Anqing, Xingzhou
Zhennan Army Cai Shaojie rode a tall horse, surrounded by a group of Zhennan Army officers and soldiers, and walked into Xingzhou City very proudly... ·····
In this battle of Anqing, under the arrangement of General Xu Hu, he led his eight thousand troops to march from Huainan to Xingzhou in Anqing.
According to Qianhuwei's intelligence before the war, a battalion of the Fengwu Army's Fourth Army was stationed in Xingzhou with more than 3,000 men, and was equipped with at least five heavy artillery pieces.
Therefore, Cai Shaojie also knew how much he was worth. He had no plan to attack Xingzhou City. Instead, he planned to divide his troops into two groups and fight all the way to Xingzhou City to contain Xingzhou's Fengwu Army soldiers and horses, and then prepare to sweep through the surrounding towns and villages. !
Although Huainan is a very wealthy province compared to Hebei, Henan, Youyan, and Liaoyang, its wealthy status cannot support the Zhennan Army's year-round campaign. Therefore, the Zhennan Army's logistics problems have always been serious!
In order to support the previous external expansion of the Zhennan Army, the people of Huainan have complained a lot, and there have even been several small-scale uprisings. Since last year, Huainan people have continued to flee from the south bank of the Nanjiang River to the north bank. Under the rule of Fengwu Army!
Xu Zhaojie also saw this situation. Although he was very angry, he had nothing to do. For this reason, he could only make compromises to reduce the excessive expropriation of Huainan, hoping to reduce the occurrence of peasant uprisings and achieve stability under his rule. ··························
Although the reduction of showdowns and levies on the people has eased the conflicts to a certain extent, it has also made the Zhennan Army's already difficult logistical problems even more severe!
At present, only Xu Zhaojie's more than 20,000 direct soldiers and horses can maintain the normal payment of food and salary. The rest of the soldiers and horses can only maintain food, and they can only owe wages and other things!
Therefore, during the Anqing battle this time, Xu Hu also made it very clear that logistical problems needed to be solved by each ministry on their own, which he couldn't solve!
And everyone knows what the so-called self-resolve means?
It’s nothing more than making the people suffer again!
The Fengwu Army also understood this trick, so they also built strong walls and cleared the country in advance, so that the people who could hide in the mountains would hide in the mountains, and those who could hide in the cities would hide in the cities. In short, the Zhennan Army would not be allowed to attack Anqing. The realm is well supplied!
Under the Fengwu Army's strategy, Cai Shaojie's troops were also very uncomfortable. They visited several towns and villages in succession, but could not find any food. Cai Shaojie was so angry that he directly ordered these towns and villages to be burned down!
Although burning these towns and villages was a relief, it could not solve the problems he was facing now!
The originally small supplies will soon be used up, but new food has not been found for a long time. To be honest, Cai Shaojie is so worried that he can't eat well or sleep well.
Every day when I open my eyes, the first thing that comes to my mind is that the 8,000 people under his command will consume 8,000 kilograms of grain... ·····
Under such a predicament, Cai Shaojie immediately changed his mind. Instead of following his original plan, he led his troops directly to Xingzhou City!
Cai Shaojie knew that many of the people on the ground in Xingzhou were hiding in Xingzhou City, so as long as Xingzhou City was captured, the food problem would be solved!
Although he lacked artillery and enough engineering equipment, in order to have food to eat, Cai Shaojie led his people and went straight out!
The battle lasted for three days. In order to have enough to eat, the 8,000 people of the Zhennan Army used all their strength. The battle situation can be said to be very fierce!
The three-day battle caused Cai Shaojie's troops to suffer direct casualties of nearly 2,000 people, and it also undermined Cai Shaojie's determination to capture Xingzhou City!
If it weren't for the fact that they didn't have enough food to return to Huainan, Cai Shaojie might have led his troops to withdraw!
However, what Cai Shaojie never expected was that just last night, the defenders of Xingzhou City abandoned the city and fled!
He lost 2,000 people without taking the city, so it took no effort at all!
This was like a pie falling from the sky. Cai Shaojie was so dizzy after it was hit that he couldn't believe it was true until he had already entered the city... ···········
Feeling the fear and frightened eyes of the people on both sides of the road, Cai Shaojie not only did not feel the slightest discomfort, on the contrary, he also enjoyed it very much. He knew that these people were like pigs and sheep, and he had unquestionable power of life and death over them. Every word and action will determine their lives!
Arriving at the Yamen in the city, General Cao Hui had been waiting for a long time and directly welcomed Cai Shaojie in.
When Cai Shaojie sat on the big chair representing the prefect, Cao Hui also reported to Cai Shaojie with a flattering look:
"General, Zheng Wenrong, the prefect of Xingzhou, ran away with the Fengwu Army last night. I heard that the Fengwu Army stationed in Xingzhou suffered nearly a thousand casualties in the past three days!"
"So these bastards of the Fengwu Army were scared of being beaten by you, General. They felt that if they continued to fight, they would be wiped out by you, General, so they all ran away under the cover of darkness last night!"
Hearing what Cao Hui said, Cai Shaojie was also very impressed. He nodded and said disdainfully:
"They all say that the Fengwu Army is powerful. Can I just say that? In front of this general, they are just a bunch of rats running away in confusion!"
Upon hearing this, Cao Hui even echoed:
"This Fengwu Army is very powerful in front of others, but in front of you, General, it's like a mouse seeing a cat. They all show their true colors... ············”
Cai Shaojie also burst out laughing when he heard this. After laughing a few times, he also asked the question that concerned him most.
"How much food did the Fengwu Army leave behind in Cao Hui's city? Did they leave any firearms? And those five heavy cannons?"
After hearing this question, Cao Hui looked a little embarrassed and said:
"Xingzhou's treasury currently only has about 500 shi of grain. As for firearms, there are some Weiyuan blunderbuss and Polu blunderbuss and tiger squatting cannons from the Fengwu Army, but there are no blunderbuss from the Fengwu Army! "
Cai Shaojie couldn't help but frown when he heard that there was only about 500 kilograms of food. Although his men and horses lost two thousand people, they still consumed at least six thousand kilograms of food a day. A mere five hundred kilograms would not last long!
Seeing Cai Shaojie's frown, Cao Hui understood what he was thinking and immediately said:
"Although the treasury in Xingzhou doesn't have a lot of food, I think the people in Xingzhou are quite wealthy. There are also those grain stores. We men helped them expel the Fengwu Army and these idiots. This group of people take it for granted. You should be respectful and respectful!"
After hearing what Cao Hui said, Cai Shaojie immediately asked expectantly:
“How much food can they honor?”
Cao Hui said very confidently:
"Sir, I think two thousand stones is a fair number. The people of Xingzhou City will be very happy to make their due contribution to you, General... ·······”
Upon hearing this number, Cai Shaojie smiled with satisfaction and said:
"In that case, I leave this matter to you!"
Cao Hui also preached very humbly:
"General, please just watch!"
After solving the food problem, Cai Shaojie suddenly thought about the firearm issue again and asked:
"What about the five cannons? Did the Fengwu Army take them away?"
Faced with this problem, Cao Hui said helplessly:
"Sir General, the five cannons weigh eight to nine hundred kilograms, and the heavy cannons weigh more than a thousand kilograms. Naturally, the Fengwu Army would not take them away when they fled in a hurry, but these bastards like the Fengwu Army, Before leaving, he used gunpowder to blow up these five heavy cannons!"
Upon hearing this, Cai Shaojie slammed the table and said bitterly:
"These bastards from the Fengwu Army are really trashing things! They must not fall into the hands of this general, otherwise I will definitely use gunpowder to blow them to pieces!"
It can be said that Cai Shaojie loves and hates the artillery of the Fengwu Army. What he hates is that these things are so powerful. In the past three days of siege battles, these five heavy cannons also blew up hundreds of Zhennan Army soldiers. He was killed and injured, and he made great contributions to the defense of Xingzhou City!
What Cai Shaojie loves is that this thing is very powerful. At the same time, Xu Zhaojie, the commander-in-chief of the Zhennan Army, has long issued an order to obtain the cannons of the Fengwu Army as much as possible. Whoever can complete this task will be heavily rewarded, and as for rewarding Cai Shaojie Also salivating...
But it's obvious that Fengwu Army's approach of preferring to blow up the enemy rather than leave it to you has undoubtedly frustrated Cai Shaojie's dream!
Although it was a pity that he could not obtain the full version of the cannon, when he thought of Xu Zhaojie's previous explanation, Cai Shaojie also had new ideas and then asked Cao Hui again:
"How did the cannon explode? Are there any other parts?"
Cao Hui was startled when he heard this and then recalled:
"The cannon was blown to pieces, but there are still some parts. In addition, there is one barrel that is intact!"
Hearing the news, Cai Shaojie felt comforted and ordered:
"You have people pack up the usable parts and send them back to Shouchun. The Marquis has arranged for people to study the Fengwu Army's artillery. These parts may be of great use!"
Upon hearing the order given by the Marquis himself, Cao Hui also became serious, nodded heavily and said:
"Sir, I understand, I will arrange this matter immediately!"
After receiving this answer, Cai Shaojie frowned slightly, and his expression showed a hint of exhaustion. Seeing this, Cao Hui showed a smile and whispered to Cai Shaojie:
"Sir General, there is a pair of sisters in Xingzhou named Da Song and Xiao Song. These two girls are both rare beauties. After hearing about the reputation of the general who defeated the Fengwu Army, they are willing to recommend themselves to serve the general... ·····················”
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While Cai Shaojie was enjoying the fruits of victory in Xingzhou, two hundred miles away in Anqing City, He Jingyun, Zhang Meng, Cui Zheng and other generals of the Fengwu Army were gathering in a room to discuss plans.
"I am reporting to Lord He that Commander Wang Zhifa has led his first battalion of soldiers to withdraw from Xingzhou as planned!"
Hearing the news, He Jingyun nodded expressionlessly. At the same time, the staff in the room immediately removed the flag of the Fengwu Army above Xingzhou City on the sand table and replaced it with the flag of the Zhennan Army!
Compared with He Jingyun's expressionless face, the commander of the Fourth Army Zhang Meng showed some unbearable expressions at this time. Since the battle of Anqing that year, he had been appointed to garrison in Anqing after capturing Anqing, and he In this short period of time, I also visited various prefectures and counties in Anqing, and gradually developed feelings for Anqing!
Zhang Meng also knew very well that under the Fengwu Army's strategy of fortifying the walls and clearing the country, Cai Shaojie's logistics became increasingly unsustainable. Therefore, in order to obtain sufficient supplies after entering the city, they would definitely disturb the people, and he did not know how many innocent people there were. Will he die tragically at the hands of the Zhennan Army?
He Jingyun also noticed the change in Zhang Meng's expression, but he didn't care. Although Zhang Meng was already the commander of the Fourth Army of the Fengwu Army and one of the many senior generals of the Fengwu Army, he was a battle-hardened warrior. In the eyes of veterans, Zhang Meng is still a young junior...
He Jingyun is also very clear about what will happen to the people in the city after Xingzhou is abandoned, but He Jingyun doesn't care. He believes that Ci can't control the army. Compared with the victory he will win next, all the sacrifices now are worth it!
In the first battle of Yunbin, He Jingyun defended Jinzhong despite the powerful offensive of 200,000 Luoan Imperial Army, and accomplished the combat goal set by Ye Mingsheng!
However, the huge casualties and the loss of several county towns still did not make Ye Mingsheng satisfied with the results. The public conflict with Guo Zhiping, then the commander of the Third Army, became the last straw for him. He had to leave Yunbin's battlefield secretly under Ye Mingsheng's order!
And this was regarded by He Jingyun as a great shame in his life. Before this war, his status in the Fengwu Army was generally considered to be higher than Yuan Song!
But after a war, everything changed. After Yuan Song completely destroyed the Luo'an court, defeated the Kipchak Khanate and conquered the land of Yongliang, there was no one in the Fengwu Army anymore. He thinks He Jingyun is better than Yuan Song!
As the saying goes, there is no first in literature and no second in military affairs. He Jingyun still has a sense of superiority towards Yuan Song. After all, when he was a general and famous all over the world, Yuan Song was just an unknown sentry commander in the Forbidden Army, so He Jingyun It is unacceptable that Yuan Song in the Fengwu Army has better public opinion...
