Lead bullets whizzed over the heads and sides of the officers of the Evergreen Battalion, and the cries of soldiers of both armies could be heard all around them.

"Our central government can't stand it." Among the staff officers who gathered around Wu Zhong to observe the battlefield together, one of them shouted anxiously: "My lord, we need to put in more troops. ”

Another buckshot flew in, and the staff officer was shot in the head before he could finish speaking, and he threw himself at Wu Zhong's feet with a muffled grunt and died. Fu Tianjun next to him approached Wu Zhong, filled the gap between the dead, and continued to shout and make a suggestion to the commander: "Let one infantry team go to the center, and the other go around from the right flank of the thieves and force them to retreat from the center." ”

Wu Zhong said "um" softly and did not express his position immediately.

Several other staff officers shouted in opposition: "We only have these two reserves left, and if we use them now, we will lose our ability to adapt." ”

The last two infantry units of the Changqing Battalion, which had not yet been mobilized, were still at the foot of the South Mountain of Pheasant Gang, lined up in a neat formation, quietly waiting for the order to join the battle.

Fu Tianjun, who advocated a counterattack, still did not give up, and shouted to Wu Zhong: "My lord, if we don't fight back immediately, we will lose Pheasant Gang." ”

"Who knows how many more thieves there will be down there?" Another staff officer pointed to the foot of the north hill of Pheasant Gang, which was covered by dense gunsmoke and was invisible, where the roar of artillery could still be heard from time to time: "If we don't have reserves, once the thieves break through the battle line, we will not only lose Pheasant Gang, but also our battalion." ”

Fu Tianjun quickly turned around and waved his arm: "We still have several battalions behind us, they can cover us." ”

"Them?" The staff officer who retorted cried out and sneered at the New Army battalions who were watching from the sidelines: "They have always hated us. ”

"That's not it, they're just safe, and they're obeying the orders of the commander." Wu Zhong finally spoke, the tower raised his head and looked to the east, the golden light of the rising sun was blocked by the black smoke and dust rising from the battlefield, turning into a sunset-like blood red, and he shook his head and said: "But today's big battle has just begun, and our battalion can't be wiped out all at once." ”

The Chuang army had almost recaptured the central hill, and Wu Zhong could not command the whole battalion that had been cut in half, so he ordered the Changqing battalion to shrink from both flanks at the same time, and send out reserves to guard against the surprise attack of the Chuang army, so as to cover the troops to retreat safely to the southern slope. After making this difficult decision, Wu Zhong withdrew for the first time his gaze from the north, turned his gaze to the ground behind him, and searched in vain for his two lost fingers, but soon he gave up this futile attempt and hurriedly withdrew to the south with his staff.

"The initiative of commanders and officers will bring victory to our army." Wu Zhong remembered a sentence when Xu Ping was arguing with other battalions, Xu Ping has also been training the officers of the Evergreen Battalion according to this line of thought, although it has only been a few months, but the officers he trained are now in control of the Evergreen Battalion, so it is no wonder that others say that this battalion is full of Xu Ping's imprint. Wu Zhong also remembered the rebuttal of other battalion officers at that time, saying that since the Changsheng army was rising, resolutely carrying out the orders of Zhendong Hou was the magic weapon to win.

"It's fine if you win, but if you fail, it's a crime and a scapegoat for others." When Wu Zhong walked down the hill, he thought in his heart: "Even if we keep winning, it will make those colleagues who predict that we will lose unhappy, well, next time I will understand, I will not move." ”

When he retreated to the foot of the mountain, his left hand, which had lost two fingers, hurt hotly, Wu Zhong looked around at his subordinates who had suffered heavy casualties, and his heart was suddenly full of sadness and resentment towards himself: "This is indeed Xu Ping's style, and Pheasant Gang is not what my battalion is responsible for defending, so I have nothing to do to show off?" So many subordinates died in battle, it is meaningless. ”

After Wu Zhong retreated, he directly retreated to the battle line of the Chizhuo Battalion, and it is estimated that hundreds of soldiers of the Changqing Battalion were killed in battle, countless were wounded, and the whereabouts of several officers were unknown.

"If Lord Zhang and Xu Ping didn't go to save the Shanlan Camp back then, our Evergreen Battalion wouldn't have suffered so much loss, Lord Zhang wouldn't have died, Xu Ping wouldn't have carried the black pot, I'm so stupid, why don't I honestly carry out the order and pay attention to the initiative of some officer?" Wu Zhong remembered what happened to him, and at the request of the General Staff Division, he put all the responsibility on Xu Ping, so that he could not face the protests of his subordinates. There is also the letter that Zhou Dongtian took to himself, Zhang Chengye wrote to the Marquis of Zhendong, when Wu Zhong was so frightened that he hurriedly threatened his subordinates not to say it, and strictly ordered Zhou Dongtian to burn the letter immediately, but he didn't expect him to escape after leaving the camp. Now the former colleagues, friends, and subordinates are standing on the opposite side, and the outcome of the war is still unknown: "Maybe as they said, this is a conspiracy against our Evergreen Battalion, they have long looked at us unpleasantly, why should I listen to Lord Jin in the first place?" Why frame your own colleagues? If I had withstood the pressure, why would I be in the situation today? ”

……

In front of the camp gate of Yang Zhiyuan's old camp, Huang Xiwen held the binoculars tightly and paid close attention to the battle there, when he saw the flag of the army fluttering on the top of the Pheasant Gang Mountain again, he sighed and put down the binoculars, and said to himself dissatisfiedly: "What is Wu Zhong doing?" Why can't a battalion take the pheasant hill? ”

At this time, the camp gate behind the young officer was opened, and Yang Zhiyuan, the commander of the Ming army, walked out of it. ”

Huang Xiwen turned his head, his eyes drooped and fell on Yang Zhiyuan's left hand, which was still covering his waist: "Dashuai, are you better?" ”

"Much better." Yang Zhiyuan nodded, the news of the battle just now had just come, he felt abdominal pain, the person was almost in shock, struggling back to his barracks, Yang Zhiyuan desperately pressed his abdomen with the hilt of his sword, and finally passed out without pain, and now his forehead is still full of cold sweat as big as soybeans. After such a long time, the sharp pain of the tide was finally a little lighter, and Yang Zhiyuan hurriedly went out of the camp to inquire about the military situation, but he happened to hear the complaint.

"The thieves came with tens of thousands of soldiers and horses at once, and He Feibao lost his reconnaissance, and only deployed 300 soldiers in Pheasant Gang, and was driven down the mountain by the thieves."

"Oh?" Yang Zhiyuan took the binoculars from the young officer and looked at Pheasant Gang: "Why is the Evergreen Battalion fighting back?" What is the Red Burning Camp doing? ”

"The Chizhuo Battalion is not ready to face tens of thousands of thieves, Wu Zhong is too proud, and rushed up with the rescue of Evergreen, but he attacked so many thieves in a hurry, of course he couldn't defeat them. The Evergreen Battalion was hurriedly pulled up, but was bombarded down by the thieves again. Huang Xiwen reported: "Wu Zhong just didn't listen to persuasion, Chizhuo Ying said that there were at least thousands, he didn't believe anything, not only a few hundred, and now it is estimated that Changqing has suffered heavy losses." ”

Yang Zhiyuan then turned to several other battalions of the Ming army and asked, "Why did they start to spread out their troops?" ”

"Although they are thieves, after all, there are thousands of them, and the enemy situation is unknown, and the battalions no longer advance in marching columns, but more or less deploy some infantry formations to prevent the thieves from suddenly rushing out and striking at our unguarded columns."

"I see." Yang Zhiyuan answered, then turned his gaze back to the top of Yejigang Mountain, stared for a moment and then suddenly said, "They didn't pull the cannon up." ”

After speaking, Yang Zhiyuan asked again: "You said that the thieves have captured the mountain, so have they ever pulled the cannon up?" ”

"No, I didn't."

"Alas, what else can there be about the enemy's situation, they have captured the mountain but they don't even dare to pull up the cannons." Yang Zhiyuan let out a long sigh, put down the binoculars and beckoned to the herald: "Order all battalions to immediately resume marching columns, bypass Pheasant Gang and march south, the Changqing battalion does not need to continue to attack, and ask General Wu to reorganize the troops, and pursue if there is an opportunity for the thieves to retreat." ”

"The little nephew has ordered the Rock Battalion and the Election Battalion to return to their positions, and they will be able to attack immediately." Huang Xiwen further reported: "Just now, I was worried that the Changqing Camp would really rush down and scare the thieves away. ”

"Attack now, I guess there aren't many thieves." Yang Zhiyuan didn't say more, after a few heralds took the order and left, Yang Zhiyuan turned around and drank the order to lead the horse, and praised: "The virtuous nephew did a good job, and he sent the troops in place early, but the next time he attacked early, the enemy army was so cautious, it must be a weak force." ”

"Little nephew understood."

When he turned over and got on the horse, Yang Zhiyuan had another sharp pain in his abdomen, which made him frown, Huang Xiwen saw it in his eyes and shouted, "Dashuai won't bring a doctor either." ”

"I have Lao Xian's nephew worried, and I have all the medicines with me."

"It's best to always have a doctor with you," said the young man stubbornly, "maybe one day the problem will be recognized, and the cure will be cured." ”

"Hehe, in short, it is spleen deficiency, how many doctors have seen it and said that it is so, and when it comes to medical skills, is there anything in this world that can compare to your father?"

After hearing this, Huang Xiwen hurriedly asked: "What did he say about Jia Yan?" ”

Yang Zhiyuan smiled: "Your father said he didn't know." ”

In fact, this is a lie, after the onset of the disease a few months ago, how many doctors came to see it, including the imperial doctor sent by the emperor, said that it was spleen deficiency, but no matter how much medicine was taken it was ineffective, the disease has become more and more serious recently, Yang Zhiyuan's weight has lost a lot, and the discomfort in his abdomen has become a severe pain day after day. Zhendonghou himself also visited Yang's house, because Zhendonghou cleared the smallpox plague that had raged for thousands of years in one fell swoop, and also greatly alleviated the schistosomiasis that flooded the south, so both Yang Zhiyuan himself and the Yang family had great expectations for Zhendonghou.

But after Huang Shi asked in detail about Yang Zhiyuan's weight, appetite, abdominal pain and other symptoms, he shook his head and said that he didn't know at all. The others were just disappointed, but Yang Zhiyuan followed Huang Shi for many years and still noticed the despair that the other party was trying to hide, and after no one was around, Yang Zhiyuan said directly to Huang Shi: "My lord, please don't hide it from me, what kind of disease am I?" ”

After thinking about it, Huang Shi finally said bluntly: "I think nine times out of ten it is liver cancer. ”

"Not spleen, but liver?"

"Alas, esophageal ulcers, esophageal cancer, gastric ulcers, gastric cancer, hepatitis, liver cancer, they all say that it is spleen deficiency, and doctors can't tell what the disease is and where it is sick."

"In other words, you know what's wrong, my lord." At that time, although Yang Zhiyuan couldn't understand what kind of disease Zhendonghou said, he couldn't help but have a burst of hope: "What is this cancer?" ”

Huang Shi pondered for a moment and sighed, "An incurable disease. ”

"Is there no cure?"

Huang Shi hesitated again: "Unless it is operated, it is to use a knife to cut off the root of the disease from the liver." ”

If other doctors said this, Yang Zhiyuan must have been furious, thinking that the other party was talking nonsense. Cutting the liver by caesarean section, what is the difference between this and murder? But hearing Huang Shi say this, Yang Zhiyuan was overjoyed: "Then please use a knife." ”

"But I won't." Huang Shi looked at Yang Zhiyuan and said sadly: "I don't know anyone will, Brother Yang, if I have a chance, even if it is only one in ten thousand, I will definitely do my best to help you." ”

The two of them were silent for a moment, and Yang Zhiyuan asked again: "This disease will kill me." ”

"Yes."

"How long?"

"Half a year, maybe a few months."

In the end, Yang Zhiyuan asked again: "My lord, if I am gone, can you take care of my wife and children for me?" ”

Huang Shi took a step forward and held Yang Zhiyuan's hand: "Don't worry, Brother Yang." ”

It was this promise that made Yang Zhiyuan completely desperate, he knew that He Baodao had made a similar request before, that was before a dangerous battle, but Huang Shi refused He Baodao without hesitation, Yang Zhiyuan knew that Huang Shi must have decided that he had no chance of surviving, so he would agree to his request. After that, Yang Zhiyuan no longer cared too much about the condition, and his family kept looking for a doctor for him.

……

After receiving the emergency military information from the front, the staff officers around Xu Ping all changed their faces, Xu Ping jumped off his horse and unfolded the map on the side of the road: "It is impossible to hold the pheasant gang, the armored battalion is weak, although they say that they will try their best to block it, but once the new army begins to bypass from both flanks, they can only retreat, this is still the best situation, we might as well assume that the armored battalion has been routed now, and the new army is attacking the outpost of the avant-garde battalion." ”

"Then the avant-garde battalion will also quickly collapse."

"Yes, but if we go to the rescue, our army will encounter the main force of the new army battalion by battalion, and will be recoiled and routed, so we must stop immediately? Make this judgment: "Since they are here, the other side must be empty, and we will wait for the left wing to return to its position in order to annihilate them all." ”

As soon as he made contact with the Xuanfeng battalion, Xu Ping ordered the troops to prepare to withdraw from the battlefield, and after repelling the tentative attack of the avant-garde, the first infantry wing retreated at the same time.

After Yang Zhiyuan received the report that the Xuanfeng Battalion and the Panshi Battalion had encountered the Guards Battalion one after another, the surrounding staff officers had a confused look on their faces: "Xu Ping dismantled the Guards Battalion and used it?" ”

"He didn't have any troops in his hands, that's why he did it." Yang Zhiyuan immediately made a judgment: "He is buying time, it seems that he will not let us take a detour, but in fact, he is preventing us from advancing quickly, well, he probably wants to buy time to deploy the defense line." ”

The armored battalion was still fighting and retreating at this time, and the Changqing and Chizhuo battalions, who were ordered to follow the pursuit, reported that the invading army saw that they were unable to get out, and even the precious artillery was blown up and abandoned.

"Obviously, Xu Ping didn't even have reinforcements to cover his retreating troops." Yang Zhiyuan realized that the new army still had an advantage at the moment and held the initiative: "All-out attack, I don't believe that he can adjust the battle line in such a short period of time, so that we have no gaps." ”

……

At this time, Xu Ping was retreating north in a hurry with the first infantry wing, and the prudence of the front battalion brought him a little time, at present, the first infantry wing was already in a parallel position with the first armored battalion, although the casualties on the central front would still be very large, but these two battalions would probably not be completely wiped out by a detour.

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