The whole city of Yan'an was cheering, and even the streets and alleys rang out with the sound of firecrackers, which was almost difficult to hear at this time of the year. The news spread without the officers and soldiers returning to the city, and the young men who were transferred by the prefecture's yamen on the top of the city to help defend the city.
, everything they saw with their eyes has been transmitted back to the city.
This is the second time since the officers and soldiers of the "Nanhai Guard" stationed in Yan'an Prefecture that they have repelled the invasion of a large group of bandits. For the ordinary people of Yan'an Prefecture, there are refugees everywhere.
In a world where all we hear about is famine, is there anything more worthy of celebration than staying in such a safe city?
The people's spontaneous celebration lasted until late at night, and under the leadership of the big families in the city, there was an endless stream of laborers, so much so that Jiang Wan had to ask the soldiers left behind to strictly guard the gate of the military camp.
To prevent the enthusiastic people from hindering the entry and exit of the army.
After all, the rebel soldiers outside the city have only temporarily retreated and have not left completely. The army in the city still needs to maintain a high level of alert and beware of their counterattack.
However, Jiang Wan didn't think the other party had such great courage.
Judging from the results of cleaning the battlefield, this proactive attack directly killed and injured more than a thousand bandits, and these dead bandits were undoubtedly not strong men. It can be said that if these more than a thousand bandits had
If they don't die at the gate of Yan'an Prefecture, even if they gather together and roar, they can win over tens of thousands of refugees who threaten them.
Jiang Wan has no doubt that even if these dead people are not the elite of the Rogue Bandit Army, they are enough to severely weaken the Rogue Bandit Army. The Rogue Bandit Army gathers to threaten the refugees, often claiming to be in the tens of thousands. In fact, the core force that can really fight is,
It's just a small part of it.
To be honest, after suffering such heavy casualties, the bandit army was still able to maintain a complete formation and retreat in an orderly manner instead of being defeated. Jiang Wan already felt that the other party was running the army well, let alone
When the opponent retreated, they also sent hundreds of people to effectively slow down Nanhaiwei's advance, consuming the last ammunition of Nanhaiwei's firearms battalion, and allowing the brigade to retreat to a safe range in an orderly manner.
Putting himself in his shoes for the slightest moment, Jiang Wan felt that if he were the commander of the bandit army, he felt that he could not do any better than the other party.
Jiang Wan did not hesitate to label the opponent a "strong rival". Because of this, even when the whole city was celebrating this great victory, he did not dare to relax at all.
"Wang Jiayin, a native of Fugu, Shaanxi Province, is the only one who has achieved success among the civil unrest over the years!"
Xu Xianchun reported to Jiang Wan in detail what he learned about the bandit army, "There are many sources confirming that this person has a background in the border army, and may be a fugitive soldier in the border army. After this person started a rebellion,
, gathered the refugees, selected the young and strong among them, and practiced them with our Ming Dynasty border army's combat methods, and gradually grew in power. During this period, they fought with several other groups of bandits, but they all ended with Wang Jiayin winning and annexing the other party. In April, Wang Jiayin
He led his troops to Qingyang Prefecture and moved down several counties. In May, he captured Qingyang Prefecture and wiped out all the officials and soldiers of Qingyang Prefecture."
"How credible are these reports?"
Jiang Wan asked thoughtfully: "Have you done any screening, official or private?"
"Sir, this is my old profession!" Xu Xianchun said with certainty: "Especially because the thieves have no intention of hiding this information. After a little inquiry, you will find out that even the government office of Yan'an Prefecture has some
Regarding the news from Qingyang Mansion, there are even officials who escaped from Qingyang Mansion. My subordinates feel that the credibility of this news is at least 70%!"
"Then do you think there is a possibility that Wang Jiayin will be surrendered?" Jiang Wan nodded.
"Sir, you must not have such an idea!" Xu Xianchun shook his head decisively: "Yang He, the governor of the three sides, once sent personnel to contact this person. This person pretended to agree to the imperial court's request and surrender, but once he received the imperial court's money, food and weapons, he
After being rewarded, he turns around and turns the other way again. This kind of person is capricious, only interested in profit, and has great ambitions. Governor Yang has learned from his mistakes, and you must not make the same mistake!"
"In other words, it's not enough to beat the opponent to pain, but also to beat the opponent completely to death!" Jiang Wan pondered for a moment: "For us, this is a bit troublesome!"
"It is indeed a bit troublesome!" Xu Caining on the side also nodded solemnly: "We Nanhai Guards are infantry, and we kill the enemy in battle formation. Once the enemy army is broken up and defeated, chasing it is a very troublesome and dangerous matter.
, I have never understood that when you formed the Nanhai Guard, you were fully capable of forming a small cavalry. Even if you organized the servants around you into a cavalry team, it was possible, but you seemed to be completely unable to do so.
Without such an idea, this makes our current situation a bit embarrassing!"
"It is indeed a bit embarrassing!" Jiang Wan admitted frankly: "Just like the battle between foot soldiers and cavalry, it is easy to defeat the opponent, but it is difficult to eliminate the opponent, especially we have to guard the city. Once the rebels give up attacking the city, we will
Just let them come and go!"
"I have this doubt too!" Xu Xianchun nodded and said.
"First, we can't afford a cavalry at the moment!" Jiang Wan spread his hands: "Actually, I have tried my best to build such a cavalry. When we first formed our Nanhai Guard, His Majesty gave us
After that, almost all of the military pay and food were allocated from internal funds. Let me give you some details. Before arriving in Shaanxi, the total amount of money and food allocated to me Nanhaiwei from internal funds was 24,000 taels of silver. With this money, I
I have to pay military salaries, buy armor and weapons, and set up a firearms battalion. Do you think I still have enough money to even think about building a cavalry unit?"
Xu Xianchun and Xu Caining calculated the accounts silently in their minds, with surprise on their faces.
"This is not the main reason. The main reason is that although Nanhaiwei was ordered to quell the chaos, I don't think these thieves who relied on sticks and hoes to grab some weapons can have much fighting power. They are the imaginary enemies of my army.
, mainly the Tatars outside the customs, what are the Tatars best at?”
He shook his head: "I don't need to say it. What the Tatars are best at is the art of riding and shooting. Even if I make great efforts to form a cavalry, the combat power formed in a short period of time cannot be compared with the Tatars' elite cavalry."
In comparison, and the cavalry takes too long to form an army, it only takes me three to six months to train a musketeer. If it is a cavalry, the money and food consumed will be several times that.
The time spent is also several times greater. In this case, why should I use my own shortcomings to counter the enemy's strengths? Why don't I find another way and choose a strategy that can restrain the Tatar cavalry with foot soldiers?"
"Your Excellency, you really have long-term thoughts!" Xu Caining's eyes shone slightly, "But, haven't you thought about the current situation?"
"Of course I have thought about it!" A strange look appeared on Jiang Wan's face, "It's just that there is no news about the solution I thought of. If there is enough time, we don't have to meet.