weaving

"General, Shuipoji can only hold out for three more days at most. We may not be able to defeat Chuang's army within three days!"

Yongning Earl Zhang Cheng looked at Chen Zhong and asked with a smile, "Who said that I want to defeat the blind man?"

Chen Zhong was stunned when he heard this, and asked with a slightly awkward smile: "Didn't the Marshal send people to contact Ding Qirui and Zuo Liangyu? Isn't he going to attack the rebels from both north and south?"

"Humph……"

Zhang Cheng snorted heavily, and then said, "There are two reasons. First, I am afraid that Ding, Yang, Zuo and others will collapse without a fight. This will not only fail to consume the rebels, but will also greatly aid the enemy."

Chen Zhong couldn't help but gasp when he heard this. Hu Yiwen and Liu Chengzu showed the same reaction. Even the deputy commander of Weiyuan Battalion, Lin Fangping, was greatly surprised. Only the old staff officer Sun Shixiang's face remained the same, with no major change in expression.

"Marshal, what about the second one?"

"The second one..."

Zhang Cheng's eyes kept scanning the crowd, but he didn't continue talking. Suddenly, his eyes stopped on Sun Shixiang, and he said with a smile: "Mr. Sun, since you understand everything, explain it to the children."

"hehe."

Sun Shixiang laughed dryly for a few times before stroking his beard and saying, "If my guess is correct, Lord Bo wants to use Shuipoji to put pressure on the bandits, forcing them to be attacked from two sides, and not dare to use the main force of the army to attack my new camp."

"Yes. The camp has just been built, the walls are not strong, the trenches are not wide, and the hedges are insufficient. Even if the soldiers are brave and daring, it is difficult to hold on."

Lin Fangping looked at Hu Yiwen who was muttering to himself, and could not help but say: "But if the government troops in Shuipoji to the south are still there, they can contain the main force of the rebels and make them dare not attack me with all their strength. And when I build a strong camp, even if they attack with an army of tens of thousands, what will I be afraid of!"

"Wonderful, wonderful!"

Chen Zhong clapped his hands and cheered, "Our commander-in-chief is still in charge of the overall planning."

Although the praise seemed a bit too explicit, Zhang Cheng still found it very pleasant to hear. He smiled but did not stop people from talking.

"Another point……"

Liu Chengzu also spoke up boldly: "If our scouts can really contact Shuipoji, it will strengthen their resolve to hold on, and we can also use this opportunity to consume some of the main force of the bandits."

Everyone nodded in agreement upon hearing this, and Sun Shixiang, in addition to stroking his beard and smiling as usual, even stole a glance at Yongning Earl Zhang Cheng. In fact, he had guessed this as well, but he just didn't say it out loud.

Although I did have this thought in my heart, Liu Chengzu said it so bluntly, which made me seem too mean...

Zhang Cheng shook his head and suddenly asked, "What time is it? Is there no news from Shuipoji yet?"

Lin Fangping quickly replied, "When Fangping came, no news had been sent back yet. Jinyong is still guarding the camp, but he will report as soon as there is news."

Zhang Chengfang also whispered, "Father, it's already the beginning of the afternoon!"

"Yeah. There are still three teams that we haven't heard from yet, right?"

"Yes, Marshal."

"How are Guodong, Zhice, Chen Zheng and the others? Have the defenses of each camp been established?"

Zhang Chengfang was in charge of liaisons, and he replied, "It's all built, father. Now the camps are reinforcing the camp walls, digging trenches, and building fences. Especially the Xianggong Temple, because it is in the most prominent position and faces the bandit army, the fortifications are also the most solid."

Zhang Cheng nodded and asked him, "How many days will the army's food and grass last?"

"Father, the army has enough food and grass for ten days. There is still some food and grass in Kaifeng, which can be used by the army for seven or eight days."

Sun Shixiang then said, "Now that there are no enemy troops outside Kaifeng, not only can the grain and grass in northern Henan be easily transported, but we can also intercept the grain and use it for our own benefit. It seems that it will not be difficult to guarantee the grain and grass."

"Yes. Governor Zhang and I have jointly submitted a petition to the court, requesting that the grain be transported locally to relieve the war in southern Henan. In addition, King Zhou and the governor Gao Mingheng and other officials have also submitted a petition to the court, requesting that the grain be allocated to relieve the difficulties in Kaifeng." "General, are we just going to wait for the bandits to attack?"

Before Zhang Cheng could say anything in response to Chen Zhong's question, he saw a burly general walk in from where the curtain was lifted.

"Report to Marshal Jue, the scout team that was delivering the message to Shuipoji has returned!"

"Ah. How many teams are coming back?"

"All three teams are back."

"Where are people?"

Soon, Wan Guangjin arrived at the central army tent. He bowed and said, "General, I have already passed the news of the arrival of our Yongyi Army to Shuipo Jiding, Yang Erdu, and General Zuo Liangyu, who is responsible for suppressing bandits."

"Hmm. How did they react?"

"Reporting to the commander, Commander Ding and others have said that the army has been cut off from water and grain, and it will be extremely difficult to hold out for another three days. I would like to ask the commander to attack the bandits as soon as possible to solve the problem of Shuipo Ji."

Wan Guangjinhai added: "Before I left, Commander Ding told me privately, 'We have been cut off from both food and water. Let alone three days, even two days is hard to guarantee.'

Governor Ding, please tell the commander-in-chief that my division can take some action within two days to relieve the pressure on Shuipoji so that they can retreat safely. After resting and replenishing, their morale will be restored and they can come to help me fight the bandits. "

"What?"

Chen Zhong said with obvious anger: "Is he treating us like fools?"

"That's right."

Even Xu Jinyong, who usually doesn't like to talk much, said angrily: "Who is Ding Qirui? He is worthy of threatening us. He even needs to find an excuse to escape and even has to bring a bodyguard to protect him. How can he be a commander!"

Zhang Cheng's expression remained unchanged. He gently waved his hand to stop Chen Zhong and Xu Jinyong, and then asked Wan Guangjin, "Have you seen Tiger Marshal?"

"Yes."

"Hu Shuai, how does he look?"

"General Tiger is still as majestic as ever, but his complexion doesn't seem as good as before, and his expression is a little lonely."

"But what did I say to you?"

"Hu Shuai only asked about the Marshal's recent situation and didn't say anything else."

"Can you tell Tiger Commander about Benbo's plan?"

"Replying to the commander, I did not have the opportunity to speak to Tiger Commander alone."

Wan Guangjin then added: "However, I met General Hu Zichen, a personal officer of General Hu, and told him all the instructions of the general."

Zhang Cheng waved his hand to signal him to leave, then walked to the window, looked at the sunlight shining through, and said with a slightly sad expression, "I hope General Hu can escape this disaster!"

After a moment, Yongning Earl Zhang Cheng turned around, and the sadness on his face disappeared, replaced by an extremely confident look.

He just said in a loud voice: "Chengfang, is the propaganda team's performance about to start?"

"Yes. Father, the performance will start at 5 p.m." (End of this chapter)