The battlefield is the darkest place in the human heart. Every knife and gun is pointed at a living person.
Every general who has experienced hundreds of battles is not only an excellent commander, but also a person with insight into people's hearts.
Tangqi is a special force that has made great contributions to Liu Chengzong. They cover the battlefield, block sight, and artificially create a fog, giving the trapped enemy troops the fear of being attacked on all sides.
Especially since it is approaching dusk at this time, the enemy, shrouded in this fear, usually digs trenches and sets up camp on the spot without moving around. After scaring themselves all night long, they are finally completely defeated at dawn.
Liu Chengzong has fought many battles like this, but this time there was a little accident.
Tangqi commander Ma Xiang hurriedly found Liu Chengzong, who was leading his army to move, and reported: "Commander, Tangqi can't stop it, the enemy is breaking through to the south!"
Ma Xiang was also a surrendered general. In his early years, he kept his family background. He was the general of Tangqi in He Huchen's second batch of Ningxia troops. During the Hehuang War, he surrendered to Dai Daozi in the battle between Tang soldiers.
Because most of the Tangqi soldiers who surrendered in the same group were his subordinates and had no relatives in Ningxia, Liu Chengzong was awarded the position of Tangqi Commander-in-Chief.
"He still dares to move, and he still dares to move south?"
Being surrounded by Tang Qi and being blinded on all sides, he still dared to run elsewhere. This was a very brave move for Liu Chengzong. The enemy general was very courageous and saw through the illusion of Tang Qi's siege.
But running south... It's a mistake. Liu Shizi really has no intention of sending his troops to the south to encircle them.
On the one hand, because the army has traveled a long distance of 140 miles, the mules are tired. Even if it is just to encircle from two directions, it still needs to be mounted on war horses, and there is no energy left to encircle on all sides.
On the other hand, it was because the south was originally the escape direction left for the enemy in his plan to surround Sanque, because that side was the Ora Qingshan Mountain. As long as the direction leading to Yangqu Ferry was blocked, the enemy would not be able to escape.
.
Because there are mountains to the south.
Ora Mountain is the northern branch of the Kunlun Mountains. The locals call that mountain Qingshan.
Liu Shizi was very familiar with that place. Last year, he marched all the way north from Nangqian. He defeated Ahai Daiqing's catapult in the river valley where it was impossible to escape, and the battlefield where he killed General Guyang Batu'er, the Chuoktu general, was in Qingshan.
Wudao River in the south.
Even if the enemy general barely crosses the green mountains, there is no way to come back. There is only one road going south. The farther south you go, the higher the altitude. When he reaches the highest altitude after a long journey, he will meet the general of the Marshal's Mansion.
Cao Yao.
In the Gobi Desert at dusk, the three thousand cavalrymen of Oirat Dulbert's tribe moved south. The Tangqimen of the Marshal's Mansion were like wolves surrounding them, and Liu Chengzong's main army followed them all the way.
This is an unprecedented encounter for the coaches of both sides.
Dalai Taiji had never seen Tang Qi's method of covering the battlefield with musketry cavalry, and this was the first time Liu Chengzong encountered such an astute opponent.
During the pursuit, Liu Chengzong gnashed his teeth on his horse and ordered to the guards: "Remember to remind me after the war and ask the Ordnance Bureau to provide caltrops for the Tang soldiers!"
Caltrops and horse-fighting guns have been standing equipment for the army since the Qin and Han Dynasties. However, due to the weak foundation of the war industry and the lack of raw materials, the Marshal's Mansion could only concentrate on making guns and cannons, so these items were very scarce in the Marshal's Mansion.
But now this situation can be reversed. With the occupation of the Hehuang Valley, a large population and mines, the problem of raw materials has been solved, and these shortcomings can be made up for in the future.
If every Tangqi had a small basket of that stuff, it would play a big role in restricting the enemy's movements. At least there wouldn't be the current situation of being helpless against large-scale enemy movements.
Liu Chengzong's horse power was insufficient, Oirat's infantry and cavalry were mixed, and the distance between the two sides was limited. After chasing for half an hour, it was almost dark, and they were still seven or eight miles apart.
Until they got close to the foot of Qingshan Mountain, Oirat's three thousand horsemen were finally rushed for a while.
From a long distance away, Liu Chengzong looked through his telescope and saw a cavalry approaching the enemy from the outside, galloping towards the Oirat army formation surrounded by Tangqi.
The cavalry consisted of no more than 200 riders and was divided into four conical formations. The young general holding a long-handled Guan Dao was particularly conspicuous. Liu Chengzong recognized Ma Ke at a glance.
His Guandao was snatched from Gao Yingxiang.
The cavalry cone formation formed a gap through Tangqi's elastic defense line, and plunged into the formation of thousands of infantry and cavalry troops moving south. It was like hot oil pouring cold water, causing the enemy troops to explode instantly.
The battle lasted only a moment, and the three cone formations penetrated the enemy's army from south to north and poked out from the butt of the torn formation.
Liu Chengzong could see clearly that the other cone formation was led by Ma Ke himself. It was not that they were buried in the formation by the enemy, but when they were about to break through the enemy formation, they followed Ma Ke and turned around to bite the enemy hard.<
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The reason why the enemy's troops dispersed was not because they were killed by Marco's cavalry. To a large extent, the enemy knew that the army was behind them and did not dare to fight. When they encountered a slight impact, they dispersed on their own and fled south in embarrassment.
By this time, Liu Chengzong gradually guessed the strategy of the fleeing enemy generals. While sending troops to meet Ma Ke, he also called for Ma Xiang, the general of Tangqi, and ordered: "Withdraw half of the Tang soldiers and spread out twenty miles to the east and west.
, another person was sent to contact Brigade Commander Yang on the West Road and ordered him to come to the rescue as soon as possible."
Ma Xiang did not understand the meaning of the order, but he had recently changed his family and did not dare to ask. He could only accept the order with the obedience cultivated in his long military career.
He accepted the order with clasped fists, turned his horse back and conveyed the order to his subordinates. He also selected a few Tang soldiers from his Ningxia Tang soldiers who had stayed overnight and asked them to find the location of Yang Yao's troops.
When He Huchen, who was on the expedition, heard Liu Chengzong's order, he stepped forward in confusion and asked, "Does the commander think that there are reinforcements from the more than two thousand Wala Tatars?"
The sun was setting in the west, and they could already see the huge shadow of the green mountains in the south.
Liu Chengzong looked back at He Huchen, who was a little tired. He did not directly express his guess, but just smiled and said: "Is General He tired?"
He Huchen shook his head, cupped his fists and said, "I will not dare."
In the past few years, He Huchen often led his troops to march hundreds of miles a day in pursuit of bandits in the east and west, but those marching experiences were different from those with Liu Chengzong.
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In the Ming army, he was the chief military officer. Even though the imperial court was weak, before Liu Chengzong snatched away all the horses in the Guyuan Supervisory Office, he always rode on horseback when pursuing the enemy.
Even if Liu Chengzong robbed the Supervisory Office, for He Huchen and other officers and generals, it would only limit the scale of their pursuit, and they would still be on horseback.
The soldiers, horses, weapons and equipment, food, grass and baggage provided by the imperial court are all consumables for the generals. Even if they say they love their soldiers like sons, that does not mean that soldiers are really sons. Love of soldiers like sons is just one of the means to achieve victory.<
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After all, soldiers belong to the imperial court. Even if they are called servants, they are only a special unit that the imperial court allows generals to recruit and do not belong to the generals personally.
In terms of war horses alone, He Huchen's horses have run to death at least 80 times in his life.
But this is different in the Marshal's Mansion. Regular troops in the Marshal's Mansion are not allowed to ride horses when marching. Even donkeys and mules are generally only used to carry armor and supplies, and no one is allowed to ride.
More than half of the one hundred and forty-mile trek was made by people using their legs. Later, they wore mail and were allowed to ride on the backs of mules.
He Huchen had never suffered this crime since he became an officer... But he couldn't say he had any grievances, because the whole army was the same. Except for the Tang soldiers who had to ride horses, even Liu Chengzong was following the team. He didn't mount his horses until the Tang soldiers sent a warning.
.
In fact, he is already the best performer. Wang Chengen and Yang Qi are also in the expedition team, and now they have fallen behind and have to follow the official Zuo Ying to transport the supplies.
Liu Chengzong smiled and consoled him: "When Yangqu City is captured, boil some hot water and soak your feet."
After saying that, he raised his whip and pointed south: "Earlier, I thought these Wala people were in a panic and did not choose their way. However, after Ma Ke's charge, they still decided to go south. I am afraid they have their own purpose."
"It's not like they have to flee south to Kangning Mansion. They are not so familiar with this place, so there is only one possibility. They have to stay at the foot of Qingshan and wait for help."
He Huchen reined in the reins, looked at Liu Chengzong, then at the green mountains to the south, and said, "That mountain is not easy to climb."
"That's why I think the Wala people have reinforcements."
As Liu Chengzong spoke, he led He Huchen to the sand dunes aside, getting out of the way of the sergeants' mules' hooves. Rows of sergeants moved forward beside them. He said: "The enemy's infantry and cavalry are mixed with our entire army and horses. Mules, they can't escape, but the green hills are not easy to walk on."
He Huchen is a veteran general. Although he is not familiar with the terrain, he quickly figured it out. Now they are chasing and the enemy is fleeing. A green mountain lies in front of them. The result is that both sides will turn into infantry on the mountain or even on the other side of the mountain to attack the enemy. There is hope of escape.
Thinking of this, he said in surprise: "Commander, since you have guessed the enemy's purpose, why not send a partial division with only five hundred cavalry to detour to the left side of the mountain. If you ambush early, you will definitely win a complete victory, and if you are late, you can also plan Chase."
Liu Chengzong was not as tall as He Huchen imagined. He shook his head and said: "General He doesn't know the terrain of Qingshan. There is only one road in the mountain to pass the cavalry, but it is a long detour and the gain outweighs the losses. My idea is to drive them to the mountain and wait for the artillery team to come and attack directly." Yangqu."
Qingshan is difficult for infantry to cross. On the north and south sides of the mountain road, which is the only place where carriages and horses can pass, the Marshal's Mansion has established inns, which happen to be at the foot of the mountain.
The straight-line distance between the two stations is 22 miles, but the road distance is 115 miles.
If they abandon their baggage and take risks, the Oirat army only needs to travel twenty miles to reach Shannan immediately, and even the cavalry cannot catch up.
"Attacking Yangqu directly?"
He Huchen first thought that if the enemy troops came to help from the east of the river and turned both sides of Yangqu into the main battlefield, the enemy troops in the mountains on the flanks of the river west would become a threat to the main force.
But then, he nodded to indicate that he understood, and said: "That's why the commander-in-chief asked Brigadier Yang to mobilize troops for reinforcements, right?"
Liu Chengzong nodded with satisfaction, making sure that He Huchen understood his strategic intentions, and then asked: "General He, what do you think of this arrangement?"
He Huchen tentatively looked at Liu Chengzong's expression to make sure that there was no anger on the Generalissimo's face, and then he cupped his fists and said: "Commander, if you think you will capture Yangqu, it's better not to capture it."
"Unless Brigadier Yang arrives as soon as possible, the two main forces of our army will not only be blocked by the Yellow River, but also let the Wala Tatars know that the commander is carrying heavy artillery. It is better to besiege Qingshan, deliberately open a gap to let him call for reinforcements, and wait for the enemy's reinforcements to cross the river in order to speed up Win."
When Liu Chengzong heard the word "quick victory", a smile appeared on his face.
For a military commander like He Huchen, even if he changes his position, he still can't get rid of his desire for a quick victory.
Because I am used to lack of food.
In terms of various military supplies, compared with the imperial court, the Marshal's Mansion was extremely poor; but in terms of military supplies, Liu Chengzong's Marshal's Mansion was much richer than the imperial officers and soldiers.
Liu Chengzong does not need a quick victory. What he needs is to give the Oirat coalition a powerful blow so that they will not dare to invade the country in the future.
However, He Huchen's suggestion is very meaningful, because at this moment, He Huchen's ideas may coincide with those of the Oirat leaders who are short of food and supplies.
Oirat must want a battle.
Liu Chengzong looked at the green mountains in the distance and nodded slowly. He could indeed create an opportunity to give Oirat a battle, a battle that would be unforgettable for a lifetime.
Soon, night has arrived.
Dalai Taiji, who had fled for tens of miles in embarrassment, finally arrived at the northern foot of Qingshan Mountain, but his mood did not relax for a moment just because he had escaped.
Escape from Tangqi's encirclement was a big gamble, and he was betting that the Marshal's Mansion encirclement had not yet been closed. So far, it seems that he has won the bet.
If he hesitated for even half an hour, the gleaming bonfires in the darkness in the distance would pounce on his troops like wolves and tear them into pieces.
Just like He Huchen didn't know much about the terrain here, Dalai Taiji didn't know much about Qingshan. He always knew that there were mountains here, so he wanted to use the mountains to stop the Han army's Tangqi.
However, when he abandoned his livestock and fled to the mountains, he received pleasant and distressing news from the spies.
The top of the mountain is beginning to melt snow due to the hot climate, making it difficult to climb. People cannot climb over this mountain to reach the other side.
This is both good news and bad news.
On the hills at night, Dalai Taiji comforted himself: At least they don't have to worry about the water source they are defending.
Gritting his teeth, Dalai Taiji ordered his people to dig fortifications on the mountain road, build trenches, and prepare earth and rocks. At the same time, he sent people to use the cover of night to move toward Yangqu City, trying to ask for help from the National Guard Khan in the east.
Soon, exciting news came from Yangqu City.
Thousands of Han troops camped five miles away from the foot of the mountain. Although they sent cavalry to take away their camels, cattle, sheep, and horses, the people seemed to be very tired after a long journey and had no intention of forcibly attacking the mountain tonight. They had already set fire to the camp.
The lamb was roasted over the bonfire and eaten.
In the direction of the Yellow River ferry, a Han army of nearly a thousand people lit torches and was besieging the stronghold of Yangqu City. They had no artillery, used wooden chariots as bunkers, and fired at the defenders of the crossing city with muskets and bows and arrows.
The two sides were going back and forth, and the defenders of the East City were building a pontoon bridge to support the West City. It seemed that there was no sign of the city falling within a short time.
The most important thing is that five messengers from Dulbert's department fought desperately to pass through the enemy's garrison area. One of the soldiers passed through the enemy's siege camp and jumped into the 70 or 80 paces wide Yellow River. He was eventually guarded by Heshuote on the other side.
The army picked it up and sent the news that Dalai Taiji was besieged and asked for help to the other side.
As the bonfire flickered, Dalai Taiji clenched his fists and encouraged the Dulbert princes sitting around him: "If we guard for two days, we will definitely be able to return to Tianshan Mountain!"