Novellv Chapter 2703 Flames Rise at Tianjing Pass, Ten Thousand Han Army Enters Qian Territory
Chapter 2703 Flames Rise at Tianjing Pass, Ten Thousand Han Army Enters Qian Territory
Chapter 2703 Fires Rage at Tianjing Pass, a Million Han Soldiers Enter Qian Territory
The Tianling Mountains, north of Tianjing Pass.
After a day of fierce fighting, Yue Fei had just come out of the wounded soldiers' camp to comfort them, and the forced smile on his face was still there.
After a day of bloody fighting, more than two thousand corpses were lost at Tianjing Pass, and the Qian army on the pass did not fare well either, but ultimately failed to take it.
As Yue Fei was pondering how to adjust the offensive for the next day, General Niu Gao rushed over, looking somewhat unwell.
"Marshal, Tianjing Pass is on fire!"
Upon hearing this news, Yue Fei was instinctively startled. He then quickly walked out of the camp, found a high place, and looked towards Tianjing Pass.
Upon seeing this, Yue Fei's pupils contracted slightly. In the direction of Tianjing Pass, half the sky was red. It was not an ordinary fire, but a real raging fire, with flames soaring into the sky and thick smoke billowing, illuminating almost the entire night.
Even from this distance, you can see the surging flames and hear the faint crackling sounds.
Such a large fire couldn't have been started by the Han army. If the Han army were capable of setting such a huge fire on the enemy's pass, would they still be unable to break through it for so long?
Or, to put it another way, is it possible to set such a large fire on a level without conquering it?
That leaves only one possibility: Yao Xiong set the fire himself. Even if this possibility seems absurd, after eliminating all other possibilities, only this one remains.
Yue Fei stood on the high ground, gazing at the increasingly bright sky, and remained silent for a moment.
Yue Fei had already guessed that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Yao Xiong was going to escape.
The other side used this method, setting such a large fire, to block the big man's pursuit.
If this fire continues to burn, it might not be extinguished for days and nights unless a torrential downpour occurs. And according to Yue Fei's research on the local weather, there was a rain a few days ago, and a second rain is unlikely in the near future.
If we wait until the fire is extinguished before chasing after them, Yao Xiong's side has troop transport railcars available, and they'll have already run far away.
But why did they run away?
Yue Fei descended from the high ground, his brow slightly furrowed. Although the battle at Tianjing Pass was difficult, Yao Xiong was far from being at his wit's end. He still had sufficient troops, and there was no sign of the pass being breached. The only thing that could force him to abandon the pass was a serious problem on his flank.
The most likely scenario is that Bai Qi broke through Bailang Ridge, which was guarded by Jiang Ziya.
Yes, Yue Fei's first reaction was not that Xue Rengui had made a breakthrough, but that Bai Qi had made a breakthrough.
After all, compared to Xue Rengui, who was at a disadvantage in terms of troop strength, Bai Qi had the advantage. With 200,000 troops pressing down on Jiang Ziya, a breakthrough was only a matter of time. Once Bai Qi succeeded, he could threaten Yao Xiong's flank from the north, forcing him to retreat.
Yue Fei returned to his central command tent, sat down at his desk, spread out a map, and gestured back and forth between Bailang Ridge and Tianjing Pass with his finger. The more he thought about it, the more reasonable his judgment seemed. Bai Qi's side should have made a breakthrough.
Even after considering this possibility, Yue Fei was still invigorated, even though the fire meant he was destined to lose Yao Xiong's troops.
Even if Yao Xiong escapes with his troops, so what?
Once his million-strong army officially enters the territory of Daqian, and once Daqian loses the natural barrier of Yunling, the Han Dynasty can fully exert its military advantage.
They have already won at least three points in this battle. "Pass on the order!" Yue Fei raised his head, "In the next few days, send people to keep an eye on the fire. Once the fire is extinguished, report immediately. Also, send people to find out which direction Yao Xiong retreated to."
"Yes." Niu Gao accepted the order and left.
Yue Fei sat alone in his tent, looking at the location of White Wolf Ridge on the map, feeling slightly relieved. If Bai Qi had truly broken through, the situation on the northern front would be opened up, and the pressure on his side would be much less.
A few days later, just as the fire at Tianjing Pass was about to be extinguished, news from Xingbei Road crossed the Tieling Mountains via carrier pigeons and finally reached Yue Fei.
It wasn't Bai Qi's fault, but Xue Rengui's.
In the great victory at Luofengpo, Xue Rengui led all his cavalry to rout Ji Chengfu's 30,000 iron cavalry, capturing generals and flags, and the Qian army was routed. Ji Chengfu retreated with his remaining troops, and Lei Zhaohai was surrounded and killed. Xue Rengui broke through the Qian army's eastern front in this battle and is now advancing towards Jianye Road.
Yue Fei held the battle report and looked at it for a long time. His finger slowly moved on the map, from Luofengpo to Dongye Road and then to Jianye Road, and then from Jianye Road to Wangbei Road where Tianjing Pass is located.
Xue Rengui's strike was even more ruthless than Bai Qi's breakthrough. Yue Fei finally understood why Yao Xiong had fled so quickly. If the enemy hadn't run away, the entire situation would have been completely overturned in another month.
Yue Fei put down the battle report, stood up, and walked outside the tent.
Now, the fire at Tianjing Pass is finally about to be extinguished, and as early as tomorrow, his million-strong army will be able to officially enter the territory of the Great Foresight North Road from all directions.
Since the start of the war, among the three armies, his and Bai Qi's armies have been thwarted by the enemy's advantageous terrain and have made little progress. On the contrary, Xue Rengui, who did not have the advantage in troop strength at the beginning, has performed so well since the start of the war that the other two armies can only look on with envy.
It can be said that the war between Han and Qian has developed to this point, and the situation has finally been completely resolved today, which is almost entirely due to the efforts of Xue Rengui's troops.
However, although he was overshadowed by a detachment, Yue Fei was not discouraged.
After all, no matter what, the Qian army no longer has the danger of Yunling. Next, his million-strong army will truly begin to show its might.
The next morning, Yue Fei once again climbed the high ground on the north side of the camp and looked towards the direction of Jinglianjing.
In the distance, the thick smoke had thinned considerably, and the firelight that had previously illuminated half the sky had dimmed, leaving only a few scattered flames flickering in the morning light.
The air was filled with the smell of burning, which drifted on the wind and made people's throats tighten.
Niu Gao strode up from the foot of the mountain, clasped his hands and said, "Marshal, the fire is out. I have sent scouts to investigate. Tianjing Pass has been burned to the ground, and most of the pass walls have collapsed. Yao Xiong's men have long since evacuated, leaving not a single one behind."
Yue Fei nodded and immediately gave a loud order: "Order the three armies to break camp and cross the mountain."
The sound of horns rang out immediately, one after another, echoing from nearby to distant places and back again, colliding back and forth in the valley.
The Han army camp, stretching for dozens of miles, slowly awoke like a sleeping giant. Tents were packed up in large sections, supply wagons and horses began to move, soldiers lined up and prepared for battle, their swords and spears gleaming in the morning light. Commanders from various camps rode back and forth, their commands rising and falling.