readytorunbook Chapter 903 What’s in the Bag
Chapter 903 What’s in the Bag
Upon learning that the army had already set off, Huang Sumu dared not delay for a moment. After leaving a letter for Lu Yangyang, he immediately led his men to Qinzhou.
The person accompanying and escorting them was Lu Zhan, who had grown into a young boy.
Lu Zhan has been following Yan Yue in the north for the past two years, participating in many battles, big and small. However, because of his young age, Yan Yue left him in Yingzhou this time.
He was very dissatisfied with this, but military orders were hard to disobey, so he had no choice but to obey and garrison Yingzhou.
Fortunately, this time Huang Sumu led military doctors to Qinzhou to provide support, which finally gave him a chance, and he escorted them along the way.
Upon arriving in Qinzhou, Huang Sumu immediately led the medical staff who had come with him from the Northwest to begin emergency treatment.
Extreme environments are more likely to train people. In just a few days, Huang Sumu felt that the experience he had accumulated in the past six months was not as intuitive as what he had gained in these few days.
……
Helian Chi, the commander-in-chief of Northern Yan, originally thought that the famous crown prince of Da Zhao was just a useless scholar who would never know how to lead troops. He believed that he would be able to capture Qin Prefecture and march straight to Ying Prefecture within three days by leading the main force of Yan army of 200,000 against the 200,000 Da Zhao army brought by Zong Que.
Ever since Crown Prince Chongwen became a hostage, their Great Yan had also begun to emulate the Great Zhao, engaging in all that rubbish about Confucianism. In recent years, those useless civil officials had caused them, the military generals, no end of trouble, which he considered utterly pointless. He assumed that Zong Que, like those pedantic civil officials, was merely a smooth talker, utterly incapable of real combat.
However, to his utter surprise, Qinzhou, which he had originally planned to conquer within three days, was still not captured even after five days of continuous attacks.
This forced him to confront for the first time this war, which he perceived as an absolute mismatch in strength.
"Uncle Wang, we've been unable to capture Qin Prefecture for a long time. Should we prepare to reinforce our troops?" Helian Cheng asked.
“Wait three more days,” Helian Chi took a big gulp of strong liquor, sat down on the tiger-skin rug with his sword drawn, and looked out of the tent. “I don’t believe we can’t take this little Qin Prefecture. Zong Que is indeed cunning, but no matter how cunning he is, he is still no match for absolute strength. I want to see how many more days he can hold out!”
“But Uncle Wang, I heard that Zong Que brought a large amount of grain. If we can’t take Qinzhou soon, they might keep dragging this out, and our grain won’t last that long.” Helian Cheng said with some worry.
Northern Yan was already short of food and fodder. After occupying the northern lands in recent years, they began to enslave the slaves of Da Zhao to reclaim wasteland. However, the northern lands were originally barren, and the harvested grain was limited. It was already difficult to supply the army. Many times, they even had to travel to the northwest trade market to exchange cattle and sheep for grain.
They used to be able to maintain their food supplies by plundering, but this war has not gone well. The few cities they have captured so far are almost empty. The population of the North was already small, and it has become even smaller in recent years due to the war. As soon as the war starts, those people disappear without a trace, and there is very little that can be plundered.
The only truly wealthy place in the north was Yingzhou, where Cheng's army was based. This was why they had to take Yingzhou as soon as possible; if they couldn't replenish their supplies quickly, they wouldn't be able to hold out until they could continue their southward advance.
Their Great Yan army is strong and well-equipped, and they have always relied on quick battles. They cannot afford a protracted war; they cannot withstand such attrition.
As the commander-in-chief, Helian Chi was not one to act arbitrarily. After listening to Helian Cheng's words, he asked thoughtfully, "Then, in your opinion, what should we do?"
Helian Cheng took out a map and showed it to Helian Chi.
"Uncle Wang, please see, the reason we chose to transfer our main force to Qinzhou was because there are several mountain ranges blocking the way here in Fengming Mountain, which is not suitable for our large-scale cavalry to pass through. In the northeast, there is a large river, but the journey is a bit long. Whether crossing the river or taking a detour, it would be a waste of time. It is not suitable for a large army to pass through unless absolutely necessary. Only Qinzhou is almost flat and the easiest to take."
"Once we take Qin Prefecture, Ying Prefecture will be ours for the taking."
Helian Cheng continued, "The army of Da Zhao is no match for that of Da Yan. As long as we concentrate our forces and take Qin Prefecture as soon as possible, Ying Prefecture will be nothing to fear. I have already sent people to scout ahead. The reason our people failed to take Fengming Pass a few days ago was because the enemy came to our aid at a crucial moment. If we mobilize our forces to come and support them now, and then send another part of our troops to attack Fengming Mountain, and after taking Fengming Mountain, we can bypass it and encircle us from both sides. We will definitely be able to take Qin Prefecture."
Helian Chi looked at the map and pondered for a moment. “That makes sense. You’ve improved quite a bit, kid. But as you know, the main force of the army is indeed in our hands, but of the remaining 200,000 troops, 30,000 went to Fengming Mountain, 50,000 went to the east, and of the remaining 120,000, 50,000 belong to the Nalan family, while the remaining 80,000 were forcibly given to that bastard child that woman gave birth to. Although I have the authority to deploy them, how to mobilize them is still a problem.”
This was indeed a difficult problem, so Helian Chi had never considered mobilizing these two groups of troops so easily.
Since returning to the grasslands, the Nalan family has become increasingly unruly in recent years, repeatedly making excuses when summoned. This time, when the army marched south, the Nalan family dragged their feet and brought 50,000 troops with them.
As for Empress Dowager Dugu's illegitimate son, he has enjoyed immense prestige since being recognized. Not only was he granted the title of Prince of Lu, but he was also given military power. This time, he was put in charge of troops to accumulate military merits, and in the future, he may even be able to compete for the throne of Great Yan.
As the Left Wise King, Helian Chi was the uncle of several princes, and they were related by blood. He could not possibly watch the power of the Great Yan fall into the hands of a woman, let alone into the hands of that woman's bastard child. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, he did not want to give that bastard child a chance.
But what Helian Cheng said was indeed reasonable. If they did not take Qinzhou as soon as possible, and if they continued to delay, their food supplies might not be able to last.
“Uncle, how about this,” Helian Cheng said, “General Nalan is brave and skilled in battle, the number one warrior of our Great Yan. As long as he takes action, he will surely take Fengming Mountain. At that time, he only needs to block our retreat route to Qinzhou. As for Brother Lü’s side, most of his 80,000 troops are the private army of the Dugu family, and they are for the sake of Great Yan. We are not afraid that he will not stand with us. In this way, it will be more than enough for us to take Qinzhou.”
"Good!" Helian Chi clapped his hands. "Do as you say! Arrange it immediately! We must take Qin Prefecture within three days!"