Compared with Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong's strength is much weaker, with more than 300,000 people and only 40,000 elites.

Because of the lack of strength, there was still Qin Liangyu's obstruction in Sichuan, so in order to collect Sichuan, Zhang Xianzhong took away most of the elite soldiers and fierce generals, leaving only 50,000 horses and horses, and handed them over to Sun Kewang and Feng Shuangli to guard Huguang.

After Zhang Xianzhong entered Sichuan, the strength of the Western Army in Huguang was relatively thin, allowing the Ming army to take advantage of the situation to recapture Wuchang.

After Sun Kewang and Feng Shuangli lost in Wuchang, they immediately went to Jingzhou to hold on, and the Ming army did not come to attack in the past year, Gao Yihuan was too busy to take care of himself, the strength of the western army in Jingzhou was insufficient, and Sun Kewang was long in internal affairs and short in military strategy, and the western army nested in the Yiling area of Jingzhou, cultivated and developed, and did not expand in Huguang.

Let's say that He Tengjiao got a lot of money and food from his family, and he was ambitious, and he wanted to establish a career and pay homage to the prime minister.

Influenced by Confucianism, literati generally rarely thought about seeking a dynasty to usurp the throne, and their ultimate ideals mostly stopped at feudal lords and ministers.

Gao Yihuan wants to accept Li Yan, which is also the reason, compared with the military generals, Wenchen is much less threatening to the monarch. At most, they will be traitors, but most of them will not threaten the life of the monarch, but it is difficult to say about the generals.

Since the end of the Tang Dynasty, the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, taking history as a mirror, the monarch has been very wary of this.

He Tengjiao is a civil minister, but he is very eager for power, hoping that one day he can enter the cabinet to worship the prime minister and become a powerful minister of the government and the opposition.

At this time, there was such an opportunity, in front of him, that is, to seize Jingzhou.

The little emperor of Nanjing has already released his words, as long as he recovers all of Chu, he will be able to enter the cabinet and become a marquis, and He Tengjiao naturally wants to seize this opportunity.

At the beginning of May, He Tengjiao ordered the soldiers and horses of Jiuzhen, a total of 100,000 troops, with Hunan Governor Du Yinxi as the army of the South Road, commanding 30,000 troops, and making "Little Ma Chao" Ma Xianglin the vanguard general, collecting public security and other places, threatening Jingzhou from the south.

He Tengjiao, together with Yang Wenyue, the governor of Hubei, commanded Zhang Xianbi, Huang Chaoxuan and other departments, totaling 70,000 troops, and requisitioned 1,000 civilian ships to go up the river from Yuezhou to capture Jingzhou.

As far as Huguang is concerned, the most important place is not Xiangyang or Wuchang, but Jingzhou.

Historically, there are not a few people who have become big according to Jingzhou, and the best at taking advantage of Jingzhou's momentum is none other than the Chu State.

The capital of Chu is in Ying, and Xiangyang is controlled in the north, in order to seek Han Wei, in the west according to Qianzhong and Wujun and block Qin, and in the east to force Chen and Cai, to pass through Jianghuai, according to the whole Chu form to win, and compete for hegemony in the Central Plains.

Jingzhou is in the middle of Chu, the strategic location is very important, if it falls into the hands of the Western Army for a long time, once Zhang Xianzhong completes the integration of Sichuan, and then sends troops out of Sichuan, then Huguang will be in danger.

Therefore, He Tengjiao wanted to recapture Jingzhou and block Zhang Xianzhong in Sichuan.

At this time, 70,000 Ming troops, plus the recruited people, a total of more than 100,000 men and horses, went west against the Yangtze River.

For a time, along the Yangtze River, several Ming armies stretched for more than ten miles, with great momentum, and warships on the river covered the river.

At this time, among the many warships, a big ship was planted with a big flag, on which was written a huge 'He' word, which was He Tengjiao's big flag.

The big boat was dragging by the slender man, and he Tengjiao was standing in the cabin, looking at a map of the lake and Guangzhou, and Yang Wenyue was standing next to him.

He Tengjiao also suppressed the rogue in his early years, but he didn't have anything too brilliant, and he knew that he was not very good, so he kept Yang Wenyue by his side.

Yang Wenyue once served as the governor of the Baoding Army, obeyed orders under the command of the superintendent Ding Qirui, and dealt with Li Zicheng for many years, knew the military affairs, and was very capable.

The year before last, Zhang Xianzhong broke Wuchang, the army attacked Yuezhou, when the situation in Huguang was precarious, He Tengjiao was frightened and fled to Changsha, and handed over Yuezhou to Yang Wenyue for defense, he thought that Yang Wenyue could not hold it, but he did not expect to defend it in the end, ensuring that the Ming army almost controlled a complete Hunan.

This made He Tengjiao know Yang Wenyue's ability, so he would listen to Yang Wenyue's opinion in military affairs, and then make a little flexibility, and finally become He someone's idea.

Fighting Jingzhou this time is a big event, and He Tengjiao naturally brought Yang Wenyue with him, so that he could pay attention to it at a critical moment.

"Yangfu Yuan, the hall learned the news, the Sun thief found out that the hall was marching and gathered heavy troops in Jingzhou, and the city wall of Jingzhou is as high as three feet and three feet, the moat is six zhang wide and the city defense is perfect, how should the church take this Jingzhou city?"

At this time, He Tengjiao led the army and had already advanced to Shishou, but he actually had no strategy for how to take Jingzhou.

Originally, He Tengjiao wanted to think while marching, and when he arrived in Jingzhou, he should have come up with a strategy to break the enemy, but seeing that he was about to enter Jingzhou and engage the Western Army, he thought hard for a few days, and there was no suitable strategy, so he had to ask Yang Wenyue.

Yang Wenyue glanced at He Tengjiao, his face was a little surprised, when he went out, he had advised He Tengjiao not to make a noise, in case Sun Thief was prepared, but He Tengjiao waved his hand and put on a confident posture.

Yang Wenyue asked him if he had any plans, He Tengjiao didn't say anything, with a look that he would know when the time came, he didn't want to be in Jingzhou soon, he would actually ask this.

This is also He Tengjiao thinking that as the governor, he must have some ideas himself, and he can't ask for help before he starts, so it seems that he is too incompetent, and this time he raised 100,000 troops, and Sun Thief only has 50,000 people, he has an advantage, so he is ready to show his military strategy, who knows that he has held back all the way, but nothing has come out.

Yang Wenyue was a little stunned for a while, you don't have an idea, you just say it now?

Yang Wenyue saw that He Tengjiao was in Yuezhou, so he first let the grain merchants speculate and collect the wealth of the people, and then copied the grain merchants to get money and grain, and played very smoothly.

If it is the government that directly collects money, it will inevitably arouse the anger of the people, He Tengjiao through this hand, let the businessman bear his name, he got benefits, and he is a good hand, why did he not recruit when he met the enemy?

Yang Wenyue wiped his face with one hand and let out a sigh of relief, "Xia Guan originally wanted to suggest that the governor should secretly transfer troops, attack Jingzhou first, lead the thieves in Yiling Prefecture to rescue, and then ambush the soldiers to destroy the reinforcements first, and take advantage of the situation to seize Yiling, cut off the road for Sun Thief to retreat into Sichuan, and trapped Sun Thief to death in Jingzhou." Now that Sun Thief has known the movement of our army, Yiling Prefecture and Jingzhou must be on guard, and Jingzhou City is high and wide, making it difficult to attack. ”

He Tengjiao's face turned red, and when he stopped halfway through speaking, he thought that Yang Wenyue had no idea, so he couldn't help but feel anxious, and urged repeatedly, "Yangfuyuan, you go on!"

Yang Wenyue pondered for a moment before he continued: "Governor Xian, the lower official suggests that since Sun Thief already knows the movement of our army, then first avoid Jingzhou, which has a thick city wall, and go to Yiling Prefecture, where the city defense is slightly weaker, and force Sun Thief to bring troops to rescue, and then surround the point to send reinforcements, first destroy Sun Thief, and then take Jingzhou and Yiling." ”

After He Tengjiao listened, his eyes turned, Yiling is a passage connecting Sichuan and Shu, Huguang, the Ming army attacked Yiling, Sun Kewang must be saved.

For a while, He Tengjiao's face was happy, nodded with satisfaction, and exclaimed, "The hero sees the same thing, Yangfu Courtyard and the main hall, I want to go together~"

(End of chapter)