After Ye Xiaotian received the news that Yang Yinglong had split his army into three, he immediately discussed it with Hua Yunfei, Ding Yue, and the others. They felt that they should speed up their march and take Stone Tiger Pass first. At that time, they could attack and defend. Even if Yang Yinglong's three armies arrived, they would have enough time to hold the pass after they had taken it.
It must be known that the Ming army did not have just one army. While the Bozhou army occupied land and had many people, they might not be able to hold the pass for too long. However, after hearing Liu Ting's analysis, Ye Xiaotian couldn't help but think, what if this was what Yang Yinglong wanted them to do?
Could Stone Tiger Pass be captured before Yang Chaodong's three armies could outflank them? Based on their current calculations, it would take three days before Yang Chaodong's three armies would come into contact with them. But what if the Bozhou army had another secret tunnel that no one knew and could arrive earlier?
Previously, the Ming army had been lured deep into the enemy territory and then completely wiped out. Was it because the Ming generals were too stupid? Even if they forgot themselves the first time and were too arrogant, they wouldn't make the same mistake the second time, right? Why were they completely wiped out by Yang Yinglong's seemingly simple and similar method?
On the battlefield, there was no room for ifs. This kind of situation that could cause the entire army to die, even if there was only a sliver of possibility, should be avoided with all their might and not hold on to the slightest bit of hope. Ye Xiaotian was frightened and humbly asked Liu Ting for advice. "Then, according to Zongbing Daren's opinion, how should we respond?"
Liu Ting rubbed his chin and smiled craftily. "Yang Yinglong can divide his army, but laozi can't?"
Liu Ting pulled down the red flag that represented his current position and took out two more red flags from the flag box. He stuck one in Luo Gu's position and another in the camp. He held the other small flag in his hand. After thinking for a while, he stuck it in a col between Luo Gu and the camp.
All the generals gathered around to watch. Liu Ting stroked his beard and glanced at them proudly. "Do you understand?" he asked.
Ye Xiaotian didn't understand what he was seeing. Since he didn't understand, he asked humbly, "Commander-In-Chief, you …"
General Liu was also very patient with his fans. He pointed out, "Look, Luo Gu's terrain is dangerous. We spent a great deal of effort to take it down. If we send one army to guard here, we only need five thousand people. Yang Zhu won't be able to take it down in three days."
Ye Xiaotian said, "Correct! Daren is planning to defend the enemy? "
Liu Ting shook his head and said, "Luo Gu only needs five thousand men to hold the fort, but I will send ten thousand. Song Kan is further than Luo Gu, and we have to pass through Luo Gu. I will send ten thousand soldiers. I will send ten thousand soldiers. Five thousand to guard Luo Gu and control Yang Zhu. The other five thousand will lie in ambush on the road from Song Kan to Luo Gu. If he can ambush laozi, why can't laozi ambush him? "
Ye Xiaotian looked at the red flag that was stuck back in the camp and the map of the hidden soldiers in the col not far away. He suddenly realized, "Zongbing Daren will divide the army to guard Luo Gu. One side will resist Yang Zhu, and the other side will contain Yang Chaodong. Let Yang Weidong come from Fish Ferry and surround him?"
Liu Ting praised, "Correct! Leave one army in the camp to continue attacking Stone Tiger Pass to confuse the enemy. Use me as bait to lure Yang Weidong to attack. At that time … "
Liu Ting pulled out the red flag in the col and stuck it on the road leading to Fish Ferry.
A general frowned. "Da Dao, this is a risky move. If Luo Gu can't defend or the Bozhou soldiers coming from Song Kan are not ambushed …"
Liu Ting said, "Yes, it is indeed risky. Therefore, Luo Gu's pass must be reinforced, and our camp must also be reinforced. Dig more trenches and set up more barricades, just in case! "
Liu Ting's brows slightly tightened as he said: "If Luogu really falls, and the ambush in the direction of Mount Song fails to be carried out, then the ambushers will immediately take care of Luogu's garrison and return to the main camp. We will coordinate with the main camp and the col and fight to the death with the enemy!"
Liu Ting's heroic words were issued. Although this brave general was not afraid of death, he did not come to Bozhou to seek death. While he was making arrangements, he also issued an order to the eight armies to urge them to fight. He had set a deadline and ordered all the armies to arrive at Lou Shan and the other established passes on the designated date. Those who violate this order will be punished according to military law!
With this military order, all the armies had to speed up their march. Once the armies strengthened their offensive, even if Liu Ting was surrounded in front of Stone Tiger Pass, Yang Yinglong would not be able to mobilize other troops to support him. Liu Ting could still defend to the death.
Liu Ting's order to fight to the death was quickly passed down. Among them, the Nanchuan, Wujiang, and Pianqiao armies felt the most pressure because their progress was the least smooth.
The commander of the Nanchuan army was Zongbing Ma Liying. Although he and Liu Dadao were both Zongbing Generals, at this moment, he was under Liu Dadao's control. Thinking of Liu Dadao's ferocious appearance, Ma Liying did not dare to guarantee that if he did not arrive at the assembly point on time, Liu Ting would still show him mercy.
Ma Liying immediately sent someone to invite Ma Qiancheng and Qin Liangyu over. This young couple only had a total of 3,500 troops, which was only one-tenth of Ma Liying's 30,000-strong army. Moreover, they were just ordinary soldiers, so Zongbing Generals did not take them seriously at first.
But when it came to fighting, it was the troops of the Stone Pillar Ma Family that gave him the most face. Whether it was the quality of the troops or the tactics, the Ma Family Army's performance was remarkable. On the contrary, it was Ma Liying's own troops that did not perform well and dragged down the Ma Family Army. Otherwise, Ma Liying's troops would not have been so slow to perform.
Ma Liying invited the young couple into the tent and sat down. He went straight to the point and said: "Both of you, Liu Dadao has issued an order to urge our army to meet him at Loushan Pass on the specified date. But we are still blocked at Jinzhu Stronghold and unable to move a single step. If we miss the assembly time, I'm afraid that Liu Dadao will not show this old man any mercy!"
Ma Qiancheng and Qin Liangyu looked at each other and said: "Then what does Zongbing Generals mean?"
Ma Liying found it difficult to speak. In the beginning, he looked down on the Stone Pillar Army too much and treated the Ma Family Army as a logistics reserve. Now that he wanted to transfer them to be the vanguard, he really could not bring himself to say it. But, his own troops did not live up to his expectations, so what?
Zongbing Ma had no choice but to thicken his face and say: "I observed that the Stone Pillar Army is used to fighting in the jungle. The Jinzhu Seven Strongholds are like a linked star, echoing each other, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Our army has been forcefully attacking for many days, but unfortunately there is no effect. I think if we can break through a little, we can break through the surface. I wonder if you and your wife have a way to find a way to break through the seven strongholds? "
Ma Qiancheng patted his chest and said: "What's so difficult about that? As long as Zongbing Sir you... "
Qin Liangyu stepped on the tip of his foot, Ma Qiancheng immediately stopped talking and turned his head to look at Qin Liangyu. Qin Liangyu sat upright on the chair. Just now, she quickly stepped on her husband's foot, but her body did not move at all. At this time, she did not look at her husband, only smiled lightly at Zongbing Ma and said: "Since the two of us have led the troops here, it is to serve the country. If you want us to be the vanguard, it is not difficult. It's just that these days, I have also noticed that the military discipline under Zongbing Sir's command is somewhat lax... "
Being criticized by a junior, and a woman at that, Ma Liying could not help but blush. But his soldiers really did not live up to his expectations, and he could not say anything to refute.
Qin Liangyu said: "If our Ma army breaks through the Seven Star Strongholds, and Zongbing Sir is unable to receive us in time, causing our army to fall into the enemy's camp, then there will be no way out!"
Ma Liying gritted his teeth and said: "Then... what suggestion does Young Madam Ma have?"
Qin Liangyu said word by word: "I want the generals to make a military pledge to Zongbing Sir! As long as we seize one of the strongholds, send out the signal, the reinforcements must attack the mountain in a short period of time! Those who do not ambush, behead! Those who cower at the last moment, behead! Those who do not arrive in time, behead! "
Ma Liying nodded and said: "I promise you!"
Qin Liangyu said: "Soldiers are brothers and feet! Only by making them fear will they know the military law! But if there is a heavy punishment, there should also be a heavy reward! Those who behead the enemy leader will be rewarded with ten taels of silver! Those who charge at the front will be rewarded with five taels of silver! Those who behead the enemy will be rewarded with two taels of silver! No one is allowed to snatch the credit, take credit, or be greedy! "
Bi Li raised his index, middle, and nameless fingers and said seriously: "This Zongbing Commander will personally serve as the law enforcement officer, and I guarantee to carry out the female general's reward and punishment order to the letter!"
Qin Liangyu smiled and stood up, cupped his fists at him and said: "In that case, I will also make a military pledge to Zongbing Sir. My Ma army, even if it has to fight to the last man, will definitely break through the Seven Star Strongholds, and take the number one merit in suppressing the rebels in Nanchuan Road!"
