Under the snow-topped mountains, by the Qinghai Lake.
Liu Shishi was wearing a thin coat, carrying a disproportionately large musket on his shoulder, and was jogging around the lake with long strides.
Continuous exercise caused him to sweat a lot, making his cheeks red and his breathing gradually becoming heavy.
A large number of soldiers gathered in the lakeside camp. On the one hand, the auxiliary soldiers were envious of the fact that the commander ran hundreds of steps with a heavy gun on his shoulder, and then came back with as much physical strength as if nothing had happened.
On the other hand, the soldiers also focused their attention on this huge musket.
That was the hard work of the great craftsmen Shi Cheng and He Xin, and their gun-carrying spear was finally ready.
In order to make this gun, He Xin also specially improved the technology of drilling the gun barrel and changed the original vertical drilling machine to a horizontal one to overcome the technical difficulties.
In fact, it’s not about technical difficulty. The Lion Army’s craftsmen had no problems with the production process of all required equipment.
Only the freehand finishing after drilling the barrel is a key point that requires craftsmanship. This seven-foot-long barrel requires a height of one foot and five feet using an elevated vertical drilling machine.
It is already very troublesome for the craftsmen to climb so high, and when working in winter, it is difficult to drill every part of the chamber wall to the same width.
Later, I simply turned down the drill press and built a workshop. Manufacturing was much easier, and making this gun was a matter of course.
But it's still a little heavier than expected, thirty-eight and a half kilograms.
It is worth mentioning that the gun machine I chose for this big gun is the Fufa.
Because I am a master, I think this gun can perfectly avoid the disadvantages of the flintlock gun.
It is heavy enough and long enough, and is designed to have a very stable shooting environment. It can make the hammer as powerful as possible without affecting shooting accuracy.
And because it has a range of 300 steps, even if the fire fails, there is still enough time to pull the hammer again.
What's more, it uses a lot of medicine, makes a lot of noise, and is a supplementary firepower assigned to a certain level. Even if the group heavy weapon fails to fire, it will not be ignored in the salvo like an ordinary bird gun.
It can avoid to the greatest extent the occurrence of artificial explosions caused by multiple gunpowder and lead bullets being put into the barrel.
There is only one thing Liu Shizi feels right now: this gun is too damn heavy.
He has never slacked off in training, working hard to practice martial arts, which has become a habit for him as a teenager, like eating and drinking.
So now the body has become accustomed to less strenuous running on the plateau.
But even so, this gun is still too heavy. Running with a disproportionately large gun has a completely different feeling than running with armor of the same weight.
Let him talk about the feeling of running with this gun on his shoulder. To be honest, it will remind him of the 120-pound Guandao in the martial arts examination venue.
But in the martial arts examination hall, you only need to perform tricks with the long sword. Compared with running for two miles with this big gun weighing nearly 40 pounds, Liu Chengzong feels that it is more comfortable to use the big sword.
As he got closer to the shore, the soldiers cheered and cheered him on. Saburo had already prepared a towel and a leather water bag waiting for him.
The advancement of weapons has always placed higher demands on their handicraft industry.
In the past, shooting a light bird gun with three-money bullets cost 60 labors.
A master craftsman and an apprentice can make one rod every month. When the master and his subordinates work hard, they can make two to three hundred rods every month.
After arriving in Xining, they will need to make heavy muskets, which will require an additional 30 to 40 workers per shot, which will take a month and a half.
As for this big gun, one shot requires 130 labors, which is more than twice that of a light bird gun.
Liu Shishi was a little tired after running back, so he walked slowly around the camp, sipping water while walking.
Cao Yao took the gun and held the weapon taller than him, his eyes full of joy.
After many years of absence, after the wind-chasing gun in Liaodong, he finally saw this treasure again, and it was an enhanced version.
Old thief Cao took three steps and two steps at a time, and couldn't wait to say: "Commander, let's find someone to fight!"
"Is one shot enough?"
Liu Chengzong walked for a while, and the beating in his chest subsided a little. Then he sat down on the ground, called Master Cheng and I to sit down together, and said: "Master Master and Master He will form a spear-carrying match, and each will be rewarded with a hundred taels of silver... and let's make a two-wheeled cart for it."
Let the mule pull you away."
After running through it carrying a gun himself, Liu Shizi felt that it was better not to let his soldiers suffer this fate.
Marching on the plateau carrying such a thing is obviously the work of animals. There is no need to let animals rest.
As he spoke, Liu Chengzong turned his head, suddenly thought of something, and asked Shi Chengwo: "If the transport is not here, how many baggage trucks are there now?"
"More than three thousand vehicles?"
The transportation company has always been responsible for this matter, and I don’t know the specific number: "I heard from the transportation company before that it seemed to be more than three thousand, but the Buying camp had to leave more than a hundred vehicles earlier."
"Well, I know that the infantry battalion must be used as a light vehicle battalion. It seems that one battalion has 160 vehicles. We can add another 140 vehicles to make up for every ten vehicles, and modify them into small vehicles carrying guns.
Hang in the back."
After this trip to Haibei, Liu Chengzong deeply realized the vastness and sparsely populated areas of Qinghai.
Their experience in long-distance marches in northern Shaanxi will not apply here.
Carrying 12 days of food and grass in Han Dynasty is enough to cope with all situations, but here, if you want to fight a war, you may not have passed through an uncontrolled area for 12 days.
There is grass growing everywhere, so there is no need to worry about livestock.
In Liu Shizi's vision, each of his subordinates, regardless of whether they were infantry or cavalry, should be in charge of twelve mules, twenty-four horses, and a vehicle carrying 600 kilograms to station their military tents and armor.
, food and grass and a carrying gun.
It had only been more than a month since the troops entered the Haibei area, and Liu Chengzong felt that they might put afforestation on the agenda.
In the Haibei Baili and Haidong Riyue Mountain areas, there are very vast forest areas, mostly composed of fir trees, cypress trees, poplar trees, and birch trees.
But no matter how many trees there are, they can't hold up thousands of part-time lumberjack training horse soldiers.
If these people go out, they can kill all the wood that the surrounding Xifan tribe uses for a year in three to five days.
Who asked them to build ships, cannons, and houses at the same time?
In the early years when Huo Luochi was still alive, when looking for wood, he would send Gu Ruhuang Taiji to ride out with thirty or forty people, holding a knife and wandering around the tribes, and he could bring back ten thousand large trees in half a year.
So today the mentality of the Xifan tribesmen in Haibei is very complicated.
I wanted to persuade these strong men not to stick to one place, but the big men from northern Shaanxi picked up their axes one by one. The efficiency of logging was so high that they would cut off the top of the mountain again.
But he was worried, so after he tried to persuade him, the gang would assign the logging matter to him again.
Especially at this time, for the Xifantou people in Haibei, the Lion Army's advance into the Bay of Curve is no longer a secret, but there is no doubt about it.
Some people say they are Han rebels, while others say they are Han government officials. Anyway, they are not good things.
The rebels were naturally extremely ferocious, and the government was not much better either. When the emperor had trouble, he would dispatch them, but when he had nothing to do, he would ignore them and let the Mongols oppress them.
Therefore, everyone's attitude towards this group of people is very similar to that of an ostrich.
However, there are exceptions.
On the second day of March, Dai Daozi returned from the war between the Huo Luo Chi brothers in the south.
Dai Daozi not only brought back Taiji's request to be stationed in Mu Haibei, but also brought an unexpected guest to Liu Chengzong who was drying wood.
The pretentious request is not a problem for Liu Chengzong. Haibei is very large, and it is a good thing to have a Mongolian path exploration team in the buffer area.
What's more, this will also make their trade more convenient.
Liu Chengzong planned to buy 20 large stone millstones from Xining, and asked Baiyan to select some herdsmen to drive yaks to use as road stones, and run more than ten times from Juerwan to Haibei to grind out a road.
As for this caravan, how should I say it, it is a Spanish tribute caravan coming from afar.
The leader is a monk in his forties named Gamalad, who is the younger brother of King Nangqian and the abbot of Genbeng Temple.
Monk Gama brought 200 horses and 140 yaks to pay tribute to the emperor, and also gave gifts to Li Tianyu, the commander of the Xining Guard.
"But this monk doesn't know Li Tianyu either. He just came to give gifts to the commander of the Xining Guard."
In Liu Chengzong's commander's tent, Dai Daozi took a map drawn on cowhide and pointed out to Liu Chengzong: "This is Nangqian, the southern gate from Qinghai to Tibet."
When Liu Chengzong saw this rough-painted cowhide map, he looked askance at it.
He discovered a more familiar name, Yushu Tusi, a small chieftain from hundreds of families under King Nangqian.
It seems that Nangqian is a big tribe.
"How many people does he have, and he is so far away, 1,200 miles away? He also passed through the battlefield, how did he get here?"
Dai Daozi nodded: "There were thirty-seven of them. Regardless of the feudal states or the Mongols, they did not make things difficult for the monks, so the journey was quite smooth, but they only walked 1,600 miles."
One thousand six hundred miles, further than Liu Shizi expected.
"This picture is a good thing, let me draw it first."
Liu Chengzong handed the matter over to the painter accompanying the army, and then asked Dai Daozi: "He came to see the commander of Xining Guard, why did you bring him here?"
Liu Shizi estimated that this Ga Ma came to pay tribute because he wanted to ask the court for something.
Otherwise, in a place as far away as Yushu, anyone’s rule would be in name only.
There is absolutely no need to offend Gongma.
"I told him about the situation here and the changes in the overall situation." Dai Daozi said with a smile on his face: "He decided to come to see the commander-in-chief."
Dai Daozi said: "I asked, to the east of his brother's territory, there is a prince named King Baili, named Dunyue Duoji, who is very powerful and attacks everywhere."
"King Nangqian fought with King Baili, but was defeated and killed. The Genbeng Temple where Ga Ma was located was also attacked, so he came to Xining to seek help from the court."
Liu Chengzong frowned and said, "Does he think the court can help?"
Are there such simple people in the world?
Dai Daozi shook his head: "I talked with Ga Ma for a long time on the road. Their long-standing tradition is to ask for a title from the emperor of the Central Plains Dynasty, and at the same time from the Dharma King of Uzang. Recently, they also ask for a title from the emperor who occupies the north at the same time.
The Mongolian leader asks for a title."
Liu Chengzong couldn't laugh or cry. What kind of attribute bonus is this?
Master Chen, who came with the gun to watch the excitement, stood beside him and said at this moment: "Commander, I know where they are, and there is King Baili."
With that said, Master Chen pointed to the map and said: "Commander, please look at their location. It is the only way for the Mongols to enter Tibet. The title of chieftain by the emperor is the golden sign of the internal control. The title given by the king can appease the people and make it more stable.
”
"And the recognition of the Mongols can save them from being exiled to Tibet."
Chen Shifo knew these things very well. After thinking about it, he asked Liu Chengzong: "I wonder if the commander-in-chief has fully embraced the hearts of the southern states?"
Collect all the hearts of the southern country?
Liu Chengzong frowned and asked: "How do you say it?"
"This picture does not include King Baili's territory. This tribe became rich because of its territory. There is a place to the southeast. The commander must know that it is the only way for Sichuan to enter Tibet. It is a sharp road to facilitate business with the Han people.
”
"In that area, King Baili could mobilize about 20,000 people, but if he went to Nangchen, he would only have 4,000 troops."
"Now that King Nangqian has been killed, if the commander-in-chief has no intention of going south, he can naturally write a letter to Gama to appoint a chieftain, but a letter of appointment cannot allow him to regain the territory."
"If the army is sent to help, as long as King Baili is driven out of Nangqian and Gama is crowned king of Nangqian, Qinghai will be the most loyal Xifan subordinate at the gate of Qinghai's entry into Tibet."
It is a bit difficult for Liu Chengzong to drive the four thousand soldiers out of Nangqian... It is not the problem of the soldiers, the terrain over there is high.
His army has just gotten used to the terrain from Haibei to Xining. If they can keep up with supplies along the way and have a guide who is familiar with the road, it will only take a month to quickly maneuver to Nangqian.
But once he gets there, he may not be able to directly go into battle.
The difficulty can be overcome, but whether it is necessary to overcome it, Liu Shizi feels that more information is needed.
Master Chen waited for a while and heard him say: "Go on."
Master Buddha then said: "I think there are two benefits of sending troops to help. First, it is King Nangqian's financial resources. A hundred years ago, King Nangqian's ancestors invited black sect monks to station in Genbeng Temple to promote Buddhism and donated 10,000 yuan.
Even Qinghai knows about livestock with only one horn."
"Ten thousand horns?"
Liu Chengzong wondered what this meant and donated 10,000 unicorns to Uzang?
"That's five thousand sheep or cattle."
After Chen Shifo finished speaking, Dai Daozi also added: "Commander, they should have a lot of livestock. The horses brought by Ga Ma this time are for tribute, and the yaks are carrying gifts. I plan to come over and finish the delivery, leaving forty.
Go back and ride, and sell the rest in Xining."
Five thousand livestock, not bad.
Supplement meat, eggs and milk to strengthen the lion camp.
But according to the current situation where King Nangqian has been killed, it is estimated that even if Gama makes a promise, he will have to pay in installments.
What's more, he has to cross the middle zone between Lazun and Guru. Once the back road is cut off, he will be alone. The terrain here does not allow him to break out of camp and go anywhere like he did in northern Shaanxi.
If you want to prepare for this war, you must first garrison troops to separate them, and at least capture the front line of Chaka Salt Pond.
The battle line is too long.
"What about the second one?"
Chen Shifo said: "The commander-in-chief is an outsider. Between Qinghai and Tibet, countless feudal states do not mind joining the powerful king. Regardless of the Ming Dynasty or the previous dynasty, the commander-in-chief only needs to help Gama and let other feudal states see the benefits of joining.
Everyone will rush to join."
After saying that, Master Chen said: "At least the commander should meet Gama."
After he finished speaking, Liu Chengzong suddenly asked Dai Daozi: "When will Xiaoyan come over?"
Dai Daozi was stunned by the question.
A smile appeared on Liu Shizi's face. He didn't necessarily want to go to Gama, but if he wanted to go, he thought it would be a better choice to send a thousand troops and let Bao Yan pull out another two thousand cavalry, and the coalition forces to go south.
The subordinates who lied about it have been to Uzang. His people can get used to the altitude there. If the Lion Army's combat effectiveness is reduced due to the plateau, there is still a layer of insurance.
Of course, this matter will have to wait for the people who made the pretense to move over.
As long as the family members of the entire Taiji tribe are under the protection of Liu Chengzong, the alliance between the two sides will be unbreakable.