When the Han army at Nankou was struggling to withstand the heavy siege of the Liao army, the reinforcements they expected did not come quickly. Gao Huaide was eighty miles away from the south entrance, and the south entrance of Youzhou was less than a hundred miles away. There was news of war at the south entrance. , in fact, it was reported to two places early.
Of course, there was a reason for the slow movement. Xinqi was moving quickly, and before Gao Huaide arrived at Sichu, he received a military report that An Shenqi was gathering to annihilate the Liao army.
However, Gao Huaide did not send troops immediately. He led the cavalry in the center to support the two armies and ensure smooth flow of surrounding areas. However, he focused on the 23rd, which was also the time when Murong Yanzhao's army officially launched an attack on Tanzhou.
In the previous imperial meeting, the basic policy of the battle was to attack in the east and defend in the west. Therefore, when the Han army made a big move in the direction of Tanzhou and the Tu rebellion occurred in Nankou, Gao Huaide was inevitably hesitant and did not dare to take action on his own. Specialize.
However, in a very short period of time, Gao Huaide made a basic judgment on the situation and responded. Instead of sending troops directly, he sent his trusted officers to Youzhou to report the matter to Emperor Liu Chengyou.
But at the same time, Gao Huaide gathered the cavalry from Niulan Mountain and made preparations for the attack. Although he did not dare to act alone, Gao Huaide certainly preferred to attack the south entrance. After all, the hundreds of thousands of Liao troops were not a small force. The Han army at Nankou may not be able to deal with it calmly, but over at Tanzhou, Murong Yanzhao has more than 100,000 troops and only 40,000 defenders. There is no need for him to raid the formation.
On the other hand, Gao Huaide himself was also very tempted by An Shenqi's idea of ​​gathering together to annihilate the Liao army. Since the Northern Expedition, there had not been a collective dispatch of more than 100,000 Liao troops, and his initiative to attack was beyond Gao Huaide's opinion. Here it is, a fighter plane.
Although he was moved, Gao Huaide's "conservative" choice delayed the arrival of the reinforcements at the south entrance by nearly two hours.
Youzhou is a little farther away, so the Han Emperor stationed in the city received the news from the south entrance much later. Regarding An Shenqi's report, the emperor Liu Chengyou had only one reaction: surprise and surprise.
At that time, Liu Chengyou was concerned about the situation in Tanzhou. After all, that was the main direction of attack, and Murong Yanzhao had reported in advance that he would launch a general offensive on the 23rd.
However, the situation in Tanzhou has not yet come to an end, and there is something going on here at Nankou. However, Liu Chengyou showed great importance to the news coming from Nankou, not for other reasons, but for the hundreds of thousands of Liao troops who took the initiative to attack. .
However, they did not act immediately after hearing the news. They immediately ordered the Youzhou army and horses to rush north to the south entrance. How can one be so hasty about military and state affairs? It is not advisable to act directly upon hearing the news without distinguishing the truth from the false.
Liu Chengyou summoned the civil and military personnel who were accompanying him, as well as the monarchs and ministers, to listen to the messenger's report and carefully interrogate the details. After the situation at Nankou was basically understood, he would discuss the matter with the civil and military officials.
Similar to the emperor's attitude, Chai Rong also expressed unusual concern about this, with a hint of vigilance. Zhao Kuangyin, on the other hand, directly pointed out that the Liao army must have a plan to make a surprise attack if they made such a change. It is not as optimistic as An Shenqi imagined, so we must pay attention to it.
As for the proposal to send troops, Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin also agreed. After all, with the strength of the Han army in Nankou, it would not be that easy to deal with the large-scale Liao army. The King of Yan, Zhao Kuangzan, also supported this proposal, and these three Endorsement, other people have no room to object.
There was a certain dispute over the number of troops sent. The Han army that stayed in Youzhou was mainly composed of Longqi Army, part of the Iron Cavalry Army, Da Nei Army, and Yan Army, as well as some local troops and a large number of Youji civilians. .
Liu Chengyou intended that, except for the inner army and some auxiliary soldiers and civilians, the remaining nearly 50,000 infantry and cavalry should be handed over to Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin to lead the army to Nankou.
In this regard, several accompanying ministers expressed their opposition. The reason was very clear. If this was the case, there would be fewer troops to protect the emperor, and the risk would be too great. If the emperor made a mistake, even if all the Liao troops in Nankou were annihilated, then It's also meaningless.
After all, it was a piece of advice, and it was also for his own consideration. Although it was not what he meant, Liu Chengyou still showed an attitude of being open-minded and accepted advice, and told his considerations to the ministers.
Liu Chengyou's consideration was also very simple. There were hundreds of thousands of Liao troops in a massive attack. There were no obvious signs before, so they were obviously prepared. Even if Youzhou's fifty thousand infantry and cavalry marched north, they would not have an absolute advantage in terms of strength. If they wanted to defeat even It is not easy to annihilate them. If something unexpected happens, the Han army at Nankou may even encounter a crisis, which must be avoided at all costs.
Liu Chengyou was afraid that he would send fewer troops, so how could he waste his time on the military situation at Nankou just to consider his own safety? As for his safety, with the strong city to rely on and the protection of the internal army and Yan people, there would not be any big problem. .
The Han army at Nankou was related to the entire Northern Expedition, and nothing could go wrong. Speaking of excitement, Liu Chengyou even directly said that if he was afraid of his safety, then he would personally send troops to go north, and he would be safe with a large army to protect him.
Liu Chengyou's last statement made the accompanying ministers anxious and no longer dared to raise any objections. This was what they tried so hard to prevent the emperor from visiting the front lines. In addition, the situation at Nankou was unclear, and Liu Chengyou described it as so urgent. The emperor He is a man who can tell what he is doing, and I am worried that he will actually lead the troops himself, so I dare not say anything more.
In this way, the dispatch of troops and the scale of the troops were finally decided. There was no room for neglect in the important military matter, so Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin hurried down and quickly mobilized the troops in the imperial camp to prepare for the expedition.
Of course, Liu Chengyou also considered Gao Huaide's side, and sent flying cavalry to pass the imperial edict, asking him to send troops to the west to cooperate with An Shenqi's army in the battle. Less than half an hour after the decision was made, Gao Huaide's messenger also arrived, asking him to Liu Chengyou rarely lost his temper.
He has given Gao Huaide a certain degree of autonomy and asked him to cooperate with the two armies in fighting. He has no decisiveness at all, and he comes to ask him for instructions? Of course, it is not too harsh to criticize him. After all, this is why his uncle respects him. The embodiment of the emperor's authority.
Liu Chengyou personally handed over Gao Huaide's envoy, returned quickly, and added another instruction. The Liao army was dispatched in large numbers, but something was wrong. When fighting westward, you must be careful. Whenever you encounter an enemy situation, you can make a decision on the spot without asking for more.
Youzhou's imperial army was still dominated by infantry, so they sent troops north. Even with the urgency, there were still many things that needed to be prepared. However, under the overall planning and dispatch of Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin, everything seemed orderly.
Before Youzhou's troops were sent out, An Shenqi's second army reported for duty. This time, they directly asked for help. This also made the Han emperor and his ministers realize that things had indeed changed, and the situation at Nankou was not optimistic.
Therefore, under Liu Chengyou's urging, the preparations for the relief army immediately accelerated. After noon, 50,000 Han troops on foot and cavalry, fully equipped, led by Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin, left Youzhou and headed towards Nankou march.
And this time, the remaining five thousand Yan troops stationed in Youzhou City were also sent out. So far, there is no more soldiers from the original Yan army in Youzhou City. However, the King of Yan, Zhao Kuangzan, was left behind. The task given to him by Liu Chengyou was to be responsible for the deployment of Yan people and assisting in city defense.
More than half an hour after dispatching troops, Liu Chengyou finally received a warning from Han Hui and learned about the latest situation at Nankou. Only then did he understand that the situation of An Shenqi's army could no longer be described as "not optimistic." It's descriptive.
For the first time since the Northern Expedition, Liu Chengyou felt worried, nervous, and uneasy. He almost couldn't help but slap himself in the mouth. This was a prophecy. Just as he said, the Han army at Nankou has a bearing on the entire world. If something really goes wrong in the great cause of the Northern Expedition, it will mean that all the results of the previous battles have been vomited away, and it may even be difficult to make up for it.
Moreover, if something goes wrong with An Shenqi's army, it will not be as simple as a defeat or the loss of some soldiers and horses. The consequences and impact will be incalculable. Wanting to conquer Yanyun will definitely come to nothing, and for this Northern Expedition , if the big man pays the price, it will inevitably become a bitter fruit. If it is more serious, it is not impossible to cause turmoil in the country.
Because he was fully aware of its serious consequences, Liu Chengyou was worried about the battle at Nankou and could not sit still. After calming down and thinking about the Liao army's massive counterattack, Liu Chengyou had to admit that he seemed to have underestimated the enemy. The use of troops seemed to be too much. I was so complacent without realizing it that it actually led to such a dangerous situation.
Too worried and eager to talk, Liu Chengyou called An Shouzhong, who was in charge of the local guard, to talk to him and asked him: "Your father is at the south entrance and is besieged by an enemy force several times his own. The situation is extremely dangerous and he is in danger of being destroyed. Can you think of it?" Lead the troops and go north to support?"
Knowing the military situation at Nankou, An Shouzhong could not be worried. However, he had served the emperor for many years and knew his temper. When Liu Chengyou opened his mouth, An Shouzhong understood that the emperor was worried. There is danger ahead and I want to start heading north.
In response, An Shouzhong saluted solemnly and said in a deep voice: "My father is in danger. How can a son be without worries? However, the duty of the general is to protect His Majesty. Apart from this, I have no other ideas!"
Looking at An Shouzhong and seeing his serious expression, Liu Chengyou couldn't help but sigh, and did not express his thoughts about going to the front line in person.
Looking to the north, worry flashed in his eyes. Under such circumstances, all he could do was to hope that the Han army at the south entrance could persist in resisting, that the reinforcements from the two routes could be felt in time, and that the soldiers could maintain their fighting spirit.
However, after some consideration, Liu Chengyou sent Guo Tong to Tanzhou to inquire about the situation of the siege. He also gave Murong Yanzhao an order, asking him to divide his troops and advance westward to support Nankou according to the situation.
Even though he continued to strengthen his confidence in his heart, Liu Chengyou could not let go of the crisis at Nankou. Finally, after waiting for two hours in Youzhou City, in the evening, Liu Chengyou could no longer sit still, and led the army regardless of civil and military objections. Ouchi's army went north to the south entrance.
He couldn't care less about the dangers. He only had one idea: the emperor himself would lead the army here, hoping to inspire the morale of the soldiers.
