Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 386 Sprinting towards victory (end of this volume)

On the north bank of Baishui City, the Badam River, which has entered the dry season, has dried up. Fortunately, the locals have adapted to this situation and dug many wells in the city. The water in the well neither freezes nor lowers the water level in winter.

Moreover, there are some wells in the small market town outside the city where you can draw water, so you don’t need to worry about water sources.

However, these can only meet the daily needs of the local people, but cannot supply the tens of thousands of troops and the horses and other livestock that accompany the army.

Because they were not well organized at the beginning, many soldiers of the Food Army did not have access to well water. In order to compete for the well, these people actually started fighting among themselves.

As a result, more than a hundred people were injured, and some were killed because of confiscation.

In desperation, Abu Muslim ordered more than a thousand light infantry to be specially organized. They did nothing and were responsible for the water source problem of the army. They fetched and delivered water to all the surrounding places where wells were dug.

It is for drinking by all the army officers and horses, camels and other livestock.

This way back, after only walking more than two hundred miles, the soldiers and horses under Abu Muslim suffered a lot.

In the previous battles, due to the heavy losses of light cavalry and camel soldiers, it was no longer possible to ensure that the army could return to Zhezhi City from Talos on horseback.

The few cavalrymen could only dismount and follow the infantry to save horse power. If there is an enemy attack and the horse cannot run, something big will happen.

However, the desert in winter is also a desert, and walking on foot is also a chore and not easy at all.

When the army reached Baishui City between Talas City and Zhezhi City, they could no longer move. Many soldiers were sitting on the rocks by the roadside, like beggars. No matter how the officers threatened or even whipped them, these people refused to move any further.

In fact, I can't blame these soldiers for giving up their jobs, because they fought from Mulu to Kang State, from Kang State to Shi State, and from Shi State to Talas. They went through many bloody battles, and now they are returning on foot.

Even a strong body can't stand it!
On the way back, many soldiers experienced varying degrees of weakness in their limbs and had stars in their eyes due to lack of water and thirst (there was no large-scale water source during the dry season).

Officers have plenty of water to drink, but ordinary soldiers do not. People's joys and sorrows are not the same.

Outraged by public anger, Abu Muslim had no choice but to order the entire army to camp outside Baishui City to rest, wait until they recovered, and then enter Zhezhi City with a strong victor's attitude.

This is also to better deter the wallflowers such as Kang Guo and Shi Guo. As the saying goes, sharpening the sword will never make a mistake in chopping firewood.

After arranging matters related to the camp outside the city, Abu Muslim took Ziad Sari and other generals into Baishui City to rest.

The soldiers of the Great Food Army were exhausted, but in fact they were not relaxed either.

At first, Abu Muslim was on guard against being pursued, but nothing happened the whole way. When he got near Baishui City, no one thought about it anymore.

After all, the Tang army had too many opportunities to attack in front of them. It is impossible for anyone to tense up their nerves and not take a breath every day of the year, right?
In fact, after defeating Gao Xianzhi, no one from Abu Muslim on down thought that Datang would go to war with Dashi so "untimely".

These generals and commanders who were energetic before the war fell into unstoppable malaise after the war.

In other words, after the spirit relaxed, the fatigue that had been forcibly suppressed due to nervous tension in the past became more and more intense.

Anyway, there is no big enemy. Who dares to compete with Dashi west of Congling? It’s not a big deal to relax for a while, right?
After arriving at the castle in Whitewater City, Abu Muslim was too tired to eat anything, so he drank a large bowl of water and fell asleep.

……

Near a river ditch twenty miles east of Baishui City, Fang Chongyong was organizing his soldiers to dig a well to collect water.

The generals thought it would take a long time to dig the well, but they didn't expect that water was already flowing out when it was only two meters deep!
It can be called a miraculous skill!

This kind of thing is rare even in the Central Plains, let alone the Western Regions!
He Changqi and others looked at Fang Chongyong with surprised eyes. They didn't know why Fang Jieshuai was so capable and even knew about such a small and troublesome thing.

"Hey, you don't understand. The road is right under your nose. Don't look down on the traffickers and lackeys who come from north to south. It won't hurt to ask and chat more."

Fang Chongyong put his hands on his hips and laughed.

He bought this news from a Hu merchant from the Western Regions at the market in Suiye City. The businessman is so profit-oriented that he won't let go easily even if it's just a piece of news. In their view, everything has a price, including news.

The businessman said that water wells can be drilled everywhere south of the Badam River in Whitewater City. If there is no water to drink due to an accident, just dig a well on the spot to get water, and water will be available soon.

To put it simply, the groundwater resources here are very rich, and the water level of the underground river is very high!

"Jie Shuai, you have to take action! You can even expect this!"

He Changqi couldn't help but give Fang Zhongyong a thumbs up, patted the horse and said.

Unexpectedly, Fang Zhongyong waved his hand and scolded rudely: "Hmph, talking about this chapter, Shuai reminds me of something. Shouldn't the issues of digging wells and surveying water sources be done by the scouts? How do you manage the scouts? of?"

The flattery ended up being slapped on the horse's leg. He Changqi stepped back, not daring to talk back.

At this moment, a Tang Army cavalry galloped from the west. Seeing Fang Chongyong and others gathered around the well that had just been dug, he immediately got off his horse. This man turned out to be Che Guangqian, who was in charge of the investigation!
This person has been doing intelligence work before and has made a lot of achievements. Now that the decisive battle is imminent, Che Guangqian refuses to hide behind to collect intelligence, and must go out with the army! In desperation, Fang Chongyong had no choice but to take him with him to handle military affairs.

Then let Feng Changqing be responsible for logistics-related matters.

"Jie Shuai, hurry up! The soldiers of the Great Food Army are now sitting on the roadside, swaying like beggars. They are probably tired from the walk.

Let's rush now! Don't miss this opportunity again! "

Che Guangqian's anxious counterpart Zhongyong reported.

No wonder he was impatient. At this moment, the cannibal was so tired that he didn't even send any scouts. After Che Guangqian hid the horses, she went on foot to take a closer look, only to find that the behavior of the group was very abstract.

Some people fought over the water, some sat paralyzed on the roadside and pretended to be dead, and some quietly went to the city to hide, leaving the troops outside the city aside.

The whole team is just like herding ducks!

"Are you going to rush now?"

Fang Chongyong frowned slightly, mentally calculating the pros and cons.

At this moment, he only has five thousand cavalry in hand!
The other troops that set off from Suiye Town are still behind.

The troops who conquered Talas City also needed to clear the battlefield and set up defenses, but those people did not come either.

Deduct a little here and a little there, resulting in Fang Chongyong now not having enough capital to launch a fatal blow to Abu Muslim from the front.

To rush or not to rush?
"Come on, rush on, I know how to rush, why don't I rush you to death!"

He Changqi cursed Che Guangqian unceremoniously!
There were tens of thousands of food troops, and among them were the starting troops of Abu Muslim!

"Jie Shuai, now we have a sure chance of victory, be sure of it, be sure of it.

There's no need to rush. "

He Changqi took Fang Chongyong's arm and urged him hard.

"Commander wisely, it's not about having more soldiers but about being skilled. War has a rhythm. Now is the time to strike a fatal blow. How can we seek stability?"

Timing is much more important than troop strength!
When we are ready, the cannibal is also ready. Will it be easier to win by then? "

Che Guangqian plucked up the courage to confront He Changqi tit for tat, refusing to give in even a step.

He had been collecting intelligence on the front line before, and his perception of the strategic situation was much better than that of He Changqi.

The Big Eater has indeed used up its capital, and looks arrogant, as if it can't even use up its manpower. But as Che Guangqian knew, the confrontation between Dashi and Datang was actually in a very delicate balance.

Gao Xianzhi's failure only made the situation slightly more favorable to the cannibals.

As long as Fang Chongyong wins a hearty victory, it will be enough to reverse the current situation and turn the situation to Datang's side again.

The winning side can coerce the losers in the Western Regions, strengthen their own momentum, and obtain abundant local supplies. Obtaining the so-called "big trend" is not as difficult as it seems.

Gao Xianzhi's dilemma lies in the fact that Kang Guo, Shi Guo and other wallflowers suddenly turned around and introduced cannibals to balance the situation, which made him unable to control the situation.

Now that the advantages of the Great Cannibals have been exhausted, it only takes one battle to push them into the abyss.

At this time, the earlier the better.

As time goes on, the bond between various countries and Dashi will become deeper, and the number of people under Abu Muslim will increase.

"What do you think?"

Fang Chongyong looked at Wang Nanran and Guan Chongsi and asked, he was also struggling fiercely in his heart. It's a bit like the last question in the "Millionaire Game". Do you choose to take home the previous prize, or are you willing to take the risk and choose to answer the question? "Jie Shuai, we have won firmly now, there is no need to take risks.

After the follow-up troops arrived one after another, even if they had a head-on confrontation with the big eater, they would not be defeated at all. "

Wang Rao said in a deep voice.

He had no selfish motives, or none of the generals present had any selfish motives. They all wanted to win this battle.

However, due to the fact that everyone has a different sense of battlefield, different life experiences, and different levels of knowledge, it is natural for them to have different ideas.

It is human nature to be conservative and seek stability, not because of timidity.

"Jie Shuai, the general also thinks that he should be steady."

Guan Chongsi echoed Wang Jinlan and said.

Looking around at the generals, Fang Chongyong took a deep breath, and then said in a firm tone: "Give me the military order. Within half an hour, the troops will be reorganized and ready to attack to defeat the big cannibal."

Hearing this, Che Guangqian was ecstatic and knelt down directly on the ground to give Fang Zhongyong a bowing ceremony!

"You are so handsome!"

He Changqi and others knelt on the ground, firmly holding Fang Chongyong's sleeves and refusing to get up.

It's easy to win this battle, but if we lose, most of the previous efforts will be in vain.

Even the scenes that Feng Changqing performed so many times in front of Abu Muslim became a joke.

There is only one chance to sneak attack on the big cannibal.

The second time, Abu Muslim was absolutely on guard and had no chance to make a move.

Besides, if five thousand cavalry charge forward, their strength is probably only one-fifth of that of the Great Cannibal, or perhaps less. It remains to be seen whether they can be retreated with all their bodies intact.

What to use?
"If you all unanimously believe that the risk is extremely high, then Abu Muslim must also think so. No madman would dare to do such a thing."

Fang Zhongyong pulled out the Swift Wind Phantom Sword, pointed to the west in the direction of Baishui City and said:
"So, let us give him a little shock of the Tang Dynasty.

Look at who else dares to jump up and down in front of the Tang army on this side of the river after this battle!

Go and deliver military orders, and those who disobey them will be killed! "

Fang Chongyong inserted his sword into the scabbard, looked around at the crowd, and showed his composure without anger.

"I am willing to die for Commander-in-Chief!"

The generals knelt down and shouted in unison.

"Go assemble the army! Get ready to leave immediately, the sooner the better!"

Fang Zhongyong said with great pride.

After all the generals left, Che Guangqian stood up and wiped the tears on her face with her sleeves. The other party, Chongyong, clasped his hands in his fists and could not say a word.

"This time, Shuai, my life is in your hands. You have to cheer up and don't hit me in the face."

Fang Chongyong patted the dust on Che Guangqian's body and encouraged him.

"Please rest assured, commander-in-chief, this battle will be won, and I will not be wrong about it. If I lose, I will be willing to raise my head to see you!"

Che Guangqian said with excitement, cupping her fists and saluting. This kind of trust that defies all opinions is really rare.

"What's the use of handsome looking for your head in this section? Hurry up and teach me a lesson, big cannibal.

Anyone who offends our strong men will be punished no matter how far away they are. Don’t you understand this principle?
Go! "

Fang Chongyong waved his hand indifferently.

……

The sunset was early in winter, and the soldiers of Dashi, who had almost rested, slowly got up and formed a team, lazily and aimlessly looking for the organization they were in.

However, because many officers entered Baishui City to rest early, many people could not find the team.

Many of them drank enough water in one go because they had been thirsty for a long time. The well water is still sloshing in my stomach. There are also many people whose bellies are as swollen as if they were pregnant because they ate dry food and drank water, making it difficult for them to walk.

Therefore, the sound of burping could be heard everywhere in the messy team of the Big Eater.

Suddenly, the soldiers of Dashi who were approaching the east side vaguely felt the ground shaking slightly.

From far to near, slowly getting closer, getting bigger and bigger.

Then, at the mountain pass at the end of the field of vision, a cavalryman appeared, followed by a second, then a third, and there were groups of cavalrymen as far as the eye could see.

"The Tang Army's cavalry is coming! Run!"

In the Dashi Army, some sharp-eyed soldier shouted!
It would have been better not to shout this, but after shouting it, it was like boiling water dripping into a pan of oil, and chaos completely exploded in the marching team.

The soldiers of Dashi who lost their organizational structure began to look for their officers everywhere! After he couldn't find it, he started running towards Baishui City again.

The officers close to Baishui City noticed that something was wrong, but they couldn't find their own troops!
There were many soldiers of the Dashi Army lying across the road. Many people heard the noise but could not see what was happening in the distance, so they had no choice but to wander around blankly and follow others.

It’s just that no one stood up to organize resistance.

But you can't blame them.

resistance? Don't be kidding, you can't even find the officer, how can you resist? Who will give the order? No matter what kind of army, even if it is an elite soldier, as long as it is not organized, it will be a mess.

"kill!"

"Kill!" "Kill!" "Kill!"

He Changqi rushed to the front, and Ma Shan seemed to have eyes. He could stab, pick, sweep, and turn around in endless ways. He could kill a person with just one swing. He led the elite soldiers of the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army to the front, and no one was the enemy of Yihe.

Wherever they passed, Dashi's soldiers, who couldn't even hold their weapons steady, staggered around like wheat being cut.

Those who hid on both sides of the road were quickly shot into hedgehogs by the Tang Army archers who followed them!
The cavalry of the Tang Army rushed into the loose ranks of Dashi's army like a whirlwind, as if they were in an uninhabited land.

Fang Chongyong drew out the Swift Wind Phantom Knife and followed the team at the back, a bit like an outsider.

It's not that he doesn't want to rush, but that He Changqi and other generals are determined not to let him rush to the front.

Fang Chongyong is fine, and the army can fight again after retreating. If something happens to him, the situation in the Western Region will be out of control.

So Fang Jieshuai rode on horseback to fight. He didn't kill anyone, and there was nothing unstoppable. Instead, it was like riding a donkey to visit.

But everywhere they passed, blood flowed into rivers, people were wailing everywhere, and there was not even a single person standing. It can be said to be extremely miserable!

The Silver Spear Xiaojie Army has no intention of holding back and will kill as many as they can.

Fang Chongyong saw several Dashi soldiers in the distance planning to form a formation, but before they could stand firm, they were beaten to pieces by the "maces" of the Tang Army's cavalry. The impact brought by the horses instantly broke down the resistance.

"Sure enough, Che Guangqian's judgment is right to find wealth in danger."

Fang Chongyong stepped on the stirrups, crossed his arms on the horse, and looked at the ruthless killing in front of him. No, it would be more appropriate to say that it was a one-sided slaughter, and the acid water in the stomach surged.

Fang Chongyong felt that he would probably not eat meat in the near future, although this did not prevent him, the Western Region Economic and Strategic Ambassador, from exterminating the cannibals.

"Wars are fierce and dangerous. Fighting is really dangerous. You just do things with your head in your belt.

Brother Ji, Brother Ji, you, the emperor in the deep palace, know nothing. "

Fang Chongyong laughed, shook his head and sighed, then rode his horse slowly towards Baishui City. (End of this volume)
(Next volume: I originally set my heart towards the bright moon, but the bright moon shines on the ditch.)
(End of this chapter)