Chapter 480 The great barrier is broken

Chapter 480 The great barrier is broken

With the brave fighting of the soldiers on the top of the city and the continuous reinforcements from the soldiers behind, the west section of the wall of Yan Han City was gradually captured. The defenders retreated steadily and retreated into the city at the corner tower.

Despite being at a disadvantage, the defenders still did not give up resistance, because they were supported by the belief that the reinforcements from the east of the city were about to enter the city for reinforcements. Therefore, under the organization of their respective commanders, they started street fights with the enemies who had entered the city. .

Li Tai also led the troops from behind into the city. He stood on the top of the city and watched the enemy situation in the streets and alleys. When he saw those people were still resisting bravely despite being at a disadvantage, he couldn't help but sigh that the resilience of these Eastern Wei soldiers was really good. Then they dispatched soldiers into the city to support them, and divided the defenders into different streets and alleys to annihilate them one by one.

However, the fighting in the west and west of the city was still going on, and a large number of citizens suddenly poured in from the east of the city.

Li Tai frowned when he saw this scene on the top of the city. He thought that the enemy was going to make a desperate counterattack. He was waiting for the order to gather his troops to suppress the counterattack, but he soon noticed that these city citizens were completely unarmored. Armed with sticks, bare-handed and noisy.

When the defenders who were still resisting in the streets and alleys saw these fellow citizens rushing towards them, they suddenly became excited and couldn't help but shout: "The reinforcements have entered the city..."

"The reinforcements, the reinforcements are all dead... there are no reinforcements left!"

Some people were howling in panic, but their feet did not stop, but instead of rushing up to fight side by side, they knelt down in front of the enemies wielding swords and guns and shouted miserably: "Surrender, surrender... spare your life, spare your life!"

As these city citizens brought the news that the reinforcements had been driven back, the last belief that supported the stubborn defenders had collapsed. The soldiers who had been bravely resisting the fight dropped their weapons one after another, and each He lay limp and exhausted as if his muscles and bones had been taken away.

However, their resistance just now also caused a lot of casualties to the siege troops. Many Western Wei soldiers were also jealous. Although these defenders had given up resistance, they still refused to put away their butcher knives and went straight into the crowd. Keep slashing.

Faced with the massacre unleashed by the enemy, these guards no longer regained their previous bravery, but simply waited for death with numb expressions. People in desperate situations have their last hope destroyed, and they are still alive but dead.

In a cruel war, this is just an ordinary scene. The joys and sorrows of little people will never have any impact on the process and outcome of the war.

In order to prevent the city from organizing an effective counterattack, Li Tai did not immediately order the soldiers to stop fighting. He waited until He Ruodun, who had invaded from the east of the city, sent a message that he had taken control of the city lord's palace and a few people, and then he ordered everyone to The soldiers put away their swords and guns and drove the captured prisoners towards the open spaces in the city.

"Master, my servants are lucky to live up to their orders!"

As the battle in the city ended, He Ruoden and others escorted a group of prisoners out of the inner city to usher in. When he saw Li Tai, He Ruoden stepped forward and said half-acceptingly and half-satisfiedly: "Before, Thousands of thieves from the East came rushing from the river valley to help. The servants kept in mind Master Lang's orders and did not dare to retreat from the battle because of the overwhelming strength of the enemy. They responded to the enemy with the armor and swords given by Master Lang..."

Because of the city barrier, Li Tai didn't know the specific encounter of He Ruodun and his party. He allocated thirty pairs of armor swords just to be prepared, but he didn't expect that they would actually use them.

Hearing He Ruoden describe their fighting process in the east of the city, Li Tai suddenly became interested, as if a krypton gold boss was eager to know the performance and effect of the new equipment. Hearing the description alone was not enough, so he simply left Liang Shiyan and others behind. Staying in the city and continuing to clean the battlefield, he and He Ruoden and others went straight to the battlefield in the valley east of the city.

At this time, in the river valley to the east of the city, the enemy cavalry had long disappeared, but many traces of the previous battles were left, especially at the front line where the heavy infantry fought with the enemy cavalry. Broken limbs and arms were scattered on the river beach. The bloody scene was truly shocking.

Just from the scene in front of me, one can imagine the intensity of the battle at that time, and the heroic slaughter of the heavy armored infantry against the enemy's light cavalry.

"This heavy armor and this long sword are really powerful weapons for killing enemies! But if Fu Erlang had to use such heavy weapons in the old defenses, many defeats and chaos could be avoided..."

Han Xiong and the heavy armors lined up in front of the city to prepare for the enemy's return. He did not enter the city with He Ruoden. At this time, seeing that the overall situation of the war in the city had been decided, he disarmed and came forward, holding on to the heavy armor. De Jiayi said with a look of cherishment and emotion.

After hearing this, Li Tai smiled and said: "Although the heavy-armored sword is extremely strong and powerful, it still needs a truly brave man to use it to kill the enemy and defeat the enemy. General Han can be said to complement this."

Although the defensive power of this heavy armor is amazing, the corresponding weight is also considerable. A armor weighing dozens of kilograms is worn on the body, and both hands have to hold a sword that is also much heavier than ordinary weapons for combat. , which is extremely taxing on human physical strength.

After this set of equipment was made, Li Tai once tried it on himself. With his physical strength, he could only hold on for more than a quarter of an hour before he was out of breath, making it difficult to fight effectively.

Even if they are the elite soldiers who are famous for their strength and endurance in the part, after a long period of targeted training, although the persistence time has been extended, it is still a huge burden on their physical strength.

Now all the soldiers were panting after taking off their armor. Although Han Xiong, who had also been wearing armor for a long time, was sweating profusely, his breathing movements could still be maintained normally, which showed that his physical strength was indeed amazing.

When Li Tai saw this scene, even if it wasn't because of the future famous general Han Qinhu, he secretly wanted to win over Han Xiong. If he can be recruited under his command and serve as the commander-in-chief of the heavy armored units under his command, coupled with his combat style of taking the lead and daring to set an example, the combat effectiveness of the relevant combat units will surely be improved.

However, although Han Xiong is not as powerful as himself, he is also an important general in Heluo in western Henan. Although he is nominally controlled by Li Yuan, he is actually a relatively independent general. Even Daxingtai needs preferential treatment to show his goodwill. But don't just give orders and control them.

Li Tai's current idea of ​​taking him under his command is a bit arrogant. Now he was only passing through this area as the vanguard of the Bafu army. Unless he could obtain the Bafu's authorization to stay in Heluo and preside over the military and political affairs here for a long time, he would be able to recruit Han Xiong under his command.

As the saying goes, a thousand troops are easy to gain but a general is hard to find. In order to enhance the relationship between them, although he was a little reluctant to part with him, Li Tai thought about it and smiled at Han Xiong and said: "I am appointed to be the pioneer of the army this time. Thank you General Han." I am really grateful to the army guide for taking the lead in conquering Yan Han City. When we leave Han Pass and the war comes to an end, I will reward the general with five sets of armor and swords!"

"This, this... it's really true. Mr. Xihe... Thank you very much, Mr. Xihe for your generous gift of armor. I will definitely work harder to lead the troops out of Hanguan!"

When Han Xiong heard this, he was so excited that he was at a loss. Even his answers became a little incoherent.

He had been in Heluo for a long time, and it was not that he had not captured and accumulated heavy armor. However, after he actually tried wearing it and went into battle to kill the enemy, he became more and more deeply aware of the superior performance of Li Tai's armored swords.

And this combat method of using foot to defeat cavalry made him even more amazing, especially the visual effect caused by killing the enemy's troops head-on, which had an impact on the morale of the enemy's cavalry, and its role in the battle was even greater. Exceeding the damage caused to the enemy's body.

At the same time, the armor-sword formation has a wide range of applicability. The heavy armor greatly enhances the protection, and the long-edged sword greatly enhances the offensive nature. It can be said to be a good weapon for both offense and defense.

Especially in a battlefield environment like western Henan with rolling mountains and crisscrossing rivers and valleys, which is suitable for small-scale offensive and defensive operations, this kind of armed combination is a kingly combination that is full of practicality.

Han Xiong's mind briefly changed and he had already imagined various combat scenarios, especially in some regrettable failed battles in the past years. If there is such an armed combat team, it will greatly increase the possibility of making the impossible possible. Ability!

Although five armor swords may not sound like a lot, they can already form a basic combat team. In the Battle of Heqiao last year, the fierce general Yang Zhong once fought with five strong men to defend the bridge and thieves did not dare to enter.

Li Tai only has two hundred pairs of armor swords now, and the initial two hundred pairs of armor swords include research and development costs, which makes the cost extremely high. But when you think about the investment in Han Xiong, it is the return of two generations of father and son, it is not bad. Good value for money.

After checking the results here, Li Taicai returned to the city to sort out the overall results of the battle.

Yanhan City was one of the most important strongholds occupied by the Eastern Wei Dynasty on the Beijiao Road. It was originally a small garrison belonging to the Western Wei Dynasty. After the Battle of Mangshan, the Western Wei Dynasty's forces overall shrank and retreated, and was captured by the Eastern Wei Dynasty. Based on the original structure, it was expanded into a sizable military city.

This military city is more than five miles in circumference. Its size and geographical location can be regarded as a bridgehead for the Eastern Wei Dynasty to attack westward along the Beixiao Road. Before this, the Eastern Wei Dynasty crossed Xiaoshan Mountain several times to launch attacks on Hengnong and other places. They all sent troops from this point.

This military city has a town general and a city lord who are in charge of military affairs. Among them, the town general is named Xu Wei. He has died in the city in the previous battle. The city lord is named Bu Guiluo. He Ruodun and others rushed into the city lord's palace. Capture him.

According to the account of the city lord, this city originally had more than 7,000 soldiers and civilians defending the city. Last year, Hou Jing of Daxingtai, Henan, recruited 1,000 soldiers to participate in the Battle of Yubi, and then naturally nothing happened. In April and May, nearly 3,000 people were recruited by Luozhou Prefecture and Heyang. In addition, the old, weak, women and children retreated, so there were only less than 3,000 defenders in the city.

Therefore, Li Tai's ability to quickly capture the city this time also took advantage of the relatively empty defense force in the city. If the soldiers and civilians in the city still maintain the original scale, even if the city can be captured in the end, it will probably be a protracted battle. fighting.

However, the strategic contraction of the Eastern Wei Dynasty itself has nothing to do with Li Tai, and it will not compromise his military exploits. Even if other gains are not taken into account, simply capturing Yan Hancheng, a frontier military town of the Eastern Wei Dynasty, is a great achievement. The advantage on the road returned to the Western Wei Dynasty.

In addition to the success of the city, there are also many gains in other aspects. Since the surrender of the city lord Bu Guiluo, more than 1,600 soldiers and civilians have been captured in the city. The casualties mainly occurred in the capture of the city wall and the subsequent short street battles.

Most of these prisoners were young and strong, and most of them, including the city lord Bu Guiluo, were locals in western Henan. Some even knew Han Xiong, a local snake. After seeing him, they knelt on the ground and begged for mercy. It seemed that It should be that he surrendered to the Eastern Wei Dynasty after the Battle of Mangshan and was incorporated as a town citizen.

"Mr. Xihe, although these natives are ignorant of righteousness, most of them have no choice but to be thieves and do not intend to be thieves. I hope that Gong Xihe can be given a lighter sentence..."

Han Xiong saw many familiar faces and had mixed feelings in his heart. When he reached a secluded corner, he couldn't help but plead with Li Tai.

Li Tai knew that even if these villagers had any faults, it was just because they were unfortunate enough to be born in Heluo and were unwilling to leave their hometown. Whether they joined the Eastern Wei Dynasty or the Western Wei Dynasty, it made no difference to them. All they wanted was to live.

But now that he is in the army, everything still has to be based on the needs of the war. Now that he has won a victory by luck, it is difficult to be merciful. After thinking for a while, he said: "Although it is not what the people want to help the tyrants do evil, it is Committing oneself to being a thief is an indisputable fact after all.

It is a real pity only those who are determined to save themselves. Since General Han has old acquaintances with the masses, I ask you to enter the camp and convey my order. The road ahead is not easy, and there are still masses entrenched. If they are willing to join the army to drive away the thieves, they don’t need to ask about their past affairs. After the war, rewards will be given based on merit. "

This method of handling was also appropriate. After hearing this, Han Xiong quickly nodded in agreement, and then went into the camp to collect the surrendered prisoners.

Li Tai entered the city lord's palace surrounded by his soldiers. At this time, Liang Shiyan had already inventoried the city's treasury and presented the accounting books.

There are more than 8,000 stones stored in the city, more than 3,000 pieces of cloth, more than 9,000 bows, knives and firearms, more than 200 collars of various armors, hundreds of thousands of arrows, copper, iron, bamboo and wood, including coal, etc. There are tens of thousands of kilograms of various miscellaneous materials, and there are even hundreds of thousands of old Yong'an five baht coins.

Compared with the size of Yan Han City, these warehouse materials are not particularly impressive, but after knowing that after Hou Jing's rebellion, the strategic contraction of the Heluo area, and the Yan Han City warehouses were transferred and requisitioned, it is conceivable that these materials are still remaining. It’s drool-worthy how this city looked in its heyday.

No wonder Li Tai talked to Han Xiong before about obtaining supplies for the rebel armies in western Henan. Han Xiong once said that obtaining supplies from the enemy was one of the important ways, and even talked about the battle with the Eastern Wei Dynasty, his eyes were filled with nostalgia.

The east-west road here in Yanhan City is stable. Previously, the Eastern Wei Dynasty had too much advantage and was difficult to compete with.

However, in Yiyang, an important town in Guannan, because the Western Wei Dynasty still maintained a series of defenses such as Tongrail Defense in the upper reaches of Luoshui River, it organized offensives against Yiyang from time to time, especially when the Eastern Wei Dynasty transported grain and grass to Yiyang. This series of The military operations of the Western Henan rebels were used to relieve famine. If the Eastern Wei Dynasty was late in delivering food and grass to Yiyang, the surrounding Western Henan rebels would also starve, and fierce battles often broke out between the two sides.

The inventory surplus in Yanhan City alone was so abundant that it almost completely destroyed Hengnong in the center of the Western Wei region. Li Tai could not help but sigh that these Western Henan rebels were still persisting in fighting in such a harsh environment. They were indeed regional armed forces with faith. Or perhaps the political interests of the Eastern Wei Dynasty had long been divided up by the nobles of Jinyang and the wealthy families of Hebei, and it was no longer possible to allocate them to the powerful men of western Henan for united front work.

After Yan Hancheng was captured, Li Tai sent his deputy general Tian Hong to lead a group of light cavalry to continue advancing along the river valley and went to Hanguan City to check the enemy's strength and movements. He stayed in Yan Hancheng temporarily, reporting on the progress of the battle to the rear. Continue to sweep the enemy garrison strongholds around Yan Han City to ensure that Yan Han City, an important offensive and defensive stronghold, can be held more firmly.

After a short rest, Han Xiong came to report early the next morning that he had recruited more than 500 Yan Hancheng defenders who were willing to join his camp. He once again proposed an intervening tactic, leading a group of troops through mountain roads to enter the Heluo area first, and then pretended to be the Eastern Wei Dynasty defense deployment. Armed attacks were carried out on several enemy strongholds, thus trapping the defenders in Hanguan City into a lone army, forcing them to abandon the city and flee.

If it were normal, such a tactic would be extremely risky and the possibility of success would be very small. In addition to the strategic depth and defense layout between Heluo and Luoyang, the three cities of Heyang and Heyang to the north of Luoyang are more like a mountain hanging above the head of the region. With a sharp sword, the army may go south to fight at any time. Even if all the men and horses from the west of Henan are packed in, they may not be enough to kill them.

But now Hou Jing is causing chaos in Henan, and the Eastern Wei forces in Henan and Luo are all focusing on shrinking defense, and their control over the region is bound to be greatly weakened. This is a good opportunity to bluff and regain control of the region.

Li Tai had limited understanding of the geography and situation between Heluo and Luo, so he attached great importance to the proposal of Han Xiong, a professional. After some analysis by the generals, they agreed to the proposal.

In order to ensure the mobility of the team, Han Xiong did not request to carry heavy weapons on this trip. He only collected some of the military supplies seized in the city and some grain cakes, and then left and set off.

In order to cooperate, Li Tai attracted the attention of the enemy troops in the direction of Hanguan City to cover up the whereabouts of Han Xiong and his party, leaving some soldiers to guard Yan Hancheng while the rest of the group marched toward Hanguan City.

Xin'an, where Hanguan City is located, is located in the Gushui River Valley to the west of Luoyang. It is also the eastern end of the Weihan Ancient Road. This Guancheng is located in a deep valley, straddling two mountains and divided into three rivers. Not only is the Guancheng majestic and tall, but there is also a continuous Great Wall extending to the left and right between the peaks on both sides of it.

When Li Tai led his troops to Guancheng, Tian Hong, who arrived here first, had already inspected the situation around Guancheng. There were still many soldiers and civilians in Guancheng. If he wanted to attack Guancheng directly, he would definitely need to invest more With the strength of their troops and the construction of more comprehensive siege equipment, it is still very difficult for them to capture the city head-on with their forward troops.

Therefore, Tian Hong's advice was to camp the main force under the river valley city first, and then send elite troops to both wings. If the defenders can't help but come out of the city to attack, they can fight between them. If the thieves don't come out, they can look for weak points on both sides of the city. They took a detour to break through and entered the Heluo area.

Han Xiong had a similar plan before. Now that Li Tai had come to the city and saw that the Guancheng was towering and difficult to attack, he also agreed with Tian Hong's suggestion. On the one hand, he ordered a strong camp to be built in the river valley west of the city and siege equipment to be built day and night, and on the other hand, he sent elite troops to conduct explorations on both sides.

After several days of confrontation, at dawn one day, there was a sudden noise in the city, and Li Tai and other soldiers in the camp outside the city were also awakened. After sending scouts to the Guancheng several miles away to check and confirm that the defenders were not attacking this side, Li Tai immediately put his mind at ease and ordered the camp to sound drums and horns, making a gesture of attacking the Guancheng.

When the city heard this sound, the commotion became more intense. At first, only some of the defenders took advantage of the dawn to open the gate and leave the city, but soon the riots spread to the whole city. Both the military and civilians rushed to the east gate, rushed out of the gate, and fled in all directions in the open Luoxi Plain.

By early morning, a white flag had been hung at the city gate in the west of the city, and a group of Heluo people took advantage of the chaos to tie up several city governors and came out of the city to the city gate to surrender to Li Tai's troops who were waiting in full battle array.

"This, it's taken already?"

Looking at the city gate in front of him, Li Tai couldn't believe that he had taken down this grand city, the gateway to Luoxi, without a single drop of blood. However, he still ordered Gao Le to lead 500 soldiers to ride into the city and control the city gate first, and then ordered his troops to enter the city in batches, while he retreated to the camp outside the city to summon the citizens who had surrendered to ask what was going on.