Usurpation of Mongolia: My father-in-law is Genghis Khan

Chapter 303 Oversaturated Logistics: Using National Power to Crush Annam!
Of course, if the Annamese army launches a full-scale counterattack, it will be a life-or-death battle that gambles the fate of the nation, and they are still waiting for a clear signal.

Alternatively, the Han army, unable to endure hunger and plague, risked crossing the Phu Luong River and was defeated by the Annamese army. This would demonstrate that the Han army's fighting strength had significantly declined, making them a formidable opponent for the Annamese army.

Alternatively, if the Han army feels the battle is unfavorable and retreats voluntarily, then needless to say, the Annamese army will launch a full-scale counterattack, pursuing and killing the enemy relentlessly, and will surely achieve a great victory.

However, the two things that the Annamese people had been hoping for never happened.

Since the start of the rainy season, the Han Chinese navy has become increasingly aggressive, even sending "water ghosts"—skilled swimmers—to infiltrate the mouth of the Bach Dang River in an attempt to destroy the wooden stakes the Annamese had placed underwater. The Annamese army remained on high alert, not daring to relax for a moment.

The army of the Zhao Shuo Khanate behaved in a very strange way.

On the one hand, they did not attempt to cross the river during the rainy season when the epidemic was rampant.

On the other hand, the cavalry galloped across the river, strengthening patrols along the banks to prevent the Annamese from sneaking across and cutting off communication between the two sides of the Phu Luong River.

The Annamese army on the south bank of the Fu Liang River had absolutely no idea what the situation of the Han army was.

In the blink of an eye, May passed, June passed, July passed... and until September, the Han army did not take the initiative to cross the river.

September marks the end of Annam's rainy season. Theoretically, the most difficult time for the Han army should be over.

In the royal palace of Thang Long Palace.

"Everyone, what should we do now that things have come to this?"

Emperor Tran Chau of Annam looked worried as he gazed at his ministers.

Chen Shoudu, the de facto ruler of Annam, also kept a close eye on the reactions of his ministers.

Although it had only been a year since the Han army entered Annam, Trần Thụ Đức's temples had turned gray, making him appear to have aged ten years.

There was no way around it; he was under too much pressure.

It was he who made the initial decision to have Chen Rijiao and Li Qin set up defenses at Zhiling Pass to ambush the Han army.

As a result, not only was the entire 120,000-strong army wiped out, but Chen Rijiao and Li Qin also died in battle.

Later, it was he who made the decision to fortify the city and clear the fields, mobilizing the whole country to block the Han army on the banks of the Fulang River, waiting for the rainy season to arrive.

The plan was only half successful.

The Han army did not cross the Annamese army's Phu Luong River defense line, but his anticipated Han army's forced crossing of the Phu Luong River did not occur.

He had no idea how much the plague had affected the Han army.

However, he was very aware of the plight of the Annamese army.

More than 1.7 million people gathered on the 900-mile-long defensive line. With such a large population, the plague was much more severe than in previous years. Coupled with insufficient supplies, nearly 100,000 people were wounded or killed.

And most importantly, there's the food supply.

This year's grain harvest is completely insufficient to compensate for the losses incurred from this prolonged mobilization. Relying on reserves from previous years, we can sustain ourselves until next summer's harvest.

However, by the turn of winter and spring next year, the Annamese army will inevitably run out of food.

Should we continue to hold out for another year and see if there's any turning point? Or should we launch a full-scale counterattack now? Or should we change course now, cancel the mobilization, abandon the Fulang River defense line, move the capital to the south, and further extend the Han army's supply lines?

Chen Shoudu was also undecided.

He bore the weight of Annam's safety on his shoulders, and felt the pressure he faced every day was as heavy as a mountain, making him feel like he couldn't hold on any longer.

Otherwise, he would have made a decision directly as he had done the previous two times, instead of convening Annam's dignitaries and ministers to discuss it together, as he did today.

"Hmph, if you ask me, holding the Phu Luong River defense line was a huge mistake, a crime against Dai Viet!"

An Shengwang and Chen Liu spoke first.

He was the elder brother of Emperor Tran Chau of Annam, but he neither became emperor nor had his wife taken by Tran Chau. He was truly an eyesore to everyone. He especially disliked Tran Thu Du, who had orchestrated Tran Chau's ascension to the throne and had stolen his wife.

He said, “In the first place, we shouldn’t have mobilized all our forces. Instead, we should have continued to retreat, leading our army to the southern provinces. This would not only have further extended the Han army’s supply lines, but also preserved the vitality of our Great Yue to the greatest extent possible.”

"What are you saying, Prince Ansheng?"

Immediately, one of Chen Shoudu's confidants retorted, "If we abandon the Fulang River, the Zhao Shuo Khanate's navy can transport grain through it. Even if we flee further south, how much more difficult will it be for the Han army?"

Someone else chimed in, "Yes. After abandoning the Fulang River Delta, how many troops can the southern prefecture support? It's better to maintain the stalemate at the Fulang River!"

"Furthermore, how can you be so sure that the Han army can't swallow our prefectures after they occupy them? They can kill people at will! It takes more than ten years for a person to grow up, but it only takes one sword to kill a person! If they kill all of us Annamese, it will just be a good opportunity for the Han people to migrate. If we go south, we will only die faster!"

Chen Liu said angrily, "According to you, what do we do now? Who knows how long the Han army opposite us can hold out? We certainly can't hold out much longer. Are we just going to wait here to die?"

"cough……"

Suddenly, a young man of about fourteen or fifteen years old coughed lightly and stood up.

This person was Chen Liu's son, Chen Guojun.

When Chen Guojun was born, a fortune teller praised him, saying that "he will be able to govern the country and save the world in the future."

Although he is only fourteen or fifteen years old, he is already tall, well-read, and skilled in both literature and martial arts, though he still has some youthful immaturity on his face.

He said loudly, "Actually, what countermeasures we should take should be determined based on the situation of the Han army on the other side. The Han army is behaving very strangely right now, and there are only two possibilities."

"In the first scenario, the Han army has already established a foothold in the northern region, and the plague has not had much of an impact on them. They have cut off communication between the two sides of the strait and are just waiting for us to attack."

"If that's the case, we have no choice but to wait for death. It's a very simple principle: if the Han army can gain a foothold in the north, they can also gain a foothold in the south after taking the Fuliang River. Whether we continue their stalemate across the Fuliang River until we collapse, or we abandon the Fuliang River defense line and retreat to the southern provinces, the outcome will be the same."

"The second possibility is that the Han army is strong on the outside but weak on the inside. They have tightly sealed off the riverbanks so that we don't know the true strength of the Han army and dare not launch a major counterattack until they have weathered the most difficult period."

“If that’s the case, we would be sinners against Dai Viet if we didn’t retaliate now. It’s the end of the rainy season. The Han army is not only suffering from the most severe plague, but their bows and arrows are also at their weakest due to the rain and dampness, not to mention firearms.”

“Once the Han army survives the rainy season, or even into next year, they will be more adapted to the local climate. Furthermore, more Han troops will arrive from the rear. We will then lose our only chance of victory.”

Chen Shoudu nodded slightly and said, "Guojun, you're right. But what exactly is the situation with the Han army on the other side?"

Chen Guojun shook his head slightly and said, "I don't know either. But I guess it's the second possibility."

Chen Shoudu asked, "Why?"

Chen Guojun said, “Because the Han army has too many cavalry patrols along the river. Horses are more prone to illness than people. Even if the Han people can adapt to the climate of my Dayue, their warhorses cannot. I’m afraid they have already lost more than half, or even seventy or eighty percent, of their horses.”

"Why is the Han army still so willing to spare warhorses for patrols? Perhaps on the one hand, it is to conceal news from both sides of the strait. On the other hand, it is to demonstrate that their army is well-equipped and has ample resources."

"The military books of the Han people say that when you are capable, you should appear incapable, and when you are incapable, you should appear capable. Now, the Han army is showing off its 'capability,' but in reality, they are already 'incapable.'"

Chen Shoudu's eyes lit up, and he said, "During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods in China, the Yue Kingdom was defeated and retreated to Xianghu Chengshan. The Wu army of 100,000 surrounded Chengshan. The Wu general sent two salted fish to Chengshan. Although the army was short of food, Fan Li still ordered his guards to catch two red koi in the Xima Pond and asked the Wu soldiers who delivered the salted fish to take them back. When the Wu general saw that there was water, fish and food on the mountain, he felt that the army was fully prepared, so he ordered the army to withdraw."

"This is the story of 'feeding fish to repel the enemy.' Guojun, do you mean that the Han army used the 'feeding fish to repel the enemy' tactic to bluff their way out?" Chen Guojun said, "Seven or eight out of ten times that's true."

In fact, although Tran Quoc Tuan was one of Annam's most outstanding figures, his country was small and his people were few, so he had limited knowledge and could not comprehend the terrifying power of the Zhao Shuo Khanate.

The Han army did indeed lose a great many warhorses due to the plague. After all, people can drink boiled water, but horses can't drink boiled water too, can they? And where did they get so much firewood during the long rainy season?
However, Zhao Shuo spared no effort in providing logistical support to Annam. The number of warhorses in Zhao Shuo's Khanate far exceeded Chen Guojun's expectations.

For every warhorse lost, Zhao Shuo would replenish the Annam expeditionary force with the same number of warhorses, ensuring that each Han soldier always had three horses.

It has to be said that, just like before when Zhao Shuo bought barbarian scalps and purchased surplus grain from the government troops at three times the price, he really spent a lot of money.

Zhao Shuo's plan was to proceed steadily and use overwhelming national power to crush Annam.

"very good!"

Chen Shoudu gritted his teeth slightly, made up his mind, and said, "As Guo Jun said, the key for us now is whether we believe in the destiny of our Great Yue."

"If you don't believe in the fate of Da Viet and think that the Han army has already gained a foothold in the north, then there's nothing we can do; the fate of Da Viet's demise is sealed."

"With faith in the fate of Da Yue, the Han army is currently at its weakest. If we don't defeat them now, when will we?"

"Do you believe that the destiny of my Great Yue Kingdom still exists?"

Wow~~
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire audience erupted in cheers.

"We believe! Of course we believe in the destiny of the Great Viet!"

"Counter-offensive! Full-scale counter-offensive!"

"Cross the Fulang River, recover lost territory, and launch a counterattack against China!"

"The Han army's bluff cannot fool the wise eyes of our Great Yue!"

……

On the one hand, Tran Quoc Tuan's words make some sense. On the other hand, doesn't he trust Dai Viet's national fortunes?
Did they really have to believe that Great Yue was doomed? Their hopes of independence from China were utterly shattered, and all their wealth and glory had vanished?
Thus, the Annamite court's plan was finalized.

Ten days later, on September 20th, the sky had just cleared up when the Annamese army set out.

Chen Shoudu left 10,000 regular troops and 50,000 auxiliary troops to guard Thang Long Prefecture and defend against the navy of the Zhao Shuo Khanate.

The remaining 40,000 regular troops and 230,000 auxiliary troops, totaling 270,000 troops, were all mobilized.

Along their 900-mile defensive line, they divided their forces into nine routes, each with 30,000 men, and loaded them onto boats and bamboo rafts. They crossed the Fulang River in a grand procession to launch a full-scale counterattack against the Han army.

As a member of the royal family of Annam, Trần Quốc Tuễn led an army of 30,000, including 5,000 regular soldiers and 25,000 auxiliary soldiers.

They marched in a large procession toward the county seat of Jialin County.

Along the way, the Han cavalry did not choose to intercept, but followed at a distance, seemingly afraid to engage the Annamese army in battle.

The villages along the way were completely deserted.

This made Chen Guojun even more convinced of his judgment: the Han army was strong on the outside but weak on the inside, and no longer dared to fight them in the open field, so they could only defend Jialin City to the death.

"The mountains and rivers of the South are the abode of the Southern Emperor, their destiny clearly ordained in the Heavenly Book. How dare these rebellious barbarians invade? You will soon witness their utter defeat."

That afternoon, 30,000 Annamese soldiers, singing rousing battle songs and in high spirits, reached the walls of Gia Lam and prepared to set up camp.

However, it was precisely at this moment—

Boom~~
The gates of Jialin City are open!
Four cavalry units surged out from the four city gates of Jialin County, stretching endlessly, their hooves thundering.

Before long, the warhorses galloped and surrounded Chen Guojun's army on all sides!

After all, Chen Guo Commandery only had eight hundred cavalrymen, which was simply no match for the encirclement of so many Han cavalrymen.

A rough estimate suggests that the Han army had 14,000 cavalry!
These people were not all from the Han Chinese Eight Banners; there were also many soldiers from Jialin County. They abandoned everything at home and came to Jialin to gather, bringing only their women with them.

However, the Han army's Eight Banners troops had extra horses.

Moreover, the Han army's soldiers were already trained in military affairs and had certain horsemanship skills.

Four commanders of the Eight Banners and ten thousand soldiers all mounted their warhorses.

Fourteen thousand cavalrymen, shouting and yelling, had surrounded the thirty thousand Annamese troops on all sides!

"It's over!"

Chen Guojun's face turned ashen, and he sighed inwardly.

In fact, he realized something was wrong as soon as the Han cavalry left the city. Now, seeing so many Han cavalry surrounding him, he lost all hope.

He was wrong!
He completely underestimated the strength of the Han army!
The reason why so many Han cavalry could patrol the banks of the Fulang River was because they truly had the strength, not just bluffing.

Most importantly, how could the Annamese army, which was mainly composed of infantry, possibly be a match for the Han army, which was mainly composed of cavalry, on the plains? The Han army could even choose terrain without the restriction of rice paddies and carry out a massacre against them!

His proposal prompted the entire Annamese army to launch a counterattack, which was tantamount to sending the Annamese army to their deaths!

The Han army didn't intercept them just now because they wanted to keep them away from the Fulang River so that they wouldn't be able to escape! It was also to choose suitable terrain to annihilate them with minimal losses!

Finished!

Annam is finished!

These 270,000 troops will likely be wiped out here!
"The Southern Emperor's Mountain and the Southern Emperor's Residence are clearly defined in the Heavenly Book..."

Zhao Mu, the commander of the Han army, sneered as he looked at the panicked Annamite army forming ranks: "You tiny country dares to call yourself emperor? Under heaven, all land belongs to the king. On the shores of the earth, all people are subjects of the king. Of all the nations under heaven, which one is not part of China? You dare to say that 'the division is clearly determined by the heavenly book'?"

He was the sixth son of Zhao Shuo, born to Zhao Shuo and Queen Rusdan of Georgia.

Although Zhao Mu grew up in Georgia, he had officials stationed there from the beginning, and he was influenced by Chinese culture from a young age.

Later, because of Zhao He's wedding, Zhao Mu came to Zhongdu in China and lived there for three years, which strengthened his sense of belonging to China.

Of course, the thing that enhances a sense of belonging the most is victory.

This time, he came to Annam with Zhao He. The abundant logistics and brilliant victories of the Zhao Shuo Khanate left a deep impression on him.

At this moment, Zhao Mu was filled with fervent passion, eager to expand China's territory. He shouted, "Kill! All troops, attack! Don't let a single Annamese escape!"

"Yes!"

Boom~~
Fourteen thousand iron cavalrymen, taking advantage of the fact that the thirty thousand Annamese troops had not yet established a firm foothold, attacked from all directions!
(End of this chapter)