What Zhou Tianzi cares about is Shangqiu's wealth.

In the eyes of the Son of Heaven, who is not the king's land under the whole world, the Song Dynasty and Sishang are all enemy countries, which can be plundered.

Shangqiu is rich, as famous as today, and Luoyi is also the capital, but after all, it has been far away from Sishang all these years.

If you can lay down Shangqiu......

Zhou Tianzi thought of the faces of those usury merchants, and his heart was secretly refreshed, and he said in his heart: When I asked you to borrow money, you refused to borrow, but when I captured Shangqiu and plundered the booty, you regretted it.

The reason why businessmen do not lend money to the Son of Heaven is because it is unprofitable.

In essence, it is a kind of contempt.

Zhou Tianzi felt that the merchants thought they were going to lose, so they didn't borrow money. The investment that must be lost, and the businessman is not a gentleman who does charity, how can he invest money.

And Shangqiu is so rich, if he can capture Shangqiu and plunder it, although he has few soldiers, he still has the title of the Son of Heaven, and he can also get a lot.

When those hateful businessmen heard the news, wouldn't they regret it, and wish they could go back in time and lend him more?

Although he was anxious, he also knew what he was capable of, so he only suggested that the princes march immediately.

However, the princes did not rush forward.

In order to weaken the momentum of the Mo family this time, the princes also tried their best to unite with each other.

In order to prevent the situation that "if you don't fight the Mo family, you will die in the hands of the Mo family, and if you fight in the hands of friendly forces in the future, it is better to discuss not fighting for the time being", the princes' coalition army adopted the configuration of division and reorganization this time.

The left flank attacked Heshui and Taoyi to contain the legions, mainly the Qi, Wei, and Wei coalition armies, and the main general was Gou Bian, the general of the defense of the country.

The middle road is the Son of Heaven's personal expedition, and the Marquis of Qi and the Marquis of Han are in the army, mainly the Qi army.

The right wing is dominated by the Han army, and there are 3,000 Zhao troops as an expression in response to the call of the Son of Heaven. The Duan clan of South Korea is the main general. The Son of Heaven is nothing, but Han Hou is in the Chinese army, which avoids the possibility that the right wing will not be saved in the face of death or that the friendly army will not move.

Similar to the way those in the Mojia Military Council guessed and inferred, the alliance of the princes did not have much to choose from.

The Chinese army was the largest in number, as the main force, with a total of more than 60,000, 40 bronze cannons, 6,000 cavalry, 800 chariots, and no weight in the chariots.

The left flank was only contained, but also in order to prevent the main force of the Mo family from crossing the border from Lu and rushing straight to the hinterland of the country.

There were more than 35,000 main field troops on the right flank, in addition to the armies of Xiangcheng, Yangcheng and Xinzheng, which were used to besiege Xucheng and defend after capture.

In the battle of Yongqiu, the Chinese army's forward 3,000 people approached Yongqiu first, and the Mojia besieging army broke away.

It's not that I'm afraid of these 3,000 people, but I'm afraid of the main force of the Chinese army behind the 3,000 people, which makes sense.

The battle of Yongqiu seems to have made the Mo family leak the bottom, but there is still a long way to go before the princes can completely believe it.

…………

Xu Cheng.

The Han army and part of the Zhao army gathered here.

The city was unguarded, and the scouts reported that there were no Mo soldiers in the city, and some of the rebels in the city had also withdrawn.

The scout also said that before leaving, the Mo family soldiers had made a preaching, saying that the retreat at this time was for future victory, so that the people should have confidence in the Mo family's great cause of benefiting the world.

As for the reason for the retreat, it is actually quite easy to understand.

Xu was too far forward to protrude, and if he wanted to prepare for an attack, this was the easiest place to launch an attack, which was why Chu did not hesitate to occupy Xu Cheng in a battle with Wei Han in the Battle of Zheng.

However, if the Mo family gathers forces to defend the Xu Land, once the war is unfavorable, the South Mo Family of the Xu Land will have no troops available.

Xu Xiangxi is the flank of the Mo family's army stationed in Chu, such as Ye and Fangcheng.

Therefore, it is likely that the Mo family felt that the troops were insufficient and the battle line was too long, so they shrank their forces and focused on defending Ye, Fangcheng and other places to prevent the flanks of the Chu army from being stolen.

After entering Xucheng, Duan Duan, the chief general of the Han army, sighed: "The Mo family is a general, and most of them are sluts, but they also know how to advance and retreat. ”

"Xu Cheng Dayi, abandoning but not guarding, is a wonderful strategy."

"In my opinion, it will retreat between the Yingshui and the hidden water, and camp near the water."

As if to verify the master's clever decision, he quickly scouted and returned, and the soldiers of the Mo family who had allowed to retreat built a fortress and set up camp in Yingshui.

His advisers or the rest of the nobles praised him: "The general is clever." ”

Duan Duan said with a straight face: "The nobility of Shiqing comes from the battle. If you don't know how to fight, you can't build your family and protect yourself. ”

"If the Mo family has many soldiers, they will keep their promises."

"If he has few soldiers, he will abandon it."

"If you keep the promise, you can cooperate with the kings of Ye, Fangcheng and other places to go down to Xiangcheng and force Yang Zhai; The north can go to Xinzheng and be in danger. ”

"If you abandon the promise, you can form a front line of contact with Fang Cheng and Ye to shrink the troops, and Chen, Shangcai, Xiang and other places in the rear can help."

"Keep promises, and there will be many soldiers; If you abandon your promise, there will be fewer soldiers. ”

"The so-called poisonous snake bites the finger of the strong man and breaks it. Although Xu is big and rich, the Mo family will abandon it when they say it, and they should not be underestimated. ”

Everyone obeyed.

At that time, the Mo family gave up Xucheng and retreated to the area of Yuncheng in later generations, and built a fortress near the Xiaoshang Bridge in later generations.

At this time, Yingshui has not been diverted, and the west of the first line of Xiaoshang Bridge can connect Ye and Fangcheng; Nan can cover up Cai.

Reduced forces, it is indeed easier to defend according to the art of war.

Duan Duan asked the Korean miscellaneous army and peasants to go south of Xucheng and camp there, and at the same time conquered the people to build the city defense of Xucheng, so as to prevent the Mo family from counterattacking in the future.

He personally commanded the main force to the east in order to capture Yangxia, so as to cover the flank security of the main force of the Chinese army attacking Shangqiu.

However, he did not march immediately, but sent people to the place where the main force of the alliance of the princes in the middle road was, and gave a general explanation of the situation in Xu Cheng, and attached his own judgment.

When the news was delivered to the Chinese army, the advance of the Chinese army had already entered Yongqiu, and the main force had not yet arrived in Yongqiu.

After the Mo family besieging Yongqiu withdrew, more than 5,000 people in the vanguard tentatively attacked Daicheng, but they were blocked in a small city south of Daicheng, and the defenders were about 2,000, and 5,000 people could not attack.

After receiving Duan Duan's news, the princes consulted with the important ministers and advisors, and thought that Duan Duan's judgment should be correct.

Since the Mo family gave up Xu, it proved that their military strength in Si was insufficient, otherwise as long as they held on to Xudi, then the attack of the coalition army would be blocked.

There is only one reason for retreating to build a fortress between Yingshui and hidden water, that is, Zhaoling and Yinyang cannot be lost.

Once this place is lost, then Nanyang and Chen Cai and Sishang of the Chu army will be divided into two parts.

The premise for the main force of the princes' coalition army to send troops was that the Korean army led by Duan Duan on the right flank captured Yangxia.

To the north of Yangxia is Yongqiu, to the south of Yongqiu is the important border city of Cheng Kuang, Cheng Kuang is between Yongqiu and Yangxia, once belonged to Wei, later belonged to Chu, and now belongs to Mo, which was an important component of the Central Plains fortification area of the princes.

The main force of the princes' coalition army divided 10,000 troops, turned to attack Chengkuang, and the main force marched to Yongqiu, stationed in Yongqiu, and accumulated food.

Yongqiu is not far from Dai and Chengkuang.

If the striker encounters the main force of the Mo family, the main force of the alliance of the princes can also arrive quickly.

If Daicheng is down, then the north can threaten Taoyi and Heshui fortified areas, which is the established goal of the princes' coalition forces; After capturing Chengkuang, you can march to Ningling, and after Ningling, Shangqiu will be naked before the coalition army.

Attacking Cheng Kuang is also to cover the right flank to capture Yangxia, and if Cheng Kuang is lost, the main force of the Chinese army and the right flank can communicate with each other, one side is in danger, and the other is convenient for rapid support.

With support, Duan Duan also began to advance towards Yangxia when the main forces of the princes divided their troops to attack Chengkuang.

More than 3,000 people in the vanguard went to the solid city between Xu and Yangxia first, and they also went down without a fight, there were no soldiers in the city, and the officials of the Mo family here also withdrew early.

I asked the local villagers, and the villagers said that the Mo family had withdrawn a few days ago.

Duan Duan was a little suspicious, Xu Cheng retreated without a fight, he could understand, and contracted his forces to cover the direction of Nanyang.

But Gucheng was an empty city, and he muttered a little in his heart.

Originally, he thought that he should not underestimate the enemy, he was a flank, not the main force, and there were not many troops.

Sishang could also gather nearly 30,000 people to attack Yongqiu before, although he did not take it, it is said that most of them were new soldiers, old and weak, but he was different from the optimism of the princes.

The optimism of the princes is to be forced out of the suffering by the Mo family, and if they attack Yongqiu on the twelfth, they can set up a banquet to congratulate each other, thinking that the Mo family can be defeated.

But Duan Duan knew in his heart that even if most of them were old and weak, the siege of the city for 12 days, if it were not for the main force of the coalition army to arrive in Daliang, he was afraid that Yongqiu City would be captured in a few more days.

In other words, the Mo family does have few troops in Sishang now, otherwise it would be impossible to give up Xu.

However, the Mo family can at least gather about 30,000 troops, these 30,000 people are not the main force, and they cannot eat the main force of the coalition army, but if they rush into the greedy army, they may be eaten.

He knew the Mo family's field combat ability.

If one of them is eaten, or if they are badly damaged and cannot fight again, then the flanks of the Chinese army will be exposed.

At that time, if the siege of Shangqiu continues, the main force of the Mo family returns, and the right flank is exposed and a gap appears, it will be extremely dangerous.

So he sent scouts to search the surrounding area extensively, and part of the vanguard was stationed in Gucheng, waiting for the arrival of the army.

Two days later, the main force of the right wing arrived in Gucheng, and the forward troops were in Yangxia.

Yangxia is another empty city.

The striker soldiers captured Yang Xia bloodlessly and immediately reported back to Duan Duan.

When Duan Duan heard this, he was not happy and surprised.

The general and the strategist said: "The Mo family has no soldiers available, so they use the empty city to make a mystery, why don't the generals take the opportunity to rush forward with light troops, and the troops are approaching Hongshui and approaching Shangqiu." ”

"If our army crosses the Hongshui, the defenders of Chengkuang will inevitably panic and can only retreat back to Shangqiu. At that time, the general can ambush halfway. ”

"In this way, it can not only break through Cheng Kuang, so that the general and the Chinese army are connected without barriers, but also make the merit of ascending the siege first, which is enough to cover the world."

Duan Duan said: "In the past, Xianggong was in Hongshui, and the Chu people half-crossed Xianggong and said that they would not push people into danger, and they would not force people to retreat, so that the Song Kingdom declined. ”

"Although the Mo family has its own benevolence and righteousness, it is not a person like Xianggong. If there is deception, our army is trapped in Hongshui, and when it cannot advance or retreat, it will suddenly besiege it, what will happen? ”

"At that time, not only will it be useless, but it will be the sin of losing the teacher; Responsibility for defeat. ”

There is a city in Linhongshui, called Zhecheng, which is famous for the many Zheshu trees near the city, and is said to be the fief of the branch of the ancient Yandi family.

Zhecheng is only a few dozen miles away from Shangqiu, close to Hongshui, in the battle of Hongshui in the past, Song Xianggong staged a unique benevolence and righteousness here, but was ridiculed and buried the hegemony of the Song State, but Duan Duan did not think that the Mo family was also a group of people who recognized the benevolence and righteousness of Song Xianggong.

Moreover, his task was not to attack Shangqiu, but to continue to attack Qiaocheng to the east after capturing Yangxia, so as to cover the flank of Shangqiu and cut off the support of the southern army of the Mo family.

Now he is advancing again and again, and Gucheng and Yangxia are empty cities; However, Cheng Kuang and Dai, who were attacking the main force, met with fierce resistance.

Either the Mo family is short of troops and is ready to defend Shangqiu, drag it until the main force of the Mo family captures Linzi and then return to help.

Either that, they are eyeing him and trying to get him to rush in and surround him.