I want to be emperor

Chapter 137 Surprise attack on Xiangyang ([-])

Luo Zhixue looked at the three people in front of him and said, "Even if we can't take Xiangyang City by surprise, with our 3000-strong army, we can do mobile operations on the north bank of the Han River with ease."

"Remember, the surprise attack on Xiangyang City is not our only choice, it is just a better choice among many options. We must not fill in our army's most elite cavalry brigade and first infantry brigade just for a mere Xiangyang City. "

Hearing what Luo Zhixue said, Wang Xiazi, Huang Dingquan and even Xu Zhixian understood!
In this battle, winning Xiangyang City is not the highest priority, on the contrary, preserving the army is the best option.

What they have to do is to take Xiangyang if they can take it under the premise of preserving the army. If they can't, then they must withdraw their troops decisively.

Blind Wang said: "Don't worry, General, you don't know who I am, you don't dare to say anything else, life-saving skills are top-notch, but if something goes wrong, I will immediately take the people and run away."

"It's not easy for us to accumulate these belongings. No matter how blind I am, I won't throw these belongings under the city of Xiangyang!"

"My blind man is only blind in one eye, but not in both eyes."

Seeing Blind Wang like this, Luo Zhixue showed a smile on his face: "Hehe, it's really true. I know your skills blindly all the way. Back then, Big Brother Sun really saw the right person. This time, fight hard and wait until you take it down!" After leaving Xiangyang, we will control the entire Nanyang Basin later, and then I will add a few more posts to the cavalry brigade!"

"A majestic cavalry brigade can't just have two cavalry posts, no matter what, it must have four or five cavalry posts."

Blind Wang said with a smile: "General, you just wait for my good news. If you want more, prepare your horses and cavalry. I will definitely take this Xiangyang City for you."

Luo Zhixue chuckled: "Your horses and cavalry are no different."

After finishing speaking, he turned his head to look at Huang Dingquan again: "Ding Quan, you are the one I watched all the way through, and this time you will do well, I have great expectations for you!"

Huang Dingquan's personality is not as outgoing as Wang Xiazi's. He has always been honest and friendly. He said in a quiet manner: "Don't worry, the general, the subordinates must follow the plan and act. If they can fight Xiangyang, they will fight. If they can't fight, they will retreat in time."

Luo Zhixue knew that Huang Dingquan was not very talkative, so he didn't talk to him too much, and focused his attention on Xu Zhixian.

As the deputy director of the staff office, Xu Zhixian, who also serves as the chief of the combat department and the commander of the third infantry battalion, has multiple roles, but now, he has a temporary assignment: the chief of staff of the Xiangyang campaign.

As the chief of staff of the Xiangyang campaign, Xu Zhixian will lead the six staff members of the staff office to form the staff of the Xiangyang campaign to make suggestions for the army and formulate various combat plans for Wang Xiazi and Huang Dingquan to choose from.
This surprise attack on Xiangyang was composed of the First Infantry Brigade and the First Cavalry Brigade, with Wang Baoyong (blind) as the campaign commander, Huang Dingquan as the deputy commander, and Xu Zhixian as the chief of staff.

The campaign headquarters is a temporary organization. Apart from a staff department, there is actually no other serious organization, the kind that will be disbanded directly after the battle of Xiangyang.

Luo Zhixue said to Xu Zhixian: "Staff affairs are your old line of business. Logically speaking, I need to say more, but I still want to say a few words. This time, you have to show your real skills in the battle of Xiangyang. Read more. Think more and make the most perfect battle plan.”

Xu Zhixian said: "General, don't worry, your subordinates will definitely do their best."

Luo Zhixue glanced at the three of them again: "I have said everything that needs to be said, and you should know what to do next. It's getting late, let's all go!"

"Remember, I am here waiting for your good news or your safe return."

After these three people resigned, they quickly took a group of people across the river by boat, watching them sail across the river, Luo Zhixue also felt a little uneasy for a while, and couldn't help but said to Bai Yongning, the captain of the guard beside him: "Say, Will they succeed?"

Bai Yongning said: "General, don't worry, they will succeed."

Luo Zhixue said: "Really? It's hard to say. It sounds like a surprise attack, but it sounds like a military adventure. If you are not careful, the army going to Xiangyang will encounter problems. Once the city cannot be captured, it will be attacked by the enemy." If the army is entangled, then it will be a big trouble."

Bai Yongning said: "Although I don't know much about these military strategies, my subordinates know that whether it is Brigadier Wang, Brigadier Huang, or Deputy Director Xu, they are all leaders in our army. One is steady and experienced, the other is good at planning, with these three heroes, our army's surprise attack on Xiangyang City will surely succeed!"

"Ten thousand steps back, even if they are unsuccessful, with their abilities, the enemies in Xiangyang City are unlikely to keep them. Self-protection is certainly no problem."

Luo Zhixue said: "I hope!"

After all, Luo Zhixue stopped talking, but quietly looked at the soldiers of the Township Protection Army who were crossing the river.

At this time, a large number of soldiers of the Township Protection Army were crossing the river on simple bamboo rafts and a small number of boats.

Due to the temporary emergency requisition of nearby ships and the limited number of ships detained in the past, these ships are basically used to transport horses, food, grass and ammunition. As for the large number of ordinary infantry, they can only ride on extremely simple bamboo rafts.

Naturally, the quality of these urgently made bamboo rafts was not good, and some of them fell apart when they crossed the river, so that the soldiers on top fell into the water one after another, and several people were drowned in the end.

If it wasn't for the boats arranged nearby and people who are proficient in water to rush to the rescue in time, some people came up, and I am afraid that the dozen or so soldiers who fell into the water would all die...

Although there were some accidents when crossing the river, and even many people fell into the water and died or disappeared, this still could not stop the crossing of the river by the rural protection army.

Soon, the [-]st Infantry Brigade and the [-]st Cavalry Brigade finished crossing the river, and Wang Xiazi, Huang Dingquan, and Xu Zhixian immediately led the army to the south quickly.

According to the plan, they will continue to march for more than 20 kilometers during the day today, all the way to the vicinity of Xiangyang, and after a night of rest, they will rush to the city gate before dawn the next day. Open the city gate in time to welcome the army into the city.

Just as Wang Xiazi and the others went south quickly, although they tried their best to avoid the densely populated areas, they sent cavalry to blockade in advance to prevent the locals from sending news to Xiangyang.

But the Ming army in Xiangyang City still got the news!

There was a patrol of the Ming army on the outskirts. When they saw the township protection army coming from afar, they dropped a dozen of their men and rode away by themselves.

Even the cavalry of the Township Protection Army stepped forward to pursue and failed to catch up.

In the end, the inspector of the Ming army fled all the way back to Xiangyang City, and reported to the Ming army in the city that a large number of bandits were about to kill them.

All of a sudden, the entire city of Xiangyang shook!

On April [-]th of the eighth year of Chongzhen, in the yamen of the prefect of Xiangyang, Tang Xianyue, the prefect, was shocked: "Where did these bandits come from?"

"Did it come from Yunyang? Or did it come from Nanyang?"

When she learned that a large number of thieves appeared, Tang Xianyue was completely stupid...

Before, there was no rumor that bandits appeared in the surrounding areas. The bandits who plagued the Xiangyang and Yunyang prefectures in the past two years have long since fled, and now they are still fighting with the government and the army in the Central Plains and Jiangbei areas.

I hadn't heard that the Jiangbei bandit army broke through the interception of local officers and soldiers, and then ran to the Huguang Chubei area.

As for the rogues in the northern Central Plains, there was Governor Hong leading an army to encircle and suppress them, and Nanyang Mansion in the north was also stationed by Chen Yongfu's troops. Logically speaking, it was impossible for them to flee directly to Xiangyang Mansion.

That's right, until now, Tang Xianyue didn't know that Chen Yongfu had been defeated, the whole army was wiped out, and even Chen Yongfu himself had turned himself into a thief. The township protection army quickly conquered.

Immediately afterwards, the main force of the Township Protection Army launched a long-distance attack of more than 100 kilometers, and it took only five days to directly kill Xiangyang City.

It can't be blamed on Tang Xianyue's lack of information. The transmission of news is very slow these days. What's more, before the attack on Nanyang City, the Township Protection Army has dispatched ahead of time to block the rivers and land transportation routes around Nanyang Mansion.

Under the complete blockade of the Township Protection Army, the news of the fall of Nanyang City was only circulated around Nanyang Mansion for the time being, and it didn't have time to reach Xiangyang Mansion at all.

Although this kind of comprehensive news blockade cannot really block the news all the time, it is enough to delay it for a few days.

No, Tang Xianyue, the magistrate of Xiangyang, didn't know that Nanyang City had fallen, and the army of the Xiangyang Army had already killed Xiangyang City.

So much so that Tang Xianyue was at a loss when facing the bandits who suddenly appeared, and he didn't even know where the bandits came from.

But even though they don't know the origin of these thieves, they must be thieves.

Therefore, Tang Xianyue ordered the city gates to be sealed immediately after the persecution, and ordered the soldiers in the city to go up to the top of the city to guard against death.

Immediately afterwards, the civil officials and military generals in the city were called to discuss matters related to city defense.

At this time, in fact, Wang Xiazi and the others have not really arrived at the city of Xiangyang, and there are still a few thousand meters away.

Wang Xiazi learned from the scouts that the Ming army in the city had already reacted, and closed the city gate urgently to expose it, and he didn't care when he sent a large number of troops to the top of the city.

More than 2000 people of my own killed all the way, and no matter how slow the other party was, they would know the news and respond accordingly.

These are not important, what is important is whether Neiying can successfully open the city gate at dawn tomorrow.

Blind Wang knew very well that their so-called surprise attack on Xiangyang City this time did not depend on how fast they could run or how strong their combat effectiveness was, but on whether the internal response operation could be successful.

Strictly speaking, the more than 2000 people he brought, especially the [-]st Infantry Brigade, the main infantry brigade, were not for attacking the city, but for fighting after entering the city and defeating the still stubborn enemy.

"Order to go on, continue to march according to the original plan and camp at the predetermined location to rest!"

"The cavalry attack, block the communication between Xiangyang City and the outside world, and beware of the enemy's active attack in the city."

Just when Wang Xiazi continued to act according to the original plan, and the Ming army in the city also closed the city gate urgently under the command of Tang Xianyue and climbed to the top of the city.

In a warehouse in Xiangyang City, Li Dongshao also had a nervous and excited face: "Our army is here, and it's time for us to play."

"According to the plan, at dawn, everyone from the intelligence department will set fire to various parts of the city to create chaos. At the same time, I will personally lead my team to forcibly seize the north gate to welcome the army into the city."

　It is recommended to add updates today, and there will be more tonight!
　　


(End of this chapter)