Excellent commanders and military staff can smell changes in the situation with their noses.
After Hu Hongxiu further completed the reconnaissance mission and ensured that the Khitans had turned around and not turned back, he vaguely felt that without nationwide mobilization, the Xixia people's current military configuration would definitely reveal some flaws when the war broke out across the board, and then he wisely
They chose the key location of the Yellow River gorge for observation, and finally found the fatal flaw that the Xixia people might have missed in a flash.
It is conceivable that as long as this window period is missed, with Xixia's state-building posture, it will take as little as three to five days, as long as ten days, and there will inevitably be military arrangements and supplements at all costs to complete the Xingling restoration of the capital.
The defense of the territory (Yinchuan Plain).
In the same way, after Yue Fei retreated to Haoshuichuan, he was ordered to look for an opportunity to fight. Although he followed rationality and chose to go to Zhuoluo City in the direction of Lanzhou in order to attack the Khitan people from both sides to open the Hexi Corridor, he still maintained his position on Xingqing.
In order to successfully meet Hu Hongxiu, he chose to go from Wushan to Huizhou and then make a decision.
And just as the entire Xixia was being attacked from three sides and had completely entered a state of all-out war, here on the easternmost front, on the other side of Pujin, Wanyan Wushu and Wanyan Balisu also vaguely sensed something was wrong.
But they didn't know where this strange news leaked from.
Was it Li Yanxian's outstanding performance behind Zhongtiao Mountain that gave the Song army room to take action, or was it that the reinforcements marched slowly due to harassment by rebels in the Taihang Mountains, giving the Song army on the opposite side the courage to stop the reinforcement plan?
Or maybe it was in Hengshan or Yan'an that the Zhao and Song officials finally made up their mind to achieve some results at all costs? After all, the slogans are loud, if they can't achieve results, how can they deal with the domestic situation?
But no matter what, at this moment, Wanyan Wushu and Wanyan Balisu never thought about the other side of Xixia, and they did not even express their doubts... Until the fifth day of April, when they sat in charge
To the north of Xijing (Datong), Xijing's left-behind Wanyan Luguan, who had direct communication channels with Xixia, informed his brother at a slightly slower pace, with a slightly skeptical attitude and a slightly contemptuous attitude, but in the end he used military channels to inform his brother.
The message that came from Yinshan caused turmoil in Xixia people's hearts.
"it is true!"
Wu Shu made a judgment immediately. "It's absolutely true! Yelu Yanshan and those Mongols are not bluffing. Yelu Dashi must have come from further west! The Song Army must also have left a large number of troops in the west.
Fight him from both sides! The bluff is here! It's the other side!"
On the Stork Tower, which has long been the frontline command post of the Jin Army, the surrounding Jin Army generals looked at each other. Among them, the other general, Ba Lisu, was silent for a moment, and then took advantage of the bright sunshine in the morning to go to the military camp across the river.
After taking one look, he nodded heavily.
Obviously, Ba Lisu also recognized Wu Shu's judgment.
"Then what should we do now?" Wanhu Salihe woke up and asked immediately.
The tens of thousands of people present, Meng'an, and a small number of Muke, all looked at the King of Wei and Taiyuan Remainer... Although the former had the highest power, the latter was also a frontline commander and had considerable authority on military issues.
Sure enough, when the pale-faced King Wushu of Wei heard this, he looked directly at the commander of the West Route Army beside him: "My heart is in chaos. Tell me, Ba Lisu, what should I do now?"
"Then it depends on what His Highness the King of Wei wants to do." The livid-faced Balisu thought for a moment and spoke frankly. "Do you want to preserve the overall situation, or do you want to save the overall situation? Or do you want to not give in and let the Song people's plan fail?
?”
"Can the Song people's plan fail now?!" Wu Shu was refreshed.
"Why not?" Ba Lisu drew the sword directly from his waist and pointed the white blade at the other side of the river. "If the Song people left a large army to join forces with the Khitans on the western front, they would have to seize Hengshan and Yan'an, and withstand Zhongtiao.
Shan... Dare I ask His Highness the King of Wei, how many soldiers are there on the other side at this time? How credible is the statement made by Goryeo Hammer that Yue Fei's troops are behind Pujin as backup?"
Wu Shu's breathing became heavy.
Ba Lisu turned a deaf ear and just pointed the knife at the other side while talking impassionedly: "The water in Pujin is slow. Although the river bank is submerged, it is roughly visible. Now that the summer flood period has not yet come, we must use more manpower to strengthen the river."
Build multiple rows of pontoon bridges, enough to pass the army, and then imitate the story of Han Xin in the past, sending a partial army from Longmen Cross to flank the enemy rear... The King of Wei now ordered that only one ten thousand households should be left to guard Hezhong Mansion, and then let the rest of the army attack
, regardless of casualties, storm the position on the other side! As long as we defeat the so-called elite army directly under the Zhao Song official family in front of Li Yanxian and Han Shizhong's reinforcements, we guarantee that the Song army will abandon some bullshit Xixia and return to defense with all its strength!"
Wu Shu's breathing became heavier and heavier, but he remained silent.
But Ba Lisu finally turned around, but he inserted the white blade in his hand directly into the map on the tabletop in front of Wu Shu, with a ferocious expression: "Send troops, King Wei! There are fifty to sixty thousand people in the West Route Army. All it takes is a word from King Wei.
, I waded across the Yellow River for Wanyan’s sake! I’ll avenge my previous shame!”
Wu Shu stared at Ba Lisu, but Ba Lisu was not afraid at all and stared at the opponent coldly.
The two of them stared at each other for an unknown amount of time across a table, a map, and a knife, and finally their breathing gradually calmed down. At this time, there were several officers of the Western Route Army around them who were really thoughtful.
, and they all gradually understood the meaning of Balisu.
"Are you so afraid that I will risk the West Route Army?" Wu Shu asked with a ferocious smile. His white face finally became a little rosy and showed a bit of life. "Do you think that if I send him off again in Pujin?
After two thousand households were captured, the Western Route Army collapsed?"
And now, everyone understood Ba Lisu's position.
"I'm not only afraid that the Western Route Army will send another two thousand households away and never recover, but I'm also afraid that the King of Wei will be completely defeated here and won't even have a place to speak when he returns to Yanjing." Ba Lisu took a few deep breaths and said solemnly. "Four.
Prince, we have fought together since Nanyang. I seemed dissatisfied with you at that time, but that was because at that time my boss was Nianhan, my colleague was Lou, my elder brother was a silversmith, and the opponent was a living girl.
Furthermore, you have an elder brother, the second prince, who has only died two years ago but is the best in military strategy. How can you expect me to fall in love with you?"
Wu Shu snorted coldly.
"But in the past few years, I have gradually understood that the only way to fight in the world is to fight. How can it be possible for wars to be like the ten years of victory in Taizu's time? The generals gradually withered, the soldiers gradually became dull, and the food and property
The situation has also become tight, and there are military troubles everywhere. This is the complicated matter that a normal country should have... At this time, the Kingdom of Jin not only needs people who can fight, but also people who understand the country's politics.
There must be people who know how to coordinate various tribes and armies, and there must be people who dare to frighten those old immortals in the center... In the past, people who could do this, to put it bluntly, are actually only Nianhan who has this talent and courage.
, your brothers and the Supreme King are all insufficient. But now that Nianhan has been killed by you, you are the only one who can still look good!" Ba Lisu spoke sincerely. "You want to fight, but it's not impossible.
, but just looking at the pits dug and the fortifications erected on the other side in these days, there must be a failure in the battle, ruining 20,000 households, and losing the preparations for the political power of the DPRK."
Wu Shu pursed his lips and said nothing, but after a moment, he almost shed tears, but finally stopped laughing.
Not to mention the fact that I suddenly learned that I had been tricked by the Zhao Song officials again, no one can blame me for this; not to mention the current predicament, making decisions has always been so difficult; the key is that the King of Wei of the Kingdom of Jin really has no idea.
Thinking of it, the first person who pointed out that his Wanyan Wushu was indispensable to the Kingdom of Jin was actually the Nianhan remnant in front of him, the leader of the Western Army, who had an unpleasant Wanyan Bali with his family on the battlefield.
speed.
But when I think about it the other way around, the talent of the Jin Kingdom is withering right now. Although I am already the "one person" after Nianhan, how can I be separated from Lisu? Isn't he also one of the rare national famous generals who can be used?
?
Yi Li is dead, Lou Shi is dead, Nian Han is dead, and if a living girl causes such a thing, her silver skills are getting old, and she has also lost the trust of her superiors and subordinates. If the military does not trust this person, who else can they trust?
Are you a lazy person who lost his temper after one battle?
Or is it his brother who has never been on the battlefield a few times, the so-called Sixth Prince deceiving those people?
Or maybe it's people like Ali, Jian Lubu, Gao Jingshan, and Wulin Dataiyu? Of course, these people are still generals, but it's a pity that they are not named Wanyan.
After laughing for a long time, until the anger in his chest dissipated, Wu Shu finally sat back in his seat, looked at the white blade on the table in front of him and continued to speak, but his tone had completely calmed down: "What can we say if we don't cross the river for a decisive battle?"
"Then it's natural to sit back and watch the Xixia people lose Hexi... and then either take the opportunity to force the living women back and abandon the matter on the Yellow River, or send troops from the north to provide support for the Xixia people on the Hengshan side." Bali Su responded calmly.
.
"Although we have lost, we cannot allow the Song and Liao people to gain great benefits...Move troops to the north. One Ten Thousand Households will send out the Suide Army, two will send out the Jinning Army, and one will go to Linzhou. We must help Xixia stabilize
The situation in Hengshan, as long as Hengshan is not lost and Xingling is not lost, Xixia can hold on... This kind of scheduling is also a way to deal with the living girls when necessary." Wu Shu finally gave the order. "Then this place will be handed over to Bali Sudu.
Under unified command, I will personally go to Yan'an. No matter how the situation turns out, I must first hand over the military power! I must tell him clearly that the army belongs to the country and is not used by him to seek personal revenge... No one is different.
Opinion?"
Several people looked at each other. This policy was neither urgent nor slow. It already took care of people's hearts. How could they have any objections?
Not only that, after pausing for a moment, Wanhu Wanyan folded his head and reminded him: "King Wei, Dutong, your arrangement is of course appropriate, but I have one sentence to remind you that the Khitan people have been in the north for a hundred years, and the Song people have been here for a hundred years.
The Southland has a very high prestige for hundreds of years... The two families are fighting against the party members together, and there are also Mongol people to mix in. The miscellaneous people of all ethnic groups in Xixia must have grass in their hearts... The management here must be fast, otherwise once the market collapses somewhere, it will
It’s too late for anything.”
Ba Lisu shook his head repeatedly: "No matter how fast we go, tens of thousands of troops will still have to move over."
The surrounding generals hesitated to speak, and Wu Shu looked a little bad again.
Instead, he pulled out the knife from the table, and before inserting it back into his waist, he returned to Wushu seriously: "King Wei... I just gave advice, but it was also the truth. If you want to ensure the overall situation is not lost, it is the most effective way."
There is no better way than to pull the entire army to the other side at this time... If you really have this intention, although I don't agree with it in my heart, I will definitely prohibit it and personally board it first!"
Upon hearing this, Wu Shu raised his head and looked at the other side again.
In fact, there is no need to look at it at all, he also knows the situation there very well, because he has seen more than anyone else these days, and he can see it more clearly than anyone else... From a horizontal perspective, the Song Army's huge camp expansion
It is nearly thirty miles wide, covering almost all the land suitable for landing. From a vertical perspective, the layers of fences, earthen ramparts, trenches, antlers, and pits are enough to make any battlefield warrior feel proud.
Frightened.
The Kansai militiamen who came from the United Society and the Bow and Arrow Society can rely on these things to exert considerable combat effectiveness.
In comparison, the previous role of confusing soldiers and civilians during the construction process seemed insignificant at this time.
In this situation, Wanyan Wushu and the generals present knew very well that at this time, the entire army could forcefully cross, and there would be two endings... One is to go all out to crush the opponent in a short time, causing the Song army to fall into a great rout.
, but due to the river crossing and fortifications, it was impossible to pursue an effective pursuit; the other was to be effectively killed and wounded by the opponent to build up morale and discipline, and then two thousand households were literally buried on the river beach.
"It's all because of my ignorance that I was deceived by the people of Song Dynasty." After waiting for a moment, Wu Shu raised his voice and told him. "If he had made up his mind to cross the river in person to see the living girl, or he had used Qin Xianggong's strategy to directly
The few broken pieces of land on the other side of the river were given to the Xixia people. How could they be in today's predicament? The sudden attack and the harassment of the reinforcements were also the result of my urging."
The generals looked at each other in confusion, without saying a word, but instead they felt respectful... At this point, everyone knew that Wu Shu and Bali Su had not made a mistake in judgment, it was just that the Song people on the other side were too cunning, but Wu Shu took the initiative to take responsibility, but failed
This made the generals of the Western Route Army breathe a sigh of relief.
At this moment, the generals were speechless.
Ba Lisu put back his saber and went down to mobilize the troops, while Wu Shufu called for another table of food. He ate it on the stork tower facing the dragon on the opposite side, and then went north in person to meet the living girl.
As the Jin people walked north, on the other side of Pujin, the Song army camp not only did not relax, but became more and more tense... No one knew whether the Jin army was playing hard to get, and no one knew whether they would fight back at night.
However, the Jin army did not come over that night and did not come back the next day. Of course, the beacon smoke planned at Longmen Crossing was not lit.
But at the same time, going upstream along the Yellow River, the straight-line distance is exactly one thousand miles away. The actual distance of the Yellow River is three thousand miles away. A key point in the heart of Xixia is the Xiakou, which is where the Qingtong Gorge will be in later generations.
, the beacon was successfully lit.
Let's say that there were very few troops stationed in Xixia. The Song army used Zhang Xian's troops to detour upstream and successfully raided, and then the entire army successfully crossed. However, due to manpower limitations, they could not prevent the Xixia people from lighting beacons.
Therefore, in the afternoon, there was a beacon fire and smoke rising into the sky. For a time, warnings were issued everywhere along the Yellow River in Xixia.
"Haojiao Jiedu knows that Liu Fa...is Liu Zhengyan's father. He once took the same route and passed through the gorge and arrived in Lingzhou. However, he was defeated by Wei Mingcha Ge at the foot of Lingzhou City. In the end,
When they were about to retreat here, they were surrounded by Cha Ge, and then the whole army was wiped out." By the evening of that day, the Song army crossed the river regardless of the hardships. Hu Hongxiu, who had much less smell of suet on his head, saw that Yue Fei had changed in the distance.
The smoke of a large-scale bonfire was silent, and he moved forward to explain. "After that time, the Xixia people also built beacon towers even in places like this... In fact, passing this gorge is the real hinterland of Xixia."
Yue Fei shook his head slightly, raised his knife and said in a deep voice: "I don't care about this beacon fire. It comes to the hinterland of the Xixia people. This is indispensable... How far is this place from Xingqing Mansion?"
"One hundred and eighty miles." Hu Hongxiu blurted out.
"A rapid march...three days?" Yue Fei thought for a moment and asked again.
Hu Hongxiu immediately shook his head: "At least six days."
Liu Qi hesitated for a moment and then took the initiative to interject and explain: "Yue Jiedu... the Dangxiang people have more tribes than household registrations, and all the people in each tribe are soldiers. Even the core warriors are not in Xingling at this time. With the authority of Li Qianshun as the country's leader for fifty years, A messenger can summon a male from a nearby tribe to come to our aid. They ride a horse, hold a bow, carry a spear, and carry a bag of food and water, which is enough to form an army. But this kind of Fan cavalry came to charge our army, We will definitely die, but if we ignore them, march with abandon, let them harass the march and plunder the logistics, we will die."
Yue Fei nodded immediately: "What do you mean, you two, we can only march steadily, thirty miles a day?"
"Yes." Liu Qi responded.
"How many of those kinds of cavalry will come to help?"
"It's hard to say." Liu Qi continued to talk seriously. "It depends on how fast we go... If we can really make it thirty or forty miles a day, five or six days, by the time we arrive at the gate of Xingqing Mansion, there will probably be 20,000 people there." of."
Hu Hongxiu hesitated for a moment and then gave a little reminder: "Jiedu, the more Fan cavalry gather, the slower our advance will be... And not only the number of tribal Fan cavalry from the other side, but also the strength of our troops must be considered."
"No need to think about it." Yue Fei shook his head in reply. "Vice-General Wang is forty miles behind. It's only a day's journey to hand over the mouth of the gorge to him. Let's not delay. Let's have a good rest today. Tomorrow morning, the whole army will move forward quickly. , grab time, grab distance.”
Liu Qi and Hu Hongxiu thought for a while, and then each nodded heavily. Even Qu Duan, who had just settled down his cavalry, after listening to the previous few conversations, just waved his riding whip and had nothing to say for a while.
Think about it, now that you are here, what else can you do?
The whole night was silent. The next morning, when the sky was just getting light, everyone got up to eat. They found that there was a Buddhist pagoda next to the Yellow River where they rested yesterday. Many soldiers who believed in Buddhism ran there to worship.
The officers did not stop him, and many officers themselves could not help but pay homage. Only Yue and Qu looked at each other coldly and showed no expression.
"Jiedu, the Xixia people are coming!"
In the morning, the entire army was organized, and the baggage was pulled by rafts and marched in the river. The army arrayed along the river according to the commander's personal arrangement. Just as they were about to set off, Li Shifu, who had dispersed in advance, suddenly turned around and reached the central army. Then he turned over and dismounted, heading towards Yue Fei reported a military situation.
"how many people?"
Yue Fei, who was fully armored, looked at him seriously under the banner of the commander who served his country loyally. His eyes were obviously bloodshot.
"Four to five hundred...it must be that the surrounding tribes have taken care of themselves when they see the beacon smoke." Li Shifu responded seriously. "These tribes are all local tribes in Xingling and are direct descendants of the Weiming clan. The general will try to recruit them. As a result, both messengers were killed, so they had no choice but to disperse them... And according to this posture, I am afraid that two to three thousand people will be able to gather tomorrow, and then the general's subordinates will not be able to easily disperse these lightly-armed cavalry for the main army. "
"It doesn't matter." Yue Fei immediately responded on his horse. "Deputy Commander Li, being a scout here is a great achievement."
Li Shifu nodded immediately, but like the surrounding Kansai generals, they could not hide their serious expressions.
In this way, the army finally set off and headed north along the Yellow River.
However, they could not walk more than ten miles, and it was not yet noon. As the army turned around the bend of the Yellow River, the terrain suddenly opened up. Yue Fei naturally noticed something conspicuous to the northwest of the army's formation, and turned to look.
Hu Hongxiu turned to his side:
"Shilang Hu, that mountain is continuous and majestic. It looks like a group of horses galloping, but what kind of mountain is it?"
Although he knew that the journey ahead would determine his life or death, Hu Hongxiu couldn't help but laugh: "Yue Jiedu said that if the peaks of this mountain are like galloping horses, then of course it is Horse Mountain..."
"Just call it Horse Mountain?"
"Of course!" Hu Hongxiu continued to laugh. "The horse is called Helan in the local Tibetan language... Therefore, this mountain is also called Helan Mountain!"