Chapter 731
: While the front lines are locked in fierce battle, Gongsun Kang is enjoying a life of s
He was suddenly jolted, his face filled with astonishment.
He never expected that Zhang Liao would personally lead the troops out of the city to fight, disrupting his plans.
But Xu Kuo was a seasoned veteran. After a moment of astonishment, he quickly suppressed his shock and prepared for a desperate battle.
the other side.
Zhang Liao spurred his horse and charged wildly toward the Liao army camp, his eyes fixed on Xu Kuo, the Liao army's commander.
At that moment, Deng Ai took the lead and charged at the forefront of the Han army. Before Zhang Liao could get close, he spurred his horse and charged towards Xu Kuo.
He unleashed a sharp, cold glint from his spear, aiming straight for Xu Kuo's face, and immediately engaged Xu Kuo in combat.
The two were surrounded by a chilling aura, their swords flashing and their movements unpredictable. In a short time, they had already exchanged dozens of blows, neither gaining the upper hand.
Xu Kuo knew that a prolonged battle would be disadvantageous. His goal was not to fight Deng Ai to the death, but to deplete the Han army's strength as much as possible.
He feinted an attack, and taking advantage of the gap in Deng Ai's block, he quickly turned around, dodging Deng Ai's killing intent. With a swing of his longsword, he slashed at the unsuspecting Han soldier beside him.
Xu Kuo had a clear understanding of the situation: as long as the Han army's manpower was depleted, the battle would be won.
But Deng Ai would not let him have his way.
He had already seen through Xu Kuo's thoughts. When he saw Xu Kuo turn around and kill the Han soldiers, he immediately followed closely behind, his spear never stopping, pressing forward step by step, and entangled Xu Kuo tightly.
The two were once again locked in a fierce battle, neither able to gain the upper hand.
On the battlefield, the Liao soldiers were all men who were ready to die for their cause. Even when facing the Han army with overwhelming momentum, they showed no fear whatsoever.
For a time, the sounds of fighting echoed through the sky on the battlefield outside Huyang City.
Deng Ai continued to relentlessly pursue Xu Kuo, his blade flashing relentlessly, each strike aimed to kill, refusing to give Xu Kuo any opportunity to kill the Han soldier.
Xu Kuo's gaze swept over the chaotic battle formations, his mind as clear as a mirror.
If he doesn't get rid of Deng Ai first, he won't be able to free up his hands to kill more Han soldiers.
Thinking of this, Xu Kuo no longer hesitated, and his spear shot out like an arrow, aiming straight for Deng Ai's vital point.
Deng Ai reacted extremely quickly. Seeing the spear coming at him, he flipped to the side and back to avoid the fatal blow.
Taking advantage of the moment when Xu Kuo's old strength had just dissipated and his new strength had not yet arisen, he swept his spear horizontally, intending to cut off Xu Kuo's retreat.
However, Deng Ai ultimately underestimated Xu Kuo's cunning.
This seemingly sure-fire shot was actually a feint by Xu Kuo, intended to divert Deng Ai's attention.
Taking advantage of the moment when Deng Ai swept his spear, Xu Kuo lightly touched the belly of his horse with his toes, using the momentum to retreat rapidly and break free from the battle in an instant.
He then turned around and tried to charge into the weak point of the Han army's formation.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Zhang Liao and his two companions, who were watching from afar, saw it all clearly and were determined not to let him escape.
The three exchanged a glance, then spurred their horses and galloped off in the direction Xu Kuo had fled.
Xu Kuo had just escaped Deng Ai's control and hadn't even regained his footing when he heard the thunder of horses' hooves.
Looking up, he saw that Zhang Liao and the other two had formed a triangle around him, blocking all his escape routes.
The sudden turn of events left Xu Kuo's mind blank, and he stood there dumbfounded for a moment.
He thought he could escape smoothly, but he didn't expect that after getting rid of one tiger, he would run into three cheetahs, leaving him in a dilemma.
What chilled him to the bone was that the sound of hooves approached again from behind. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Deng Ai had seen through his feint and was spurring his horse to catch up.
Xu Kuo's heart sank, and a wave of despair washed over him.
Today, outside Huyang City, we will likely face a life-or-death battle, and may even lose our lives here.
In a short while, Deng Ai arrived and joined Zhang Liao and the other two. The four Han generals stood side by side, surrounding Xu Kuo in the center.
These four men were all fierce warriors on the battlefield, highly skilled in martial arts, and their abilities were no less than Xu Kuo's.
Xu Kuo gripped his spear tightly, his expression as solemn as iron.
The four attacked in turns, their swords and spears clashing, their moves as dense as rain. He was overwhelmed and struggled to move.
After a prolonged battle, their physical strength gradually gave out, and a direct confrontation offered no chance of victory. Only by breaking through the encirclement could they have a glimmer of hope.
Xu Kuoqiang suppressed the surging blood and qi within his body, his gaze quickly sweeping across the four people, staring intently at the subtle gaps in their coordination.
That was his only chance of survival.
He took a deep breath, gathering all the remaining strength in his body into his arms, and the spear in his hands trembled slightly.
Zhang Liao and his three companions were so perceptive that they had already seen through his thoughts.
Before Xu Kuo could exert his strength, the four men exchanged glances, as if by telepathy, and almost simultaneously raised their four weapons, slashing down towards Xu Kuo's head with immense force, giving him no chance.
Xu Kuo tried to dodge, but it was too late.
With a "whoosh" sound, all four weapons struck simultaneously, and blood gushed out instantly.
Xu Kuo groaned, his body swayed, and he could no longer hold on, falling off his horse.
He died on the spot!
This Liao army commander ultimately could not escape the fate of dying on the battlefield.
"The Liao army commander has been killed!"
The Liao soldiers were all men who had entrusted their lives to each other. Upon hearing that their commander had been killed, their grief and indignation instantly transformed into a raging fire, and their morale suddenly exploded.
With red eyes, they charged madly towards the Han army formation like madmen, roaring as they tried to avenge Xu Kuo.
Zhang Liao and his three companions couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration as they watched the Liao soldiers charging towards them.
Soldiers who fight to the death for their lord, unafraid of life or death, are truly rare.
But despite the admiration, the enemy and friend were clearly distinguished; the Liao army was ultimately the enemy.
How could they tolerate these Liao soldiers harming their Han soldiers?
"kill!"
Zhang Liao shouted and charged into the Liao army on horseback. He slashed out with his long sword and instantly killed a Liao soldier who was at the forefront.
Deng Ai and his two companions followed closely behind. The four generals were like four ruthless harvesting machines, rampaging through the Liao army's ranks. Wherever their swords and spears reached, none could stop them, and they slaughtered the Liao soldiers who charged at them one by one.
Although the Liao soldiers were brave and fearless, charging forward at all costs, the disparity in strength between the two sides was too great, and they had lost their commander-in-chief, so they gradually fell into a disadvantageous position.
More and more soldiers were killed in battle, and the formation gradually collapsed, but even so, not a single Liao soldier chose to retreat.
This battle was extremely brutal.
Even in dire straits, the Liao soldiers maintained their fighting spirit, with each soldier fighting to their last breath.
On the walls of Huyang City.
Xiao He and his generals watched the battle below the city in silence, each feeling a sense of emotion.
Looking at the Liao soldiers who fought to the very end, everyone's faces showed solemn respect.
Even if they were enemy troops, such loyalty and bravery are worthy of respect.
The sounds of fighting gradually subsided. Half an hour later, the last Liao soldier fell in a pool of blood. The Liao army outside the city was completely wiped out by the Han army, with none surviving.
Previously, the area in front of Huyang City was a wide-open, flat open space with an unobstructed view.
After the battle, this open space was soaked in blood, littered with corpses piled high like mountains. Xiao He stood on the city wall, gazing calmly at the mountain of corpses and sea of blood below.
After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke:
"Let's clean up the battlefield."
Upon hearing the order, Ma Su and Fei Yi immediately summoned their soldiers to clean up the battlefield.
The battlefield outside the city was not completely cleaned up until the sun set.
The piled-up corpses were properly buried, and the weapons and debris were cleared away.
Night falls.
Inside the commander's tent in Huyang City, the lights were on.
Xiao He, Zhang Liao, Deng Ai, Ma Su, and others sat around the table.
A map of the Liao Kingdom lay on the table, and everyone was solemnly reviewing the day's battle and planning their next move.
Ma Su spoke first:
"Grand Marshal, in today's battle, our army has achieved a great victory, killing the Liao army commander Xu Kuo and annihilating more than 40,000 Liao soldiers. The Liao army's strength has once again suffered a heavy blow!"
Xiao He nodded slightly, his gaze falling on the map on the table, and his finger lightly tapped a city on the map:
"Our soldiers have fought hard all day and are exhausted. Let us rest for a day tomorrow to recuperate. The day after tomorrow, we will lead our army to attack this city."
Everyone looked in the direction Xiao He was pointing, and their eyes all fell on the words "Fangcheng".
Everyone's expression changed drastically.
Fangcheng was no ordinary city; it was a strategic stronghold of the Liao Kingdom, and the city was stockpiled with a large amount of military supplies such as grain, weapons, and fodder.
In addition, Fangcheng was one of the top trading cities in the Liao Kingdom, with thriving commerce and a large number of wealthy and powerful families.
To protect their assets, these wealthy individuals have maintained their own private armies, whose strength should not be underestimated.
Although the number of private soldiers kept by each wealthy individual varies, ranging from several hundred to over a thousand.
However, Fangcheng is home to many wealthy people. If these wealthy people were to learn of the Han army's attack and choose to unite and gather their private armies together, they could form a force of tens of thousands of people.
This private army is well-equipped, and if they were to unite, they would be a force to be reckoned with, posing a significant obstacle to the Han army's siege.
Because the stability of Fangcheng mainly relied on the private armies of wealthy people in the city, the Liao court did not deploy too many troops there, and the city's garrison consisted of only seven thousand men.
In fact, the core of Fangcheng did not rely on these 7,000 Liao soldiers, but on the private army raised by the wealthy people in the city.
These private armies were well-equipped, well-trained, and far outnumbered the Liao army, making them the true defensive barrier of Fangcheng.
The wealthy and powerful people in the city also knew that the stability of the city was closely related to their own interests. Therefore, they cooperated with the garrison on weekdays and took the initiative to send their private troops to assist the garrison in defending the city, forming a situation where the military and the people worked together to defend the city.
With the full support of wealthy private armies, Fangcheng, despite its seemingly weak military, was actually well-defended and heavily fortified, making it a formidable city within the Liao Kingdom.
Xiao He lightly tapped the words "Fangcheng" with his fingertip and slowly gave the order:
"First, send spies out overnight to infiltrate Fangcheng and thoroughly investigate the city's troop deployment, the strength and weakness of its defenses, and the movements of wealthy private armies. No detail should be overlooked."
After speaking, he looked up at the generals below his tent:
"Fangcheng is the largest commercial city in the Liao Kingdom. It not only stockpiles a large amount of military supplies, but is also the economic lifeline of the Liao Kingdom. Its strategic position is of paramount importance. We must take this city."
After a pause, Xiao He softened his tone:
"But Fangcheng has a large population and a thriving business. If we launch a fierce attack, it will inevitably cause great suffering and our army will pay a heavy price."
"Therefore, we must minimize casualties and take Fangcheng at the lowest possible cost, so as to protect the people and businesses in the city."
As soon as Xiao He finished speaking, Ma Su stepped forward and analyzed:
"The Grand Marshal is absolutely right. Compared to Huyang City, which is built against the mountains and has a steep terrain, Fangcheng is located on a plain and has a flat terrain. There are no mountains or rivers to block it. From the perspective of terrain, it will be much easier to attack Fangcheng than to attack Huyang City."
"But precisely because the terrain is flat, the city's defenses are more organized. Once our army launches an offensive, the enemy can quickly mobilize troops to reinforce various places and defend the city walls to the death."
"At that time, the wealthy private armies in Fangcheng will surely launch a full-scale counterattack, and the people in the city may also be caught up in it. If the war spreads, Fangcheng may be difficult to protect."
Ma Su then changed the subject, revealing the hidden dangers involved.
All the generals fell into deep thought.
If siege equipment is not used and only ladders are used to attack the city, it will require a large number of troops and a lot of time to fight to the death with the enemy.
The combined forces of the Fangcheng garrison and the wealthy private army are formidable, and our army will suffer heavy casualties under such a strong attack.
This is clearly contrary to Xiao's goal of "acquiring the target at the lowest possible cost".
After listening to Ma Su's analysis, Xiao He slowly nodded, his gaze falling on Fei Yi, and gave the order in a deep voice:
"Wenwei, this matter is entrusted to you. Immediately arrange for capable agents to disguise themselves as merchants and infiltrate Fangcheng. Once they have investigated the situation, report back immediately so we can discuss it further. We cannot delay."
"Yes, sir!" Fei Yi clasped his hands in acceptance of the order.
Xiao He called out to him, his tone softening somewhat:
"No rush. The soldiers have just finished a battle and are exhausted. You should rest for a while."
Then, looking at all the generals under his command, he said loudly:
"That's all for today. Everyone go back, eat and drink well, get some rest, and conserve your energy. Once we've thoroughly investigated the situation, we'll immediately send troops to take Fangcheng!"
"Follow the order!"
The generals responded in unison.
Xiao He waved his hand, signaling everyone to step back.
After the generals paid their respects in turn, they left the tent one after another, and soon only Xiao He remained inside.
He remained standing before the map, his gaze deep, pondering the subsequent siege strategy…
Meanwhile, a completely different scene unfolded in the Liao royal palace, thousands of miles away.
The scene was one of singing, dancing, and laughter, a stark contrast to the somber atmosphere of Huyang City.
Inside the main hall of the Liao Dynasty royal palace, the carved beams and painted rafters were magnificent and resplendent. Thick brocade carpets were laid out in the hall, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
King Gongsun Kang of Liao, dressed in a dragon robe, sat languidly on the dragon throne at the highest point of the hall, gazing at the scene inside.
On both sides of the main hall, civil and military officials sat in orderly rows.
The first seat on the left, which was originally the seat of the heir apparent Gongsun Yuan, is now empty, with no one sitting there.
On the right, at the head of the table, Prime Minister Li Xu, dressed in court robes, sat upright with a composed expression, which seemed somewhat out of place with the cheerful atmosphere in the hall.
He occasionally raised his hand to pick up his wine glass, but did not drink it, as if he was thinking about something.
Below Li Xu were the various civil and military officials of the Liao Kingdom.
They sat chatting or drinking together, looking relaxed and smiling, completely unaware of the crisis at the border.
Inside the main hall, several dancers dressed in gorgeous costumes were swaying to the melodious sounds of silk and bamboo instruments. Every move they made exuded graceful charm, attracting the frequent glances of the courtiers in the hall.
A moment later, the music gradually subsided, and the dancers, having finished their dance, stopped moving in unison. They curtsied to Gongsun Kang on the dragon throne, then slowly retreated to the sides of the hall, standing with their heads bowed.
Gongsun Kang slowly stood up, reached out and picked up the golden cup on the table, his gaze sweeping over the ministers in the hall, a smile appearing on his face.
Upon seeing this, the officials in the hall quickly rose, each picking up their wine cups and turning their gazes toward Gongsun Kang with respect.
Gongsun Kang looked at the respectful officials below, his smile widening, and said loudly:
"A few days ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a beautiful woman, so I am hosting a banquet today and inviting all my beloved ministers to come and enjoy the songs and dances, taste the fine wine, and share this joy."
No sooner had Gongsun Kang finished speaking than a chorus of congratulations rang out from His Highness:
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations! To have such a beautiful woman is truly a blessing for Your Majesty and a boon for the Liao Kingdom!" (End of Chapter)