Jining Zhili Prefecture is a famous canal city. Relying on the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, it became one of the most important industrial and commercial cities in the late Qing Dynasty. It is known as the "Canal Capital" and has jurisdiction over the three counties of Jinxiang, Jiaxiang and Yutai.

The Northern Army has been arguing internally about strategy and tactics these days.

Should we fight to the death with Chen Tianhua's Confederate Army under Jining City and Yizhou City and strive to severely inflict heavy damage on the Confederate Army? Or should we make a strategic retreat and enter the borders of Jinan Prefecture and seek a pincer attack with Taishan Prefecture, Yanzhou Prefecture and others.

This topic actually became a hotly debated issue within the Zhang family when Song Xiaoniu entered Yanzhou territory.

Zhang Shuyuan's staff team is inclined to abandon Yizhou City. In their view, it is impossible for the Yizhou defenders to compete with Song Xiaoniu's troops. Rather than wasting the last bit of military power pointlessly under Yizhou City, it is better to preserve it.

It has the vitality to advance first and then retreat.

As long as they can join forces with Zhang Huaizhi's troops in Jinan, and the combined strength of the two armies, a total of more than 150,000 troops, will be enough to form a confrontation with Chen Tianhua's southern army on the border of Jinan Prefecture.

As long as the war is delayed for a long time, it will be a victory for Er Zhang.

Zhang Shuyuan personally prefers this strategic consideration.

But the problem is that the foundation of Zhang Shuyuan's army is in Yizhou, and the personal interests of a large number of people within the Zhang clan are also in Yizhou.

If Yizhou is abandoned, Zhang Shuyuan's personal loss will not be great, but other members of the Zhang family, as well as many vested interests in the Zhang family group, will be ruined and have nothing.

And it is precisely these people who are the foundation for the Zhang family's rule in southern Shandong. Without the support of these people, Zhang Shuyuan is just a building built on a pile of sand, which will fall down as soon as it is pushed.

The controversy still did not subside until the Southern Army captured Shan County in Caozhou Prefecture and Yixian County in Yanzhou Prefecture.

When Song Xiaoniu's main forward advanced to less than fifty miles away from Yizhou and could launch an attack on Yizhou City at any time, the win-win situation calmed down a little.

As Chen Tianhua led his followers to arrive at the gate of Yizhou City, this debate finally came to an abrupt end.

Chen Tianhua went on a personal expedition, and the elite troops of the Southern Army on the eastern front came out in full force. Moreover, during the Southern Army's attack sequence, the arrival of Song Xiaoniu and Yang Shanxin's troops, with the Ganzhou security forces as the main force, finally made those within the Zhang family who were lucky enough to close the door.

On the mouth.

Song Xiaoniu and Yang Shanxin's subordinates have been dealing with stubborn bandits and lake bandits for a long time in recent years. They are good at fighting and have a tough style.

If the city of Yizhou is destroyed and these guys enter the city, their fate will be even more miserable.

Although money is important, life is ultimately more precious than human beings.

Everyone finally reached a united front.

But retreating at this time is not so easy. If you want to conduct such a large-scale retreat under the eyes of the enemy, it is impossible to complete it without someone taking on the task of breaking up the rear.

Obviously, this break is basically a narrow escape from death.

The Southern armies of Song Xiaoniu and Yang Shanxin both relied on cavalry as their main combat unit. If they wanted to get rid of their pursuit, someone would need to put up a desperate resistance in Yizhou City.

Zhang Shuyuan finally chose Wu Chenghua, a major general who had been promoted by himself and came from a poor family, to take on this important task.

At this time, it is obviously impossible for the Zhang clan to take on this task.

Wu Chenghua was invited to Zhang Shuyuan's official residence. When he saw sumptuous dishes and famous wines on the table, as well as the heavy look on Zhang Shuyuan's face, he couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Wu Chenghua understood that this final task finally fell on him.

"Chenghua, you must also know my difficulties. There are not many people in the Zhang family who are successful. Letting them shoulder this heavy burden will probably ruin all of us. Only you can make me feel at ease."

." Zhang Shuyuan poured the ecstasy soup on the other party sincerely.

Picking up the wine glass on the table, Wu Chenghua drank it all in one gulp and said:

"The general started from humble beginnings and has been promoted by the general over the years. Now is the time to repay the favor. General, please rest assured that the general will live up to his trust."

Zhang Shuyuan felt a little apologetic in his heart and said in a deep voice: "Chenghua, I will leave you 30,000 troops. Please keep it for ten to twenty days no matter what."

Wu Chenghua understood that most of the so-called 30,000 troops were local garrisons from the original counties of Yizhou. Their military discipline was lax, their combat effectiveness was extremely low, let alone their belief.

It is almost impossible to rely on such an army to withstand the strong attack of the Confederate army for ten to twenty days.

"General, I have two requests!" Wu Chenghua went straight to the point.

"Chenghua, please tell me. As long as I can do my best, I will satisfy you."

"First point, my direct troops must stay." Wu Chenghua said.

Zhang Shuyuan was a little hesitant. The troops in Wu Chenghua's hands were one of the few elite brigade in his hands, with more than 7,000 people.

"General, I left them here for the sake of the overall situation. If there is no elite troops in Yizhou City, I'm afraid that as soon as the war starts, those miscellaneous soldiers will be scattered. Let alone resist for ten days, I'm afraid

Even three or two days is difficult." Wu Chenghua said slowly.

Zhang Shuyuan gritted his teeth and nodded, "Okay, that's no problem!"

"Second request, please ask the general to take away all my family members and place them properly." Wu Chenghua breathed out, which was considered to be explaining the funeral arrangements.

"Please rest assured about this Chenghua, I will definitely arrange it properly."

In fact, Zhang Shuyuan would do this even if Wu Chenghua didn't say anything about it.

Think about it, if you don't hold Wu Chenghua's family in your hands, if Wu Chenghua suddenly comes to surrender to the enemy as soon as the Confederate army attacks, you will be blinded.

The two of them had nothing to say and just drank and ate in silence.

In fact, both parties also knew in their hearts that this was the end of their lives.

Three days later, Chen Tianhua and Song Xiaoniu led their troops into the Yizhou City Defense Area, about five kilometers away from the main city, and began to set up camps one after another.

The sentinel cavalry had begun running back and forth around the city.

In Yizhou City, the Zhang clan members were packed and ready to retreat.

Standing on the city tower, Wu Chenghua looked coldly at the countless carriages, wooden carts, and the flow of people carrying large packages on the streets of the city. He couldn't help but shake his head, and turned back to his deputy general Qi Jun:

"Look, at this time, we are still clinging to these external possessions. They even recruited our cavalry's horses to haul property for them. They really want money rather than their lives."

Qi Jun snorted, "If the general doesn't make an immediate decision, he will definitely drag them to death. At this time, we should cut off our arms, abandon everything except the necessary military supplies, and retreat as fast as possible. General Wu, don't you think so?"

Do you think we can really keep it for ten days?"

"Ten days is not enough, two or three days is always possible." Wu Chenghua replied thoughtfully.

"Two or three days?" Qi Jun was surprised.

"Qi Jun, come with me, I have something to say to you!" Wu Chenghua patted Qi Jun on the shoulder and whispered.

Qi Jun followed Wu Chenghua into the tower command post and sent out all the staff, leaving only the two of them.
Chapter completed!