Yang Zaixing led one hundred thousand cavalry out of Juyongguan and marched northeastward, and soon entered the grassland.
According to Chen Qing's plan, it was divided into three strategies: upper, middle and lower. The best strategy was that Wanyan Nianhan did not realize the danger in the direction of Dadingfu. In order to annihilate Chen Qing's main army, the main force of the Jin army entered the Liaoxi Corridor to fight.
If the best strategy succeeds, Yang Zaixing's 100,000 troops will quickly enter the Western Liaoning Corridor and cut off the Jurchen Army's retreat. The 200,000 Western Army will surround and annihilate the 100,000 Jurchen Army. Wanyan Nianhan will not be spared this time.
The middle strategy is that Wanyan Nianhan does not fall for the trick and sticks to Jinzhou City. Then the two armies of Yang Zaixing and Chen Qing will meet at the foot of Jinzhou City and attack Jinzhou City with all their strength. There will even be street fighting. On the downside, the Western Army will suffer greater casualties.
Yan Nianhan might also take advantage of the chaos and escape.
The next best option was for Wanyan Nianhan's army to flee upon hearing the news and retreat directly back to Shangjing. They would rather lose their land than retain their effective forces. This made Chen Qing's plan to annihilate the enemy's effective forces come to nothing.
But if this really happens, there is nothing we can do about it. We can only say that it is up to people to plan things, and to make things happen is up to God.
After walking for three days, the army arrived at Enhua County, fifty miles north of Dading City. Enhua County is a small county. The people here are mainly Khitan and Xi people. However, due to the young and strong men of Xi and Khitan people,
They were all conquered by the Jin Kingdom, so the county was almost inhabited by old, weak, women and children and was very dilapidated.
But Enhua is the place where supplies are transferred in the plan. According to the plan, 50,000 camels loaded with food supplies are in Enhua County.
Sure enough, as soon as Yang Zaixing's army arrived in Enhua County, they received news that 50,000 camels had arrived two days ago. He immediately sent Commander Zhao Lang and 2,000 cavalry to receive the supply of 50,000 camels.
Yang Zaixing immediately ordered the soldiers to rest for a day in Enhua County. Today is February 16th. Today is also the day when Yongwang Chen Qing led an army of 100,000 people out of Yuguan and headed north. Enhua County is about four hundred miles away from Jinzhou, and Jinzhou is far away.
Yuguan is also about 350 miles away, and the distance between the two is about the same. After seeing Yan Nianhan, he decided not to be fooled.
At this time, Wanyan Nianhan in Jinzhou City had received news about Yanshan Road. King Yong Chen Qing arrived at Yanshan Road, which meant that the Western Army's war to attack the Kingdom of Jin was about to break out.
This was completely within Wanyan Nianhan's expectation. The Western Army had been preparing for more than a year and should be ready.
In fact, Wanyan Nianhan originally planned to attack Yuguan, but was hindered by Wanyan Wushu's mutiny. Wanyan Wushu burned Wanyan Chang to death, evaded the emperor, and took control of the military and political power of the Jin Kingdom. This of course also involved Wanyan Wushu's military and political power.
Yan Nianhan’s vital interests.
Therefore, his recent focus has been on the internal affairs of the Jin Kingdom, and he has not paid much attention to the movements of the Western Army.
However, Wanyan Wushu treated him well and did not violate his interests. Where were Wanyan Nianhan's interests? In Liaodong and west of the Liao River, Wanyan Nianhan's sphere of influence was included.
Of course, once the Western Army attacks, he will be the first to bear the brunt.
In the morning, Wanyan Nianhan received news that Chen Qing personally led an army of 100,000 people from Yuguan to the north. Last night, he also received news that a Western army of about 30,000 people had arrived in Dading Prefecture, preparing to attack Dading City.
Launch an offensive.
Wanyan Nianhan was very moved. It was actually Chen Qing who personally commanded the troops. If he could defeat Chen Qing's army or even capture Chen Qing alive, then the Kingdom of Jin would be completely transformed.
Of course, Wanyan Nianhan knew that the Jin Kingdom was facing the crisis of annihilation. No matter in terms of national strength, military strength and equipment, it was far inferior to the Western Army. Even in one-on-one individual combat, the Jurchen soldiers were not necessarily Western Army soldiers.
opponent.
If we cannot break the current crisis with surprise troops, then the offensive of the Western Army will be like a noose around the neck, which will strangle the Jin Kingdom to death little by little. In the end, when the troops come to the capital, the Jin Kingdom's demise is right in front of them.
The Qi Bing is to defeat and kill Chen Qing with his own army, or to capture Chen Qing alive. This is the only chance.
Wanyan Nianhan also knew the risks involved. He could not make up his mind. What he was most worried about was that the Western Army would cut off his retreat from the waterway. At this time, Wanyan Nianhan got the news that hundreds of warships appeared in the Liaohe River.
At the mouth of the sea, prepare to go north along the Liaohe River.
This news completely solved Wanyan Nianhan's worries. He immediately ordered a hundred thousand troops to carry food supplies south to the Western Liaoning Corridor to face Chen Qing's main force.
They are far apart and have no communication tools. Whether the Jin soldiers have gone south or not will not be known for a while.
Therefore, Yang Zaixing's best response is to act strictly according to the planned date. Today is February 18th. Yang Zaixing's 100,000 troops have arrived in Ande County, which is still 80 miles away from Jinzhou.
While the army was resting, Yang Zaixing received an urgent report from the scouts, and Jinzhou's 100,000 gold soldiers marched south to meet the main force of the Western Army.
This news made Yang Zaixing very happy. Zhang Xiao's plan was indeed successful. Wanyan Nianhan did not realize that he was coming. He led the army to set off overnight, and the army accelerated towards Jinzhou.
Niu Gao led an army of 30,000 troops and was stationed five miles away from Dading City. He had not attacked Dading City for a long time, which really made the defenders in the city suspicious.
The chief general in the city is called Pucha Agu, a captain of ten thousand men. He is only in his thirties this year. He is able to reach his current position entirely because he was born into a noble family.
Compared with the senior ten thousand captains who have experienced hundreds of battles and have rich experience in the past, Pucha Agu has no experience in making friends at all. He is actually here to plate a layer of gold, so he is placed in a relatively remote place like Dading Mansion.
He was appointed captain of ten thousand men in a place not affected by war.
But his family never dreamed that Dading Prefecture, no matter how remote it was, would not be spared from the Western Army's war to destroy the gold.
However, Pucha Agu was not afraid of tigers as a newborn calf. He relied on his strong martial arts skills and did not take the Western Army seriously. He believed that the Western Army did not carry siege weapons, so he did not attack the city for a long time.
The fact that the Western Army has not attacked for a long time does not mean that Pucha Agu does not want to fight back. That morning, Pucha Agu suddenly had a bold idea. Can he take advantage of the Western Army's unpreparedness at night, attack the enemy's camp at night, and kill them?
Completely defeated!
Although several thousand captains objected, Pucha Agu insisted on going his own way.
At night, the city gate opened, and Pucha Agu personally led the team in front, holding a sixty-pound mace in his hand, and led an army of 25,000 out of the city.
Among the 25,000 troops, there were only 5,000 Jurchen soldiers, and the other 20,000 were Korean soldiers. They were still one mile away from the Western Army camp. The camp was dark, and they seemed to be sleeping deeply, but there were no patrols from outside.
Soldier, let Pucha Agu also feel a little confused.
At this time, a captain suggested: "Captain, you can let the Korean soldiers attack the camp. We will follow behind. If there is danger, we can evacuate in time!"
Pucha Agu readily agreed that this was the role that Goryeo soldiers should play.
He promised the Korean soldiers: "Surge into the enemy's camp, and you can search for the property inside. Without my order, no one is allowed to retreat. Anyone who disobeys the order will be killed!"
He also ordered three thousand Jurchen soldiers to serve as war supervisors, urging the Korean soldiers to charge. Anyone who dared to retreat would be beheaded immediately!
The 20,000 Korean soldiers were helpless and tempted by the general's promise. They rushed towards the Western Army camp with spears in hand. The dark mass of 20,000 soldiers charged towards the south of the Western Army camp.
Getting closer, getting closer, only a hundred steps away. At this moment, ten thousand soldiers suddenly appeared in the ditch in front of the camp fence, holding crossbows and shooting. Thousands of arrows fired at the running people like a storm.
Come the soldiers of the Koryo Army.
When the two armies fought, the Western Army did not show mercy just because the opponent was a Goryeo soldier. They also killed resolutely and decisively. Goryeo soldiers had a very bad reputation. Although they were oppressed by the soldiers, in turn, they were more cruel and cruel to ordinary people.
There is no humanity. He participated in the attack on the Northern Song Dynasty, burning, killing and raping along the way. He was much more vicious than the Jurchen soldiers.
Because of this, Niu Gao issued the principle of the Northern Expedition. He was not allowed to kill ordinary people, but all Jin soldiers were to be wiped out.
The Goryeo soldiers screamed, and groups of soldiers fell down with arrows. More than 3,000 of them were killed in an instant. The remaining soldiers were so frightened that they turned around and fled, but they were hacked by the Jurchen soldiers behind with swords and axes, forcing them to charge.
At this time, Pucha Agu also realized that something was wrong. The Western Army soldiers were actually ambushing and the other side was prepared. He shouted: "Retreat! Retreat!"
At this moment, 20,000 Western cavalry came from all directions, and Niu Gao led 6,000 cavalry from behind, cutting off the Jin soldiers' retreat back to the city.