Du Zhongxiao looked at the map and said to Fu Bi: "The progress of the war is even smoother than we thought, which is really unexpected. The Khitan country is like this, the people are already great if they don't rebel, and they are still going south in a big way, what do they think? ”

Fu Bi said: "Which one can figure it out?" Our army has not moved for two months, and we have always been jealous of the Khitan. I am afraid that as soon as the army comes out, the whole Khitan army will return to defense, and there is nothing to be done about them. Where did I think that one or two hundred thousand people would drag the Khitan back. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "Yes, we have always been afraid of field battles before. It is believed that the Khitans are powerful in field warfare, and the 400,000 army will not be able to retain them if they are not carefully prepared. Now it seems that two months ago, the Khitan sent troops, and they attacked head-on, maybe it would be okay. ”

After speaking, Du Zhongxiao shook his head. I was too cautious and hibernated for more than two months. It is necessary to exhaust the Khitan national strength before he is willing to send a large army to fight a decisive battle with the Khitan. Now, it seems, there is no need to do that at all.

Thirteen Lang and Liu Jian in the south defeated Dielid in a battle. Dieri had to break his tail to survive, and Thirteen Lang led 50,000 cavalry to chase closely. After running more than 20 miles, he was caught up and dragged there. Liu Lian's army pressed up and had already surrounded the Khitan army.

The Khitan army under the Qianning military city completely lost confidence and fled at night, not even taking the barracks. Ma Huaide ordered his troops and horses and had already chased after them. According to Ma Huaide, it should be able to catch up south of the boundary river.

The Khitan army besieging Cangzhou got the news of the loss of Wuqing and had withdrawn. Cangzhou did not have many soldiers and horses, went out of the city to fight, picked up some cheap, and went back to continue to defend the city. The Khitans retreated all the way north, and because there was no interception, they were about to cross the river.

Zhang Yu broke through Wuqing, and the Khitans were already in chaos. Liu Ji and nearly 200,000 others besieged Xijin Mansion, but no one approached.

Du Zhongxiao pointed to the map and said, "It is estimated that in two days, the Khitans will surround Wuqing." With 15,000 people in Wuqing, it is difficult to say whether they can stop the hundreds of thousands of Khitan troops. Yijing ordered Wu Song and Liu Jian to double the way and quickly catch up. ”

Fu Bi said: "On their way, they should just meet Ma Huaide." It's better to wipe out the Khitans of the Qianning Army together, and then chase after them. ”

Du Zhongxiao pondered for a while and said, "That's an army of more than 100,000 people, can they do it?" The food and grass of the Khitan people are in Wuqing, and this siege must be crazy. If you don't go to the rescue, you're afraid that the defenders will be difficult. ”

For a while, looking at the map, I couldn't make up my mind. Normally, 15,000 people defended the city, and it was basically impossible for the Khitan to break through. However, the small county of Wuqing, the city is not big, and it is newly captured, which is not comparable to Cangzhou City in the south.

Zhao Zi came in and saw Du Zhongxiao and Fu Bi in front of the map, studying the war. stepped forward and said: "Tai Lieutenant, Liu Ji has a letter, the army has besieged Shangjin Mansion and is attacking the city. But it will take two days for the heavy artillery to get anywhere. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "The big city of Xijin Mansion is not easy to break through without heavy artillery. There is Khitan Nanjing, with many yamen and many defenders, which is not so easy to break. However, Jia Kui and Jingtai's two armies should not have to attack Jinfu, let them rest and recuperate, and how about going south to block the retreating Khitans? ”

Zhao Zi thought for a while and said, "What the Taiwei said is true. There are not many Khitan soldiers and horses in Xijin Mansion, and Liu Taiwei's 150,000 soldiers and horses are enough, and no matter how many soldiers and horses there are, it is useless. It is estimated that in two days, the Khitan will attack Wuqing, and it is good to let them go south. ”

Du Zhongxiao knocked on Wuqing City on the map and said, "Here is the grain and grass collected by the Khitan, which is the lifeblood of the Khitan army." The next battle should be here. The two armies of Jia Kui and Jingtai immediately moved south and set up camp outside Wuqing City to prepare for battle. Also, he ordered Wu Song and Liu Jian in the south to immediately march north to Wuqing after eliminating the Khitans on the opposite side. ”

After speaking, he pointed to the south of the Xin'an Army and said: "There are still more than 100,000 Khitans here, and Ma Huaide is catching up." If the Khitans ordered these people to block the way, it would not be easy for Wu Song and Liu Jian to go north. ”

Zhao Zi said: "Taiwei is at ease. These Khitans fled overnight, and the military camp was not cleaned up, let alone much food and grass. They must now immediately make peace with the Khitan army, otherwise they will starve to death if they don't talk about war. ”

Du Zhongxiao was stunned: "I forgot, there is a problem with the Khitan military rations." After taking Wuqing, they intercepted their military rations. Six or seven days have passed, and there is not much left of the Khitan army. Not only these Khitans chased by Ma Huaide, but the entire Khitan army should be short of food now. ”

After pondering for a while, Du Zhongxiao said categorically: "Since you are here, you don't have to be afraid." Ordered Ma Huaide to attack with all his strength, do not stop, and he will chase after the Khitans wherever they flee. At the same time, he ordered Wu Song and Liu Lian to break the Khitan army in front and immediately march north! ”

Zhao Zi promised.

Fu Bi said: "Do you want to tell Liu Ji that after the heavy artillery arrives, concentrate all your efforts to break through Youzhou as soon as possible." At that time, the whole army will be in one place, and in the Wuqing area, it will fight a decisive battle with the Khitan. That area was looted by the Khitan too hard, the people fled, and the people had no surplus food. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "Yes." Before, our estimate of the Khitan was still too high, and the arrangement was a little slow. Without military rations, the Khitans were only afraid that they would go crazy and desperately attack Wuqing. Order Jia Kui and Jingtai to go to Wuqing immediately! ”

Zhao Zi said: "The two armies did not experience much fighting, but immediately went to Wuqing, and the artillery was inconvenient to carry. The small city of Wuqing has inconvenient roads. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "The pack horses in the army, transfer more to them." If they arrive a day earlier, Wuqing will be safer. Also, the defenders who ordered Wuqing to abandon the city first if the Khitan attacked too fiercely and expected that there would be a great cost in defending the city. The most important thing is that we must first occupy the province of Setsu. After occupying Xijin Mansion, the Khitan road to cross Yanshan was blocked and blocked in front of the mountain. ”

"Abandon the city?" Zhao Zi couldn't help but hesitate. "Wuqing is a place where grain and grass are concentrated, if the city is abandoned, the Khitan will get military rations, but I am afraid that it will not be good."

Du Zhongxiao said: "Put the grain and grass on fire, and let the Khitans go into the city." Otherwise, they would have no food in their army, and they would attack the city with all their might, and the soldiers defending the city would be lost in vain. As long as they held for a few days and the armies were concentrated around Wuqing, the Khitan would be incurable. ”

Zhao Zi nodded, understanding what Du Zhongxiao meant. Wuqing's military rations are actually not that important, as long as the Khitan is delayed for a few days, the Song army units can be concentrated around to complete the encirclement. Of course, it is best to be able to hold Wuqing.

Du Zhongxiao looked at the map, and after a while, he punched the table: "In the end, but here in Wuqing, fight to the death with the Khitans!" Fortunately, the terrain here is open and the population is not large, which is the battlefield! ”

Fu Bi looked at the map and nodded silently. The war has been fought to this day, and it is time for a decisive victory. Now it seems that the Song army overestimated the strength of the Khitan and did not fight back in the early stage. But it is precisely because of this that the Khitans have been given the illusion that they have not been able to make up their minds to retreat. When the counterattack came, all parts of Youzhou were vulnerable and quickly captured.

Now the 400,000 army of the Khitans is in a very bad situation. Penetrating deep into enemy territory, the back road has been cut off, and there is a lack of food and grass. Even Du Zhongxiao didn't expect that the Khitans would be so embarrassed during the counterattack.

The transportation was inconvenient, and the news of the fall of Wuqing reached Yelu Hongji's ears a few days late. These few days have been very fatal to the Khitan. In the barracks in front of them, there was not much food and grass in the first place, and it was calculated according to the number of days.

(If you have something to do today, I'm sorry, I'll make it up tomorrow.) ）