"There is a saying in the art of war: if you are ten, you are to surround it, if you are five, you are to attack it, and if you are twice as many, you are divided. Our army has 80,000 troops, while Pyongyang's garrison is no more than 20,000 troops. On the surface, the strength of the two sides is four to one."
Lai Hu'er paused and continued: "But don't forget, the elite of the Goguryeo army were all brought to Liaodong by Cao Cao. Even the garrison that stayed in Pyongyang was just a second-line auxiliary force, whether in terms of weapons and equipment or individual soldiers. Their combat capabilities are far inferior to ours, so I have absolute confidence that they can break through Pyongyang."
Lai Hu'er is the only remaining veteran general in the Sui Dynasty military, and he is also the only general among the generals present who participated in the three expeditions to Goguryeo. In terms of understanding of Goguryeo, no one can compare with Lai Hu'er.
After hearing the decision to protect the children, Qi Jiguang, Zhang Yu and other generals expressed their agreement. Lai Hu'er left behind an army of 10,000 people, led by General Zhang Yu, who stayed in Bishe City as a logistics base. The remaining 70,000 troops followed the route he took when he first marched into Pyongyang and headed straight for Pyongyang City.
In Pyongyang City, the King of Goguryeo was just a childish puppet of several years old. After Cao Cao went on an expedition, it was his eldest son Cao Pi who was in charge of many matters in Pyongyang City.
Tens of thousands of Sui troops were rapidly marching towards Pyongyang City. This news immediately confused Cao Pi. He quickly ordered people to summon two generals, General Jin and Xiahou Ba, who also stayed in Pyongyang.
As Lai Huer expected, there are less than 20,000 troops stationed in Pyongyang City, only 18,000 people, of which 15,000 are city defense troops, led by General Jun Jin. This army has average combat strength, and there are Many are new recruits.
The only ones that can be truly considered elite are the 3,000 Tiger Guards led by Xia Houba. They were formed by Cao Cao after he became Molizhi, and selected extremely strong men from the hundreds of thousands of Goguryeo troops. The weapons and armor used by the army were all from the Sui Army. It was left behind in Goguryeo during the conquest of Goguryeo.
Not long after, Yu Jin and Xia Houba hurried to Cao Pi's government office. The two of them already knew the news that the Sui army was attacking Pyongyang. They were also quite surprised. After all, Pyongyang is now empty and cannot be changed.
"Two generals, what should we do now?"
Cao Pi looked sad and looked at Yu Jin while speaking. Xiahou Ba was young and energetic, while Yu Jin was a veteran who had followed Cao Cao for many years. At this time, Cao Pi still believed in Yu Jin.
Yu Jin did not disappoint Cao Pi, and immediately said to Cao Pi: "Sir, the strength of the Sui army is several times that of our army. The general suggested that at this time, the young men in the city can be recruited to the city to help in the battle. There are still many swords and armor in the arsenal, which can be quickly used." Raise an army of thirty thousand men."
"Okay, I'll give the order right now."
Cao Pi nodded and immediately issued an order: "Pass my order to close the city gate immediately and mobilize all the soldiers and civilians in the city to go to the city to prepare to assist the army in defending against the Sui army's attack."
"In addition, the last general suggested that we should send someone to ask for help from Lord Molizhi. Pyongyang is our capital. If the Sui army is besieged for a long time, it will have a great impact on the morale of our soldiers and civilians."
"good."
Cao Pi nodded and quickly sent a messenger out of the city to Liaodong to request Cao Cao for support.
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The Sui army marched very fast. While Goguryeo officials were still knocking on doors in the city to mobilize young people to go to the city, the Sui army had already arrived at the city.
The 70,000 Sui troops were divided into seven square formations and marched towards the city of Pyongyang in unison with the sound of rumbling war drums. The Sui soldiers had distinctive armor and stomachs, and hundreds of siege equipment such as swords and guns, ladders, and catapults were lined up in a row. open. The murderous aura emanating from the Sui army frightened many of the new soldiers who had just been forcibly pulled over the city, their faces turned pale, their hands trembled, and they could hardly hold their weapons.
The veteran guard, wearing bright light armor, stood on horseback under the commander's flag, his sharp eyes fixed on the city of Pyongyang in front of him, and the past could not help but come to mind.
More than ten years ago, he led an army of 40,000 to attack this city, but in the end he failed. He only led thousands of remaining soldiers to escape from the city, and tens of thousands of soldiers rested here.
"Brothers, today is the day I avenge you!"
Lai Hu'er murmured to himself, slowly drew out his sword, pointed at the city of Pyongyang in front of him and shouted loudly: "All the soldiers obey the order. Your Majesty has an order to conquer Pyongyang. The first one to attack the city will be rewarded five dollars." One hundred taels, the official will be promoted to the third level, and the Sui Dynasty will definitely win!"
"We must win! We must win!"
Amid a burst of high-pitched shouts, the Sui army's attack began. The first siege force consisted of five thousand sword and shield soldiers. They held a shield in one hand and a knife in the other, carrying ladders and sandbags, and surged towards the city wall like a tide.
"Shoot the arrow, shoot the arrow!"
The person in charge of commanding defensive operations on the city wall was General Jin, while Xiahou Ba led three thousand Tiger Guards to guard the inner city.
Seeing the Sui army launching an attack, Yu Jin drew his sword in his hand and gave a stern order. Arrows rained down from the city walls, shooting overwhelmingly at the Sui army.
Although the charging Sui infantry were protected by shields, it was impossible to achieve airtight protection. Many soldiers were still hit by arrows and fell to the ground.
The first siege force was also tasked with filling in the moat. When they arrived at the edge of the moat to fill the river with soil or build a ladder across the river, they lost the protection of their shields, and the casualties were even greater.
Behind the Sui army's formation, thousands of crossbowmen and dozens of catapults also launched. Flying stones and arrows flew toward the city head like locusts, covering the Sui army's attack.
In a short time, the Sui army had filled in a long section of the moat and built six or seven temporary bridges. The soldiers crossed the moat and continued to advance, and soon they were under the city wall.
Following several loud noises, several ladders were set up on the top of the city one after another. Dozens of Sui soldiers jumped up, holding their shields high, and rushed towards the top of the city.
"Golden juice, when it's cooked, pour it down for me. Roll logs and stones and smash them all down for me. Hit them hard and kill these Sui soldiers!" Yu Jin yelled.
Wood and stones were smashed down like hailstones, and pot after pot of hot and smelly golden juice poured down from the top of the city. Countless able-bodied Sui soldiers fell down screaming.
"Second team, come on!"
In the middle of the Sui army's formation, Lai Hu'er saw that the first siege force had advanced to the line of the city wall, and decisively threw in the second siege force. Five thousand Sui soldiers roared loudly and rushed toward the city wall like a tsunami. .
Because the first siege force had solved the problem of the moat, the second force advanced faster. Soon more than 20 ladders were hooked up to the top of the city. The soldiers held their shields and climbed the ladders bravely upward. .
"Use an iron fork to push down all the Sui army's ladders!"
On the city wall, accompanied by Yu Jin's roar, several Goguryeo soldiers held iron forks and pushed a ladder away with all their strength. Six or seven Sui soldiers on the ladder fell backwards with screams.
