Thousands of Wu and Zhou cavalry bypassed their formation, and the thunderous sound of hoofbeats resounded throughout the battlefield, making the earth tremble.
The person who commanded the cavalry to attack was Wu Sangui's most capable cavalry general, Ma Bao. Since he was from Chuangying and Li Zicheng was his old man, he was sent by Wu Sangui to Wu Yingqi in the past few years and served as the latter's deputy. He has been following Wu Yingqi and Wu Shicong's father and son to explore the northwest. Before Wu Zhou fought against the Ming Dynasty this time, he was fighting against the Heshuote Khanate in Qinghai, and he was appointed as the general manager of the Qingtang Dynasty in the Great Zhou Dynasty. On the Qingtang Plateau, he was considered invincible.
However, the invincible God of War of the Plateau has never faced the charging formation of thousands of Ganshaan cavalry led by himself before, and he can still calmly launch thousands-man-level hollow square formations. One look at it shows that he is very calm. opponent.
Ma Bao, who was very experienced in the battlefield, knew that he could not rush forward forcefully, so he led his cavalry to run around the dozen or so battalion-level hollow squares at a distance, so that he could launch an attack at any time.
Since the number of cavalry in Li Zhongzheng's hands was too small, less than 800, he was unable to expel Ma Bao's thousands of northwest cavalry. He had to maintain a hollow square formation and wait for the opponent to get tired of running before finding a way to advance.
Li Zhongshan, under the command of General Ming Dynasty in Caijiapo, was observing the battle situation between his right wing and the left wing of the Wu and Zhou Army. Li Fuchen had already retreated a bit with his cavalry and hid behind the eight hollow phalanxes of his own side in the twelfth town, dismounting and gathering strength.
Luo Dawei's Eleventh Town, which had been almost collapsed by Wu Zhoujun's cavalry assault, had also completed its reorganization at this time, formed five battalion-level columns, and was advancing to support the operations of the Twelfth Town.
The Wuzhou Army's cavalry launched an attack on the 12th Town, which had been repelled by the Ming army who had formed a hollow square formation. Now, seven or eight thousand Wuzhou Infantry Army came forward to shoot at them, and they also dragged a dozen artillery pieces. Help out.
However, the Ming army had huge advantages in flintlocks, rifled guns, and Mini bullets. Even if the infantry of the 12th Town retreated a little to prevent the Wu and Zhou cavalry from suddenly attacking, they did not dare to transform the hollow square formation into a sudden attack. When they returned to the horizontal line, they could still use firepower to overwhelm the Wu and Zhou infantry troops who were about the same number as them.
At this time, the sound of gunfire and shouts of killing came from far ahead on his left, and the left wing of the Ming army and the right wing of the Wu and Zhou army also fought together. Because Wu Yingqi pulled out half of the second and third lines of his right wing to form a line of defense on the side of the right wing, the front of the right wing became very thin. So Li Zhongshan seized the opportunity and immediately threw himself into one of the two towns on the second line of his left wing. He smashed in a total of sixteen battalion-level columns and launched a fierce attack on Wu Zhou's right wing.
However, Wu and Zhou fought extremely tenaciously. Although they suffered a lot of casualties, they could still barely withstand the battle with the support of the cavalry on their right wing. The fight was a bit stalemate!
If Li Zhongzheng could get back to his position in time, he would probably win this battle today!
Thinking of this, Li Zhongshan turned the telescope again and looked at Li Zhongzheng's troops who had appeared on the battlefield. He found that a large number of Wu and Zhou cavalry were surrounding a pile of hollow squares composed of infantry from two towns under Li Zhongzheng. Traveling around the array. For a while, it seemed that no one could do anything to anyone.
"General, there is still one cavalry unit on the left flank of our army that has not been committed!"
Yao Qisheng's reminder came, and Li Zhongshan looked at his left wing with a telescope and found a temporary cavalry mark made up of three town-affiliated cavalry battalions, nervously waiting there.
"General, Model No. 1 Town is also on standby. Can the left-wing cavalry be sent to support Third Master's roundabout troops, and at the same time, Model No. 1 Town is thrown in to attack the enemy's right wing?"
After Li Zhongshan observed for a while, he said: "Let the cavalry on the left wing attack to support the center, but the model first town will not move! I have already invested sixteen battalions in two towns on the left wing, and there is another town that can be invested at any time. No It is necessary to invest in the Model No. 1 Town. The Model No. 1 Town is the general reserve team and must be kept until King Li Zhong arrives before investing."
After receiving Li Zhongshan's order, Yao Qisheng immediately wrote out the military order to the left-wing cavalry. After stamping it, he immediately sent the cavalry out. Then he asked Li Zhongshan: "General, are you worried about Wu Guogui (Yao Qisheng was not present at this time)?" I don’t know that Wu Zhoujun’s coach is Wu Yingqi) also moved sideways and outflanked our side?”
Li Zhongshan pondered for a moment and then nodded: "The number of the Wu army opposite seems to be slightly smaller than our army. If their total strength is really only this, then I only need to wait until Zhongzheng's roundabout is successful, and then invest in the 15th town on the second line on the left. Then the enemy's right wing will definitely be defeated. Model 1 Town and the 16th Town on the right wing can be left until the end to pursue and oppress the enemy. If possible, I will trap them in the Laodao River, Liuyang River and Between the Xiangjiang River.”
Yao Qisheng took a map and quickly sketched it out following Li Zhongshan's thoughts. The Laodao River and the Liuyang River finally flow into the Xiangjiang River, and these two rivers form a trumpet-shaped terrain that is wide in the east and narrow in the west. On the westernmost side of the horn, where the Laodao River and the Liuyang River flow into the Xiangjiang River, it is quite narrow, almost like a long and narrow peninsula. Although most of the Laodao River and Liuyang River in this area are accessible by bridges. But it is not easy for a hundred thousand defeated troops to cross the river on a few wooden bridges!
Therefore, once the Wu army is forced into this peninsula and cannot easily cross the river into Changsha, the Wu and Zhou Dynasties will suffer a devastating blow!
This plan is very good. Whether it can be realized depends on whether Li Zhongzheng can defeat Wu Jun's right wing and when Li Laishun can arrive!
Under the fluttering flag of Wu Zishuai, Wu Yingqi stared intently at the front of his right wing. Although Ma Bao's cavalry entangled the roundabout Ming army brigade, Ma Bao only had a few thousand cavalry, and it was impossible to repel the enemy's brigade of at least 20,000 people. Moreover, Wu Yingqi no longer has any reserve team, so it is difficult to provide more support to Ma Bao. It would be great if Wu Guogui's 50,000 people were still there!
This division of troops and detours seems not cost-effective!
"Cavalry! The cavalry of the Ming Army is coming up!"
Liu Xuanchu, who served as military advisor next to Wu Yingqi, suddenly shouted: "Right wing, our right wing front."
Wu Yingqi quickly raised his binoculars to see. Through the faint smoke that filled the battlefield, he saw more than a thousand lancers in red robes and red scarves, driving from the left wing of the Ming army to the vicinity of Ma Bao surrounding the Ming army's roundabout troops.
Wu Yingqi muttered: "Oops. Ma Bao's troops are too few to stop them!"
Although Ma Bao has more than 6,000 cavalry, the Ming army has 20,000 infantry, including a large number of pure fusiliers and artillery, as well as more than 2,000 cavalry. It is impossible for Ma Bao to defeat him. !
As soon as Ma Bao retreats, Wu Zhoujun's right wing will soon fall into a hard battle!
But Wu Yingqi has no reserve team in his hands!
Thinking of this, he could only look up to the east, as if he wanted to find traces of Wu Guogui's troops in the eastern sky. Looking at it, he was pleasantly surprised to find that the sky in the distance seemed to be filled with smoke and dust!
This must be the smoke and dust caused by the rapid march of the army. Wu Guogui has arrived!
"Dong dong dong"
Before Wu Yingqi had time to be happy, the sound of drums and drums urging the attack came to mind from the Ming army formation opposite! He quickly turned around and saw one Ming army battalion-level column after another, rushing towards his right wing!
Fierce fighting also broke out between Ma Bao's cavalry and the Ming army's lancers, as well as skirmishers who used rifled guns for sniping!
Although Ma Bao's cavalry was twice as many as his opponents, he had to delay the Ming army's infantry while resisting the Ming army's cavalry. The force was quite tight. What made him even more frustrated was that there were a large number of riflemen in the Ming army's infantry, and their cork bullets fired far and accurately! Just huddled in the hollow square array and fired, which had already caused considerable losses to Ma Bao's men. Now they were even more courageous and rushed out in groups, cooperating with their own lancers to attack the cavalry groups of the Wu and Zhou Army running around on the battlefield.
Ma Bao's cavalry were not used to this insidious style of play. Some cavalry even gave up chasing the Ming army's cavalry and instead attacked the skirmisher line composed of the Ming army's rifled riflemen. However, these Ming army skirmishers fought very calmly. They did not panic because the cavalry rushed towards them, but they were still able to shoot accurately.
At the same time, the hollow square formations behind the Ming army skirmishers boldly turned into columns, advancing towards the Wu army cavalry, watching a forest of spears and rifles with bayonets pressing against them. After coming, most of the Wu and Zhou army cavalry had no choice but to retreat. There were a few teams of really hot-headed cavalry. Although they dispersed the already scattered Ming army skirmishers, they were quickly shot by the Ming army columns that followed. Because the Ming army's muskets were also filled with cork bullets with excellent airtightness, their effective range was much farther than that of Wu Zhoujun's muskets. This made the Shaanxi-Gansu cavalry of Wu Zhou, who was accustomed to bullying the Heshuote, Junggar and Yeerqiang people who did not have many muskets in the northwest, very uncomfortable. They soon could not bear the losses and withdrew from the battle.
As Ma Bao's cavalry retreated, Wu Yingqi's right wing faced a major crisis. Li Zhongshan threw twenty-four battalions from three towns in front of Wu Yingqi's right wing and launched a series of fierce attacks! After Li Zhongzheng's roundabout troops arrived at the attack position, they launched an attack on the flank of Wu Yingqi's right wing with sixteen battalions of troops.
This is a total of forty battalions of infantry, and eight of them are pure fusiliers from the second model town. Their firepower is extremely terrifying! Under their pressure, Wu Yingqi's right wing could only fight and retreat. By the afternoon of September 22, the originally straight Wu and Zhou army's front had been squeezed into a C shape by the Ming army. Wu Jun was almost semi-surrounded.
Even Wu Yingqi's Chinese army had to move due to the fierce attack by the Ming army's outflanking troops!
In addition, the communication line between Wu Zhou's army and their main camp in Langli City should have been cut off due to the outflanking and oppression by Li Zhongzheng's troops. Now they only have a precarious retreat route westward along the Laodao River. .
Faced with such an unfavorable situation, Wu Zhoufu Bing, who was a "shareholder", began to be unable to bear it. The battlefield was full of Wu and Zhou soldiers fleeing westward. Wu Yingqi had no choice but to send his own soldiers everywhere to stop them, but he could only barely hold on.
Looking at the Ming army's onslaught, Wu Yingqi seemed to have seen the tragic end of his defeat and death, and the death of Wu Zhou Kingdom.
This emperor is at a loss!
However, Wu Yingqi, who was on the verge of collapse, did not know that his opponent Li Zhongshan was also about to collapse at this time!
Because Li Zhongshan has discovered that the person driving from behind him is not Li Laishun, but a Wu Zhou army with as many as 40,000 to 50,000 people!
No matter how you look at this situation, it looks like the Great Patriarch of Waterloo!
Cold sweat broke out on Li Zhongshan's forehead!
He thought he was sure of victory just now, but when he turned around, there was "Blücher" behind him! And I don’t know where Li Laishun’s Ming Dynasty “Groush” is?
"General, please immediately lead the first and sixteenth model towns to stop the enemy near Yongxing City!" Yao Qisheng made a suggestion loudly at this time, interrupting Li Zhongshan's thoughts.
Li Zhongshan just woke up from a dream. His situation was better than Napoleon's at Waterloo. His "Old Guard" and "Young Guard" have not yet moved! You can use it to stop "Wulu Xieer", so that you can probably hold on until "Li Luxi"'s 30,000 troops arrive. As long as "Li Luxi" arrives, everything will be fine.
Thinking of this, Li Zhongshan immediately turned to Yao Qisheng and said: "Military advisor, call my father back immediately. Let him take command of the overall situation!"
After giving the order, Li Zhongshan immediately galloped down Caijiapo and rushed to Model No. 1 Town and No. 16 Town, who were waiting for orders next to Caijiapo. The town, which had been recuperating now, was encouraged, and then flew up to Wang An, the commander-in-chief of the Model 1 Town, and Chang Wei, the commander-in-chief of the 16th Town, and loudly ordered: "Model 1 Town, 16th Town. Now follow this general to attack!"
At the same time, "Wulington" Wu Yingqi on the opposite side also realized that he seemed to be saved. He also flew to his son Wu Shicong and asked him loudly: "Shicong, can your cavalry still fight?"
"Can fight!" Wu Shicong replied without hesitation.
His cavalry has been building up their power for a while. Although they haven't rested enough yet, the situation is critical now. They can only make these horses work overtime for a while, which can be regarded as using them as humans, right?
"Great!" Wu Yingqi said, "You immediately lead them and Ma Bao to launch a counterattack against the Ming army behind the right wing, and push them as far south as possible to ensure that the back road is clear!"
Wu Shicong was stunned, "Father, shouldn't we launch an attack on the front of the Ming army now? The third uncle has already arrived. We are just in time to give Li Zhongshan a flanking attack!"
Wu Yingqi’s words certainly make sense!
However, he was also a bit afraid of being beaten by the Ming army. He was afraid that his frontal attack would not be able to capture Li Zhongshan, and his flanks would be completely surrounded by the Ming army. If Li Zhongshan also had reinforcements, the old Wu family would be wiped out.
"Do as I say!" Wu Yingqi didn't explain much and just asked his son to execute it.
"Yes, father!" Wu Shicong no longer insisted on his opinion, nor did he dare to gamble with Li Zhongshan! Didn't Wu Shijue and Li Zhongshan lose all the girls in their bet last time?
Better be careful!
So Wu Shicong got on his horse and called his cavalry to turn around and support the battle behind his right wing.
As for Wu Shicong's half-strength army, Wu Yingqi, the "Wu Lingtong", has no other options. He can only wait quietly for the performances of "Wu Lucher", "Li Poluun" and "Li Luxi".
In fact, "Li Luxi's" 30,000-strong army is not very far from the Laodao River-Liuyang River front line. He almost collided with the army of "Wulucher" before! However, he saw that "Wulu Xieer" had more people than him, so he didn't dare to confront him head-on, so he let "Wu Lu Xieer" go first.
However, he had no intention of running away first. Instead, he clung to Wu Guogui's back - he didn't dare to run either! His "grandfather" Li Zicheng is attacking Jiujiang City like crazy, and according to the latest intelligence, there is Wu Yingxiong in Jiujiang City!
If Wu Yingxiong was beaten to death by Li Zicheng, could Li Laishun and Wu Sangui's families still reconcile? It's simply impossible, so he can't let the Wu family win!
Just as he was rushing towards the battlefield by the Laodao River with Wu Guogui's rear troops in his arms, the fierce battle between "Li Polun" and "Wu Lücher" had already begun. This time "Lee Poleon" also tried his best. As soon as he took action, eight battalions from the model town were launched into the battle while marching in field columns, without giving "Wulucher" a chance to form a formation.
And "Wulucher" was not ambiguous, directly throwing his own lancers into the lead, and also threw in several of the most elite infantry battalions! Trying to force the opponent back and buy himself time to set up his formation. As a result, the infantry and cavalry of both sides started the most intense and bloody battle from the beginning!
(End of chapter)
