The Xixia army, which was once full of confidence, invaded the Central Plains with hundreds of thousands of troops. Apart from surrendering in battle, only 200,000 soldiers were finally safely withdrawn from Xixia. At this time, Xixia, even including the Imperial Guards guarding the royal city,
, as well as the soldiers supported by Persia and the grasslands, the maximum number is 250,000.
An army of 250,000 people is completely insufficient to protect the entire Xixia. Xixia's strength has dropped to its lowest point. Even without the threat from the Central Plains, Xixia is already stretched thin just to deal with the rebellion that has begun to break out in the country.
Although the northwest army failed to completely annihilate the Xixia army, the news of the annihilation of a group of its effective forces spread back to the capital. The court was also very happy. This battle can be said to be a decisive battle. Even if the court pays money to withdraw its troops at this time, the current losses alone
, Xixia will not even think of replying within a few decades.
However, the Central Plains could not give Xixia a chance to breathe. Although one hundred thousand enemy troops contained a large part of the Central Plains Northwest Army, a solution was quickly found with the suggestions of Zeng Yi and others.
In ancient times, there were only a few ways to deal with surrendering troops, or directly executing them. This is the most efficient. Bai Qi, Xiang Yu, etc. have done it in history. The advantage of this is that there is no need to consider surrendering troops to cause trouble, and there is no need to consider them.
Food. But the shortcoming is too cruel and will have a great impact. At least if the news spreads, other enemies will definitely fight with Li until the last soldier.
There is also hard labor, where the surrendered soldiers are asked to do some hard work, such as building camps, digging mountains, paving roads, etc. Or farming, and letting the surrendered soldiers be used as coolies to cultivate military fields. This approach can effectively utilize the labor force of the surrendered soldiers.
But it must be coordinated with efficient management, otherwise it will take a lot of force to guard so many surrendered troops.
The effective management that Zeng Yi and others can think of is the continuous sitting system, which divides the surrendered troops into small teams. As long as one person makes trouble and escapes, the entire team will be executed. This allows the surrendered troops to supervise each other, which can save a lot of guard force.
Another option is to act as a suicide squad and charge the front team, killing those who retreat. The attackers can be promoted with merit, and the effect is also very good.
The northwest army did not just choose a certain method, but adopted a two-pronged approach, using both methods at the same time. First, they mobilized some of the troops and incorporated them into the Death Character Battalion. The remaining people were escorted back to the rear by the northwest army and incorporated into the camp.
Among the troops.
In the Death Character Camp, there were not only the Xixia surrender troops, but also some prisoners who had committed capital crimes in the Central Plains. After the war began, the imperial court issued an order to give these prisoners a chance to live, as long as they could survive the war.
, if they survive and the war is over, their freedom can be restored.
Most of these prisoners were ruthless murderers, and many of them were even members of the Jianghu. They were quite powerful. Tens of thousands of Xixia's surrender troops were mixed with these people. The northwest army did not have to worry about these people defecting in the face of battle.
The Death Character Battalion is mostly composed of people who have committed crimes and made meritorious deeds. Every time there is a fierce battle, the Death Character Battalion takes the lead. Therefore, the Death Character Battalion suffers the most casualties among the Northwest Army. But the Death Character Battalion is also the most courageous. This is the only way they can survive.
Opportunity!
After the generals settled down, the northwest army began to officially march towards Xixia. Currently, only one of the three most important border fortresses in Xixia is still in the hands of the Xixia people, and the first goal of the Xixia army is this border pass that has changed hands several times.
fortress.
In fact, there are not many Xixia defenders left in this border fortress. Xixia only said before that I risked my life to capture this border fortress just to open the retreat channel for the Xixia army. After the Xixia army withdrew to Xixia, this border fortress
The historical mission has been completed. Of the three main fortresses on the front line, two are in the hands of the Central Plains. Guarding these fortresses will not be of any help to Xixia.
How could a fortress with less than tens of thousands of defenders be able to block the northwest army? However, the northwest army regarded this place as a place to train their artillery to attack the city. As soon as the northwest army took action, they used artillery to launch a fierce attack. The fortress defenders suffered.
It was so unspeakable that at one point some people even suggested surrendering.
The artillery cooperated for a long time. After watching the artillery subside, the fortress defenders finally began to show their faces. Unfortunately, they were facing the Death Character Battalion who was leading the way. After resisting for less than half a day, the fortress fell into the Central Plains again.
hand.
At this point, the three fortresses in the Central Plains at the Xixia border gates all fell into the hands of the northwest army, and the northwest army also gained the initiative in the war.
Xixia seemed to have completely given up on the border and the southwest region. After retreating, the 200,000-strong army returned all the way to the Xixia Royal City and began to make defensive preparations in the Xixia Royal City and the northern city of Xixia.
The north of Xixia was quickly calmed down due to the return of the Xixia army, but the southwest region was completely plunged into melee. Ren Dejing's army took advantage of Xixia's lack of time to take care of him and quickly occupied Xiazhou and Yanzhou again, while other rebels also divided
After occupying cities in various places, the Xixia imperial power has basically withdrawn from the southwest region.
However, without the power of the Xixia court, these ambitious rebels in the western and southern Xixia did not stop fighting. Instead, they began to fight each other for the city.
On the other side, after occupying the border fortress, Zeng Yi also met Qinglong and others again.
"Not bad! If it weren't for you this time, our northwest army would not have been able to achieve a staged victory so easily!" Qinglong looked at Zeng Yi and said with a smile.
"Yes, if Lord Ni had not led the troops to support them, these three fortresses would have definitely fallen into the hands of the Xixia people!" The commander of the Northwest Army on the side also said.
"You're welcome, sir. I don't dare to take credit. This is all the result of the efforts of the Northwest Army!" After what happened a long time ago, the Northwest Army's officers are basically the Queen's confidants. Zeng Yi is still very fond of his own people.
humble.
"Master, General, what should we do next? Should we attack the Xixia Royal City ourselves, or should we take over the western and southern areas of Xixia?"
Qinglong and the commander of the northwest army, after thinking for a moment, said: "The western and southern parts of Xixia are basically in the hands of the rebels. It is not difficult to capture the western and southern areas, but it will definitely take some time. This way
When you come to Xixia, you will definitely be more prepared for the north. My suggestion is to send your army directly to the north and attack the Xixia Royal City!"
The commander of the northwest army nodded: "As long as we capture the Xixia King's City, eliminate the Xixia rulers, and destroy the Xixia orthodox rule, it will not be a difficult task to leave the rest of the northwest to Dejing and his like!"
