Shang Zhixin put a monocular telescope on his eyes and looked into the distance with full eyesight. At the end of the distant mountains, there is a layer of mist-like smoke floating on the horizon, wide, flat, flat and diffuse.
"It's infantry, about 20,000 people." Shang Zhixin paused for a while, "It should be near the angle between Han River and Jushui." He turned around and looked at Kong Tingxun, who was standing on horseback beside him, "Brother Kong, there is really no To think that the rogue bandits would actually fight us in the Hanzhong Basin... They really don't know how to learn their lesson!"
Kong Tingxun was also looking at the plain ahead with concentration and remained silent.
Shang Zhixin added: "We have brought 1,500 armored cavalry this time, which is enough to break through the enemy's formation. When the time comes, I will take the lead in charging the formation. Big brother, please don't compete with me!"
Kong Tingxun put down the telescope that was placed in his eyes, turned around and said to Shang Zhixin: "Defu's horseback skills are very good. If he leads the cavalry into the formation, he will definitely win. How can Brother Yu compete with you?"
He paused and then said: "The terrain on the north bank of the Han River and the west bank of the Ju River is relatively narrow, and it is not possible to deploy too many troops. Our fifteen thousand people can be deployed just right...and We are arraying against a mountain, and they are arraying against a river, which is of great benefit to us!"
Shang Zhixin was already a little eager to try, "Brother Kong, let's go back quickly to inform my father about the enemy situation here, and let him mobilize his troops quickly!"
Kong Tingxun smiled and said: "Defu, you can go alone. Brother Yu, stay here. First, spread out the front team and occupy the dangerous mountain pass to prevent the rogue bandits from blocking our team in the mountain."
"That's fine!" Shang Zhixin handed over his hand, "Brother, come as soon as you go!"
Just when Shang Zhixin rushed back to his home army to discuss with his father Shang Kexi how to make contributions, two big flags had already passed the pontoon bridge on the Han River. The two big flags were not held by the flag bearers, but carried on the cart. Up. On the two-foot-high flagpole, a cyan flag fluttered in the wind. On the left side, there was a huge Chinese character "Jin" embroidered with black silk thread in the middle.
The other big flag is also a cyan flag, with the words "Command of the Three Armies" embroidered with red silk thread on the flag.
The moment the two flags symbolizing the Dashun Jin King Li Dingguo and the Dashun Northern Front Commander appeared, a blast of horns sounded, and the desolate and high-pitched voice spread throughout the battlefield. The previous horn did not stop, and the next horn sounded immediately.
The officers and soldiers of the Dashun Army who were marching and unfolding couldn't help but slow down and looked towards the place where the sound came from. They all saw Li Dingguo's royal flag and handsome flag.
The Dashun Army soldiers, who were a little demoralized at first, saw these two flags and immediately let out earth-shaking cheers.
"The King of Jin is a thousand years old, a thousand years old, a thousand years old..."
The cheers of the Shun army spread to the slopes five or six miles away. Kong Tingxun, who was commanding the six battalions of the Ming army's leading troops to spread out into six square formations along the slopes, straightened his back on horseback and took out his monocular telescope. , looking into the distance.
Because of his condescending position, coupled with the function of the telescope, Kong Tingxun could clearly see the Shun army forming formation below the hillside.
The Shun army numbered about 20,000, and they formed a long snake formation running from southwest to northeast.
The southwest starting point of the long snake formation is the small Mianxian County seat - this is a very solid bastion, bordering the Han River to the south. There is also a bastion on the other side of the Han River, and the two forts are connected by a pontoon bridge. Further south is the Dingjunshan Camp of the Dashun Army! The northeast end point of the Long Snake Formation is the west bank of Jushui.
In other words, both wings of the Dashun Army were protected by the castle and the river, and were not easily flanked by the opponent's cavalry.
"You are quite good at picking places!" Kong Tingxun grinned, "This battle has been fought!"
Using cavalry groups to attack the flanks under the cover of artillery was Wu Sangui's "one trick" in defeating the rogue bandits in many battles on the Guanzhong Plain. It looked very simple, but it was effective every time.
At this time, there was a sound of horse hoofbeats. Kong Tingxun looked back and found that Shang Kexi, monk Zhixin and his son had already arrived on horseback. With them, there were also armored cavalry from the brigade.
"How is the situation?" Shang Kexi reined in his horse beside Kong Tingxun and asked loudly.
"Uncle," Kong Tingxun said, "the bandits set up a long snake formation with the castle of Mian County on their left and the west bank of Ju River on their right."
Shang Kexi raised his telescope and looked ahead, "We should form our formation with our backs to the water. If we lose, we will fall into the Han River and the Ju River! And we have mountains at our backs, we can attack or defend... Who is this?" Are you in command?"
"It seems to be Li Dingguo, the false king of Jin."
"Li Dingguo?" Shang Kexi was stunned, "He is also using old soldiers, why are they getting worse as he fights?"
Shang Zhixin said from the side: "Sir, it seems that the enemy's array has not been set up yet. Why don't you let the children charge with the cavalry for a while to give them a disarming force?"
Shang Kexi raised his telescope and looked again, and found that the Shun army on the opposite side had just formed two large horizontal formations of infantry at the front and rear. Each formation contained about 10,000 people and was divided into twenty battalion square formations. The number of spears in each battalion square formation was not large enough, only a few dozen. Their formation is still a bit scattered, and it is obvious that they have not completed the whole team.
As for the artillery and cavalry of the Dashun Army, they haven't appeared yet. The artillery is probably not in place yet, and the cavalry... probably don't have any good cavalry.
"Okay," Shang Kexi nodded, "before their artillery team arrives, catch him off guard first!" He moved to his left side, "The cavalry rushed along the Ju River, charging towards their right flank... ..If you can’t break through, retreat immediately, regroup and try again!”
"My child understands!"
The eight-year-long Battle of Guanzhong also taught the warlords Shang Kexi, Kong Tingxun, and Shang Zhixin a lot of skills. They also now know that the best way to use cavalry is to charge repeatedly!
Shang Kexi watched his son rush away on horseback, and then turned back to Kong Ting and said: "Good nephew, my son can probably break through the enemy's right front formation... In the second line, I will command 12 infantry battalions to charge into the enemy's center." , to prevent them from supporting the right wing.
The rest of the troops will be left to your command. First, we will take up positions along the hillside and pay attention to protecting our own right wing. Then wait for my son's cavalry to retreat, and then send infantry to cover them and charge towards the enemy's right wing until they are overrun! "
Shang Kexi's fighting style was still very professional. He adopted the strategy of attacking first and then setting up formations because there were too few artillery that followed him all the way to Hanzhong, only 12 light 3-pound cannons. And the opponent is likely to have a 12-pounder!
If we wait for Li Dingguo to calmly set up his formation, this battle will not be easy to fight...
While Shang Kexi and Kong Tingxun were busy mobilizing the infantry that kept coming rapidly along the mountain road into battle, Shang Zhixin was already approaching the right wing of the Shun army with 1,500 armored cavalry.
The main positions of the two sides were about five or six miles apart, and Hequ horses could not charge that far, so Shang Zhixin had to move his team to within two miles in front of the enemy's right wing before launching an attack.
Instead of fighting a wheel battle with a company or battalion as a unit, 1,500 riders charge together!
The frontal impact of the 1,500 cavalry was huge. The so-called wall impact was impossible, but their formation was quite dense. That is, a large group of cavalry launched the impact with a roar, first walking on foot, then small ones. Jogging, then getting faster and faster, and finally sprinting!
When Shang Zhixin commanded the cavalry to charge, Shang Kexi straightened up on his horse, looking at the dust in front of him and the group of cavalry running faster and faster, his heartbeat accelerated unknowingly.
There were vague sounds of gunfire, which should be the matchlock guns of the rogue army firing.
The volley was poorly organized! Shang Kexi thought: They probably didn't expect that they would send cavalry to charge into the formation before the formation was completed, and they were a little panicked.
At this time, another burst of gunfire rang out, much more orderly than the one just now... The bandit's musketeers must have adopted a round-robin shooting style.
However, two volleys of guns against the enemy is enough. It is time for the rogue spearmen to move in, but their number is not large and they should not be able to stop the charge of 1,500 cavalry.
When Shang Kexi thought of this, a dull "bang bang bang" collision sound suddenly came from the front!
The collision begins!
Shang Kexi immediately raised his telescope and looked forward, and found chaos ahead, but he did not see his own cavalry retreating in confusion.
Apparently he rushed in!
Shang Kexi immediately shouted excitedly: "Children, come on! Anyone who wants to make meritorious deeds or make a fortune must come to me!"
