Yi Song

Chapter 225 Wang Zhen’s Troubles

It has been four days. We have been surrounded at Yamato Castle for four days.

Wang Zhen stood on the sentry tower of Yamato Fort, looking around, his thoughts difficult to calm down.

Yamato Castle is built on a peak on the west bank of the upper reaches of Jialu River. The terrain is dangerous and guards the only way from Mingtang River to Jialu River, Tuwei River, Quye River and the Yellow River.

Below the village wall is a steep cliff, and only on the northwest side is there a gentle slope leading up.

At the foot of the mountain, there is a road running from southwest to northeast. It is only wide enough for three horses to walk abreast, but in this place with dense ravines and continuous mountain peaks, it is a thoroughfare.

In the surrounding hillsides and valleys for more than ten miles, tents of the Xixia army can be seen everywhere.

Smoke was everywhere, and many people were coming in and out of the tent. Some ten, some twenty or thirty people gathered around the campfire. Holding wooden bowls, drinking hot soup and eating the distributed food.

They are old and young, strong and thin, and most of them are men. A few women were busy distributing hot soup and food while bending over.

Most of their faces were dark and red by the firelight. His eyes were dull, looking at the bowl in his hand, and the fire in front of his eyes, as if this was how he had been in this life.

At the foot of the mountain stronghold, hundreds of Xixia soldiers drove ox carts to carry corpses from the ground to the carts. Hundreds of corpses, stacked one on top of another, looked like firewood brought in for sale.

Zhe Kecun and Yang Zongmin led the Fulin Corps with 6,000 horse and infantry troops, crossed Tuweichuan, captured Wanhu Valley, Ninghe Fort and other key pass forts, and surrounded the Triangle City.

Further away, there were herdsmen riding horses and driving their cattle and sheep back. The setting sun shines over, like a touch of freshly shed blood, so red it makes people panic.

"More than half of Xixia Kingdom are Han people." Wang Xun replied, "Have all our wounded been placed?"

Wang Zhen turned back to look at him, smiled and asked, "Isn't that what fighting is like?"

In order to cover the Fulin Corps' capture of this important castle on the Tuwei River, the most important fortress connecting Linzhou and the Jinning Army, Wang Zhen took the initiative to lead his troops to attack and capture Yamato Castle, blocking the flanks of the Fulin Corps.

"Han people." Wang Xun said from behind.

"Don't worry, Dad, everything has been arranged. There are two medical officers sent by Xuanji in the army, with ten medical rescue soldiers. General Manager Guo left them all in Yamato Castle.

Driving a bullock cart, carrying a cart full of corpses, the driver covered his sleeves, raised his head, and sang folk songs in a hoarse voice.

"My boss's man has been away for thirteen years. My mother-in-law from the west's family has been waiting for thirteen years. The mountain elixir has bloomed and faded thirteen times, but my man has not returned yet.

"But..." Wang Xun didn't know what to say for a while.

"How's the damage?"

After Wang Xun answered, he couldn't help but ask: "Dad, why did this battle suddenly become like this?"

Half a month ago, my father and Guo Zude, the deputy general manager of the troops and horses of Hedong Road, as the commander and deputy commander of the Jinning Corps respectively, led 9,000 horse infantry and 5,000 civilians. They marched north along the Jialu River.

"The food can last for twenty days, and there are still 46,000 arrows. Manager Guo left most of the supplies and ordnance to us."

In the distance, people were surrounding a dozen cars, unloading things. There were also a few people who climbed into the vehicle and banged on it, probably inspecting their horse-drawn and ox-cart.

Thanks to them, the wounded were properly accommodated. "

"Twenty-six people were killed today and ninety-nine were injured. The medical officer said that about eleven people cannot be cured."

Wang Xun was silent for a while and then asked: "Are there enough grain and arrows?"

I rode horseback to the Yellow River and asked the thirteen people I met, "Dear guests traveling from east to west, have you ever seen this handsome man in my family?"

They first gathered in Qingquan Village, then raised troops to besiege Tongqin Village, captured it in one day, and then captured Sancha Town. They captured all the thousands of Xixia people in Mingtang River and sent them back to Hedong.

Three days later, Triangle City and Yamato Fort were all captured. Together with the Suide Corps led by Zhong Shidao, the troops moved out of Wuding River and besieged Yinzhou City.

At that time, the Song army was so powerful that it was likely to sweep across Henan.

But I never expected that in just three days, the situation would take a turn for the worse. Weiming Anshi, the commander-in-chief of the Shen Yong Army on the left, led the cavalry to attack Linzhou Yincheng in a detour.

If Yincheng falls, the access between Fulin Corps and Linzhou Fuzhou will be cut off, and there will be no way out.

Unable to do so, Yang Zongmin had no choice but to lead 3,000 infantry troops to stay and guard the Triangle City and carry out Liu Guozhang's military order - to be crucified in the Triangle City. The rest of the main force, led by Zhe Kecun, returned to aid Yincheng.

At the same time, another Xixia army emerged from nowhere and headed straight for Tongqin Village.

Tongqin Village was captured, leaving the Jinning Army alone and in great danger.

In desperation, Wang Zhen ordered Guo Zude to lead the main force and civilians back to Tongqin Village, while he took 3,000 infantry to stay at Yamato Fort.

"Dad, the soldiers have doubts, why don't we retreat to Tongqin Village and stay in Yamato Castle alone in the enemy's territory?"

"Haha, Dalang, are you having doubts?"

"Yes, I have this doubt too. But this does not affect my determination to follow military orders and hold on to this fort."

Wang Zhen glanced at his eldest son, who was much darker and thinner, and felt more relieved. He raised his head and looked at the rolling yellow mountain plateau in the distance, winding between heaven and earth.

"It is the tradition of our Song Army to attack with great momentum, to fight each other when fighting, and to retreat as soon as they are defeated." Wang Zhen said leisurely with his hands behind his back, looking into the distance.

"I have heard my father talk about these problems, and he has taught me through blood and tears. Commander Jie has been working hard to solve these problems."

"We noticed something different during this expedition."

"What's different?" Wang Xun couldn't help but take two steps forward.

"When we engaged in battle, we did not fight independently. When we attacked, when we left Qingquan Village and attacked Qin Village, we contacted the Fulin Corps who left Tuwei River and attacked Ninghe Fort.

Our two armies are sixty miles apart, separated by mountains and rivers. In the past, it would have been as far as Hedong to Hexi. Now we use black smoke and firelight to communicate with each other day and night. Although it is brief, we all understand each other's situation.

Knowing that there are friendly forces on the side, and fighting alone, the feeling in the heart is completely different. "

"Well, these are all formulated by the Commander-in-Chief, and the communications officers sent by the Propaganda Division are working on them day and night." Wang Xun nodded.

"So when Zheyang encountered the Xixia army attacking the rear flank, he immediately notified us, and then divided his troops to defend and return reinforcements. When we encountered the Xixia army rushing to attack Tongqin Village, we had no choice but to divide our troops to defend and return reinforcements, and also notified us to stay in Triangle City Commander Yang."

Wang Zhen held the railing of the sentry tower with both hands and leaned forward slightly.

"My father has been in the army for more than 20 years. He has taken orders from Lu Gong (Lu Huiqing), Zhang Gong (Zhang Kai) and Tong Taiwei. He has fought nearly a hundred battles, large and small. But I have never been so down-to-earth as this time. Pass?"

"Solid?"

"Yes, I feel at ease. I know what I should do and what my colleagues will do."

"Dad, our Jinning Corps should be anchored in the upper reaches of the Jialu River, and the Fulin Corps should be anchored in the upper reaches of the Tuwei River." Wang Xun replied knowingly.

"That's right. The Suide Corps of Zhongshidao should be anchored in Mingtang River and Wuding River. Dalang, do you know why?"

Wang Xun thought for a while and asked hesitantly: "Are we all bait?"

"Yes, that's not right either." Wang Zhen replied with a smile.

At this time, a clear cry came from above the head. Wang Xun and his son Wang Xun looked up and saw a golden eagle passing by with its wings spread.

It soared in the sky, looking down at the land coldly.

No one knows who its prey is. But everyone knows that its prey is any animal on the land.

(End of this chapter)