When the three thousand elite cavalry who made a surprise attack on the rear camp of the Tang army left Chang'an, Xie Guiwen was riding on his horse, frowning.
The confidants beside him saw this and lowered their voices and asked, "Why is the general so frowning?"
Xie Guiwen: "This trip is dangerous and unpredictable, and I feel uneasy."
The subordinate asked: "With the Tang army's defense plan in hand and the internal staff assisting us, why should the general worry so much?"
Xie Guiwen: "The Tang army's rear camp is only three miles away from the central army. If the surprise attack fails, we will definitely be attacked from both sides and have no way to escape."
Subordinate: “What should we do?”
Xie Guiwen thought for a while and said: "Divide the cavalry into two groups. One will go to the Tang Army's artillery camp to capture the craftsmen, and the other will go to the flank of the Tang Army's rear camp to make noise and attract the enemy's attention."
Upon hearing this, the subordinates quickly praised the plan.
Xie Guiwen laughed.
Although he said this, Xie Guiwen's actual idea was to let one group of troops surprise the artillery camp, while he himself would lead another group of troops to observe outside. If something happened, then the credit would still be his. If something happened,
If not, he always has a chance to escape.
Having decided on this strategy, Xie Guiwen led the army and approached the Tang army's rear camp at the agreed time.
In the dark night, two lanterns were hung one above the other on the gatehouse of the Tang Army's rear camp. It looked like the lanyards were twisted together by the wind, but in fact it was a predetermined code.
Xie Guiwen sent several cavalry from the army and asked them to go to the gate tower to wave the torches.
After a while, the city gate was opened.
Upon seeing this, Xie Guiwen first breathed a sigh of relief, and then according to the plan he had set in advance, he sent some troops into the gate and ordered them to surprise the Tang Army's artillery camp.
He himself led another group of troops around the wooden wall of the Tang army's rear camp to a location with a wide view, and quietly waited for the signal.
After about a stick of incense, fire suddenly broke out in the rear camp of the Tang army.
Everyone in the Yan army was overjoyed. Someone said to Xie Guiwen: "General, brothers have succeeded!"
Xie Guiwen looked at the firelight in the camp without any joy, but instead frowned.
When others were trying to persuade him to send troops, Xie Guiwen suddenly stood up and said in shock: "No, I've fallen into a trap!"
After saying this, Xie Guiwen ordered the soldiers of Yan Army to mount their horses and escape from this place as soon as possible.
Everyone in the Yan army was puzzled.
Xie Guiwen said: "The rear camp was attacked and fires broke out. Logically speaking, the Tang army should be in a panic at this time. But listen, the camp is in order, and there is no sound of shouting or running."
Everyone listened carefully, and indeed no panicked sounds were heard in the Tang camp.
Xie Guiwen got on his horse and urged his subordinates: "Don't hesitate! The entire army retreats!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the gate of the Tang Army's rear camp suddenly opened.
A majestic general led the Tang army's cavalry and rushed out of the camp.
Xie Guiwen used the light of the fire to see clearly the appearance of the Tang soldier, and he almost fell off his horse in fright.
That person turned out to be the God of Death Li Siye who was supposed to be seriously injured in bed.
Xie Guiwen ignored the others, waved his whip, and galloped out.
Upon seeing this, the other Yan army cavalry also quickly fled from the place.
On the road, he rode his horse and fled for several miles. When Xie Guiwen saw that no pursuers were coming, he took a long breath of relief as if he had survived a disaster.
A subordinate came closer and asked: "General Xie, those brothers who entered the Tang camp first, are you afraid that...?"
Xie Guiwen nodded lightly and sighed: "I'm afraid they are in danger... Since Li Siye appears here, it means that the insider's actions have been exposed, and the Tang army has already taken precautions."
A subordinate asked again: "If Marshal An in Chang'an City sees a fire in the rear camp, he will definitely send a large army to attack the Tang Army's center. Since the Tang Army is on guard, wouldn't it be possible for Marshal An to also...?"
Xie Guiwen was shocked, and the seeds in his head began to race rapidly.
At this time, if he led his troops to report the news to An Shouzhong, it would be too late.
The only plan now is to return to Chang'an as soon as possible and defend the city.
Thinking of this, Xie Guiwen ordered the remaining Yan army to ignore the frontal battlefield and go directly to Chang'an.
When Xie Guiwen arrived in Chang'an, the forward troops of the 60,000-strong army led by An Shouzhong suffered most of their casualties due to a gunpowder explosion in the front camp of the Tang army. Even An Shouzhong himself became a prisoner of the Tang army.
The remaining troops of the Yan army were strangled by the Tang army ambushing in Fufeng County. They were defeated like a mountain. The killed and surrendered people were scattered all over the plains, as far as the eye could see.
The first thing Xie Guiwen did when he entered Chang'an was to smear blood on his face and body, pretend to be returning from the war, and go directly to the left-behind general Tian Chengsi.
When Xie Guiwen saw Tian Chengsi, he first wanted to excuse himself. He said that Chi Qiyong, a member of the Tang army, acted carelessly and was caught, which made the Tang army prepare and set up an ambush.
He led his army to fight his way through the ambush and wanted to join most of the Yan army. However, the situation of the Yan army was so bad that he had no choice but to come to Chang'an to report the news.
Before Tian Chengsi had time to ask for details, the captain of the garrison at the west gate of Chang'an suddenly came in and said that he was the Yan Army cavalry who had previously attacked the Tang Army's rear camp. At this time, he came to the city with the captured artillery craftsman and was demanding from the city.
Open the door.
Hearing this, Tian Chengsi suddenly felt happy in his heart.
If Xie Guiwen hadn't come to report the news in time, Tian Chengsi might have really believed that the Tang army deceiving the city outside the west gate was the Yan army sent to surprise the artillery camp.
Invisibly, Xie Guiwen made a great contribution.
Thinking of this, Tian Chengsi no longer hesitated and ordered the defenders to drive away the Tang army pretending to be the Yan army with random arrows.
As the night passed, the morning light of the morning sun gradually spread towards the earth.
On the plains of Fufeng County outside Chang'an City, a war between more than 100,000 soldiers slowly came to an end.
Of the 60,000 elite Yan troops, more than 3,000 were killed in the explosion at the front camp of the Tang army. Although the Yan army's commander, An Shouzhong, miraculously survived the explosion, he was captured by the Tang army and became a prisoner.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Some of the other troops of the Yan Army that were indirectly affected by the explosion caused stampedes, internal strife and defections due to chaos, with more than 10,000 casualties.
As for the rest of the Yan army, the Tang army completed a "dumpling-making" encirclement from three directions: the central formation, the southern front and the northern front. The number of those killed, missing and captured was close to 40,000.
The total number of Yan soldiers who actually escaped back to Chang'an was less than 5,000.
However, it is a pity that Li Siye led the cavalry of the Tang army and pretended to be the Yan army, trying to deceive the Chang'an city gate, but was discovered by the Yan army general Tian Chengsi.
Otherwise, with this great victory in Fufeng County, the Tang army could have the final say and completely capture the city of Chang'an.
After this battle, the comparison of military strength between the Tang Army and the Yan Army has undergone earth-shaking changes.
The Tang army had nearly 150,000 troops, while the Yan army in Chang'an had less than 8,000 guards.
Although the Tang army had used up all the gunpowder in its inventory during the ambush in the front camp and could no longer use artillery attacks, the Yan army's insufficient number and the wide defensive area of Chang'an City had meant that the Yan army did not have enough troops to attack.
Guard every section of the city wall.
General Tian Chengsi was left with only one choice.
That is to take advantage of the fact that the Tang army did not encircle Chang'an, conserve precious troops, completely abandon the city, and evacuate towards Tongguan.
In the third year of Tianyou's reign, at the end of July, Tian Chengsi led the remaining troops and withdrew from Chang'an City.
The army under Guo Ziyi finally entered the Tang capital that had been in enemy hands for several years.
The city of Chang'an was recovered and included in the territory of the Northern Tang Dynasty.
At the same time, Zhou Jun, the prime minister of the Northern Tang Dynasty, set out from Liangcheng and went south to Chang'an.
In the capital of the Tang Dynasty, there was another tough battle waiting for him.