Scout Zhou Honglie's outstanding performance received an exceptional promotion. He was promoted three levels in a row, from deputy commander to deputy commander, and received a reward of 500 guan. Zhou Honglie then distributed the reward to his subordinates, which made Chen Qing appreciate it. This is what an outstanding general deserves.
possess the qualities.
The news that Zhou Honglie was promoted and rewarded spread throughout the army and inspired the officers and soldiers of the three armies. Chen Qing set this example before the war to tell everyone that no matter where you are from, as long as you kill the enemy bravely and perform well, you will be rewarded for your merits.
.
The morale was high and the time was ripe. On February 18, the seeds for spring plowing were sown, and a spring rain arrived in time to moisten the earth. Chen Qing made all arrangements, and all the old, weak, women and children were evacuated to their respective neighboring counties.
Secondly, all 30,000 militia soldiers were assembled and distributed in various counties for defense. Li Muching's 50,000 troops guarded Lingwu County.
After all arrangements were completed, it was already February 20th. Chen Qing led an army of 150,000 people and 70,000 camels to go north. Liu Qiong led 30,000 people as the vanguard and headed for Fengzhou first.
At this time, 80,000 cavalry from various grassland tribes were also gathering in Fengzhou. This was the largest gathering since the Jin Kingdom integrated all the tribes in the grassland. Eighty thousand troops from the Tata tribe, the Kelie tribe, and the Mengwu tribe arrived from all directions.
Toyosu.
The nomadic cavalry implements a joint tribal leader system, consisting of a total of thirteen tribal leaders, including Erhan of the Tata tribe, Limuhe of the Kele tribe, and Guishan of the Mengwu tribe. Three tribal chiefs are the chief leaders.
, has the final decision-making power, and there is a more important figure, Hu Shahu, the representative of the Jin Kingdom. He is the son of Jin Taizong Wan Yancheng and was named King Yu. This time he is responsible for liaising with various ministries to send troops. He is also
Represents the Kingdom of Jin with decision-making power.
He also commanded 10,000 Jurchen cavalry to participate in this assembly. Together with the 10,000 Jurchen cavalry, the total number of nomadic cavalry assembled in Fengzhou this time was 90,000.
Winter has passed and spring has arrived. The nomadic cavalry originally scattered in three places in Fengzhou began to gather at the main camp.
The main camp is where the Jurchen cavalry is stationed. It is the former Wuyuan County. The county seat has long since collapsed, and the original farmland has turned into endless grassland again. The terrain here is flat and the land is fertile. There are several large rivers nearby with sufficient water for grazing.
The conditions were excellent, so the Jin soldiers used this place as their camp.
The boundless grassland was filled with flags, and there were tents one after another, with cavalry camps everywhere for dozens of miles. Teams of cavalry followed from all directions, holding various flags with the names "
The wolf head flag is the main one, distinguished by various colors and accessories.
In a large tent occupying three acres of land, more than a dozen generals sat in a circle, each with a strong figure and a loud voice. Sitting at the top was Hu Shahu, the representative of the Jin Kingdom. He was tall and thin, with bright eyes.
Slender, with a signature hooked nose, and a long face, which makes him look particularly cunning.
But it doesn't matter what Hu Shahu looks like. He represents the Kingdom of Jin, he is the convener, and everyone must respect his opinion.
"I don't think there is any need to discuss who will send troops first and who will send troops last. We will send troops together to gather 90,000 troops for a decisive battle with the Western Army. We are cavalry and have a strong combat advantage. We can defeat the Western Army in one fell swoop. We want to seize the wealth of Lingzhou.
We have to fight our way into Guanzhong, and the wealth accumulated by Jingzhao will surely provide endless enjoyment for generations of us!"
The speaker was Erhan, the chief of the Tata tribe. He was about forty years old, nearly two meters tall and weighed more than two hundred kilograms. He stood like a tower of meat. His voice was very loud, and the whole tent reverberated with buzzing.
buzz.
His vanguard army had already arrived, but he had just arrived in Fengzhou and brought another 20,000 troops, bringing the strength of the Tata tribe to 40,000, accounting for half of the total strength.
In addition, the army of the Kelie tribe has 30,000 people, while the army of the Mengwu tribe has only 10,000 people. The reason is also very simple. Most of the population and land of the Mengwu tribe have been annexed by the other two tribes, and the remaining ten
Several small tribes pieced together an army of 10,000.
Although Erhan thought far ahead, his military tactics were very reasonable. They could not be dispersed, but must be gathered together to fight the Western Army with superior forces to prevent them from being defeated individually by the Western Army.
There was noisy discussion below. Hu Shahu glanced at Li Muhe and asked, "Li Muhe, what's your opinion?"
Li Muhe said calmly: "The Han people pay great attention to strategy in fighting. We have assembled an army of 90,000 to fight. It is very likely that they will send an army behind us and attack our logistics. Our food will be gone, and they will avoid it."
How long can we hold on without fighting?"
"What do you mean, you are against the assembly?" Erhan asked dissatisfied.
"No, assembling is necessary, but the prerequisite is to protect the logistics. I believe that every soldier is not willing to kill his own horse for food!"
Everyone was in awe, the war horses were their brothers, how could they kill the horses for food? At this time, Guishan also said: "I support the proposal of separation and separation, and enough troops must be left to protect the logistics."
Erhan was really upset when Li Mu sang the opposite role. Now Guishan also jumped out. He immediately glared at Guishan and said: "Who do you think you are? Do you have the right to speak here?"
Guishan's face turned red. The strong sense of humiliation made him unbearable. He stood up and said, "In that case, Mengwubu takes his leave!"
Hu Shahu said coldly: "Don't be willful, put the overall situation first, Guishan, please sit down!"
Guishan did not dare to offend Hu Shahu, otherwise they would not be able to save the last dozen or so tribes. He had no choice but to endure the humiliation, sit down and bow his head in silence.
Hu Shahu said slowly: "Logistics requires manpower support, but it is unreasonable to distribute logistics everywhere now. It must be concentrated together and protected by the Jurchen army. Then 80,000 troops will fight against the main force of Lingzhou. They only have 50,000 people. Rely on your support
With his bloody spirit and bravery, he can be defeated in one battle."
Erhan said for a while: "The three logistics tribes should not be mixed together. We agreed before sending out troops that the logistics will be responsible for their respective armies. The Tata tribe produced eight million sheep, which is more than the other tribes combined. If they are mixed together,
, unfair to Tata Department!”
Hushahu smiled and comforted him and said: "Don't worry, we agreed before. Send more troops and provide more food. When the time comes, you will get more spoils and you won't suffer a loss."
Erhan just wanted to remind Hushahu that he sent more troops and more food, so the spoils must be distributed more.
"Okay! Now that the prince has a guarantee, I have nothing to say. I am willing to go all out to send troops!"
.......
Two days later, the 80,000-strong combined army set off to the west. Hu Shahu left Yan Kuolie, the commander of ten thousand men, to lead 10,000 Jurchen cavalry to guard the logistics. He himself followed the 80,000-strong army as a supervisor. Their goal was Lingzhou.
After plundering Lingzhou, they headed south. Coincidentally, the day they sent out troops was also February 20th.
The weather is sunny on this day, the spring breeze is blowing, and the ice and snow on the ground have melted. It is a good day to send troops...
】
Liu Qiong led 30,000 cavalry northward along the west bank of the Yellow River. Each soldier carried seven days of dry food. The ice and snow melted, and green grass sprouted on the ground, providing a source of food for the war horses.
Two days later, the army gradually arrived at the bend of the Yellow River. In the morning, three plumes of black smoke suddenly rose into the sky more than ten miles away. Liu Qiong immediately realized that it was a beacon warning and that the enemy had appeared.
Liu Qiong ordered the soldiers to rest on the spot and sent two scouts to investigate the situation.
Tang Qian looked at the map and said to Liu Qiong: "The beacon in front is the third beacon. There must be another beacon further ahead, which should be sixty miles away."
Liu Qiong nodded, "That should be the case. Judging from the three-pillar beacons, the number of enemy troops will be more than 10,000."
"General, I have a suggestion."
"you say!"
"Now we have an advantage. We discovered the enemy, but the enemy did not discover us. We simply took advantage of this advantage and hid behind the enemy. Whether we flanked the enemy with the main force, or we attacked the enemy's logistics, we would always
There are advantages, what do you think?"
Liu Qiong squinted in thought for a moment and said, "We have to hide!"
The army left a few scouts behind to support them, while the rest of the army continued northward, far away from the necessary places where the official road passed.
