Early in the morning on July 18th, Luoyang City.
It had been drizzling since midnight the night before. By morning, the rain was getting heavier and heavier, turning the Great Xia campsite into a muddy mess.
Han Xin had gathered the six commanders in the central tent and was having a routine morning meeting.
Seeing the heavy rain outside the tent and the puddles on the ground, Wei Zhang, the commander of the Leopard Army's First Legion, asked, "Commander-in-chief, it looks like the rain won't stop anytime soon. Are we still going to attack the city?"
According to the plan, the First Legion would be the vanguard.
Han Xin was also worried. After thinking for a while, he said, "The plan remains the same. Ever since we entered July, there has been continuous rain. It will be extremely difficult to wait for a sunny day. Let's attack the city today. We'll suffer, and so will the enemy. "At this point, Han Xin glanced at Wei Zhang and asked," Is there a problem? "
Wei Zhang was still a little hesitant. After all, the rain was extremely disadvantageous for attacking the city. However, when he saw Han Xin's gaze, all his worries were thrown out the window. He quickly got up, patted his chest, and said, "Rest assured, Commander-in-chief, the First Legion will definitely make a good start."
"Then go and prepare!"
"Yes!"
Apart from the First Legion, the other legions were only responsible for guarding the perimeter and would not swarm into the city.
This arrangement had two reasons. Firstly, the area of the city wall that had been blasted open was limited and could not accommodate too many troops. If they were to swarm in, the enemy might seize the opportunity and counterattack.
Secondly, the command center could only understand the situation in Luoyang through the Mountain Sea Guard's spies in the city. They had no way to investigate the situation in person.
Because of the complex terrain, street battles were more dependent on intelligence.
At present, the Mountain Sea Guard's spies were working hard to find out where the Han army had set up their fortresses, where they had deployed their heavy troops, and how the entire defensive line was formed.
Only by grasping this information would Han Xin give the order to attack.
The First Legion's attack was firstly to probe the enemy, secondly, to take down a stronghold in the city and establish an outpost for the main force to enter the city. Thirdly, it was also to put pressure on the Han army.
Wei Zhang had misgivings because of the heavy responsibility. Now that he had issued a military order, no matter how difficult it was, he had to start the first battle.
Since it was a regular meeting, it naturally ended quickly. Han Xin's eyes flashed with a trace of worry as he watched the legion commanders file out. He was worried about the abnormal weather.
Six years after entering Gaia, the weather had never been normal.
April and May were the times when the seedlings needed water the most. However, there had been no rain for a long time. Farmers from different villages were willing to risk their lives for a little irrigation water.
Fortunately, the water conservancy facilities in Great Xia were relatively complete. Finally, the rice paddies were able to head and no longer needed water. However, the weather was not favorable and heavy rains occurred frequently.
When it rained, it would last for a week.
Now that it was July, torrential rain continued to fall everywhere, and flooding was a disaster.
Seeing that the rice had matured and was about to be harvested, if the weather didn't clear up soon, the rice that had been painstakingly cultivated for months would rot in the ground, and there would be no harvest.
There was basically no difference between the spring wheat in the north and the paddy rice in the south.
Apart from the Great Jin Dynasty supplying them with rations, Great Xia's expedition to the Great Han Dynasty was also taking advantage of the first season of rice harvest to collect rations on the spot.
Who would have thought that after a few days of fine weather, there would be another downpour?
Previously, the reason why the Great Xia cavalry was able to successfully collect rations from the Great Han Empire was because the commoners were eagerly anticipating the harvest. That was why they were happy to hand over the rations.
If the heavy rain didn't stop, the rice would rot in the ground, and the consequences would be unimaginable.
"I hope the sky will clear up soon!"
During this attack on Luoyang, Han Xin wasn't worried about the frontlines. He was only worried about logistics.
… …
Nine o 'clock in the morning, at the camp of the First Corps of the Leopard Army.
After confirming the military order, the soldiers of the First Corps began to move. Braving the heavy rain, they walked out of their tents and assembled at the drill ground before going into formation outside the camp in groups.
The northern city wall that had collapsed yesterday had already been cleared by the engineers, forming a large gap that was more than 20 meters wide. Through the gap, they could vaguely see the fortifications that were stacked up with sandbags.
Last night, Luoyang was also sleepless.
Wearing the Radiant Armor, Wei Zhang rode a black warhorse and paced back and forth in front of the formation to boost morale. "My sons, the marshal has given us the first battle. That means that he trusts us."
"What will we use to repay him?" Wei Zhang roared.
The surrounding raindrops trembled with the roar, emitting a pitter-patter.
"Victory!"
"Victory!"
The 70,000 soldiers slapped their weapons and shouted, ignoring the heavy rain above their heads.
"That's right, victory."
Wei Zhang waved his arm and shouted, raising his long saber. "Attack!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill! "
The 70,000 soldiers advanced boldly with divisions as units.
At the same time, 200 P2 cannons were pushed out again and entered the artillery position. Their mission was to provide cover fire for the First Corps.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Just as the First Corps advanced, the cannons fired in unison and aimed at the top of the city wall on both sides of the gap, bombarding the cannons, arrow towers, and the defenders.
Under the concentrated bombardment of the cannons, the top of the city wall was covered in thick smoke and plowed over and over again.
When Wei Qing received the report, he lamented, "The Soldier Celestial is indeed a Soldier Celestial. He really doesn't make any mistakes and doesn't give any chances. Pass the order for the defenders to withdraw. "
"Yes!"
No one expected that the Great Xia army would still attack the city in such terrible weather and not give the Han army any time to prepare. If the Great Xia army didn't attack the city today, the Han army would have more time to perfect the fortifications.
But now, it seemed like it was hopeless.
While they were talking, the Leopard Guard's First Corps' first division had already arrived near the moat.
After a night of heavy rain, the river had risen sharply.
"Engineers, build the pontoon bridge. Archers, be on alert!"
The division commander was very experienced. As he gave the order, he kept a close eye on the other side of the river. In less than an hour, five simple wooden pontoon bridges were suspended above the moat and moved up and down with the river.
During this process, the other side of the river was dead silent. Obviously, the Han army had no intention of rushing out to interfere with the Great Xia army. They were determined to hide behind the fortress.
"Charge!"
Without any hesitation, the division commander sent the spearmen as the vanguard to cross the river. After crossing the river, they reorganized their troops before crossing the messy gap and killing their way into the city.
Because the gap was huge, the Han army couldn't fill it up even if they wanted to. The Han army simply set up their first line of defense with the gap as the center and the houses and streets as barriers.
Just as the Great Xia army killed their way in, they were greeted by a rain of arrows.
"Archers, cover! Charge in!"
The division commander was very brave. He personally led his troops and braved the enemy's rain of arrows to kill their way into the position at the street entrance. As long as they took down the street entrance, they would be able to occupy the entire street and complete the mission given by the command center.
The Han army hid behind a one-meter-tall sandbag and constantly shot at the enemy.
When the Great Xia army approached, the Han army jumped out of the fortress and started fighting with the Great Xia army. As soon as they came into contact, they used all their strength and put on a stance that they wouldn't stop until they killed their opponent.
Both sides were first-class elites. When experts exchanged blows, there was no such thing as a warm-up.
"Either you die, or I die!"
Very soon, with the street entrance as the center, scenes of life-and-death fighting took place. Blood was washed away by the torrential rain and flowed wantonly on the bluestone street. In less than an hour, the rainwater turned blood red.
The Great Xia army attacked resolutely while the Han army defended tenaciously.
Both sides fought for two hours around the street entrance, but there was still no clear winner. A small street actually blocked the path of the Great Xia army.
Wei Zhang was anxious. He cursed and raised his saber. "Personal guards, follow me!"
"Yes!"
2,000 personal guards followed Wei Zhang across the moat and killed their way into the city.
The soldiers of the first division, who were still fighting, were ashamed when they saw their commander personally charging at them. The commander wanted to commit suicide on the spot to apologize.
"Boys, let's go all out. If we don't take down the position, how can we face the marshal?!"
"Kill!"
The surviving soldiers of the first division were red-eyed. Like wolves, tigers, and a group of evil spirits, they pounced on the enemy without any regard for their lives.
The personal guards led by Wei Zhang were like a sharp sword that pierced into the hinterland of the enemy.
In the face of such a bitingly cold offensive, the Han army finally couldn't hold on and was beaten back step by step. Upon seeing this, Wei Zhang decisively seized the opportunity and took the lead to cross the fortress and kill his way into the enemy's territory.
The soldiers of the first division saw this and followed closely behind.
Once a gap was opened, it could no longer be defended. After nearly three hours of fierce fighting, the Great Xia army finally took down the street entrance and established an outpost position after paying a heavy price.
The surviving soldiers were exhausted because the fighting was too intense. Ignoring the puddles on the ground, they sat on the ground and rested with their backs against the sandbags.
However, their faces were filled with joy and pride.
In this battle, they used the swords in their hands to defend the glory of the first division.
Everything was difficult at the beginning. After taking down the first street entrance, the subsequent attacks became easier. As the remaining divisions of the first division entered the city one by one, they had already taken down an entire street by evening.
The impregnable Luoyang City was breached.
…
That night, in Handan City.
The battle of Luoyang was closely watched by all parties. Because of the existence of the communication compass, it couldn't be hidden. Di Chen had been paying attention to the battle of Luoyang and was constantly paying attention to the battle reports.
Knowing that the Great Xia army had entered the city, Di Chen finally made up his mind.
"Summon General Lian Po!"
"Yes, Sir!"
Soon, Lian Po rushed to the imperial study.
Di Chen didn't waste any time and said directly, "The time is ripe. Tomorrow, we will attack the Great Jin."
"Yes!"
Lian Po's eyes flashed with excitement.
This was the first time since the establishment of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the opponent was the Great Jin Dynasty. This made Lian Po, a veteran general, extremely excited.
…
On the 19th day of the seventh month, just as the battle of Luoyang was in a stalemate, the Great Zhou Dynasty suddenly declared war on the Great Jin.
The Great Zhou Dynasty's Imperial Guards, Red Yang Army, Tyrant Army, and Red Blood Army, except for the necessary troops left behind to guard against the monster nests, the four main armies of the Great Zhou Dynasty moved out together.
The overwhelming Great Zhou Army surged towards the Great Jin Dynasty like a wave.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
