Chapter 547 [Panin's Decision]

On the west side of the defensive line in front of the Loton Valley, rows of dense sticks were stuck in the ground.

On the sharp roots, there are one flesh and blood blurred head after another!

This row of heads was just stuck on the ground, densely packed, lined up in rows, and it looked very scary.

Here in the Roland Empire, it seems that they are not worried that such a move will anger the steppe people. And it seems that this kind of move is intended to hit the morale of the steppe people.

And this move seems to have had a certain effect.

After the great victory in the Lorton Valley Plain, the cavalry of the steppe people advancing eastward was routed, and the defeated army was routed for thirty miles, directly out of the Lorton Valley Plain, and even the defense line of the Roland army that had been conquered was lost again.

For the next ten days, the steppe people seemed to have lost their courage in that battle, and did not make any more moves to the east, and they did not dare to take a step into Nulin Province.

This winter seems to be far from over......

......

............

"Withdraw?!"

Span's annoyed voice came from the tent.

The prime minister's son was dressed in armor, but his left arm and shoulder were covered with thick bandages, and red blood stains were evident from them.

During the battle in the valley of the Lotton, the fleet responsible for harassing the steppe cavalry brigade on the river was led by Span.

Harassing the steppe people with long-range weapons on the river surface seems to be an easy task, but it is actually not simple. Although the steppe people lacked heavy long-range weapons, in order to achieve the best effect of harassing the steppe people, and in order to maximize the power of the ship's ballistas and small catapults, Spann ordered the fleet to be as close to the shore as possible. In order to cover the ground farther away.

Although the steppe people did not have heavy long-range weapons, the cavalry cavalry carried by the steppe cavalry could also have a range of two or three hundred meters, and some of the steppe cavalry rushed to the shore and fired at the fleet on the river. There were also some casualties.

Span personally commanded the battle at the bow of the ship, and his courage was outstanding, but in the melee, he was also wounded by a stray arrow and was hit by two arrows.

After the war, the general Spann was slightly injured and refused to go to the wounded barracks to recuperate, but then devoted himself to the post-war sweeping work.

Gathered the army, counted the results of the battle, and did not rest for two days and two nights. He personally led people to re-strengthen the western defense line of the Loton River Valley that he had captured.

In such a cold weather, the front-line troops did not even have hot water to drink because of the shortage of supplies, so they could only drink cold river water and gnaw on dry food. As the son of a nobleman in the imperial capital, this young general Spann gritted his teeth and carried it down!

It was only on the fifth day after the war that he finally fell ill and could not bear a high fever. They were forcibly carried back from the first line of the defensive line on the western front of the Lorton Valley.

But when he arrived at the camp, he immediately heard a news that shocked him!

Panin, who actually ordered the troops of the first line of defense, contracted on all fronts!

It is said that the troops of the defensive line were to be ordered to cover each other. Then withdraw from the line of defense in batches, then assemble, and then the whole army retreats to the east!!

How can this work!!

Regardless of his injury, Span rushed directly to the coach's camp to find Panin's theory!

......

"You're just a mess!!"

Spann angrily drew his sword. Thrown on the ground, he threw it at Panin's feet: "If you insist on going your own way, take up my sword now." Hack me to death with a sword!!"

Panin didn't move, just glanced down at the sword under his feet, and said lightly: "Can you calm down and listen to me?"

"How can I calm down!!" Spann suddenly roared.

His face was red, foaming at the mouth, and his eyes were even more hideous and fierce, staring at Panin fiercely: "In order to lure the enemy deeper, you let three hundred soldiers of the garrison run back, and the whole army was wiped out in the defense line west of the Loton Valley. In order to lure the steppe people into our trap and to ensure completeness, we threw 300 people out as bait! In order to take care of the overall situation, I endured such a thing! The soldiers fought a bloody battle, saying that it was a great victory, and tens of thousands of enemies were annihilated! But we know in our hearts what a great price we ourselves have paid in this battle! With a weak enemy and a strong enemy, and with a outnumbered enemy, even if it is an ambush, how many of our own soldiers have been killed or wounded! How many percent of your own soldiers have been killed or wounded in an ambush! How many percent of your strength is left in the First Independent Cavalry Regiment? The Second Cavalry Regiment has already collapsed directly! The wounded barracks are already overcrowded! Panin, how much did we pay in this battle, others don't know, don't you know it in your own heart! 7,000 cavalry, how many percent are left now?!"

Panin's face turned pale, gritted his teeth, and said coldly: "You don't need to remind me, I know very well, the cavalry numbers are there, and they are making up ...... Three thousand one hundred and twenty-eight! Together with the more than 600 people lying in the wounded barracks, more than half of our cavalry units were lost in the first battle. ”

"Yes, the killer weapon you are proud of, the heavy cavalry of the Second Cavalry Regiment, and a few percent of the combat power!"

"Less than four hundred. Panin shook his head: "The Second Cavalry Regiment suffered the most damage, not to mention the casualties, the cost of war horses cannot be replenished, and those selected war horses that can bear heavy riding are only afraid that it will be difficult to replenish them." ”

"That's it!!" Span's eyes almost burst into flames: "We paid such a terrible price......! You gave the order for the whole army to retreat in contraction! We have been desperately defending for so many days, and we have killed and wounded so many people, isn't it all in vain!!

Panin silently stepped forward and reached out to try to pat Span's shoulder, Spann flashed and let go of Panin's hand, Panin raised his eyebrows, but suddenly reached out and grabbed Span's shoulder hard.

Spann wanted to struggle, but Panin suddenly said in a deep voice, hatefully: "Span!!You listen to me, just one sentence!!"

"Okay!

"I'm just asking you...... If the steppes attack again, with our current strength, our current number of cavalry, can we fight a battle like the Loton Valley again?"

“............”

Spann was speechless.

After a long time, Spann gritted his teeth: "Hit ...... Can't fight. ”

Seven thousand cavalry lost half of them before they managed to fight such a great victory -- this great victory was naturally a real victory, even if they lost three or four thousand men and horses, but they annihilated ten times as many enemies as their own, such a result can definitely deserve the title of "great victory".

But the question is......

"Our foundation is far less thick than that of the steppe people!" Panin said in a very solemn tone: "We only have 30,000 or 40,000 people! I tried my best to get together more than 7,000 cavalry. But what about the steppe people? There are hundreds of thousands. Even more than 200,000 iron horsemen! If 30,000 or 40,000 are lost, another 30,000 or 40,000 can be sent to them. By that time, we will have no cavalry, how will we fight? Shall we let the soldiers hold their shields and spears and resist their iron hooves?"

Spann stopped talking.

Panin is right in at least one of his ways. Such a battle as the victory in the plains of the Loton Valley, although the results were brilliant, but to do it again, it was already beyond the capacity of the Northwest Army.

"I'll tell you so. From the very beginning, I had no intention of completely keeping the steppe people out of the line! Next, it's time to plan for the next step. ”

"......" Spann finally calmed down at this moment, and he took a deep breath: "You...... Tell me, I'll hear what you have to say. ”

Although there is still a little unwillingness and annoyance in these words, he is still calm and rational after all.

"The grassland people have a large number of troops, but we have few troops! Our strategic purpose was not to hold the first line of defense! Our original final plan was to hold out at least until after the beginning of spring. Persist until the imperial capital sends reinforcements to support us! At that time, we have a large army mobilized by the whole country, so we can have the capital to have a head-to-head confrontation with the grassland people! Again, we have made a lot of efforts. It's all about delaying time! Hold back the pace of the steppe people, drag them to death in the northwest, drag them to death in our defense area, and drag them to death in Nulin Province.

From that point of view. As long as the grassland people are not allowed to drink the Lancang River, even if most of the Nulin Province is lost, we have achieved our goal. It's not a loss!"

Spann was silent.

"Why don't I want to keep the steppe people out of the door!" Panin shouted: "If I have 100,000 male soldiers in my hands now, I will dare to order a death battle with the steppe people, and I will not retreat a single step, and I will wipe them out here! But the problem is that we don't have this strength! Therefore, from the very beginning, my strategic purpose was not to keep the enemy out! but to ...... War of attrition!"

"War of attrition ......"

"Yes, it's consumption!" Panin exhaled, and seeing that Spann had finally calmed down completely, he slowed down his speech and spoke slowly in a low voice:

"The first line of defense I arranged, spread out the infantry in my hand, and it took so long with the steppe people that I didn't expect to be able to hold it in the first place. I just want to rely on a line of defense in this place to wear down the patience of the steppe people and wear down their spirit! I will make them anxious and impatient! Let them hit the iron plate and suffer a little, and then they will be eager to find a breakthrough, to try their best to break through the defense line, to find an open plain to drive straight into. I just want to arouse this kind of thought in their hearts, and make this kind of thinking stronger and stronger!

And we did!

The steppe people have spent some days in our first line of defense, they are in a hurry, and then they can't wait to find a breakthrough. I deliberately gave way to the defenses of the Lorton Valley, threw those bait, let them eat, let them in!

The second step is the decisive battle in the plains of the Loton Valley! We have won this battle, and we have also achieved my second goal, which is to consume the living force of the steppe people!"

"But...... We only annihilated about 30,000. Spann shook his head, "How is this enough?"

"The meaning is heavy!" a cold smile appeared at the corner of Paning's mouth: "It is precisely these 30,000 people who are the key to changing the whole situation in the future!"

"Why, how can it be? The steppe barbarians have hundreds of thousands of cavalry......

......

"Panin is a smart guy. ”

The middle-aged nobleman looked at the secret report in his hand and sighed softly.

Sitting opposite him was Du Weiwei, who was wearing a leather armor, a thin belt around his waist, and a sharp dagger beside his hand, who was gently sharpening a wooden stick.

"Go on. Du Weiwei seemed to be nonchalant.

"Yes. The middle-aged nobleman smiled: "The key is the more than 30,000 steppe cavalry annihilated in the Luodun Valley." ”

"Hmmm......"

"The first step is to set up the first line of defense, hold on for a few days, make the steppe people anxious, wear away the patience and sharpness of the steppe people, make them anxiously seek a breakthrough, and then sell the flaw in the Lorton Valley. At this time...... The steppe people made another move. And this move was also calculated by Panin early in his heart!

Unable to open the situation before, the King of the Prairie sought a battle to boost morale...... At the same time, more importantly, to establish the prestige of the royal court! Therefore, when the breakthrough was opened, that is, the Lotton Valley, the vanguard sent by the Prairie King to enter the plain of the Lordon Valley was the direct elite of his royal court! That is, the royal army of the Prairie Royal Court!

Because the king of the steppe wants to show his deterrent! He needs to make his royal army build up meritorious deeds, so that he can suppress the morale and military spirit that are gradually shaking inside, and suppress the other tribes. Obey the orders of the royal court with all their hearts, and dare not have different intentions! Therefore, those who rushed into the plains of the Loton River Valley were the descendants of the royal court!

No more, no less, more than 30,000 rides.

Originally, the king of the steppe thought that this battle would be won, after all, a breakthrough had been opened, and the matter in front of him was a flat and open area that could be driven straight into for a long time, which was the most suitable terrain for the grassland cavalry to fight, plus superior troops. There's no chance of defeat.

This kind of meritorious service at hand is naturally to be taken by one's own descendants.

But as a result, this qiē was all counted by Panin.

Panin's original plan was to eat the army directly under the Prairie Royal Court.

If it's the other cavalry of the steppe. Don't say it's 30,000, even if you eat 30,000 more...... For the steppe people, they can afford to lose!

After they came out this time, they were close to 200,000 iron horsemen. The capital is abundant.

However, the system of the grassland people is a huge hidden danger.

They are tribal! More than 200,000 cavalry. Not all of them belong directly to the Prairie King. The grassland is a tribal system, and when the royal court is the strongest, the other tribes will submit to the royal court of the grassland king and obey the orders of the royal court.

That's what the Prairie King has always done. The Grassland King Court is the most powerful tribe, and the Grassland King is known as 100,000 under his command, but in fact it is only 70,000 or 80,000. This time, I will bring a maximum of 40,000 or 50,000 yuan.

After all, the family always has to leave 10,000 or 20,000 to guard the hometown and pasture.

Among the 200,000 iron cavalry, the royal court of the Grassland King accounted for about a quarter, and under normal circumstances, it was already the most powerful one, enough to deter other tribes and command the whole army.

Can ...... now It's a very different story!"

Hearing this, Du Weiwei smiled lightly, a gorgeous smile bloomed on his face, and said lightly: "Paning lured the grassland king, and ate the grassland king's 30,000 iron horsemen...... Now, the Prairie King's strength has been greatly damaged, and it can almost be said that his vitality has been greatly damaged.

Now, I'm afraid that the troops directly under the Grassland King are less than 20,000. Among the more than 200,000 troops, he had less than 20,000 men...... If you want to continue to make the other tribes bow down to him, I'm afraid it's not so easy.

Prairie people...... Originally, they were wolves! They never paid attention to any loyalty and etiquette, they only paid attention to the law of the jungle! The so-called king of the steppe was fought by relying on the strength of soldiers and horses.

Now, there are less than 20,000 horses left in this grassland king, and in such a big defeat, the morale must be very low, and these several factors add up, I am afraid that those other tribes may not have so much respect for this grassland king anymore.

Less than 20,000 people and horses, although it is not too small, but among the grassland people, it is no longer possible to have an overwhelming advantage. Among those steppe tribes, there are several large tribes with more than 10,000 troops...... The patriarchs of those tribes may not want to get a steppe king's hat to wear......"

"The next step is to drag on time. The middle-aged nobleman smiled: "If Paning is smart, there is no point in continuing to fight with the grassland people at this moment."

If he had been smarter, he would have shrunk his forces and retreated, making room for him. Retreat behind the tall and strong walls, show weakness, and then defend with fortified cities.

As long as we fight for a while longer, drag on for a while, and let the battle continue to be stalemate...... Then after a long time, the grassland people themselves will be shaken!

At that time, the prestige of the Prairie King was gone...... Without a strong force to deter other tribes, then most of the grassland people will have some kind of chaos inside!

Perhaps, there will be a battle for the throne in the territory of our Roland Empire. ”

(To be continued......)