On the bank of Xuanhong Pond, the newly arrived Tianxiong Army was building a high platform.
The commander-in-chief invited his sworn brother Li Keyong to form an alliance, and the place they decided was here.
There is a big fish in Xuanhong Pond. The Marshal said that he invites his sworn brother to taste it together - I believe you are a ghost!
"Building such a high earth platform is simply a waste of effort." A sergeant looked at the auxiliary soldiers who were picking up earth and said strange things.
"Be careful what you say." An old soldier leaning on a walking stick next to him warned.
In fact, he didn't believe that Li Keyong would come. There was no other reason. Soldiers and horses from all walks of life gathered in succession, and the momentum was amazing. Even the nomadic tribes had traveled as far as they could. What was Li Keyong going to do? He wasn't afraid that the commander would kill him. Detain and threaten Hedong?
All 7,000 cavalrymen of the Tianxiong Army have arrived. In addition to the 2,000 cavalrymen escorting grain and grass on the way, there are already 5,000 cavalrymen near Xuanhong Pond. They have set up camp and are ready.
Pingxia Dangxiang also came with more than 4,000 horses, some of them were heading this way, and some were still in Shengzhou.
In the Yanchi southwest of Xuanhong Pond, there are also 17,000 Yinshan Fan tribe commanded by Qi Bizhang.
The 10,000-strong Tielin Army led by the commander-in-chief has arrived near Shenhexing and camped on the bank of a small lake called Shenhexing, which is not far from here.
More armies are coming, totaling 1,340,000 people. Although more than half are mountain people and herdsmen, their power is still astonishing.
"I'm afraid we won't even be able to grab many cattle and sheep when we send out troops this time. After the army is dispatched, the commander-in-chief will probably take out the cattle, sheep, horses and camels in the official herds and give them rewards."
"Hey! When did the commander-in-chief go on an expedition and didn't he get something back? You can squeeze oil out of rocks. You are from Ruzhou and you don't understand. You will understand after following the commander-in-chief a few times. Dangxiang people He was so scary and handsome before."
The soldiers were chatting while the generals were looking at the map carefully.
Niu Li has been studied for a long time.
Judging from today's trends, Shuofang's army can probably be divided into two groups.
Yang Yue was appointed as the attack envoy to the east and occupied Shanyang Pass. Although there were only 4,000 infantry and cavalry, he could strengthen his troops at any time and then go eastward and occupy Shuozhou. This is the way.
The line between Xuanhongchi and Yanchi should be the main force of the commander, which is the North Road.
But the main force will be subdivided. Since the scale of the cavalry has greatly expanded, the commander-in-chief has become more and more fond of dividing the troops. And judging from the establishment of Beiwei, Sudden Cavalry, and Silver Spear, the "clutch" attribute of the cavalry is what the commander-in-chief emphasizes most. of.
Sun Bin said: "A horseman can separate and join together, disperse and gather together. He can travel for a hundred miles and travel for thousands of miles. He has no time to come and go, so he is called the soldier of separation and combination."
Cavalry warfare is very advantageous. In the past, the general liked to use cavalry head-on, that is, to chase broken troops or attack the enemy's unorganized troops. This could only be regarded as quite satisfactory.
But now, "covering its food and cutting off its military roads", "defeating its Tianjin Pass and destroying its bridges", "burning its accumulation and emptying its market", "plundering its fields and tying up its children", all the above Means seem to be what the commander is best at and what he uses the most.
Is it ruthless? Quite ruthless. No wonder Dang Xiang called him "skin-picking" in the early years.
What is the essence of using troops? Make use of strengths and avoid weaknesses.
What are the strengths of Shuofang Town? There are many people who know how to ride horses and archery, and there are many horses.
The cavalry spread out like locusts, one person with two horses or even three horses, charging thousands of miles, burning, killing and looting. Even if you have cavalry, you can't catch up!
It seems like this is the trick again this time.
Fight the Hedong Army with cavalry to see who can withstand it. Without cavalry, there are really flaws everywhere in this desolate place outside the Great Wall. If you are not careful, your entire army will be wiped out.
Niu Li closed the map, closed his eyes and thought for a while, and roughly understood the commander's combat ideas.
Exploit strengths and avoid weaknesses, use the superiority of cavalry to kill the cavalry of the Hedong Army, at least reduce their range of activities, and then make large detours and outflanks, cut off their food routes, and harass them day and night, so that they cannot eat well, cannot rest well, and are exhausted physically and mentally.
Defeated in the final battle.
Who said that the general can't use troops? Know yourself and your enemy, make use of your strengths and avoid weaknesses. Many people forget this point just because they are fighting.
"Qi Banzhang's people went south." While he was thinking about it, the military envoy Zang Dubao came over and said.
"Huh? He has more than 10,000 cavalry, and they are all heading south. Who will guard the Yanchi side?"
"The cavalry army has arrived." Zang Dubao said with a smile: "The defeated army now has a strong army and a strong reputation. The commander-in-chief will probably order it to go south and actively harass the Hedong Army's food routes. If Li Keyong does not retreat, then he will have no choice but to
Send cavalry to protect you."
The Pingxia Dangxiang has 5,000 cavalry, the Hengshan Dangxiang has 2,000 cavalry, the Hexi tribes have 3,000 cavalry, the Yinshan and Fan tribes have 17,000 cavalry, the Flying Bear Army has 13,000 cavalry, and the Iron Cavalry Army has 10,000 cavalry, a total of 50,000 cavalry.
There are still cavalry in the various departments of the Yamen Army, but they will not be dispatched. They will definitely stay with them to protect the main infantry.
But even if they don't move out, after these 50,000 cavalry roar south, they will still be enough for Li Keyong to drink a pot.
****
Outside Yanchang City, a chase battle is coming to an end.
Hundreds of Hedong cavalry were guarding the messenger and wanted to rush out. As expected, they were discovered and the two sides started fighting almost immediately.
The five thousand Uighur warriors were nicknamed "Silver Spear Capital", but to be honest, their spear skills were very average. After all, the training time was still short. When it came time to fight to the death, they still subconsciously picked up the special skill of the prairie cavalry: galloping.
shoot.
A few knights with good spear skills and armors intercepted them face to face and dispersed more than a hundred Wansheng Army cavalry. The remaining people surrounded them like a pack of wolves, using their exquisite riding skills to control both sides at mid-range.
Shooting from both sides.
Shen Xin watched intently from the tower.
He was familiar with military books and suddenly remembered a certain passage in "Historical Records": "King Xiang ordered the strong men to challenge. In the Han Dynasty, there was Lou Fan who was good at riding and shooting. When Chu challenged Sanhe, Lou Fan always shot and killed him."
What I am talking about is the Loufan cavalry under Liu Bang. Their cavalry and shooting skills are very strong. They can steadily open the distance between the two sides and shoot the charging cavalry under Xiang Yu's tent.
Of course, this method of warfare also has limitations, that is, it can only be used on open prairie, where there is a large space for maneuver, making it easier for mounted archers to drive left and right and widen the distance.
But the problem is, we are on the grassland now!
More than a hundred Hedong cavalry fought for a while, and then dozens of them fell off their horses. The remaining people were so sad and angry that they gave up trying to fight at close range and drew their bows to fight back.
Of course they also had bows, because the Hedong cavalry used shorter horse-mounted weapons, that is, "bows at the waist and ridges, dancing alone to fight with iron laos".
But after all, the skill of galloping and shooting was still much inferior to that of the elite Uighur soldiers, and their numbers were still at a huge disadvantage. They only fought back for a while before they were submerged in the vast sea of Silver Spear City.
Shen Xin sighed as he watched from the top of the city.
Shao Thief's cavalry all carry long spears, which can take advantage of them in close combat. However, it seems that they have not practiced for long, and only a few of them are qualified in spear skills, and most of them still rely on riding bows.
If it were Li Hanzhi and Li Cunxiao who were there, leading thousands of cavalry, and fighting in close combat, they would be able to defeat these cavalrymen who were selling sheep's heads to dogs.
Of course, this is just Shen Xin's beautiful vision. In fact, he doesn't believe that Shao Thief doesn't have the kind of shock cavalry specially used for close combat.
Horse cavalry, pike cavalry, mounted archer cavalry, armored cavalry, maybe Shao Thief has them all!
****
Outside Yunzhou City, Li Keyong keenly felt something was wrong.
Shen Xin has been going north for a few days, but no news has been delivered back. Many of the scouts sent north have "disappeared", and there is no way to find out the news there.
It was dark at night, and Li Keyong climbed up to the high platform and looked quietly at the north. There seemed to be a cunning beast hidden there, with its sharp claws and fangs spread out, staring eagerly.
In the past few days, the soldiers used their lives to attack Yunzhou East City after repeated attacks.
Helianduo was so anxious that he sent several waves of messengers to the east and north respectively.
To the north, haha, my sworn brother should be hiding there.
I don’t know how many troops were brought here. It is estimated that there are still 70,000 troops in Shuofang town. Leave 30,000 people to guard the base, lead 40,000 people to go out, and recruit some Tibetan soldiers to make up for 80,000?
Eighty thousand troops were indeed a bit scary and had to be treated with caution, but Li Keyong was still confident of defeating them.
"Commander, there is news from Weizhou." Gai Yu climbed to the high platform and reported.
"tell me the story."
"The Youzhou Army attacked fiercely in two groups. General An resisted with great difficulty. This group may be defeated," Gai Yu said.
Xingming regiment training envoy An Jinjun has more than 20,000 people under his command, 10,000 of whom are surrendered troops from Xingzhou, and their combat effectiveness is quite doubtful.
Liu Rengong's Yan troops in Weizhou originally numbered several thousand, but Li Kuangwei led another 30,000 troops to come to the rescue. It is understandable that An Jinjun could not resist them.
After these years of fighting, Li Keyong will no longer stubbornly believe that the Hedong Army can conquer the world. Where are there no heroes? Where are there no warriors?
The famous town of Youzhou has been divided for more than a hundred years. How can it be done without two brushes?
The two armies lined up and fought face to face in the field. Li Keyong was not confident that he would win without a little ingenuity. Even if the most powerful volunteer army attacked Li Kuangwei's pro-army, would he definitely win? Not necessarily.
During the last attack on Xingzhou, Li Cunxiao broke into the enemy formation and was almost surrounded and killed. Youzhou was more powerful than Xingzhou and was not that easy to deal with.
"Commander, it's time to make a decision." Gai Yu thought about it again and again, but couldn't help but say.
Li Keyong understood what he meant.
Helian Duo will not be defeated for a while. The Youzhou army in the east has the upper hand, and An Jinjun may not be able to resist it. There is also Shao Shude's army in the north, which poses a considerable threat.
In this situation, it is better to take advantage of the favorable opportunity before Shao Shude's army has gathered to cover the retreat of An Jinjun's East Route Army and preserve as much strength as possible.
This is the right way to fight, but——Li Keyong doesn’t want to make this decision.
If Shuofang's army had not come this time, An Jinjun would have been defeated by Li Kuangwei. Seeing that there was no hope of conquering Yunzhou, he would have withdrawn. But as soon as Shao Shude came, I would have withdrawn my troops. What would it look like? I was afraid of him.
?
"My sworn brother invited me to join the alliance in Xuanhongchi. I know what his intention is." Li Keyong said with a smile: "It's just to show off the power of the army, and then to unite with Datong and Youzhou Town to cut off my retreat.
"
Gai Yu's eyes froze. He didn't follow Li Keyong's out-of-the-box thinking, but he still listened patiently.
"My sworn brother is too mature in his actions. He tries to be comprehensive and fight steadily. Fight the battles that you are sure of, and don't fight the battles that you are not sure of. This time, I want to let my sworn brother know that there are some things in this world that even if you are only 30% sure,
It's worth a try." Li Keyong calmed down, as if he had become the divine general who had repeatedly defeated Huang Chao and looked down on the world: "Send an order to Kang Jun and ask him to choose the best troops from each department and ride ten thousand people to the north and charge straight to Xuanhong Pond. If
If my sworn brother is not over there, I will help Wan Sheng's army come back. If he is over there, capture him for me!"
Kang Junli was also a veteran general of the Daibei Wuren Group, and Li Keyong trusted him more.
"Commander, who will you send to assist General Kang?"
Li Keyong pondered for a while and said: "Li Chengsi and Shi Yan came to me very early, and they have both talents. Although An Yuanxin and Li Siyuan are in a low position, they are convenient for riding and shooting. These four people should go together.
It will help you achieve great things."
Although Gai Yu didn't really agree with the raid on Xuanhong Pond and thought that all he needed to do was to bring back Wan Sheng's army, he was keenly aware that the commander-in-chief still had some resentment towards his sworn brother Shao Shude.
The commander-in-chief has this temper. If he sees the right person, he will do anything. If he hates him, he will fight to the death.
They were obviously sworn brothers, and the territories of various places were divided during the Huayue Temple Alliance. Why did Shao Shude break his promise and prevent Hedong from occupying Datong Town?
From the first day when Shuofang's envoy Li Hang arrived in Jinyang, the relationship between the two parties was destined to break down. The commander-in-chief at that time must have been suppressing his dissatisfaction. This time the two sides collided head-on, and he didn't know how far the trouble would go -
The commander may not really want to kill Shao Shude, but he definitely has the intention to come and question him.
