On the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month in the seventh year of Shaolong, there was heavy snowfall in the Hehuai River.
Jiaopi was originally just an unknown town on the south bank of Yingshui River.
In the second year after the founding of the People's Republic of China, Liu Xian, the strategic envoy of Jinghu North Road, led the Xuanwei army to build a camp here. He wanted to attack Ruyin in the north, but he suffered heavy losses from the Han army and the Red Husband cavalry in the west of Beijing, and the entire army was almost destroyed. From then on, Jiao Pi
As well as nearby towns such as Quanhe, they also fell under the control of the General Administration of the Military and Horse Capital in Western Beijing.
In order to strengthen communication with Huaichuan and control the area on the south bank (right bank) of Yingshui River, the General Administration of Military and Horses in Western Beijing built a city wall with a total length of more than eight miles based on the original town port of Jiaopi and set up Jiaopi under Yingzhou.
county.
Huaichuan, Jiaopi, Quanhe and other places were originally under the rule of Yingzhou. Initially, Zhong Changqing, the general from the west of Beijing, was appointed as the commander-in-chief of Yingzhou's troops and horses and knew the state. In the second year of Shaolong, Meng Jie succeeded Zhong Changqing and led his troops to garrison in Yingzhou.
.
Before the battle at the mouth of the Peishui River, the returned German troops had already crossed Huaibei and withdrew from Huangchuan and other places in advance. Sun Yanzhou succeeded Meng Jie as the commander-in-chief of Yingzhou's troops and horses, and the governor of the state.
However, considering that the morale of the returned German army was unstable after the surrender, they did not have the ability to defend the entire territory of Yingzhou alone, and the three cities of Huaichuan, Jiaopi, and Quanhe on the right bank of the Ying River were opposite the Shenzhou camp in Beijing and Xiangzhou and were about to be occupied.
When Guangzhou was recaptured by the Southern Dynasties, Yue Hailou separated these three cities from Yingzhou, and Meng Jie led his troops to defend them.
After the Battle of Shuihekou, especially after the escape from Beijing incident, Xu Huai took full control of the military and political power of the Southern Dynasties, and even moved the Southern Dynasty court back to Xiangyang and Yuehai where it was easier to control.
Considering that Jingxiang and Xiang could organize a large army to cross Huaibei at any time, and Huaichuan was a battleground for the Southern Dynasty to cross Huaibei, he also dispatched Zhong Changqing, Gao Teng'an, Mo Lihu and other troops to strengthen Jiaopi, Quanhe and Huaichuan.
The city's defense; at the same time, it also formulated a defense strategy of virtual south and real north, virtual Huaichuan and real Jiaopi and Quanhe.
At this time, Jiaopi and Quanhe were no longer two isolated cities standing alone on the Yingyou Plain. Instead, they were connected to the right bank (south bank) of Yingshui River, and formed an angle with Ruyin City on the north bank, covering an area of more than 30 miles.
Walled City Group.
Even though the General Administration of the Military and Horse Capital in the West of Beijing had assembled more than 30,000 soldiers and horses in Jiaopi, Quanhe and other places at this time, and another 25,000 German troops were stationed in Ruyin, Yingshang and other cities, after Huaichuan City was besieged
, Yue Hailou urgently sent messengers to Zhennan Zong Wangfu and Pingyanzhen Wangfu for help.
As reinforcements from all directions continued to arrive, including cavalry and war horses, even if some of the reinforcements gathered at Yingshang and other places on the left bank of the Yingshui River mouth, the Yingyou (south bank) camp group with Jiaopi and Quanhe as the core appeared again.
It became crowded, and hard laborers were still forced to build new camps in the ice and snow.
"General Na Yan should be here!"
Zhong Changqing stood on the northern wall of Jiaopi City, feeling a dull pain from the snow particles hitting his face. He vaguely saw a group of cavalry galloping out of the depths of the windy and snowy night, and the guard whispered in his ear.
Although Mo Lihu had sent a letter rider to report the matter a moment ago, the man on duty still ordered him to stop riding, and ordered several of his riders to slowly come forward to hand over the letter seal, and then opened the city gate after raising a fire to confirm that it was correct -
-Only people like Mo Lihu arrived and temporarily opened the city gate late at night. A slightly lower-level general could only stay up until dawn on a snowy night.
After Zhong Changqing confirmed that it was correct, he went down to the tower to greet Mo Lihu and his party.
"Why are you coming back so late?" Zhong Changqing eagerly brushed off the snow on Mo Li's cloak and asked in confusion.
Mo Lihu rushed to Lugouzhai, more than 80 miles east of Ruyin, to meet with General Meng He, who was sent as reinforcements by Prince Ping Yanzong's palace, to discuss the march to the outskirts of Huaichuan. According to the itinerary, he should return to Jiao only the day after tomorrow.
Pi.
"Han Shiliang sent troops from Chuzhou to cross the Huaihe River the day before yesterday. The troops that King Da Zong originally planned to reinforce had to turn around and go to Sizhou..." Mo Lihu said.
"Has Han Shiliang sent troops now?"
Zhong Changqing was suddenly startled and asked unexpectedly.
Korea
If Shi Liang had led his troops from Chuzhou to Huaibei at the same time as the Jing Sheng Army, Xuan Wu Army, and Xiao Sheng Army a month ago, he would not have been too surprised - this just meant that Han Shi Liang finally made a decision to be loyal to the Southern Dynasty and participate in the crossing.
The choice of the Huaibei expedition.
However, the problem is that a month ago, Han Shiliang was still standing still in Chuzhou, and he was still wary of the Sikong Mansion, which was threatening the emperor to control the princes. Why did he decide to change his court so quickly and easily?
"There's no news from Huaichuan yet?"
Mo Lihu rushed back to Jiaopi from Lugou Camp overnight. Of course, he felt that it was too strange for Han Shiliang to send troops at this time, and asked if there was any new news in Huaichuan.
Zhong Changqing shook his head.
After they were defeated in the battle of Changtanzhai, Jingxiang immediately gathered tens of thousands of elites and spread out along the Yongjin River. Then they continuously dispatched troops from the south bank to build companies and camps, and surrounded Huaichuan City tightly.
Even a bird can't fly there, how can there be any news about Huaichuan?
The scouts they sent could only collect some intelligence from the periphery and confirmed that Jingxiang was still constantly transporting materials for siege operations from Huangchuan, Luoshan and other places, such as grease, siege equipment, arrows, grain, cold-proof clothing, etc.
etc.; the soldiers and horses that followed from Beijing and Xiang to the north also stationed themselves in the camps outside Huaichuan City.
In addition, Jingxiang has also mobilized countless troops to build strong and large camps in the northeast and northwest of Huaichuan City.
In recent days, the Huaihe River has also begun to show signs of freezing. Although it has not completely frozen, Beijing and Xiangzhou have been eager to build a fortress downstream of Huaichuan City, and send troops and horses to the Huaihe River every day to cut ice and stockpile ice on the beach.
Hundreds of charcoal boats were built to prevent this section of the Huaihe River from freezing.
All this shows that Jingxiang is embarking on a long-term siege and attacking Huaichuan City. Gao Teng'an, Zhi Quming and Shi Fupeng are still holding on, and Huaichuan City has not yet changed hands.
"Did you take the pontoon bridge when you came from Lugou Camp?" Zhong Changqing asked Mo Lihu.
"We crossed Yingshui directly from Magang. It's completely frozen over there, so there's no problem with our horses," Mo Lihu said.
Yingzhou has three pontoon bridges built to the north of Jiaopi City to connect the north and the south. Even if the freezing of Yingshui River will cause some damage to the pontoon bridges, they dare not demolish the pontoon bridges at this juncture - of course, how many people can pass through the pontoon bridge at one time?
The resources are limited. If a large group of cavalry wants to maneuver quickly, they have to wait for the water to completely freeze. Only in this way, the floodplain area northwest of Jiaopi will become a thoroughfare.
"Maybe we are overthinking it..."
It is confirmed that the Yingshui River on the other side of Magang has been frozen, which means that the nearly 30,000 Red Hussars currently gathered in Jiaopi, Quanhe, Lugou and other places can travel between the two sides of the Yingshui River. Zhong Changqing is really
I can't imagine what else could go wrong.
At this time, he just thought that he had been worried too much in recent days, so he invited Mo Lihu to go back to the house first to avoid the cold...
……………
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Ruled by Yingzhou, Ruyin is one of the largest cities north of the Huaihe River, and it is rare that it has not experienced the devastation of war.
In addition to the outer city that is 19 miles away, Ruyin also has an inner city that is five to six hundred paces square. However, Sun Yanzhou, Hu Dangzhou and other generals led 20,000 soldiers who returned to Germany and surrendered, as well as 2,000 troops led by the red general Kuo Ti.
The garrison's garrison is sufficient, and no more reinforcements will come directly for the time being.
And because Ruyin is located to the north of Jiaopi, Quanhe, Yingshang, Lugou and other cities——
Although Quanhe, Jiaopi to Yingshang and Lugou are 1560 miles deep, no matter how many troops and horses are reinforced, it is impossible not to leave a gap, but Yingshui, as the largest natural barrier in Ruyin, is
The weather has already frozen solid, and it is precisely the Yingshui that has frozen solid, turning the entire Yingzhou land into a place where tens of thousands of red cavalry are galloping. In short, Ruyin feels very relieved and does not feel that this winter
, the war may spread to Ruyin
.
The atmosphere in Ruyin City at this time is much quieter and more peaceful than in Jiaopi, Quanhe, Yingshang and other places. There are even some houses in the city that have begun to put on lights and colorful decorations to welcome the New Year.
It was windy and snowy, and the soldiers on duty at the top of the city were all huddled in the small tents around the campfire to keep warm. The wind and snow also covered up all traces. The soldiers on duty at the top of the city just wanted to stay up until dawn so that they could go back to the barracks and have a good sleep.
Last night, let someone else guard the city.
An imposing general climbed onto the tower surrounded by a dozen guards. Dozens of soldiers who were hiding in the tower to warm themselves by the fire immediately stood up nervously.
"I couldn't sleep well at night, so I came here to take a look. It's fine. There's nothing wrong. You all are sitting here - it's hard to endure such a cold night!" the general said to reassure everyone.
The general walked to the crenellated wall and looked at the dark night beyond the crenellated mouth. He couldn't help feeling anxious and asked a guard beside him in a low voice: "It's such a heavy wind and snow, and there's no star or moon illumination, will we go astray?"
?”
"Although the wind and snow are heavy, as long as there are some lights, you can still vaguely see it from several miles away," said the guard next to him. "If we really go off the road and bump into the soldiers outside, there will definitely be news as soon as possible.
It has been sent to Ruyin. There is no news now, but it is the best news. Please wait patiently, General Yang Ji!"
General Wu grabbed a handful of snow, scrubbed his cheeks, and made himself more awake. He laughed at himself and said: "I know in my heart that I will make every plan, but when things come, I will
I can't help but panic and make Chen Qianshi laugh."
"General Yang Ji is too humble. Chen Man prides himself on knowing people, but when he comes to Ruyin to plan things with General Yang Ji, I have never seen many people who can be calmer and more plain than General Yang Ji," Chen Man said in a low voice.
, "General Jiang Ang and General Sun praised General Yang Ji for his courage and wisdom in front of the envoy. It was no exaggeration at all..."
After a while, the night had receded a little, and it was almost dawn. Suddenly, at the top of the city on the left, there were defenders shouting angrily at the city:
"Who is under the city? Stop quickly, be careful of bows and arrows without eyesight!"
Chen Man and Yang Ji looked out and saw forty or fifty people walking out from the depths of the wind and snow, standing at the foot of the city and raising their heads and shouting:
"Huaichuan City was captured by the Southern Army. We managed to escape from Huaichuan in the snow and wind. Quickly open the city gate and ask us to go in and report the enemy's situation! Who is on duty on the city today? Even your Master Yu
, Tang Yuan doesn’t even recognize him?”
The visitor held a torch and illuminated the faces of the two leading men, asking the defenders at the top of the city to take a closer look.
Tang Yuan and Yu Mo's status in the Dongjing Allied Forces in their early years was not much worse than that of Sun Yanguan and Jiang Ang, but it was Sun Yanzhou. Hu Dangzhou was marginalized only after he surrendered to the captives but did not surrender, but he was later incorporated into Sun Yanzhou's descendant Sun Xiaozhang before being included in the army.
There are very few generals and generals in the city who don't recognize them.
Of course, it was impossible for the city gate to be easily opened by the dozens of defeated soldiers who had escaped under the leadership of Tang Yuan and Yu Mo. However, the military officials on duty recognized the faces of Tang Yuan and Yu Mo, and happened to catch up with the military commander Yang Ji in the city.
The head of the inspection team rushed over to report: "General Yang Ji is indeed Tang Yuan. Yu Mo and the others have escaped from Huaichuan..."
The direct distance between Huaichuan and Ruyin is only one hundred and twenty or thirty miles. It is not surprising that the city of Huaichuan was destroyed and some of the defeated troops fled directly to Ruyin instead of going to Jiaopi.
"Go, you go report to Sun Shuai about the fall of Huaichuan City," Yang Ji pointed at a guard beside him and said a few words, and then said to the military officer on duty, "Don't let them freeze outside the city, take them in with a hanging basket.
Come to the city!"
Chen Man said from the side: "Brothers were defeated outside and finally escaped death. It's almost dawn. There are so many troubles. Just open the city gate and let them in!"
Yang Ji directly ordered the city gate to be opened, which might arouse suspicion. At this time, Chen Manyicha was called. The military officer on duty also felt that it would be too troublesome to pick up so many people one by one in hanging baskets. Seeing that Yang Ji had no objection, he just left.
The defenders behind the city gate opened the city gate directly...
