The war seems to have nothing to do with the people of Luoyang City. Nearly 10,000 Tang Dynasty boys Jin Ge Iron Horse fought on the battlefield.

But after a short period of panic, the people of Luoyang City began to live again.

Today is the day when Zhao Fangzhu, the son of Zhao Zhanguo, came home from the vegetable greenhouse, and the family began to work early in the morning.

Today is the day of Zhao Fang's blind date, and Xiao Jiu, the daughter of Liu Dewang, the young superintendent, wants to come to Zhao Mansion for a blind date.

Today is still the day when the army marches out and fights on the battlefield. Jin Wuwei's general Xiao Nuoyan took the initiative to ask Ying to take command of the battle.

Li Ji personally led hundreds of officials to send them off from outside the gate of Hanyuan Palace, and Li Ji had high hopes for Xiao Promise.

This man has a flexible mind, at least he is very satisfied with the military tactics that make Li Ji. There are not many generals who can make Li Ji appreciate, and when the two fight in the sand table, Xiao Nuoyan can often come up with some unexpected tactics.

For the study of the art of war, Xiao promised not to stick to traditional warfare, and the final victory is fundamental.

Of course, this sand table deduction is not a real battlefield after all, the form of the battlefield is changing rapidly, and anyone can talk about it on paper, whether it is a mule or a horse, it has to be pulled out and slipped.

The most important test of the rapid march day and night is the quality of the army, as well as logistical supplies.

"Why don't you move in front?" Xiao Nuo reined in the reins, and the troops suddenly stopped.

The herald quickly reported from the front: "Report, general, the front is the Black Canyon, the road is too narrow. Our troops have too much baggage, and they are huddled together. ”

The corner of Xiao Nuoyan's eyes jumped: "Let's go, go over and have a look."

"One, two! One, two! "The soldiers were huddled together, and they were working together against one thing, and it was a chariot.

The wheels of the chariot sank into the mud, and the six horses squeezed forward with a neighing and might.

The soldiers in the back pushed and pulled, and dragged and dragged.

"The general is here!" I don't know who shouted, and then the crowd stopped.

Xiao Nuoyan jumped off the horse and gave the reins to his entourage: "What's the matter?"

"General Bao, it rained heavily here a few days ago, and the road was too slippery, and our chariots couldn't pass." An officer said.

It's really a house leak that happens to be rainy and rainy, and it is not good for the army to go out. Xiao Nuoyan was worried about rushing to Jiangling, but this black canyon blocked the way.

"How long is the road ahead?" Xiao Nuoyan asked.

"There are about three or four miles left, this, such a bulky chariot, I'm afraid I can't get through."

Chariots, in the case of a decisive battle on the plains, the impact of the chariot is no different from that of a modern armored tank.

Several horses were side by side, and a dozen soldiers armed with spears were drawn on chariots. When the plains were confronted, the chariots rushed like this, and the gods couldn't stop them.

This time, Xiao Nuoyan brought more than 20 such chariots, and if he fought against Wang Rui outside Jiangling City, he could disrupt the opponent's position in one fell swoop.

But now the way is blocked by this black canyon, and the generals are at a loss for a while.

The sand table deduction can never do the real battlefield, there are always many unexpected surprises, and Zhao Kuo's paper talk will only mislead the country and the people.

"Okay, throw away the chariot and travel lightly!" Xiao Nuoyan gave the order.

"General, this ...... Without this chariot, we will lose the initiative to attack. "There was opposition.

"A living person can be suffocated to death by urine, and he can't fight without a chariot! Who are you, you are the Praetorian Guard of the Son of Heaven, and the soldiers of my Xiao Promise can bite the enemy to death even if they bite with their teeth! Xiao Nuoyan was furious.

The generals disagreed, but they didn't dare to refute, who made him the boss.

"Unsaddle the saddle, give the horse to the infantry, leave the chariot in place, and travel lightly! Let's go! Xiao Promise commanded.

"General, this black canyon is so rugged and difficult to navigate, I'm afraid we can't keep up with the logistics baggage. If you want to go around, you have to walk two or three hundred miles. ”

"It's okay, the grain and grass will be urgently allocated by officials in Tangzhou and Suizhou. Twenty days of grain and grass, Fuzhou must be taken within half a month! This general wants to cut off Wang Rui's head and hang it on Fuzhou City to pay tribute to the spirit of Lord Feng in the sky! Xiao Nuoyan was arrogant.

Without a chariot, fight the same war! Compared with individual cavalry, in fact, the chariot has gradually declined after the Qin.

After the Tang Dynasty, the reason why the wars against the nomads were repeatedly disadvantaged was because of the loss of the horse-producing land, the troops lost their mobility, and could only hold on and could not pursue.

Armies without mobility, despite their large size, could not find the enemy's main forces, and conversely, cavalry with high mobility always gained the initiative on the battlefield and were able to safely withdraw from the battle when they were at a disadvantage.

In the same way, the mobility of the chariot is inferior to that of the cavalry, although it is powerful, but it lacks mobility, and the chariot unit built with the same number of horses also needs the coordination of the infantry. The cost is greater than that of cavalry units, but the mobility of cavalry is lacking, and all-cavalry units are clearly superior, sometimes reflected in strategic mobility.

Then why Li Ji and Xiao Nuoyan still insist on using chariots, the reason is that Jiangling City is located on the plain, which is suitable for the coordinated operation of infantry and chariots. What's more, gunpowder canisters could be carried on the tank.

But these more than 20 chariots were left behind in the Black Canyon, and then they had to find another way.

There were more than 10,000 horsemen, including 3,000 cavalrymen, 2,000 archers, and 4,000 spearmen, and the rest were the brethren of the firearms battalion.

The firearms battalion had no guns, no artillery, but they had thistles, rockets, and gunpowder jars. These things were thrown on the battlefield, enough for Wang Rui to drink a pot.

Tribulus terrestris, gunpowder workshop modeled after the Song Dynasty. It is small enough to be carried, and there are also copper grenades with wooden handles. Many soldiers wore a large string on their waists, less than one-tenth the power of modern grenades, but they were sufficient.

Fuzhou, at this moment, Fuzhou City has become Wang Rui's base camp. 30,000 Xichuan troops occupied the city, burning, killing, plundering and doing all kinds of evil.

Wang Rui won the two counties of Tanzhou and Fuzhou, and Wang Jian, the king of Shu, was rewarded. Wang Rui was named the generalissimo of Zhendong, and the bounty was 10,000 taels.

"Order the soldiers, the first thing to do is to fortify the defense, if this commander takes Jiangling, we can go straight to Luoyang City!" Wang Rui looked at the map, full of pride.

"Newspaper, report Generalissimo! The imperial court reinforcements arrived in Gangneung and had already entered the city to garrison. The chief general who led the army was a man named Xiao Promise, according to the report from the spies in the capital, this Xiao Promise was the new general of the Son of Heaven, who had severely damaged Zhu Youwen's Shenwu Army in a battle in Yique County. He was named the general of Jin Wuwei by the Son of Heaven, and this time he led 10,000 horses and infantry troops to aid Jiangling. "The herald has arrived.

Wang Rui sneered: "It's finally here, okay!" Ben Shuai let them come and go, what do you say the head of the court is called? ”

"Back to Dashuai, it's called Xiao Nuoyan."

"Xiao Nuoyan," Wang Rui's eyes showed a hint of murderous aura: "Ben Shuai wants to see what you are capable of!"

With the arrival of Xiao Nuoyan, the heart of Hu Huaishan, the guard general of Jiangling and the assassin Shi, finally fell.

When the imperial court was in urgent need of employing people, Li Ji once ordered that the military and political powers should be divided. Only this Jiangling, Huhuai Mountain is a big family in Jiangling, and the foundation is stable. He was able to control all forces in Jiangling, so the imperial court made an exception for Hu Huaishan to be the assassin and guard, but sent a supervisor Zheng Shi as his deputy.

"General Xiao, you're finally here. Fuzhou fell, Wang Rui's army was unstoppable, and the last general really couldn't bear it! Hu Huaishan's face was full of anxiety.

"Master Hu, he Wang Rui is not three-headed and six-armed, but he caught us off guard because of the large number of people. You Jiangling garrison of seven or eight thousand people, this city wall is solid, if you don't open the city to fight, Wang Rui can't help you for three or five months, how can the thief army be sharp! Xiao Nuoyan said coldly.

Hu Huaishan was counted down, and he didn't dare to say anything at the moment. You are a Beijing official from the capital, and he doesn't dare to offend. But he said in his heart, you have the ability to knock Fuzhou down, I'll take a look, you can't bring tens of thousands of people, and most of them are recruits. Your equipment is so strange and strange, it depends on what you are capable of defeating Fuzhou City.

"I wonder if General Xiao has a good strategy for retreating from the enemy?" Gangneung Prison Envoy Zheng Shi asked.

Xiao Nuoyan didn't answer, but said to Hu Huaishan: "Master Hu, you send some people to pick some giant trees back, the more the better."

Hu Huaishan was very surprised: "General Xiao, what do you want Jumu to do?"

"Stone thrower."

"Catapult?" Hu Huaishan asked again.

Xiao Nuoyan nodded: "That's right, stone thrower, the more the better."

Zheng Shi next to him was also puzzled: "General Xiao, this stone-throwing machine is complicated to make, but you have to have at least four or five rows of pins to make one." And this, it is said that Wang Rui brought many stone throwers in Fuzhou City, how could we build so many in a hurry. ”

The corners of Xiao Nuoyan's mouth slanted: "I originally wanted to lure that Wang Rui out of the city and fight with him outside the city." But on the way we came, more than 20 chariots were so deep in the mud that they could not reach it, and now we had to forcibly attack the city. ”

"Siege?" Hu Huaishan and Zheng Shi glanced at each other, and both of them were shocked. This Xiao promise is crazy, you have more than 10,000 people, and you are coming from a long distance, and you still want to attack the city?

The other party, Wang Rui, is a 30,000-strong army stationed in Fuzhou, not to mention that you are going to attack the city, I am afraid that you will not be under the city wall, but you will be surrounded by the other party.

"By no means," Zheng Shi was shocked: "General Xiao, please think twice, the enemy army is menacing, and there is an advantage in numbers." The Xichuan army brought by Wang Rui is all brave and good at fighting, we are still too busy to protect ourselves, how can we take the initiative to attack, or attack the city. That's a lot of enemies and me! ”

Zheng Shi thumped his chest, what kind of thing did this court send, he didn't know how to fight at all. This is a child's play with the lives of nearly 10,000 soldiers of the forbidden army, and the besieging side will at least be several times the enemy. It's better for you to do the opposite, and attack Fuzhou City, which is three times your own, with a mere 10,000 troops, isn't this nonsense.

Originally, Hu Huaishan still had a glimmer of hope for the imperial court reinforcements, but at present, it seems that this is purely sending him to death. No, you have to stop anything.

General Xiao came from afar, anxious to fight a decisive battle with the enemy, and this mood will be understood. But all this still needs to be considered in the long run, and the structure of this stone throwing machine is complicated, even if thirty or fifty units are built, it will take a few months. It's better for General Xiao to hold Jiangling first, and then it's not too late to discuss when the stone thrower is built. ”

Hu Huaishan has a plan in his heart, don't you want to be a stone thrower. This thing can't be completed in three or five months, so I'll stabilize you first so that you don't rush to send troops. Then hurriedly sent a letter of 100,000 to Luoyang City, asking the Son of Heaven to issue an edict and dismiss him as an official of Xiao Promise.

Who knew that Xiao Nuoyan said lightly: "We don't have to build such a complicated stone thrower, just a few wooden sticks to make a single-tip stone thrower." The lighter the better, with a few pieces of hemp rope and a few pieces of wood. Within seven days, it should be easy for Master Hu to build me 200 units. ”

Hu Huaishan is sure that this Xiao promise is here to play child's play, single-tip stone throwing machine, is the child playing house. How far can this thing be thrown, even if it can throw a stone weighing a few pounds onto the city wall and tickle the enemy? The enemy can block it with a shield, not to mention any lethality.

"General Xiao forgives the sin, how can a single-tip stone throwing machine throw a boulder onto the city wall? What's the use of us making it? ”

Xiao Nuoyan ignored him and said coldly: "Master Hu, don't worry about it, you must build two hundred single-tip stone throwing machines for General Ben within seven days, otherwise military law will be involved!"

Hu Huaishan was furious and wanted to argue. Zheng Shi next to him grabbed him in time, and Zheng Shi whispered a few words in Hu Huaishan's ear: "Master Hu, don't worry, let's agree first." Isn't it just 200 single-tip stone throwing machines, let's make them for him. Let's go back and quickly report the matter here to the court, and let His Majesty issue an edict before he sends troops to attack the city, and seize his military power. This Xiao Promise is young and frivolous, where does he know what to use soldiers to fight, we can't watch these nearly 10,000 soldiers of the forbidden army destroyed in his hands like this. One is prosperous, and one is lost. The Ma Bu army is over, and we can't hold Jianglingpa. ”

Zheng Shi has the same idea as Hu Huaishan, don't you Xiao promise to build a stone thrower, then promise you. First put the matter here on the court, and I don't believe that the emperor can do anything wrong with you.

"Okay, well, since General Xiao insists on making this single-tip stone throwing machine, then the lower official will mobilize the people in the city to go to the back mountain tomorrow to cut down trees. With only 200 simple stone throwers, it can still be made. Hu Huaishan saw that Xiao Promise insisted on this, so he had to pretend to agree first.

Xiao Nuoyan smiled slightly: "Okay, after seven days, I'll come to collect it." If someone dares to make a fool of things with shoddy goods, General Ben will cut off his head, and each stone thrower is equipped with four wooden wheels so that it can be easily moved. ”

Hu Huaishan and Zheng Shi made a look: "Okay, okay, what General Xiao says, what will be done to the next official."

Xiao Promise saw all this, he pretended not to see it, turned to his subordinates and ordered: "Pass the order, order all departments to garrison the city wall in case the enemy army comes to attack!"

Hu Huaishan was overjoyed when he heard it: "Yes, yes, General Xiao's words are extremely true." My Gangneung city is too big, and the number of garrisons is insufficient. General Xiao can let his subordinates go up to the city wall to fortify it, which is very good. ”

At night, Hu Huaishan and Zheng Shi were flustered, and the new general of the Ma Bu Army, Xiao Nuoyan, was purely dying.

Most of these nearly 10,000 forbidden soldiers are young soldiers, and they all have families and parents, if they follow Xiao Promise to attack the city like this, wouldn't it be to send them to death.

Who doesn't know that this Wang Rui can fight, and it will be a matter of time before he comes to attack Jiangling. It's good that you can take your subordinates to defend Gangneung City, and you still want to attack people?

"Master Hu, write quickly, I am waiting outside the mansion with my life. I will go out of the city tonight and go to Luoyang to ask for the Son of Heaven. Zheng Shi next to him also said eagerly.

Hu Huaishan nodded, picked up the brush and wrote freely on the table. The content is that Xiao Promise is tired of life, and he wants to build 200 farts and use no siege vehicles to attack Fuzhou City.

After the letter was written, Hu Huaishan hurriedly stamped it with the Great Seal of the Thorn History, and then put it in the envelope.

Zheng Shi beckoned next to him, and a shop soldier walked in.

Hu Huaishan handed over the song to him: "100,000 urgent, be sure to deliver this letter to the capital and reach the Son of Heaven." Ask the court to decide, it's too late to make a decision. Remember, faith is in the people! ”

The soldiers bowed down to receive the order: "The villain obeys." took the letter and put it in his arms, and turned over and got on the horse when he left the house. With a shout, the sound of horses' hooves went away and went straight to the north gate.

Hu Huaishan breathed a sigh of relief: "This Xiao promise is frivolous and exaggerated, how can the imperial court send such a person as the boss!"

Zheng Shi next to him sighed: "Alas!"

Gangneung Houshan is a large bamboo forest, and the elasticity of bamboo is particularly good. Xiao Nuoyan took Hu Huaishan and others up the back mountain, and he immediately changed his mind: "Master Hu, use bamboo to make a stone throwing car." Bamboo is light and elastic. The soldiers pushed it effortlessly, good stuff! ”

Hu Huaishan and Zheng Shi glanced at each other, helpless.

Zheng Shi couldn't bear it anymore: "General Xiao, what can this stone-throwing cart made of bamboo throw?" Not to mention that the boulder under the city of Fuzhou is difficult to find, can this single-tip stone throwing machine be thrown onto the enemy's city wall? Even if you use small stones, but the small stones thrown on the city wall are exhausted, how to hurt the enemy! ”

Xiao Nuoyan not only didn't get angry, but patted Zheng Shi's shoulder with a smile: "Don't be angry, General Zheng is not throwing stones."

Hu Huaishan couldn't help it, he snorted: "Don't hide it, the lower officials have already sent soldiers to play everything that happened here." General Xiao is messing around like this, this is taking the lives of tens of thousands of my soldiers and people as a child's play! ”

"Alas," Xiao Nuoyan shook his head: "Lord Hu is loyal and patriotic, and I will admire it." But I dare to make a bet with you, even if you take this matter to the Son of Heaven, Your Majesty will not only not punish me, but I am afraid that he will praise me. ”

Hu Huaishan and Zheng Shi looked at each other, crazy, must be crazy.

Xiao Nuoyan laughed behind his back and left: "Master Hu, hurry up and build it, it must be made within seven days, otherwise the general's military stick will not recognize people!"

Hu Huaishan was stunned, and the people who came to Jiangling City were also dumbfounded.

Zheng Shi was furious: "Look at what! Hurry up and cut down the tree, and if you delay the time, each person will receive fifty boards! ”

The people immediately became anxious, picked up their axes and slashed at the thick bamboo in the bowl.

Long bamboos were brought down from the mountain, and some of them used long saws to cut down giant trees the size of a person, and then cut them into sections and rolled down the mountain to the bottom of the mountain.

Since the stone-throwing truck chooses bamboo, the weight is much lighter. These giant trees, which are thick around one person, are cut on the spot to make the wheels of the stone throwing truck, and they are also very convenient to transport.

Xiao Nuoyan stood on the top of the mountain, took out a long gadget from his arms, and looked into the distance through the short stick.

Hu Huaishan and Zheng Shi Dawei were strange, and the two couldn't help but come up, what kind of ancient monster was this General Xiao holding in his hand.

Xiao Nuoyan couldn't help but admire while looking at it: "Okay, what a beautiful country!" The country is picturesque, my generation has been defending the country with iron and blood, and it is not in vain to go in this world. ”

Hu Huaishan sighed secretly in his heart: Listening to what you say, it's still human, why should you be confused and bastard. Could it be that the emperor was fooled by your mouth, so he asked you to lead the troops to fight?

Xiao Nuoyan finally paid attention to Hu Huaishan and the others: "Lord Hu, take a look, this is a good thing." As he spoke, he handed over the short stick in his hand.

Hu Huaishan was a little inexplicable, but he couldn't help but pick it up curiously and take a look, but unfortunately he took it upside down, and what he saw through this small hole in the bamboo tube was very small.

This is a monocular, which Li Ji gave to Xiao Nuoyan to use to lead troops to fight

Xiao Nuoyan turned the telescope upside down with a smile, Hu Huaishan only glanced at it, and his hands shook in fright, and the telescope almost fell to the ground.

Xiao Nuoyan caught it: "Oh, Lord Hu, this is a treasure given by the Son of Heaven, don't break it for me."

Hu Huaishan was shocked, picked up the binoculars and looked at it again, and couldn't help but be very strange. The scenery seen through this small hole was immediately magnified several times, and the scenery of clouds and mountains in the distance could be seen much more clearly. He looked down the mountain, and saw that the faces of the people who were cutting down trees could be seen clearly.

Hu Huaishan was overjoyed: "This, what kind of treasure is this?"

Zheng Shi was surprised when he saw him, and he also took a look, and he was startled at first, but the more he looked at it, the more he couldn't put it down.

Xiao Nuoyan smiled: "This is called a telescope, and it is made in Xishan, the capital. Your Majesty sent a general to fight the war, Lord Hu, as long as your siege engine is built, this general will give you this telescope. ”

Hu Huaishan was surprised and delighted: "This is a gift from Your Majesty, how dare the lower officials take the love of General Xiao."

Xiao Nuoyan whispered: "As soon as you and I see each other, Master Hu is welcome, I still have a box there."

At first sight, this is also called at first sight?

When Zheng Shi heard that Xiao Promise still had a box, his eyes immediately lit up: "That, General Xiao, can you give me one too."

"You?" Xiao Nuoyan looked him up and down: "You are not good, you must have told Master Hu that you want to play me in front of the Son of Heaven, no, don't give it!"

Zheng Shi was bored with himself, and stopped talking at the moment.

Xiao Nuoyan laughed and patted Zheng Shi: "I'm joking with you, I'll ask someone to give you one when I turn around."

Zheng Shi was also overjoyed when he heard it, and he gradually found that this Xiao promise didn't seem to be as unbearable as he imagined, could he really have a way to take Fuzhou City?

Hu Huaishan had the same idea as him, and they had a very bad impression of this Xiao promise before. Now it seems that he has everything in his mind, this man is full of eccentricities, and he really has any good ideas.

But they couldn't believe that they could break through the city with just this infantry chariot made of bamboo. That is Fuzhou City garrisoned by 30,000 troops, what kind of person is Wang Rui, the right-hand man of Xichuan Wang Jian, and he has won countless battles in his life.