Chapter 98 The Beginning of the Collapse
It's just that such a war does not show Qu Neng's ability.
After all, this kind of war. Needless to say, Qu Neng can win even if he puts a tied dog here. At least Qu Neng couldn't imagine that with such a huge advantage, how could he lose?
Now Song Sheng's retreat is different. Qu Neng wanted to pursue the enemy, follow them all the way to Guanzhong, and capture Guanzhong in one fell swoop. This would be the best result.
So Qu Neng left the large army behind and brought a large group of cavalry to pursue him with his tail biting.
It's just that Song Sheng prepared so many things in advance, how could Qu Neng catch up with him.
Qu Neng pursued all the way along the Wuding River, which looked like a woman in a spring boudoir's dream. On the way, he encountered layers of snipers from the Southern Army, which used a lot of gunpowder. The gunpowder blew up roads and there were even a lot of mines.
In the end, more than ten thousand people were wiped out, and the army arrived at Yanshui Pass. I can only look at the Yellow River and sigh with joy.
It is impossible for the army to march directly into Guanzhong.
This is also caused by the geographical environment of northern Shaanxi.
Northern Shaanxi is famous for its thousands of ravines.
Many roads can only be taken along river channels. Because you don't follow the river, these ravines are like a maze. It's very possible to hear voices from both sides, but if you want to meet, you have to detour dozens of miles.
The army is in great trouble in this situation.
It is very convenient to walk along the river. On both sides of the river are plains created by the impact.
The reason why Yulin City is important. It is in the upper reaches of the Wuding River. There is a road connection from Yulin to the Yellow River, and to the south of Yanshuiguan, although there are mountains on both sides of the Yellow River, most of them are flat and can be connected to other rivers.
Song Sheng was stationed at this level, and it was impossible for Qu Neng to attack it in just a short while.
Qu Neng has also seen Song Sheng's tenacity.
More important is logistics.
Qu Neng had only chased for a few hundred miles when he felt uncomfortable.
The railway has just been built across the Yellow River, and Yulin is hundreds of miles away, let alone here. There are still many strongholds that have not yet surrendered. A large amount of logistics has to be transported nearly a thousand miles on land, which consumes too much.
It is impossible for Qu Neng to recreate the situation under Yulin City here. Although there can be water connections, after all, the Northern Army currently has the Yellow River Navy. But fighting wars at this time was not the future, and there was radio. Just call the Yellow River Navy at the Yellow River, and the Yellow River Navy will come.
The Yellow River naval port is in Dongshengwei. After all, except for Dongshengwei, other places cannot support a port at all.
If Qu Neng wanted to notify the Yellow River Navy, he would first need to send someone to Dongshengwei to notify the Yellow River Navy, and then ask the Yellow River Navy to come over, which would take at least half a month.
Qu Neng sent troops here. The road back is under various threats. If something happens and he loses contact with the back, maybe Song Sheng can win a big victory.
After all, the generals during the Hongwu period were all pretty good. I can't say how powerful these generals were, but they were all above the standard. Qu Neng didn't dare to sell such a big flaw to the other party. After thinking about it, Qu Neng decided to withdraw a little first.
They did not evacuate to Yulin, but to Mizhi. With Mizhi as the center, the Southern troops in other places were pacified.
As soon as Song Sheng left. In other places, the Southern Army actually did not have much determination to resist. Not to mention, most of the family members of the guardsmen and troops are local. Naturally, they all surrendered. Read the book
In the Battle of Yulin, both sides invested a total of more than 300,000 troops, which was no less than the Battle of Huaiqing last year. But the meaning is completely different.
The Battle of Huaiqing was actually the end of the Battle of Hejian. Because after the Battle of Hejian, the Southern Army lost its military advantage over the north bank of the Yellow River. However, it was not until the Battle of Huaiqing that this expectation became a reality. But the Battle of Yulin was where the Northwest Strategy really kicked off.
Is the outcome of the Battle of Yulin only limited to Yulin?
No, it was the beginning of the collapse of the entire northwest.
Qu Neng's withdrawal was not the end, but the beginning. It's just accumulating strength and waiting for the next attack. Moreover, with the railway as a major artery, Beijing's manpower and material resources continue to flow into the northwest. There is an absolute material advantage in the northwest.
However, it was very difficult for the Southern Army to regain blood in the northwest. Don't say anything else. Song Sheng lost a lot of weapons in this defeat, and he had to replenish them from the rear. It has to go through difficulties and obstacles from the Taiping Iron Works to be transported to the northwest.
At least one year.
A large number of weapons can hit the train after leaving the Zunhua Iron Works, and they can reach the south bank of the Yellow River in just ten days. Although there is no railway built on the remaining road, it only takes more than ten days to transport the goods to the front line.
One month versus one year. The gap between these two sides is the cornerstone of the Northern Army's victory.
Even if various other interfering factors are added, Qu Neng feels that in two or three months, Qu Neng will wipe out Yulin, Fugu and other places, and the army will continue to move south and directly attack Yan'an. Even if you encounter some difficulties, Guanzhong can be captured after about three or four battles.
But the premise of all this is that every battle organized by the Southern Army can be as tough as the Battle of Yulin.
But is it possible?
Many people feel it. The Battle of Yulin was the beginning of a collapse.
Changes in people's hearts precede the battlefield.
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Xining, Meiyin.
As the eldest son-in-law of Zhu Yuanzhang, Queen Ma arranged for him to go to a remote place before her death. Zhu Yuanzhang knew everything about Queen Ma, so he would not refuse to agree. This place is Xining. Counting on his fingers, he has been in Xining for five or six years.
How many five or six years are there in life?
Mei Yin never understood but was grateful for Queen Ma's arrangement. He didn't understand why from the beginning. Leaving him in a place of near-exile. It sounds powerful, but in fact it can only control the entire city of Xining.
In his eyes, Xining City is not a city, it is clearly a small town.
Even newspapers can't arrive in time here. If it had to be delayed for a month or two, the fashionable information in Nanjing would have become outdated by him.
He was very resentful at first. But as time goes by, I will calm down.
He just put his mind here. I spent a lot of time worrying about Xining City. It’s also a bit of fun.
He is also quite talented. Otherwise, he would not have been chosen as his son-in-law by Zhu Yuanzhang. In the small town of Xining, he was overqualified and overqualified. Naturally, he planned the place in an orderly manner. In his hands, Xining opened up trade with Tibet. Let Xining become a place where merchants gather.
The people lived well.
Unknowingly, Mei Yin's position in Xining has reached an unshakable level.
At this time, the War between the North and the South broke out.
This dawned on him. I figured out a lot of things and was secretly grateful to Queen Ma for her arrangement. Otherwise, whether he is in Nanjing or Beijing, it is unlikely that he will not take sides. Once he takes sides, he will be involved in a storm. He wasn't sure he could make it out alive.
But as time passed, he had other thoughts.
That's the opportunity.
People who are capable want to do great things. The same goes for Mei Yin.
He wanted to make great achievements in the world, but the few years he wasted here were the best years for a minister. Even if the war between the North and the South subsides in the future, he can return to the center of power, but will he still have his place in the center of power?
Mei Yin is not sure.
Once emperor and courtier, Zhu Yuanzhang is no longer here.
How could he still have the status he had during the Hongwu period. In this way, Mei Yin wanted to contribute in the North-South war and stand on the side of the winner. Without him, only on the side of the winner can the fruits of success be shared.
But who is the winner.
Mei Yin hopes it is Beijing. The reason is simple. If Nanjing is the winner, he does not need to do anything. And no matter how Beijing is the winner, he has room to intervene. Now he also feels that the successor chosen by Zhu Yuanzhang is not Zhu Yunwen, but Zhu Xiongying.
This is a feeling. Although there is no evidence, Mei Yin is one of Zhu Yuanzhang's favorite sons-in-law. He has a close relationship with Zhu Yuanzhang and has had many contacts. He was very judgmental about Zhu Yuanzhang's thoughts.
This judgment should not be wrong.
But in any case, Beijing did not reveal
He would not place a bet on the sign of victory. After all, behind him is not only himself, but also his family. But now he felt the signal.
He felt that this was a sign of victory. It is the turning point between strength and weakness. It was time for him to make a judgment. If you don't take action, it will probably be too late.
Just where to start?
