Troubled Times: Start with 800 Dead Soldiers

On the only way for reinforcements from within the city, the extended artillery strikes of the National Guard Army continued to disrupt the Song Army's reinforcement route.

General Han Yun was stunned. He could not imagine or even figure out where this group of Su Xia troops came from!

What makes him even more incredible is that in all previous wars, artillery was not used as the main attack weapon.

Han Yun, the general of the Song Army, saw the power of artillery for the first time.

When the cannon goes off, you will be frightened!

Su Xia's Weiyuan Cannon is very accurate.

Under Ling Zhen's command, any Song soldier who dared to stand up in the city wall would be attacked by direct-aimed artillery at close range and blown up.

Zhang Shuye rushed out of the door of the mansion. Several generals had already gone into battle, led by the cavalry general Zhao Peng.

This Zhao Peng is Zhang Shuye's confidant and has seen a little bit of the world. When he saw Zhang Shuye coming out, he immediately said: "Sir, I heard that Su Xiajun's artillery is very powerful and ordinary people can't stand it. It should be outside the North City Gate now. Under their bombardment.

Zhang Shuye was anxious and asked again: "What do you think we should do?"

Zhao Peng thought for a moment: "Sir, this artillery must have a barrel that heats up as the artillery attacks. The enemy cannot fire continuously. In this way, when the enemy's artillery pauses, I will lead a group of cavalry to sneak attack them from the side and behind. This way , even if they turn their artillery fire, according to the attack speed of the cavalry, they will not be able to do anything to us in a short period of time."

I have to say that what Zhao Peng thought of was indeed a clever plan. In this way, if the cavalry is used to attack from the side and the rear, the artillery turns the muzzle, and then adjusts, it may not be necessary to rush.

For artillery operations in the traditional sense, such an attack is effective.

After Zhao Peng finished speaking, he looked up at Zhang Shuye, hesitated for a moment, and then said: "It's just,,,"

"What's the hesitation? Just what?"

"I just came to report that our defensive arrows were attacked by thieves in the city. The losses were huge. When the cavalry launched a charge, there seemed to be not enough bows and arrows."

"then you?"

"Please rest assured, Sir, I will definitely die to serve the country."

It has to be said that Zhao Peng behaves like an excellent officer. Zhang Shuye immediately agreed to his plan, looked at him and said seriously: "Take care."

The most capable general under Zhang Shuye is Zhao Peng. If Zhao Peng dies in battle, Haizhou City will definitely fall.

Therefore, after watching Zhao Peng leave, he immediately lifted up his official robe and said, "Guard the city wall for me."

Zhang Shuye and his men braved artillery fire to reinforce the city wall, but happened to encounter Han Yun and others who had retreated from the city wall.

Uncle Zhang was so angry that he couldn't help but say: "Han Yun, as the commander-in-chief of the imperial court, who asked you to retreat from the city wall?"

"Sir, their fire is too fierce."

"Come here, capture it for me. Anyone who leaves his post without permission and disturbs the morale of the army will be killed without mercy!"

Several soldiers immediately stepped forward to capture the disgraced Han Yun.

Zhang Shuye looked at the officials and generals who were following him, and said in a stern voice: "Han Yun's escape will be your fate. Anyone who leaves his post without permission will be killed!"

The soldiers ignored Han Yun's cries and begged for mercy, took him to the street and beheaded him.

At this moment, a whooshing shell landed ten meters away from Zhang Shuye. The heat wave and fragments of the shell scratched Zhang Shuye.

The attendant on the side said: "Sir, sir, are you okay?"

"Leave me alone and defend the city. We must not let Su Xia's army rush in!"

At the critical moment, Zhang Shuye still showed the qualities that a general should have.

He was worthy of being the most outstanding commander in the Northern Song Dynasty. Seeing Zhang Shuye working so hard, his subordinates had no choice but to rush forward.

However, at this moment, under the cover of the powerful artillery fire of the Su Xia Army, a large number of infantry of the Su Xia Army had already attacked and entered the tower under the command of Li Dong.

Li Dong held a telescope and looked at the truth.

Artillery, as the god of war, shows off its power for the second time!

While holding the telescope, the guard on the side reported: "General, Mr. Su and General Hua Rong are here."

Li Dong hurriedly put away the telescope, "Sir, why are you here in person?"

"This is the first time that our National Guard Army has captured the territory of the Song Dynasty. Can I not come? General Hua Rong also brought a bow and arrow detachment to assist in the battle this time."

As mentioned before, Su Xia formed the National Defense Army and later adjusted it to make Hua Rong the captain of the Seventh Corps (see Chapter 143 for details). The Seventh Corps was a light infantry mainly equipped with bows and arrows.

Hua Rong stared closely at everything in the distance, looking at the ruins of the city wall bombarded by artillery fire, and couldn't help but be stunned.

He immediately said: "Sir, do you want our first detachment to join the infantry to climb the city?"

"No, Zhang Shuye is not an idle person. He will never let Haizhou City fall so quickly. There are more than [-] Song troops inside and outside Haizhou City, including Zhao Peng's cavalry. So who is Zhao Peng? The commander of the cavalry unit, with two to three thousand elite cavalry under his command, it is absolutely impossible for them to disappear so quickly."

"Sir, what do you mean by calling us here?"

"Brother Hua Rong, I don't worry about the front-line battle. Once the artillery is attacked by the cavalry at close range, it will be unable to fight back. Your archer troops are here to protect the artillery. It's not easy for the artillery to turn its muzzle. You must surrender immediately. Your archery detachment is deployed in a battle formation, if Zhao Peng launches a sneak attack on us, we have to guard against it."

Hua Rong's eyes flashed and he said, "I will immediately go down and arrange horse traps and iron thorns to stop them."

Su Xia nodded and said to Ling Zhen on the side: "General Ling Zhen, have you sent out any scouts?"

"Report to the general, I..."

Ling Zhen was stunned. He was indeed too excited (artillery siege) and forgot to arrange the scouts.

"You almost ruined something big."

Before Su Xia finished speaking, Hua Rong immediately lay down on the ground and put his ears on the ground.

Because the continuous artillery output from the artillery position may cover up the sound of horse hooves.

Hua Rong's expression changed: "No, there is a large group of enemy cavalry in the northwest."

"Quick, meet the enemy!"

From far to near, the enemy's cavalry rushed towards them with iron hooves.

Ling Zhen saw the enemy cavalry rushing towards him and knew that he had done something wrong, but he quickly turned around and dragged a Weiyuan cannon to change its angle. He shouted loudly: "The muzzles of the first brigade's guns will follow me, and the other guns are not allowed to move without authorization and continue to bombard the city gate."

On the other side, Hua Rong rode forward, "The archers are ready, the distance is five hundred feet, let go!"

Zhao Peng's face was full of confidence, and his cavalry troops unexpectedly surrounded Su Xia's artillery troops. However, there was suddenly a sharp sound of arrows in the air!

As a soldier who has been on the battlefield for a long time, he certainly understands what this is.

Of course, as the commander-in-chief of the army, Zhao Peng would not be on the front line, but when he looked up, there was already a thick rain of arrows falling from the sky like black clouds.

These bows and arrows are attacks launched at an elevated angle.

Unfortunately, they discovered their attack intentions from afar.

It seemed that his cavalry was destined to suffer heavy losses.