Qiming 1158

Chapter 209 Taking Back the Initiative

The Zhending defenders had less than 2000 troops on the north bank, and they were almost wiped out by Su Yong's cavalry.

Except for a small number of people who fell into the river and drowned, no one escaped, either dead or captured.

In order to deter the defenders in the city, Su Yonglin also ordered the beheading of more than 700 captured gold soldiers in front of the defenders on the city, threatening the defenders in the city to surrender quickly, otherwise no chicken or dog will be left when the city is destroyed.

Of course, Wu Gu Lun Wolun would not open the city to surrender. He ordered the defenders to release arrows and use crossbows to counterattack, forcing the deterrent forces of the coalition to retreat.

So Su Yonglin led his troops to retreat, set up camp, surrounded the city, and did not leave them a retreat.

It is impossible to attack by force. Su Yonglin looked at the tall and majestic city wall and the fairly spacious moat, and felt that if he attacked forcefully, he would have to pay for the main force of the Shengjie Army.

But if he doesn't attack it, he can't go anywhere. With such a city nailed here, he can't go anywhere.

Even if you can go, you will be very worried. There are fewer troops left to besiege the city, and you are afraid that you will not be able to surround the city. If there are too many troops left, and there are insufficient troops to attack the area, you may fall into another kind of predicament.

Moreover, if they continue to go north regardless of their true intentions, the back road and grain road may be cut off by the defenders who came out of the city.

Su Yonglin looked at the tall and true city wall and was very distressed.

On the other hand, Wu Gu Lun Wolun felt that there was nothing wrong with this. At least this true city is here, and the army is still there, so Su Yonglin's main force will not be able to go anywhere.

He is in danger here, and the entire Hebei West Road is safe, just wait quietly for reinforcements.

So it's amazing that on the battlefield at this time, Wu Gu Lun Wolun is the one who has the initiative.

"I'll hold on for one more day, and the rebels will be destroyed for a day. If I hold on here, the main force of the rebels won't be able to go anywhere. When other places are safe, troops will be sent to help, and I will be saved!"

He kept boosting morale and gave a lot of money to the defending soldiers to calm people's hearts, so the panic in the city because of the coalition's breakthrough of the coastal defense gradually subsided, and everyone performed their duties and prepared to defend the city.

Su Yonglin didn't immediately order the siege, he just ordered the army to rest for a while, and then build a temporary bridge over the Hutuo River to facilitate the transportation of supplies.

Next, he looked around Zhending City, looking left and right to see that he could not find a way to break through the city. In the midst of distress, Xin Qiji came to visit him.

"Why did you come to see me?"

Su Yonglin and Xin Qiji strolled through the camp and asked with a smile, "Have I read your manuscript?"

"I haven't read it yet, because the content is very novel, and my subordinates have been deeply attracted. I also ask the general to give his subordinates more time to read and think carefully."

"Of course, you can watch it for as long as you want."

Su Yonglin patted him on the shoulder: "Look more, maybe it will give you a different perspective."

"Yes, the doubts and perceptions of the subordinates will be discussed with the general after reading it, and the general will be generous with your advice."

"must."

Su Yonglin smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, General."

Xin Qiji saluted respectfully, then straightened up and said, "General, in the current situation, your subordinates really don't think it is the right way to attack Zhending City by force."

Su Yonglin suppressed his smile and nodded.

"I don't think this is the correct approach either. It is true that the city walls are tall and the moat is wide and deep. If we attack by force, the loss will be too great, which will dampen the spirit of our army."

"So I think that our army needs to find another way, and if the main force of our army is delayed in Zhending City, it will greatly affect the attack on other prefectures on Hebei West Road, and it will give the golden thief time to organize more troops to launch a counterattack. Therefore, the subordinates think that the city cannot be besieged for a long time."

Xin Qiji opened his mouth and said: "My subordinates thought that we could leave an army to besiege the city, and the large army should quickly advance northward, call on more people to resist, raise the momentum, not delay the advance speed, nor allow the northern golden bandits time to organize their forces. ."

Su Yonglin looked at Zhendingcheng.

"It is reported that there are many troops in Zhending City, and most of them are Jurchen accounts, and they can be converted into regular soldiers at any time. If there are too few soldiers left, the city cannot be surrounded. , now we're in a bit of a dilemma."

Xin Qiji thought about it and felt that it was indeed a problem.

To solve this problem, the method is naturally to continue to solicit more troops from the rear. This is of course feasible, but the pressure on food supplies will also be greater.

During the war, the logistical supply of the coalition army was provided by the base camp of the Shengjie Army on the one hand, the supply of grain depots for the capture of various places, and the support of local powerful armed forces. The three aspects were combined to maintain the logistics of the coalition army.

The increase in military strength is related to all aspects, and preparations must be made, and the workload is very large.

In this situation, time is obviously the most important thing.

Su Yonglin lowered his head with his hands behind his back, feeling that he had lost the initiative in this battle, a little like being led by the nose by the defenders in the city.

This is not a good sign.

Losing the initiative on the battlefield is a serious matter, and it must not be taken lightly.

Although this is the case in many siege battles, he is in a strategic offensive situation, but he has lost the initiative due to a strong city, which is very unfavorable.

The initiative must be regained.

How to take back the initiative?

Su Yonglin's eyes turned back and forth between Zhendingcheng and the Hutuo River embankment, and suddenly his eyes lit up, and he thought about it.

"You'an, I have an idea."

"what?"

Xin Qi hurriedly asked, "What can I do?"

"The way to take back the initiative!"

Su Yonglin smiled and said, "Do you know the battle against Yecheng when Cao Cao attacked Hebei in the last years of the Eastern Han Dynasty?"

"Cao Cao attacked Yecheng?"

Xin Qiji thought about it and said, "I heard it before, but I don't know the inside story."

Su Yonglin pointed to the Hutuo River.

"what is this?"

"Hutuo River."

"What's in the river?"

"water."

"What can water be used for?"

"Water... water attack?"

Xin Qiji looked at the Hutuo River: "Did Cao Cao break through Yecheng with water?"

"No, it's because Shen Pei's nephew Shen Rong opened the gate to Cao Cao."

"That……"

"But Cao Cao used the flood to isolate the traffic inside and outside the city of Ye, so that most of the people in Ye city starved to death, lost their ability to fight for a long time, and the people in the city were floating, so Shen Rong opened the city gate to survive."

Su Yonglin said slowly: "Although the water attack will not be able to directly destroy the city, it can intimidate people's hearts, make people fall into despair, and do all kinds of unimaginable things, and that is our chance to win!"

Xin Qiji nodded thoughtfully.

"What is the general going to do?"

"Dig the river, dig a big river, surround Zhending City, then dig dams, divert water into the river, and use the water to isolate the traffic inside and outside Zhending City, he wants to protect me with a moat, I will do the opposite. Do it, and turn him to death!"

Su Yonglin clenched his fists.

Xin Qiji was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized, one hand clenched a fist and the other opened, colliding together.

"So that's the case! Dig the river channel and fill it with water from the Hutuo River. In turn, it will turn Zhending City into a dead city, and the internal and external traffic will be isolated. People in Zhending City will be trapped by us in turn!"

"That's it."

Su Yonglin clenched his fists and said, "And the Hutuo River is an above-ground river here. We need to dig a river of the same height, which is equivalent to building a dam. If there are soldiers and horses in the city trying to break through, it will turn into an attack from the back, and our army sticks to the dam. Condescending, the battlefield situation is directly reversed!"

(End of this chapter)