Chapter 376: Victory in the First Battle
"What do you think? Did the general agree?" After returning to their residence, the other generals immediately asked the deputy general about the defender's intention. They all advocated going out of the city for a battle.
It would be best to use a victory to boost the morale that has fallen to the bottom.
They can't stand the provocation of the enemy outside the city, but they can only huddle in the city and stare blankly. The opponent has only two thousand troops.
As long as the deployment is proper, it will not be a problem to defeat the opponent, and maybe they can even eat up this isolated army that has penetrated deep into the city.
Although the Tang Dynasty is powerful, the Goguryeo people have never been afraid of it, not to mention that they dare not leave the city because of an isolated army.
"He disagrees! He said this is the order of Lord Molizhi, no one is allowed to leave the city without permission, and those who disobey will be punished by military law." The deputy general grabbed the water bottle on the table, took a few big gulps of water, wiped the corners of his mouth with his sleeve and said.
"What a coward! We have seen battles of hundreds of thousands of people. How can you be afraid of two thousand isolated soldiers outside the city?" A centurion said angrily. "A
cowardly and incompetent guy, he is not qualified to be our general, and he doesn't even have the courage to face the enemy. What a coward." Another centurion said dissatisfiedly. "
But defending the city is indeed the order of Lord Molizhi. Is it considered disobedience if I do this? If Lord Molizhi knows, he will definitely not let us off." Another centurion said.
His worry was not without reason. The Quan family was notoriously cruel, especially the previous generation of Molizhi, Quan Gai Suwen. When he became cruel, he even dared to kill the king of Goguryeo. What else could their family not do?
"Don't worry, everyone! As long as we can defeat the enemy outside the city, Lord Molizhi will definitely not treat us unfairly. If we can't defeat the enemy..." The deputy general stopped talking here!
They didn't need the deputy general to say it so bluntly. They could understand the meaning of the words. If they couldn't defeat the enemy, they would have died long ago without Molizhi punishing them!
Anyway, either the enemy would die or they would perish, so there would be no need for their Molizhi to take action.
"Okay! Then let's go and capture him now, and kill those bastards outside the city." The deputy general slammed the table and stood up.
As soon as he said it, the deputy general led them to the residence of the garrison commander.
They found that the number of guards around the residence of the garrison commander was twice as many as usual, but even so, it was not difficult for them.
Soon, all the guards around were dealt with by them.
They broke in directly, and the garrison commander was furious.
"What do you want to do? Do you want to rebel?"
No one paid attention to him. The deputy general waved his hand, and the soldiers behind him immediately rushed up. The garrison commander drew his sword in anger, and after swinging his sword and chopping down several soldiers, he was captured alive.
"Take the general down to rest! Take good care of him!" the deputy general ordered.
"Yes!" the soldier replied, and took the bound garrison commander down.
"Pass the order! Attack!" The deputy general took over the garrison commander's position and issued orders.
"Yes!" The generals received the order, assembled their troops and marched out of the city.
The gates of Guiduan City were wide open, and the 20,000 Goguryeo troops rushed out, vowing to destroy the Tang army that was showing off its might under Guiduan City. This was their burial place.
"General! The enemy has arrived!" A cavalryman reported in front of Xue Rengui.
"Pass the order! After three rounds of rapid shooting, immediately retreat along the original route!" Xue Rengui said.
"Yes!" The messenger rushed away, and the cavalrymen who received the order began to draw their bows and arrows to shoot at the Goguryeo army.
They shot as they ran, and the Goguryeo army could only eat dust behind them.
"The enemy has already fled. What should we do now?" asked a centurion. As soon as the army left the city, the enemy began to run away.
This made him feel like hitting cotton and unable to exert any strength.
"Chase! But you can't leave Guiduan City for fifty miles." said the deputy general.
If you can't catch up with the enemy in fifty miles, there is no need to chase them anymore!
"Understood!" said the centurion, turned around and left, and sent down the order to chase the enemy for a hundred miles and then return, doubling the original fifty miles.
Xue Rengui led the cavalry to run in front, and from time to time he shot a few arrows at the back, and someone would fall off his horse.
There were also Khitan and Mohe people who were good at riding and shooting in the Goguryeo army, and some Tang soldiers were shot and fell off their horses.
The Mohe tribe was divided into the Black Water and White Mountain tribes. They were nomadic people living in the northeast. They were the predecessors of the later Jurchens and the ancestors of the Manchus.
The two sides chased each other, arrows flew among them, and both sides suffered casualties.
The Tang army was well-equipped, and the Goguryeo army suffered a great loss in this regard.
Seventy miles away, a Tang army of tens of thousands of people was quietly waiting for their arrival. They followed the Goguryeo scouts and came here to set an ambush after the last investigation.
"Report to the Protector General, the enemy has entered our encirclement." The scout knelt on one knee in front of Cheng Mingzhen and said.
"Pass the order! Encircle them immediately! Destroy all the enemy troops." Cheng Mingzhen was overjoyed and shouted.
"Yes!" The messenger rushed out.
"Woo~Woo~" The battle horn sounded, and the Tang army immediately encircled the Goguryeo army, vowing to destroy them.
"All soldiers, follow me to kill them!" Xue Rengui tightened the reins and shouted, and the cavalry turned around and followed Xue Rengui to kill them.
"No! We have fallen into a trap! Kill them quickly!" The Goguryeo generals were shocked! They never expected this result.
Didn't they say that they had already explored the area within a radius of 300 and found no trace of the enemy, but how did the enemy appear within 70 miles of Guiduan City?
They don't have time to think about this problem now, they just want to fight their way out of the encirclement.
Cheng Mingzhen and others naturally can't let the fish that has bitten the hook escape. Under the encirclement of the army, no one broke through the encirclement.
It would be a piece of cake to get rid of this Goguryeo army and take Guiduan City. Who asked them to send all the garrisons to encircle Xue Rengui.
On the top of Guiduan City, Xue Rengui and Cheng Mingzhen looked into the distance.
"Send an urgent 800 miles immediately! Report this battle to His Majesty!" Cheng Mingzhen said to Xue Rengui.
"That's what I meant!" Xue Rengui said.
This is the first victory in this battle, so of course we have to report the good news to the court!
The messenger rode a fast horse and galloped towards Chang'an. A few days later, he conveyed the victory news to Li Chengqian.
"Everyone! General Xue and Cheng Duhu sent someone to deliver a victory report! Our army won the first battle of this Eastern Expedition." Wang Quan said.
"Show it to me!" Li Chengqian was overjoyed when he heard this!
Wang Quan immediately handed the victory letter to Li Chengqian, who took it and opened it eagerly.
After reading it, Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Good! In this battle, our army not only captured Goguryeo's Guiduan City, but also beheaded more than 400 enemy soldiers and captured more than 100 prisoners."
"Congratulations! Congratulations! General Xue and Cheng Duhu have lived up to everyone's expectations, and the destruction of Goguryeo is just around the corner." Wang Quan said with a smile.
"The destruction of Goguryeo is only a matter of time, but it's too early for you to congratulate now." Li Chengqian said with a smile.
"I'm not congratulating you in advance! It's not too early at all. The demise of Goguryeo is only a matter of time. You will surely become wise rulers throughout the ages." Wang Quan said.