As a fiefdom operated by the King of Chu for more than ten years, this land that was not considered barren has now become one of the top thirteen states in the world. Even if it cannot be compared with such sacred places as Jiangzhou and Yangzhou,
It is also a prosperous place where cars and ships gather like stars and merchants gather.
However, the sudden rebellion of the White Lotus thief disrupted this rare peace.
The White Lotus bandits who entered Yunyang County in the northwest of Jingzhou from the Daozhou Mountains were unstoppable. After leaving Yunyang, they advanced all the way to the southeast. Counties along the way were either quickly conquered or bypassed by the White Lotus bandits. As the prefect of Jiangling Prefecture and other senior officials
By the time they reacted, the White Lotus bandits had already swept through northern Jingzhou, and were heading south to Jiangling Mansion.
The magistrate of Jingzhou would not sit still and wait for death. However, Jingzhou is located inland. Not only did the local officers and soldiers go to fight the barbarians in the north, but they also had trouble dealing with the local robbers. When the king of Chu went north to Beijing, he also sent Jingzhou's soldiers to the capital.
Many elites were taken away together, and now facing the surging tide of White Lotus thieves, they are even more powerless.
Several times they mobilized officers and soldiers to meet the enemy, but all ended in failure. Seeing the White Lotus thieves constantly breaking through the defense line and approaching Jiangling Mansion, the senior officials in Jingzhou finally couldn't sit still and sent people to Zhongzhou to ask for envoys to send troops to rescue them.
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Of course, Chen Ping would not let things go and act passively. After he learned that the White Lotus Thieves had repeatedly defeated the army, he set off before the Jingzhou Prefecture and the magistrates' letter for help was delivered.
"According to the news, there were only a few thousand of the White Lotus bandits before they entered Jingzhou. Once they entered Jingzhou, they rapidly expanded like a snowball. Now they claim to be an army of 100,000, but I thought it would be huge if they could only have 50,000."
Li Feng pointed at the map and said, drawing a circle in the central and northern parts of Jingzhou: "Looking at their current appearance, they seem to have the intention of besieging Jiangling Mansion."
Chen Ping narrowed his eyes when he heard this. Jiangling Mansion is the prefecture of Jingzhou. Once it is captured, the White Lotus Bandit's voice will spread throughout the world. By then, clouds will rise in all directions, and the situation will be out of control.
"Jiangling Mansion..."
"It's impossible for the White Lotus bandits to besiege Jiangling!"
As soon as Chen Ping finished speaking, Luo Li suddenly interrupted. Chen Ping turned around and saw Luo Li, who had taken off his knight's hat and put on his armor again. His eyes were sharp and he had already returned to the battlefield posture. p>
Li Feng was also a little dumbfounded, but thinking about Luo Li's honor in the Northern Army, he felt relieved and listened to Luo Li's explanation of the reasons with a serious expression.
"The White Lotus thieves have always been rogue bandits and have never had the experience or ability to attack a large city. Now they seem to be approaching the south with great force, but in fact they will definitely not give up their mobility to risk besieging a fortified city in Dayi."
"The city of Jiangling is well-defended. If it cannot be attacked for a long time, it will be blocked in a corner of Jingzhou by officers and soldiers coming from all directions. At that time, they will only have a dead end."
Chen Ping pondered for a moment and asked: "But the bandits are numerous and powerful..."
Luo Li raised his hand and denied: "Most of them are newly attached thieves. The fifty thousand mentioned by General Li is about the same, but there are only a few real thieves among them, and there are not many who are good at fighting."
Hearing this, Li Feng couldn't help but nodded. Although he abandoned civil service and joined the military and spent several years in the Northern Army, he still couldn't compare with a battlefield general like Luo Li. This experience alone is not of the same magnitude.
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Chen Ping was also thoughtful when he heard this. He showed a smile and said: "If this is the case, then it is not difficult to destroy this White Lotus thief!"
Having said that, Chen Ping was still a little disappointed. If the White Lotus bandits were quickly wiped out, he would have to return to the capital and struggle for a glimmer of life in the quagmire-like court.
This is far less relaxing and safe than working outside and being unfettered.
However, in response to Chen Ping's words, Luo Li shook his head: "The White Lotus bandits have appeared since the founding of the Republic of Dayu. In the past two hundred years, they have been fighting in small groups. They have never raised a banner to kill officials and rebel like they are now.
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"There must be a lot of strange things hidden in it, and the White Lotus thieves are widely distributed. Although Jingzhou is the main force, there are many thieves in other places. What's more, there are more than just the Bailian group of thieves in the world. I'm afraid that there is an undercurrent surging in the surrounding states, and someone may rebel at any time.
Respond to the white lotus thief."
Chen Ping fell silent. It was true that he wanted to support Kou and respect himself, but his original intention was to clean up the mess of Dayu, revive Dayu without completely tearing it down and start over, and restore a vibrant Dayu in the world. p>
Listening to what Luo Li said now, why do you feel that the great reputation is just a pile of dry firewood, but it is already a pile of dry firewood, and is about to ignite a raging fire and devour everything due to the chain reaction caused by the death of Emperor Tianqi? p>
"No matter what, we must quickly attack the White Lotus bandits in Jingzhou. They were the first to rebel, and they are also the largest and most troubled group at the moment. For the time being, we will ignore other places and focus on suppressing this bandit!"
As the deputy envoy for recruitment in the southwest, after discussing countermeasures with Li Feng and Luo Li, Chen Ping temporarily made a decision and finalized the regulations.
Luo Li had no objection to this, and Li Feng naturally supported it, so Chen Ping asked people to send a message to Lu Wei, the envoy in the rear of Zhongzhou, while urging the Jingzhou magistrate and the magistrate and others to be careful and guard against the White Lotus thieves.
machine.
.......
There are no entertainment activities in military life, and it is considered wartime. After the discussion, Chen Ping fell asleep with a lot of fatigue.
He opened his eyes as soon as dawn broke, and soon the adjutant came in to present today's march route and the latest information.
"Don't worry about those little thieves. I have three thousand elite cavalry. One is as good as ten. They are marching like the wind. The White Lotus thieves must not know the movements of our army. At this time, it is even more important to advance bravely and catch up with the enemy."
Kill them before you find them."
"Send the order, continue the rapid march, target the White Lotus bandits two hundred miles away!"
Although it was a short-term military life, Chen Ping adapted very quickly, thanks to Luo Li's training, and of course Chen Ping's own persistence and ability.
Under the command of Chen Ping, three thousand fine cavalry headed south under the leadership of Luo Li and Li Feng. During this period, they encountered many small groups of White Lotus thieves, but Chen Ping did not waste any time. These three thousand people wanted to The targets to deal with are the main force of White Lotus thieves, not the small groups of White Lotus thieves scattered around.
After all, how can you kill a chicken with a knife?
At the same time, people in Jiangling City were already panicking.
The people in the city are scrambling to find boats to cross the river to Qianzhou for refuge, just because there is an endless stream of refugees coming from the north these days, bringing with them the horror of the White Lotus Bandits.
Of course, if it weren't for the fact that several of the government's battles ended in failure, relying on Jiangling's strong city defense, the people in the city would not be so uneasy.
"Master Fu, people's hearts are uncertain, and it has even affected the morale of the army!"
"The lower official requests an order from the government to prohibit anyone from crossing the river to escape. At this time of Jiangling's survival and Jingzhou's survival, everyone must stay and resist the White Lotus bandits together!"
"How can this be so?! The people are already in panic. If we give another order not to cross the river, wouldn't it prove the ferocity of the thieves and the weakness of the officers and soldiers? This is an act of inflating other people's ambitions and destroying one's own prestige!"
In Jiangling City, inside the magistrate's office, the magistrate of Jingzhou was listening to the quarrel of a group of officials on the left and right with a livid face.
The magistrate of Jingzhou had never seen how ferocious the White Lotus Thieves were, but he did see waves of Jingzhou officers and soldiers who went to meet the enemy and fled back to Jiangling in embarrassment. Everyone, without exception, was horrified and said that the White Lotus Thieves seemed to have evil spirits. Help each other and even become invulnerable.
He certainly didn't believe in the theory of such strange power and chaos, but he couldn't help but feel frightened in his heart, so much so that he felt restless at the attack of the White Lotus Thief.
Now, as he heard his officials arguing endlessly about whether to allow the people to cross the river to escape, the Jingzhou magistrate suddenly became angry and cursed.
"When is it?!"
"I would like to tell you that there is no room for loss in Jiangling! If the city is alive and people are alive, if the city is dead, people will be dead!"
Of course he said this not because of how heavy his sense of responsibility was, but because he couldn't bear the responsibility of losing Jiangling City. No one here could bear it.
Jiangling is not only the state capital of Jingzhou, but also the palace of the King of Chu. This is the place that the King of Chu has worked hard to manage for many years. If it is attacked by the White Lotus bandits, even if they can escape with a small life, they will not be able to escape the pursuit of the King of Chu in the future. Responsible?
"The people of Jingzhou are watching us, and the regent and His Majesty are also watching us. Once Jiangling is lost, Jingzhou will be destroyed!"
The magistrate of Jingzhou said with difficulty, each word hitting the hearts of the officials present.
"Send the order, strengthen the city walls, clear the fields, and strengthen the city defenses, leaving no chance for thieves."
"The southwest recruiters sent by the imperial court have been stationed in Zhongzhou for a long time. As long as they launch an attack, everything will be fine."
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The terrain of Jingzhou is surrounded by mountains, but there are also exits on all sides. The north and south exits are broad, while the east and west exits are much narrower.
The reason why the White Lotus Bandits chose Jingzhou instead of entering Zhongzhou was that the terrain in Zhongzhou was flat and it was difficult to deal with the officers and soldiers. Therefore, they chose Jingzhou not only because Jingzhou has many mountains and rivers, but also because it is closer to the south and the officers and soldiers are weaker than in Zhongzhou in the north. p>
Facts have proved that the White Lotus thief's choice was very correct. How can Jingzhou's officers and soldiers be described as weak?
It was simply vulnerable. The originally more than 10,000 officers and soldiers fled after several defeats in the battle. The casualties were not that heavy, but the key point was that morale had been shattered, so that the counties and cities in various places could only fight for their lives.
There is no way to stop the actions of the White Lotus thieves. Some counties even cannot defend themselves in Yingcheng. They only encounter a small force of White Lotus thieves and are so frightened that they abandon the city and flee.
Therefore, Chen Ping and his three thousand elite cavalry had the feeling that everything they looked at along the way was filled with white lotus thieves.
"Sir, I caught my tongue and said that the main force of the White Lotus Thieves is not far ahead!"
"How many miles?"
After days of rapid marching, Chen Ping was already mentally tense. When he heard these words, he couldn't help but trembled and asked immediately.
"About forty or fifty miles away."
Without saying a word, Chen Ping pulled out a map. As his eyes wandered over it, he already had a rough plan in mind.
"Brother Luo, Brother Li, let's take a look. The enemy is fifty miles to the southwest. This place is surrounded by mountains and rivers and it is difficult for the cavalry to use it."
"But we have one advantage now, that is, the White Lotus bandits have not discovered our army yet. Should we wait until night to rush over, wait for suitable terrain before attacking, or follow along and suddenly attack Jiangling City when the White Lotus bandits are attacking?
?"
This was Chen Ping's first time participating in a military operation. He was excited and nervous at the same time. He listed all three plans he had thought of in one breath, and then looked at Li Feng and Luo Li, waiting for a response.
Li Feng looked at it for a while and then smashed the tassels and said: "The thieves are really cunning. They did not enter Zhongzhou and entered Jingzhou. They must have hoped to take advantage of the changes in Jingzhou's mountains and rivers for their own benefit."
Hearing Li Feng's words, Chen Ping nodded. Jingzhou not only has mountains and water, but also a dense network of rivers and lakes, which are like stars. This is indeed a troublesome thing for the cavalry, and even the infantry is very strenuous.
"The country does not rely on the dangers of mountains and rivers, and the power of the world does not rely on the advantages of war. The reason why thieves and bandits are wreaking havoc is because the gentry and Jin exploit the people. However, when the late emperor governed the country with conscientiousness, the people did not all surrender to the thieves."
"I think that the White Lotus bandits chose to invade Jingzhou not only because of the mountains and rivers, but also because Jingzhou is a fiefdom of the King of Chu, and the people here are more difficult than in other states."
Luo Li, who had been reticent since they met, had already regained the heroic spirit of commanding the Northern Army after returning to the army. Chen Ping and Li Feng's eyes lit up after they spoke two sentences, and they couldn't help but nod after looking at each other.
"What Brother Luo said is absolutely true, so this is the right time to attack..."
Luo Li stabbed his finger on the map with a firm expression: "The White Lotus bandits are numerous and powerful. Although our army is elite, it is unwise to launch an attack here. And if we wait until the White Lotus bandits besiege Jiangling before attacking, the timing is unpredictable and we may be exposed."
We are suspicious of it, so we should adopt a compromise solution."
"Since we want the bandits to move, the best way is to spread the news that the imperial army is coming. In this way, no matter whether the White Lotus bandits attack Jiangling or move away, there will be flaws."
"At that time, we can take it by surprise and defeat it in a single battle!"
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When it came to leading troops to fight, Luo Li was completely attentive, and his suggestions were both rough and detailed, which impressed everyone, especially Chen Ping.
He clapped his hands and applauded repeatedly: "Brother Luo is brave and resourceful, and thieves are nothing to worry about!"
Li Feng also echoed: "Li was deeply impressed by what General Luo said today."
At first sight of Chen Ping and Li Feng's praise, a flash of embarrassment flashed across Luo Li's face, he turned his head and waved his hand, "It's a small plan that won't make it to the table."
Chen Ping didn't know Luo Lizhi's temperament, so he smiled twice and then carried out the plan.
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One hundred and fifty miles north of Jiangling City, the White Lotus Sect army camp.
This is a noisy and scattered camp, incomparable to Chen Ping's camp of three thousand elite cavalry. Not only because the size of the White Lotus Sect's army is tens of thousands, but also because there are too many civilians mixed in, and they are all trapped.
Some of them came here under the influence, some of whom had worshiped Wusheng Old Mother, but many more were brought along with the army without knowing anything.
As for why they follow the White Lotus Sect, except for those who voluntarily followed after being oppressed by the landlords and gentry, the rest of them had their houses and property robbed, and they were left in a state of disbelief.
A large army composed of such people, let’s call it a large army, how can there be any discipline at all?
Therefore, the camp is filled with chaos and wanton desires. There are those who plunder treasures all the way to enjoy themselves, there are those who grab the wives they robbed and gritted their teeth, and there are those who eat frantically to satisfy their hunger. p>
In short, this is more like a refugee than an army.
However, this does not mean that the outside is like this inside. In the center of the camp, hundreds of tents live the core combat force of this White Lotus army, that is, thousands of people who have repeatedly rebelled in Daozhou and have been fighting with the Daozhou official army for many years.
White Lotus Cult.
Not only do they have great faith in the teachings of the White Lotus Sect in Wu Shenglao Mu's hometown, they also have better weapons and equipment and a tighter organization. Compared with the Western Army and the Northern Army, they are not very good, but compared with the officers and soldiers of the southern states, they are still stronger.
A lot of them.
"The leader, the leader!"
"The situation is bad. It seems that the army has entered Jingzhou, saying that they are going to surround us!"