Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 524 Bloody Xiangxi, Empty City Strategy~
The two looked at each other for a moment and laughed.

The atmosphere has eased a little~
Lu Tingsheng said:
"The Han people in Guangxi have long been dissatisfied with the Tartars."

"Even if one day you and I meet with swords, it will be a fight between brothers."

After all,

He clapped his hands.

Someone brought some exquisite side dishes and a jar of good wine.

……

The wine table is suitable for chatting about trivial matters.

Lu Tingsheng is warm and thoughtful.

Fu Cong accepted everyone who came and ate and drank to his heart's content.

"Brother Fu, what is your position in the Wu court?"

"I served in the 4th Regiment and was promoted to warrant officer due to my meritorious service. I was demoted to non-commissioned officer for assaulting a colleague."

"I see that Brother Fu is neither humble nor arrogant, and seems to have seen the world?"

"Two years ago, I visited Ma Zhongyi, the governor of Jiangxi and the general of Nangan Town. He was the most senior official I had ever met~"

"and after?"

"he died."

Lu Tingsheng held the wine glass and his smile froze.

……

Fu Cong grabbed the jar of wine and drank by himself.

Very casually said:
"Our army is stationed in Guangdong and Hunan, and is surrounding Guangxi from both sides. Whether Lord Lu surrenders or not is actually within the expectations of the important officials in the court."

"how do I say this?"

"Lord Fan Jingfan, who was in charge of persuading the surrender, advocated peace without bloodshed. Another minister advocated no peace talks at all and to push forward steadily, preferring to spend more time and have more people die."

Lu Tingsheng's face gradually turned gloomy.

Asked rhetorically:
"Do the people of Jiangdong think there are no heroes in the world?"

"Before the war, they were all very tough. Lord Lu, what do you think?"

"The world is so big, and the Emperor Wu only occupied Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Hunan, and Hubei. He only took one-sixth of the world? Why is he so harsh to me?"

……

Fu Cong slurped the noodles while mumbling:

"Correction, Your Excellency, you are too kind. We did not occupy all of Jiangsu and Anhui. The area north of the Yangtze River is basically still in the hands of the Tartars."

Lu Tingsheng was speechless~
For a moment, I didn't know how to treat this piece of meat.

"But if we really want to take over Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Guangxi, and Fujian, it will only take one or two years. If His Majesty gives the order, it is not impossible for him to spend the New Year in the Forbidden City this winter."

The tone was so heroic that Lu Tingsheng actually trembled.

For a long time,

Sit down and ask sincerely:
"At least give them a hereditary title? And those powerful people who follow me, all of them have militias and armed forces. Regardless of their rank, civil or military, they should at least be given a black hat, right?"

……

Fu Cong put down his chopsticks and said nothing.

Sighed faintly~
His face was difficult:

"I also think that the requests you made are reasonable, sir, but the people above don't agree."

Lu Tingsheng jumped up for the second time:
"You mean, I gave a huge province to Emperor Wu, but got nothing in return? And we have to go back to cut sugar cane?"

"Not really. It's just that I can't grant you an official position, but your majesty has solemnly promised that he will not be stingy with money and rewards. We can talk about it."

bang~
Lu Tingsheng overturned the table.

"It's too much to bully others, it's too much to bully others."

"Someone is coming."

"Take this scoundrel out of here and escort him out of the country with courtesy."

Lu Tingsheng came from the Lifanyuan and was familiar with diplomacy.

If he killed Fu Cong today, Fan Jing, who was in charge of persuading him to surrender, would have to return to Suzhou with his tail between his legs. Then, the pro-war faction would come on stage and talk to him in a different way.

Both jade and stone will be destroyed.

……

"Sir, what should I do?"

"We must prepare for war. If we don't fight a battle to demonstrate our strength, we will always be trampled underfoot. This is not only for us, but also for the entire Guangxi."

Lu Tingsheng's face was gloomy.

Wu Ting's brutality was beyond his expectations.

How could there be such a powerful emperor in the world? What exactly does he want to do?
All night long,
Lu Tingsheng didn't understand why Li Yu was holding on to such a large pile of official hats and was unwilling to share them with everyone?

Place a private person?

When a new dynasty was conquering the world, there were simply not enough officials from all over the country. Every dynasty would rely on the influence of old officials from the previous dynasty to rule the occupied areas.

Too arrogant?

possible.

War madman?

Hard to say.

In short, no matter how hard he thought, he could not imagine that Emperor Wu was afraid of being forced by his subordinates to become the emperor of a feudal agricultural country, so he was determined not to speak up.

You have the emperor's job, but you are still picky.

Sin ah.

……

At dawn the next day, Lu Tingsheng ordered people to gather the leaders of the standing armed forces from all over the country, preparing to find a place to fight Wu Ting and use war to promote peace.

By coincidence,

Wu Ting thought so too.

When the news reached Hengyang, Fan Jing was not surprised at all.

Although he felt that the bottom line set by His Majesty before leaving was too harsh, there was nothing he could do.

If they want to persuade Guangxi to surrender, they will most likely use war to promote peace, and then offer some sweet treats later.

but,

Lin Huaisheng has already launched an attack on Xiangxi.

There was no room for negotiation between Wu Ting and the local armed forces in western Hunan. They had to fight, and fight hard, until the military flags were hoisted over Fenghuang City and Mayang City.

……

Changde Prefecture, Taoyuan County, Gaodu Town.

The Yuan River flows outside the town.

Dozens of military officers held a meeting in the town’s patrol compound.

Huge hand-painted maps hang on the walls.

A captain used his sword as a baton and said firmly:
"In this attack on Xiangxi, the army must go upstream along the Yuan River. There will be no tricks or military tactics in this battle, only head-on confrontation."

"For our emperor, we will conquer Xiangxi."

"Wan Sheng."

The officers shouted.

Subsequently,

Everyone was given a simple map prepared in advance by the staff, on which the prefectures and counties, mountains, rivers, official roads, and cities were clearly visible.

……

Following the Huguang Campaign last autumn, Wu Ting made some adjustments to the troops involved in the war.

All the injured and sick were withdrawn for rest.

Some battalions and regiments that suffered high casualties were withdrawn as a whole.

After receiving the captured war horses, the Light Cavalry Corps rested in the Jianghan Plain.

Therefore,
In today's Hunan, various corps are mixed together, including the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th Corps.

There is also a navy.

The Army Department and the General Staff Headquarters jointly submitted a letter stating that when the time is ripe, the existing troops need to be reorganized and the existing defense zones need to be redivided.

too messy.

……

Thanks to Your Majesty's grace, the 4 officers involved in the 38th Corps who were pardoned and reinstated will be the first to bear the brunt of the attack. They will serve as commanders of the first batch of offensive forces and enter Xiangxi.

Second Lieutenant Gu Yidao walked out of the house holding his trousers.

I looked at the sky with despair~
inside the house,

The crying woman is his fiancée.

Out of fear of an unknown fate, he wrote a suicide note and asked his family to send his fiancée and maidservant as a dowry.
……

"Lieutenant, the 6st Infantry Company of the 1th Corps has assembled. Please give instructions."

Gu Yidao fastened his discipline button, put on his military cap, and took a deep breath.

When I walked outside, I met the company of new recruits that I would have to rely on.

shouted loudly:

"Brothers, if you want to make achievements, you must first stay alive. Xiangxi is mountainous, and there are caves in the mountains, and there are bandits in the caves. After entering the mountains, my orders are the law, and you must not act without permission."

"have you understood?"

"clear."

……

The first to be hit was Yuanling County, the seat of Chenzhou Prefecture.

Wu's army was divided into two groups. One was the regular group, which went up the Yuan River. The other was the surprise group, which launched an attack from Shaping Town. Each group was equipped with three infantry companies.

After marching for half a day, everyone gradually realized the uniqueness of Xiangxi's geography.

The mountains are endless and the vegetation is lush everywhere.

It was very humid and foggy.

There are many streams and rivers.

Gu Yidao's company was located in the middle, with an infantry company 1 mile in front and behind.

1 mile away, the sound of gunfire could be faintly heard.

It is convenient to provide timely support without falling into an ambush at the same time.

……

The first day, everything was peaceful.

The recruits felt that the commander was too sensitive and neurotic.

When camping, we sat around the campfire on the river bank and ate and drank.

Some people hunted some wild animals, and some people set up nets to catch some fresh fish from the river.

The vanguard successfully arrived at Yuanling County and found an empty city.

The city gates were wide open and the city was in a mess.

The soldiers cheered as they rushed into the city and planted their flags on the battlements, feeling that this military achievement had come too easily.

at night,

The two forces joined together and everything was safe.

The only casualties were 7 people who fell and broke bones during the march, 2 people who accidentally fell into the water and got a fever, and another person who had a stomach upset.

……

In sharp contrast to the soldiers, who were in a relaxed mood and high morale, were the officers.

A group of military officers gathered at the county government office for a meeting.

"Old Gu, I feel something is wrong."

"Old Lu, you are right. There is definitely something fishy going on here."

"According to intelligence, the Zhaozhuang Wenbu stationed in Yuanling is not actually under the control of Hunan Governor Zeng Di. Zeng and Zhao are two different groups of people."

"In short, they are all our enemies."

"Everyone, please be extra careful tomorrow."

after eating,

The officers were busy checking their sentries.

The city gates were closed and patrols were deployed.

The officers were worried about the people in the city, so they temporarily issued a curfew, and the patrols would shoot anyone who appeared on the streets.

Anyway,

The recruits were astonished by the neuroticism of the officers of the 4th Army.

……

Nothing happened all night~
The next morning, one infantry company was left to garrison Yuanling, while the rest continued their march.

Target—Luxi County.

Along the way, there were still no dangers.

Due to terrain restrictions, the marching troops were forced to form a long snake shape.

On the left is the Yuan River, and on the right are mountains with a height difference of hundreds of meters.

Warrant Officer Zhu, the commander of the vanguard platoon, had beads of sweat on his forehead. Every time he looked up at the dense forest shrouded in fog, he felt a strong sense of murderous intent.

The river bank is narrow,

If the enemy's ambush suddenly rushes out, they will cut off the front and rear of the team and engage in hand-to-hand combat.

It is very likely that our army will be wiped out.

……

However, none of this happened as imagined.

Luxi County is still an empty city, desolate and quiet.

This caused the officers, who had been under high mental stress for a long time, to explode instantly.

Warrant Officer Zhu pointed at the surrounding mountains and shouted:
"I'm damn sure there are ambushes here. They've been spying on us. They have big plans, big plans."

The officers looked solemn and nodded one after another.

The soldiers passing by thought that these officers were suffering from collective hysteria.

Luxi City is still empty.

Except for thousands of civilians standing on the streets, watching the army enter the city numbly and indifferently.

……

Gu Yidao suggested:

"We will stay in Luxi temporarily and send someone back to inform the logistics fleet that they can set off."

According to the prior agreement,

Taoyuan County will organize a logistics fleet and escort infantry to advance both by land and sea.

The staff believed that the key to attacking Xiangxi was to capture cities, towns and valley entrances along the river one by one.

If everything is under control, it would be like breaking the backbone of Xiangxi, and the remaining soldiers hiding in the mountains would not be able to cause any major waves.

Guerrilla warfare is not so easy to persist in.

Where do the salaries, food, medicines, cloth, and ammunition come from?

Supplies are key.

Without pay or food, the guerrilla forces wandered in the mountains for a long time, and their morale gradually collapsed.

The army disintegrated and became bandits.

Guerrilla forces that can persist in fighting despite being in adversity and lacking supplies are rare. If the Xiangxi armed forces can do it, it would not be unfair for Wu's army to lose.

……

Phoenix Ancient City.

The fat Phoenix chief is making a pre-war mobilization.

"My sons, the Han army that attacked Xiangxi is the same people who killed your fathers and brothers."

"Kill them all, and hang their heads all over the woods."

The incited men in blue brandished their weapons and vowed revenge.

Zeng Di stood aside, twirling his rat whiskers, his triangular eyes filled with hostility.

"Old Nine, has the spy returned?"

"I'm back. Just as Zhao's intelligence said, Wu's army has entered Luxi County."

"What kind of person is this Zhao?"

"No matter what his status is, at least Zhao Zhuangwen is from Xiangxi."

"Well, that makes sense."

Today, in western Hunan, all tribes and towns have responded to Zeng Di’s call.

Repel the Wu army and go down the mountain to loot.

From now on, he will have the final say in his own territory, and the Fenghuang chieftain will restore the glory of the Peng chieftains.

……

Wuxi Town.

The Yuan River makes a big turn in this section.

Wu Jun's logistics fleet has just arrived here and is slowly moving upstream.

The trackers shouted work songs, and the ropes on their shoulders were tight.

On one side is the icy Yuan River, and on the other side are foggy mountains.

The area along the river where people can walk is very narrow.

The two infantry companies in charge of the escort barely made room for the trackers, looking very embarrassed.

suddenly,

There was a huge noise coming from the mountains on one side.

Dozens of rocks rolled down with rumbling sound, with amazing potential energy, the big ones weighing hundreds of pounds, and the small ones weighing dozens of pounds.

The team was disrupted in an instant.

Many people who fell into the water were struggling on the river, and the river beach was scarlet.

Chaotic gunshots rang out~
The officers were anxious. They looked at the top of the mountain and back at the out-of-control fleet.

Several boats lost control and drifted down the river.

"Formation, formation."

……

In the dense forest, Zhao Zhuangwen smiled.

This was his first time to put guerrilla warfare theory into practice, and he was quite excited.

Dozens of men armed with bows and arrows squatted in the dense forest, looking down from above.

Arrows and rocks fell from the sky and hit the Wu army.

The slingshot looks primitive, but it can hurl pebbles weighing three taels dozens of feet away, killing anyone hit on the spot.

After all, the recruits had never experienced the bloody and messy battlefield.

A very small number of veteran soldiers performed slightly better. They retreated quickly, away from the woods and the new recruits, and lined up with their backs to the river.

……

A large number of men armed with short spears and Miao swords rushed out of the mist.

Close combat!

The recruits ignored the officers' orders and fired indiscriminately.

Subsequently,

The formation was pierced by short spears thrown by the opposite side.

Several lean men wielding Miao Daos of astonishing length rushed into the army formation and fought unrivaled.

Wherever the knife flashed, blood splattered.

The army collapsed~
Some recruits even threw away their weapons and jumped into the Yuan River.

The water of the Yuan River is freezing cold during this season and most people who fall into the water will not survive.

……

The veterans were relatively calm. When faced with the enemy charging at them, they shot without firing randomly or missing everything at once.

Instead, they took turns firing at the orders of the officers to cover the reloading.

The area 20 feet in front of the battle line was filled with enemy corpses.

Occasionally someone would break into the position, but would be quickly stabbed to death with a bayonet.

The white smoke rising from the muzzle of the gun intertwined with the fog in the mountains and forests.

The army formation stood still.

……

The horn sounded~
The attackers quickly disappeared into the dense forest.

Zhao Zhuangwen watched through a tree branch as his side went from an advantage to a disadvantage, and exclaimed in admiration:

"They have excellent firearms, strict military discipline, and tacit cooperation. I wonder how Emperor Wu trained such a fierce army."

"I am not as good as him, far from it."

The people around looked at each other in bewilderment, and they always felt that Mr. Zhao was complicated.
Zhao Zhuangwen didn't care.
Xiaoxiao:

"Return to camp and send more scouts to watch along the road."

(End of this chapter)