Zhao Junsheng's 4,000 men and horses rested in Jingling City for three days before setting off to march eastward, allowing the team to rest for such a long time that the lieutenant generals and colonels of the army really couldn't figure it out, they could set off as soon as possible to rush to Jiangxia, so that Shen Qingzhi's army would lose the opportunity to cross the river to Xiakou.

When attacking Jingling City, it was a successful sneak attack, the loss of soldiers was only a few dozen, but more than 1,000 Song troops in the city were captured, Zhao Junsheng for the safety of the rear of the team, before the eastward march of the 1,000 Song army captured generals and officers all killed, from the cadre army to transfer officers to fill the position, and then ordered these captives to monitor each other, if found that someone has escaped or malicious behavior can report each other, if it is found to be true, then give a heavy reward, so that the more than 1,000 Song army prisoners and soldiers are wary of each other, no one trusts anyone, can only obediently obey the orders of the officers and generals of the cadre army.

When the cadres marched eastward under the leadership of Zhao Junsheng, Zhao Junsheng did not let these Song army captives stay in Jingling City, but brought them with them, and asked them to take simple weapons to urge the people to follow the team to transport grain and grass baggage, whether it was grain and grass, or the carriage and ox cart loaded with grain and grass were collected from Jingling City, this time Zhao Junsheng emptied the treasury of the entire Jingling City and the granaries of all the big and wealthy households in the city.

Facts have proved that it is not that there is no grain in the world, and it is not that there is not enough grain to eat, but that the big landlords, rich households, and grain merchants who have lost their conscience control the quantity of grain flowing to the market, and always control the market at a low price and a high price, so that the grain in the market is always in a situation where supply exceeds demand.

4,000 cadres, plus more than 1,000 soldiers, a total of 5,000 soldiers and horses, and more than 5,000 people accompanied by the people who transported grain and grass, and the tools for transporting grain and grass included horse-drawn carts, ox carts, and wheelbarrows, and more than 10,000 people pulled out several miles of road.

The speed of the team's march was a little slow, just because of the heavy weight of grain and grass carried, Zhao Junsheng brought all the grain that Jingling could carry, and even many large siege and defense equipment, a large number of arrows, fire oil and some scarce military supplies were transported.

Zhao Junsheng rode on horseback and looked at a map, sometimes thinking, sometimes staring at the map and pondering.

Niu Dali couldn't help but say: "Your Majesty, the minister has something to understand, please ask Your Majesty to solve your doubts!" ”

"Say!"

"Our army is not far from Jiangxia, we can rush to Jiangxia as soon as possible to block Shen Qingzhi's army, and then fight with Sima Chuzhi and Li Bao to fight north and south, why did Your Majesty delay in Jingling for a few days before leaving? Could it be that they were deliberately allowed to cross the river? ”

Zhao Junsheng turned his head to look at Niu Dali and asked, "Block Shen Qingzhi's army?" Can you get it? Could it be that if he Shen Qingzhi wants to cross the river, he can only go to Jiangxia? ”

After speaking, Zhao Junsheng handed over the map, pointed to the map and said, "If our army captures Jiangxia first, Shen Qingzhi will go straight to Jiangxia when he gets the news?" Won't he turn to the east and go into Shouchun? ”

Niu vigorously grabbed his cheeks, "Then Your Majesty means to wait for Shen Qingzhi's troops to arrive in Jiangxia, and then our army will quickly attack and eat this Song army?" But in this way, the timing is not very good for me, if our army goes too late, Shen Qingzhi's army would have crossed the river to Xiakou a long time ago, if our army went early, and was detected by Shen Qingzhi's detectives, he would definitely quickly turn to Shouchun to the east! ”

Zhao Junsheng said: "I have arranged this matter, you just need to restrain the soldiers, especially for me to keep an eye on the more than 1,000 captives and surrender troops, don't go wrong!" ”

"No!"

Zhao Junsheng actually understood the intention of Xiao Bin, the commander of the Song army, on the one hand, Xiao Bin wanted to preserve his own strength, and on the other hand, he wanted to drag down the poorly prepared cadres by lengthening the battle line and supply lines.

Since Zhao Junsheng guessed Xiao Bin's plan and purpose, he naturally would not follow this person's routine, so he did not leave a single soldier in Jingling at all, but brought everyone with him, not only did he not leave troops to defend Jingling, but also brought all the prisoners and soldiers, on the one hand, to concentrate his troops, and on the other hand, not to leave trouble for his rear.

And this time, he emptied Jingling and got more than 8,000 stone of grain, enough for the army to eat for several months, plus other captured military supplies, he didn't have to worry about the back road being blocked, and he didn't have to worry about the grain road.

Outside the city of Anlu, the temporary camp of the Song army.

Shen Qingzhi, Liu Yuanjing, Lu Shangqi and others led the army to arrive at Anlu after two days and two nights of continuous marching, this retreat, they only brought half a month's dry rations, in addition to other military supplies and food all discarded in Suixian left to the cadres, on the one hand, it can reduce the burden and lightly armed retreat, on the other hand, it can play the purpose of delaying the cadres.

Shen Qingzhi's plan was successful, and the large amount of grain, grass and other military supplies left behind succeeded in the pursuit of the cadre army, but Shen Qingzhi, Liu Yuanjing and others did not feel at ease, because the loss of Jingling made it difficult for them to sleep, if the march speed of the cadre army was fast enough, they could rush to Jiangxia before them to cut off their way to cross the river.

Therefore, Shen Qingzhi also sent an elite squad of cavalry to rush to the direction of Jiangxia at the fastest speed on the way to the south with the rapid retreat of the troops, and he had to ensure that Jiangxia was still in his hands before the arrival of the army, otherwise, when they arrived near Jiangxia, they found that Jiangxia had fallen into the hands of the cadres, then he and the eight or nine thousand men and horses under his command could only flee eastward in embarrassment.

The team had been resting outside Anlu City for two hours, and Shen Qingzhi didn't plan to let the army continue to rest, but he had to wait for news now.

At this moment, a fast horse galloped in, the war horse was already foaming at the mouth, and the knight on horseback was also tired and panting, and his face was pale.

With the neighing of a war horse, the war horse fell to the ground due to loss of strength in the process of running, and the knight on horseback was also thrown out and fell to the ground.

"Go and carry him here!" Liu Yuanjing shouted.

Several soldiers quickly ran over and carried the knight over, and Liu Yuanjing took a water bag and poured several mouthfuls of water into the knight who was almost unconscious, and the knight was more sober.

"Generals, generals, get the latest news, the cadres are still wantonly expropriating grain and grass, people's husbands, carriages and ox carts and other means of transportation in Jingling, and I am afraid that the grain and grass collected will not be tens of thousands of stones!"

Liu Yuanjing immediately said: "Okay, Ben will know, you have a good rest!" Here, get him something to eat and drink! ”

"Yes, General!"

Liu Yuanjing got up and walked quickly towards Shen Qingzhi, hugged his fists and said: "General, the spies are coming to report, the cadres are still in Jingling, they are collecting grain, grass and military supplies and means of transportation, and they have also requisitioned many people, according to the spies, the cadres have collected tens of thousands of stones of grain and grass in Jingling!" ”

"Oh?" Shen Qingzhi got up when he heard this, and he said: "If there are tens of thousands of stones of grain and grass, plus other military baggage, the marching speed of the cadre army should not be fast, and if our army travels day and night, it should be able to rush to Jiangxia before them!" ”

Liu Yuan nodded and said, "Yes, as long as Jiangxia City is still in our hands when we arrive, we will be safe!" Even if the cadre army attacks Jiangxia City, our army can defend the city, and then Xiakou will send a sailor to cooperate, maybe it will be able to fight a beautiful counterattack! ”

Shen Qingzhi immediately ordered: "Pass the order, the team will rest for two more moments, and start after two moments, we can't delay any longer, we must rush to Jiangxia as quickly as possible!" ”

"Yes, General!"

Previously, Shen Qingzhi did not think about leading his troops to turn to the east, but the cavalry of the Qianjun army was not vegetarian, and the most important thing was that before crossing Tongbai Mountain and Dabie Mountain, the road was a flat river, and there was no danger to defend.

Two moments later, the Song army continued to advance in the direction of Jiangxia.

This time, Shen Qingzhi did not dare to have any reservations in the speed of the march, and he ordered the army to advance at full speed.

Not to mention whether Sima Chuzhi and Li Bao's army behind him would catch up, let's just say that as long as the cadre army in Jingling City arrives under Jiangxia City first, if he Shen Qingzhi doesn't want to fight to the death with the cadre army under Jiangxia City, he can only quickly wave his army east and flee for his life.

The burden brought to the soldiers by advancing at full speed was huge, and the soldiers were able to hold on at first, but after half a day of marching, many soldiers could not hold on, and the marching speed slowed down autonomously.

Liu Yuanjing saw that this was not good, and immediately sent some soldiers to supervise on both sides of the team on horseback, and always loudly reminded the soldiers to keep the speed.

That night, the Song army camped in Yunmeng, but the next morning they found that more than 200 people had fled by night, Shen Qingzhi was so angry that his beard was cocked, if he didn't have to run away in a hurry now, he would definitely send troops to arrest all those deserters.

After losing his temper, Shen Qingzhi could only send someone to the surrounding government to write a letter, asking them to send someone to arrest the deserters, and then ordered to continue to retreat south with the army.

In the afternoon, Zhao Junsheng was marching east along the Han River to a river bay, from where the Han River turned and flowed south.

"This general, follow this river all the way south to Jiangxia City!" Xiang Zhao Junsheng said.

Zhao Junsheng took out the map and looked at it, raised his head and pondered for a while, raised his palm and pointed to the east: "Continue to advance eastward, pass the order, and let the soldiers speed up the march!" ”

Niu Dali said beside him: "Your Majesty, it's no problem to let the soldiers speed up the march, but it is more difficult to get those people to speed up the march, and it is really inappropriate to leave the baggage in the rear team!" ”

Zhao Junsheng thought for a while and said to Niu Dali: "Go and tell those people that as long as they can keep up with the ranks and maintain the same marching speed as the army, give them more food, so that their food is the same as that of the soldiers!" ”

"Your Majesty, in this way, the consumption of grain and grass will be too big and too fast, that is five thousand people, if they are allowed to eat the same food as the soldiers, the time that our grain and grass can support will be reduced by half!"

Zhao Junsheng waved his hand: "Don't talk nonsense, you just go and execute, you don't have to worry about this matter!" ”

"No!"

As soon as the order was delivered, the men who had been conscripted heard that they would be able to eat the same food as the soldiers, and they were immediately energetic, and pushed the wagons, oxcarts, and wheelbarrows as fast as they could.