After Li Yan entered Shaanxi, he went all the way west and went straight to Xi'an, to fight Li Zicheng and take Xi'an. So he didn't have the time or the troops to clear the countryside along the way.

And cutting off Li Yan's grain route this time was a strategy set by Li Zicheng and others to control the enemy. Therefore, what is hidden in the countryside and mountains is not stragglers, but the elite cavalry under Li Zicheng. There were more than 100 of them, a team of 3,500 people, who were waiting for Li Yan's baggage troops.

The grain that Li Yan brought with the army could be eaten for six or seven days, and yesterday happened to be the time when the grain and ammunition were transported, and these hidden cavalry of the Shun army suddenly appeared, causing some losses to Li Yan's baggage transport team. And there were more than one attack along the way, so the arrival time was also a little late.

Li Yan said: "Although the loss of baggage is not much, the baggage team is indeed threatened, which is a major hidden danger for us and must be solved." ”

Li Futian of the baggage transport team hugged his fists: "Marshal, I would like to send more cavalry to escort you." Most of the cavalry attacking by the enemy are two or three hundred cavalry, and as long as we give five or six hundred cavalry, we will definitely be able to ensure that there will be no more accidents in the baggage. ”

"Is five or six hundred enough?" Li Yan vetoed: "Li Zicheng has tens of thousands of cavalry, how many are hidden in the mountains to the south on the north bank of the Wei River, and if Li Zicheng's cavalry force arrives, these five or six hundred cavalry will only be lost in vain." We only brought three thousand cavalry, and we can't afford to waste it like this. We also don't have time to clear slowly, we have to take Xi'an and take Guanzhong before the Qing army reacts. ”

"In fact, their attack and harassment only caused some trouble to the baggage team, and their own losses were not small." Zhao Datong said: "I think, don't worry about them for the time being, and after we conquer Xi'an City, we will come to clear them." ”

What Zhao Datong said was the truth: After five or six attacks, the baggage team only lost 11 truckloads of grain and one cart of ammunition, less than half of the materials transported. Moreover, the baggage team also killed and wounded more than a hundred cavalry of the enemy, and in a few times, those hidden cavalry were almost consumed. The combat strength of their baggage team is not weak, and it is not something that can be easily disturbed and destroyed by the enemy.

Li Yan saw that everyone agreed, and said with some dissatisfaction: "Although the transportation distance is short this time, the loss is not big. But in the future, we will definitely have to transport baggage over long distances, and the enemy cavalry we face will be even more powerful. At that time, what to do, and then think about how much damage it will cause, so this time it will be considered a military training, and a good solution must be come up. ”

Everyone knows that this is talking about the use of troops against the Qing and Mongols outside the Guan. At that time, the enemy's cavalry was more numerous and more courageous, and their logistical baggage was indeed more vulnerable. Food, okay, can be partially solved on the spot. If there were no ammunition and arrows, they would be miserable.

Everyone is thinking about it. After a while, Feng Cheng proposed: "The most appropriate way is to build a city." A small city was built at a distance of thirty or forty miles, and some soldiers were stationed. The baggage troops entered the small town, able to withstand enemy attacks and wait for reinforcements to arrive. Even if the baggage is attacked on the road, the small city garrisons at both ends can quickly go to reinforcements, pin down the enemy army, and wait for reinforcements to arrive. ”

"The cost is too high," Li Futian said: "If you go thousands of miles deep into the enemy's territory, how many walled cities will you have to build?"

Li Yan said with a smile: "Although this method consumes more time and troops, it is a safe method. Not only can the baggage smoothly reach the forward troops, but also can form effective control over the surrounding areas. However, to deal with Li Chuang's harassment, it is a bit of a knife to kill chickens. ”

After that, he thought for a moment and ordered: "In this way, I will add twenty tiger squatting cannons to you, and two hundred musketeers." You must step up investigations, heighten vigilance, and reduce losses. It is also necessary to pay attention to fire prevention, especially ammunition and oil and the like, and be sure to pay attention to safety. ”

"Subordinates remember." Li Futian clenched his fists and agreed.

At this time, news came that Li Mu had also captured Yulin and was heading to Yan'an Mansion in the south.

Li Yan said happily: "Very good, we have now become a two-way attack, and the troops arranged by Li Chuang in the north should rarely be able to reinforce Xi'an." ”

"Then should we continue to march to Xi'an immediately," Zhao Datong asked anxiously.

Li Yan nodded: "Well, since the ammunition has been replenished, we will continue to move westward tomorrow." ”

In the middle of the night, Li Yan was woken up, saying that he had caught a few soldiers who had broken into the thieves, and he had something important to ask for. It's wartime now, and Li Yan doesn't have the rule that he doesn't dare to disturb when he is resting. And this matter was also handled by Sun Sifu first, since he woke him up, then he knew that there must be something important.

Ma Tianhe, who was kneeling on the ground, saw Li Yan come out, and immediately kowtowed: "Villain Ma Tianhe, please see Engong." ”

Li Yan asked puzzledly: "We know each other."

Ma Tianhe told Li Yan about giving grain, kowtowed, and said: "The villain has now controlled the entire Lintong, and he has come to report to the Engong." If Engong allows, the villain can send a fake message to Xi'an, saying that Engong's soldiers and horses are not strong enough to attack the city, and the troops of Xi'an City can be transferred out, and Engong can be killed in a suitable place. ”

"Oh," Li Yan asked, "How do you know that I don't have enough stamina?"

The villain knew that Li Chuang had ambushed three or four thousand elite cavalry along the way, all of whom were Li Chuang's cronies, in order to cut off the Engong grain road. And Engong stayed here for a day, he should have encountered some problems. ”

Li Yan said with a smile: "You have such good skills, how can you be a boss?"

Ma Tianhe explained: "Li Chuang and others reuse the old people who rebelled together in Shaanxi and Shanxi, and the villain, a leader who defects halfway and has little strength, has no chance." After the founding of the country, we were all incorporated into the local guard force, and there was no chance of promotion. And the brothers under the villain all know what Engong did in his hometown in Henan, and we all want to serve under Engong. But I had no choice but to be stationed in Lintong, and I had this opportunity at this time. ”

Li Yan thought for a while before he said: "Although your idea is good, Lintong is too close to Xi'an, and it shouldn't be easy to fool Li Chuang." So you don't have to send any fake news to Xi'an, just let us enter smoothly. When we enter Lintong, you will be regarded as a member of my command, and after registering, all the treatment will not be less than others. ”

Ma Tianhe agreed: "Thank you for accepting it." Then the villain will go back, and the brethren will be glad and happy. ”

"You don't have to go back first, come with us at dawn, and don't delay anything." Li Yan commanded with a smile.

Ma Tianhe hugged his fists: "The villain obeys." ”

After Ma Tianhe was taken out, Sun Sifu asked, "Dashuai, will there be fraud?"

Li Yan said casually: "If Li Chuang fights me, I can't ask for it." If this Ma Tianhe is really a surrender, then Lintong is not bad as our rear base. Xi'an is not easy to deal with, there is the Wei River in the north and the Bahe River in the east, and it will definitely not be able to be attacked in a day or two. It would be much better to have a rear base, and it was Li Zicheng who was in a hurry. "To be continued.

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