Jiuxi

Chapter 701 699 [Clumsy Strategy]

February 23, the first year of Dingzheng in the Great Qi Dynasty.

Han Zhongjie, Marquis of Yongyi and Minister of Military Affairs, was in command, with Yuan Xingqin, the marching commander of the Brave Camp, as his deputy, and they led 40,000 soldiers of the Beijing army northward.

Starting from the capital, passing through the southwest of Xinzhou, then entering Daozhou, and heading northwest to Jingzhou Pingyang Prefecture.

In early March, the army arrived at the south bank of the Heng River.

Two floating bridges had been built on the calm river surface, and the soldiers of the Beijing army crossed the river in an orderly manner.

At a place with a wide view on the river bank, Han Zhongjie stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the magnificent and majestic river flowing eastward.

Yuan Xingqin stood at the side and said with emotion: "If it weren't for this natural barrier, the situation in our dynasty would have been much more difficult."

"Who says it's not?"

Han Zhongjie nodded and said, "But we cannot ignore the contributions of Duke Wei and Duke Rong, because they led the border troops to keep the enemy out of the country, and the Hengjiang natural moat was unbreakable. Although Duke Rong and I often had differences and disputes in political views when we were in the capital, I will not underestimate his ability to lead the troops, nor will I deny his great contributions to Da Qi."

These words surprised Yuan Xingqin a little.

He was not qualified to enter the Military Academy to participate in decision-making, but that did not mean that he was completely ignorant of the disputes in the court. In particular, the power struggle between Han Zhongjie and Xiao Wangzhi in the Military Academy had already spread throughout the capital and beyond.

Unexpectedly, after leaving the capital, Han Zhongjie seemed to have become a different person. He was no longer immersed in those intrigues. Instead, he gave such high praise to Xiao Wangzhi and Li Tianrun. At the same time, he became more dignified and calm like a commander of a large army.

In fact, this is not surprising. After all, Han Zhongjie is Han Lingfu's eldest son. He has made contributions to the establishment of the Da Qijing Army. He can be said to have a family background in learning. At least he is not an ignorant and lucky person.

Yuan Xingqin had mixed feelings, feeling both relieved and worried.

The good news is that, as the saying goes, one incompetent general can lead to the death of the entire army. If Han Zhongjie had nothing in his mind, it would be a fantasy for him to achieve victory in the Northern Expedition.

What he was worried about was Li Shizhi's instructions to him: how could a commander who sat firmly in the center of the army and had a clear mind die on the battlefield?

Thinking of this, Yuan Xingqin asked cautiously: "My Lord, how will our army advance in this battle?"

Han Zhongjie turned his head and looked at him, saying with a half-smile, "It seems that Chief Yuan doesn't have much confidence in this battle."

Yuan Xingqin quickly shook his head and said, "How could I be afraid of the enemy and afraid of fighting? It's just..."

"Just because Lu Chen was excluded?"

Han Zhongjie pointed out his thoughts directly, but the military minister showed no resentment on his face.

Yuan Xingqin denied, "I have never thought of this. With the Marquis leading the army, they will definitely not be weaker than the Duke of Shanyang. But I think that the Duke of Shanyang has fought against the Jing army many times, and most of the Dingzhou troops under his command are experienced soldiers. If they help in this battle, it will be easier to win."

"You have a point."

Han Zhongjie smiled lightly and said calmly: "But General Manager Yuan should understand that the Da Qi army cannot rely on just one person."

Yuan Xingqin understood that Han Zhongjie was expressing his trust in him, so he said respectfully, "Yes."

Han Zhongjie looked back at the river and said calmly: "In fact, Lu Chen cannot be excluded. He and the troops of Dingzhou can play a supporting role."

Yuan Xingqin was a little confused.

Han Zhongjie explained: "No matter how the Jinglian people view our decision, if you were Wu Yanshu, would you really believe that Lu Chen had nothing to do with this war? Would you ignore the existence of the Dingzhou armies?"

Yuan Xingqin was slightly startled, then came to his senses.

Just as Han Zhongjie said, even if the emperor made Lu Chen's opposition to the Northern Expedition public, and even if the matter became a hot topic among the people, when the war really broke out, would the generals of the Jing Army dare to ignore the Dingzhou Army on the eastern front who were eyeing them covetously?
After all, Lu Chen had done similar things before. There would be a second time for a surprise attack on Heluo.

Regardless of whether Lu Chen is willing to move or not, Jing Jun must devote some energy to guard against this ferocious tiger.

"When I first heard about the civil unrest in Jing, I realized that this was a great opportunity. It would be best if Lu Chen was willing to lead the troops. Even if he strongly opposed it, it would not weaken our army's advantage. On the contrary, because of his presence and that of the troops in Dingzhou, the enemy we face on the western front will not be too strong."

Han Zhongjie further explained the whole story, making Yuan Xingqin realize that his and the emperor's decision was not something that could be taken for granted.

Yuan Xingqin could not help but say with admiration: "Your Majesty is able to plan and win battles thousands of miles away. I am far inferior to you."

"That's over."

Han Zhongjie waved his hand and said calmly: "Although I have been a soldier for half my life and have been dealing with military books for decades, this is after all my first time commanding a large-scale war with the Jing army. Victory is of course the only goal, but seeking stability is also the only way. Speaking of this, I was just about to discuss the tone of this battle with you."

Yuan Xingqin bowed his head and said, "Please give me your instructions, my Lord."

Han Zhongjie thought for a moment and said slowly: "The biggest advantage of the Jing army is its cavalry. Its ability to maneuver and attack is unparalleled in the world. What we need to be most careful about is that once the battle falls into a disadvantage, facing the large number of Jing army cavalry who are skilled in riding, our army has almost no chance of escaping. As a general, you should consider defeat first and then victory, so I decided to use the most clumsy way in this battle."

Yuan Xingqin understood and said, "My Lord, do you want to advance steadily step by step?"

"Yes."

Han Zhongjie looked up to the north and said, "Your Majesty's goal is to push the Jingzhou border northward by a hundred miles, further shortening the distance with Heluo. Therefore, our army does not seek to annihilate the enemy in this battle, but only to seize territory."

Yuan Xingqin thought about it carefully and agreed with his idea. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise." Han Zhongjie smiled and walked towards the floating bridge.

Yuan Xingqin followed closely, and looking at the neatly-organized soldiers of the Beijing Army in front of him, he suddenly felt full of confidence in this Northern Expedition.

……

In the far north, Heluo City.

Today's Jingchao Nanjing.

Staying in the mansion, Wu Yanshu stood with his hands behind his back next to the giant map.

All the generals of the Jing army gathered together. Unlike the usual lively and high-spirited atmosphere, the atmosphere in the hall was solemn and serious at this moment.

In fact, this situation has been going on for some time.

Ever since the sudden death of the crown prince, all kinds of specious news have continued to circulate in Dadu, causing very bad influence on the people.

These military generals knew that some of the news were not rumors. For example, Changshan Prince Qing Yugong was suspected to be involved in the death of the crown prince and had been imprisoned in the emperor's palace.

This incident caused a certain amount of turmoil within the Jing army. After all, Qing Yugong was a veritable god of the Jing army. If he really murdered the prince, this was a result that most Jinglian warriors could not accept.

Especially for the generals in the hall at the moment, because they are at a higher level, they know Qing Yugong's strength better, and they are well aware of the combat effectiveness of the two elite armies, Xiashan Army and Fangcheng Army, and they can't help but become more worried.

Once the emperor and Qing Yugong completely break up, Dajing will inevitably fall into civil strife, and it is not an exaggeration to say that they will kill each other.

One of the most direct impacts was that the emperor had selected 10,000 elite cavalrymen under Pucha's command and sent them back to Dadu. They were the main cavalry of the Loyal Army, and the reason why the emperor did this was self-evident.

Wu Yanshu retracted his gaze, turned around and looked at the generals in the hall, and said calmly: "Let me tell you something. According to the report from our spies in Jiangnan, Southern Qi is preparing to invade."

If it were in the past, even after the defeat at Yongqiu, the generals of the Jing army would not have panicked. They still firmly believed that the defeat at Yongqiu was just an accident and that they were fully capable of dealing a heavy blow to the Qi army.

However, times have changed and internal problems have arisen one after another. As the Qi army marched northward at this time, everyone felt a little uneasy.

When an army is fighting on the front line, the thing it fears most is problems arising in the rear, which can have an immeasurable impact on military morale.

Wu Yanshu seemed unaware of the thoughts of his generals, and spoke to himself: "Speaking of which, our army is indeed in a difficult situation. Southern Qi now has two battle-hardened armies in Dingzhou and Jingzhou, which are like two hard fists clamping down on our Nanjing Road. Liu Shouguang is a veteran, and Lu Chen is a rising star who has won every battle. Their soldiers are as brave as ours. Not only are you worried, but even I, the commander-in-chief, am a little afraid."

These words made all the generals blush.

When have they ever been so cowardly?
For decades, only the Jing army had forced the enemy to surrender with its strong posture, and had never shown any fear before fighting.

Immediately, a general shouted, "Stay here. If the Qi army dares to invade, I will lead the troops to defeat the enemy!"

Wu Yanshu asked meaningfully: "Aren't you afraid of losing the battle?"

The man stiffened his neck and said, "Even if I die on the battlefield, I will never be afraid of the kid from Southern Qi!"

With such a reckless person taking the lead, the others started to make a fuss.

Wu Yanshu raised his hand and said with a smile: "I believe you are not afraid of the enemy, and I also know what you are really worried about."

These words made the generals feel sad.

Wu Yanshu continued, "In fact, I am just like you. I am worried about the situation in Dadu. But on second thought, since your majesty ascended the throne, you have governed the country and resisted foreign aggression, annexed Zhao and Yan, and let the flag of Dajing fly over the vast territory, which is enough to prove your majesty's great talent and wisdom. With such a wise ruler, why should we worry about it? I believe that your majesty can solve all the problems, and I believe that Dadu is still the most stable rear base for our army. Do you believe it?"

Regardless of whether they sincerely thought so or were inspired by his words, all the generals said in unison: "I firmly believe it!"

"very good."

Wu Yanshu nodded slightly, and then said: "This is why I summoned you today. I hope everyone remembers one thing, as soldiers, we only need to focus on the battlefield, and other things have nothing to do with us. Specifically speaking of the current situation, that is, we must recognize the reality and be prepared to tear apart any enemy who dares to provoke our army!"

"Yes!"

Everyone shouted in unison.

Wu Yanshu's eyes were bright and his face was full of satisfaction.

After the generals left, Pucha stayed.

At this time, Wu Yanshu had already taken his seat, but he looked solemn and said slowly, "What do you think Lu Chen of Southern Qi is planning right now?"

Pu Cha didn't know how to answer, and after a while he said, "Are you worried that the intelligence is wrong?"

"This time, His Majesty decided to lure the enemy deep into our territory. Lu Chen seemed to have only seen the first layer, and thus fell into conflict with the Emperor of Southern Qi. But I always feel that things are not that simple. Judging from his past performance, he has never been a person who keeps to himself."

Wu Yanshu heaved a long sigh and said softly, "It would be great if this person died suddenly."

(End of this chapter)