Poor Family

  Chapter 346 Perfect Bait

Early the next morning, a grain convoy consisting of 500 taels of ox carts slowly drove out of Yinchuan City and headed northeast. The army guarding the grain convoy was 2,000 cavalry. The convoy traveled along a rough road. The path runs slowly. This path was originally the Xixia Grain Road. Tens of thousands of shi of grain transported from the grain cellar of Dejing Town were transported into Yinchuan City along this path.

   Just as the Song Army grain convoy was dispatched, the Xixia outposts who were monitoring the Song Army in the distance discovered the grain team's attempt and immediately sent eagles back to report.

Shizhou also built a high ground. The city is tall and strong, easy to defend and difficult to attack. It is very similar to Yinchuan City. It is also a pure military city. The only difference is that it is larger than Yinchuan City and has more troops. 30,000 mountain blackmail troops.

The Mountain Army is also called the Mountain Army. It is mainly composed of Dangxiang people and Fanbing in the mountainous area. There are not many cavalry. It is one of the armies with the largest number of Xixia troops, and the Xixia defenders in the border cities are basically dominated by the Shanxi Army.

Shizhou's current general is called Chaka, a party nobleman, about 30 years old, with a big head like a bucket, short stature, extremely strong body, and infinite strength. He is quite famous in the Xixia army.

He is the lieutenant general of Li Liangfu. Li Liangfu is the commander of the two major army divisions, Xiangyou and Zuofang Shenyong. Unfortunately, after his death in Yinchuan City, Xiangyou Army Division has a deputy general Chaka in charge, and the left wing Shenyong Army Division has another lieutenant general. Tuoba Ning is in charge.

In the past few days, Chaka has been quite restless. He doesn't know whether Li Liangfu was killed in battle or captured by the Song army. If he was killed in battle, he would be in big trouble. Four people including escorts and personal followers were murdered, and the whole family was filled with shepherds and farmers, and their subordinates were demoted by one level.

If Li Liangfu was killed in battle, he would first have to be demoted to one level, and then Li Liangfu is a royal family, so I am afraid he will be punished more severely. His only way to avoid responsibility is to make meritorious deeds and atone for his crimes. former army.

At this time, Chaka was standing on the top of the city and watching the Song army camp three miles away. He learned from some soldiers who were retreating in Yinchuan City that the Song army seemed to have used a powerful thunderbolt cannon, which instantly killed the soldiers. The city wall was blown down. This news made Chaka very nervous. He knew that the construction of Yinchuan City was not as strong as Shizhou, but it was rebuilt at the beginning of the year. How could it not even withstand the Thunderbolt Cannon?

Chaka also vaguely guessed that what the Song Army used was probably not the ordinary thunderbolt cannon, but a new firearm. Over the years, various new firearms of the Song Army have emerged one after another. If there is another powerful firearm, he will also use it. Not surprisingly.

   But the question is whether Shizhou City can resist this new type of firearm, Chaka has no idea.

  At this time, a soldier hurried forward and reported: "General Qi, there is urgent information from spies!"

Chaka took the information and looked it over, bowed his head and muttered silently. Although he looked rough and ignorant in appearance, he was actually very cunning. He knew who the food was for, and it must be the Song army coming from the north. , logically, he should send troops out to intercept it, but what if there is fraud in it?

The Song army is cunning and good at tricks. Five hundred ox carts and two thousand cavalry are simply a perfect bait. Chaka is conflicted in his heart. Lead yourself to send troops.

Chaka walked a few steps with his hands behind his back, suddenly his eyes rolled, and he thought about it, he immediately wrote a few lines on the information, and found another eagle slave, and gave him the information, "Send this information immediately Go to Maitreya Cave!"

  Mile Cave is the garrison of the Godly Army Division in the left wing. Yinzhou, which was captured by the Song Army before, was under the jurisdiction of the Godly Army Division in the left wing.

Now that the entire army of 20,000 troops has been wiped out, Li Liangfu is very likely to die in battle, so Tuoba Ning's pressure should be far greater than his own, why not give up this ox cart grain team to Tuoba Ning, if Tuoba Ning falls for the trick, then he With a scapegoat, the monarch can't blame both lieutenants!

It is about 90 miles from Yinchuan City to the Song Army Camp in Shizhou, and another 160 miles to Dejing Town, which is actually 250 miles. It takes four days for the cattle caravan to arrive. The army in the division has only three days of rations, obviously there is not enough time, the only way is to send the troops in the division to go south to meet them.

Li Yanqing's strategy is to kill three birds with one stone. On the one hand, he wants to use this grain team as a bait to completely wipe out the Xixia army who took the bait. The second is to supplement food for the Linzhou Song Army.

So six hours after the grain convoy set off from Yinchuan City, the Song Army sent 20,000 troops from the camp under the cover of night. The veteran Zong Ze personally led them, with Li Yanqing as his deputy. They secretly bypassed Shizhou City and copied another The valley trail leads to the only way for grain trucks.

  In this intriguing contest, the Xixia army may fall into the trap of the Song army, but the Song army may also be ambushed by the Xixia army. The key depends on whose intelligence is faster and more detailed.

At five o'clock, the Song army arrived on the mountain road 40 miles away from Shizhou. At this time, the grain convoy must pass through. If everything goes well, the grain convoy will arrive here at noon tomorrow. Of course, the Xixia army may not necessarily ambush here. They will set up an ambush in advance or behind.

  The soldiers were resting in the woods, and dozens of scouts were sent out to investigate within hundreds of miles. On a flat boulder, Li Yanqing was discussing the next move with Zong Ze.

  This plan was originally proposed by Li Yanqing, and after intense debates among the people, it was continuously improved, and finally formed the current plan. Everyone reached a consensus that no matter whether this plan is successful or not, actions must be taken.

   "Yanqing, do you think the Xixia army will really take the bait?"

Li Yanqing shook his head, "Frankly speaking, I don't know, but one thing is for sure, Yinchuan City was captured and Li Liangfu was killed. If Shizhou City doesn't do something, it will be difficult for him to explain to the higher authorities. reason for this plan."

   Zongze pondered for a moment and said: "The commander-in-chief is a little worried that the other party will see through this bait, so they will use their tricks, and instead ambushed us."

Although Zong Ze said it was a teacher's worry, it was actually a worry in his own heart. Regardless of his familiarity with the surrounding environment and terrain, they were far inferior to the Xixia army. If the Xixia army saw through their strategy, they would definitely counter them , their 20,000 troops are likely to become another meal on the plate.

Li Yanqing can fully understand Zong Ze's worries. It's like walking blindfolded. No matter how detailed you think about it in advance, once you get on the road, it feels like a different story. Zong Ze has no idea about the enemy's situation. Knowing that, how could he not be worried.

If he said that Li Yanqing was not worried at all, he would be deceiving himself and others. Li Yanqing was also very worried that his strategy would fail and lead to serious consequences, but he had no choice. , As for the possibility of failure, he can only temporarily put it behind his mind and try not to think about it.

Li Yanqing pondered for a moment and said: "I think that the other party is likely to see through our strategy, and may take countermeasures, but if they counterattack, we will countermeasure again, it depends on who has more troops and who As long as we are not easily ambushed by the enemy, we will be the ones with the last laugh."

Speaking of this, Li Yanqing unfolded a map. This is the map he got from the spoils of Yinchuan City. He later found out that it belonged to Li Liangfu. The topography and landforms of the military division, as well as seven or eight small roads.

   "We are here now!"

Li Yanqing pointed to a long black spot on the map and said: "This black spot represents the forest where we are now. It stretches for more than twenty miles. There is a small basin three miles north of us. The old general Have you discovered the mystery of this basin?"

   Zong Ze stared for a moment and said, "This seems to be the intersection of four roads."

   "Exactly, including the road to the north of the grain transport team, the path to Mile Cave, and the road to Xiazhou, surrounded by low hills and dense forests. I think the enemy will definitely choose this place if they want to ambush the grain transport team."

   Zong Ze asked in deep thought, "When will Linzhou's army arrive here?"

   "I can arrive this evening!"

  It seems that it is difficult for them to wipe out the enemy's army alone. If the Linzhou army is mobilized to the south to form a siege, then their chances of winning will be much greater.

  (end of this chapter)