Since the Chihu cavalry went south, they have frequently looted and massacred cities. In addition to rewarding the soldiers who fought hard and stimulating military morale, the main purpose was to intimidate the surrounding cities to give up resistance and surrender.
Although the cruel war caused a large-scale population decline in Hedong, Hebei, Guanshan, Heluo, Jingxi, Jingdong and other places, before this, Chihu had not implemented a policy of massacre in any area of the Central Plains.
Of course, it’s not like I haven’t thought about it.
Early on, ministers within the Red Army proposed to kill all the Han people and turn the Central Plains into a horse herding land for the Red Army nobles. However, it was the Zhennan Sect King Ulullie and the Khitan surrender officials who won the trust of the new Khan.
Xiao Jilu and others strongly opposed it and gave up.
Wulu Lie was opposed to the massacre of the Han people in the Central Plains, but he did not have a kind heart. In his early years, he led his troops to conquer the south and north of the desert. He often massacred cities and annihilated people.
However, when he just led his troops to the south, he was still full of hope that Chihu would one day truly dominate the world. He also knew that under the leadership of Emperor Jianji, the Southern Dynasty had initially established a defense line along the Qinling Mountains and the Huaihe River. They wanted to go deep into the watery Jianghuai River.
In this area, we must rely on the help of the Han army to charge into battle, and we also need to raise grain and other combat materials from the Central Plains area.
Uluru Lie was also worried that if they implemented the policy of extermination, they might not be able to massacre all the Han people in the Central Plains - at that time, there was no large-scale massacre.
On the other hand, they were worried that it would completely arouse the tenacious fighting spirit of the soldiers and civilians of the Southern Dynasties and make the road south more difficult and tortuous.
Handu has always been a supporter of the policy of massacre.
When Meng He withdrew from Yingshang and Lugou, he massacred all the civilians in the two cities. This was the direct order given to Meng He by crossing the palace of Prince Ping Yanzong.
Unfortunately, when he arrived at Chenzhou with a simple carriage, the Yingshui River had already begun to thaw, and he did not have many troops to mobilize to support the retreat of Jiaopi troops to the north.
At this time, Han Du once again mentioned the massacre of the Han people in the Hehuai River, and the cruelty in his eyes was shocking.
Zhong Changqing looked at Wu Lu Lie's gloomy face and couldn't tell what he was thinking. However, Zhong Changqing could guess that even if Wu Lu Lie was hesitant, it was definitely not about being kind to the Han people. He actually needed to consider more and more.
complex factors.
The first thing to bear the brunt is that the two governments must consider the thoughts of the generals of the Hehuai Han army.
Since the Red Husbands implemented the military household system in the occupied areas of the Central Plains, most of the five to six million Han people in the Hehuai River and Huaihe areas have become slaves (slaves) of the military households.
This is also the most critical core factor for the Han troops in Heluo, Jingxi and other places to serve the Red Husband and have strong combat effectiveness.
Regardless of whether the soldiers of the Han army have feelings for the Han people or the Han people, just forcing all the military households to move away from the Hehuai River requires overcoming many obstacles, not to mention that they have to be attached to the military households, which have long been regarded as private property by the military households.
Expulsion and massacre of property?
If this matter is pushed forward by force, the Han army will be restless, wouldn't it help the Southern Dynasty?
There is another more critical factor, that is, will Prince Jingpanzong agree to give up Guanshan, at least give up the Guanzhong area on both sides of the Wei River, and withdraw his troops to the west of Tianshui?
If the Jingpanzong Palace insists on opposing, the Zhennan Palace and the Pingyan Palace will blatantly give up the Hehuai River and withdraw north, which will inevitably expose the Guanzhong area controlled by the Jingpan Palace to the swords of the Southern Dynasty soldiers and horses.
If the Jingpanzong Palace suffered heavy losses in the Guanzhong area, the two palaces would not be able to explain themselves to each other, and it might even trigger an internal rupture within the Red Army - over the years, the Jingpanzong Palace has had conflicts with Xinhan, Zhennan Palace, and Pingyanzong Palace.
The contradiction is not small.
Therefore, if the Jingpanzong Palace cannot be persuaded to advance and retreat together, the two palaces obviously have no way to act alone.
"Changqing, what do you think of Handu's plan?" Wu Lulie noticed Zhong Changqing's eyes.
Free and asked.
Since the hesitant thoughts of King Zhennan can be guessed, but the situation in Hehuai is so bad and passive, Zhong Changqing, as a general in the west of Beijing, knows that Handu and others have long been full of opinions and dissatisfaction with him, so how can he dare to
Let them no longer think that they have the intention to protect the Han people, saying:
"The last general thinks that what General Handu said is true. At this time, he must stop it, otherwise he will be trapped in the mud."
Mo Lihu hesitated and asked: "Will it be difficult to persuade the four kings?"
Zhong Changqing continued to suggest: "Prince Jingpan needs to send envoys to lobby, but in the west of Beijing and Heluo, some preparations need to be made first, even more urgently than Prince Pingyan's palace!"
Xu Huai used the Sikong Mansion to control the government of the Southern Dynasties. The west of Beijing and Heluo were facing the most serious threats in the direction of the military front. It can be said that once the Jiaopi soldiers and horses were annihilated, there was a 70% to 80% chance that the Sikong Mansion of the Southern Dynasties would follow the trend and move forward.
The troops were directed towards Xuzhou, Chenzhou, Zhengzhou, Bianliang and the entire Heluo area.
If we don't make some preparations in advance at this time, Zhennan Zong's palace will either be forced to assemble a large army to fight with it, or it will have to retreat north in a hurry, and it will be difficult to take care of unnecessary things.
However, in the area under the jurisdiction of Prince Ping Yanzong's Mansion, the Southern Dynasty soldiers and horses faced were weak, even among the three soldiers and horses of Shouzhou, Haozhou, Haozhou and Chuzhou.
If you can accept the command and deployment of Sikong Mansion without any gaps, and there is no possibility of threatening Xu Su in a short period of time, these matters can be postponed.
Zhong Changqing then suggested: "Perhaps, in the name of the decisive battle with the southern bandits, your Highness can move the military households in Xu, Chen and other places first, and drive northward, so as not to be caught off guard..."
Xu, Chen and other Han armies from the states west of Beijing were the capital for Zhong Changqing and his group to make a comeback. They were attached to military households, so it would be great if they could move north and resettle in advance.
Of course, even if the two governments wanted to convince King Jingpan Zong, they could not suddenly carry out the massacre, and they could not even let the slightest word out. The preliminary preparations were done as much as possible.
"The Fourth Brother has not agreed, so this matter must not be leaked out. At the same time, except for the unified deployment of the Zong Palace, no one is allowed to act rashly!" Wu Lulie glanced at everyone with sharp eyes.
He is not worried about anyone here having different aspirations, but in addition to Zhong Changqing and other Han generals here, Molihu, Kuoti and others have lived in Han areas for a long time, and they also have a large number of Han people under their command to cultivate fields, and they are the most famous ones in their names.
direct property.
If he did not warn him at this time, someone might move the Han people under his command northward in advance to protect their own interests, and the secret might be leaked.
Everyone knew that if any leakage of this matter came out, the morale of the Han army would be shaken. At this time, the Han army still needed to be supported on the front line, so they made a solemn promise at the moment.
……………
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Although Huaichuan City was once again devastated during the war, its south dock remained largely intact. The Han army in the west of Beijing also regarded Huaichuan as the most important base for the Linhuai navy for construction.
After the railway plank road from Huaichuan to Jiaopi was paved, Huaichuan became the most important transit base to support frontline operations. With the subsequent adjustment of the battlefield situation, Xu Huai will also march and the rear army led by Xu Xin'an
Moved back to Huaichuan City.
Huaichuan City became the command center of the entire Yingzhou Battle.
Chen Zixiao stayed at the Jiaopi front line as a marching strategist and offered wine. He commanded the left army camp composed of Fan Zongqi, Cheng Jin, Han Wende, and Fu Liang, totaling 120,000, and besieged the 60,000 infantry and cavalry regiments of the Han army in the west of Beijing.
Jiao Pi.
Because they had to mobilize the troops and horses of various prefectures to the Jiaopi front line and take turns to participate in the strong attack on the enemy camps in Jiaopi and Quanhe, it was difficult for Fan Zongqi and Cheng Jin to have the prestige to coordinate such a complicated relationship at this time. Xu Huai could only order
Chen Zixiao sits on the Jiaopi front line.
As for the former army camp with Ruyin City-Zhangzigou-Raozhuang Camp as the core, Liufu Military Advisor Jijiu Wangju serves as the chief general, and its leaders include Shi Hu, Yin Peng, Xiao Xu, Sun Yanguan, Yu Gong, Li Su, and Yang
Ji, Cheng Xiao, and Xu Peng's tribes totaled 80,000 elite troops. They were also the main force blocking the approaching Red Hu reinforcements from the lower reaches of the Yingshui River.
The right army camp with Lugou-Yingshang as the core, with Yang Qiye as the main general, commanded the victorious army Liang Wenjiang, Jie Zhong and other troops, with a total of 40,000 troops, controlling the mouth of the Yingshui River, and protecting the front army.
The right wing of the camp shared the pressure of reinforcements from the direction of Mengcheng, led by Prince Ping Yanzong's Mansion.
Deng Guize led his troops back to Shouchun.
Xu Huai has already petitioned the court in the name of Sikong Mansion to formally merge Haozhou Xingying and Shouzhou Xingying. Deng Gui will be the commander of Shouhao Xingying. He will be responsible for the defense line in the middle reaches of the Huaihe River and try to contain the north of Shouhao as much as possible.
of captive soldiers.
After the arrival of spring, Huaichuan City is full of ruins destroyed by war. Before reconstruction, the vegetation is already glowing with new vitality.
In the Xingyuan Study Room, Xu Huai and Zhou He, who came to Yingzhou on behalf of Emperor Shaolong to reward the meritorious generals, sat across the table, drinking tea and talking about the current situation.
After Chen Zixiao stayed on the Jiaopi front line, Liu Shiwang of the Military Intelligence Staff Department, who temporarily took over Chen Zixiao's place as commander, also sat in front of the case at this time.
The folded letter was delivered to the case.
Xu Huai pushed the letter to Zhou He again and said: "The next military deployment is basically planned in the letter, but there will be no major changes. All troops and horses, as well as the rear prefectures and counties, will be implemented one by one. Please also ask
Take a look around..."
After returning the capital to Xiangyang, Zhou He continued to stay in the capital as the imperial envoy. Like Gu Fan, who became the left prime minister, he nominally shared the imperial court with Xu Huai, who commanded the world's troops as Sikong. Moreover, since the escape from Beijing incident
, Zhou He basically had no other thoughts, and even asked his son Zhou Lianggong to take charge of prison affairs in Jingxiang Road. Naturally, he was qualified to know the next stage of the army's movements.
"With the envoy stationed in Huaichuan, the stubborn enemy can be destroyed in a day, so why do I need to worry about my old age?" Zhou He said this, but he didn't stop holding the document. He opened the document and read it for a long time, and asked in surprise, "
Yue Hai Tower's 60,000 cavalry have fallen into the envoy's bag, why don't you spend more time attacking them with weapons, consuming their food and fodder, shaking their morale, and immediately start to storm the enemy camp in Jiaopi?"
"...Time waits for no one!" Xu Huai said.
Xu Huai did not know for sure that the Zhennan Zong Palace had the intention to massacre the Han people in Hehuai, but one thing was certain.
As long as the large-scale confrontation north of Yingshui River continues, the Han people in the Hehuai area who were enslaved as slaves will definitely be squeezed to the extreme by the Chihu people:
For example, a large number of young men and women were forcibly recruited to participate in the war. For example, the few rations were plundered to alleviate the already serious military food crisis of the Red Husbands. For example, they were forcibly recruited to perform various hard labor on the battlefield.
All these will cause great harm to the Han people in Hehuai, especially those near the battlefield.
Therefore, annihilating the encircled Yue Hailou's troops faster and pushing the troops deeper to the north of Yingshui River will undoubtedly alleviate the suffering suffered by the Han people in the Hehuai River to the greatest extent, and at the same time, it will also provide opportunities for subsequent farming in the Hehuai area.
The recovery of production allowed the Sikong Prefecture to subsequently send troops across the Yellow River to expel the Huru, regain Hedong, Hebei and other places, and preserve more effective forces.
Of course, Xu Huai decided to launch a strong attack on the enemies of Jiaopi earlier, which was also a series of victories, which greatly stimulated the enthusiasm of soldiers and horses from all the states to participate in the war.
Especially after the Yingshui River thawed and the enemies of Jiaopi were successfully encircled, not only the lower-level generals hoped to change their lives and destiny, but even the military generals and officials who had deployed troops and horses from all directions also wrote to Sikong Mansion requesting to lead their troops to participate in the war -
—
Who wouldn’t be willing to fight a smooth battle to gain military exploits?
