The Zhending defenders had less than two thousand troops on the north shore, and were almost wiped out by Su Yong and his cavalry.

Except for a small number of people who fell into the river and drowned, they did not escape, either died or were captured.

In order to shock the defenders in the city, Su Yonglin also ordered the more than 700 captured Jin soldiers in front of the defenders in the city, threatening the defenders in the city to surrender quickly, otherwise the day the city was destroyed, no one would be left behind.

Of course, Wugu Ren Wolun would not open the city to surrender. He ordered the defenders to fire arrows and use bed crossbows to counterattack, forcing the coalition's deterrent forces to retreat.

So Su Yonglin led his troops to retreat, set up camps, surrounded the city without leaving them a way out.

A strong attack is not possible. Su Yonglin looked at the tall and majestic Zhending city walls and the rather spacious moat, and felt that if he forced his attack, he would have to pay the elite main force of the Shengjie Army here.

But it is impossible not to attack. He can't go anywhere if he keeps such a city nail here.

Even if you can go, you will be very worried. There are fewer troops left to siege the city, and you are afraid that there will be more troops left to stay and there will be insufficient troops to attack the local area, and you may fall into another dilemma.

Moreover, if you continue to go north regardless of Zhending, the rear road and the food road may be cut off by the defenders who came out of the city. Not only will the failure, there will be a risk of destruction.

Su Yonglin looked at the tall Zhending City Wall and was very distressed.

On the other hand, Wugulun felt that this was nothing wrong with this. At least this Zhending City was here and the army in the city was still there, so Su Yonglin's main force could not go anywhere.

It is dangerous here, and the entire Hebei West Road will be safe. Just wait for reinforcements quietly.

So it is amazing that on this battlefield, Wugu Lun has the initiative.

"We will hold on for one more day, and the rebels will be destroyed for nearly one day. When we stand here, the main force of the rebels will not be able to go anywhere. After other places are safe, we will definitely send troops to help, and we will definitely be saved!"

He continued to inspire morale and gave a lot of money to the soldiers guarding the city to stabilize the hearts of the people. As a result, the panic caused by the coalition forces breaking the shore defense in the city gradually faded, and everyone performed their own duties and prepared to defend the city.

Su Yonglin did not immediately order the siege, but just ordered the army to take a break and then build temporary bridges on the Hutuo River to facilitate the transportation of materials.

Next, he looked around Zhending City, looking left and right, unable to find a way to break through the city. In a while of distress, Xin Qiji came to pay homage to him.

"Why did you think of coming to me?"

Su Yonglin and Xin Qiji were walking in the camp and asked with a smile: "Have I finished reading the manuscript I gave you?"

"I haven't finished reading it yet, because the content is very novel, my subordinates are already deeply attracted. Please give me more time to let me read it carefully and think about it."

"Of course, you can watch it as long as you want."

Su Yonglin patted his shoulder: "Look more, maybe it can give you a different perspective to look at the problem."

"Yes, my subordinates' doubts and insights will be carefully discussed after reading them. I would like to ask the general to give me some advice."

"must."

Su Yonglin nodded with a smile.

"Thank you, General."

Xin Qiji saluted respectfully, then stood up and said, "General, in the current situation, my subordinates really don't think it's the right way to attack Zhending City."

Su Yonglin lowered his smile and nodded.

"I don't think this is the right way. Zhending City's walls are tall and the moat is wide and deep. If it is a strong attack, it will damage our army's aura."

"So I think our army needs to find another way, and if the main force of our army is delayed in Zhending City, it will greatly affect the attack on other prefectures on the West Hebei Road, and will give the Jin thieves time to organize more troops to launch a counterattack, so their subordinates think that they should not be besieged for a long time."

Xin Qiji spoke, "My subordinates thought that an army could be left to siege the city. The large army should quickly advance northward, call on more people to resist, and raise the momentum. We cannot delay the speed of the march, nor can we give the northern Jin thieves time to organize troops."

Su Yonglin looked at Zhending City.

"It is reported that there are many troops in Zhending City, and most of them are Jurchen household registrations, so they can be converted into regular soldiers at any time. If there are fewer soldiers left and cannot surround the city, if there are more soldiers left, it is difficult to make progress. You'an, now we are in a dilemma."

Xin Qiji thought about it and felt that it was indeed a problem.

If we want to solve this problem, the method is naturally to continue to solicit more troops from the rear. This is of course feasible, but the pressure on food and fodder will be greater.

During the war, the logistics supply of the coalition forces was provided by the Shengjie Army Base Camp on the one hand, the grain warehouses occupied in various places were supplied, and the support of local powerful armed forces. The three aspects were combined to maintain the logistics of the coalition forces.

Increasing troops is related to all aspects, and some preparations are needed, and the workload is very large.

And in the current situation, time is obviously the most important thing.

Su Yonglin lowered her head with her hands behind her back, feeling that she had lost the initiative in this battle, and she was a little bit led by the defenders in the city.

This is not a good phenomenon.

Losing the initiative on the battlefield is a very serious matter and must not be taken lightly.

Although this is the case with many sieges, he is in a strategic offensive situation, but he is restrained by a strong city and loses the initiative, which is very unfavorable.

The initiative must be regained.

How to regain the initiative?

Su Yonglin's eyes were turning back and forth between Zhending City and the Hutuo River embankment, and suddenly his eyes lit up and he had plans to heart.

"You'an, I've come up with a solution."

"ah?"

Xin Qiji hurriedly asked, "What's the solution?"

"A way to regain the initiative!"

Su Yonglin smiled and said, "Do you know the battle against Yecheng when Cao Cao attacked Hebei in the late Eastern Han Dynasty?"

"Cao Cao attacked Yecheng?"

Xin Qiji thought for a while and said, "I heard of it, but the inside story is not clear."

Su Yonglin pointed to the Hutuo River.

"What's this?"

“Hutuo River.”

"What's in the river?"

"water."

"What can water be used for?"

"Water...water attack?"

Xin Qiji looked at the Hutuo River: "Did Cao Cao use water to break through Yecheng?"

"No, it's because Shen Pei's nephew Shen Rong opened the city gate for Cao Cao."

"That……"

"But before that, Cao Cao used heavy water to isolate the traffic inside and outside Yecheng, so that most of the people in Yecheng starved to death and lost their ability to fight for a long time. The hearts of the people in the city were floating, so Shen Rong opened the city gate to survive."

Su Yonglin said slowly: "Although the water attack cannot directly break the city, it can intimidate people and make people fall into despair, thus doing all kinds of incredible things, and that is our chance to win!"

Xin Qiji nodded thoughtfully.

"What will the general do?"

"Dig a river channel, dig a large river channel, surround Zhending City, then dig a dike, divert water into the river channel, and use large water to isolate the traffic inside and outside Zhending City. He wants to use the moat to prevent me, so I will do the opposite and trap him to death!"

Su Yonglin clenched his fists.

Xin Qiji was stunned, then suddenly realized, clenched his fist with one hand and opened the other, and hit him together.

"So that's it! Dig out the river and pour it in with Hutuo River water, and turn Zhending City into a dead city, isolate internal and external traffic, and the people in Zhending City will be trapped by us in turn!"

“That’s it.”

Su Yonglin clenched his fist and said, "And the Hutuo River is a ground river. We need to dig a river of the same height, which is equivalent to building a dam. If there are soldiers and horses in the city trying to break through, it will become a back attack. Our army defends the dam and is at a high altitude, and the battlefield situation will be reversed directly!"
Chapter completed!