The battle of Jiangcheng took only half a day from the confrontation between the two armies to the end.
When Guo Ziyi's troops besieged the Southern Tang army from three directions: east, west, north and west, the Southern Tang general Sun Pin actually ignored the battle situation and quietly escaped from the camp and fled all the way south.
After learning that their general had escaped, the Southern Tang troops completely lost their fighting spirit and surrendered to the Northern Tang.
As a result, after the battle was won, the 50,000-strong Southern Tang army lost no more than 10,000 casualties, but more than 30,000 surrendered.
After the whole battle, the only threat to the Northern Tang army was when Xue Nanyang's 800 cavalry troops attacked the Jiangcheng camp.
After winning the battle, Guo Ziyi held a military meeting at Jiangcheng Camp.
When the military meeting began, Guo Ziyi said in a deep voice: "I was in the Chinese army and encountered a surprise attack by the enemy's cavalry. I almost ended up in Jiangcheng!"
Hearing this, all the generals in the Northern Tang Dynasty lowered their heads one after another, not daring to look at Guo Ziyi.
The military strength of the Northern Tang Dynasty was more than twice that of the Southern Tang Dynasty, and they were besieged on three sides, but the commander was almost killed by the enemy cavalry. If this kind of thing spread to Liangcheng, everyone would probably suffer.
Guo Ziyi asked Duan Xiushi: "Have you figured out the new firearms used by the enemy?"
Duan Xiushi replied: "I understand, the Southern Tang Dynasty manufactured a batch of small long cannons. The shells used were not hollow shells, but hollowed out and filled with wolfsbane and burning powder. The firearms responsible for the manufacture
They are a group of alchemists, and the leader of these alchemists is a Taoist named Li Mi."
Guo Ziyi was stunned, and repeated the name Li Mi several times, and said to herself: "Is it possible that he is the disciple of Prime Minister Zhang Jiuling, the Li Mi who accompanied the prince to learn Taoism?"
Kong You said from the side: "If Li Mi made this new type of firearm, then it is best to catch him as soon as possible and find out whether the Puppet Tang Dynasty has other weapons."
Guo Ziyi nodded and explained to Duan Xiushi: "Where are Sun Pin and those fleeing Puppet Tang generals going now?"
Duan Xiushi: "Fleeing south from Jiangcheng, he should have fled to the Wen County area."
Guo Ziyi: "Chu Gongzhao leads three thousand Qingqi and ambushes on the south path. He should be able to meet the fleeing enemies. But for the sake of safety, you choose a cavalry general and order him to lead the Qingqi. Now set off from Jiangcheng and go all the way.
Search south and be sure to catch this Li Mi!"
Duan Xiushi bowed and said: "General, I will go now."
After Duan Xiushi left the tent, Guo Ziyi remembered something and asked his generals: "The man who made the surprise attack on the camp is named Xue Nanyang. Has his body been properly placed?"
A general replied: "Commander, according to your instructions, Xue Nanyang's body has been properly placed."
Guo Ziyi: "Okay, this man is a bloody man, let's bury him generously."
The general calls you.
That evening, as the sun set, Chu Gongzhao, who was setting up an ambush in the south, led three thousand cavalry troops and escorted a group of prisoners to the Jiangcheng camp.
Guo Ziyi was overjoyed to hear that Chu Gongzhao had captured the Southern Tang general Sun Pin.
Guo Ziyi asked Chu Gong again whether Li Mi was among the prisoners, but was told that Li Mi was not among the deserters and that he had disappeared.
Guo Ziyi couldn't help but feel disappointed when she learned that Li Mi had not been caught.
The officer in the army counted the prisoners and found that of the entire Southern Tang army, less than 300 people managed to escape.
Most of the Southern Tang generals, including the general Sun Pin, became prisoners of the Northern Tang army.
In the Battle of Jiangcheng, for the Northern Tang Dynasty, except for the small episode of Xue Nanyang, the rest was a complete victory.
On the other hand, the Southern Tang Dynasty had an army of 50,000 when they set out, but only 300 people escaped when they returned.
But among these three hundred people, there was an important figure who was ignored. This person was Cao Qingfan, the supervisor.
On his way back to Jiankang, Cao Qingfan was terrified and worried about being punished by the emperor.
Therefore, in response to Jiangcheng's defeat, Cao Qingfan thought hard and found a reason to shirk responsibility, that is, the Southern Tang army was at odds with its generals.
The main force of the Southern Tang army was originally under Lai Qi's command.
This time, the imperial court arrested Lai Yi and handed over these troops to the leadership of Sun Pin. Lai Yi's old troops were already resentful.
After the war began, the actions of Lai Qi's old troops were contrary to the orders of the general Sun Pin several times.
Among them, Xue Nanyang, the assistant general of the cavalry army, left his post without authorization and attacked the enemy's camp, disrupting the strategic deployment of the Southern Tang Army, causing flaws in the military formation, and causing chaos in the army.
With this rhetoric in mind, Cao Qingfan returned to Jiankang to meet the Holy Spirit.
When they heard about the huge defeat in the Battle of Jiangcheng, the entire Southern Tang court was shocked.
Emperor Li Yu almost lost his breath. He urgently summoned the imperial doctor and performed some treatment before he regained his composure.
After Li Yu slowly woke up, he faced the civil and military forces of the court and said with tears in his eyes: "Fifty thousand soldiers died in Jiangcheng. I was at fault and I am ashamed of the late emperor!"
At this time, Cao Qingfan told Li Yu the prepared speech.
After Li Yu heard this, he became furious: "Xue Nanyang has lost his mind! He disobeyed military orders and left his post without permission, causing chaos in our army... and those old troops from Laiyi who don't know the general situation are all hateful!
"
Among the civil and military officials of the Southern Tang Dynasty, sensible ministers noticed that Cao Qingfan's remarks were a bit strange and asked: "Why did Xue Nanyang attack the Jiangcheng camp with eight hundred cavalry troops? This was an act of seeking death. Is it possible that Xue Nanyang himself didn't know it?"
"
For these problems, Cao Qingfan was well prepared: "The alchemists in the army built dozens of artillery pieces, and under the instruction of Daozhang Li, they fired volleys at the enemy's front line, causing chaos in the enemy's army. Xue Nanyang relied on his bravery and thought it was an opportunity to defeat the enemy.
has arrived, so he suddenly charged out, attracting many of our soldiers to join him in the battle. However, such reckless behavior not only failed to defeat the enemy, but also gave the enemy an opportunity to take advantage of it, which ultimately led to a great defeat."
Hearing this, Li Yu asked Cao Qingfan, "Where is Mr. Li Daochang?"
Cao Qingfan thought in his mind that when the army was defeated, Li Mi had already fled without a trace. He must have no face to return to Jiankang City, so he said: "Daozhang Li disappeared during the war, and now there is no news."
Li Yu didn't doubt that he was there, he sighed and closed his eyes.
After the news of Jiangcheng's defeat spread throughout Jiankang City, no matter whether it was the court, the people or the army, they were all enveloped in an indescribable atmosphere of despair.
Most of the troops in the Southern Tang Dynasty were soldiers who had not fought in the war. Only the 50,000 elite soldiers in the Baling area still had fighting strength.
But now, these 50,000 elite soldiers are completely gone, and the Southern Tang Dynasty has also reached the edge of defeat.
In the prison, Lai Yi heard from the jailer that Jiangcheng was defeated. He was angry and frustrated, and shouted every day to ask for a face-to-face meeting.
After this incident reached Li Yu's ears.
The emperor was already in a state of depression and did not want to see him at all, so he sent the eunuch Cao Qingfan to meet Lai Yi in the heavenly prison to see what he wanted to say.
Cao Qingfan had always disliked Lai Yi and was worried that if the latter regained the favor of the Holy Family, it might be detrimental to him after gaining power.
So, after a trip to the heavenly prison, Cao Qingfan came back and reported to the emperor: "Lai Yi was so proud that he talked about his previous achievements every day, and also laughed at the imperial court for being ignorant and ignorant of generals. He also said that what happened next
Your Majesty must use him in the war, otherwise the Tang Dynasty will be in danger."
Hearing this, Li Yu, who was already on the verge of mental collapse, became even more furious.
In his mind, Lai Ai's old troops disobeyed military orders and Xue Nanyang attacked without permission, which was the main reason for Jiangcheng's defeat.
Lai Yi actually dares to speak nonsense in the prison. This kind of person should not live in the world at all.
Therefore, Li Yu issued an imperial edict and gave Qi a glass of poisonous wine, ordering him to drink poison and commit suicide.
Facing the imperial edict of death, looking at the poisonous wine in the cup, Lai Yi felt nothing more sad than the heartbroken Lai Yi. Not only did he not feel sad, but he burst into laughter.
He first drank the poisoned wine, and then said to the chamberlain who delivered the order: "I will tell your Majesty something for me. After I die, cut off my head and hang it at the gate of Jiankang City. I want to see it."
Look, the country of the Tang Dynasty was finally defeated by whose hands!"
After saying this, Laiyi bled to death from his seven orifices.