novelAbuy In Chapter 133, they bypassed the aid and did not go to the rescue.
In Chapter 133, they bypassed the aid and did not go to the rescue.
Luzhou.
Ever since they learned of the defeat of the royal army, a lingering shadow has hung over the hearts of the Gao family.
"Brother, what do you think will happen next?"
Everyone wanted to know the answer to the question Gao Huailiang raised.
"Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. Reorganize the army and fight again; we can turn the tide."
Is it really that simple?
Seeing his younger brother questioning his views, Gao Huaide scratched his head and changed his approach.
"The battle report from the front has been sent to the capital with great urgency. The court will send reinforcements soon. Father, as long as we hold out for a few days, we can defeat the enemy with the help of our forces from both inside and outside."
The new answer sounded more reliable, and Madam Gao, Gao Huaixuan, and Gao Huailiang were somewhat relieved. Gao Huaide also secretly breathed a sigh of relief—this was also what he had hoped for.
Soon after, Fu Yanrao arrived with 5,000 imperial guards and infantry, which seemed to further confirm this view.
"Second Uncle Fu, when will you send troops to rescue my father and Fourth Uncle Fu?"
Since the two families were on good terms, Gao Huaide went straight to the point and asked.
"It'll be soon, it'll be soon."
Fu Yanrao reassured him, "Tell your mother to rest assured. Besides my group, there are several other reinforcements coming. We'll set off once they're all here."
Ha, I knew it!
The 5,000-strong imperial guards, renamed from Yanwei to Ningwei, were extremely powerful. Gao Huaide was full of confidence that if more troops like these came, there would be no problem in relieving the siege.
Sure enough, just two days later, an even larger force, numbering as many as 20,000, marched into Luzhou!
Upon seeing the large army again, the older generation couldn't help but recall the more than twenty years of conflict between Jin and Liang, when the flames of war seemed to never cease. After finally enjoying more than a decade of peace, was the world about to descend into chaos again?
Gao Huaide's mood was completely different. The imperial guards' armor was gleaming, clearly indicating that they were an elite force. He was immediately invigorated and hurried to tell his mother, sister, and brother.
Compared to the scene when Fu Yanrao arrived, the occasion was even more grand. All the officials of the prefecture came out of the city to welcome Zhao Yanshou, a high-ranking official of the second rank, a close minister, and a son-in-law of the emperor.
This was the first time Gao Huaide had met Zhao Yanshou.
Zhao Yanshou was about forty years old. Although he was no longer a young man, one could still see the delicate features he had in his youth. His graceful demeanor was comparable to that of a woman, and his beard was neatly trimmed.
He was not wearing a helmet or armor, but a turban, a brocade robe, a jade belt, and soft-soled official boots.
"This doesn't look like a military general. Can he even go to war?"
Upon discovering that this person was completely different from his father when he led troops, Gao Huaide couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Half a horse's length behind Zhao Yanshou, a young boy rode alongside him, about two or three years older than him. Gao Huaide guessed that he was his son.
Next is a carriage; are they bringing their families?
The carriage curtain was lifted, and a man of similar age to Zhao Yanshou stepped out. He was also dressed as a civil official, exuding a refined and elegant air.
"Greetings, Grand Chancellor!"
"I have met Vice Minister He."
The officials of the prefecture bowed in greeting, and Zhao Yanshou nodded slightly in return. The man returned the greeting with a smile.
Gao Huaide felt it was highly inappropriate for such a person to be in the army. Upon inquiring, he learned that this person was He Ning, the Vice Minister of Works and a Hanlin Academician accompanying the army. (Note 1)
Zhao Yanshou left the main army stationed outside the city and moved into the city himself. The Luzhou government office had once been Emperor Xuanzong's Feilong Palace, with many courtyards. He chose an elegant and unique pavilion and became neighbors with the Gao family.
For the next few days, Zhao Yanshou spent his days hosting banquets and entertaining guests, exchanging poems and songs with the Vice Minister He. The sounds of music drifted right up to Gao Huaide's ears, who was separated by only one wall.
"They don't seem to be in a hurry to provide support at the front lines at all. What's going on?"
Gao Huaide's first impression of Zhao Yanshou was already not good, and seeing this situation only increased his disgust: tens of thousands of soldiers were eagerly waiting, he didn't know how his own father was doing, and you were leisurely enjoying the army you commanded—were you even human?!
He went to Fu Yanrao to inquire about when the troops would be dispatched.
"Don't rush, don't rush."
Although Fu Yanrao treated him like a child, he still revealed some useful information.
"The imperial court has deployed four reinforcements. Once they are in position, we must lift the siege in one fell swoop."
"Pan Huan, who dispatched troops from the western route to Taiyuan via Jiangzhou and Jinzhou; and Fan Yanguang, who dispatched troops from Hebei to Yuci via Yedu and Fukou Pass, both of these armies do not need to pass through Luzhou and are almost ready to go."
"The Youyan troops that will cut off our retreat are led by Prince Zhao Dejun of Beiping, whose journey is the longest. In a few more days, once this army arrives, we will all attack together and ensure that not a single Khitan will escape."
War is a matter of great importance to the state and indeed requires careful consideration; Fu Yanrao's statement is not wrong.
Gao Huaide's anxiety eased once he learned of the court's plan. He was knowledgeable in military strategy, and with this plan, victory was assured.
Okay, then let's wait a bit longer.
At just over ten years old, Gao Huaide could never have imagined how a meticulously planned scheme could be distorted and transformed by human selfishness.
……
When Li Siyuan ascended the throne, he immediately appointed Li Shaobin as the military governor of Youzhou, Grand Tutor, and Chancellor, and restored his original name to Zhao Dejun.
Yelü Abaoji died soon after, and Yelü Deguang continued his father's policies at the beginning of his reign. He sent the surrendered general Lu Wenjin to Pingzhou as his guide to invade Youzhou and plunder the officials and people.
Li Siyuan then dispatched An Shentong, Wu Zhen, and others to lead troops to defend the capital, transporting grain into Youzhou and Jizhou, stationing troops in Lu Tai's army, and secretly sending envoys to persuade Lu Wenjin that after the change of dynasty, there would be no reason for resentment.
Lu Wenjin then killed the Khitan garrison commander of Pingzhou and led his 150,000 troops and 8,000 carriages to Youzhou.
This was indeed a major diplomatic victory for the Khitan.
Yelü Deguang had no choice but to swallow this bitter pill and send an envoy to announce his condolences.
Li Siyuan issued an edict: "I have recently succeeded to the throne, respectfully upholding the imperial way, striving to bring peace to both the Han and the barbarians, and cherishing harmony and prosperity. The Khitan kings have long been allied with us, exchanging pleasantries and paying homage. Upon hearing of this tragic news, I am deeply saddened and grieved. Therefore, the court audience scheduled for the 19th of this month is hereby cancelled."
What a fine example of bringing peace and harmony to both the barbarians and the Chinese, and achieving a state of peace and prosperity!
During Li Siyuan's reign, he did not launch aggressive attacks, but his strategy of active defense left Yelü Deguang and Shulü Ping with a bitter taste in their mouths.
The following year, Dejun was promoted to Grand Commandant, and his son, Zhao Yanshou, the Defense Commissioner of Ruzhou, was promoted to Military Governor of Heyang, becoming the first to receive a banner.
Zhao Dejun proposed building fortifications and garrisoning troops at Yangoudian to guard Liangxiang County in preparation for the invasion of bandits, which was approved.
The first month of the third year of Tiancheng.
Yelü Deguang sent troops to capture Pingzhou.
That year, the King of Dingzhou rebelled, and the Khitan sent General Tie Nuo with more than 10,000 cavalry to his aid.
In the Battle of Jiashan, Commander-in-Chief Wang Yanqiu ordered close-quarters combat. Fu Yanqing led the Longwu Left Army to attack their left flank, while Gao Xingzhou led the Longwu Right Army to attack their right flank. With valiant swords and claws, they swiftly beheaded the Khitan reinforcements, inflicting heavy losses on them and eliminating more than 7,000 cavalry.
Zhao Dejun ordered the killing of several thousand members of the defeated Khitan faction and captured more than fifty leaders, including Abaoji's youngest son.
Li Siyuan ordered the execution of Tie Nuo, the Xi general and commander of the Six Xi tribes, who frequently invaded the border. He then kept the remaining prisoners in captivity, giving them Han names such as Yuan Zhigan, Di Huaizhong, Lie Zhien, Fu Huaizao, and Qi Huaiyou, and instilling in them a sense of moral cultivation.
Zhang Xichong, the newly appointed governor of Pingzhou of the Khitan, followed the example of Lu Wenjin, killed the guards who were monitoring the garrison again, and led 20,000 men to defect to the Central Plains.
At the beginning of his reign, Yelü Deguang suffered a series of setbacks, and things remained quiet for a considerable period afterward. Zhao Dejun took advantage of this valuable window of opportunity to mobilize laborers from several towns in Hebei to carry out large-scale construction projects.
The southeastern waterway of Youzhou was reopened, from Wangmakou to Yukou, 165 li long, 65 steps wide, and 12 feet deep, capable of accommodating 1,000 shi of cargo ships.
The significance of restoring the Grand Canal lies in the fact that grain transportation will no longer need to be carried out by land, thus depriving the Khitan cavalry of their targets for plunder.
Zhao Dejun then dug a trench along the Sanggan River, constructing a natural defensive line forty li northwest of Youzhou.
Fifty li east of Youzhou, a city was built in Luxian to garrison the area, and the people of the nearby prefecture were able to cultivate the land.
He then built a city in Sanhe County, more than a hundred li to the northeast, to connect the transportation route to Jizhou. When the enemy cavalry came to fight for it, they were repelled by Zhao Dejun.
After years of development, the Youzhou front was fortified like an iron barrel. Yelü Deguang could not gain any advantage and had to shift his focus to Yunzhou, which led to the selection of Shi Jingtang to go to Hedong to take charge of military affairs.
Getting back to the main point, among all the reinforcements, only Zhao Dejun's group volunteered for the mission.
According to the original strategy, the Youzhou troops were to encircle the Khitan army's rear from Feihu Pass. However, Zhao Dejun requested that 3,000 Khitan cavalry with silver saddles enter from the west through Tumen, which was approved by the court.
Tumen Pass, also known as the eastern entrance to Jingxing Pass, is located in Zhenzhou, 500 li south of Feihu Pass. Zhao Dejun's willingness to take a detour and travel an extra distance naturally stemmed from his own calculations.
Liu Zaiming, the prefect of Zhao Prefecture and commander of the cavalry of the northern expeditionary force, was stationed in Yi Prefecture. Zhao Dejun passed through Yi Prefecture and ordered Liu Zaiming to lead his troops to follow him.
Liu Zaiming was also from Youzhou and, like Zhao Dejun, was a former subordinate of Liu Shouguang. Zhao Dejun also held the title of Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Expeditionary Army, making him Liu's superior. He agreed to the proposal to merge the armies.
When Zhao Dejun returned to Zhenzhou, he invited Deputy Commander-in-Chief Dong Wenqi to accompany him, and Dong Wenqi accepted.
Without moving his main force in Youzhou, he led three thousand cavalry on a roundabout mission, achieving his goal of gaining an army of over ten thousand without any investment. (Note 2)
However, Zhao Dejun's appetite was far from satisfied. He then claimed that he had too few soldiers and needed to combine the troops from Ze and Lu prefectures. So he set off from Wu'er Valley to Lu prefecture.
Wu'ergu needs to travel another 500 li south from Zhenzhou. Besides, once they reach Luzhou, how can they possibly cut off the Khitan's rear?
However, the imperial court was no longer able to restrain it, and the initial strategy completely failed.
Zhao Dejun ignored the imperial decree and acted on his own. After taking a long detour, traveling over a thousand miles, and annexing troops along the way to expand his strength, he finally arrived in Luzhou. By then, more than half of October had passed.
October 18th, Guiyou day.
Zhao Dejun arrived at Luanliu and stationed his troops about 150 li northwest of Luzhou City.
At this point, Gao Huaide had not received any news from his father for a whole month.
-----------------
Place Name Comparison
Wu'er Valley: The Taihang Mountain Pass northeast of Licheng County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province
Luanliu: Liucun Village, 15 li south of Qin County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province