Fenghou

Chapter 1189 Seizing the Island

Thirty large ships of the Western Army arrived at the outskirts of Donghai Island under the cover of night, and anchored on the sea about [-] miles east of the island, waiting for news from the scouts.

At two o'clock, a small boat sailed from the night. It was the scout sent by the Western Army.

Not long after, several scouts boarded the main ship and were taken to Liu Qiong's main cabin.

Although the night was very deep, Liu Qiong hadn't fallen asleep yet. He stood in front of the map and meditated. In fact, he was still waiting for news from the scouts.

The leading scout knelt down on one knee and saluted: "See Dutong!"

"Please get up! Tell me about the situation on the island."

The scout stood up and said: "We first found the fleet of the Song Army. They did not go to the island, but anchored in the strait between the land and the island. It seems that they have cut off the land connection of the island."

Liu Qiong found the strait mentioned by the scouts on the map. It was very narrow, located between two counties, and looked like a very wide river.

"How wide and long is the strait?"

"Reporting to Dutong, the width is about three miles, and the length is about twenty miles. There are piers on both sides, and ferries are usually used to commute, but now they are completely controlled by Song army ships."

Liu Qiong nodded. Song Jun's actions were within his expectations. With only [-] troops, don't expect to capture Donghai County.

"Have you gone to the island yet?"

"We went to the island later, all the way to the city of Donghai County."

"How is the county seat?"

"Beizhi feels like a very dilapidated county town. It has not been repaired for at least several decades. The county town is not big, with a circumference of at most ten miles and a height of about two feet."

"What about the population and the garrison?"

"Bizhi and his subordinates finally found a village. After some general inquiries, the population of the city was originally more than [-], but they were all transferred to the other side. There are only a large number of garrisons left in the city, about [-] people."

At this time, Tang Qian, who was silent at the side, suddenly asked: "After you inquired about the military situation, did you send someone to stay and monitor the villagers?"

The scouts shook their heads and said, "We left quickly after we inquired about the news. We didn't leave any soldiers behind, so we didn't feel safe!"

Liu Qiong frowned and said, "General Tang thinks those villagers will report it?"

Tang Qian was very experienced. He found a loophole in it, and sighed: "Since the other party evacuated the people in the city, but did not evacuate the fishermen on the island, I think these fishermen are actually their eyes and ears."

Liu Qiong walked a few steps behind his back and said, "If those fishermen are eyes and ears, then the information they provide may not be accurate, right?"

"That's true. In a small county with a circumference of only ten miles, there are [-] troops in the garrison. It's a bit exaggerated!"

The scouts were all ashamed and said: "The humble officer is careless, but he didn't find any loopholes in the information."

"It has nothing to do with you, step back!"

The scouts bowed their heads and retreated.

Liu Qiong smiled at Tang Qian: "What should we do next? Does Old Tang have any ideas?"

The two have worked together for many years, and they have a tacit understanding with each other. Tang Qian also smiled and said: "I guess Song Jun also went ashore to ask these fishermen, but he was frightened by the information provided by the fishermen, so he didn't dare to attack the city. I think we should Boldly attack the city, and seize Donghai County in one fell swoop before the Song army reacts."

"It's exactly what I want, the opportunity is not lost, we will attack the city tonight!"

The defenders in Donghai County actually only had [-] people, and they were commanded by a signatory commander. They lied to the outside world that there were [-] people, and they arranged for the villagers to be their eyes and ears. With fifteen thousand troops, Han Shizhong had to abandon his plan to attack the city and block the strait instead.

However, Tang Qian, who was extremely experienced in scouting, discovered the loopholes. Since Jin Bing evacuated more than [-] people in the city, but ignored the very few fishermen outside the city, this is really unreasonable.

The commander of Jinbing is called Hu Lin, a native of Yizhou on Shandong Road, about [-] years old, he was originally one of the generals of the militia army on Shandong Road, after Wanyan Wushu was transferred to Shandong Road, all the [-] militia troops were converted into regular troops , Hu Lin naturally became a signing general.

He is a local faction of Shandong Road, not Li Cheng's old subordinate, so he is not very popular with Li Cheng, so he was sent by Li Cheng to guard Donghai Island.

Although Li Cheng also knew that the Western Army would probably send a large army to capture Donghai Island, but being able to predict it did not mean that he would be able to defend Donghai Island. A strong navy was needed to hold Donghai Island. Without a navy, it is naturally impossible to defend the island.

Li Cheng is very pragmatic. He knows that once he deploys heavy troops on Donghai Island, it will be easy for the opponent's navy to cut off the supply and contact with the outside world, and finally the whole army will collapse.

Of course, Li Cheng would not risk the army, so he withdrew all the population on Donghai Island to land, sent Hu Lin to lead [-] people to guard Donghai County, and falsely claimed that there were [-] people by using suspicious tactics.

Under the night, several villagers came to report, and someone asked them about the garrison and population in the city.

This is the second group of people in three days to inquire about the military situation. The first group of people is the Song Army. They have blocked the strait now. Who is the second group of people? Could it be the Western Army?Or Song Jun.

Hu Lin frowned and pondered for a moment. He still sent a few spies to investigate the situation at Buffalo Bay in the northeast corner. Buffalo Bay is the only place where ships can berthed ashore. Whether it is the Song Army or the Western Army, they have to go ashore from the east. You can only go to Buffalo Bay.

In the middle of the night, the large ship of the Western Army began to dock at Buffalo Bay, and one by one soldiers rushed down from the large ship and began to line up quickly.

Two miles away, three spies lying in ambush on a hill saw a huge ship approaching the shore and saw countless soldiers lined up on the shore. They were so frightened that they turned around and ran back to the city to report.

Thirty large ships quickly unloaded [-] troops, and the remaining [-] sailors remained on board to protect the fleet.

At the fourth watch, the [-] troops were ready to line up, and under the leadership of Liu Qiong and Tang Qian, they rushed to Donghai County, about ten miles away to the southwest.

The city of Donghai County was brightly lit, and all three thousand defenders went to the city, most of them concentrated in the east city and the north city.

The chief general, Hu Lin, was even more nervous. He had judged that the army that invaded at night was the Western Army, not the previous imperial army. Whether he could hold the county town, he was not sure at all, and he was even a little pessimistic.

Li Cheng did not give them fire oil, did not give them large defensive weapons, such as trebuchets, bed crossbows, etc., only soldiers' crossbows.

It would be fine if the city was tall and strong, but the city was dilapidated. It had been eroded by salt, alkali, wind and rain for many years, and it hadn't been repaired for thirty years.

Not only the main general Hu Lin is pessimistic, but all the soldiers are pessimistic and their morale is low. They are not regular soldiers at all, but the state soldiers from Yizhou. They became a regular army last year. They belong to the army raised by their stepmothers. Among the Jin soldiers, the [-] Tiefutu, then [-] Donghu soldiers, and then [-] signing troops withdrawn from Henan Mansion, the lowest rank are them, [-] Shandong road signing troops, converted from state soldiers Come.

Although they are local snakes, they are discriminated against. Now they have to face the powerful Western Army with troops several times their own. Every soldier is full of despair.

"They're here!"

Someone yelled, and saw a large army marching towards the city. Under the moonlight, the guards at the top of the city could see it very clearly.

(End of this chapter)