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Chapter 415
Youzhou Governor's Mansion.

Ji Chuan was in trouble, and he rushed back from Hengshan County to participate in this military meeting.

Dou Jiande is coming in a menacing manner, and Hengshan County and Zhuo County may be the main direction of Dou Jiande's attack.Himekawa's opinion is of course crucial.

In the lobby, everyone sat separately, and Ji Chuan said eloquently, "Our army will compete with Dou Jiande in Hebei in autumn, and there will be three victories and three benefits."

"What are three victories?" Li Chongjiu asked.

"The land is advantageous, the cavalry is victorious, and Qiu is victorious." Everyone nodded after hearing this, and what Ji Chuan said was Li Chongjiu's advantage.Li Chongjiu has Yanyun Tiandan in his hands. This is a favorable location. Youzhou has grassland cavalry to help, but Dou Jiande has a shortage of cavalry. The cavalry galloped.

Everyone is familiar with this.

"Then what is Sanli?"

Ji Chuan glanced at the crowd, and said: "Three benefits, early battles are beneficial to late battles, decisive battles are beneficial to protracted wars, and late strikes are beneficial to preemptive strikes."

When Himekawa said that, everyone couldn't help but be puzzled.

Wen Yanbo asked: "Ji Langzhong, Bufan made it clear, I think everyone is puzzled."

Ji Chuan nodded, and said: "Among the three benefits, the first two benefits are relative to the general trend of the world. Li Tang now has one-third of the world, and he can't compete for the front before he occupies the whole of Hebei. If our army and The war in Dou Jiande continued into a protracted war, both sides suffered losses, and in the end, only Li and Tang fisherman could benefit."

Li Chongjiu nodded, and said: "These words are deeply in my heart." After hearing this, all the ministers suddenly felt that Ji Chuan's words were really golden and jade.
"Then is it beneficial to strike first when striking later?"

Ji Chuan said: "Dou Jiande has many generals and is far more powerful than our army. Our army is weak, and it is unrealistic to take the initiative to attack. We can only lure them to attack first, and our army will attack later. We can stick to Yanyun's danger. The army then harassed them with light cavalry and cut off their food supply. Although Dou Jiande's army is numerous, if the esophagus is intercepted, the [-] troops will be nothing more than chickens and dogs, and they can win in one battle."

After Ji Chuan finished speaking, Xue Wanche, Wang Mahan and other generals stood up together and said, "Ji Langzhong is absolutely right."

Wang Gui, who joined the army in the recording room on the side, said: "At present, Dou Jiande is based on the three counties of Boling, Hejian, and Bohai, which are bordered by our three armies, Hengshan County, Shanggu County, and Zhuo County. Buyu is scattered in several counties, and now Dou Jiande is holding five fingers tightly and attacking me with one finger."

After Wang Gui finished speaking, a general here hurried up to the hall and first Li Chongjiu reported, "Report to Lord Shanggu about the military situation ahead. Dou Jiande stationed a large army in Gaoyang and dispatched Hebei grain and grass to station here. Right now, the army grain is constantly being transported. to."

Hearing the general's report, Wang Gui said: "Dou Jiande used his troops very prudently and steadily, and did not advance rashly. This is obviously a steady strategy."

Xue Wanche said: "From the map, Gaoyang is the place to stockpile grain. Whether it is Hengshan, Shanggu, or Zhuojun, they are all under the vanguard of Dou Jiande's troops. Moreover, the grain roads are not far away when we use troops to go to the three counties."

"Dou Jiande is not a planner. He also knows that a [-] army is going out, and the food road is the key, so he must deploy heavy troops."

"Since ancient times, the weak have defeated the strong by attacking with fire, defending and counterattacking, and breaking the enemy's food path. Dou Jiande is not Yuan Benchu. It will be difficult to fight again at Guandu."

There was a lot of discussion.

But everyone also knew that Himekawa's strategy to lure the enemy to go deep might not be successful.

Ji Chuan said: "Dou Jiande's main attack direction is uncertain. Now our army has limited strength, so I don't know where to go for a decisive battle."

Now Li Chongjiu's army is being transferred from all sides to Ji County and is gathering, but the problem is that Dou Jiande is hoarding troops in Gaoyang, and the three counties of Youzhou are under his command.Now Dou Jiande is still storing water and building dams, stationing the main force in Gaoyang, preparing for a thunderous blow, but if Li Chongjiu wants to defeat Dou Jiande, he must intercept his main force and confront him head-on.

"Which county is the closest to Gaoyang?" Li Chongjiu asked.

"Reporting to Lord Shanggu, it is Suicheng County in Shanggu County."
Suicheng County, Shanggu County.

On the city wall, soldiers patrolled back and forth with torches in their hands.

"See the magistrate!"

In the dark night, a man with a three-strand beard walked up to the city wall, and the soldiers saluted one after another.

The county magistrate nodded and continued walking, inspecting various places.

The master behind him said: "Ming Gong, the three hundred newly recruited soldiers from the countryside have been trained very well by Lieutenant Liu. You can see that the morale of the soldiers is very high."

The county magistrate nodded, but there was serious worry on his face.

At the beginning of the war in Shanggu County, the population was less than half. After Li Chongjiu took over Shanggu County, Suicheng County was abolished because of insufficient households, and it was merged into Yi County.Until last year, the situation in Shanggu County improved, and the six counties of Shanggu were restored again. He was then appointed as the county magistrate of Suicheng County to manage the small county of two thousand households.

Unexpectedly, less than a year after he took office, news of Dou Jiande's attack came.Suicheng County is a border county. There are less than 200 arrests, archers, and rural soldiers in the city. Even if the 300 people recruited temporarily are added, how useful are they in such a war of overwhelming the country?I can only pray that Dou Jiande will not come to attack Suicheng.

"See Mingfu."

While speaking, a general in leather armor stepped forward to pay homage.

The other party was training the country soldiers for him, the county captain of this county.This Zhao County Captain has always had some skills. He has been a headhunter in Yi County for more than 30 years, and has arrested hundreds of Jiangyang robbers.

Seeing the other party, the county magistrate felt relieved and said, "Is there any movement in the south?"

Zhao Xianwei said in a deep voice: "Reporting to the county magistrate, I will be blunt. The rumors are not right these few days. I originally hired two horse dealers who traveled all over the country to go to the south to inquire about the news, but in the past five or six days, one of them has not heard. hear from them."

The county magistrate's expression changed slightly, and he asked, "Could it be that they were caught by mistake?"

County Captain Zhao said with a smile: "Mingfu is too worried, they are fine people, how could they be arrested, besides, I only asked them to bring a message, and did not do anything else."

"Then tell me why he hasn't heard from him."

County Captain Zhao frowned and said, "The only possibility is that the way to the south has been blocked. So you see, since Dou Jiande raised his troops, there are only merchants going south, and no returning north."

Seeing that the magistrate's face was pale, Captain Zhao said: "You don't have to worry about the Ming government. It's normal for there to be a big war and to block news. Dou Jiande may not come to attack us. If he really comes to attack us with all his strength, then We can't hide, we can't hold it anyway, so there is nothing to worry about."

The county magistrate sighed and said: "You put it lightly. As the county's parent official, I have the responsibility to guard the soil. If the situation comes to an end... Hey, what do you say? Did not come with me."

At dawn the next day, the county magistrate stayed up all night, and was about to close his eyes in the tower, but at this moment the soldiers came to report, "Mingfu, enemy troops have appeared outside the city!"

The county magistrate was taken aback, and ran outside the city to have a look, but saw County Captain Zhao standing on the top of the city.

"How is it that Dou Jiande came in person?"

Zhao County Wei thought, the county magistrate was afraid of being confused, how could Dou Jiande personally attack this small town.County Captain Zhao pointed to the big flag with the word 'Chen' fluttering outside the city, and said: "Mingfu, it's not Dou Jiande, it's a general surnamed Chen."

Just as the county magistrate was waiting to speak, a general in front of the Xia army came to the city and said, "I am Chen Hui, the vanguard general of the Xia army. Surrender quickly, otherwise, after the city is broken, no one will be left behind."

The county magistrate suddenly changed his expression and said: "Even the vanguard general, our small town can't resist it."

County Captain Zhao said with a sneer: "I heard that Xia Jun's vanguard general is Gao Shixing, this mere nameless man surnamed Chen dares to impersonate his name. He must be here to deceive me."

"Wait a minute, we are only five hundred township soldiers, how can we resist even if we are the vanguard of the Xia army?" The county magistrate couldn't help but panic.

Zhao Xianwei said: "Don't worry, the Ming government, we have a convenient location to defend the city. I guess the front of Suicheng is definitely not where Dou Jiande's vanguard is located, otherwise there would not be such a small number of people."

The county magistrate breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Forget it, I'll leave everything to you, and I'll go back to the county government office."
"promise."

After the county magistrate left, Zhao Xianwei said: "Bang the drum! If the enemy approaches, shoot arrows!"

Youzhou Governor's Mansion.

Li Chongjiu, Ji Chuan, Wang Gui, and Wen Yanbo are discussing matters.

At this time, a general came in and said: "Jibao, Shanggu County, Hengshan County, and Zhuojun County appeared at the same time, and Xia soldiers and horses attacked the city. Liu Shu, the county magistrate of Jiumen County, Hengshan County, and the county lieutenant, offered the city to surrender the Xia army."

Everyone was stunned when they heard the words. There is nothing lost in Jiumen County. The main force of Li Chongjiu's army is concentrated in the hinterland. The border counties are all garrisoned by rural soldiers. It is necessary for the low and old county town and the untrained rural soldiers to be able to resist Dou Jiande. The elite soldiers, this is a fool's dream.

Li Chongjiu won't fight for a city or a place when he uses troops, but the problem is that now he must figure out the direction of Dou Jiande's main attack, and then seek a decisive battle.It would be too embarrassing if the surrounding counties fell one after another before Dou Jiande's main force was mobilized.

Wen Yanbo heard the words and said: "Where Dou Jiande has such ample troops, he actually attacked Shanggu, Mount Heng, and Zhuojun at the same time."

Wang Gui said: "I think it's Dou Jiande's suspicious strategy. Among the three ways, there must be one way, which is the main direction of Xia Jun's attack. From the perspective of humble positions, among the three counties, Shanggu County is the most important. If Dou Jiande breaks through Shanggu County, then The connection between Zhuo County, Hengshan and Taiyuan will be cut off."
"No, Hengshan County is in danger of Taihang, but it is the roof of the secluded merger. If you seize this place, you can go west to Taiyuan, and Dou Jiande may also go here." Ji Chuan objected.

"Then why didn't Dou Jiande directly attack Zhuojun and seek a decisive battle with the main force of our army?" Wen Yanbo asked.

"It's difficult, because Hengshan County is on the side. If Dou Jiande's main force goes northward, our army can go eastward from Hengshan County at any time to harass Dou Jiande's grain road. If Dou Jiande's main force attacks Zhuojun County, then it is really a bad idea."

"That's not necessarily the case. If Dou Jiande planned to attack Shanggu County from the beginning, then when our main force goes west to reinforce Shanggu County, it will be the time to send troops to Zhuo County to attack our army's hinterland." Li Chongjiu said in a deep voice.

(End of this chapter)