Chapter 411: Troops at the City Gates

Early morning.

Zhao Xu woke up amidst the sound of high-pitched, rhythmic chants.

This was the Prince's Personal Army soldiers performing their morning drills.

Pushing the door open and stepping out, a touch of gentle sunlight shone upon his face.

The October sun was warm and pleasant, and the onset of autumn made the weather feel refreshing.

It was just that such a beautiful season was, in ancient times, a season of slaughter.

Although the Imperial Edict ordered him to arrive at Qin Pass by the fifth of October, how the next step would be fought still depended on the coordination of Yang Feng, the Grand Marshal.

Before the orders arrived, his days remained leisurely.

"Put some effort into it!"

"Just a little more."

"..."

Just at this moment, he suddenly heard a burst of noise.

Following the source of the sound, he saw a group of officers gathered together.

These officers included those from the Prince's Personal Army as well as those from the Ma Family.

Seeing this, he walked over.

When the officers saw him approaching, they immediately cleared a path, and at this moment he saw clearly.

Lv Chang was arm-wrestling with Dian Zhang; at this moment, both of them were red-faced and thick-necked, neither willing to admit defeat.

Zhao Xu originally intended to reprimand Lv Chang, but thinking that this was also an opportunity for the Prince's Personal Army and the Ma Family officers to deepen their friendship, he ignored it.

After all, once they were familiar with each other, coordinating operations on the battlefield would be easier.

Ignoring the officers, he strolled to the camp of the Ma Family Army to watch the Ma Family soldiers perform their drills.

After taking a brief look, Zhao Xu immediately frowned.

Compared to the Prince's Personal Army, the Ma Family soldiers clearly lacked morale; even their chanting was not as loud as that of the Prince's Personal Army soldiers.

He did not walk away immediately, but instead continued to watch the Ma Family soldiers practice with their matchlocks.

Under the officers' commands, the Ma Family soldiers holding matchlocks began to simulate loading and firing.

Within one minute, the Ma Family soldiers simulated firing twice.

Zhao Xu nodded; it seemed the Ma Family had kept up with the training for the matchlocks.

Then, observing other aspects of the Ma Family Army's training, Zhao Xu gained an understanding of the overall situation of the Ma Family Army.

In his view, having been equipped with the armor and weapons provided by Yanzhou and trained by his officers,

such a New Army of the Ma Family, while still quite inferior to his Prince's Personal Army, would have absolutely no problem defeating Ma Jin.

Facing the Xiliang Army in direct combat, they could also have a slight advantage.

After idling at Qin Pass for two more days, the military order from Yang Feng arrived on the third day.

"Your Highness, now you can't shake off our Ma Family's troops even if you want to." Zhao Xu read the military order, and Ma Han immediately laughed.

The content of the military order was very simple, consisting mainly of two points.

The first point was to appoint Zhao Xu as the Commander of the Eastern Route Army, with the Ma Family troops under his command.

The second point was the operational order, commanding him to exit the pass before the tenth of October, first attacking Weicheng in Wei Jun, and if Weicheng was captured, to continue westward, finally rendezvousing at Xian City.

Chang Wei and Dian Zhang looked at each other upon hearing this; in their view, this was a good thing.

Zhao Xu shook his head; this was basically no different from his guess.

After all, he had won the Jinzhuzhizhan, and anyone with a bit of brains should know that they ought to rely on him on the Eastern Route.

"Since the military order has been issued, everyone go back and prepare yourselves; we march for Qinzhou on the morning of the tenth," Zhao Xu said.

Then he suddenly deepened his tone, "Also, since this Prince is the Commander, from now on there is no distinction between the Prince's Personal Army and the Ma Family troops; you are all now troops of the Eastern Route Army, officers of the Eastern Route Army. Whoever is cowardly in battle, fears battle, fails to obey orders, or engages in mutual sabotage, do not blame this Prince for being ruthless. Do not say it is you; even your Prefect, this Prince can behead."

Upon hearing this, Ma Han was not the least bit displeased, but instead said, "If I, Ma Han, violate military orders, I am willing to be punished."

The Ma Family officers had already been intimidated by Zhao Xu's words, and seeing that their own Head of the Family did not dare to disobey the Yan Wang in the slightest, they naturally knew where they stood.

In this war, the Yan Wang was their commander.

He dismissed the officers.

Zhao Xu kept Ma Han, Chang Wei, and Dian Zhang behind.

These past few days, scouts had been continuously reconnoitering the situation in Qinzhou.

Relevant intelligence was being sent in constantly.

After the three Northern Expeditionary Army routes of Great Song arrived one after another, Xiliang and Ma Jin also began to move.

Among them, Xiliang had another 150,000-strong army enter Qinzhou from Xiao Pass, bringing Xiliang's troop strength in Qinzhou to 300,000.

And according to Ma Han, during this time Ma Jin had been frantically conscripting able-bodied men into his own army, expanding his troops to 200,000.

Thus, just the two armies of Xiliang and Ma Jin reached 500,000 men.

However, regarding Ma Jin's army, Zhao Xu directly skipped over it.

This kind of army, cobbled together by conscripting able-bodied men, would collapse at a single blow.

At the same time, there was one thing that had puzzled him these past few days, which was that the Northern Di army had not moved at all, looking very much like they were sitting back and watching Great Song and Xiliang go to war.

"Of the seven prefectures of Qinzhou, Xian City and Xian Jun are located in the center; to the east is Wei Jun, to the south is Weng Prefecture, to the west is Bao Prefecture, and there are three more prefectures to the north. But for now, General Yang Feng is likely ordering the three routes of troops to each capture the three prefectures on the outskirts of Xian City, and subsequently march on Xian City," Zhao Xu said.

Chang Wei and Dian Zhang both nodded.

This was a steady, step-by-step strategy, consistent with the habits of an old general like Yang Feng.

Zhao Xu continued, "According to the news sent back by the scouts, Xiliang seems to have placed ten percent of their troops in each of these three prefectures. Among them, the one in Weicheng is 100,000 Xiliang troops, as is the one in Weng City; only inside Baocheng are 100,000 of Ma Jin's troops."

Dian Zhang smiled upon hearing this, "It seems Xiliang and Ma Jin look down on the Xiao Family's army the most."

"That is natural. The Central Route has many troops, and the Eastern Route has His Highness, so the Xiao Family's army cannot stir up any big waves," Ma Han said.

Chang Wei looked relaxed and said at this moment, "We fought at Weicheng once before, and now we have to fight there a second time."

He was naturally referring to the time of the Ma Jin rebellion.

Zhao Xu introduced the troop distribution in Qinzhou, and seeing that all three were full of confidence, he said, "This is only the army of Xiliang and Ma Jin; you must not forget that there is also the Northern Di. The more the Northern Di remains still now, the more dangerous it is."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the three men immediately sank.

Just as Yan Wang said, if the Northern Di moved, they would still be able to understand the intentions of the Northern Di.

But the Northern Di was simply holding its ground, and no one could guess what they actually wanted to do.

Thus, after entering Qinzhou, they still had to be extremely careful.

After reminding the three men to keep them from being arrogant or rash, Zhao Xu ordered the three to return and reorganize their troops.

The next morning, Zhao Xu led 240,000 troops, marching valiantly and spiritedly across Qin Pass toward Weicheng.

This time, neither Xiliang nor Ma Jin had stationed troops in the small county towns.

Perhaps in their view, the county town walls were low, and stationing troops there would not serve as an obstacle but would only disperse their forces.

Therefore, they placed their main forces within large cities like the prefecture capitals to wear them down.

Along the way, they took the three county towns surrounding Weicheng with almost no effort.

By noon on the third day, Zhao Xu arrived at the foot of the walls of Weicheng.

Looking at the Xiliang soldiers waiting in full battle array on the city walls, Zhao Xu ordered the camp to be set up.

This was his first time attacking a city defended by 100,000 men.

He had to plan carefully.

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