Chapter 120 When the Northern Expedition is underway
Since Puyin took the oath of war, the focus of all Liu Chengyou's work has basically been on Zhao Yanshou's "Northern Expeditionary Army". Military reports from three directions have been pouring in, from one report a day at the beginning to now one report a day. On the third day of the day, Liu Chengyou sent out a group of the most elite scouts under his command to serve as the soldiers of Yi Chuan.
Even if I had been mentally prepared for a long time and actually executed it, I found that the difficulties of the Northern Expedition to Youzhou were much more serious than imagined. The reality was always as simple as the plan.
The three hundred miles from Puyin to Youzhou, except for a few water veins, there are no mountains and mountains, and the obstacles are quite high. It is convenient for Zhao Yanshou to advance here, and it is equally convenient for the Liao army to contain the attack. At the same time, during this period, At least two hundred miles have been cleared by the Liao army. The land is vast and the population is extremely sparse. There are not many war resources to supplement during this stretch of road.
The Liao army was obviously not unprepared. As soon as they received the news, they came to intercept and not only planned to intercept, but also wanted to annihilate Zhao Yanshou's army.
Under this situation, Liu Chengyou's two-wing supporting army from Qi and Yingzhou factions had a full containment effect. Zhao Yanshou also tried hard to avoid the rapid advance, but was still blocked by more than 3,000 Liao troops from Xincheng and Rongcheng in Nanyi. The water flows into the basin, and the journey stops halfway.
"Your Highness, the latest news from the north is that Zhao Yanshou has broken through the Liao army's Yishui defense line!" Rapid footsteps sounded, and Guo Rong quickly entered the hall and reported to Liu Chengyou, who was discussing the military situation with Zheng Zheng, Xiang Xun, and Wei Renpu.
"Oh? Submit it!" Liu Chengyou suddenly became energetic. After saying this, he stood up and took the military report from Guo Rong, and couldn't wait to read it.
In the past two days, Liu Chengyou was also anxious about the battle ahead, especially because Zhao Yanshou was blocked in the Nanyishui River. The previous battle was still in a stalemate, so the sudden news of a breakthrough came, which surprised Liu Chengyou. Zhao Yanshou's method of breakthrough was not surprising. He attacked from the west and attacked from the east, but it was very effective. The overall quality of the Tibetan soldiers left by Yelu Ruan in Nanjing Road was low. The few elites were placed in Youzhou City, and the leading generals It didn't work either, and he was tricked by Zhao Yanshou.
"After passing Yishui, we can only rely on Zhao Yanshou himself..." After digesting the news and putting down the military report, Liu Chengyou sat down slowly, as if he was relieved.
The atmosphere in the hall did not relax because of Zhao Yanshou's army's breakthrough. Xiang Xun lowered his head and looked carefully at a map of Younan states. On it were simply marked some cities, rivers, and routes, and he studied with a tense face. After hearing Liu Chengyou's words, he raised his head and said in a deep voice: "After passing Yishui, Zhao Yanshou has no way out and is alone. His situation will only become more dangerous!"
There was no need to remind Xiang Xun, Liu Chengyou could think of it himself and had deduced similar situations before.
Xiang Xun made a rough comparison and said: "The Liao army's response was much faster than we imagined. Zhao Yanshou's breakthrough of the defense line will inevitably lead to an even more crazy interception by the Liao army. There is still nearly two hundred miles away. When we get to Youzhou, we have to conquer the fortified city in a short time..."
Xiang Xun himself couldn't help but take a breath as he spoke of the severe situation in a heavy tone, as if he felt the hardship.
"It's still Youzhou!" Liu Chengyou pressed the map and stared at the location of Jicheng: "Further north, the Yan soldiers returned home, and they were not alone. They were fighting in their own land and home. This was their biggest obstacle. The advantage!”
"I hope Zhao Yanshou can advance into Youzhou and capture Youzhou as he said!"
Hearing this, Xiang Xun was not very optimistic and even had some doubts: "Can he do it in such a dangerous situation?"
"We still underestimated the difficulty of taking Youzhou!" Guo Rong's serious face also showed worry.
Seeing this, Liu Chengyou raised his hand and gestured to Wei Renpu: "Tell them!"
Understanding, Wei Renpu stood up and said to the two of them: "Two generals, after Zhao Yanshou set out, the Khitan and Han minister Zhang Li sent a secret letter from his confidants to the south, telling You Yan what was true. At this time, there were only There are more than four thousand Khitan cavalry, and the Han people are deeply resentful..."
When he received a letter from Zhang Li again, Liu Chengyou finally believed that he really wanted to change things.
After saying this, Xiang Xun and Guo Rong's eyes lit up at the same time. Immediately, they froze and Xiang Xun said, "Even so, it's not easy to capture the fortified city!"
Wei Renpu continued: "Your Highness's original intention is to capture Youzhou, which would be better. If that doesn't work, Zhao Yanshou will turn to attack Zhuo, Yi, tie up with the Han people, and defend Fan Yang! If it doesn't work, it will become our nail in Youyan. A wedge that constantly threatens Jicheng and prepares for the future. The specifics can only be determined by Zhao Yanshou, who will make a decision based on the situation!"
After hearing what Wei Renpu said, and thinking about it again, it seems that it is not that difficult.
To a certain extent, Liu Chengyou even hoped that Zhao Yanshou would choose the second path.
"No matter what the situation is on Zhao Yanshou's side, our army will continue to attack on the southern front to contain the Liao army and ease the pressure on him to advance!" Without revealing his thoughts, Liu Chengyou said solemnly: "Dingzhou, Mozhou. How is the battle going?"
Mentioning this matter, Guo Rong immediately reported: "On the Dingzhou side, Luo Yanxuan and Li Jun joined forces and are approaching Anxi; on the Yingzhou side, Murong Yanzhao also led his army to capture Gaoyang and cooperated with He Fu's attack Ren Qiu and Han Tong led two battalions of horse troops to operate in the Baosui generation and coordinate the two wings. Although the gains were not small, the casualties of each unit were over a thousand soldiers."
After hearing this, Liu Chengyou frowned immediately. The Longqi army that had annexed the Jin soldiers had more than 10,000 soldiers and strong horses. In addition to the remaining Yan soldiers who were divided and garrisoned and the Chengde warriors recruited, there were more than 20,000 soldiers available.
But now, except for the first and second armies who followed Zhang Yanwei to intercept Xiao Han (already on their way back to the army), almost all the rest were moving in order to cooperate with Zhao Yanshou.
Obviously because he was afraid of Liu Chengyou's army, Yelu Ruan left not many troops to garrison Nanjing Road, but the total number of them was more than 20,000. Originally, Liu Chengyou only wanted Zhao Yanshou's army to move, so what? He was betting on the Yan soldiers, but the reality was that even his Longqi army had to use its full strength...
Gambling is really not a good thing. It is addictive. Once you place your bets, you are stuck. You even have to continue investing just to see the results.
At this time, Liu Chengyou had a feeling that he had tied himself to the chariot he started. There was no result and he could not stop at all.
"The troops are still insufficient!" Liu Chengyou sighed.
Seeing that the treasury that had not yet been filled after the summer harvest was being consumed at a speed visible to the naked eye, Liu Chengyou had a headache and was a little panicked. Now, he has no shortage of weapons or armor, and even strong farmers can gather together enough in a short time. There is little, but there is a lack of food and cloth.
"Zhen Ding's troops and horses cannot be used!" Wei Renpu took precautions for him in advance.
At this stage, in Zhending, only Liu Chengyou's personal guard battalion and Xiang Xun's third army are still there. Hearing this, Liu Chengyou shook his head: "I have no intention of attacking Zhending's army again."
As he spoke, he pursed his lips a little bitterly: "Even if I want to move, I can't!"
Exhaling a breath, Liu Chengyou ordered: "Send orders to all armies to continue to suppress the Liao army on the southern front. However, since Zhao Yanshou has broken through the Nanyishui River, I asked them to hold back and put some pressure on them. Don’t make unnecessary sacrifices.”
"Yes!" After hearing this, Wei Renpu took up his pen and wrote the order, polishing it a bit.
"After this battle, the north of Chengde and the south of Youzhou will probably be destroyed..." Liu Chengyou sighed, as if he couldn't bear it.
"If we can really capture Youzhou, the price will be worth it!" Guo Rong said.
Of course it is worth it, even if the price is paid several times more, it is still worth it. In fact, Liu Chengyou’s darkest intention is to smash the land of Youyan. With a small loss, he will take away the Liu family’s northern border defense for several years. Peace and the future. But this kind of thinking will never be shown or spoken out.
"I wonder how the Khitan Lord will react when he learns this news?" Liu Chengyou suddenly thought of Yelu Ruan.
"That leaves less time for Zhao Yanshou!" Xiang Xun said.
This was said carelessly, but Liu Chengyou probably understood it. It doesn’t take much, Yelv Ruan only needs to send a partial division to return to the army, and then Zhao Yanshou will have an even harder time. As for whether it will affect Yelv Ruan’s march to Beijing, The conclusion is that the impact is not significant.
During the conversation, Tao Gu appeared from the second hall, bowed and made a full gesture before entering, and said to Liu Chengyou: "Your Highness, Dingzhou has come to report. Sun Fangjian, the hero of Dingzhou, heard that Your Highness sent troops to conquer Youyan in the north. Langshan led his three thousand troops to go south to help in the battle!"
"Eh..." Liu Chengyou was surprised. After stationed in Zhending, Liu Chengyou conducted an investigation on the surrounding forces, and Sun Fangjian had also heard about it. He was a small warlord in Dingzhou, but he had never been attracted by him. Looking at it, there is no clear understanding.
Look towards Wei Renpu.
Wei Renpu was well-educated and knowledgeable. He had served in the Privy Council of the Later Jin Dynasty for many years. Although he was a minor official, he had been exposed to a lot of miscellaneous military news. After briefly recalling it, he said: "Sun Fangjian was originally a hero in Dingzhou. Before that, he was a heavy tax collector on the border. , the people were restless and overwhelmed, so they gathered the strong people in the village in Langshan, built a stronghold to defend themselves, gathered the refugees, recruited bandits, and gradually grew stronger."
"When the Khitan invaded the south, they led their men to attack the Khitan people, plunder military supplies, and then went north into the enemy's territory to plunder their property. At that time, they submitted themselves to the imperial court and asked for the post of military governor. The imperial court despised him and regarded him as a tourist. Yi Shi, Sun Fangjian was angry and took refuge with the Khitan people. Last year, he even served as a guide for the Khitan invasion to the south."
"This time, I sent a letter to surrender and command my troops to help in the battle. I am afraid that in view of the reconstruction of the country, I want to use the imperial court as a backer. However, its fundamental purpose should be to expand our strength."
"Another double-minded guy, you can't trust him!" Xiang Xun sneered.
"What you said has scolded everyone in the world!" Liu Chengyou pointed at Xiang Xun: "No one in Xiazhou Town today is like this. Sun Fangjian, it doesn't matter whether you can trust him or not, as long as he can be used!"
Liu Chengyou's words clearly showed his attitude. He stood up, walked a few steps, and made a decision: "Send a letter and send an envoy to tell Sun Fangjian that he is righteous in attacking the thieves, and I am very happy. As long as the Khitan drives Dingzhou to the north, I will express my gratitude to him." He is a festival for Dingzhou!"
Liu Chengyou said this to Tao Gu. Tao Gu responded. As he stepped forward, he glanced at Wei Renpu, who was being pulled by Liu Chengyou to discuss military affairs, with his beard curled up and his eyes a little sinister.
He did not compare with Guo Rong or Xiang Xun, who was Liu Chengyou's confidant. However, Wei Renpu, who was also a new minister, considered himself to be better than Wei Renpu in terms of age, seniority, talent and knowledge, let alone his writing and poetry. .How come he, Wei Renpu, was able to counsel on important military matters, follow him in and out, and be inseparable. But he, Tao Gu, seemed to be just a penman who drafted orders, and even this part was divided by Wei Renpu...
When it comes to military politics, Tao Gu is also familiar with military science, so why didn't Liu Chengyou come to him for consultation. Unconsciously, Tao Gu had accumulated a lot of resentment in his heart. He was jealous of Wei Renpu and also a little dissatisfied with Liu Chengyou.
...
Nanjing Road, Zhuozhou, Gu'an County.
What lights up on the top of the city is the black and red "Yan flag". After breaking through the blockade of the Liao army, Zhao Yanshou rushed forward without stopping, urging the Yan soldiers to march hundreds of miles to Gu'an. There were not many soldiers and horses in the city, so he took it directly .
After setting foot on familiar land, Zhao Yanshou felt much more at ease. And smelling the smell of the country, the morale of Yan's soldiers was still high. The officers and soldiers at the bottom did not know the risks of the situation.
To the north of Gu'an County is the Baigou River, which has already gathered many boats, sampans and improvised bamboo rafts. The upper reaches of the Baigou River leads directly to Sanggan River, and to the north of Sanggan River is Youzhou City. This is Planning to take the water route.
At this time, Zhao Yanshou left all his cavalry to contain the Liao cavalry who had been tricked by him, and left five hundred soldiers to guard Gu'an. The rest followed him lightly to capture Youzhou City.
There are not enough boats, so both land and water are close together.
Stepping on the deck, following the rhythm of the water flow, Zhao Yanshou looked up to the north: "There is still less than a hundred miles of waterway!"
"King Yan, can we really capture Youzhou City?" A general under his command asked in a low voice. They are not like ordinary soldiers. Even if they cannot see the overall situation, they still have some sense of crisis.
"Haha!" Zhao Yanshou laughed out loud, deliberately letting go of his voice: "Youzhou is such a big city, and Yelu Jieli only has four thousand soldiers to defend it. How can he defend it? What's even more ridiculous is, can the cavalry defend the city? Hu Binghui
Defend the city? Gu was responsible for repairing Youzhou City back then, and no one knows its weaknesses better than Gu! As long as we arrive successfully, Youzhou City will be ours!"
Most of what Zhao Yanshou said was deception. However, not everyone is so easy to deceive.
"But we don't have many troops..."
"We have tens of thousands of troops, but are we afraid that we can't take Youzhou City?" Zhao Yanshou immediately glared.
These words frightened General Yan to be stunned for a moment.
"There are hundreds of thousands of Han people inside and outside Youzhou City." Seeing his foolish appearance, Zhao Yanshou explained with some confidence: "If I ask myself, during the ten years of governing Youzhou, I have shown a lot of kindness and protection to the Han people. As long as I
After inciting them, what's the point of fearing the mere Khitan army?"
The general was stunned. Soon, Zhao Yanshou's words spread, and he still maintained his morale at a high level. And Zhao Yanshou's eyes became more determined. He also tried his best to trick these soldiers into following him.
Taking risks is very positive. After all, this is the third spring of his career.
"King Yan." When he was about to return to the warehouse to rest, the other two generals carefully found Zhao Yanshou.
Seeing that the two of them looked strange, Zhao Yanshou frowned and asked, "What's the matter?"
"Are you really planning to attack Youzhou and make enemies of the Khitans?" One of them dodges his eyes.
Hearing something strange, Zhao Yanshou kept his expression calm and said casually: "To tell you the truth, I feel a little uneasy in my heart."
Hearing this, another person immediately said: "King Yan, we have got rid of Liu Chengyou's control. With such a large army, there is no need to risk life and death against the Khitans. It's nothing like before..."
Seeing this, Zhao Yanshou immediately stopped the two of them: "This is not the place to talk. You go to the warehouse and wait for me first."
Seeing Zhao Yanshou's behavior, the two of them seemed to have understood something and nodded quickly.
After the two retreated, Zhao Yanshou's face immediately turned cold. He called to a confidant and whispered: "Take a few soldiers to deal with those two people and throw them into the river. Don't make any noise. In addition,
Take over the soldiers of those two men!"
"yes!"
It is impossible to say that Zhao Yanshou has no dissatisfaction at all, but it is definitely not at this time and in this way. The implication of the two people's words is very obvious, and they have the intention of surrender. Only such idiots, villains, and ignorant people...
....
If you stay under someone else's roof, you won't have the pleasure of being the master of your own affairs!
Looking up to the north, Zhao Yanshou clenched his fists tightly. Then with an idea, he suddenly waved his hand and shouted: "Go home!"
Soon, a cry of "go home" floated on the Baigou River, full of momentum!
PS: What a waste. I thought I could finish this paragraph in a thousand words, but I ended up writing so much...