In the past half month, most of the generals were still immersed in the joy of winning the great victory at Pikou, including the generals who commanded the troops and horses of the king.
No matter how unhappy they were with the new policies implemented by Jingxiang in the past, and how dissatisfied they were with the people in Jingxiang who were of humble origins and acted eclectically, no one could deny that this time it was Xu Huai who led the people in Jingxiang to stand.
He came out and saved Dai Viet from the danger of national subjugation and annihilation.
When Bianliang fell, many people had not yet fully woken up from the dream of being a great country. They thought it was just an accidental historical mistake, and they still believed that the Chihu people were a barbarian country with a barren land and insignificant people who could not swallow up the world.
The illusion that after plundering the Central Plains, the troops will withdraw.
However, in the past few years, we have seen the resistance in Heluo, Hehuai, Shaanxi and other places being wiped out one after another. We have seen the Red Husbands setting up military and horse general administration offices one after another in the Central Plains.
After all their efforts, they managed to establish a relatively solid defense line between the Qinling Mountains and the Huaihe River. Most people were aware of the power of the Chihu people.
This time the Jianye Navy was destroyed, causing the Red Guards Cavalry to look at the natural chasm of the Yangtze River as if it were nothing. The land in Gyeonggi, where Vietnam moved its capital twice, once again seemed like nothing in front of the Red Guards Cavalry.
In the human realm, the generals, ministers, gentry and gentry in Jianghuai, Jinghu and other places really felt the crisis of national subjugation and genocide at this moment.
Xu Huai led everyone in Beijing and Xiang to once again turn the tide, not only freeing Dai Viet from the huge crisis of national subjugation and annihilation, but also allowing the world to see the hope of completely guarding the front line of the Huaihe River. How can we not be relieved and ecstatic to have this sense of crisis lifted?
?
However, at least at this moment, most generals are still immersed in the joy of the victory at Pikou, and not many people have thought about the issue of crossing the Huaihe River. However, when Zhou Lianggong mentioned the crossing of the Huaihe River at the night banquet, some people were shocked and puzzled.
There are some, but there are also many generals whose blood boils when they hear it.
Yes, why not strike while the iron is hot, pursue the victory, cross the Huai River, and continue to seize the soldiers whose morale is low and beat them up?
In the previous attack on the Feikou prisoner camp, although the soldiers and horses of King Qin also had the opportunity to enter the prisoner camp and seize the heads, they were basically led by the generals and the team, and the merits of the heads were also recorded on the grassroots military officials and soldiers.
Mid-level and senior military generals above the battalion commander level have not yet had the opportunity to make contributions.
Courage is such a thing. In the past, I saw the captive soldiers as ferocious and fearful as tigers, but when I saw the captive soldiers being slaughtered like animals, I became greedy for those pieces of land that could be exchanged for houses, real money, or even a leader who would rise to the top.
Military merit is here.
As for whether there is enough money and food, whether the local area can withstand more oppression, and whether it needs proper rest and recuperation, few military commanders in the world think about it.
"What Zhou Hou said is true. The army should discuss the matter of crossing the Huaihe River!" There was no need to deliberately arrange it, someone immediately stood up and echoed Zhou Lianggong.
"This is indeed something I did not consider. But today, you have come from afar and your horses and carriages are tired. You should drink wine to wash away your fatigue. It will not be too late to discuss the matter of crossing the Huaihe River tomorrow." Xu Huai humbly accepted the offer of Zhou Lianggong and others.
"Criticize", raise a glass and invite everyone to drink together.
Gu Fan, Deng Gui, Liu Yan, Kong Changyu, Yang Qiye and others all arrived at the main camp of Jiangou Town in the afternoon. Many things were not communicated in advance. Xu Huai had no intention of discussing this matter so hastily and invited everyone to enjoy it.
Have a drink and leave your worries for tomorrow.
However, Zhou Lianggong introduced the topic, and even if Xu Huai changed the subject, it would be impossible for everyone not to think carefully.
After the banquet, all the generals and ministers went to the post house to rest.
In addition to fighting side by side with the people in Chushan when suppressing the bandits in Tongbai Mountain, Deng Gui also showed his feelings to Xu Huai during the attack on Qingquangou during the defense of Gongyi.
However, at that time, Xu Huai did not know how the situation would develop. He just asked Deng Gui to patiently assist Emperor Jianji, who was still King Jing at the time, to help Sheji and resist the southern invasion of the Hu barbarians.
After that, in addition to maintaining contact secretly, Deng Gui kept a distance from Jingxiang (Chushan). In the blink of an eye, these years passed, and Deng Gui finally returned to the command of Jingxiang (Chushan) publicly this time.
After the banquet, Deng Gui was not in a hurry to go back to the posthouse to rest. Xu Huai took him back to talk to him in the palace.
In the flower hall of the house after the retreat, in addition to Shi Zhen, Xu Wuqi, Xu Wujiang, Liu Shiwang, Han Gui, Dong Cheng, Xiao Yanhan, Sa Luhe and others, there were Fan Zongqi, Zhang Xiongshan and Wang??? who were in charge of military affairs and did not attend the night banquet.
Generals Jun, Wu Chihai, Shi Hu, and Jiang Ping also escaped and came over to meet Deng Gui.
After sending everyone to the post office area to settle down, Zheng Tu took Zhu Tong and hurried back to the camp. When he saw Deng Gui, he was also excited and said:
"I know that Mr. Deng is a man of temperament. How could he easily forget the time when we joined hands to kill the bandits? I have said many strange things to you behind your back over the years, but I can only blame you for hiding it from us.
I haven't leaked anything in my words, Mr. Deng, you can't blame me."
"It's a good idea for you, you just wiped yourself out so easily?" Xu Huai said with a smile, "How many more days will Marquis Deng stay in Jiangou Town? I will punish you to drink three cups in front of Marquis Deng every day before this matter can be revealed.
.”
"I should be punished, I should be punished. As long as you are not afraid that I will get drunk and cause trouble," Zheng Tu eagerly sat down next to Deng Gui and said, "Actually, I have been thinking about it. Lao Pan, Master Ya, and General Chen all know it."
The envoy is good and he knows the beauty of the envoy. How could Deng Langjun be a blind person? It seems that my feeling is right..."
After exchanging warm greetings with everyone, Deng Gui turned the topic to the crossing of the Huaihe River mentioned by Zhou Lianggong, and asked: "For now, how sure are Jingxiang and Xiangxiang of establishing a foothold north of the Huaihe River, or do you have other plans?"
?”
"Apart from this military meeting and requesting Wei Chujun to move the Five-Road Envoy Si Xingyuan to the north to Jiangou Town, I have no other expressions. However, both Zhou He and Han Shiliang guessed that I intended to cross the Huaihe River. This world is really unfair.
There is a shortage of smart people," Xu Huai sighed softly. "We have to cross the Huaihe River eventually, and the morale is available at the moment. I don't want to let King Qin go back easily, but the most important thing is to convince Han Shiliang and Ge Yurang.
When Shouchun comes out, I hope Liu Yan or Yang Qiye will come to take charge of Shouchun, so that I can have no worries..."
The transition from strategic defense to strategic counter-offensive is not as complicated or long as imagined.
Jingxiang occupied Rucai and resisted the attack launched by the Red Husbands from the center, and won the second Huainan victory this time. It seems that the results are not particularly obvious. Even the cumulative casualties of Vietnam were huge, not to mention the consumption of the war, but the Red Army
The war potential of the Hu people in the Hehuai area has also been seriously weakened.
The more crucial point is that
Not only did Beijing and Xiangzhou consume very little food and fodder during the second Huainan Battle, their military strength was further strengthened, and they had the conditions to launch a local counterattack.
Taking into account the supply line and the convenience of the elite troops and horses from Beijing and Xiang to attack, Xu Huai certainly hoped to use Caizhou as an advance base to assemble a large army to launch a counterattack.
However, in addition to relieving the floods between Ruying and Ruying, this also requires Huaixi as a stable and reliable flank to provide firm support and support for the counterattack launched in the middle; when necessary, Huaixi soldiers and horses are also required to cross the Huaihe River.
, occupying Yingshang, Xiacai and other cities on the north bank, and pointed their troops directly at Woyang, Fuyang and other places in the north to contain some of the captive soldiers.
After occupying the cities such as Yingshang and Xiacai on the north bank of the Huaihe River, local soldiers and horses from Liangjiang, Liangzhejiang and other places can be mobilized to participate in the garrison, which can further alleviate the shortage of troops.
However, Huaixi controlled by the Qiandi Department was obviously not what Xu Huai wanted to see, and he was worried about it.
If the Qiandi Department secretly negotiates peace with the Japanese soldiers again, it will directly threaten the safety of the flanks of the Jingxiang counterattack troops.
In addition, the enthusiasm of Jingsheng's army and the generals under Deng Gui need to be further stimulated in order to fundamentally eliminate the discrimination and oppression that the generals have suffered in the past.
The remaining question is whether it is most direct and effective to grant land to the generals who have made military achievements.
Although after Emperor Shaolong succeeded to the throne, the separation of garrison settlements solved the problem of overly large and bloated military camps caused by family members of the army. However, hundreds of thousands of military family members moved to Jianye, Jiangdong, Zhejiang and other places for resettlement. They mainly lived in Jianye.
In each of the military villages, there was not enough land for farming from the local area, and they mainly relied on the soldiers' pay from the generals to make a living.
Even if military dependents can rent some fields from the local area, in addition to enduring the exploitation of high rents, they also have conflicts with local tenants for farming.
Xu Huai did not want to touch deeply on the land system in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jinghu and other places for the time being. However, after two large-scale battles, Huaixi suffered serious population losses and had a large amount of unowned land that could be requisitioned for official ownership. Fundamentally,
Eliminate the problem of land granting to generals of Xuanwu Army, Xiaosheng Army and Jingsheng Army.
It can be said that the population of the four counties of Guangzhou alone has been completely lost. There are five to six million acres of farmland in the four counties of Guangzhou alone that can be directly used for farming. After this battle, there is no need to worry about the invasion of the Japanese troops south of the Huaihe River.
possible.
Therefore, if we really want to launch a counterattack, the first thing that must be resolved is the change of station in Huaixi.
"If the Qiandi clan is unwilling to give up Huaixi, the envoy plans to directly cross the Huaihe River from Shouchun, Huoqiu and other places to attack the enemies entrenched in Xiacai and Yingshang?" Deng Gui asked.
Xu Huai nodded and said: "The Shouchun garrison has made great contributions to the country. I don't want to do this unless it is a last resort..."
He was not sure that the Qiandi faction would definitely give in, but if the Qiandi faction insisted on not transferring Shouchun troops to other places, then he could only directly transfer the Shouchun garrison to join forces with the Jingsheng Army and the Xiaosheng Army.
He crossed the Huaihe River with the Huaidong Army (right Xuanwu Army), and in the spring of the next year, he fought with the east-route soldiers between Xiacai, Yingshui, Fuyang, and Woyang north of the Huaihe River.
Whether there will be excessive casualties at that time, and whether the consumption of food, fodder, ordnance will exceed expectations, is not something Xu Huai is particularly concerned about...
