"Lord, if we continue like this, the situation will become increasingly unfavorable to us!" Heiyun took a sip of water to make his dry lips feel better. The water source consumed by tens of thousands of troops every day is a big problem.
The bigger problem is that there is no water source in the place where they are, and Qingjun across the street has water wells in the iron mines. It can be used sparingly. The longer it takes, the more disadvantageous it will be to Xiliang.
The water source for the Xiliang army was brought from the small river on the way from Beixuan City. Now all their water needs to be delivered to the logistics department.
Now there are only two days' worth of water left in the soldiers' water bags. If the Qing Army still shrinks, they really can't stay in this place any longer.
The water source is really important. Black Tiger City also encountered this problem when it attacked the iron ore area. Relying on logistics to deliver water, people could drink it for up to two days, but the time it took to come and go was as fast as two days.
When Li Xiang heard Heiyun's words, he already had a plan in his mind: "If they can't retreat, then why should we continue to stay here with them and directly penetrate the Yuan Mine!"
"The walls of Yuankuangzhong City are high and thick, and there is a lot of food and grass in the city. You guys will stay in the city while I take the iron cavalry outside to intercept the food and grass for this large army. I want to see what kind of response the Qing Army should do.
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The number of Qing Army troops reached 20,000, and such a large army consumed a lot of food and grass every day.
After hearing what Li Xiang said, Hei Yun thought about it and felt something was wrong: "Master, in this case, can't the Qing Army also intercept the food and grass for our army?"
Li Xiang patted Heiyun on the shoulder: "Do they have cavalry? Without cavalry, how can they fight with me?"
The cavalry is Li Xiang's trump card unit. The Qing Army may have ways to block the cavalry, but those methods are only as long as the cavalry is willing to fight them head-on!
If Prime Minister Li doesn't want to fight them, with the mobility of the cavalry, those people will just eat dirt in the back!
The loess land is not a mountainous area. If you want to find a place to ambush cavalry on this land, there is basically no place!
Li Xiang only needs to be careful and let the light cavalry explore the surrounding terrain clearly. Li Xiang does not believe that the Qing Army troops can ambush the Xiliang cavalry with a map.
"Go back and get ready. If they are still unwilling to fight us tomorrow, then break camp tomorrow and rush to Yuan Mine!"
"Yes!" Heiyun responded and walked towards the outside of the big tent. The food sent by logistics will be returned tomorrow after it has been filled with water. With these food, grass and water, it can support the Xiliang army to stay on the loess for a few days, and there will be enough time.
Feel the source of minerals.
When the army moves, the Qing army will definitely not watch as the Xiliang army arrives behind them and intercepts their food route. A battle is likely to break out along the way!
Early the next morning, Li Xiang, dressed in bright red armor, rushed out of the camp on Xing Liao, followed by a hundred personal guard cavalry.
Even if there are only a hundred people running, the momentum is stronger than that of a thousand infantry. Song Cheng, who is wearing thick black armor and long weapons, can tell at a glance that they are heavy armored cavalry on the wall of the camp in the distance.
His guess was correct. There were indeed cavalry in Xiliang City. The cavalry in front of him should not be all sick, but only part of them.
Li Xiang came to the front of the formation, ignored the aim of the archers on the city wall and the sentry post, and shouted: "Xiliang Li Xiang is here, is there anyone in the Qing army who dares to fight with me?"
"Xiliang Li Xiang?"
"That Rentu, I heard that he killed as many as 8,000 people if not 10,000!"
"Look at how bright his armor is. I heard it was dyed red with the blood of someone who killed someone!"
Hearing Li Xiang's voice, there was a commotion among the Qing Army. Xiliang City's Li Xiang is currently the most powerful person in the entire northwest, and Xiliang City even turned Xuanshui Lake into their Xiliang City's water pool!
As the master of Xiliang City, Li Xiang was well-known for his military achievements. Under the guidance of some people, Li Xiang was seen by the public outside the Northwest Pass as a one-man massacre. He rushed to the front in every battle and killed the most people.
Facing Prime Minister Li, people outside the Northwest Pass are filled with fear and admiration. They admire Prime Minister Li for his bravery!
A leader of power must go first in every battle. This is better than those who just shout from behind and come to me!
Song Cheng also saw Li Xiang dressed in armor on the battlefield for the first time. He had seen Li Xiang's appearance several times in paintings, but this was the first time he saw Li Xiang wearing armor!
"Give me the horse!"
Song Cheng thought for a while and decided to meet Li outside.
Click, click, click!
The gate of the Qing Army camp slowly opened, and a group of infantry rushed out. Li Xiang did not move, and just watched quietly.
Song Cheng came out riding a fine war horse, followed by two masters who were also riding horses. The Qing Army did not dare to let Song Cheng come out alone. Song Cheng's cultivation level was not very high, and he was still a third-rate master.
He also has no interest in practicing.
He is following the path of a Confucian general. The main thing is planning, using tactics to determine victory or defeat. Besides, are there not enough generals with high strength? When necessary, he can mobilize a few generals.
He is a general who coordinates the overall situation, not a general who only fights and kills.
Li Xiang saw Song Cheng riding a white war horse at the front and smiled thinking of the image he had obtained: "In front is General Song Cheng of the Northeastern Song Family!"
Song Cheng was stunned for a moment after hearing Xiang Li's words, and quickly realized that Xiliang City was so powerful that it was not difficult to know his identity.
"I didn't expect City Lord Li to know that I'm here!" Song Cheng looked at the cavalry behind Li Xiang and said: "If I had fought with the army in the camp a few days ago, this cavalry would have come out from behind!
City Lord Li really has a way to build such a cavalry outside the Northwest Pass!"
Li Xiang smiled and said, "Are you envious?"
"...." Song Cheng was stunned and disturbed by Li Xiang's words, and subconsciously said: "Envy!"
No general would reject the cavalry. The cavalry is the top unit in the world. Their powerful mobility makes them the strongest unit in plains, grasslands and other places. Large-scale cavalry charges are rarely blocked by anyone, even if they are the strongest in the world.
Even those who dare not stand in front of a hundred thousand cavalry!
"Envy, how about you come to Xiliang City and I will form a team for you?" Li Xiang said bluntly.
"Forget it!" Song Cheng shook his head and said to Li Xiang instead: "City Lord Li, why don't you put aside your previous grudges and help the world with us?"
"Help the world?" Li Xiang laughed: "You only see my current scenery, but who knows the despair in my heart when I was thrown into the vast forest? But who knows that I am looking for him in the ice and snow?
What does the food look like?
Let me go back? Do you want me to go back and continue to be a dog? Use one when you need it, and throw it aside when you don’t need it. No, it would be fine if you just throw it aside, but the problem is that you have to throw it out to block the pot!"
Li Xiang's voice became louder and louder: "You'd better pray that Daqian doesn't mess up and don't give me a chance to go back, otherwise I may become your biggest opponent!"
Song Cheng heard a lot from Li Xiang's voice, and also knew that Li Xiang and them would never appear on the same boat again. It was a pity that Li Xiang's martial arts and military leadership skills could only be achieved outside the Northwest Pass. Wait.
"In that case, let's lower our hands and see the truth!" Song Cheng felt that there was nothing to talk about, so he turned around and returned to the camp. The gate of the camp was quickly closed.
Li Xiang looked confused. Didn't he say that he saw Zhenzhang under his command? Why did he turn around and run back to the camp?
"If Song Cheng is a man, come out to me!" Li Xiangyun got up and roared angrily. This sound could be heard by the Qing Army soldiers in the entire camp.
Song Cheng said calmly: "Tell the soldiers not to go out, whatever Li Xiang says!"
Anyway, he was determined not to go out. The Xiliang army had cavalry, so he went out to fight with the Xiliang army. Isn't that stupid of him?
If he had a cavalry under his command, he would consider whether to fight.
The place they were in was short of water sources. The water for their camp still came from the iron mines, and the Xiliang army had limited water sources.
Moreover, Xiliang’s supply line is much further than theirs!
He is not in a hurry, just see what the Xiliang army will do!
Li Xiang cursed a few words outside and saw that the people in the Qing Army camp were like turtles. No one answered him. The gate of the camp was tightly closed. He took a sip of water and rested on the loess outside.
The camp at the back began to move and pack up the things that needed to be packed. At this time, the troops transporting grain and grass also arrived and asked these people to help pack up.
Except for the sentry posts and city walls that were not moved in the camp, the Xiliang soldiers had already brought everything they could and were waiting for night to fall.
In order to be energetic at night, the Xiliang army fell asleep one after another. When they saw that the battle could not be fought in the morning, the cavalry left their armor in the camp, took a large number of water bags, and ran lightly to the nearest water source to let the horses drink and eat. After lighting the grass, take the cavalry back to the camp.
Li Xiang cursed from time to time outside the Qing Army camp. The more Li Xiang behaved like this, the more relieved Song Cheng became.
They have a well, but it is difficult for them to use water at this time, not to mention the Xiliang army on the other side. Water is very important to people. Xiliang cavalry can use their mobility to find water sources to replenish, but Xiliang soldiers cannot, with tens of thousands of soldiers. The amount of water used is astronomical.
He is huddled in this camp now. If Li Xiang has the ability, he will come in and beat him. If he goes out to fight him, he can't beat Li Xiang, but the camp is the camp of their Qing Army. On his own territory, he will not return the luggage. Can beat him, he: Those traps set are not in vain!
Songcheng waited peacefully for the arrival of reinforcements and the retreat of the Xiliang army. Without enough water, the Xiliang army would not stay here for long.
However, there are many external scouts. A large number of scouts are scattered around the camp. There is no place to hide in the loess Gobi. If the scouts are discovered by Xiliang Qingqi, it will be difficult for them to outrun those Xiliang Qingqi who come and go like the wind.
Rather than letting precious scouts surround the Xiliang army, it is better to have the scout troops protect the rear of the army.
As night fell, the Xiliang army walked towards Yuan Mine, which is still the hinterland of the Qing Army, according to the plan they made during the day. The Qing Army camp was on the right side of the iron ore area, and the army passed by on the left.
Not long after the army was dispatched, the Qing Army soldiers in the iron ore area discovered that a long team was advancing on the ground in the distance. They immediately beat the gong, and Song Cheng's camp on the other side immediately sent people to investigate the situation.
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Soon the scout returned to Song Cheng: "Lord, the Xiliang army seems to be moving, and the direction of the movement is behind us!"
"Move behind us?" Song Cheng was confused again. What kind of cool move is this to move behind them?
Wait, they are behind you!
Yuan mine!
"The Xiliang army is going to move to the Yuan Mining District!" Song Cheng's eyes were full of surprise. The Yuan Mining District is very large and can accommodate 20,000 people, and the city walls are tall. In order to ensure that the people in the mining area have sufficient food, the Qing Army's troops in the Yuan Mining District
There are a lot of grain reserves, plus the amount of grain brought by the Xiliang army itself.
The Xiliang army can stay in the mining area for a month or two, and it can also cut off the retreat of his army in the Yuan mine area. With the speed of the Xiliang cavalry, it is not difficult to take down their logistics!
The deputy general also thought of Li Xiang's intention: "General, if the Xiliang army is allowed to enter the Yuan mining area, it will be difficult for our army to retreat safely, and there are still food routes!"
"Should we take advantage of the darkness and kill them?"
Song Cheng shook his head: "We can't think of the Xiliang army, maybe they are waiting for us to leave the camp!
Since Li Xiang wants to defend the Yuankuang area, then we will let Yuankuang become the burial ground for this Xiliang army!"
Songcheng opened the map. The place where Yuan Mine is located is very important. There is a Gobi desert around it, and only Yuan Mine has water sources. However, for the Xiliang army, this place is far away from Beixuan City. As long as they surround it, they will
Become a lone army!
They have a lot of patience and can surround Xiliang's army until they run out of food!
"General, do you mean to surround them with heavy troops after they enter the Yuan Mine?"
Song Cheng nodded: "Pass my order to have the scout troops keep an eye on the Xiliang army from a distance and not get too close. Also, pass the news to the Lord. The army does not need to feel this way and just go straight to Yuan Mine!"
"Let people start cleaning up the camp. When the Xiliang army retreats to Yuanchang, it's time for us to rush over!"
....
The battle between Xiliang City and the Qing Army has attracted the attention of all forces outside the Northwest Pass. Xiliang City is already the undisputed overlord of Xuanshui Lake and its surroundings, and is now devouring the surrounding small forces. If it is no longer needed, it will destroy the entire Xuanshui Lake area.
Take it into your hands.
The Qing Army has already taken the Northern Wilderness. The two forces of Xiliang City and the Qing Army are one level stronger than the Jinsha Gang, Snow Mountain, and Yulong Gang in the south. In the eyes of the major forces, they can have the power to unify the entire outside the Northwest Pass.
Just these two forces.
In the battle in the Northern Wilderness, Xiliang sent nearly 20,000 troops, and the Qing Army also sent 20,000 troops. This battle will determine the situation of both sides in the next two years.
They just hope that the two armies will be more ferocious. In the end, there will not be too many people left on both sides. The more people die, the fewer people will die. No one likes to have an extra superior above their heads!
Zhao Yukun and Zhao Yuling, who had been paying attention to the battlefield, were very satisfied with this battle. The ten thousand shi of food was well worth it. The Qing Army was restrained by Xiliang City. The longer the battle between the two sides drags on, the better!
