Wokou, Jingshan Village.
Originally, Zhao Kuangyin only built a land stronghold to serve as an outpost for observation. After the war started, he built two water strongholds with thirty warships and 1,500 water troops stationed in the water stronghold to cooperate with Zhao Kuangyin's regiment training. Guard the mouth of the vortex to prevent Haozhou's troops and horses.
In fact, Wang Jun's original arrangement was not without purpose, but now with the development of the war, it has shown his foresight. After the news of the Tang soldiers' advance came from Haozhou, the entire Uokou Han army's security intensity increased to a higher level. When the Tang army advanced westward and approached the Han stronghold, there was no panic.
On the south bank of the Huai River, a group of several riders galloped into the South Wall of the Han Army's water village. The leading young officer was Dang Jin, the commander of the Suzhou Second Army.
After returning to the military camp, Dang Jin hurriedly asked the people in the camp: "Where is the regiment training envoy?"
"The envoy went to Tushan again!"
Dang Jin personally took people to explore the situation of the Tang army in Haozhou. After hearing this, he immediately turned southeast and headed for Tushan. After running a few miles, I happened to bump into Zhao Kuangyin who was returning from studying the terrain.
"My Lord Zhao, the swords of the Tang army are already on our necks. Why are you still exploring the terrain of Tushan?" Dang Jin was outspoken and couldn't help but said as he returned with Zhao Kuangyin.
This northern man seemed to have a bit of resentment in his rough face, which made Zhao Kuangyin amused: "In the military camp, we have taken precautions, so there is nothing to worry about for the time being. The Tang army has marched hundreds of miles, and even if there are cars and boats, there are no soldiers." Exhaustion and exhaustion are inevitable. When our army is well prepared, they will not dare to launch an attack easily even if they are outnumbered!"
Seeing Zhao Kuangyin's determined look, Dang Jin chuckled and said, "Looking at the enemy ahead, I'm afraid there aren't many who can defeat you among the Han army! The Tang army is camped in a deep water area ten miles away!"
Back at the military camp, Zhao Kuangyin spread out the surrounding maps, drank hot water with Dang Jin, gnawed on the hard coarse cakes, and pondered.
"Brother Zhao, you don't really intend to annihilate this Tang army in one fell swoop, do you?" Zhao Kuangyin had revealed some ideas to him before, and Dang Jin couldn't help but ask.
"Why not?" Zhao Kuangyin raised his head, wiped some cake grains from the corner of his mouth into his mouth, and smiled lightly.
Dang Jin immediately said: "We only have two thousand soldiers in our hands. The navy has a thousand soldiers. Facing the Haozhou navy, we are lucky to be able to defend Fuliang, the water village. There are about five or six infantrymen in Haozhou." Thousands, three times as many as me, how can we annihilate them?"
Because Suzhou needed to stay behind to garrison troops, Zhao Kuangyin took him to the front line of Wukou with less than two thousand regiments to train and cooperate with the navy's preparations.
"Good analysis!" Hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin smiled and then said seriously: "Because the Huai thieves are so powerful that the navy cannot use them, we cannot let them attack. Otherwise, if we want to defend with our little strength, It’s not easy. Even if we try our best to hold on, the losses to the soldiers will definitely be considerable.”
"Now in the south, the reinforcements of the Tang Army are advancing from two directions, and a big battle is likely to break out. We are ordered to guard the mouth of the vortex, and we must not let the troops of Hao and Si affect the war in Shouzhou! Therefore, I have considered it all, and instead of It’s better to take the initiative than defend passively!”
Hearing what Zhao Kuangyin said, Dang Jin's interest was aroused: "Tonight, I will lead a hundred cavalry to attack the camp and disturb the enemy?"
Zhao Kuangyin looked at Dang Jin and saw that he was eager to try. There was no fear in his expression. He thought about it for a while and replied: "Yes! You and Bai Qi will go to bed later and go there until midnight. Remember , all you need to do is disturb them and make them restless! The purpose of attacking the camp is to tire them, provoke them, and make them angry!"
Seeing Dang Jin nodding, Zhao Kuangyin fully stated his plan: "Tonight, disturb him in the middle of the night. Tomorrow I will lead 500 soldiers to challenge him. I will pretend to be defeated and lure him to Tushan. You will lead the remaining soldiers in Tushan." Set up an ambush between the two passes and destroy them!"
After hearing this, Dang Jin was a little stunned: "Is it that simple?"
"Compared to you leading the army to charge, it's really not much more complicated!" Zhao Kuangyin laughed: "Although the strategy is simple, it only needs to be useful!"
In the history of wars throughout the ages, combat methods have always varied depending on people and situations. Listening to Zhao Kuangyin's words, it is obvious that he already has some experience. Although the strategy is simple, it depends on who is executing it and who is the enemy facing it.
Probably infected by Zhao Kuangyin's confidence, Dang Jin gritted his teeth and slapped his thigh hard: "Done! The Tang army on land, only a few thousand people, destroyed them in one battle. Let Wang Dushuai take a look at you." My ability, look at the strength of my Suzhou Army!"
When Dang Jin said this, his expression was still a little unconvinced. When the Huaihe army marched south, Zhao Kuangyin and Dang Jin still tried to invite the Suzhou regiment to train as the vanguard. As a result, just as Zhao Kuangyin had guessed, he was rejected directly, and Wang Jun's attitude was very bad, which can be described as contempt.
Zhao Kuangyin has a good mentality and a deep city. He behaves calmly and carries out military orders seriously. This was not the case when the Party advanced. I felt aggrieved and very unhappy. Young people are very angry.
Listening to his words, Zhao Kuangyin patted his shoulder and said seriously: "After this battle, everyone in Huainan will know our names!"
The idea of setting up an ambush in Tushan has been lingering in Zhao Kuangyin's mind for a long time, and he has also conducted detailed investigations into the Tang Army general Guo Tingwei and the governor He Yanxi in Haozhou. Guo Tingwei had good military skills and general strategies, so he was not easy to deal with.
But He Yanxi, the commander of the army and horsemen, was proud, headstrong, and irritable. This character flaw was worth exploiting. Although Zhao Kuangyin has gained some fame in the Huaishang area in recent years, he has no real results and may not be taken seriously by Guo Tingwei and He Yanxi.
It was precisely based on these many factors that Zhao Kuangyin made up his mind to fight in Tushan.
Of course, a plan is just a plan after all, and whether it can be implemented depends on the specific operations. If the Tang army in Haozhou was not fooled, then Zhao Kuangyin could only hold on and look for another good opportunity. Zhao Kuangyin also took this into consideration.
That night, Dang Jin staged a story of "Gan Ning's Hundreds of Cavalry Robbery Cao Ying" in the Yin of Huai River, but this time it was Tang Ying who was hit.
It was originally a temporary camp, and the camp set up by the Tang Army in Haozhou was not reliable at all. Although Guo Tingwei, the Tang Haozhou regiment commander, had arrangements to guard against the Han army's night attack, he never expected that the Han army would dare to attack him with just a hundred cavalry. The camp, coupled with the fact that the Tang army lacked the means to deal with cavalry raids, also had the cover of night.
As a result, the party entered the war and made great achievements. Leading hundreds of cavalry, they marched from the west to the south of the Tang camp, east to the south, south to the west, three in and three out. The huge Tang camp was really turned into a sieve by Dang Jin and his men.
Although Guo Tingwei, the commander-in-chief of Haozhou, was furious at being bullied by such a small number of Han troops, he still had the patience to collect the rebels and reorganize the military camp. However, He Yanxi, the commander of the army and horses, could not bear the humiliation. Even in the middle of the night, he led the army in pursuit for three miles, although he failed to catch up...
When Dang Jin's Qingqi returned, Zhao Kuangyin was overjoyed. He patted his shoulders heavily several times, praised his bravery, and personally welcomed him and his armored cavalry into the camp.
It can be said that he was very high-spirited, and according to him, the attack was a good one. According to statistics, out of a hundred cavalry, 17 people were lost, and only 83 cavalry returned, almost all of them injured.
As for the results of the battle, although there are no detailed statistics, according to Dang Jin, the attack directly killed more than 200 people on the Tang Army. Of course, the results of the killings were only a small part of it. The impact on the Tang Army's morale, morale, and physical strength, That's the most important thing.
After learning about Tang Jun's reaction, Zhao Kuangyin became more confident in his plan.
Early the next morning, Zhao Kuangyin reported the results of the night attack to the entire army, which greatly boosted morale. Then he told Zhang, the commander of the water army, to secure the water stronghold. Taking advantage of the gloomy morning, he led the Suzhou regiment to train troops and went to Tushan to arrange an ambush.
Dang Jin wanted to replace Zhao Kuangyin and go to the Tang camp to challenge and lure the enemy, but Zhao Kuangyin refused and only asked him to wait at the ambush site while he continued to rest and recover the energy consumed by the attack on the camp last night.
On Zhao Kuangyin's side, he personally led five hundred soldiers, taking advantage of the dim light of the morning, to run ten miles towards the Tang camp. Hidden in the wilderness two miles southwest of his camp, looking from a distance, it was already bright, but there was still silence in the Tang camp.
"Your Majesty, I guess the Tang army is still in a dream due to the disturbance last night! Let's attack!" the battalion commander following Zhao Kuangyin couldn't help but suggest.
Zhao Kuangyin looked back at him and saw excitement on his face. Obviously, the feat of hundreds of cavalry hijacking the camp last night had doubled the confidence of his soldiers. Five hundred people attacked ten times the enemy camp. With fear. Although he seems reckless, his military spirit is usable.
But at this time, Zhao Kuangyin did not show any emotion, and just waved his hand coldly: "Don't worry! The soldiers have been running for ten miles and need to rest. Pass the order. Everyone needs to hide and rest and eat on the spot! No movement is allowed. Alert the enemy, and those who violate it will be killed!"
"yes!"
This battalion commander had been training with Zhao Kuangyin for several years and was familiar with his temper. This young envoy Zhao was never merciful when he became ruthless and went to deliver orders immediately.
After waiting for nearly half an hour, there was finally movement in the Tang camp, and the smell of fire gradually began to appear. When he saw the smoke rising from all over the Tang camp, Zhao Kuangyin, who was leaning on a pile of withered grass, immediately sat up. He looked far into the distance, observed for a moment, stood up suddenly, and shouted: "Send the order, hold the flag high, and force us to stand in front of the Tang camp to challenge!"
"Yes!" The Han army, who was full and almost recovered, immediately stood up and listened to the order.
