Han Shizu

Chapter 485: The Break of Guo Rong
On the side of the Huainan camp in the Northern Han Dynasty, while fighting against Chen and Xu Yuanying's army, in Huaidong, under the order of Liu Chengyou, Guo Rong, the Huaidong economic strategy envoy, also launched a combat plan against the reinforcements of the Southern Tang Dynasty.

In fact, the pressure on Guo Rong's side is still relatively high, especially the pressure on military strength.The Huaidong Jinglue Han Army deployed by Guo Rong only had [-] troops from Xu and Yi who went south with him, [-] soldiers from Suzhou regiment, and [-] cavalry and a group of Longqi troops allocated by Liu Chengyou in Wokou. About [-] died, plus more than [-] servants recruited from Huaibei.

It seems that there are already a lot of troops, but the garrison and combat tasks that these troops have to undertake are very arduous.Haozhou and Chuzhou should be garrisoned, especially Chuzhou, where the canal is at the crossroads, because facing Yao Fengjun who was stationed in Gaoyou and had the intention of going north from time to time, the force invested in the garrison was also indispensable.

In addition, the Tang army stationed in Sizhou needs to be on guard.Although due to personal considerations, Feng Yansi transferred his younger brother Feng Yanlu from Sizhou. Instead, Guo Tingwei was in charge of military affairs alone and stationed in Xuyi, an important town in Huaiyang.

This operation made Sizhou even more difficult to fight.As mentioned before, Guo Tingwei is a good general, has a strong ability to train troops, and is not afraid of the Han army.Since the Han army's southern expedition, Sizhou's soldiers and horses have not suffered much damage after several battles. Coupled with Tang Ting's follow-up deployment, recruiting warriors, and gathering defeated soldiers, Guo Tingwei still has tens of thousands of troops to hold on, especially one Although the Zhishui Army is small in scale, Guo Rong is always wary of the enemy when he traps the enemy.

And Guo Tingwei was not a person who was beaten passively, he attacked from time to time, and fought on a small scale. Although the results were not great, it made Guo Rong very uncomfortable.After the winter solstice, the weather became colder, and Guo Rong had to retreat and conservatively contain Guo Tingwei's army.

Zhao Kuangyin led an army to Zhaoxin in the southwest of Xuyi, Cheng Deqin, deputy envoy of Xuzhou, stationed in Linhuai in the north, and Guo Rong led an army to station in Liangshan, which is across the Huaihe River from Xuyi, forming a triangle to control Xuyi.As for Chuzhou, Chen Sixang, the former training envoy of the Yizhou regiment, was stationed. He was an experienced general.

But since the beginning of spring, after Huangfu Hui and Yao Feng went north, Guo Rong had a headache, and Liu Chengyou's edict made him feel that he had a heavy responsibility on his shoulders.Fortunately, Tang Jun's movements were relatively slow, especially Huangfu Hui, who was thinking about something, Chen Jue and Yao Feng both marched, and he, the middle army, was still guarding Qingliu Pass.

When Xuzhou Jiedu envoy Wu Xingde led the army from Pengcheng to Linhuai, Guo Rongfang got the report, and Huangfuhui sent troops.At this time, Yao Feng's army, with nearly [-] troops in land and water, had already launched an attack on Shanyang.Chen Sixang's troops were weak, with only [-] soldiers. Facing an enemy ten times stronger, even though Master Tang was not good at attacking the city, he still had a hard time defending.Letters for help came in one after another, but Chen Sixang's words became more serious. If no reinforcements arrive, Shanyang will be lost, and he will die in battle.

Speaking of which, Huangfuhui was the Southern Tang Huainan aid envoy and the commander in chief who resisted the Han army, but the armies led by Chen Jue and Yao Feng were stronger than him.By the time his soldiers left Qingliu Pass, the army he led was less than [-], including his conscripts.

Faced with a somewhat critical situation, Guo Rong summoned Zhao Kuangyin and other generals to discuss the military situation. After discussion, it was unanimously decided to take the initiative to attack. If they passively defended, let Huangfu Hui go to the Huai River and cooperate with Guo Tingwei, the situation of the Han army would be worse. Not good.

Guo Rong's ability to make decisions has always been very strong.Directly ordered Zhao Kuangyin to lead five thousand troops east to assist Chen Sirang, and then fought with the Tang army around Shanyang.Guo Rong himself led [-] iron cavalry and [-] Longqi troops to march south to face Huangfu Hui.

As for Sizhou, [-] soldiers and some civilians were stationed in Liangshan, the capital, and asked for help from Zhan Wu Xingde to lead Xuzhou soldiers to the south to contain Guo Tingwei in Xuyi.Guo Rong's arrangement is very risky. The three sides meet each other, and the three sides are outnumbered. If something unexpected happens, the consequences will be serious.Of course, this arrangement is also in line with his temperament.

Those who accompanied Guo Rong in the battle were all young generals, such as Zhao Kuangyin, Dang Jin, Zhao Yanjin, An Shouzhong, etc., and none of them took pictures.And if there is any battle plan, it is to fight their own way and play freely.

Guo Rong led a cavalry of [-] paces and headed south from Duliang Mountain, staring at Huangfu Hui's army and rushing away.Under the deliberate encounter of the Han army, the two sides fought in the upper reaches of Lai'an River in Chuzhou.Because the scouts were scattered far enough, Huangfu Hui was aware of the movement of the Han army, and adjusted the formation in advance.But after all, Huangfuhui underestimated Guo Rong, underestimated the determination and madness of the battle, after running for fifty or sixty miles, regardless of the tiredness of the soldiers, he went straight to attack while the Tang army's formation was not perfect.

An encounter was fought very fiercely, Guo Rong took the lead and took the lead, staring at Huangfu Hui's left wing to fight.The two sides fought fiercely for half an hour, and ended with the defeat of the Tang army.The power of the thousand Han cavalry is too great a threat on the battlefield, which is why Guo Rong dared to take the taboo of military strategists and brazenly launched an attack on the enemy several times.

Of course, this battle was not easy for the Han army. They were so exhausted that it was difficult for Huangfuhui's army to retreat south to Lai'an County in the north of Chuzhou.In this way, Huangfuhui's Tang army suffered setbacks along the way, and the enemy's momentum was contained.

After winning the first battle, Guo Rong found a village around him for the soldiers to rest.After discussing with Zhao Yanjin and An Shouzhong, on the second day, they made a decisive decision to march into Lai'an, force the Tang army, and outnumber the others.

Chuzhou, Lai'an County.

Nearly four months after the war between the Han and Tang Dynasties, the flames of war finally spread to this small city of Chuzhou. The defeat of the supporting army made the people in the city panic.Being greeted by the county magistrate, he directly occupied the county government office, sitting on the table in the hall, with an ugly expression on Huangfuhui's face.

Huangfuhui can be regarded as the epitome of martial arts in this era, and he still has some reputation. In the last years of Emperor Zhuangzong of Tang Dynasty, the soldiers of Wei Boshu rebelled in Beizhou. Li Cunxu became the "leader brother", which caused a chain reaction. Towns in the Central Plains and Hebei responded to rebellion one after another, making Li Cunxu win the country for four years and then die.

The more "legendary" version is that Huangfu Hui was fond of gambling, and he gambled with soldiers in the army.Of course, Huangfuhui became famous because of this, and it was more because of chance. At that time, the Later Tang Empire was already in dire straits, and the towns and soldiers were like a pile of dry wood. Huangfuhui was just a spark that ignited it.

Killing people and setting fire to the golden belt, Huang Fuhui won a future as an envoy from a soldier.When the Khitan went south to destroy the Jin Dynasty, this gentleman saw Lu Shen in the Central Plains, and took the opportunity to lead his people to surrender Li Jing, and recruited a large number of Huaibei stragglers, thieves, and young men for the Southern Tang Dynasty.Xian Shilang, Sun Lang, Cao Jin and others mentioned earlier are among them.

In the Southern Tang Dynasty, Huangfuhui was valued by Li Jing, and the rewards of official rank and fame were very generous.Although many people in the court questioned his status as "Northern General", Huangfuhui always felt that he had a clear conscience, and Li Jing still trusted him, otherwise he would not have commanded Huainan to assist the army, although it was only Nominally.

Huangfuhui is not young anymore, after the year of knowing his destiny, it is probably because he has grown up with age, he has become more restrained, and has lost a lot of the rascal and frivolity of his youth.The armor is very bright and mighty, and the beard is well trimmed. Sitting there, he looks like a famous general.It was just that he was defeated by Guo Rong. At this time, the famous general was full of resentment and dissatisfied.

"Have all the battalions returned? How many troops have been lost?" Huangfu Hui asked a lieutenant general.

"Mr. Hui, they are all back! As for the loss," General Pi replied in a low voice, but facing Huangfu Hui's gaze, he said bravely, "Including those killed in battle, captured, and lost, there should be five thousand. Pawn!"

"Hmph! What a shame, my [-] army, ten times larger than the enemy, was defeated by him!" Huangfu Hui was so angry that he smashed the table and said, "This Guo Rong is used to making these despicable raiders Tricks, Haozhou and Chuzhou were all attacked by him, and this time he attacked me again!"

After complaining, Huangfuhui ordered: "Go down immediately, gather the soldiers, and regroup the troops! From Qingliu Pass, send another team! Send scouts to detect the movements of the Han army!"

However, on the second day, Guo Rong also sent his troops to the south, and went to the village five miles north of Lai'an.Upon hearing this, Huangfu Hui suddenly felt a sense of contempt rushing towards his face, and said angrily: "This Guo Rong is too deceitful! I'm too light on me, do you really think I'm afraid of him?"

After lingering for a while, feeling overwhelmed, Huangfuhui immediately wrote a letter in hand, ordering it to be sent to the Han army.

"My lord, what does this mean?" the generals under his command couldn't help asking.

"To make an appointment with the Han army, to fight outside the city, to be ashamed!" Huangfu Hui said solemnly.

Hearing this, his subordinates were startled, and could not help persuading: "Your envoy, don't do it! We were defeated yesterday, and our morale has not recovered. The Han army has won more with less, and one will fade away. The soldiers are sharp and sharp, so don't take it lightly !"

"I think you are scared of being beaten by the Han army!" Seeing this, Huangfu Hui couldn't help scolding: "We still have more than [-] soldiers, how many people are there in the Han army? How can we increase the enemy's prestige and destroy my ambition?"

"My lord, that Han cavalry alone is difficult to deal with!"

"Not to mention the Han cavalry, but the Khitan cavalry. I have seen it before. All you need is a large shield, a long spear, a repelling horse, and a bow and crossbow. If they dare to charge forward, they will only seek death!" Huangfu Hui waved his hand and said, "Okay Already, I've made up my mind, don't talk too much, it's a big deal for me! Let's all go down and prepare for battle!"

"However, you don't have to worry too much. It's still a question whether Guo Rong dares to fight with someone." Huangfu Hui stroked his beard again.

Outside the city of Lai'an, Guo Rongzheng personally led Qingqi to explore outside the city.Lai'an is just a small city, the city is not high, and the walls are not strong, but it is not easy for Tang soldiers to break it.

The enemy on three sides needs to be dealt with. After all, there is not much time. Guo Rong is still deeply worried. Just as he is thinking about how to fight next, Huangfuhui's messenger arrives.

With doubts, Guo Rong opened the letter and read it. Guo Rong suddenly laughed, laughed loudly, and said directly to the messenger: "Go back and tell Huangfu Hui that the envoy has accepted his request!"

(End of this chapter)