When Xiao Tang and Cai Chi, supported by generals such as Pei Zhong and Wu Jie, went to Yan'an Prefecture to reorganize for a few days, and then set off northward to enter the territory of Sui Dezhou, military officials came from the battle report from the front saying that Zhongshi Dao, Zhongshi Dao
He led Yao Pingzhong, Yang Keshi, Qu Ke and other generals to build Xicheng Village on one side of the Hulu River, and on the other hand, they lined up to confront the Xia army who led the army to attack on both sides of the river; Liu Fa commanded Kang Jiong, Zhu Dingguo and other generals.
The troops made a circuitous attack on the west side of Hengshan Mountain in Xia State; Liu Zhongwu commanded the Jingnan Army in Hedong and Jiazhou on the west bank of the Yellow River; Tong Guan assembled several troops and stood in Zhenrong Prefecture (today's Guyuan City, Ningxia) on the western front, preparing for a comprehensive
Capture Hengshan, the barrier of Xia Kingdom.
When a group of chariots rushed to Linxia City, the entire army was already exhausted. By chance, "Boom!" was another huge thunder that shook the heaven and earth, shaking the flat ground like a tremor.
Heavy raindrops fell in torrents, and the civilian servicemen scolded, "This thief doesn't pick a good time to rain," while struggling to drive livestock and vehicles piled high with clothes, coats, and grain on the muddy road.
The officers escorting the escort ran before and after the car battle, giving orders and maintaining order so that the baggage convoy could rush into the city as quickly as possible.
The fiery red horse under its crotch suddenly snorted, and it stamped its hooves uneasily. The battle helmet Xiao Tang wore was also being beaten by the rain, and the cape wrapped around him
It had been completely wet by the rain, but Xiao Tang stood upright on horseback, stopping to look at the not-so-large Linxia City in front of him, and then looked to the west, staring at a blurry and misty rain a few miles away.
silhouette of Hengshan mountain forest.
The fog envelopes the mountain, and the mountain locks the fog, not to mention the thousands of peaks and valleys in the mountain. The terrain is very complex, which adds an illusory and misty veil to the dangerous mountain. Xiao Tang thought to himself that this is the corner of Hengshan, the natural chasm that Xia Kingdom relies on.
, every time there is a war between Song and Xia, and Hengshan tribes invade in large numbers, they must be the vanguard. At this time, how many Xia soldiers and horses are sneaking and ambushing in Hengshan?
At this time, Wu Jie also rode his horse in the rain and rushed to Xiao Tang. He hurriedly crossed his hands in salute and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Marshal Xiao! The generals and the escorting troops will not be in charge of the transportation of the heavy supplies into the city."
Just come and take care of it, please ask Xiao Jieshuai to go into the city to rest first."
"I am also a soldier who has been in the army for a long time, and I am not that rich. Has Xianggong Cai already entered the city and made arrangements?"
After hearing Wu Jie's response, Xiao Tang turned around and asked him again: "Commander Wu, although I am not a member of the Western Army in Bianting, I have long heard that the Hengshan tribe is scattered in rock valleys and controls dangerous places.
The tribesmen who go up and down the hillsides and go in and out of streams are even more fierce and good at fighting. As an officer from Jingyuan Road, you have more experience in fighting with the Xia army. From what you have seen, will the enemy army rely on the geographical advantage to sneak attack on our army?
Hinterland?”
Wu Jie's face condensed, and he raised his head again. He saw Xiao Tang looking at him with burning eyes. He also knew that the Xiao Jieshuai in front of him, who was famous in the military circles of the Song Dynasty, was not as good as Cai Chi, who was afraid of swords.
After being fooled, he also said frankly: "How dare Wei Jiang hide something from Commander Xiao Jie? Judging from the future, it is not impossible. The Xia thieves are good at using detours to outflank our army's retreat. But now I
The soldiers of the Song Dynasty sent out three routes to invade the Xia territory. If the enemy troops crossed the mountains and ridges to sneak attack on the villages in Suidezhou, they would be in greater danger. Once our army came to camp, we followed Zhangzhuang Jian's method of cutting away the land and cannibalizing it.
After all, the Xia army does not have an advantage in terms of strength, and it will inevitably be stretched in multi-front operations. Secondly, this place is adjacent to Hedong Road to the north and Yan'an Prefecture to the south. Even if the Xia thieves break several military strongholds, what can be done?"
After hearing this, Xiao Tang shook his head and said leisurely: "However, all warriors rely on perfect combinations and unexpected victories. Nowadays, most of the supplies for our army's troops on the eastern front are stationed in Linxia City, Kerong Village and other military towns. Among them, if the Xia Kingdom intends to march in danger... it would be miraculous if they must gather troops and raid the villages in Suidezhou."
Raindrops fell from the edge of Wu Jie's helmet. Xiao Tang couldn't see Wu Jie's expression clearly for a while, but after a moment, he heard Wu Jie suddenly say: "If I don't do it for Xia The army commander, in this situation, may plan to make a surprise attack on the enemy's rear."
Xiao Tang nodded when he heard the words. He now also knew the real thoughts in Wu Jie's heart. The Xia army has always been better at mobile raids than the Song army due to its advantages of mountain infantry and horse archers. In the previous Song-Xia wars, the Song army The country was also troubled by the Xia army's roundabout attack style of encircling points for reinforcements. It was not until the Yuanyou period that the famous civil and military official Zhang Kai, based on many years of combat experience in the Song Dynasty, proposed a combination of fortress tactics and shallow attack tactics to cyclically encroach. After adopting the strategic policy of the Xia Kingdom's border, the Song army gradually suppressed the Xia Kingdom in the battle and took the dominant advantage.
It's just that since the Xia army is very good at winning by surprise, winning by surprise is a strategy that the Xia army is very good at. Linxia City in Suidezhou can now be regarded as an important rear military base for the Song army to attack the Xia army, although the Xia army had to gradually shrink under the siege of the Song army. The defense line, but the Song-Xia front stretched for hundreds of miles. The Xia army took advantage of the main force of the Song army to gradually engulf the Hengshan barrier, and the possibility of plagiarism stabbing the enemy's rear... was not impossible. .
"Send the order and teach the officers and men of the three armies to be on strict alert. Cai Xianggong and the grain and grass supplies on the eastern front are hoarded here, and there must be no room for loss."
Xiao Tang just gave the order, and then he breathed a long sigh of relief and said: "It would be peaceful if the Xia thieves don't come, but if you really plan to attack the villages in Suidezhou in a roundabout way... at least you can teach me how to send Instead of waiting eagerly for the success of the generals of the Western Army, I had to give up my wish to make contributions in the side court."
After hearing Xiao Tang sigh leisurely, Wu Jie, who lowered his head solemnly, seemed to have a flash of light in his eyes. He raised his head slightly and glanced at Xiao Tang, who was looking at Hengshan in the distance. The corners of his mouth were slightly raised unnoticeably. stand up.
At this time, the heavy rain gradually stopped, but suddenly there was a shrill scream of an eagle in the sky. A goshawk pierced the sky and flew several times in the air. The goshawk slowly headed towards Linxia City from the main line. The Song Army chariots flew hundreds of feet above their heads at high speed. When they soared into the deep valley of Hengshan Mountain in the hazy rain and fog, they suddenly gathered their wings and swooped down.
Several figures suddenly emerged from the depths of the dense forest in Hengshan. Those men all had their hair braided and wore large fur-brown felts. One of them stood up and stretched out his right arm with a leather gauntlet. The goshawk looked aside. It flapped its wings, stretched out two paws, and landed firmly on his right hand.
The man's face was gloomy, and he used his pair of sharp eyes like an eagle to look through the deep valleys and mountains, looking at the outline of Linxia City and the large number of Song Army chariots meandering into the city for a moment, and then he let the eagle climb on his shoulders, and then He took off the bamboo tube tied to the eagle's foot. The man took out a piece of paper and wrote a dozen Tangut scripts on the paper. Then he stuffed the paper into the bamboo tube and tied it to the eagle's foot. He waved his arms and let the canang go. The eagle spread its wings again and flew to the west.
The man immediately gave an order to the people behind him: "Inform the leaders of the five divisions of Hengshan and the dispatched Bubazi that the captured army has arrived at the border of Jingbian. Teach them to lead the subordinates to coordinate with the army...
..The report from the spies in Sui Dezhou was accurate. Not only did the Song army station a large amount of grain and grass in Linxia City, but it seems that the several generals they transferred were also respected figures in the Song army."
