In the following days, Xue Poye's plan to reorganize and divide the army was under the personal auspices of Song Fei, with many generals such as Liu Xiao and Yang Yijun as the team, and began to carry out large-scale reorganization.
For the soldiers, it is a great good thing to separate the north and south camps, so that everyone will not be unhappy when they get together.
The South Cavalry Regiment and the North Cavalry Regiment each have one cavalry guard, and the two cavalry guards are directly under the control of Xue Poye. Under Xue Poye's order, the two cavalry regiments were pulled to a large grassland east of Taizhou City for training.
Soldiers on both sides held wooden sabers in their hands, practicing formations and attacking each other. It might not be able to fundamentally improve their combat effectiveness, but even if there was a slight improvement, Xue Poye's efforts were considered to be in vain.
This group of cavalry was at a loss from the beginning, ignorant and confused. After nearly ten days of training, they were at least able to carry out simple offensive and defensive formations according to the general's wishes.
As for the various branches of the infantry, after reorganization, they also practiced with all their strength.
Before Xue Poye came to Taizhou, the soldiers were extremely disorganized, but after the general arrived, the soldiers began to enter a real fighting state.
Soon, the follow-up troops with siege weapons also arrived at the assembly area. Just like other units before, they were divided into two battalions, north and south.
This was the first time Xue Poye saw a catapult.
He had seen the ladders before. When the royal family rebelled, they used a large number of ladders to attack Kyoto City.
These catapults look very simple and are not considered advanced, but there is no doubt that they have a powerful effect when used to attack cities.
In addition, there were two extremely strange weapons that Xue Poye had never seen before. After careful inquiry, he learned that these two weapons were also indispensable in siege warfare.
It is also called a building car and a nest car.
This is a kind of siege lookout vehicle. The watch tower on the vehicle looks like a bird's nest. It has two long pillars erected on an eight-wheeled vehicle. There is a wooden house between the two pillars that can be raised and lowered. There are holes in the house. From the holes, you can
Observe the situation of the enemy troops on the city, so that you can judge the strength of the enemy's defense forces on the city, and then obtain intelligence. Then, based on the strength of the opponent's defense, you can use flags to focus on attacking the weakly defended areas of the enemy.
The other type is called the Pengu, which is an extremely strong and solid siege vehicle. It can protect the siege soldiers from being hurt by the enemy's arrows, stones, arson, and wooden hammers when digging the city walls and tunnels.
.
The spray gun can accommodate more than ten people. Under its cover, soldiers can carry out operations relatively safely.
Of course, the Tiger Head Hammer is also indispensable, which is an absolute weapon used to hit the city gate.
These weapons are naturally extremely powerful when used to attack cities, but they are quite fragile. In addition to operators, they naturally require many soldiers to protect them.
Xue Poye could tell that although these siege weapons looked old, they were not damaged in any way. They must have been kept in the library and had never been used. He immediately ordered the siege troops to conduct drills to at least ensure that they could
Make skillful use of these siege weapons.
…
The news from Sima Feng was never delivered, but Xue Poye received news about Yizhou.
This is shocking news.
"Commander, according to reports from spies, it is confirmed that Yizhou has been lost!"
The brief report shocked the generals of the Northern Expedition. Every one of the generals gathered in the commander's camp had a terrifyingly gloomy expression, and their eyes were filled with angry flames.
Xue Poye bent over and, together with Song Fei, looked at the military map on the case and listened to Liu Xiao's report.
"Commander, please look, this is the Yi River, and it is also a slight barrier at the junction of Yongzhou and Yizhou. The water is deep and fast. If you want to cross the river, you need to prepare a large number of ferries. A month ago, 20,000 northwest
The army gathered on the north bank of the Yi River and blatantly built ferries. It looked like they were going to cross the river. However, it would take 20,000 people and at least 500 ferries to cross the river. On the south bank of the Yi River,
Yizhou has sent 10,000 troops for defense, mostly archers, and equipped with rockets. Once the Northwest Army crosses the river, the rockets will cause heavy casualties to the Northwest Army even if they cross the river." Liu Xiao said seriously: "
Although the cavalry of the Northwest Army are brave and good at fighting, they may not know how to cross the river. With heavy casualties, even if they cross the Yi River and fight hand-to-hand, Yizhou City can send reinforcements, the Northwest Army may not be able to win."
"Then why was Yizhou City suddenly captured?" Xue Poye asked with a frown.
Liu Xiao traced his finger across the map, following the Yi River upwards, and did not stop until the mark of the Yi River disappeared on the map: "Commander, Commander Song, this is the source of the Yi River, Kunlun Lake, 20,000 cavalry in the northwest
Thirty thousand infantrymen bypassed the Yi River and suddenly arrived at the foot of Yizhou City."
"A detour?" Song Fei said solemnly: "Looking from this point, if we have to bypass the Yi River and pass through Kunlun Lake, it will be hundreds of miles longer."
"That's right." Liu Xiao said: "It's an extra seven hundred miles, and the road is extremely difficult to walk. Even with the cavalry, it will take five or six days to reach Yizhou City. But according to the spies, the fifty thousand horses in the northwest
, hiding day and night, extremely secretive, and Yizhou neglected to take precautions, thinking that the Northwest Army was going to fight across the river, so they ignored the Kunlun Lake route, which allowed the Northwest Army to steal a loophole, and they suddenly realized it when they approached the city. "
"If it is day and night, and cavalry and infantry are required to advance together, then this surprise force obviously started taking action half a month ago." Xue Poye pointed at Yihe: "And it was deployed in the north of Yihe.
The Northwest Army on the shore is building ships with great fanfare. In fact, it is to attract the attention of the Yizhou Army. They are not the main attacking force."
Song Fei roared angrily: "Such a grandson from the northwest is very cunning." He asked Liu Xiao: "In addition to the 10,000 people stationed along the Yi River, there are not 20,000 people in Yizhou City. Why?
Captured in one day?"
Liu Xiao shook his head and said: "Commander Song, speaking of which, Yizhou City was not captured, but... it surrendered!"
"What?" Xue Poye and Song Fei were shocked at the same time.
"The Northwest Army approached the city and defended Yizhou City for half a day. Moreover, the defenders on the south bank of the Yi River heard that Yizhou City was attacked and hurriedly abandoned the Yi River to return reinforcements. The Northwest Army on the north bank of the Yi River took the opportunity to cross the river. The Northwest Army under Yizhou City
Instead of forcibly attacking the city, they turned their guns around and attacked the northwest army who had crossed the river. They trapped the Yizhou reinforcements and killed them for half a day. More than 2,000 people died in the reinforcements. Yizhou Prefecture Yin sent people out of the city to surrender.
Only then did the Northwest Army capture Yizhou City without spending a single soldier."
"boom!"
Seinfeld hit the case hard with his fist, and the case cracked open.
Everyone was shocked, and Sein Fei realized that he had lost his composure and hurriedly knelt down on one knee: "Commander, I...I...please punish the commander!"
Xue Poye stepped forward to help him up and sighed: "I understand Song Shuai's mood, and I hate it all the same."
"They only need to hold on for three days...!" Song Fei said with splitting eyes: "The city of Yizhou is strong and strong. There are three to four hundred thousand soldiers and civilians in the city, and there is enough food and grass... They only need to hold on for three days, and we can rescue them.
...If Yizhou City cooperates with us inside and outside, how can the Northwest Army be undefeated? But...that bastard...!"
Yang Yijun frowned and said: "Commander, Commander Song, General Yi Mo is foolish to think that there are only three reasons why Yinhou Zhang of Yizhou Prefecture surrendered the enemy."
"you say?"
"First, Hou Zhang was greedy for life and feared death. He was frightened by the Northwest Army, so he surrendered to Kaicheng. Second, Hou Zhang surrendered out of desperation to save the people of Yizhou City from being destroyed." Yang Yijun looked solemn.
: "The last one, the general may have said something carelessly...Hou Zhang has been persuaded by Yongzhou and has secretly defected to Yongzhou. He persisted in Yizhou City for half a day just to show off...!"
Song Fei said with a sullen face: "What a good Hou Zhang, when I capture Yizhou, I will skin him."
Liu Xiao's expression was extremely serious: "It's fine that Commander Song, Marshal Song, and Hou Zhang surrendered, but... But the soldiers of Yizhou and the people of Yizhou actually welcomed the entry of the Northwest Army without any objection. This
...This is probably the most dangerous."
Yang Yijun nodded and said: "Exactly. This shows that the hearts of the people of Yizhou are not towards the imperial court, but towards... King Mingyue."
"Rumors are spreading all over the states. Yizhou is the closest to Yongzhou, and the propaganda is even more serious. If Hou Zhang has not imposed control before, then the people there will definitely spread rumors and believe those rumors...!" Liu Xiao said seriously: "Yes.
So we not only have to face the pressure from the Northwest Army, but we also have to pay attention to the people's thoughts."
Xue Poye nodded and said: "The Holy Emperor and the Prime Minister have already taken care of this, so there is no need to worry." But he thought to himself: "I wonder if my father-in-law and the others have come forward? It is also a battlefield full of dangers."
"The task now is how to deal with the current situation." Sein Fei said solemnly: "As for the war of scholars, leave it to the Prime Minister and the others. The Holy Emperor and the Prime Minister will definitely be able to solve our worries."
Xue Poye nodded and asked, "What's going on with the Northwest Army now?"
"The spies reported that the Northwest Army has 15,000 men left in Yizhou, and the rest of the soldiers have begun to move north. If they are not mistaken, they are preparing to advance into Qingzhou with the intention of taking Qingzhou City. In addition,
The Northwest Army has also appeared in the lower reaches of the Yi River. The exact number of troops is not yet clear, but that army will presumably join the Northwest Army from Yizhou to attack Qingzhou." Liu Xiao was worried.
"What?" Song Fei frowned and said to Xue Poye: "Commander, look." Pointing to the map, he said seriously: "Yizhou is located in the southeast of Yongzhou, and Qingzhou is located in the northeast of Yongzhou, forming a triangle shape.
Yizhou and Qingzhou have always been at the corner of each other. If the Northwest Army wants to enter Kyoto, it must break through these two states. Behind Yizhou, there is Taizhou, and behind Qingzhou, there is Huizhou. It stands to reason that no matter how strong the Northwest Army's combat effectiveness is, it must defeat them.
It is not easy to break through these places. But now the Northwest Army has secretly formed a position. Yizhou surrendered without a fight. One of the two horns is missing, and the pattern is broken. The Northwest Army has no worries.
But if we are approaching Qingzhou, once Qingzhou is captured, the pair of horns will in turn become the horns of Yongzhou, forming a triangle. If our army wants to attack Yongzhou then, it will be even more difficult."
Liu Xiao said bitterly: "This guy Hou Zhang... As a result, our army has been put in a passive position." He sighed and said: "Commander, the Chu family's military book also said that when the founding of the country, Marquis Wu
To pacify the world, this battle at Yongzhou was to capture Yizhou, and then captured Qingzhou with lightning speed, forming a horned force and laying the foundation for pacifying the world. The military book said that the Marquis of Chu could finally conquer the world.
To unify the four seas, these two battles are fundamental, because in that way, Chuhou will not only form a solid defensive posture by relying on the power of the triangle, but also can send troops from Yizhou and Qingzhou at any time to attack any place, which means that it can be retreated and defended.
, the strategic pattern of being able to advance and attack allowed Chu Hou to finally become a hegemon... Now it seems that the path taken by Mingyue King is the same path that Chu Hou took back then."
Song Fei frowned, stared at the military map, clenched his fists and said, "Qingzhou must not be lost. Once Qingzhou is lost, even if the Northwest Army cannot conquer the world, this area will no longer belong to Dachu from now on."
After saying that, he slapped a large area of the northwest including Qingzhou and Yizhou.
"Is the governor of Qingzhou reliable?" Xue Poye asked with a frown.
Song Fei nodded and said: "Commander, don't worry, Qingzhou Prefecture Yin Luo Wuyan was promoted by the late emperor. When he was still in Kyoto, he even had a dispute with Mingyue King's subordinates. He is loyal to the court, even if the Northwest Army
When the army comes to the city, he will fight to the death to support it... However, although this person has outstanding governance skills, he is not good at commanding battles, and there are very few famous military generals in Qingzhou City, so... Our military needs to send reinforcements to rescue Qingzhou. Qingzhou... Absolutely
Can’t lose!”
Xue Poye pondered for a long time, and finally said: "Song Shuai, you attack Yizhou, and I will lead the army to save Qingzhou."
Song Fei walked to the case and knelt down on one knee: "Commander, I would like to go and rescue Qingzhou...Commander himself attacked Yizhou, I hope he can help you."
In fact, everyone present knows that compared to going to Qingzhou for rescue, it is obviously easier to attack Yizhou. After all, Taizhou is a place of logistic support and is very close to Yizhou. Now Yizhou only has less than 20,000 northwest troops.
Army, even if the Yizhou Army that has surrendered is included, with the current strength of the Northern Expeditionary Army, there is still great hope to conquer Yizhou City.
The situation in Qingzhou is obviously much more dangerous.
Thirty to forty thousand Northwest troops came out from Yizhou to attack Qingzhou and the lower reaches of the Yi River. There was also an unknown number of Northwest troops, attacking from two directions. If Seinfei wanted to rescue Qingzhou, he would probably catch up with Yizhou halfway.
The encounter with the Northwest Army in the past was a big battle.
The Northwest Army from Yizhou will never let the reinforcements from the Northern Expedition rescue Qingzhou, and the Northwest Army in the lower reaches of the Yi River will attack Qingzhou with its main force. Luo Wuyan, the governor of Qingzhou, is not a general. Even if Huizhou sends reinforcements, it may not be able to stop them.
Live the offensive of the Northwest Army.
Since the people in Yizhou were bewitched by the rumors, the people in Qingzhou must have been affected as well. This added a bit of unpredictability.
Therefore, going to Qingzhou for rescue is really an arduous task, and the ultimate goal is to save Qingzhou, otherwise it will be a fatal blow to the Northern Expeditionary Army.
Xue Poye stood up, stepped forward to help Song Fei up, and said seriously: "Song Shuai, you are old and have to travel a long way to Qingzhou...!"
Song Fei immediately said: "Commander, thanks to the blessing of the Holy One, I have been appointed as the deputy commander of the army. It is the supreme honor of the general. The general joined the army at the age of sixteen and fought many battles. Although the country has been peaceful and the people have been peaceful in recent years,
, there is no battle to fight, but the general's heart to serve the country has never slackened. Commander, don't look at me as I am old. In one meal, the general can eat half a cow, drink ten jars of wine, and can shoot a three hundred stone bow.
...The commander-in-chief has assigned me 50,000 troops, and I will ensure that Qingzhou is safe. If anything goes wrong, I will come to see you and be willing to issue a military order!"
Xue Poye saw Song Fei's excited expression, his eyes filled with incomparable fighting spirit and self-confidence. These words were even more bloody, and he was very moved. He immediately said: "Okay, Commander Song, I will entrust you with the responsibility of Qingzhou."
Here you go. I will transfer one hundred thousand infantry to you, and I will also transfer the Northern Cavalry Regiment to you, all under your command. I only hope that Commander Song will succeed in this battle!"
"Thank you, Marshal!"
"Liu Xiao!" Xue Poye said in a deep voice.
Liu Xiao stepped forward and knelt down: "The general is here!"
"I order you to follow Commander Song and assist Commander Song. You must ensure Commander Song's safety."
"The general will obey the order!"
"Commander!" Song Fei reported: "After the general has secured Qingzhou and captured Yizhou, I will advance from the lower reaches of the Yi River to the northwest. The commander can also send troops from the upper reaches of the Yi River and divide the troops into two groups to besiege Yongzhou.
City, then a battle can be won! Now the Northwest Army is starting from Yizhou, and the last general must reach Qingzhou before the Northwest Army, so he will lead the army out."
Xue Poye held Song Fei's hand: "Take care, Commander Song."
Song Fei opened his mouth, but finally said nothing. He cupped his fists and saluted, then turned around and left the tent.
"General Liu Xiao is staying. You will go down to reorganize the army first and pass on the order. We will set out tonight and advance into Yizhou." Xue Poye ordered.
"yes!"
After the generals had retreated, Liu Xiaocai respectfully said, "What other orders does the commander have?"
Xue Poye put his hands behind his back and walked back and forth in the camp with a serious expression. When Liu Xiao saw this, he was actually a little nervous.
"Do you know why I sent you to follow Song Shuai?" Xue Poye finally asked.
"The commander-in-chief will either assist Song Shuai or protect Song Shuai." Liu Xiao said.
Xue Poye smiled faintly, walked to Liu Xiao, and whispered: "This is one of them. In addition, there is another big thing for you to do. Remember, it is not me who orders you to do it, but...
…The Holy Spirit’s intention…!”
Liu Xiao hurriedly knelt down: "I will swear allegiance to the Holy Lord to the death, even to the death!"
Xue Poye smiled faintly and whispered softly. Liu Xiao's face was startled, he frowned, and quickly said firmly: "The final general must do his best to live up to the expectations of the Holy Emperor and the Commander-in-Chief."
"I said, that's just a hypothesis." Xue Poye looked solemn and whispered: "If there is no sign that there is something wrong with Commander Song, you must fully assist Commander Song and protect his safety." From his arms.
He took out a scroll and handed it to Liu Xiao: "This is an imperial edict with a jade seal. You can take it out if the situation changes."
Liu Xiao carefully took the imperial edict and put it away before saying: "Don't worry, Commander, I won't let anyone with bad intentions get close to Commander Song!" He said these words in a very serious and decisive tone.
That night, Song Fei and Liu Xiao led an army of 100,000 people from Taizhou to rescue Qingzhou with all their strength. At the same time, Xue Poye led the army and marched directly to Yizhou.