Prince of Song Dynasty

Chapter 807 Shark Takes the Bait
In fact, the last sentence of the argument is not wrong.

They guessed that Ye Chen used himself as a bait to lure their main force to attack Hekou County.

But I understand that it may be a bait, but this bait is too tempting. If they miss it, they will definitely regret it when they think about it in the days to come.

Yes definitely will regret it.Shi Fat could even be sure that even if Empress Dowager Xiao presided over the battle here today, she would attack Hekou County without hesitation.Because the bait is the entire Xiangfu Kingdom. Once Ye Chen dies or is captured alive, the resistance of the entire Xiangfu Kingdom or the Xiangfu Kingdom itself will immediately collapse.

...

...

Because of Ye Chen's reputation in the past, attacking Hekou County did require a certain amount of risk, but the rewards were too generous.It was so rich that Xiao Dage, Shi Fat and all the generals under them couldn't help but bet whether the hook behind the fat was sharp or not.

Whether this hook can hang the prey up or let the prey bite it off, this is the gamble between Ye Chen and them.

To gamble or not to gamble?
After exchanging opinions again, Xiao Dage and Shi Fat quickly made a decision.Hekou County is not a dragon pool and a tiger's lair, and Ye Chen is not really a god, so what if we attack Hekou County?As long as the back road of Daxia Pass is always in their hands.Even if the city of Hekou County cannot be breached within a few days, if the situation is not right, then take the looted things and retreat to the Daxia Pass, and then start negotiations with Xiangfu Kingdom, and hide in Zhenxi Fort and Zhenbei Fort The rebels were replaced.

...

...

The night is getting darker.

Hekou County Government Office is still brightly lit.

A series of urgent reports came from outside the city.

"What's the matter?" Tang Xingwu asked suspiciously when he saw Hu Sanguang's sudden silence.

Hu Sanguang turned his head back, with an ambiguous smile: "According to His Majesty, the guests have arrived... The fish really took the bait."

The main force of the Liao army moved very fast.

It can be said to be surprisingly fast.

Once a decision is made, action is taken without delay.

In the early morning, the first Liao cavalry, numbering a thousand, appeared on the horizon east of Hekou County.

Almost within an hour, looking outside Hekou County, there were already smoke and dust raised by Khitan cavalry galloping everywhere.

Overwhelming, full of mountains and plains, and other adjectives, one by one can be used on the cavalry of the Liao Army outside the city like mountains and seas.

Huang Guang, the magistrate of Hekou County, stood on the top of the north gate. When he looked out, he felt his feet were weak, and it was almost difficult to stand still.

"I'm afraid there are at least thirty to fifty thousand?" He couldn't help but say with a chill in his heart.

Ye Chen, who was surrounded by people in the middle, walked to the city wall, looked down at the people and horses outside the city like ants, and said: "There are more than ten thousand people and horses, and there is no limit to the shore. Thirty to fifty thousand soldiers and horses can walk nearly a hundred miles wide horizontally, and line up vertically. It can be dragged seventy to eighty miles long. There is only such a big place under Hekou County, and the maximum number of things that can be deployed at the same time is actually only [-]."

A group of staff officers who followed Ye Chen showed a thoughtful look when they heard the words. Soon, no matter whether it was the staff officers and military officers who had war experience, or the civil servants who didn't understand, they all nodded their heads one by one, expressing their respect for the emperor. What His Majesty said is admirable.

Now that there is a problem with the supply of grain and grass for the Liao army, grain and grass can only be raised locally.The daily consumption of [-] to [-] cavalry requires thousands of stone beams a day, which cannot be supported by a few villages.It has to be collected in multiple villages and towns, and at the same time, we must beware of the special brigade of the Xiangfu Kingdom and the vast number of rebels. Spreading the front for a hundred miles is still less.Even if you are marching in tandem in your own country and have enough rations along the way, [-] to [-] cavalry can drag back and forth for a long, long time.

If the Liao people wanted to securely capture a county like Hekou, they would need at least forty thousand-man teams of nearly forty thousand troops.The Liao army who entered the Yinzhou prefecture could indeed take it out.But with such an army composed of so many troops, and more than twice the number of horses, it is absolutely impossible to gather under Hekou County at the same time and wait to attack the city.

Huang Guang, the magistrate, said: "Your Majesty has ordered the wells of the villages outside the city to be filled in the past few days, the food and grass have been burned, and a truckload of manure has been dumped in the upper reaches of the river. After Liaogou came, there was nowhere to find water to drink. , there is no place to find food to eat, and people and horses can't last long!"

"The Liao dog must know that we will treat them well, and at least bring a few days' rations with them. However, after running for dozens of miles, no matter whether it is a man or a horse, they have to drink after stopping. No exception." Ye Chen's words caused a chuckle, paused, and then sighed: "Without water, who can sustain it?"

To attack a city, the first step is to besiege it.Without controlling the area outside the city wall, it is impossible to attack the defenders on the top of the city with peace of mind.However, before the Liao army marched southward, the area around Hekou County was completely under the control of the Xiangfu army.Ye Chen concentrated the black cavalry around Hekou County, making it impossible for the rangers of the Liao Army to stay within ten miles, and the core guard circle in Wuli City, the reconnaissance cavalry of the Liao Army were firmly blocked out.

Therefore, the Liao army knew almost nothing about the changes within ten miles of Hekou County during this period of time, but if they wanted to attack the city, they had to set up camp within ten miles of the city.And everything Ye Chen has arranged around Hekou County during this period is all to make it difficult for the Liao people to set up camp smoothly, or even if they set up camp, there will be a lot of trouble.

In a word, although Ye Chen used himself as bait, he never thought of putting his life in the hands of the enemy.

"Camping pays attention to the terrain, but food and water should be the first priority. No food or drink, no matter how well the camp is located, it will not be safe." Ye Chen said lightly amidst the noise of people and horses outside the city, "Camping The location must be close to the water source. But within ten miles, the wells were filled and the river was polluted. The Liao bandits could not attack the city, so they had to retreat ten miles after dark, set out the next day, and advance ten miles to attack the city. They are cavalry, but there are a lot of people, and they are in front of the enemy. It still takes nearly two hours to advance and retreat. In one day, how many two hours can be wasted? If you want to dig a well temporarily, you can’t do it in summer. Alright, don’t even think about winter.”

"Hekou County is not very big. To encircle Hekou County, [-] cavalry are enough. If you want to attack the city, even if you take turns attacking the city day and night, you only need [-] at most. Anything more is a waste of manpower. But the Liao bandits When besieging the city, we must guard against the endless stream of rebels and Bai Canghai's special brigade coming out to attack and sabotage."

"The division of forces is weak. The Liao people want to attack the city, defend against rebels and special brigades, and search for food and water. How long can they last?"

Ye Chen deliberately explained these things in such a detailed way because he found that with the Liao army besieging the city, the city was under siege, and the army and the people were panicking. This state is not conducive to defending the city.

In his capacity, what he said was reasonable and reasonable. After these words spread, he would easily be able to win the hearts of the soldiers and the general public.In this way, it is no problem to defend the city and even win the final victory.In that case, Ye Chen's fishing plan can increase the odds of winning.

After finishing the lecture on the top of the city, amidst the high morale of the army at the top of the city, Ye Chen walked up to the tower of the East City, followed by Hu Sanguang, Tang Xingwu, and several staff officers.

Looking at the east in the building, standing on a high place, you can see more comprehensively.I also saw more Liao troops than before, and within the naked eye, there are no boundaries.

In a decisive battle with the Xiangfu army in the narrow valley, the Liao army, which is mainly cavalry, will suffer.It is absolutely impossible for them to directly attack any passage, they will only sweep through the basin.If it weren't for the internal response arranged by the Liao army in Daxiaguan, even if the Liao army took the opportunity of the Song Dynasty, they might have entered the territory of Yinzhou by surprise.

Ye Chen didn't turn around, and asked Hu Sanguang who was behind him: "Have all the rangers who went out have withdrawn?"

Hu Sanguang shook his head and said, "Report to Your Majesty, there are two teams that haven't come back yet." He looked at Ye Chen, "But don't worry. Didn't Your Majesty give you all instructions in advance? If it's too late to retreat to the city, retreat to the south first." Go there. There is Master Bai's special brigade over there."

Ye Chen nodded slightly and didn't say any more.

Which team will be arranged in which direction is determined in advance. Now Hu Sanguang avoids mentioning which direction the Rangers did not come back. Most of them are the southernmost teams, which may have fallen into the enemy's line. up.

The black cavalry that Ye Chen sent out to the outskirts of Hekou County were only sent out as eyes and ears, and their biggest role was to intercept the probing horses of the Liao army.Facing the turbulent main force of the Liao division, although the black cavalry were formidable, the difference in numbers was too great. Not to mention confronting them head-on, even if they were slow to intercept them, they lacked sufficient capital to make waves.

Called Huang Guang, the magistrate of Hekou County, to come up, Ye Chen said: "The most important thing in the city is stability, and the people who evacuated into the city must be taken care of."

The magistrate of Hekou immediately agreed, "Don't worry, Your Majesty, this is an internal matter of the minister's, and will never distract His Majesty."

Ye Chen nodded and didn't talk nonsense.He was just asking, with him in charge, how could the people in the city be in trouble.

Now within ten miles of Hekou County, all the villages have been abandoned, and a large number of people have withdrawn into the city.

But apart from the dozens of villages closest to Hekou County, the outer villages are still holding on.Except for the east and south that have been attacked, the villages in the west and north were relatively safe before today.But tomorrow, that's not necessarily the case.

Looking at the cavalry of the Liao army all over the mountains and plains for a while, Ye Chen turned his head again, with a confident smile: "The arrangement that should be done has been done, this time the Liao thieves will definitely disperse, there is no food and water, they can't stay in the city. live!"

(End of this chapter)