Chapter 356: Being flanked by two sides
The huge fleet marched forward westwards against the Yellow River, riding on the spring breeze with unmatched momentum.

Li Ming lay on the railing of the deck, the wind blowing his hair.

“Your Majesty, it’s still cold in spring. Be careful not to catch a cold. Please go back to the cabin and rest.”

The rough Qibi Heli is actually very thoughtful and speaks very literary lines with a strange accent.

“Uh… I don’t want to go into the cabin. Let me get some fresh air…”

Facing the choppy surface of the Yellow River, Li Ming answered weakly, completely lacking the passionate look he had just had.

Qibi Heli felt strange.

“What’s wrong with you? … I’m going!”

When Li Ming slowly turned around, Qibi Heli suddenly discovered that the young emperor’s face was frighteningly pale.

“I was pretending too much and I’m seasick… Ugh!”

He turned his head and silently made a nest facing the Yellow River.

Qibi Heli silently looked at the surging surface of the Yellow River and felt that his stomach seemed to be making some noises.

…………

After vomiting, Li Ming finally recovered a little. He leaned against the railing and complained loudly:
“Ah~ Why is this boat moving so slowly? It’s so bumpy and so slow, I’d be surprised if I don’t get seasick.”

The spring of the first year of Yongqing came earlier than usual. The melting of glaciers caused the water level of the Yellow River to rise sharply, making it difficult to go upstream.

“Is it bumpy? No, I feel it’s very stable.” Xue Wolong and Qibi Fengchu said in unison.

“It’s hard to go from extravagance to frugality… Forget it, you don’t understand.” Li Ming felt that his music was too highbrow for the masses.

No matter how majestic the Ming treasure ship was, it was only based on the standards of its contemporaries.

To Li Ming, who comes from modern times, this wooden boat is only slightly better than the battery boats in the scenic area.

As for speed, the sailboat is going upstream. Even if the rowers under the deck make sparks from the oars, how fast can it go?
“When we reach the mouth of the Fen River where it meets the Yellow River, it will be Qingming Festival… This is not much faster than traveling by land. The only advantage is that it saves money…”

Li Ming was estimating the marching time in his mind, and by chance he saw a tall city standing on the south bank of the Yellow River.

The city wall is more than 15 feet high, made of rammed earth and covered with bricks, and horses can walk on the top. The copper nails on the city gate are each the size of a steamed bun.

It looks like he’s not easy to deal with. It’ll take a long time to smash him with a trebuchet.

On the city walls, flags were waving and guns were standing tall. The defenders were on high alert, treating their fleet as a formidable enemy.

After advancing all the way from the Central Plains, they finally saw the Tang army in full force at the foot of this city.

“Have we reached the city of Luoyang…Oh my god!”

Li Ming was talking to himself when the Ming treasure ship suddenly turned right, almost making him vomit again.

It turned out that there were several small sampans across the river ahead, blocking the waterway.

“What kind of small fishing boat dares to block the way of my heavenly soldiers?!”

His Majesty Li Ming was furious.

When the two sides got closer, Xue Wanche squinted his eyes and observed for a while, then said:

“Your Majesty, that doesn’t seem to be a small fishing boat, but a warship of the Tang Dynasty.”

“Hmm? Battleship? Just a little bit smaller?”

Li Ming looked over with doubt.

It’s true. Those “small fishing boats” formed a fairly neat array, and it was obvious that they had been trained.

If you look closely, you will see that the ship is equipped with all kinds of water warfare weapons, including bows and crossbows, rackets, flint and straw.

But the soldiers on the ship were trembling and didn’t look very confident.

To be honest, the warships of the Tang Dynasty (at the same time) were still very powerful and were far from being comparable to small fishing boats.

But compared with the Ming treasure ship standing there, it looks very weak and helpless.

“Your Majesty, please go into the cabin. It would be bad if a crossbow arrow from the other side shot you into a hedgehog.”

Xue Wanche spoke the truth as always.

Li Ming stood on the high freeboard, looking down at the small “fishing boats” below, and waved his hand lightly:

“Don’t bother with them, just avoid them.”

“Follow the order.”

The soldiers steered the ship skillfully without hesitation, and the huge fleet easily bypassed the small obstacles in front of them.

The Tang army warships were unable to defeat the enemy and could not catch up with them, so they could only watch helplessly.

Under the enemy’s watchful eyes, Li Ming and his party easily passed by the city of Luoyang.

Yes, I know that Luoyang is a fortified city, and I know that you are powerful.

Then you can just stay there and be beautiful by yourself, I won’t touch you.

If one wants to march towards Chang’an in Guanzhong, then Luoyang, the eastern capital, is indeed the only way to go.

But if the destination is Shanxi, then Luoyang is just a scenery on the shore.

With the Yellow River waterway and Hebei land route, there is no need to worry about logistics.

“Chang’an must be empty now. If our army chooses to attack Chang’an directly, this battle…”

Qibi Heli was still muttering there.

Facing the Tang army head-on, or His Majesty the Heavenly Khan to whom he swore allegiance, was always a hurdle that this loyal minister of the Tang Dynasty could not get over.

“Yes, that’s why I didn’t attack Chang’an because it’s so empty.”

Li Ming shrugged.

“What does Chang’an have? Just an emperor without military power, a senior advisor, and a group of civil officials who follow the trend.

“If we can surround them all, will that mean we have conquered the whole world?”

Qibi Heli was speechless.

Li Ming’s real opponent was Li Shimin from beginning to end.

Some people in Chang’an should stop making too much of a fuss about themselves; they are really not important to Li Ming.

On the surface, this battle was about the right of succession between legitimate and illegitimate children.

In fact, what we are fighting for is the hearts of the people in the world.

People have love and fear in their hearts, and a monarch who is loved by the people and feared by the villains can be called healthy.

In terms of the people’s love, Li Ming has already won more than ever.

However, in terms of deterring various forces, Li Ming felt that he was still lacking.

The influence of General Tiance Li Shimin is still there.

If he doesn’t topple this mountain and put it under his feet, there will always be people who will be dissatisfied with him.

This is undoubtedly very unfavorable to Li Ming’s next round of policy reforms.

He had to use Li Shimin to establish his authority and defeat General Tian Ce on the front battlefield in front of the whole world.

Even if the other person is your own father.

This is politics, not family ties.

“call……”

Li Ming looked at the Tang army warships lined up to “see them off” with a distracted look, and lifted up his robe.

“Boring.”

He stood up, left the deck, and went into the cabin silently.

Xue Wanche scratched his head.

“Why does your majesty seem to be suddenly depressed?”

Qibi Heli really didn’t want to bother with this old friend who was so stupid that he was blundering. He rolled his eyes at him and said unhappily:

“You and your mother are facing each other with swords. Do you think you will be happy?”

Xue Wanche said without hesitation:
“First, I will fight my father with swords.”

Qibi Heli opened his mouth, but didn’t know how to answer.

…………

Between the towering mountains of Taihang Mountains.

A troop was moving through the dense woods, retreating eastward in an orderly manner.

Although the soldiers looked thin, they were in good spirits and maintained good order in the ranks.

It was almost impossible to tell that this was a defeated army that was beaten by the Tang army and forced to flee out of the camp and flee into the mountains.

“Stop, rest where you are!”

Hou Junji issued orders.

With him as the center, alarm bells rang out in various places in the forest.

The troops scattered in the mountains stopped in an orderly manner like a fleet.

Li Jing, the commander of the Ming army, ordered:
“Count the status of each department.”

Feedback was delivered quickly.

Li Jing read the paper report and frowned. The various departments were still in place and the personnel losses were not great, so it could be judged that there was almost no desertion.

In other words, as long as the army is reorganized, supplied and rested, it will soon be able to fight again.

The Ming army passed this extreme stress test.

“As expected of the army led by His Majesty, they have managed to maintain their organization despite being defeated, attacked, and retreating into the mountains…”

Even Li Jing, who led troops more often than he ate, could not help but marvel at the potential of the Ming army after fully experiencing it.

After the continuous stacking of the above three debuffs, they can still maintain considerable morale and combat effectiveness. Such an army is unprecedented, even unheard of.

His Majesty Li Shimin’s personal guard of a hundred cavalrymen can probably only do this much.

“The soldiers of the Ming army were all conscripts who were eager to join the army. They were not conscripts who joined the army for money, or men who were captured at random.

“A good family in Guanlong is no more than this.”

Li Daozon sighed deeply.

When a general meets a good army, it is like the meeting of golden wind and jade dew, which is better than countless things in the world.

Not only can the general practice various fancy tactics, but he also has a high tolerance for errors, so there is no need to worry about mistakes.

The Ming army was simply the commanders’ dream army.

The Ming Dynasty, which can provide all conditions for generals and allow them to display their talents without constraints, is naturally their dream country.

“For the sake of this Ming Dynasty, we must win this battle!”

Hou Junji raised his arm and called out.

“We are willing to swear allegiance to Your Majesty until death!” the soldiers shouted in unison.

The one they pledged allegiance to was not the individual generals who gave them money directly and led them through life and death, but His Majesty who was thousands of miles away.

It allows even the most basic soldiers to accurately locate the direction of the rising sun and make sure they don’t make a mistake about to whom they should repay their unrequited gratitude. This is the benefit of universal education.

“If you are so loyal, then take a good rest and wait for the next battle.”

Li Jing pointed forward.

“Hebei is almost here.”

The view in front of the woods suddenly opened up.

The North China Plain was like a scroll, slowly unfolding before the Ming soldiers.

Taihang Mountains have been left behind by the Ming army.

…………

“Thank you for your hard work.”

As soon as the group got down the mountain, several acquaintances came to meet them in a hurry.

It was the old Shangshu Xiao Yu, and a group of people including the local tyrants Cui Mingan and Cui Yi from Hebei, led by Wei Daijia himself.

“Why are you all here?” Li Jing and other generals were very surprised.

Wei Daijia said:

“His Majesty Li Ming has personally issued an order. You are heroes who sacrificed their lives for the Ming Dynasty. We must treat you well!

“The new guest rooms have been repaired, please check in!”

The young Xue Rengui bowed his head and clasped his fists:

“Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty, but I will live and die with the soldiers. I dare not abandon them in the simple barracks and enjoy myself alone.”

Wei Daijia was stunned for a moment, and couldn’t help but burst into laughter:

“General Xue misunderstood. The guest rooms are prepared for ‘every’ Tang army soldier. Everyone is a hero!”

The eyebrows of the generals present almost flew up.

A large group of tens of thousands of people, guest rooms?

Su Dingfang felt that Wei Daijia was bragging:

“Haha, I appreciate your majesty’s concern for the soldiers. But it would be too much to have a guest room for every soldier. Lord Wei, please don’t joke.

“what?!”

Led by Wei Daijia and other welcoming personnel, the Ming army arrived at a city at the foot of the mountain.

Everyone had their mouths opened into an O shape, just like Lao Su.

This city is very, very new, with brand new buildings and straight streets, and everywhere it exudes an aura that the people of the Tang Dynasty found incomprehensible.

These buildings are organically integrated with the surrounding vegetation. Peach blossoms bloom along the roadside, and plum blossoms peek out from the courtyard walls, giving people a sense of leisure in the midst of bustle.

Although this place is not as prosperous as Pingzhou, it is more comfortable and convenient than Pingzhou.

But what surprised the visitors even more was——

“Where is this city?”

Xue Rengui blurted out.

Several other generals also nodded frequently, indicating that Xiao Xue asked what they wanted to ask.

As generals who are familiar with the map, even a small village around the war zone cannot escape their eyes.

Not to mention this city that can accommodate tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people?
However, none of them had any impression of this city.

It’s as if this place appeared out of nowhere.

“Here? It’s the Army Sanatorium.” Wei Daijia said as if he was not surprised.

“Army, sanatorium?” everyone repeated it foolishly.

I recognize every word, but when they are put together they seem a little strange.

A city that is actually a sanatorium specifically for the army?

Your Majesty is so arrogant! … A thought flashed through the minds of the generals.

“That’s right. Before the war started, His Majesty Li Ming issued an imperial decree to personally supervise the construction of this place.” Wei Daijia explained patiently:

“During the war, it will be used as a resting place for the three armies. After the war, it can be further expanded to serve as an intermediate trade hub for merchants from Shanxi and Shandong.”

Your Majesty is really calculating… Another thought flashed through the generals’ minds.

Being able to be both generous and frugal, this style of having both, must be the work of His Majesty himself.

“No matter what, every soldier can get the best rest here, and they are guaranteed to get adequate supplies and rest.”

Wei Daijia said finally.

In fact, he didn’t need to say much. His Majesty Li Ming’s concern for the soldiers was clearly written in every corner of this “city”.

From a bloody battlefield with insufficient supplies, we suddenly entered a beautiful and peaceful sanatorium.

The soldiers seemed to be in another world.

Your Majesty’s kindness is not over yet…

However, compared to the grateful soldiers, Li Jing had much more to consider.

“Have you also grasped the movements of the Tang army?”

Wei Daijia nodded:

“After occupying Shuozhou, they seem to have only sent a part of their troops to follow you, while the main force is retreating southward.”

“That’s the question. Why did they retreat southward instead of pursuing their victory in Hebei?”

Li Jing’s expression became more serious.

“What forced them to turn back? Could it be that His Majesty Li Ming has already reached Puzhou and launched an attack on Jinzhou, forcing them to return to defend it?”

Wei Daijia shook his head and said:

“This spring, the river currents are faster than ever before. Your Majesty’s fleet has been delayed and may arrive at the battlefield later than scheduled.”

“His Majesty has not arrived yet…” Li Jing pondered the meaning of this information.

In other words, the Tang army led by General Tian Ce has not been under pressure from the south so far.

So why did they retreat south?

Shouldn’t the Tang army feel that they have a great advantage and move towards Hebei A, falling into the strategic trap that Li Ming and Li Jing had already set up?

Yes, Li Jing’s troops and Li Shimin’s troops fought a great battle in Shanxi, and the ultimate goal was not a strategic decisive battle.

Instead, it was to lure the main force of the Tang army away from the mountain, so that the new army formed by Li Ming could advance all the way to the Central Plains.

Then they would encircle the Tang army from the south and, together with Li Jing’s troops, advance from the north and south to devour the Tang army caught in the middle.

perfect.

Li Jing and other generals knew from the beginning that they were the “bait”, so they fought the battle like this –

When they had the upper hand, they marched forward with great force; when they were defeated, they fled into the mountains in a panic, making themselves appear arrogant at first and servile later, which was very ridiculous, so as to lure the Tang army out and kill them.

“General Tiance is still General Tiance after all. He saw through our tricks of attacking from the north and south and went back to consolidate the defense in advance.”

Li Jing said worriedly:
“Our army ‘used itself as bait’, but still failed at the last moment.”

Hou Junji didn’t care:
“So what? The strategic situation of attacking from both north and south has been formed. Isn’t the Tang army still a turtle in a jar?”

(End of this chapter)