In the first two days when the Ming Dynasty Expeditionary Force retreated south, the situation was relatively stable. With the power of the Weining Sea Battle, the pursuers from all sides did not dare to approach.
However, as the grassland tribes gradually figured out the situation of the Ming army, they found that the Ming army was struggling to drive herdsmen and livestock southward, and when they divided their troops for garrison and could only focus on the front and not the rear, raids and sporadic local battles increased.
Even though Ma Yi received Wang Shouren's instructions to send troops to drive away the pursuers, he found that the effect was not good.
The main force of the Mengoljin tribe did not flee in panic because of the attack by the Ming Dynasty soldiers and horses, or they had no way to retreat. All their own people were captured by the Ming Dynasty. Seeing that the Ming Dynasty army was gradually approaching Maoerzhuang, they were at most only in the Ming Dynasty.
When the cavalry came over, they were broken into pieces. When the Ming cavalry retreated into the formation, they surrounded them from all directions and broke into pieces again.
After being unable to drive them away several times, Ma Yi finally had to inform Wang Shouren of the predicament at the rear.
But at this time, Wang Shouren's headache was not the chasing troops in the rear, but the Mengoljin troops and horses retreating from Maoerzhuang in front.
"Preliminary inspection...should be more than five thousand soldiers and horses."
At the pre-battle meeting, all the generals who could attend the meeting looked solemn.
They are very aware of the current actual situation of the Ming Expeditionary Force. With the remaining 2,500 to 600 active forces, there is almost no chance of winning against the 5,000 prairie tribe cavalry.
When Cao Shun heard this, he panicked and asked: "Where are the artillery? Zhang Zhitai gave us so many artillery, didn't he mean that Ningyuan only used twelve cannons in the first battle and killed the Tatars and fled in all directions? No matter what, we still can't.
There are fifty or sixty cannons..."
The surrounding generals all looked excited.
At the critical moment, they were not strong enough, but they still had artillery and various muskets. During the previous surprise attack on Weininghai, these firearms played an overwhelming advantage and were the key to victory.
Wang Shouren said: "Transport all the firearms in the formation forward. If the Di Yi cavalry comes, gather your troops and fight them! Leave two hundred cavalry in the rear for raiding purposes."
Everyone present heard it.
Wang Shouren was preparing for the strategic focus, moving from the pursuing troops in the rear to the men and horses of the Mengoljin Front Banner who were about to face them in the front.
A war is likely to break out again.
…
…
After the military meeting dispersed, the generals from the artillery battalion came over, as well as Sun Shangqi and Liu Gui, two people sent by Zhang Zhou to supervise the army.
"Mr. Wang, we don't have many artillery shells at the moment. Coupled with the bumpy road, there are only forty-nine artillery pieces left. It's good if one cannon can fire one shot."
Wang Shouren had long known what the artilleryman said.
The artillery given by Zhang Zhou was originally used for a surprise attack on the Weining Sea. Now that the strategic purpose has been achieved, if it were not for the purpose of continuing to frighten the grassland tribes, he could have discarded most of the artillery and left only about twenty as a basis.
The basics can also lighten the team's luggage and speed up the advancement slightly.
Twenty cannons, each cannon firing two rounds, is not much different from forty-nine cannons firing simultaneously.
After all, with the reloading speed of a light cannon, it is possible to fire two rounds of shells before the enemy reaches within range and fights in close combat.
Sun Shangqi said: "Of the 200 flint muskets given by Mr. Zhang earlier, even if the ammunition has been reloaded, only more than 120 are still usable. They may not be able to be fired twice."
Because the flint gun is the latest research, the technology is not yet complete, just like a disposable fire gun.
After the Weininghai battle is used up, if you want to reuse it, the effect will be greatly reduced.
Subsequent reports revealed that even matchlocks and other weapons were obviously insufficient. From projectiles to the current state of the army, it was impossible to fight another hearty battle like the surprise attack on Weininghai.
Wang Shouren said: "Don't leak the situation of the Shenji Battalion, and be prepared for war! If we can't fight a bloody path on the front line, we will all be destroyed!"
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…
The army continued to move south.
Then came even worse news, that is, a team of more than 2,000 cavalry was found in the rear. It seemed that they were troops from the Fire Sieve Headquarters who had withdrawn after hearing the news.
At this time, four days had passed since the Battle of Weininghai, and it was already the ninth day of June.
The expeditionary army is still more than forty miles away from Maoerzhuang. In terms of the speed of travel, it may not be possible to complete the journey in one day, but it seems that it can no longer move forward.
There are fierce tigers in front of us and hungry wolves behind us. When we raid the enemy's lair, we have a hearty fight, but it is not that easy to escape unscathed.
From the evening of the eighth day of the lunar month to the morning of the ninth day of the lunar month, the team marched less than ten miles, and the team's progress was greatly hampered by wind and rain.
"Report..."
"Five miles ahead, there are Tatar cavalry gathering!"
"Report..."
"Twenty miles away on the right wing, there are cavalry gathering!"
"Ten miles away from the rear army, there is a cavalry attack on the camp. The horse commander leads the troops to meet the enemy..."
Only then did Wang Shouren realize that they had almost fallen into a trap surrounded by Mengoljin troops from three sides.
Only their left wing, that is, the east direction toward Xianxuan Mansion, was not approached by Tatars, but this seemed to be in line with the so-called tactical concept of encircling three groups by military strategists.
Didn't trap them all to death.
"It's impossible for the main force of the Fire Sieve Chinese Army to withdraw so early. It's just a cover-up. If the opponent's troops were several times larger than ours, they would have sent troops long ago. Why should we be so secretive?"
Wang Shouren mobilized before the war.
But what he said didn't seem to be very effective.
Just the early troops of the Huoshii headquarters that Maoerzhuang had withdrawn to block their way south included at least five thousand cavalry, and these were not the old, weak, sick and disabled who stayed behind in Weininghai. They were the Huoshii troops left before the Western Expedition.
Next, guard against the main force of the Ming Dynasty sending troops from Datong to attack Weininghai. Their combat effectiveness is extraordinary.
It’s not like you said Wang Shouren’s enemies are paper tigers, and we just believe it.
What we want is to use firearms to deter them. Now they don't dare to launch a full-scale assault. Not only are they afraid of us escorting the hostages, but also because we have firearms to guard them. Once they find a flaw, they will kill them without mercy.
At the pre-military meeting, everyone looked a little solemn.
Liu Gui, who belongs to a hundred households, suddenly said: "Isn't there a mountain to the east? Why don't we use the mountain as our back and fight against it?"
Cao Shun said angrily: "Who do you think you are? Are you qualified to speak here? By relying on the mountain, does that mean we are waiting to die there?"
Liu Gui didn't know what was going on. In his opinion, having his back against the mountain could only prevent him from having any threats behind him and allow him to concentrate on dealing with the enemies in front of him.
Now that we are trapped in a tight siege and surrounded by people, shouldn't we also block our escape?
But doing this is telling Cao Shun and other people who are afraid of death that we are not going to break out to the south, and we will just stay where we are, in order to make ourselves look like a trapped beast still fighting.
Wang Shouren looked at Liu Gui with a burning gaze, and his eyes suddenly showed some appreciation. At about this time, Liu Gui's suggestion was considered to be the best one...
Why continue to go south...
Since there is no way to break through the barrier formed by the five thousand soldiers and horses in front of the Fire Sieve Headquarters, we must first think about how to preserve our vitality, or more importantly.
Wang Shouren said: "What Liu Baihu proposed is also the right choice. Using the steep and dangerous peaks that cannot be climbed as a support, with your back to the mountains, you can also take advantage of firearms to build temporary fortresses and fortifications, and you can also use firearms to fight against the enemy.
The barbarians resist."
"You..." Cao Shun was unhappy when he heard this, "Master Wang, do you also want to wait for death?"
Wang Shouren shook his head and said: "We have tens of thousands of men, women, and children from Di Yi as hostages. If they want to attack the mountain, we will use these people to stand in front of the formation, plant mighty sky gunpowder, and blow them up all together!"
As the executive deputy general, Guan Jing immediately took the order and said: "I have the order!"
"etc!"
Cao Shun immediately stopped Guan Jing, "We have to station our troops and horses high on the mountain. How can we ensure water supply? Isn't that asking for death? Besides, the Tatars haven't come to kill us yet!"
Cao Shun didn't want to wait to die.
Wang Shouren took a firm stance and took advantage of Cao Shun's doubts to explain to the soldiers present: "Listen carefully, now is a good opportunity for us to wait for help. Our water bags can last for more than three days. If it lasts for three days,
The Ming reinforcements still didn't arrive, so they could only kill the Tatar herdsmen, and the whole army broke out to attack. There were no worries about water sources and food... What's more, we still have tens of thousands of cattle and sheep..."
He just wanted to remind Cao Shun's soldiers.
This is not the Battle of Tumu Fort.
It doesn't matter what kind of water source problem it is. The water on my body is enough for three days. If the reinforcements don't come for three days, there is no need to look for water. You can just kill the captured prisoners, cattle and sheep, and lead the troops.
Rush out and see how many can break through.
Sun Shangqi said: "At present, there are more than 10,000 Tatar herdsmen, plus so many cattle and sheep, as well as army officers and soldiers. The battle formation is indeed a bit big. It is easy for the army to focus on one thing and lose another. Major General Wang's suggestion is very good.
."
Although the Battle of Weininghai was won by Wang Shouren's proper command.
But after all, Wang Shouren had no actual experience in leading troops before, and his prestige was not high. In such a matter of advancing or retreating, life and death, many generals actually set their sights on Cao Shun.
We have to fight in Weininghai, and we have to fight when we arrive.
But now Maoerzhuang is right in front of us. After more than 100 miles from Maoerzhuang, we can reach the Datong border of Ming Dynasty. If we give up the prisoners of grassland herders and cattle and sheep, and attack with fast horses, we still have a chance to kill them back.
At this time, you must have enough confidence to put yourself in a desperate position.
Sun Shangqi's words can be regarded as the "final word" in disguise.
Because behind Sun Shangqi is the firearms battalion, which is the artillery battalion in the army, and because Sun Shangqi is the supervisor sent by Zhang Zhou, the Ming Dynasty Jinyi Guard Qianhu is equivalent to the person who supervises the battle team, even Sun Shangqi thinks it should be done now
After shrinking the defense line and gathering the migratory team that had been dragged for three, four or even five or six miles back and forth to one place, the lieutenant general thought again. The king had no objection to the breakout in three days, so it would be better to move the troops first.
The soldiers and horses gathered together in one place.
Or there is no need to break out, Ming’s reinforcements will arrive?
A general asked from behind the crowd: "Can the soldiers and horses from Datong Town come?"
The generals present were all embarrassed.
None of them are fools.
If the Ming Dynasty's border troops were so efficient, Datong's army would still not have passed Mao'erzhuang after so many days of dispatching troops. It stands to reason that when they get here now, they should not be facing the Fire Sieve Headquarters.
The soldiers and horses in front of the banner will not be attacked from three sides, but should be a large army welcoming their triumphant victory.
Not now...and probably not in three days.
Only a fool would expect that the situation will be completely different from now in three days.
Wang Shouren saw the morale of the army was low, and he said sternly: "Everyone, no matter whether Datong Town sends troops or not, Zhang Zhitai's men will definitely come, and they will come with the divine long-range artillery and divine heavy artillery. By then, the Tatars will
You will retreat without a fight! Do you want the credit you have gained to fly away, and when you return to the border town, you will be laughed at as a coward who cannot fight to the death?"
Now we can only use various methods to cheer up these generals.
After all, Wang Shouren couldn't summon the entire army to talk one by one. He had to first make the group of soldiers confident in order to fight this battle.
The first reason he gave was that Zhang Zhou was "awesome".
You don’t trust the soldiers in the border towns, don’t you trust Zhang Banxian who can pinch and calculate?
Have you forgotten who came up with the previous strategy of surprise attack on Weininghai? Zhang Zhou said that he would open up a way for us to go south. Could it be that he just paid lip service and left us alone? Then what will happen to him if our entire army is annihilated?
What's the benefit?
As for the second point... it is to act with emotion and understand with reason.
Now that you have gone back, you are considered a deserter at best. You said you killed many people but didn’t bring them back. Who would believe it?
If the herdsmen are captured by you, no matter whether they are killed or ignored, they will just go back and be ridiculed as cowards for the rest of their lives.
It's better to stay and fight to the death. If reinforcements from the Ming Dynasty arrive, not only will you not be ridiculed, but everyone will be a hero... I ask you, do you want to be a coward or a hero?
"war!"
Guan Jing first waved his arms.
"Fight! Fight!"
Encouraged by Wang Shouren, the morale of the army was stabilized.
Before the men and horses of Huoshan's various ministries formed an encirclement, they quickly headed towards the unknown mountain peak to the east. It was not a big mountain, and it only relied on the foot of the mountain to block the retreat to the east.
Cao Shun looked at the soldiers below being bewitched by Wang Shouren, and cursed: "You still want to imitate Han Xin, but he can't fight against the water? You carry the mountain while others carry the water! You are just a fledgling, but you are so fearless of death... What a fool!"
Even though he was scolding, he still admired Wang Shouren in his heart.
At least he has never seen a young man as daring as Wang Shouren. His execution ability and his seemingly awesome momentum are quite intimidating...
Thinking about it more carefully, it seems that there really is one, and that is Zhang Zhou.
…
…
The expeditionary force led by Wang Shouren personally drove the 16,000 to 7,000 prisoners and nearly 100,000 cattle, sheep, and livestock into the area near Tushan, and then found that... there was not enough space.
Originally, more than 2,000 cavalrymen could easily carry up the mountain to fight, but with so many prisoners and animals, they could not even move.
It was the first time for everyone in the expeditionary force to see the full picture of the "trophies" they had captured.
Just watching countless cattle and sheep driving up the hillside...that scene...
What a spectacle.
I can't help but think about it...if I take this back, how much military merit can I get in exchange for it?
There was also a carriage and a carriage's heads, which were symbols of their military exploits. They were also carried up the hillside, where they stood high and prepared to wait for the attack of the various troops.
Before nightfall on the ninth day of June, all the soldiers and horses were assembled. Some cattle and sheep that were too late to go up the mountain were killed directly by Wang Shouren's order, and then slaughtered into beef and mutton and sent up to the soldiers on the mountain.
No matter what happens tonight or tomorrow, at least the officers and soldiers will eat meat first, even though many of them have almost vomited the beef and mutton in the past few days.
When guarding such a herd of cattle and sheep, there will always be some who are lame or die accidentally.
After nightfall.
The three armies were reorganized.
Wang Shouren changed his troops and horses into two squads and rotated the garrison day and night. He also stipulated that all soldiers should be on alert and ready for battle at any time.
"I don't know what will happen tomorrow."
Cao Shun took out the wine to warm himself, and while warming himself by the fire, he drank wine and ate meat.
This kind of treatment... made the generals around him envious.
Drinks are not available to everyone. As the eunuch guarding the Xuanfu, Cao Shun has a high status. In fact, he has the highest status in the army, but now he is suppressed by Wang Shouren. He feels a little aggrieved. Now
After listening to Wang Shouren, I was driven to this dead-end place and felt that my life was about to decline. That feeling...
Great joy and great sadness.
If I don’t drink a little and complain, am I still my old Cao?
Wang Shouren came back from an inspection and sat in front of the bonfire. He said: "Even in the hot summer on the grassland, the temperature difference between day and night is large. It will rain at any time at night. Let the soldiers keep warm. There is no need to hide the bonfire. You can light as many as you can."
!”
If it was a normal march, you would have to be careful when starting the stove, but now the strength of their army has long been under the control of the grassland tribes. The main reason is that during the two days of retreat southward, due to lack of manpower, the expeditionary force behaved in too embarrassed a manner.
Now there is no need to hide, what should be done, first ensure the daily needs of the soldiers, especially to eat and drink enough, but also to keep warm and even recharge their batteries.
Standing still and waiting for help is an extremely physically demanding job.
There was a mountain of earth behind them on the hillside, and the atmosphere among the soldiers was a bit depressing, but Mengoljin's troops did not move closer immediately... They were mainly frightened by the Ming Dynasty's artillery.
Who knows if the Ming Dynasty might have lured the enemy deeper into the area, but if they waited for them to come up and surround them, the Ming Dynasty soldiers would rush down with carriages carrying artillery pieces and bombard their camps indiscriminately, wouldn’t that be a disaster?
As a result, even if the Ming expeditionary force huddled in front of a mountain in a very irregular shape, the Tatars still had to camp about ten miles away and sent a large number of cavalry to patrol around, especially to prevent the Ming cavalry from suddenly attacking.
Coming...
When Wang Shouren learned about the Tatars' arrangements, he smiled in front of Cao Shun and others: "This is called deterrence. It's no longer the case before. Wherever the Tatar cavalry goes, the border troops can only stand firm and not move out.
Let them wreak havoc in our Ming Dynasty."
Cao Shun asked: "Master Wang, do you think Zhang Zhitai will come?"
Wang Shouren said coldly: "How can a person who knows the secrets of heaven break his promise? We have completed our mission, but we are just following Zhang Zhitai's instructions to lead the troops to withdraw south. We have done our best, and the remaining
