Li Jiangyao was so absorbed in looking at the map that he didn't even pay attention to the soup Xiahou Ninghan brought to him.
Xiahou Ninghan didn't dare to disturb his thoughts, put down the soup bowl gently, and then prepared to retreat.
Li Jiangyao suddenly said to himself at this time: "The situation is not good."
"What's wrong?" Xiahou Ninghan asked curiously: "What's not good?"
Li Jiangyao looked at her, then at the soup on the table, smiled and waved: "Come on, help me analyze it and see if I am right."
Xiahou Ninghan smiled sweetly: "Others are fine, but I can't fight. If you come up with random ideas, it will affect your judgment."
"It's not that serious," Li Jiangyao continued to invite: "As the saying goes, the authorities are confused, but the bystanders know clearly. Sometimes my thinking will have blind spots, so you can just help me check for leaks."
Xiahou Ninghan nodded and walked to the table: "What did you say just now that was not good?"
Li Jiangyao pointed to the map and said: "Now the trap has been disrupted. You see, here, here, and here, there are wars going on right now, and both the offensive and defensive sides are constantly investing new troops. There are rapidly expanding battlefields in several battlefields at the same time. sign."
Xiahou Ninghan had already known the entire battle situation before, and nodded slightly: "It seems that we are going to have a full-scale decisive battle."
"No, the time is not yet ripe." Li Jiangyao frowned: "At least, I feel it's not the time yet."
He pressed his finger on the position of the imperial capital: "Ashi Nazhijin may also feel that the real decisive battle has not yet come."
"Why do you say that?" Xiahou Ninghan was a little curious.
Li Jiangyao explained patiently: "The so-called decisive battle means that the two warring parties, or one of them, believe that their strength conditions have reached the level where a battle can determine the outcome, and only then will a strategic decisive battle be launched. And all brilliant military strategists, They are all masters of seizing opportunities and masters of controlling the rhythm. They will not let the war completely escape their control and develop wantonly, nor will they provoke the final contest without certain certainty."
Xiahou Ninghan nodded: "You mean that neither we nor the Turks have the conditions for a decisive battle now, so they will not easily fight, right?"
"That's it." Li Jiangyao said while thinking: "Since the Turks invaded the Holy Tang Dynasty, except for the Battle of the Imperial Capital, they have hardly fought any tough battles, let alone suffered any major defeats, so the overall strength of their troops has been relatively well preserved. . Their only disadvantage is that they are in a poor position and may be attacked by us from the east and west. Therefore, the Turkic High Command will not and will not dare to engage in a decisive battle before the threat on one side is resolved. "
He paused and continued: "As for us, we have obvious advantages in strategic location and war resources, but our internal problems are very serious. There are two forces, Li Kuang and Lao Jianhua, and the new emperor cannot completely control them. The main force in Jingxiang and the conditions for a decisive battle between the East and West are not mature."
Xiahou Ninghan was convinced after hearing this: "Well, your analysis is very thorough. From this point of view, the current melee is just a tentative offensive and defensive contest."
Li Jiangyao said in a deep voice: "I just said that the situation is not good, and that's what I meant. A tentative offensive and defensive contest can be transformed into a key breakthrough in a certain direction at any time. The key depends on who controls the rhythm and initiative of the battle."
Xiahou Ninghan was a little confused: "I don't quite understand what you mean. What is a key breakthrough in a certain direction? What do you mean by the rhythm and initiative of the battle?"
While Li Jiangyao was explaining to her, he was also sorting out his own thoughts: "Let's talk about the battle rhythm and initiative first. To simply understand, whoever is the main attacker can control the rhythm more easily, and whoever can effectively contain the opponent's troops will win. Gained the initiative on the battlefield."
"I understand." Xiahou Ninghan smiled: "It's just leading the other person by the nose. Can you understand it this way?"
"That's right." Li Jiangyao gently scratched the tip of her nose and couldn't help but smile: "Leading the opponent by the nose is a very apt description. You see, although Xu Youchang currently has a slight advantage in terms of military strength, The Second Army also helped him raid the enemy's supply lines, but he was always on the defensive side. Ronya could decide when to attack and from where to attack. And here, in the direction of Bianzhou, it was also the King of Huaiyang. Take the initiative and fight wherever you want, wherever you want."
Li Jiangyao moved his finger to another position on the map: "As for Wuguan, it seems that Shengtang is the main attack, but unlike the other two battlefields, the Jingxiang Army's goal is very single, just Wuguan. Therefore, there is not much strategic mobility, which means there is no initiative advantage.”
Xiahou Ninghan couldn't help frowning: "According to this, the Turks have actually mastered the rhythm and initiative of the battle, so which direction will they choose to break through?"
Li Jiangyao stared at the map: "If I were A Shi Na Zhi Jin, I would definitely choose the west. Once he defeats our Zhenjiang Army, he can immediately turn around and march eastward, taking advantage of the unstable status of the emperor to seek a decisive battle!"
Even though Xiahou Ninghan didn't understand military affairs, Li Jiangyao explained it so clearly that she couldn't help but become alarmed: "Jiang Yao, do you suspect that the Turks will suddenly invade the country with a large number of troops, all targeting us?"
Li Jiangyao was silent for a while, and then said: "The most likely situation is that Ronya and Yun Qianxue are restraining Xu Youchang head-on, while Ashina Zhijin secretly mobilized the army to carry out large-scale detours, and completely Cut off the connection between Zijin Pass and Liangzhou, then encircle without attacking, and lure us to rescue the besieged Xu Youchang. This tactic is called encircling the point and attacking for reinforcements."
"It's impossible for you not to rescue." Xiahou Ninghan said: "Xu Youchang is your deceased brother, and there are hundreds of thousands of officers and soldiers of the Xinjiang Army. Once they are trapped, you will never watch them die. But in this way, it also plays into the enemy’s mind.”
Li Jiangyao turned to look at Xiahou Ninghan: "So, you also agree with my judgment?"
"Agree." Xiahou Ninghan nodded solemnly: "Even if there is only one chance in ten thousand, we must try to avoid it. It is not a big deal to suffer one or two defeats, or lose a few cities, as long as Preserve the main force and there will always be a chance to counterattack again.”
Li Jiangyao was greatly relieved and praised: "Ninghan, although you have never been on the battlefield or fought in a war, you are as decisive as any man in killing. I have been hesitating just now. If Liangzhou, which I finally recaptured with great difficulty, is given up easily, Wouldn’t I be sorry for those brothers who sacrificed their lives for this? However, your words have strengthened my idea. Compared with people and earth, I choose people!"
"Then make a decision quickly." Xiahou Ninghan stared at Li Jiangyao: "My husband is affectionate, righteous, brave and resourceful. Even if Ashina comes to the front line in person, he can only do nothing!"
-
Looking at the military order from the Protector-General, Xu Youchang couldn't help but hesitate.
To be honest, not only was he unwilling to give up Liangzhou, but he even wanted to continue marching eastward and take the imperial capital directly to avenge his grandfather and his relatives.
He was not the only one who had the same idea. At this time, most of the mid-level and senior officers on the front line couldn't figure out why they had to retreat so quickly and give up the entire Liangzhou to the Turks?
Although Prince Ronya of the Temple is aggressive and has conquered several county towns, the last line of defense of the Zhenjiang Army is also the most stable line of defense. Thousands of Turkic soldiers have been killed so far. Seeing that the opponent is about to become At the end of the battle, and no longer able to shake the capital of Liangzhou, why do we have to escape?
Did those brothers who died in battle before die in vain?
Facing the excited subordinates, Xu Youchang suppressed the unwillingness and sadness in his heart, restored his usual military style, and shouted loudly: "What nonsense are you talking about? The military orders of the Protectorate must be obeyed regardless of whether they are reasonable or not! Who dares to disobey? , I will be the first to kill him! Shao Feng, you go and make arrangements immediately. The third army will go first, followed by the seventh army, then the fifth army. I will lead the first army to the rear. Each army will move twenty miles apart. , echelon rotation cover."
Shao Feng, the commander-in-chief of the Chinese Army, hesitated for a moment and objected: "General, I don't agree with you moving to the rear. The three armies that retreat first cannot be led by their chief generals, otherwise it is easy to cause trouble during the retreat and march. Besides, the commander-in-chief will not Responsible for the end of the war, this is the military law set by the Great Protector himself, and no one can violate it."
Xu Youchang felt that Shao Feng was a bit like Lin Feng back then. To be honest, he didn't save face for the general at all. But since what he said made sense, he had no choice but to shake his head helplessly: "Okay, since it is I will abide by the rules of the Great Protectorate. The First Cavalry Corps will be commanded by Deputy General Gao Mingyuan. At midnight tonight, all armies will withdraw from the defense lines one by one and set off in concealment."
That night, the entire front line of the Zhenjiang Army began to move secretly. In order not to alarm the Turks on the opposite side, Xu Youchang asked the ministries not to delay or miss the equipment and baggage, to pack lightly, to withdraw from the position as soon as possible, and to assemble at the predetermined location.
The Zhenjiang Army is well-trained and disciplined. Once it receives clear instructions, it will immediately take full action.
Overnight, the Third Army and the Seventh Army successfully completed the withdrawal. After gathering the entire team in the area designated by Xu Youchang, they headed west at dawn.
The officers and soldiers of the Fifth Army waited for the two brother armies to leave, and then stayed in place for an additional hour, closely monitoring the Turks' movements. It was not until Xu Youchang received the order to set off that they evacuated in order.
The First Army led by Deputy General Gao Mingyuan officially withdrew from Liangzhou Prefecture in the afternoon of the same day and followed the footsteps of the Fifth Army all the way west.
The four armies cooperate with each other. Every twenty miles, the front army will stop to implement defense and alert, covering the three armies behind as they continue to advance. Therefore, the entire retreat progressed quickly and orderly without any chaos. In less than a day, the entire army covered a distance of nearly a hundred miles and quickly got rid of the Turkic army behind them.
And when the last Xinjiang Army successfully passed through the Baimang Plateau to the west of Liangzhou, the battle flags of the Turkic Condor Clan and the Ghost Dou Clan faintly appeared on the outskirts of the hilly area not far away.
It was on Ashina Zhijin's order that they encircled Xu Youchang's Turkic troops in a roundabout way.
Unfortunately, the encirclement plan was still a step too late.
