Three Kingdoms.

Chapter 3477 Battle of Sparks

As Fei Qian issued the general order to attack, the sound of war drums, horns and horse hooves mixed together, rolling across the loess like muffled thunder. The cavalry on both wings spread out to the left and right, and the heavy armored infantry in black helmets and black armor in the middle square slowly pressed forward like a dark cloud under the guidance of the battle flag.

The outer defense circle of Cao Jun's camp became more and more turbulent, but the flags on the mountains in the inner circle did not change much, and seemed to have no reaction to the forward pressure of the hussars. The flags representing the generals of the Chinese army remained unchanged. Only the loud and slow war drums still warned Cao Jun's soldiers to stick to their posts and not to cause chaos. It seemed to be echoing something and waiting for something.

Although Fei Qian's eyes were fixed on the mountain, he was also paying attention to other aspects of the attack, especially the number of wounded soldiers retreating from the front line. Fei Qian calculated it and found that the number of wounded soldiers was not very large. It was obvious that his own soldiers had the upper hand, so he felt a little relieved.

After a while, Fei Qian suddenly heard the shouting and shouting of soldiers on the right wing. He turned around and stared, and saw three to four hundred Cao soldiers rushing in from behind a mountain, dragging flags and swords, like their buttocks were on fire. Come out, but don’t know For some reason, the leading Cao Jun military academy seemed to be a little panicked and embarrassed. He ran into the hussars head-on as if he was in a panic. As a result, he was hit by a hail of arrows from the hussars and turned them upside down. Cao Jun immediately turned around and fled in a hurry.

What is this for?

Fei Qian was a little confused.

Were these guys trapped by being killed?

This group of enemies was probably frightened by the attack just now, or they were frightened and confused by the forward pressure of the hussars in front of them. A large group of people seemed to be wandering around the camp aimlessly, but they neither fled nor fled. Instead of going forward to fight, they were stunned for a long time until they found the hussars approaching and killed them. Then they all shouted together, rushed to the ravine, and fled into the mountain...

The heavy armor battalion, which had been concentrating its strength at the rear, has now formed a formation. More than a thousand armored soldiers, densely packed in layers of exquisite iron armor, have their arms crossed with each other, six feet apart in front and back, and are arranged in three rectangular shapes. A large array advanced towards the Zhongtiao Mountain camp.

The route had been cleared in front of the hoplite line, with cavalry roaring to and fro on the flanks.

Amidst the sound of tom tom war drums, the heavy armored phalanx began to move forward slowly but firmly.

For a moment, it seemed that the earth was trembling with the footsteps of this heavily armored infantry.

The orderly and steady advance of the heavy armored infantry also caused an uneasy commotion among Cao's troops on the Zhongtiao Mountain Camp. Order soldiers could be seen running back and forth holding torches and carrying order flags. Some of Cao Jun's military academy were gesticulating and seemed to be shouting and trying desperately to restrain their soldiers.

Fei Qian turned around and asked Huang Xu, "How is the progress of the two wings?" 』

Huang Xu replied: "Sima's side has broken through the perimeter...General Xu's side was blocked by the fire and is turning to look for a breakthrough..."

Fei Qian nodded, thought for a while and then said: "It's time for Cao's army to use a trap now... Send the order, be careful of Cao's army ambush!" Send the order! All ministries must be cautious and do not pursue recklessly! 』

Outflanking, ambush, and surprise attack are all common methods on the battlefield, used to create chaos, and then cooperate with each other to achieve the effect of defeating them in one fell swoop. These methods can be said to be Cheng Yaojin's three axes. Everyone knows it, but it is not that easy to use them well or to avoid them.

Fei Qian's joke about Cao Cao's military strategy does not mean that he will despise the enemy; on the contrary, he not only attaches great importance to it, but also spends a lot of time to study the characteristics of Cao Cao's tactics and repeatedly think about how to use them on the battlefield. Strive for initiative.

At the same time, Fei Qian's thinking is not limited to the tactics themselves, but also includes the strategic layout, tactical structure, composition of arms, troop status, weapons and equipment, training levels, logistics support, etc. of both sides, and involves the traditional traditions of Guanzhong and Shandong. Habits, thinking patterns, the relationship between each other over the years, people's livelihood and government affairs, the subsequent political forms, organizational systems, resource conditions, economic capabilities...

Because these are no longer just a simple military issue, but have become a huge and complex system project, so after Fei Qian and Pang Tong discussed it, they felt that just one or two people, or a few people, could do it. It is obviously impossible to grasp all the details.

Therefore, after careful consideration, Fei Qian and Pang Tong decided to set up such branch research at Qinglong Temple after the war, split the large project into more detailed small projects, and then let these people with outstanding insights in the process , you can directly participate in the process of integrating and changing Shandong, so that you can get better benefits in many aspects, and it will also increase and deepen Feiqian's transformation of Shandong.

For example, if a person can show that he can handle a certain problem well and stand out among everyone's doubts and deductions, then this person will be appointed as an official to deal with the problem...

As for the effect, let’s verify it according to the standards promised before taking office.

Fei Qian even felt that this model was somewhat similar to the "democratic" elections of later generations.

Of course, the specific effect still needs subsequent practice.

However, this is also a way to make a large number of arrangements and select civil and military officials after the war.

For most soldiers and generals, the rewards they receive for their meritorious service will tend to be material, and there will be no shortage of honorable titles, but there will be fewer rewards that can be used to directly assume a certain real power. Then select some heroes from the army and let them participate in the research and practice of one or several branches.

Of course, the soldiers of Cao's army in Zhongtiao Mountain could not know that the Guanzhong political group led by Fei Qian was studying them in detail with an unprecedented rigor.

It is impossible for the powerful nobles in the Central Plains of Shandong to know that some of the results of the research are being applied in Guanzhong. At the same time, the soldiers and generals under the Hussars will also adjust their thoughts and methods in battle based on these results.

Cao's army and those in Shandong thought that they were still facing the hussars of the past, and that they were still the same troops, tactics, and methods of the past...

Therefore, when faced with the pressure of the hussars, Cao Jun's first thought was still the method they were accustomed to using before.

While Fei Qian was mobilizing his troops, Cao Jun also started a movement.

Cao's troops, divided into hundreds, began to appear in the mountains. In the blink of an eye, they appeared in front of the hussars, waving flags and shouting, raising their bows and setting arrows. However, when the hussars moved, these Cao troops quickly retreated.

The crossbows and catapults arranged in the middle circle also began to roar and shoot at the hussars. It's just that because of the poor lighting, the hit rate is not high. There is a certain killing effect, but it is not obvious. In addition, whether it is a crossbow or a catapult, loading takes a certain amount of time. Once loaded, the hussars soldiers originally targeted may disappear into the shadows...

The hussars did not directly attack the heavily defended areas in the middle and inner circles. Instead, they began to turn when they were about one or two hundred steps away to avoid the intensive long-range arrow firepower of Cao's army in the middle circle.

Cao's soldiers had to shoot. After all, no one knew whether the hussars would take advantage of a gap to rush up the slope, then leap into the camps in the middle circle and kill them.

So you can see the hussars whistling and passing by in a flash, and what follows behind the hussars is Cao Jun's long-distance crackling arrows!

After the hussars made a circle, they retreated to the periphery or to the open space on the periphery, then reorganized their team, turned back and fought back. If there was any gap, they rushed in. If there was no opening, they would circle around the center circle and attack with arrows.

Some hussars accidentally rushed into the range of Cao Jun's catapult crossbow in the middle circle. After suffering a loss, they would make a sign. The hussars coming from behind saw the guidance sign from a distance and started to turn early. , cautiously refusing to step into the range of the bed crossbow again.

Under such an intrusion, the long-range firepower of the camp in the middle circle of Cao's army was useless, even if it was not shooting.

For more than an hour, the Hussars kept suppressing and eroding Cao Jun's territory. The left and right wings took turns dispatching, sometimes a hundred or ten people and sometimes nearly a thousand people. They rushed over with a huff and shot arrows, and then rushed back with another shot. A shot of arrows, or one or two groups of heavy armored infantry from the central army, working with the cavalry, slowly pressed up, destroyed the defenses in Cao's camp, and hurt each other with rockets. After Cao Jun's crossbows and catapults turned around, they were out of range again.

Cao Jun became more and more restless, and Cao Jun's troops who tried to seduce Sima Yi also encountered problems...

…

…

When a structure, an organization, or a country begins to collapse, the people at the top are not under the greatest pressure. Even in the process of corruption and decay, even if those at the top feel some shaking, it may not be You may become nervous, and you may feel that rocking is the best way to sleep more soundly.

The same is true for Cao Jun's Zhongtiao Mountain Camp.

When the order of Cao's army began to collapse, even if the people at the top noticed it, they didn't pay much attention. Not even taking any action against these shakes...

At the bottom of the Zhongtiao Mountain camp, there are not only ordinary soldiers, but also a large number of civilians and craftsmen.

In the land of Shandong, there has always been a very serious chain of contempt for these civilians and craftsmen who use their strength to make a living. Only those who wear long robes, sit in official mansions, and hold pens and ink can be called superior errands and be admired and envied by everyone. And those who have to work hard under the scorching sun and break into eight pieces with sweat are despised by everyone.

In Shandong, studying, reading scriptures, mixing with people wearing long gowns, and becoming one of them is what most people expect. They will also teach their children like this, "If you don't study hard, you will be like these mud-legged people in the future." The same thing! 』

As everyone knows, in the feudal dynasty and under the class system, no matter how many books you read, it is not as important as a stupid son of the ruling class. Even if you upgrade from a mud-legged person to a dog-legged person, you may not be able to build your own dog-legged person. Come to the nest. After all, as early as more than ten years ago, or even hundreds of years ago, people were delineating the dog's territory, spreading dog urine, and preventing outside dogs from entering.

Those on the water's edge will make their nests on the dam, those in the money farm will make their nests in the money barns, and so on, and then the puppies will be a big step ahead of those from outside. After all, they are close to the water, right? …

Therefore, for craftsmen and civilians like Chai Yu, whether the rice is good or not is no longer a problem. As long as those who stutter can still live, perhaps for Chai Yu and others, they can put their tears and The bitter water was mixed with the rancid food and swallowed together. After all, for the rulers of the feudal dynasty, it was the greatest grace to be able to give the lower class a bite of food. The common people at the lower level should feel lucky and happy that they can still eat rancid rice instead of chewing tree bark and swallowing dirt. But now, there's not even anything to eat!

"What time is it now, and you still want to eat!" ” Cao Jun’s military academy raised a cold eyebrow and yelled loudly. He even moved the handle of the sword a little in front of him, as if he would pull out the sword in the next moment. “After the order, we must work together to fight against the enemy!” You all immediately go to the barren mountain valley, set up a fire line, give the order, and light it all up! 』

"Everyone!" Everyone move! 』

"Those who resist the order will be killed without mercy!" 』

"hurry up! Move quickly! Talking about you! Get moving! 』

Amid the shouts, Cao's soldiers rushed up, pushing and kicking Chai Yu and others.

Chai Yu felt that something was wrong.

He knew what was over there in the barren mountain valley.

In the hollow of the barren mountain, there are gunpowder buried on the stone walls on both sides...

Logically speaking, even if craftsmen like them were asked to light the gunpowder, so many people would not be needed to go together.

After all, it's just a fire.

But now it seems that they are all being driven to the recesses of the barren mountains!

Chai Yu couldn't help but take a few steps forward and asked: "It's just lighting a fire, why do we need so many people?" What's so hard about getting a few people...or even lighting a fire? All you need is a fire sickle, you can also..."

Before Chai Yu could finish speaking, the military academy slapped him, "Who are you?" What kind of identity? ! How dare you be rude to someone? ! 』

I don't know if it was the military academy's strong hand or Chai Yu's nose that was fragile, but with one slap, Chai Yu stumbled and fell, feeling dizzy and bleeding from the nose.

"They're all a bunch of bitches!" Come on! Let me **** you away! "Cao Jun Military Academy ignored Chai Yu who was slapped to the ground and shouted, "Move quickly! The order was delayed! Both you and I will lose our heads! 』

When the soldiers of Cao's army heard this, they waved the scabbards and gun handles in their hands, coaxed and beat them, and drove Chai Yu and other craftsmen and civilians to the recesses of the barren mountains.

In fact, as Chai Yu said, craftsmen do not necessarily need to point the gunpowder to ignite the ambush.

Is it gunpowder? Just light a fire. Who lit the fire is not a fire?

So in fact, when Dong Zhao issued the order, he did not ask the craftsmen to light the fire, but in the process of conveying and executing the order, he asked Chai Yu and others to light the fire...

This is a very normal phenomenon in Shandong.

Officials at the middle and lower levels who handle affairs are not willing to take any responsibility!

Although it is simple to light a fire, it also means taking on a certain amount of "responsibility"!

What if it doesn’t light up?

What if something goes wrong?

What's more, Cao Jun was not very familiar with gunpowder, and there was more or less a sense of fear of unfamiliar things. What should I do if I get blown up and burned to death while trying to light the fire? So these people simply pushed one level at a time, and when they got to the bottom, didn't they just have to blame Chai Yu and others?

People like Cao Jun Military Academy don't care whether things can be done well or how the war situation changes. They just care about not letting the superiors put the blame on them!

So things like lighting a fire are left to the craftsmen!

And in order to ensure that there would be no problems when lighting the fire, all the craftsmen were called in!

Anyway, as long as there is a problem, it is the problem of the craftsmen and has nothing to do with them!

As for whether this process is reasonable and whether it conforms to the common public's perception, it has nothing to do with them. They only need to do things that conform to the "process"!

Otherwise, no matter how reasonable and effective it is, but it does not comply with the "process", they will be the unlucky ones! So as long as you are not unlucky, it doesn't matter who is unlucky!

Chai Yu was dripping with blood and staggering as he walked. He couldn't understand why such a simple thing, a problem, couldn't be solved or dealt with?

Is it difficult to light a fire?

Apparently this is not difficult.

But here at Cao Jun Military Academy, things are extremely difficult. In order not to take responsibility for themselves, Cao Jun Military Academy can pretend to be cruel beforehand, stupid during the incident, and pity when things cannot end, saying that they have nothing to do and they are the ones who are unlucky if they don't follow the procedures. But in reality? They are just worried that their superiors will cause trouble for them, and that the wealthy noble families will cause trouble for them. As for other things...

What does it matter to the craftsmen whether they eat well, whether they can live, whether they work hard or not? Even though Cao Jun Military Academy is ostensibly the person in charge of the craftsman camp, in fact he only needs to be responsible to his superiors, not his subordinates.

The barren mountain valley is not too far away from the craftsman camp. Chai Yu and others arrived shortly after staggering away.

Cao Jun's military academy asked Chai Yu and others to wait for orders at the place where the gunpowder was ambushed, and then they stood far away...

Chai Yu felt that his head was still buzzing and his nosebleeds still hadn't stopped. He tried to cover it with sand, but it still had no effect. Blood dripped down and fell on the ground, making large and small spots. Chai Yu's body was shaken by the bursts of noise around him.

No one cared whether he was okay or not, and no one asked him what was wrong.

In the midst of the dizziness, a voice came from far and near.

"The Hussars are coming!" Here they come! 』

"Everyone!" Hurry, get ready, get ready to light the fire! 』

Chai Yu subconsciously touched the fire sickle.

"quick! That's it now! ignition! Light the fire! 』

Amidst the chaotic shouts, Chai Yu knocked numbly a few times. Under the collision of the fire sickle, some sparks burst out, just igniting the tinder, and then the blood from Chai Yu's nose dripped down, The flame was extinguished with a puff...

Chai Yu was stunned for a moment, then laughed so hard that his whole body trembled and blood flowed to his mouth.

He threw the fire sickle aside and collapsed beside the gunpowder.

Ah, what a beautiful night...

The stars are dotted and the galaxy is bright.

How long has it been since he looked up at the night?

It turns out that only by turning your face over and raising your head can you see the sky!

How can you see such beautiful scenery without falling out?