Although the decision was made to cross the quicksand to the south and raid the remnants of the Liao army, there was no rush when it was actually implemented. Of course, there was no rush even if we wanted to. The biggest problem was the distance of the journey and the communication of information.
Therefore, the two sides agreed on a relatively loose time of one month to advance from north to south and jointly attack the remnants of the Liao army entrenched in the Western Regions.
On the expeditionary force's side, they felt hope, had a clear goal, and their efficiency and enthusiasm were at an all-time high. Under the command of Yang Ye, they prepared for the southern crossing in an orderly and steady manner.
The most important thing was to detect the march route and prepare enough military supplies. After Wang Shenqi's month-long exploration of the march route, he hit the wall several times and finally found a relatively safe route by relying on the local indigenous people.
aisle.
As for military supplies, they had less scruples. They looted the surrounding areas, scraped the ground, and even fished from the lake in order to obtain a large amount of supplies in a short period of time to support the march and combat consumption.
Although the former suffered setbacks, Yang Ye's ambition was still there and he was unwilling to settle and would rather give it another try. Therefore, he also showed a determination and momentum to risk everything, which was felt by all the soldiers above and below him.
The officers and soldiers of the expeditionary force are also packing up their troops, cheering up, and preparing for the journey again. Their swords are being polished, their armors are being repaired, their combat skills are recovering, and their fighting spirit, inspired by Yang Ye, is soaring.
Yang Ye did not use many cumbersome words to confuse the soldiers. He only announced that there was only a narrow stretch of desert, two short, old and depressed cities, and thousands of helpless and weak enemies before he could return home.
Nothing can touch the hearts of soldiers and inspire the ambitions of wanderers more than the word "go home"!
On February 17, the ninth year of Kaibao in the Han Dynasty, the spring breeze was getting warmer, and the simple flag was still high. The soldiers of the expeditionary army came out empty camp, fully equipped, and lined up in the tidal flats by the Yizhi River. Compared with the original group of people
The large, well-equipped Han army was much different in terms of equipment and image, but after a month of armed preparations, the pride and temperament that looked down on the world once again appeared in the soldiers of the expeditionary force.
Yang Ye, Wang Yansheng, and Wang Shenqi sat upright, facing the soldiers, doing a final inspection before the attack. Yang Ye was also very satisfied with the military appearance and momentum, and at the same time he was filled with emotion. He seemed to have seen the original army again.
He swore to go north and follow them to attack the Han cavalry in Mobei without hesitation.
Wang Yansheng remained ill, but he still stubbornly rode alone, unwilling to leave the soldiers or lie on a stretcher. He was as stubborn as if he was about to complete the last leg of his military journey. This man certainly had various problems.
, but his tenacity and pride that have never weakened are very admired, especially for military lieutenants, and are a personality charm worthy of their lives.
Over the years, I have heard that Wang Yansheng was unruly, bullied others, and acted recklessly, but there has never been any news that he lacked military morale and was incompetent in running the army.
Yang Yanzhao was also in the army. Wang Yansheng once suggested that he should go back with the Liu Fang brothers, but Yang Ye refused. However, Yang Yanzhao had no complaints about this. He was like a loyal soldier, holding on firmly. He had already been able to
A general who could single-handedly command thousands or even tens of thousands of troops could now only lead a mere five hundred soldiers.
Even so, it was Yang Ye, Wang Yansheng, and Wang Shenqi who were the number one generals. They were not protected by their fathers, but came out with one man, one horse, one sword and one sword. They were even deliberately suppressed by Yang Ye.
The father and son just looked at each other. Yang Yanzhao was solemn and solemn, while Yang Ye remained calm. His eyes crossed each other and he glanced around again. Yang Ye didn't make any long speech. He just raised his arms and said loudly: "Go home!"
After saying that, all the soldiers in the army shouted "go home" together. Two thousand people shouted with the momentum of twenty thousand people, which shocked the fish in the river and the birds and animals in the forest.
Following Yang Ye's order, he went on an expedition to the Han cavalry, riding horses and driving camels, crossing the water and crossing the Yizhi River. Then, under the guidance of scouts and guides, he headed towards the desert Gobi in the south, with the goal directly in front of him.
Refers to Beiting City several hundred miles away.
At the same time, as the Han army marched westward after the beginning of spring, the already tense situation in the Western Regions was like adding a basin of oil to the burning firewood.
Originally, the Helong army came from afar and needed to rest and recuperate. Guo Jin also chose to take his time and prepare for the war calmly and steadily. However, the news from the expeditionary army forced him to change his plan. This change meant that the invasion was like fire.
Can't wait.
Wang Yinwu acted very diligently in the liaison and attack matters, and he did not dare to neglect his efforts. Not to mention whether he could offend Yang Ye and Wang Yansheng, the second prince Liu Fang, who was watching the matter personally, did not dare to delay or neglect.
Liu Fang was okay, mature and sensible, but the young King of Wei Liu Min was not so easy to serve. Even when he followed Wang Yinwu back to Hexi, Liu Fang oppressed him with his brother's majesty.
The Liu Fang brothers were driven away by Yang Ye and felt depressed. The way to release them was to work hard to encourage the Han army in the Western Regions to fight northward. Although they did not have any command authority over the Western Region armies, the two princes came to the army in person.
Not many generals can truly escape this influence, and with the support of Hexi bosses like Lu Duoxun and Wang Yinwu, they have to do their best.
The invitation to fight is in line with military rules and is not a speculative adventure. To the north, there is the Mobei Expeditionary Force, Yang Ye, and Wang Yansheng. Even if he is targeting these people, Guo Jin will not sit back and wait.
The Liu Fang brothers and Wang Yinwu and their entourage spent a full twenty days and traveled more than 1,400 miles in circles before returning to Guazhou. They then worked non-stop to spread the news about the military situation.
Therefore, starting from the end of early February, the Han army in the entire Western Region was mobilized. The vast number of military and political officials in the northwest also responded to orders and cooperated with the army in the expedition, and they were very dedicated.
This is probably the pressure that started from the Liu Fang brothers and continued to exert pressure. Of course, the source may have to be traced back to Emperor Liu. The reason why Yang Ye asked Liu Fang to return to Hexi may not be because he wanted to supervise the efficiency of military affairs in Hexi and the Western Regions.
Of course, if the two brothers were left in the army and went south together, the effect would not be bad or even better. However, Yang Ye was really unwilling and did not dare to let the two highnesses go on adventures with them anymore. He could take
If you fall in love with your own son, even if both father and son die together, it is not worth fearing.
From the time he received the news, it took Guo Jin only five days to formulate a battle plan, prepare for the battle, deploy troops and generals, and work hard to dispatch the troops.
On February 15th, Guo Jin left 15,000 troops with the Han general Cui Han to monitor the Black Khan army in the direction of Yanqi, while he and Tuoba Sizhong led the Han army's infantry, cavalry and Uighur servants.
A total of more than 27,000 troops marched north from Gaochang, aiming directly at Luntai. This was two days earlier than the agreed date for the troops to enter. In the Western Region, where the stalemate had been calm for nearly half a year, the war started again, and once it broke out,
It's a lively, three-party entanglement.
Facing the attack of the Han army, the Liao army was naturally well prepared. However, its strength was lacking and its conditions were limited. Even if it was prepared, it would be caught off guard.
In the past, the reason why they were able to persevere with only thousands of remnant soldiers, apart from the restraints of the Black Khan Army, was that they relied on the natural dangers of the Tianshan Mountains and a white water fortress on the road from Gaochang to Luntai, which had a unique defensive advantage.
When Yelu Xiezhen was marching to the west, he did not dare to confront the enemy head-on.
Guo Jin also sent troops and brigades several times to capture Baishui Fortress, but they all ended in failure. Now he came back and used all his strength from the beginning to attack with all his strength, using all available weapons suitable for siege.
came out, and did not hesitate to inflict casualties on the army.
On the garrison side, it is a situation of one ebb and flow. With the current manpower in Luntai and Beiting, it is really difficult to support thousands of Liao troops. The weak rule is always in a state of wavering, fighting alone.
With nothing to rely on, the news of the disastrous defeat on the frontal battlefield further severely damaged the morale of the remaining Liao troops. A harsh winter further reduced their combat power and will.
Since ancient times, there have been all invincible passes, and the same is true for Baishui Fortress. After a few months, the Liao army was already in dire straits, and when faced with the unreserved and fierce attack of the Han army, they could not withstand it.
In just two days, Baishui Fortress fell, and even failed to wait until Luntai reinforcements arrived. Guo Jin, the commander-in-chief of the Han army, stepped into Baishui Fortress with a victorious attitude and defeated the blocked enemy.
The fortress that had held him for half a year was trampled under his feet.
The defending Liao army only suffered more than 300 casualties, and the rest all surrendered. Even after a good meal, they were allowed to defect, actively informing the Liao army in the Western Region of the inside story, and leading the way for the Han army.
After the Baishui Fortress was lowered, there were no fortresses and dangerous passes to defend in the Luntai area. It could be said that the road was smooth. Guo Jin took advantage of the situation and marched into the army and fought an encounter. King Yelu Dilie of Liao'an, who personally led the army to come to the rescue, was defeated again.
At the hands of the Han army, he was almost captured alive, and finally escaped back to Luntai City in embarrassment.
On the 19th, Baishui Fortress fell; on the 20th, Yelu's enemies were defeated; by the 22nd, the Han army had surrounded Luntai City. This was the first time that hundreds of troops had come here since Guo Jin's Western Expedition.
Years later, the flag of the Han people once again flew in this ancient Luntai with profound historical roots.
This time, the Liao army did not react, and neither did the Black Khan army!
The Liao army had nowhere to escape, nowhere to hide, and was powerless to resist. The Black Khans did not expect that after a winter, the Liao army, which had suffered many losses for them, would be so vulnerable.