Chapter 522: Decision is Difficult
Shi Le went around in a circle and returned to the city from the north gate. He checked the number of soldiers, but there were only thousands of people on foot and cavalry.
He didn't have time to delay, and galloped directly on the street. When he reached the south wall, he dismounted and went straight to the city.
He was feeling a little anxious, the wounds on his body ached slightly, his legs and feet were a little sore, his temples were pounding, and he was breathing heavily. The soldiers who were guarding the city were stunned when they saw it, and they all moved out of the way.
"How is it?" Shi Le went up to the city and immediately found Wang Yang and asked.
Wang Yang looked solemn and didn't say much. He just pointed outside the city and said, "Your Majesty, you will know it at a glance."
Shi Le looked around and saw people and horses on the vast land. Corpses lay next to each other, densely packed.
Countless prisoners lined up in long lines, walking southward dejectedly.
He counted roughly, no fewer than five thousand people.
Thirty thousand infantry went out of the city to fight. It is not known how many were killed. The five thousand prisoners in front of them were solid and really miserable.
Shao Xun actually doesn't have any fancy formations.
He stood on a high platform and did not have any outstanding command. It's just that when the time comes, an order is given, the army executes it, and then wins, that's all.
It can be said that if he were replaced by a general with some experience, he would still be able to command like this and win the same victory.
Twelve thousand heavy infantry, arranged in four small squares on the front, back, left and right, formed a large formation. They first withstood the cavalry charge, then advanced layer by layer, and the infantry engaged, destroying 30,000 of our own infantry in one fell swoop. , drove them into the moat like sheep, drove them over the sheep and horse wall, and rushed them to the city gate...
But he also understood that this was just his unconvinced mentality.
In the real battlefield, where can there be so much back and forth?
More than 90% of the troops were out of camp in field battles, and the winner was decided within half an hour, ending the battle.
Besides, they are such a demoralized unit, they are worthy of him if they don't collapse at the first touch.
For Shao Xun, this was an extremely easy battle, far less intense than the Battle of Zhemati.
The key now is——
"How many people have come back?" Shi Le grabbed Wang Yang and asked in a low voice.
As for the 40,000-strong army, even if they were densely packed together, they would still be in seven or eight square formations. He did not believe that those who ran away first would not be able to come back.
"Only more than ten thousand people returned from the gates in the south of the city. The cavalry returned first, about three thousand, and the rest were mostly infantry." Wang Yang said: "I ordered the arrows to be fired later. The city gate has been closed, and the bandit army is too eager to let anyone in. "
Wang Yang felt a little ashamed when he said this.
"You did the right thing." Shi Le said: "If I hadn't made a prompt decision, I might have allowed the rebel army to drive the defeated troops in."
Then he sighed.
There was a large amount of smoke and dust in the north of the city. It was the cavalry that followed him into battle. When they retreated, they left without saying goodbye.
He calculated the strength of the troops at hand and brought back two thousand cavalry and three thousand infantry. More than ten thousand people were defeated and retreated from the south of the city.
There are still 5,000 cavalry and 5,000 or 6,000 infantrymen in the city who have not yet gone into battle. These are the soldiers of Tao Bao, the prefect of Wei County. Their combat effectiveness is not good, so they were not allowed to go to war at all this time.
To the south and east of Anyang, there are still thousands of riding horses active in the wild, and they will be of no use for a while.
What is really available now is actually only 17,000 or 8,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry, and with low morale and insufficient equipment, it will be very difficult.
Of course, in theory, there is more than just this kind of recruitment, because he had also ordered a group of Yecheng men to be recruited and given equipment, which was also a force. But whether they can fight or not, only God knows.
"Your Majesty..." Wang Yang glanced at him cautiously and hesitated.
"Say." Shi Le waved his hand, his eyes still outside the city.
The five thousand prisoners were driven eastward by the Jin army and seemed to have begun to build camps.
Wang Yang saw that Shi Le had noticed the movements of the Jin army, so he plucked up the courage and said, "Does your Majesty still plan to defend Ye City?"
Shi Le did not answer, just looked at Wang Yang, Said: "Continue."
"I think Shao Xun plans to besiege Yecheng." Wang Yang pointed outside and said: "His troops are only stationed north of Caoqiao and south of Yecheng. He has now divided his forces to the east of the city and started to build a camp. It seems that he has also sent people to the north of the city. What do you think the king should do?"
Since Shao Xun's army arrived in Yecheng. From that moment on, the initiative was completely in his hands.
He could have dug huge trenches around Yecheng, dug three layers of trenches, and diverted water to irrigate them.
The soil dug out of the trenches was tamped into a wall on the spot, and then we set up camp outside the triple trenches, built a high platform, and deployed bows and crossbows. How would we break out of the encirclement?
This is also the reason why Shi Le was unwilling to defend Yecheng.
Only three months of food and grass. If someone does this, the army will be hungry after three months. Is it cannibalism?
Okay, even if you can eat people, your morale will definitely be lower. When someone suddenly breaks in, large-scale defections are inevitable.
It doesn’t even have to wait until three months before someone surrenders.
I went out to the city to fight in the field today and came back with a huge defeat. The situation has not improved at all and has worsened. This time I have lost the battle.
Shao Xun's intention should not have changed, and he began to put it into practice: digging trenches and building walls to besiege Yecheng.
At the same time as the siege, there will definitely be an attack. On the one hand, it is to contain the defenders so that trenches can be dug smoothly outside the city. On the other hand, it is to take advantage of the low morale of the defenders to see if there is any advantage. .
Isn't this——
"Dong, dong, dong..." The drums sounded, and the auxiliary soldiers of the Jin army who had not gone to battle before were lined up in neat queues and slowly came closer. This is To attack the city!
"Your Majesty, Shao Xun's troops are coming to Ye. The nearby Wubao Manor will definitely surrender and provide grain and soldiers. It won't take long to dig trenches and build walls. If you hesitate any longer, once Shao's thieves surround Ye City, they won't be able to leave. Ah." Seeing that Shi Le didn't speak, Wang Yang was a little anxious. Shi Le opened his mouth, but never said anything.
To put it bluntly, Yecheng is just a city built of earth, stone and wood. It is too large and requires too many troops to defend, and there is no dangerous terrain around it. It is easy to attack but difficult to defend. .
From a military perspective, it is of little value.
But from a political perspective, it means too much.
The most famous city in Hebei, the hub of water transportation, the domineering mansion of Cao Wei...
With these additions added to the above, Ye City has become very important.
He has been here for several years.
Encourage farming, divide land and houses, win over wealthy families, and train soldiers. His second son was also born here.
Many of his generals married into wealthy families in Yecheng.
He even planned to open a school here, and let each general select his nephews and send them to study.
With so many plans and so many ties, how can we just leave?
Once he left, his years of hard work were ruined and his prestige was gone.
Once he leaves, he will become a rootless person, and the tribes that rely on him may not buy him again - can't Shao Xun seduce the ministers and chiefs?
Shi Le didn't dare to underestimate him so much.
He always felt that Shao Xun was very powerful, and he might get along with the Hu leaders and let them work for him.
Once Yecheng was lost, he didn't know how many people were still willing to follow him.
The Eighteen Cavalry should be fine, but what about the soldiers below?
Even if there are a large number of people following him, won’t Shao Xun pursue him?
August is the golden autumn, the harvest season. The fields of millet and wheat are everywhere. The devil knows where he can hit them.
This man chased Jin Zhun until he had no way to the sky and no way to the earth. Really ruthless, hanging at the back neither far nor near, always maintaining a day's journey, which made the Huns panic. People kept falling behind, and they dispersed without killing them.
Morale, this is the most overlooked thing, not only military morale, but also political morale.
Military morale is gone and soldiers are scattered.
Political morale was gone, just like the few ministers who fled from the north of the city and left without saying goodbye.
Difficult, difficult, difficult, dilemma!
He is already forty-one years old. If he is wandering around again, it would be fine if there are no foreign enemies. But with Wang Jun in the north and Shao Xun in the south, he has almost no possibility of self-reliance and no time.
Emperor Pingyang can transfer him here and there with a single order. Even if there are old brothers who are willing to follow him, they will eventually be wasted in meaningless battles one after another, and ultimately for the The power of the Liu family emperor increased.
"Your Majesty, you can no longer hesitate." Wang Yang sighed and said: "Shao Xun has been planning a siege from the beginning. How can he attack a big city guarded by 50,000 soldiers with 70,000 troops? He Now it’s no longer concealed, once——”
Shi Le stopped what he was saying and asked: “If we retreat to Santai, do you think there will be a turn for the better?”
He didn’t mention it. Outer city. After this great defeat, most of the outer city could no longer be defended.
Don’t believe it?
The auxiliary troops of the Jin army have arrived at the city.
Under the command of the officer, the defenders at the city head picked up their bows and shot arrows - but it was just shooting arrows, and it was really not like arrows were raining down.
Their skills are very poor, not many people can shoot arrows in the first place.
The people who escaped were demoralized and continued to spread panic to the people around them. Moreover, they threw away most of their weapons during the escape. Not to mention bows, one spear per person was still enough to make up for it. .
Shi Le felt that if he and Wang Yang hadn't stood at the top of the city, these frightened birds might have run away.
For the current plan, the only way is to get rid of these demoralized soldiers and select the best soldiers to retreat to the relatively strong Santai, which may be able to hold on longer.
"Your Majesty, if we retreat to Santai, Shao Xun will not need to dig trenches outside the city. He can directly move into Ye and dig trenches and build walls outside Santai. It will be completed in a few days." Wang Yang Shaked his head.
Shi Le said "Huh", as if he didn't notice the increasingly fierce killing sounds above and below the city, and just looked into the distance, frowning in thought.
Wang Yang did not rush him, but waited silently.
In his opinion, a few years after Dahu entered Yecheng, he was not as straightforward as before.
Back then, under Gongshi Fan, he ran away when defeated, and hid after running away. After the news has passed, I will come out again and gather people to start a rebellion. What can you do to me?
But after turning from rogue bandits to sitting bandits, they have altars and so-called "ambitions", and they have more and less pure ideas.
"Defend the city first." Shi Le patted Wang Yang on the shoulder and said: "You take command of the city, and I will rectify the defeated troops."
Wang Yang was a little disappointed, but Still nodded and said: "I obey."
At this moment, some soldiers came up to report: Weiyuan General Liu Da was in the east of the city to persuade him to surrender, saying that after he was captured, Chen Gong personally rescued him. Untied, given wine, food, brocade robes, and caring. Inspired by Duke Chen, he was deeply ashamed of his past mistakes and came to persuade him to surrender. Chen Gong only committed a crime against Da Hu, and ignored the others. He took the thief's head and came to surrender, and he was immediately rewarded.
Shi Le and Wang Yang looked at each other, speechless.
Liu Da is a cavalry commander of the Jie tribe and a younger brother of Shi Le’s wife, Liu. He is worshiped as General Weiyuan. He is one level lower than the Eighteen Cavalrymen, who are generally fourth-grade generals, but it should not be underestimated, because he is really They have their own heel and their own tribe, just like the Jin people have their own tribe, Zhuangke.
Shao Xun, do you still want to be embarrassed? Play this trick!
At the same time, Shi Le felt a deep chill.
Liu Da can surrender, who else is reliable?
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(End of this chapter)