The vanguard led by Liu Ergou, the deputy general of the Tang army and the Earl of Suiyuan, erected a simple pontoon bridge across the Liao River in less than an hour, allowing the Tang army's cavalry to pass.
The second and third pontoon bridges are also under construction in a tense but orderly manner.
On the west bank of the Liao River, the Tang cavalry, who were already prepared, spurred their horses onto the pontoon bridge as soon as it was built and headed straight for the east bank of the Liao River.
Qin Duke Wang Jian, who was commanding the battle from the central watchtower, saw that the cavalry had already crossed the west bank using the pontoon bridge. He immediately decided to lead the central army across the Liao River and wipe out the hastily retreating vanguard of Goguryeo in one fell swoop.
Wang Jian immediately ordered, "Guards, convey my orders—"
"The cavalry must cross the No. 1 pontoon bridge swiftly and assemble on the east bank of the Liao River within one hour."
"The Shenji Battalion, infantry, and supply troops shall cross the river in an orderly manner after the second and third pontoon bridges are completed, and must assemble on the east bank of the Liao River within three hours."
"The central army will follow me and cross the river with the cavalry. There must be no mistakes!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
With a command from Wang Jian, the commander-in-chief of the Tang army's eastern expedition, the 200,000-strong Tang army assembled on the west bank of the Liao River immediately sprang into action, crossing the river in batches and in an orderly manner via the pontoon bridge, in accordance with the general's orders.
On the east bank of the Liao River, in order to seize the opportunity, Deputy General Liu Ergou, before even letting Duke Wang Jian of Qin cross the river, hastily counted 20,000 cavalry and 3,000 Shenji Battalion musketeers and pursued the fleeing Goguryeo army in the direction it had fled.
Clang, clang, clang!
In an instant, the sound of horses' hooves shook the east bank of the Liao River. More than 20,000 elite cavalry of the Tang army rushed towards the four prefectures of Liaodong, which had been occupied by the Goguryeo Dynasty for several months, like a storm.
At the same time.
General Cui Dongyuan, the Goguryeo general in charge of the western expedition, ordered the entire army to retreat to avoid the range of the Tang army's cannons. He also led the Goguryeo army to a place less than ten miles away from Liaodong City.
"Report—"
At this moment, a messenger rode up from the direction of the Liao River to report that General Choi Dong-won had been found among the hastily retreating Goguryeo army.
The messenger, breathless, reported: "Reporting to the General, our entire Liaohe River defense line has fallen, and the ten thousand soldiers left to cover the retreat have been almost entirely killed or wounded."
"The Tang army has already erected three pontoon bridges on both banks of the Liao River. The 200,000 Tang troops assembled on the opposite bank are currently crossing these pontoon bridges to assemble on the east bank of the Liao River."
"Tang army! The Tang cavalry have all crossed the river and are pursuing us in the direction we are retreating!"
"What?"
Upon hearing the messenger's report, Cui Dongyuan, mounted on horseback, frowned and angrily exclaimed, "In less than two hours, the entire army of ten thousand soldiers left to defend the Liaohe River has been wiped out?"
"Damn it!"
Cui Dongyuan spat and angrily cursed, "What is Cui Zhenghao (the deputy general) good for? Ten thousand elite soldiers couldn't even hold off the Tang army for two hours?"
Then, Cui Dongyuan abruptly changed the subject, shouting sternly, "Guards! Bring forth my orders—"
"The army set up an ambush on the spot, waiting for the Tang cavalry to catch up, then wiped them out on the spot before retreating to Liaodong City;"
"Immediately dispatch messengers to the four prefectures of Liaodong, Xuantu, Lelang, and Daifang, ordering the troops defending the cities to be on high alert and ready to send reinforcements at any time!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
Soon, the Goguryeo army, which had hastily retreated to this location, began to use the advantageous terrain to set up an ambush, waiting for the Tang cavalry to arrive.
At this time, Cui Dongyuan still had 40,000 infantry and cavalry under his command, and 50,000 reinforcements in the four prefectures of Liaodong, Xuantu, Lelang, and Daifang.
In fact, after the Goguryeo Dynasty took advantage of the internal turmoil of the Daxin Dynasty to send troops to occupy the four prefectures of Liaodong in Daxin, it had been eyeing the Liaodong region with covetous intent, preparing its troops and horses, ready to cross the Liao River at any time to plunder the border people of the Liaodong region of the Tang Dynasty.
After the Tang Dynasty deployed troops to Liaodong, making it appear as if it intended to recover the four prefectures of Liaodong, the Goguryeo Dynasty also promptly reinforced its forces in the four prefectures of Liaodong, expanding the original 50,000 troops stationed there to 100,000.
They even fantasized about relying on the natural defenses of the Liao River to fight against the Tang Dynasty's 200,000 troops with only 100,000 soldiers.
Who would have thought that the Liao River, the natural barrier that General Choi Dong-won of Goguryeo was so proud of, would be breached by the Tang army on the west bank in less than two hours?
This disrupted Cui Dongyuan's entire plan, leaving him no choice but to set up an ambush outside Liaodong City to intercept the pursuing Tang cavalry.
Cui Dongyuan also made two preparations: if the Tang cavalry did not have the support of the red cannons, they would still be an invincible force against the Goguryeo army.
Then, he would have the 40,000 troops ambushed here hold back the vanguard of the Tang army's cavalry at all costs, in order to buy time for the garrison troops of the four prefectures of Liaodong, Xuantu, Lelang, and Daifang to withdraw.
If the Tang cavalry, without the aid of the red-coated cannons, were as vulnerable as the cavalry of the Xin Dynasty, which had once fought against them.
After annihilating the pursuing Tang cavalry vanguard, Cui Dongyuan would join forces with the reinforcements from the four prefectures of Liaodong, and then launch a surprise attack on the main Tang army force that had just crossed the Liao River and had not yet established a firm foothold.
Cui Dongyuan knew very well that it was unrealistic to defend the city against the Tang army, which possessed hundreds of cannons, such powerful siege weapons. Even the most fortified city could not withstand the repeated bombardment of the cannons.
Therefore, only by first assessing the strength of the Tang cavalry on the open battlefield can the next phase of the battle plan be deployed in a targeted manner.
Let's get back to the main topic.
At noon, Cui Dongyuan's 40,000-strong Goguryeo army had already formed ranks on this open ground ten miles outside Liaodong City, awaiting the arrival of the Tang army's cavalry vanguard.
General Cui Dongyuan, the commander of the Western Expedition, personally rode forward, holding a lance and standing proudly in front of the three armies.
Behind him was a formation of 20,000 infantrymen, with 5,000 cavalrymen on each flank for guard duty. In the forests on both sides, there were also 10,000 cavalrymen hiding in ambush, waiting for the Tang army's vanguard cavalry to enter the pocket formation and then they could close the door and annihilate them in one fell swoop.
Soon, the vanguard of the Tang army's cavalry caught up with them.
Ultimately, just as they were about to step into the encirclement of the Goguryeo army, they all reined in their warhorses and stopped.
"Report—"
"Reporting to the Vice General, the enemy has already formed a battle formation ahead. General Wei, the vanguard commander, is showing signs of a trap. I request permission from the Vice General whether to continue the pursuit!"
At this moment, a messenger from the Tang army also brought a request from Wei Changhe, the vanguard general of the cavalry.
Deputy General Liu Ergou also noticed the Goguryeo army arrayed ahead and immediately recognized that the terrain where the Goguryeo army was arrayed was indeed an area where ambushes could easily be hidden.
On both sides of that open space are rolling hills and forests, and the lush birch forests are natural ambush sites!
Liu Ergou couldn't help but sigh inwardly: Cui Dongyuan, that bastard, really knows how to pick a place!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com