Du Qi's army formed up, and he rode forward again. Du Qi stood in front of the formation, looked up at the city gate tower, and shouted, "Where is Li Ji?"
Li Ji was on the city gate tower. He saw the black mass of Xia Xia's army outside the city, but he did not panic at all. Instead, Li Ji's face was full of excitement.
As a general, it was the honor of a soldier to be able to die in battle. He was especially happy that he could fight with Du Qi. Li Ji was not like Li Jing, who was already over sixty years old. Li Jing was old, and because he had made too many contributions, there were too many restrictions in his position in the Tang dynasty.
Li Ji was different. He was ambitious. He still wanted to make contributions and show off on the battlefield.
Li Ji took a deep breath and was about to speak. However, at this time, he could not show up directly. Instead, he hid in the city and shouted. Because once Du Qi determined his position through his voice, he might directly bombard the city gate tower.
Therefore, he only shouted and did not show up.
In this way, Du Qi could not determine his position.
He could not bombard him directly.
Li Ji replied, "Du Qi, I didn't expect that after so many years, you and I would meet on the battlefield in such a scene. Back then, you and I were both under Manager Li's command. We fought with the Turks, destroyed them, and took down Xieli Khan. I didn't expect that when we meet again, we would meet with weapons. "
Du Qi said, "Great minds think alike. I also want to say that you fought with me in the past as a comrade. Now, we are meeting with weapons. Li Ji, you are a smart man. You know that the Tang dynasty can't stop my Xia Xia from going to the east. If you directly open the city and surrender, I will give you the title of founding duke. "
Li Ji laughed and said a moment later, "Du Qi, you want to use the title of founding duke to exchange for hundreds of thousands of Tang soldiers. Wasn't this transaction a little too cheap? Du Qi, if you want to take down Shazhou City, you have to step over my body first. I, Li Jisheng, am a man of the Tang dynasty. Even if I die, I will still be a ghost of the Tang dynasty. I am not like that old man Li Jing. He is a spineless man who is willing to surrender. I, Li Ji, will never surrender. A loyal subject will not serve two masters. Du Qi, there's no need for you to surrender. "
Du Qi said, "I didn't expect that even you, Li Ji, would become a loyal minister. What a joke! If someone like Zhangsun Wuji was loyal, that would be fine. Although Zhangsun Wuji is a vicious person and I look down on him, his loyalty cannot be questioned. You, Li Ji, have long since joined Wagang and worked for Li Mi. Later, he followed Li Mi to seek refuge with the King of Yue, Yang Dong, and finally to the Tang dynasty. Your former master was Li Mi, but you turned to the Tang dynasty. Why don't you continue to be loyal to Li Mi? "
Li Ji's expression changed slightly.
Once, he followed Li Mi and eventually surrendered to the Tang dynasty. That was because he was forced by the situation, not because he wanted to.
This was the general trend.
It was not something he could control.
Li Ji said in a deep voice, "Everyone says that Du Qi has a glib tongue. Today, this marshal has witnessed it. I used to follow Li Mi, but that was because I was forced by the situation. I had no choice. Du Qi, don't try to win a battle of words. Don't you have powerful weapons? Come, let this marshal see if you can take down Shazhou City. "
He directly invited Li Ji to fight.
The reason for that was because Li Ji had already made sufficient preparations to fight Du Qi.
Du Qi smiled and said, "Li Ji, you really can't wait! Well, I'll fulfill your wish. "
He waved his hand and Xue Rengui immediately arranged it.
One after another, the mortars quickly adjusted their angles and aimed at the city tower. At this time, Li Ji, Zhangsun Wuji, and the rest of the civil and military officers on the city tower all retreated to avoid being bombarded.
"Boom!!!"
The first mortar fired.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!!! "
One mortar after another bombarded the city tower. When the shells landed on the city tower, the bombardment exploded. Especially this time, the bombardment was aimed at the city gate and did not bombard other places. Shazhou City's city, like Guazhou City, was not very sturdy. Under the continuous bombardment, the city wall collapsed and the city gate was soon opened.
After a while, smoke and dust rose.
A corner of the city wall was missing and directly collapsed. Because of the collapse of the city, there was a hole in the defense. However, there were troops gathered in the city, which was specially prepared to be attacked.
Li Ji was still on the city tower.
He looked outside the city, his eyes full of expectation. Because next, as long as Du Qi killed his way into the city and he led the army out, he could detonate the gunpowder in the city.
At that time, the entire county would be like an earthquake, and countless places would collapse. At that time, Du Qi's army would definitely suffer great losses. And he could lead the army back and win the battle.
This was Li Ji's plan.
In Li Ji's expectation, Du Qi's army outside the city was still in formation and did not attack.
Li Ji was a little confused.
What was going on?
Du Qi's bombardment only broke the city gate and did not attack. Such a situation was unexpected and even more inconceivable. And in Li Ji's waiting, the smoke and dust dispersed, and Du Qi went forward again. He looked at the city tower and shouted, "Li Ji, are you waiting for me to attack and then immediately retreat?"
Li Ji had a bad premonition.
His plan of inviting the enemy into a trap.
It did not seem to work.
Li Ji said coldly, "Du Qi, my army is here. If you want to attack, then attack directly. I want to see how you will attack. "
Du Qi said, "No, there is no need to attack. The army I am leading is stationed outside the city. Then, they would attack the surrounding areas first. Li Ji, you probably don't have much food in the city. I will wait for your army to leave the city, and then we will fight outside. "
Li Ji's expression suddenly changed.
There was indeed not much food in the city.
At most, it could last for ten days. This was the judgment of Li Ji and Zhangsun Wuji. As Li Ji, Zhangsun Wuji, and Wei Zheng had already decided on the strategy of inviting the enemy into a trap, they had already adjusted their strategy and moved the equipment and food away. Although there was still some food and equipment in the city, it was only a small amount.
After all, they did not treat Shazhou City as a place where they could form up.
Li Ji knew that he could not expose himself and said, "Du Qi, if you want to form up outside the city, then up to you. My army will wait for you here. "
Du Qi said, "Li Ji, you are strong on the outside but weak on the inside. Don't worry, I will wait for you. Outside the four city gates, I will leave troops to guard. It is impossible for you to sneak out. "
"Retreat!"
Du Qi directly gave the order.
The moment the army formed up, they started to retreat. However, the distance they retreated to was very short, just two miles. As for the rest of the army, they were stationed behind, stretching for several miles. Moreover, when Du Qi was stationed, he had indeed placed soldiers at the other city gates. The moment Li Ji made any moves, Du Qi would react and send troops to chase and kill.
Du Qi's arrangement actually put Li Ji in a difficult position. One move grabbed Li Ji's weak spot.
Li Ji wanted to defend, but the problem was that his main grain had already been moved away. The grain in the city could not last for long. If Li Ji wanted to give up on Shazhou City, then the moment he left the city, Du Qi's army would pounce over like tigers and leopards, surrounding and killing Li Ji's troops. Moreover, Du Qi still had the elephant soldiers.
Even if Li Ji's army had elite cavalry, under the charge of the elephant soldiers, the cavalry could not hold up and would be crushed.
Now, Li Ji was in a dilemma.
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