This prince, it doesn't matter if you don't do it!

Chapter 798 Volume The Frustrated General

"It's unrealistic to surround without attacking." Khibi Samana said, "We don't have much time to waste in Kushinagar. After all, we don't have much time.

If we delay too long in Kushinagar, the entire southern expedition will be delayed too long. Moreover, if India really finds out that this method of using Kushinagar can delay our southern expedition, we will be in trouble.

It’s not that we are alone in advancing deep into the enemy territory, the most critical thing is time.”

After he said this, Zhao Yan understood.

Time is what they need most at this moment, so Kushinagar cannot be delayed too long here.

On this point, the Khitans' concerns were justified.

"What does General Qibi plan to do?" Zhao Yan asked after realizing what was going on.

Upon hearing this, Qibi Shamen smiled and said, "This requires the cooperation of General Zhao and the Magistrate of Mangbo."

"Of course." Upon hearing this, Mangbo Jiesunbo immediately stood up and expressed his opinion. For him, this was not a big deal.

Zhao Yan did not hesitate and said, "Don't worry, General Qibi. If necessary, our Yuan Army can lead the charge.

Only 500,000 people, do you really think you can resist the Ming cavalry with just numbers?"

For Zhao Yan, he really didn't take hundreds of thousands of Kushinagas seriously. Although it would be difficult, the morale of the resentful army built up over the years would not allow them to be cowardly just because hundreds of thousands of people were blocking their way.

This is how soldiers are. Once morale is high, they must continue. No matter what the reason, cowardice is impossible.

"Of course I know the fighting power of the resentful army." Upon hearing this, Khiti Shaman said with a smile, "But a small Kushinagar doesn't need the resentful army to do this. Isn't this a waste of talent?

If you two can cooperate a little, Kushinagar will be nothing more than this!"

He was still very confident on this point. Ever since he discovered Kushinagar's current situation, he had a specific battle plan. However, as he said, it required the cooperation of Zhao Yan and Mangbo Jiesunbo.

After all, the Zhennan Army he led was definitely insufficient in terms of manpower. With the help of the Su Bi tribe and the resentful army led by Zhao Yan, he would be more confident.

"Then I wonder how General Qibi plans to attack the city?" Zhao Yan asked immediately.

He actually had no idea of ​​taking sides. For him, as long as Li Chengqian was still in that position, the only person he would be loyal to was Li Chengqian.

As for who will inherit the throne of the Ming Dynasty in the future, that is not his concern.

In this respect, he also imitated Li Jing.

Although he was just a small soldier in the Tang Dynasty, he actually experienced the changes in the Tang Dynasty. Among these changes, only Li Jing, a general who was always loyal to the imperial power, had a smooth journey to this day.

Therefore, on this point, he could not and dared not make any mistakes. After experiencing the changes in the early Tang Dynasty, he deeply agreed with the saying that serving the emperor is like serving a tiger.

Mangbo Jiesunbo also wanted to know the answer to his question, and he looked at the Khitan Shaman seriously.

"The method of breaking the city is actually not complicated." The Khiti Shaman did not hide it and explained after hearing it, "Although there are 500,000 people in Kushinagar now, it sounds like a lot of people, but in fact, there are only tens of thousands of warriors who can fight.

Of course, this general will not hide it from you. Among the remaining 400,000 people, at least more than 60% of the people are willing to live and die with Kushinagar. This is the news reported by the scouts in the city, and it should not be too different.

However, even if the remaining 400,000 or so of them are willing to live and die with Kushinagar, they will not pose a big threat to us.

In order to defend the city, the defenders of Kushinagar made the most thorough efforts to clear the city walls and the countryside. I believe you two have seen this.

Although his behavior caused us a lot of trouble.

But to be honest, this also makes Kushinagar an isolated city.

If time had not permitted, we would have simply surrounded Kushinagar without attacking and Kushinagar would have collapsed on its own.

But in the current situation, time does not allow, so we just need to create pressure on the people in the city, let them gradually panic, and make the defenders in the city slow to move, so as to force the defenders in the city to take the initiative to attack and break the city, it is not that complicated. "

"General Qibi means that we should surround the city but not attack, and cooperate with the scouts in the city to create panic among the people in the city?" Zhao Yan understood, but he was a little doubtful, and asked, "But if we surround the city but do not attack, even with the cooperation of the scouts in the city, can the people in the city really panic?

Even if they panic, since they are determined to live and die with the city, will they cause us more trouble then?"

He was considered a veteran who had fought on the battlefields of the Ming Dynasty for many years. He immediately saw the flaw in what Khibi Shaman said.

Upon hearing this, Qibi Shamen smiled and said, "General Zhao's words make sense, but General Zhao has overlooked the most fundamental issue, which is the needs of these people.

From their point of view, what they need most now is the confidence brought by the defenders.

And this confidence must be based on the premise that certain results are achieved in the city defense battle.

As long as we don't attack the city, the one who will be most anxious will not be us, but the general defending Kushinagar.

Because he was simply unable to meet the needs of the people in the city.

As for whether the people in the city would live and die with Kushinagar, it is actually not important at this time.

If no one leads them and they are just a group of scattered people, should we still be afraid?

"Five hundred thousand people may sound like a lot, but if there is no one to lead them, they can be wiped out in one battle!"

Zhao Yan thought for a while after hearing this and said, "It's not impossible, but there are many things that we cannot control. General Qibi should understand this, right?"

"Don't worry, General Zhao. Since I have this idea, I naturally have a plan to deal with it." Khibi Shamen was not angry.

Just as Zhao Yan was about to speak, Mangbo Jiesunbo took the lead and said, "Since the general has a plan to deal with it, then so be it. I just don't know how we should cooperate with him?"

"This is not difficult." Qibi Shamen immediately explained, "Even though the defenders in the city have suffered this defeat, they will definitely leave the city in order to build up the confidence of the people in the city.

If the number of invading enemies is not large, then two people are not needed. But if the number of invading enemies reaches tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands, then two people will be needed to help.

Of course, this is not because our Zhennan Army cannot defeat them, but we just want to defeat the invading enemy more efficiently and with less losses.

If they were just using the tactic of adding fuel to the fire, it wouldn't be long before the defenders in the city were almost exhausted. By then, would breaking the city still be a problem?

The worst outcome is that the defenders in the city and their civilians rush out together. This is the worst outcome.

Of course, this possibility is not high. After all, if they really rush out like this, they will be in trouble if they are surrounded by the city gate.

What the two of them really need to do is to secretly send an army to ambush outside the city gates of Kushinagar to prevent them from seeking reinforcements, and at the same time to guard against reinforcements from northern India coming to support them.

According to my estimation, it will take at most ten days to defeat Kushinagar."

After listening to him, Zhao Yan nodded and said no more.

After all, Qibi Shamen was the commander-in-chief of the southern expedition, and it would not be appropriate to go against him all the time. "Then do as the general says." Mangbo Jiesunbo said, "I will go back and divide the troops into several places. In two days at the latest, I will be able to meet the general's requirements."

As he spoke, Mangbo Jiesunbo looked at the geomancy map and said, "So, although the resentful army under General Zhao's command is the first army of our Ming Dynasty, it is still insufficient in terms of manpower. Although our Subi army cannot compare with the resentful army in terms of combat power.

But relatively speaking, we have an absolute advantage in numbers. In this case, my Su Bi tribe will divide its troops into three places. While stationing them here, we will also divide them into two places to guard the east and west directions. Do you think this is feasible?"

When they saw him pointing in two directions on the geomancy map, Zhao Yan and Qibi Shamen sneered in their hearts.
But we have to admit that Mangbo Jiesunbo, as the former king of Subi, is absolutely qualified.

Even at this time, he was still thinking about Subi, instead of sacrificing Subi's own interests to seek greater benefits for himself.

In this respect, Mangbo Jiesunbo can indeed be called the King of Subi.

Even though he chose two directions right away, to be honest, the most dangerous directions at the moment are the north and south of Kushinagar.

From this point of view, he really chose the two best positions.

“Then I will arrange for someone to go to this location after I return.” Zhao Yan didn’t care and said with a smile, “Don’t worry, you two, with our resentful army stationed here, not even a mosquito can get past our camp!”

……

At the same time, in Kushinagar, on the city wall.

The guard's forehead was furrowed at this moment.

He had just almost witnessed a major battle outside the city.

But he just couldn't figure it out. He had clearly sent people to investigate before, and they had paid a huge price for it.

Although he had doubts, after comprehensive consideration, he still tended to believe the information brought back by the spies.

After all, they have paid such a huge price, they shouldn't investigate false information.

But even so, they still suffered huge losses, which he had never expected.

"Did we fall into a trap?" After muttering to himself for a while, the guard shook his head and said helplessly, "But even if it is a conspiracy, it cannot be avoided."

As he spoke, he turned around and looked at the people on the top of the city who were spontaneously defending the city. He knew very well that the passion of these people was gradually fading.

What he was worried about and what the Khitan monk was expecting were actually not the same thing.

What Khibi Shaman expected was that the people would become disappointed with the defenders due to the pressure, thus forcing the defenders to take the initiative to go out of the city to fight, or even let the people leave the city voluntarily.

This actually does not exist, at least for Kushinagar, this is not a problem. On the contrary, what they are worried about is that if this continues for a long time, the morale of the people in the city will gradually be exhausted.

But if it is just for killing time, it actually won't be of much use to the Khitan monks.

After all, some morale can be restored no matter how much it is lost.

If the Khitan monks really dared to attack the city, the morale of the people in the city would inevitably burst out again.

"General, is the Ming Dynasty deliberately trying to wear down our forces?" The deputy general said, "From the previous battle situation, the Ming Dynasty was clearly well prepared. If that's the case, then before..."

Having said this, he stopped talking.

After all, it was the defending general who insisted on sending a large army out of the city to attack the camp, so he couldn't say anything.

Upon hearing this, the garrison commander nodded and said, "Based on the current situation, we have obviously fallen into a trap. It was I who was too abrupt before.

Although these guys from the Ming Dynasty are shameful, we have to admit that they are indeed brave warriors on the battlefield. "

The defending general had no intention of shirking responsibility for his mistake. Of course, he was also very clear that if he wanted to defend Kushinagar, he could not become disloyal to his subordinates and the people in the city at this stage.

At this time, their hope is to unite everything that can be united.

At this point, the general looked at the deputy general's reaction and continued, "But for us, this is not actually a conspiracy. At this time, even if we know where the fire pit is, we have to jump in!

This is where we are most helpless right now.

After all, there are more than 500,000 people in the city, watching us and waiting for our performance.

The loss of morale is far more despairing than a small-scale defeat.

This is the most urgent problem we need to solve right now.”

"Then can we organize the people in the city to go out and attack the camp?" The deputy general thought for a moment and said, "After all, the morale of the people in the city is still very high at this moment. At least at this time, we can still organize such an army."

The general shook his head when he heard this and said, "Look at our own garrison. It took only a moment for them to leave the city and they were reduced to this state. If we organize the people in the city to leave the city and attack the camp, what difference would that make to them committing suicide?
If there are heavy casualties at that time, what will the people in the city think?
In such a situation, if we don’t let our soldiers charge in the front and let the people die, then Kushinagar will not be able to defend itself.”

After saying this, the general shook his head. He knew very well what the consequences of doing so would be.

Upon hearing this, the deputy general remained silent for a long while.

He was also thinking about this question.

In fact, if it is a normal situation, it is not impossible to do so.

The worst that can happen is that you will be criticized by the people at home in the end.

But not Kushinagar.

If they want to defend Kushinagar, they cannot do without the people in the city.

How could they possibly stop the Ming cavalry with their limited military strength?
"This is the situation now. We can't retreat, and advancing is suicide." The general said helplessly, "But the people in the city are all looking at us.

Now, the best outcome is to force the Ming Dynasty to attack the city, but this is not up to us.

If they really don't attack the city, they will besiege us for less than a month and there will be riots in the city.

If this goes on for any longer, even our basic food supply will become a problem.

Why……"

He never thought that the most difficult part of this battle to defend the city was that the enemy didn't attack the city...

If this happened in a regular city defense battle, he would probably die of laughter.

But now both Northern India and Kushinagar need a big war to boost their morale and let the Ming Dynasty see their determination.