When the Han army at Nankou was struggling to withstand the heavy siege of the Liao army, the reinforcements they expected did not come quickly. Gao Huaide is eighty miles away from the south entrance, and Youzhou's south entrance is less than a hundred miles away. News of the war at the south entrance was actually reported to both places early.
Of course, there is a reason for the slow movement. Xinqi was riding quickly. Gao Huaide's side had not yet reached Sichu when he received a military report that An Shenqi had gathered to annihilate the Liao army.
However, Gao Huaide did not send troops immediately. He led the cavalry in the center to support the two armies and ensure smooth flow of the surrounding areas. However, he focused on the 23rd, which was also the time when Murong Yanzhao's army officially launched an attack on Tanzhou.
In the previous imperial meeting, the basic policy of combat was to attack in the east and defend in the west. Therefore, when the Han army made a big move in the direction of Tanzhou and the Tu rebellion occurred in Nankou, Gao Huaide inevitably hesitated and did not dare to take action on his own.
However, in a very short period of time, Gao Huaide made a basic judgment on the situation and responded. Instead of sending troops directly, he sent his trusted officers to Youzhou to report the matter to Emperor Liu Chengyou.
But at the same time, Gao Huaide gathered the cavalry from Niulan Mountain and made preparations for the attack. Although he did not dare to act on his own, Gao Huaide was of course inclined to attack the south entrance. After all, the Liao army of more than 100,000 was not a small force, and the Han army at the south entrance might not be able to deal with it calmly. On the other hand, in Tanzhou, Murong Yanzhao had more than 100,000 troops and only four of them. There is no need for him to plunder the formation of thousands of defenders.
On the other hand, Gao Huaide himself was also very moved by An Shenqi's idea of gathering together to annihilate the Liao army. Since the Northern Expedition, there has not been a collective dispatch of more than 100,000 Liao troops, and their initiative to attack, in Gao Huaide's view, was a fighter opportunity.
Although he was moved, Gao Huaidebao's "conservative" choice delayed the arrival of the reinforcements at the south entrance by nearly two hours.
Youzhou is a little farther away, so the Han Emperor stationed in the city received the news from the south entrance later. Emperor Liu Chengyou had only one reaction to An Shenqi's report: surprise and surprise.
At that time, Liu Chengyou was focused on the situation in Tanzhou. After all, that was the main direction of attack, and Murong Yanzhao had reported in advance that he would launch a general offensive on the 23rd.
However, the situation in Tanzhou has not yet come to an end, and there is something going on at Nankou. However, Chun You showed great importance to the news coming from the south entrance, not for anything else but for the hundreds of thousands of Liao troops who took the initiative to attack.
However, they did not act upon hearing this and immediately ordered the Youzhou army and horses to rush north to the south entrance. How can one be so careless about military and national affairs? It is not advisable to act directly upon hearing the news without distinguishing between truth and falsehood.
Liu Chengyou summoned the civil and military personnel, monarchs and ministers who were accompanying him to listen to the messenger's report and carefully interrogate the details. After the situation at the south entrance is basically clear, we can discuss the matter with Wenwu.
Similar to the emperor's attitude, Chai Rong also showed unusual concern about this, with a bit of vigilance in his concern. Zhao Kuangyin, on the other hand, directly pointed out that the Liao army must have a plan to make such a sudden attack. The actual situation may not be as optimistic as An Shenqi imagined, so it must be taken seriously.
As for the proposal to send troops, Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin also agreed. After all, with the strength of the Han army in Nankou, it would not be that easy to deal with the large-scale Liao army. The King of Yan, Zhao Kuangzan, also supported this proposal. With the endorsement of these three people, there was no room for other people to oppose it.
There was only a certain dispute over the number of troops to be sent. The Han army that stayed behind in Youzhou was composed of the Longqi Army, part of the Iron Cavalry Army, the Da Nei Army, and the Yan Army as the main forces, as well as some local soldiers and a large number of Youji civilians.
Liu Chengyou meant that, except for the inner army and some auxiliary soldiers and civilians, the remaining nearly 50,000 infantry and cavalry were all handed over to Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin, allowing them to lead the army to the south entrance.
In this regard, several accompanying ministers expressed their opposition. The reason was very clear. If this was the case, there would be fewer troops to protect the emperor, and the risk would be too high. If the emperor made a mistake, even if all the Liao troops in Nankou were annihilated, then It's also meaningless.
After all, it was a piece of advice, and it was also for his own consideration. Although it was not what he meant, Liu Chengyou still showed an attitude of humbly accepting advice, and told his considerations to the ministers.
Liu Chengyou's consideration was also very simple. More than 100,000 Liao troops launched a massive attack. There were no obvious signs before, so they were obviously well prepared. Even if Youzhou's 50,000 infantry and cavalry marched north, they would not have an absolute advantage in strength. It would not be easy to defeat or even annihilate them. If something unexpected happens, the Han army at Nankou may even encounter a crisis, which must be avoided at all costs.
Liu Chengyou was afraid that the number of troops he would send would be small, so how could he waste his attention on the military situation at Nankou just to consider his own safety. As for his safety, with the strong city to rely on and the protection of the internal army and Yan people, there will not be any big problem.
The Han army at Nankou is related to the entire Northern Expedition, and no mistakes can be made. Speaking of excitement, Liu Chengyou even directly stated that if he was afraid of his safety, then he would personally send troops to the north and be safe with a large army to protect him.
Liu Chengyou's final statement made the ministers accompanying him anxious, and they no longer dared to have any objections. Preventing the emperor from visiting the front line in person was what these people tried their best to promote. In addition, the situation at the south entrance was unknown, and Liu Chengyou described it as so important. The emperor was a man who could talk and act, and he was worried that he would actually lead the troops himself, so he did not dare to say anything more.
In this way, the troop dispatch and scale of troop dispatch were finally decided. There is no room for neglect in the important matter of the military war, so Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin hurried down and quickly mobilized the troops in the imperial camp to prepare for the expedition.
Of course, Liu Chengyou also considered Gao Huaide's side, and sent flying cavalry to pass the imperial edict, asking him to send troops to the west to cooperate with An Shenqi's army in fighting. Less than half an hour after the decision was made, Gao Huaide's messenger also arrived. Liu Chengyou rarely lost his temper at his request.
He has given Gao Huaide a certain degree of autonomy and asked him to cooperate with the two armies in fighting. He has no decisiveness at all, and why is he specifically asking for instructions? Of course, it is not appropriate to be too harsh. After all, this is also a manifestation of the uncle's respect for the authority of Emperor Liu.
Liu Chengyou personally handed over to Gao Huaide's envoy, who quickly returned and added another instruction. The Liao army was dispatched in large numbers, but the situation was different. When marching westward, you must be careful. Whenever you encounter an enemy situation, you can make a decision on the spot without having to ask again.
The imperial army in Youzhou is still mainly infantry, so they are sending troops north. Even with the urgency, there are still many things that need to be prepared. However, under the overall coordination of Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin, everything seemed to be in order.
But before Youzhou's troops were sent out, An Shenqi's second army reported for duty. This time, they directly asked for help. In this way, the Han emperor and his ministers realized that things had indeed changed, and the situation at Nankou was not optimistic.
Therefore, at Liu Chengyou's urging, the preparations for the relief troops were immediately accelerated. After noon, 50,000 Han troops on foot and cavalry, fully equipped and equipped, left Youzhou and marched toward the south entrance under the leadership of Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin.
And this time, the remaining five thousand Yan troops stationed in Youzhou City were also sent out. So far, there is no more soldiers from the original Yan army in Youzhou City. However, the King of Yan, Zhao Kuangzan, was left behind. Liu Chengyou gave him the task of arranging the people of Yan and assisting in city defense.
More than half an hour after dispatching troops, Liu Chengyou finally received a warning from Han Hui and learned about the latest situation in Hankou. Only then did we understand that the situation of An Shenqi's army could no longer be described as "not optimistic".
For the first time since the Northern Expedition, Liu Chengyou felt worried, nervous, and uneasy. I almost couldn't resist the urge to slap myself in the face. This was a prophecy. Just like what he said, the Han army at the south entrance is related to the entire Northern Expedition. If something goes wrong, it will be equal to the previous victory. , all vomited out, even difficult to make up for.
Moreover, if something goes wrong with An Shenqi's army, it will not be as simple as a defeat or the loss of some troops. The consequences and impact will be incalculable. If you want to capture Yanyun, it will be in vain, and for this Northern Expedition, the Han Dynasty will pay a price, which will inevitably become a bitter pill. If it is more serious, it is not impossible to cause turmoil in the country.
Because he was fully aware of its serious consequences, Liu Chengyou was worried about the war at Nankou and couldn't sit still. After calming down and thinking about the Liao army's massive counterattack, Liu Chengyou had to admit that he seemed to have underestimated the enemy, and the use of troops in the direction of Juyongguan seemed to be too much. Being carried away without realizing it actually caused such a dangerous situation.
Overly worried and eager to talk, Liu Chengyou called An Shouzhong, who was in charge of the guard, to talk to him and asked him: "Your father is at the south entrance and is besieged by an enemy force several times his own. The situation is extremely dangerous and he is in danger of being destroyed. Can you think of it?" Lead the troops and go north to support?"
Knowing the military situation at Nankou, An Shouzhong could not be at ease. However, he had served the emperor for many years and had some understanding of his temper. When Liu Chengyou opened his mouth, An Shouzhong understood that the emperor was worried about the danger ahead and wanted to leave for the north.
In response, An Shouzhong saluted solemnly and said in a deep voice: "My father is in danger. How can a son be free from worries? However, the duty of the general is to protect His Majesty. Apart from that, I have no other ideas!"
Looking at An Shouzhong and seeing his serious expression, Liu Chengyou couldn't help but sigh, and he didn't express his thoughts about going to the front line in person.
Looking to the north, worry flashed in his eyes. Under such circumstances, all he could do was to hope that the Han army at Nankou could persist in resisting, that the two reinforcements could be felt in time, and that the soldiers could maintain their fighting spirit.
However, after some consideration, Liu Chengyou sent Guo Tong to Tanzhou to inquire about the situation of the siege. He also gave Murong Yanzhao an order, asking him to divide his troops and advance westward to support Nankou, depending on the situation.
Even though he continued to strengthen his confidence in his heart, Liu Chengyou could not let go of the crisis at Nankou. Finally, after waiting for two hours in Youzhou City, in the evening, Liu Chengyou could no longer sit still. Regardless of civil and military objections, he led the inner army northward to the south entrance.
He didn't care about the danger. He only had one idea. The emperor personally led the army here, hoping to inspire the morale of the army.
