Located in the open space of the Hexi Military Artillery Camp behind Fengxiang City, there are numerous Xuanwu cannons placed in the open space. The number has already met the requirement of more than 100 guns proposed by Li Siye. However, the two rows at the back are smaller in diameter and length than the Xuanwu cannons.
The wheels also look very light.
Li Siye frowned on his horse, raised his whip and pointed it at him, asking, "What's going on?"
Yan Xiaosi stood in front of him and reported with folded hands: "The casting of cannons consumes too much copper and iron. Director Zhao has tried his best to search for them. However, the construction schedule is too tight, so he reduced the number of more than 20 cannons and called them Little Xuanwu. But
Doctor, please rest assured, Xiaosi has already tested it, and the range of this cannon is not much different from that of Xuanwu, but its power is slightly weakened."
At this juncture of the battle, some mistakes were made, but they were not serious problems. At this time, we should be tolerant and encouraged rather than harsh.
"That being the case, a small Xuanwu can also be used. It is lighter in weight and can be used in hollow formations. Come on, follow me to Master Dai's office to see how the military supplies and dry food are being prepared."
When Li Siye led his army southward, Dai Wang and Michagan were responsible for all the food and grass for the three armies in Anxi and Beiting, Hebei Province. They mobilized people to transfer the food and grass built in Liangzhou, Jiuquan, Zhangye and other places to Lanzhou, and then from Lanzhou
Transferred to Fengxiang, ensuring food for hundreds of thousands of people.
They also did not dare to take this battle to recapture Chang'an lightly. Although Fengxiang was only a few hundred miles away from Chang'an, they had to fully consider that the battle could reach a stalemate at any time, so they limited each person to fifteen days and sent troops to each battalion and regiment of the three armies.
The fire chiefs of each brigade team distributed food and instructed them to make fried noodles and compressed biscuits.
Michagan also spent a lot of money to buy a large number of sheep in the Lanzhou area, and ordered them to be slaughtered and salted into strips of meat to improve the army's food shortage problem.
…
At the beginning of November, Emperor Li Heng climbed up to the West Tower of Fengxiang City to reward the army. He stared at the army array standing below, Hexi Army Headquarters, Beiting Army Headquarters, Guo Ziyi's Shuofang Army. Huh? Anxi Army's
There don't seem to be enough people. Is it because the journey is far away and we can't get there in time?
As an emperor who was appointed in critical situation, at this moment of great crisis in the Tang Dynasty, he thought it was necessary to speak to all the soldiers to boost their morale.
But Li Heng had never done this kind of thing before, and giving a speech in a big scene also required some experience. Before going on stage, he comforted himself in his heart. There were 70,000 to 80,000 soldiers standing outside the city gate. His voice could only make people close to the city tower.
Some people have heard that the number is about the same as the number of courtiers, so there is no need to be too nervous.
When he pushed out the door from the meeting hall of the city tower and stood in front of the parapet, looking at the tens of thousands of soldiers standing in formation below, Li Siye suddenly placed something with a trumpet mouth in front of him.
Li Heng was surprised: "What is this?"
"Your Majesty, this is a loudspeaker made by someone specially ordered by me. Your Majesty can point your speech at this mouth and shout out, ensuring that most of the soldiers can hear it."
Li Heng's face was already a little pale, and he glanced at him with an unhappy look, then he straightened up his belly, which was not fat, and said loudly: "My soldiers of the Tang Dynasty! The Hu thief An Lushan rebelled and killed our country.
The people of the Tang Dynasty have caused turmoil in China and turmoil in the mountains and rivers! I need you, and the Tang Dynasty needs you! Recover Chang'an, recover Luoyang, put down the rebellion and punish the rebels, and revitalize the country!"
As soon as the emperor stopped speaking, Li Siye took the lead and shouted: "Long live the Tang Dynasty, long live our emperor!"
The soldiers at the top of the city shouted loudly following Dr. Li's voice, and at the same time raised their spears or horizontal knives to stab the sky above their heads: "Long live the Tang Dynasty, long live our emperor!"
Li Heng was so majestic that he personally walked down the tower to inspect the army. Li Siye followed him and came to Yan Xiaosi's Xuanwu camp. He turned back to Li Siye and said, "I heard that you have made a crossbow that is stronger than the bed crossbow."
It’s a sharp weapon. Ask someone to demonstrate it to me and see where it’s stronger.”
Li Siye turned around and shouted: "Xiaosi, please personally load the cannon and demonstrate it for Your Majesty."
Yan Xiaosi immediately directed everyone to push a cannon out of the camp, ordered the soldiers to charge, load the bombs, and install the fuse. He personally raised the torch and lit the twister, and turned back to remind the emperor: "Your Majesty, please cover your ears."
Li Heng snorted, but as a ninety-five-year-old man, he naturally couldn't do such an indecent move. He just puffed up his belly and said, "Just light up the cannon."
Yan Xiaosi lit the gun, and the soldiers guarding the cannon covered their ears. The emperor subconsciously took half a step back. When the muzzle of the cannon shook with thunder and spit out flames, Li Heng staggered and almost fell down. Li Siye quickly stepped forward.
Support him.
The cannonball exploded in the distance, and billowing white smoke rolled up in the open space. Since there was no reference to destroying the actual object, the emperor's definition of this cannonball in his heart was that deterrence was greater than power.
He raised his hand pretending to be calm and said: "It is indeed like the sound of thunder, and it also has the power of thunder, not bad."
The monarch and his ministers continued to walk through the military camp with their hands behind their backs. Li Heng turned around and asked him: "The troops have been rewarded. I don't know when to move out?"
"I also want to ask King Guangping, the marshal of the world's soldiers and horses, and the time set by him shall prevail."
Unexpectedly, Li Heng exposed him directly: "Didn't you plan this battle from beginning to end? Li Yu was just pushed to the stage by you to answer the question."
Li Siye quickly crossed his hands and said: "It's not as simple as answering the name. Guo Ziyi, Wang Sili, Ning Yuanguo and Geluolu Yehu who participated in the war all need to be commanded by His Highness King Guangping with a higher status. And His Highness King Guangping serves as the commander and soldiers.
They have a clearer understanding of who they are fighting for. With the prince personally taking command, their morale will be strong and they will be able to exert their greatest strength to fight against the rebels."
Li Heng asked doubtfully: "Do the soldiers really think so?"
"That's right, Your Majesty." Li Siye nodded: "We are going to swear an oath to worship heaven in seven days, and then march to Chang'an. It is an auspicious day."
"Okay, I believe you can defeat the rebels."
…
Feng Changqing led 8,000 soldiers to march in the Qian County area, passing through the scattered plains of the highlands. In order not to expose their whereabouts, they went out at night and stayed in hiding, marching all night long with torches.
The places where the rebel forces have recently affected are Fuping to the north, Wuguan to the south, and Wugong to the west. In fact, the army is only stationed in these counties. Feng Changqing boldly narrowed the arc of march and sent troops at the same time.
The soldiers disguised themselves as merchants to explore the road. As long as they could pounce under the enemy's nose, they would never take a detour. At the nearest time, they were only seven or eight miles away from the Gaoling County town. When marching at night, they could even see the light of fire on the top of the city.
Li Chongbao led his horse and followed Feng Changqing. When he encountered a question he didn't understand, he asked without shame: "Since I want to conquer Chang'an, why do I need to capture Tongguan first?"
"When you encounter this kind of problem, you have to think carefully. The rebels came in from Tongguan, and the first choice for retreat in the future is of course Tongguan. After we capture Tongguan, we will wait for work and wait for the rebels to retreat here to block them.
Waiting for the pursuing army to wipe them all out before the pass."
"But this is not the only road out of Guanzhong. If they go south to Wuguan and Nanyang, or go north to cross Hedong from Pujin on the Yellow River, wouldn't our actions be in vain?"
Feng Changqing turned around and said with a smile: "This possibility cannot be ruled out, but whether crossing Hedong or going to Nanyang means taking a long way to get into danger. Going east to Tongguan is their first choice, but after they were blocked at Tongguan
, will definitely choose another route. But your father is unwilling to disperse his troops to weaken the main force, and must divide his troops after defeating the enemy. So as long as we successfully capture Tongguan and ensure that the news is not leaked, the rebels will be there
After Tongguan was blocked, it ran around like a bereaved dog. It would not be too late to go to Wuguan or Pujin Ferry to block it."
"So that's it," Li Chongbao bowed respectfully to Feng Changqing: "Thank you, Uncle Feng, for your advice."
"Why do you need to be like this? Your grandpa asked you to follow me just because he wanted you to learn how to fight with me. If you encounter something you don't understand in the future, just think more, read more, and ask more questions. Preparation for marching is very important.
, including transporting grain and grass, employing people and surveying the terrain, you must do everything down to the smallest detail, and have an insight into every detail. If you know the direction of the mountains, rivers, and even the width of each river mouth, and have a thorough understanding of yourself and the enemy, you can fight a war.
Only when you come are you confident."
"Boy, I've written it down." Li Chongbao thought carefully in his mind and memorized every word Feng Changqing said. Every time he went to a new terrain, he had to imagine the two armies here.
encounter, how they will fight against each other, and how our side can take advantage of the terrain.
When they entered Huayin County, Feng Changqing's march became extremely cautious. They took all the dangerous paths that were difficult to pass, or marched directly next to the Yellow River, and finally stopped at Fengyiyuan, thirty miles away from Tongguan.
Feng Changqing stood on the plain, followed by two generals and Li Chongbao. He pointed to the bend of the Yellow River in the distance and said: "Further down there is Fenglingdu, and opposite Fenglingdu is Tongguan. Where we are standing
It is where the Qinling Mountains and the Yellow River are about to form an angle. The post road from Huayin County to our feet is the best place for an ambush."