Chapter 335 Military Affairs
Chapter 335 Military Affairs
After several days of raiding, the front scouts arrived at the east gate of Yunlongzhou.
Compared to the last time I came here, the guards here are much stricter.
Over a hundred guards could be seen wandering around checking, and over a hundred more were patrolling on the city walls.
At the city gate, Yue Zhongda, the current garrison commander of Yunlong Prefecture, was already waiting there.
Also standing next to them was the prefect Qin Wenyao, and the two of them looked extremely solemn.
Just yesterday, the news that the Youyu tribe's military camp was breached by Luchuan had been reported back.
Today, news came that Governor Feng Cheng was ambushed on his way to help and suffered heavy losses. This made the two of them feel uneasy.
Even the officials and guards around him,
His face was extremely gloomy and his heart was shrouded in a cloud of darkness.
At this time, the scout team of the front army, which was far away in the sky, came galloping quickly and slowly stopped on the wide official road.
When Yue Zhongda saw the leader, he suddenly felt relaxed, and so did Qin Wenyao beside him.
At a glance, these soldiers in front of me are different from ordinary soldiers. They are full of energy and spirit.
Even the warhorses' hair was shiny and magical.
Yue Zhongda and Qin Wenyao hurried forward, and so did the officials who followed them.
Soon, the group bowed and said:
"Your humble servant pays respect to Duke Cao."
"Greetings, General Lu."
Lu Yunyi, who was riding on a warhorse, looked solemn. He nodded slightly and asked in a deep voice:
"Are there any enemy troops outside the city?"
Seeing him asking questions in a hurry, Yue Zhongda did not dare to neglect and stepped forward:
"Reporting to General Lu, no other news has been received yet, and no enemy troops have appeared outside the city.
I have already withdrawn the civilians and soldiers outside the west city gate, leaving only some scout teams to explore outside.
I think there will be news back in the evening."
Lu Yunyi looked solemn and nodded slightly:
"Is the military camp ready? We will go into the city to rest first."
Qin Wenyao on the side quickly spoke:
"Please invite General Lu, Duke of Cao, into the city. Everything is ready."
Because of the arrival of the front army scouts,
The originally restless atmosphere in the city became somewhat stable.
It was not just the five thousand soldiers that brought them a sense of security.
And the numerous war horses,
In the past, when war horses passed through the streets, they always brought a strange smell, and the people avoided them.
Now, the war horses of the front scouts marched on the streets, and the people rushed forward.
I hope I can see it clearly so that I can tell it to my family when I get home and calm them down.
An hour later, the front scouts were stationed in the military camp near the west of the city.
The military camp here has been completely vacated, and the original city defenders have been transferred to other military camps.
This move was to allow the front scouts to have as much room for maneuver as possible.
If the enemy attacks, we should rush to the west gate to stop them as soon as possible.
Inside the central military tent, Lu Yunyi had already finished washing up, and he felt relaxed all over.
After walking out of the back tent, he took the document handed over by Feng Yunfang.
Just walk to the table and sit down, open it and watch quietly
It contains a summary of the news during these days.
But after looking around, there isn't much key information.
The enemy's number is roughly estimated at 50,000. We don't know how many crossed the river, how many participated in the battle, and how many were elite troops.
In short, there are only two things recorded here.
The camp of the Youyu tribe was breached.
Only a few thousand civilians took advantage of the chaos to escape from the east, while a large number of soldiers died.
The more than a thousand cavalrymen led by Feng Cheng were ambushed, and the total loss was nearly six hundred.
Governor Feng Cheng was wounded, but his life was not in danger.
Not far away, Li Jinglong, Duke of Cao, was pacing back and forth in the military tent with his hands behind his back.
He saw Lu Yunyi finish reading the document and approached with a worried look on his face:
"Yun Yi, how did you become like this?
Aren't Luchuan's elite troops in Chuxiong? Who is this Aruta?"
Lu Yunyi looked up and saw that his face was so solemn and his mind was in a panic, so he reminded him:
"Duke Cao, we are already in the middle of a war, so it is better not to panic.
If the soldiers saw this, it would affect their morale."
Li Jinglong blinked and stared at Lu Yunyi.
I noticed that he was particularly calm at the moment, and his whole body revealed the cleanliness he had just washed.
He couldn't help but reach out and touch his cheek, only to feel a greasy feeling.
Li Jinglong sat down somewhat disappointed.
"I also understand that the commander should not panic.
But for some reason, I always have some ominous premonition in my heart, and even my eyelids are twitching. "
Lu Yunyi laughed, revealing an air of being in control that made Li Jinglong envious.
"Duke Cao, please rest assured that wherever the Luchuan elephant soldiers are, there are the elite troops.
The elephant soldiers are on the border between Jingdong and Chuxiong, so the elite troops are naturally there as well.
The Luchuan Army that appeared here now was a temporary patchwork army.
It is still unknown whether the combat power is strong or not.
But it must be chaotic enough, otherwise the civilians would not be able to escape back."
what?
Li Jinglong blinked in confusion:
"Yun Yi, the newly built military camp has been breached, this combat power should be enough!"
Lu Yunyi shook his head and spoke in a deep voice:
"In defending a city or a defensive battle, if the construction of fortifications is not completed thoroughly,
Then its effectiveness in actual war will be greatly reduced.
It is almost equivalent to not building it at all, and it will only be a burden to itself.
Not only is it ineffective against attack, it also has loopholes and weaknesses that can allow the enemy to work together.
Just like the Youyu Military Camp, the southern city wall was not completed and became a burden.
Moreover, the morale of both sides depends on this.
Whether it is a successful defense or a successful breakthrough,
It will have a significant impact on the morale of both sides.”
"In this case, it will actually be a reinforcement for those armies that are unable to form a united force or those that are put together temporarily.
No matter what, just hit one point.
As long as the commander is ruthless and willing to sacrifice lives, he will always gain something."
Lu Yunyi's voice echoed in the slightly empty military tent.
Not only Li Jinglong looked thoughtful,
Even Feng Yunfang, who was packing bedding and maps not far away, frowned, feeling that this statement made a lot of sense.
Yue Zhongda and Qin Wenyao, who were sitting not far away, were even more shocked.
The two looked at each other and felt much more at ease.
Yue Zhongda showed admiration on his face. The current chaotic and complicated situation,
With just a few words, they were able to unravel the enemy's nature and the reasons for their defeat.
I felt the uneasiness in the military tent dissipate a lot.
Lu Yunyi nodded slightly, glanced around, and said lightly:
"I am just guessing,
We can only wait and see if we can find any survivors after we win the subsequent battles."
After hearing this, Li Jinglong hurriedly moved closer, not caring about his dignity, and asked excitedly:
"Can you win?"
Lu Yunyi frowned slightly, then smiled bitterly:
"Duke Cao, the Luchuan army has no elephant soldiers and is not elite, so why can't they win?"
Lu Yunyi picked up the document that recorded Feng Cheng's ambush from the table and said as he read it,
"Four thousand Luchuan soldiers set up ambushes inside and outside the fragrant grass pond.
Under the premise of taking the initiative, Lord Feng led his army and 600 of them escaped, and some of them were killed.
The Luchuan Army's military discipline can only be described as guerrillas with no rules or plans.
Duke Cao, the Dragon and Tiger Guards, and the Hongfu Guards once ambushed the Luchuan Army.
With a small force against a large one, the Luchuan Army was completely wiped out. This is the normal situation of an elite ambush."
Lu Yunyi's voice was gentle, with a calming tone.
This made everyone in the military tent look calm.
Seeing this, Lu Yunyi continued:
"The soldiers of Luchuan are not worth mentioning, but the general named Aruta is worthy of our careful treatment."
The group looked puzzled, and Lu Yunyi explained:
"This person is from India and has been active in Luchuan for ten years.
He was the leader of the Indians in Luchuan. He followed Si Lunfa and led his army to Jingdong, causing a great defeat for our Ming army.
As he spoke, Lu Yunyi's face turned strange and he threw the document in his hand away:
"It is worth mentioning that the last time Lord Feng was ambushed in Jingdong, it was also the work of this person, and Lord Feng also escaped."
Li Jinglong showed a look of sudden realization:
"I remember now, it was him.
Rumor has it that he was killed by Si Lunfa because of his great achievements, but he is still alive?"
Lu Yunyi smiled:
"There are countless Indians in the Luchuan army, and they still need Aruta to maintain their power. They will definitely not be killed.
They will only be kept high up in the country and well cared for.
Now that even he has come out, it seems that Si Lunfa has reached the end of his rope."
A gleam flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes.
If Aruta is killed, the vassal army of Luchuan Army will be in chaos.
I don't expect any major chaos, but at least it would be good to bring some trouble to Silunfa.
At this time, Liu Heiying, who had just finished his work, hurried in.
His dark face was covered in grease, and he held the helmet in his hands.
The hair scattered outside looks particularly messy, like a savage.
Seeing him approaching, Qin Wenyao, who was originally sitting, stood up hurriedly and saluted:
"Master Liu."
Liu Heiying looked over, waved his hand casually, then turned to look at Lu Yunyi and said in a deep voice:
"General, the soldiers have been deployed.
The scout team to be sent out has also been selected.
Wang Shen, You Dafeng, Qin Yuanfang and Sun Sian each led more than a hundred soldiers to investigate the location of Youyu's tribe.
All military supplies and food have been prepared and we are ready to set off at any time."
After hearing this, Lu Yunyi nodded slightly:
"Let them rest first. They haven't slept for three days. They should recuperate first."
Lu Yunyi looked at Feng Yunfang who was not far away and said, "Tell the firemen to light a fire and cook immediately. Brothers, take a rest after dinner. The war will not be rushed in one day."
"Yes!"
Feng Yunfang responded and ran out in a hurry.
After he left, Lu Yunyi looked at Yue Zhongda and Qin Wenyao and said calmly:
"You two adults please go back first. There is no military service today."
The two looked at each other, but since they had been ordered to leave, they couldn't say anything.
"Yes."
After the two left, Lu Yunyi's face became serious. He looked at Liu Heiying and said in a deep voice:
"Only Qin Yuanfang and Sun Sian will lead the troops. Wang Shen and You Dafeng will stay in the camp for other arrangements.
Tell Qin Yuanfang and Sun Sian to retreat if there are too many ambushes in the forest.
Set out after dark, be more secretive, and ask Yue Zhongda to cooperate."
Liu Heiying was not surprised at all after hearing this and nodded slightly.
"Go."
"Yes!"
Liu Heiying left quickly, and Li Jinglong came up to him, looking puzzled:
"Yun Yi, what are you doing?"
Lu Yunyi's face was solemn, and he sighed softly:
"Better safe than sorry, the Jinyiwei have become a sieve,
What's more, as for the officials of Yunlong Prefecture, we have to keep our actions secret for as long as possible.
This Aruta is not easy to deal with."
Seeing Li Jinglong's strange expression, Lu Yunyi's solemn expression quickly dissipated and he explained:
"There is no conflict between despising the opponent strategically and taking him seriously tactically.
We must never let down our guard against the enemy in front of us."
Li Jinglong thought this made sense, so he secretly wrote it down and planned to record it in his family studies.
"Yun Yi, you are right. We can't let our guard down!"
Lu Yunyi nodded, yawned, and gently rubbed his tired eyes.
After the hand left, Li Jinglong was startled by the bloodshot eyes.
"Yun Yi, why don't you take a rest for a while? You need to be in good spirits before you can fight."
Lu Yunyi smiled and shook his head:
"That's what I say to the soldiers. When facing a powerful enemy, a general can't rest for even a moment.
Let's go and see Xu Zengshou and the others. We still need to rely on the musketeers in this battle."
Lu Yunyi walked out of the military tent.
The guards outside the military tent quickly followed.
Li Jinglong seemed to be losing interest.
He recalled the time in the 20th year of Hongwu when he followed Duke Feng Sheng of Song to fight against Nahachu.
At that time, their military tents were very close to each other, and he could still hear the court in the Duke of Song's tent while he was sleeping.
The next day, he would be woken up by the noise in the tent, making him think that the Duke of Song was an iron man who never slept.
Finally I realized that I only rested for two hours a day.
Now Li Jinglong tilted his head.
The dark circles around Lu Yunyi's eyes were so thick that they looked like tears were about to drip out, and he looked extremely tired.
But whether he saw soldiers or generals coming and going,
They all greeted each other with a smile, and there was no sign of anything unusual.
Li Jinglong couldn't help but feel a little hesitant.
"Since my father's death, I have been walking on thin ice. I don't know if I can become a general like my father."
The musketeers of the front army scout unit were at the outermost position of the military camp.
Because there are firearms everywhere in the camp, they will explode if you are not careful.
Walking on the road, Lu Yunyi watched many quartermasters counting arrows, and suddenly remembered something.
He stopped and called the quartermaster Wang Xue over.
He looked very similar to Lu Yunyi at this moment.
His beard was untidy, his eyes were bloodshot, his armor was a little twisted, and his messy hair was scattered randomly.
As soon as he saw Lu Yunyi, without waiting for him to say anything, Wang Xue started to complain.
"My Lord, it's too hasty.
I have too few people under my command, and I have to manage food and fodder, and count military supplies.
We also need to settle the brothers, we don't have enough manpower."
Hearing this, Lu Yunyi smiled.
He reached out his hand to help him adjust his armor, and then patted his shoulder vigorously:
"Wang Xue, you are the most proficient in mathematics in our army. I believe in you and you can do it."
Wang Xue's eyes widened, and just as he was about to say something, Lu Yunyi spoke decisively:
"So, when this war is over,
We will definitely recruit more people for you and give you bonuses.
Don’t you know what kind of person I am?
I have never taken money, which is not my personal belongings, seriously!
Besides, you are still young and full of energy.
If you don't try hard when you are young, you will end up with a fortune.
It will be too late to fight when you are older.
Look at Wang Shen, he is old and sleepy all day long.
Even if you have a lot of money, you can't marry a young lady even if you want to.
You are different, young and strong,
Work hard when you are young, and when you are old, go home and find a wife.
I will give birth to a litter of babies for you and keep you company all day. What a wonderful life that would be."
Wang Xue blinked in confusion.
Suddenly I forgot what I wanted to say.
Moreover, a surge of motivation seemed to emerge in my body.
Yes, yes, yes, a fortune!
"Your Excellency is right. I will do my best."
Lu Yunyi nodded with satisfaction:
"You are the one I trust the most in the army. As it happens, I have a military mission to entrust to you."
"Please give your instructions, sir!" Wang Xue's eyes were burning and his back was straight.
"The arrows used in our army now are fish-tail-shaped armor-piercing arrows designed for mountain warfare.
I plan to replace 50% of them with reusable diamond-shaped arrows. You need to hurry up and do this."
Wang Xue's eyes went dark, and he instantly became listless.
Replacing 50% of the arrows, whether it is adjusting them before and after or recording them, is a huge undertaking.
This, this, this
"Sir, there isn't enough time."
Lu Yunyi thought for a moment and said in a deep voice:
"Then the fish-tail arrows that were issued earlier will remain in the soldiers' hands.
Order each flag to record and store it carefully, and send the diamond-shaped arrow directly."
Senior Wang breathed a sigh of relief and nodded heavily with some relief:
"Sir, this will save you a lot of trouble."
Lu Yunyi laughed and patted his shoulder gently:
"Okay, get busy. I'll give you rewards after this battle is over."
"Yes! Thank you, sir!!"
Wang Xuexing left in a hurry, and his pace was much faster than when he came.
Li Jinglong on the side looked at Wang Xue in a strange way, then looked at Lu Yunyi, and secretly memorized this move.
The two men started walking again, and Li Jinglong asked:
"Yun Yi, the fishtail arrowhead has always had great lethality.
Once the arrow hits the enemy, they will either die or become disabled, and the arrowhead will remain in the enemy's body, so why should it be replaced?"
Lu Yunyi pinched his brows and said in a deep voice:
"Duke Cao, the fishtail arrowhead is indeed extremely powerful.
However, the silver coins used to make a fishtail arrowhead can be used to make ten prismatic arrowheads, which is expensive and cannot be reused.
Now we will face tens of thousands of Luchuan soldiers.
I don't know how many elite soldiers there are.
But there must be a large number of Indians and Luchuan disaster victims who are just filling in the numbers.
For them, it is not worthwhile to use such expensive arrows.
We brought a total of 100,000 fish-tail arrows from Beijing.
I have already spent nearly 40,000 yuan, so I should save the rest.
It won’t be too late to use it when we face Luchuan’s elite elephant soldiers and cavalry.”
“Have you used so much already?”
Li Jinglong's eyes suddenly widened with a strange look on his face. He felt that he had not fought so many battles.
Lu Yunyi smiled and nodded:
"Of course, previous wars were all about winning with one strike, and the consumption of military supplies was several times higher than before.
But it doesn't matter, as long as we can win, we can save a lot of money."
Li Jinglong nodded. He knew this.
"So how will the next battle be different?"
Lu Yunyi replied:
"You don't have to defeat them all at once, you can accumulate victory little by little.
In this case, it is better to save as much as possible and use the best steel where it matters most. "
"Steel? What is that?" Li Jinglong looked puzzled.
"It's Hanatei."
"Oh." Li Jinglong looked suddenly enlightened.
(End of this chapter)