The pro-military cavalry uniforms and equipment were the best in the entire army, only the horses were slightly inferior. The Huguang army was in the Chu region, although they could also buy strong war horses from Hanzhong, Xing'an and other places through the Hanshui trade route, or from the left
The town captured some fine horses from the north, but the number was still small.
The "Little Jade Hooves" that Zhang Pili rode himself also had a strong spirit and abundant vitality. Compared with the war horses from the Qin Army and the Central Plains Breaking Army from the Fortress and Hehuang areas, they were a little inferior in terms of body shape and speed.
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But so what?
Behind Zhang Pizhu was an iron cavalry brigade composed of officers under the pro-military banner. These capable armored cavalrymen all held swords in their hands, dismounted their horses, and stepped out in unison to the rhythm of bronze drums and golden zhengs.
The sound of the horse's hooves is even, the reins are lightly lifted, and the horse is running at high speed with ease.
Such an army, no matter in terms of combat effectiveness or military appearance, will not be inferior to others because of the blood of the war horses.
All the seven or eight hundred cavalrymen behind them followed up at lightning speed. They first merged with the thousands of cavalrymen controlled by Hao Yaoqi, and then divided into three columns on the river bank and rushed to different flank positions.
The clanking sound of vests attracted the attention of the soldiers from Xiao Yuan's camp on the other side of the river. Yuan Dakui, who had excellent eyes, looked at the brightly armored intruder cavalry on the other side and sighed with envy: "Look at all these soldiers.
The cavalry came up one after another, all wearing armor, so powerful!"
He was the famous "clairvoyant" in Xiaoyuan Camp. He was also the first soldier who discovered the intruder's activities and reported it to the officer. He was also ordered to stay on the ground and continue to observe the enemy's movements.
Another soldier from Xiaoyuan Camp, who was listless due to the defeat of Yingzhou, also threw his weapons on the ground, sat down in the mud on the river bank, and said in a strange way:
"Look at the clanging iron armor and a bunch of horses running around. I think they are all strong soldiers and horses. They are holding back their breaths and are going to give our little Yuan camp a big fight! Look at them, and then look at us.
General Yuan still thinks that the officers and soldiers will come to save us! Hey... this is really, really, blind!"
His words aroused great repercussions among the soldiers in Xiaoyuan Camp. Everyone was very dissatisfied with Yuan Shizhong's defection from the rebel army. What's more, you defected when you defected, and the promised recruitment by the court did not go well.
The promised clothes, armor, food and salary were not available, and there was no place to stay. As a result, Xiao Yuanying found himself in a dilemma today!
Look at the invading army on the other side of the river. They are very capable soldiers and horses, and they are well-dressed and well-dressed. Look at Xiao Yuanying himself! It’s like a beggar competing with the Dragon King.
"Brothers, stop talking nonsense," the officer in the group said seriously, pointing to the other side. "Look, what the hell is that dark guy dragged to the edge of the river?"
"Is that a boat?"
"I bet you, what is boundless is a raft, not a boat?"
"Didn't they drag a few more rafts over there? It seems they want to build a pontoon bridge," the officer pointed to that side and said to Yuan Dakui, "Good brother, you and General Yuan are from the same hometown. Please hurry up.
Take this news back with you."
"There are men in full armor and horses in full armor. With these rafts, can we cross all these people and horses?" Some people were worried about the intruders, fearing that they would not be able to cross the river.
Yuan Dakui used to follow Yuan Shizhong on the north bank of the Yellow River. He explained: "Don't underestimate the raft. When our little Yuanying crossed the Yellow River in the past, the river bank there was high, the river body was wide, and the water was fast. With a few skins
After just a few trips back and forth on the raft, we all got across. Why can’t the Chuang army use this raft to cross a small river in the Huai River? Can the Huai River be compared with the Yellow River?”
The officer waited impatiently and kept urging: "My old friend, when is this? The invading army is about to cross the river. We must report it to General Yuan quickly!"
But most people didn't buy it. One soldier saw that the Chuang army was really building a pontoon bridge, and felt guilty, so he replied:
"Hey! Look! The Chuang Army is really about to cross the river! I think everyone should get ready to run away quickly. We have been staring at the river bank for most of the night, which is worthy of General Yuan.
I will give you one tael of silver as a reward. As for the rest... General Yuan is counting on the officers and soldiers, so it depends on whether the officers and soldiers will come to rescue us, Master Yuan!"
Seeing that the intruders were about to cross the river, the soldiers of Xiao Yuan's camp were all ready to flee before daybreak. No one planned to continue to guard the river bank for Yuan Shizhong. In fact, with their strength, pay, and combat effectiveness, they really had no chance.
Any possibility of holding on.
Everyone threw their weapons in the dirt on the shore, or even threw them directly into the river. Some even threw off their armor and coats in order to run away quickly.
"Shh!"
Yuan Dakui suddenly heard something. He put his finger in front of his lips and asked others to shut up their noisy mouths and calm down to listen to the distant sounds.
"What's that sound? What's the buzzing, buzzing, buzzing?"
Yuan Dakui opened his eyes wide and said in surprise: "It's the sound of the horn!"
A dark-faced man with a Huaiqing accent wondered: "Little Tiger's army loves to play trumpets. Last time in Yingzhou, their three walls broke down on us with the sound of trumpets. Isn't it strange?
?”
"No, it's not. This is the sound of horns and conches, not the kind of chants that break through the three walls of the army. Listen carefully!"
The rest of the people turned their ears away and listened carefully, and then they heard that the sound coming from far away was not the kind of military chants they had heard, but the sound of drums and gongs commonly used by the army.
"It seems to be coming from the north?"
The only serious officer in the group poked his head to the north. He put his palms in front of his eyebrows and vaguely saw figures in the distance through the half-light at dawn.
To the north of Xiaoyuan Camp, there were shadowy figures, the sounds of armor and weapons clashing, the sounds of soldiers and horses trampling the ground, and many flags rustling in the north wind.
"Damn it...when did Chuang Jun cross the river? Why did they all come around to the north of us!"
The soldiers who were "watching" by the river had no tense atmosphere at all just now. They saw with their own eyes that the intruders were preparing to cross the river, were about to cross the river, and were crossing the river. No one suspected that their purpose of crossing the river was to engage in a fight.
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However, these soldiers whose courage was broken by the intruders in the Battle of Yingzhou were completely unprepared and had no morale for fighting. Few of them thought that they would be the first to bear the brunt and would soon become a fighting party. They did not attack each other with one shot.
To prevent the intruders from crossing the river, they did not know how the next war would begin and what the outcome would be.
He just stared at the river bank in confusion, dozing off, and then prepared to run away.
When someone suddenly appeared on the flank, they were of course very surprised, even to the point of confusion and collapse.
"Is the Chuang Army coming? How is this possible!? Run quickly!"
People who were frightened were already panicking and running around. Yuan Dakui's eyesight was much better than others. He carefully identified the flag of the army in the distance, and vaguely saw that it did not seem to be the flag of the invading army, and then continued to identify the flag to the north.
The color of the army's armor does not seem to be that shocking dark blue.
"No, don't panic, that's not the invading army... it's the official army! It's our reinforcements that have arrived!"
Yuan Dakui exclaimed in surprise. He could see very clearly that the Ming army reinforcements that Xiao Yuan's camp had been waiting for for a long time were speeding in from the north with the horn blowing.
When everyone heard this, they were first confused, then surprised, and finally felt an uneasy mood mixed with surprise and suspicion.
Xiaoyuan Camp has been in a state of hostility with the Ming army for a long time. Now suddenly everyone has become allies and friendly forces, while the former friendly forces and allies on the other side of the river have become new enemies.
This change in relationship is indeed confusing.
The officer standing next to Yuan Dakui was relieved. He sighed to Yuan Dakui: "Great, great, General Yuan finally did not go astray... With the help of the Ming army, it seems that the court recognized our surrender.
Well, from now on everyone will follow Mr. Yuan... and everyone will follow Mr. Yuan to eat the royal food!"
Yuan Dakui was more conservative. He did not immediately place all his hopes on these Ming army reinforcements. Together with his officers, he took a dozen soldiers from Xiaoyuan Camp who were guarding the river and ran to the front to greet the reinforcements.
arrival.
The army galloping over from the north was indeed reinforcements sent by the Ming Dynasty. Yuan Dakui made a rough estimate and felt that the number should be about five to six hundred cavalry and about a thousand infantry.
To say more or less, it was obviously impossible for such an army to stop the invading army's attack. The officer of Xiaoyuan Camp couldn't help but look disappointed.
The general at the head of the Ming army was a young general. He jumped off his horse and introduced himself: "I am Chen De, the deputy general of Henan Town. I have been ordered to bring you and all the people of Xiaoyuan Camp back to Germany. No need to say more.
Having said that, everyone will follow me. The rebel army is about to cross the river. We should retreat to Return to Guide as soon as possible. Commander Father has already found a way out for you. After returning to Guide, all the Xiaoyuan Battalion will be integrated into Henan Town and use our military flag.
No., don’t worry!”
Yuan Dakui said curiously: "Master General...this master! All the family members of our little Yuanying's old camp are in Bozhou. If we don't go to Bozhou, how can we retreat to Germany in one go?"
Chen De is the son of Chen Yongfu, the commander-in-chief of Henan Town. He pointed to the north and said with a wry smile: "Yuan Shizhong, the leader of your little Yuan camp, is ready to go to Xuzhou. Why are you still guarding Bozhou? Are you stupid? You don't know what Dongzhou is now.
Have the captives already reached Shandong territory? Now the Xuzhou Suppressor General has ordered that all the troops in this area gather near Xuzhou, and no place is allowed to be left without authorization!"
Dong... Donglu?
This sudden word made the soldiers of Xiaoyuan Camp widen their eyes.