Chapter 1608: Burning forest
Chapter 1608: Fire burns the forest
Chapter 1606: Fire burns the forest
This time Li Jing was ostensibly on the run, but secretly he was also plotting against Wang Mang.
Li Jing knew very well that Wang Mang was very wary of him, and ordinary tactics would not work against Wang Mang at all. Therefore, if he wanted to be tricked, he had to completely anger him and make him lose his correct judgment.
Li Jing deliberately left a wooden sign in the valley that was not suitable for setting up an ambush and on the road that was suitable for setting up an ambush, and clearly told Wang Mang that there was no ambush because he knew that even if he told the truth, Wang Mang would not believe it and would still go back to investigate. .
Wang Mang sent troops to investigate, but found nothing twice, so he naturally realized that he had been tricked.
After the first two wooden tricks, even if Li Jing told the truth the third time, Wang Mang still wouldn't believe it, but because he was afraid that the Qin army would completely run away, and there were indeed birds in the forest, this was not true. Signs of an ambush.
Hence, Wang Mang probably could not wait to investigate and led his army directly through the woods.
By then, if Li Jing's ambush troops hidden in the woods attack directly with fire, they will be able to wipe out the 80,000 Beihai army in one fell swoop.
This fire attack plan was carried out in a hurry, and Li Jing actually knew that there were many flaws in it. After all, he did not have more time to perfect the details, but if it succeeded, the Qin army could directly make a comeback, so Li Jingcai Decided to take a gamble.
The final result disappointed Li Jing. Although his plan went smoothly, he still underestimated Wang Mang's caution.
Wang Mang did not lead the army directly into the forest because he was in a hurry. Instead, he chose to send part of the army to explore the way.
This is indeed the safest way for the Northern Han Allied Army, and it also made Li Jing's plan to annihilate the 80,000 Northern Han army in one fell swoop go to waste, turning it into the destruction of the few thousand soldiers and horses who were exploring the road at most.
“Forget it, no matter how small a mosquito is, it’s still meat.”
Li Jing sighed lightly, and then ordered: "Send the order and carry out the fire attack."
)
It was midsummer at this time, the climate was hot and dry, and there were a lot of dry grass and trees in the woods. In addition, the south wind was blowing and the wind was blowing non-stop. It was simply the best time to carry out a fire attack.
Following Li Jing’s order, nearly a thousand archers hidden in the forest immediately ignited their rockets and fired at the fire points arranged in advance.
咻,咻,咻…
Chick, squeak, squeak…
The flame grew rapidly as soon as it was ignited by electricity. With the help of the wind, the fire suddenly became like a prairie fire.
“Ah ah ah…”
The fire was so intense that most of the five thousand soldiers who entered the forest had no time to escape and were buried under the fire dragon and burned directly to ashes. Only a few hundred people were extremely lucky to escape under the leadership of the sand curtain. Fire forest.
As for Li Jing, who was also in the forest, and the Qin army's ambush, due to their location in the south, the south wind blew to the north, so the fire spread southward very slowly. After setting the fire, the Qin army exited the woods very calmly.
Wang Mang looked at the forest of fire in front of him, which was already turning into a sea of fire. He was shocked, angry and happy at the same time.
Furiously, in order to deal with him, Li Jing even set fire and burned the mountains. Such a fierce trick was used.
Fortunately, he was cautious enough and easily led his troops into the woods because there were birds in the woods. Otherwise, he would have lost more than just five thousand recruits.
"Li Jing was too cruel. He burned the entire forest with one fire. Looking at the intensity of the fire, it will not be extinguished in a few days, and it will even spread to the surrounding mountains and rivers."
After saying this, Gongsun Shu looked at Wang Mang and asked, "Will you continue to pursue him now?"
Wang Mang didn't answer, but Zhou Yafu rolled his eyes and said, "You said it yourself, the fire won't be extinguished in a few days. With this forest of fire blocking the way, how can we chase after it?"
Hearing this, Wang Mang's face suddenly became extremely gloomy. It was clear that as long as he passed through this forest, there would be no danger ahead. No matter how good Li Jing was at using tricks, there was still nothing he could do, but this forest of fire happened. But it blocked the way of the army's pursuit. “Bring me the map.” Wang Mang shouted.
Soon, a marching map with a length and width of one meter was delivered. After Wang Mang stared at the map for a while, his eyes suddenly lit up. He pointed at the map and said excitedly: "It's a bit far to walk here, but you can go around it." Go through this forest.”
Zhou Yafu frowned slightly and said in a deep voice: "Even if we have detoured, can we still catch up with Li Jing after taking such a long detour?"
“So we must also delay Li Jing’s march.”
A glint flashed in Wang Mang's eyes, and he ordered: "Zhou Yafu, Gongsun Shu, each of you lead five thousand light cavalry, totaling ten thousand cavalry, and take this road first to pursue the Qin army.
With the speed of the cavalry, they can definitely catch up. After catching up, there is no need to fight the Qin army, but you must remember the word sixteen. "
“Which sixteen characters?” Zhou Yafu asked seriously.
“When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy is stationed, we harass; when the enemy is tired, we attack; when the enemy retreats, we pursue.”
Wang Mang said unhurriedly: "Just delay Li Jing's march. When our army catches up, we will attack from both sides and completely annihilate the Qin army."
Wang Mang did not concentrate his cavalry to pursue him before, mainly because the terrain was not suitable for cavalry operations. In addition, the Qin army also had cavalry, and their combat power was extraordinary. If the cavalry was sent out and was surrounded by the Qin army, he would be in trouble at the rear. It was too late to rescue him.
The situation is different now. As long as we bypass this forest, there is a flat plain behind, which is very suitable for cavalry to launch guerrilla warfare.
"When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy is stationed, we harass..."
Zhou Yafu couldn't help but murmured, his eyes flashing continuously, and he said excitedly: "In just sixteen words, the essence of cavalry warfare is captured. You Xiangzhen is an unparalleled talent. I just don't know if this kind of fighting method can be named?"
“I call it guerrilla warfare.”
Wang Mang shamelessly overpowered the naming rights of guerrilla warfare.
Tactics such as guerrilla warfare have not existed before, but no one has yet proposed a specific sixteen-character policy.
Although Qin Hao knew it, he deliberately raised it. After all, if everyone knew the essence of guerrilla warfare, it would be an obstacle to his unification of the world. Therefore, Wang Mang was the first person in this world to propose the theory of guerrilla warfare.
“Guerrilla warfare?”
Zhou Yafu's eyes lit up and he said excitedly: "It's so appropriate..."
Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Wang Mang.
"Okay, act quickly. It's up to you whether Li Jing and Qin Jun can be retained this time."
After saying this, Wang Mang looked at the generals behind him and continued to order: "Shajuanlian, Tantaiyu, Xialuqi, Juwuba, you and the other four will move together as a cavalry unit."
“Promise.” The four generals responded in unison.
Xia Luqi, under Zhu Tianpeng, had already joined the army and was incorporated into this cavalry army by Wang Mang.
Wang Mang also smiled when he saw this, and thought to himself: With the general Zhou Yafu leading the troops, and supplemented by four god-of-war generals, and the sand curtain, this operation will be foolproof.
(End of this chapter)