Xiao Yi left, came happily, left in disappointment, and re-entered the nightmare.

Xiao She also left. He wrote to Duan Wencao that something happened in Lanling, and the bandits of Mengshan went down the mountain to plunder, and they had to leave. As for Zoucheng and Pingyang, you immediately dispatch troops to garrison to avoid being trapped by the traitors.

Xiao She left very firmly and couldn't even wait for Duan Wencao's reply.

After Duan Wencao retreated to Xiaqiu, he closely followed the rebel movements and was ready to go, but just when he received the main force of the rebels going south to surround the two cities of Kangfu and Gaoping, Xiao She also said goodbye.

Niu Jinda was very angry, "Will Xiao Lang leave now, just help the thieves? Once he leaves, we will be divided into troops to station in Zoucheng and Pingyang, and there will be even fewer chances to defeat the thieves."

Kong Zhongqing was also surprised, but thought that since Xiao She came to help for justice, there was no need to be a villain anymore, otherwise it would be better not to come. "The envoy, the Mengshan bandits attacked Lanling is still credible."

In the early spring, the bandits of Mengshan went down the mountain to plunder Lanling, on the line of Tancheng, threatening the coastal passage from Huai to Qi. At that time, the bandits of Mengshan urgently needed food. Later, the bandits entered the battlefield of Lujun, but were unable to break the situation for a long time. They conquered Ningyang but could not transport the food in the city to Mengshan. Mengshan gathered a large number of refugees. After the thief army formed an alliance, they sent the elderly, weak, women and children in the team to Mengshan. The food crisis in Mengshan must be very serious. In order to feed their stomachs, the thieves had to attack Lanling again. This strategy can not only burn, kill and loot when the rural regiments are insufficient, but also force the Xiao family of Lanling to withdraw from Lujun, kill and kill two birds with one stone.

Duan Wencao frowned and pondered, and slowly shook his head. Whether Lanling was attacked by thieves actually doesn't matter. It's important. Once Xiao She left, he was more passive in the battlefield of Lu County, and the situation in southwestern Shandong became more and more dangerous. This will not only further deteriorate the situation in Qilu, but also threaten the navy's expedition across the sea, but also seriously endanger the interests of Xuzhou. The reason why Cui Deben and Xiao She wanted to go north to support Lu County was that they had common interests between each other, so it is certain that Xiao She suddenly withdrew from Lanling this time must have a profound meaning, and there must be some unknown secrets hidden behind it.

The soldiers came to block the enemy, and the water came to cover the earth. Since Xiao She had left without looking back, she could not even invite her back. No matter how much she complained, she could only immediately divide her troops to garrison Zoucheng and Pingyang, and at the same time adjust her offensive and defensive strategies and use all her strength to defend herself to ensure the safety of Xiaqiu, the capital and its surrounding towns. As for the opportunity to counterattack, the shortage of troops was only temporarily put on hold.

"Watch the change." Duan Wencao said slowly, "The changes in the situation in Lu are very important. At this moment, not only did Cui Deben and Liang Dezhong pay close attention, but Zhang Xutuo from Qi are also worried. The Donglai Navy Master Rong (Lai Hu'er) and Qiao Gong (Zhou Fashang) are even more restless."

Kong Zhongqing and Niu Jinda looked at each other and agreed deeply. The nervous and angry mood was relieved by Duan Wencao's words.

When Duan Wencao was able to control the situation in Lu County, the forces of various parties were constantly conflicting because of their different interests. When Duan Wencao could not control the situation in Lu County, the situation was one-sided, and it would be a loss. Duan Wencao fell, and the people of Qilu were severely injured. The people of Shandong were first injured, and the people of Guanlong could not take much advantage. The price paid to clean up the mess of Qilu was actually unimaginable. If the navy controlled by the Jiangzuo people delayed the plan for the Eastern Expedition, the consequences would be even more unbearable.

Duan Wencao's passive defense is not to give up, but to retreat as an advance, and to use common interests to threaten all forces. If you insist on putting me to death, then you will be burned.

Evil news came one after another. Kangfu lost his fall and Gaoping lost his fall. In addition to the already lost Rencheng and Ningyang, the entire Wushui line in the northwest of Lu County has been trapped by the enemy. All the Wenshui line in the northeast of Lu County have also been lost. In other words, except for the Central Lu Plain and Pingyang in the south of Lu County, the Zoucheng line, more than half of the areas in the Lu County have been occupied by the enemy.

"Empress, the situation is basically clear at the moment, and we are evenly matched with the thieves." Niu Jinda said worriedly at the routine discussion in the lobby of the county government that day, "The thieves did not take advantage of the situation to attack Zoucheng and Pingyang, but instead concentrated their efforts to attack Kangfu and Gaoping. The purpose was to obtain more food and youthfulness in the shortest time, to make up for the losses in the battle of Ningyang, speed up the development speed, and quickly strengthen their strength. Just when the strength is stronger, the white-haired thief will attack Zoucheng and Pingyang, and siege Xiaqiu from all sides, so that the chance of victory will increase greatly."

"The white-haired thief is cunning and treacherous. Once he seizes the opportunity to capture Zoucheng and Pingyang and surround Xiaqiu, the situation in Lu County will be overturned and the consequences will be unimaginable." Kong Zhongqing was also anxious and advised cautiously, "Will the envoy immediately go to Dongdu to ask for help from Donglaiqiao (Zhou Fashang), and ask for help from Pengcheng Cui Deben and Liang Dezhong?"

Duan Wencao pondered for a long time, shook his hand, "Watch it happening."

The police arrived again. The bandit army suddenly entered Pengcheng County and captured Guting City. It is now attacking Fanghe County.

The white-haired thieves went south to attack Pengcheng? What was the intention? The Yingyang Mansion army in Pengcheng County has many left-behind brigades. Tengcheng Yingyang Mansion and Peicheng Yingyang Mansion are very close to Fangyucheng. The white-haired thieves actually have no ability to capture Fangyucheng at all. In addition, Pengcheng not only has tens of thousands of local troops, but also Zuo Xiaowei Mansion, which is in charge of Xuzhou military affairs. Zuo Xiaowei can call on more than a dozen Yingyang Mansions in Xuzhou area, and they are very strong. Why do the white-haired thieves use evenly matched opponents and don’t fight, but go to provoke a giant that he can’t afford to offend?

Duan Wencao, Kong Zhongqing, Niu Jinda and other subordinates surrounded the map and analyzed and deduced it repeatedly. Finally, they came to a conclusion that the white-haired thieves might have to fight the Central Plains. The most realistic goal was to follow the Sishui, Heshui and Jishui, the waterway that went straight to the Central Plains, kill Xingyang, attack the outer important town in the eastern part of the capital, burn and kill and loot at the intersection of the river and Tongji Canal, and use this area to enrich the manpower, material resources and financial resources to develop and grow.

For the white-haired thieves, the most urgent task is to develop and grow. The prerequisite for development and growth is to require sufficient and inexhaustible manpower, material and financial resources. To achieve this premise, the only way is to win one victory after another. Although Lu County is rich, it cannot meet the needs of the white-haired thieves to grow rapidly, so the white-haired thieves must expand outward. However, in the northeast of Lu County, there is a strong opponent Zhang Xutuo, and other rebel troops, which also need to develop; Langya County in the southeast of Lu County is limited in financial resources and has no value for expansion, and there is Yingyangwei who guards Langya County; although the Xuzhou counties in the south of Lu County are rich, their military strength is strong, and the white-haired thieves dare not go south at all. In this way, the white-haired thieves can only advance westward and expand to the Central Plains.

The wealth of the Central Plains can be imagined, which can fully meet the needs of the development and growth of the white-haired thieves. In addition, Lu County is more than 1,000 miles east of the center of the Central Plains, and thousands of miles away from the Jingji Capital center center with Henan County, and more than 700 miles away from Xingyang, an important town outside the Jingji Capital. The battlefield space is very wide, and the bandit army can advance and retreat freely and have a lot of room for maneuvering and maneuvering. Although the number of Weifu troops left behind in the Eastern Capital and Jingji Capital is large, they will not easily leave the defense area. Most of the Yingyang Prefecture troops outside the Jingji Capital went to the Eastern Expedition battlefield, and the those who stayed were basically deployed on both sides of the Tongji Canal to protect this transportation artery that runs through the north and south. Therefore, if nothing unexpected happens, the white-haired thieves will not encounter strong obstacles before entering the outer barrier of Jingji Capital, that is, before leaving Lu County and entering Xingyang.

"Since the white-haired thief can kill from Mangdang Mountain to Mengshan and jump from Xuzhou to Qilu, he can kill from Mengshan to Mangshan and advance into the Central Plains from Qilu."

Niu Jinda's solemn tone implies a hint of admiration for the white-haired thief. Since the thief raised the flag, he has won many battles. After careful research, it is not difficult to find that the reason why he won is not bravery and good at fighting, but extraordinary strategy. Leaping from Xuzhou to Qilu is an amazing classic example. Dong Chun, the general of the military commander of Xuzhou, walked away with hatred and went to the poor mountains and rivers of Bashu, and thought about it. If his speculation is correct, the goal of the white-haired thief this time is to advance into the Central Plains for thousands of miles, which is another amazing strategy. The white-haired thief has all the advantages of time and place, and will definitely succeed. After success, the white-haired thief is strong. Even if the expedition army returns victoriously and encircles it from all sides, he will have the capital to compete. If the court wants to wipe out him, it will definitely pay a considerable price.

Niu Jinda simply considered it from a military perspective, while Duan Wencao and Kong Zhongqing's ideas were very different from him.

The white-haired thief advanced into the Central Plains at this moment, which changed not only the situation in Lu County, but also the entire situation in Qilu. More importantly, the change in this situation is conducive to the Eastern Expedition, and the smooth progress of the Eastern Expedition is not only beneficial to the Qilu people, but also to the Shandong people. In other words, the white-haired thief sent a very clear message to Duan Wencao of Lu County and Cui Deben of Pengcheng. We are all Shandong people and seek the interests of Shandong people. On this basis, we have the need for "tactic understanding" cooperation.

"Can Xiao Lang suddenly leave Lu County be explained that it is Cui Deben who sent some kind of message to the white-haired thief?" Kong Zhongqing thought, hesitated, and said in an uncertain tone, "Immediately afterwards, the white-haired thief went south to Pengcheng to attack Gu Ting and Fang Yu."

Duan Wencao narrowed his eyes slightly, not saying anything. He also had this suspicion. In order to use various rebels to control the development of the situation in Qilu, he sent Xu Shiren to sneak into the ranks of the rebels. By analogy, Cui Deben must have such an idea and will put it into practice. From the Cui's standpoint, if he could influence or even control a group of rebels, it would be helpful to Cui's achieve his political goals.

"Encourt, please contact Xu Shiren immediately without delay." Kong Zhongqing suggested decisively, "If the white-haired thief really advances into the Central Plains, the situation will be very beneficial to me, and all the crises in front of me can be resolved in an instant."

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Chapter completed!