Time let us go back to the past month before. After Emperor Xia Li Liangzuo secretly arrived at the Lantian Camp, he began to prepare for the attack on Hanguguan. Li Liangzuo did not have many troops, only the 100,000 army under Li Hu'er, plus the 20,000 elite soldiers and 10,000 imperial guards stationed in Tongguan, a total of 130,000 troops.

Tongguan, General's Mansion.

Although this place looks the same as before from the outside, it is very cautious inside, because Emperor Xia Li Liangzuo lives here, and the 110,000 army brought by Li Liangzuo has already entered Tongguan. Of course, it is impossible to hide the spies of the Song army on such a large scale. Li Liangzuo did not want to hide anything, and even let Li Hu'er publicize that 200,000 troops were stationed in Tongguan. The purpose of this was to put pressure on the Song army stationed in Hangu Pass.

In the study, Zhuo Zi walked to Li Liangzuo and said, "Your Majesty, the little prince is asking for a meeting."

"Let Hu'er come in!" Li Liangzuo continued to review the memorials and said.

"Last be the last general Li Hu'er to pay homage to Your Majesty." Li Hu'er, dressed in military uniform, came in and knelt on one knee to Li Liangzuo and saluted.

"Let's flat!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

After approving the memorial in his hand, Li Liangzuo asked Li Hu'er: "Have the situation been investigated clearly?"

"Report to Your Majesty, the city defense map of the Song army's Hangu Pass has been obtained." After Li Hu'er said that, he took out a piece of silk cloth from his arms and presented it to Li Liangzuo. As an important pass for the Great Song Dynasty to guard the Xia army's eastward out of the Central Plains, the Song army was very strict in defense of Hangu Pass. No one except the local garrison was allowed to approach. In order to obtain this city defense map, the Xia army sacrificed dozens of master spies.

But even so, the city defense map obtained by Li Hu'er was not very accurate but just a rough map. After Li Liangzuo took the map, he unfolded it. Li Hu'er introduced the garrison of Hangu Pass to Li Liangzuo one by one and said: "Your Majesty, the Song army stationed a total of 150,000 troops in Hangu Pass and the surrounding Lingbao. Guozhou has a total of 150,000 troops in each city, with Hangu Pass as the core. Once Hangu Pass is attacked, the Song army can mobilize troops from the two places to reinforce;

If our army wants to get out of the pass, we can only attack Hangu Pass. Your Majesty, please see that the Song army has built a large number of fortifications outside the west city of Hangu Pass. Moreover, the attack surface in this area is narrow. The Song army has also built fortresses on the peaks on both sides and equipped with large crossbows. As long as we enter a mile of Hangu Pass, we will be attacked by the Song army's arrows on both sides of the peaks..."

Looking at the Song Army’s defense line with dense firepower as dense as a beehive, a sneer flashed in Li Liangzuo’s eyes. Li Liangzuo asked Li Huer: “Who will command Hangu Pass?”

"Yes, Zhong Shidao's two sons, Zhong Hao and Zhongxi." Li Hu'er said to Li Liangzuo.

"It's ridiculous that two young children who are still stinky and have no dry breasts can command the army."

"Your Majesty, as far as the last general knows, these two brothers are still very talented in military affairs. They can freely follow Zhong Shidao to fight in the army and make many military achievements for the Song Dynasty." Li Hu'er reminded Li Liangzuo.

Li Liangzuo nodded and said, "Tell me about the overall deployment of the Western Army."

Li Hu'er has done his homework to say that today, so when he heard Li Liangzuo's question, he opened his mouth and reported to Li Liangzuo: "Now the elite of the Song army's Western army still has 500,000 troops. In the previous battle, we have wiped out nearly 250,000 Western army, of which the Song army lost 150,000 people on the Wuguan front line, and burned 100,000 troops in Bianliang. Now the 550,000 troops of the Song army, of which 150,000 troops were stationed on the Hangu Pass defense line, 200,000 troops were stationed on the Zhejiang River front line, and 100,000 troops were stationed in Nanyang. As a support for the Zhejiang Water Defense Line, 50,000 troops were stationed in Xiangyang to defend the food route of the Western army, and another 50,000 troops were stationed along the Yellow River and Luoyang. However, His Majesty's Western army also expanded its troops. Although their subsequent troops were not strong in combat, they were numerous, estimated to be no less than 700,000 to 800,000..."

Li Liangzuo said to Li Hu'er: "When will we not be able to compare with the Song Dynasty when the two armies fight. Hu'er remembers that the war between the two armies is not the number of soldiers, but the wisdom of the commander and the elite soldiers. This is also the key to the repeated victory of our Great Xia Empire. The Battle of Hangu Pass only has one battle for us, that is the first battle; the first victory over our army and the first battle swept the Central Plains, and the first battle with De'er surrounded the Song army in the north. If we fail to defeat the first battle, our army will be blocked in Guanzhong. We may not have a chance to go out from Hangu East for more than ten years. Hu'er, do you know why I have always wanted to go out from Hangu East?"

"Reported to Your Majesty Hangu Pass is an important channel between Guanzhong and the Central Plains. Going out of Hangu Guandong can shorten the grain route of our army when we attack the Central Plains. If we go out of Wuguandong to attack the Central Plains, the food and supplies will need to go thousands of miles to fight, and it is very susceptible to attacks by the Song army." Li Hu'er explained to Li Liangzuo.

Li Liangzuo patted Li Hu'er on the shoulder and said, "It's good to be taught by a child; but this is just one of them. Secondly, we need a front-line camp to guide the Central Plains, and Guanzhong distances from the Central Plains and Taiyuan can only serve as a strategic support point, not as a front-line base. Luoyang is the most suitable. It is the fastest way to capture Luoyang as soon as possible and exit Hangu Pass."

"Your Majesty is wise, I will be taught." Li Hu'er said very admirably.

"Hu'er, how should I capture Hangu Pass if you are so desperate?" Li Liangzuo asked Li Hu'er.

Li Hu'er thought for a while and replied: "Your Majesty, I think I should attack the Song army. If the two armies start war head-on, our army will inevitably suffer heavy losses; and our army's limited military strength cannot afford any losses."

Li Liangzuo was very satisfied with Li Hu'er's answer, but Li Liangzuo said to Li Hu'er: "This time I will not go to sneak attack, but will openly compete with the Song army; are Zhuozi's things ready?"

"Your Majesty has been prepared." Eunuch Zhuo said to Li Liangzuo.

In order to win Hangu Pass as soon as possible, Li Liangzuo took out his treasure this time, and this thing was just successfully tested. If he could win the battle against Hangu Pass, history would be rewritten by Li Liangzuo again. Such weapons have been transported to Tongguan and guarded by elite soldiers.

The next morning, in a clearing ground west of Tongguan, a group of soldiers were busy assembling new weapons and transporting heavy bombs from Tongguan City. These bombs looked like enlarged versions of missiles. When Li Liangzuo came here with Li Hu'er, Li Hu'er was shocked to see the scene in front of him. With this magical weapon, in Li Hu'er's eyes, Xia Jun was a heavenly soldier and general.

At this time, Zhong Hao and Zhong Xi, who were stationed in Tongguan, had already learned that the Xia army was about to attack Hangu Pass. They made sufficient preparations for this and drew 30,000 troops from the surrounding areas of Guozhou and Lingbao. At this time, the total strength of the Song army in Hangu Pass reached 110,000, which was the limit that Hangu Pass could bear.

The large camp of the Song army in Hangu Pass, and the central army tent.

Zhong Xi asked Zhong Hao: "Brother, do you think Commander Xia's brain hit the wall and dared to attack Hangu Pass."

"Second brother, don't take it lightly, the Xia army has never fought a battle that is unsure." Zhong Hao said cautiously; "You should send someone to inform your father and commander to send troops to prepare for reinforcements after losses."

The first update is presented, Tianyu asks for support, and if you have votes, please take a walk!

(End of this chapter)
Chapter completed!