In Woyang, the Liang Kingdom army heading north along Wo River from Zhongli, camped outside the city.

Because of the sufficient preparations in the early stage, the camping grounds had already been set up in advance, so the soldiers of each department were able to "check in with their bags" after arriving in Woyang without spending extra time and energy to set up camp tents.

The emperor Xiao Xun, who was personally in charge of the imperial tent, ran to the sanctuary to visit the sanctuary.

The shed is a small shed built with bamboo and wood. It has a triangle, semicircular cross-section, and is covered with thatch on the outside, which can have certain wind and rain protection functions.

Paste a layer of mud to prevent wind and rain, and it will also prevent fire (external fire).

Xiao Xun looked at the neat rows of shacks and felt it was quite interesting. He walked into a shack and visited.

Li Li, who was with him, saw this man with curiosity, could probably guess what he was thinking: This shack is really interesting, living in it seems to be good.

I couldn't help but complain: It's weird if you're interesting! You can't live a day when the poor live in a shack.

He knew that the emperor, who had been frugal since childhood, had a mentality of visiting the shacks, was nothing more than curiosity.

Similar to modern times, tourists visit indigenous tribes in the hinterland of Africa, moved by the other party's "original lifestyle" and lamented "green, environmentally friendly, carefree" and so on.

It seems that these indigenous tribes are pure lands that have not been polluted by modern technology in the world, and are paradises on earth.

However, if tourists live in indigenous tribes without water, electricity, and no electromagnetic signals for a while, the people who have lived in it will basically not envy this kind of life.

However, shacks are the residence of many poor people, and it is good to have shacks to live in.

There are a large number of people living in shanty towns in Jiankang City, and the whole family is crowded in shacks of different sizes and shapes, struggling to survive year after year.

However, shacks are often used in the army as semi-permanent barracks for soldiers, such as shacks built on the top of the city, which allows soldiers guarding the city to garrison nearby.

There are also various fortress barracks and many marching camps. Based on the cost and materials and the convenience of construction, a large number of mud shacks were also built to give soldiers a residence.

The clay shack built with care looks decent, and the "standard size" clay shack can accommodate some soldiers.

The shack that the emperor visited was this standard size shack. Because the weather became cooler, it didn't feel stuffy when it was in it.

Xiao Xun looked at it for a while and asked, "Will this camp be used until the end of the war?"

Li Li replied: "Yes, because people who come and go between Xiao Huang and Zhongli need to have a temporary residence to shelter from wind, rain and snow when passing by Woyang, so the sheds in the camp will be kept until the war ends."

"This shack is good to live in." Xiao Xun sighed, and Li Li reminded: "It's really good compared to a tent. At least it's better to live in winter than to live in a tent."

"The soldiers who assist in the defense of Woyang can support each other with Woyang, resist incoming cavalry, and ensure the smooth passage of Woyang."

Li Li accompanied Xiao Xun out of the shack and inspected the camp, saying while walking.

Because the Northern Expedition was very loud, the emperor was determined to recover Henan as soon as possible. Therefore, after the emperor reviewed the soldiers of the two Huaihe governments, the war began soon.

The emperor naturally had to command the army in person, and General Li Li was in charge of actual military affairs.

The offensive was launched in three places, namely Xuzhou to the east, Bozhou in the middle, and Yuzhou to the west.

The main force of the official army was the original prefecture and county army soldiers and the previous recruitment, and the newly trained Lianghuai soldiers were assisted.

According to the marching system, the three Northern Expedition Army were organized into three marching governors, with a total of eleven marches.

Now, the Hebei Road marching mainly from the Xuzhou army has crossed the Yellow River and entered the Hebei region to fight alone.

Therefore, the war in Henan was undertaken by the other two marching governors and their marching governors.

The Imperial Camp where the commander of the Northern Expedition Army (Emperor) was located, just like the previous battle in Qingzhou, as the rear army, was a certain distance from the front line to ensure safety.

However, it may not be safe.

Xiao Xun heard from General Li Li’s analysis that the battlefield this time was in a vast river and the Huai Plain. The Qi army with advantage in cavalry must have the assault tactics.

That is to explore the location of the imperial camp, then assemble a large number of cavalry, and conduct assaults day and night.

Qi State does not lack horses, so elite cavalry can achieve "one man and three horses", detours on a large scale, bypassing the Liang army strongholds in various places, and rushing straight from the front line to make a long-distance raid.

Then, when Xiao Xun arrived in Bozhou Xiao Huang and used this as the headquarters, Xiao Huang was very susceptible to attacks by the Qi army.

Or, the Qi cavalry crossed the "front" and moved behind the Liang army in the Northern Expedition, attacking grain transport teams, small armies, and even plundering villages and forts to create panic.

Or, the Liang army in the Northern Expedition were defeated one by one.

After all, the opponent's cavalry has an advantage, and can concentrate their forces to solve the Liang army first, then turn around and defeat other Liang armies.

Xiao Xun climbed the camp and looked at the endless plains outside the camp, feeling unsure.

More than a hundred years ago, during the Yuan Jia period of the Liu Song Dynasty, Emperor Wen of Song, Liu Yilong launched three northern expeditions. The main targets of the three northern expeditions and the battlefield were both lost to Henan, which was the Song Dynasty, and all ended in failure.

There are many reasons. One of the main reasons is that the Yellow River freezes in winter, so Henan and Hebei are connected together, and the Wei cavalry can break through at any point on the front thousands of miles east and west and go south.

The Song army, with limited troops, deployed defenses everywhere, which was equivalent to being unprepared everywhere. The strength of each stronghold was limited. Under the concentrated attack of the Wei cavalry, they could only barely protect themselves and could not rescue friendly troops at all.

The Song army was unable to engage in field battles with the Wei army, so they watched the Wei cavalry as if they had entered a deserted land, sweeping across Henan, the two Huaihe Rivers, burning, killing and looting.

The Song army strongholds and troops in various places, which were isolated and helpless, were defeated one by one by the Wei army.

The difficulties faced by the Song army more than a hundred years ago may also be encountered by the Liang army now.

Now it is late autumn and early winter, the Liang army launched the first attack. Even if they can capture all the prefectures and counties in Henan within a few months, the Yellow River will freeze in the middle of winter, and the Qi army will inevitably counterattack strongly.

The thousand-mile defense line could not stop the pace of Qi cavalry going south.

At that time, the key is still in the field. Only by defeating the main force of the Qi army can we defend Henan.

Considering the actual situation, Xiao Xun was a little worried because the general analyzed his weakness to him in detail, that is, the newly trained mansion soldiers, because they had not been tempered, they might not be able to fight a tough battle.

So, in order to ensure the success of the Henan Battle, we need to divide our troops to cross the river and enter Hebei, disrupting the southeast of Hebei and attracting some of the main forces of the Qi army.

Then, Henan Province had to use him as bait to lure the Qi army to attack with its main force, so the two armies fought a decisive battle.

Only in this way can we have the opportunity to eliminate the main field forces of Qi's army (some main forces) as soon as possible.

Ensure that Henan and Huaibei are not swept by Qi cavalry, and prevent the strongholds in various places from becoming precarious islands in the stormy waves.

However, the Qi army may not choose to fight as soon as possible. Once the other party chooses to harass the food supply route of the Liang army in the Northern Expedition, which will make the war last longer, it will be troublesome.

What if the official army was defeated and returned in vain in the Northern Expedition?

After the fanaticism, Xiao Xun has calmed down now and is a little scared.

Therefore, the only thing that can be relied on is the general.

"Captain General, Xuzhou Army, can he really restrain some of the main forces of the enemy in Hebei?"

Xiao asked Li Li, and Li Li replied: "If the Qi army does not deal with the Xuzhou army seriously, the Xuzhou army will make them regret it."

"But..." Xiao Xun was a little worried because yesterday he received a good news that the Xuzhou army defeated a Qi army with more than 5,000 troops near Liaocheng, beheaded 300, and captured more than 200 war horses.

This battle result seemed a little bit small, and Xiao Xun felt that the Qi army might be a partial division.

Therefore, Qi may only plan to use partial troops to entangle the Xuzhou army, and then concentrate the main force to move south and enter Henan to deal with the Liang army in the Northern Expedition.

Li Li saw the emperor's concern, and after seeing this passionate person, he was really afraid. He was not good at pouring cold water, so he could only encourage the other party:

"Your Majesty, the Xuzhou army will attack and rescue him. If they really dare to fool the Xuzhou army with a partial army, the Xuzhou army will make them regret it."

Xiao Xun felt much more at ease when he heard the general say this.

Li Li didn't say much, and accompanied Xiao Xun to continue patrolling, walking and complaining:

Do you think the Qi army defeated by the Xuzhou army was a partial division? Just kidding! That was the main force of the field battle of about 5,000 cavalry!

At that time, in the battle between the Hanling between Gaohuan Group and the Erzhu Group, Gao Huan only had 2,000 cavalry and 30,000 infantry.

More than 5,000 cavalry, at least one man and two horses, had a combat effectiveness in fighting on the plains, far exceeding 30,000 infantrymen.

The Xuzhou army fought with these more than 5,000 Qi troops, and they fought a bad battle.

Li Li knew the details of the battle. His nephew Li Xin and Liang Sen's younger brother Liang Miao led his troops to charge repeatedly and fight. The mount under his crotch was killed one after another. After changing horses several times, the man was shot into a hedgehog (fortunately wearing heavy armor) and almost disappeared in the formation.

The reason why the Xuzhou army beheaded 300 and captured more than 200 war horses in this battle did not look very good because it fought a battle of defeat, not annihilation.

Maduo's Qi army could retreat calmly after being defeated (relatively speaking), and the deceased were also taken away by his companions on horseback, while the Liang army did not dare to let go of the pursuit, so the results of the battle were fewer.

It is also impossible to accurately count how many enemy soldiers and generals were killed.

The good news came to the rear, and many people thought it was just a "small victory", with the opponent's troops reaching 5,000, and it was a partial division.

However, after five thousand cavalry were defeated, the news reached Yecheng, but it would not make people feel that it was an irrelevant "small defeat".
Chapter completed!