"Li Shifang is temporarily entrenched in the Jeonju area, which is the largest coastal plain in Jeolla Province and has sufficient food production. Judging from his appearance, he plans to continue to defend it."
Although the Fifth Division is still in Shandong, North Korea's intelligence is very sufficient. Even before setting off, it has already grasped the enemy's situation.
Deputy division commander Yi Guozheng was puzzled.
"Why didn't Li Shifang take the opportunity to break out of the encirclement to the north, join up with the Qing coalition forces, and defend Jeolla Province alone?"
No one here can answer this question.
Hui Shanhui speculated: "I'm afraid something bad happened between the Qing coalition forces. Li Shifang was unwilling to be manipulated by the Qing army and became self-reliant."
Lou Fu sneered when he heard this.
"Without the support of the Qing army, what could he achieve with the broken army in his hands?"
"Do you think it is possible for Li Shifang to surrender?"
Zha Shubing's question made everyone think deeply.
In any case, what Li Shifang did was inconsistent with common sense.
Anyone with a little bit of military knowledge knows that Jeolla Province cannot be defended without the support of the Qing army.
However, Li Shifang has been staying in Quanzhou and recruiting troops aggressively, with no intention of going north.
If he wanted to run away now, it would be easy.
After all, there was a huge gap between Xia Jun's southern and northern lines. He could have taken the route from Daejeon to Mungyeong and successfully rendezvoused with the Qing allied forces.
"Even if Li Shifang intends to surrender, I'm afraid he will ask for an exorbitant price. Once we put the gun to his head, it will be easier to negotiate."
Lou Fu is determined and knows that it is unnecessary to talk too much now.
As long as the Xia army progresses smoothly and the troops approach the city, Li Shifang will know how to choose in the face of pressure.
At that time, even if he does not surrender, he will die without a burial place.
"Since Li Shifang doesn't plan to escape, our strategy must be roundabout."
Lou Fu began to deploy.
"The 17th Regiment landed at Mokpo, and then rushed to Gwangju. After taking Gwangju, do not march for the time being, so as not to over-stimulate Li Shifang."
Liao Fengzhi, the leader of the 17th Regiment, and Jiao Wenzhi, the political commissar, received the order.
"The 18th, 19th, and 20th Regiments landed in Pyeongtaek. The 18th Regiment must capture Asan and Cheonan and block the northern passage."
Ma Shihua, the leader of the 18th Regiment, and Jiang Xiuyuan, the political commissar, expressed their understanding.
"The 19th Regiment and the 20th Regiment, you have the most arduous task. You must carry out a long-distance attack before Li Shifang reacts. The 19th Regiment seizes Datian and blocks all the eastbound roads in this area.
We cannot let Li Shifang pass."
Hou Chengzu, the leader of the 19th Regiment, and Fang Weihan, the political commissar, did not feel that this task was very arduous. On the contrary, they were very happy to have a heavy responsibility on their shoulders.
Hou Chengzu, who originally came from a family of Jinshanwei generals, has grown up rapidly after being baptized by the military academy. This time he entered the battlefield for the first time, and he secretly made up his mind to perform well.
"The 20th Regiment has the longest attack distance and must completely occupy Jinshan and Zhen'an. As long as you move in place, Li Shifang will not be able to escape."
Although there is a road leading to the east south of Jinshan and Zhenan, Li Shifang will never take it.
Because if you walk over there, you will enter the sphere of influence of the Fourth Division, which is still a dead end.
Wu Zhikui, the leader of the 20th Regiment, and Chu Huacheng, the political commissar, did not complain and were already studying the march plan on the map.
Like Hou Chengzu, Wu Zhikui, an old soldier, also changed quickly and already fell in love with this place.
Lou Fu set up a strategy of attacking from the north and the south, intending to take advantage of Li Shifang's negligence to completely annihilate him.
There were no telegraphs or telephones in this era, so it was impossible for the Fifth Division's combat plan to be reported to the East Point and then implemented after approval.
In that case, ten days and a half have passed.
You can only report and act at the same time.
The Fifth Division set out from Yizhou. After three days of rapid march, the 20th Regiment arrived at Qingdao first and boarded the ship directly to North Korea that day.
The situation on the Korean battlefield temporarily eased.
Whether it was the Xia Dynasty Allied Forces or the Qing Dynasty Allied Forces, most of their tactical actions were marching.
In fact, in many wars throughout the ages, marching took up the vast majority of time.
Often, marching can determine the outcome of a war.
After all, if you walk well and fast, you will be able to reach strategic points earlier than the enemy, thereby gaining an advantage.
This is also why the march of the Huang Wei Corps in the movie "Three Major Battles" is so shocking.
Of course, the real Huang Wei Corps couldn't have gone like that, he didn't have that ability.
If Huang Wei's regiment could really go like that, they wouldn't have lost so miserably.
A lonely ship sailed into Incheon Port, which was in sharp contrast to the busy scene here.
When the ship docked, Shen Yan came out first and looked around cautiously. When he found that everything was normal, he took the people inside out.
He was a young man with a pale face. Although he was wearing luxurious clothes, his hands and feet always looked uneasy.
"Didn't you say we were going to Hanyang? Why did we disembark here?"
Shen Yan asked the guards he brought to protect the young man in the middle.
"Now the entire waterway is busy transporting supplies for the army, and other ships are not allowed to pass. However, this place is not far from Hanyang, so your Majesty will have to work hard. By the time we reach Hanyang, the situation has been decided, and the hard work will be nothing."
The young man looked a little indignant.
"I want to be the king, why should I make way for others?"
These words made Shen Yan's face turn cold.
"The false king Li Zhu betrayed the country and watched the people suffer misery before he was overthrown. The king is about to become the leader of the country. He should understand the lessons of the past and never act arrogantly."
The young man is Li Ji, Lord of Haiping.
The great changes taking place in North Korea originally had nothing to do with distant clan members like him.
However, under Shen Qiyuan's recommendation, he became a candidate for the monarch, and his life changed drastically.
Shen Yan rushed to Jeju Island, explained his intention to him, and dressed him up carefully.
Li Ji is still in a daze. He never thought that he could become the king.
But no matter what, he has had enough of the days of poverty. Once he becomes the king, he will be the master of the country and will no longer have to endure poverty.
On the way here, he was already fantasizing.
After becoming the king, how many beauties should be admitted into the harem?
What should I eat with each meal?
He suddenly rose from the dust to the sky, which made him drifting. In the end, he was taught a lesson by Chen Yan, and then he remembered that he had not yet grasped the throne.
Shen Yan took Li Ji ashore, stuffed him into a sedan, and escorted him carefully all the way to Hanyang.
In order to deceive others, Shen Yan did not dare to take the road at all, so he had to go through the mountains and ridges.
Although it is difficult to be discovered in a remote place, if something happens, it will not be spread.
The team was walking hurriedly when the wind suddenly roared, and then an arrow was nailed to Li Ji's sedan.
"There's an assassin!"
Shen Yan's hair stood on end as he quickly pulled out his knife and guarded it in front of the sedan.
At the same time, his heart was in turmoil.
Who leaked the news?
Or is there someone who has been monitoring his whereabouts?
The enemy chose to attack in such a secluded place, which was obviously a long-term plan.
