Luo Zhixue looked at the map of Fengyang Mansion, and then couldn't help but think that he could get this cavalry with the horses and riding skills of these frontier cavalry, plus the sophisticated equipment and superior equipment he provided. Good salary and food benefits.
The combat effectiveness of this cavalry should be increased by several percent.
Once we can control this cavalry, plus our existing first cavalry brigade and the cavalry regiments of each division, we will then fight to the North Zhili area and face a large number of Ming army border troops, and even a large number of Mongolian cavalry from the East. Sometimes I can let go and have a good fight.
Thinking of this, Luo Zhixue immediately summoned several intelligence officers under his command, mainly to inquire about the situation of the Ming Army cavalry in the Jiangbei area.
It turned out that it was not easy to do.
These Ming army cavalry were divided into several groups, and they were not subordinate to each other. More importantly, these cavalry were not subject to mandatory constraints.
Even the former Yang Sichang failed to fully control these cavalry groups and let them obey Yang Sichang's orders to fight.
The active Ming army cavalry in the Jiangbei area were drawn from Xuanfu, Datong, and Liaodong. They were nominally to reinforce Jiangbei, and they were also under the previous command of Yang Sichang, but in fact Yang Sichang could not command them at all...
Because these cavalry are all frontier army cavalry, and those generals are all warlord leaders in the frontier army.
They would listen to what Yang Sichang said, but it was hard to say whether they would do it or not.
If something is good for you, you will do it, but if it is not good for you, you will just ignore it!
Previously, the Chu army launched a large-scale encirclement operation along the canal. The 10th Division detoured to Sizhou and headed north to attack Taoyuan County. The 23rd Mixed Brigade landed in Haizhou and then attacked Suqian.
Yang Sichang actually gave orders to the three Ming army cavalry in the Fengyang Mansion area, asking them to intercept the Chu thieves heading north.
There was indeed a small number of Ming army cavalry running over at first, but when they saw that there were tens of thousands of Ming troops on the opposite side, and there were also the main cavalry of the Chu army, the First Cavalry Brigade, covering them, they saw that there was nothing to gain and they really went up to fight. Otherwise, they might have to fight with the First Cavalry Brigade and the Tenth Cavalry Regiment in the Chu army.
So they staged a few small-scale ambushes in a symbolic manner, and then ran away.
As for Yang Sichang's order for them to attack the 10th Division and even the 23rd Mixed Brigade to ensure the safety of Huai'an's rear, they simply ignored it.
From this, it can be seen that these frontier cavalry have a very high degree of autonomy, and these cavalry generals often lead troops to fight with personal interests.
If it's beneficial, go there; if it's not, leave it.
Just like Wu Sangui before him, the imperial court asked him to go south to reinforce the Central Plains. He did go south with thousands of troops, but he never fought a large-scale battle with the Chu army from the beginning to the end. Instead, he rushed all the way to the Central Plains, and then all the way to the Central Plains. Rush back.
The battle was not even fought, but a lot of money and food were robbed, which brought a wave of blood to the Liaodong Guanning Cavalry.
Therefore, these contemporary border armies, especially those in Liaodong, have developed into independent warlords.
When Chongzhen ordered them to go south, Wu Sangui and several other border army generals who were traveling with him seemed to obey Chongzhen's orders, but in fact they regarded Chongzhen's words as farts.
The reason why they went south was not only to maintain the appearance of obeying the court's orders, but also to use this excuse to search for money and food in the Central Plains.
These are actually very beneficial to the Chu army's military operations.
If the Chu army is at a disadvantage, for example, the attacking troops do not have strong cavalry accompanying them, then these frontier cavalry feel that they have encountered a soft persimmon, and they will run up to pinch them. If nothing else, they will even steal a batch of the Chu army. Guns, supplies and ammunition are all huge profits.
But on the other hand, as long as the Chu army assumes a strong enough posture, there is no need to worry about these frontier cavalry fighting with themselves.
This was also when the Tenth Division marched westward to Fengyang. The Chu army dispatched the First Cavalry Brigade and two divisional cavalry regiments to strengthen the Tenth Division's ability to fight against the cavalry.
The cavalry of the Ming Army saw that the Tenth Division was not easy to mess with, so there was a high probability that they would not insist on attacking the Tenth Division.
This is also an important reason why the Chu army dared to march westward to Fengyang City even though they were still at a certain disadvantage in terms of cavalry.
Because these Ming army frontier cavalry will not fight to the death with the Chu army.
But... it would be difficult for Luo Zhixue to recover these cavalry.
The independence of these frontier cavalry was too strong, which meant that it was difficult for the Chu army to force them to fight the Chu army through conventional diversionary warfare or other methods, or to surround them... and then force them to surrender.
Because even if the Chu army besieges Fengyang, these frontier cavalry will not take the risk to ask for help. As for whether Fengyang City will be captured by the Chu army, Zhu Dadian's life and death is none of their business...
Once the Chu army wanted to encircle them in a roundabout way, these cavalrymen, who had no ground to defend and no scruples, would not stupidly stay where they were. They would often run away when the opportunity was bad.
Rice Ball Exploration
Without the three frontier cavalry pressing down on them, they were like three loaches. It would not be easy for the Chu army to catch them.
After repeated consideration of this, Luo Zhixue felt that if he wanted to regain these cavalry in the Jiangbei area, it would be unreliable to use force to suppress them.
Because they won't give you a chance to use force to oppress you!
However, the method of gentle caressing can be used.
Aren't they just a few warlord leaders, whether they use high-ranking officials, generous salaries and titles, or directly give them money, food and equipment, as long as they have this heart and dare to speak out, Luo Zhixue will have the confidence to win them over.
I’m not afraid that you’ll ask for a high price, but I’m afraid that you won’t ask for a price!
As a result, Luo Zhixue quickly ordered the Military Intelligence Department to start contacting the three frontier cavalry.
The Military Intelligence Department worked very efficiently. After receiving the order, it directly targeted one of the frontier cavalry.
This is a cavalry unit from the Xuanfu, with a total strength of about one thousand cavalry, commanded by Deputy Chief Shen Yuankui, and is currently stationed in Hong County.
It was not the county seat of Hong County, which had long been captured by the Chu army, but a small town near Lingbi in the northwest of Hong County.
The reason why the Military Intelligence Department was the first to find Shen Yuankui was because after Shen Yuankui went south, he hardly cooperated with other cavalry groups or Zhu Dadian's troops. He always worked alone. .
Therefore, the Military Intelligence Department judged that Shen Yuankui was most likely at odds with Zhu Dadian and the others, or was simply withdrawn and unsociable, and it would be easier to win over such a person.
Of course, this is only the judgment of the Military Intelligence Department itself. The specific situation will only be known after further in-depth understanding.
What pleased the people at the Military Intelligence Department was that when they contacted a local gentry who had been bribed by the Military Intelligence Department, the other party did not show a strong repulsive attitude.
Of course, he didn't show much enthusiasm, but met the middleman lukewarmly.
This led the Military Intelligence Department to decide to increase contact.
Three days later, an envoy from the Military Intelligence Department entered the town where Shen Yuankui's cavalry was stationed.
The envoy met Shen Yuankui and expressed his intention to recruit him on behalf of the Military Intelligence Department, and initially offered a high price.
As long as Shen Yuankui is willing to defect, he will be awarded the rank of brigadier general and a baron, and his cavalry will be organized into a cavalry brigade. Shen Yuankui will serve as the brigade commander of the cavalry brigade.
In addition, three months' salary will be repaid at one time in accordance with the Chu army's standards. Subsequent salary and food and other benefits will be the same as those of the Chu army's regular cavalry troops.
In addition, Shen Yuankui will personally receive an additional 10,000 taels of silver in cash and a mansion in Jinling City. The Military Intelligence Department will also send spies to the north to meet and protect Shen Yuankui's direct family records in Xuanfu.
The conditions in all aspects can be said to be very generous!
To be honest, this was the first time that the Chu army had tried to recruit an enemy general at such a generous price.
And this was also the reason why Shen Yuankui hesitated and didn't refuse immediately.
It has been several months since Shen Yuankui led his troops south, and he has dealt with the Chu army a lot, and to some extent he knows some of the Chu army's tactics and conditions for recruitment.
As powerful as the Pirate King Zheng Zhilong, he only received a rank of rear admiral. Many generals and deputy chiefs could only get the title of captain.
As for Song Zushun who surrendered to the thieves some time ago, he surrendered as a governor, and the Chu army only gave him a major general.
Although Song Zushun had already been defeated at that time and did not have much bargaining capital, he was still a governor of a province.
The news spread to Youzhou City. It is said that Chongzhen cursed in the court for more than half an hour, and even scolded a lot of important officials, and one of them was related to Song Zushun, especially Song Zushun. Officials who were friends with him or even recommended him were dismissed from office, or imprisoned...
He also ordered Song Zushun to be confiscated and exterminated...
However, the Chu State wanted to prevent Song Zushun from harming his family after he surrendered. The Military Intelligence Department sent people to Song Zushun's hometown early in the morning. Before the Ming court could react and send people to arrest Song Zushun's family, Song Zude's direct family was kept secret. Picked up.
Song Zushun took the initiative to surrender, and because Luo Zhixue, the leader of the Chu bandits, admired him, he was awarded the rank of Army Major General. It was still a false position, and he was not given a real job immediately.
But now, in order to recruit him, the Chu bandits directly offered him the rank of brigadier general, and also allowed him to continue to lead the cavalry under his command.
No matter how you look at it, it looks like pie in the sky!
Shen Yuankui is a very typical frontier general. He has fought all his life, fighting against the Eastern pirates, the Tatars, the bandits, the rebels, and now he is still fighting against the Chu bandits...
His long career as a frontier soldier had already made him see through many things.
For example, in troubled times, it doesn't matter whether you have money or not, or even your official title. What matters is that you have soldiers at your disposal!
As long as he has soldiers under his command, even if the Ming Dynasty is destroyed, Shen Yuankui can still be very cool.
No, now that the Ming Dynasty is about to be finished, the Chu Dynasty is not just offering high prices to win over its cavalry.
He could more or less guess why the Chu army paid such a high price. It was simply that they lacked cavalry, so they spent thousands of gold to buy horse bones.
And he, Shen Yuankui, does not object to being a horse bone!
So after Shen Yuankui thought about it again and again, especially when the Chu Army increased the price again, he decisively bought himself and his Qianqi at a good price!
And this person sold himself to Chu, which suddenly made the situation in Jiangbei even more chaotic.
