When Guo Shao woke up, he found it was bright all around him, and he didn't know what time it was. The military had been doing morning exercises very early, so it was obviously past the time. Even the sound of drums and trumpets didn't wake him up, and he actually slept until now.
He sat up hurriedly, and when he turned around, Zhou Xian was still lying next to him. She was also woken up by Guo Shao, and looked at him lazily and tiredly. After a moment, she realized something and her face was full of shame.
I have to go see the soldiers immediately. Guo Shao slapped his forehead and said, "We are in the military camp. I am really late for work. I have slept until now."
He hurriedly got up and dressed, and after a flurry of activity, he finally calmed down and turned to Zhou Xian and said kindly, "Don't let your mind wander. Stay still. I have a way to handle everything. Now I have to go to the central army tent first, so I'll leave first."
Wait. Zhou Xian called softly, come here.
She then touched a silk handkerchief from the pillow, turned around and saw a cup of cold tea in the iron cup next to her, and dipped the silk handkerchief into the water. When Guo Shao came to her, she sat up and shyly wiped off a rouge lipstick mark on Guo Shao's neck. Guo Shao saw the red mark on the silk handkerchief and felt beautiful.
Then I'll go first. When Guo Shao spoke again, his tone was even gentler.
He hadn't washed up yet, and just as he was leaving the tent, he saw a civil servant pacing outside with his hands behind his back. He was looking up at the light snow falling from the sky. There were also a few snowflakes on his cloth robe.
Envoy Wang. Guo Shao called out, slightly surprised, I heard you were coming today, but I didn't expect Envoy Wang to come so early.
Wang Pu turned around and bowed to Guo Shao calmly. Then, on the snow, the old man and the strong man bowed to each other in a formal manner. Wang Pu then said simply: I set out before dawn, so I arrived early. There is something going on. He paused and said, let's find a place to talk.
Go to the central army tent. Guo Shaodao walked side by side with Wang Pu and asked, "How long have you been waiting?"
Wang Pudao: I just arrived a while ago.
The two men walked into the empty central army tent. Wang Pu sat down and said: "Report from Wankou, Zhu Lingyun's army from Hukou has been dispatched and is approaching Wankou."
When Guo Shao heard this, his originally relaxed mood immediately tightened. He immediately picked up a ruler from the table and measured on the drawing on the wooden board next to him. Zhu Lingyun was afraid to move forward and delayed his troops. Now that Jiangzhou and Jiujiang are besieged by our army and the rear is in danger, how can he suddenly move flexibly
Wang Pudao: According to intelligence from Anhui, Chen Qiao, the regent of Guangzhengyuan in Jiangning Prefecture, rushed to Nanchang, the southern capital, met the seriously ill Li Jing, and obtained the power to control the troops in Nanchang and other places.
Chen Qiao and Guo Shao turned around and said, "Let's talk inside. Lu Chengyong, go call General Li, General Shi, and Mr. Zuo."
Yes. Lu Chengyong at the door clasped his fists in response.
Because some of Guo Shao's intuitive drawings of the terrain deployment were placed in the room behind the big tent, the meeting was held here. Not long after, Li Chuyun and others came in one after another, and Wang Pu told them the military situation again.
The navy warships in Wankou are not strong enough for fighting, and the troops are also weak. If the main force of the Southern Tang army in Hukou is dispatched, Wankou will be difficult to stop; further east along the river, there is also a part of our navy in Chizhou, which is also weak and can only serve as a warning. If the Southern Tang army goes down the river at a faster speed, it will threaten our navy and ferry in Caishi. Guo Shao narrated simply.
Hukou, Wankou, Chizhou, Shuizhai and Caishi are all place names along the Yangtze River, in order from west to east.
Li Chuyun also said: The navy of the Southern Tang Kingdom in Jingkou Zhenjiang is also very powerful. If it is properly deployed and seizes the opportunity of the Hukou navy to move eastward, our Caishi navy will face the situation of being attacked from both sides and outnumbered. The Southern Tang has always attached importance to the navy, and its combat power is not weaker than that of the Great Zhou Army. Or, when we originally planned to launch the Jingkou naval battle in the near future, we could not make a quick decision and let the Hukou enemy break through the western water defense line and appear in front and back of our army. We will also face the dilemma of being attacked from both sides.
Guo Shao estimated the distance of each section on the map and paced back and forth in front of the bench. Chen Qiao did not expect this to happen at the critical moment.
Li Chuyun looked back outside the tent. The weather was cold and snowing, so it was not suitable for sending troops.
Fortunately, the Yangtze River will not freeze over, Guo Shao pondered.
The original battle plan of the Zhou army center was to join hands with Han Tong's navy on the canal near Guazhou Ferry to attack the enemy in Jingkou from two sides. The purpose of the battle was to eliminate the surface forces of the Southern Tang army on the eastern line and completely control the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. This was a tough battle, because Han Tong's troops were blocked in the canal and could not enter the river; in the early stage, Guo Shao used various feints and threats, and released smoke bombs to make the Southern Tang Kingdom mistakenly believe that the capital would be threatened in the near future. After some preparation, they were waiting for the right weather and opportunity to launch the battle.
The Hukou army went down the river, which added uncertainty to the battle; because the Zhou army's heavy troops were stationed in the east, the strength of Li Chuyun's navy was also limited, and the navy transferred by Han Tong from Tokyo could not come. As a result, the Jingkou naval battle had the hidden danger of being attacked from both sides.
Wang Pu said: Chen Qiao is a civil official, not familiar with military affairs, and it is impossible for him to have military generals to follow him. I think even if he is a wise minister, it is difficult for him to deploy this battle by himself. He was able to see the seriously ill Li Jing because of his previous relationship.
Guo Shao said: "What Envoy Wang said is absolutely right. I thought so just now. Chen Qiao is a civil servant after all. He has never had any experience in leading troops. He can't be able to handle such a large battle line with ease for the first time.
Wang Pu said: Zhu Lingyun is also a senior general, and he was originally the governor of Zhennan. Given the situation of the Southern Tang, it would be difficult to easily deprive him of his military power. So I boldly guess that Chen Qiao was just urging and pressuring, and Zhu Lingyun still had the final say on how to fight this battle.
Guo Shao turned around and looked at the names on the board again. He said: Chen Qiao has left Jiangning City, so Liu Cheng's military power in the east of Southern Tang should be more stable; the only one who dares to attack Liu Cheng is probably Chen Qiao. Liu Cheng is a fool, and it is beneficial for our army to keep him in Jingkou.
His eyes swept over Shi Yanchao and others, but none of them expressed their opinions. Shi Yanchao was not very interested in naval battles. Li Chuyun was waiting for Guo Shao's attitude.
Guo Shao and Wang Pu looked at each other, and Wang Pu nodded slightly with a serious expression: General Guo and I should have the same idea. We should launch the Jingkou naval battle as usual, but we have to do it quickly now.
First, send a message to Wankou, bluff more on the riverside, and intimidate the Southern Tang army. Try your best to hold the enemy back. Guo Shao immediately said, take a letter to Luo Yanhuan in Chizhou, and also find a way to stop and delay, and hold out for one more day to win the opportunity for the Jingkou water battle.