Chapter 296: Boosting Strengths and Avoiding Weaknesses
The guard camp has a good reputation, but it was the imperial guards and Annan who contributed to the guard camp's fame.
The fear of Liao Xia in the imperial court existed not only in the court, but also in the entire people.
When they heard that the escort battalion was going to compete with Xixia warriors, both the court officials and the people paid great attention to it, eager to win and worried about failure.
It was still only Yinshi, and the area around Duting West Station was already crowded with people. From idle men, to businessmen and celebrities, from porters and coolies, to scholars and officials, and even monks from Xiangguo Temple and young ladies from Fanlou...
"Why hasn't His Highness the Crown Prince arrived? Are you confident of victory or can't you bear to see the soldiers of the guard camp fighting so hard?"
Ouyang Xiu entered the center again after many years, but there were some inside stories that he didn't know.
In the restaurant near Tingxiyi, Fu Bi, Han Qi, Zeng Gongliang, and Bao Zheng, who was in some bad health, were all there, but His Royal Highness was not seen. Ouyang Xiu was a little surprised.
How many times has His Highness the Crown Prince come to the scene in person for any incident related to the East Palace or the guard camp? But he is not here today?
"The fight lasts for three days. No results can be seen today..."
"Why should we wait here to keep watch?"
Indeed, why are they all staying here at this moment?
Everyone here knows the specific results of Guochao's battle against Xixia.
The reason why I put aside my official duties and concentrated everything here... is because I came here with great expectations.
They don't have His Highness the Crown Prince's understanding of the escort camp, so they have no way of knowing their strength and strategy in battle.
These gentlemen are the same as the people, they have the same worries and expectations.
"Duting West Post was specially set up for Xixia envoys. Even the military soldiers were familiar with Duting West Post far more than the guard camp."
"What Zhi Gui said is absolutely true. Moreover, since the fight was established yesterday, the Xixia warriors have not left the post house. Now the situation has been formed with Xixia as the defender and the guard camp as the attacker."
The words of Fu Bi and Han Qi can be regarded as an explanation for why they want to stay here. At the same time, the whole atmosphere is also a bit solemn.
During the civil strife in Northern Liao, the imperial court's strategy of separating Liao and Xia had already reached a consensus in the political hall.
In view of Li Liangzhao's capricious nature, this time, the imperial court is already preparing for a war against Xixia, and the preliminary work for the relevant campaign has been gradually advanced... This is also the result of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, the escort battalion, and the new army in recent years. Let you all
Some thoughts arose.
However, once the duel failed miserably, not to mention the courtiers, even the father-in-law of their political affairs hall would not dare to have the courage to agree to fight against Xia.
This is no longer just a simple fight, it is a node that affects the focus and direction of the recent imperial court's work...
"Why did His Royal Highness agree to a fight?"
Ouyang Xiu was a little angry! Such a wide-ranging matter should be discussed in the court, even if it is discussed in the political hall.
When there are many people, the various consequences and impacts of the fight should be taken into consideration during the discussion. But now...
"Uncle Yong, His Highness the Crown Prince has sought the opinions of Yan Guo and me on this matter. After considering many factors, we still agreed to this fight."
"Xi Xia clamors for a fight. If you retreat and avoid it, although you can avoid the impact of defeat before the war, it will breed a timid mood in the army."
Ouyang Xiu rolled his eyes, obviously not agreeing with Han Qi's words, but it was already at this time, and it was agreed between His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the chief officials of the East and West Palaces, so he really couldn't say more.
It was almost nine o'clock, and the gate of Dutingxi Posthouse opened. Even Fu Bi and others in the restaurant opposite could see clearly what was going on inside the gate.
Fifty Xixia warriors, fully armed and in standard defensive formation... blocked the entire gate of Dutingxi Station.
According to the appointment, the venue is within Duting West Post. In other words, as long as you step into the gate of the post, you have entered the battlefield.
The Xixia warriors were not prepared to leave any room for the guard camp, and wanted to start fighting when the guard camp entered the gate of the post house...
It's better to be prepared than to be prepared! Alas...the chances of winning are not good.
Even if the guard camp is well-equipped and the individual skills and tactics are excellent, the gate of the post house is so big. The moment they enter the post house, for the Xixia warriors, it is always a case of fighting with more.
"Yanguo, Zhigui, is this the fight you agree with?"
Ouyang Xiu seemed to have seen the scene of the guard battalions falling in the gate of the post house!
The combat prowess of the soldiers of the guard camp, whether in external combat or internal quelling chaos in recent years, not to mention the comparison with Liao and Xia, from an internal perspective alone, they are definitely the best soldiers.
Just like that, under the hasty decision of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the two husbands, they were about to be killed before they had time to make a move.
"Uncle Yong, don't be impatient, just keep watching..."
Zeng Gongliang was not considered a father-in-law who knew much about military matters, but when it came to his knowledge of firearms, no one in the Manchaotang could compare with him.
"Ming Zhong..."
"In such a concentrated formation, even a hundred Xixia warriors, let alone fifty, are not enough to withstand the lethality of a single gunpowder bomb!"
Yes! They are still bound by inertial thinking.
Gao Yi came, riding a new-style carriage that conformed to the imperial court's sixth-grade specifications, and came slowly and slowly.
There were still fifty soldiers beside him...
Gao Yi got off the carriage in front of the gate of the post house, looked inside the door, then stepped back and stood face to face with the Xixia envoy named Wu Zong.
"The hour of Mao has arrived, and the high envoy can order you and other soldiers to enter."
Wu Zong glanced at the door of the post house, then turned to look at the soldiers of the Song Army... Three days? Hehe, it really doesn't need to be, it can be over in half a day.
He did not believe that the gate of the post house guarded by fifty Daxia warriors would be breached by fifty Song soldiers.
Even if it is defeated, it will not affect the outcome of the duel.
"Wu Zhengshi, our soldiers from the Song Dynasty have already entered!"
"What?"
"Don't panic. Yue Dou did not stipulate that you must enter through the gate of the post house, just like there is no promise that you can stay at the post house from yesterday."
Gao Yi felt very excited at this time! Although this was not his own strategy, he could feel that it was his own plan when he said it in front of the Xixia envoy.
If Wu Zong wants to step forward... he must at least inform the soldiers that Song soldiers are already inside.
"Wu Zhengshi, are you also a soldier participating in the war?"
At this time... there is no need to say more, it is just after Mao hour, and it is also the time for the fight to begin.
To the northwest of the post house, thick smoke suddenly appeared...
"That's the kitchen of the post house and the place where food is stored. The soldiers of the guard camp..."
Needless to say, everyone in the restaurant is a sensible person.
At this time, even Ouyang Xiu saw the hope of winning.
Exploit strengths and avoid weaknesses, avoid reality and attack weaknesses, make false claims in the east and attack in the west... Although it is just a link to enter the post house, just such a detail has used many tricks of the soldiers.
There was a three-day fight, but at the beginning, the soldiers of the guard camp destroyed the food...