bookrandom Chapter 2166 Suddenly
Chapter 2166 Suddenly
Meanwhile, outside the North Gate.
Just as Feng Mulan had learned, the Chu army's defenses here were indeed weak.
Commander Wang Yanzhang was ordered to lead 20,000 troops to set up camp here, with the mission of "monitoring the north gate and preventing the Tang army from breaking out."
Therefore, his main defensive focus was on the periphery—several lines of defense were set up along the south bank of the Huai River, with warships patrolling the water and cavalry patrolling the shore.
As for the area under the north gate city wall?
Only three thousand infantrymen were left to guard the area.
According to common sense, if the Tang army wanted to break out from the north gate, they would first have to open the city gate and lower the drawbridge, which would take time.
This period of time was enough for the Chu army on the periphery to react and complete the encirclement.
But Wang Yanzhang never expected that the Tang army would not only not break out, but would instead gather inside the city.
"General! Something's wrong inside the city!"
Suddenly, a soldier on the watchtower shouted: "The Tang troops on the north gate tower... are increasing!"
Wang Yanzhang quickly climbed the watchtower and looked around.
On the north gate tower, the Tang army's flags were growing ever larger, and the defenders were densely packed together.
Even more strangely, a large number of Tang troops began to gather in the square inside the city gate.
These were not routed soldiers, but a well-organized army, lined up in battle formation.
"What are they doing?"
Wang Yanzhang frowned: "Gathering troops, preparing to counterattack from the north gate? But our army camp is outside the north gate. Wouldn't they be throwing their lives away if they rushed out?"
The lieutenant speculated, "Could it be... that they intend to break out through the north gate and escape across the Huai River?"
"Crossing the Huai River?"
Wang Yanzhang sneered: "The Huai River is a hundred feet wide and the current is swift. Where would they get their boats? Even if they did have boats, with my naval warships guarding the river, how could they possibly cross?"
That being said, the scene before us is truly bizarre.
Wang Yanzhang dared not be careless and immediately ordered: "Send orders to all camps to strengthen their defenses! Move the archers forward and prepare the catapults! Once the Tang army leaves the city, engage them immediately!"
Twenty thousand Chu troops were quickly mobilized and deployed outside the north gate.
But all their preparations were based on the assessment that "the Tang army would break out of the city."
Inside the city, the Tang army was assembling at an increasingly rapid pace.
Guo Ziyi, escorted by his personal guards, finally arrived at the North Gate.
He climbed the city wall and looked down.
About 30,000 soldiers had gathered in the square. Although most of them were wounded and their organization was in disarray, they still maintained the basic structure of an army.
Further away, troops were pouring in from all directions.
"Commander!"
Li Guangbi strode forward, having just finished directing the retreat at Ximen: "Those who could evacuate are mostly here, about... 80,000 people."
"We left 20,000 brothers to cover the rear, and the rest of the brothers are on their way."
80,000.
From the initial 120,000 defenders, to the current 80,000.
Guo Ziyi felt a pang of pain in his heart, but remained outwardly calm: "That's enough."
He turned and looked out of the city.
The Huai River shimmered under the moonlight, while the opposite bank was a pitch-black wilderness.
Further away, the torches of the Chu army's naval warships could be seen, dotting the river like stars.
"Is the ship ready?" Guo Ziyi asked.
"Ready."
Li Guangbi lowered his voice: "A month ago, the commander-in-chief secretly ordered me to prepare a backup plan—one hundred and twenty fast boats, which are hidden in the reeds three miles outside the North Gate. Each boat can carry fifty people, and can transport six thousand at a time."
Guo Ziyi nodded.
This is his last trump card.
A month ago, when Chu Ning personally led an army of 300,000 southwards, he had a premonition that the Jianghuai region might not be able to be defended.
Therefore, he secretly ordered Li Guangbi to prepare this fleet and hide it in the reeds on the north bank of the Huai River for any eventuality.
"Cross the river in batches."
Guo Ziyi said in a deep voice, "Take five thousand elite troops over there first and establish a defensive line on the other side. Then the fleet will return to pick up the second batch. Remember, you must be quick and covert."
"Then... the rearguard?" Li Guangbi asked.
Guo Ziyi remained silent for a moment, then turned his gaze to the city—there, the shouts of battle grew closer, and the footsteps of the advancing Mo Dao troops could be clearly heard.
"I will personally cover the rear."
"General!" Li Guangbi exclaimed urgently, "No! You are the commander-in-chief of the army, how can you..."
"It is precisely because I am the commander-in-chief that I must cover the rear."
Guo Ziyi interrupted him, his voice leaving no room for doubt: "Go, and remember, after crossing the river, do not linger. Retreat north immediately and join up with the reinforcements from Luoyang."
Li Guangbi wanted to say something more, but looking into Guo Ziyi's resolute eyes, he could only clasp his hands in a deep fist salute.
"I obey your command!"
He turned and left the city to begin organizing the first group to cross the river.
On the city wall, Guo Ziyi stood alone.
The night wind ruffled his gray hair and beard, and stirred his tattered cloak.
Behind them lay the soon-to-fall city of Jianghuai.
Before him lay the surging Huai River, and an unknown path of retreat.
But he knew that this retreat was not the end.
It was the beginning of another war.
As long as these 40,000 remaining soldiers can retreat, as long as Guo Ziyi is still alive—
As long as the Tang Dynasty exists, there is still hope.
He gripped the sword tightly in his hand.
The battle to cover the rear is about to begin.
On the south bank of the Huai River, in front of the Chu army camp, battle suddenly broke out.
Li Guangbi personally led 5,000 elite Tang soldiers, and instead of marching out of the city gates in formation, he suddenly opened the sluice gate at the north gate under the cover of night.
That was the sluice gate normally used to regulate the water level of the moat. It was only three zhang wide, but wide enough for soldiers to file out one after another.
They poured out of the sluice gate like ghosts, without forming ranks or shouting, and rushed directly towards the nearest Chu army defense line.
Wang Yanzhang's troops were on high alert, ready to meet the Tang army that was breaking out from the front of the city gate, but they never expected that the enemy would break out from the sluice gate on the flank.
In the rush, the defense line fell into disarray.
"Enemy attack! From the sluice gate!" the Chu army captain shouted a warning, but it was too late.
Li Guangbi took the lead, his long spear moving like a poisonous dragon emerging from its cave, and with one thrust he sent three Chu army shield bearers who were trying to form a battle formation flying.
The five thousand Tang soldiers behind him pounced into the Chu army's formation like a pack of wolves, not seeking to kill, but frantically charging, cutting, and disrupting the Chu army's formation.
"Don't panic! Form a circular formation!"
Wang Yanzhang gave stern commands from behind the lines. However, the Tang army's surprise attack was too sudden, and the Chu soldiers, in their panic, were unable to mount an effective resistance.
Even more fatal was that these five thousand Tang soldiers fought with a completely reckless disregard for their lives.
They don't defend, they only attack; they don't form ranks, they only charge.
Everyone was prepared to die, using their bodies to smash through the Chu army's shield wall and their swords and axes to hack at the Chu army's lines.
Tang soldiers were constantly being pierced by spears, but before falling, they would hold on tightly to the legs of Chu soldiers to create opportunities for their comrades behind them.
"General! The left flank has been breached!" The lieutenant rushed in, his face covered in blood.
Wang Yanzhang gritted his teeth and looked over.
The three thousand infantrymen on the left flank had indeed scattered, and the Tang army was pouring in through the gap, attempting to divide and encircle the central army.
Further away, on the north gate tower, the second batch of Tang troops had begun to assemble—clearly, these 5,000 men were just the vanguard, with a larger army following behind!
"Hold on! We must hold on!"
Wang Yanzhang drew his sword: "Order the cavalry to flank from both sides! Archers, cover the gaps in the firing range!"