Qi County is the southernmost county in Taiyuan Prefecture, located next to Taigu River. The county is not big, but its geographical location is important. It is seventy miles south of Pingyao County.
On August 12, Wanyan rushed to see the army arriving in Qi County and stationed troops inside and outside the county.
After sitting down at the county government office, a ranger came to report that there was no movement from the Song army in front.
Wanyan Benjian pondered for a while and said: "At night, you enter Pingyao County and make an agreement with Wanyan Yuying to attack the Song army with him at the same moment. No matter what difficulties Pingyao County has, we must not miss this matter."
The ranger sings with his hands crossed.
Wanyan Ben met and said: "You go monitor the Song army and report back every half hour to see if they have any movement. If there is no movement, tonight is the day they die! We have come thousands of miles away just to fight at this time. You Don’t neglect it!”
Watching You Qi leave the official hall, Wanyan Benjian straightened up and his eyes were filled with light.
Before starting the battle, how to use the ranger is very important. The Song Army's habit was not to use rangers for reconnaissance, and it was generally difficult to move forward for more than two or three miles. Like Wang Xiao's hunting army, capital-level units will also control ten miles, while division-level ranger reconnaissance range is generally a hundred miles away. Wanyan rushing to see 20,000 people would not be able to achieve the effect of a sneak attack. Wu Jie is different from Liu Qi. They basically don't have rangers for reconnaissance, and they basically don't at night.
Wanyan Ben saw that he had arrived seventy miles away, and there was still no news from the Song army, which was unbelievable among Wang Xiao's hunting army.
Outside Pingyao City, Wu Jie and Liu Qi rode horses and patrolled the city constantly, looking for loopholes in the city. It's a pity that Wanyan Yuying is extremely smart. The first city wall is guarded by artillery. Various defensive equipment are placed in the middle of the artillery, without any loopholes.
Sighing, Wu Jie said: "The only solution now is to build a high platform outside the city so that our artillery can tower over it. But this time we have to be extra careful not to be destroyed by the Jin army again. Otherwise, this city will be destroyed. How can it be broken?"
Liu Qi nodded. Said: "Zhizhi is right, but if we use ordinary methods, it really won't work."
After saying that, I looked at the soldiers behind, who were building high platforms day and night.
Wu Jie shook his head, turned his horse's head, and returned to the commander's camp with Liu Qi.
During the long night, with no intention of sleeping, the two of them roasted a lamb and sat together drinking wine.
In the county government office in Jiexiu, Zhao Ding, Qi Chongli and Fu Songqing gathered around a table and looked at the map of Pingyao. The map is very simple, it just marks the location of Pingyao and the approximate distance from the surrounding mountains.
After looking at it for a while, Zhao Ding sighed: "Pingyao is surrounded by a vast plain and a city in the middle. It is indeed easy to defend but difficult to attack. To defeat this city, we have to take a long-term approach."
Qi Chongli said: "I'm afraid that Datong in the north will not sit back and watch and send reinforcements. The distance between the two places is 600 miles, and the Jin army's cavalry can only take a few days."
Fu Songqing said: "For the current plan, it is better to ask Wang Xuanfu's army to advance north in advance to block the Jin army's reinforcements for us. In just a few days, Pingyao will definitely break the city!"
Zhao Ding remained silent. After a while, he said: "If Wang Xuanfu is invited to go north, who will command the army? The army here is different from other places. The divisions below only receive military orders from the headquarters. Wang Xuanfu does not agree, so don't try to command his soldiers one by one. Death! How can a small city in Pingyao compare with such a big situation! If you can't attack it for a while, then attack slowly. I don't believe it, given a few more days, Wu Jie and Liu Qi will not be able to attack a county town!"
After hearing this, Fu Songqing did not dare to speak anymore.
Looking at the map, Zhao Ding said: "There is no other way now. Only by capturing Xihe and Pingyao can the army move northward. No matter who comes, they must command in this way. We don't have to mess with the morale of the army, but we just didn't expect these two cities to be so strong. That’s all!”
Qi Chongli signaled Fu Songqing to stop talking and said: "It is not certain whether or when the reinforcements of the Jin Army will come. What should we worry about for something that is not certain? Wu Jie came to report that Pingyao was captured in two or three days. , don’t worry.”
Zhao Ding said: "As long as Pingyao is defeated, Qixian County and Taigu are not big cities behind, and we will attack Taiyuan City. It seems that we are just a few days later than expected, and it is nothing!"
Qi Chongli and Fu Songqing nodded together without saying anything else.
Zhao Ding looked at the two of them, and after a while, he sighed.
Pingyao County is so difficult to attack, but what about the cities behind it? Zhao Ding understood everything in his heart, but now he couldn't retreat. And as time passed day by day, Zhao Ding became more and more uneasy. Who knows where the reinforcements of the Jin Army have arrived?
Cao Zhiyan looked at the moon in the sky for a long time before saying: "We have all arrived at Lingshi. According to time, Jin Army reinforcements should be arriving soon."
An Bo said: "Yes, if it were us, the cavalry should arrive in about ten days. The Jin army is moving slowly, and it should still be insufficient for food and grass."
Cao Zhiyan nodded: "At this time, the food on Hedong Road has not been harvested yet, how can there be enough food and grass? However, it should be here anyway."
Anbo nodded and said, "Yes, it's time to arrive anyway."
After that, I took a sip of smoothie and a bite of meat.
During the war, drinking was strictly prohibited in Wang Xiaolie's army. Generally speaking, this ban does not restrict the control and jurisdiction of each division, but most of the time they will comply with the ban. If you don't comply and are discovered by your superiors, you can also be punished.
Cao Zhiyan took a boat to Huoyi, then turned northward by land, and arrived in Lingshi County today. This is the key point connecting the north and south of Hedong Road. After passing here, we will arrive in Jiexiu County tomorrow. It was after Wang Xiaolie occupied Lingshi County that he took the initiative in the war.
Nowadays, the situation is turbulent. At night, Cao Zhiyan and Anbo couldn't sleep anyway, so they drank drinks and chatted together. As we chatted, we talked about the reinforcements of the Jin Army. At this time, this is the topic Song Jun is most concerned about.
Cao Zhiyan said: "If you are the rescue general of the Jin Army, how will you break the situation after you arrive?"
An Bo said: "Are there many choices? Of course, we should first attack with Wanyan Yun from inside and outside, and defeat the enemies surrounding Pingyao first. Then join forces and take Jiexiu directly. After Jiexiu is captured, the Song army in Xihe will be defeated. He is locked up in the Taiyuan Basin, and can be defeated by Wanyan Yin Shu!"
Cao Zhiyan nodded: "Yes, that's all. Xihe is still farther south, and reinforcements cannot hide from Pingyao's army. Pingyao is different. As long as you are careful, you will not attract the attention of the Xihe Song Army. The Song Army on the front line , I hope there will be more rangers and we will not be attacked by surprise. Otherwise, we will be in trouble."
Amber nodded.
Their mission is to attack Pingyao. If the Song army in Pingyao is defeated, there will be a lot of trouble.
Cao Zhiyan looked at the sky. After a long time, he shook his head: "Amitabha, Wu Jie and Liu Qi should be more careful."
Wu Jie and Liu Qi were indeed careful and did not get drunk after drinking for a long time. In the second half of the night, we took turns to rest.
In Pingyao County, Wanyan Yuying's eyes couldn't help but shine when she looked at the person in front of her.
The Song army outside was too tightly surrounded, and Wanyan Ben saw that the people sent did not enter Pingyao City until night. Wanyan Yuying, who was surrounded by the Song army, was overjoyed to hear the news of the arrival of reinforcements, and asked carefully about the news of the reinforcements outside.
When he learned that 20,000 cavalry were coming, Wanyan Yuying slapped the table and said happily: "This time, the Song army outside has only one word of death!"
After that, let the messenger be taken out and have a good meal. Before midnight, he was asked to go out of the city and report his plan to Wanyan Benjian.
