Chapter 169 Lai Wenguang vs. Yin Longhe (2)
The Nian army gathered again in Uukou Town. Zeng Guoquan was overjoyed and urgently told Peng Yuju: "Xingnan speeds to Jiuligang and Yongxing to guard the east road; Zhou Shengbo and Liu Bingzhang's troops are stationed in Jingshan, and they join the Henan army and Jiang Dongcai's troops to guard the north road." Li Zhaoqing's troops rushed to Songhe Town to help defend the Northeast Route; Zuo Guangpei's water division protected the Hanjiang waterway; Bao Chao and Liu Mingchuan's 52nd Battalion rushed to the outskirts of Uukou and worked together to encircle and kill them.
Peng Yuju said: "My troops also went to Jiukou to attack the thieves."
Zeng Guoquan said: The thief rebels against the horse quickly. Xingnan must hold on to the east road and overlap with the other four armies to prevent overflow; the Han River blocks the south, and the Ting and Ming armies are surrounded on both sides. The force is like a mountain, and they can defeat the enemy. Grind it into powder.
On February 18, 1867, Liu Mingchuan's troops entered Xiayang Port; on the same day, Bao Chaoting's army also arrived near Jiukou Town. Liu Ming sent a letter to Bao Chao, agreeing that on the next day, Ming's army would march from Xiayangang from north to south, and Ting's army from Jiukou from west to east, attacking from both sides.
Bao Chao received the letter and immediately issued an order: the named admiral Song Guoyong, the commander-in-chief of Xuanhua Town, Zhili, led the Chinese army as the main attack, and the commander-in-chief Zeng Cheng of the Ministry of Armed Forces supported the attack; the named admiral Tan Shengda led the right army as the main attack, and the commander-in-chief Yang Qian supported the attack. Governor Renlian of the Tang Dynasty led the left army to attack in a roundabout way, with Admiral Deng Xun and his troops supporting him. General Commander Yang Dechen led his cavalry to attack in a roundabout way, cutting off the thieves' retreat. All the troops were prepared to attack at any moment.
The two armies of Ming and Ting arrived at the same time, and Lai Wenguang wanted to defeat them one by one.
The first king, Fan Ruzeng, said: "Your Majesty, King Zun, if Liu Yao and Bao Yao attack at the same time, how should we deal with them?"
Lai Wenguang sighed and said: I originally wanted to send Niu Hongsheng's troops to contain Bao Yao, but neither the kings of Lu nor Wei nodded. Liu Yaoming said that he was unparalleled in talent and would not be willing to be inferior to Bao Yao. I bet on him attacking first! I immediately wrote a letter to encourage him.
After Lai Wen's words, he quickly issued a letter of war: Liu Yao has met three times. Your heart, soul, and heart are inferior to Bao Yao's. Bao Yao's courageous strategy is beyond your reach. You dare not fight alone, and you must join forces with Bao Yao. pincer attack. If you are left alone, you will undoubtedly die! Our army is in strict formation, waiting and hoping, waiting for you and Bao Yao to arrive hand in hand.
When Liu Mingchuan accepted the letter, he was filled with anger and resentment.
Tang Dian, the commander of the right battalion, said: "This is the method of relying on counterattacks to stimulate generals. Liu Shuai must not change his tactics; please wait a little and attack at the same time as Ting's army."
Liu Ming preached: Bao Chunting is brave but has no plans. He is only a talent who relies on Hu Zeng to protect him. When I heard that his name came to my superiors, I was particularly unhappy! In the past two years, Lai Ni and I have fought several battles without losing. It is still unknown who will win tomorrow's battle.
Tang Diankui said again: Crossing the river to engage in battle, guns and artillery are difficult to use, and the chance of winning has dropped sharply. Please think again, Liu Shuai.
Liu Mingchuan refused to comment, summoned the generals, and said impassionedly: "We have never been defeated in battles with Lai and Ren Erni before. Our army can defeat the thieves alone. If we attack with Bao and win, Bao will be the first to win. People also say that we depend on people." If we succeed, it is better to go out and annihilate this bandit first. If Baobu comes to watch, he should be convinced!
At Mao's Day on February 19, before dawn, Liu Mingzhuan left the two battalions of Wang Decheng and Gong Yuanyou to guard the artillery and baggage. He split into three groups with Tang Diankui and Liu Shengzao's troops, crossed the Yinlong River, and attacked fiercely.
Lai Wenguang and others immediately retreated as soon as they engaged in the battle.
Liu Mingchuan said: This is to tire me out and lure me deeper, and then use the cavalry to cut off my retreat! The distance between the Han River and the Yinlong River is less than sixty miles. The more I pursue the thief, the more I frown. If I destroy this imperial food, I will reward you based on my merits!
Lai Wenguang also knew that there was no way to turn around, so he urgently ordered King Renzhu of Lu to attack Liu Shengzao on the left, and King Niu Hongsheng of Jing to attack Diankui Tang of the right. Lai Wenguang himself and King Li Yuntai of Wei jointly attacked Liu Mingchuan's central army.
Ren Zhu took the lead, and in two or three rounds, Ming Jun was about to be overwhelmed from the left. Liu Shengzao couldn't hold it back and retreated in embarrassment. Upon seeing this, Liu Mingchuan urgently ordered his deputy general Li Xizen to lead the third battalion of troops for reinforcements.
Ren Zhu immediately divided his troops, and one of them crossed the Yinlong River and chased the remnants of Liu Shengzao. Ren Zhuzi led the main army and used both swords and guns to kill Li Xi's reinforcements. When the two armies were short-circuited, Ren Zhu suddenly ordered his guns to fire in unison. Li Xizeng was unprepared and was shot and fell from his horse, and his troops collapsed.
Ren Zhu took advantage of the situation to cover up the attack and cut off Liu Mingchuan's army in the middle. Ming Chuan was trapped in the core and was shocked for a moment.
Tang Diankui, the leader of the right army, did not dare to neglect after hearing the news. He quickly repulsed the approaching Nian army and quickly returned to support Liu Mingchuan's Chinese army.
There were 70,000 to 80,000 people from Ming and Nian tribes, each armed with swords and spears, and occasionally firing spears. They divided each other, captured and killed each other. On the banks of the Yinlong River, the sky was filled with screams and chaos.
Bao Chao was startled when he heard the sound. He rushed to Gaogang, held a telescope and watched carefully.
Song Guoyong, the registered admiral and the commander-in-chief of Xuanhua Town, Zhili, said: Report to Commander Bao that Ming’s army is moving ahead of schedule. Will our department follow up immediately?
Bao Chao said: "Seventy to eighty thousand people are stirring up a fight, and the chaos is like boiling porridge. If our more than ten thousand men and horses charge in at this time, they will be trapped in it." Liu Shengsan violated the agreement and was eager to grab the credit, let's not mention it for now; he did not use foreign guns and cannons, but competed with the thieves with swords and spears; because he was shorter than others, his machine was exhausted, and his life could not be saved. All ministries followed the previous arrangements, with their swords and guns unsheathed and their guns loaded, but they were waiting for my order.
Song Guoyong said: I dare to ask Commander Bao, in this kind of battle situation, when is the best time for our troops to attack? How much does this victory count for?
Bao Chao said: "Ming's troops are in disorder and their flags are in disarray. They seem to be in a rout but are not in a rout; the bandit army is not in lines and gathers and disperses at will." Send my order quickly, this battle is of vital importance, anyone who shrinks from the battle will be killed without mercy! The chance of victory is 90%. Lai Ni really doesn't know how to fight. My troops are so close, so he thinks it's nothing!
While Bao and Song were talking, Tang Diankui, the commander of the right army of the Ming Army, was shot and fell from his horse. General Tian Fuan, deputy generals Hu Hengzhang, Wu Weizhang, Liu Chaoxun, etc. also died in battle one by one, and the soldiers suffered countless casualties.
The situation was over, and Liu Mingchuan lost all hope and sighed: Liu is incompetent and has brought down thousands of troops! After Ming heard the news, he took off his Lingding official uniform, retreated into the abandoned kiln, and sat on the ground to wait for death. There were only twenty or thirty staff and soldiers scattered around.
Outside of the waste kiln, still ping ping pong, hissing continuously; Ming Chuan Fu also murmured again: Chen is engraved, Chen is engraved!
Suddenly, dust was flying in the southwest corner, and the sound of killing was loud. Governor Bao Chao led thousands of troops to kill the generals with overwhelming force.
Liu Mingchuan trembled and shouted: Ting's army is here! The Ting army has arrived! Then follow me to mount the horse and fight!
Before Ming's army was destroyed, Ting's army fought out, and the Nian soldiers were in panic. Lai Wenguang fired a warning shot and told the kings: Today, Liu will be killed and the abalone will be captured. We will drive westward, all the way into Sichuan, and seize the advantage of Bashu. Along the way, we will reach Jingzi Pass and unite. When King Liang attacked Shaanxi and Gansu, King Hong Tian was unable to do anything.
Wei King Li Yuntai said: "Bao Yao is powerful and our army is in disarray. Can we reorganize our army and fight again?"
King Renzhu of Lu said: "Bao Yao is coming in a blink of an eye, how can there be a chance to form a formation and assemble the army!"
Lai Wenguang said: Brother Lu speeds up the cavalry to suppress the enemy's front. The other kings quickly organize their troops and form a tight formation to resist the enemy.
Before the formation of the Nian Army was formed, more than 10,000 troops of the Ting Army roared in like a tidal wave. Bao Chao personally visited the battlefield and supervised the three armies. They fired their guns in turns, the cannons blasted wildly, the soldiers bravely raised their guns and brandished their swords, and the sounds of killing and killing resounded throughout the fields.
Ming's army, which was about to be defeated, also pulled himself together, picked up his swords and guns, and attacked from behind.
The Nian army dispersed and fought independently, resulting in a chaotic battle. By dusk, they were at a disadvantage. Lai Wenguang assessed the situation and issued a withdrawal order hastily. However, the troops were about to join, but they collapsed as soon as they retreated. The defeated troops were surrounded, like mountains and seas, and they cascaded thousands of miles.
