Just as Liu Chengyou planned, after suspending the offensive in Huainan and canceling all military plans, several groups of Han troops actually spent the entire winter in Huainan safely. After March 9th, although it was still damp and cold, it was no longer as bone-crushing as the previous episode.
"Your Majesty, this is the report from all the armies, the casualties of each department!" In the imperial tent, Murong Yanzhao submitted a small letter and reported.
On the dragon bed, Liu Chengyou sat cross-legged, his legs tightly wrapped in a velvet quilt, and took the imperial reading from Zhang Dejun. Murong Yanzhao said: "There are nearly 2,000 troops in the camp, and there are more than 1,000 people who cannot fight. The situation of the servants accompanying the army is even worse, with more than 4,000 people in front and behind..."
"These are all non-battle losses! Two thousand soldiers can almost form an army and form a partial army to attack the city and capture the territory for me!" Putting down the letter, Liu Chengyou sighed: "After all, I underestimated the winter in Huainan. In terms of bitter cold Although it’s not as good as the northern land, it’s wet and cold here, which is also very difficult for our northern soldiers!”
As an emperor, all measures are in place, but dampness and cold invade the bones, and what's more, there are soldiers and servants underneath. It is certain that the soldiers participating in the Winter Siege of Shouchun will have some rheumatic reaction. It is also understandable that many soldiers who have been on the battlefield cannot live long. How can they survive the cold and heat without damaging their bodies?
"Your Majesty, you have greatly enriched your treasury and spared no effort in raising money and food to prepare for the winter. You love your soldiers so much, and your officers and men feel it. However, the power of nature is overwhelming and beyond the reach of man. Your Majesty, don't worry too much!" Fang stood by and said.
Regarding his words, Liu Chengyou did not comment much. He thought about it for a moment and said: "All personnel, including soldiers and servants, are registered in a register. Don't be stingy with soup and medicine for soldiers who are slightly injured. Soldiers who cannot fight should be sent back to Tokyo. Frostbite conscripts should be sent back to the states, and after the war is over, the Ministry of War and the state governments will provide them with pensions!"
"Yes!" Murong Yanzhao and Li Fang responded at the same time: "Your Majesty is benevolent!"
"If our army is like this, what's the situation like in Shouchun City?" Liu Chengyou asked after a second thought.
Li Shaoyou, who was also waiting in the tent, felt a flash of embarrassment when he heard this, and replied: "Your Majesty, the Shouchun garrison is on very tight guard. There has been no news about the details that I have placed in the city. No news has been spread. I'm afraid Something happened!"
Li Shaoyou didn't know that He Jingzhu's martial law in Shouchun City was very strict. Regarding the city's defense, it was strictly forbidden for any stray people to approach the city gates, but anyone who came close would be killed directly.
"He Jingzhu is able to guard the city so airtight, and he lives up to his reputation. Such a veteran general, with Li Jing's appointment, if he hadn't been at the right time, he would have been lost to everyone!" Liu Chengyou praised He Jingzhu a lot. sentence.
"I'm not doing my job well, please punish me!" Li Shaoyou bowed to apologize.
Murong Yanzhao said: "However, since the winter solstice, the soldiers at the outpost have still heard commotion in the city several times. With such unusual movements, I'm afraid the city is not as peaceful as it appears!"
"Yanzhao's words are right! Shouchun is already an isolated city. Reinforcements are afraid of resistance, food routes are cut off, and there is severe cold. Materials are difficult to plentiful. He Jingzhu defends it forcefully, but it is just a fight between trapped animals. He Jingzhu may have a strong will, but the people in the city Where are the soldiers and civilians? How many people are willing to accompany him to live and die with Shouchun?" Liu Chengyou's eyes were extremely calm: "We will all die together. It's easy to say, but how many people in this world can face this great terror?"
He waved his hand to Li Shaoyou and said calmly: "You don't have to apologize to me. For our army, if there is no news in the city, it is good news. At least, there is no bad news!"
"Your Majesty is wise!"
In the spring of the fifth year of Qianyou's reign, on the first day of the first lunar month, Liu Chengyou camped in Huainan and summoned the generals of the army to hold an imperial meeting to discuss combat matters.
"Since the end of autumn last year, the Han Dynasty has mobilized 200,000 soldiers and civilians, spending more than hundreds of millions, and most of the Tokyo Forbidden Army is here. It lasted for three months, and the winter in Huainan has passed. Now that spring has begun, at the beginning of the year, our army It's time to take action. After paying such a heavy price, I will definitely wipe out Huainan this time!" As soon as Liu Chengyou opened his mouth, he set the theme of the military discussion.
As soon as he finished speaking, Sun Li stood up immediately and said excitedly: "Your Majesty, please give the order! The soldiers have long wanted to fight a happy battle. As long as your Majesty's sword points, even if it means mountains of swords and seas of fire, the generals are willing to fight!"
"Don't be impatient!" It was obvious that Sun Li was highly motivated to fight. Liu Chengyou waved his hand to comfort him and said to Murong Yanzhao: "First let Murong Du Yuhou explain the situation between us and the enemy to everyone here!"
After receiving the suggestion, Murong Yanzhao stood up and made a salute first, then walked to the battle map and said: "Your Majesty, everyone. Since the Huaidong Economic Envoy Guo Rong captured Shanyang, throughout the winter, the Han Dynasty and the puppet Tang Dynasty During this period, the battlefield situation has not changed significantly, and the overall situation is relatively stable.
Due to their previous defeat, the Puppet Tang Dynasty held back its momentum and did not dare to attack rashly. However, according to the detailed work of Jinling and Jianghuai Prefectures, the Puppet Tang Dynasty was preparing for war throughout the winter.
On the Hunan side, Bian Hao led more than 20,000 Tang troops back to the division and has been transferred to Hefei. With the addition of these 20,000 divisions, even if the troops guarding the capital were eliminated, the Puppet Tang Dynasty could still mobilize 100,000 soldiers and horses to go north to fight our army. It can be expected that after the beginning of spring, a big battle between our army and the Tang army in Huainan is inevitable.
In the four towns of Xiahuai, Hao and Chu are already in the hands of our army, Sizhou has become an isolated city, and Guo Rongjun has strangled it. On the Shouzhou side, His Majesty personally led a large army to surround Shouchun. The Tang army in Hefei is the closest to our army, and its strength has increased to 40,000. It is a great threat. However, Song Qiqiu and his disciple Chen Jue were transferred to Hefei to replace Xu Wenzhen as deputy envoy to support. Chen Jue, a person who boasts and talks, is nothing to worry about!
Originally, according to the imperial edict, the Qian clan of Wuyue, the Gao clan of Jingnan, and even Wang Kui, Zhou Xingfeng and others from Chu were supposed to send troops to help me conquer the Tang Dynasty, but so far, there has been no movement!
At this time, our army has been stationed for a long time, and it is time to break the situation! "
After Murong Yanzhao finished explaining, Liu Chengyou looked at Wang Jun: "Does Wang Qing have anything to add?"
Although he had been deprived of the actual command of the army, Wang Jun was still deployed in every camp. Under one person in the army, and having become much more at ease recently, Liu Chengyou began to "pay attention" to Wang Jun again.
However, Wang Jun seemed to intend to "settle down" to the end. When faced with the emperor's inquiry, he just responded calmly: "What Marquis Du Yu has said has been fully prepared, and I have nothing to add to it!"
Withdrawing his gaze from Wang Jun, Liu Chengyou looked solemn and said solemnly: "Considering the war situation, I have no intention of giving the Puppet Tang Dynasty another chance to calmly prepare for war, that is, I want to preemptively strike. Pull out Shouchun, capture Sizhou, and take them all. Huaisi Town!"
After Liu Chengyou said this, Li Chongjin immediately asked for orders: "Your Majesty, the Holy Guard Army is asking for battle!"
"The Guardian Army suffered heavy casualties in the previous battle. This time, it is up to me to serve as the national army!" Wang Quanbin did not dare to show weakness, and by the way, he demoted Wang Yansheng.
Wang Yansheng responded immediately: "Although the troops and horses are damaged, the fighting spirit is high! The general has selected five hundred fine armors, and they are all ready for city battles. They can be the first to ascend, and they are not afraid of death!"
"I am serving the national army, how can there be no shortage of people who dare to die?" Compared to Wang Yansheng's excitement, Wang Quanbin acted much calmer.
Seeing the fierce quarrel between the two kings, Sun Li was not happy. He glanced at the two kings and didn't say much. He just raised his hand to Liu Chengyou and said, "Your Majesty, you promised to let me, the Xiaodi Army, take the lead in the attack! You have no joke." ah!"
In the imperial tent, except for Han Tong, Guo Chongwei, Shi Yanchao and other cavalry generals, they all eagerly went to fight. Liu Chengyou was naturally happy to see this.
"Alright, you all have a great fighting spirit!" Liu Chengyou did not let the fight go unchecked. He raised his hand to suppress it and immediately ordered: "I have decided to mobilize troops to break the city. Take the Xiaodi Army as the first to attack and try Shouchun City Defense. I want to see what kind of iron and steel wall the old man He Jingzhu can build Shouchun into in one winter! The rest of the generals should return to their camps, encourage the soldiers, and prepare for battle!"
"Follow your orders!" The military order was given, and the generals wisely said nothing more.
Following the emperor's order, the long-quiet Han army camp began to move again, like a giant beast waking up from hibernation. It moved its limbs that were no longer stiff and opened its fangs and mouth again toward Shouchun City.
