Tibet.

Chapter 1249 Strategic Trap
Wang Lun sent his personal soldiers to escort his brother Wang Wei away, and he then found Tian Chengsi.

Tian Chengsi was still worried in front of the sand table. He regretted sending his nephew to lead 30,000 troops to attack Li Ye's fleet. Those were his last 30,000 cavalry. Once the entire army was destroyed, it would be a fatal blow to him.

At this time, Wang Lun came to his side. Tian Chengsi pointed to the north with a wooden pole and sighed, "It seems that I really shouldn't give up Weizhou and retreat north. Further north is the barren saline-alkali land, and then it is where the Zhang River flows into the sea. We have no way to retreat at all."

Wang Lun said slowly: "Just now, I suddenly thought of a major strategic opportunity."

"What opportunity?" Tian Chengsi was excited and asked quickly.

Wang Lun pointed to the west with a wooden pole and said with a smile: "Your Highness, have you discovered? We are less than a hundred miles away from Li Baochen's Hejian County."

"So what?"

"Your Highness, we can use the excuse of uniting to resist the Tang Dynasty and march our army to Hejian County. We can directly annex Li Baochen's army and take Hejian County. We will have a broad strategic space. We can retreat to Mozhou and Yizhou to the north, retreat to Dingzhou and Hengzhou to the west, and even go through Jingxing to Taiyuan. Our retreat route will be widened all of a sudden."

Tian Chengsi's eyes lit up. This was a great idea. If he changed his way of thinking, the pattern would be broadened and he would have a broader scope.

At this moment, Tian Chengsi made a decision to send troops to Yingzhou, annex Li Baochen, and seize Hejian.

But Tian Chengsi hesitated again, "What about my food supplies?"

"Your Highness, we can use a boat to transport it. We can take the Zhang River to Wuqiang County, then turn to the Jiang River to the north to Hejian County. It's just a detour."

Tian Chengsi said happily: "Thanks to your reminder this time, otherwise I really would not have thought of going west."

Wang Lun added: "I have another suggestion!"

"you say!"

"I think Zhu Ci will definitely dissuade the Huihe army from staying in Youzhou temporarily, and let us fight to the death with the Tang army. This is his strategy of killing with a borrowed knife. Once we are destroyed, the Huihe army will defeat the Tang army, and Zhu Ci will be the one who laughs last."

Tian Chengsi nodded, "You're right, this bastard didn't allow me to enter Youzhou because he was afraid that I would seize his territory. Sooner or later, I will kill this fat pig with my own hands!"

"Your Highness, what I mean is that we cannot be so passive. We must take the initiative to find the Uighur Khan and persuade the Uighur army to put the overall situation first and attack the Tang army southward. We must do our best and not let Zhu Ci manipulate us."

Tian Chengsi pondered for a moment, "Then who do you think would be better to send?"

"I am willing to share your worries!"

"You go?" Tian Chengsi was a little hesitant. He still needed Wang Lun to be by his side to give him advice.

"Your Highness, this is my plan. Only I know how to persuade the Huihe people. No one else can do it. I will go and come back quickly and will not delay Your Highness's important matters!"

Tian Chengsi nodded, "Then go quickly and come back quickly. If it really doesn't work, forget it. Don't force it."

"I understand. I will set off tonight!"

That night, Wang Lun went to Youzhou under the escort of several hundred cavalrymen.

Tian Chengsi immediately ordered the army to move to Hejian County, and all food supplies were loaded back on board and transported to Hejian County in a roundabout way.

He did not need Li Baochen's consent. According to the alliance agreement, in times of crisis, they could join forces and fight against the Tang army together.

The 90,000-strong army set out at dawn the next day, of which 10,000 soldiers escorted the ships along the Zhang River south to Wuqiang County, Jizhou, and then went north from Wuqiang County along the Jiang River to Hejian County.

The straight-line distance between Changlu County and Hejian County was only eighty miles, but the fleet took a detour northward and the distance suddenly became nearly four hundred miles.

It was naturally Li Ye's arrangement to suggest that Tian Chengsi's army go to Hejian County. He calculated that Tian Chengsi could not transport food and supplies by land and could only do so by water. It just so happened that Tian Chengsi had more than a thousand ships. The fleet went south along the Zhang River, reached Wuqiang County, and then turned north. At that time, the fleet would be two hundred miles away from Tian Chengsi's army.

This was an open conspiracy. Once Tian Chengsi's food and supplies were intercepted, Tian Chengsi would have no choice but to fight to the death with Li Baochen.

There was no need for Wang Lun to notify them. As soon as Tian Shui led 30,000 cavalrymen to charge out, the scouts sent by Li Ye discovered them and immediately notified the fleet.

Of course, Wang Wei's further notification allowed Li Ye to determine the other party's target. They were indeed targeting the fleet. In the night, thousands of warships were quietly docked on the west bank of the Yongji Canal, and all flammable items had been put away.

Tian Yue's 30,000 cavalrymen were marching south along the east coast. Although Li Ye looked down on this cavalry, he would never dare to underestimate the enemy. After all, these 30,000 cavalrymen were all Hu people, including Li Zhengyi's 14,000 men and Tian Chengsi's 16,000 men. They were experienced in combat and were brave and strong. Li Ye had made up his mind to wipe out these 30,000 cavalrymen and never give them a chance to escape.

Ten miles away, thirty thousand cavalrymen appeared in the darkness. They did not take the official road, but galloped in the endless wilderness. This piece of land of tens of thousands of acres was originally a wheat field, but too many people died, so the wheat fields became barren and turned into weeds.

The iron hooves struck the ground, making a rumbling sound like thunder, and the earth was shaking.

There is a large forest ahead. According to the spies, the fleet anchored in the river can be seen beyond the forest, and the Tang army is stationed on the other side of the river.

Tian Yue was a decisive and ruthless general. He knew very well that the most fearful thing at this time was to be timid. He could either retreat or go all out and enjoy success or failure.

"Full speed ahead!"

Thirty thousand cavalrymen rushed into the woods like lightning. All of them were skilled riders and they galloped into the woods.

The cavalry moved through the woods like the wind and soon passed through a two-mile-wide forest. They saw boats on the river one after another, with no end in sight.

Unfortunately, they were all anchored on the west coast, so it was impossible to pour kerosene directly on the ship to set it on fire, but rockets could be used. This was also the arson weapon that Tian Yue had always wanted to use. Thirty thousand rockets were enough to burn everything.

Tian Yue shouted sharply: "Rocket shooting!"

At this time, the 30,000 cavalry had dispersed. Some of them were shooting on the spot, but most of the cavalry continued to gallop, looking for better prey.

On the river, rockets flew across the thirty-foot-wide river surface and shot towards the warships anchored on the opposite bank.

The warship looked quiet, but in fact 25,000 soldiers were lying in ambush inside the ship. They squatted under the side of the ship, and 5,000 of them were responsible for putting out the fire. When rockets hit the ship, they immediately put out the fire with wet blankets.

The other 20,000 people were holding crossbows and ready to fight. "Woo--" a long horn sounded.

Twenty thousand soldiers appeared together, raised their crossbows and shot at the cavalry on the opposite bank. The arrows were like a rainstorm. The enemy troops on the shore screamed in pain, and it was unknown how many people were hit by arrows.

There were also explosions accompanied by "Boom! Boom!" sounds, which were caused by explosive arrows hitting the enemy cavalry.

Tian Yue saw that the other party was prepared and shouted, "Pour the kerosene into the river!"

This was also one of their trump cards. Thousands of bags of kerosene were poured into the river and ignited by torches, turning the river into a sea of ​​fire.

But the Tang army was well prepared. They connected the felled trees one by one and fixed them on the river surface, forming a barrier. The kerosene could not float over, and the fire only burned in half of the river.

The 30,000 cavalrymen could not withstand the dense rain of arrows from 20,000 crossbows, and their casualties exceeded 30%.

At this moment, shouts of killing were heard in the distance. 50,000 Tang cavalrymen who were ambushed on the periphery came charging. The Wei Bo cavalry were in chaos, and they could not withstand the rain of arrows from the boats.

Tian Yue saw that the situation was not good and shouted, "Retreat! Retreat!"

"Woo--Woo--"

The retreat horn sounded, and less than 20,000 cavalrymen turned their horses and galloped north.

They ran into the woods, but unexpectedly the woods suddenly caught fire and instantly turned into a sea of ​​fire, with thick smoke billowing and fire spreading rapidly.

Thousands of cavalrymen were trapped in the woods, with people shouting and horses neighing, unable to move forward or backward, and were soon engulfed by the raging flames.

The six thousand cavalrymen who rushed out of the woods were intercepted head-on by the Tang army's heavy armored infantry, who blocked the way of thousands of cavalrymen like a human wall.

In the darkness, the Wei Bo cavalry could not see the enemy clearly. Six thousand cavalry drew their swords and rushed towards the heavy armored infantry, trying to break through the enemy.

But what greeted them was the brutal and ruthless killing by the heavy armored infantry.

(End of this chapter)