The third emperor of the Sui Dynasty

Chapter 925

Although Su Dingfang was extremely cautious and pretended to be better, his luck ended in Badong County. The reason was that the tall and burly Guanzhong men were discovered by sharp Tang army scouts and immediately rushed to Zigui County to report to Gao Shilian. It is said that a suspicious army was found, but it is difficult to determine whether this army is the Tang army or the Sui army.

Gao Shilian immediately realized the seriousness of the situation. The current Tang army has experienced many losses, and the main source of troops is Yizhou people. In particular, the [-] recruits recruited by Li Yuan are all Yizhou people. In terms of stature, they are far less tall than the northerners.

This is not because Gao Shilian was overly cautious, but after Li Shimin successfully seized power, he also realized that the Li Tang Dynasty was in danger due to internal and external troubles, and there were many people who wanted to betray the master and seek glory. According to the military regulations of the People's Republic of China, any transiting army needs a letter to join the party to enter the city. The letter is an official document issued by the Ministry of War and stamped with the seal of Shang Shuling Li Shimin. The messenger first notifies the place in advance.

The notice that Hou Junji will be the head coach of the reinforcements and Li Anyuan will be the vanguard has spread throughout the counties and military forts in Badong County as early as two days ago, so at this time, it is necessary to check the command arrows. The silver command arrows are also newly made by Li Shimin. They were all engraved with serial numbers, which had already been instructed on the document. For the sake of caution, Li Shimin even wrote down the composition of the reinforcements, in order to prevent the Beizhen Army from confusing the real ones.

This also let Gao Shilian know that the reinforcements were mainly Yizhou soldiers, and the Yuancong Forbidden Army mainly from Guanzhong and Bingzhou was only a very small part. It is impossible for Li Anyuan's [-] soldiers to be tall and burly.He immediately asked Badong County, which was also built on the official road, to close the city gate, not to let this army enter the city, and wait for the generals who knew Li Anyuan to verify it before making a decision. However, the scouts went back and forth twice more than Su Dingfang The second distance between Badong and Zigui, the messenger has not yet arrived in Badong County, and the city has been swindled by Su Dingfang. If Su Dingfang was not worried that Badong County would cut off his retreat and needed to reorganize the defenders, he might have already reached Zigui County. .

When the messenger saw the commotion at the top of the city, he immediately turned around and returned, and informed the military fort along the way that Badong County had fallen, so that everyone could take precautions.

Gao Shilian, who received the news from the messenger, was as cold as ice and stunned.

When Gao Shilian was young, he was very talented, dabbled in literature and historical classics, won the approval of the public minister, and also formed a deep friendship with Li Yuan at that time. Later, his brother-in-law Changsun Sheng died of illness, and his sister, nephew, and niece were kicked out of the grandson's family and had nowhere to go. Go, so he took their mother and son back home to support him. Later, Gao Shilian discovered that Li Yuan had great ambitions, and repeatedly found that Dugu and Dou were silently escorting Li Yuan, silently escorting him step by step. Pushed to the front of the stage, he was keenly aware of the big moves of the Guanlong nobles, so he decided to betroth his niece and eldest grandson Wugou to Li Shimin, opening up a way for the Gao family; Tu Qiong showed up, tried to win him over, and made clear his ambition to seek the world.

However, just before the incident, Li's father and son decided to divorce their wives and remarry in order to further close the relationship with Dugu. It stands to reason that Gao Shilian should feel very upset, but he didn't. As a politician and Li Yuan's counselor, he knows very well that the marriage between the Li family and the Dugu family will bring great benefits to the "lord" Li Yuan. Once the "lord" has the full support of the Dugu family, the possibility of success will be further strengthened. If one day dominates the world, then he Gao Shilian is the minister of the dragon, and he will gain huge benefits from the inheritance of the Gao family.So for the rise of the Gao family, don't say that the eldest grandson Wugou is just a niece, even his own daughter is worth sacrificing.

A woman, in the eyes of this patriarchal elder, is just a dispensable role, her only role is to win powerful allies for her family, but when there are greater interests to seek, it doesn't matter even if she sacrifices.This is the characteristic of the times, and it is also the consensus of the aristocratic family. Gao Shilian will not fall out with Li Yuan because of his eldest grandson Wugou, and Li Yuan and Li Shimin will not doubt or ignore Gao Shilian because of his eldest grandson Wugou.

Otherwise, how could Gao Shilian be the governor of Padang?

He stood in front of a huge map, silently watching Jingzhou and Yizhou on the map. Small red flags had been posted on the Sui army's territory. At a glance, it was densely packed, giving people a sense of murderous intent.

His eyes skipped, and he returned to Badong County, and found that his living space was so small that there was only a poor Zigui County left, and the Tenth Army led by Li Jing was approaching the city, harassing him day and night; The unknown Sui army had cut off their retreat, and there was still a mighty fleet of warships in the river, which put them in a desperate situation.

From the perspective of this army that descended from the sky, Gao Shilian finally saw through Li Jing's strategic intention to attack Zigui County. , this second county cannot be won so easily.

Gao Shilian picked up a red flag and pasted it in Renfu County. It is estimated that the county government should be counted as lost.

If the Sui army had captured Renfu County, then the Tang army's massive counterattack by reinforcements would not be effective.

It is only because the Three Gorges Ancient Road has a two-way effect on Bashu and Jingzhou. Although it has blocked the throat of Jingzhou entering Bashu, it also trapped the Tang Dynasty based in Bashu in Bashu.Therefore, every time there is a war, Yiling, Zigui, Badong, Wushan, and Renfu on the Three Gorges Road must be garrisoned by heavy troops, but because of his negligence, there was a huge loophole in defense, which was exploited by the Sui army It's a big loophole, and he also knows that Renfu County's defense is too dangerous.Even if there were [-] soldiers, there was no terrain to set up a formation. On the east and west walls of Renfu County, only [-] soldiers could be deployed at a time, which would not do much damage to the tall and dangerous walls.

The anxiety and bitterness in Gao Shilian's heart is beyond words.However, he also knew that the main purpose of the Sui army's occupation of Badong County was not to be the turtle in the urn, but to occupy this strategic passage first and create good conditions for marching into the Chengdu Plain. It's just a disease of ringworm and scabies. Only by ensuring that Renfu County will not fall into the hands of the Tang army again, then the Sui army in the west will not move. The only way for the imperial court to deal with Badong now is to stand against Li Jing and Badong County. At the time of the Sui army, they captured the east gate of Chengdu Plain and Renfu County, and then from west to east, they killed Zigui County step by step.

But easier said than done?

After thinking about it, he wrote a letter and asked people to go west through the waterway to deliver the letter to the reinforcements commander Hou Junji.

……

Gao Shilian's worries were not superfluous. Hou Junji's army had been blocked in Renfu County for seven days. Renfu County was the west gate of the Three Gorges Road. On the fast-moving Yangtze River, Renfu County guards the only way to pass through the cliffs. The official road protruding from the land is only [-] steps wide, but the city walls are tall and majestic. It is a veritable dangerous pass. It is no exaggeration to say that one man should be in charge of the gate and ten thousand men should not be opened.

Dugu Yanyun led 20 soldiers to hold on to this formidable city. Seven days have passed. After more than 300 fierce siege and defense battles, the Sui army suffered less than [-] casualties. The moat to pass over.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The drums of the Tang Army rumbled once again on the ancient road of the Three Gorges. Hou Junji waved his saber and roared angrily, "Rush up to me, and I must take Renfu County back."

The more than 300-step-wide official road that is as wide as the city can only accommodate 2000 people to attack at the same time. This is also the place that Hou Junji hates and is most helpless. He has more than 2 soldiers, but he cannot take advantage of his strength. Every time they attack, the Sui army only needs a thousand people to easily take over their offensive.

Two thousand soldiers of the Tang army rushed up carrying the siege ladders like a tide. Their siege ladders were very improvised and crude.But what made Hou Junji even more worried was Gao Shilian's situation. After so many days, there was no movement there.If Gao Shilian's entire army is annihilated or surrendered to the Sui Dynasty, then the Sui army will continue to attack Renfu County. This is certainly not conducive to the army's march, and you can also retreat to build a military fort, but the problem is the Sui army's navy It is still possible to travel westward through the broad Yangtze River, making it impossible for the Tang army, which has no navy, to defend against it.

If so, then things are in trouble.

"If I can't attack the city, no one is allowed to come back for me. The second batch of crossbowmen will press on."

Hou Junji was also furious in his heart. He had killed more than 4000 soldiers in order to capture this county.

As more than 2000 soldiers rushed forward, arrows rained down from the city, and the Sui army's own arrows were almost exhausted after several days of continuous defense of the city. Enough arrows to defend against Tang Jun's attack.

The Sui army used soldiers arrows with extremely strong penetrating power. The arrows were thick and heavy. After being shot in a parabola, under the action of gravity, the penetrating power and lethality produced were extremely strong, and ordinary wooden shields could not reach them.

Round after round of soldier arrows were shot from the top of the city. At this moment, Dugu Yanyun saw that Tang Jun's arrow array was in place, and immediately shouted: "Avoid the arrows."

Sui soldiers hid under the battlements one after another.

At this time, more than 3000 Tang army archers shot arrows at the city.

The Sui army had experienced this tactic countless times, and they knew each other well. The Sui army had already hid behind the wall before. The Tang army's arrow rain did not cause any lethal effect, but for the attacking Tang army, it was an opportunity to attack the city.

A series of siege ladders were immediately put on the top of the city, and the soldiers climbed up like a colony of ants.

Going up and down the city was like an exercise, and they cooperated with each other very skillfully. When the Tang army was about to attack the city, the archery under the city stopped.At this moment, the Sui army hiding on the battlements appeared, and they fought back fiercely, smashing down the rolling logs and rocks like hailstones. The soldiers of the Tang army had nowhere to escape, and they fell down the city screaming.

The long weapons carried by the Sui army were war spears, but because the war spears were not long enough, the soldiers replaced them with spears from the Tang army, and picked the soldiers who were about to kill the top of the city to go down to the city.

The corpses under the city had filled the trenches, which was extremely bloody and cruel, but this was commonplace, and no one cared about it. Moreover, many soldiers of the Tang army fell on the corpses, but saved their lives.

After more than [-] fierce battles, the two sides have figured out the opponent's routines, and the casualties have been greatly reduced. The number of casualties of the Tang army in each siege has also been reduced from the initial hundreds to more than a hundred, while the Sui army's casualties are even greater. It was less than ten people.

The Tang army only had a dozen siege ladders, but each one was very heavy and difficult to cause damage. A dozen soldiers of the Sui army first supported one ladder with a long fork. This was a big iron fork specially made by the Sui army. It is two feet five feet long and weighs more than four hundred catties, requiring the combined efforts of a dozen or twenty soldiers to use it.

More than [-] Sui soldiers picked up the steel forks and pushed outward together. The siege ladder gradually left the city wall. Amidst the screams and screams, the siege ladder turned outward, and dozens of soldiers from the Tang army jumped down one after another. , The soldiers below were crushed down by the heavy ladder, causing heavy casualties.

Followed by the second, third...

In just half an hour or so, seven siege ladders were pushed down to the ground. These siege ladders were poorly made and fell to the ground and all broke.

Hou Junji shouted: "Take ten more siege ladders!"

"Report to the general, the siege ladder is gone."

Hou Junji was stunned for a moment, looked at Chengguan unwillingly, and said dejectedly, "Retreat."

'When, when, when! '

The bell for retreat sounded, and the soldiers of the Tang army withdrew like a tide. The battle lasted for an hour and a half, and they only suffered more than 170 casualties, while only nine of the Sui army were injured. They were all stabbed in the fierce fighting, and no one was injured. The arrows were wounded, and there were no soldiers killed in battle.

When the Tang army retreated, the Sui army on the city didn't even cheer, so they sat down and rested.

The front of the city is narrow, and the Sui army has sufficient troops, so fighting this kind of battle couldn't be easier.

Under the city, Hou Junji also saw Gao Shilian's messenger. The messenger came by water, found Hou Junji, and presented the letter to him.

Hou Junji opened the letter and read it. The letter was written by Gao Shilian, asking why they hadn't arrived in Daozigui County, which seriously delayed the fighter plane; and also hoped that he would open up the situation as soon as possible and re-open the communication in Badong.

The obvious reproach in his tone made Hou Junji hate and annoyed. Would he be willing to be trapped in Renfu County?If the people appointed by Gao Shilian were more vigilant, would such a fortified city fall?
Now that they are in big trouble, it seems that their reinforcements made a mistake. This responsibility is really good at shirking.

"Can you go back?"

"Yes, the humble position can be governed."

"It's good if you can go back." Hou Junji immediately wrote a letter, briefly explaining their situation, and asked Gao Shilian to attack Badong County from the east to support him, and attack the less dangerous Badong County from the east. Dong County is much easier than attacking Renfu County.

Based on what the messenger said, Hou Junji wrote an urgent report to Li Shimin, hoping that the court would send a batch of siege equipment as soon as possible so that they could get through the Three Gorges Road.

It is quite depressing to say that the Tang army originally had a geographical advantage. If the Sui army wanted to take a certain city on the Three Gorges Road, they would have to pay a heavy price, and they might not be able to take it down; A surprise soldier from the Sui Army suddenly came to this move, and the situation was completely reversed.

At this moment, Hou Junji asked, "How long can our food last?"

They marched lightly, and each of them only brought ten days of dry food. If there were no food in Nanpu County and Yun'an County, he could only withdraw his troops and return to Berkshire.

"Reporting to the general, you can still support it for about ten days."

"That's good." Hou Junji nodded, thinking of Gao Shilian's lesson again, and ordered: "Send the wounded soldiers to Yun'an County, and send two thousand soldiers to take over the defense of Yun'an County."

"Here!"

"By the way, let people go upstream to collect some ships, and all merchant ships and fishing boats will be requisitioned."

Hou Junji knew that whether it was to support Gao Shilian's food supplies or to withdraw Gao Shilian's army, all of them would require a large number of ships, which had to be prepared in advance.

"Here."

(End of this chapter)