire than usual.

After eating the bread, under the leadership of the captain, they went out of the tent as quietly as possible, and then each person carried a dirt bag and ran to the position that had been designated during the day, and built the dirt bag into a cover.

This kind of thing that thousands of people do at the same time, where can it really be quiet? At the beginning, when there are few people, the sound can be quieter, but when there are many people, even the sound of running footsteps can be heard far away. But it didn't matter, as long as two quarters of an hour were enough, they could build two bunkers at a distance of one hundred and sixty paces from the moat, and they could also build bunkers for the artillery on the east and west sides.

The rumbling of thousands of men, the clashing of armor and weapons, the sound of sandbags as soldiers took cover, finally woke the sentinels outside the city. When they opened their eyes, they saw in a daze countless dark shadows running towards them, and there was a high or low wall shadow in front of them.

"Enemy attack," the sentry shouted loudly, and then began to beat the gong in his hand loudly. The piercing gong finally woke up the soldiers around them, and then the newly awakened soldiers began to wake up more soldiers.

However, when they saw the figure on the other side flickering, they all shouted in panic and ran around. Instead of operating artillery and firing bows and crossbows, Li Yan's troops were left with more time.

It took a while for the officers to appear, and then they began to calm the troops, quieted them, returned to their posts, and then began to fire shells and arrows at the opposite bank. However, at this time, half an hour had passed since Li Yan's troops suddenly started to take out the bunkers, and the two bunkers had basically been built. Those shells and arrows only caused a small number of casualties to Li Yan's troops.

"Boom", "boom", "boom", the artillery outside and inside the city began to fire aimlessly, most of them missing or blocked by bunkers. The crossbows also began to fire, and the feathered arrows whizzed down diagonally from mid-air, mostly on the open space in front of the bunker, like wheat that suddenly grew.

At this time, the troops were basically in position, and most of the other bunkers had reached the chest position, except for the low bunkers of the artillery muzzles. In other places, it reached a height of nearly a zhang, and there was a supporting wooden frame behind it, which was built to provide better cover for the stone thrower.

The craftsmen of the battalion began to assemble the stone throwing machine with the soldiers who operated the stone thrower, they were all skilled hands, and they had the cover of tall bunkers, so they could concentrate on assembling the stone thrower.

Of course, there is also part of the credit of the Dashun Army. They had already begun to prepare to defend Taiyuan, so they demolished all the houses outside the city, which also allowed Li Yan's troops to conveniently build bunkers, quickly push the artillery up, and quickly transport the components of the catapult forward.

Two quarters of an hour later, Liu Zongmin, who was enjoying in Gentle Township, was finally woken up and came to the city tower in Dongcheng. At this time, his subordinates had already fired a large number of rockets at Li Yan's troops, and they could clearly see the bunker that Li Yan had suddenly built up near the outside of the city, as well as the more than a dozen cannons behind the bunker.

"Idiot" Liu Zongmin scolded angrily: "Let you be careful and vigilant, but such a thing still happens"

Liu Rukui lowered his head and clenched his fists: "The last general is derelict in his duties, and the last general is derelict in his duties." ”

Liu Zongmin ignored Liu Rukui, he looked at Li Yan's bunker, and could vaguely see that there was a vacancy in the rear. But he wasn't sure that this was not a trick that Li Yan had set him. Li Yan has always used the hollow phalanx as the basic formation, and now the big black sky has revealed a flaw to him, whether he deliberately wants him to get out of the city

He hesitated for a moment before ordering: "As soon as the morning dawns, send cavalry out of the south gate and go around Li Yan's back to have a look." If you have the chance, you can kill it. If there is an ambush, withdraw quickly. Remember, you must be careful to probe clearly before acting, and don't fall into Li Yan's way. ”

As soon as Liu Zongmin finished giving the order, he saw a fire light behind the bunker. He immediately ordered: "Let the soldiers all hide behind the low wall and pay attention to Li Yan's movements." If they start to charge, they should fire immediately, especially the guns on both sides of the bridge, and they must be fired continuously, without interruption."

"Obey" the pro-soldier hurriedly went to give the order. They also knew the power of Li Yan's artillery, but hiding behind a low wall, the casualties should be much less.

But soon, fireballs were thrown from behind those covers. This time, Li Yan brought ten stone throwing machines, although the number is not much, but the stone throwing machine is simple to operate, the launch frequency is relatively fast, and the effect is still very good.

When the first fireballs were thrown, the Dashun army hiding behind the bunker was still a little ignorant, they didn't know what was flying over. But when the fireball fell to the ground, crackled and shattered on the low wall, and instantly ignited a fire, they realized that it was a canister of fire oil.

The fire burned around the low wall of the Dashun army in an instant, and the soldiers who were burned screamed and ran in horror, and the soldiers who were not burned also scattered and fled.

The fire was thrown one after another, and the fire spread rapidly, and some of the gunpowder placed behind the artillery was also ignited, and the artillerymen who were hiding around were also caught in the fire.

At this time, the soldiers of Dashun hurriedly retreated and gathered in the direction of the city gate.

"Open the door, open the gates"

"Let us in"

The soldiers gathered more and more at the gates, banging on the gates and shouting in terror. Because Li Yan's fire pot is also extending in the direction of the city wall, where there are many people, it will be launched in a concentrated direction. Those on the periphery were already engulfed in flames, rolling and howling in the flames, and those who listened were terrified.

"Ruhou, you can't let your brothers all be burned outside the city," Ma Chongxi pleaded for the troops outside the city.

Liu Zongmin immediately ordered: "Don't open the city gate, if anyone dares to open the door without authorization, there will be no forgiveness."

"What about the brothers outside the city," Liu Rukui asked dissatisfiedly.

Liu Zongmin said coldly: "Let them go around to Nancheng." ”

"But it's so messy down there, and you don't open the city gate, how can you let them detour?"

Liu Zongmin stared at Liu Rukui and said: "That's your business, either go down to the city, or shout, throw notes, and you are carrying pig brains around your neck."

...