Yongping Village is located on the main road north of Yan'an Prefecture. In the past, merchants came and went, and it was extremely prosperous. Most of the shops are now closed and seem a bit deserted.
At noon, Zhang Chi had a bowl of hot mutton noodles. Wiping his mouth, he said: "I eat like this every day, and it's a bit too much for me. I still miss the Central Plains. I eat in different ways, and I won't get tired of it for a year."
After saying that, he stood up, stretched out, and went to the table to look at the map.
The army has been in Yongping Village for two days and is preparing food and grass. With the food and grass ready, Zhang Zhen's former military camp set off first, followed by the two regiments behind him.
A soldier came in, crossed his hands and said: "Hou Yu, a man came from outside the military camp. He said he was the military commander of Yan'an Prefecture, and he was clamoring to see Yu Hou."
Zhang Chi straightened up, thought for a while, and said with a smile: "You are not here to seek peace. Zheng Jianchong in Yan'an Mansion has no way out. Let him come in and see me!"
After saying that, he straightened his shirt and went to the front hall.
Chen Youjing was brought into the village hall by his own soldiers and saw a general sitting on top. He is in his twenties, with a slight beard on his face and a calm expression. I knew in my heart that this was Zhang Chi, the coach of Song Army. Wang Xiaolie's army has only been around for a few years, and many of the generals are young.
Taking two steps forward, Chen Youjing crossed his hands and said, "Chen Youjing, the military commander of Yan'an Prefecture, is here to see Yuhou."
Zhang Chi said: "The governor is very polite. Please sit down next to me and have a cup of tea."
After saying that, he ordered his soldiers to serve tea. The tea often drunk in northern Shaanxi is different from that in the Central Plains. Most of them are tea bricks and the like, and the tea is thick and thick. It is a habit of the Central Plains for Zhang Chi to drink green tea now. What was served was a tea bowl filled with tea leaves, which made Chen Youjing curious for a long time.
Of course Chen Youjing didn't dare to sit down. After Zhang Chi's repeated persuasion, his butt seemed to fall on the stool. It looks like I'm sitting down, but I'm not actually sitting down. There's still a gap between my butt and the chair. With Chen Youjing's current status, Zhang Chi would not dare to sit down in front of him.
Had tea. Zhang Chi said: "The governor is here. I wonder if I have anything to teach you?"
Chen Youjing said: "Yu Hou's army is coming. The commander knows that he will die and does not dare to resist the enemy. I would like to serve Yan'an and the surrounding prefectures and return to the Song Dynasty."
Zhang Chi listened and smiled and said: "What other states and counties are there around Yan'an now? But this is not important. Yan'an is a huge town in northern Shaanxi, a key place. As long as Zheng Jinglue can wake up and return to the Song Dynasty, he will naturally be well arranged .”
When Chen Youjing heard this, he hurriedly asked: "If Zheng Jinglue can return to the Song Dynasty, how can we arrange it?"
Zhang Chi said with a smile: "You can ask me about this. Xuanfu will decide how to arrange it. How can I dare to comment? However, as long as I return, I will not treat him badly. That's what Xuanfu has done for so many years." Mean things.”
Chen Youjing nodded, feeling a little disappointed.
Before coming, Chen Youjing and Zheng Jianchong talked about the future. Judging from what happened before, Wang Xiaolie is indeed not mean, and can even be said to be generous. As long as Zheng Jianchong surrenders to the Song Dynasty, Wang Xiaolie will definitely make appropriate arrangements. But without a clear answer, Chen Youjing felt a little worried.
Zhang Chi chatted with Chen Youjing about the situation around Yan'an, and then they learned that Shao Xing's troops had arrived in Ganquan County after occupying Yanzhou, not far from Chang'an.
The route from Yanzhou to Ganquan County is along the Luoshui Valley, and the traffic is smooth. However, it is necessary to cross mountains from Ganquan County to Yan'an. The population along the way is sparse, making it difficult for the army to move.
Zhang Chi thought for a while and said: "Since Shao Dutong has arrived in Ganquan County, Yan'an should be occupied by him. I will wait for two days in Yongping Village, and then return to Qingjian after Shao Dutong has captured Yan'an. I don't know what Zheng Jinglue thinks. Should you wait for Shao Dutong in Yan'an, or follow me back north to see Xuanfu."
Chen Youjing said: "I have to go back and ask for advice on this matter."
Zhang Chi said: "It should be, it should be. Go and come back as soon as possible. Don't let Shao Dutong's army arrive at the city and they haven't made a decision yet."
Chen Youjing said yes repeatedly. Seeing Zhang Chi's sharp eyes, I knew that he meant to be polite, but that might not be the case in reality. If Shao Xing's troops arrive at Yan'an City and Zheng Jianchong has not yet made a decision, then it will be up to Shao Xing if he wants to surrender.
After sending Chen Youjing away, Zhang Chi sat at the table, lost in thought.
If Shaanxi can avoid fighting now, it is better not to fight. Without the Jin army, the best outcome for the generals everywhere would be to return to the Song Dynasty, and there would be no future for stubborn resistance in the base areas.
Among the generals guarding various places, besides Zheng Jianchong, there were three groups within the Yongxing Military Road. One is Zhang Zhongfu from Jingzhao Mansion, the second is Zhao Bin from Qingzhou, and the third is Murong Wei from Huanzhou. Each of them has only a few thousand soldiers, but more than ten thousand or twenty thousand, so they cannot become a serious problem.
Zheng Jianchong surrendered, and the largest force was destroyed, leaving others unable to become opponents of the Song army. Zhang Chi does not need to participate in the battle. The three divisions in the south are enough to pacify Shaanxi. With Guanzhong secured, Wang Xiaolie's troop and food sources will be greatly improved.
Zhang Chi knew in his heart that his mission was to return to Shizhou and monitor Zhe Keqiu to the north. Taking Suide and Yan'an now is just a helpless move due to insufficient troops. Therefore, as soon as Zheng Jianchong offered to surrender, Zhang Chi decided to return north.
Yan'an is the center of northern Shaanxi because the transportation in this area is like this. There are roads connecting Yan'an in all directions. Without the occupation of Yan'an, northern Shaanxi would be piece by piece and would not form an organic whole. By occupying Yan'an, all places will be connected.
As long as Yan'an is captured, the battle in northern Shaanxi will be over. If Li Shifu hadn't captured Sa Lihe, Zhang Chi might not have been involved in the Shaanxi campaign, and it would have been over as long as the Suide Army was captured. As a result, not only did he participate, but he also fought the most important battle.
During his days in Yongping Village, Zhang Chi walked around in the mountains and forests every day, and spent the rest of his time writing battlefield diaries. The series of battles in Dantou Village were very important to Jiang Min's troops. According to Zhang Chi's understanding, Wang Xiaolie must listen to a detailed report after returning. In addition, of course, you need to read the detailed battlefield logs.
This is a characteristic of Wang Xiaolie's army. Not only strict training and courage to fight, but also detailed training logs and combat logs. This habit, day after day, year after year, finally developed its own military characteristics.
On the fifth day, Zheng Jianchong and Chen Youjing arrived at Yongping Village and came to see Zhang Chi together.
Zhang Chi welcomed him out of the door and said to Zheng Jianchong: "Knowing the lofty ideals, Xuanfu will definitely look at it differently this time!"
Zheng Jianchong said: "Ashamed! I deserve death for my crime, but I let Yu Hou come to Yongping Village in the mountains!"
Zhang Chi smiled and waved his hands: "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter! As long as I come to Yan'an, it's worth it for me to travel a little more."
Welcoming Zheng Jianchong and sitting down in the village hall, Zhang Chi said: "I wonder who is in charge of Yan'an City now? I wonder if Shao Dutong's army has entered the city?"
Zheng Jianchong said: "The army is commanded by several generals below, and the government is responsible for the overall situation. I have informed Shao Dutong, and his forward troops have also set off. I haven't arrived in Yan'an when I left, and they should be there now. .”
Zhang Chi said: "This is the best. After I returned to Suide, Xuanfu asked me if I had occupied Yan'an, but I didn't know."
Zheng Jianchong got the news about Chen Youjing and rushed to Yongping Village. In his mind, Zhang Chi's troops were proven in actual combat and were brave and invincible. It was normal for him to surrender. Shaoxing is much worse, at least it has not been tested in actual combat. If you want to surrender, of course you should choose Zhang Chi, not Shao Xing.
Therefore, he would rather abandon Yan'an to Shao Xing than join Zhang Chi's army.
(End of chapter)
