Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu led hundreds of thousands of troops and appeared in front of Tongtai Pass in a mighty manner.
Standing at the gate of Tongtai, looking around, what I saw was a dark crowd. As far as the eye could see, there were groups of galloping horses, with flags standing in the wind, fluttering in the wind.
The imperial flag of Emperor Yelu Longxu of the Liao Dynasty is the most dazzling. It is surrounded by people in the middle and can be seen at a glance.
"Emperor Yelu Longxu of Liao really wants to waste time with us..."
On the city wall of Tongtaiguan.
Cao Wei looked at the endless Liao army outside the city and said in a deep voice.
Di Qing said with a slightly solemn expression: "Would you like me to take people out and charge for a while to dampen their spirit?"
Cao Wei shook his head, "It's not the time yet. The heavy armor you lead is indeed sharp, but Emperor Yelu Longxu of the Liao Dynasty obviously has no intention of deciding the outcome in a battle with us, so you lead your people to rush out and fight, but you can't get up."
Nothing worked.”
Cao Wei shook his finger and said, "Look carefully at the formation of the Liao army outside the city. The miscellaneous soldiers are in the front, the Xiang troops are on the left and right wings, and the real elite are holding the formation at the rear. The enemy is so large in number, you can lead your heavy armor to charge
Go out and charge, and at most you can tear apart the soldiers in front of you.
The Xiang troops on both wings will come up to entangle you after you defeat the miscellaneous soldiers.
The elite troops holding the line will rush out to give you a fatal blow at the critical moment.
Previously, my Song soldiers and horses used a similar formation when they fought against the Xixia people in Hexi.
Annihilated more than a thousand Xixia heavy armor men who rushed into the formation.
If you lead the army and rush out, the result should be similar."
Di Qing followed Cao Wei's direction and went over. Sure enough, he saw a group of miscellaneous soldiers in front of the Liao army formation outside the city. On the left and right flanks were a group of light cavalry wearing Liao's standard leather armor.
Behind the formation were several Liao cavalry wearing scale armor and chain mail.
If he led the heavy armor to charge out, the effect would be similar to what Cao Wei said.
He couldn't rush in front of the elite Liao soldiers, and he had no chance to seriously injure the elite Liao soldiers.
If the elite Liao soldiers do not suffer heavy losses, no matter how many miscellaneous soldiers and side soldiers they kill, they will not have much effect.
Di Qing looked at Cao Wei and said in a deep voice: "Are we really going to fight the Liao people?"
Cao Wei sighed: "Emperor Yelu Longxu of the Liao Dynasty has made up his mind to fight us, and we can only let them fight. No one knows what will happen if we rashly start a decisive battle with the Emperor Yelu Longxu of the Liao Dynasty.
Without 40% certainty, we cannot take the initiative."
After Cao Wei said this, before Di Qing could ask any more questions, he ordered Di Qing: "Go down quickly and call the Xiang army officers who came with the army to act as civilian husbands to go up to the city wall and replace the tiger-shaped troops on the wall.
Elite soldiers."
Di Qing heard Cao Wei's order, pondered for a moment, nodded, and went down to follow Cao Wei's order.
Not long after, the tiger-shaped army and other elite soldiers defending the Tongtaiguan city wall were replaced by Xiang army soldiers.
The soldiers of the Xiang Army jumped up and became the main force defending the city.
After Emperor Yelu Longxu of the Liao Dynasty led his soldiers and horses to camp outside Tongtai Pass, he sent a Xiang army without any hesitation and led various soldiers to attack the city.
The momentum of the miscellaneous soldiers in attacking the city was much weaker than that of Mi Liji, the privy envoy of the Liao State, who attacked Tongtai Pass.
"Test!"
Cao Wei stood on the top of the city, watching the Liao army and miscellaneous soldiers rushing toward Tongtai Pass, and said lightly.
Anyone with a discerning eye can see that Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu's move was a test.
Test the strength of the troops and horses in Tongtai Pass.
Test whether the defense inside Tongtai Pass is defective.
After the Xiang army and miscellaneous soldiers of the Liao Kingdom rushed to Tongtai Pass, they launched a fierce attack on Tongtai Pass.
On Tongtaiguan City, the Xiang Army of the Song Dynasty, which had replaced its elite soldiers and horses, started a fight with the Xiang Army and miscellaneous soldiers of the Liao Kingdom.
The Xiang army of the Song Dynasty faced the Xiang army and miscellaneous soldiers of the Liao State. They did not win easily, but fought with great difficulty.
They have been streamlined, and although the ones left behind are all strong and strong, most of them have not experienced any major battles.
Although the Xiang troops and miscellaneous soldiers of the Liao Kingdom were much inferior to the elite soldiers and horses of the Liao Kingdom, they were still running on the battlefield all year round.
Especially the miscellaneous soldiers gathered by small tribes.
In the tribe, they have to face wolves, insects, tigers and leopards. In order for the women and children in the tribe to have something to eat, they need to fight against the wild beasts without listening.
In order to pay the tribute required by the Liao Kingdom in time, they needed to constantly take risks.
After arriving under the banner of Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu, he was often sent to serve as cannon fodder.
It can be said that they have been living in dire straits, so their fighting ability is naturally not bad.
Although they were miscellaneous soldiers, in terms of personal bravery, they were not inferior to the elites of the Liao Kingdom.
The only difference between them and the elites of the Liao Kingdom was some battle formation skills, sharp weapons, and strong armor.
Emperor Yelu Longxu of the Liao Dynasty sat astride a horse and watched the battle at Tongtai Pass from a distance. After seeing the Song soldiers being suppressed and beaten at Tongtai Pass, he pondered for a moment and ordered: "Tell Liu Shenxing to let him
Lead the Liao Xing Army to join in..."
Following the instructions from Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu, the order was passed on.
Liu Shenxing, the military governor of the Liao Xing Army, led the Liao Xing Army to join the battlefield.
With the addition of the Liao Xing Army, the soldiers of the Song Xiang Army who resisted the Liao soldiers at Tongtai Pass clearly felt tremendous pressure.
When Cao Wei saw that they were defeated, he decisively dispatched 10,000 crossbowmen from the Forbidden Army to scale the city wall to help defend the city.
With the help of 10,000 Forbidden Army crossbowmen, the enemy's pressure on the officers and soldiers of the Song Dynasty Xiang Army was immediately reduced a lot.
After Emperor Yelu Longxu of Liao saw that the Liao Xing army he had sent out had just gained the upper hand and was suppressed, he immediately ordered: "Ming Jin withdraws the troops..."
The Privy Council accepted the decree and quickly conveyed the order of Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu.
When the Liao soldiers and horses withdrew from the battlefield, Emperor Yelu Longxu of the Liao Dynasty looked at the city of Tongtaiguan for a long time and said to himself: "Cao Wei is a rare general in the Song Dynasty, and his work is really impeccable.
There is no flaw in the defense inside Tongtai Pass.
The soldiers and horses guarding the city are also constantly replaced to prevent the elite soldiers from being exhausted.
This battle has been fought."
After Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu sighed, he returned to his Chinese army's tent astride his horse.
After the Liao soldiers withdrew from the battlefield, they did not launch another attack.
Fast forward to the second day.
Early in the morning.
Emperor Yelu Longxu of the Liao Dynasty summoned the civil and military ministers of the Liao Dynasty to meet in a tent. After making a selection, he selected Yang Youxuan, Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, as an envoy to talk with Cao Wei and Lu Yijian in Tongtai Pass in detail, and tried to recruit them to surrender.
.
Emperor Yelu Longxu of the Liao Dynasty also knew that with their status in the Song Dynasty, it was impossible for Cao Wei and Lu Yijian to agree to his surrender.
But what if?
What if one of them is not satisfied with his stay in the Song Dynasty and wants to change his life?
This matter was not just a whim of Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu, but there was precedent.
When Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty Zhao Guangyi went on a northern expedition to the Liao Kingdom, the Song King of the Liao Kingdom sent people out several times to lobby for surrender, and many Song generals were recruited to surrender.
The reason why it was so easy for the Liao Kingdom to recruit Song generals was because the Liao Kingdom gave them particularly high treatment after recruiting and surrendering the Song generals.
For example, during the Zhenzong period, during the Battle of Chanyuan, the Liao generals captured Suicheng and conquered Dingzhou, and successively captured the Song general Wang Xian and the Yunzhou observation envoy Wang Jizhong.
Wang Jizhong was recruited by the Liao people and defected to the Liao Kingdom.
Xiao Chuo, Empress Dowager Chengtian of the Liao Kingdom, gave Wang Jizhong the surname Yelu. He was given the names Yelu Xianzhong, Yelu Zongxin, and the title of King of Chu successively.
Precisely because the Liao State treated the Song generals with generous rewards, those Song generals who were weak-willed and overly concerned with fame and fortune were easily recruited by the Liao State and surrendered to the Liao State.
Of course, Emperor Yelu Longxu of the Liao Dynasty knew that the possibility of Cao Wei and Lu Yijian surrendering was extremely low.
He sent Yang Youxuan into Tongtai Pass not only to recruit Cao Wei and Lu Yijian.
It was also for Yang Youxuan to take a good look at the defenses in Tongtai Pass to see if there were any broken posts after entering Tongtai Pass.
Yang Youxuan received the order from Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu and appeared at the foot of Tongtai Pass with several people supporting the envoy's guard of honor.
After Cao Wei heard his subordinate's report, he was slightly stunned.
"Emperor Yelu Longxu of the Liao Dynasty sent envoys to Tongtai Pass?"
The soldiers under his command nodded vigorously.
Cao Wei thought for a while, then looked at Lu Yijian who was sitting not far away, "What do you think Emperor Yelu Longxu of Liao had planned?"
Lu Yijian said calmly: "What else can you do? Of course it is to recruit us."
Cao Wei pondered: "He should know very well that it is impossible for the two of us to be recruited."
Lu Yijian nodded slowly, "Of course he knows that it is impossible for the two of us to be surrendered. But whenever he fights with me in the Song Dynasty, he always likes to send people over to surrender.
This shows his mind and courage.
It's a pity that in this regard, he is not as good as the late Queen Mother Xiao.
After Empress Dowager Xiao surrendered to me, the civil and military forces of the Song Dynasty, she was really able to promise huge profits.
I really dare to use it.
But he couldn't do it. Most of the huge profits he promised were just a pretense.
Even if the civil and military talents of the Song Dynasty were put into his hands, they would not be reused."
Cao Wei glanced at Lu Yijian and said in shock: "You have never served under Emperor Yelu Longxu of Liao Dynasty. How do you know that he will not reuse the civil and military forces of the Song Dynasty who surrendered?"
Lu Yijian rolled his eyes and said, "His mother has the courage to find a Han as his father. Does he have the courage to find a Han as his father?"
Cao Wei was speechless for a while.
Lu Yijian continued: "After your reminder, I feel that the purpose of the Liao envoy entering Tongtai Pass this time is not just to recruit us."
Cao Wei nodded slowly, "It may also be to find out what is true in Tongtai Pass."
Lu Yijian added: "It may also be to find some flaw in the defense of Tongtai Pass. It depends on whether you are willing to give him a flaw."
Cao Wei thought about it and said: "I can give you a flaw, but I'm afraid Emperor Yelu Longxu of Liao won't be fooled."
Lu Yijian curled his lips and said: "As long as you leave a gap for him, he will definitely get in. After all, the soldiers and horses responsible for attacking the city are mostly soldiers and horses of the small tribes attached to the Liao Kingdom. How many people died?
, even Emperor Yelu Longxu of Liao would not feel sorry for him."
"If he gives me credit, then I can really take it."
Cao Wei pondered for a while and said to Lu Yijian: "You go to see the Liao envoy first, and I will send someone to arrange it. After I finish the arrangement, I will go to see the Liao envoy."
Lu Yijian nodded slowly and watched Cao Wei leave the city gate building.
After Cao Wei left, Lu Yijian tidied up his clothes, sent someone to the top of the city to confirm the identity of the Liao envoy, and then had someone use a hanging basket to hoist the Liao envoy into the city.
Lu Yijian met the Liao envoy Yang Youxuan, an old acquaintance who had received him when he was on a mission to the Liao Kingdom.
The two immediately started talking and laughing like old friends they hadn't seen for many years.
Lu Yijian led Yang Youxuan down the city wall and rested in a large house in Tongtai Pass.
The two drank and talked all night long.
During this period, Yang Youxuan offered many words to persuade Lu Yijian to surrender, but Lu Yijian pushed him back with a beating.
Yang Youxuan chatted with Lu Yijian all night, but Lu Yijian didn't relent, so he asked to see Cao Wei.
After Cao Wei made the arrangements, he naturally appeared in front of Yang Youxuan.
Compared with Lu Yijian, who treated everyone with courtesy, Cao Wei seemed domineering and arrogant.
After Yang Youxuan said that he wanted to surrender to Cao Wei, Cao Wei ordered people to throw him out of the room.
If Lu Yijian hadn't stopped him, Cao Wei would have wanted to beat Yang Youxuan violently.
Yang Youxuan was defeated one after another in front of Cao Wei and Lu Yijian, and almost received a severe beating. Naturally, he had no shame to stay in Tongtai Pass anymore, so he found an excuse and left Tongtai Pass.
Seeing Yang Youxuan and his entourage descending Tongtaiguan in a hanging basket.
"Yang Youxuan didn't pay attention to the defense in Tongtai Pass. Are we a little bit like a villain judging a gentleman's belly?"
Lu Yijian asked a question.
Cao Wei sneered and said: "Yang Youxuan was indeed honest after entering Tongtai Pass. But the few people who followed him were not honest at all. If I hadn't told my secret sentry in advance, at least among them, at least
Three people will be escorted to us."
Lu Yijian's brows jumped and asked: "So, Emperor Yelu Longxu of the Liao Dynasty sent Yang Youxuan into Guancheng really to explore the defenses in Tongtai Pass."
Cao Wei nodded slowly.
Lu Yijian continued to ask: "Did you expose your flaws to them?"
Cao Wei nodded and said: "Of course... Whether Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu will fall into the trap depends on tomorrow. If he falls into the trap tomorrow, then we will inevitably gain a wave of military exploits."
A night of silence.
The next day.
When the sky was dark, the Liao soldiers started to move.
The miscellaneous soldiers of the Liao State, the Xiang Army, once again forced themselves to the foot of the pass and began to attack Tongtai Pass.
The areas where Cao Wei left a loophole became the focus of care.
Cao Wei closed the net at the critical moment and successfully harvested the lives of thousands of Liao soldiers.
After the Liao Kingdom lost many lives of miscellaneous soldiers and Xiang army officers.
Emperor Yelu Longxu of Liao Dynasty did not show any dissatisfaction because of this, it seemed that everything was as he expected.
After that, for a long time.
Chapter completed!