Control your ancestors and create an immortal family starting from the Eastern Han Dynasty

Chapter 261 The Bloody Battle of Juyong Pass: Response and Surprise Attack! (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

—The flames of war were finally lit.

Gu Jin left Kaifeng amidst the attention of everyone.

As Zhao Guangyi, the Prince of Jin, had said, he personally drove the carriage for Gu Jin.

It wasn't that Gu Jin did it on purpose.

Zhao Guangyi was, after all, the Prince of Jin.

In addition, Zhao Guangyi has been quite dedicated over the years, so he certainly wouldn't deliberately belittle a member of the royal family who poses no threat to him.

This was Zhao Guangyi's own request.

He was indeed getting old, and after much hesitation, he finally declined Gu Jin's idea of ​​having him lead a group of men.

This was his last battle; he wanted to fulfill the ambitions he shared with Zhao Kuangyin!

Therefore, so-called face is not worth mentioning!
Although Zhao Guangyi was not as capable as Zhao Kuangyin.

However, he had a personality trait very similar to Zhao Kuangyin's, which was that he didn't care about any so-called face!

Otherwise, he wouldn't have cooperated with Gu Jin to expose all the ministers who had secretly harbored disloyal intentions and contacted him over the years.

June of the eleventh year of the Tongyuan era.

The weather is extremely hot.

But even hotter than the weather was the boiling fighting spirit in the hearts of 200,000 Song soldiers.

Gu Jin's central army camp was located in Xiongzhou, just a stone's throw from the Liao border.

The camps stretched for dozens of miles, banners blotted out the sun, orders were strict, and a chilling atmosphere filled the sky, with the army's advance pointing directly at the Liao Kingdom's Nanjing Road.

This can definitely be called the largest war in this chaotic period.

Even the atmosphere of the entire world became grim under these circumstances.

—The clouds move in all directions.

Gu Jin had already formulated various detailed strategies, and without any hesitation, he took the lead in launching the attack.

However, the Liao army did not engage in a direct confrontation with the Song army, whose morale was high, in the border area.

Under Wang Yingchen's instructions, Yelü Xiuge, who was left to guard Nanjing, voluntarily abandoned some of the forward camps and withdrew the main force of his army to Youzhou and a series of fortified fortresses built on the strategic terrain of the Yanshan Mountains.

—A defensive system with Youzhou as its core and layered defenses was formed, including Zhuozhou, Yizhou, and Tanzhou.

Wang Yingchen's strategic intentions are very clear.

The plan was to take advantage of the mountainous terrain of the Yan-Yun region, using space to buy time, lengthening the Song army's supply lines, and using fortified cities to wear down their morale and strength.

It must be said that this is indeed a very practical tactic.

The Liao Dynasty had a vast territory.

This gave them the confidence to maneuver around.

The Song army did indeed have ample supplies.

But morale is different.

No matter how detailed Gu Jin's plan was, as time went by, he was destined to be unable to affect the soldiers' morale of exhaustion.

Meanwhile, on the western front, Li Yuanhao of Western Xia indeed made his move as promised.

Xia cavalry frequently appeared on the border of the Western Capital Road of the Liao Kingdom, approaching the Yellow River Hetao region, and even plundered several outlying fortresses, showing a posture of wanting to launch a major eastward advance and threaten the Western Capital Datong Prefecture of the Liao Kingdom.

This move successfully forced Yelü Xiezhen, the Southern King of Liao, to halt the easy eastward deployment of his elite cavalry to support Youzhou, keeping them firmly pinned down in the Yunshuo area.

The entire event covered a very wide area.

The three kingdoms were intertwined, with one side affecting the other.

But each side has its own ideas and purposes, and an unprecedented war is unfolding on this land full of stories!
Liao Dynasty.

The main tent of the Liao army's headquarters.

Wang Yingchen had already left Kaijing.

Now, no matter how calm and collected he is, it is impossible for him to remain absolutely rational in Kaijing.

He needs to receive all kinds of messages as soon as possible.

The good news is that he has been preparing for this for quite some time.

Although he lacked the ability to develop a highly advanced canal transport network in this territory, like the Song Dynasty.

However, he also adopted the post station system established by the Gu family in the past and fully developed it, bringing the speed of message transmission to its peak.

At this moment, faced with the constant stream of news from both the eastern and western fronts, he appeared frighteningly calm.

Inside the main tent.

"Prime Minister, the Song army came prepared this time. Their supply lines are secure and their supplies are plentiful. On the other hand, our army's scorched-earth policy, while able to delay the enemy, has also resulted in heavy casualties on our own."

"Although the city of Youzhou has ample grain reserves, the army is consuming huge amounts of food every day. If the siege continues for a long time, I fear we will not be able to sustain it!"

"."

"Prime Minister! That Li Yuanhao of Western Xia is a wolf in sheep's clothing! Although he has not launched a major offensive on the western front, his cavalry are constantly on the move, circling like vultures, ready to pounce at any moment!"

"General Yelü Xiezhen's elite troops are tied down in Xijing Road and unable to provide reinforcements to the east."

"If Youzhou is lost, the gateway to the heartland of our Great Liao will be wide open, and the consequences will be unimaginable. It would be better to divide our forces and attack the Western Xia first, and get rid of this annoying fly!"

"."

Shouts rang out continuously.

Many ministers wore solemn expressions.

This battle is truly massive.

The Song army was already putting considerable pressure on the Liao state, and now the Western Xia was also involved.

It can be said that all the resources and strength of the Liao Dynasty have now been exhausted.

They would naturally be afraid.

But Wang Yingchen's expression remained serious.

He coldly surveyed the people present and shouted, "Absurd!"

Anyone who dares to utter such a statement again will be executed!

He was too lazy to waste words or explain.

But he trusted his overall judgment.

Although this move may seem extremely risky, it is the only way for the Liao Kingdom to truly resolve its current predicament!
Upon hearing this, the entire tent fell silent instantly.

Wang Yingchen simply waved his hand calmly.

Everyone silently lowered their heads, and then slowly walked out.

The entire main tent fell silent instantly.

Wang Yingchen remained seated, his eyes fixed on the geomantic map in front of him, as well as the various messages that came his way.

His brows were furrowed, as if he were deep in thought.

A moment later, he summoned someone again.

"Send people to keep a close watch on Kaesong, and under no circumstances should anyone be allowed to interfere with the Kaesong affair!"

He had to keep an eye on the internal affairs of the court.

Gu was adept at winning people's hearts.

This has been proven countless times over the past thousand years.

According to Wang Yingchen's assessment, as long as he could withstand the first wave of attacks from the Song Kingdom, the crisis would actually be resolved.

And this is what he believes is the biggest breakthrough point for the Liao Kingdom at present!
"include--"

"People in the imperial court."

"Anyone who makes any unusual move, you shall execute them immediately, without reporting to me!"

The Censorate is such a useful thing.

How could someone like Wang Yingchen, who was practically a Legalist, not apply what he learned?
However, the Censorate under his command was not operating openly.

But in the shadows!
Juyong Pass.

As a vital passage from Youzhou in the northwest to the northern frontier, this place has a crucial geographical location.

—This route is completely different from the one taken by Zhao Guangyi and others in the original history when they attacked the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun.

In the original history.

Zhao Guangyi launched several attacks on the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, almost always advancing directly through the Hebei Plain.

This is due to many considerations.

However, the most fundamental reason was that Juyong Pass was too difficult to cross, and the Song Dynasty's strength at the time was far from sufficient to support a prolonged war. But things are different now.

In fact, if the Song army could control Juyong Pass, there would be many benefits.

Firstly, it would directly and completely sever the direct connection between Youzhou and the Liao Dynasty's Zhongjing and Shangjing.

This made Youzhou an isolated stronghold, making it difficult to obtain reinforcements and supplies from the grasslands.

Furthermore, it can prevent the Liao army's elite cavalry from attacking from the flanks and rear, thus completing the strategic encirclement of Youzhou.

This is one of the reasons why Gu Jin chose to attack Juyong Pass!

At this moment, war clouds gathered over Juyong Pass.

This was entirely a struggle of wills.

As the Liao army continued to retreat, Gu Jin had already realized Wang Yingchen's intentions, which was why he personally led his army to Juyong Pass.

He couldn't let the morale of the Song army continue to be wasted by the Liao army.

The shouts of killing were deafening.

The Song army's offensive was like a raging tide constantly crashing against the rocks.

The improved giant cannon roared as it slammed hundred-pound stone projectiles into the city wall. Each impact shook the ground, sending debris flying and leaving shocking craters in the thick wall.

Furthermore, earthenware jars filled with flaming oil were thrown out, exploding into bursts of flame against the walls.

The sounds of screams were incessant.

However, it is clearly wishful thinking to think that this will allow them to break through the natural barrier of Juyong Pass.

Wang Yingchen did indeed want to keep wearing down the morale of the Song army, but he would never give up such an important town as Juyong Pass!

On the city wall, arrows rained down like a dense swarm of locusts.

Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.
A series of sonic booms echoed through the air.

Shields were pierced, armor was torn apart, and soldiers fell to the ground, groaning in agony.

That's always been the case with war.

Especially now, this is still the most brutal offensive and defensive battle.

However, for both the Song and Liao dynasties, this was something they could not avoid.

How could the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun be so easily conquered?

In the original history.

Throughout the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties, the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun remained a place they could only dream of but never reach!
Not to mention that the Liao Kingdom now has figures like Wang Yingchen.

Gu Jin was making preparations, and so was he.

For both sides—

This battle can only be a bloody one!
The war continued.

Both sides then surrounded Juyong Pass, throwing almost all of their elite troops at it.

This is destined to be an extremely protracted war.

The good news is that Gu Jin had already made thorough preparations!
Only Gu Yi, who was always paying attention to him, could understand just how much Gu Jin had prepared for this battle.

The geomantic map I look at every day.

Gu Jin had an almost ingrained understanding of the entire world's terrain.

This is something that outsiders can hardly imagine!

The same applies to Wang Yingchen.

Wang Yingchen is indeed a talented individual, but even so, he has shortcomings in ability and weaknesses in character.

This person's character flaw is that he is overconfident!

As for abilities, it's military strategy!

Song army camp.

Main account.

The atmosphere inside the tent was extremely heavy, and almost all the generals looked exhausted.

--storm!
This was an extremely difficult war for all of them.

The burden they carry is actually quite heavy.

If it weren't for Gu Jin, the morale of the Song army would definitely be in chaos right now.

Because their casualties were indeed too great!

Moreover, the results were extremely low!

However, the soldiers had complete trust in Gu Jin, but this sense of unease was still hard to dispel.

“Wang Yingchen is indeed a brilliant man of his generation.” Gu Jin sat upright in the commander’s seat, his gaze sweeping over the generals in the tent. “He is meticulous, good at politics, and knows how to win people’s hearts and boost morale. In a peaceful and prosperous era, he would surely be a capable minister in governing the country.”

"However, warfare is based on deception." Just as the soldiers' expressions grew increasingly grim, his tone suddenly shifted. "He viewed warfare as a game of strategy in the imperial court, relying too much on calculation and speculation about people's hearts, but he lost sight of the most crucial element on the battlefield: momentum."

"His confidence stems from his certainty about his own plans, which is a strength."

"But on the battlefield, this confidence became his most fatal blind spot."

Gu Jin remained expressionless as she spoke, rising to walk towards the enormous geomantic map, her finger steadily pointing to the location of Gubeikou.

"Wang Yingchen is now convinced that our army will fight to the death at Juyong Pass, and will not seek any other way out until we break through this pass."

"And this is precisely our opportunity!"

"This person is indeed extremely skilled at psychological warfare, and he is very wary of me in the court."

“In recent days, he has eliminated the people in the court whom our scouts have been in contact with, but he has overlooked another of the Gu family’s signature skills—”

Upon hearing this, everyone present immediately understood Gu Jin's thoughts.

—A surprise attack!
This is a tactic that has been passed down since the rise of the Gu family.

Gu Jin, too, was well-versed in this.

Before leaving Julu, he had personally orchestrated several surprise attacks.

However, the soldiers did not show the expected joy on their faces; instead, their expressions were somewhat solemn.

Unfortunately, the Song army's current situation is indeed not good.

Juyong Pass was like a natural barrier, blocking our way and impossible to break through. Moreover, the fierce attacks during this period had already caused considerable casualties.

If a surprise attack were launched at this time, failure would likely result in a crushing defeat.

Isn't this a bit risky?

For a moment, no one in the tent spoke.

The soldiers looked at each other, a heavy atmosphere of doubt permeating the air.

Finally, General Cao Bin couldn't help but clasp his hands and say, "Grand Tutor, although Gubeikou is not as precipitous as Juyongguan, it is still a strategic pass in the Yanshan Mountains. How could the Liao army be completely unprepared?"

"Our army has launched a fierce attack on Juyong Pass for several days, resulting in considerable casualties and exhaustion of soldiers."

"If we were to divide our forces and launch a distant attack on Gubeikou now, and the Liao army were to discover our plans and wait for us to tire ourselves out, we might face the danger of total annihilation!"

These words expressed the sentiments of most of the generals in the tent.

It's not that they're afraid of dying.

Throughout history, very few people have been able to effectively employ the tactic of surprise attacks.

Because the risks involved in this tactic are simply too great.

Gu Jin's gaze swept over the crowd, taking in their worries, but he did not get angry. He simply said, "How could I not know the concerns of you generals?"

"But it was precisely because our army suffered heavy losses and bloodshed at Juyong Pass that Wang Yingchen became even more convinced that our army had no other choice but to fight him to the death here!"

His tone grew heavier, and his eyes suddenly sharpened.

The generals finally understood Gu Jin's overall plan—the continuous attacks were both a real offensive and a strategic maneuver.

If we can break through the barrier, we will have a follow-up plan; if not, we will have another surprise attack.

Seeing Gu Jin's resolute expression, everyone fell silent again, their expressions complex.

At this moment, Zhao Guangyi, who had remained silent until now, spoke up first: "Grand Tutor, I am willing to accompany you!"

The role of the royal family at this moment is undeniable.

Although the generals had their concerns, such as being held accountable after the battle or fearing a crushing defeat, none of them were truly afraid of war.

They're all seasoned veterans; who among them would truly be afraid of death?

Seeing that both the Grand Tutor and the Prince of Jin were determined, everyone's expressions also became resolute.

Don't forget, being able to launch a surprise attack alongside the Gu family is the lifelong dream of many military generals!
In an instant, a series of clanging sounds rang out from inside the tent:
"This humble general is willing to follow the Grand Tutor into battle!"
(P.S.: I'm begging for monthly votes! Please support me, brothers! I'd be extremely grateful. The content of the Song Dynasty arc will change more and more in the future, and it will also incorporate elements based on the original history. I've already written the side stories, which have a lot more positive aspects this time. Please support me, brothers!)

(End of this chapter)