Chapter 149: The troops are divided into three groups

“No need.”

Meng Yan disagreed, "If you ask the emperor for instructions, even if there is a flying pigeon, it will take at least half a month to go back and forth, and we can't afford to delay."

Shi Miyuan also smiled flatteringly and said, "As the supreme commander of the Western Expedition Army, His Highness had the right to make decisions in the face of the battle."

Meng Yan nodded, but another thing was remembered in his heart, that is, Meng Hu's Western Legion must not be the current front line anymore, otherwise the cheapest things would be allowed to snatch the countryside and his Western Legion. If the countryside is really allowed to rush straight into the city of Xijing, then he is not a top achievement, but a top achievement, which Meng Yan would absolutely not tolerate.

Thinking of this, Meng Yan sent Pu Sanzhi out to patrol the camp.

Next, Meng Yan wanted to discuss with Shi Miyuan how to deal with Meng Hu and the Western Legion's "big plan". Park Sanzhi could not participate, otherwise he would definitely oppose it with his temper.

Shi Miyuan naturally knew Meng Yan’s thoughts, so as soon as Park San left, the guy said with a flattering smile: “Your Highness, judging from the current situation, the Western Legion is no longer suitable for serving as the current frontier Legion. Otherwise, the cheapest things will be taken away by Meng Hu, the country bumpkin and the Western Legion.”

Meng Yan nodded repeatedly and said, "Xiao Wang means this too. I wonder if there is a way to deal with it?"

Shi Miyuan whispered: "It is said that the Western Legion became a vanguard army through the Legion Competition. If you change your decision without asking the reason and cancel the Western Legion's vanguard title, it is probably inappropriate. Maybe it will cause strong dissatisfaction among the 100,000 soldiers of the Western Legion, and the problem will be serious."

Meng Yan deeply agreed and said, "This is exactly what Xiao Wang is worried about."

Shi Miyuan said: "Your Highness, there is a good way to have the best of both worlds!"

"Oh?" Meng Yan said happily when he heard this, "Sir, it's really Xiao Wang's number one think tank. Tell me quickly, what's the best way?"

Shi Miyuan did not answer Meng Yan immediately, but walked to the desk in two steps, spread out the map first, then pointed to the territory of the Mingyue Empire in the shape of a crescent moon and said: "Your Highness, look at it, this is the territory of the Mingyue Empire. The central part is close to the empire is Qingzhou, and the west is Zhongzhou, and then to the west is the sea."

Meng Yan nodded without hesitation and said, "This little king knows, I don't know how many times I have seen this map."

Shi Miyuan pointed to the north and south ends, and continued: "North of Zhongzhou are Yunzhou and Bingzhou, further north are Dingzhou, Shuozhou, south of Zhongzhou is Zhuozhou, Yingzhou and Youzhou. The empire's western expedition suddenly occurred, and the Mingyue Empire was not prepared. The army of each state would have to gather for a long time."

Meng Yan was already a little impatient and frowned and said, "Xiao Wang also knows it, so the sir will just say what to do."

Shi Miyuan smiled bitterly and said, "The humble rank means to divide two legions into two wings, cut off the troops of the seven states in the north and south of the Mingyue Empire to gather and move towards Zhongzhou. In this way, the main army of Your Highness only needs to face Situ Rui's more than 200,000 defeated soldiers. After finishing Situ Rui, only Qiu Yutang in Xijing was left!"

Meng Yan pondered for a moment and said, "If two legions are divided into two wings, then Xiao Wang will only have three legions left in the middle. Compared with Situ Rui's 200,000 defeated generals, he will certainly have the advantage, but if Qiu Yutang's little widow led the Mingyue Imperial Guard and the two major guards took the initiative to attack, Xiao Wang's middle legions would be at a disadvantage in military strength."

Shi Miyuan said confidently: "Your Highness does not have to worry about this at all. Situ Rui's more than 200,000 troops are now frightened. Qiu Yutang's two guards and guards under his command have suffered heavy losses in the Eight Kings Rebellion. There are few veterans who can fight. The rest are new recruits who have never been on the battlefield, and they are all vulnerable."

Although what Shi Miyuan said was not true, it was not far from the facts. If the seven local legions in the north and south directions of the Mingyue Empire could not arrive in Zhongzhou in time, Situ Rui's more than 200,000 defeated generals and Qiu Yutang's two new recruits might not be able to compete with the middle army of Meng Yan's three legions.

However, Meng Yan is not a fool. He still heard the problem and frowned and asked, "But have you ever thought that what if the two legions on the north and south wings cannot stop Mingyue reinforcements? Once the two legions on the two wings are defeated, Mingyue reinforcements from both north and south directions may be detoured behind Xiao Wang. In this way, Xiao Wang's middle army will be surrounded!"

"This possibility is slim and it won't even happen!"

Shi Miyuan said, "The more than 200,000 troops under Situ Rui are not all Qingzhou Legion. At least ten divisions were drawn from other local legions. In other words, there are seven local legions left in the Mingyue Empire, and their actual strength is only four and a half legions. Among them, the two major legions of Youzhou and Shuozhou are not far from Zhongzhou. By the time they arrive, the daylily will be cold!"

Meng Yan said, "That is to say, the north and south wings only need to face the Mingyue reinforcements of two and a half legions?"

Shi Miyuan nodded and said, "In fact, there is only one legion in Zhuozhou in the southern wing, but there are Bingzhou and at least five infantry divisions in Yunzhou, and two cavalry divisions in Dingzhou. The total strength is nearly two legions."

Meng Yan frowned and asked, "Why is the current situation of the major local legions of the Mingyue Empire so clear?"

Shi Miyuan smiled and said, "Does Your Highness remember what Bei Zhi said to you? You must be aware of the subtleties on the battlefield and never let go of any irrelevant details easily. Many times, details determine success or failure. For example, the current situation of the major local legions of the Mingyue Empire. Bei Zhi is judged through observation on the battlefield."

Meng Yan was skeptical and said, "Is that true?"

Shi Miyuan nodded and said, "Does Your Highness remember the Battle of Daughter River? On the battlefield of Daughter River, Beiyi judged the strength of the troops under Situ Rui through the nuances of the armor, weapons and battle flags of the Mingyue Empire Army, and then judged that there are at most seven divisions left in Bingzhou, Yunzhou and Dingzhou."

"So that's how it is."

Meng Yan was full of doubts and said with a grim voice, "Then take the northern legion of Chongshan as the southern wing and Meng Hu's western legion as the northern wing. What do you think?"

Shi Miyuan smiled slightly and said, "Commander Meng Hu is good at commanding troops and is brave and good at fighting. The Western Legion is even more a tiger and wolf army that can fight and fight. Such an elite army should naturally be placed in a more important position to allow them to play a greater role. Bei Zhi fully agrees with His Highness's opinion."

"Okay." Meng Yan said happily, "That's it."

Shi Miyuan reminded again: "Your Highness, the most important thing now is to send Meng Hu to the fast horse, which means that the Yue Empire Army retreated without fighting is very suspicious. He ordered the Western Legion to rest on the spot and wait for the army of Your Highness and Governor Chongshan to arrive before making a conclusion."

Hu Xiao Pass is located in the eastern front of Zhongzhou and is adjacent to Qingzhou.

The large official road from Qingzhou to the imperial capital Xijing passes through Huxiao Pass. If the Guanghui Empire army wants to attack Zhongzhou from Qingzhou, there are only three roads to go.

The nearest road is to force the pass from Hu Xiao Pass. The farthest road is to go north bypass Ji Tianshan Mountain, pass Bingzhou, Yunzhou and then go south to Zhongzhou. This way, it will take at least 5,000 miles. Even if you don’t fight, just a marching force, it will take more than two months at the fastest. There is also a third road, which is to go south for more than 300 miles to Tongtian River, and then bypass Hu Xiao Pass from the waterway.

On the official road in front of Hu Xiao Pass, a carriage covered with white gauze was slowly coming.

The north wind was flying, and the front curtains of the carriage were vaguely seen in the carriage. The woman was wearing plain clothes and sitting on the table. A crescent piano was placed on the table. With her slender hands relaxed, waves of sad and clear sound came from the carriage, and she was sent to the distance with the wind. A group of refugees who fled from Qingzhou happened to pass by near the carriage. When she heard the sad sound of the piano, she turned back from time to time to look at the direction of her hometown and burst into tears.

The carriage followed two big men like iron towers in front and behind. The four big men were also wearing heavy black armor and riding black mounts under their crotch. Even though they looked, they were not much different. They seemed to be four brothers. In fact, these four people were the famous Yuewang Four Masters of the Mingyue Empire: Wukui Mountain, Wukui Ridge, Wukui River, and Wukui Peak!

Situ Rui had already been waiting in front of Hu Xiao Pass, and saw a carriage covered with white gauze from afar. Indescribable sadness immediately floated in his slightly turbid eyes. Seeing the white gauze floating in the wind outside the carriage, Situ Rui knew that Qiu Yutang was filial piety, so he couldn't stop thinking of Situ Hao. Unfortunately, Situ's hope died in the enemy's territory in this way.

When the car arrived in front of Situ Rui's horse, it stopped slowly.

Situ Rui turned over and dismounted, clasped his fists to the carriage and bowed, "The old minister has seen His Highness the Moon King."

The sad sound of the piano coming from the carriage stopped abruptly. A simple hand suddenly poked out of the carriage and gently lifted the front curtain. Three graceful shadows appeared in people's vision. Qiu Yutang, who was known as the "Bright Moon of the Empire", was sitting in the middle. In addition, her two personal maids Qiu Hanyun and Qiu Yirou.

Qiu Yutang was wearing plain clothes, her flower appearance was clear, and there was a hint of misery between her eyebrows. Obviously, she could not be freed from the grief of losing her husband.

Situ Rui couldn't help but burst into tears and sighed, but felt more and more ashamed of Qiu Yutang. If he hadn't been determined to start an army to fight in the east, how could the empire have today's disaster? How could His Highness lose his husband?

Qiu Yutang obviously saw the clues in Situ Rui's painful expression and whispered: "The world is impermanent, good and bad luck are unpredictable. What should happen will happen eventually. What should be lost is destined to be lost. The old general does not have to blame himself for it. Instead, there are more than 7 million people in Qingzhou, how did the old general arrange it?"

Situ Rui said solemnly: "The old minister has sent out most of the troops to escort the people to evacuate their homes."
Chapter completed!