Northern Dynasties

With the courageous fighting of the generals at the head of the city and the continuous reinforcements from the soldiers behind, the west section of the city wall of Yan Han City was gradually captured.The defenders retreated steadily and retreated into the city at the turret.

Despite being at a disadvantage, these defenders still did not give up resistance, because they were supported by the belief that reinforcements from the east of the city were about to enter the city for reinforcements, so under the organization of their respective commanders, they started alley fighting with the enemies who attacked the city .

Li Tai also led the troops from the rear into the city, stood on the top of the city and watched the enemy situation in the streets and alleys. Seeing those people who were at a disadvantage but still fighting bravely, he couldn't help feeling that these Eastern Wei soldiers were really tough. Then they dispatched soldiers into the city to support them, dividing these defenders into different streets and alleys and annihilating them one by one.

However, the battle in the west and west of the city was still going on, and a large number of city residents suddenly poured in from the east of the city.

Seeing this scene on the top of the city, Li Tai frowned immediately, thinking that the enemy was about to counterattack in a desperate struggle, and was waiting for the people to gather together to suppress this counterattack, but soon noticed that these city residents were completely unarmored. Armed with a stick, bare-handed and noisy.

The defenders who were still struggling in the streets and alleys were excited when they saw these city fellows rushing over, and couldn't help shouting: "Reinforcements have already entered the city..."

"The reinforcements, the reinforcements are all dead...there are no reinforcements left!"

Someone screamed in panic, but didn't stop on their feet, but instead of rushing up to fight side by side, they knelt down in front of the enemy wielding knives and guns with a plop and shouted miserably: "Surrender, surrender... Spare, spare!"

As these city residents brought the news that the reinforcements had been killed and retreated, the last belief supporting the stubborn defenders had also collapsed. The soldiers who were still fighting bravely before dropped their weapons one after another. As if his muscles and bones had been taken away, he lay limp and fatigued on the ground.

However, their resistance just now also caused a lot of casualties to the siege troops, and many soldiers of the Western Wei Dynasty were also jealous. Although these defenders had given up their resistance, they still refused to put away their butcher knives and went straight into the crowd Continue to hack and kill.

In the face of the enemy's massacre, these guards were no longer as brave as they were before, but just waited numbly.People in desperate situations have their last hope destroyed, and they live but die.

In a brutal war, this is just an ordinary scene.The joys and sorrows of the little people will never have any impact on the process and outcome of the war.

In order to defend the city or organize an effective counterattack, Li Tai did not immediately order the soldiers to stop fighting. He waited until He Ruodun, who had invaded from the east of the city, sent a message that he had taken control of the city lord's mansion and all the personnel. The soldiers put away their swords and guns, and drove the captives into the open area of ​​the city.

"My lord, the servants are lucky to live up to their fate!"

With the end of the battle in the city, He Ruodun and others escorted a group of captives from the inner city to usher. When he saw Li Tai, He Ruodun stepped forward even more, half asking for credit and half self-satisfied, saying: "Before Thousands of thieves from the east rushed over from the river valley to help them, and the servants kept in mind the command of the master, and did not dare to retreat because of the strength of the enemy, and used the armor sword given by the master to meet the enemy..."

Because of the barrier of the city, Li Tai didn't know what happened to He Ruodun and his party. He allocated thirty sets of armor sabers just to be prepared, but he didn't expect them to actually use them.

Hearing He Ruodun's description of their battle process in the east of the city, Li Tai suddenly became interested, as if a kryptonite boss was eager to know the performance and effect of the new equipment, but listening to the description alone was not enough fun, so he simply left Liang Shiyan and others. He stayed in the city and continued to clean the battlefield, while he and He Ruodun went straight to the battlefield in the valley east of the city.

At this time, the enemy cavalry had disappeared in the river valley east of the city, but there were also many traces of previous battles, especially the front line where the heavy infantry fought with the enemy cavalry, with stumps and arms scattered on the river beach. The bloody scene was truly shocking.

Just based on the picture in front of you, you can imagine the intensity of the battle at that time, and the heroic massacre of the heavy armored infantry on these enemy light cavalry.

"This heavy armor and this long knife are really sharp weapons for killing the enemy! But if Fu Erlang had to use such a heavy weapon in the old defense, no matter how many battles he lost, he would be defeated..."

Han Xiong had lined up in front of the city with all the heavy armors to prepare for the enemy's return, but he did not enter the city together with He Ruodun. At this time, seeing that the battle in the city was settled, he disarmed and went forward, holding the heavy armor with his hands. Jiayi said with a cherished face and full of emotion.

After Li Tai heard the words, he said with a smile: "Although the heavy armored sword is unmatched in strength, it needs a truly brave man to use it to fight and kill the enemy. General Han complements each other."

Although the defensive power of this pair of heavy armor is astonishing, the corresponding weight is quite considerable. A pair of battle armor weighing tens of kilograms is worn on the body, and both hands are also holding a saber that is also much heavier than ordinary weapons to fight. , It consumes a lot of human energy.

After making this set of equipment, Li Tai once tried wearing it himself. With his physical strength, he could only hold on for more than a quarter of an hour before he was out of breath, and it was difficult to carry out effective combat.

Even if it is one of the elite soldiers known for their strength and endurance in the series, after a long period of targeted training, although the persistence time has been extended, it is also a great burden on physical strength.

Right now, all the soldiers are out of breath after being disarmed. Although Han Xiong, who has also been in armor for a long time, is also sweating profusely, his panting movements can still maintain normal, which shows that his physical strength is indeed amazing.

Li Tai saw this scene, even if it wasn't because of the future famous general Han Qinhu, he secretly wanted to win over Han Xiong in his heart.If he can be recruited under his command and serve as the commander of the heavy armor units under his command to command operations, coupled with his combat style of taking the lead and daring to set an example, it will definitely improve the combat effectiveness of the relevant combat troops.

However, although Han Xiong is not as powerful as himself, he is also an important general in Heluo in Western Henan. Although he is controlled by Li Yuan in name, he is actually a relatively independent general. Even Daxingtai needs preferential treatment to show his favor Instead of blindly commanding and controlling envoys.

Li Tai's current idea of ​​wanting to take him under his command is also a bit arrogant.Now he is only passing through this place as the vanguard of the overlord's army, unless he can get the authorization of the overlord to stay in Heluo and preside over the military and political affairs here for a long time, it is possible to recruit Han Xiong under his command.

As the saying goes, a thousand troops are easy to get, but a general is hard to find. In order to enhance the relationship between each other, even though he was a little bit reluctant, after thinking about it, Li Tai still smiled at Han Xiong and said: "This time, I have been ordered to be the pioneer of the army. I have to thank General Han." I am really grateful to be the guide of the army and now able to take the lead in conquering Yan Han City. When the war comes to an end after we go out of Han Pass, I will reward the general with the five armored sabers!"

"This, this...really, Mrs. Xihe, Mrs. Mrs.. Thank you, thank you Mrs. Xihe for your generous gift of armor. I must, must redouble my efforts to lead the people out of Hanguan!"

When Han Xiong heard this, he was overwhelmed with excitement, and even his answer became a little incoherent.

He has been in Heluo for a long time, and it is not that he has not seized and accumulated heavy armor, but after he really tried it and went to battle to kill the enemy, he felt more and more deeply that the armor knives under Li Tai's superior performance.

And this combat method of using a step to overcome the cavalry made him feel even more amazing, especially the visual effect caused by beheading the enemy's troops head-on, the impact on the enemy's chivalry is even greater in battle. Exceeded the blow damage to the enemy's body.

At the same time, the applicability of the formation of armored swords is very wide. The heavy armor greatly enhances the protection, and the long-bladed broadsword greatly enhances the offensiveness. It can be described as a good weapon for both offense and defense.

Especially in the western part of Henan, where the mountains and plains are continuous, the rivers and valleys are crisscross, and it is suitable for small-scale offensive and defensive operations, this kind of armed combination is a kingly combination with full practicality.

Han Xiong changed his mind a little, and he had already conceived various combat scenarios, especially in the past many years of regrettable failures. If there is such an armed combat team, it will greatly increase the number of battles. Ability!
Although five pairs of armor knives sound like a small number, they can already form a basic combat team.In the Battle of the River Bridge in the old year, the fierce general Yang Zhong had a mighty deed of defending the bridge with five strong men, and the thieves dared not enter.

Li Tai now only has two hundred sets of armored swords, and the initial two hundred sets of armored swords included research and development costs, which made the cost extremely high, but considering that investing in Han Xiong is the return of two generations of father and son, it can be regarded as value for money.

After checking the results of the battle here, Li Taicai returned to the city to sort out the overall battle results of this battle.

Yanhan City is one of the most important strongholds occupied by the Eastern Wei Dynasty on the North Wei Road. It was originally a small fortress belonging to the Western Wei Dynasty. After the Battle of Mangshan, the Western Wei Dynasty shrank and retreated, and was captured by the Eastern Wei Dynasty. On the basis of the original, it was expanded into a military city with a considerable scale.

This military city is more than five miles away, and its scale and geographical location can be regarded as a bridgehead for the Eastern Wei Dynasty to attack westward along the North Wei Road. All sent troops from this.

In this military city, there are town generals and city lords who are in charge of military affairs. Among them, the towns are named Xu Wei, who had already died in the previous battle. Capture it.

According to the account of the city lord, the city originally had more than 3000 soldiers and civilians defending the city. Last year, Hou Jing of Daxingtai in Henan conscripted [-] soldiers to participate in the Battle of Yubi.Between April and May, nearly [-] people were recruited by Luozhou Prefecture and Heyang. In addition, the old and weak, women and children retreated, so there were only less than [-] defenders in the city.

Therefore, Li Tai was able to quickly capture the city this time, taking advantage of the lack of guards in the city. If the soldiers and civilians in the city still maintain the original scale, even if they can finally capture the city, it may be a protracted battle. fighting.

However, the strategic contraction of the Eastern Wei Dynasty itself has nothing to do with Li Tai, and it will not discount his military achievements. Even if other gains are not considered, just capturing Yan Hancheng, the frontier military town of the Eastern Wei Dynasty, is a great achievement. The advantage on the road returned to the Western Wei Dynasty.

In addition to the success of the city, there are also a lot of gains in other aspects.Since the surrender of the city lord Bu Guiluo, more than [-] soldiers and civilians have been captured in the city, and the casualties mainly occurred during the capture of the city wall and the subsequent brief street fighting.

Most of these captives are young and strong, and most of them, including the city lord Bu Guiluo, are locals from western Henan. Some even know Han Xiong, a local snake, and when they see him, they kneel down and beg for mercy. It should have surrendered to the Eastern Wei Dynasty after the Battle of Mangshan and was incorporated as a townsman.

"Mr. Xihe, although these villages are ignorant of righteousness, they are mostly out of necessity, and they do not intend to follow the thieves. I hope that Mr. Xihe can be punished lightly..."

Seeing many familiar faces, Han Xiong had mixed feelings in his heart. When he got to a secluded corner, he couldn't help but begged Li Tai for mercy.

Li Tai knew that even if these villagers had any faults, it was only because they were born in Heluo and they were reluctant to leave their hometowns. It didn't make much difference to them whether they joined the Eastern Wei Dynasty or the Western Wei Dynasty. All they wanted was to live.

But now that he is in the army, everything still has to be based on the needs of the war. Right now, he is lucky enough to win a battle, but it is difficult to use this to show mercy. Commitment to being a thief is an indisputable fact after all.

Only those who are self-rescue will be truly regretful. Since General Han is an old acquaintance with the masses, please enter the camp and pass on my orders. The road ahead is not smooth, and there are still masses entrenched. If they are willing to join the army and chase the thieves, they don’t have to ask about the past. After the war, there will be rewards for meritorious deeds. "

This method of handling is also appropriate, Han Xiong nodded his head quickly after hearing the words, and then went to the camp to collect the prisoners.

Li Tai entered the city lord's mansion surrounded by his own soldiers, and at this time Liang Shiyan had already checked the inventory in the city and presented the account book.

There are still more than 3000 grains stored in the city, more than 200 pieces of cloth, more than 10,000 bows, knives and guns, more than [-] armors of various types, as many as [-]+ arrows, copper, iron, bamboo and wood including coal and other miscellaneous items. Tens of thousands of catties of similar materials, and even hundreds of thousands of old Yongan five baht coins.

Compared with the scale of Yan Han City, these materials in the warehouse are not particularly impressive, but you must know that after the Hou Jing rebellion, the strategic contraction of the Heluo area, and the remaining materials in Yan Han City's warehouse after several transfers and requisitions, you can imagine How this city was drool-worthy in its heyday.

No wonder Li Tai talked with Han Xiong before about obtaining supplies for the rebels from the various roads in western Henan. Han Xiong once said that obtaining from the enemy is one of the important ways, and even talked about the battle with the Eastern Wei Dynasty, his eyes were full of nostalgia.

The roads from east to west in Yan Hancheng are stable. Before the Eastern Wei Dynasty had too much advantage, it was difficult to compete.

However, in Yiyang, an important town in Guannan, because the Western Wei Dynasty still maintained a series of defenses such as the same track defense in the upper reaches of the Luoshui River, it organized offensives against Yiyang from time to time, especially when the Eastern Wei Dynasty was transporting grain and grass to Yiyang. The military action of the Western Henan Rebels was regarded as a solution to the famine. If the Eastern Wei Dynasty delivered food and grass to Yiyang late, even the surrounding Western Henan Rebels would be hungry, and fierce battles often broke out between the two sides.

The surplus inventory in Yanhan City alone is so rich that it almost wiped out Hengnong in the center of the Western Wei Dynasty. Li Tai couldn't help feeling that these rebels in Western Henan are still fighting in such a harsh environment, and they are indeed regional armed forces with faith. Or the political interests of the Eastern Wei Dynasty had already been divided up by the nobles of Jinyang and the big clans of Hebei, and it was difficult to distribute them to the tyrants in Western Henan for united front work.

After Yan Hancheng was conquered, Li Tai sent his lieutenant general Tian Hong to lead a light cavalry to continue advancing along the river valley to check the enemy's forces and movements near Hanguan City. Continue to sweep the enemy's strongholds around Yan Han City to ensure that Yan Han City, an important offensive and defensive stronghold, can be grasped more firmly.

After a short rest, the next morning Han Xiong came to report that he had recruited more than 500 defenders of Yan Hancheng who were willing to join his camp, and proposed an interspersed tactic again, leading a group of troops into the Heluo area through a detour through the mountain road, and then pretending to be the Eastern Wei defense armed forces Attacked several enemy strongholds, thus trapping the defenders in Hanguan City into a lone army, forcing them to abandon the city and flee.

As usual, such tactics are extremely risky and very unlikely to succeed. In addition to the strategic depth and defensive layout between Heluo and Luoyang, the three cities of Heyang in the north of Luoyang are more like a giant hanging over the region. With a sharp sword, the army may go south to fight at any time. With all these troops from the west of Henan filling in, it may not be enough to kill.

But now that Hou Jing is in chaos in Henan, and the troops of the Eastern Wei Dynasty in Heluo are all focusing on shrinking and defending, the control over the area is bound to be greatly weakened. This is a good opportunity to bluff and regain control of the area.

Li Tai had limited understanding of the geography and situation between Heluo, so he attached great importance to Han Xiong, a professional's proposal, and after the generals analyzed it, he agreed to this proposal.

In order to ensure the mobility of the team, Han Xiong did not request to bring heavy weapons on this trip, but only took part of the military supplies seized in the city, as well as some food and cakes, and then he left and set off.

In order to cooperate, Li Tai attracted the attention of the enemy troops in the direction of Hanguan City to cover up the whereabouts of Han Xiong and his party, leaving some soldiers to guard Yanhan City, while the other brigade marched towards Hanguan City in mighty strength.

Xin'an, where Hanguan City is located, is located in Gushui River Valley to the west of Luoyang, and is also the east end entrance and exit of Weihan Ancient Road.This Guancheng is located in a deep valley, straddling two mountains and divided into three rivers. Not only is the Guancheng majestic and tall, but there is also a continuous Great Wall extending to the left and right between the peaks and ridges on both sides.

When Li Tai and his troops arrived in front of Guancheng, Tian Hong, who arrived here first, had already inspected the surrounding situation of Guancheng. There were still many soldiers and civilians in Guancheng. If he wanted to attack Guancheng directly, he would have to invest more With more troops and more comprehensive siege equipment, it is still very difficult for their forward troops to capture the city head-on.

Therefore, Tian Hong’s advice is to camp the main force under the river valley city first, and then send elite soldiers to the two wings. If the defenders can’t help but come out of the city to attack, they can fight side by side. Take a detour to break through and enter the Heluo area.

Han Xiong had a similar plan before, and now Li Tai came to the city and saw that the Guancheng was towering and difficult to attack, so he also agreed with Tian Hong's suggestion, while ordering to form a stronghold in the valley to the west of the city and build siege equipment day and night, Dispatch the elite to conduct left and right exploration.

After several days of confrontation like this, at dawn on a certain day, there was a sudden commotion in the city, and Li Tai and other soldiers in the camp outside the city were also awakened, and several scouts were sent to the Guancheng several miles away to check and confirm the defenders When it was not attacking this side, Li Taidang felt relieved, and ordered the drums and horns in the camp to sound, as if he was going to attack Guancheng.

Hearing this sound in the city, the commotion became more intense. At first, it was only a part of the defenders who opened the gate to leave the city for a period of time at dawn, but soon the riot spread to the whole city. He rushed out of the door and fled in all directions in the open Luoxi field.

In the early morning, white banners had been hung at the city gate in the west of the city, and a group of Heluo people took advantage of the chaos to tie up several city governors and came out of the city to the gate, facing Li Tai's men and horses who were waiting in full force.

"This, this is taken?"

Seeing the opening of the city gate ahead, Li Taiwu couldn't believe that he took down the Luoxi gate and the Hongdaguan city without bloodshed, but he still ordered Gao Le to lead five hundred soldiers to ride into the city and control the gate first. After coming down, he ordered the troops to enter the city in batches, while he retreated to the camp outside the city and summoned the city residents who had asked to surrender to ask what happened.