In one day, Wang Xiaolie and his army marched for more than fifty miles. Set up camp five miles away from Yang Jin's camp.
After stabbing Zhai Jin to death, Yang Jin's army became extremely arrogant. As soon as Wang Xiaolie arrived, a small group of troops came to harass him, but they were repelled by Shao Ling's troops.
A night of silence. Early the next morning, Wang Xiaolie called several commanders and said: "We need to cooperate with Zhai Xing in this battle. Today we will stick to the camp and send an envoy to Zhai Xing's army. There is one more thing. Send spies to investigate carefully. Explore Yang Jin's army. A few months ago he was the commander of Kaifeng Mansion, and now he has nearly 10,000 troops, which is too unbelievable. If this matter is not investigated clearly, I will not feel at ease. "
Everyone crossed their hands and said yes.
Wang Xiaolie said: "I will entrust Shao Ling to handle this matter. Take fifty cavalry and be cautious to explore Yang Jin's army. It is best to capture a few prisoners to know Yang Jin's army situation. We will investigate everything clearly. That’s a good plan.”
Shao Ling crossed his arms and promised.
After sending envoys and Shao Ling out, Wang Xiaolie was thinking alone in the commander's tent.
I originally thought that with one or two thousand soldiers and horses under my command, it would be enough to dominate the surrounding states. As a result, Yang Jin in Zhengzhou suddenly had nearly 10,000 soldiers and horses, and the momentum of tens of thousands of people was very different from what he had thought before. If this is the case, Ruzhou is not safe.
According to his own knowledge, Yang Jin's army originally had only two to three thousand people at most. At that time, the Kaifeng Prefecture had this number of soldiers and horses. Why did it increase so much in just a few months? After thinking about it, I can't figure it out.
In the evening, the envoys sent to Zhai Xing's army came back, taking Zhai Xing's envoys with them.
The visitor was in his thirties or forties, with a chin and beard, and was very tall. Entering the commander's tent, he stepped forward and crossed his hands: "I'm Zhai Cong. I'm here to obey my father's orders. I've seen Zhizhou."
Wang Xiaolie stood up quickly. He said: "It turns out to be the Yameni. Please take a seat."
After saying that, he hurriedly ordered the soldiers to serve tea.
Zhai Cong is the eldest son of Zhai Xing, so naturally he cannot be taken lightly. It seems that Zhai Jin's death in the battle had a great impact on the Zhai family army. Wang Xiaolie had been stationed in Ru Town for more than a month, but Zhai Jin wouldn't let him enter Henan Mansion. As soon as Zhai Jin died, Zhai Xing immediately asked him to come and sent his son.
After a few polite words, Zhai Cong said: "A few days ago, blood was spilled on the battlefield. Everyone in our army wanted to eat Yang Jin's flesh! Thank you Zhizhou for sending all his troops to help. I wonder how Zhizhou is preparing? When can we march? ?”
Wang Xiaolie said: "The battle between the two armies should not be taken lightly. When our army arrives here, it will always take a few days to understand the nearby geography and explore Yang Jin's military situation. In about five days, we can join you and Yang Jin. Enter the decisive battle."
After hearing this, Zhai Cong's face darkened. Said: "Yang Jin is just an army thief. He coerces the people into his army and has some momentum. Zhizhou and our army advance forward and backward together. If we attack Yang Jin together, we will be sure to behead him and defeat his army!"
Wang Xiaolie hesitated for a moment, then said: "Yamen, I thought so too. I had seen this Yang Jin when I was in Kaifeng Mansion that day. He was as strong as an ox and had all-round courage. But his subordinates There are only one or two thousand soldiers and horses. Now the army exceeds 10,000, and there are tens of thousands of civilians accompanying it. It cannot be underestimated. In a few months, it has expanded so much that it is not comparable to ordinary people."
Zhai Cong said: "In Zhizhou, Yang Jin's headquarters has only two thousand soldiers and horses. The rest are all brought here under his belt——"
Wang Xiaolie said: "It's good that he brought tens of thousands of people here with him. But there are nearly ten thousand soldiers, how can he bring them here with him?"
Zhai Cong looked at Wang Xiaolie and saw that his attitude was very serious, so he had to explain patiently: "When Yang Jin raised his army, he tattooed all the strong men under his rule as soldiers. When he arrived at a place, he first recruited the strong men into the army. From Zhengzhou Come here, the common people along the road are not spared. Isn't it normal for nearly ten thousand people to attack in more than a dozen counties? If we gain the upper hand, the army will naturally be inspired and everyone will compete for the lead. As long as one or two defeats are needed, the whole army will be dispersed. "
"Oh——" Wang Xiaolie nodded, somewhat understanding. I have never been able to figure out where Yang Jin's army came from. According to my understanding, military capital is limited, and people who do not meet the conditions will not be recruited into the army. There is no combat effectiveness at all, but it consumes military rations. Of course, a smart military commander will not do this. But Yang Jin was different, everything he had was stolen. The more people there are, the more people can rob. When they couldn't grab it anymore, these people dispersed on their own. Such an army is like a snowball, growing as it goes.
Zhai Cong is right. Yang Jin's army looks amazing, but in fact its combat effectiveness is not very good. However, Zhai Jin was too careless in the past few days. When crossing the river, I was in the lead and was hit by a stray arrow. I was very unlucky. Zhai Jin's death stimulated the morale of Yang Jin's entire army. It's hard to say how effective they are now. You have to win one or two battles first.
After thinking about it for a while, Wang Xiaolie said: "In my opinion, fighting is not a child's play, and we should not be reckless. We can attack on a small scale in the next few days, but it will not be time for a full-scale battle. We should wait until five days later before our two armies can discuss it. "
Seeing that Wang Xiaolie refused to give in, Zhai Cong couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. However, after Zhai Jin passed away, the official position of the Zhai family could not overwhelm Wang Xiaolie, so he could not force it, so he had to agree.
After chatting for a while, Zhai Cong said: "According to my father's order, I will be with the Zhizhou Army these days. I will send someone back."
Looking at Zhai Cong, Wang Xiaolie said with a smile but not a smile: "You are here in the Yamen, are you going to supervise our army?"
"Zhizhou is joking, how dare you?" Zhai Cong stood up in a hurry and crossed his hands to apologize.
Wang Xiaolie said: "To be honest, if you don't leave our army in the Yamen, outsiders will definitely say that you are supervising the army. Our army is different from others. If someone accidentally makes a mistake, it will be difficult for me."
Zhai Cong said: "If I violate military law, the magistrate will behead me! People of the Zhai family raised an army to fight against the Jin Dynasty to protect the country. Why do they care about their lives!"
Wang Xiaolie said hurriedly: "The words in the yamen are serious. But let me say it first. When you are in the army, you just watch and communicate with your father about the military situation between the two armies. You can't do other things! There is no joke in the army. Yanei will remember it!"
Zhai Cong said yes. Wang Xiaolie asked him to sit down and chatted some more.
At night, Wang Xiaolie ordered a sheep to be killed to catch the wind for Zhai Cong. Several commanders accompanied him, and they were silent all night.
The next morning, Wang Xiaoli raised the tent and asked Zhai Cong to sit at the bottom.
Looking at everyone, Wang Xiaolie said: "Lieutenant Zhai's blood is spilled on the battlefield. We cannot sit idly by. We must kill Yang Jin to avenge him. Today, Shao Ling led 500 cavalry to the vicinity of Minggao Mountain to investigate Yang Jin's formation. Remember, take a few prisoners back. When two armies are fighting, the most important thing is to know yourself and the enemy. Yang Jin’s rise is too rapid, and it’s impossible not to find out.”
Shao Ling crossed his hands and sang a promise. Then he sat down again.
Zhai Cong on the side saw it and felt puzzled. After receiving the military order, shouldn't we immediately go out and mobilize our troops to do our own thing? Why was Wang Xiaolie so different here? He sat down again.
This is what makes Wang Xiao's hunting army different from other armies. Raising the account in the morning is actually a discussion among the generals, not an order. It is a routine matter for the generals to discuss the military situation every day. In the army of the Song Dynasty, it was common to have dinner together, and there was a system to ensure this. Generals who do not participate will be punished. The commander raises his account and issues military orders, and the generals must immediately follow the orders.
Wang Xiaolie has always believed that superiors must be cautious when issuing orders. If there is a problem with the order, the superior must bear the responsibility. When subordinates receive military orders, they must be resolute in executing them. If you have any questions, ask them when you accept the order, not afterward. Therefore, it is prudent to issue military orders.
Seeing that there was no doubt, Wang Xiaolie said again: "Niu Gao led his horse with five hundred steps to clear out the surrounding areas. Yesterday, Yang Jin's cavalry came to the camp, looking very arrogant. You take five hundred soldiers and horses, and Clean up all Yang Jin's rangers, skirmishers, and all kinds of people and horses within five miles of our camp. When the two armies are fighting, don't leave anyone around."
Niu Gao promised. He also asked, “What should we do if there are people?”
Wang Xiaolie said: "Inquire carefully one by one, register and make a report, and report back."
