stubborn thief

The sound of the cannon was really scary.

But what's even more frightening is that Long Zaitian's thousand Yunnan soldiers were not frightened by the cannon.

The southwest during the Tianqi and Chongzhen years was not a peaceful place. The sequelae of the agrarian reform made the battles between Yunnan and Guizhou no less brutal than those in northern Shaanxi.

Fifteen years ago, Long Zaitian was just a village commander. He was able to rise to a high position and lead tens of thousands of troops to support Shaanxi. He relied on defeating the rebel chieftains in Yunnan and Guizhou over the years.

Yunnan is located in a remote area, and it was difficult for Tu-Han soldiers to obtain the latest firearms and equipment during the long war. Because of this, Long Zaitian's Yunnan soldiers were more familiar with the ancestor-level Ming army firearms.

In other words, when Zhang Xianzhong used the cannon, he picked up some antiques from a century ago and used them to make fun on the battlefield.

The Yunnan soldiers were beaten by camp shock and artillery, which was just a common method used by the enemy when they encountered battles.

It's so familiar that it couldn't be more familiar.

Everyone's fighting spirit has even become stronger: the artifacts of the Ming army in the north are not very new, and the camp cannon still fires sixty times and thirty times!

Explosive bombs are indeed explosive, but just like recruits are afraid of cannons and veterans are afraid of guns, people often have different views on familiar weapons.

Artillery that fires explosive bullets generally have short diameters. This is because the shells of the explosive bullets are large and require more powder to shoot farther. However, the explosive bullets made of pig iron can withstand relatively small chamber pressures.

For example, a bowl-mouth cannon with a barrel that is only three times the caliber cannot shoot accurately when shooting at long distances with explosive bullets.

If the lion cannon can hit a target at a distance of a hundred steps and aim at an individual soldier - of course it may not be possible, but at least it can be observed and there is a probability that it can be accurately targeted.

So if the bowl-mouthed cannon is loaded with explosive ammunition, the only one that can aim at a distance of a hundred steps is a hundred-man brigade, and even this may not be able to hit accurately.

At the same time, in order to avoid accidents, loading of blooming bullets also requires filling with wet soil and sealing with wax, which is much more laborious than solid bullets. Therefore, armies that commonly use this type of firearm understand that this thing is ineffective and its deterrent effect is not that strong.

When the Yunnan soldiers were bombarded by explosive bombs, junior officers showed extremely high courage and courage.

The Yunnan soldiers wearing black and white turbans each held their own, especially because they had fewer muskets. Some soldiers with muskets were blown down by the cannons. Not only were the soldiers around them not afraid, they even swooped up and snatched away the bullets, becoming a new force. musketeer.

If you exclude the dozens of muskets in the military formation, Long Zaitian's chieftain soldier actually looks like a living fossil.

They wore red lacquered cowhide armor, carried ring-headed knives on their waists, carried heavy spears three people high, and carried crossbows. Even if they were said to be unworthy flying troops, some would believe them.

In fact, they are indeed as brave and good at fighting as the Wudang Feijun.

When the sound of pounding horse hoofs sounded in front of the two battalion lines, the mighty Lintao Brigade Flag Army approached in large horizontal formations. Several officers from hundreds of families had drawn their swords on the side of the formation, shouting Surge forward.

From Zhang Xianzhong to the flag officer, the whole army agreed that this battle did not require much effort, and a single assault could knock hundreds of Ming troops back into the main formation.

Because they all have typical Han thinking.

The Han people are shrewd. Even if they are helpless and angry, they will have to use their lives to decide whether they will make a profit or a loss when they are about to die.

Therefore, Han soldiers need to do questions, simple calculation questions, one is their own lives, and the other is the meaning of death in battle. Only when the answer is death at this value can they move forward.

In the eyes of Zhang Xianzhong and the Lintao Brigade Flag Army, it was obviously not worthwhile for the Ming army to die in this night attack. This was not a battleground. Even if they tried their best to block it, they would not be able to block it. Secondly, they would be able to block it. How?
Since the answer is not worth it, it is better to be defeated.

However, different living environments, cultural customs, and beliefs determine that different people have different views on life and death.

For example, the soldiers under Basang's command did not care about whether they were worthy or not. They chanted a few words of Buddha's name and then marched steadily towards the general's cannon: This life is very hard, and Buddha took the first step and reincarnated.

Long Zaitian's Yunnan soldiers are also very stupid.

Their custom is to laugh at cowards.

To dodge in the face of enemy gunfire is a shame and a disgrace.

On this basis, each battalion under Long Zaitian's command is composed of native soldiers as officers and native civilians as soldiers. The military law is extremely strict and cruel. At the same time, it is also a feudal army bound by clan, blood, neighbors, and master-servant relationship. .

This resulted in a cowardly act on the battlefield. It would be a small matter for the person to be directly executed by military law, but the whole hometown would know that he was a coward, but a big thing would be for him to be killed in society.

At this moment, Zhang Xianzhong ordered the troops to advance. In front of the formation, Shi Xiang held Yang Guodong's cavalry and assigned staff generals Zhang Yunqi and Li Zude to lead [-] troops to advance in separate divisions. They saw an astonishing scene.

Under the torch, the leaders of the local soldiers wearing black cloaks and black scarves came forward one by one. Facing the surging Lintao soldiers, they could not help but retreat. They actually walked up to the battle line blowing trumpets.

The soldier leaders were all wearing black cloaks and painted cowhide armor, and they were spinning while blowing trumpets. They were like black tops spinning and jumping in front of the formation. For a while, the trumpets sounded one after another in front of the formation, and they turned around several times. The people pulled out their Huanshou swords and faced the Tao Brigade's offensive and came forward one after another.

The same was true for the two battalions of hundreds of Yunnan soldiers behind them. They fired crossbows, lined up spears, drew ring knives, and formed a small formation to launch a countercharge.

Shi Xiang had never seen this strange scene before. He smiled instead of angry while riding on his horse. He raised his hand and pointed at the messenger and said: "Go, tell General Zhang to cross this group of people from the right wing and let Li Zude deal with them; General Yang will go too." , left wing, fight the soldiers behind him!"

"If you can't roll back the bead curtain, then you have to fight head-on to defeat them all. I don't believe it... Even if you can't defeat the thieves from the north, how can you defeat some southern barbarians?"

Yang Guodong hadn't gone far yet. He paused when he heard this. He thought that Commander Shixiang was very vengeful. How could he be so angry after being attacked by him?Still can’t forget it.

Under the cover of night, troops collided one by one, crossbows fired fiercely in the smoke of guns and gunfire, and ring knives and spears stood out in the rush.

Amidst the roar of shouts, Zhang Xianzhong blocked the Yunnan army's line with one battalion in the center, and two battalions outflanked it from the left and right wings.

On the other side, Long Zaitian, who focused his attention on the north bank of the Wei River, also discovered that something was wrong as soon as the cannon exploded.

When General Qian of the two battalions on the east side sent a report that the east side could not hold out, Long Zaitian had already assigned six [-] battalions to support, and then reported it to Zuo Liangyu, asking Zuo Liangyu to send reinforcements.

Although until now, Long Zaitian still didn't know how many marshal troops there were in the east, he could probably judge the situation at this time.

Liu Chengzong's main force was on the north bank of the Wei River. This was seen by his sentries with his own eyes. There was also a large-scale enemy raid in the east, which meant that he had to defend both sides.

The call for help is inevitable.

Long Zaitian only had [-] Yunnan troops under his command. He transferred [-] troops to defend the east and left [-] cavalry in the Chinese army as a mobile reserve. So with only [-] troops from the eight battalions in Weinan, it was impossible to defend the vast territory of more than ten miles. River bank.

When Liu Chengzong's army rushes from the north, they will be defeated and everything will be lost.

Zuo Liangyu in the siege camp now saw the problem with their deployment.

They have a large army, but they are pinned down everywhere.To the east of Baoji, there were 1 people in Long Zaitian, and they were restrained by the east and north.

To the west of Baoji, Cao Wenzhao's more than 1 troops were restrained by the marshal's army who burned the camp in the northwest.

Under Baoji City, he and Ai Wannian's six thousand Changping and Yansui soldiers were restrained by the defenders in Baoji City.

"Damn it, the thief got another army from nowhere. The east side can't be defended. We must send out an elite force to support."

Zuo Liangyu turned to look at Ai Wannian sitting on the top chair: "Brother Yuhua, are you going or should I go?"

Ai Wannian didn't say anything, and waved to the servants in the tent to help him up.

Three strong servants used their strength to help General Ai, who was half-dead from anal prolapse.

Zuo Liangyu couldn't bear to see that Ai Wannian, a martial arts scholar with a scholarly background, had been tortured into this kind of virtue by the cruel war in a few years. He was vomiting from the top, spraying from the bottom, bleeding from both ends, it was difficult to stand, and he had to be brought to the court. Soldiers fight.

Just listen to Ai Wannian sigh and say: "I'll go."

"can you?"

Ai Wannian turned to look at him with complicated eyes and said nothing.

He thought to himself, "What nonsense are you talking about? Do I have a choice?"

You stay outside the city and guard Baoji. If the situation on the outer battlefield is unfavorable, Luo Ru will fight out of the city. You have agile legs and can retreat while fighting.

With my damn movement speed, Luo Ru just came out and I had no place to retreat. If we were to defend the south bank of the Wei River, we would at least have depth. With the Wei River there, we could at least compete with Liu Chengzong in the river in terms of movement speed.

Ai Wannian did not want to say more on this issue and directly ordered the Yansui Army to prepare to move their camps. Then he said to Zuo Liangyu: "The battle cannot be fought by the nose. The most urgent thing is to find Liu Chengzong's whereabouts first."

Although Zhang Xianzhong led his division and Xiang troops to appear on the battlefield, it exceeded the expectations of the Ming army generals.

Ai Wannian still did not forget the original combat goal. They wanted to find Liu Chengzong, launch an assault on him with an elite team of servants, and take his head.

If it were during the day, this plan would be very simple, but now it was late at night. Except for Zhang Xianzhong's army in the east, they did not know where the remaining marshal's troops were, let alone accurately find Liu Chengzong's location.

However, what he said was very loud, and a number of horses came rushing towards him from the west of the camp. One of them was a servant in the camp, and said in a panic: "Commander Zuo, something bad has happened. The traitors will kill General Luo Shen!"

Zuo Liangyu blinked, his ears heard these words, but his brain hadn't reacted yet, and he thought to himself, what did this bastard fart?
"He brought hundreds of horses with him, how could he be killed?"

"The rebels pretended to be Cao Shuai's generals, talked to General Luo in the north of the city, and shot General Luo to death with a barrage of arrows."

Zuo Liangyu closed his eyes and raised his head, feeling the blood all over his body rushing to his head, making him dizzy.

After a moment, he calmed down and opened his mouth several times before asking: "Are they rebels or traitors?"

In fact, what he wanted to ask was whether the marshal's army that interspersed between their east and west armies came from the north or the south.

In fact, they are all marshal's troops, but for the Ming army, the rebels are in the north, with Liu Chengzong as the main force; the Baoji defenders are in the south, with Luo Rucai's bandit troops.

But this question was obviously too profound for the servant who followed Luo Dai to the north of Baoji City and was beaten.

"This, this... Zuo Shuai, I don't know."

The servant thought carefully. He was probably thinking that the rebels had crossed the river, but there was a big gap in status between him and Zuo Liangyu, and he did not dare to analyze it without authorization.

I had no choice but to bravely report: "The villain followed the general and took orders from Commander Zuo. When he went to the north of the city, he saw a large group of people sneaking around. The general ordered us to step forward and stop them."

"The rebels said that they were the commanders of Cao Cao's army attacking Cao Dingjiao. They called for help and said that the enemy troops were coming behind them. The general did not doubt that he was there, so he rode forward and wanted to question him carefully."

"Then a loud arrow hit the general. Yes, it was a loud arrow. In the blink of an eye, dozens of arrows were shot randomly in the dark night. The general was caught off guard and hit in the face. We fought with him. Later, Baoji City opened the north gate and another team came out. Thief."

"We fought desperately to capture the general and fought and retreated. But for some reason, the two teams fought on their own for a long time. After a while, they divided into two teams. One team entered the city and the other walked north."

After saying that, the servant took out his quiver, pulled out a broken feather arrow and offered it to him, saying, "Commander Zuo, this is the ringing arrow."

Zuo Liangyu took the sounding arrow and narrowed his eyes slightly: "Are you telling the truth?"

The servant kowtowed: "Commander Zuo Mingjian, I don't dare to tell half a lie!"

On the shaft of the broken arrow, five characters were carved: Yan'an Li Rugui.

Zuo Liangyu gritted his teeth: "Liu Chengzong used his troops like ghosts, his shapes and figures were erratic, and he defeated one of my generals!"

To him, the information about the night attack had been put together.

It was Liu Chengzong who sent Li Rugui to cross the Wei River from their junction with the Ningxia border army.

This small group of elites first attacked Cao Wenzhao's camp, and then rushed to the east like lightning. They hit Luo Dai who came to assist and shot him dead.

During this process, Luo Rucai, a confused man in the city, saw the fighting outside the city. Regardless of whether he sent troops first to fight, he started fighting with them, so that Li Rugui's army returned angrily and crossed the river back to Weibei.

In fact, Liu Chengzong was also wronged. He obviously did nothing, and it was all due to Brother Zuo's excellent brainstorming ability.

The real situation is certainly not what Zuo Liangyu imagined.

The reason why Li Rugui and his gang had an internal fight with the reinforcements in the city after shooting Luo Dai was entirely because the Ming army who broke out with him realized that something was wrong after the death of General Ming, and caught up with Luo Rucai's men to leave the city.

These trapped Ningxia soldiers may be confused about Luo Dai in the east, but they know very well that Luo Rucai in the city must be the enemy.

They fought again and again but could not go back to the west. After killing Luo Dai, they could not go east. They could only cross the river and go north as deserters.

But in Zuo Liangyu's view, the situation is completely different.

He wrote quickly and told Cao Wenzhao the information he knew. At the same time, he suggested: "In ancient times, Zhang Xiu attacked Cao Cao, and he was defeated first and then won. At this time, the Liu thief sneaked across the Wei River and defeated me for a while, and then took the east route. If the army attacks in a large scale, the troops stationed on the north bank will definitely take the defense lightly."

"Commander Cao sends troops to attack the camp at this time. He will definitely win a complete victory and reverse the unfavorable situation of our army!" (End of this chapter)