The siege of Ganzhou was temporarily lifted, but Tang Yanhai did not relax his vigilance.
The ruins of the Allied Forces camp outside the city were still emitting wisps of smoke, and the air was filled with the smell of burning and blood.
The army of Chechi State has been completely defeated and everyone has fled back to their tribes. It is difficult for them to pose a threat in the short term.
The Northern Di army lost many men and horses in the chaos and retreated fifty miles to re-establish camp, but it was obviously unable to organize an effective attack.
On top of the city wall, the defenders were busy repairing the damaged defenses and clearing the battlefield.
Although the soldiers were tired, their faces were filled with joy of surviving the disaster and high morale.
With a bandage on his arm, Yan Ling reported the results and losses to Tang Yanhai: "...In this battle, our army sent out 500 men, 27 were killed, and nearly 100 were injured."
"But we killed an estimated 800 enemies in battle, burned a large amount of food and supplies, and seized countless weapons, armor, and flags. Most importantly, Yuchi Liang surrendered, and the coalition forces were defeated!"
Tang Yanhai nodded slightly, without much joy on his face.
He looked to the north, where the main force of the Northern Di army was located.
He said slowly, "Wumu Chi's main force is still at Heidu Mountain, facing Pei Lun. Those remaining here are not their elite troops. After this defeat, they probably won't dare come again in the short term. However, the Northern Di people will always seek revenge, so we must be on guard."
"Boss, what should we do next?" Yan Ling asked.
Tang Yanhai pondered for a moment: "The Zhao boss has ordered us to freely use our initiative and move closer to Liangzhou."
"But Ganzhou is an important town in Longyou, and we cannot abandon it lightly."
"So, you will immediately send out multiple messengers. First, report the victory to General Zhao of Liangzhou and ask for instructions on the next strategy. Second, contact General Pei Lun to inform him of our situation and see if we can coordinate our actions. Third, appease the soldiers and civilians in the city, reorganize the defenses, and collect food and fodder. We must be prepared to both defend the city and maneuver."
"Understood!" Yan Ling took the order and left.
......
News from Liangzhou and Longyou quickly arrived at Yang Yan's desk like snowflakes.
"Zhao Muyun left Liangzhou and headed north...directly attacking Wumuchi's rear?"
Yang Yan looked at the secret report and confirmed it several times, his face full of disbelief. "How dare he...how dare he? Isn't he afraid that Liangzhou will be empty and I can take advantage of it? Or...does he have other things to rely on?"
He paced around the hall anxiously.
The staff analyzed cautiously: "Prime Minister, Zhao Muyun has always been cunning and treacherous in his military operations."
"This move may seem crazy, but in reality... it might actually catch Wumuchi off guard. If it succeeds, Wumuchi will surely retreat. Then he will return with a great victory. I'm afraid..."
Another staff member disagreed:
"Prime Minister, this is a godsend! Zhao Muyun is advancing alone deep into the enemy's territory, and logistics are difficult to maintain. The risk is enormous."
"Our army can order General Yang Fan to intensify the attack on Xiazhou while gathering our forces. We may try to attack Liangzhou again!"
Yang Yan stopped, his eyes sinister:
"Attack Liang Province? Zhang Zan is still in Liang Province. How could Zhao Muyun not be prepared? What if this is a ploy to lure the enemy? Besides, Jinyang has already led reinforcements to Xia Province..."
He was full of contradictions.
He was afraid of the military force that would follow Zhao Muyun's success, but he also coveted the possible opportunities before him.
This uncertainty tormented him.
In the end, he made a seemingly safe decision:
"Send a message to Yang Fan to intensify the offensive. We must capture Xiazhou before the reinforcements from Hedong arrive!"
"At the same time, order Yang Yi and Li Hu to closely monitor the movements of Zhang Zan's troops in Liangzhou and Zhao Muyun's army heading north. Report any unusual movements immediately."
"Without the Prime Minister's explicit order, no one may arbitrarily use military force against Liang Province!"
He had to make sure that Zhao Muyun did not set a trap in Liangzhou while attacking Wumuchi before he dared to take the next step.
He hoped that his nephew Yang Fan would take Xiazhou before the reinforcements from Hedong arrived.
......
at the same time.
The 10,000 Jinyang reinforcements led by Lin Feng marched southwest along the official road.
The two thousand cavalrymen led by the vanguard Dewey had already set out from Yanzhou, keenly exploring the road ahead and the enemy situation.
Xi Sheng rode a horse in the central army, with his heavy Mo Dao hanging on the side of the horse, attracting the attention of many new recruits.
He wiped the dust off his face impatiently and said to Li Mao, who was riding beside him:
"Old Li, this is too slow! At this rate, when will we get to Xiazhou?"
"I don't know if Captain Tong can hold on. If the city falls, we'll just have to collect his body!"
Li Mao looked calmly at the winding team ahead and said calmly:
"General Xi, speed is of the essence in war, but we must also maintain our strength and take care of the rear supplies."
"Commander-in-Chief Lin's prudent military strategy ensures that by the time our army reaches Xiazhou, we'll still have enough to fight Yang Fan. If we rush in too quickly, our troops will be exhausted and our horses will fall into the enemy's trap of waiting for us to tire out."
"I understand the logic!"
Xi Sheng waved his hands irritably. "That's exactly what's frustrating me! I heard that Yang Fan brought 30,000 men with him. How many soldiers does Tong Gu have? We also have to be on guard against the defeated troops brought by that loser Tian Zun... Sigh!"
"That's why Governor Lin needs to be more stable."
Li Mao said, "Although our army is only 10,000 strong, they are the elite troops of Jinyang, fully equipped with armor and weapons, and their morale is high. Yang Fan has more troops, but they have been exhausted from the long expedition and have been unable to capture Xiazhou for a long time, so their fighting spirit has been weakened. As one side gains strength while the other loses, the outcome is still uncertain."
As he was speaking, a man on a fast horse came chasing from behind. It was a messenger.
"Report! Commander Lin's order: All troops accelerate, and must reach Blackwater Station and set up camp before sunset! General Dewey's vanguard has engaged a small group of enemy cavalry, defeated them, and is now sweeping forward!"
Lin Feng's order was quickly conveyed, and the marching speed, which was not slow to begin with, was increased to another level.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
