novelhk Chapter 1099 Zhuge Liang's brilliant plan to conquer Guangyang!
Chapter 1099 Zhuge Liang's brilliant plan to conquer Guangyang!
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"
The two bowed again and slowly withdrew from the Xuan Shi Hall.
Stepping out of the palace gates, the sun shone brightly. Flags fluttered in the breeze on Xianyang Palace Square, and guards stood at attention. In the distance, the palace walls stood majestically, and the sky was high and the clouds were light.
Kuai Tong took a deep breath and whispered to Chen Ping, "Brother Chen, only today do I understand what it means to 'die for one who understands you.'"
Chen Ping smiled slightly, but a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes: "Brother Kuai, His Majesty is not only our confidant, but also a wise ruler who is rare indeed. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses; he uses our strengths and tolerates our weaknesses. How many such rulers have there been throughout history?"
The two looked at each other and smiled, saying nothing.
“Kuai Tong, Chen Ping…” Gao Yao murmured to himself, “You have already been dazzling enough in history. But in this era that I have created, I hope you can be even more dazzling—because only in this way can we prove that it was worth it for me to change all of this.”
Half a month later, after leaving Hangu Pass, Yue Fei ordered the army to set up camp at the Yellow River ferry and summoned his generals to discuss matters.
Inside the central command tent, a chart of the 100,000-strong army was hanging in the center. Yue Fei pointed to the chart and said, “Our army is divided into three armies: the vanguard, the central army, and the rearguard. The vanguard has 30,000 men, commanded by General Huo, and consists of elite light cavalry; the central army has 40,000 men, personally commanded by me, and consists of a mixed infantry and cavalry unit, including a 3,000-strong artillery battalion; the rearguard has 30,000 men, with Military Advisor Zhuge in charge, responsible for supplies and provisions.”
Zhuge Liang lightly waved his feather fan: "The enemy situation in Liaodong has been reported by scouts: After Yi Xiaochuan's death, his former subordinates elected Tuoba Lie as the commander-in-chief. This man was originally a member of the Xiongnu royal family, and later joined Yi Xiaochuan. He is brave and skilled in battle, and has an army of 100,000 under his command, 70,000 of whom are cavalry, stationed in five commanderies: 20,000 in Guangyang, 20,000 in Yuyang, 30,000 in Liaodong, 20,000 in Liaoxi, and 10,000 in Xuantu."
Huo Qubing raised an eyebrow: "Seventy thousand cavalry? Just what I wanted! In open field battles on the plains, let's see if our Han soldiers are faster on horseback or if their steppe cavalry are sharper on swords!"
"General Huo is commendable for his bravery, but we must not underestimate him," Zhuge Liang said. "Yi Xiaochuan has been managing Liaodong for five years, not only training cavalry but also building strong cities and storing grain. Guangyang City is four zhang high and the moat is three zhang wide; Xiangping, the capital of Liaodong Prefecture, is modeled after Chang'an, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack."
Yue Fei pondered, “Therefore, our army should first take Guangyang. This place is close to the Central Plains, convenient for supplies, and is also the granary of five counties. If we capture Guangyang, the enemy’s rear supply will be cut off.”
"But what if the enemy holds firm and doesn't come out?" asked Deputy General Zhang Xian.
Zhuge Liang smiled and said, "I have a plan to lure the enemy out to fight."
On September 15th, the vanguard of the Northern Expeditionary Army arrived 30 li outside Guangyang City.
Tuoba Lie had already received the news and personally led 30,000 cavalry out of the city to form ranks. As the sun rose, the steppe cavalry spread across the plains like dark clouds. Tuoba Lie rode his black horse, holding a wolf-tooth mace, and gazed at the Chinese army formation.
"General, the enemy's formation is well-organized, and there are hundreds of strange iron cylinders in the central army." Deputy General Murong Feng squinted as he observed.
Tuoba Lie sneered: "I've heard that the Huaxia army has new firearms, so let's see them today! Order: Yuwen Chengdu will lead 10,000 men on the left wing to outflank the enemy's right flank; Wanyan Hong will lead 10,000 men on the right wing to outflank the enemy's left flank; and the central army of 10,000 will follow me straight into the enemy formation!"
The bugles sounded mournfully, and 30,000 cavalrymen began to advance slowly, their hooves rolling like muffled thunder.
In the Huaxia army formation, Yue Fei sat firmly in the central chariot. Seeing the enemy army enter within three miles, he raised the red command flag.
Artillery Battalion Commander Wang Gui shouted the order: "Divine Might General Cannon, load explosive shells!"
Three hundred cannons simultaneously had their gun covers removed. These cannons were the latest developments of the Ministry of Works, with barrels nine feet long and requiring six men to operate. Soldiers quickly stuffed measured amounts of gunpowder into the breech, loaded the exploding shells—iron spheres filled with gunpowder and iron pieces, with the fuses exposed.
"Two miles away—release!"
boom! boom! boom!
Three hundred cannons fired simultaneously, the sound echoing for miles. Amidst billowing white smoke, exploding shells whistled into the cavalry ranks, exploding in mid-air. Shrapnel flew everywhere, warhorses neighed in terror, and riders fell like harvested wheat.
In the first volley, at least a thousand cavalrymen fell from their horses.
Tuoba Lie's expression changed drastically: "Scatter! Charge faster!"
The steppe cavalry began to charge, attempting to close the distance quickly. But a second and third volley of artillery fire followed in quick succession. Exploding shells detonated among the cavalry, sending men and horses tumbling and throwing their formation into chaos.
At this moment, Huo Qubing led 20,000 light cavalry to attack from the flank. These cavalrymen were equipped with double stirrups and high-bridged saddles, and their lances gleamed in the morning light.
"Break through them!" Huo Qubing took the lead, his horse spear like a dragon, and killed three generals in succession.
The two cavalry forces clashed with a thunderous roar. Huo Qubing employed a wedge formation, personally leading the charge, piercing straight into the heart of the enemy. Wherever he went, none could stop him.
At the front, Yue Fei waved his command flag again. Five thousand heavy cavalry began their advance. These men and horses were all clad in iron armor and wielded eighteen-foot-long spears, pressing forward slowly like a moving iron wall.
Seeing the situation was dire, Tuoba Lie hastily ordered a retreat. However, Yuwen Chengdu's forces had already had their retreat cut off by Huo Qubing.
By noon, Tuoba Lie had lost over ten thousand men and retreated into the city. The Huaxia army had won its first battle, beheading eight thousand, capturing three thousand, and seizing five thousand warhorses.
In just ten days, Yue Fei adopted Zhuge Liang's suggestion to surround the city on three sides, leaving one side open and the north gate unsieged. At the same time, he ordered Huo Qubing to lead 10,000 elite cavalry to lie in ambush in the Black Pine Forest, thirty li outside the north gate.
Sure enough, three days later, late at night, Tuoba Lie led his remaining 20,000 troops and fled through the north gate. Upon reaching the Black Pine Forest, Huo Qubing's ambush troops emerged, their torches illuminating the area like daytime.
"Tuoba Lie and Huo Qubing have been waiting here for a long time!"
Tuoba Lie was terrified and hastily accepted the challenge. In the chaos of battle, Huo Qubing charged into the enemy lines alone, heading straight for Tuoba Lie. The two fought for twenty rounds before Tuoba Lie's spiked club was knocked away, and he was shot in the shoulder. His personal guards risked their lives to save him.
In this battle, more than 10,000 enemy soldiers were annihilated, and Tuoba Lie only led 8,000 remnants of his army to escape to Yuyang.
Yuyang City was built along the Hutuo River, with high and thick city walls. Murong Feng rallied his defeated troops, gathering more than 60,000 men, and closed the gates to defend the city to the death.
When Yue Fei's army arrived, they found the city fortified and its moats deep; a direct assault would surely result in heavy casualties. After surveying the terrain, Zhuge Liang offered a plan: "The autumn floods of the Hutuo River are approaching; we can use them to our advantage."
He ordered 10,000 soldiers to build a dam upstream to store water, while sending small units to launch feigned attacks day and night to exhaust the enemy's defenders.
Ten days later, a torrential downpour occurred at midnight. Zhuge Liang observed the celestial phenomena, calculated the exact time, and ordered the dam to be blown up.
With a deafening roar, the dam collapsed. The floodwaters surged forth like a stampede of horses, crashing against the walls of Yuyang. Several cracks appeared in the brick and stone structure under the impact of the flood. Murong Feng hastily ordered his soldiers to use sandbags to plug the leaks, but the Huaxia army had already arrived by boat and raft.
In the chaos, Huo Qubing led three thousand daredevils to scale the city walls and open the gates. Yue Fei mobilized his troops and swarmed in.
The street fighting lasted all night. Murong Feng led his personal guards in a breakout attempt, but was intercepted by Huo Qubing. The two fought fiercely on the city wall for thirty rounds, and Murong Feng was captured alive.
With the fall of Yuyang, two of the five prefectures had been captured. When the news of the victory reached Xianyang, Gao Yao was overjoyed and sent envoys to reward the army.
Having lost two cities in quick succession, Tuoba Lie retreated to Xiangping, the capital of Liaodong Commandery. It was already winter, and heavy snow blocked the roads.
Inside the central command tent, the charcoal fire crackled. Yue Fei convened a military meeting: "Liaodong is bitterly cold, and most of our soldiers are from the Central Plains, who are not resistant to the severe cold. Moreover, the supply line has stretched for eight hundred li, making the transportation of grain and fodder difficult."