Xie Ming

Chapter 439: Withdrawal and Return to the South

The ninth day of the first lunar month! The remnants of Xiao's army joined Li Hongsheng's army in Dezhou City!
The three thousand barbarian cavalrymen in pursuit looked at the city and sighed, unable to find a way to enter!
So he sent a fast horse all the way to report to Shi Tingzhu's tent in Dong'e!

With the order from the governor-general himself, a large number of siege equipment, including cannons and ladders, were dispatched from nearby Wucheng and Gaotang, and they advanced northward to prepare for the attack on Dezhou!
The tenth and eleventh days!
I see more and more enemy troops gathering in front of Dezhou Pass, and their force is as endless as a tide!
The enemy's offensive is becoming more fierce and intense!
Xiao Langji, after holding the city and resisting tenaciously for two days, had to consider abandoning the city and breaking out!

So, it was midnight on August 11th!

Xiao Jun's entire plan is to unite the troops and break out from Dongguan!

The enemy was unprepared to block the enemy's path, and Xiao's army was able to escape!
Taking advantage of the night, Xiao Lang's army marched quickly all night, fled eastward with the remaining troops to Deping!

The enemy's Shi Tingzhu led a detachment to the north and was able to reoccupy Dezhou, regaining control of northern Zhili, which was the key point leading to the south!

August 12th, come back the next day!

Since morning, the weather has changed drastically again!
Suddenly there was a strong wind and heavy rain sweeping across the northern border of Shandong!
Raindrops as big as beans came crashing down everywhere, fast and powerful, and this time they didn't stop for most of the day!
It was during this embarrassing period of rest and recuperation in Deping that Xu Jizu originally went to Jiyang, and later ordered Shi Tingzhu to march eastward to harass the enemy. He had no choice but to retreat to the south bank of the river. He then sent people to march north secretly to report the situation of the Yellow River water!
According to reports, the water levels on both sides of the Yellow River have risen recently, flooding the mudflats. I am afraid that the time for great news in autumn is just around the corner!
After hearing this letter, Xiao hesitated and became deeply concerned, so he hurriedly called together all the generals to hold a meeting to discuss the matter!
On the northern Shandong front, the battle has reached such an extent that the soldiers are already exhausted, the number of troops has been greatly reduced, and the morale is low!
Moreover, after the transfer to Lai Deping, this small city has limited logistics and food supplies, and it is difficult to maintain thousands of soldiers and horses here for a long time!
After summarizing the pros and cons, Xiao's army decided that there was no room for any more concerns about the north bank!
Therefore, they reacted immediately, hastily reorganized their army, and then planned to go along Pingyuan and Ji River, penetrate straight to Jinan, withdraw from the south bank, and abandon the northern line!

There is a folk proverb that goes, "It is darkest under the lamp!"

This time, part of Xiao's army traveled back and forth between Pingyuan and Ji River, heading straight south, which is exactly what he meant!
as predicted!

Unexpectedly, the scattered troops of Shi Tingzhu were also quite cooperative!
With this kind of military operation, the enemy troops are everywhere nearby and there is really no one who can stop them!
At the same time, in the southwest, Bahana Chujiu of Feicheng also launched a fierce attack on Jinan City!

However, because the city was high and the moat was thick, the defending general Huang Degong guarded the four passes very tightly, so after several days, the Pakistani army still could not gain any advantage and made no progress!
After three days of torment and hard work, it’s now twelve days!

The Bahana tribe suffered heavy casualties, and with the weather being bad, they had no choice but to withdraw their troops in a panic!
It rained heavily, the roads were muddy, and the march was difficult!
After returning to Feicheng in defeat, the Yellow River blocked their way, and Shi Tingzhu of Dong'a also hindered them in every way!

The replenishment of troops and personnel is not smooth, and the logistics operation is also difficult to sustain!

The incompetent and furious Bahana looked at the river and sighed, filled with resentment, and a basin of Yellow River water poured over his head!

Even if we are unwilling, it is a foregone conclusion that we will not be able to stay on the South Bank for long!
After noon that day, Shi Tingzhu headed northwest towards Dong'a and delivered another secret report that he was approaching Feicheng.

After hearing this, Bahana also realized that the autumn flood of the Yellow River was approaching, and there was no safe way out!
This would leave the front army trapped alone on the south bank, which would add to the greater risk!

Bahana was helpless and had nowhere else to go. He was extremely angry!
I felt so stuffy in the tent in the afternoon that I got drunk!
He took his anger out on the people around him while drinking and accidentally killed a bondservant who was standing nearby. Only then did he come to his senses!

After sobering up, he agreed resentfully to retreat westwards!
Later on the evening of the 12th, as the sun was setting in the west, he led his army across the river!
However, after only three days, the front part of the Pakistani army was forced into a corner and finally fell victim to Shi Tingzhu's scheme. They had to grit their teeth and cross the river to withdraw!
Night falls, the You hour ends!
Retreat from the north and come to the south, you finish your song and I will return!

Part of Xiao's army finally completed a day's hurried march, and by this time, they were already close to the bank of the Yellow River!

In order to cross the beach, Xu Jizu also hurriedly dispatched boats to the south bank!

Another hour passed!

Xiao's army, with more than 3,000 soldiers, finally started to cross the shore!

Xiao led the vanguard army and arrived at the south bank first. In the midst of fierce wind and heavy rain, they set up a sampan on the beach and urgently issued orders to coordinate matters!
"Changting, Changting?!" In the midst of wind and rain, Xiao Langjiang called out to people urgently.

In front of the river beach, the wind blew stronger and heavy rain came slanting down!
In the cover of night, Xiao Jingchuan was in a mess, his body wet and his feet soaked in mud. Soldiers and generals hurriedly scattered around, and his heart was in a mess, fearing that something unexpected would happen at this moment!

"exist!"

"General!" Upon hearing the voice, Chang Ting came closer.

"It's so stormy! Just as we were passing by, a boat capsized in the river!"

"The soldiers below were in a panic!"

"They all scattered on the beach!"

"Pei Zhong is also leading his team to gather troops everywhere!"

There was heavy rain and howling wind, and it was noisy everywhere!
Gu Changting raised his voice in the rain and shouted back, looking anxious.

"Okay! I know that!"

"Chang Ting!" "Quick, go tell Ji Zu that the migration to the south cannot stop!"

"Don't worry about a ferry capsizing!"

"Try your best to pull them to the south bank!"

"We can cross the Ji River and save the trouble of walking!"

"But it's impossible to fool around for too long!"

"By the time his troops stationed near Shi Tingzhu react, the troops still trapped on the north bank will be in danger!"

"I can't wait for a smooth moonlight!"

"Be sure to cross the river quickly!"

"Hurry! Go quickly, or something bad will happen!"

"Hurry!" Xiao gave instructions for the sake of the entire army and ordered Chang Ting to rush to coordinate and pass the order!
"Yes!"

"I understand!" Chang Ting shouted again, turned around and ran towards the water!
"Unlucky star! Master Liu?!"

After seeing him leave, Xiao Lang suddenly thought of something else and hurriedly looked for someone else.

“Yes! Yes!”

Within a moment, his two bodyguards also rushed over upon hearing the sound.

"You two, stop standing here!"

"Go! Each of you lead a team!"

"Go to the north, east, and west of Jinan at a speed of 1:10!"

"I expect that the two armies of Shi Tingzhu and Bahana will lead their troops to the southwest a few days ago!"

"Especially Bahana's troops, there's no guarantee that they won't be able to break through in the southwest, seize the beach and cross the river, and attack Jinan City!"

"You two should go and investigate!"

"To prevent our combined forces from being caught in the dark and encountering a powerful enemy outside the city of Jinan just a few steps after reaching the south bank!"

"That would be a huge joke!" Xiao Zuo said.

"Yes!"

"Understood!" The two generals also accepted the order, turned around, jumped on their horses and were ready to leave!

"Hey! Right!"

"Wait, wait!"

"And wow!"

"Remember not to let the defenders on Jinan City see our whereabouts first!"

"Wait till I have finished my work and the whole army hastily crosses the river, and then we can make plans!"

"Do you two understand what I mean?!" Xiao Zhuinian thought.

"Ah! Yes!"

"We know!" Death Star and Mr. Liu looked at each other and answered clearly again!
(End of this chapter)