When the army turned northeast, Pei Zhuan was worried for a while.
This area is already at the intersection of mountains and plains, and there is a chance that the Khitans will come over. During the march, he looked around, restless, and kept asking how far the scouts had traveled.
Cao Yijin looked amused and said: "Pei Shaoqing, all the Khitan people have flocked to Liaoyang, how can they come here? Even if they come, we will guard the high ground and the thieves and cavalry will not be able to drive away."
After saying that, he glanced at the endless number of concubines in the team, thinking that if they really wanted to fight, they would have to give up on these concubines, as they would only get in the way.
Pei Zhuan felt relieved, but still a little uneasy. It was not until three days later that the former army came to report that the vanguard Zhang Hongjian attacked the new city on the night of the first day of August and killed two hundred Khitan soldiers, so he felt relieved.
Xincheng is Xinchengzhou, and in later generations Fushun Gaoershan.
Xincheng is a mountain city, the "largest town in the northwest of the country" of Goguryeo. It was built earlier, during the Murong clan period of the former Yan Dynasty. In the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Wang Rengong, Li Ji, and Su Dingfang all fought here.
After the fall of Goguryeo, Gaolshan City served as the seat of the Andong Protectorate for thirty-seven years. The city is surrounded by mountains on its east, west, and north sides, and is several miles away from the Xiaoliao River (Hun River) in the south.
The new city is divided into four parts: the East City, the West City, the South Acropolis, and the North Acropolis. Among them, there are two connected walled cities in the southeast corner of the East City, and there is a protruding guard city in the northwest corner.
The entire New City Prefecture has an irregular shape, and the city walls are built along the ridge. There are many protrusions (back city, wall city), which can form cross fire with each other.
There are three city gates in the east, south and north. The south gate is the main gate. A small river flows down from the mountain and comes out through the south gate. The city wall is mainly made of stone, supplemented by rammed earth.
Goguryeo was very concerned about Xinchengzhou and spent a lot of money on its operation. Just the large stones used to build the city did not know how much manpower and material resources were spent.
After learning that Xincheng Prefecture had been captured by a night attack, the army spent a day arriving at Xiaoliaoshui on the evening of the second day of August. They crossed the river the next day and stationed the entire army in the four cities of Xincheng Prefecture.
"Although there are a few gaps in such a majestic city, if the civilians are recruited to repair it, it will be a node that controls traffic. The Khitan people really don't know what to say." Zhang Hongyuan, the camp judge, sighed: "Only two hundred soldiers are here.
This kind of grazing and surveillance can't even stand up to the city wall, it's ridiculous."
Pei Zhuan felt slightly embarrassed after hearing this.
Xincheng Prefecture was once controlled by the Bohai Kingdom and was repaired with great effort, but was later captured by the Khitan. The Khitan people did not know how to attack or defend the city, so they demolished the rammed earth part. The stone part may be too troublesome.
, and didn't move much.
The more Zhang Hongyuan praises this city, the more Bohai soldiers appear to be useless. If you don't even defend such a difficult-to-attack city, what use are you?
"Pei Shaoqing." Cao Yijin walked over from a distance and called. "General Cao." Pei Zhuan saluted.
He knew that this young man was the de facto general of King Zhao of Daxia. Although his position was low, he was in a crucial position and his status was actually not low.
"Your Highness sent me to ask if it would be possible to recruit strong men and women from Hezhou and Hezhou to repair the city?" Cao Yijin asked.
Changling Prefecture governs two prefectures, and it is this flaw that two prefectures are Hehe.
Pei Zhuan was startled and asked deliberately: "Why did Your Highness build the city?"
Cao Yijin smiled and did not hide it, saying: "Without him, it would be to break the Khitan'er."
Pei Zhuan's heart felt even colder. He was planning to stay permanently, right? Not only did he want to stay permanently, but he might also need the help of the Bohai State to raise him. What kind of thing is this?
"The household registration in Changling Prefecture is not abundant. In recent years, it has been repeatedly robbed by the Khitan, so there are not many people left." Pei Zhuang made a sad expression and said: "Besides, in order to prepare for the Khitan, the two states of Hezhou have already
There was a big call-up, and all the young men were gathered in the army, but nothing happened."
Cao Yijin's face fell, and the young man couldn't hold back his anger, so he directly retorted: "We have been fighting with the Khitan for so many years, and even Xincheng Prefecture has fallen. Recruiting or not, I think that's all. I
After the army is stationed in Liaoyang, Gaimou, and Xincheng, the people of Nanhai, Changling, and Yalu in your country will be happy and happy, and they will no longer be invaded and plundered by the Khitans. Isn't it wonderful?"
Pei Zhuan was so embarrassed that he almost became angry. This was so disrespectful!
But in the end he
The veteran official still complained: "General Cao didn't know something. Last year, the Changling Prefecture sent troops north to Zhongjing. They were defeated by the Khitan and suffered heavy losses. When spring comes this year, the Khitan plundered several times and the prefectures and counties were ruined. If there is a big battle,
There may be chaos."
"This is not going to work anymore?" Cao Yijin said angrily: "I am a martial artist and I don't understand any big principles. Back then in Shazhou, if the sheep of any pasture became thinner or the wheat seedlings of any household's field did not grow well, I would directly
Beat me with a whip. What? You want me to lead people to conscript the people? Your Highness's order, if I don't fulfill it, I will die. Before I die."
"Why is this happening! Why is it happening like this!" When Pei Zhuan heard this, he quickly stopped what Cao Yijin was saying and said with a wry smile: "I will send someone to Changling Mansion to spread the word."
Cao Yijin turned from anger to joy and said: "It's all for the sake of defeating the Khitans. The people are suffering for the time being, but the good days are yet to come."
Pei Zhuan smiled bitterly.
After giving the instructions, Cao Yijin left.
He is a martial artist, but he is not stupid, he can even be said to be smart. In fact, through the conversation just now, he has already seen some signs.
The Bohai people also seem to be on guard against Daxia. The alliance formed by the two sides because of their common enemy, the Khitan, seems to be very fragile.
The relationship between Khitan, Daxia, and Bohai is really delicate. After they suffer some more losses, they may become more sober.
****
It had just rained overnight.
It was a bit slippery outside Liaoyang City, and the war between Xia and Qi had to stop.
Yelu Shilu opened the tent curtain and took a look at the dilapidated city wall. It was a little difficult to make up his mind.
Liaoyang, how should I put it, is after all the result of the Khitan's expansion in the past ten or twenty years, and the Duici Department has benefited the most from it. Now that it is lost, it will be a bit ugly if it is not taken back.
"Xiao Shilu is back." Someone shouted outside the camp.
Yelu Shilu raised his head and saw a group of cavalry leading horses appearing in the south in the distance.
"Tell him to come to me in the tent." Yelv Shilu turned back and poured a bowl of kumiss by himself. After a while, Xiao Shilu, with a tired look on his face, opened the curtain and walked in:
"Yu Yue."
"We've been going south for so long, why haven't we achieved any results?" Yelv Shilu stared at Xiao Shilu and asked.
"Yu Yue, the Xia people have increased their troops." Xiao Shilu replied: "I captured a prisoner in Anshi City. He said he was from Qingzhou and was ordered to cross the sea and go north to reinforce Liaonan. He couldn't tell how many there were.
It was estimated that there were less than 10,000 people, and about 2,000 cavalry. The men rushed into the countryside, while the Xia people retreated into the village, guarded the fence, and shot each other with bows and arrows."
"The common people can't defeat him?" Yelv Shilu was furious.
"Yu Yue calmed down his anger." Xiao Shilu said: "I once personally led more than a thousand cavalry into a village. As soon as I killed a few people, the Xia people retreated into a wooden fence camp and shot arrows from a high position.
It was also strange, they shot very accurately, they didn't look like farmers who worked all day long. I also sent five hundred people to dismount and attack the fence on foot, but the Xia villagers actually dared to open the gate and charge out."
"Then what? Defeated?" Yelv Shilu asked. Xiao Shilu lowered his head in shame and said, "Failed."
"You bastard!" Yelvshulu was so angry that he overturned the table, and the wine bottles, cups and plates crashed to the floor.
"Yu Yue!" Xiao Shilu took two steps back and couldn't help but said: "Those Xia people, Ding Zhuang, are really not ordinary people. They can shoot arrows accurately and dare to go out to fight. Not only can they use spears, but also knives and swords.
After a few tricks, they even cooperated. I suspect they are field soldiers and not ordinary people."
"Where are there any soldiers stationed in the Central Plains now?" Yelv Shilu didn't believe it at all, but he quickly paused, as if remembering something, and asked: "We captured some Xia Jun masters earlier, and it was said that they were Wei Bo and Ding Zhuang. Did you meet them?"
Yes, but from Wei?"
Xiao Shilu felt ashamed again and said: "Just when I wanted to capture some prisoners, a large group of Xia people arrived. Our army had to retreat. When we arrived outside the city of An, we were attacked by Xia thieves. We were retreating at that time, and our soldiers had no fight.
"My heart, the thief will throw his spear very accurately, killing many of my warriors in a row, and the army will flee in all directions, so I won't be able to catch it in the future."
"You are so embarrassed!" Yelu Shiluhen
She looked at him with hatred, and just wanted to continue to scold him, but somehow she lacked the confidence.
He brought tens of thousands of troops, but he was defeated. He was even more humiliated than Xiao Shilu, but he couldn't curse any more.
"That's all." He waved his hand half-heartedly, ordered his followers to clean up the tent, and then asked: "You should have heard about the situation in Liaoyang. Is there any way to drive away the Xia people now?
"
Xiao Shilu breathed a sigh of relief, and after thinking hard for a while, he tentatively asked: "Yu Yue, why not gather tens of thousands of people and attack in a fierce attack regardless of casualties?"
"Using human lives?" Yelv Shilu shook his head in disappointment, and Xiao Shilu had no idea.
"If we don't want to kill people, we have no choice but to let Yi Li Jin return to the army." Xiao Shilu said: "Now that there is a fire in the backyard, it is meaningless no matter how lively the fight is in Yinshan."
"Let Abaoji come back?" Yelv Shilu's heart moved. The Western Expeditionary Army is the only place with good news.
He had just received news that the army led by Abaoji pretended to retreat and lured the enemy to attack. As a result, the Xianyou Palace remained unmoved. King Xi went to Zhu but was fooled and was given a hard blow.
The army was defeated, and thousands of soldiers were lost. The soldiers retreated to Yuyi Town, and the people were panicked. Later, the defenders did not dare to defend, so they broke out and ran westward. The Xia people set up three pastures and three springs in Yanbei.
Yuyi has been captured so far, leaving only the Xianyou Palace struggling to support itself.
Ordinarily, with such a good situation, Abaoji should not be distracted. As an uncle, he should stabilize the rear and wait until the news of his nephew's victory comes back.
But it seems that it can’t be done now!
"Grandpa!" Yelu Wansi suddenly walked over, his expression seemed to be panicked. Yelv Shilu's heart skipped a beat, could there be some bad news?
"There was news from the east that the Xia people had raided Gaimou. In both places of Xincheng, general flags were raised on the city walls, and many people saw it." Yelvwansi said.
Yelu Shilu didn't speak for a long time.
Xiao Shilu couldn't help but ask: "Where did these Xia people come from? Can they fly?"
Yelvwansi seemed not to have heard him and continued to speak to her father: "My son sent people to Gaimou and captured two Xia soldiers who had gone out to collect firewood and failed to escape. They were Bohai people and claimed to be from Wugu.
Departing from the city, we went all the way north and west, crossing the high mountains and ridges, and captured Gaimou one after another at the end of July. Another large group of troops rushed northwest, heading towards Xinchengzhou. That place must have fallen as well."
Yelv Shilu recovered from the shock and stood up suddenly. Xiao Shilu and Yelu Wansi looked at him together.
Yelv Shilu's left hand grasped the handle of the knife tightly and remained silent for a long time.
"Tell Abaoji." He sat down again slumpedly and said.