At the same time, 30,000 Tongluo cavalry had captured Huaiyuan County and Jing'an County in Shuofang Jiedu Prefecture, burning, killing, and looting the county towns.
The sudden change caused people in Shuofang area to panic, and tens of thousands of people fled into Lingwu County from all directions.
The total strength of the Shuofang Army was 64,000. Among them, the Tongluo Army was also part of the Shuofang Army, with more than 30,000 men, accounting for half of the total strength. The chief of the Tongluo Army, Abusi, became the deputy envoy of Shuofang Jiedu.
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At this time, the focus of the Tang army was on fighting the Tibetan army in the Hehuang area. Zhang Qiqiu, the military governor of Shuofang, also personally led an army of 25,000 people south to join the battle.
In the Shuofang area, only the military envoy Guo Ziyi led 10,000 troops to garrison.
Absi seized this opportunity and led his army southward in an attempt to occupy Shuofang.
At the same time, Tubo suddenly stepped up its offensive in the Hehuang area in an attempt to hold back Shuofang Army, Longyou Army and Hexi Army. This was also in response to Absi's rebellion.
On the top of the city, Jiedu Deputy Envoy Guo Ziyi stared coldly at the Tongluo rebel camp ten miles away to the north. Although he had 10,000 troops, they were all infantry. Four thousand cavalry from Shuofang Army had followed Jiedushi Zhang Qi.
Qiu went to Hehuang to fight.
With 10,000 infantry against 30,000 elite cavalry, Guo Ziyi knew full well that he could not win. The only hope was for the imperial reinforcements to arrive.
However, the imperial court only sent 30,000 troops. Guo Ziyi was very worried that the imperial army would be divided into separate troops, which would be easily defeated by the rebels one by one.
For a moment, Guo Ziyi was worried.
At this time, a soldier rushed over, knelt down on one knee and presented a roll of eagle letter.
"Reporting to the envoy, the imperial court has an urgent letter!"
Guo Ziyi quickly accepted the eagle letter. It turned out to be the eagle letter sent to him by Li Linfu, the right prime minister and envoy to observe the army, ordering him to hold back the rebels at all costs and not allow the rebels to escape into the grassland.
Yingxin also mentioned that the actual number of troops sent by the imperial court was 55,000, and that the 30,000 troops were just a tactic to confuse the enemy. Pugu Huai'en had led 25,000 Shuofang troops back and would join the imperial army in Pinggao County, Yuanzhou.
Guo Ziyi patted his forehead, "What a man who builds plank roads openly and secretly visits Chen Cang. There are experts in the court!"
Guo Ziyi's confidence was greatly boosted, and he immediately ordered: "Bring Wu Tieluo up!"
After a while, a general was brought to the city wall. The general's name was Wu Tieluo, who was also from the Tongluo tribe and the nephew of Absi.
But he did not come to the Tang Dynasty with Absi. He came a few years earlier. Due to his strong martial arts, riding and shooting skills, he was highly regarded by Guo Ziyi. In the Tang Dynasty, he married a wife and had children, and was promoted to the captaincy of Guoyi.
"For humble posts, please see General!"
Guo Ziyi looked at him and said: "According to the plan we discussed in advance, are you still willing to implement it?"
"I am willing to serve the general to the death for my humble position!"
Guo Ziyi nodded, "If something happens to you, I will take care of your wife and children, so don't worry!"
"As a general says, he will die in humble duty without any regrets!"
………
In the afternoon of that day, Guo Ziyi found two children and a woman who died of illness in the city, asked them to change into the clothes of Wu Tieluo's wife and children, and chopped off their heads in front of Wu Tieluo's house.
They also set up a list to arrest Wu Tieluo who was hiding in the city. 'Those who report the news will be rewarded three thousand guan, and those who hide will die together!'
At this time, everyone in the city knew that Wu Tieluo's wife and children had been killed, and Wu Tieluo had disappeared and was hiding among the people.
At the same time, soldiers began to collect food in the county and implemented a rationing system, causing panic.
There is an inn in the south of Lingwu County, called Mobei Inn, which was opened by a Tiele businessman. The Tiele people have a complex ethnic group and many tribes, and no one cares which tribe he belongs to.
In fact, this inn was opened by Arbus, and it was a secret base he used to collect intelligence, just like he used Shi Jingzhong to collect intelligence in Chang'an.
At night, there was a sudden knock on the door in the inn's courtyard, "Boom! Boom! Boom!" The shopkeeper came out holding a lantern.
"who is it?"
The shopkeeper saw no one for a long time and was about to go back. When he turned around, he found a figure standing behind the door, which made him tremble with fright.
"Who are you?"
The black shadow said "Shh!", stepped forward and whispered: "Amule, it's me!"
The shopkeeper heard the voice, widened his eyes and said: "Wu Tieluo?"
"It's me, is the inn safe?"
"It's safe, let's go inside and talk."
The shopkeeper asked Wu Tieluo to enter the living room, looked around cautiously, and then closed the door.
The shopkeeper took Wu Tieluo to a small room in the backyard, and then asked: "Where has the general been hiding these two days?"
"I was hiding in a servant's house. Last night I felt he was going to betray me, so I killed him, escaped, and hid in the City God's Temple for a day. Oh! It's really hard. Give me some water and food."
"Yes! Yes! General, wait a moment."
The shopkeeper went out and soon brought a plate of Hu cakes and a pot of water. Wutieluo was already very hungry and thirsty, so he immediately grabbed the cakes and ate them hungrily, and drank water.
After eating and drinking, Utierro asked: "Is there any news about my family?"
The shopkeeper said sadly: "Your wife and two sons were beheaded. I went to see them, and there were only three headless corpses left. The heads were missing. I have paid for the corpses to be collected and buried."
Wu Tieluo's face turned red, and he punched the table hard, "The man named Guo bullied others too much. If I don't take revenge, I, Wu Tieluo, will never be a human being!"
The shopkeeper comforted him again: "General, you are lucky. I heard that the city gate will be opened the day after tomorrow to let a group of people out of the city, so we can find a way to sneak out."
"Why open the city?"
"Maybe there's something wrong with the food! Starting yesterday, the army began searching for food on a large scale in the city."
Wu Tieluo nodded, "It must be a lack of food. I am in charge of logistics. The army's food can only last for half a month at most. Now it is estimated that it can only last ten days."
"General, have a good rest. Let's go out of the city together the day after tomorrow!"
Two days later, Guo Ziyi ordered the south gate to be opened and allowed a large number of merchants and people to leave the city.
A large number of people swarmed out of the city and fled southwards on horseback and donkeys. Most of them were Qiang people, but there were also many businessmen.
Tongluo Jun's camp was ten miles to the north. These merchants were eager to leave, thinking that there were no rebels in the south and could escape. They went to the government office every day to cause trouble. Guo Ziyi simply allowed them to do so.
Wu Tieluo and the innkeeper put on Qiang costumes, smeared their faces, and luckily left Lingwu County on donkeys.
When Utierro saw Albus, he knelt on the ground and cried loudly.
Absi had just met with the innkeeper Amule and learned that Wu Tieluo's wife and children had been executed by Guo Ziyi, and a reward of three thousand guan was offered for Wu Tieluo's capture.
Wutieluo hid in Tibet, but thanks to Amule's help, he was able to escape from the city.
Absi sighed, helped his nephew up and said, "I have told you many times that the Han people cannot be trusted, but you just don't listen. You will have to suffer a big loss before you regret it."
Absi still values his nephew very much. He is highly skilled in martial arts and has commanding ability. He is the talent he lacks the most. If he had not been implicated by him, he would have been promoted to a military commander in two years.
But this is also God's will. If he hadn't rebelled, his nephew would never have served him.
"Guo Ziyi is a nice person, why would he kill innocent people indiscriminately?"
Wu Tieluo gritted his teeth and said: "He wanted to be the governor of Shuofang. In order to show his determination, he used my wife and children as a pledge of honor to the court. He and I are at odds with each other!"
"You're right, we must avenge this. You have to tell me first, how is the situation in the city?"
Wu Tieluo sat down and sighed: "There are just over 10,000 troops stationed in the city, about 10,800, all infantry. There are quite a lot of soldiers, but not enough food is a big problem!"
"Shuofang's army should not be short of food!"
"That's because you don't know the truth. A war broke out in Hehuang last year, and the wheat fields were basically destroyed. Almost all the food of the Longyou Army and the Hexi Army was transferred from Shuofang. At the beginning of the year, Shuofang sent another 25,000 troops to support Hehuang.
A large amount of grain was also transported. If there were no accidents, the army's grain stock could just last until the wheat harvest next month. Unexpectedly, a large number of people poured into Lingwu County, which greatly increased the demand for grain. I recorded at the time that it could only last for half a month. It is estimated that now
It can only last ten days."
Absi walked a few steps with his hands behind his back, nodded and said, "Guo Ziyi harvested grain in the city and let a large number of people out of the city, all in order to reduce food consumption. I will wait patiently to see how long they can sustain it?"
Wu Tieluo secretly praised Guo Ziyi's strategy and deliberately made signs of food shortage. In fact, the military rations could be used for at least a year. He also released himself to confuse Abusi, just to prevent Abusi from escaping back to the grassland.
Jiang is worthy of being old and hot. Guo Ziyi grabbed the itchy spot of Albus and made him reluctant to leave.
Wu Tieluo asked cautiously: "I heard that the imperial court will have reinforcements to support Shuofang."
Absi sneered and said: "A total of 50,000 troops were sent. It sounds like a lot, but in fact it is very scattered. The 10,000 troops in Lingwu County and the 10,000 troops in Beiting Jiedushi Cheng Qianli want to cut off my retreat. Really
There are only 30,000 people from the imperial court, and they actually let the old man Li Linfu be the coach. I will wait for them to come, and when I kill them all, I will see what the Tang Dynasty will do to me?"
"Where are the reinforcements now?"
"It's not clear yet. I wonder if the imperial reinforcements will take Qingzhou Road or Xiaoguan Road? I have sent more than a dozen spies south, and there is no news yet!"