Everyone has to find his own position, every country has to do so, just as every nation must do so, if he finds the wrong position, he will be done.

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Yelu Deguang, Yang Yi and Chai Rong were all looking for their place in the Battle of Shangjing.

Yes, the battle in Shangjing has begun.

This is not a pediatric department like Guo Zhang who leads troops directly to attack - it is indeed what the vanguard does, not what the commander of the country's military strength does.

This is a battle that may determine the fate of the country - if there is a decline, most of the five troops of the Tang army in Tiance have entered the Huangshui River Basin, with the number of troops of the five routes reaching 200,000, with more than one million horses and countless supplies. The desert marching does not use a cart, but directly uses horses to carry it. In the spring and summer, the war was held without a complete recovery of horses, and the consequences have begun to appear. Countless horses carrying heavy horses have already shown discomfort before the war begins. Although this has not affected the overall situation for the time being, the herdsmen who are familiar with horse affairs are already crying. They know what kind of disaster this war will be for Mobei.

At this time, Yang Yi came from the northwest, and Shangjing was in the southeast. The Khitan formation showed a large "∧" shape. The above Beijing was the peak, and hundreds of large and small camps stretched backwards on the left and right wings. This is what Li Bin called the cone formation. The powerful troops were gathered at the peak and the two wings. The more they went, the more empty they became. If the Tang army could go around them and attack, it would form a terrible thyroid effect - but the two wings of the "∧"-shaped city were very long, and it would be almost impossible to do this under the surveillance of Shangjing.

Therefore, the arrangement of the Tiance Tang army was that the vanguard led by Chai Rong was arranged in the southeast, Guo Zhang and Yelu Antuan were arranged in the northeast, Shi Jian was in the southwest, and Murong Yang was in the northwest. Yang Yi was in the middle of the house, and in response to the Khitan formation, he formed an irregular semicircle.

Elite troops gathered somewhere, while Rangers spread out in small parts: Murong Yang's rear army was the longest, extending from the rear of the camp to the bank of the Luju River; Guo Zhang and Yelu Antuan's left-road army had found strongholds in the upper reaches of the Lang River. The farthest vanguard had crossed the Lang River and tried to go around the back of the Khitan "∧" formation, but once they crossed the capital, they would be seriously harassed.

The Khitans were all huddled in the "∧"-shaped city cluster, but once people and horses attempted to cross Shangjing, cavalry would immediately attack, which formed a northeast-southwest-directed thunder pool boundary with more than Beijing as the midpoint. According to the ideal plan, the front personnel of the Tiance Tang Army might have formed a crescent-shaped layout to form an encirclement of the Khitan "∧"-shaped formation, but were effectively blocked by the Shangjing field troops. The last forward, the core personnel of the left and right wings, were almost all arranged on the same straight line - that is, outside the Thunder pool boundary. Chai Rong's previous suggestion was also forced to stop because of this situation.

Li Bin looked at the final military layout diagram and sighed: "The centipede insect died without being stiff, and the Khitan's combat power is still strong!"

Yang Yi and Yelu Ruan both understood the meaning of his words very well. It was precisely because the Khitan had strong field capabilities and was not afraid to attack from the "∧"-shaped city walle line that the Tang army was unable to complete the crescent layout and could not surround the left and right tips of the crescent shape to the vicinity of the chrysanthemum position of the "∧" in the end. This irregular semicircle was formed.

The semicircle is not only because Murong Yang's rear army also drags a long tail. It is also because Shi Jian's right road expanded particularly well to the southeast. Ding Hanshan, who belonged to the central army, had already penetrated hundreds of miles southeast since the beginning of the formation. Shi Jian's followers continued to expand southward with Ding Hanshan's footsteps, crossed the Heihe River and went straight to the Huangshui coast. Only here were they sniped by Khitan soldiers and horses - attacking the half-cross trying to cross the river.

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To be precise, although the area around Shangjing City is known as Linhuang Prefecture, Shangjing is not on the bank of Huangshui. It takes about 200 miles south of Shangjing to reach the bank of Huangshui River. Yelu Deguang adopted Han Yanhui's "vegetables and trees are all soldiers" strategy and arranged hundreds of miles of camps on the south bank of Huangshui.

If you look over from the north bank of Huangshui, flags on the other side will fly, and the camp will run for hundreds of miles east and west. It is simply a formation of a million troops. However, any strange strategy is difficult to repeat and has miraculous effects. As long as a Han man with some historical knowledge, he will know the allusion of "vegetables and trees are soldiers". Ding Hanshan will naturally not be frightened by the empty camp that stretches for hundreds of miles. Similarly, Yelu Deguang not only arranged void soldiers, but also an elite cavalry led thousands of long-range shooting teams to wander around the coast of Huangshui. Once Ding Hanshan attempts to cross the river, he will concentrate his troops to attack halfway.

Since the slightly formed trees on the north bank of Huangshui have been cut down and cannot be made on the ground, the water has risen in spring and summer, and it is impossible to cross the river. Originally, there is a kind of crossing tool in Mobei, which is a kind of air-blowing bag. After blowing, it is an ugly but practical lifebuoy. However, crossing the river is more dangerous than crossing the river with a raft! Once discovered, the crossing army, which has no power to fight back in the water, is an excellent target for archery!

The north bank of Huangshui has been covered by Qingye and there are no trees. The actions of the Tang army on the north bank are clearly visible by the Khitans, and the Khitans can enter and exit the camps of hundreds of miles of defense, making the Tang army unpredictable. What makes Ding Hanshan even more trouble is that the "maoyan lamp" that the Tang army had invented since the time of Lingxi was also learned by the Khitans because of the inevitable spread of technology. At night, there are Maoyan lamps that constantly scan the river surface, making Ding Hanshan's plan to attack and cross the river at night also difficult.

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Ten days after Yang Yi arrived in Shangjing, the temptation and layout of the offensive and defensive sides were basically formed. The Khitan defended their cone-shaped city cluster and Huangshui, blocking the Tiance Tang army to the west of the Thunder Pool boundary and north of Huangshui, and the hundreds of square miles north of Huangshui, were everywhere. Although the Khitan had already carried out clearing the fields before, the weeds in spring and summer could not be burned out. The mountains and fields were filled with cattle and sheep from the army of the Tiance Tang army. However, before the grass and trees were full of grazing, the cattle and sheep that were far more powerful than this land. The cattle and sheep would not only eat grass leaves, but even chew grass roots. It can be foreseen that the ecological environment around Linhuangfu would suffer huge damage after this war.

But at this time, who can still care about it?

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"What's the situation in the south?" Yelu Deguang asked.

"Zhang Mai is still in Qinzhou. Xue Fu is still in Chilechuan." Han Yanhui said: "When there is a problem with the sweat-blooded BMW, Xue Fu may change his route and enter northern Shanxi."

"Be careful that it's just a pretext." Yelu Deguang said: "Let both Yelu Shuogu and Xiao Jieli pay close attention. No matter what, Xue Fu cannot go north!"

"Yes," Han Yanhui said: "But even if Xue Fu goes north now, it may not be too late. Unless the war in Beijing has been delayed for a long time."

Yelu Deguang's face was a little gloomy: "It shouldn't be delayed for too long, because Yang Yi can't afford to delay!"

Yelu Deguang's scout test made him know some of the situation in Yang Yi's army. The cattle and sheep all over the mountains were not only eating the new grass buds, but also eating the future of the land of Linhuangfu.

Yelu Deguang let go of the last entanglement in his heart. No matter what the final situation of this war is, Linhuang Mansion will no longer become the political center of the Khitan within a few years.

"Your suggestion, keep going!" After Yelu Deguang said this, Yelu Pode next to him showed a look of hatred on his face. He did not hate his master, but Han Yanhui!

Last winter, Han Yanhui proposed an amazing strategic idea: a hero broke his arm!

The premise of this strategic idea is that the Khitan cannot win the war against Yang Yi!

Judging from the situation at that time, this possibility is indeed not small, but Han Yanhui's subsequent construction caused great turmoil among the Khitan executives! Shu Luping even used a knife to question Yelu Deguang, and finally, after a fierce debate, the compromise was reached!

Han Yanhui's strategy is: to completely abandon Linhuang Mansion, withdraw all the elite Khitans to the northeast, rely on the Jinshan Mountains (Daxinganling), and form a separatist trend. Revise government affairs internally, raise elite troops, connect with Shi Jin to the outside world, and fight against Tiance!

This is a strategy of retreat, but if Yelu Deguang can make up his mind, the Khitan will become quite safe in the next few years.

The northeast has vast land, solid mountains and rivers, sufficient development space inside, and complete national defense and natural dangers outside. It is indeed in a pattern of advancement, attacking and retreating and defending. At that time, Goguryeo separating the Northeast, and the prosperity of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, it also used three generations of talents to pacify it - from Emperor Yang of Sui to Emperor Taizong of Tang and then to Emperor Gaozong of Tang, they were all powerful! They were also the third emperor with the strongest external expansion in Chinese history!

However, retreating to the Northeast will also mean that the newly born Liao Kingdom will become a separatist regime.

Since ancient times, many people have won the world through separatism, but few have become powerful enough to win the world. They are forced to retreat to separatism and can still win the world.

Because the former is in an upward state, people's minds will make the entire country full of vitality, and potential allies around will join the camp because of optimism; while the latter is in a downward state, people's minds will change, which will make suspicious within the regime, and the surrounding lurking enemies will take the opportunity to reveal themselves to the water and take a bite!

Once the Emperor of Zhou lost Haojing, he had no chance to turn around again; after Fu Jian and Feishui were defeated, he would not be able to seize Guanzhong again; the reason why Xiang Yu refused to cross Jiangdong was not necessarily entirely due to his temper.

This is not the place where the hero cuts his arm, he is simply seeking to live in death!

However, Yelu Deguang was not Xiang Yu, and the political strategy planned by Han Yanhui was indeed quite tempting. He not only wanted to move all the Hu Han soldiers and civilians in Linhuang Prefecture to the northeast, but also suggested that when Yelu Shuogu retreated, all the hundreds of thousands of Han people in the entire Youzhou area would move eastward!

This is not just a strategic retreat, but also accompanied by large-scale immigration. It is conceivable that Northeast China will usher in a large-scale development at that time!

After a fierce confrontation with Shuluping, Yelu Deguang finally barely decided on this direction. The Han people in Linhuang Prefecture have now moved eastward, and even Shuluping has now gone to the northeast. However, some Khitan executives represented by Yelu Pode still refused to give up Linhuang Prefecture completely. As long as there is still a glimmer of hope, they want to retake Mobei!

Until now, Yelu Deguang finally saw the inevitable destruction of Linhuang Mansion while cattle and sheep were eating grass roots. Even if this war could really be won, this place would not be the center.

"Let Yelu Shuogu start the work." Yelu Deguang said to Han Yanhui: "You are going too."

Han Yanhui is no longer needed to attack and defense in the capital.

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"The royal aura of Linhuang Mansion is broken!"

In Tiance's camp, Li Bin said to Yang Yi: "No matter whether this battle is won or lost, it is a foregone conclusion that the Khitan retreats to the Northeast. The question now is whether we allow them to retreat to the Northeast!"

Yang Yi's expression was a little heavy. If he was advancing in a singular manner, he would naturally not allow the Khitan to retreat east of Jinshan (Daxinganling). However, in terms of the current military strength between the two sides, it would be a dream to either side to wipe out their opponents!

Regarding the strategic choice between the top, middle and lower strategies, Yang Yi only discussed with Li Bin in front of the generals. He only told them about the execution level.

"The key is not whether to retreat into the Northeast," Yang Yi said: "The key is how the Khitan retreated into the Northeast."

The generals looked at Yang Yi, and Yang Yi looked southeast and said, "The Marshal recited a poem. It is said that it was written by a talented woman named Li Qingzhao in the Central Plains. I asked some Confucian scholars, but no one knew which dynasty the talented woman was from, but that poem was written so well!"

Yang Yi paused and recited: "If you should be a hero in life, you should be a hero in death. If you miss Xiang Yu today, you will not be willing to cross the Yangtze River!"

After hearing this poem, all the generals were amazed. In fact, it was not the first time that several people present heard it. When Li Bin heard this poem for the first time from Zhang Mai, he couldn't help but be surprised: Is such a bold poem really a woman?

At this time, Yang Yi said: "This poem was originally written by the Marshal when the situation in the Western Regions was critical. At that time, he naturally lamented that Xiang Yu was a hero. But now the offensive and defensive trend has changed, and we have become the advantage, so I have other feelings. I was wondering, why did Xiang Yu not have Jiangdong at the beginning? I was thinking, even if Xiang Yu passed Jiangdong, could he still fight back?

"The situation in the early Han Dynasty is different from the present, but Xiang Yu's situation may be acceptable everywhere. He refused to cross the Yangtze River, because of his character. But at the same time, because of his heroic courage, he was already lost by Han Xin's ambush! When he arrived in Wujiang, he was already at the end of his journey. Even if he crossed Jiangdong, he could survive, but he would not have the chance to make a comeback!

"Therefore, our decisive battle this time is to destroy all the heroic spirits of the Khitan like Han Xin's ambush!

"Although we don't need to destroy Yelu Deguang in this battle, we want to make him never have a day to turn over again. Even if the Khitans can return to the northeast, they will only become zombies guarding the mortals and waiting for death!"

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Yelu Deguang once said: Yang Yi can’t afford to delay!

Yes, although Yang Yi's army was not troubled by food and grass for a considerable period of time due to receiving a large amount of cattle and sheep trophy, this time cannot be extended without limit. The cattle and sheep in Mobei will eventually be eaten for one day, and it is impossible for him to really wait for that day.

Zhang Mai and Yang Yi both have to try to weaken Mobei, but there is also a critical point here. After passing this critical point, Zhang Mai will clean up the mess later and it will be a major disaster.

But there is one thing Yelu Deguang didn't say, that's right, he actually couldn't afford to delay.

Although Shangjing's savings were abundant, after a large immigration a month ago, the remaining was limited. Yelu Deguang could not spend it for a long time to provide supplies for more than 100,000 troops in the Linhuang Mansion - but this was not what Yelu Deguang feared the most. What he feared the most was the threat from the south.

Stop Yang Yi and hit his vanguard, causing the Yingyang army to lose the aura after breaking through Mobei last year. This is the Khitans' wishful thinking. But they must not wait without restrictions, because maybe when Zhang Mai can unite the rear and lead the troops northward. If by that time, and Shi Jingtang cannot hold Zhang Mai's back, the Khitan will be over.

Therefore, at a certain critical moment, both sides are actually developing a subtle tacit understanding, which is the decisive opportunity that both sides think is most beneficial to them.

And at this moment, this joint has arrived.

Well, or rather, just when Yelu Deguang thought that this critical moment was "about to come", Yang Yi had decided to take the initiative!

"Time is up!" Yang Yi ordered: "I won't wait for news from the south! Fight!"

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This day is sunny and suitable for outings.

But as the vanguard, Chai Rong had no freehand plan. He led more than 6,000 troops and horses to attack the left wing of the Khitan. His troops crossed the boundary of the Thunder Pool, and a cavalry of the same number was launched in the capital.

Chai Rong's men were his core combat power, including the orphan army of two palaces, the three Hu camps led by the three warriors, and three tribal army brigades with more than one thousand people.

The Khitan who went out of the city to pursue was the five thousand East China Sea Wei.

In the past ten days, the two sides have conducted more than once tentative wars and provocative wars. The mutual tentative war between the Khitan and the Tang army has always been like this. The number of troops the Tang army drove, the Khitan would not send overwhelming troops to intercept the troops - this seems to be a hint and demonstration: The combat effectiveness of our Khitan men is not inferior to your Tiance Tang army!

At the same time, this is also a strange tacit understanding, and it seems that doing so. Both sides can restrain their battles in local battlefields and tactical temptations.

In the past, once the Khitan left the city, the Tang army would be forced to give up its established goals and adjust the direction of the march to meet the enemy.

But this time Chai Rong ignored the troops from Shangjing. He continued to advance, and the troops continued to drive towards the camps in the middle of the left wing of the Khitan, and sold his back to the cavalry from Shangjing. In terms of military tactics, this is a taboo, if there were only these two troops on the entire battlefield.

But just after the five thousand East Sea Wei left the city, another group of troops was launched from the Tang army camp - that was the right-wing army from Tiance. Shi Jian sent five thousand tribal cavalry to the battlefield and attacked five thousand East Sea Wei.

When he went to the top of the capital, Yelu Pode discovered through the Qianli Miles and immediately sent five thousand Bohai Army to attack the tribal troops sent by Shi Jian to interrogate them.

After the Tang army's vanguard team discovered it, they immediately sent five tribal troops of a thousand-man brigade toward the 5,000 Bohai Army that had just left the city.

After Yelu Pode discovered it, he immediately sent another army to respond. The first two troops who drove out of the city all set out from the southern gate of Shangjing through Seoul to ensure that the boundary of Leichi was not broken by the Tang army. However, this army no longer set out from the South Gate, but from the Gande Gate of Ximen, he was going to encircle the five thousand-man brigades of the Tang army's vanguard! And the number was as high as 10,000!

When Shi Jian heard the news, he immediately sent another 10,000 troops to the battlefield.

"Ye! Come! Finally!" Yelu Pode sighed.

Originally, Yelu Deguang was ready to end the tactical test tomorrow and start the attack. Although the Khitan was ready, Yang Yi had to hurry up a day before and took the initiative in this decisive battle.

Then, the horns were blown over and over again in the entire Shangjing City. When all the senior generals heard the horn, they knew that the tactical test had ended and the formal decisive battle was coming!
To be continued...