The night is vast, more than thirty miles south of Mianzhou City, south of Baishui Pass, and Xi'an Mountain.
Xi'an Mountain runs along the north-south direction of the Jialing River in the west. A post road between the two branches bifurcates at Baishui Pass, leading far to Chengzhou in the northwest, Xianren Pass in the northeast, and then to Fengzhou, making it an important place extending in all directions.
In the valley roads in the mountains and forests, countless Song troops were meandering in the dark. The horses were all bridles and their hooves were wrapped with thick cloth, but no one was riding them. Except for the rustling footsteps, the silence was terrifying.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, the Song army finally stopped and rested on the spot.
"Lu Wende, will something happen over there in Mianzhou City? Subotai is the most powerful general in the Tatar army. He has an army of 20,000, but it is difficult to deal with him."
In the darkness, Zhang Du, the commander of Chengzhou, leaned against a tree and asked Lu Wende softly.
Zhang Du, like Lu Wende and others, was the first graduate of the Jinling Lecture Hall and served as the commander of Chengzhou, one of the three passes and five states on Lizhou West Road.
"No matter what bullshit general he is, if he wants to capture Mianzhou City, it won't take more than a year and a half, don't even think about it!"
Lu Wende wiped the sweat from his face, picked up the kettle and took a few sips.
After graduating from the Jinling Martial Arts Hall, I was pampered and carried out cross-country marches with heavy loads, which was really too much for me physically.
As for the Mongolian army, Subotai led it, and he also captured several Mongolian army rangers, so he knew it. As for Subotai, the most powerful general in Mongolia, he didn't care at all.
Ever since the fierce battle with the Mongolian army outside the city of Xihe Prefecture, he had scorned the Mongolian army's invincibility. After a burst of artillery fire, they were still bloody and defeated.
The tragic victory outside Xihe Prefecture City was just due to his lack of experience and lack of sophistication. At least, he thought he could draw a tie with the other party.
"Lu Wende, then why don't we go directly to rescue Mianzhou City, but instead go to ambush halfway?"
Zhang Du was still a little confused.
Lu Wende mobilized half of the troops from Tianshui Army and Chengzhou each, plus a thousand soldiers from Xihe Province, a total of 4,000 soldiers, detoured from the north of Qifangguan, and then went south along Xi'an Mountain, traveling by day and night. After all this fussing around, it’s tiring.
"There are too many Tatar cavalry and our army is too small. There is no chance of victory in a field battle. If you want to seriously injure the opponent, you must take it by surprise. If the Tatar army withdraws northward, it will definitely pass by the post road beside the Jialing River."
Lu Wende's words made Zhang Du slightly startled and blurted out.
"General, if the Tatars retreat, they must send out scouts to investigate. If they cross the river and withdraw to the west, won't we fail in our success?"
There are many craftsmen in the Mongolian army, and it couldn't be easier to build a raft to cross the river.
Although Lu Wende was young, he was the commander, and Chengzhou and Tianshui Pass were all under his command. Zhang Du subconsciously changed his title.
"Old Zhang, you are overthinking. If the Tatars retreat and there is no time to cross the river, wouldn't we be useful?"
Lu Wende whispered softly and said quietly in the darkness:
"The Tatars have won many battles and are too arrogant. A mere ten thousand horses want to go wild in our Song Dynasty. No matter what, we cannot let them go easily."
The terrain of Lizhou West Road is complex, with high mountains and ridges, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. These Mongolian troops are so powerful and too arrogant, so they have to find ways to give them a good beating.
"That's what the general said. But with all due respect, it may not be useful to wait and see."
Zhang Du still has some doubts about Lu Wende's decision.
"Old Zhang, everything will be successful if you are prepared, and if you are not prepared, it will be ruined. Our army is not better than doing nothing if it is prepared for a rainy day. Besides..."
Lu Wende smiled coldly and whispered.
"Your Majesty has been planning for so long and Mianzhou has been beaten so brutally. How can he remain indifferent?"
He had a premonition that Zhao Hong would definitely lead his troops, and there would be a hearty battle outside Mianzhou City.
"Your Majesty has a far-sighted vision, and his vision is not just poisonous!"
Zhang Du also sighed in a low voice.
"Old Zhang, I want to ask you, when you came to the northwest frontier, didn't you ever think about making meritorious deeds?"
Lu Wende whispered, Zhang Du understood and smiled in return.
Under the emperor's command, who among the students of the Jinling Martial Arts Hall doesn't want to make contributions?
"General, do you think your Majesty will lead a military expedition in person?"
Zhang Du's faint words seemed to remind him of his school days at the Jinling Martial Arts Hall.
"Who is your majesty? If you keep your word, of course you will lead the expedition in person. Don't forget, there are ten thousand brothers in Xixia, waiting for the army to rescue!"
"The Tatars are violent and murderous, and they have strong soldiers and horses. I don't know how many brothers are left now?"
Zhang Du sighed with emotion and suddenly asked:
"General, your Majesty will lead an army of tens of thousands of people personally. Isn't it just for the sake of the 20,000 Tatar army that tens of thousands of troops are marching north?"
Zhang Du's words left Lu Wende speechless for a moment. In the darkness, both of them fell into deep thought.
The imperial commander personally marched, possibly 60,000 to 70,000 elite frontier troops, and they probably wouldn't just resist the Subotai tribe.
"General, Commander Ma asked if we could hurry up? If we don't speed up the march, I'm afraid we won't be able to reach the place before dawn."
The sergeant came over and reported in a low voice, and Lu Wende nodded.
"Send the order, brothers, continue marching, we must reach the place before dawn!"
The Qifangguan and Baishuiguan areas were originally Ma Zhong's garrison area. Lu Wende summoned him together not only because he wanted Ma Zhong to be guilty and meritorious, but also because he was familiar with the terrain of Xi'an Mountain.
In the darkness, the Song Army officers and soldiers stood up one after another and continued southward.
Lu Wende patted his butt gently and joined the march with his long, aching legs.
The sun rose again one day, and the horns and drums of the Mongolian army continued to sound. Countless Mongolian troops came out of the camp and charged towards the Mianzhou city wall with murderous intent.
The weather was getting hotter and hotter, and both sides avoided the heat of noon. The Mongolian army attacked the city earlier and earlier, and retreated later and later.
Subotai stood on a high slope, looking at the fierce battle at the top of the city, his face dark and haggard.
After more than ten days of bloody fighting, more than 3,000 infantry were lost, and the light cavalry who dismounted to attack the city also suffered considerable losses. In addition to the more than 2,000 horses lost by Chawuer and others, the losses in the Southern Song Dynasty had reached 8,000 or 9,000 people.
If he cannot win the Mianzhou City in front of him, his reputation as the most powerful general in Mongolia will be laughed at. The myth that the Mongolian army is invincible must also be shattered, and it will be completely destroyed.
"Send an order to the entire army. The first person to board Mianzhou City will be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold, a thousand cattle and sheep, 200 slaves, and 10 maidservants!"
Subotai passed down the military order, and the messenger flew to the whole army. The drums beat like thunder, and the bloody battle at the top of the city became more intense.
"Commander, the Tatars are risking their lives!"
On the Mianzhou city wall, Zhao Si stabbed down a Mongolian soldier who had climbed onto the city wall and shouted loudly to Wang Jian next to him.
As a former frontier army on Lizhou West Road, a new army trained by the imperial court, he had experienced wars in the Song and Jin Dynasties, so he was not afraid of the Mongol army's siege.
"Afraid of a ball! I don't even care about these guys!"
Wang Jian's shield blocked the iron rod of the Mongolian soldier on the opposite side, and he slashed it down with a sharp knife. The Mongolian soldier dodged Wang Jian's chopping knife, but was stabbed in the ribs by the spears of the other two Song soldiers, one on the left and one on the right, and was pushed down the city.
"These guys are good at horseback riding and archery. When it comes to hand-to-hand combat in sieges, they're really not that good!"
While talking, Zhao Si and several other spearmen stabbed several more Mongolian soldiers to the top of the city. The Mongolian soldiers screamed and the spear heads were dripping with blood.
After these days of bloody fighting, about half of the soldiers and militiamen at the top of the city were killed or injured. There were corpses and injured people everywhere on the city wall, and the city head was painted red with blood.
However, despite heavy casualties, the morale of the Song army was still there. The generals and officers risked their lives. There was plenty of food and grass in the city, but the Mongolian army suffered huge losses. The soldiers were also used to this kind of killing.
"Grenadiers, prepare! Pikemen, let them in!"
Seeing that the Mongolian army was not retreating, Cao Youwen shouted loudly and issued military orders. The pikemen retreated and opened the crenel, and hundreds of Mongolian soldiers climbed onto the top of the city like ants.
The Mongolian troops outside the city screamed and ran towards the city wall at the risk of their lives. More ladders were erected, and there was a surging crowd under the city wall.
"The city is about to fall!"
Seeing countless Mongolian troops climbing over the city wall, Chaul shouted excitedly.
"Wait for a while, I must kill the Song dogs, chickens and dogs without leaving any trace!"
Erden, the other captain, said with a blush on his face.
Subotai remained calm, but the muscles on his face twitched slightly.
Suddenly, the flag at the top of the city was waved down, and countless smoking iron lumps fell from the top of the city and fell around the base of the city wall.
"ah!"
Tali screamed subconsciously.
Subotai's black face was as dark as a piece of cold black iron.
After fighting for so long, why did the Song army still have so many firearms and ammunition?
It seems that we must capture Mianzhou City and plunder the craftsmen who make firearms, which is a big worry for the Mongolian Kingdom.
"Tong Tong Tong!"
Thunderbolts continued to explode under the city wall, and the air was filled with the choking smell of gunpowder smoke and blood. The fragments produced by the thunderbolts bursting were flying wildly. The waves of Mongolian soldiers were shrouded in rumbling smoke and dust, and they cried miserably. The sound came from inside, which made people feel frightened.
"prick!"
As the shouts of the generals of the Song Army rang out, countless spearheads continued to thrust out. The city was about 200 meters wide and 10 meters deep, and there were fierce sounds of fighting.
Feather arrows roared, the sky darkened, arrows rained on the top of Mianzhou City, Song troops fell one after another, the offensive stalled, and even the Mongolian troops on many city walls were affected and fell one after another.
It seems that the Mongolian army became so angry under the heavy casualties that they even ignored the casualties of their own soldiers in order to kill the Song army.
"Subutai, you... look!"
Tali suddenly pointed to the east of Mianzhou City and screamed.
Subotai raised his eyelids and looked carefully. He saw smoke billowing from the east of Mianzhou City and a chaotic mess of Mongolian cavalry rushing north.
"Isn't this Su He and the others? Why did they retreat?"
Erden, the head of the Thousand Households, said in surprise with sharp eyes.
Subotai was startled and watched with attention. Sure enough, it was the Mongolian cavalry who entered from the border between Song and Tibet and walked through the Motian Ridge to penetrate behind the Song army.
Seeing Su He and others' faces full of panic and running away risking their lives, could it be that they were sniped by the Song army and defeated?
