marquis of jingan

Killing people is naturally destroying the enemy's vital force.

As for setting fire, it was to burn the luggage and tents of the people of Qi.

Mainly to burn food and grass.

But it doesn't really help much.

After all, this is still the territory of the Qi people. Even if all their rations are burned, they still have a stable rear area that can continue to provide them with food.

However, on the battlefield, burning supplies is considered a basic operation, and no general, seeing the enemy's granaries, has any reason not to burn them.

Lingsu's West Route Army was also honed through the flames of war. Although not all of the West Route Army was brought out at this time, there were still 6000 to [-] people.

Under Ling Su's order, these rested and energetic West Route Army chased and killed the Qi people who retreated north.

However, these Qi people can be regarded as well-trained soldiers. They have an army in the rear, and they start to organize their camp while retreating.

When Zhou Yuanlang finished sorting out his formation and was about to return to his division for a counterattack, he heard the Huai'an army's gold and iron roaring loudly.

Calling gold means withdrawing troops.

At this time, the Huai'an army chased out of the city, only about twenty miles away, and it was unlikely that they could be kept at this distance.

Riding on a horse, holding a long knife, Ling Su slashed and killed a Qi man who was too late to escape, and then began to give orders.

"Behind the B-character battalion, the other Qianhu battalions began to retreat in an orderly manner, retreating to the city, and not wanting to fight!"

Ling Su's prestige in the Huai'an Army, especially in the West Route Army, was second only to Shen Yi.

Naturally, no one dared to take what he said seriously, so the Huai'an army quickly changed their formation and began to slowly retreat towards Xuzhou City.

General Ling didn't retreat immediately, but followed in the Yizi Battalion, using binoculars from time to time to observe the movements of the Qi people.

After confirming that the Qi people were not in a state of counterattack and pursuit, Ling Su rode his horse and ran all the way back to Xuzhou City.

After he entered Xuzhou, he found out that Shen Yi had been watching the battle from the tower. Ling Su quickly jumped off his horse, trotted up the tower, and respectfully clasped his fists at the young man dressed in scholarly clothes on the tower, "Mr. Shen!"

At this moment, Dongfang was already a little pale, that is to say, the attack on the camp lasted about half the night.

Master Shen waved to Ling Su, signaling him to stand beside him, and after Ling Su stood over, Shen Yi asked, "Did you realize anything from this battle tonight?"

Ling Su lowered his head and thought for a while, then said, "Mr. Shen, let's..."

"There seems to be a shortage of cavalry."

Shen Yi nodded in satisfaction, and said with a smile: "General Ling understands my mind more and more."

At present, at least [-]% or even more than [-]% of the Huai'an Army's troops are infantry.

The reason for this was not because Shen Yi was biased and did not train cavalry, but because the Southern Dynasty was really short of war horses. The "insiders" of the Ministry of War like Shen Yi could not get many war horses in the Ministry of War.

Even the so-called cavalry of the Huai'an Army are just infantry riding on horses, and many horses are not up to the standard of war horses.

Not to mention the unity of man and horse, array charge, and riding and shooting.

The most obvious disadvantage of not having cavalry, or not having a large number of cavalry, is that...

Short Legs.

Take tonight's battle as an example, if Shen Yi has cavalry in his hand, he doesn't need too many cavalry, he only needs about [-] qualified cavalry, and he can directly penetrate from the two wings and cut the formation of Qi people.
If you cooperate well, you can even wipe them out!
But now, when the Qi people retreated, the Huai'an army could only stupidly chase after the Qi people.

At most, I had a sip of soup and no meat.

Master Shen turned his head to look at the sunrise in the east, and said slowly: "We are short of war horses, but Northern Qi has no shortage. In the future, we must find a way to get an elite cavalry."

Ling Su thought for a while and said, "War horses can only be found in the pastures further north, and it will be difficult to go there in a short time. If we want war horses, we can only grab them from the people of Qi."

"Then grab it from Qi people."

Master Shen said with a smile: "After all, the imperial court only forbids us to take in prisoners, it didn't say that we are not allowed to take in the enemy's horses."

Ling Su also laughed, and then said: "In addition to horses, there is also a lack of generals who can train cavalry. Most of our generals are also infantry, and few are proficient in cavalry."

Shen Yi touched his chin.

"That's the reason. You have to find an opportunity to catch one from Northern Qi."

Having said that, he looked at Ling Su and asked, "How is the result of the battle tonight?"

Ling Su shook his head slightly, and said, "They retreated too decisively, we couldn't catch up, and only killed and injured hundreds of Qi people."

"As you said, Mr. Shen, it's just to beat the autumn wind."

"That's fine too."

Shen Yi nodded in satisfaction, and said softly: "Let them know that if we find an opportunity, we will go out of the city to meet the enemy, so that when they attack the city, they will not be unscrupulous."

Ling Su lowered his head.

"Mr. Shen is wise."

………………

In the blink of an eye, another four or five days passed.

During these four or five days, the enemies in the north of Xuzhou went and returned.

The nearly [-] troops of the Southern Conscript Army in Haizhou also slowly approached Xuzhou City from the east of Xuzhou.

The troops of the Southern Conscript Army on the west side of the Huaihe River have also been transferred to about 2 people, and they are approaching Xuzhou step by step.

As for the west, the Southern Expeditionary Army near Suqian has camped twenty or thirty miles west of Xuzhou.

This afternoon, Shen Yi led a group of generals to the tower of the west city gate in Xuzhou.

Each of them holds a binoculars and looks to the west.

However, no trace of the enemy has been found for the time being.

Maybe it's too far away.

After looking at it for a while, Master Shen handed the binoculars in his hand to Jiang Sheng, and then looked back at the generals behind him with a calm expression: "The Qi people from Haizhou are probably coming soon. When the Qi people from Haizhou arrive..."

"Xuzhou was besieged on all sides."

Master Shen asked quietly: "Are you all afraid?"

Next to Shen Yi at this time were Ling Su, Su Ding, Xue Wei, Liu Mingyuan, and Zhang Meng.

Wan Zhong, the sixth person who is eligible to participate, is still recovering from an arm injury.

These five people clasped their fists at Shen Yi in unison, and replied in a deep voice: "Go back to Mr. Shen, my subordinates are not afraid of waiting!"

Xue Wei even smiled and said: "I'm not afraid of them coming, but I'm afraid they won't come. Mr. Shen, General Su and General Su have already prepared all the defense equipment that should be prepared in the past few days. When the people of Qi arrive, let them know that our Huai'an army is powerful!"

With his hands behind his back and his eyes still looking to the west, Shen Yi said slowly, "I would like to remind everyone that this is not a city defense battle for a day or two, or even a month or two months. It is estimated that we will defend Xuzhou for about half a year."

"That is to say, we must wait until the end of the year."

"Therefore, everyone in this battle must be patient and persistent."

Speaking of this, Master Shen smiled, and said, "Of course, there must not be wars every day for half a year."

"If we fight well, maybe after one or two battles, the Qi people will not dare to come to die. At that time, it will be just a siege."

"What I want to tell you is here."

Shen Yi said calmly: "If the Qi people dare not move, we will be surrounded by the Qi people in Xuzhou City. At that time, we must not slack off. The guarding of the four city gates must not be sloppy at all."

"We must always remember how we entered Xuzhou City."

Having said this, Shen Yi became serious, and said, "If any of the soldiers guarding the city gates of each battalion opens the gate without authorization, the battalion will behead all of them from Qianhu to Xiaoqi!"

When the words were so heavy, the five people immediately bowed their heads and cupped their fists.

"Okay, you guys go to work."

After thinking for a while, Shen Yi said, "It is estimated that in two or three days, Xuzhou will be completely surrounded."

"Yes!"

Soon, everyone turned and left.

Ling Su hesitated for a moment, but stayed behind, standing behind Shen Yi.

Master Shen glanced back at him, and said with a smile, "General Ling, what questions do you have?"

"This subordinate has something to do, and I want to ask Mr. Shen for advice."

Shen Yi nodded: "You say."

Ling Su lowered his head and said, "Mr. Shen, you have made such a great contribution, won't the imperial court send troops to support our Huai'an army? Just let the Qi soldiers be trapped in Xuzhou?"

Master Shen looked at him thoughtfully, then smiled and said, "Who will meet us? It can't be the Huaihe Navy."

"It may not be easy for the imperial army to come to the north."

Having said that, Shen Yi said quietly.

"But General Ling, don't worry, I always do things after I have enough confidence. Since I will bring you to Xuzhou, I will naturally make you safe."

Speaking of this, he laughed at himself: "After all, I am also in Xuzhou."

"This subordinate has no doubts about your intentions, Mr. Shen."

Ling Su quickly lowered his head.

"The subordinates just thought that the imperial court should take some action."

"I still say that."

Shen Yi looked at Ling Su and said, "The Huai'an army only needs to fight well and win battles, as for the imperial court."

"Let me handle it."

Ling Su clasped his fists respectfully.

"This subordinate understands, this subordinate is a vulgar martial artist, and if he says something wrong, I hope Duke Shen will not be offended."

"No wonder, no wonder."

Master Shen patted Ling Su on the shoulder, shook his head and said.

"General Ling's words are too far-fetched. The Huai'an Army has half of the credit for you, General Ling. You should ask."

Ling Su heaved a sigh of relief, cupped his fists at Shen Yi and said, "Then, this subordinate, go to arrange the defense of the city."

Shen Yi smiled and nodded: "The time to defend the city is very long, remember to communicate well with the people below, and don't let them be emotional."

"Yes."

Ling Su respectfully clasped his fists and left.

And Shen Yi, still standing on the tower, looked to the south.

"I'm so curious..."

Master Shen chuckled.

"I don't know how General Zhao feels now..."