Meishan Su family, Su Yun is the most virtuous

Chapter 395 Cross the river and attack!

When Su Yun learned that the factional struggles in the Song court were becoming increasingly fierce, he keenly realized that the time for a decisive battle had come!

News came back from the front battlefield that due to the influence of court factional struggles, serious problems had arisen in the coordination between the various units of the Song army.

The 30,000 Song troops led by Zhong Pu remained motionless on the north bank of the Wei River, no longer having the high spirits they had before.

As for why they dared not move forward, it was probably because they felt that the court was in such chaos. They were fighting desperately on the front line, and if the court in the rear was unstable, what would be of use even if they won the battle?

Zhang Meng's 20,000 light cavalry were also affected in the direction of Wuding River. When his soldiers heard about the chaos in the court, their morale dropped and their originally high will to fight gradually dissipated.

Although Liu Changzuo tried hard to maintain the morale of the remnants of the Fuyan Road, he felt powerless in the face of the complex situation, and the army was gradually showing signs of disintegration.

Realizing this, Su Yun immediately decided to launch the decisive battle ahead of time.

The Song Dynasty is not Western Xia. Western Xia is poor and therefore cannot sustain its power for long. Once the war is delayed for too long, the logistical pressure alone will be enough to cause Western Xia to collapse.

But the Song Dynasty is in a very weak position, and this battle can be considered a local battle. Yan'an Prefecture is originally within the territory of the Song Dynasty. If you want to consume the Song Dynasty in terms of logistics, forget it!

On the contrary, it was the Song Dynasty that was willing to waste logistics with Yan'an Prefecture. After all, how big was the Song Dynasty, and how big was Yan'an Prefecture?

Therefore, for Yan'an Prefecture, the only way to achieve its strategic goals is to win quickly. Once the Song Dynasty is dragged into a war of attrition, Yan'an Prefecture's strategic goals will not be achieved.

Wuding River.

Inside the tent, a tallow candle emitted a dim light, elongating Zhang Meng's figure and casting it on the desk piled with military maps.

Zhang Meng frowned, tapped the table rhythmically with his right index finger, and his eyes moved repeatedly on the large military map.

On the map, the Wuding River was prominently marked in red, like a natural chasm between Yan'an Prefecture and the Song Army.

"General, given the current situation, how should our army respond?" a staff member nearby asked cautiously, breaking the silence in the tent.

Zhang Meng did not answer immediately. He narrowed his eyes slightly, a thoughtful gleam in his eyes. Then he slowly stood up, put his hands behind his back, and paced in the tent.

"The factional struggles in the court are fierce and the army is unstable. It is not a good idea to attack rashly."

Zhang Meng finally spoke, his voice deep and powerful, "Although the flooding of Wuding River is a natural danger, it also gives us a chance to catch our breath."

He walked to the map and placed his finger heavily on the mark of the Wuding River. “We will first strengthen the defense on the river bank and deploy elite scouts to closely monitor the actions of the Jingsai Army on the other side.

If you find any signs of them crossing the river, light a beacon immediately to warn them. "

"What happens next, General?" asked another aide.

Zhang Meng raised his lips slightly, revealing a confident smile, "Once the other Song army troops have assembled, we will attack from both sides.

General Zhong Pu's 30,000 troops will advance from the north bank of the Wei River, General Liu Changzuo's remnant troops from Fuyan Road will outflank them from the flank, and our 20,000 light cavalry will attack from the front, and we will surely defeat the Jingsai Army in one fell swoop."

As he spoke, he gestured on the map to indicate the marching route, as if he had already seen the scene of victory.

During this period, we must focus on reorganizing the army and boosting morale.

Soldiers are arranged to conduct horse riding, archery, close combat and other training every day to improve their combat effectiveness.

At the same time, he calmed the troops and told them that as long as they held their ground and waited for reinforcements to arrive, they would be able to accomplish great things. "

"General, that's a good idea!" The staff nodded in praise.

Zhang Meng did not slack off at all, he continued: "In addition, we have to find a way to cut off the supply line of the Jingsai Army.

Send people to explore their food and grass transportation routes, and if there is an opportunity, launch a surprise attack and put them in trouble."

"But sir, if the Jingsai Army attacks us while we are reorganizing, how should we respond?"

A young aide expressed his concerns.

Zhang Meng's expression became stern and his eyes became sharp, "If they dare to come, let them see how powerful our Huanqing Army is.

We set up obstacles such as chevaux de frise and deer horns on the river bank, dug trenches, and deployed crossbowmen.

Once they cross the river, we will attack them halfway across and make sure they never return."

After saying this, he clenched his fists, his eyes revealing a firm determination, as if he was ready to fight a decisive battle with the Jingsai Army.

On the other side of the Wuding River, near Mizhi Village, there was also an army stationed. It was the 3,000 Jingsai Army led by Su Yun himself.

It was pouring rain outside. Su Yun stood in the tent, looking firmly at the map in his hand. His finger crossed the mark of Wuding River on the map and said, "Cross the river! Zhang Meng's 20,000 light cavalry are the closest to us, and their morale is low. This is our breakthrough point.

Although the Wuding River is flooded and crossing the river is difficult, this is also a good opportunity to surprise the enemy."

At this time, a general stepped forward and said anxiously: "Sir, you must not do that! The Wuding River is turbulent now, and the weather is cold in autumn. It is very risky to wade across the river. If you are not careful, you will be washed away by the river.

You are the backbone of our Yan'an Prefecture, how can you easily take risks? "

The other generals echoed this, their faces full of worry.

Su Yun shook his head and chuckled, saying: "Don't try to persuade me, I have made up my mind. This crossing of the river is of great significance!

This time we are going to take a risk, and when taking risks, morale is the most important thing. If I don't lead the team myself, how can I boost morale?

Besides, the soldiers fought bravely for Yan'an Prefecture, how can I be afraid of death?"

The generals were silent upon hearing this, and Su Yun then ordered the entire army to begin preparations.

This time, Su Yun led three thousand elite cavalry of the Jingsai Army and came for Zhang Meng.

After saying that, Su Yun walked out of the tent, strode into the rain, came to the training ground, and immediately summoned the soldiers.

Suddenly, military whistles sounded sharply in the military camp, and the whole camp was rumbled. In just half a quarter of an hour, three thousand fully armed cavalrymen gathered together.

Su Yun ordered all the cavalry to drop all the baggage they were carrying on their horses. Apart from the armor and weapons used in battle, they were only to bring one day's worth of food, and all the rest were to be thrown on the spot.

The generals were worried, but the cavalrymen looked resolute and showed no fear.

Su Yun also waved his hand, and then took the lead in riding his horse and rushing towards the Wuding River.

Two quarters of an hour later, three thousand cavalrymen arrived at the bank of the Wuding River. Su Yun looked at the rushing river, took a deep breath, and took the lead in leading his horse into the water.

The icy river water instantly reached his ankles, and the chill was biting, but he did not retreat at all.

Seeing this, the soldiers followed him and stepped into the river.

It was raining heavily and the river was surging, constantly hitting their bodies. The horses had difficulty moving forward in the water. From time to time, some soldiers were unable to stand steadily due to the impact of the water flow, but they held on to the reins tightly and supported each other.

The undercurrent in the river was surging, and whirlpools appeared from time to time, sucking the approaching soldiers into them. But the soldiers of the Jingsai Army were extremely brave and fearless. Some soldiers were washed away by the river, but they still shouted slogans and encouraged their companions to continue moving forward. Su Yun shouted loudly in the river: "My men, for Yan'an Prefecture, charge!"

The soldiers responded in unison, their voices echoing across the river.

After nearly half an hour, the three thousand cavalrymen successfully crossed the river. Su Yun asked someone to count their number and found that thirty or forty soldiers were washed away by the river!

Su Yun looked gloomy, holding a long sword, and shouted loudly: "My men, today is the day for us to make achievements. Break through the Song army and kill!"

After saying this, he took the lead and galloped towards the Song army camp.

Three thousand cavalrymen followed closely behind, the sound of their horses' hooves was like thunder, as if the earth was shaking.

Although Zhang Meng had made defensive deployments before, he set up obstacles such as chevaux de frise and deer horns on the river bank, dug trenches, and deployed crossbowmen.

But in this autumn wind and rain, some of the chevaux de frise were washed to pieces by the river, and the crossbowmen's vision was obstructed in the wind and rain, and their reactions were slow.

Outside the Song army camp, the sentries on guard were caught off guard by the sudden attack.

They rang the alarm bell in panic, but the sound seemed a little weak in the howling wind and rain.

The Song army soldiers rushed out of the tents in a hurry. Some of them had not yet put on their armor properly, and their weapons were held crookedly.

The morale, which had already been low due to the factional struggles in the court, completely collapsed at this moment.

The cavalry of Jingsai Army rushed into the Song Army camp like a tiger into a flock of sheep.

They brandished their long swords, the blades flashing, and drew deadly arcs in the wind and rain. Some cavalrymen charged into the enemy formation, using the impact of their horses to knock the Song soldiers away;

Some engaged in close combat with the Song army, with long swords flying up and down and blood splattering everywhere.

The Jingsai army cooperated well with each other. Some were responsible for frontal attacks to disrupt the formation of the Song army, while others made roundabout attacks to cut off the Song army's retreat.

At this time, Zhang Meng was discussing with his staff in the tent how to boost the morale of the army. Suddenly, there was a noise outside, sharp shouts mixed with the sound of weapons colliding, breaking the tranquility in the tent.

Zhang Meng frowned and ordered a soldier unhappily: "Go out and see what happened!"

The guards quickly opened the tent curtain and rushed out.

After a while, the soldier crawled into the tent, his face as pale as paper, and reported in a trembling voice: "General, something terrible has happened! The Jingsai Army has broken through the outer defense line and started to attack the camp!"

Zhang Meng's face turned pale instantly when he heard this. His eyes widened and he said in disbelief, "How is this possible? How did they cross the Wuding River?"

Zhang Meng was filled with shock and fear. He could never have imagined that Su Yun had the courage to cross the Wuding River when the water was turbulent.

Zhang Meng quickly put on his armor, holding a spear, and rushed out of the tent, shouting the names of the soldiers, trying to organize a resistance: "My men, don't panic, hold your formation, and fight back!"

He brandished the spear in his hand and fought with the approaching Jingsai army.

However, the chaotic situation was beyond his control. The soldiers were only concerned with escaping and did not obey his orders at all.

The tents of the Song army were burning in the flames of war, and thick smoke filled the air in the wind and rain, making it impossible for people to open their eyes.

In this chaos, the Song army's command system was completely paralyzed, and the soldiers fled in all directions and were in disarray.

Zhang Meng looked at the tragic scene in front of him with a feeling of unwillingness in his heart, but he had no choice but to flee in panic with the remaining troops under the cover of several personal guards.

When the battlefield gradually calmed down, the strong wind was still howling, carrying bean-sized raindrops that lashed the ground wantonly.

The smoke slowly dissipated in the wind and rain, like a layer of gauze, adding a bit of mystery and solemnity to this land that had just experienced a fierce battle.

Su Yun pulled the reins, and the warhorse pawed its hooves restlessly, splashing up patches of muddy water.

He looked around and saw that the battlefield was in a mess. The Song army's tents were toppled over and some were still burning. The orange-red flames danced tenaciously in the wind and rain. Thick smoke rose up, interweaving with the lead-gray clouds, covering the sky and the sun.

In the Song army camp, the Jingsai army soldiers were busy.

The ground beneath my feet had long been soaked with a mixture of blood and rain water, turning it into mud. With every step I could feel my boots being tightly sucked into the sticky mud.

This battle was fruitful.

The Song army's infantry armor glowed coldly in the dim sky. Although they had gone through wind, rain and battles, many of them were still well preserved.

According to rough statistics, thousands of complete sets of armor were confiscated, some of which were stained with blood.

However, under the heavy rain, the blood and mud were washed away, revealing the excellent material of the armor. These armors have excellent protection and will greatly enhance the overall protection level of the Jingsai Army.

Weapons were scattered all over the ground, spears were stuck in the mud, broken swords were everywhere, and the remains of bows and crossbows were piled together in a mess.

The Song army's powerful crossbows had a long range and great power, and became the main target of seizure by the Jingsai Army. A rough estimate showed that there were hundreds of powerful crossbows seized, and all kinds of arrows were piled up like mountains, shining with a cold metallic luster in the mud and water.

For cavalry, the most important trophy is the war horse.

Although the 20,000 light cavalry under Zhang Meng fled in panic, a large number of war horses were still intercepted.

Most of these war horses are strong and have outstanding endurance, and are now being gathered together by the Jingsai Army soldiers.

They were covered in mud, with wet manes sticking to their bodies. Some of the war horses were snorting restlessly, spewing out white mist.

After counting, there were thousands of them!

Su Yun was overjoyed when he heard the number. The Jingsai Army was in dire need of horses. With the capture of more than 4,000 horses, the combat effectiveness of the Jingsai Army will reach a new level!
These war horses will become a valuable resource for the Jingsai Army to expand its cavalry strength, allowing the Jingsai Army's cavalry units to be further strengthened.

This battle is of extraordinary significance.

From a strategic perspective, Su Yun successfully defeated Zhang Meng's 20,000 light cavalry, broke the local encirclement of the Song army, and won greater strategic space for Yan'an Prefecture.

The Song army originally planned to encircle Yan'an Prefecture after all the troops had assembled. However, the defeat of Zhang Meng's army disrupted their deployment, isolating the troops of Zhong Pu and Liu Changzuo and further exacerbating the coordination problem within the Song army.

In terms of morale, this battle greatly boosted the morale of the Jingsai Army.

Originally, Yan'an Prefecture was facing an expedition from the Song Dynasty, and the situation was extremely serious. Although various measures were taken within Yan'an Prefecture, people's hearts were still not very stable.

This time, Su Yun led the soldiers to cross the Wuding River and defeat the powerful enemy, which gave the soldiers hope of victory and made them more convinced of Su Yun. The army's cohesion and combat effectiveness were significantly improved.

At the same time, this victory also demonstrated to the world Yan'an Prefecture's determination to fight, causing surrounding forces to re-examine Yan'an Prefecture's strength and not dare to underestimate it easily.

For the Song Dynasty court, this defeat was undoubtedly adding insult to injury.

The court was already in chaos due to factional strife, and news of defeat coming from the front naturally made the situation of the Song Dynasty in this war even more difficult.

It's like pouring a bucket of water into a boiling oil pan; it's bound to explode!
(End of this chapter)