Chapter 2352 The veteran sings an old song


    The catapult is in position.


    Fire oil bomb equipment.


    ?Zhang Liao squinted his eyes and looked at the soldiers running around Yangping Gate like ants on a hot pot with a calm expression.


    The current war is no longer what it was ten years ago.


    Zhang Ze, Zhang Yuanxiu, haha, you must know that times have changed.


    Speaking of which, Zhang Liao also followed the senior generals of the Hussars General earlier, from Bingbei to Guanzhong, and then fought all the way to the present. Zhang Liao was particularly touched by the changes in the war over the years.


    Saddles, stirrups, and horseshoes strengthened the cavalry''s ability to fight and drive long distances. Not to mention combat power, but in terms of mobility, the new equipment allows the cavalry to pass through previously difficult places. They no longer have to worry about gravel cutting the horses'' hooves, and they don''t have to worry too much about the wear and tear on the horses'' hooves caused by long-distance running. As long as the war horses have the same physical strength. Yes, after the cavalry has a high-bridge saddle, its endurance is enhanced and it becomes more comfortable. It is no longer impossible to run all the way from the Western Regions to Qingzhou.


    The armor and weapons of soldiers and generals improve the survivability and combat effectiveness of personnel. Improvements in smelting and forging technology have made all-steel armor no longer a dream. Stronger and tougher steel sheets have replaced the original Han-style cast iron sheets, which can be thinner, lighter, and tougher.


    Just like the armor Zhang Liao is currently wearing, although it looks dark and unremarkable on the outside, its internal support system can also transfer part of the weight originally placed on the shoulders to the waist, lowering the center of gravity and allowing Zhang Liao to Being more stable on horseback also further reduces Zhang Liao''s fatigue accumulation during the battle, allowing him to fight for a longer time...


    There are also logistical reserves, carrying dry food, etc.


    ??There are also things like these catapults and kerosene bombs.


    ??There is also the "artillery" that the hussar general said may be installed on a small scale in the next step...


    All of this originated from the hussar general Fei Qian.


    Once upon a time, Zhang Liao was also worried that General Fei Qian would be like Dong Zhuo, like Lu Bu, like those who had been in power in Guanzhong before, indulging in the peak of power, and then declining all the way, and finally panicking. When defeated, the power was scattered and scattered.


    But now it seems that such worries are unnecessary.


    Because the Cavalry General Fei Qian is really like an abyss and a sea, with endless things emerging all the time, and when these things become reality, they appear unparalleled and even change all their original forms. strength!


    As for Zhang Ze in Hanzhong, you are just a frog at the bottom of a well, how dare you croak with your lord?


    ?Zhang Liao slowly raised his hands and shouted, "The great Han will be victorious!" The hussar is victorious! 』


    Soon there were more people, and all the soldiers in the formation were shouting together, "The great Han is victorious!" The hussar is victorious! 』


    ?Amidst the shouts that resounded throughout the world, Zhang Liao waved his arms and ordered the catapult to attack!


    When the huge fireball soared into the sky and hit the Yangping Pass, no matter how brave and powerful these Zhang soldiers had boasted before, when they really saw the roar of the God of Fire, they still couldn''t help but feel deep in their hearts. The most terrifying roar came from the depths of the body!


    In fact, Zhang Liao''s catapults are not in the most perfect condition. After all, they are temporarily built. There are always problems with this or that. However, the slight tolerance only reduces the range and loses the accuracy, but the burning power It is not determined by the catapult, but given by the kerosene, so the strength of the attack is still considerable.


    Although kerosene will not directly burn down the masonry city of Yangpingguan, the wooden structure of Yangpingguan other than the masonry will become moldy. For example, if the huge gate arch of Yangpingguan is contaminated, it will become moldy. The flames are blazing, and if they are caught on fire, they will spread even more. Coupled with the dryness of autumn and winter, it will be like purgatory!


    No matter how many times they fought in battle formations, they might not be able to face the sea of ??fire calmly, let alone these relatively ordinary soldiers of the Zhang family at Yangping Pass. Almost as soon as the fire started burning, they fell into an uncontrollable situation. In the chaos and fear, he ran around crazily, and even jumped under the city wall without caring!


    ?There are also those who jump outside Yangpingguan...


    ?Less than ten flaming stone bombs directly or indirectly devoured more lives than a normal whole-day war!


    ?In Zhang Kai’s eyes, this is a scene like purgatory.


    ?Amid the steaming flames and the swaying air, the hussars and horses outside Yangping Pass were silent, like the black cavalry coming out of hell, waiting to harvest life...


    ?Zhang Kai let out a howl of fear, and then found that his scream was drowned in the screams from up and down Yang Pingguan, and seemed so weak and pale.


    This is the power of the hussar, this is a brand new war!


    What can you do?


    ?In addition to being burned and beaten in vain here, you can also rush out of the city and have a life-or-death showdown with Zhang Liao!


    Zhang Kai huddled under the battlements, watching the soldiers around him rolling in the sea of ????fire, and then let out heart-piercing screams and finally turned into twitching charcoal, "Uncle, you have done a lot." ah…"


    …(╥╯^╰╥)…


    On an unnamed mountain far away from Yangping Pass, several Di people were looking in the direction of Yangping Pass.


    It is impossible to see the specific situation of Yangping Pass from here. Even if the weather is clear and the view is extremely clear, Yangping Pass is like a stone as big as a fingernail, and the people who pass it are smaller than grains of sand. Can''t tell who is who at all.


    As for why it can only be observed from such a long distance, we have to ask Zhang Liao’s scouts during this period...


    ??However, Yang Ping shut down such a big fire and the black smoke that burned, clearly told these people a clear message!


    The fight started!


    ??And the beating was so brutal that the pig''s skull might have been beaten out of the dog''s brain!


    ?The Di people looked at each other, and then ran down the mountain happily to bring the news to the seven Lei brothers...


    The seven Lei brothers are actually ten people. This is common sense.


    Because the Di people like the number seven and believe that this number has magical power.


    Because the seven Lei brothers have similar bloodlines and similar ages, the tribe is an alliance and has become the third most powerful group among the Di people. They also have the intention to compete for the position of king of the Di people.


    In this battle, the task of the seven Lei brothers is to deal with Zhang Liao...


    Well done! Let them keep fighting..."


    Lei Zong, one of the seven brothers, was wearing a slightly shabby leather robe and looked in the direction of Yangping Pass with slightly squinted eyes. It seems that he wants to see the tragic battle at Yangping Pass through the mountain, "When they are exhausted from fighting, that is the best time for us to take action..."


    Siege warfare has always been a millstone of flesh and blood.


    ?Everyone with some military experience knows this, and the seven Lei brothers are no exception.


    Lei Han squatted aside and agreed, then frowned and said, "By the way, I heard that Brother Nan... was ambushed when he went to Yinping?" Heavy casualties? 』


    "Um? ” Lei Zong turned around and looked at Lei Han up and down, “Who did you listen to? 』


    Lei Han chuckled, "Who else wants to say that?" I can’t hide it...I’m just curious about what prompted Lei Nan to go to Yinping...and he was ambushed..."


    Lei Zong exhaled slowly, then squatted down next to Lei Han and said, "This matter... it''s a long story..."


    ??Lei Zong laughed again, "What''s not going to grow? It was probably Lei Tong who asked him to go?" Are you stupid? You''re still following that kid from Thunder Copper... I said, could it be that kid from Thunder Copper sold him out? 』


    Lei Han looked at Lei Zong, as if to say you already knew everything and still asked. After a while, he shook his head and said, "It shouldn''t be..."


    『What’s not to say, that kid Lei Tong is just a bastard! In the early years, I followed that man surnamed Liu for that reason, and then what? And then what? ” Lei Zong grabbed a handful of withered grass beside him, pinched the roots, and threw it into his mouth, biting it with some sand, and then spit out a mouthful of gray-black mixed saliva and cursed, “Trash! How many of us have been killed! 』


    ??It’s just that I don’t know whether Lei Zong scolded Lei Tong, Lei Nan, or both.


    The Yinping Road is generally not used because it is too easy to be ambushed there.


    ??Lei Han opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but quickly shook his head and said, "I''ll tell myself when Brother Nan comes back..."


    "Um. ” Lei Zong nodded,


    In a word, Lei Nan basically wanted to take advantage of something, but he didn''t expect to be ambushed halfway, and he almost died.


    ?Such a matter naturally requires Lei Nan himself to give an explanation to the brothers. If the explanation is not clear enough, or if there are any new problems, it is impossible to say that the seven Lei brothers will become nine.


    "So and so, let a few more people go to the top of the mountain and watch!" ” Lei Zong ordered loudly, “Also, go kill two sheep!” Bring over two legs of lamb and divide the rest among us! Let’s celebrate! The **** Han people are finally fighting with themselves! Victory must belong to us! 』


    Di people cheered, as if they felt that victory was just around the corner.


    …|··|*|··|*…


    ??Those who felt that victory was just around the corner were Zhang Xiao who was biting Wei Yan''s butt.


    When Shangyong was attacked, no matter how he excused himself, tried to evade it, or acted like a rogue, Zhang Xiao had the greatest responsibility, and now, Zhang Xiao must be responsible for sealing the gap that should have been blocked long ago. !


    Shangyong is surrounded, Hanzhong is in danger!


    ?Chasing Wei Yan''s trail for more than a hundred miles took a lot of physical exertion. Although the bones and muscles were not weak, many people were covered in mud and dust and panting.


    The reason is very simple. If Shangyong is captured, it is almost the same as losing a leg!


    At that time, how long can Mr. Zhang of Hanzhong, who has only one leg, be able to stand?


    ? Judging from the traces left along the way, as well as the fragmented and scattered information obtained from the mouths of some villagers, Zhang Xiao generally sketched an overview of Wei Yan''s actions.


    It turned out that Wei Yan was almost constantly cruising around him these days!


    This made Zhang Xiao feel unusually angry, and also felt a bit of fear.


    ?Suddenly, the queue in front suddenly stopped. Zhang Xiao''s heart skipped a beat and he immediately moved forward. The guards following him were also awe-inspiring and closely guarding him.


    Zhang Xiao moved very carefully and divided the team into three parts. The forwards were responsible for sentinels, and the back troops were also surveying the surrounding situation. After all, they were facing Wei Yan. A little carelessness could lead to irreversible serious consequences. .


    『Report! 』


    The vanguard messenger from the front ran over and "encountered some villagers..."


    ‘Huh…’ Zhang Xiao exhaled slightly, then thought for a while, ‘Pass it here! Someone wants to ask in person. 』


    The soldier responded, turned around and ordered, "Pass it here!" Everybody raise their hands! Lift it high! If there is any slight movement, be careful about your life! 』


    Not long after, we saw a large group of people, including old, weak, women and children. Everyone looked tired and had packages and other things on their bodies, just like refugees on the run.


    Where did you escape from? Have you seen any other people? ” Zhang Xiao asked face to face.


    An old man seemed to be the recommended speaker. He held his hand in front and replied: "So that the general will know that we are all from the villages around Shangyong... We escaped a few days ago. I didn''t expect to meet the general here... 』


    What happened to Shangyong... Shangyong? ” Zhang Xiao asked.


    "The little old man doesn''t know..." the old man said, "The little old man was originally going to Shangyong City, but then the hussars and horses came, and everyone was in panic, so he had to struggle to escape..."


    ?Zhang Xiao was silent for a moment, and he suddenly realized that these people were also victims. However, since Wei Yan showed his figure and it can be determined that he is in Shangyong, it means that the route he pursued is correct.


    Zhang Xiao’s face was ashen and he asked again: “When you came, did you see the Qiao cavalry and the horses?” There is a Honggu military camp ahead, but what has changed? 』


    The old man smiled bitterly and said: "I haven''t seen it, I just heard that someone has seen it... We don''t dare to stop... As for the Honggu Army Stronghold, the little old man doesn''t dare to get close. There seems to be flags and other things hanging, so far away I didn’t see anything unusual from a distance..."


    Zhang Xiao nodded.


    This is a normal reaction. Refugees are at the lowest level. They may be raped and robbed at any time. It is a normal reaction to stay away from them.


    ?Zhang Xiao looked back, and then said to his guards: "Forget it, there is no need for strong men. Opening more mouths will cost more military rations... Let them all get out!" 』


    ??If it were normal, Zhang Xiao might have other thoughts, but now that he was about to fight Wei Yan, he didn''t want to pay any attention to these refugees.


    The soldiers and horses of the large group did not pay attention to this group of panic-stricken refugees. They went straight forward through the mountains and ravines, and soon they arrived at the side of a river valley.


    ?Zhang Xiao raised his head and looked forward, and saw a military camp on the other side of the river valley, standing on the side of the road ahead.


    Normally, this military stronghold in the Red Earth River Valley has a complete defense system. The Fenghou stronghold should have been equipped originally, but it has been in disrepair for a long time. In addition, when Zhang Ze controlled Hanzhong, he was busy with his own affairs. How can they care about the daily repairs of these small military villages when they absorb power and benefits?


    ?Hence, it is inevitable that the small military stronghold in front of us is dilapidated.


    ?Zhang Xiao didn''t know why, but suddenly felt like he was being stared at. He shuddered, and then looked around, but saw nothing.


    ??The beacon that was supposed to stand tall has been abandoned long ago, and there must be no bonfires that can provide smoke. Even if the main wall is still very towering, it can only be viewed from a distance. When you get really close, you can see that there are quite a few cracks in the wall of the main village, some of which are so big that even three or two soldiers can walk in side by side.


    There are even some reclaimed fields around Honggu Military Village, and of course they have all been harvested now. There seems to be a brick-burning cave dwelling on the other side of the mountain far away from the military village, which seems to be a by-product of this military village.


    Zhang Xiao and others finally arrived in front of the army camp after a long journey, and what they saw was this peaceful scene. The flags of Zhang''s soldiers were still flying on the wall of the village, fluttering feebly in the air. On the wall of the village, there were still a few vague figures, sitting or standing, looking lazy and lazy. It can be seen from such a distance.


    The refugees were running around before, but these people didn’t notice them?


    Or maybe Wei Yan didn''t pass by here, so these guys can still survive?


    ‘Something’s wrong…’


    Zhang Xiao said with a frown.


    ??Although Zhang Xiao and others are not considered to be a large army, the smoke and dust coming along the way is enough to distinguish ordinary refugees, and the military camp is still so lazy, and there seems to be no abnormality at all?


    Come here! Go to a small team and explore the reality! 』


    Zhang Xiao ordered, and then added, "Bring on your shield!" 』


    ??A team of his subordinates responded with a shout, then raised their shields in front of them, beckoned a dozen soldiers and looked up along the mountain path of the river valley.


    Form up and be alert! 』


    Zhang Xiao shouted, then stared at the valley army camp.


    Suddenly, just as the team led a dozen soldiers to approach the military stronghold, dozens of figures suddenly appeared above the military stronghold, holding bows and shooting down!


    On the wall of the military village, the original military flag of the Zhang family was also brought down. What was re-erected was the three-color war flag, and there was also a flag of "General Conquering Shu" flying in the air!


    Suddenly, whether it was the abandoned beacon tower or the houses and caves behind the military stronghold, many hussar soldiers suddenly emerged. They were all well-equipped. Under the light of the sun, they even You can see the blood stains and marks of sword and gun battles in their armor!


    ?Although the momentum is majestic, the number of people is obviously small.


    ?Zhang Xiao reacted after being startled, made a quick calculation, and found that there were only about three or four hundred hussars in the military camp!


    Only three or four hundred!


    Three or four hundred!


    Is this an opportunity or a trap?


    ??The water in the Red River is neither too much nor too little, reaching up to the ankles, flowing slowly.


    It is winter, and if water is stored upstream, the flow should be dead now...


    ??And the water flow is not turbid, indicating that there is no sediment mixed in it.


    Red River, no danger.


    The surrounding area was quiet, without any smoke or dust, and no flags were seen.


    There seems to be no abnormality within the surrounding visual range...


    Looking at Wei Yan''s figure on the wall of the military village, Zhang Xiao felt new and old hatreds in his heart, rolling in like a tide!


    Wei Yan Wei Wen Chang! 』


    ?Zhang Xiao gritted his teeth. Even if it was a trap, so many people rushed forward and it was crushed to pieces!


    『Finally I caught you! Give the order and let the rear army catch up! I want to kill this beast right here! 』


    (End of this chapter)