When the battle to defend the capital was in full swing, An Wenxiu dispatched more than 100,000 storm troops and began to march east toward Ludong, hoping to cut off the retreat route of the Shanhaiguan garrison to the south.
However, neither An Wenxiu nor Phantom expected that Zhan Ying had been building ships in Northern Xinjiang for the past year, and at this moment, the fleet supporting the Shanhaiguan garrison had arrived at the Bohai Bay.
Of course, Li Xianjing is not a vegetarian either.
He learned that hundreds of thousands of storm troops were preparing to attack his retreat, so he immediately mobilized all the cavalry in his hands to take the initiative to fight.
Yumen Pass, which has high hopes from the world, failed to play its due role in this catastrophe.
For more than a year, except for the Dragon Gate Battle at Yumen Pass last year, the Phantom Princess has never launched a decent attack.
At this moment, she was not in a hurry to attack Yumen Pass, but was drinking wine in the camp and reviewing the battle reports coming from the direction of the capital.
She wasn't in a hurry, but Zhao Zian was.
The defenders of Yumen Pass can be said to be the most powerful elites in the world.
At this moment, while An Wenxiu was attacking the capital, he had sent hundreds of thousands of heavenly troops towards Tongguan.
The heavy snow has not completely melted, and the main force at Yumen Pass has not had time to retreat. Once Tongguan is breached, the land in the pass will fall, directly threatening the tens of millions of defenders at Yumen Pass.
At this moment, Zhao Zian convened a military meeting with the generals from all sides in the commander's tent.
Qu Jiuyuan, who came to guard the south, all attended the meeting.
Dozens of generals with heavy troops gathered in front of the battle map and looked at the arrows on it.
A general said: "Young Marshal, An Wenxiu's hundreds of thousands of troops are now less than three hundred miles away from Tongguan. They will launch an attack on Tongguan in three days at the latest.
Once Tongguan is lost, our Yumenguan will be completely passive and must immediately send troops to support."
"Reinforcements are of no use. In the past ten years, our main defense has been placed at the three major passes. The Tongguan city wall is only ten feet high.
, simply unable to stop several rounds of attacks from the Celestial Legion.
If we expect to stick to Tongguan, I think it is better to stick to Chang'an. At least the city wall of Chang'an is tall and can delay the attack of the heavenly army, buying time for our main force to retreat."
"It's necessary. Sticking to one place will only lead to death. I think it's better to move to the Qinling Mountains and fight guerrillas."
"Fighting guerrillas? The nearly one million troops who withdrew from Niangziguan last year entered the Taihang Mountains to fight guerrillas. What happened now? Either they were recruited by the Heavenly Realm and became a servant army, or they were eaten as rations by the Heavenly Realm Army.
Loyal bones are buried everywhere in the mountains, so there is no need to wrap their bodies in horse leather. We soldiers should have the courage to face the national calamity together."
Many generals began to quarrel fiercely.
Zhao Zian slammed the table and said angrily: "How long has it been and you are still arguing?"
His voice immediately silenced the situation.
Zhao Zian looked at Qu Jiuyuan, whom he valued most.
Said: "General Qu, how do you think we should respond?"
Qu Jiuyuan said: "Tongguan cannot be defended."
He just said these five words.
Zhao Zian sighed and said: "I don't know, but... at the current speed of retreat, it will take at least three months.
I need a strong general to keep An Wenxiu's hundreds of thousands of troops and his millions of servants in the middle of Guanzhong, and we must not let them cross Hexi."
The generals who were shouting and arguing just now suddenly lowered their heads.
They know this mission is a life-or-death mission.
They don't want to be sent to Guanzhong to resist this heavenly enemy.
Seeing these people being silent, Zhao Zian felt sad.
"
Raising troops for a thousand days and using them for a while, who of you is willing to support Guanzhong?"
Still didn't speak.
Qu Jiuyuan looked at everyone and suddenly took a step forward.
I'm getting ready to take on this job.
Suddenly, a white hand pressed his shoulder.
Qu Jiuyuan looked back and was stunned.
I saw a fair and frail young man, wearing black armor and carrying a long knife at his waist, slowly walking out.
The young man said: "Guanzhong...Leave Guanzhong to me."
Seeing this young man, the faces of all the proud soldiers in the room suddenly changed.
Many generals who had been silent before knelt down on one knee.
He shouted: "Commander, the general is willing to guard Guanzhong."
"As long as the general is still breathing, the enemy will never be allowed to cross Hexi..."
"I will go where I will in the end!"
"The last general invites you to fight!"
These warriors definitely did not volunteer because they saw this young man being more heroic than themselves and felt they had lost face.
But this young man's identity is very special.
His name is Yang Huaian.
The only son of Yang Zhentian, the former coach of the Zhenxi Army.
Four years ago, he inherited his father's title and became the commander-in-chief of the Zhenxi Army.
Yang Huaian, who just turned 20 this year, has been leading troops in the military camp and has no heirs left.
Many of the generals present were former subordinates of Yang Zhentian.
They would never let Yang Zhentian's only flesh and blood die on the battlefield.
Therefore, each one of them was as if they had been given a shot of chicken blood, patting their chests and promising that as long as they guard Guanzhong, they will definitely be able to fight off the invading enemies from the heavens...
Many generals also issued military orders on the spot.
Zhao Zian ignored these generals who asked for military leave, his eyes fixed on the thin
Weak Yang Huaian.
Said: "Huai'an, please step back."
Yang Huaian shook his head and said: "Back then, my father guarded Wangfu Ridge and Duoshi Peak outside Yingzui Cliff for more than a year, and he turned the tide of the war.
Today it's my turn to go to the battlefield.
Commander, except for the Zhenxi Army, no other team can complete this task. Just let me go."
"No!"
"Young Marshal, think twice. Huai'an is still young and has no experience in fighting with a large corps. Let me go..."
Zhao Zi'an's best candidate is Yang Huaian, because the Zhenxi Army in his hands has the strongest combat power and the highest fighting spirit.
However, he also considered Yang Huaian's special status.
Therefore, he settled for the next best thing and planned to send Qu Jiuyuan to Guanzhong.
Use Chang'an and Qinling as strongholds to block the heavenly army.
What he didn't expect was that young Yang Huaian actually asked for a fight on his own initiative.
He is hesitating.
His eyes were fixed on Yang Huaian's eyes.
From this young man's eyes, Zhao Zian saw the figure of Yang Zhentian in the past.
After a moment, Zhao Zian withdrew his gaze.
He said loudly: "Pass this command..."
"Commander..."
Many people still want to beg for mercy.
But Zhao Zian glanced at them, and these people did not dare to say any more.
Zhao Zian said slowly: "Order Yang Huaian to lead the Sixteenth Guards of the Zhenxi Army and then go to Guanzhong.
Mingqu Jiuyuan is a pioneer, leading 700,000 troops. He must reach Chang'an before the heavenly army conquers Tongguan..."
Zhao Zian issued a series of personnel appointments.
A total of about three million elite troops were mobilized from Yumen Pass to support the battlefield in Guanzhong.
He didn't know that in this battle, Yang Huaian would become as famous as his father.