In the past, Xu Huai tried his best to avoid direct confrontation with the elite cavalry of the Chihu people. However, when he was attacking Taiyuan, in order to successfully capture the Han army camp in Yunzhou, Xu Wuqi organized troops and horses to intercept the enemy in the Qizi Mountain area in the north of Taiyuan. He called for reinforcements and had a fierce battle with the elite cavalry of the Red Husbands.
In that battle, the Chushan Army deployed defense on the chess pieces one day in advance, which can be said to be waiting for work.
However, purely from the results of the Qizi Mountain interception battle, it can only be regarded as a miserable victory.
Two brave generals from Chushan, Shen, suppressed the evil, Wang Hua died heroically in battle, Chushan Jianrui died in more than a hundred people, and more than 600 people who were captured by Tianxiong Army and the reinforcements from Luliang Mountain rebels died in battle or were seriously injured.
In the battle of Qizi Mountain, more than a thousand enemy cavalry traveled more than 400 miles in two days and nights from Yunzhou to Taiyuan in the wind and snow. The intensity of the march was not slightly lower than that of the Chushan cavalry, which traveled day and night from Huaiyuan to Fancheng. However, After resting for less than two hours, they entered into a fierce battle, resulting in less than 500 casualties.
If the red cavalry had not formed an overall breakthrough in the end and achieved the combat goal of reinforcing the Han army camp in Yunzhou, they would not have been considered defeated in that battle.
It was also this time that everyone in Chushan truly appreciated the powerful and tenacious combat effectiveness of the elite Chihu cavalry.
This also forced Xu Huai to rethink how the Chushan Army should be organized more rationally in order to face the Chihu people on the future battlefield.
Since the land of Yanyun was lost at the end of the previous period, and the northwest was occupied by the Dangxiang people, the Central Plains lost the conditions for large-scale breeding of fine war horses.
After the establishment of the Dai Viet Dynasty, only a small amount of good horses could be exchanged through border trade every year, and the possibility of forming a large-scale cavalry force was lost.
Since the establishment of the Dai Viet Dynasty, the Forbidden Army has used infantry as its absolute main force. The most elite and capable Western Army Forbidden Brigade, the light armored cavalry, is mainly responsible for spying on the enemy and covering the flanks of the infantry array during combat.
In the past, the main force of the Dai Viet Imperial Army had a check and balance with the Dangxiang people and the Khitan people who had large-scale cavalry for more than 100 years. There were countless battles, big and small, and both sides won and lost. At least they did not suffer too much loss, which proves that this set of tactics is effective to a certain extent. It's still effective.
At present, the Tianxiong Army's six-chamber troops are mainly organized based on this.
However, after in-depth study of the main battles between Dai Viet and the Dangxiang people and the Khitan people for more than a hundred years, and analyzing the cavalry tactics of the Chihu people who killed the Khitan people and defeated the army, Xu Huai had to admit that the Chushan army, which was a mixture of infantry and cavalry at this time, He is not qualified to win a field battle with the Red Husband Cavalry of the same size.
Red Husbands were born and raised on horseback, so they are naturally good at riding and shooting tactics of light armored cavalry.
At this point, although the field cavalry units of the Khitans and Party members are not inferior, the Red Husband Cavalry also possess extremely terrifying battlefield penetration capabilities.
The Red Husband's cavalry's tenacity and hard work over long distances are much better than those of the Khitan and Dangxiang people.
No matter from any angle, the Red Husband Cavalry can be said to be the pinnacle of cavalry in history.
What makes people even more desperate is the size of the red cavalry.
The Chihu people invaded the south twice, but the Vietnamese troops and horses were too weak and were no longer on the same level. As a result, the Chihu people's terrifying cavalry power had no chance to be used.
If the Chushan Army still adheres to the traditional mixed formation of infantry, armor and light cavalry, once it loses the support of a solid city wall and encounters the Khitan cavalry of the same size in the wilderness, there is a high probability that it will be wiped out.
At the same time, no matter how diligent the Chushan cavalry is in training, the level of cavalry shooting in light armor can only be infinitely close to that of the Red Husband Cavalry. How can it be possible to surpass the Red Husband Cavalry who were born and raised on horseback?
This is also doomed. On the flank battlefield, using only light armored cavalry to fight against the red cavalry, the Chushan Army will definitely be at a great disadvantage and will be unable to cover the infantry array well.
Before there was no better way, Xu Huai chose to form an elite guard cavalry battalion, mainly to develop in the direction of penetration operations.
In addition to equipping armor, spears and other weapons that are conducive to sudden killing operations, Chushan also started to build horse armor.
Of course, the most important thing is that the guard barracks focus on practicing more intensive charges, assault tactics and formations that require higher levels of organization.
The narrow Tongbai Mountain Road is naturally extremely difficult for the light armored cavalry who usually practice loose formations and use cavalry fire to cover the flanks. However, this is the daily training subject of the Chushan Guards Cavalry Battalion, and is even practiced.
The terrain is more rugged and undulating.
At present, it can only be said that there are some small results.
This is also the key reason why Xu Huai does not want to rush to expand his army on a larger scale. He cannot spread out his limited resources yet.
Looking at Liu Xian who fell into silence and a dozen of his cronies around him, Xu Huai wondered if he was truly alert.
At this time, a huge ship came this way from the south bank, and several small boats came together from the north bank. Xu Huai accompanied Liu Xian, and Zhao Yi and others led their horses to the river beach.
There is a large wharf in the south of Fancheng, but currently a steady stream of grain, fodder and military supplies are being transported along the Han River. Almost half of it must be transported into Fancheng first, and then through Fancheng to nearby military camps and Nanyang, Chushan and Wuyang in the north.
Shangcai and other cities for transfer.
The scale of transportation was millions of stones, and the boats almost covered the water of the Han River east of Fancheng.
Therefore, Fancheng Wharf is extremely busy.
Liu Xian was still pragmatic. He and Wuwei Gong Zhao Yi did not want to interfere with the orderly operations at Fancheng Wharf, so they chose to board the ship outside Fancheng.
However, there was no ready-made pier where they were standing, and there was no way for a large ship with a deep draft to dock directly. The group of people and their entourage could only take a small boat first, and then transfer to the large ship.
"Liu Shijun, Duke Guo, and Marquis Xu Jun! You are so fast. I thought you would have to wait until tomorrow and the day after tomorrow to reach Xiangyang!"
Xu Wei and Qian Shangduan were ordered by King Jing to cross the river to meet Liu Xian, Zhao Yi and Xu Huai. Instead of waiting on the big boat, they changed to a small boat and went to the river beach to greet them.
Although it had been half a year since he returned from Taiyuan, Xu Wei's face was still dull and sallow, his official robe was blown around his body by the river wind, and his figure was still as skinny, but he asked Qian Shangduan to help him walk through the trembling
He took the pallet and stood on the river beach to salute Liu Xian, Zhao Yi and Xu Huai.
Jieshuai was originally a respectful title for Jiedushi, but later it became more generalized without so much emphasis. Just like the title of "Xianggong", Liu Xian, as the economic and strategic pacifier, is now also qualified to be called "Xianggong", but it is more formal.
There may be some taboos in certain situations, so Liu Xian still addressed Xu Huai as "junhou".
Seeing Xu Wei's bones standing like bones, Xu Huai was secretly worried.
In fact, Wen Hengyue's physical condition was not good either. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians from Taiyuan went south, and most of them gradually recovered. There were also quite a few people who died on the way south. There were also quite a few people who arrived in Xiangyang.
My physical condition has always been very bad.
After a year of hard work, many people's health has collapsed, and Wen Hengyue, Xu Wei and others have been shouldering extremely heavy government and military affairs, so their physical condition has not improved.
However, Wen Hengyue, Xu Wei, Qian Zerui and others are extremely critical in organizing the resettlement of Taiyuan soldiers and civilians in Xiangyang, and in selecting Jian Rui to be incorporated into the army for training. No one can currently replace them.
Xu Wei was not worried about her health at all, but was surprised that Xu Huai and the others arrived much earlier than expected.
In fact, the Xinqi sent from Zhouqiao to request an audience only arrived in Xiangyang yesterday. Unexpectedly, early this morning, Liu Xian and Xu Huai sent another Xinqi across the river to report that they had already arrived at Fancheng with their bodyguards.
"You see I need help from others, you know how urgent we are on this journey!" Liu Xian said with a smile.
The horse Liu Xian rode was a good horse selected from a thousand miles away. The saddle was covered with soft cushions. His body was also strong. He usually prided himself on being good at shooting and guarding. However, during this rush, his thighs were covered with blood blisters.
When he arrived, he applied ointment and could only ask for help to walk with his legs crossed.
Listening to Liu Xian detailing the details of the emergency march, Xu Wei shook his head and said with a smile: "Mr. Liu now knows why Your Highness relies so much on Xu Junhou? In the battle of Taiyuan, Xu Junhou really killed the captive soldiers to death, like Cao Shixiong, Yue Hailou, Yin Chao
I am afraid that I will never have the guts to fight against Xu Junhou in this life!"
"Mr. Xu Fu praised, the battle in Taiyuan was all due to His Highness's planning thousands of miles away. I was just lucky enough to kill the Japanese soldiers by surprise, and there were weak Japanese soldiers outside Taiyuan. The Taiyuan defenders were deprived of food for several months and were weakened by bullying.
Xu Huaiqian said, "I think Cao Shixiong will not be scared out of his wits. He will bite the Chushan army and fight him if he has the chance. There is no fear! This time the rush is so urgent. First, Liu Shijun, the Duke of Guo and the
I am eager to see His Highness and listen to His teachings; secondly, I am just trying to polish off the laziness of the generals - in fact, every one of them is running on their feet, and I may need to rest in Fancheng for a few days before I can hit the road back to Chushan again!"
Xu Wei sincerely admired the Chushan Army, and Liu Xian may also be a generous person, but the generals around Liu Xian may not be happy after hearing these words.
What's more, after King Jing ascended the throne, the Chushan camp was only one of the troops formed by the new dynasty. Xu Huaike didn't think that the Chushan camp performed too well, and the other troops would definitely know their shame and become brave.
Putting this topic aside, Liu Xian asked Xu Wei and Qian Shangduan: "When the news from Bianliang reaches Xiangyang, will His Highness's grief be relieved?"
"The bad news came. Your Highness has not eaten for two days. After the persuasion of the ministers, he only drank rice soup to relieve his hunger. He is getting more and more haggard." Xu Wei shook his head and said, "But the succession cannot be delayed any longer.
, it’s just the right time for you to come here, let’s cross the river first, and then we can advise His Highness together!”
Xu Wei and Qian Shangduan said that Zhou He, Gao Chunnian, Gu Fan, Zhu Hang, Wang Fan, Qiao Jien and others all expressed their attitude that they could no longer delay, and Duke Zhao Yi of Wuwei also brought him from Shouchun to persuade Jin Biao. It can be said that
The last layer of worry is gone.
Everyone immediately took the small boat and boarded the huge ship without further delay, heading towards Xiangyang City...
