Datang: Rebirth of Li Chengqian, the beginning of the treason interrogation

Chapter 207: Surround and harass to wait for a pincer attack
No army can be truly invincible, only relatively speaking.

When the strategy is used properly, it is entirely possible to win the battle.

The Modao team is indeed unparalleled in defense, and the Modao is invincible.

But the shortcomings are also very obvious.

After only chasing for half a mile, they were already exhausted and out of breath, and could not catch up with the fleeing Japanese troops.

Such heavy infantry and even heavy cavalry can only be used for defensive operations and surprise attacks, but not for long-term raids.

In addition, the resource consumption of building such a heavy infantry is dozens or even hundreds of times that of other types of troops.

Killing one soldier like this is equivalent to killing dozens of soldiers.

"Send a message to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince that the crisis has been resolved and we can continue marching!"

Wu Xing watched the Japanese army gradually go away and could only let them retreat on their own without any possibility of chasing them.

"The shield soldiers push forward, and the archers hold back to protect the army's advance."

This was a warning, making the Tang army alert from bottom to top.

After escaping, the Sea Man Prince was like a frightened bird. He dared not stop the counterattack and fled in panic.

The lofty ambitions of the era of the oath-taking ceremony have all been forgotten.

At this moment, what was reflected in his mind was the blood-stained shadow of the Modao soldier that looked like a devil.

The cavalry fled one after another, and in less than a day, they returned to the place where Emperor Kotoku had deployed his defenses.

Even after entering the camp, the Sea Prince still looked frightened.

The Japanese military officials who learned the news also rushed over.

After seeing the miserable appearance of the Sea Prince, everyone's heart sank.

"His Majesty the Emperor has been defeated. The rebels are not human, they are devils. Wherever they go, they kill everyone. It's so scary!"

The Prince of the Human Sea couldn't stop trembling and stuttering, his eyes full of fear.

The Sea Prince, who had never experienced the baptism of a major war, was terrified.

It is hard to imagine what kind of blow could scare such a wise and brave prince like this.

"Tell me more carefully, what exactly happened?"

Emperor Kotoku asked patiently, there must be something wrong when things are abnormal.

After a while, Prince Hairen gradually came to his senses and recounted what had happened in detail.

"Go down and rest first!"

If it weren't for an extraordinary period, Emperor Kotoku really wanted to behead Prince Umito, who was always causing trouble instead of helping others.

He did escape back, but the carefully selected soldiers were not killed by the Tang army. Instead, they were thrown outside by him, leaving only their own lives to chance.

You know, this is the last wealth of Japan.

Not only did he squander his family fortune, but he also brought fear of war into the army.

The frightened Prince of the Sea felt as if he had been pardoned. After expressing his gratitude, he took his leave.

"Your Majesty, the soldiers who returned have spread the news that the rebels have become gods and demons, causing quite a stir."

Prince Zhong Daxiong also had a grim expression on his face, and he had more doubts in his heart. He didn't expect that the Tang army was really so terrifying.

It's fine if only one person says it.

But everyone who returned to the camp said so, so he had to believe it.

"What kind of rumor is that?"

Emperor Kotoku asked.

"They all said that the rebel soldiers were not afraid of swords and knives, and could resist horses with their own strength, and could even chop a man and a horse in half with one sword. They were born bathing in blood, and were evil spirits that crawled out of hell."

If the rumors cannot be controlled, the army's morale may collapse and they may become afraid to fight against the Tang army.

"Catch all these soldiers who spread lies and mislead the people, treat them as traitors, and behead them in public."

Emperor Kotoku said harshly that this might not be the fault of these soldiers, but in extraordinary times, extraordinary measures had to be used.

The Tang army might arrive here within two days. At this time, Emperor Kotoku can only try his best to stabilize the morale of the army.

"What about the Sea Prince?"

Prince Naka no Oe mentioned cryptically.

"Let's do what we have to do."

"All of you please step back and let me be quiet for a while!"

Emperor Kotoku waved his hands, looking extremely tired.

It seems that no one among all the officials in the court can really solve his problems.

Some just add to the trouble.

He originally wanted to be the ruler of revival, but he didn't expect to become the ruler of the country's destruction.

A sigh expresses the sadness of filial piety.

All we can say is that Japan has a bad foundation. It has always been committed to plunder, which is why it has suffered such a devastating blow to humanity.

Emperor Kotoku did not know the cause of the consequences and could only blame it on Li Chengqian's cruelty.

Perhaps because he was too tired, Emperor Kotoku fell asleep soon after.

Enjoying the last quiet moments, he didn't have much time left.

"What?"

The Sea Prince, who had just laid down, was picked up by several Japanese soldiers.

"Prince of the Sea People, you have committed a grave mistake that is beyond the reach of justice or law. However, as a comrade, I, the prince, am here today to see you off."

Prince Zhongdaxiong walked in from outside the tent. He did not look gloating at all, but instead had a sense of grief and indignation as if the lips and teeth were in danger.

The struggle in Prince Hairen's eyes faded away, replaced by relief.

"It's not the fault of the war, but it's God's will to destroy our great Japanese nation!"

Prince Kairen knew that he could not escape the blame for the defeat, and he raised his head and shouted in reluctance.

"The rebels are invincible. Prince Nakadaeo, you must quickly persuade the Emperor to withdraw the army and flee overseas, so that we can preserve the flame of our country. Otherwise, with Li Chengqian's methods, our race will surely be wiped out."

When a person is about to die, his words are also good.

Prince Kaito is indeed considering the future of Japan, but now he can only stay out of the spotlight for the time being.

"At this point, you are still here making alarmist remarks. I am afraid that you have really joined the rebels. Silence him for me, the prince."

Prince Naka-no-Oie shouted.

As for whether he listened to the advice of Prince Hairen, only he himself knew.

But in the military camp, such rumors must never be spread again.

The Sea Prince was tied up and his mouth was blocked with a large rag.

All that could be heard was the whimpering sound of the Sea Prince struggling.

"take away!"

Prince Naka no Oe didn't even turn his head and dragged Prince Kaito towards the army.

The military parade ground was already filled with soldiers, and on the platform, a large group of soldiers were kneeling and tied up.

The Sea Prince was also brought in and forced to his knees.

Then, Prince Naka no Oe also stood on the platform, his eyes sweeping fiercely over the crowd. "According to investigation, these deserters were afraid of death and fled from the battlefield. In order to escape responsibility, they deliberately spread the news of the rebels' deification and demonization into the army, shaking the morale of the army. Their crimes are punishable by death."

"Execute immediately to restore morale!"

Following the order from Prince Naka no Oe, the swordsmen raised their swords and chopped down without any hesitation.

Hundreds of bloody heads tumbled down.

The strong smell of blood gradually washed away the Japanese army's fear of fighting.

In the Tang army camp, there was a lively scene that was completely different from that of the Japanese army.

When they reached an open and flat area, they immediately set up camp and quickly deployed strict defenses.

I saw tents standing like a forest with military flags flying, it was so spectacular!
At the same time, wisps of smoke rose up and filled the sky above the entire camp.

The soldiers were busy slaughtering pigs and cattle in preparation for the upcoming feast.

Li Chengqian knew that this was a critical moment to boost morale and inspire the army, so he decisively ordered rewards for the three armies.

As night fell, a grand banquet began. The soldiers of the Tang army sat together, talking heartily and enjoying this rare leisure time.

They sang and danced while enjoying the delicious food, letting out all the suppressed emotions that had accumulated in their hearts over the past few days. Laughter and joy echoed in the night sky.

Gradually smoothing out the wounds left by the war. Especially in such a large-scale killing scene, it is easy to infinitely foster the hostility hidden deep in the hearts of the soldiers.

Therefore, appropriate rewards can not only ease the tense atmosphere, but also are a common means to effectively adjust the emotions of soldiers in the army.

In this way, they can temporarily forget the bloodiness and cruelty on the battlefield and readjust their mentality.

After three full days of rest and recuperation, Li Chengqian finally gave the order to set off again.

The next morning, the Tang army set out in formation and continued to advance forward.

Just one day later, a tall, solid earth wall suddenly appeared before their eyes, like an insurmountable chasm, blocking their way forward.

The earth wall was densely packed with sharp wood, which was daunting. There was no place to stand, let alone launch a charge.

"Your Highness, it has rained heavily and the roads are muddy. The Japanese army is now building a defense line with earth and stones. If the troops charge, they may be in trouble."

Cheng Mingzhen walked to Li Chengqian's side and pointed at the potholes all over the mountains that were dug up by our army.

Because Japan is surrounded by the sea, it has abundant rainfall. With the arrival of the rainy season, this caused great trouble for the army's march.

Now the Japanese army took the initiative to dig up new soil, making the road even more muddy and becoming the first line of defense to block the Tang army's advance.

"The Japanese occupy an advantageous position above, and can shoot and kill at will. It is more difficult to capture than a fortified city."

Cheng Mingzhen could tell the pros and cons at a glance.

"Have you surveyed the surrounding terrain? Are there any other routes of attack?"

Li Chengqian looked at the generals and asked.

"We've already surveyed it. The roads have all been dug up and there are guards on high ground. Once you get close, you'll be discovered. It can be said that it's impeccable."

Wu Xing replied that in addition to protecting Li Chengqian, his task was to collect all the information.

"It seems that Japan has produced an extraordinary commander!"

Li Chengqian declined to comment.

They made full use of the geographical location and weather to build a defense line, which made the Tang army unable to use its full strength.

"Your Highness, how do we defeat the enemy now?"

Heichi Changzhi asked, in the hearts of the Tang army, Li Chengqian was the most powerful commander, who was always able to anticipate the enemy first.

The kind that can put people to death with just one decision.

There were no cases to refer to when fighting against Japan, which put Li Chengqian in a difficult position.

"Wait!"

After a long while, Li Chengqian finally uttered a word.

Several people were also stunned. What kind of strategy was this to defeat the enemy?

They were originally facing a logistical supply crisis, and this was a battle on Japanese soil, so they absolutely could not trap the enemy to death.

"The Japanese army is well-defended. It is absolutely impossible to attack the city from the front. I just need to line up here to attract the attention of the Japanese army."

Under such circumstances, even homemade explosives cannot break the city.

At most, it can only blast out a pit.

You can only outwit, not attack by force.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince means to wait for General Liu Rengui to defeat the enemy from behind."

After Li Chengqian's suggestion, several people thought of another large army.

"Yes, that's right. I think Liu Rengui has already gone to the northern part of Japan."

Li Chengqian raised his eyes and looked up, and the move was made silently. The navy led by Liu Rengui was an unexpected force that could often surprise the enemy and appear in unexpected places.

As long as the food supply route to the north of Japan is cut off, the Japanese troops stationed there will be in great crisis.

"Generals, you take turns harassing the Japanese troops in the city and always show an offensive posture."

Li Chengqian made arrangements.

A few days later, the Tang army cut wood and built ladders and tank carts to climb the city not far away, which seemed like a general attack.

At the same time, Tang troops could often be seen on the steep mountain roads, paving roads and building bridges.

These scenes made all the Japanese soldiers very nervous. They carried out the most intensive patrols at all times, fearing that the Tang army would launch an attack in the next second.

In this way, the Tang army, with its extremely small numbers, consumed a large amount of the Japanese army's energy.

The most remote county in Hokkaido, Japan, is called Tsuchitaka County. It has abundant fisheries, and at other times of the year, you will definitely see fishermen fishing on the beach.

But now, it seems extremely desolate and deserted.

"General Liu, the scouts reported that no Japanese soldiers or civilians were found on the shore, so we can land."

There are hundreds of huge ships drifting on the ocean.

Liu Rengui stood at the bow of the ship, looking at the land ahead with a dim gaze.

Behind him, Fu Yu Fu Xin stood respectfully.

Needless to say, Buyeo Boksin was also a famous general of Baekje. Li Chengqian did not punish him, but allowed him to join the army and make meritorious contributions to atone for his sins.

The main reason is that there are too few people who can be used, and Li Chengqian’s battle line is too long, so he needs people to do the work.

"Send someone to understand the situation, and the rest of the ships will dock and quickly occupy the state capital here."

Liu Rengui fought his way here and gained a general understanding of Japan's administrative characteristics and war preparedness.

As the navy landed in Changlong County, the encirclement was formed.

"General, we have already found out that all the men over thirteen years old in Changlong County have been conscripted into the army and rushed to Naniwa Castle to defend the imperial capital. The ones left here are the elderly, the weak, women and children."

Not long after, Fu Yu Fuxin appeared beside Liu Rengui again.

"In that case, Your Highness, the Crown Prince and his men have won a great victory, forcing Japan to adopt such an extreme method of recruiting soldiers."

Liu Rengui pondered for a while, thinking rapidly in his mind.

"Immediately gather five thousand elite troops. I will personally lead the charge to support His Royal Highness the Crown Prince in defeating the enemy. You will follow the troops and follow the previous military orders. Leave no grass behind."

Liu Rengui was very sensitive and sensed the opportunity.

They appeared behind the Japanese army. If Li Chengqian had not yet succeeded in defeating the enemy, he would have been able to deal a fatal blow to the Japanese army.

(End of this chapter)