During the night floods, in the darkness, turbid waves rolled on the river and the water flow was rapid.
Zhang Xutuo had a serious face. He would not smile at all during the battle. In this battle, he used 20,000 infantry and cavalry to fight against 150,000 rebels. Although his army had the advantage in equipment, the strength of both sides
The disparity was too great, so he could only win by surprise.
The other party thought that his army would be on the south bank of Jishui, but his army happened to be on the north bank of Jishui at this time. The army advanced silently along the north bank. It was still more than twenty miles away from Zhangqiu County, and it was two miles ahead.
It's a forest.
At this time, a scout rushed over, clasped his fists and saluted Zhang Xutuo and said: "Report to the prefect, the main force of the enemy army has been found twenty miles away."
"Did they ever cross the river?"
"Not yet, they are collecting boats and preparing to build a pontoon."
"Then how big is the opponent's scouting range?"
"Reporting to the prefect, the other party has no scouts at all. There are only groups of soldiers looking for the ship, and they have all gone back."
This news surprised Zhang Xutuo. The other party actually had no scouts. He couldn't help but snorted coldly. How would an army without scouts have any combat effectiveness?
He looked at the sky and saw that it was already the third watch. Zhang Xutuo immediately ordered, "The team will go to the forest ahead to rest!"
The team sped up and headed towards the forest two miles away.
It was getting daylight, and the pontoon bridge was completed. Groups of rebels began to cross the river. The progress was rapid, but the capacity of a narrow pontoon bridge was limited. In an hour and a half, only more than 5,000 people were able to cross. At this moment,
The soldiers on the south bank shouted.
Dust was flying in the distance, and a black cavalry of the Sui army was charging toward the south bank. The leader was the general Luo Shixin, who was in iron armor and silver helmet. He was brandishing a big iron spear, as if he was a god descending from heaven.
Facing 5,000 enemy troops, he showed no fear. He led 500 cavalrymen into the enemy group. The horses galloped and the sound of killing was loud. The 500 cavalrymen rushed into the enemy group like tigers rushing into a flock of sheep, killing the heads of the enemy soldiers.
Rolling around, crying and fighting and running away in all directions.
Luo Shixin leaped over the heads of the rebels on horseback, stabbing people left and right with big iron spears. He was invincible and unstoppable. Wherever he passed, corpses were everywhere and blood flowed like rivers. The five hundred cavalrymen were like sharp swords cutting through the enemy group, cutting them into pieces.
The enemy formation was shattered into pieces.
The rebels on the other side got the news that the south bank was attacked. They rushed to the river to watch the battle. Only Wang Bo shouted, "Speed up to cross the river and support the south bank!"
None of them thought that danger was coming quietly behind them. Zhang Xutuo's main force, which had been waiting for an opportunity, took advantage of the chaos in the enemy's formation and pounced on the more than 100,000 rebels. Five thousand cavalry took the lead in the attack, and the momentum
Like a mountain falling apart and the ground cracking, in a panic and chaos, they fought their way into the enemy's army, Zhang Xutuo's 20,000 troops came up to cover them up. The rebels were defeated, abandoned their helmets and armor, and fled, being chased and killed by Zhang Xutuo's army.
Countless people knelt down and surrendered, and tens of thousands of remnant troops fled to the Yellow River. However, the retreat of the Yellow River had been cut off by Zhang Xutuo's navy, and thousands of fishing boats were burned to the ground.
The defeated army had no way to go to heaven and no way to go to the ground. Zhang Xutuo's pursuers had arrived, and the rebels were defeated again. Shi was beheaded by Qin Qiong. Sun Xuanya and Hao Xiaode led hundreds of people to break out of the encirclement and defect to the Wagang army, while Wang Bo
Whereabouts unknown.
At this point, the Douzigang Army of 150,000 people who jointly attacked Qi County was completely annihilated by Zhang Xutuo, the prefect of Qi Army, led by 20,000 troops. More than 30,000 people were killed, and the rest of the army surrendered.
News of the great victory in Qi County reached Zhuo County. Yang Guangma, who was preparing for the war in Liaodong in Zhuo County, was so happy that he named Zhang Xutuo the Golden Ziguanglu Doctor, the Duke of Licheng County, a reward of one million yuan, and 30,000 pieces of silk. At the same time, he was exempted from Qi's duties.
The troops from the prefectures and counties were transferred to the north. In this battle, Zhang Xutuo's name shocked the world and he became famous in this battle.
At this time, the cloud of war once again enveloped the land of Zhuojun. Troops mobilized from various places gathered in Zhuojun. However, something unexpected happened to Yang Guang. The troops fled on a large scale. This was the second incident in half a year.
After returning to various places, the army of 500,000 people fled for the first time. In just over two months, nearly 30% of the army of 500,000 people fled.
And when Yang Guang's order for the Second Goryeo War was issued, no one wanted to go to Liaodong to die, and the escape Chao stirred up trouble again. At the end of March, only 200,000 soldiers arrived in Zhuo County, and Xiaoguo was recruited from various places.
Far from reaching the pre-planned 600,000, there are only more than 200,000, and the number of civilians is only one million. This is not a problem of one county, but that all counties are unable to complete the plan.
Soon, something even more unacceptable to Yang Guang happened. Due to insufficient troops, Yang Guang transferred 200,000 of the 300,000 Imperial Guards to the Liaodong Campaign. However, these 200,000 Imperial Guards also fled on a large scale.
A series of large-scale escape incidents made Yang Guang furious. In Linshuo Palace, the Minister of War, Hu Sizheng, who made the plan and was responsible for mobilizing troops, was pinned down by more than a dozen military guards and beaten with sticks outside the palace gate. The palace guards and eunuchs
He and the palace maid were so frightened that they trembled.
Yu Wenshu hurriedly walked into the palace gate and came to the front of the Qilian Hall. From a distance, he could see a group of guards surrounding the end of the corridor, and the screams of Hu Sizheng kept coming.
Yu Wenshu sneered, with a sense of gloating in his heart. In the first Goryeo War, Hu Sizheng was in the limelight, but he monopolized the power of the Ministry of War for no good reason. With a lot of power, he had to bear a lot of responsibility. He should know how powerful it is now.
Yu Wenshu walked into the palace, which was deserted. Only Emperor Yang Guang stood in front of the window. Although Yang Guang's face could not be seen, Yu Wenshu could feel the anger burning in his heart.
"Your Majesty, your Majesty, Yu Wenshu!" Yu Wenshu also became a little nervous.
"What's the matter?" Yang Guang asked coldly.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have captured 1,200 fugitive Imperial Guards soldiers. I would like to ask Your Majesty for instructions on how to deal with them?"
Yang Guang suddenly turned his bloodshot eyes with murderous intent flashing in his eyes. He said word by word: "All Chu Na, smear their blood on the war drum to see who dares to escape again!"
"I obey the decree!"
Yu Wenshu didn't move. Yang Guang's anger subsided a little, and he glanced at him and asked, "Is there anything else?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the bandit slave Bai Yusuo of Lingwu County gathered more than 30,000 people to plunder the horses in Hexi. Yuan Hongsi, the governor of Honghua County, requested a cross-border suppression of the bandits."
A meaningful sneer gradually appeared on Yang Guang's face, and he nodded, "Very good, I'll give him permission to cross the border to suppress bandits, I'll give it a go!"
Yu Wenshu said cautiously: "Your Majesty, do you want to take any preventive measures?"
"I know that I have made arrangements in Guanzhong, and now I am looking forward to his next step."
Yu Wenshu changed the topic and asked: "There is also the matter of Zhuo County. Since Yang Yuanqing is going to lead the Youzhou Army to follow His Majesty to conquer Liaodong, I suggest that you appoint a deputy general manager to temporarily take charge of Liaodong's military affairs."
Yang Guang did not answer, he pondered for a moment and said: "Who does Aiqing think is more suitable?"
Yu Wenshu smiled and said: "I recommend Luo Yi, the governor of Beiping County, to be the deputy general manager."
Yang Guang shook his head, "This person once falsely accused Li Jing of taking advantage of the stolen goods. It can be seen that he is just a small person. I don't need him."
Yuwenshu accepted five thousand taels of silver from Luo Yi to help him find the position of deputy general manager of Youzhou, but was rejected by Yang Guang. He was slightly disappointed, but he was not willing to accept it. He pondered for a while and said: "I will recommend you again."
My younger brother Yu Wence is the deputy general manager of Youzhou, and I wonder if Your Majesty thinks he is qualified for the job."
Yuwenshu's real purpose is to recommend his brother Yuwence. As long as Yang Yuanqing is not here, the deputy general manager of Youzhou will be equivalent to the general manager of Youzhou. Although most of the Youzhou army was taken away by Yang Yuanqing, Yuwenshu is eyeing the Zhuojun warehouse.
If he can obtain the strategic materials of Zhuojun, it will be very helpful to him in future uprisings.
According to Yu Wenshu's experience, Yang Guang generally would not reject him twice. Since Yang Guang has already rejected Luo Yi, he should not reject Yu Wence again.
Yang Guang smiled, "It's rare for your love to be so loyal, but I have decided to let the prefect Yang Gongren take charge of the military affairs of Youzhou temporarily. I will consider my brother again when I have the opportunity in the future. I am sorry this time!"
Yang Guang politely declined Yu Wenshu's nomination.
Amid the cries and pleas, the heads of 1,200 Forbidden Army deserters were chopped off, and their blood was smeared on the war drums. However, the bloody killings did not have much effect. The Forbidden Army continued to flee. For them,
Going to the Goryeo battlefield would mean death, and there might still be hope of survival if you escape. After all, tens of thousands of people escaped and only 1,200 were captured, so the chance of escape is very high.
In desperation, Yang Guang had no choice but to order the march to Liaodong in advance. Groups of Sui troops began to march toward Liaodong in a mighty manner. This time, the number of troops was reduced by half compared to the plan, with only 500,000 people marching eastward to Korea.
Yang Yuanqing went out as the general in charge of Youzhou and the school inspector Zuo Xiaowei. He led 30,000 Youzhou troops to set out in the first batch. The Youzhou army had a total of 48,000 people. Yang Yuanqing took away 30,000 elites, and there were still some left.
Eighteen thousand people were commanded by Yang Gongren, the governor of Zhuo County, Luo Yi, the governor of Beiping County, and Han Shi'e, the governor of Yuyang County.
In the evening of that day, Yang Yuanqing's army marched to Linyu Pass. Linyu Pass was built in the third year of Emperor Kaihuang's reign. Like Shanhaiguan Pass in later generations, it also guarded the chokepoint between Liaodong and the Central Plains. The strategic position was extremely important, and there were 3,000 troops stationed there.
It is also part of the Youzhou Army, led by Luo Yi, the governor of Beiping County.
Since it was getting late, Yang Yuanqing ordered 30,000 troops to camp on the spot. Outside Linyu Pass, large tents were erected. The 30,000 Youzhou troops were busy. At this time, several soldiers and a man in black came to Yang Yuanqing.
In front of the big tent.
A soldier came into the account and reported: "To the general manager, someone from Fengzhou has come to see the general for an urgent matter!"
"Let him in!"
The soldiers brought the man in black into the tent. The man knelt down on one knee and said, "Please see the general manager for the Dali City School Lieutenant's Wu Hua Gong."
Yang Yuanqing knew him and was a veteran who had been with him for many years, so he nodded and said: "General Yang ordered me to report to the general manager that Bai Yusuo, the thief slave in Lingwu County, colluded with the Turks. We intercepted the Turks before Bi Khan gave Bai Yusuo an order.
He was ordered to make a surprise attack on Fengzhou. General Yang was worried that the Turks would attack Fengzhou, so he ordered me to report to the general manager."
Although Yang Yuanqing no longer serves as the general manager of Fengzhou, he still secretly controls Fengzhou through Yang Sien and other old generals. Yu Juluo also noticed it, but he did not interfere and remained silent.
This news surprised Yang Yuanqing. He knew very well that Fengzhou's defense was strong in the north and weak in the south. The Fengzhou army was mainly deployed along the line of Dali City, while there were only a small number of troops in Wuyuan County in the south. If the rebel Bai Yusuo really
If you follow the Turks' orders and attack Fengzhou, the consequences will be serious.
Yang Yuanqing took the intercepted letter and read it. It was a letter written by Shibi Khan. The letter promised that if Bai Yusuo succeeds in his sneak attack, the Turks will make him the King of Xia and give him a golden wolf-headed flag.
However, Yang Yuanqing also received news that Yuan Hongsi had requested a cross-border extermination of Bai Yusuo. No matter what purpose Yuan Hongsi had, at least he had to have a good posture. In this way, Bai Yusuo would have no time to invade Fengzhou northward in a short period of time.
Yang Yuanqing pondered for a long time, wrote a letter to Yang Sien, and handed it to the messenger: "Thank you for your hard work, please go back immediately, give this letter to General Yang, and tell him that I will find a way to ask the Northern Turks to give alms to Shibi Khan."
Pressure, let him strengthen his defense, especially the militia training, and not relax for a day."
The messenger bowed and retreated. Yang Yuanqing came to the door of the tent with his hands behind his back. Looking at the dark sky in the south, he felt that a storm was about to hit the Sui Dynasty.