Situ Jun was caught in a dilemma. Tianshui Mansion's city defense facilities were average. If he had to bite the bullet and hold on, although I dare not say it was impossible, he would definitely have to strengthen his military strength. But now he really couldn't spare a single soldier. Not only are they unable to withdraw, but they also have to find ways to solve the security problem on the southern front. The Machihan people have been silent for too long. With Bi Xili and Lei Juetian's behavior, this is by no means a good sign. If it doesn't work, the only option is The first division of the Fifth Army garrisoned in Huanggang Prefecture was also moved to the defense line between Wuhu and Heshuo, so that the free Sixth Army could send two divisions back to the southern line to guard against the Machihans.
But now the hundreds of thousands of troops were rushing over from the east, and the situation was suddenly reversed. Whether Tianshui could still be defended, Situ Jun had no idea at all. Speaking from his heart, he He is also unwilling to waste his only reliable weight in the fight with the Taiping Army. The situation of the empire is still unclear. At this time, he has used up all his cards. So what can he use to compete with his elder brothers and younger brothers who are watching eagerly from the side? While cursing his brother, Yusuf and Yusuf for being abominable, and at the same time angry at the cowardice of the new military minister Jilin, since the two new army groups have been formed, why not attack Jinzhong, which can also greatly reduce the threat to the west? The pressure made the Taiping Army afraid to boldly march westward, but now they pushed themselves to the crater to bake.
The hesitant Situ Jun was already at a loss. Under tremendous pressure, he realized that taking over the Tianshui Mansion was actually a stupid move. At the time, his own adviser Qiuyuan did not agree with his sending troops to Tianshui. In Qiuyuan's view, the Taiping Army and the Great Army His Highness and Yusuf's City Guards have reached a tacit understanding, and the fall of Heshuo is a foregone conclusion. Taking Tianshui while the Taiping Army is idle can certainly win the emperor's happiness, but once the Taiping Army gains a foothold in Heshuo, They would definitely not leave Tian Shui alone, and with their own strength, if they wanted to fight against the Taiping Army alone, they would obviously be invincible. However, if they wanted to continue fighting, they would not be sure and it would be extremely uneconomical. However, giving up Tian Shui and returning Retreating to Huanggang would create a bad impression in the center of the empire. It was only at this time that Situ Jun realized that he was really trapped in a quagmire. He couldn't get out and couldn't stop. He had to summon his generals and advisers overnight to discuss the matter.
After some secret discussions, Qiuyuan and his generals all agreed that it was too difficult to hold Tianshui Mansion and would bring huge casualties. The safer way was to retreat to Huanggang and use space to buy time. The Taiping Army occupied Tianshui. In the end, we must face the threat of the Northwest Army from the Longdong direction in the west. We must leave enough military strength to guard against it. If we want to go south, the strength will be reduced a lot. The Wuhu area is the old defense area of the Fifth Army. The situation is familiar, and The Fifth and Sixth Corps are equipped with a considerable amount of naval equipment and have undergone necessary water warfare training. Moreover, the climate and terrain in the Wuhu area are very different from those north of Heshuo. The water network is dense and the rivers are crisscrossed. If the Taiping Army dares to go south, it will inevitably suffer defeat. Instead of fighting to the death with the Taiping Army in Tianshui, it is better to retreat to Huanggang, wait for work, and use our own strengths to attack the other's weaknesses, and we will definitely win.
It's just that if Tianshui City gives up without a fight, it seems to be unjustifiable for the central government of the empire. The old-fashioned Qiuyuan suggested to Situ Jun that the Tianshui Mansion should be withdrawn to the south on the grounds that Macedonia might invade from the north. The defense of the Northwestern Army was handed over to the Northwest Army. This would not only shirk the responsibility, but also shift the responsibility to Li Wufeng once Tianshui was lost. On the other hand, it could also allow the Northwest and Taiping Army to conflict again, allowing the two tigers to fight each other and consume the vitality of both sides. Achieve the effect of killing two birds with one stone.
Qiuyuan's move cannot be said to be poisonous. Let's not talk about whether Situ Jun asked the Northwest Army to accept defense in the name of Situ Jun's order. Li Wufeng would not accept it. The importance of Tianshui Mansion alone would make Northwest think twice, let alone his own side. It is entirely possible to widely publicize to the people of Tianshui before the evacuation that the Northwest Army will take over the defense. Once the war in Tianshui does not go well, the focus of the people's anger will also be focused on the new Li Wufeng. Naturally, no one will consider who was in charge before. Defensive.
Situ Jun accepted this suggestion almost immediately. While publicizing the threat of the Maci Khans on the southern front, he ordered his three divisions to start preparing to pack. He also quickly notified Liang Chongxin of the Northwest Army stationed in Longdong. Take over the defense of Tianshui Mansion.
"Juetian, can you give the attack order?" The proud and tall man in military uniform patrolled in the middle of the army that had been prepared for a long time. His face was full of satisfaction. He was about to realize his lifelong dream and advance into the Central Plains. , I can hide this thought from others, but I can't hide it from the person next to me, and he doesn't seem to be hiding it either.
"Well, we are almost ready. According to the news from the north, the Taiping Cult people have advanced to the west as promised. Taking into account that their attack target will be Tianshui, Tianshui is now controlled by Situ Jun, and the two counties in Wuhu County All legions seem to be under Situ Jun's control now. As long as the Taiping people launch an attack on Tianshui, they will inevitably drag down the Tanghe army in the Wuhu area. If Situjun abandons Tianshui, then after the Taiping army captures Tianshui, the Tanghe Empire's army will We will face pressure from the Taiping people hundreds of miles from Jiujiang in the east to Huanggang in the west. Their defense will be more difficult, require more military power, and will be more beneficial to our actions." Lei Juetian, who was half a step slower, nodded, his tone calm, but not very excited. In his opinion, this was just an expected plan. Facing the empire that was already at an extreme disadvantage, Lian Zai was the only one who could compete with He Zhiqiu, who was resisting by himself, also left his post and was idle at home. Jilin, the new Minister of Military Affairs? Hum hum, a mediocre person who talks so much is worthy of being compared with He Zhiqiu? It seems that this is really the fate of Tang He. He didn't even have time to use countermeasures. He Zhiqiu stepped down voluntarily. He really can't blame others.
"Well, I really hope the Taiping people can behave better. If they can defeat the fifth division of the Tanghe people, I would rather let them occupy Huanggang and Jiujiang. I'm afraid they are used to fighting in the north. Entering the Five Lakes area, there are water towns and rivers everywhere, but be sure not to be beaten back in a hurry." Lei Juetian was full of hope and a little worried. He was not worried about his army. , in the past few years, his army has conducted countless adaptive training exercises in the country. After seizing the Yuejing Kingdom, he took turns pulling all the armies to the terrain of the Yuejing Kingdom and the southern part of the empire. According to the empire He had strong confidence in carrying out targeted actual combat exercises based on the terrain and climate in the Jiangnan and Wuhu areas so that the troops could adapt to it. However, he was not very confident about the Taiping Army, his ally in the north. The Taiping Army was in the Jiangnan and Wuhu areas. The foundation of the Taiping Army is not very strong, and most of the Taiping soldiers are northerners. They may not be able to adapt quickly in terms of climate and living habits. Whether they can advance north to south as agreed in the covenant depends mainly on them.
"Haha, don't worry too much, Great Khan. I heard that the leader of the Taiping Army heading west this time is Cheng Dayou. This guy is no ordinary person. He was able to send out surprise troops to surround the imperial army in the Heshuo area and then breach the embankment. Flooding half of the mansion and wiping out the main army of the Tanghe Empire in one fell swoop. Such skills, tactics, and scheming are not something ordinary people can do. I think this time the Taiping Army is also determined to seize the southern part of the empire. The granary, our actions cannot be passed down to future generations." Lei Juetian shook his head slightly and did not agree with his opinion, "It will be the soul of the soldiers. With such a general leading the team, with a bunch of old-fashioned or old-fashioned people in the Tanghe army, It may be difficult for a dandy general to gain favor with him because of his connections and qualifications. Although on the surface, the Tanghe Emperor's army seems to be stronger than the Taiping Army in terms of combat effectiveness, once everything is really fought Only later can we draw a conclusion.”
"That's best. I hope they can perform well on the northern battlefield, and it's not in vain for us to form an alliance with them." Bixili grinned widely, but there were faint tears in his eyes, "I'm really looking forward to it. Since I ascended to the throne of Khan, I have been looking forward to this day all the time. The great rivers and mountains in the south of the Yangtze River in the Central Plains have been made miserable by the Situ clan, and there are many complaints. Even talents like Jue Tian are abandoned like worn-out shoes. Situ How can I serve the world if my clan is not destroyed? If I can live up to God's grace and take over the Central Plains, I will definitely change the names and looks of those mountains and rivers!"
Bixili, who has been influenced by the Tang River culture for a long time, speaks standard Tang dialect even better than many Tang people. Influenced by the great khans of the past dynasties, the upper class of the Macchi Khanate have switched to Tang dialect as the official language, especially among the upper class. Ashamed of not knowing the Tang language, it turns out that their mother tongue, the Machihan language brought from the grasslands and the local Tu people, is only occasionally used in certain sacrificial occasions, and Bixili ascended the Khan After taking the throne, he set an example and vigorously reformed the stereotypes and bad habits of his tribe, learned the advanced culture and art of the Tang tribe, and imitated the Tang lifestyle. Even the clothing and living customs gradually moved closer to the Tang tribe. He himself was also a fan of Tang culture. Many of his important ministers and generals became admirers of Tang culture under his influence. Since Lei Juetian came to power in Machi Khan, many people who had no ambitions within the empire have quietly come to Machi Khan to seek development. Bixili was able to hire them with all his energy, which even aroused the jealousy and dissatisfaction of some of the Machi Khan royal family. Fortunately, Bi Xili and Lei Juetian joined forces to win a large territory for Machi Khan's expansion, and their status was already unshakable. No one dared to openly provoke them. At most, they vented behind their backs.