Chapter 2575: We are tired and exhausted
In the Taihang Valley, Sima Village.
?Le Sheng stood under Sima Shanzhai, gritting his teeth.
He had no idea that in the Taihang Mountains, under their surveillance eyes, there would be such a large-scale cottage!
??Moreover, this mountain stronghold has obviously been built for some time. There is even a large sentry on the mountain ridge in the distance, standing on three sides surrounded by cliffs, providing an additional view of Sima Village.
?No wonder the old thief Sima abandoned the Wubao in Hanoi and came here. No matter from any angle, this mountain stronghold is obviously more dangerous and more difficult to attack than the Wubao on the plains.
Understanding is understanding, but the problem is that it is very troublesome to attack.
??Although Wubao is enough to give ordinary soldiers a headache, compared with the mountain stronghold, especially the mountain stronghold that has been prepared in advance, it is really nothing. In terms of grandeur, copycats are generally not good-looking, but in terms of attack difficulty, copycats are at least one level higher than Wubao.
No one knows when the Sima family built this cottage in the Taihang Mountain Trail. Because when Shangdang went to Hanoi, basically the caravans traveled along the Taihang Mountain Trail, so the main passage was relatively smooth. But for a branch like this, maybe if it hadn''t been for this incident, no one would have discovered that there was such a thing hidden in the branch of the mountain trail.
The cottage is built on a rocky slope, and there are rocks below the steep slope. It''s like a piece of land carved out of the rock. The front route is a climbing gap in the middle of the rock, which is about the width of a car.
Below the rock is a relatively broad slope. It is not very steep, but it cannot be considered flat either.
『Damn it, how on earth did these guys build this cottage? ’ Le Sheng, who had no idea about cranes and other engineering equipment, had a hard time understanding how the wood and rocks needed for these cottages were transported to the rocks.
Several shield carts were pushed up and headed under the rock. The shield carts were divided into two rows, two in the front and three in the back. There were some aisles in the middle. Because they were pushing up the slope, the prisoners pushing the carts Both the husband and the son-in-law were having a hard time.
They are cannon fodder, always the first to die.
The shield cart was pushed up with a creaking sound. Because it was uphill, everyone pushing the cart used all their strength to push the cart up.
Le Sheng planned to nail the shield car under the rock first, and then build a platform to climb upwards. Then he would control the narrow passage and use ladders or other things to attack. Otherwise, it would be difficult to directly threaten the mountain stronghold above the rock.
When the shield car was about to approach the bottom of the rock, someone in the queue suddenly heard screaming.
Le Sheng looked up and saw a huge rolling stone pushed down from the top of the rock. It jumped and hit the bottom. Fortunately, there seemed to be some problems with his aim. He passed by a shield cart and jumped high into the air. It hit the ground with another bang, splashing up a large pile of sand, gravel and mud, and then hit the opposite stone wall...
The shield cart that was passed by the rolling stone didn''t know whether it was because it was frightened and its legs were weak, or because it forgot that it was still on the **** for a while, so it slipped downwards. After a while, it couldn''t push it anymore. Several The prisoner and the son-in-law pushing the shield cart turned around and ran out. They saw the shield cart grunting as it slid down, knocking down several people following behind, and then stopped again at the bottom of the slope.
Come here! Those who escape before the battle, behead! Le Sheng''s face turned gloomy.
?Soon, soldiers rushed up and held down the criminals and the husband-in-law who had let go of the shield cart but escaped in front of the formation. They chopped off their heads one by one and displayed them in front.
『Forward! Keep moving forward! ” Lesheng’s soldiers urged.
?The cannon fodder continued to push the shield cart upward, and more rolling stones began to be thrown from the rocks.
Another shield car was hit from the front. The huge stone easily smashed the shield car open. The potential energy was converted into ferocious kinetic energy, tearing the shield car apart like a toy. Even a tree trunk as thick as a bowl could not. Withstanding the powerful impact, the broken wood was scattered in all directions, and the rolling stone continued to roll. It also hit a prisoner behind him, causing his flesh and blood to fly everywhere. He bounced down the **** and hit several people behind him. The sound of howling suddenly became louder. The sky shook.
The cannon fodder behind the shield truck was in a panic again. Le Sheng''s war supervisors chopped down more than a dozen of them in a row, and then they managed to suppress the front line and allowed the cannon fodder to continue moving forward.
The battlefield was so small that Le Sheng felt extremely frustrated. He even had the urge to roar. However, being small also had its advantages, that is, if you fight hard here, you will be done with it if you break through.
As the remaining shield vehicles in front finally settled under the rocks of the mountain village, the follow-up shield vehicles were also pushed up. This type of vehicle has two wheels and thick wooden boards with earth and rock bags piled on top. If it encounters When you reach the trench, you can set it up directly on the trench. If you encounter the current situation, you can also set up a relatively flat platform so that the soldiers who follow up the attack can have a foothold.
The cannon fodder pushing the cart struggled to push the cannon fodder forward under the threat of swords and guns from Le Sheng''s soldiers. In the process, several of the cannon fodders were hit by rolling stones and rocks. However, the center of gravity of the cannon fodder was more stable than that of the shield cart, and It is thicker, so even if it is hit by a boulder, it may not be scattered like a shield car, and it can still continue to move forward. It''s just that the unlucky guy who happened to be hit became rotten flesh and blood under the wheel.
Le Sheng pushed the cannon fodder forward regardless. Just like these criminals and their sons-in-law, they were as cheap as dirt and rocks. If they could use wooden carts, dirt, and the flesh and blood of these cannon fodders under the cliff passage, It''s all worth it to create an offensive platform.
In the mountain stronghold on the rock, some private soldiers of the Sima family began to shoot down. Bows, arrows and crossbows flew in all directions. From time to time, cannon fodder or soldiers of Le Sheng who were relatively close to the front were shot, and they fell to the ground and howled loudly. .
If you are directly shot in a vital part and die, it is a good thing to a certain extent. After all, in such an environment, being shot but not receiving treatment during a battle is basically the same as death, and you have to look on helplessly. Watching myself continue to bleed and suffer tremendous pain...
Sima Fang, who was on the mountain stronghold, was leaning on a walking stick, stretched out his head and glanced down, then retracted, "Don''t be anxious, don''t throw all the rolling stones and logs in one breath, save some..." 』
『Master, why is this **** Le Jin staring at us? We have all given up on Wubao, why are we still unwilling to give up? ” A disciple of the Sima family asked at the side.
"Why? Sima Fang sneered, "When have you ever seen a hunter let go of a prey when it is weak and flinching?" 』
The Sima disciple was silent for a moment, and then said hesitantly: "Then... our... this village..."
Are you worried that you won’t be able to hold on? ” Sima Fang raised his eyelids slightly, “Are you afraid that you won’t be able to run away if you are attacked? 』
‘This…’ The Sima family members were a little embarrassed.
‘Don’t worry! The Hussar people will be here soon..." Sima Fang said with a smile, "What''s more, as a large group of us are going to the Hussar place, shouldn''t we prepare some meeting gifts? So what other greeting gift would be more appropriate than the head of the fool below? Our cottage has no way to retreat, which means these guys also have no way to retreat! Remember, the prey can also become the hunter... As long as we endure these days, we will surely win! 』
Sima Fang didn''t seem to be affected by the noise below the village at all. Instead, he looked in the direction of Huguan with some confidence.
?The people who were sent to ask for help in advance should be arriving soon, right?
?Of course, Sima Fang will never admit that it is his legs and feet that are not good, so even if he runs away, he cannot run fast. It is better to live here and die!
…(;￢＿￢)…
Outside Huguan.
Taihang Mountain Trail.
A group of people are on their way.
??Although the Taihang Mountain Trail narrows in the Huguan area, there are still countless paths crisscrossing the mountain.
?Some of these paths have dead ends, some are circuitous, some can only accommodate a foot, and some are rugged and dangerous. Unless you are a local, you will definitely not be familiar with them.
Zhang Ji separated the scouts far and wide. From time to time, he saw scouts waving green flags on distant hills or ridges, which represented safety and no abnormality.
Such a mountain road is the most vulnerable to ambushes and must be guarded against.? ? ? ? Scouts are dispatched in advance as the vanguard to conduct key inspections in key areas, especially those places where it is easy to be ambushed. It is necessary to check in advance to ensure safety before large troops can pass.
??A few years ago, Zhang Ji would definitely not have understood this.
After all, when you were under Dong Zhuo, you still had to pay attention to the art of war, and you were done with it. But under the Hussar, if you don''t understand the art of war, even if others don''t say it, you will feel that something is missing.
The improvement of martial arts halls is multi-faceted.
If you only know how to go into battle to kill the enemy, and how to wield a spear and a knife, then you can be a military prince at most, or a captain at most. If you want to go further, you don''t know the art of war, you can''t read a map, and you don''t know how. When arranging soldiers, if you cannot predict risks in advance and avoid them, you will not be promoted. Even if you get promoted, you will be eliminated.
Zhang Ji didn''t want to be eliminated, so he could only study and study hard. Even though he was older, he still couldn''t stop learning.
?This time is the time to test Zhang Ji’s learning results.
Sima Fang sent people to ask for help. Before Zhang Ji set off, Jia Qu discussed with him and said that most of this matter was true, but there was also a small part that might be a trap, so caution must be exercised.
?Sending troops to rescue is still necessary. After all, this is not only the Sima family, but also represents the attitude of the Hussar towards the local power in Hanoi. If it is true that the Sima family was attacked, and Jia Qu and Zhang Ji clearly received the message asking for help, but did not make any response, which ultimately led to some problems in the Sima family, let alone the two officials. When Sima Yi lowered his head and looked up, even the other family members would probably have some thoughts in their minds.
So, after Jia Qu hesitated for a while, he immediately asked Zhang Ji to lead his troops to rescue Sima Village.
This risk must be taken.
Fortunately, due to long-term detection and sorting of the Taihang Mountain Trail, Zhang Ji and others are more familiar with the Taihang Mountain Trail than ordinary generals.
The road Zhang Ji chose now is different from the ordinary road. It is a slight detour, avoiding the Bailu Valley where he is most likely to be ambushed. He can also take the opportunity to go around to the back of the Bailu Valley to have a look...
??It’s just that such a detour will take longer and the road is not very easy to walk. In some places, they had to dismount, dragging their horses up and down the mountain road, and they could not cover two or three miles in an hour.
Zhang Ji led the horse like an ordinary soldier, and in front of Zhang Ji were scouts with more agile hands and feet.
In the Taihang Mountain Trail, war horses are not necessarily necessary, but it will definitely be more convenient to have war horses. Even if some mountain roads are narrow and inconvenient for riding, they can still provide additional carrying capacity, making traveling easier.
??While on the Taihang Mountain Trail, I watched the morning mist drifting bit by bit on the mountain tops. The air in the mountains was fresh. Although the air was a bit cold in winter, it was not completely unbearable.
Roads represent human territory. There are ferocious beasts in the Taihang Mountains. There are tigers, leopards, bears, and so on, but those guys generally will not leave their own territory and actively invade human areas.
Only humans can change their territory at any time, enter a new area, invade a new territory, and claim it as their own. This kind of behavior is not a simple division of good and evil, but a characteristic of human beings themselves, like the double edges of a sword.
At dusk, Zhang Ji and his men were doing repairs at a mountain col.
?Zhang Ji was holding a grass stem in his mouth, sitting cross-legged on a higher and drier place, staring at the sky. The spear was stuck in the soil behind him, and the reins of the war horse were casually wrapped around the gun shaft. Then the war horse stood quietly behind Zhang Ji, lowering his head and nibbling some hay on the ground.
???In other seasons, Zhang Ji would definitely let go of the reins and let the war horses find food on their own. But now there are no evergreen trees around, but there are basically no herbaceous shrubs, so the war horses can only eat the forage they carry.
In other relatively dry areas, Zhang Ji''s soldiers are also building temporary shacks.
The shed does not have to stick to a certain shape. It can be built in a rock shelter from the wind or next to evergreen trees. After all, there are fewer insects in winter. As long as you don’t look for some nooks and crannies, you don’t have to go overboard. Worried about insects. Whether it is a blind bear or a long worm, they will always find a relatively secluded place to hibernate, such as these places on both sides of the road. Because there is still some human atmosphere, these animals will be relatively few.
? ? Thanks to the excellent logistics system of the Hussars General, the current experience and knowledge of long-distance operations have also made many ordinary soldiers more calm and adaptable when facing camping.
?Several soldiers are climbing up the mountain, partly to establish an observation point, and partly to collect some remaining snow in the backlight of the mountain.
Winter also has the advantage of winter, that is, after snowfall, you don’t have to take the water route. In other seasons, if you don''t take the water source route, you are almost seeking death. However, in winter, as long as the remaining snow on the mountain top has not completely melted away, it is not a big problem to occasionally deviate from the water source route and take a shortcut or something. .
Winter marching, in addition to the problem of water, is also the problem of insulation in winter.
With the gradual expansion of cotton cultivation, cheap and warm cotton clothing became the equipment of soldiers, making marching in winter no longer an impossible task. A campfire, combined with a rug and tarp, can also withstand some nights in less severe conditions.
?As long as it doesn’t change and it snows…
Zhang Ji is looking at the sky now.
?There are clouds in the sky, but not many and not heavy, so it will probably be a good weather tomorrow.
?Hmm, relatively good weather.
Zhang Ji took out the map from his arms, unfolded it while there was still some daylight, then looked for his position on the map, and estimated the route and time to arrive at Sima Village.
Sima Village is actually not in the deep mountains of Taihang, but slightly to the east. Therefore, the journey there from Huguan is not short. Well, the straight-line distance is not that long. If you are in a plain area, you can just let go of your horse and run for a day. But the mountain road is different. Sometimes you go up the mountain and go around again, and then you go down the mountain and go around again. After a day, you find that you just climbed It’s just a mountain…
A few years ago, Zhang Ji wouldn''t have dared to take people into the mountains like this, because at that time, he couldn''t even read a map.
?But the maps at that time were indeed difficult to understand.
It''s much better now. The paths and rulers on the map are fixed, so how long the road is means how far the distance is. There will never be any tampering with the distance and position for the sake of the beauty of the pattern. situation.
Zhang Ji stretched out his thumb and used the nail cap of his thumb as the standard of measurement. The width of one of his fingernails is about five miles on the map, and then the width of several fingernails can roughly calculate how far and long it will take.
How long can Sima Shanzhai sustain itself?
Three days, five days?
"Tomorrow... we can probably get here..." Zhang Ji gestured and muttered softly, "The day after tomorrow... we will get here. Well, if we choose this way, it may be faster... But this canyon... um... come on Man, call Captain Zhang..."
Not long after, Zhang Duwei, Zhang Tian, ??came and bowed his hands to greet Zhang Ji.
??Zhang Tian can also be regarded as a member of the Zhang family, a twisted relative of Zhang Ji''s distant cousin. After learning that Zhang Ji and Zhang Xiu were doing well under the Hussars, he defected to Zhang Ji from Xiliang.
"Tomorrow, take a shortcut from here..." Zhang Ji didn''t waste any words, and didn''t ask Zhang Tian if he was willing. He directly ordered, "The focus is on this canyon!" After I get here, I will check whether there are any ambush above the canyon and in the front part of the canyon..."
(End of this chapter)