The north in November is already a harsh winter, and since ancient times, weather has always been the most important condition to restrain war, and it can be said that the influence of weather on war is crucial, especially in feudal societies with low production capacity and scientific and technological capabilities. In the thousands of years of war history in China, there are many examples of victory or defeat due to weather reasons, but in any case, severe weather is always favorable for the defending side, and Yueyang came to the outside of Shanhaiguan in such weather.

On the morning of November 23, the tenth year of Chongzhen

Wearing a thick green military coat, Yue Yang took a telescope and came to the outside of the city about three miles away from Shanhaiguan to observe the enemy situation, and around him stood more than a dozen generals wearing the same cotton clothes, looking like a group of migrant workers who were preparing to work, but the parties did not have such awareness. Including Yang Guozhu, Hu Dawei, Yue Shunbao, Chu Di and others, including people are very satisfied with this set of outfits, although the appearance is a little weird, but the military coat is a military coat after all, and the warmth performance is definitely leveraged.

Looking at the Shanhaiguan with the thick walls of the city in front of him, Yue Yang's brows slowly wrinkled, and he said slowly: "The name of the first level in the world is really not blown!" ”

Seeing that Yue Yang was a little annoyed, Yang Guozhu on the side stepped forward and nodded: "What Hou Ye said is right, this Shanhaiguan was called Yuguan in ancient times, also known as Linlu Pass, which is a place where soldiers must fight since ancient times. ”

Ignoring the worry in Yang Guozhu's words, Yue Yang squinted his eyes and observed it carefully, and the information about this pass came to his mind. The plane of Shanhaiguan City is square, the circumference is eight miles, one hundred and thirty-seven steps and four feet, the width is five zhang, and the moat of two zhang and five feet deep surrounds it. The exterior of the city wall is covered with blue bricks, and the inside is filled with rammed earth. It is about 14 meters high and 7 meters wide. There are four city gates, the east is called "town east gate", the west is called "Ying'en gate", the south is called "Wangyang gate", and the north is called "Weiyuan gate".

That's it, what's even more outrageous is that there are four urn cities built outside Shanhaiguan, and there are a lot of soldiers stationed in each urn city, which has a lot of defense equipment such as stones, rolling wood, wolf tooth slaps, and strong crossbows, and if the besieging party wants to attack the main city, it must first capture the urn city. After all, no one wants to attack the main city and have to defend against cold arrows from the back.

After watching it for a while, Yue Yang shouted: "Shunbao!" ”

"Here!"

Shunbao stood up, put on a standard standing posture, raised his head and responded: "What does Master Hou command!" ”

Yue Yang pointed to the city wall outside and asked, "Look, what should our army do if they are preparing to attack the city?" ”

Shunbao had already observed the topography of Shanhaiguan several times, and he also had some drafts in his heart, and when he heard Yue Yang ask, she immediately replied without thinking: "Shanhaiguan is indeed a city with thick walls, easy to defend and difficult to attack, especially its four urn cities are the most annoying, and the last general thinks that if you want to capture Shanhaiguan, you must first take those urn cities." Otherwise, if you want to capture Shanhaiguan, it can only be an empty word. ”

"Getting to the point!" Yue Yang said quietly.

Seeing that Yue Yang was a little impatient, Shun Bao hurriedly said: "The last general thinks that although Shanhaiguan is difficult to attack, you have also taught the last general before, and there is no general in this world who will not defeat the battle." There is no city that cannot be broken, and the same is true of this Shanhaiguan. Compared with the elite soldiers under Wu Sangui, our biggest advantage is that our firearms are far sharper than our opponents, and our army also has many large-caliber artillery. As long as the city wall is bombarded with artillery, the last general believes that no matter how strong the city wall is, it will not be able to withstand the artillery bombardment, as long as the city wall collapses. At that time, it will naturally be much easier to attack Shanhaiguan. ”

Hearing this, Wu Chengfeng on the side interjected: "General Yue is indeed reasonable, but have you ever thought about it, if you want to use artillery to break the city, how much gunpowder and ammunition do you need, we have come all the way and carried limited ammunition, how can we squander it so much?" ”

Shun Bao smiled slightly: "I naturally know that we have limited ammunition, but we have less ammunition and less ammunition, so we don't have to fight from the ground." ”

Wang Pu on the side turned over a white smoke: "If you don't fight from the ground, can't you fight from the sky?" ”

"Hmmm......"

As soon as Wang Pu's words came out, the eyes of many people present immediately lit up.

"yes, I didn't think of that!"

"His grandmother is a bear, yes, it's hard to beat on the ground, we can fight from the sky!"

"Hot air balloons, we have hot air balloons! We can let people ride in a hot air balloon and hit the fuck in the sky! ”

Everyone is boiling all at once, sometimes the idea is a window, when you don't push it open, you will feel clueless, but as long as you poke the window open, you will find that there are actually many ways, but you didn't expect it. As soon as Shunbao's words came out, he immediately opened up a broad line of thought for everyone.

After Yueyang integrated the Xuan army, Yang Guozhu, Hu Dawei, Wang Pu and other former Xuan generals also began to slowly integrate into Yueyang's system, whether they were passive or active, this process of integration was going on slowly and firmly, because they knew that those who did not integrate into this collective were bound to be eliminated in the end.

Although Wang Pu's reputation in history is not very good, but this person's strengths are also there, but all people who are afraid of death have a characteristic, that is, the brain is flexible, after Shunbao opened his mind, he immediately said: "Hou Ye, the last general thinks that we can carry more than ten firecrackers on the hot air balloon to fight from the sky, and the last general will not believe it, no matter how strong Shanhaiguan is, it is difficult to even cover the top of his head with city bricks!" ”

"Right...... In fact, it's not just the firecracker, we can also bring 10,000 enemies from above down, and blow up those dogs. ”

As soon as the train of thought was opened, everyone suddenly came up with many ideas.

Looking at the excited people, Yue Yang was very happy in his heart, it seems that everyone's spirit is very high, and the Yuan Xuan generals led by Yang Guozhu have also slowly integrated into this collective, which is a good sign.

Nodding with satisfaction, Yue Yang said: "What everyone said makes sense, but we have to do things step by step, and the ancients also said that they salute first and then soldier......"

Just after the morning of November 24, the tenth year of Chongzhen, Wu Sangui, who was sleeping soundly with his concubine in his arms in the house, was woken up by a knock on the door.

"Knock knock...... Knock knock knock ......"

"Young Master...... Young master, sir, please hurry up to the lobby to discuss matters. ”

Wu Sangui, who got up hazy, couldn't help but tighten up in his heart, and immediately turned over and got up, and the little concubine next to him was also awakened. She only put on a small coat and waited for Wu Sangui to put it on, and she asked while helping Wu Sangui put it on: "Young master, why did the master call you out so early, what happened?" ”

Wu Sangui said angrily: "How do I know, why are you a woman asking so much, and you are honestly staying at home." ”

"Yes!" The concubine replied aggrievedly and didn't dare to say anything.

After Wu Sangui hurriedly got dressed, he immediately came to the lobby and found that the hall was already full of people, his brother Wu Sanfeng, his younger brother Wu Sanfu and a kind of general were all in awe, and his father Wu Xiang sat silently with a sinking face.

Wu Sangui stepped forward and knelt down on one knee and hugged his fists and said, "Son Sangui has seen his father. I don't know why the father is in a hurry to recruit the child! ”

Wu Xiang said with a calm face: "Uncle, get up, this time for my father to urgently recruit you and the generals to come, there is indeed a big event happening, and there is movement in Yueyang outside the city." ”

Wu Sangui's heart tightened, and he couldn't help asking, "What?" Could it be that the Xuan army is attacking the city? No, the Xuan army has always been known for its sharp firearms, and it is impossible to be so calm if it is a siege! ”

Wu Xiang sneered: "They didn't attack the city, but they sent us an ultimatum, so that our father and son led the soldiers of the city out of the city to meet the holy decree." ”

"Out of the city to meet the Divine Decree? Are you kidding! Wu Sangui couldn't help but blurt out: "Is Yue Yang's brain broken, I still think we are all fools." Can we come back if we leave the city? ”

"Hmph...... He calculated that we didn't dare to go out of the city to receive the order, so he dug a pit for us! Wu Sanfeng sneered: "If we go out of the city, he will take us down in one fell swoop, if we don't call him out, there will be reason to say that we have bad intentions." There is also a reason to siege the city. No matter what we do, it will be good for him, this loyal and brave marquis has a good calculation! ”

Wu Sangui thought for a while and said, "Father, since we have already embarked on this road, there is only one way to go to the dark. And that Yueyang child has also dealt with him, this person is unruly and will be revenged, and the child has had a holiday with him before. He came this time with the intention of destroying my Wu family, and the child thought that no matter what trick he made, we just need to remember one thing, that is, we must not have illusions when fighting with him to the end! ”

"Well, Uncle Chang has a point." Wu Xiang nodded, "In that case, you will go up to the city wall with this official, and this official wants to see what Yue Yang wants to do?" ”

When Wu Xiang walked up to the city gate tower with a group of generals, he saw that two or three miles away from the city wall, a neat phalanx was arranged neatly, and countless soldiers in green clothes stood still in the cold wind, and in front of these soldiers, rows of artillery were also lined up in front of the phalanx, and the number of artillery at a glance was quite a lot, at least hundreds of them, and the muzzle of the black hole was facing the city wall, and the cold killing intent was overwhelming.

And Wu Sangui also saw that at the front of the phalanx, a person also wearing a green cotton coat rode a white horse and stood in place, and there were dozens of people standing around him, because Wu Sangui did not see the face of this person clearly because of the distance from Taiyuan, but Wu Sangui had also worked with that person, and after seeing the figure of that person, his eyes immediately turned red and shouted word by word: "It is really Yueyang......

Wu Xiang was stunned and said, "Yueyang is also down there...... Do you see clearly? ”

Wu Sangui gritted his teeth and said, "Of course, even if he turns into a gray child, he will recognize him." ”

After hearing Wu Sangui say this, Wu Xiang looked at the formation of the Xuan army carefully and sighed: "It is worthy of being known as the most elite Xuan army in the Ming Dynasty, as the so-called glimpse of the whole leopard, but looking at the sharp formation of the Xuan army, you can know that Yue Yang can defeat the Qing army is not a fluke, this person has real skills." ”

Hearing his own Lao Tzu praising Yue Yang, Wu Sangui snorted coldly: "What if you have real skills, the child doesn't believe it, can he still fly into the pass?" ”

While he was talking, a knight outside the city rode his horse and galloped towards the city gate of Shanhaiguan, and only stopped when he came thirty steps in front of the city gate, raised an iron horn and shouted at the city gate: "Listen to the people above, we have come to Shanhaiguan to announce the decree by the emperor's will, and quickly let Wu Xiang, Wu Sanfeng, Wu Sangui, Wu Sanfu father and son, and the generals go out of the customs to listen to the order, there must be no mistake!" Do you understand? ”

This cavalryman had a loud voice, and the amplification effect of the horn sent his voice to the city wall very clearly, and the people around him could hear it clearly. Not to mention that the soldiers on the city wall were a little panicked when they heard this, even the faces of Wu Xiang's father and son and the generals changed color slightly.

Wu Sangui's younger brother Wu Sanfu said angrily: "A small soldier dares to be so arrogant and unreasonable...... Shoot this man ...... with an arrow."

"Let's ...... slowly" Before Wu Sanfu could finish speaking, Wu Sangui stopped him, "This person is just a small soldier who spreads words, what good does it do me to shoot him except to anger Yue Yang, besides, we have to rely on him to spread the word." ”

After speaking, Wu Sangui poked his head out of the battlement and shouted to the city: "You and I listen, I am Wu Sangui, the chief soldier of Shanhaiguan." I was ordered to guard the mountain customs, and I didn't dare to go out of the city without permission, so if you want to announce the decree, you can do it. But you need to enter the city, so please ask Marquis Yue to work hard, sit on the hanging basket and go to the city wall to announce the decree for us! ”

Wu Sangui's voice was also not small, when the cavalry under the city heard his words clearly, I saw that the cavalryman's face was angry, he didn't speak, and quickly turned his horse back and ran, telling Yue Yang the original words of Wu Sangui.

After listening, he didn't wait for Yue Yang to speak. The generals behind him rebuked angrily.

"Wu Sangui deceived people too much, and even let Hou Ye enter the city in a hanging basket, this is insulting the Xuan army!"

"Master Hou, hit the fuck! This bullying day is too much! ”

By this time. Even Yang Guozhu, who has the most calm personality, couldn't help but be angry. Yue Yang came to announce the decree on behalf of the emperor this time, and his identity at this time represents the emperor, so you don't open the city gate to welcome the emperor into the city, and even let a messenger on behalf of the emperor enter the city in a hanging basket. This is no longer unreasonable, but blatant contempt and insult!

Yue Yang was not a saint or a temperless monk, and his heart was naturally full of anger. It's just that as the commander of the three armies, he naturally can't express his joy and anger lightly. He looked back at Zhao Yongxin, the commander-in-chief of the artillery battalion, and asked, "Is the artillery battalion ready?" ”

Zhao Yongxin held his chest high and said loudly: "Don't worry, the last general has already been prepared, just wait for Hou Ye's order to bombard his mother." ”

Yue Yang nodded slightly: "Hmm...... What about those hot air balloons? ”

"A total of twelve hot air balloons are also ready!"

"Let's get started!" After speaking, Yue Yang picked up the binoculars and began to look at the city wall, and never spoke again.

Zhao Yongxin took a deep breath and said to the communication soldier beside him: "Sue those rabbit cubs, give Lao Tzu a hard beating!" ”

"Yes!" The communication soldier picked up the walkie-talkie and shouted victoriously: "Artillery battalion artillery battalion, Lord Zhao has an order, fight hard!" ”

"Boom, boom, boom......"

After preparing the wireless walkie-talkie, the troops were incomparable to the army in the cold weapon era in terms of combat efficiency and coordination ability, and only a few dozen seconds after the order was issued, a deafening roar immediately sounded in front of Shanhaiguan.

"Boom, boom, boom......"

With a roar, the hundreds of artillery pieces placed in front of Shanhaiguan spewed out hot tongues of fire almost simultaneously, accompanied by white smoke, projectiles flew towards the city wall, and the discharged shells rushed towards their respective targets with a whistling sound.

"Bang Dang ......"

There was a dull thud, and a cannonball struck a battlement, shattering several bricks at the battlement, and the flying bricks hit several defenders hiding behind, and the soldiers immediately fell in a pool of blood.

As if it was a signal to attack, dozens of projectiles immediately hit the city wall one after another, flying projectiles and rubble flying everywhere on the city wall, the city defenders were horrified to find that these ordinary inconspicuous things had become a life-threatening charm at this time, and many of the city defenders were smashed to the point that their heads were broken and bleeding and they were killed and injured. The defenders on the city wall are still like this, Wu Xiang and other generals standing on the city gate tower have become the focus of the artillery battalion, at this time there have been more than ten 24-pounder cannons aimed at the small city gate tower bombardment, Wu Xiang father and son and the generals had to retreat from the city gate tower in order to avoid the artillery fire.

When Wu Xiang's father and son ran to the hidden soldier cave behind the city wall, they felt safer, Wu Xiang patted his chest in shock and exclaimed: "The Xuan army really lives up to its reputation, this artillery fire is too sharp, no wonder Yue Tuo will die in his injuries, and Huang Taiji will also die because of him." ”

The generals on the side also had palpitations, they had already heard of Yueyang's power, and they thought it was just boasting, but today's shelling made them understand that they were not boasting, they had real skills.

Seeing the appearance of everyone's relatives, Wu Sangui was angry, and said loudly: "Father, you don't have to be angry with others to destroy your prestige, think about how much gunpowder he can use for him to squander even if the Yueyang artillery fire is powerful, from Shanhaiguan to Shanxi, how much food and ammunition can he transport, now it is a harsh winter, we just consume and consume him to death, if God snows again, I see if he can still be angry, wait, God will teach him a lesson!" ”

"That's all there is to it!" Wu Xiang sighed lightly, compared to Wu Sangui's self-confidence, Wu Xiang, who was Lao Tzu, was not so optimistic. (To be continued......)