However, like Han Shizhong and Zhao Huan, they still felt that Zhu Qing was too frivolous.
The Mongolian cavalry is not that easy to fight, but Zhu Qing’s idea is that there are plenty of people to fight easy battles, and we have been honing our skills all our lives for the difficult battles.
Han Shizhong told him, "We've fought the Mongol cavalry dozens of times in the southwest of Hengshuigou, the western suburbs of Kuixian, and the northwest of Taoxian Town. Overall, the Mongol cavalry's tactics this time haven't changed much from before. They use light cavalry to raid and test us, then find our weaknesses and crush us with heavy cavalry. This tactic has been proven effective in the wars against Western Xia and Jin Rao."
Zhu Qing smiled and said, "60% of the Mongolian cavalry are light archers, and 40% are heavy cavalry. This tactical style is deadly. I dare say that the Mongols can run rampant with this style.
I have studied the Mongol-Xia war and the Mongol-Jin war carefully, and have some understanding of their cavalry tactics, but it is not as much as General Han's understanding from his personal battles with them."
Han Shizhong also smiled and said: "It's a good thing for young people to be humble. If you have any questions, I will tell you."
"Why can't we take the initiative?" Zhu Qing asked.
Han Shizhong was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect Zhu Qing to ask such a naive question. "Since you have studied the Mongol-Xiameng-Mongol-Jin War, you should know why."
But when asked this question, he had no choice but to answer, "Our Song army is far inferior to them in terms of mobility and heavy cavalry tactics. No matter how we attack, if we can defend the city from being breached, it will be a foolproof plan. Besides, my troops have no extra forces to attack except for defending the city in Shanxi."
Zhu Qing didn't seem to want to ask this. He said with a hint of meaning, "If we think this way, the Mongols will think the same way. They will also think that we won't take the initiative to attack, but we are going to take the initiative to attack."
Han Shizhong's eyes flashed: "You mean if we attack now, we can catch them off guard?"
Zhu Qing nodded: "Please ask Commander Han to give me three days' rations for the Iron Wolf Army."
Han Shizhong was delighted. "I'll take care of this. The Mongols have occupied Xixia, and they don't care about the lives of the people. Xixia is mountainous, which is exactly what the Mongol cavalry hates. If we can lure the main force of the Mongol cavalry into the mountainous terrain, their cavalry advantage will be limited. But, is there enough food for three days?"
"Not enough," Zhu Qing shook his head. "That's why I only need three days' worth of food."
Han Shizhong said nothing, but laughed heartily. He understood Zhu Qing's intention. To attack Mongolia with only three days' rations was like burning one's boats.
Pre-station mobilization is essential for every army. Zhu Qing is giving a speech to the Iron Wolf Army.
"Eat the emperor's salary, be loyal to the emperor. Serve the country and the people until death! I think you are all tired of hearing these words. Not only you are tired of hearing them, I am tired of hearing them too!
Well, let's do something else. This battle isn't for you, or for the Song Dynasty. It's for our Iron Wolf Army! We want to make the Iron Wolf Army famous, to let the Mongolian cavalrymen galloping across the grasslands know how formidable we are! We want to make the Mongolian cavalry tremble at the mere mention of the Iron Wolf Army!
Wolves eat meat, dogs eat shit! We, the Iron Wolf Army, eat Mongolian beef and mutton. But the meat wasn't given to us, nor was it begged for. We snatched it with your arrows and knives!
With three days' worth of rations, we'll find the main force of the Mongolian cavalry and annihilate them! Those who want meat, follow me!"
Zhu Qing's pre-station mobilization was quite unusual, yet it always made people's blood boil. If it was just empty talk about serving the country, the people, and the Song Dynasty, the truth is, we are just ordinary people, we are not that great.
These words might sound good to the young, passionate men who had just made their debut, but they had little effect on the veterans who had fought on the battlefield for so long. The Iron Wolf Army consisted of veterans selected from the Imperial Guard, with at least three years of combat experience. All they wanted was simple, visible glory.
The first time the Iron Wolf Army went out of the country, they sent out spies everywhere. The spies, especially those from the Iron Wolf Army, were all very fast.
A group of more than 700 Mongolian cavalrymen, led by a captain, bypassed Qinggangpo and headed towards Yelang Valley.
This 700-odd cavalry was not the main force of the Mongols, but a guerrilla force roaming the Song-Mongol border. Their goal was to find the weak points in the Song army's defenses and launch a lightning-fast attack, then burn, kill, and plunder before fleeing.
So far, the Song and Mongolia have not fought a large-scale battle, and both sides have only launched exploratory attacks on each other with a small number of troops participating.
The name "Wild Wolf Valley" suggests a close connection with the Iron Wolf Army. This Mongol cavalry unit intended to cross the Wild Wolf Valley to rob the Song army at Qingmen Pass, where it was relatively weak.
After taking Qingmen Pass, we will reach Heshui Town, an important border town of the Song Dynasty. One hundred and seventy miles away from Heshui Town, there is a Mongolian army of more than 5,000 people, led by a general named Gert.
Gert was a commander of ten thousand men, and he had also sent the 700-plus cavalrymen to the Wild Wolf Valley. He planned to use these 700-plus cavalrymen to pry open Qingmen Pass, and then march the army to capture Heshui Town.
If Heshui Town is lost, Han Shizhong's Han family army will be cut in two.
"Wolf Chief, we spotted a group of Mongolian cavalry charging towards the Wild Wolf Valley ahead." A lone wolf reported.
Lone Wolf is the title of the Iron Wolf Army's scouts. The Iron Wolf Army attaches great importance to the training of lone wolves, because Zhu Qing knows that intelligence is a key factor in determining the victory or defeat of a battle.
Zhu Qing looked at the map and thanked Han Shizhong. The Han army had not been idle in recent years, and they had also been collecting various intelligence on Xixia.
In particular, Han Shizhong recruited many former Xixia troops, including some senior generals. These Xixia generals had a detailed map of Xixia with mountains, rivers, population and layout recorded in great detail.
Zhu Qing was a true military genius; he knew the direction of Wild Wolf Valley the moment he saw it on the map. He pointed to the mark on the map and said, "The Mongols have a big appetite; they've set their sights on Qingmen Pass."
Ma Wen from the Qingyi Group asked, "Wolf Head, what should we do? Should we go to Wild Wolf Valley and stop them?"
Zhu Qing nodded. "Why not eat the fat meat that's been delivered to your mouth? Let Kong Fuzi's Second Regiment guard the exit of Wild Wolf Valley. You lead the First Regiment to pursue them from behind and trap this cavalry in Wild Wolf Valley. If they encounter our Iron Wolf Army in Wild Wolf Valley, do they still expect to escape alive?"
Luo Shiqi from the third regiment nearby was unhappy: "Wolf Head, why did these two eat all the fat meat? I can't even have a bowl of soup?"
Zhu Qing smiled lightly: "I gave you the biggest piece of fat meat, but you can't even drink the soup?"
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