The wind rises at the end of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 313 Butterfly

A butterfly in the Amazon rainforest of South America can cause a tornado in Texas two weeks later by flapping its wings occasionally. "

This sentence is just a metaphor, but sometimes a small and inconspicuous change will indeed cause a series of chain reactions somewhere, eventually leading to a huge result.

Zhang Xianzhong held his whip and reined in his horse, standing on the Agate Mountain, looking down at the mountains to the north.

Shuo Feng Xunxun brought countless drooping flags and blew the flags on the helmets of the Western Camp soldiers all over the mountains and plains.

"The great victory at Qingshan Pass is the greatest victory since Liaozuo used troops."

"Chen Wang is a tiger and wolf general, and the soldiers under his command are also tiger and wolf soldiers. Today, I compare him to Qi Shaobao and praise him for his bravery among the three armies."

"The Hanzhong Army was mostly infantry. Not only did they have sharp firearms, but they were also brave in close combat. In the Battle of Zhending, the Hanzhong Army's armored soldiers met the Jiannu troops head-on, and they were not at a disadvantage. The casualties due to firearms were even lower than those of the Jiannu elite soldiers."

Xu Yixian, who was wearing a dark blue Taoist robe, followed Zhang Xianzhong on a horse and looked at the mountains to the north like Zhang Xianzhong.

Xu Yixian took the initiative to join Zhang Xianzhong's command, and did not join Pan Duao when he was desperate.

From Gucheng to fighting all the way, after several bloody battles in the past few months, Xu Yixian was no longer the scholar and scholar who only knew how to talk on paper and had no power to tie a chicken.

Xu Yixian was well-read and especially fond of military books. Although he had never been to Jiubian and had never been an official, he knew a lot about the situation of the soldiers in the garrison.

Now all the soldiers and horses under Zhang Xianzhong have been reorganized by him and divided into four battalions: front, rear, left, and right. From bottom to top, they are divided into teams, flags, bureaus, divisions, and departments. Finally, they are combined into one battalion, with the nine battalions. The composition of the border camps is not much different.

Of course, certain modifications were made to the preparation based on the actual situation.

If the original Xu Yixian lacked practical experience, it was just talk on paper.

But now Xu Yixian has already been on the battlefield. In a few months, he has been reorganized several times and joined forces several times.

Under the leadership of Xu Yixian, the combat effectiveness of Zhang Xianzhong's soldiers and horses has indeed been greatly improved, and the marching, camping, and offensive deployment have also begun to be organized.

Now there are four battalions directly under Zhang Xianzhong, with a total of 12,000 people.

The front camp was led by Zhang Xianzhong himself, and there were three thousand elite cavalry under his command, all of whom were direct descendants of Zhang Xianzhong's command.

The rear camp was under the command of Sun Kewang, who also had three thousand elite cavalry, who often served as palace troops to ensure the safety of the army.

The two battalions of cavalry at the front and rear are well-equipped and equipped with many horses, and there can even be one person with two horses.

The left camp was led by a dragon, Xue Chengcai, with an army of 3,000 cavalry, while the right camp was led by Li Dingguo, with an army of 3,000 cavalry and did not carry any infantry.

They rode horses when marching in a hurry, and usually walked mostly on their way.

Xu Yixian was responsible for the military affairs of the army, while all logistics and military affairs were under the control of Pan Duao.

Liu Wenxiu and Ai Nengqi did not lead a single battalion, but followed Zhang Xianzhong to help him handle military affairs and charge into battle.

"The Ming army formed a mountainous camp and set up forts on many highlands, blocking passes and passes. The defense was extremely tight. The main force was the Hanzhong Army, and the supporting troops were soldiers from Tu and Sichuan. The total strength was more than 10,000 people. This pass... is not easy to pass..."

Xu Yixian frowned. He just glanced at it and already had no idea about the Ming army's defense line in the north.

"Military advisor, why should you increase the ambition of others and destroy your own prestige?"

As soon as Xu Yixian finished speaking, Ai Nengqi, who was also standing on horseback, couldn't help but snorted coldly.

"The Hanzhong Army is powerful and has made a name for itself in the north. However, only half of the soldiers and horses have returned. Most of the Hanzhong soldiers in Hanzhong Mansion are newly recruited soldiers in recent months. What kind of combat power can they have now? .”

"Which of the soldiers under our Xiying camp was not killed in a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood? Which one of them is braver than those officers and soldiers?"

Ai Nengqi didn't have much favorable impression of Xu Yixian. Every time Xu Yixian spoke, he said some depressing words that affected the morale of the soldiers.

"If you want me to say..."

Ai Nengqi did not say any further words, because Zhang Xianzhong's fierce eyes like a jackal had already been projected over him.

"What General Ai said is indeed reasonable."

Xu Yixian didn't care much about Ai Nengqi's hostility.

"The Hanzhong Army suffered heavy casualties in the North. Most of them are newly recruited soldiers, but even so they should not be underestimated."

"Chen Wang is particularly good at training troops. In the past three months, his troops must have begun to take shape."

Xu Yixian raised his hand, pointed at the Ming army's camp in the distance, and said in a deep voice.

"The most important thing is that the Hanzhong Army has sharp weapons, especially artillery. The Hanzhong Army has many forts in the high mountains. If our army attacks the officers and soldiers' camps, they will inevitably suffer artillery damage. The road going north is narrow and the losses will be heavy."

"In my opinion, it is best to go elsewhere and find another way now."

Zhang Xianzhong pulled the reins of the horse to stop the uneasy horse, his eyes were cold.

Not long ago, he led his troops to inspect the camp of the Hanzhong Army. The camp of the Hanzhong Army was in excellent repair, and the forts were also carefully erected.

Zhang Xianzhong's views were exactly the same as Xu Yixian's. He had no intention of storming the Hanzhong military camp.

He had also read the Tang newspaper from the north, so he naturally knew the combat power of Chen Wang's men.

As Ai Nengqi said, the Hanzhong Army now has many new recruits, so it may be able to win.

But what's the use after winning the battle.

The rewards you get are completely out of proportion to your efforts.

"Li Zicheng suffered a lot from Chen Wang in Mioxian County. He, General Manager Qi, and King Zhengyi led tens of thousands of troops to attack Mioxian County for more than a month. In the end, more than 5,000 corpses were left outside Mioxian County. They were unable to break in. At that time, Chen Wang led only 5,000 soldiers and horses."

Zhang Xianzhong was not dazzled by the victories along the way, but became more and more sober.

"Besides, you really want to make peace with Li Zicheng in Shaanxi."

Zhang Xianzhong pulled the horses under his seat and said in a cold voice.

"Shaanxi has been hit by disasters for so many years, and there have been military disasters. There are not many people, and it is difficult to find food."

Even if they really hit it, most of the soldiers and horses under his command would be lost.

Shaanxi suffered from successive disasters and was already in a state of poverty. Even if you scraped the ground three feet away, nothing good could be found.

"Qin Liangyu has arrived at Wanxian County. If too many people die here, what will we do to fight the local soldiers?"

And the most important thing is that Zhang Xianzhong had already figured out a lot of things when he was in Gucheng.

Pan Aoyong and Xu Yixian told him many things about ancient times.

I talked about Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, and also talked about Xiang Yu and Liu Bang.

From the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period to the founding of the People's Republic of China in the early Ming Dynasty.

In the past dynasties, those who achieved great things must first separate one side, and then develop and expand, and then unify the world!

Shaanxi was the site of the Four Wars, and numerous important towns on the nine sides were located in Shaanxi.

It is very difficult to occupy Shaanxi.

Moreover, the Ming army controlled Tongguan and guarded it with heavy troops. The entire Guanzhong Plain was under the Ming army's front, and it was difficult to advance in Shaanxi.

Since Li Zicheng is so fond of Shaanxi, he never forgets it.

Then he will be fine and continue to stay in Shaanxi, a geomantic treasure land that is hit by disasters every year.

However, Zhang Xianzhong did not want to return to Shaanxi and continue to eat the wind and sand in the north. Huguang, a prosperous land, thousands of miles of rivers in the South, fields full of rice as far as the eye can see, gold, silver, pearls and jade in the homes of gentry and landlords, what is not better than Shaanxi today? !

With the sword and gun in his hand, everything in the entire southern country will be captured by him!

It's just that... the plan couldn't keep up with the changes...

Zhang Xianzhong's eyes were cold, and after all calculations, he made a wrong move.

He had been planning the plan for nearly a year, and the layout he had made over the past few months was now no longer possible to implement.

Qin Liangyu's sudden arrival disrupted Zhang Xianzhong's overall plan.

Qin Liangyu now led troops into Wanxian County, which effectively cut off the road where Luo Rucai and Zhang Xianzhong met, forming a situation of wolf in front and tiger in back, isolating Zhang Xianzhong and Luo Rucai.

Zhang Xianzhong had already sent a messenger to inform Luo Rucai, but he didn't know whether the information could be delivered to Luo Rucai in the end. After all, he had to pass through territory controlled by the Ming army along the way.

"Qin Liangyu is the pillar country in the southwest. The local soldiers under his command are very brave and difficult to defeat. Now the officers and soldiers are surrounded by wolves. Once our army shows its cowardice, it will be surrounded by a group and there will be no chance of escape."

Xu Yixian looked solemn. The current situation was extremely unfavorable for them and he couldn't help but sigh.

"There are wolves in front of us and tigers in the back. The current situation..."

To be honest, Xu Yixian even has some regrets in his heart now.

Zhang Xianzhong is indeed a hero and has the ambition to conquer the world, but the officers and soldiers who made him feel vulnerable were beyond his expectation.

You must know that for decades, the North has been talking about slavery but its color has changed.

The Ming army had rarely won a victory since the war with the Jiannu. They retreated steadily along the way. Large areas of land in the north were occupied by the Jiannu, and the country's power deteriorated day by day.

So this time when the storm in the north started again, Xu Yixian completely strengthened his determination to start a rebellion with Zhang Xianzhong.

Who doesn’t want to do something that will go down in history by rebuilding the country from the work of the dragon? !

It's just that the Ming army first fought a great victory with King Qin of the North, and then changed from the usual fatigue, which brought huge pressure to them.

Chen Wang was like a monster. The tens of thousands of troops outside Baitu Pass were defeated at any time, and they could not hold on for even a day.

Chang Guoan, the king of Tuotian, was captured and beheaded, and Wang Guoning, the king of the whole world, was suppressed in the mountains and did not dare to move.

When dynasties change in the past, it seems that one or several extremely outstanding people will emerge from the old dynasty to try to turn the tide.

Zhang Han in the late Qin Dynasty, Liu Bei in the late Han Dynasty, Xuanzong in the Tang Dynasty, Yue Fei in the Northern Song Dynasty, Wen Tianxiang in the Southern Song Dynasty, Wang Baobao in the late Yuan Dynasty...

"Military advisor, you are right, but you are wrong."

Zhang Xianzhong grinned and laughed horribly, his tiger eyes flashing with a terrifying ferocious light.

"The Hanzhong Army is not easy to mess with, and the native soldiers are also tough to deal with. It is true that there are wolves in front of us and tigers in the back, but now we don't have only two ways to go."

Xu Yixian looked slightly startled. He didn't think about Guan Qiao for a moment and frowned.

"Now that I can neither go to Shaanxi nor return to Huguang, what else can I do..."

Before Xu Yixian finished speaking, his eyes suddenly lit up and he almost shouted.

He looked at Zhang Xianzhong in shock and understood all the key points in an instant.

You can’t go to Shaanxi, and you can’t go to Huguang, so why can’t you go to Sichuan? !

"The military advisor seems to have thought of it too."

Zhang Xianzhong looked calm. Although the news of Qin Liangyu's arrival in Wanxian County completely disrupted his original plan, it really made him panic at the beginning.

But sudden circumstances like this dashed plans that had once been nothing more than an everyday occurrence.

No one can guarantee that things will go according to the planned plan.

Gao Yingxiang planned for several years and tried to surprise Xi'an Mansion, but in the end he was defeated and killed.

Zhang Xianzhong knows his abilities very well. He does not have the prestige like Gao Yingxiang, nor does he have the mind like Gao Yingxiang.

The plans that Gao Yingxiang has made for several years will fail, and it is normal for the plans he makes to fail.

Man's calculation is not as good as God's calculation. Many times the battle situation tests the general's decision-making.

"Your Majesty, this strategy is the best one. Sichuan is definitely worth going to!"

Xu Yixian's eyes were bright and he couldn't help but give high fives and praise.

"Although Li Zicheng's main force is in Shaanxi, he still has troops left in northern Sichuan, which restrains most of the troops in Sichuan Province."

Li Zicheng had a far-reaching plan. He led his elite cavalry to break up into pieces and flee into the deep mountains and valleys in the north of Long'an Prefecture.

He asked General Qi, King Renyi and others to pretend to surrender, and also faked the deaths of King Zhengshi and King Datian, paralyzing the Ming army in northern Sichuan.

Then Li Zicheng's troops came out of the mountains and forests, and first sent a message to General Manager Qi and King Renyi. They immediately responded, cooperated internally and externally, attacked internally and externally, and defeated the Ming army in eastern Sichuan.

Hou Liangzhu, the commander-in-chief of Sichuan, was reprimanded and demoted because of this, and was punished for meritorious service.

Li Zicheng led the elite cavalry army into Shaanxi and stirred up a storm, but he ordered General Manager Qi, King Renyi and others to remain in Long'an Mansion with their infantry, relying on the geographical advantage to confront the Sichuan soldiers.

Soldiers and horses from central Sichuan, northern Sichuan, and western Sichuan all went to Long'an Mansion in northern Sichuan for suppression. At this time, soldiers and horses from all over eastern Sichuan were also gathered.

What is happening now is the interior of Sichuan, which is the most empty time. If we can break into the hinterland of Sichuan at this time, we will definitely be unstoppable!

Although Sichuan was not a land of overlords in ancient times, it is different now.

Before the Ming Dynasty, had you ever heard that conquering the north from the south could lead to unification of the world?

Today's Sichuan is no longer a sparsely populated and remote place in ancient times.

The world today is extremely chaotic, and natural disasters are occurring continuously in the north. Only the climate in the south is still normal and suitable.

The Ming Dynasty now gathers heavy troops in Shaanxi, Henan, Huguang, Southern Zhili and other places, making it difficult for development in these places.

The southeastern coast, where the Ming Dynasty's navy was powerful, was not a good place.

Turning to the southwest and entering the hinterland of Sichuan is indeed a good strategy.

but……

The expression on Xu Yixian's face became solemn again and he hesitated.

"The road to central Sichuan is also guarded by many Sichuan troops. It would be difficult to enter Sichuan..."

Unlike Xu Yixian's worries, Zhang Xianzhong looked unafraid at all.

"It's not difficult at all."

Zhang Xianzhong's tone was extremely determined.

"In the past few months, I have been preparing to go north to Shaanxi Prefecture, and even marched all the way to Taiping County."

"In Shaanxi, Li Zicheng responded to my request and sent troops to attack Hanzhong Prefecture, pretending to want to make peace with me."

"I told Li Zicheng, Luo Rucai, Chang Guoan, Wang Guoning... my plan to tell everyone was to return to Shaanxi..."

"No one, no one could have imagined that we would turn south!"

(End of this chapter)