Chapter 1200 Breaking the City
Looking at Wen Shi, who had just returned from the Chinese Army, with a worried look on his face, Wang Han, the guard of the engineering battalion, couldn't help but feel a little strange:
“General Wen was summoned by General Hussar, but what were his orders?”
Hearing this, Wenshi told Wei Yan's instructions, and then sighed:
“Although I have never personally led an army to fight against bandits, I have seen a lot of things in the army over the years.”
“In my opinion, the Hussars General may have been a little too anxious this time.”
“If it were the Central Protectorate, I would not let the soldiers attack the city so recklessly for the sake of a city.”
When Wang Han heard Wen Shi’s words, he quickly made a gesture, looked around, and then took him to a place with few people:
“General Wen, the hussar general is the commander-in-chief of the army. Even if we are seconded, we must be controlled by him.”
"Talk about the commander behind his back, if you really want to be prosecuted, it is a serious crime. Therefore, it is better that General Wen does not say such things in the army."
Wenshi nodded:
"Thank you, General Wang, for reminding me. Actually, I didn't know it. It's just General Hussars... Sigh! Besides, this is where our engineering camp is, so I couldn't help but mention it."
Wang Han couldn't help but ask when he saw Wen Shi's appearance:
“What does the Hussars General want our engineering battalion to do again?”
As he spoke, he turned to look at Gaodu City not far away.
The outskirts of Gaodu City had long been smashed to pieces by stone cannons.
He turned around again and said casually subconsciously:
“You don’t want us to destroy those things on the mountain, do you?”
Unexpectedly, Wenshi smiled bitterly:
“That’s right, the Hussars General just wants our engineering battalion to help knock down all the forts on the mountain...”
"Huh?" Wang Han's eyes widened when he heard this, he opened his mouth and let out a yell, and stood there in a daze.
After a while, he realized that Wen Shi was not joking, and he couldn't help but raised his voice and shouted:
“What are you dreaming about? If the engineering camp is so powerful, what else do you need others to do?”
Wang Han is a sibling of Wang Ping.
In his early years, Wang Ping was recognized by the Zhongdu Protector with his wise eyes. He returned to his hometown in rich clothes and pulled many of his fellow villagers out.
Wang Han, who was still young, joined the army at that time.
Probably because he was still young, the Zhongduhu kept him by his side for several years.
Over the years, Wang Han has stayed in Wudang Camp, Guards Camp, and even Dark Night Camp.
It can be said that, like Wang Ping, his honor and disgrace are tied to Zhongdu Hu.
Now the Central Protector has sent him to the engineering camp as a guard. To put it bluntly, he is to let him take good care of the technical personnel in the camp.
So when Wang Han heard Wei Yan's request, he naturally jumped.
“Shh! Lower your voice...”
This time it was Wenshi’s turn to remind Wang Han:
“If General Hussar hadn’t suggested it, I would have wanted to curse. It took me a long time to explain to General Hussar that this idea would not work.”
Thinking of this, Wen Shi almost wanted to call someone illiterate.
After all, who else but the illiterate would make such a request?
"No! The current military situation is urgent, and the hussar general is not easy to deal with."
Wang Han is a careful person. When he heard this, he couldn't help himself:
“What if he brings this up again later and insists on letting us give it a try?”
Actually, it’s not impossible to give it a try on different days.
But that was only when safety was guaranteed. Given the current situation, Wang Han did not dare to let the engineering battalion follow him to take risks down the mountain.
Zhongduhu sent him here, but he specifically reminded him to pay attention to the preservation of the engineering camp.
Having followed Zhongduhu for so many years, Wang Han also realized something in his heart:
Someone in the engineering camp may hold some unknown secrets related to the military.
If not, why is the engineering battalion directly under the Central Protectorate?
Rather than decentralizing it to each army?
Wang Han thought of this and became more vigilant again:
“I heard that the leader of the thieves, Sima Yi, has arrived with reinforcements and is not far from here.”
“Anyway, the mission of our engineering battalion has been completed, and the remaining fighting in front of the battle formation is not what we are good at.”
"There is no use in staying here. General Wen, why don't you use the excuse of supervising the manufacture of equipment and take the master craftsmen in the camp to retreat to the rear for safety."
Wen Shi was startled. He just complained, but he didn't expect Wang Han to make such an arrangement:
"how about you?"
Wang Han shook his head:
"The Hussars General is not an easy person to talk to. You have just rejected his request. If the engineering battalion retreats all at once, I'm afraid it will be difficult to explain."
“You take the others and leave first. If the General of the Cavalry doesn’t respond, in a few days you can ask the General of the Cavalry to ask me to help. I think there won’t be any problem.”
Wang Han served as a guard and commanded 1,500 soldiers.
That's not a lot, at least during the siege, there were 1,500 people, which was not even enough for the two batches.
Basically it will not play a role in turning things around.
But to say it is less, it is not too little.
This elite force specially allocated by the Central Protectorate can at least protect the core personnel of the engineering battalion most of the time.
Wenshi nodded in agreement without too much entanglement.
He knows that in this kind of matter, it is best for him to listen to the arrangements of professionals.
Just like Wang Han never interfered with how he played cannon.
“Then when shall we act?”
"Tomorrow, you just came back from there, and now you go back, it seems a little too deliberate."
In fact, Wang Han thought about mentioning this matter again in a few days, but things before the battle were changing rapidly.
Coupled with this is a hussar general who does not have a harmonious relationship with the Central Protector.
This matter is naturally best done early.
As a direct descendant of the Central Protector, but now under the command of General Zuo Hussar, Wang Han did not dare to have the slightest intention of entrusting himself to the throne.
The two discussed some details and perfected the plan, and then went to prepare separately.
The next day, Wen Shi plucked up the courage and went to see Wei Yan again.
Unexpectedly, when Wei Yan heard this, he had no doubts at all and agreed directly.
After all, the siege has entered the final stage, and we really need to step up the production of equipment.
There is another more important reason, that is, Zhang Bao from Hedong sent a fast horse to deliver a message:
The Wei thieves appeared on Zhiguanxing.
Wei Yan quickly made a judgment:
This is because the Wei thieves wanted to contain Hedong and prevent reinforcements from Hedong from being sent to support themselves.
However, in Wei Yan's view, the Wei thieves were just unnecessary.
Because the reinforcements he wants to mobilize are not from Hedong, but from Shangdang!
Just behind this news, Wei Yan felt more and more the urgency of time.
Obviously, the Wei thieves have already started taking action.
The Wei thieves at the other end of Zhiguanxing made some movement.
Coupled with yesterday's scout's report, it was said that a new Wei thief was discovered at Tianjingguan, Taihangxing.
All this shows that Sima Yi probably wanted to use offense as defense to force the Han Dynasty to retreat.
Sima Yi, who fled from Guanzhong to Luoyang, has been quiet in the past few years.
The biggest reason why he dared to go to war at this time may be:
After thinking about this, Wei Yan suddenly became a little more irritated and angry:
“That guy Feng Yong did it on purpose. He couldn’t see me leading the army and making meritorious deeds. He was just like a rat!”
He looked at the last hill in Gaodu City, his face extremely pale.
If the reinforcements from the traitors at Tianjing Pass arrive, then all the efforts I have made these days will be in vain.
However, the soldiers were already tired from attacking the city in a hurry.
In addition, because they suffered a lot of casualties when attacking the mountain, their morale has become low and they are in urgent need of rest.
Wei Yan's eyes flickered as he looked in the direction of the engineering camp.
At this moment, a burst of rapid footsteps came, interrupting Wei Yan's thoughts.
“What’s the matter?”
Before Wei Chang could speak, he heard Wei Yan suddenly ask a question. He was stunned for a moment and quickly answered:
“General, reinforcements from the Shangdang are coming!”
"finally come?"
Wei Yan, who was looking deep in thought at Wei Chang with his hands behind his back, turned around hurriedly when he heard this:
“Where are they now?”
I thought Shangdang’s reinforcements would arrive tomorrow or the day after tomorrow at the earliest.
Unexpectedly, it arrived one day early.
The military situation is on fire. If we can get one more day, we may be able to turn the tide of the war!
Wei Yan felt that the dullness of the past few days was gone.
Probably seeing Wei Yan’s doubts, Wei Chang explained:
“The Shangdang reinforcements were urgently summoned by the general and did not dare to neglect. They traveled at double speed yesterday and this morning, so they arrived one day early.”
"Okay, okay!" Wei Yan was overjoyed and couldn't wait to order, "Let them gather immediately, eat some food, take a rest, and attack the city today!"
"Huh?" Wei Chang was stunned when he heard Wei Yan's words.
“Ah what? Why don’t you go quickly?!”
Wei Yan couldn't help but shouted when he saw his appearance.
Wei Chang’s lips moved and he wanted to turn around and leave, but in the end he reminded him:
"General, the soldiers have traveled a long way and are exhausted, so why not..."
Before Wei Chang finished speaking, Wei Yan's anger that he had been suppressing all these days suddenly rose.
He suddenly flew up with a kick, knocking Wei Chang to the ground.
Wei Yan pointed at Wei Chang and cursed:
"I have been leading troops for decades. Do I still not know this and need you to remind me?"
Besides, the soldiers of the Shangdang were brought out by myself. Is there anyone in the world who knows them better than me?
The soldiers have come a long way and are really tired.
But the rebel army has been fighting continuously these days, which will only make them more tired.
Wei Chang didn't dare to say anything anymore. He got up from the ground silently, without even daring to pat the dirt off his body, and walked towards the rear.
At Tianjingguan, about fifty miles away from Gaodu City, Sima Shi was standing at the highest point of Guancheng, looking to the north, as if listening to the killing cry coming from Gaodu City.
There were footsteps behind him. Niu Jin walked behind Master Sima with a slightly anxious look on his face:
“General, according to reports from spies, the city of Gaodu is about to be destroyed. The general led his troops here for more than a day, why did he stop advancing?”
Master Sima did not look back at him, but said calmly:
“The soldiers have traveled a long way and are overtired. Naturally, they need to take a good rest first to regain their strength.”
Hearing this, Niu Jin had an incredible look on his face and pointed his finger towards the north:
"But…"
"There's no such thing as that." Master Sima also stretched out his hand, pointing in the same direction as Niu Jin, "What we have to face is one of the leaders of the Western Bandits, Wei Yan."
"Wei Yan is a rare and powerful general among the Western thieves, and he is also an experienced general. He is only inferior to Feng Thief."
“Therefore, we should not advance rashly without knowing the situation of the battle in Gaodu City.”
Hearing this, Niu Jin opened his mouth and wanted to speak, but he didn't know where to start.
Because what General Sima said is not wrong.
But he always felt that something was not right.
However, since the coach has made a decision, it is naturally difficult for him to comment.
In the end, he just choked out one sentence:
“General, how about I personally lead someone to check the situation?”
Master Sima finally turned around and glanced at Niu Jin expressionlessly:
"General Niu, your current duty is to restrain the soldiers below and arrange for them to have a good rest so that they can cope with the fierce battle in the near future, rather than taking risks yourself."
Niu Jin seemed to have some idea when he saw Sima Shi's appearance, so he excused himself to go down to arrange the soldiers and then quietly retreated.
After Niu Jin left, Master Sima looked steadily to the north again, silent, and he didn't know what he was thinking.
I don’t know how long it took, but a guard walked over quietly and whispered:
“Sir, the scout is back.”
“Oh?” Master Sima’s expression changed, and he quickly turned around, “Have someone come over quickly.”
“No need to salute, tell me how the situation is?”
The chief scout was halfway through his salute when he heard the words and quickly stopped his movements and replied:
"General, the Western bandits are attacking the city very urgently. Although Gaodu City has not been completely lost, it will only be possible in a short time."
“The villain followed the general’s instructions and sent people down the mountain to venture to the side of the bandit army to investigate the enemy’s situation.”
“After losing nearly ten good soldiers, we found out the news. The thieves’ reinforcements seem to have arrived...”
“Okay!” Master Sima shouted and clapped his hands with his fist, “It’s finally here!”
Seeing that both the scout chief and the bodyguard looked shocked, Sima Shi did not explain, but just said to the scout chief:
“I will mark the loss of your brothers and give them double compensation after the war.”
——
He thought that the disappearance of his brothers would only reveal the military situation.
Unexpectedly, instead of pursuing the case, the general gave him a meritorious deed.
Sima waved his hand and told the guards and scouts to retreat.
When he turned to look north again, a smile finally appeared on his face that had been expressionless all day:
“Wei Yan, Wei Yan, you have fallen into my master’s plan after all...”
Muttered this sentence, and then snorted with a sneer:
“It’s just Gaodu City that hasn’t been captured so far. It seems like that’s all you can do.”
Although he didn't hear Sima Shi's sarcasm towards him, Wei Yan was already like a gambler whose eyes were red at the time.
I saw him wearing armor, standing in front of the Han army soldiers who had just arrived from Shangdang, shouting loudly:
“The thieves are weak, and you, the new ones, if you don’t defeat the thieves now, when will you wait?”
"Today, I will personally lead you to attack the city. If the city is not broken, I swear not to retreat, but rather to die on the mountainside!"
Wei Yan was good at raising his soldiers, and he basically brought them out personally.
At this time, when they heard that the commander personally led them to attack the city, the crowd couldn't help but get excited and shouted "Break the thief! Break the thief! Break the thief!"
“Follow me!”
The war drums sounded, and the Han army once again launched a charge towards the last highland of Gaodu City.
The defenders who did not wait for reinforcements could no longer hold on this time.
The Wei army flag at the highest point of Gaodu City was finally burned.
Wei Yan deeply hated the Wei army for refusing to surrender, which resulted in the death of many soldiers.
In anger, he wanted to order the captured defenders to be killed, regardless of whether they were injured or disabled.
Fortunately, Wei Chang knelt down and begged. After learning the truth about the incident, Wang Han also came to persuade them, and the prisoners were able to escape with their lives.
(End of this chapter)