Chapter 1823: The Third Battle of Luoyang (Medium)

Cities and levels are different, the levels can't be bypassed, but the city can be bypassed, but the army can be bypassed, but the logistics can't be bypassed.

It is precisely because of this that in ancient wars, it is rare to cross the previous city and directly attack the next city, after all, the risk is too great.

The same is true for Li Kui and the eldest grandson Wuji's objections.

Luoyang is not a small city, there are fewer people who go and it can't be attacked at all, and there are more people who go, in the case of no logistical support, once the food is exhausted, it will be wiped out.

The most important thing in fighting a war is logistics, and unstable logistics is a taboo for soldiers.

It is naturally impossible for Li Shimin not to understand such a simple truth, but even if he knows the risks, he is still ready to take a risk, otherwise he will not be reconciled.

This time, the Tang army dispatched a full 150,000 troops, and now it has suffered nearly 15,000 casualties, including 64 generals killed in battle, and even Li Yuanba has a broken arm, but it only captured a Nanxiang County that has no place to govern and has destroyed Hangu Pass.

Gains and losses are not proportional at all!

In addition, Li Shimin knew that this was his last chance, and if he couldn't win Sizhou this time, it would be even more impossible in the future.

The Qin army, which has obtained the land of Hebei, will inevitably increase its strength sharply, and the initiative in the war will also be completely attributed to the Qin army.

In the future, whether it is to attack the Central Plains in the south or to attack Guanxi in the west, it is all in Qin Hao's thoughts, and the weak Li Tang has only one way to go through passive defense.

Li Shimin didn't want to see this scene, so no matter what, even if he knew that he couldn't do it, he had to try it.

It's not just about venting, it's about saving yourself.

Li Shimin made up his mind in his heart, he would never retreat like this, since he could not capture the two cities of Yewang and Yiyang in the short term, then surround these two cities, and go directly to attack Luoyang after dividing his troops to bypass the two cities.

Now most of the people in Luoyang City are recruits, veterans and famous generals are on the front line, Li Shimin feels that such a Luoyang city, even if it is a division of troops, can be captured, and when the time comes, he will turn around and attack Yewang and Yiyang.

Li Shimin dared to disregard logistics and divide troops to seize Luoyang, in addition to the many recruits in Luoyang City, the most important thing was that there were internal responses in the city, and the number of internal responses was quite a lot.

With Qin Hao becoming king and giving Cao Cao, Zhao Kuangyin and others the title of duke, the contradictions between Qin and Han have become difficult to reconcile.

This time, the Southern Han Five-Way Army attacked Qin, and Ma Teng Han Sui in the Liangzhou Road responded to the banner of the Southern Han Dynasty, but in fact it was the Luoyang Dynasty that operated from it.

The Southern Han Dynasty attacked the Qin army, and it was also fighting the Luoyang court, but the ministers of the court and the central government united with foreign enemies and targeted their own families, which shows how fierce the contradictions between the Qin and Han dynasties were.

There were a large number of Han ministers in the Luoyang court, hoping that Li Shimin could seize Luoyang and become the ruler of Sizhou, and become the spokesman of the Han family to confront Qin Hao.

Therefore, even if he is alone, Li Shimin is not fighting alone.

After hearing Li Shimin's explanation, Li Kui and the eldest grandson Wuji pondered for a long time, but they still opposed the division of troops to attack Luoyang for two reasons:

First, they feel that the current Li Shimin is a little irrational.

The second is that Jia Xu is in Luoyang, and those Hanchen are destined to fight Jia Xu.

Shimin has already made up his mind, and it is useless to let Li Kui and the eldest grandson Wuji oppose it.

In the end, Li Shimin gave Zhao Hao an additional 10,000 troops, ordered Zhao Hao to lead 30,000 troops to surround Yiyang City, and ordered Li Ke to use 40,000 troops to surround Yewang City.

Li Shimin left an army of 70,000 to contain the Qin army in Yewang and Yiyang, and he himself personally led an army of 65,000, bypassing Yewang and Yiyang, and attacked Luoyang as quickly as possible.

The two generals, Gongsun Yan and Tan Daoji, saw that the Tang army did not continue to attack the city, but changed to besiege the city, but divided the troops to go elsewhere, although they also had doubts in their hearts, but they did not have Wan Li Shimin to divide the troops to take Luoyang, but thought that this was Li Shimin's strategy to lure them out of the city.

Bypassing the two cities of Yewang and Yiyang, in the absence of logistical support, it is too risky to divide troops to seize Luoyang, Li Shimin Bi is a famous general who was as famous as Qin Hao, Gongsun Yan and Tan Daoji don't think he will do such an irrational thing.

Although Gongsun Yan and the others did not think that Li Shimin dared to divide his troops to take Luoyang, the situation on Yewang and Yiyang's side still had to be reported in time.

Jia Xu, who was far away in Luoyang, when he received the news that Hanguguan had fallen and Li Cunxiao's whereabouts were unknown, he blamed himself and rejoiced in his heart.

blamed himself for not being able to discover Li Tang's conspiracy earlier, but fortunately, because of his own caution, the situation had not completely deteriorated and was still within his control.

As for whether Li Cunxiao has died in battle?

Jia Xu felt that it was more likely that Li Cunxiao was still alive, after all, if he was really dead, Li Tang would definitely take out his corpse to demonstrate, in order to break the fighting spirit of the Qin army.

Since Li Tang can't get the real body, it proves that Li Cunxiao is still alive, but his whereabouts are unknown for the time being.

After glancing at the latest military report, Jia Xu closed his eyes and pondered for a long time, then opened his mouth and ordered: "From now on, Luoyang will implement a curfew, and after that time, both the people and the princes will be forbidden to go out. ”

"No."

"Send more spies to the west to prevent a small group of Tang troops from breaking away from the front line and harassing the counties."

"No."

Not long after Jia Xu's order was handed down, news came that a large number of Tang troops had been found in the territory.

Sixty-five thousand troops, such a big target, no matter how to cover it up, it is impossible to hide it from the eyes of the Qin army's spies, after all, if this can't be discovered, then the Black Ice Platform should really be disbanded.

The grain and grass of the 65,000 army was not a small amount, and Li Shimin's army traveled lightly and simply, and the grain and grass brought with it could not be used at all, so it could only be replenished on the spot in various villages, towns and counties.

Under Qin Hao's vigorous governance, Sizhou's vitality has recovered, and after the people scattered and handed over the grain tax, there was still surplus grain in every family, which was also one of the reasons why Li Shimin dared to go deep alone.

Of course, it is naturally impossible to supply the army with the rations of the common people alone.

Therefore, Li Shimin decided to attack Pingxian County, which is at the junction of Hongnong County and Yin in Henan, in order to suspend the crisis of grain and grass.

The total number of county soldiers in Ping County is only 300, how can they stop the 50,000 wolf-like Tang army?

Li Shimin originally wanted to persuade the Pingxian county commander to surrender, but in his opinion, as long as the Pingxian county commander was not a fool, it was absolutely impossible to use 300 county soldiers against 70,000 troops, but he didn't expect that the Pingxian county commander was actually a child of the Qin family.

Li Shimin decisively took the order to forcibly attack the city, but he didn't want to have time to attack the city, the county order had already led dozens of horsemen to escape, and before leaving, he burned the county grain depot.