I served as an admonisher in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 550: Chariot Vanguard Battalion! In this battle, a tragic victory is a defeat, and a great victory is a victory.

June 22nd, afternoon.

The commander of the Central Army, Fu Bi, the commander of the Western Army, Pang Ji, and the deputy commander, Liang Shi, led nearly 100,000 people to join the Eastern Army.

All combat-capable troops reached nearly 200,000, and there were more than 100,000 logistics soldiers in the rear.

Currently.

The two vanguard armies of the Eastern Army have successfully captured Ruzhou, Guizhou, Shunzhou and Jizhou.

The Song Dynasty was only one state away from taking over the entire Yanyun.

The Liao emperor, Yelu Hongji, personally came to Danzhou. In addition to 50,000 Pi Shi troops, 100,000 elite cavalry from various tribes, and about 50,000 infantry.

There is little difference in the military strength of the two sides.

If the Song Dynasty wins a great victory.

Not only could they obtain the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, but they could also march straight into the Khitan homeland. The severely damaged Liao Kingdom would inevitably retreat step by step, and its demise would only be a matter of time.

If the Liao Kingdom wins a great victory.

Even if the Song Dynasty can still keep the remaining fifteen states of Yanyun, it will lose the ability to attack Liao in a short period of time and will have to retreat or rest and wait for the opportunity. In addition, morale and fighting spirit will be severely affected.

This battle was very important to both Song and Liao countries.

……

June 25th, noon.

Above the East China Sea.

Hundreds of warships of the Song Dynasty were lined up densely, with flags covering the sky and sails fluttering.

The one-armed Cao Hu, the commander of the East China Sea Navy of the Song Dynasty, was wearing black armor and standing on the bow. After seeing the Japanese warships, he drew his sword and shouted, "All soldiers, listen to my orders and prepare to fire!"

The command flags were waving, making rustling sounds.

The artillery ships in the front all pointed their guns at the Japanese navy on the opposite side.

With the support of artillery, the Japanese navy had no power to fight at all.

not to mention--

Cao Hu had controlled 60% of the trade on the island of Dongying. The Dongying court was defeated and could not hold out for long, but there was nowhere to escape.

Destruction is only a matter of time.

Cao Hu, who often dealt with the Japanese, was well aware of their cunning.

No negotiations, no delays, but to capture the entire island of Japan in one fell swoop.

Su Liang once talked to him about how, although the people of this island nation were united, their development was abnormal. Conquering the island of Japan was only the first step. The important thing was to transform them with the ideology and culture of the Song Dynasty.

in the future.

Cao Hu will take root in the island of Dongying for a long time and become the true king of the island of Dongying.

boom! boom! boom!
Cannons were fired, waves rose, Japanese warships swayed, and some Japanese soldiers fell into the sea.

Whoosh!Whoosh!Whoosh!
Immediately afterwards, there were waves of bows and crossbows shooting.

Naval warfare is mostly long-range attacks.

The Song Dynasty's East China Sea navy was well prepared, with a complete range of artillery and bows and crossbows. Even much of the wood used to make the bows and crossbows was bought from Japan.

The Japanese soldiers knew they could not win, but they had to charge forward.

Because behind them is their island, once the Song army reaches the island, they will be even more passive.

this moment.

The Liao navy was unable to come to the rescue of Japan because they were already busy with their own affairs.

What the King of Japan regretted most was offending the Song Dynasty and falling into the arms of the Liao Kingdom. If he were as smart as Dali and Jiaozhi, he could at least have a good ending.

Unfortunately, no if.

If you stand on the wrong side, you will have to pay the price for your choice.

Swish!
The flag waved again.

The Song Dynasty's warships continued to press forward.

The mission objectives assigned by the imperial court to Cao Hu were: to land on Dongying Island before June 30th, and then to capture the entire Dongying Island within 20 days, thus completely ending the East China Sea naval battle.

Thus.

The Song Dynasty could also form a new army to destroy the Liao Dynasty from the direction of Goryeo Island and invade the Khitan territory.

……

The first day of July.

The weather is a little cooler.

Since the battles of Youzhou and Yunzhou, the soldiers of the Song Dynasty had been either resting or traveling, just in time to get through the hottest period of the year.

now.

All the Song troops had set up camp on a hillside near the water less than a hundred miles away from Danzhou.

The Liao army knew that its advantage lay in its cavalry, so they did not hide in Danzhou.

Instead, they set up camp in front of the city.

They dug many trenches, set traps, and cut many roads.

They focus on defense.

But once the Song army falls into a disadvantage, they will inevitably pursue the victory.

A battle involving more than 400,000 people naturally cannot be fought in one battle or completed in a few days.

It is necessary to deploy troops, compete with wits and courage, in order to determine the winner.

at this time.

In the central army camp of the Song Dynasty.

Zhao Zhen, Fu Bi, Han Qi, Pang Ji, Liang Shi and Su Liang gathered together.

How to fight this battle is entirely decided by these people.

Pang Ji was the first to speak: "This time, Yelu Hongji personally supervised the battle and sent 50,000 Pishi troops. It is obvious that he wants to fight us to decide the outcome. According to the strength of the Liao people, they are currently unable to recapture Yanyun. They are only trying to protect the Khitan homeland."

"We must win this battle with a big victory, not a miserable one. If we win miserably or both sides lose, we will not be able to attack the Khitan homeland again!"

"We can't lose! If we lose the war, Liao will definitely seek peace with us. We will be in a very passive position at that time. If we still want to fight, the cost will definitely double, which will far exceed the budget of the three departments and affect the national economy and people's livelihood!"

Everyone nodded in approval.

The Liao Kingdom could accept a fight with the Song Dynasty in which both sides suffered losses.

Because both sides suffered heavy losses, they had to negotiate peace. The Liao homeland was safe and the Liao court could continue to accumulate strength.

If the Song Dynasty suffered heavy losses and had no strength to fight again, it would almost mean that its plan to destroy Liao had failed.

Fu Bi continued, "At present, among the 200,000 Liao soldiers stationed in Danzhou, the 50,000 Pi Shi troops are the strongest, followed by the 100,000 coalition troops from various tribes, and finally their infantry."

"The Liao people are eager to win. If we fight them in the suburbs, Yelu Hongji will definitely send out the Pishi Army to fight. As long as we can defeat the Pishi Army, we will have won half the battle."

Liang Shi said: "Our 50,000 Northwest Imperial Army, or the Upper Four Armies and the Dragon Feather Army, are not afraid of the Liao Kingdom's Pi Shi Army at all. They can be the vanguard and fight against them!"

Hear this.

Han Qi immediately added: "The Hebei Imperial Army is very familiar with the characteristics of the Liao Army and can also charge as a vanguard."

now.

In Han Qi's eyes, the Hebei Imperial Guards were no weaker than the Northwestern Imperial Guards or the top four armies of the Kaifeng Imperial Guards. In addition, they were more familiar with the enemy's characteristics and were more suitable to serve as vanguards.

At this time.

Su Liang smiled and said, "Everyone, what we are discussing now is not whether to use the Northwest Imperial Army, the Upper Four Armies, or the Hebei Imperial Army as the vanguard. I believe that any of the three armies can win, but what we are pursuing is a big victory with the lowest casualties. In other words, what we are discussing now should be to formulate a strategy that can comprehensively suppress the Liao Kingdom's Pi Shi Army."

"What Su Qing said makes sense. Do you have any good ideas?" Zhao Zhen looked around. After hearing this, everyone thought about it for a while and then started to speak.

"I believe that we can defeat cavalry with cavalry and defeat speed with speed. Our cavalry is no weaker than the Liao army, and our morale and fighting spirit are much higher than the Liao army. With the help of the Dragon Feather Army and the firearms soldiers, we will surely win a great victory!"

"I think we should play to our strengths and avoid our weaknesses, using firearms to defeat cavalry. Firearms are our greatest advantage over Liao. We should first use firearms to attack from a distance, then attack them from a circumference, and then engage them in close combat..."

"I don't agree. I think that with the addition of firearms, we can defeat cavalry with infantry. Our infantry's ability to work together is far superior to Liao's..."

……

After the ministers had expressed their ideas, they began to argue the advantages of their own propositions and the disadvantages of others' propositions.

For a moment, saliva was flying.

It seemed as if we had returned to the scene where the censors once performed together in the Chuigong Hall.

Su Liang listened to everyone's strategies, but he was not satisfied with any of them. However, he could not think of a suitable plan at the moment.

A quarter of an hour later.

Zhao Zhen coughed dryly a few times, and the tent suddenly became quiet.

"What you all said is correct. However, I feel that whether we use cavalry to defeat cavalry or infantry to defeat cavalry, we do not have an absolute overwhelming advantage."

"As for firearms, it's not that we can't use them, but we can't use too many. Good steel should be used on the blade. We also need to use firearms to attack the city. If we consume too many in the field battle, our casualties will be very high later. And once in close combat, firearms are not ideal for killing the enemy."

"In addition, I know something about the Liao cavalry. Yelu Hongji is a thoughtful person and is definitely not a tyrant. It's just that he inherited the mess of the Liao Kingdom. After the battles in Youzhou and Yunzhou, he knows us better. He should have anticipated these tactics and strategies and has countermeasures. My lords, do you have any new tactics that have not been used yet that can completely restrain the Liao cavalry and catch them off guard?"

After hearing this, everyone started to think seriously.

Lean slightly.

Pang Ji, with his white hair and beard, said, "Sir, how about using chariots to control cavalry?"

"As the saying goes: Chariots beat cavalry, and cavalry beats infantry. In the early years of the founding of the country, we used chariots to restrain cavalry. When they were moving, they formed a camp, and when they were stationary, they formed a formation. They could be opened or closed, and could attack or defend. The effect was quite good. If we use the chariot formation as the vanguard, with archers and firearms soldiers built into the chariots, light cavalry as assistance, and heavy cavalry constantly charging, we have the hope of inflicting heavy damage on the Liao army."

"Using chariots to control cavalry? Although chariots are not as flexible as cavalry and infantry, and they also need to adapt to the terrain, they are suitable for the current battle." Zhao Zhen analyzed seriously.

At this moment, the Song army was mainly attacking and the Liao army was mainly defending.

The Song Dynasty's goal was to advance to the gate of Danzhou city, and this area was relatively open.

The tank has great destructive power and can be used as a weapon on the battlefield.

At this time, Fu Bi frowned slightly and said, "Sir, although the chariot is a powerful weapon, if we really want to retreat quickly, I'm afraid... Back then, Emperor Taizong... he..."

Fu Bi wanted to say something but stopped.

The story of Emperor Taizong's donkey cart drifting will still be remembered by people a hundred or a thousand years from now.

If he had a horse, he wouldn't be in such a mess.

The tank's attack power is indeed strong.

But if the Song army was forced to retreat, the chariots and the people on them would probably be captured.

At this moment, Su Liang's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Your Majesty, I remember something. Two years ago, when I was in the northwest, a general from the northwest invented a giant chariot called the Double-axle Star Crossbow Chariot."

"This chariot has several wooden shields and more than ten large spears. There are vines hanging on both sides to protect against bows and crossbows. It is pushed by four horses or eight people. It can accommodate up to fifty people. If it is a city with feet, it will not be afraid of cavalry attacks or arrow attacks. It can even be equipped with cannons and crossbows that can shoot hundreds of steps."

"If we build a thousand chariots like this and train them for a few days, I think we can definitely catch the Liao cavalry off guard. As for the drawback of slow retreat, I think it can be ignored. Our goal in this battle is to charge forward. The best defense is offense. If we are beaten back by the Liao army, it is not because our Song army is incompetent, but because the emperor and we are incompetent. It is impossible for us to be beaten back by the Liao army!"

Su Liang looked confident.

"The best defense is offense. I think we must have the will to fight to the end and burn our boats to achieve a great victory. Even if there are risks, we should try!"

Zhao Zhen's words immediately boosted everyone's fighting spirit.

If you want to win big, you must take an unusual path.

There is no such thing as a strategy that is both offensive and defensive in a war; a good strategy is one that can win.

"I have no objection!"

"I have no objection!"

"I have no objection!"

……

All the ministers bowed at the same time, expressing their confidence in the strategy of "using chariots to control cavalry".

"Okay!" Zhao Zhen stood up.

"Su Qing, send a letter to the northwest immediately and get the production drawings of the Double-axle Star Crossbow Chariot."

"Mr. Pang, Mr. Liang, you two will be responsible for supervising the construction of these chariots. You must complete the construction of one thousand chariots and all the equipment on the chariots within twenty days after receiving the blueprints."

"Mr. Fu, Mr. Han, you two will immediately select 6,000 soldiers to form a chariot vanguard battalion. Regardless of which army they are from, whoever is suitable for the configuration of the chariots will be selected. The selection will be completed within three days, and then simulation training will be immediately carried out."

"Your Majesty, I obey your command!" All the ministers bowed their hands.

At present, there are more than 100,000 logistics soldiers in Yanyun, so it is not difficult to manufacture a thousand chariots within 20 days.

And simulation training is of paramount importance.

Only by cooperating tacitly can we create the greatest lethality.

It takes a month of preparation before the war starts. During this time, the Song Dynasty's logistical support can still be supplied. If it takes longer, there will be problems.

After all, the eating, drinking, defecating and urinating of hundreds of thousands of people consumes a lot of energy.

at this time.

An eunuch walked quickly into the tent and shouted, "Sir, there is an urgent message from Prime Minister Di of the Northwest!"

Hear this.

Zhao Zhen, Su Liang and others all felt a tremor in their hearts.

If it was a matter concerning the northwest, Di Qing should write a letter to the city of Bian Jing and let the ministers of the Secretariat solve it; if it was not particularly urgent and related to the country, Di Qing would not send an urgent letter.

Everyone was very scared, afraid that at this critical juncture, something big would happen in the northwestern Xixia area.

Zhao Zhen opened the thick envelope with a serious expression, first opened a small piece of paper, and then a smile appeared on his face.

Su Liang and others looked at Zhao Zhen curiously.

Followed by.

Zhao Zhen opened the large stack of folded papers again, and then burst into laughter.

"Di Qing, this is really timely rain."

All the ministers were very confused.

Zhao Zhen looked at the ministers, deliberately slowed down, and then said: "Di Qing knows that we are going to have a decisive battle with the Liao soldiers in Danzhou, and he also proposed the method of using chariots to control cavalry, and sent the production drawings of the double-axle star crossbow chariot!"

After that, Zhao Zhen handed the production drawing to Fu Bi, who was closest to him, and Fu Bi passed it around with the ministers.

Everyone looked at the drawings.

They all laughed out loud, and their laughter was very crisp.

Di Qing's move could at least bring the war forward by ten days.

This is equivalent to saving ten days of food for hundreds of thousands of troops.

This number is quite staggering.

How could you not be happy!

If Wang Yaochen, the Third Secretary, knew about this, he would definitely want to go to the northwest to find Di Qing and kiss him hard.

At this moment, everyone's confidence in defeating the Liao army increased by another 10%.

Zhao Zhen took a long breath and said, "My lords, from now on, each of you should do your job and get ready!"

"I obey your command!" All the ministers puffed out their chests, full of energy.

(End of this chapter)