Chapter 677: Attacking Zhaojia Town

After careful discussion with the leaders of the Black Mountain Army, Zhang Yan decided to divide his troops into two groups. Although Zhaojiacun was already owned by a foreigner, the people of Zhaojiacun moved south this time and did not bring many items with them, so Zhang Yan decided to send people to capture it. Zhaojiacun, seize the supplies inside. As for the troops and horses sent, Zhang Yan thought about it and asked Zhang Baiqi to lead five thousand troops and horses to attack. Although Zhang Baiqi was reluctant, as Zhang Yan's confidant, he did not dare to go against Zhang Yan's wishes.

As for the matter of intercepting the large group of troops, Zhang Yan also knew that he could not fight head-on and could only find ways to win by chance.

Today's situation in Changshan, Zhongshan and Zhao can be said to be complicated. Han Fu, Yuan Shao and the Black Mountain Bandits all have cities under their control overtly or covertly. Although several counties in the northern part of Zhao are controlled by the Black Mountain Army, their control is limited to the county, and the surrounding areas are more complicated.

In fact, it is very simple to know the route of Zhaojia Village moving south. The northern part of Julu is now under the control of Yuan Shaojun, so it is impossible for them to get too close to Julu. Based on this calculation, we can only cross the river between Fangfang and Gaoyi, then go all the way south through Zhongqiu, and finally reach Xiangguo.

Today, Xiangguo is completely under the control of Han Fu's army. Stationed here is Han Tong, a general under Han Fu. Zhaojiacun and his party must reach the west of Dalu Ze before they can be considered safe. Therefore, if Zhang Yan wants to take action, he must do it within the distance before they arrive at Zhongqiu.

After arranging the affairs of the various troops and horses, following Zhang Yan's order, the army set off towards the established goal. Zhang Baiqi led 5,000 soldiers and horses to attack Zhaojiacun, while Zhang Yan led the remaining 50,000 soldiers and horses to follow the southward direction of Zhaojiacun.

Of course, while Zhang Yan was chasing, he also sent people to notify the cities he controlled along the way, asking them to delay the convoy's journey as much as possible. He thought that there would be no problem if he sent someone to delay the convoy's journey, but when he arrived at Shiyi County and saw the soldiers sent by the defender to harass the city, he realized that he had underestimated the power of the cavalry.

After receiving the order from Zhang Yan, General Shiyi ordered two thousand-man troops to leave the city and prepare to harass the convoy. Unexpectedly, he was targeted by the opponent's cavalry as soon as he left the city. Then, he was killed by the opponent's cavalry less than ten miles out of the city. There was a huge defeat, and only a few generals escaped because they had war horses. After that, they never dared to send troops out of the city again.

By the time Zhang Yan's army arrived, the convoy had already set up camp twenty miles east of Shiyi. Upon seeing this, Zhang Yan sent several waves of people to inquire about the situation in the camp, but they all turned out to be like meat. Baozi beats the dog - there is no return, and in the end he has to give up.

When Zhang Yan's army arrived in Shiyi, Zhang Bai's 5,000 soldiers and horses had also arrived at Zhaojiacun, two miles west of Zhaojia Town, which should now be called Zhaojia Town.

Looking at the town in front of him, Zhang Baiqi didn't take it seriously. Most of the town with more than 10,000 people had been moved away. How many people could there be in it, let alone soldiers and horses? Seeing that the sky was getting dark, Zhang Baiqi thought that he might be able to capture this town in one fell swoop, and tomorrow he would go south to catch up with Yan Shuai's army.

Thinking of this, Zhang Baiqi also felt excited. Following his order, a captain led a team of thousands to attack the town. After so many years, the Black Mountain Army is no longer the Yellow Turban Army of the past. Although it is not as good as the soldiers and horses of the court, it still vaguely looks like an army.

Because they knew they would attack the town, Zhang Baiqi's army carried simple siege equipment. Following Zhang Baiqi's order, the equipment that had been prepared was handed over to the attacking soldiers, and then the army slowly approached the town wall.

On top of the town wall, Zhao Cen looked at the Black Mountain bandits under the wall and couldn't help but sneered: "Although the mob is better than the Yellow Turban bandits back then, that's all."

Zhao Cen was an old man in Dong Zhuo's army. He had participated in the conquest of the Yellow Turban Army together, so he also knew the strength of the Yellow Turban Army. Looking at these thieves in front of me,

Although it is much better than before, it is still slightly inferior to the guards under his lord's command, let alone facing the five hundred yuan crossbowmen in his hands.

I remembered what the military advisor told me before leaving, that we should defeat these thieves at once, and then let the strangers subdue them again. Only in this way can we succeed. Although he didn't fully understand the reason, he also understood that the strong were always respected in the army, and he thought this was what the military advisor said. Just like what his lord said, if you don't obey, I'll beat you until you are convinced.

With this purpose, Zhao Cen prepared to put the Black Mountain bandit at ninety steps before attacking. The attack distance of Yuanrong's crossbow is a hundred steps, and with the bonus of the town-level wall, it reaches a terrifying one hundred and ten steps. Therefore, this distance of twenty steps is enough to bring all the thousands of Black Mountain troops into the coverage of the arrows.

"The crossbowmen are ready, put the enemy eighty paces before attacking!" Zhao Cen said to the messenger beside him;

"The general has an order to put the enemy eighty paces before attacking!"

"The general has an order..."

As the messenger conveyed the order, the guards everywhere lowered their prepared crossbows again, waiting for the enemy to enter the attack range.

The silence on the wall made Zhang Baiqi outside the town unclear about what happened. However, he saw his soldiers gradually approaching the wall, but there was still no movement on the wall. He thought that he had really encountered a soft persimmon, and he was secretly proud of himself. After he quickly captured the town, he could set out to catch up with Yan Shuai and his army tomorrow morning.

Just as Zhang Baiqi was thinking about the expressions of Zhang Yan and the Black Mountain Army when they saw his sudden appearance, something unexpected happened on the wall.

Only a loud shout was heard from above: "Crossbowmen, ten consecutive shots, fire!"

Then, Zhang Baiqi and his men saw a group of black clouds suddenly emerge from the wall and rush towards the soldiers who were attacking outside the wall. Then, screams rang out among the crowd.

"Oh no, it's a crossbow arrow!" Soon a general in the army saw it and shouted loudly;

Unfortunately, it was too late at this time. After one round of crossbow arrows, the second round came quickly, and then the third round, the fourth round, and the fifth round...

After ten rounds of arrows, Zhang Baiqi and others suddenly found that none of the thousand soldiers attacking in front were still standing there. Now they were all lying on the ground.

At this time, they were at least sixty or seventy steps away from the wall.