Five Dynasties River Mountains Fengyue

Chapter 226
"Commander, General Shao Ji broke through the Qianning army all the way to the north, and then succeeded in a surprise attack on Duliukou, and turned his head west, heading towards Yukou Pass. This happened the night before yesterday.

In addition, General Gao Huaide has taken Pingshu County and Wen'an County along the way, and is also rushing towards Yukouguan in the north. This is also what happened two days ago. "Luqiu Zhongqing sorted out a large number of battle reports, summed up the above information, and then marked the positions of the various armies on a large map for him to see.

In this way, Shi Congyun can intuitively see the overall situation.

He had already arrived at Duliukou at this time. In a mud house in the Liao army barracks, there were many soldiers standing guard outside.

The Chinese army also accompanied him to this place. Duliukou was only a dozen kilometers away from the later Tianjin. At that time, it was a small town with few people, but it was actually similar to a county because it was located at the end of the canal and was relatively prosperous.

"Where's Si Chao and Shao Ji's navy?" Shi Congyun asked.

"It turned west in the morning, heading towards Yijin Pass." Luqiu Zhongqing replied.

Shi Congyun nodded. This is the purpose of his rush to take down Duliukou. After taking down Duliukou, the big ship can go north along the canal, and then go west to Yijinguan. Transportation can greatly reduce logistical pressure.

"Let Wang Shenqi's army quickly follow up. Is there any news from West Road?"

Shi Congyun's central army took the north route, but there were fathers Shi Yanchao, Murong Yanzhao, Xiang Xun and Luo Yanhuan's army approaching ten thousand on the west route.

"The West Road is quite far away, so the news came slowly. I only know that Wang Hong, the governor of Ningzhou, surrendered before, and the army from the West Road should have gone to Waqiao Pass after that."

Shi Congyun nodded, and had a clearer consideration of the overall situation in his mind.

Then he guessed: "They may be blocked at Waqiao Pass. Regardless of the west, we can't delay here. Let the Chinese army rush to the direction of Yijin Pass immediately and take Yijin Pass as soon as possible."

He has an overall consideration. If he wants to fight this battle with the Liao Kingdom, Yijin Pass must be won no matter what.

Luqiu Zhongqing nodded, and went down to arrange staff.

"Marshal, shall we rely on Yijin Pass to defend against the Khitans?" The young Fu Zhaoyuan asked curiously, "I think it is better to fight than to defend. It is better to fight than to defend."

Shi Congyun laughed and said to the young Fu Zhaoyuan: "What you said makes sense, but it is wrong from a strategic point of view. Tactics. From a certain battle point of view, offense is the best defense. Take the initiative to launch an attack instead. Defense works.

But from the overall strategy point of view, the consequences of rashly launching an attack without preparing a defense are very serious. "

Fu Zhaoyuan was a little puzzled, but Shi Congyun didn't explain it to him. This kind of thing depends on understanding.

At noon, Shi Congyun ate something hastily, and then personally led an army of [-] to set off in the direction of Yijin Pass.

As for the hundreds of captives, the old method is still used, the Khitan generals will detain them, and the rest will be released.

Because these Liao troops were mainly Han Chinese and other ethnic groups, with only a few Khitans.

Not only the army, but almost all the governors and county magistrates in the southern states are Han and some Shatuo people. Liao’s system of the northern and southern courts is an important reason why it can rule the Han-inhabited areas. This system not only ensures that the Han-inhabited areas can autonomy.

At the same time, it is also supplemented by completely copying the imperial examination system of the Central Plains, giving the Han people under the rule a channel to rise. .

However, this situation will always deteriorate, because there are only so many upper-level resources, and the class will gradually solidify. At the beginning of the founding of the Liao Kingdom, Liao Taizu Yelu Abaoji held imperial examinations every once in a while to select Han people at the bottom for the imperial court. Used.

Up to now, it has gradually become a fixed annual exam. Shi Congyun also knows that in the Northern Song Dynasty, it will become a three-year exam. This is because the talents have been saturated and the upper-level resources are gradually monopolized. Fewer and fewer people are becoming more and more dissatisfied with the rule of Liao.

But now, after they entered the Liao territory, they could only say that they did not encounter resistance from the local people, but there was no scene of "eating pots of pulp to welcome the king's teacher".

To put it bluntly, the people in the northern part of the North China Plain are not so disgusted with the rule of the Liao Kingdom at this time. The Central Plains has been in chaos for years, and the dynasty has changed three times in just over a decade.

At this time, winning the hearts of the people is the key. The Liao Kingdom has no troops stationed in these places. Most of them are local soldiers recruited from the localities. These people are not the regular army of the Liao Kingdom. No matter what, I have no intention of fighting them.

So Shi Congyun adopted the strategy of suppressing and appeasing all the way.

It was the officers and generals of the Khitan people who were wiped out, and the people of other ethnic groups were appeased. This kind of differential treatment can slowly divide the enemy from within.

Shi Congyun also asked people to follow the army along the way to spread the word that Wang Shi's Northern Expedition only targeted the Khitan thieves, and the rest of the people of all ethnic groups were the people of the Great Zhou. As long as they didn't participate in the rebellion and didn't help the Khitan people, they would be safe and sound.

In this way, two days later, Shi Congyun's army arrived at Yukou Pass. As expected, the battle report was that Shao Ji and Gao Huaide joined forces at Yukou Pass two days ago.

Waqiao Pass, Yijin Pass, and Yukou Pass are the three passes facing Dazhou in the Liao Kingdom. Among them, Waqiao Pass is in the southernmost part, facing Dazhou directly, and after walking sixty to seventy miles along the road, it is Yijin Pass that is side by side. And Yukou Pass.

The general of Yukou Gate never dreamed that Zhou Jun would not play his cards according to the routine. While Waqiao Pass was still there, he would raid from the east, then bypass Duliukou to the west, and directly kill Yukou Pass, which is the last of the three passes. .

Yijin Pass in the west and Waqiao Pass in front did not call the police at all, and they could not have expected that Zhou Jun would come directly from behind.

When Shao Ji and Gao Huaide's army arrived, the general at Yukou Pass was making out with his concubine, and he didn't expect Zhou Jun to come. Afterwards, Yukou Pass was captured without any accident. Many cavalrymen fled into the city in fright on the spot, and no one dared to go down and close the gate.

Afterwards, the guard surrendered, and the Yukouguan soldiers were taken down without bloodshed.

After Shi Congyun arrived at Yukou Pass, he didn't stop any longer, and continued to lead the army to Yijin Pass in the west. The distance between the two places was only forty miles in a straight line, which was a day's march for the army.

At noon the next day, Shi Congyun led his army across a small river about ten meters wide and knee-deep, and soon arrived at Yijin Pass.

The most majestic of the three passes of Yijin Pass, the main body is a masonry city, more than six feet high, surrounded by a city wall extending from east to west, which is three or four miles long, with hillsides and rivers on both sides, and the road to the north must pass through.

The guards at the top of the city were densely packed, and they were all nervously looking down. In the distance, Shao Ji and Gao Huaide's army camped outside the city. There were thousands of tents densely packed, and fences were erected around the perimeter.

Wang Shenqi and Dong Zunhui's infantry and cavalry mixed army is located in the west, near the forest, and is cutting down trees to make siege equipment.

It seems that they have nothing to do with Yijin Pass.

After Shi Congyun led the army to arrive, Shao Ji, Gao Huaide, Wang Shenqi, and Dong Zunhui all rode over to visit him soon.

"Marshal!" Shao Ji said with some guilt: "I am incompetent, I can't overcome this Yijin Pass."

"I don't blame you, it was a surprise attack with light equipment, how could it be possible to capture such a fortified city." Shi Congyun comforted: "You executed very well, and you didn't react until you hit this enemy, which was much better than I thought. "

"Si Chao and Wang Huan's naval forces have reached the Zhongting River, more than ten miles to the south, just passing through the woods. We will send your armor and supplies over later. Go to the south and set up camp. Let the soldiers receive the armor as well." Take a good rest, this time has worked hard for you.

The matter of siege will be handed over to the Chinese army. "

Shao Ji and Gao Huaide took orders, went back to gather troops, and then led the army to the south, giving up the open space in front of the city of Yijin Pass.

Shi Congyun immediately said: "Wang Shenqi, Dong Zunhui."

"The end is here!" The two immediately responded.

"Go back and deploy now, and lead your own troops to attack the city in the west of the city early tomorrow morning. Build the necessary siege equipment today, and make something simple. There are not many defenders at Yijin Pass. As long as we attack from all sides, they will not be able to hold it."

"Yes!" The two agreed in unison, and then rode back to the west camp to deploy and dispatch troops.

"Wang Quanbin!"

"The last general is here!" Veteran Wang Quanbing came out.

"You organize the deployment of the Chinese army. The [-] infantry of the Crane Control Army are all under your command. Surround the city on both sides. You arrange the siege on the south and east sides. The deployment will be completed before dark, and the siege will start tomorrow morning. " Shi Congyun said seriously.

"No!" Wang Quanbin took the order.

Shi Congyun said to Wang Zhong again: "Wang Zhong!"

"exist!"

"You lead the gods and fire to cut wood and build some simple siege equipment immediately. Don't stop tonight, build it overnight, and it will be usable tomorrow morning."

"Promise!" Wang Zhong also took the order, and began to go down to lead the troops to arrange.

For a time tens of thousands of horses were mobilized in front of Yijin Pass, the sound of rumbling horseshoes made the ground tremble, and the black army was densely packed, and the troops and flags of the Zhou army were everywhere within a radius of more than ten miles. There was a kind of black cloud overwhelming the city. The tendency to destroy.

The pressure on the defenders at Yijin Pass must be unprecedented.

Shi Congyun stared at Xiongguan, whose city wall was at least eight meters high in the distance, and he was thinking about more long-term things. They have an absolute superiority in numbers. Forced to disperse the manpower to prevent it.

"I will take this place tomorrow." Shi Congyun muttered to himself.

Luqiu Zhongqing said: "This is really a grand pass."

"Indeed, if there were 1 defenders, it would be able to withstand tens of thousands of troops.

We came too fast, and the Liao Kingdom was completely unprepared. It looked like there were no 2000 people in the city. Shi Congyun estimated that from his point of view, behind the long city wall and female wall, many areas are vacant.

Before such a big battle, the deployment was still so stretched. The only explanation is that there is no one in the city. The city wall that is several miles long is well repaired, but there are not so many people to deploy defenses.

Luqiu Zhongqing said with a smile: "It's normal for the commander to fight like this. They didn't expect it. We came from behind, and the Waqiao pass in front has not yet been breached."

Shi Congyun was a little proud, his move was indeed moderately clever, Yijin Pass and Yukou Pass could not have imagined that they were in the rear, how could they be attacked first.

(End of this chapter)