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Su Jin of Yulin had just received a report that the enemy's ranger activities had increased, and immediately after that, news came that the enemy had attacked Lin Ke Village, Hengshan Fort, and Shilei Village on a large scale.

"Are you sure it's Chitat's workhorse?" Su Jin asked anxiously to the messenger who came to report the news.

"General Hui, the enemy is fighting under the banner of Chitate, and even if the number of troops is not 20,000, I am afraid that there are more than 10,000, and it is likely to be the main force of Chitate."

"Probe!"

"Whoa."

Regardless of whether it was the main force of Qitate or not, the enemy's tens of thousands of troops suddenly attacked, Su Jin had to react immediately, and he quickly sent Zhao Zhensheng to lead a thousand cavalry equipped with 69-style flintlock rifles to rush to the aid of the three walled forts of Lin Ke, Hengshan, and Shilei.

On the other hand, Su Jin is also a little strange, now that the cold has not subsided, the snow has not disappeared, although the light cavalry attack is not a problem, but the logistics and transportation are quite difficult. It is a bit unusual for Chitat to commit a big crime at this time.

Could it be that he was sure to quickly break through the walled cities along the route and seize the grain and grass needed by the army?

Besides, Ma Yongzhen's army had already begun to advance westward, and although it was relatively slow due to logistical influences, it would always put a lot of pressure on the northern front of Chitate.

Instead of strengthening the defense of the northern line of the Hetao, Chitat invaded the south on a large scale, which is only two possibilities, or he is very stupid and arrogant. Or maybe he had other plans.

After some analysis, because there was no more information to corroborate, it was difficult to determine the specific intentions of Qi Tate for a while.

On the one hand, he intensified his reconnaissance of the Dongtao area, and at the same time actively drew up a battle plan, and in line with the principle of troops coming to block the enemy and covering the ground with water, he was ready to encircle and annihilate the invading enemy first.

The wolf smoke from the Wuding River soon spread to Chang'an, and Qin Mu was discussing with his ministers these days the feasibility of building an asphalt road from Chengdu to Chang'an.

After receiving the battle report, Qin Mu immediately recruited Sima An, Gu Junen, Li Jiu, Hao Shaoqi, Hui Dengxiang, Zhao Jian, Qin Zuoming, Han Gang and other generals to the Wuying Hall to discuss matters.

"Gu Qing, what do you think is the purpose of Qi Tate's move?" Qin Mu didn't believe that Qi Tate would really invade northern Shaanxi on a large scale, let alone threaten Guanzhong. That's why I asked.

Gu Junen replied: "Your Majesty, Ma Dudu's 50,000 army is advancing westward, preparing to block the north of the Hetao. ”

"Dog jumping off the wall?" Qin Mu lowered his eyelids and asked thoughtfully, "Where do you think he will jump?" ”

"Your Majesty, there is too little news at the moment, and it's hard to be sure. But presumably Chitait is very clear that with Norbu and Bailutuhu being annihilated by my Great Qin one after another. He has lost all the outer barriers, and when Ma Yongzhen blocks the line of Yin Mountain and Wolf Mountain in the north, he will be trapped in the Hetao, at this time, he will attack along the Wuding River in a big way, the purpose is nothing more than to muddy the water, so as to seize more initiative. ”

Sima An continued: "Your Majesty, Qi Ta is really a dog who jumps over the wall and gives up the Hetao. There is one thing that has to be guarded against. ”

"Master Sima, please speak."

Sima An pointed to the map and said: "Your Majesty, please see, this is Juyanhai, you can reach Juyanhai by crossing Helan Mountain and crossing the desert to the west, if the northern line is blocked by Ma Yongzhen." It is likely that Chitat will take this route to escape. ”

Juyanhai is a lake about the size of Qinghai Lake formed in the desert after the Zhangye River originates from the Qilian Mountains and flows northward from Suzhou. At the beginning, Yan Yingyuan and the others lived in Yanhai, and then crossed the Hanhai Sea to raid the Moxi grassland.

"Your Majesty, the cold wave has not subsided. The desert is still covered with ice and snow, drinking water is not a problem, as long as you bring enough grain and grass, it is not difficult to cross the desert to reach the Juyan Sea, once the Chitate really succeeds in occupying the Juyan Sea, not only will all the current deployment of our army be disappointed, the battle line will be greatly lengthened, and along the Zhangye South march, you can enter the Hexi Corridor, attack Suzhou, Jiayuguan, and Batur in the Western Regions once again form a mutually echoing situation, if this is the case, it will be extremely unfavorable to our dynasty. ”

Qin Mu nodded frequently after listening, because Juyanhai is surrounded by deserts on all sides, and only the green corridor along the Zhangye River is connected to Suzhou, which is not easy to be invaded by foreign enemies, so the strength of Great Qin stationed in Juyanhai is only eight hundred.

If the main force of Qitate really did not hesitate to cross the desert and go to the Juyan Sea, it would be difficult to hold it by relying on the eight hundred Qin troops.

Gu Junen also said: "Your Majesty, what Elder Sima Ge is worried about is very likely to happen, so the minister thinks that it is not appropriate to march into the Hetao on a large scale at present, so as not to force Qi Tate to take risks." The top priority at the moment is to strengthen the defense of Juyanhai and cut off the escape route of Qitate. ”

As the so-called wisdom of a thousand thoughts, there must be a mistake. I almost ignored this point before, the desert in winter is actually not short of water, and grasping the snow in the mouth can solve the drinking water problem.

Although the climate is harsher, it is relatively easy for the army to cross as long as you are familiar with the desert in that area.

Qin Mu immediately issued an order: "Immediately send an urgent order to Li Dingguo with 800 li, and send an additional 5,000 troops to garrison Juyanhai to strictly prevent a sneak attack by Quite." ”

"Yes, Your Majesty."

This is Li Jiu said: "Your Majesty, this time the enemy attacked a lot of troops along the Wuding River, General Su 10,000 soldiers and horses to defend the fortresses of various cities, it is inevitable that some are overstretched, Chen Jian Yì sent some more troops, in case the Wuding River defense line was breached, and the enemy burned the war to northern Shaanxi." ”

Although Qin Mu didn't want to startle the snake, he also had to consider that the enemy might fight to the death and really attack the northern Shaanxi region with all his might. He is recruiting the leaders of Mobei and Qinghai-Tibet to hunt together;

If it is at this time, letting Quitat attack northern Shaanxi is tantamount to slapping him, the emperor, in the face.

What will the leaders who will come to participate in the hunt think?

Qin Mu thought for a moment, then said, "General Li." ”

Li Jiuyi was overjoyed, and immediately got up and saluted: "The minister is here." ”

"I will order you to lead 5,000 cavalry to reinforce Su Jin, but you must remember that you must not be greedy for merit, as long as you temporarily hold along the Wuding River, so as not to startle the snake."

"Obey."

After Li Jiu received the order, he hurriedly left the hall.

In the Wuying Palace, generals such as Hao Shaoqi, Hui Dengxiang, Zhao Jian, and Qin Zuoming, who did not grab the combat mission, couldn't help but be a little annoyed.

Qin Mu knew their thoughts, and the armies had rested for a winter, and their combat strength had been fully restored. He was also newly equipped with a number of six-nine flintlock rifles, so everyone regarded the Chitaat of the Hetao as a lamb to the slaughter.

And after fighting Chitat, I'm afraid the army won't have much chance to fight, so Chitat is regarded by them as the last supper.

Qin Mu didn't bother to care what they thought, and asked slowly, "Do you have anything else to add?" ”

Hao Shaoqi preemptively said: "Your Majesty, Ma Dudu's army is advancing westward, threatening the northern line of the Hetao, it is impossible for Quitat not to know, but he came to attack the Wuding River on the southern line at this time, and the minister feels that Quitat is probably a drunkard who does not mean to drink." ”

Qin Mu smiled and said, "General Hao thinks it's strange what he wants on purpose?" ”

"Back to His Majesty, the minister felt that Qi Tate's move was not clever, and it was very likely that he wanted to set off the smoke of the southern front to paralyze Ma Dudu, and then send a surprise army to attack Ma Dudu's headquarters. This season, whether it is people and horses, the dependence on logistics is much stricter, once the Chitate cuts off the grain and grass supply line of Madutu, it is afraid that it will cause a great chaos in the army, although Madutu has an army of 50,000, but if the army is unstable, it is not surprising that Chitate will use thousands of strange soldiers to destroy several times the enemy"

"Hehe, what does General Hao want to say? Could it be that you still want to reinforce Ma Yongzhen? ”

The generals in the hall couldn't help laughing, how could Ma Yongzhen say that there were also 50,000 troops, and it would be too outrageous to go to reinforcements before the battle started.

Hao Shaoqi really has this meaning, of course, the reinforcements are fake, and it is true that he wants to find an opportunity to enter the Hetao, seeing the emperor's smile, he had to say curtly: "Your Majesty's reinforcements are not needed, the minister just wants to remind His Majesty that he should send someone to remind Ma Dudu, be careful to beware of the sneak attack of Qitate." ”

"Why did I remind Ma Yongzhen?"

"Ugh"

At this time, not only Hao Shaoqi, but the generals were all a little stunned, I don't know why the emperor said this, isn't it natural to send someone to remind Ma Yongzhen?

Qin Mu paused for a moment and explained: "Ma Yongzhen is also a veteran of the battlefield, if he has to be reminded of this, what is the use of him?" ”

Sima Anxin was thoughtful, he felt that the emperor was too lazy to send someone to inform Ma Yongzhen, it was definitely not the reason he said on the surface, I am afraid it was another purpose.

The more Sima An thought about it, the more incredible he felt, Ma Yongzhen's 50,000 army was all composed of men and horses from various parts of Monan, could it be that the emperor really intended to destroy it with the help of Qitate

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(To be continued......)