Luo Zhixue looked at the three people in front of him and said: "Even if we can't take Xiangyang City by surprise, with our 3,000-strong army, we can easily conduct mobile operations on the north bank of the Han River."
"Remember, a surprise attack on Xiangyang City is not our only option, it is just a better choice among many options. We must not fill our army's most elite cavalry brigade and first infantry brigade just for a mere Xiangyang City. "
Hearing Luo Zhixue say this, Wang Xiazi, Huang Dingquan and even Xu Zhixian all understood!
In this battle, taking Xiangyang City is not the highest priority. On the contrary, preserving the army is the priority.
What they have to do is to capture Xiangyang if they can while preserving the army. If not, then they must decisively withdraw their troops.
Blind Wang said: "Don't worry, General. You don't know who I am, and you don't dare to say anything else. My life-preserving skills are top-notch. If something goes wrong, I will immediately run away with my troops."
"It's not easy for us to accumulate these belongings. No matter how blind I am, I will never leave these belongings under Xiangyang City!"
"My blind king is only blind in one eye, but not both eyes."
Seeing Blind Wang like this, Luo Zhixue showed a smile on his face: "Haha, it's true. Along the way, blind man, I know your abilities. Brother Sun really saw the right person at the beginning. Fight well this time and wait until you win." Once we get to Xiangyang, we will control the entire Nanyang Basin when we turn around, and then I will add a few more sentries to the cavalry brigade!"
"A cavalry brigade cannot have only two cavalry sentries. No matter what, it must have four or five sentries."
Blind Wang smiled and said: "General, just wait for my good news. Also, prepare your horses and cavalry. I, the blind man, will definitely capture this Xiangyang City for you."
Luo Zhixue chuckled: "It can't compare to your horses and cavalry."
After saying that, he turned to look at Huang Dingquan again: "Ding Quan, I have watched you come all the way. Do your best this time. I have great expectations for you!"
Huang Dingquan's personality is not as outgoing as Blind Wang. He has always been honest and courteous. He said without saying much: "General, don't worry, my subordinates will definitely abide by the plan. If we can attack Xiangyang, we will attack. If we can't, we will retreat in time."
Luo Zhixue knew that Huang Dingquan didn't like to talk much, so he didn't say much to him and focused his attention on Xu Zhixian.
Xu Zhixian, who serves as the deputy director of the Staff Office and concurrently serves as the chief of the combat section and the commander of the 3rd Infantry Battalion, already has multiple positions, but now, he has another temporary assignment: Chief of Staff of the Xiangyang Campaign.
As the Chief of Staff of the Xiangyang Campaign, Xu Zhixian will lead the six staff members of the General Staff Office to form the Xiangyang Campaign Staff Department to advise the army and formulate various combat plans for Wang Xiazi and Huang Dingquan to choose from.
This surprise attack on Xiangyang was composed of the 1st Infantry Brigade and the 1st Cavalry Brigade, with Wang Baoyong (blind man) as the campaign commander, Huang Dingquan as the deputy commander, and Xu Zhixian as the chief of staff.
This battle headquarters is a temporary organization. Apart from a staff department, there are actually no other serious organizations. It will be disbanded directly after the Battle of Xiangyang.
Luo Zhixue said to Xu Zhixian: "Staff affairs are your old profession. Logically speaking, I need to say more, but I still want to say a few words. This time in the Battle of Xiangyang, you have to show your true skills. Watch more. Think more and formulate the most complete battle plan.”
Xu Zhixian said: "General, don't worry, my subordinates will do their best."
Luo Zhixue glanced at the three of them again: "I've said everything that needs to be said. You should have an idea of what to do next. It's getting late, let's go!"
"Remember, I'm here waiting for your good news or your safe return."
After the three people resigned, they quickly took a group of people to cross the river by boat. Watching them sail across the river, Luo Zhixue became a little uneasy for a while, and couldn't help but said to Bai Yongning, the captain of the guard next to him: "Say, Can they succeed?"
Bai Yongning said: "General, don't worry, they will succeed."
Luo Zhixue said: "Really? It's hard to say. At best, it's a surprise attack, but at worst, it's a military adventure. If you're not careful, the army heading to Xiangyang will encounter problems. Once they can't attack the city, they will be defeated by the enemy. If the army gets entangled, it will be a big trouble."
Bai Yongning said: "Although I don't know much about these military strategies, my subordinates know that whether it is Brigadier Wang, Brigadier Huang, or Deputy Director Xu, they are all leaders in our army. They are brave and good at fighting. One is a reliable and experienced person, the other is an expert in planning, with these three heroes, our army’s surprise attack on Xiangyang City will definitely succeed!”
"Ten thousand steps back, even if they don't succeed, with their abilities, the enemies in Xiangyang City are unlikely to leave them alone. There is definitely no problem in self-protection."
Luo Zhixue said: "I hope so!"
After that, Luo Zhixue stopped talking, but quietly looked at the soldiers of the Baoxiang Army who were crossing the river.
At this time, a large number of soldiers of the rural protection army were crossing the river on simple bamboo rafts and a few boats.
Due to the limited number of ships that could be temporarily requisitioned and detained in the vicinity, these ships were basically used to transport horses, grain, grass and ammunition. As for the large number of ordinary infantry, they could only ride on extremely simple bamboo rafts.
The quality of these urgently constructed bamboo rafts was naturally not very good. Some of them even fell apart when they reached the river crossing, so that the soldiers on them fell into the water one after another, and several people were drowned in the end.
If there were not arranged ships nearby and people who were proficient in water skills who arrived in time to rescue, and some people came up, I am afraid that all the more than ten soldiers who fell into the water would have died...
Although there were some accidents when crossing the river, and many people even fell into the water and died or disappeared, this still could not stop the Baoxiang Army from crossing the river.
Soon, the 1st Infantry Brigade and the 1st Cavalry Brigade completed crossing the river. Wang Xiazi, Huang Dingquan, and Xu Zhixian immediately led the army south quickly.
According to the plan, they will continue to march for more than 20 kilometers during the day today, all the way to the vicinity of Xiangyang. After resting for a night, they will march quickly before dawn the next day to capture the city gate. At that time, Li Dongshao will also fight his way out. And opened the city gate in time to welcome the army into the city.
Just when Wang Xiazi and the others were heading south quickly, they tried their best to avoid densely populated areas and sent cavalry to blockade them in advance to prevent the locals from sending news to Xiangyang.
But the Ming army in Xiangyang City still got the news!
There was a Ming army patrolling the periphery. After seeing the Baoxiang army coming from a distance, he abandoned a dozen of his men and ran away on horseback alone.
Even if the cavalry of the Baoxiang Army came forward to pursue them, they could not catch up.
In the end, the Ming army inspector fled all the way back to Xiangyang City and reported to the Ming army in the city that a large number of thieves were about to arrive.
For a moment, the entire Xiangyang City was shaken!
On April 30th, the eighth year of Chongzhen's reign, in the Xiangyang magistrate's office, Magistrate Tang Xianyue looked shocked: "Where did these bandits come from?"
"Did it come from Yunyang? Or did it come from Nanyang?"
When he learned that a large number of bandits had appeared, Tang Xianyue was completely stupid...
There had been no rumors that bandits had appeared in the surrounding areas before. The bandits who had caused harm to Xiangyang and Yunyang Prefectures in the past two years had long since fled, and were still fighting against the government troops in the Central Plains and Jiangbei areas.
I had never heard before that the bandits from Jiangbei broke through the interception of local officers and soldiers and went to the Chubei area of Huguang.
As for the bandits in the Central Plains in the north, Commander Hong led his troops to encircle and suppress them there, and Chen Yongfu's troops were stationed in Nanyang Mansion in the north. Logically speaking, it was impossible for them to flee directly to Xiangyang Mansion.
That's right, until now, Tang Xianyue didn't know that Chen Yongfu had been defeated, the entire army was destroyed, and even Chen Yongfu himself had surrendered to the traitors. He also didn't know that Nanyang Mansion had already surrendered five days ago, that is, on April 25th. It was quickly captured by the rural protection army.
Immediately afterwards, the main force of the rural protection army made a long-distance attack of more than 100 kilometers, and it took only five days to directly reach the foot of Xiangyang City.
We can't blame Tang Xianyue for not being well-informed. News transmission is very slow these days. What's more important is that before attacking Nanyang City, the Baoxiang Army had already been dispatched in advance to block the rivers and land transportation arteries around Nanyang Mansion.
Under the complete blockade of the Xiangbao Army, the news of the fall of Nanyang City was only spread in Nanyang Prefecture for the time being, and did not have time to reach Xiangyang Prefecture.
Although this kind of comprehensive message blockade cannot truly block the message forever, as long as it is delayed for a few days, it is enough.
No, Tang Xianyue, the prefect of Xiangyang, didn't even know that Nanyang City had fallen, and the army of the Home Guard Army had already reached the gates of Xiangyang City.
So much so that Tang Xianyue was confused when faced with the sudden appearance of the bandits. He couldn't even figure out where these bandits came from.
But even though we don't know where these bandits came from, there is no doubt that they are bandits.
Therefore, after Tang Xianyue was stunned, he immediately ordered the city gate to be blocked and ordered the soldiers in the city to go to the top of the city to defend it.
Immediately afterwards, the civil servants and military generals in the city were summoned to discuss city defense matters.
At this time, Wang Xiazi and the others had not actually arrived at Xiangyang City, and they were still several kilometers away.
Wang Xiazi learned from the scouts that the Ming army in the city had already responded, and urgently closed the city gate to expose the city gate, and did not take it seriously when he sent a large number of troops to the top of the city.
With more than two thousand people fighting all the way, no matter how slow the other party is, they will get the news and react accordingly.
None of this is important. What is important is whether the internal forces can successfully open the city gate at dawn tomorrow.
Blind Wang knew very well that their so-called surprise attack on Xiangyang City this time did not depend on how fast they could run or how strong their combat effectiveness was, but on whether the internal response could be successful.
Strictly speaking, the more than 2,000 people he brought with him, especially the 1st Infantry Brigade, the main infantry brigade, were not used to attack the city, but to fight after entering the city and defeat the still stubborn enemy forces.
"Tell me to go down and continue marching to the predetermined location to camp and rest according to the original plan!"
"The cavalry attacked to block the connection between Xiangyang City and the outside world, and beware of enemies in the city taking the initiative to attack."
Just as Wang Xiazi continued to act according to the original plan, the Ming army in the city also urgently closed the city gate and climbed to the top of the city under the command of Tang Xianyue.
In a warehouse in Xiangyang City, Li Dongshao also looked nervous and excited: "Our army is here, and it's time for us to take the field."
"According to the plan, at dawn, everyone from the Intelligence Department will set fires everywhere in the city to create chaos. At the same time, I will personally lead my team to seize the North City Gate by force to welcome the army into the city."
