Late Tang

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In June of the first year of Guangming, at the "invitation" of Li Keyong, the coalition forces of the Beihu tribes who went south from the grassland north of the Yinshan Mountains were sent down to Daibei, and half of Qianliang's children were taken by the tribes. Under the government owned by the various tribes, they crossed the Yin Mountain and entered Daibei. 20 horses marched into the territory of the Tang Dynasty in a mighty way.

In a short period of time, Li Siyuan's tens of thousands of troops have been defeated, and the troops have been divided into multiple groups, and they successively captured the Jingbian Army City and Wuzhou City in the west of Yunzhou in Datong, and the Qingsai Army in Weizhou in the east of Yunzhou. At this time, Yunzhou was besieged, leaving only three outer barriers: Niupiguan, Baidengshan Military Village, and Yunzhong Shouzhuo.

Khitan was in Vietnam, and Yelu Shilu, the commander of the southward coalition army, while surrounding Yunzhou, sent tribal troops to continue searching and chasing after Li Siyuan's remnant soldiers. At the same time, he sent tens of thousands of auxiliary troops to enter Yunzhou like locusts, search for all supplies, and plunder all the people in the territory. .

After the left and right soldiers and horses successfully captured the four cities of Jingbian, Wuzhou, Qingsai, and Tiancheng, Yelu Shilu transferred his brother Yelu Saci to lead his troops to bypass Yunzhou and enter Yunzhou directly along the Sanggan River. On the eastern border of Shuoer Prefecture, they aggressively attacked Jincheng, the base camp of Shatuo, which Li Guochang and Li Keyong had managed for two generations, and sent troops to attack the nearby counties of Yingcheng, Heyin, and Hunyuan.

Zhang Zimian sent [-] auxiliary troops here, and this is also the logistics transfer station for the Western Expeditionary Army. Under the fierce attack of [-] troops from Yeluza, the [-] Qin Fan auxiliary troops refused to defend the city and died. heavy.

Ten thousand auxiliary soldiers are at stake.

The huge change shook the entire Daibei, Zhang Zimian, Marshal of the Western Expedition, and the entire Qin Fan.Li Jing urgently ordered Zhang Zimian to rush back to aid the Jincheng areas, and at the same time urgently dispatched generals Liu Xun, Qin Zongshou, Gao Rong, Liu Zhijun, and Zhang Jun to lead [-] light cavalry and rush out of the capital to reinforce.

The four cities of Jincheng and Yingcheng are located in the center of the three prefectures of Yunshuowei. Not only was this the old nest of the Shatuo people in the past, but it was also the only passage between Zhang Zimian’s army and the rear of Shuozhou at this time. Yunzhou was besieged, and Daizhou was The Shatuo people controlled it. If the four cities of Jincheng were lost, Zhang Zimian's [-] troops would be blocked in Shuozhou, falling into the north-south double-team of Shatuo and Beihu.

At this time, Zhang Zimian was clearing out Li Siyuan's rebels in the south of Shuozhou, and the Yanmen Shatuo Rangers who entered Shuozhou from Daizhou. The sturdy Fanhan is making trouble everywhere.

One night in late June, Yelusa assassinated [-] Khitan elite cavalry and [-] tribal coalition troops to capture Huairen City in the south of Yunzhou, and quickly reached the south bank of the Sanggan River, Yingcheng at the foot of Longshou Mountain.When the Hu people arrived thirty miles away from Yingcheng, the city got the news.

At this time, the general in charge of staying behind this logistics base camp is Zhang Yu, the son of Zhang Zimian, a young brave general in his early twenties, but he has the courage and strict demeanor of his father.Hearing the report from the outside that the Hu people's army had arrived, he was not afraid of danger, and immediately ordered Jincheng and the three hills and four towns on the periphery to be closed immediately.

Jincheng used to be the base camp built by Shatuo people, and it is located in the center of Yunshuowei.

At the beginning, Shatuo people used this as their base camp. In terms of geographical situation, this area is located in the northeast of Hedong, the southwest end of Datong Basin, and between the inner and outer Great Wall.Control the hub of Jin, Yan, and grasslands, and the northern barrier of the Central Plains.

This place remotely controls the Great Wall, connects to the desert outside, lives in the north and faces Yanjing, the Yellow River on the right and Yanmen on the left, with mountains and rivers in front of it, four fortresses are solid, ancient piers are garrisoned, circled and protected, and a big fortress in the northwest is also consolidated.It is far away from the Yellow River in the west and the vast desert in the north. The vassal guard of the Zhuangyan Gate is the lips and teeth in the clouds, standing tall in the north, and the giant defense of the whole Jin Dynasty.It can be said that this place has always been a strategically important place that military strategists must contend for. It is a hub area with mountains and rivers and four fortresses. The Shatuo tribe can develop rapidly after being attached to the Tang Dynasty. It is based on this important base for fighting between dragons and tigers.

Moreover, in terms of historical reasons, this place has always been a place where Han people and nomadic tribes lived together. Since King Wuling of Zhao Wufu rode and shot, there were people who practiced martial arts traditions and sturdy folk customs.After the mid-Tang Dynasty, the Shatuo tribe originated in Daibei, known as the Shatuo Cavalry, the number one in the world.But in fact there are very few real Shatuo people. The Shatuo people they usually call actually refer to the Han border people who refer to the northern land and are governed by the Shatuo people.There are not only Zhuhu, but also a large number of Han people who are on behalf of the Northern Han Dynasty, who are also called Shatuo.Shatuo cavalry is number one, in fact, it is the vest of the Beishi in the world.Especially at the time of the Tang Dynasty, all Taoists made use of the barbarians, and the elite soldiers were stationed in the north.Even Qin Fan, the strongest in the world, has a large number of Fan troops among them.

Jincheng is such a pivotal place, yet it is inhabited by a group of the toughest frontier residents. Even though it suffered a major blow a few years ago and it was breached, in just a few years, it has recovered again, like weeds on the frontier. , full of strong vitality.After Li Siyuan retreated into Jincheng, he encountered a second betrayal here. Countless subordinates mutinied and raped Li Siyuan.Li Siyuan had to retreat to Yunzhou in embarrassment and handed it over to Zhang Zimian.

Zhang Zimian used iron and blood methods to rebel against Shatuo here. The Shatuo rebels guarded Jincheng with three hills and four towns.After pacifying this place, he saw the hub position of this place and the dangerous guards of three hills and four towns, so he left his son Zhang Yu to guard Jincheng, and three generals to guard the other three cities. Transfer the prisoners of war and their families gathered here together.

Historically, in the later three dynasties of Shatuo, this place was designated as a separate state, Yingzhou.The three Shatuo dynasties were all established on this basis.

At this time, Jincheng was already extremely dangerous and strong, with three hills and four towns.

They are escort post thirty miles southeast of the city, so they are named because Yuan Hong, Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty once stayed here.There is also Zhaobagang on the north bank of the Hun River at the foot of Longshou Mountain, [-] miles east of the city. The terrain is high and steep, lying horizontally from north to south.And Huangshan Hill, located at the junction of Huairen, Yingcheng, and Shanyin Counties, is one of the famous scenery in Yingzhou, with a high and steep hill.

In addition, there are four towns, Anbian Town, twenty miles east of the city.

Sima Town, twenty miles west of the city, is in the shape of a fortress, surrounded by a two-foot-and-a-half-high earth wall, and is an important defensive town in the west of Jincheng.

Shenwu Town, forty miles north of the city, was built by Li Keyong himself.

Daluo Town, forty miles south of the city, guards the extremely dangerous Dashanmen Yukou.

At this time, the vanguard of Yeluzaci's soldiers and horses arrived in front of Shenwu Town in the north of the city. They were standing there observing the terrain of Shenwu Town. They saw that the peaks here rose from the ground and the forests were luxuriant. , a fortified stronghold in Huanghuajian is located in the middle, and there is a stone town standing not far behind the mountain, one post and one town echo each other, and you can vaguely see the guarded Guanmen city, with flags flying and spears stabbing like forests.

Yelu Sala frowned involuntarily, "Three hills and four towns guard the Jincheng, and Wei Township Qianghu is shocked! This is indeed a very dangerous place, but if it is such a place, how can the Shatuo people not be able to defend it?" Well, they were actually attacked again and again by the Qin army. It seems that the so-called danger is just a lie. Since the Qin army can attack them again and again, then our Khitan cavalry can do the same."

Yelu Sala's ten-year-old son, Yelu Abaoji, rode his horse with a strong bow in his hand, and said with a smile: "Father, don't be surprised by the dangers of Huanghuagang and Shenwu Town. No matter how strong Guancheng is, there must be a good one." Soldiers are the only guards. The city is dead, but the people are alive. Father, please look, although the flags are flying around the city, but if you look closely, it is not difficult to find that there are very few soldiers and horses on the city, which seems to be a bluff. According to the information we have, there are only [-] auxiliary soldiers of the Qin army stationed in the four cities on the first line of Jincheng, and Jincheng has only half of the [-] auxiliary soldiers. There is nothing to be afraid of. With our tens of thousands of warriors, we will be able to break through in one fell swoop. Yingcheng is now the logistics base of the Qin army. There are bound to be many. Father, what are you waiting for, immediately order the warriors to tackle key problems!"

At this time, an emergency military meeting was being held in the Temporary Guard General's Mansion of Tianwang Temple in Jincheng.

Zhang Yuzi Daozhi, just [-] this year, but he is already a veteran who has followed Zhang Zimian for many years.Although they are now only commanding a group of auxiliary soldiers, the auxiliary soldiers of the Qin Army have always been known for their ferocity and combat effectiveness. In many cases, the auxiliary soldiers just mean that they come from the Tuanjie Battalion, the township soldiers or the Xuejun, not that their combat effectiveness is not good.In fact, many auxiliary soldiers even far surpassed the combat effectiveness of the armies of many feudal towns.

Zhang Yu has practiced martial arts since he was a child, learning military books and war books. Although he is only 20 years old this year, he actually still has the title of Jinshi in martial arts, and he has also won the top ten in the Qin Dynasty's martial arts examination. ranking.He started fighting with his father at the age of 15. He has been fighting for five years. In the battle to exterminate Wang Xianzhi, Wang Xianzhi's head was captured by him himself. He can be called a young hero.

Upon receiving the news that the Hu people's army was coming, Zhang Yu not only didn't have the slightest fear, but secretly thought that the Hu people came just in time.To be left here by his father to lead the auxiliary soldiers, manage the logistics and dispatch, and guard the prisoners, this is really a boring and uninteresting job for him.Now that the Hu people actually came to him, it was a good time for him to show his skills and make great achievements.He still only holds the title of Founding Viscount, which is too low. You know, Guo Tao, who was boasted and praised in the Zijun newspaper a few days ago, is only 15 years old this year, but King Qin has already passed away. A special commendation and promotion order was issued, and Guo Tao was specially promoted to be the Marquis of Dingyuan. Although this is only a county marquis, but at the age of 15, he was granted the Marquis title all at once. What a great honor this is.In short, now Guo Tao has almost become the No.1 of the younger generation. He is really an enviable little guy.

To be honest, he doesn't think he is inferior to Guo Tao. In the imperial court, he is also an "enemy of ten thousand people" with outstanding military exploits, and he still has the title of Duke of Shouchun County bestowed by the emperor. Let him take out the title of the duke again.Therefore, in Qin Fan, because he has not yet made outstanding performance, he, the county magistrate of the imperial court, only ranks as the founding viscount among Qin Fan's newly appraised titles.But in terms of ability, he is definitely far superior to that brat, and even the disciples of the King of Qin, he thinks that he is absolutely not bad, the only thing he lacks is the opportunity to make meritorious deeds.

Attending the meeting were the hostesses and commanders of several auxiliary soldiers.

The logistics staff officer Zhang Luo first analyzed the situation of the enemy and us at this time. The Hu people had 5 horses.And they only have [-] soldiers and horses in Jincheng, and they are all auxiliary soldiers.Most of them are infantry, only Zhang Yu has a battalion of cavalry, which is known as a strong army, but unfortunately there are too few people.

"Although there are three thousand, we still have to guard the three hills and four towns. Including Jincheng, there are eight pass cities. Separately, the number of troops is too small. But if we abandon the three hills and four towns on the outskirts, I am afraid that the barbarians will It's going straight ahead, Jincheng is probably hard to defend." Although the logistics staff officer also has the title of a staff officer, he is actually in charge of logistics scheduling, which is equivalent to an accountant. Let him deal with those money and food figures. No problem at all.But it is quite rare for him to face an army of Hu people ten times larger than himself.In fact, during this period of time, Zhang Luo was already frightened. As a scholar, he joined the army as a logistics staff officer. This was the first time he encountered a war, and it was such a big battle. From morning until now, he was still in shock.

"Staff Zhang don't need to panic." The young general Zhang Yu said with a smile on his face. He has experienced many battles and thinks that now is the time for him to display his talents. "Open the treasury now, distribute knives and guns, and distribute money at the same time. All non-rebellion prisoners and their family members in Jincheng, and all men under 50 years old and over 15 years old shall be arranged and divided into several teams to guard the city in turn. As long as they are willing to help defend against the enemy, no matter whether they have any relationship with the Shatuo people in the past, they will not be blamed. At the same time, everyone who goes to the city to help defend the city will be rewarded with [-] yuan per day and a dou of millet. If they can be killed Enemy soldiers, each head will be rewarded five times. The more you kill, the more you will be rewarded. There must be brave men under the heavy reward. This new city and four towns have many residents of Fanhan. Not a problem."

Zhang Luo is always worried about Zhang Yu, the chief general. He is too young, a few years younger than his own son, especially his handsome white face. Is a scholar.Especially at this time, seeing that not only was there no panic on his face, but a kind of excitement was revealed on his face, which made him feel more and more worried about his fate.

"The general's idea is very good. However, although the people of this generation in the north are all tough and capable of fighting, they are born fighters. But the general, don't forget that this was once the lair of Shatuo people. These people's hearts are for Shatuo. If the time comes If they mutiny and fight back, wouldn't it be worse for us?"

"It was indeed the lair of the Shatuo people in the past, but don't forget that King Qin once broke through this place and took most of the Shatuo people here to the Qin Fan. Later, the three tribes of Datong occupied this place, and they treated the Shatuo people But I have never been polite. Although after Li Siyuan conquered Datong, many Shatuo people and Fan Han border residents came back here, but before my father and commander stormed here for seven days and seven nights, beheading tens of thousands of Xin Xiangsha who tried to defend Shatuo's lair Tuo people. The remaining ones are still in our prisoner-of-war camps, together with their families. As for the others, since they didn’t fight with us last time, I don’t think they will fight with us this time. We are the enemy. Although our situation is a little tense right now, don't forget that my father commander will lead his troops back soon, and King Qin has decided to lead his troops into Daibei himself. Therefore, in fact, you don't have to worry. On the contrary, I think this is an excellent opportunity, as long as we can hold on, then, everyone, your future will be limitless!"

"Should the soldiers from the three hills and the four towns be withdrawn?"

Zhang Yu smiled lightly and shook his head: "No, not only will we not withdraw the soldiers and horses from the three hills and four towns, but we will also transfer the soldiers from Jincheng and the newly recruited soldiers to the three hills and four towns."

"What?" All the chamber masters and commanders present couldn't believe this.

Zhang Yu explained with a smile, "We don't want to fight the enemy to the end, we just need to hold out until the reinforcements arrive. And the three hills and four towns in Jincheng are the best outer barriers. The barbarians come from the south, and the field battles are fierce, but if We are laymen when it comes to attacking cities and pulling out villages. We will defend against danger and divide the seven passes, which can not only disperse the enemy troops, but also make better use of the dangerous advantages of the three hills and three towns. Fighting against the barbarians will naturally succeed If we want to fight, we must fight against them in the defensive battle of Guancheng. If we directly give up Guancheng and retreat to Jincheng, this is undoubtedly giving up our advantage on our own initiative, which is something that a wise man would not do."

"But will this be broken by everyone?"

"No, this is called reasonable distribution of pressure. Don't forget that in addition to our Jincheng, the three cities facing the barbarians this time are Yingcheng, Hunyuan, and Heyin. We are like nails firmly nailed to the barbarians going south. On the way, if they want to pass, they have to pull out the nails one by one." Zhang Yu sneered, "But this nail is so easy to pull out? Every nail is a strong castle. People are not good siege fighters. Just wait, we will teach the barbarians a profound lesson this time, so that they don't always think that war is such a simple matter!"

After fighting for so many years, Zhang Yu is also experienced.The advantage of the Hu people is their mobility and their field combat capabilities.But if you avoid field battles with the Hu people, and instead fight offensive and defensive battles with them, and defend against the barriers, then the Hu people will have no advantage at all.

If the Hu people do not divide their troops to attack each pass, but concentrate their tens of thousands of troops to attack each pass, although in this way, there is a danger of breaking down each one, but the Hu will have to spend more It's time to pull out the nails, and Zhang Yu believes that the Hu people will never have the time to pull out all the nails, because he firmly believes that the Qin army of the Qin army is coming in a hurry.

Every time they persisted for a moment, the balance of victory would tilt a little more towards them. (To be continued.)