In the first battle of Xunjiang, the Song army won a great victory, killing more than 5,000 people in the battle, countless people drowned in the Manichaean army, and more than 3,700 people were captured, which was the greatest victory achieved by the Song army since the Manichaean army rebelled last year. Following Zhong Zhenxian, Chen Ziming, and Chen Dong, the Manichaean army that fled back to Wuxian was less than 7,000. Including the defenders of the Martial Immortals, there were only more than 15,000 people.

Only then did Zhong Zhenxian and Chen Ziming know the strength of the Song army, and they didn't dare to fight again, so they had to strengthen the defense of Wuxian on the one hand, and fly to Zhong Ziang in Guizhou on the other hand, asking for reinforcements.

After receiving Zhong Zhenxian's defeat, Guizhou was shocked, because the Song army deliberately showed weakness some time ago, and most people did not take the Song army too seriously, so when Zhong Zhenxian proposed to take the initiative to attack and meet the Song army, almost everyone in Manichaeism agreed. They all thought that this time they would win a big victory like last year, but they never expected that Zhong Zhenxian would lose so badly.

Even Zhong Ziang was shocked, because the Manichaean army had never been defeated in such a defeat since the incident. Moreover, Wuxian is the gateway to Guizhou, only more than 80 miles away from Guizhou, once Wuxian is lost, Guizhou will directly face the soldiers of the Song army.

But to their surprise, at this time, Yang Yan did not come to wave his army to attack Wuxian, but instead stationed troops in Pingdanyi, and divided his troops to take Pennzhou, Tengzhou, Wuzhou and other places.

Zhong Ziang couldn't hold his breath at this time, and hurriedly summoned the ministers again to discuss the plan. The ministers expressed their opinions and discussed a lot, some said that the army would be raised again, and the Song army should be decisively deceived, and some said that the city should be defended to the death, etc. The Song Dynasty officials who had been active in recent times remained silent at this time, because the series of victories of the Song army made them feel that Manichaeism seemed to be unreliable, and at this time they still had to see the situation clearly and then make the next step.

Lai Wenzheng reported first: "My lord, the latest news that the Song army has mobilized a total of more than 70,000 troops this time, and now Yang Yan's men and horses are not moving in Pingdanyi, and they are sending men and horses to take Pennzhou, Tengzhou, Wuzhou and other places. At present, our men and horses have been assembled in Guiyang, with 60,000 troops from the three armies of the Governor's Mansion and more than 40,000 troops from the other eight armies, totaling about 100,000 troops. ”

Zhong Shi said: "Then what are you waiting for, quickly send people and horses to various places to guard against the Song army." ”

Zhong Ziang thought for a while, and suddenly asked, "Mr. Lai, how many troops does the Song army still have in Pingdanyi?"

Lai Wenzheng said: "The spies reported that due to the division of troops by the Song army, there are currently less than 20,000 people stationed in Pingdanyi, and if you add the nearby troops, there will be only more than 30,000 people at most. ”

Zhong Ziang nodded and said, "According to this, Yang Yan has transferred most of his troops out to capture other places, and there are not many people stationed at Pingdanyi now." This is a good opportunity, we can concentrate our army to attack Yang Yan directly, if we defeat Yang Yan's men, the other Song armies will not have to worry. ”

Lai Wenzheng said: "The king's idea has also been thought of by the ministers, but Weichen thinks that with Yang Yan's ability to use troops, there will be no such loopholes." Therefore, the minister thought that Yang Yan's move was actually a bait, the Song army has always been good at defending the city, if our army went to attack Yang Yan, he only had to defend the city in Pingdanyi, and he could drag the main army of our Holy Sect with less than 20,000 men and horses, and let the rest of the Song army go to absorb the rest of our Holy Sect. ”

Zhong Ziang listened, pondered for a while, and then said: "What Mr. Lai said is reasonable, we will immediately divide our troops to guard all places." ”

At this moment, Zhong Xinhuan hurriedly walked up to the hall and said: "Report to the king, now the Song army is sent from Pingdanyi, and now the Xun River has been crossed, and the camp is set up on the back of the river, probably to attack Wuxian, please decide to the king." ”

At this time, Zhong Ziang, Zhong Shi, Zhao Cao, Xiao Tinglan, Lai Wenzheng and others were stunned. Yang Yan actually sent troops from Pingdanyi, and he went to camp behind the river, it was like taking the initiative to send it to the door. This shows that Lai Wengai's previous guess was wrong, Yang Yan did not want to defend in Pingdanyi, but to take the initiative to attack, did he think that with only 20,000 or 30,000 horses, he could capture Wuxian and then march into Guizhou?

The people in the main hall suddenly fell silent again, everyone was thinking about Yang Yan's purpose in doing this, and how the Manichaean army should respond. If it is still according to the previous plan and divide the troops to rescue various places, then it will inevitably cause Guizhou, Wuxian's first-line defense is insufficient, maybe Yang Yan is waiting for this opportunity, so as to capture Wuxian in one fell swoop and take Guizhou directly. But if you change your plan, regardless of the places, and concentrate your men and horses to attack Yang Yan first, this is indeed a good opportunity. had no choice but to defeat Yang Yan, and the other Song armies would naturally retreat without a fight. But everyone can't help but ask: Is this so difficult to real?

At this time, Zhong Ziang was also undecided, and the two choices were intertwined back and forth in his heart. This is indeed a good opportunity to defeat Yang Yan, will Yang Yan really give Manichaeism such a good opportunity? Is there a trap again? But what if it's not a trap, there's no better chance than this. No, no, I would never believe that Yang Yan would be so stupid and show such a big flaw.

Zhong Ziang paused for a moment, and suddenly thought that it was because I would never believe it, maybe Yang Yan thought exactly that, so he would really do this deliberately. Doesn't it say in the art of war that "fiction is real, and reality is fiction"? If you don't seize this opportunity, I'm afraid that there will be no such good opportunity in the future.

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

If Yang Yan knew about Zhong Ziang and his ministers' discussions, he was afraid that he would also smile bitterly. Because his arrangement is far less complicated than Zhong Ziang thought.

"You all get it." Yang Yan pressed his hand on the table, "If there is nothing else, let's go back and prepare." This time to pacify the south, Guan Jian was in one fell swoop. ”

Cao Xun, Gao Zhen, Liu Fuwu, and Wu Xi said in unison: "Respect the order." ”

Cao Xun blinked his eyes and said, "Big brother, you are too cunning to come up with such a method." ”

Wu Xi was a little skeptical, and said, "Commander, can this really work?" ”

Gao Zhen said: "Wu Tongzhi, don't worry, since it was said by the eldest brother, there must be nothing wrong, I absolutely believe the eldest brother." We just do what the eldest brother says. ”

Yang Yan shook his head and said, "No one can guarantee that this battle will be won, but if this battle is won, then this time the overall situation will be decided." So what we have to do is to work together and try to win this battle. ”

It turned out that Zhong Ziang finally decided to concentrate his men and horses first to defeat Yang Yan at any cost. Therefore, Zhao Cao was appointed as the main general, Lai Wenzheng was the deputy, supplemented by Chen Dong, Li Jin, Shan Huaigong, Wen Fu, and four people, there were three armies in the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies in Guizhou, leaving only half of the army to garrison Guizhou, and dispatched two and a half armies, with a total of 50,000 horses, and four armies from other horses, a total of 20,000 horses, with a total of 70,000 troops. At the same time, Zhong Ziang also assigned nearly 10,000 horses stationed in Wuxian to Zhao Cao and Lai Wenzheng, so that the total number of men and horses dispatched this time reached 80,000, which was almost three times the number of the Song army.

According to common sense, in such a situation, the Song army should retreat to Pingdanyi and fight according to the city, and after Yang Yan received the report, not only did he not panic at all, but instead recruited all the generals and calmly arranged the arrangement, which was completely a frame of fighting to the death with the Manichaean army.

At this time, a guard suddenly walked into the big tent and said, "Report to the commander, Princess Yongning has arrived."

Yang Yan was slightly stunned: What is Zhao Qianru doing here?

Cao Xun coughed a few times and glanced at the others. The other three will care. said in unison: "Commander, the last general has retired." As he spoke, he ran out of the tent. Only Yang Yan was left alone in the tent and smiled bitterly.

After Zhao Qianru walked into the big tent, Yang Yan smiled bitterly: "Why did you come here?" It's dangerous here. ”

Zhao Qianru said with a smile: "I'm a prison army, of course I'll be there when you get there." And it's not like I haven't been on the battlefield, so there's nothing to be afraid of. But seeing the Manichaean army pressing down on the territory, you still have a calm breath, and you don't want to think of a way?"

Yang Yan smiled faintly: "Who said that I didn't think of a way, the soldiers came to block, and the water came to cover it." I'm still afraid that they won't come, so I put my men and horses here in the hope that the Manichaean army can attack and fight them face to face, and now that they are really here, isn't it better? ”

Zhao Qianru's eyes widened: "Do you know how many people from Manichaeism came?" ”

Yang Yan said: "There are about seventy or eighty thousand." ”

Zhao Qianru said: "Now you are camped here only the Ma Jun Division's Xuan Feng Army, the Chinese Army, the Dianqian Division's Urging Army, and the Guangxi Army's Tabai Army, less than 20,000 people. ”

Yang Yan nodded and said, "That's right, there are also the front army and the left army of the Infantry Division, and the right army of the Ma Military Division is also nearby, and it will come over soon." Now with the 2,000 men you brought, I'll have about 32,000 people here. The Manichaean army still has to defend Wuxian and Xunzhou, so the number of men and horses that can be dispatched will not exceed 60,000. ”