Before humans domesticated horses, the intensity of human wars was greatly limited.
When humans domesticated horses, the radius of human activities was greatly improved. In addition, horses can also be used for farming, communication, etc.
But the most important role is war!
The difference between an infantryman and a cavalryman is actually not that big, but once the number of cavalrymen increases, the power of a group charge becomes apparent.
When a group of charging cavalry appears in front of the infantry, the sense of intimidation and oppression is unimaginable to ordinary people.
Even when faced with an enemy several times their size, the cavalry can still try to charge. Even if they fail, they can withdraw from the battlefield by virtue of their mobility advantage.
This kind of advantage of being able to advance and retreat is something that infantry can never obtain. Of course, raising a cavalry is much more expensive than infantry. At the same time, the talents and equipment and tactics required to command cavalry are not available to ordinary people. This creates the scarcity of cavalry on the battlefield.
So when Chen Ping's three thousand well-equipped and orderly cavalry appeared in front of the White Lotus Thieves, there were not many opportunities left for them, but they were not completely absent.
As long as the White Lotus Thieves can quickly organize a sufficient number of spearmen into a formation, and then rely on the terrain to defend, not to mention defeating the three thousand cavalry, they can at least avoid the fate of being reduced to a mere fish after the formation is overwhelmed.
It's just that everything changes rapidly on the battlefield. If you hesitate for a moment, you will miss a good opportunity, leading to a big mistake and leaving irreparable consequences.
On the mound, Chen Ping looked at the battlefield at the bottom of the mountain. He saw that Li Feng had led his team to break through the enemy's defense line. Those crude fortifications were like paper in front of thousands of cavalry charges, and were instantly destroyed.
Tear.
After breaking through the outer defenses, even the well-trained soldiers of the Western Army and the Northern Army would panic under the charge and trampling of the cavalry, let alone the rabble like the White Lotus Sect.
Seeing this, Chen Ping looked back at the hundreds of cavalry gearing up behind him. They were the reserve force left by Chen Ping to support Li Feng on the battlefield at any time, or to hunt down and encircle the fleeing Bai Lian.
Thieves.
But looking at it now, this reserve team seems a bit redundant.
Luo Li on the side seemed to see Chen Ping's thoughts, and he calmly judged: "No matter when, keeping a reserve team by your side is to be prepared, not to mention the cunning of the White Lotus thief, you are not unaware of it." p>
Hearing this, Chen Ping couldn't help but nodded repeatedly. After all, Luo Li was an all-powerful figure in the Northern Army. Not only was Luo Li outstanding in personal force, he was also outstanding in military command.
He continued to look at the battlefield at the foot of the mountain. He felt that it was a wise move for him not to negotiate with Jingzhou officials in Jiangling City.
Because he could not guarantee that there were no spies of the White Lotus in Jiangning City. If he had exposed himself in advance, I am afraid that this raid would not have such brilliant results.
Seeing Li Feng leading 3,000 cavalrymen rushing left and right in the enemy camp, and until now, the White Lotus bandits have not organized an effective counterattack, Chen Ping couldn't help but feel proud.
After all, they were just a ragtag group of people, and they were defeated by just one wave of cavalry charge. Although they were three thousand elite cavalry, the gap between the enemy and ourselves could still be seen.
Fighting does not take up much time in fighting, such as right now.
Just two waves of charging White Lotus thieves, tens of thousands of them, were in chaos. Just because they did not organize an effective response at the first time. After reacting, nearly three thousand cavalry led by Li Feng had already separated them.
If we can no longer form a large formation, we will no longer be able to pose a threat.
Seeing this, Chen Ping also boldly asked the hundreds of reserve teams around him to move forward in order to make the next step of preparation faster.
However, at this moment, a wave of people suddenly appeared in the camp of the White Lotus thieves. They were different from the mob outside. Not only were they not afraid of death, but they also had a good command of the formation. They were the elite among the White Lotus thieves.
This sudden scene not only made Chen Ping nervous, but also Li Feng, who was fighting in the army of White Lotus thieves, felt even more stressed.
It is true that the cavalry he leads is an elite division, but if tens of thousands of White Lotus thieves are organized and formed into a formation to block them in, they can be withdrawn, but they will also pay a high price.
This is what Li Feng does not want to see, because many of the nearly three thousand cavalry are his old subordinates brought out from the Peking University Camp, and they are all brothers who have fought side by side.
Even if one of them dies, he will be so sad that he cannot control himself.
"Charge out of the enemy camp and form another formation!"
"Charge out of the enemy camp and form another formation!"
"..."
On the noisy battlefield, Li Feng shouted loudly while dealing with attacks coming from all directions, reining in his horse and turning around to break out.
Because he already had a premonition that this might be a trap, and even if it weren't for him, he couldn't gamble with his men's lives.
He can't afford to lose, Chen Ping can't afford to lose!
The White Lotus Thief will not be eliminated in a short time. If Chen Ping, the deputy envoy, loses all the cards he brought from the capital court at the beginning, he will not only lose his right to speak, but also be despised by the prefects and prefects everywhere.
.
He, Li Feng, is holding Chen Ping's wealth in his hands now, so he cannot let anything slip by.
Li Feng ordered a breakout and withdrawal. However, information could not be transmitted so easily on this legitimate battlefield. When Li Feng rushed out of the White Lotus camp with hundreds of cavalry around him, he looked back and saw that the White Lotus thieves had already followed them.
The remaining two thousand cavalry are fighting and retreating.
"Go and support!"
On the mound, Chen Ping had already noticed the change in the situation, and without hesitation ordered the hundreds of cavalry reserves around him.
When the last reserve team rushed down the mountain, there were only a dozen cavalry guards left around Chen Ping, which can be said to be a weak defense.
But he was not worried, because there was Marquis Luo Li by his side, and Luo Li alone was enough to ride dozens or even hundreds of horses!
"The White Lotus thief is indeed treacherous!"
Chen Ping gritted his teeth and said. At this moment, his heart was already beating wildly. When he saw the situation reversed, his heart tightened even more and he almost lost his breath.
Compared with Chen Ping's little panic, Luo Li acted much calmer.
He stared at the battle situation with an indifferent expression, and slowly said: "They are indeed cunning, but their intention is not to eat Li Feng's cavalry."
"They can't eat it either."
Chen Ping was stunned when he heard what Luo Li said. If it wasn't to lure the enemy deep and then fight back, why would he be willing to pay such a price?
It should be noted that Li Feng's two waves of charges have overwhelmed tens of thousands of White Lotus thieves, and many White Lotus thieves were killed during the period. If Li Feng was not retained, the morale of the White Lotus thieves would be greatly reduced, and their strength would be greatly reduced.
Luo Li raised his chin and said towards the river to the west of the White Lotus camp: "Here, the core of the White Lotus bandits are heading towards the river. These days it is said that they are building siege equipment and even felling all the surrounding trees.
, but I feel that things are not that simple."
Chen Ping took a closer look and found that things were exactly as Luo Li said. Among the surging waves of White Lotus thieves, there was a group of troops who were obviously better equipped and better organized than the surrounding thieves. They were quietly leaving the battlefield and rushing towards the river.
.
What were they doing at the river? Could it be that they wanted to swim across the river?
Chen Ping asked: "When the water rises in autumn, are they crazy and want to swim?"
Luo Li curled his lips: "There are capable people among these White Lotus thieves. I think they have already made preparations for it."
"What preparation?"
Luo Li looked at the white lotus thieves arriving at the river and blurted out.
"The golden cicada escapes from its shell and gets rid of the imperial court's preparations to pursue."
"Teacher, leader, get on the boat quickly!"
In Jingzhou, on the edge of a tributary of the river, Yuan Dashan, the leader of the White Lotus Sect, was standing by the river. His men had already flipped out the boat that had been built in a hurry, and were hurriedly getting on board to prepare to go south.
Hearing the shouts of his men, Yuan Dashan ignored them. He stood there and looked at the mounds in the distance.
He could vaguely see that there were more than a dozen cavalry officers and soldiers on the mound watching the battle at the bottom of the mountain, and one of them was obviously much more special than the people next to him.
"Haha, I guess this is Lao Shizi sent by the imperial court to recruit envoys, right?"
"It seems that you are still a young boy named Chen Ping? Tsk! Grandpa, I remember you!"
Yuan Dashan gave one last fierce look, then turned around and jumped onto the boat. He didn't even look behind him and realized that he was being betrayed. He rushed towards the river and wanted to follow the White Lotus thieves who got on the boat.
They.
The situation reversed so quickly. Li Feng and others, who had just thought that they were about to be surrounded by White Lotus thieves and desperately tried to break out, suddenly found that tens of thousands of White Lotus thieves had no intention of fighting anymore. They were either kneeling down to beg for mercy to save their lives, or
He threw away his helmet and ran towards the river.
Being in the battlefield, he was not like Chen Ping who could see everything from a high altitude, so he didn't understand what happened for a while. When Li Feng reacted, he immediately called out to his comrades who were panting for a long time after fighting fiercely.
A group of three or five people pursued the fleeing White Lotus thief.
More than three thousand elite cavalry all arrived and began to disperse, forming a half-moon-shaped encirclement that kept approaching. However, the core members of the White Lotus Sect had already boarded the boat and began to sail downstream. During this period, some cavalry tried to swim in the water.
They pursued, but were eventually forced back by the rising water level in autumn.
In the end, tens of thousands of trapped people and low-level White Lotus sect members knelt down and surrendered by the river, but the few thousand core White Lotus thieves were able to escape.
Chen Ping on the mound looked at all this, his teeth itching with hatred.
"What a thief! You tried to steal the sky and change the sky in front of me!"
It was impossible to say that he was not annoyed, but it was just a complaint. Knowing that he was powerless to stop these people from leaving, Chen Ping quickly went down the mountain to the camp of the White Lotus bandits.
While he ordered people to quickly spread the news that the core members of the White Lotus Thieves had escaped, he began to examine the captured White Lotus Thieves.
"Mr. Chen, my fault was that I didn't see through the thieves' plot and allowed them to succeed."
Li Feng, who was responsible for leading the attack, immediately approached him and wanted to take over the responsibility, but was blocked by Chen Ping.
"I never thought that we could settle the world in one battle and leave as soon as we can, but these people..."
Chen Ping didn't care about this. Although he was teased by the White Lotus thieves, a difficult problem before him now was how to deal with these peripheral White Lotus thieves.
"Apart from ordinary White Lotus sect believers, many of these people are coerced common people, right?"
Li Feng nodded: "Not a few, but more than half."
When Chen Ping heard this, he couldn't help but start to think. He certainly couldn't classify all these people as bandits and killed them to repay their merits, but it was inappropriate to just put them back. He was in a dilemma for a while.
"But you find it difficult to handle?"
Luo Li's voice suddenly sounded, and Chen Ping smiled bitterly and nodded to indicate that was the case.
Seeing that Chen Ping was having trouble making a decision, Luo Li said calmly: "Even the people who were kidnapped have made mistakes. It is impossible to release them, but we will not kill them all."
"In the final analysis, the reason why they were coerced into believing the White Lotus Thief's theory was because they were exploited and exploited by the landlords and gentry. As long as they had something to eat, they would not rebel."
Luo Li woke up the dreamer with a word, and Chen Ping immediately slapped his forehead and rubbed his temples to relieve his overloaded brain.
"Brother Luo said it well!"
"In this way, Lingzhou borders the Dali Kingdom. Although the mountains and forests are densely covered with insects and snakes, there is also a lot of uncultivated land that can be cultivated. We will temporarily detain them. I will petition the imperial court to resettle them in Lingzhou. Once they are able to
Solving the ownership problem of these people will, secondly, bring stability to Lingzhou's frontier and increase taxes."
Chen Ping rubbed his chin and said slowly. After noticing that Luo Li was about to speak but stopped, he added: "Brother Luo is worried about conflicts between Han people and native people?"
"Don't forget the deal Mulu Tusi made with me at the beginning of the year. As long as we open up the southwest trade route, what's the point of having tens of thousands more mouths?"
Hearing that Chen Ping had taken everything into consideration, Luo Li stopped frowning and smiled lightly.
After figuring out where the people who were held hostage by the thieves are going, the next step is to continue chasing the White Lotus thief.
No matter how cunning these people are, they can only run around and flee in embarrassment under the large net he has recruited to recruit deputy envoys from the southwest to control the soldiers and horses of the five states.
How far they can run depends entirely on their luck.
Gangneung City.
The officers and soldiers guarding the city have been on tenterhooks for many days. In this tense atmosphere where they are always worried that the White Lotus Thieves will attack the city in large numbers, everyone is under tremendous pressure.
The officers and soldiers guarding the city are naturally the largest, and the people in the city are also not small.
Of course, the most troublesome ones are the Jingzhou officials in Jiangling City, because they are not like others who can escape in times of crisis. They wear black gauze hats, eat official food and receive salary from the court. Now that the thieves are here, just give up and think about it.
Run?
How can there be such a good thing in the world!
What's more, the prefect of Jingzhou has already given up the harsh words that if the city is destroyed and the people are still alive, the city will be destroyed and the people will be destroyed. They have to stay whether they want to stay or not.
If you dare to run away, you will be beheaded and your relatives will be implicated.
In addition to external defenses, the search for White Lotus spies is still going on every day in Jiangling City. In this high-pressure environment, there are many people who take the opportunity to frame and fish in troubled waters.
It can be said that the entire Jiangling City was jumped up and down by the White Lotus thieves.
It was another day waiting for the Bailian bandits to attack the city. Just when the officials and people of Jiangling were about to become numb, someone suddenly appeared outside the city.
"Yes, someone is coming towards us!"
"Hurry up and prepare for war! The White Lotus bandits are coming!"
"Wait, it seems, it's not the White Lotus thief?"
.......
When the news that Chen Ping, the deputy envoy of Southwest Recruitment, led 3,000 elite cavalry fifty miles north of Jiangling City and defeated 50,000 White Lotus thieves, reached the ears of the Jingzhou magistrate, the Jingzhou officials present had different expressions, and none of them dared to speak. p>
You must know that the several snipers they organized in Jingzhou before this were all cracked by thieves. More than half of the entire Jingzhou land was swept away by the White Lotus thieves, and Jingzhou's troops were forced to shrink to the state capital, Jiangling City, for defense.
And now, why did the deputy envoy lead only 3,000 people and defeated the White Lotus bandits? Isn't this like throwing the faces of Jingzhou officials on the ground and trampling on them?
The Jingzhou magistrate's face turned purple, and his expression was extremely weird. He didn't know whether he should be happy or happy.
"The White Lotus thief was defeated by Vice Envoy Chen. This is a blessing for Jingzhou!"
After a long while, the Jingzhou magistrate came out with such words. Although other officials could hear the frustration in these words, they couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief and echoed them.
What does the humiliation of the prefect have to do with them? As long as the White Lotus bandits don't attack Jiangling City, it will be a great blessing.