As the day moves westward, dusk begins to rise, and both sides of the Dadu River are noisy. Both warring parties hope to occupy more favorable terrain before nightfall.
"Whose turn is it to cross the river?!"
Yan Wu commanded for the first time, but he was actually very unskilled. But he was born with a fierce aura, and he would yell and ask questions when he didn't know something, as if the next general who wanted to cross the river didn't take the initiative to inform him, and he was the one who made the mistake.
"It's the last general's turn! Three regiments and two teams, Tian Shenyu is the leader!" Tian Shenyu responded with his neck stiffened.
In the Tang army, the guards were divided into regiments of 300, each with a captain; a team of 50, with a captain. For Tian Shenyu, who came from a humble background, being a captain was already a big military position.
However, by this point in the march, he had only thirty-six men left under his command. Some of the soldiers were seriously rebelling. Those who were injured along the way were all left on the road to recover from their injuries and then return to Yizhou on their own.
Yan Wu took a look and saw that thirty-six people had lined up, so he nodded, arranged two boats, and shouted: "Cross the river!"
"Cross the river!"
Tian Shenyu immediately divided the soldiers into two teams and went upstream to board the boat. Eighteen people per boat crowded the boat.
Not long ago, a boat capsized, and the twenty people on board were swept away by the rapids.
"Whose turn is it next?!"
"Three regiments and three teams, the team is at Hou Zhongzhuang!"
"..."
Tian Shengong was leading his troops at the rear. He turned to watch Tian Shenyu's team leave, thinking that he would be able to go there soon to support them.
At this time, a messenger came over and said: "Colonel Tian, Commander Jie ordered you to come over."
"Here."
Tian Shengong is very calm and takes a long stride when walking without appearing to be in a hurry.
Wang Zhongsi saw him approaching and ordered directly: "Take your guide and find another crossing point downstream. Cross the river before dawn and not be noticed by the Tibetan army. After crossing the river, report quickly and I will send someone immediately Support you."
Tian Shengong's regiment already had three teams crossing the river. He was worried that Wang Zhongsi had just handed over Yan Wu's command and had not noticed this. At this time, it was rare that he did not take the order immediately, but asked: "Commander Jie, three Half of the regiment has crossed the river."
"I know, the Tibetan army also saw your flag."
Wang Zhongsi stretched out his hand, patted Tian Shengong's shoulder, and said, "I have to use someone I can trust when crossing danger at night."
There were many powerful generals under his command, because Wang Tianyun, Guan Chongsi, Li Sheng, Qu Huan and others had already taken the lead in crossing the river to fight, and then it was Tian Shengong's turn. However, Tian Shengong was still very encouraged and received the military order with fists in his hands.
"The last general takes orders."
"For specific details, you will be assigned by Xue Lang."
"Here."
After Tian Shengong heard the last sentence, he subconsciously felt much more at ease.
~~
Xue Bai was still talking to Luo Zhui.
He asked questions to obtain information, and his ability to judge the authenticity of the news was obviously much better than Tian Shengong. At this time, he had found out that there might actually be a place to cross the river downstream.
Luo Zhui is a veteran of Tubo. He crossed the Dadu River once before when he attacked Liuzhao. At this time, he recalled: "We were not crossing the river at Zida. I remember that there was a walled city on the south bank, and there was a tree in front of it. The very big tree is called 'Big Tree Village'."
"Downstream?"
"It must be downstream."
Xue Bai was sure that this was correct, because he had observed with a telescope before that the soldiers and horses of the Yi tribe came from downstream. It is very likely that Dashuzhai is where the Si tribe is located, and the Si people are currently sending troops to Zidadi to fortify themselves.
The martial artist next to him might have been in a hurry to leave after asking these questions. Xue Bai was different. He first roughly drew the contents of the inquiry, and then took the map and asked Luo Zhui many questions.
"What's the terrain like around Dashuzhai?"
"It's sandwiched between two canyons."
"What about here? What's the terrain?"
"There is a mountain on the other side of the river, which means Yangnao Mountain in Si language."
"How far is the distance between the walled city and the river?"
"Three to five miles."
Xue Bai didn't give up and asked: "Three miles or five miles? How long have you been walking?"
"I crossed the river in the morning and reached Dashuzhai before noon."
Xue Bai then revised the map he drew and adjusted the location of Dashuzhai.
He kept asking until Tian Shengong was ready to go, and then he stopped asking.
"Let's go, I'll go with you."
"Mr. Lang." Tian Shengong approached Xue Bai, lowered his voice and said, "In case you are in danger."
He did not say this as a general of the Tang Army, but as a benefactor to Xue Bai.
"Don't worry, I can't cross the river." Xue Bai said, "Go over and give you some advice."
His tone did not allow for comment. He walked away as soon as he had finished speaking, not giving Tian Shengong a chance to be verbose again. He did not forget to turn around and give instructions to his personal guards.
"Take your things and let's go."
Behind him, the Diao brothers, Zhao Yuliang, Qiao Erwa and others followed immediately.
In fact, Xue Bai has been following Wang Zhongsi from the time he left Chang'an until now. This time he performed military duties with Tian Shengong, which was also an experience for him. Unlike the sophistication who always quarreled with others at court, he was a little nervous. , Excited, just deliberately to appear determined.
"Set off!"
Tian Shengong issued a military order and immediately sent people to pull the boat.
But Luo Zhui stopped him and said: "You can't take the boat. There are canyons on both sides of the downstream and there are many whirlpools. The boat will definitely crash."
As he spoke, he waved his hands repeatedly and added: "We can't go through the river valley. If we can't get across, we have to take a detour and go through the mountains."
Tian Shengong looked down the river and said suspiciously, "I think the lower reaches are very open."
People always believe in what they see more than what they see from other races, and they will never be reconciled until they have tried it.
However, Xue Bai made a decision in an instant and said: "Those who are pursued by Xinluo should take a detour and bring a leather bag."
He was not a blind believer, but after careful inquiry, he understood the terrain and concluded that there must be a deep valley with steep cliffs between Zidadi and Dashuzhai, which was why these two ferries were formed.
If you don't trust the guide, go further downstream, reach the point where there is no way to go, and then want to turn back, the military plane will be gone in an instant.
You have to have rationality and decisiveness beyond ordinary people, and be very lucky to win on the battlefield.
~~
Night has completely fallen.
Both sides stopped fighting and rested.
The Tang army ate mare's milk and dried meat all the way. Today they finally dared to light a fire and slaughtered some of the cattle and sheep accompanying the army and roasted them.
It was also thanks to the fact that many of them were Longyou soldiers, as well as herdsmen of all ethnic groups. They had good herding skills and were able to drive the cattle and sheep all the way. Xue Bai once praised them for being as good as the Mongolian army... No one could understand this joke.
When the aroma of barbecue filled the air, the soldiers cheered, saying that fighting was much more enjoyable than marching.
The Tibetan soldiers smelled the smell of the spices and salivated. They didn't know who was going to war and didn't forget to bring the spices from the Western Regions. They were worth as much as gold.
As a result, the Tubo army also moved its troops back and camped in a small village in Zidadi. At the same time, they sent small groups of troops to shout and harass the Tang army.
In this case, there is no need to worry about the Tang army crossing the river at night. What Zhujie Gongbu wants is to tire out the Tang army crossing the river.
"Zhujie Gonpo, I don't understand. Zampu didn't even give the order. Why are you so willing to fight with casualties?"
Faced with the question of Chisangdun Yang, the leader of the Yi tribe, Zhujie Gonpo did not tell the truth, but said: "While the Tang army has not crossed the river, it is our best chance to defeat them. When the Tang army crosses the river, we will burn the This is your homeland, and the sacrifices are made by your people."
"I know." Chisang Dunyang said, "But I'm curious, why are you trying your best to help us resist the enemy?"
"Because the Tang army has looted my tribe!" Zhujie Gonbo said angrily.
After hearing this, Chisang Dunyang paid more and more attention to the Tang army. He walked a few steps, called his confidants, and urged the reinforcements transferred from Dashuzhai to arrive as soon as possible.
Yibu is the most familiar with the terrain, and is the only one among the various troops who can travel at night. If he increases his troops at night and launches the offensive at dawn, he may be able to directly destroy the morale of the Tang army.
This battle, for Sibu, is a battle to defend their homeland. Chisangdun Sheep looked at the Tang Army camp, which was dimly visible in the night, with firm eyes.
Zhujie Gonpo, on the other hand, completely blamed the Tang army for his son's murder. He was more willing to accept that his son died at the hands of the powerful Tang army, not just a little person like Luo Zhui.
In the darkness, more and more Si soldiers and horses arrived.
Their strength was five times that of the Tang army on the south bank, and they completely occupied the strategic location on the river bank.
Unfortunately, the people were loose and it was difficult to organize a strong attack across the river. After discussing with Chisangdun Yang, Zhujie Gongbu believed that they could defeat the Tang army in a hurry and drag down the Tang army calmly.
The Tang army could neither advance nor retreat, and was trapped in the Dadu River Valley.
~~
Xue Bai ran like flying in the forest.
He was wearing a pair of new shoes. Ruan Chengzong, a soldier of the Tang Dynasty, carried them with him and was reluctant to wear them. He had only worn them for two or three days, and they were already stained and scratched in several places by stones.
Because it didn't fit properly, his toes were blistered and torn, and blood stained the soles.
According to Xue Bai's estimate after asking Luo Zhui, it should only take two hours from Zidadi to Dashuzhai. He also used this to encourage the soldiers to march with all their strength.
But gradually, two hours passed. Not only did they not reach the ferry, but they could no longer hear the sound of water flowing in the Dadu River.
Morale quickly dropped, and Xue Bai could feel their fatigue and uneasiness without the soldiers opening their mouths.
Xue Bai then called over Luo Zhui and asked in a low voice: "How long until we arrive?"
"I don't know either." Luo Zhui was also a little anxious and said, "The night is too dark to see clearly. It was daytime when I left last time."
This situation made Xue Bai feel how difficult it was to march and fight.
No matter how cautious you are, no matter how much preparation you make, you may not be able to find a sure path, because every fork in the road is a gamble. What’s even more troublesome is that there are no forks in the road, not even a road at all, and you can only move forward blindly in one direction. ... In his previous life, he relied on navigation and smooth roads to travel, and he had never felt such helplessness.
So Li Guang is always lost.
After walking forward for a long time, Xue Bai picked up the telescope and looked forward, and suddenly said happily: "Yangnao Mountain is just ahead!"
As he said that, he turned back and asked Luo Zhui: "That mountain has two horns, like a sheep's horns, so it is called Yangnao Mountain, right?"
Luo Zhui didn't pay attention to this question and nodded stupidly.
"Really?" Xue Bai asked again.
"Yes." Luo Zhui responded loudly.
But Xue Bai actually didn't see any mountains at all. He was just deceiving the soldiers and boosting their morale.
The soldiers quickened their pace and continued to march eastward. Finally, the mountains in front gradually eased, and they ran down the hillside. They saw "the mountains ended with the plains, and the river entered the wilderness."
Finally arriving at the riverside, everyone took a break.
Tian Shengong sent scouts to investigate and found that there were no Si people stationed on the north bank, but there were no ships either.
Zhao Yuliang volunteered to swim across the river first to install the rope, saying that he had worked as a tracker before, had good water skills, and was confident in crossing the river with his leather bag.
"There's no rush." Xue Bai observed the terrain and said, "Look around first. There may be ships."
Everyone didn't believe it and thought his speculation was groundless. Although they were ordered to find him, they were murmuring in private.
"If Xue Lang said that if you have a boat, you can have a boat, wouldn't that be amazing?"
However, less than half an hour later, some soldiers actually discovered a fishing boat deep in the grass. Soon, another soldier discovered two ferries.
Tian Shengong couldn't help but ask: "How did Xue Lang know there was a boat?"
"There are only two ferries along the river for more than a hundred miles. The Yi people must have boats for hunting and trading. And it has only been one day since they discovered our army, and deducting the two or three of us who marched all the way. At this time, I never believe that Si Bu can organize the Si people to destroy or take away all the ships in such a short period of time."
Xue Bai knew that many warlords in later generations could not achieve such scheduling capabilities, so how could a loose tribe like Xibe do it?
Even though they had a boat, it was still very dangerous to cross the river at night. They didn't know much about this river. They were not familiar with the whirlpools and reefs in the river, and they didn't know what kind of rapids were hidden under the seemingly calm river surface.
But after Xue Bai and Tian Shengong discussed it, they both decided to cross the river overnight and not wait until dawn. Dashuzhai is the best landing point within nearly ten miles, but it is also the territory of Xibu. It will be impossible for them to gain a foothold until dawn.
"I have another idea." Xue Bai said.
"Mr. Sir, please speak."
"After crossing the river, we will capture Dashuzhai."
Tian Shengong hesitated and said: "But General Wang said that as soon as we find a position where we can actually cross the river, we will notify him immediately and he will send reinforcements."
"There is no conflict." Xue Bai said: "Of course we will inform him. This does not violate military orders... But I think Dashuzhai is likely to be empty of troops."
"But how can we win it?"
Tian Shengong looked towards the other side. In the night, he could see the outlines of two canyons on the other side.
The valley between the canyons is the only ferry in this area. It is not easy to calculate the exact location and paddle across. Once you miss the valley, you don't know where it will be carried by the Dadu River.
This kind of terrain is easy to defend but difficult to attack.
Xue Bai was also looking at the terrain and said, "If we can't take Dashuzhai, what's the use of crossing the river?"
"Just listen to Xue Lang."
"good."
Xue Bai turned to Qiao Erwa and asked, "Do you still have your things with you?"
"Take it with you."
It wasn't anything else, just an ordinary gunpowder bag.
~~
Time passed quickly, and a thin ray of light came out from the high mountains to the east.
At some point, Wang Zhongsi was already standing on the peak on the north bank of the Dadu River wearing armor.
He looked around and saw that the Tang army and the Tibetan army were arrayed in Zida. The Tang army was in a strict formation and had better equipment; the Tibetan army was in a loose formation. Many people did not even wear clothes or shoes, and they held simple wooden bows or bamboo spears in their hands.
If this were the land of Mobei, the Tibetan army could be defeated with just one charge from more than a thousand Tang troops on the south bank.
Unfortunately, with the Dadu River running across it, high mountains, sweltering heat, and rampant malaria, the Tang army was at a very disadvantageous terrain, so the Tibetan army made up for the equipment gap.
The horn sounded.
The Tang army on the south bank began to advance the defense line in an orderly manner, allowing their colleagues on the north bank to continue crossing the river; the Tibetan army dispersed, climbed up the mountains, and fired arrows from a high position.
In this situation, the Tibetan army lagged far behind in terms of tactics and command. Once the Tang army was allowed to advance to a sufficient location and with sufficient troops, the outcome would be decided.
Wang Zhongsi was already confident, his only worry was time.
On the other side of the river, Wang Tianyun complained a little, thinking that compared to Gao Xianzhi, Wang Zhongsi was a little too honest.
When he followed Gao Xianzhi to attack Xiaobolu Kingdom, he encountered various tribes and deceived them all the way. Gao Xianzhi even deceived his own people, fearing that the soldiers would be timid, he sent people pretending to be guides to greet him, and they all attacked the country of Xiao Bolu. He also lied to King Xiao Bolu that he was not here to attack him, but was taking advantage of the road to attack Da Bolu.
Perhaps Wang Zhongsi should tell these Tubo tribes that they took the road to Nanzhao.
~~
"The Tang army is too strong."
Red Thornton Sheep expressed such emotion.
Although they were still determined to defend their hometown last night, the Yi people did not rely on farming for a living. They hunted, herded, and collected herbs. They only had a small amount of planting land in the river valley. They were so poor that they could only hide in the mountains. Too afraid of looting by the Tang army.
On the contrary, Zhujie Gonpo was more determined and said: "I have already passed the message to the minister, and he will come to support soon."
"Really?" Chisandun Sheep was quite skeptical about this.
Unlike the Tang army, the Tibetan army was composed of many tribes, and the army was relatively loose. When Zanpu gave the order, all the troops were very active when going to plunder. However, in the face of the Tang army's counterattack, except for a few strongholds, it was difficult for the Tibetan army to organize a tight defense. The two sides had been going back and forth, each other winning. minus.
Due to the plateau terrain and poor transportation, each tribe is used to doing its own thing. It's hard to say whether the message can be delivered. Even if it is delivered, Lun Ruozan may not pay attention to it... This is the norm.
However, not long after the war started, tribesmen suddenly came from the valley to the south on horseback, bringing great news.
"Chief, the minister has not yet arrived at Menghuo City. He is in the big meadow not far to the south... He has already sent troops!"
"real?!"
The morale of the Tibetan army was greatly boosted and they were delighted.
In this situation, the Tang army was really unlucky. When they were about to cross the Dadu River, they happened to encounter the Tibetan army blocking the front and were attacked halfway across the river.
Zhujie Gonpo was so excited that he forgot about his son's death. He had already seen that the Tang army on the other side was not simple. The Yak tribe would get rich spoils this time, and his prestige would also be greatly increased.
After defeating the Tang army, some of the cattle and sheep can be left to Xibu, and he will want the weapons and equipment of the Tang army. Lun Ruozan would probably not agree, but his son Zhujie Gonpo died on the battlefield!
It was his son who detected the abnormal movements of the Tang army and almost saved the fate of Tubo...
In the distance, there was faint thunder.
"It's thundering?"
Chisangton Sheep turned his head and looked eastward, and saw a round sun that had just climbed up the mountain. The sky was blue and there were no clouds in sight.
"What was the sound?" Zhu Jie Gongbo said, "I didn't hear it."
After two sentences, they stopped talking about the strange faint sound and continued to delay the Tang army's crossing of the river.
Until some people started shouting on the top of the mountain. After that, more and more people started shouting on the top of the mountain.
At first, Chisangton Sheep thought reinforcements were coming, but gradually, he heard what they were shouting.
"Has the stockade been lost?!"
"The Tang army occupied the village?!"
"Where's the stockade?!"
The morale of the Tibetan army suddenly dropped.
"withdraw!"
Red Thornton Sheep gave the order without hesitation.
What he cares about is not the village, but the youth. The stronghold was broken by the Tang army. The young men had no intention of killing the enemy. If they stayed on the battlefield, they would only suffer heavy casualties and had to retreat. The Tang army could not stay in such a barren place.
After the Tang army left, they came back. When calculated, the Tang army's casualties would be even more.
That means Sibu wins again.
When the whistle sounded, it was equivalent to the Ming Jin of Xibu withdrawing his troops.
"I'm walking in the mountains——"
Si people stood on the top of the mountain and shouted loudly, and the sound spread very far.
~~
"Woo——"
Accompanied by the pair of folk song-like shouts, the attack horn sounded in the Tang Army formation.
Wang Tianyun looked back and saw the commander's flag waving on the top of the mountain on the north bank, and immediately gave the order to attack the Tibetan army.
The Tang army did not charge head-on, but moved forward in formation, adjusting their formation every few dozen steps. This was not for the sake of more casualties, but because such an advance would make the enemy unable to attack and invincible. sense of fear.
However, the Tibetan army in the western Sichuan Plateau was different from that in Qinghai. The Tibetan army in Qinghai also charged into battle with cavalry, while the Yibu army climbed over the mountains on foot and quickly dispersed.
Victory or defeat has been decided, but the casualties are still unknown.
The yak tribe from Muya Grassland brought some cavalry, but due to the terrain restrictions, they were not very flexible.
Wang Tianyun had noticed these cavalrymen for a long time and pointed his flag to kill them first.
At the same time, Zhujie Gonpo was turning his horse's head and heading south.
When the Yi people who were familiar with the terrain climbed up the mountains on both sides to withdraw from the battlefield, the Yak tribe became the first target of the Tang army.
The current situation obviously could not prevent the Tang army from crossing the river, so Zhujie Gongbu planned to retreat and join Lun Ruozan.
He sat astride a tall horse, raised his whip and shouted: "Don't mess around, follow me!"
The large banner held high began to move.
This is the flag of the Yak tribe. It has no words. Above the pole are two huge horns, and the big white flag swings like an ox's tail.
Judging from this large scroll, the majesty of Zhujie Gongbu is not inferior to that of Nanzhao Wangge Luofeng.
In fact, they have similar origins and are both tribal leaders. At the beginning, Nanzhao was only Mengshe Zhao, one of the six imperial edicts. In terms of foundation and strength, it may not be as good as the Yak Division. It was nothing more than Meng Shezhao gaining the support of the Tang Dynasty, granting the title of King of Yunnan, unifying the six imperial edicts, controlling eastern Yunnan, and giving Geluofeng the qualification to stand on his own feet.
Zhujie Gonbu also heard that Zanpu planned to make Ge Luofeng the king's younger brother. If the Tang Dynasty had supported the Yak tribe to unify western Sichuan and named him the king of western Sichuan, he might have been the equal of Tubo Zanpu.
This is the pride that Drukje Gonpo felt the moment he saw his big banner...
"Ten thousand enemies!"
Wang Tianyun shouted: "Show me what 'ten thousand enemies' means?!"
He turned around and saw that Li Sheng had quickly climbed up a hill abandoned by the people.
On the hill, Li Sheng panted and calmly drew his bow and arrow, aiming at the figure under the white banner. The man was riding a pony, wearing a horn hat and a long beard. He was walking more than 120 paces. Outside.
As if he had a premonition of danger, Zhujie Gonpo drove his horse away, one step, two steps... fifteen steps.
Li Sheng loosened his bowstring.
He once shot down a famous Tubo general with an arrow in Longyou. At that time, he was less than a hundred steps away, but he shot from below to the top of the city. Today, he shot from a condescending position.
Wang Zhongsi praised him as an enemy of ten thousand people, but what does he mean by an enemy of ten thousand people?
Li Sheng had a very humble answer. He didn't think that he could defeat tens of thousands of people with one arrow. He only thought that his archery skills were the most invincible among ten thousand people, that's all.
"Whoosh."
The arrow flew away with the wind, and in the distance, the chief who was still driving his horse fell down at the sound.
The Longyou soldiers cheered one after another.
"Ten thousand enemies! Ten thousand enemies!"
Wang Tianyun was stunned for a moment, then found an opportunity to shout to Li Sheng from a distance: "The Longyou Army is pretty good!"
"Your Anxi Army is not bad either!" Li Sheng replied.
…
Zida's crossing of the river went smoothly, but the generals of the Tang army felt awkward.
Li Sheng stood on a high place and looked at the direction in which the Yi people were fleeing. He soon understood that the Commander-in-Chief had divided his troops, and some of his comrades crossed the river and occupied key areas.
He thought to himself, scanning the flags of each ministry, but for a moment he didn't see which general was leaving.
"Who? The surprise attack at night was more powerful than our victory."
~~
Dashuzhai.
The wooden wall was in pieces, with a large piece missing from the lower part, causing the upper part to collapse.
Blood flowed down the cracked boards and dripped into the gray scorched earth.
Finally, with a loud bang, the entire wooden wall slowly collapsed, sending up a cloud of dust and smoke.
The noise alarmed Xue Bai, who was standing on the sentry platform and looking out. He looked away from the telescope, glanced behind him, then quickly picked up the telescope and looked at the valley in the south, and frowned slightly.
There is also dust and smoke rising over there, heading towards Dashuzhai. Xue Bai guessed that those who heard the explosion and rushed forward instead of running away were probably the main force of the Tibetan army coming...
(End of chapter)
