Cao Yong urgently ordered all armies to assemble and prepare to return for reinforcements. As for recovering Tanzhou, he had to give up temporarily. Fortunately, judging from the current situation, although the Yanyun Navy's raid in Guangzhou was unexpected, it could not save the overall situation. Our own army only needs to defeat the Yanyun Navy and retake Guangzhou, and it is not too late to attack again!
Turning your attention back to the northern battlefield.
Yeqi Hucheng led the army to finally descend to Niulan Mountain. The armies of the two sides faced off. The situation was very tense. However, for two consecutive days, Yeqi Hucheng's army did not launch an attack on Niulan Mountain. That night, Yang Peng finished discussing with the generals and the generals retreated. Yang Peng stood up, walked to the overall situation map, looked at the situation on the map, frowned slightly, and looked thoughtful.
Cao Jun ran in, clasped his fists and said, "King Yan, the latest report has been sent from Bianliang!" Yang Peng immediately turned around, took the report from Cao Jun, opened the envelope, took out the letter, and unfolded it to read. His face changed slightly, and he frowned and said, "The Eighth Prince actually switched sides!" Cao Jun was shocked, "Then the situation in Jiangnan will be dangerous!" Yang Peng turned around and looked at the position of Jiangnan on the situation map, frowned slightly and fell into deep thought, saying : "Although the situation in Jiangnan is dangerous, there should be no major problems in the short term!" His eyes moved from Jiangnan to the Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun where he was currently, and he frowned and said: "The top priority right now is not to worry about the south, but to Find a way to defeat our direct enemy!"
Cao Jun nodded and said: "Yes, only after defeating the Khitan army can we free up our hands." Then he frowned and said worriedly: "But the Khitan army is powerful, and it is not easy for our army to defend the line without losing it. Easy thing to do, let alone defeat them!”
Yang Peng looked at the map and thought for a moment, then said: "Don't tell others about Jiangnan." "Yes!" Cao Jun promised with clasped fists, feeling very worried. Yang Peng thought of another thing and asked, "Hasn't the grain and grass arrived yet?" Cao Jun clasped his fists and said, "I was about to report to King Yan. I just received news that the grain transport team departing from Yanjing will arrive in one day." We can get here." Yang Peng nodded, "Okay! Nothing happened at last!" It turned out that Yanyun's army's food and grass were destroyed, leaving only a few days of food and grass carried by the army, so Yang Peng immediately sent a messenger to Yanjing was urging grain. As soon as Yang Jiumei, who was in charge of Yanjing, received the order, she immediately dispatched grain and grass to the front of the army.
In fact, Yan Yun had already hoarded a large amount of grain and grass in Yanjing before the war. The grain and grass destroyed in the Beitian Army Stronghold was less than one-fifth of this batch of grain and grass. The destruction of the grain and grass in the Beitian Army Stronghold will not cause the Yanyun Army to have no food and grass available. However, if the grain and grass in the Beitian Army Stronghold is destroyed, Tanzhou cannot defend it anyway, because the grain transport team from Yanjing has arrived. The fastest speed in Tanzhou is five or six days, but the army's food reserves can only be used for two or three days, so abandoning Tanzhou is inevitable. Therefore, Yang Peng simply used this as bait to try to lure the Khitan army into the encirclement so that he could defeat the Khitan army in one fell swoop, but this clever trick ultimately failed.
At the same time, Yeqi Hucheng was worried about how to break through the Yanyun Army's defense line. With the current situation, the Khitan army can indeed attack by force, but the Yanyun army is powerful and relies on the favorable terrain of Niulan Mountain. Even if they can attack Niulan Mountain, the price they pay may be unbearable! Ye Qian Hucheng stared at Niulan Mountain on the map, frowning tightly, and still couldn't think of a feasible solution.
Xiao Qianbuli came behind Yeqianhucheng and saluted: "Your Majesty, that Chiang Tong wants to see you." Yeqianhucheng said impatiently: "See you, no, how can I have time to see him now!" Xiao Qianbuli said: " But he said he had a clever plan that could help the king break through the Yanyun Army’s defenses!”
Ye Qian Hucheng immediately turned around and asked in disbelief: "Does he have a clever plan?" Gan Buli nodded. Ye Qian Hucheng thought: "It was his strategy that allowed us to successfully destroy the grain and grass that Yan Yun's army had hoarded in Beitian's stronghold, which put our army in a favorable situation! Maybe he can surprise us this time !" Having read this, he immediately said to Xiao Qianbuli: "Bring him in." Xiao Qianbuli made a promise and stepped back. A moment later, he led Jiang Tong in, who was wearing a Confucian shirt and looked humble. When Jiang Tong saw Yeqi Hucheng, he couldn't help but kneel to the ground and bowed: "My subordinates pay homage to your Majesty. Your Majesty may live a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand years!"
Yeqi Hucheng looked at Jiang Tong who was lying on the ground with his butt sticking out. He couldn't help but feel a very comfortable feeling in his heart. It was difficult to fight against Yan Yun's army, so looking at this servile Han, I felt extremely comfortable.
"Get up." Ye Qianhu said. Jiang Tong thanked him, stood up, bowed his waist, and said with a flattering smile on his face: "Your Majesty, I have a clever plan to break through the current Yanyun Army's defense line!" Ye Qi Hucheng nodded and motioned for him to continue. Go on. Jiang Tong continued: "My subordinates have lived in Yanjing for generations. When they were young, they traveled around the Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun. They know the terrain here very well!" Then he walked to the map, pointed to the northwest position of Niulan Mountain and said: "You can bypass the Yanyun Army's defense line from here!"
Ye Qian Hucheng glanced at the position of his finger, frowned and said: "My scouts have visited this place. Except for the dense forests of thorns and high mountains, there is no road at all!" Jiang Tong bowed and smiled: "The king's scouts Nature is very perceptive, but that passage is not easy to find! Your Majesty may not know something, but that passage is very secret, formed by natural running water, and is usually dry. Not only can soldiers and horses pass through, but even heavy supplies can pass through. No problem! Almost no one even knows about this passage among the local hunters, and my subordinate discovered it by chance!"
Ye Qi Hucheng was overjoyed and asked: "Is what you said true?" Jiang Tong clasped his fists and said, "I dare you to guarantee it with your head!" Ye Qi Hucheng said: "Very good, then you can lead my The scouts will find this road and report back." Jiang Tong promised with clasped fists.
At the same time, in the large tent of Yanyun Army on Niulan Mountain. Yang Peng's eyes looked at Niulan Mountain and Shunzhou, showing a thoughtful look. Asked Liu Qidao: "Do you think there are any paths around us that we haven't discovered yet that can be used?" Cao Jun glanced at the map, cupped his fists and said, "My subordinates have already found all the hunters around us. King Yan can rest assured that there is no path that can bypass our defense line!" Yang Peng nodded and said secretly: "If the hunters around him don't know about it, then there must be no path!" Yan Nian At this point, the matter was put aside. However, Cao Jun and Yang Peng didn't know at this moment that things were exactly opposite to their judgment. They couldn't be blamed for this, it could only be said to be God's will!
It took Jiang Tong and the scouts sent by Yeqian Hucheng to find the passage more than ten miles northwest of Niulan Mountain in one day. It was a natural passage formed by running water in the mountains. It was very flat, and it was possible for two riders to ride side by side. However, this place is indeed very secretive. Although Jiang Tong knew the place, the group of people found it with great difficulty.
Everyone was very happy when they saw this passage, and then the group returned to the army and reported to Yeqihu City. Yeqi Hucheng was overjoyed when he received the accurate report, and immediately summoned the generals to assign tasks. Yeqian Hucheng decided that Xiao Qianbuli would lead an army of 200,000 to stay in the camp, while he himself led the main force to quietly leave the camp under the cover of night and bypass the Yanyun army's defense line through the secret passage, and then attack Yanyun from behind. The Yun army launched a surprise attack, and at the same time, Xiao Qianbuli launched a fierce frontal attack with all the troops in the camp. The two armies attacked from the front and back. Even if the Yan and Yun army were all made of iron, they would definitely not be able to withstand it!
The Liao army prepared secretly for a day. At midnight of the next day, Yeli Hucheng led the main army and quietly left the camp as planned. Yan Yun did not expect this move at all. This time, Yan Yun's army is afraid that it will encounter an unprecedented disaster!
Yang Peng suddenly woke up from his dream and found that he was sitting peacefully on the bed, and he couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. He felt wet on his body, and when he reached out to touch it, he realized that he was actually covered in cold sweat. Recalling the scene in the dream just now, I couldn't help but feel heart palpitations, and then smiled to myself. Got out of bed and took a shower.
Yeqian Hucheng led the main army to bypass the Yanyun Army's defense line along the naturally formed passage, and was about to leave the mountainous area. The Khitan army was inexplicably excited, and they all felt that this time Yan Yun's army could be greatly surprised! Maybe we can also annihilate the Yan Yun army in one fell swoop and capture the King of Yan, Yang Peng!
Lakshen turned his head and glanced at Niulan Mountain on the eastern horizon, and said excitedly: "We have really bypassed the Yanyun Army's defense line! This time we will definitely annihilate the Yanyun Army and capture the King of Yan Yang Peng!" Yeli Hucheng Unable to restrain his excitement, he looked at Jiang Tong and praised: "Jiang Tong, you did a good job! You have done a great service!" Jiang Tong quickly said flatteringly: "It is an honor for me to serve the king. , Dare not claim credit! Even if there is credit, it is due to the majesty of the king, how dare my subordinates take credit?" In the past, Ye Qi Hucheng disliked such false flattery, but at this time he was very happy and listened to Jiang Tong Not only did he not feel disgusted by his words, but he was also very happy. He laughed and said: "If you don't want to take credit, I have to reward you! From today on, you will be my military advisor! When you return to the court, I will also ask the Queen Mother for you. Please take credit from Your Majesty!" Jiang Tong was overjoyed and quickly thanked him.
At this time, on a mountain not far away, a pair of Orion father and son saw the Liao army rolling south, and they couldn't help but be shocked. The son's voice trembled: "Then, is that the Khitan army?" The father came back to his senses and said anxiously: "No! No! The Khitan army actually came from here! King Yan and the others must not know it yet, We have to inform King Yan of this news quickly!" Immediately, the father and son relied on the cover of the woods and mountains, took a small road and rushed in front of the Khitan army, and rushed towards the Yanyun Army camp in Niulan Mountain.
Yang Peng was discussing with Cao Jun and others how to defeat the enemy. Suddenly, a secret guard rushed in and reported: "To report to King Yan, a pair of Orion father and son came outside the military camp and said that they had important information to report to King Yan!" Yang Peng and Both Cao Jun and Cao Jun looked at each other with something in their minds. They both had the same thought: Did something unexpected happen?
Yang Peng said to the secret guard: "Bring this person in." The latter promised, ran down, and a moment later came in with a father and son wrapped in animal skins. It was the first time in their lives that the father and son saw King Yan and so many powerful generals. They couldn't help but be frightened. Their feet gave out and they knelt down on the ground with a plop. They kowtowed and said: "Grassmen, I greet you, folks. His Highness King Yan! King Yan is a thousand years old, a thousand years old, a thousand years old!"
Yang Peng smiled and said: "No need to be polite, get up and talk." The father and son couldn't help being surprised when they saw King Yan's attitude being so kind, and then they couldn't help but feel touched in their hearts. After thanking him and standing up, the father and son looked at King Yan in front of them and were so excited that they forgot the purpose of their trip for a moment.
Seeing this, Yang Peng asked with a smile: "You said there is something important?" Only then did the father and son think of the purpose of their trip, and their expressions couldn't help but change. The father hurriedly said: "King Yan, it's bad, the Khitan army is crossing Crossing the Qidu River!" The Qidu River is the river next to Niulan Mountain.
Everyone was surprised when they heard this. Cao Jun frowned and said: "How is this possible? Our scouts patrolled day and night and did not find any clues!" Others also had such questions. Seeing that no one believed what they said, the Orion father and son became anxious. The Orion father swore and kept emphasizing that they had indeed seen it.
Yang Peng saw that his father and son did not seem to be lying, so he asked: "Where did you see it?" The Orion father said: "We saw it in Yegougou!" Everyone was looking at this area during this time. The map was used to discuss strategies to defeat the enemy. It can be said that the names of the surrounding places were already familiar to everyone. When the Orion father said the name "Wild Dog Valley", everyone was shocked. Liu Zhiliang said angrily: "That's the west side of here. According to what you said, didn't the Khitan army bypass our defense line?" Naturally, the father and son did not understand the meaning of the defense line, but they felt that the Khitan army had almost bypassed our defense line. We arrived at the back of Niulan Mountain, so we nodded.
When Liu Zhiliang saw him nodding, he immediately became happy and said: "The north of Wild Dog Valley is full of thorny forests and steep mountains. How could the Liao army come from there?" The father and son shook their heads together, and the father said : "This commoner doesn't know anything about it. He just saw the Khitan army in Yegougou!"
Cao Jun said to Yang Peng: "King Yan, although this matter is unbelievable, we, the father and the son, dare not speak nonsense, for fear that this matter is true!" Liu Zhiliang frowned and said: "But there is no road over there at all. Come here!" Cao Jun looked at Liu Zhiliang and said, "Maybe there is a passage that we haven't discovered yet. This is also possible!" Liu Zhiliang frowned.
Yang Peng thought: "If this is really the case, then Yeli Hucheng has already formed a pincer attack on our army. Maybe not long after, the Liao Kingdom will attack us from the north and the south! If so, our army will We will be in a major crisis!"
All the generals were also worried, and they shouted carelessly: "Afraid of him! Now that the Khitans are coming around, let's just attack them!" Everyone frowned, and no one paid him any attention. Seeing that everyone was ignoring him, Yang Jing was very bored and wanted to yell a few more words, but seeing the solemn expression on his elder brother's face, he couldn't help but swallow the nonsense on his lips.
Cao Jun frowned and said: "If this situation is true, our army will not be able to intercept now! A pincer situation has been formed. Even if we retreat immediately, I am afraid it will be too late. Instead, the hasty retreat will cause chaos across the entire line. The consequences will be It will be more serious!"
Li Xu said: "It seems that we can only defend first and then find a way to break through!" Several generals nodded in agreement. Yang Jing couldn't help shouting: "Hey, aren't you still unsure whether the Khitan army is really coming? What his two hunters said, who knows if it is true or not!" After everyone heard this, they felt that Yang Jing's words were also true. Not without reason. The father of Orion said hurriedly: "The common people dare to guarantee with their lives, what the common people say is indeed true!"
Yang Peng said: "There is no need for the father and son to lie. If they are said to be spies of the Khitan people and deliberately spread rumors, that is impossible. If the Khitan people do this, their purpose is nothing more than to shake the morale of our army or make our army panic. Give up defense and retreat southward from Niulan Mountain. But they should know that it is impossible to shake the morale of our army based on such rumors alone, and it is even more impossible to force our army to give up defense and retreat southward. They should also know that if we believe it With these words, it is inevitable to believe that their pincer attack on Niulan Mountain has been formed. In this case, how could our army retreat rashly? Wouldn't it be seeking death! Therefore, what the father and son said should be taken seriously. !”
When the Orion father and son saw that King Yan believed what they said, they couldn't help but be excited. Yang Peng said: "Even so, this matter still needs to be confirmed." Then he said to his father and son: "Please lead our army's scouts to investigate." The father and son saw that King Yan actually used such a polite expression Speaking with his own tone, he couldn't help but feel flattered, and said quickly: "King Yan has an order, and the common people must obey it!" Yang Peng nodded, and said to the secret guard who brought them in: "You personally bring a few people, and with their father and son Go and check the situation." The secret guard clasped his fists and promised, and then said to the father and son: "Let's go." The father and son quickly knelt down and bowed to Yang Peng, and then followed the secret guard.
Yang Peng couldn't help but think of the nightmare he had last night. Although he was not a superstitious person, a bad premonition arose in his heart at this time.
Seeing that these messy thoughts were temporarily put behind him and the generals looked worried, he smiled and said: "Don't worry, everyone! Haven't we seen too many strong winds and waves? This time's situation is nothing!" The generals listened. When King Yan said this, and saw him smiling and looking confident, he couldn't help but let go of his worries. They all thought: "With King Yan here, no problem can be solved, so there is nothing to worry about!" 'After saying this, they all regained their confidence.
Yang Peng ordered: "Go down each of you, be ready for battle and wait for orders. As for the fact that the enemy has bypassed, this matter is not yet certain, so don't tell the following for the time being." The generals clasped their fists in agreement and filed out of the big tent. . After a while, only Yang Peng and Cao Jun were left in the big tent.
Cao Jun asked curiously: "King Yan, do you already have a strategy to defeat the enemy?"
Yang Peng shook his head and frowned: "There is no way to defeat the enemy! I just said that to appease the generals!" Cao Jun stared at Yang Peng stupidly, speechless for a long time. Come. Yang Peng couldn't help but murmured: "The current situation can be said to be the most dangerous situation we have ever encountered! The enemy's attack has become a pincer attack, and I really can't think of how to deal with it! At present, it seems that we can only follow Li Xu's suggestions, First hold on and then wait for an opportunity to break out, but judging from the current situation, this approach can only be self-defeating. Only God knows how many soldiers and horses will successfully break out in the end!"
Cao Jun frowned, looked solemn, and said to himself: "Are we really destined to lose?" 'I couldn't help but think of the consequences after defeat in this battle, and my face suddenly turned pale! Then his eyes condensed, showing a look of determination. He had made up his mind at this moment. If this battle was destined to fail, he would just die on the battlefield. He couldn't let the Khitan people be too proud! He raised his head and glanced at King Yan's side face, and said secretly: 'But no matter what, we must protect King Yan and break through the siege! As long as King Yan is here and Yanyun is here, even if the entire Sixteen Yanyun States are lost, it is possible to make a comeback! But if something unexpected happens to King Yan, then everything will really be over! 'As soon as I thought about this, I suddenly had a realization in my heart: Since the defeat of this battle has been determined, the task of all our soldiers is to ensure the safety of King Yan at all costs!
When Cao Jun thought of this, he wanted to discuss this idea with the generals, so he cupped his fists towards Yang Peng and said, "King Yan, my subordinates have also resigned." Yang Peng nodded absently. Cao Jun withdrew from the tent. Yang Peng left the tent and walked to the hillside. He saw the thirteen joint camps of the Khitan Army built on the hilly terrain in the distance, and couldn't help but frown. Seeing the Khitan military camp stretching as long as a mountain and as magnificent as a city, I felt an extremely heavy pressure on my heart, making me unable to breathe.
He felt his palms trembling, so he couldn't help but pick them up and look at them. He found that his palms were really trembling. He laughed to himself and murmured: "Am I scared? Damn it, I didn't expect that I would be scared sometimes!" Yang Peng felt that this was because he had a family and children. Now that he had several lovely children, he naturally had great concerns.
He suddenly put down his palm and looked at the Khitan military camp, frowning tightly. He was thinking about how to deal with it. However, the worry about the children losing their father came up from time to time and disturbed his thoughts, making him unable to think clearly at all. Yang Peng slapped his head angrily and cursed in a low voice. Looking back at the soldiers in the military camp, his heart skipped a beat and he thought to himself: "In a few days, I don't know how many of these hundreds of thousands of soldiers will be alive!"
His heart suddenly shuddered, and he quickly threw away these cowardly thoughts, frowned and murmured: "I will die before I can survive! Now if I want to survive in a desperate situation, I have to risk my life and fight!" At this point, Yan Nian's heart suddenly moved, and he followed his eyes. Liang, then there was a desperate look in his eyes, and he murmured: "Damn it! Now that things have developed to this point, the only thing left to do is to risk your life!"
What happened after all, let’s see what happens next.
