Xu Huai had not come to Huangqiao before, but Xu Xin'an and Han Qi accompanied Xu Huai to sneak to the vicinity of Yushan Post to scout for the enemy. After returning, they told Wang Huai and Xu Wujiang about Xu Huai's concerns.
Gao Xiangzhong and Zhong Changqing's soldiers and horses had already come from their respective bases to surround Litang Village. Wang Zhen and Xu Wujiang found it hard to believe that Chen Zixiao's troops were absent and were hiding in Huangqiao Village.
If they don't move, Gao Xiangzhong and Zhong Changqing will try their best to defeat the newly victorious state soldiers.
This will simply refresh their understanding of the rebel army.
However, Wang Zhen wanted to use Xu Huai as the forward general, but Xu Huai at this time insisted on using the momentum of a lion to hunt a rabbit, and attacked the four enemy strongholds in Huangqiao with the whole army at the same time. Of course, he would not be stubborn with him on this.
The reason is also very simple.
If the enemy has already deducted many elite troops from Huangqiao Stronghold, it would be unreasonable for them to attack four enemy strongholds at the same time, and it would do more harm than good.
After all, if the whole army goes up and spreads out two thousand soldiers and horses at once, your own lack of preparation in terms of siege equipment and other aspects will be exposed, and it will also force the enemy's will to resist because there is no way to retreat, which will lead to many unnecessary
casualties, but it should be no problem to capture the Huangqiao Fourth Village at this time.
If, as Xu Huai feared, the enemy's elite troops had actually not left, and they had marched forward as a whole, they would have been able to avoid being dragged down in front of the enemy's stronghold when the offensive and defensive forces changed.
Of course, Xu Wufu, Xu Heng, Xu Wuqi and others were present. Xu Huai said that he would attack in an all-out manner and even put up signs on the sand table indicating that the troops were divided into four groups. However, the actual tactical deployment of the entire army could not be so rough.
It is even less possible to expose weak connection points prematurely to the thieves' attack.
That night, Deng Gui summoned as many reserve troops as possible from Huaiyuan and other villages to Huangqiao and stayed at the camp. Early the next morning, he and Xu Wujiang, Xu Huai and others personally led two thousand main troops to fight out from the camps.
.
In the misty dawn of early winter, the two hundred infantrymen who first ascended the camp were the first to cut into the heart of the four enemy villages controlled by the rebel army's Xixiaozhai and Qianzhai like sharp knives.
Force them to retreat, and at the same time monitor the movements of the bandit troops in the camps.
Then two groups of armored infantry, armed with strong shields and sidecars that could block the arrows, marched westward along the slopes on both sides of the horse path, forming a triangular formation with the Xianden camp that entered the heart of the enemy's four strongholds.
, control the periphery of the real starting position.
Finally, it was Deng Gui and Xu Wujiang who personally led the main force of troops and surrounded the city climbing vehicles, ladders, side carriages and other war equipment. Like a black tide, they first entered the position between the thief's Xixiaozhai and Qianzhai, and then
Then spread out the troops layer by layer toward the two wings and toward the inside.
Since the four enemy strongholds are all in dangerous areas to control the situation, and the valley in the middle is narrowed by rolling mountains, the Huaiyuan Township camp directly inserts into the area controlled by the enemy stronghold. It needs to be prepared to meet the rebel army at any time when they leave the stronghold.
, and enough space must be left between the arrays to rotate and advance, so the troops and horses will naturally spread out very slowly.
However, the troops and horses spreading out bit by bit were like a black wave, with unstoppable momentum.
If the rebel army is still indifferent at this time and does not have the courage to come out in full force and fight to the death, the Huaiyuan Township Camp will use the area between the rebel army's Xixiaozhai and Qianzhai as a starting position to further spread the enemy's four villages of different depths.
Soldiers and horses form an offensive posture.
Xu Wufu, Xu Heng, and Xu Wuqi did not stay in Zhongjunzhai to watch the battle. At three o'clock in the morning, they galloped up a hill in the northeast, about seven miles away, and spread out the Huaiyuan soldiers like a scroll.
The rolled-up array has a panoramic view.
The scene before them made them feel that the Huaiyuan Township Camp had become somewhat of a military force.
Of course, they didn't think there were too many surprises.
Banditry has always been serious in Tongbai Mountain, and it was so serious that Biyang City was plundered more than 20 years ago. Village forts have never dared to be careless about gathering rural soldiers to train during slack periods to guard against banditry. The young and middle-aged people in the mountain
He also practiced martial arts and became popular.
Speaking specifically of the soldiers of the Xu clan, in the early years because they lived in Tongbai Mountain and had deep conflicts with other clans, they paid more attention to military affairs. When Xu Wuqi and others returned from the Jingsheng Army and took charge of training,
His strength is already much stronger than other country soldiers.
Before the Battle of Tiaohutan, the Huaiyuan Township Camp, which was mainly composed of soldiers from the Xu clan, could be said to be not weak.
After the Battle of Tiaohutan, the Huaiyuan Township Camp accepted more rural soldiers and warriors east of the Baijian River and expanded it to 2,000 people. However, in the face of the more severe and brutal bandit suppression war, the training became more rigorous.
Seriously, Wang Zhen, Lu Xiong and other figures are standing behind the scenes to guide everything and try every means to replenish their troops. At this time, it is abnormal to say that the combat effectiveness of the Huaiyuan Township Camp will be weak.
Of course, what they were still deeply puzzled about at this time was why Wang Zhen and Deng Gui overturned their previous battle plan overnight after Xu Huai's arrival and rushed out with their entire army in a desperate manner.
At this time, Xu Wufu would not think that it was Xu Huai's fault, but guessed that Liu Qiong'er, who had secretly encouraged Xu Huai to assassinate Guo Caoling, had discovered something when he returned to Huaiyuan from Jinshagouzhai during this period.
Xu Wufu's thoughts were also contradictory.
On the one hand, he knew who was behind the raging chaos in front of him, and he also knew that exposing this incredible truth would not shake Cai Zheng's position in the central committee; he personally was not willing to get involved in the whirlpool of party strife easily.
among.
What qualifications does he have to fight against someone like Cai Ting?
Don't talk about other things, if the magistrate of Biyang County after Cheng Lunying was replaced by a member of the Cai Party, he would be unable to resist the persecution after being ignored by Xu Wujiang and others.
On the other hand, in the face of the raging banditry, Chen Shi, Cheng Lunying, Deng Gui and other local officials were forced to stand up for their own interests and put the suppression of the banditry first. The Xu family was under the control of Xu Wujiang and others.
Now that he has become the core force in suppressing bandits, is there any way for him to completely break away from the Xu family?
He knew better that even if the bandits could be successfully suppressed this time, it by no means meant that the story was over. The subsequent struggle would only become more obscure, more dangerous, and more cruel, and he had to continue to make choices...
"Master, what are you thinking about?" Seeing the complicated changes in Xu Wufu's expression, Xu Wuqi couldn't help but asked in a low voice.
"Do you think they are sure to win Huangqiao Village this time?" Xu Wufu asked.
"It's hard to say," Xu Wuqi said with a frown, "If Chen Zixiao really secretly pulled out the elite from Huangqiao, Wang and Deng Langjun would certainly have no problem taking over Huangqiao Village, but Wang and Deng Lang
You actually listened to that reckless guy and rushed out with all your troops at this time. It is very likely that they discovered that the elite main force of the rebel army was still in Huangqiao Village, so they rushed out with all their strength in a desperate manner, forcing the main force of the rebel army to come out.
decisive battle!"
"What does that fool know?" Xu Heng said disdainfully.
"Of course that fool can't guess this level, but it doesn't mean that he can't pass messages for others," Xu Wuqi asked Xu Wufu in a deep voice, "The head of the family suggested that we come out to watch the battle early in the morning. He was also worried about what would happen, right?"
Xu Wufu's face changed a lot at this moment, and suddenly he showed a trace of ferocity, and he said in a hateful voice: "This Yaksha fox is really hateful, dragging the Xu family into this whirlpool forcefully - Wu Qi, how sure are you that you will not be exposed?"
Whereabouts to assassinate that woman?"
"The master of the house is going to..." Xu Wuqi asked in shock.
"Even if the bandits are suppressed, this turmoil will still not stop! We have to find another way to get the Xu family out of this whirlpool!" Xu Wufu sighed.
"But will this be useful?" Xu Wuqi asked doubtfully.
"The Huaiyuan Township camp is dominated by soldiers of the Xu clan. The ability to suppress the bandit rebellion this time proves that our Xu clan is not easy to mess with. People like Zheng Hui should also regret that they had extraneous matters and knew how to force some things to be angered.
How stupid I am, Mr. Xu," Xu Wufu gritted his teeth and said, "If we can use that woman's head as a thank you gift at this time, it will be enough to show our sincerity; and they should also be aware of the scene in front of them and help us escape from Xu Wujiang.
Taking back control of the clan soldiers from these wolf-hearted bastards will be of great help to them..."
Xu Heng looked at his father in shock. His head was a little stuck, and he subconsciously asked: "How will it help them if we express our feelings?"
"The thief army is small in strength, and in the eyes of some people, it is always just a pawn. In today's battle, if the thief army is killed and defeated or even wiped out, to some people, it will only be the loss of an insignificant weapon.
It's just a chess piece, and what they have to do later is to find another chess piece with enough weight to run rampant on the chessboard for them," Xu Wufu said, "Since the Xu family can't escape the fate of being a chess piece, are you willing?
Should I be a pawn in the hands of Wang Zhen, a demoted minister who has little hope of making a comeback, or should I be a pawn in the hands of the powerful and popular Cai Ting?"
"Father didn't have such an idea before, otherwise he wouldn't have chosen to retreat to Yuhuangling and just want to stay out of the matter, right?" Xu Heng asked in a daze.
"You idiot, has the Xu family been qualified to be a chess piece in the eyes of others before?" Xu Wufu glared at his eldest son Xu Heng angrily, but he didn't expect that until now he had not figured out the calculation behind his forbearance.
Xu Heng came to his senses and asked in shock: "Father has been following Deng Gui step by step these days, but he insists on sharing the credit for suppressing the bandits?"
"The turmoil has not stopped, and sharing the credit for suppressing the bandits has only caused trouble. Do you think you, me, can't even see through this?" Xu Wufu reprimanded in a low voice, "Give me some time to think about things, and stop tossing those useless things in women's bellies."
No woman can lay eggs!"
"..." Xu Heng did not dare to reply.
Xu Wuqi pondered for a long time and said to Xu Wufu: "Zheng Hui and others may not know the true face of Yaksha Fox. We will directly send the woman's head to him, fearing that it will be difficult to express his feelings..."
"I was thinking yesterday that Yakshahu must have discovered something and called that fool over. I arranged for Xu Xin to go back to Yuhuangling at night. In fact, Xu Xin did not go back to Yuhuangling." After Xu Wufu made up his mind, he
He felt relaxed and said, "Of course, I arranged for Xu Xin to find Zheng Hui last night, not to help them have a chance to make a comeback today, but to reveal to them who Yaksha Fox is; today's scene will also let Zheng Hui know
What I said is true..."
To this day, they are certainly sure that Zheng Zihui, who considers himself a guest among the rebels, is the Zheng Hui, the mastermind of the Cai Mansion, whom Liu Qiong'er once said in front of Lutai Village.
Seeing Xu Wuqi staring at him in shock, the surprise in his eyes was like a mountain spring in the cold season, giving people a cold feeling. Xu Wufu comforted him and said: "I didn't mean to hide it from you. I only made the final decision yesterday. I don't want to
You and Heng'er have different expressions. You showed your flaws in front of people like Wang Zhen and Deng Gui, so you didn't rush to tell them. You are the real founder of the Xu clan's soldiers being able to have today's combat effectiveness. You will not be willing to look at Xu.
Wu Jiang and others are stealing your achievements, right?"
"I really didn't expect the master of the family to have such a deep conspiracy!" Xu Wuqi buried his head deeply and asked, "When will the master of the family plan to take action against the Yaksha Fox?"
"If the rebel army is defeated miserably today, Zheng Hui will take the initiative to come to us for cooperation. It won't be too late to make arrangements then, and maybe we won't need to do anything," Xu Wufu said, "Don't worry about me leaking it in advance.
If any news passes, it will damage the foundation of the Xu clan soldiers; I know very well that the Xu clan soldiers are also the foundation of us as chess pieces..."
