Ming Zuo

One of the great benefits of taking Hanyang is that the previously interrupted intelligence network has been restored.

The movements of the Qing coalition forces have finally been clarified.

"Information shows that Huang Taiji, Li Zhen and others have arrived at Shaliyuan. As expected, they plan to go to Pyongyang. Can we go to pursue them?"

Tang Wenhuan was gearing up, obviously wanting to make a big one.

Zuo Menggeng looked at the map and immediately rejected his idea.

"Although there are not many troops around Huang Taiji and Li Yan, intelligence shows that the Zhenglan Banner, which was originally stationed on the Yalu River line, is already moving towards Pyongyang. Unless the entire First Marine Division goes north, there will be no advantage."

Can the [-]st Marine Division go north?

Obviously not.

Just to control the area around Hanyang, the strength of the First Marine Division has been apportioned to the extreme.At this time, it is absolutely taboo for military strategists to divide troops into battle.

Zuo Yong also disapproved of taking risks.

"Tan Tai has led [-] Qing troops and [-] Korean troops to Chuncheon, and stayed there, building fortifications day and night, obviously intending to defend to the death."

Gu Erzhong saw through the Qing army's plan at a glance.

"Tan Tai's [-] troops to cover the southern front are going back north. He is going to fight to the death."

Zuo Menggeng looked at Chang Ying and asked, "Where are the Qing coalition forces on the southern line?"

As the chief of staff, Chang Ying's ability to sort out information is outstanding, and he immediately gave an answer.

"The forwards of the Qing coalition forces have just arrived in Wenqing, and then they have two directions to march. One is to go to Chungju, and the other is to go to Danyang. According to my guess, they are more likely to go to Danyang."

Chungju, the capital of Chungcheong-do, is closer to the west coast.

With the First Marine Division occupying the area around Hanyang, the Qing coalition forces had to worry about being intercepted halfway by the First Marine Division.

Therefore, Danyang, who took the eastern route, went straight to Gangwon-do, which seemed safer.

Zuo Menggeng made gestures on the map and felt a little relieved.

"Let them walk slowly. When they reach Chunchuan, they will lose a layer of skin if they don't die."

The melting of ice and snow in spring, coupled with continuous spring rains, made the roads very muddy.Flash floods even broke out in many places, and roads were washed away.

This seriously affected the speed of the retreat of the Qing coalition forces.

Of course, the fourth division chasing after them was not much better.

The Sixteenth Regiment of the Fourth Division had just arrived at the outskirts of Daegu, and exchanged fire with the rear troops of the Qing coalition forces.

It will take at least four to five days to capture Daegu and open the passage to the north.

It can be said that in this bad season, both sides are wallowing in the quagmire, one in a state of embarrassment.

The only thing that can compete is who is better organized, who has stronger endurance, and who is the final winner.

"Tell the Second Marine Regiment not to go north until Lianchuan is captured. Consolidate the line of defense on the spot, and after leaving the defensive force, the main force will rush back to meet up."

Zuo Menggeng proposed the end point for the Second Marine Regiment to attack Paju.

That is to stop pursuing northward as far as Lianchuan.

In the process of returning from Yeoncheon, the Second Marine Regiment could recover Dongducheon, Pocheon, Yangzhou, and Uuijeong in turn.In this way, the north of Hanyang has a safe depth of more than one hundred miles.

"Let the Marine Corps take Suwon and Yongin, and leave enough troops behind, and then the main force will return."

Suwon and Yongin are the gateways to Hanyang from the south. If these two places are defended, Hanyang will no longer be threatened by the south.

Because Jinpu, Gaoyang, and Incheon in the west are all in the hands of Xia Jun, the only direction to worry about is the east.

Apparently Zuo Menggeng planned to concentrate his forces to attack Chunchuan, destroy the hope of the Qing coalition forces to escape, and completely annihilate the [-] troops still on the southern front.

But Zuo Yong didn't quite agree with his thoughts.

"Attacking Chuncheon with the first marine division alone is barely enough, and it is too difficult to guard against reinforcements from the enemy's south and north. If we fail to do one, we may be surrounded by the enemy."

Although Tan Tai's troops are far inferior to the [-]st Marine Division, Chuncheon's terrain is very dangerous.It would be a headache enough to switch to the [-]st Marine Division as the offensive side.

Not to mention that Chuncheon is too far away from Hanyang, and it is easy to be cut off.

No one can guarantee when the [-] troops on the southern front will be able to rush back.

In case the [-] troops are put into battle, the [-]st Marine Division will face several times the number of enemies alone in the wild, and the situation will be very dangerous.

Obviously Zuo Yong had given up hope, and felt that the Fourth Division could catch up with the Qing coalition forces on the southern front.

If it is a war, the strength of the Fourth Division cannot be doubted.But both sides are marching, and Dorgon and Hauge will keep leaving small groups of troops to block, which seriously slows down the speed of the Fourth Division.

Once the Fourth Division cannot hold back the Qing coalition forces on the southern front, the First Marine Division may fall into a lonely battle.

"Chief of Staff Liu sent a proposal to send the Fifth Division into the DPRK to participate in the war. What do you think?"

Insufficient troops have now become the consensus of all commanders.

Zuo Hua came up with an idea.

"If the Fifth Division participates in the war, there is no need to transfer to the northern or southern fronts. We can conquer Jeolla and Chungcheong provinces alone, so that our north and south lines can be integrated."

Xia Jun now controls Gyeonggi-do and Gyeongsang-do, but Chungcheong-do and Jeolla-do in the middle are still in the hands of the Qing coalition forces.

In particular, the North Korean army led by Li Shifang broke away from the sequence of the Qing coalition forces and returned to Jeolla Province alone, which was always a threat.

Originally, the Fourth Division planned to send a regiment to Jeolla after occupying Daegu.

However, after deduction, the combat staff all felt that it was beyond their capabilities to recover Jeolla-do with only one regiment.

Now that the Fifth Division is preparing to enter the court, placing it in this direction will immediately make up for the lack of troops.

But Tang Wenhuan was somewhat unwilling to accept his proposal.

"If this is the case, it is very likely that the Qing coalition forces on the southern front will be let go."

Yes, the [-] troops are there, like a big meat bun.

Who here doesn't want to go up and take a bite?

But Zuo Hua, as an admiral of the navy, obviously thought of more without the pressure of combat.

"I think it might be more beneficial for us to let go of the [-] troops."

The words were like thunder, making everyone present dumbfounded.

"How could it be a good thing to let the enemy go?"

Facing Gu Erzhong's question, Zuo Hua habitually narrowed his eyes, with a sly light shining in his pupils.

"If we go all out and wipe out the [-] troops, the Manchu Qing side will definitely be devastated and will disappear soon. In this way, we can't delay, we can only speed up the attack on Liaodong. Naturally, there is nothing wrong with recovering Liaodong , I am afraid that the situation in North Korea will be stable and the effect we want will not be achieved.”