Chapter 425: Going Your Own Way, Armament Suppression

Chapter 425: Going Your Own Way, Armament Suppression

Chapter 425: Going Your Own Way, Armament Suppression
As the night fell, the 50,000-strong army of the Southern Expedition stretched for dozens of miles as it marched in a mighty procession on the official road.

At the center of the army, Duke Ying Fu Youde asked about it, and his expression became more gentle.

The originally serious expression on his face disappeared, replaced by a faint smile.

He looked at Li Jinglong, Duke of Cao, and said with a smile:

"Jiujiang, you did a good job. I was so eager to chase him.

They were afraid that A Zi would return to Yuezhou, defend the city, and rely on the local people nearby to recuperate and expand the team.

I didn't expect that you guys entered Yuezhou first, which saved me a lot of effort."

At this point, Fu Youde laughed. The scars on his face looked hideous and terrifying. His eyes were sharp, and a sense of power began to spread:
"Now, Ah Zi is trapped outside Yuezhou, and the defeat is inevitable. You have made a great contribution in suppressing the rebellion this time."

Upon hearing this compliment, Duke Cao Li Jinglong did not feel happy but extremely embarrassed.

He kept scratching his head, giggling, and looking at Lu Yunyi from time to time.
I noticed that his face was extremely calm, as if he had not lied at all.

This made Li Jinglong secretly admire Lu Yunyi's shamelessness. This was something the two of them had planned long ago.

Today, the scouts at the front of the army are too short-sighted. The more merits they make, the more difficult their situation becomes. If they can share some of the profits appropriately, they can alleviate many of the current difficulties.

After a pause, Li Jinglong still felt a little embarrassed, so he said:
"I got a book on military strategy from Yun Yi, called "A Hundred Strategy of War", in which the chapter on force cutting directly said,

In any battle, the so-called momentum means taking advantage of the situation.

Since the enemy is in a state of collapse, we will press on and his army will surely be defeated.

After the Beijing army learned that Ah Zi was defeated in Guizhou, they decided to advance rapidly, but they did not expect that Ah Zi did not send anyone to guard Yuezhou City, so we entered the city easily. "

Duke of Ying, Fu Youde, nodded:

"Most of the rebels acted on impulse, without detailed preparation or planning for the subsequent battles.
Often, we only look ahead and don’t care about what’s behind. ”

Having said that, Fu Youde looked at the three young men beside him and reminded them:
"You can read military books, but you can't just copy their strategies.

Any tactics must be adapted to local conditions.

Sometimes the method is stupid, or even looks stupid.
But if used in the right place, it is the best military strategy.

You are still young, think more about your own battle formations.

As for what the predecessors said, just take a look and don’t take it seriously.”

After these words were spoken, Li Jinglong and the generals around him looked puzzled. They did not quite understand what these words meant.

Fu Youde looked at Li Jinglong, chuckled, and reminded:

"Military books were all written by ancient people. Just understand their meaning.

Battlefield fighting became more and more complicated with the production of weapons and offensive and killing equipment.
A complete army requires many troops to be assembled and each has its own duties, which far exceeds the battle formations of the ancients.

Just like the Ming Dynasty, when it was founded, firearms were only used as auxiliary weapons on the battlefield to create smoke.

The real way to end a battle is to use swords, bows and crossbows, and even cannons are only used to scare horses.

Twenty years have passed, what about now?

If there had been some hesitation and uncertainty in the army before, now a conclusion has been reached.

I have read the battle report of Luchuan.
Firearms achieved results beyond all expectations, even rivaling the more expensive cavalry."

The Duke of Ying, Fu Youde, spoke out his thoughts in a heavy tone and with a solemn expression. All the generals around him pricked up their ears and listened.

The Duke personally described the changes in the battlefield situation. Such an experience is worth tens of thousands of gold.

Yingguogong Fu Youde continued: "Lu Yunyi did a great job on this point.

Whether it is the layout of the battlefield or the choice of wartime targets, I don’t see any trace of any predecessors.”

At this point, Duke Ying looked at Lu Yunyi with deep admiration in his eyes and a gentle tone:

"Do you read military books on weekdays?"

Lu Yunyi looked solemn and nodded: "Reporting to the Duke of Ying, I'll see."

Li Jinglong added excitedly, "Grandpa Fu, Yun Yi is reading military books all day long!"

Duke Ying heaved a sigh of relief and nodded:
"Very good, taking the essence and discarding the dross, you are right in reading the military book, no wonder Lan Yu praised you so much in his letter, it is indeed excellent.

If we had met earlier, I would have accepted you as my last disciple.

None of my sons is capable of marching or fighting. I can pass on all I have learned to you, so that you will have successors.

But since Lan Yu got there first, let him be.”

As soon as these words were spoken, countless people on the scene looked over at him with a hint of envy in their eyes.

Lu Yunyi's face was calm, but he kept shouting in his heart, "Stop talking."

It is already conspicuous, and what I said today will definitely be spread throughout the army.

By then everyone will know that a general has appeared on the border who is being fought over by two dukes.

After a pause, Lu Yunyi clasped his hands and said:
"Thank you for your kindness, Duke Ying. I am from the northern border, and I have only learned grassland battle formations.
Please forgive me for not being able to accept the kindness of Duke Ying."

"Haha." Fu Youde laughed dryly:

"If you know one thing about military affairs, you will know everything.
As long as you are willing to study hard and not be arrogant,
The battles in the grasslands of the north can be fought, and the battles in the mountains of the southwest can also be fought."

He looked at Li Jinglong and Mu Chun and said:
"You two have risen to high positions at such a young age, all thanks to the legacy of your fathers, you don't know how hard it is to gain such achievements.

But the more this is the case, the more careful you must be in fighting, and you must not be arrogant.

As long as we are careful and cautious, relying on the strong soldiers and excellent armor of the Ming Dynasty,
Even if we lose, we won’t lose much.”

"Don't be complacent. People say that learning is endless, and the same is true for battle formations.
If you stand still, you will be left behind.

If the war cannot be won, no matter how brilliant the past victories were, one will end up returning home in disgrace.”

Mu Chun and Li Jinglong listened and bowed:
"Thank you, Duke Ying, for your teachings!"

Fu Youde, the Duke of Ying, glanced at him and laughed:

"Okay, I just said it casually, and you guys just listen to it casually.
To truly understand the truth, you still need to fall a few times.

All right, let's go, we have to hurry on. We'll meet at the foot of Tangchi Mountain tomorrow morning!"

"Tomorrow? So early?"

Li Jinglong looked at the sky and saw that it was less than three hours until dawn.
Fifty thousand people, with so much food and supplies, need to march twenty miles and reach Tangchi Mountain tomorrow morning.

This made Li Jinglong doubt, will it really work?

Seeing him like this, the Right Deputy General of the Southern Expedition Army, Marquis Puding Chen Heng, laughed:

“Cao family boy, even though a four-legged warhorse runs fast, it still needs to rest, but a two-legged person doesn’t need to rest!
The direct line of the Yingguogong can march fifty miles a day in the mountains and forests, let alone this flat land.
If the cost is not a problem, Baili is no problem.

Don't worry, hurry back, we will arrive before dawn."

Yingguogong Fu Youde smiled kindly and waved his hand:
"Return quickly, gather your men, and end the war.

I am old now and I want to take some more rest.”

Hearing this, Li Jinglong stopped being polite, his face became serious, and he bowed to the two of them:

"Then we will go ahead and meet at the foot of Tangchi Mountain tomorrow morning!"

"Go ahead." Fu Youde waved his hand.

Li Jinglong, Lu Yunyi and Mu Chun bowed and said goodbye. The soothing sound of horse hooves suddenly became rapid, and in a short while, they disappeared from sight.

Watching them leave, Puning Marquis Chen Huan looked solemn and sighed:

"Sir, heroes emerge from youth. When we were your age, we were still soldiers."

Chen Huan was a direct descendant of Fu Youde. In the fourth year of Hongwu, he followed Fu Youde to conquer Shu.
In the 14th year, he conquered Yunnan again. Later, because of his meritorious service in the conquest of Yunnan, he was granted the title of marquis in the 17th year of Hongwu.

The two had fought together for twenty years and had a deep relationship, so they spoke without restraint.

Fu Youde smiled:

“There are countless heroes who emerge from youth, but only a few who achieve success and fame. Let’s wait and see.”

Chen Huan saw that he was laughing again, and his expression turned strange:
"My Lord, it seems that you are very happy today."

"Why do you say that?" Fu Youde asked with a stern face.

Chen Huan smiled and said, "Since you received the imperial mission, you have been very serious. It is rare for you to smile like today."

Fu Youde opened his mouth slightly, opened and closed it back and forth, and finally sneered and pursed his lips:

"You, you're not thinking about the war, but about me."

"With the adults here, no one in the southwest can cause trouble, hahaha." Chen Huan laughed.

Fu Youde didn't know what he was thinking of, and he sighed:

"I've always been surrounded by old men like you, and I don't see many young people. After meeting these young people today, I feel a lot younger.
It’s better to be young.
In those days, I served under Li Er, and my skills in fighting, stabbing, riding and archery were the best among the three armies!
In the blink of an eye, nearly forty years have passed, and I can't even lift my sword anymore."

At this point, Fu Youde's cheek muscles twitched slightly, he gritted his teeth, and his breathing became a little rapid:

"What's even more annoying is that none of his sons are good enough. Fu Zheng is such a bastard.

He devoted himself to farming all day long, and even the rebels could not stop him.

When I think about it now, I feel so helpless, and my heart is so stuffy that I can’t breathe.”

Chen Huan didn't dare to speak. In their plan,
The rebels will be firmly blocked in Puding and will not be allowed to leave Guizhou.

The person who stopped the rebels was the second son, Fu Zheng, the commander of the Puding Tuntian Guard.

Chen Huan understood that his father wanted his son to accumulate merits and climb up the ladder.

The main force of the rebels had been completely wiped out by them, leaving only the defeated soldiers and guerrillas.

It stands to reason that it is easy to win, let alone stop it.

But unfortunately, not only did I fail to win, but I also let the enemy escape.

So much so that Chen Huan felt a little helpless when he thought about it now.
They could only pay lip service to the urgency of the situation, but they slowed down and staggered behind, fearing that the imperial court would see that the rebels were vulnerable.

The atmosphere was somewhat solemn. Chen Huan thought for a while and spoke softly:
"Sir, don't be angry. Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. It's fine to do an idle job.

A hundred years later, no matter whether the eldest son or the second son inherits the title, the family will be rich.

My Lord, you should relax a little.

I have long given up hope on my son, so let him be."

"What bullshit, who else can I rely on if not my son?"

Fu Youde cursed loudly, breathing rapidly, and the scar on his face turned blood red due to congestion.

“Jiujiang was a useless kid a few years ago, but now he’s grown up and knows how to learn skills. I’m happy for his father.

But why doesn’t my son understand?

Others enjoy their retirement in their sixties, but I am busy all the time!

Cowardly, very cowardly!! "

Fu Youde became more and more angry as he spoke, and his voice became louder and louder, and then he shouted:

"Order the entire army to march at full speed and reach Tangchi Mountain before dawn. Anyone who falls behind will be punished by military law!!"

"Yes!"

The guards stationed nearby were also silent as hell, running around hurriedly passing on orders.

Fu Youde shook the reins, and the horse under him seemed to sense his master's anger and ran quickly.

Chen Huan didn't dare to speak, he shrank his neck, and hurriedly followed.

A heavy sigh chased after him.

The next morning, before the morning mist had dissipated, a large number of troops gathered at the foot of Langdang Mountain, stretching endlessly in the east and west directions.

The fir forest now blocks the rebel camp and the Beijing army camp.
At this moment, it has been razed to the ground, and temporary camps have been built.

Part of it was used by the army in Beijing, and part of it was used by the army that conquered the south.

The sun shines through the cracks in the morning mist, and the air is filled with the scent of moist earth and the faint smell of distant cooking smoke.
It weaves a unique tranquility before the war, like a moment of peace before the storm.

But no matter how warm the atmosphere is,
Nothing could stop the elite troops of both sides from slowly converging towards the center like giant dragons ready to strike.

Directly in front of it was the broad road that the rebels had opened up yesterday to climb the mountain.

The big tree was cut off at the roots and taken to the mountain!

The potholes on the mountain road were filled and the soft soil was compacted.

Not far away, roads are being opened up.
It was the soldiers and civilians from Beijing and the army that conquered the south who worked tirelessly to open up the road up the mountain.

At this moment, the Beijing troops were lined up in neat rows, their armor shining coldly in the sun.

The thousand soldiers at the front stood out the most.

Their armor is no longer black, but has become a three-color camouflage.
On their backs were no longer quivers of supplies, but large, thick backpacks, also painted in camouflage colors.

He was wearing long military boots with hemp ropes wrapped around his legs, extending all the way to his calves.
Make them look like two thin bamboo sticks supporting a tri-color potato.

Their cheeks and exposed skin are covered with dense protective gear and filters, making them look particularly bloated when standing in the team.

No one dares to underestimate it.
The soldiers of the Beijing Army had long heard that the front army's scout unit had special weapons and equipment to deal with mountain warfare.

Now it seems that what was said was true.

The soldiers of the Southern Expedition Army had been fighting in the mountains for a long time.
One can tell at a glance that all the preparations of this army are designed to deal with wars in the mountains and forests!
Especially the tricolor armor and backpack on his body,
Let them stare with wide eyes, and look again and again,

Even so, they often feel dazzled and cannot see clearly.

This shocked them terribly.

The soldiers would occasionally look down at the khaki armor they were wearing.
I originally thought this was the best camouflage in the forest.

But compared with the three-color armor, the armor on his body is too obvious!
Moreover, their hands and feet were exposed.

Compared to the wild and unruly army that was sent to conquer the south, the army from Beijing seemed to be an army that was good at fighting in the mountains and forests.

A large flag with the word "Fu" and a large flag with the word "Cao" fluttered in the wind.

The sound of horns and drums came one after another, although there was no formal battle.

An invisible pressure has solidified the air, and even the occasional bird calls from the mountains seem particularly harsh.

Military orders were issued one after another, and the shieldmen, spearmen, and archers were arranged according to the tactical layout, like a sophisticated mechanical device.

The fog in the mountains seemed to be frightened by this momentum and gradually dissipated.
The hilltop where the Azi rebels were stationed was revealed. It was a mountain with a steep back and a sloping front, and lush forests.
The rebel flag fluttering on the top of the mountain is particularly eye-catching!
But Fu Youde, the general who conquered the south, did not focus on the mountain.

Instead, he stared at the thick booklet in his hand and ignored the calls from people around him.

In desperation, Marquis Puding Chen Huan had to give the orders himself!
After a busy period, as the busy soldiers slowly entered the mountain,

When Chen Huan came back, he found that the master was still sitting under the general's flag, looking at the book in his hand with helplessness on his face. He walked over quickly:

"Sir, the vanguard of 10,000 troops has entered the mountain, and it is expected that they will have cleared the traps and defenses below the halfway point of the mountain by noon.
You can climb up the mountainside in the afternoon and fight the rebels!

In addition, Ye Sheng led his men around to the back of the mountain, preparing to find a path on the cliff to send people up."

"Well, you arrange it yourself." Fu Youde responded without even raising his head, answering perfunctorily.

"Sir, the 1,000 soldiers from the front scout unit will be responsible for clearing traps and opening up roads in the southeastern mountainous area.
As for the other Beijing troops, let them stay at the foot of the mountain and wait for us to come back."

"Oh, I see."

"Sir, we will open up the road in the morning and engage the enemy in the afternoon to weaken their morale.

At night, they launched a fire attack and defeated the enemy in one fell swoop.

When the temperature drops sharply in the second half of the night, we will start soliciting surrender."

"okay."

"Sir, in order to ensure the success of the war,

I gave orders to the troops at the front to fight at all costs, and brought enough weapons, supplies and gunpowder. "

"Ah."

The answers became shorter and shorter. Puding Marquis Chen Huan began to breathe faster. He shrugged his nose, tilted his body, and looked at the book.

He wanted to see, a northern border dweller,
What's so good about the compiled military strategy for mountain warfare?

Half a quarter of an hour later, Chen Huan hadn't finished reading yet.
The booklet was already turning over, and he became anxious and shouted:

"Sir, I haven't finished watching yet. How was the trap set just now?"

This time, Duke Ying raised his head and looked behind him at Chen Huan, who was stretching his head anxiously. He frowned and cursed:

"Get out of the way! Everyone is already up the mountain. Why are you still staying here?"

"You are here too, aren't you?"

Chen Huan muttered quietly. Seeing the adults' eyes widened, he stood still and spoke quickly:
"My lord, I'll go right away!"

Duke Ying nodded and said:
"Take a look at the things Lu Yunyi has created.

If it is useful, I will supervise its manufacture immediately after returning to Beijing, especially the backpack and tricolor armor."

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)