The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

In the morning of the next day, the sun had just emerged from the mountains at the end of the grassland, and Wanyanhu led [-] Jurchen soldiers to the outskirts of Zhengzhou.

The Song army also went out of the city. According to the old rules, they set a fire before leaving. After the army left the city, the entire Zhengzhou city had become a sea of ​​flames. The moat was completely filled by the fallen city wall, and after an hour, Zhengzhou was completely changed.

Wan Yanliang led his troops to watch all this from a distance, secretly startled, the people of Song really had a scorched earth policy, no grass grew anywhere they went, and if the Huanglong Mansion fell into their hands, they would surely destroy it overnight, then But what a pity.

Wan Yanliang's 'big army' surprised people, but they all rode horses, but the horses were only wrapped in straw mats as saddles.The soldiers didn't have any armor either, they were all half-armored animal skins, with animal skin hats and pheasant feathers on their heads, and most of the soldiers under their feet had black feet covered in cow dung.

That's all, the weapons in their hands are even more ridiculous. The bow is a bamboo bow, the spear is a bamboo spear, and some people even hold white animal thigh bones as sticks. There are only a few thousand people in 5 people. There are iron tools, but short pitiful knives.

The soldiers of the Song army looked at the group of beggar soldiers pitifully, and looked at their gleaming armor, polished knives and guns, feeling a sense of pride spontaneously; Wan Yanliang and his beggar soldiers could clearly see that This kind of disdain made their faces a little feverish, but they all puffed up their chests and belly, and refused to show any envy.

However, that Marshal Su was kind and amiable, and there was no trace of disdain in his smile. When Wan Yanliang met him, he even praised the Jurchen army a few words: "Sure enough, the imposing manner is fierce, the figure between the white mountains and the black waters It’s extraordinary, after looking at this large army, I finally understand why the Liao people just become your vassals and not slaves.”

Wan Yanliang's affection for the handsome young man with a slight beard in front of him immediately increased, he said a few words of humility, and straightened his back even more.

After the army set out, Pan Jiang asked Su Jin on the way: "Commander, how can such a Jurchen help? Bamboo arrows and bamboo spears can do nothing?"

Su Jin smiled and said nothing, thinking: If you knew that it was these bare-bottomed aborigines who would build a great empire in the future, and even the Song Dynasty would be wiped out, you would not think so.

Pan Jiangwu said to himself: "Commander, why don't we give them some weapons, so that they will be more useful."

Su Jin suddenly changed his face and said: "Stupid words, raising tigers is a problem? Don't give them a single nail. After capturing Longzhou, all weapons and materials will be taken away, and those that cannot be taken away will be destroyed on the spot. Don't leave anything behind." Excuse me; we are using them to help us contain the Liao army, and the Liao army in the south must have returned to help, and they need to rebel to contain it, so after the Liao state is defeated, do we want to cultivate another Jurchen who threatens us?"

Pan Jiang didn't understand why the commander-in-chief was so afraid of this Jurchen tribe, but since Su Jin was so solemn, of course he had to obey completely. Su Jin had already made up his mind. If the Liao Kingdom could be destroyed, the next step would be to destroy the Jurchen tribe If they are wiped out, at worst, they will be driven to the extreme north. The lessons of history must be learned, and this hidden danger must not be left behind.

Two days later, Xiongguan was in sight. When they saw Longzhou for the first time, everyone gasped, but they saw a huge wall standing between the two mountains. On the only passage connecting the north and the south, a large dark city stood between them, looking down on the world. The terrain in the north and south is wide, so it can be attacked, but the east and west walls are less than four or five feet away from the cliff, and there is no city gate at all, and the narrow passage between the city wall and the cliff can't stand at all, because standing there is tantamount to sending your neck to the ground. In front of the defenders at the head of the city, let them cut it down.

Standing in front of this city, Su Jin also felt a little weak. A full frontal attack would pay a heavy price. Clamping a city is simply a place where a dog bites a hedgehog.

The loss of the frontal attack was too great, Su Jin moved the idea of ​​​​attacking from the cliffs on both sides, but how ridiculous it is to adopt this method immediately after a little try. They would not be able to go up the mountain, but some generals immediately came up with a solution. They proposed a plan of attacking with fire. They burned the forest with fire, and even if they didn't attack, they would be roasted.

Su Jin also thinks that this plan is feasible. The biggest advantage of this city is the terrain, but the biggest disadvantage is indeed such a terrain. Su Jin is a little confused why the people who built the city didn't consider the factor of fire attack. After thinking about it carefully Su Jin suddenly realized that the mountains and forests are not so easy to catch fire. They are all evergreen firs and pines. Things can support combustion, so there is no danger that the forest will be burned down; and even if the forest is on fire, the east and west sides of the city will have a greater impact, and it is obviously unrealistic to destroy the city with fire.

Su Jin does have something to light the fire. He has thousands of barrels of kerosene, and he can ignite the fire immediately if he wants to attack the fire. But the problem is that the kerosene is too precious, and the effect of the fire attack is not very good. Quite reluctant.

On the second day of the camp, Su Jin called all the generals to discuss how to attack in the tent. They said that there was no other way to attack except fire. Wan Yanhu also attended the meeting, but he didn't say a word, just ate The food on the table, drinking the wine that comes with it.

Jingtai suddenly remembered what Wanyanhu said. Before he came here, he said that he knew the weakness of Longzhou, so why don't he talk about the solution now; What can the natives in tiger skin skirts do?

Su Jin was very interested, and said with a smile: "Boss Wanyan, don't hide if there is a good way. This city will be your city in the future, and you don't want us to burn down the forest and make this place a mess."

Wan Yanhu said: "Marshal Su, attacking with fire is useless, I have been to Longzhou many times, there are fire escape tunnels in the city, the fire in the city may still be effective, the fire in the mountains on both sides is harmless at all, don't waste that energy. "

Su Jin raised his eyebrows and said: "So, the only way is to attack by force? It's okay, I have craftsmen with the army, and there are a lot of wood here, so it's not difficult to build some siege equipment. It will definitely be taken within ten days."

Wan Yanhu said: "Don't bother, I have already thought of a way, I will lead people to rush into the city, your army will take advantage of the chaos to attack the city, if things go well, it will take half a day."

"boast!"

"The sky is full of cowhide flying."

The generals of the Song army rolled their eyes and looked down on him. The native in the tiger skin skirt was quite good at talking nonsense. It turns out that bragging is not the Song people's patent.

Su Jin smiled and said, "But how do you enter the city? You are beaten from the front, and the mountains and cliffs are on the side. I am afraid it will not be easy."

Wan Yanhu said: "I have my own way. My fifty thousand sons climbed up the cliffs on both sides separately to the top of the city. You just attack."

Su Jin's heart moved: "Dropping from the cliff to enter the city? It's a good way, I didn't think of it; but how can I climb the cliff? It's hard to walk in the mountains and forests. Are you going to break through the thorns? Or do you need to burn down the mountains and forests first? up?"

Wan Yanhu got up and cupped his hands and said: "Marshal Su, no need to trouble, my Jurchens have their own means, the Marshal only needs to set the date of attack, and the rest is to use the fireworks in the city as the name, and the smoke will start for your army. attack the city, and then we will be in the city."

Su Jin saw that Wanyanhu was so confident, and also that Wanyanhu's people were leading the charge, so he didn't have any psychological burden, so he immediately gave the order to have breakfast and lunch early, and start the attack at noon.

The [-] Jurchens roared loudly after Wanyan Hu babbled, and then divided into two teams, one headed east and the other headed west to the mountain side. Seeing the barefoot and bare legs of these people, the soldiers of the Song Dynasty were shocked. Li muttered non-stop: "Isn't this bloody? The thorns and vines are not polite to you. These Jurchens are out of their minds."

Su Jin sat on the horse and squinted to watch the Jurchens reach the foot of the mountain. The dark Jurchens quickly disappeared into the forest. Then the treetops trembled like wheat waves and rolled forward. The Jurchens on the treetops moved and jumped like swimming in water. fish.

The generals were also dumbfounded, and Su Jin sighed: "This time I know what it means to be ugly. They have lived in mountains, forests and valleys for a long time, and they are good at moving around trees, but I didn't expect it."

Pan Jiang sighed softly: "I know why the commander-in-chief is so guarded against them. He is not only brave, but also resourceful. He is already superior in quality, but he is supplemented with sharp blades and strong armor, which is a serious problem."

Su Jin took a deep breath and shouted: "Everyone is ready, look at the fireworks signal, and attack the city immediately."