"This is all my fault. We should have retreated to Yunzhou at that time instead of continuing to attack." The speaker was Pan Mei. At this time, he no longer had the high spirits of the Song Army coach. At this time, Pan Mei

What is written on his face is endless regret and despair.

The Song army has been besieged in Yingzhou City for three days. In the past three days, they have fought countless street battles with the Khitan soldiers. Since they destroyed the city wall when they captured Yingzhou before, Yingzhou City is now a sieve.

.

…

Let us go back to nine days ago, at the foot of Datong City.

"Captain, the army is ready." Yang Ye reported the situation of the army to Pan Mei.

"Okay, give the order to attack the city."

Following Pan Mei's order, the Song army began to attack the city.

The Datong Mansion in Xijing was indeed as expected, with a high city and a deep and extremely solid city. Because too many siege equipment were consumed under Yingzhou City, the Song army at this time could only use traditional methods to attack the city.

Ladders, car crashes, all working together but without any effect.

Datong has always been an important military area. It has been 400 years since the city was built in the Northern Wei Dynasty. Each dynasty has received the attention of the authorities. The city walls have been continuously thickened and the moats have been continuously widened. So far, it is said that it is the Loess Plateau.

It’s not too much to go to the first fortified city.

"Lieutenant, it seems that our attack is not effective." Yang Ye saw that our army's attack was blocked. Although he had expected this scenario, he still felt a little anxious.

"I know, change the equipment." Pan Mei also knew that the traditional method would definitely not work, so she could only give it a try with new equipment.

After replacing the "artillery" and the bed crossbow, the situation has not changed. The defensive capabilities of Datong City and Yingzhou are simply two different concepts.

Yingzhou City can only be described as rubbish in front of Datong.

At this moment, neither the crossbow nor the "artillery" could shake Datong City at all. All the cannonballs or arrows hitting the city wall had no other effect except sending up smoke and dust.

Seeing this scene in front of them, the momentum of the entire Song Army suffered an unprecedented blow. The "artillery" and bed crossbows that had previously achieved great success in Yingzhou were of no use at the foot of Datong City.

The long-term battle outside has made the Song army feel physically and mentally exhausted. The reality at this moment is more like a basin of ice water, completely extinguishing all the will to fight.

Pan Mei, who was commanding the battle from a distance, also saw this scene and reluctantly gave the order to withdraw the troops.

…

"The Song army has indeed retreated. How long will we continue to perform here?" Yelu Xiezhen asked Yelumo after seeing the Song army temporarily withdrawing its troops.

"At least for two more days, we have to give the Song Army a little more hope, and then tie them tightly under the Xijing City, wear down their last morale, and then push them to hell." This can be regarded as Yelu Mo's response to Zhao Weiji.

A kind of revenge for not being here.

"Then let those people go."

…

That night, the Song Army's tent was located twenty miles south of Datong City.

"Should we retreat, Lieutenant? What happened today has had a huge impact on morale. I'm afraid something will happen if we drag it on." Today's battle situation left Yang Ye with no hope at all.

"I know it too, but I'm still not willing to give in. We fought here so easily, and I'm not willing to just withdraw like this." Although she knew the situation of the battle was like this, Pan Mei still wasn't willing to give in, because if they captured Datong, they would

Become the biggest winner in this Northern Expedition.

"But..." Just when Yang Ye was about to continue saying something, two soldiers and a stranger who were being escorted by them came in from outside the tent.

"What is this?" Pan Mei had never seen the person in front of her before, so she didn't know what the situation was.

"This man claims to be a member of the Han family in Datong City, and he says he can help us capture Datong City." One of the soldiers explained.

"Oh, this is quite interesting, let's talk about it." Pan Mei was worried about how to capture Datong City at this time, but when such a person came, she couldn't help but become interested.

"The villain's surname is Xue. He is a member of the Xue clan of Hedong Hall in Datong. He came to meet the general on the order of the clan leader, hoping to help the general capture Datong City."

"General Yang, what do you think?" Pan Mei turned to ask Yang Ye.

Because Yang Ye was originally a general of the Northern Han Dynasty and lived in this area for a long time, he should have a certain understanding of the famous families in this area.

"Back to Taiwei, the Xue family in Hedong is a famous family in Taiyuan Prefecture. It's not surprising that they have a branch in Datong, but I have to ask whether this person is reliable."

Yang Ye turned around and asked the person who claimed to be from the Xue clan: "What is the couplet in your ancestral temple?"

The man answered without thinking: "The first couplet is equal to three phoenixes, and the second couplet is equal to five phoenixes."

The upper couplet refers to Xue Wujing, a Fenyin native in the Tang Dynasty. When he was a boy, he was as famous as his uncle Xue Shou and his clan brother Xue Deyin. He was known as the "Three Phoenixes of Hedong" at that time. The lower couplet refers to Xue Jian, a native of Zhuyi in the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

Shi was as famous as Ji Zhan, Min Hong, Gu Rong, and He Xun, and was known as the "Five Jun".

This is indeed a couplet that can only be found in the Xue family's ancestral hall. With Pan Mei and Yang Ye's doubts, most of their doubts are dispelled.

"Why do you Xue family want to help me capture Datong City?"

"We, the Xue family, are originally a prominent family of the Han family. It was a great shame and humiliation to suffer the rule of the Khitans. The clan leader was very happy to learn that the commander-in-chief Wang Shi had arrived at Datong City. However, he couldn't help but became anxious when he saw that the king's division was hindered by the Khitans, so he sent a small

People quietly go out of the city to contact the Taiwei. We Xue family will be in the city to provide internal response. Once the Taiwei attacks the city tomorrow, we will open the gate for the Taiwei in the city to welcome the king's division."

Pan Mei was very happy after hearing this, and asked this person to go back to the city and tell the clan leader that they would attack the city at Chen time tomorrow, so that the Xue family could prepare.

At Chenshi the next day, the Song army began to attack the city as promised.

But just after they started to attack the city, there was no sign of the city gate being opened. Just when Pan Mei was still wondering, Yelu Xiezhen appeared on the city tower.

"Pan Mei, are you still waiting for this person to be your internal correspondent?" After saying this, Yelu Xiezhen waved his hand and had someone hang down from the top of the city.

This person is none other than the Xue clan member from last night.

Pan Mei couldn't help but be shocked when she saw the man, but then Yelu Xiezhen's words made him calm down a little.

"This man was captured by my men when he returned to the city last night. You actually expect such a man to help you open the city gate? Are you too naive, Pan Mei?"

From Yelu Xiezhen's words, Pan Mei could be sure that this man did not betray the entire Xue family, but held the entire matter to himself. At this moment, Pan Mei couldn't help but have infinite respect for this person.

But the appearance of this person on top of the city at this time meant that there was definitely no internal response, so Pan Mei had no choice but to order a halt to the siege.

…

That night, there was a new guest in Pan Mei's military camp. He was a member of the Xue clan.

"I beg the Lieutenant to avenge my son." Kneeling under the tent at this time was a middle-aged man in his forties.

"Righteous men, please rise." Pan Mei helped the kneeling person up.

"The person hanging on the top of the city today is my son Xue Mingyu. My name is Xue Xingshun, and I am the current patriarch of the Xue family. We originally wanted to serve as internal agents for the Taiwei army, but we didn't know that my son was so careless that he was captured by the Khitan. Fortunately, this time

The son is resolute and has not betrayed my entire Xue family. However, he still lost his name and life. Please ask the Lieutenant to avenge my son. We are fully prepared this time, but we still hope that the Lieutenant can send a general to follow me into the city to assist.

us."

Seeing Xue's dedication to Pan Mei, he no longer had any doubts, and immediately sent Yang Erlang to Datong City with Xue Xingshun.

On the third day, the Song army began to attack the city as usual, but this time not only did the city gates not open, but countless Khitan cavalry suddenly appeared from around Datong City and directly surrounded the Song army.

"Ha, ha, ha, Pan Mei, you have completely fallen into the trap." At this time, Yelv Xiezhen appeared on the top of the city, not only him, but also the Xue family and his son.

"I knew you were unwilling, so you forced Mr. Xue to help me perform such a play. Come and see who this is." Yelu Xiezhen then hung a human head.

Pan Mei spit out a mouthful of blood as soon as she saw the head, and Yang Ye next to her immediately fainted. This head belonged to Yang Erlang.

In fact, this is a trick. First, a disciple of the Han family in the city is sent to contact you to attack the city. Pan Mei must have been doubtful the first time.

The facts also confirmed Yelumo's guess. Although Pan Mei came to attack the city for the first time, she had reservations. Hence the scene on the city top yesterday.

Then the patriarch of the Xue family came to Pan Mei again under the pretext of avenging his son. At this time, Pan Mei must have basically all doubts gone. When he attacks the city again, he will definitely invest all the Song army's troops without reservation.

battlefield.

The Song army, which mobilized its entire army, completely fell into the Khitan's trap and was completely surrounded and killed at the foot of Datong City.

"Do you know why you fell into the trap? It's not that you are not smart enough, but that you want Datong City too much. It has blinded your judgment and will ruin the lives of hundreds of thousands of Song troops." At this time.

Yerümo came out.

"Let's do it." Following Yelu Xiezhen's order, the Khitan soldiers who surrounded the Song army began to attack.

"It's impossible. All your troops should be in Datong City. How could there be so many soldiers surrounding us?" Pan Mei still didn't believe the facts in front of her at this time, because he had been sending people to keep an eye on Datong City.

There should not be so many soldiers dispatched from the four gates without him knowing at all.

The Khitan cavalry in front of me is naturally the cavalry sent by Empress Dowager Xiao to assist Yelu Xiezhen. They have never entered the city, but are stationed in Taiyuan City, waiting for this moment.

"You don't need to know this. You just need to know that today is the day you die." After saying that, Yelv Xiezhen issued another order.

Immediately afterwards, the gates of Datong City were opened, and countless cavalry rushed out of the city.

Seeing that there were so many cavalry in Datong City, Pan Mei completely lost her last hope.
Chapter completed!