When Mao Xiuzhi received the news of Zhu Lingshi's defeat, he immediately sent Yan Gang to lead 6,000 troops to Gaoping County.
Unlike Zhu Lingshi, Mao Xiuzhi was deeply afraid of Liu Yu. He once served as a commander in the army under Liu Yu and proposed joining the army. In order to win over the Mao family, Liu Yu was very friendly to him and promoted his official position many times.
When he was in Jiankang, Mao Xiuzhi stayed with Liu Yu, knowing that Liu Yu was not only brave but also brilliant in strategy. Mao Xiuzhi got acquainted with Liu Yi, Zhuge Changmin, Meng Chang and others. These people were all outstanding people for a while, but they all died in the hands of Liu Yu, which is enough to explain everything.
Mao Xiuzhi told Yan Gang to focus on defense and not to attack easily, and to wait for his lord to return to Xiangyang and obey his orders. Yan Gang led his army to station in Gaoping City, forming a horn with Fang Yu and Hulu City.
Liu Yu learned that reinforcements from Yanzhou had arrived, and Zhu Lingshi, who had attacked Fang Yucheng several times, could not get out, and it was difficult to make progress in a short period of time. Liu Yu decided not to delay in Gaoping County, and sent 5,000 troops to garrison Feng County. In response to Pei County, he led the army and continued westward.
On April 30th, the city was captured. On May 2nd, Yu County surrendered. On May 3rd, the magistrate of Mengxian County abandoned the defense and fled to Suiyang City. On May 8th, Liu Yu's troops came to Suiyang City.
Twelve thousand new soldiers recruited by Liu Muzhi arrived in Pengcheng to transport grain and grass. Liu Zunkao led 8,000 soldiers and horses from Pengcheng to help, and sent 4,000 soldiers to the north to help Liu Huaisu.
The imperial army went out in five directions, but Yang Anxuan made a mistake in his judgment, thinking that Liu Yu would not go out until at least July. A large number of troops were recruited to join the Qianghu war, and many laborers were recruited at the same time, resulting in a shortage of young people for farming in various states.
Xin He and Zhao Tian jointly requested instructions from Yang Anxuan, who was on an expedition. Yang Anxuan decided that in addition to necessary defense forces, he would also send county and garrison troops to work in the fields to ensure food production.
The Department of Commercial Affairs always anticipated the enemy's opportunities, but this time Liu Yu launched the attack without warning. Yongjing responded in a hurry and suffered a big loss.
Liu Huaisu's army captured Dongguan, Gaixian and other cities, and held a stalemate with Hu Fan in Daxian Mountain; Liu Yu's army captured Peixian, Shuqiu, Fengxian, Yuxian, Mengxian and other cities and invaded for more than 300 miles; Wang Zhongde's army captured Occupying Anlu City, the administrative center of Jiangxia, drove Yang Siping to Yunshe City, opened up the passage to Yiyang and Runan, and threatened the east side of Xiangyang; Tan Daoji guarded the mouth of Sanjiang, occupied Jiangyang County, and looked at Bajun.
Only Liu Daolian failed to attack Dangyang City. Sima Chuzhi, the powerful general, showed his talents and defeated Liu Zhong and Liu Cui outside Dangyang City. The Jingzhou army stopped advancing.
On April 23, Zhi Yanzhi led the navy from Yangkou to attack Xiangyang City along the Han River. The next day, he met the Xiangyang Navy led by Qian Lei near Shicheng.
In the battle on the river, although the Xiangyang naval warships were not as tall as the imperial ships, they were more flexible and faster. The imperial navy was defeated steadily.
After arriving at Yanzhi's command, he retreated to Zhangshan to rest and recuperate. At night, Qian Lei led the navy to set fire to the ship, sprayed gunpowder from a pump and ignited it with rockets. The fire spread and ignited the ships carrying the elixir fire of the imperial navy, and the explosions were heard.
The raging fire spread from the boats on the river to the camps on the shore, and finally ignited Zhangshandu, and the torches reaching into the sky lit up the night sky red.
The ships of the Imperial Navy were scurrying on the river like headless flies. Qian Lei led the Xiangyang Navy on the river. When he saw the ships escaping from the sea of fire, he surrounded them. After a while, the ships protruding from the ring of fire became Captured by Yong's army.
When Zhi Yanzhi was stationed on the river bank, he initially wanted to put out the fire. When he saw that the fire was getting bigger and bigger, and even the tents on the bank were set on fire, he knew there was no way to save it, so he led his army to escape south.
Qian Lei won a complete victory in this battle and captured 62 imperial navy ships. More than 300 crew members were burned, more than 2,000 imperial soldiers were burned to death, and all the supplies and food were burned to the ground.
On April 12, Yang Anxuan set off from Fenglin City and rushed back to Xiangyang. Along the way, he continued to receive bad news: Jiangyang County was captured, Liu Huaisu's troops arrived at Daxian Mountain, Zhu Lingshi defeated Fengxian County, etc., which made Yang Anxuan worried and hateful. I can't fly back to Xiangyang with wings on my ribs.
On April 25, Yang Anxuan and his party finally arrived in Xiangyang. After dismounting in front of the mansion gate, the servants in front of the gate saw their lord and came forward to greet him in surprise.
When the imperial soldiers and horses attacked Yonggong, people were inevitably panicked, and rumors spread everywhere. Tan Daoji had captured the land of Sanba and was marching towards Hanzhong Mansion in Liangzhou; City, the imperial troops and horses may cross the river to attack Xiangyang at any time, etc.
The people lamented that the war had started again just after a few years of peace, and they were afraid that their families would be destroyed if the war broke out. Many people took the initiative to go to the government and ask to join the army to fight against the invading imperial troops. Zhao Tian recruited more than 26,000 recruits within half a month.
Compared with the people, the thoughts of the officials were much more complicated. Various rumors were that the war was not going well. Yong's army was retreating everywhere, and the city was lost due to the loss of troops. If Song Gong were allowed to seize the world, they, the officials under Yong Gong, would probably be demoted and dismissed from their posts, and they might even be imprisoned.
Although Xin Biejia and Xi Changshi asked the Department of Commercial Affairs to explain that the war was stalemate and that the imperial soldiers and horses had only taken advantage by surprise, and that they could defeat the imperial soldiers and horses just by waiting for the lord to turn around, the effect was not great.
Most of the nobles under the rule of Yonggong are second-class nobles and low-level nobles. The outcome of the Song-Yong war will not have much impact on them. If Yonggong wins, at least the status quo can be maintained. If Songgong wins, he will not target them. They should eat and drink. Have fun.
Upon learning that their lord had returned, Xin He, Xi Bijiang, Zhao Tian and others quickly came out with the officials of the government to welcome him, and met Yang Anxuan in the corridor with a dusty face.
The imperial court was marching north and Duke Yong was away in Xiangyang, which made people uneasy. However, the moment everyone saw Yang Anxuan, the tense heartstrings of countless people relaxed.
In the midst of cheers and greetings, everyone surrounded Yang Anxuan and entered the hall. When Yang Anxuan sat down in the middle, the civil and military officials headed by Xin He bowed and said, "Welcome Duke Yong back."
The cheers and salutes spread from Yonggong's front hall to the back house, and then out of Yonggong's mansion. The people in the city, market merchants, and farmers in the countryside knew that Yonggong was back.
After exchanging a few words, Yang Anxuan asked Xin He and other civil servants to handle government affairs, and took Wang Zhene, Zhao Tian and others to the staff office, where the most complete sand table was placed.
The red and black flag was planted on the sand table, clearly visible at a glance. A staff officer used a bamboo pole to point at the sand table and explain the battle situation in various places, the tactics of both sides, and the latest battle situation.
After he finished speaking, Yang Anxuan praised: "The staff has a clear grasp of the situation, which shows that it is attentive and will wait for the battle to be rewarded. Liu Yu attacked Yong from five directions. Can you tell me how to deal with it?"
Wang Zhene originally thought that Yang Anxuan's establishment of a staff department was just to appease him. Although Yang Anxuan emphasized that the position of a staff officer was to participate in political affairs, Wang Zhene did not take it to heart. He just did his job according to Yang Anxuan's request.
During this expedition to the Qiang and Hu lands, Yang Anxuan once again emphasized the role of the staff and selected a group of young generals from the army. Headed by Wang Zhene, nearly a hundred staff officers were divided into different categories such as formulating combat plans, sorting out military information, and coordinating logistics. , all military affairs are included.
Everyone truly felt the importance of the staff, which was equivalent to subdividing the duties of the general and division to the staff, that is, allocating Zhuge Liang's role to the staff.
Wang Zhene heard from Yang Anxuan that it would become a routine for the army to select outstanding young generals as staff officers, and these generals who had served as staff officers would be given priority to be assigned to the army as chief officers. Wang Zhen'e was secretly happy. If it was as his lord said, he, the first chief of staff, would be unparalleled in his mind.
Hearing his lord's question, Wang Zhen'e, who is the head of the general staff, first responded: "My lord, Liu Yu's five-pronged expedition against Yong seems to be menacing, but in fact he does not have enough rear strength. Liu Yu wanted to take advantage of the lord's expedition to make a surprise attack. Now, The Lord has returned to Xiangyang, the people and the army are at peace, Liu Yu's ambitions have been shattered, and as long as we deal with it calmly, the imperial army will definitely be defeated."
Everyone in the room nodded in agreement. Yang Anxuan was relieved that his hard work had finally paid off. At least the civil and military officials of Yonggong Mansion were full of confidence in him.
Zhao Tian is the most familiar with the situation. These days, he has to go to the staff headquarters four or five times a day to bring the latest battle reports, watch the staff change the flags on the sand table, and listen to their suggestions.
Although he was also full of confidence in his lord, bad news was coming from everywhere these days. Zhao Tian frowned and said: "The imperial court attacked Yong from five directions. Except for Liu Daolian who was blocked in Dangyang City, the other four directions all gained. , especially Wang Zhongde’s occupation of Jiangxia County is the greatest threat.”
Jiangxia County is equivalent to the core of Yongjing. Yang Siping is a veteran on the battlefield. Yang Anxuan was relieved to arrange for him to sit here, but Yang Siping unexpectedly lost Anlu City.
Yang Anxuan nodded and said, "No.
Wrong, among the five routes, Wang Zhongde's tribe is indeed the greatest threat. Wang Zhongde occupies Jiangxia and can join Liu Yu's tribe to the north to threaten Runan, Chenliu, Liang and other counties. He can attack Yunshe and Licheng to the west, echoing the imperial navy's direct attack In Xiangyang County, among the five routes, Wang Zhongde's troops must be dealt with first. ".z.
Wang Zhen's Evil Way: "Tan Daoji guards Sanjiangkou and occupies Jiangyang County, and beware of him seizing Jiangzhou City. Once Ba County is captured by Tan Daoji, Fuling County will be difficult to defend. If Nan Yizhou and Jingzhou are united, the entire The Yangtze River will then flow unobstructed, which will be extremely disadvantageous to our army."
Li Qiang, the governor of Bajun, ventured to send troops to Zoke County and was defeated by Tan Daoji. Zhu Chaoshi was angry that he sent troops without permission. Instead of interceding for Li Qiang, he sued him. Yang Anxuan considered that Li Qiang had not done anything wrong, and he had just reported Wang Hong's quarrel. Wang suppressed the evil and only fined him a year's salary and told him to act carefully.
Yang Anxuan thought for a moment and said, "Let Zhu Chaoshi and Zhang Feng lead their troops south, station in Jiangzhou City, and retake Jiangyang County."
Wang Zhen'e smiled slightly. Li Qiang had offended Zhu Chaoshi for sending troops to Zoke County without permission. Both Zhu Chaoshi brothers were arrogant and would never look good on Li Qiang.
Yang Anxuan was very confident in Hu Fan and said: "Hu Fan is on Liu Huaisu's road, so there is no big problem. However, Liu Yu's personal conquest should not be underestimated."
"Suiyang City was once the capital of the Liang Kingdom. The city is strong and there are 5,000 troops stationed in the city. It should be able to hold on for a while." Wang Zhen said evilly: "When the lord recaptures Jiangxia, he can send his army north to fight Liu Yu decisively."
Yang Anxuan said: "There is no room for failure in Suiyang. You have worked hard to suppress the evil. Lead four thousand light cavalry to reinforce Suiyang. All you have to do is stand firm and wait for reinforcements."
Wang Zhen's eyes were filled with joy, his lord was actually willing to let him command the army again, and he hurriedly responded: "Wei."
At this time, cheers came from outside the house, and someone came in and reported loudly, "General Qian Zhangshan defeated the enemy, burned more than 300 imperial navy warships, captured 62 ships, killed more than 2,000 soldiers, and led the remaining soldiers to Yanzhi." Flee back to Jingling."
Zhao Tian was under a lot of pressure during this period, with bad news coming from everywhere. Yang Anxuan was away on an expedition. He was the highest military officer in Xiangyang City, and he was afraid that he would be sorry for his lord if he did not handle it properly.
Hearing the good news, Zhao Tian smiled heartily and said, "Well, my lord has just returned to the shortcut. It's really a wish come true. Congratulations to my lord."
Yang Anxuan was also very happy. He had heard all the bad news along the way and really needed a good news to cheer him up.
Wang Zhene smiled and suggested: "My lord, we should have people tell the people about the good news to calm their hearts."
Shen Qingzhi said: "The news of my lord's great victory in the northern expedition, the defeat of the Qin army, and the death of the Xia Lord Helianbobo must also be spread."
Soon, announcements from Yonggong's Mansion were posted at the city gates and markets. Yonggong killed the Xia Lord Helian Bobo in the land of Qiang and Hu. The Xia Kingdom was divided into three, and the tribes formed an alliance with Yong. The northwest was determined. ; The news that the Xiangyang Navy defeated the enemy in Zhangshan and killed countless enemies and burned countless ships spread quickly, and the sound of firecrackers set off only during the New Year rang out in Xiangyang City.
