When Wu Feng led the entire army on the road, the main force of more than 200,000 soldiers led by Situ Mingzhi had already engaged the vanguard of the army led by Tu Da, the Luobei general who conquered the east. The southeast corner of the East Tengger Prairie is at the junction with the Tanghe Empire. This place has become the main camp of Luo Bei's general Tu Da. There are continuous military camps here, flags are flying, and there is a lively scene of people shouting and horses neighing everywhere. In the largest tent in the middle of the military camp, a burly man with a golden beard was leaning on a refined sandalwood tea table produced in Jinzhou Prefecture of the Tanghe Empire and carefully looking at the map. Outside the tent, thirty Several fierce Luo Bei guards were guarding the tent around the tent, holding maces commonly used by Luo Bei warriors. There were also two guards with sabers hanging on their waists standing at the entrance of the tent.
"Report!"
"Come in," the big man who was looking at the map replied without raising his head.
A short but energetic general came in from the door of the tent and said, "Report to the general, the vanguard force led by my subordinates encountered the enemy's vanguard troops in the enemy's territory one hundred and twenty miles southeast of the main camp. My subordinates Taking advantage of the opponent's inability to react, he caught the opponent off guard and defeated an enemy light infantry regiment in one fell swoop, killing more than a thousand enemies. Since the enemy's follow-up troops immediately followed up, in order to avoid being exposed, the subordinates used their speed to get away. Got them."
"Very well, well done. Are your scouts back?"
"Report sir, I haven't come back yet."
"Sit down, it seems that the enemy wants to really fight us this time. Come here! Go and notify Generals Kurdo and Hasian to my tent."
Following two loud "reports", two more young generals came in. These two, together with the Geya who came in earlier, were known as the "Three Warriors of the Eastern Expedition" from the Luobei people. They were the most powerful generals in the Eastern Expedition, Tu Da. The famous war general who once made great contributions to defeating the Mote people was also the vanguard of the invasion of the Western Region countries and the Tanghe Empire in recent years. After the three of them sat down, Tu Da, the middle-aged burly man who was looking at the map, took a sip of tea on the table and said, "According to our internal report, the enemy has mobilized 220,000 people this time, including heavy cavalry. There are more than 30,000 people, including 40,000 light cavalry, 100,000 light infantry, and 50,000 heavy infantry. They are coming very hard." The three people who listened carefully were a little shocked. The enemy actually sent out so many troops. Secondly, the problem is that the enemy actually has 50,000 heavy infantry. The three of them are all battle-hardened generals. Of course they know that heavy infantry is the natural enemy of cavalry. The enemy has dispatched so many heavy infantry with the obvious intention of fighting with them. Our side is engaged in a defensive war and a protracted war, which is quite detrimental to our side.
"Everyone here knows that we Luobei people grew up riding on horseback. The cavalry is our pride and our main force. Its impact and mobility are unmatched by the infantry. In the past, we used it every time Its mobility won the final victory, but this time it is different. The enemy has superior strength than us and is in a favorable location. If they are determined to fight a defensive war and a protracted war with us, it will be difficult to deal with them."
"The general's analysis is correct. The enemy occupies a favorable location, has an advantage in military strength, and has no worries about logistical support. If we engage in a war of attrition, we may not be able to afford it," said the black-faced Ha Xian.
"Even if we can afford the troops, we can't afford the time. We are still waiting for food and livestock in our own territory." Ge Ya added.
"I wonder who is the commander of the enemy's army this time?" Kurdo, who had been silent, asked. There was a look of admiration in Tu Da's eyes, and he was indeed the eldest among the three warriors.
"If the enemy's commander this time was a mature and prudent guy, I would have already ordered a U-turn to join the Motes and Tubu people to attack the Heseros. The enemy has dispatched so many troops this time, and there are We have the advantage of geographical advantages, but our territory is facing famine, and time waits for no one. It can be said that the right time, the right location, the people, and the enemy have all been taken advantage of. If there is another excellent commander, we can say that there is no chance, but God will not stop us. Our enemy commander this time is the younger brother of Emperor Situ Mingyue of the Tanghe Empire, named Situ Mingzhi. According to intelligence, this man is impatient, loves success, and lacks experience in war. He is really a noble man given to us by God, so we There is a chance. Stay for a while, let's plan hard and strive to fight a good battle. In addition, according to intelligence reports, the old guy Sun Yuanliang of Yinchuan Prefecture seems to be a little unable to hold on, and one of his security divisions seems to have also been dispatched. In order to avoid On a side note, Kurdo, you will send someone to see Sun Yuanliang later, give him this letter of mine, and tell him that as long as his troops stay still, I guarantee that my troops will not attack his territory within three years. If he is a smart man, he will consider it clearly. If we win this time, I guess the enemy will no longer be able to organize a larger team in this area. This will be the paradise of our Luobi people. I only hope that the Khan will If we can arrange it early, we have already missed too many opportunities and time.”
The imperial army led by Situ Mingzhi was stationed on a plain about 180 miles away from the main camp of Tuda. The commanders of the various imperial ministries were holding a combat meeting in the commander's tent. The commander's tent was heavily guarded. The people attending the meeting were from various ministries. An officer above the division commander and the deputy commander-in-chief of this battle, Commander Singer of the Army's Third Army Corps, is making combat arrangements. "We have finished introducing the enemy's situation. Now I am announcing the battle plan: the Second Heavy Infantry Division of the Third Army. The regiment and the 1st Heavy Infantry Division of the 2nd Army were stationed in the middle of the Tuqi Plain. The 3rd and 5th Divisions of the City Guard Corps were stationed behind the above two divisions. The 1st Heavy Cavalry Division of the 3rd Army and the 3rd , the 4th Light Infantry Division is stationed on their left flank, and the 2nd Corps' 2nd Mixed Cavalry Division and 3rd Light Infantry Division are stationed on their right flank. This battle is focused on defense. After the battle begins, the commanders of each department can flexibly control , but the ministries are not allowed to attack at will to prevent an ambush. Now please speak to the Duke of the Town."
"Everyone, what is in front of us is a golden opportunity. Our military strength greatly exceeds that of the enemy. We have a geographical advantage. There is no need to worry about our logistics. Why can't we defeat the enemy? Our purpose is very clear. , is to block the enemy's advance. The enemy dare not waste time with us, but we have plenty of time, so the victory of this war will definitely belong to us. Of course, if we have the opportunity to destroy the enemy more and better, don't let it go. Yes, but it must be reported to the headquarters for approval. In this battle, if anyone deserts the battlefield or disobeys orders, he will be dealt with immediately by military law. If he makes major achievements, I will ask the emperor to personally award him an award. I hope you can win the battle and achieve success immediately. I am here waiting for your good news."
Just as the war between the Tanghe Empire and the Luobei people was about to begin, other countries on the mainland had mixed reactions. Lensk, the capital of the Heathrow Empire. In the Imperial Palace - Toulon Palace, King Philip V was having a serious conversation with Prime Minister Perlman.
"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Gomez of Carman has sent us a special envoy, hoping that we can provide troops to cooperate with them in their march south. It is said that he also made the same request to Poole and Doton."
"Hmph, doesn't he know that the Motes and Tubu people have united and are ready to make moves on our western border? This old cunning guy only knows how to use others and never considers them. We don't have any spare military power now. You Find a way to send that special envoy away." Philip V looked dissatisfied.
"Your Majesty, we can conduct routine drills with the troops stationed on the southern border and get into an offensive posture. It is impossible to remove the troops there anyway. Tell Kaman that we are already cooperating with the attack. As for how effective it will be, That is not our responsibility. If Kaman can really gain something, it will not be too late for us to act." Prime Minister Perlman suggested with a smile.
Philip V's eyes lit up, "Okay, this is a good idea. It won't offend Kaman, we won't lose anything, and we can still enjoy the gains."
Hessen City, the capital of the Kingdom of Poole. In the Royal Palace - Rose Palace, the blond and blue-eyed King Sezerif IX is presiding over a state meeting. General Kunbo is reporting the army's preparations to the young king. "The Second Army Corps and the Third Army Corps have a total of 140,000 troops. Both They have secretly traveled south to the southern border with the Tanghe people and are on standby. However, it is estimated that such a large military movement cannot be hidden from the Tanghe people and the Jerok people. All kinds of logistics and military supplies are ready, and the Army's First Corps is still stationed in Glacier City for surveillance. After the garrisons left, the Bai people and other cities have recruited reserve troops to guard against any eventuality."
This was followed by a report from Foreign Minister Tallin: "The ministers of the Tanghe Empire and the Principality of Jerok to our country have submitted letters of credence to me to protest against our country's large-scale military mobilization on the border, believing that this move is not conducive to improving relations between the two countries."
After listening to the briefings of various ministries, King Sezeri IX made the final speech, "Currently, Kaman and Sisluo have made preparations. In order to deal with the Luobi people, the Tanghe people have taken three troops to the north of them." As a division, we will launch an attack to the south at the same time as Kaman. As for the final goal, Kaman definitely wants to capture Jerok. The first is to train our troops. Our troops have not been trained with real swords and guns for a long time. , which is very detrimental to the growth of the army. The second is to see if I can take advantage of this opportunity to find some bargains. Kaman has promised me that no matter what the result is, he will pay 5,000,000 gold coins. If there is a good result, there will be additional charges. Everyone Everyone knows that our country is currently in financial difficulty. After last year's floods, many domestic water conservancy, road and other infrastructures are in urgent need of repair, so Carman's conditions are just what I want. Gomez, an old fox, also saw this point clearly. Do this. But fortunately, we have nothing to lose. For the sake of being a friendly neighbor, we can support him. As for whether his goal can be achieved, it is none of our business."
Samlin City, the capital of the Macchi Khanate. In the Reunification Hall of the Great Khan Palace, the energetic Bixili Khan was listening attentively to the report of his confidant Tulu, the head of the National Intelligence Agency, "Since the Tanghe people have deployed troops from the Northern Military Region, Western Military Region and City Guards , so their troops in the southern military region have not changed. On the contrary, they have stepped up their alert. Our internal sources reported that their diplomatic envoy secretly visited our eastern neighbor Milan, which is probably also targeting us. In addition, intelligence shows that their internal There are no major changes in the Sanjiang Lin family and the Tiannan Lang family. It just seems that the Lin family is reorganizing the local security forces of various prefectures in Sanjiang County, but they cannot catch up with this opportunity. In the north, Kaman, Xisluo, and Pudu Large-scale military mobilization is being carried out, and Dodon has not yet responded. It is estimated that a war will definitely break out. Also, some businessmen in the Nanyang Alliance city-states to the south of us seem to be very dissatisfied with our tariff adjustment some time ago, and are lobbying everywhere. , requiring us to restore the improved portion to its original level.”
"It seems that we won't be able to play this opportunity again. This old guy Situ Mingyue has taken very good precautions against us." Bixili Khan said through gritted teeth with a face full of disappointment.
"Don't he know that the three northern countries are going to attack him? Why not draw troops from the south?" Bixili was still a little unwilling.
The ministers around His Highness were all a little amused. The Great Khan was crazy to want to go north. He had even considered the troop deployment arrangements for the Emperor of the Tanghe Empire to deal with the northern war. It was a pity that the other party did not accept it. To be honest, he still wanted to take advantage of the other party. Cheap.
"Great Khan, the Tanghe people are very cunning. The rapid growth of our military strength in recent years cannot be concealed from them. However, in the three northern countries, the Sisluo people are facing the joint attack of the Mote and Tubu people and are too busy to take care of themselves. They cannot spare much effort at all. When the troops go south, they can at most cooperate and make a show of force. Kaman does have some weight, but there is a Jerok in the middle. And the real border with the Tanghe Empire has the natural danger of Taixuan Palace, so at most Jerok will be the recipient. These losses have occurred. As for Poole, it suffered a once-in-a-century flood last year and has not recovered its strength. Apart from leaving behind the military strength of the barbarians who want to control their own north, it is probably a foolish dream for the rest to go south to the Central Plains. Under these circumstances , the people of Tanghe must also know that He Zhiqiu, Lu Wenfu and others in their court are all treacherous guys." The middle-aged man who came out analyzed the current situation in an orderly manner, and when he mentioned He and Lu Even though they were on opposite sides, the middle-aged man's tone still showed admiration.
This ordinary and unpretentious middle-aged man is Bi Xili's first arm and confidant Lei Juetian. He was originally from Jiangnan County of the Tanghe Empire. Because he was born a commoner, he was repeatedly discriminated against when applying for a job after graduating from Imperial University. It was not easy to find a job. After holding a position, no matter how outstanding his performance was, he still had no hope of promotion for several years. He asked his boss in anger, and his boss replied that you were from a bad background. He left his job in anger and lived in seclusion. However, fate played tricks on people and he fell in love with her again. A rich woman, but the other party rejected him because he had not achieved success and fame. After being severely hit, ten years ago, he came to the Macchi Khanate and presented himself. He was chosen by the great Khan Bixili who was ambitiously striving for expansion and was entrusted with it. After ten years of hard work, the Macchi Khanate's national strength has flourished, and its military strength has also grown rapidly. Three years ago, the city-states of the Nanyang Alliance and the Kingdom of Milan in the south united to attack the Macchi Khanate on the grounds that the tariffs of the Macchi Khanate were too high. The Khanate put pressure on Bixili, who sent General Yaning to lead the army and sent Lei Juetian as envoy to Milan. He used his persuasive words to disintegrate their alliance. General Yaning also defeated the coalition of city-states in the Nanyang Alliance. , thus establishing the status of the most powerful country in the southern part of the Eastern Continent.
Lei Juetian's words won frequent nods from all the ministers present. Bi Xili was also very clear about the reason, but he always felt that it was a pity to lose such a good opportunity, and he felt a little unbalanced.
"Khan, I think the current situation is very beneficial to us. I think we should change the current policy."
"Oh? Come and tell me what it should be like?" Bixili was very interested.
"I still need to carefully calculate this. When I have a complete plan, I will submit it to you."
"Okay, if you have any difficulties, just come to me directly."
"Xie Dahan. It's just the current situation. It's up to you, Dahan, to decide what countermeasures we will take." Bixili thought about it for a while, "Well, under the current situation, we should remain calm and watch the fight between tigers and tigers. The National Intelligence Agency must make every effort to collect intelligence from surrounding forces, and do not be stingy with money. This kind of money is well spent. As for the businessmen of the Nanyang Alliance, I will ignore them for the time being and see how they can get through my ideological work. Ha ha ha ha!"
Libo City, the capital of the Kingdom of Dodon. The royal palace in the center of the city - Bawe Palace. "Everyone, Duke Dumen has just made it clear the purpose of the special envoys from the Kaman Empire and the Tanghe Empire. I hope everyone will express their opinions for your Majesty's reference." The speaker was the Prime Minister of the Kingdom, Mullins, known as the "political tumbler" Duke Key, who has been firmly in the position of Prime Minister for twenty years.
"Your Majesty, I believe that we should agree to Kaman's request. After all, Emperor Delica II of the Kaman Empire is your cousin. More importantly, the northern part of the Tanghe Empire is currently empty of military strength, especially near our border. In this area, there are only two divisions of troops. We can win it in one fell swoop. In this way, our land can be increased by nearly 200,000 square kilometers. Moreover, many people in that area are related by marriage to our residents and can quickly integrate into our country. We It is also possible to obtain such a large piece of fertile land. At present, the Tanghe Empire's national strength is declining day by day, and now it is about to fight against the Luobei, Kaman, Puer, and Sisluo. There is also Machi Khan to its south and east. Enemies such as the foreigners and barbarians are watching eagerly, and there are hidden dangers of civil strife in the feudal town. Therefore, I believe that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that must not be lost." The speaker was General Liemai, who was a typical war fanatic. He wanted to conquer the north and south and expand the kingdom. He had repeatedly suggested forming a military alliance with Kaman, Sislo, and Poole to go south together and carve up the Tanghe Empire. His words immediately won strong support from the hard-line generals in the army. Even some ministers who usually remained neutral felt that his words made sense.
"Your Majesty, you must not do this. I believe that we should remain neutral. This is most beneficial to our country." The one who came out to oppose was Home Secretary Strauss.
"Tell me your reasons." Anderson I, who had been silent, spoke up.
"Your Majesty, our country has no substantial serious conflict with the Tanghe Empire. The relationship has always been good. This is one of the reasons. Our country has always had very close economic exchanges with the Tanghe Empire. Once a war breaks out, the economic and trade exchanges will be interrupted, which will have a great impact on our country. The economy will be a heavy blow, this is the second one; the external situation is not exactly what General Lemai said. The Sisi Luo people are currently focusing on dealing with the nomads to the west, and Kaman's main target is Terokk , it’s not the Tanghe Empire. As for the Puer people, there was a big disaster last year and the north is not yet stable. Wanting to go south is just wishful thinking and will never lead to good results. The other situations mentioned by General Liemei are far away. It is not urgent and will not have much effect on the current war. This is the third reason; the northern part of our country is not stable, and the Bai people have not yet completely surrendered. To the east and south, the barbarians are constantly attacking our eastern and southeastern coasts. , our people in these areas have suffered great losses, and the local reaction is also very strong, and there is intelligence reporting that there are already signs of unity among the Yi people. If they unite, it will affect our territorial integrity in the east and south. In particular, the Cook Islands pose a great threat. I think this is the top priority. This is the fourth point. The last and most important point is that a skinny camel is bigger than a horse. Even if we can take down the Tanghe people now It is still a question whether we can hold the territory in the northeastern border area in the future, let alone integrate that area into our country. Otherwise, we will be in trouble by not eating mutton. I'm done with my opinions. Please take your Majesty's advice for granted." Strauss's analysis was sound and practical, and it immediately aroused the resonance of most of the ministers present. Even Anderson I nodded slightly without being noticed, and even some who already supported Liemei's opinions The generals also hesitated, and the neutrals all nodded in support of Strauss. Only General Liemei and two other hard-line generals in the army glared at Strauss, but they could not find anyone more powerful. To retort with words, the latter smiled politely and nodded at them.
"Prince Mariinsky, tell me your views and opinions." Seeing His Majesty the King call his name, the fat Prime Minister Mariinsky spoke calmly: "Just now General Lemay and Strauss The Marquis has already explained their views and reasons. General Liemei is dedicated to serving the country and wants to expand the territory of the kingdom. I think everyone here, including me, is very moved by his loyalty, and His Majesty the King will not forget it. , but the views of Marquis Strauss are also very reasonable. At present, all countries are ready to take action. What should we do? Should we also follow the example of our western neighbors? Our northern Bein people have not yet surrendered, and they are holding back a considerable part of our troops. , and the Yi people in the southeast are unwilling to be left alone. They continue to attack our coastal areas, and there is a trend of expansion. Coastal defense needs to be rectified. Our economy is not enough to support a large-scale and protracted war with the Tanghe Empire. , it is a bit naive to imagine that other countries’ support or internal problems will arise within themselves. There has never been an example in history of relying on external forces to win one’s victory. So I think everyone should consider this matter comprehensively and not in isolation. We only see immediate benefits. Only when we are stronger will we have more opportunities. At present, we need to solve some urgent matters. I believe that His Majesty the King has made a decision, so we will ask His Majesty for the Holy Judgment!"
The words of Anderson I were final: "I understand all your opinions. I am very touched by your loyalty in working hard for the development of our Dodon Kingdom. Based on the current situation, I think we should adopt the approach of not helping each other." The most appropriate attitude. However, we must pay enough attention to the barbarians. We hope that the military will immediately come up with a response plan. If necessary, we can join hands with the Tanghe Empire. I heard that their coastal areas are also harassed by the barbarians. It’s great. We and they can exchange information on intelligence and cooperate with each other on the military. I believe they will also be interested. The diplomatic department should contact the Tanghe Empire immediately to strive for an early agreement."
Jiangchuan Mansion, the capital of Sanjiang County, is the military and political envoy's mansion. There are five people sitting in the hall, four men and one woman. One man among them has some gray hair on his temples, but he is still very energetic. He is the famous Lin Guoxiong, the head of the Lin family. The two men on his left have similar looks to him and are older than him. Much younger, they are his eldest and second sons Lin Yunfei and Lin Yunxiang. On the right hand is a beautiful woman in her twenties, with spring-like eyebrows, flowing eyes, pink cheeks that are broken by blows, and a calm and leisurely look.
"Little sister, what do you think of the empire's military operation?"
"Yeah, please stop being so pretentious and tell your two brothers." The two young men on the left couldn't help it anymore and began to complain.
"Yue Xin, as a father I also want to hear your opinion so that we can decide our next plan." Lin Guoxiong also spoke.
This young woman is Lin Yuexin, who has gained a reputation in recent years and is known as the "Jade Fox".
"I am not optimistic about the empire's military operation this time." Lin Yuexin said bluntly about her views.
Lin Guoxiong nodded, "What's the reason?"
Seeing that the two brothers next to her were a little confused, she sighed softly, "Although the imperial army has the advantage, it is composed of several departments and lacks coordination. Situ Ming has great ambitions and talents, is impatient and arrogant, and his opponent is the Luo Bei people's general Tu Dongzheng. A: He is a rare general with foresight and foresight. His troops are strong and talented. I heard that three of them are known as the "Three Warriors of the Eastern Expedition" and they are also quite talented in military affairs. Comparing the two, the fate of the Imperial Army is worrying. "
Although she was not on the same front as the empire, she couldn't help but feel sympathy in her heart when she thought that the fate of 200,000 compatriots might encounter unexpected events.
"If the results are not what we expected, we will have to step up the reorganization of the troops. It is estimated that after the empire's defeat, the morale of the imperial troops will be greatly affected, and the military pressure on us will be greatly reduced. The opportunity to move westward will be It will also gradually mature, and it seems that negotiations with the Lang family can be started." Lin Guoxiong concluded confidently.
Nanfeng Mansion, the capital of Tiannan County, is the military and political envoy's mansion. In the study room in the northeast corner of the house, a thin middle-aged man was giving a task to another middle-aged man: "Strengthen the collection of information about Sanjiang County and find out the purpose and progress of their troop reorganization. In addition, we will conduct research on the Machi Khanate." We must also pay close attention to the troop mobilization, and report immediately if there are any changes. Don’t neglect our contact with the imperial court and the central government, and do everything possible to win the support of the powerful ministers in the imperial court. Okay, that’s it, go down and do your best Make arrangements."
"Yes, sir." After the middle-aged subordinate left, the thin middle-aged man stood up, looked northwest and said to himself: "How can Situ Mingzhi defeat this old fox Tu Da? I don't know Situ Mingyue. What do you think?"