BookMe Chapter 497 Shi Xiaoren’s choice
Chapter 497 Shi Xiaoren’s choice
Taking Guoshu County was the first time the First Army encountered decent resistance.
However, the city gate was easily breached by General Qin Xuan, and all the two thousand defenders in the city surrendered.
Shi Xiaoren's elite team ran away immediately, and Qin Yu did not let Di chase them. After all, this was a civil war in the Yaxin Empire, and there was no need to kill them all.
After capturing Guoshu County, the First Army was faced with the biggest difficulty they might encounter during this expedition—Pliers Mountain.
Pliers Mountain is the only way to enter the Yuezhou Plain. The terrain is steep and easy to defend but difficult to attack.
The entire mountain is gradually shrinking. The narrowest point is only a few meters wide, which can accommodate several people passing side by side.
Under this situation, the army cannot be deployed and the superiority of troops cannot be used. The enemy can also ambush on both sides in advance, putting our own side in danger.
Faced with this difficult nut to crack, Princess Zetian ordered the entire army to rest in place for a day and regain enough energy before moving forward.
Taking advantage of this day, Princess Zetian convened a meeting with all senior officials to discuss tactics.
The terrain of Clipper Mountain is very difficult. The army must pass through the pass, and the enemy will definitely ambush at high places on both sides.
The most direct way is definitely to send high-level warriors to clear out the enemy troops at high places on both sides. However, this method has two major difficulties.
First, the enemy must also know the importance of the high ground and will send all their masters here.
Second, fighting here can easily cause the mountain to collapse and collapse, which will harm the troops passing below. Even if the troops are temporarily immobile, they will wait until the battle is over.
The rolling boulders will also block the passage, and the various vehicles and horses and equipment they carry will not be able to pass. If they clear the road, they will be attacked by the enemy.
These two points make it difficult to send experts to seize advantageous positions at high places.
Under this situation, Bu Feng, Chen Ming, and Chu Yuanlong, the three commanders of the Yuling Army, all took the initiative to step forward and volunteer, willing to lead their soldiers to clear the way for the entire army!
This surprised Princess Zetian, because this was an errand that was likely to cause heavy casualties. Generally, military commanders would choose to conserve their own strength.
The three generals of the Yu Ling Army all took the initiative to take the lead. I don’t know what Qin Yu told them.
In fact, Qin Yu has not done any ideological work, but the three of them can't wait to show their strength. After all, the skills practiced by Yu Lingjun are too powerful, and they really want to experience them in actual combat.
When the three of them volunteered, Qin Yu ultimately chose Chen Ming to take the lead. The reason was simple: Bu Feng and Chu Yuanlong had higher cultivation levels, and they would have to go to the sky to contain the other masters, so they would not be able to go to the front line to fight side by side with the soldiers.
This trip is bound to be dangerous, so it is best for the general to be with the soldiers
Chen Ming, who was appointed, was very excited and eager to try. After returning, he told his First Army Corps the news and asked everyone to fight bravely tomorrow to build momentum for the First Army Corps!
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After a day's rest, the First Army set out from Guoshu County and headed towards Clipper Mountain
At the same time, Princess Zetian also received news that the Second Route Army led by Li Rubai had entered Yuedong Prefecture after a detour and would arrive at the first port to be captured today.
Princess Zetian looked at the jade slips sent by her subordinates, with a look of satisfaction on her face, and thought to herself: "Shi Xiaoren, what would you choose?"
There are two paths before Shi Xiaoren. The first is to give up resistance, lead the entire army to flee to the coast immediately, and then leave Yuedong Prefecture by boat. Li Rubai will definitely not be able to stop him.
This choice will definitely save your life, but not only will you lose your territory, but you will also be accused by the Eight Kings after you return.
The second is to give it a go and block Princess Zetian with all your strength. If you can hold on until King Lu’s reinforcements arrive, you can also break the siege. At that time, you will not only defend your own territory, but also gain a reputation for meritorious service against thieves and be rewarded by the Eight Kings.
However, this choice is more risky, and it is easy to fall into a situation where you are attacked from both sides, and ultimately lose your personal city.
At this moment, in Yuezhou City, at Shi Xiaoren's house, a group of civil servants and military generals from Yuedongzhou were gathered here.
Originally, Shi Xiaoren had already mobilized troops, a total of 80,000 troops, and was about to go to wipe out the rebels in the Prince's Mansion.
However, news suddenly came this morning that Li Rubai's 60,000 men had arrived from the coast!
Shi Xiaoren was a little panicked now. It seemed that the other party was planning to attack from both sides and cut off his escape route.
So today he is anxious that the generals will meet here to discuss whether to fight or flee.
Some of them proposed to fight first, and then surrender if they can't defeat it. Even Princess Zetian couldn't kill them all. She was weak and needed to absorb more forces.
Shi Xiaoren vetoed this proposal. He served as a pioneer in the Eight Kings Rebellion and killed many princelings. Otherwise, he would not be able to be promoted to the governor of a state in a few years as a mere general.
The princelings hate him to the core and wish they could kill him first and then quickly, so surrender is impossible.
Most of Shi Xiaoren's men were old men who had followed him back then, and were naturally involved in what happened back then, so they didn't have the option of surrender at this moment.
Then someone asked: "Master Shi, when will King Lu's support arrive?"
Shi Xiaoren: "I received news from King Lu yesterday that the reinforcements are already being mobilized. It is expected to be assembled in three days. It will take another three days to carry all kinds of food and baggage. In addition, it will take at least seven to eight days to march on the road. It is conservatively estimated that it will be able to It takes at least about two weeks to get here.”
A military general stood up and said: "There are only 40,000 rebels in the Prince's Mansion now, and our army has 80,000 troops. Relying on the favorable terrain of Clipper Mountain, can't we hold on for ten days?"
Another general also said: "Even if they pass through Clipper Mountain, there are still 20,000 garrison troops in the state capital area that can be used for defense. I believe they can wait for reinforcements from King Lu!"
The main army forces of the entire Yuedong Prefecture are concentrated in the Yuezhou City area. This is why Shi Xiaoren was able to assemble a large army in such a short period of time.
Then several more civil servants came out and suggested that we should fight. We have so many people, how could we surrender without fighting?
So Shi Xiaoren ordered his three military generals to lead the assembled 80,000 troops to Clipper Mountain. They must annihilate all the rebels in the Prince's Mansion here!
In addition, Shi Xiaoren also sent people to contact many martial arts masters and martial arts families in Yuedong Prefecture to seek support. This time he was determined to burn the boat.
Just give up all the coastal areas. If you lose the port, you will lose it. As long as you can stop the people from the Prince's Mansion, you can regain the port sooner or later.
As for the 100,000 Imperial Navy troops stationed along the coast, Li Rubai must not move them. These 100,000 Imperial Navy troops are directly controlled by the central government and have little to do with Shi Xiaoren.
No matter whose hands Yuedong Prefecture falls into in the end, these 100,000 naval troops will be retained. This is one of the few maritime forces in the empire.
Of course, the generals who command the navy will not interfere in the war in Yuedongzhou. They are not good at land warfare, let alone the domestic chaos.
……