Groups of mist flowed along the river bank to both sides, quickly spreading, covering the river beach, grass slopes, wild forests, wheat fields, houses, villages on both sides of the Xu River...
The fierce battle broke out at dawn. As the sky became brighter, the fog became heavier, which seriously affected the vision of both sides. Not only could they not clearly see the opponent's array, but the communication between our own units also became a problem. The fierce battle continued until early morning, and the fog filled the air.
At the worst point, both sides were forced to retreat and no longer attack each other's positions. The troops on the left wing of the Zhejiang and Fujian Army took the opportunity to cross the Xu River in the fog and go south.
Zhou Pu asked his subordinates to help him off the horse, sat down on a stone by the river beach, and asked the military doctor to cut off the two arrows in his leg, sprinkle styptic powder on his leg, and wrap it tightly with a bandage.
Zhao Bao put his sword behind his waist and came over and said: "General Zhou Tong got the news early and the main force moved south in time. If the remnants of the bandit army fled to Ningguo, they should be able to intercept them; but I'm afraid they won't be able to pursue them to the west."
Withdraw your troops!"
Zhou Pu and Chen Zhi ordered their troops not to cross the Xu River in pursuit: on the one hand, it was a battle early in the morning, and they suffered heavy casualties. Pursuing in the fog could easily be taken advantage of by the enemy and increase unnecessary casualties; on the other hand, the Chongcheng Army
The main force and Changshan Army Zhang Jiheng's troops surrounded them. From Gucheng southward to Xuanzhou and to Ningguo, there was a depth of more than 100 miles, so they could besiege this enemy force calmly.
Huaidong's pursuing army already had a large number of troops. Since the enemy left nearly half of their troops to cut off their dead soldiers, if they do not deal with these enemy troops, they will not be able to bypass Gucheng Lake and continue to pursue westward. If you want too much, you will lose, especially
When the enemy is trapped and still fighting, we must be even more careful.
It is related to the rhythm of the deployment of troops. If the enemy pushes forward, we will slow down, and if the enemy slows down, we will push forward.
The troops on the left wing of the Zhejiang and Fujian Army were clearly meant to stay and break up the rear, and were determined to fight until the end. Chen Zhi hastily advanced the army and almost ruined the entire pursuit and annihilation war.
Even if the position is barely stabilized, the cavalry battalion and the First Brigade of the Chongcheng Army have suffered disproportionate casualties. Zhou Pu's calf was pierced by two sharp arrows, and Zhao Bao's cheek was scratched with a blood groove by the spear blade, both of which were minor injuries.
Geng Wenfan, a promising member of the Chongcheng Army, died in the battle; Wei Xu from the cavalry camp was also knocked off his horse by the enemy general with a mace in the chaos, and his chest was collapsed into a piece. Even if he could survive, he would never survive in this life.
You can no longer fight on horseback.
There were 2,000 people in the cavalry camp. In the battle of Fangjiawa, they single-handedly wiped out nearly 2,000 enemies and reduced their number to less than 200. In the early morning, there was chaos. Almost one-third of the generals were unable to return to the battlefield for a short time. The cavalry camp
As a result, his combat capability has also dropped significantly. How can Zhou Pu feel comfortable?
The enemy army on the west bank of Gucheng Lake is already a bereaved dog, a trapped beast in a cage. If it were to annihilate these seven or eight thousand enemy troops, the Huaidong Army would have to pay seven or eight thousand casualties. Zhou Tong, Zhou Pu, Chen Zhi
It would be strange if the general didn't give Lin Fu a bloody scolding.
In addition to the remnants of the left wing of the Zhejiang and Fujian troops who fled south, there were still six to seven hundred enemy troops left in the port of Fengqiao Zhu Town. After Zhou Tong and Chen Zhi reunited, they handed over the war on the south bank of the Xu River to Zhou Tong.
Some of them collected the wounded soldiers and advanced towards Fengqiaozhu. They surrounded the last six to seven hundred enemy troops in Fengqiaozhu and urged them to surrender...
The heavy fog lasted until noon. The enemy's left wing retreated to the west. Nearly 10,000 soldiers and horses had already crossed the Qingshan River from Gucheng. The fire burning the city could be seen in the hazy sky from a distance on the top of the mountain west of Fengqiao.
Near dusk, Zhou Pu learned that the remnants of the Zhejiang and Fujian Army's left wing fleeing south were intercepted by the main force of the Chongcheng Army led by Zhou Tong at Sheba at the southeast corner of Gucheng Lake.
After nearly two hours of fierce fighting, they failed to break through. About 4,000 remaining soldiers on the left wing of the Zhejiang and Fujian troops retreated north to a village called Meizi Creek on the east bank of Gucheng Lake.
At this time, Zhou Pu and others already knew for sure that the general in charge of cutting off the rear of the Zhejiang and Fujian Army was none other than Zheng Mingjing, the left-wing general of the Zhejiang and Fujian Army.
Zheng Mingjing led the remaining troops to fight against the trapped beasts, and the backlash was fierce. Although the main force of the Chongcheng Army was encircling Meizi River, it was not expected to complete the encirclement until noon tomorrow. Zhou Tong asked Zhou Pu to lead a few sentry cavalry over, fearing that the remaining soldiers of the Zhejiang and Fujian Army would
Break out at night.
Zhou Pu handed over the task of besieging the remnant soldiers of Fengqiao Zhu to Chen Zhi. Regardless of his leg injury, he rashly rode his battalion across the Xu River to the south, blocking the opportunity for the remnants of the Meizi River to break through from the outside.
As soon as Zhou Pu arrived at Meizi River, he received a military order from Liyang from Lin Fu. Lin Fu gave Zhou Tong full responsibility for the war on the southern front and asked him to completely annihilate the remaining enemy troops in Meizi River before regaining Xuanzhou and Ningguo.
Wait for the city; ask Zhou Pu to lead the cavalry battalion and Zhang Jiheng's troops to quickly move north from Gucheng along the east bank of the Qingshan River to intercept the right-wing enemy troops who may be escaping from Jiangning to the west.
The Zhejiang-Fujian Army's left wing was cut off on the east bank of Gucheng Lake, which shows that the current main intention of the Zhejiang-Fujian Army is to preserve its strength and withdraw to Jiangxi.
There will be no redundant troops deployed between counties. Although Tang Fuguan's Chongcheng Army went north early, the main force of Chongcheng Army left to Zhou Tong still had nearly 14,000 complete soldiers, which was enough to deal with the situation stranded in Gucheng.
The remnants of the Zhejiang and Fujian armies on the east bank of the lake recovered lost lands such as Ningguo, Xuanzhou, and Gucheng.
The Zhejiang and Fujian Army's left-wing troops who fled to the west were too late to pursue them, and they could not find more troops to pursue them. However, the Zhejiang and Fujian Army still had nearly 30,000 soldiers and horses guarding the outer city of Jiangning. Lin Fu needed to concentrate more troops to recapture it.
In Jiangning, we must do everything possible to intercept the Zhejiang and Fujian troops escaping westward in Jiangning.
The Yangtze River goes west from Jiangning, not due west, but diagonally to the southwest. Zhou Pu and Zhang Jiheng went north along the Qingshan River, with the Yijiang Estuary (today's Wuhu) as their destination, heading northwest. In other words, even if Luxury
At this time, Feihu decisively abandoned Jiangning and fled to the west. Before crossing the Yiyang River, he would be intercepted by Zhou Pu and Zhang Jiheng's troops. Lin Fu asked Zhou Pu and Zhang Jiheng to take back Lishui and Yijiang City at the western foot of Maoshan Mountain first. If they could further enter
By quarrying in the west of Jiangning, we have greater confidence that we can intercept the soldiers and horses of the Zhejiang and Fujian troops staying in Jiangning...
Ordering Zhou Pu and Zhang Jiheng to lead their troops around to the western foot of Maoshan Mountain to regain the city in the southwest of Jiangning. The more important significance was that Lin Fu was not sure how Yue Lengqiu would intercept the Zhejiang and Fujian troops fleeing westward across the border from Chizhou, but one thing was certain.
Yes, if the Jiangzhou Army can be prevented from entering Jiangning, it is better to prevent the Jiangzhou Army from entering Jiangning. The Huaidong Army must first take back the cities to the west and southwest of Jiangning.
Zhou Pu resented being unable to capture Zheng Mingjing with his own hands, but he could not disobey Lin Fu's military orders. Before leaving, he warned Zhou Tong, "Zheng Mingjing, you must not let him escape, otherwise I will
These two arrows on my legs were in vain..."
"If you can enter Yijiang City first and intercept She Feihu, you can avenge everything..." Zhou Tong said with a smile.
***************
Lin Zonghai led the Dongyang Prefecture Army, joined forces with the soldiers of Ge Cunxin's water camp, and used Prison Island as a springboard to board Hekou Town as early as the 28th. For three consecutive days, he marched south along the Jinchuan River and fought fierce battles with the Zhejiang and Fujian troops.
Fight for the strategic location outside Jiangning City and between Moling Lake and Jinling Mountain.
After Tang Fuguan and his troops arrived, the Huaidong Army gathered more than 30,000 troops on the outskirts of Jiangning. Before nightfall on the first day of December, they annihilated the remaining soldiers of the Zhejiang and Fujian Army guarding Shengtian Fort, and captured the heaviest force in the southeast corner of Jiangning City.
At the strategic location of Jinling Mountain, the Huaidong warships were able to enter Moling Lake at the foot of Jinling Mountain and completely control the situation east of Jiangning City.
Because Moling County is located to the east of Jiangning City and on the route of Huaidong Shuiying rushing in from the east, it has become the only city on the south bank of the Yangtze River and outside Jiangning that has been preserved.
On the first day of December, after nightfall, fog also appeared in Jiangning, and the campfires looked like dim red fireflies in the white mist.
It was difficult for soldiers and horses to move or move in the foggy night, so Huaidong tribes had to stop their movements at night and guard their camps, waiting for more Huaidong soldiers and horses to arrive.
The extravagant flying tiger was like a trapped beast in Donghua Gate, and the speed of the Huaidong Army's movement was jaw-dropping.
Not to mention ten days, She Feihu took full control of the outer city of Jiangning on the 27th and began to attack the imperial city. Counting today, only four days have passed. In four days, not even a corner of the imperial city could be destroyed.
.
The left-wing troops responsible for intercepting and delaying the main force of the Huaidong Army had to leave nearly half of the troops and horses behind before the other half of the elite troops could safely withdraw westward. Going north from Liyang, the passage at the eastern foot of Maoshan was completely opened, and the Huaidong Army's infantry camp
The first part of the reinforcements has arrived, and the second part will quickly enter the outskirts of Jiangning within a day or two.
Starting from the 28th, the Huaidong Army used stone-throwing crossbows to distribute a large number of printed leaflets to the outer city inside the imperial city and outside Donghua Gate, publicizing the westward escape of the main force of the Zhejiang and Fujian armies.
From that moment on, the soldiers and horses left behind in the outer city of Jiangning could no longer be restrained by military discipline. Desertions and private raids occurred all the time, so it was naturally difficult to muster all the strength to attack the imperial city.
When the situation has developed to this point, if She Feihu had not had a close aide to supervise the team, and if there had not been an outer city to defend, it would not have been impossible for the right-wing troops who were left behind as abandoned pawns to collapse first -
-Although the method of massacre and plundering, forcibly integrating the surrendered soldiers into various ministries, can temporarily maintain high morale and fighting spirit, this method cannot last long after all, and there is a risk of collapse if morale is slightly frustrated.
"Second Young Master, if you don't leave, you won't be able to leave!" Yu Wenshan lowered his voice and advised She Feihu.
In the past few days, especially when Zheng Mingjing sent cavalry to report that the left wing might not be able to hold on for long, they used frequent troop mobilization to secretly transfer six to seven thousand soldiers and horses loyal to the She family to Xicheng, so that they could be discarded at the critical moment.
Retreat to the west.
In order to prevent the Huaidong Army from pursuing one after another when withdrawing to the west, She Fei would send the battalion troops down to plunder Jiangning before withdrawing to the west. This would force the Huaidong Army soldiers and horses who had entered the outskirts of Jiangning first to advance into Jiangning City to clean up the chaos.
Stalls, buying them crucial time to retreat westward without being entangled.
Zheng Mingjing's left wing abandoned Liyang on the 29th and retreated westward. If they wanted to leave, they had to leave tonight. Otherwise, even if Zheng Mingjing's left wing fled into Jiuzishan in time, the path for their right wing to retreat westward would be blocked by the Huaidong Army directly from Liyang.
The troops advancing westward were intercepted.
Even if they leave tonight, time is already very fast. If the Huaidong Army sends troops directly from the east of Liyang to move northwest along the Qingshan River, She Feihu cannot be sure that he will be able to cross the Yiyang River first.
"Let's go!" She Feihu's face was twitching in pain, but he had to face the cruel reality. The Zhejiang and Fujian troops had completely failed to prepare for a battle with the main force of the Huaidong Army outside Jiangning. If they did not withdraw in time, they would just
Add one more thing to the great achievements of the Huaidong Army.
On the 27th, Yuzhang soldiers and horses successfully captured Hukou, captured all Huang Binghao's relatives, and took them to the gate of Jiangzhou City to intimidate them. The former Jiangzhou system envoy who was not aware of the development of Jiangning's situation, Huang Binghao, the deputy commander of the Jiangzhou Army in front of the emperor, was
The whole family was forced to surrender to Jiangzhou. After Jiangzhou surrendered, Yue Lengqiu probably did not have the courage to fight, but even if the remnants of the Zhejiang and Fujian armies could successfully pass through Chizhou, enter Jiangzhou, and meet up with Yuzhang's troops, the situation would not be favorable to She
The family is far from being advantageous, it is just a little better than the bad situation before the war in Eastern Fujian where both sides were beaten...
The She family could only breathe a sigh of relief, but Huaidong took advantage of this battle to control all the sacred lands in the south of the Yangtze River, including Jiangning.
The main enemy of the She family is not Canyue, but Huaidong.
In the past, Huaidong was confined to a corner of Huaidong. Due to various restrictions from Yue Court, it was difficult to exert its fists. However, in the future, Huaidong was able to control Can Yue in the palm of his hand. Chen Xiyan, Yue Lengqiu, Dong Yuan, Hu Wenmu, Zuo Cheng
At this moment, Cheng Yuqian and others can no longer contain Huaidong. From this perspective, the situation that the She family will face will only become more dangerous and will not improve at all...