Chapter 669: Zhao Shuo actively seeks a decisive battle?

Chapter 669: Zhao Shuo actively seeks a decisive battle?

Zhao Shuo knew the fighting power of the Southern Border Army and understood that this battle was not a simple comparison of numbers. Although he had more soldiers, the Southern Border Army was also famous for its bravery and tenacity. Therefore, he chose to stay put and wait for reinforcements to arrive.

Han Xin also did not attack lightly. He knew that although his army was small in number, each of them was an elite force. However, he also faced an important problem - food and grass. If he went to war without sufficient food and grass, once the food and grass were attacked, the morale of the army would inevitably be seriously affected.

But as the news spread, the atmosphere on Han Xin's side was obviously much more relaxed and cheerful than that on Zhao Shuo's side. The reason was actually very simple, because both sides were now aware of Wu Rui's movements.

Originally, Zhao Shuo hoped to attack Han Xin from both sides with Wu Rui, and encircle Han Xin's 60,000 troops with 200,000 troops. In this way, even if Han Xin could get some naval support, it would be impossible for him to escape unscathed when he was attacked from both sides.

However, the current situation put Zhao Shuo in a more difficult situation. Wu Rui actually marched directly to Jiujiang without any reason, completely leaving Zhao Shuo aside. How can this be called an alliance? This behavior is not in line with normal strategic thinking. Zhao Shuo knew very well that speed is of the essence in war. At this moment, even if he sent people to urge Wu Rui, it would be too late by the time Wu Rui actually mobilized his troops to start support.

At the same time, Zhao Shuo also knew that Han Xin was waiting for food and grass. However, Zhao Shuo had no way to send troops to attack Han Xin's food and grass. After all, both sides were watching each other very closely, so how easy would it be to sneak attack from behind?

Once Han Xin seized the food and grass, Zhao Shuo knew that the next step would be a decisive battle between the two sides. Although Zhao Shuo was annoyed, he knew that now was not the time to hesitate. On the one hand, he sent personnel to report the situation here to Wei Bao, and at the same time, he deployed troops and decided to fight Han Xin head-on tomorrow.

"Report, the Wei army has begun to advance on a large scale, with 20,000 troops on each side, approaching our camp!" In the tent, Han Xin and his generals were sitting in front of a map, discussing the nearby terrain and attack strategy. Suddenly, an urgent report came from outside the tent, with a hint of panic in his voice.

Han Xin's heart tightened and his brows furrowed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and said in a deep voice: "Notify the three armies immediately and prepare for battle!"

"Yes!" The messenger took the order and left. The atmosphere in the tent instantly became solemn.

Han Xin did not hesitate at all and decisively ordered the entire army to prepare for battle. His voice was low and firm, revealing the demeanor of a general who remained calm in the face of danger.

The generals stood up and began to convey orders. The entire camp immediately became busy. The soldiers quickly gathered, sorted their equipment, and prepared for the upcoming battle.

Han Xin stared at the map, as if he wanted to see through the thin paper to see every move of the Wei army. He carefully observed the marks and lines on the map, thinking about how to deal with it.

"General, Zhao Shuo obviously wants to use his superior military strength to fight a decisive battle with our army!" Yang Mao said worriedly, "I'm afraid we can't just fight head-on. We need to find another way."

Han Xin's idea was different from Yang Mao's. He stared at the map and said thoughtfully: "Although Zhao Shuo has a large number of troops, our elite troops are far more powerful than the enemy can match."

"It's true that the Wei army wants to have a decisive battle with our army, but the more important reason is that Zhao Shuo has probably received Wu Rui's news at this time. He knows that he can't be relied on, and he doesn't want our army's logistical supplies to arrive smoothly. He wants to raid our army's logistical supplies in the name of a decisive battle!" Han Xin's voice echoed in the tent, and his eyes were like torches, staring straight at the position of the Wei army on the map.

He analyzed the current situation quickly in his mind, and he carefully considered every detail. The Wei army's actions seemed to be a decisive battle with his side, but Han Xin keenly noticed the clues.

If Zhao Shuo really wanted to use his superiority in military strength to fight a decisive battle with his own side, he should have launched an attack long ago. But the Wei army has been keeping its troops in place for the past few days, and has been living in peace with the Southern Border Army. This is obviously not in line with common sense. There is only one explanation, that is, Zhao Shuo's real purpose is not a decisive battle, but a surprise attack on the logistical supply of the Southern Border Army.

Han Xin knew the importance of logistics to war. Once the logistics were cut off, the army's combat effectiveness would be greatly reduced. Zhao Shuo obviously understood this, so he chose to launch a surprise attack at this time, attempting to destroy the supply line of the Southern Border Army in one fell swoop.

Behind all this, Wei Bao's idea was probably that he did not intend to fight Han Xin head-on, but to play a supporting role and watch Wu Rui and Gao Yao fight to the death. Even if he could not make Gao Yao retreat, it would be best if he could consume Gao Yao's manpower, and then he could reap the benefits.

Han Xin's mouth corners slightly raised, revealing a confident smile. He was fully confident in his judgment, and Zhao Shuo's true purpose had been seen through by him. Next, he needed to formulate a corresponding response strategy to ensure the logistical supply security of the Southern Border Army and give the Wei Army an unexpected counterattack.

"General, does our army need to retreat?" Yang Mao looked at Han Xin with a serious face. He knew very well that Han Xin was always resourceful, so there must be a deep meaning behind asking this question at this time.

Han Xin raised his lips slightly, revealing a confident smile. He said slowly, "Retreat? Of course not. Once we retreat, Zhao Shuo will definitely be aware of our intentions, and then all our previous efforts will be in vain. Not only that, it will also greatly boost the morale of the enemy, which will be extremely disadvantageous to our army."

Yang Mao nodded. He also understood this, but he still had a little worry in his heart: "But, General, the Wei army has at least 80,000 people, and our army now has only more than 50,000 people. If we send another 10,000 to guard the logistics troops, what if..."

Han Xin interrupted Yang Mao and said with a firm look: "I know what you are worried about, but this is part of my plan. Not only can we not retreat, but we must also face the enemy head-on and let Zhao Shuo know how powerful our Southern Border Army is!"

Han Xin then explained his strategic deployment in detail: "When we mobilize the troops later, we will send a small force to quietly retreat from the rear army and disappear into the mountains and forests. This force will quickly withdraw to Donghui County and join the 10,000 defenders there. At the same time, we must be prepared to intercept the Wei army's surprise attack force and catch them off guard."