The first year of Da'an in the Liao Dynasty, the eleventh year of Da'an in the Great Xia, and the night of Renyin (the tenth day of the lunar month) in May of the eighth year of Yuanfeng in the Song Dynasty.
On the banks of the Jialu River, the stars were shining brightly. Ren Duo Baozhong led the sheep into a valley.
The wizard was already waiting for him.
This is the sheep-curling ritual of the Dangxiang people.
A ritual for fortune-telling before a battle.
The black goat was thrown directly into the fire pit dug by the wizard by Nendo Baozhong.
After the goat was thrown into the fire pit, it whined and struggled, and was soon swallowed up by the flames.
The people around the wizard began to throw dry wood into the fire pit.
The smell of burning mutton spread around the fire pit.
The wizard muttered something and began to dance, calling the river gods of the Jialu River, the ghosts and gods of Hengshan, and the ancestors of the Dangxiang people.
Outside the valley, the leaders of the local Dangxiang tribe who had followed Renduo Baozhong were kneeling.
These ignorant tribal leaders believe this!
But it doesn't matter, there will definitely not be a drop of blood in the sheep's heart when the wizard cuts it open tomorrow morning!
In this way, the army can attack Jialu Village and pull out this nail!
Relying on this military exploit, Renduo Baozhong can return to Xingqing Mansion to boast of his merits. The Queen Mother will also know that although the old marshal unfortunately died in battle, Renduo Baozhong is still the pillar of Daxia!
Nendo Baozhong just stood like this, watching the flames in the fire pit gradually extinguish, watching the wizards dancing in front of him.
Until the sky gradually gets brighter and the morning fog fills the valley.
At this time, the wizards stepped forward and dug the burnt sheep out of the fire pit.
Then he grabbed a knife and cut open the belly of the sheep.
Remove the cooked intestines and stomach.
Then he walked outside the valley, held up the sheep intestines, and showed it to all the tribal leaders - the sheep intestines were smooth, with no lumps or blockages!
The tribal leaders saw it and shouted in Dangxiang dialect.
Then, the wizard walked into the valley and cut out the sheep's heart. Then he went out and cut open the ripe sheep's heart in front of everyone without a drop of blood inside!
The leaders cheered again and knelt down to the gods for blessing.
The wizard then distributes the sheep's hearts to all the leaders.
Everyone devoured the sheep's heart that had been blessed by the gods.
They believe that this will bring them luck and blessings!
Let them survive being hit by arrows on the battlefield!
Nendo Baozhong just watched all this, indifferent.
At the end of the ceremony, he took out the weapon in his hand, walked out of the valley, walked in front of all the leaders, and said loudly: "God bless, Buddha protects!"
"Dabai Gaoguo will win this battle!"
"We must win! We must win!" the leaders cheered.
Ren Duo Bao Zhong is complacent.
The spies he sent out have thoroughly found out.
The total number of Nanman military fortress defenders around Jialu Village is more than 2,000!
There are only less than a thousand in Jialu Village!
And the defense is lax and defenseless!
Under the attack of cavalry, if you are lucky, you can break the city without even attacking the fortress!
…
Jialu Village on the north bank of the Yellow River.
The morning fog had just dispersed, and a light horse galloped into the city.
Then, Wang Ying, the worship official of Zhijialuzhai and Dongtou, was woken up urgently.
Then, the alarm bell was sounded in Jialu Village.
All the soldiers, people, and merchants in Jialu Village raised their heads.
They saw Wang Ying of Zhizhai Village leading the defenders of Jialu Village, neatly dressed and walking up the wall of the village.
At the same time, a large number of officials began to beat gongs and drums and began to notify people from door to door.
"The Western thieves are about to invade. All the young and strong men in the city, Han and Tibetan, must go up to guard the city..."
"Anyone who disobeys will be subject to military law!"
"Retreat from the enemy afterward and reward you according to your merits. The imperial court will never treat you badly!"
This is the obligation of the residents of Jialu Village.
They were arranged here to guard the border.
For example, in the battle of Dingxi City last year, guard Qin Gui led more than a thousand defenders and mobilized all the Han and Tibetan residents in the city to defend the city.
At the end of the war, even the women of the Tibetan tribe took up arms and stood on the city wall, while the children of the Han and Tibetan tribes took on most of the tasks of delivering water and food.
Even the elderly participated in helping to defend the city.
So after the war, Qin Gui was promoted, and all the people who defended the city, whether Han or Tibetan, men, women, old or young, were heavily rewarded!
Many Tibetan people were even directly awarded officials because of this.
Therefore, when the alarm bell rang and officials began to mobilize from house to house, most of the residents of Jialu Village had already proactively put on their own leather armor, brought bows and arrows, and carried quivers on their backs.
Frontier places, especially places like Jialu Village.
It was originally both a soldier and a farmer, and it was also the place where the Baojia Law was most strictly enforced and where the most training was conducted.
Almost all residents have military knowledge.
It may not work if they are asked to fight in the field, but with strong fortifications, no one is afraid.
It just so happens that Jialu Village has a dangerous terrain!
Moreover, this city was expanded on the original site after Shen Kuo captured the Xithief Jialu Village in the third year of Yuanfeng.
It is backed by the natural danger of the Yellow River and is located on a cliff, controlling hundreds of miles of surrounding mountains and rivers.
There is water on the mountain, food is stored, and enough arrows and rolling stones are stored.
In the case of being prepared, even if it is a heavy siege, there is nothing you can do in the hurry!
Moreover, on the other side of Jialu Village, on the south bank of Wuding River, which is only eighty miles away from Jialu Village, there is Mizhi Village and Jialu Village echoing each other, forming a horns.
…
The sun was shining brightly.
Nendo Baozhong rode his horse to an unknown hill.
He looked from afar at the fortress that stood on the north bank of the Yellow River and was raised high on the cliff.
The city gate has been completely closed!
The defenders on the wall are waiting solemnly!
How can it be?
Why was the news leaked?
Nendo Baozhong's face suddenly turned dark.
The raid is going to turn into a force attack!
And it looked like the other party had been prepared for a long time, and didn't look like he was in a hurry after discovering it in a hurry.
Just withdraw troops like this?
impossible!
Renduo Baozhong knew that he brought a total of 15,000 cavalry, one person and two horses, on this expedition, starting from Xingqing Mansion.
They only brought food for half a month!
Now, the food they brought has been eaten up long ago, and now all they eat is food and grass forcibly requisitioned from the Hengshan Qiang tribe!
What if we just retreat, not to mention the food and fodder we bring back?
Are you going to rob Qiang people again?
In this case, the Qiang people in Hengshan are not fools. They will quietly come to Nanmanzi to beg for food.
If so, who is he?
Come to provide population to Nanman?
Nanman was afraid that he wanted him to do this!
Therefore, we can only attack with force!
Even if we risk our lives, we must take down Jialu Village!
Therefore, with almost no hesitation, Nendo Baozhong summoned the party leaders of various departments in the Zuoxiang Shengyong Department.
Order them to prepare for the siege - although they are also Dangxiang people, the Dangxiang people are divided into hundreds of different origins. Tuoba is a Dangxiang, Mao Zhi is also a Dangxiang, and even Ren Duo can call himself a Dangxiang.
In the five battles of Lanzhou, those who were driven to attack the city by ants were either Tubo people or people from these small tribes.
Therefore, Nendo Baozhong didn't care about the casualties of these people at all.
He only wants Jialuzhai!
Of course, Renduo Baozhong also knew that by relying solely on human lives, even if all these small Dangxiang tribes and the young Qiang people brought there were filled in, the walls of Jialu Village would probably not be filled.
so……
He also ordered the Poxi Army to make siege equipment on the spot.
At least we must provide cover for the young men attacking the city, and we must not let them die in vain!
However, Nido-ho-tada's order had just been issued.
When the heads of various ministries were forced to go back and prepare.
His spies reported that a cavalry group appeared on the other side of Jialu Village.
It's the Southern Barbarian cavalry!
Although the number of people is not large, only a few dozen riders.
But the banner they raised horrified Nendo Baozhong!
Zi!
Before coming here, Nendo Baozhong did his homework.
He knew that there was only one general with the surname Zi on Hedong Road in Nanman—Zi Hu, the first general on Hedong Road!
He was originally from the Hengshan Qiang tribe. After joining the Southern Barbarians, he made many military exploits and became the remote commandery of the Southern Barbarians, equivalent to the supervisor and commander of the army in Daxia.
The most important thing is that this man and his army have always appeared with the Southern Barbarian general Lu Huiqing who always likes to send troops to the left wing of the heroic division to attack Caogu.
Almost everywhere Lu Huiqing appears, he is there!
Nendo Baozhong had no choice but to lead people to investigate in person!
Then, Nendo Baozhong's heart became cold.
On the north side of Jialu Village, a group of cavalry was watching him from a distance, dozens of miles apart.
There are not many cavalry, less than a thousand, about eight or nine hundred.
But the question is how many are behind them?
In addition, how many should there be on the other side of the Yellow River?
So, Nendo Baozhong knew that he had to make a choice.
Withdraw or attack?
How to withdraw? How to withdraw?
What should I do if the opponent attacks in tandem and hangs me?
Fight, how to fight?
Siege a city? If the southern barbarians steal the camp or even cut off the way back, once the army is so fortified and the way back is cut off, then he and his army will fall into death and despair like the army of the southern barbarians during the five-pronged expedition to Xia!
If you don't attack the city, you can defeat the Nanman reinforcements first.
But what if the other party doesn't fight with him, but just hangs and drags him, waiting for the Nanman army to gather and mobilize.
Then what can he do with such a small number of people?
He came for a surprise attack, not to die!
Nendo Baozhong only thought about it in his mind for a moment, and he had already made a decision.
Walk!
Go now!
Go right now!
The later you leave, the greater the danger!
Every one of Renjia's cavalrymen is his future dependence, and they cannot die here in vain!
Otherwise, even if he can win, as long as the losses of these precious soldiers are too great, he will only be Liang Yifu's flesh when he returns to Xingqing Mansion!
On the contrary, as long as his elite can be retained.
Then, even if Liang Yifu tried to deal with him, he could only be helpless and furious!
The most I can do is scold him a few times!
After thinking about this, Nido Baozhong immediately summoned his brother Nido Zechu and other generals of the headquarters to start arranging the retreat.
Retreating is never easy!
Last year, the Wu soldiers personally conquered the city of Lanzhou and defended the city. However, they could not conquer it for a long time and were forced to retreat after running out of food and grass.
As a result, they were chased and killed by the Southern Barbarian cavalry, and more people died on the retreat than those who attacked the city!
Therefore, this matter must be carefully arranged and dealt with carefully.
Will update tomorrow! ~
Note: Continuation of Zi Zhi Tong Jian Long Chapter Volume 349, October Wuyin Article: Edict: Ding Xicheng to defend the city, Han and Tibetan troops and women, those who fight with thieves on the city, people will support ten pieces of silk, and those who transport things, seven pieces , the handymen under the city, five horses for men and three horses for women.
Such heroic city defense battles occurred more than once in the Northern Song Dynasty.
But Dingxi City is the most special, because both Han and Tibetan people went to the city, and even Tibetan women went to the city to fight and kill the enemy, and they killed many enemies!
In the end, the small Dingxi City stood firm!
The Xixia army suffered heavy losses!
Therefore, I have always said that Zhao Ji is a waste!
It was a tradition in the Northern Song Dynasty to mobilize the army and civilians to defend the city!
Zhao Ji and Zhao Huan did not have the courage!
Deserve it!
(End of chapter)
