Ava was officially established in the tenth year of Dragon Phoenix in the West Wu (AD 1364), four years earlier than the founding of the Ming Dynasty. It is located on the south bank of the Irrawaddy River. To the east is the Water Tange River, a tributary of the Irrawaddy River, and to the south and west. The moat of the water Tanger River.
The city of Ava was surrounded by water, which brought an unfavorable situation for the Ming army’s offensive. However, the Shuitang River was not wide. Mu Qiyuan forcibly confiscated nearby civilian ships, and it took two days to cross the Shutange River. , Advancing Ava from the east.
According to investigative reports, there are still 10,000 Burmese troops in the city, and the defender is Qingfeng, a famous general in Dongkuu who is good at defense.
The civilian officials who fled from Bin Ulun reported to Qingfeng that the Ming army had attacked Bin Ulun. On the one hand, he sent out Ranger Detective Ava and the fighting around Bin Ulun, and sent a three-man team to Bin Ulun. Thousands of people piled up reinforcements.
However, Qingfeng was shocked by the information that the Ranger brought back. It took only one morning for the Ming army to break through Bin Wulun, and all three thousand defenders in the city were wiped out.
The whereabouts of the reinforcements sent by Qingfeng to Bin Ulun are still unknown. In particular, it is only known that the supporting force has experienced a major battle west of Bin Ulun, but the cause and result are temporarily unknown.
The three thousand reinforcements did not return to Ava, so it was very likely that they would be annihilated by the Ming army, and Qingfeng gave up his plan to retake Bin Ulun.
From Bin Ulun to Ava, the terrain is already diving, and the Ming army can reach Ava within a day or two.
Qingfeng hesitated. Daming is worthy of being a celestial country. The momentum of the Ming army's offensive is so fierce, Awa, can he hold it
It was Qingfeng’s hesitation that allowed Mu Qiyuan to successfully pass through the Shuitange River. If Qingfeng lays down an army in the west of the Hexi, he will take the initiative to attack when the Ming army is halfway, even if the Ming army can cross the water. The Tanger River will also suffer heavy casualties, and morale will surely suffer.
Mu Qiyuan, who had already crossed the Shuitange River, did not rush to attack the city. He was waiting for Chen Zizhuang behind and Lin Chengxiang to the north. What he wanted was to besieged the city and wiped out the Dongyu Army.
The wandering horse sent a message to Mu Qiyuan that Lin Chengxiang’s 20th Army was one day away from Ava, and Chen Zizhuang’s 17th Army, who was the last of Mu Qiyuan’s army, also needed a day or two to cross the water tank. Gehe.
Mu Qiyuan didn't know if Qingfeng would take the initiative to go out of the city to challenge. He sent a ranger to Beicheng while preparing for a decisive battle.
Qingfeng in Ava City still doesn’t know how many soldiers the Ming army has and when the attack will begin. He is good at defending the city. Talong let him guard Ava City. He doesn’t ask for the annihilation of the Ming army outside the city and contributes to Donggu. , As long as he can hold Ava City, he will be satisfied.
The offensive of the Ming army made him a little worried. This time Da Ming was taking the initiative to attack, and he was a little uncertain whether it was the main force of the Ming army.
The two sides spent the first day waiting for each other.
On the next day, Lin Chengxiang's vanguard had reached the north bank of the Irrawaddy. They sent people to ask Mu Qiyuan if they could cross the Irrawaddy.
Mu Qiyuan worried that the Dongyu army in the city would set up an ambush by the river, or wait for the Ming army to strike halfway, he sent Liu Zhenyu's 55th Division to the northeast of Ava City to cover Lin Chengxiang to cross the river.
However, Qingfeng did not attack the Ming army out of the city. Tens of thousands of Ming army successfully crossed the Irrawaddy River and assembled on the north bank of Ava City. At the same time, Chen Zizhuang's Seventeenth Army also crossed the Shuitange River.
Ava City was surrounded by the One Hundred Thousand Ming Army Corps. At this time, Ava had become a solitary city. It was a piece of fat on Mu Qiyuan's mouth, and he could swallow it at any time.
Lin Chengxiang and Chen Zizhuang took time to meet Mu Qiyuan.
"I have seen the commander." Although Lin Chengxiang is the commander of the army, Mu Qiyuan is the commander of the 3rd Army that was temporarily formed and his immediate superior, so he took the initiative to meet him.
"Lin Junzai, you are welcome," Mu Qiyuan smiled. "The Northern Route Army's itinerary is much farther than ours, but it only arrives at Ava one day later than me. It seems that Dongyu Army didn't give you anything along the way. What is the trouble."
"No, Commander." Lin Chengxiang and Mu Qiyuan belonged to the Yunnan Army. They had both conquered Ustizang. They were emotionally close. "The defense in northern Burma is very empty. Except for the three thousand defenders in Ruigu, others Basically, there is no regular army in the area. Although our Twentieth Army has expanded its search range, we have not seen many Toungoo troops. Wherever Daming went, Toungoo's miscellaneous troops fled in the wind."
It’s not wrong to underestimate the opponent’s strength, but you must pay attention to the opponent’s strategy. If you develop the habit of arrogance, you will have to somersault sooner or later. There are three thousand defenders, and there are only dozens or hundreds of defenders in the rest, but we cannot underestimate the enemy. We have not yet met the main force of Toungoo."
"The commander is right. Only when the main force of Tarong is eliminated can we be truly victorious." Lin Chengxiang is not a person who is easy to be proud, otherwise Daming is full of talents, and he will not be the commander of the 20th Army. .
"Yes, we can only gain a firm foothold in Toungoo if we eliminate the main force of Toungoo," Mu Qiyuan saw Chen Zizhuang without saying a word, and asked him actively. Chen Zizhuang is temporarily under his subordinate, but belongs to the Guangdong Army. He still doesn't know much about Chen Zizhuang, "Does Chen Junzuo think about the next war?"
"The commander is right. The real decisive battle has not yet arrived. I have three questions." Chen Zizhuang saw that Mu Qiyuan had been watching him, knowing that he was waiting for him to continue. We can set up an ambush and eliminate the active force of Tonggu. Second, if we attack Ava city, can my 17th army be the main attacker; third, once Ava city is attacked, can my seventeenth army be the main attacker? The city is broken, and the defenders in the city are about to surrender. Should we accept the surrender, and if we do, how should we deal with the wounded soldiers? And how should we treat the people in the city?"
Mu Qiyuan thought for a moment, "It is indeed a good idea to encircle Ava city without fighting, to lure Dongyu army to rescue, but now Talong is still in Dacheng, it will be too late for reinforcements, and there are not many Dongyu nearby. We can’t wait for a long time for the army of China. This strategy, if placed in Baigu, may be more effective. Baigu is the capital of Tunku and the city he will save. It is more likely that he will return to the army. ."
"As for Chen Junzuo's request to attack Ava City, I agree in principle. I don't know what Lin Junzuo thinks?" Mu Qiyuan knew that Chen Zizhuang wanted to make meritorious deeds.
Chen Zizhuang’s Seventeenth Army was just a response, that is, it was responsible for garrisoning the cities occupied by the Ming Army and consolidating the Ming Army’s rear. As time went on, the Ming Army occupied more and more cities, and the remaining forces in Chen Zizhuang’s hands would Less and less, when the Ming army and the Dongyu army really waited for a decisive battle, maybe he himself was stationed in a certain city, so he wanted to take advantage of the full force in his hand, and actively demanded to attack Ava City.
"Subordinates also agree." Lin Chengxiang did not think as much as Mu Qiyuan thought, but since Mu Qiyuan agreed, he also had no reason to object.
"Okay, the siege of the city will have to do with the army," Mu Qiyuan turned to the third question, "We are now deep in Dongyu, and there are enemies on all sides, so the Dongyu army, who is threatening us, must Resolutely eliminate, besides, now that the food from Ayutthaya has not arrived, Thalong has not withdrawn its troops, it should not be possible to transport the food for a while, and our food is not surplus. If we leave these captives, we will consume a lot of food. This is something we cannot afford."
"Thank you for the commander and Lin Junzuo for the accomplishment, the subordinates understand what the commander meant. Mu Qiyuan's meaning is very clear, and Chen Zizhuang understands it. He is still very happy with the siege task he won.
"As for the people in the city, if it is not the army that opposes my Ming, don't hurt them for the time being. If they have unfriendly words and deeds towards our army, compare them with Donggu's army and resolutely strike." Although Mu Qiyuan is not like Man Gui He has a hobby of killing, but fighting outside the country, he must be guarded against the people of foreign races. If he hurts soldiers because of his kindness, he can't forgive himself.
"Commander, my subordinates have another idea." Lin Chengxiang tried to figure it out for a long time, and felt that it could alleviate the fatigue of the soldiers.
"Lin Junzuo, please speak." Mu Qiyuan didn't object to his subordinates' speeches. The more fully prepared before the war, the greater the possibility of victory.
"Commander, there are not many Toungoo troops in each city. There is no need for a 100,000 army to siege the city. Can the soldiers take turns to fight?"
"Lin Junzao's meaning is to allow other soldiers to get enough rest and prepare for a decisive battle with Toungoo's main force?"
"Yes, Commander, that's what the subordinates meant." Lin Chengxiang felt a little strange, and it seemed that Mu Qiyuan had already thought of this question.
"Actually, I have also thought about this issue. As soon as Ava is the most important city in the north of Toungoo, the city is the regular army of Toungoo. The fighting power should not be weak. We must wipe out them all and consume the effective strength of the Toungoo army. Siege; secondly, our army has experienced too few battles. I intend to let the soldiers practice more and accumulate more combat experience, so that they can become the long-fighting army of Ming Dynasty as soon as possible."
"Subordinates understand." Lin Chengxiang understood Mu Qiyuan's true intentions.
"However, Lin Junzuo said very well. After taking Ava, I will try my best to let the soldiers take turns fighting, so that the soldiers are not too tired, and the real decisive battle has not yet begun." Mu Qiyuan also affirmed Lin Chengxiang's suggestion. .
Lin Chengxiang also put forward his own views: "The commander, or let the army decentralized operations, strive to take over a large area of Toungoo as soon as possible, and force him to withdraw his troops."
Mu Qiyuan did not agree this time, "The army should not be too scattered, otherwise it will be difficult to concentrate for a while. If we take Ava, Talong may not be able to stay in Dacheng. According to the report by the Ranger, Talong has already learned that the Ming army has entered. Toungoo is now, and he has already shown signs of returning to the army."
"Subordinates understand." Lin Chengxiang paid a military salute to Mu Qiyuan.
Lin Chengxiang and Chen Zizhuang were about to leave and return to the camp. At this moment, one of Mu Qiyuan's soldiers came in. He whispered a few words to Mu Qiyuan, and when he saw Mu Qiyuan nodded, he quickly stepped out of the Chinese army's account.
"The two army seats, your majesty has the imperial decree, first look at the contents of the imperial decree, and then it will not be too late to return to the camp." Mu Qiyuan can't guess the contents of the imperial decree. The war has just begun. Indefinitely, I don't know what kind of order the emperor is going to give now.