Chapter 49 Section VIII
Until they won the Yingchun Gate and entered Yanjing City, the surprise attack team led by Yang Keshi and Guo Yaoshi followed the plan and went very smoothly.
The purpose of Guo Yaoshi's surprise attack on swallows is to show himself and grab the first place, but he does have objective grounds.
According to the first-hand information he obtained, it was confirmed that Yelu Dashi had been guarded by Empress Xiao, and his life and death were unknown, which led to the disintegration of the Khitan army.This news was revealed to Guo Yaoshi by the thoughtless Xiao Qian at the last banquet in order to show his trust.Because of this, Yaoshi Guo made up his mind anyway.This news also answers the difficult questions that many people have, and provides the greatest possibility for the realization and success of the surprise attack.Therefore, when he proposed it, he was not only supported by veteran generals Wang Zhi, Liu Qi, and others, but also agreed by Tong Guan, Liu Yanqing, and others who were eager for success.
But Guo Yaoshi is a newly surrendered person after all. Liu Kai learned that even after he was forced to decide anyway, he still sold favors and let the enemy commander Xiao Qian go, with unpredictable intentions.Furthermore, although the strength of the Ever Victorious Army is claimed to be strong, it remains to be proved by the facts whether it is capable of this arduous task.Even more afraid of a surprise attack, Guo Yaoshi Yelang became arrogant and developed a serious problem.Therefore, in the decision-making meeting, Liu Kai advocated sending Yang Keshi to preside over the surprise attack, and let Guo Yaoshi take the position of assistant.Choose the front of 6,000 cavalry, the Jingyuan Army ranks fourth, and the Changsheng Army ranks second. This mixed formation not only ensures combat effectiveness, but also guarantees Yang Keshi's leadership position, and will not be hindered in the event of an emergency.As a general, Yang Keshi has a long-standing reputation, and he has accumulated experience in attacking tough battles. On the Northwest battlefield, he led his troops to attack the famous fortresses of Xixia and Qiang many times.In the battle of Renduoquan, the Xixia people fought stubbornly, and it was he who fought first and the army advanced to conquer this military fortress.With Yang Keshi as the main general, the Jingyuan Army as the main force, and the Changsheng Army as the supplement, this arrangement can be said to be painstaking.
Is this surprise attack sure of success?In this regard, Liu Kai, who was ordered to be a counselor to Rong Ji, had already thought and analyzed repeatedly.Originally, it is difficult to say that there is a 100% successful battle plan in the military, not to mention that since it is called a surprise attack, it must be somewhat adventurous.In fact, as long as there are quite favorable conditions and a 50% chance of success, it is worth a try.
The first key question for success is whether Yang Keshi's forward selection army can seize the opportunity of victory and complete the surprise attack mission.The Jingyuan army is strong and available, and the Changsheng army is familiar with the terrain and understands the situation, coupled with high morale and eagerness to try, these are enough to reassure Liu Kai.
The second key issue for success is whether Liu Guangshi's 20,000 Huanqing and Fuyan troops could complete the task.According to the plan, this supporting division set off six hours later than the Xuanfeng Army. In the future, depending on the specific situation, it would either follow the original route of the Xuanfeng Army, or find another way (Guo Yaoshi also sent officers and soldiers familiar with geography to act as guides) , Keep in touch with the front army at any time, and the distance between the front and rear armies does not exceed a hundred miles, and echo each other.If the selected front army succeeds in the surprise attack, they must quickly follow up and work together to wipe out the remnants of the enemy in the city. If the surprise attack fails, the rear army must also quickly go up to rescue and ensure the retreat of the entire division with minimal losses.The plan is well thought out and flawless, the problem is the people.Liu Guangshi is not a commander who can be used with confidence.During the meeting, Liu Qi put forward two proposals as a counselor: one is to let the general manager Wang Zhi come to lead the support army, and the other is that he voluntarily join Liu Guangshi's army to complete the support mission together.As a result, both of these proposals were rejected, and Tong Guan first proposed:
"Leading the army is a privileged job. Uncle Xin is a member sent by the emperor. He is supposed to sit in the camp, plan strategies, and assist Liu Taiwei in counseling military affairs. How can he leave his post without authorization and serve as a general!"
Tong Guan's words are soft but hard.He emphasized the word "assistance", implying that Liu Kai, as a counselor, can participate in discussions and jointly study strategies, but the decision-making power should still be in the hands of Xuanfu envoys and capital controllers, and Liu Kai has no right to overstep.However, Liu Yanqing was much more honest. He believed that the selection of the forward army might have to take some risks, and the support army would hide in the back.How can you let others share this steamed bun?He said with an old face:
"Since entering the army, my son has made many contributions. This surprise attack, with Commander Yang presiding over it, is sure to succeed. My son should also go to experience experience, gain more knowledge, and reward him at the same time. Uncle Xin, don't worry too much."
Liu Yanqing had already spoken his words, the power must not spill out, the credit must go to his family of the Liu family, not to mention Tong Guan was on the sidelines to help.It's inconvenient for Liu Kai to say any more, so he just asks to stop.
Tong and Liu were afraid that Liu Kai would come up with some new tricks and make another plan, so they hurriedly ordered Wang Zhi to be transferred to the front flank of Wuding River, as a countermeasure on the other side.Its task is not to respond to Yang Keshi, but to contain the Liao army on that side and prevent the rescue of the capital.At this time, Tong Guan stopped saying that Uncle Xin was sent by the emperor, and that he should sit in the camp, etc. He changed his face immediately, and emphasized how important the flanking front was, and that Uncle Xin must go out in person, together with Manager Wang. Only by going for a walk can you feel at ease.
The senior officials sent by the emperor to counsel the military affairs were transferred to the flanks to "do the work of a general", which made them clear and satisfied.Although Liu Kai doesn't care about personal gains and losses, he is very concerned about the success or failure of the overall situation.He insisted on sending Yang Keshi's former army off in person, and after six hours, he saw Liu Guangshi gather his men and horses and follow them on the road, so he felt relieved and rushed to the front flank of Wuding River with Wang Ting.They protruded their troops to the north of Tongzhou, and prepared to rush in from the right side as soon as they heard that the surprise attack army had succeeded, outflanking Yanjing.
From a strategic point of view, this team can indeed play a supporting role, and it is not idle.It's just that they are far away from Yang Keshi's forward selection army, and they shouldn't breathe, so they are only in a secondary position.
The Changsheng Army used to be aboriginals near Gaizhou and Tieling in eastern Liaodong. Later, they were transferred to the pass. The number of troops has been expanded several times. At present, less than half of the officers and soldiers are from the suburbs of Beijing, and they have been stationed in the southwestern area of Beijing for a long time. .Although the current strength of the Liao army has moved from east to west and changed from day to day, in general it is insufficient in strength, the defense line is shortened, and the rear defense is empty and beyond reach.When Guo Yaoshi was marching, he also referred to the topographical military equipment location map that the small officer surnamed Yue brought back from his patrol ten days ago.On the evening of the third day of Gansu, the Xuanfeng Army arrived at Guci County. That night, they dived across the Lushui River, passed the border of Anci County, took a rest, and then marched in the starry night and drove straight in.Before the early morning of the 24th, the army had arrived in the eastern suburbs of Yanjing.
Since the establishment of Fanyang Jiedushi in the Tang Dynasty, Youzhou City has set a rule. Every morning at four o'clock, the Yingchun Gate is opened first, and the vehicles of the suburban residents carrying firewood and coal are put into the city for daily use by the soldiers and civilians in the city. .These vehicles were emptied of firewood and coal, and in the evening, they were loaded with cinders, garbage and other waste and pulled them out of the city, dumping them on the fields as fertilizer.This system has been practiced for four hundred years.As the status of Yanjing City becomes more and more important and the population increases, the number of such vehicles has also increased to hundreds. Every midnight, the convoys outside the Yingchun Gate line up in long queues, waiting to open the city. , people talking loudly, very lively.In recent days, the army of the Song Dynasty has conquered the Lugou River, and the overall situation is in danger.On the one hand, Empress Xiao ordered Marshal Li Chuwen, who promoted the city guard, to step up the city defense, and strictly checked the people entering and leaving.In the past two days, there were many incidents in the court, Li Chuwen's Marshal of the capital was suddenly dismissed, and the new appointment had not yet come down. At the time when the appointment was not in order, the officers and soldiers of the city defense were slack, and the interrogation had become a document, and it was not strictly enforced.
Villagers who transport coal and firewood have the priority to enter and exit the city gate, and they also go back and forth every day.At this time, the rebel army in the suburbs of Beijing was gradually unified under the leadership of Dong Pang'er and Zhang Guanyu. They had already sent people to contact the villagers and won some of them to join the rebel army, responsible for transportation, delivery of news and other tasks. For underground activities, it can be said that I have accumulated considerable experience.
It was they who first discovered the whereabouts of the Raiders.
In terms of the anti-Liao cause and the overthrow of the remnants of the Liao regime, the rebel army and the Song army had a common goal, and this discovery was of course very important to them.They were overjoyed, they started discussing in threes and fives, and immediately came up with a way to help the Song army seize the city gate.They found Yang Keshi and presented this strategy.Yang Keshi thought about it for a while and thought it was simple and feasible, so he immediately adopted it.
Yang Keshi hid the army behind a jungle a few miles away from the Yingchun Gate.Zhen Wuchen was also sent to lead 200 daredevils to change into ordinary people's clothes and mix among the convoys. The weapons were placed under the firewood and coal piles, and the vehicles were slightly covered so that there was no trace on the surface.As soon as the third watch arrived, the horn sounded and the gates of the city were opened.The common people have been getting to know the officers and soldiers guarding the city for a long time. As usual, they have to "offer" some free firewood and coal, and they push the cart into the city gate with a burst of laughter.Zhen Wuchen and the daredevils took the opportunity to draw out their weapons from under the pile of coal and firewood. With a shout, they swarmed up to kill the officers and soldiers. Win the Yingchun Gate and enter the city.
According to the prior agreement, Zhen Wuchen released more than a dozen "drilling mice" in the direction of Yang Keshi. This is a kind of firecracker with only sparks and no sound.These more than a dozen fire lights, in the dark sky without stars and moons, are really scurrying and jumping like mice.As soon as Yang Keshi saw the signal, he knew he had won the door, and immediately dispatched his flying cavalry. After a while, the army entered the city.At this time, the sky was still dark and the situation was chaotic. The guarding officers and soldiers at each city gate informed each other, their hearts were broken and they broke up one after another.Under the guidance of the Changsheng Army who is familiar with the roads of Yanjing City, the Jingyuan Army quickly captured all the seven gates of the outer gate. Each gate was assigned a general and 200 soldiers to guard it. Entry and exit were strictly prohibited. And maintain order in the surrounding area.Yang Keshi and Guo Yaoshi led the main force and marched towards the city center.
The news of the army entering the city spread throughout the city in an instant, and the Han children rushed to tell each other, beaming with joy.Boldly ran out of the house and joined the army.The timid one temporarily closed the door to wait and see, and his heart was full of hope and joy.
On the contrary, the Xi and Khitan people were suspicious. They didn't know how the Song army who entered the city would treat them, and what fate they would encounter?After they heard the news, some were also waiting and watching, and some woke up from their sleep, so they took up their weapons and rushed to the street to fight with the Song army.
Now it was time to face the final duel between the dynasties representing the two peoples.
Among the nationalities in our country, sometimes there is a relationship of mutual aggression and hostility, but mainly a relationship of friendship and integration.There are two kinds of integration: the upper-class elements of the minority are integrated with the upper-level elements of the Han nationality, and the ordinary people of the minority are integrated with the ordinary people of the Han nationality.The result of the integration of the former is to unite and rule the vast majority of the people, while the latter gradually eliminates national boundaries in common daily life and production practices and becomes an ally in the struggle against oppression.In the two hundred years since the Khitan nobles entered the Yellow River Basin, most of the Khitan civilians and other minority civilians became servants and slaves under their rule and oppression.In addition to clothing and dress, their life, production methods, thoughts and feelings are also assimilated with ordinary Han children.They have common love and hatred in political and economic life. The Khitan people who went into the mountains to join the anti-Liao uprising army are the highest form of this integration.Of course, there are still a small number of people participating in the rebel army, but most of the Khitan, Xi, Shiwei, and Bohai people are friends of the Han people, and there is no hostile relationship.They should be the target of Yang Keshi's unity and struggle.What he was ordered to destroy was the Khitan regime, not the foundation of life of the Khitan people. What he wanted to attack were the Khitan and Xi nobles who were still trying to resist, not all the Khitan people and Xi people.It's a pity that such an analysis does not exist in Yang Keshi's mind.At this critical moment after entering the city, he made a fatal mistake. He did not order the people to be safe and the Khitans to lay down their weapons so that they could concentrate on attacking the royal city. , Regardless of resistance or non-resistance, all Khitan and Xi people will be killed.
Under this evil order, many Xi and Khitan families were wiped out, and many women, old and weak, and children were slaughtered, and blood flowed all over the streets and alleys.The result of Yang Keshi's doing so did not disintegrate the Khitan and Xi people's will to fight, but instead angered them, strengthened them, united them, and forced them to defend their own nation, their family, and their parents, wives and children. Fight for your life.This kind of struggle is often extraordinarily heroic, and they will never lay down their weapons until they die in battle. Slow down the pace of advancing towards the royal city.
The Song army, which suffered almost no losses in the battle for the door, had already developed a thought of underestimating the enemy that could easily end this surprise attack.Now he was unexpectedly blocked and killed by Xi and the Khitan people, and he couldn't get rid of it for a while, so he became irritable again.
At this time, the reinforcements sent by Yelu Dashi had arrived.Two young generals, Yelu Sizhen and Yelu Huaisha, faithfully carried out their father's orders.The support division they led rushed into the battle like a tiger, and completed the task so well that they could not dishonor the glorious name of their ancestors.Their ancestors captured and killed Yang Ye, a general of the Northern Song Dynasty, in the first battle in Chenjiayu, and achieved brilliant results.Now that they are in an unfavorable situation, they are determined to die for the country, but as long as they are alive, they will fight with Yang Keshi, the general of the Northern Song Dynasty.
The number of people they brought was limited. At this time, more and more Xi and Khitan people heard the news and spontaneously participated in the blocking battle.They broke away from the scope of individual warfare, individual warfare and blind warfare, and integrated into organized, led, and planned regular operations.Organizations give them new powers.They guarded several main streets leading to the royal city, and set up obstacles, stones, mounds, sandbags, and even grain bags everywhere. They moved out their daily necessities and piled them on the streets to form temporary barricades to block the enemy. go ahead.When the enemy was far away, they hid in the barricades and shot arrows. When the enemy approached, they suddenly jumped out and fought desperately. Sometimes dozens of people died in a pile.
Many women and children of Khitan and Xi families also helped carry sandbags, dig soil and mud, and help build barricades.Some hid behind the cracks in the door and shot cold arrows, dodged to the window and threw tables, chairs, wardrobes and other household items to kill Song Jun.If Song Jun wants to destroy a family, he will inevitably have to pay some price.
The resistance army, including some families who resisted armed, was finally buried in the sea of fire.
This fulfills their wish, the "fire", which consumes their flesh but grants their spirit immortality.They exchanged their precious lives for two or three hours more precious than their own lives, hindering the advance of the Song army, enabling Yelu Dashi to complete the preparations for the defense of the royal city, turning the overall situation into a safe place, and making the defense of the royal city a possibility of victory. .They can die in peace.
The so-called surprise attack is to take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness, directly take the vital points, and reap all the merits.Needless to say, Yanjing City is the key point of the remnant Liao regime and the target of a surprise attack.But the key point of all is Wangcheng.This surprise attack cannot be considered a success simply by taking Yanjing without capturing the royal city, storming into the palace, capturing the empress and generals and ministers, disintegrating the army's will to fight, and fundamentally destroying the ruling hub of the Liao Dynasty.
Yang Keshi easily captured the Yingchun Gate, and achieved half of his great achievements, but instead of taking the opportunity to directly capture the royal city, he divided his troops to seize the other seven gates.Some people may criticize Yang Keshi for being too conservative in his strategic thinking. Because his actions were slow and not brave enough, Yelu Dashi and Empress Xiao bought time to prepare, and their success failed.Yang Keshi, who is famous as "Yang Perak", in the most important career of his life, made a mistake not because he "peraked" too much, but because he didn't "perak" enough.
Judging from the results, this kind of argument seems to be justified. In fact, this is just an empty theory of historians after the fact, and it is not a fair theory.After the matter is over, the ideologues can make all kinds of criticisms and accusations, and they can talk all kinds of rhetoric.If in this surprise attack, Yang Keshi did the opposite, did not seize or defend the other city gates, and rushed directly to the king's city, the result would be that foreign aid would enter from the outer city, cut off Yang Keshi's back, and attack back and forth, causing rout.In this way, ideologues can still criticize him for not being prudent enough, not thinking carefully, and having a "thunderbolt" in his stomach.It's easy to be a critic, and the human lexicon provides thousands of pejorative terms at their disposal.However, in the process of events, it is much more difficult for people to always grasp the essence of things, not to be deceived by phenomena, and not to sway from side to side.
As far as this battle is concerned, Yang Keshi, the direct commander, did make many mistakes during the battle, but the main responsibility for all the failures of the surprise attack was not on him.
Since the departure of the army, the front and rear armies have kept in touch.Before the early morning of the same day, when Yang Keshi's army was hiding behind the jungle, he sent the first messenger to the rear army to inform the news.After winning the Yingchun Gate, Yang Keshi hurriedly sent a second envoy to succeed, and urged the rear army to come quickly to meet him.According to Yang Keshi's estimate, within three hours at most, Liu Guangshi's army would arrive one after another.Yang Keshi's leading idea is to grasp the defensive power of each city gate in time.First, to prevent Liao officials from escaping, to inform them, and to move in reinforcements.Second, it is convenient to welcome the rear army into the city for reinforcements.The merger of the two armies resulted in a strong force of 26,000 men, which would be more than enough to capture the royal city and wipe out the remaining resistance forces of the Liao army. He did not mean to monopolize all the credit.But the development of the situation was far beyond his surprise.He did not expect that the resistance of the Khitan people in the outer city would be so fierce—in fact, when he issued the order to kill Xi and Khitan people, he should have thought of this as an inevitable consequence.This is the most serious crime and biggest mistake he has committed subjectively, but he actually thinks that the fierce resistance of the Khitan people forced him to issue this order, which is really stupid.He didn't even expect that Liu Guangshi, the commander of the rear army within a hundred miles, would want to wait and see for a while at this critical juncture. The main reason for the failure of the surprise attack.
It turned out that when Liu Guangshi received the first two notifications, he was afraid that there would be a fierce battle after entering the city. He was happy to let Yang Keshi go all out, and he was a step behind.When Yang Keshi sent the third envoy, he met fierce resistance from the Khitan people. In order to urge Liu Guangshi to advance as soon as possible, the envoy especially emphasized the tense and difficult nature of the battle.Unexpectedly, the cowardly Liu Guangshi misunderstood the meaning of the messenger and believed that the war situation had turned against our side.When the battle situation is going well, he still wants to wait and see. After the battle situation is reversed, how dare he take the risk to meet it?In order to cover his eyes and ears, he led his army around in a circle, and stationed there under the pretext of getting lost. Later, hearing the news from the front was even more unfavorable, he simply led his troops and fled back the same way.No one would believe that they would lose their way if they wanted to find Yanjing City, which was close at hand. No one could forgive that the front line was so tight, and the rear army, which was responsible for the heavy responsibility, left the friendly army and fled shamefully.He risked the disapproval of the army by doing what no one else would.
All cowards are not timid when they do shameful things. The one thing he has no fear is that his father is in control. No matter what happens, his father will always cover it up for him.Liu Yanqing's so-called "let the son experience experience and gain some knowledge", and his son's knowledge is "growth" in this way.The more obvious the stakes are, the more despicable and shameless the actions will be.
More than ten years later, due to various conditions, Liu Guangshi actually became one of the "famous generals of ZTE", and he was also called Han Yue Er Wu.However, his "general" was not good at fighting and defeating the enemy, but was good at adapting to the wind and slipping out of the battlefield, which was also judged at the time.
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