In 1127 AD, the Northern Song Dynasty fell. Immediately, the ninth imperial prince, Zhao Gou, ascended the throne in Shangqiu amidst widespread anticipation, inheriting the Song imperial line and r...
However, he did not speak in the end, not saying a single word, because he knew that if today's battle did not produce a result, and it must be a definite victory, otherwise he would not be able to discuss these things or mention these names.
Another team of Red-hearted Knights with Bells came galloping from Wu Jie's side, attracting everyone's attention. Emperor Zhao, whose face was covered in rain, shook his body and took the opportunity to hastily pour himself a glass of wine, then drank it all in one gulp, trying to suppress the complicated emotions in his heart.
He has been using this method to control himself since morning.
"What is it?"
Liu Yan took the initiative to hold the knife and meet him.
Several loyal knights came up to him and bowed down. Then one of them immediately reported: "Reporting to the commander... There is news from the front line that the commander, General Guan Shigu, was killed in battle."
Guan Shigu was a senior general in the Imperial Camp Rear Army. Wu Jie proposed several times to use this man to replace his brother Wu Lin as the deputy commander-in-chief of the Imperial Camp Rear Army. Guan Shigu held an outstanding position in the Imperial Camp Rear Army.
Therefore, Liu Yan was stunned for a moment, and immediately turned back to look at the sitting Emperor Zhao. Knowing that the other party would be able to hear clearly at this distance, he paused for a moment and immediately turned his head again, and said to his subordinates seriously: "Got it. Does Wu Dutong have any other information?"
"Yes." The leader of the Red Heart Cavalry took over and continued to report. Obviously, his information was more important. "General Wu said that the battle on the front line is a little unfavorable..."
"What do you mean?" Liu Yan immediately became serious. "Was it General Guan's death that caused the shock?"
"It was partly because of General Guan, but General Guan was killed in the front battlefield of the highlands, and the ripples after his death were not enough to shake the overall situation. The main reason was that the people on the eastern side of the highlands underestimated the strength of the Yelu Ma Wu tribe and the Wanyan Wulun tribe." The captain of the Red Heart Cavalry spoke clearly. "I originally thought that the Yelu Ma Wu tribe had suffered heavy losses in the previous Taiyuan battle and the retreat from Jingxing, and its combat power should not be strong, so General Wu took the initiative to seek the enemy with Deputy General Li's 20,000 troops, but after the battle, I found that the strength of the Yelu Ma Wu tribe and the Wanyan Wulun tribe was not only not weak, but definitely exceeded 20,000 households..."
"Why is it so?" Liu Yan couldn't help but interrupt the other party and ask.
"According to the battlefield feedback, there are many more infantrymen, and Deputy Commander Li and Commander Wu both believe that this is the Jin army's last-ditch effort to concentrate the cavalry. They picked out the remaining three million infantrymen and gave them to Yelu Mawu, who was originally weak, for unified use..."
"I see." Liu Yan breathed a sigh of relief. As long as it wasn't a divine soldier that went beyond the original plan, then he could accept it. "So how does Wu Jiedu decide to deal with it?"
"Commander-in-Chief Wu said that although the central army of the imperial camp cannot quickly suppress the Jin army on the eastern side of the high ground, our army on the west side of the high ground is already unstoppable. It is only a matter of time to suppress the Jin army on all fronts and force them to make a move... Please don't worry, just wait." Captain Chixin Cavalry stopped talking here.
When Liu Yan heard the last sentence, he looked back again. After making sure that the silent official had heard the relevant information clearly, he said no more. He just waved his hand and asked the other party to report to Wu Jie.
After the Red Heart Riders left, Emperor Zhao remained silent. However, Lu Yihao spoke slowly under Mei Li's umbrella: "General Liu..."
"I am your humble servant." Facing Lu Yihao, Liu Yan was actually a little flustered. "Mr. Lu, please speak."
"How many soldiers have crossed the river? How many are left on the Taiping River side?" Lu Yihao said calmly.
"There are 125,000 people who crossed the river. There are 130,000 or 140,000 cavalrymen from the Imperial Camp Cavalry and the Imperial Camp Front Army Beiwei Army who remain on this side of the river. Under the command of Wang Jiedu and Yang Tongzhi, there are also a mixed force of long-axe heavy infantry and long-lances from the Imperial Camp Right Army Beiwei Army, about 260,000 or 270,000... All together, there are probably less than 40,000."
"Anything else?" Lu Yihao kept asking.
"There are also the imperial guards, scattered Japanese samurai, and some generals' personal guards, totaling three to four thousand infantry and cavalry, to protect the Huolu camp and the government." Liu Yan paused, then continued to answer with his head bowed.
"Anything else?" Lu Yihao pretended not to hear and continued to ask.
"There are also the Tangut auxiliary troops and the Taihang righteous army."
"How do you say it? Is it available?"
"Of course they can be used..." Liu Yan was increasingly confused, but he could only bite the bullet and state the facts. "They have a lot of combat experience, can endure hardships, and can go into battle... But because they need to set up supply lines along the way from Taiyuan to Huolu, Huolu currently only has 20,000 Tangut civilians and 10,000 auxiliary soldiers reorganized from the Taihang Volunteer Army in the camp."
Lu Yihao nodded and looked at the expressionless Zhao Guanjia sitting there: "Your Majesty, there are a total of 180,000 troops going out of Hebei this time. Excluding a few detachments that were sent to the other side of the Hutuo River, there are about 170,000 soldiers left, and more than two-thirds of them have already crossed the river."
Everyone suddenly realized that Prime Minister Lu was actually urging Emperor Zhao to cross the river himself to break the deadlock.
And it is obvious that given the official's personality, he would not refuse.
Zhao Jiu certainly understood what the other party meant, but after thinking for a moment, the official, who had already been unable to hold back, actually shook his head and tried to remain calm:
"Wait a little longer."
After being rejected, Lu Yihao didn't care. He just nodded slightly, and then ordered Liu Yan to send 20,000 Dangxiang auxiliary troops and 10,000 Taihang volunteer army auxiliary troops out of the camp and line up on the open space behind the stone bridge.
At this time, Emperor Zhao suddenly interrupted and said, "Tell the auxiliary soldiers to carry out all the barricades from each camp."
Liu Yan did not mention that he hurriedly went to organize auxiliary troops, but the emperor's words made a fact more clearly and unmistakably clear - he did not want to cross the river, but he hoped to set out at a better time that was suitable for crossing the river, with all preparations, in order to maximize the effect of the imperial expedition.
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