Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 505: Tiger Stealth
Cicada! Cicada! Cicada!

During the summer days, the sun is so strong that it is unbearable.

People who have to work outside are always accompanied by sweat and heat, and the suffering they experience is beyond words.

In the woods north of Lihu County, the northernmost county of Caozhou, a Tang army was hiding, taking off their armor and enjoying the coolness in the shade of the trees.

However, even under the tree, the heat was unbearable.

People can still bear the heat, but horses are sweating all over and are listless. The soldiers who are cooling off in the woods have to take care of the horses and lead them to the river to cool down.

It's really a headache to treat horses like fathers when it's hot.

"General, it seems meaningless for us men to stand here in the scorching sun, right?"

He Changqi, who had already taken off his armor, complained to Fang Chongyong, who was wearing a fu hat and fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan.

The governor's face was also covered with beads of sweat, and he did not live a life of luxury.

In He Changqi's opinion, this really made everyone unhappy and it was meaningless.

“Before the bloody battle with Huangfu Weiming, let the brothers clear their muscles and bones first.

We lived too comfortably in Bianzhou before, and I'm afraid that they will forget about us steel men, how we braved the scorching sun and yellow sand, couldn't find water for three days, and still marched quickly.

A team that can't endure hardship can't fight tough battles. What do you have to complain about? What do they have to complain about? "

Fang Chongyong glared at He Changqi and asked back.

He Lao Hu immediately didn't dare to talk back, and retreated angrily, ready to teach a lesson to the soldier who had complained to him before.

However, He Changqi did not have to wait long. Soon, a rider came galloping towards him from a distance. It was undoubtedly Che Guangqian.

At this moment, he was dressed like a fisherman, with a gray short robe that exposed his calves, a sunshade hat on his head, a small fish basket on his back, and even no sword.

It was not uncommon for Che Guangqian to be mistaken for a fisherman when he was walking on the street in this outfit. If it wasn't necessary to ride a horse to deliver the message, he would have wished he didn't even bring a horse.

"What's the situation of the enemy troops on the other side of the canal?"

Seeing Che Guangqian dismounting and walking straight towards him, Fang Zhongyong asked straightforwardly, avoiding unnecessary inquiries about her well-being.

"General, something is not going well. There is a constant stream of ships on the Yongji Canal, transporting grain to Liyang and other places.

I think Huangfu Weiming's attack on Henan is a foregone conclusion, and he will start as soon as the Yellow River freezes over!"

Che Guangqian said this with a serious expression, and there was even a hint of barely perceptible panic in her tone.

"You mean, the enemy army is generous and has more food and fodder than we expected, right?"

Fang Zhongyong narrowed his eyes and rubbed his right hand with his left hand habitually, seeming to be thinking about something in his mind.

“Yes, it is.

There is one thing I have to say, Huangfu Weiming has capable people under his command, and the organization of grain transportation is in an orderly manner.

The Yongji Canal is not wide, but I have seen that the fleets are moving in an orderly manner. At the ferry crossings where several large granaries are located, there are civilians transporting and unloading grain, and they do not interfere with each other.

After unloading, they will leave without blocking the waterway. Organizing and dispatching these is not easy.

I estimate that after winter comes, the Hebei bandit army will launch a massive attack!"

Che Guangqian said worriedly.

This investigation confirmed one thing: Huangfu Weiming's previous attempt to send people to show goodwill was most likely a trick to paralyze the Xuanwu Army.

The "other shoe" that was hanging in the air finally fell.

Why do you say that?
Because if Huangfu Weiming's target was only Luoyang, they did not need to set up granaries along the canal, nor did they need to store grain in so many places.

Whether attacking Luoyang from the direction of Hulao Pass or attacking Luoyang from Hedong via Chen Pass, the granaries on the other side of the canal such as Weizhou and Bozhou were of no use.

On the contrary, in order to ensure that more than 100,000 troops from Hebei could move south to Henan, logistics supplies were arranged at multiple points and dispatched back and forth along the canal. Not only was it not easy to be destroyed by the enemy, but fewer troops could protect the food route.

It is also very flexible when it comes to supply, and can fine-tune food delivery routes based on changes on the battle front.

So now the situation is very clear, Huangfu Weiming is planning to take over Bianzhou!
Many of Fang Chongyong's generals originally had a glimmer of hope in their hearts, but now that hope has been shattered along with Che Guangqian's intelligence.

"The old thief Huangfu is indeed vicious."

Fang Zhongyong snorted coldly. This could be considered good news amidst the bad news.

At the very least, we know the opponent's strategic objectives.

Seeing Che Guangqian hesitate to speak, Fang Zhongyong waved his hand and said, "Just say it if you have anything to say."

"General Jie, there is one more thing.

I have observed the canal ferry crossings in Xiangzhou, Weizhou, Bozhou and other places, and found that there were garrisons patrolling and checking, and the guarding was very strict.

I'm afraid that the Hebei bandit army is also monitoring our army's movements. They are not making any movement because we haven't crossed the river.

If we cross the river directly from Puzhou to the north now, it will be difficult to achieve the purpose of the surprise attack."

Che Guangqian said with an embarrassed look.

This kind of news would definitely make Fang Zhongyong unhappy. But on the battlefield, facts are facts. The enemy is not a fool, and they must not be treated as fools.

Since Huangfu Weiming was prepared, he couldn't pretend that the other party was unprepared.

Even if this will make the commander unhappy!
“Huh, that’s to be expected.

If they don't have this kind of precaution, then the Hebei bandit army is not worthy of causing trouble in the Tang Dynasty."

Fang Chongyong snorted calmly. Although he was extremely anxious, he could not show it on the outside, lest his subordinates think that he was also anxious.

A military commander must be able to stay calm, even if he has to pretend!
"He Lao Hu, bring me the map!"

Fang Chongyong gave a loud order, and He Changqi quickly spread out the map he carried with him on the march on a dry ground.

Although this kind of map is not as detailed as the one hanging on the wall of the lobby of the Jiedushi's office, it is easy to draw, carry and mark.

It is a common consumable in the military.

Fang Chongyong looked at the map carefully and frowned slightly.

From their current location, if they continue to go north, they will reach the border of Puzhou, and on the other side of the Yellow River will be the border of Xiangzhou.

Go north to attack Neihuang, and go northwest to attack Liyang. These two grain storage strongholds are both at the southwest end of the Yongji Canal, which is also the starting point.

The Hebei rebels concentrated their forces here, with tight defense, and were close to Yecheng, right under Huangfu Weiming's nose.

If Fang Zhongyong rashly led his troops across the river and raided these two grain storage locations, it would be difficult to achieve the goal of mobilizing the enemy and annihilating them in the movement.

On the contrary, it is very likely that they would be discovered by the scouts of the Hebei rebels as soon as they crossed the Yellow River, and then besieged and beaten by the Hebei rebels with abundant manpower!

It seems that the place to launch the attack cannot be Caozhou, but we must go east, towards Qingxu, and towards the seaside!

Make a roundabout attack by attacking the weak link in the rebels' defense in Hebei.

"It seems that if we don't take action against Li Lin, it will be difficult to paralyze Huangfu Weiming."

Fang Chongyong raised his chin and murmured to himself.

Only when the army penetrates deep into the area controlled by Prince Yong will Huangfu Weiming relax his vigilance.

However, the Yongji Canal is not a canal parallel to the Yellow River. Instead, the further east it goes, the more it shifts northward and further away from the Yellow River!
In other words, Fang Chongyong would need to cross the Yellow River, then quickly move northward for a distance, and finally fight at an important stronghold on the canal.

The enemy's forces there are indeed empty, and the enemy's vigilance will be reduced, but the attack route will also become longer. There are pros and cons, and it is really difficult to choose!
How to choose?

Fang Chongyong fell into hesitation.

The so-called choice is to "choose the lesser of two evils". No matter what you choose, there will be disadvantages, otherwise it is not called a choice.

"General, should we set up camp in Puzhou? When I passed by Puzhou, I found that many people fled to Daye Marsh. They are still living in Puzhou, but the government is not functioning anymore."

Che Guangqian added.

"Ohnosawa?"

Che Guangqian’s words reminded Fang Zhongyong of something.

He hurriedly checked on the map and found that the place was not marked, but it was on the detailed map in the lobby of the Xuanwu Army Jiedushi Yamen, and Fang Chongyong even remembered it clearly!

Fang Chongyong remembered that both the Jishui River and the Wenshui River would pass through Liangshan and merge into the northeastern entrance of Daye Lake. The southwest exit of Daye Lake was Baigou, and Baigou would continue to flow westward through Bianzhou.

In other words, Bianzhou was connected to the cities along the Jishui River by a major waterway. Before Hebei rebelled, it was a branch of the Henan Grand Canal, with frequent trade.

But now it is far worse than it used to be.

In other words, grain and fodder could be transported by water, starting from Bianzhou, passing Liangshan, and following the Jishui River to the territory controlled by Yongwang Li Lin.

A logistics base was built there near the bank of the Yellow River to support grain transportation by water.

This will greatly improve logistics supply capabilities and greatly shorten the distance of land grain transportation by water.

Seems like there's a lot of potential!

After scanning all the important strongholds on the map, Fang Chongyong found that the most suitable place was Lu County, Jeju!
His eyes were fixed on the map, almost spitting fire!
Although Liangshan is not marked here, Lu County is clearly marked. Starting from Lu County and heading north, you can attack Qinghe, Beizhou, the main logistics base of the Hebei rebels!

Now there is only one problem left: if these are achieved, either Lu County must be conquered, or a deal must be made with Li Lin PY to allow Li Lin's army to ensure the safety of the logistics channel.

Fang Chongyong couldn't help but sigh.

He had already put pressure on Yong Wang Li Lin to paralyze Huangfu Weiming. He was even about to send troops to Li Lin's jurisdiction to put on a show for Huangfu Weiming to see.

How can I talk to Prince Yong Li Lin if he behaves like this?

If that really happened, he would feel like a scumbag.

Fang Chongyong fell into deep thought and finally came up with a "good plan", but was unable to carry it out due to various reasons. It was really a pity.

"Marshal Jie, have you come up with any solution?"

Che Guangqian, who was standing by, saw Fang Zhongyong's expression change several times, as if he was worried about something, so she lowered her voice and asked.

Fang Zhongyong nodded slightly and said:

“If we can capture Lu County in Jeju, we can transport our grain by water, and we won’t have to worry about advancing or retreating.

But Lu County is controlled by Yong Wang Li Lin, and we have disgusted Yong Wang recently. How can he cooperate with us? If he does not cooperate, we will have to send troops to attack Lu County, cross the river and fight Huangfu Weiming afterwards, and we will also have to worry about Li Lin stabbing us in the back.

The hardships involved are really... hard to describe in words."

Fang Zhongyong sighed and felt that there was no good solution.

Che Guangqian looked at the map, gestured, and couldn't help but applaud:

"This is a great plan. Crossing the river from Lu County will keep us away from the Yongji Canal in Hebei and the areas that the Hebei bandit army is currently patrolling closely. We don't have to worry about the food supply and retreat routes. This is enough to achieve a secret attack and a tiger's heart-wrenching momentum!

If this can be accomplished, this battle will be almost halfway to success!"

Soon, the excitement on Che Guangqian's face faded again.

No matter how ingenious this method is, it will not work if the relationship with Yongwang Li Lin is not handled properly.

To some extent, Li Lin even needed to provide cover.

This kind of relationship is a political relationship between two forces, not a personal relationship, so it is particularly difficult to handle.

As for the "quiet" departure from Lu County, that situation only exists in imagination. The Silver Spear Filial Piety Army dispatched 3,000 people this time, hoping to cross the river in Lu County quietly without being discovered by Yongwang Li Lin.

All I can say is that dreams contain everything, so just think about it.

"General Jie, if we can't coordinate with Prince Yong, we can only think of other ways."

Che Guangqian smiled bitterly.

Many times, life is so helpless. But a living person cannot be suffocated to death by urine. If the optimal solution is not possible, then we have to choose the suboptimal solution. It is impossible to hang oneself on a tree.

However, Fang Chongyong was still unwilling to give up.

He also called Wang Nande, Duan Xueshi and others to discuss the marching route, and almost everyone had the same idea as Che Guangqian.

The plan was indeed good, but it just fell short of the mark.

However, as long as Yongwang Li Lin can be convinced, this trick can be easily achieved.

"General Jie, how about we quickly capture Lu County and send troops to garrison there?"

He Changqi couldn't help but make a suggestion.

Fang Zhongyong shook his head and said:
"As long as we capture cities and territories, we will soon attract the attention of Huangfu Weiming. He knows that we have occupied Lu County, so he will definitely be able to follow the clues and guess that we are going to cross the river.

Since he has guessed our next move, isn't this a failure?"

"General Jie, this won't work, and that won't work either. Do you want us to serve Prince Yong Li Lin as our leader?"

He Changqi couldn't help but complain.

Upon hearing this, all the generals were stunned.

It seems that it is not impossible!

Anyway, since everyone can serve the Crown Prince as their master now, what's wrong with serving Prince Yong as their master?
The generals under Fang Chongyong had also heard that Brother Ji was stationed in Jinzhou with his troops and could attack Chang'an at any time. By then, it would be unclear whether Li Heng was still the emperor, and he might even lose his life.

"Well, your suggestion is very... well, very imaginative."

Fang Chongyong gave a thumbs up in approval, but he had no intention of putting it into practice.

The main reason was that his previous words were too full of confidence, and he even publicly published a message asking Li Lin to send a congratulatory message to Li Heng.

If he sent someone to find Yongwang Li Lin now, it would be like he was arrogant at first and then respectful later, and his character would be ruined.

Fang Zhongyong can't afford to lose this person.

At this time, a personal soldier came forward and reported: "General, a man named Li Taibai wants to see you, saying that he is an old friend of yours."

Fang Chongyong was thinking about how to deal with Lu County, his mind was a mess!
Upon hearing this, he waved his hand gently and scolded casually: "What Li Taibai? This general only knows that the night is too dark. Send him away. Even the name he gave is so pretentious..."

Wait, Li Bai?

Li Bai!

Fang Zhongyong suddenly realized what was going on and hurriedly called out to his personal guard who had already turned around and left, "Quick, quick, quickly, let him come to see this commander. Forget it, take me there, right now! Lead the way!"

He straightened his clothes a little and followed his bodyguard.

Che Guangqian and others looked at each other, not knowing what Fang Zhongyong was up to.

(End of this chapter)