The core of the Ming army was Zhu Yuanzhang.
However, before Zhu Yuanzhang, the Ming army, under the leadership of Zhu Biao, defeated various powerful enemies and finally took over Jinling.
Zhu Biao is not an incompetent person who can just sit back and enjoy his success. If Zhu Yuanzhang has the ability to create a dynasty, then Zhu Biao also has the ability to create half of a dynasty.
If Wang Jing had not caught up with this person and allowed Zhu Biao to successfully break through with a small number of elites,
Then it is very likely that a strong separatist regime will emerge in the south in the future.
"Zhu Biao and several generals of the Ming Army, try to capture him!"
Wang Jing said.
Xie Hui repeatedly said yes,
Then he reported the capture of the Ming army camp and Gaochun City. A rough calculation showed that more than 100,000 soldiers were captured this time.
Half of them were soldiers and horses brought by Chang Yuchun from Dangtu Camp.
"By the way, immediately send the news of Zhu Yuanzhang's death to He Ruobi and ask him to persuade the Dangtu camp to surrender! If you can avoid killing people, it's better to try not to kill indiscriminately!"
Wang Jing interrupted when he heard the other party's report.
If the territory of the Ming army was annexed, the number of soldiers and civilians in the Daxia Dynasty could directly increase to 100 million.
A population of 100 million can support a powerful dynasty no matter where it is.
But in the world of China, the land is vast and sparsely populated, and the population is never too large. Especially veterans who have been on the battlefield and experienced large-scale battles are a relatively scarce resource.
Collecting these soldiers and horses and training them a little can play a big role on the battlefield.
You know, the Xia army's southern expedition is not over yet. There are still 700,000 to 800,000 soldiers and horses in the southeast, fighting with a large number of Song troops.
Although Wei Rui and Murong Shaozong did not engage in a big battle or decisive battle with the Song army.
But from the moment the confrontation began, there were continuous small-scale raids and raids. Countless soldiers died in the process. The total number of soldiers killed in the process would not be less than during the war.
All lost soldiers need to be replaced.
The remaining soldiers of the Ming army are a good choice to supplement the troops.
"I understand!"
Xie Hui immediately took the order, summoned a clerk, and quickly wrote down Wang Jing's military order clearly, and then sent someone to deliver the letter to He Ruobi as quickly as possible.
Wait for the clerk to go out.
When he saw that Wang Jing was silent, he continued to report.
This time, in addition to the soldiers, horses and various grain and grass supplies collected, basically all the generals in the Ming army broke out with Zhu Biao, leaving only the weaker Yang Shiqi and others.
These people were temporarily detained in Gaochun City, waiting for Wang Jing's personal disposal.
"The last thing is the number of soldiers who died in the battle... A rough calculation shows that when Gaochun was defending the city, 12,000 of the 30,000 Beifu troops were killed or injured. More than 3,000 of them were slightly injured and could return to the army after they recovered. But the remaining Of the more than 9,000 people who fell, more than 7,000 died in the battle, and more than 2,000 were seriously injured. They will become disabled after being rescued..."
"Except for the Beifu Army, more than 300 Jiefan soldiers died in the battle, and more than 5,000 other soldiers died in the battle..."
Listen to Xie Hui's casualty figures.
Wang Jing's face couldn't help but twitch, and he even wanted to grit his teeth and gasp.
If the 30,000 Beifu troops fight together in the wild, they can defeat the 300,000-strong army head-on...
This is an elite unit that he spent a lot of resources to train. However, before it became famous in the world, nearly one-third of it was lost in the first battle.
Such a big loss, given Da Xia's current size, is a bit debilitating.
I'm afraid it will be difficult for this elite unit to go into battle again in a short period of time. It will take more than half a year of rest and training to replenish and recover.
However, Wang Jing does not regret his decision.
The Beifu Army did suffer heavy losses, but their efforts were well worth it. The Beifu Army was like a nail, firmly nailed to Gaochun, first forcing the Ming army to abandon a large area of territory north of Gaochun.
Then he blocked the remaining elite of the Ming army, giving Wang Jing the opportunity to solve his serious problem...
As long as we can deal with Zhu Yuanzhang, a powerful enemy.
Not to mention one-third, even if the casualties were doubled, Wang Jing could accept it.
"Register all the casualties in the roster, and double the pension for those who died in battle. Those Beifu soldiers who were seriously injured and became disabled, and who are willing to continue to stay in the army, will be transferred to Beifu Guards to assist in training new recruits. Those who want to retire, let The Ministry of War will provide placement in prefectures and counties and serve as county captains, patrol inspectors, etc..."
"If any of them have made meritorious service, they will be awarded titles and fields according to their military merits!"
Wang Jing said slowly.
This is still the pension situation for ordinary soldiers and generals. For example, Zhou Panlong and his son, Wang Jing, also have to be granted posthumous titles. As for the level of posthumous sealing, it is a bit higher than Xiao Moke.
After all, Zhou Panlong and his son had been defecting for a longer time, and had made a lot of contributions, and were posthumously awarded the title of third-class marquis.
Xie Hui listened respectfully.
When he heard that Zhou Panlong and his son were posthumously awarded the title of Third-Class Marquis, a trace of fluctuation appeared in their eyes. Although Zhou Panlong and his son died in battle, their family members were still there.
Being able to get the posthumous title of two marquises is not in vain for the two generals who worked hard on the battlefield.
At this time, Wang Jing only gave a general opinion on how to deal with it.
The specific posthumous titles and pensions still need to be handled by the six officials of Jinling. He just set the tone first to prevent the generals and soldiers who died in battle from having their rewards reduced.
Wang Jing did not stay in the camp for too long.
Soon, Xie Xuan sent someone to report that Gao Chun had already cleaned up and asked Wang Jing to drive there.
And Fu Youde's Zhenjiang camp troops and horses.
Under the command of several ninth-level generals, with the cavalry as the forerunner, they advanced by land and water, approaching Xuancheng.
There is no longer a strong man in charge,
On the way from Gaochun to Xuancheng, all the cities and villages that Xia's army passed through were in danger of falling. By the time Fu Youde led his army to Xuancheng, Zhu Biao and the others had already packed up some supplies from Xuancheng and left with only a very small number of their elite confidants.
They left Xuancheng and the 50,000 to 60,000 soldiers and horses surrounding the city behind.
Knowing that the building is in ruins, they will not defend the city...
This situation disappointed several generals of Xia Army. Among them, Yuwen Chengdu sent a letter on horseback, requesting to continue to lead a small number of elite troops to pursue.
Wang Jing stopped him.
Since you can't catch him, let's stop chasing him. Only the combination of Zhu Biao, Xu Da, and Li Wenzhong was left, and they couldn't do anything to Daxia.
At present, Daxia's capture of Xuancheng is equivalent to taking over the territory that originally belonged to the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Such a large territory requires a lot of troops to suppress it. If they continue to divide their forces to pursue it, it will be a bit unstable.
…
When the Xia army continued to take over the city, siege the city and capture the Ming army's city like an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, the Ming army was defeated, and the news of Zhu Yuanzhang's death was like a meteorite falling into the sea.
Caused huge waves.
Whether it is Hangzhou Lin'an, or Xuzhou, Zhongyuan, Jingchu and other places, attention is paid to Jinling and Gaochun.
Some strong men observed the sky and spied the news of the collapse of the Ming army.
Some forces in Lin'an, Xuzhou and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River were extremely concerned about the outcome of the war between the Xia, Ming and Song Dynasties. So various means were used. As soon as the war ended, they quickly detected the news and passed the information back.
For them, the outcome of the three-party war is related to the general trend of the entire south.
The victory of the Xia army meant that there was no rival south of the river.
If the Ming and Song armies win, then other forces in the south will have a chance to rise.
Any force with some ambitions dreamed of defeating the Xia army. They continued to support the Ming and Song coalition forces... Of course, they supported it silently in their hearts.
Let them blatantly support the coalition forces. They don't have the guts.
Now, the results of the war have shocked these people, but at the same time they also feel depressed and unwilling.
"Zhu Yuanzhang has fallen, and Wang Jing's unification of the south has become a foregone conclusion!"
"What a shame. The Ming army was invincible in their battles back and forth, easily overthrowing the Eastern Jin Dynasty and shaking the south of the Yangtze River. But now they are so vulnerable to the Xia army!"
"Now it's up to Zhao Hao... But it sounds like Zhao Hao, Yu Yunwen, Meng Gong, and Han Shizhong are no match for Xia Jun!"
"It would be great if the Song army had Yue Fei on their side! General Yue leading the army would definitely make it impossible for the Xia army to continue going south."
I don't know how many people harbor strong malice towards Xia Jun at this time.
After some people heard the news of Zhu Yuanzhang's death and the defeat of the Ming army, they even hoped that Yue Fei would suddenly appear, join the Song army, and beat back the Xia army.
Unfortunately, these are just fantasies.
Huzhou!
Hundreds of thousands of Song troops were fortified along the river and had withdrawn from Changxing.
In the city's meeting hall.
Yu Yunwen raised his head slightly, a little dazed. General Meng Gong, Lu Wende and others were silent, and the atmosphere in the hall was a little tense.
"Xiang Yu, now that the Ming army is defeated, what should our army do?"
After a while, Meng Gong couldn't bear it anymore and asked proactively.
Yu Yunwen smiled bitterly secretly, with a trace of helpless dejection deep in his eyes. The smarter a person is, the clearer he can see the current situation.
Especially a top smart person like Yu Yunwen.
Although he is not the best in military strategy, he can still see that the Xia army is like a mountain crushing everything, while Lin'an Song Dynasty, the soldiers, horses, and generals are all at a disadvantage.
If the Ming army is still there, the two sides can still fight together.
Now that the Ming army was defeated, only the Song army was left. How could it stop the Xia army's more than one million soldiers?
As long as he thought of Fu Youde, He Ruobi, Shi Wansui, Murong Shaozong, Xie Xuan, Wei Rui and other top famous generals in history, he felt helpless in his heart.
"It would be great if General Yue was here..."
It is said that when a country is in trouble, good generals are missed. At this time, Yu Yunwen, like many ordinary people in Lin'an, could not help but have such thoughts in his mind.
Yu Yunwen quickly calmed down his thoughts.
"Right now, our army is ready to defend itself against the Xia Army's landing from the south bank of Taihu Lake... As for how to deal with the main force of the Xia Army, I will first send a letter to the officials and Han Taiwei for discussion, and then make a decision!"
He sighed secretly, managed to cheer up, and said.
"this……"
Meng Gong looked hesitant. The situation of the Song army was critical, and it was when Yu Yunwen needed to make a decisive decision.
No matter what method is used, it is better than staying motionless in Huzhou.
I also sent a letter to the officials and Han Shizhong for discussion. You are originally the prime minister, the pillar of the court, and the think tank of the officials... How can we discuss it? Don’t you still need to make the decision in the end?
He was a little shocked.
When Yu Yunwen said this, it was obvious that his mind was in turmoil and he was already a little panicked.
Thinking of this, Meng Gong also felt a little emotional.
He still admired Yu Yunwen, the commander-in-chief of the army and the prime minister of the DPRK. After all, when the Song Dynasty established a foothold in the south, it was often attacked by the Jin Kingdom.
The most dangerous time was Wan Yanliang's southern expedition. Yu Yunwen personally commanded the battle in Caishiji and defeated the Jin army.
This battle established Yu Yunwen's position in the Song Dynasty. It also allowed him to quickly become the prime minister of the DPRK after his arrival in the world of China, and an important minister under one person and above ten thousand people.
However, the Jin Jun back then was a little different from the Xia Jun now.
Even Yu Yunwen was not sure at all.
"That's all...as a military general, just obey orders honestly!"
Meng Gong's expression changed and he said no more.
The Xia Army and the Jin Army were different. The Jin Army brought humiliation to Jingkang of the Song Dynasty, and they were transformed into barbarians. The generals and soldiers of the Song Army all rejected them from the bottom of their hearts.
Xia Jun is an extremely pure Han dynasty.
If the Xia army was really irresistible and the general situation collapsed, many generals and soldiers of the Song army would not follow the officials and die.
Of course, Meng Gong has no intention of surrendering now.
He simply did not want to take on responsibilities beyond his limits on behalf of the emperor and prime minister. If both the emperor and Yu Yunwen were determined, they would fight Xia Jun to the death.
He would never take a step back, even if he died in battle.
"Report..."
At this time, a report came from outside.
Yu Yunwen immediately asked people to come in.
"Your Majesty, General Wei Rui of the Xia Army has led his troops out of the city and is approaching Tiaoxi. The number of enemy troops seems to be two to three hundred thousand. The commander of the Tiaoxi River Guard asked your Majesty to send troops and horses quickly for support!"
The messenger reported urgently.
The expressions of Yu Yunwen, Meng Gong and others changed. Although they were shocked, they were not too surprised.
Because after knowing the news of the Ming army's defeat, they could guess that the Xia army in Changxing would definitely react.
"General Lu, you immediately lead the troops to support us. General Meng and I will arrive soon!"
Yu Yunwen's reaction at this time was still very quick.
Fortunately, there was no need for him to think hard about countermeasures. Xia Jun had already taken the initiative to attack. Next, he only needed to think about how to defend.
"Report..."
Before Lu Wende could take the order, another report came.
"Reporting to the Prime Minister, Lieutenant Han sent someone to deliver a message. The Xia army marched to the east of the Yangtze River and all the troops left the camp. Murong Shaozong personally led the army across the trench wall and faced off with the main force of the Lieutenant. Shi Wansui led the army eastward to attack Jiashan...Jiaxing is in emergency. , please also ask your husband to mobilize 100,000 troops to Jiaxing..."
When the messenger reported, sweat broke out on his forehead.
Yu Yunwen's figure also froze.
"If you don't move, you will attack on all fronts. What a Wei Rui, what a Murong Shaozong... He is indeed a famous general! He will not miss any opportunity!"
Yu Yunwen sighed.
He was not in a hurry now. There's no point in being anxious.
"Generals, the Xia army wants to fight our army to a decisive battle. They want to defeat our army in one battle... However, the other side wants to fight to a decisive battle, but we cannot give them this chance!"
Yu Yunwen calmed down and then looked at Meng Gong.
"General Meng, with Lieutenant Han's character, he will not ask for support unless necessary... I will give you 100,000 troops, and you will go to Jiaxing immediately to help!"
He said in a deep voice.
"Then Huzhou..."
Meng Gong looked hesitant. After all, Wei Rui was not easy to deal with. There were generals like Chen Qingzhi around him. If he left, Huzhou would be in danger.
(End of chapter)
