The more people remained silent, the angrier Yelu Zongyuan became. As the saying goes, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. He originally thought that today's battle would break through the Liaoyang Mansion, but the sudden change made him lose his mind.
"No, I have devoted all the power of the country, but I can't do anything to stop the Jurchen rebels? When did Daliao become so weak? You must not have tried your best. Some of you have a tacit understanding with the Jurchens and Wanyan Agu.
If you want to destroy Daliao, you want to destroy me. I warn you, if you are found to be involved in this, I will destroy his entire clan!" Yelu Zongyuan angrily slapped the table and shouted.
The expressions of the civil and military officials changed. Some looked astonished and were shocked by the emperor's words. Others showed sarcasm, thinking that it was unreasonable for the emperor to say such crazy things at this time.
Prime Minister Han Yanshou really couldn't remain silent. He frowned and looked extremely serious. At this time, the emperor's words were obviously not conducive to the war. It would make everyone panic and put everyone in danger. Yes.
Shaking the morale of the military will not have the effect of motivating and promoting at all. These words are ill-considered.
"Your Majesty, please calm down the thunderous anger and listen to what I have to say," Han Yanshou said.
Yelu Zong snorted angrily and said in a deep voice: "What does the prime minister have to say? Just say it."
Han Yanshou bowed to thank him, and although his old voice was low, he said clearly: "Today's battle failed to achieve success, and the emperor's anger is understandable. However, victory or defeat is a common thing for military strategists. Although our army suffered more than 40,000 losses,
, the siege plan has been blocked, but the victory or defeat has not yet come yet. The outcome is still unknown. Your Majesty cannot blame the soldiers who are attacking the city today. Today, I am watching the battle. Our Daliao warriors are still attacking with all their strength, and it is rare to be slack in fighting.
At this time, the emperor must not make excuses and blame the soldiers. What we need to do now is to regroup, gather our confidence, and come out of today's defeat. Continue the attack and win."
Yelu Zongyuan looked a little ugly. Han Yanshou actually criticized him directly for his improper words, which made him even more angry. However, Han Yanshou was a person he relied on very much. Yelu Zongyuan could not listen to anyone, but he must listen.
Han Yanshou. Han Yanshou was the biggest guarantee that he could be emperor with peace of mind. He was the communicator between himself and a group of courtiers and nobles who were dissatisfied with his seizure of the throne. With him, Daliao could at least maintain a semblance of unity.
Only then can the emperor's position be widely recognized.
Yelu Zongyuan breathed a sigh of relief and said in a deep voice: "I may be a little impatient, but I am really heartbroken. We were so well prepared, but in the end we fell short. How can I not be angry?"
Han Yanshou nodded and said: "The Emperor understands his thoughts, but the Jurchens are obviously more prepared for this battle. Our methods are restrained by the other party. In fact, every step is in their calculations, which is why the current situation has happened."
The result. But the old minister said, this is nothing. We lost more than 40,000 people, and they also suffered a lot. The old minister estimated that they would have at least 20,000 casualties. We can afford to exchange two for one.
Because our soldiers and horses are more than twice theirs. If this continues, all their people will die, but we still have a hundred thousand troops. Therefore, they are actually suffering more than us. This battle cannot actually be regarded as a defeat.
.”
Han Yanshou's analysis angle was unique and won the recognition of many officials. But anyone with a clear mind knows that this is just Han Yanshou's sophistry. Our own casualties were more than twice the opponent's, which is not a defeat.
, what is that? The old prime minister's mouth can turn the dead into alive, and he almost calls it a victory, but he can really boast. However, this can also make everyone feel better. If this skill of talking
It can be regarded as a motivational strategy to help the soldiers get out of their dejection. Perhaps the prime minister wanted to use this to motivate everyone.
Sure enough, Yelu Zongyuan's expression softened a lot. According to Han Yanshou's calculations, Daliao's 500,000 siege troops had enough capital to exchange with the Jurchens. Even if it was two for one, 200,000 Jurchens would be wiped out.
Soldiers and horses need to kill the Liao army of 400,000, but as long as all the Jurchens can be wiped out, it is worth it. As long as the goal of wiping out the Jurchens can be achieved, any number of people can die.
"My veteran is not saying that we can celebrate victory in this battle. Our army failed to capture the city and the number of casualties was twice that of the Jurchens. This is indeed frustrating. But considering the overall situation, it may not be a bad thing. The veteran knows that the emperor and the generals
I was anxious in my heart, wanting to take over Liaoyang Mansion in one fell swoop and annihilate the Jurchens here. However, haste makes waste, and the more anxious you are, the more panic you will get. This mistake was made by Yang Jungang, the Privy Councilor of the Great Zhou Dynasty a few months ago.
Mistakenly, because he was eager to capture Xijin Mansion, many elite soldiers and horses were eliminated by Lord Han of the South Academy along the way, weakening his strength. When it came to attacking Xijin Mansion, he also continued to attack day and night.
, showing impatience. In the end, he exhausted his elite soldiers and suffered a complete defeat in the final decisive battle. Just imagine, if he had fought steadily, not so eager to attack the city, and adopted the strategy of siege and consumption, I would like to analyze the strategy of Jinfu
The war will be a different situation. We have learned from the past, how can we repeat it?"
Everyone nodded. The prime minister's words were thought-provoking. Although the old prime minister was seventy years old, he still saw things sharply. How could he not listen to his advice?
Yelu Zongyuan also began to ponder, but he quickly shook his head and said: "Although the prime minister's words are very reasonable, the situation at this moment is different from when the Zhou Dynasty attacked my Jin Mansion. Today is already the ninth day of October, the tenth day of Liaodong
It will snow heavily in the middle of the month. The supplies for our army will come from the Zhongkyo Road. Once the heavy snow blocks the supply channel and causes difficulties in food and grass supplies, the consequences will be disastrous. You want me to besieged and consumed steadily, how can I do that?
Is it stable? If Liaoyang Mansion cannot be captured within a few days, I don’t need to say more about the consequences. The prime minister and all of you should understand this."
"Since your Majesty knew that time was running out, why did you insist on waiting here for twenty days without moving? The generals and I have requested to go to war many times, but the Emperor has rejected the request. The current situation is not caused by us." A rough voice sounded,
When everyone heard this, they saw that the person speaking was Meng Sage, the chief of the Dalimi tribe, who was standing at the side of the table. There was an obvious sense of disrespect in his words, as he was trying to settle an old score.
Yelu Zongyuan said coldly: "I have to wait for the siege equipment to arrive before attacking the city. Brother Mengsa, are you blaming me for delaying the battle?"
Brother Mengsa smacked his lips in panic with the little yellow pigtails on his head: "I don't dare to accuse the emperor, but it turns out that those siege equipment are useless. After working for a long time, haven't they turned into a pile of rags? Howl?
I said, we should have stormed the city a month ago. What siege equipment do we need? Just do it. When did our Daliao soldiers and horses rely on those crooked things? Facts have proved that those things are useless."
Yelu Zongyuan glared angrily, and was about to reprimand Meng Sa Brother for his ignorance and provocation. Han Yanshou shouted first: "Chief Meng Sa Brother, what you said is really stupid. I will not allow you to say such a thing. In today's world, we are no longer cavalry.
In this world of unbridled rule, don't you see that even the Jurchens have learned to defend the city, just because of the power of the equipment. This veteran absolutely supports the emperor. Who said siege equipment is useless? Catapults destroyed a large number of fortifications on the city head.
How many watchtowers were destroyed? The city ram almost blasted open their city gate. If they had not blocked the city gate in advance, the city would have been destroyed. Without these equipment, today's battle would have cost more than 40,000 soldiers and horses.
I’m afraid it’s 80,000,000, but I don’t know. Anyone who says these stupid things shows that he is not worthy of leading the army at all.”
Brother Meng Sa's face turned red and he opened his mouth but no words came out. On the one hand, Xiaozheng Gang, Hulu Baltu Gusa and other tribal chiefs used their eyes to indicate to him not to say anything. On the other hand, Brother Meng Sa himself also
I knew that there were some problems with what Shicai said. The role of siege equipment was obvious. I wanted to take the opportunity to shift the responsibility to Yelu Zongyuan, but it seemed that it would not work. Prime Minister Han Yanshou made it clear that he should stop this attempt immediately.
Otherwise, you will become the target of public criticism.
"The Prime Minister taught me that it was me who was stupid and ignorant. I am apologizing to the Emperor. Your Majesty, I, Brother Mengsa, am a fool. Please forgive me." Brother Mengsa was able to bend and bend, so he immediately chose to apologize.
Naturally, Yelu Zongyuan would not hold on to these guys and wanted to deal with these guys, but this was not the time. He just snorted coldly and said: "You know you are stupid, so don't talk casually. Only those who know understand that you are short-sighted and don't know."
I thought you were taking advantage of the topic and had ulterior motives. Be careful what you say next."
Han Yanshou stroked his beard and said: "The emperor is magnanimous, but Chief Meng Sage has no ill intentions. They are all worried about the attack on the city, and they are all for Daliao. However...just now the emperor said that the weather forced us to rush to attack this matter.
The old minister understands the emperor's worries. However, the old minister believes that we cannot rush the attack just because of the weather. If a hasty attack leads to bad results, what is the difference between that and the consequences caused by heavy snowfall? What should the old minister say?
, today’s battle just gave us a good reminder. First, the Jurchens are well prepared and must not underestimate the enemy and be violent. It is probably unrealistic to think of eating the opponent all at once, but they need to be prepared for a long-term offensive.
Secondly, there is still something we can do now, whether it is to attack the city or to prepare for a long-term siege, there is something we can do. We only lost 40,000 horses, which is just a drop in the bucket. The roller coaster was only damaged.
There are only a few of them, but there are still more than 30 that were evacuated in time and are well preserved. They are still powerful weapons for siege. The old minister also discussed with several generals just now the method of counter-attacking the opponent's rope pull. It is actually very simple. It is equipped with a long handle.
The sickle can be cracked by letting the hands at the top of the aerial vehicle cut the opponent's rope. The Jurchens' method is indispensable. They will not be able to use that method again in the next attack."
Everyone nodded in agreement, and Yelu Zongyuan also nodded slightly. It was not difficult to crack the other party's method, and there was no need for him to be furious. It was just that he was distracted by the Jurchen's methods during this period, and he expected to be devastated.
The victory was not achieved, so I was just irritable. But in fact, if it weren't for the fact that time could not be delayed and the pressure of the approaching heavy snow made me impatient, today's defeat would actually be nothing at all.
"The prime minister is right, I am too impatient. If I cannot attack today, I will attack again tomorrow. I am a little impatient, which is a big taboo. However, I am still worried about the weather. I am afraid of falling short of the success." Yelu Zong
Yuan nodded.
Han Yanshou also nodded slightly and said: "The emperor's concern is necessary, so the veteran has to make additional suggestions. Please ask the emperor to issue an order to let Han Desui, who is stationed in Xijin Mansion, speed up the transportation of grain and grass. It is necessary to increase manpower and prepare sleds.
Once heavy snow falls and the roads are blocked, even people pushing sleighs will have to ensure the supply of food and supplies. Moreover, the food and supplies compensated by the south are delivered too slowly, so the emperor must ask Han Desui to urge the Zhou Dynasty to cash in as soon as possible.
At the same time, we here must also be prepared to prevent severe cold weather after the heavy snow arrives. The camp must build walls to prevent wind and snow, and the tents must be reinforced. At the same time, some people must be allocated to cut firewood on site to prepare for the cold. In short, we must do everything possible
We must make preparations to avoid being in a hurry when the heavy snow comes. After the heavy snow comes, everything will inevitably be more difficult, but we are trapped in this city, and the Jurchens will also have a hard time. How much food and supplies can a small Liaoyang city have?
How much firewood is there for heating? If it’s not easy for us, will it be easier for them? The truth is actually the same
, it depends on who can hold on. Obviously we have a greater advantage. If we die in battle, we can still replenish our troops. The people of the Zhou Dynasty will supply us with food and supplies, but they can't. Each one who dies is one less, and every stone eaten is one stone less. Even if it is
In a long-term battle, the advantage is also on our side."
Han Yanshou's words made everyone feel relieved. At the critical moment, the old prime minister still saw things very clearly, and the countermeasures were also clear. After all, the old man is the wiser, and the prime minister's arrangement was indeed reasonable and stable.
…
After the third watch, the weather suddenly changed. The north wind strengthened significantly and the weather became extremely cold. By the fourth watch, the Liao army camp was in chaos. Many tents were blown away by the strong wind, and the materials piled up in the camp were
Dozens of tall wooden watchtowers were also blown apart, leaving a mess.
Yelu Zongyuan got up when the sky was dimming. He walked out of the tent and found that the sky was extremely dark and clouds were rolling in the sky. The camp was dusty and the sharp north wind was raging in the camp. The whole camp was in a mess. There were many things.
The soldiers had no tents and could only huddle on the sides of some relatively strong tents to hide from the wind.
Yelu Zongyuan's face suddenly became as gloomy as the clouds in the sky, and his mood became as gloomy as the sky. Everything foreshadowed one thing, the heavy snow was coming, and there was not much time. Originally, he thought that at least
There is still a gap of five to six days to ten days, but obviously God has no mercy. Today is only the tenth day of October, and the situation has already changed. Although he had issued an imperial edict last night, Han Desui urged Zhou to speed up the transportation of grain.
In order to speed up, Han Desui also personally escorted the food and grass to ensure that even if heavy snow fell, food and materials would be guaranteed. But that obviously took time to prepare. When God changed, everything seemed to be too late.
When Yelu Zongyuan led his ministers onto the viewing platform, he was almost staggered by the strong wind. Fortunately, the general beside him helped him and prevented him from falling down the steps. Yelu Zongyuan's face was gloomy and he murmured curses.
Although the wind was so cold that it made him feel cold all over and made his whole face hurt, Yelu Zongyuan did not want the strong wind to stop at this moment. Because he knew that once the north wind stopped, it would indicate that heavy snow was coming. This
It's common sense that everyone knows.
Time was running out. Even in such weather, Yelu Zongyuan decided to continue the attack according to the plan. Amidst the long trumpet sound, his nose was so cold that his tears flowed freely, and the cold Liao soldiers and horses lined up to prepare. After the drums sounded,
The army surged towards the city with shouts, and the siege battle began again the next day.
Yelv Zongyuan still followed the previous routine. He still planned to use catapults to suppress the city and cover the soldiers and horses to attack the city. First, he used horses to move more than a dozen scrapped aerial vehicles lying on the passage, so that the subsequent aerial vehicles could be moved away.
You can move forward. This time, the top platform of the Sky Car is equipped with a long sickle hand, specially designed to deal with the Jurchen's hook rope. Once the opponent repeats the same trick, the long sickle hand can cut the rope to protect the safety of the Sky Car.
But after the attack began, the Liao army quickly felt the impact of the strong wind. The catapult had to advance another thirty steps and reach within 220 steps before throwing stones onto the city head because of the wind.
The resistance is great. The range of the bed crossbows and feather arrows at the top of the opponent's city has been increased due to the favorable wind, and they are more powerful and swift. It was already very difficult for our own Yunxiao chariot to move forward, and now it is even more difficult.
It was slowing down. And because of the wind, the aerial vehicle creaked and swayed when it moved, and it seemed that it might fall down at any time. The Liao soldiers had to add some counterweights below to maintain the center of gravity and increase stability. But so
As a result, the progress becomes even slower.
But no matter what, even with the strong north wind, the siege still had to go on. Hundreds of thousands of infantrymen, despite the strong wind and the shooting of arrows like a storm, still broke through the bottom of the city wall under the cover of catapults.
The ladders were set up, and the soldiers began to attack the city. The roller coasters also slowly approached the river bank. After laying a large number of logs as bases, the roller coaster's advancement today was much smoother than yesterday. Some were on the right track. Although the casualties were still huge
, but the progress is not difficult.
The strong wind also brought trouble to the defenders at the top of the city. There were actually many Jurchen soldiers on the top of the city who used too much force when throwing heavy objects down. In addition, they were blown behind by the wind, and people and objects fell to the bottom of the city.
The higher the place, the stronger the wind. The Jurchens are thin and thin. When a strong wind blows, the Jurchens at the top of the city have to hold on to the city wall tightly to avoid being blown away. This is not an exaggeration. Liaodong is famous for its strong winds.
There is a folk song that goes: In October in Liaodong, rubble flies all over the sky, the houses have no tiles, and the big trees have roots. You can reach the sky without taking a test for fame. Although this ballad has a somewhat ridiculing and exaggerated tone, it also describes
It describes the severe and fierce north wind in Liaodong when winter begins in October.
Moreover, the shaky watchtowers at the top of the city that were hit by catapults could not withstand the strong wind. Several of them fell down, killing many Jurchen soldiers. Another kind of Jurchen's splashing
Shi Zhongyou's method of setting fire to resist the enemy is useless on windy days, because the wooden barrels will be blown over by the wind when they are transported to the city. The kerosene will be splashed everywhere. If the opponent attacks with rockets, or our own side
If a fire is accidentally lit, the consequences will be disastrous. If the rolling logs on the city platform are contaminated with black oil and ignited, will anyone be able to stand on the entire city? If there is a fire on a windy day, there is no way to save it. This extremely effective guard
The lack of means to defend the city makes it extremely difficult for the defenders to defend the city. The only consolation they can have is that as soon as the strong wind stops, heavy snow will fall. This is the situation that the Liao people fear most. The severe cold and supply difficulties will force them to
They retreated. However, the premise was that Liaoyang Mansion would not be breached by them before that.
