RPAGF Chapter 327 Return to the Empire to Liangzhou
Chapter 327 Return to the Empire to Liangzhou
According to Liu Feiyun's original plan, the Zhenhuang Army should stay in the Northern Wilderness for at least a few months and completely disrupt the situation in the Northern Wilderness before leaving.
But just in July, the imperial edict from Emperor Gu Huairen arrived.
"Returning troops to Liangzhou? Helping to suppress the Barefoot Army! Haven't the rebels in Liangzhou been suppressed? And the Barefoot Army's range of activities is not in Liangzhou?"
Liu Feiyun didn't expect that the imperial edict summoning him to return south to quell the rebellion would come so soon.
The eunuch who delivered the decree hurriedly explained:
"Marshal Liu may not know that the Barefoot Army has recently produced a very powerful leader named Han Sheng."
"This man was originally a horse bandit. Somehow, he managed to recruit several thousand horse bandits in Qiangzhou and founded the so-called Fansheng Cavalry."
"He took these thousands of Fan Sheng troops and fled back to Liangzhou. He fought here and there and managed to gather hundreds of thousands of troops. His cavalry also expanded to tens of thousands. The government troops were unable to resist for a while!"
Liu Feiyun was even more surprised: "Tens of thousands of cavalry? How is that possible! Although Liangzhou also produces horses, it is impossible to raise a cavalry of tens of thousands of people in a short period of time!"
"I don't know about that! But it is said that there are quite a few Qiang people among Han Sheng's cavalry!"
"Qiang people!? No wonder!"
The Qiang people are an important branch of the nomadic people in the western part of the empire, and mainly live in Qiangzhou.
The fief of the King of Zhenxi was Qiangzhou
.
The appearance of a large number of Qiang people in the barefoot army may be related to the King of Zhenxi.
If the so-called Fansheng Cavalry consists of a large number of Qiang people, then their combat power is really not something that ordinary local troops can resist.
It is even possible that the backbone of the so-called Fansheng Cavalry was actually the private army of the King of Zhenxi in disguise.
Since the imperial edict had been issued, Liu Feiyun had no choice but to lead his army back south and attack Liangzhou.
However, before returning south, Liu Feiyun found some excuses to remove hundreds of people led by Tushiti Luo from the Zhenhuang Army, and placed them among the Yunhuang tribes, keeping them in the Northern Wilderness.
The marching pattern of the Zhenhuang Army was actually not much different from that of the Northern Wilderness Barbarians. They also drove cattle and sheep and marched along the water and grass areas. From a distance, it was hard to believe that this was actually the army of the Chen Dynasty.
After more than half a month, the main force of the Zhenhuang Army finally arrived at a small border county town bordering Liangzhou and Beihuang.
When the defenders in the city discovered that tens of thousands of barbarian soldiers had appeared, driving cattle and sheep, they immediately panicked. The county lieutenant even sat on the ground, his face pale as he muttered to himself:
"Barbarian troops!? So many barbarian troops! Didn't the imperial court say that the barbarian troops had been defeated? How come there are still tens of thousands of barbarian troops here?"
"Hey! That's not right! Look at that flag. It's the flag of our Dachen army! Moreover, there seems to be a lot of armor in the style of the official army!"
"Could it be that they are not the barbarian army?"
When the Zhenhuang Army arrived at the foot of the city, began to set up camp, and sent out military officers to knock on the city gates, the county lieutenant suddenly realized that it was the Zhenhuang Army that had come.
That night, Liu Feiyun met the county lieutenant and the county magistrate in the camp outside the city.
The county magistrate just exchanged a few words as a routine matter and then left. However, the county lieutenant was specially kept by Liu Feiyun to inquire about the latest military intelligence.
Liu Feiyun looked at the middle-aged man in front of him, who was about the same age and position as his father, and was also moved by the scene. He said politely, "County Lieutenant Dong, please take a seat!"
County Captain Dong couldn't help feeling a little nervous and reserved, and kept saying "I dare not, I dare not!"
"Captain Dong, you're welcome. I'll have to ask you to introduce me to the military situation in Liangzhou in a little while!"
Although Lieutenant Dong was nervous, he still explained the current military situation in Liangzhou in detail. Liu Feiyun also learned many things that he had never heard of in the Northern Wilderness:
First of all, there was the Changluo mutiny more than ten days ago.
It is said that among the five armies of the Beijing Army, nearly a hundred officers and soldiers from the three corps of White Tiger, Black Tortoise and Suzaku participated in the mutiny.
They deceived tens of thousands of people into rebellion and attempted to assassinate the emperor, but the wise and powerful emperor crushed their conspiracy.
Secondly, as a continuation of the Changluo mutiny, the officers and soldiers of the three legions of White Tiger, Vermillion Bird and Black Tortoise underwent a major reshuffle.
Thirdly, the barefoot army has captured eight counties and twenty-seven prefectures in Gan, Liang and Qiang. Its leader has proclaimed himself the barefoot king and named his country Dawu.
Fourthly, Han Sheng, the general of the barefoot army, had led an army of 250,000 to besiege Hanchuan City, the capital of Liangzhou. In addition, his subordinates also captured six county towns and besieged seven county governments, with an estimated number of more than 100,000 people.
Fifth, Han Sheng's direct Fansheng cavalry had expanded to 50,000 people, most of whom were confirmed to be Qiang people.
When Liu Feiyun heard the news of Changluo's mutiny, although he had expected it, he still couldn't help but feel frightened.
He could fully guess that on the day of the mutiny, an extremely brutal battle must have broken out in Changluo City.
And with the major replacement of officers and soldiers in the three legions, no one knows how many people will lose their lives and how many families will be destroyed.
I just don’t know if the old man and second uncle are at peace!
And how many of those who were left in Changluo lost their lives!
But for now, we still have to quell the rebellion first.
"So, the barefoot army in Liangzhou alone has 300,000 or 400,000 soldiers! How many troops does the government army have now? How are they distributed?"
After hearing Liu Feiyun's question, County Magistrate Dong said with some embarrassment:
"Your Excellency, I am only a small county lieutenant. How would I know the details?"
"I only heard that the governor had previously mobilized tens of thousands of people to fight against the rebels, but ended up only bringing a few thousand people back to Hanchuan City."
“Now, apart from Hanchuan City, the total number of government troops in all counties and prefectures should be less than 10,000, and the local soldiers in each county and prefecture should not exceed 10,000 at most.”
"As for the civilian militia, they can be used to help defend the city, but don't even think about sending them to other places to fight!"
Liu Feiyun did not comment.
In fact, during the day, he had also seen the local soldiers and militia guarding the county town.
In his opinion, the training level of these local soldiers is similar to that of the Anping County militia, or even worse.
As for the civilian militia, maybe it would be ok to help transport some supplies for defending the city, but as for going up to the city wall with real swords and guns to help in the battle? Forget it!
They are all border county soldiers and militia, why is there such a big gap between them?
I think the situation of the local militia and militia in other counties is similar, and I'm afraid we can't rely on them.
It seems that I have to rely on my own army!
After instructing County Magistrate Dong to recruit a few brave and careful guides for him, Liu Feiyun left to see the guests off.
Afterwards, Liu Feiyun and a group of generals held a military meeting overnight to discuss the battle plan.
And on that day and that night, many people in this small border county discovered that the Zhenhuang Army did not come to occupy their houses or rob their property, which was completely different from the government troops that had passed through this place before.