Chapter 308 Three Military Orders, Urgent Request for Assistance
Wow!
The news of the surprise attack by the Tang Dynasty Navy fleet on Nanpo Port immediately caused an uproar in Goguryeo's Ministry of War office, and the scene was in an uproar.
Even Ma Xidong, the general of the Ministry of War who had always been self-reliant and mature, had a face full of flesh and blood and twitched a few times unconsciously.
At this moment, Ma Xidong suddenly realized that it turned out that the Tang army's gathering in the Liaodong area and the forceful crossing of the Liao River to regain the four Liaodong counties were all a cover for the Tang army's naval fleet to surprise the capital Pyongyang.
What a trick to "build the plank road in the open and use it in secret"!
Ma Xidong, who came back to his senses, hurriedly asked: "How many warships did the Tang Dynasty Navy fleet have? How many naval officers and soldiers did it carry? What kind of weapons and equipment did it carry? How did our Goguryeo Navy, stationed at Nanpu Port, respond to the enemy?"
Ma Xidong's questions were like a barrage of cannons hitting the naval messenger who came to ask for help.
However, this naval messenger was one of the first ones sent back to ask for help. He had no idea about the basic situation of the Tang Dynasty Navy fleet and the response of the Goguryeo Navy in Nanpu Port.
He just kept repeating: "General Qi, the last general, the last general only knows that the offshore sea outside Nanpu Port is densely packed with warships of the Tang Navy fleet;"
"At least, at least there are hundreds of ships!"
Looking at the confused messenger, Ma Xidong had no choice but to wave his hand and let the messenger go down first: "You go down first, I, the general, have made my own decision!"
"The general will get the order!"
As soon as the naval messenger left, Ma Xidong's deputy general Jin Dazhong immediately came up and asked: "General, the Tang Army's naval fleet has already arrived at the city. How should we respond?"
"Right now, there are only 100,000 Imperial Guards in Pyongyang City, and the rest of the troops have been transferred to Yiju to fight against the Tang army in the Eastern Expedition;"
"If Nanpu Port unfortunately falls into the hands of the Tang Army, we are afraid that under the attack of the powerful ships and artillery of the Tang Army's naval fleet -"
"shut up!"
Before Vice General Jin Dazhong finished speaking, he was rudely interrupted by the sullen General Ma Xidong at the side.
Ma Xidong said impatiently: "Vice General Jin, the war is about to begin. If I hear such remarks that shake the morale of the military from you again, don't blame me for engaging in military law against you!"
Forehead--
Jin Dazhong's expression was stagnant, but he had to nod and bow, humbly accepting the criticism: "The general has taught you well, the last general, the last general will be convicted!"
In fact, Ma Xidong also knew that what Vice Admiral Jin Dazhong said was right. The Datang Navy fleet equipped with red cannons could completely bomb Pyongyang City by relying on the advantages of red cannons.
If you want to hold on to the city, you may not be able to do so.
Furthermore, once Nanpu Port is lost, the Tang Army's naval vessels will need to wait for the rainy season to arrive, and then they can move eastward along the Datong River and directly reach Pyongyang City.
By that time, the Tang army's warships towing in the upper reaches of the Datong River could completely rely on the advantages of red cannons to carry out long-range attacks on the Goguryeo troops on both sides of the Datong River.
However, Goguryeo's own army had no way to deal with the opponent.
It only takes ten days and a half of consumption, and our military morale will inevitably collapse, and the city of Pyongyang will be destroyed!
Therefore, Nanpu Port must not fall into the hands of the Tang Navy!
Ma Xidong immediately issued an order: "Come here, please pass this general's order——"
"Immediately send messengers to catch up with the reinforcements that set off for Uiju City three days ago, and ask them to quickly return to Pyongyang City to aid;"
"Vice General Jin, I order you to immediately mobilize 50,000 Imperial Guards and rush to Nanpu Port overnight. You must defend Nanpu Port no matter what, and it must not fall into the hands of the Tang Navy!"
"I will go to the palace immediately and personally report the invasion of the Tang Army's navy, and request the King to order the Ministry of Industry to immediately start fortifying the coast of the Datong River to prevent the Tang Army's naval warships from advancing eastward along the Datong River!"
"Do you understand everything?"
"Understood!"
Ma Xidong waved his hand and said, "Let's all prepare to go on our own!"
"The general will get the order!"
Just as everyone in the Goguryeo Military Department's office was preparing to leave with their own orders, naval messengers came non-stop from the front line of Nanpo Port and broke into the meeting hall of the Ministry of War's office.
"Report——"
"Reporting to the general, urgent military situation at the Nanpu Port Naval Camp——"
"A total of more than 300 warships of the Tang Dynasty Navy arrived in the coastal waters of Nanpu Port. The Navy Commander has ordered the naval warships to go out to sea to fight. The Tang Navy warships carried a large number of red cannons. Our naval warships were severely damaged. The damage is serious;”
"The Commander-in-Chief of the Navy requested that the General send reinforcements immediately to reinforce the Nanpu Port Naval Camp!"
"What?"
As soon as these words came out, all the Goguryeo military generals in the yamen of the Ministry of War were shocked, and some of the young generals who could not hold their breath stood up from their chairs in a hurry.
What is the concept of the Tang Navy fleet dispatching more than 300 warships?
For the Goguryeo Navy, which only had a hundred warships, it was three times the enemy!
Even if each warship carries 300 men, it means that the Tang Dynasty Navy fleet dispatched at least 90,000 troops to attack Nanpu Port and target Pyongyang City.
What's more, the Tang Army's naval fleet and warships were much larger than the Goguryeo Dynasty's naval fleet and warships.
According to this conservative estimate, the number of Tang Navy troops present outside Nanpu Port at this time was at least 100,000.
hiss--
At this moment, even Ma Xidong, the usually mature and calm general of the Ministry of War, couldn't help but take a breath of cold air.
He immediately ordered: "Deputy General Jin, it's too late. You must first mobilize 10,000 cavalrymen from your headquarters and set off to Nampo Port immediately. After reporting to the king, I will personally lead the rest of the reinforcements to reinforce;"
"Please remember, you must defend Nampo Port at all costs!"
"I have received your order!"
Then, the Southern Camp of the Imperial Guard, which was adjacent to the Goguryeo Ministry of War, immediately took action. Under the leadership of Deputy General Jin Dazhong, 10,000 cavalrymen were urgently assembled and dispatched to the Nampo Port Navy Camp, which was in danger.
The General of the Ministry of War, Ma Xidong, was also not idle. He hurriedly rode his horse straight to the palace to meet the Treasure King Gao Zang!
Just as Ma Xidong arrived at the gate of the palace and was about to dismount and walk into the palace, he was once again stopped by the Navy messenger who rushed from Nampo Port.
"Report--"
"Report to the General, urgent military information from the Nampo Port Navy Camp!"
Click!
Almost subconsciously, Ma Xidong's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition arose spontaneously.
Now, he was afraid to hear the three words "Nanpu Port".
But, the fact is that the more you fear something, the more likely it will happen!
"The vanguard of the Tang Navy Fleet has landed on the docks and mudflats of Nanpu Port and is fighting fiercely with our navy officers and soldiers. Nanpu Port is in danger. Please send reinforcements as soon as possible, General!"