I

  Chapter 875 871 [The decisive battle begins]

  The South Route Army led by Ding Jiasheng and Yang Zhan camped directly on the other side of Bagan City.

  The city of Bagan in front of you, like the city of Pyay that you bypassed before, is the capital of the ancient dynasty of Myanmar.

  In Myanmar, the Mon people established a dynasty for a while, the Bamar people established a dynasty for a while, and the Dai people established a dynasty for a while. No matter which dynasty it is, after the power is strong, it will frantically build capitals and temples, and gather the power of the whole country to build a city.

  Bagan City has a total of 12 city gates, and the height and thickness of the city walls are about the same as those of the state cities in China.

   The strong attack can definitely be defeated, but it must take more than two months.

  Two months are enough for the North Road Datong Army to kill, why sacrifice the lives of the soldiers to attack? Just set up camp here, attract the Burmese army, and make the enemy sleepless, wouldn't it?

   I also thought about besieging the city and fighting for aid, but it was really unrealistic.

One is that there is a lack of intelligence network, and it is impossible to detect the movement of the enemy's various reinforcements based on a few detailed operations; the other is that this is the best place in Myanmar, where rice fields are everywhere, and it is difficult for the cavalry to exert their mobility, and it is also difficult to inquire about the enemy's situation from a long distance; The third is that the Burmese reinforcements are very careful and do not come directly to Bagan City for rescue, but gather in the upstream and downstream cities of Bagan City.

  The Ayeyarwady River has a sharp bay in Bagan City, and the opposite bank has alluvial fertile flat land.

  The Datong army camped on that flat land, with towering mountains behind, a wide river in front, and tributaries flowing into the river on the side. There are mountains on one side and water on both sides, forming an open triangle.

  The cavalry was divided into several teams and patrolled the banks of the tributaries. No matter where the Burmese army came from, they could quickly attack them.

  Ding Jiasheng squatted on the ridge of the field, stroked the rice leaves and asked, "When will this rice be harvested?"

  The guide of the Mon nationality said: "From transplanting to harvesting, the short period is three months, and the long period is four months, depending on the rain and weather."

   "The rice in Myanmar grows so fast?" Ding Jiasheng was quite surprised.

   Surprised, Ding Jiasheng laughed again: "Then I don't have to worry about military rations. When the food and grass in my hand are finished, I will go to the river to harvest rice and taste the taste of this new Burmese rice."

  Near the camp of the Datong Army, there are many rice fields.

  The Ayeyarwady River and its tributaries are also full of rice fields on the banks. Whoever wins the battle will harvest it.

  Even the fortifications built by the Datong Army on the riverside came from stepping on the rice fields. First drain the water in the field, step on all the rice, dig out the silt and pile it on the field ridge, and the soldiers step on the collapsed rice.

  More than a thousand ships are all moored by the river, the luggage has been moved ashore, and a lot of firewood is piled up in the boats.

   At critical times, the ship can be set on fire to prevent the Burmese army from landing.

  Yang Zhan personally boarded the hot air balloon to observe, and did not come down until the fuel was burned out.

  Ding Jiasheng asked: "Lao Yang, what happened to the enemy?"

  Yang Zhan answered irrelevantly: "The pagodas in the city are beautifully built. If the Burmese put all their energy into building pagodas and using them all to strengthen the city walls, I wouldn't even have the slightest intention to attack the city."

   "For a long time, have you been admiring the scenery from above?" Ding Jiasheng couldn't laugh or cry.

  Yang Zhan said: "Otherwise, what else can we do? The enemy army is gathering more and more, but they dare not cross the river to attack. They are just wasting their lives every day."

   Inside and outside Bagan City, there are Buddhist temples and pagodas everywhere. The tallest pagoda is more than 50 meters long.

  Even on the side where the Datong army camped, there are Buddhist temples and pagodas on the mountain behind the camp. The monks in the temple were all controlled. While preventing them from making trouble, they were asked to help dig ditches and build low walls by the way.

  The existence of a large number of Buddhist temples, pagodas, and monks shows that this area is extremely rich, otherwise there would not be so much food to support the monks.

   Just when the Datong Army on the North Road, led by Huang Yao, arrived at Taigong City by boat, Burmese King Mangbai had already personally marched to Bagan City.

  The Burmese army is elite, with a total of 30,000 people.

   There are also private soldiers led by nobles, and peasants recruited by nobles, numbering as many as 160,000.

   This has not yet reached the limit of the Burmese army. Decades ago, Burma dispatched a full 300,000 troops in order to annex Mupang.

  Hei Ludao stood on the wall of Bagan, ascending to observe the situation of the Datong Army. This product also has a telescope, which was obtained from the Portuguese. After observing it carefully for a long time, I was so depressed that I wanted to scold my mother.

   "Can you beat it?" Mang Bai asked.

Hei Lutao shook his head and said, "It's difficult. The mountains are too high and steep to go around. The river is too wide to cross. The only place where we can attack is the tributary on the northeast side, but the enemy has built many low walls beside the river. , There are deep ditches in front of and behind the low wall to block. The passage by the river is patrolled by enemy cavalry back and forth, and there are infantry checkpoints every time they pass. "

   Mangbai said: "How about, don't attack the Han soldiers here. Just take the nobles, officials, soldiers, and money and food, and go to Raokai Mountain to hide until the weather gets hot. The Han soldiers will definitely withdraw at that time."

Hei Ludao still shook his head: "We can't leave without destroying the enemy in front of us. So many people have migrated to the mountains, and the baggage train stretches for several miles. Make a strong attack, and hurry up, otherwise the enemy from the north will kill you."

  The next day, the watchman who lived in the temple on the mountain suddenly blew the horn for warning.

  The three hot air balloons by the river quickly took off for observation.

  Yang Zhan found Ding Jiasheng: "The enemy is about to attack. The first few rounds must be a test. Don't waste our shells. Half of the cavalry is transferred to the north, where the river is very narrow. Beware of the enemy sneaking in at night."

  Ding Jiasheng said with a smile: "You guard the north, I guard the south, and I will give you 70% of the cavalry. My place is full of rice fields, and there are too many cavalry to deploy."

  The Ayeyarwady River and its tributaries, the Burmese army flags are everywhere on the bank, the peasant army and the peasants are all pulled out, and they don't know which place to attack.

  In the river to the east, dozens of enemy ships rowed over.

  In the river to the north, more than a hundred enemy ships appeared.

   On the other side of the two places, the sound of artillery was heard from time to time, and the Burmese army's artillery team was firing at the Datong army's position.

   Datong soldiers all hid behind the low wall. Fearing that the low wall would not withstand the shelling, they still huddled in the trench, and the bottom of the trench was filled with rice.

  The Burmese Army ships were all in the middle of the river, but the Datong Army still did not fight back.

   Hei Lu frowned and said, "Why didn't the Han soldiers move?"

   Mangbai excitedly said: "This is just right, take this opportunity to cross the river and kill!"

   "I'm afraid it will be difficult, and we have to rely on the war elephants in the north." Hei Ludao said.

  The Burmese army warship crossing the river was just a cover to attract the attention of the Datong army. There are more than 300 war elephants and thousands of elite Burmese troops who have gone around the upper reaches of the tributary yesterday. The closer to the mountains, the shallower and narrower the river, and elephants can cross the river directly on water.

  The stronger the feint in the south, the easier it is for the war elephants in the north to cross the river.

  The first wave of Burmese troops crossing the river by boat all belonged to the peasant army, and they came here purely to consume ammunition.

  They bypassed the docked ships of the Datong Army, and landed tremblingly. Then he held up his weapon and walked forward in a mess, not even knowing where the Datong Army was defending.

   "Bang bang bang bang!"

  The soldiers of the Datong Army nearby came out of the trench and hid behind the low wall to shoot.

  After the first round of salvo, hundreds of Burmese troops all collapsed and fled back to the ship in a panic. More than two hundred Datong cavalry took the opportunity to rush out, chasing the fleeing Burmese army, chopping melons and vegetables. Fewer than a hundred Burmese troops managed to escape back to the boat, and many of them jumped into the river before boarding the boat.

   "A lot of muskets!"

  Hei Ludao was terrified. The firepower of the Datong Army was completely beyond his imagination.

   After making some arrangements, the second batch of Burmese army ships are preparing to cross the river. They are all small boats that can only carry a few people. Not only are they flexible and fast, but even if they are hit by artillery, they will not suffer much loss.

   Two or three thousand small fishing boats, the Datong Army must fire.

   "Boom boom boom!"

  The continuous sound of artillery, one after another, made Heilu frown. How many artillery pieces are there?

  Many small Burmese army boats were sunk one after another, and many of them were swirled by the waves, but more than half of the boats rowed over to land.

  The Burmese army that landed this time is obviously more decent, and many of them are noble private soldiers.

   Several aristocratic landlords who successfully crossed the river could not help but be overjoyed when they saw that they were not attacked after landing. They formed a team by the river, waiting for more soldiers to cross the river, and then went to attack the low wall of the Datong Army together.

  Behind the low wall, the Datong Army is carrying the Tiger Crouching Cannon.

  Two people can carry the cannon, and a few more people can carry the shells. Wherever there are more Burmese troops gathered, the tiger squatting cannon will be transported there, and iron sand and gravel will be stuffed into the barrel of the gun.

   Standing on the opposite bank, Hei Lutao saw the successful landing of the Burmese army, and suddenly had infinite hope, and ordered: "Send another boat across the river, and quickly occupy those river beaches!"

  Ding Jiasheng observed the movement of the Burmese army and ordered: "If the enemy troops crossing the river don't move, don't fire the guns!"

  The riverside positions built by the Datong Army are not as terrifying as the bastion. However, there were only a few river beaches suitable for landing and gathering troops. Ding Jiasheng deployed heavy troops nearby, and the Burmese army was all exposed to the firepower.

  Seeing that the Datong Army has remained silent, the Burmese Army is getting more and more excited, and more and more people have successfully landed.

  Finally, the Burmese army on a river beach has gathered nearly 2,000 people. The aristocratic landlord who led the troops felt that he could do it, so he arranged the melee soldiers in front, holding shields to defend against bows and arrows, while the archers followed behind.

  The earth walls of the Datong Army are short and brittle, and are easily breached.

   "Boom boom boom!"

  Six tiger squatting guns fired at nearly 2,000 Burmese troops. At a distance of tens of meters, iron sand, lead sand, and gravel flew out like celestial maidens.

   Hundreds of people fell down on the spot, and hundreds of Burmese soldiers cried and shouted. The shields in the front row were useless.

   "Bang bang bang bang!"

   "On the bayonet!"

  The musketeers followed with a salvo, and then rushed out with bayonets in hand.

  These Burmese troops have been beaten, and the noble landlords who led the troops were also hit by iron sand, screaming in pain, turning around and running away.

  When the Datong army caught up, the Burmese army only boarded two or three hundred people. A large number of Burmese troops were squeezed into the water, and hundreds of Burmese troops were blocked on the river bank. They had completely lost their organization and jumped into the river to escape for their lives facing bayonets.

  Hei Ludao looked stupid on the other side. The Datong Army's fighting style completely refreshed his three views.

  The Burmese army was all defeated on the riverbanks.

  Hei Ludao can only be thankful that he didn't let the real elite cross the river, and no matter how many miscellaneous troops die, he doesn't feel bad.

   "This kind of warfare is useless no matter how many of us there are." King Mangbai of Burma muttered to himself, feeling extremely terrified in his heart.

  Nearly 200,000 Burmese troops encountered such broken terrain and could only use refueling tactics. Even if tens of thousands of people are allowed to cross the river in one go, they will still be crowded on the river beach as targets until the ammunition of the Datong Army is exhausted.

  Yang Zhan in the north heard the lively fighting in the south, and became more and more convinced that the enemy wanted to smuggle in.

  He is the easiest place to cross the river, and the Burmese army is not stupid, so how could they ignore it?

"Elephant!"

   The lookout on the hot air balloon shouted.

  More than 300 war elephants and thousands of elite Burmese troops emerged from the woods.

  Yang Zhan said with a smile: "It's finally here, hit halfway, and hit again when you get closer."

  (end of this chapter)