On the day that Xiahou Ninghan and the others rushed back to the expedition camp, hundreds of thousands of Turkic troops also drove to Zijin Pass, completely blocking all roads to the east and west.

With only two hours to go, she may not be able to come back.

Li Jiangyao secretly shouted in his heart, and after praising and comforting everyone, he hurriedly said goodbye to Xiahou Ninghan and went to the Zijin Pass Command Post.

At this time, the Turks were already on the move.

Xu Youchang stood on the high lookout, pointed to the enemy army opposite, and smiled bitterly at Li Jiangyao: "Jiang Yao, look at it, where is this like a Turk who only understands cavalry warfare?" The offensive layout and advance steps are simply a copy of Shengtang! ”

Li Jiangyao put his hand in his eyes, observed carefully for a while, and nodded in response: "You are right, the Turks have really learned to behave. Looking at their stance, they should have planned to engage in a long-range war of attrition first. ”

"I've got the giant crossbow and trebuchet ready." Xu Youchang said in a deep voice: "The two sides are attacking each other, although we have a geographical advantage, but our own goals are relatively more fixed, and it is easy to suffer a devastating blow from the enemy. Therefore, I also asked the craftsmen and people who were in charge of repairing the city walls to assemble as well. ”

Li Jiangyao agreed, observed for a while, and said, "Have you figured out the enemy's number deployment?" ”

Xu Youchang shook his head: "The latest information was sent back from Liangzhou by the people of Yudraluo five days ago. When the Turkic army arrived here today, they specifically swept our scout observation posts in advance, so so far, I don't know the specific arrangements of Ronya. ”

Li Jiangyao's expression looked very calm: "Then let's watch while fighting." What was the morale of the Fifth Army? ”

Xu Youchang smiled: "Naturally, there is nothing to say about morale. The Fifth Army of Juli, like the Sixth Army of the Angry Waves, was formed during the period of Mount Yarumqi. The last time the Sixth Army became famous in the first battle before Zijin Pass, coupled with the promotion to the heavy infantry corps, it suddenly became the trump card main force in the eyes of the command, which made the Fifth Army at the same time as them very unconvinced. At present, the Fifth Army, from the chief general to the soldiers, is clamoring all day long to kill the enemy and make meritorious contributions. ”

"Isn't this the opportunity to make meritorious contributions?" Li Jiangyao smiled: "If the Fifth Army can drag the Turks as much as possible, and even drag down the enemy, then it will be very beneficial to our subsequent counteroffensive." ”

Xu Youchang was stunned when he heard this, and looked at Li Jiangyao in disbelief: "Counterattack? ”

Li Jiangyao nodded firmly: "That's right, counterattack." When Ronia can't take Zijin Pass for a long time, we will launch a decisive counterattack! ”

"To what extent is the counterattack?" Xu Youchang became excited: "Or where is the counterattack?" ”

Li Jiangyao retracted his gaze from a distance, faced his good brother, and said, "As far as you can progress, you can progress to as far as you can!" Hit wherever you can! It's best to counterattack under the imperial capital! ”

Xu You said happily: "Jiang Yao, you're not joking with me, are you?" Are we really about to start the process of a strategic decisive battle? ”

Li Jiangyao bowed slightly: "Good brother, I'm serious." After the loss of the Ghost Desert in Western Xinjiang, the Turks were about to make a second fatal mistake. This time, I won't let them go. Of course, the premise is that we must first hold the Zijin Pass and the Shengyu Pass, and maintain sufficient combat power. ”

Xu Youchang made a standard upright action and said loudly: "Please rest assured!" The humble duty must live up to expectations and keep the purple gold! ”

Li Jiangyao laughed when he saw this, and reached out to pat Xu Youchang on the shoulder: "You guy, as soon as you heard that you were going to counterattack, you were so excited that you were going to do something like that, and you started to be an adult with me again." ”

Xu Youchang said with a smile: "Don't say it, I have been looking forward to the counterattack every day all these years, looking forward to recovering the imperial capital, and looking forward to my hair turning white." Jiang Yao, what are your plans? Tell me about it. ”

Li Jiangyao nodded in understanding: "I'm in the same mood as you, and there is not a moment when I don't want to completely drive out the Turks and restore the peace of Shengtang." Now that the elite of the Turkic Empire is exhausted, it hopes to defeat us in one battle in order to open up the lifeline to the west. However, it was also a big gamble, and if it was lost, the Turks' fighting spirit would be shattered. Therefore, the day they lost their halberds at Zijin Pass was the time for us to counterattack. ”

He paused slightly, and continued: "At present, the forces in our hands, in addition to the Fifth Army guarding Zijin Pass, also have your First Army, the County Lord's Third Army, and the Sixth, Eighth, and Ninth Armies. I think about the defensive battle in the early stage, try to let the Fifth Army and the Eighth Army carry it, and temporarily do not move the four armies of the First, Third, Sixth, and Ninth Armies, what do you think? ”

"Yes!" Xu Youchang responded solemnly: "Although it is an extremely difficult task to use only two armies to defeat the attack of two or three hundred thousand people on the other side, in order to ensure that the counteroffensive force is strong enough, this hard bone has to be gnawed on anything!" ”

Li Jiangyao said sincerely: "Brother, this time I will let you bear the pressure again." Over the years, I am fortunate to have you by my side and have helped me share many things. ”

Xu Youchang's eyes were slightly moist, and he said in a solemn tone: "Jiang Yao, it should be that I thank you." If it weren't for you, I and the 3,000 brethren of the Forward Battalion would have become horse thieves and robbers. It will not be like today, as a soldier, to recover thousands of miles of western Xinjiang, and even recover the capital of the Holy Tang Dynasty. Speak from the heart, your stress. Much older than me. ”

Li Jiangyao nodded vigorously, and tried to hold back the tears of emotion, and then said with a smile: "I'm afraid that the two of us are not old, why did we suddenly start to remember the past and the eventful years?" Hahaha, it's better to be realistic, think about how to deal with Ronia, speaking of which, he is really not an ordinary person. ”

Xu Youchang smiled with him and agreed, "I have never dared to despise this Temple Prince. Putting aside national grievances, Roña is indeed a respectable opponent, bold, witty, experienced, and the soldiers brought out are also brave and good at fighting. ”

Li Jiangyao pointed to the giant crossbow division and trebuchet division that were being deployed in the distance: "As you said, as an excellent general, Ronia is very good at learning war in war. Unlike those in Durham, he only knew how to cling to the Turkic traditional way of fighting and elevated it to military honor. On the contrary, the Prince of the Templars was always observing us, and even imitating us, in order to learn from them and find flaws. Including the second prince Thanli, who is not good at fighting, is also constantly learning and improving. Look at them, they all know how to measure the distance of the giant crossbow and trebuchet first, and then gradually start shooting, what a. ”

Xu Youchang reminded: "Jiang Yao, the other party will start attacking soon, you better go down." This lookout will definitely be a target for them, and it is not too safe. ”

Li Jiangyao smiled faintly: "It's okay. I'm also used to being on the battlefield, so this little scene is nothing. Chief, you go and command the deployment, don't worry about me. ”

Xu Youchang knew that persuasion was also in vain, so he didn't say anything more, and after obeying the order, he turned around and got off the lookout, summoned the commanders of the Fifth Army, the Eighth Army, and the trebuchet position behind the city wall, and began to prepare for an attack with the opponent's long-range weapons.

Half an hour later, the Turks' first fire oil bomb rose into the air and smashed into the wall of the northern section of the Zijin Pass. Immediately after that, the second, the third...... Hundreds of oil and stone bullets pierced the sky and roared.

Almost at the same time, hundreds of flying stones also rose in an instant in Zijin Pass, attacking the Turkic army head-on.

Huge bowstrings buzzed, and the ballistae of both sides joined the warband. The crossbow arrows like javelins, dense as rain, shuttled back and forth in front of the Zijin Pass.

As Xu Youchang expected in advance, the Zhenjiang army had a geographical advantage, and the strike effect of giant crossbows and trebuchets was much stronger than that of the Turks. However, their weakness is also very obvious, that is, the Zijin Pass has a fixed target, and it is very easy to become the target of the opponent's key destruction.

More than an hour passed, and although the Turkic long-range troops suffered a lot of losses, they also smashed Zijin Pass to the ground.

Xu Youchang couldn't help but frown, and scolded fiercely: "Fuck! The Turkic ghost has indeed moved all the old books, and after fighting for so long, there is still such a dense amount of ammunition, as if it can't be used up! ”

Li Jiangyao had already come to his side at this time, and the previous lookout had been completely destroyed by the opponent's stone bullets.

He asked in a deep voice, "What about the losses?" ”

"There are six places in the city wall that have been breached or destroyed," Xu Youchang replied, "but fortunately, the enemy does not plan to directly send troops to attack the city, so our craftsmen can repair it calmly." ”

Li Jiangyao stared closely at the trebuchet position in the distance: "Ronia did it on purpose!" He smashes the walls, and asks you to repair them, and when they are repaired, he will smash them. It is clear that the other side is trying to use long-range weapons to repeatedly consume our resources and torture our will. ”

Xu Youchang sneered: "Hmph, the nine methods of attacking the city, the first to consume the enemy, these Turkic ghosts have really improved." However, we are no less prepared than them, let's see who can't afford it first! ”

Li Jiangyao's expression was a little solemn: "It's better to repair it than to destroy it quickly!" You must tell the commander of the craftsman team to allocate his men reasonably now, and there are still many vicious battles ahead, so as not to exhaust all the strength in the front. ”

"Got it!" Xu Youchang agreed, and then turned around and gave a few orders to the herald, focusing on reminding the craftsman team to pay attention.

Li Jiangyao said again: "I suddenly remembered something. You ask the artisans to bury some vats under the city walls and send people to listen for movements underground day and night. ”

Xu Youchang understood: "Do you suspect that the enemy may want to dig tunnels?" ”

"Ronia has even learned the nine methods of siege, what else is impossible?" Li Jiangyao waved his hand: "From now on, we must completely imagine the other party as a combination of Shengtang and Turkic, and any possibility must be considered." ”