Chapter 647: Dividing Western Xia

"Or ask the captain to make it clear." Xiao Duolu asked nonchalantly.

Xu Wei looked at him directly and didn't speak, and when the latter saw this, he reluctantly smiled and said, "Although I guessed a few points, I really couldn't be sure, so I asked the captain to show me." ”

"Well, I'll tell you the truth." Xu Weilang said. "Song Xia's hundred-year-old grievances, this is well known to the world, so I won't say more. For the sake of resisting gold, Xu once had the idea of forming a good party. Don't ask it to be against the water, but don't get it in the way. But it backfired, and the party members willingly wanted to be Jurchen's courtiers and enemies of the Great Song Dynasty. That's why we have today's situation. ”

Xiao Duolu nodded infrequently and listened carefully.

"Now, the western summer is full of disasters. Xiao Heda raised troops to occupy the five prefectures of Xia, Shi, Yin, You, and Yan, and not long ago there was an earthquake in the area of Xingqing Mansion, the capital of Xia, and the official houses were damaged, and tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians died. At present, there are even more popular uprisings, and the situation in the entire Western Xia can be said to be stormy. True, this is an opportunity for the Western Army. But for you Khitans, why not? ”

When Xu Wei said this, he just didn't make it clear. Xiao Duolu didn't feel that if he pretended to be stupid again, he really couldn't say it, so he asked tentatively: "What does the captain mean to say, let me send troops to attack Xia?" ”

Xu Wei nodded slowly.

"This ......" Xiao Duolu did not face it, although the Western Xia submitted to Jin and caused Princess Cheng'an to die on hunger strike, which made the emperor very annoyed. But over the years, the Khitan Kingdom and the Western Xia have always been in contact, whether it is the exchange of envoys or business transactions, it has never stopped. Now the situation in Western Xia is mixed, and the Khitan sends troops to attack, which is probably ......

Xu Wei looked at him and chuckled: "I said, it's just a suggestion." ”

Ma Kuo persuaded from the side at this time: "Your lord is determined to restore Daliao. Now, the Jurchens are full of evils, and they are no longer as brave as they used to be, this is the time of day; Both sides of the Song and Liao have a deep hatred with the Jin people, and when they advance and retreat together, this is a peacemaker; What is lacking now is location! Where does the location come from? With the land of Western Xia, are you still worried about the high mountains and dangers? ”

"That being said, although Western Xia is luàn, it is by no means vulnerable. Therefore, ......" At this point, Xiao Duolu did not turn to Xu Wei and asked, "Presumably Taiwei has already considered it, and I would like to hear about it in detail." ”

Xu Wei moved the cups and plates in front of him, dipped the wine and scratched it on the table. I saw him draw three circles, and said loudly: "This is the three sides of Song, Liao, and Xia." Now, the Hengshan line has been controlled by the Western Army and Xiao Heda. It can be said that there is no barrier at all. The area they now control is the Hexi Corridor of Gan, Su, Gua, and Sha, as well as the area around the national capital Xingqing Mansion. I won't say it, the Hexi Corridor is the main road connecting all parties! If you can take this place, if you send troops in the future, you can go directly to the Kingdom of Jin through the summer realm, wouldn't it be very convenient? ”

The Hexi Corridor has been an important route connecting the Western Regions and the Central Plains since ancient times, and now the Dangxiang people control it, so they isolate the Great Song Dynasty and Yelu Dashi. Xu Wei has been actively trying to open up the Hexi Corridor and unite with Dashi. But frankly speaking, if this matter is done by the Western Army, I am afraid it is not realistic.

This long and narrow corridor, the north is the great desert, the south is the Tibetan tribes, if the western army takes it back, not to mention the time-consuming and labor-intensive, the risk is also great, the key is to fight down, how do you manage? The reason why Han and Tang were able to control this place was determined by their territory and strength. Obviously, now Da Song, or himself, does not have this strength. Moreover, I am afraid that this point will not be possible in the DPRK and China.

Rather than this, it is better to let the Khitans open it up. At that time, the two sides will be encircled, depending on the situation, and then how to deal with Western Xia will be discussed. If this matter is successful, then Dashi Donggui will take a solid step, and the Jurchens will inevitably be on pins and needles!

Xiao Duolu looked intently at the picture sketched by Xu Wei, and was silent for a while.

"At the same time as you raise your troops, the Western Army will also send troops to attack Xiliangfu and control this area to prevent the Xia army from reinforcing it. I believe that with the current situation in Western Xia, their heavy troops are all placed in the area of Xingqing Mansion, and the Hexi Corridor will not be defended! With your strength, it must not be a problem to get through it. Xu Wei said with a smile.

"Did the Captain ever consider the reaction of the Jurchens?" Xiao Duolu asked at this time.

"The Jin army previously attacked our Xianghan region and returned in vain, and now it is sending out its division to attack Linfu, and they are beyond the reach of Hexi. When he reacts, the wood has become a boat, and the rice has become a cook, so what can he do? Xu Wei said.

Xiao Duolu moved his body without being a little restless, and let out a deep breath, and it could be seen that the blueprint outlined by Xu Wei was very attractive to him. The attendant next to him also whispered something in a language that Xu Wei couldn't understand, which made him nod his head in response.

After a while, Xiao Duolu said incorrectly: "Tai Wei, don't hide it, this plan is really exciting, and it is also feasible." But please understand that we also have difficulties, so ......"

"This is natural, you don't have to say anything now, but when you go back, report it to your Lord as it is, and then make a decision. But I must remind you that the opportunity must not be lost, the time will not come again, once the party members have recovered with the help of the Jurchens, I am afraid it will not be so easy. Xu Wei also said solemnly.

"Exactly, I will leave for China as soon as possible and discuss with my lord." Xiao Duolu didn't say quickly, finished speaking, raised his glass, and moved a little.

This banquet was enjoyed by the guests and hosts. After the banquet was dismissed, Xiao Duolu waited for no one to return to the pavilion, Xu Wei and his party rode horses, and they were also ready to go back to their respective homes. When walking on the road, Zhang Jun thought about it again and again, and said: "Tai Lieutenant, the lower official has a sentence, I don't know whether to say it or not." ”

Although Xu Wei didn't drink much, his face was also red, and he was in a good mood, nodding and smiling: "Deyuan doesn't have to be taboo." ”

"Taiwei suggested that the Khitans open up Hexi and seize the prefectures of Gan, Su, Gua and Sha, then go one step further, it will be Tuxia. In the past hundred years, I have devoted all my national strength to the destruction of Xia, I don't know if Taiwei has considered it, what should I do in the future? Zhang Jun asked seriously.

Xu Wei praised the god of praise and praised: "Deyuan is really thoughtful. I didn't mention it today because it hasn't even started yet, so it's not appropriate to say it at this time. But I've thought about it, otherwise, why would I send troops alone to attack Xiliang? ”

Ma Kuo also spewed wine in his mouth at this time and said: "Deyuan, when the Western Army attacks Xiliang, it is to be stuck in the middle, understand?" ”

May 27, Toyosu.

Completely devastated, only this word can describe the current Toyosu Castle. After being attacked by the Jin army for more than 20 days, the castle of Fengzhou was scarred. The female wall on the city has been missing in many places, and at a glance you know that it is the masterpiece of the artillery car. Even a corner in the north of the city was blown down. The entire wall is full of holes, and there are still dense remnants of the giant arrows from the crossbow of the eight oxes, but the shafts of the arrows have been cut off by the defenders.

Inside the city, near the city walls, there were artillery stones scattered everywhere, and many people were collecting and carrying them under the scorching sun. In the yīn cool area at the base of the city wall, the soldiers were mostly naked with their upper bodies and weapons in their arms, and they were eating. From the morning to the front, the Jin army finally retreated again, and the tired and hungry men devoured it, and no one spoke, only the sound of a piece of food.

What is surprising is that the guard of Fengzhou City, Peng Gao, the commander of the Yan Shuai Division, is actually among them. He sat on the ground like an ordinary soldier, shirtless, holding a large bowl in one hand and two buns in the other, and ate happily.

"Commander, today is the twenty-seventh day, we have folded thousands of brothers, and the food in the city will be exhausted, why don't we see the reinforcements of the commander?" A commander sitting next to Peng Xiaozi asked.

Peng Gao looked careless, and said while eating: "Xu Dashuai has his own measure, and we will stick to the city." Saying this, he actually had some worries in his heart. Twenty-seven days, with the small city of Fengzhou and 4,000 soldiers, we were stunned for 27 days! In these twenty-seven days, the Jin army failed to break through a single gate, a wall! It's not a boast surnamed Peng, if you change to other colleagues in Shuaisi, you may not do the same.

It's been almost a month now, why is there no news from Dashuai? After eating, the sky had already darkened, and finally lasted another day. After Peng Gao inspected the defense of various places, he went back to his residence to rest, needless to say.

When night fell and the hustle and bustle of the battlefield had faded, the soldiers fell asleep. Only the brothers who remained on duty in the city still maintained a high degree of vigilance, occasionally raised their heads, looked at the starry sky, and sighed, how long will this be the end?

In this place, the temperature difference is relatively large. During the day, it is so hot that people can't take off the skin, and at night they have to be dressed neatly so that they don't get cold. But at the base of the wall, there were those who sat on the ground, with their backs to the cold wall. And they are very evenly distributed, there are two or three people at intervals, apparently deliberately arranged.

"No, you stay for a while, I'll squint." In the darkness, a majestic voice spoke.

"Then wait a minute, I'll go and sprinkle niào." A figure stood up, had just taken a few steps, and suddenly turned around. Where they lived, there was a half-human-tall, black hole, and I don't know what it was. The soldier walked up to the thing and poked his head down, as if listening intently.

In the dead of night, there was no other sound to interfere, and the soldier leaned over the thing and listened for a while, and said vigilantly: "Brother, there is movement!" ”

As soon as he heard this, the soldier who had already begun to squint jumped to his feet! Pounced on it, leaning over it and listening. In the silence, there was a faint strange movement from that thing!

"Fuck it! Really! The soldier shouted. A moment later, a few flickeres of fire were seen, and a torch was lit. With the help of the light, it was clear that the thing was actually a large clay jar, half of which was buried in the earth, covered with a thin layer of cowhide. This thing, called "ground listening", is specially used to listen to the enemy's digging tunnels.

The two soldiers could already hear it clearly, and there was indeed an unusual movement underground! Not only them, but soon, nearby colleagues also discovered the alarm! After the officer on duty came to inquire in person, the news was quickly reported to Peng Gao.

Peng Gao has been in the army for many years and has rich experience in actual combat, after he came to the scene, he personally leaned down on the ground and listened for a long time, and listened to many places in the vicinity, he stretched out his hand to draw a distance, and judged: "It should be within this range." ”

At this time, the deputy commander asked, "You haven't found anything else, have you?" ”

"No, it's just an anomalous noise here!" The officer below replied.

The deputy commander said to Peng Gao: "The gold thief has not broken the city for many days, and now he is digging a tunnel, Peng is in charge, you see ......"

Peng Gao did not answer for the time being, in the battle of the city, when the attacking side saw that the strong attack was really hopeless, it would find another way, and digging tunnels was one of the methods. This tactic was indeed effective in Toyosu Castle, because the city did not have a moat. The golden thief wants to dig a tunnel, go straight to the bottom of the city, and hollow out the foundation of the city wall! To deal with this siege method, there were countermeasures thousands of years ago!

"Listen to his movements, the distance should be relatively far, don't worry for the time being, you listen attentively." After a while, Peng Gao instructed the soldiers who were guarding the ground. After finishing speaking, he turned around and walked back, and the officers and officers followed behind.

"Now you can hear movement in the city, which means that the gold thief has been digging the tunnels for a while. Tomorrow morning, you will assemble the people and meet you from the city. Peng Gao ordered.

The so-called "chiseling and greeting" means that after listening to the enemy's digging tunnels, they judge the direction of the other party, and then dig tunnels with him from the city. Of course, the tunnels dug by the defenders don't necessarily happen to be right against the enemy. After digging the tunnel, they also listen in the tunnel to further confirm the exact location of the other party, and then ......

On the second day, the Jin army did not attack the city, and the defenders also organized the people to excavate from the direction they had heard last night. Because the enemy dug tunnels to hollow out the foundations of the city walls, and for this purpose, they could not dig too deep. Correspondingly, the defender's tunnel will not be dug too deep, and it is generally on par with the deep well below the ground.

After the tunnel was dug down, the movement of the Jin army became more and more obvious, but its location could not be accurately judged. On the third day, the Jin army dug closer and closer, and the soldiers went down to the tunnel, put their ears on the tunnel wall, and could already clearly hear that it was nearby!

"The commander has already identified the direction!" A team member will crawl out of the tunnel and report loudly.

A cold smile flashed on Peng Gao's face, and he gritted his teeth and said, "Lao Tzu let him dig!" Come, let all the people below come up! Prepare your things! Let's give the gold thief a meeting gift! ”

After all the people in the tunnel were withdrawn, the soldiers were busy moving some things to the tunnel entrance. One of the most eye-catching is a huge windmill. This windmill is a tool commonly used by the people to remove debris from grain. The air outlet is connected to a cloth bag, which is presumably used for directional air supply. In addition to the windmill, the soldiers also carried boxes of firearms.

Of course, it wasn't a new type of firearm like the "Thunderbolt", unless the defenders wanted to bring down the walls themselves. It's the old tribulus terrestris and the like. This kind of firearm has no explosive power, and its main function is to release a large amount of toxic smoke!