Chapter 415 Battle of Xuzhou
After the great victory in Huai'an and the capture of the Manchu Prince Daishan, everyone from Chen Cao on down believed that the current state of the Tatars was not what it was in the Wanli period. What's more, with the current strength of the imperial court, fighting the Tatars was basically a state of crushing. There is no need to worry about whether the battle will be lost, but when.
Although Chen Cao was in a good mood this time, he suddenly felt that it was not a good thing not to have a woman around him, so he complained vaguely in front of Xin Zhao.
As a close confidant of Chen Cao, Zhao Xin naturally understood this. In the evening, he quietly brought a woman into Chen Cao's tent.
"Your Majesty, this girl was originally the daughter of the magistrate of Suqian County. When the Qing army went south, she was made into a concubine by Sun Youguang. When Sun Youguang escaped, he didn't have time to take her away."
Zhao Xin had always remembered the theory of the fragrance of married women, and believed it deeply. Chen Cao smiled and said nothing. When Zhao Xin exited the tent, he was not far away when he heard the urgent gasp of a woman, so he immediately Order the men to stay away from the tent.
The next day, Chen Cao was still sleeping on the woman's belly, and Zhao Xin shouted outside the tent.
"Your Majesty, get up quickly. It's a big deal. Yang Lian Zhengong's troops have been defeated in Fangcunji."
We can't blame Yang Lian Zhen Gong. After the 8th Division won the battle of Shuanggou, they rested on the spot. Yan Chun followed the instructions and asked the Yang Lian Zhen Gong Division on the right to continue the pursuit. More than 20,000 people from Yang Lian Zhen Gong Division had just arrived at Fangfang. The village assembly was attacked by the Qing cavalry, and a war broke out between the two sides. At the beginning of the battle, the shortcomings of the cold weapon infantry against the cavalry were exposed. Yang Lian Zhengong's troops were suppressed in Fangcun assembly and could not move.
The one who surrounded Fangcunji was Sun Youguang, who had previously retreated. After learning that the Ming army's infantry were trapped in Fangcunji, he attacked from a distance with firearms, kerosene and other objects. Now Fangcunji could not be defended at all, and Yang Lian Zhen Gong then ordered the whole army to break out of the encirclement. After returning to Shuanggou, they counted the battle losses. Twenty thousand people returned but less than 14,000 were returned. More than 6,000 people were missing.
Chen Cao bit his lip: "It seems that Abatai is not as easy to deal with as Daishan. Sun Degong will definitely kill him no matter what happens this time."
In the Battle of Xiping Fort, Sun Degong led 30,000 cavalry to the rescue on Wang Huazhen's order. After Nurhachi ordered He Heli and Anfei Yanggu to lead their troops into Chen Cao's military formation outside the fort, Sun Degong, who was on the left wing outside the fort, suddenly He shouted that the army was defeated, and then all the troops including Zu Dashou and others collapsed, and the battle of Xipingbao failed.
Moreover, the fall of Guangning City had something to do with Sun Degong. This guy had secretly communicated with Jiannu for a long time and actually offered the city, causing Wang Huazhen to defeat Guangning.
"Let Huang Chunyao come to see me."
When Huang Chunyao ran into the tent in a panic, Chen Yan and others were already waiting in the tent. When Chen Cao saw Huang Chunyao coming in, he said, "Since you are all here, you must have learned that Yang Lian's true power is in Fangcun." After the news of Ji's defeat, several members of the Military Commission had consulted the terrain of Xuzhou in detail. After Fangcunji passed, there was the vast Xuzhou plain, which was suitable for cavalry operations. Yang Lian Zhengong's troops were defeated by the cavalry. deficit;
The Dingwu Army came north, and the large troops were still on their way. The logistics supply line was getting longer and longer, and it was no longer suitable for large groups to fight together. Therefore, I decided to capture Xuzhou within half a month. "
The supply lines for the entire Northern Expedition were all borne by the Songjiang Prefecture. Food and drink for more than 600,000 people were naturally transported by foreign trade companies, which certainly consumed a lot of financial resources.
After leaving Huai'an, the supply lines became longer and longer. The original supply lines could transport supplies over short and medium distances, but now, the Dingwu Army has a full strength of nearly 200,000 people, which is already the limit. In addition, with the 50,000 cavalry accompanying the army, tens of thousands of troops have fallen. soldiers.
"What your Majesty said is true," Xu Fuyuan nodded: "Our troops are all equipped with firearms, which are conducive to defensive warfare and positional warfare. The Qing army's cavalry is the main force. Once they use cavalry to surround our soldiers, they may give our army It caused quite a bit of trouble.”
Huang Chunyao cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I don't know where Li Yan's troops have gone."
Before heading north to Xuzhou, Chen Cao ordered Longwu's army to detour from Haizhou to Xuzhou. In addition to cleaning up Yue Tuo who had fled, the purpose was also to gather a large army to prepare for a big battle with the Qing army in Xuzhou.
"The battlefield in Huai'an looks like a big battle, but in fact the Qing army led by Daishan dug a big hole for themselves. Our army's tactics and tactics were used with ease in Huai'an where there are dense rivers, but their cavalry was trapped to death. I can't move in Huai'an. Now that I'm in Xuzhou, I...
Instead, he wanted to capture the main force of the Qing army in Xuzhou. "
Xuzhou Plain is located on the south bank of the Yellow River. After crossing the Yellow River, there is an endless plain land. To the east of Xuzhou City is Yunlong Mountain, to the southwest is Sanxiantai, and to the south is Yonggu Mountain. These three mountains and forests surround Xuzhou City in the middle of the Yellow River. , forming a unique plain land, unusually wide, and the farthest Dangshan Mountain from Xuzhou City is more than 170 miles away.
Chen Cao's idea was perfect. Xu Da's Northern Expedition also severely damaged Wang Baobao's main force in Xuzhou, causing the Yuan army to give up most of their troops and flee north.
Huang Chunyao frowned: "The Longwu Army marched from the east to the west, and the main force of the Dingwu Army gathered. The Shenwu Army has not yet set out in Huai'an. However, our Dingwu Army's nearly 200,000 field troops alone are also quite powerful. The Qing army of Abatai was completely wiped out in the Xuzhou Plain, but I am still worried whether Jiannu will follow the old method implemented by Daishan in Huai'an."
Daishan's plan was perfect, but it was a pity that he chose the wrong place. If the battlefield was chosen in Xuzhou from the beginning, it would be really difficult to fight the first battle.
"Your Majesty..." Zhao Xin quickly walked into the tent and interrupted Chen Cao who was talking: "Long Wujun is reporting urgently."
Chen Cao opened it and saw that it was a letter from Li Yan. After reading it, Chen Cao put the letter on the table, supported the table with both hands, sighed, and then sighed: "I didn't expect that you, Huang Yunsheng, would do something that Li Yan didn't think of. I got it."
Li Yan did not catch up with Yue Tuo himself in Haizhou. It was reported that Yue Tuo's troops had fled north on sea ships in Haizhou. He and Long Wujun actually missed the opportunity, but Li Yan thought of something big. , if the main force of the official army severely damaged the main force of the Qing army in Xuzhou or Gyeonggi, would Huang Taiji who stayed in Beijing return to Liaodong with the Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty that had just entered the customs?
"I risk my life, and if the slave chieftain retreats north from the capital to the Liao lands, what will the officers and soldiers do?"
Thinking of this, Chen Cao was suddenly excited. At that time, he had thought of sending Liu Xingzuo to Hetuala to dig the ancestral graves of the slaves, but he was diverted to fight in North Korea because of Amin's eastward expedition. Now Li Yan's reminder made him suddenly realize .
Chen Cao knocked his hands and said: "Pass on my military order to immediately mobilize all naval vessels and troopships to transport the Longwu Army north to Lushun. He also told Tang Kainian and Li Yan that after entering Liaodong, they will be free to perform all actions. I have only one Requirements to block all roads for the Qing army to flee north to Liaodong."
"yes..."
After the interlude, Chen Cao's thoughts returned to reality again. He looked at the map closely, and then said silently: "Hong Chengchou has never received a letter, but I believe that Hauge will never sit idly by in Luoyang. Abatai is his seventh. Uncle, it is a matter of great importance to the survival of the Manchu Qing Dynasty. Even if it were me, I would not be selfish."
Jin Yiwei reported that Hauge's Western Expedition army numbered as many as 200,000, and there were also troops from the original Chongzhen Dynasty who rebelled along the way. They were actually the main force in establishing slaves.
Gao Chong came at the wrong time, but the news he brought made him have to pay attention to it.
"Your Majesty, Dongchang was lost in Beijing. Zhu Cixiang is believed to have been captured by the slaves. According to reliable information, the slave chief Huang Taiji accepted the traitor's suggestion and wanted to use Zhu Cixiang to do some dirty things."
Chen Cao's hand tapping on the table became faster and faster. Suddenly he stopped, and then said: "Go find Zhao Xin and tell him that my previous vision has become a reality and let him take action."
After Gao Chong left, Chen Cao stood up, punched the map, and said coldly: "I have decided to fight to the death with the Manchu slaves in Xuzhou."
"yes..."
To enter Xuzhou, the last place that can be defended is Fangcunji. Previously, Yang Lian Zhengong's troops suffered a heavy loss here, which embarrassed Yan Chun, who was commanding the front line. But just now, the emperor's order had been The 8th Division was ordered to capture Fangcunji within two days.
Sun Degong seemed to know the Ming army's intentions, and also suggested that Abatai deploy heavy troops in Fangcunji, and then deploy troops in Xiaoxian, Yunlong Mountain and Yonggu Mountain to contain the Ming army's movements.
Taking Fangcunji in two days may not seem like much time, but compared to the Dingwu Army, which has larger equipment than other armies, it is considered child's play. The officers and soldiers of the 8th Division fought fiercely for a whole day on the first day, and even rushed into Fangcunji several times. , but they were all stubbornly repelled by the Qing army. Early the next morning, Yan Chun personally went out to supervise the battle, and gathered in Fangcun around noon to defeat Sun Youguang's troops stationed there.
After capturing Fangcunji, the wise Yan Chun did not let the Yang Lian brothers' troops pursue alone. Instead, he sent troops from the 68th Regiment to search and advance to provide a forward position for the follow-up troops.
The brother troops were not idle either. While Yan Chun's troops were attacking Fangcunji, Chen Cao had ordered the 6th and 7th Divisions to attack Xiao County in the direction of Yonggu Mountain at the same time, and sent the 9th Division north along the Yellow River to attack Yunlong. Mountain.
After the 68th Regiment marched towards Xuzhou City, they were surrounded by a large number of cavalry within thirty miles of Fangcunji. It was only during the battle that the commander of the regiment discovered that this cavalry numbered no less than 10,000, and they were far away from where he was. The troops exceeded 500 steps and maintained a safe distance.
In the evening, Chen Cao, who was at Shuanggou Camp, received an urgent military message from the 8th Division. The 68th Regiment under his command was surrounded by enemy cavalry thirty miles north of Yufang Village. The military report read:
The 68th Regiment moved, but the enemy's cavalry moved, and the enemy's cavalry did not move either. On the other hand, the enemy's cavalry actually had artillery accompanying the army. The 68th Regiment was repeatedly pulled and unable to take a step back, and dug a trench at 25 miles to set up a formation...
Before the trench could be formed, nearly 10,000 enemy cavalry launched an attack. The 68th Regiment suffered heavy casualties...
In fact, the 68th Regiment was basically wiped out. When the follow-up troops arrived, there were only a hundred people left on the position.
