People in the early Tang Dynasty: I compete with Wu Zhao for the throne

Chapter 1614 Didn’t the Historian Bureau say there won’t be any rain recently?

In April, during the autumn season, 50 miles east of Shanzhou city.

Under the vast white clouds, the sound of endless fighting rang out between the sky, earth and mountains, shaking the whole area.

Row after row of armored soldiers, holding long shields, marched forward step by step with determination.

From high above the head, countless boulders fell like flying stones. In a blink of an eye, they knocked over a shield and rolled rapidly backwards.

The soldiers farther away quickly put their shields on the ground, then put their shoulders on the long shields, and allowed the rolling stones to hit them hard.

Amid the loud bang, they were hit to the point of almost vomiting blood, and at the same time, the boulders rolled over their heads and quickly rolled backwards.

It is unknown how many people were killed by the rolling stones.

The further you go, the more difficult it becomes.

From the lotus platform under your feet all the way up to Hongshui Town thirty miles away, the entire mountain road is almost tilted upward at a large angle.

In this way, every step forward they took would cost them blood.

Especially in Hongshui Town, thirty miles away, the river channel there has a natural bend, which is extremely conducive to water storage.

Undoubtedly, even if they risked their lives to rush to Hongshui Town, King Peng would open the dam and release the flood without hesitation.

By then, the Changzhou navy will inevitably attack again and they will be driven back again.

Of course, it would be much easier when they charged again.

Because all the boulders, arrows and floods in King Peng's hands had been used up.

At that time, after a fierce battle, King Peng will take the initiative to lead his troops to retreat.

You ask why they know it so clearly, because they have been fighting all the way from Lanzhou to Shanzhou for more than a month.

Along the way, the Right Leading Army Guard and the Left Guard followed their own bloody footprints and fought their way to Shanzhou.

As for the soldiers under King Peng, apart from the boulders, arrows and dam floods that had been prepared long ago, there were few casualties.

However, the casualties of the Right Guard and the Left Guard exceeded six thousand.

If there were not 10,000 elite left guards supporting them from behind, their morale would have collapsed and they would have fled long ago.

……

Wang Xiaojie stood behind the army, his eyes sweeping across the two sides of the mountain road, the undulating mountains running north and south.

His breathing came in waves of heavy breaths.

The mountains are towering and the cliffs are steep.

It was extremely difficult to cross the mountains and take a detour to attack King Peng from behind.

It's not like they had never done that before. They finally took a long detour and got behind King Peng.

At this time, their front line also fought its way forward after paying a heavy price.

The time taken was even earlier.

Wang Xiaojie turned to look at Hua Dazhi and Min Wengu, and said helplessly: "You two, how could you let King Peng take Shanzhou so easily?"

Min Wengu shook his head calmly and said, "Prince Peng's appearance in Changzhou was too sudden. He also has the imperial consort, the eunuch supervisor and other imperial envoys to deliver the imperial edict. Even if it was Envoy Song of Lanzhou, he could only keep Prince Peng out of the city without the imperial edict. Shanzhou would be even more difficult."

"Marshal, we can only attack for three more days at most. After three days, more than half of the Right Army Guard will be killed or wounded." Hua Dazhi looked at Wang Xiaojie expressionlessly.

The battle from Lanzhou to here consumed all the forces of the Right Guard and the Left Guard. The soldiers of the Left Guard have not participated in the battle so far.

"Don't worry, the most difficult part is reserved for Zuo Wei." Wang Xiaojie nodded.

His eyes passed over the vast mountain road, and he seemed to see Li Xuan leading people to carry stones and crossbows. He said calmly: "King Peng has used up all his crossbows on the mountain road. As long as we rush to Shanzhou, King Peng will have no power to fight back."

Hua Dazhi and Min Wengu had to nod in agreement.

All along the way, they had been attacking upwards, but Li Xuan never intended to hold on to one place.

Whenever the crossbows and boulders on the level were used up, Li Xuan would open the dam and release the water without hesitation.

Regardless of whether the fighting in the mountains on both sides is over, he will retreat without any hesitation.

It was as if everything had been calculated.

Wang Xiaojie raised his head and looked at the long mountain road ahead.

This route is not much different from the one we took on the Maduo Snow Mountain back then.

If there were enough crossbows, they would suddenly charge down and even the gods would be unable to stop them.

But unfortunately, King Peng had used up too many crossbows during this period. Even if he wanted to counterattack, Wang Xiaojie, who had experienced the battle that year, was well prepared.

Li Xuan wasn't the only one who had the crossbow arrows, but Wang Xiaojie didn't.

However, all along, Wang Xiaojie was the one attacking upwards, and Li Xuan did not give him any room to use his crossbow.

If Li Xuan really dared to rush down, the crossbow in Wang Xiaojie's hand would teach him a lesson.

"Send more people to the mountains on both sides. King Peng might attack us from behind." Wang Xiaojie gave the order sideways, and Wang Xu, the left guard general beside him, immediately bowed and turned away.

"If it weren't for the fact that there is really no way to take advantage of the terrain, I would really like to rush to Changzhou." Wang Xiaojie sighed lightly.

In order to reach the plateau, he tried almost every possible way, but it was useless because of the terrain limitations.

Going up is the plateau. No matter from which angle you go up, you will face the vast mountains, one mountain higher than the other, as if there is no end.

There is only this one road ahead. No, that’s not right. It’s not the only road.

There is another road along the ancient Yellow River Road, but unfortunately, the road there is even more rugged and difficult to travel than this one.

Especially since King Peng was the one who took that road back then, so he wouldn't give them any chance now.

Looking at the flood in front of him, mixed with wooden stakes and rocks, Wang Xiaojie looked around.

The soldiers in front and behind stood on the hillsides on both sides as if they were accustomed to it.

They have experienced this kind of thing more than once and have already come up with a solution.

"You two, after reaching the plateau, the first thing you will have to face is plateau miasma. Now that you are here, don't be too anxious and adapt to the plateau miasma step by step." Wang Xiaojie warned with a serious expression. Hua Dazhi and Min Wen Gu nodded at the same time. They had a clear understanding of this greatest enemy of the Tang Dynasty.

If Li Xuan had not directly broken the plateau malaria back then, I'm afraid the Tang Dynasty would have had to concentrate all its efforts on defending Shanzhou.

At this moment, a rapid sound of horse hooves came from behind.

Then, a messenger appeared behind Wang Xiaojie and said, "General, Hezhou was defeated. General Ma was ambushed by Hezhou Governor Qu Chongyu and lost 2,000 soldiers." Wang Xiaojie took the military report in disbelief. After taking a closer look, he could not help but curse, "What a waste!"

He was greedy for success and was too impatient to take his enemy seriously, and was finally ambushed by Qu Chongyu.

Hua Dazhi calmly shook his head and said, "The last time the General of the Left Jinwu Guard went on an expedition was during the period of conquering Goguryeo. After that, he has been guarding Chang'an. It is understandable that he has been defeated now."

Wang Xiaojie could hear the mockery in Hua Dazhi's calm voice. He shook his head helplessly and said, "After the ambush, Qu Chongyu led his soldiers to retreat to the Yellow River Ancient Road. Ma Sizong, who had recovered, chased them to Bingling Lake and wanted to continue chasing them. If that was the case, I'm afraid they would lose thousands more people."

Wang Xiaojie turned to look at the messenger beside him and said, "Rush to Hezhou immediately and pass on my order to transfer 3,000 men under General Ma to join me."

"Yes!" The soldier turned and left immediately.

Hua Dazhi nodded and praised: "The commander is wise. Without these three thousand men, plus the two thousand men lost before, I'm afraid General Ma won't be able to accomplish anything."

Wang Xiaojie shook his head and said, "No matter what else, just focus on the present."

Along the long thirty-mile mountain road, crossbows, rolling stones, and even wooden stakes can exert great lethality.

I'm afraid it won't be easy for them this time.

……

With a "buzz" sound, crossbow arrows fell from the air like a dark cloud, instantly nailing to death all the left guards who had just dropped their long shields.

The left guard at the back raised his long shield and rushed forward again, regardless of his life or death.

Not far ahead is the end of the mountain road, where Hongshui Town is located.

Li Xuan stood on the top of the mountain, looking coldly at the mountain path three miles away. He could clearly see Wang Xiaojie there.

After more than half a month of fighting, Zuo Wei finally reached the end of the mountain path after sacrificing more than 3,000 lives.

Likewise, today, all the crossbows, boulders, and wooden stakes on the hillside are about to be used up.

Li Xuan's eyes swept across the blood, flesh and mud on the river, then he looked up at the sky. It would be dark in two hours.

It's May soon.

Dragon Boat Festival.

It’s a pity that we have to use flesh and blood to commemorate Qu Yuan during this Dragon Boat Festival.

Li Xuan looked at the left guard soldiers on the mountain road with cold eyes.

Although they were all soldiers of the Tang Dynasty and many of them had followed him in battle, now they stood against him and tried to destroy him. Then these people would be Li Xuan's most determined enemies in the future when he wanted to move to a higher position, so they must die.

Just like Wang Xiaojie.

Looking at the cautious left guard, an endless sneer flashed across Li Xuan's lips.

Traps for traps were dug one after another on the mountain path. Add to that the boulders that kept falling overhead and the arrows that were thrown in between, and it would be strange if the speed could be fast.

Wang Xiaojie must be very anxious now.

Li Xuan's eyes became increasingly cold.

The further Wang Xiaojie moves forward, the closer he gets to the death place that Li Xuan has prepared for him.

Looking at the soldiers standing on both sides of the hillside in the distance, Li Xuan knew in his heart that the water attack could do nothing except slow down their pursuit.

In this case, there is no need to send people charging.

Li Xuan raised his hand, and the crossbows and catapults on the high slope immediately stopped attacking.

Immediately afterwards, his soldiers began to quickly dismantle the catapults and crossbows.

Looking at the right guard soldiers on the mountain road, they had guessed that Li Xuan was about to open the dam and release the water, so they fled to the mountainside on both sides.

Li Xuan sneered lightly.

In a blink of an eye, the roaring river rushed down.

……

"Prince Peng has run out of ideas." Wang Xiaojie stopped his horse outside Shanzhou City and looked at the black-armored cavalry gradually disappearing at the end of his sight. His eyes then turned to the empty Shanzhou City in front of him.

There was not a single person in the entire Shanzhou city, and all the city gates were wide open.

"Marshal, let's ignore it and just chase them." Left Guard General Wang Xu couldn't help but look at the black-armored cavalry in the distance. Behind him, three thousand Left Guard cavalry were ready to go.

Wang Xiaojie raised his head and looked at the sky above his head, and said softly: "It will be dark soon."

Hua Dazhi, who was standing by, immediately understood what Wang Xiaojie meant: "The general is worried that King Peng has set a trap ahead."

Wang Xiaojie nodded gently: "This is inevitable. We consumed a lot of resources when we fought our way up the mountain road. Although the three thousand cavalrymen were not consumed much, the horses were not at their best. King Peng only lost some crossbows and rolling stones, and the loss of soldiers was very small, not to mention the cavalry. The terrain ahead is open, which is very suitable for cavalry to gallop. In addition, it is dark now..."

After a brief pause, Wang Xiaojie said cautiously: "Based on my understanding of King Peng, this kind of favorable time and place is likely to be created by him on purpose. He cannot fail to take advantage of it. If we rush forward rashly, we may fall into a trap. It is not surprising that he has 5,000 elite cavalrymen under his command, and we will..."

"It will take some time for the crossbows and more cavalry to arrive." Wang Xu nodded immediately.

Wang Xiaojie looked at the empty Shanzhou City in front of him and said softly, "In that case, we must stay in this city tonight."

"This city won't be that simple." Hua Dazhi immediately rejected Wang Xiaojie's proposal.

It was a starkly empty city with its gates wide open waiting for them to enter. Their opponent was a god-like and devil-like figure like Li Xuan. It would be strange if they dared to go in.

Wang Xiaojie turned sideways and said with a cold look, "Send a cavalry team in."

"Yes!" Wang Xu immediately bowed.

Soon, a team of cavalry rushed directly into the city. After a moment, a cry of pain was rang out, and then the cavalry quickly withdrew.

"General, there are a lot of traps set up inside, as well as a lot of flammable objects. It seems that they want to burn the city." The cavalry captain bowed solemnly.

"It seems that King Peng has anticipated that we will not pursue him easily, so he set traps in the city and does not want us to enter the city. In this way, we have to camp outside the city, which will make it convenient for him to attack the camp at night." Wang Xiaojie was stunned and angry. King Peng had used all means to deal with him.

Hua Dazhi and Min Wen Gu, who were standing by, suddenly looked serious.

"Send the order." Wang Xiaojie said coldly: "Dispatch a hundred cavalry scouts to track down King Peng. A thousand cavalry will camp against the city wall to the west of Shanzhou. Two thousand cavalry will camp on the left and right of the city wall with their backs to the city. As for the rest, half will camp on the east side of the city, and the other half will go inside the city and slowly clear the traps and fires. Use the city gate as a base..."

Wang Xiaojie was halfway through his words when he looked up blankly.

Above, a drop of rain has fallen.

"Didn't the Historian Bureau say that there would be no rain recently?" Wang Xiaojie looked up in confusion, then he smiled, turned around and said, "Let's go, we can go into the city now!"

(End of this chapter)