Chapter 251 Traitors in Chaotic Times (Twenty-Seven): How to Become a Super Strategist...
After listening to Mu Anyong's analysis, Tang Yuan and Bao Zhuozhi's eyes lit up, and they both leaned forward. "So, in that case, we can send people to take a detour through the hills on the flank of Tuyuan Pass and hide there, waiting for an opportunity to burn down the Northern Yan's supply convoy? As long as we cut off the Northern Yan army's supply lines, even if their 100,000 troops fight ten against one, they certainly won't last long!"
No.
Song Ce shook his head. “A general will not neglect his starving soldiers. This is a matter of great importance concerning the supply of 100,000 troops. Lu Erruolie will definitely send elite troops to escort it. Moreover, our Pingzhou is gradually running out of food. It would be a great pity to destroy such a rich and considerable amount of grain. After all, one zhong of food from the enemy is worth twenty zhong of our own.”
"But... how can we intercept their supplies amidst the vast army of Northern Yan?" Mu Anyong couldn't help but ask.
Song Ce smiled slightly, "Do you all still remember how Li Dezhong and Feng Ziyi crossed the Qin region to come to my Pingzhou?"
Mu Anyong's eyes widened. "General, are you saying that regarding the grain supplies, you intend to follow the example of Li and Feng, and... repeat the same trick?"
"That's exactly right."
Song Ce glanced at everyone in the hall and said calmly, "Li and Feng were able to use the Northern Yan soldiers' armor to get through many checkpoints, and we can do the same. However, they were there to deliver a message, while we are here to seize grain. Compared to them, we need to be more cautious."
Tang Yuan rubbed his hands together, his eyes filled with excitement. "General, tell me quickly, how should we proceed this time?"
Song Ce spread out the map and vaguely pointed to the north and south sides of the pass. "This area is full of dense forests. We can send our elite troops in disguise to find out the amount of grain and the number of people transporting it. Seizing grain relies on strategy, not brute force. Our men need to be agile and quick-witted."
Upon hearing this, Bao Zhuozhi immediately replied, "General, this matter can be handled by me! I have a group of mixed-race soldiers from Northern Yan who can all speak some of the local dialect of Northern Yan. I'm sure they won't give themselves away when they're disguised. Furthermore, I can also ask Li Dezhong and Feng Ziyi to help train them, so as to avoid any unexpected complications."
"Very good, this matter will be left to Military Advisor Bao."
Mu Anyong frowned upon hearing this. "General, isn't a force of only five hundred men too few? As Sun Tzu said, 'A thousand miles of grain transport requires a thousand chariots. The expenses for internal and external affairs, the use of guests, and the maintenance of chariots and armor can amount to a thousand gold pieces a day.' Even if each chariot, along with its guards, driver, and auxiliary soldiers, consists of only one person, a thousand chariots would still require at least ten thousand Northern Yan soldiers! If they are discovered by the enemy, they will find it difficult to escape."
Song Ce nodded, "Therefore, this mixed-race army is only used for cutting off supplies. Pingzhou is our main base. After these people succeed, Dali can send out its elite vanguard to properly 'protect' the supply route."
Everyone: "Hehe, General... truly a master strategist."
With this plan settled, Song Ce began strategic preparations to deal with the Northern Yan army.
The area behind the Tuyuan Pass is indeed a strategic location that can be attacked or defended, but it also has a significant drawback: if the Northern Yan wants to fight, its army must pass through the narrow pass, where the transport of supplies is difficult, which is only conducive to a quick battle, not a protracted one.
If that's the case, the Dali army could simply dig deep trenches and build high fortifications outside the pass, holding out of Pingzhou. As long as they cut off the Northern Yan's supply lines and wear down their army, victory would only be a matter of time.
And so, after Pingzhou had made preparations to meet the enemy, the Northern Yan army arrived. Just as Song Ce and Mu Anyong had predicted, Naruer Ruolei placed the 100,000-strong army, which had arrived late, behind the Tuyuan Pass.
"What? Say that to me again?" Ruljolie suddenly drew his scimitar and roared.
"Reporting to the general, those cunning Dali people, disguised as our troops, have been frequently raiding our Northern Yan garrison. The grain and supplies you ordered us to transport in advance have been mostly seized by them! The remaining grain and supplies in the army can only last for a month at most!"
The lieutenant didn't dare raise his head and continued, trembling, "This humble general was furious and repeatedly sent troops to pursue and kill these people, but... but those people were dressed so similarly to our soldiers that we couldn't tell them apart at all, and we even accidentally injured many of our own men..."
Lu Erruolie snorted heavily and slammed his hand on the table. "So many cunning Dali people, with only the troops of two cities, know only how to use underhanded tricks. Do they dare to fight my 100,000-strong Northern Yan army head-on?"
"General, please don't be angry."
Desiring to redeem himself, the lieutenant hurriedly crawled forward and said, "General, I have heard that the general stationed in Pingzhou is a civil official from the Dali era. He is cowardly and timid. I have sent troops to challenge him many times, and even sent a small team to verbally abuse him, but General Song has ignored them all! Such a timid fellow would surely cry and run back to his mother if he knew that you were coming in person!"
Ruljolie's expression softened slightly, and he glared at his deputy with his fierce eyes. "Forget it, this matter is not entirely your fault. Get up!"
"Thank you, General!"
Luerruolie walked to the map hanging in the tent and said in a deep voice, "The daily consumption of food and supplies by an army of 100,000 is not a small amount. Now that most of our food and supplies have been seized, we must break this deadlock as soon as possible!"
Below the tent, a burly man from Northern Yan with a full beard stepped forward and shouted, "General! All the soldiers and officers in Pingzhou City combined only number forty thousand! Why don't we launch a full-scale attack? I, Li Kaosibirna, am willing to lead my elite and brave Northern Yan troops in a series of assaults on the city!"
"Good! Very good!" Luerruolie clapped his hands and laughed, then strode forward to personally help Likasbilna up, saying, "It is truly a blessing from heaven that our Northern Yan has a warrior like you! Although the general defending Pingzhou is a scholar, he is quite clever. He has built high fortifications and closed the city gates, simply to wear us down! If the stalemate lasts for ten or eight days, that's fine, but if the two armies are locked in battle for more than half a month, and the army runs out of food, then our 100,000-strong army of Northern Yan will be in danger!"
"General, rest assured, I will lead my troops in a fight to the death and will never retreat!"
With Rúlólie's approval, Likósibirna immediately led 50,000 elite Northern Yan troops toward Pingzhou City with great momentum.
Inside Pingzhou City, Song Ce, along with Mu Anyong, Tang Yuan, and others, were already standing atop the tower.
As everyone watched from afar, they saw the dark mass of the Northern Yan army approaching Pingzhou step by step. Tang Yuan's expression tightened, and he reached for the sword at his waist, saying in a deep voice, "General, the Northern Yan army is planning a full-scale attack!"
Song Ce calmly watched the approaching Northern Yan army and slowly said, "Pass down the order: all those remaining in the city should leave according to the plan!"
"Yes, General!"
Likasibirna led the Northern Yan army swiftly forward, sweeping all before them! The gates of Pingzhou city ahead were tightly shut, but there wasn't a single soldier guarding the entrance!
"General, look! Those cowardly Dali people didn't even send anyone to guard the city gates. They must have heard that you are personally leading troops here and fled in fear!"
Upon hearing this, Li Kassbir smiled sinisterly, "Very well! Tu Yizhalu, you quickly lead your troops to break down this city gate for this general!"
"yes!"
Tu Yizha led dozens of tall and mighty Northern Yan soldiers to forcefully ram the city gate with wooden pillars. In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the Pingzhou city gate was violently broken open by them!
"Warriors of Northern Yan, charge with me!"
At Li Kasper's command, he took the lead and rode straight into Pingzhou City.
To the surprise of the Northern Yan soldiers, there was not a single garrison in Pingzhou City. The streets were in complete disarray, and the doors of every house were wide open, as if they had abandoned the city and fled!
"General, the city is empty! We haven't found anyone!"
Listening to the reports from the various vanguard soldiers, Li Kasper reined in his horse, his sharp gaze sweeping across the empty streets. His brows furrowed slightly, and a strange sense of unease rose in his heart.
"These people from Dali have always had some backbone, so why did they abandon the city and flee so easily today?"
Tu Yizha laughed heartily and flattered, "It must be that the commander-in-chief heard of the general's reputation and fled with his men in fear!"
"Is that so... But I still feel something is amiss. Tu Yizha Road, have your men search thoroughly, leave no alley or house unchecked! Once you catch someone alive, bring them here immediately!"
Upon receiving the order, Tu Yizal immediately signaled his men to disperse and conduct a thorough search.
It took a whole day for Li Kao Si Bi Na to search the entire Pingzhou, but apart from the military supplies that were inconvenient to carry, they didn't see a single person in the whole city.
"General, since there is no one in the city, they must have abandoned it and fled! This battle deserves the greatest credit from you!" Tu Yizhalu said excitedly.
"Yes!" Without further hesitation, Li Kaosibirna laughed and ordered, "Quickly go to Tuyuan Pass and send a message to General Luerruolie, asking him to bring his troops to Pingzhou City of our Northern Yan immediately!"
"Yes, sir! I'll take care of it right away!"
Meanwhile, Ruhrjore, who was still guarding outside the pass, heard about the great victory led by Likasbilna and suddenly stood up and clapped his hands, "Good! Good! Excellent! Issue my order: the army must break camp immediately without delay!"
In this way, the Northern Yan army captured Pingzhou City without losing a single soldier.
After Lu Erruolie led his troops into the city, he seized the supplies and treasures that Dali had not yet taken away. His soldiers were also extremely excited and held banquets every day to celebrate the victory. However, within seven or eight days, a sense of complacency and slackness arose within the Northern Yan army.
Inside the city, Li Kaussbir sat in the secondary seat next to the main seat, holding a bowl of fine wine from Northern Yan, his face full of smugness. As he watched the generals below raise their glasses in celebration, the slight sense of unease and strangeness in his heart slowly dissipated, and he naturally felt that the attack on Pingzhou was a piece of cake for him.
"Fellow warriors!"
Lu Erruolie, seated at the head of the table, put down his wine bowl and said in a loud voice, "Pingzhou is now under the control of Northern Yan. Next, we only need to take Heyang, and the entire Qinzhou will be ours! At that time, the King will surely reward us handsomely! Cheers!"
"Dry!!"
Just then, a handsome lieutenant with blue eyes stood up with a frown, walked up to Ruerruolie, and whispered, "General, I have a feeling that something is not right about this."
Luerruol glanced at the newcomer. It was none other than his brother's recent favorite male lover, Awutayi.
If it were someone else offering advice, Ruerzollie might seriously consider it. But Awutayi, for the sake of wealth and status, was willing to submit to someone else, especially his own brother… No matter how you looked at it, this made him want to vomit.
Thinking of this, Luerruolie waved his hand dismissively and said disdainfully, "Awutai, you are just too cautious! Song Ce is just a civil official with insufficient troops. It's normal for him to be afraid when he sees my 100,000 troops pressing on the city. Now that we have occupied Pingzhou, you should stop saying such discouraging things!"
Awutai wanted to say something more, but was rudely interrupted by Likasbir: "Enough! This is the time for celebration, Awutai, don't take advantage of the King's favor to spoil our fun!"
"Alright, alright, you can go now!" Ruerruolie snorted.
Helpless, Awutayi could only bow and retreat.
-----------------------
Author's note: [Keep it up!][Keep it up!]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
