Chapter 433: Northwest Horn

Latest URL: Ancheng Port.

Wulanba looked at the more than three hundred warships anchored in the port, a cold sneer hanging at the corner of his mouth.

His father, Great Khan Mule Hongzhen, had sent word from the northwest about the southward advance, so he immediately had the Northern Di soldiers stationed in Ancheng make preparations to board the ships for Liaojun, bypass the south of Yanguan, and launch a pincer attack from the north and south to take Yanguan.

Of course, it would be best if the Black Iron Guard and the Yuan Family could successfully take the south gate of Yanguan from the inside.

It was just that the Yuan Family's previous failure had also made them, the Northern Di, keep their guard up.

The Yuan Family was merely icing on the cake in this war, not the key.

The thirty-thousand-strong Northern Di army attacking from the north and south, along with the artillery they had brought this time, were their true capital.

"Yan Wang, you of Great Song are destined to suffer a crushing defeat in the northwest, and you will die by my hand, fulfilling my future position as Khan."

In the cold wind, a silver wolf head fluttered on the warship.

This was his royal tent, the banner of the Snow Wolf Royal Tent.

"Great King, these three hundred warships are enough to transport one hundred thousand troops. After sending the Northern Di army to Liaojun, these warships will return to transport my Gaoli warriors to Liaojun to take Yanguan together with the Northern Di army." The Gaoli general beside Wulanba spoke with a respectful demeanor.

In order to transport as many people as possible, the vessels Gaoli built this time were basically all Tower Ships.

These Tower Ships had three decks and could carry up to five hundred soldiers.

Three hundred Tower Ships were enough to transport one hundred thousand people.

Wulanba nodded and looked toward the tall Tower Ships docked at the Pier.

Gaoli was formerly a vassal state of Great Song and had learned from Great Song, so these Tower Ships were naturally learned from Great Song as well.

Yet now, they had become the sharp weapons for his Northern Di to attack Great Song.

"Set sail south in three days." Wulanba set the time for the southward journey.

The generals beside him all responded in the affirmative.

At this moment, thirty miles outside Ancheng Port, a Sailing Warship was observing the area.

On the high watchtower of the warship, a soldier was using a Telescope to observe the movements in the port.

On the deck, Zhou Yi and Gong Ying, the captain of the warship Yan Commandery, looked up at the watchtower from time to time.

Before long, the naval soldier slid down the Mast and told the two what he had observed.

"They are already loading the Baggage Train?" Zhou Yi frowned upon hearing this.

"Yes, and there is also Artillery being transported onto the Tower Ships," the soldier continued.

Zhou Yi nodded, "Continue observing."

"The Northern Di really spent a fortune on this southward advance, building ships and cannons alike. It's just a pity that in front of our warships, they are destined to become food for the sharks in this sea." Gong Ying sneered repeatedly, his words full of confidence.

His confidence did not come from thin air.

Over these past days, they had tested the combat capabilities of these twelve Sailing Warships at sea.

First, compared to the Tower Ships, the speed of the Sailing Warships at sea was like a six-year-old child racing an adult.

Second, these twelve warships were not loaded with ordinary artillery, but with specialized Naval Cannons.

When the warships were being built, the Armory Bureau had already built the Naval Cannons according to the requirements of Yan Wang.

Compared to ordinary artillery, the length of the Naval Cannons was significantly longer than ordinary city-defense artillery and Field Artillery.

The increase in length improved the firing range of the artillery.

Moreover, these cannons had all been bore-reamed by a Hydraulic Boring Machine, so the range was even further.

They had tested them, and these Naval Cannons could send a Cannonball flying up to ten li at their furthest.

However, to exert maximum power, it was still best to be within twenty-five hundred meters.

For them, this distance was enough.

Zhou Yi was not as relaxed as Gong Ying.

This time, Yan Wang had placed a heavy responsibility on his shoulders.

Although he knew their warships far surpassed those of Gaoli, he dared not be the slightest bit careless until the final victory was won.

After listening to Gong Ying for a while, he couldn't be bothered to pay him any mind.

Next, he would wait for the orders sent by Yan Wang.

……

Yongcheng.

The four-hundred-thousand-strong Northern Expedition army had already surrounded this place completely.

Outside the four city walls were endless white tents.

At this moment, the roar of Artillery was like thunder.

Cannonball after Cannonball smashed into the gates of Yongcheng.

It was just that the gates of Yongcheng had all been filled with Sandbags.

Even after smashing the gates, the Northern Expedition army still could not enter the city.

Zhao Heng sat in the southern tent, feeling somewhat bored.

While victory was certainly gratifying, the victories along the way had been too easy, making the war seem somewhat monotonous.

"Father Emperor, with sharp weapons like Artillery, Great Song's conquest of the Northern Di is just around the corner." The Second Prince accompanied Zhao Heng, flattering the emperor.

He never missed a moment to remind this emperor of his existence.

The Third Prince could never become the emperor.

At present, only the Deposed Crown Prince in the imperial court could contend with him.

And now that he was on the personal expedition with the emperor and had achieved successive great victories, this was the merit he could bring up upon returning.

The Deposed Crown Prince was merely a regent, so how could he compare to him?

Thinking of this, he felt the throne was beckoning to him.

Zhao Heng raised an eyebrow, finally showing deep interest.

A tiny Xiliang plus Ma Jin were truly not worth fighting.

The Second Prince's words stirred up an extravagant hope he had previously dared not imagine.

If he could pacify the Northern Di, he, Zhao Heng, would be written into the history books and become a sage monarch for the ages.

And this was a temptation he could not refuse.

"Having taken Yongcheng this time, we must inevitably launch a Northern Expedition against the Northern Di," Zhao Heng said with a firm expression.

No sooner had his voice fallen than Yang Feng suddenly strode over, his face as gloomy as water.

"Your Majesty, we must immediately retreat to Wuguan now, otherwise it will be too late," Yang Feng said loudly.

The Second Prince sneered, "Old General Yang, you say this every time; aren't you annoyed? This Northern Expedition has been so smooth, yet you repeatedly obstruct it; what exactly is your intention?"

Yang Feng could not be bothered to pay attention to the Second Prince now; he said, "Your Majesty, the Scouts sent out rarely return, and even those who do have discovered nothing. This must be problematic; I fear the Northern Di have already massed troops north of Yongzhou. This is a trap they have set."

The Second Prince shook his head, looking as if Yang Feng were beyond saving, "The Xiliang Cavalry has always been superior to our Great Song Cavalry; it is not strange that they were attacked by the Xiliang Cavalry."

"General Yang saying the Northern Di have massed troops north of Yongzhou is simply laughable; north of Yongzhou is the Jin River. Can the Northern Di swim across it?"

Zhao Heng could not help but laugh after hearing this, finding it quite ridiculous.

He was just about to reprimand Yang Feng.

At this moment, a Scout suddenly arrived in a hurry.

Although it was winter, the Scout was covered in sweat at this moment.

"Your Majesty, a massive Northern Di army has been discovered twenty li to the north, so numerous that it is impossible to estimate!"

The Scout's words instantly made everyone break out in a cold sweat.

Zhao Heng trembled, "How is this possible? How could the Northern Di come from the north?"

Yang Feng's face turned ashen; now everything was too late.

How could this army of four hundred thousand possibly outrun the iron cavalry of the Northern Di?

On the ramparts of Yongcheng.

Gule looked toward the North Territory; he faintly heard the sound of horns in the wind.

He was very familiar with this horn sound; it belonged to the Northern Di.

"The Northern Di army has arrived; this time we can vent our pent-up anger," Gule laughed heartily.

Ma Jin and Wuyan were pleasantly surprised upon hearing this.

They also listened carefully for a while and indeed faintly heard the dull sound of horns.

Ever since the Great Song Northern Expeditionary Army besieged this place, they had launched several assaults on the city.

Although they had all been repelled, they had also suffered no small amount of casualties.

If the Northern Di did not arrive soon, and the attrition continued for long, he feared they would not be able to hold this Yongcheng.

But now, the Northern Di army had finally arrived.

The grand plan they had negotiated with the Northern Di could finally be implemented.