In the fourth year of Yuanhe, on September 23, the main force of the newly formed forbidden army from Zhengzhou arrived in Zhongmu County, about fifty miles southwest of Bianzhou.

The forbidden army is located in the big tent of the Chinese army in Zhongmu County, which is brightly lit, and dozens of generals and colonels stand around a huge sand table.

Han Xiang held the baton in his hand and read out all the battle reports at hand, while pointing out the location of the battle.

"On the 18th of September, there were sporadic exchanges between the rebel scouts and the infantry and scouts of the Changying Army, who were escorting the engineers to build the advancing camp."

"On the night of the same day, the northbound detachment of the Changying Army commanded by Mo Zhonglang secretly crossed Baigou and entered Kuangcheng on the north side of Baigou."

"On September 19, the Changying Army marched north to the forbidden army of Changling County, and the cavalry part ran north for hundreds of miles under the command of Mo Zhonglang, taking advantage of the slackness of the rebels at dusk to raid Baima."

"On the same day, the prince's left and right guards took Yuanwu County."

"On the same day, a large number of soldiers and horses of the rebels began to move eastward from the direction of Bianzhou, and Mo Zhonglang's infantry began to fight."

"On September 20, the infantry of the northward detachment of the Changying Army joined forces with the Lubei Army under Zhang Shuai, and then joined forces to surround Changling County, inducing the defenders of Changling County to ask for help from the rebels' main garrison along the river."

"After the messenger for help left, the Lubei Army, with the support of two equipment battalions of the Changying Army, stormed Changling, and ended the battle near dusk."

"On September 21, Mo Zhonglang's cavalry first annihilated more than 20,000 rebels who went south from Suozao to support Changling in a surprise attack, and then some of the soldiers and horses changed into the rebels' clothes and armor, and pretended to be rebels who went south to support at night to open the city gate, and then launched a night attack to take Suojube."

"On the same day, the prince's left guard and right guard led to take Yangwu County, which was abandoned by the rebels, and joined forces with Mo Zhonglang's scouts."

"In this battle, the Changying Army went north to the detachment, the Lubei Army, the prince's left guard and right guard led a total of six county towns occupied by the rebels, three ferries, more than 200 ships of all kinds, and more than 60,000 enemies, completely purging the rebels guarding the back road on the south side of the river, and completing the control of all ships and ferries south of the river."

"September 22, that is, yesterday, the cavalry led by Mo Zhonglang, the infantry of the northward detachment of the Changying Army, began to assemble in the direction of Yangwu, and at the latest tomorrow they could cross Baigou and enter the war zone, and the defense along the big river was handed over to the accompanying Lubei Army."

"According to the available information, the number of Hebei rebels remaining in Henan Province is roughly between 350,000 and 400,000, and now, it can be said that the remnants of the rebels have been completely blocked south of the river."

After a slight pause, Han Xiang turned around and focused the attention of everyone in the tent to the east of Bianzhou.

"Then there is the direction of the main force of the Changying Army east of Bianzhou."

"The general's original plan was to ......, but the enemy scouts of September 18 had already appeared and clashed, and after thinking about it, He (Mang) Lang's sappers did not take any rest, and marched forward overnight, and rushed to repair the fourth advance camp more than 30 miles away from Bianzhou City."

"After a whole night of repairs, the village was successfully established, and then from September 19, Meng Zhonglang's troops began to fight with the opponent's soldiers and horses."

"At first, due to the lack of troops, the situation in the fourth advance camp was very dangerous, but fortunately, the number of rebels in the first line was also limited, and the situation in the camp turned from dangerous to safety when the main force of the Changying Army and the Xuanwu-Huaixi Army arrived, but at the same time as our army increased its troops, the direction of the rebels was also rapidly increasing troops in the direction of the main force of the Changying Army."

"Although we have not received a battle report within two days, as of September 21, the strength of the rebels has exceeded 60,000, and according to previous estimates, the rebels gathered in the fourth advance camp of the Changying army have definitely exceeded 120,000."

"Judging from the current state, the Changying Army is fighting very hard, but it is also because the main force of the Changying Army has resisted the opponent's attack and attracted the attention of the other party, so that we, Mo Zhonglang, and Zhang Shuai can smoothly march and raid north and west of Bianzhou City."

"General, gentlemen, this is the main battle and situation around Bianzhou in front of you, please show the general!"

Looking at Han Xiang's movements, listening to Han Xiang's voice, and savoring Han Xiang's own rhythm and judgment, Guo Rong's face was not only satisfied but also satisfied.

Although it is only to sort out and narrate the battle report, Han Xiang's current responsibility is not just a small intelligence staff officer.

Li Yuanyi was nominally the commander of this forbidden army.

But just as he himself said to Guo Rong, he knew very well that with his familiarity with the forbidden army, the actual control of this self-contained army was basically zero.

If it sounds good, it is a general, but if it doesn't sound good, it is actually just an empty shelf or a puppet.

What really supports the efficient operation of this team, those veterans who have retired from active duty and entered the training base as instructors, and the officer corps and staff corps unique to the forbidden army.

After Guo Rong brought Han Xiang here, all the actual rights had been quietly transferred to Guo Rong's hands, but Guo Rong had no intention of directly taking charge of the new army, so he directly let Han Xiang take charge of it.

In a sense, Han Xiang is the chief of Guo Rong's guard, but he assumes the responsibility of the chief of staff of the four guards and the sixth rate, with a total of 50,000 horses.

If placed in the Changying Army, the most similar figure is Guo Rong's chief of staff, Luo Chinese, Chief of Staff of the Changying Army.

It's just that at this moment, the pressure on Han Xiang is much greater than that of Luo Chinese.

Although Luo Chinese is from a literati background, he has been Guo Rong's deputy since the beginning of the establishment of the Changying Army, and although he looks inconspicuous in the forbidden army, he is a real invisible elder.

If Luo Chinese is willing, he can completely take charge of an army alone, even if he cannot control the Fourth Army of Northern Yan due to the distribution of power, but there is no doubt that he will become a general of Yiwei and directly command a forbidden army of tens of thousands of soldiers and horses in wartime.

Although Han Xiang is also a promising person in the forbidden army, and is considered to be the most likely person to inherit Guo Rong's prestige, he has accumulated a lot of combat achievements and reputation, but if compared with Luo Chinese, he is obviously too young.

It is necessary not only to lead the army forward, but also to sort out the battle situation and battle reports, to determine the route of the march, to deal with the logistical baggage of the army, and even to deal with the special hobbies of some people in the army for the back door of others......

In this case, Han Xiang can still sort out the battle report and battle situation to this extent, what else can Guo Rong be dissatisfied with.

He took a serious look at Han Xiang, who was in a stable state and full of confidence, and thought about the western expedition three years later, and then thought about the kid who accompanied the emperor in his last battle.

Guo Rong knew that it was time to release Han Xiang as well.

In fact, it is not only Han Xiang who needs to be released independently to take charge of the army independently, but also Li Yan, Meng Gan, Mo Lingjun and even Wang Zheng and Zhi Muyu, who are younger than them......

Pei Zhi, who first followed him, has now become Zhang Jieyi's deputy, but Guo Rong knows that Zhang Jieyi's most characteristic is loyalty and obedience, not ability.

Judging from Zhang Yiyi's character and ability, the person who really leads the Yulin Army, which is second only to the main force of the Changying Army, should be Pei Zhi.

Although he has not failed in the face of the Tubo people, this does not mean that the Tubo people are waste, if the Tubo people are really waste, then what is the Tang Dynasty?

A soft egg driven to the foot of the wall by a circle of waste?

Guo Rong didn't know what the Western Expedition would look like three years later, but it was unrealistic to pin his hopes entirely on the Changying Army.

Although he was reluctant in his heart, Guo Rong knew that only when he became the most powerful faction in the court, the army, and even the Tang Dynasty could he truly leverage the real power that belonged to the Tang Dynasty.

Exhaling lightly, Guo Rong took the baton from Han Xiang's hand.

"Han Xiang has made it very clear before, although the process is very difficult, although the process is very complicated, but the main force of the Hebei rebels has been completely compressed in the triangle area of Huazhou, Zhengzhou, and Bianzhou, as long as they are successfully taken, it means that in the entire Shandong, there will be no more strength qualified to compete with Datang."

"Now, what is in front of us has in fact become a clear card, and now I personally explain the operational ideas for the decisive battle against the rebels, as well as the main deployment of each department, I need every battalion-level officer to understand his position."

"First of all, our core foothold is still east of Bianzhou City!"

Saying that, the baton in Guo Rong's hand kept pointing on the east of Bianzhou City, and there were four small red dots in a row.

"The task of the Changying Army has not changed from the beginning, that is, to attract the strength and attention of the rebels, so that the rebels can devote all their attention and strength to the defense and attack of their teammates Changying's army."

"From here, the four camps of Junyi, Xingsheng, Daicun, and Zhuzhai will become beacons that attract the attention and energy of the rebels, and here will be a flesh and blood mill that consumes the strength and morale of the rebels!"

"And then here, to the north, Mo Lingjun belongs to the 20,000 mixed cavalry, a standard Changying Army combat regiment, two Changying Army standard engineer battalions, and two East Palace Guards."

"Their goal is to block the connection between the rebels' camp near Bianzhou City and the rebels attacking Changying's army after crossing the Baigou, and at the same time form the first line of defense to intercept the rebels' northward escape."

"Next is you, your task is to attack the rear camps stationed south and west of Bianzhou City, belonging to the Cheng German army and Wei Bo army respectively."

"My request to you is to be stable, accurate, and ruthless, and to attack in one attack to directly destroy everything that the other party has left near Bianzhou City!"

“…… There is no need to fight a war of annihilation, only a battle of rout...... There is no need to think about the grain and grass and baggage that are kept, but to burn everything the rebels need......"

"The ...... of the Lubei Army in the North"

"Xuanwu ......"

"Huainan ......"

It took nearly an hour for Guo Rong to give a thorough and complete explanation of his final decisive battle to the military academy with the most abundant numbers and the most complete combat effectiveness.

"If anyone else has a problem, you can mention it now, after the military discussion is over, I will not stay, and immediately go to the Changying Army east of Bianzhou."

"General, it seems that just now I just said the request to attack the enemy's camp in Bianzhou City, but how to continue to implement it after that?"

Following the voice, Guo Rong looked up and saw a military academy in his early thirties, dressed in military uniform, but with a bookish atmosphere.

The question was very direct, and it was something that Guo Rong didn't mention, but when he heard the question, Guo Rong's face was a smile of surprise.

It is the duty of a soldier to obey orders, but it is even more perfect to have enough independent thinking while obeying orders.

To be honest, this question is really a bit silly, but Guo Rong doesn't care, and now he can't imagine that it is because he has not experienced enough, and whether he dares is the real question.

"You are?"

"General Hui, subordinate Du Congyu, Zuo Qianniu Wei Changshi!"

"Well," Guo Rong nodded slightly, acknowledging the question of the long history, "The question is very good, but it's just ......"

"The situation on the battlefield is changing rapidly, nothing is static, although I have preset the battlefield, judged the movements of the rebels, and made a plan based on the soldiers, but I don't think that everything will be in line with my plan."

"If everything is implemented according to my current thinking, it may not be the best choice, and it may even be possible to lose troops and generals, and even affect the three armies, so I will only give ideas, and how to implement it and choose which way to choose will need to be improvisable according to the situation on the battlefield."

"And this is why I want to explain to you the basis, principles, and goals of my strategic plan in person, is my explanation okay, Du Changshi?"

"General Xie, it's a humble and abrupt position!"

"No, Du Changshi is asking questions according to my orders, where is there anything abrupt, but I also have a small question that needs to be answered by Du Changshi."

"General, please speak!"

"Seeing that Du Changshi is confident, I wonder if Du Changshi can put forward the previous idea?"

After being slightly stunned, Du Congyu nodded.

"I think the most important thing after defeating the opponent's camp is ......" said Du Congyu paused, as if to stop the words again.

"I think one of the options for the next action is to send out a part of the troops after the raid is completed, and drive away those who have fallen into chaos after the sneak attack, so that they can ......."

Halfway through speaking, he already understood Du Congyu's thoughts, fear is sometimes something more terrifying than killing.

And this is also one of the possibilities he predicted, otherwise, Guo Rong would not have deliberately accented a defeat battle rather than an annihilation war.

Guo Rong waved his hand, stopped Du Congyu's voice, and turned to look at Li Yuanyi.

"General Zhou, if you leave Han Xiang to you and me, there will be a lack of helpers, how about lending Du Changshi to me for a period of time first, how about it?"

The previous words were quite logical and hierarchical, but when they heard the direct borrowing at the end, many of the civil and military generals present had a lot of surprise, and many people looked at Du Ruhui with envy.

Guo Rong is talking about borrowing, but everyone knows that this borrowing is gone forever.

The so-called borrowing, which essentially values Du Congyu, with the vastly different relationship between Guo Rong and Du Congyu, being valued by Guo Rong undoubtedly represents that Du Congyu has embarked on a fast track.

Not to mention other people, even Du Congyu himself was stunned, and he didn't understand why he was pointed out by Guo Rong, logically speaking, the long history of becoming a guard of the forbidden army at his own age is indeed a bit exaggerated, and it has the influence of family background, but not much, more depends on Du Congyu's own talent.

At the more important time, his enlistment in the army was extremely secretive, and there were only two or three kittens among all the people present.

"Then thank you General, with Han Lang's help, everything will naturally ......"

After the military discussion ended, Han Xiang was left to continue to control the army, and Guo Rong left with Du Congyu in exchange, the target was the Changying Army, which was the most fierce battle, and Guo Rong knew that it was the place where he needed his own house the most.