Before the army returned to the city, the people had already boiled water and cooked meals for the soldiers.
The tired soldiers ate porridge and chewed pickles with smiles on their faces.
They haven't fought this kind of battle in a long time.
Regardless of victory or defeat, the mere fact that people took the initiative to cook and boil water is enough to brag about for a lifetime.
Just when the soldiers and civilians in the whole city were filled with joy of victory, Qin Liangyu announced a meeting of all the generals at the beginning of the second watch.
The generals dragged their tired bodies into Qin Liangyu's military tent. Although they were dissatisfied, they did not dare to say much.
After all, Qin Liangyu, who was in her seventies, did not rest either.
"Today's victory over Li Chuang is all thanks to you all. After each unit has counted the number of enemies killed and their own casualties, I will personally write to His Majesty to request credit for you all!"
When the soldiers heard the news, all their previous dissatisfaction disappeared.
Military merit not only means promotion, but also a lot of money.
They have no reason to be dissatisfied.
Li Xingzhong was the first to say, "Your Excellency the Governor is too polite. The victory in this battle was entirely due to the Sichuan Army's dedication, so the credit should go to the Sichuan Army's soldiers."
The behavior of this descendant of a Liaodong general who did not take credit for himself made the Sichuan army generals present like him even more.
"Don't worry, I will write down the merits truthfully."
Qin Liangyu paused and continued, "It stands to reason that we should rest for a few days after winning a battle, but I don't think so."
"While our army is resting, the two thieves Li and Zhang are also resting. Once they are given enough time to catch their breath, they will soon train another army to oppose the imperial court."
"So what I mean is to chase the enemy fiercely!"
The generals present looked embarrassed.
After a great victory, the three armies must be rewarded before continuing to fight, otherwise morale will be low.
Yes, it is a downturn.
It stands to reason that pursuing a victory would boost morale.
Cui Han, a general of the Northern Song Dynasty, once said: What we should take advantage of is the momentum; what we should not miss is the opportunity.
but.
The soldiers did not have such a long-term vision. After winning the battle, they immediately wanted to get the reward money and then have a feast.
Actually, it’s not their fault.
After all, no one can guarantee that they can survive the next battle.
Over time, soldiers in the army developed the idea of spending money and enjoying life while they can.
If the court does not give rewards, the soldiers will think that the court is not trustworthy.
If they stop risking their lives in the next battle, their morale will be low.
Failure is inevitable.
There are cases in history.
May of the fourth year of Taipingxingguo in the Northern Song Dynasty.
After Song Taizong Zhao Guangyi destroyed the Northern Han, he marched directly north to attack the Liao without resting or rewarding his troops, attempting to take Youzhou by surprise.
As a result, the Song army was defeated at Gaoliang River, with tens of thousands of casualties and countless weapons, armor, money and food lost.
Zhao Guangyi got separated from his generals in the chaos and in desperation found a donkey cart to escape south.
He ran from Youzhou to Zhuozhou overnight.
You should know that in the Song Dynasty, Youzhou and Zhuozhou were about 200 miles apart. Zhao Guangyi, alone, with a donkey and a cart, ran 200 miles in one night.
After arriving outside Zhuozhou City, he was still worried, so he bypassed Zhuozhou and rushed to Jintaitun, 150 miles away.
The Liao army's elite light cavalry were responsible for the pursuit, but they were unable to catch up with Zhao Guangyi.
At this point, Zhao Guangyi became famous in one battle and was known as the Chariot God of Gaoliang River.
Can a donkey cart run that fast?
able.
(Please search for Fala Donkey on a certain video platform, the video will tell you the answer!)
The generals were afraid that Qin Liangyu would follow the same path as the Gaoliang River God of Chariots, so they all frowned.
Qin Liangyu certainly understood this. She glanced at the faces of the generals and asked, "What I mean by pursuit is not relentless pursuit, but pressing on step by step to force Li Zicheng back to Guanzhong."
"As for who to send after the war, I have already made up my mind. All the troops have counted the soldiers who have not made many military achievements overnight. They will definitely risk their lives to make achievements."
The generals' eyes lit up and they nodded one after another.
yes.
Soldiers without military merit will certainly feel unhappy when they see those with military merit enjoying a good life, and they will try every means to make new merits.
Seeing that no one objected, Qin Liangyu continued, "The white-pole soldiers under my command have suffered heavy losses and need to rest for a while. The next battle will depend on you."
"Don't worry, Governor. We will never bring disgrace to the reputation of the Sichuan Army." The Sichuan Army generals expressed their opinions one after another.
Li Xingzhong nodded and said, "Li Xingzhong and his troops will obey your orders!"
Everyone discussed for a while and decided on the next military strategy.
The next morning, each department counted the number of people.
All the cavalry members of Li Xingzhong's unit signed up.
The Sichuan Army had 15,000 elite infantry and 4,000 cavalry.
The total force is nearly 35,000.
These are all real elite troops, enough to deal with the defeated troops of Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong.
Li Zicheng was defeated and fled north to Xiangyang and Nanyang. Qin Liangyu sent infantry and cavalry to pursue him with all their might.
The situation on Zhang Xianzhong’s side is more complicated.
According to the soldiers, two to three thousand of Zhang Xianzhong's troops fled into the deep mountains east of Chengtian Prefecture.
Deputy General Yu Dahai said worriedly: "Governor, the bandits have fled into the mountains and we can't chase them..."
Yu Dahai’s worries are not without reason.
First, the mountain roads were rugged, which was not conducive to the army's march. Second, the mountains were high and the forests were dense, which obstructed the view and made it easy for the army to be ambushed.
Even if these two problems were solved, it would be impossible to find Zhang Xianzhong's main force in the mountains.
This is the reason why Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong fled to the mountains after every defeat.
Li Xingzhong thought for a while and said, "It's not that there is no solution."
"Oh?" Qin Liangyu looked at him: "What's the good plan?"
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It’s even more exciting later!
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