Chapter 509: The Plan to Encircle from All Sides

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News of Murong Xinzhang and Gao Song's duel outside Jinyong City quickly reached the ears of Zhang Zhao and Yelu Deguang.

In that battle, Murong Xinzhang led two thousand cavalry from the Yong Kingdom's Left Feathered Forest Guard, the Right Feathered Forest Guard, and part of the Hanshan Capital cavalry against three thousand riders of the Liao Kingdom's Dragon Army and Phoenix Army commanded by Gao Song.

In the end, even with Liao forces providing support, Gao Song's command lost over three hundred riders, with more than seven hundred wounded.

Murong Xinzhang lost only thirty-odd riders, and his wounded did not even reach a hundred.

Despite holding multiple advantages, the Khitan cavalry had been dealt a casualty ratio of nearly ten to one, which without doubt cast a thick shadow over Yelu Deguang's heart.

Deeply shaken by the ferocity of the Yong and Liang cavalry, Yelu Deguang resolutely abandoned his baggage train and part of the Han troops, then marched day and night with fifty thousand Liao soldiers and over ten thousand surrendered Jin troops, finally seizing the critical pass of Sishui Pass before Zhang Zhao could arrive.

Zhang Zhao's forces, having received the same battle report, were greatly boosted in confidence. Just as Yelu Deguang reached Sishui Pass, boats stretched bow to stern across the Yellow River.

Zhang Zhao personally commanded a great army of sixty thousand infantry and cavalry, descending along the Yellow River to the waterway west of Luoyang, less than thirty li from Heyang Bridge and Zhongtan City.

That afternoon, Zhang Zhao ordered the navy Chief Commander Du Lun Chixin to lead sixteen large warships downstream to attack Zhongtan City.

For the Yong Kingdom, however, iron cavalry and heavy infantry had never been in short supply, but a navy was something quite unfamiliar.

Du Lun Chixin had obtained the post of navy Chief Commander only because he had commanded naval forces on the Huang River and had taken part in dredging the water route from Shanzhou to Lanzhou.

Yet compared with the Yellow River at the Luoyang section, the Huang River around Shanzhou seemed utterly trivial.

Moreover, the key to naval warfare lay in familiarity with local hydrological conditions.

Zhang Zhao had none of this. Even Guanzhong had no connection to the Yellow River; apart from the Jing and Wei Rivers, there were no other great rivers, and naturally no talent for building a navy.

Among the troops of Zhao Kuangzan and the former Jin Kingdom officers who had come over to him, only Wu Xingde understood anything about naval warfare.

But Wu Xingde only understood it himself; he had no soldiers under his command, and the shipbuilding plan originally set for Hezhong Prefecture had not been used.

This led to a major problem: Zhang Zhao's forces appeared to have a navy of more than two hundred vessels of various sizes, but using them to transport supplies was already a strain, and they truly had no capability for naval combat.

The good news amid the bad, however, was that the Khitans had few naval warfare talents either.

In addition, most of the fishermen and boatmen along both banks of the Yellow River had fled. Everyone had only the skill to sail boats on the Yellow River, not the ability to fight on water.

But Gao Song, after all, occupied Zhongtan City in the middle of the river channel, so Du Lun Chixin led his great warships in battle for half a day without getting anywhere, unable to do anything to Gao Song.

At just that moment, Yelu Deguang personally led his vanguard to Sishui Pass. Zhang Zhao made a prompt decision and ordered Du Lun Chixin to bring all the boats back and build a naval stockade in the area of Heqing City west of Zhongtan City.

He completely abandoned the idea of fighting a naval battle and honestly went back to playing at great cavalry and infantry battles on land.

In mid-June, Yelu Deguang ordered the generals Yelu Pode, Yelu Langwu, and others to lead twenty thousand cavalry past Gong County and advance toward Luoyang along the Yinluo River.

But Murong Xinzhang had long since made defensive preparations in the area from Yanshi to Jinyong City, and the two sides' cavalry clashed fiercely across this region.

Yelu Pode's cavalry even managed at one point to seize Yanshi City and reach the outskirts of Luoyang, but they could never pull out the nail that was Jinyong City.

Zhang Zhao, for his part, sent Ma Yaozi with three thousand soldiers of the Wuwei Garrison into Luoyang City to join the siege of Mada, who had been holding out in the city for nearly a month, while he personally directed thirty thousand troops in a fierce assault on Heyang Bridge.

The fighting, however, did not go smoothly either. Although they succeeded in taking the bridgehead fortifications of Heyang Bridge on the south bank of the Yellow River.

Because Gao Song had more than eight thousand men under his command, Zhongtan City was exceptionally strong, and Heyang Bridge was not very wide, they were never able to defeat Gao Song's forces and capture Zhongtan City.

Things went much better in Luoyang City. At the end of June, with Ma Yaozi personally taking the field, the forces of Mada, who had held the inner city of the Luoyang imperial palace with only a little over a thousand remaining men, were finally defeated.

The capture of the exceptionally strong inner city of the imperial palace was achieved because the people of Luoyang, heedless of life and death, came wave after wave carrying gunpowder to the foot of the imperial city walls. Only after a section of wall was blasted down could the troops swarm in.

That villain Mada had committed countless evils in Luoyang City, and the people of Luoyang hated him bitterly. As a result, Zhang Zhao's plan to cut him down with one stroke and send his head to Yelu Deguang never came to pass.

For no sooner had he been dragged out than he was surrounded by the furious crowd. At some unknown person's shout, the people rained down clubs and staves. Mada's wrists snapped free of their shackles, his tendons tore and bones broke, and his skull flew from his body.

By the time Ma Yaozi dispersed the crowd, Mada and his thirteen trusted followers were all reduced to pulp. Livers, guts, hearts, and lungs lay everywhere, and the skulls were nearly stripped to bare bone, utterly unrecognizable.

On the twenty-seventh day of the sixth month, Zhang Zhao led ten thousand elite infantry and cavalry into Luoyang. The entire city emptied out to welcome him.

Zhang Zhao publicly announced that the nine counties within the Luoyang metropolitan region would be exempt from taxes for three years, and he also allocated one thousand shi of military grain to relieve the disaster victims of Luoyang.

All goods and wealth seized by the Khitans and all family members taken captive were returned in full; the army took not a single share.

The people of Luoyang, who had suffered three great calamities in a little over ten years, finally saw hope. Everywhere the people roared with joy and rushed to spread the news.

The common folk who had fled to Mount Mang, Mount Xiao, and Mount Xiong'er came down from the mountains and returned home.

Afterward, before the witness of tens of thousands of Luoyang's people, Zhang Zhao went to the family temple outside the Later Tang imperial city and, together with Li Congyi, made offerings to the Later Tang's Zhuangzong, Mingzong, and the posthumously honored Martial Emperor Li Keyong.

Thus the hearts of the Luoyang people turned to him. They voluntarily helped repair Luoyang City and served as laborers for the great army.

Especially in the repair of Jinyong City, the people of Luoyang — men and women, old and young — all pitched in, and in just two days they had Jinyong City restored to new condition, at least enough to serve as a fortress.

After setting his formations in order, Zhang Zhao convened another military council in the Later Tang imperial palace at Luoyang.

From the Yuan Cong faction: Yan Jin, Ma Yaozi, Ma Shacai, Bai Congxin, Fan Quan, Fan Shun, Man Xiong, Dunzhu, Qiongre Duojin, Wang Tongxin, Luo Yu'er.

From the East Return faction: Guo Tiance, Li Ruotai, Zhao Cunyi, Erzhu Jing, Xue Shouli, Guo Guangcheng, Lu Sanlang.

From the old Guiyi Army faction: Luo Tongda, Murong Xinzhang, Li Cunhui, Chen Tingxiao.

From the Liang-Lan Six Valleys faction: Chen Nianban, Zhebu Jiashi, Du Lun Chixin, Cui Huxin, Yue Saonu, Wang Tinghan, Zhang Xibao.

From the Jin Kingdom defectors: Zhang Xichong, He Ning, Fan Zhi, Xue Juzheng, Zhao Hui, Zhao Kuangzan, Zhao Yanjin, Hou Renbao, Wu Xingde, Feng Hui's son Feng Jixun, Zhao Kuangyin, Murong Yanzhao, Wang Shenqi.

As well as those who had come over on their own, such as Huang Yingda and Zhe Deyuan — all were in attendance.

One could say that eighty percent of the Yong Kingdom's talent was gathered in this place. If Brother Guang could wipe them all out, the Yong Kingdom would be utterly finished.

The reason for convening this military council was that the plan Zhang Zhao had made before departing Shanzhou — to seize Sishui Pass first and then hold the city to block the Khitans — had again failed to be achieved.

Although Luoyang City had been taken, because Yelu Deguang had shifted his troops with equal speed and resolve, Murong Xinzhang had been tied down by Gao Song's forces and had been unable to continue east to occupy Sishui Pass, so the plan had to be changed.

"Great King, your subject believes that now that the great army has arrived, so long as we firmly hold the Heyang bridgehead, we can pin Gao Song's forces against the Yellow River.

The great army should immediately advance, take Yanshi City, and fight a decisive battle with the Khitans on the broad plain between Sishui and the Yinluo River."

Murong Xinzhang felt somewhat uncomfortable and somewhat ashamed, because the greatest problem this time was that he had failed to seize Sishui Pass.

So Murong Xinzhang, who had always loved unorthodox tactics, for the first time proposed fighting a straightforward, open battle.

Before Zhang Zhao had even responded, Yan Jin smiled faintly. This steady general, who had always favored fighting open, straightforward battles, now wanted to fight an unorthodox one. Pointing at the map, he said to Zhang Zhao.

"Gao Song's forces occupy Zhongtan City. It looks like a long dagger thrust into our army's flank, but it can also be seen as the Khitans placing their own vital parts into our hands.

If Zhongtan City is taken by our army, and we then sail downstream and destroy the pontoon bridge at Baima Ford, the Khitans will be trapped south of the Yellow River."

So their main force could never be waiting at Sishui Pass; they would have to advance east to the Yanshi area and form a mutually supporting posture with Gao Song at the Zhongtan Bridge."

Zhang Zhao nodded slowly. "Chengjie, are you suggesting we simply let the Khitans come through, and then fight the decisive battle with them in the area from Luoyang to Yanshi City?"

Yan Jin nodded. "Yanshi City sits backed against Mount Mang, less than forty li from Zhongtan City. Easy to defend and hard to attack — it is exactly the sort of ideal ground the Khitans dream of.

They will certainly come. But the moment they do, it will be their doom."

As he spoke, Yan Jin tapped the map emphatically southward. "Once the Khitans reach Yanshi City, our army will actively seek battle and draw their full attention.

Then, Great King, you can send an elite force around Goushi to cut the Xiaoyi Bridge over the Yinluo River, northeast of Goushi and east of Yanshi, completely surrounding the Khitans at Yanshi City and on Mount Mang.

With their supply lines severed, tens of thousands of troops trapped in a city of despair, they will instantly fall into a death ground. Let the Yinluo River become the Khitans' Hutuo River!"

Zhang Zhao understood why Yan Jin had chosen the unorthodox plan: the battle of Jinyong City had proven that the Khitans' so-called iron cavalry was inferior in fighting strength to Zhang Zhao's Yongliang Iron Cavalry.

With this reversal, the Khitans had instead become the Jin side in the Liao-Jin War — the side with almost no cavalry.

This way, Zhang Zhao could use his cavalry advantage to strike unexpectedly and cut off the Khitans' route of retreat.

Where to fight? When to fight? How long to fight? None of it would be in the Khitans' hands; it would all be held by the Yongliang Iron Cavalry.

"Great King, I support Commander Yan's idea." Zhao Kuangzan immediately stepped forward to endorse it.

"The Liao ruler only managed to seize Sishui Pass so quickly because he abandoned his baggage train and a large number of Later Jin surrendered troops.

If we let them come to Yanshi City, then even if we cannot cut the Xiaoyi Bridge, we can still stretch out their supply lines.

Moreover, those controlling the Liao army's supplies are all surrendered Later Jin generals and soldiers. The Liao ruler Yelu Deguang treats them poorly — it was only because he was about to fight a great battle with us that he extorted the major Buddhist temples to pay them a reward.

These men, far from being loyal to the Liao ruler, secretly even bear resentment toward him. I am willing to go with Acting Military Governor Hou and Acting Military Governor Zhao, circle around to that place, and win them over. Then the Liao army will lose all its baggage, and its total destruction will be right before our eyes."

"Great King, I am also willing to step forward and accompany the army. Fu Yanqing, An Shenqi, Wang Zhou, Yao Yuanfu, and the other generals did not truly surrender; they were only forced by circumstances.

If the Great King can write an edict in his own hand pardoning their offenses, they will surely be willing to abandon darkness and turn to the light."

Seeing that the plan was indeed feasible, He Ning immediately jumped out. With his status as a Later Jin chief minister, recruiting Fu Yanqing and the others would be as easy as turning over his hand.

"Good!" Zhang Zhao was overjoyed. "Then we'll let the Khitans come to the Yanshi City area, and give them an encirclement on all four sides."

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