Chapter 464: The crisis of the Runing Army is lifted
"The whole army stops advancing! Rest where you are for a day!" Wu Shigong ordered.
Because there was a small delay in the battle in Xuzhou, the Runing Army stayed in Xuzhou for one day longer than originally planned. It was not until the eleventh day of the first lunar month that the Runing Army broke camp, and nearly 8,000 soldiers from the headquarters set off back to Runing Mansion.
However, as soon as they entered Guide Prefecture, they received an urgent report from Deng Qifan: the peasant rebel army had entered Runan, and the Runing Prefecture and the Runing Army Camp were in crisis.
Their hometown was in danger, which immediately caused everyone in the Runing Army to panic. They immediately marched day and night, hoping to return to their hometown as soon as possible.
Today is already the 15th day of the first lunar month. The Runing army has approached Runing Mansion, but by this time Wu Shigong has discovered that his men and horses are all out of shape, so he has no choice but to let the whole army rest for a day to recover their strength.
Since the Runing Army joined the war in mid-November last year, the total distance traveled by the Runing Army alone has been no less than two thousand miles. In addition, the large and small battles in which it has participated are also included.
But the physical fatigue was nothing more. This time, because the peasant rebel army was too close to the main camp of the Runing Army, and most of the families of the soldiers lived in the camp, the psychological anxiety reached a point where it was about to collapse.
to the extent.
But we already know that combat in the Cold Weapon Age is the most important thing about physical strength. Even if you can rush back to Runing Mansion without any effort, but you lose the battle because you have no physical strength on the battlefield, then it is better not to come back for reinforcements.
Therefore, although Wu Shigong himself was very anxious, he still had to let the whole army take a rest. Moreover, he had to look confident, at least to give his subordinates some confidence.
"Master! Why don't we let the cavalry regiment rush back first?" It was obvious that Tao Xin still lacked confidence.
"I told you to follow me and learn more and watch more. Have you learned everything in a pig's head?" Facing his apprentice, Wu Shigong also vented the anger in his chest. This time, Runing fought against the peasant rebel army.
The army has been led by the peasant rebels from beginning to end, but now the peasant rebels are able to threaten the foundation of the Runing Army. How could Wu Shigong not be so angry?
But when he saw Tao Xin looking at him with a pitiful look, Wu Shigong still took a deep breath and suppressed his irritability. He explained to him: "You don't even look at how much fat our horses are losing."
, I have lost a lot of weight. If I use up my horse power to march back in a hurry, most of the war horses will be useless!"
"Besides, if the Shaanxi bandits want to attack Fucheng and the main camp, it is nothing more than a siege. Just returning our cavalry will not have much effect. It would be better for the whole army to arrive at the same time and give the Shaanxi bandits a hard blow. On the contrary,
Those cavalry that have exhausted their horsepower can easily be defeated by the Shaanxi bandits' cavalry. By then, our Runing army's horses will have no physical strength. To put it harshly, they will not be able to run away even if they want to!"
"I've told you so many times! Now the sons and daughters below are looking at us. We ourselves have to keep calm. We also have to trust Uncle Yongli and the brothers who have been arranged at home. Look at your frizzy look.
, how can I safely entrust you with any big things I have to do in the future?"
"Aren't you worried about your family?" Tao Xin said in a low voice. Young people in their rebellious stage are always a little stubborn.
But Wu Shigong was completely angered by Tao Xin's rebuttal. He cursed loudly: "What do you want to worry about? Your mother is now in your Qianhu residence, and you don't have your family in Runing. You are like this
,You want my Xiaojie now? There is no way!"
Wu Shigong's anger immediately silenced Tao Xin and the soldiers in the camp. But at this moment, several messengers entered the camp. The soldiers took the letter they sent and hurriedly handed it to the camp.
In the hands of Wu Shigong in the tent.
When Wu Shigong opened the letter, his expression became a little strange. After thinking for a while, Wu Shigong loudly ordered: "Call everyone above the battalion commander over quickly!"
On the 11th day of the first lunar month, after Zhu Dadian and Zuo Liangyu's troops basically wiped out the peasant rebel army that She Tuotian brought into Xuzhou, the main force of the Runing Army left the Guide Army in Xuzhou, which was short of an infantry regiment, and allowed them to fight in Xuzhou.
Locally occupy as much coal and iron mines as possible, and after searching for useful materials, return to Runing Mansion.
On the same day, the bandit-suppressing army of Hong Chengchou, the governor of the five provinces, finally arrived belatedly. They marched into Luo Rucai's tribe in Shaanxi regardless of being about 200 miles away from them, and the entire army entered Henan. Xuanmo's tribe near Luoyang also moved south at the same time.
On the twelfth day of the first lunar month, Wu Shigong urgently reported that Zhang Xianzhong's troops had entered Runan, and the entire army marched quickly back to Runing Mansion. Hong Chengchou's army and the local Henan army led by Xuan Mo, a total of more than 37,000 people, converged. The entire army marched towards the entrenched area.
The peasant rebel army in Nanyang Prefecture. Even at this time, no one knew about the actions of Zhang Xianzhong's troops and guessed that the target of this peasant rebel army was Fengyang.
On the 13th of the first lunar month, it was detected that the main force of the Ming army led by Hong Chengchou was heading south. Gao Yingxiang's troops entrenched in Nanyang Prefecture gave up the idea of attacking Nanyang Prefecture and began to move south into Huguang. After this information was discovered by the Runing Army in Ye County,
Send a messenger urgently back to the Runing army camp.
On the 14th day of the first lunar month, Zhang Xianzhong's troops suddenly accelerated their operations from west to east in Runan. They met the Runing army led by Xue Yongli at the Shenshui River in the middle of Runing Prefecture. Both sides had mutual concerns and were unwilling to take the initiative to attack, so they were separated.
They acted independently along the Shenshui River. After more than a day of preparedness, the main force of Zhang Xianzhong's troops left the Runing Army's defense line at the Shenshui River, and the crisis at the Runing Army headquarters was basically resolved.
At this time, Xue Yongli, who was in Shenshui River, first understood that the target of Zhang Xianzhong's department was Fengyang. But at this time, Fengyang's officialdom and garrison did not know this situation. They did not report to Runing Mansion and Henan Province at all.
They sent reconnaissance cavalry in the direction of Guide Mansion, but did not even send a messenger to the Runing Army and the Henan local government to inquire.
So now Fengyang is still peaceful. Maybe they think that the affairs in Henan have nothing to do with them; maybe they think that the peasant rebels will respect the boundaries between the two provinces and will not cross the border; maybe they think that no one dares to be bold enough to attack Fengyang
Well. Anyway, they were completely unprepared, and they didn't even know the accurate information about the peasant rebel army.
On the 15th day of the first lunar month, the 8,000 troops of the Runing Army Headquarters were very tired after a rapid march and rested in the southern area of Kaifeng Prefecture between Guide Prefecture and Runing Prefecture. During the rest period, they learned that Zhang Xianzhong's troops did not attack Runing Prefecture City and Runing Prefecture.
Runing Army Camp, but passed through Runing Prefecture to attack Fengyang. That night, another good news came from the Runing Army Camp. The peasant rebel army in Nanyang Prefecture began to move south. The crisis at the Runing Army Headquarters was basically
be relieved.
And on this day, Zhang Xianzhong's troops passed through the Shangcai and Xincai areas and quickly headed towards Yingzhou, which is now Fuyang, Anhui. At this time, the Fengyang government was horrified to discover that there were as many as ten troops.
A peasant rebel army of 30,000 to 40,000 troops. (To be continued...)