Tibet

Guo Ziyi, old Jiang Mila, his attack on Yanzhou was just a test, just like a master who uses a feint to test the opponent. Sure enough, Guo Ziyi tested him out, and Li Zheng was like a frightened turtle, shrinking immediately.

The troops deployed in various states were taken back to Qizhou and Qingzhou.

At this time, Guo Ziyi's army fought back to Yunzhou. It was impossible for him to go directly north from Yanzhou, and the logistics could not keep up. He could only fight back to Yunzhou and occupy the northernmost Xuchang County. Hundreds of ice sleds transported a large amount of grain and grass. The supplies departed from Caozhou, headed north along Jishui River, and arrived in Xuchang County in two days.

But Guo Ziyi still stood still. He was still waiting for news from Nan Jiyun.

At noon that day, two soldiers brought a messenger soldier into the big tent. The soldier knelt down on one knee and saluted, "This villain has been ordered by General Nan to deliver a message to the old general!"

After saying that, the soldier handed over the letter. Guo Ziyi took it and read it again, and then asked: "There is no official road from the bay to Gaomi County! How did you deliver food supplies to Gaomi County?"

"Reporting to the old general, there is indeed no official road, only small roads, but there is a Gaomi River leading from the bay to Gaomi County. We brought twenty ice sled boats and forty cattle, and used the ice sled boats to transport grain and grass supplies They were sent to Gaomi County again and again, and then General Nan collected carts from nearby states to prepare to transport supplies from Gaomi County to Yidu County.”

Guo Ziyi nodded, and he immediately ordered General Li Fei Yuan Li to be found. Not long after, Li Fei Yuan Li hurried over, bowed and saluted: "See you, old general!"

Guo Ziyi said slowly: "General Nan's army has arrived in Gaomi County, Mizhou. You can lead 50,000 troops to Gaomi County and cooperate with his army to surround Yidu County."

This was a plan that Li Ye had already deployed. Li Fei Yuanli belonged to the top brass of the army and knew about this plan. Of course, this was already arranged, but it was Guo Ziyi who decided when to set off.

Li Fei Yuanli immediately bowed and said: "I humbly obey the order!"

That afternoon, Li Fei Yuanli led an army of 50,000 men and rushed towards Gaomi County with six days of dry food.

Half of the ten armies were gone, and Guo Ziyi led the remaining 50,000 troops to continue north to Qizhou.

Just fifty miles away to the south of Guo Ziyi's army, Xi Wanli led 30,000 cavalry to follow unhurriedly.

This is naturally Li Ye's strategy. On the surface, it is a 100,000-strong army attacking Li Zhengyi, but in fact it is 160,000 troops, and the other 60,000 are hidden troops, including 30,000 troops who came by sea and those who followed behind. Thirty thousand cavalry.

Guo Ziyi divided an army of 100,000 into two, which could easily give the enemy in Qizhou the illusion that they faced only an army of 50,000.

This was actually a strategy to lure the snake out of its hole. Li Ye had no intention of conducting a siege from the beginning. If it turned into a street battle, it would undoubtedly be a devastating blow to Licheng County, which has 200,000 people.

The entire Shandong Peninsula did not suffer the massacres of the Anshi Rebellion. Although it was successively occupied by warlords, these warlords planned to use this as a foundation. There was no burning, killing, looting, or massacre like in Hebei.

This is also something Li Ye attaches great importance to. He doesn't want the battle to end the war to end in a life of destruction.

Two days later, 50,000 troops entered Qizhou and stopped.

At this time, Li Na had received the latest information. Guo Ziyi led an army of 50,000 into Qizhou, while another 50,000 army went to Qingzhou.

This made Li Na's heart beat. The opponent only had 50,000 people, and he had an army of 80,000. What if he could launch an attack and directly defeat the opponent?

Li Na immediately called for military adviser Jia Shen to discuss. Jia Shen was a little hesitant and said, "Sir, the opponent is Guo Ziyi, a treacherous old man. He will not really lead an army of 50,000 to challenge us. He will not make such a low-level mistake!"

"It is because he is so cunning and cunning that he bluffs us so that we don't dare to fight. Once another 50,000 troops conquer Yidu County and 50,000 people come back to fight, we will lose the chance."

Jia Shen frowned and said: "There is no need for them to bluff. The army can stay in Jeju or Yunzhou."

"Guo Ziyi was also worried that we would support Yidu County! That's why he came to Qizhou to hold us back so that we wouldn't dare to act rashly."

The more Li Na talked, the more he felt that his idea was correct, not to mention that the Tang army's firearms were powerful. They could not defend the city, so they might as well take the initiative and attack more with less.

"That's it. After we defeat the Tang army, we will rush to support Yidu County."

Military advisor Jia Shen did not object to Li Na's final decision. The key was that the Tang army's siege weapons were too sharp and could easily blow up the city. They had long heard that once the city collapsed, the defenders would have no morale and the army would be defeated. .

It was better to take the initiative and use the high morale to defeat the opponent. Jia Shen also accepted Li Na's decision.

When Li Na saw that the military adviser no longer objected, he immediately became energetic and immediately ordered Jia Shen to lead an army of 5,000 to defend the city. He personally led an army of 80,000 out of the city to fight south.

Of course, Li Na had a deeper motive. The Yellow River would thaw in another half month. If he attacked now, it would be great if he won. If he lost, he could evacuate to the north bank of the Yellow River in time.

If the Tang army surrounded the city without attacking and waited until the Yellow River melted before attacking the city, they would have no way out.

Of course, he didn't dare to say this deep-seated reason. Once he said it, it would be tantamount to betraying his father.

Guo Ziyi led the army slowly to the northeast along Jishui River. As soon as the army arrived in Shanchi County, Guo Ziyi received news from the scouts that Li Na led an army of 80,000 people out of the city to fight.

Guo Ziyi was overjoyed. He immediately sent someone to the rear to inform Xi Wanli, who was following far behind with his cavalry.

In the vast wilderness east of Shanchi County, 50,000 Tang troops set up a battle formation.

The 50,000 Tang troops consisted of 20,000 cavalry, 20,000 spearmen and 10,000 sword and shield troops. Among the 20,000 spearmen, there were 6,000 heavy armored infantrymen, and among the 10,000 sword and shield troops, there were 2,000 special forces soldiers, mainly spearmen and firearmsmen.

This was the first time that Guo Ziyi commanded the Guanlong Army to fight. He had fought on the battlefield for decades and had never been as confident as he was today.

The Guanlong Army not only had powerful cavalry and invincible heavy armored infantry, but more importantly, the firearms battalion of 1,000 people was too powerful. After he witnessed the power of iron fire thunder and explosive arrows with his own eyes, he became more confident in his victory. Even without 30,000 cavalrymen, his 50,000 troops could still defeat the opponent's 80,000 troops with fewer troops.

Of course, Guo Ziyi was a cautious commander. Since there were reinforcements, he would make full use of them.

Half an hour later, a long black line appeared ten miles away in the distance. The main force of the enemy army of 80,000 appeared.

"The army advances!" Guo Ziyi waved his sword and issued an order.