Changyuan County is the northeasternmost county of Hongnong County. It is close to Henan County where Luoyang is located. Changyuan County's strategic location is very important. It is located at the throat from Hongnong to Luoyang. When the Tang army attacked Luoyang, Changyuan County was
It was arranged by the Tang Army to become the largest grain and grass logistics center.
Li Shimin attached great importance to the safety of grain and grass logistics, and ordered Shi Danai to lead 10,000 troops to garrison Changyuan County. The Tang Army's material camp was located three miles east of Changyuan County. It was a fortress-style camp covering an area of several hundred acres, and the 10,000 troops
, half are stationed in the county town, and the other half are in the camp.
Changyuan County is a medium-sized county with a population of more than 3,000 households. The county magistrate's surname is Jiang, who is from Luoyang. The county magistrate's name is Zhang Hongbang, a native of Hongnong County. He was the internal agent introduced to Xu Shiji by the Yang family.
Zhang Hongbang is about forty years old. He grew up in a poor family, but he was smart and studious. Twenty-five years ago, he was noticed by the Yang family, who sent him to Yang School and deliberately trained him.
With the Yang family as his backing, Zhang Hongbang embarked on an official career step by step, serving successively as a meritorious official and county magistrate. In the first year of Daye, he was recommended by Yang Su as the governor of Hongnong County, and later as the Shaoqing of Sinong Temple.
In the ninth year of Daye's reign, he was implicated in Yang Xuangan's rebellion and was demoted to the position of Prime Minister of Changyuan County. After Wang Shichong ascended the throne, he was invited to Luoyang to serve as Minister of Sinong Temple, but he refused to go because of illness.
In the morning, Zhang Hongbang was handling official duties in the county government office. The war in Luoyang was tense these days, and he was also very busy. At this time, a government servant came in and reported, "County Prime Minister, the young master is here!"
Zhang Hongbang has a son and a daughter. The daughter is married. His son Zhang An is studying at Yangxue and is the apple of his eye. When he heard that his son was coming, he laughed and said, "Let him in!"
After a while, his son Zhang An walked into his father's official room with an entourage. Zhang An stepped forward and saluted, "Well, father!"
Zhang Hongbang stroked his beard, nodded and asked, "Why do you have time to come to my father's place?"
"Reporting to father, it was the head of the family who asked the child to come."
It was the head of the Yang family who asked his son to come. Zhang Hongbang was slightly startled. He took a look at his entourage and saw that he was tall and strong, with powerful arms. He did not look like a native, so he asked his son, "Who is this person?"
"
Zhang An stepped forward and whispered a few words to his father. Zhang Hongbang suddenly realized that the Sui army was here. He got up and walked to the back room. "Follow me!"
In the back room, the entourage came forward and saluted, "I am a soldier of General Xu's tent. I have been ordered by General Xu to deliver a letter to Zhang County Cheng." After saying this, the entourage took out the letter and presented it to Zhang Hongbang, who knew Xu Shiji.
He was the youngest general under Yang Yuanqing, only two or three years older than his son, and he was young and promising. He led his army to Changyuan County, naturally for the Tang army's food and supplies.
He opened the letter, read it, pondered for a moment and asked, "I wonder where General Xu is now?"
"Our army is currently at Wangyou Post, more than twenty miles away."
The journey of more than twenty miles is not too far. Zhang Hongbang said: "That's it! I'll go see your General Xu."...
The few people ran all the way, and after more than half an hour, Zhang Hongbang arrived at the temporary camp of the Sui army. Xu Shiji personally welcomed him out of the tent. He knew that Zhang Hongbang had also been a high-ranking official in the imperial court, so he was very polite to him.
The two of them walked into the big tent and sat down. Xu Shiji ordered tea to be served, and then he said apologetically: "I didn't expect to trouble you to come in person. Shiji is ashamed!"
Zhang Hongbang saw that although Xu Shiji was young, he behaved calmly, spoke wisely, and was quite like a Confucian general. He secretly admired it in his heart, so he stroked his beard and said with a smile: "General Xu, you don't have to be polite. These are extraordinary times. When everything is focused on the overall situation, Zhang
I am a minister of the Sui Dynasty, so I naturally love the Sui Dynasty. I will try my best to help the Sui army. I wonder what I can do for the general?"
Xu Shiji knew that he knew what he was thinking, so he was not polite and said straight to the point: "We are here for the Tang Army's logistics and food supply."
Zhang Hongbang frowned slightly, lowered his head and was silent. Xu Shiji saw that he had a troubled expression on his face, so he smiled and said: "If Zhang County Cheng is in trouble, I will never force him."
Zhang Hongbang sighed and said: "To be honest, the Tang Army's food and grass areas are heavily guarded and difficult to sneak in. I have only entered once so far and had to be searched. If you want to enter the camp to burn food, it will be difficult for me to help."
Xu Shiji shook his head, "Zhang Shijun misunderstood. I am not here to burn food. The purpose of my coming is to build momentum and force Li Shimin to withdraw westward. Of course, if it can cause some losses to the enemy, that would be the best."
but."
Xu Shiji also knew in his heart that Li Shimin left 10,000 troops to guard the logistics camp, and it would be difficult for them to break into the enemy camp. But if they just wanted to create a crisis, they could just bluff, and Zhang Hongbang's help was not needed.
The key is that he wants to cause losses to the enemy. This trip to Changyuan County cannot be in vain. He must at least make a small profit, which requires Zhang Hongbang's full assistance.
Only then did Zhang Hongbang understand what Xu Shiji meant. He smiled and said, "I wonder what kind of assistance I can provide."
Xu Shiji was confident and said calmly: "I would like to ask the envoy to tell you the specific situation of the Tang army first."...
At night, darkness shrouded the earth, with a few dark gray clouds floating in the sky. A crescent moon passed through the clouds, making the earth bright and dark. However, the Tang Army's logistics camp was brightly lit with hundreds of torches.
The light in front of the door is like daylight.
Hundreds of Tang army guards were patrolling back and forth near the camp gate without any slack. There were also several patrol teams of more than hundreds of people patrolling within two miles of the camp, not allowing anyone to approach.
About five miles south of the camp, there is a hill that stretches for more than ten miles, called Huilonggang. The hills are lush and densely forested. At this moment, 20,000 Sui troops entered the hills and woods. The soldiers were leaning against the trees in twos and threes.
Rest quietly.
At the edge of the hill, Xu Shiji stood under a big tree, gazing at the Tang Army camp in the distance. The Tang camp was huge, similar to Changyuan County, and was surrounded by ten-foot-high board walls. There were towers every thirty steps.
A sentry post, very heavily guarded.
Standing at a high place, you can clearly see the huge tents in the camp, which store the Tang army's 200,000 shi of grain and hundreds of thousands of dans of fodder, as well as countless tents ordnance.
Xu Shiji sighed slightly. From a tactical point of view, of course he wanted to destroy the Tang Army's rear camp, but strategically, this camp must be preserved in order to hold Li Shimin's army to Hongnong County. Without this camp,
In the logistics camp, Li Shimin's forces will inevitably divert to Yingchuan County.
At this time, a dark figure ran from the foot of the mountain and quickly ran up the hill. Two soldiers brought the shadow up. This was a close family member of Zhang Hongbang who came specially to deliver a message. He brought Zhang Hongbang's token.
"My master asked me to tell the general that Shi Danai, the commander-in-chief of the Tang Army, is now in the county. My master asked me about the specific time to take action."
Xu Shiji looked at the moonlight and said, "Please tell Ambassador Zhang that we will start around Haishi!"
"I understand, I'll go back and tell the master now!"
The family members bowed and turned around to leave. Xu Shiji watched his back go away and resolutely ordered: "Send the order to the whole army to prepare for battle!"...
Because there were too many supplies stored in the camp and could not accommodate more than 10,000 soldiers, the Tang army divided its troops into two groups. Half of the 5,000 troops were stationed in the camp, and the other half of 5,000 troops were stationed in the county town. The chief general of the Tang army, Shi Danai, was stationed in the camp and
There are accommodations in the county seat, but he lives in the county seat most of the time.
Shi Danai is a Western Turk nobleman, whose full name is Ashina Danai. In the fifth year of the Great Era, Chuluo Khan of Western Turks was defeated by Shekui Khan. Chuluo Khan took the rest of his tribe to the Sui Dynasty for refuge. Shi Danai also
He came with him and had three thousand tribal troops under his command.
Li Yuan raised troops in Taiyuan, and Shi Danai defected to the Tang army, and his tribe became a Turkic force in the Tang army.
Shi Danai gained Li Shimin's trust, and this time he was appointed as the logistics commander, in charge of an army of 10,000 people. Shi Danai did not dare to be careless and guarded the camp with all his heart.
In the evening, Stanai sat alone in his room drinking. Drinking was his biggest hobby. If it were not during the war, he would drink five or six pounds in one meal. But now he did not dare to drink more and drank a few drinks by chance.
This is also the reason why he doesn't want to live in the camp. Drinking is strictly prohibited in the camp, but living in the county town is a little more free.
At this moment, a report came from the soldiers outside the door, "General, Zhang County Cheng has something urgent to see you!"
"Well! Let him in."
After a moment, the county magistrate Zhang Hongbang hurriedly walked in, bowed and saluted: "General Shi, I have something important to report."
"What's the matter?"
"General, I have a family member who just came from my hometown today. He said that a Sui army cavalry was found in the west of the county."
"Sui Army?"
Shi Danai was immediately startled and asked hurriedly: "Where are they and how many Sui troops are there?"
"Twenty miles northwest of the county seat, there are about two to three thousand people."
Shi Danai had no intention of drinking and became nervous. The Sui army actually appeared in Changyuan County. They were obviously coming for them, but there were not many people. This made him feel relieved. He pondered and asked: "About
When did you discover the Sui army?"
"The family just arrived. It should have been in the evening when they discovered the Sui army."
Shi Danai became anxious. If this was the case, the Sui army should have arrived. At this moment, there was a rush of running sounds outside the door, and a soldier reported in panic: "General Qi, there are about three thousand Sui troops rushing to attack the country."
Camp, in the northwest corner of the camp, the Sui army used rockets, which was very critical."
Stanet stood up suddenly and shouted: "Gather the army immediately and come with me out of the city to rescue the camp!"
Zhang Hongbang nodded silently, with an imperceptible sneer flashing in his eyes...
At the beginning of the city gate, Shi Danai took the lead and led five thousand Tang troops to rush towards the camp five miles away. The opponent only had three thousand cavalry, which matched Zhang Xiancheng's intelligence. It was obvious that the Sui army was here to attack the camp.
This is actually a psychological suggestion. Zhang Hongbang first told him that there were two to three thousand people, and then the camp found that there were three thousand Sui troops coming to attack. Under this double suggestion, it was easy for people to think that the Sui army only had three thousand people.
people, thus making Stanai lose his vigilance.
In the dark night, five thousand Tang troops rushed all the way. The road was very familiar. They could reach the distance of five miles in a quarter of an hour.
After marching for three miles, there was a small river several feet wide in front of them, with a wooden bridge on the river. In the distance, the dark plank walls of the camp could be vaguely seen.
The team slowed down and began to cross the bridge one after another. The team was less than halfway across the bridge. At this moment, there was only a bang of a clapper, and suddenly tens of thousands of arrows were fired from the opposite side dozens of steps away. The arrows were like a storm, shooting at the Tang army who was crossing the river.