The third watch day has passed, and the barracks of the Ming and Qing armies are still brightly lit.

The Chu army dug deep ditches overnight and built high walls.

The Qing army also dug deep ditches and built high walls overnight.

After seeing this abnormal situation, the officer on duty did not dare to slack off, and reported it to Wang Kefan at the next level.

Although it was late at night, Wang Kefan had not rested yet, and was talking with Zhang Kuangbing at night.

Cracking down on the "diehards," uniting the "progressives," and winning over the "centrists" are the basic guiding principles of the united front, and Zhang Kuang is the centrist who can be won over.

The centrists sway from side to side, pushing one hand will fall to the diehards, and pulling the other will move closer to the progressives, they have a great influence among the gentry and landlord class, and people like Zhang Kuang are even more in high positions, which will directly affect the victory or defeat of the struggle against the diehards, and must be treated with caution.

The relationship between Zhang Kuang and He Tengjiao is very deep, if it was placed a year ago, this night talk would not have happened at all, but with the successive victories of the Chu army, with the continuous growth of the Chu Xun group, and with the continuous loss of power by He Tengjiao, Zhang Kuang gradually wavered.

The mentality has changed, many estrangements have disappeared naturally, the atmosphere of the conversation is very harmonious, and many sensitive topics that are not usually touched upon have also exchanged views, as the window paper has been pierced layer by layer, the relationship between the two has quickly narrowed, although they are not yet allies, but they have reached a basic understanding, mutual sympathy and support.

The topic gradually deepened, and just as it was about the key point, someone suddenly came in to report and found that the Qing army had abnormal actions in the middle of the night.

"Let's go check it out." Wang Kefan and Zhang Kuang went out of the military tent together, climbed the camp wall and looked at the opposite side.

Inexplicably took the telescope. Seeing Wang Kefan come to his eyes, Zhang Kuang also came to his eyes like a model, in the telescope. The Qing army camp was clear under the light of the pine torches, and hundreds of auxiliary soldiers were building fortifications, busy and busy.

Zhang Kuang flipped his wrist, held the monocular horizontally, and looked it up and down.

"This thing is indeed a militaristic weapon, can you give it to the old man?"

"Of course!" Wang Kefan said with a smile: "When this battle is over, I will send some instructors to the teacher's camp." All the soldiers and horses will be retrained, and the binoculars will be matched with what is lacking in armor and equipment. ”

That's a tact. There are several meanings inside, the first is to refuse, although the telescope is a small thing, but it will not be sent lightly. If you really take it. It means a statement. The second is the temptation, I have shown enough sincerity, are you willing to strengthen cooperation, or even go directly to my ship. The third is to woo, even if you don't want to get on the ship for the time being, as long as you maintain goodwill towards the Chuxun Group, you can also give you all kinds of help.

Zhang Kuang suddenly felt that the telescope in his hand was a little hot, and he couldn't accept it. It's not going back, and I started the topic with a dry cough.

"Hmm. Luckedhun suddenly set up camp overnight, it should be after a few days of fierce fighting, the army has lost its sharpness, why not take advantage of the arrival of its reinforcements, and suddenly launch a strong attack at dawn tomorrow? ”

This is not a good idea, but it is basically reliable, and the 100-point system can score sixty or seventy points, which is already rare for Zhang Kuang, Wang Kefan showed an approving smile and nodded at him.

"Zhang Junmen is right, tomorrow morning is indeed a good fighter, but I think we can wait a little longer." Wang Kefan said: "If the decisive battle is held tomorrow morning, I am fifty percent sure that I will defeat Luckedhun, and three percent will be sure that the Qing army will be completely annihilated, but if it is two or three days later, when the Tartars themselves run out of ammunition and food, I will be eighty percent sure that the Qing army will be completely annihilated!" ”

Zhang Kuang was overjoyed at first, and then frowned: "I have to wait for another two or three days, Lucke is covered in Manchu Baylor, Geng Zhongming will definitely fight to save him, if he crosses the steaming water and attacks from both sides, my army may not have a chance to win." ”

"yes." Wang Kefan nodded, stared at the bright light of the Qing army camp opposite for a while, and said: "Since the Tartars have changed their tactics, we have to make changes with them, Geng Zhongming wants to come, let him come, just solve the ...... together"

……

In the night, the steaming water river flowed silently, some torches and lanterns were lit on the south bank of the river, the Qing army was making preparations for crossing the river, but the north bank was dark and there was no movement.

A few torches suddenly appeared in the distance, and a small group of Qing cavalry gradually approached, and after reaching the river, Geng Zhongming jumped off his horse, took two steps forward and climbed the river embankment, and looked at the opposite side. There is no military camp of the Ming and Qing armies here, it is dark everywhere, it seems to be hiding some danger, and his brows are getting tighter and tighter.

After the loss of Zhaojiawan, Geng Zhongming was panicked and panicked for the past two days, as if a catastrophe was coming.

More than 20,000 elite Qing troops, thousands of Eight Banner disciples, plus Leke Dehun, Baylor, if they were all lost in Hengyang, he, the King of Huaishun, would definitely come to an end, and he would lose his head if he didn't make a good mess.

"Underestimate the enemy and rush forward, the young man is too reckless after all! What a recklessness! "There are all pro-soldier children around him, Geng Zhongming doesn't have too many scruples when he speaks, and he is faintly complaining about Luckedhun. In the past two days, he mobilized troops and horses to storm Zhaojiawan and Caoqiao, but he didn't expect Luckedhun to leave again by himself, trapped near an unnamed mound, about ten miles away from the steaming river.

Geng Jimao persuaded: "Father, please be relieved, there are at least three days of food in the army of Dorobel (Luckedhun), and there will be no accident in three days, as long as we do our best to cross the steaming water, we can save Baylor." ”

"I'm afraid that he will be out of proportion, and if he is found by the Nanban again, he will be defeated before our reinforcements arrive." Geng Zhongming sighed: "Alas, Dorobelle has never fought against the wind, and after suffering setbacks one after another, he may not be able to mess with himself." ”

"......" Geng Jimao was speechless.

If you really mess up, the gods can't save you. It takes time to dispatch the army, it also takes time to level the road and build a temporary wharf, and the Tianyou soldiers will be able to cross the river as early as tomorrow afternoon, and if the Ming army blocks it, the time will have to be delayed.

At this moment, there seemed to be some movement on the river, and a small boat was coming from the opposite bank.

The pro-soldiers stepped forward to check, and after a short time, they brought back a soldier of the Eight Banners.

The Eight Banners soldier was wet, with two wounds on his shoulder and left leg, obviously after a fierce battle to break through the blockade of the Chu army, he didn't expect to meet Geng Zhongming here, he looked very happy, and hurriedly saluted and presented a secret letter from Luck Dehun.

Geng Zhongming inquired about the battle situation, and at the same time read the letter with a lantern, looking at it, his eyes gradually became sharp, and his face was radiant.

"Good! Good! Good!!! Come, reward this strong man, and ask him to go down and rest. "Send the Eight Banners down, Geng Zhongming handed the secret letter to a few cronies and generals to pass it on, pinched his fingers and frowned, and calculated it there.

"It's all right now!" Geng Jimao was also very excited after reading the secret letter, and praised: "This is really a good strategy to turn defeat into victory!" The Nanban tried his best to trap Dorobelle, and the next step was of course to besiege and attack, and the father led a large army to suddenly kill, and the inside and outside should be combined, and they will definitely be able to win a big victory! ”

"Not bad! Dorobel was in danger, his command was determined, and he had the style of a general, and it was difficult for the regent to value it so much. Geng Zhongming was in a good mood, and deliberately said to his son with a straight face: "Look, Dorobelle is a few years younger than you, but he has such courage, you have to learn more." ”

Geng Jimao has long been a general in the army, but he was taught as a child, which sounds really unpleasant, but he didn't dare to talk to Geng Zhongming, and it was inconvenient to slander Luckedhun, so he generously asked for his life at the moment: "Tomorrow to cross the river, the child is willing to be the vanguard of the former army, if he can't win, he is willing to be dealt with by military law!" ”

"Hahaha, good! There are young talents in the dragon and grandson, and there are also tiger sons and lin'er in this king, tomorrow's battle is a matter of importance, I will personally lead the Chinese army to escort you into battle...... "Geng Zhongming ordered again and again, withdrew the men and horses attacking Zhangjiawan overnight, and transferred troops from Hengyang City and Caoqiao, intending to gather a reinforcement of 30,000 people, after all, the reinforcements of the Ming army will arrive at any time, and bring more men and horses just in case.

Grain, arrows, gunpowder...... These much-needed supplies have been prepared long ago, and the nearby roads will be leveled so that they can be transported to the river tomorrow, and the pontoon bridge will be crossed as soon as possible, and they will be delivered to the army of Luckedhun as soon as possible.

In addition, the family can't sing the empty city plan, in case of a surprise attack by the enemy army to occupy Hengyang, tens of thousands of troops will have no way to retreat. However, the main force of the Tianyou soldiers had to cross the river to fight, and there were only more than 3,000 left-behind troops in Hengyang City, and the troops were obviously insufficient.

The city wall of Hengyang is strong, the firearms of the Tianyou soldiers are sharp, and there are more than 20 cannons on the head of the city.

When beating people, you first have to clench your fists, Geng Zhongming sent several heralds to inform the Qing army battalions to prepare overnight.

On the morning of the next day, the Qing troops from all walks of life arrived one after another, assembled by the steaming river, Geng Jimao selected two thousand elites from them, crossed the steaming water by boat, and set up a defensive formation in front of the river bank to cover the sailors to build a pontoon bridge.

The Chu army came to block unexpectedly, Tan Xiao led the Yuezhou battalion and Geng Jimao to start a fierce battle, under their fierce attack, Geng Jimao's defense line was once broken through, and the pontoon bridge that had just been halfway up was also burned, but the Qing army sailors transported three thousand reinforcements in time, and Geng Jimao finally stabilized his position and drove Tan Xiao away from the river.

The red sun is in the west, and the battle ahead is still continuing, and the pontoon bridges erected on both sides of the strait are extending forward little by little, and they are about to close the dragon.

The corners of Geng Zhongming's mouth finally showed a smile, I don't know for what reason, the troops sent by the Chu army were not sufficient, only the Yuezhou battalion was always fighting alone, and the Tianyou soldiers' crossing of the river was more smooth than he expected.

Where is Wang Kefan's main force?

"It should be attacking Dorobelle, I have to cross the river quickly and rush to support......" Geng Zhongming smiled secretly, he was really confused, the reason for this is obvious, the Chu army is clumsy on the left and right, and the strength is already stretched. (To be continued......)