A few months ago, Li Qing'an had already attacked Li Lin once when he put pressure on Li Heng to release Gao Xianzhi. At that time, Yangzhou was occupied. To this day, Yangzhou City was still occupied by Li Qing'an's Northern Tang army, and Li Lin's 100,000 troops had retreated to the south of the Yangtze River. Now the Jianghuai area is almost under the control of the Northern Tang army. If the insufficient supply of food and food in Chang'an was due to Li Lin's occupation of Jiangnan, this explanation is actually a bit far-fetched. After all, the vast wealthy areas of Jianghuai, including Yangzhou, the largest commercial city in the Tang Dynasty, were already under the control of the Northern Tang army. Therefore, the so-called march to Jiangnan and calm prices was just an excuse. Li Qing'an's real purpose was to use the winter break during the Battle of Hebei to seize the prosperous land in Jiangnan.

Li Qing'an also knew this clearly that the fundamental reason for the inability to supply materials was the poor transportation of canals, which was a problem that gradually arose in the late Tianbao period. At that time, he considered changing to Chang'an to Han River and finally entering Guanzhong by land. However, due to the separation of the north and south Tang Dynasty, this plan was difficult to implement. However, even if it was implemented, the original canal transportation would not be abandoned and would continue to play its role. Therefore, Li Qing'an proposed to appoint Cui Ning as the Jianghuai Transportation Envoy to clear the canal river channel. This is the key to increasing the supply of materials and calming the prices of Chang'an.

At this time, Yangzhou city remained calm, and there was no chaos in the case of the Northern Tang army occupying Yangzhou and Li Lin retreating. This was also attributed to the local officials of Yangzhou, including the Chief Han Jinping, Sima Li Xian, and Jiangdu County Magistrate Pei Jin. It was the unremitting efforts of these three people that most of the Yangzhou business did not have any military chaos. Of course, this was also related to the rapid advancement of the Tang army's cavalry of 300 miles a day. Li Lin's army almost had time to rob and smash it, so he retreated in panic.

At present, the Northern Tang army stationed in Jiangdu City, Yangzhou, has 5,000 people, all cavalry. In addition, considering that Yangzhou has many rivers and his garrisons are basically Western Regions, which are not suitable for river wars. Therefore, the Northern Tang army recruited a thousand water warriors locally and stationed along the Caohe River.

The Northern Tang army stationed in Yangzhou was commanded by the victorious general Li Baozhen, who was the original An Baozhen. Due to An Lushan's rebellion, the An family was ashamed to the same surname as him and unanimously requested a name change. It was approved by the Political Affairs Hall. Empress Dowager Shen Zhenzhu officially gave An's family to Li, An Baoyu was renamed Li Baoyu, and An Baozhen was renamed Li Baozhen.

Li Baozhen had just taken over Yangzhou City's defense. Just as he was secretly complaining that he was not able to participate in the Hebei War, an emergency information came from the form of a pigeon letter. In the military camp outside Jiangdu City, a team of cavalry rushed out and rushed towards Jiangdu City like lightning.

"Does go!"

The cavalry roared loudly, and the people along the road were so scared that they stumbled on both sides of the road. The cavalry team rushed past, bringing a piece of dust. The passers-by on both sides whispered in surprise. The officers and soldiers of the Northern Tang Dynasty have always been strict in military discipline, never disturbing the people, and they will not rush around. What happened today so fiercely?

The general in the cavalry team was Li Baozhen. He bit his lips tightly and stared at the front with a sharp gaze. There was an excitement in his eyes that was difficult to hide. He had just received two pieces of information, to be precise, and Li Qing'an directly issued an order to him. The first order was to clear the north bank of the Yangtze River and fully control Jiangyang Port. This was a red order, representing the highest importance. The second order made Li Baozhen ecstatic and ordered him to prepare and prepare to welcome the army to move south. In other words, the army was about to attack Jiangnan, and it was Li Qing'an who personally led the army south. Li Baozhen was extremely excited and the ban on not being allowed to gallop on horseback was also thrown into his mind.

The cavalry team's speed slowed down significantly after entering Jiangdu City. There were too many pedestrians on the street, and they couldn't even let go. Helplessly, Li Baozhen had to wait patiently and walk slowly. A team of camel caravans from the Western Regions passed by him, and not far ahead was the Yangzhou Prefecture Office.

Li Baozhen and his party came to the prefecture yamen and saw Sima Li Xian and Chief Han Jinping coming out of the prefecture yamen.

"Li Sima!"

Li Baozhen shouted, turned over and got off the horse and ran up, "Li Sima, please stay. I have an urgent matter to consult Sima."

"So it's General Li. I'm so in a hurry. Is there a happy event?"

Li Xian was about forty years old, with a medium figure, dark and rough skin, very ordinary appearance, and even a little rustic. It is said that he had visited the vegetable market in Yangzhou in a private manner. Along the way, many people asked him about the price of the vegetable. He said that he was an official of Yangzhou's parents, but it attracted a lot of ridicule. Li Xian was in charge of Yangzhou's public security and criminal law, and was quite brave. He had 800 regiments under his command to train troops and were responsible for the defense of various Yangzhou city gates.

The chief secretary Han Jinping next to him was Li Qing'an's brother in distress at the fortress. The official who was sent to Anxi. After years of promotion in his official career, he also gradually became the chief secretary from the county magistrate, and he was the chief secretary of Yangzhou, with a very good reputation.

It was these two people who resisted the order before Li Linnan retreating to order them to burn the Yangzhou market, thus saving the prosperity of Yangzhou. Seeing that Li Baozhen's expression was anxious and joyful, they couldn't help laughing: "General Li has a good thing, so I want to tell us, don't enjoy it alone!"

"Is there an emergency and discuss with you, can Prefect Ji be there?"

"The prefect is in the yamen, General Li asks you!"

"please!"

The three of them walked towards the Yanei together.

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In the back hall of the prefecture, Ji Guangchen and Han Jinping, and Li Xian finished reading Li Qing'an's urgent orders, the three of them looked at each other. The war in Hebei has not yet ended, so are they going to fight Jiangnan?

Ji Guangchen was transferred from Huaizhou to Yangzhou as the governor half a month ago. Although he was valued by Li Heng, he had already seen the situation clearly. Li Heng was out of the blue and would not do anything. Sooner or later he would be destroyed by the Northern Tang Dynasty. Ji Guangchen became Li Qing'an's most loyal supporter. He wrote to Li Qing'an, suggesting that Jiangnan should be taken down as soon as possible, clear the canal transportation and ensure Chang'an's supply of materials, so that he can have strong financial resources to fight An Lushan.

Li Qingan admired his suggestions very much, so he transferred him to the governor of Yangzhou and actively prepared food and grass for the use of the army to go south.

Ji Guangchen did not expect that Li Qing'an would come so quickly. He pondered for a moment and asked, "General Li, Your Highness Zhao's order is not very clear. Can you explain that Your Highness Zhao is going to attack Li Lin?"

"Yes!"

Li Baozhen replied to the three of them clearly, "What I showed you was the compiled military order, which may be a bit interesting, but the order in his original document was very clear. He ordered me to prepare to welcome the army south, but he personally led the army south."

"Does King Zhao come in person?"

Han Jinping asked with some joy. Since he parted in Tianbao in six years, he had not seen Li Qing'an for almost ten years. Apart from knowing that he was almost the lord of the world, his voice, appearance and appearance had changed a lot from the past.

"I really want to see him!" Han Jinping sighed softly.

Li Baozhen didn't know the relationship between Han Jinping and Li Qing'an, and couldn't help but be stunned: "Envoy Han has seen my general?"

Li Xian next to him smiled and said, "Chief Han and His Highness Zhao are in love."

"It's not a long time friendship."

Han Jinping gently stroked his long beard and smiled, "I was 31 years old that year. I was sent to the Sulou Fengshi Fortress of Anxi for violating the criminal law. In the third year, he also entered the fortress and became a gang leader. I was his soldier. I stayed with him for more than a year. After the Xiaobolu Battle, I was pardoned for my military merits and returned to the Central Plains. It has been almost ten years since I parted with him."

Li Baozhen was solemnly respectful. It turned out that the chief minister was also an old senior from Anxi. He clasped his fists and said, "It turns out that General Han was also from Sulou Fengshou Fortress and participated in the Xiaobolu Battle, so he was disrespectful!"

"Haha! That's nothing."

Han Jinping smiled and waved his hand, and asked again: "I don't know what King Zhao wants us to prepare?"

A sentence reminded Li Baozhen. He almost forgot the serious matter and hurriedly said: "The General ordered us to control Jiangyang Port, clear all the remnants of Li Lin's army in Jiangbei, and at the same time recruit water gods and collect ships."

Ji Guangchen nodded and said, "There are tens of thousands of dock workers in Jiangdu, and there are many good water quality. You can recruit water braves in it. The ships can borrow water ships. There is no problem with five or six thousand ships. Our local government can solve these problems. Just clear the remnants of Li Lin's army and control Jiangyang Port. We have to ask General Li to do it."

"No problem, I mean that. Without further ado, we started to divide the work this afternoon. In addition, I urgently need 30 large ships. Please prepare immediately and wait in Jiangyang Port."

"Okay! I'll prepare for the general right away."

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In the afternoon, just after lunch, Li Baozhen and Sima Li Xian led 4,000 troops to the south. After running for more than ten miles, they divided into two groups. Li Xian led 800 regiments to train and fight to Jiangyang County under the banner of the Northern Tang Army, while Li Baozhen led 3,000 cavalry to kill to Hailing County.

Jiangyang County is also affiliated to Yangzhou, thirty miles south of Jiangdu and located on the north bank of the Yangtze River. The county town is twenty miles away from the port of the Yangtze River. Due to the insufficient troops of the Northern Tang army, there were only about a hundred troops in Jiangyang County. However, Jiangyang Port had Li Lin’s 400 naval troops, more than a dozen warships, and a castle was built along the canal.

The reason why Li Lin occupied Jiangyang Port and refused to withdraw his troops was that he hoped that Li Qing'an's army would temporarily occupy Yangzhou for several months, just like last time. In this way, when Li Qing'an's army withdrew his troops, his army would be able to quickly kill him with Jiangyang Port as a springboard.

But the Southern Tang naval army in Jiangyang Port did not have a good life. Li Qing'an's army ignored them for the time being, so they suffered day by day, and one day by day was counted as one day.

That afternoon, the defenders of Jiangyang Port suddenly received information. The cavalry of the Northern Tang army had already come to the port, with more than a thousand people. They were so scared that they were scattered and had no sense of resistance. They drove across the river and fled to Runzhou on the other side.

Li Xian led 800 regiments to occupy Jiangyang Port without bloodshed, but Li Baozhen occupied Jiangyang Port just to seize the navigation channel. A fleet of thirty large ships quickly passed Jiangyang Port, sailed into the Yangtze River, and headed east.

What Li Baozhen really wants to clear is Hailing County, or to be precise, the Jiangxin Island of Hailing County: Hudouzhou.

Hailing County is today Taizhou, Jiangsu Province. It was affiliated with Yangzhou during the Tang Dynasty and had a strong jurisdiction. It went east to the seaside and south to the Yangtze River. It was all under the jurisdiction of Hailing County, but it was basically salt fields and mudflats. There were no towns and villages. An official road was also used to transport salt and directly to the riverside.

There is also a pier by the river in Hailing County, which is the famous salt pier. Tens of thousands of stones of salt are shipped from here every year, transported along the Yangtze River to various inland areas, and at the same time, entering the sea eastward, transporting the salt to the north by sea.

The Yangtze River Estuary during the Tang Dynasty was very different from the present. A huge trumpet was formed from the Jiangyin area. For example, Qidong County and Haimen County are all seas and land has not yet been formed. Today's Nantong was just a Jiangxin island at that time, and it was the same size as Chongming Island. It was called Hudou Island and was under the jurisdiction of Hailing County. To the east of Hudou Island is the vast sea.

Salt Wharf and Hudou Island are currently under the control of Li Lin. Most of them are stationed at Salt Wharf, with 5,000 troops stationed. Li Lin's army did not give up on Salt Wharf mainly to control salt. Salt Wharf is one of Li Lin's main sources of military expenditure. When Li Lin's difficulty in controlling commercial taxes, salt Wharf is quick and convenient, and can bring Li Lin nearly one million chunks of income every year.

Therefore, the Salt Wharf has an important strategic position for Li Lin. Li Lin's army has retreated to Jiangnan, but he still has 5,000 troops stationed at the Salt Wharf, led by General Yuan Jingyao.

Yuan Jingyao was 35 years old this year. He was originally a commander under the Yangzhou Grand Governor's Office. He was a family of martial arts and used a large iron spear of 100 to 500 feet. He was invincible in the Jiangnan area. Except for Li Lin's 18-year-old son Li Yi, he had never encountered any opponents.

It is also for this reason that Yuan Jingyao has always been very conceited. He looked down on Li Lin's escape from the Yangtze River when he heard that the Anxi Army was coming. Yuan Jingyao often said to his subordinates: "Although the Anxi Army is brave and fierce, it is in the Western Regions, or the Central Plains, and Hebei can still exert some power. However, when they arrive in Jiangnan, they may not be our opponents. If Cao Cao's 800,000 troops will be killed by the Jiangnan naval army and fled. You must not develop the ambition of others and lose your own prestige."

Although Yuan Jingyao was proud, his other side was very cautious in tactical matters. Except for a thousand people stationed on the shore, the other four thousand people set up water camps, using ships as tents, stationed in the river. In this way, if the Northern Tang army attacked, he could attack, retreat and defend, and even retreat into the river at any time.

That afternoon, Yuan Jingyao received a report from the scout that a thousand-person cavalry was found in the northwest, galloping towards the dock.

He immediately realized that this must be Li Baozhen sent his army to encircle him.

"Did they really only have a thousand cavalry?" Yuan Jingyao asked the scout.

"Reporting to the general, there is nothing wrong with that, there are only one thousand cavalrymen."

Yuan Jingyao was a little moved. If the other party had three or four thousand cavalry, he might not dare to fight, but if the other party had only one thousand cavalry, he was indeed a little moved.

A subordinate officer advised: "General, the Anxi cavalry is extremely strong. It is said that one cavalry can fight against five infantry. Although the opponent's army is not many, the strength lies in the elite. Our strength lies in water battles, giving up the strength and taking advantage of the shortcomings, and the way to defeat the army! It is better to defend against the water camp."

Yuan Jingyao was walking in the cabin with his hands behind his back. He was considering the result of annihilation of these thousand cavalry. The soldiers of the King of Wu were afraid of Li Qing'an for a long time. Last year, only one thousand cavalry in Anxi arrived in Gaoyou. The King of Wu fled in sight. The 50,000 troops under his command were ashamed of Yuan Jingyao.

It is not doubtful that if he could defeat the thousand cavalry in front of him, he would greatly boost the morale of the King of Wu's army. He would also become the VIP guest of the King of Wu and would go hand in hand with generals such as Li Chengshi.

Yuan Jingyao saw his brilliant prospects. At this time, his subordinates advised him to be cautious in their work. Yuan Jingyao suddenly felt impatient and angrily scolded: "Soldiers are brave! They are timid without fighting. Why do you think you are a soldier? Are you afraid of being killed by Anxi? Do you think my soldiers are as timid as you?"

Another officer also advised: "General Yuan, my subordinates also thought it would be better to be cautious. The cavalry speed was extremely fast. A thousand cavalry might be their vanguard. The large group of people might be behind. Please think twice!"

"The opponent has only one thousand cavalry. I will fight with a strong crossbow. If I can't fight, it will not be too late to retreat to the water camp!"

Yuan Jingyao was eager to make achievements. He did not listen to his subordinates' advice and ordered: "I ordered the first to go to the eighth battalion to reorganize the army, and the ninth and tenth battalions to stay in the water camps and respond at any time."

With Yuan Jingyao's order, four thousand troops arrived ashore one after another, leaving only one thousand troops to guard the water camp, ready to pick them up on the ship at any time.

When Li Baozhen was a hundred miles away from the Salt Wharf, he divided his three thousand cavalry into two and ordered his subordinate Zheng Xu to lead two thousand cavalry around the east to wait for an opportunity to respond. However, he only brought one thousand cavalry to attack the Salt Wharf.

They were not fast, and they burned the salt warehouse along the way. More than twenty of the eighty salt warehouses built by Li Lin were burned by them. It was the west wind and thick smoke suddenly rolled. The smoke and dust to the west of the salt wharf covered the sky and the sun. The air was filled with a pungent smell. The large amount of toxic gas released by the combustion of sea salt enveloped the entire salt wharf, just like chemical weapons, which made Yuan Jingyao's army breathe.

Yuan Jingyao had no choice but to move his army to the north and set up a large crossbow formation. Yuan Jingyao carried a large iron spear in his hand and took the lead. His eyes were filled with excitement, ready to fight the Anxi cavalry.

The Anxi cavalry gradually approached Yuan Jingyao's army, but Li Baozhen was not in a hurry to attack. He ordered the cavalry to stop five hundred steps away, maintain a state of impact, and confront the enemy.

This is a wolf pack tactic often used by cavalry. Use time to exchange space. The cavalry knows that the opponent's bow and crossbow is powerful, so they are not in a hurry to attack. Instead, they wait for the opponent's morale to fade away. When the opponent can't stand back, they will launch a sudden attack. This is like a wolf pack, or wait for a few days and nights, and only chase after the prey can't stand it and escape, or even use an invisible pressure to make the prey collapse by itself.

This is actually a battle of willpower, it depends on who can persevere until the end.

Yuan Jingyao obviously had no experience in dealing with cavalry. He set off the crossbow formation too early, thinking that the Anxi cavalry would rushed towards him when they drove to the front of the formation. However, he did not expect that the Anxi army did not attack, but confronted him with time, and he fell into the tactical trap of the Anxi army.

It was December, and it was dark very early. After an hour, night gradually fell. The cold wind blew everywhere and the cold air was so cold that the four thousand crossbow soldiers were so cold that their fingers were numb and their bodies were trembling. Many soldiers could no longer stand on their legs.

But they did not dare to retreat. Behind them, another two thousand cavalry had already surrounded them silently and cut off their retreat. The result of the battle against the 4,000 infantry was self-evident.

At this moment, the thirty large ships led by Li Xian also rushed outside the Salt Wharf and blocked the retreat of the Water Village.

Yuan Jingyao looked at the Anxi cavalry who had always maintained Ling Lie's murderous aura in the darkness. However, his army began to slowly collapse in morale. Many soldiers could no longer raise heavy crossbow arrows and knelt on the ground. The despair spread rapidly in the army and also infected Yuan Jingyao's heart. His heart was also full of despair.

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Chapter completed!