At present, Mou Wenshou is leading his troops to intercept Zhang Ni's army going south, and Yang Yufan is outflanking them later. Tang Tong and Jiang Mingwu are leading troops from Xiangyang City to join the encirclement and suppression army, but they will not let the rebels escape easily.
The "evil tiger" entrenched on the top of the mountain suffered some injuries during the siege, but because of this, it became even more terrifying when it realized that it was about to reach the end of its rope, and it must fight to the death.
The three general soldiers who caught up also formed a relatively unanimous opinion after a brief discussion, that is, it would be best to stop this bandit army.
If there is really nothing we can do to stop him, we are determined not to let Zhang Ni disappear from everyone's sight again. We must follow and pursue the rebels as Hong Shaobao warned.
As long as you can bite the "tiger"'s tail firmly, you can minimize the possibility of entering the bandit ambush circle again without knowing it, and try not to repeat the mistakes of Tang Tong's men before.
There are only so many troops that can be dispatched in Xiangyang. For Xiangyang guard Yang Shien and prefect Wang Chengzeng, both civil and military, as long as they can defend Xiangyang, everything will be fine.
It was just a matter of seconds before this important military town was successfully attacked by the bandits. Looking back now, cold sweat breaks out on my back from time to time.
If Zhang Ni's army really captures Xiangyang, even if they don't die in the hands of bandits, they will be dismissed from their posts and imprisoned by the imperial court, and their heads will undoubtedly be displayed to the public.
The civil servants and generals in the city were all looking forward to Hong Shaobao's army coming to deal with Zhang's rebel army. They didn't want to go out to fight in the field, and the soldiers and horses guarding the city really couldn't fight in the field.
Although the official army is not clearly divided into city defense troops and field troops, unless the troops defending the city have relatively rich field experience before, if they attack rashly, they will most likely lose both their people and the city.
In the Huguang area, the most capable garrison was Governor Fang Kongzhen, who was led by Fang Yizhi's father, but the number of troops was small, only five thousand.
But just with these people, Fang Kongzhen, a civil servant, was able to achieve an impressive record of eight battles and eight victories in the Huguang area.
Fang Kongzheng spared no effort to report to the court to eliminate Zhang Ni, but all the memorials he submitted fell into disgrace without exception.
His troops could only be stationed back in Wu Chang. If there was no follow-up funding from the court, they would have to be disbanded on the spot. Otherwise, important court ministers like Fang Kongzhen would not be able to support five thousand field troops.
Before Hong Chengchou led his troops south, a certain prince had already issued a secret order for Fang Kongzhen to expand his army to 20,000 to prepare for upcoming emergencies.
In addition to food and grass, 20,000 soldiers and horses need at least 50,000 taels of silver per month in wages, and this money does not need to be squeezed out of Hong Chengchou's teeth.
The biggest local tycoon was none other than Zhu Huakui, the king of Chu who enjoyed martial arts. The items copied from the palace were rounded up and given to Fang Kongzhen as military pay.
The loose ends, gold, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, jewelry and other items were transported to the capital by the factory guards together with the King of Chu, but not to Taicang, but to the East Palace.
The vassal prince's property belongs to the prince. This was decided in advance, and the military salary can only be regarded as a loan. At that time, either the Ministry of Revenue will clear the account from Taicang, or it can be used directly to offset the taxes and fees of the prince's minerals in Laizhou or Kailuan. No drops...
Once Fang Kongzhen was prepared in advance and had a large number of troops and horses in his hands, Zhang Xianzhong would no longer be able to capture the richest place in Huguang.
After the three vassal kings, Hui Wang Zhu Changrun who lived in Jingzhou, Xiang Wang Zhu Yiming who lived in Xiangyang, and Chu King Zhu Huakui who lived in Wuchang, were all moved to the capital, it was impossible for Zhang Ni to go bankrupt and have enough to eat.
Fang Kongzhen held one million taels of silver, which was enough to support his troops for a year and a half. If the situation of suppressing the bandits was still severe by then, the imperial court would allocate additional funds.
Wang Chengzeng, the prefect of Xiangyang, did not have such great arbitrary power, nor could he lead troops to fight. The defense of the city still required troops under the command of deputy general Yang Shien.
Being able to ensure that the city is not lost means that he can keep his official title. For other things, such as taking the initiative to settle accounts with Zhang Ni on the top of the mountain opposite, he is inconvenient and dare not say anything.
But for Tang Tong, who was determined to avenge his hatred, Zhang Ni did not move away, which saved him a lot of trouble, otherwise he would have to lead his troops to chase the thief and eat ashes behind him.
It was absolutely impossible for Tang Tong to accept the loss of more than four thousand soldiers and horses. He had never suffered such a big loss since he joined the army.
This account must be settled today and cannot be delayed any longer. If the other party was hiding in the mountains, he would be afraid of being ambushed by the bandit army again. Zhang Ni was at the Yanghu Mountain at the moment, which was a great opportunity for him to seek revenge and redress his grievances.
"Brothers! This is the first time that Tangtong has brought you all together, so I don't have much to give you. Zhang Ni is at the top of the mountain today. The imperial court has offered a reward of 150,000 taels of silver for his capture. No matter whether he is dead or alive, he will be rewarded with his corpse! I have something to say. First of all, in order to avenge the dead brothers and avenge the shame of E Tangtong. I won’t take any of this money, it will be divided among you and others! If anyone is worried, don’t force me. If you have the guts and you are a man, just follow me! Kill Zhang Ni and share the money!"
In addition to the soldiers who escaped from the valley with him, Tang Tong was surrounded by soldiers assigned to him by Yang Shien. These people were all subordinates of Liu Guoneng.
Yang Shien discussed with Liu Zian, Liu Guoneng's younger brother, who was recovering from injuries in the city, and after seeking his opinions, he agreed to transfer the two thousand men to Tang Tong for command.
You almost lost your head when you were killed by Zhang Ni in the valley. Tang Tong didn't have anything valuable in his hand, so he had to use a reward order to boost his morale.
Fighting, especially vicious and tough battles, relies on one breath. If they can attack the top of the mountain in one go, Zhang's rebel army will be severely damaged even if it is not gathered together and wiped out.
That's why Tang Tong did a simple mobilization of his soldiers before going into battle. Of course, the reckless general had to use words that both parties could understand to communicate with the illiterate soldiers.
"Kill Zhang Ni and share the money!"
"Kill Zhang Ni and share the money!"
"Kill Zhang Ni and share the money!"
Tang Tong said it rather crudely, and was worried that these people would not listen to orders and be afraid of the enemy, but the soldiers were obviously very interested in the reward of 150,000 taels of silver.
Naturally, Liu Guoneng's subordinates were all rogues before. After being recruited by the imperial court, they turned into officers and soldiers. Although their identities have changed, their pursuit remains the same, which is to fight and make money!
As long as there is a reward of 150,000 taels of silver, let alone the "Eight Great King" Zhang Xianzhong, even the emperor dares to kill these soldiers. Their battle appeal is - "only money and no recognition of people"!
Even if as many as two thousand people come to share the money, each person can receive as much as seventy-five taels of silver, which is definitely a lot of money. Besides, who can have trouble with money these days?
After listening to Tang Tong's heroic words, everyone was as excited as if they had drunk chicken blood. In addition to being excited, even the hands holding the weapons couldn't help trembling.
Before the fight started, many people began to think about how they would spend this huge sum of money, such as drinking and eating meat, gambling for money, going to the building...
If he could wipe out the gangsters on the top of the mountain and catch all the big and small leaders listed on the reward order, the amount of reward he would receive would be far more than 150,000 taels.
As a result, not only Tang Tong's troops, but also the soldiers under Jiang Mingwu's command next to them began to see green light and were eager to try.
Whether it was the regular army affiliated to the imperial court or the rogue armed forces who were later recruited, from generals to soldiers, most of the motivation for fighting was money.
Without money, there will be no morale, marching will be lazy, and fighting will be perfunctory. It is rare for such a unit to win the battle.
For these reckless men, as long as they have money, they can talk about anything. As long as the owner of the money gives them an order to kill anyone, they will just raise their swords without saying a word!
"Okay~! Attack the mountain with your forehead!"
Tang Tong was from Jingyang County, Shaanxi Province, and Zhang Xianzhong was from Qingyang Guard, Shaanxi Province, but one was from southern Shaanxi and the other was from northern Shaanxi. Tang Tong disdained these hit-and-run bandits.
Nowadays, "when a fellow countryman sees a fellow countryman, his eyes sparkle with gold." Since the military morale is available, we must strike while the iron is hot. After lunch, we can directly lead our troops to attack the mountain.
As long as he had enough to eat and drink, Tang Tong didn't care whether the other party had eaten or not. It was best not to eat. In this way, he would not have the energy to fight or run away, so he would just stay where he was and wait to die.
"Boom, boom, boom..."
Yang Shien asked his subordinate Hongyi cannon at the top of the city to provide fire cover for the officers and soldiers attacking the mountain. It could only be fired once. After the thick barrel cooled down and was loaded again, it was probably time for the two armies to engage in a melee.
Tang Tong's idea is very simple. I don't care whether you are attacking Mou Wenshou or not. I will knock you to the ground first. Didn't you just attack me before and didn't care about the other generals?
Today, let's say "repay the favor with the other person in the same way". If you Zhang Xianzhong can bear it, then bear it. If you can't bear it, just kneel down and beg for mercy and call grandpa.
A reckless man who wanted to take revenge led a group of reckless men who wanted to make money, and launched a massive attack on the mountain. Jiang Mingwu and Yang Yufan also cooperated.
In fact, the combined number of soldiers and horses of Jiang Mingwu and Tang Tong was only more than that of Yang Yufan, but the surging momentum displayed by Tang Tong's troops was as if they had the largest number.
"Two military advisors, there is an interception in front and a pursuit behind. What should our army do?"
Zhang Xianzhong has received a report that Wang Dingguo led his troops to block the army. Wang Dingguo's troops are in Wanshan, which shows that the army has cut off his own retreat.
"Commander, I'm afraid we won't be able to reach Yicheng. If the army appears in the south of Xianshan, Yicheng will be prepared. It will be very difficult for our army to make another raid."
Xu Yixian, the right military advisor, thought more profoundly. Although the rebels could break through the defense line of the government troops on the opposite side, they would then face the pursuit of the government troops.
Under such circumstances, it was impossible for the rebels to block the pursuers and attack the city on a large scale. If this was the case, they would be surrounded by the government troops in Yicheng if they were not able to protect themselves.
"Commander, there is an army of Hong thieves on the west side. It is really difficult to return to Gucheng. Our army might as well find another way and turn to the southwest. If no large army of officers and soldiers is found in this direction, we can avoid the real and attack the weak and take advantage of the trend. Enter the river!"
Xu Yixian spoke up, and Zuo Military Advisor Pan Dubiao was about to overwhelm his opponent again. He just raised problems, but he solved the problems for the eight kings, so he seemed even more clever.
"...Yeah, yeah! Master Zuo's words make sense!"
Zhang Xianzhong looked at the map, stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, then initially agreed with Pan Dubie's suggestion, and what Xu Yixian said made sense.
The prerequisite for attacking Yicheng is that there are no pursuing troops behind you. Otherwise, it will be like attacking Xiangyang. Not only did the city fail to be captured, but tens of thousands of soldiers and horses were lost, which is really not worth the gain.
"Transfer the order, the whole army turns to the southwest, march at full speed, no delay!"
Zhang Xianzhong does not plan to continue to use troops in this place. Even if he wants to make a profit, he has to change his place to place his bet. Otherwise, when the Hong thief comes back to help, all the chips in his hand will be lost.
There is no need to discuss this matter with the third son, fourth son and many generals. If Xiangyang is beaten like a bear, the eight kings will have no intention of talking nonsense with everyone.
At present, the enemy is strong and we are weak. The rebel army's combat principle is to avoid fighting as much as possible without fighting. Thirty-six strategies are the best.
If we really want to fight, there are two possibilities.
One dozen ambushes, two dozen sneak attacks.
The loss suffered during the attack on Xiangyang can be regarded as a lesson. We must take it as a warning in the future. If we do it again, we will bear the consequences at our own risk.
The Eight Kings fought at will, and they were determined not to be sloppy and waste precious time in dangerous places.
The whole army must be ready to move out within a quarter of an hour. Even if you go out, you must complete it within this time, otherwise you have to move on the move...
"Where are the people?"
When Tang Tong led his troops to rush to Yanghu Mountain, they only found an empty mountain top and non-march necessities discarded by the bandits.
It is possible to use a telescope to see the bandits marching rapidly in the valley, but it is impossible to engage in battle unless our pursuit is faster.
"Ouch~! You're a step too late!"
Jiang Mingwu slapped his thigh regretfully. He originally thought he could severely damage the bandit army, but in the end, Zhang Ni slipped away under his nose.
Previously, the four generals' troops were divided into a joint attack, but Zhang Ni was left to fish in troubled waters in Jingshan Mountain. He fought an ambush and annihilated Tang Tong's men.
Now facing these four generals, Zhang Ni fled without fighting. He seemed panicked and frightened, but in fact he retained considerable strength, which the officers and soldiers still did not dare to underestimate.
"Don't look at it! Chase it!"
When Yang Yufan saw that the rebel army in Duanhou was flying the banner of General Wang Zi, he subjectively believed that it was the rebel army that fought with him in Wanshan. He did not want to let this enemy go.
If the cunning Zhang Ni was allowed to escape like a loach, and if Hong Shaobao came back for reinforcements, the Fourth General Soldier would wipe out so many of the enemy, it would be a loss of face.
Defending the city and annihilating the enemy is a sure thing, because the corpses are hanging there to dry. Hong Shaobao can know it at a glance, but it is different in field battles.
The battlefield area is too large, and there will be great discrepancies in the reported results, especially since various ministries have exaggerated the truth before, and even killed good soldiers and took credit for their merits, which will make Hong Shaobao deeply doubtful of the achievements of all the generals.
With such a total force, Luo Dai fought three formations in a row, and the results should be the most, and the results were witnessed by the city defenders and the Xiangfan Navy.
Next was Jiang Mingwu. Although he was defending the city, he also repelled Zhang Wenxiu's violent attack, so his merits were balanced by his faults.
Mou Wenshou and Yang Yufan's results were roughly the same. Fortunately, Tang Tong was at the bottom, otherwise they would not have been able to compete.
That's why the "penultimate" and "second to last" are so anxious to go to Zhang Ni to settle accounts...
This time, the four generals were able to unite their forces. With more than 10,000 people in pursuit, they no longer had to worry about being ambushed by Zhang Ni.
After all, the "150,000 taels of silver" escaped on their own, which the tens of thousands of soldiers below who wanted to make money would never accept.
This huge amount of money has already been booked by everyone, and all I have to do is put it into my own pocket!
