Under the current circumstances, the best situation that Liu Qi could win was to defend Yangzhou and Zhenjiang, control the Guazhoudu route, block the Ming army in Huainan, prevent the Ming army from breaking through the Yangtze River defense line, and then buy time for the next counterattack.

As long as the Ming army was not allowed to break through the Yangtze River defense line and as long as the Ming army could be blocked in Jiangbei, the Song court could react and had time to mobilize troops and generals to turn the situation around.

He felt that if Song Ting still wanted to not pay the annual monies and could reduce some burden to himself, he would not waste the time window he fought for when he fought to the death. He would definitely dispatch troops and generals to enrich the defense of Jiangnan and let the Ming army retreat in the face of the difficulties.

This would not be a waste of his hard battle.

So Liu Qi decided to strengthen the defense of Yangzhou, and at the same time ordered his general Wu Chao to lead the Guazhou Navy to strictly prevent Guazhou Ferry. He also sent a force to garrison Guazhou Town to prevent the Ming army from attacking Guazhou Town from land to threaten Guazhou Navy.

After everything was arranged, he ordered Wang Gang to fight and retreat, and led the troops heading north to gradually retreat back to Yangzhou, concentrate the main force to set up defenses in Yangzhou, and fight against the Yangtze River.

This may prevent the Ming army from being ahead and realize his strategic plan to turn the tide.

Then he did not give up his efforts to win reinforcements, and sent envoys one after another to seek support from the court and royal power, hoping that they would let reinforcements arrive at Zhenjiang Prefecture as soon as possible, and then cross the river to Yangzhou to assist him in defending together.

However, just as he had arranged tactical defense, on March 30, he suddenly received a message from Wang Gang for help

The main force of the Ming army launched an attack on Lujin Town, and tens of thousands of troops surrounded him. The outer defense was quickly broken through by the Ming army. He had almost no strength to fight back and was already trapped in a heavy siege. He was compressed into a small area of ​​Lujin Town, and could not escape due to hard work.

Liu Qi was also asked to send troops to support immediately, otherwise more than 10,000 troops stationed in Lujin Town would be in danger of being wiped out.

He emphasized that the Ming army was very powerful in combat, both in field battles and siege cities and land, and easily destroyed their fortifications set up on the periphery, which the Song army could not resist.

Moreover, the Ming army not only had many cavalry, but also had very good firearms, far beyond the Song Dynasty. Liu Qi was also asked to be more cautious and let reinforcements be careful of the Ming army's cavalry and firearms.

When Liu Qi heard the news, he was shocked and immediately realized that the Ming army was going to completely eat up part of his army, weaken his troops, prevent him from concentrating on defending Yangzhou with all his strength, and even more can hit his morale, making the morale of the army under his command shaken and dare not fight with all his strength.

The first battle between the two sides is of absolutely great significance to the army and the entire battle, and we must not be defeated in this battle.

So he immediately sent the command to meet him in the future and wanted to arrange rescue matters.

After a while, his nephew Liu Si and his generals Li Heng, Wei You, Wang Fang and others were ordered to come, and Liu Qi began to discuss with them the support of Wang Gang.

They discussed the strength and momentum of the Ming army for a while and decided to send 10,000 troops north to support Wang Gang, and strive to bring Wang Gang's troops back.

However, regarding this combat plan, General Li Heng raised his own concerns.

"The Ming army surrounded Lujin Town and attacked General Wang, probably not only to destroy General Wang's troops, but also to attract our army to support, so that we can start field battles with our army.

General Wang explained that the army is good at field battles and there are many cavalry in the army. If our army fights in field battles, it may not be able to gain the upper hand. The rescue will be difficult. Please think twice. Our army has not many soldiers available, and the imperial reinforcements have not arrived for a long time."

Liu Qi has not thought about Li Heng’s concerns.

"I also know your worries very well. I also know that there are many crises. The Ming army is not easy to deal with and is good at field battles. But Wang Gang's troops are 10,000 people. Can I give up like this? If I give up Wang Gang, how will the army view me?

Before the battle was fought, I gave up the general in the army and watched him destruction. What would those in the army who were originally dissatisfied with me think of me? The morale of the army would be shaken, and the hearts would disperse, and the battle would not be fought.

By then, before the Ming army came to Yangzhou, the Yangzhou army would collapse and scatter. I can't stop it, nor can you stop it. Jiangbei's defense will be over. Moreover, watching the generals collapse without rescue are not something that the main general can do."

Although Liu Qi was worried about the war situation, worried that the army would not win, and worried that the army he sent would be wasted, he still could not allow Wang Gang to be wiped out.

The Ming army's open and open plot made Liu Qi extremely confused, but no matter what, as the main general and the last general, he could not allow Wang Gang to be wiped out and do nothing.

So he ordered his nephew Liu Si and his general Wei You to lead 10,000 troops to Lujin Town to rescue Wang Gang, and to bring back as many troops as possible. He led the remaining troops to continue to operate Yangzhou, recruit strong men and strengthen the city defense.

He told Liu Si and Wei You to be absolutely careful of the Ming army's cavalry and firearms, and pay special attention to the Ming army's cavalry. He must form formations when dealing with the cavalry, and must not relax his vigilance and be able to be found by the cavalry.

If you need support at that time, you must send someone back to Yangzhou immediately, and he will lead his troops to help him.

Liu Si and Wei You received the order and soon led their troops to attack.

After they left, Liu Qi continued to arrange defense in Yangzhou, raise the city walls, place weapons to defend the city, and place obstacles outside the city, trap pits.

Regardless of whether reinforcements will come or not, he will never give up on this war. He will fight the Ming army to the end in Huainan.

On the other end, in Lujin Town, Zhou Zhi climbed a small hill and looked at Lujin Town surrounded by a bun from a distance, with the corners of his mouth slightly curled up.

"Liu Qi is still old and has slowed down. If he can occupy a city in Huainan, it will not allow me to advance to Gaoyou so smoothly. What's the point of sending troops to garrison here now? It would be better to shrink the troops and defend Yangzhou, Guazhou Ferry, and rely on the Yangtze River so much, which can bring me some trouble."

Zhou Zhixue, the secretary of Zhou Zhixue, followed him to look at the battle situation in Lujinzhen and smiled and said, "We did not let them know that it was really scary if he had to react. Are you planning to lure the snake out of the hole or just want to gather this Song army and annihilate it?"

“You have both!”

Zhou Zhi smiled and said, "It is of course the best to be able to lead a snake out of the hole. I also want to try how good the so-called famous generals of the Southern Dynasty can fight, how far can the field war front fight with our Ming army, and it is of course the best to be able to eliminate the enemy in field war. It is better than siege, and it takes a lot of time and bears a lot of casualties."

"That's true, but Liu Qi is a famous general after all, so he won't let us succeed so easily, right?"

"Does he dare not save an army of ten thousand people? If he does not save it, even if he wins this battle, no one will trust him anymore, and no one will follow him anymore."

Zhou Zhi shook his head and said, "Liu Qi is old and cares more about reputation and prestige. If someone destroys his reputation and prestige, he will be more uncomfortable than death. How many people are staring at famous generals and generals?"

"You have a thorough understanding of this."

Zhou Zhixue teased Zhou Zhi.

Zhou Zhi smiled and said, "Marching and fighting are nothing more than calculating the enemy. How to calculate the enemy and how to calculate the enemy in place. It depends on their respective skills. I can calculate him, and he can also calculate me. It depends on who is better than us."

"What do you think?"

"Looking at the moment, I'm more capable of calculating."

"Hahahahahahaha!"

Zhou Zhixue laughed happily.

It's not wrong. At the moment, the Ming army has indeed taken the upper hand.

Through the sudden action of the cavalry, the Ming army destroyed all the military defense facilities set up by the Song army on the periphery of Lujin Town. Then the infantry pressed over and compressed the more than 10,000 Song troops into the small Lujin Town, and used a trencher to bombard Thunder God cannons and ordinary stones.

The violent explosion shrouded the smoke from Lujin Town and the dust was flying. The Song soldiers were blown away by the bomb, and blood was splattered everywhere with residual limbs. I don’t know how miserable it was.

A small town has no reliable city walls, less than a meter. It is purely just a look, and it is just a little bit for Ming Jun, who is used to seeing tall city walls.

But if you can reduce casualties, of course, you must reduce casualties. First, bombard the Song army with long-range attack weapons. When the Song army is almost bombarded, then cut leeks. Wouldn't it be wonderful?

The art of war is also an art of reducing casualties on one side and increasing casualties from the enemy.

The powerful version of Thunder God Cannon was constantly thrown into Lujin Town, and the rumbling explosions came one after another. The Song army in the town ran away with their heads in their arms, desperately looking for a bunker that could avoid the explosion, but there were too few bunkers and too many soldiers. Soon, Lujin Town was like hell, full of broken limbs and broken arms, and the ground was covered with bloody corpses.

The cruelty of the war is clear.

But no one can complain, and no one should complain. As a soldier, when he goes to the battlefield, he should have the will of death. No one can think of leaving behind.
Chapter completed!