"It may be a lot of difficulties for you myself. But for the thousands of people in Jinghu, with you in front of you, I don't know how many people's lives and property have saved. Such merit is better than building ten pagodas in Lin'an. A little bit of swords and weapons are dangerous, how can it be?" Meng Gong completely ignored Zheng Yunming's dissatisfaction with this big statement and waved his hands to both of them, saying, "Please follow me."

At this time, a huge map was hung in the hall. Since the beginning of the war, Zheng Yunming insisted on extensive survey of the terrain in Jinghu Lake and creating more detailed topographic maps. The first response was Meng Gong, who was stationed downstream. Although they did not have precise tools for terrain surveys at this time, and they had no idea how to draw contour lines. Their general method was to observe on the ground and then mark the mountain and rivers separately, but the survey of the terrain of Jingzhou became more detailed, and many valleys and tributaries that had not been discovered before were found, and the distribution of the terrain that could be stationed troops was also detailed.

Meng Gong said to Zheng Yunming: "Since the Tartars were defeated by Xiangyang City, they have gone south to attack various prefectures and counties in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Fortunately, they were timely in the timely manner this year. Except for a few conquered prefectures and cities, the garrisons of other prefectures and counties were still strong. Fortunately, Xiangyang's persistence in the upper reaches made the Mongolians cautious about the rear path and could not gallop freely in the hinterland. Now there are traces of Mongolian cavalry activities in more than ten prefectures and counties along the river. How to drive them out of Jinghu? Did the officials have any ideas?"

Before Zheng Yunming could answer, Jiang Hai said first: "I also talked about this with Vice President Zheng yesterday. The safest way now is to lead the main force to take a certain warship along the river, defeat the Mongolian troops from all over the road, and then reinforce the Zhao army in Xiangyang, join forces, and then return to the army to fight the enemy to achieve their full achievements."

The opinions held by Jianghai were the traditional tactics of the Song Dynasty to deal with the invasions of the Hu people. After the southward transition, this method was only changed from land advance to water transportation. After the change to water transportation, the Hu cavalry had fewer opportunities to intercept reinforcements halfway. This is also why although it is recognized that Jiangnan was cowardly and the northerners were brave, the country's defense of the border areas was actually much stronger after the southward transition than in the north. Jianghai also held this view. As long as they could suppress the Mongols on the Yangtze River, they could ensure that the peace of all prefectures and counties along the river was as safe as Mount Tai. The Mongols could not conquer the city and naturally withdrew their troops. Will they be defeated by the Song soldiers when the horse was thin when they were so hot that they could be destroyed in Jinghu?

Meng Gong turned to look at Zheng Yunming and saw a little unnatural look on his face. This opinion may not be his real thought, but it was just the first time Zheng Yunming and Jiang Hai collaborated in their lives, and some of his inner thoughts were unwilling to mention to Jiang Dutong.

He frowned. Seeing people talking in the officialdom is a necessary survival skill, but if this is used in war, it is inevitable that things will be misleading. Zheng Yunming has this habit, neither he nor his army.

He thought again that this might be the result of the influence of officials and officials. If he has experienced more on the battlefield in the future, this mature habit of officials and gentry will gradually fade.

"What is the idea of ​​the official? We have to explain it to us." He knocked the weapon rack made of mixed wood with the horse whip in his hand: "We are people in the army, and the one that my grandfather's mansion promises is not necessary. If you don't agree with Jiang Dutong's statement, you might as well say bluntly that if there are any mistakes in his plan, you will lose the lives of your brothers."

Zheng Yunming sighed: "At this time, the military situation is urgent, why would I still be a fool? I have a plan in my mind, but this plan is too dangerous. My original idea was to let the two chief ministers lead the main force to follow the regular tactics and gradually advance. I only use my own troops to implement this bold and excessive plan. If the troops are reduced, it is only my own business and will not involve the two."

Meng Gong lowered his face and said solemnly: "What is this? The army is recruited by generals and trained by generals, but it is definitely not the general's own private property! Your troops are not called Zheng's army, but the army stationed in the Jingchu army in front of the imperial court! There is no saying that our soldiers are lost, it is called the country's loss, and your soldiers are your own private affairs. Every conquest operation is an official business! If you have any plans to spread it out on the surface, if this plan can be won, the three of us will be rewarded together, and if this plan is not sold, it is also the three of us who will bear the responsibility together. You will never mention this statement of my army!"

Since ancient times, the court paid food and generals recruited their own troops. This was a conventional rule. However, in this military construction model, soldiers and soldiers finally formed a serious personal dependence with the general. In today's terms, it is "only the generals in the army, but they did not know that there were emperors." This is also the root of the court's deep doubts about the commander in the army. Even rogues like Li Quan, who were born into a bandit, were walking on thin ice when they were suspected by the court, not to mention that Meng Gong and other key generals who were the pillars of the country were the backbone.

Of course, Zheng Yunming understood that he was just a little bit of agitating the famous general. Only by letting Meng Gong make his attitude clear could he bring these two generals of the rank of the governor who were higher than him into his plan.

When he truly revealed his plan to both of them, the two generals, who were commanding the Song Dynasty, were confused.

To be fair, the Mongolians' overall layout in Jinghu Lake is not only easy to get into loopholes, but the Song people are not so easy to get into loopholes. On the front line that lasts thousands of miles, eight ten thousand households lined up in a row, suppressing the movement of the Song army on the entire line. Among them, it went deeper to the south of Jingshan and north of Jiangling was the Jurchen Wanhu Jiagu Liuqi tribe. After fighting with the Song army sent by Jiangling several times on the narrow mountain road, it could not capture various large mountain villages led by Laoya Mountain, and was already with the Song army.

The confrontation was formed on the Nanshan line, and no one could do anything to the other side. However, it would not be so easy for the Song army to attack from here and then lift the siege of Xiangyang and threaten the right wing of the Mongolian army on the entire Jinghu battlefield. Because for the Song army, which is used to large-scale corps fighting, the Jingshan Mountains are also small in space and cannot develop large-scale infantry formations. What is required to fight on a narrow road is courage and combat skills. Both of these points are the Song army that the Song army cannot gain the upper hand on the Mongolian army.

Most of the Mongols' forces were concentrated in western Hubei, where three thousand households of Yan Shi, Shi Tianze and Zhang Rou gathered here, as well as the Liu Heima tribe who was responsible for plundering in Huaixi. In addition, there were the Marshal of the Jizhou Navy, Jialathahun, and the Khitan ten thousand households who had not met in Xiangyang and Zheng Yunming. The two thousand households of the new troops went to rescue and cleared up all the reinforcements of the Song Dynasty that might pose a threat to the ten thousand households of the Three Han troops. Qu Chuze, the commander-in-chief of the South, was in charge of the Zaoyang army in the middle.

On the entire Qianli Front, the crucial node lies in Yingzhou. At this time, Yingzhou has no worse strategic value than Xiangyang. Starting from Yingzhou, whether it goes north to Xiangyang battlefield, south to Ezhou battlefield, or Shunjiang attacks Huangzhou, or against the river to attack Jiangling, as long as it occupy this place, the marching distance of attacking the four major cities in Jinghu Lake is very short. Moreover, Yingzhou controls the Han River and has waterways to directly lead to the four major cities. As long as it is occupied, it is extremely convenient to dispatch troops from here to guide any Song army city. More importantly, this is the most important transit station for the Song Dynasty to mobilize troops, allocate food and transportation materials.

The Jinghu General Office, which is responsible for the allocation of grain, grass, money and salary for the entire Jinghu Army and provides strong supply to the main forces of each Song army, was located in Yingzhou City at this time. Yao Zhiyuan, the general officer of Jinghu General Office, and the subordinates of the entire Jinghu General Office and the sixteen warehouses filled with grain and copper coins are currently surrounded by the enemy in Yingzhou City. As a defensive fortress itself, Yingzhou is leaning on the Han River on the left and Funiu Mountain on the right. Backed by Ezhou, it can be called a city that is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Naturally, this city is

The city walls and defense of the pool are not as good as Xiangyang City, but Xiangyang is in front of it. If northern troops attack, they dare not attack Yingzhou with all their strength before breaking through Xiangyang. However, as a key to guarding the Han River and a traditional famous city in Hubei, Yingzhou has become a must-fight for military strategists since ancient times, and many battles revolve around Yingzhou. Zhao Kui once said to Zheng Yunming: "Whoever controls Yingzhou will take the initiative in the Jingzhou strategy."

At this time, the Mongol tents were several miles away from Yingzhou City. The Mongolian king Tasi personally led the troops of ten thousand households from the two Mongolian headquarters of the Wanhu Tuxue and Wanhuyenakuibadu to encircle Yingzhou. They had already obtained reliable information from the spy jackal lurking in Jinghu. The Song Dynasty used this place as a material transfer center and a supply base. As long as the conquering Yingzhou was captured, it would be equivalent to cutting off the blood vessels that the Song people supplied to Xiangyang, and it would not be so difficult to attack Xiangyang.

At this time, Yingzhou was not easy to conquer. The thousands of officers and soldiers under the jurisdiction of the Yingzhou General were well-equipped, and their morale was also very high due to their generous rewards. In order to protect their supply base, Jiangling's deputy commander, Shi Songzhi, the commander of the Yangtze River, sent thousands of elite troops to reinforce Yingzhou. Li Boyuan, the formerly brave general of the Jin Dynasty, was the commander-in-chief sent by Jiangling, to assist the general general of Huguang to guard this place. Although Li Boyuan was not strict in the control of the troops, he was cautious in every situation since the Xiangyang mutiny and was punished by the court. He could not be suddenly expelled, and had to move into a long-term battle under the city of Yingzhou.
Chapter completed!