Chapter 908: The Great Battle of Nankou 8

Sensing the tense and worried emotions of Guo Rong and the others, Liu Chengyou naturally could not speak directly of his own concerns. Instead, he smiled faintly, projecting an air of magnanimous composure: "When the emperor personally leads the campaign and the soldiers fight to the death at the front, how could I hide behind strong walls to seek my own safety?"

"And you need not worry—I have experienced no few battles in campaigns north and south!" Liu Chengyou added another line.

Yet to this, Guo Rong and the others clearly could not agree. In the past, when Liu Chengyou led troops into battle—apart from the founding days when he marched east out of the Taihang Mountains to conquer the realm—in the two subsequent personal campaigns, was there any time when he did not overwhelm the enemy with superior force, crushing them with overwhelming advantage? In such situations, his safety was naturally not a concern.

But the battle at Nankou was clearly different—it carried enormous risk. Guo Rong looked at Liu Chengyou and said: "Your Majesty cannot ride in with these thousand horsemen. If anything goes wrong, the soldiers' desperate fighting would be meaningless!"

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou pointed at Changping city and said: "I have come here; from now on, I will stay within the city and not step one foot beyond. What do you think of that, Minister?"

Seeing the Son of Heaven say this, Guo Rong found it hard to admonish further. The man had already arrived; stating his position was enough. Thus, he hurriedly led Liu Chengyou into the government office.

On the Liao army's side, the commander could not sleep; on the Han army's side, the sovereign and ministers likewise seemed intent on staying up through the night. In the brightly lit county office, generals gathered together. Liu Chengyou, disregarding the fatigue of his rapid journey, sat at the head of the hall table and listened to reports on the battle situation.

And on this matter, the one with the most right to speak was clearly Han Hui. Han Hui did not shrink from the stage. Slightly hunched, he concisely and clearly recounted the entire course of the Nankou battle as he had witnessed it—and of course, he also stated his own decisions and actions within the city, and where there were shortcomings, he begged Liu Chengyou's forgiveness.

Hearing his report, Liu Chengyou looked at Han Hui, his eyes shining brightly. Pointing at him, he said to those around him: "Before the northern expedition, Han Tong once told me that he regretted not being able to accompany the imperial carriage to kill barbarians and earn merit. Now it seems—though he is in the Eastern Capital—his contribution to the northern expedition is by no means small! The father is absent, the son takes his place. When this spreads abroad, it will be a fine tale!"

Liu Chengyou's words were, of course, praise for Han Hui, who immediately expressed humility. Zhao Kuangyin spoke up from the side: "Han Hui remained calm in crisis, responded coolly, and held Changping by sheer effort, giving our relief forces a foothold upon arrival. His ruse of feigned troops further intimidated the Liao army, buying the defenders precious time to prepare and for our army to arrive. His merit is truly great!"

Seeing both the emperor and the great generals praising him, Han Hui found it somewhat overwhelming and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, the siege of Nankou is not yet lifted, the Liao army remains powerful, and the danger has not passed. This is hardly the time to discuss this humble subject's meager achievements!"

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou could not help but smile. Looking at Han Hui, he grew even more appreciative.

After a brief moment of deliberation, Liu Chengyou's expression turned serious: "I have come to the front lines in person this time, both to supervise the battle and because there have been major developments in the military situation!"

These words immediately aroused the generals' curiosity. Meeting their gazes, Liu Chengyou said: "Before departing Youzhou, I received two pieces of news. First, regarding the battle at Nankou—since the twenty-first, the Liao army has been mobilizing troops and making preparations, intending to swallow the army of the Prince of Chenliu in one gulp. Their appetite is enormous. The Khitan lord is also at Huailai overseeing the campaign, and most of the troops that marched south with him have already left the pass to join the fighting. At this moment, the prefectures of Ru, Gui, Xin, and Wu west of Juyong Pass are already extremely hollow."

"Our army's spies, enduring great hardship, broke through the blockade and crossed mountains and ridges to transmit this information. Though somewhat delayed, it has let me understand the full picture of the Liao army's massive deployment!"

Hearing the emperor say this, Guo Rong's spirits lifted slightly. He looked at Liu Chengyou: "Your Majesty has come—what do you intend?"

Liu Chengyou said: "The great battle at Nankou has become a decisive engagement. The Khitan have gathered the elite of their entire nation here—this is a rare opportunity. If we can severely wound or even annihilate them, then this northern expedition can achieve everything in a single stroke, and we can sound the song of victory!"

To this, Zhao Kuangyin raised a concern: "Your Majesty, the army of the Prince of Chenliu is struggling against the Khitan siege. Though they have inflicted casualties, the enemy before them still retains its strength. And the Prince of Chenliu has fought bitterly for a day and a night—his soldiers are exhausted, casualties are heavy, and how much strength remains is difficult to estimate. With the current forces at Nankou and Changping combined, lifting the siege should not be too difficult. But to annihilate this Liao army..."

Zhao Kuangyin did not finish his sentence, but his meaning was already made perfectly clear. Analyzing from the balance of forces, he did not believe that under the present circumstances the Liao army could be annihilated. He could not help but feel some anxiety, fearing that Liu Chengyou was not being realistic, reaching for what was beyond his grasp.

To this, Liu Chengyou lightly raised his hand in a gesture of reassurance, and said: "I also received a military dispatch, from Miyun. This morning, Murong Yanzhao's army formally launched its assault on Miyun and took the city in one stroke. The forty thousand Liao troops at Tanzhou were completely wiped out—only the Liao general Xiao Siwen escaped with a few hundred riders!"

This news was enormously uplifting for morale and confidence. Guo Rong could not maintain his grave demeanor—his face opened up like a blooming chrysanthemum, his eyes full of brilliance. He stood up and said: "Your Majesty, since Tanzhou has fallen, Murong Yanzhao can shift his forces westward to encircle the Liao army. Our army pins them from the front, while the Tanzhou troops cut off their retreat—then we can subdue them!"

Liu Chengyou said: "What you say is quite right. I have already sent flying couriers with edicts to Tanzhou, ordering the army to march west and coordinate operations. But with an army of over a hundred thousand, no matter how fast their pace, even marching through the night, they cannot arrive until tomorrow!"

Zhao Kuangyin reacted quickly, his joy fading as he spoke proactively: "Your Majesty, enemies escaped from Tanzhou—it is hard to predict when news will reach the Liao army. If they catch wind of it, they will surely react. If the enemy chooses to withdraw, I fear we may not achieve complete success!"

"This is exactly what I am worried about! The remnants from Tanzhou have fled into the Yan Mountains, taking small paths. The news may be delayed, but it will eventually reach the Liao army's ears!" Liu Chengyou nodded, then looked around the room: "Now, gentlemen, let us discuss how to pin down this Liao army before Murong Yanzhao's forces arrive!"

Gao Huaide spoke up: "Your Majesty, the Liao army is primarily cavalry. If they are determined to withdraw and break off contact, stopping them will not be easy. Today, I led the horse troops to tangle with them—their fighting strength remains formidable and must not be underestimated!"

"What do you suggest?" Liu Chengyou looked at him and asked.

Gao Huaide's expression was solemn as he clasped his hands and said: "I suggest we take the initiative and attack, forcing them into battle, pinning down the Liao army through combat! North of Changping city, there are approximately forty thousand Liao troops. Let us strike them at night with the infantry and cavalry of Changping!"

"Night combat is far too dangerous!" Zhao Kuangyin could not help saying.

Since ancient times, unless under specific circumstances, large-scale night operations were truly inadvisable. Liu Chengyou had experienced night combat and understood its risks—not just the problem of poor night vision. Darkness favored surprise attacks, but it also greatly hindered the transmission of military orders and the command of officers.

And for the Han army to fight effectively, leveraging its own advantages, the demands on command coordination were very high. Moreover, night raids were better suited to small forces.

With Zhao Kuangyin's reminder, Liu Chengyou indeed fell into deep thought for a moment, then shook his head at Gao Huaide: "To launch a hasty large-scale attack—if things go poorly and Murong Yanzhao's army has not yet arrived, we risk falling into a dangerous position. This is not advisable!"

His suggestion rejected, Gao Huaide showed no change in expression and continued: "Then I request that cavalry be dispatched, each led by a valiant commander, to harass the Liao army from multiple routes and wear them down! The remaining soldiers will sleep on their weapons, conserve their strength, and strike at dawn!"

"This proposal is acceptable!" Guo Rong immediately expressed his approval.

To this, Liu Chengyou also nodded. Guo Rong thought for a moment and added: "When our army harasses them, we must consider the Liao army's reaction. They split their forces to march south precisely to pin down our army, so as not to directly affect their assault on Nankou. If our movements provoke the Liao army at Nankou to attack again, we must also consider how much longer the Prince of Chenliu can hold out! Moreover, to achieve the effect of pinning down the Liao army, the Nankou defenders must fight with all their might!"

"One hair pulled moves the whole body!" Liu Chengyou could not help but sigh. After a brief deliberation, he looked at Dang Jin, who was fortunate enough to be present, and said to him: "I have heard that you led a thousand riders straight at the Liao army, nearly falling into encirclement, yet you broke out with composure, killing many, disrupting over ten thousand enemies, and withdrawing unscathed. Are you willing to go again?"

"I await Your Majesty's command!" Dang Jin raised his head and said.

Liu Chengyou greatly admired this spirited bearing and immediately said: "I want you to lead troops to Nankou again, break through the blockade, spread the news of my personal arrival to the entire army, and inform the Prince of Chenliu of this battle plan—ensuring he acts according to circumstances, coordinates with the main army, and fulfills our intention to annihilate the Liao forces!"

"I know this is a dangerous mission, with nine deaths and one life. Do you dare to undertake it?" Liu Chengyou knew full well in his own heart that these words carried an implicit goad—there was no room for Dang Jin to refuse.

But Dang Jin was straightforward by nature, with few convoluted thoughts in his heart. He clasped his hands and replied: "Your Majesty, this humble general is but a man of courage, illiterate, unable to devise strategies or offer counsel. All I have to stand on is a breast full of hot blood and fearless fighting. Since Your Majesty has given the order, this humble general is willing to walk into death."

Seeing this, Liu Chengyou could not help but praise him greatly: "With such a brave warrior, how could we worry about not pacifying the Khitan or completing the great enterprise?"

"How many troops do you need?" Liu Chengyou asked.

"More troops are useless—the two hundred-odd riders who returned to Changping with me are enough!" Dang Jin said with soaring spirits.

"Good!" Liu Chengyou clapped his hands and said: "Gather your men, slip out through the south gate, bypass the Liao army's watch, and head straight for Nankou. On the Changping side, half an hour after you depart, we will launch harassment attacks on the Liao army north of the city!"

"Yes!"

Liu Chengyou then looked at Zhao Kuangyin and Gao Huaide: "The night raid will be left to the two of you to arrange!"

"As commanded!"

This was destined to be a sleepless night!

After the major decisions were made and they left the hall, Zhao Kuangyin first went to find Dang Jin, who was preparing. After all, they had fought side by side for many years, their bond deep. But he did not say much—only patted him on the shoulder: "When you succeed, I'll buy you a drink!"

"When I return, I will drink deeply with you, brother, and we won't stop until we're drunk!" Dang Jin could feel Zhao Kuangyin's concern. He laughed heartily, then suddenly asked with curiosity: "If I escape with my life intact, can I be enfeoffed as a marquis?"

Taking a deep breath, Zhao Kuangyin said solemnly: "One day, I will personally plead for your reward before the emperor!"

Zhao Kuangyin's words carried great weight—pleading for rewards for other generals was a matter that carried political risk. But Zhao Kuangyin was completely serious.

Soon, on the Changping side, the Han army was busily mobilizing. As previously arranged, half an hour after Dang Jin left the city, the fully prepared Han light cavalry also set out.

In total, five cavalry detachments were dispatched, each not large—only a thousand riders—led by Han generals including Guo Chongwei, Cui Han, and Liu Guangyi. The operational objective was perfectly clear: harassment as the primary mission, roaming without engaging, wearing down the enemy. This was supposed to be the Liao army's specialty, yet it was being used against them by the Han army. There was no helping it—the Han army had a city to rely on; Yelu Sha did not.

Due to the constraints of reality, Liu Chengyou did not have absolute confidence in annihilating the Liao army completely. There were too many factors that could influence the outcome of the war—when news from Tanzhou would arrive, when Murong Yanzhao's army would reach—these were all critical factors.

At the same time, the Liao army was not made of wood, merely passively absorbing blows. Under the threat of the Han army, what reactions they would make were also beyond Han control. All Liu Chengyou could do was make arrangements and deployments toward that goal.