After nearly five days of long journey, the Sui army fleet loaded with 50,000 troops finally arrived in Jiangling County, the river wind is mighty, the hunting is blowing the big flag, the strong east wind blows the sails into a semicircle, Yang Yuanqing stands at the bow of the ship, looking at the Tang army water village several miles away in the distance.

He saw more than 100 grain ships of the Sui army, neatly docked in the east of Shuizhai, with a total of three rows, stretching for seven or eight miles, but Yang Yuanqing's eyes were quickly attracted by the situation in the west, only to see that the west was a blackened wreckage of ships, and many large ships were only skeletons, which was miserable.

Not only Yang Yuanqing saw it, but the guards on the ship were all exclaimed, Xie Yingdeng slowly stepped forward and said in a low voice: "Your Highness, this should be General Wang who sent someone to attack the Tang Army's water village." ”

Yang Yuanqing was also quite surprised in his heart, judging from the situation in front of him, it should be that all the large warships of the Tang Army were burned, Wang Junkuo actually had such great courage, as far as he knew, Wang Junkuo should not have too many warships in his hands, how could he do it?

"I don't know the specifics of this, let's go to the shore and ask about the situation first."

"Your Highness, do you want to take the opportunity to rush into the enemy village and destroy the other grain ships?"

Yang Yuanqing shook his head, "Don't be so impatient, the brothers have worked hard all the way, get off the boat first and rest, and then wait until the situation is clear, they can't run away!" ”

Yang Yuanqing immediately turned around and ordered: "Pass my order, the big ship docks!" ”

"Collect the sails - dock!"

The main helm Zhang Long shouted loudly, the sails fell, the big ship began to turn around, heading towards the south shore, on the mast, the crew issued a flag to the ships behind to dock, and the big ships began to slow down.

There is a deep water area about ten miles long on the south shore of Jiangling County, which can allow Yang Yuanqing's giant sea ship to dock, and on the shore, Wang Junkuo led a large group of generals who have been waiting for a long time, and when Yang Yuanqing's big ship docks, everyone has gone up.

The boat boarded the long plank, and a group of soldiers walked down quickly from the board, and Yang Yuanqing stepped off the board. Wang Junkuo led dozens of generals to step forward quickly, kneeling down on one knee together, "See Your Highness!" ”

Yang Yuanqing smiled and said to everyone: "The generals have made great contributions to the capture of Yiling County. Everyone has a great merit, and after the war, they have their own reward. ”

Everyone was overjoyed and said in unison: "I am willing to serve His Highness!" ”

"Everybody, get up!"

Everyone got up one after another, and Wang Junkuo stepped forward and said, "I thought that His Highness would arrive tomorrow, but I didn't expect to come so soon." ”

Yang Yuanqing smiled, "Although it was not smooth along the way, it was very smooth." The wind is strong and the boat is fast, so it came a day early, how about it, what's the important situation? ”

"Returning to His Highness, the lowly post has taken Gong/An County, and Zhijiang County to the west has also surrendered."

"Well, that's good!"

Yang Yuanqing nodded approvingly. He turned back and pointed to the other side, "When I came over just now, I saw a piece of wreckage in the Tang Army's water village. Almost all of the warships were destroyed, is this also a great contribution of yours? ”

Wang Junkuo didn't want to say it, but since Yang Yuanqing specifically asked, he didn't want to say it, so he had to bow down and say: "This is the work of a subordinate general, that is, Yuan Song, the partial general who escorted the grain ship last time, I originally sent him to be a messenger, but he made a decision without authorization, and hid alone in the Tang Army's water village and burned the Tang Army's warship." ”

Yang Yuanqing heard that Wang Junkuo's tone was a little dissatisfied, so he glanced at the generals behind him. "Where is this man?" he asked. Let him come up to me. ”

Wang Junkuo was helpless, so he had to turn back to his soldiers and say, "Bring him to see His Royal Highness the King of Chu." ”

This made Yang Yuanqing feel slightly stunned in his heart, and after a while, several soldiers carried a person forward, who was lying on a stretcher, dying. At a glance, he knew that he was Yuan Song, and after escaping back to the camp, instead of attacking, he was scolded by Wang Junkuo, beating two hundred military sticks and almost killing him.

Yang Yuanqing's navy behind him came to Hong quickly stepped forward to check, Yuan Song has been following Laihu'er, it can be said that Laihu'er's personal confidant, naturally he is also Laihong's person, Laihong saw that he was almost killed, he couldn't help but be angry, and turned back to Wang Junkuo and glared angrily.

Yang Yuanqing's face sank, and he asked coldly, "What's going on?" ”

Wang Junkuo gritted his teeth and said: "Back to His Royal Highness, the military order is like a mountain, I only asked him to send an envoy to the Tang camp, but he acted without authorization and burned the Tang army's warships, such a major action was without my permission, so he was humbled and blamed to set an example to the whole army." ”

Yang Yuanqing didn't speak for a long time, it should be said that Wang Junkuo's actions were also impeccable, and he did it without following the military order, and he should indeed be held responsible, but he was not rewarded for his great achievements, this is Wang Junkuo's ruthless xìng character, Yang Yuanqing also knew that Wang Junkuo's popularity in the army was not good, and he was too poisonous and had no room for people.

Yang Yuanqing nodded, "If you disobey the order without authorization, you should be held responsible, but meritorious service should also be rewarded, have you rewarded him?" ”

Yuan Song said in a low voice: "Your Highness, you are guilty of despicability, and you dare not be rewarded." ”

Wang Junkuo bowed down and said: "Back to His Royal Highness, he should be beheaded according to military regulations, and his humble position is precisely because he has meritorious service, so he spared his life, which is already a crime of merit." ”

"Alright! You did the right thing, and I don't blame you. ”

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Wang Junkuo secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, he severely punished Yuan Song, which made many generals dissatisfied, making him very passive, if Yang Yuanqing did not support him again, it would be difficult for him to lead the army.

Yang Yuanqing really has nothing to say, the military regulations are not humane, one is one, two is two, Wang Junkuo's punishment is not a problem, although it is a little too ruthless, it can only be said that the scale is too severe, it can't be said that he did anything wrong, and more importantly, now on the eve of the war, he can't chill the general's heart because of a partial general.

Yang Yuanqing quickly gave Lai Hong a look, and Lai Hong hurriedly ordered someone to carry Yuan Song onto the boat to treat his injuries, Yuan Song was grateful in his heart, and said in a low voice: "Thank you, Young General." ”

Laihong patted him on the shoulder and sighed lowly.

Yang Yuanqing smiled again: "Let's go to the camp!" Let me find out about the situation in Yiling Road. ”

Wang Junkuo hurriedly waved his hand, "Your Highness, please!" ”

Yang Yuanqing, surrounded by the generals, went to the big tent of the Chinese army......

In the big tent of the Chinese army, Yang Yuanqing's personal soldiers were busy splicing the sand table, and in a moment, the eight sand tables were spliced into a huge sand table platform with a length and width of three zhang, which was a sand table map that included the entire Jingxiang.

Yang Yuanqing picked up the small blue flag and planted it on the four counties of Jiangling, Chuyang, Anlu, and Xiangyang, which are currently where the Tang army is stationed.

Yang Yuanqing planted the red flag in the four counties of Jiangxia, Jiangling, Nanyang, and Yiling, and the situation became clear at a glance.

Wang Junkuo couldn't help but sigh: "Your Highness, this sand table is really a good thing for fighting!" At a glance, use it for deployment, and there will be no major problems. ”

At this time, Xie Yingdeng and Lai Hong also stepped forward, and Yang Yuanqing picked up the wooden pole and said to everyone: "The reason why we want to fight Jiangling County first is because it cuts off the connection between Yiling County and Jiangxia County, so that our two strategic places cannot be connected as one, and secondly, there is the only naval warship of the Tang Army here, this battle, first of all, is to focus on water warfare, destroy all the warships of the Tang Army, and do not allow them to have the ability to transport troops of the Naval Army, so that the south of the Yangtze River is basically our territory, and then take Jiangling County and Chuyang County, We can then form a battle situation in which the north and south are flanked by Xiangyang. ”

Wang Junkuo pondered and asked: "I want to ask Your Highness, if the Tang army feels invincible and retreats back to Hanzhong, they will inevitably go south from Hanzhong to Bashu, at this time, is our Yiling army going to rush into Bashu immediately." ”

Yang Yuanqing nodded, "That's the plan, but Yiling's troops are too small, and it is difficult to occupy the county when it enters Bashu, once the battle of Xiangyang County comes to an end, I will increase the army of Yiling County to 50,000 people, so at this time, Yiling will not move for the time being." ”

"But Your Highness, I heard that Bashu is empty, and they are urgently recruiting troops, this is an opportunity!" Wang Junkuo hurriedly said again.

Yang Yuanqing still shook his head, "Our current strength is not yet able to start a war on two fronts, in fact, our strength is not stronger than the Tang Army, a little carelessness and complacency, we will be defeated by Jingxiang, resulting in overall passivity, I hope everyone can understand this." ”

Wang Junkuo was no longer silent, although he felt that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attack Bashu at this time, but since Yang Yuanqing did not agree, he had no choice but to obey.

Yang Yuanqing glanced at him and felt that he was not convinced, so he said seriously: "Our current army of 150,000, there are 100,000 troops are the original Du Fuwei army and Xiao Milling army, compared with the Tang army, the combat effectiveness is not strong, our only advantage is the warship and 20,000 cavalry, but this time the Tang army is menacing, Li Xiaogong no longer has the imperial court to control the elbow, he is also a good general, leading the troops strictly, especially he has 20,000 crossbow army, the training is very jīng good, our two armies can be said to be between the two armies, If I divide my troops to go to Bashu at this critical juncture, it will affect the battle of Jingzhou, and the difference is a millimeter, and we can't be careless about the enemy. ”

Wang Junkuo's face was full of shame, and he bowed deeply, "I know that I am wrong." ”

Yang Yuanqing smiled, "It's good to understand, now you can tell us carefully about the before and after of the Battle of Yiling." ”……

Inside the big ship, Yuan Song, a general, was lying in the cabin, sweating profusely in pain, and a military doctor was carefully cleaning his wounds with high wine, re-applying medicine and bandaging, and there were two female guards next to him to help take care of him.

At this time, there was a sound of footsteps outside, Yang Yuanqing and Lai Hong walked in, and the military doctor hurriedly saluted and stood aside.

"How's he doing?" Yang Yuanqing asked with concern.

"Back to His Highness, it's all flesh wounds, it's not a big problem, it can be seen that the sergeant's staff showed mercy when he was beaten."

Yang Yuanqing stepped forward and covered him with a blanket, so frightened that Yuan Song hurriedly wanted to get up, Yang Yuanqing smiled and pressed his shoulder, "If you are injured, you don't need to get up." ”

Yuan Song didn't expect His Royal Highness the King of Chu to come to visit him in person, he was grateful, his eyes were a little red, and he choked up: "Thank you...... Your Highness. ”

Yang Yuanqing nodded, "You entered the Tang camp alone, burned the Tang Dynasty warship, and made great contributions, although you were beaten, but the merit is meritorious, the fault is the fault, the fault has been punished, but the merit has not been rewarded, I want to reward you heavily." ”

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