Since Puyin took the oath, the focus of all Liu Chengyou's work has basically been on Zhao Yanshou's "Northern Expeditionary Army". Military reports from three directions have been pouring in, from one report a day at the beginning to now one day a day. After three reports, Liu Chengyou sent out a group of the most elite scouts under his command to be used as pawns for Yi Chuan.
Even if they had been mentally prepared for a long time, when they actually executed it, they discovered that the difficulties of the Northern Expedition to Youzhou were much more serious than imagined. The reality is always not as simple as planned.
The three hundred miles from Puyin to Youzhou, except for a few water veins, did not have any high mountains or dangerous obstacles. It was convenient for Zhao Yanshou to advance here, and it was equally convenient for the Liao army to contain the attack. At the same time, at least two hundred miles during this period were cleared by the Liao army. The land was vast and sparsely populated, and there were not many war resources to supplement during this stretch of road.
The Liao army was obviously not unprepared. As soon as it received the news, it came to intercept, and not only had the intention of intercepting, but also wanted to annihilate Zhao Yanshou's army.
Under this situation, Liu Chengyou sent two supporting armies from Qi and Ying states, which had a full containment effect. Zhao Yanshou also tried hard to avoid the rapid advance, but was still blocked by more than 3,000 Liao troops from Xincheng and Rongcheng in Nanyi. The water flows into the basin, but the journey stops halfway.
"Your Highness, the latest news from the north is that Zhao Yanshou has broken through the Liao army's Yishui defense line!" Rapid footsteps sounded, and Guo Rong quickly entered the hall and reported to Liu Chengyou, who was discussing the military situation with Xiang Xun and Wei Renpu.
"Oh? Submit it!" Liu Chengyou suddenly became energetic. After saying this, he stood up and took the military report from Guo Rong, and couldn't wait to read it.
In the past two days, Liu Chengyou was also anxious about the battle ahead, especially nervous about Zhao Yanshou being blocked in Nanyishui. The previous episode was still in a stalemate, but Liu Chengyou was quite surprised when news of a breakthrough suddenly came. Zhao Yanshou's method of breakthrough was nothing surprising. He made false claims to the west but struck the east, but it was very effective. The overall quality of the Tibetan soldiers left by Yelu Ruan in Nanjing Road was low. The few elites were placed in Youzhou City, and the leading generals were not good either. As a result, they were tricked by Zhao Yanshou.
"After passing Yishui, we can only rely on Zhao Yanshou himself..." After digesting the news and putting down the military report, Liu Chengyou sat down slowly, as if he was relieved.
The atmosphere in the hall did not relax because of Zhao Yanshou's army's breakthrough. Xiang Xun lowered his head and looked carefully at a map of the Younan states. It simply marked some cities, rivers, and routes. He studied the battle situation with a tense face. After hearing Liu Chengyou's words, he raised his head and said in a deep voice: "It's over. Yi Shui, Zhao Yanshou has no way out and is alone, and his situation will only become more dangerous!"
There was no need to remind Xiang Xun, Liu Chengyou could think of it himself, and similar situations had been deduced before.
Xiang Xun made a rough comparison and said: "The Liao army's response was much faster than we imagined. Zhao Yanshou's breakthrough of the defense line will inevitably lead to an even more crazy interception by the Liao army. There is still nearly two hundred miles away. When we get to Youzhou, we have to break through the fortified city in a short time..."
Xiang Xun himself couldn't help but take a breath as he spoke of the severe situation in a heavy tone, as if he felt the hardship.
"It's still Youzhou!" Liu Chengyou pressed the map and stared at the location of Jicheng: "Further north, the Yan soldiers are not alone when they return home. They are fighting in their own land and home. This is their biggest obstacle. The advantage!”
"I hope Zhao Yanshou can advance into Youzhou and capture Youzhou as he said!"
Hearing this, Xiang Xun was not very optimistic and even had some doubts: "Can he do it in such a dangerous situation?"
"We still underestimated the difficulty of taking Youzhou!" Guo Rong's serious face also showed worry.
Seeing this, Liu Chengyou raised his hand and gestured to Wei Renpu: "Tell them!"
Understanding, Wei Renpu stood up and said to the two of them: "Two generals, after Zhao Yanshou set off, the Khitan Han minister Zhang Li sent a secret letter from his confidants to the south, telling You Yan what was true. At this time, only There are more than four thousand Khitan cavalry, and the Han people are deeply resentful..."
When he received a letter from Zhang Li again, Liu Chengyou finally believed that he really wanted to change things.
After saying this, Xiang Xun and Guo Rong's eyes lit up at the same time. He immediately condensed and said to Xiang Xun, "Even so, it won't be easy to capture the fortified city!"
Wei Renpu continued: "Your Highness's original intention is to capture Youzhou, which would be better. If that doesn't work, Zhao Yanshou will turn to attack Zhuo and Yi, ally with the Han people, and defend Fan Yang! If it doesn't work, it will become our nail in Youyan. A wedge that constantly threatens Jicheng and prepares for the future. The specifics can only be determined by Zhao Yanshou and the decision will be made based on the situation!"
After hearing what Wei Renpu said, and thinking about it again, it seemed that it was not that difficult.
To a certain extent, Liu Chengyou even hoped that Zhao Yanshou would choose the second path.
"No matter what the situation is on Zhao Yanshou's side, our army will continue to attack on the southern front to contain the Liao army and ease the pressure on him to advance!" Without revealing his thoughts, Liu Chengyou solemnly said: "On the other side of Dingzhou and Mozhou How is the battle going?"
Mentioning this matter, Guo Rong immediately reported: "On the Dingzhou side, Luo Yanxuan and Li Jun have joined forces and are approaching Anxi; on the Yingzhou side, Murong Yanzhao also led his army to capture Gaoyang and cooperated with He Fu's attack Ren Qiu and Han Tong led two battalions of horse troops to operate in the Baosui generation and support the two wings. Although the gains were considerable, there were thousands of casualties in each department."
After listening, Liu Chengyou frowned immediately. The Longqi army that annexed the Jin soldiers had an army of more than 10,000, with strong soldiers and horses. In addition, the remaining Yan soldiers who were divided into garrison and the recruited Chengde warriors had more than 20,000 soldiers available.
But now, except for the first and second armies that followed Zhang Yanwei to intercept Xiao Han (already on their way back to the army), almost all the rest were moving in order to cooperate with Zhao Yanshou.
Obviously because he was afraid of Liu Chengyou's army, Yelu Ruan left a small army to garrison Nanjing Road, but the total number of them was more than 20,000. Originally, Liu Chengyou only wanted Zhao Yanshou's army to move, so he would bet on him with the Yan soldiers. However, the reality is that even his Longqi army has to use its full strength...
Gambling is really not a good thing. It is addictive. Once you place your bets, you are stuck. You even have to continue investing just to see the results.
At this time, Liu Chengyou had a feeling that he seemed to be tied to the chariot he started. There is no result and there is no way to stop.
"The troops are still insufficient!" Liu Chengyou sighed.
Seeing that the treasury that had not yet been filled after the summer harvest was being consumed at a speed visible to the naked eye, Liu Chengyou had a headache and felt a little flustered. Now, he has no shortage of weapons or armor, and even strong peasants can gather a lot of them in a short time. However, he is short of food and cloth.
"Zhending's troops and horses cannot be used!" Wei Renpu took precautions for him in advance.
At this stage, in Zhending, only Liu Chengyou's personal guard battalion and Xiang Xun's third army are still there. Hearing this, Liu Chengyou shook his head: "I have no intention of attacking the Zhending army again."
As he spoke, he pursed his lips a little bitterly: "Even if I want to move, I can't!"
Exhaling a breath, Liu Chengyou ordered: "Send orders to all the armies to continue to suppress the Liao army on the southern front. However, since Zhao Yanshou has broken through the Nanyishui River, I asked them to hold back and put some pressure on them. Don’t make unnecessary sacrifices.”
"Yes!" After hearing this, Wei Renpu took up his pen and wrote the order, polishing it a bit.
"After this battle, the north of Chengde and the south of Youzhou will probably be destroyed..." Liu Chengyou sighed, as if he couldn't bear it.
"If we can really capture Youzhou, the price will be worth it!" Guo Rong said.
Of course it's worth it, even if it costs several times more, it's still worth it. In fact, Liu Chengyou's darkest intention was to destroy the land of Youyan. With a corner of sorrow, the Liu family's northern border defense has been at peace for several years, and they are looking forward to the future. It's just that this kind of thinking will never be shown or spoken.
"I wonder how the Khitan Lord will react when he learns this news?" Liu Chengyou suddenly thought of Yelu Ruan.
"That leaves less time for Zhao Yanshou!" Xiang Xun said.
This was said in a confused way, but Liu Chengyou probably understood. It doesn't take much. Yelu Ruan only needs to send a partial division to return to the army, and it will be even more difficult for Zhao Yanshou. As for whether it would affect Yelu Ruan's march to Beijing, the conclusion is that it would have little impact.
During the conversation, Tao Gu appeared from the second hall, bowed and made a full gesture before entering. He said to Liu Chengyou: "Your Highness, Dingzhou has come to report. Sun Fangjian, the hero of Dingzhou, heard that Your Highness sent troops to conquer Youyan in the north. Langshan led his three thousand troops to go south to help in the battle!"
"Eh..." Liu Chengyou was surprised. After stationing in Zhending, Liu Chengyou conducted an investigation into the surrounding forces, and Sun Fangjian had also heard about it. He was a small warlord in Dingzhou, but he had never noticed him and he didn't have a clear understanding.
Look at Wei Renpu.
Wei Renpu was well-educated and knowledgeable. He had served in the Privy Council of the Later Jin Dynasty for many years. Although he was a minor official, he had been exposed to a lot of miscellaneous military information. After briefly recalling it, he said: "Sun Fangjian was originally a hero from Dingzhou. Previously, due to the heavy tax burden on the border and the unrest of the people, he gathered the strong people in the village in Langshan, built a stronghold to defend himself, gathered refugees, and recruited bandits. , gradually growing.”
"When the Khitan invaded the south, they also led their men to attack the Khitan people, robbed military supplies, and went north into the enemy's territory to plunder property. At that time, they submitted to the imperial court and asked for the post of Jieduan. The imperial court despised him and regarded him as a tourist. Yi Shi, Sun Fangjian was angry and defected to the Khitan people. Last year, he even served as a guide for the Khitan invasion to the south."
"This time, I sent a letter to surrender and command my troops to help in the battle. I am afraid that I want to use the imperial court as my backing in view of the reconstruction of the country. However, its fundamental purpose should be to expand our strength."
"He's another two-pronged guy, you can't trust him!" Xiang Xun sneered.
"What you said has scolded everyone in the world!" Liu Chengyou pointed at Xiang Xun: "No one in Xiazhou Town today is like this. Sun Fangjian, it doesn't matter whether you can trust it or not, as long as it can be used!"
Liu Chengyou's words clearly showed his attitude. He stood up and walked a few steps before making a decision: "Send a letter and send an envoy to tell Sun Fangjian that he is righteous in attacking the thieves, and he is very happy. As long as the Khitan conquers Dingzhou in the north, I will express my gratitude to him." He is doing the festival for Dingzhou!"
Liu Chengyou said to Tao Gu. Tao Gu responded and stepped forward. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at Wei Renpu, who was being pulled by Liu Chengyou to discuss military affairs. His beard was curled up and his eyes were a little sinister.
He is not compared with Guo Rong and Xiang Xun, who were Liu Chengyou's confidants. But Wei Renpu, who was also a new minister, considered himself to be better than Wei Renpu in terms of age, seniority, talent and knowledge, let alone writing and poetry. How come he, Wei Renpu, was able to counsel on military affairs and follow him in and out, and was inseparable. And he, Tao Gu, seemed to be just a penman who drafted orders, and even this part was divided by Wei Renpu...
When it comes to military politics, he, Tao Gu, is also familiar with military literature, so why didn't Liu Chengyou consult him for consultation. Unconsciously, Tao Gu had accumulated a lot of resentment in his heart. He was jealous of Wei Renpu and also a little dissatisfied with Liu Chengyou.
...
Nanjing Road, Zhuozhou, Gu'an County.
What lights up on the top of the city is the black and red "Yan flag". After breaking through the blockade of the Liao army, Zhao Yanshou worked non-stop and urged the Yan soldiers to march hundreds of miles to Gu'an. There were not many soldiers and horses in the city, so he captured it directly.
After setting foot on familiar land, Zhao Yanshou felt much more at ease. But smelling the atmosphere of the countryside, the morale of Yan's soldiers was still high. The officers and soldiers at the bottom did not know the risks of the situation.
To the north of Gu'an County is the Baigou River, where many boats, sampans and improvised bamboo rafts have gathered. The upper reaches of Baigou River leads directly to Sanggan River. To the north of Sanggan River is Youzhou City. We plan to take the water route.
At this time, Zhao Yanshou left all the cavalry to contain the Liao cavalry who had been tricked by him, and left 500 soldiers to guard Gu'an. The rest followed him lightly to capture Youzhou City.
There are not enough boats, so both water and land are close together.
Stepping on the deck, following the rhythm of the water flow, Zhao Yanshou looked up to the north: "There are still less than a hundred miles of waterway!"
"King Yan, can we really capture Youzhou City?" One of his generals asked in a low voice. They are not like ordinary soldiers. Even if they cannot see the overall situation, they still have some sense of crisis.
"Haha!" Zhao Yanshou laughed out loud, deliberately letting go of his voice: "Youzhou is such a big city, and Yelu Jieli only has four thousand soldiers to defend it. How can he defend it? What's even more ridiculous is, can the cavalry defend the city? Hu Binghui Defend the city? Gu was responsible for repairing Youzhou City back then, and no one knows its weaknesses better than Gu! As long as we arrive successfully, Youzhou City will be ours!"
Most of what Zhao Yanshou said was deception. However, not everyone is so easy to fool.
"But we don't have many troops..."
"We have tens of thousands of troops, are we afraid that we can't take Youzhou City?" Zhao Yanshou immediately glared.
These words frightened General Yan into a daze.
"There are hundreds of thousands of Han people inside and outside Youzhou City." Seeing his foolish appearance, Zhao Yanshou explained with some confidence: "If I ask myself, during the ten years of governing Youzhou, I have been kind and protective to the Han people. As long as After inciting them, what does the mere Khitan army have to fear?"
The general was suddenly stunned. Soon, Zhao Yanshoudu's words spread, and he still maintained his morale at a high level. And Zhao Yanshou's eyes became more determined. He also tried his best to trick these soldiers into taking risks with him. He was very active. After all, this was the third spring of his career.
"King Yan." When they were about to return to the warehouse to rest, the other two generals carefully found Zhao Yanshou.
Seeing that the two of them looked strange, Zhao Yanshou frowned and asked, "What's the matter?"
"Are you really planning to attack Youzhou and make enemies of the Khitans?" One of them looked away.
Hearing something strange, Zhao Yanshou kept his expression calm and said casually: "To tell you the truth, I feel a little uneasy in my heart."
Hearing this, another person immediately said: "King Yan, we have got rid of Liu Chengyou's control. With such a large army, there is no need to risk life and death against the Khitans. It's nothing like before..."
Seeing this, Zhao Yanshou immediately stopped the two of them: "This is not the place to talk. You go to the warehouse and wait for me first."
Seeing Zhao Yanshou like this, the two of them seemed to have some idea and nodded quickly.
After the two retreated, Zhao Yanshou's face immediately turned cold. He called to a confidant and whispered: "Take a few soldiers to deal with the two people and throw them into the river. Don't make any noise. In addition, Take over those two soldiers!"
"yes!"
It would be impossible to say that Zhao Yanshou didn't have any dissatisfaction, but it was definitely not at this time and in this way. The implication of the two men's words is obvious, and they have the intention of surrender. There are only such stupid villains and ignorant people...
If you stay under someone else's roof, you won't have the pleasure of being the master of your own affairs!
Looking up to the north, Zhao Yanshou clenched his fists tightly. Then with an idea, he suddenly waved his hand and shouted: "Go home!"
Soon, a cry of "go home" floated on the Baigou River, which was full of momentum!
PS: It’s so stupid. I thought I could finish this paragraph in a thousand words, but I ended up writing so much...
