Wanyan Zongwang and his uncle, Wanyan Zhita, were talking about Medicine Master Guo in the Jin army's formation. They were surprised that the Wu Dynasty was able to recruit such a famous and powerful enemy.
"Previously, because of Zhang Jue's matter, the army arrived at Yanjing City. I heard that Medicine Master Guo was in favor of defending the city." Wanyan Jammu tilted her head from her warhorse and said, "It's a pity that nothing came of it. If I could have fought him, I would have been more confident."
"It doesn't matter, Uncle. What I want is to fight with the heroes of the world. He can surprise me this time … Uh …" Wanyan Zongwang was talking heroically when he suddenly frowned. In the darkness, he looked to one side of the battle formation and raised his horsewhip. "What's that … What are they planning?"
Wanyan Jammu squinted and looked for a while. "Retreat? Or a regroup attack? "
"Send my order to all the generals in the northeast. Slow down and gather around Ma Jimeng's troops. Don't advance rashly. Hurry! "
Following Zongwang's order, the orderlies galloped down and the arrows rose into the night sky. The entire Jin army began to move noisily in the tense atmosphere.
On the other side, Medicine Master Guo looked at the situation on the flank and subconsciously urged his horse to gallop a few steps forward. Then he stopped. "What's going on? Why are they retreating? "
"It's Commander Zhang and Commander Liu's troops …"
"I know it's them. They've been taking advantage of us from the side and only made small feints. Why are they retreating? Send my order. Let them move forward … "
The sudden and strange situation caught Medicine Master Guo off guard. He couldn't figure out why Zhang Linghui and Liu Shunren, two sworn brothers, would do such a thing. The battlefield was huge, and it was night time. By the time the changes could be seen clearly, the two armies on the northeast flank had already retreated to a large valley. The Golden Men seemed to be shocked as well. Their troops gathered in front of the retreating army, silent and bewildered. The whole process lasted for about half an hour. Countless orders and wills rushed over the chaotic battlefield.
The Lady Zhenren blew the horn.
Then the cavalry charged straight down at the retreating troops!
Waves of defeat began to appear on one side of the battlefield. The cavalry under Guo Yaoshi's command pierced through from the flank, trying to block the Female Zhenren's attack, but the collapse had already begun. The main formation of the Victorious Army rushed over and issued orders at the same time, trying to distance their troops from Zhang Linghui and Liu Shunren's two defeated troops and reorganize a tight defense. However, it was already too late. The defeated army and the troops directly under their command had already formed a situation where both sides were at each other's throats. The collapse of a cliff gradually turned into the collapse of half a mountain.
Countless corpses flowed down the Tide White River. Sparks flew across the night sky. All that was left was the continuous reorganization of the army and the continuous slaughter. On the other side, the Jin army, which had been fighting for a day, once again resumed their stormy offensive. They charged toward the half of the victorious army that had not yet collapsed. Guo Yaoshi subconsciously controlled the chaotic battle formation and led the army toward Yan Jing City. After a few years, the scene of being crushed by Xiao Gan outside Yan Jing City seemed to reappear in front of him. At this time, the first to betray him was actually his brother …
Late at night, countless defeated soldiers poured into the gate of Yan Jing City. The magistrate, Cai Jing, stood on the city gate and watched this scene. His whole body was already cold. As the direct troops led by Guo Yaoshi entered the city gate, the Lady Zhenren rushed toward the city like a tide.
After the city gate was closed, Cai Jing ran down and found Guo Yaoshi in the chaotic battle formation. He was wearing a cloak and holding a steel saber. Half of his body was covered in blood and his eyes were bloodshot, like a fierce tiger that was about to devour someone. Cai Jing did not dare to question him. He said, "It's good that General is back. As long as General is here, we can defend Yan Jing …"
Guo Yaoshi had already dismounted from his horse. He turned his head and looked at him. "Aren't you going to ask me why I lost?"
"No matter why I lost, as long as I can learn from it …"
"But I really want to know why I lost!" Guo Yaoshi roared. "Come with me! Let's go ask! "
He turned around abruptly and led his followers into the inner city. The rest of the soldiers had already begun to guard the city walls. Outside the city, the Female Zhenren's attack had stopped. Cai Jing followed Guo Yaoshi forward, feeling uneasy. Before long, they arrived at the barracks on the drill ground on one side of the city. This was where Zhang Linghui and the others were stationed. The guards in the barracks were obviously on high alert. Some tried to stop them, but Guo Yaoshi ignored them. His men had already rushed forward to subdue the guards. Before long, the troops pressed in like a tide.
On the drill ground in the center of the camp, Zhang Linghui and Liu Shunren were obviously waiting for his arrival. The soldiers on both sides confronted each other. Guo Yaoshi walked straight toward them. Zhang Linghui was about to greet him, but Guo Yaoshi had already punched him in the face. Liu Shunren rushed over and tried to stop the fight, but Guo Yaoshi punched him in the abdomen and punched him in the back, sending him sprawling on the ground. Zhang Linghui retreated a few steps. He raised his head and was about to speak again when Guo Yaoshi walked in front of him and kicked him away.
The atmosphere was tense, but under Guo Yaoshi's pressure, no one dared to make a move.
"You fled at the last minute and betrayed your brothers." Guo Yaoshi walked back to his men and pulled out the steel saber from his attendant's waist. "I'm going to kill you today. Do you have anything to say?"
Only then did Cai Jing roughly understand what had happened.
Zhang Linghui got up from the ground. "I have something to say." Then he pointed at Cai Jing. "But he's here. What can I say?"
Guo Yaoshi pointed at Cai Jing and roared, "Say it in front of him!"
Zhang Linghui gritted his teeth. "Fine. You're the big brother. I'll say what you want me to say. The people of the Wu dynasty aren't worth it! They were just the mud that couldn't be helped! We can't hold it! "
"Who said I can't hold it?" Guo Yaoshi roared. "I'm going to defeat Wanyan Zongwang today!"
"Big Brother, you can only frustrate Wanyan Zongwang a little! They still have Wanyan Chang's army to the west, and there are more behind them! What about you, Big Brother? You only have the ever-victorious army! How much can you hold? The people of the Wu dynasty are not trustworthy. Big Brother, have you forgotten our defeat here last time? Have you forgotten how Zhang Jue died? They only know how to accumulate wealth and power. There are no men in the Wu dynasty! "
Guo Yaoshi looked at him and shook his head. "But this time … it was you who defeated me …"
Zhang Linghui said, "But what if you win, Big Brother? What if you beat them too badly? What if you kill Wanyan Zongwang? Big Brother, we only have so many people. We don't want to be enemies with the Zhenren … "
"Are they your brothers, or are you the only coward?" Guo Yaoshi waved his hand at the densely packed soldiers around him.
Liu Shunren came over from the side. "Big Brother, this was also my idea …"
"Then there are two cowards among my brothers." Guo Yaoshi took a deep breath. "You're in a hurry to retreat. You're afraid that you won't have the chance to surrender. You're in a hurry to be someone's slave. You say there are no men in the Wu dynasty. How can you be men? You're not like this in the past … I don't like the Wu dynasty, and I don't like what happened to Zhang Jue, but how can I be like you …"
Guo Yaoshi's voice trailed off. Cai Jing, who was listening to him, was frightened. After a long while, he saw Guo Yaoshi's shoulders tremble. "Hahahaha … Hahahaha …" He laughed. When he raised his head, his tall figure seemed to have collapsed. His eyes and laughter were full of sorrow.
Cai Jing walked over and said, "Generals, as long as we work together, we can still defend Yanjing. As long as we defend Yanjing, there will be reinforcements from the south …" Before he could finish, he stopped because Guo Yaoshi had turned his head and fixed his eyes on him.
He stared at Cai Jing for a long time and sighed in a low voice. "Your Excellency Cai, do you know that the people of the Wu dynasty are like a disease …" After saying this, he suddenly jumped up. Zhang Linghui saw him sigh and thought that the situation had turned for the better, so he moved closer. Guo Yaoshi kicked him in the chest again, sending him flying backward. He fell to his knees on the ground and spat out blood.
"Do you know how many of my brothers died because of you?"
Guo Yaoshi's voice resounded throughout the camp. Seeing Zhang Linghui being kicked away, Liu Shunren took two steps back. Guo Yaoshi waved his saber and cut off a large piece of cloth from his body and threw it into the air.
"I will surrender, but from today onwards, we are no longer brothers."
Countless soldiers around them watched this scene.
Cai Jing rushed over and said, "General Guo, you can't do this …"
Guo Yaoshi grabbed his shoulder and turned his head. "What else can we do now? Your Excellency Cai, surrender. "
"No, General Guo, you said that as long as we defend the city …"
Before he could finish, Guo Yaoshi punched him in the face and sent him flying. He fell at the feet of the generals and attendants.
"I've given you so much money. All you need to do is nod your head …"
He murmured and touched his mouth. He took one last look at Zhang Linghui and Liu Shunren in the camp, then at the soldiers in front of him. Then he turned around and walked out. The wind whimpered. Under the night sky, the people of the Wu dynasty had been operating the huge city for two years. They had paid countless taels of silver. Now the city was tall and sturdy, like a crouching giant beast. On the east side of the city, the Female Zhenrens began to set up camp. Tomorrow, they would begin to make siege weapons and prepare for a long-term attack.
A man's wild ambition pierced the sky and disappeared quietly on such a night.
*****
In the capital, it was chaotic and noisy in the Prime Minister's residence. In the study, all the information brought by Ning Yi, as well as many documents from the Ministry of Revenue, were summarized and categorized. Yao Zunian, Ji Kun, Wenren Bu 'er, and the others were doing all kinds of work here.
"The imperial edict to confer the title of Prince Yan to Medicine Master Guo is about to be issued …" Ning Yi looked at the document in his hand and said casually while drinking tea.
"His Majesty is afraid." Yao Zunian put a file on the shelf next to him and said in a low voice, "When the news of the Female Zhenrens going south came, everyone knew that something was wrong. But to confer the title of Prince Yan at this time … they are desperate."
Ji Kun said, "In another way, His Majesty seems to be very clear about the whole situation."
"Yes, he seems to be clearer than us …" Ning Yi frowned.
While they were talking, Qin Siyuan came in from outside the door. He looked at the pile of things on Ning Yi's table and said, "Are these the things that Liheng mentioned before?"
Ning Yi glanced at it and nodded. "Yes, the topography of the Ministry of Revenue, the household registration information, as well as Takeshi's survey of the north, all the mountainous terrain that is unfavorable for the cavalry, and the preliminary plans for the relocation of the surrounding villages and countryside … But now it seems that it is useless."
When the news of the Female Zhenrens' southern invasion arrived, the Prime Minister's residence had made a lot of predictions and deductions, one of which was the most radical. Based on the comparison of the strength of the Female Zhenrens against the Liao people and the Liao people against the Wu dynasty's army, if the Female Zhenrens made full use of the cavalry's advantage and crazily advanced south, when they broke through Yan Jing and Yanmen Pass, they would only plunder the countryside instead of taking the important towns. The army of the Wu dynasty would be helpless against their advance. In the end, the only decisive battle would be in Bianliang City.
This kind of deduction could only be discussed internally. No one dared to bring it to the Golden Palace. Because when the enemy began to move south, people on our side would say, "Give up the entire area north of the Yellow River. They may not have any meaning at all." This was unreasonable no matter where it was. But if you really wanted to say how much of a hindrance the hundreds of thousands of troops north of the Yellow River could cause to the Female Zhenrens, no one seemed to have any confidence in their hearts.
This was something that surpassed rationality and tactics. But in reality, the repeated victories of the Female Zhenrens against the Liao people seemed to be evidence of this "unreality."
Under the premise that "the area north of the Yellow River is of little significance" and that "the only strategic target of the Jin people is Bianliang," Ning Yi had Takeshi do a lot of work. The most important thing was to survey the terrain of the populated areas north of the Yellow River and take over all the places that were not conducive to horse fighting, so as to adapt to the need to move people and food, and to strengthen the walls and clear the fields. He even made a large relocation plan based on a lot of information from the Ministry of Revenue, strengthening the walls and clearing the fields within thousands of miles, and strangling the enemy's logistics. But of course, all this was meaningless now, because no one would play with him like this. Because no one would understand that there might be a "Shame of Jingkang" in the future.
Of course, his plan was only a preliminary idea, and it was not perfect enough. A few days ago, everyone had discussed it together. They were all smart people, so they could only use it as a brainstorming proposal. The enemy's strength lay in the fact that they might not even need to consider logistics for an attack by pure cavalry. And the problem on his side was that strengthening the walls and clearing the fields in a place that had been in operation for more than two hundred years, not to mention the possibility of success, the losses caused might be even greater than losing the war.
"Maybe it's useful now." Qin Siyuan, who walked into the room, sighed. He passed some of the intelligence reports to everyone. After that, everyone became silent. Wenren Bu 'Er said, "Your Majesty, this time …" Then, she cautiously stopped talking. After reading the reports, Ning Yi sat back in his chair. Even if he had been mentally prepared, he could not help but feel his heart churning. "Is this a joke …"
The intelligence reports could be roughly summarized into three parts:
After resisting Wanyan Zongwang for several hours, Guo Yaoshi was defeated and then surrendered to the Jin Kingdom. The Wu Dynasty spent a lot of money to buy it back, and then used the whole of Yan Yun as nourishment. Yan Jing City, which they had painstakingly managed for more than two years, changed hands overnight. Wanyan Zongwang's road south was no longer dangerous. At this time, the Jurchen Eastern Army had probably already rushed to the three towns in Hebei.
And on the Western Army, tens of thousands of soldiers at Yanmen Pass were scattered by the army led by Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Xiyin. They did not spend too much time on the pass. Besides the Victorious Army, there was also the Victorious Army, which had gathered many Liao people in the past two years. Facing the Jurchens who had once destroyed their entire country, the Victorious Army did not show any hatred or fighting power. They all rebelled and opened the gate to offer the city. Then, between Yanmen Pass and Taiyuan, and between Taiyuan and Bianliang, there was almost no land.
Whether it was a mighty pass or a strong city, like an ancient saying, in the end, none of them were broken through from the outside. In order to prevent the Jurchens from going south, the imperial court had once tried to recruit the remnants of the Liao army, but now it was a complete failure.
As for the third one, Tong Guan had left Taiyuan and was on his way back to the capital. He had brushed past the imperial edict that gave him the position of the Privy Envoy in the north.
Although he understood that the Female Zhenren of this era was like a cheat, Ning Yi had never thought that everything would really happen so fast. In less than ten days, the entire northern defense at the front line of Yanmen Pass had fallen, and the Female Zhenren was like a torrent driving straight down.
"Next, the south of Yanmen Pass is our territory after all. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers are stationed everywhere. No matter how fast they are, they can't be faster than the previous march. We still have time. Liheng, do your best to organize the information in your hands. When the time comes, cooperate with the interception in the north and slow down the Jurchens' logistics. As long as His Majesty agrees, all the officials in the north will listen to your deployment. At the same time, let your Takeshi people join in and help move people into the mountains, take away food, gather bait, and cooperate with the nearby northern troops in the battle. "
Ning Yi's gaze was complicated. Yao Zunian said, "Prime Minister, it is too risky to clear the field at this time." Most people could understand this matter. Even if they knew the Jurchens were powerful, even if the first line of defense in the north had completely fallen, and there were still hundreds of thousands of soldiers behind them, it was a political risk that they could not bear to propose to clear the north ten days after the war began and make the people lose their homes. Maybe some people would really block the Jurchens at the front line of Taiyuan and defeat them? There was no reason to say that they would be defeated by hundreds of thousands of people.
"There is no other way." Qin Siyuan shook his head. "Fortunately, His Majesty … knows what to do. I will not mention it in court for the time being. When I enter the palace later, I will tell His Majesty in private. He will approve it. "
Ning Yi nodded. "Try to move from north to south."
Ji Kun also said, "Expand the whole thing. It may be a good thing that Duke of Chu has returned to the capital. He is not willing to stay in Taiyuan, so we will find a reason for him. The core of this war will definitely fall in the capital, so Duke will return to the capital in advance to keep watch. It may sound a little alarmist now, but Duke will most likely accept it. We will push him to the heart of the struggle. "
Wenren Bu 'Er laughed. On the other side, Ning Yi packed up his things. "If it is approved, I will prepare to go north."
Yao Zunian frowned. "Can't it be fine if Liheng keeps watch in the capital?"
"The fastest information feedback will be the most efficient. Anyway, after I receive it, I will not have the energy to deal with other things. It is better to go to the nearest place to take a look. Don't worry, if there is any danger, I will escape immediately. "
"Then I will follow you to the north." Wenren Bu 'Er laughed. "You will escape immediately anyway."
Qin Siyuan looked at the crowd and also smiled. "I will prepare to enter the palace. Let's settle the matter in two days. "
The old man turned and left the room. Ning Yi also smiled. "I will go back to settle down first." He bid farewell to the crowd.
Originally, the battle had just begun. As the logistics department of the Right Minister, they were still responsible for many trivial and complicated tasks. But at this time, the sense of urgency finally came crashing down, and people had to prepare to move. And in the ten days since the start of the war, many residents north of the Yellow River began to drag their families away from their homes under the deterrence of the war. This was the first batch of people who were well-informed in the whole migration. Countless troops were quickly moving to the frontline and the passes.
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