Xu Youchang's worries were not unreasonable conjectures.
Although the Guanzhong Plain has a wide terrain, which is conducive to the use of cavalry, it is after all a dangerous place with four fortresses. From a large strategic level, once the surrounding pass fortresses are firmly controlled by the opponent, no matter how large the cavalry is, they can only operate within this relatively closed area.
On the other hand, east of Tongguan, in the Central Plains, Lianghuai, Qilu, Yanzhao, the cavalry can run wildly and without obstruction. As long as they are willing, they can run almost all the way to the horizon. Only the big river across the south can slightly block their progress.
It is precisely because of this that Lao Jianhua agreed to cooperate with the Turks again. The purpose was to allow the Turkic cavalry to wreak havoc in the north of the Yangtze River and completely disrupt the court's territory, while he would not have to worry about the Turkic threat by relying on the danger of the river.
Following this line of thinking, Li Jiangyao analyzed Xu Youchang: "I judge that Ashina Zhijin must have seen the problem, so he began to adjust his strategy. Once the Turkic army lets go, it will only consider annihilating Shengtang's effective forces. , regardless of the gain or loss of the city's territory, its combat power will be doubled. Brothers, if we want to besiege and intercept them in the Central Plains, how many troops will be needed? Five times? Or ten times?"
Xu Youchang said solemnly: "Taking into account the mobility of the cavalry, which can come and go like the wind, ten times the force may not be enough. Without the support of terrain and passes, the infantry cannot catch up with the horses' hooves."
"So, the situation may be about to change dramatically." Li Jiangyao looked very solemn: "If the imperial court could have listened to my suggestion earlier, it would have concentrated its superior forces to capture Tongguan a year ago, plus Wuguan and Zijin Pass. With Shengyuguan, Ashina Zhijin can be sealed in the Guanzhong area. But now, the Turks have woken up and are marching eastward, which means that the evil wolf has completely broken free of its chains and is about to start eating people."
Xu Youchang thought deeply: "If you analyze it this way, then the Turks' current goal is not necessarily the Eastern Capital, right?"
Li Jiangyao nodded: "Yes. In siege battles and city defense battles, the Turkic cavalry used the wrong strength. There is no need for them to sacrifice their strengths and weaknesses. Even if Luonia does not attack Luoyi, just rely on those Frail light infantry, does Ma Hongjie dare to come out and take the initiative to provoke? If I were a Turk, I would definitely bully you and not dare to fight in the field. I only need to send a part of the troops to guard you, and then let the rest of the troops attack in all directions and plunder wildly."
"Jiang Yao, I think you are absolutely right." Xu Youchang said: "After the Turks captured the imperial capital, their mentality and thinking changed. Whether they say they are arrogant and extravagant, or they say they are conservative and self-reliant, in short, they gave up the advantage of the cavalry and became more and more They are becoming more and more like the Holy Tang. It was not until we rose up in Western Xinjiang and completely cut off their retreat that Ashina Zhijin suddenly realized: clinging to the imperial capital as emperor would wear away the fangs and claws of the Turkic beast. Jiang Yao , now they are going to show their claws, how should we respond?"
Faced with this question, Li Jiangyao was not in a hurry to give an answer.
He thought for a long time and suddenly asked: "Is Ashina Zhijin still in the imperial capital?"
Xu Youchang was slightly startled: "According to the latest news from the Intelligence Department, he himself should still be there, with the Blood Guards retinue around him. However, since he wants to restore the Turkic fighting style, he may not leave at any time."
Li Jiangyao sneered: "If the Turkic army is compared to a big fish, then their khan is the best bait. If the bait slips away, how can the big fish bite the hook?"
Xu Youchang understood and asked: "Do you want to bypass Baoji County and directly besiege the imperial capital while Ashina Zhijin is still there?"
"Not only that!" Li Jiangyao pointed at the map: "While besieging the imperial capital, we must also send troops to make a circuitous and long-distance attack on Huazhou further east, completely cutting off the connection between the imperial capital and Tongguan!"
Xu Youchang stared at the map for a while, then slapped the desk: "I think it's OK! I've surrounded Ashina to death, and I don't believe Ronya won't return to rescue! Want to roam freely in the Kanto region? No way!"
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Li Jiangyao's judgment on the strategic changes of the Turks was basically accurate. After a deep review, Ashina Zhijin finally made the decision to change his strategy, give full play to the advantage of the Turkic cavalry coming and going like the wind, and fight a large-scale, high-intensity mobile battle with Shengtang.
Abandoning the imperial capital and focusing on attacking the Central Plains is the core embodiment of this strategy.
Anyway, the two levels have been completely blocked. I tried hard three times but failed to regain control. Why not bravely go deep into the hinterland of Shengtang and turn him upside down!
The Shengtang army could not survive without leaving the city, but the Turkic army was just the opposite. It became more vigorous and vigorous in the wild.
Adhering to this idea, Ashina Zhijin formulated a new plan. The main Turkic forces left Tongguan eastward and planned to encircle the eastern capital. When the Shengtang court fell into panic and concentrated all armies in Luoyi, preparing to defend Li Bing with all its strength , Roniya Helianxiong and others suddenly broke into pieces and attacked from all directions, sweeping through the Central Plains, Yanzhao, and Qilu.
So what if the imperial capital is lost in the end? Most of the Holy Tang Dynasty will be a world where my Turks can roam freely!
Li Jiangyao guessed what A Shi was thinking, but unfortunately not everyone was at his level. At least, Li Bing, Ma Hongjie and Murong Xue didn't see it.
Therefore, the Eastern Capital obediently followed the Turks' plan and mobilized troops from all over the country to guard Luoyi. The Central Plains and northern state capitals suddenly became empty of troops.
On the seventh day after the Turks and rebels approached the city and the imperial court hurriedly established a general headquarters, the Turkic army approaching the eastern capital left only 50,000 troops to monitor Luoyi, and the rest moved to fight elsewhere.
Suddenly, war smoke billowed across the Central Plains!
The movement speed of the Turks was beyond imagination. By the time Ma Hongjie and the others finally found out the enemy's true intentions, Bianzhou, Xiangzhou, and Yanzhou had already been bloodbathed by He Lianxiong. Luonia and Durham were even more exaggerated. The former's vanguard unit successfully joined forces with Li Kuang's Huaiyang Army, while the latter actually advanced to the Chanzhou line, and Hebei Road was about to be lost!
Li Bing was so angry that he turned over the table and cursed the generals on the front line.
With an army of 650,000 soldiers sitting in the city of Quechou, allowing the Turks to wreak havoc across the world, what else could they say about expelling the enemy invaders and counterattacking the imperial capital? His face was almost swollen from being beaten by the opponent!
However, getting angry is getting angry, and neither he nor Ma Hongjie nor Murong Xue can do anything to deal with the Turks' rapid attack. You can't let the infantry chase the cavalry, right?
Besides, what if we catch up? In the plains and wilderness, aren't we still giving away our heads in vain?
Just when the court and the military were at their wits' end, exciting news came again on the Western Front battlefield:
The Zhenjiang Army was divided into three groups from Tianshui County. Du Jian sent his troops to besiege Baoji, Xu Youchang commanded his cavalry to attack Huazhou, and Li Jiangyao personally led the main army, bypassing Baoji County and arriving at the capital city.
The brave and skilled soldiers of the Western Route are competing against the Turks in time to see who can uproot the other party first!
After reading the battle report, Ma Hongjie excitedly cheered: "This time, the Turks who are killing people everywhere are finally in trouble!"
This time, his judgment was absolutely correct.
When the Turkic generals heard that the Zhenjiang Army was marching eastward, especially that Li Jiangyao had already pressed the imperial capital, and that Xu Youchang had taken the lead in intercepting Huazhou, they immediately felt that the situation was very bad.
Because this means that their Khan is completely trapped by the Shengtang people!
To be honest, Ashina Zhijin himself did not expect the Zhenjiang Army to arrive so quickly.
Originally, he planned to use the appearance that he was still in the imperial capital to further confuse Li Jiangyao and the others, so as to buy more time for the main Turkic force operating on the eastern front. Waiting until the last moment when the Zhenjiang Army captured Baoji and pressed forward towards the imperial capital, he led the Blood Guard Corps to leave calmly, followed the Chi Road, passed through Huazhou and Tongguan, and entered the Central Plains area to join his subordinates.
Even Ashina Zhijin still had some luck in his heart: What if Li Jiangyao didn't dare to attack the imperial capital alone? He might still be able to keep this glorious city.
But just such a mistake gave the opponent a chance to break the game.
Li Jiangyao, who saw through the Turks' thoughts, no longer waited to join forces with the imperial army before attacking the imperial capital. He even didn't care whether he could capture the imperial capital.
Li Jiangyao's real idea is to cut off the Turkic Great Khan's way of survival!
Because only in this way can Roniya Helianxiong and the others be transferred back.
Looking at the dotted military camps outside the city, Ashina felt a little complicated. A few years ago, he also chose that place to set up his camp, and standing on the top of the imperial capital, looking out, was the long-dead Emperor Li Chengwu of the Holy Tang Dynasty.
Now, the offense and defense switch positions.
Ashina Zhijin thought silently: Perhaps, this is the main reason why the Turkic Eastern Expedition army has not been progressing smoothly, the offensive and defensive changes. Since becoming the new master of this great capital, both himself and the princes and generals under him have become cautious and timid.
Everyone cherished the victory that fell into their hands and the military power of their respective tribes. Not only did they no longer attack eastward, they even came up with the idea of using poisonous soldier monsters to fight on their behalf.
Can this still be regarded as a Turkic army that is proud of the world?
Ashina smiled self-deprecatingly and said to his brother-in-law and Imperial Deputy Prime Minister Chloranger: "Can you tell how many people are there across the way?"
Cloranger, like Prince Shetz, was a civil servant of the Golden Clan and was mainly responsible for financial power. Hearing his brother-in-law's question, he shook his head and said sincerely: "Khan, I can't tell. I'm afraid I have to ask the Temple Prince or Marshal Helian."
"They can't tell either." Ashina's tone was very calm.
Cloranger was a little curious: "Why is this? For a famous general who has experienced hundreds of battles, shouldn't that be a simple matter?"
Ashina pointed to the opposite side: "Li Jiangyao is spreading suspicion in his hometown so that we can be elusive to him. And his target is not me, let alone the imperial capital."
"Not the imperial capital? What could it be?"
"Li Jiangyao's target is exactly the two people you mentioned just now, Ronya and Helianxiong." Ashina sighed softly and ordered: "Send an envoy to tell the other side that I want to follow The majority of the Zhenjiang Army will protect you."
