Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 241 Yelü Dashi has arrived!
The army set off again, heading north from Xiongzhou towards Guiyi City.

Guiyi City had a garrison of 1,700 to 1,800 men. The city was not large and was more like a fortified village. It was also the most important bridgehead of the Liao Kingdom on the border.

However, don't underestimate the garrison of only 1,700 or 1,800 men. Attacking such a fortified stronghold is not an easy task.

Even with an army of seventy or eighty thousand, they cannot rely on their numbers to be of any use.

Guiyi is very close to Xiongzhou City, only about 60 or 70 li away. If you go beyond the border to Guiyi City in Liao, it is only about 30 or 40 li away.

With 70,000 to 80,000 troops, plus various auxiliary soldiers, logistics support soldiers to help transport grain, and civilian laborers, it was quite troublesome to mobilize them when they left Xiongzhou.

When it comes to military campaigns, you can never really bundle the army together and move forward in one go. You still have to walk, and when you walk, there will inevitably be people in front and people behind.

At this time, Su Wu himself had already arrived at the city of Guiyi, but there were still people and carriages that had just left the border of Xiongzhou. There were seventy or eighty thousand soldiers, tens of thousands of auxiliary soldiers, civilians and craftsmen, stretching for thirty or forty miles.

To ensure that the organization of each unit is not disordered, the units march closely together, but the units are not necessarily very closely connected.

This is also a method of preventing enemy attacks. Whenever the enemy comes, at least each unit can be organized immediately to form an effective defense and resistance.

Su Wu was very cautious. He always felt that something was wrong. He also knew that although this was his second time leading such a large number of people, he constantly reminded himself that this time was different from the last...

It was very different. The last time we fought Fang La, Fang La had neither cavalry to ride around nor huge warships to occupy the waterways.

To put it bluntly, Fang La never gained the initiative in the war.

This time was different. This time, the Liao people had the initiative in the war, and their cavalry were as swift as the wind.

The people of Liaoning have the right to choose where to fight, when to fight, and how to fight.

They even have the right to choose not to fight you temporarily.

Therefore, Su Wu kept one thing in mind: proceed cautiously step by step, the vanguard should not go too far, and the rear guard should not linger too long, taking one step forward and then stopping.

Just like today, we're stopping outside Guiyi City, waiting for each tribe to slowly gather together, divide up the camps, and make sure there's no chaos in any of them.

Su Wu himself kept riding back and forth to look around.

The army has already crossed the border, and the Liao scouts must have already rushed north to report that the Liao army to meet them will arrive soon.

It was most likely, or even certain, that it was Yelü Dashi; there was no other person. Just thinking about Yelü Dashi made Su Wu tense up.

Upon arriving at the walls of Guiyi City, Su Wu was no longer in a hurry. He was intentionally reminding himself not to rush, to first organize his troops, and even to linger at the walls of Guiyi City for some time. As long as he could win the battle, time was not that important...

Only if Su Wu wins the battle will the hearts of the people in Yanjing change.

The artisan camps were also set up, with some cutting down trees and others making weapons. If there wasn't enough timber, it was transported from Xiongzhou. The distance wasn't far, and the situation was manageable.

Su Wu also kept sending out scouts, scattering them all over the mountains and fields, fearing a sneak attack.

As each unit gradually took its place, Su Wu inspected countless routes, and the central command tent was once again filled with people.

Now that they had crossed the border into the Liao Kingdom, the war had begun.

Inside the central command tent, everyone was eager to try their luck, though perhaps some also harbored selfish desires. Everyone knew that those who had distinguished themselves in the last campaign against the bandits in Jiangnan had amassed great wealth and received promotions and titles.

This battle is far more meritorious than the suppression of bandits in Jiangnan. If one were to obtain a merit, it would be an immense achievement, bringing immense wealth and honor. A promotion to a higher official position would be a given, not to mention the riches. One would even be remembered in history and recorded in the annals for generations to come!
Under such circumstances, one can see how excited the generals present were.

There was no need for Su Wu to say anything more; many of the generals were already engaged in lively conversation, whispering amongst themselves…

Yang Keshi was the most anxious. As soon as Su Wu entered and sat down, he spoke up: "Commander Su, yesterday I asked to go into battle, and you said you could discuss it again. Today I ask to go into battle again. I am willing to be the vanguard. Whether it is to attack cities and capture strongholds or to scout ahead, I have always been brave and fierce. If I fail, I will bring my head to face you."

As soon as Yang Keshi finished speaking, Liu Guangshi quickly said, "This humble general is also willing to be the vanguard!"

Yang Weizhong then said, "If we are attacking the city, I will be the first to charge. If we fail, you may behead me!"

How could Wu Song remain silent? He cupped his hands to his left and right and said, "Brothers, there's no need for further argument. This time, our Jingdong army is willing to overcome all difficulties! Let us brothers give this small town a try first!"

Wang Bing was actually a little "stage fright," not because he was afraid, but because he was not qualified enough. Everyone present was a veteran of the battlefield, while he, although older, was actually less experienced.

Then he said softly, "If Commander Su is willing to use the Wuzhou troops, we will certainly fight bravely to the death, without hesitation!"

Zhong Shidao looked on with a smile and said, "Good, good! With the army so eager to fight, isn't that a sign of joy at the prospect of battle? The morale of the army is high!"

Liu Yanqing chuckled, "It's good that all the generals are so willing to fight. As for how to fight and which units to use, we'll just have to wait for Commander Su's orders..."

This small town of Guiyi can't accommodate too many people; one or two troops are enough to surround it completely.

As Su Wu watched the crowd chattering, he also had a feeling that the officials present were not much different in rank.

Even some detachments may seem to have few people, but their commanders may have higher ranks, while some detachments may seem to have many people, but their commanders may not necessarily have much higher ranks.

This army of the Great Song Dynasty is made up of so many regimental and brigade commanders gathered together to plan a large battlefield with 100,000 to 200,000 people. However, the "military ranks" of these regimental and brigade commanders vary. Some are already "major general" or "lieutenant general", while others are still "major" or "lieutenant colonel".

However, they are not subordinate to each other.

Fortunately, Su Wu is the commander this time, and he has gathered these people together.

Just like in this battle in history, although Tong Guan was also there, he did not personally go to the front line. The front line was either Zhong Shidao or Liu Yanqing. Although the two were the most senior, they always seemed to be missing something.

Su Wu looked at the people around him and frowned. There was a feeling that was most uncomfortable, which was uncertainty. When fighting Fang La, he had a sense of certainty, but when fighting the Liao Kingdom, Su Wu could not feel that certainty.

Su Wu himself didn't even know why.

The crowd was still chattering away, with one person saying that their troops were sure to be fierce and brave, and another saying that their troops would surely conquer any city.

Even among the crowd, there were jokes and banter, though it was all in jest.

Su Wu frowned, deep in thought, and slowly raised his hand.

The moment Su Wu raised his hand, everyone stopped talking and focused their attention on him.

Su Wu then said, "The entire army should first stay in this small town of Guiyi for three days!"

Yang Keshi was greatly puzzled and immediately said, "Commander Su, why is this? Is it to manufacture weapons? With 80,000 troops and tens of thousands of auxiliary soldiers and laborers, how can we stop because of such a small city? Now is the perfect opportunity. If we don't seize it and let it slip away, it will be too late to regret it..."

Su Wu then asked, "What does General Yang think?"

Yang Keshi immediately said, "Then we should divide our forces and advance quickly. Leaving two troops to besiege Guiyi is enough. Once the weapons are ready, we can break through the city. The rest of the army, especially the cavalry, should march north quickly. Speed ​​is of the essence in war. What we need is for the main army to be at the city. It's only a few hundred miles away. As long as the main army reaches the walls of Yanjing, the Liao people will be terrified, and everything will be fine!"

Many people present nodded in agreement after hearing these words.

There is some truth to what he said.

Liu Guangshi also said, "Yes, when Commander Su was in Jiangnan, he was able to penetrate deep into enemy territory with a lone force, and his attack was successful. He defeated a million enemy soldiers and made them flee in terror. This time, it will only be two or three hundred li to Yanjing. The army has many soldiers and generals. The cavalry can quickly set off and head straight for Yanjing. It should not be a problem!"

Su Wu nodded in agreement, agreeing that the reasoning was correct.

Zhong Shidao didn't say much, he just looked at Su Wu.

Liu Yanqing's eyes, however, held a fervent anticipation, as if he agreed with his son's words.

Su Wu nodded slowly and asked, "Once the troops are divided, the cavalry will go fast and break away from the formation. Among the infantry, some are fast and some are slow, some are in front and some are behind. With 80,000 troops spread out like this, in such a wide area, the Liao cavalry can come and go like the wind. If you were Liao generals, how would you deal with it?"

Everyone immediately wanted to too...

Before anyone could think further, Su Wu continued, “If I were a Liao general, commanding a hundred battle-hardened soldiers, though their numbers would certainly be small, I would do only one thing: among these 80,000 troops, I would first find a unit that is the most disorganized and then ride quickly to engage it in a surprise attack. If I can win, the morale of the army will surely rise and fall.”

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent as everyone pondered.

After thinking for a moment, Yang Keshi spoke up again: "Our army also has scouts and cavalry, so we should be on guard. If their cavalry comes, we will send cavalry to meet them."

Su Wu didn't shake his head, but nodded, and said, "This place is Liao territory. It has not returned to the Central Plains for more than 180 years. The Liao army knows the terrain and landforms like the back of their hand. Although we have maps, we are not actually familiar with them. We are in the open, and they are in the dark. Defending against enemy attacks is like defending against thieves. No matter how many scouts there are, we cannot guarantee that there will be no mistakes!"

Yang Keshi then said, “Commander Su, why be so conservative? In the past, Commander Su always led his troops with unconventional tactics. This time, however, you are being far too conservative. Even if we encounter an enemy attack, which of you here is not a seasoned soldier? Just meet the enemy head-on. Once we have a moment to calm down, we can hold off the enemy cavalry and have friendly forces come to our aid. In that case, we can achieve a great victory.”

All their ideas and statements, when heard by Su Wu, sounded absolutely right.

But Su Wu knew perfectly well that in open field battles, he was no match for Yelü Dashi and was beaten like a dog by Yelü Dashi.

Su Wu looked at Yang Keshi again, and suddenly a thought flashed through his mind: Was it you? It must be you, the first one to be beaten into a dog by Yelü Dashi!

Su Wu shook his head: "According to my military orders, the entire army shall wait in Guiyi City for three days until the siege equipment is completed, and then we will attack the city!"

Countless people were disappointed, but the most disappointed was Yang Keshi. He had not actually made many contributions in the suppression of bandits in Jiangnan, so his eagerness to volunteer for battle was simply because he saw Liu Guangshi being promoted again and again, and those previously unknown people under Su Wu's command being promoted again and again...

Even Han Shizhong, who was once a minor captain, is now the commander-in-chief of a prefecture's military forces.

Even someone as stubborn as Yao Pingzhong was promoted repeatedly.

Now is the time for new people to replace the old in the military. People like Liu Yanqing and Wang Yuan from Zhongshidao and Zhongshizhong are getting old, and it is time for a new generation to emerge.

How could Yang Keshi not step forward?

Yang Keshi then added, "Commander Su, this time you've been far too cautious!"

Although Yang Keshi had countless thoughts in his mind in front of Su Wu, he still dared not speak recklessly. Su Wu glanced at Yang Keshi and then ignored him. He couldn't say anything to this fellow, much less admit that he was saving Yang Keshi.

Su Wu simply replied, "Military orders are absolute and cannot be questioned. Do it this way!"

No one said much, and Yang Keshi was also helpless and could not say much either, but he was somewhat dejected. He had been looking forward to this day for months, hoping to show his skills, but at the last minute, Commander Su, who was always bold in his military tactics, suddenly became as timid as a mouse...

So what's so scary about the Liao people?

They were nothing more than scattered soldiers and remnants of defeated troops outside the capital. The total number of people in Yanjing (Beijing) could not exceed thirty thousand. In other cities, the fewest had only a few hundred, and the most had only two or three thousand.

Even if you draw troops from the city and abandon the city, how many scattered soldiers can you gather?

After the meeting, the generals returned to their camps, cooked their meals, ate, and slept. Although they weren't exactly idle, they were certainly doing nothing.

The small town was right in front of us; it was hardly worth looking at.

They were all seasoned soldiers; with so many troops in this city, they could drown him with a single spit.

What is Suarez doing?
He looked at the military reports sent back by the scouts over and over again, but there was nothing of great importance about them.

No rush, Su Wu calmed himself down again, reminding himself that there was no need to rush to save lives, and that he should wait for the large machinery to be built.

By the afternoon of the following day, military intelligence had already arrived in Yanjing, within the imperial city.

When Li Chuwen saw the report, he was stunned. The Song army had already crossed the border and the troops were trapped in Guiyi.

This is clearly completely different from what Su Wu had told him earlier. The agreement was just made, and then the matter was changed in the blink of an eye?
Yelü Dashi, who was standing nearby, saw it and immediately cursed, "The Song traitors are indeed fast! Traitors who break their promises!"

Yelü Dashi glanced at Li Chuwen and saw that Li Chuwen's brows were furrowed and his face even looked pale. He immediately said, "My lord, do not worry. I will lead the troops to meet him. Just fight to the death!"

Li Chuwen glanced at Yelü Dashi and said, "You only have two thousand defeated cavalry..."

Yelü Dashi's expression was even more resolute: "Speed ​​is of the essence in war. I will personally lead two thousand cavalry to fight a battle first and dampen the Song rebels' morale. You, my lord, should gather troops in the capital and recruit loyal and righteous men. If I win the first battle, just send troops and have Xiao Gan lead his troops to help me as soon as possible. If I am defeated, I will die, and you, my lord, will not need to send troops. Just defend the city. I will also explain things clearly to Xiao Gan!"

Who was Xiao Gan?
Under the rule of the Liao Dynasty, there were many ethnic groups and tribes, both on the grasslands and in the mountains. Among them, the most populous were the Khitans, Han Chinese, some large tribes on the grasslands, and finally the Xi people.

Xiao Gan was the king of the Xi people, who had served under the Khitan for hundreds of years and were practically like family. Xiao Gan had fought countless battles for the Liao Dynasty, risking his life countless times.

At this time, Xiao Gan did not run away, and Yelü Dashi trusted him very much.

There were still quite a few Xi soldiers at this time. Even under Yelü Dashi's command, there were many Xi soldiers, and Xiao Gan also had quite a few around him.

Li Chuwen couldn't actually refute Yelü Dashi's arrangements. Although he was a prime minister, he had no troops, while Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan did.

They were determined to fight to the death, so Li Chuwen could only nod and say, "Chongde, you must be careful in everything you do. Don't die in vain. I'll be waiting for you to come back!"

Yelü Dashi nodded: "My lord, you must quickly select a member of the Zong clan and make a decision as soon as possible so that he can be supported to ascend the throne. We cannot wait!"

With that, Yelü Dashi bowed respectfully and left immediately, his steps swift, for the military situation was urgent and time was of the essence. As for who would be chosen as emperor, that would depend on who didn't flee and who had a better reputation.

Yelü Dashi only wanted to find Xiao Gan to talk to him again, and didn't even have time to say goodbye. Yelü Dashi rode out of the city and left.

Xiao Gan also gave Yelü Dashi some more Xi soldiers, as well as more horses and weapons.

Xiao Gan, on his side, still had to gather troops, recruit righteous men, and prepare provisions, and there were many things to do. The military mobilization capacity of Yanjing City was really not strong.

But there were still quite a few able-bodied men. If they couldn't fight in the field, they would go to the city walls; if they couldn't go to the city walls, they would carry things; if they couldn't carry things, they would chop wood and cook...

This country might really be gone...

Countless people fled for their lives, but many others, with tears streaming down their faces, were determined to fight back.

It's like when the Southern Song Dynasty was about to fall, there were still hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians who had to die with the emperor.

into the night...

Yang Keshi was like an ant on a hot pan, pacing around in circles, unable to calm his mind no matter which way he looked, and kept going to the camp of the teacher.

When Zhong Shidao was in front of him, Yang Keshi couldn't help but complain: "Old Master, more than a day has passed, and the army has already entered Liaodong. More than 100,000 people are stuck in front of a small city. Even if there are 1,700 or 1,800 enemies, they can stop our more than 100,000 people? Is this the way to use troops?"

Zhong Shidao waved his hand and said, "If you trust Commander Su, then don't say anything more. He is a skilled military commander. If you don't trust Commander Su, then you should say even less. He is your superior. If you say too much, you will suffer in the future."

Yang Keshi nodded: "Old Master, how dare I comment on others? Isn't this right here with you? Take yesterday's plan in the main tent, for example. What's wrong with it? Just march straight to Yanjing City, isn't that the right way to wage war? Didn't Prime Minister Su also say the same thing in the past? March straight to Yanjing City, but now, why aren't we marching?"

Zhong Shidao frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "Is Commander Xu waiting for something...?"

"Wait for what? Wait for the Jurchen army to enter Yanjing first?" Yang Keshi asked.

Zhong Shidao suddenly sighed and said, "Ah, I know why you've come. You want me to plead with Commander Su. Go back. I won't go. I've been on the battlefield for over fifty years. I may not know much else, but I know one thing: once war breaks out, only one order can be issued. Under no circumstances should multiple orders be issued!"

“Sigh…” Yang Keshi was not embarrassed when his thoughts were exposed. He just sighed and said, “If we continue fighting like this, by the time we get to Yanjing, the banners of the Jurchens will already be flying over the city. When we retreat back to the capital, I don’t know how we will explain it.”

Zhong Shidao suddenly spoke sternly: "You are only allowed to say these words once. Once you leave this door, I will pretend you never said them, and I will cover for you. But if you say them again elsewhere, you will suffer the consequences!"

Yang Keshi immediately stood up, bowed, and said with lowered eyes, "Old sir, I know what I'm doing, so I won't say any more."

“Go away…” Zhong Shidao waved his hand, but also frowned, truly unaware of what Su Wu was up to. He was also puzzled.

What other medicines could Su Wu sell?
There is no medicine for sale.

Su Wu simply distrusted many people, and even lacked confidence in his own subordinates. He simply knew that Yelü Dashi was unimaginably brave.

Once the army marches on the road and its formation is broken, someone will inevitably be beaten. If Yelü Dashi were to choose Yang Keshi again, Su Wu doesn't think Yang Keshi could defy fate and give Yelü Dashi a good beating.

Su Wu also wanted to try and see if he could lure Yelü Dashi into getting beaten up.

Although Su Wu knew that the possibility was probably slim.

But there's no other way, so let's give it a try.

Wait a minute, Yelü Dashi will be here soon.

Another day passed, and the army continued to eat and sleep as usual. The craftsmen were extremely busy, and the machinery was also being built quickly. Slowly, the siege ladders began to rise high. The craftsmen under Su Wu's command were now very skilled, and many key components, such as iron axles, had been prepared well in advance.

Another day passed, and the ballistae began to move forward, the siege ladders became more numerous and higher, the siege towers began to be covered with top armor, and even the stone cannons began to have crossbars erected.

A troop of riders returned, their horses moving at great speed, but they were covered in blood, many of their horses were empty, and there were only two riders.

The troop of horses galloped into the camp, and a blood-soaked man, his face full of anger, rushed into the main tent, knelt down, and said, "My lord, enemy cavalry have suddenly attacked us, they are only twenty or thirty li to the northwest!"

The soldier's face was contorted with rage; he was determined to take revenge! Of his dozen or so men, only two had returned, a testament to the ferocity of the battle.

Su Wu frowned: "How many people are fighting against you?"

The soldier replied, "About twenty men! They look like a cavalry squad."

Su Wu's expression tightened. Twenty or so men, though numerous, weren't many more. Even if they couldn't win, there shouldn't be two left to return. Scouts didn't need to fight to the death; their job was reconnaissance, not to engage in a protracted battle with the enemy...

Su Wu immediately asked, "Are the enemy cavalry elite?"

"They were incredibly fierce. They suddenly emerged from a small grove, catching us completely off guard. Their arrows were accurate, and their charge was swift. In a moment, our reaction was a little slow, and several of our men were killed! By the time we retaliated, we had already killed several more." The soldier was filled with rage, speaking through gritted teeth.

Su Wu nodded: "You should go and rest now."

The soldier was still unwilling: "Sir, I will go again, I will definitely avenge my brothers!"

Su Wu simply waved his hand: "Go and rest first. This is a military order. If you are injured, get treated. There will be plenty of opportunities for revenge!"

"Understood!" Military orders are like mountains; unwillingly, the soldier had no choice but to turn around and go.

Su Wu stepped out of the tent and looked northwest. He knew that Yelü Dashi had arrived!
Yelü Dashi was extremely ruthless. The first thing he did was to purge the cavalry that Su Wu had sent out.

Su Wu looked out of the military camp gate and had a premonition that the returning cavalry would suffer heavy losses.

An expert will know if there is one as soon as he takes action.

Yelü Dashi's first move was extraordinary. He wanted to conceal his whereabouts, at least to prevent the Song army from accurately tracking his real-time movements. His methods for eliminating the scouts were also extremely ruthless, precise, and effective.

Ambushing and attacking enemy cavalry was something Su Wu had never encountered before, nor had he ever used it before; he had learned it.

This must be a tactic that Yelü Dashi learned through his frequent battles with the Jurchens.

Su Wu frowned even more. He could even sense that many eyes were watching him from the shadows in the distance.

Perhaps Yelü Dashi himself was already secretly observing from the shadows nearby.

Su Wu suddenly said, "Beat the drums, gather the generals, discuss the matter, and attack the city tomorrow!"

(Guys, we got featured on the homepage today! I'm updating early, going to bed early, adjusting my sleep schedule, and working hard!)

(End of this chapter)