txolops Chapter 23 The Army Marches on Western Xia
Chapter 23 The Army Marches on Western Xia
Nashita was somewhat surprised. She asked, "My skills are nothing more than those of a thief. Why would you, a great general, learn them?"
"Skills are not limited to profession; having more skills is never a bad thing." Guo Liqing asked with a smile, "What? Does your sect forbid the passing down of martial arts techniques?"
Nashita shook her head and said, "No, not at all! Those skills of scaling walls and leaping across rooftops can be acquired through special training methods and diligent practice. But my lightness skill..."
"What's wrong with light-footed skills?"
Nashita laughed and said, "I acquired this lightness skill by chance from a martial arts manual. I consider myself quite talented, but I've only learned one level. If you want to learn it, I can give it to you, but I can't guarantee how much you can learn."
Guo Liqing first slapped Nashita's buttocks, then pulled her onto his lap.
"You little brat, you dare look down on me!"
Nashita was thoroughly teased by Guo Liqing before she broke free from his embrace under the pretext of memorizing the cultivation technique.
Watching Nashita recite from memory, Guo Liqing said, "Nashita, I want to train a special forces unit. Can you help me train them? The initial requirements aren't high; I just need them to master some skills like scaling walls and leaping across rooftops."
"no problem."
With Nashita, this chivalrous thief, around, perhaps he can train a team of chivalrous thieves.
"However, to achieve the effect of scaling walls and rooftops, hard training alone is not enough; tools are also needed." As she spoke, Nashita drew some tools on the paper.
Guo Liqing took a look and found that it was nothing more than a grappling hook, spiked shoes, ropes and other tools.
He suddenly smiled. Although he didn't have a system to rely on after transmigrating, his memories from his previous life were a cheat code!
"What are you laughing at?" Nahita asked, confused.
"It's nothing, leave these tools to me, I can even improve them for you."
Guo Liqing took Nashita to find craftsmen, and with their help, they improved the tools and even redesigned some of them.
Nashita's gaze towards Guo Liqing gradually turned to one of admiration. She hadn't expected that this man, besides being highly skilled in martial arts, was also proficient in mechanical arts.
Guo Liqing entrusted the manufacture of tools to the craftsmen, the training to Nashita, and went to study the light-body technique manual given to him by Nashita.
A few days later, Genghis Khan finished his rest and began his personal campaign against the Western Xia.
Although Genghis Khan had previously appointed Guo Jing as the Grand Marshal of the Western Xia Expedition, he was not comfortable entrusting complete authority to a young man in his early twenties.
Genghis Khan still personally led the expedition, but this time, he handed over the decision-making power to Guo Liqing and stayed behind to oversee the rear.
The Mongol army marched south from the northern desert, heading straight for the Western Xia border city of Wulahai.
Wulahai City is a vital passage from northern Mongolia into the Hetao region, and its southern side leads directly to the Hetao Plain.
Once the Mongol army captures Wulahai City, it can advance directly into the Hetao Plain and reach Zhongxing Prefecture.
However, like other passes, Wulahai City was strategically located and extremely difficult to breach.
The attack route chosen by Guo Liqing was the fastest, but also the most difficult.
Genghis Khan summoned the four princes, Jebe, Chilaun, and others to his royal tent.
Genghis Khan remained silent. Conquering the Western Xia was already part of his plan, but he himself was not confident in such a direct approach, so he wanted to see how Guo Liqing would fight.
After receiving the order, Guo Liqing stood in front of the sand table and said, "This time, the key to attacking Western Xia is speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness!"
After capturing Wulahai City, our cavalry will advance lightly, without supplies, and will directly plunder the Western Xia's grain along the way. By dividing our forces into three routes, we can cut off the vital transportation routes through the Helan Mountains and besiege Zhongxing Prefecture.
At the same time, we can also send a large army to attack Blackwater City and head south to attack Liangzhou, cutting off the route of Western Xia reinforcements.
Zhongxing Prefecture is besieged and isolated; it will fall soon!
After listening to Guo Liqing's account, Ögedei Khan said, "What you're saying is all hindsight. Right now, how do we capture Wulahai City?"
Guo Liqing smiled and said, "I have a small squad under my command that has been training for siege warfare. Tonight, I will personally lead the squad to attack the city. Tolui, I'm leaving my rear to you. After I open the city gates, you quickly enter the city."
When he heard Guo Liqing say that he would personally lead the attack on the city, Tolui was also taken aback.
But Tolui agreed anyway.
Guo Liqing had considered many things when he was looking at the map of Western Xia.
There are three routes to choose from when attacking Western Xia. One is to enter the Hetao Plain from Wulahai City and go straight to Zhongxing Prefecture. This is the shortest and fastest route, but it is also the most difficult.
The second option is to go from Heishui City, through Liangzhou, eastward to attack Zhongxing Prefecture.
Although it's a bit of a detour, it's easier than the first method.
Third, starting from Central Asia, they first conquered Shazhou, then Liangzhou, and finally Zhongxingfu.
The third route is the longest, but it's a steady and reliable one.
To this end, Guo Liqing even memorized "The Art of War" from Sun Tzu's works.
The tactics described in "The Art of War" require thorough preparation and a steady, methodical approach, and do not recommend taking risks.
But there's no such thing as perfect preparation in this world. In many cases, we're forced into things.
Moreover, this is a martial arts world, so Guo Liqing can certainly take some risks.
Although his martial arts skills are not the best in the world, dealing with ordinary soldiers is a complete game-changer!
Therefore, with just a few clever strategies, taking down the city is not a problem.
Guo Liqing said to Genghis Khan, "Great Khan, please decide who to send to Blackwater City."
Genghis Khan knew that Guo Jing was young and somewhat incapable of commanding others, so he said, "Juchi and Ögedei, you two go!"
Ögedei was still somewhat dissatisfied.
Their mission to Blackwater City was solely to cut off Western Xia reinforcements.
But if Guo Liqing manages to break through Zhongxing Prefecture, that would be a major achievement!
But they dared not disobey Genghis Khan's words.
Guo Liqing bowed to Genghis Khan again and said, "Great Khan, once our attack on Western Xia begins, we will advance southwards. Speed is of the essence! After capturing Wulahai City tonight, we will lead our cavalry directly to Zhongxing Prefecture. Great Khan, you can remain in the rear and proceed at your own pace. In addition, we need Great Khan to send an envoy to the Jin Kingdom!"
"Go to the Jin Kingdom? What for?"
"Now, although the Jin and Western Xia are allies, they do not completely trust each other. The Great Khan sent an envoy to the Jin and said that the Western Xia had offended the Great Khan, and the Great Khan simply sent troops to teach them a lesson."
"Lessons?" Genghis Khan smiled slightly and said, "Only lessons, not the destruction of a nation."
Guo Liqing nodded and said, "That's right. If the Jin Kingdom knows our intentions, they'll understand the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold' (meaning they'll be vulnerable to each other's fate). The problem is that if they come to our aid, we might not be able to protect both sides."
Chagatai, standing nearby, disagreed, saying, "If the Jin dogs dare to come, I'll make sure they never return!"
Guo Liqing laughed and said, "Second Brother is right. We are not afraid even if the Jin dogs come. However, we don't need to waste our own troops just to fight the dogs."
Genghis Khan nodded, "Jing'er is right! Let's do as Jing'er says!"
"yes!"
……
After nightfall, the Mongol cavalry took advantage of the darkness to approach the city without being detected by the Western Xia defenders.
Guo Liqing led a team of two hundred men, dressed in night clothes and carrying tools, to the city wall of Wulahai City.
Wulahai City was built against the Yinshan Mountains, with a tall city wall blocking the only gap in the Yinshan Mountains.
Both sides of the city wall are vertical rock walls, making it difficult for even martial arts masters to climb without any leverage.
Guo Liqing carried a bow and arrows and a long spear broken in two on his back, with a bag hanging from his waist.
He reached into the bag and pulled out a large iron nail. One end of the nail was a ring, and the other end was a sharp cone. The nail was wrapped with a ring of iron.
This is an expansion nail that Guo Liqing specially commissioned the craftsmen to make!