"It's a little strange, this military deployment in Ningxia Town doesn't seem to be aimed at us, it should be someone else...... Xu Xingxia said slowly. 【Reading.com】

"Huh? Not against us? Zhang Tianhao and the others were a little surprised.

Not against them, but against whom? In the territory of Ningxia Town, what other goal can make the army of Ningxia Town move so frequently? It can't be somewhere else, there are also riots, and Ningxia Town needs to send troops to suppress it. Anyway, they haven't received a similar message! Impossible!

However, they couldn't refute Xu Xingxia's words. Because, in terms of military strategy, they are all purely blind. Maybe when they go to the battlefield to fight, they can still show some skills, if it comes to military reasoning, then it will not work. Thinking about strategic issues requires a lot of knowledge and information that the commander himself knows. In general, only commanders at the highest level, are qualified to consider strategic issues. Officers in general, at best, think about tactics. Even, tactical issues may not be well mastered.

Xu Xingxia's military talent, if it is placed in the future generations, is nothing at all. He did not receive a formal military education, nor did he systematically study military theory. However, at this time in the late Ming Dynasty, his personal qualities were relatively superior, and he still had a basic strategic vision. The so-called vision is actually the amount of resources and intelligence mastered. Most of the advantages are actually caused by information asymmetry.

At the very least, he knows a lot of examples of warfare, and he also knows some basic military principles. He has read many novels about the end of the Ming Dynasty and has a certain understanding of the people and events of this era. From this point of view, the information he has is completely superior to that of others. No matter how clever a commander is, for the future, can only guess, is uncertain. However, Xu Xingxia can determine what will happen in the future.

Based on all aspects of intelligence, Xu Xingxia came to the conclusion that the defense of Ningxia Town was more like preventing outsiders from entering Ningxia Town. That's right, that's it. It's external, not internal. Frequent troop movements were basically in the southern part of Ningxia Town, including the junction with Guyuan Town. The Ming troops in Pingyucheng, Hongguangbao, Yaofubao, Changxinbao, Ligangbao and other areas in the north did not move.

Obviously, if Ningxia Town wants to make a move against the white-clothed army, it is impossible for the Ming army in these places to be without movement. This is the front line of the attack on the white-clothed army, the army of the imperial court, you must start from here to get in touch with the white-clothed army. If you attack directly from Ningxia City, the march will be too far. Since the Ming army in these places has not moved, it means that they are not ready to attack for the time being. The spies of the white-clothed army are also the most closely guarded by these places, and it is impossible for any wind and grass to hide from the eyes of the white-clothed spies.

In fact, from another point of view, such a military deployment could not stop Xu Xingxia's attack at all. Unless Li Guozhen is brain-dead to the point of being very powerful, otherwise, he really didn't come to target the white-clothed army. If the white-clothed army suddenly attacked and made a move in advance, his deployment like this would easily be broken apart by the white-clothed army, and his body would be incomplete. However, it is not known who he is targeting, or who is going to break into Ningxia Town.

In the era when there were no telephones and no radios, it was actually very difficult to spread information. Unless you send someone to find out, you may not know what is happening dozens of miles away. Two different counties, the message may be completely isolated. Xu Xingxia could only estimate that something big might have happened outside Ningxia Town that would cause Ningxia Town to react like this. But what exactly happened?

"Wang Qinian, is there any other news?" Xu Xingxia asked eagerly.

"There is no other valuable news for the time being." Wang Qinian replied regretfully.

"Nothing? Is there one over there in Yansui Town? Xu Xingxia was a little unwilling. If nothing happens, there will be so many military families fleeing in Yansui Town? If there is nothing going on, will Ningxia Town put on such a military posture? Why did the military flee en masse? Good end, why should the army in Ningxia Town be frequently mobilized?

There must be some intrinsic connection in this. Everything they see on the surface must be pushed by a black hand that cannot be seen. Finding this black hand is equivalent to finding the root of all problems. Now the question is, what exactly is this black hand? The strength of Xuan Ying Wei is still a bit insufficient, and there are no valuable clues yet.

"There is a horse thief named Gao Yingxiang in Yansui Town, and the movement seems to be a little noisy. Other than that, there is nothing else. Wang Qinian shook his head and said.

"What do you say? Gao Yingxiang? Xu Xingxia's eyes suddenly lit up. Gao Yingxiang, such a familiar name! Isn't this the king of Chuang? Among all the people he has met so far, the most famous one is probably Yuan Chonghuan. In second place, it should be Zuo Guangdou. ranked third, it is estimated that it is this Gao Yingxiang. Of course, the premise is that he must be the Gao Yingxiang in history, not just a passerby with the same name.

"The leader of the horse thieves is called Gao Yingxiang...... Xu Qianhu, you ......," Wang Qinian said a little strangely. He could feel that Xu Xingxia seemed to be very interested in this Gao Yingxiang. His eyes had completely betrayed his heart. This made Wang Qinian feel very surprised. Because, in Wang Qinian's impression, Xu Xingxia's cultivation kung fu is still very good, if it weren't for a very earth-shattering event, he would not have such a reaction.

However, judging from the information he had, this Gao Yingxiang is obviously an ordinary horse thief! This time it's just that there are no tigers in the mountains, and the monkey is called the king, and it's his turn to make a fuss. Judging from the results of his fuss, it seems that he is about to lose his hand. A large number of officers and troops encircled and suppressed, and he was about to perish. Why can such a person attract Xu Xingxia's attention? No, no, there must be some ulterior secret in this!

"Gao Yingxiang? Ansai people? Horse sellers? Arm strength? Good at riding and shooting? Have relatives Gao Guiying, Gao Yigong, Gao Jie and others? Xu Xingxia asked eagerly. His top priority is to determine whether this Gao Yingxiang is really the king. If he is really the king, it is necessary to get acquainted. If possible, it's best to recruit your own men. What he values is not Gao Yingxiang's talent, nor his wealth, but his family. Of course, Gao Yingxiang's ability to pull the team is also good.

In other words, on Li Zicheng's side, there are a lot of people with the surname Gao, such as Li Zicheng's wife Gao Guiying, capable generals Gao Yigong, Gao Jie, etc. These people and their families, relatives, and so on, add up to several thousand people. If they can migrate to the Black Mountain Battalion, it will undoubtedly greatly increase the strength of the Black Mountain Battalion. However, this is not what Xu Xingxia is looking forward to the most. What Xu Xingxia is looking forward to the most is that he hopes that through Gao Yingxiang's relationship, a large number of military households who can't get along in Yansui Town will be attracted to the Black Mountain Battalion to further strengthen the strength of the white-clothed army.

"Yes! Hey? Do you know this person, my lord? Wang Qinian said a little strangely.

"I ...... Ha ha! I do not know! I've never heard of it! Xu Xingxia shook his head and said, but he was secretly looking forward to it in his heart. Ansai people, born in horse trafficking, excellent arm strength, good at riding and shooting, who is this Li Zicheng's father-in-law Gao Yingxiang? It is impossible that there is still someone in Ansai with the same name and surname as Gao Yingxiang, and they still run the same business, right? That's also a coincidence that is outrageous. It's just that he unveiled the uprising, wasn't it ten years later? Why is it starting to make a fuss now? Could it be that his arrival changed some course of history?

Wang Qinian was obviously full of questions about Xu Xingxia, but it was not good to ask directly here, so he had to continue: "This Gao Yingxiang secretly smuggled horses, was intercepted, the two sides fought, and the situation became bigger and bigger. In the course of the confrontation, he shot dozens of officers and soldiers, attracting a large number of officers and soldiers to besiege them. He couldn't resist the encirclement and interception of the officers and soldiers, so he rushed all the way to the west. On the way, from time to time, his accomplices answered, making it impossible for the officers and soldiers to pursue them in time. The governor of the three sides ordered the defense of all localities to be strengthened in order to arrest this Gao Yingxiang. ”

With such an explanation, the reason why Ningxia Town frequently mobilized troops can basically be determined. They were aimed at Gao Yingxiang, not against him Xu Xingxia. Of course, this definitely doesn't mean that the boss doesn't want to kill him Xu Xingxia, but feels that between him and Gao Yingxiang, Gao Yingxiang is obviously better, so he wants to kill Gao Yingxiang first.

At that time, there was a very traditional smuggling business in Shaanxi, that is, the sale of horses. The area around the town of Ningxia, or the grasslands outside the Saiwai, has a large number of cheap horses. As long as you have a little way, you can buy a good war horse at the price of a dozen taels of silver. If these horses are transported to the mainland, the price can be multiplied several times, and the profit in the middle is quite good. If it is a good war horse, one can even earn a hundred taels of silver.

As an important strategic material, war horses have been monopolized in all dynasties and are not allowed to participate in private individuals. At that time, the horse trade was in the hands of Taifu Temple. Taifu Temple is the institution in charge of the country's horse administration, and it is under the jurisdiction of the inner government (eunuchs), and it has great power. However, no matter how powerful the Taifu Temple is, as long as the profits from selling war horses are high, there will definitely be people who take risks and quietly sell horses in private to make huge profits. In order to ensure its own profits, Taifu Temple must of course vigorously crack down on horse smuggling.

This principle is actually the same as selling illicit salt. No matter how strict the state's policy is, as long as there are huge profits, some people will naturally take risks. The greater the profit, the more people smuggle, and the more darkness and gore there is in it. In the past, Huang Chao was born as a smuggler of salt, and now Gao Yingxiang is a horse thief.

Since it is smuggling, confrontation is naturally indispensable. The struggle between smugglers and anti-smugglers has always been bloody, and either you die or I die. The two sides are competing for interests, and there is not the slightest room for maneuver. In the heat of fighting, personal force is very important. It seems that people like Gao Yingxiang are good at riding and shooting. His arm strength is stronger than that of ordinary people, and the range of the arrow is naturally farther. The people around him, such as Gao Yigong, Gao Jie and others, are also good at fighting. When ordinary smugglers encounter him, they all shout bad luck.

However, the so-called Shangde Mountain eventually met the tiger, and Gao Yingxiang's name was gradually familiar with the government, and slowly, the government also increased its crackdown on him. The confrontation between smugglers and anti-smugglers has escalated and become more and more intense. This time, I don't know what the reason is that it caused such a big storm. Even the governors of the three sides have spoken, and it is estimated that Gao Yingxiang is going to be finished. There are so many people around him, it is impossible for them to have such a strong combat power as the white-clothed army!

Xu Xingxia said categorically: "Lao Wang, immediately arrange elite personnel and pay close attention to this Gao Yingxiang." Inform me immediately if you have accurate news about him! ”

Wang Qinian said a little strangely: "My lord, is this necessary?" ”

His cognition of Gao Yingxiang is naturally not as deep as Xu Xingxia. In his opinion, a person like Gao Yingxiang is not worth Xu Xingxia's shot at all!

Xu Xingxia said solemnly: "It is necessary, it is very necessary." ”

Wang Qinian didn't say anything more. Since Xu Xingxia is so insistent, he just does it. As for why Xu Xingxia did this, I will have time to understand it in detail later!

Xu Xingxia thought for a while, and said cautiously: "If it is possible, it is best to be able to contact him, just say that I am interested in meeting him, and we can have a good discussion." ”

Wang Qinian hesitated and said, "What if he is desperate and wants to move here?" ”

Xu Xingxia said without hesitation: "Promise him!" As long as he wants to come, we will accept him! If he can't break through the blockade of the government, I can pick him up! ”

Wang Qinian nodded and said confidently: "Okay! It shouldn't be hard to get in touch with him. ”

…… Sure enough, two days later, Xu Xingxia received news from Gao Yingxiang. The news was sent by Wang Qinian, and that Gao Yingxiang, the one that Xu Xingxia was particularly concerned about, had been surrounded by officials and troops near the Ciyao Village. There are only a few dozen horse traffickers around Gao Yingxiang, but there are thousands of officers and soldiers who encircle and suppress him. Fortunately, the local terrain is very complex, which is conducive to concealment, so he is not in danger for the time being. However, as time went on, the number of people who could have been arrested or killed grew larger.

For Xu Xingxia's help, Gao Yingxiang expressed his great gratitude. He made it clear that as long as he can get through this difficulty, he must only look forward to Xu Xingxia's horse. Xu Xingxia told him to go east, and he would definitely not go west. Xu Xingxia told him to go to the left, and he would definitely not go to the right. Although his statement, Xu Xingxia will not take it seriously. However, judging from Gao Yingxiang's statement, his situation is indeed a bit bad. If the white-clothed army can rescue him, his own strength will definitely be enhanced. In times of war, there is definitely a lot of strength in numbers!

(To be continued)