Wo Kuotai led the cavalry to Zhending City. The Qi army had already occupied Zhending. He looked at the flags flying on the top of the city and couldn't help but have a bad feeling in his heart.
The Mongolian cavalry walked around the city and found that the Qi army camp outside the city had been demolished and all the Qi army entered the city.
The Qi army that entered the city had completed repairs on the city wall that was destroyed by the Pizhou artillery.
Seeing this, Wokuotai's cheek muscles twitched and he quickly ordered, "Subotai, you immediately send scouts to investigate to see if the main force of Qi's army is going south."
Subotai cupped his fists and saluted, then pulled the reins of his horse, led nearly a thousand cavalry, and left the brigade to investigate southward.
When returning to Zhending in Wokuotai, Zhao Tai led 10,000 cavalry, running wildly day and night, and quickly advanced towards Shandong.
Three days later, Zhao Tai arrived in Jinan. Wang Wentong and Li Fen, who had received the news in advance, had been waiting for a long time.
Outside Jinan City, in Li Fen's camp, the Huotou Army had prepared food in advance. Ten thousand Qi troops and horses rushed into the camp. Someone immediately stepped forward to hold their horses and bring food to them.
The Qi army's cavalry marched rapidly southward, and both the soldiers and horses were extremely tired.
As soon as they entered the camp, the Qi army's cavalry dismounted and went straight to the broth and white flour steamed buns prepared for them by the Huotou army.
After three days of rapid march, the Qi army's cavalry hardly dismounted their horses and did not even get a good bite of hot rice.
When the horse soldiers saw the hot food, they immediately turned into wolves and beasts, picked up the food and ate and drank wildly.
Zhao Tai got off his horse and sat on a baggage cart, holding broth in one hand and a big cake in the other, eating and drinking like a soldier.
Around him, there were cavalry sitting or squatting everywhere. No one spoke a word, only the sounds of eating and drinking were heard.
Wang Wentong and Li Fen, surrounded by several generals, hurried over. Zhao Hu, who was leading the way, pointed at Zhao Tai, "Scholar Wang, where is the king?"
Wang Wentong saw Zhao Tai sitting in the car eating and drinking, and walked over quickly, "Your Majesty! It's been a hard journey!"
Zhao Tai looked up and saw a few people. He quickly stuffed the remaining pancake into his mouth, drank the soup, and then wiped his mouth, "You are so quick! You are here just in time. Guzheng is looking for you!"
Although Zhao Tai left a large number of troops in Hebei, Zhao Tai could not guarantee whether Wo Kuotai would take the risk of leading the cavalry south after he learned that the Southern Song Dynasty had sent troops.
Now that Wo Kuotai is still unclear about the situation, Zhao Tai must defeat the Song army while Wo Kuotai is still hesitating.
Time was urgent, so Zhao Tai didn't waste any time and asked directly: "Are the cities in Shandong strong and clear?"
Wang Wentong said: "According to the king's instructions, all states and counties have annexed the Qingye. Neither the Song army nor the Mongolian army can easily obtain food from Shandong!"
Shandong has sufficient experience in establishing strong walls and clearing fields.
This is one of the necessary means for the Qi army to defeat powerful enemies.
Zhao Tai stationed heavy troops in Hebei and left 10,000 cavalry. Even if Wo Kuotai ventured south, the infantry would not be able to bring him over, so he could only lead the light cavalry into Shandong.
However, the Qingqi lacked the ability to attack fortresses. The Mongolian army had no supplies of food and grass when it went deep, and it was difficult to break through the city to obtain food and grass. Wo Kuotai would also be in trouble when it entered Shandong.
Three hundred thousand Song troops entered Huaibei, and the consumption of grain and grass was also astronomical. The Qi army moved grain from Huaibei in advance, so that the Song army could not seize grain and had to rely on transportation from the Southern Song Dynasty. The Southern Song Dynasty would have huge logistical pressure.
Zhao Tai nodded with satisfaction: "The walls are strong and the country is clear. The people and the vassal government have suffered great losses, but don't worry about these jars and jars. If they are smashed this time, all the losses can be made up when Gu defeats the Southern Song Dynasty!"
Wang Wentong said: "Your Majesty, don't worry, the people of Qi will understand and hope that your Majesty can win the battle!"
When Zhao Tai heard this, he was quite moved. At the same time, he also felt a huge responsibility. The soldiers and people of Shandong had paid too much for this battle. He must go all out to earn the trust of the people.
Immediately, Zhao Tai ordered in a deep voice: "Gutong Tiger Cavalry Camp rest here for an hour. You arrange manpower to feed the horses, and then prepare ten days of dry food for each of the soldiers in the Tiger Cavalry Camp."
Wang Wentong said: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, the horses are already being fed. The dry food was prepared last night."
Zhao Tai nodded with satisfaction and asked, "What's going on in the south now?"
Wang Wentong waved his hand to his subordinates to bring the map, spread it out directly on the ground, pointed at Pizhou and Haizhou Road: "The frontline soldiers followed the king's wishes and abandoned the Huaihe River line, while retreating northward while resisting. Now Tang Tong is retreating. When he arrived at Haizhou, Xu took control of Pizhou."
Zhao Tai stared at the map and continued to ask: "How is the progress of the Song Army?"
"Three hundred thousand Song troops have crossed the Huaihe River!" Wang Wentong pointed to the map, "Shi Zhaizhi led 50,000 Song troops and marched north to Pizhou. Li Zhixiao, commanding tens of thousands of Song troops, appeared in the south of Haizhou. Now The Song army has not yet crossed the line between Pizhou and Haizhou. The road north of the Huaihe River stretches for hundreds of miles, and there are marching Song troops and civilians transporting baggage."
Water transportation in the Southern Song Dynasty was very powerful. In order to prevent them from using canals to transport baggage and grain, Zhao Tai destroyed the canals in Shandong.
The Qi army sank a ship in the river and set up wooden piles everywhere. As a result, the Song army was unable to move up the canal and could only transport food and baggage by land.
When Zhao Tai heard that Shi Zhaizhi and Li Zhixiao were commanding the army, he couldn't help but sneer contemptuously. The Southern Song Dynasty valued literature over military affairs and used civilian officials to command the army. Didn't they come to die?
"Hahaha~" Zhao Tai couldn't help laughing.
Wang Wentong couldn't help asking: "What is this, Your Majesty?"
Zhao Tai smiled and said: "Previously, Gu only had a 50% chance of winning. Now I heard that the troops are led by Shi Zhaizhi and Li Zhixiao. The Song army stretches for more than a hundred miles, and the chance of winning has increased by at least 40%! Do you think Gu should do it? laugh!"
Three hundred thousand Song troops marched northward, putting tremendous pressure on the civil and military forces of Qi. Everyone listened to Zhao Tai's words and saw that Zhao Tai was full of confidence, and they couldn't help but feel a lot more relaxed.
Li Fen said: "Your Majesty, we are sure of success this time!"
Zhao Tai nodded and said with a contemptuous smile: "This time, let the lonely king teach the Song army how to fight!"
After finishing speaking, Zhao Tai glanced at everyone and ordered: "Mr. Wang immediately sent a fast-horse boat to Lu Wende and Lu Wenhuan, and ordered them to lead the gunboats and fight back to the Huaihe River to control the river channel for the lonely king and cut off the supplies of the Song army."
Wang Wentong clasped his fists and said, "I obey!"
Zhao Tai looked at Li Fen again, "The solitary general led his cavalry southward and attacked the Song army! You have twenty thousand soldiers and horses. One army goes south to Pizhou along the pipeline, forming the solitary rear team! The other army crosses the canal to the west in front of the prime minister, and quickly Insert it between Pizhou and Chuzhou, and deploy defenses along the west bank of the canal to block the Song army's westward route."
Zhao Tai has a huge appetite. After Song's army's food supplies are cut off, the 300,000-strong army will definitely fall into panic.
By then, the Song army would have the Huaihe River to the south and the sea to the east. They could only go west into Henan controlled by Mongolia and escape back to the Southern Song Dynasty in a detour.
Therefore, Zhao Tai needs to dispatch an army in advance and insert it on the west bank of the canal.
Zhao Tai's arrangement was very bold, and he planned to arrange his troops directly for the inevitable defeat of the Southern Song Dynasty.
Li Fen was shocked in his heart, but he still clasped his fists and said, "I accept my order!"
Seeing that the order was in order, Zhao Tai immediately discussed the specific details with several people, and an hour passed quickly.
At that moment, Zhao Tai got on his horse, and the 10,000 Qi army cavalry quickly gathered. Zhao Tai immediately made a simple mobilization. He summed it up in one sentence, "If you don't win this battle, you will die. We should move forward without mercy!"
