The defenders stationed in the cities along the border of Lanzhou saw the wolf smoke rising from the direction of those fortresses, and knew that the long-awaited Western Xia cavalry had finally arrived. This kind of knock almost once a year, the veterans of the border city are also accustomed to it.

Compared to previous years, they were very worried that these Fanbang cavalry would attack the city. This year, the defenders of each city are looking forward to the arrival of each other. Try the fortifications of the city walls that they have worked so hard to repair, and the weapons of mass destruction that have been prepared.

In the expectant eyes of these city defense troops and border troops, a rush of dust rose from the plains facing the Western Xia in each city. As soon as the sound of horses' hooves sounded, the trumpeters in the city immediately sounded a piercing warning order.

Some of the officers and men of the city defense who were still resting in the camp tents, except for the temporary stay as reserves, the rest of the defenders who had been arranged in advance were all on the wall. Next to the stone throwing machine built by those craftsmen, there are also many young adults standing on standby.

Originally, this kind of killing of the enemy, the defenders of each city rarely let the people interfere. But in this case, Zhao Xiaoxi proposed the tactics of military-civilian joint defense.

The army was responsible for the defense of the city, and the young people were responsible for carrying supplies and operating these stone-throwing machines, which only required strength. As long as they have a win in wartime, the common people can also receive the same rewards as the army.

This kind of errand that only needs to sell hard work to make money or earn food. For many people who live in the border city and have nothing to do, it is naturally a good errand. Therefore, they are also looking forward to the commander standing next to them, waiting for the order to be issued, so that they will also have the opportunity to show their skills.

Looking at the Fanbang cavalry that galloped in front of the dust, they stopped a mile away from the city wall. The officers and soldiers of the defenders on the city wall also clenched their swords and arrows in their hands, and confronted these Fanbang rangers who had been afraid in the past.

The thousand-man cavalry team that had suffered losses in front of the fortress before, the order they received from Helian Tieshu this time was to attack these cities along the border of Lanzhou. Mobilize as much as possible. The large army stationed in the city of Lanzhou reduced the pressure for the subsequent siege of the city.

As the general of the Western Xia, Helian Tieshu naturally has merits in arranging troops. The tactic of encircling the point to send reinforcements could not be simpler for Helian Tieshu.

If the army of Lanzhou City does not go out of the city to rescue, then this kind of tentative attack. It will turn into a real battle to capture the city. Knocking out the small city near Lanzhou first, and encircling Lanzhou City, it is actually a record that Helian Tieshu has thought about.

In a word, no matter whether the garrison army of Lanzhou City can come out or not, today is winter. Helian Tieshu has already taken the recovery of Lanzhou as a task that he must complete on his expedition. If he could take the border city near Lanzhou and then propose more troops to the country, Helian Tieshu believed that the lord would also agree.

After the confrontation between the two armies, the thousands of cavalry generals of Fanbang. It is customary to send cavalry to shout. The shouting was nothing more than 'Open the city gate and surrender immediately, so that the soldiers and civilians in the city will not die.' If you dare to resist, the chicken dog will not stay. 'Threatening words.

In the face of the old routine of the Fanbang cavalry, the city defenders who have become much stronger this year directly ordered the archers around them. In the way of archery, tell those Fanbang cavalry. If you want to take the city, you can! Then rely on the sword and arrow to get it!

This kind of straightforward reply without talking at all naturally made the Fanbang cavalry angry. Every 1,000 riders. They all immediately responded to the reply given by the city guard. That is to send a few teams of 100 and start staging their horse archery skills.

It's just that what makes them depressed. In the face of these rangers' projectiles on the city walls, the defenders of the border city also learned the art of shield defense. It's not like before, when he couldn't hit the Fanbang cavalry, he shot the iron arrow in his hand.

Instead, he hid under the shieldman's defense, staring at the Fanbang cavalry who kept shooting arrows close to the city wall, once they were within a hundred paces. The officer in charge of the garrison of the city. It will yell 'Attack!' ’

Waiting for those who shoot cavalry under the city walls will be a rain of arrows at close range. Even if some of the city defense troops are not very good at archery, in the condescending shooting, the Fanbang cavalry began to fall from the horse.

Looking at the defense of the border army on the city wall more calmly than before, he touched the gray Fanbang cavalry in front of the fortress. I also felt very depressed. The horse archery technique that frightened the Song army in previous years does not seem to be very effective this year.

With a team of 1,000 men, they wanted to take a border city with thousands of defenders without the help of any siege equipment. It's almost impossible! Intimidation tactics don't work, they have to rely on real kung fu, and they definitely can't do it with this little force.

Looking at the 100-man team under his command in turn, in exchange for the continuous death of cavalry, the depression in the hearts of the thousand cavalry generals commanding the battle can be imagined.

What made them even more puzzling was that in the past, as long as they attacked the city, the defenders of these cities would ignite wolf smoke and ask the big city to send troops to support.

But this year, they attacked for most of the day and lost more than 100 cavalry, and the other party didn't seem to be in a hurry at all.

Even sitting on the horses, the thousand horsemen could also see that the defenders were also hit by arrows from time to time on the city wall. Compared to the defense of the shield of the other party, his elite subordinates have nothing to cover.

They can only rely on their own riding skills to dodge the rain of arrows from the city walls. But being able to dodge the first branch does not mean that you can dodge the second branch. As long as you hit the first arrow, the ending will not be any better.

Using the elite cavalry under his command to exchange these ordinary border troops defending the city is naturally not what the thousand cavalry generals want to see. Soon the order was given to end the first round of attacks, and when the cavalry retreated, there was naturally a cheer on the walls.

'Fangou, come again!' Grandpa gave you a taste of iron arrows! ’

and so on, so that after withdrawing from the range of the arrows, the Western Xia elite horsemen also felt depressed and wanted to vomit blood. This kind of ridicule of the enemy was the treatment they enjoyed before, but how could it be replaced by these weak Song troops this year?

Every cavalry general who suffered a loss in the border city had an idea that his cavalry was unlucky. If you pick a piece of bone that is more difficult to gnaw, if you change to another border city, you probably won't encounter this situation.

But is that really the case?

Just when the thousand cavalry who did not enter the city and reorganized the army to consider the next siege plan, Jingbian City, which was less than two hundred miles away from Lanzhou City. But there is a siege battle that seems to be a bit tragic!

In fact, this siege is a bit tragic, and it refers more to the Western Xia cavalry who attacked this city, doing a bit of fearless siege. The reason is also very simple, their thousand horsemen will be shot.

In order to ensure that each city has some killer weapons, Zhao Xiaoxi deliberately came from Qinzhou and other official craftsman workshops. A lot of the gods arm bows and bed crossbows used to defend the city were allocated for the purpose of defending the city.

And the thousand cavalry generals who were shot, unwilling to fail, personally went out to the city and commanded his cavalry to attack the city. As a result, the city defense officer on Jingbian City saw it and ordered the archer of the bed crossbow to shoot this kind of big crossbow arrows that can be killed with men and horses.

An arrow struck the thousand-rider, piercing through his chest. Looking at the death of the thousand cavalry generals who led the team, it is strange that the cavalry under his command is not crazy. Regardless of casualties, he attacked and fired at the defenders on the city wall.

In the face of this kind of behavior of looking for death, there is no need to worry about the city defenders who are not enough arrows this year. Immediately ordered a tough counterattack against the Western Xia cavalry, who had lost their minds in anger.

Until looking at the cavalry around him, the number of people kept decreasing. Some cavalry officers who regained their senses realized that their thousand cavalry was almost half crippled.

With a few surviving centurions, the order to retreat was given, looking at the cavalry and horses that had died under the walls. The surviving Western Xia cavalry all felt that what had happened this year. It turned out that he came to grab money and make meritorious contributions, how could there be such heavy casualties this year?

Even the surviving cavalry knew that with the simple weapons in their hands, it would be difficult to break through the small city in front of them. The only way to do this is to send someone to report to Helian Tieshu, or the nearby thousand-man cavalry team, to seek reinforcements to avenge the thousand cavalry generals.

But at this time, behind these surviving Western Xia cavalry, a well-groomed cavalry unit suddenly appeared. Looking at the cavalry that seemed to appear out of thin air, the surviving Western Xia cavalry's faces turned pale.

But in the eyes of the Song Dynasty officers and soldiers who defended the city, they felt very excited, because those cavalry wore the same military uniforms as them. This is the elite cavalry of the Song Dynasty, and their sudden appearance means that this thousand-man cavalry team has no chance to be spared.

What could be more joyful than being a soldier to see the enemy defeated and slaughtered!

When the surviving Western Xia cavalry saw the cavalry behind them, they realized that something was wrong. The other side looked prepared, and their arrows were badly depleted, and the soldiers were exhausted from the previous siege.

Coupled with looking at the number of cavalry on the other side, every Western Xia cavalry knew that they were more than lucky this time. It's just that the Western Xia cavalry, who is still calm at the moment, is also really aware.

The great victories in previous years and the weakness of the Song army made them enter this time, and they never thought that the cavalry of the Song army, who did not dare to go out of the city in the past, dared to go out of the city this year. When they are at their weakest and weariest, give them a fatal blow.

With this endless remorse, several surviving centurions immediately ordered their soldiers to prepare for the attack. Because the cavalry team of the Song Dynasty had already begun to run and attack. Whether they survive depends on whether they can withstand this impact.

Turning around, several centurions roared 'Kill! 'The surviving Western Xia cavalry. Although the number of people was less than twice that of the other party, they still rushed towards the other party.

By the time the two armies began to come within the range of bows and arrows, the Song cavalry, which occupied the direction of the wind, had already fired the first wave of arrows. The Western Xia cavalry, who hid their heads to avoid arrows, constantly appeared on their backs as the rain of arrows fell.

The only surviving Western Xia cavalry who was ready to fight in close combat looked at the other side when he took out his crossbow and shot calmly. I knew that they would never be able to return to Xixia this time, and they would never see the smiling faces of their relatives! (To be continued......)