The horsemen on the road were flowing slowly, the surrounding mountains were layered, and the shadows of the mountains in the distance looked like dark clouds.
A horseman came running backwards on the roadside. Seeing Yelu Xiu'ge and others in front of the big flag, the knight hurriedly reined in his horse, jumped off the horse, put his right hand on his chest, bent over and said impatiently: "Report to the commander-in-chief, Jinyang has been captured by the Zhou army."
Yelu Xiu'ge, who had been looking up at the sky with a dignified look on his face, suddenly changed his expression. He hurriedly stopped his horse, pointed his whip at the knight and said, "What did you say?"
Yang Gun and other Liao army generals beside him also looked sideways with surprise. Yelu Xiuguo asked, but it was not because he didn't hear clearly, but because he was surprised, and it seemed that he had not recovered yet.
The knight hurriedly said: Jinyang has been conquered
Yelu Xiuguo usually speaks and acts decisively, but now he said: The news is true.
The knight said clearly in Khitan: It is absolutely true. The leader of the scout camp first got the news from the Northern Han people, and then we arranged our own people near Jinyang to confirm it.
Yelu Xiuguo was stunned for a moment, looking back at the long dragon-like cavalry in front and behind, and then looking at Yang Gun and others, as if a little confused. Why did so many Liao cavalry come from afar? He shook his head and said: Unbelievable
The generals were all in an uproar, all with surprised expressions. One general asked: "An important person in Jinyang has opened the gates and surrendered the city?"
The knight who came to report said: No, they broke into the city by force. The Zhou army used gunpowder to blast a gap, and then piled up earth to form a hill, and then broke into the city by force.
Yang Gun nodded solemnly after hearing this, and said thoughtfully: "It is indeed unbelievable to surrender the city. The Liao cavalry came to reinforce from two directions and responded promptly. It is impossible for Jinyang to surrender so quickly when there is hope of relief. However, this important fortress known as Dragon City was attacked for only half a month. It fell too quickly."
The soldiers in the central army were talking about this for a while. Yelu Xiuguo finally began to accept this fact, and sat on his horse with a stern face and said nothing.
Yang Gun turned around and said: You can order the army to stop marching temporarily.
Yelu Xiu'ge nodded with a grim face.
The generals all said: "It's not our fault. We couldn't defend the capital of a country, a city of great importance, for half a month. How could our Liao army come to our aid from thousands of miles away? I said that the Northern Han Kingdom was not fit to fight and was only holding back. They were too useless."
Yang Gun frowned and said: "The Northern Han army is not as weak as you think. Among the southern countries, except for the Central Plains Dynasty, the Northern Han army is the most powerful. Their soldiers have been fighting for years. A few years ago, they could threaten the power of the Central Plains. Earlier, several dynasties in the Central Plains swept the world from Hedong. The problem of the Northern Han Kingdom is that the land is small and the population is small. The land is barren and cannot withstand long-term consumption. However, the solidity and majesty of Jinyang City makes up for this. When it is at a disadvantage, it can still rely on persistence to hold on. It is really hard for me to believe that the Zhou army could take Jinyang in half a month.
He turned to look at Yelu Xiu'ge: This man, Guo the Blacksmith, will surely become a great threat to the Liao Dynasty.
Yelu Xiu'ge gritted his teeth and said after a moment: I really want to meet this man to see if he has three heads and six arms.
It is not possible at this time. Yang Gun hurriedly advised that the Zhou army was said to have hundreds of thousands of troops, and it was true that 200,000 troops were dispatched; our army was fighting against the main force of the Central Plains with a small force, which was a great disadvantage.
At this time, the main forces of the Liao army had gradually stopped on the road. It was just after noon, and it was not the time to rest. The army was in a commotion, and many people sat on the ground, watching and asking about the situation. However, for the ordinary Liao cavalry, they did not know what was going on for a while. At a glance, there was nothing to see except the mountains and the dense crowds of people and horses.
After a long time, news gradually spread among the army that Jinyang had been captured.
The army was suddenly noisy and bustling with voices.
Even ordinary soldiers who were part-time herdsmen and cavalrymen didn't know much about national affairs, but they were familiar with Jinyang, a famous city known all over the world. Rumors spread in the army. Some said that Jinyang was captured in half a month; others said it was ten days, because according to calculations, it was heard that there was a five-day truce in the middle of the peace talks. Many people were confused about the matter.
People still don't think highly of the strength of the Han soldiers, so all this is attributed to Guo Shao. Everyone knows what the overall situation of each tribe is. Even on the grassland, there are many Han people, so it is difficult for people to accept and believe how strong the Zhou army Han people are; but if you say that a certain monster is abnormal, some people will believe it. Even on the grassland, there are many legends about ghosts, gods and beasts, and of course there may be legends in other places.
Even when many herdsmen were young, their parents used stories about monsters and ghosts to scare them so that they would be obedient. Many people grew up listening to these legendary stories.
Have you heard about the thousands of people who died in Zhuozhou a few years ago? A Liao army man said in a deep voice with his eyes wide open.
He did not make any noise, and his voice was not loud, but the soldiers sitting cross-legged around him immediately moved and leaned forward.
The man had a frightening expression on his face: the bodies were later headless.
Someone was curious and impatient to ask: Wasn't it that his head was chopped off and he took the credit
The man who was speaking shook his head vigorously and said: It is said that Zhou Jun did not cut off the head for merit. Guo Shao had just established this military law. Before, the head was still recorded. But this kind of thing was said by others in a serious tone, and it seemed to make sense and believable. Everyone wanted to hear the follow-up, so naturally they were unwilling to argue with it.
The man continued: That blacksmith Guo is a demon who likes to eat human brains.
Ah, the spiritually empty men were all stunned, but listened very attentively.
The man who was speaking said: He was originally a monster in the underground iron mine, with a huge body, three heads and six arms; the three arms on the left held three iron shields, and the three arms on the right held a blacksmith's hammer, a knife and a spear. His body was covered with iron armor, as hard as a pangolin. After Guo the blacksmith came out from underground, he could transform into an ordinary person to deceive the world; but once he was angered, he would show his true form. In Zhuozhou, someone saw his true form, killing people in the crowd while eating brains. He was invulnerable to swords and guns, and bows, arrows, swords and guns would break when they hit him.
The soldiers who were listening asked: What should we do? How to deal with that monster armor
The man said: "What can we do? Even the strong city of Jinyang cannot stop us. Guo the blacksmith changed into his original form and walked up to them. He used his blacksmith's hammer to knock down the city wall with a few blows. Otherwise, how could we capture the important town in less than ten days?"
Hum! Suddenly a majestic voice came.
Everyone turned around and saw that it was the deputy commander of the army, Yang Gun, riding on the road. All the soldiers stood up and said nothing. Yang Gun raised his whip and pointed angrily: "You spread rumors in the army for no reason. Don't you know that death is the price of life?"
The man and the people around him showed fear.
Yang Gun said coldly: "Since this is your first offense, I will forgive you. If you dare to spread rumors again, I will not forgive you easily." He looked back and said loudly: "The Central Plains Zhou army has been besieging Jinyang for more than a month. There were traitors inside who opened the city and surrendered. Therefore, the Northern Han Kingdom unexpectedly lost Jinyang early. From now on, it is strictly forbidden to spread rumors. If you have seen a monster with your own eyes, you are spreading rumors."
After Yang Gun finished speaking, he rode his horse to the temporary base of the central army.
Yelu Xiu'ge had found a stone by the roadside to sit on, with his scabbard sticking to the ground and his left hand supporting his sword, sitting there with a dignified look, surrounded by his subordinates on both sides.
Jinyang was captured too quickly, and the troops were shocked. Rumors were already spreading. Yang Gun bowed.
Yelu Xiuguo said: It is strictly forbidden to spread rumors according to military orders.
Yes. Yang Gun bowed.
Yelu Xiu'ge frowned and said coldly: I thought there is no need to go south now.
Yang Gun quickly agreed, "The commander is right. According to the imperial decree of the Han Dynasty, our army is heading south to relieve the siege of Jinyang. We gathered people in Yinshan and marched south on Mark Day without any delay. Jinyang was lost after being besieged for half a month. It's not our fault that we didn't fight well. The intention of sending troops has been lost. There is no need to fight this battle."
Yelu Xiu'ge said casually: It's just a wasted trip, I'm a little unwilling and it's hard to explain to the tribes.
Yang Gun hurriedly advised: "As we have discussed before, it is not a good opportunity to go south to fight the Zhou army now. The Zhou army has morale and confidence after its first victory, and there are many soldiers and horses in the country; I am a detachment of the Liao army, and I have come from afar. Moreover, after the Zhou army captured Jinyang, they have a strong city to rely on, and they can attack or defend; we have no protection, and our situation is very unfavorable."
Yelu Xiuguo was also very rational. Although his face was not good, he seemed to have made a decision. He said: "Order the vanguard to withdraw and become the rear army. The whole army will pass Xinkou and annex the area north of Xinkou. Then let our own people garrison Xinkou. Then send scouts to find out the situation again and make plans."
The general interrupted and said: The commander is worried that the Northern Han army in Xinzhou will defect.
Yang Gun answered helpfully: It's only a matter of time. Jinyang has been broken, and the entire court of Northern Han has fallen into the hands of the enemy. There is no other place to rely on. Surrendering to Zhou is of course the best way out. Don't forget that although Northern Han is an ally of Liao, this place is still Han's territory. Those officials and generals don't surrender to their own people. Why would they surrender to the foreign Liao? If they surrender to Liao, they will still be enemies with the Zhou army and continue to fight; the Zhou army attacked Jinyang with the goal of occupying the entire Hedong.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Yelu Xiuguo slapped his thigh, stood up suddenly, and made a prompt decision: "Order all the troops to retreat to the north of Xinkou, and the vanguard will return to defend Xinkou."
As ordered. All the generals bowed and saluted.
Yelu Xiuguo walked up a hillside and looked south. In the direction of his sight, there was only a tide of people and horses like a dark flood in the mountains, and then there were heavy mountains. He could not see the Zhou army blocking the troops in the south. Just before receiving the news of the fall of Jinyang City, he was still thinking about how to defeat Li Chuyun's troops at Shiling Pass in the battle formation; thinking that the other side was waiting for him to tire himself out, whether he should rest for two or three days after approaching, but all his calculations were useless.
So many people in the army planned many ways, but no one thought that Jinyang would be breached immediately. The battlefield changed rapidly, and that was probably the case.
Yelu Xiu'ge, the blacksmith Guo, muttered something in a low voice.