The bandits, numbering in the tens of thousands, all turned around and ran toward the rear camp.
There are several thousand cavalry in these bandits, and the rest are infantry.
Fang Qifu's soldiers and horses totaled more than 200,000. When he went south that day, there were not so many. They were all restrained along the way. Although he did not coerce the refugees, as the power of Mingjiao grew stronger, more and more people joined the religion. The more there are, the more powerful the army becomes.
However, even if the number of people continues to increase, the cavalry increases very slowly, and most of the people who enter the army are infantry.
Because of the lack of horses, there is even more lack of war horses.
The war horses of the Song Dynasty were mostly concentrated in the capital and along the border, and were rare in the south of the Yangtze River.
The cavalry mounts in Fang Qifu's army are not all war horses. At least half are war horses. Among them, the war horses are collected from officials in various prefectures. Only officials have war horses to ride on weekdays, and some are found in the homes of nobles. They came, but most of the nobles had already run away, and there weren’t many families left.
Put together, these horses are not too much. Fang Qifu also asked people to pick strong and tall slave horses and put them in. He gathered a few thousand horses to ride them. No more horses would be useless. There would be fewer soldiers who could ride horses, and those who could fight on horses would be useless. Even more rare.
Zhao Tong was overjoyed when he saw tens of thousands of rebels withdrawing. He knew that this was definitely a rare opportunity. Even though many rebels were killed in the battle in the city, the number of rebels outside the city was at least three times that of his side.
With so many people, if Fang Qifu had not died and regrouped, the siege of Jiangning would still be difficult to solve.
But now it seems that Fang Qifu has not returned. He may have been seriously injured and was washed away by the river, or the last bow and arrow may have hit a vital point. But whether he is dead or alive, he will never let go of this opportunity.
He immediately gave an order to the central army, and 15,000 cavalry rode up, neither too fast nor too slow, all shouting words such as "Fang Qifu is dead, Shi Baodao B's head is here."
Zhao Tong did not let the cavalry pursue and kill him quickly because he wanted the other party to pass the news back. The bandit camp over there would be in chaos when the news was known, and the protection of the entire camp would definitely be slackened.
Otherwise, there are all kinds of traps and military forces in front of the opponent's camp, and if the two armies are united, there will be hundreds of thousands of people. I only bring fifteen thousand cavalry. If I want to defeat the traitor army that is ten times the size of my own, To win, not to mention it had never happened before in the Song Dynasty, it was rare even in history!
Under normal circumstances, it is extremely difficult or even impossible.
Even if he leads all cavalry, it is still difficult to achieve. After all, these are the cavalry of the Forbidden Army, not the Liao cavalry, and not the Jurchen cavalry.
Therefore, he needs to make the opponent chaotic. Only when the opponent's military morale is in chaos and the team no longer has the will to fight, then his own cavalry can take advantage of the situation to overwhelm the opponent and disperse the hundreds of thousands of thieves.
Fang Qifu fell into disgrace and Shi Bao Dao Yi died in battle. This kind of news will naturally cause chaos in the opponent's camp.
Zhao Tong wanted to spread the news. Once the rebel army knew about it and did not believe that the other party would not be in chaos, let alone the traitor army in front of them, even the real army would not care much after learning that the commander was killed in the battle and the general vanguard was killed. There is no chaos. In this case, strict military discipline alone is not enough. It is also necessary to have people who stand up and carry out the orders of the marshal. This person not only needs to have prestige, but also needs to know the military.
There are very few people in Mingjiao who know how to fight. As far as Zhao Tong knows, they don't even have more than one palm. As for the southern army, there is probably only Fang Qifu.
Therefore, although he did not dare to say that this matter was 100% successful, he was still 70-80% sure, so he took the initiative to leave the city with the cavalry.
In front, Du Bo and Zhang Xian opened the way and pursued the bandit army leisurely. However, some of the bandit army had already gone back quickly to report the news, saying that the Seven Buddhas of Fang were dead, Shi Bao, Dao B and others were all killed, and they rushed in The fifty or sixty thousand people in Jiangning City were also wiped out.
This news immediately exploded in the camp. Taoist Qiu and some leaders who were left behind were immediately panicked. After careful questioning, they found out that even Fang Qifu's body had been picked up by the Song army. They couldn't help but look pale and looked at each other.
At this moment, the people of the Ming Cult were a little better, but those who had taken refuge in Green Forest all ran out like crazy, and then quickly called the soldiers and horses they brought, and left the camp without even saying hello.
When the Mingjiao leaders saw these people leaving, they asked the messenger soldiers again, and when they learned that all those coming out of Jiangning were cavalry, and they didn't know how many there were, they couldn't help but sigh and began to order a retreat.
But it was obviously too late at this moment. Just a stone's throw away from the camp, Zhao Tong sent an order to speed up and rush directly to the camp.
The rebel army that had been being chased in front did not expect such a change. Originally, the pursuit from behind was not fast and it was not difficult to run. But suddenly those Song Dynasty cavalry rushed up to kill them, which immediately made them even more panicked. They rushed towards the camp with all their strength. Run.
But tens of thousands of people were running towards the camp, and how could they care about each other? Some soldiers were so jostled forward and backward that they couldn't even tell the direction, so they began to trample on each other, and some even held weapons in their hands. , bumping around in the crowd, either hurting one's own family members, or being hurt by one's own family members.
There were originally many archers lurking in the fence of the bandit camp, but looking at the situation outside, they did not dare to fire arrows. They were afraid that if they shot ten arrows, nine of them would hurt their own family members.
In just a dozen breaths, the trenches, traps, etc. that were used as protection in front of the camp were all filled up by the retreating bandits.
These bandits were in a panic and did not know the direction. Even though there were countless casualties and filled the trenches and other places they had dug to prevent sneak attacks, countless people still pushed down the wooden fence of the camp and rushed in.
But at this time, the leader had given the order, and the people in the camp were retreating. It was originally in an orderly manner, but when these defeated troops came together, chaos immediately broke out. The army was defeated like a mountain, and there were constant shouting and roaring everywhere. , chaos.
These thieves are not all greedy for life and afraid of death. Especially some people who joined the Ming Cult very early are not actually afraid of death. They were just in a daze after learning that Fang Qi Buddha was killed. After all, Fang Qi Buddha is the light. The Zuo envoy, who had started an uprising all the way south, captured cities and states, was invincible. In the eyes of these people, he was a god-like figure. To be killed suddenly at this moment was a huge blow to them.
And now that the general situation is threatening, it is no longer a matter of fear of death. Even if you want to turn around and fight Song Jun, you can't turn around at all. As long as your feet are a little slower, you will be knocked down from behind. Before you can turn around, However, he had already been trampled under the feet of the robes. Before he could fight the Song army, he had already turned into a meat pie.
At this time, the Forbidden Army was almost unilaterally massacring the rebels. Their own combat power was weak and they could not fight a head-on battle. Even the cavalry was the same, but they were quite familiar with this kind of chase and escape. After all, when they were in Tokyo, Not only do gangs often form fights in the military camp, but there are always conflicts with the gangs in the inner and outer cities, and they often call for fights.
It means that if you lose, the head-hugging rat will compete with its feet, but if you win, it will chase you to the ends of the earth and never let you go.
Now it was easy to kill them all the way. The Forbidden Army's hands were numb from the killing, their knives were curled, their gun heads were blunt, and their gun shafts were broken.
The advantage of the cavalry over the infantry is even more obvious at this moment. It is just like cutting a melon and slicing vegetables. The collision of the war horses and the inertial blow of the big guns and heavy knives can kill the rebel infantry in front without using too much force. .
At this time, the rebel army abandoned all their tents, baggage, and other items, including food, grass, ordnance, and just ran away desperately. At first, they all went due south, towards Xuanzhou, but later they completely collapsed and just ran away. There were people running everywhere, and the Forbidden Army pursued them all the way. Bodies lay everywhere for dozens of miles, and blood almost flowed out into a small river.
This chase started in the early morning and gradually ended after noon when the sun turned westward.
The next step was to send soldiers to clean the battlefield, count the number of enemy dead and our own casualties, burn the corpses of the rebels, and bring all the captured loot into the city...
In the evening, Zhao Tong was furious in the Xuanfu Division, while dozens of people below him remained silent.
Even Wang Hanzhi, the comfort envoy of Jiangnan East Road who originally complained of illness, was called to discuss matters, but at this moment he was sweating profusely and shaking.
"They are all dead, how come they are all dead?" Zhao Tong roared with a livid face: "That was the majority of the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River, and how could they be killed by the Mingjiao thieves? How do you want me to deal with the officials? How do you ask me to deal with the officials? Let all the ministers in the court tell you!"
There was silence in the hall. Zhao Tie looked around, but no one dared to raise his head and speak. He stretched out his hand and with a "bang", he flipped the handsome case in front of him out. The huge wooden case rolled and fell to the front. Pens, inks, papers, inkstones, and military reports were scattered all over the floor.
The generals in the hall were okay, but some timid civil servants were so frightened that they sat on the ground with a "pop".
Zhao Tong's eyes fell on Jiangning's judge Sun Changjie, and he said coldly: "Pudge Sun, who do you think has neglected his duty in this matter? How should I write a memorial to the officials?"
Sun Changjie almost cried when he heard this. It was not good to ask anyone, so why did he ask him? Although he has the right to investigate, how can he talk about such a major matter that breaks the sky?
If you really want to say that you are derelict in your duty, then everyone present counts as one, and no one can escape!
King Qin couldn't run away, Wang Hanzhi couldn't run away, and he couldn't run away either! What a big deal this is? Most of the Jiangnan noble clans were wiped out! Among these noble families, who are officials in the court or hold posts in local areas, which one would give up?
When he thought of this, his knees softened and he knelt directly on the ground, his head on the ground, and his mouth was muffled and he didn't know what to say.
"Trash!" Looking at his appearance, Zhao Tong cursed and turned to Wang Hanzhi.
Although Wang Hanzhi was also panicked, he had been thinking about it for a long time and was looking for excuses. At this moment, he hurriedly said: "My lord, calm down, this matter, this matter..."
Zhao Tong's expression was cold: "What about this matter? If we go to court for questioning, I'm afraid you, Wang Hanzhi, will be the first person to be killed!"
Wang Hanzhi's beard trembled and he said: "Your Majesty, this is a military disaster, all due to the war, the fault...the fault lies entirely with Fang La!"
Zhao Tong looked at him and said word by word: "It's all because of the war, and Fang La is the fault?"
Wang Hanzhi nodded hurriedly and said: "Your Majesty, that's exactly what happened. There is chaos in the south of the Yangtze River, fighting everywhere, and countless casualties. Who can guarantee that there will be no accidents? To be disrespectful, don't talk about these nobles, even the prince..."
"My king, what?" Zhao Tong's face darkened.
Wang Hanzhi said cautiously: "Even the prince will inevitably be injured on the battlefield. Who can guarantee that nothing will happen to them?"
"Wang Hanzhi, you are so brave!" Zhao Tong pointed at his nose angrily and cursed: "How dare you curse me!"
Wang Hanzhi was so frightened that he fell to his knees: "Your Majesty, my subordinates only discuss matters based on the facts. Now in wartime, this is a military disaster. No one could have predicted it. If we are really guilty, it must be Fang La, the leader of the thief. Isn't it the demon cult member who sneaked in tonight?" Did the army lead the traitors into the city and cause this disaster..."
Zhao Tong snorted coldly: "He infiltrated into your Jiangnan East Road army!"
Wang Hanzhi was dizzy when he heard this: "Yes, it's my fault for not investigating. This subordinate...this subordinate deserves death."
Zhao Tong said coldly: "My king's soldiers are all brought from the capital. People from the Demon Cult can't get in even if they want to..."
Wang Hanzhi was about to cry when he heard this, but said: "What the prince said is true, true."
Zhao Tong continued: "But since you said there was chaos in the south of the Yangtze River, this was during the war, and more or less such things happened in every state and county, so it can be considered... excusable?"
Wang Hanzhi hurriedly kowtowed after hearing this: "Your Highness, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I am ill. I have been on the hook for becoming an official several times. Even if I thought about going down to the barracks to check it out in person, I still... have more than enough ambition but not enough energy."
Zhao Tong sneered and said: "It's okay for you to shirk it here with me. It's only if you can shirk it from the officials and the court!"
Beads of sweat on Wang Hanzhi's forehead fell to the ground with crackling sounds, and he said: "I don't dare to shirk it, this subordinate..."
Zhao Tong interrupted him and said: "It's useless to say all this now. Go back quickly and draw up the memorial. Sun Changjie will also go back and draw up the memorial. We will go to Tokyo with my king's memorial tomorrow morning. Everything is at the discretion of the officials!"
Wang Hanzhi and Sun Changjie got up from the ground and staggered toward the door. As soon as they reached the door, Zhao Tong coughed behind them, and they were so frightened that they stopped immediately.
Zhao Tong said coldly: "You two had better discuss how to write the memorial. The heads of Jiangning City officials, big and small, and your own lives are all written on this paper!"
The two of them didn't know the importance of this memorial, so they turned around and bowed again, then helped each other out and left.
After the two people left, Zhao Tong looked at the other officials below and said calmly: "You all should go back and discuss it. It would be best... also discuss it with Wang Xuanfu and Sun Tongpan. I can't protect you. I can't protect you." Even the king himself is involved, only you can protect your own family!"
After hearing this, these people hurriedly saluted, and then couldn't wait to go out to chase Wang Hanzhi and Sun Changjie.
When there were no more outsiders in the hall, Zhao Tong swept his eyes over Wang Zhen, Zhe Kecun, Yao Pingzhong and others, and said with a gloomy face: "Although the battle was won today, the Demon Cult is so bold that it did such an outrageous thing. , you are also responsible for the unfavorable inspection, so go back and think about it carefully, how to answer when the officials ask!"
Everyone hurriedly bowed to accuse them, and Zhao Tong said again: "Yao Pingzhong, Zhang Xian stays, and everyone else can leave."
After a while, there were only two people left in the hall. Zhao Tao ordered Zhang Xian to close the door, and then whispered...
(End of chapter)
