Chapter 43: The First to Die
After deciding to hire a mercenary group to transport grain, Qin Mo also determined the responsibilities of the three counties. In the early stage, the grain and grass would be provided by Xuantu County and Changli County, which were closer to the front line.
The two prefects Zou Jing and Chu Yan personally served as the chief grain and fodder officers, and any mistakes would be severely punished.
The Liaoxi County grain and fodder were mainly supplied in the later period because of the long journey, and were coordinated and arranged by Deng Mao, the chief historian stationed in Yangle County.
After solving the food and grass problem, Qin Mo began to deploy troops, "Gongsun Zan!"
"I will be here!"
Gongsun Zan stood up, clasped his fists, and stood solemnly.
"I order you to lead your troops to attack from Xuantu County and raid Xiangping County." Qin Mo threw the toughest bone to Gongsun Zan, who had the most combat experience among all the generals.
According to the geography of Liaodong County, from north to south, Xiangping County, Xinchang County, Anshi County and Wen County are connected in a straight line, like four light cards.
If one wants to capture Wen County, the eastern Wuhuan base camp, one must first capture the three northern counties one by one.
But it’s a good idea.
To fight this kind of battle, one usually concentrates the main forces and attacks from north to south, one city at a time. However, Qin Mo did not follow common sense and decided to send out three armies at the same time.
In addition to Gongsun Zan's troops, Guan Hai led the central army to attack Xinchang, and Zhang Niujiao led his troops to attack Anshi.
The 4,000 Youyun cavalry led by Taishi Ci will roam behind the main army, ready to reinforce the various troops at any time. At the same time, they will also shoulder the important task of blocking the reinforcements of the Wuhuan in the east.
This is the confidence behind Qin Mo's three-line attack.
With the existence of the mercenary group, any movement of the Eastern Wuhuan will not be hidden from Qin Mo's eyes.
Or perhaps, there are players serving in the Eastern Wuhuan as well.
Both parties are almost playing their cards openly, so why should Qin Mo hide anything?
…
Liaodong became lively again.
Li Bingyun, who is jokingly called the Liaodong spokesperson by players, announced the "Large-Scale War Mission - Liaodong Campaign" on the official website, which is divided into five branches: food transportation, reconnaissance, assassination, lurking, and combat.
Each branch covers dozens or hundreds of small tasks.
As soon as the news was released, it instantly ignited the enthusiasm of players.
Especially the players in the three counties of Liaodong. After being silent for several months, they could no longer bear it and started clamoring to register with the local government. Mercenary groups outside Liaodong also gathered in Yangle County one after another.
Instantly became the focus of July.
Just as Qin Mo expected, there has never been a shortage of clever players. Some have defected to the Liaodong Jiedushi camp, while others have naturally taken advantage of the situation to show goodwill to the Eastern Wuhuan and leak secrets.
Both sides quickly figured out each other's intentions.
The difference is that the number of players in the Jiedushi camp is dozens of times that of the Eastern Wuhuan.
The trend is irreversible.
…
Throughout July, both sides were intensively mobilizing for war and making preparations for battle.
The wheat was harvested from the fields, dried, ground into flour, and then transported to the front line by the players. The two prefects Zou Jing and Chu Yan temporarily organized thousands of cooks to prepare pancakes for the army day and night.
The early creation of rice cakes is naturally the credit of the players, and it is indeed a good dry food for marching.
August 1st.
Gongsun Zan led 4,000 elite troops of the left army and arrived at the city of Xiangping first, thus kicking off the Pingliao Campaign.
As the seat of Liaodong County, Xiangping City has tall walls and complete defensive facilities. Although King Tanzhi evacuated, he did not really abandon this strategic location.
A total of 3,000 elite troops were sent to garrison, and there were also tens of thousands of refugee rebels.
In addition to the elite troops of the left army, Gongsun Zan was also accompanied by more than 20 mercenary groups, with a total of more than 5,000 people, so his momentum was quite impressive.
only……
Because the death penalty is too heavy, players will not be stupid enough to be the first to stand out and serve as cannon fodder for the Liaodong Army. They all join the war with the mentality of picking up leaks.
It is impossible to fight a tough battle.
Gongsun Zan did not count on these mercenaries, as he had already received instructions from Qin Mo.
After reorganizing his troops, Gongsun Zan did not even set up camp, but directly ordered the assembly of catapults, arrow towers, siege vehicles and other equipment in preparation for the siege.
This place is only thirty miles , which is their main camp.
Why camp again?
Gongsun Ce's move was also a fight of his last resort. Before the war began, he had already announced that he would capture Xiangping County that day and win the first credit in this battle.
The entire army was full of fighting spirit.
Soon, twenty catapults and twenty-five mobile arrow towers were all assembled and pushed by the soldiers to the front of the formation. After calibration, they were all aimed at the top of the city wall in front.
In this battle, Gongsun Zan concentrated all his main forces to besiege the north, and only arranged mercenary groups to be stationed on the other three sides.
It's basically a cover.
Needless to say...
Whether it is a catapult, mobile arrow towers, siege vehicles, etc., these were very advanced siege equipment in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and most of them were made by player craftsmen.
Players' presence in the Three Kingdoms subcontinent is becoming stronger and stronger.
This is also the reason why Qin Mo does not reject players.
If any "lord" excludes players from the system and attempts to utilize all the power of the indigenous people, he is either a fool or a person with a lump in his head and is arrogant.
"Ready, fire!"
With an order, a huge stone as big as a washbasin was catapulted by the catapult. Like a meteorite, it drew a graceful arc in the air and hit the top of the city wall accurately.
The soldiers defending the city who were hit were turned into meat paste in an instant.
The flimsy battlements were also devastated by the catapults.
The arrow towers worked simultaneously, pouring down arrows from both wings, exerting continuous suppression on the defenders on the city walls, forcing the enemy to not dare to show their heads.
This is the correct way to start a siege.
In the middle of the army, Gongsun Zan rode a white horse with a serious expression. Seeing that the enemy had been suppressed, he decisively ordered: "Go up to the camp first, and make sure to take down the tower before noon."
The messenger rode away.
After a while, 500 vanguard soldiers consisting of 500 sword and shield soldiers, carrying siege ladders, rushed towards the city wall under the cover of their own catapults and arrow towers.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!!
On the top of the city wall, seeing the enemy attacking, the general defending the city did not dare to be negligent. He ordered the archers to concentrate their firepower and shoot the enemy's vanguard who were charging.
Make sure the tower is not lost.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Arrows rained down from both sides on each other. The first soldiers held up their shields and marched forward in the rain of arrows.
Those who were shot by arrows and fell to the ground were ruthlessly abandoned on the battlefield. After the main force left, they became living targets for archers on the city walls and were shot into sieves in an instant.
It was too late to save him.
Attacking a city means risking one's life.
By the time the first batch of soldiers arrived at the foot of the city wall, more than a hundred people had been killed.
Da! Da! Da!
The siege ladder locked the top of the city wall, and the test for the soldiers of the first landing camp really began.
Huge rocks, rolling logs, hot oil, arrows, all kinds of deadly attacks followed one after another, and human lives were ruthlessly harvested like grass by the soldiers defending the city.
The few lucky ones who climbed onto the city wall were quickly hacked to death.
The scene was extremely bloody.
The first battle of the Xiandeng camp was unfavorable and they had to retreat in disgrace.
Gongsun Zan had a gloomy face. He had signed a military order that he must win this battle at all costs. Thinking of this, he asked someone to call his deputy general Zhou Cang.
"General!" Zhou Cang rode over on his horse.
"The Xiandeng Camp suffered a disadvantage in the first battle and missed the opportunity to fight. Are you willing to lead the team to the front in person?" Gongsun Zan, who was watching the battle, had actually noticed that the Xiandeng Camp was only an inch away from victory. After all, some soldiers had climbed onto the city wall.
The power of the catapult should not be underestimated, and it greatly suppressed the defending army.
The only thing that Xiandeng camp lacked was a fierce leader, someone who could stand firm on the top of the city wall. If a brave warrior like Zhou Cang could be sent, they would have a good chance of breaking into the city.
Zhou Cang's blood boiled instantly, and he clasped his fists and said, "I am willing to go!"
"very good!"
Gongsun Zan nodded in satisfaction and emphasized again: "Remember, the city must be conquered before noon."
"Don't worry, General." Zhou Cang grinned, "If the enemy is not defeated by noon, I will bring my head to you." After saying this, he rode away very decisively to meet up with the vanguard camp.
He is indeed a brave warrior.
