Li Shiji's previous idea was to directly lead the army to break through head-on. With Datang's current weapons and equipment, whether it was Liaodong City or other Goguryeo towns, there was no problem in taking them.
Similarly, the 20,000 cavalry Cui Liang brought from Hanhai Prefecture were also actively assisting in Li Shiji's plan. However, the villages Liu Zhao and the others gave and the battle plan given by Li Chengqian made Li Shiji make a new decision.
He ordered Qibi Heli, Ashinadur, and Zhisi Shili to lead 20,000 cavalry from Hanhai Prefecture, and detour into the hinterland of Goguryeo from the location of Changchun in later generations.
Because the northern side of Goguryeo was vast and sparsely populated, coupled with the dense primitive jungle, the large black land was not developed at all during this period. There were also a large number of wild beasts here.
Therefore, although the cavalry detoured slowly, Goguryeo did not notice it at all.
After the Intelligence Department communicated with Liu Zhao, Liu Zhao also sent relevant information to various villages in the hinterland of Goguryeo.
According to Li Chengqian's opinion, after the three Turkic generals led the cavalry into Goguryeo, they quickly divided into three parts with about 7,000 cavalry, and then quickly penetrated deep into Goguryeo.
Before Li Shiji and others officially approached the Liaohe River, the cavalry led by Qibi, He Li and others took the lead in launching their attack.
Goguryeo never thought that the cavalry of the Tang Dynasty could penetrate deep into their hinterland. They also did not know how these cavalry could bypass the defense line of the important town in front and go directly deep into the hinterland.
The Goguryeo army that was transporting related supplies to the front line was directly intercepted and killed three logistics transport teams.
In total, the three cavalry units annihilated more than 10,000 enemy troops, of whom more than 3,000 were killed and more than 7,000 were surrendered and captured.
But Qibi Heli and others, who numbered more than 7,000 people, did not take them away, and it was impossible to take them away.
Instead, they were asked to take off all their weapons and equipment on the spot, and their horses, weapons, bows and arrows, and armor were piled together with a large amount of grain and grass.
Take away all the horses and food you can carry, and then burn the rest directly on fire.
They all waited until the raging fire was completely burning before leading their troops to leave.
There were more than 200,000 arrows burned alone, not counting food, weapons, armor, etc.
Although the blazing flames cannot completely melt and burn the armor, swords, etc., they may only burn part of them. But the armor of Goguryeo is similar to the armor of Tang Dynasty, both are composed of armor pieces.
The nails cannot be burned, but the cowhide ropes and cowhide linings connecting the nails have been completely burned.
Naturally, these armors cannot be used. By the time Goguryeo clears them out, the war will probably be over.
What's more, what Qibi Heli and the others didn't expect was that after they left, only a few of the prisoners chose to return to the nearest city, while most of them fled directly.
There was no way, they all knew how cruel Yeon Gaesumun was. They lost so much supplies and were defeated. You can imagine what would happen to them after they returned.
It might be better if the generals among these prisoners gather their troops and surrender.
But these generals are the fastest, because it is impossible for ordinary soldiers to be killed by Yeon Gaesumun at this time, but these generals will definitely lose their heads.
So these generals were the first to escape.
The generals all ran away, and the ordinary soldiers naturally fled in all directions.
After receiving the news, Yuengai Suwen was completely stunned. He never expected that the first people of the Tang Dynasty to attack were the cavalry! Fortunately, after receiving the news, many cities in Goguryeo and Liaodong closed their gates and stood firm.
Naturally, these cities will not have much dedication.
But the 20,000 cavalry began to attack the entire Liaodong Plain.
Before entering Goguryeo, each of the 20,000 cavalrymen carried about twenty days' worth of dry food, including dried meat and steamed buns.
Before the battle, they naturally placed most of the dry food in the mountains and forests, guarded by a small team of soldiers.
Now that the weather is getting warmer across the north, the green grass along the river has begun to sprout, and the horses' food is no longer a problem, especially after snatching this time, they can even snatch dry grains for the horses for a few days.
Next, when Li Shiji's army just arrived at the front line of Liaodong City, the cavalry led by Qi Bi, He Li and three others were already overwhelming the territory of Goguryeo!
Yeon Gaesumun had no choice, because although Goguryeo also had cavalry, they were also heavily armored cavalry just like the Tang Dynasty.
But using cavalry to chase cavalry is simply unreliable. Although it is difficult for a large number of cavalry to conceal their whereabouts, the enemy cannot conceal their whereabouts, and neither can Goguryeo's large number of cavalry.
It is simply impossible to pursue the enemy in such a state.
What's more, what should we do if we chase into the mountains and forests and enter the encirclement?
More importantly, Yeon Gaesumun probably knew the total number of this cavalry from the words of the soldiers who escaped, which was at least 15,000! All were heavily armored cavalry.
It is impossible to wipe out 15,000 heavily armored cavalry based on the current number of cavalry in Goguryeo.
Therefore, although he was unwilling, Yeon Gaesumun could only grit his teeth and let the enemy move.
Didn't he believe that the enemy could still harass all their routes? The large army could not cover up their whereabouts, so Yeon Gaesomun decided to send a small group of soldiers to transport supplies on a small scale using different routes.
However, the news he received next made Yeon Gaesumun completely confused.
He never expected that the enemy's nearly 20,000 heavy cavalry would be completely dispersed, and each group of soldiers would be at most three to five hundred.
In an instant, from the royal city of Goguryeo, Pyongyang, Wugucheng and other hinterlands to the vast area of Liaodong City on the front line, dozens of cavalry squads can be said to be almost countless in an instant.
They focused on various official ways of Goguryeo. All teams dressed as soldiers were intercepted. If they resisted, they would kill people. If they surrendered, they would not kill anyone, but all weapons and armors would be robbed.
After getting the news about these teams, Yeon Gaesowen immediately realized that this could not go on, because after the materials they transported were robbed by the enemy, it meant that the enemy could hold on longer.
Yeon Gaesumun had to order the cities in the rear to temporarily stop transporting supplies to the front line, but to hold on to each other. After these people's food and grass were consumed, they would naturally leave.
However, the supplies do not have to be sent to the front line, but the connection between him and the front line cannot be interrupted. Scout teams are constantly being sent out, but who are Qi Bi Heli and the three of them?
After realizing that their actions were almost invincible, especially since it was almost impossible for the enemy to send large troops to surround them, Qibi Heli and the others sent a large number of scouts to monitor near various cities in Goguryeo.
