Yan Qing didn't attack Fengsui in the end, this is not because he is incapable, but unnecessary, his time is already very tight, and wasting precious time on attacking Fengsui is by no means the act of a qualified scout.

Yan Qing and his entourage took the path to bypass the beacon, and came to Yongqing County at dawn, Yongqing County is just a small county, the circumference of the city is less than ten miles, after the impact of the last Northern Expedition, there is no longer a population outside Yongqing County, and all the population has moved into the county.

A few people hid in a forest to rest, Yan Qing took advantage of the hazy morning light to draw a brief map, he marked the location of Fengsui on the map, and the original map was not accurate, on the original map, the north of Baigou are hills and mountains, in fact, no, the hills and mountains are only concentrated in the west of the official road, and the east side of the wide official road is an endless plain.

In addition, Yan Qing also found that the enemy's strong walls were only limited to ten miles north of Baigou, as well as on both sides of the official road, beyond this range, there were large forests scattered elsewhere.

After resting for a quarter of an hour, everyone walked the path and climbed a hill in the west of the county seat, this hill is less than a mile away from the county seat, standing on the top of the hill can clearly see the situation in the county seat, at this time, the sky is already bright, but the gate of the county town is not opened, there are only sparse soldiers defending the city on the head of the city, at most two or three hundred people, and a large number of military activities can not be seen in the county seat, and the whole county town is very quiet.

But a short period of observation does not lead to conclusions, and they have to observe at least for more than an hour before they can make an accurate judgment.

"Who are the five hundred garrisons in the city?" Yan Qing asked the deserter again.

"Mainly Khitans, there are also a small number of Han soldiers, all of whom are doing dirty work, so we have a chance to escape."

"Are these Khitans all cavalry?"

"Nope! No! They were all infantry, and there were only fifty cavalrymen in total. ”

Yan Qing led his men to observe for a whole hour, which basically confirmed the confession of the two surrendered soldiers, there were only a few hundred defenders in the city, at this time, a cavalry team of thirty people rushed from the official road in the south, the city gate opened, and they rushed into the county seat.

"This is the cavalry we encountered!" Yang Guang said hurriedly.

Yan Qing stared at this cavalry with a stern gaze, and he had an intuition in his heart that there would definitely be changes after this cavalry returned.

After waiting for about a stick of incense, three pillars of smoke suddenly rose from the north of the county, reaching the sky, "Wolf smoke!" The two soldiers exclaimed.

Yan Qing quickly turned his head to look north, only to see that three pillars of smoke also appeared in the north, and then wolf smoke also appeared in the farther north, Yan Qing was extremely shocked in his heart, could it be that the Liao army had only found out that the Song army had arrived in Bazhou now?

．．．．．．．

On the afternoon of the day when the army arrived in Bazhou, two thousand Song troops began to build a pontoon bridge on the water surface of Baigou, the previous pontoon bridge has been burned down by the defeated Song army, but the wooden pile foundation hit in the water has not been burned, which makes it much easier for the Song army to build a pontoon bridge, they worked overnight, built a pontoon bridge with a raft made of big trees, and at noon the next day, that is, on July 30, two pontoon bridges appeared on the water surface of Baigou outside Bazhou City.

When the time came to the evening again, Yan Qing and his entourage finally returned from Yongqing County, bringing back detailed information on the north shore and two deserters.

In the big tent of the Chinese army, Li Yanqing set up a very simple sand table on the table with small wooden squares of various colors, and he pointed to Yongqing County with a wooden pole and said to Liu Jian and Yang Zaixing: "The most bizarre information is that the Liao army only lit the wolf smoke today, and I feel that this is Guo Yaoshi deliberately misleading us, making us think that he or the Liao army have no preparations." ”

"Does the Commander think there is something wrong with those two deserters?" Liu Jian asked.

"The two deserters may be true, but I think it is impossible for Pharmacist Guo to just know that our army was overwhelmed, and only lit the wolf smoke this morning, which is actually a failure.

"No, Yongqing County is also a bait!"

"It's possible, but if we use it properly, this bait can be swallowed and not fooled."

Liu Jian frowned, "But I didn't figure it out, what is the purpose of Pharmacist Guo using Yongqing County as bait?" ”

Li Yanqing smiled slightly, "Judging from the current situation, it can be said that it is easy for us to seize Yongqing County, but our biggest threat is not in the front, but in the back. ”

Liu Jian suddenly woke up, "The commander is worried about the Liao army in the west? ”

"It's not just Seomyeon!"

Li Yanqing pointed to the east and west sides of Bazhou with a wooden pole, and continued: "Actually, our intelligence is not sufficient, where are the troops of Yelu Dashi and Xiao Gan?" I'm worried that Guo Yaoshi's Changsheng army is not the only army on the border, not only on the Yizhou side, but also in the east. If we are copied by the Liao army, who will support? ”

Li Yanqing's worries are for a reason, Gao Shixuan's army, which should have rushed to Bazhou today, did not appear, nor did he send people to contact them, which added an uncertain factor to their Northern Expedition, according to the deployment of the Seed Division, it should be Li Yanqing's right army going north, and Gao Shixuan's front army sitting in Bazhou as a backup, so that the right army has no worries, and now that Gao Shixuan's army has not appeared, there is a loophole in the battle plan of the Seed Division.

At this time, Yang Zaixing, who had been silent, said slowly: "Gao Shixuan should be the same as us when he carries dry food, if we don't get supplies from Bazhou, we will run out of food today, Gao Shixuan hasn't come yet, how did his supplies be solved?" ”

Li Yanqing and Liu Jian glanced at each other, although Yang Zaixing didn't say it explicitly, they both understood what Yang Zaixing was referring to? In addition to plundering civilian grain along the way, Gao Shixuan really had no way to solve the supply problem of 10,000 troops, but if he really plundered the people, how could the planter Dao, who had always had strict military discipline, let him go?

Liu Jian suddenly thought of a possibility, and said cautiously: "Could it be that Gao Shixuan went to Xiongzhou?" ”

Yang Zaixing sighed, "I sent people to the south for fifty miles yesterday, and I didn't find any trace of Gao Shixuan's army, he either returned to the Daimyo's Mansion because of lack of supplies, or General Liu's speculation went west to Xiongzhou." ”

Speaking of which, Yang Zaixing and Liu Jian looked at Li Yanqing together, how will they send troops tomorrow?

Li Yanqing pondered for a moment and said: "Don't wait for tomorrow, we will send troops tonight, we will divide the troops into three routes, General Yang led 2,000 people to raid Yongqing County by small road, and after breaking through the county seat, directly escorted the prisoners of war back, General Liu led 3,000 people to respond, and I led 5,000 people to sit on the north bank to prevent the enemy from copying our back road." ”

Yang Zaixing and Liu Jian both nodded, which could not only block Tong Guan's mouth, but also prevent risks, Yang Zaixing immediately got up and said: "Then let's go now!" ”

A thought suddenly flashed in Li Yanqing's heart, and he said to Yang Zaixing: "I will give you the scout camp, and then bring the first battalion, you can simply lead these 800 cavalry to raid Yongqing County, and there is no need to escort back the prisoners of war, all of them will be executed on the spot!" ”

Yang Zaixing thought for a while and said, "Then the lowly post will lead these eight hundred cavalry to operate on the periphery, and there is no need for General Liu to answer it." ”

Li Yanqing smiled slightly: "That's exactly what I mean, you bring Xinying and contact me at any time." ”

........

The gate of Bazhou was opened, Yang Zaixing led eight hundred cavalry to rush out of the county, crossed the pontoon bridge, and galloped towards Yongqing County in the north.

At the head of the city, Liu Jian looked at the cavalry team in the distance and whispered to Li Yanqing: "Does the commander think that Gao Shixuan really went to Xiongzhou?" ”

Li Yanqing shook his head lightly, "I'm not sure, but I personally think that Tong Guan will never let the Eastern Route Army go north smoothly, he can't restrain the Eastern Route Army on the surface, but he will definitely make a stumbling block in secret." ”

"Why would he do that?" Liu Jian couldn't help but look angry.

Li Yanqing smiled faintly, "Because the Son of Heaven changed the will of the Divine Sect, and whoever takes Yanjing first, the lord can be crowned king, Tong Guan has been planning for this prince for ten years, and has always thought that it is in his own pocket, including his active advocacy of the Northern Expedition, which is also due to this selfishness, how can he tolerate the shuai to take the prince away at the last moment?" He will definitely find a way to delay the progress of the Northern Expedition. ”

Liu Jian woke up at this time, and couldn't help but worry: "If Gao Shixuanzhen is bought by Tong Guan, then what should we do?" ”

Li Yanqing patted Liu Jian on the shoulder, "Pharmacist Guo wants to cut us off, so let's put a feast on him and arrange the city defense!" It is expected that there will be a fierce battle after dawn. ”

"Obey the order!"

Liu Yan saluted and hurried away, Li Yanqing stared at the dark night, in fact, he also figured out a truth, an important factor in history that prompted Guo Yaoshi to surrender to the Song Dynasty was the 100,000 army led by Liu Yanqing, without the oppression of the 100,000 Song army, Guo Yaoshi may never easily take the step of surrender.

．．．．．．．

In the dark and dreary night, a Liao army infantry cavalry of about 6,000 people is speeding south along the Liuli River, the Liuli River is located about 30 miles west of Yongqing County, and flows into the Juma River to the south, this river is surrounded by mountains on both sides, only a river valley about three miles wide in the middle, which is very hidden, and is a shortcut to the south.

These 6,000 troops are composed of 5,000 Han infantry and 1,000 Khitan cavalry, which is the victorious army led by the general Guo Yaoshi, of course, Guo Yaoshi has long known that the Song army is going north, and he only let Yongqing County light the wolf smoke of the incoming army today, just to create an illusion for the Song army in Bazhou, they have no preparation, so that the Song army goes north without fear, as for the five hundred defenders of Yongqing County is indeed a bait laid by him, he knows that the Song army has experienced a crushing defeat last time, and is too eager to win a victory.

Guo Yaoshi is about fifty years old, burly and majestic, his voice is like thunder, he has a square face, dark skin, a rough face like orange peel, and his face is covered with the vicissitudes of thirty years in the army, although he has a rough appearance, but in fact he is extremely shrewd, very good at judging the situation, step by step, becoming an extremely rare Han high-level general in the Liao army, he was named a general by Yeluchun because of his support for Yeluchun's accession to the throne, and controlled the 8,000 victorious army.

After Yelu Chun's death, there was internal strife within Northern Liao, mainly because Yelu Dashi and Xiao Gan had a conflict, Yelu Dashi advocated giving up Xijin City and preserving his strength to join the former Liao Emperor Yelu Yanxi, while Xiao Gan supported the regent of the imperial concubine Xiao Puxian.

In the end, Xiao Gan won the power struggle, and Xiao Pu deprived Yelu Dashi of his military power and deposed him to guard Juyong Pass.

Guo Yaoshi took refuge in Xiao Gan, and Xiao Gan immediately ordered him to lead 8,000 troops in his headquarters to defend Zhuozhou and Yizhou, but Guo Yaoshi also knew that the general trend of the Liao State had gone, and he needed to consider his own retreat, whether to descend to the Song Dynasty in the south or to surrender to the Jin Kingdom in the north? He didn't make up his mind for a long time.

But there is one thing that Guo Yaoshi understands in his heart, no matter whether he invests gold or lowers the Song Dynasty, he must come up with a beautiful record to let the Song and Jin countries know his weight.

At this time, it was already a watch, Guo Yaoshi led 6,000 elites to arrive at the Juma River, they set off from Fanyang, has marched more than 100 miles, Guo Yaoshi saw that the army was tired, so he ordered the army to rest on the spot.

At this time, Xiao Yuqing, the superintendent, rode to the front and said: "Ten miles ahead is Xiongzhou, and there are tens of thousands of Song troops over there. ”

Guo Yaoshi squinted and smiled: "The prison army doesn't know, Xiongzhou is Tong Guan's army, give him a hundred dares, he doesn't dare to take a step beyond the Ma River, he will definitely wait for the army of the Seed Master Dao to go north first, and then he will take a step carefully, there is no need to worry, the key is to annihilate the forward of the Seed Master Dao first." ”

Xiao Yuqing hesitated and said: "But tomorrow is the first day of the eighth month, which is the day when the emperor of the Song Dynasty stipulates that he will send troops, and Tong Guan dares to resist and disobey the order?" ”

"The old man has already seen through Tong Guan, he is stricter than the law, and he is more lenient than he has been, if the master does not send troops on the first day of August, he will definitely write a letter of impeachment, but he himself will find a thousand reasons, and he will never set foot in the north of the Liao Realm tomorrow."

"Alright! Since you must make your own decisions, then I have a word first, and if you are defeated, don't blame me for doing it by military law! After speaking, Xiao Yuqing beat the horse and went away.

Pharmacist Guo spat at his back, "Bastard! ”

Due to the execution of Taiwei Li Chuwen and his son in secret with the enemy country, the Northern Liao court unanimously believed that the Han people were unreliable, Xiao Gan had decided to seize the military power of Guo Yaoshi, and sent his henchman Xiao Yuqing to be the supervisor of the army in order to seize power.

Guo Yaoshi had realized that his situation was getting worse and worse, and it was unrealistic to reduce the gold, so he decided to defect to the Great Song Dynasty, but he still wanted to make a little more capital to join the Great Song Dynasty.

At this time, Guo Yaoshi's henchman, Zhao Heshou, said in a low voice: "Since the marshal has surrendered to the Song Dynasty, if he really defeats the Song army on the East Road, wouldn't he have cut off the road to the Song Dynasty?" ”

Guo Yaoshi snorted coldly, "When did Zhao Ji take the lives of the soldiers of the three armies to heart?" I defeated the striker of the Seed Master Dao, which will only make him fear me more and look up to me, and then I surrender to Tong Guan, how can Tong Guan not be grateful to me and welcome me? ”

"Handsome and high-handed!"

Guo Yaoshi smiled proudly, "The emperor of the Song Dynasty told me all the time when the Song army sent troops, and when I take Bazhou City tomorrow, Li Yanqing will know what it is like to have no food to eat in Yongqing County." ”