The Zhou army's central army learned the military situation very quickly, obviously faster than Yelu Xiu'ge expected.
In the crude signing room of the Xuanren City Palace, Guo Shao sorted out various messages and placed them neatly on the table. Among them were wrinkled and dirty little pieces of paper that were taken from the legs of pigeons.
The number of affairs of the Zhou army in various cities and divisions was very large, but the military information about Yelu Xiuguo was immediately reported to the emperor. Among them was the undercover sentry arranged by the front camp military office arranged by the Liao Han generals who were previously deployed by the Bingcao Division among the people in various places.
Some of the officials below were writing furiously, recording the complicated news. Wei Renpu reported: From the news reported by various parties, I think it can be confirmed that the Liao army's southward force is 30,000 cavalry and 10,000 elite soldiers in the palace tent, led by Yelu Xiuge.
Last night after 9:00 p.m., a floating bridge was being built in Guizhou, located upstream of the Sanggan River northwest of Youzhou; this morning at 1:15 p.m., Yelu Xiu'ge's troops left Danzhou.
I speculate that Yelu Xiu'ge wanted to cross the river from Guizhou and go south with the intention of harassing the food supply route of the Great Zhou army; therefore, he went out from the west to avoid the Great Zhou cavalry.
Guo Shao felt that he had a chance, but he also felt a surge of anger. The Great Zhou army had dense river networks and cities in the north and south. How could Yelu Xiuge be so bold
This guy really doesn't take me seriously
Wei Renpu also shared the same hatred and said: This man took a risky move and is courting death.
Guo Shaoqiang suppressed his anger and impatience, raised his head and looked at the map beside him. Maps of all sizes were hung in a row on the wooden shelf next to him. In front of him, there was also a thick file. After flipping through the catalog, he found the small map of Guizhou, and below it there was some text based on the description of the spy.
Guo Shao picked up the pen and quickly wrote and drew on the booklet, and said calmly: Immediately arrange the encirclement and suppression of Yelu Xiu'ge, and make careful deployment. We cannot let him escape again this time.
To the north of Xiongba, the land is very flat and the river surface is level with the land. From a distance, the fleet moving slowly on the river looks like it is moving on land and is very conspicuous.
A military officer on the ship took the order and looked at it. His face suddenly changed. He looked around and said coldly: "The military government orders that all the grain ships be set on fire!"
People were shocked when they heard this and there was an uproar.
The general handed the military order to the two deputy generals and the civil official: You all confirm the military order together.
Several people looked at the clerk and the messenger who delivered the military order. The clerk was from the Privy Council and was known to the civil officials present; the messenger was the general's personal soldier and was also an acquaintance. The military order had the military seal on it, and Guo Shao and Wei Renpu's handwritten approval of the military order had no problem.
As long as the central army's order was confirmed, the generals would not care how strange or unreasonable the order was and immediately give the order: Gather all the leaders and order to set fire to the ships.
In a high-walled courtyard in Xuanren City, a civil official led a group of soldiers and asked someone to open the gate of the village, and hurriedly walked in. Soon, a group of men, women, old and young with disheveled hair came out from the low houses inside and looked at the open gate.
The civil official walked straight into a separate house, where soldiers in armor and with sharp weapons stood inside and outside.
Soon, a bald, dark-skinned man wearing animal skins was brought in. The civil servant said in awkward Khitan: Uluben, the pasture commander of the Liao Youzhou Army, was captured in September of the second year of Xuanren.
Yes, yes. The bald man Uluben pressed his chest and bowed, not daring to resist. He said, "I only guard the ranch for the South Courtyard. I have never done anything bad, let alone killed Zhou people."
When he opened his mouth to speak, a row of badly worn yellow teeth were revealed.
The civil official ignored him and said coldly: You now have a new identity, a small scout leader under the Youzhou Army, under the command of Xiao Abudi, and your name is Delie. Anyway, you are an insignificant person, and Yelu Xiuguo can't find you for the time being.
Uluben looked at him in amazement.
The civil servant pointed outside and said: You have to do a very easy task for the Great Zhou. If you are unwilling or try to play tricks, your subordinates, brothers, wives and children will all be executed. As long as you do it well, the emperor will reward you with money and let all of you return home because you have made up for your mistakes and have not committed any serious crimes.
"What are you doing?" Uruben asked with wide eyes.
At this time, the two soldiers threw their armor, weapons, and ornaments on the ground with a clang. The civil official said: "Put them on quickly. It's very simple. Someone will take you out and show you the direction. Then you ride your horse to find the Liao army brigade and repeat what I taught you to the Liao army generals. When you have a chance, you can slip away."
Just after noon, on the north bank of Juma River, Yelu Xiuguo personally rode south on horseback. Not long after, he saw with his own eyes a huge fire rising to the sky above the river, with smoke filling the air and the river burning, as if a wall of fire suddenly appeared on the green field.
A general beside him said: "The Zhou army was afraid of the general like a tiger. When they heard the news, they were so scared that they burned their own food and grass. Although we didn't grab it, it was more convenient and it also played a role."
Yelu Xiuguo cursed angrily and acted decisively. He immediately shouted: "Order the whole army to go east and rob the canal."
On the flat plain between the Zhou army's northern and southern defense lines, the Liao army spread out and galloped on the open ground, like a migrating herd of horses, with the sound of horse hooves roaring, very arrogant.
Yelu Xiuguo was on the right wing, and he could even see the new city on the north bank of the Juma River from afar, its shadow standing on the horizon. This was the territory controlled by the Zhou army, and he no longer needed to hide.
In less than an hour, the Liao army moved eastward to the Caoqu River section between Jinzhou and Xuanren City. On the Caoqu River, there was also a long line of boats, with sails standing like clouds, like a barrier in front. The rivers on the Hebei side are relatively small, and the artificially dug river channels in some sections are very shallow, and people can wade through the water on foot. No large or heavy boats dare to sail, so the boats on the river are relatively small, but there are many of them.
The Liao army's vanguard accelerated their march, the cavalry galloped happily, and a large group of people and horses rushed straight to the river bank. While the cavalry rode their horses, they had already taken out their bows and arrows and leaned forward.
Unexpectedly, before they got close to the river bank, rows of neatly lined Zhou army soldiers suddenly appeared on the deck. There was a crackling sound of strings, and crossbow arrows flew towards them in the wind.
From time to time, someone would scream and fall off the galloping horse, making a loud bang.
The Liao army's front troops rushed forward and could not stop immediately. They rushed to the shore and then made a detour, facing the crossbow arrows. The cavalry archers fired arrows one after another, and the fire guns on the boats started to fire again. The crackling sound filled the air with smoke, which was very loud and scary. However, they did not hit many people. The Liao army's horses were trained and did not run around. A group of horsemen ran along the river bank and shot arrows. There was a loud shouting on the boat and the shore, and there was a lot of noise.
Yelu Xiu'ge rode closer on horseback and looked at the situation by the river with a grim face.
The general said: The Zhou army was well prepared
Yelu Xiuguo first caught nothing in the Juma River, then saw the fire; he rushed over here, but was met with failure again, and felt even more frustrated.
He said coldly: "It is impossible for the southerners to be fully prepared. I just passed Yanshan yesterday. Unless he is a worm in my stomach, how can he guess in advance what I want to do and where I want to attack?"
Seeing that the situation was disadvantageous, the generals hurriedly advised: Let's turn around and leave first, and find another opportunity to attack.
Yelu Xiu'ge also had this plan. Last night, the Zhou cavalry was still in the north of Youzhou and Wenyu River. Although he would not gain anything by leaving now, the Zhou army would not be able to do anything to him for the time being.
Yelu Xiuge was furious. What the hell? Could it be that the Zhou army was so powerful that they had calculated everything in advance? Why did they burn the grain on the Juma River in such a hurry