Han Shizu

Chapter 1174 The West Road Raiders
August is high in autumn, and even the remote areas in the southwest have been infiltrated by the strong sense of autumn.In the northwest of Dali, among the mountains and valleys, a large army is walking along the mountain trails that can hardly be called roads.

Surrounded by precipices and dangerous peaks, dense vegetation, and jagged rocks, they are all obstacles to marching.

Although there is no high military flag, the identity of this army is very easy to identify, the Han army.Not to mention clothing and armor, in the entire southwest, except for Dali, only the big Han can arm and mobilize an army of tens of thousands.

Unlike the Zhishi military uniforms of the Han army, this army was obviously adapted to local conditions. The whole army rarely had heavy equipment, and everything was light and convenient for trekking and marching in the mountains.

In addition to knives, guns, bows and crossbows, each man had a chopping knife in his hand, and he passed by violently destroying the original vegetation, and forcibly opened up a passable road.

There is also no special supply team, the food is carried with you, and the officers and soldiers are integrated.Fortunately, there are a large number of horses, donkeys and mules, especially Dali horses, with the army. The use of animal power relieves the sergeants of a lot of burden.

In recent years, in the mutual exchange with Dali, the advantages of Dali horses have been vividly displayed in the southwest mountains and forests. Tens of thousands of Dali horses have been introduced by the southwest government and the people.Today, these short-footed horses with sufficient endurance have become a powerful arm for the Han army's southern expedition.

Even so, for the soldiers of the Han army who climbed the mountains and crossed the canyons, it was still a difficult journey. If it was difficult, it would be fine, and it would cost lives.Not to mention the crisis every step of the way, in the process of going south, there are daily reductions in staff.

Just like the previous battles of the Han army, this time the Han army marched south to Dali, but still did not concentrate on one route, but chose to divide the troops into two routes, east and west.Of course, this does not include the army on Guangnan West Road, it just plays a leading role, basically it belongs to soy sauce.

There are more than [-] people on the east side, led by the deputy envoy Wang Renshan, starting from Qiongbu County in southern Sichuan, intending to pass through Jianchang, Huichuan, and Nongdong, and then attack Yangjubai City, the capital of Dali, in the west.This is the main force and the right road, the most important road for the exchanges between the two countries, and also the main defense direction of the Dali army.

There are those who go the right way, and naturally there are also those who take strange paths, and this strange army is the above-mentioned army, with a total of more than [-] people, led by the envoy Wang Quanbin himself, starting from Dadu County at the border of Sichuan and Tibet, traveling lightly, The goal is also the capital of Dali.

The [-] Han troops on the West Road are basically capable officers and soldiers, including the results of Wang Quanbin's years of training in the southwest. The more than [-] troops are recruited from various chieftains. The East Route Army with great fanfare is much stronger.

This is destined to be a long and difficult journey. After crossing the Dadu River and walking along the valley for a while, it plunges into the mountains and valleys of the Yunnan-Tibet Plateau. There are basically no-man's land along the way. The price of the ordinary road is roughly the same.

From Dadu County to Yangjubai City, the straight-line distance is about [-] miles. However, the distance traveled is more than doubled only by crossing those high mountains and valleys.

It was only early autumn when the edict was issued. Wang Quanbin spent half a month mobilizing troops and horses, arranging for the expedition, and then started to march.Up to now, nearly a month has passed, and this arduous journey still has no end.

The morale of the army has been weakened. The soldiers dare not complain, but the irritability has already spread.Only with the strict military law and Wang Quanbin's example, did he persist silently.The [-]-year-old general, led by himself, what else can others say.

Of course, there is no other way if you don’t insist. Being a deserter, not to mention the punishment of military discipline, leaving the brigade, in this deep mountain, there is a high probability that there will be only violent corpses in the wilderness.

The only thing that can give people a little peace of mind is that this is not a dead end.During the years of training troops in the southwest, Wang Quanbin sent people to explore the geographical situation in Dali, and he also sent people to walk through the west road route several times.Just to get out of a marching route, more than 300 people were lost before and after.

No matter how daring Wang Quanbin used his troops, he did not dare to make fun of the safety of 5000 more than [-] sergeants. It is not easy to gather such a large army in the southwest region.As for the two armies, no matter which one has a problem, this time the southern expedition to Dali can be declared a failure.

It was another narrow mountain road, and Wang Quanbin dismounted and led him on foot. The distance was less than three miles long. Since the early days, it took almost a day for the whole army to cross.Then, hundreds of soldiers, mules and horses were lost.

At dusk, the soft light from the setting sun spread across the vast mountains. The soldiers of each battalion rested on the spot. Due to the terrain restrictions, it was impossible to bury the pot for cooking. From the officers to the sergeants, they could only drink clear water and eat food. dry food.

The long march had exhausted the Han soldiers physically and mentally, and they didn't even have the energy to complain. In the oppressive atmosphere, they fell asleep on the spot with their marching blankets in their arms.

The place where Wang Quanbin rested was relatively open, but there was no special arrangement. He used local materials and placed a pile of firewood.It's almost time to go out, and even the bonfire is not lit.

Like the soldiers, Wang Quanbin also gnawed hard and dry pancakes. For a veteran over [-] years old, such a march was indeed difficult.If compared with before departure, the whole person is almost thinner, and the whole body is filthy, and one can smell a copper stench that has almost turned into substance.

In this case, though, who cares who?Before dividing the troops, Wang Renshan thought that Wang Quanbin was old, and suggested that he take the west route and let Wang Quanbin take command of the east route.

Naturally, Wang Quanbin stubbornly rejected it, and it wasn't because he was trying to be brave.The South Expedition had been in preparation for many years, and even the strategy of the army was formulated by him. Wang Quanbin naturally had to shoulder the most important and arduous task.

Of course, it is also because, according to his deduction of the war, the most threatening to defeat Dali is still the West Route Army.As long as you go out of the mountains and approach the Jinsha River, after crossing the river, you can go straight to the city of Yangjubaa.

In Dali, the terrain is dangerous and the roads are difficult. These are indisputable facts.But these geographical advantages are often easy to confuse people. What Dali relies on is the danger of the Dadu River and the Jinsha River, as well as the many tribes in the northeast, which will become obstacles for the Han army to advance.And what Wang Quanbin chose was a route that could avoid these constraints to a great extent. As for the front, leave it to Wang Renshan, and he will go to the vitals himself.

"This road is more difficult than I imagined!" However, after nearly a month of marching, even the strong-willed General Wang couldn't help expressing such emotion.

"You are handsome!" While he was feeling, a middle-aged general came over, followed by a short and thin subordinate: "The guide brought it!"

"How long will it take to get out of the mountain?" Wang Quanbin nodded, without talking nonsense, and directly questioned the guide.

The gradually dimming sky shrouded Wang Quanbin, as if adding a bit of hostility to him. The guide was a Yi man. When he was nervous, he quickly replied: "Hui Dushuai, this place is already in Dali, and the east is For example, in Kubu, you can go out of the mountain in less than two days, and you can see the city of Dali."

"Are you sure?" Wang Quanbin's eyes lit up first, and then his tone became more severe.

The guide spoke in a Dian dialect, and replied affirmatively: "The little one has walked through it twice, for sure!"

"Du Shuai, the front battalion has discovered some mountain people, what the guide said must be true!" the general of the Han army also said.

In this way, Wang Quanbin's expression finally eased, and he asked, "Are those mountain people under control?"

The general calmly said: "It's all solved!"

Nodding his head, no matter how relaxed his expression was, looking at the guide officer, Wang Quanbin showed a rare smile: "Your guide has made great achievements. When you go out, you will be able to restrain Dali. I will ask for your credit, no, I will upgrade you to the third level directly! "

"Thank you handsome!" The Yi guide was overjoyed.

(End of this chapter)