At the beginning of September, the calm of the Tang border was completely broken with the trampling of 200,000 Tibetan troops.

Wherever the Tibetans passed, villages were razed to the ground, cattle and sheep were slaughtered, and Tang people were killed.

War, in its most savage way, shows its cruelty!

Two days later, Han Wei, the governor of Songzhou, was shocked when he received an urgent report from the border, he could never have imagined that the Tubo people would really send troops to attack the Tang Dynasty, or 200,000 people! There are so many that he doesn't know what to do for a while!

A general suggested: "Governor, Gansongling is still three hundred miles away from here, we still have time to buffer, the top priority should be to immediately send fast horses, report the war to Chang'an City and nearby cities, gather all the troops that have been released, and we must defend Songzhou City to the death!" If Songzhou City is lost, it will really be over! ”

Songzhou is an important border town of the Tang Dynasty, if Songzhou is defeated, it is equivalent to opening the gateway to the western border of the Tang Dynasty! Its strategic location is important.

"That's right! If it makes sense, do as you say, come here, quickly send people to deliver the news and return the troops! ”

"Governor, the villagers in the nearby villages..."

Han Wei frowned, how to resettle the villagers is a troublesome matter, if you evacuate the villagers, you may not be blocked by the Tubo army.

"It's too risky, just send someone to tell them to let them flee."

The rest of the people opened their mouths, but in the end they didn't say anything, although Han Wei's suggestion was a bit inhumane, but from the perspective of the overall situation, his approach was right.

"Also, now immediately recruit the villagers in the city, hoard supplies, stones, rolling wood, tar, and prepare for a defensive battle!" Han Wei regained a trace of composure and gave the order.

A general clasped his fists and said: "Don't worry, the last general will send someone to do it as soon as he receives the report." ”

"Well," Han Wei nodded, and then asked, "How many defenders are there in Songzhou City?" ”

One person answered: "There are five Zhichong Mansions in the city, counting the Zhichong Mansions camped outside, there are nine in total, but only one Zhichong Mansion has returned so far, and there is no news from the remaining three." ”

"Where's Xiang Yong? How many villagers can be recruited? ”

A general thought for a moment and said, "There are more than 100,000 residents in the city, and it shouldn't be a problem to recruit 10,000 villagers." ”

"Hurry up and arrange, the war is about to start, we can't be slow, if we are slow, the enemy should climb the wall."

"Yes!"

The generals were ordered to leave one after another to prepare for the rest of the battle. Han Wei walked around the Governor's Mansion, recalling the scene of the previous detention and insulting the envoys, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt empty.

He didn't care about so much, so he sat down and wrote an urgent report, which explained that Tubo's large-scale attack was completely because Heqin was rejected and angry, and he threw his pot away.

"Someone! Send me a letter and send it to Chang'an as soon as possible! Han Wei dried the written letter and handed it to his subordinates.

At this time, someone came to report it. "Report! Governor, the three Ojichong Prefectures that were patrolling the territory have already received reports and returned! ”

"Coming back?" Han Wei's spirit was shocked, and he hurriedly walked out of the house. The three Zhichong Mansion came back, counting the officials and Wuhou of Songzhou, etc., there were more than 10,000 people, plus 10,000 villagers recruited, so that 20,000 people would defend a city against 200,000 people, although it was still very suspenseful, but the grasp was much greater.

"Governor, do you want to send a vanguard force to rub the sharp spirit of the Tibetan army?" Someone proposed to Han Wei.

"This—" Han Wei hesitated.

The man continued to encourage: "Dudu, if you can rub the sharp spirit of the Tubo people, you can be regarded as the first contribution to this battle!" ”

Han Wei became more and more hesitant, the temptation of the first merit was too great, perhaps... can resist his charge of detaining the Tibetan envoys.

"Good! Come on, send five Zhichong Mansions to follow me and go out of the city to meet the enemy! Han Wei gritted his teeth and ordered.

Someone stopped him: "Don't do it!" Now there is a huge gap between the situation of the enemy and us, we just need to hold Songzhou and wait for the imperial court to send troops to come to the rescue! If you can defend Songzhou City, it will be a great achievement..."

"Needless to say, I just attacked tentatively, and if the situation is not right, I will withdraw it soon!" Han Wei made up his mind, and before the Tubo troops arrived at Songzhou City, he ordered the city gate to be opened and led five Zhichong Mansions to meet the enemy.

"Governor, are we taking too many risks?" A general of the Zhichong Mansion said worriedly beside Han Wei.

Han Wei only had merit in his eyes now, how could he have any clear mind, he said to the generals around him nonchalantly: "Don't be afraid! Tibet is nothing more than an uncivilized barbarian country, so there is nothing to be afraid of! ”

Han Wei's self-confidence was a little too much, and he seemed to think that Tubo's combat power was not strong, so he only sent dozens of scouts to inquire about the information, and the generals around him were secretly anxious, but he had no choice but to let the orders from the main general.

"You see, the journey from Gansongling to Songzhou City is three hundred miles, almost three days have passed, and I haven't even seen the figure of Tubo, how much combat strength can the army have if the march is so slow?" Having never encountered an enemy army along the way, Han Wei couldn't help but become more and more lighten the enemy, thinking that the combat strength of the Tubo people was nothing more than that.

"General, it's better to be cautious, so far there has been no report from the scouts, so we still slow down the march and send more scouts, if there is an abnormality, it is still too late to retreat immediately." A general persuaded.

Han Wei had no choice but to send some scouts to investigate, but the speed of the march did not slow down and continued as usual.

Advancing five miles further, not to mention the Tubo army, even the shadow of the Tubo people has not been seen, and the silence on the empty official road is a little terrifying!

The atmosphere seemed to be very unusual, obviously there was no one who was an enemy, but standing here he could feel an invisible aura of slaughter, which made people's hearts chill, and even the arrogant Han Wei had to order to stop the march and carefully observe the surrounding situation.

As soon as the army stopped, countless Tibetan soldiers suddenly rushed out from the west, north, and south, and these people seemed to have suddenly appeared, and they had already covered up and killed them without any preparation.

"Not good! Ambush! Evacuate! Han Wei was shocked and urged the soldiers to turn their horses and retreat.

The cavalry may charge quickly, but it may not be easy to get the cavalry who has lost speed to quickly adjust their posture and turn to retreat.

The soldiers in front were not adjusted well, and the soldiers in the back were naturally blocked and unable to retreat, so many soldiers were dragged off their horses by the Tubo soldiers who rushed to the front and beaten to death.

"Quick! Evacuate! Han Wei was frightened, and patted his horse and rushed out with a few guards to the only unwrapped gap in the east.

As for the generals behind him... He can't manage that much anymore, and now he can live.

After Han Wei broke out of the encirclement for a while, the gap in the east was completely encircled, and most of the Tang troops who were still blocked inside were more than lucky.

In the end, counting those who broke through and followed Han Wei back to the foot of Songzhou City, there were only less than a thousand troops, and most of them were still wounded, and their combat strength was not even half!

Less than a thousand of the 5,000-strong troops were killed, and almost all of them were wounded. Fiasco! A complete fiasco!

When the remnants entered the city, the morale of the defenders in the city also dropped considerably, and anyone who saw their compatriots killed like this would feel terrified of themselves.

Soon, the noise outside Songzhou City started, like thunder rolling through the sky, rumbling constantly.

The soldiers on the city wall saw a group of people outside the city rushing towards the city wall, and the timid ones couldn't even hold their weapons.

"The Tibetans... It's time to storm the city! ”

(End of chapter)