Chapter 22: Four-Sided Siege (Please collect!)

  Although it is unknown why Wei Zheng attached such importance to the spear that was called "chicken rib" by the government army.

  However, Zhao Yun still chose to believe unconditionally.

  Because, since Wei Zheng's serious illness, he has made many strange actions and decisions. More importantly, the meaningless actions and decisions in his own eyes have often led to unexpected results.

  The Hǔ Bào Army stepped up its preparations for battle from top to bottom.

  The long spear team named 'Trap Array' by Wei Zheng, after listening to Wei Zheng's encouragement, the whole team was like being injected with chicken blood, day and night, they conducted long spear thrust training without distinction. The vast training ground, everywhere can be heard their battle cries.

  The newly established arsenal, several simple iron furnaces were set up, and the metallic knocking sound of 'ding ding dong...' also started to ring out day and night.

  Of course, in this hammering sound, a root of roots emits a forest of cold light, and a fine long gun head of one foot five inches is continuously forged. Inserted into the wooden craftsman's straight long wooden pole, a one-meter-long spear was produced.

  The highest commander of the Tiger and Leopard Army, Wei Zheng, was either constantly going back and forth between the long spear team and the weapon manufacturing plant to check on progress, or he was focusing on training the longbow row that he personally commanded.

  In the past, I faced fewer Mongol soldiers and therefore fewer Mongol archers...

  With his own archery skills, plus some trickery, he was fully capable of wiping out these most threatening Tartar archers before the infantry made contact.

  But this time it's different. According to Wei Zheng's estimate, even if the Hu barbarians decide to divide their troops and surround him, each route of the Hu barbarian army will still have more than 50 people.

  According to the proportion of archers in the elite troops of the Tatars, at least fifty Tatars had ten skilled archers.

  With his own strength, Wei Zheng was confident and it would be impossible to shoot him down in a short period of time.

  Because these nomadic archers will not stupidly stand in a row waiting to be hunted, they will also counterattack and shoot deadly arrows at you.

  So, Wei Zheng must have an assistant.

  After adding a few more brothers with strong arms to the longbow row, the expanded two-division-long spear row began basic archery training under Wei Zheng's personal guidance.

  Mogu Yuanyang Army Camp

  Compared with the high morale two days ago, the whole military camp has been filled with a hint of coldness and killing intent.

  In the largest leather tent in the center of the military camp, Wu Dalang was venting his frustration and anger on a huge leg of mutton, tearing at the already cooked meat with big bites.

  As a Manchu warrior, he was actually intimidated by a group of bandits who couldn't even be counted as an army, and stayed here for two days without daring to take a step forward. This is undoubtedly a humiliation not only to him but also to the entire Manchu Banner Army.

  It's not easy to see a Tang soldier walking into his tent, Niu Lu Zhang Jing quickly put down the lamb leg and asked loudly with a mouthful of oil: "Haven't those who went out to scout returned yet? ...Isn't it just catching a few local Han people, why haven't they been caught back...

  The Tartar soldiers did not dare to touch the Cow's Head at this time, and answered with a terrified face.

  "Reporting to General, those few men who went out have returned and brought back ten local Han people. They are now waiting for your command at the camp gate..."

  "Bang....." Perhaps due to excitement, Niu Lu Zhang Jing directly slammed the lamb leg in his hand onto the table in front of him and shouted loudly.

  "It's great to be back, we can finally send out the Tiger and Leopard Troops, no need to stay in this desolate place..."

  "Quickly, bring in those several Manchu bannermen at once, I have questions for them. As for those Han people, lock them all up, just don't let them starve to death..."

  An hour later, an order that made all the Tartars extremely excited spread rapidly throughout the Tartar camp.

  Tomorrow morning, the entire Niu Lu army will be divided into four parts. The main force of 100 brave warriors, led by Niu Lu Zhang Jing himself, will launch a frontal attack on the Tiger and Leopard Army's camp. The other three routes, each with 50 men, will be commanded by a single general to block all possible roads that the Tiger and Leopard Army may retreat into the dense forest.

  Hundreds of soldiers began making dried meat in the barracks, sharpening their weapons even more, preparing for battle the next day.

  Such a commotion, it was impossible to hide from the Tiger and Leopard Army scouts who had been keeping an eye on the enemy camp all along, namely the carefully selected cavalrymen of the Tiger and Leopard Army chosen by Wei Zheng.

  That night, Wei Zheng had just dragged his tired body back to the assembly hall when Zhao Yun and Wang Feng rushed in with two cavalrymen.

  Without bothering with formalities, after giving Wei Zheng a somewhat unstandard military salute of later generations, the first squad leader of the cavalry regiment following closely behind Wang Feng's back opened his mouth to report in gasps.

  "General, there's some movement in the Tartar army camp outside the mountain..."

  A fierce killing intent quickly emanated from Wei Zheng's body, and he muttered to himself: "It seems that the Tartars have made up their minds to eliminate us... It's only been two days, and the Tartars outside the mountain can't wait any longer..."

  Wang Feng's eyebrows also furrowed quickly, and he reported to Wei Zheng: "General, I didn't expect the Tartars to be a day earlier than we expected. Although the long gun team has completed basic training and can correctly form a long gun array, time is still too short, and coordination between each other has not yet reached a tacit understanding. Adding the cruelty of the battlefield, I am worried that sending them to the battlefield like this will cause problems."

  Zhoa Yun followed closely behind and reported, "I just went to the rear arsenal... because of sufficient raw materials, plus I sent two more people to help Wang Zhongshi. So far, we have already forged 200 spears."

  "If the general is in urgent need, I can have Wang and his men work through the night to forge them. In that case, by tomorrow morning, we can at least deliver four hundred fire lances to the general..."

  Wei nodded in agreement with what they said.

  After slightly restraining the killing intent emanating from his body, Wei Zheng rapidly emitted a strong self-confidence from within, and with a firm tone, he gave orders to the troops in front of him.

  "Alright, let's do it as you said... The arsenal will work overnight to produce throwing spears... Old Zhao's spear team and my directly commanded longbow squad will suspend training tonight to let the soldiers rest... Old Zhao's spear team will have an extra half-hour of training tonight, I'll personally conduct the training and teach the brothers how to use the throwing spears correctly..."

  "Cavalry, search the surrounding area thoroughly and after midnight, release all brothers. Closely monitor all mountain passes that could be used to enter the mountains. In addition, select a few elite troops to closely monitor the movements of the enemy's camp. If there is any news, report back to me immediately."

  "It is said that if you know yourself and your enemy, you will not be in danger in a hundred battles.... Only after clearly understanding the enemy's deployment can we make the best judgment, concentrate our advantageous forces, devour the large army divided by the Tartars, and break their siege..."

  "Yes, General..." Several people seemed to be influenced by Wei Zheng's confidence and shouted in unison.

  The next day, early in the morning, the Tatars abandoned their war horses and left the military camp with only weapons and dry rations. Less than an hour later, Wei Zheng, who was waiting inside the military camp, received news that the Tatars had set out.

  "Four routes of the great army, three routes of the detour troops fifty thousand strong, the frontal assault troops one hundred thousand strong... It seems that the Tartar's commander-in-chief, Wu Luojing, is not a fool either. He knows we have the capability to annihilate his forces after defeating one of his commanders-in-chief, so he directly split into two commanders-in-chief." After hearing the report, Wei Zheng muttered to himself.

  Then a thick confident expression quickly appeared on Wei Zheng's face.

  Because the distribution of the enemy's forces is completely within his own expectations, as long as he plans properly, he has the ability to get through this crisis.

  Taking a deep breath, the heavily armored guard stepped up onto the commanding platform.

  Without hesitation, he loudly shouted at all the officers and soldiers of the Tiger and Leopard Brigade: "Brothers, officers..."

  "There's some very bad news I have to tell everyone: the Tartars' attack on our Tiger and Leopard Army has started again. What's more, the Tartars have divided their troops into many routes, launching attacks on our military camp from different directions, trapping us inside the camp."

  "Here, I can tell you with certainty that for this impending battle, we have only two outcomes: one is to be annihilated by the Tartars and become their slaves once again... The second is to defeat the Tartars, beat them back, and hold our ground..."

  "I know everyone is very afraid, but what I want to say is: I, Wei Zheng, will always be with you. In the battle, I, Wei Zheng, must charge forward before all of you. Moreover, the ultimate victor in this battle will definitely be us, because your general, me, has already come up with a specific plan to defeat the enemy..."

  "But this plan requires the support and trust of all officers and soldiers in the Tiger-Panther Army... Everyone tells me, do you have confidence to defeat the Tartars with me and defend our camp..."

  At the right time to boost morale, for a post-war special soldier, it is an extremely simple thing.

  After Wei Zheng's voice full of temptation quickly spread throughout the entire training ground, the faces of more than 200 people under him changed as he had expected, from confusion to tension, then from tension to fear, and finally from fear to determination.

  Not only that, but a louder and louder roar also began to sound on the training ground.

  "There is... there is... there is..."