Chapter 66: Retreat to Advance, Reversal of Situation
Li Xingyuan knew that the most serious problem facing the Qing army now was that the troops were too scattered and could not be assembled in a short time.
Therefore, we cannot resist the attack of the enemy soldiers!
Therefore, he planned to withdraw from Xunzhou first, retreat to advance, let all the troops gather outside the city of Xunzhou, and then rely on his own superior forces to counterattack and retake Xunzhou.
Even if we cannot recapture Xunzhou immediately, we must block the bandits inside the city of Xunzhou and wait for Xiang Rong and others to lead their troops back to rescue and completely wipe out the bandits who raided Xunzhou this time.
……
"Report!"
"Reporting to the General, the Qing army has begun to withdraw from Xunzhou!"
A communications soldier rode his horse up to Li Yi and reported to him.
When Li Yi heard this, his expression lit up with joy, and he immediately said.
"good very good!"
"Hahaha, inform the whole army, don't chase the desperate enemy. There is no need to chase the Qing monsters who escaped from the city. All units should immediately take control of the entire city of Xunzhou and rescue our prisoners."
"Then clean up the battlefield and prepare to withdraw!"
Li Yi never forgot that the main purpose of his attack on Xunzhou this time was to rescue the prisoners.
As for occupying Xunzhou City? Or annihilating all the defenders of Xunzhou?
These were never part of Li Yi's plan.
The development strategy that Li Yi formulated for himself was very simple, that is, to let the Taiping Army take the lead and attract the firepower of the Qing court, while he would find a place to hide and develop.
Until the wings are fully grown, then spread your wings and soar into the sky!
However, if he attempted to occupy Xunzhou now, it would be putting the cart before the horse.
He ended up being the one standing in the front, attracting firepower for the Taiping Army.
Xunzhou is the provincial capital after all. Once Li Yi captures Xunzhou, it will definitely become the Qing army's priority target of attack.
Li Yi is not stupid, how could he actively attract hatred?
As for completely annihilating the Qing army in Xunzhou, it was even more impossible.
There were 2,000 Qing troops in Xunzhou, but Li Yi had only 800 of them. He also had to divide his troops to control the city defense of Xunzhou and rescue his own prisoners of war.
As long as the Qing army wanted to escape, Li Yi would have no way to chase them.
So, let the Qing army retreat. He can't stop them, and he won't try to stop them.
After the Qing army withdrew from Xunzhou, Li's army began to actually control the entire Xunzhou city, including the government office, treasury, granary, imperial envoy's headquarters and other places.
Moreover, they soon found their own prisoners of war in the city wall of East City.
Although the Qing army had already begun killing prisoners, fortunately Li Yi's troops arrived in time. When they launched an attack on Xunzhou City, the Qing army had just begun to take action.
As the war in Xunzhou became more urgent, the Qing army had no choice but to temporarily stop killing prisoners and then transfer troops from Dongcheng to reinforce the war.
Because of this, not many Taiping prisoners of war were killed by the Qing army.
Even more Taiping prisoners of war died from trampling on each other in panic than those killed by the Qing army.
Ye Zhisheng was dug out from the pile of dead bodies.
Fortunately, he survived the massacre by the Qing army and only suffered minor injuries.
After he was dug out, he was brought to Li Yi.
Ye Zhisheng knelt down in front of Li Yi with a plop, and said in a sad voice with red eyes.
"General, General, you are finally here. The Qing demons... the Qing demons are killing prisoners! If you had come a moment later, we would have all died tragically under the swords of the Qing army!"
Looking at Ye Zhisheng kneeling in front of him and crying bitterly, Li Yi dismounted, helped him up, and said with a slightly guilty tone.
"It's my fault for being late. I made everyone suffer..."
In his opinion, it was he who led these people onto the path of rebellion.
Today, these people have fallen into such a fate, and Li Yi is responsible.
So, I can’t help feeling guilty!
Ye Zhisheng still said with red eyes.
"General Manager, you have to make the decision for us!"
Then was before, now is now!
In the past, when Ye Zhisheng suffered injustice, he could only endure it.
Who told him that he was a prisoner of war of the Qing army and his life was worth less than grass?
But now it’s different, his old Ye’s backer is here.
It's time to take revenge and complain.
Upon hearing this, Li Yi patted Ye Zhisheng's shoulder hard and said.
"Don't worry, I will!" "I promise all of you that all the grievances that the brothers have suffered during this period will not be in vain."
"The Qing army that abused you will pay the price in blood!"
After saying this, Li Yi turned to Chen Yucheng who was standing beside him and gave instructions.
"Yucheng, take your men to identify the prisoners of war and find out all the Qing prisoners who have participated in killing the surrendered soldiers."
"Kill without mercy!"
"Cut off their heads and hang them on the wall of Xunzhou."
"I want these Qing monsters to remember the consequences of those who dare to kill prisoners."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yucheng was stunned for a moment, then asked.
"Not all of them?"
Li Yi shook his head and said in a very firm tone.
"If we kill all the prisoners without asking any questions, then what's the difference between us and the Qing demons?"
As a soldier, you must be prepared to kill and be killed when you go to the battlefield.
Therefore, Li Yi would naturally not kill all the Qing prisoners of war.
Even though these Qing prisoners of war had their hands stained with the blood of the Taiping Army on the battlefield.
Everyone serves his own master on the battlefield, there is really nothing much to say!
However, killing prisoners and massacring the city are another matter.
Anyone who raises his butcher knife and kills prisoners who have laid down their arms and unarmed civilians is no longer a human being.
But they are beasts and war criminals.
For such people, not only must we not show mercy, but we must repay them with blood for blood and tooth for tooth!
Even if they were all killed, it would not be an exaggeration.
Upon hearing this, Chen Yucheng immediately clasped his fists to show that he understood.
"The General Manager is wise. I am indeed too narrow-minded in this matter."
Li Yi nodded slightly, but before he could give any more instructions.
At this moment, another fast horse came galloping and reported to Li Yi.
"General!"
"Report to the General! Urgent military information!"
"The Qing demons that left the city did not flee, but regrouped outside Xunzhou City, gathering their forces to prepare for a counterattack on Xunzhou!"
When Li Yi heard this, the smile on his face disappeared immediately.
He asked with a serious look.
"Which direction?"
"In which direction outside the city are the Qing demons gathering?"
The signalman pointed to the west and spoke.
"To answer the general, it is in the west of the city. The Qing demons that left the city are gathering in the west of Xunzhou City."
Li Yi's expression changed when he heard this, and then he spoke.
"Order the entire army to assemble immediately and prepare to attack and defeat the Qing monster!"
……
Five miles west of Xunzhou City!
After leaving the city, the various Qing troops assembled here.
Li Xingyuan rode on horseback and waved his hand to give orders.
"All units should immediately prepare for battle, with Lieutenant General Zhang leading the troops as the vanguard to counterattack Xunzhou."
"This battle requires victory, not defeat. Anyone who retreats in battle will be killed immediately!"
Upon seeing this, Lieutenant General Zhang responded with a "yeah".
He immediately led a battalion of assembled soldiers and headed straight for Xunzhou!
Behind him, various Qing troops quickly followed.
For a moment, the situation in Xunzhou was reversed!
The attackers became the defenders, while the defenders suddenly became the attackers.
(End of this chapter)