Chapter 179: Battle of Gaoping

The Later Zhou army, said to number 100,000, marched mightily north to Gaoping.

Guo Rong wore commander's armor, rode his war horse, and led at the very front of the troops. Behind him were tens of thousands of Imperial Guards soldiers, spirited and high in morale.

After undergoing the baptism of the Military Merit Ledger system and the practical test of southern campaigns to seize cities, this army had been transformed. They were no longer the old timers who only knew how to eat empty pay and idle away their days, but a pack of wolves and tigers eager for war and eager for military merit.

When the army reached Balgong Plain south of Gaoping, Guo Rong immediately ordered them to set up camp and deploy their formation.

He fully adopted Wang Hao's suggestion, forming infantry squares into a massive "Pocket Formation" to meet the enemy head-on. At the same time, he sent General Zhang Yongde to lead the elite ten thousand cavalry, hiding them in the valleys on both flanks, ready to strike left and right at a single command.

Everything was ready; they only awaited the enemy to walk into the net.

However, after waiting three days straight, the allied forces of Northern Han and the Khitan still did not show up.

In the army, some anxiety began to surface.

"What's going on? Why haven't those cowards come yet?"

"Could it be that they heard Your Majesty personally leading the campaign and got too scared to come?"

"Who cares! If they don't come soon, my sword will rust away!"

Inside the commander's tent, Guo Rong stared at the military map, his brow furrowed.

When things go against the norm, there must be something amiss.

Liu Chong and Yang Gong are no fools. They couldn't possibly be unaware that we have set an ambush here.

What exactly are they waiting for?

"Report!" a scout rushed into the tent, "Your Majesty! The Northern Han army has halted its advance beneath Luzhou City, and the Khitan cavalry have vanished without a trace!"

"What?" Guo Rong jumped to his feet.

The very thing he feared most had come to pass.

The enemy had seen through his plan.

"Your Majesty, the enemy's delay is consuming our supplies enormously, and the troops are growing lax. I believe we should not wait any longer; we should take the initiative and strike straight at Luzhou!" an impatient general stepped forward to request battle.

"Impossible!" another steady general immediately retorted, "We don't know the enemy's situation; how can we launch a reckless attack? If we fall into their ambush, our army will be in peril!"

Inside the tent, another round of arguing began.

Guo Rong, vexed and distracted, waved his hand, signaling them to be silent.

He knew he now had to make a decision.

Should he continue waiting, or take the initiative to attack?

This was a difficult choice.

Just as he hesitated, a personal guard entered, holding a wooden box.

"Your Majesty, Lord Wang of the Ministry of Revenue has sent an urgent missive from the Capital."

"Wang Hao?" Guo Rong's spirits lifted; he quickly took the box and opened it.

Inside was only a small slip of paper.

On the slip were only eight characters:

"The enemy feigns weakness to lure us deep in."

Guo Rong looked at those eight characters and instantly understood.

He finally knew what the enemy intended.

The enemy wasn't afraid; they were using the "Delay" tactic to drain his vigor and lure him into taking the initiative!

As long as he could not restrain himself, leading his army to leave the advantageous terrain of Balgong Plain to attack Luzhou, then the Khitan cavalry lying in wait would pounce like wolves, sinking their fangs fiercely into his flank!

By then, his army's formation would be thrown into chaos, unable to support front and rear, and would surely suffer a crushing defeat!

How dangerous!

Guo Rong's back was instantly soaked in cold sweat.

He had almost fallen into the enemy's scheme!

"Pass on my orders!" Guo Rong drew a deep breath, his eyes clearing, "All troops, hold position! Without my command, no one may launch an attack on their own! Violators will be beheaded!"

"Your Majesty, no! If we wait any longer, the army's morale will scatter!"

"Silence!" Guo Rong barked, "Carry out the order!"

……

Two more days passed.

Grievances in the army grew ever louder.

Even Deputy Commander Zhang Yongde could barely contain himself, coming personally to see Guo Rong.

"Your Majesty, do we really have to keep waiting? If we go on like this, we'll fall into chaos before the enemy even arrives."

Guo Rong did not answer him; he simply handed him Wang Hao's slip of paper.

After reading it, Zhang Yongde's face also changed dramatically.

"How... did Lord Wang come to know this?"

"I don't know either." Guo Rong shook his head, "But I trust him."

Just then, a thunderous shout of killing suddenly erupted from outside the tent!

"Report! Your Majesty! Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

"The Khitan cavalry are charging in from the east!"

Guo Rong and Zhang Yongde exchanged a glance, their faces showing the expression of "as expected."

The enemy could no longer hold back.

They stepped out of the tent and saw the eastern horizon kicked up with dust. Tens of thousands of Khitan iron cavalry, like a black tide, surged toward the Later Zhou camp.

Their formation was stretched long, appearing as if they would break the Later Zhou's defenses in one furious charge.

"Your Majesty, what should we do?" Zhang Yongde asked anxiously.

Don't panic. Guo Rong's face was unusually calm. "Pass the order: the vanguard becomes the rearguard, the rearguard becomes the vanguard. All troops, move westward, take defensive positions at Bagog Plain."

What? Retreat? Zhang Yongde turned pale. "The formation we painstakingly set up here, just discarded?"

No need. A glint flashed in Guo Rong's eyes. "The enemy's target is our camp and provisions. They think that as long as they burn our supplies, we will collapse without fighting."

We'll turn the tables, giving them this empty camp.

When they charge into the camp and their formation falls into disarray, that will be our moment to counterattack!

Pass the order to the cavalry ambushed in the western valley: get ready! Act on my command!

Yes! Although Zhang Yongde still had some doubts, he chose to trust the emperor's judgment.

The Later Zhou army staged a great rout before the Khitan.

They abandoned their tents, discarded their baggage, and rushed westward to retreat to Bagog Plain.

Seeing this, the Khitan commander Yang Gong, on horseback, couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Hahaha! What Later Zhou elite? What boy emperor? Just a bunch of cowards!

Pass my order! All troops, charge! Seize their provisions, kill their men, take their women!

Over ten thousand Khitan Iron Control Cavalry, excitedly howling, charged into the Later Zhou's empty great camp.

They dismounted and began to loot frantically.

However, just as they were enjoying the looting the most.

Suddenly, an anomaly arose!

Suddenly, huge flames erupted all around the Later Zhou camp!

Those provisions and tents they had abandoned had actually been doused with fierce fire oil!

The fire, fueled by the wind, spread rapidly, turning the entire camp into a sea of flames!

Oh no! We've fallen into a trap! Yang Gong's face changed drastically.

Just then, on the Bagog Plain to the west, thunderous war drums suddenly sounded!

Seeing the Later Zhou infantry, who had just been fleeing in panic, now reforming into an impenetrable square formation. Countless archers and crossbowmen loosed a volley; arrows rained down like locusts upon the Khitan in the sea of fire!

At the same time, horns blared from the valleys to the north and south!

The Later Zhou's two ambush units, like two sharp daggers, fiercely thrust into the Khitan army's disordered formation!