Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 309 Snowy June Day

It had just fallen into the night, and the Hexi Dadou Army camp was silent and tense. The cooks in the army were roasting sheep, making soup, steaming biscuits, and cooking dumplings. They were busy non-stop, and no one said a word of nonsense.

After the dishes were prepared, they were sent to each team in the "fire" unit and distributed. The soldiers ate and drank as much as they could, and there was still some left after eating.

Overeating at night is really bad for your physical and mental health. But considering that they will be going off to war soon, this may very well be the last good meal in their lives.

Under this premise, all flaws are not worth mentioning.

However, some soldiers of the Yinqian Xiaojie Army did not eat. They had eaten "open a small stove" an hour ago and were now packing their bags and preparing to set off.

Unshedded white sheepskin coat and sheepskin hat; thick and breathable cotton vest;

Gaiters made of Chuma from Kuizhou, cowhide gloves produced in Hexi;

Cowhide boots, wool socks and wool blankets; topical medicine to prevent frostbite, Chinese medicine pills to adapt to the highland climate; crutches, hooks and long ropes;

After modification, the arm-opening crossbow can be fired continuously at close range, etc.

These are not very common things in the Tang army. Silver spears, Xiaojie army sergeants and soldiers are almost all equipped with one set.

Fang Chongyong said in a deep voice.

His strategic vision was more than a thousand years behind that of Fang Chongyong, a later comer!

Soldiers can eat well, wear warm clothes, and be equipped with emergency medicine. These are the most basic equipment for an elite soldier.

"Fang Jieshuai, how can we capture Ebao Ridge without being noticed?"

Elite, that's what it should be like.

"Soldiers are not more numerous but more skilled. In this battle to seize Ebao Ridge, victory cannot be achieved by simply relying on numbers.

On the contrary, if there are too many people, it will cause trouble and it will easily capsize.

"In this battle, I plan to use a thousand elite troops to capture Ebao. The remaining two thousand elite troops will set off one day later to open up food routes, and the remaining six thousand troops will serve as backup."

Both the Tang army and the Tubo army, especially the Tubo army, had the habit of "emphasizing weapons rather than equipment". Swords, guns, swords, halberds, armor, horses, and siege equipment were all very complete on both sides, with almost no generational differences. There's nothing they can't do except what you can't think of.

Guo Ziyi asked calmly. This was a typical example of someone who didn't believe it, but was too embarrassed to contradict him.

When we occupy the sky, the Tubo people occupy the advantage. Whoever can fight for peace will win. "

Fang Chongyong took Guo Ziyi on a tour here and saw that all the soldiers were packing their bags and checking for leaks and filling in the gaps. He couldn't help but nodded with satisfaction.

He now has nearly 10,000 troops and horses in his hands. If they are thrown into a terrain like Dadou Bugu, he will not be able to use them at all.

There are also small blanket tents shared by several people, specially prepared for severe cold weather.

In order to adapt to different climates and terrains, a lot of special equipment is required, which is further logistical support.

If the battle situation is stalemate, unable to advance, unable to retreat, the 10,000-strong army will probably starve to death!

"There are mysteries in how a commander uses his troops, and the general will be willing to hear the details."

As an elite with abundant logistical support, the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army's equipment is specially customized in workshops under the Ministry of Industry, and some of it is commissioned from large workshops in Wuwei City, mainly wool and cold-proof products.

The so-called elite soldiers do not just need to be brave and ruthless; well-equipped soldiers do not just need to sharpen their swords.

However, in terms of soldiers' personal equipment, the Tang army and the Tubo army were both younger brothers, so they used them as they could without putting too much thought into them.

Fang Chongyong pointed at a Silver Spear Xiaojie soldier who was trying on clothes and said, Guo Ziyi just nodded slightly without comment.

Guo Ziyi asked doubtfully.

In particular, the Tang army was marching from low to high. How to ensure food and grass for these ten thousand people was a big problem.

Fang Chongyong saw through his little thought, waved his hand and said: "Historical records state that at the end of the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Yang Guang led the elite of the Sui army from Zhangye and entered the Dadou valley. It was July, and suddenly there was a heavy snowfall. Most of the Sui army and the cattle and sheep they carried froze to death. Most future generations did not believe it and thought it was a rumor."

Guo Ziyi said nothing, but had a thoughtful expression on her face, and did not regard Fang Chongyong's words as a joke.

This section of the mountain road in Dadou Bago Valley is a place with a very evil climate. Its northern outlet faces a desert climate, hot and arid, while its southern outlet faces a cold and humid plateau climate. Two extremely contrasting climates are blocked by mountains.

The gap in the middle of this mountain range is the Dadou Valley.

This makes it snowy in June and the temperature plummets to 40 degrees, which is nothing unusual in Dadouba Valley! To be honest, it’s just daily exercise.

Fang Chongyong guessed that Guangshen must have encountered such a catastrophic climate change that year. The army had no permanent residents here and was not prepared for cold protection, so it suffered a big loss!

Before setting off to Dadou Bugu, Fang Chongyong found several guides who had lived here for decades and later made a living in Wuwei City to inquire about the environment there.

To describe it in one word, it is "dangerous". Climate is the Tang Army's biggest enemy, bar none!

On the second day after arriving at the Dadoujun camp, Fang Chongyong searched for local mountain people who were familiar with the route, and then got an important piece of information: the annual June snowfall was coming again, but he was not sure which day it was.

Anyway, during this period, just as a precaution, these mountain people did not go into the mountains to herd sheep. In the event of an extreme snowstorm, it often lasts only half an hour and can kill them.

This is true for the mountain people, and even more so for the Tubo army.

The Tubo army stationed at Ebao Ridge could not be well supplied; the Tubo slave system could not keep the soldiers fed and clothed all the time. There may be extreme cooling weather in the recent period. Will the Tibetan army still patrol along the mountain roads?

Maybe, but it's very unlikely.

If the attacking team is reduced to a thousand people, then the possibility of being discovered by the Tubo people on the road will be even smaller!

After approaching Ebao Ridge, the army set up an ambush, waiting for possible wind and snow weather at night. Then take advantage of the night or the severe cold weather during the short window period to take down Ebao, which is unable to resist, in one fell swoop. It is worth a gamble.

According to common sense, the time of day when the temperature drops the fastest is between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Therefore, the severe cold weather in the mountains is most likely to occur during this period of time when the temperature drops sharply, rather than being severe cold in the middle of the night.

In fact, historical records record that the severe cold weather Guangshen encountered also occurred during the day. According to locals, this kind of weather usually lasts for no more than an hour, and then the temperature warms back to normal.

If there is no such big cooling, the only choice is to raid at night, so the Tang army has a total of two opportunities to attack the city.

Fang Chongyong has already inquired about it. The Fort was not built on the mountain, but a permanent fortress reluctantly built on the mountain during the Han Dynasty. Now most of the city walls have collapsed and cannot be repaired.

The Tubo people had only occupied this place for a few decades. They did not renovate the city. They only blocked the gaps in the city wall with wooden fences and used supplies from the south to barely maintain a military presence at key nodes.

Of course, the Tibetan army could barely hold on in the mountains near the logistics base.

If the Tang Army wanted to maintain Ebao, it would have to use Dadou Bagou as a supply line and transport supplies here from the Hexi Corridor.

In the non-industrial era, that was not even theoretically possible. Otherwise, the Hexi frontier army would have advanced the front line to Ebao Ridge as a defensive node.

After listening to Fang Chongyong's explanation, Guo Ziyi was greatly impressed. The so-called boldness, carefulness and preparation are nothing more than this.

If Fang Chongyong's investigation is true, then there is no need for horses to be used by the 1,000-strong vanguard army in this battle, and they can't run on the mountain road anyway. There is no need to consider the issue of supply lines. Anyway, if you lose, you will never come back. There is a small river on the mountain called Tongziba River, which flows through the northern section of Dadouba Valley. However, in the southern section of Dadouba Valley close to Tubo, there is no water source for the army to drink. This is a big problem that cannot be ignored.

Only then did Guo Ziyi understand what Fang Chongyong meant by "soldiers are more valuable and faster".

There is no turning back when the bow is fired. The attack on Ebao Ridge has been delayed for a long time. There is no water to drink. Only by crossing the mountains can there be new water sources. Otherwise, we have to retreat to Dadouba Valley, which is close to the area controlled by the border army on the west of the river. Drinking water in the northern section.

If you lose, you die!

"Shuai Fang, this battle may not seem difficult, but the first battle is extremely risky. After taking Ebao, the large troops can march on horses, and they can also drive donkeys and mules to carry heavy baggage.

South of Ebao, the Tibetans also had heavy troops to guard supplies, probably no less than 20,000 in number. However, after occupying Ebao, our army became invincible.

So just ask Fang Jieshuai to take the second group of troops to Ebaoling, the first group of vanguards, and let the last general lead the troops. "

Guo Ziyi crossed his hands and saluted, saying, "Please fight."

“That’s fine too.

Let He Changqi be your lieutenant and Yuanmen Erlong as the vanguard. We will set off at midnight tonight. At noon tomorrow, the Xiaojie Army will set off with two thousand silver spears. After we meet up, we can send someone to send a message and ask Liu Gong to come with the army to respond. If the war is not going well, there is no need to call them. "

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly and said.

The length of Dadou Valley is about fifty miles, and the army can reach it on foot in one day. If it marches in a hurry, the speed will be even faster. There is no need to take care of horses along the way, which saves a lot of trouble. There are 1,000 people in the vanguard and 2,000 in the main force. The time difference is about half a day.

The Da Dou Army, which is slightly less powerful, is about 6,000 strong, and Fang Chongyong no longer considers letting them participate in the Battle of Ebaoling. The main task of the Da Dou Army is to attack the Tibetan Army's logistics base southeast of Ebao Ridge. In the early stage, they only need to recharge their batteries.

The Silver Spear Xiaojie Army is one of the best among the frontier troops. Their equipment is all high-quality products produced by the highest-level official workshops of the Tang Dynasty. Their early intelligence work has also been done well.

In the case of mental calculation and unintentional calculation, if this surprise attack failed, Fang Chongyong would write a letter to Brother Ji, saying that he had failed in training, and would disband the Silver Spear Xiaojie as a warning to others!

After bidding farewell to Guo Ziyi, Fang Chongyong brought He Changqi over for a lecture.

"Although Guo Ziyi leads the team in this battle, it is Guo Ziyi who decides when to fight and when to march. But after arriving at Ebao Ridge, you can judge the situation by yourself on how to attack the city, and you must lead the team yourself."

Fang Chongyong gave instructions as if he was talking to his ears.

"Hehe, don't worry, Marshal Jies. The final battle will be unambiguous."

He Changqi, who was unusually tall and tall, patted his chest and assured.

"Let me tell my brothers, I will reward them if they win this battle; if they lose this battle, I will disband the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army and send them back to their place of origin!

Let them all highlight their moves and don't let the handsome guys cheat in this section! "

Fang Chongyong said calmly.

"Huh? If you can't win, then revoke your designation? Isn't it said that victory or defeat is a common thing for a military strategist?"

He Changqi was shocked, and then he realized that Fang Chongyong was serious. This situation is like someone swallowing feces and committing suicide before going on a blind date because he said that he was not attracted by the other party!

But what Fang Chongyong considers is: for the army, the number means life. Military benefits are based on the number, not the individual. Is it okay if the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army is disbanded and these people are allowed to return to the original army?

People live with one face! How can I be a human being if my face is gone?

If such a death order cannot inspire the fighting spirit of the troops, then there is indeed no need for this army to exist.

"If we cannot win this battle, the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army is not worthy of being the Saint's personal army. It will be embarrassing in the future, so why not cancel the designation now, and I will be happy to be in peace."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand impatiently and asked He Changqi to convey the military order.

……

Sometimes it’s sand, sometimes it’s Gobi, sometimes it’s snow, sometimes it’s lush mountains. The mountain roads in Dadouba Valley are like walking through the mountain roads in different parts of the Tang Dynasty, and they are unpredictable.

After walking more than forty miles without any danger, it was already noon. A dazzling sun hung in the sky, and the sunlight was like a fire, shining on the thousand vanguards of the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army, making people dizzy.

These people were covered in sweat and could not take off their cotton and leather clothes. The sweltering heat made them miserable.

"General Guo, don't you let us have a rest? Look at the scorching heat, it won't hurt if you take off your clothes..."

He Changqi wiped the hot sweat on his forehead with his sleeves and said.

Guo Ziyi's first military order when setting off was that all soldiers were not allowed to take off their leather jackets and cotton-padded jackets. Anyone who disobeyed the order would be killed!

In fact, it was midnight when we set out, and the temperature in the mountains was very cool, but they didn't think it was a big deal, so the soldiers of the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army didn't take this military order seriously. However, after walking for most of the day, they were still marching in a hurry. By noon, these Qiuba people could no longer bear it.

Tiredness is the second priority. After all, they are among the best athletes in the army and are not afraid of walking at this intensity.

It’s just that the scorching sun above my head is a bit unbearable, it’s too hot! The scalp under the sheepskin hat was wet with sweat! What's the weather like in Liangzhou now? I'm wearing single clothes during the day!

Hu Ji in the wine shop, her white belly is exposed! They were a group of old men wearing cotton-padded jackets and walking along the mountain road, like a group of roasting sheep!

He Changqi was furious, but he had nowhere to vent his anger.

"General He, don't be impatient. I think the weather is about to change."

Guo Ziyi squinted his eyes and looked at a cloud not far above his head, which was speeding towards him. He could see the cloud moving with the naked eye.

At this moment, a cool breeze hit him. He Changqi couldn't help but shiver, and the hot sweat on his body instantly turned into cold sweat!

"Quickly, send the order down, set up tents, use all the blankets, the storm is coming!"

Guo Ziyi hurriedly ordered.

But this seems unnecessary. Because without his order, the soldiers of the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army were already setting up tents in a panic, and no one was blind. I thought it was a legend in the world, but I didn't expect that such extreme weather would actually happen to them.

Actually, the climate at the southern end of Dadouba Valley near Tubo is humid, while the climate at the end near Datang is dry and hot, and the altitude near Ebaoling is higher.

When hot air encounters condensation and high altitude, convection is formed in the channel. This situation of snow in June is similar to the fact that airplanes tend to freeze in the troposphere.

It may be strange to the ancients, but in Fang Chongyong's previous life, it was already commonplace and not surprising.

Almost instantly, the north wind began to howl in the valley. The strong men of the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army were hiding in the wool military tents with excellent thermal insulation, shivering while wrapped in blankets. I used to dislike the leather jackets and cotton-padded jackets I was wearing because they were too thick and too hot.

Now I think they are too thin and useless!

Perhaps everyone's prayers had an effect. After a while, the cold wind stopped, and heavy snow began to fall in the valley. However, the temperature did not rise at all, but dropped a lot.

"Everyone, get up and march quickly! If anyone doesn't move, I will beat him to death!"

He Changqi led the soldiers, kicked over one thick military tent after another, and beat the soldiers who stood up slowly with a military stick. Suddenly, the snake-like team was jumping like chickens and dogs.

In less than a stick of incense, the team of a thousand people abandoned the military tent on the spot and marched forward at almost a trot. At this moment, they are only a few miles away from Ebao Ridge!

(End of this chapter)