Stepping into Qianhusuo, the oncoming feeling is also different from the past.
Although everyone in Qianhushuo is usually busy, everyone's face is still relaxed. Very few people walk with a sullen face, and there is no sense of urgency like now.
"Sir, the latest news from the south!"
As soon as I arrived at the door of the public house, I saw Wang Yiming already waiting there holding a rubbing copper strip, with a very anxious expression.
Shen Hao didn't say anything, opened the door of the public house and walked in, followed by Wang Yiming.
After the concierge brought tea and closed the door, Shen Hao pointed at Wang Yiming and said, "Don't shout so hurriedly when something happens in the future. Just shout outside the door. Are you afraid that others won't listen?"
Wang Yiming smiled coquettishly and said: "My subordinate is careless. Thank you for your advice. Sir, this is the note that just arrived. The southern frontier army and the barbarians fought again thirty miles northwest of Jianchuan last night. This time the frontier army It seems that I have suffered some losses.”
Suffer?
Shen Hao frowned slightly, reached for the note in Wang Yiming's hand and opened it. There was a rubbing copy inside, but the content was exactly the same as the original.
Letter to:
...On the night of May 20th, I organized a mixed battalion to explore Jianchuan at night, and encountered the enemy's night patrol fifteen miles northwest of Jianchuan. I then tried to make contact and retreated with a stick of incense. Dozens of people were lost, but the enemy pursued them relentlessly. Later, they waited for reinforcements 30 miles northwest of Jianchuan. After converging, the number reached nearly two mixed battalions, and they returned to fight.
The southern barbarians fought to the death and refused to retreat. At the beginning of the Hai period, the southern barbarians ushered in two supporting troops, totaling more than 6,000, to double-team our two mixed battalions.
At the time of Hai Zheng, our two mixed battalions returned to the military camp, and the enemy troops recovered.
In this battle, more than 800 of our troops were killed and more than 300 wounded, and the enemy's losses were estimated at more than 800...
Shen Hao also frowned after reading it. Although he didn't understand military matters, it could be seen from this battle report alone that the frontier army indeed suffered a loss this time, and it was a huge loss in terms of a single battle.
The number of casualties in the battle was equal to that of the other side. This was still an estimate. Judging from the previous two battle loss ratios, the Jingjiu Dynasty’s army had obviously higher combat effectiveness. But now it has been evenly matched, and counting the number of injured, almost an entire army was wiped out. The establishment of the mixed camp!
What's even more annoying is that the night exploration behavior was obviously discovered in advance, otherwise the barbarian reinforcements would not have been so fast, and the pursuit would not have been so resolute.
In addition, it is also possible that Jing Jiuchao took advantage of the previous two contact battles and was a little careless. If he retreated immediately when he saw the opponent's reinforcements coming, he would not have suffered such a huge loss.
"Fortunately, we built a military stronghold before. Otherwise, we would most likely have lost the front line northwest of Jianchuan after retreating, and the barbarian pincer offensive in the north would once again threaten the rear. However, after this battle, Jianchuan's initiative The power is now in the hands of the barbarians. Unless the border troops pass by again, the border troops in the military camp will not be able to get out at all."
Wang Yiming analyzed a few words and found out that this was the change in the battle situation after the sudden loss.
"In your opinion, how likely is it that Zuo Yuliang will send more troops there?" Shen Hao noticed that Wang Yiming seemed to have some research on military matters, so he wanted to hear what this guy had to say.
"Sir, I don't dare to speculate on Commander Zuo's thoughts, but if I were to take command, I would immediately order the two partial armies in the middle and bottom to conduct an exploratory confrontation with the barbarians in Baektu Gorge and Huzhuyuan. The military stronghold launched an attack, and at the same time, reinforcements were sent to reinforce the opposite side of Jianchuan, which was our military stronghold on the road.
Because the two sides are currently in a confrontation, we are obviously not ready yet, and the barbarians seem to be equally unprepared, and no one dares to press forward with troops. Therefore, we cannot lose our established position at this moment. Once the barbarians launch a pincer offensive, it will be difficult for us to stand east of Wuhu. "
Shen Hao was noncommittal. He was a layman to these things, but he found that his adjutant had many abilities that he had not discovered before. But time will tell whether it is right or wrong.
After finishing the matter, Wang Yiming stepped back. As soon as he left, Wang Jian knocked on the door and came in, closing the door smoothly.
"Sir, there is progress on Wu Kai's side!"
Came again with news. Shen Hao breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this. The deadline order issued by Jiang Cheng personally made him and all the black flag battalions responsible for the "Ma San Case" feel even more pressured.
Just look at the dark circles on Wang Jian's face. This guy probably hasn't rested for several days.
"Sir, Wu Kai got in touch with Xie Kai under the guise of buying elixirs from Xie Kai, and tested whether Xie Kai had any elixirs that were better than Xiao Pei Yuan Dan, such as Da Pei Yuan Dan. Xie Kai said that he did, but he needed to use low-grade spiritual stones or magic weapons to exchange for it, and he would not accept money.
Wu Kai’s idea is to buy some better elixirs from Xie Kai to gain his trust..."
Before Wang Jian could finish his words, he was interrupted by Shen Hao with a wave of his hand.
Shen Hao snorted coldly: "Wu Kai has a good idea. He used our Xuanqing Guard's money to buy himself elixirs, and now he has the idea of low-grade spiritual stones and magic weapons. It's okay to be greedy. But if in In the past, I just let him go, but now time is too tight and there is no extra time for him to slowly build trust.
Did Xie Kai reveal where these withheld military funds came from? I'm afraid that a mere military commander couldn't get something like Da Pei Yuan Dan, right? "
"Yes, Xie Kai really doesn't have the ability to deduct Da Pei Yuan Dan. That is the quota of the general. And to be able to deduct the quota of the general, at least the entire Tanshi baggage must be crushed to death."
"Does this mean that the commander of the military camp who is in charge of the baggage has been involved?"
"Yes, sir, but this can only be regarded as speculation. If I want to be sure, I think it is best to let Wu Kai have actual contact. Do you think..."
"No, the time is too tight." Shen Hao refused again. He knew Wang Jian's concerns. After all, relying solely on speculation could not be counted as investigation evidence and included in the case file. This was inconsistent with the above requirements. But if you want to follow the clues slowly, it will be too slow, and there is no guarantee whether you can succeed.
"Then do you think you can ask the supervisors in the garrison to help?" Wang Jian smiled and rubbed his hands, as if he had finally said it after thinking for a long time.
"Inspector?" Shen Hao was stunned. He didn't expect why Wang Jian suddenly mentioned this and looked at him to wait for the next words.
Wang Jian felt uncomfortable and said with a sneer: "Sir, this is the only way that my subordinates Xiaogui, Guimen and Judge have come up with to complete the investigation within two months. Use Wu Kai and the border army's insufficient numbers The small number of Xuanqing Guard supervisors puts pressure on each target internally and externally, and then waits for opportunistic actions to quickly expand the results. However, we cannot reach the supervisors there, so we need your help to coordinate."
Shen Hao thought about it carefully and understood Wang Jian's plan, which was to borrow those Xuanqing Guard supervisory envoys to assist in the investigation due to "insufficient troops". Indeed, there is strength in numbers. If we want to speed up the investigation and achieve major breakthroughs, just relying on the few spies currently in the border army is not enough.
