The Liao army withdrew.

This is to be expected.

If you can't fight, you can't defend, you can't tie your hands and feet, what else can you do except evacuate as soon as possible?

To be honest, Han Gang sympathized with Xiao Thirteen, and even if he was in Xiao Thirteen's position, he would also do nothing.

At this time, it was already spring, located in the east of the river, and the soldiers and horses under his command had already returned with a full load, and the people were tired of war:

If such a war can still be won, it will be a big mistake on the side of the enemy.

It's a pity that Han Gang's character is completely contrary to his age and cautious, never risking waves, he has always steadily grasped the weaknesses of the Liao army, and used the strong national strength behind him to fight Xiao Shisan. In this way, where can Xiao 13 have a chance to turn around?

However, Han Gang is still trembling, walking on thin ice, he has heard too much about the case of being suddenly overturned when the victory has been locked, even if the withdrawal of the Liao army tonight is a certainty, there is no doubt, but as long as Yanmen, Xicheng and Bottle-shaped Village have not been able to recapture, this battle in Hedong still has the possibility of being defeated by the Liao.

The staff and generals who heard the news did not have Han Gang's calmness.

Previously, the Liao army withdrew from Taiyuan to Daizhou, and it can barely be said that it was taking back the fist that stretched out, but after this punch, not only did it not achieve results, but it was also forced to take it back. They are all people who lead soldiers, and the battle is like this, even if Sun Wu is reincarnated, it is impossible to keep the soldiers

Gas.

The victory is imminent, no one can hold back the long-suppressed excitement in their hearts, looking around and around, there are faces that have suppressed the excitement and joy in their hearts.

That is, Han Gang has the prestige, so that they dare not cheer loudly in the tent.

"Privy, what now?!" Zhi Keren barely managed to contain the ecstasy in his heart and asked Han Gang.

Without a big war, but the Liao army was forced to have no way out, and to have such a victory, Han Gang, the coach's strategic strength, is of course ranked first in its merits. The prestige was so deep that the generals, including Zhe Keren, did not dare to take the initiative to make suggestions to him, and only dared to wait for consultations and orders.

"How did you decide on the previous plan?" Han Gang asked Huang Shang.

Huang Shang was equally calm—if you didn't look at his trembling hands, you would have felt that. Hearing Han Gang's question, he immediately answered.

"In ...... In the previous prediction, the Liao thieves would indeed give up the big and small Wangzhuang, and the grain, grass and morale were not enough for the Liao thieves to sit here again. Once the Liao thieves evacuated, whether they retreated at night or during the day, they had to be pursued by troops, and they could not be allowed to return to Daizhou safely. Only by giving the Liao army enough blows can it be easier to recover the border passes such as Daizhou and Yanmen Xicheng, and the casualties can be smaller. Huang Shang bowed slightly to Han Gang: "I don't know who the Privy Counsellor of the Dao Dao plans to send." ”

"Privy, the last general is willing to go!" Seven or eight people spoke in unison, and then glared at each other. This is a good opportunity for meritorious service, and it is one thing to fight the Liao army head-on, and it is another thing to beat the water dogs. There is a result of a thousand captives in his hand, how can he seal his wife and son?

Han Gang ignored them and continued to ask Huang Shang, "When is it better to send troops?" ”

"The most suitable time is before dawn, around the fourth watch." "If you leave the camp before dawn, the infantry army will arrive at the big and small wangzhuang just in time, so you don't have to worry about the ambush. And after a night of noise, the Liao army was sleepy and lacking horses, and the cavalry chasing them did not have to worry about counterattacking. ”

"Is there time?"

"The Liao army can't go much faster. The first to go back has already arrived in Daizhou City, and it is estimated that the queen of the palace will only leave the camp. It's totally in time. ”

The tent had become a little quieter. After a few questions and answers, they all understood that this was Han Gang borrowing Huang Shang's mouth to explain the next plan to them.

Han Gang liked this kind of quietness very much, his eyes circled around the tent, and the generals were all taken by his might, and they all lowered their heads, and no one dared to face Han Gang directly.

After a pause, Han Gang broke the sudden silence: "The generals on the Liao army's side are not on the first day of battle, we can't expect them to have many loopholes in the retreat arrangement, and it can even be said that they have to beware of them taking advantage of this situation to set traps." Those who travel a hundred miles are half ninety. Although they are in an embarrassing situation, the Liao people are not toothless dogs, they are still wolves, and the slightest negligence will be bitten on the neck. If someone thinks that the Liao army is already vulnerable and can be kicked down with a single kick like a broken house, then don't go out this time, lest I ask him for mercy from the court! ”

The generals restrained their smiles, and they were all terrified, and said to Han Gang respectfully: "The privy has an order, how dare the last general disobey?" ”

……………………

Xiao Thirteen watched expressionlessly as another team of 1,000 people left.

Since the morale of the soldiers of Taigu City has fallen again and again, until the current useless efforts to aid the front line, the morale of the Liao army has plummeted. Now that they are forced to retreat, it is tantamount to adding insult to injury, and they have sprinkled another handful of salt on the wounds.

But if he stays any longer, the situation will only get worse and worse, and the outcome that Xiao 13 has seen, in addition to the annihilation of the whole army, is that the whole army will break up and flee. So he had only one choice - no matter how reluctant he was, he couldn't stay dead.

"Jerodonin, how are you preparing?"

Originally, the boss of the big and small Wang Zhuang also had a straight face and saluted indifferently: "The privy can rest assured, it has been appeased." ”

Xiao Shisan glanced at him: "You can rest assured." I'll leave the headquarters for the last time. ”

The garrison of 20,000 soldiers and 50,000 war horses is a piece of land with a radius of five or six miles with Daxiaowangzhuang as the core of the frontier. There were so many soldiers and horses that there were only 14,000 or 5,000 people when they came to support, and it took a day to arrive. It's just going to take more time to go.

If you don't want to fall into a situation where the army is defeated, Xiao Shisan wants to choose Liang as the queen of the army. Therefore, Yelu Daoning was chosen, and in order to maintain the prestige of Shang's father Yelu Yixin, it was necessary to let His Royal Highness's close generals lead the palace army to come forward.

But only two or three thousand people from the rear of the palace were still not enough to contain the Song army, and at the same time maintain the morale of the army, the prestige of Yelu Yixin and his Xiao 13 himself. Therefore, Xiao Shisan himself also decided to personally lead his headquarters to stay in the rear of the most Lu and protect the whole army to return to Daizhou safely.

Yelu Daoning bowed silently, and there were no more words.

As the number of soldiers and horses departed increased, the fires in the camp of the big and small kings became less and less. Those who leave leave with torches in their own right, lighting the way ahead. Part of their role was to attract the attention of the Song army. But a soldier and horse set up in ambush after the break was a Song man lurking in the dark, waiting to take the bait.

"Can Daizhou still be defended?" Zhang Xiaojie asked Xiao 13 in a low voice.

The men and horses who left the camp were all dejected, not only the riders on horseback, but also the war horses they were riding. Spiritual animals like horses can appreciate the changes in people's hearts more than other livestock.

Zhang Xiaojie, who is quite familiar with horse nature, can even feel that in the evacuated army, every war horse is infected with a layer of gray gloom.

Xiao Shisan glanced at Zhang Xiaojie in surprise, he had discussed it before, why did he still ask.

But after seeing the unconcealable look on Zhang Xiaojie's face, he understood. Even if everything follows Ji Lu's row, when he lacks confidence in his heart, he still needs words to calm the chaos in his heart.

"If you can keep Yanmen and prosperous, there will be a great chance."

Xiao 13 is not ready to defend Daizhou, such a large city, only 20,000 people are not enough to fill it, and the defenders of the city are cavalry who are not good at the offensive and defensive battles of the city, which is equivalent to giving credit to the Song army. It is better to retreat to the border pass, and only by virtue of the geographical advantage, the Song army can suffer.

"I wonder what Father Lu Dao will think after hearing it?" Zhang Xiaojie sighed. Xiao Shisan, who has soldiers and horses in hand, doesn't have to care too much, but he can't.

"Keeping the soldiers and horses for Shang's father is the most important thing."

Without soldiers, we would not be able to maintain our current position. And as long as there are soldiers and horses in hand, no matter how many times you lose or how much face you lose, you can still keep your position and territory.

"And as long as Yanmen and Fanzhi County are in hand, most of them can still get back what Father Shang wants."

The number of chips exchanged is not the number of chips, but only whether the other party values them.

Yanmen on Yanmen Mountain, Xicheng Erguan, and Fanzhi County Bottle-shaped Village [Pingxingguan] on Feihu Mountain, are the few important passes on the border between Song and Liao. It's the portal key.

The value of these two passes is not inferior to Daizhou in the eyes of both Song and Liao. If you exchange it, you can still get back some of the things you want - such as lost land, such as money.

"I hope it doesn't get to that point yet!" Zhang Xiaojie looked back at the darkness in the southwest, "I hope Han Gang's courage can be a little bigger and his heart will be a little more greedy." ”

If the Song army is arrogant, they still have a chance to turn the tables.

As soon as Zhang Xiaojie's words fell, there was a commotion in the distance.

"The cavalry of the Song people has come out!"

As soon as the shouts from the watchtower settled, several fire dragons burst out from the camp on the front line, and then like a peacock opening the screen, they scattered all over the mountains and turned into sparks all over the mountains.

The sound of war drums echoed over the Song army barracks, the troops out of the camp were huge, and the tide formed by the convergence of stars was surging towards the Liao army that had just left the barracks.

But in the darkness at the front end of the star tide, there were scouts who had already taken the lead, and the rangers on both sides had already begun to fight long before the main cavalry forces of the two sides engaged.

"The Song people are bluffing! Don't panic, don't scramble, and leave the camp in a predetermined order! Tell them that the opportunity to fight back is coming soon, and they need to hold it down. ”

Xiao 13 sent his cronies to spread the word one after another. and sent an additional army and horses to protect the flank. Attempts were made to keep the Song cavalry out of the retreating path.

But he didn't have much confidence in saying this. There is a track, even Xiao Shisan, he himself does not dare to guarantee whether Han Gang will bring more cavalry. But he had to say. It is his responsibility to appease one by one and stabilize the position of the whole army.

Whether it succeeds or not, at least it can ensure that the main force can return to Daizhou safely.

But on the other hand, as he and Zhang Xiaojie had hoped for, the opportunity did seem to have come.