Mantra

Chapter 224 Heilanbo City ([-])

Zhao Gong led the army to fight in the north and south. After several years, he has experienced his ability to lead troops to fight.

Along the way, Zhao Gong first ordered the recruits to use muskets to break up the enemy's formation, and then he led the elite Paozhong battalion main force to gallop on horseback, straight into the core of the chieftain army's three armies.

Although Zhao Gong came out from the mountains, his soldiers were expensive and fast. In addition, the chieftain soldiers had never experienced large battles, and the battle formations were very scattered, so they were no match for his elite troops.

Almost at the moment when the two armies met, the chieftain's coalition forces were scattered by the soldiers and horses of the "Paozhong Camp".

In the end, the army of chieftains who were killed retreated and fled, and many small chieftains lost their helmets and armor and had their heads chopped off under the fierce pursuit of the Paozhong camp.

When the war developed to this point, Zhao Gong was already red-eyed. After he defeated the chieftain, he went all out to hunt down the rebels, and ran a hundred miles away with his "Paozhong Camp", trying to drive out all the rebels.

But unfortunately, this time, Zhao Gongke miscalculated.

Compared with the local Miao people, although Zhao Gong was brave and good at fighting, he really didn't understand the local people's sentiments. He rode his horse along the ridge to pursue, and soon slowed down under the barrier of the high mountains.Only now did he discover that the army of the mountain people in these places is not good at fighting, and their escape is really first-class. The army horses are in the mountains that are difficult to walk, and they run as if they are on the peaceful ground. Ten thousand horses disappeared after running. It is almost like never seen before. Seems like.

In this way, Zhao Gong chased from noon to dusk, but did not catch a few prisoners. On the contrary, the "Paozhong Camp" led by himself was out of touch with the main force. He searched left and right, but couldn't find the way to come. .

Until night fell, Zhao Gong's elite hundred cavalry were still unable to contact the main force.

The lost Zhao Gong was really scared this time.

He knew that although the battle had been won, it hadn't completely wiped out the chieftain's rebellion, and there were many mountains in the northwest of Guizhou, which were most suitable for sneak attacks and ambushes in the wild. Camping here at night in the barren mountains and ridges was simply a dead end.

But among the mountains in the northwest of Guizhou, Zhao Gong couldn't see the town before, and he couldn't see the way back.

But at this time, a sharp-eyed spy rode back on his horse. The spy pointed to a faintly discernible mountain in the distance and said, "General, I saw a long-abandoned city on that mountain, which is suitable for camping."

Hearing this, Zhao Gong took out his binoculars and looked up in the direction the sergeant pointed. Sure enough, he found a gray-black stone city on a cliff two mountains away.

From a distance, the city wall is majestic and majestic, but there are no banners, banners or people. The whole village is lifeless, apparently abandoned for a long time.

Zhao Gong was very happy when he saw the cottage. He knew that the cottage was easy to defend and difficult to attack, and it was a good place to set up camp. There he didn't have to worry about the counterattack of the chieftain army, but he could also wait for the backup of the army.

The deserted village became the "lifeline" in Zhao Gong's eyes. He immediately rode his horse and swung his whip, led the army and horses to rob the mountain to seize the village, and finally occupied the village that had been abandoned for a long time before it was completely dark.

The moment the gate of the stockade was opened, a pungent musty smell rushed into Zhao Gong's nose.

This is indeed a dilapidated place. Zhao Gong and his soldiers found that the cottage was in disrepair for a long time. Most of the houses had no roofs, dilapidated walls, snakes, insects, rats and ants. It's like a ghost town.

Even so, Zhao Gong and his "Paozhong Camp" can bear it. They must be soldiers who crawled out of the dead. Sleeping with corpses or even eating human flesh when hungry is commonplace. I can bear it.

So the general gave an order, and his "paw soldiers" immediately filed in. They built a fire and built a shed, and killed a military horse to cook to satisfy their hunger.

But at this time, a new problem was placed in front of everyone.

All the soldiers found in a daze that there was no water in this mountain stronghold built on the cliff.You can't cook meat without water, and you can't quench your thirst without water.

Zhao Gong, who used to be an imperial cook, is even more soberly aware that after a day and night of fighting, the soldiers are at the limit of exhaustion. They have no food to eat, but they can still persevere. will die of thirst.

In the predicament, Zhao Gong immediately mobilized everyone to look for possible water sources to solve the urgent need.

But after the soldiers searched around, they were disappointed again and again.

The soldiers sent out to search inside and outside came back one after another. The news they brought back was very disappointing. No one found a water source or other things that could replace it.

Just when the troops were extremely disappointed, a scouting soldier hurried over. He was holding a large coarse porcelain bowl in his hand, which was filled to the brim with a puddle of clear water.

Zhao Gong looked at the bowl of water and was overjoyed. He quickly took the bowl and asked the spy where he got the water.

The Tanma respectfully replied that this was not a source of water, but that he found a water urn in a pit in the cottage. The urn was not big, but it was full of water. It seemed to be collected by rain, and it could just relieve the urgent need. .

The sergeant was naturally overjoyed when he got the water jar, but he didn't dare to enjoy the coolness to himself, so he put some in a bowl first, and served it to the general to quench his thirst first.

Zhao Gong, who got the water, was overwhelmed with joy. He knew that although there was not much water in this urn, it was enough to relieve urgent needs. At least no one would die of thirst due to lack of water tonight.

At that time, Zhao Gong took the big bowl from Tan Ma's hand, ready to drink the water in one gulp, so as to irrigate his smoky throat.

But just when his mouth was about to touch the edge of the bowl, Zhao Gong stopped further actions.

Because at this time, Zhao Gong saw many eyes, eyes of hunger and expectation.

The owners of those eyes are the "cook soldiers" who have been with him through life and death, suffering for many years.

Years of war experience let Zhao Hong know that a combat-effective army does not lie in the number of personnel and equipment, but in strict military discipline and solidarity.

In order to achieve this, generals should lead by example, and they should not engage in privileges, let alone enjoyment. The famous anti-Qing figures such as "Lu Xiangsheng" and "Li Dingguo" who he admired the most on weekdays governed the army in this way.

Looking at the clear water in the bowl, Zhao Hong suddenly realized that this bowl was not water, but the heavy military spirit. If he drank this bowl of water, it meant that he drank the military spirit and the soldiers. respect for themselves.

So, Zhao Gong moved the water bowl away from his lips, and he returned the water bowl to Tan Ma, and ordered the soldiers to fetch the water in the urn, first to quench their thirst and satisfy their hunger, and if everyone was not full, he would not drink a drop of water. .

Fearing that the soldiers would not listen, Zhao Gong deliberately pulled out his waist knife, stuck it on the ground, and shouted: "This is a military order, and anyone who disobeys the order will be beheaded!"

Zhao Gong gave an order, and Pao Zhong Yingshan shouted "Allegiance", and then they kowtowed to Zhao Gong three times before standing up and fetching water.

Soon, the small water jug ​​was drunk by the soldiers.

(End of this chapter)