On the fifth day of the imprisonment of Li Qing, the king of Yan, the Xia army's encirclement operation officially began; The left route army was led by Li Hu'er 100,000 Yongzhou troops from Dengfeng, through Dahuai town to Xinzheng, and the right route army led by Liang Wang Li De personally led 200,000 troops from the Mangdang Mountain camp, through Yingtianfu to Ningling.
Since the last time the Xia army broke through the east road, Zhao Yan was very sensitive to the movements of the Xia army, and sent a large number of spies to monitor the movements of the Xia army.
Handan Song army station, Zhao Yan came here under the protection of thousands of cavalry, Zhang Miao immediately personally led people out of the city to greet him, after seeing Zhang Miao, Zhao Yan said: "The situation is urgent, don't talk about it, what is the situation now?"
"Lord Wang, the Xia army has begun to move, and the encirclement of our army has been formed from the east and west, and at the same time, the Xia army on the northern front has launched the most fierce attack on us, it seems that the Xia Emperor has a big appetite and wants to eat us in one bite."
Zhang Miao said to Zhao Yan: "The commander has sent a large army to the Wei clan and Xiangyi to prevent the Xia army from encircling us. ” "Zhang Miao, do you think our army will be able to break this offensive of the Xia army," Zhao Yan asked Zhang Miao.
Zhang Miao thought for a while and said: "Lord Wang, the last general thinks that even if we can break the offensive of the Xia army, it is actually to no avail, according to all the information that the last general has, it is impossible for our army to hold the salient in the north. ” A trace of unwillingness flashed in Zhao Yan's eyes and said, "Let's talk about details." ” Zhang Miao pointed to the map and explained to Zhao Yan: "Lord Wang, please see, this is the current confrontation map between our army and the Xia army, this is the situation before Xiao Yuanshan's betrayal; The prince can make a comparison between the two situations, before Xiao Yuanshan did not betray our dynasty, our army can continue to obtain a steady stream of troops and a small amount of grain and grass from the two roads in Jingdong, we can use this to accumulate strength and send a large army south, just besiege the Yuzhou army of the Xia army and open up the canal and grain road; But Lord Wang, you look at the present, the loss of the Jingdong two roads our army not only lost the source of troops, but also lost the strategic depth, we have formed a huge salient between the Daimyo and Handan in the north for hundreds of miles, if at this time our grain route is not broken, and there is a large number of follow-up troops, we can use this salient to carry out a counteroffensive, but the fact is the opposite; Even if we open up the grain road with Jiangnan now, I am afraid that the imperial court will not have more troops and grain and grass to support the north, Jiangnan has been completely destroyed, our dynasty has lost the tax land, and the grain and grass supplied by our army can only be requisitioned from Sichuan and Jingxiang, which is thousands of miles away, once the grain and grass are slightly poor, my hundreds of thousands of troops will be hungry; Therefore, the last general thinks that even if we defeat the offensive of the Xia army, we will not be able to continue the offensive of the Xia army, our army has completely failed in the northern war, and the key now is to bring the northern army back to the south of the Yangtze River safely, this nearly 600,000 army is the most elite and warlike army of our Great Song Dynasty, and it is also the main force of our army's future Northern Expedition. ” Zhao Yan was deeply touched by Zhang Miao's words, and Zhao Yan continued to ask Zhang Miao: "Then where do you think our army should be evacuated, and where should it be withdrawn?"
Zhang Miao pointed to the map and continued: "It is the middle of winter now, if our army retreats rashly, it will inevitably be pursued by the Xia army, once it is defeated, the consequences are unimaginable, if we want to successfully evacuate, the first step is to block the Xia army from encircling us, and it is best to ensure that our army can go south along the Cai River; The last general thought that the withdrawal of our army should be divided into three steps, the first step was to draw troops to the south to hold Weishi and Xiangyi to ensure that the Cai River valley was under the control of our army, the second step was to gradually withdraw the troops north of the Yellow River to the south of the Yellow River, relying on the Yellow River for defense, the third step was to withdraw the army to Kaifeng, and then gradually evacuated to Chenzhou, Caizhou and Yingzhou in the south to resist the offensive of the Xia army, and the fourth step was to cross the Huai River and establish a Huai River defense line; The specific steps of action are as follows" Zhang Miao introduced the entire evacuation plan in great detail, and Zhao Yan said to Zhang Miao after listening: "You have been thinking about the withdrawal for a long time."
"Yes, after the last general evacuated from Julu, he has been thinking about how to bring the 600,000 army back to Huainan; Even if you don't want to admit it, the fact that our army is defeated is inevitable, and making an early decision can reduce the unnecessary casualties of our army and reserve more strength for our army's future counteroffensive. ” A trace of unwillingness flashed in Zhao Yan's eyes and said: "You will be the commander of the withdrawal of the army."
"Yes, the last general commands" Qingshui City, the summer army camp, the Chinese army's big tent.
"Your Majesty, it is reported that the armies of the East and West have already moved."
Yang Shousu said to Li Liangzuo.
"What is the movement of the Song army?"
"According to the spies, the Song army is resisting the attack of our army, but the cultivation master Dao has sent 50,000 troops to each of the Wei clan and Xiangyi, which seems to be to prevent our army from encircling it."
Li Liangzuo looked at the map and said, "It is basically impossible to completely encircle the Song army. ” "Why did Your Majesty say that," Yang Shousu asked puzzled.
Li Liangzuo pointed to the map and said: "You don't look at the terrain in this area, this is a plain area, easy to attack and difficult to defend, the Song army can find a gap at that time, even if our army is now encircled by it, if the Song army concentrates its forces to attack one point, our army's defense line will be broken in an instant." ” "What does Your Majesty mean then?"
"Order Li De and Li Hu'er not to care about the gains and losses of one city and one place, to concentrate all the mobile forces together, if the Song army concentrates its forces to break through, give me a head-on blow, if it is scattered to break through, disperse the pursuit and kill, don't always die of the brain, and eliminate the living force of the Song army's northern army to the greatest extent."
"Weichen understood, so he immediately sent someone to pass the order" Li Liangzuo is right, it is basically impossible for the Xia army to completely block the retreat of the Song army, after all, the current strength of the southern front is too weak, but this is already the largest force that Li Liangzuo can send, and any more will affect the offensive in the north, as for the total annihilation of the Song army, it is just the most ideal result that the Xia army thinks, Li Liangzuo's mind is much more sober than others, after all, the 600,000 army of the Song army is not a small number, even if it is 600,000 steamed buns, it is enough for the Xia army to be willing to go for a while.
Ying Tianfu, in the camp of the Xia Army's East Route Army, this ancient canal city has now declined, except for the 200,000 troops under Li De, there are basically no people around; In order to attack to the west, Li Deke transferred all his main forces, and now there are only 50,000 Xia troops in Huaibei, and if the Song army carries out a large-scale attack at this time, the Xia army will not be able to stop the Song army's offensive at all.
"Xu He, is there any news from Gao Xuan?"
asked Li De to Xu He; "The Song army over there in Huainan can move" "According to the spies, there is no movement" "You can't relax your vigilance, Tanma must report every day, and the Huainan Song Dynasty army will be closely watched by this king
.
" :