In Xuzhou, light rain fell from the sky. The air was cold and terrifyingly gloomy.
Li Zhuohui, staff officer of the Third Division of the Fifth Chinese Army, walked through the simple courtyard and when he reached the corridor, he took off his raincoat and patted the water droplets off his body.
Walking through the corridor in front, a dozen officers had gathered in the courtyard and greeted each other. This was a routine meeting after the morning, but due to what happened yesterday, the scope of the meeting had been expanded.
Outside the city of Xuzhou, the skinny body of the Chinese Army brother was still hanging on a wooden stick. Although people always die in wars, the brothers who were sent outside the city were in great danger, and they would not take special measures because of one person.
Action, but today, Li Zhuohui still had some different thoughts in his mind.
Some opportunities may have arrived. Yesterday, Li Zhuohui was responsible for verifying the identity of the corpse outside the city. He also communicated with several generals in the army that night. Everyone's ideas ranged from radical to conservative, but today, Li Zhuohui decided to discuss the matter at the meeting.
Talk things out.
Not long after, division commander Liu Chengzong arrived at the courtyard, and everyone went into the room. There were several daily topics at the meeting, and Li Zhuohui first reported the identity of the corpse outside the city.
The victim's name is Fang Mu. He is twenty-nine years old this year, but he is an old scout in the Chinese army. He was a homeless wanderer in the capital when he was more than ten years old. At that time, he was taken in and trained by Zhuji, and he experienced Bianliang.
During the defense war, he experienced the regicide rebellion, and later experienced the successive battles in the northwest, and worked underground for a period of time in Bamboo Records.
He already has a wife and children in Liangshan Mountain. In principle, he should not be allowed to leave the city. However, the Chinese Army has experienced many battles in the past few years, and there are many brave men who are truly determined and yet tactful and suitable for spy work.
But not many - at least in this division of more than 8,000 people, such manpower is lacking. Fang Mu took the initiative to ask for this job out of the city. At that time, he said that he would work as a spy among the hungry ghosts and would not have to fight on the battlefield.
If you go head-to-head, it may be easier to survive.
"...'I still have a wife and children to take care of at home. I am thin and it is easier to survive outside the city...' This is what he said at the time, but he did not expect...that he would be discovered..."
After Li Zhuohui said this, he sat down on his seat. Liu Chengzong nodded, discussed Fang Mu for a while, and then started to move on to other topics. Li Zhuohui was thinking about when it would be appropriate to speak out his thoughts for everyone to discuss.
After a while, Luo Ye, the leader of the special forces group sitting in front of him, stood up.
"Mr. Liu, everyone, I have an idea."
"Say." Liu Chengzong nodded.
"I think it's time to fight a war." Luo Ye said, "Fight the hungry ghost and kill the king lion boy."
The officers in the room exchanged glances with each other, and Liu Chengzong thought for a moment: "For Fang Mu?"
"Fang Mu can be a reason, but the main reason is because I think the time has come."
"oh?"
"I said this for the following reasons." Liu Chengzong looked at Luo Ye with doubts, and Luo Ye also looked back calmly, and then said: "First, what is the purpose of our coming to Xuzhou? Jurchen III
A hundred thousand troops, more than 8,000 of us, are defending Xuzhou, relying on the city wall to be strong? This was denied in our military discussions last year. We have denied the feasibility of this. Hold on, street fighting, evacuate, harass... Even in the most optimistic situation, we can
We will abandon the city of Xuzhou, and finally turn to guerrillas and harassment. So, our purpose is actually to prolong the time, build a reputation, and try our best to give another breath to the resistance forces in the Central Plains and even the Yangtze River Basin."
"...So for such a purpose, what do these hundreds of thousands of hungry ghosts outside the city mean to us? Spring is coming, and the Jurchens are about to kill us. We can count on these hundreds of thousands of hungry ghosts to become our natural
The barrier, that is to say, we wait for the Jurchens to kill hundreds of thousands of hungry ghosts and finally arrive at Xuzhou City... This seems to be a good idea, but I think this choice is very negative."
"...First of all, we consider the combat effectiveness of the hungry ghosts. Hundreds of thousands of people are about to starve to death. Even if I am Wanyan Zongfu, I find it very troublesome when harassing the Jurchens. But if the Jurchen's 300,000 regular troops really treat the hungry ghosts as
We are enemies, and we have to kill them. The resistance of the hungry ghosts is actually very limited. Watching hundreds of thousands of people massacred under the city before our eyes, and then defending the city, is also a huge blow to our morale."
"...Secondly, the Jurchens outside the city have begun to adopt a strategy of dividing and winning over the hungry ghosts. These hungry people are very powerful when they are desperate. However...once they encounter differentiation and have a way out, they actually resist
I can’t resist this kind of temptation. So the barrier of hundreds of thousands of people only looks beautiful, but is actually vulnerable. But the life and death of hundreds of thousands of people is actually very heavy..."
Luo Ye paused: "In the past few months, we in Xuzhou City have watched them starve to death outside. Although it is not our fault, it still makes people feel...indescribably frustrating. But when I think about it,
Think about it, if we break up these hungry ghosts gathering under the city now, what good will it do?"
He raised a hand: "First, it will certainly boost military morale. Second, hungry ghosts gathered in Xuzhou because of Wang Shitong. Once Wang Shitong is killed, the hundreds of thousands of survivors will
The surrounding area is very miserable, and the road south is difficult to walk, but...a small number of people will survive. This is the only merit we can do. Third, there are hundreds of thousands of people in the crowd.
And if they disperse, the people of Xuzhou may also be able to get wrapped up in the general trend and start to retreat southward, and even all the residents south of Xuzhou can feel this atmosphere and go south to find their last way to survive."
"Commander, everyone." Luo Ye took a breath and pointed out the window, "Spring has arrived, the snow will melt soon, and this war is coming no matter what. Let us delay the lives of hundreds of thousands of people outside the city.
Ten days and a half? Or let us take the initiative and warm up before the Jurchens arrive? What we want is the strength and determination of the entire Central Plains to fight. As Mr. Ning said, we want this drama
If the performance is good, then there is no need to wait so cowardly for the Jurchens to take action. If Wang Shitong is really instigated by the Jurchens to rebel, we will have a large group of enemies. If we really want to withdraw from Xuzhou in the future, I am afraid it will be difficult to do so.
."
During Luo Ye's words, Li Zhuohui raised his hand from behind: "I, I think so too..." Liu Chengzong looked at Luo Ye from the front: "It's very beautiful, but what about the specifics? What about our losses?
?”
I have a plan - Li Zhuohui thought in his mind. But he heard Luo Ye said in front of him: "I communicated with several group leaders last night and came up with a plan overnight. Once the hungry ghosts start to take the initiative to attack, it will be endless and annoying."
, but their ability to resist attacks is insufficient. We have placed many people among them. We only need to keep an eye on Wang Shitong's position and rush in at high speed with elite force to kill Wang Shitong. Of course, we also have to
Considering the follow-up development after killing Wang Shitong, we need to activate the hidden stakes we have planted among the hungry ghosts to guide the hungry ghosts to scatter south. This requires further improvement and several days of communication..."
Luo Ye handed over the plan and explained the steps of the plan. Li Zhuohui and others began to nod in agreement. After a while, Liu Chengzong in front nodded: "Can we discuss it? Are there any objections?" He looked around.
After a moment, Liu Chengzong laughed, with a hint of seriousness and ferocity as a general in his smile. His voice echoed in the room.
"...The plan is passed on and everyone discusses it together. Li Zhuohui, I think you also have an idea. Please improve it and the official results will be released in the afternoon. If there are no more clear and detailed objections, then it will be like what you said..."
He stood up and knocked on the table with his fist.
"Spring is here... kill the king, lion boy and sacrifice the flag!"
******************
A thousand miles northwest of Xuzhou, the flames of war and war smoke have not dissipated.
On the Linzhou battlefield, the fierce fighting is receding as time goes by.
It is difficult to know exactly when the Jurchen army retreated, but by the end of Desi hour, around noon, a large-scale retreat had begun to form a trend. Wang Juyun led the Ming army to fight all the way to the northeast.
The resistance began to weaken.
The Jin soldiers were retreating, and some of the troops led by the generals still launched a counterattack against the Ming King's army during the retreat. Some of the retreating Jin soldiers even lost their formation and combat power to take care of each other. When they met the Ming King's army, they were defeated by this.
An army that still retained its strength pursued them all the way. Wang Juyun was riding on his horse, watching everything.
Shu Liesu, together with Yin Shuke, Ba Lisu and others, was one of the core generals under Wanyan Zonghan. After Aguda died, the Jin Kingdom was divided into two power centers, the east and west. The army controlled by Wanyan Zonghan was even enough to overwhelm
The Jurchen royal army controlled by Wu Qimai and the Jurchen elite under Shu Liesu are one of the most elite troops Wang Juyun has ever encountered, but this time in front of him is the only time he has faced the Jurchen core elite.
, playing so easily.
He did not personally witness what happened in the past few hours, but everything he participated in along the way, and the surviving Black Flag soldiers he encountered who were almost fighting to the point of losing their strength, illustrates the brutality of the fighting between the two sides in the previous few hours. If Wang Juyun had not seen it in person, Wang Juyun
It is really hard to believe that the army supporting the black flag in front of us was broken up in repeated confrontations, but the broken up teams kept reuniting and started fighting repeatedly with the Jurchens.
Even if he saw it with his own eyes, it was hard for him to believe it. After the Jurchens swept the world and issued the slogan of being invincible, more than 30,000 Jurchen elites faced more than 10,000 black flag troops. On this morning,
The opponent was defeated abruptly.
On the battlefield, the broken and wounded soldiers spread the message that "Shu Lieshu is dead", but no one knew whether the message was true or false. At the same time, among the Jurchens, some of the broken Han troops also spread the message
No one knows whether there are random rumors such as "Zhu Biao is dead" or even "Mr. Ning is dead". The only thing that is clear is that even when such rumors are scattered, the warring parties are still fighting in such chaos.
Killed until now.
At a quarter past noon, Wang Juyun saw Zhu Biao on the battlefield, who was directing all the soldiers who could still move to rescue the wounded. On the battlefield, mud and blood were mixed, corpses stretched out in random directions, and the flags of the Chinese Army and the Jurchen flags intertwined.
Together, the Jurchen brigade had evacuated. Zhu Biao was covered in blood and swaying as he waved to Wang Juyun: "Help save people!"
His voice was hoarse. Wang Juyun had already led everyone to rush to help. The old man supported Zhu Biao. Zhu Biao smiled and then waved his hand: "Look carefully! Look carefully! Some people are not dead...
..." He smiled, "They are just out of strength, help them get up..."
On the battlefield, many people fell in the pile of corpses without moving, but their eyes were still open. As the fighting ended, many people exhausted their last strength. They were either sitting or lying there to rest and rest.
Often he can't wake up.
Some soldiers died at this time.
People came one after another from a distance, and the scouts who reported the news were exhausted on the battlefield conveying the news from all parties. Hu Yanzhuo contacted, Qin Ming contacted, Shi Guangen contacted, Zhu Biao and Wang Juyun received the news together,
Every time it was confirmed that someone had survived, Zhu Biao smiled and said, "This guy is not dead yet..." But there was also depressing news.
Soon after, someone passed the news about Guan Sheng and Li Jiakai. This news came from the riders sent by Wang Juyun, and behind them, there were already people carrying stretchers. They, Zhu Biao and Wang Juyun
Speaking of that thrilling assassination.
"Look at this rice dumpling..."
When the stretcher came over, Zhu Biao pointed at one of the people on the stretcher and laughed heartlessly, laughing until tears flowed out. Lu Junyi's body was tightly wrapped in gauze, and his face was pale and his breathing was weak.
, looks extremely desolate.
"The stab wound to the chest was extremely serious. Whether it can be sustained...it's hard to say..."
The medical officer accompanying the army explained the situation awkwardly. He already knew the news about Lu Junyi's execution speed, so he paid special attention to him. Another rice dumpling moved on the stretcher next to him, and his eyes turned this way.
"His martial arts skills are so high, he can't die."
This is Li Jiakai. He and more than a hundred people originally tried to attract Shu Liesu's attention and waited for Guan Sheng and others to kill him. Then he noticed something strange at the other end of the forest. When he arrived, Lu Junyi and several companions around him
He had been killed and had no way out. Lu Junyi was stabbed several more times, and three of his companions were still alive. After Li Jiakai arrived, Lu Junyi fell. Not long after, Guan Sheng led people to fight from outside, and the coach lost his
The Jurchen army began a large-scale evacuation, and the military order for other teams to retreat should have been issued by the general who took over at that time.
Although one of Lu Junyi's fellow special forces soldiers who fought all the way was seriously injured and died later, one of the remaining two people looked over from the other side and said: "At the last moment of the killing technique, his horse... will Instructor Lu
It was knocked off. If not for this, Instructor Lu might not be able to hold on until now..."
Zhu Biao nodded, and Wang Juyun on the side asked: "Where is the speed of the technique?"
"I don't know...the Jurchens didn't leave their bodies behind..."
Wang Juyun also nodded and bowed his hands in salute, and then the medical soldiers carried the wounded down. After a while, Guan Sheng and others also came this way. After another moment, a figure walked towards the other side of the medical team, far away
It looked like Yan Qing was once active on the battlefield.
A cold wind blew across the endless battlefield. In this wilderness, mountains, forests, valley bottoms, and hills that had experienced fierce battles, figures walked through and gathered to make the final finishing touches. The bonfire was lit, the tents were set up, and the hot water was boiled.
People were constantly searching for traces of survivors in the pile of corpses. Many people died, and naturally many people survived. After the various messages were roughly outlined, Zhu Biao sat down on the slope, and Wang Juyun looked into the distance: "This battle
It will definitely shock the world."
In the distance, someone was holding leaves under the tree and blowing a tune. It was completely different from the atmosphere of the war, but it made the surroundings warm and quiet.
"It's a pity that one battle can't save the world." Zhu Biao said.
"There has to be a beginning." Wang Juyun's voice always seemed very calm. After a moment, he said: "In Hangzhou more than ten years ago, I met Mr. Ning several times. Unfortunately, I can't remember clearly now.
Okay... With this battle, the Jin army's morale has been aroused, and the Jurchens can no longer boast of being invincible. I wish you general..."
He wanted to say something to Zhu Biao, but in the end he didn't say it. Finally he just said: "After such a battle, it's time to take a rest. Wang will be here to watch the aftermath. Take care of yourself, so that you can
Prepare for the next war."
Zhu Biao stood up. He knew that the old man in front of him was also a real big shot. In the Yongle Dynasty, he was the Minister Wang Yin. He was both civil and military, majestic and domineering at the same time ruthless. After the Yongle Dynasty ended, he could even sell Shang Baihua and others with his own hands.
In exchange for another rising basic base, and facing the Jurchens who overthrew the world, the old man stood on the front line of the fight against gold without hesitation, investing his entire property that had been in business for several years into the fight against gold with an almost ruthless attitude.
Go in the tide.
"Thank you, Mr. Wang." He saluted Wang Juyun, and Wang Juyun also recalled. Then, Zhu Biao slowly walked towards the tent that was set up. It was already afternoon, and under the cold sky, the bonfire was in full swing.
It emits a warm light and illuminates the busy figure.
Wang Yin looked at these figures from behind.
Far away, the Jurchen armies were still reuniting one after another in the misty retreat. No one could believe the results of the battle in front of them. No one could believe the outcome of the 30,000-strong army being defeated in a frontal battle.
This has never happened in ten years.
In the entire Jin region and the entire world, not many people knew this first-hand news. In Weisheng City, Lou Shuwan raised her head in the cold temperature and murmured calculations. She had not done so for more than half a month.
Sleeping peacefully, during this period of time, while arranging various negotiations, promises, threats and assassinations, she calculated the chips on hand every day like a miser, hoping to gain more power in the next split.
Many times, she has a splitting headache. Soon, the news will make her have a good sleep, and she will meet Ning Yi in her dream.
You Hongzhuo walked through the dark streets, unsheathing the long sword he carried. Over the past few days, Wei Sheng was splitting. Shameless people advocated the theory of surrender and began to form teams and form gangs. You Hongzhuo killed many
People also suffered some injuries.
In Tianji Palace, he faces the towering tower every day. Shi Jin, who is responsible for security, has no distracting thoughts. If one day this huge tower will collapse, he will deliver a fatal blow to the enemies outside. It will not be long before this.
Afterwards, light will shine in from the other side of the tower, and he will hear the names of some familiar people and hear information about them.
In the Jurchen camp, Wanyan Xiyin is also calculating the changes in the situation. The snow has melted and the ice has disappeared, and more than 200,000 troops are ready to go. When Linzhou's inevitable victory comes, his next step will be
expanded...
*****************
South, Xuzhou, three days later.
The 3rd Division of the Chinese Fifth Army, a team of more than 8,000 people, seemed to be gradually ignited by something. The gears were locked and began to operate gradually and quickly. Some messages were quietly conveyed under the quiet water, the breath of war.
It's already brewing rapidly.
Li Anmao, the prefect of Xuzhou, noticed some traces and often came over in the past two days to make insinuations and inquire about the situation.
In the staff office, the plan had been completed, and all the preparation and liaison work had come to an end. On the morning of February 12th, rapid footsteps sounded in the yard of the staff office, and someone brought urgent news.
"Outside Xuzhou City, the situation has changed——"