Exhausted enemy

The great battle was in preparation, and troops were being deployed in an orderly fashion. Spring plowing had also begun in Southern Yunnan and the Zhongnan Circuit.

After all, the war had not yet begun, and life had to go on. To use a saying from the Central Plains: "Do you stop planting crops just because you hear the crickets chirping?"

Liu Rengui received Gao Yuan's orders. After reading them carefully, he decided not to give up Phitsanulok for the time being, but he did decide to relocate the population and supplies first.

Hearing that a war was coming, and that there were fields and houses in the heart of the Zhongnan Circuit, the people of Phitsanulok showed little resistance to moving.

"Commander, the more than twenty thousand people of Phitsanulok have all settled in Location and Vientiane."

Ma Song walked into the main hall of Liu Rengui's command post, picked up a teapot, and took a big gulp before saying with some regret,

"This territory was hard-won by the brothers, so it's a real pity to just give it up like this. The brothers have quite a few complaints!"

Liu Rengui knew this was inevitable. He put down his pen and patiently persuaded him,

"Our forces are limited. If we spread them out everywhere, we will easily be defeated one by one. Tell the brothers not to care about these small gains; they should look at the big picture.

Once we repel the toungoo people's offensive, we can easily take back not just Phitsanulok, but also Nan Province and Phetchabun."

"Really?"

"What good would it do me to lie to you? Remember what our lord once said: 'If you keep the people and lose the land, both the people and the land can be kept. If you keep the land and lose the people, both the people and the land will be lost.'"

Ma Song pondered Gao Yuan's words for a moment and immediately nodded.

"I understand. I will go back and talk it over with the brothers."

"Good, that's settled. Come here and look!"

Liu Rengui beckoned, called Ma Song to his side, and pointed to several Locations on the map.

"We can abandon Phitsanulok, but we must make the toungoo people pay a price. Look here, after we abandon the towns, we can set up ambushes in these places."

"Are we still ambushing the enemy's supply trains?"

"Great minds think alike, but this time we need to adjust our strategy."

"How shall we adjust it?"

"Last time we fought the Toungoo, Bayinnaung already learned his lesson. This time, he will surely defend his grain and supplies heavily."

Ma Song's expression became somewhat disappointed.

"If they are heavily defended, how are we supposed to ambush them!"

Liu Rengui revealed a smug smile.

"What do you think would happen if our main force launched a surprise attack on the enemy's grain camp?"

"They would definitely mobilize troops to come to the rescue!"

Liu Rengui clapped his hands excitedly.

"Exactly! We are attacking the reinforcements that come to save them. Those are their elites!"

"Elites might be tough to fight..."

Facing Ma Song's doubts, Liu Rengui was full of confidence.

"We have two divisions of the Beiwei Army in our hands, so we have nothing to fear from mere Toungoo elites. What's the point of wiping out some stray dogs? I'm here to fight the elites."

Seeing his superior so full of confidence, Ma Song also felt assured.

Hearing that the Zhongnan Circuit had begun to withdraw from Phitsanulok, Bayinnaung was also very surprised. He tentatively sent a force to occupy two county towns and was able to take them very smoothly.

Just as he was puzzled, he received a report from the front line.

"Empty cities? What are the Han people trying to do?"

Since he couldn't figure it out, he stopped thinking about it. He sent more troops to occupy most of Phitsanulok, and the whole way was full of empty cities. Now he was completely reassured.

"It seems the Han people knew they couldn't hold on and ran away. Hahaha, pass the order to Pindalipha to send troops to retake Phitsanulok."

Having abandoned four or five cities in a row, Liu Rengui had gathered seven or eight thousand troops, including five thousand from the Beiwei Army, giving him enough strength to launch an attack.

The toungoo people pushed forward and occupied cities along the way, but their forces gradually began to disperse, and their front lines grew longer. The opportunity Liu Rengui had been waiting for finally appeared.

This time, Bayinnaung had learned from his previous lesson. Pindalipha's center and rear were very close, no more than five miles apart, and they could arrive to reinforce within an hour at full speed.

"Commander, we have found out clearly. The Toungoo rear guard has over twenty thousand people, including laborers and auxiliary troops, while the center only has over ten thousand."

"Hahaha, that really is a fat piece of meat!"

Hearing that there was such a big piece of meat, Liu Rengui couldn't help but let drool flow from the corner of his mouth.

"Let the brothers get some good rest. We'll work tonight, and make sure to make enough noise for me."

"Understood!"

At the end of the first lunar month, the night was as black as ink. Having suffered a big loss, the toungoo people did not dare to relax at all, and they kept their eyes wide open.

A Toungoo military officer came to the sentry post, saw that the soldiers were very alert, and nodded with satisfaction.

"Keep your eyes peeled for me. Those cunning Han people love to raid grain supplies the most!"

"Don't worry, General, the brothers are all very alert!"

"That's good!"

The general left with satisfaction, and the sentries continued to keep their spirits up, watching the vast night in the distance.

Suddenly, the soldier seemed to see something and subconsciously tugged at the person next to him.

"Hey, hey, hey, look over there, is there someone?"

The person next to him opened his eyes wide and took a careful look.

"Where is there anyone? You didn't see wrong, did you?"

"Impossible, my eyesight is the best. There is definitely someone."

"You must have seen things... Someone, someone! Enemy attack, enemy attack!"

"Clang, clang, clang!"

Accompanied by the ringing of the alarm bell, the Toungoo rear camp immediately became noisy.

The Toungoo camp was in chaos. From top to bottom, everyone woke up from their dreams, hurriedly put on their robes and armor, and ran out.

The messengers who had been prepared to ask for help also rode fast horses out and headed straight for the main camp.

However, by the time Pindalipha arrived with reinforcements, he only saw a camp of panicked and nervous subordinates.

As for the enemy who came to raid, there wasn't even a trace of one.

Pindalipha's face was gloomy. He pointed his horsewhip at the general of the rear guard.

"What is going on? Where is the enemy?"

The general of the rear guard was also confused at this moment.

"This humble general does not know either. I only heard the alarm and immediately started arranging defenses."

Pindalipha knew his subordinate hadn't done anything wrong, so he didn't vent his anger on him.

"Send someone to bring the soldiers who raised the alarm."

After the two soldiers on night duty at the watchtower were brought in and questioned, he realized it was a false alarm.

Pindalipha's face became even gloomier. He pointed at the two sentries.

"Drag these two blind bastards away and give them twenty heavy military canings."

The sound of sticks hitting flesh and shrill screams for mercy immediately rang out in the military camp.

This scene made the other soldiers feel a chill down their spines, and each of them reminded themselves to keep their eyes sharp when on night duty.

At this moment, in the distant mountains and forests, a team of Scouts who had finished watching the good show were hiding in the forest, laughing until their stomachs ached.

"Hahaha, that cracked me up! Look at how nervous the toungoo people are, hahaha!"

"This is called... what was it called again?"

"A frightened bird. You lazy guy, who knows which girl you were thinking about when the teacher was teaching the cultural lesson!"

"Squad Leader, are we still going later?"

The leading Squad Leader looked at the sky and waved his hand.

"It's too early to go now. Everyone, get some rest first. We'll talk after the toungoo people are fast asleep."

The soldiers took out hammocks from their horses, tied them to tree trunks, lay on them, ate jerky, and drank cold boiled water to rest.

After punishing the sentries and encouraging the vigilance and dedication of the rear guard general, Pindalipha led his troops away.

More than an hour later, the Toungoo rear camp finally returned to silence.

Just when everyone had just entered dreamland, the alarm bell rang urgently again.