Chapter 1356: Leave or Not, Fight or Not
Chapter 1356: Leave or Not, Fight or Not
Outside the Cuizhenbao mountain city, batches of cattle and sheep were being slaughtered.
It’s almost August, which is generally the time when the prairies start hunting in large numbers and preparing hay for the winter.
As the captain of Buyeo, Murong Han knew that his temporary base would be this mountain city, and a number of men were allocated to his command, who were temporarily arranged to graze nearby.
So now he has a sense of territory and property.
More than 100,000 cattle and sheep that had just been looted from the Buyeo Kingdom were ordered to be slaughtered and used as military food before they could even be warmed up.
As for the more than 10,000 men, women, young and old, they were all sent to Ma Shijin and not left for him either.
He can now command only more than 10,000 strong herdsmen. He will settle down this year and move north next year to control a piece of pasture and make his position as the commander of Buyeo more solid.
Therefore, he really didn't want to go out now, but the military orders were like a mountain, the Murong clan was divided into pieces, and there was no one to lead, so he could only obey the orders first.
Before leaving, looking at the batches of cheese and jerky being transported to Xiangping, Murong Han sighed and headed east with his men.
Perhaps, we can only make up for the loss in the east.
Fight wherever you can, try to avoid attacking strongholds, focus on looting, and retreat if you can't rob, just in time to prepare for the winter.
It is impossible to risk your life.
A few dozen miles south of the Fuyu Road that Murong Han took, Gaolushan City had been taken over by Tong Li from Liaodong.
The Heigou Mountain City further ahead was garrisoned by Tong Shou with 2,000 soldiers. Zhuanshuhu Mountain City was also recaptured by Zhai Kai and Pang Jian, who beheaded more than 300 people. The enemies in this city had originally retreated, but after more than ten days, they came back with hundreds of soldiers from somewhere and were lurking near the post road, but were defeated by the two men.
The Mudi City between Heigou, Zhuanshu Lake and Gaoer has now become a logistics distribution center, guarded by thousands of people from the Yellow Head Army.
All the captured livestock were slaughtered on the spot. There was thick smoke inside and outside the city, and one would have thought there was a fire.
The millet and wheat transported from the Liaoshui River, the cheese provided by the Yuwen tribe, and various kinds of dried meat all gathered here.
Even more than 60,000 hu of grain were transported across the Liaoze River from the direction of Changli, but the operation was stopped after only one attempt. The men in You and Ji states complained bitterly and regarded the Liaoze River as a dangerous place.
Zeng Yi stood outside a hay barn outside the city, watching numbly as mountains of hay were piled up every day and then consumed by the draft animals.
Of the 500 men under his command, 400 now carry tools and sickles and go around cutting grass all day long.
On the first day, after walking a few hundred steps, they came to thick wild meadows. On the second day, they had to walk farther. On the third day, they reached the mountains. On the fourth day, they walked farther still, and even came into conflict with a group of Goguryeo people hiding in the mountains. They had no choice but to mobilize more than 2,000 people to encircle and suppress them. In the end, they captured more than 200 people and a few hundred livestock.
The worst thing is that the grass growth has almost stopped, that is, after this crop is cut, no new grass will grow.
But the war continues.
Zeng Yi sat on the haystack bored and chatted with the military students who were resting nearby.
"Your name is Xiluoheng. What is your official position?" Zeng Yi asked.
Xiluo Heng was stunned for a moment, then replied in Chinese: "Xiao Shuai."
Zeng Yi didn't laugh at him.
"Xiao Shuai" is a common name, not an official position, but there are not so many official positions in the tribe. Generally, whoever is designated to lead a group of people will be the "Xiao Shuai". It is very informal, but useful.
"Are you really giving this piece of cloth to me?" Zeng Yi asked, playing with a piece of Mo cloth in his hand.
"It's not worth much if I give it to you." Xiluoheng said with a wave of his hand.
On the post road about a dozen steps away from the two men, most of the carriages and horses were heading east, carrying food and arrows, but there were also some people going in the opposite direction, such as the Xiluo light cavalry.
There were a total of 200 of them, escorting the supplies seized along the way and more than a thousand Goguryeo civilians to Xiangping - there were as many as 2,000 people when they set out, some of them escaped along the way, and now there are only 1,600 to 1,700 left.
"Where is the King of Yan now?" Zeng Yi put away the Mobu and asked.
"I didn't follow them to Yannanshui, so I don't know." Xiluoheng said: "I heard that they have reached the city of Marudu. More than a thousand bandits rode out of the city, but were defeated by the royal guards. Zuo Feilongwei attacked the city once, but failed. He sent people to climb around the back, but was discovered by the enemy, so he gave up. But-"
"But what?" Zeng Yi asked intently.
"There are not many soldiers in Maru City. If tens of thousands of troops besiege it, it should be possible to capture it. I just don't know if everyone is willing to attack the city." Xiluo Heng said, "That's all I know. The cavalry will be of no use next, so the King of Yan sent us to escort the prisoners and property back."
"It's better to withdraw. The horses are full of food." Zeng Yi said with a smile, "A while ago, Zheng Sima's soldiers passed through here and cursed as they went along, saying that you had robbed them all. The remaining Goguryeo people were also afraid and hid in the mountains and forests, leaving them with nothing to plunder."
"There should still be people and food in those mountain cities." Xiluo Heng also smiled.
"Who will fight?" Zeng Yi glanced at him and said, "The only city worth attacking now is Maru City. There is no need to waste lives on other cities. I think it's okay not to fight Maru City at all. Just plunder more people and animals, kill more Goguryeo warriors, and you can live in peace for many years in the future."
"You're right." Xiluo Heng stood up, patted the grass debris on his butt, and said, "Let's go."
******
Killing many strong men from Goguryeo as Zeng Yi mentioned was not easy, because it also required the "cooperation" of the Goguryeo people. Now the largest group of strong men was in the Liangmo River Basin.
Liangmo was an ancient country that was conquered by Goguryeo.
In the past, Jumong founded the country in the Sonbon River and made his capital in Heseunggu Castle (near present-day Huanren). He then conquered the Biryu Kingdom (36 BC), the Xingin Kingdom (32 BC), and the Northern Woju Kingdom (28 BC). The Liangmok Kingdom joined forces with Sushen to attack Goguryeo, and was conquered by Goguryeo several times at the turn of the Former Han and Later Han dynasties. It has been three hundred years since then.
Today, the Liangmo people have already merged into Goguryeo, which is very different from Dong Woju, which has been a vassal state until now.
On the 28th day of the intercalary seventh month, Gao Zhao, king of Goguryeo, led his generals on an inspection tour along the Liangmo River.
Faintly in the west wind came the deafening sound of killing, that was the Liang people launching a massive attack on Pingdingshan City.
The city originally had 2,000 elite soldiers and 1,000 weak soldiers. After two weeks of fierce fighting, more than half of them were lost. Later, more than 1,000 elite soldiers managed to rush in. After fighting for many days, the casualties were also heavy. Gao Zhao was very worried because his troops could not get close to the mountain city.
Yesterday we sent Dajia Afuhe with 3,000 men up the mountain to support the city, but they were defeated by the Liang army halfway and had to retreat in embarrassment.
The two sides fought three times in the field, and both sides were defeated in all three battles, with a total loss of more than 4,000 people, which made the troops discouraged.
No one mentioned the field battle anymore.
There was a cry coming from the front.
When Gao Zhao heard this, he walked over and saw a farmer sitting on the ground crying. Next to him was a dark farmland covered with ashes.
The attendant saw that Gao Zhao was interested, so he walked over and asked, "Why are you crying?"
The farmer glanced at someone in the crowd behind Gao Zhao, and then said, "I am poor, and I have always worked to support my mother. This year, the bandits came and attacked, and the emperor ordered to burn the farmland and not leave any to the bandits. I can't even get a liter of food, so I cry."
Gao Zhao heard this from afar and sighed, "I am the people's father and mother. It is my fault that they have suffered this."
Everyone was silent.
After a while, Dajia Yitong stepped out and said, "Your Majesty, the Liang people only want the heads of Murong Jun and Murong Biao. You can send them directly to Xiangping. Even Lelang and Daifang counties are not impossible..."
"Shut up!" Dajia Afuhe shouted angrily, "You must have arranged this peasant to confuse the king."
"You're just imagining things." Yi Tong said disdainfully, "Our army has been stationed here for 20 days, and we don't know where to go. Now two groups of enemy cavalry have circled around Marudu, and the royal capital is shaken. How can you resist them?"
"You only know how to surrender." Ah Fuhe cursed, and then he looked at Gao Zhao and said loudly: "Your Majesty, since the two armies have been in a stalemate, your army has suffered several defeats, and the enemy must underestimate us. Now please give me 5,000 strong soldiers, and I am willing to attack the enemy camp at night, and I will not return until I win."
Yi Tong just sneered after hearing this.
Gao Zhao was upset and didn't want to pay attention to the two. He looked at Gu Chujia and You Fu, the leader of the Junnu tribe, and asked, "You always speak with substance. What's your plan now?"
"Liang is a large country with many people. If we defeat the Murong clan first, we will have a victorious army. Their force is unstoppable, so we should defend it." You Fu thought for a moment and said, "Also, the Liang people have to travel thousands of miles to transport food, so they can't last long. Your Majesty might as well continue to dig deep trenches and build high fortifications to hold out against the enemy. When it snows heavily in September, the Liang people will surely be frozen and hungry and retreat. I can use my elite soldiers to attack them, and we can achieve our goal."
Gao Zhao felt relieved after hearing this. This was actually what he thought, but now there was a problem -
"The Liang soldiers divided into several groups, burning, killing and looting. The cities and valleys were in great pain, and the dead and wounded were everywhere." Gao Zhao said, "There are bandits approaching the capital, but the troops in the capital are here. What should we do?"
"If the king leads the army back, Pingdingshan City will be in danger," Youfu said. "If the enemy pursues us, the army will trample on each other, which may lead to greater disasters. If you lead the army to hold on, you will still have tens of thousands of elite soldiers in your hands. After the enemy retreats, you may be able to gain something. In this way, even if Wandu is lost, what does it matter?"
This statement may sound outrageous, but for Goguryeo, it is not unreasonable to say that the capital had been attacked and surrounded by the enemy three times.
But it was a little too sensational after all. As soon as Youfu finished speaking, the ministers began to whisper.
"If you are really worried, you can send more troops to your brother, and order him to attack from Heshenggu City to threaten the enemy's rear and prevent them from attacking the city with all their strength." You Fu added.
Heshenggu City is thirty miles west of the intersection of Xiangping Road and Mudi Road. You say it is the main road entrance, but it is a little off the track. If you say it is not the main road entrance, it is only a day's journey away from the road entrance. Theoretically, you can go east and cut off the road, provided that you can defeat the Liang army.
Yufu's words were actually not a good idea.
If we could win the field battle, why would it come to this?
Moreover, he did not mention Wandu at all, as if he tacitly agreed that it could be abandoned. After all, Heshenggu City was the old capital, and they had 70% to 80% of the country's elite troops in their hands. When the Liang army retreated, they would return to the old capital and still be able to command the whole country.
To put it bluntly, it’s better to defend.
"What if the Liang people turn to attack Heshenggu City?" someone raised this question.
The temptation of Maru City is indeed great, and there is a high possibility of taking it down. But if the Liang people are not tempted by it, and turn westward to attack Heshenggu City, once it is broken, they can attack from behind and join forces with the Liang army outside Pingdingshan City to attack from the east and west and destroy their army of more than 40,000.
"Your Majesty, we only have so many soldiers, and we are not well-equipped. Can you defend all five roads?" Yi Tong said, "Since the Han Dynasty, we have always used the strategy of tiring the enemy. Why do you want to change your strategy? If you feel unsure, I am willing to go to Liangying and offer the two counties of Lelang and Daifang, which will surely make them withdraw their troops."
"No." Gao Zhao rejected it subconsciously.
Ceding the land would be even more painful than killing him, but it would still be sad if Marudu City could not be defended.
Gao Zhao looked conflicted, feeling that he had been really rash this time.
"Your Majesty." Someone else said, "I am not talented enough, but I would like to go to the Liang camp and pretend to surrender, and then kill the Liang general, and maybe we can make them withdraw their troops."
Well, the idea was a bit of a joke, but the Goguryeo people really liked to do this, and no one present laughed.
At that time, Guanqiu Jian led 10,000 people to attack Wandu and fought at Liangkou, which is the confluence of Liangmo River and Feiliu River, where Yan Wang Shao Yu crossed the river. Goguryeo was defeated and Dongchuan Wang did not dare to return to Wandu and fled to Nanwoju.
Guanqiu Jian then broke into Wandu and massacred the city. The pursuing soldiers followed the King of Dongchuan all the way to Zhuling. The Eastern Dajiayou was the last one to leave, and the King of Dongchuan managed to escape. However, the Wei soldiers still pursued him, even though it was already October in winter. The King of Dongchuan was at a loss, and finally sent his close friend's subordinate Niu You to pretend to surrender, hide a knife in the food container, and stab the Wei general in the chest while offering delicious food, and die together with him, which made the Wei soldiers retreat. Who the assassinated Wei general was was not recorded in the history books, and it is even unclear whether it happened or not. It may be fabricated.
Gao Zhao was really moved when he heard this.
However, Yi Tong hastily dissuaded him, saying, "Your Majesty, even if we kill the Liang general, what will happen? Will they really retreat? What if we anger the Liang people and force them to spend the winter here?"
When Gao Zhao heard this, the idea he had just mentioned was extinguished again.
"My king, I have a plan." A voice suddenly sounded in the crowd.
"What's the plan?" Gao Zhao asked hurriedly.
"Perhaps you can send a brave general to invite Murong Jun and Murong Biao to attack Liang's camp together. Your Majesty can take the opportunity to lead the people eastward and return to the old capital."
When these words were spoken, everyone was amazed.
This is selling out friendly forces!
(End of this chapter)