Zhu Cixiang's Chinese army camp has now moved to the royal villa that Zuo Mengmei originally arranged for him.

This is a summer villa, located on the waterside of a place called Yuhu. This Yuhu is very close to Gongan County and not far from the Yangtze River. It should be surrounded by densely populated rural areas. However, the vicinity of this Wangfu Villa

However, there are layers of woods that isolate the villa from the surrounding rural farmland, creating a blanket of shade.

From this layout alone, you can see that this villa has been really thoughtful. After Zhu Cihong entered, although he didn't see how luxurious it was, he felt comfortable everywhere. It was indeed very good.

However, comfortable living was not the reason why Zhu Cixiang chose this place to locate the Chinese army. The most important thing for him to station here was to facilitate his command.

Although the current battlefield situation in Huguang is gradually favorable to Zhu Cihong, Li Zicheng's advantage on the inside is still there. In contrast, Zhu Cihong's army has to be distributed on the relatively long outer front.

The previous meeting at Hudukou did not have military significance, but was a political meeting.

After the meeting, all parties met for a meeting and bargained, granting officials where necessary, making wishes where necessary, threatening those who needed to be frightened, and handing over hostages to those who needed to be given hostages.

After some operations, the army that was about to disperse into sand was pinched together by Zhu Cixiang. In He Tengjiao's opinion, this was too difficult, but for Zhu Cixiang, it was a piece of cake.

Because he still has common interests with people like Zhu Cizhao, Zuo Mengmei, Jin Shenghuan, and Zhang Yong!

We are all northerners who came to the south with two fists in their hands! Only by uniting can we find food in the south. If we don't unite, the landlord class in the south can't use their big swords, but they can poke people with their pens!

Therefore, under the control of common interests, everyone unanimously supports Zhu Cixiang. If he goes further, he must make progress! If he doesn't make progress, relying on Emperor Chongzhen, everyone will end up sooner or later!

After reuniting at Hudukou, the troops naturally had to redeploy and deploy defenses along the river. From west to east, they occupied Yidu, Zhijiang, Songzi, Hudukou, Xiabailizhou, Jiangbei Bridgehead, Gongan County, Yu

Huxing Palace (Yuhu Villa), Shishou County, Diaobangkou, Shimen Mountain, Tashi, Huarong County, Dongting Junshan, Baling County, Linxiang County and other places.

If you look at the situation map, it is just a long and winding snake formation. However, Zhu Cixi also knew not to spread his troops too thin. Therefore, most of the strongholds did not have many troops, just a few hundred or thousands, and a warning was deployed. The main force

They are still deployed at Hudukou and Gong'an respectively. The former faces Jiangling, and the latter is where Zhu Cihong's army collects grain. Gong'an itself is a land of plenty, and it is also under the jurisdiction of the King of Chu. Part of the grain harvested last year is stored in Gong'an.

There were hundreds of thousands of stones of white rice, enough to feed Zhu Cixiang's army.

In order to understand the enemy's situation in time, Zhu Cixiang also accepted the suggestion of Mrs. Qin Liangyu and ordered people to build beacon towers along the river. Once it was discovered that Li Zicheng's army was about to cross the river, he would immediately light a warning fire.

After the arrangements were completed, Prince Zhu was determined to go on "vacation" with Wu Sanmei in the Yuhu Villa.

Just wait. There are two types of wars these days: fast tempo and slow tempo. There was also a confrontation between the two armies for a year and a half.

But Zhu Cixiang didn't think he would wait that long. In a month or two at most, Li Yan and Zhu Yujian should turn over Li Zicheng's "home"!

As for Li Yan, Zhu Yujian's ability to fight landlords did not disappoint Zhu Cixiang. He was raised comfortably in Yuhu for less than twenty days, and the beacon towers in the east started to emit smoke one by one.

"Do you know where it is?" Prince Zhu was wearing a thin silk robe and holding a fan in his hand, standing in front of a map table made up of several tables. He Tengjiao, Yan Yingyuan, Du Yinxi, and old lady Qin Liangyu were all

I was invited over to look at the map with Prince Zhu.

"It's either Shishou or Baling." Qin Liangyu already had the answer, so he was the first to speak, "There is Shishou Mountain outside Shishou County, which can guard the Yangtze River waterway. As for Baling, it is connected to Dongting, Xiangjiang and

A dangerous place on the Yangtze River. If the bandits want to make a big move, they must go to Baling."

"A big fight?" Zhu Cihong asked, "What is a big fight?"

"Enter Hunan, force Wuchang, and enter Jiangxi a few years earlier, Li Zicheng would definitely have done this." Qin Liangyu said, "But now that he has become the emperor, he is increasingly unable to let go. So he probably attacked Shishou!

"

Not to mention, the old lady had many dealings with thieves, so if Li Zicheng made a move, she would be inseparable.

"What was his purpose in taking the stone head?" Zhu Cixiang asked.

Qin Liangyu said: "Of course it is to mobilize the main force of our army to go to Shishou. Shishou is also an important place. It is close to the public security and threatens our retreat. How can the prince sit back and ignore it?"

"Are you sure about the decisive battle at Shishou Mountain?" Zhu Cihong glanced at Yan Yingyuan, who now represented Li Yan and Wu Sanfu and became Zhu Cihong's senior advisor.

Yan Yingyuan said: "If we can fight decisively at Shishou Mountain, we have a great chance of winning."

Zhu Cixiang looked at Qin Liangyu again. The old lady smiled and shook her head: "There is a big chance of winning, but there is not much to win. How could Li Zicheng be willing to place a big bet if he knew he was going to lose?"

"That's right!" Zhu Cixiang nodded repeatedly, "Li Zicheng's purpose must be to lure me into a trap, and then use Shishou Mountain to contain the main force of our army, and then attack elsewhere."

He Tengjiao said: "Is he returning to Xiangyang elsewhere? His hometown in Xiangyang is about to be raided by military commander Li. It seems that he can't calm down anymore!"

Du Yinxi said: "Hanyang Mansion is the critical place. Once Hanyang is lost, our naval brigade will be able to enter the Han River and the Jing River."

Zhu Cixiang looked at the old lady again, while Qin Liangyu smiled and said nothing.

"Captain Qin, what do you think?"

Qin Liangyu said: "Why do Qiansui Master have to guess blindly?"

"Don't guess?" Zhu Cixiang thought for a moment, "What should we do?"

Qin Liangyu said: "Since the advantage lies with me, there is no need to try to figure out what Li Zicheng wants to do. Your Highness can take the initiative and attack Jiangling!"

"Attack Gangneung?"

"Capture Jiangling," Qin Liangyu said, "the overall situation will be saved! Li Zicheng cannot hold Hanyang and Xiangyang, and it is impossible to even go west to Sichuan. At that time, he will have to retreat to Shaanxi and Henan to fight to the death with the Donglu!

"

Zhu Cixiang looked at Yan Yingyuan again.

Yan Yingyuan shook his head, "The Yangtze River channel has not yet been opened, so the heavy artillery cannot be pulled over. Only twenty-four three-pound cannons can be used. The city of Jiangling is strong, so I am afraid it will be difficult to attack."

Qin Liangyu smiled: "Without such three-stick cannons, our Ming army can't fight?"

Ah, how can we fight without a three-pound cannon? Zhu Cixiang thought to himself: Nowadays, fighting is all about using cannons!

He Tengjiao was twirling his beard at the side: "Your Highness, what the Governor of Qin said was very good. When the Japanese attacked Jiangling, they didn't even have a three-pound cannon. Didn't they almost succeed?"

So it’s almost!

Zhu Cixiang had no hope for He Tengjiao's military skills, so he had better listen to what the old lady said.

Qin Liangyu smiled and said: "Master Qiansui, I don't know how to use the cannon, but I have been carrying soldiers all my life. I can tell at a glance what kind of soldiers can and cannot fight.

In my opinion, the 100,000 troops under the Crown Prince are the most powerful force we have not seen in the Ming Dynasty for decades!"

That’s right!

In the decades since the Ming Dynasty, no army has been fully paid. Now, whether it is Zhu Cixi’s new army to overcome difficulties, He Tengjiao, Chang Yanling’s Xiangyong, Zuo Mengmei, Zhang Yong’s "Dian Army", or

Jin Shenghuan's troops who are about to enter Guangxi can now receive full food and salary.

This alone has not happened in decades!

Zhu Cixiang nodded: "What the old lady said makes sense!" He thought for a while, "Let's go north to attack Jiangling! Li Zicheng wants to mobilize me, and I also want to mobilize. Li Zicheng needs to see whether Jiangling or Shishou is more important!
Chapter completed!