Chapter 172

The grass mixed with the fragrance of the soil, blowing from the land in the north of Cangzhou City.

Outside Cangzhou City, the golden sunshine sprinkles on the endless grassland. A path leads to the distance. Occasionally, a collapsed thatched cottage on the side of the road tells the past here.

"After the barbarians conquered Youzhou, they burned houses and woods and captured the common people. In ten years, a prosperous land was overgrown with weeds and became the grazing land of Huyan tuobula."

On the city wall, Niu Zhen looks at the endless grassland, and his words are full of desolation.

Ten years ago, he stood on the wall and saw the barbarian cavalry galloping here. The flames kept burning for months, burning the sky as red as blood.

Zhan Xingchang was also on the wall. After more than two months of work, others lost a lap. However, with tens of thousands of slaves working day and night, a magnificent wall appeared.

"It's a pity that King Yong was the most powerful vassal in Youzhou, but he still couldn't resist the barbarians." Zhan Xingchang said.

Xiao Ming looks at the fertile soil outside the city. It's more than 400 Li from Cangzhou City to Youzhou, which is where the Forbidden City of the modern Ming Dynasty is located.

The Ming Dynasty, which is known as the son of heaven guarding the country and the king's death, disappeared from history like dust after the loss of Shanhaiguan, while King Yong was trampled on by barbarians after Shanhaiguan was broken.

If it were not for niuzhen's insistence on Cangzhou City at that time and the encounter with the Ottoman Empire in the western regions, the barbarians would not have given up their plan to continue to go south.

In this way, the Ottoman Empire inadvertently delayed the fall of Dayu.

"Don't raise the morale of others and destroy your prestige."

Xiao Ming said faintly that the state of Dayu had changed its color. At this time, what he needed most was morale. Now Xiao Ming has no way to go back. If he wants to keep Cangzhou, he will not be far away from death.

Zhan Xingchang woke up with a start, and he fell into the same compassion as many scholars in the state of Dayu.

Niu Zhen nodded, "barbarians are nothing to be afraid of. They are also flesh and blood. There is nothing to be afraid of. The only thing to worry about is that the soldiers are afraid before they fight."

Zhan Xingchang looked embarrassed and said, "I've made your highness and general laugh."

Xiao Ming patted him on the shoulder and said, "but what you said is not entirely wrong. Tactically, you should pay attention to the enemy and strategically, you should despise the enemy."

"Ha ha ha Your Highness's words are classic and can be written into the art of war. " Niu Zhen was stunned and said suddenly.

Zhan Xingchang, on the other hand, fell into thinking.

Xiao Ming said with a smile, "this is not what I said, but what a great man said. However, this is just dealing with the situation between today and barbarians."

As they spoke, they inspected the city wall, which is 500 meters away from the grassland.

Now Xiao Ming has transferred most of his troops to Cangzhou City. The number is as expected, with a total of 50000.

In addition to the Qingzhou army equipped with new plate armour and weapons, the other new army equipment is poor, can only serve as a backup.

After inspecting the Cangzhou city wall, Zhan Xingchang basically realized the original idea.

Now every ten meters on the tower is a turret, every fifty meters is a prominent battlement.

These battlements are perpendicular to the walls, so soldiers can have more defensive positions.

At this time, a bed crossbow and a catapult had been set up in the battlements, and the archer was in place, ready to fight at any time.

On the wall outside the battlements, there were rolling trees, stones, Tribulus terrestris, long forks and other tools for guarding the city. The long fork was used to push the ladder away.

And the rest is to throw it down.

Along the inner side of the city wall, there are many hanging baskets leading to the city. Under the hanging baskets are more materials for guarding the city. If the rolling wood and stone on the top are used up, the top will be carried up by auxiliary soldiers.

At the same time, every 20 meters under the wall is a big iron pot, which is filled with oil, also to deal with the climbing barbarian soldiers.

Outside the city wall is another scene.

Along the wall was dug out a three meter deep, three meter wide trench, trench buried with a root raised by the sharpened bamboo.

In this era, the barbarian soldiers were only wearing leather boots, and the soft bottom could not resist such sharp bamboo pieces.

On the outside of the trench, there are dense pillars with half human height. These pillars lay the foundation and are buried below to prevent the barbarian from charging on a large scale, so that the barbarian soldiers can be piled together and become the targets of artillery.

"Your Highness, there are many traps on the outside, which are covered with grass and are not easy to detect."

The defense strategies of the city wall were all formulated by Zhan Xingchang, including trenches, stone pillars and so on.

Niu Zhen said to Xiao Ming, "this young man is good and insidious. Now the barbarians are coming, but they are suffering."

Zhan Xingchang was depressed and said, "governor, are you praising me or hurting me?"

"Praise you, of course." Niu Zhen laughs. Like Pang Yukun, he is also a talent lover.

In his opinion, Zhan Xingchang is much better than many powerful people's children.Xiao Ming was also very satisfied with Zhan Xingchang's arrangement, because Zhan Xingchang also trapped the cane soaked in tung oil on the stone pillars with hemp rope.

After soaking in tung oil, these vines are very strong, and it will take a while for the sword to chop.

At this time, the crossbowmen on the city wall can shoot with all their strength.

"Well done." Xiao Ming said with satisfaction.

Generally speaking, it's difficult to attack a city, and it's hard to win a siege with five times as many troops.

The more obstacles set in the siege process, the greater the loss of the siege party.

After walking around the city wall, Xiao Ming remembered that he had not seen Lufei and Luoxin. He asked, "old general, where are Lufei and Luoxin?"

He gave a bitter smile when he mentioned this.

He said: "since receiving his Highness's telescope, these two people have not been idle. Instead, they take soldiers out to inquire every day. With this telescope, each time they can find barbarian scouts in advance, which makes them unable to accept."

Xiao Ming shakes his head helplessly. He goes out with a telescope, just like those who are not short-sighted bullying them. No wonder they can't stop.

They were just talking about Cao Cao. Cao Cao arrived. A pair of cavalry appeared in the distance. In front of them were Lu Fei and Luo Xin.

When they got near, they also saw Xiao Ming.

Entering the city, they immediately went up to the city wall. Lufei gasped: "Your Highness, huyantuobu has accelerated the March. It is estimated that they will arrive at the city hall at noon tomorrow."

"This time, the whole tribe of huyantuo moved to Cangzhou City. It means that they want to stay here. It seems that the barbarian army is behind. They are providing cattle and sheep for the follow-up army."

Niu Zhen asked, "how many troops are there?"

"Only huyantuo had 20000 cavalry and countless slaves." Rosin looked solemn.

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