In the middle of the valley.

The sentinels scattered for miles, and the search team was also sent to the mountains along the way to search for the enemy.

Suddenly, I saw thousands of enemy foot soldiers, put down their weapons and sat in front, and some enemy generals were kneeling in the middle of the road.

A sentry ran tentatively and asked, "Who's ahead?" ”

The general knelt and stood up, and replied loudly: "The guilty general He Jiuyi, lead his troops to kneel to welcome His Royal Highness King Wu!" ”

"You come with me, the others are not allowed to move!" The Sentinel said.

In the past two days, the enemy's grain carriers have fled. Because all the grain and grass could not be taken away, some of them were also burned by Zhang Xianzhong's generals.

Regardless of whether Zhang Xianzhong left with the cavalry or not, this battle was no longer able to be fought.

It is said that there are tens of thousands of elite foot soldiers, and there are only 10,000 or 20,000 who can really fight, mainly because Zhang Xianzhong's troops are too powerful to expand their army. Moreover, most of the new troops who have been trained in the past year have not been allocated land, and they are more similar to the tuntian soldiers, who have to farm and pay rent when they are not fighting.

With such an army, it is good to fight a good battle, but it may break down and flee at any time if it fights against the wind.

After more than half a month of siege, the army was lost and the morale plummeted.

Zhao Han led his troops to pursue all the way, not only did the people flee in large numbers, but Zhang Xianzhong's foot soldiers also fled one after another.

At this moment, the team finally appeared to surrender in large numbers.

He Jiuyi was escorted to Zhao Han, and knelt down and said, "He Jiuyi, the guilty general, meet His Royal Highness King Wu!" ”

Zhao Han asked, "Where are you from?" ”

"The ancestral home of the sin will be Yunyang." He Jiuyi replied.

"Isn't Zhang Xianzhong's old camp from the camp?" Zhao Han asked again.

He Jiuyi replied: "Qi Qi King Wu, the sin general is a good citizen of Yunyang, and after reading the book for a few days, he also knows a few words. Because he couldn't bear the exploitation of the government, and Zhang Xianzhong led the troops to kill, the criminal general took the initiative to join the army and became a rogue. After Zhang Xianzhong entrenched himself in Hubei, in order to win over the locals and balance the old battalion generals, he continued to promote the position of criminal general. ”

"I see." Zhao Han understood Zhang Xianzhong's approach very well, because Zhao Han himself was also promoting non-Jiangxi officers.

He Jiuyi said: "Most of the 6,000 foot soldiers under the command of the criminal general are Tuntian soldiers, only more than 1,000 soldiers, and they have not done too many evil things, so I implore King Wu to be magnanimous." The sin will seek nothing but liberation and return to the field to be a farmer. ”

"Who is the infantry commander left by Zhang Xianzhong?" Zhao Han asked.

He Jiuyi said: "The coach's name is Wang Fuchen, a native of Shaanxi, who has been following Zhang Xianzhong for ten years. Wu Wang Rongyu, according to the general guess, the people who came out of the valley in front of him were all suspicious soldiers. The real elite foot soldiers have been taken by Wang Fuchen to cross the northern mountains, and most of them are rushing to cross the Qishui River in the direction of Liuhe Town at this time. ”

"I'm afraid they won't go over there." Zhao Han said with a smile.

There are 3,000 peasants and soldiers in Taihu County, who enter the mountains from Huating Lake and start along the mountain valley road, which has stuck the narrow valley formed by the Qishui River.

It is best that Zhang Xianzhong's cavalry can also go there to get close to the elite infantry. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, the northern passage was stuck, only the gap in the west remained, Lu Xiangsheng's cavalry had already rushed over, and Zhao Han's army could be encircled as soon as it arrived.

Zhao Han instructed: "Give you a chance to redeem your merits." ”

He Jiuyi was overjoyed: "Please show King Wu, the crime will definitely die!" ”

Zhao Han said: "You still have your soldiers, and your weapons will not be confiscated." Raise the banner of the Datong Army, do not allow looting, collect the routs along the way, and persuade the enemy troops who have not yet fled! ”

"Yes!"

He Jiuyi kowtowed again and again.

Zhao Han was not afraid that He Jiuyi would be in battle against the water, and the more soldiers this person recruited, the more he would be unable to effectively command.

If the army really wants to become twenty or thirty thousand, it is difficult for He Jiuyi to command the march, and it is pure fantasy to defect with a bunch of soldiers.

Han Xin points soldiers, the more the merrier, not everyone can be Han Xin.

Immediately, Zhao Han led the army to speed out of the mountain, and He Jiuyi ran ahead to recruit miscellaneous soldiers.

After leaving the mountain area, He Jiuyi had 30,000 soldiers under his command, and there were a large number of civilians among them. Don't talk about commanding operations, the march was chaotic, divided into more than ten small groups, and followed He Jiuyi together, just looking forward to the logistics of the Datong Army to send food to eat.

When he came to Pingdi, He Jiuyi divided his subordinates and temporarily served as officers in the surrender team, so he could barely command more than 10,000 people.

"Report!"

"Your Highness, Zhang Xianzhong's cavalry, trying to sneak attack our army's troops besieging Qishui City. After being discovered by our sentry boats, the sneak attack was fruitless, and the strong attack was weak, and now it has disappeared without a trace. The defenders of Qishui County surrendered, and our army occupied the county seat of Qishui. ”

This is good news, after taking Qishui County, the number of troops that Zhao Han can use for encirclement and suppression has increased to more than 70,000 in an instant.

Zhang Xianzhong really knew how to run, first to attack the Datong army besieging Qizhou, and then to attack the Datong army besieging Qishui.

How could the Datong peasant soldiers be really powerful, and with the excellent quality of the soldiers, Zhang Xianzhong's two attacks were in vain. If the officers and soldiers were to be manipulated like this, they would rush to the front and rush over, and they would have fled, and Zhang Xianzhong would have been able to turn the tables a long time ago.

Zhang Xianzhong's mobile combat ability gave Zhao Han an extreme headache.

The super morale and discipline of the Datong Army also blinded Zhang Xianzhong.

In each other's hearts, there is a sense of powerlessness.

In this regard, Zhao Han only has a strong consciousness: buy more horses and quickly expand the cavalry unit, otherwise he will be led by the enemy in the future!

……

The banks of the Xishui River.

Zhang Xianzhong's face was gloomy, and he felt that he couldn't go back this time.

The Xishui River, which is nearly 100 miles long, has several small fishing boats cruising every two miles. Every five miles, there were several small warships.

As soon as Zhang Xianzhong's cavalry appeared, the small fishing boats in the river began to blow the trumpet, and one after another sounded the order, and the small warships nearby immediately started.

He succeeded in smuggling Qishui, but it was difficult to smuggle into Xishui.

Further west, there is a strip of water.

The three rivers all originate in the Dabie Mountains and flow into the Yangtze River from north to south. If Zhang Xianzhong wants to lead his troops back to the hinterland, he must cross these three rivers, otherwise he can only plunge headlong into the Dabie Mountains.

Zhang Xianzhong is really drilling Dabie Mountain!

What else can you do if you don't drill into the mountains?

Not only did he drill into Dabie Mountain, but he also sent someone back to pass the order, so that Wang Fuchen could also enter Dabie Mountain with the real elite.

Zhang Xianzhong's army on the South Road had 100,000 soldiers, 200,000 people, and countless grain burdens when they set out. Now only 7,000 cavalry, 5,000 horses, and 12,000 infantry were left to escape into Dabie Mountain, and the rest of the population and food were all lost.

The cavalry and horse team are okay, and the foot soldiers have been fleeing along the way, and there are only 12,000 people left to enter the mountain, which is considered to be Wang Fuchen's ability to command the army.

……

At the confluence of Qishui and its tributaries, 3,000 peasants and soldiers from Taihu County have built simple camps with civil engineering and stones.

Wang Fuchen came here with 12,000 foot soldiers, and he had already run out of military rations, so he could only rob the poor people in the mountains along the way. This is the people under Sun Kewang's rule, and there are no rations left, how many catties of miscellaneous grains can be enough for tens of thousands of people to rob?

Seeing the camp of the Datong army in front of him, Wang Fuchen was frightened and immediately led his troops to run northwest along the tributary river valley.

There is a small town in that direction, called Datong Town.

In a few hundred years, there will still be a Datong Reservoir, but at present it is only a small lake in the mountains.

Li Zheng led the troops to chase from the south, one man and two mules, full of trenches.

Along the way, I saw some mountain dwellings, not only the food was robbed, but also the whole family died tragically, and the enemy chose to slaughter the village in order to hide his whereabouts.

This is Zhang Xianzhong's territory, they are slaughtering their own village!

Seeing the tragic situation of the people along the way, there were only three villages that were slaughtered, and the officers and soldiers of the Datong Army were already full of anger.

The people who were lucky enough to escape saw the Datong soldiers treating the villagers, and immediately ran out of the hiding place and took the initiative to act as a guide for the Datong army in the mountains.

"The enemy has fled to the northwest!" Friendly reminder in improvised camps.

The guide in the mountains hurriedly said, "General, let's hurry up." After Datong Town, there are four passages ahead, and it will be difficult to chase at that time! ”

"Datong Town?" Li Zheng likes the name.

The guide in the mountains said: "It is Datong Town, and there is also a Datong Lake." ”

Li Zheng laughed: "This name is auspicious, and it should be the Datong army to kill the enemy and thieves in Datong Town." The whole army is speeding up to catch up! ”

The sound of mules running echoed through the valley.

After chasing out about two miles, the two sentry horses rushed back: "Li Dudu, the enemy army in front is in formation, and it is estimated that there are ambush soldiers in the mountains to the south." ”

"Slow down the march!" Li Zheng immediately ordered.

Wang Fuchen also had no choice, and Li Zheng led the army to chase after him on a mule. Unless he crosses the mountains again, he doesn't even want to get rid of it.

Before going over the mountains and mountains, Datong Town must be robbed of military rations!

The place where Wang Fuchen lined up was the narrowest part of the valley.

It is bordered by a river to the north, a mountain to the south, and a valley in the middle is about 250 meters wide.

Li Zheng brought 8,000 men, half of whom were firecrackers.

After disembarking from the mule, he first took out the cotton armor from the back of the other mule and put it on the whole army.

Then, march in orderly formation, and divide two thousand melee soldiers to the south, facing south to deal with the enemy forces that may appear in the mountains.

Wang Fuchen also put the firecrackers at the forefront, and their firearms were varied, including the firearms made by Zhang Xianzhong himself, the firecrackers snatched from the hands of officers and soldiers, and the three-eyed firearms used in the early Ming Dynasty.

5000 miscellaneous firecrackers against 4000 Datong firecrackers.

The two sides lit the fire rope and approached little by little, but the three-eyed gun did not have a fire rope, and had to move forward with a fire breaker in his hand.

With a width of 250 meters, it is simply impossible to line up.

After walking for a while, the Datong soldiers stopped moving forward, leaving in a relatively wide area, which was more than a mile wide.

The two sides confronted each other and neither moved forward.

Wang Fuchen was a little anxious, and if the Datong army went one mile further, the ambush soldiers in the mountains would be able to kill and surround it. The place where Li Zheng stopped marching was just outside the narrow place, and although it was possible to flank from both sides, it was impossible to complete the encirclement.

Moreover, the Datong army has two mules for one person, and the other mule holds food, and it is okay to confront each other here all day.

Wang Fuchen's subordinates were all hungry, and they only had one meal yesterday and only one meal today. The battle must be resolved as soon as possible before we can go to Datong Town in front to grab food!

In desperation, Wang Fuchen could only take the initiative to advance and come to a wider area in the river valley, and the military formations of both sides could be smoothly deployed.

"Raise the gun!"

At about fifty paces, Wang Fuchen ordered a three-stage shot.

"Bang bang bang!"

Zhang Xianzhong's elite firecrackers, nearly 5,000 of whom began to shoot in three stages.

No one fell.

At such a long distance, not to mention that you can't aim, even if you really hit, don't even think about penetrating the cotton armor defense.

Wang Fuchen could only let the soldiers reload the ammunition on the spot, and the Datong army did not move at all, waiting for the enemy to slowly reload.

After reloading, Wang Fuchen ordered to advance, stopping at about forty paces. At this distance, they could barely penetrate the cotton armor, and Zhang Xianzhong's firecrackers did not dare to get closer.

"Bang bang bang!"

Another three-stage shot.

Seventeen Datong firecrackers fell, and after two more fell, they actually got up on the spot, and the cotton armor saved their lives.

"Forward!"

Li Zheng pulled out his waist knife, and the whole army slowly stepped forward.

The enemy musketeers hurriedly reloaded their ammunition, but most of them were in a hurry, and Wang Fuchen commanded the ambushes to attack the flanks with the command banner.

Thousands of ambush soldiers came out of the mountains, and among them, 1,000 of them turned to the left in unison, trotting to line up on their flanks.

The 3,000 Datong firearms in front of them are still slowly advancing.

Thirty paces away, he didn't stop, he actually went further ahead to shoot.

On Wang Fuchen's side, some people reloaded their ammunition, but they could no longer obey military orders, and began to shoot at the Datong army sporadically.

"Bang bang bang!"

Datong firecrackers, and another person fell.

Finally, when the two sides were twenty paces apart, the Datong firearms raised their guns in unison.

"Put!"

"Bang bang bang!"

"Bang bang bang!"

"Bang bang bang!"

Nearly 3,000 people, 20 paces away, quickly complete three shots.

Zhang Xianzhong's elite firecrackers fell like wheat harvesting. Wang Fuchen was so frightened that before he could react, all the firecrackers under his command were defeated.

"Get on the bayonet!"

The Datong firecrackers loaded their bayonets and charged at the enemy. At this time, not only did the enemy's firecrackers flee, but even the melee infantry collapsed, and Wang Fuchen's team collapsed together.

The flanks also began to engage.

A thousand soldiers with the same firearms, also twenty paces away, crushed two groups of enemies with a single volley.

The melee infantry immediately stepped up, and the musketeers stepped back and loaded their bayonets.

The enemy troops on the flanks rushed halfway and found that their frontal battlefield was scattered, and immediately turned and fled in fright, and thousands of people rushed into the mountains in a hurry.

Zhang Xianzhong was very ambitious to give up the infantry, he was already demoralized, and when he encountered the Datong Gunners who shot at 20 paces, who the hell could bear it?

"Hunt down the enemy! Blow the trumpet! ”

"Doodoo Dot ......"

Chasing everywhere in the mountains, Zhang Xianzhong's troops had already dispersed, but the Datong soldiers pursued in groups of five.

There were mountains everywhere, and it was difficult to annihilate them all, and in the end they still ran more than 3,000 enemies.

These fleeing enemies have lost their organization and can no longer gather into an army, and most of them are dozens or hundreds of people as bandits.

After Zhao Han took the territory, he had to organize peasants and soldiers to suppress bandits, otherwise the bandits would be very serious.

Wang Fuchen, the commander of the enemy army, was chased away by Li Zheng, ran for several miles and collapsed from exhaustion, and was finally captured alive by the Datong soldiers on the Datong Lake in the west of Datong Town.

At this point, Zhang Xianzhong's infantry of the Southern Route Army was completely annihilated, and only the cavalry and horse team remained.

Those guys followed the river valley and plundered all the way to Yingshan County.

Yingshan County is in the Dabie Mountains, which is also Zhang Xianzhong's territory. Cavalry and horsemen could supply food and grass here, and then continue their escape down the river valley.

It is difficult for Zhao Han to catch up, and it is also difficult for Zhang Xianzhong to go out of the mountain.

Zhao Han simply didn't bother to take care of it anymore, and dispatched the people to build temporary camps to block the way through the main mountain passes, and then let the peasants and soldiers come to the camp to garrison.

As for the main forces, they will attack the cities along the way.

When the news of Zhang Xianzhong's defeat came, almost all the state and county towns under the jurisdiction of Huangzhou Prefecture fell to the wind.

Since you can't catch Zhang Xianzhong, you can occupy all his territory!

(Ask for a commuter pass.) ）