The newly established Shuaisi, Du Zhongxiao, Fu Bi and Zhao Zi, sat together, looking at the official documents sent back from the front line. Today, the entire army was dispatched, and hundreds of thousands of people crossed the Juma River and headed straight towards the Khitan. The Jingtai army was farther away, and Gongwen only arrived tomorrow. The other armies set out from near Xiongzhou, and the official documents came back that day to report the situation of the march.

Putting down the official document, Du Zhongxiao said: "Zhang Ke went to Yongqing, but he was not blocked all the way. In his official document, he said that the people he saw on the road were extremely difficult because of the Khitan's grain collection. He marched for dozens of miles, and there was no surplus grain among the people, and most of them survived by eating tree roots. I heard that in the past few months, I don't know how many people died on the other side. When the people saw the army of this dynasty, they all knelt down to welcome them, thinking that the king's army could save them from water and fire."

Fu Bi sighed: "I only know that it is not easy for Khitan to collect grain, but I didn't expect it to be at this level. In a state, there is no surplus of grain among the people, and even the seeds that have been seen have been conquered. This situation is unexpected."

Zhao Zi said: "When a large army goes to war, the most convenient way is to collect food and grass on the spot. It is better to transport grain from behind, but it is difficult to get a thousand miles away. Although we are well prepared, there are countless difficulties. In Youzhou, there is no surplus grain among the people. Isn't it as good as the solid walls and clear fields of this dynasty?"

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "It's true. It seems that the scope of this battle cannot be too large, otherwise the pressure on food and grass will be unbearable. I originally thought that if the war goes well, I would take advantage of the victory to advance north and take the Zhongjing Road of the Khitan. Forget it, it's enough to occupy Youzhou."

Fu Bi said: "Yes, if you want to move north, you must rest in Youzhou for a year. From Xiongzhou to Youzhou, there are more than 200 miles, so we can support the food and grass. If you cross Yanshan, it will be much more difficult."

Du Zhongxiao shook his head and could only put down his ambitions from the previous few days. The scope of this battle could not be expanded, so he should use Youzhou and Cangzhou as the battlefield and do his best to eliminate the main force of the Khitan. Other places should be discussed next year. If there is a railway built to Youzhou, it will be much easier to move northward. In this era, it will be difficult to build the railway to Youzhou and go north again.

Zhao Zi said: "Jia Kui came to report that after Rongcheng County fired a few artillery, the army in the city was sacrificed. The new city went even smoother. As soon as the army arrived at the city, the county magistrate of the city sent people to show off the city. In one day, it was like a marching man."

Du Zhongxiao said: "The Khitan has transferred all the troops to Cangzhou, and there are very few defenders in various cities in Youzhou. This is not surprising. The Khitan originally thought that the army was unstoppable to go south, and there was no response to the counterattack of the dynasty. It seems that Youzhou is now a broken house. If you kick it up, the house will collapse."

Fu Bi and Zhao Zi laughed. Today was the first day to send troops, and everyone was nervous and worried for a day. After hearing Du Zhongxiao's words, the atmosphere became relaxed.

The Khitan is indeed like this now. It has been overdrawn and is just waiting for the Song army to come forward to take their lives.

In this era, traffic was slow and information circulation was slow. People's thoughts were difficult to keep up with the era of drastic changes. In the eyes of the Khitans, they were still the invincible empire, and the military strength of the Song Dynasty was definitely not as strong as that of themselves. Even if there were doubts, they would be brought to this inherent understanding by the general environment. In fact, with the achievements of the Song army over the years, the Khitan should not go south at all. But together, all factors were entangled, no one proposed this point, and he still chose to promote the whole country's troops.

When they went south, the Khitans knew that Youzhou could not support hundreds of thousands of people. Their plan was to go south quickly, plunder and support their own army after entering the Song realm. Even if they could not capture Kaifeng Prefecture, they could plunder a large amount of property when they finally retreated like the Battle of Chanzhou. No matter how they calculated, they would not be a loss-making business. However, they did not expect that the Song army was firm in the clear walls and clearing the fields, and the city was particularly difficult to break through. Hundreds of thousands of troops were found in the Song realm. All the food and grass needed had to be transported from the local area, and the nearest Youzhou was the worst disaster.

In Youzhou, except for a small number of loyal Khitan ministers, most of them were eager for the Song army to come soon. If the Song army did not come, the difficulty of supplying Khitan military supplies was really unbearable.

Outside Yongjing Army City, Shisanlang said to Liu Huan: "Taiwei, when we go to Cangzhou, we should be divided into two groups. But I am a cavalry, your unit is an infantry, and the two armies are separated, there is no benefit. Why not just join the troops and my cavalry will take you right and left and right? How about taking the Khitan?"

Liu Huan said: "This is the best. There are more than 200,000 Khitan troops in Cangzhou. We can compete with each other in one place. The commander of the commander to hold back the Khitans and prevent their main force from returning to the north, which is not easy."

Shisanlang said: "It may not be. Judging from the examples of fighting on Hequ Road before, the number of 50,000 troops is like the Khitan army, and no matter how many troops are, it is useless. It is nothing more than that we can't destroy them, and it is also a delusion to defeat us."

Liu Huan said: "In the Battle of Hequ, Khitan and Dangxiang did not know the power of artillery. Only when they were careless could they go so smoothly. Now they are different. Not only do they know that the power of artillery is amazing, but they also made artillery themselves. It's different."

Shisanlang smiled and no longer refuted. Whether it was his own people or the enemy, he always found various reasons to explain the amazing military achievements Du Zhongxiao made in pioneering the Hequ Road. He just didn't want to admit that Du Zhongxiao had that ability.

Yongjing's army reached Cangzhou for more than 100 miles away, and the Khitan was fifty miles away. There was a military camp of 50,000 people, specializing in the defense of Shisanlang and others.

The two armies set off, and when it was almost evening, they arrived ten miles away from the Khitan military camp.

Liu Huan said: "Why don't we go to the near Khitan military camp? We can attack tomorrow morning."

Shisanlang shook his head: "Taiwei, the request of the General Secretary in this battle is to let us entangle the Khitan army and not let them return north. It is not as tight as that, and it is not too late to fight for one day or two. We will stop here tonight, and wait for the army to arrive tomorrow. We will discuss how to fight and move forward again."

A hundred thousand army, not ten people, could not set off together or go somewhere together. Waiting for the last day, the army could not all arrive, but it was just roughly all. The army of 100,000 people was deployed, including a very large range, and the arrangement was not a day or two. The small army below could fight, and the army must have a careful plan.

Liu Huan said that when he arrived today and fought tomorrow, he would definitely be very rough. Like the previous imperial guards, he did not have careful plans and rushed to fight. Many things depend on luck. Now it is different. You need to reconnaissance first, understand the geography, understand the enemy situation, and arrange tasks in each division. Before the war, you have to arrange artillery positions and set up camps, and many things are needed.

After setting up a camp, Shisanlang and Liu Huan sat in the commander's tent to discuss the war. The rangers and reconnaissance personnel of our army went out to reconnaissance urgently, understand the local geography, and observe the enemy's arrangements. The staff officers next to them discussed the combat plan overnight.

After serving tea, Liu Huan said, "The battle is different from before. There are too many things. In my opinion, there are endless arrangements for such preparations in less than two days. What if the Khitans are anxious and come to challenge tomorrow?"

Shisanlang said, "Then the defense is. Your troops are arranged in formation. What can the 50,000 Khitans do? There are my cavalry next to you, and they cannot threaten the flanks. Just attacking head-on, how many people are enough for your artillery bombardment?"

Liu Huan nodded, still a little worried. After coming out of the military academy, he led his troops to fight. Many of the contents learned by the military academy were skeptical. What really made Liu Huan feel at ease was his previous war experience.
Chapter completed!