Wuhu.
Wang Zamao was a little nervous and a little excited. A huge achievement was now in front of him. It was impossible not to be nervous. The movements of the officers and soldiers on the other side were getting bigger and bigger. They were just wandering by the river the day before yesterday, but they were on the other side overnight. Countless large and small boats and crowds of people appeared on the river bank. It seemed that the officers and soldiers were about to force the crossing.
They are really not afraid of death, and they don't choose a good day to cross the river. They are really good at raining and windy days like this.
But just when he was about to start a big fight, he suddenly reported that there was something strange in Nanjing last night. First, many officers and soldiers appeared all night long and spies were crazy to snipe and kill them. However, they still detected a group of more than a thousand cavalrymen. Heading south, we are only a few dozen miles away from Dangtu.
This made Wang Zamao a little surprised. He speculated that Nanjing had sent troops early but did not have the courage to come, but why did they suddenly send troops at this juncture? So he quickly called his dog-headed military advisor Yan Xuming to discuss.
"General, there is no need to worry." Yan Xuming was confident: "If Nanjing's soldiers and horses had the courage, they would have advanced over long ago. This is just to disturb people's eyes and ears and cooperate with the officers and soldiers on the other side to cross the river. There is nothing a thousand people can do to me. I'm afraid it's just waving flags and shouting." I dare not step into Wuhu territory."
"What should I do? It's always a trouble." Wang Zamao's thoughts were all on the officers and soldiers on the other side, but he couldn't ignore them.
"Five hundred elite soldiers are enough." Yan Xuming waved his hand: "Those officers and soldiers are just a bluff. They will not dare to move forward when we send troops to fight. Even if a battle begins, they will be enough to kill them without leaving a single piece of armor." Wang Zamao was convinced and ordered his leader Chen Dafa to lead 500 thieves and more than 2,000 cannon fodder to go to Dangtu overnight. He also made a big cake for Chen Dafa: "Capture Dangtu and allow you to loot." Three days."
Chen Dafa knelt down and kowtowed at that time. This was simply a great thing.
Just imagine that along the way, we encountered almost no real resistance. Normally, once the city was surrounded, the officials would be so frightened that they opened the door and surrendered. Although Dangtu was a prefectural city, it was actually just a small city. There were only a few guards inside, so how could they withstand the intimidation? , as for the more than a thousand cavalry from Nanjing, bah, they don’t count.
So Chen Dafa braved the rain all night, sang and thought of good things, and came over in a hurry.
Moreover, Lu Daqi received a military order from Chang Yu in the early morning, ordering him to lead 3,000 troops and horses to rush to Dangtu. Lu Daqi did not dare to neglect and led the 3,000 infantrymen to march regardless of fatigue. Xu Hongji knew that Chang Yu's sudden order to rush was inevitable. Strangely, I don't know what mentality he had to lead his servants to come with Lu Daqi. Seeing this, Zhao Zhilong and others also followed. Maybe they all knew that a fight was about to start and wanted to watch the excitement.
The march was difficult on a rainy day with muddy roads. Three thousand infantrymen marched for dozens of miles in a hurry. It was already noon in Dangtu. They were all exhausted and lying on the ground outside the city like dead dogs, panting. Chang Yu on the city had no expression on his face, while Li Muchian was expressionless. He frowned, how could he fight when he was so tired?
They rested when they were tired and fed when they were hungry. A dozen large pots were set up outside the city to cook broth. The soldiers who had lost strength struggled to get up smelling the aroma and began to grab food and drink.
"Without further ado, three thousand thieves are approaching the city in the afternoon. If you repel them, you will be rewarded with silver. Those who refuse to fight will not be pardoned." Chang Yu shouted at the top of the city. The soldiers below the city were drinking soup and eating meat. Startled, they all fell into silence.
There are three thousand thieves. How can I fight with them when I and others came here on two legs from Nanjing without eating or sleeping well and being soaked in the rain all night? Many people started beating the drum in their hearts, even Lu Daqi, Xu Hongji and others also frowned, tired and exhausted. Don't the little eunuchs not know such a simple truth? Could it be that the rumors are false, they are just fake tactics on paper, and those illustrious military exploits are just fake claims...
However, Chang Yu's words restored some of their confidence: "Although the bandit army is said to be three thousand, in fact most of them are refugees. Their soldiers are only five hundred, and like you, they came in the rain all night and are exhausted. , three thousand, oh no, what's the fear of four thousand against five hundred? If you are still afraid and can't win, then you are a man of the Ming Dynasty, just jump into the river and die, it will save you shame."
It turned out that there were only five hundred thieves, and the soldiers breathed a sigh of relief. Then they remembered that there were one thousand cavalry of Jin Shenghuan, so their morale gradually recovered, thinking that no matter how bad they were, they would not be defeated by four thousand against five hundred.
After the mobilization was completed, the three thousand soldiers ate well and found a clean place to rest in the city. Chang Yu called Lu Daqi, Xu Hongji and others to come forward and told them all about the plan. Everyone became more confident that the battle would be won.
"This battle is under the full command of Mr. Lu. Lord, are you going to watch the battle on the city, or are you going to watch the battle with Mr. Lu in front of the battle?" Chang Yu half-smiled, but Xu Hongji and others immediately invited him to go. Chang Yu smiled He smiled and said that the bandit army is approaching, so be prepared. Several people also knew that the reason why the young eunuch handed over the command was to see what they were capable of, and they also had a desire to win in their hearts. They had already deployed their battle plans, and if they bullied the more and the less, they still couldn't win, That would be really embarrassing and embarrassing.
In the evening, the detective horse came to report that the bandit army was ten miles away. Chang Yu ordered the soldiers, horses and people who had returned to Qinglian to withdraw. Lu Daqi and Xu Hongji immediately led their troops to Guxi River.
It was still drizzling in the sky, and the Guxi River was two or three miles south of Dangtu City. Chang Yu stood at the top of the city and could vaguely see the overall situation. He held a telescope and looked at it for a while, then handed it to Li Muchian: "I haven't seen a large band of thieves approaching. It is estimated that if they are repairing in the distance, if the four guards of Dongchang are here, the commander will kill them directly and not give them any chance to breathe."
Li Muxian took the Qianli General and looked at it. He smiled slightly and said, "Since you want to sharpen your sword, let's see what Lu Daqi's ability is."
Lu Daqi is not as relaxed as Chang Yu nor as optimistic as Xu Hongji and others, because he is the person Bai Wang has fought against, and he has never defeated the opponent with Zuo Liangyu last year, even once!
Every time the bandits are suppressed, they must fail.
Therefore, he knew that these thieves were powerful, and even though they were only five hundred, they should not be underestimated, but he could not tell it. The impending war would affect the morale of the army! The soldiers are already tired and nervous in the first battle. No matter how powerful your opponent is, it's still a shame.
The fortifications of the Guxi River were transformed by more than a thousand people all morning, and the location was very convenient for the officers and soldiers. In some places, they were dug wide and steep, and even high platforms were built on the bank to facilitate the archers to suppress them. Lu Daqi led his troops to arrive After circling the shore, several people looked at each other and smiled bitterly. The intelligence was given, the battle plan was given, and the fortifications were completed. The rest is waiting for you to start fighting. If you can't win like this, it's really better to jump into the river and die. .
"You must work hard not to lose the face of the Nanjing camp, but also to earn face for yourself. Don't be looked down upon by others, don't let others treat us as trash!" Xu Hongji was obviously stimulated: "Fight with all your strength." If you win this battle, the Duke's government is willing to reward you with fifty thousand taels of silver!" The soldiers behind him cheered, and Xu Hongji continued: "If you win, you will be rewarded, if you lose, you will be punished, but if you dare to retreat, you will not be spared. Look behind you. , Whoever retreats will die!"
Behind the three thousand soldiers, there was a cavalry group a few hundred meters away. The small number was nearly a hundred personal guards led by Kuang Ren, carrying bows and swords on their backs.
But it was obvious that they were not here to assist in the battle, but to supervise the battle.
Lu Daqi, Xu Hongji and others knew very well that once the war started, as long as anyone dared to retreat, those people would shoot them without hesitation.
There is only forward movement, no retreat at all!
Only win, no defeat is allowed. This is the only choice before the three thousand soldiers.
The rain was still falling slowly, and three thousand soldiers and horses were lined up along the river bank for several miles, sharpening their swords just waiting for the rebels to come.
However, surprisingly, after waiting for nearly half an hour, they found that the rebel army had not advanced here.
What kind of situation is this? Even Chang Yu, who was watching the battle in the city, frowned. Could it be that something has changed?
