Liu Yu immediately ordered the selection of elite infantry from the entire army, and gathered all the light tanks and powerful crossbows in the army together.
These chariots are all light wooden chariots, and their main purpose is actually to allow the baggage to keep up with the advancing speed of the army.
After being supplemented by horses from Xianbei in the east, although excellent war horses are still rare and valuable materials, the hard-working riding horses have been greatly supplemented.
As the vanguard of the landing, these chariots can be used as distance horses to defend against the impact of the Huns cavalry.
Those heavy crossbows were actually the most popular bed crossbows in the Tang and Song Dynasties. They used a winch to wind the crossbow. Although the firing speed was slower, the heavy crossbow arrows could definitely make any target's armor lose its protective effect.
If ordinary crossbows are used against cavalry, even if they hit the target, they are likely to be rushed into the formation.
The number of Han soldiers who landed cannot be replenished quickly. They must have the strongest defense and weapons to allow them to gain a firm foothold.
Liu Yu finally ordered the Han navy that stayed on the river to prepare and transport Han soldiers to bypass the Hulao Pass occupied by the Huns.
Two days later, the southeast wind happened to be the most suitable for traveling against the current.
Taking advantage of the thin mist, the Han army boats on the Yellow River carried 3,000 infantrymen, 200 lightly armed chariots, and 300 heavy crossbows. They began to raise their sails and row heavy wooden oars. , heading towards the river behind Hulao Pass.
Because of the fog, the Huns scouts who were watching at Hulao Gate were unable to see the situation in the middle of the river.
What's more, these Huns soldiers and horses no longer care about observing the river.
Because just before the Han navy began to move upstream, the Han infantry outside Hulao Pass began to beat the war drums. Tens of thousands of Han infantry carried ladders, pushed tower carts and rams, and moved towards Hulao Pass in a menacing manner. Come.
The Huns soldiers who saw the enemy's situation immediately went to report to the general at Hulao Pass.
"What, the bandits are going to attack the city?"
As the guard of Hulao Pass, Bu Quan has been on tenterhooks lately.
He came out of the left side of the Xiongnu and has always been the tribal commander of the southern Xiongnu. Since the Xiongnu Emperor Liu Cong was seriously injured, the task of guarding Hulao Pass was given to him.
This is not because Bu Quan is very capable, but because he knows that most of the Huns nobles will rush back to Chang'an to seize it, and the fate of Luoyang and Hulao Pass has long been secondary.
Therefore, as a Xiongnu who is neither above nor below, he can be used to hold the post at Hulao Pass.
"Yes, yes, general, the thieves have already pushed the ladder and tower cart across the Si River!" said the scout.
"Give me armor, quickly!" Bu Quan said anxiously.
Because the whole army is now afraid of the Qingzhou Han army outside the pass, the Huns have given up the strategy of relying on the Sishui defense outside the pass, and instead the whole army has retreated to Hulao Pass.
Anyway, when the Xiongnu army retreated back to Luoyang, Zhongshan King Liu Yao and others had already told Bu Quan that Hulao Pass was a dangerous place. As long as he restrained his temper and acted like an old turtle and did not leave the city to fight, the Han army outside the city might not be able to survive for a year and a half. Can conquer Hulao Pass.
Even if the Qingzhou Han army used a gun carriage with a hundred-step throw, Bu Quan would not be afraid, because he was already preparing to make it.
When the Han army outside the city has set up artillery carriages, they can also set up the same artillery carriages to fight back.
However, when Bu Quan heard that the Han army was about to attack, he was still worried.
Soon, Bu Quan, the Fenwei general of the Xiongnu and Han Dynasty, came to the head of Hulao Pass in neat clothes.
He had already heard the sound of Han army trumpets and drums outside the city.
Bu Quan climbed to the top of the city and took a closer look outside. He was shocked to find that nearly ten thousand Han troops had already crossed the Si River and were heading towards Hulao Pass.
"Thieves, is this all they have?"
Bu Quan couldn't help but be a little confused. From a distance, the Han army that was about to attack was very powerful, but when he saw the siege equipment, they were all ordinary things.
In particular, there is a wide moat outside Hulao Pass. Although it is not as wide as the Sishui River, for those Han troops, if they want to attack the city wall, they must first cross the moat.
"General, the bandit army is just a bluff. If we don't fill up the moat, all those rush cars and ladders will be useless!"
At this time, all the generals of the Huns army also gathered over.
The Han army's trumpet and drum orders just now were so powerful that they were all startled. They thought that the Han army had prepared to attack the city with some supernatural power.
"That's right, General, if we want to fill up this moat, it won't take more than ten days and a half. I'm afraid it's impossible."
"This must be a tactic used by the thieves to scare us away1"
These Huns generals quickly returned to their normal state of mind.
Even the general Bu Quan felt that these Han soldiers were disgusting and used such a stupid method to scare themselves.
Sure enough, after crossing the Si River, the Han army outside the city began to assemble the dismantled ladders, rams, tower trucks and other engineering equipment. On the other hand, they began to dig soil on the ground. Some people who looked like civilians used He dumped various tools into the moat.
"These thieves can't be let go so easily!"
Bu Quan said dissatisfied when he saw this.
He waved his hand and ordered to the Hun soldiers at the top of the city.
"Don't look any further. Shoot the arrow down hard. We will never let the thieves dig up soil and fill the river so easily!"
"As you command!"
There were sounds of promises, and then the continuous sound of bowstrings sounded.
Thousands of feather arrows were shot down from the top of the city.
Although the Han troops outside the city were protected by shields, many soldiers and civilians were still shot. The injuries were not fatal, but they all screamed in agony.
"Hahaha, these thieves, let me give you a taste of the power of Hulao Pass!" Bu Quan couldn't help but smile proudly.
If it weren't for the repeated strict orders from Zhongshan King Liu Yao and others not to allow him to leave the city to attack, he would definitely have sent Qingqi to drive away and pursue these Han soldiers and civilians.
"Buzz! Buzz!"
The continuous sound of bows and arrows sounded almost densely like a swarm of bees.
After several shots from the Xiongnu soldiers and horses, the Han troops outside the city retreated one after another.
This time, these Han soldiers and civilians no longer moved forward, but dug up the soil on the spot and packed it in some linen bags.
"Hey, these thieves are so extravagant, using linen bags to carry soil?"
Some Xiongnu generals were surprised.
You know, even the roughest linen can be used as clothing. At least in the Xiongnu and Han Dynasty, many Jin slaves could only wear rough linen clothes.
"It seems that these thieves are not stupid. It turns out they have such a method!"
General Fenwei Bu Quan immediately paid attention to it.
After using these linen bags to hold soil, the Han army could prepare enough soil bags in advance and then throw them into the moat, filling the trenches and moats in a very short time.
However, those linen piled high for such a function really make people feel luxurious.
"General, how about we rush out with a cavalry and kill all those Han soldiers and civilians!" A general came over and said.
"No!" Fenwei General Bu Quan immediately shook his head.
On the one hand, it was the instructions from Zhongshan King Liu Yao and others, and on the other hand, he had seen that more and more Han troops were ready to form defensive formations.
Even if the cavalry is sent out, it will probably be difficult to achieve ideal results.
"Let them dig the soil. Even if they fill in one or two places, it is of no consequence. Just keep an eye on it carefully!"
Fenwei General Bu Quan said.
Afterwards, the Huns defenders on the city began to defend like a theater.
Anyway, the Han army outside the city was just digging in the soil. After eating several rounds of feather arrows, they were determined not to rush forward.
After waiting and watching for more than half an hour, Fenwei General Bu Quan was basically relieved.
The progress of the Han army's digging was not fast. It was still a long way to go before they could dig enough soil to fill the trench.
Since the Han army is willing to work hard to dig the soil, they should watch the show first.
Wait until the Han army attacks the city with ladders and tower carts, and then give them a head-on attack.
Anyway, General Fenwei Bu Quan had already seen that the number of ladders and rams prepared by the Han army was not large.
There is not much pressure on the defenders. As long as they are properly prepared, they should be able to repel them immediately.
Just when Fenwei General Bu Quan thought everything was safe, suddenly there was a burst of anxious footsteps.
Then, a Hun general ran over panting.
"General, it's not good, it's not good!"
When Bu Quan saw this, his face immediately darkened.
"Why are you howling? What's going on!?"
The general was sweating profusely, pointed to the west with his hand, and said breathlessly.
"General, the bandits, the bandits' boats have docked at Baiyangtan behind, and a large number of bandits are disembarking from the boats and heading ashore."
When Bu Quan heard this, he didn't panic immediately.
He naturally knew the news that the Han army in Qingzhou had naval forces and boats.
This kind of attack from behind is naturally very common.
However, landing on the wild beach on the edge of the Yellow River is an extremely slow thing. It will not be possible for enough soldiers to land on the shore without a long time.
If there are too few landing soldiers, they will be unable to fight back against the counterattack of the Huns on the river bank.
"How many thieves have come ashore?" Bu Quan asked first.
"When the general saw it, there were already a hundred or ten people. I guess there should be three to five hundred people now!" The general immediately replied.
"Hmph, if you dare to come with such a small number of people, you are really looking for death!" Bu Quan smiled coldly.
Then he ordered three thousand elites to be fired up, opened the west gate of Hulao Pass, and headed towards the river beach not far away.
Fenwei General Bu Quan, who led three thousand cavalry, was thinking as he was on his way that by the time he arrived, the thieves who came ashore would have almost a thousand effects.
With his three thousand cavalry, it was enough to drive them all down the river to feed the fish.
However, Bu Quan then thought that the Huns garrison at Hulao Pass were not very stable now, and it was better to be more cautious about this group of Han troops who were attacking from behind.
"You, come here, take my military orders, and go to Guancheng to mobilize two thousand troops and horses, and then come back!"
Bu Quan grabbed a soldier and ordered loudly.
The cavalryman immediately took the order and left.
In this way, Bu Quan was completely relieved.
"Well, as soon as my three thousand cavalry appear, those bandits will definitely be scared out of their wits. I don't need to be too anxious. Let more bandits come ashore, and then deal with them all together."
At this time, Bu Quan had already seen the shadow of the Han army boats in the river in the distance.
Three thousand Huns soldiers roared towards the river bank.
When they arrived, Bu Quan and others took a closer look and found that the landing speed of the Han army was basically the same as what they had guessed.
"It's just more than a thousand people. They are simply going to die!" said a Hun general.
"What are the thieves doing with so many chariots?" Another Hun general asked in confusion.
After discovering them, the Han army not far away lined up four-wheeled low chariots.
The river beach was tightly blocked from west to east.
"Hahaha, these thieves are so stupid. Do they think that such a few flimsy cars can stop our cavalry?" Bu Quan couldn't help laughing.
These chariots are all made of thin wood, and the Han army is far outnumbered. It is simply a dream to use these things to block yourself.
"General, wait a little longer, or should we kill him now?" a general asked loudly.
"Don't let the thief escape, kill him immediately!"
Bu Quan had already seen many Han army boats approaching the shore, and many boats were even less than a hundred steps away from them.
Such a close distance would be enough for the Han army to escape by swimming after their defeat.
In that case, the Huns would have let many lives go in vain.
Following Bu Quan's order, three thousand Huns cavalry immediately formed their lineup.
After two more horn horns sounded, three thousand cavalry led by Bu Quan, the Fenwei general of the Huns and Han Kingdom, rushed towards the more than a thousand Han infantry who were arrayed against the water not far away.
"kill!"
"Kill!"
Amidst bursts of neighing of men and horses, the Huns cavalry quickly rushed in front of those thin vehicle formations.
Once one or two gaps are made, it will be enough for the Hun cavalry to drive the Han infantry into the river and act like ducks.
Suddenly, a sound of trumpets and drums sounded from the Han army array.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Waves of bowstring sounds sounded one after another.
Hundreds of thick and large crossbow arrows shot over from the Han army's chariots.
Fenwei General Bu Quan, who was behind the cavalry array, did not see these situations. He just saw that a large number of the Hun cavalry who were charging in front of him suddenly fell.
Well, that's right.
Not one piece, but a bunch.
As if being pierced by a spear, the several Huns cavalry in front, whether they were riders or horses, were pierced by a huge crossbow arrow.
"Heavy crossbow!"
Bu Quan's heart trembled.
However, even a heavy crossbow cannot change the outcome.
The heavy crossbow is extremely slow to fire and often requires three or four people to operate it. Now that there are only a thousand Han soldiers on the opposite side, it is impossible to have another chance to fire it.
