"Oh, is it?" Zhou Bo smiled slightly, with a calm and unhurried attitude, and by the way, he also stretched out his hand to pick out the vegetable leaves stuck in his teeth.

"Camp commander, aren't you in a hurry at all?" Lu Qiji looked at Zhou Bo in surprise and asked.

"I asked you, when you went to investigate, did the Qi army find you?" Zhou Bo asked as he continued to eat.

"This, this, the wilderness on one side of the west bank, the east and west sides are unobstructed, and the humble function can see the situation of the Qi army, and the Qi army will naturally be able to find the humble position. Lu Qiji explained with some grievances.

"Okay," Zhou Bo nodded with great satisfaction and said, "Very good, you have done a big thing." ”

Lu Qiji glared, looking confused, and asked puzzledly, "Camp commander, where does this start?"

Zhou Bo smiled mysteriously and said, "I know tonight, now I want to go to the Chinese army camp immediately to see Dong Shuai and prepare horses." With that, he quickened his late lunch into his mouth, then got up and walked out of the tent.

Zhou Bo only brought two personal guards and rode from the former camp to the Chinese army camp. When the guards of the Chinese army battalion reported the news of his visit to Dong Hao, Dong Hao immediately allowed him to be summoned. In fact, just half an hour ago, Dong Hao had just received a reply from Ezhou City, and was about to discuss matters with Zhou Bo.

After entering Dong Hao's Chinese military account, Zhou Bo saluted Dong Hao and said, "Dong Shuai, there is something important for Dong Shuai to decide." ”

Dong Hao's expression was not very good, and he said: "Zhou Chengjie, Ben Shuai is also looking for you." Ezhou City has just replied with news, and it seems that it will take some time for reinforcements to be sent. ”

Zhou Bo was stunned. "Such a big deal." Demand immediate action. How can it take a few more days to slow down?"

Dong Hao sighed, turned around and walked to Shuai's case, took a document in his hand, and then handed it to Zhou Bo, saying: "This letter was specially written by Zhai Xianggong to Ben Shuai after receiving the news of the Qi army's attack. ”

Zhou Bo hurriedly took the letter, opened it and read it carefully.

It turned out that after Dong Jiajun sent a fast horse to inform Ezhou City of the news of the 50,000 Qi troops coming to Ezhou City yesterday, several ministers and men in charge of Ezhou City immediately had contradictions. Jingnan Road Xuanfu made Li Hui newly defeated in Xiangyang City. The soldiers of the Qi army had some concerns, so they decided to retreat back to the armies and stick to the city of Ezhou, as for a poor and remote place like Sizhou, there was no need to worry at all.

But Zhai Xuan, as Dong Hao's direct boss, of course attaches great importance to the safety of his subordinates. He believed that the defeat of Xiangyang was the result of the joint efforts of the Jin-Qi coalition army, and now that the Qi army was attacking alone, the quality of the Qi army was not enough to fear, so he advocated blocking the Qi army in Sizhou.

In addition to the above two Xianggong masters with heavy troops, there are also several highly qualified festival envoys, observation envoys, and solicitation envoys in Ezhou City. This group of big people who have no real power quarrel endlessly around the opinions of Li Hui and Zhai Xuan. It complicated what was originally simple at once.

Zhai Xuan even wanted Li Hui to get angry, thinking that Li Hui would just send reinforcements. He, Zhai Xuan, sent reinforcements to Sizhou himself. But Li Hui was scolded by this, and his heart was also angry, and he took out the official name of the Xuanfu envoy on Jingnan Road to suppress Zhai Xuan. Zhai Xuan is the Xuanfu envoy of Henan, and Ezhou belongs to the governance of Jingnan Road, so he naturally cannot interfere in the military affairs here.

Therefore, the matter of sending reinforcements to Ezhou cannot be decided for the time being. Zhai Xuan told Dong Hao in the letter that it was up to Dong Hao to decide whether to continue to hold on to Sizhou at the moment, and if he really had no choice, he could retreat to Xingou first and join Dong Xian's army.

"Alas, it's wrong, it's wrong. Zhou Bo sighed heavily.

"Ben Shuai came to you to discuss this matter. Yesterday, you attacked the camp of the Qi army at night, and your courage was extraordinary, but you have also seen the current situation, if there are no reinforcements in Ezhou, even if we can hold back the Qi army, it will be useless. Dong Hao said worriedly, his face extremely troubled.

Zhou Boluo pondered for a moment and said, "Dong Shuai, in fact, in this letter from Zhai Xianggong to you, his true meaning has been revealed. ”

Dong Hao was stunned, and secretly surprised in his heart, this Zhou Bo is really unusual. However, he didn't show his heart too much, and just asked calmly: "Oh, what did Zhou Chengjie see from this letter that Zhai Xianggong meant?"

Zhou Bo said: "Zhai Xianggong is obviously reluctant to withdraw Dong Shuai's troops, although he mentioned that he can let Dong Jiajun withdraw to Xingou first, but he emphasized in the letter that it is up to Dong Shuai to decide, which is obviously a contradiction. If the general's guess is correct, Zhai Xianggong wants Dong Shuai to fight with the Qi army and retreat after achieving some results. ”

Dong Hao smiled slightly and said, "Zhou Chengjie, you are right, Ben Shuai saw this meaning, so he was deeply embarrassed. After he received this letter, he knew that Zhai Xuan was very unwilling, he had won so much grain and grass for the Dong family army these days, and the Dong family army retreated without doing anything.

Once the Dong family's army retreats without a fight, it will be difficult for Zhai Xuan to ask for food and grass materials in the future. Of course, more importantly, if Dong Jiajun can fight with the Qi army and win, even if this victory is very small, Zhai Xuan can also use the topic in Ezhou City to attack Li Hui's negative position.

Zhou Bo thought for a while and said, "Dong Shuai, in fact, I will come to you today because I will think of a new plan. If this plan is successful, it will not only defeat the Qi army, but also solve Zhai Xianggong's wish. ”

Dong Hao couldn't help but be overjoyed, and asked again and again: "Really?

Zhou Bo then first explained the current situation of the Qi army. Since the Qi army suffered last night's night attack, it had already expected that the Song army would not dare to engage in battle, and would only dare to delay time to wait for reinforcements, so the Qi army would definitely launch an offensive to attack Sizhou as soon as possible. In the afternoon, he had already sent detectives to find out the situation of the Qi army, and the time of the Qi army's attack must be within today's time, if the speculation is good, it is very likely to be a night attack.

After listening to Zhou Bo's analysis, Dong Hao asked calmly: "Zhou Chengjie, since the Qi army is about to attack, what strategy does my Dong family army have to deal with the enemy? ”

Zhou Bo nodded, and Zhengse said: "That's true, so the last general thinks." I, Dong Jiajun, should avoid the important and take it lightly. Surprise. Kill the Qi army to be unprepared. ”

"What do you mean by that?" Dong Hao asked as he looked at Zhou Bo.

"At the end of today, the general will send people across Hanchuan to reconnoitre, deliberately exposing himself to the sight of the Qi army. Now that Qi Jun must have guessed that I, Dong Jiajun, would expect them to attack tonight. Zhou Bo said unhurriedly.

"So, will the Qi army change its offensive strategy tonight?" Dong Hao pondered.

"Maybe it will change, maybe it won't change, but none of this has anything to do with us. Judging from the last generals, the Qi army would even think that our Dong family army would take the initiative to avoid the battle and retreat after knowing that they were coming. Because the disparity in strength between the enemy and us is too great, this battle cannot be fought at all. Zhou Bo continued.

Dong Hao nodded, he felt that he had understood Zhou Bo's thoughts, and the look on his face became more and more surprised.

Zhou Bo said again: "Since the Qi army is coming, my Dong family army might as well abandon the camp and retreat, deliberately singing an empty city plan." At the end of the singing of this empty city plan, two plays were prepared, and Dong Shuai was asked to decide. ”

"Tell me about it. ”

"The best policy, Dong Jiajun quietly retreated when it was dark, detoured back to the lower reaches of Hanchuan to cross the river, and ambushed next to the camp of the Qi army. When waiting for the Qi army to attack Sizhou, he took the opportunity to rush directly to the Qi army camp. rob their grain and grass, and destroy their camps. Under the strategy, the Dong family army was ambushed around the camp in Sizhou, the Qi army was arrogant, seeing that our army camp was empty, it would inevitably only think that our army was retreating and would not be more suspicious. Zhou Bo said all his plans in one go.

After listening to Zhou Bo's strategy, Dong Hao couldn't help but sigh in his heart, such a resourceful strategy came from the mouth of a small prepared general, no one would believe that a person who could say such a bold and careful strategy must have the style of a general.

He can see the pros and cons of these two strategies.

The best strategy is extremely bold, and once it succeeds, it will be able to defeat the Qi army. But the risk is also extremely great, because it is impossible for the Qi army to send all 50,000 troops to attack Sizhou tonight, at most only 10,000, which means that there are still 40,000 defenders in the Qi army camp, and once it misses, the Dong family army may even be wiped out.

As for the next policy, it is very conservative, using the camp of the Dong family army in Sizhou as a trap, so that the Dong family army can run away after the fight. It's just that this is not a complete strategy, because the Qi army has more than 10,000 troops in an ambush, and there will also be a lot of risk when the two sides fight each other.

Zhou Bo saw that Dong Hao was deep in thought, because time was pressing, he had to urge, and asked, "Dare to ask Dong Shuai, what do you think?"

Dong Hao is not an adventurist, and when making any decisions, he will leave a way back for himself. After being silent for a while, he asked rhetorically: "Zhou Chengjie, if it were you, which strategy would you choose?" ”

Zhou Bo was stunned, and took a deep look at Dong Hao, and at this moment he suddenly understood that Dong Hao was by no means simple. He put out the two strategies for Dong Hao to choose, but Dong Hao in turn let himself choose, it is conceivable that Dong Hao is deliberate, if the strategy is successful, it can mean that Dong Hao is not suspicious of employing people, if he fails, then he is afraid that he will be a scapegoat.

However, since Dong Hao asked, he had no reason not to answer, and after smiling slightly, he said: "Since the last general has already said the difference between the upper and lower strategies, he will naturally give priority to the upper policy." ”

Dong Hao nodded and said solemnly: "Okay, Zhou Chengjie, then Ben Shuai will trust it again and act according to the best policy." ”

At the end of the conversation, Dong Hao immediately summoned the commanders of other battalions to discuss with the Chinese army, instructed Zhou Bo's plan, and ordered the whole army to cook food immediately, and then retreat after dinner. In order to create the illusion of an empty city, he also ordered that before leaving the camp, all camps should be lit bonfires, and everything in the camp should remain untouched.

It will be late and the sun will set.

The soldiers of the battalions of the Dong family army had eaten and everything was ready. After receiving Dong Hao's order, the whole army left the barracks. Because there were still people in Sizhou County, in order to prevent the people from exposing the whereabouts of the army, Dong Jiajun deliberately pretended to retreat, walked in the southeast direction for a while, and then turned to the direction of the lower reaches of the Hanchuan River.

After the sky was completely dark, Dong Jiajun finally crossed the Hanchuan River. Along the way, they did not light torches, quietly marched into the woods, and then approached the wilderness where the Qi army camp was stationed.

After Dong Jiajun hid in the woods for about half an hour, he saw the light of countless torches forming a long fire dragon in the night, crossing the Hanchuan River from the front and advancing towards Sizhou. At this time, even if Dong Jiajun was several miles away, he could hear the shouts of Qi Jun. It didn't take long for the Qi troops on the east bank to shout more intensely, and it was clear that they were cheering for the capture of the empty camp of the Dong family's army.

Dong Hao was at the forefront of the army, not caring about the situation on the east bank of the Hanchuan River at all, but staring at the Qi army camp in the wilderness ahead. The Qi army camp obviously heard the cheers on the east bank of the Hanchuan River, and all the camps were bustling with activity.

"It seems that it's time!" Dong Hao glanced back at the troops behind him, and then found a herald to convey the order, "Order all battalions to prepare for battle, and follow me to take the Chinese army camp and the grain and grass camp of Qi Dog." ”

A moment later, only a shout was heard, and the Dong family army hiding in the woods immediately swarmed out. The cavalry of each battalion took the lead, and rushed out first, and went straight to the third column of the Qi army camp.

The soldiers of the Qi army battalion from all walks of life were defenseless at all, and in the face of the Song army that suddenly came out, they were all stupid.

Dong Jiajun ignored the barracks in front of him, bypassed the side of the barracks, and attacked the Chinese army camp with the handsome flag.

At this time, Fang Mingkui, the commander of the large battalion of the Chinese army of the Qi army, was waiting for the battle report on the west bank of the Hanchuan River, when he heard a shout outside the camp, at first he thought that the soldiers were cheering, but then felt that this call was a little wrong, and immediately became alert, and walked out of the battalion commander to check the situation. When he learned that the Song army was coming to sneak attack, he was immediately shocked, the Song army was defeated all the way from Xiangyang, and he still dared to have the courage to sneak attack?

And just when the Qi army was stunned, Dong Jiajun did not hesitate at all, and slaughtered madly in the Chinese army camp.

The unexpected appearance of Dong Jiajun made the Qi army completely defenseless, and he was immediately killed by surprise.

Fang Mingkui, the commander of the Qi army, hurriedly escaped from the Chinese army camp under the escort of a group of personal guards, and then ran to the other camp in front. The Chinese army camp of the Qi army lost its leader, and the chaos was naturally more serious, and many soldiers were not even willing to resist, so they simply dropped their weapons and fled.

After Dong Jiajun rushed to kill for a while, he turned around and killed the Chinese army camp and ran towards the grain and grass camp.

At the same time, Fang Mingkui arrived at the front-line battalion of the first column and immediately organized soldiers and horses to start a counterattack. After all, the Qi army had more than 40,000 troops, and in the face of the Dong family's army of less than 3,000, it only fell into an unfavorable situation partially. Soon, the front-line battalion dispatched 3,000 cavalry, rushed to the rear to fight against the Dong army, and also sent 4,000 infantry soldiers to outflank the Song army from the left and right directions, which was bound to completely annihilate this group of daring Song troops.

Dong Hao knew that his Dong family army was deep in the enemy's belly and back, and it was absolutely not suitable for war, so after re-entering the Qi army's heavy grain and grass camp, he kicked over some torches and lit a few granaries, and then ordered a large circle to retreat from the west.

Zhou Bo, as a person preparing for the front battalion, certainly understood the responsibilities of the front battalion. The front battalion should be at the front when charging, and at the rear when retreating. When he received Dong Hao's order to retreat, the fire in the Qi army's grain and grass camp was getting more and more raging, and even many of the Song troops who lit the fire were burned. Immediately, he shouted to the soldiers: "Brothers, follow me to the back door of the Qi army camp, quickly, quickly!"

Bi Jin led the two cavalry teams to exit the camp first, because the cavalry was highly mobile and took up a lot of space, so they had to leave first, providing enough positions for the foot soldiers to quickly run out of the burning camp. (To be continued.) )