Bai Qi still handed over all administrative work to Wang Lu, and devoted himself to observing the battles between the two armies.
On this day, Zhao Kuo deployed twelve battalions in the south to fight against the nine battalions of the Qin army, and had a slight upper hand; but after the reinforcements of the Qin army, he was suppressed again. Zhao Kuo's new style of play did not arouse much interest in Bai Qi: winning with more is a brainless method for many people. If one person doesn't work, just add one more, and if it doesn't work, add one more; but the effect of increasing manpower is not unlimited. After adding more people to a certain level, adding more people will have no effect, and may even be counterproductive! This is what happened to Zhao Jun in Changping! Bai Qi thought with some gloating. He didn't understand why Lian Po had to use so many people to defend Changping. ——Of course he didn’t know that this was actually the decision of the young King Zhao. He wanted to surpass Qin in terms of determination to fight.
As 20,000 swordsmen arrived at Duanshi, Wang Lu began to organize the troops in Guanzhong to march to Shangdang. After a day's march, 20,000 people were all lurking in the valley south of Shangdang. The 20,000 officers at all levels of the Guanzhong Army are all strong generals with combat experience. The general commander is Wang Ling, the fifth doctor who has participated in the Battle of Qifeng and the Battle of Yanzhi. When Wang Ling passed the mountain pass, he saw Zhao Jun on the opposite mountain, and speculated that Zhao Jun could also see him. While reporting this situation to Bai Qi, he ordered the troops who crossed the pass and entered the valley to seize the ridges on both sides to cut off the enemy's prying eyes.
After Bai Qi received Wang Ling's instructions, he ran to the lookout post behind to check the terrain, and then sent an envoy to order Wang Ling to send a public servant to launch a feint attack along the foot of the mountain towards Danzhu Ridge to cover the movement of the army. . At the same time, he ordered five thousand swordsmen to march at night and cross the pass at night. Although there is a moon tonight, due to the war, the clouds are thick and the moonlight is dim. It is estimated that it will be difficult for Zhao Jun to detect it.
The next day, under the cover of the attack on Danzhu Ridge, 20,000 Qin troops followed the road at the foot of the mountain and circled to the back of the mountain in Changping.
Behind the Changping mountain is a valley surrounded by mountains. The foot of the mountain intersects with each other to form roads. The terrain in the valley is relatively flat, while the edges of the valley are relatively steep, forming a natural city. In the city, military camps and shops are co-located, and women's households and troops are scattered among them. After a war, Zhao Jun usually returns to camp here to enjoy the temporary warmth and forget the threat of death. Seriously injured soldiers will also be transported here together, and doctors will treat them. And there seems to be no shortage of wine and meat in the shops and women's houses, as long as you have enough money and food!
It seems that no one pays attention to the surrounding mountains. They are too wide and too far away from Zhao Jun's base camp. Even if a lookout post is placed, there is no way to exchange news, and there is simply nothing. The Qin army appeared at the pass, and Danzhu Ridge was attacked by the Qin army. Although Zhao Kuo ordered all the armies in the valley to prepare for battle, in that environment, no one would be in the mood to fight.
People who have just struggled back from the death line put down their tired bodies. The one with the highest position goes to the nuvilion, the next one goes to the shop, and the others have a good meal and then fall asleep. Those who received combat missions set off with a depressed mood, waiting for the verdict of fate!
On this day, half of the 50,000 people defending Shicheng were on the mountain and half in the camp at the foot of the mountain. As usual, after breakfast, 5,000 people went up to the city to watch the day, and after dinner, the other 5,000 people went to the city to watch the night. During the night watch, unless the situation is urgent, only a thousand people are usually required to go to the city and rotate on time. Shicheng's defense direction points to Changping, and there are no special defensive measures behind it.
The 50,000 new reinforcements from Handan were the main reason for the expansion of the camp. But after they arrived, they were quickly transferred to other places to take on tasks. These camps generally belonged to the Zhao army who survived the war. Zhao troops from different areas were transferred to the south and fought hard for days. If they performed well, they would be placed in camps on the hills. This can be said to be the rear area of Changping, with a sense of security and prosperity. These middle and high-ranking officers of the Zhao army are usually not in the camp, but stay in women's houses or workshops.
The movements of the 20,000 Qin troops outside the mountain were completely unnoticed! And Zhao Kuo focused all his attention on breaking through the Qin army's barrier at the mouth of the valley. To this end, he mobilized three armies. Their defense area will be filled from here, and the vacated camp will be handed over tonight to the Zhao army who will fight today. So after breakfast, all armies were breaking out of camp, lining up, and preparing to pass through the dense camps and head to the designated area. Yesterday's battle lasted for a long time, lasting until dusk. The participating troops were very tired. They had just one day's rest and then rushed to a new camp. Everyone was very resentful; the middle and senior officials were still reluctant to leave.
At noon, each army passed through the friendly defense area according to the designated route. Everyone's attention was on the marching Zhao army. Only a few noticed that countless Qin troops appeared in neat formation on the ridge behind! The frightened Zhao army reported the situation step by step. By the time the Zhao army beat the warning drum, the Qin army had already descended the mountain and entered the valley directly.
The military camp in the valley had no time to form a formation, so the camp fence was overturned and the soldiers fled in a hurry. The Qin army seemed to be in a deserted land, and in front of them were the Zhao troops fleeing in all directions. The Fang Si and Nv Lu all closed their doors tightly and did not dare to come forward; some of the Zhao soldiers who ran to Fang Si and Nv Lu also hid inside.
Zhao Jun experienced what it means to be defeated like a mountain! Although the Qin army was far smaller in number than the Zhao army, the Zhao army was unable to organize into a force and was helpless in the face of this organized force. Even if someone rises up to resist, it's just a few more corpses lying down and it doesn't help the overall situation.
Zhao Jun, who was fleeing in all directions, naturally preferred the direction of escape to Shicheng on the mountain. The defenders on Shicheng were the Japanese troops who went up the mountain after breakfast. They mainly observed the situation at the bottom of the mountain. Everything that happened behind the mountain was vividly visible. Originally, they planned to rely on their condescending advantage to defend for a while. But seeing the Zhao army defeated like a mountain, and a large number of defeated soldiers rushing up the mountain, they were frightened and at a loss. As for the Zhao army who had just come down the mountain, they naturally encountered a sudden attack by the Qin army at the juncture when they had laid down their weapons and relaxed their mood. They were overwhelmed by the defeated Zhao army and were unable to stand upright, and subsequently collapsed. The officers roared at the top of their lungs several times and found that it was completely ineffective, so they retreated.
The Qin army drove all the Zhao troops at the foot of the mountain up the mountain like a duck. Zhao Jun's equipment, clothes and armor were abandoned all over the mountains and plains, and no one picked them up. They just followed Zhao Jun firmly and advanced up the mountain. It was about twenty miles and six thousand steps from the ridge on the opposite side to Shicheng. During the movement, except for brief engagements and slight chaos, the Qin army always maintained a strict formation, like a moving mountain, moving firmly and unstoppably. Pressing it down makes people fearful, and they dare not compete with it!
Zhao Kuo sent an envoy to order, and the soldiers guarding Shicheng shouted to tell the fleeing Zhao army to run in both directions; but before the envoy arrived, the defenders of Shicheng collapsed: before the rebels arrived, they opened the city and fled down the mountain. go……
Fortunately, the Zhao army guarding the foot of the mountain got Zhao Kuo's order and shouted loudly, telling the defeated troops to flee to both sides and not go up the mountain ridge; at the same time, they controlled the bow string and prepared to shoot. The defeated soldiers avoided the mountain ridge and fled directly to the camp at the foot of the mountain. The Qin army captured Shicheng without fighting!
The 20,000 swordsmen who had received millet supplies at Duanshi sent 5,000 men northward and marched quickly into Shangdang. When they arrived at the designated position, the battle to capture Shicheng was over, and the Qin army had already garrisoned the city. The other fifteen thousand people did not enter the valley, but lurked in another valley south of Feng Valley. There is a small road here leading to Gaodu. Going out from the valley entrance is Xunshui-Danshui. This is outside Zhao Jun's offensive line. The swordsmen rested in their respective camps here. The military envoy sent by Bai Qi instructed them on the route of attack. Sima Jin led doctors and public servants at all levels to familiarize themselves with the roads in advance according to the order.
It was almost sunset when the lookout reported that there were signs of chaos on the mountain opposite. Sima Jin climbed the mountain and saw that it was indeed the case. Immediately, he ordered a public chariot to lead five thousand swordsmen, all riding and shooting, to attack the side of Zhao Jun.
This blow was very effective. The Zhao army, whose morale was already low, was immediately defeated and became the target of the Qin army. Although Lai Zhaokuo put the rearguard troops into the battle and stood ready, saving most of the Zhao troops who attacked, the number of Zhao troops who were beheaded was still shocking. The screams and curses on the battlefield... made it a terrifying slaughterhouse.
The troops coming from Gaodu turned to the direction of Shicheng under the leadership of a fifth doctor. Bai Qi did not expect that Shicheng would be captured so smoothly. The reinforcements from Gaodu would turn to Shicheng to assist the Qin army in Guanzhong to capture Shicheng. And the five thousand cavalry, after completing the task of assaulting Zhao Jun's flank, will also turn to the back of the mountain and assault Shicheng! In Bai Qi's plan, the troops attacking Shicheng included almost all reinforcements, a total of 60,000 prisoners, and 10,000 swordsmen. It's just that because Zhao Jun's collapse was so complete, none of them played a role.
The fifth official Wang Ling asked the reinforcements to take over the defense of Shicheng, and led 20,000 Qin soldiers from Guanzhong to attack Danzhu Ridge. At the same time, let 10,000 swordsmen attack the southernmost foot of the mountain!
As the sky turned dark, the attacks in both places were ineffective. The two armies retreated after a brief contact. They dug trenches all night and prepared to defend.
At night, Bai Qi climbed up to Shicheng under the moonlight of the Mid-Autumn Festival, overlooking Zhao Jun at the foot of the mountain. He called three of the five great officers together and asked them to be responsible for attacking the foot of a mountain and defending the stone city from the foot of this mountain to the foot of the next mountain. Among them, the Guanzhong soldiers were responsible for Danzhu Ridge; the Shangjun soldiers were responsible for the foot of the middle mountain, where the main tent of the Zhao army was located; and the Beidi soldiers were responsible for attacking the southernmost foot of the mountain, where the granary seemed to be. Tomorrow, ten thousand swordsmen will devote themselves to the attack at the foot of the southernmost mountain, serving as the sharp edges of the northern soldiers!
After the arrangements were made, Bai Qi personally inspected the mountains one by one, giving instructions on the attack strategy and arranging the deployment of offensive and defensive forces. I was busy until dawn.
Zhao Kuo experienced the roller coaster of life today, falling from the peak to the bottom: at the moment when the attack was launched smoothly, Shicheng fell. This brought about a collapse across the board!
