On a small hill west of Liaodong City, an eight-meter-high wooden platform appeared overnight. The Sui army sentries stood on the platform and could clearly see every move in the city. Although the Goguryeo army hated this platform to the core and pointed at it every day and scolded it, they were helpless.

In the evening of that day, several Sui army sentries on the tower discovered an abnormality in the city. The Goguryeo soldiers began to gather, and the sentry immediately rushed back to the barracks to report the abnormality.

Since the new city sent food, Zhang Xuan's pressure to withdraw troops disappeared immediately. He could plan to siege Liaodong City more calmly, forcing the Goguryeo defenders to give up Liaodong City by themselves.

In the big tent, Zhang Xuanzheng and Du Ruhui discussed the next action plan. This time, the Sui army's strategy was very clear. They took advantage of the Sui army's strong naval advantages to occupy Yalu River, divided the Goguryeo battlefield by one and two, and concentrated their forces to wipe out the 70,000 Goguryeo army deep into Liaodong, and then turned back to deal with Pyongyang.

Although the goal is beautiful, it is not easy to achieve it. Especially the complex terrain of Goguryeo and frequent mountain torrents, mudslides and other disasters made many initial plans difficult to complete. At present, both sides are in chaos. The Sui army lost its connection with Wugu City, and Goguryeo was even more divided by the Sui army warships.

However, with the accidental capture of the new city, the entire battle situation began to quickly reverse.

At this time, soldiers' reports came from outside the tent, "Report to the Grand Commander, there is emergency information!"

Zhang Xuan walked out of the tent and asked, "What emergency information?"

"Reported to the Grand Marshal, news came from the sentry on Gaotai that the Goguryeo army in Liaodong City had already shown signs of assembly."

Du Ruhui walked up from the tent and said with a smile: "It seems that the enemy is going to break through."

"Where can they break through?" Zhang Xuan sneered.

"I think it should be a new city. At present, they don't know that the new city has changed hands. It is the only place they can go. If they find that the new city is lost, they can only find a way to cross the river to Liaodong."

Zhang Xuan turned around and walked back to the big tent, stood in front of the sand table and carefully checked the road from Liaodong City to Xincheng. Du Ruhui said that it was indeed correct. Xincheng was closer to Liaodong City, and the road was flat. If you march day and night, you can reach Xincheng within two days.

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment and immediately ordered: "Let Luo Shixin come to see me!"

Soon, Luo Shixin hurried over and bowed, "See the Grand Marshal!"

Zhang Xuan pointed to the Liao River Road north of Xincheng with a wooden pole: "You can immediately lead 5,000 troops to the Liao River ambush in Xincheng. If the Goguryeo army in Liaodong City attempts to cross the Liao River to the north, you can attack it halfway."

"Abide by the orders!"

Luo Shixin turned around and Zhang Xuan wrote another warrant, asking the messenger to rush to Xincheng to deliver the letter immediately. After making arrangements for the Xincheng side, he immediately ordered the army to temporarily evacuate to the south bank of Liaoshui.

Zhang Xuan did not want to fight the Liaodong City defenders. He wanted Liaodong City, and at the same time he wanted to wipe out the Goguryeo army, which was about to be cut off at the lowest cost.

Night fell quietly. Under the cover of night, seven thousand Goguryeo troops had already assembled in the city and could break out of the city at any time. The chief general Ning Wuli stood on the top of the city and stared at the Sui army camp outside the city. The Sui army had withdrawn, and the camp tent disappeared, leaving only rows of thick fences.

This made Ning Wuli feel indescribable concern. He knew why the Sui army retreated, because the sentries on the platform saw signs of breaking through, so the Sui army retreated and let him leave.

But why are the Sui army willing to let themselves go? Aren’t they afraid of retreating to the new city? Or are they preparing to ambush themselves halfway?

At this time, a general under his command whispered: "General, it's very strange for the Sui army to retreat! Bei Zhi feels that there is a fraud in it."

Ning Wuli sighed softly, "This is not strange, this is the other party's public challenge, but do we still have any choice?"

"Can we only go to New Town?"

Ning Wuli nodded, "If we go to Wugu City, most of us will starve to death halfway. When we go to Xincheng, we will have the right food. Even if the Sui army is ambushing halfway, we can only break through. It is much better to break through than to go to Wugu City to destroy the entire army."

"I understand, General, please give the order!"

Ning Wuli walked back to the female wall and ordered the soldiers under the city: "Open the city gate and set off!"

The gate of Liaodong City opened, and thousands of Goguryeo soldiers rushed out of the city and marched quickly along the Liaoshui River toward the Northeast New City.

Just as the Goguryeo army withdrew, a two thousand Sui army, led by general Qin Yong, entered Liaodong City and occupied this city with great strategic status. Zhang Xuan led an army of 20,000 slowly followed ten miles behind the Goguryeo army.

......

Two days and two nights later, the Goguryeo army, who had been exhausted all the way, finally arrived at Xincheng. Their food was exhausted. Although the generals had some wild game supplements along the way, the soldiers were not treated so well. Each soldier was hungry and dizzy. They were full of longing for Xincheng, as if the city was full of rice and noodles, and hot broth.

But the reality is cruel and ruthless. At noon, the 7,000 Goguryeo soldiers who came from Liaodong City finally arrived at the city of Xincheng, but they were greeted not by rice and bread, but by cold arrows and the Sui army's Qinglong battle flag flying above the city.

All the Goguryeo soldiers were shocked. They could not imagine that the new city, which was even more solid and difficult to attack, had fallen.

Almost everyone turned around and looked at the main general Ning Wuli. Ning Wuli looked at the city wall blankly. After a while, he weakly ordered: "The army returns to the woods and rests for a while!"

The Goguryeo army retreated into a forest three miles away. The soldiers lay under the trees, enduring the hunger in despair and helplessly. In a small tent, Ning Wu Li Zheng discussed countermeasures with several major generals.

"I heard someone complaining that we shouldn't give up on Liaodong City. It seems that the responsibility should be borne by me, Ning Wuli. But I don't want to listen to these bullshits again. Anyone who has the guts will starve to death in Liaodong City. Don't come out with me!"

"General, no one will complain about the general. Everyone knows in their hearts that the General of Yizhi took away most of the food, but the support of Wugu City was not sent. The responsibility should be with Wugu City."

"This has nothing to do with Wugu City. If I wasn't right, Wugu City has been captured by the Sui army, otherwise where did this Sui army come from?"

Ning Wuli glanced at everyone and said, "The problem now is that we have cut off food, but the new city has fallen. What should we do?"

There was silence in the tent, no one knew what to do?

At this moment, there was a noise outside the tent, followed by a lot of people screaming. All the generals were shocked and hurried out of the tent, but there was no sign of the Sui army attack. Ning Wuli immediately said angrily: "What happened?"

A Bai Yong came to report, "Report to the general, hundreds of people scrambled for a fruit tree and fired, killing twelve people."

Ning Wuli and the generals quickly walked to the conflicting fruit tree. This was an unknown fruit tree. There were a few green fruits left at the top of the big tree. The other branches became bare. The ground was covered with wounded soldiers, moaning in pain. On the other side were the bodies of twelve soldiers, all of whom were covered in blood and blood. The forest in the distance was filled with Goguryeo soldiers. Everyone looked cold and had dissatisfied.

General Ning Wu Li's rebuke that had already reached his mouth forced him to swallow it back. He realized that if he took action to punish him, it would probably cause a mutiny.

Thinking of himself as having a sheepskin raft to cross the river, Ning Wuli finally ordered: "Make the remaining rice into porridge, eat a bowl of it and go to Liaoshui to cross the river!"

This order caused an uproar among the soldiers, and the soldiers used their escape to express their dissatisfaction, but Ning Wuli was as hard as iron. He ignored the soldiers' large-scale escape and forced the soldiers to drive them to the Liaoshui River.

Ning Wuli had no choice. When he walked south, everyone would starve to death. Only by entering Liaodong and Yizhi Wende could they have a glimmer of life.

......

The Liao River is the most important river in the entire Liaodong region. The river surface is hundreds of feet wide, with abundant water volume and rapid flow, making it very difficult to cross the river. When the Sui army attacked Goguryeo for the first time in the eighth year of Daye, it suffered a great loss when crossing the river. Tens of thousands of people, including the famous general Mai Tiezhang, died on the crossing of the river.

When Goguryeo marched into Liaodong and crossed the Liao River, he used the method of building and connecting double floating bridges. He collected thousands of small boats within hundreds of miles of the Liao River and built two floating bridges, allowing the 50,000 Sui troops in Xincheng and Liaodong City to successfully cross the Liao River.

However, these two floating bridges have been completely burned by the Sui cavalry. Whether it is the Sui army crossing the river or the Goguryeo army crossing the river, it is extremely difficult.
Chapter completed!