In fact, Luo Dai wanted to keep the group of thieves who had arrived from Liu Zian's army. However, the official army originally lacked war horses. He had failed for a while before. Even with the horse pawns brought by Liu Zian, it was completely impossible. He couldn't eat the bandits fleeing north in one bite.
The best result would be to lose both sides. If he couldn't defeat him, he would have to fight twice in a row. He really couldn't explain it to Hong Shaobao when he went back. Therefore, although Luo Dai was unwilling to do so, he could only give up and wait for Hong Shaobao's army to advance. Come to respond.
By this time, Gucheng had probably fallen into Zhang Ni's hands, and he had just suffered another defeat. It was really a bad start. If Liu Guoneng hadn't sent a group of troops to help, the army would have been defeated by the bandits. .
Through the previous confrontation, Luo Dai realized that the combat power of the opponent's cavalry was actually not inferior to his own soldiers. These were probably elite cavalry sent by Zhang Ni. Now he was determined not to underestimate the enemy. The slightest carelessness in underestimating the enemy would cause the ship to capsize. .
Less than fifteen miles behind Liu Zian's command was the 20,000-strong army led by Liu Guoneng himself. On the east side, there were also warships commanded by Li Wanqing sailing upstream along the Xiang River.
Behind these two groups of troops was Hong Chengchou's central army, which was under Yang Guozhu's command, which was less than forty miles away from Luo Dai.
Therefore, if this group of thieves tried to fight Luo Dai's troops just now, they would soon be surrounded and surrounded by the army. Not only would they win the battle, but also the cavalry's ability to escape the encirclement would be a problem.
It was undoubtedly a wise move for them to choose to retreat in advance. Even if Luo Dai's men were not seriously injured, they could still escape intact and save the lives of their own soldiers. In Luo Dai's view, this move was undoubtedly a very wise move.
In the evening, Hong Chengchou led Yang Guozhu's troops to join the generals. Considering that Zhang Xianzhong had revolted, the original battle plan needed to be adjusted, and he had to summon the four generals around him to discuss the next strategy.
"Everyone, Gucheng has been lost now. Tomorrow we will go north. Our army must fight to the death with the rebellious bandits here. We must severely damage Zhang Ni's troops. Zhang Ni has always been cunning. If he hears that our army will go north, there are only three ways to go. The first is to take the lead in rushing into Xunyang Mansion and join Luo Rucai and others. The second is to go north to Dengzhou and try to enter the Henan area. The third is to wait for an opportunity to go east and attack Xiangyang City!"
Hong Chengchou had not obtained the latest information before, and when he came back later to visit the horse, he reported that Gucheng had been lost and Zhang Ni's flag was planted on the top of the city, so Hong Chengchou would not be in a hurry to march north.
The first task at the moment is to find out the movements of Zhang Xianzhong's troops, but this is difficult to guess. Unless there is news from Zhang Ni's insiders, everything can only be guessed.
The four commanders-in-chief did not dare to judge lightly on this matter. This was related to the lives and fortunes of tens of thousands of soldiers. In a competition with Zhang Ni's tens of thousands of troops, one wrong move would lead to a total loss.
Seeing that everyone was unwilling to speak, Hong Chengchou said to himself: "At present, there is a great famine in Henan and natural disasters are continuing. Moreover, Zuo Liangyu and others are leading his troops south. If Zhang Ni leads his bandits into Henan, there will be no What's the chance of winning? What's more, His Royal Highness has already deployed heavy troops in key areas in southern Henan, and Zhang Ni can't get any advantage. In my opinion, the bandits will either choose to go west or wait for an opportunity to go east! That's the way to go west. Join Luo Rucai and others, and go north to return to Shaanxi territory, and go south to enter Sichuan. Go east to attack Wuchang Prefecture, or directly join up with the Gezuo Fifth Battalion to press on Nanjing!"
What he said was all discussed with the prince and Sun Chuanting before leaving. After many discussions, the three of them had formed a high-level confession.
If Zhang Xianzhong ran to the west, there would be Luo Rucai and a bunch of bandits over there. If everyone joins forces to fight against the officers and soldiers who come to encircle and suppress them, the chance of winning will be much greater than fighting alone.
Of course, the prince also specifically warned that with Zhang Xianzhong's personality, he would not join forces with others unless absolutely necessary. Because there are more wolves and less meat, if everyone joins together, each family will be destined to plunder very little supplies.
Zhang Xianzhong had 30,000 to 40,000 troops. Before he suffered heavy losses, there was no need to actively go to Luo Rucai's side to join in the fun. He led his troops to capture cities and territories in the Huguang area, and everything he grabbed was his own.
Therefore, in the opinion of a certain prince, Zhang Xianzhong had a 50% chance of choosing to go eastward, a 40% chance of meeting Luo Rucai, and the remaining 10% chance of heading north, where he might meet Li Zicheng who had narrowly escaped death in Henan.
Hong Chengchou was also worried that Zhang Xianzhong was using his troops deceitfully. If he used a false weapon to make himself think that he ran westward, but actually marched eastward to Xiangyang, the food and grass supply for the counter-rebellion army would be greatly affected.
There were 80,000 shi of grain and 600,000 taels of silver in the city of Xiangyang. Once Xiangyang was captured, all the money and grain would belong to Zhang Ni, and his move would be suspected of subsidizing the enemy.
"I have decided to recapture Gucheng first. If Zhang Ni dares to lead his bandit troops to block Wang's division, the generals must annihilate him in one fell swoop. If Zhang Ni's troops flee after Wang's division goes north, they should be pursued in any direction. Anyone who refuses to give up and indulges the enemy without authorization will be killed by this commander without mercy!"
The order given by a certain prince to Hong Chengchou was to pursue him relentlessly and not let him go. He must not give Zhang Xianzhong a chance to breathe. Once he regained his composure, he would definitely ambush the army on a certain mountain.
Now that there are mortars to help, the officers and soldiers are not afraid of fighting with the rogue bandits. They are only afraid of being ambushed after entering the mountains. If you are not afraid of death, you can still win.
The problem is that many soldiers will fight against the wind. If the wind direction changes, they will leave their friendly forces behind and run away.
Hong Chengchou once again emphasized the battlefield regulations. If this time he still bullies the weak and fears the strong, then the Shangfang sword in his hand will draw blood out of its sheath.
Gucheng had to go. If the army huddled in Xiangyang and Zhang Ni was allowed to lead his troops to burn, kill and loot near Gucheng, if this situation spread to the capital, the prince would probably think that he was holding back his troops and supporting the invaders.
Different from the previous campaign of suppressing bandits in various places, the prince now analyzed the virtues of the generals and Zhang Nifu's intentions very clearly. Not only did he give himself the power of life and death, he also promised to provide three hundred thousand taels per month. of salary.
Whether in terms of supplies or strategy, the counter-rebellion army received such great support from the prince, which was unprecedented during the reign of Lord Long Live.
Without worries, Hong Chengchou did not dare to show any signs of neglect. He had to make corresponding strategic adjustments based on the intelligence obtained by various departments every day.
When setting off from Xiangyang, there was no news of the fall of Gucheng. Unexpectedly, Gucheng was lost before he could spend the day safely. Zhang Ni couldn't bear it anymore and revolted in advance.
In this case, we have to fight at the door. The key question is where to fight and how to fight?
Now it’s time to bet on your luck!
"Bring up those who have escaped from battle!"
Thinking of the fall of Gucheng, Hong Chengchou became extremely upset, not for anything else but because the commander-in-chief Chen Hongfan abandoned his men and fled before the battle. If he had led his troops to fight to the death, even if he persisted for six hours, the army would have reached Gucheng.
Now that Gucheng is not only lost, the movements of Zhang Ni's troops are still completely unknown. The root cause lies in Chen Hongfan alone. This scourge must be eliminated!
When this man fled towards Xiangyang City, he happened to run into the army rushing north for reinforcements. Now he could no longer run. Hong Chengchou also managed to get there without any effort. He was worried that there would be no escaping general to sacrifice the flag.
"Chen Zongrong, I remember that you let Zhang Ni go without permission a few years ago. You were the first to flee from Pidao the year before. Now you have returned to the same old plan again and again, but you treat our military law of the Ming Dynasty as nothing." ???”
Before the army faced Zhang Ni's main force, Chen Hongfan gave a very bad example to the soldiers. If he was spared, the battle would not be fought in the future, and everyone would just turn around and run away. Anyway, the superiors will give me a lighter sentence.
"Qi Shaobao, I was a low-key official at that time, and it was the commander-in-chief Wang Wei who let Zhang Ni go without permission. Taking the boat from Pidao was also bewitched and coerced by Bai Dengyong, the deputy general of the Dongjiang River, and it was also out of helplessness. Now this time Seeing that Zhang Xianzhong's troops are ready to make a move, and the troops under my command are unable to resist, I went to Xiangyang to ask for help!"
Facing Hong Chengchou's questioning, Chen Hongfan spoke confidently and without any trace of guilt. As a civilian general, he was thicker-skinned than a military general. This really impressed the four generals and soldiers present.
"The previous incident was not within the scope of my jurisdiction, and it is inconvenient for me to pursue the relevant responsibilities. But what General Chen did this time, I have to ignore. It is illegal for a general to leave the defense area without authorization. During the war, I was afraid of the enemy and was too timid to fight, so I could not explain it to the court. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had spoken beforehand. This time, during the campaign to suppress rogue bandits, those who advance will be rewarded and those who retreat will be killed. Chen Zongrong is the first to receive this 'honor' Only one person!"
If Chen Hongfan led his troops to fight Zhang Ni in Gucheng, it would be difficult for Hong Chengchou to do so. Now that Gucheng is lost, he has no scruples. It's just that it's not cost-effective to trade the lives of all the people in Gucheng for Chen Hongfan's life.
"I am the chief military officer appointed by the imperial court. You have no credentials and no privileges. How can you kill me without permission???"
Chen Hongfan immediately heard that Hong Chengchou had murderous intentions for him. Back then, Yuan Chonghuan killed Mao Wenlong, who was also the commander-in-chief. How could Chen Hongfan not be afraid that this drama would happen to him.
"This is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's imperial edict, so I won't go into details on the spot. Treating people like you who flee without authorization is like playing the harp to an ox. All the generals need to do is pass it on, otherwise it will appear that the commander is seeking revenge for his personal revenge. Until the army sets off tomorrow. , this man’s head was sacrificed to the flag in public, as a warning to others, and he was taken under custody and kept under guard!”
Hong Chengchou handed the prince's imperial edict specifically for Chen Hongfan to Yang Guozhu. The latter had no words after reading it and just handed it over to Luo Dai, followed by Liu Guoneng and Li Wanqing.
The four commander-in-chiefs were all silent after seeing it. Considering Chen Hongfan's previous behavior, it was in line with the treatment that should be punished without mercy. Zhang Ni's strength has grown to this point, and it is inseparable from Chen Hongfan.
There was also the Battle of Pidao the year before last. If Chen Hongfan hadn't escaped before the battle, the defenders would not have suffered tens of thousands of casualties. Many generals died in the battle. Donglu easily pulled out this nail.
Chen Hongfan ran away from Gucheng again, which meant that the three to four thousand defenders of Gucheng and the entire city were given to Zhang Ni's rebels. For such a general who fought and fled many times, letting him live for one more day would be a great disgrace to the officers, soldiers and people.
Now that the war is imminent, it is too late to show off, so just surrender, which can be regarded as eliminating harm for Min. With such a scourge left, Bao Buqi will continue to harm other generals in that place in the future, including his own troops of course.
"Hong Chengchou... I have no grudges against you... You treated me like this today... Even if I am a ghost... I will never let you go..."
Realizing that his death was imminent, Chen Hongfan also began to become hysterical. He wished he could greet Hong Chengchou's whole family. There was no trace of the temperament of a civil servant. This further indicated that this person should be killed, just like what happened to Xiong Wencan before.
"Hmph~!"
Hong Chengchou did not retaliate. Chen Hongfan really did not regret his death and killed him early to save his worries. In this way, the three people the prince ordered to be killed were all brought to justice, and the rest could concentrate on fighting Zhang Ni, the traitor who had taken advantage of others.
"Luo Dai!"
"The general is here!"
"Tomorrow morning you will lead your troops back to Xiangyang. I suspect that Zhang Ni or his troops may lead a sneak attack on this city. You must work closely with the guard Yang Shi'en to guard against it, especially to guard against Xi Zuo and the thieves who are the first to sneak into the city."
"I will obey the order!"
Hong Chengchou was very afraid of the fall of Xiangyang. When Guan Yu accidentally lost Jingzhou, he was defeated and killed. He did not want this tragedy to happen again. Xiangyang was not only the hub for the southward march to Wuchang, but also the place where the army's money and food were stored. They must not lose it.
Once Zhang Ni is allowed to capture the city, the rebel army will probably quickly expand to around 100,000 before his troops arrive in Wuchang. It will be impossible to severely damage the rebel army within the year. He will also be unable to deal with the imperial court, especially the prince. Accounted for.
Now the strength of the Xiangyang garrison has increased to more than 8,000. The local general Yang Shi'en is in charge, and Luo Dai is assisting him. They are holding on to the city to resist Zhang Ni's 30,000 to 40,000 troops. It is not too difficult to hold on until the army comes back for reinforcements. Hong Chengchou is roughly not worried.
"Yang Guozhu, Liu Guoneng, Li Wanqing!"
"The general is here!"
"Tomorrow morning, the three of you will each lead your troops and go north together with my commander to recapture Gucheng and surround Zhang Ni's troops. You must make sure that he has a hard time!"
"I will obey the order!"
The four generals of Yang Yufan, Mou Wenshou, Tang Tong, and Jiang Mingwu who set out from Nanzhang have nearly 20,000 troops. Together with the three generals in the big tent, the strength of the army should be more than 60,000 after the convergence, which is almost equal to Zhang Zhang. About twice as much as the rebel soldiers.
Even if the troops on the left had to cross mountains and ridges, the time difference between them and the army starting from Xiangyang would only be four or five hours, and they would definitely be able to catch up in one day.
If Zhang Ni leads his army to fight with him first, his own troops can take advantage of his rest to pursue him fiercely. Even if Zhang Ni's troops are powerful, they will not be able to withstand the successive attacks of the army.
Hong Chengchou's strategy was that it would be better for the officers and soldiers starting from Nanzhang to join up with him. Even if they did not join up, they could fight independently. No matter which way went first to fight Zhang Ni, the remaining way would have a great chance of winning.
According to the reward order issued by the prince, Zhang Xianzhong's head was worth 150,000 taels of silver. Any general who can capture and kill him, regardless of whether he is dead or alive, and regardless of the condition of Zhang Ni's troops, can immediately receive the reward from Hong Chengchou.
The rules for distributing the 150,000 taels of silver reward are that the generals, captains, and soldiers each get one-third, which is 50,000 taels.
For example, if Liu Guoneng's soldiers kill Zhang Xianzhong, Liu Guoneng himself can receive 50,000 taels.
Half of the remaining 100,000 taels were divided equally among the soldiers participating in the battle. Even if a hundred strong men were eligible to eat the cake, each of them would have as much as 500 taels.
The remaining half can be divided among the generals, generals, guards, guerrillas, staff generals, deputy generals, etc. of the department. In this way, the interests are shared equally and no one can fault it.
Liu Guoneng himself must be satisfied with this distribution plan. The ordinary soldiers below who were responsible for chopping Zhang Ni's neck received hundreds of taels of silver reward, so they would naturally smile. Even if the guys in the middle were not satisfied, it was dog bite dog...
Other generals under Zhang Ni's command also offered rewards of varying amounts. Such an arrangement can not only stimulate the generals' desire to march into the army, but also reduce to a certain extent the occurrence of things like killing good people and taking credit for merit.
The silver reward that Hong Chengchou could receive was not among them, but the prince had made a promise. As long as his soldiers could kill Zhang Ni, they could become the prince's Taibao and be granted the title of uncle at the same time. This was naturally a great temptation for Hong Chengchou. ...Friends who read books, you can search "Blue Chinese Network" to find this site as soon as possible.
