Probably after hearing the cries of the people, God couldn't bear to continue to bake the earth. After the high temperature lasted for more than half a month, a heavy rain came as scheduled, washing away the heat in Luoyang City happily, and also brought a heavy rain to the people of Xijing. A bit of rare coolness and pleasure.
The rain was pouring down, hitting the bricks and tiles, and dripping on the ground. The doors and windows were open. The wind and rain outside became more severe, but the indoor atmosphere became more stagnant.
Emperor Liu sat in the Privy Council Military Room with a silent expression. Perhaps because he was in such a hurry, his robe, crown, and boots were all wet, and there was obvious rain and dew on his hair. Yantuo held a silk handkerchief and wanted to wipe it with Emperor Liu, but he pushed him away.
Shi Shouxin, Cao Bin and other Privy Council officials stood aside with serious expressions, not daring to say anything casually. After touching his bun, Emperor Liu stood up, stood under the military map, and stared at the densely marked Liaodong area in trance.
Looking at this posture, it is obvious that there is a problem on the battlefield ahead. Before long, there was a slightly hurried movement outside the hall. Prime Ministers Zhao Pu, Song Qi, Li Ye, Prime Minister Shen Yilun and Minister of War Pan Mei arrived one after another. They arranged the court rituals outside the door before entering.
"Sit down! Everyone is here, let's talk!" Emperor Liu stretched out his hand to stop the salutes. Emperor Liu's face had returned to calmness, and he signaled Shi Shouxin to report the situation.
Emperor Liu gave up his seat, but in this atmosphere, he himself was standing, and everyone else was also calm, feeling that they were standing around. Shi Shouxin saluted, took a deep breath, and just opened his mouth when a strong gust of wind blew, causing the propped up window lattice to fall down, shocking everyone present.
After looking at Emperor Liu and seeing that his face was expressionless, Shi Shouxin said solemnly: "I just received an urgent battle report. Our army suffered a slight setback at the foot of Yaozhou City..."
"What's wrong with a slight setback? If you lose, you'll lose. There's nothing hard to say. Are you still afraid of embarrassment?" Emperor Liu turned his head directly and stared at Shi Shouxin with an aggressive look: "You, Shi Shouxin, have also learned to speak in such situations. What's ahead? In case of defeat, do I need you to save my dignity and avoid talking about it?"
"Yes!" Shi Shouxin showed a little embarrassment on his face, and his expression became more solemn, and said: "The former, after the reinforcement of troops across the sea to Liaodong, Liaodong deployed An Shouzhong and led the army to attack Chen and Yao, Chenzhou on the 5th They went down and then advanced to Yaozhou. The Liao army was heavily guarded. Although the army adhered to the will of the imperial court and resolutely attacked and opened up the route to attack Liaoyang, it was ultimately unable to conquer the city due to lack of strength.
By May 19, Anshou Zhongjun had been frustrated by Iwabuchi Castle for more than half a month. Repeated attacks were difficult, morale was damaged, and the weather was hot, so there were many soldiers who were acclimatized. Due to the destruction of Su, Fu, and Ningzhou when the Liao army retreated north, the people's hearts were very unstable, and it also involved a lot of energy.
On the morning of the 20th, the Liao army suddenly changed from being huddled and defensive. With tens of thousands of people, they suddenly rushed out and launched a sudden attack. Although our army did not lose its guard, it had been defeated by the Liao army for a long time and the troops were exhausted. Although generals An Shouzhong, Shi Yande and other generals organized the soldiers to fight hard, they were finally outnumbered and defeated by the Liao army and the camp fell.
They retreated all the way, fighting and moving. Fortunately, with the cover of the Donghai Navy, they were able to retreat to Chenzhou City and defend the city to reverse the defeat. Although the Liao army had the intention to attack the city while taking advantage of the victory, our army relied on the city to repel it..."
Hearing Shi Shouxin's description, he couldn't help but feel happy, but his smile was a little embarrassing. He looked at Shi Shouxin and said, "You have summed up the defeat of Yaozhou well. Are you excusing An Shouzhong and the others?"
Under the gaze of Emperor Liu, Shi Shouxin seemed a little embarrassed, smiled bitterly, and replied: "What I said is based on the actual situation on the front line. Later, after interrogating the prisoners of the Liao Army, I learned that the Liao Army was planning to counterattack. Having been prepared for a long time, Yelv Xiezhen, the king of the southern courtyard, personally led the troops and almost came out of Liaoyang. The failure to predict the enemy's advance led to this defeat, and the Privy Council is also responsible..."
Although he said this, Emperor Liu always felt that Shi Shouxin was a little hindered by the face of Xiangyang King An Shenqi.
"Now is not the time to share responsibilities!" Emperor Liu waved his hand and said in a deep voice: "Let's continue talking about the situation on the Eastern Front. How much was the loss in the Battle of Yaozhou?"
Hearing this, Shi Shouxin continued: "Based on the statistics after the war, An Shouzhong finally took more than 30,000 soldiers and horses to Chenzhou. Excluding the losses from the previous siege, more than 17,000 soldiers were lost in the battle of Yaozhou. , the food, grass, and ordnance have been basically lost, but there should be a lot of escaped soldiers who can be taken in. There are still a lot of supplies in Chenzhou City, which can be used for defense, and with the help of the navy, not only To the point of total defeat..."
Glancing at Emperor Liu carefully, Shi Shouxin added: "Right now, An Shouzhong's army has stabilized its position. The Liao army suffered heavy losses in the battle. They were also injured in the melee, and they have now withdrawn to Yaozhou!"
After listening to his narration, the atmosphere in the hall became more and more solemn, and everyone's expressions were serious, including Song Qi, who did not support the Northern Expedition in attitude, and there was a little worry between his eyebrows.
As Shi Shouxin said, although there have been setbacks and losses, it has stabilized its position and has not suffered irreparable losses. However, the problem cannot be taken at face value. After this defeat, the Eastern Front was basically abandoned, and a large amount of food and equipment was lost. Although it is distressing, the morale of the military has been severely damaged. This is the key. Jinzhou on the Western Front is still in a stalemate. If Because this defeat will affect the offensive and defensive situation of the entire east road, that is a big problem.
The important ministers present were all quickly assessing the consequences and impact of this defeat in their minds, but they remained silent for a while, and their eyes couldn't help but fly to Emperor Liu.
Emperor Liu's expression slowly softened. Seeing the solemn atmosphere, he chuckled: "Why are you so serious? Isn't it just a defeat and a loss of some troops and supplies? In a war, you want to fight a hundred battles. How can it be easy to win? After such a defeat, it’s good to have a long memory. Obviously, the Liao army is not as easy to deal with as we imagined. With this setback, it’s better to dispel the arrogance of the frontline soldiers!”
Emperor Liu said such words, and everyone else breathed a sigh of relief. They were really afraid that Emperor Liu would be furious because of the battle. Emperor Liu who was so angry was very scary...
"Yelü Xiezhen lives up to his reputation. This is indeed a dangerous enemy. We thought he was helpless and helpless, but in the end he was able to risk everything and give our army a sudden blow!" Emperor Liu couldn't help but sigh.
Pan Mei then said: "We will use troops from both the east and west fronts to advance hand in hand to clamp down on Liaodong, strangle it by the throat, and suffocate it. A defeat in Yaozhou will be like breaking a pincer, and it will also give the Liaodong army more breathing space!"
"Your Majesty, the Military Envoy wishes to see you!"
"Xuan!"
Soon, Li Chongju arrived, with water still dripping from his forehead, whether it was sweat or rain. His face was not good-looking either. He lowered his head and reported: "Your Majesty, according to the investigation, as early as last month, the Liao Army mobilized a troop of troops from Shangjing to march eastward to support Liaodong. The number was no less than 30,000... ..."
"Okay! Now that you have received the defeat report, you will understand the situation!" Emperor Liu said calmly.
Without even raising his head, Li Chongju could feel the penetrating meaning in Emperor Liu's eyes. Li Chongju's heart trembled, and he immediately knelt down to apologize: "I did not do my job well, please..."
"Okay!" Emperor Liu waved his hand: "It's rare that you are so active in taking responsibility!"
He looked at Shi Shouxin and others: "In your opinion, after the defeat of Yaozhou, where will the war in Liaodong go?"
Several people were silent for a while, thinking about it. After waiting for a while, Emperor Liu called Cao Bin by name: "Cao Bin, tell me!"
Cao Bin still looked cautious in his words and deeds, but when he was called by name, he responded calmly: "Your Majesty, in my opinion, although the defeat of Yaozhou caused a lot of losses, it had a limited impact on the overall situation. The state is still in hand, and the navy still firmly controls Liaohai.
The only thing to worry about is that after this defeat on the Eastern Front, if you want to revive your morale and restore your offensive capabilities, you will need a period of time to adjust and replenish your troops, horses, food and equipment!
In addition, Jinzhou will inevitably be affected, and we need to remind the camp to prepare for it! "
"What's the adjustment plan here at the Privy Council?" Emperor Liu looked at Shi Shouxin.
Shi Shouxin replied: "The first thing now is to continue to send more troops to Liaodong and supplement supplies, so as to quickly restore strength and boost morale before advancing.
However, we can no longer rush forward impatiently. The rainy season in Liaodong is approaching, so we should take precautions. In addition, the navy should play a greater role and look for opportunities to enter the Liao River. If it can break through the Liao army's blockade and invest a certain amount of troops in its hinterland, it should be able to break the deadlock..."
"Why didn't you do this before?" Emperor Liu asked, but he quickly made a decision and ordered: "The Privy Council should adjust it in time. The troops, money, food, and civilian armor should be replenished as needed!"
Emperor Liu's words were directed at everyone present. His eyes were so powerful that even Song Qi had no room to object. She just had a grimace on her face. I don't know how many troops and people will be mobilized this time. This move will require another move. It increased the burden on the court and the people.
When he arrived, Zhao Pu reported: "Your Majesty, there is a loss on the Eastern Front. How will the general be arranged? Will he be sent to another post?"
Yes, it is a defeat after all, and someone must take responsibility. Otherwise, it will be difficult to win over the people and the army. Emperor Liu thought about it and said directly: "Let Gao Huaide cross the sea to Chenzhou to preside over the war on the Eastern Front! An Shouzhong and Shi Yande, Dai Zui, will stay in their posts and serve in the army. Before serving in the army, I will give An Shouzhong a word, know your shame and then be brave!" I watched in Xijing, and the soldiers who died under Yaozhou City also watched in the sky!"
In this regard, the civil and military personnel present did not have any objections, but they all knew that if An Shouzhong and Shi Yande did not make any achievements in the future, their future would be worrying.
Since Emperor Liu gave them the opportunity to make meritorious deeds, he also cut off their escape route. If there were any mistakes, the old and new accounts would be settled together.
