At this moment, Lanzhou was located at the junction of Qingtang and the Song Dynasty. With the implementation of Zhao Jun's five-way trade policy, it prospered. The Tibetans here spoke Chinese, used Chinese characters, wore Chinese clothes, and used Song Dynasty copper coins for business transactions.
The entire economy was almost entirely controlled by the Han people. The Song Dynasty even stationed an army of about two thousand people outside the city of Lanzhou to maintain security and trade in the border trade between the two sides.
Early in the morning, An Ziluo, a general of the Tibetan Zuosilo tribe in Lanzhou City, got up from his mansion, put on a silk robe from the Song Dynasty, and put on the official hat and jade belt bestowed on him by the Song Dynasty, and walked out of the mansion like a seventh-rank county magistrate of the Song Dynasty.
Not only was he rewarded by the Song Dynasty, Zuo Siluo was also appointed as the governor of Shanzhou, the governor of Baoshun Hexi Army, and the inspector and governor of Shan, He, Huang, Kuo and Lan.
With the Song Dynasty's victory over the Liao Dynasty, it seemed poised to regain its dominance in Asia, and surrounding nations began to reestablish diplomatic ties with the Song Dynasty. Even before the Song Dynasty's defeat of the Liao Dynasty, the Zunluo regime, already extremely pro-Song, naturally benefited first.
An Ziluo, now dressed in silk and satin, planned to patrol the city as usual. Then, he would find a restaurant owned by a Song Dynasty resident to enjoy a hot pot and stir-fry, then go to a teahouse owned by a Song Dynasty resident to drink hot tea and listen to the storytellers who had come from Bianliang this year. Finally, he would go to a brothel and enjoy the arrangements of those blond, blue-eyed beauties from the Western Regions.
However, just as he was about to leave the house, the sound of a horn suddenly rang out from the top of the west city.
Several riders came galloping into the city, shouting anxiously as they entered: "The Xixia people are attacking us! The Xixia people are attacking us!"
As the sound continued to spread, the city of Lanzhou, which was originally crowded with Hu and Han people, was suddenly in an uproar, and the crowd was in chaos and running in all directions.
Although An Ziruo has been a bit lazy in the past two years, it was he who, as the vanguard general of Zuo Silu, raided Li Yuanhao's army and caused Li Yuanhao to suffer a crushing defeat at the Zongge River.
Therefore, he was still calm. After learning about this, he quickly asked his men to bring the horses and immediately sent someone to the Song army camp for help.
Less than a quarter of an hour later, An Ziruo had put on his armor and climbed onto the city wall.
At this moment, all the gates of Lanzhou City had been closed. By the time the scouts brought the news to the city, more than an hour had passed. First, a cloud of dust was seen coming from the northwest, and then dense black spots appeared at the end of the road.
The only good news is that the ancient Lanzhou city was located on the south bank of the Huangshui River. In Luoluochuan, between the Zhuanglang River and the Yellow River, there was a pass called Dongyu Pass, which was stuck at the Yellow River ferry.
The Western Xia army obviously did not dare to try to cross the river easily, but chose to move eastward along the north bank of the Yellow River towards Lanzhou and cross the river from the west of Lanzhou.
This is also a plain area, which is roughly the area from Xigu District to Qilihe District of Lanzhou City in later generations.
At least the Western Xia army did not cross the river from upstream and then suddenly appear in Xicheng.
Otherwise, there would probably not be enough time for An Ziruo to prepare calmly.
But even so, the situation is not optimistic.
An Ziruo looked at the dense, countless cavalrymen slowly approaching the northwest plain area in the distance, and couldn't help but show a look of worry.
The total population of the Tubo tribe under Zuosilo was about 200,000 to 300,000, and the number of young and strong soldiers was about 60,000.
But after years of peace, it was impossible to gather so many troops if they were suddenly attacked.
The entire Lanzhou city only had more than 5,000 soldiers, and including the Song army, there were only about 7,000 soldiers in total. The enemy's vanguard alone probably had 10,000 or 20,000 soldiers.
What should I do?
"General, Deputy Minister Wang is here."
A soldier reported to him.
"Please come in."
An Ziluo said quickly.
After a while, Wang Shiyun, the deputy chief of Guwei Village, came hurriedly.
As a general of the Song army stationed there to protect trade, he naturally knew An Ziluo, so he asked directly, "General An, how is the situation?"
"General Wang, you've arrived just in time. The Xia army is attacking."
An Ziluo pointed outside and said, "Our scouts reported that their vanguard alone has 10,000 to 20,000 troops. I'm afraid their main force is right behind them."
"I've already sent someone to Guwei Village to report the news. General Liu will soon bring reinforcements. We must repel them first!"
Wang Shiyun looked at the situation outside and quickly analyzed it.
If the enemy were allowed to attack the city immediately, they would probably not be able to withstand the attack. Once Lanzhou was broken, the Western Xia would rely on the city, and even if reinforcements from the Song army came, they would not be able to capture it.
At that time, the main force of Western Xia would immediately head westward to Qingtang, and the Zuosilu regime that the Song Dynasty had always supported would be in imminent danger.
So they have to buy time.
At least we must defeat the enemy's vanguard and stop them outside Lanzhou City.
"Is there any solution?"
An Ziluo asked, "We are so few in number. Why don't we recruit soldiers from the city right away?"
"No, we don't have that much weapons and equipment for conscription now."
Wang Shiyun thought for a moment, then glanced around. He noticed Gaolan Mountain, a high mountain to the south of Lanzhou City. He pointed to the mountain behind him and said, "You must defend the city first. We must not be defeated by the enemy before Yuan Hao's main force arrives. Give me two hours."
"what are you up to?"
"Go up the mountain and set up the artillery!"
Wang Shiyun said just this and nothing else. He turned around and left, leaving An Ziruo confused.
This is a military secret. Although Qingtang has a good relationship with them, he cannot tell anyone.
In fact, the artillery technology of the Song Dynasty can be said to be changing with each passing day.
Thanks to Zhao Jun's establishment of a steel plant in Wu'an, the use of two later steelmaking technologies greatly increased steel production, achieving overtaking on the curve and directly producing steel cannons.
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