Winter had arrived, and the mountain ridges were filled with a suffocating humidity.
The Sword Garret had changed its flag, and the Jin military camps stretched as far as the eye could see in the mountain ridges to the southeast of Sword Garret.
Flags of various colors were mixed together, but the most common was a triangular flag with a gold-rimmed red sun. The rest were flags of the pure Jurchen army, such as five-colored iron towers and black dragon patterns.
In addition, the Xi people, the Liao people, and the Han people of Liaodong all had different flags. Some had totem symbols such as sea cyan, wolf, and crow, and they surrounded and guarded the huge flags. Every flag symbolized the name of a hero who had once shocked the world.
Among them, the 20,000 Jurchen Yan Mountain Guards under the command of the God of War, Wanyan Loushi, and the 10,000 troops under the direct command of Ci Buxiu were retained. In the past few years, under Zong Han's command, the flags of the two armies were dyed white, and they trained endlessly. They regarded this southern expedition as a campaign to wipe out their shame, and the one directly commanding them was the Great King of Baoshan, Wanyan Xibao.
The Chinese army and the Jurchen were enemies, and the Jurchen side also regarded the sacrifice of Loushi and Ci Buxiu as a great humiliation. Along the southern expedition, this army had been waiting to collect the blood debt from the Chinese army for the death of their commanding general.
In the central tent, after several days of preparations, the most important civil and military officials of the Western Army in this southern expedition had gathered.
Apart from Xi Yin and Yin Shuke, who were still in charge of the eastern front, the Jurchen generals gathered here were led by Wanyan Zong Han, followed by Ba Lisu, Wanyan Safa, the Great King of Pearl, Wanyan Shema, the Great King of Baoshan, Gao Qingyi, Lao Lili, Dalai, Yu Yu … Most of them were old generals who had participated in the southern expedition once or twice. In addition, Han Qixian, who was highly valued by Zong Han, was in charge of the logistics and supplies.
In addition, many generals from the Wu dynasty who had surrendered to the Jurchen along the way, such as Li Huan, Guo Turan, Hou Ji, and so on, were summoned to attend the meeting.
A huge map with the situation from Jiange to Chengdu was hung up, and Gao Qingyi, who was well-versed in both literature and martial arts, was responsible for explaining. Compared to the meticulous Han minister Han Qixian, Gao Qingyi's personality was more valiant and unyielding. He was the most capable of suppressing a foreign minister under Zong Han. In this southern expedition plan, Zong Han and Xi Yin initially planned to leave him to guard Yun Zhong, but in the end, they still brought him along to lead the thirty thousand Bohai Sea elite troops in this southern expedition.
"The Sword Garret has arrived. The war is imminent!"
Gao Qingyi, who was dressed in soft armor, walked to the front of the crowd. His eyebrows were extremely thick. He used to be a minister of the Liao Dynasty and was later placed in an important position under Zong Han. During peacetime, he was good at civil affairs and during times of war, he could lead troops and charge into battle. He was a rare talent. The deepest impression everyone had of him was his eyes that were always drooping. At first glance, he looked lifeless, but when he opened his eyes, there was a murderous aura. Once he made a move, he was decisive, swift, and extremely difficult to deal with.
"In the past few days, everyone has already made preparations to fight against the so-called Hua Xia army. Today, the commander has gathered everyone to tell you that this battle is right before your eyes. Now that you've passed through the Sword Pavilion, please abide by the military law. If you dare to overstep your boundaries, the military law will show no mercy. This is the precondition for this war. "
Gao Qingyi's eyes swept across the rear of the camp. He did not overly emphasize his words. Then, he picked up a wooden pole and looked at the map at the rear.
"In front of us is the Hua Xia Fifth Army, which is guarding the southwest with a black flag. There are a total of 60,000 of them, and they have already pressed forward to the front line of Zizhou, Huangming County, and Rainwater Creek. The area of 40 kilometers from Huangming and Rainwater Creek to Zizhou is the most crucial part of this southern expedition. "
He drew a circle with the wooden pole. The total distance from the Sword Pavilion to Zizhou was 50 kilometers. There were two main roads, and Huangming County and Rainwater Creek were close to the dividing point of these two roads. The Hua Xia army had pressed the frontline here. Obviously, they did not intend to fight a defensive battle in Zizhou.
For the veteran generals who had been on the battlefield for many years, it was difficult for them to understand the difference in military strength and the strategy adopted by the other side. The Jurchen Western Army originally had 300,000 soldiers. Along the way, there were casualties and detachments, so the main force that reached Sword Pavilion was only about 200,000. However, along the way, they had incorporated several Wu dynasty troops and captured two to three hundred thousand Han civilians near Sword Pavilion as cannon fodder. If they had advanced as a whole, they could have been called an army of a million in ancient times.
But the Hua Xia army on the other side only had about 60,000 soldiers.
Defending the city to the death was not enough, let alone pushing the frontline to the halfway point. Even if there were many dangerous mountain ridges between Sword Pavilion and Zizhou, how could they compare to a city wall in defense?
But facing the Hua Xia army before the "final battle", the Jurchen generals did not blindly overestimate themselves. At least in this meeting, Gao Qingyi did not intend to make any comments. He had someone hang a banner with a list of names next to the map.
"In the Black Flag Army, the Hua Xia Fifth Army is the main force under Ning Yi. Their army is called differently from the Wu dynasty and our Great Jin Dynasty. Below the army is a division, followed by a brigade, then a regiment … The general in charge of the Fifth Army is He Zhicheng, from Ninghua in the east of the river. He was a general in the Wu Rui Battalion under Qin Shaoqian in the Jinghan era and later rebelled with Ning Yi. In the battle of Little Canghe, he was the deputy commander of the Hua Xia army and was the last to retreat to the south with Ning Yi. Looking at how he deploys his troops, he follows the prescribed order and there is nothing special about him. However, you must not be careless. He is Ning Yi's most convenient chess piece. If you face him, you will face Ning Yi. "
"The commander of the First Division of the Fifth Army, Han Jing, used to be the leader of the Green Wood Stronghold in Luliang Mountain. Now he is the leader of the Luliang Mountain faction in the Hua Xia army. As far as we know, this is the place where Ning Yi first trained his troops. In the first battle of Bianliang, he led 2,000 Green Wood Cavalrymen to the south and attacked Mou Tuogang … This person is agile and flexible with his tactics. He has a good sense of the overall situation and is very difficult to deal with. Once the battle starts, it is very likely that this person will be arranged as a reserve team to provide support. "
"… The commander of the Second Division of the Fifth Army, Pang Liu 'an, used to be the general of the Wu Rui Battalion. He is a direct descendant of Qin Shaoqian's rebellion. Looking at this person's tactics, he is steady and good at defense, but not good at attacking. He is good at fighting head-on, but we must not underestimate the enemy. According to previous intelligence, the Second Division has the most iron cannons. If we really fight head-on with him, I am afraid that no one will be able to rush in front of him … To deal with this person, we need a surprise attack."
"The commander of the Third Division, Liu Chengzong, brought people to Xuzhou last year and moved to the Liangshan area in September this year. This is a problem for the Prince of Lu (Wanyan Chang). Among the generals under Qin Shaoqian of the Wu Rui Battalion, only this person has the talent to be a commander. If it was here, perhaps he would be the most difficult group to deal with, but now, there is no need to care about him. "
"The commander of the Fourth Division, Qu Zhengyan, joined the Black Flag Army after the rebellion. He was a direct descendant promoted by Ning Yi. After Wu Jingping, he joined the Black Flag Army and started from the lowest soldier. During the several years of war between the northwest and Little Cang River, he quickly rose."
"… Today, most of the generals in the Hua Xia Army are meritorious officials who followed Ning Yi in the uprising. Among the generals of the Wu Rui Battalion, He Zhicheng, Li Yi, Pang Liu 'an, and Liu Chengzong were all in high positions. If we were to say that they were extraordinary talents, then the Wu Rui Battalion did not have any bright spots under them. Later on, Qin Shaoqian relied on his father's background and focused on training. During the battle of Xia Village, Ning Yi used all his means to stir up some of their ambitions. Now, these people can have the corresponding status and ability, it can be said that Ning Yi and the others knew how to use people well and slowly brought them out. But this Qu Zhengyan is not the same … "
"After joining the Black Flag Army, this person first stood out in the war against Western Xia. But at that time, he only made a contribution and became a squad leader of the Black Flag Army, which was a ten-man squad leader. It was only until the end of the three-year war at the Little Cang River that he gradually entered the public's view. In that three-year war, he was active in Lu Liang, the northwest, and other places. He received orders several times in the face of danger. Later on, he took in a large number of Han soldiers from the Central Plains. By the end of the three-year war, this person led close to ten thousand troops, seventy percent of which were hastily taken in from the Central Plains. But under his command, they were able to achieve some results. "
Gao Qingyi looked around and paused for a while. "That year, Marshal Ci Bushu led the army to attack the northwest and took over Yanzhou. Ning Yi led the army to quickly outflank him. General Dalai led more than ten thousand troops nearby and wanted to attack Ning Yi with Ci Bushu. In the end, they were stopped by a Hua Xia army. Although this army was not strong, they kept intercepting and harassing them. In the end, they stalled General Dalai for a day and a night. This caused Ning Yi to break into the city through a secret tunnel and Marshal Ci Bushu died in Yanzhou."
"At that time, that army was a group of brave soldiers from the Central Plains that Qu Zhengyan gathered in a hurry. Among them, there were less than two thousand Hua Xia soldiers who had undergone training … Later on, under the leadership of the Goddess of Grains, we finally found out about this."
As soon as he said this, everyone in the room could not help but be moved. Dalai clenched his fists with determination in his eyes, but he did not say anything. At that time, in order to avenge Lou Shi, Ci Bushu led the army to the northwest. He was one of the deputy generals. When they reached the Little Cang River, Ci Bushu was killed. The northwest was really a bloodbath. Both sides fought back and forth and would not stop until one side was dead.
At that time, the Hua Xia army was already in a killing frenzy. Their numbers decreased day by day, but their morale was actually higher than before. Faced with the continuous attacks of the Jurchens and the continuous reinforcements from the Central Plains, the Hua Xia army continued to fight back. It was really with a sense of despair that they wanted to drag the whole world down with them.
In the face of such a lunatic, any rational person would inevitably feel afraid. The millions of Han soldiers from the Central Plains were scared out of their wits in the end. After Ci Bushu's death, Dalai was ordered to lead the Jurchens to deal with the Hua Xia army. At that time, he was also thinking about how to not be dragged down by these fellows and perish together with them.
Of course, it was only later that they found out that during the latter half of the battle at the Little Cang River, Ning Yi was already making arrangements to move to the south. He planted spies among the millions of Han soldiers and started a war of public opinion. He spread the atmosphere that the Hua Xia army had already gone all out to drag the people down with them. Secretly, he took advantage of the momentum of killing Ci Bushu to shift his forces. Dalai and the others were confused by the fierce attacks at the frontline and finally failed to stop the Hua Xia army from escaping to the south.
After that, although he, Yin Shuke, and the others led the troops to massacre the entire northwest land to vent their anger, the whole thing was still the most unforgettable humiliation in his life.
Dalai had already privately requested to fight against the Hua Xia army and Qu Zhengyan. Naturally, he did not say much at this time. Everyone whispered a few words to each other before Gao Qingyi continued.
"… This Qu Zhengyan is seen as Ning Yi's disciple in the Hua Xia army. He has attended Ning Yi's lessons before, but the fact that he is able to achieve this on the battlefield is due to his own talent. This person's martial strength is not strong, but when it comes to commanding troops, he has a profound understanding of 'the more the better'. He should not be underestimated and may even be the most difficult general to deal with in the southwest Hua Xia army. "
"… In addition, the Fourth Division of the Hua Xia Fifth Army is rumored to be called the Special Operations Division. The chief of staff, Chen Tian, who advises Qu Zhengyan and executes military affairs, is Ning Yi's disciple. Every time Ning Yi has a strange idea, he will test it out in the Fourth Division. In the upcoming battle against Qu Zhengyan, all kinds of tactics may appear, so everyone must not let their guard down."
"… The commander of the Fifth Division of the Hua Xia Fifth Army is Yu Zhongdao. He is from the northwest and was born in the Zhong family's West Army. This person did not stand out in the Western Army, and after joining the Huaxia Army, he did not have any outstanding achievements. However, he managed the military affairs in an orderly manner, and Ning Yi was also able to command the Fifth Division with ease. When the Hua Xia army left Liang Mountain and faced the battle of Mount Lu Qiaoshan, the main attackers were the Hua Xia Third Division and the Fifth Division. With 100,000 Wu dynasty troops, it was not a problem for them. If we underestimate the enemy, we may not have a good time in the future. "
"In addition, there is news from the west that the 20,000 elites from the Dayang tribe that Ning Yi had placed at the border between Tubo and Dali have already left for the east. These 20,000 people participated in the battle of Little Canghe, and most of them were the last elite troops to retreat. The Goddess of Grains has sent an envoy to try to incite Guo Yaoshi, who is hiding in Tubo, to attack Dayang … But Guo Yaoshi's expression changed and he did not dare to make a move … "
Gao Qingyi described the participants of the battle and the current top management of the Hua Xia army. This was just the beginning. The Lady Zhenren may have had a lot of discussions about this, but the generals of the Wu dynasty who had surrendered were all speechless.
Their understanding of many things in the Huaxia military was not as detailed as Gao Qingyi's. From these pieces of information, it could be imagined that the Female Enlightened Master's preparations for this war had probably started several years ago in all aspects.
For the past ten years, although there were often people in the Wu dynasty who criticized the Jin Kingdom and said that they would quickly walk down the path of suffering and death in peace, this expedition to the south proved that their power did not decline too much. And from the attention of the generals like Zong Han and Gao Qingyi, they could gradually see the outline and face of the black flag on the opposite side …
*****
After the battle meeting in the morning, the Second Division of the Fifth Army was about to set off from Zizhou.
At noon, tens of thousands of Hua Xia soldiers gathered in a long canteen at the side of the military camp. The officers and soldiers were all discussing what might happen in this battle.
On the other side of the canteen, Ning Yi and many senior officers were also sitting there for lunch. The chief of staff Li Yi, the commander of the Second Division Pang Liu 'an, the commander of the First Division Han Jing, and Qu Zhengyan of the Fourth Division were all gathered here. In addition, there were also some brigades and regimental commanders of the Second Division. The people gathered to discuss the battle did not avoid the surrounding soldiers.
"This battle is actually not easy to fight …"
"It has been so many years, and I have never seen an easy battle."
"Since the death of Wanyan Aguda, most of the founding heroes of the Jin Kingdom who are still alive are here … Well, only Wu Qimai, Xi Yin, and Yin Shuke are missing …"
"The main force has 200,000 soldiers, and the surrendered Han army can easily gather 200,000 to 300,000 soldiers. 500,000 soldiers … Aren't they afraid of being squeezed to death on the road?"
"They have also captured hundreds of thousands of civilians. Together, they can be counted as the Protectors of the Infantry. Haha."
"It's okay to be optimistic, but don't underestimate the enemy … Ba Lisu, Saba, Yu Yu, Lao Lili, Gao Qingyi, Zong Han and his family … They're all veteran generals who attacked Bianliang ten years ago. They've killed countless people, and your soldiers can't compare to them. Those who used to laugh at them are now bearing fruit on their graves. "
"I didn't underestimate the enemy. My hands are sweating now. Look, but we all know that there is no way out … They may not win with 500,000 soldiers."
"No, who would plant trees on their graves …"
"… You have to think of it this way. We fought at Little Canghe for three years, and then retreated here for five or six years. The Central Plains has fallen, and it is time for us to show off. Otherwise, people will say that the Hua Xia Army is lucky. They rebelled and ran to the northwest. They couldn't defeat Little Canghe, so they ran to the southwest. Later, they fought at Mount Lu Qiaoshan. Many people think that it doesn't count … This time, the opportunity has come. "
"In theory, there is a great disparity in military strength, so defending the city is safer …"
"There is no other way … 50,000 to 60,000 soldiers and Mister Ning are guarding Zizhou, so they can't take it down. But if I were Zong Han, I would surround Zizhou with my elite soldiers and send the Wu dynasty army to the back of Zizhou to burn, kill, and loot. Behind Zizhou is a flat plain, and we can only watch. That is death. Fighting with fewer soldiers is nothing more than using the terrain to muddy the waters. Maybe we can catch some fish in the future … For example, we can catch the fish of Zong Han's two sons, hehehehe … "
"Sigh … You Fourth Army people are full of evil tricks. This is a good idea …"
"This is called attacking the enemy that must be saved. Secret, secret … hehehehe …"
"Understood, understood … hehehehehe …"
Among the high-ranking officers of the Hua Xia Army, the basic idea of this war had been unified. They were chatting at the dinner table. Of course, it wasn't really a secret. It was just that everyone was nervous before the war, and the officers of different armies were casually teasing each other.
Ning Yi didn't stop these kinds of things. Occasionally, he would join in and say some bad things. Looking at the regiment commanders and staff officers at the next table talking nonsense, he, Han Jing, Qu Zhengyan, and the others were also teasing each other.
It wasn't realistic to defend Zizhou to the death when the Female Zhenren attacked. They could only advance from Zizhou and make use of the rugged mountainous terrain. The Second Division led by Pang Liu 'an was the main force of the attack. They broke camp in the afternoon. After the Second Division broke camp, they were followed by a pack of more than 5,000 people. This was originally the full set of horses of the Hua Xia Army's Commerce Department. Now, it was under Han Jing's command.
Although there was the Chengdu Plain in the southwest, there were rugged mountain roads outside the Chengdu Plain. Traveling such roads required Yunnan horses with short legs. Although they weren't easy to use on the battlefield, they had outstanding endurance and were suitable for treacherous mountain roads. On the battlefield from Zizhou to Jiange, if there was an urgent need for rescue, this team of horses would provide the best transport capacity.
In the Hua Xia Army, Han Jing was quick-witted and had also commanded horse teams before. He was suitable to be the rescue team in the middle. However, in the past few days, the commander of the Fourth Division, Qu Zhengyan, had been pestering him. He pestered him for 300 horses and then asked for another 200 horses. Every day, he would pester Han Jing and say, "I have an idea that might be useful in the future. Brother Han, please consider helping me …"
Towards Qu Zhengyan, this "little old man" who always frowned and thought about things seriously, sometimes Han Jing was willing to help. Other times, he would break down. "What kind of joke is this? For your plan that needs to be in place at the right time, place, and people, I want to give the order to the company level. Go away, go away, let the people below focus on the battle!"
"No need, no need, Division Commander Han. I only chose a few points on the side that you are guarding. The Female Zhenren is very likely to be fooled. You just need to inform the few cadres that you have arranged in advance. I have a way to send a signal. You can take a look at our plan …"
"Look at you, it's too complicated. I can't understand it."
"No, no, Division Commander Han is flexible in using troops. Just … just cooperate."
"I used to be a bandit! I don't understand the scheming of you scholars! Don't praise me! "
"… Then give me two hundred horses."
"… I …" Han Jing was furious. "Give your balls!"
This kind of thing happened occasionally. Han Jing would take the opportunity to complain to Ning Yi while he was eating. Ning Yi waved his hand and did not participate. "It's none of my business, it's none of my business. Why don't you beat him up? Qu Zhengyan doesn't look like he can take a beating …"
In fact, this kind of thing was not Qu Zhengyan fooling around. In the Huaxia army, this division commander's style was relatively special. Rather than saying that he was a soldier, he was more like a chess player who was constantly testing his skills. His body was thin, his eyebrows were furrowed, and his expression was serious. He was extremely talented in commanding troops, training, commanding, and strategizing. This was a quality that was revealed in the few years of war at Little Canghe.
In those three years of the cruelest war, the members of the Huaxia army were training and dying continuously. During this period, many talents were honed, and Qu Zhengyan was one of the most outstanding ones. First, he took the position of platoon leader in a dangerous war. Then, he saved a few staff members led by Chen Tian. After that, he went around and captured hundreds of frightened soldiers from the Central Plains. After a little reorganization and intimidation, he threw them into the battlefield.
With the foundation of these hundreds of Han soldiers, he saved hundreds of trapped Huaxia soldiers. Then, the two sides fought side by side. In the cruel running and fighting, Qu Zhengyan's judgment of the enemy's strategy and tactics was almost perfect. Then, with the help of Chen Tian and the others, he wandered on the edge of life and death again and again. Sometimes, he even seemed to deliberately test the bottom line of the King of Hell.
For example, with less than two thousand soldiers, he instigated more than seven thousand soldiers from the Central Plains to attack the ten thousand main force in Dalai. These two thousand soldiers were even divided into two groups, one group acted as the main force and the other group acted as reinforcements. Every time the frontline was about to be defeated, the "reinforcements" would coincidentally appear to give his own people a boost of confidence. In the few most dangerous battles at Little Canghe, he played the role of a god and a ghost. Not only did he deceive the enemy, he also deceived himself. Of course, the ones he deceived the most were the Han soldiers who surrendered. Among these Han soldiers, the survivors were now official members of the Huaxia army.
This kind of tightrope walk was out of helplessness. There were many times when he was only a few millimeters away from the collapse of the whole army. But every time, Qu Zhengyan succeeded. Sometimes, even Ning Yi was speechless at his operation and felt a chill down his spine when he thought about it.
It was also because of this kind of achievement that after the battle at Little Canghe, Qu Zhengyan was promoted to brigade commander. Later, when the number of troops increased, he naturally moved to the position of division commander. Of course, it was also because of this kind of style that when the Huaxia army talked about the fourth division of the fifth division, they especially liked to describe them as "full of evil tricks".
Qu Zhengyan's success was naturally not only due to luck. Firstly, it was because of his battle strategy, his judgment and grasp of the enemy's intentions. Secondly, it was because of his clear understanding and control of the soldiers under him. In this aspect, Ning Yi paid more attention to using data to achieve these things. But for Qu Zhengyan, it was more of pure talent. He was more like a calm chess player, accurately understanding the enemy's intentions, accurately controlling the use of the chess pieces in his hands, and accurately placing them in the appropriate positions.
On the other hand, it was because of the support from Chen Tian and the others in the General Staff Department.
In Ning Yi's lectures in the Huaxia army, the early stage was focused on techniques, and the later stage was focused on Dao. Chen Tian, Tang Minjie, and the others were all born in the early stage of the Huaxia army, they were all inclined to focus on techniques. They analyzed all kinds of methods, emphasized on the goal, and were willing to do anything to achieve their goals … In the General Staff Department of the fourth division, there were many students of Ning Yi. Usually, their creed was "There is no idea that cannot be used, it just depends on how you implement it". Chen Tian was the pragmatic type, he frowned all day long, thinking about how to implement all kinds of ideas.
They did not pursue brainstorming, but no matter what kind of problem it was, Chen Tian only considered the implementation. Perhaps in the future, he could be called a master of action. It was also because of Chen Tian's support that Qu Zhengyan's many suicidal actions could be implemented more appropriately.
This pair of partners frowned all day long. Occasionally, Ning Yi would say that they were a pair of sad faces. However, Qu Zhengyan was more like a pure chess player. Others had a positive impression of him. Occasionally, Chen Tian would laugh in satisfaction after his plan succeeded, but he was regarded as a "b * tch" by a bunch of people.
The fourth division had many plans and contingency plans. Some could only be completed by themselves, while others needed the cooperation of allies. Qu Zhengyan coming to harass Han Jing was actually a form of communication. If the plan was reliable, Han Jing would know what to do. If Han Jing strongly opposed it, Qu Zhengyan would have a sufficient understanding of the first division's attitude and inclination.
He had also previously harassed Pang Liu 'an and Yu Zhongdao. Pang Liu' an was magnanimous, while Yu Zhongdao was honest. Their negotiation was not as dramatic as the one with Han Jing.
"Oh right, I have another idea that I didn't say clearly earlier …"
"Say your balls, it's time to eat."
"During the battle of Little Canghe, Dalai originally wanted to reinforce Yanzhou. I delayed him for a day and a night, and in the end, he was killed by Teacher. He will definitely not be satisfied. This time, I won't meet him. If he goes left, I will consider going right. If he goes right, I will choose left. If anything happens, Brother Han, help me hold him back. I'm just saying. Of course, when the battle starts, the bigger picture is still the most important. "
"Why? Are you afraid of him? "
"Chen Tian said that it's better to leave him hanging first. I think that makes sense. "
"… Hehe, you guys are indeed full of evil tricks."
"… We also have an idea. When he appears, we can use me as bait to lure him into the trap."
"… Hmm, what do we do?"
"The battle situation changes rapidly. We will naturally discuss the specifics when the time comes. However, I need to run faster. General Han, give me 200 horses … "
"… Go away."
"It's all for Huaxia."
Qu Zhengyan frowned, his face full of sincerity.
Just like this, the two sides wrangled with each other. Ning Yi occasionally participated in it. Not long after, people put away their playful mood. On the drill ground of the military camp, the troops lined up in a square formation. The soldiers' ears were echoing with words of encouragement. In their minds, they might be thinking of their relatives in the rear.
The smoke of the beacons was solemn and murderous. The main force of the Second Division set off. Ning Yi, Li Yi, Qu Zhengyan, Han Jing, and the others stood on a wooden platform by the roadside and solemnly saluted.
At the frontline dozens of miles away, there were also troops stationed there. Amidst the even more complicated and vast lofty mountains and precipitous ridges, the conflicts and killings between the scouts had already unfolded and continued for several days …
*****
In the big tent of the Jurchen camp, Gao Qingyi placed a wooden pole on the map.
"... at this time, our side's scouts are already thirty to sixty li southwest of the mountain forest, engaging in close combat with the Black Flag Army's scouts. According to the scouts, almost all the roads in the southwest forest that they can walk on have been buried with earth mines … "
"… In these years, the Black Flag Army has developed in the southwest. Their firearms are the most powerful. In a frontal battle, they don't fear earth mines. They just need to drive the Han people through for a while. However, if they are caught off guard and encounter this earth mine formation, the situation may be extremely dangerous … "
When Gao Qingyi said this, Zong Han looked at the people in the tent and said, "If the Chinese army relies too much on this earth mine, they can make a trip to the southwest mountains."
"Marshal's words are extremely correct." Gao Qingyi nodded and then raised the pole again. "Apart from earth mines, the Chinese army has something to rely on. First of all, the iron cannons. The Chinese army's craftsmanship is formidable. The iron cannons on the other side have a range of more than ten steps …"
"… Just like our side, the Chinese army already has a large number of hand-thrown fire mines. When thrown with one hand, it can travel dozens of steps. Against this object, the infantry's charge is completely powerless …"
"… Furthermore, generals, please be careful. In the Huaxia Army, there are special firearms that can be fired as far as a thousand feet. According to the scouts' reports, the Chinese army likes to shoot these objects in the dense forest. Therefore, when the various armies advance, the accompanying scouts must spread out hundreds of feet to clear out any hidden dangers. We cannot lower our guard … "
"… Hot air balloon …"
"… Fire spear formation …"
In the huge tent, Gao Qingyi listed out the trump card of the Chinese army one by one. His voice seemed to knock on everyone's heart. The Han generals at the back gradually changed their expressions, while the Jin generals at the front showed bloodthirsty and determined expressions.
The wind blew, and there seemed to be fog flowing in the mountains. The Jin scouts, who used to be experienced hunters, carefully moved forward in the forest. When they saw unusual movements and landforms, they would throw stones over. Hua Xia scouts armed with long sabers were stealthily approaching from different directions.
Occasionally, there was even the sound of earth mines exploding. Sometimes, rare birds could even be seen flying in the forest.
These sounds were the prelude to the battle.
In the military camp where hundreds of thousands of troops were stationed, the Female Zhenren had already made all the preparations. This was the accumulation of the Female Zhenren several years ago under the leadership of Zong Han, Xi Yin, and the others. When Gao Qingyi explained the whole situation clearly one by one, Wanyan Zonghan stood up from his seat and then began to arrange his troops …
*****
To the north of the Yellow River, the Third Division of the Chinese Fifth Army led by Liu Chengzong had already passed the Daimyo Residence.
In the rescue of Wang Shanyue and the others last year, more than half of the Shandong Army led by Zhu Biao were killed in the Daimyo Residence. The Female Zhenren then massacred the city and caused a plague. Now, the city was only a lonely ruin under the moonlight.
The army paid tribute to their dead comrades in front of the ruins. Then, they turned to Liangshan Po, which was still surrounded by the Han army. They wanted to attack from inside and outside with Zhu Biao, Wang Shanyue, and the others inside Liangshan Po to break through this layer of blockade.
Along the way, there were starving people everywhere. Shandong had become hell on earth.
…
The counterattack of Jindi had already begun.
At the beginning of October, Yu Yulin led the army to kill Wei Sheng. Liao Yiren and the others fled in panic.
Lou Shuwan returned to the city that had once been so passionately invested in. At this time, the city that had been burned by the fire had not yet recovered. There were only a few starving people like wandering ghosts in the ruins of the fire.
But not long after, when they heard the news that the female minister had killed her way back to Wei Sheng, the starving people in the vicinity gradually began to gather in the direction of Wei Sheng. Liao Yiren and the other great clans of Jindi, in order to obtain victory, had incessantly conscripted soldiers and exploited them. But only this woman with the heart of a Bodhisattva would care about the livelihood of the people — the people had already begun to understand this point.
The fields that had been cleared for cultivation had already been abandoned, and the once glorious palaces had already collapsed. But as long as there were people, all of this would eventually be rebuilt.
The news of the imminent war in the southwest had also reached here.
Lou Shuwan had decided on a plan to rebuild Wei Sheng, but all of this was built on the premise that the southwest could hold on.
"Don't disappoint me … Ning Yi."
Winter was approaching and the fields could no longer be farmed. She ordered the army to continue attacking the city and plundering the land, but in reality, she was still worrying about the food rations of the starving people. In these gaps, she would unconsciously gaze toward the southwest, her hands clenched into fists as she cheered for the enemy who had killed her father on the distant horizon …
…
On the southeastern sea, the dragon ships were resting and reorganizing on an island, replenishing their supplies.
Zhou Pei had purged a few half-hearted people and then made a wish to boost morale. Then, she turned around and waited for the other fleet to catch up.
The Taihu fleet was led by a general called Hu Sunming. After surrendering the tribute, he had led his troops out to sea to pursue the enemy.
They couldn't run forever, and under the might of the Perfected Woman, they couldn't easily reach the shore. Zhou Pei clenched the last of her strength. She knew that she had to win this battle!
At this moment, she was willing to give it her all.
…
At the same time, Jun Wu had led his troops out of Jiangning. Surrounded and intercepted by Wu Shu and the others, he began his escape toward Fujian.
This humiliating journey was both a test and a training for his troops. No matter what, he couldn't allow himself to be surrounded by the Jurchen army and die by the Yangtze River …
…
West Jiangnan Road.
After defeating the three Han armies, Chen Fan led his troops and retreated to the west, evading the pursuit of the Silver Juju Cavalry that was chasing after them.
As the troops climbed over the foothills, Zhuo Yongqing tilted his head and saw the magnificent sunset. The red light shone on the undulating mountains.
Qu Qing walked over from behind. "What a beautiful land."
After saying so, the middle-aged man walked forward with vigorous steps.
Zhuo Yongqing ran two steps and chased after the troops.
…
Southwest.
The atmosphere before the war was not always tense and murderous.
At the pass near the Eagle Beak Rock, the last batch of supplies was delivered by the horse team. The women's team was also guarding the horse team. The Chinese army was short of manpower and women had already started working in the workshops. Some family members of the soldiers also took on their responsibilities during the war. Mao Yishan, who was stationed there with his subordinates, saw that his wife Chen Xia was also among the team.
It was a bit like abusing her power for personal gain.
"You haven't been back for a long time. I wanted to see you before the war started."
Chen Xia was a girl with a fiery personality in the northwest. Her family had died in the war. Later, she married Mao Yishan and took care of both the home and the outside. The regiment led by Mao Yishan was the elite of the Fifth Division and was highly relied upon to attack. In the face of the imminent arrival of the Female Enlightened Master, he had been sent to the frontlines for the past few months and did not have the opportunity to return home. Perhaps realizing that this battle was unusual, his wife took the initiative to find him.
"Well, it's nothing." Mao Yishan acquiesced to his wife's behavior. "Is there anything at home? Is there anything wrong with Shitou? "
Mao Yishan and Chen Xia's child was called Shitou. He was three years old this year. Like Mao Yishan, he did not show much intelligence. However, he was honest and did not need to worry too much.
Chen Xia shook her head. "It's okay. Shitou is also fine."
"Well …" Mao Yishan nodded. "Our position is in front."
The mountains in the southwest were a bit cold and damp. The couple walked outside the position. Mao Yishan introduced his position to his wife and also introduced her to the dangerous Eagle Beak Rock not far away. Chen Xia just listened. She was worried in her heart. Later on, she could not help but say, "This kind of battle is very dangerous."
"We can beat it. Don't worry."
"Even if we can beat it, it's still very dangerous. The Female Daoist has more than five hundred thousand. "
"Well … there will always be people dying." Mao Yishan said. "There's no other way."
"When will it end …"
Mao Yishan was silent for a while.
"… I became a soldier more than ten years ago. When I was in Xia Village, I was still a young boy. That battle was very difficult … But Mr. Ning was right. If you win one battle, there will be ten more battles. After ten battles, there will be a hundred more battles. You have to fight until all your enemies are dead, or until you die …"
"The army rebelled, went to the Green Wood Stronghold, went to the Little Blue River, and fought with Dong Zhiyuan. Almost half of the people around him died … Fighting with Lou Shi, fighting with the Female Zhenrens, fighting one battle after another until now. Only a few of the people who started the rebellion are left …"
Mao Yishan recalled these things. He thought of the battle in Xia Village. He had just awakened as a small soldier, and now, these battles seemed to be endless … Chen Xia's eyes overflowed with tears: "I, I'm afraid of you …"
"… But if no one fights, we will always end up in the northwest … Come, be happy, I have fought for half my life, at least I am not dead yet, and I might not die soon … Actually, the most important thing is, if I am alive, fighting for another half of my life is not a big deal. Stone shouldn't spend half of his life here. Let's do it for the stone. "Hmm?"
He held his coarse and somewhat chubby wife's face. Taking advantage of the fact that there was no one around, he used his forehead to touch the other party's forehead. The woman's face was red as she wiped away her tears.
"Moreover, Mr. Ning said before, if we can win this battle, our lifetime's battle …"
"Our lifetime's battle …" Mao Yishan looked at the Eagle Beak Rock in the distance: "We should be halfway through."
The dark and gloomy sky was about to be sucked in by the rocks in the mountain. The husband and wife walked here and looked at the ordinary scenery. Just like this, they spent the last peaceful time before the war.
After his wife left, Mao Yishan sharpened his blade according to his usual practice. Although after becoming the Regiment Commander, he rarely charged at the front lines, but this time, he might have a chance.
Every meeting with his family could become an eternal farewell.
But the most important thing was that there was his family behind him.
They could only become the Great Wall at the front and end everything in front of them.
Whether it was sixty thousand people, six thousand people, six hundred people … Or even six people …
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