The news that the defenders of the Hukou Defense Line were defeated again reached the Jiangfang Governor's Mansion, and everyone was shocked!
Although it was known that the Yan army had fallen into the trap, everyone still did not expect such a brutal defeat. Almost all the more than 400,000 troops were killed. The troops sent to defend the country during the national war were the elite troops of the Song Dynasty!
He was defeated so miserably and so quickly!
"Xu Laiping died in battle..." Wu Qunlie, who was holding the battle report, looked up to the sky and sighed, then slumped down on the chair behind the case, "It's my fault, it's my fault!"
He knew that the evacuation order sent to Liao and Xu was too late, otherwise they would not have been defeated so miserably.
The enemy's manpower is limited, and even if they break through with all their strength, it is impossible for so many people to die.
This was the result of clinging to the Hukou Defense Line and the determination to live or die with the Hukou Defense Line, which led to such a tragic situation.
He could imagine the tragic scene of the Hukou soldiers fighting to the end. Behind him was his country and his home. The Hukou soldiers were determined to stop the enemy to the death!
"It's my fault!" Wu Qunlie kept murmuring, his eyes filled with tears.
This was obviously planned carefully by the enemy. They took action immediately after robbing the food. But here, they waited for the news and then sent the news back. In the meantime, the defenders of the Hukou Defense Line were still carrying out the task of holding the Hukou Defense Line at all costs.
The command.
The enemy's attack was based on this time difference, and his cunning schemes were linked one after another. Every step he took was under the control of the enemy, and he forced the people below to slip into the enemy's trap.
Luo Zhao knew as soon as he heard the situation that it was difficult to defend this side, but he was obviously still slow to react. If he had reacted faster and made a decisive decision to evacuate people, how could the 400,000 elite troops be destroyed?
He couldn't blame the superiors, nor could he blame the subordinates. Since he was the governor of Jiangfang and had the power to command before the war, as the head coach of one side, he should be able to withstand the pressure.
For example, Meng Shanming was able to withstand the pressure from the Yan court and insisted on attacking Song Dynasty. For example, Luo Zhao was able to withstand the pressure from the Song court and insisted on taking Yanjing.
As a soldier, you must resolutely implement military orders, but as a commander, you must have your own opinion. The situation on the battlefield is changing rapidly, and the superiors cannot have real-time insight into the battle situation. The commander cannot be a submissive yes-man. On the battlefield, he has the right to make on-the-spot decisions, but he must make decisions on the spot.
Bearing the consequences of your own decisions means you will not accept the fate of the foreign king.
Therefore, Wu Qunlie repented endlessly and blamed himself for being too conservative and not fully fulfilling his responsibilities as a coach.
…
There was silence in the main hall of the station on the way. Luo Zhao stood in front of the map and stared at it silently.
A group of people stared at Luo Zhao quietly from behind. The news of the disastrous defeat of the Hukou Defense Line came again. The 400,000 elite soldiers of the Song Dynasty were just gone. Everyone felt heavy.
First, the Hukou Defense Line was breached by the Yan Army in a surprise attack. Then the Yan Army faked defeat and surrendered the Hukou Defense Line to the Song Army. Finally, the Yan Army attacked the Hukou Defense Line again, inflicting heavy losses on the Song Army.
The Yan army only made a fuss around a Hukou defense line, and the Song army lost 600,000 elite troops. This was more than the Yan army that the Song army destroyed when it invaded the territory of Yan. How could one not feel happy?
heavy?
Luo Zhao didn't say a word after receiving the news of the tragic defeat. He didn't complain or blame anyone. He just stood quietly in front of the map.
After a long time, Luo Zhao took a deep breath and said in a calm tone: "Wu Qunlie still has almost 1.4 million troops, and Meng Shanming has at least more than 2.5 million troops. It's not appropriate to fight head-on anymore."
. Send an order to Wu Qunlie to give up head-on confrontation, and Jiang’s defense troops will turn to harassment and entanglement, consuming the Yan army!”
The Hukou defense line had been breached before, so he made concessions and ordered Wu Qunlie to abandon the defense line and use absolute superiority to annihilate the troops who had crossed the river in advance. If that didn't work, he would continue to fight. When news of the loss of 400,000 elite troops came, he realized that Wu Qunlie would be hard-pressed.
Being Meng Shanming's opponent, and having lost so many troops, he decisively made concessions again, directly asking Wu Qunlie to give up the attack, and directly adopt the strategy of consuming the Yan army.
He had no way of grasping the situation of the war in real time. Considering the strength of Wu Qunlie and Meng Shanming's confrontation, he could only choose the safest strategy.
After Wen You was silent for a while, he reminded: "Grand Governor, this kind of non-resistance strategy will be regarded as weakness and will be subject to huge criticism from the DPRK."
Luo Zhao looked at the map with an unusually calm expression, "It can be seen from this battle that Meng Shanming is indeed a famous general. With only one Hukou defense line, he played all kinds of tricks. It can be imagined that in a head-on confrontation, Wu Qunlie and the others
I'm not Meng Shanming's opponent at all. It's a pity that I can't fly back to Jiangfang immediately. If I leave, the imperial court will hear about the disastrous defeat at Hukou and will be uneasy and order the army to retreat. If I leave, no one here can withstand the pressure of the imperial court.
.So I would rather play it safe, as long as I can win in the end, and as long as the final victory belongs to the Song Dynasty, I should pay some price!"
…
In Yanjing, although the news of the Yan army's victory over the Song Dynasty's defense line had spread in the capital, there was no happy atmosphere.
Paper could not contain the fire, the Song army was getting closer and closer to Yanjing, and the news could no longer be concealed.
So what if the Yan army broke through the Song army's defense line? The entire Yan Kingdom was about to fall. The Shang Chaozong ignored the interests of Yan for his own interests.
Under the spread and instigation of thoughtful people, the attitude of the people in the capital changed. Almost everyone was cursing Shang Chaozong and Meng Shanming, almost calling them national traitors, and they wished they could be beaten to ashes!
"Good news!"
A weak sound came from outside the royal study room. A eunuch knew the current atmosphere and did not dare to say the word "good news" loudly, so he carefully brought the good news in.
Tong Mo, Shang Yongzhong, and Gao Jicheng all focused their attention on Shang Jianxiong, who was checking the news after the case.
Several disciples of the three major sects who were responsible for surveillance in the imperial study looked on with cold eyes. Ever since Shang Jianxiong mobilized troops from the north without authorization, the three major sects have treated him this way.
Shang Jianxiong showed no expression at the contents of the victory report, and passed it to Tong Mo and the others for review.
When the three of them looked at the rear, they realized that the attacking Song army had annihilated nearly 400,000 of the enemy's elite troops.
Logically speaking, this is a gratifying victory, but no one in the imperial study is happy.
Shang Yongzhong snorted coldly, "It's just a heap of human lives. When crossing the river to attack, forcing the imperial troops to lead the battle is destructive!"
At this moment, the figure of Meng Xuan, the leader of Lingjian Mountain, appeared outside the door and came in uninvited.
After standing still in the imperial study room, Meng Xuan glanced at everyone with cold eyes, and his eyes finally fell on Shang Jianxiong, "Your Majesty, the army that attacked the Song Dynasty fought to the death, and meritorious deeds should be rewarded. Why haven't you given the decree to confer the title of marquis on the two heroes?
"
Shang Jianxiong said solemnly: "A life-and-death fight? Pushing the imperial troops forward to die, just crossing a river. In an instant, 200,000 imperial troops were lost, while the princes' troops hid behind to preserve their strength! Those who died were those of the imperial court.
The men and horses use the lives of the imperial officers and soldiers, but it is the princes who are rewarded for their meritorious service. Is there such a principle in the world?"
Meng Xuan said expressionlessly, "Your Majesty is impulsive. The troops of the imperial court and the princes are all Yan's soldiers after all. The soldiers at the front are fighting bloody battles. We should encourage them and issue an order!"
The other party was suffocating and couldn't explain. He didn't bother to talk nonsense and pressed directly. Gong Linche made a promise in public on the front line that he would reply within three days. If he, Meng Xuan, was sitting in the rear, he could even do this.
If we can't figure it out, wouldn't we be trying to demolish the palace? Now is the time to work together.
Forced to do nothing, Shang Jianxiong finally obeyed the decree of the feudal lord.
…
Fenglei Hall is an important place for Qi's military aircraft. No one can enter without permission.
General Hu Yanwuhen stood in front of a map with his hands folded, sometimes staring at the map and pondering, sometimes wandering in front of the map.
What he was staring at was the map of the Dongyujiang River that separated Yan and Song. He had been here almost all the time recently, waiting for news about the war situation there at any time.
Knowing that he was paying close attention to this battle, after getting new information about the battle, the general rushed inside and presented a report: "General, the Song army at the Hukou defense line was defeated miserably, and the rations sent to the Hukou defenders were ambushed by the Yan army.
They were robbed, and the defenders were attacked from both inside and outside by the Yan army, and 400,000 men and horses were wiped out!"
Hu Yanwuhen got the battle report. After checking it in detail, he sighed and shook his head and said: "This is a fight to the death without retreating. It's a pity that we underestimated the enemy." He raised his head again and asked: "Have you found out the sneak attack before the Yan army crossed the river?
How did you cross the river?"
The general replied: "We don't know yet, but we will know sooner or later."
Huyan Wuhen waved his hand to signal him to leave, and then he stood in front of the map to think about it.
He has been thinking about this recently. The Song Army's defense line was broken bit by bit, and the entire line was loosened. He was not surprised by the disastrous defeat of the Hukou garrison. On the contrary, he was very interested in the group of people who had lurked before crossing the river.
, the Song army was in such a meticulous defensive posture, how did the Yan army lurk such a large number of troops?
Everyone in the world says: Yanshan Ming, Qi Wuhen!
But he actually didn't understand how Meng Shanming did it. According to the intelligence, the Song Army was still confused and was still defeated.
The two of them were equally famous in the world, but they couldn't figure out Meng Shanming's fighting method. He couldn't even sleep well and kept thinking about it over and over again.
As a famous general of a generation, he actually couldn't understand the tactics of other country's generals, and he couldn't even figure it out afterward. Even when Qi Emperor Hao Yuntu asked about it, he couldn't explain it. How could he feel at ease?
Thinking of the strange look in Hao Yuntu's eyes and the way he hesitated to speak, he could guess what the other person wanted to say, but he was just too embarrassed to say it out of concern for his face, which made him feel very uncomfortable.
…
As soon as the tent curtain was lifted, Luo Daan and a monk came out of the tent.
A group of people were waiting at the door. Zhang Hu couldn't help but ask, "Da'an, how is Meng Shuai doing?"
Luo Daan nodded: "Commander Meng is awake, please come in."
When entering the account, Gong Lince asked the disciple who had just come out, "How are you?"
The disciple replied: "There is no serious problem. I just took the elixir to replenish qi and blood."
Gong Lince nodded slightly and entered the tent.
Xu Jingyue stopped for a moment beside Luo Daan and asked, "Are you Luo An's eldest son?" He also heard Zhang Hu say it not long ago.
"Yes!" Luo Da'an bowed, "I have met General Xu."
Xu Jingyue turned around and waved her hand, then came over and offered a sword. Xu Jingyue took it and handed it to Luo Daan, "Your father and I are old friends. This sword is not bad. You can keep it with you for self-defense."