readx; Like An Lushan in Hebei, the Southern Tang Dynasty also had a large number of intelligence personnel in Chang'an, and what was more advantageous than An Lushan was that many middle and low-level officials consciously or unconsciously played the role of transmitting intelligence. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

Li Qing'an publicly announced the decision to march into Jiangnan at the enlarged meeting of the political affairs hall, and the news instantly spread throughout the imperial court and beyond, and naturally, several pigeons with fluttering wings sent this important information to the Southern Tang Dynasty.

On the third day after Li Qing'an made the decision to march into Jiangnan, a piece of information marked with the words "top secret" was put on the imperial case of Li Heng, which was undoubtedly a major test for Li Heng, who had just stabilized his military power.

As Li Heng was forced to release Gao Xianzhi back to the Northern Tang Dynasty, the military power of the Southern Tang Dynasty gradually stabilized, most of the army was taken over by the crown prince Li Department, and several of Gao Xianzhi's henchmen were also divided, Jia Chongjun surrendered to Li Heng and took away 20,000 elite soldiers, and Xi Yuanqing and Zhao Chongxuan refused to compromise with Li Heng, Zhao Chongxuan received a letter of surrender from his brother, Zhao Chongjie, a lieutenant in the Anxi Army, and the two finally led 10,000 troops from Guizhou to Fangzhou into Hanzhong and took refuge in the Northern Tang Army.

Although Jia Chongqian surrendered to Li Heng, he was not allowed to reuse, and Li Heng transferred Jia Chongqian to Nanzhao as Taishou, away from the important town of Shuzhong, and took away his 20,000 elite soldiers, so that Li Heng completely held the military power of the 180,000 Jiannan Army firmly in his own hands.

If you add the 120,000 troops on the south side of the Yangtze River, Li Heng actually has 300,000 troops, and basically has the capital to compete with the Northern Tang Dynasty and An Lushan.

Just when Li Hengzhi was complacent and was about to focus on domestic affairs, finance and taxation, the news that Li Qingan was about to attack Jiangnan reached him.

For a whole day, Li Heng locked himself in the imperial study, and no one was seen, until dusk, when he ordered someone to invite the crown prince and Xiangguo Cui Yuan.

Li Heng was obviously a little tired, his eyes were swollen, his eyes were full of bloodshots, and his voice was a little hoarse, he sat behind the imperial case, and said slowly, in his tone like boiled water...... Regarding Li Qing'an's attack on Jiangnan, I made a decision. ”

The face of the crown prince Li showed an irrepressible excitement, yes, Li Qing'an's main force went to Hedong and Henan, Chang'an troops were already running out, and he also took tens of thousands of troops to Jiangnan, this is a golden opportunity, if his father decides to seize this opportunity, he is willing to be the main general, lead the army to attack Chang'an, and restore their orthodox position.

Li Heng's impatience and Li Heng's slow swallowing formed a sharp contrast, as soon as Li Heng's voice fell, Li took a step forward and said: "Father, the son is willing to relieve his father's worries and lead the army to attack Hanzhong, so as to seize Chang'an." ”

Li Heng looked at him deeply, and still said in a slightly hoarse, boiled water-like tone: "Did I say that I was going to attack Chang'an?" ”

Li was stunned, wasn't he? He said cautiously: "Father, the sons and daughters think that attacking Chang'an is the best plan to encircle Wei and save Zhao, only in this way can Li Qingan be forced not to dare to go to Jiangnan, father, don't hesitate." ”

Li Heng ignored him, but turned his head and asked Cui Yuandao, "Xiangguo, what do you think?" ”

Cui Yuan bowed and said: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that the stakes are very important, and we can't make a decision easily, we need to know more and more detailed information, such as how many troops Li Qing'an sent, how many troops to stay in Chang'an, etc., in order to make a correct decision." ”

Cui Yuan's words are reasonable, and they are also magnificent, making people impeccable, but Li Department secretly scolded the old fritters, and said it as if he didn't say it, he said: "Father, and no matter how many troops Li Qing'an sent, but one thing is true, he wants to personally lead the army to Jiangnan, which is equivalent to a war on two fronts at the same time, Erchen thinks, even if we don't fight Chang'an, but we must take this opportunity to take Hanzhong, and the soldiers refer to Chang'an, this is knocking on the mountain and shaking the tiger, Li Qing'an also does not dare to go down to Jiangnan again, but he can save 100,000 troops in Jiangnan, father, I can't hesitate anymore, decide!" ”

"Yes, I've decided."

Li Heng sighed, but he said to the two in a firm and irresistible tone: "I have decided to go out of Yiling, take Jingzhou, and open a westward retreat channel for the Jiangnan army. ”

Li was shocked, he looked at his father incredulously, he wanted to say something, but he couldn't say anything, but Cui Yuan sighed secretly, he thought of a sentence: 'The trapped beast is still fighting, but the courage is insufficient. ’

Three days later, Li Heng ordered the crown prince to supervise the country, Cui Yuan, Wang Heng and other ministers assisted, and he himself personally led an army of 100,000 to kill Yiling, Yiling guard Zhang Guizheng rectified the warship, built a palace, and waited for the arrival of the Southern Tang Emperor Li Heng, twenty days later, Li Heng led the army to Yiling.

．．．．．．．．

In Yangzhou, Li Qing'an's elite army of 30,000 Anxi troops experienced nearly a month's march, and after the 50,000 troops of Xuzhou and Lifei Shouyu converged, a total of 80,000 people gathered along the Cao River and went south, and seven days later, 80,000 troops arrived ten miles north of Jiangdu.

After eight years, Li Qing'an came to Yangzhou again, that year he came to Yangzhou as a Zhonglang to train soldiers, and took away 500 elite soldiers, after many years of conquest, these 500 elite soldiers are only less than 20%, especially the battle of Shibao City, Yangzhou's 500 elite soldiers were killed and wounded more than 300 people, and the remaining 74 people have now become the pillars of the Anxi army, Nan Jiyun is the general of Qianniuwei, Zhao Zhiyun, the governor of Tuzhicheng, Luo Sheng, the deputy governor of Tocharo, Ding Zhanzhao, the soldiers and horses of Beiting, etc., these generals can stand alone, They were all soldiers he brought out of Yangzhou back then.

Li Qing'an rode on a horse and looked at the bleak situation on the Jianghuai Plain in the distance, the earth is gray, the sky is also gray, as if a strong wind blows, the heaven and the earth present a chaotic scene, the river does not freeze after crossing the Huai River, a team of flat-bottomed boats full of hay slowly walk on the almost dry river, and in the distance, there are faintly a huge warehouse group, which is the transit warehouse of Yangzhou.

Li Qingan couldn't help but think of the situation when he first arrived in Yangzhou eight years ago, when he was still very young, full of vigor and ideals, and now he is thirty-four years old and has begun to enter the golden age of a man.

"Shouyu, do you remember when the two of us were ordered to come to Yangzhou to train our troops?" The corners of Li Qingan's mouth showed a smile of reminiscence.

Li Fei Shouyu nodded and smiled: "Why don't you remember!" For this training, we didn't participate in the last polo tournament, but fortunately, the Anxi Army won Fan Yangjun in the end, otherwise you, the No. 1 scorer in Anxi, wouldn't you regret it for life? ”

Li Qingan smiled and said: "I don't regret it for a lifetime, but I can let An Lushan not regret it for life, and he can also say that I defeated Li Qingan back then, but who knows that it was polo?" Unfortunately, he didn't even have that chance. ”

The surrounding soldiers couldn't help laughing together when they heard Li Qing'an say something interesting, and at this time, the front army a few miles away stopped, and an officer rode a horse and galloped forward to report, "Report to the general, the front army has arrived at the barracks!" ”

The barracks is the northern battalion of Li Lanjun's army, about five miles away from Jiangdu City, all of them are brick and wood structures, rows of barracks are invisible, it is unimaginably large enough to accommodate more than 10,000 cavalry galloping horses, covering an area of nearly 1,000 acres, there is a huge wharf by the river, there are dozens of warehouses next to the wharf, this northern battalion can at least garrison at least 100,000 troops.

Li Qing'an nodded and ordered: "The army can enter the camp and garrison and defend according to the rules of the Anxi Army." ”

The Anxi army is generally camped in the field, surrounded by a huge camp fence, every fifty paces must have a guard tower, and there are four guard towers three hundred steps away from the front and back of the camp, and the defense is very tight.

Obviously, the defense awareness of Li Lan's army is still relatively weak, or it is not necessary to be so tight because it is close to Jiangdu City, but for the Anxi army, no matter where it is stationed, it is the same strict defense and meticulous.

The soldiers quickly entered the barracks and settled down, and more than 3,000 fortified soldiers began to build guard towers by the side of the camp wall, dredged the ditch outside the camp that had been abandoned, brought in the canal water, and installed the camp fence at the gate.

At this time, Li Baozhen, who had just arrived from Jiangyang County, galloped to the front of the camp, and a hundred steps away, he dismounted and shouted: "Huainan Commander Li Baozhen, ask to see the general!" ”

After a while, the camp gate opened, and the patrol officer on duty came out and said, "General Li, the general is invited!" ”

Li Baozhen handed over the weapons and horses, and followed the patrol officer all the way to the shuai tent, although there were ready-made barracks in the barracks, but the discussion room was too small for Li Qing'an's huge sand table to fit in, so he ordered to still set up the shuai tent and four marching tents, and place the sand table specifically.

There are more than 1,000 tiger guards around the tent with guns and shields to protect the left and right, and the patrol officer led Li Baozhen to the front of the camp tent and reported loudly: "General, General Li Baozhen has arrived!" ”

"Let him in!"

Li Baozhen tidied up his military uniform and strode into the camp tent, where two huge sand tables were placed, Li Qingan was holding a wooden stick in one hand, and he was talking to a group of generals such as Lifei Shouyu, Zhao Chongjie, Tian Qianzhen, He Lou Yurun, etc.?

Li Baozhen took a step forward, half-knelt down and saluted: "Subordinate Li Baozhen, see the general!" ”

"You've come just in time!"

Li Qingan smiled and asked him to get up, and said, "Come here!" We're asking you something. ”

"The subordinates don't dare, please ask the general to give orders."

Li Qing'an pointed at the salt port with a wooden stick and asked: "What we are most concerned about is the salt port wharf, can we park a sea ship of 5,000 stones?" ”

Li Baozhen seized the salt port only on the order of Li Qing'an to send troops, why did he take the salt port but he didn't know, he heard the sea ship of five thousand stones, he couldn't help but be taken aback, the largest warship in Yangzhou was only five hundred stones, or the ten old ships that captured Yuan Jingyao's army, and the ships of more than five hundred stones were all sailed to the other side by Li Lan, where is the big ship of five thousand stones?

Although he was surprised in his heart, he still replied immediately: "Returning to the general, I heard from the subordinate that in the past, Li Lan used a sea ship of 3,000 stones to transport salt to the north, and the water in the harbor was extremely deep, and several large ships of more than 3,000 stone could be parked on the wharf at the same time, and whether he could stop a ship of 5,000 stones, his subordinates really don't know." ”

Li Qingan nodded and said: "This question is very important, although it seems to be possible, but it must be confirmed, you immediately send someone to clarify this matter, whether the ship with a full load of five thousand stones can stop." ”

"Yes! The subordinates will send people. ”

Li Baozhen turned around to leave, but Li Qingan stopped him again, and said with a smile: "You don't need to go in person, I will send a personal soldier to give you an order, and I still have something to ask you." ”

Li Baozhen scratched his head embarrassedly and said, "The subordinates are too anxious." ”

"I'll ask you again."

Li Qing'an pointed to the waters around Hudou Island with a wooden stick and said, "I ordered you not only to occupy the salt port, but also to control the waters in the northern part of Hutuo Island, and not allow the sentinel ships on the opposite shore to enter, how did you do it?" ”

"Report to the general, at present, Hutuo Island is garrisoned by 2,000 sailors led by Sima Li Milling of Yangzhou, and twenty warships patrol the northern waters of Hutuo Island every day, and there are absolutely no sentinel ships on the opposite shore to enter."

Li Qingan nodded and smiled: "Not bad! You can capture Yangang and collect 5,000 soldiers, I will write down your first merit, if you can make another merit, it will be five merits, and you can be promoted to general, General Li, I congratulate you first. ”

Li Baozhen's eyes showed a look of expectation, and he clenched his fists and said, "I beg the general to give me another chance to make meritorious contributions." ”

Several generals next to him saw that he was anxious, and they all laughed together, and He Lou Yurun chattered and laughed: "General Li, it is just a little credit for capturing a piece of cake in Jiangnan, if all of them are taken away by you, what we eat, we have to leave us a mouthful!" ”

Li Baozhen was a little embarrassed, and said to everyone: "I am so sorry that I forgot everyone." ”

Li Fei Shouyu said with a smile: "Everyone has the opportunity to make meritorious contributions, otherwise the general would not have brought everyone here, by the way, General Li, how is the recruitment of recruits in Yangzhou?" ”

Li Fei Shouyu is responsible for training recruits, and he pays special attention to recruitment, Li Baozhen hurriedly said: "Please rest assured General Lifei, the local officials are very effective, this month, 50,000 recruits have been recruited, I have been training them for General Lifei, at present, 50,000 troops are stationed in Jiangyang County." ”

"That's good, I'm going to Jiangyang County immediately."

Li Fei Shouyu bowed to Li Qingan and said, "I am so anxious to do my job, please let the general allow me to go to Jiangyang County." ”

Li Qing'an nodded, looked at him and said: "You can go, but I want to remind you that these 50,000 troops are the pillar force of the imperial court to control Jiangnan in the future, and they must be strictly trained in accordance with the training methods of the Anxi army, and I will go to inspect the troops before leaving Jiangnan, you don't let me down." ”

"I understand my humble duties, and I will never let the general down."

At this time, Li Qing'an waved his hand, and more than a dozen soldiers moved another sand table over, connecting the two sand tables as a whole, this is a sand table in the Jingxiang area, when Li Qing'an marched to Luoyang, he got the news that Li Heng sent troops to Yiling, and he immediately realized that this was Li Heng sending troops to rescue Li Lan and open the channel for him to retreat westward, which can also be seen Li Heng's weakness, and did not dare to send troops to Hanzhong, but to attack Jingzhou.

Li Qing'an pondered for a long time, then turned back to Tian Qianzhen and smiled: "General Tian, if you ask you to intercept Li Lan, what do you think?" ”

Tian Qianzhen knew that Li Qing'an was going to give him a task, so he stepped forward and said: "I think that if Li Luan is defeated, he will definitely take the Yangtze River waterway and give full play to their naval advantages, we are indeed inferior to them on the river, and it is not easy to stop his army, the key is to let them abandon the boat and go ashore, so the lowly position suggests that the river be locked with iron chains in the Jiangning area and force them to abandon the ship......"

"No!"

Li Qingan shook his head and said: "The chain locking the river is laborious to make, but it is easy to break it, it will be broken after burning it for half a day, as you said, it is really a contest on the water, we will suffer, and I will not let my Anxi elite sacrifice in vain, I still have to find a way to kill them on land, Li Lan is not enough, but his 100,000 army, if they are let go west, it is really a pity." ”

At this time, Zhao Chongjie, who had been silent, said: "General, I have a plan to annihilate most of the enemy army." ”

．．．．．．．．．．

(To be continued)