Wang Xiaolie sighed with emotion: "When there were no artillery, we rescued Shaanzhou twice and Jingmen once, and defeated the Jin army. With artillery, many officers suddenly couldn't fight without artillery. How can this be done? Hedong Road It is rugged and difficult to transport artillery. The army must be prepared to be without artillery. When you build a new army, you must pay special attention to this issue. Don't let the army be well-trained. If you really want to go to war, what will you do if you don't have artillery?"
Jiang Min nodded: "I understand!"
Wang Xiaolie said: "It is estimated that it will take three months to half a year for you to train the new army. It is now June, and the army has been trained. It will be almost the end of the year. Although we are prepared for the Jin army to attack in winter, there is no guarantee that the Jin army will come. You are still in a dilemma. Your army does not need to prepare anything for this war, just try your best to train the army well."
Jiang Min nodded in agreement.
Wang Xiaolie said: "In the next three months, I will order Cao Zhiyan to occupy Cizhou, Xizhou and Shizhou. This is called left hook. There is a dangerous section of Lengquan Pass between Jinzhou and Fenzhou, and the road is difficult to travel. It is not conducive to the attack of the army. If we forcefully advance north, we will face the concentrated main force of the Jin army. And Shizhou is on the flank of Fenzhou. If the Jin army guards Lengquan Pass with heavy troops, they can surround its flank and rear."
Jiang Min frowned slightly after hearing this, but didn't say anything.
Wang Xiaolie knew that Jiang Min was confused and said: "How will the Jin army deploy its heavy troops to guard Lengquan Pass? They will use a small number of troops to guard the dangerous pass, and heavy troops will be deployed in the two counties of Xihe and Pingyao behind. Once we capture Lengquan Pass, , heavy troops quickly came up to intercept it. The reason why Cold Spring Pass is a dangerous pass is that it is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Another meaning is that even if the pass is broken, it will be difficult for a large number of troops to pass through in a short time. Even if the army passes, it will be very difficult to supply the rear. .At this time, facing the heavy attack of the Jin army, the small number of troops passing through the border cannot easily resist. With the support from the side and rear, the situation is different."
Jiang Min nodded after hearing this: "That's it!"
Wang Xiaolie said: "After breaking through Lengquan Pass, we still have to hold it. Only by occupying Xihe and Pingyao counties can we truly open the door to Taiyuan. Otherwise, it would be a risky move for the army to cross Lengquan Pass. You know, I fight a war. I never like to take risks."
Jiang Min said: "Xuanfu means to let me go to Shizhou?"
Wang Xiaolie nodded: "After you have trained your army, go to Shizhou. It is located in the mountains and cannot support an army of 30,000. Even transporting food from the rear is very difficult. Your army must be distributed among If necessary, open fields and grow food in the wide areas along the road. After arriving in Shizhou, we must occupy Wubao Village by the Yellow River. Although large ships cannot travel on this section of the Yellow River, small boats can still travel. I will order Shao Xing to transport it from Hezhongfu The food has passed. Although it is a bit difficult, it can always keep the army from going hungry."
Jiang Min said: "Given the terrain of Shizhou, it is indeed not suitable for garrisoning a large army."
Wang Xiaolie said: "Yes. But if there are 30,000 troops in Shizhou, Fenzhou will be like under a heavy hammer, and the battle will be much easier. Strictly speaking, the most difficult thing about garrisoning troops in Shizhou is not fighting , but transported grain from the Yellow River. A few days ago, I suddenly attacked Tongzhou in Hezhong Prefecture. This battle was fought smoothly, and Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong of Shaanxi must be afraid. There should be no problem with water transportation on the Yellow River. "
Jiang Min nodded, making a mental calculation. Shizhou is located in the mountains, which is the Luliang area in later generations, and is not suitable for garrisoning large armies. In this era, 30,000 troops were in Shizhou, and most of the food they needed had to be transported from abroad. The cost was obviously high.
If Jiang Min was given the command, he would never send a large army to Shizhou. Instead, they used elite troops to open up the road to Lengquan Pass, and the army marched straight out of Jiexiu. The Jin army faced them and defeated them in a short time, and the army marched north to Taiyuan.
Having been with Wang Xiaolie for a long time, Jiang Min understood Wang Xiaolie's thoughts. Wang Xiaolie was indeed conservative in fighting. Mainly because he is the leader of an army. Once the adventure fails, there will be no chance for a comeback. Over time, it gradually became a style.
When the war started, Wang Xiaolie would rather use more money and food for a longer period of time to gain enough advantages to deliver a fatal blow to the enemy. The generals below are not used to this method of warfare and are often very anxious before the decisive battle. It's just that no one dared to be dissatisfied when facing Wang Xiaolie.
Wang Xiaolie said: "In the past few years, the weather in the area under our jurisdiction has been good, and we have accumulated some money and food. We also have an advantage in terms of military strength. The Hedong area is special. As long as it is commanded properly, it is easy to form an encirclement and annihilation force against the enemy. Although Shizhou is It is among the mountains, but it is not far from the Yellow River, so you can use water power to transport grain. There is also a road leading to the back of Taiyuan. If the battle of Taiyuan starts later, you can store grain and grass in Shizhou, which will be of great use. !”
Jiang Min nodded: "I understand."
Fighting a war of annihilation has always been Wang Xiaolie's obsession. Although the Taiyuan Basin is rich, its geography is relatively closed. The armies of the two sides faced off. If Jiang Min could attack Taiyuan's retreat from the mountains, the main force of the Jin army might be completely wiped out. This was Wang Xiaolie's main purpose in letting Jiang Min go to Shizhou at all costs.
After a moment of silence, Wang Xiaolie said: "Since I arrived in Xiangyang, I started to rebuild the army. In addition to fighting these years, the army has been practicing. To be honest, these efforts have not been in vain. But the army is expanding too fast and there is a relative lack of talents. The army also has many shortcomings. Now, even though I know clearly that the army has shortcomings, it is difficult for me to correct them one by one. You have been with me the longest and know my thoughts best. I fully surrender to this army in Hedong. Here you go, I hope you can train a qualified army. This is how things are done. Now I am talking about the shortcomings of the army. The army keeps winning battles, but the officers below are dissatisfied. If there is a benchmark, the soldiers are better trained than other armies. Its combat effectiveness is stronger than other armies and its discipline is stricter. As a role model, other armies have nothing to say."
Jiang Min said: "Xuanfu, I have led the army for less than a year, how can I do it?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "You grew up by my side, and I believe you can do it. To be honest, I don't have the confidence that you want to come to Hedong. You have been studying well, but can you put what you have learned into practice?" I have doubts about applying the content in actual combat. Over the past year, you have written to tell me everything you have done. I have seen how you deal with the difficulties you encounter, and I have seen your growth, and I have also increased my respect for you. Confidence. I believe that my vision will not be wrong.”
Jiang Min nodded. He crossed his hands and said, "I will definitely live up to Xuanfu's trust!"
Wang Xiaolie said: "Okay, let's do this for today. You go back and prepare. In three days, I will host a banquet for you and your men. Li Songchen and Liang Xing have been fighting alone behind enemy lines for many years. They must There are all kinds of shortcomings, the methods of leading troops, and the thinking of fighting are not the same as ours. However, their passion for the country and the people cannot be doubted. Having this passion is extremely rare. Put this When two people make good use of their subordinates and train them well, an army will take shape. This army will have a different style from other armies."
Jiang Min pondered for a moment. He said: "I have been under Xuanfu for many years. I have learned good things and seen some shortcomings and deficiencies. My leadership here may be different from that of Xuanfu. I hope Xuanfu can give up his prejudices and let me do what I want. "
Wang Xiaolie said with a smile: "When I first got a territory and started to build an army, I didn't understand everything. I just tried to do everything. Many things I thought I did right at the time, but later I found out that I was unsatisfactory. But it's a done deal, and it's difficult. Changed. When we do things, we don’t learn exactly what others do. What’s the point of doing that? There is always a general framework and some rules that cannot be changed. There are many more that can be changed. Just follow the Follow your own ideas and act freely. Even if something goes wrong, I will be the one to make the decision."
After hearing this, Jiang Min didn't know what to say for a moment. With tears in his eyes, he crossed his hands and said, "I will definitely live up to Xuan Fu in my life!"
Wang Xiaolie patted Jiang Min on the shoulder and said nothing more.
As a human being in two lives, Wang Xiaolie was most fortunate that he did not follow the memory of his previous life and felt that he knew this and that. It is precisely because of my doubts about the memory of my previous life that I tried everything and corrected everything bit by bit, which led to today's achievements. Now, with the foundation consolidated and the situation slowly becoming clear, Wang Xiaolie dared to say, I have really learned.
Only by crushing the knowledge learned in the previous life and walking carefully by oneself can one find a path. Although I was ignorant at the beginning, had a slight tremor, and was often laughed at by others, the road ahead was solid.
(End of chapter)
