Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 687 Left or Right

Heyang Three Cities is a broad name. It is the most important defensive fortification not far northwest of Luoyang, connecting the south and north banks of the Yellow River.

However, from the formation process of the three cities of Heyang, it was first built as the "Beizhong City" on the north bank, and then due to the siltation of the Yellow River, a sand state was formed in the center of the river. Later, the Northern Wei Dynasty built the "Heyang Pass" here.

Later, the ferry on the south bank also needed to be defended because Luoyang became a war zone, so the ferry on the south bank was also built and militarized. It was not until this time that the defense system of the three cities of Heyang was officially completed.

From the formation history of the three cities of Heyang, it can be seen that the Beizhong City on the north bank is the core of its defense.

The sandbar in the center of the Yellow River is extremely small, and the area of ​​the city wall is also limited, so it is impossible to station many troops there.

It is dangerous, but it cannot exist independently.

As for the South City, it was more of a ferry for storing ships and providing early warning. Its walls were unusually low and its defenses were weak.

It's better than nothing.

Li Huaiguang and his army captured Heyang Pass and opened up the three cities of Heyang. Strategically speaking, they had reached the edge of Luoyang, but it was too early to say victory was in sight.

Sure enough, on the second day after Nancheng was captured, An Shouzhong personally led his troops to recapture Nancheng.

After nightfall, Li Huaiguang sent his fierce general Han Yougui with a death squad to retake the South City and drive all the Luoyang troops out of the city.

However, things did not go as smoothly as Li Huaiguang had imagined. An Shouzhong was not a mediocre person who would sell his head and wait for him to kill him.

Another day passed, and as if he had known that Nancheng would fall, An Shouzhong once again led his troops to recapture this poorly defended city!
Although the Konghe Army also wanted to fight back, the Heyang Pass was too small to station troops, so the counterattack was frustrated and met with failure. When the troops from Beizhong City came to support, they had already adopted the tactic of adding fuel to the fire with the Luoyang Army in Nancheng!

Li Huaiguang now came to his senses and quickly ordered Han Yougui to retreat to Heyang Pass and no longer lead elite troops to attack Nancheng.

At noon that day, the sun was warm and spring seemed to have arrived. Wild ducks could be seen wandering on the water surface. On the top of Heyang Pass, Li Huaiguang was looking at the southern city not far away. When he saw the flag of the Luoyang Army, his brows furrowed into a "川" shape.

"An Shouzhong is such a bastard. His plan to turn the tables is really sinister!"

Han Yougui on the side couldn't help but spit on the ground. His leather armor was covered with dark red bloodstains. He didn't know how many enemies he had killed to leave so many bloodstains.

"If An Shouzhong doesn't have this much skill, then I really have to look down on him."

Li Huaiguang narrowed his eyes and thought of a solution in his mind.

An Shouzhong's intention was not difficult to guess. He clearly wanted to lure the Konghe Army to attack Luoyang. Either they could take Nancheng and Luoyang together, or they could only defend Heyang Pass and not advance an inch.

Taking advantage of the terrain that the three cities of Heyang cannot deploy, they fought against the Konghe Army in a consumption war. After all, the number of Luoyang Army was much larger than that of the Konghe Army, and they had been resting in Luoyang and were full of energy.

At present, it seems that both sides are evenly matched. But if the situation continues, it is hard to predict the outcome.

"We have to fight quickly and we can't afford to delay."

Li Huaiguang said this in a decisive tone, he clenched his fists, his heart filled with resentment.

He and Han Yougui both joined the army when they were young and fought their way through. Since their debut, most of the colleagues and enemies they faced were stronger than themselves.

In times of adversity and even despair, he fought back time and again, carved out a bloody path, and continued to grow, which led to his current abilities.

Let’s not mention Fang Youde. He was a military genius and no one in the world could match him. It was not something Li Huaiguang dared to rebel against.

Later, Li Huaiguang met Huangfu Weiming and Li Guiren, as well as those shrewd Tianlong people in Guanzhong, such as Yan Zhenqing, all of whom were cunning old men.

One more An Shouzhong wouldn't make much difference now, and one less wouldn't make much either.

"General, An Shouzhong must have a backup plan. I think there will be a bloody battle between the three cities of Heyang and Luoyang. It is better to prepare for it as soon as possible."

Han Yougui said with a serious expression.

In fact, there is no need for him to say much. In the late Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Eastern and Western Wei, the Northern Qi and Northern Zhou, and even the Sui and Tang dynasties fought countless bloody battles on this not-so-long road.

Those corpses could form several layers of road surface here.

This was not a conspiracy at all, but a clear plan. Anyone who knew a little about war history would understand that An Shouzhong was inviting a fight, preparing for a decisive battle on the road between the three cities of Heyang and Luoyang!

Whoever loses will pack up and quit the game, and from then on he or she will either die or escape and disappear without a trace.

An Shouzhong is gambling his life with Li Huaiguang!
"At three o'clock tomorrow morning, we will attack South City, then roll up the pearl curtain and chase them. I think An Shouzhong will be waiting for us on this road."

Li Huaiguang snorted coldly.

A bloody battle was inevitable. As for rolling up the pearl curtain, it would definitely not kill An Shouzhong. This was not a narrow alley, but a spacious one. Expecting the defeated soldiers to disperse An Shouzhong's troops was really wishful thinking.

Han Yougui nodded silently without saying any nonsense.

In fact, if everyone is a newbie and doesn’t know anything, it would be fine.

Since this is not the first time they have been out here, the area south of the three cities of Heyang, north of Jinyong City, the ancient city of Luoyang, and west of Mangshan has been a good place to set up a battle line and fight to the death since ancient times.

This is the place where the decisive battle took place between the two sides. It is also the place where King Lanling Gao Changgong became famous.

If An Shouzhong wins, the Konghe Army will no longer stand a chance. Their division is old and their soldiers are tired, and their future is worrying. Even if they escape, they will be nothing but wandering ghosts.

If An Shouzhong lost, the Luoyang army would be demoralized and it is obvious what would happen next. It is likely that they would go to Luoyang to burn, kill and loot, then flee into the mountains and become bandits.

An Shouzhong's choice was: Either you guys fight with my men in Nancheng, and slowly grind them to death. Or we just set up our formations, fight and call it a day!

It depends on your choice!
If it were someone else, like Fang Chongyong, he would definitely stay with An Shouzhong and try to find a way to counterattack during the confrontation.

But Li Huaiguang is different. If he were old Bidden, he would not have destroyed Chang'an in the first place.

Isn't it just that you can't bear it?

If you want to fight, then let's fight! Let's see who is faster with my sword or who is more sinister with your scheme!
Li Huaiguang was filled with a sense of righteousness and indignation.

"An Shouzhong wants to kill us, so we'll kill him swiftly!"

Li Huaiguang drew out his sword and slashed it on the parapet of Heyang Pass.

The blade broke and a piece fell into the Yellow River!
"It's a pity to lose a good knife."

Li Huaiguang also threw his sword into the Yellow River without any feeling of pity.

Like him, or people like Kong Hejun, they all regard life as a journey of experience. There is nothing that cannot be let go, what matters is how you feel.

For a man who may die on the battlefield tomorrow, everything today is just like a dream.

Suddenly, Li Huaiguang remembered a trick that Fang Youde had used before, and waved gently at Han Yougui. When the other party came closer, he lowered his voice and said, "If the battle tomorrow is tense and the outcome is hard to determine, then you will do this and listen to my orders..."

Li Huaiguang muttered to Han Yougui for a long time.

"Could it be that An Shouzhong was not prepared?"

Han Yougui asked with a strange look on his face. "Marshal Fang's method is invincible. If An Shouzhong can break it, he will be considered a top figure."

Li Huaiguang sneered, obviously disdaining it.

Han Yougui nodded slightly. He had never had the chance to use the "secret weapon" left by Fang Youde. He didn't know if An Shouzhong's head was important enough.

This day was particularly long. Li Huaiguang issued an order that everyone should have a good meal in the evening, with plenty of meat and vegetables except for alcohol.

The soldiers of the Control Crane Army were all veterans. They knew that the final battle was coming, but they did not sing or dance. Instead, after eating, they quietly prepared the things needed for the battle, checked whether the armor had any damage, and checked whether the weapons were still fit for purpose.

Everyone is sharpening their knives.

An Shouzhong was not idle either.

Li Tingwang did not borrow the Bianzhou army after all, but after receiving the ambiguous letter from An Shouzhong, he felt very uneasy. Finally, he gritted his teeth and returned to Luoyang.

An Shouzhong was not shy and still let him serve as deputy general. He seemed to have great trust in him, but outsiders had no idea what he was thinking.

On that day, when he learned that the southern city had been captured, An Shouzhong deployed his troops to the north of Jinyong City, preparing for a decisive battle with Li Huaiguang. Luoyang is not far from the three cities of Heyang, but it is also about 20 to 30 miles away.

How did An Shouzhong manage to repeatedly fight with Li Huaiguang for South City over such a long distance?
The answer is that he set up the central military camp in Jinyong City.

Jinyong City is the northwest corner of Luoyang City in the Northern Wei Dynasty, while the current Luoyang City is the Luoyang City of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, which is located further to the southwest. Although the Luoyang City of the Sui and Tang Dynasties is a little far away from the Three Cities of Heyang, you can see the Three Cities of Heyang when you go out of Jinyong City!

In other words, An Shouzhong took advantage of the abandoned old city that could still be used as a military camp and gained a better combat distance advantage than Li Huaiguang.

That's right, it's closer and faster to reach the battlefield after leaving the camp. This was the only way for the famous general Hulugu of the Northern Qi Dynasty to win in the late Southern and Northern Dynasties. It was known as "fight three miles outside the camp and defend beyond three miles."

Every battle was within three miles of his camp, so it was difficult for the enemy to win! Wei Xiaokuan, a famous general of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, suffered a great loss because of this. An Shouzhong also learned this trick.

"Marshal, will Li Huaiguang not come tonight?"

Li Tingwang came over and asked in a low voice.

"They will definitely come."

An Shouzhong said with great confidence.

In fact, in his calculations, it didn't matter whether Li Huaiguang and the others came tonight or not. If they didn't come, they would continue to grind in Nancheng tomorrow. This was the so-called strategy of turning the tables. No matter whether you came or not, you had to come in the end.

Once you come, you fall into my trap!
"General, if Li Huaiguang comes, what should I do?"

Li Tingwang asked doubtfully. He really couldn't see how An Shouzhong could win.

This place can only be ambushed on Mang Mountain. Although other places have slopes, they are very open. Li Tingwang didn't think Li Huaiguang was too smart, but no matter how stupid a person is, why would he climb Mang Mountain for no reason?
They must have just rushed over here!

“See those stakes?”

An Shouzhong pointed to the wooden stake not far in front of him that he had ordered his men to hammer in.

"I saw it, but I don't know what it means."

Li Tingwang asked in some confusion.

"You can bring people to place the wooden fence on the stakes later.

The Konghe Army is good at attacking, so use these wooden fences to stop them. You should hold them in front of the central army, but don't cross the fences. Fight with them across the fences.

When the time comes, I will counterattack when the Konghe Army is exhausted.

Our troops will be concentrated on the left wing, luring Li Huaiguang to attack, slowly luring him in and killing him. By the time he finds out, it will be too late to save the situation. "

Left wing?

Li Tingwang was stunned, not knowing what An Shouzhong was up to.

Seeing that Li Tingwang didn't seem to understand, An Shouzhong's habit of being a know-it-all came back again.

He came closer and said in a low voice, "Our army has raised many flags on the right wing, leaving only a few people for show. Li Huaiguang will attack our left wing when he sees that the breakthrough in the middle is not going well."

This is a classic battle formation operation, and Li Tingwang naturally understands it.

As for those who say that a battle formation must be comprehensive and flawless, they are all complete laymen. No matter whether he is An Shouzhong, if they meet such people, they will be slapped in the face if possible.

The so-called defense everywhere is to be defenseless everywhere. It is the commander's job to use the troops where they should be used and to use them correctly.

Think about how to use the troops, how many front-line troops are needed, how many surprise troops are needed, and how many reserves are needed, and just gather the necessary numbers. It is obvious that only 10,000 troops are needed to win, but a commander insists on bringing 100,000 troops to fight. This kind of commander will only destroy all the soldiers of the three armies.

Li Tingwang was worried and asked, "Why not guard the right wing?"

An Shouzhong glanced at him and felt that this person was mediocre in ability and was indeed not as good as Li Huaiguang. He suddenly felt helpless and didn't know how to evaluate him.

He had no choice but to ask, "If you want to beat me up, how would you do it?"

Li Tingwang subconsciously said: "Throw a right fist..."

He suddenly realized that throwing a right fist would hit the opponent's left side. This was not only a habit when people were fighting, but also when two armies were fighting, they usually preferred to outflank the opponent with the right wing.

Li Tingwang understood that An Shouzhong's right flank was empty and his left flank was solid, and he had calculated that Li Huaiguang would definitely attack his left flank. As for why Li Huaiguang did not choose to "attack both flanks at the same time", perhaps the limited manpower of the Control Crane Army was already the answer on the table.

For Li Huaiguang, the troops should also be used where they should be used. This battle is like an open-book exam, except that the opponent's answers cannot be explored.

Li Tingwang thought of himself as Li Huaiguang, fighting against the enemy's large and experienced general. When the battle was tense, his own troops were few in number, while the enemy's troops were large in number but not in order.

Obviously, we must find a breakthrough as soon as possible and achieve a surprise victory. The longer we delay, the more disadvantageous it will be.

Left... or right?
Or should we increase the stakes on both sides and leave the central army alone?
Strengthening everywhere means weakening everywhere. How to play the cards?

Li Tingwang was extremely confused for a moment.

I really shouldn’t have returned to Luoyang!

At this moment, he was very regretful. Li Tingwang saw the gap between him and some of the main generals. If An Shouzhong was still able to fight with Li Huaiguang, then he, the defeated general, seemed to have received a fair defeat.

The night was long and especially anxious. I felt as if bugs were crawling inside me and as if I was being roasted on fire.

Just as the sky was turning pale, three loud noises of "Bang! Bang! Bang!" were heard in the distance.

Three beautiful fireworks bloomed in the sky with the moon and stars in the same frame. These were the scouts arranged by An Shouzhong, sending the signal to prepare for battle.

"General Lee, you can go and install the fence now."

An Shouzhong gave an order to Li Tingwang.

(End of this chapter)