A small soldier of the frontier army in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 703 Arrived
Facing Cao Bianjiao's concave and convex formation, when Yuan Zongdi bitterly reported the estimated number of casualties, Liu Zongmin almost fainted.
Rough statistics show that more than 2000 cavalrymen were killed and injured in this battle. In addition to the series of battles since the interception, the cavalry casualties in the camp have reached nearly [-]. , all of them trembled while riding on the horse.
The fifth battalion of Ge and Zuo was fine. The total number of casualties would not exceed [-] cavalry, but it was enough to make them scream.
This is not counted, and the influence of the lost military spirit is added. Some horsemen who have become frightened have been beaten into fear, and those who have lost their souls have no combat effectiveness.
On the other hand, Cao Bianjiao's troops, when they were besieged, went from one victory to another. In the difficult situation, they fought more and more bravely. One after another, they also received a large number of dead horses and wounded horses as military rations. It was even more difficult to delay their siege along the way. .
Liu Zongmin felt bitter and astringent in his heart, he murmured again: "Why, the new imperial army is so brave?"
"How to do?"
Regardless of the generals who broke into the battalion, or the members of the Ge and Zuowu battalions, they all felt at a loss. They only felt that no means could stop Cao Bianjiao's progress.
Hao Yaoqi looked anxious, hesitated to speak, and finally kept his mouth shut. According to the original plan, he and Li Guo led [-] riders as the third attacking team. This plan was defeated by Yuan Zongdi, Liu Xiyao and others After that, it was called an emergency stop.
Hao Yaoqi was full of unwillingness, and deep down, he felt that this was a wise decision.
Facing the new army of the imperial court, it seems that the previous experience is completely useless, and the bravery of a man is useless. According to his previous style of fighting, I am afraid that it is just a matter of continuing to send Cao Bianjiao's head and dead horse rations.
Liuying's side was lifeless, the general was worried, and everyone was anxious. On the side of the Ming army, drums and music rang again, accompanied by thunderous cheers one after another.
Hearing the loud voice of "Wan Sheng", everyone in Liuying was angry and hated, and everyone felt their faces were hot, as if the Ming army was laughing at themselves.
But when they heard their drum music again, everyone's psychology changed strangely.
Those who saw them marching and playing music earlier thought it was a big theater?Or sing to die?
Listening to it at this time, it is harsh and pleasant at the same time, it seems that the sound of drum music is full of an aura of going forward and seeing death as home, it is very exciting.
The Ming army marched again in a mighty way, still spreading out in a sparse formation, but the Liuying side did not dare to act rashly. Seeing them marching in formation until they reached the edge of Xiangshui, Liu Zongmin just said anxiously: "Why don't you break into the king?" arrive?"
He kept sending out pond horses, and finally, in the middle of the afternoon (about six o'clock in the afternoon), when it was almost dusk, after receiving the report from one of the horses, Liu Zongmin laughed loudly: "King Chuang and his old battalion have arrived, and there are still tens of thousands of paces left." military!"
……
In the middle of Youshi, in the direction of Haozhou, a wave of cavalry troops came rushing, waving a large banner with the word "Chuang". Some of them behaved more vigorously and tougher than ordinary cavalry troops, but they were thousands of old battalions who entered the camp. Xiao Qi.
Far behind these cavalry troops were even larger infantry, and farther away were waves of hungry soldiers.
Li Zicheng led the army to arrive. Together with Gao Yigong, Tian Jianxiu and others, he led the remaining [-] cavalry to the camp. After that, at least tens of thousands of infantry will arrive soon, and then the various infantry and hungry people will gather one after another. , such as Luo Rucai and the others.
After all, he was concentrating on the journey, logistics and transportation of hungry people, etc., compared with Cao Bianjiao Ming's army, he walked stop and go, and fought a lot of big and small battles occasionally, which greatly delayed the journey, and followed the cavalry's breakthrough The battalion infantry, and some young and strong hungry soldiers, walked very quickly.
The stamina of people at this time is far higher than that of later generations. It is normal for an old man in his [-]s and [-]s to carry a heavy load of [-] catties and walk a hundred miles a day. Pushing carts to transport goods, driving mules, cattle and sheep, etc., the movements are slow.
When the main force arrived, Liu Zongmin and others were overjoyed. After listening to them hesitantly telling the situation ahead one by one, Tian Jianxiu and others were surprised, but Li Zicheng's expression did not change.
He came to the front, looked at Cao Bianjiao's army formation, and remained silent for a long time.
After a long time, he said: "In this formation, cavalry cannot be used, only walking can be used, or a combination of cavalry and cavalry can be broken."
Everyone was by his side, even the leaders of the Ge and Zuowu camps were respectful, after all, the camp was getting stronger and stronger, even though it was an alliance, among the thieves, Li Zicheng was vaguely looking forward to it.
Niu Jinxing straightened his long beard and clothes, and drove on a bumpy road. He felt that his bones were about to fall apart, but fortunately he finally arrived at the place. Only Song Xiance, who was in a wheelchair, was far behind.
Earlier, Liu Zongmin and others told him that he also heard it. He stroked his beard and laughed, but felt that his throat seemed to be blocked by something, and coughed hastily.
He said: "King Chuang has a good opinion. Although Cao Bianjiao is brave, but according to Mr. Liu, their new army is less than 5000 at the moment. Even if he has [-] people, half of the birds are half, but only [-] shots. Push it with a large formation. , on all sides facing the battle, there are five or six hundred rods on each side, divided into layers, and each layer is no more than a hundred rods. In terms of this sparse formation, each small formation has only a few rods, or a dozen rods. Our division is based on infantry. Attacks, shield vehicles, even if they have excellent firecrackers from the east, which can fire fifteen rounds at a stretch, so what?"
He smiled coldly: "This is the result of the unrighteous army. Our rebel army, high and low, rich and poor, do not work, do not pay food, seek injustice with righteousness, raise their arms, and there are like clouds of followers! They are dead One less and one less, no matter how strong the new army is, if they are slowly exhausted, they will be exhausted to death, they will get more help if they are right, and less help if they are unjust.
The deep coldness in his words made anyone who heard it shudder.
Although Chuangying recruits staff and advisers one after another, most of them are frustrated literati at the bottom. They join Chuangying for various reasons, but most of them have one thing in common: hate!
For example, Niu Jinxing, who was promoted in the seventh year of the Apocalypse, "all the books of the officials of the sky, also talked about Sun Wu's art of war." Go to prison and lose fame.
There are also Song Xiance, Li Yan, and later Gu Junen, etc., who have been persecuted by the government or failed in the imperial examination. They have the idea of ​​retaliating against the society after being frustrated. They are lost from the thief.
After all, in ancient times, when righteousness was at the head, thieves had no psychological advantage over soldiers, and they needed psychological counseling for themselves.
Niu Jinxing's words made everyone feel very comfortable. He thought that the military division is indeed a military division, that is, he can speak. He only needs to change his tone a little bit, for example, to say that killing officials and rebelling against them is acting on behalf of the heavens, and saying that fighting against families and houses is robbing the rich and helping the poor. The senses are completely different.
After the joining of these shabby literati, the rebel army has indeed improved a lot, especially after they put forward slogans such as "waiting for the noble and the humble, equalizing the land and exempting grain", there are really a lot of followers. Of course, a large part of them are coerced , everyone can understand this point, there is no need to say it.
Li Zicheng smiled. Although he used some frustrated literati from the lower classes, he also adopted slogans such as "no levy for five years", "no errands, no pay", "waiting for the noble and the humble", etc., but when he called on the masses, he actually said the most. I am rich and noble, I will fight to the death with nothing" and other words.
Only by rebelling with him can you get "rich and powerful", why rebel at the risk of beheading?In addition to being unable to survive, many of them are not for the sake of being a master and living a prosperous life in the future?It will be even more enjoyable if you can step on what you used to fear and look up to.
Dozens of wives and concubines like Luo Rucai, several female music companies under his tent, and rich clothes are not necessarily not what everyone really desires.
Even if you can't play with things and lose your mind when fighting the country, you must enjoy it after the success of the rebellion.
Liu Zongmin laughed the same way: "Military commander's advice, Xiao Cao has been dragged here by our army, and if he attacks with infantry, the officers and soldiers will be defeated!"
Liu Zongmin is not interested in philosophical issues such as asking for injustice with righteousness, but he applauds the ballads compiled by Niu Jinxing and Li Yan, such as "Eat his mother, wear his mother". The ballad was too suited to his taste, too suited to his ambition.
Luo Rucai said it well: "The government has always called us thieves, and the foolish people have also called us thieves. If thieves are thieves, what's wrong with being thieves? When I was poor, Luo, I couldn't even get a daughter-in-law. Look now Look, the lady from the official family, the girl from the rich family, what kind of beauty do you have? Usually they don’t even look at me, but now, who doesn’t follow me and begs me? It’s good to be a thief, I like it thief!"
Of course, Liu Zongmin didn't know it, and it was also because of this kind of ballad thinking that Chuang Jun was burdened with a heavy burden. "Eat his mother, wear his mother" is easy to say, but who would obediently put delicious food and drink to his mouth?There is no other way but to rob, which is why Li Zicheng still wanted to rob when he arrived in Beijing in history.
Li Zicheng made a plan. In the next battle, step against step, and horse against horse. If you step into the battle, you will climb up if you ride. Cao Bianjiao cannot be allowed to take another step.
The early cavalry casualties also made Li Zicheng frown secretly, nearly three thousand horsemen.
However, in recent years, he has become more and more moody, and he has not shown the slightest expression on his face, so it is not good to punish the old brother for this.
After all, Liu Zongmin and others were the first to follow him, and they never left him for many years. Especially when Chongzhen was trapped in the Yufu Mountain in 13 years, many generals surrendered. Only Liu Zongmin killed his wife to show his ambition, followed him with an oath, and said : "I will die from the king!"
The tearful scene infected a large number of soldiers and killed their wives together...
Besides, Liu Zongmin was born as a blacksmith, with a violent temper and can't stand wronged. If his brothers turn against each other because of a trivial matter, the generals will be disappointed. He can persist until the main force arrives, and he has merit. Forget it, thousands of soldiers will die Bar.
At the same time, he was secretly startled, Cao Bianjiao's subordinates were so powerful, if it wasn't for the fact that most of them were infantry, and his own side had tens of thousands of cavalry, which was a huge advantage, it would really not be able to hold him back.
Liu Zongmin reported the matter of the fifth battalion of Ge and Zuo in private. Li Zicheng didn't say anything on the face, but he secretly had a knot in his heart, thinking: "Ge and Zuo have as many elite soldiers as possible. The momentum of entering the camp will be even greater!"
"And Li Dingguo and the others..."

(End of this chapter)