Shen Qian was the first to report the chaotic situation in the Langyu camp.
"General, Your Highness, the time has come! Tuoba Xiong and Han Chang are at loggerheads. The Beidi army is demoralized. Their food and supplies will only last three to five days at most."
Upon hearing this, all the generals rubbed their hands and were eager to fight.
Even Cao Jun and Liu Pan volunteered to serve as pioneers to avenge their previous humiliation and their detained family members.
However, Zhao Muyun once again demonstrated his foresight beyond that of ordinary generals.
He shook his head slowly, his eyes sweeping over the crowd: "Although a strong attack at this time may win, the enemy will still fight desperately, and our army will inevitably suffer casualties."
"What's more, if we force them into a desperate situation, I'm afraid Han Chang and Tuoba Xiong will temporarily put aside their differences and unite against the enemy, which will increase the difficulty for our army to defeat the enemy."
"What does Master mean?" Yin Ji was now completely convinced of Zhao Muyun.
"Attack the heart first, and conquer the enemy without fighting."
Zhao Muyun said in a deep voice, "We must give Tuoba Xiong a choice, a choice he cannot refuse."
He then issued a series of orders:
"Li Mao, from now on, the encirclement will advance 300 steps daily. Build new fortifications and apply pressure, but do not initiate battle."
"Xi Sheng, increase your harassment of the grain route and make sure the last of their grain transport teams can't reach it."
"Chen Qian, have your people deliver this letter to Tuoba Xiong."
Zhao Muyun handed a letter that had already been written to Shen Qian.
The content of the letter was very simple. It first stated the pros and cons, pointed out that Han Chang was incompetent, the food and grass were running out, the army was demoralized, and defeat was inevitable.
Then, a condition is given:
If Tuoba Xiong is willing to offer the heads of Han Chang and his confidants, and lead his troops to lay down their weapons and surrender, he can guarantee the safety of his own life and the lives of his soldiers who are willing to surrender, and they will be properly resettled.
Otherwise, when the camp is broken into, no one will be left alive!
"Also," Zhao Muyun looked at Cao Jun and Liu Pan, "Generals, please write a joint letter to the Hebei soldiers, stating the crimes of Han Yanshou and Han Chang, uncle and nephew, for their persecution of loyal officials and the harm they inflicted on the soldiers' families."
"This is a statement of the kindness you two have received since you joined the light. I urge all the soldiers from Hebei and Yanyun in the camp to stop fighting for the Tartars. Those who rise up on the battlefield will be handsomely rewarded!"
"Make a thousand copies of this document and send them into the enemy camp with arrows!"
"I obey your command!"
Cao Jun and Liu Pan excitedly accepted the order. This was a good opportunity for them to vent their anger and strive to make meritorious service.
"Finally," Zhao Muyun said with a sharp gaze, "select a few high-ranking officers from Han Chang's army who we captured, bandage their wounds, give them a good meal, and then... release them back to the Langyu camp."
This was what Zhao Muyun learned in military classes in his previous life. Only those who are familiar with this history know the destructive power of the policy of preferential treatment for prisoners.
While the generals were still confused and didn't understand the magic, Mr. Zhou smiled and twirled his beard, with an expression of amazement:
"Brilliant! General Zhao's plan is like removing the fuel from the fire."
"These prisoners will not only bring back the impression that our army is strong, but will also truthfully describe how Han Chang foolishly led them to destruction, further exacerbating the conflict."
"The letter to Tuoba Xiong and the letter to the soldiers gave him a way out, but also planted a poisonous thorn between him and Han Chang that can never be removed!"
Although Mr. Zhou's understanding has not reached that level, his explanation has surpassed many people.
Zhao Muyun smiled slightly and didn't explain too much.
......
For the next two days, the Langyu Beidi camp was like hell on earth.
On the periphery, the Jin army’s camp was getting closer day by day, and the silent pressure was more suffocating than the shouting charge.
Internally, food and fodder were completely cut off, and the soldiers began to slaughter their war horses, even killing each other for a piece of horse meat.
Military discipline completely collapsed, with robberies and fights rampant.
Han Chang and Tuoba Xiong's troops were wary of each other, almost forming a camp within a camp, with constant friction.
The letters of warning to the officers and soldiers that poured into the camp like snowflakes, as well as the descriptions of the Jin army's strength and Han Chang's incompetence brought back by the released captives, completely undermined the fighting spirit of the ordinary soldiers.
Many soldiers from Hebei and Yanyun began to sneak out of the camp in groups at night and surrender to the Jin army.
After Tuoba Xiong received Zhao Muyun's letter, he sat alone in his tent for the entire night, his face looking pale.
He knew that Zhao Muyun had given him a way to survive, but it was also an extremely humiliating way.
Offering Han Chang? This would be equivalent to completely betraying Han Yanshou and breaking off relations with the Northern Di.
Don't offer it? Tomorrow might be the day when the Jin army launches a general attack, and both sides will perish together.
Just as he was hesitating, a close confidant came in a panic, reporting, "General! This is bad! Han Chang... Han Chang and his men have surrounded your tent, accusing you of having secret dealings with Jinyang and wanting to... arrest you as a traitor!"
What is coming has finally come!
Han Chang obviously also sensed the crisis and decided to strike first!
The last trace of hesitation in Tuoba Xiong's eyes turned into complete coldness and murderous intent.
He suddenly drew his sword and roared to the outside of the tent: "Blow the horn! Gather the men, and help me kill that bastard Han Chang!"
Inside the Langyu camp, the last semblance of order was completely shattered.
The civil war broke out in the most tragic way at the most unexpected time.
The troops loyal to Tuoba Xiong and the "reinforcements" brought by Han Chang fought fiercely in the camp, with flames shooting into the sky and shouts and screams filling the air.
On the top of Jinyang City, Zhao Muyun, along with Yinji and a group of Jinyang officials, immediately climbed up the slope and looked at the flames rising into the sky and the faint sounds of fighting coming from the direction of Langyu from afar with a calm expression.
"Master, you are so smart. It seems that they have taken action on their own." Yin Ji said excitedly.
Zhao Muyun nodded. "Order the entire army to prepare. Once the internal fighting subsides, our army will take over the Langyu camp."
"Also, pay special attention, I want Tuoba Xiong alive, and Han Chang's head."
......
When the Jinyang army arrived at the Langyu camp, Tuoba Xiong and Han Chang were fighting happily.
Han Chang and his core followers were killed in the gunfight, but Tuoba Xiong's main force also suffered heavy casualties.
Under the command of Li Mao, the Jinyang army advanced into the devastated Langyu camp with the force of a mountain. The remaining Northern Di troops laid down their weapons in an organized manner without putting up any decent resistance.
Tuoba Xiong was wounded several times and tried to break out while being guarded by his personal soldiers, but was eventually captured alive in the chaos.
He was dejected, his eyes were empty, and he no longer had the same grace as when he came.
In this battle, Jinyang achieved brilliant results at a very small cost.
A total of more than 15,000 enemy troops were killed, more than 5,000 were captured, and countless weapons, horses, and food supplies were seized.
The Northern Di army, which had been entrenched outside Jinyang City for a month, disappeared at this point.
The siege of Jinyang was also completely lifted!
When the news spread, the whole city of Jinyang and even the entire Hedong area was filled with cheers. Soldiers and civilians rushed to tell each other, and the sound of firecrackers was like the New Year's Eve.
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