It was getting daylight. Groups of dejected Yuezhou Army soldiers were escorted to the Yangtze River and crossed the river by boat. More than a thousand of the 20,000-strong army escaped, and nearly 2,000 were killed. All the other 17,000 people died.
As prisoners of war, they will be screened and reorganized in Jingzhou. Those who are willing to join the Jianghan Army will enter the new military camp for training. Those who do not want to join the army will be given two buckets of rice and sent home, and their personal belongings will be returned.
However, there were 3,000 navy soldiers among the prisoners of war who had to stay. What Li Ye needed most was the navy army. They would be handed over to the Jianghan Navy in Hanyang County for reorganization and training.
What surprised Li Ye was that more than 600 warships were moored in Dongting Lake close to Baling City. Although they were all medium-sized warships of about 300 shi and 500 shi, they were basically Mongolian warships.
, extremely valuable, covered with rawhide, narrow and long in shape, fast in speed, and with strong impact. They are light cavalry among warships. They are most suitable for using them to seize two hundred warships.
In addition to leaving five thousand soldiers to guard the prisoners of war, Li Ye ordered all other troops to cross the Yangtze River, arranged an ambush, and waited for the prey to come.
Li Lin thought about it again and again. He didn't quite believe in Li Ye, and finally canceled the original plan of 10,000 cavalry to follow him into Sichuan. He decided to let all the troops go by water instead of land. He ordered his second son Li Zhen to lead an army of 20,000 in two ships.
More than a hundred large ships entered Sichuan to welcome the Emperor.
Unfortunately, Li Lin never dreamed that Li Ye had already proposed to transfer the Emperor to Hanzhong, but Li Zhen failed. He did not dare to stay in Bashu for a long time and immediately returned to Jiangzhou by boat.
The fleet has passed Xiazhou and entered Jingzhou. The big ship raised its sails and the west wind was strong. The fleet sailed down the river and sailed mightily on the open river.
Three days later, the fleet entered Huarong County, which meant that they entered Yuezhou and fell under the jurisdiction of Jiangnan West Road. Li Zhen, who was on the first ship, also breathed a sigh of relief.
Wang Xiaoru, the commander of the navy, smiled and said: "Is Your Highness worried that Li Ye will attack us?"
Li Zhen pondered for a moment and said, "Father said that this person is not trustworthy. He says one thing and does another. We didn't receive the Emperor this time, so I suspected that he was behind it."
Wang Xiaoru is the deputy governor of the Yangtze River Navy. He is responsible for the defense of the Yangtze River from Jiangzhou in the east to Xiazhou in the west, combating water thieves, and maintaining order in the Yangtze River. He has a navy of 20,000 people and more than 1,000 warships. There are a total of three
There are naval bases, one in Dongting Lake, one in Poyang Lake, and one in Jiangling. The main base is located in Poyang Lake, so basically all large ships are in Poyang Lake.
Wang Xiaoru nodded, "His Majesty must be very annoyed when he returns this time. Will he send troops to retake Ezhou?"
Li Zhen snorted coldly, "That's for sure. Ezhou is connected to two big lakes. The geographical location is too important. How can it be really given to Li Ye? But the top priority is to kill Kang Chuyuan first. This man is too ambitious, and his father will never do it."
Don't tolerate him."
At this moment, a soldier came in and reported, "Your Majesty, there is someone blocking the boat on the river, it seems to be Military Master Liu!"
Li Zhen was startled, and quickly walked out of the cabin, holding the side of the ship and looking towards the river. He saw someone waving a flag on a five-hundred-stone ship. There was a person standing on the bow of the ship, none other than Military Advisor Liu Julin.
Li Zhen quickly ordered: "Slow down and let Commander Liu get on the boat!"
The sails fell, and the speed of the big ship immediately slowed down. The navy soldiers waved flags to the ships behind them, and the ships behind them lowered their sails one after another, and the speed of the entire fleet slowed down.
Liu Julin's ship approached the main ship, which was a Wanshilou ship. A soldier threw down the ladder, and Liu Julin climbed aboard, followed by several followers.
One of the followers was extremely majestic, at least two meters tall, with a head as big as a bucket and a powerful appearance. Li Zhen couldn't help but look at him a few more times.
"Master Liu, is this your attendant? Why haven't you seen him before?"
Liu Julin smiled slightly, "This is Lei Zhuangshi from Hebei. He came to Yuezhou with his family. I settled the family for him, and he became my follower."
Li Zhen really admires this strong man Lei. Can he become his subordinate?
At this time, Liu Julin whispered: "Your Highness, there is an urgent order from the prince!"
Li Zhen was startled and hurriedly brought Liu Julin to the cabin. Liu Julin took out Li Lin's royal decree and handed it to Li Zhen. Even Liu Julin could not tell the authenticity of this royal decree, let alone Li Zhen.
What's more important is that he was brought out by his father, the royal military advisor Liu Julin, and Li Zhen, the natural god, firmly believed it.
However, Wang Yu only ordered their fleet to enter Dongting Lake to participate in the siege of Kang Chuyuan, but did not explain the reason, which made Li Zhen a little confused.
"Master Liu, what happened?"
Liu Julin sighed and said: "The fifty shi of grain and one million in military salary for our two hundred thousand army were intercepted by Kang Chuyuan, a thief!"
"ah!"
Li Zhen was stunned, "How could this happen?"
Liu Julin sighed, "We don't have a naval force, and Kang Chuyuan took advantage of it."
"Now what?"
"Your Highness, Your Highness has ordered Ji Guangchen to lead 30,000 troops to attack Yuezhou from the south. However, Li Ye's army in Ezhou also dispatched to contain Ji Guangchen's army. Your Majesty's intention is that now Baling County is empty, His Highness's army will directly capture Baling.
County, Kang Chuyuan will definitely lead his army to return for reinforcements, and His Highness will lead his army to attack head-on, and Kang Chuyuan will be finished.
Then His Highness's army attacked Ezhou from the west, Ji Guangchen's army entered Ezhou from the south, and the prince's army entered Ezhou from the east. The three armies surrounded Li Ye's 6,000 Ezhou army and took the opportunity to recapture Ezhou."
Li Zhen frowned, "Why did Li Ye's army also intervene in Yuezhou?"
"Your Highness, there is relatively reliable information that Kang Chuyuan secretly colluded with Li Ye!"
Li Zhen was immediately shocked and angry. He gritted his teeth and cursed: "This thief, thanks to my father who treats him so well, he actually eats everything!"
Liu Julin smiled bitterly and said: "Your Highness, it's not a matter of scolding him for eating inside and outside. Now our money and food are in crisis, and the prince is very worried!"
Detective Li asked urgently: "Is the money and grain he intercepted in Baling County?"
"It is not in Baling County. According to reliable information, the money and grain are hidden in Junshan, so the prince ordered the fleet to enter Dongting Lake immediately and surround Junshan. The money and grain must be found. If there is any further delay, morale will collapse."
Wang Xiaoru immediately said from the side: "Your Highness, why don't we divide our troops into two groups? Your Highness will lead 15,000 troops to land in Baling County and occupy Baling County. Your Majesty will lead 5,000 naval troops and 200 warships to Junshan in search of money and food."
."
Li Zhenlian nodded, this plan was good, and he asked Liu Julin: "What do the military advisors think?"
Liu Julin nodded, "That's exactly what I meant!"
Wang Xiaoru immediately ordered the soldiers to drive small boats to convey military orders, and the army entered Dongting Lake.
That night, the huge fleet entered Dongting Lake and sailed to Baling County first.
"Where is Kang Chuyuan now?" Detective Li asked,
"It should be in the Xiangyin County area, and Ji Guangchen's army is in Tanzhou."
"Where are Kang Chuyuan's naval forces?" Wang Xiaoru next to him asked, "Where are their hundreds of warships?"
"They were all in the Xiangjiang River to intercept Ji Guangchen's army from crossing the river. After General Wang found the money and grain, he first sent the money and grain to Baling County, and then the navy went south to encircle and suppress the opponent!"
Wang Xiaoru nodded, "The water surface of the Xiangjiang River is not wide, so you can use a giant ship to knock them over!"
Li Zhen's 15,000 troops began to disembark from the ship and assemble. Li Zhen glanced at the majestic Lei Wanchun on the bow of the ship, smiled at Liu Julin and said, "Can you make this brave warrior Lei my general?"
Liu Julin smiled and nodded, "No problem, let's go find Qian Liang first. He knows where Qian Liang is hidden. I will ask him to serve His Highness later!"
"We are committed!"
Naturally, Liu Julin would not go to Baling County with him, as he would die in the rebellion. He got on the ship again on the pretext of looking for money and food.
Two hundred large ships turned around and set sail again, sailing densely towards Junshan Island.