Pingzhou, Jianchang City.

The shouts of killing were deafening, and the explosions were heard one after another. The Liao army was sacrificing their lives to launch repeated attacks on Jianchang City. On the top of the city, the Tang army refused to give in, and under the city wall, the Liao army's corpses were spread layer after layer.

Every attack by the Liao army began with the first attack of the sinners, and then ended with the Liao army attacking the city and being killed by the Tang army. For several days, this battle process has been continuing.

After Zhang Zhongwu watched the last team of Liao troops attacking the city, he was flooded by the Tang army like a tide, he couldn't help but shake his head, and it was like this today.

It was something he had expected that the Tang army was difficult to fight, but it was beyond his expectations for such difficulty. In recent years, he realized that the combat effectiveness of the Liao army was one step further than that of the Lu Long army back then, but what he did not expect was that the Tang army's progress level would be faster.

Especially what made him jealous was the equipment of Tang Jun.

In addition to sharp swords, countless arm-opening crossbows, catapults and cannon cars with longer ranges and faster firing rates, there are also hot oil bombs that make him feel very troubled.

This thing is also available by the Liao army. It can also explode and cause losses to the enemy, and it can also splash water without extinguishing it. However, compared with the Tang army's fierce irritation bomb, it is like two things. The Tang army's fierce irritation bomb is too powerful. Every time you see the strong light generated by the explosion sprinkling the flames into the garden several feet apart, Zhang Zhongwu's heart twitches.

The Liao people have been carefully studying to improve the power of the fierce oil bomb, but the effect is not satisfactory. It is naturally better than that back then, but it still cannot satisfy Zhang Zhongwu.

Even if they cannot surpass the Tang army, they cannot be weaker than them.

With the sound of golden gongs, the Liao army began to slowly retreat. On the city wall, the Tang army waved the weapons in their hands and cheered.

The night was over, and Deng Jingshan and Zhang Zhongwu were sitting opposite each other in the tent of the Central Army. Although they were on the march, Zhang Zhongwu's diet was not careless. The whole set of expensive porcelain from the Central Plains contained various delicacies, the best wine exuded a strong fragrance, and the exquisite glass lamps illuminated the huge military tent in vain.

All these luxurious items come from the Central Plains and from the place where Zhang Zhongwu dreamed of.

"Tell me, why are the craftsmen under Li Ze so skillful?" Zhang Zhongwu pointed to the two glass lamps in the tent, "Take this lamp as an example. It is incredible that the light as big as a bean can be enlarged into such a bright light!"

Deng Jingshan nodded and said, "This is still some civilian products. You have also seen the lights on the top of Jianchang City. It turns the night into bright as daylight, making it a luxury for us to attack at night."

"Why can't our craftsmen make it?" Zhang Zhongwu sighed: "Now we know that the so-called glass is just made of sand, but why is the glass we make so turbid and ineffective!"

"Prince, it takes time. In fact, what they cooked this year has become a little bit!" Deng Jingshan advised.

Zhang Zhongwu laughed: "When we hit Wuyi, we won't need these three-legged cats here. I really didn't expect that Xue Chong would be so difficult to deal with."

Deng Jingshan shook his head: "Your Majesty, it's not commanded by Xue Chong. The Tang army's combat mode is in a strong style of Gao Pian. It should be Han Qi who is commanding. We originally thought that Han Qi was exiled here, but now it seems that this is not the case!"

"Xue Chong is a smart man. Otherwise, since he was just a mere central army guard of the Luzhou army, how could he become one of the twelve guards under Li Ze within a few years? He knew that he was not my opponent, so he put Han Qi in front. However, this army should still be controlled by him." Zhang Zhongwu Dao.

"The Tang army was much more than we expected!" Deng Jingshan said.

"Didn't you capture a group of Tang troops two days ago? Some news came out from where they tried." Zhang Zhongwu said: "The troops in Xue Chong's hand have exceeded 50,000."

Deng Jingshan was silent for a moment and said, "Where did he get so many soldiers who can fight? These people are obviously not newbies."

"Immigration." Zhang Zhongwu said: "Over the years, Li Ze has been immigrating to Pingzhou and Mozhou and other places, and the vast majority of these immigrants were once Tang army soldiers."

After pausing, Zhang Zhongwu said: "I have to say admiration to Li Ze. The military system he built has created has created a continuous source of excellent soldiers for him. Every year, soldiers retire and recruits join. After a few years of hard work, they become veterans again. Once something happens, these retired veterans are recruited again and can immediately exert their combat power. Unfortunately, even if we know, we cannot imitate it. This requires a lot of money to support it. Where do we get so much money to train new soldiers? Li Ze's hundreds of thousands of troops maintain the model of a standing army. This alone is amazing. No one can match his ability to make money."

"He mainly mastered two routes of foreign trade." Speaking of this, Deng Jingshan suddenly became angry: "We also had fleets to move overseas, but unfortunately, they were all snatched by Li Ze's navy and destroyed."

"What can you do if you are not as good as a person?" Zhang Zhongwu looked at Deng Jingshan who was furious and laughed: "But as the saying goes, the wood is beautiful in the forest, and the wind will destroy it. Li Ze is so outstanding, so no one wants him to stand out, so this time we have a joint attack."

"Xiang Xun is as cunning as a fox, whether it is Zhu Youzhen or us, we are all working hard with our old money, but he is hiding behind and trying to pick up the ready-made ones?" Deng Jingshan sneered.

"Being too smart may not be a good thing!" Zhang Zhongwu smiled and said, "Of course, I have to admit that he is responsible for the most difficult part. As long as Li Ze can be killed, then all our efforts are worth it. Don't forget that as long as Li Ze dies, we are most likely to fight to Wuyi first. At that time, all the richest places under Li Ze's rule will belong to us. At that time, because of Li Ze's death, who will the hundreds of thousands of angry Tang soldiers gathered in Luoyang, Chang'an and other places point their fingers first?"

"Of course, it is the culprit who killed Li Ze!" Deng Jingshan said.

"That's it! So, we don't have to envy Xiang Xun now. If things really come true, we will be the first to bear the brunt!" Zhang Zhongwu said with a smile.

After drinking a glass of wine, Deng Jingshan was still worried: "Prince, it's already October now. If we continue to relocate like this, it will rain here. Once the snow season comes, our logistics will be in trouble. Therefore, we must strengthen the offensive and strive to completely defeat Xue Chong before the snow season arrives, and include Pingzhou and Mozhou under our rule. Then, it will be easier to survive the winter!"

"It won't take long, Xue Chong will definitely take the initiative to retreat." Zhang Zhongwu said confidently.

"Jianchang is still as solid as a rock, how could he take the initiative to retreat?" Deng Jingshan was puzzled.

"After Jianyuan and Suihua are thrown away, he will inevitably retreat and will not stay here to fight us!" Zhang Zhongwu said: "Han Qi, Xue Chong is playing a trick of exchanging space for time with me! Resisting step by step, retreating step by step, delaying time bit by bit. They are just waiting for the arrival of snow season, or waiting for Li Ze's army to come to aid."

"If the opponent is not in Jianchang's defense, and then he will retreat, but he will have to retreat until Zunhua to compete with us. Retreating so far means that he has almost given up the entire Pingzhou and Mozhou. Are Xue Chong and Han Qi not afraid of Li Ze blaming him?"

"Have you read the textbooks of Wuwei Military Academy?" Zhang Zhongwu asked.

Deng Jingshan shook his head.

"I read it!" Zhang Zhongwu said: "There is a paragraph in which Li Ze's preface, which is what Li Ze said: Losing the land and saving people, both people and land, both people and land are lost, both people and land are lost. So Li Ze will not blame Xue Chong and Han Qi for preserving his strength and retreating step by step. Because this is Li Ze's military management idea. Otherwise, even if Xue Chong and Han Qi fight to the death, they will still not be my opponent in the end, and then they will be useless."

"Li Ze is really a genius, and there seems to be nothing he is not proficient in in the governance of the people and the military!" Deng Jingshan sighed.

"Yes, it is our misfortune to be in the same era with this person, so this time, I have devoted all my money and have to break up with him by taking this opportunity. Otherwise, the more we go back, the less we have the opportunity, and we can't do it even if we want to settle down. When he really swept the Central Plains and looked back at us, I'm afraid we want to ask for a condo and it's unattainable." Zhang Zhongwu said: "This time I come out, I'm not ready to go back. Either I'll go into Chang'an, or my head will be sent to Chang'an."

Deng Jingshan laughed: "Since the prince thinks so, then Deng naturally has to accompany him. Either send you to that seat, or put your head next to the prince's head and give it to Li Ze to watch!"

The two cups were raised, and a crisp sound was heard, and the two of them drank it all in one go.

Just as they put down the cup, there was a sudden sound of horse hooves outside the tent. The two of them looked at each other and turned their eyes to the curtain.

The two messengers stepped into the tent almost one after another.

"Report to the prince, the left army has taken Suizhong."

"The right-road army has taken Jianyuan!"

Zhang Zhongwu nodded slowly, looked at Deng Jingshan and said, "Xue Chong and Han Qi are about to run away again."

"We can win the pursuit, but our cavalry can take advantage of it in the field." Deng Jingshan's eyes flashed.
Chapter completed!