There are also more than ten chapters of strategic advice.
This shows that Zhang Kang had foreseen the rebellion of Western Xia and was a talented person who was both civil and military and full of strategy.
Therefore, when Fan Zhongyan took office in the northwest two years ago, he transferred Zhang Kang, who was then the governor of Ansu Army, here. It was a transfer from the governor of the Liao-Song border to the governor of the Song-Xia border, and granted him certain military power to deploy in Yanzhou.
However, Zhang Kang did not attend the meeting at this time.
Because this month Pang Ji sent another batch of food and fodder from the rear, which was delivered to Yanzhou by Xue Xiang, the governor of Fuzhou. As the governor of Yanzhou, Zhang Kang must personally lead his troops to meet them.
After feeling that Zhang Kang was suitable to be the general for this expedition, Lao Fan did not hesitate and immediately arranged for Liu Ping to go and get the food and grass and bring Zhang Kang back.
The next day.
Zhang Kang rode back at full speed from Ganquan County, south of Yanzhou.
Outside Yanzhou City, Fan Zhongyan was already waiting for him.
This morning, he received a letter from Lu Shouqin, the pacification supervisor of Huanqing Road, and Liu Huaizhong, the inspector, saying that Yuan Hao was attacking Kaoluo Village.
At that time, Zhong Shiheng was stationed in Tongyuan on Huanqing Road, which was very close to Zhenrong. So if Huanqing Road wanted to support Jingyuan Road, it could only be Zhong Shiheng who went.
Teng Zongliang, Cao Cong and Zhao Zhen, as the highest civil officials and military commanders of Huanqing Road, were stationed in Anhua City, Qingzhou.
It was farther away from Bao'an Army than from Yanzhou, so the front-line defenders of Jintang City, Lu Shouqin, and Kaoluozhai, Liu Huaizhong, naturally sent the news to Yanzhou as soon as possible.
Knowing that Li Yuanhao was coming so quickly, Fan Zhongyan did not dare to delay. He organized the army that had been prepared long ago while waiting for Zhang Kang to come back.
At this moment, outside the city, the dusty forty-year-old Zhang Kang galloped all the way to the pavilion outside the south city. He dismounted, walked up to Fan Zhongyan, and bowed, saying, "Sir, you urgently summoned me back. Is there something urgent?"
"good."
Fan Zhongyan said, "Yuan Hao is invading the border, feinting an attack on Jingyuan Road while actually attacking Huanqing Road. The situation is urgent now, and you must lead your troops there immediately."
"I obey your orders!"
Zhang Kang's eyes lit up. He had been a civil servant for so many years, but what he liked most was being a cavalry general.
Even though he served as an official on the border many times, he never led troops to fight in person.
Now the opportunity has finally come.
Although Fan Zhongyan knew that he was a tough guy in history, he did not dare to be careless. Instead, he warned him: "Although you have served many times on the border, this is your first time leading troops. It is best to be careful."
Zhang Kang said, "Please rest assured, sir. I will definitely live up to your trust."
"Yeah, okay."
Fan Zhongyan said in a deep voice, "Yuan Hao has many accomplices within our army. He would surely know if we were to dispatch a large force. Therefore, I can only send you 8,000 cavalrymen. These are the elite knights I have trained over the past two years. Di Qing, the commander of Yanzhou, Zhang Yu, the inspector of Linfu, and Zhe Jimin, the inspector-general of Linfu Road, are all elite soldiers I brought with me from Bianliang. You may use them."
"yes."
"Alright, speed is of the essence in war. We must not delay. Let's set off immediately."
"yes."
After Zhang Kang agreed, he immediately headed west to Fulong Mountain according to Fan Zhongyan's instructions.
Because Li Yuanhao had too many accomplices in the northwest border army, Fan Zhongyan did not dare to let the soldiers set out during the day and could only leave the camp last night.
We have now reached Fulong Mountain west of Yanzhou. Once Zhang Kang arrives, we can immediately set off to provide support to Kaoluo Village and Jintang City.
Strictly speaking, Yanzhou is actually very close to the Bao'an Army. The Bao'an Army belongs to Fuyan Road, and the Dingbian Army belongs to Huanqing Road. In terms of geographical location, the reinforcements from Yanzhou can arrive faster than those from Qingzhou.
What's more, they are cavalry.
Zhang Kang led 8,000 cavalrymen, all of whom were cavalry pitchers on patrol for Fan Zhongyan, and each of them had several grenades on his waist.
The Song Dynasty had been preparing for so many years. The Firearms Department had reduced the production of other firearms and focused on making grenades. In addition, according to Zhao Jun's instructions, Zeng Gongliang was developing artillery.
However, artillery is much more dangerous than grenades after all. The consequence of a barrel explosion may be several casualties, so progress is relatively slow.
But the existence of hand grenades was already a groundbreaking thing.
At this moment, the battle on the Bao'an Army side was fierce. Li Yuanhao knew that Yanzhou would come to the rescue, so he was actually fighting against the Dingbian Army. As long as he transferred Zhong Shiheng away and broke through the Dingbian Army, he could threaten Huanzhou.
However, precisely because Yanzhou would come to the rescue, Li Yuanhao had to concentrate his main forces to capture the Bao'an Army first and block the reinforcements from Yanzhou before he could march towards Huanzhou.
By then, Zhong Shiheng would definitely return to Huanzhou to defend, and Li Yuanhao would be able to surround the area and attack the reinforcements, launching a fierce attack on the reinforcements from Fuyan Road and Huanqing Road.
This is what he did in history. He surrounded Yanzhou, Huaiyuan and Liufenbao at Sanchuankou, Haoshuichuan and Dingjunzhai respectively, luring the Song army to come to the rescue. He set up ambushes three times and defeated the Song Dynasty three times, forcing the Song Dynasty to sign a treaty and recognize the establishment of the Western Xia Dynasty and the emperorship.
Taoluozhai, later Zhidan County, Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province. If you stand outside the city and look south, you will see not endless plains or towering mountains, but undulating hills.
This is the Loess Plateau. It is spring now. The hills and mountains, which are less than a hundred meters high and only a few meters low, are like waves, stretching out like the lush branches and leaves of a towering tree. Although not as vast as the plains, they are also magnificent and have their own northwest scenery.
Li Yuanhao was riding on a horse, standing on a high slope four or five miles northeast of Taoluo Village, looking into the distance to the southeast.
The howling west wind was so strong that the military flags rustled in the wind.
To his southwest, 30,000 Western Xia troops were attacking Taoluo Village. The brave and warlike Western Xia army howled like wolves and climbed up the wooden ladders. The two outer walls of the village had been lost.
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