A few days have passed, the cannon during the day is still roaring, and new fortifications have begun to be built, and the siege is progressing much slower than Jinyang, Guo Shao asked Yang Biao if he had not woken up yet.

The sun was setting on the western horizon, and the heavens and the earth were dark and quiet. Guo Shao walked out of the big tent of the Chinese army and saw that the sky was gray and black, with no stars and no moon; I vaguely remember that when I first arrived in Youzhou, I also came out at night, but my mood at that time was different.

At this moment, the soldiers had returned to the camp, and the campfires were lit in the wilderness, and the faint sound of insects in the grass was heard. The soldiers guarding the camp stood up straight one after another, looking sideways at Guo Shao. Behind him, Wang Pu and other staff members were still standing at the door of the tent.

The sky was gray, the clouds seemed to be pressed low, giving people a sense of oppression, and the clouds were vaguely surging in the dim and hazy places, mysterious and indistinct.

There may be gods in the sky, but Guo Shao is still standing on the ground. However, the world thinks that he is the god of war, and of course the god is omnipotent and must be able to win.

Guo Shao clearly realized the adverse effects of retiring from the army, and he had a feeling that he would not be able to step down.

It was a difficult choice.

The pressure faced by Guo Shao was not mainly disturbed by the first wave of reinforcements of the Liao army, but the siege of the city did not go well. The main force of the Liao State will come...... The circumference of Youzhou City is one or twenty miles, in addition to more than 50,000 mobile cavalry, more than 100,000 people surround the city, and the troops are very scattered, unable to fight a decisive battle with the Liao army under the city; Unless you leave Youzhou City and go deep into the Youzhou area to fight against the Liao army without capturing Youzhou, that will obviously violate the strategic prediction of this war.

He's been thinking a lot about it these days. The Northern Expedition itself was a strategic adventure.

If the Tiger Ben Army cavalry infantry did not attack the Liao Army's palace tent horse team, which affected the morale, if the location of the excavation tunnel was selected correctly, if the defenders did not put a large number of catapults in the artillery blind spot, if ...... If you are lucky, there are not so many subtle factors that affect the progress of the siege again and again, and you may be able to capture Youzhou City in time.

Then strategic risk-taking is the right decision, and Guo Shao will no longer think about these things. The duel between countries is mainly based on strength, but the outcome of just one or two battles is very uncertain, and even depends on luck.

Wang Pu is right, there is still a chance and time so far.

…… Guo Shao felt that he didn't dare to take any more risks.

The campaign was a strategic adventure from the start, with low margin for error and a great risk of failure; And now the stakes are suddenly greater.

The consequences have become very serious, in case of the loss of the main force, Guo Shao will face irreparable disaster; The elite of the forbidden army is almost non-renewable in the short term, and once lost, Guo Shao will not have the strength to maintain national defense and rule.

With such serious consequences, even if the risk is small, it will be fearful, not to mention that the risk of delaying it now is not small.

In a trance, he seemed to have returned to the college entrance examination in his previous life, when everyone told him that he was a turning point in his life. He has done countless exercises and is very well prepared, but he is still worried about accidents and failures on the spot, even if the risk is relatively low, but as long as the results do not come down, he will not be able to be sure.

And now, the risks and threats of defeat are much greater, and the consequences are much more serious. Once the Great Zhou army is defeated, it is not only his fate that matters!

Guo Shao's worries are indescribable.

He also had to weigh up: between the benefits and the consequences, was the risk worth it?

…… Guo Shao was unwilling to give up.

He wants to avoid serious consequences, but he doesn't want to give up Youzhou, he will come sooner or later. However, this time it is a long time to wait for the next time, and it is an unbearable torment.

There are other risks and consequences associated with withdrawing troops, mainly from within the country.

Guo Shao can't escape, and he has to face challenges when he advances and retreats, different challenges.

He breathed a sigh in his heart and couldn't help coughing twice.

At this moment, Wang Pu walked up and said, "Your Majesty, it's cold at night, and you've been standing outside for too long. ”

Guo Shao turned around and walked towards the tent as he said, "I will not admit defeat, but will accumulate strength and find a new path for the next comeback...... There must be a better path than the current strategy. ”

Wang Pu asked in a deep voice, "Your Majesty is determined to withdraw from the army?" ”

Guo Shao had a feeling that he didn't know where he was, he felt a little floating when he walked, he raised his head and stared at Wang Pu's old face: "Qingshan is still there, and the strength is not damaged, so you can take the initiative to choose a new opportunity; Rather than having to passively stay here and take risks...... There is a better time than now. ”

"Ugh." Wang Pu's sigh simply came from the bottom of his heart.

Guo Shao said in a heartfelt tone: "I can't afford the risk of losing the forbidden army, but I can still afford the temporary challenges at home." ”

Wang Pu said: "The old minister seconded His Majesty's wishes...... Just a little lost. ”

"I understand." Guo Shaodao, he clenched his fists and said, "Gather all the generals early tomorrow morning to deploy an orderly withdrawal strategy to prevent the attack of the Liao cavalry and the defenders of Youzhou." ”

Wang Pu hugged his fists and said: "The minister obeys the order." ”

Guo Shao walked through the big tent and went to bed in the back. Wang Pu stood in the account, bowed goodbye, and did not leave for a long time.

An attendant bent down to open a curtain, and when Guo Shao walked in, he turned his head slightly and glanced at Wang Pu with his spare eyes.

The furnishings inside are very simple, but there are maps on the table and the walls of the tent, and it doesn't look so neat. There was a candlestick on the table, a very thick candle with a thick wick illuminated the place, and the side of the bed and the side of the desk were brighter, and the light in the corner became more and more hazy.

Guo Shao sat down and watched the flames beat.

The loss of the heart, no matter how rational the analysis is, cannot hide it. On such a night, in front of such lights, he still felt a chill......

He remembered Luo Mengzi, the third brother's qualifications are limited, and as Guo Shao's things have become bigger and bigger over the years, the third brother has also been a little far away from Guo Shao's inner circle. But Guo Shao still can't forget that he once lived with his third brother in Gaoping, Wuyan Town, and Qinfeng......

"If it weren't for the iron sheet on my body, I would have been shot and leaked, haha......"

"The eldest brother said to do it, and I Lao Luo followed ......"

Guo Shao stretched out his hand and rubbed it vigorously on his forehead, making some trivial movements, but he didn't say a word.

Even if he became an emperor, Guo Shao still couldn't escape these simplest emotions, and when he was in such an environment, his psychological quality was not very good...... What kind of qualifications should the emperor and the lord have? It shouldn't be like him anyway.

After a series of successes, the world has placed too much expectations on him, thinking that he is fearless, has the ability to reach the sky, and even thinks that he is a god!

At this moment, Guo Shao felt that he was really not a god. In his previous life, he was just an ordinary ordinary man, who had to do his best to make a living, and he didn't even think that he was a master who could do great things...... At this time, all kinds of negative emotions rushed in, and he felt extremely vulnerable.

However, already in this position, he will not throw in the towel. Even if you are stalking, you have to make a comeback! Because for that grand goal, too many people have died, too many people he cares about, and it is impossible to give up!

"Ahem......" Guo Shao covered his mouth and endured the cough.

He felt tired, didn't take off his socks, kicked off his boots and went to bed. Nightmares in my sleep, as if I were in the middle of a volcano.

…… That night, the attendant found that Guo Shao's face was flushed and his face was hot. was taken aback, and hurriedly called Wang Pu and Zuo You in overnight.

Zuo Youanxious repeated several times: "Your Majesty has always been strong and healthy, how could he suddenly get sick?" ”

Wang Pu suddenly said suddenly, and said hurriedly: "The old man's righteous daughter is in the healing camp, hurry up and send someone to call her!" ”

Zuo You said: "The righteous daughter of the king's envoy? ”

"It's Lu Lan, the goddess doctor that Your Majesty found from Shu Kingdom, the one who cured the old man's illness, the old man is old, let her be the old man's righteous daughter." Wang Pudao.

Zuo You hurriedly said: "Then call quickly." ”

……

Early the next morning, the privy envoy Wang Pu convened the officials of the "Youzhou Qianying Military Government" and a small number of generals of the Zhulu Army to discuss the big tent of the Chinese army, announced the emperor's holy decree, and ordered the withdrawal of the army.

First discussed the deployment and strategy of the withdrawal of troops, and then continued to summon the generals above the military capital Yu Hou to the Chinese army for specific deployment.

The generals talked a lot, and all of them were unwilling. In this battle, the Zhou army has not suffered a real defeat, it has been almost a month since it arrived in Youzhou, and thousands of people have been killed in several battles, and the generals think that they can still defeat the Liao army and make contributions! It is impossible to understand why the emperor should withdraw his troops.

Later, someone asked Wang Pu why the emperor did not personally deliver the decree. At this time, the news of Guo Shao's illness came out.

After a civilian official of the former battalion military government left the big tent of the Chinese army, he privately discussed: "According to the current situation, Youzhou City is not easy to break through at once, and Your Majesty has damaged the righteous brothers, so I am afraid that I have to withdraw the army, so I pretend that the dragon body is not safe......"

"Why call sick?"

The civilian official whispered: "Losing the general, and then withdrawing the army, is suspected of defeat...... Withdrawing the army due to illness is to spare the lives of the Liao people for the time being. ”

In any case, the order of the privy envoy and the first general was authoritative, and the armies began to prepare for retreat in accordance with the military order...... The artillery fire did not stop immediately, and according to the meaning of the former battalion military government, it was to confuse the enemy and hide its intentions.

But the next day the artillery stopped roaring...... Because it's raining!

The air was full of dark clouds, the sound of spring thunder replaced the sound of artillery, and the rain was very light, but it was a trickle that slowly wet the soil, and the wet soil was trampled back and forth by countless people and horses, and the barracks was muddy for a while.

Zuo You looked at the rain curtain and sighed: "God really doesn't help me, God won't let Da Zhou recover Youzhou!" Even if we don't order the withdrawal of our troops, if the rain doesn't stop quickly, we won't be able to attack the city. ”

Wang Pu sighed: "This rain is good, so we don't have to regret this battle." ”

He lowered his head, remembered the "Xuanren Meritorious Pavilion" built in Tokyo, and gradually admitted in his heart that before the war, he and his ministers had been instigating the emperor's Northern Expedition in order to achieve fame, and they were indeed blinded by the desire to go down in history...... There are too many factors that cannot be grasped in the strategy of breaking the city within a time limit and raiding it.