As the sun sets, a cool breeze rises and blows on people, making them feel much more comfortable.
Wang Xiaolie said: "Observation, Privy Council Zhang ordered you to temporarily abandon Shaanzhou and wait until the Guanzhong War is over before reoccupying it. I think it is better to observe and follow the orders. The Guanzhong War was a decisive battle that decided the fate of the two dynasties. We don’t have the strength to participate in this kind of decisive battle.”
Li Yanxian was stunned for a long time. Finally, he let out a long sigh and could only nod.
It's not that Wang Xiaolie thinks that he is not strong enough and is not qualified to participate in the war. But Zhang Jun did not complete the integration of Shaanxi troops and horses and rushed to the decisive battle. In this case, it would be better for local forces such as Wang Xiaolie, Li Yanxian and Zhai Xing not to participate in the war. Wushu has thirty-five thousand cavalry, plus Lousu and Youliduo who are gathering towards Guanzhong, they have nearly one hundred thousand soldiers. Once you don't cooperate well with Zhang Jun, you may be besieged by the Jin army.
Wang Xiaolie was confident in his own army, but he was not arrogant enough to think that he could equal one to two. If you leave your base and are surrounded by the superior Jin army, your strength will probably be greatly reduced.
Seeing that the sky was getting dark, Wang Xiaolie stood up and said, "I prepared a few glasses of wine to catch the wind and wash away the dust for observation. Look, it will be August, and the wind will become cool at night, and it will not be as hot as the previous days."
Lamps were lit in the yard and several tables were set up. Wang Xiaolie, Chen Qiudao, Chen Yuyi, Wang Ruohai, Shao Ling, and Niu Gao were sitting at the same table with Li Yanxian, and next to them were several commanders who accompanied Lu Yuandeng and Song Yan who came with Li Yanxian.
The custom of the Song Dynasty was actually not used to sitting around the table. When entertaining guests, they should eat at separate tables and talk while eating and drinking. Wang Xiaohunting was a habit in his previous life and he was familiar with this method. In addition, with the changes in meals, it gradually became popular.
The night was getting darker, and the wind rustled on the ginkgo trees overhead. Everyone was getting drunk and their voices were getting louder and louder.
Li Yanxian raised his head and drank the wine in one gulp. Said: "Since the Jinlu came south, the mountains and rivers were broken, and how many people suffered! I don't know how many Jin soldiers there were in the past few years, and I was a little afraid of them. Looking over the past few years, there are actually not many Jin soldiers. In the great rivers and mountains of the Central Plains, the Jin soldiers killed It’s become a white land, and they don’t see their army stationed to defend it. There are tens of millions of us Han people, how can we let the golden dogs be so rampant!"
Wang Xiaolie said: "So the Jin people want to make Liu Yu their son-emperor and guard the Central Plains for them."
Li Yanxian spat: "Liu Yu, if he is willing to be a dog of a foreign race, he will definitely die a good death!"
Wang Xiaolie said: "Instead of cursing Liu Yu for a good death, it is better for us to train a strong army, fight in the Central Plains, and chop off his head on the execution ground!"
Li Yanxian nodded. After drinking a glass of wine, I suddenly felt a little lonely. Said: "Zhenfu, from a logical point of view, we Han people are many times more powerful than the Jurchens, and the Central Plains is extremely rich. Why can't we defeat the Jin people on the battlefield?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "When it comes to war, we must study it specifically. How can an army be more effective? It must recruit taller and stronger soldiers, have commanders who are familiar with war, and conduct effective command. It must be You must have sophisticated equipment and sufficient supplies. You must be able to fight to the death on the battlefield, your pursuit must be swift and fierce, and your march must be fast. In fact, speaking of it, a powerful army does not require much."
Li Yanxian shook his head after hearing this: "These are easy to say, but so difficult to do! How many armies can fight against the Jin army and ensure that they will not collapse in a bloody battle? They are so ineffective on the battlefield, why bother talking about other things!"
Wang Xiaolie smiled: "Observe that if you know what an army needs, the commander should practice each of these carefully. How many armies can do this? Since Jingkang, the imperial court has The army's approach is to kill ten, twenty, or thirty kills. What's the use? Your military law states that those who review before a battle are killed. What's the result? Even those who disperse in a hurry before a battle can do nothing."
Li Yanxian said: "What Zhenfu said is true. The current military law is indeed too harsh."
Wang Xiaolie shook his head repeatedly: "No, that's not what I meant. Whether military law is strict or lenient, it is not without reason, but has a reason. Why is military law established? To enable the army to complete its tasks resolutely and decisively. Just You need to know what the army is like and what it looks like when facing difficulties. What kind of requirements are placed on them so that they can complete the mission——"
Li Yanxian said: "What Zhen Fu said is too complicated. Leading the troops like this will exhaust the commander to death!"
Wang Xiaolie said: "Do you think it is easy to lead troops? What is the purpose of having many officers in the army? It is to assign tasks in the army layer by layer and let many people complete them. Instead of unifying the officers like herding sheep Be a shepherd. If you want to lead an army that can fight, you must understand and study the affairs of the army clearly. Then break them down in detail, recruit the right people, and do the right personnel."
Li Yanxian was stunned for a moment. Asked Wang Xiaolie: "How does Zhen Fu lead his troops?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "I want to do this. It's just that the time is short and the ability is limited, so I haven't done it yet."
"No wonder Dengzhou's army is better at fighting than other armies." Li Yanxian was a little surprised. "For us, it is no longer easy to gather troops and horses. How can we ask for more?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "It's not easy. It's not just about keeping the soldiers fed and clothed in the army, but also having peace of mind. When they come to the army, the yamen must take good care of their homes and not let their family affairs drag them down. Finally, It is best to have dedicated officers to care about them and resolve their concerns. Let everyone know why they join the army and what they do. It is easier said than done."
Li Yanxian was a little puzzled: "At this time of crisis, the Jin captives are constantly attacking from the south. Who doesn't know what joining the army is for? Once you join the army, you should fight to the death against the Jin people. How can you have any other ideas!"
Wang Xiaolie shook his head slightly: "Observe, a thousand people have a thousand ideas. How to make these simple words recognized by the soldiers, how to make them willing to fight, is a big question! To lead a hundred soldiers is One way, thousands of soldiers look another way."
After hearing this, Li Yanxian fell into deep thought for a moment.
Unlike Wang Xiaolie, Li Yanxian was originally a lower-level general in the army. When the Jin soldiers invaded, the soldiers and civilians gathered to fight. He moved to the prefectures and counties around Shaanzhou, invaded Shaanxi, and defended it for several years. Most of the army sergeants respected Li Yanxian's character and were willing to fight to the death with him. Li Yanxian could not encounter many things that Wang Xiaolie considered important. Of course, this nature of the army also has limitations, which is very unfavorable for large-scale expansion.
After being silent for a long time, Li Yanxian asked: "It has been nearly two years since Zhenfu entered Xiangyang. I wonder how many troops there are now?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "To be fair, there are about 50,000 soldiers now. However, there are many new recruits in the army, especially the lack of middle and lower-level officers. If we send them out to fight, we can only bring about 30,000 soldiers. If we defend the city locally, it will be relatively easy. "
Li Yanxian couldn't help but frown after hearing this: "Why are there shortages of middle and lower-level officers? Those who have fought a few battles, are brave and brave, and have achieved military merit can be promoted. Even without going through battle, those who are convinced by their subordinates and have superhuman strength can still be appointed. For an officer.”
Wang Xiaolie said: "As I said before, leading troops is a university subject! Officers must have the ability to lead troops. In this way, it is not easy to train officers. Until now, I still have a deep appreciation for officers in the army. Not satisfied. Without two or three years of training, this matter will not be resolved."
