Five thousand elite soldiers of the Great Sui Dynasty You Xiaowei passed through the Langru Mountain Canyon. After exiting the canyon, they rushed westward for five miles and then stopped. They formed a defensive formation and quickly deployed anti-horse antlers on the outermost edge. The archers were in an orderly manner. They moved forward and stood in a dense formation inside the antlers.
The seven or eight Mandu Banner cavalrymen bought time for their companions to retreat with their own lives. Li Xiaozong only had 200 cavalrymen at his disposal, which was extremely precious. He did not order the cavalry to continue to pursue the three fleeing Mongolian and Yuan cavalry. The army could not hide their departure from Qingxia. If dozens of cavalry were lost due to the pursuit of the three scouts, the gain would outweigh the loss.
Even if the three scouts are not released, the Mandu Banner's rangers will soon discover the Sui army.
Five thousand Sui infantry formed a fan-shaped formation and were lined up in multiple rows, forming a solid barrier. Their mission was to guard the west entrance of Langrushan Canyon for the subsequent large forces. This was a crucial passage connecting the east and west and must not be recaptured by the Mongolians. Once Mandu Latu mobilizes heavy troops to defend the canyon, even if there are 700,000 elite Sui soldiers east of Langru Mountain, it will not be easy to rush over.
Yuntai City, the administrative city of Mandu Banner, is no less than 1,500 miles away from the Langru Mountains. Even if Mandu Latu learned about the gathering of heavy troops in the Sui Dynasty, it would not be a matter of time to mobilize troops and rush to Qingxia. In Nirvana City, there were only two thousand Mandu banner cavalry. If Nirvana City Guard General Mandu Wolf was smart enough, the only thing he could do was to secure the city and wait for reinforcements sent by Mandu Latu.
Therefore, it seems that Li Xiaozong¡¯s task is not difficult.
The well-trained soldiers of the Right Xiaowei formed a formation in the shortest possible time, and thirty ballistae were arranged in front of the archers. The heavy crossbow crafted by the martial arts workshop of the Sui Dynasty can easily send a giant crossbow arrow six hundred paces, it can shoot through an armored war horse from three hundred paces, and it can tear a man and a horse into two pieces within two hundred paces. , within a hundred steps, if you want to stop the heavy crossbow, you have to wear six or seven corpses like a candied haws on a string.
For this war, Emperor Tianyou of the Sui Dynasty had been preparing for this war since he ascended the throne. For more than eleven years, various workshops in Sui Dynasty have been secretly producing weapons and equipment for war. These equipment were transported by Huotong Tianxia and hidden in several palaces in the northwest. Therefore, when the emperor decided to go to war, enough armor and equipment to equip an army of one million were already lying in the warehouse.
According to the military system of the Sui Dynasty, every fifty people formed a team, and the leader was called the leader of the team. There is a brigade for every hundred people, and the leader is called the brigade rate. There are three hundred people in a regiment, and the leader is called the captain. Every 1,200 people rush into the camp, and the leader is Ya Jiang. There are an army of 12,000 people, and the leader is a general. There are 48,000 people per guard, and the leader is the general.
Li Xiaozong was just a tooth general, who was assigned to command the troops of the four Zhechong battalions. The commanders of these four Zichong camps are on the same level as him, but they must be controlled by him.
General Pan Mei was ordered to supervise the soldiers in setting up defenses. This was his first time to participate in a foreign war, so he was inevitably a little excited. After setting up the defenses, he turned around and returned to Li Xiaozong. Looking at the general who was as young as himself in front of him, although he felt a little unconvinced, the serious military discipline of the Sui Dynasty still made him choose to obey and maintain a certain degree of respect for his superiors.
"General!"
Pan Mei shouted, clasped her fists and said, "The archers have been deployed. As long as Mandu Wolf's men and horses dare to come, they will never be able to rush through the arrow array."
"Don't be arrogant"
Li Xiaozong shook his head: "You have never fought against the Mongolian cavalry, so you don't know how fast their light cavalry is. Let me ask you, according to the practice when you led the troops in training in the past, when the infantry entered the range of the archers, to Rush forward, how many arrows can the archer shoot? "
"A qualified archer can shoot at least eight arrows. If he is an elite archer, he can shoot ten arrows."
Pan Mei was a little uncomfortable with Li Xiaozong's tone, but she still gave her answer seriously.
Li Xiaozong nodded: "Then, let me tell you If the enemy is Meng Yuan's light cavalry, from the time they enter the shooting range to the time they rush to the front of the formation, even the elite archers can barely shoot four arrows. And there are still more. Allow time for the archers to quickly retreat to the back of the formation, which means elite archers can shoot up to three arrows, and they must immediately turn around and retreat. "
Pan Mei¡¯s expression changed and she couldn¡¯t help but ask: ¡°Has the general fought against the Meng Yuan people?¡±
"No"
Li Xiaozong shook his head and said seriously: "But it took me ten years to get familiar with the Mongolian and Yuan cavalry. Before entering the martial arts academy, I pretended to be a merchant's child and secretly walked out of seclusion on the edge of the prairie. Although I have not gone deep into the Mongolian territory, I have seen their cavalry with my own eyes. During Fan Gu's three years as general, I sent people to investigate the movements of the Mandu banner cavalry countless times. In order to accumulate more knowledge about the enemy, I I lost over fifteen of my best scouts.?¡±
"There is no need to talk about the regular cavalry of the Mongolian people, just their herdsmen. Boys dare to climb on the back of a horse at the age of four, and can already gallop on a horse at the age of six or seven. Children at the age of twelve or thirteen can be proficient in bow and horse. A galloping horse can shoot a hare thirty steps away! Even the women of Meng Yuan are warriors when they climb on their horses and pick up their scimitars!"
Pan Mei was a little dissatisfied and said: "General, you sound like you are emulating someone else's ambition."
"No"
Li Xiaozong said: "This is the most basic understanding of the enemy. Our soldiers in the Sui Dynasty have never been defeated, so we are proudbut pride does not mean arrogance."
Another tooth general, Zhao Sen, saw that something was wrong with the conversation between the two, and quickly came over to ease the atmosphere: "Actually, these are just the general's preparations. If Mandu Wolf is not stupid, he should stay in Nirvana City. Instead of launching an attack with two thousand cavalry."
"who knows?"
Li Xiaozong sighed slightly, was silent for a while and asked: "If it were you, even if you knew that the enemy was far more numerous than your own army, but the enemy had already entered your home, would you come out to fight?"
"Of course I can!"
Pan Mei said proudly: "But does the general think that the Meng Yuan people are as bloody as we Sui people?"
Before he could finish his words, a warning horn sounded in the distance.
"Enemy attack!"
¡¡
¡¡
Pan Mei¡¯s face turned slightly red and she couldn¡¯t help but glance at Li Xiaozong. He found that Li Xiaozong's attention was entirely on the enemy, and then he quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He looked down upon the Meng Yuan people and regarded them as barbarians. He thought that the Meng Yuan people did not dare to leave Nirvana City, but he was wrong. Mandu Wolf not only left the city, but also brought everyone with him.
Two thousand cavalry.
"They actually abandoned Nirvana City?"
Zhao Sen puzzled: "If they had such courage, why didn't they station their troops directly at the west entrance of Qingxia Gorge? In this case, we are still in the bloody battle and may not be able to rush over. Although the canyon is not too big It is narrow, but if it is blocked by two thousand troops, it will not take a while to break through.
"yes"
Pan Mei was also confused: "Why?"
"Because he wants to eat us."
Li Xiaozong said in a solemn tone: "I said before that we Sui people are proud, and the Meng Yuan people are equally proud. I know what kind of person Mandu Lang is. He deliberately let us pass through the canyon. He is waiting After this first battle, he will lead his cavalry to defeat us, and use the first battle to boost the morale of the Mongolian people. "
"This is arrogance!"
Pan Meiwei said angrily: "The arrogant Mandu Wolf, do you think you can defeat our 5,000 elite soldiers with just those two thousand cavalry?"
Li Xiaozong shook his head slowly, with worries in his eyes: "Something is wrong Give the order, and all the two hundred cavalry will be sent out, five miles back to the entrance of Qingxia Canyon to patrol back and forth. If any enemy cavalry is found, send a message immediately! "
"General, are you worried that the Meng Yuan people will steal our retreat?"
Zhao Sen asked.
Li Xiaozong hummed, then took a deep breath and said: "No matter what, this is the first battle. We cannot lose the face of the Sui Dynasty and His Majesty. Even if we fight to the last soldier, we will not lose the face." We must defend the canyon. Pan Mei, you can retreat immediately with a Zhechong battalion and return to the valley entrance to garrison. We have to leave the canyon for five miles to leave a place for the army. These five miles are our biggest weakness."
"The battle hasn't started yet, and the general wants me to retreat?"
Pan Mei said dissatisfied: "The general sent troops to retreat without even fighting, which has ruined the prestige of our Sui soldiers. I thought"
"You don't have to think so!"
Li Xiaozong turned to look at Pan Mei's eyes and said coldly: "Do you still remember the military laws of the Sui Dynasty? I am the commander-in-chief. You have no other choice but to obey my orders!"
"I¡¡"
Pan Mei was startled, then she clasped her fists angrily and said, "I obey!"
Zhao Sen pulled him from behind and winked, telling him not to argue. Pan Mei stamped her feet fiercely and turned to point at the men and horses.
"It is inevitable to be young and energetic."
Zhao Sen smiled at Li Xiaozong and said, "Don't worry about it, general. It's always right to be more cautious. This battle is crucial, and there is no problem with the general's decision."
"The problem is that."
Li Xiaozong sighed slightly: "Many people regard war as too simple."
At this moment, a group of about a dozen riders and horses suddenly separated from Meng Yuana's cavalry team opposite, and rushed towards this side.When they came, Li Xiaozong ordered the archers not to fire arrows and let the cavalry come over. Not long after, the Mandu banner cavalry stopped about 30 meters in front of the formation, and the leader of the ten men shouted loudly in Han Chinese language: "Which general is the leader? My Lord Mandu Wolf wants to talk to you!"
¡°Bold!¡±
The Sui brigade in front of the formation shouted angrily: "If you don't retreat, we will be beheaded immediately!"
Li Xiaozong urged his horse forward, reined his horse in front of the formation, and signaled his soldiers not to take action. He raised his head and said to the Mandu banner cavalry not far away: "I am Li Xiaozong, the great Sui Ya general. Call the Mandu wolf out. Bar."
As soon as he said this, the dozen or so horsemen and horses separated, and a knight in iron armor walked out slowly from behind. The Mongolian Yuan Dynasty was rich in war horses but had almost no minerals, so ironware was very precious. Only high-ranking generals can wear iron armor. Even a captain can only wear leather armor.
The man urged his horse to the front, clasped his fist at Li Xiaozong with the courtesy of the Sui Dynasty, and said: "I am Mandu Lang, the guard general of Nirvana City. I have long admired the name of General Li."
"General Mandu"
Li Xiaozong also returned the salute with clasped fists.
"General Li, you suddenly led troops into our Mongolian and Yuan territory. Do you want to give me a reason?"
Mandulang asked.
Li Xiaozong said loudly: "General, why do you ask questions knowingly? Just a year ago, your Mongolian and Yuan cavalry attacked Fangu at night and massacred thousands of my people. This blood debt must be repaid. Today Li came with his troops, I just want General Mandu to repay my debt. If the general is willing to pay 3,000 heads, Li will withdraw immediately. "
"They say the Sui people are shameless, and that's true."
Mandu Lang, who was about thirty years old, bearded and tall, sneered: "We, the men of Meng Yuan, have abided by the covenant made by the Great Khan and your emperor, and no soldier has ever crossed the border. You said that our people bloodbathed Fan Gu, do you have any evidence? It¡¯s okay to lie to a child. If I say that you Sui people massacred my Nirvana City, can I lead troops across Qingxia to attack Fan Gu?¡±
"sure."
Li Xiaozong smiled and said: "But now I am here to collect the debt."
"Even if there is going to be a war, shouldn't you Sui people declare a war first?"
Mandu Wolf said loudly: "You Sui people are called a country of etiquette, do you only do sneak attacks?"
"War letter?"
Li Xiaozong shook his head and said: "I'm just here to collect debts, why do I need a letter of challenge?"
Mandu Lang sneered and said: "You Sui people always say that you should have a famous division. If you have an unknown division, you can start a war at will. Will the people of your country agree? You must know that this time you are not facing a weak and small country like Shang State. The most powerful Meng Yuan Empire in the world! If there is no reasonable excuse, I¡¯m afraid your people won¡¯t agree.¡±
"I've already told you the reason."
Li Xiaozong said: "You killed my three thousand common people soldiers in Fan Gu, and I, the Emperor of the Sui Dynasty, have told the world. Guess what will happen to the common people?"
Mandu Wolf sighed: "It turns out the lies you told before were not meant for me, but for your emperor to tell his people. If you start a war because of lies, you will definitely lose."
Li Xiaozong smiled and said: "The outcome is not up to you."
After he said this, he turned to Zhao Sen and said: "Send someone quickly to tell Pan Mei that Mandu Wolf must have some conspiracy to delay the time here and let him defend the canyon!"
At this moment, behind the military formation, there was a faint shout of killing coming from the direction of the canyon, which made everyone's heart beat faster.
"Surprised?"
Mandu Lang laughed loudly and said: "They say you Sui people are full of tricks, but I think you are just arrogant idiots! Your way out has been cut off, surrender I will not let you live."