This time, Zhong Changqing and Mo Lihu came to listen to the teachings of Zhennan Zong Wang Wululie on behalf of the General Office of the Military and Horse Capital in the west of Beijing, and discussed the next countermeasures with the generals and officials of the Zongwang Palace and the General Office of the Heluo Military and Horse Capital.
Everyone was afraid that something might happen to King Zhennan, so they insisted on blocking Uluru Lie from approaching the iron bridge to see his true appearance. However, Zhong Changqing, Mo Lihu and others, surrounded by a small team of scout cavalry, rushed to get a closer look.
Cross the iron bridge.
Although they were three or four miles away from the iron bridge recently, and they couldn't see the details of the iron bridge clearly, it was still shocking enough.
Jingxi has done a lot of successful or unsuccessful infiltration work. At present, the secret of using cooked charcoal to make iron in Chushan has been revealed. After verifying that it is effective, the Zongwang Mansion ordered the people in Shuozhou, Jizhou and other places three years ago.
The iron smelting yards followed suit, and the output of high-quality iron materials increased significantly in the past two or three years.
This will indeed greatly promote the recovery of production in the Central Plains region, and at the same time provide sufficient high-quality iron materials for the manufacture of various armors and war equipment, but it can only go so far.
The Jizhou Iron Smelting Field was founded by the Khitans in the past by driving Han craftsmen. In the first thirty to forty years, it developed to its peak with 26 smelting fields, burning charcoal, mining, and smelting.
??There are more than 30,000 iron workers, and the annual output of iron materials is as high as 5 to 6 million. As corruption grew within the Yan (Khitan) dynasty, before the two northern expeditions to Yan in the Southern Dynasty, the iron smelting field in Jizhou
The output of materials is less than two million kilograms a year.
Although Chihu rose up in the barbarian land of Mobei, it has attached great importance to craftsmanship since its rise. It recruited a large number of large food craftsmen from the Western Regions very early, and the craftsmen were used by the king's tent.
Before they crossed the Xianbei Mountains to conquer the Khitan, the armor and equipment of the Chihu cavalry had completely surpassed the Khitan, which seemed to have a larger population and stronger national power.
When invading the Central Plains from the south, the Chihu people were never afraid of killing and plundering. In addition to gold, silver, treasures and young women, craftsmen were the key targets of the Chihu people.
The first time they went south to besiege Bianliang, the demand for craftsmen was even higher than that of gold, silver and jewelry. When Bianliang fell, almost all of the hundreds of thousands of craftsmen who gathered in the capital were taken captive to Taiyuan and other places. Only
A very small number of craftsmen were able to escape.
With the vigorous promotion of Prince Ping Yanzong, Jizhou Iron Smelting Field quickly returned to an annual output of five million kilograms of iron. After following the example of Chushan in using hydrated coal to make iron, Jizhou Iron Smelting Field's annual output
The output exceeded 10 million jins, and the labor force did not even require 30,000 people.
In the past, this was definitely an achievement worth being proud of; the iron output of Chihu, Shuozhou, Taiyuan and other places was enough to supply the war and farming needs of the Central Plains.
However, I am afraid of comparison in everything.
Beijing and Xiangzhou exported iron materials, porcelain, tea, cloth, etc., and even though the imperial court and the various road supervisors agreed to exempt each other from tax, they still needed to report in advance.
Therefore, it is difficult for Jingxi and Heluo to spy on some of Jingxiang's core secrets, but they can roughly estimate that Jingxiang's export of iron materials to the outside world this year may be as high as 40 million kilograms.
If we include the iron materials sold and used by ourselves in the jurisdiction of Beijing and Xiangzhou, the General Administration of Military and Horses of Western Beijing estimates that the annual output of iron materials in Beijing and Xiangzhou can be as high as 70 to 80 million kilograms.
In addition to Cao Shixiong, the Marshal's Mansion and the General Mansion of the Military and Horse Capital under the jurisdiction of the Zhennan Zong Palace were extremely suspicious of the information provided by Jingxiang. Many people believed that Yue Hailou had falsely praised Jingxiang.
The strength of the team questioned Yue Hailou's inability to defend Jingxi's offensive in the past two years.
Red Hu tax collectors and work officers often recruited big cannibals, who were very good at arithmetic and good at organizing large-scale factory production. In their view, Jizhou Iron Smelting Plant ensured the annual output of tens of millions of kilograms of iron.
As a result, a total of 30,000 troops were recruited in each link, which can be said to be squeezed to the extreme.
The General Administration Office of the Military and Horse Capital in Western Beijing estimates that the annual output of iron materials in Beijing and Xiangxiang is as high as 70 to 80 million kilograms. Where can there be so many young and strong laborers available?
Zhong Changqing now wants to drag these guys to the bank of the Majian River, let them open their eyes to see the iron bridge across the Majian River, and let them appreciate how far the iron smelting and casting in Beijing and Xiangzhou have reached.
Let them touch their chests and think about it carefully, when will Chi Hu's iron smelting skills reach this stage?
On the edge of the battlefield of the confrontation between Beijing and Xiangzhou, within reach of Heluo soldiers and horses, millions of kilograms of iron materials were used to build such an iron bridge, in the hope that the group of camps on both sides of the Majian River would be more closely connected at all costs.
, is it to ensure at all costs that the main force of its elite infantry and cavalry deployed on the east bank can enter and leave the battlefield on the west bank at any time, or is this iron bridge against the Jingxiang at that time?
For now, it’s nothing anymore?
Zhong Changqing knew in his heart that it was the latter.
In addition to the Majian River, Beijing and Xiangxiang also built several similar iron bridges in other places.
In addition to traditional war weapons such as shield chariots, the Beijing-Xiangang Army used cast iron horses on a large scale on the battlefield.
This kind of cast-iron horse is not as bulky as imagined. In fact, it is more like two cast-iron fences crossing diagonally, with sharp thorns exposed at the top. It is even light, but it is difficult for horses and horses to approach.
Dragging a large number of cast-iron horses to the battlefield can quickly form a simple barracks - the Beijing-Xiangang Army has repeatedly used this to strengthen its control of the battlefield.
In short, the iron smelting in Jingxiang has reached the point where it can be squandered, allowing the Jingxiang army to borrow more tactics that are different from traditional tactics on the battlefield - this also makes the confrontation between Jingxi and Heluo after the flood season last year.
The two armies suffered much higher casualty ratios on the battlefield than their opponents.
Therefore, in the view of Zhong Changqing, Mo Lihu and other generals in the west of Beijing, they need to make a decisive move to switch from offense to defense, vigorously publicize their huge defeat in the war, and do everything possible to make Prince Jingpanzong and Prince Pingyanzong maintain restraint.
In this way, the forces within the Southern Dynasties that contained Beijing and Xiangxiang were able to emerge.
Peace talks can even be put on the agenda.
Previously, when the Zhennan sect king Wulu Lie led his generals to inspect the Linying battlefield, Yue Hailou openly expressed this view. However, Wulu Lie did not accept it and even scolded Yue Hailou for his ineffective combat.
Zhong Changqing glanced at the cold profile of the Zhennan King Ulullie, and could see that his brows had not opened since he stepped onto the south bank of Yintiling Ridge. He thought to himself, will the Zong King follow the good deeds?
…………
…………
Returning to the Yishui camp to the west of Yintiling, the king of Zhennan, Wulu Lie, summoned the main generals of Heluo to discuss the war.
All the major generals in Heluo felt that the war was unsustainable.
Of course, Cao Shixiong, Meng Ping, Meng Jian, Cao Cheng and others felt that switching from offense to defense was not a problem. Even if the frontline troops were reduced to the same level as the Beijing-Xiang Army, or even less, relying on the two-year-old
The built defense line, relying on the Yishui River and the steep terrain at the western foot of Jishan Mountain, was enough to make up for the disadvantages of armor, weapons and troops.
If the Beijing-Xiangjun army dares to launch a forceful attack, it will inevitably suffer greater casualties and material losses.
After the dinner, Uluru Lie left Shuchi, Molihu and several other trusted generals in the tent to ask their opinions.
It turned out that Yan Muchi was old, weak in energy, and weak from illness. He was no longer in charge of the General Mansion of the Military and Horse Capital in the west of Beijing, but returned to Uluru Lie to make suggestions.
"Even if we have to bear the blame, the war between Rucai and Rucai can't go on any longer," Yan Muchi said in a hoarse voice, "but we're afraid that we won't be able to convince Brother Tu and Kusigu to exercise restraint, let alone use the peace talks to deceive the people of the Southern Dynasties.
Already..."
Wu Lulie nodded with difficulty.
Previously in Xuzhou, when he reprimanded Yue Hailou in front of the generals, he did not question the ineffectiveness of the battle in the west of Beijing, nor did he fail to realize the beauty of showing weakness to the enemy.
In fact, he knew in his heart that most of the tribesmen, including his brothers, and even his eldest brother who ascended the throne of Khan, did not clearly realize the miracles Jingxiang had created - it seemed difficult to recognize this clearly before hitting his head and bleeding.
point.
Therefore, even if they admit the failure of the central offensive, it is impossible to persuade the east and west armies to exercise restraint, let alone start peace talks with the Southern Dynasty and allow the Southern Dynasty to deal with it internally.
It’s Beijing and Xiangzhou.
Uluru Lie didn't even think he could convince Brother Tu, who was close to him.
The current problem is that the center must switch from offense to defense, weaken the troops on the front line, reduce the pressure on logistics supplies, and give the generals a chance to recuperate. There is also a high probability that they will not be able to convince Brother Tu. Kusigu maintains restraint and shows weakness to the enemy. They
what to do?
Mo Lihu pondered for a moment and said: "If the middle route fails to break through Rucai's defense line, the king of Zong may be criticized. King Khan should ask King Pingyan Zong and King Jingpan to break through from the east and west routes so that one day they can
To attack Beijing and Xiang from both sides - we can only deploy according to this point!"
Compared with the arrogant Mo Lihu when he first set foot in the Central Plains, he has suffered too many losses at the hands of Jingxiang (Chushan) in recent years and has matured.
Uluru Lie sighed and said: "Don't talk about showing weakness to the enemy at this time. It's not something I can decide in one word. You should think more about whether there are opportunities on the east and west routes."
"Yes." Mo Lihu and other generals responded.
Mu Chi pondered for a while and then said: "If Brother Tu crosses the Huainan River this autumn and winter, the Zong Wang can help him from Heluo and Jingxi dark-tune elites!"
To be honest, Cao Shixiong and Yue Hailou were defeated repeatedly in the hands of Jingxiang (Chushan). However, careful observation of the confrontations in the past two years revealed that the combat effectiveness of the Jingxi and Heluohan armies was actually quite strong.
It's just that Naihe encountered an opponent he had never seen before.
On the east and west routes, whether it is King Pingyan or King Jingpan, the cavalry combat power is sufficient. However, due to the restrictions of Huainan's many swamps and the strange and dangerous terrain of the Qinling Mountains, the cavalry's combat power cannot be fully exerted, but it lacks
The infantry and horses were strong enough to prevent previous battles from progressing.
Therefore, Mu Chi thought that if Tu Ge could not be persuaded to exercise restraint on the east road, then the Han army in the west of Heluo and Beijing could secretly mobilize elite infantrymen to strengthen the attack on Huainan - and even reduce the number of troops on the Rucai front line next.
They resorted to some tricks to cover up Chen Cang, and directly evacuated some of the elite infantry and hid them...
