Kai Fu Han

Chapter 493 Attack is Defense
December [-], Penglai Port.

Soldiers of the [-]th Field Brigade are boarding the ship.

The four field brigades that had returned to Penglai for rest and recuperation had just arrived in Penglai a few days before they boarded a troop transport ship headed for the front line.

The soldiers who would have taken rotational vacations outside the country to reunite with their families during the Chinese New Year had mixed emotions when they received the order to go out. It was a pity that the upcoming vacation was cancelled, but they were also looking forward to a battle where they could make achievements.

The day before, Liu Xinqi summoned the brigade commanders of the four field brigades and issued a war mobilization order. He then arranged for the Navy's First Fleet, which had just returned from Jiangnan, and the Navy's Second Fleet, which had stayed in Penglai for rest and recuperation, to immediately end their rest and recuperation and cooperate with the movement of the coastal defense fleet. soldiers.

The Jin Army may reach the Yellow River defense line within 20 days. Liu Xinqi asked the three fleets to transport the soldiers of the [-]th and [-]th Field Brigade to the new town on the north bank of the Jishui estuary within [-] days.

The [-]th and [-]th Field Brigades will travel overland to Boxing County, Qingzhou.

"The intelligence system has not penetrated into the top management of the Jin Kingdom, which is a huge disadvantage for us." Liu Xinbao lamented.

After more than a day's response, the Xinghan League's intelligence system has investigated and found some clues.

This time the Jin Kingdom's sudden move south had actually been premeditated, but the premeditation was limited to high-level officials.

The Kingdom of Jin confuses the Xinghan League's intelligence system through the illusion of New Year's purchases and reserves enough grain and grass for the army to purchase for 20 days. The same goes for the states and counties in Hebei. Due to the frequent movement of materials during the New Year, some grain and grass were stored in advance.

After the operation began, the Jin army in Yanjing directly dispatched south, and at the same time reconnaissance cavalry went out to notify the prefectures and counties under the rule of the Jin Kingdom to directly transport grain and grass to Wuma County in Cangzhou on the East Road of Hebei.

The commander-in-chief of the Jin army who went south this time chose the time of the expedition very well.The first choice is to use the time before the year to secretly prepare for the expedition.Secondly, the war started during the Chinese New Year, which caught the Xinghan League by surprise. According to the usual practice, the general army began to take turns one month before the first. The Xinghan League was late this year because of the recruitment of new soldiers, so the Jin army could not succeed.Finally, at this time at the end of the year, the rivers on Hebei East Road were basically frozen, including the Jishui River, which greatly reduced the difficulty of crossing the river for the Jin Army's large forces.

"In which month does Jihe River usually melt?" Liu Xinqi asked.

"It's usually after the middle of the first lunar month." Liu Xinbao replied.

"It seems that we have to take the initiative and not let the Jin army cross the Ji River, otherwise it may cause the south bank of the Ji River to rot." Liu Xinqi watched the soldiers boarding the ship in an orderly manner, and was very pleased that the cancellation of vacation did not affect their morale: "We Come on board too.”

Liu Xinqi will follow the Sixth Field Brigade directly to Xinzhen, which is located in the northernmost part of Qingzhou.

The new town is located to the north of the Ji River and does not fall within the scope of the westward attack. However, because the puppet Qi army on the East Road of Hebei did not dare to invade Qingzhou, and the county seat of the new town, Boxing, was occupied by the Xinghan League, Boxing was located on the north side of the Ji River. The land has been gradually penetrated by love in the past few months.

Most of the gentry and wealthy businessmen in New Town were against the Xinghan League, so these people had already fled.

The troop transport ship arrived in New Town on December [-], and the Boxing garrison who received the news had already established a proposed dock here.

Liu Xinqi stood on the coastline and found that there was nothing like the scene of the estuary in later generations, and the coastline was much farther west than in later generations.In later generations, the Yellow River entered the sea from here and alluvialized a large area of ​​land above sea level.

"Hello, leader." Sun Li stood in front of Liu Xinqi and greeted him. "You're not in Zouping, why are you here?" Liu Xinqi was a little surprised to see Sun Li.

As the general person in charge of the northern defense line, Sun Li should organize and build defense fortifications in Zouping now instead of coming here to greet him.

"Zou Ping has two other brigade commanders in charge, and the progress of establishing the defense line has not been delayed." Zouping reported the work first, and then went on to explain his purpose: "I am here to pick you up now because I want to report to you our battle plan. .”

According to the plan of the General Staff Headquarters, the three field brigades led by Sun Li are the reserve army and the last line of defense for this contest with the Jin Army. The four brigades brought by Liu Xinqi from Penglai will take the initiative to attack.

After the battle plan was drawn up yesterday, it was sent to Sun Li via Flying Eagle transmission. I don't know what other battle plans he has.

"The main task of your three brigades is defense. What battle plan do you want?" Liu Xinqi was confused.

"I discussed it with Liu Xinyuan and Liu Xinhui, and we all felt that 'offense is the best defense', so we also made a proactive combat plan, hoping that the alliance leader would approve it." Sun Li took out a paper copy from his pocket The battle plan was handed to Liu Xinqi.

"Do you know that even if a small group of Jin soldiers are allowed to pass through the Jihe defense line and enter the south of Jihe, it will cause serious losses to the Xinghan Alliance?" Liu Xinqi took over the battle plan and asked while reading it.

"I know, so we want to control the battlefield north of Ji River, or even north of Shah River." Sun Li replied.

Shahe River is located to the north of Jihe River, more than 100 miles away, almost parallel to Jihe River, but much smaller than Jihe River.

Liu Xinqi quickly read the battle plan in his hand.

There is nothing new, that is, to send troops into Cangzhou, contact the Jin army in advance, and then fight in the field.The North China Plain has a vast terrain, with few taller hills and hills, and there are "preset battlefields" where tens of thousands of people can fight everywhere.

"Have you ever considered that the main force of the Jin Army is cavalry, while the main force of our Xinghan League is infantry, so we are at a disadvantage in terms of mobility?" Liu Xinqi asked back: "If the Jin Army does not fight us in Cangzhou, but relies on the superiority of the cavalry, Mobility, bypass our attacking troops, then cross the Ji River, wreak havoc on Jingdong East Road, burn, kill and loot, how will we respond then?"

"We also have cavalry that can stop them. Even if they bypass us, we can use our tactics to directly cut off their supply lines." Sun Li replied.

"You haven't heard enough about the battle of 'feeding on the enemy'. If the Jin army's cavalry enters the territory of our Xinghan League, do you need to worry about logistics?" Liu Xinqi retorted: "And we have few cavalry. If the Jin army disperses, , how will we deal with it then?”

Sun Li was silent after hearing this, and after a while he asked unwillingly: "Then we can only passively defend?"

"No, I have only arranged for your three brigades to defend the Jihe defense line. The other four brigades will move north. With you at the back, we also have the confidence and courage to deal with the enemy at the front." Liu Xinqi comforted: "To defend the enemy is to Overseas has always been my operational philosophy."

Sun Li nodded after hearing this and finally relaxed. Although he could not go out to fight in person and make meritorious deeds, it was the greatest kindness to save the people in the Xinghan League from the disaster of weapons.

(End of this chapter)