Chapter 703: Huge artillery bombardment of the city

Taiyuan City

When a large army besieges a city, the people of the city must be panicked and panic all day long. But for the people of Taiyuan, who have been in war for a long time, this is actually nothing. Don't talk about it far away, just say that today's Jingyuan Jingluo appeased Wang Yu Wang Dashuai in the past years when he guarded Taiyuan, the enemy chieftain Sticky Han besieged the city with heavy troops and could not take it, and later used the complete face silver technique to make the "city lock method" trapped, before and after more than half a year. In the city of Taiyuan, the defenders suffered heavy casualties, and the materials were extremely scarce......

Later, when the famous divisions of the Western Army led the army to relieve the siege of Taiyuan, there were only more than ten soldiers and civilians in the city, which can be described as tragic! When Hedong fell, under the high-pressure rule of the Jurchens, the people of Taiyuan were forced to shave their hair and change their clothes, and they could not get any protection for their lives and property, and such days passed for more than ten years. Let's ask, after going through all kinds of tribulations, how can the people of Taiyuan be afraid because the officials and troops are besieging the city and the recovery is imminent?

Xianggong, they felt that they were afraid of the Jurchens and the birds who acted as lackeys for the Jurchens. Isn't it? Many of the people in the city had fathers, brothers and children who were recruited by the Jin army to work as coolies, and they privately spread that the Jin army had been defeated in Yuci a few days ago, and the troops were lacking and demoralized. This is all because the tiger marshal threw soldiers, fought and won successes, and went all the way to Taiyuan. It won't take long to break through Taiyuan City in one fell swoop and drive Beiyi away! Many Jurchen families have moved into this city, and as soon as the tiger handsome army enters the city, we will cào start to repay the wrongs and revenge!

Compared with the people's negotiations, the soldiers of the Jin army were much more uneasy. Not to mention the fiasco of Yuci, the whole army was almost wiped out. After retreating to Taiyuan City, I didn't dare to say that it was safe, and I ordered all exits to be blocked, and I wanted to get out of the city? You jump straight up from the city. The posture of this back-to-back battle is full of posses, but we still have to fight to know. But when it comes to the thought of fighting with the army of the Purple Golden Tiger, who has the confidence to defeat a strong enemy? Stand out and take a look?

Wan Yanliang fled back from the defeat of the army, and did not dare to make a mistake again, and once the military affairs were entrusted to the servants to scatter loyalty. And the latter is also trying to keep this important town in Hedong.

At noon on the eighth day of the first lunar month, Wan Yanliang had just eaten and was about to go out on patrol. Although the arrangements and arrangements are all done by servants and loyalty, as the military governor of Hedong, he still has to pretend to be a place. Dressed in military uniforms and bright armor, as soon as he walked out of the gate with a mighty guard, he bumped into a few major generals led by Servant Sanzhongyi in a hurry.

"Pacification, where is this going?" Susan Zhongyi asked.

"Going to patrol the city, what? Something? Wan Yanliang asked.

Fusan Zhongyi took a deep breath, squirted out from his nostrils again, and as his chest rose and fell, he said, "Do you remember Han Chang to appease?" ”

"How can this thief not remember?" Wan Yanliang frowned.

Fusan Zhongyi snorted coldly, shook the thing in his hand, and said, "At this time, Han Chang is outside the city. ”

Wan Yanliang was shocked when he heard this: "He's here too?" Isn't that ......?"

Without waiting for him to finish speaking, he raised his hand to stop him, and then motioned to go inside. After Yan Liang had to go back the same way, when he arrived at the festival hall, he was the boss in the end, and after sitting on the handsome case, a group of generals such as Fusan Zhongyi stood down. I saw Zhongyi step forward quickly, handed a letter to the desk, and explained: "Song Jun has just thrown himself into the book city, and this is one of them. ”

Wan Yanliang picked it up and saw that this was a document written in Chinese characters in the name of Han Chang. The vast majority of the defenders in the city were from the Hedong clan. Although Wan Yanliang is a Jurchen, he has learned the culture of the Central Plains since he was a child, and he may not be fluent in Chinese, but Chinese characters are not a problem.

Han Chang's article can be regarded as a letter to Taiyuan soldiers. Since he surrendered to the Song Dynasty, his position naturally changed, and he called on the defenders of Taiyuan as a Song person to surrender the city. The reason is very simple: he counted the offensives of the Western Army since it crossed the Yellow River, and vigorously advocated that the Western Army was strong and strong, morale was 100 times higher, and it was invincible. And although the city of Taiyuan is strong, it can't resist the thunderous blow of King Xujun! Persuade the Taiyuan soldiers to cherish their lives, stay away from disasters, and immediately open the city to surrender, and the king of Xu Jun will inevitably be preferential.

Wan Yanliang didn't wait to finish reading it, he tore the article to pieces, and scolded angrily: "This traitor who betrays the country to survive, dare to do this!" ”

"Appeasement, scolding will not solve the problem. Han Chang was originally the pacification envoy of Hedong, and the Taiyuan city defense was arranged by him. Now this article is spread again, luàn our army's heart, the situation is critical! Servant Zhong Yi solemnly reminded.

Wan Yanliang gritted his teeth and said resolutely: "Even if the city is broken and killed, Liang will never show weakness to Xu Hu'er!" ”

Seeing that his spirit is not bad, but the servant is loyal and righteous, but he always remembers that he escaped first when he was in Yuci, so he said coldly: "There is a word of appeasement, and the soldiers will be determined." Han Chang said in his letter that it was only for today, otherwise, he would attack tomorrow. Therefore, the last general would like to ask for appeasement and come forward to motivate the soldiers. ”

Wan Yanliang nodded frequently: "This is natural!" Let's go, you wait with me to patrol the city defenses and encourage the soldiers! After finishing speaking, he strode out, and the servants scattered and followed closely with the loyal and righteous generals.

Riding a horse and walking in the Taiyuan market, Wan Yanliang was surprised to find that many people actually opened the doors and windows and looked at him from the windowsill at the door. Even though these people were also bald and braided and dressed in gold clothes, there was not the slightest hint of awe in their eyes! He could even feel the hatred in the eyes of these people!

To the city, all the generals dismounted, Wan Yanliang walked in the forefront, from time to time waving his hand and raising a whip to greet the soldiers. But the soldiers only stared at him blankly, and did not react. Along the way, Wan Yanliang's brows became tighter and tighter, and when he went to the city, he couldn't walk.

Because when he leaned against the female wall and looked out over the city, he was deeply shocked by the sight before him! Around Taiyuan, there are camps everywhere! You can barely see the head at a glance! People came and went in the Song camp, flags were flying, and huge siege equipment had appeared outside the camp! Just by looking at it, you can distinguish a cannon cart, a goose cart, a flybridge, and so on. Taiyuan has been besieged to death! And tomorrow, Xu Wei will launch a fierce attack!

Seeing that his expression was different and stagnant, he urged Zhongyi: "Appease? ”

"Huh? Oh, go. Wan Yan Liang steadied his mind and walked forward with the hilt of the knife tightly. At the head of the city, the soldiers of the Jin army were nervously preparing, and the fear was written on the faces of these people, and they could not hide it at all. Their trip was supposed to inspire the soldiers, but the more they went, the more pessimistic they felt.

Yuci's battle impressed him too much. Last time, he followed his uncle Wushu to fight south, not because he had never seen the Song army. In his memory, the Song army was not as unbearable as the legend, and it was still some combat power, but it was limited to this, and it was not an elite division at all. It wasn't until he fought with the Western Army that he knew what it meant to destroy the withering and decaying! It's so hard to find the north!

But helplessly, Taiyuan is the bottom line, now the city has been sealed, the city is in the people, and the city is dead! Thinking of this, he cheered up his spirits and made himself resolute and resolute to inspire the soldiers. The head of the city with a circumference of more than ten miles, Wan Yanliang and the servants were loyal and righteous, whether they were inspired to the soldiers I don't know, anyway, wherever they went, as long as they turned their heads outward, they saw the continuous camps of the Song army......

On the night of the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, the soldiers of the Jin Army were destined not to sleep peacefully. During the day, the news of Song Jun's submission had already spread in the city, and even the soldiers knew about the content. Their former supreme commander, the designer and arranger of the Taiyuan city defense, is now in the Song camp, and at this moment, he is afraid that he is accompanying Hu Shuai to draw up a battle plan. This is bad news for them! Even Han Anfu surrendered to the Song army, is it true that our end has come?

After Yan Liang didn't sleep all night, he regretted a little and volunteered to come to Hedong to sit down. I regret that I shouldn't have listened to the advice of the generals and did my best to fight against Xu Wei. It's too late to say anything now, the city has been blocked, no one wants to go out, and the next thing is to do everything you can and make peace with your destiny.

He sat in the dormitory until dawn, and before he had even eaten breakfast, a general came to report that the Song army had set up a cannon and was ready to bombard the city. Wanyan Liang heard the news, and immediately rushed to the city, at this time, the morning glow in the east was reflected by the rising sun in a blood-red sè, which made people uneasy.

What is unsettling is the scene outside the city. Seemingly overnight, there was a sea of artillery outside the city. Wan Yanliang boarded the West City, and outside the West City, on the east bank of the Fen River, towering giant cannons stood one after another, like fierce beasts, which was daunting! He roughly counted it, and as far as his eye could see, there were nearly 100 artillery carts! In this way, how many cannons should the Song army use to bombard the city?

Although Taiyuan City is strong, the city is not vast, and the circumference is only a dozen miles. This is a far cry from the city of Tokyo, which has a circumference of more than 50 miles. Hundreds of artillery shelled ......

At this time, you can also see the mountain of stone bullets next to those giant guns, and the Song soldiers are making final preparations next to the artillery trucks. It is said that in addition to conventional equipment, the Western Army is best at firearms, especially Xu Wei's Hu'er Army, which is the best at this. There is a kind of firearm, called earth-shattering thunder or something, the cannon is on fire, and the sound is heard for hundreds of miles! I heard that it is indestructible and indestructible! Today, will Xu Wei show his housekeeping skills?

When he was distracted, he suddenly heard the guard shouting loudly: "Calm down, beware!" ”

As soon as he looked up, he hadn't noticed anything unusual at first, but when he looked closely, he saw a black dot rising in the air, falling in the direction of his location! That black dot is getting bigger and bigger, what is it that is not a shell? The guards around were a little panicked, and some people had already begun to hide under the female wall.

Wan Yanliang clenched his teeth and remained motionless. The stone bullet whistled and landed right in the moat! The splash of water was several feet high! From the moat to the location of the Song army's artillery car, how can it be three or four hundred steps? And looking at the size of the stone projectile, it is definitely not light, the Song Army cannonball can throw such a large stone bullet so far, its equipment is excellent, and it is worthy of its name!

Song Jun was testing the artillery to correct the position and direction of the artillery truck and prepare for the subsequent attack of the thousand artillery vehicles. Wan Yan Liang punched the city and went down to the city with a solemn expression.

At the subsequent routine military meeting, the senior generals of the defending army gathered together and reaffirmed the main points of the battle after listening to the servants' loyalty: "Once the Song army issued artillery, the artillery group arranged in Taiyuan City launched a counterattack and used artillery to control the artillery. ”

At this time, a general suddenly said: "I once listened to the sergeant who fled back from Yangliang North Pass to say that an important reason why Yangliang Pass was broken is that the power of the Song army's giant cannon is amazing!" Not only can it hit far, but it also hits accurately, and it is not a stone bullet, but a fire bomb, and its sound is like thunder, and it is indestructible! Can our army's artillery vehicles successfully counteract? ”

Before he finished speaking, Yan Liang hurriedly said: "I just inspected my city, just as the Song army was testing the cannon, the artillery was located three or four hundred steps away from the city, but the stone bullet fell into the moat, which shows the power of its giant cannon, and it is worthy of its name." ”

Three or four hundred steps? So far? The servant was a little skeptical. He hadn't fought against the Western Army, so he didn't know how powerful Xu Wei's equipment was. But he knew how many catties and taels of equipment he had, and the largest cannon in the city was a thirteen-tip cannon, which required five hundred people to make it together, and could throw dozens to hundreds of catties of stone bullets three hundred steps away. However, the number of such cannons is limited, and the largest number is still the seven-tip cannon. If the Song army's artillery was really like that, then the tactic of "using artillery to make artillery" would probably be ......

In order not to discourage the soldiers, the servant said loyally: "It's okay, just adapt to the situation." If it can't be controlled, after the Song army's artillery attack, it must always approach the city to attack, and then our army's artillery can be powerful! ”

And the people will hear in their ears, and they will not be silent.

"When the enemy is attacked, all armies should pay attention to concealment, and the head and foot of the city are the least likely to be hit, so that the soldiers can hide. If the enemy stone projectile crosses the city, then the streets and houses near the city walls are the most dangerous areas, so try not to approach them. It is believed that the artillery attack will continue for a period of time, and all departments must stick to their posts, and those who evacuate their duties will be killed! ”

As soon as these words came out, the hall was full of solemnity.

After finishing his words, he looked at Wan Yanliang: "Are there any other instructions for appeasement?" ”

Han Chang looked serious, got up and said, "Everyone, the situation has come to this point, and we have no other way than to live and die with Taiyuan City." When I came, the saint repeatedly instructed that Taiyuan is the most important in the east of the river, and if Taiyuan is lost, the east of the river will be in danger. If Hedong is lost, Yanyun will be affected. For this reason, we will be determined to die, fight the enemy, and never give up lightly. I am done with Yan Di Gu Nai, and I will live and die with you and share weal and woe! ”

These few words were said impassionedly, and even the loyalty of the servants changed slightly. The generals were encouraged by him, and their spirits were lifted!

Fusan Zhongyi then said: "It's not early, you haven't eaten breakfast yet, hurry up and have a full meal, the Song army is afraid that it will soon start shelling the city." ”

The generals said goodbye and left, and the servants were about to leave the festival hall, but Wan Yanliang called behind: "The servants are pacified and stayed." ”

Zhongyi stopped and turned around, only to listen to Yan Liang and said: "Taiyuan City, please leave it to you." After finishing speaking, he saluted him.