Lin'an Never Night

Chapter 495: The Unbreakable Siege
As Yang Yuan and the tribal leaders in Shangjing area returned to their own territories one after another, the entire Shangjing Huining Prefecture was in turmoil.

Each tribe was mobilizing and conscripting warriors from the small tribes that were vassal states of theirs.

They will join other tribes at the foot of Shangjing City and together they will besiege the city.

There was no need for Yang Yuan to analyze the pros and cons for them too much. They all understood this very simple truth.

The food reserves in Shangjing City are not enough to sustain the defenders until the end of the year, so the defenders in Shangjing City will definitely not sit and wait for death.

If you don't besiege the city, he will take the initiative to leave the city for food.

No single tribe could be a match for the defenders of Shangjing City.

In Shangjing City, Wanyan Yan was also very conflicted.

In fact, from the moment Tan Jiu and his companions failed in their attempt to stop the enemy and fled back to Shangjing City in disarray, he should have given up his fantasy and immediately sent out troops to plunder the nearby tribes and bring back all the edible things to Shangjing City.

However, he hesitated.

First of all, this was inconsistent with the strategic mission objectives that Wanyan Liang originally assigned to him.

Originally, this armed force in Shangjing did not need to take any action. As long as it stayed in Shangjing City, it could contain all the tribes in Shangjing Huining Prefecture.

This will play a huge role in helping Wanyan Liang pacify Liaodong.

However, man proposes, God disposes. Wanyan Liang did not expect Jiang Huazhou, the commander of the Hesuguan Road, to betray him, nor did he expect Wanyan Yong, the sixth old man, to take advantage of the situation. He also did not expect that Wanyan Luti, that bastard, would actually become so powerful that he could defend Dading Prefecture and keep his army out to suppress the rebellion.

Since the imperial army was unable to enter Liaodong for a long time, the time for suppressing the rebellion was seriously delayed, which led to a major change in the entire war situation, at least for Wanyan Yong who was defending Shangjing City.

As for the second reason, it is because Wanyan Yan is too steady.

He is down-to-earth, taking one step at a time, never seeking quick success or instant benefits, and never taking an unconventional approach...

This was the main reason why Wanyan Liang chose him to be the governor of Shangjing, the former capital.

But he was too steady.

He was worried that forcing him to leave the city to rob food was a conspiracy of the enemy army, who wanted to eat up his troops one by one while he was out, or to take advantage of the emptiness of the city to steal his hometown.

He imagined that His Majesty might be able to capture Dading Prefecture in the near future and change the situation in Liaodong...

His indecision caused him to miss a most important opportunity.

Then, he had no chance.

The various tribes took the initiative to gather near the capital city.

They gathered at the bank of a river more than eighty miles away from Shangjing City. When the warriors from various tribes arrived one after another, they marched towards Shangjing City.

Yang Yuan personally brought Shangguan Luo and Wanyan Hongkang to Shangjing City.

Although they will not stay here forever, they must make an appearance.

Warriors from various tribes were stationed outside each gate of Shangjing, digging trenches, building fortifications, setting traps, and laying deer antlers...

Wanyan Yan also took the initiative to send troops to test and harass.

However, the tall city walls and deep moats have now become the major reasons that trapped him.

The only way he could send troops was through the drawbridge at the city gate.

The enemy was blocked outside, and the troops that could have direct contact with the enemy were very limited.

Of course, long-range attacks can be launched on the enemy from the top of the city, but there are also catapults and crossbows outside the city, so the anti-suppression effect is not bad.

In the end, Wanyan Yan did not make any breakthrough, so he had to retreat back to the city, raise the drawbridge, and seal the city gate.

Outside the city, not only were fortifications and trenches built, traps were set up, but they even began to build "city walls".

In this way, not only can they shoot at the soldiers in the city from the "city wall", but they can also look down from a high position and shoot and kill the officers and soldiers rushing out of the city one by one.

Moreover, if the city wall continues to be built, it may become a series of barbican cities.

The elderly, the weak, women and children in each tribe were responsible for the supply of food and fodder. Since there were no imperial troops outside the capital city, and it was the world of each tribe, the tribes did not even need to send troops to protect the supply lines.

They set up camp here and showed off their military might.

The people in the city were in panic and had no morale.

Because, according to Shangguan Luo's idea, arrows were shot into the city from time to time outside the city to carry out psychological warfare tactics.

Some soldiers were literate, and some of their arrows were shot into civilian houses, making it even more difficult to blockade the area.

Soon, the news spread that there were thirty-six large tribes and seventy-two small tribes outside the city, with 200,000 troops besieging Shangjing City.

At the same time, the frightening news spread that the grain reserves in Shangjing City were not enough to last until the end of the year, and that Wanyan Yan would first eat the civilians and then the old and weak in the army.

It turns out that attacking the heart is the best approach.

As the news came out, the capital city of Shangjing remained unmoved, but the people's hearts began to waver in an instant.

Wanyan Yan was busy gathering the elders and gentry to dispel the rumors. He believed that sincerity was always the ultimate weapon, but he didn't know that nothing is absolute. Sometimes and in some situations, a white lie is more useful than sincerity.

He explained to everyone seriously that the army besieging the city was definitely not 200,000 strong, and he also swore to heaven that he would never eat human flesh...

How could a pure soldier, or a general with a gentle and steady personality, possibly be able to defeat a natural politician like Shangguan Luo?
The only effect of Wanyan Yan's refuting the rumor was that it had a counterproductive effect.

You said that the army besieging the city was definitely less than 200,000. Does that mean you admit that it was not a small number?

How much is it if it’s not 200,000, 199,900?
Play word games with us, we are all educated people.

You said you would never eat human beings, so that means you admit that you don't have enough food?

You said you would never eat human beings..., of course there is food that is only supplied to you, but you don't eat what your subordinates eat, right?

Then, Shangguan Luo came up with another plan for Li Taigong and the others. He wrote the story of "Zhang Xun defending Sui Yang" vividly and shot the arrows into the city.

The story spread quickly. When people saw that in order to boost military morale, Zhang Xun first killed his concubines and servants, and then cooked them into broth to share with the soldiers, Wanyan Yan's concubines and servants all looked at him with strange eyes.

Different people look at this matter from different perspectives, and their stance and understanding are different.

It would be a bit unreasonable to ask Wanyan Yan's concubines and servants to understand the significance of doing this.

They could not accept the fate of being dismembered, thrown into a big pot, boiled into soup and drunk by others.

If I put you in his position, could you accept it?
When Wanyan Yan returned home, he felt terrified when he saw the way the concubines and servants looked at him.

He didn't dare let his concubine sleep with him anymore. He would close the door tightly and put a knife under his pillow when he went to bed at night.

Then he began to suspect that the food he ate might have been poisoned, so he simply moved to the top of the city and lived and ate with the soldiers.

But by doing so, he made his concubines and servants even more terrified.

By doing this, does the general intend to use them as military rations?
This is the case in Wanyan Yan's mansion, so how could other generals' mansions be exception?

Besiege the city, attack the heart...

The generals defending the city were restless, their subordinates were at a loss, and their families and the people were in a state of panic...

Rumors no longer needed to be guided outside the city. A new version of the rumor spread wildly among the people in the city every day.

This city can no longer be defended!
This has become a consensus among the military and civilians in the city.

Didn’t we talk about Zhang Xun’s story? His city was eventually conquered.

Before the war, there were 40,000 households in Suiyang City. Assuming that each household had only five people, there were 200,000 people.

When the city was captured, there were only 400 people left alive.

Indeed, from a strategic point of view, the ten-month hold was meaningful. It preserved the remaining tax support and canal transportation in the Yangtze River and Huaihe River basins for the Tang Dynasty, giving the Tang Dynasty a chance to catch its breath and complete preparations for a counterattack.

However, how many people in Shangjing City were willing to have their parents, wives, concubines, children and themselves chopped into pieces and eaten by others for the sake of Wanyan Liang?

There is still food in the city, which is the only reason why large-scale riots have not yet broken out in the city.

Once the city runs out of food, the people of Shangjing, who have been tortured for a long time by the horrific scenes they have constantly imagined, will probably erupt in an uncontrollable riot.

The only reason why Wanyan Yan still held on was because there was still food in the city.

He was still fantasizing that the new General of the Northern Expedition, Yelu Yuanyi, would be able to capture Dading Prefecture.

As long as the imperial court's anti-rebellion army advances into Liaodong, some of the tribes besieging the city here will be shaken and a turning point will appear.

So, wait, and wait some more.

……

In Dading Prefecture, Wanyan Luti received a letter from his son Wanyan Hongkang.

Upon learning that he was elected as "Dubojilie" by public vote, Wanyan Luti laughed out loud.

He immediately informed the entire city's military and civilians of this matter, and the morale of the army was greatly boosted.

Today, he is the leader of the alliance, and tomorrow he may be the emperor.

Then aren't those who followed Wanyan Luti to defend Dading Prefecture the heroes who followed the emperor?
Wanyan Luti's defense of Dading Prefecture was actually very difficult.

However, he had tens of thousands of elite Liaodong soldiers brought by Jiang Huazhou, most of whom were from Bohai. His father-in-law, Li Taigong, was a famous Bohai family with amazing appeal.

Therefore, finance, food, materials and personnel can be replenished in a timely manner.

Relying on this strong city to defend and wait for attack, after a series of fierce battles, he not only defended the city, but also became more powerful.

His military strength did not increase much, as there were too many soldiers and it was difficult to supply them, but each of his soldiers was tempered in the tug-of-war in attacking and defending cities, and their fighting power was far superior to that of the mob of able-bodied men that Wanyan Dari had recruited.

……

However, Wanyan Darui's strength has also greatly increased now.

Because Wanyan Dari successfully captured Jiuliancheng and took over the tens of thousands of soldiers and horses left behind in Jiuliancheng, as well as mountains of food, fodder and military equipment.

The defending general Deng Feiyang died in the battle.

Wanyan Dari succeeded in stealing Zhao Yijia's base, and immediately switched from offense to defense, waiting for Zhao Yijia's counterattack with ease.

At this time, Zhao Yiji had just fought a bitter battle with Wanyan Yong's army outside the city of Liaoyang and was unaware that his home had been robbed.

Zhao Yiji guessed that Wanyan Yong would definitely go out of the city to welcome him, because an angel had come, and the angel represented the emperor.

Since Wanyan Yong was trying hard to build his image as the most loyal minister in Liaodong, there was no reason for him to be rude to the angel.

But he didn't expect that at the Holy Mountain Alliance Conference, someone would reveal Wanyan Yong's true identity.

After Wanyan Yong received the news, he decisively showed his fangs and carried out a major purge in Liaoyang City.

The bloodstains on the long street had not dried yet.

Under these circumstances, they suddenly received news that Zhao Yijia was personally escorting the angels and transporting food and fodder to Liaoyang City. This was a godsend for Wanyan Yong.

He guessed that the reason why Zhao Yiji left Jiuliancheng and personally escorted the angel was to show his loyalty and awe to Wanyan Liang.

But more importantly, I'm afraid that in order to support the angels, they will force me to take the initiative to send troops to suppress the bandits.

After all, although he kept shouting very hard, he hardly did anything.

Wanyan Liang was not stupid. Even though it was not appropriate to issue an edict to reprimand him given the current situation, it was inevitable to urge him to send troops.

But this is no longer important to him.

Because he has rebelled.

After the scouts reported that there was a main force dozens of miles behind Zhao Yijia's grain team, Wanyan Yong had to wonder whether Zhao Yijia intended to kill him.

Therefore, Wanyan Yong adjusted his countermeasures in time and sent Chen Songting to lead a group of troops out of the city and go around the left wing of the grain team.

Wang Wanhua led a group of people and went around to the right wing of Zhao Yijia's grain team.

Yuan Zhao led a group of troops to intercept Zhao Yijia's retreat and also to block Zhao Yijia's follow-up troops.

This task was the most difficult, and Wanyan Yong's order to him was: hold on for half an hour.

Li Shi led his ambush troops and still ambushed them in the city wall.

Wanyan Yong wore dark armor and brought Ugun Yuanzhong with him. He said that the west of the city had just been harassed by Wanyan Dari's roving enemies. It was not until Zhao Yiji and Eunuch Sun were at the gates that they went out to greet them.

The result was that the two old men each had their own ulterior motives and neither could defeat the other.

When Wanyan Yong and Ugulun Yuanzhong led their men forward to greet them, they were only a few steps away from the suspension bridge.

But Zhao Yiji had no intention of entering the city. Seeing that there was no better opportunity, he had to order his men to take action.

Wanyan Yong originally wanted to trick Zhao Yiji and Eunuch Sun into the city, but he didn't expect the other side to take action first. A volley of arrows was shot at him, and then they drew their long swords and rode their horses to rush forward.

Wanyan Yong was hit by five arrows, but fortunately he was wearing hidden armor, so the five arrows did not hit his head or face, and did not cause any serious damage to him.

Wugulun Yuanzhong was not the main target of Zhao Yijia's first wave of killing, so he was not hit by any arrows.

The two men didn't care about the guards on their left and right, and fled towards the suspension bridge.

As soon as the two men ran onto the suspension bridge, Wanyan Yong's uncle Li Shi ordered the suspension bridge to be raised.

As a result, His Royal Highness Prince Ge did not run across the suspension bridge, but somersaulted down the rapidly rising suspension bridge.

However, the drawbridge was raised in time to block the arrows that were shooting at him.

Wanyan Yong fled back to the city in a panic, and in anger he gathered his cavalry and rushed out of the city.

Seeing that the surprise attack had failed, Zhao Yijia only exchanged fire with the enemy on the city wall for a few moments before hastily ordering a retreat.

At the same time, he sent people to the rear to notify the army to speed up and join them immediately.

Since he failed to kill Wanyan Yong in a surprise attack, he could only gather the main force and lay siege to the city.

Wanyan Yong had always prided himself on being a loyal minister, but suddenly he became a rebel, and the three armies were bound to be shaken.

Furthermore, there are many forces in the city that refuse to join the rebellion.

At that time, he only needs to reveal the emperor's intention to kill Wanyan Yong, who was indecisive and harboring enemies. This will definitely divide the forces in the city, and maybe someone will surrender the city.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Yijia had just escaped a short distance when Chen Songting and Wang Wanhua led their troops to attack him.

Zhao Yiji then realized that he had been planning to kill Wanyan Yong outside the city, but Wanyan Yong had already planned to kill him in Liaoyang City.

Although Zhao Yijia retreated in a hurry, he did not abandon the "food and fodder" in his carts.

Because most of those "food and grass" were siege equipment, but at this time he was surrounded by enemy troops on both sides, Zhao Yijia felt that the situation was not good.

When Wanyan Yong and Ugun Yuanzhong personally led their troops to chase and kill them, Zhao Yijia had no choice but to bear the pain of giving up the "food and grass" that hindered the march and break out backwards.

In the end, Zhao Yijia protected Eunuch Sun and led some remnants of the defeated army to join his main force.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Wanyan Yong quickly led his troops back to Liaoyang City.

However, he had discovered that the food supplies were actually siege weapons, so he set them on fire while still chasing them.

In the end, only Yuan Zhao's troops, who were responsible for intercepting Zhao Yijia's main force, suffered heavy losses.

On Zhao Yijia's side, only the troops responsible for transporting the "food and fodder" suffered heavy losses.

But the problem was that all of Zhao Yijia's siege equipment was destroyed.

It was impossible to rebuild using local materials because it would take too long. He did not bring enough food and grass, and Wanyan Yong would not sit idly by and watch him cut down trees and build.

Zhao Yijia tried to march to the city of Liaoyang and use psychological warfare to incite the soldiers in the city to rebel.

As a result, Wanyan Yong threw many heads down from the city wall, telling him that all the disloyal people in the city had been killed by him.

Zhao Yiji examined the heads and found that they were not just chopped off. He knew that Wanyan Liang had purged the city before he arrived in Liaoyang.

Zhao Yiji had no choice but to discuss with Eunuch Sun and decide to return to Jiuliancheng first to make plans.

Zhao Yiji retreated in an orderly manner. Although Wanyan Yong sent Ugun Yuanzhong to pursue them for a while, he saw that there was no opportunity to take advantage of, so he had to let them leave.

At this time, Wanyan Darui had already run Jiuliancheng like an iron bucket.

Jiuliancheng occupied by Wanyan Darui is not a place that has been at war on all sides. Based on the strategic location of rivers and mountains, it can even be said to be invincible on three sides and can be completely used as a base.

If the defenders here had not been caught off guard by Wanyan Dari, it would not have been so easy to capture them.

Wanyan Darui continued to expand his army and train his soldiers with the large amount of weapons and food he seized here, while at the same time strengthening the city walls and expanding the outer city.

When Zhao Yiji led his troops back to Jiulian City, he was shocked to find that the big flag on the top of the city had become the flag of King Dayu.

The generals guarding the city walls were actually the ones he had already put in jail and were about to be handed over to Eunuch Sun to be taken back to Yanjing for public beheading.

Then, Kong Yanzhou climbed up the city wall with Zhao Yijia's two favorite concubines in his arms.

"General Zhao, thank you for your hard work along the way."

Kong Yanzhou shouted from the top of the city wall: "Your two concubines are very good at serving people. This general will gladly accept them."

Zhao Yiji looked at the top of the city wall, his face as black as iron.

Eunuch Sun's face was even darker than Zhao Yiji's. Jiuliancheng was lost. Needless to say, his ship parked at the port was also in the hands of others, and he could not go back.

Kong Yanzhou patted the two beauties' buttocks and shouted to Zhao Yijia, "General Zhao has given me these beauties, so I should do my best to be a good host. General Zhao, why don't you come into the city and have three cups with me?"

Zhao Yiji stood on his horse at the foot of the city and seemed to be able to hear the crisp "pa pa" sound.

Was that a spanking of his concubine's buttocks? That was a spanking of his face!

Eunuch Sun asked, "General Zhao, shall we attack Jiulian City?"

Zhao Yijia said: "It would be unwise to attack Jiuliancheng by force now. We are already an isolated army..."

Eunuch Sun said in a trembling voice: "Then what should we do?"

Zhao Yijia was silent for a moment, then slowly said: "Right now, there are only three options to choose from..."

(End of this chapter)