When Zhou Yafu, Yi Zong and the generals came to Liu Che, Liu Che's eyes were still focused on the map.
"Your Majesty!" Zhou Yafu respectfully asked, "What orders do you have for the ministers who are here?"
"Does the Prime Minister know about Gaoque Fortress?" Liu Che asked.
"Reporting to your majesty, I know: Gao Que was built by King Wuling of Zhao. It goes out of the Great Wall of the country and reaches between the Yin Mountains. It is interrupted by mountains. There are two bridges on both sides. The sky is like a cloud, like human eyes, looking down at the Hetao, so it is called Gao Que.
Que!" Zhou Yafu replied: "The fortress is high. There is a strong city at the entrance of the fortress. There is a wasteland to the north of the fortress. When you enter, you will build a stronghold across the mountains. It is easy to defend but difficult to attack. My late father once said when he wanted to conquer the Xiongnu in the north, he must first
To cut down the Hetao, if you want to reach the Hetao, you must first climb the high tower. If you don’t lower the high tower, the Hetao will be difficult to recover!”
"During the reign of Emperor Taizong, Prime Minister Ying Yinyi waited for Duke Guan and led 85,000 chariots and cavalry to attack Henan from the north and drive the Xiongnu out of Yunzhong! He once sent light cavalry deep outside the fortress to inspect the country's geography. The envoy reported back: The Xiongnu
King Youxian led his troops to defend Gaoque. The city was so formidable that it could not be conquered by manpower! Another time when the king of Jibei came to live in rebellion, Yihou had to withdraw his troops and return south. This happened in the sixth year of Emperor Taizong Xiaowen, twenty years ago.
Four years! Since then, no one in China has been able to see Gao Que with their own eyes!"
Liu Che nodded.
Gaoque Fortress, in this era, has always been the focus of study and concern by the Han Dynasty monarchs and ministers.
Because it was the masterpiece of King Wuling of Zhao who was riding and shooting in Hufu, and it was the limit that Zhao could expand to during the Warring States Period.
Li Mu once looked at the Hexi Corridor there, and Meng Tian also raised his whip there.
At the same time, Gaoque Fortress is also a key pass in guarding Beihe.
The term Beihe is rarely known in later generations.
But now, and for hundreds of years to come, it is a place name that the Central Plains civilization must pay attention to if it wants to operate the Hetao.
As we all know, the Hetao is a plain formed by the erosion of the Yellow River for millions of years.
The Yellow River makes a zigzag bend here.
Usually, when a plain river meanders to a certain extent, natural forces will wash out a straight new river channel at the protruding ends of the meandering river section.
In geography, this is called cutting corners to make straight lines.
If the river channel is cut and straightened, a new river channel will naturally be formed.
However, the old river channel will not be abandoned.
Sometimes, when the water flow is large, the old and new rivers will coexist and be used for a period of time.
Sometimes, the original old river channel will become the main channel again, and the new river channel will become a tributary.
Only as time goes by and the flow of the old river channel decreases and gradually dries up, will the new river channel be established.
Beihe is the name of the old path of the Yellow River in the Hetao Plain.
Today's Beihe River is still the main river that can control the fate of the Loop and plan the direction of the Yellow River. Sometimes it even squeezes new river channels into tributaries.
Until Li Daoyuan wrote "Shui Jing Zhu", Beihe was still the most important river in the Hetao Plain.
In previous wars, whoever controls Gaoque controls Beihe, and whoever controls Beihe may control Hetao.
Historically, Wei Qing recaptured the Hetao. Historical records indicate that its attack route was Juezi Ridge, Liangbei River, and south of Gaoque in the east.
Of course the Huns were not willing to fail.
Therefore, in the fourth year of Yuanshuo, the Han and Huns surrounded the Gaoque Fortress and broke out a battle no less massive than the decisive battle in Mobei.
King Youxian of the Xiongnu sent one hundred thousand cavalry to fight Wei Qing at Gaoque.
The result was a great victory for Wei Qing. From then on, the Xiongnu no longer dared to look at the Hetao.
The Gaoque Fortress also has great significance for future generations.
Because, by determining the location of Gaoque Fortress, the boundaries of the Zhao Great Wall can be determined, and by determining the boundaries of the Zhao Great Wall, the direction of the Qin Great Wall can be determined.
To this end, historians have written papers and books that could fill a room.
However, no one is still sure of the true and reliable location of Gaoque.
It can only be inferred through clues, and it is roughly at a certain location.
But now, everyone in the Han family knows that Gao Que is in Yangshan.
Together with Qin Shihuang's Yinshan Defense Line, it formed the main defense system of the Qin Great Wall to shield Hu Qi.
Yinshan is in Henan, and Yangshan is in Hebei.
According to historical records, Meng Tian built the Great Wall, which stretched for more than ten thousand miles, and crossed the river to occupy Yangshan Mountain.
Since Guan Ying's Northern Expedition twenty-four years ago, to this day, all the emperors and ministers of the Han Dynasty have not wanted to regain the Gaoque Fortress.
Liu Che looked at Zhou Yafu, Yizong, Bo Shi, and the generals, and said, "I have decided to start planning for the Hetao Battle!"
"The first phase of the campaign is to recapture the Gaoque Fortress of King Zhao Wuling, facing the Yin Mountain across the Liangbei River!" Liu Che punched the Gaoque whose location was clearly marked on the map.
"Leading troops to fight and marching thousands of miles away is what you are good at!" Liu Che looked at the ministers and ordered: "I will give you ten days! In ten days, I will see the preliminary Gaoque battle plan!"
"Leave this matter to the prime minister to take the lead!" Liu Che distributed the tasks: "General Chariot and Cavalry will serve as his deputy, and the ministers will serve as staff to assist in planning!"
"First calculate how many troops, how much food and how many civilians our army needs to mobilize to capture Gaoque, and also calculate the direction and quantity of possible aid from the Xiongnu tribe!" Liu Che said: "After the plan is come out, I will distribute it to
Students of Wuyuan, conduct deductions!"
Doing so may leak secrets.
However, it is more likely to perfect the entire plan.
"No!" Of course Zhou Yafu would not refuse.
He even accepted the task with joy.
In his lifetime, to be precise, during his reign, his biggest goal is to regain the Hetao and complete the historical mission of restoring Qin's homeland!
Zhou Yafu will not forget that when the old prime minister Anwen Hou Shen Tujia passed away, he told his family: The king's army went out of the fortress to capture Chanyu in the north. On the day of the family sacrifice, don't forget to tell Nai Weng!
Zhou Yafu didn't want to be like the old prime minister. When he was about to die, he took the hands of his children and grandchildren and told him: Don't forget to tell Nai Weng!
He even wanted to see the arrogant Xiongnu Chanyu's dragon flag being thrown onto the altar of the Ancestral Temple while he was still alive. The Xiongnu Chanyu, with his flesh exposed on the thorns, knelt in front of the Emperor Gao's tomb and kowtowed three times and nine times!
If possible, we should dig out the coffins of Mao Dun and Laoshang, follow the example of Wu Zixu, and whip the corpses!
Zhou Yafu raised his head and asked: "Your Majesty, what is the second phase of the battle objective?"
"Of course it's Yinshan!" Liu Che looked at the map and said calmly.
But the flying generals of Dragon City are here, and Hu Ma is not taught to cross the Yin Mountains.
Yinshan Mountain has been the dividing line between civilization and barbarism for a long time, and it is also the bottom line for the Xia people to protect themselves from infringement.
If the Yin Mountains are in the hands of the Xia, the Yi and Di will not be affected by scabies.
If Yinshan falls into the hands of the enemy.
The better ones are like the early Han Dynasty, when they were harassed and invaded by nomadic cavalry.
It's bad...
Let’s look at the Five Dynasties, Ten Kingdoms and Two Song Dynasties.
Without the cover of Yinshan Mountain, the Hetao is exposed to the iron hoof of the enemy and may fall at any time.
Once the Hetao is lost, the whole north opens wide.
Moreover, China will lose one of its most reliable horse breeding areas.
Relying on infantry to fight cavalry, even in the age of muskets, is still a disadvantage!
Not to mention the cold weapon age.
"In the third stage, before leaving Hexi, we must at least open the road to the Qilian Mountains!" Liu Che continued.
Losing me to the Qilian Mountains will deprive my animals of their ability to thrive; depriving me of the Rouge Mountains will make my women colorless.
The lamentation of the Huns is the best explanation of the strategic position of Qilian Mountain and Rouge Mountain.
Liu Che believed that as long as the Han army came to the Qilian Mountains.
Then, the military officials will definitely lead the main force back for a decisive battle.
This time, Liu Che would not be able to give the main force of the Xiongnu a chance to escape or take a breather.
It's a pity that now, Liu Che doesn't know the geography and landforms of Qilian Mountains as well as the surrounding terrain structure.
So there is no way to plan that grand strategy.
Moreover, now, not even Gaoque has been captured, and even Ziling, an important area in front of Gaoque, is controlled by the Xiongnu.
It is too ambitious to plan the battle of Qilian Mountain at this time.
It's better to focus on the present.
Zhou Yafu, after discussing with Yi Zong and other generals, came back and reported: "Your Majesty, since you want to take Gaoque, I would like to ask your Majesty to immediately summon the Shaofu Qing and the Kao Gong Ling, General Lou Chuan and Mo.
Yuan’s great son!”
He raised his head and looked at Liu Che, and said: "If you want to capture Gaoque, you must cross Beihe River. I and others must confirm our current pontoon bridge technology and construction methods!"
This is natural. Liu Che nodded and said: "Just follow the Prime Minister's opinion!"
He turned to Ji An and ordered: "Pass on my edict and announce immediately: Shaofu Qing Liu She, the imperial examination order and the Shaofu Liu Cheng, together with General Xu Han of the building and ship, and Yang Yi, the rich son of Mo Yuan, will come to the palace immediately.
See me!"
Crossing rivers is always a difficult problem in military warfare.
Since the Battle of Hong and the Battle of Chengpu in the Spring and Autumn Period, how to cross the river has become a question that military strategists have been thinking about.
The Yellow River is now a turbulent river.
Especially the water upstream is fast and turbulent.
It is simply wishful thinking to hope that the army can cross the river by means of sampans.
What's more, today's Han army is already a combat force dominated by cavalry.
Therefore, if you want to fight across the river, you must build a pontoon bridge.
As for building floating bridges, the Shaofu and Louchuan Yamen are the most proficient in this art in the world.
As for the great son of the Mohist family entering the palace, he hopes that the Mohist family will develop and improve a better, more convenient and safer method of erecting pontoon bridges based on the existing pontoon bridge technology.
"I would also like to know, when will Your Majesty plan to launch the Battle of Hetao?" Zhou Yafu looked at Liu Che intently. The other generals and princes were also breathing rapidly.
Especially those princes and emerging generals who did not go out to fight in the last battle of Mayi were nervous about this answer.
They need to determine a specific time before they can go home and frantically encourage and train their retainers and soldiers. At the same time, they need to be prepared to seize positions and occupy pits.
The current Han Dynasty army is actually undergoing a fierce reshuffle.
The intensity of this reshuffle is second only to the strife that destroyed Zhu Lu.
In this reshuffle, only those who survive and those who survive can have a future.
Otherwise, like countless famous and powerful armies in the past, they will quietly perish.
The key to this is military merit!
In the army, the competition is about who has more military exploits.
Whoever has more military exploits and beheaded more people has a louder voice and dares to ask for the best equipment, the best soldiers and the best supplies! (To be continued.)
