This battle was indeed fought, but it was a bit of a joke.
It is estimated that the Western Army has never fought such a siege. It should be impossible to fight such a siege in the cold weapon era.
In the siege battle, he did not try to attack the city, but followed what His Royal Highness the Prince said: strike from a long distance!
Perhaps because of the relaxed mentality, the soldiers are very bad, and they have more fantastic ideas.
Di Shuai and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince unanimously requested that after the battle is over, they must find out the fuse time of the bamboo gunpowder bomb, so various methods are available.
At first, gunpowder bombs were tied to crossbows and fired into the city. Later, strong gunpowder bombs were stuffed into the trebuchet pockets. Then someone actually asked craftsmen to burn the big rocks, pour cold water on them, and then stuff them into the cracks in the cracked rocks.
Load the gunpowder bombs and launch them with a trebuchet...
The wisdom of the masses is infinite. It has only been two days, and Zhao Xi has seen how war promotes development.
The burning time of the fuse was clarified, but it was too wasteful. Even the person responsible for material transport complained.
Charcoal is easy to say and can be made anywhere, but sulfur and saltpeter are not in short supply, but the smell during transportation is too unpleasant.
"Your Highness, let the soldiers attack the city! It's like this, not to mention the complaints of the transfer envoy, it's too expensive."
Di Qing was not interested in such a siege at all, and simply let His Highness the Prince do whatever he wanted... He felt that it was similar to children playing in a house, throwing rubbish at each other.
Yu Jing also felt that His Highness the Prince's so-called experiment should be stopped.
"Attack the city? Di Shuai, bachelor, save your strength. Nong Zhigao is already a lost dog, there is no need to put in a lot of effort. Annan is the tough battle that the soldiers need to fight!"
"As for the cost, whoever started this war should bear the burden!"
War should never be a simple war. There is no war that does not have a purpose.
"Your Highness, as said, Nong Zhigao is already a lost dog, how can he bear the loss?"
Alas...it's always so limited. This view should be unanimously recognized by the entire Guangnan and even the country, right?
"Why fight? Why fight?"
Zhao Xi brought up the old topic again.
"Nong Zhigao had his own purpose in plundering Guangnan and taking away the property of the state capital. Annan instigated the Nong people, plundered people and livestock several times, and deliberately interfered with the country. He also had his purpose. Even Dali, playing drums and joining in the fun, had his own purpose.
To get a share of the Guangnan land. Why did the country and the dynasty fight?"
"To quell the chaos caused by the peasant bandits and restore stability to Guangnan!"
This is true. This is the purpose of the imperial court in dispatching the Western Army to march southward, but it is not Zhao Xi's purpose.
"Suppressing the rebels and stabilizing Guangnan is the result, and it can also be said to be the purpose. I would like to ask you, did the country and the dynasty make mistakes in the chaos in Guangnan?"
"Wuwu! Our dynasty has always adhered to the royal way with neighboring countries, but why should Wuwu bear the trauma caused by war?"
"The people were displaced, the state capital was in a mess, and the soldiers were killed and injured in countless numbers... Let alone the money and food lost by the Western Army's southern expedition."
"The post-war reconstruction of Guangnan, the resettlement of the people, the pensions of the soldiers, the rewards for the military meritorious service, etc., all require money and food. Since the country has done nothing wrong, why should it bear the losses?"
Zhao Xi originally wanted to explain to everyone what war is, but ended up getting a little excited while talking. He couldn't stop talking one sentence after another, and the more he talked, the more excited he became.
"Even now, I have not concealed my plans. In this battle, Xi did not intend to kill Nong Zhigao. On the contrary, Xi suggested that Di Shuai let him escape."
These words really stunned everyone. It was a given that the imperial court would march south and annihilate the Nong bandits. Although His Highness the Crown Prince had the power to make decisions on the fly, it would not go to the extent of changing the imperial court's decision-making.
"Your Highness, I do not agree with this statement, and it is the responsibility of the Guangnan pacification envoy's office to urge Di Hanchen to complete the purpose of this war."
"Your Highness, what the bachelor said, Sun Miao seconded!"
Di Qing was very embarrassed. It was true that he was the commander-in-chief, but His Highness the Crown Prince personally conducted the expedition and it was elevated to a strategic goal. He was actually controlled by His Highness the Crown Prince. At the same time, the Guangnan Pacifying Envoy Yamen also had the responsibility of supervising the army.
It doesn't look good now. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has a disagreement with the governor's office.
"Bachelor, Sun Zhuan, please listen to what Xi has to say."
"Greetings to Annan, asking him to give an explanation to the country for the many years and this time of disturbing Guangnan. Is there no objection to this?"
No objection, this is what everyone has decided. At the very least, Annan must be intimidated, and while the Western Army is marching south, Annan can put away his little thoughts, and truly make Guangnan stable for a hundred years.
"To seek explanation and justice is not just a matter of shouting a few slogans. It needs to be frightened, subdued, and allowed to redefine its position... as a vassal state of the imperial dynasty!"
"As for letting Nong Zhigao escape... To put it bluntly, I just want to have a reason for the army to enter Dali!"
"Your Highness, you must not do this! If you are provocative, you have a heavy responsibility!"
That's it, what is it about being provocative and provocative? Why is it that in the grass-making valleys on both sides of the northwest, no one is holding people accountable for being provocative and provocative?
The reason for taking responsibility and being provocative is, to put it bluntly, fear. I am worried that I will be beaten by others if I provoke others.
"Bachelor, everyone, please listen clearly. Master Wang is not provocative. He is chasing the Nong thief, and the Nong thief has fled to Dali! Moreover, Dali is responsible for causing trouble with the Nong thief, so Master Wang has reason to go and visit!"
His Royal Highness the Prince is not a reckless person, and the entire Guangnan Comfort Envoy Yamen is very aware of this. But on this point, it just seems like this...
Yu Jing was a little confused. If it was for the safety of the manganese mines in the future, Annan was a threat. As for Dali, not to mention that Dali and Guochao had always been at peace with each other. Even if there was some dispute, Dali's national power did not have the courage to really fight against Guochao.
.
When His Royal Highness the Crown Prince came to Guangnan, he never did anything without a purpose. Just as His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said, all wars have a purpose.
"Your Highness, there are no outsiders in the tent..."
It can be said that at least when it comes to Guangnan Manganese Mine, we are all our own people.
"If His Highness has other plans, please state it clearly. Don't inform the court because you don't know the reason, thereby ruining His Highness the Crown Prince's important affairs."
Yu Jing, this old boy, understands me more and more!
"The country needs copper!"
Zhao Xi felt a little embarrassed when Yu Jing asked him this, but he still said it confidently.
Yes, the country needs copper, and Dali has it, so we need to go to Dali for a walk with the purpose of tinkering with copper mines.
This excuse is unreasonable, but Zhao Xi just wants to tell these people that whether it is reasonable or not depends on whether you have the strength.
Copper mines are not manganese mines, and the effect has not yet been seen. The country is short of copper, resulting in money production every year, which is not as good as the previous year. Even the court has no shame in making iron money at a ten-for-five ratio.
And the profits from copper mines...no one knows.
Just this one: The country needs copper, and it really convinced these people.
Alas! They all still want to join in!
"Everyone, the profits from the copper mine cannot be taken over by Guangnan's pacifier. I can promise here that I will definitely fight for you."
"In addition, transportation from Chengdu to Dali is difficult for the country, so you can focus on water transportation."