Fu Shanhe

Chapter 532 Digging one’s own grave
As rows of soldiers fell, new Liaodong soldiers immediately took their place.

Traditional dense crowd charges have become the best targets on the battlefield.

A clever veteran chose to fall to the ground and pretend to be dead, attempting to get away with it.

Unfortunately, just as he found a good spot to lie down, he was immediately trampled by the new recruits behind him, followed by a scream.

The new recruits were blindly obedient; wherever the veterans led the troops, they followed.

There's no way to escape the battlefield.

The supervisory team behind them was no pushover.

No matter how fast they run, they can't outrun cavalry.

As he watched rows of soldiers fall, unable to break into the enemy camp, Shi Jingfeng's face gradually darkened.

"To strike when the enemy is not yet firmly established is a common military tactic."

But reality is a slap in the face; the military strategies that were once considered classic have suddenly lost their effectiveness.

In an instant, Shi Jingfeng understood why the previous ambush had failed.

When faced with this army of loyalists, traditional military strategies were overturned, and we could not judge them based on our existing knowledge.

"Prime Minister, it is getting late. Let's fight again tomorrow."

Seeing Shi Jingfeng's inner struggle, Mr. Kong immediately stepped forward and offered him a way out.

He spoke lightly, but inside he was getting nervous.

Although this group of Liaodong soldiers had a prestigious reputation, they were still no match for the Marquis of Hanshui.

Using the same tactics as before would simply be handing the enemy free kills.

Without needing to compile statistics, the sheer brutality of the battlefield was enough to roughly estimate the casualties of the Liaodong army.

In just a brief exchange, tens of thousands of soldiers fell.

Despite paying such a heavy price, the results were negligible; in any case, he didn't see much damage to the enemy.

The heavy artillery units, on which high hopes were placed, were deployed to the battlefield to engage the enemy in a fierce battle, but instead of killing many enemy soldiers, they killed quite a few of their own men.

Compared to the standardized shells used by the enemy, the Liaodong army was still manually filling ammunition.

In the rush, the amount of ammunition the soldiers loaded was entirely based on their personal judgment.

Aiming was out of the question; they were only responsible for firing the shells, and the margin of error depended entirely on luck.

The entire Liaodong Army was filled with the atmosphere of a makeshift troupe.

Following such a team, the difficulty of conquering the world is simply too great.

Reason told him that he couldn't manage such a makeshift team.

"What you say is very true, sir. Send down the order to sound the retreat."

Shi Jingfeng responded with satisfaction.

It's so comfortable dealing with smart people; you can see right through their thoughts and they know exactly how to offer a way out.

Unlike his own bunch of reckless men, who would report any problems directly without any regard for his dignity as their boss.

The good mood didn't last long before the brutal war dragged me back to reality.

The loyalist army had arrived at the camp gate, and whether he liked it or not, he had to meet the enemy.

It was clear from the brief exchange that although the enemy forces were few in number, their fighting strength was formidable.

Given the strength of the Liaodong Army, it would inevitably pay a heavy price to defeat the enemy.

Unfortunately, the Shi family cannot afford the losses now.

The attack on Xuzhou was just the beginning; their true goal was to march south and seize the vast territory.

If the attack fails, they will be trapped and starved to death in the northern lands.

Thinking of this, Shi Jingfeng instantly felt the pressure.

Blessings are unparalleled, and misfortunes do not come singly.

The retreat horn sounded, and the Liaodong army that had launched the attack quickly chose to retreat, but the loyalist army would not allow it.

Upon seeing the enemy flee, the loyalist army stationed in the camp immediately chose to pursue them.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

The burst of gunfire heralded the start of the massacre.

Leaving their backs to the loyalist army was their biggest mistake.

The short ten-mile stretch of land was transformed into a bloody battlefield.

In an instant, shouts of killing and screams of agony resounded throughout the heavens and the earth.

"Move out the cavalry and escort the retreating troops!"

In the midst of the chaos, Shi Jingfeng hurriedly issued orders.

Unfortunately, it was too late. By the time the retreat turned into a rout, order had already collapsed.

The ground was littered with retreating soldiers from the front lines, blocking the cavalry's path and making it impossible for them to reach the battlefield immediately.

On the contrary, the cavalry units of the loyalist army entered the battlefield first and began to massacre the fleeing soldiers.

Seeing his comrades fall one by one, the quick-thinking soldiers decisively chose to throw down their weapons and surrender.

At dusk, the loyalist army arrived at the gate of the Liaodong army camp, where they encountered their first decent resistance.

The darkness saved the Liaodong army, and the bugle call to retreat sounded, bringing this great battle to an end.

At midnight, after tallying the casualties, the high command of the Liaodong Army was completely bewildered.

"See for yourselves!"

"These are all excellent soldiers you've trained!"

"In just one afternoon, more than 50,000 people were wiped out."

Even if you released 50,000 pigs outside, the enemy still wouldn't be able to capture them all!

……

Shi Jingfeng greeted him almost with a roar.

He could accept the heavy casualties.

However, the subsequent large-scale surrender of Liaodong soldiers struck at his weak point.

The Liaodong Army's greatest advantage was its large number of soldiers. To make full use of this advantage, the soldiers had to be able to fight the enemy to the death.

Surrendering when you can't win, like during the day, is meaningless even if your numbers double.

"Prime Minister, there are too many new recruits in the army, and they cannot withstand the pressure on the battlefield."

In addition to the government troops we incorporated, many of them were not of one mind with us and would run away at the first sign of danger.

Coupled with the enemy's overwhelming firepower, a series of factors combined to lead to the daytime defeat.

Shi Jinglin forced himself to explain.

Although this kind of "hindsight is always 20/20" is meaningless to the overall battle situation, under the urging of the generals in the camp, he could only act as the first to attract fire.

There was nothing they could do; he was a member of the Shi family!
"Ha ha……"

"Now you all know, why didn't you think of that sooner?"

"When the army was being expanded, everyone wanted to increase their troops a hundredfold."

Now that they've suffered losses on the battlefield, they know how to reflect on their actions!

Shi Jingfeng continued to scold.

It wasn't that he was deliberately making things difficult for Shi Jinglin; the main problem was that the internal issues exposed by the Liaodong Army had reached a point where they had to be addressed.

The Liaodong Army expanded rapidly, but this expansion was not ordered by him, its leader.

On the contrary, constrained by the shortage of food supplies, he repeatedly ordered all units to strictly control the number of troops.

Unable to resist the people below, who were trying every means to increase the size of the army in order to strengthen its power.

Expanding the military is something that easily triggers a bandwagon effect.

Once someone takes the lead, others who don't want to fall behind will follow suit.

When dealing with his subordinates, Shi Jingfeng was never stingy with bestowing official titles and ranks.

At first, I didn't notice, but as the number of troops under my command increased, my official rank would also rise accordingly.

This generous approach certainly won people's hearts, but it also accelerated the pace of military expansion.

No one can go against the tide of history, not even him, the leader of the Liaodong Army, could stop his underlings' "ambition".

In particular, the formation of the loyalist army in the south instilled a sense of crisis in the Liaodong army, which further accelerated the expansion of various units.

If it weren't for the food shortage in the north, which limited everyone's performance, the Liaodong Army would probably be even larger.

The consequence of the rapid expansion of the army was that the Liaodong Army became a mixed bag, and the combat effectiveness of the troops declined rapidly.

"Prime Minister, now is not the time to assign blame. We can discuss any issues after we defeat the enemy."

The puppet regime's loyalist army is coming on strong; we must find a way to defeat them as soon as possible, or we'll be in danger!

Bai Pingchun, the most senior member, offered his earnest advice.

The problem with the Liaodong Army was essentially the aftereffects of suddenly seizing power and not adapting to their new status.

Even after taking control of the capital, they still clung to the mindset of regional military governors when dealing with the problems they faced.

Each of them only remembered their own interests, ignoring not only the interests of the group but also the overall strategic situation.

To change the situation, we must fundamentally change everyone's perception of the problem.

Without a doubt, the most difficult thing in the world is to instill your own way of thinking into someone else's mind.

Changing people's perceptions is not something that can be accomplished in a short period of time.

Forcing change without addressing the core issues will only backfire. Especially when the enemy is at the doorstep, any decree that might undermine internal unity could have disastrous consequences.

"Hey!"

"Generals, do you have any strategies to defeat the enemy?"

After a sigh, Shi Jingfeng suppressed his dissatisfaction and asked.

Some things are simply not meant to be taken too seriously.

Even if they know there are problems, they can only pretend not to see them in order to maintain internal unity.

"Prime Minister, if nothing unexpected happens, the enemy will definitely attack tomorrow."

First, use the camp to block the enemy's advance, then seize the opportunity to set traps in the camp, and let them in to fight at the crucial moment.

Although the enemy's muskets were powerful, reloading them took time, and the soldiers didn't carry many bullets with them.

"As long as we seize the opportunity, we can trap them and beat them to a pulp!"

Shi Jinghai proposed it with great interest.

He had witnessed the entire daytime battle from beginning to end.

We have gained a preliminary understanding of the combat capabilities of the loyalist army.

Under normal tactics, the Liaodong army's chances of winning were extremely slim.

The only chance of victory is to lure the enemy into a trap and cut off their ammunition supply.

The plan sounds great, but it also has its share of hidden dangers. The biggest problem is how to ensure that the enemy will fall into the trap.

If the enemy doesn't take the bait, all the casualties suffered in the early stages of the deception will be wasted.

As the war has progressed, the Liaodong army and the loyalist army have clashed three times, all of which ended in defeat.

The morale of the soldiers in the camp had long since plummeted.

If we suffer another defeat, the subsequent war will only be more difficult to fight.

"Ok!"

"If no one has any other opinions, then we will proceed according to Lao Jiu's suggestion."

Once you're down there, quickly refine the plan to lure the enemy in and ensure they suffer heavy losses!

Seeing that no one spoke for a long time, Shi Jingfeng made the decision.

This may not be the best option, but it is the only viable strategy at present.

Even if the loyalist army loses, it can still retreat to the Yangtze River line. But if the Liaodong army loses, it will lose everything, even its underwear.

……

The next day, early morning.

As the first rays of dawn touched the earth, the bugle call to attack rang out from the camp of the loyalist army.

Under the cover of artillery fire, countless officers and soldiers stepped out of their camp and launched an attack on the rebel camp.

"My lord, shall we also launch an attack?"

Li Sanqi stepped forward to ask for instructions.

After yesterday's great battle, the loyalist army successfully advanced to the walls of Xuzhou, separated from the defending forces by only a river.

As the commander-in-chief, Li Mu took the opportunity to move the command post into the city.

"No need to rush, let's observe the enemy's reaction first."

Li Mu shook his head and refused.

After yesterday's battle, he knew that the Liaodong army was finished.

That once mighty army, which dominated the world, perished due to its reckless expansion.

They appear to be a strong and well-equipped force, but in reality, they are all bark and no bite.

Unless a brilliant military strategist is appointed to command the troops and can integrate them in the shortest possible time, defeat is only a matter of time.

In times like these, prudence is all the more necessary.

Regardless of the quality, with hundreds of thousands of troops, the enemy will not be willing to accept defeat.

A cornered beast will fight back; this is often the most dangerous moment.

There are many examples of comebacks in history, and risks that can be avoided should certainly be avoided to the greatest extent possible.

……

The troops in Xuzhou City did not move, and Shi Jingfeng, who was stationed in the central army, was already secretly complaining.

Setting traps sounds simple, but when it comes to actually implementing them, problems arise frequently.

The lower-ranking soldiers had no sense of direction, and many of the generals in the army were also clueless.

Upon receiving the order, he led his troops and began running around the camp in disarray.

In addition, those loyal to the Great Yu court took the opportunity to stir up trouble, and many disputes broke out over their respective ambush locations.

In order to complete the deployment as soon as possible, Shi Jingfeng sent people to mediate more than once. Everyone agreed verbally, but when it came to the actual implementation, they always managed to create some problems.

"Prime Minister, the enemy's offensive is too fierce, and the soldiers at the front are about to be overwhelmed."

Both the left and right flanks are in dire need of reinforcements. Generals Seven and Nine request that you send reinforcements.

Upon receiving this news, Shi Jingfeng felt even more pressured.

According to the plan to lure the enemy in, the enemy was to be let into the camp from the front, while the ambush troops were arranged on both flanks.

If the enemy breaks through from both flanks, it's like the enemy has cut off our rear, so what's the point of setting up an ambush?

Without completing the strategic encirclement, it would be impossible to cut off the enemy's ammunition supply, and the Liaodong Army's numerical advantage would be rendered ineffective.

"Pass down the order to have the Ninth and Thirteenth Divisions immediately go to reinforce the left flank."

The 18th and 36th Divisions were ordered to immediately proceed to reinforce the right flank defense.

Without the slightest hesitation, Shi Jingfeng immediately dispatched a reserve team to provide reinforcements.

The fighting on the battlefield has now reached a fever pitch.

The camps painstakingly built by the Liaodong Army did indeed play an important role in the early stages of the war.

Unfortunately, the enemy didn't follow the rules and immediately opened fire with artillery.

The makeshift camp could not match the defenses of the city walls, and it was quickly breached by artillery fire.

Even though the defending troops fought back fiercely, they could not stop the advance of the loyalist army. In the blink of an eye, the breach became a sharp sword that pierced through the defense line.

"withstand!"

"Hold the line, all of you!"

"Reinforcements are on their way!"

Shi Jinghai roared furiously.

Since the fate of the Shi family was at stake, he had no choice but to fight desperately.

To stabilize the situation, he even sent his personal guards.

However, the enemy's fighting strength far exceeded his expectations.

The loyalist army did not charge blindly, but advanced with both infantry and artillery, employing combined tactics.

If ordinary troops are sent in, they will be routed by the enemy almost immediately.

After finally getting close enough to the enemy to engage in hand-to-hand combat, I didn't expect the enemy to be just as formidable in close combat.

His personal guards, who had followed him for many years, charged forward in full armor, but they couldn't even last the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before they fell into pools of blood.

The brutal battle terrified countless new recruits.

In a panic, these people immediately threw down their weapons and fled for their lives.

Before reinforcements arrived, the defense line collapsed.

As the battle lines continued to move backward, the Liaodong army, which had originally laid an ambush, was forced to turn its guns around and meet the enemy.

As the fleeing soldiers scattered, chaos continued to spread throughout the camp.

The aftereffects of forcibly incorporating various government troops were now fully exposed.

The officers and soldiers who remained loyal to the Great Yu Dynasty jumped out to cause trouble when they saw the loyalist army coming.

A raging fire began to burn in the camp; the fuel, originally intended to ambush the loyalist army, was ignited prematurely by these people.

Fueled by the southeast wind, the fire quickly spread, and within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the camp was engulfed in flames.

"Prime Minister, the fire is too big, we must evacuate immediately!"

Seeing the fire spreading towards the commander's camp, the captain of the personal guards hurriedly urged them on.

"withdraw?"

Where can this old man retreat to now?

As he spoke, Shi Jingfeng collapsed to the ground.

The carefully prepared trap for the enemy became the graveyard of the Liaodong army.

Countless Liaodong soldiers perished in the flames, their deaths shrouded in mystery.

"Brother, as long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn."

Each unit is breaking out on its own. If we can bring them together later, we can at least preserve half of our forces.

Besides, we still have cavalry. We can regroup and fight the Marquis of Hanshui again one day!

No sooner had Shi Jinglin finished speaking than the tightly closed gates of Xuzhou suddenly opened, and countless soldiers poured out to join the final battle.

Without wasting any more time, he grabbed Shi Jingfeng and ran out of the camp.

(End of this chapter)