It was beyond the expectations of Wu Haogu, Zhao Zhongge and Ma Zheng. The large cavalry they saw today in the wilderness north of Jiehe Hebei City turned out to be led by Yelu Yanxi, the emperor of the Great Liao!

Of course, Yelu Yanxi did not play the Son of Heaven. Instead, he put on a plain-looking armor, and under the escort of hundreds of the most elite Su Guards, and more than 10,000 cavalry led by the right middle Cheng and the leading Yin Su Zhishi Yelu Zhangnu, they went south together and approached Jiehe Shang City.

The reason why he came here was of course because he wanted to see with his own eyes the city defense of Jiehe Shang City, which was said to be impregnable by the horsemen, and he also wanted to see with his own eyes what the legendary Song State Iron Cavalry looked like when he became fierce and warlike?

To tell the truth, Jiehe Chengjian believes it. But Song Qi is mighty or something, he is always suspicious.

The Song people will build the city wall, that is something that the whole world knows, but how can their cavalry be strong? The Song people were all farmers who farmed the land, profiteers who did business or skilled craftsmen, how could they compare with the nomadic Khitans with cavalry?

The cavalry placed in them defeated the Iron Harriers of Western Xia...... That must be the Iron Harrier itself rotting! The Iron Harriers of Western Xia lived in the city as early as the time of Yuan Hao, and did not maintain the custom of herding around like the Khitans. Over time, it is not surprising that they have become as weak as the Song people.

After all, the Song Kingdom has a lot of people and wealth, and it is not surprising that it consumes Western Xia.

But to say that the cavalry of the Song Dynasty who cultivated the land surpassed the nomadic Da Liao cavalry, it was not believed that Yelu Yanxi was killed.

So he had to come and see with his own eyes what kind of virtue the cavalry of the Song Dynasty was!

Of course, Yelu Yanxi was still very careful. This is the first battle! If you can't beat the Song people, the blow to morale will be too great.

Therefore, he did not plan to let his cavalry fight a frontal assault that he was not good at, but prepared to use cavalry and lure the enemy and ambush to deal with the cavalry of the Song State.

Therefore, he and Yelu Zhangnu took 10,000 cavalry to test Jiehe Shang City, and on the plain near Majiabao in the rear, they also placed another 10,000 cavalry soldiers and 20,000 grass valley soldiers.

Once the confrontation with the Song cavalry was lost, Yelu Yanxi would lead the cavalry to retreat to Majiapu. Then the 30,000 cavalry in ambush will pounce on the flanks and flanks of the pursuing Song cavalry and infantry!

"Your Majesty, that is the Northern Boundary River City in the hands of the Song people!"

Talking to Yelu Yanxi was Zhang Jue, the Nanjing Provincial Police Patrolman, who was now also following Yelu Yanxi, standing on the third floor of an abandoned manor near the north city of Jiehe Shang City, and was informing Yelu Yanxi of the surrounding situation.

"It must be red, and it looks very strong!" Yelu Yanxi squinted his eyes and looked at the red wall of the Jiehe Commercial Market illuminated by the blazing afternoon sun.

Tall, bright, round, and seemingly indestructible!

He suddenly turned his head, looked at Zhang Jue and asked, "But shouldn't it be my Daliao land?" How did the Song people build a castle!? ”

As soon as this question came out, Zhang Jue's head was covered with white sweat!

"Return, return to Your Majesty, there are not a few patrols in the hands of the ministers, and they are not opponents of the Song people, so when the Song army crossed the river and entered the north city of Jiehe Shang City a few months ago, and began to build the city, the ministers were helpless......"

"How could a city of this size be built in a few months?"

"Yes, yes......" Zhang Jue said nonsense, and there was a cold wind behind his ears, "That Wu Haogu is the best at building, and there is a construction college in his Yuntai Academy, which specializes in teaching the science of construction architecture." ”

"And such learning?" Yelu Yanxi will be skeptical.

"Yes, the Song people are good at building cities, and Wu Haogu is the best among them......"

"Hasn't Your Majesty heard of 'Yinzhou One Night City'? This martial arts ancient is in Yinzhou, and it took one night to turn the dilapidated Yinzhou City into an impregnable fortified city......"

Several ministers of the Liao State who followed Yelu Yanxi hurriedly helped Zhang Jue speak, and some people mentioned the matter of "Yinzhou One Night City".

Yelu Yanxi dispelled his doubts at this time.

Zhang Jue, who let out a long breath, then pointed his arm to the buildings of several manors around him, "Your Majesty, please look at these houses, they are all tall and sturdy, and they can all be used as a support for camping and arranging formations." ”

"I didn't expect there to be so many houses outside Jiehe Commercial City." Yelu Yanxi said to himself, "It seems that the prosperity of this Jiehe Shang City is more than that of Xijin Mansion City. ”

In his opinion, the city of Xijin Mansion is already prosperous, but it has not reached the point where there are many buildings outside the city.

"Zhang Qing, do you know how many people there are in Jiehe Shang City?"

"Your Majesty," Zhang Jue said, "the population of the permanent residence of Jiehe Shang City is about 250,000, and the number of merchants who come and go varies from time to time, and the maximum season is estimated to be around 200,000. However, there are not many old people in Jiehe Shang City, and there are few monks and Taoists, so although the population is limited compared to Xijin Fu City, there are too many people. If you want to compare taxes and wealth, I'm afraid that the entire Nanjing Road can't be compared! ”

In the words of later generations, Jiehe Commercial City is a young and energetic city. Although there are only 250,000 permanent residents and 10-200,000 floating populations. But the vitality of the city is full, and it is almost not under Kaifeng Mansion anymore.

In addition, since the economic pillars of Jiehe Commercial City are handicrafts and commerce, the city's GDP and citizens' income are also very considerable. If there is also a statistical bureau to calculate GDP, I am afraid that only Jingdong Commercial Market can match it.

As for the taxes that the bureaucrats of this era were most concerned about, the Jiehe Commercial Market was much more than the Nanjing Dao of the Liao State!

What a great place!

If only I could get it!

After listening to Zhang Jue's praise of Jiehe Commercial Market, Yelu Yanxi had an urge to capture the cornucopia of Jiehe Commercial Market at any cost.

Just when Emperor Da Liao was squinting his eyes to observe the red wall of the north city of Jiehe Shang City, the suspension bridge of the north gate of the north city of Jiehe Shang City was suddenly creaked down, and the city gate was already opened. Then there was a whimpering sound of military trumpets, and the cavalry in iron armor formed a strict phalanx, and quickly poured out of the city gate with neat and jumping steps.

This is...... The Iron Rider of the Song Kingdom!?

Yelu Yanxi looked at the sunlight, shining with metallic light, cavalry after team, pouring out of the gate of Jiehe Shang City, almost no head, and suddenly had a feeling of unreality.

Since he was sensible, he knew that there were Khitan iron cavalry and Song Guo's infantry formation. Now why do the Song people also play iron riding? And it seems to be a good time!

"Pass the order to Yelu Zhangnu," Yelu Yanxi ordered with a frown, "Be careful...... After some temptation, he retreated in defeat and led the Song people to the vicinity of Majiabao. ”

……

Da Liao's right middle Cheng, the leading Yinsu Zhishi Yelu Zhangnu, also stood up on the horse pedal at this time, stretched his neck to watch the Song State Iron Cavalry one after another, endlessly pouring out from the city gate of Jiehe Shang City, crossing the moat, and spreading out the formation on the open plain.

Looking at the armor worn by these Song Guotie riders, the tall war horses under their crotch, the formation of a terrifying formation, and the cold glow turned out by the tips of the horse pistols and horses on their shoulders. Yelu Zhangnu's thick eyebrows, who originally despised Song Jun a little, couldn't help but twist tightly into a ball!

As the saying goes, insiders look at the doorway, and laymen look at the liveliness.

Yelu Zhangnu is also a general in the current Liao State. For the use of cavalry, of course, he can be regarded as an expert.

Therefore, when he looked at it from a distance, he knew that the cavalry pouring out of the city of Jiehe Shang City was extraordinary.

Not to mention the formation or anything, as long as you are not blind, you can see it.

But what frightened Yeluzhangnu even more was the cavalry, almost all of whom rode tall horses with a height of more than four feet eight inches at the shoulder.

Moreover, behind each team of heavy cavalrymen with horses and pistols and armor, there were also the same number of auxiliary cavalry, all of whom were one man and two horses, riding one horse and leading another. And the deputy horses they are holding look very tall!

Yeluzhangnu, who was proficient in the use of light cavalry and heavy cavalry, knew a truth very well: light cavalry did not defeat heavy cavalry by riding horses and archery, but light cavalry defeated heavy cavalry by rational use of horsepower.

Because of the heavy load of heavy cavalry, the physical exertion of horses is also large, so it is difficult to charge long distances. Therefore, the method of light cavalry to deal with heavy cavalry with guns is to keep a certain safe distance and lead them to run. When the horsepower of the heavy cavalry is exhausted and it is no longer possible to run at a faster speed, then use the return horse shooting or other methods of archery to deal with the heavy cavalry that cannot run.

Of course, such a tactic is not tried-and-true.

Because no one has stipulated that heavy cavalry cannot be equipped with bows and arrows, and no one has stipulated that heavy cavalry must not be as good as light cavalry. Therefore, after the light cavalry successfully exhausted the horsepower of the heavy cavalry, it was not necessarily advantageous to use bows and arrows in the face of heavily armored enemies.

However, it is not the most worrying thing to meet the heavy cavalry who are good at shooting, the most feared thing for the light cavalry is to meet the heavy cavalry on a large horse! A tall horse often means that it is explosive and can rush quickly. If the horses of the hussars are not as fast as the other side, then what are the consequences of being overtaken, you can think about it with your ass.

As for running and firing arrows at the same time, interfering with the enemy's pursuit, that is just psychological comfort. The light cavalry can shoot while running, and the enemy's heavy cavalry must not have such a skill? Light cavalry is more likely to be injured than heavy cavalry in armor! And the side that runs away, as long as it is injured and slows down, it often means death. And the pursuing side can calmly seek medical treatment after being injured. The lethality of bows and arrows is limited, and it is rare to see a single arrow kill on the battlefield. So this kind of backshot is simply sending you to death!

In addition, Jeruzhangnu also knew the great value of the "light and strong" armor in cavalry combat! Because the armor was lighter in weight while providing adequate defense, the burden on the horses was also greatly reduced. It is good for preserving the physical strength of the horse.

Song Qi, who appeared in front of Yelu Zhangnu now, not only had a tall horse, but also a shiny carapace!

Just by looking at their horses and equipment, Jerujunu knew he had a fierce enemy!