Qin Hao led a total of 60,000 troops southward this time. After capturing Xiangyang, he ordered Bai Qi to lead 40,000 troops to continue the attack on Nanjun, while he himself led 20,000 troops to guard Xiangyang.
After Wenpin surrendered and joined Bai Qi's army, Bai Qi fought all the way to receive the surrendered troops. As a result, his troops did not decrease but increased.
Now, including the surrendered Jingzhou Army, Bai Qi's total strength has reached 50,000.
This means that the total strength of the Qin army in Nanjun is 70,000, which is only 30,000 years younger than the coalition forces of the six major princes including Liu Xiu. The difference in strength is not too obvious.
Liu Xiu also knew that the disparity in strength between him and Qin Hao was too great, so he united with the other five princes, because only in this way could he compete with Qin Hao.
Now, in addition to Qin Hao's 20,000 troops stationed in Xiangyang, Bai Qi also has 50,000 troops who can fight against the Jingzhou coalition.
With the strength of the Qin Army, the 50,000 elite troops were not unable to fight against the 100,000 Jingzhou Army. However, after the establishment of the Jingzhou Alliance, Bai Qi deliberately dispersed his troops to garrison the six captured counties.
Bai Qi's move also made the generals of the Qin army extremely puzzled. After all, how could anyone deliberately divide their troops so thin? But Bai Qi just did it.
As soon as Huang Zhong finished speaking, everyone couldn't help but look at Bai Qi. They all believed that the scattered troops should be recruited back for the decisive battle. After all, they clearly had enough troops and no one wanted to take unknown risks.
Bai Qi shook his head. Before he could explain, Zhou Yu interjected: "Liu Xiu can stand alone against the five princes. He is definitely not that simple. If our army sends more than 50,000 troops, no, 40,000,
With Liu Xiu's caution, he might not even dare to engage in a direct field battle with our army."
As soon as Zhou Yu said this, everyone was stunned. They looked at Zhou Yu and then at Bai Qi.
Seeing this, Bai Qi's mouth twitched slightly, and finally he nodded helplessly, looking at Zhou Yu with something more in his eyes.
This kid is smart, but he talks too much nonsense and needs training.
Zhou Yu also realized that he seemed to have stolen the general's limelight. Seeing that Bai Qi's eyes were also focused on him, he was so frightened that he shrank his head and did not dare to talk nonsense anymore.
Pei Yuanqing, who was also a member of the Nine Dragon Guards like Zhou Yu, asked with some concern: "But, with less than 30,000 troops, facing an army of 100,000 people head-on, isn't it a bit too risky?"
As soon as Pei Yuanqing said this, not only Bai Qi, but also most of the senior generals of the Qin Army laughed.
Huang Zhong patted Pei Yuanqing on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Boy, do you know that since the army, the battles that my lord has participated in have basically been fought with less and more?"
"Is it a risk to pay 100,000 for less than 30,000?"
Ran Min also laughed and said with a proud look on his face: "This is a normal thing in our Qin army. Even only 20,000 is enough. I can't wait to deal with that guy Liu Xiu."
As soon as Ran Min said this, all the generals also responded.
What kind of tough battles and difficulties have they not faced since they followed Qin Hao?
In the eyes of most veterans, the current situation is just a small wave, far less than the crisis at the Battle of Yanmen Pass and the Battle of Han River.
Seeing that the generals were all high-spirited, Bai Qi also laughed confidently and said in a deep voice: "Although the Jingzhou coalition army is large, it is divided into six strengths. They are not unified, and the quality of the soldiers is even worse.
Although our army is small in strength, we are united as one. Each of our soldiers is as elite as ten, and our equipment is many times better than the enemy's.
Therefore, even if we are outnumbered and defeated by many, what do we, the Qin army, have to fear?"
"No fear, no fear..." all the generals responded.
"In addition, I have also made secondary preparations. I have asked the lord to mobilize the trap camp to assist in the battle. When General Gao Shun's three thousand trap camp arrives, our army will be able to gather 30,000 troops to fight against Liu.
It’s a showdown.”
After hearing that Bai Qi had also transferred the trapped camp, newcomers like Pei Yuanqing could not help but breathe a sigh of relief, and no longer thought that this battle could not be won.
After all, that was the current camp, the most elite and one of the most capable teams in the Qin army.
Although Pei Yuanqing is from the Jiulong Guard, he yearns even more to get into battle and break the army. These two legendary troops are good at fighting tough battles, because as long as these two teams are dispatched, it seems that they have not lost a battle yet.
Three days later, Gao Shun arrived with three thousand trapped troops, and Bai Qi's pre-war deployment was finally completed. His military configuration was as follows:
Three thousand trapped in the camp
Thousand Flying Tiger Camp
One Thousand Nine Dragon Guards
Three Thousand Tiger Guards
Three Thousand Iron Guards
Twenty thousand elite soldiers, all equipped with new equipment.
Five elite battalions, totaling 11,000 elites, including 2,000 elite cavalry, plus 20,000 elite soldiers, totaling 31,000 troops in this battle.
Since Bai Qi joined the army, he has never commanded so many elite soldiers and generals, so even he felt a little excited.
"Report... General Qi, Liu Xiu's army has defeated three counties in a row and has now reached Yicheng."
Although Bai Qi had left sufficient troops beforehand, he still could not withstand the joint attack from the noble families in the city and the enemy forces outside the city.
Fortunately, Bai Qi calculated Liu Xiu's march route accurately and specially arranged for Jingzhou to send troops to garrison those three counties. Otherwise, the losses would have been really great.
Yicheng was the last city Jiangling fought towards Xiangyang. As long as Yicheng was defeated, the Jingzhou coalition forces could reach Xiangyang City. Its importance is self-evident.
Bai Qi ordered Xin Qiji, who was both civil and military, to lead four thousand troops to guard Yicheng, which was also the chosen place for the decisive battle.
Looking at the confident generals behind him, Bai Qi raised his fist high and shouted: "This battle will be won."
"We must win, we must win..." All the generals also shouted together.
"The whole army sets out."
Following Bai Qi's order, 31,000 elite troops quickly rushed toward Yicheng. The opponent they were about to face was the 100,000 Jingzhou coalition army led by Liu Xiu.
Yicheng is just a small city. The city walls are neither high nor thick, but it has a population of more than 60,000. This shows how densely populated the counties in Nanjun are.
But for such a small city, facing a fierce attack by less than 100,000 troops, Xin Qiji persisted for three days and three nights.
A mere Xin Qiji, plus four thousand soldiers and horses, actually blocked his own army of one hundred thousand. This also made Liu Xiu love talents, so he decided to ride his horse forward to persuade him to surrender.
"Xin Qiji, Yicheng alone cannot stop this general's 100,000 troops. Surrender, I will never treat you badly..."
Before Liu Xiu finished his words to persuade him to surrender, he was answered by a sharp arrow from Xin Qiji.
However, because Liu Xiuren was outside the shooting range, the shot had lost its power when it reached Liu Xiu. Instead, Liu Xiu stretched out his hand to catch it.
"Liu Xiu, are you satisfied with this answer?"
After saying this, Xin Qiji laughed, and the Qin army on the top of the city also laughed.