Song Xiu

Chapter 65 Go quickly and invite Liu Jiye
The flower blooms at both ends, each representing a different branch.

While the situation in Luzhou changed drastically due to Zhao Dexiu's arrival, the situation in Zezhou also underwent new developments.

Previously, Li Jun led tens of thousands of elite troops from Luzhou southward to Zezhou.

Li Jun's plan was to strike first and lead his troops into the territory of Kaifeng Prefecture as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the eastern route Song army, led by Murong Yanzhao, marched northwards.

The two armies advanced from the north and south, and finally met several dozen miles away from Gaoping City in Zezhou.

Upon their sudden encounter, Li Jun led his troops in a fierce attack on the Song army.

However, Murong Yanzhao was a veteran general, and the Imperial Guards were unparalleled in their elite strength. In the first battle between the two armies, Li Jun lost 3,000 men and was forced to retreat.

Fortunately, Li Jun had already led his troops to capture Gaoping. When he retreated to the outskirts of Gaoping, he managed to stabilize the situation.

After that battle, Li Jun suddenly realized that engaging in open battle with the Song army was an unfavorable choice.

Realizing this, Li Jun decided to change tactics and divided his army into two parts.

The most elite troops were stationed in the main camp outside the city, under his personal command.

Li Jun intended for the main camp and the city to support each other, forming a pincer movement.

The rebels' pincer movement was causing Murong Yanzhao a great deal of trouble.

If he leads his army to attack the city, the rebel troops in the main camp will attack his rear, and vice versa.

Under Li Junxin's new tactics, Murong Yanzhao, who was temporarily unable to find a solution, decided to set up camp outside Gaoping City and wait for Zhao Kuangyin's western army to join him.

Some time later, Zhao Kuangyin led the western army to the outskirts of the city.

Upon arriving with his army, Zhao Kuangyin, realizing the enemy's pincer movement, did not rush to order a massive attack.

He was waiting for military intelligence from one person.

Late May of the first year of the Jianlong era of the Song Dynasty.

Zezhou, outside Gaoping City.

Climbing to the lookout tower and gazing at the vast camp stretching into the distance, Li Jun's face darkened.

He had assumed that with Zhao Kuangyin's arrival, the morale of the Song army, which had just won a battle, would be even higher, and that Zhao Kuangyin would give him the advantage to order a strong attack.

This is what Li Jun wanted to see.

He had not suffered any major losses in the previous battle and still had tens of thousands of brave and elite soldiers under his command.

With tens of thousands of brave and elite soldiers at his disposal, coupled with solid fortifications, he was confident that he could repel the Song army's attack, even if the Song army outnumbered him several times over.

Li Jun, a seasoned veteran of many battles, knew that attacking a city was the most demoralizing type of warfare.

If the Song army fails to capture the city after a prolonged siege, its morale will quickly decline. An army with low morale, no matter how large its numbers, is nothing but a paper tiger.

Furthermore, Zhao Kuangyin had only usurped the throne for less than half a year, and his foundation in various parts of the Central Plains was not solid. Li Jun believed that Zhao Kuangyin could not afford to wait.

To Li Jun's surprise, after Zhao Kuangyin and Murong Yanzhao joined forces, the Song army did not launch a single attack.

The frustration of all his schemes falling through filled Li Jun with both anger and worry.

"What on earth are you waiting for?"

After glancing at the distant Song army camp with a puzzled look, Li Jun stepped down from the watchtower.

Unbeknownst to Li Jun, an even worse piece of news awaited him outside his command tent today.

When Li Jun returned to the outside of the commander's tent, he saw someone who should have been inside Shangdang City.

"Upholding righteousness?"

Li Shouyi was Li Jun's second son. When Li Jun led a large army on a southern expedition, he asked Li Shouyi to stay behind and assist Li Shoujie in defending the city.

Li Shouyi's arrival made Li Jun's heart skip a beat.

Previously, there had been many messengers from Shangdang, but Li Shoujie had mostly reported on matters related to the transport of grain and fodder, and the messengers were all ordinary officials.

Li Shoujie's sudden dispatch of a close relative, coupled with Li Yun's observation of the worry on Li Shouyi's face, made him realize that something was likely wrong in Shangdang City.

Fortunately, Li Jun was a man who had seen his share of storms. He tried his best to remain calm and led Li Shouyi into the tent.

Once inside the tent, Li Jun could no longer contain his eagerness.

"Tell me, has something happened in Shangdang?" In his urgency, Li Jun's tone was inevitably a bit harsh.

Li Jun's cold and stern tone made Li Shouyi lose all control of his panic. He immediately knelt down before Li Jun and reported with tears in his eyes:

"Several thousand Song soldiers crossed the Taihang Mountains and launched a surprise attack on Huguan, and Huguan fell!"

Upon hearing this devastating news, Li Jun nearly lost his footing.

Li Jun could accept the loss of other counties in Luzhou.

However, Huguan was an important town with ample grain reserves. After the several thousand Song soldiers captured Huguan, it meant that they had established a firm foothold in the heart of Luzhou.

More importantly, Huguan is very close to Shangdang, and their fates are intertwined; if one falls, the other will be vulnerable. Shangdang will be exposed to the Song army's advance at any time.

And Shangdang absolutely cannot be allowed to be affected!
Where is Li Liren?

Provoked, Li Jun couldn't help but roar out in anger.

Because the matter of overthrowing the Song dynasty and restoring the Zhou dynasty was of great importance, Li Jun did not trust people with different surnames, which is why he entrusted Huguan to him.

I never expected Li Li to repay his trust in this way.

At that moment, Li Jun had the urge to kill Li Li.

Upon hearing Li Jun's inquiry, Li Shouyi recounted in detail to Li Jun the story of "Li Li's murder, which was first reported to various counties."

After Li Shouyi finished speaking, Li Jun couldn't help but gasp.

Amidst his anger, his anxiety and fear grew even stronger.

Who is the enemy general leading the troops?

What about your eldest brother? What did he do?

When Li Jun asked this question, the names of several veteran generals of the Imperial Guards came to mind.

Based on Li Jun's experience, after some thought, he was able to deduce the sinister intentions of the Song army in "sending the heads to various counties".

In Li Jun's mind, the person who came up with this idea must not be an unknown person.

But Li Shouyi's next answer made Li Jun's thoughts come to a standstill.

"The commander-in-chief of the Song army is Zhao Dexiu, the defense commissioner of Chanzhou!"

Zhao Dexiu?

When Li Jun first heard the name, he didn't immediately realize who he was.

His thoughts now mostly revolve around the names of Shi Shouxin, Li Chuyun, Wang Quanbin, and others.

A few breaths later, Li Jun finally remembered who Zhao Dexiu was.

He's only sixteen years old.

A wave of bewildered thoughts washed over Li Jun.

The shock, coupled with his anxiety about the situation in Shangdang, caused Li Jun to stagger back a few steps.

Li Jun's unusual behavior greatly alarmed Li Shouyi.

Li Shouyi rushed forward to help Li Jun, but Li Jun pushed him away.

"Your elder brother is no match for him."

The fact that a sixteen-year-old boy could lead an army across the Taihang Mountains to launch a surprise attack on Huguan and devise a "psychological warfare strategy" is enough to prove Zhao Dexiu's talent in military strategy.

Those with a talent for military strategy should never be underestimated.

Back then, Zhu Wen thought Li Cunxu was "young and easy to bully," and after several campaigns, Zhu Wen's elite troops were decimated by Li Cunxu.

Li Jun will not repeat the mistakes of his predecessors.

After gradually calming down, Li Jun pondered the plan that Li Shouyi had just reported to Lu Qiu Zhongqing.

"Drive away the tigers to devour the wolves, and lead the elite troops of the Northern Han to protect Shangdang."

Even though this strategy was somewhat like drinking poison to quench thirst for Li Jun, he had no other choice but to take it in order to stabilize the situation in the rear.

Li Jun said weakly:
“Go back and tell your elder brother that I will send a messenger to Liu Jiye to ask for help.”

Liu Jiye was known as "invincible" in the Northern Han Dynasty, so he should be able to stop Zhao Dexiu!
(End of this chapter)