Firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, tea, everything is at someone else’s house.
At the end of the year, when the weather is cold and nothing happens, I look at plum blossoms in Zhutang Temple.
——"Seven Things to Open the Door" Tang Yin (Ming Dynasty)
…
It was about a month after Bai Fu and the others returned to Eagle Fort.
In September of the second year of Qianyuan (759 AD), after six months of careful preparations, Emperor Yan Shi Siming launched a large-scale southern expedition.
Shi Siming ordered the emperor's youngest son Shi Chaoqing to guard Fan Yang, and ordered the governors of each county to lead three thousand soldiers to follow him southward.
The Yan army's tens of thousands of cavalry were billowing with smoke. For a time, the elite infantry and cavalry were covered in smoke and dust for thousands of miles, and the noise shook the ground.
The Yan army swept across the land of Yan and Zhao with the force of plowing the court and sweeping out the holes. The prefectures and counties they passed were disintegrated. The people abandoned the city and fled, and no one dared to resist..."
This scene is exactly the same as four years ago.
The only difference is that this time the newly-emerged Prairie Wolf King has been replaced by Shi Siming. In the billowing smoke, it is Shi Siming's ambition and desire that covets the 9th Five-Year Plan.
…
As soon as the Yan army left Fanyang, Iron Hammer's inner line Yan Jibei, who was lurking in Fanyang City, immediately sent a coded dove message to Yingbao.
After receiving the pigeon message, Eagle Eye immediately released dozens of carrier pigeons using Yingbao as a transfer station to deliver the message to the Tang Army Pigeon Station in various states of Hebei.
That night, Li Guangbi, the commander-in-chief of Shuofang Army, received a report that Yan Army was marching south.
…
At the foot of Yingbao Mountain, the official road ten miles away is the only way to go south.
Standing at the crenel of Eagle Fort, overlooking all directions, you can have a panoramic view of the mobilization of Yan army's troops.
The eagle's eyes released Hai Dongqing. The falcon flapped its wings and flew high, taking advantage of the airflow on the mountain top, hovering a few hundred feet in the sky.
Eagle Eye sat cross-legged on the ground, as if an old monk had entered meditation. His eyes seemed to be open and rolled, and a layer of white film rose up to block the pupils.
Luotuo'er secretly told Bai Fu that Eagle Eye was using the witchcraft of the Sushen tribe, communicating with the falcon, and detecting the number of rebels and their marching route.
I saw Haidongqing flying farther and farther until she disappeared from sight.
Bai Fu secretly calculated that the range of the Falcon's patrol this time might be nearly a hundred miles.
After about several hours, Hai Dongqing flew back to Eagle Castle. Eagle Eye collapsed to the ground, suddenly feeling exhausted.
After resting for a long time, Eagle Eye relayed his observations.
The scholar took out a pen and paper and drew a picture of what the eagle's eye saw.
After several days of observation and internal reports in Fanyang City, Lone Eagle Scout roughly grasped the route of the Yan army's troop mobilization. The Yan army was divided into four groups: General Linghu Zhang set out from Liyang (now Junxian County, Henan Province) to attack Huazhou (now Henan Province).
Huaxian); the emperor's eldest son Shi Chaoyi left Baigao (now north of Huaxian County, Henan), Prime Minister Zhou Zhi left Huliang (now east of Junxian County, Henan), and Shi Siming personally led the Chinese army out of PY (now PY City, Henan).
The scholar spread the drawn map flat on the table and said: "According to the mobilization route of the rebel troops, four cities of the Yan army were the first to bear the brunt of the attack.
If the rebels' strategic intention is to advance westward, the first battle will be in Huazhou, which is guarded by General Liu Zhan.
After capturing Huazhou, we can use the power of the Yellow River to move upstream and transport a large number of siege equipment, grain, grass and baggage to Luoyang City. In the same way, Zhengzhou, guarded by General Li Baoyu, may also be chosen for the first battle.
If the rebels' strategic intention is to go south and plunder the rich areas of the Jianghuai River, they will choose Qingzhou, guarded by General Shang Heng, or Yanzhou, guarded by General Neng Yuanhao, for the first battle."
The scouts nodded frequently.
Bai Fu looked at the map with great interest and said, "Why didn't the first battle of the Yan army's attack start in Bianzhou?"
The scholar said: "The capture of Bianzhou does not have the advantage of water transportation, and it is not conducive to transporting military supplies.
In addition, Bianzhou is located between Huazhou and Zhengzhou. When the rebels attack Bianzhou, their two wings will be flanked by the Tang troops from Liu Zhan in Huazhou and Li Baoyu from Zhengzhou, so the risk is high."
Lone Wolf and Bai Fu fought side by side for several days. Knowing that Bai Fu's words must have profound meaning, he asked: "Bai Long, is there something wrong?"
Bai Fu said: "Old Lang, in the battle of Taiyuan, General Cai Xide once formed an alliance with Shi Siming. Based on your understanding of Shi Siming, which city do you think this person will choose to attack?"
Lone Wolf shook his head and said: "It's hard to say. Shi Siming is cunning and deceitful. Although he has never learned the art of war, he is self-taught. He seems to be a born general in war, just like the Wolf King on the grassland. I really can't figure it out.
Where will he start?"
Bai Fu said: "Yes. Although most of the grassland heroes have never read any books, they are outstanding in leading troops and fighting, far better than ordinary Han generals.
The reason is that their military strategies were not learned from books, but from wolves in their nomadic life on the grasslands. They are as cunning and fierce as wolves, but full of wisdom."
Lynx'er, Lone Wolf and others were refreshed, waiting for Bai Fu's next words.
Bai Fu said: "An Lushan hoarded a large amount of weapons, equipment, and supplies in Fanyang. After the Battle of Yecheng, all the supplies and supplies hoarded by the Tang Army's Nine Route Army and An Qingxu also went to the rebels. Therefore, Shi Siming's war preparation materials were not
shortage.
After the assassination of Fan Yang, there were actually many Japanese warriors among the rebel soldiers who were chasing us. Therefore, I speculated that Baobuqi Fusang, Goryeo, Bohai and other Liaodong countries were also secretly funding the rebels behind the scenes.
Therefore, the rebels' primary strategic goal was not to go south to plunder, but to attack west and capture Luoyang, Tokyo, and then repeat the same scene as before, capture Tongguan, and advance into Chang'an.
Therefore, the rebels will not go south to attack Qingzhou or Yanzhou, but will choose to go west."
The scholar curiously asked: "If we are heading west, our first stop should be Huazhou or Zhengzhou. Why Bianzhou?"
Bai Fu looked around, smiled, and asked the lynx: "There are five villages with sheepfolds. In some villages, the sheepfolds are not strong, but the hunting dogs are fierce; in some villages, the sheepfolds are tall and strong, but the people and dogs in the village
They are all afraid of wolves.
If you were a wolf, which village would you choose to attack?"
Lynx smiled and said: "I will choose the village that is afraid of wolves."
Bai Fu asked again: "Why?"
The lone wolf said: "Because they are afraid of wolves, no one dares to risk their lives for the sheep when the wolves come! Without the protection of people and dogs, no matter how tall and sturdy the sheepfold is, it is useless."
Bai Fu nodded and said, "It's exactly Xu Shuji, the guard of Bianzhou. I have dealt with him. During the siege of Suiyang, this man huddled in Jianghuai and refused to rescue Suiyang.
At that time, Zhang Hao, the governor of Henan Province, once warned His Majesty, saying that Uncle Xu was cunning and deceitful and would definitely betray him when encountering danger.
The Art of War goes like this: one can make a big move, then it will weaken again, and three times it will be exhausted.
If I were Shi Siming, I would definitely not choose a hard nut to crack in the first battle south. Otherwise, if the enemy cannot be attacked for a long time, the morale of the army will be shaken.
Winning Bianzhou, which was defended by Xu Shuji, without a fight was not only a military victory, but also a moral victory.
Combined with the "Sha Po Lang" celestial phenomenon and various prophecies, it is enough to prove that the destiny is not in the hands of the Li Tang royal family.
After the Battle of Yecheng, Datang suffered heavy losses. All the war preparation materials accumulated over the years were discarded. It was unable to launch another general offensive in a short period of time and could only passively enter the strategic defense stage.
As long as Shi Siming establishes a foothold in Chang'an, even if he does not send his troops south, he can rule across the river with Li Tang, unify the north, and recreate the situation of the Five Husbands who disrupted China."
The scholar asked: "If the rebels attack Bianzhou, aren't they worried about being flanked by Liu Zhan of Huazhou and Li Baoyu of Zhengzhou?"
Bai Fu let out a long sigh and said: "In troubled times, the handle of the sword is the official hat and the money bag. The number of soldiers and horses under your hands determines how much territory and power you have."
Some of the military envoys of the Tang Army were appointed by Xuanzong when he was in Yizhou, and some were appointed by Lingwu today. They had their own agendas and were not in control of each other. This was especially obvious for the military envoys in the war zones of Henan Province.
If superior forces are used to surround and annihilate the rebels, these Jiedu envoys may still be able to join forces. On the contrary, this is not the case.
Shi Siming's troops were at their peak. Facing Fan Yang's army of hundreds of thousands of tigers and wolves, no one would be foolish enough to use their own troops to attack a stone.
Some people even secretly hope that by killing people with borrowed knives, the surrounding Tang troops will be eaten up by the rebels, so that they can take the opportunity to expand their territory.
I had a profound understanding of these human natures during the siege of Suiyang."
…
Bai Fuyan poked at him, and everyone took it seriously.
Tie Chui said excitedly: "Xiucai, write down what Xiao Bailong said into several pigeon letters. Hawkeye, quickly send these pigeon letters to General Guangbi."