The wind rises at the end of the Ming Dynasty

There was no suspense about the battle in Bawu Hedong, it was a one-sided massacre.

In the chaos, many Cao soldiers fell into the river, and in the end they only got more than 700 levels.

These level cuts were not outstanding, and they did not capture any bandit leaders, but this gain was enough to save Yang Sichang's face.

After more than an hour, the Ming army cavalry chasing Luo Rucai from the east arrived at the east of the Bawu River.

It was naturally Cao Bianjiao who led the cavalry in pursuit of Luo Rucai.

After leaving Xing'an, Cao Bianjiao first turned to Xiangyang, and then went south into Shun'an, where he joined Yang Sichang's command.

After learning the lesson from Qiutou Town, Cao Bianjiao became much more stable.

There were high mountains and long rivers along the road. In order to prepare for possible ambush, Cao Bianjiao did not dare to go too fast along the way.

When Cao Bianjiao led the cavalry to the east of the Bawu River, he happened to encounter the Hanzhong Army who had already cleaned up the battlefield.

Chen Wang had already noticed Cao Bianjiao's arrival and sent a messenger to communicate.

Seeing Cao Bianjiao arriving with his own horse, Chen Wang also rode his horse to greet him.

"Farewell to Xing'an, we haven't seen each other for a long time."

Chen Wang and Cao Bianjiao had already talked everything through when they were at Baituguan, and there was no grudge or estrangement between them.

"It's been a long time indeed."

Cao Bianjiao was also a little surprised, but at this time, the surprise in his heart was greater than the surprise.

It should be more than 500 miles from Zhushan to here. Because the terrain is rugged and it is difficult to march in many places, it is difficult to march quickly, including the time for the delivery of military orders.

In other words, Chen Wang led the cavalry all the way from Zhushan, covering a distance of more than 500 miles in only three days.

Because of the previous communication, Cao Bianjiao also knew the current situation.

Cao Bianjiao's eyes narrowed slightly. He originally thought that he thought highly enough of Chen Wang, but now he found that he still underestimated him.

Originally, Cao Bianjiao thought that Chen Wang was just good at training troops and was proficient in firearms and infantry formations.

But Chen Wang was even proficient in cavalry. Such a fast marching speed and such high marching intensity would extremely test a general's control over his troops.

Cao Bianjiao served as a cavalry officer at the border for a long time, so he naturally had a vicious eye.

He saw the cavalry under Chen Wang's command. Although most of them had tired faces, they still retained a certain amount of energy.

The temporary military camp was neat and clean, and the soldiers were in order and performing their duties.

Cao Bianjiao looked at the group of cavalry wandering in the countryside. Although it was only a cursory glance, the number definitely exceeded 3,000.

Moreover, at a glance, these three thousand soldiers and horses can be seen that they are quite powerful and are definitely not weaklings.

Compared with infantry, cavalry is much more difficult to train. Even after years of hard work, one can only train a group of cavalry that is barely suitable.

Cao Bianjiao's mind was racing, and he remembered what his uncle Cao Wenzhao had said to him after the battle of Qiutou Town.

Chen Wang is observant of details, is not afraid of danger, is calm in battle, and has clear organization. He can serve as a vanguard or as a middle soldier.

He has good military training, is mature and prudent, has a measured advance and retreat, is good at both civil and military affairs, and has the talent to lead a town.

And the facts also proved that his uncle was not wrong in his judgment of people, and even said that he was a little lower.

Chen Wang not only has the talent to lead a battalion, but also a town.

only……

Cao Wenzhao also said something to him when he went south.

Cao Bianjiao looked into Chen Wang's eyes, as if he wanted to see some clues from Chen Wang's eyes.

But no matter how he looked, Chen Wang's expression remained as usual, and his eyes were still clear and bright.

Naturally, Chen Wang saw Cao Bianjiao's strange behavior. Although he didn't understand what was going on, Chen Wang knew exactly how to deal with it.

Chen Wang and Cao Bianjiao briefly talked about old times, and then brought the topic to Luo Rucai.

"Just now I saw flames emerging from both the north and south sides. I think the bandits burned all the boats crossing the river. If we want to cross the Bawu River, the only way now is to build a pontoon bridge."

"But it takes at least one day to build the pontoon bridge. This time is enough for Luo Rucai and the others to run hundreds of miles away."

Cao Bianjiao's expression was solemn, and he suppressed the original emotions in his heart.

"Zhang Xianzhong entered Guangyuan Prefecture in northern Shu and plundered Bazhou. Shao Jiechun, the governor of Shu, led the pursuit. Zhang Ling and Qin Liangyu also went to pursue it. There were only 8,000 soldiers in Kuizhou Prefecture, and they were scattered in various prefectures and counties. Among them, more than half are guards, and they can defend the city fairly well, but they are no match for rogue bandits in the field."

"Luo Rucai's breakthrough into Shu this time is a foregone conclusion, and the damage caused will probably be no less than that of Zhang Xianzhong..."

Chen Wang looked solemn, the information Cao Bianjiao said was quite important.

Chen Wang was ordered by Yang Sichang to lead the suppression of bandits in Hanzhong and Yunyang prefectures. Apart from the inspections by the Supervisory Office, he only knew about other places through Tang Bao, which was copied to all directions by the imperial court.

Chen Wang knew about the emptiness in Sichuan, but he didn't know what it was like.

Now that Cao Bianjiao had fully described the general situation in eastern Sichuan, Chen Wang had a clearer understanding of the current situation.

"What is the current situation in Kawauchi?"

Chen Wang frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then chose to ask.

The trilateral governor Zheng Chongjian and Yang Sichang's six provincial premiers are theoretically at the same level and do not subordinate each other, but in fact Zheng Chongjian still obeys Yang Sichang's military orders.

Because Yang Sichang was not only the prime minister of the six provinces, he was also ordered by Chongzhen to take charge of the invasion and suppression of bandits in the pass as a cabinet minister.

All information on the situation within the pass will first be gathered into the hands of Yang Sichang, and then passed to the north and handed over to the imperial court.

Cao Bianjiao followed Yang Sichang, so he could naturally understand the inside story.

"The situation in Sichuan is not good now. The intruders have occupied Long'an Mansion and used Jiangyou as their stronghold to block the troops from Sichuan."

"The Sichuan Army is divided into the west and south to encircle Long'an Prefecture. The South Route Army is led by Hou Liangzhu. Long'an Prefecture is in a dangerous terrain, and Jiangyou is even more dangerous for military personnel. The battle situation on the South Route is still deadlocked."

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.

Most of the adjustable soldiers and horses in central Sichuan, northern Sichuan, and western Sichuan were almost recruited and went to Long'an Prefecture in northern Sichuan to suppress. In the north of Chengdu Prefecture, which is adjacent to Jiangyou City in Long'an Prefecture, there was a stockpile of about 50,000 troops from Sichuan troops everywhere. However, Li Zicheng had obviously been planning for a long time. The Sichuan army lacked siege weapons and was unable to achieve breakthrough results in the face of Jiangyou City, which had been reinforced several times.

"To the west of Long'an Mansion is the Songpan Guard. The Songpan Guard's guards are very powerful. There are many local chieftains and they are good at fighting in the mountains. Has the West Route Army not made any progress?"

Chen Wang was a little suspicious. Long'an Mansion was not an iron barrel. Otherwise, Li Zicheng would not have chosen to cut off his wrists and hide in the mountains and valleys when he was clearly victorious.

"The old chieftain of the various Qiang tribes in Songpan Wei died of illness. The tribes were fighting for the successor. Each tribe only sent a small number of local soldiers to fight. The total strength of the West Route Army was only 6,000, and there was no way to threaten Long'an. The intruders in the mansion also have arrangements in the west."

Cao Bianjiao shook his head helplessly.

"After Zhang Xianzhong entered Shu, in order to prevent Zhang Xianzhong from escaping into Chengdu, the Southern Route Army sent ten thousand people back to defend Chengdu to protect the safety of the King of Shu. The southern route has now stopped attacking, and Long'an Mansion has actually been abandoned. "

The situation in Sichuan changed three times a day. After Zhang Xianzhong entered Shu, he felt like he was in an uninhabited land. Shao Jiechun surrounded him on all sides, but the defense line he set up was repeatedly broken through by Zhang Xianzhong.

Chen Wang looked solemn. He knew too little information about the situation in Sichuan. Even the information provided by Cao Bianjiao was still far from enough, and the future development was unknown.

Luo Rucai and Zhang Xianzhong went to Shu one after another. Luo Rucai would never follow Zhang Xianzhong's old path, so he must take the same path again.

After the two of them enter Shu, they will inevitably throw the entire Sichuan into chaos.

In history, without the pressure Li Zicheng put on northern Sichuan, the various Ming armies were still helpless against Zhang Xianzhong and Luo Rucai.

Although Luo Rucai's strength has been greatly weakened, Zhang Xianzhong's strength is stronger than in history, and Chen Wang can no longer overthrow him in the future.

At the earliest stage, Chen Wang's plan was to pursue Zhang Xianzhong into Sichuan and occupy the territory of Shu for big things. However, the current situation in Sichuan is complicated and confusing. It is not a good land for development, but has evolved into a quagmire.

Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong, and Luo Rucai entered Sichuan one after another, making the current situation in Sichuan more than ten times more complicated than in history.

"Li Zicheng..."

Chen Wang led his horse.

During the period when he went to suppress bamboos and returned to the mountainous area, the troops from the three sides, under the command of the governor of the three sides Zheng Chongjian, rushed directly to Qinzhou in Gongchang Prefecture, intending to annihilate the troops gathered in Qinzhou in Gongchang Prefecture in one fell swoop. Li Zicheng.

Everyone thought it was a fight between dragon and tiger.

But the final result was unexpected by everyone.

After Li Zicheng gathered troops in Qinzhou, he diverted two groups of troops to the west to attack Lintao Prefecture and Yaozhou Guards.

They went all the way south to Gongchang Prefecture and stationed themselves in Qishan Mountain. They relied on the mountains for danger and the passes as camps, trying to control the southern part of Gongchang Prefecture and connect it with Long'an Prefecture.

Chengxian County, an important town in the south of Gongchang Prefecture, was also captured by the Protagonist Army after nearly half a year of siege. The Protagonist Army began to build a defense line based on Chengxian County, seeming to want to occupy the southern part of Gongchang Prefecture and then slowly operate.

Faced with such a situation, Zheng Chongjian, who was the governor of the three sides, naturally could not tolerate it. However, the invading army occupies a favorable location. They obtained a large amount of armaments, advanced firearms and tactics, and they were able to wait for work.

And Chen Wang also heard something.

Many of the camps of the Chu army in Qishan were like stars, similar to the fortresses he had set up in Mian County.

This point in the information made Chen Wang very concerned.

Li Zicheng's talent for learning had been discovered by Chen Wang since the battle at Qiutou.

First, the tactics of firecrackers, then the use of artillery, and then the current bastion, Li Zicheng was trying to learn them all.

The situation in Shaanxi did not ease due to the Ming army's invasion. Although Zheng Chongjian continued to mobilize troops and generals, he was helpless against Li Zicheng for a while.

The west route was unable to catch up with the elite main force led by Li Zicheng, and the south route was unable to break through the defense line established by the Chu army in Qishan.

Only the Eastern Route Army, led by He Renlong, regained Feng County, opened the road to the south of Gongchang Prefecture, and advanced all the way to Huizhou.

But Li Zicheng had already arranged a way to deal with it. When He Renlong arrived with his troops, he was finally stopped at the gate of Chengxian County.

"The situation is getting worse everywhere now."

"On the side of Gezuo Fifth Battalion, the advance and suppression was slow. The Ying and Huoshan Mountain Areas are easy to defend and difficult to attack. Several attacks have had little effect."

Cao Bianjiao's eyes were dark, everything seemed to be getting out of control, and he looked very sad.

Chen Wang's mind went back and forth a thousand times, remembering the information given by Cao Bianjiao one by one. These things were extremely important information for him at the moment.

However, Chen Wang looked like Cao Bianjiao, looking worried.

After getting the news he wanted, Chen Wang changed the topic again and brought it to Yang Sichang.

"Over there at the Yang Ge Department..."

The changes in the situation in the south were not only the changes of Zhang Xianzhong, Luo Rucai, and Li Zicheng, but also the changes of Yang Sichang.

Cao Bianjiao was ordered by Yang Sichang to kill Zhang Zuokai with Shangfang sword.

Zhang Zuokai's head was later reported to Sichuan and Hu, and the generals were frightened by it.

In the original history, Zhang Zuokai fled without fighting, causing Zhang Xianzhong to enter Sichuan. He committed much greater crimes, but he was not executed.

But this time, Yang Sichang directly asked Cao Bianjiao to kill Zhang Zuokai.

Zu Dabi was transferred back to Shaanxi, Zuo Liangyu did not have the title of Pingthief General, and his power was much weaker. Cao Bianjiao was also under Yang Sichang's command.

Although Yang Sichang did not achieve the same great results as in history, the soldiers and horses in various towns now dare not disobey Yang Sichang's military orders.

Everything in the past can still be regarded as traceable, but now everything in the entire southern country has deviated from the original process.

Cao Bianjiao shook his head.

"Yang Ge's troops have used real fire this time. The two defeated battalions will be killed on the spot. He personally leads the army to pursue them from behind. However, due to the slow movement of many infantry, they should still be about sixty miles away from here. "

The cavalry moved much faster than the infantry, but Cao Bianjiao pursued Luo Rucai all the way and sent troops from behind to harass and ambush, making it impossible for Cao Bianjiao to catch up at full speed.

Because the cavalry led by Cao Bianjiao opened the way for the infantry in the rear, they could march without any distractions, so they did not lag too far behind.

"Luo Rucai has escaped, and it will take time to build the pontoon bridge. There is nothing happening here for the time being. I went south under the orders of the cabinet department, and I should be reinstated. I will leave the affairs here to you."

Calculating the time, Yang Sichang should have received news of the drastic changes in Henan by this time.

This time is the best node for now.

At this time, it can be said that Henan and his party are already very confident about meeting Yang Sichang.