Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

"When the gunpowder is ignited and sprayed out, its power can shatter metal and stone."

"The Marshal was skeptical about this,"

"They believed that the Eastern Route Army and the Xia people were exaggerating."

Wanyan Loushi shook his head: "If only one side says so, it might be an exaggeration."

"That's what the Eastern Route Army and the Xia people say,"

“Those firearms must have something special about them.”

"We'll go there this time,"

"The scouts must be careful,"

"Reconnoiter every part of the battlefield,"

"We must avoid being ambushed by firearms."

The following day, Wanyan Loushi led a large force of light cavalry as the vanguard.

They walked into the trap set up by Zhang Guangdao.

And they were very careful at every step.

The movement was extremely slow.

.....

Shouyang County Town.

The tunnels were dug by Wanyan Zonghan's men.

It was destroyed by Guo Yaoshi's watering.

Although Pharmacist Guo did not have any muskets or cannons.

However, there are quite a few rockets.

It can concentrate and burn large siege weapons.

Furthermore, Shouyang County is surrounded by mountains on all sides.

It also has a natural river behind it, so it doesn't lack water.

Chapter 211 Night Raid on the Fortress

The most suitable for Wanyan Zonghan to attack the city.

It is a flat area in the river valley, more than three miles wide, to the west.

Guo Yaoshi personally led troops to defend this place.

The city can also be attacked from the north.

However, large siege engines are inconvenient to advance.

The area available for attacking the city on the east side is narrower.

Moreover, one has to cross mountains to get around there.

There weren't many siege troops there.

Further east lies the river valley leading to Zhang Guangdao's army.

They were cut off by Ming army strongholds that were easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Wanyan Zonghan has become impatient.

Due to the prolonged siege without success,

The morale of the puppet Han army in Shanxi was low.

Even those who wanted to be cannon fodder in a siege thought they were in the way.

These cannon fodder can indeed tire out the defending troops and deplete the city's resources.

But every time they were defeated, it affected the morale of their allies.

The Bohai soldiers and the former Liao-Han soldiers also did not want to fight.

They were brave in battle at the beginning.

They've fought all this way and they're still unwilling to go and die.

The Jurchen's elite troops were sent to attack several times.

They stormed the city walls seven times.

But they were simply unable to gain a foothold.

They were all driven back by Guo Yaoshi's elite troops.

Both sides suffered heavy casualties.

at night.

A commotion arose in the east.

Wanyan Zonghan quickly disciplined his troops.

He personally climbed the mountain to check the situation.

After a while,

Some of the remaining soldiers escaped back.

A Jurchen general, panting, said:

"Marshal, the Eastern Camp has been attacked at night!"

Wanyan Zonghan questioned, "Didn't I tell you to guard the camp carefully?"

The Jurchen general explained, "The enemy did not attack from the west (Guo Yaoshi)."

"They didn't attack from the east either (Zhang Guangdao's reinforcements),"

"Instead, they suddenly attacked from the mountains to the south!"

However, it was Zhang Guangdao who dispatched the brothers Zhai Xing and Zhai Jin.

He led six thousand elite soldiers back by boat.

They discovered that the Jin army's eastern camp was well-defended.

It took another three days.

We traveled over mountains and valleys to reach the southern mountain range.

They launched a night raid on the Jin army's eastern camp, which had only a few thousand troops.

It wasn't just the Zhai brothers' contribution;

Guo Yaoshi also risked sending troops.

"Father, the Jin camp in the east of the city is on fire,"

"But the fire started from the south side of the camp."

"Quickly send troops out of the city; reinforcements must be arriving!"

"Could it be a scam?"

"Even if it's a trap, we have to go!"

Guo Yaoshi personally led eight hundred warriors.

Leaving from the east city of Shouyang County,

They coordinated with the Zhai brothers to launch a joint attack.

Most of the Jin soldiers were in the camp.

There wasn't even time to put on armor.

The elite troops of the Zhai brothers

There was also Guo Yaoshi's rotating garrison.

Yet each one was fully armored.

In this situation, coupled with a night attack from both sides,

The Jin army's eastern camp suffered a crushing defeat and fled.

The routed soldiers fled into the mountains to the northeast.

Wanyan Zonghan sent people to meet them.

The Ming army, seeing that they had gained the upper hand, did not pursue the enemy.

In this battle, over a thousand Jin soldiers were killed, hundreds were captured, and more than six thousand were routed.

They also destroyed the enemy camp, opening up the way for reinforcements to enter the city.

"Brothers Zhai, you've finally arrived!"

Pharmacist Guo held Zhai Xing's hand, wanting to cry.

Zhai Xing said, "Pingdingjun City has been captured by our army."

"General Guo's ability to hold Shouyang is truly a great achievement!"

Guo the Pharmacist sighed, "It's good that you're back. My old brothers from Liaodong..."

"They were all wounded, and more than six hundred had died in battle."

"The remaining soldiers and civilians also suffered more than four thousand casualties,"

"If we fight for a few more days, we probably won't be able to hold on."

"However, the Jurchens didn't fare well either,"

"They suffered even more casualties!"

Chapter 212 Strong Attack

More reinforcements,

They came from the direction of the valley.

They entered Shouyang City on the afternoon of the second day.

Six thousand elite troops were brought in.

The original garrison,

Most of them were substituted off to rest.

Shouyang City was already impregnable.

Wanyan Zonghan attempted to organize an attack.

They quickly abandoned the idea of ​​taking Shouyang.

He ordered the army to retreat.

Moreover, they retreated in a very swaggering manner.

They attempted to lure the defending troops out of the city to pursue and kill them.

But Guo Yaoshi, Zhai Xing, and Zhai Rang ignored them.

They were simply guarding the city.

Left with no other choice, Wanyan Zonghan could only say:

"The entire army shall advance eastward and join forces with Wuliyan (Wanyan Loushi)!"

.....

"Report! The light cavalry has successfully crossed the valley."

"The Ming army did not set up an ambush in the valley."