Even a mere Yuezhou is not worthy of Li Chunjing's massive deployment of troops and the risk of taking the main force of the Second Army there. Li Chunjing has a deeper strategic purpose!
After several staff officers looked at the map, one of them said: "General Li's goal is here!"
Following the direction he indicated, others saw two big characters on the map: Changsha!
Although Cai Erhu was limited by his own cultural level and tactical and theoretical abilities, he could not understand why Li Chunjing suddenly made such a strategic choice, and he was even confused about how Li Chunjing would solve the series of problems caused by it.
Although the previously formulated plan to attack Wuchang was risky, Cai Erhu also knew that Li Chunjing's real purpose was not to simply attack Wuchang, but to attack the enemy and save them. This caused chaos in Jiujiang, Nankang and other places.
The main force of the Ming army came out and tried to defeat them in the field.
The Tang Army has tried this tactic many times in the past year, and has achieved considerable results, but now, the Ming Army will not be fooled again.
After suffering so many hardships, the Ming army had seen through the Tang Army's tactics of encircling a point to support, attacking one place on the surface, but actually attacking another place.
So this time, not only the Ming army in the direction of Fuzhou did not move, but the Ming army in the direction of Jiujiang and Nankang also did not move, almost letting Li Chunjing lead tens of thousands of troops towards Wuchang.
Of course, this is also because the Ming army has great confidence in Wuchang's defense.
This kind of confidence was also noticed by Li Chunjing and Cai Erhu. Although they did not clearly understand how confident the Ming army was, what they can determine is that the Ming army did not seem to be afraid of Li Chunjing leading the main force.
Go to Wuchang!
And this was also one of the main reasons that prompted Li Chunjing to change his original strategy. After all, if there were other options, Li Chunjing did not have to cross hundreds of miles and then run to Wuchang City to fight with the Ming army.
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But Cai Erhu didn't understand why Li Chunjing had to lead the army to Yuezhou and even planned to go to Changsha. The journey was a long way, and if he was not careful, he would fall into a place of no return.
But if you don’t understand, you don’t understand. Cai Erhu has been in the army for many years. He has been exposed to so many wars and has gained a lot of knowledge. He can see the strategic changes caused by Li Chunjing’s move!
Once Li Chunjing leads his army to capture Yuezhou Prefecture, he can then go south to Changsha and cooperate with the main force of the First Army to launch an attack!
At that time, when the two armies join together, they will be able to mobilize at least 50,000 main troops. That is a main force of 50,000 people. Even if Changsha is a turtle shell, it can be chewed off.
After capturing Changsha, Hengyang will be under heavy siege. There is no need to fight. When the time comes, we can directly encircle and blockade it, and then leave an infantry division to defend it. Sooner or later, Hengyang will be captured.
And what does this mean?
This means that by then, almost the entire southern Huguang area south of the Yangtze River will fall into the hands of the Tang Dynasty!
Seeing the inferences of the staff, Cai Erhu was a little shocked!
Li Chunjing didn't just attack Yuezhou, he didn't even just attack Changsha, he wanted almost the entire southern Huguang!
As for this plan of tens of thousands of troops marching for hundreds of miles, and finally triggering major changes in the entire strategic situation, Cai Erhu thought that he would never dare to do it, not even Hao Bainian would dare to do it.
But Li Chunjing just dares!
On the front line, the Second Army Chief of Staff An Zichen also asked Li Chunjing with a puzzled look: "Sir, if we go to Yuezhou now, the logistics supply along the way will not be smooth. Judging from the supplies carried with the army, it can at most support
We can sustain food for one month and what we need for three large-scale battles. It's okay to attack Yuezhou, but if we go to Changsha, if we can't get replenishment in the future, I'm afraid the situation will not be optimistic!"
But Li Chunjing didn't take it seriously: "Ammunition is in short supply, so use it sparingly. Besides, wouldn't there be a war without ammunition? Is our army's bayonet charge just for watching?"
"As for food, if you don't have enough, you'll have to eat from the enemy!"
Li Chunjing rode on a group of blue-grey Mongolian war horses, then looked ahead, and said: "Besides, who said that I must go to Yuezhou, I must go to Changsha!"
An Zichen said: "Not going to Yuezhou? Not going to Changsha? Then where should we go?"
Li Chunjing smiled at this time: "We'll see then!"
"We'll see it later?" An Zichen was even more puzzled!
This is somewhat incomprehensible to An Zichen, who has a professional background and has served as a staff officer for a long time. Li Chunjing is going to attack Wuchang, and now he wants to go to Yuezhou or even Changsha. Although he does not agree with it, as the chief of staff of the Second Army
, he still worked conscientiously and formulated relevant action plans.
But now, Li Chunjing told him: "We'll see when the time comes?"
What does this mean? It shows that Li Chunjing himself has no clear strategic direction. He can go back to Wuchang, go to Yuezhou, or even go directly to Changsha.
And in this case, how should he, the chief of staff of the Second Army, implement detailed marching and combat plans?
The main force of the Second Army consists of more than 30,000 people, plus nearly 40,000 civilians accompanying the army to transport the baggage. That is a huge team of 70,000 people. It is not just anyone who wants to go there.
But now, Li Chunjing is like this!
At this time, Li Chunjing turned back to look at An Zichen, and then said to his deputy: "Chief of Staff, do you remember what your Majesty's order was for me?"
An Zichen naturally knew this, and immediately said: "Your Majesty has a decree, let me find an opportunity to fight, severely inflict heavy damage on the puppet Ming thief army, and lay the foundation for marching to South Zhili!"
Li Chunjing said: "Then how can we march into South Zhili? Is it successful if we just send 10,000 or 20,000 people to bypass Fuzhou, Jiujiang and other places, and then directly enter South Zhili?"
An Zichen immediately shook his head: "Of course not, this is not in line with the tradition of the King of the Tang Dynasty, and it is not in line with the interests of the Tang Dynasty!"
Li Chunjing said: "That's right. Wherever the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty has gone, there has never been any precedent for withdrawing. When we march to South Zhili, we will naturally need to take the entire Jiangnan into our pocket and let the land of Jiangnan be occupied."
To become the source of soldiers and taxes for our Tang Dynasty, we need to completely control the south of the Yangtze River and solve our worries at the same time!"
"What are our worries?"
An Zichen said: "Of course he is Zhang Yue's supervisor!"
"Not bad!" At this time, Li Chunjing took a deep breath and said: "Our army's strategic goal in this battle is not to gain or lose a city or a place, but to annihilate the main force of Zhang Yue Dubiao!"
"This is how we can solve our army's worries when it marches eastward. Otherwise, Fuzhou alone can withstand the full blow of our Second Army? Your Majesty is wise and has already seen through all this, so he asked me to seek opportunities to inflict heavy damage.
The army of false civilization!"
Immediately Li Chunjing said again: "This time our army is heading to Yuezhou? Will the Ming army move? Once they move, our opportunity will come. No matter whether the Ming army comes out from Wuchang or Jiujiang direction, I have the confidence to do so."
Fight them!"
"If the Ming army in the direction of Changsha moves, then Brother Hao's First Army will also have a chance!"
"If they don't move, then I will capture Yuezhou, cut off the connection between Wuchang and Changsha, and work with the First Army to form a flanking attack on the enemies of Changsha and Hengyang, and even a strategic encirclement!"
"If the enemy army still doesn't move and remains entrenched, then I will lead the army south to Changsha to contain the enemy in Changsha. At that time, I will use the power of the first army to concentrate the troops to besiege Hengyang. There is a lot of hope. Once Hengyang is captured, the enemy in Changsha will also resist.
It won’t be long!”
"Once the enemy forces in these two directions are dealt with, the enemy forces in the Chenzhou direction will not be a problem. Then our two armies will be merged together to seize Wuchang, Jiujiang, and even fight all the way to Jinling City in Nanzhili.
!”
At this time, An Zichen said: "What if the enemy troops move? What if the puppet Ming rebel army gathers enemies from Nanchang or even Jiujiang to return to Yuezhou to aid Yuezhou, what about Changsha?"
"What if the enemy takes the opportunity to counterattack Nanchang?"
"What if the enemy takes the opportunity to capture Fengcheng, leaving a force to contain the 6th Infantry Division, and then attacks Luling or even Ganzhou?"
"What if the enemy army follows our army and takes the opportunity to attack our army from both front and rear?"
An Zichen was obviously not convinced by Li Chunjing, but instead put forward a series of hypotheses!
In response, Li Chunjing smiled: "In a war, it is naturally impossible to plan all the plans in advance, and it is impossible not to take any risks!"
Regarding Li Chunjing's statement, An Zichen could only sigh. Li Chunjing is the commander of the First Army, and His Majesty has fully delegated power to him. In fact, no one can stop what Li Chunjing wants to do now.
Live him.
He, An Zichen, could only check for missing items later, arrange detailed strategic and logistical matters for Li Chunjing as much as possible, and reduce the risks of Li Chunjing's many tactical choices as much as possible.
And he also knew that this was the main reason why His Majesty sent him to be the Chief of Staff of the Second Army.
An Zichen's early experience was different from that of other staff officers. Although he had attended a martial arts school and an imperial school, he had studied the baggage department and served as the commander of a baggage battalion at the grassroots level.
Chief of Staff, and subsequently served as Deputy Minister of Logistics in the Privy Council, during which time he was promoted to Brigadier General of the Army.
In August, Li Xuan summoned him and asked him if he would like to go to the Jiangxi front line to serve as Li Chunjing's deputy and serve as the chief of staff of the Second Army.
To be honest, he was actually a little confused at the time, because he felt that his chief of staff was not good at strategic planning, but that he was better at handling military chores and logistics.
But His Majesty personally ordered the generals, and the position of Chief of Staff of the Second Army is also quite tempting, much better than the Deputy Minister of Logistics.
That's why he came to the Jiangxi front line to serve as the chief of staff of the Second Army. Of course, he could also guess that His Majesty asked him to come to Jiangxi simply because he wanted to use his expertise in handling chores and logistics to complement Li Chunjing.
Now Li Chunjing said with a relaxed expression that it is impossible to make every plan in a war, nor to take no risks at all. Although he does not agree, he can only do his job well.
To be honest, he, An Zichen, couldn't lead troops in battle and use such unconventional tactics, but he could still be a good housekeeper for Li Chunjing and help him handle the many complicated affairs of the huge Second Army.
Li Chunjing and the Second Army did not come to Wuchang, but turned west and headed towards Yuezhou. The news quickly reached Zhang Yue's ears!