: Dividing and Encircling

Dongpingzhou, Dorgon headed.

Ajige quickly stepped inside and said loudly: "Old Fourteen, your plan has worked. The barbarians of the Southern Ming Dynasty have indeed accelerated the marching speed. According to the horse exploration, their two vanguards of the vanguard had entered the territory of Shandong, while other baggage teams, artillery teams and subsequent horses are still in Huai'an Prefecture."

"Oh?" Dorgon hurried to the map and said happily, "Two musket battalions? Well, these are the main force of the Ming army!"

Ajige also walked to the map, pointed to it and said, "Here, the two musket battalions of the Ming army who explored horses and reported to the Ming army have arrived in the Tuligou area, about 300 miles away from Jining City. According to the marching speed of this Ming army, it is estimated that they can definitely arrive in Jining within three days."

Dorgon pondered: "In other words, the main force of the Ming army has been separated from the subsequent baggage team at least two hundred miles!"

Ajige said: "Old Fourteen, should you let the right-wing cavalry attack now and intercept the Ming army's baggage team?"

Dorgon said: "Interception is necessary. Even if the Ming army's food and supplies cannot be destroyed, Wang Pu's Central Army must be cut into two pieces in half, making it difficult for him to take care of each other's head and tail."

"Cut into two pieces in half?" Ajige said in surprise, "Old Fourteen, aren't you planning to let the Nanming barbarians enter Jining City?"

"Hmph." Dorgon sneered, "Who said I would let the Nanming barbarians enter Jining City? I have two purposes to drive the Korqin cavalry to attack Jining. First, forcing the Nanming barbarians to speed up the marching speed, disconnecting their main infantry from the subsequent baggage teams, and giving Mongolian cavalry an opportunity to take advantage of. Second, if the Ming army's food, grass and supplies cannot be destroyed, they will be divided and surrounded, making it difficult for them to take care of each other! The second of this purpose is particularly important, and it can be said to be directly related to the victory or defeat of this battle!"

"Split and encircle? Well, it's a good plan." Ajige nodded repeatedly, "In this way, the two Ming army musket battalions that entered Jining had guns but no medicine, while the subsequent baggage teams had medicine but no guns. Hehe, the biggest weapon of the Nanming barbarians - muskets, should be fire sticks, and our Qing army can annihilate them without any effort."

"Yes." Dorgon nodded happily, "Twelfth brother, you immediately condemn the fast horses to Yuncheng, Juye, and order the cavalry of Khalkha, Chahar, and Tuxitu to advance southward, and then turn the road eastward to block the Ming army's baggage team. In addition, remind them to be careful of the artillery of the Ming army's baggage team. There is also an artillery team in the subsequent Ming army's baggage team!"

Ajig said, "Where is the Fifteenth place?"

Dorgon said: "Send a quick horse to Jining and tell Lao Fifteen that the offensive against Jining can be temporarily suspended. First, release two musket battalions that came to reinforce into the city, then encircle them on all sides, and then build more than a thousand small boats transporting grain south into one, build a floating bridge to block the canal river."

This time when Dorgon went south, he was really prepared. More than a thousand small boats collected from Beitongzhou and Tianjin were used to transport food and supplies. After the food and supplies were transported to Dongpingzhou, these small boats were immediately used to connect to the floating bridge and prepare to cut off the canal channel.

In fact, before the expedition, Dorgon had blackmailed several strategies to block the canal waterway from the former Ming surrendered officials in the Beijing Prison. Building a floating bridge was just one of them, but the real one was the other! That night, Dorgon called his confidant general Boluo to his headquarters.

Before dawn, Boluo left Dongpingzhou with five thousand Jiannu cavalry.

Outside Jining City, Mongolian Camp.

After seeing the urgent letter sent by Dorgon, Duoduo hurriedly sent someone to summon Manzhu Xili, Banktu, Sogar and Chahan to his account.

After the four Mongolian princes knelt down and greeted him, Duoduo said in a gloomy voice: "Everyone, I have just received the news that the Nanming barbarian Wang Pu had sent two elite musket battalions to Jining for reinforcements at night. According to the speed of the march, you can arrive in Jining at most the evening of the day after tomorrow!"

"Ah? Two musket battalions?"

"That's ten thousand musketeers?"

Man Zhu Xili and Sogar were shocked when they heard this.

Banktu disagreed and said, "What's the terrible thing about the two musket battalions? As long as the barbarians of the Southern Ming Dynasty have no strong city to manage, they will be vulnerable to my powerful Mongolian cavalry!"

"That's right." Chahan also shouted loudly, "Master Yu, it's about to be defeated in Jining City. Wouldn't it be a pity if he just gave up like this? Otherwise, we will divide our troops into two groups, Master Yu and Prince Darhan, Prince Zhuoliktu stayed to continue to attack the city, and the slaves and Banktu went to intercept the Nanming barbarians who came to reinforce, how about?"

"No." Man Zhu Xili said anxiously, "Master Yu must not divide his troops. I remember that twenty miles east of Shengjing City, Wang Pu defeated my king's two thousand iron guards with less than a thousand musketeers. The Ming army musketeers who came to reinforce this time were worth tens of thousands of people. How could our Mongolian cavalry stop it?"

Banktu said with a hunger: "Master Yu, the defeat of twenty miles east of Shengjing City was quite unfair. Later, the slave also carefully analyzed it and believed that there were three reasons for the defeat of the Mongolian Iron Guards in that battle: First, Prince Darhan's two thousand iron guards underestimated the enemy and did not take the Nanming barbarians at that time seriously; Second, Prince Darhan's iron guards divided their troops again, and only sent one thousand cavalry to charge from the front; Third, after being shot by the intensive firepower of the Nanming barbarians, the 1,000 who charged head-only was timid, and turned around and ran away halfway."

Chahan also said: "In fact, if they risked their lives to rush forward, at least half of the cavalry could rush into the Ming army. The remaining five hundred cavalry would be enough to kill Wang Pu's Nanming barbarians. If this were the case, there would be no Wang Pu, let alone the later Battle of Datong and the previous Battle of Liaocheng."

Banktu said: "So, if we really fight in a dignified manner on the battlefield, how could our Great Mongolian cavalry be defeated by the musket team of the Nanming barbarians?"

Man Zhu Xili said: "But the Ming army's musket team is much stronger than it was at that time!"

Banktu and Chahan had to say something else. Duoduo suddenly raised his hand to stop the two of them, and then said in a deep voice: "The princes don't have to fight anymore. The Regent has ordered the suspension of the attack on Jining City, let these two Ming army musket battalions enter the city, and then surround Jining City, build a floating bridge to cut off the canal channel, and cut off all contacts between Jining City and the outside world!"

"What? Give up attacking Jining!?" Chahan said anxiously, "In the past few days, we have killed more than 20,000 Mongolian warriors in battle. Seeing that Jining City is about to be defeated, we have to suspend the attack? Could it be that the more than 20,000 Mongolian warriors will die in vain and their blood will be in vain?"

"Rare!" Duoduo slapped the table and said furiously, "How do you talk to me?"

Chahan made a cold war with a sudden cold war, knelt down and begged for mercy, "I deserve to die, please forgive me for my sins."

Duoduo said coldly: "Put your mouth!"

"twitter!"

Chahan responded and quickly began to slap himself until he slapped himself in the face. Duoduo groaned and waved his hand and said, "Forget it, I'll have a better memory in the future!"

Only then did Chahan dare to get up and stand to the end of the tent with a dusty face.

Duoduo's eyes swept over Zhu Xili and the other three with a strong look, and said in a deep voice: "Okay, let's go down and prepare for each of them."

In Luqiao Town, Tang Sheng was marching along the left bank of the canal with two "mutt battalions" of the Central Army, using torches.

The Central Army's usual cruel physical training was fully demonstrated at this time. Jiannu estimated that the two musket battalions of the Ming army would take at least three days to arrive in Jining, but in fact, Tang Sheng's two musket battalions rushed north in one day, and they could arrive outside Jining City at the latest at dawn tomorrow.

A small team of Mongolian Rangers were following the two musket battalions in the distance.

From a distance, these are indeed two "melting battalions", all of which are blue cloth cotton coats, all of which are large caps, all of which are thick-soled cowhide boots, and all of which are "melting" on their shoulders. But if you look closer, you will find that the muskets on the shoulders of this group of Central Army soldiers are all fake.

The Central Army has more than 100,000 troops, and the arms are divided into infantry, baggage, artillery and cavalry. No matter which army it is, they must master shooting skills. But the problem is that the Central Army does not have so many muskets, what should I do? Wang Pu sent people to make many "wooden guns", which can be used for training in normal times and confusing the enemy in wartime.

Tang Sheng brought two musket battalions equipped with "wooden guns".

Of course, the two squadrons of musketeers are still necessary, at least to scare the rangers who scare the Mongolian Tartars.

Having said that, although these two musket battalions are only equipped with wooden guns, they are not powerless to resist. If these wooden guns are bayonets, they will not be able to get a chance when they face the Mongolian light cavalry. However, the problem is that the Mongolian cavalry does not have the courage to solve the tiger beards of the Central Army.

Taizhuang, located at the junction of Shandong and Nanzhi provinces, is a small town on the edge of the Grand Canal.

The "Packard Team" of the Central Army led by Wang Pu was camping here. After the Central Army divided its troops twice, it had only three "Packard Battalions", one artillery battalion and Huang Degong's 3,000 Nanjing Navy, with a total force of less than 20,000. However, Dorgon and the Mongolian Tatars did not know that the three "Packard Battalions" left by Wang Pu were the real musket battalions, while the two musket battalions that rushed to Jining to reinforce were baggage battalions that were replaced.

After nightfall, there were continuous rewards. Tartar cavalry appeared one after another near Taizhuang, and the number was quite large, and it was still increasing. By midnight, the Tartar cavalry that had already explored the Qing Dynasty had increased to at least 60,000!

The Central Army stationed in Taizhuang was loose on the outside and tight on the inside. On the surface, everything seemed calm, but in fact, it was already in full swing to prepare for the pre-war period.

Wang Pu's account.

Zheng Chenggong inserted another small black flag into the sand table that was temporarily imitated, and said to Wang Pu with a serious expression: "Marty, just made a detailed return, another cavalry rushed to twenty miles west of Taizhuang. So far, the number of Tartar cavalry gathered in the northwest of Taizhuang has increased to about 70,000 cavalry!"

Wang Pu was lying on the recliner, closing his eyes to rest, without responding to Zheng Chenggong immediately.

Liu Rushi's beautiful eyes turned to Wang Pu and said in a narrow voice: "Dorgon assembled more than 70,000 cavalry in Taizhuang in one breath. It seems that the Mongolian cavalry entering the pass this time must be more than 100,000 cavalry!"

Wang Pu nodded gently, but still didn't open his eyes.

Zheng Chenggong said: "The Tartar cavalry is not good at night fighting, and it is estimated that they will not attack until dawn."

Wang Pu suddenly opened his eyes, then grew up from the recliner, strode to the sand table and asked Liu Rushi, "Have the fortifications in Taizhuang been repaired?"

Liu Rushi nodded and said, "Just just reported the frontline that the fortifications have been repaired. Three trenches have been dug to the west, north and south of Zhuangzi. Behind the trenches are a formation of supplies and vehicles. To the east of Zhuangzi is a canal. General Huang Degong's navy has gathered on the canal, and the Tatar cavalry cannot rush over from the water."

Zheng Chenggong also said: "Marty, everything is ready, just wait for dawn to come and die."

Wang Pu frowned and looked at the sand table in front of him for a long time without saying a word. Due to the haste of time, the sand table was constructed very simple and could only blur the canal and some major cities on both sides of the river. Wang Pu's eyes gradually moved north from Taizhuang, and finally stopped in the direction of Jining City. A cool color suddenly flashed through his eyes.

Liu Rushi seemed to notice the solemnity between Wang Pu's expression and asked in a low voice: "Marty, is there any problem?"

Wang Pu shook his head and said nothing.

Wang Pu has an extremely keen sense of smell about danger. He has already smelled the danger from the air, but he still doesn't know what the problem is?

Logically speaking, Dorgon's strategic intentions are already very obvious.

Dorgon simply wanted to induce the Central Army to speed up the marching speed through fierce attacks on Jining, which then caused the main infantry force to be disconnected from the baggage team, and finally used the maneuver power of the Mongolian cavalry to destroy the backward baggage team. Although Dorgon's strategic intention was simple, it was very vicious. Once it was realized, the Central Army that went north to reinforce and the defenders in Jining City would be short of food and completely in trouble!

Things really come to that point. Unless Nanjing sends a large army to help, Wang Pu and Scarface will have to wait to be trapped to death by Jiannu, or be chased by the Tartar cavalry on the way to retreat!

Now that Wang Pu has predicted Dorgon’s strategic intention and made corresponding arrangements, why does Wang Pu still feel uneasy? Is Dorgon still hiding another deeper strategic intention under this seemingly simple strategic intention?

So what would this deeper strategic intention be?

Could it be that Dorgon wanted to divide and surround the main force of the Central Army in Taizhuang and the Central Army in Jining first? This idea is good, but with the canal and Huang Degong's navy, this strategic intention is impossible to achieve! Even if Jiannu used iron ropes to block the river, it would not be too long. If he carried the earth to fill the river, it would be even more protracted!
Chapter completed!