"Why don't you see Liu Tingzhou?"

Hu Wei passed on the return of Yuan to the government, Tao Chun had arrived in Xingyuan, Gao Zongting, Song Fu, Ao Canghai, Sun Jingtang and others had already met in the past, Song Jia waited for Lin Tie to put on a python robe, and asked him softly.

Lin Lian sorted out his clothes in front of the tinned glass mirror, thinking of Liu Tingzhou, his expression was deep, as if there was a string in his heart, O'er breathed a sigh of relief, and said: "Liu Tingzhou should be a minister, when he was in Huai'an, he could give up his family to reject Kou, sacrifice himself to become a thief, and not be afraid of authority, then Huaixi longitudinated Chen Zhihu entered Nanyang, Liu Tingzhou did not fight, it was not that he succumbed to Dong Yuan, but that he went astray, what good do I see him?" ”

Song Jia also sighed lightly and said: "Liu Tingzhou governs Huai'an and Haosi, and also has many means to settle the people's livelihood, and also suppresses the township tyrants and maintains the common people, but in the final analysis, he still wants to maintain the rule of the imperial family, and he always hopes to be the minister of Zhongxing in Yuan Yue!" ”

"Being a monarch and a herdsman is a deep-rooted moral concept of the world's scholars, and it is also the psychological root of their belief that they take themselves for granted above the common people. On this path, the vast majority of scholars never forgot themselves at all; Liu Tingzhou has already gone too far, and people can't see the slightest human touch......" Lin Jian said.

"But compared with corrupt officials and corrupt officials, isn't Liu Tingzhou more respectable?" Song Jia was also a little puzzled and asked, "As you just said, according to the standards of the world, Liu Tingzhou must be regarded as a slanderous gentleman." ”

This is exactly what makes people even more fearful. There is a church country in the continent of Taixi, and the fanatical cultists never show mercy to the infidels when they pick up the butcher's knife, and regard evil as good and killing as salvation. Think about it, what is the difference between Liu Tingzhou and them? Liu Tingzhou is just a fanatic who is loyal to the king," Lin Jian said helplessly, "I would rather not have such a vicious gentleman." ”

"Regard loyalty as good, and everything that violates this path as evil, so to speak, Liu Tingzhou is really going too far," Song Jia saw that Lin Jian was not happy, put his hand on his chest, and said, "To be reasonable, I really can't say anything about you......"

Lin Jian smiled, left Liu Tingzhou behind, put on a python robe, and walked to the outer courtyard.

****************

After the Battle of Jingxiang, from Huaishui to the west, to Tongbai Mountain and Qinling, the offensive and defensive situation was completely reversed.

After the remnants of the Yanhu Western Front retreated northward, although they still controlled the Wuguan, which was easy to defend and difficult to attack, and blocked the entrance of the Huaidong Army into the pass in the north with the danger of Jiusai, and at the same time set up Chen Zhihu as the king of Qin to make it guard the pass, but Chen Zhihu led the remnants of the troops and Tian and Su, and the soldiers and horses in the pass were only 60,000 or 70,000, and they completely lost the ability to go out of the Wuguan and threaten Nanyang and Jingxiang.

Similarly, Lin Jian had to start adjusting the defense of the Qinling Mountains and Huaishui lines, and while further consolidating the defense line, he also made some preparations in advance for the future Northern Expedition.

Since Huaidong had an irreparable advantage in the eastern front, it was an inevitable choice to gradually shift the military focus to the eastern front while conducting a military confrontation on the western front, and to actively prepare for the Northern Expedition on the eastern front.

Among the armies of Henan, Dong Yuan was made to conquer Xuchang on the western front, and Yue Leng was to be in the middle of the army, to put it bluntly, to isolate Dong Yuan, who was dangerous and threatening to Huaidong, from the eastern front.

However, for the Henan armies, in addition to asking them to push the defense line to Changge, Yanling, Shangqiu, and Yucheng, they were also required to contain and attack the Northern Yan in Hezhong Fu and Daliang, an important town on the south bank of the Yellow River.

Lin Lian, dressed in a python robe embroidered with a four-clawed golden dragon, sat on the ground in front of the long case, and asked Yuan Guizheng, Tao Chun, Gao Zongting, Song Fu and others to sit in columns, and said, "...... In the opening remarks, Song Gong and Zong Ting also talked to Yuan Hou Ye and General Tao, and this court will not be too verbose. Nowadays, the Huaishui River goes north to the south bank of the Yellow River, and the rivers are also mostly frozen. From the Yellow River to the south, the Lihu cavalry is interspersed with battles, and unless it is the opportunity for the armies to advance northward, this court will not ask you to venture north and recover the city on the south bank of the Yellow River. At present, all the cities on the south bank of the Yellow River are crippled, and the recovery is of little significance, but the Henan camp must have a clear goal and plan for the military action after the ice melts the spring. This goal and plan are not demanding by this court, such as the number of homeless people, the number of camps to be built, the number of scout fronts to the north, the number of core fortifications to the north, the number of elites, and the number of old and weak soldiers. Before the spring and March, the Privy Council would pay the full amount of money, food, and salaries, so that everyone had time to rest and recuperate after the war; After March, the payment of money and grain will be directly linked to the degree of implementation of the combat readiness plan of the Henan armies...... Men and horses with combat effectiveness will naturally have abundant money and food supplies; Not only will there be no abundant money and food supplies, but they must also be eliminated as soon as possible to save resources. I think everyone understands the truth in their hearts. Of course, if the Henan armies can take down the Hezhong Mansion, there is no problem with the money and grain of the center, provided that the Henan armies have the ability to take down the Hezhong Mansion. ”

Hezhong Province is almost the only remaining place in Henan, which has been little damaged by the war; Liang Chengyi recuperated for several years, but before the Cao family abandoned Guanzhong, Liang Chengyi first abandoned Hezhong Mansion and fled south, and gave Chen Zhihu a big defeat in the north of the Ru River.

In addition to 800 miles of good land and a million Dingkou, 800 miles of Luochuan is bordered by Funiu Mountain in the south, the Yellow River in the north, and Luoshui and Yinshui in the north of the Yellow River in the territory are defended, and more east Guanzhong is sheltered, and it is also the flank barrier of Jinzhong County on the north bank of the Yellow River.

At this time, Yan Hu had more than 40,000 foot riders in Hezhong Mansion.

Dong Yuan directly controlled more than 80,000 troops and horses on the front line of Xuchang and Ruzhou, and had already formed a military superiority over Hezhong Province, even if it was difficult to march north in the cold winter season, but after the beginning of spring, there were still conditions for using troops to Hezhong Province.

Lin Jian didn't expect Dong Yuan to fight with Yan Hu in Hezhong Mansion, but he would definitely not let Dong Yuan, who was still in his army, live a good life.

In addition to the fact that Vortex Yang is farther south than Xuchang, the main thing is that the military center of gravity of the Huaidong Army will shift to the east after the spring, which will attract the attention of most of the Yanhu soldiers and horses on the eastern front, and will greatly share the pressure on the Voryang side......

According to Lin Lian's statement, it will be easier to implement and achieve the military operation goals and plans on the Voryang side, and the pressure on Xuchang's side will be much greater, so that Lin Lian will have an excuse to reduce the money, food and establishment of Xuchang, and further strengthen Voryang - Yuan Guizheng can understand Lin Lian's intentions, and it is difficult to say anything, just silently write down what Lin Lian said, and then think about it in the long term when he returns to Xuchang.

Next, Lin Jian informed Yuan Guizheng and Tao Chun of the next defense and military adjustments of the Huaidong Army.

The offensive and defensive positions on the Western Front are easy, but there is still a lot of pressure on the war.

Lin Jian divided Nanyang, Xiangfan, and Suizhou into a war defense area, set up a Nanyang camp, with Ao Canghai as the head of the Nanyang camp and the governor of Nanyang Prefecture, and Sun Wenbing as the marching Sima and the supervisor of grain and straw, and used Tang Xitai, Wang Xiang, Gu Hao and others to know the affairs of Xiangyang, the affairs of Suizhou, and the affairs of Nanyang.

The First Town Division of the Changshan Army was divided into two divisions, one with Chen Dingbang as the army, which remained in the sequence of the Changshan Army, and was stationed in Nanyang with Yu Wencheng and Liu Zhenzhi's troops; The 3rd Brigade of the Cavalry Battalion was expanded to the 3rd Town Division of the Cavalry Battalion, and the 3rd Brigade was formed; In addition, Hu Yuer's department was separated from the forbidden camp water army, and the Xiangyang and water army at the deputy town division level were organized to guard the upper reaches of the Han River.

The garrison of the Nanyang camp included 45,000 foot soldiers, 10,000 cavalry soldiers, and 5,000 naval troops, with a total of 60,000 soldiers, and 20,000 soldiers, who were responsible for building fortifications, roads, embankments, and dredging rivers.

In addition, Lin Jian listed Jingzhou, Yiling, Jiangling and Wuling on the south bank of the Yangzi River in the upper reaches of Yueyang as a single war defense area, and set up a Jingzhou camp, with Zhou Tong as the head of the Jingzhou camp and the governor of Jingzhou.

The Chongcheng Army stationed in Jingzhou only retained the sequence of two town divisions, the first town division was separated, with Huang Zuyu as the control army, and Zhang Jiheng led 30,000 elites to be controlled by Zhou, and the other Su Pin filial piety was separated from the second water battalion, and the Jingxiang water army was placed to make up 10,000 soldiers.

The defenders of Jingzhou had 40,000 water infantry troops, and another 10,000 soldiers.

Although it is explained that Lin Tie said that the Jingzhou camp was set up as a reserve defense line for the Nanyang camp, Yuan Guizheng, Tao Chun and others understood better than anyone else that Lin Tie was stationed in Jingzhou to prepare heavy troops, that is, to prevent Cao Jiadong, who was based in Shu, from leaving the Xiajiang River.

Lin Jian also formally set up the Lianghu Governor's Mansion in Jiangxia, with Fu Qinghe as the Governor of the Lianghu Military Administration, and under the Lianghu Governor's Mansion, set up the Xianghu Xuanfu Envoy and the Jinghu Xuanfu Envoy to govern the civil affairs of the Lianghu.

In addition to controlling the camps in Nanyang and Jingzhou, the Lianghu Governor's Mansion will also directly govern more than 24,000 soldiers and horses, including six brigades of infantry, one brigade of cavalry, and two brigades of sailors; In addition to maintaining the law and order of the two lakes, he was also responsible for clearing the remnants of Chen Hansan at the southern foot of Huai Mountain and the remnants of Chen Zishou at the northern foot of Mubu Mountain.

In the Battle of Jingxiang, the total strength of the Shuibu Horse Army assembled by Lin Tie in Jinghu once exceeded 210,000, and after the war, only the total number of elite soldiers and horses in the two lakes was less than 130,000; In addition to Zhao Hu, Zhou Pu's subordinates and some of the naval troops who will return to Jiangning, there are almost 60,000 elite soldiers and horses who are directly transferred to the east and supplemented into the eastern front.

Among them, the first town division of the Changshan Army was separated, and the first, second, and third brigades were used as the backbone to form another town division, which was transferred to Shanyang with Zhang Goudong for reorganization and incorporated into the Fengli Army sequence; directly transferred the Tang Fuguan Department directly to Xuzhou and incorporated it into the Huaiyang Army sequence; The First Town Division of the Chongcheng Army will be separated, with the First, Second, and Third Brigades as the backbone, and transferred to Yuntiguan in Huaikou, and a separate Denghai Town Division will be formed.

On the Eastern Front, Liu Miaozhen, Ning Zechen, and Li Liang had nearly 100,000 horse infantry troops, and if Zhang Gou, Tang Fuguan, and Chen Yan were transferred in, the infantry army on the Eastern Front would be as high as 150,000 people, and the Second Brigade of the Cavalry Battalion would also be reorganized into the Second Town Division of the Cavalry Battalion, and the strength of the Fifth Brigade would be expanded to 15,000 people.

During the Battle of Jingxiang, the Huaidong Army captured more than 40,000 horses, laying the foundation for the large-scale expansion of the cavalry battalion.

It's just that Lin Jian had no intention of using cavalry as the main force, and vetoed the proposal of Zhou Pu, Sun Zhuang and other generals to expand the cavalry unit on a large scale, and strictly controlled the ratio of cavalry to infantry at about 1:10.

Even with the First Cavalry Battalion, the Forbidden Battalion Cavalry, Lin Jian only agreed to expand to three brigades after the war, which was less than double the strength before the war.

In addition to expanding the war horses needed for the cavalry and setting aside large pastures in Suizhou, Xiangyang, Nanyang and other places to support more than 10,000 war horses as reserve resources, Lin Jian scattered more than 12,000 war horses and distributed them to the army divisions and brigades and the post transmission division.

At the same time, Lin Jian carried out a large-scale reorganization of the Huaidong Naval Army.

With the former No. 1 Water Battalion as the main body, the Nanyang Naval Division was organized to be in charge of the defense of the sea and frontier along the southeast coast, with Jin'an as the main station, Yizhou and Jieyang as the sub-stations, and the troop strength was controlled below 15,000.

With the Third Water Battalion and the Forbidden Camp Naval Army as the mainstay, the Jingjiang Naval Army was organized under the Forbidden Camp Naval Army, with a total of 20,000 naval troops, the main station was Jiangning, and it was responsible for the defense of the Yangtze River from Hanjin in the west to the Chongzhou River estuary in the east, as well as the inland river defense and warfare in the upper reaches of Hongzepu and Huaishui.

With the Second Water Battalion as the mainstay, the Naval Division was assigned to the coastal defense and warfare of the northern seas.

The Jinghai Division will also be the naval force that Huaidong will focus on strengthening in the future, and some elite sailors will be transferred from the first and third water battalions to supplement it, and the naval army will be expanded to 30,000 soldiers.

At present, Lin Jian informed Yuan Guizheng and Tao Chun of the defense and establishment adjustments that the Huaidong Army would carry out next, and it was also clear that the core strategy of implementing the Northern Expedition and recovering the Central Plains from the Eastern Front was mainly carried out - there was no need to conceal these military deployments, and a simple search for the situation could clarify a general idea.

Stratagem is useful, but stratagem is based on absolute strength.

Taking the Battle of Jingxiang as an example, although the Huaixi Army said that it had the act of arsoning with the enemy in the later period, it still contained Chen Zhihu and Luo Xiancheng into more than 100,000 soldiers and horses in the early stage - counting the Huaixi Army and the Jinghu Army, Lin Jian mobilized a total of more than 380,000 total troops during the Battle of Jingxiang, of which the Huaidong Army directly invested more than 200,000 elite combat power, which was the absolute strength basis for the Battle of Jingxiang to achieve a great victory.

At this time, counting the six towns of Henan, Lin Jian would be able to gather a total of more than 330,000 troops in the Hehuai area of Henan and Lunan; The total strength of Yanhu in Henan and Shandong is barely 200,000, and the offensive and defensive momentum of the two sides is clear at a glance.

Even if Dong Yuan's headquarters in Xuchang and Yue Lengqiu's headquarters in Xuyang were excluded, while Yanhu had to exclude the defenders of Hezhongfu and Daliang on the westerly front, there were only 150,000 soldiers and horses in Shandong, which directly faced the 200,000 heavy army group that Huaidong was about to deploy in the Xusi area.

Yuan Guizheng has a heavy heart, once Lin Jian successfully recovers Shandong, probably no one can stop him from abolishing Yuan Yue and establishing a new dynasty. In the face of the 200,000 heavy army group that Huaidong is about to deploy in the southeast of Shandong and the Xusi area, how can Ye Ji Duodi resist with only 150,000 soldiers and horses in Shandong?

If it weren't for the Jingxiang Battle, the true strength and potential of the Huaidong Army were exposed, Yuan Guizheng even thought that Huaidong would have to manage the remnants of Fujian and Jiangxi for three or five years before it could break through 300,000 troops, and who could have known that before the Jingxiang War, the number of troops controlled by Huaidong was already approaching 400,000.

As far as the current situation is concerned, as long as Lin Jian needs it, in three or five years, the total number of soldiers and horses under the direct control of Huaidong will easily exceed 500,000, or even 600,000...... It only made Yuan Guizheng feel that the future was unusually bleak, if it weren't for the fact that before he and Tao Chun came in, they had already searched the blades, and there were Huaidong soldiers outside the council hall, and Lin Jian himself was known for his martial bravery, Yuan Guizheng couldn't wait to stab him and end this nightmare.