Wen Canjun walked quickly to the military tent. Ma Sui glanced and found a businessman standing outside the tent.
"Wen Canjun, what happened?" Ma Sui asked first.
Wen Shenjun bowed and said: "For the record, old general, I went to the city to buy medicinal materials. I found the largest pharmacy in the city, called Jishi Pharmacy. When I was chatting with the shopkeeper, the shopkeeper told me that the medicinal materials in Baling are
The trading house sent a pigeon message the day before yesterday, saying that Baling County has been occupied by tens of thousands of imperial troops."
"What?"
Ma Sui was shocked and asked quickly: "Is the shopkeeper someone outside the account?"
"Exactly, my humble position brought him here!"
Ma Sui hurriedly walked out of the tent, and the merchants outside quickly knelt down and saluted, "Come on, little fellow, see you, old general!"
"What's going on? How come you have news about Baling County? Tell me in detail!"
"In addition to local medicinal materials, the pharmacies in our city also need to purchase many medicinal materials from the medicine shops in Baling. Some large pharmacies will also use carrier pigeons to communicate with the medicine shops. Our store has two carrier pigeons. A few days ago we
The store happened to have about a dozen important medicinal herbs that were out of stock, so I sent a pigeon message to Baling Medicine Store to request the goods. If there were goods, the store would send a clerk to deliver them. If there were no goods, I had to think of other ways.
.”
"Then what?"
"The carrier pigeon came back at noon the day before yesterday. The shopkeeper of the medicine store said that the goods are available, but tens of thousands of imperial troops have occupied Baling County and no one is allowed to enter or leave the city. Deliveries are temporarily unavailable. He asked me to wait for a few days."
"Is the pigeon letter still there?" Ma Sui asked anxiously.
The shopkeeper took out a roll of pigeon letters from his arms and handed it to Ma Sui. Ma Sui opened it and took a closer look. Sure enough, it was exactly what the shopkeeper said.
Ma Sui felt his eyes go dark for a while, and the scene of Jiangzhou's fall happened again. The Jin army must have come from the Yangtze River.
It's just that Jiangzhou had no troops to defend, but he asked He Quan to lead 10,000 elite troops to guard Baling. How could he lose it?
What on earth is going on? As soon as he crossed the Xiangjiang River, Guo Song's army occupied Baling. What was Guo Song's plan?
Ma Sui suddenly remembered what the late emperor had said to him: in terms of combat layout, no one in the world could compare with Guo Song.
He began to realize that he was afraid that the commander of the Jin army who led the army to attack Jiangling this time was Guo Song himself. Only he would include Liu Pi and himself in the conspiracy. Guo Song knew that he would save Liu Pi and wait until he sent troops.
, he went directly to his home base.
Baling was captured, and Meng Jisi's army was probably in danger.
Ma Sui felt a sharp pain in his heart. He held his chest and took a few steps back. His face was as white as a sheet of paper. Wen Canjun hurriedly supported him and shouted: "Go to the military doctor!"
Ma Sui waved his hand and whispered: "It's an old problem. Don't call the military doctor. Help me go into the tent and have a rest."
Wen Canjun helped him into the tent to rest. At this time, the military doctor also arrived, checked Ma Sui's pulse, and asked his assistant to prepare medicine.
The military doctor walked out of the tent, and several generals gathered around him and asked, "Military doctor, how are you doing, old general?"
The military doctor sighed and said: "He had a heart problem five years ago. Now the problem is getting worse and worse, and the pulse is getting more and more urgent. He can't be stimulated anymore, otherwise something big will happen."
"Will the old general... die suddenly?" A general couldn't help but asked in a low voice. His father also died in this way.
The military doctor nodded, "You are right, this is what I am most worried about. Taking medicine is of no use and cannot cure it. The key is to be calm and not to be angry or irritated anymore."
The hearts of the generals felt like lead. Now was the critical moment of the war. It was difficult for the old generals to avoid being stimulated!
"Everyone, please listen to me!"
Lieutenant General Cao Shi said to everyone: "If something bad happens, we must try our best to hide it from the old general and not let him suffer any more stimulation."
Everyone expressed their approval one after another, and this was the only way to go.
In the afternoon, Ma Sui issued an order for the entire army to retreat and quickly return to Changsha County.
Ma Sui had already figured out that if Baling was lost, Jiangling must have been lost long ago. Guo Song used a trick to trick him into coming to the rescue, and his ambush must be waiting for him in front.
The 10,000-strong army immediately turned around and rushed toward Changsha County...
In fact, tens of thousands of cavalry led by Guo Song were waiting for Ma Sui in Wuling County, sixty miles ahead!
Ma Sui made a decisive decision and turned around and returned to Changsha. However, the Jin army scouts lurking in Yiyang County discovered that the enemy troops had turned around and immediately informed the Jin king's army with an eagle letter.
........
Pei Xin's cavalry has joined the main force of Guo Song. They are currently located on the outskirts of Wuling County, Langzhou, with nearly 40,000 cavalry. This time, in order to completely wipe out the southern separatist forces, Guo Song spent a lot of money. Not only did he personally lead his troops south, he even used
The ships transported the war horses to the south bank of the Yangtze River and took advantage of high-speed maneuvers to deal with the well-trained horse Sui troops.
"You fought against Ma Sui's army. How do you feel about their combat effectiveness?" Guo Song asked Pei Xindao.
"Your Highness, Ma Sui's army is indeed well-trained. It was attacked by cavalry at night and was able to organize a counterattack in a very short period of time. It is much stronger than Liu Pizhi's army. We won because we were twice as strong as the enemy.
The strength of the army, and the cavalry is good at night fighting. If we are infantry with equal strength, we still don’t know who will win in the end!”
Guo Song nodded, "Meng Jisi is also a veteran who is good at leading troops in war. Is he willing to surrender?"
"Bizhi persuaded him. He may be more polite because of our kindness to his soldiers. He said that Ma Sui was so kind to him that he could not betray him. Bizhi felt that as long as Ma Sui was destroyed and it took a little longer, he would
He should be able to surrender, but he seems to be a little older, already over sixty years old, does His Highness still want to use him?"
Guo Song smiled slightly and said, "I am an old man who has great ambitions. Don't underestimate these veterans. Their experience is precious wealth. They may not necessarily go to the battlefield. I am considering letting him go to the martial arts hall to teach young generals."
Pei Xin understood immediately and said with a smile: "Your Highness is right, it is good to go to the martial arts hall."
Yang Xuanying said from the side: "Your Highness, Ma Sui's soldiers are good and well-trained. They are a rare and powerful force. It is a pity to let them return to the countryside."
Guo Song thought for a while and said: "You are right. It is indeed a pity. Let's do this! If you are willing to stay and join the army, you can be treated as a first-class soldier. If you are not willing to stay, then let them return to their hometown to work in farming.
.”
Pei Xin and Yang Xuanying clasped their fists together and said, "Follow the order!"
At this moment, a cavalryman rushed over, rushed forward, bowed and saluted, "Your Highness, there is a flying eagle in Yiyang County carrying a message!"
Guo Song took Ying Xin and read it again, and said to Pei Xin: "It seems that Ma Sui has received some news and turned around and retreated!"
Pei Xin immediately said anxiously: "I'm sorry to ask for orders to pursue you!"
Guo Song smiled lightly, "Don't worry! They can't go back."
He immediately said to Yang Xuanying: "General Yang, you can lead 10,000 cavalry in a straight line south and intercept the enemy on the north bank of Lianshui."
"I humbly obey orders!"
Guo Song said to Pei Xin again: "You also lead 10,000 cavalry and follow the enemy from behind, but don't show up too early. You will show up again with your army when we are in the Xiangjiang River!"
"I understand the humble position!"
Pei Xin and Yang Xuanying each led 10,000 cavalry and left separately.
Guo Song led his army to follow unhurriedly...
Ma Sui led 10,000 soldiers to retreat eastward in panic. Ma Sui could no longer care about Baling. He was worried about Changsha. Most of the family members of his army were near Changsha County. If Changsha County fell, the morale of the army would be affected.
It also dispersed.
The soldiers were exhausted after running all day and night. Ma Sui had no choice but to order the soldiers to rest on the spot. They were currently near Qiaokou Town, about fifty miles away from Changsha County, but they were only twenty miles away from the closest point to the Xiangjiang River.
It was already late August, autumn was coming, and it was getting a bit cooler in the morning and evening. The soldiers all knew what had happened. Everyone was worried about whether they could go home to see their parents, wives, and children. They were in a very low mood, and they were all silently talking.
Drinking water and eating dry food, morale is generally low.
Ma Sui tried his best to calm himself down. He sat on a big rock and closed his eyes to rest. At this time, the deputy general Cao Shi stepped forward and whispered: "Old general, the scout found that there are cavalry following us. They are about ten miles away, and their number is one."
There are about 10,000 people, so I suggested that we go directly to the Xiangjiang River and build a pontoon bridge to cross the river."
Ma Sui opened his eyes and said slowly: "I'm afraid they will come out when we build the pontoon bridge."
Cao Shi immediately said anxiously: "Then if we cross the Xiangjiang River in Changsha, they will also come out, and I am worried that they will go around to the Xiangjiang River in advance to intercept us."
This is also what Ma Sui is worried about. He has now fully experienced Guo Song's clever planning skills. It can be said that he has no clues and seizes the opportunity step by step. He can't help but feel a deep worry.
Ma Sui thought for a moment and said, "Let's do this! You lead three thousand soldiers to go ahead and secure the pontoon bridge on the Changsha River. When my army arrives, we will cross the river directly."
This is a good idea. Cao Shi immediately said: "I will lead the army and leave first!"
Ma Sui nodded, "Be careful not to be ambushed by the enemy."
"I understand your humble position!" Cao Shi stood up and left.
Ma Sui looked worriedly at Cao Shi's retreating back. He knew that dividing his troops at this time was actually a taboo for military strategists, and they could easily be defeated by each other, especially against cavalry. But now he couldn't care less. They had fallen into a pit and could they get out of it?