Chapter 18 Jiangnan Strategy

The Huangchao Uprising Army left Yingzhou and went all the way south to collect wooden boats on the north bank of Jiangzhou. Together with the sailors of Qiu Tao and Qiu Hong's brothers and sisters, the army successfully crossed the Yangtze River and went straight to Jiangzhou. In order to ensure that Huang Chao's army crossed the river safely, Cao Shixiong had already sent Ye Xiang and Duan Meng to lead 3,000 sailors to patrol the Yangtze River north of Jiangzhou. Gai Hong led 5,000 troops from Hongzhou and went to Jiangzhou to meet Huang Chao's army.

A few days later, more than 100,000 people led by Huang Chao successfully met with Gaihong in Jiangzhou. The rebel army was strict and did nothing in autumn. They were warmly welcomed by the people of Jiangzhou, and many children of the people joined the uprising army. For a while, the sky in Jiangnan is clearer and the scenery in Jiangnan is more beautiful.

After a brief stay in Jiangzhou, Huang Chao's army ordered Ye Xiang and Duan Meng to continue to garrison Jiangzhou, and the army went south to Hongzhou to meet Cao Shixiong. Cao Shixiong was extremely excited and personally brought 500 soldiers to the north of Hongzhou to welcome the army into the city.

The exciting moment has finally come! Huang Chao and many generals and Cao Shixiong's welcoming team successfully met in the north of Hongzhou. Huang Chao strode forward, held Cao Shixiong's hand tightly and said, "Master, long time no see! You played well in the south of the Yangtze River. You not only occupied Jiangzhou and Hongzhou, but also sent Wang Chongyin and Xu Tangju westward to capture Yuezhou and Langzhou, and developed well in the area of Dongting Lake. This has laid a good foundation for our further development in the south of the Yangtze River. On behalf of Daqi's brothers and sisters, I thank you!"

Cao Shixiong was also very excited at this time. He shook hands with the main generals of the Huang Chao army one by one and greeted each other. After a long time, we went on the road together and went to Hongzhou. Together, these two men and horses are close to 200,000, shining with swords and guns, and the army is more powerful. The army took a big break in the area of Hongzhou, and various departments trained their troops day by day, and their combat effectiveness became stronger and stronger.

That's it, more than half a month has passed. Seeing the high morale and recovery of the Rebels, Huang Chao informed the generals to hold a meeting to discuss the next strategic action. After the generals arrived, Huang Chao went straight to the topic and said, "Brothers, the combat effectiveness of the Rebels has returned to normal, and the army has gathered in Hongzhou, and the logistical burden is quite large, so we must go out to fight. After thinking about Jiangnan, let's make suggestions."

Shang Rang said, "What Brother Huang said is that I think we can act in the near future. Taking advantage of the weak strength of the Tang army in the south of the Yangtze River, our army can attack by separate routes and attack some materially abundant cities. When the army supplies are completed, things will be easy. I suggest fighting Raozhou first. Raozhou is a rich land, with convenient military supplies and sufficient soldiers.

As soon as Shang Rang finished his words, Chai Cun stood up and said, "Shang Rang's brother's idea is good. Raozhou is close to Hongzhou and must be taken down, so that the righteous teachers can further consolidate their power in the south of the Yangtze River and provide a good forward base for eastward to Zhejiang and west and attack Lingnan. At the same time, our army must also expand its power in Jizhou and Qianzhou. I think the occupation of these two states can be completed by Meng Kai, Wang Chongyin and Xu Tangju.

The generals nodded one after another and agreed to the development plan of Chai Cun and Shang Rang. Huang Chao pondered for a long time and said, "These two suggestions are quite good. I think they can be implemented. In order to confuse the Tang army, play this big game of chess. I decided to send a commando force to attack Xuanzhou and Runzhou and mobilize the main force of the Tang army to reinforce. In this way, the righteous man can boldly attack the target set in Jiangnan.

Huang Chao paused and then said, "This raid mission is very difficult for me to determine the candidate for a while."

Yue Lingfei stood up and said, "Brother Huang, give me the task of raiding Xuanzhou and Runzhou. I will definitely complete this task!"

The generals asked for war one after another to raid Xuanzhou and Runzhou.

Huang Chao's eyes turned red, and he was moved to say, "Brothers, for the great cause of Daqi, you have spared no effort to make Huang Chao admire it very much! This raid on Xuanzhou and Runzhou was tight, with heavy tasks and full of variables. Li Tang will definitely dispatch many reinforcements to this area to fight against our army's raid troops. Whether he can firmly attract Li Tang's main force in Xuanzhou and Runzhou is related to the success or failure of our Jiangnan march!"

Cao Shixiong didn't say a word before. At this time, he suddenly stood up, slapped his chest and said, "Brother Huang, my familiar bronze stick has not been on the battlefield for a long time. This raid on Xuanzhou and Runzhou, I must go!" Just order me to carry out this task!"

Huang Chao looked affectionately at the generals, stayed on each general for a long time, and then looked at another general. Finally, he stared at the Jiangnan battle situation map at the conference table and slowly said, "I have my last strategic determination now, brothers, this strategic action is extremely important. It is related to us. If you can't succeed in Jiangnan, can you go through the Central Plains until you overthrow the brutal rule of Li Tang?

Huang Chao continued: "Brothers, stop arguing. It's useless to fight more. I now announce the combat order of the Jiangnan Army. The owner of Shixiong's fifth village made a circuitous attack on Xuanzhou and Runzhou, and must drag Li Tang's reinforcements to death. Without my order, one person could not be withdrawn. Lingfei led the fourth village people to quickly go to Yuezhou, take over the defense around Yuezhou and Langzhou, and transfer Wang Chongyin and Xu Tangju back to Hongzhou to join the people and Shixiong to strengthen the strength to attack Xuanzhou and Runzhou.

Huang Chao took a sip of tea and continued to say, "After Lingfei's fourth village horse took over the defense, he wanted to take Meng Kai's first village man to leave the mountain and go south, and Zhao Zhang's horse also walked with Meng Kai. The area around the mountain is garrisoned by Siye's third village. After the first and fourth villagers of the Rebels met, they quickly launched an attack on the enemies of Jizhou and Qianzhou. The specific attack plan was discussed and decided by Meng Kai and Lingfei.

The battle conference room was silent, and the generals listened carefully to Huang Chao's combat orders.

Huang Chao raised his volume: "After Shi Xiong led his troops to attack Xuanzhou and Runzhou, Sun Mei and I led the main force of the volunteer army and Cao Min's second villager to attack Raozhou. Shi Xiong was the first to act. After Li Tang's main force was attracted to Xuanzhou and Runzhou, I and the two armies of Meng Kai and Lingfei East and West acted at the same time to implement the strategy in the south of the Yangtze River. This operation went deep into the enemy's rear, and the three armies galloped on the second bank of the Yangtze River, mainly through the south of the Yangtze River. After playing this big game of chess, I guess the righteous master will have the power to compete with the Tang army in the Central Plains.

After Huang Chao finished speaking, Chai Cun said, "Through this deployment of troops and generals, the people of the villages have returned to their positions to facilitate unified command and cooperate with each other. Therefore, we must carry out operations after the concentration and unified deployment of people and horses. The actions of each village should be carried out under the unified command of Brother Huang. They can't go their own way and fight with the enemy based on their feelings. After unifying this Jiangnan march, we should forge the righteous division into a mighty division, a civilized division, and lay a solid foundation for the large-scale battle with Li Tang in the future.

The general listened and was very happy and unanimously agreed to the combat order issued by Huang Chao.

Huang Chao shouted, "I order that from now on, the rebels from all walks of life will enter the first-class combat readiness and prepare to go deep into the enemy's rear, and the strategic operation of the Jiangnan march will officially begin!"