The Song army attacked the city walls for three days and three nights without stopping.
The city walls of Hongzhou have turned completely dark red.
Zhao Huan was getting impatient. It seemed that without cannons, attacking a city in ancient times was indeed a difficult task.
When I return, I will have the Imperial Arsenal mass-produce iron cannons for me. I will use these cannons to blast all those who dare to defy me in the north into dust!
The two sides fought a fierce battle on the city walls.
Li Ganshun finally breathed a sigh of relief inside the city. Next, he began to inspect his troops within the city, preparing for a large-scale battle with Zhao Huan at any time.
In these days, in addition to attacking the city, the emperor would also take Marshal Zhong Shidao and Central Army Commander Zong Ze to inspect the army back and forth, so that the army could always be in the most excited fighting state.
Because everyone knows that the decisive battle between Song and Xia is about to begin.
The Battle of Hongzhou is destined to be recorded in history and will affect the fate of millions of people.
Historians have used countless beautiful words to praise the merits of this battle and its impact on the world order.
The trade routes to the west of the Song Dynasty were opened, and the iron cavalry of China once again set foot in the Western Regions, reviving the glory of the mighty Han and Tang dynasties.
Yesterday, Li Ganshun beheaded three hundred soldiers whose willpower had weakened in one fell swoop, and their three hundred heads were impaled on spears and stuck in the center of the city.
Three hundred pairs of lifeless eyes gazed in despair at the thick clouds in the sky.
Before dawn, Xia ruler Li Ganshun held a rally in the center of the city.
Countless torches illuminated Hongzhou City, with the Xia ruler's most elite legions surrounding the front, and all the Tangut generals protecting the Xia ruler.
In the past few days, Xia Jun's food supplies have run out, his rear has been cut off by Han Shizhong, and Xia Jun's forces in Longzhou City have been defeated by Yue Fei.
Li Ganshun is now surrounded on three sides. After making adjustments, he must act quickly and decisively.
Li Ganshun shouted, "This battle concerns the fate of our Great Xia for a hundred years! Victory is the only option! If we lose, your wives and children will become slaves of the Song dogs! If we win, we will march south and go straight to Chang'an! There are endless delicacies and countless beauties there! We will make that place the territory of Great Xia! Every one of you will receive land and rewards!"
"Long live the Great Xia! Long live His Majesty!"
All the generals shouted at the same time, and the surrounding soldiers followed suit.
The voice was so captivating that it quickly spread throughout the city.
Next, Xia Jun, who was already full and brimming with energy, was stirred up.
A Xia soldier, with tears streaming down his face, exclaimed excitedly, "My brother and my father both died at the hands of the Song dogs, and my old mother went blind because of it. I will avenge my brother!"
"Song dog deserves to die!"
"Song dog deserves to die!"
"Kill them all!"
...
Even from several miles away, Zhao Huan could faintly hear the shouts from inside the city as he rode his tall warhorse.
In the distance, officers were standing in formation, and shouts echoed across the vast wilderness as captains quickly reorganized their ranks.
Looking down from above, under the moonlight, those dark, densely packed troops looked like black steel melted down and swiftly divided into sharp, angular blocks by invisible hands.
The Song army spread out across the desolate plains, stretching to the horizon.
Before long, the city gate was opened.
The first to rush out was actually an iron hawk!
Li Ganshun directly assigned Iron Falcon as the striker.
Li Ganshun had a total of eight thousand Iron Falcons, all of whom were fully armed heavy cavalry.
When they rushed out, the ground seemed to shatter.
They brandished their axes and hammers and charged towards the Song army in front of them.
Immediately, a metallic clanging sound was heard, followed by a painful scream.
In just one exchange, a gap was torn in the Song army's front line of defense, and the Iron Falcons, like a tank convoy in later times, charged forward at breakneck speed.
The infantry's spear formation was quickly broken by the impact.
More and more iron hawks charged out, and even the arrows of the Song army were useless against them. Even if the knights on the hawks were shot dead, the knights were still fixed to their saddles, and the horses continued to gallop forward.
With that one breath, all eight thousand iron hawks burst forth.
They were crushed in the Song army's formation, and countless people were trampled into mincemeat!
Then the infantry rushed out of the city and, taking advantage of the Iron Falcons' charge, quickly formed ranks and advanced forward.
The order was given to the troops to rush up the hill without stopping.
"Your Majesty, at the south gate, the entire army of the Western bandits, the Iron Falcons, has been mobilized. The southern front is in imminent danger!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than another scout arrived quickly.
"Your Majesty, at the east gate, ten thousand cavalrymen from the west have left the city!"
Another scout arrived.
"Your Majesty, at the west gate, the Western bandit Bu Bazi has left the city!"
Only the north gate was empty.
"Excellent! Perfect timing!" Zhao Huan exclaimed. "General Zhong, do you think our army can advance straight down from here and fight the Iron Falcons of the Western Bandits?"
The emperor's voice was quite infectious, stirring the blood of the generals.
Zhong Shidao's snow-white beard danced in the cold wind. Although he was old, his eyes were sharp and his blood was vigorous.
"Your Majesty, we can charge down from here now and confront the Western bandit Iron Falcon!"
"Could the musketeers be involved?"
Zhong Shidao added, "Your Majesty, the musketeers are new to the battlefield and it is not advisable for them to participate!"
Zhao Huan had always dreamed that the soldiers of the Song Dynasty would be armed with muskets and could wipe out any enemy that came their way.
That scene was so awesome!
He wasn't annoyed by Zhong Shidao's cold water, after all, one must remain calm, absolutely calm, on the battlefield.
"Very well, as Commander Zhong says!" Zhao Huan continued, "Wang Kui'an, you will take 10,000 troops to the East Gate to support Duke Zong. If anything happens to Duke Zong, I will hold you accountable!"
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