Good birds choose trees

Author: An Huajun

Good birds choose trees

Yongping Village is located on the main road north of Yan'an Prefecture. In the past, merchants were extremely prosperous. Now most shops are closed, which makes them look a little deserted.

At noon, Zhang Chi ate a bowl of hot mutton noodles. He wiped his mouth and said, "I can't bear it when eating like this every day. I still miss the Central Plains. I eat everything in different ways and I won't get tired of eating for a year."

After saying that, he got up and stretched, and went to the table to view the map.

The army has been in Yongping Village for two days and is preparing food and grass. The food and grass are all in one go. Zhang Zhen’s front barracks set out first, and the two regiments behind him follow.

A personal soldier came in and crossed his hands and said, "Yu Hou, a man came from outside the military camp, saying that he was the military commander of Yan'an Prefecture, and he was clamoring to see Yu Hou."

Zhang Chi stood up straight, thought for a while, and smiled and said, "It's not here to seek peace. Zheng Jianchong from Yan'an Prefecture has no way out. Let him come in and see me!"

After saying that, he settled his battle robe and arrived at the front village hall.

Chen Youjing was taken into the camp by his personal soldiers and saw a general sitting on it. He was in his twenties, with a slight beard on his face and a calm expression. He knew in his heart that this was Zhang Chi, the commander of the Song army. Wang Xiaoli's army had only risen for a few years, and many generals were young.

After taking two steps forward, Chen Youjing crossed his hands and said, "Chen Youjing, the chief of the Yan'an Prefecture, see Yu Hou."

Zhang Chi said: "The chief minister is so kind. Please sit down next to you and have a cup of tea."

After saying that, he ordered his personal soldiers to come to tea. The tea that is often drunk in northern Shaanxi is different from that in the Central Plains, and most of it is tea bricks, and the tea is sleek and strong. Zhang Chi's army was a habit in the Central Plains, and now he drinks green tea. He served it with tea in a tea bowl, which made Chen Youjing curious for a long time.

Of course, Chen Youjing didn't dare to sit really. After Zhang Chi persuaded him repeatedly, his butt seemed to fall on a stool. It seemed that he had sat there, but he didn't actually sit there, and there was a gap between his butt and the chair. Now, Chen Youjing's status is, Zhang Chi dared not sit really in front of him.

After drinking tea, Zhang Chi said, "The chief minister is here, don't know what to give me advice?"

Chen Youjing said: "The army of Yu Hou came, and the manager knew that he should die and did not dare to resist the enemy. He was willing to support Yan'an and the surrounding prefectures and return to the Song Dynasty."

Zhang Chi smiled and said, "What are the prefectures and counties around Yan'an Prefecture now? But this is not important. Yan'an is a key town in northern Shaanxi. As long as Zheng Jingluo 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 Jingluo can return to Song, I don't know how to arrange it?"

Zhang Chi smiled and said, "You can ask me about this. How to make arrangements? Xuanfu decides. How dare I argue? However, as long as I return, I will definitely not treat the strategy unfairly. Over the years, Xuanfu has not had any harsh things."

Chen Youjing nodded, feeling a little disappointed.

Before coming, Chen Youjing and Zheng Jianchong talked about the future. Judging from the previous events, Wang Xiaolie is indeed not mean, and can even be said to be generous. As long as Zheng Jianchong joins Song, Wang Xiaolie will definitely make proper arrangements. However, there is no clear answer, and Chen Youjing is a little worried.

Zhang Chi and Chen Youjing chatted about the situation around Yan'an, and only then did they know that after Shaoxing's troops occupied Fuzhou, they had arrived in Ganquan County, not far from Chang'an.

From Fuzhou to Ganquan County, it is along the Luoshui Valley, and the traffic is smooth. However, from Ganquan County to Yan'an, it is necessary to cross the mountains. The population along the way is sparse and the army is difficult to move forward.

Zhang Chi thought for a while and said, "Since the Shao Dutong has arrived in Ganquan County, he will occupy Yan'an. I will wait for two days in Yongping Village. After the Shao Dutong occupied Yan'an, he will return to Qingjian. I wonder what Zheng Jingluo thought. Should he wait for the Shao Dutong in Yan'an, or should he follow me to the north to meet Xuanfu."

Chen Youjing said: "I have to go back to ask for advice on this matter."

Zhang Chi said: "It should be, it should be. Go and go back quickly. Don't Shao's army arrives at the city, and you have not made a decision yet."

Chen Youjing repeatedly said yes. Seeing Zhang Chi's sharp eyes, he knew that he was polite, but the actual situation might not be like this. If Shao Xing's troops arrived at the city of Yan'an, Zheng Jianchong had not made a decision yet, and if he wanted to surrender, it would depend on Shao Xing.

After seeing off Chen Youjing, Zhang Chi sat at the table and fell into deep thought.

Nowadays, Shaanxi can avoid fighting, but it is better not to fight. Without the Jin army, the best outcome of the defenders in various places is to return to Song, and there is no future for the stubborn resistance in the base area.

In addition to Zheng Jianchong, there are three other generals in Yongxing Army Road. One is Zhang Zhongfu from Jingzhao Prefecture, the other is Zhao Bin from Qingzhou, and the other is Murong Bin from Huanzhou. They each have a few thousand soldiers with a few thousand soldiers, and the most are 10,000 or 20,000, which cannot be a big problem.

Zheng Jianchong surrendered, the biggest force was destroyed, and others could not become opponents of the Song army. Zhang Chi did not need to participate in the battle, and the three divisions in the south were enough to pacify Shaanxi. With Guanzhong, Wang Xiaoli's military and food sources would be greatly improved.

Zhang Chi knew in his heart that his task was to return to Shizhou and monitor Zi Keqiu from the north. The current capture of Suide and Yan'an was just a helpless act of insufficient troops. Therefore, as soon as Zheng Jianchong proposed to surrender, Zhang Chi decided to return north.

Yan'an is the center of northern Shaanxi because this is the transportation in this area. From Yan'an to all directions, there are roads. If Yan'an is not occupied, northern Shaanxi will be blocked and cannot form an organic whole. If Yan'an is occupied, all regions will be connected together.

As long as the Yan'an is occupied, the battle in northern Shaanxi will end. If Li Shifu had not captured Sa Li, Zhang Chi might not have been involved in the battle in Shaanxi, and as long as the Suide Army is occupied, it will end. As a result, not only did he participate in it, but the most important battle was also beaten by himself.

During his days in Yongping Village, Zhang Chi went around the mountains and forests every day, and wrote battlefield logs for the rest of the time. The series of battles in Dantou Village are very important to Jiang Min's troops. According to Zhang Chi's understanding, after returning, Wang Xiaoli must listen to detailed reports. In addition, of course, he must look at the detailed battlefield log.

This is a feature of Wang Xiaoli's army. It not only has strict training and courage to fight, but also has detailed training logs and combat logs. This habit has finally developed its own military characteristics day after day, year after year.

On the fifth day, Zheng Jianchong and Chen Youjing arrived at Yongping Village and met Zhang Chi together.

Zhang Chi went out of the door and said to Zheng Jianchong: "The master's knowledge is high. This time, he will definitely have to look at Xuanfu and look at him with a different eye!"

Zheng Jianchong said: "Shame! I deserve to die because of the crime. I actually asked Yu Hou to come to Yongping Village in the mountains!"

Zhang Chi smiled and waved his hand: "It's okay, it's okay! As long as I give in to Yan'an, it's worth it."

He welcomed Zheng Jianchong to the village hall and sat down, Zhang Chi said, "I don't know who presided over Yan'an City now? I wonder if the army of Shao Dutong has entered the city?"

Zheng Jianchong said: "The army is commanded by several generals below, while the government is the magistrate in charge of the overall situation. I have reported to Tong Dutong Shao and his vanguard troops have also set off. I have not arrived in Yan'an when I left, and it should be here now."

Zhang Chi said: "It's best. Don't let me go back to Suide, Xuanfu asked me if I had occupied Yan'an, but I didn't know."

When Zheng Jianchong got the news from Chen Youjing, he came to Yongping Village soon. In his mind, Zhang Chi's troops were tested in actual combat and were invincible. It was normal for him to surrender. Shao Xing was much worse, at least he had not been tested in actual combat. To surrender, of course, he chose Zhang Chi instead of Shao Xing.

So he would rather leave Yan'an and go to Shaoxing than to join Zhang Chi's army.

(End of this chapter)
Chapter completed!