Late Tang Dynasty Floating Life

Chapter 1032 Confrontation
At this time, the direction of the battlefield is very strange.

Obviously there is no large-scale confrontation, and both sides are mobilizing intensively.In addition to marching, it is still marching, but it just gives people a very tense atmosphere, as if a one-hit-kill battle will start at any time.

On April 23, more than [-] Huai troops filled the north bank of the Huai River, from Linhuai to Xucheng, mighty and powerful.

On the Bian River, there are many sails, and the ships have a very deep draft and are fully loaded with various supplies.

Yang Xingmi had known for a long time that Shao Shude was active nearby, so he offered a generous reward, and the morale of the troops was high, and they marched northward one after another.

On the 24th, they regained the deserted Xucheng County, and Jia Gongduo led 4000 people to station in the city to screen the flanks.

Yang Xingmi's army waited for several days on the line from Xucheng to Bianshui, waiting for the rush-made vehicles to be transported from the rear.

Unfortunately, due to the limited strength, among the various vehicles sent over, there are very few vans that are specialized in restraining cavalry, and most of them are transport vehicles, but they can make do with it.

To deal with large groups of cavalry, it is impossible to do without a car.

"Your Majesty, Xia people have no reason to abandon Xucheng. According to common sense, they should hoard enough food, grass and equipment, repair the city defense, and send troops to defend." On the pier on the north bank of the Huai River, Gao Xu said: "If I attack the city aggressively, then The thieves stick to their defenses and consume our troops and morale. At the critical moment, we send cavalry to clash, and we can win a big victory. If I let go and don’t attack, I will send my troops out of the city, cut off the Bianshui River, and prevent my retreat. Like this, I will retreat without a fight. It's really strange."

There are many ways to cut off the Bianshui River, such as putting on iron chains, setting fire to boats, etc., all of which are well known.Of course, this can only be cut off for a while, such as blocking the river with iron cables on both sides of the river, which has existed since ancient times, and the way to crack it is to cut it off or fuse it.The fire boat is more complicated. There is still a distance between Xucheng and Bianshui. It takes time to build a ship and transport it there, so it is difficult not to be discovered.But in any case, it is a threat, a nail buried in the rear, which must be pulled out or prepared, and can consume or involve a lot of troops.

Those who give up directly like this are undoubtedly attracting them to go deep into Huaibei.

Yang Xingmi is also an old soldier who has fought for many years, why can't he see it?But he still hesitated.

Shao Shude was active in the area of ​​Su and Si, although his whereabouts were erratic, what if he was willing to come to the decisive battle?

There are more than 3 troops here, and Shao Shude killed [-] people. The bugle number of the infantry is "Pengri", and most of the others are cavalry, which can still be fought.

The two armies that hold the sun and the holy are not worth worrying about, and their combat effectiveness is not as good as his Huai army's old troops.

"My lord, the soldiers are fierce and the battle is dangerous. Who knows what the enemy's plan is?" Seeing that Yang Xingmi was silent, Gao Xu became anxious and couldn't stop persuading: "Please also sit in Linhuai, the king, and send Xiao generals to go north. Thieves brigade, it will not be too late for the whole division to go north."

Linhuai County is near the Huai River, so Yang Xingmi's settlement here is naturally safe.Gao Xu's suggestion made it clear that he was not optimistic about the matter of going north to fight this time.

Gao Xu is an old man, and he is also thinking of him, so he has to listen to his opinions.Yang Xingmi thought for a while and said, "Then send the Bashan Army to the north."

The Bashan Army was developed from Bashandu. At first, [-] Sun Ru surrendered troops, and later joined the [-] Huai Army, which was scattered and mixed. It has been several years.In Run, Chang and other places, they fought many times with the Qianli tribe, who occupied the two Zhejiang provinces, and won more than they lost.

The Yanei Army was similar, with six or seven thousand returnees from the north, accompanied by three or four thousand Huai troops and recruited Xuzhou warriors, with a staff of over [-]. They fought in the south all the year round. They once fought jointly with Suzhou governor Yang Shihou and defeated Gu Quanwu's troops.He also cooperated with Luzhou soldiers, attacked Shouzhou several times, and defeated Zhu Jing.

There are also the two armies of Ningguo and Fengguo, each with tens of thousands of people, just like Bashan and Yanei, the returnees from the north mixed with the elite Xu and Huai old armies, and after reorganization, they went to the battlefield. Defeated the Western Zhejiang Army, and the record is not bad.

Of course, Lao Yang's favorite is the Black Cloud Sword Army.

The Heiyun Longjian Army is actually two troops, namely Heiyundu and Changjiandu. At first, there were 5000 people, and [-] elite soldiers were carefully selected from more than [-] Sun Ru soldiers.The combat power is tyrannical, the military discipline is extremely poor, and the ferocity is extremely cruel.Sometimes Yang Xingmi felt that he couldn't control this ferocious beast. He was on the same level as Li Hanzhi's beast soldiers. However, Lao Yang was richer than Li Hanzhi and had better skills. Just sell your life.

Black clouds are all cavalry, more than [-] cavalry, and firewood is used as a commander.There are more than [-] infantry in Changjian, and Li Jian is the commander.

These troops, together with the Cloud Cavalry Army with a scale of more than a thousand cavalry, are Lao Yang's main force and the core armed force he can control.It all depends on this to conquer the east and west and subdue the princes of all walks of life.

After receiving the order, Yuan Zhen, the commander of the Pulling Mountain Army, took the vehicle northward without the slightest hesitation.

They marched along the west bank of Bian River, and the boat division accompanied them with food and supplies, and went straight to Hong County.

On the 25th, Yang Xingmi couldn't hold back, and led more than [-] Huai army's main force to the north, keeping a day's distance from the Bashan army.

Zhang Xun, the general of Xuyi Town, also sent thousands of soldiers across the river to help at any time.

Everything seems to have returned to the Qingkou war in history: Yang Xingmi used [-] Beigui people as the main force, attached to Zhu Jin, Shi Yan, and Li Chengsi's tens of thousands of cavalry, plus [-] to [-] local prefecture and county troops, against Zhu Quanzhong. [-] troops.

Times have changed, everything is so similar, and everything looks completely different.

******
In four days, Li Tangbin traveled southward for a full 140 miles, which can be described as extremely fast.

Now they hit a snag.

There will always be all kinds of broken things on the battlefield.Some are pure accident, others are inevitable.

Before Yang Xingmi went west, he ordered Tuoba Renfu's three thousand cavalry to cross the river from Chuzhou to the north.

Tuoba Renfu did not move slowly, and went north after receiving the order.After receiving supplies in Lianshui County, Sizhou, they continued to march, and then met Xia Jun unexpectedly at the junction of Shuyang and Lianshui.

It can be said to be an accident, or it can be said to be inevitable.

The scouts of the two sides had discovered each other dozens of miles away, and they bumped into each other. It can only be said to be a common choice.

Hua Wenqi, the deputy envoy of the Dragon and Tiger Army who served as the vanguard, continued to march for a certain distance without any fear, then found a suitable position, and ordered to form the formation.

The auxiliary soldiers moved quickly and surrounded the baggage vehicles, forming multiple circular formations.

The soldiers armed with infantry bows and spears stood ready for battle.

The rotating soldiers and auxiliary soldiers sat on the ground, chatting and laughing happily.

Although the Dragon Tiger Army is a miscellaneous brand, it has rich combat experience.They initially served Liang Wang Zhu Quanzhong, stationed in the southern border of Puzhou, and fought against Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin brothers for a long time, fighting frequently.

After taking refuge in King Xia, he fought against Yan Bao and Zhu Jin many times.

Naturally, such an army would not be too afraid of the cavalry. After all, Zhu Jin had been charged many times and knew what to do.

Tuoba Renfu rode his horse up a gentle slope, overlooking the whole situation from a high position.

Xia Bing has a total of 4000 soldiers, half of the battle and half of the auxiliary soldiers. They seem to be experienced and very capable.

He felt that this battle was not easy to fight.

Covered by heavy vehicles, the cavalry could not rush straight through, but could only circle around the periphery.

In fact, this is the current situation on the battlefield.

Thousands of riders turned left and right around the car formation, but they couldn't find the exit.Someone couldn't hold back his temper and rushed forward with his horse to shoot. As a result, both the man and the horse were shot like a hedgehog by the step bow.

No one dared to continue to take risks, and the two sides froze there.

The infantry of the Dragon and Tiger Army stood on top of the transport vehicles, brandishing their spears, laughing and insulting loudly.

Not to be outdone, Tuoba Renfu's followers scolded back one after another.

This battle seemed a little funny.

"I'm most annoyed by these veterans who have seen too many battles." Tuoba Renfu sighed unluckily.

After Yang Xingmi in Nantou, in order to prove his worth, he once went to Raozhou, Jiangxi with the army.

During the battle, his cavalry encountered a Jiangxi infantry of more than 3000 people, who also surrounded the chariots.At that time, Tuoba Renfu only led his troops to make a charge, and the bandit army wavered. After taking the risk to approach and shoot, the enemy army was defeated directly.

But the stupid Liu Zhijun is stubborn.Those infantrymen dared to ridicule and insult them without taking it seriously.

The stalemate lasted for a while, and the Dragon and Tiger Army seemed impatient. The auxiliary soldiers moved into action, changed their formation, and the circular formation turned into a long snake, and they continued to advance.

Under the cover of the chariot formation, the sergeants put on their armor and bowed their bows, and kept vigilant.

This demeanor is no different from that of Liu Jinu's Northern Expedition Army.It's just that people played more fancy back then, and the four thousand carts guarding the two wings were still hung with curtains, and you didn't know what they were doing inside.

Tuoba Renfu's cavalry followed silently outside, sending people forward to provoke them from time to time, but they were all dispersed by the infantry.

After walking for two hours, the car formation stopped again, and the whole army rested.

Tuoba Renfu had already descended the high slope, very helpless.Really let them continue walking like this, running all the way to Qingkou, are you going to rush or not?
The scouts have come galloping back from the north with the latest news.

"Withdraw!" Tuoba Renfu flicked his horsewhip angrily, and disappeared into the southern sky.

Standing on a carriage, Hua Wenqi sighed with some regret.

The enemy cavalry did not come hard.If he dismounts and fights on foot, Hua Wenqi is even confident that he can break the horse with a single step, and show his face to King Xia and his old man that the Dragon and Tiger Army can also fight, not much worse than the Tielin Army.

Wang Jingluo, the Marquis of Yu, the capital of the Yi Congjun Army, rushed over with two thousand cavalry, and gave up the pursuit after learning that the thief cavalry had retreated.

"It's a pity, I can't make a surprise attack." Wang Jingluo put away the iron gun, smashed it and smacked his lips, feeling a little regretful.

"You still expect to run three hundred miles without being discovered by the bandits." Hua Wenqi laughed.

He and Wang Jingluo are also old acquaintances, and they have a good relationship with each other.

Wang Jingluo's Jiama army was completely annihilated in Fugou, and he himself was captured. Unexpectedly, he has now become the Marquis of the Yi Congjun Army, which makes Hua Wenqi very envious - at this moment, he is still hanging around in the miscellaneous army.

"How is the strength of the Huai Army?" Wang Jingluo asked.

"You are talking about Tuoba Renfu, right? His soldiers have improved compared to before, but they are not much stronger." Hua Wenqi said: "The guard of Qingkou is named Xu Wen, who used to be in charge of Heiyundu. He is Yang Xingmi's confidant. I heard that he led the Fengguo army to guard Qingkou, and there are some local peasants, I don't know how many. The Fengguo army is Yang Xingmi's old army, but the combat power should not be as good as—"

"How about the Jiama army? If you have something to say, just say it." Wang Jingluo laughed and said: "This time, we will attack the barracks of the bandit army and see how good they are. If you dare to fight with me in the field, you will take care of them all."

Traveling all the way south, I have fought the local troops in Haizhou and Xuzhou, and I feel that their combat effectiveness is just that, not very strong.At the beginning, the Huai army dared to go out to fight in the city, making gestures, but in the end it was all about defense.

The field combat ability is still there, but it is not strong enough. It may be possible to win by fighting more, but with the same strength and the same state, Wang Jingluo feels that Yi Congjun should be able to fight and win.

After Tuoba Renfu's episode passed, the army accelerated forward.

On the last day of April, Hua Wenqi's troops arrived a few miles north of Qingkou and set up camp.

More than [-] people from Li Tangbin's troops marched south decisively, like a thunderstorm, shaking the entire Huaihe River into silence.

(End of this chapter)