In the early morning of autumn, the golden sunshine shines on the earth, and the breeze blows gently, which is cool and refreshing, making people feel relaxed and happy. Golden leaves fell one by one, and sparse and shriveled unknown wild fruits hung on several trees. Birds chirped on the branches and pecked at them from time to time.
Outside Taiyuan City, in the Song Army's camp, suddenly drums and horns were blaring, and the desolate trumpets kept sounding. Birds soared into the sky, filling the sky, and soon disappeared. Wild dogs fled in panic, leaving only the two sides who were about to fight in the sky. .
The Song army's formation is located in the south, and the cavalry on the east wing protects the infantry formation in the middle. The artillery in the formation is faint, and each large formation is cut with swords and axes. There are straight lines on the front and sides, the cold light of the soldiers' armor, and the unified domed iron helmets. The lineup was solemn and solemn, and the silence was terrifying.
The Mongolian army's formation was also full of people and horses. There were three camps from west to east, the infantry formation outside the east city, the cavalry formation on the east wing, and the Dongshan camp further east.
The infantry formed a large formation to defend the camp, the tall trebuchets were intimidating, and there were countless artillery and ballistae. The cavalry on the east wing formed a line of their own, densely packed all over the mountains and plains. In the northeast of the Mongolian cavalry, the Mongolian soldiers on the east mountain are also watching eagerly, ready to reinforce and attack at any time.
In the Mongolian army camp, under the fluttering flags, the infantry stood ready, as if waiting for the Song army to attack. The Mongolian knights on the east wing comforted their horses, seeming to be waiting for the upcoming fierce battle.
The Song army's lineup was neat and well-trained, while the Mongolian army was equally fierce, bloodthirsty and warlike. Both sides were waiting for the military order to be issued and couldn't wait for the coming fight.
Under the banner of the Song Army's Zhongjun, Yu Jie looked at the Mongolian army's formation opposite and frowned.
There were nearly 100,000 people on both sides, covering the mountains and plains, filling the wilderness south of Taiyuan City. It was so crowded that it was impossible to see the end.
If you win, maybe one battle will determine the outcome. If defeated, there would be a river of blood, and the Northern Expedition would return in vain. I would be ashamed of the elders of Jiangdong and the king's trust.
"Commander Yu, generals, the walls of Taiyuan City are tilted inward to form an arc, which can slow down the damage caused by trebuchets. There is also an urn outside the city gate, which is easy to defend but difficult to attack."
Gao Shisan said, pointing to the hills to the east of Taiyuan City.
"Although Taiyuan City is located on the plain, Dongshan is only about a mile away from Taiyuan City, so you can attack Taiyuan City from a high position. At that time, the Tatar general Mu Huali deployed crossbows on Dongshan and shot many defenders from the mountain. The Jin soldiers thus captured this important town in the east of the Jin Kingdom."
Gao Shisan's explanation made Yu Jie and other Song Army generals nod. Many people's eyes glanced towards Dongshan.
"It seems that if our army wants to defeat Taiyuan City, it must capture Dongshan."
Yu Jie took a telescope and looked towards the east mountain. Flags were flying and people were looking forward to it. Apparently there were many troops stationed there.
"Commander Yu, the top of Laotou Ridge in Dongshan is flat and broad, and there are more than ten thousand Han troops stationed there. Xiao Zala, who is from ten thousand households of the Han army, personally leads the army. There are hundreds of artillery on the mountain. The terrain is steep and easy to defend but difficult to attack. At that time, the Tatar army used gunpowder barrels to attack Taiyuan. Taiyuan City was breached by blasting a gap in the northwest corner of the city."
Gao Shisan made another introduction, making all the generals nod.
Firearms were so powerful that even the Mongolian army used them during sieges.
"Brother Gao, so the northwest corner of Taiyuan City has been renovated?"
Zhang Zhongxia thought for a moment and asked directly.
These people in the Intelligence Department are really admirable. Such thorough military intelligence was of great help.
"Exactly, General!"
Gao Shisan replied seriously.
"Zhang Zhongxia, what does this mean?"
Yu Jie's heart moved and she glanced at Zhang Zhongxia.
"Commander Yu, when attacking the city, the northwest corner can be a breakthrough. Artillery and Thunderbolts are bombarded indiscriminately. Perhaps the city wall can be broken down without gunpowder. If Thunderbolt cannons are ineffective, gunpowder packets can be used to blast. Tatar's Gunpowder can blow up the city of Taiyuan, so is our army's gunpowder worse than that of the Tatars?"
Zhang Zhongxia's words suddenly enlightened everyone, and Yu Jie also nodded.
The Song Army was second in gunpowder technology, but who dares to claim first place in the world?
Dongshan, the northwest corner of the city wall, seems to be the breakthrough point for Taiyuan City.
"We'll talk about Dongshan and the siege later. Now we have to defeat the Tatar camp outside the city first. This is the foundation!"
Wang Jian said loudly, looking at the Mongolian army in the distance.
There are tens of thousands of Mongolian cavalry alone. Needless to say, this will be a tough battle.
"More than 100,000 troops, what a huge battle! How scary!"
Yu Jie made a self-deprecating comment and added Emperor Zhao Hong's catchphrase.
He also did not expect that once he entered Hedong, there would be such a huge battle, with hundreds of thousands of people fighting, which made him, who was usually open-minded, a little worried about gains and losses.
It would be great if Cao Youwen was here. "Cao DaDa" is full of courage and likes big battles the most. It's a pity that Cao Youwen went to Henan and had his own mission.
"No matter how big the formation is, if a cannon fires over it, it will blow the shit out of it!"
"One-handed" Wu Feng, the commander of the army's artillery, said proudly.
"Well said, Wu Feng!"
Yu Jie's face turned dark red, he laughed, and his heart suddenly felt arrogant.
The soldiers are well-trained, the firearms are sharp, and there is no shortage of cavalry. What are you worried about?
"Generals, listen to the order. Zhang Zhongxia will command the front army, Wang Jiian will command the left army, and Wu Feng will command the right army. I will be in charge of the central army, Cao Erxiong will command the central artillery, and Wang Shixin will command the right cavalry. Army forward!"
Eighty thousand tigers and wolves, thousands of artillery pieces, what else did he have to worry about!
"The army is moving forward?"
All the generals were startled, and then they were all excited. Everyone was smug and their adrenaline was soaring.
The Mongolian army is ready to move, waiting in formation, and they don't know how long they will test it. Take the initiative and have a vigorous and fierce battle, which makes people's blood boil even more.
Wu Feng originally wanted to fight for the position of the front army, but the army always had a mountain of military orders, and he swallowed the words as soon as they came to his lips.
Zhang Zhongxia has been at the frontier for a long time and is good at attacking tough battles. It is indeed reassuring to have him as the front army.
"Commander Yu, the Tatars are not good at coming. Their numbers are overwhelming. Do you want to form a formation and wait for the Tatar army to attack? Then use artillery to kill them first?"
Wang Shixin was a little hesitant when he participated in a battle involving hundreds of thousands of people for the first time.
"General Wang, abide by military orders! Wu Feng, you are in charge of the artillery of the right army, Cao Erxiong is in charge of the artillery of the Chinese army, and Wang Shixin is in charge of the cavalry charging into the formation. The artillery must try to ensure the safety of the cavalry on the right wing!"
Yu Jie smiled coldly and pointed at the Mongolian army formation in front.
"The purpose is to strike first and force them to fight. Our northwest frontier army has strict military discipline. You should have confidence in your soldiers!"
"General, please obey military orders!"
Wang Shixin's face turned red and he was no longer stubborn.
"Don't worry, general! The safety of the right wing is left to me!"
Wu Feng said with enthusiasm, doing his part.
"The front army moves forward and begins to attack the camp!"
Yu Jie's military order was issued, and the generals slowly rode forward, followed by the entire front army formation.
When two armies meet, the brave one wins. Yu Jie now has full confidence in his subordinates.
The drums sounded, and the Song army stepped forward in unison, marching in unison. The formation was integrated, like a rolling torrent of steel. Even the cavalry advanced like a wall, keeping in a straight line. Each artillery piece shone with a cold light, which was intimidating.
In the Mongolian army formation, the soldiers all turned their eyes. They looked left and right with surprise in their eyes, not knowing whether to wait or to fight.
For a long time, whether it was dealing with the Jin Xia or Song soldiers, the Mongolian army had always taken the initiative to attack, and the other party formed a formation to respond carefully. This time the Song Army actually chose to take the initiative, which was quite courageous.
Moreover, judging from the equipment of the Song army, everyone was armored, and they were equipped with bows, crossbows, swords, and shields, which far exceeded the Mongolian army, which mostly wore leather armor.
"The Song army bullied people too much. They are so brave! Liu Heima, I will leave the camp outside the city to you. Dongshan will be handed over to Xiao Zala, and the cavalry will be dispatched to Tacha'er."
Han Chijin's face was gloomy and he gave instructions to Liu Heima and others on the side.
"Marshal, don't worry (obey the order)!"
Tacha'er, Liu Heima and Xiao Zala obeyed the order and left one after another.
"Bang the drums and get ready to fight!"
The Song army was covered in iron armor and well-trained. Coupled with the legendary ferocious firearms, Han Chijin did not dare to be careless and shouted loudly.
Tachaer's reinforcements have arrived. The Mongolian army has 100,000 infantry and cavalry, which has surpassed the Song army and is enough to fight.
The Song army's formation moved forward and did not stop until about four miles in front of the Mongolian army's formation.
"Xiao Naitai, lead three thousand-man troops to charge the Song Army's infantry formation! Be careful of the Song Army's artillery."
In the Mongolian army's cavalry formation, Tacha'er, a member of the Mongolian army's ten thousand households, warned the deputy general Xiao Naitai on the side.
Unlike Subotai, Tali and other generals who had fought with the Song army, Mongolian generals such as Tachar Xiaonaitai had no experience of fighting against the Song army. They relied entirely on their own knowledge and the methods they were good at fighting. The Song army fought.
Xiao Naitai took the order and went forward, and the Mongolian cavalry quickly started to move. With heavy cavalry in front and light cavalry behind, the Mongolian cavalry formation slowly urged their horses forward. Thousands of them headed straight for the Song infantry formation.
In the large infantry formation of the Song Army, the officers and soldiers of the Song Army looked at the Mongolian cavalry rolling forward, and everyone looked solemn.
"Heavy cavalry in front, light cavalry in the back. It's still the same!"
Zhang Zhongxia shook his head.
After so many years, the Mongolian cavalry that dominates the world is still the same. It’s already out of date!
Zhang Zhongxia raised his telescope and looked forward. There were three thousand Mongolian cavalry rolling forward. Smoke and dust rose with great momentum. The strange thing is that there is no movement in our own artillery array.
The range of three miles is already within the shooting range of heavy artillery, not to mention that rifled guns can shoot five or six miles, and explosive shells are even more powerful weapons.
This guy Cao Erxiong, what on earth is he waiting for?
Zhang Zhongxia was startled for a moment, then woke up.
It seemed that Cao Erxiong was fishing for fear of scaring away the Mongolian cavalry who came to attack.
This guy is getting more and more into the fight.
Sure enough, the Mongolian cavalry slowly urged their horses forward, and the distance between the two sides became closer and closer. In the blink of an eye, they were already two miles away. The Mongolian heavy cavalry speeded up, and the Mongolian light cavalry behind the Mongolian heavy cavalry was already holding a horn bow. Once within the shooting range, the Song army must be shot immediately.
"fire!"
The flag of the artillery formation was waved down. Cao Erxiong did not hesitate and immediately roared.
The impatient gunners pressed the red-hot iron drills on the fire door one after another.
