This countermeasure was extremely pertinent, and Zhao Jiu nodded immediately.
"Your Majesty!" Wang De quickly spoke up upon seeing this.
At this time, Huyan Tong was in Fangcheng, Qiao Zhongfu was in Xiangyang, Zhang Jing was in Guanghuajun, Xin Xingzong (Daxin) was in Wuguan, and the remaining five generals in the city were Wang De, Fu Qing, Xin Yongzong (Xiaoxin), Yang Yizhong, and Liu Yan. The total force was 17,000 to 18,000, including 12,000 to 13,000 armored soldiers and more than 10,000 civilians. So it stands to reason that Wang De, who had the highest military rank, should be in charge of the situation. But in fact, because Chen Gui, the Minister of War, was in charge of the city defense, and Lu Shuxiang of the Privy Council was the master, and Liu Canjun of the Zhifang Division was responsible for making some plans, Wang Yasha was indistinguishable from the crowd, basically no different from the other generals, just obeying orders.
Therefore, Wang Yasha, who had always been thinking about the defense commander of the four walls of Nanyang, was really unwilling to give up this good opportunity to show up in front of the emperor.
However, when Zhao Jiu turned to look at Wang De, the deputy commander of the imperial camp was speechless for a moment, and then his face turned red with anxiety. It was obvious that he could not think of a solution for the time being, but he did not want to repeat what others had said.
"It's understandable that Commander Wang is eager to fight." Zhao Jiu smiled slightly. "But since Commander Fu has offered a suggestion, let him handle it this time! If it doesn't work, Commander Wang will go down to provide support."
Wang De wanted to say something but stopped himself. However, the official in front of him had demonstrated his abilities from Huaishang to the present, so he still had some prestige... So, Wang Yasha didn't dare to say anything in the end.
Just like that, after deciding that Fu Qing would be the main attacker, Emperor Zhao instructed Xin Yongzong and Yang Yi Zhong, who should have been in charge of the military square in the city at this time, to attack from the south and west respectively to cut off the corridor. He then sent Chen Gui to guard the rest of the city walls, and then waited on the city walls for the Jin army's corridor.
Time passed neither fast nor slow. By the afternoon, the tunnel had been laid to the outer moat and was within the range of the Song army's conventional projectile weapons on the city wall... and with three-sided cover, the tunnel, which was only more than ten feet wide and one person high, tightly protected the Jin army inside. Although they did not have much hope, when the crossbow arrows and rockets were ineffective on the wet felt cloth, the Zhao Song civil and military officials under the dragon flag on the city wall were indeed a little disappointed.
In contrast, on the general platform just over 300 steps opposite the city wall, most of the Jin army generals, including Wanyan Wushu, were excited.
That’s not all. The seven tunnels were dug together and when they reached the outer trench, the effect was even more obvious. Because the Jin army in the tunnel only had to face a narrow tactical cross section of more than ten feet, in less than half an hour, the continuously extended tunnels reached the Sheep and Horse Wall as easily as the tentacles of the Jin army! The wall that had worked wonders yesterday was no longer powerful at this time. It was soon easily dug by the Jin army with shovels in the tunnel, opening seven gaps.
Next came the inner moat, and by this time, Wanyan Wushu, the three Wanhu, and dozens of Meng'an could no longer sit still, and almost stood up at the same time to watch from afar.
As expected, the narrow inner moat could not prevent the extension of the corridor... But just when the Jin army crossed the inner moat and came to the last dozen steps before the city wall, deafening shouts of killing suddenly rang out from behind the sheep and horse wall.
This situation formed a sharp contrast with yesterday...Yesterday, the Jin army kept shouting, while the Song army remained silent. Today, the Jin army kept building the tunnel, while the Song army was the first to shout and kill.
"Why were the soldiers in the tunnel not on guard?" Wanyan Wushu turned his head and asked.
"The soldiers who escaped from the Yangma Wall yesterday said that there is no drawbridge in front of the Nanyang city gate, but a thin wall instead." Han Chang blurted out. "I thought it was strange at the time, but now it seems that it is to cover the opening and closing of the city gate and facilitate the troops to sneak attack... Just like the low ground inside the Yangma Wall, it should be a strategy of the defenders. It's quite interesting."
"I see." Wanyan Wushu suddenly grinned as he watched the hand-to-hand combat taking place at the foot of the city wall in front of him. "But such tricks are at best cunning. Since we are in close combat, we still have to use real swords and guns to decide the outcome!"
"The Fourth Prince is right." Han Chang blurted out, but the next moment his face changed color just like Balisu, Chizhanhui and others around him.
It turned out that Wanyan Wushu's trusted general saw with his own eyes that the Fourth Prince's personal guard Meng'an actually separated five Moukes without saying a word, and then directly rushed into the five corridors in front... and almost all of these five Moukes were wearing full body armor!
You should know that there are some special terms for these armored warriors. Since they usually fight on horseback, once they get on the armored horses, they are covered with iron armor from the gourd-shaped helmets to the horse's knees. They look like an iron pagoda, so they are called Iron Pagoda!
Even as noble as Wanyan Wushu was, he only had one thousand Iron Pagodas in his hands, and the other half was borrowed from his brother, the Third Prince Erlido.
But no matter what, the five hundred Iron Pagodas dismounted and fought on foot, and they were still Iron Pagodas! Now that the Iron Pagodas were out, it was a foolish dream for the Song army to break through the tunnel with hand-to-hand combat!
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