At the end of July in the first year of the Later Jin Dynasty, Liu Yanzuo, the envoy of Yingzhou Jiedu of the Liao Kingdom, once again sent a secret message to Du Chongwei.
Talking about the recent heavy rains in Yingzhou, the country north of Waqiao Pass has been flooded, and even Youzhou has been flooded.
The Khitan Emperor Yelv Deguang could not stand such a flood, and in order to stabilize the grassland situation after the tragic defeat, he had returned to Linhuang Mansion in Beijing.
If he were a normal emperor and general, he would be able to sense that something was wrong just by looking at this letter from Liu Yanzuo.
Because Liu Yanzuo was just a warrior who had been secretly in contact with Du Chongwei for six or seven months. Even if Yelu Deguang was a fatuous master, he would at least be aware of it, right?
How could a matter of rebellion be kept secret so strictly after six or seven months of back-and-forth discussions?
Moreover, every time Liu Yanzuo wrote a letter, it was just right. Each time the situation was more favorable to the Jin country, it was like adding weight to the situation.
But it is a pity that Shi Chonggui is not a normal emperor, and Du Chongwei is not a normal general.
The two of them didn't think there was anything wrong with Liu Yanzuo at all. Instead, they felt that Liu Yanzuo was indeed forced to have no choice but to sincerely want to take refuge.
But in fact, let alone Liu Yanzuo, Zhao Yanshou's reply alone was extremely unreliable.
Because Zhao Yanshou was Yelu Deguang's favorite in the Liao Kingdom, the two of them were almost like father and son. Zhao Yanshou had already been promoted to Fan Yang Jiedu Envoy and was given the title of King of Yan.
Fan Yang is another name for Youzhou. At this time, the Liao Kingdom had not established the Nanyuan King in Youzhou, but in terms of power, Zhao Yanshou was almost the smaller Khitan Nanyuan King.
Why would such a character return south? Can you, Shi Chonggui, give him any greater benefit?
Righteousness? The country of parents?
Then stop joking. Can the son of traitor Zhao Dejun talk to you about justice? Does he still have the concept of a country of parents?
Even this time, Yelv Deguang did not let Zhao Yanshou write the letter, but asked Liu Yanzuo to write the letter, because he was afraid of doing it too openly and making the Jin king and ministers suspicious.
But it turned out that he was overthinking it.
Therefore, when Hutu Dan General Du Chongwei told the Hutu Emperor Shi Chonggui this 'good news', the two of them were immediately overjoyed.
Because once Yelu Deguang left Youzhou and Tanzhou and retreated to Linhuang Mansion in Shangjing, it meant that Youzhou would be at its most empty for at least three or four months.
Linhuang Mansion in Shangjing was the Bahrain Left Banner in later generations, only a few hundred miles away from Tongliao, and a full 1,300 miles away from Beijing, where Youzhou is located.
If Yelu Deguang was in Linhuang Mansion and waited for the news that Youzhou was attacked, and Yelu Deguang knew the news and then led his army southward from Linhuang Mansion, he would not be able to pose a strong threat to the Jin army in less than three months.
Shi Chonggui walked around the hall excitedly. He really felt that the great achievements of regaining Yanyun and pacifying Saibei were beckoning to him.
As long as Yelv Deguang is not around, we can take back the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun and send troops to Liaoxi, then great things will happen.
"How is the collection of food and grass? Has the deployment of the peasants, mules and horses been in place?"
Shi Chonggui's face flushed, and for the first time he asked Feng Yu beside him in a majestic tone.
Cold sweat ran down Feng Yu's back, and he could only grit his teeth secretly.
"In just one month, everything needed for the army's northern expedition will be ready."
Hearing what Feng Yu said, the three clay sculptures looked at each other with shock.
In order to raise enough food and fodder for an army of 70,000 to 80,000 people and a large number of civilians to accompany the army within a month, there is absolutely no way except direct robbery.
Although military plunder has become commonplace since the late Tang Dynasty, it is still a bit shocking for the imperial court to personally rob people.
Shi Chonggui didn't expect so much. After hearing Feng Yu's assurance, he turned to look at Du Chongwei.
Du Chongwei changed his hesitant and fearful attitude in the past few days. As long as the Khitan emperor is not in Youzhou, the Khitan army will definitely not be there either. With Zhao Yanshou and Liu Yanzuo to support him, there is no need to worry about the big event failing.
As for the issue of food and grass, that was Feng Yu's business, not his. If he could collect food and grass, he would go on an expedition, and if he couldn't, he wouldn't go on an expedition.
"Please give the order, Your Majesty. As long as the food and grass are available, the soldiers will march directly to Youzhou and regain their homeland."
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In mid-September of the first year of Kaiyun, Feng Yuqiang ordered Li Song and others to cooperate to raid all the prefectures and counties in Henan and Hebei that had no commanders to guard them.
Finally, enough food and fodder was raised for the 80,000-strong army to march north, as well as hundreds of thousands of civilians responsible for transportation.
At the end of the month, Shi Chonggui offered sacrifices to heaven in the northern suburbs of Kaifeng Mansion, and issued an edict to all ministers, vowing to pacify Mobei and asking the generals to work together to achieve the goal of defending Huo. The implication was that he was the Xiongnu who wanted to be killed. His father called his mother Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.
On the second day after the sacrifice to heaven, Shi Chonggui built a platform to pay homage to the general, and appointed Du Chongwei as the commander of the northern march and camp, and as the commander-in-chief of the northern expedition.
Du Chongwei's good friend Li Shouzhen was the supervisor of the northern troops and horses, and was the deputy commander.
An Shenqi, the military governor of Taining Army in Yanzhou, was the commander of both the left and right wings.
Gao Xingzhou, the envoy of the Tianping Army in Yunzhou, was the commander of Zuoxiangdu.
Fu Yanqing, the military governor of Xuzhou Zhongwu Army, was the commander of the right wing.
Huchile, the military envoy of the Wuning Army in Xuzhou, was appointed as the commander of the Duma Army in the left wing.
Huangfu Yu, the military envoy of Weizhou Yicheng Army, was appointed as the commander of Zuoxiangdu Infantry Army.
Liang Hanzhang, the governor of the Yongqing Army in Beizhou, was the commander of the Duma Army in the right wing.
Song Yanyun, the military envoy of Dengzhou Weisheng Army, was the commander of the infantry in the right wing.
Yao Yuanfu, the governor of Yuanzhou, was the formation envoy of the cavalry army in the north, and Xue Huairang, the governor of Huazhou, was the formation envoy of the infantry army in the north.
The remaining fifteen generals including Wang Qing, Wang Rao, Pan Huan, and Wang Zhou led an army of 80,000 people and more than 100,000 civilians to send troops for the Northern Expedition.
He also ordered Zhang Yanze, the governor of the Dingzhou Yiwu Army, who had repeatedly defeated the Khitans on the northern border, to respond.
The troops sent by the Later Jin Dynasty were said to be 300,000, with a huge momentum and a continuous stream of banners. As soon as the vanguard left Kaifeng Prefecture in Tokyo, it shocked the world.
I don’t know how Shi Chonggui and Du Chongwei thought that the surprise effect could be achieved.
When the Later Jin Dynasty had already sent out troops and the scale was large, Yelu Deguang also summoned the Khitan tribes and the chiefs of the Xi people, Bohai people, Han people and other powerful chiefs to gather troops in Tanzhou, north of Youzhou.
The gambler Yelv Deguang, who had already lost money, was completely red-eyed, because if he failed this time, everything would be over.
Therefore, Yelu Deguang took off all the masks and auras he had always maintained, claiming that as long as he defeated the Jin army and took control of the Central Plains, he could not help but plunder the soldiers.
And in fact, the Khitans did not have the habit of carrying food and grass. They could not even get basic supplies without plundering them.
After receiving Yelu Deguang's affirmative promise, the morale of the Liao army finally recovered a lot, and they cheered thunderously.
Many tribal cavalry not only went out on their own, but also brought an extra brother or nephew to help with the threshing of grass and valleys.
Suddenly, Yelu Deguang, who originally had only 50,000 to 60,000 men, instantly expanded the army around him to more than 80,000 people.
In mid-October, the Hou Jin army marched hurriedly, and it took less than a month to reach Anfeng, Dingzhou (Anguo County, Baoding) from Kaifeng Prefecture.
The reason why it was so fast was that the entire Jin army regarded the Khitans as nothing more than trivial matters.
After the first two battles, the Jin army believed that the Khitans were just fast runners and could not fight at all.
Now that Zhao Yanshou and Liu Yanzuo are taking over, of course they have to go north quickly to 'receive' the Khitan people's property.
Therefore, after arriving in Anfeng County, Dingzhou, Du Chongwei simply arranged for some men to be stationed. Following the advice given by Liu Yanzuo, he led more than 60,000 generals, more than 30,000 civilians, and an army of 100,000, and rushed into Yingzhou. , ready to receive it.
The tired Jin army was in Yingzhou, and soon received a tip from local residents that a Liao army had taken a detour and crossed behind the Jin army, but the number was not too large, only a few hundred riders.
Du Chongwei thought that the Liao army was trying to escape somewhere, but he never thought that this Liao army was going to cut off his retreat.
But in the spirit of coming, Du Chongwei ordered Liang Hanzhang, the governor of Beizhou Yongqing Army, to lead two thousand cavalry to pursue them.
Liang Hanzhang was from Yingxian County, Shanxi Province, and could barely be regarded as a member of Daibei Wuxun. He was also very brave when approaching. He received the military order without hesitation and immediately led two thousand cavalry to pursue them.
However, Du Chongwei and he never expected that this news was simply fake news released by the Khitans.
The Khitan soldiers and horses encircling the rear were not a few hundred horses, but a total of 5,000 horsemen led by the Khitan Inspector Gao Song, the deputy commander of the army, who actually served as the vanguard of the army.
Gao Song, also known as Gao Mohan in history, was a Bohai native. He had ape-long arms, strong strength, and was very good at riding and shooting. He was a famous Khitan brave general.
When the Khitan destroyed Bohai, the young Gao Song fled to Goryeo and soon rose to prominence in Goryeo. Later, he was admired by King Wang Jian of Goryeo. Wang Jian also specially recognized a daughter from the clan to marry him.
However, Gao Song was later involved in the political struggle in Goryeo and had no choice but to flee back to Khitan to save his life. Soon after, he was convicted of drinking and killing in Khitan.
But at this time, Yelu Abaoji knew about Gao Song's bravery, pardoned him, and recruited Gao Song into the Pishi Army.
From then on, Gao Song strictly restrained himself and began to serve the Khitan wholeheartedly.
At the gate of Jinyang City, Gao Song led his army to defeat Zhang Jingda. The battle that cut off the connection between Gao Xingzhou, Fu Yanqing and other cavalrymen and the large infantry was Gao Song's masterpiece.
Although Gao Song has made many meritorious deeds in the past few years, he has not been very important because of his identity as a Bohai and Korean.
However, Yelu Deguang was defeated so badly by the Later Jin Dynasty that he could not care much about it, so he transferred back Gao Song, who had been clearing out the female straight people in the dense forest.
The left and right Iron Kites Army and Tiger Army led by Gao Song are both armies composed mainly of Bohai people. Although their reputation is not as majestic as other Pishi Army, their combat effectiveness is not low.
On the third day, Liang Hanzhang finally caught up with thousands of Gao Song's troops.
At this time, Gao Song had been waiting for a long time. He first sent the Tiger Army and the Right Iron Harrier Army with four thousand cavalry to fight with Liang Hanzhang.
The two sides fought for two hours, and Liang Hanzhang's troops were extremely exhausted. Although they repelled the Khitan cavalry attacks several times, they could not get rid of the entanglement.
By around noon, Liang Hanzhang's men were extremely sleepy and exhausted, and the heavy casualties also led to a continuous decline in morale.
Seeing this situation, Gao Song personally led the 300 cavalrymen of the Zuo Tieyao Army. Under the cover of the light cavalry, they suddenly appeared in front of the Jin cavalry.
Liang Hanzhang and his soldiers were caught off guard. During the melee, Liang Hanzhang was accidentally shot in the left eye by a stray gun.
Gao Song took the opportunity to attack, but Liang Hanzhang injured his eye and was unable to escape from the bloody battle. He could only send some of the military schools who could break out to report the message. He himself was trapped in the formation and was killed by the Khitan cavalry.
At this time, Du Chongwei had already arrived at the gate of Yingzhou City. As a result, he did not see Liu Yanzuo coming to surrender, and he realized that what Liu Yanzuo said was false.
Then he heard the news that the Khitan emperor had personally led an army to Mozhou, north of Yingzhou, and Du Chongwei was greatly frightened.
At this time, the Yongqing Military Academy in Beizhou, who had fled back, brought news that Liang Hanzhang had been killed in battle and that thousands of Khitan cavalry had circled behind the army.
The panicked Du Chongwei's aura of taking over Youzhou immediately evaporated. He hurriedly led his army to retreat from Yingzhou, retreating all the way to Wuqiang County in Shenzhou in the south for shelter.
