After the Battle of Yingzhou, it was the general trend for the Chihu people to withdraw from the Hehuai River, whether actively or passively.
For the Sikong Mansion, after the Battle of Yingzhou, it was no longer satisfied with just driving the soldiers out of the Hehuai River. Instead, it wanted to eliminate as many of the Chi Hu's effective and elite forces south of the Yellow River as possible, and to prevent them as much as possible.
The soldiers took a large number of people captive to the north of the Yellow River.
In the past four or five months, the Military Intelligence Staff Department not only further dispatched spies to Zhengluo and other places to spy on intelligence and collect information, but also repeatedly deduced the development of the subsequent Hehuai War situation, predicting that as long as the camps in western Beijing, southern Beijing, and Heluo were
The troops and horses are stuck to the enemy and entangled tightly enough, and the Zhennan Zong Palace does not want to directly evolve from a planned retreat to a defeat or rout, so it is very likely that a large number of elite soldiers and horses will be seconded from Hexi, Longyou and other places.
Zheng Bian helped him initially consolidate his position on the south bank of the Yellow River.
At the same time, the Zhennan Zong Palace will try its best to delay the situation until winter.
After all, only when the Yellow River freezes in the cold winter can we have the conditions to drive millions of people directly northward. Ferries or pontoons will not work - using ferries or pontoons requires millions of people to be gathered to a certain place first, which is very difficult at this time.
For the Zhennan Zong Palace, it is already an impossible task.
After autumn, the situation in Hehuai developed in line with the predictions of the Military Intelligence Staff Department.
In addition to the 40,000 reinforcements from Hexi, Longyou and other places, they all passed through Hangu Pass, Hulao Pass, and marched eastward to Xinzheng, Zhongmou and other places. The Zhennan Zong Palace even dispatched 30,000 elite troops from Heluo to reinforce Hulao
In the area east of Guan, the focus is on guarding against the possibility that Sikong Prefecture may organize a large army to march directly north from Xuzhou.
In the early stage, except for the focused arrangements for the evacuation of small-scale officials to the north first, large-scale migration of people has not yet taken place.
At present, the Heluo Soldiers and Horses General Administration Office is in Luoyang and the surrounding counties of Mengjin, Yanshi, Gongyi, etc., with a total of only 40,000 soldiers and horses, which can be called elites. They are mainly stationed in Yique, Dagu, and Sheyuan, and
Sikong Mansion is in the west of Beijing, and the main force of Heluo Xingying is facing off.
Although the current Heluo camp centered on Ruzhou has assembled 50,000 soldiers and 50,000 state defenders, it would take several years to attack Cao Shixiong from the front. The dangers of mountains and rivers lie in Yique and Dagu.
It is also extremely difficult to build a defense system.
In addition to the protracted battle to siege the city, the price paid will also be quite heavy.
The secret construction of flat-bottomed warships that can be towed across dangerous shoals in the upper reaches of the Yishui River was just for this moment. In order to take advantage of the enemy's empty strength in the heart of Luoyang City, thousands of elite horse soldiers were directly transported across the Yishui River.
, delivered to the north of Yique Pass.
Yique Pass is not only closer to Luoyang City, but also the gateway to the south of Luoyang City.
Cao Cheng led a total of 20,000 troops to garrison Yique, of which the main ones were stationed at Xiangshan Mountain on the east bank, and the lighter ones were stationed at Longmen Mountain on the west bank.
This was mainly because the Heluo generals believed that the Southern Dynasty had no ships on the Yishui River, and believed that the threat to the valley on the west bank of the Yishui River was much smaller.
In addition, the garrison deployment of the garrison at Yique Pass and east of Yishui also has the characteristics of being heavy in the south and light in the north.
In the southernmost Yique City, Cao Cheng directly led 10,000 elite troops to garrison. To the north of Yique City, there were only 6,000 defenders in the valley on the east bank of Yique, and they were scattered among seven or eight fortresses;
The Qifeng Village on the northernmost side of the river valley has less than a thousand soldiers, and the others are transporters and laborers who escort grain and fodder and serve as hard labor.
The General Administration of the Heluo Military and Horse Capital also did not specialize in developing naval forces. The two naval camps in Yanshi and Mengjin had less than 2,000 soldiers and horses in total. They usually focused on arresting smugglers and robbers in the lower reaches of the Yiluo River and the Yellow River.
At this time, the only water camp forces were concentrated in the Yellow River north of Mengjin and Yanshi, together with thousands of conquered civilian ships, preparing to cross a group of soldiers and civilians before the Yellow River froze.
Drive northward.
More than a hundred warships went down the river. The defenders only had a dozen light sentinel ships in the Yishui River to convey news. The two to three hundred men and horses fired at random and then fled downstream in embarrassment toward Luoyang City. They were completely helpless.
Dare to stay and entangle on the Yishui River.
Half an hour later, more than a hundred warships circled to the north of Qifeng Village and approached the shore.
At this time, only a few hundred soldiers and horses came out from Qifeng Village, intending to intercept the warship and dock.
In addition to being slower in riding the wind and waves, a flat-bottomed warship has the advantage of being able to dock directly on the river beach.
Hundreds of soldiers jumped directly into the shallow water before putting down the pallets, waded into the beach and landed.
For a moment, arrows flew and swords and spears struck each other. After hundreds of defenders were defeated, dozens of fine iron shield vehicles were dragged ashore via pallets, and then they went to Qifeng Village to kill.
Qifeng Village is built on the northwest slope of Xiangshan Mountain. It is the northernmost corner of the valley on the east bank of Yique. At its narrowest point, the cliff is less than 20 feet wide from the river beach.
Sun Yanguan personally led the first batch of 3,000 soldiers in a warship to seize the beach north of Qifeng Village. He wanted to use the topography of the gorge at the north end of the valley on the east bank of Yique from Qifeng Village as quickly as possible to pass through Yique Pass.
As well as more than 16,000 elite enemy troops from the villages in the valley on the east bank of Yique, they desperately blocked the south of Qifeng Village, preventing them from coming out.
At this time, more than a hundred warships were divided into two parts
Some warships gathered in the Yishui River north of the interception position to prevent enemy ships from coming from the lower reaches of the Yishui River. The enemy's water camp in Heluo was very weak, but it was not impossible.
Some warships immediately returned to the south of Yique, and continued to transport more armored soldiers, fine iron shield vehicles and other war equipment to join them to further strengthen the blockade of the north gorge mouth of Qifeng Village. At the same time, it was also necessary to do a good job
Prepare to divide our troops and march northward to fight the enemy troops coming from Luoyang, Yanshi and other places...
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When Cao Shixiong learned that hundreds of warships from the Southern Dynasty suddenly appeared in the Yishui River, and that three to four thousand Ruzhou soldiers and horses had sailed through the Yishui River in warships and landed north of Yique Pass, others were in Yanshi.
Upon hearing the news, Cao Shixiong felt as if he had been struck by thunder. His hands and feet could not help but tremble slightly, and he could not say a word for a long time.
When Meng Jian and other accompanying generals heard this news, their hearts were shocked. They couldn't understand how there could be a large number of Southern Dynasty warships in Yishui.
However, they also knew in their hearts what disastrous consequences it would bring if thousands of elites from Beijing and Xiangzhou suddenly went around to the north of Yique Pass.
The main force of Cao Cheng's army was blocked in the valley on the east bank of Yique. If the 20,000 garrison troops at Dagu Pass and Shenyuan Pass could not be withdrawn in time, they could mobilize elite troops and horses in Luoyang, Yanshi, Gongyi, Mengjin and other cities.
Less than five thousand.
And Meng Ping led 30,000 elite troops, together with the Hexi cavalry advancing eastward and the main cavalry force of Zhennan Zong's royal family, even far away in Zhengzhou and Bianzhou to the east of Hulao Pass...
Zhengzhou seems to be only 256 miles away from Luoyang City, and Bianzhou is only 3560 miles away from Luoyang. However, the main troops from Zhengzhou and Bianzhou want to return to Luoyang to aid Luoyang.
Laoguan Road is located between Songshan Mountain and the Yellow River. The post road is narrow and narrow. It will take at least seven or eight days to reach the lower reaches of the Yishui River.
And in these seven or eight days, who knows how the war situation in the hinterland of Luoyang will develop?
"Assemble all soldiers and horses to reinforce Yique!"
After a while, Cao Shixiong gave an order in a suddenly hoarse voice.
"Commander, there is no need to rush," Meng Jian came to his senses and quickly dissuaded him, "We still don't know how many warships Jingxiang has in the Yishui, and we don't know whether they will send a large army down the river.
, attack Yanshi, Gongyi, we can't act rashly!"
At present, the soldiers and horses of Ruzhou in the Southern Dynasty have advanced to the front of Yique Pass. From the south of Yique Pass to the north of Qifeng Village, there are only thirteen or four miles of waterway. In such a short distance, the Southern Dynasty only has ten boats in the Yishui River.
, you can continuously transport soldiers and horses directly to the north of Qifeng Village.
Now they are in Yanshi, and together with Cao Shixiong's cavalry guards, they only have more than 2,000 troops. What use can they get if they rush over?
Meng Jian was even more worried about the scale of the Southern Dynasty's warships that suddenly appeared in the Yishui River, which was far beyond their imagination. Its elite troops and horses might flow down the river and directly attack Yanshi and Gongyi.
As long as either of these two cities were captured, the Southern Dynasty would be able to cut off the channels for Zhengzhou soldiers and horses to return to Luoyang via the Hulao Pass Valley Road.
In Meng Jian's view, although the Southern Dynasty unexpectedly sent a partial army to the heart of Luoyang, they only need to defend the two cities of Yanshi and Gongyi to ensure that their main reinforcements in Zhengbian can survive.
Yanshi and Gongyi continue to advance westward and enter the lower reaches of the Yishui River. It is still possible to completely annihilate the southern army that has penetrated deeply, thereby eliminating the danger of Yique Pass.
Too many children of the Cao family lost their lives at the hands of Xu Huai. Cao Cheng can be said to be the only remaining second-generation descendant of the Cao family. Meng Jian can understand Cao Shixiong's eagerness to rescue Yique, but the most important thing now is that they cannot mess up their position.
Besides, Cao Cheng has 16,000 elites to mobilize in Yique City and the valley on the east bank of Yique, so he won't be afraid of being eaten in a short while.
"You don't understand, the Zong Wang will not save Cao Cheng!" Cao Shixiong shook his head in pain and said bitterly, "We can't make a decisive decision now to help Cao Cheng break out from the Yique Valley, they are destined to be abandoned!"
"How could that happen?" Meng Jian asked in shock.
"I have made up my mind, just follow the order and do it!" Cao Shixiong gritted his teeth, not wanting to waste time explaining to Meng Jian, and directly ordered, "At this time, the enemy's foothold is not stable to the north of Qifeng Village, we must gather
The soldiers and horses rush forward and attack Cao Cheng from the north and the south. It will not be difficult to destroy him!"
Seeing that Meng Jian wanted to persuade him again, Cao Shixiong glared at him and told him to shut up.
He has been dealing with Jingxiang over the years. Although he can't figure out where the Southern Dynasty warships in the Yishui came from, Jingxiang uses troops with such meticulousness that he has never seen in his life. How could Jingxiang just send a few soldiers?
A lone army marched into the heart of Luoyang without any other arrangements?
The first thing Cao Shixiong could think of was that Beijing and Xiangzhou would definitely force the troops stationed in Xuzhou, Chenzhou and other places to move northward with all their strength, making it difficult for their main troops in Zhengzhou and Bianzhou to escape and reinforce Luoyang.
Will the King of Zhennan, Ululu Lie, risk the complete collapse of the Zheng-Bian defense line and the inability of his troops to cross the river in time to retreat north, and send 40,000 to 50,000 troops to the west via Hulao Pass to reinforce Luoyang?
Seven or eight days later, Jingxiang Shao said that he could deliver 20,000 to 30,000 elite troops to Yanshi via the Yishui River. Between Luoyang and Yique - the King of Zhennan could not mobilize large-scale reinforcements from Zheng and Bian to the west.
dish, what will be the final choice?
Is it the most correct and decisive choice for the strong men to cut off their wrists and order them to abandon the defenders in Yique and other places who cannot retreat, and directly cross the river to retreat north?
However, others could give up on Cao Cheng, but he could not abandon his own nephew.
Of the second generation of the Cao family, Cao Cheng is the last single seedling left.
Cao Shixiong felt that the only thing he could do now was to take advantage of the fact that the southern troops had not yet established a stable foothold in the north of Qifeng Village. It was impossible to send too many soldiers and horses over. He and the Yique defenders would attack from the north and south, and there would be a great chance of breaking through the Yique defenders to retreat north to Luoyang or
Passage of Yanshi...
And as long as he personally leads the troops south, the garrison at Dagu and Yuanyuan Pass will be able to stabilize their position.
If he stayed in Yanshi, it seemed to be to ensure that the westward march of the Bianzheng reinforcements was not cut off, but what would the garrison at Dagu and Sheyuan Pass think?
Will they think they have been abandoned, panic, abandon the pass and flee north? At that time, will the main force of the southern army be able to march north from these two passes and kill between Yanshi and Luoyang without any effort?
You must know that walking 20 miles northeast from Qifeng Village is a Wubao named Dingjiayuan 30 miles south of Yanshi City. It is not only the only way to go north from the right bank of Yishui River to Yanshi, but also a
The only way for the garrison troops stationed at Dagu and Shenyuan to retreat to Luoyang.
Under the current situation, Cao Shixiong really could not guarantee that the hearts of tens of thousands of garrison soldiers in Dagu and Yuanyuan would not panic.
Even if Cao Shixiong wants to wait and see the situation, he must gather as many troops as possible and stationed at Dingjiayuan Village to wait and see the situation. Once Dingjiayuan Village is captured by the Southern Dynasty's surprise troops, the situation in the hinterland of Luoyang will only become more precarious...
If we decisively help Cao Cheng break out from the Yique River Valley, they are destined to be abandoned!"
"How could that happen?" Meng Jian asked in shock.
"I have made up my mind, just follow the order and do it!" Cao Shixiong gritted his teeth, not wanting to waste time explaining to Meng Jian, and directly ordered, "At this time, the enemy's foothold is not stable to the north of Qifeng Village, we must gather
The soldiers and horses rush forward and attack Cao Cheng from the north and the south. It will not be difficult to destroy him!"
Seeing that Meng Jian wanted to persuade him again, Cao Shixiong glared at him and told him to shut up.
He has been dealing with Jingxiang over the years. Although he can't figure out where the Southern Dynasty warships in the Yishui came from, Jingxiang uses troops with such meticulousness that he has never seen in his life. How could Jingxiang just send a few soldiers?
A lone army marched into the heart of Luoyang without any other arrangements?
The first thing Cao Shixiong could think of was that Beijing and Xiangzhou would definitely force the troops stationed in Xuzhou, Chenzhou and other places to move northward with all their strength, making it difficult for their main troops in Zhengzhou and Bianzhou to escape and reinforce Luoyang.
Will the King of Zhennan, Ululu Lie, risk the complete collapse of the Zheng-Bian defense line and the inability of his troops to cross the river in time to retreat north, and send 40,000 to 50,000 troops to the west via Hulao Pass to reinforce Luoyang?
Seven or eight days later, Jingxiang Shao said that he could deliver 20,000 to 30,000 elite troops to Yanshi via the Yishui River. Between Luoyang and Yique - the King of Zhennan could not mobilize large-scale reinforcements from Zheng and Bian to the west.
dish, what will be the final choice?
Is it the most correct and decisive choice for the strong men to cut off their wrists and order them to abandon the defenders in Yique and other places who cannot retreat, and directly cross the river to retreat north?
However, others could give up on Cao Cheng, but he could not abandon his own nephew.
Of the second generation of the Cao family, Cao Cheng is the last single seedling left.
Cao Shixiong felt that the only thing he could do now was to take advantage of the fact that the southern troops had not yet established a stable foothold in the north of Qifeng Village. It was impossible to send too many soldiers and horses over. He and the Yique defenders would attack from the north and south, and there would be a great chance of breaking through the Yique defenders to retreat north to Luoyang or
Passage of Yanshi...
And as long as he personally leads the troops south, the garrison at Dagu and Yuanyuan Pass will be able to stabilize their position.
If he stayed in Yanshi, it seemed to be to ensure that the westward march of the Bianzheng reinforcements was not cut off, but what would the garrison at Dagu and Sheyuan Pass think?
Will they think they have been abandoned, panic, abandon the pass and flee north? At that time, will the main force of the southern army be able to march north from these two passes and kill between Yanshi and Luoyang without any effort?
You must know that walking 20 miles northeast from Qifeng Village is a Wubao named Dingjiayuan 30 miles south of Yanshi City. It is not only the only way to go north from the right bank of Yishui River to Yanshi, but also a
The only way for the garrison troops stationed at Dagu and Shenyuan to retreat to Luoyang.
Under the current situation, Cao Shixiong really could not guarantee that the hearts of tens of thousands of garrison soldiers in Dagu and Yuanyuan would not panic.
Even if Cao Shixiong wants to wait and see the situation, he must gather as many troops as possible and stationed at Dingjiayuan Village to wait and see the situation. Once Dingjiayuan Village is captured by the Southern Dynasty's surprise troops, the situation in the hinterland of Luoyang will only become more precarious...
