Chapter 3135 Dark Clouds in the Western Region
The two of them talked about the sunset.
Li Xiaogong admired Xue Rengui's talent and character very much, and taught him his insights on war without reservation. Xue Rengui also admired Li Xiaogong's military exploits, studied with an open mind, and asked his own questions from time to time, always getting appropriate answers.
As the sun sets, the room becomes cooler.
Li Xiaogong finally said: "'Lure it with profit, take it with chaos, prepare it with reality, avoid it with strength, scold it with anger, be arrogant with humiliation, labor with loss, get close with it and leave it. Attack it without preparation. , take the enemy by surprise,' this is what Sun Tzu said in "The Art of War". To believe it is true is the most important principle of war. Remember it at all times, weigh it and figure it out, and learn the essence of it. "
Xue Rengui nodded and said: "I would like to be taught."
"Haha!"
After talking all afternoon, Li Xiaogong was not tired at all. Instead, he was in high spirits. He stood up, stretched out, and said with a smile: "It's getting late. I've asked someone to prepare a banquet. Let's have a few drinks. Let's have a few drinks at Jiaohe tonight." Let’s rest in the city and get up early tomorrow morning to head west and take up residence in Suiye City.”
Xue Rengui stood up and saluted: "Thank you for your kindness, but the general's heart is tight, so he will not stay. The night is cool and suitable for marching, so the general will pack up and lead his troops out of the city and rush to Suiye Town overnight."
He was very anxious at the moment, worried that if the Dashi Kingdom really sent troops to the Western Region, Suiye Town would be the first to bear the brunt and must rush over to prepare for it.
Li Xiaogong thought for a while, but did not hold back. He just warned: "Everything must be done carefully, step by step, make decisions before taking action, and avoid being impulsive and reckless. The courage of an ordinary man is what soldiers should have. As a commander, you must know how to make choices." Advance and retreat.”
Xue Rengui said in fear: "The Great Protector is guarding the Western Region, and you are the commander-in-chief of the army. How can you dare to be the general?"
Li Xiaogong sighed and said: "I am old, and I no longer have the ambitions of the past. Now that the situation is in turmoil, it is the time for you to rise up and strive for the first place. Why do you need to belittle yourselves? But there is no need to take credit too seriously. Everything must be based on The strategic purpose is more important. As long as you can withstand the Western Region, even if you fight a hundred times, the first attack will still be yours. But if you lose the Western Region, what's the point of killing hundreds of thousands of barbarians?"
He most despised those generals who frequently "looked upon death" and "burned the boat". In his opinion, the only way to stay alive and to continuously strive for strategic victory was the right path. Waging a vigorous war will be famous in history and praised for thousands of years, but what good will it do to the country?
Those who are capable of bending and stretching, know how to make trade-offs, and always keep the country, the country, and the country in mind are truly handsome people.
Xue Rengui bowed and said: "General, please remember your teachings!"
"Okay, since you are anxious, leave quickly. Remember to keep the communication open. If you need support, just send someone to notify you, and I will arrange it myself."
He is the Protector of Anxi, and he should be in charge of Jiaohe City, deterring the countries in the Western Regions and the Turks who make trouble from time to time and are unwilling to be lonely, so that they cannot go to the frontline battlefield.
However, Xue Rengui is a born soldier. Although his strategy still needs to be sharpened, his ability on the battlefield is not small, which can reassure him.
"Here! I will obey your orders."
After bidding farewell to Li Xiaogong, Xue Rengui came out of the government office and immediately returned to the building. He gathered his troops, had a simple dinner, packed up, rode out of the city, and headed straight to Suiye City overnight.
At this time, a fierce battle was going on in Liaodong. The army captured Anshi City and marched southward to the Yalu River.
Fang Jun led his army out of Hexi to face death, and the elders in Guanzhong saw each other off.
The cloud of war enveloped the eastern and western lands of the Tang Dynasty.
……
Half a month later, Xue Rengui, who had been riding fast all the way and had to change his horse at every post, arrived at Suiye City.
As soon as I entered the city, I felt the solemn atmosphere.
After arriving at the government office, a group of generals guarding the city had gathered together.
Xue Rengui took off his helmet and put it on the desk. He walked to the desk and sat down. He waved his hand for everyone to sit down and asked in a deep voice: "What's the situation now?"
Colonel Yuan Wei said: "For Sima, the agents stationed in Damascus have sent back news one after another in recent days, saying that Mu'awiya has summoned more than 200,000 troops, and they are ready to go, and they see an expedition coming soon. Although his country's top officials No one knows what the purpose is, but there has been news among his troops that Muawiya wants to attack the Western Region and open the door to the East. ”
Xue Rengui was silent.
It may come out of nowhere, but it may not be without cause. Even though there is no actual order specifying that the purpose of the Damascus attack is the Western Region, there are various signs that there is no deviation.
The Arabs were extremely fanatical when fighting. Although their combat effectiveness was slightly lower than that of the Anxi army, they were more powerful in numbers. More than 200,000 people came in force. How could the small Suiye City resist?
The entire Anxi army only has tens of thousands of people. Even if every last man is killed, can they stop the Arab attack?
Xue Rengui made a decisive decision: "Immediately ordered that all the merchants in the city evacuate and evacuate to Luntai together with the residents. The army will be prepared and the supplies will be replenished."
All the generals were startled and asked hurriedly: "Sima, how did this happen? Many of the news now are just speculation. It is not yet known whether Damascus is serious about attacking the Western Regions. If the merchants and people are evacuated at this moment, how will the court explain it? ?”
The importance of the Silk Road needs no elaboration.
This is a road flowing with gold. Even though maritime trade in the Tang Dynasty is currently booming, for many places in Guanzhong, almost all foreign trade must rely on the Silk Road. Especially as an important town in the Western Region, Suiye City is not only home to merchants and common people of the Tang Dynasty, but also to Hu merchants and Hu people from Tianzhu, Dashi, Luoma, Turks, etc. Once all of them are evacuated, the impact will be too great.
It is almost equivalent to actively cutting off the silk road...
Xue Rengui frowned and said: "If we continue to cut off, we will suffer chaos. Are we going to keep these merchants and people until the Arabs break the city to add supplies? This responsibility lies with the general. No matter how the court handles it, you don't need to take responsibility for it. Just do as you're told ”
Out of the intuition of an army commander, Xue Rengui, after repeated weighings, believed that Damascus would definitely use troops in the Western Regions.
That being the case, why should you hesitate?
A head-on attack is like hitting a rock with an egg, so we must build a camp step by step and clear the field with strong walls. The Arabs have always relied on war to support war, and rarely prepare enough food and weapons. As long as they are not given enough space to plunder, the war can be delayed as long as possible.
Until the moment when the fighter planes switch.
"Here!"
All the generals did not dare to say anything more. Although Xue Rengui is young, he has a profound background. Not only did he serve in the navy, but he is also a close confidant of Yue Guogong Fangjun, a big boss in the army. Now he has the absolute trust of Li Xiaogong, the prince of the river guard in the metropolis, and is entrusted with important tasks in everything.
This is prestige.
The generals all withdrew, acted according to the order, and began to evacuate the merchants in the city. Regardless of Han or Hu, they were all ordered to escort goods and grain to the east to Luntai City for temporary refuge.
This move naturally aroused dissatisfaction among the merchants and the common people. Not only were the so-called enemy attacks not seen, they even didn't even leave the country. As a result, we were so frightened? Especially once they retreat to Luntai City, the entire Silk Road will be temporarily closed, and the goods in hand cannot be sold, and the loss will be too great.
However, the situation in various parts of the Western Region is turbulent, and the Anxi Army has always implemented military control. Anyone who dares to resist and object under military orders will be severely punished.
Therefore, although the merchants complained, they did not dare to disobey Xue Rengui's order and evacuated Suiye City one after another. Cars and horses were bumping along the Silk Road, and countless people and horses drove back towards the tire car.
Xue Rengui was stationed in Suiye City. Although he knew that he would not be able to defeat the Arab army, he could not give Suiye City away. He formulated tactics to meet the enemy, repaired the city's defenses, boosted the morale of the army, and made all preparations for the battle.
Three days later, several scouts came from the west. Horse hooves stepped on the sand and smoke billowing outside Suiye City, straight into the city, and delivered a battle report to the government office.
Xue Rengui held the battle report in his hand and looked at it with a stern expression. After reading it, he handed it to the general in the room for circulation.
The generals circulated it one after another, all feeling solemn.
Three days ago, Muawiya swore an oath in Damascus and sent troops to the Western Regions, vowing to open up the road to the East, avenge his shame, conquer the rich and mysterious distant East, and spread the gospel of the prophet throughout the world. He appointed his son Ye Qide as commander to command an army of 300,000 men and attack the Western Regions.
In an instant, the cloud of war enveloped the entire Western Region.
The atmosphere in the government office was depressing. The news of Tuyuhun's rebellion is no longer a secret. With the possibility of Tuyuhun crossing the Qilian Mountains to cut off Hexi, hundreds of thousands of Arab troops are coming. The Anxi army is surrounded by enemies from both sides. How can it resist?
(End of chapter)