Therefore, until they captured Liu Baozi, Lu Yu and others were somewhat skeptical about whether they could win the battle. However, now, seeing the appearance of Liu Baozi, they realized that the Central Tang Army had
After a day of hard work, morale is probably very depleted, and this invisible thing is obviously a trend of ebb and flow. Generals like Liu Baozi have shown such a negative attitude, let alone the rest of the soldiers? Therefore,
At this time, Lu Yu could say with certainty: Victory is in sight! So he held a banquet on the spot and got extremely drunk, which was a good way to soothe his tense nerves.
***
Four days ago, the Central Tang Army set out from Zuoliucheng. Their target was Dazu County, eighty-three miles away. At that time, they expected to arrive at Dazu County in two days, then attack the city at night, rest in Dazu County for three days, and then set off again.
Three days ago, the Central Tang Army was only 43 miles away from Dazu County, and they traveled 40 miles in one day.
However, two days ago, the Central Tang Army only traveled ten miles in a full day! They were still thirty-three miles away from their target, Dazu County!
Now, the Central Tang Army is still fifteen miles away from Dazu County. Although the pagoda spire of Shuangmu Temple next to Dazu County can be faintly seen, the entire Central Tang Army no longer has much confidence in whether it can reach Dazu County.
.
Because a river suddenly appeared ahead.
Mogan River!
This river is very special. It is usually only two to three feet wide. There is a stone bridge on the river that is said to have been built for more than eighty years, allowing two carriages to pass side by side without any worries.
However, what appeared in the eyes of the Zhongtang Army at this time were two extremely huge potholes at one end and one at the end. Even the bridge piers were gone. Why such a thing happened was certainly not because of the earthquake.
It was a man-made disaster, and it must have been a good thing done by the Northern Qi Army.
At this time, because it had rained not long ago, the river had plenty of water, and the river banks were open, and there were wetlands covered with reeds and aquatic plants on both sides of the river banks. Therefore, the area actually covered by the river was close to 56
Ten meters.
Fortunately, the water surface of the Mogan River seems to have surged from two or three feet to seven or eight feet. In fact, the water is not very fast. At the same time, after on-site investigation, the water in the river is only up to the waist at most. Therefore, if you want to pull up a rough
Yes, it is definitely not impossible to wade across the river, but the time it takes is at least two or three sticks of incense.
There is a big problem here. There are very clear instructions in the Art of War book, which is to attack halfway across the river! When crossing the river, the entire army will be divided into two obvious parts by the river. The leaders cannot look at each other, and the order cannot be delivered in time.
, is a taboo for military strategists.
It was precisely because of this matter that Tang Lie of the Central Tang Army frowned and paced back and forth. Finally, because of such a "little matter", he simply held a military meeting.
And this military meeting fell into controversy as soon as it came.
First of all, there were reckless men shouting, let our people cross first, we will all be able to defend the ferry. What we are most afraid of is that these bastards won’t come to fight. If they dare to fight head-on, that’s the best. Be good.
Let these rat-like thieves from the Northern Qi Dynasty have a taste of their own power.
However, some people began to point out clearly from the side that doing so is a taboo for military strategists. Once they start crossing the river, who can guarantee that the opponent will definitely win when they attack? If they cannot win and the forward army is completely wiped out, then
What we have to face is not the current situation of low morale, but the consequences of a direct morale collapse!!
Looking at this extremely complicated debate, Tang Lie couldn't help but feel a sense of worry in his heart. If it were before, how could the majestic army have such an argument in order to cross such a river as thick as a waistband?
What? Don’t say who is right or wrong, or who is right or wrong on both sides of the dispute. Just from the fact that the dispute arises, it can be said that many problems have been revealed.
Some forward-looking generals even thought that the dispute over crossing the river at this time was actually the result of the continuous decline in morale and confidence in the army. Thinking deeply, this kind of argument was meaningless. Even if the crossing was successful, at present,
Will the passive situation change?
Even if they successfully entered Dazu County, they did not enter the territory of the Central Tang Dynasty. Their determination can be seen from the way the Northern Qi Army dealt with a mere bridge. The situation in Dazu County can also be imagined.
, Besides, once they enter Dazu County, they will definitely not be there once and for all. Why don’t they just come out and continue moving forward?
As for those who advocate not crossing the river, where should they go? Return to Zuoliu City? Do you really think of that ghost place as your home? Or do you think that place is a geomantic treasure, and you are lucky to have your bones buried here? What are the reasons for these people?
The excuse is also very simple, that is, if the enemy cannot move, I cannot move, and the Northern Qi people are just exhausted. In short, my group can drag the main force of the Northern Qi here, and the Xirong people can happily cause trouble in Yinzhou.
Faced with this statement, Tang Lie felt that these people could only be described as short-sighted. Not to mention that the domestic secret orders for return were getting tighter and tighter. The people of Northern Qi alone were determined to grit their teeth and fight with his group.
Spend it till the end.
For the Northern Qi Dynasty, it was already obvious that Xirong had just suffered from civil strife. The conflict between the monarch and the state counselor Wang Meng had seriously damaged the vitality. Therefore, the purpose was not to capture the city but to plunder a large amount of wealth.
Just go back with the goods. As long as the Northern Qi army has the purpose of holding on to the city, it is impossible for the Xirong army, which has already made a lot of money, to make up its mind and fight to the death to attack the city!
And for the Northern Qi Dynasty, the weather has been going well for two or three consecutive years, and the invasion of the East China Sea Pirates has been the least harmed. According to the latest informant reports, among the ten Changping warehouses set up by the Junior High School, six of them are treasury buildings.
Therefore, even if we continue to indulge Xirong and fight for the northwest to be beaten, maimed, and rotten for ten years, it will at most only damage the vitality, but not the muscles and bones.
On the contrary, once their expeditionary army is retained, and as far as the current situation is concerned, the cavalry is facing off against the infantry, and the attack comes from such a distance, once the Northern Qi people win, it will be like pinning their pockets.
A complete victory is an out-and-out annihilation of the entire army. Under such circumstances, the recruitment of these prisoners alone can greatly increase the strength of Northern Qi's sergeants. If they have any scruples, let them deal with the Xirong people.
, there will be no problem in dealing with the Dongxia people, let alone the secret training techniques of the soldiers of the Central Tang Dynasty that may be leaked!
When he thought of this, Tang Liedu suddenly felt upset, and even felt an indescribable sadness. When he looked up, he felt that it was vast, the sky was high, the sky was high, the sky was high, the sky was high, and there was no place for him!
***
The next day, the Central Tang Army tried to cross the Mogan River by force. Naturally, the Northern Qi cavalry came uninvited and stopped on the other side of the river. Soldiers crossing the river could not wear heavy steel armor, otherwise they would surely drown if they fell in the water, so they could only rely on leather armor.
They and shields were blocking the front for protection. However, the Northern Qi army seemed to have expected such a situation. At this time, they could not use any high-end cavalry and archery tactics. Instead, they deployed a large number of archers on the river bank, and arrows rained down suddenly.
The water of the Mogan River once turned red because of it. The most terrible thing is that the Zhongtang Army crossing the river had no way to fight back! They could only grit their teeth and resist the fire!
Of course, bows and arrows are not machine guns after all. It is not entirely true to say that the Central Tang Army has no way to cross the river. However, there are also cavalry from the Northern Qi Dynasty running back and forth on both sides of the river. Once they find someone crossing the river, they will rush over and kill them.
The Tang army had no way to form a formation. Under such circumstances, the Central Tang army suffered extremely heavy casualties. They fought from morning until noon and still failed to establish an effective bridgehead on the other side.
Under such circumstances, someone asked why they did not cross the river at night. In this case, the bows and arrows of the thieves in Northern Qi would not be so accurate. Others thought it made sense. At the same time, some people also
It was proposed that another 5,000 people could be brought out to cross the river three miles upstream and downstream. In this way, a three-pronged approach can be said to be foolproof. With 15,000 people united together, it can be very easy to establish a
A bridgehead is established. As long as the bridgehead on the other side is established, the next thing to be done will be much easier to handle.
Next, the Central Tang Army began their plan to cross the river, which officially started at the third watch. At first, everything was carried out strictly according to the original plan, almost perfectly. In the dark night, the Northern Qi Army seemed to be shooting during the day.
I was very tired and had a good sleep.
However, just when the three armies of the Central Tang Army who crossed the river separately had just crossed the halfway point, the Northern Qi Army quietly appeared on the grassland, looking as straight as dozens of meandering fire dragons in the dark night.
At this time, most of the Zhongtang Army, which had already landed on the shore, naturally did not care so much and hurriedly formed an array.
It was just that at this time, the Central Tang Army was in a hurry, and the formation they formed was quite reluctant. Moreover, under such a hasty formation, there were no trenches, no guardrails, no horse pits, and no horse ropes to trip! Therefore, when the second
Thirty frightened buffaloes wildly swung their flaming tails and rushed forward crazily, creating a huge gap in the temporary formation formed by the Central Tang Army. When they came out, the Snake-Eating Army that followed them met with considerable resistance.
It was much smaller, and it was almost natural for the Chinese and Tang army formations to collapse! In the darkness, it was very difficult for the three troops crossing the river to get closer!
Therefore, under such circumstances, it was natural that the 15,000 vanguards sent by the Central Tang Army to cross the river came back in vain. At this time, the Central Tang Army realized that although the darkness limited the opponent's arrow rain coverage, it was also serious
This limits one's own side's scheduling and organizational capabilities, especially if they rush to engage in battle just after crossing the river. Once the team is broken up, it is almost impossible to continue to organize and fight again.
Chaos fighting in the dark is definitely not the strong point of the Zhongtang Army. Fortunately, the river they just crossed behind them is not a dead end. They can escape back to the other side by stepping on the muddy water, and the cavalry behind them cannot pursue them.
, so although the Central Tang Army was defeated, the casualties were not too great. A total of 12,300 people returned, and the missing, captured, and injured totaled only more than 2,000 people.
It was only the next day that the Northern Qi people made a fuss about these prisoners and wounded. They actually simply dumped these people on the tidal flats and reeds on the other side. The painful screams of these two thousand people could be said to be endless.
, inside, and then the Northern Qi people retreated far away.
At first, the people in the Central Tang Army thought that the Northern Qi people had discovered their conscience and could actually release their brothers and comrades. Only after they rescued the people did they discover the other party's insidious nature! Why is it described as "insidious"? It's because of the people who were released.
Among these two thousand people, except for the seriously injured, all of them were stabbed twice in the thigh!
The wounds caused by these two knives were quite large and bloody, but they were not fatal, and they did not attack the bones and muscles with deadly force. However, it was almost impossible to walk like a normal person, and because of the loss of a lot of blood,
The wounded were all very weak and needed to be carried or carried.
This trick can be used in other situations. For the Zhongtang Army, which relies almost entirely on its legs to walk, the burden is huge. It is impossible to ignore these more than a thousand wounded! But their injuries are not ten
They don't want to go to the ground for half a month, so this means that if they want to follow the army, they will have to carry such a huge burden.
What's even more frightening is that for now, the Central Tang Army can still bear the burden of these more than a thousand people, but the attitude shown by the Northern Qi Army at this time is the most intriguing. They actually didn't kill any of the prisoners. This
It will greatly reduce the mentality of the lower-level soldiers to fight to the end. At the same time, the attitude of the other party can be said to be very obvious, that is, they are constantly throwing burdens on themselves, an army that wants to pursue speed and efficiency. It can be said that
Tit for tat!!
Next, the Northern Qi Army and the Central Tang Army can be said to have started a battle of wits and courage around the Mogan River. Both sides can be said to have their own strategies, which makes people feel dazzled and almost dizzying. However, the commanders of both armies are all fighting.
Veteran generals who have been fighting for a long time also know that the burden on their shoulders is not light, so it can be said that they are fighting only half a catty.
In the end, the Central Tang Army finally came up with the stupidest but most effective method, which was to wear armor. After figuring out the situation at the bottom of the river, they assembled heavy troops during the day, with a total of 20,000 people crossing the river in formation.
Such flat push tactics finally made the Northern Qi Army retreat. However, if the Central Tang Army gathered all its strength to cross the river, it would be top-heavy, so it was found by the Northern Qi Army who seemed to be all-pervasive like a wolf pack.
A flaw severely bit the Central Tang Army that had not crossed the river. The casualties were not heavy. The key was the loss of a large number of mules, horses and baggage used for transportation.
This kind of tactics is really very patient and extremely cautious. It does not seek merit, but seeks no faults. It has a bit of "gathering small victories into big victories", consuming the Zhongtang Army bit by bit.
By the time the Central Tang Army faltered and stumbled into Dazu County, a full ten days had passed!!
Eighty-three miles, ten days of walking!!
At this time, the officers and soldiers of the Central Tang Army did not have the word "killing the enemy" in their minds. They just wanted to have a good fucking sleep. At this time, although the city wall of Dazu County looked a little tattered, in their eyes
Her eyes are so cute.
However, less than two or three hours after the Central Tang Army entered the city, and when most of the Central Tang Army had just fallen asleep and slept soundly, more than a dozen fires suddenly broke out in the city!
The most terrible thing is that the water source in the city was actually destroyed, and then the fire spread extremely fiercely. The buildings in the city have been roasted by the scorching sun for three or four days in the past few days, and they can be said to be completely dry.
, it was set off at one point, and the fire was obviously premeditated, and it immediately became a prairie fire.
As the saying goes, water and fire are ruthless. No matter how powerful the soldiers of the Zhongtang Dynasty are, what is the use of facing the raging fire? They can only do nothing. The wells in the city are half filled with water, and the remaining water is poured on them.
It's a drop in the bucket, it's useless.
At this time, Tang Lie looked at the raging fire and realized that the Northern Qi Army had been maintaining a strong intensity of harassment against the Central Tang Army in order to exhaust them and have no time to estimate these details, just like this fire plan
, it’s not like he didn’t order to carefully check whether there are any traps in the city, but the sergeants under his command are also exhausted. Who would have thought that the other party would make a fuss in this regard?
Besides, the opponent can be said to have fully occupied the battlefield advantage. To put it bluntly, even if the fire attack plan fails this time, for the Northern Qi Army, it will only lose some manpower for layout and ignition. They will lose.
It can come back again and again and again.
However, the Zhongtang Army has been forced to this point. The opponent can withstand defeat, but the Zhongtang Army cannot!
Looking at his subordinates and the panicked figures in the flashing firelight, Tang Lie let out a long sigh. He felt his chest was congested, his vision went dark, and he fell off his horse. Before he lost consciousness, the tears in his eyes were already there.