The route taken by the East Route Army was a high road. Of course, this was compared to the poor mountains and rivers of the West Route. In fact, it was not easy to walk, especially when the army moved in. Because of the large number of people and more baggage, it was difficult in terms of logistical support. The pressure is naturally greater.
The terrain and roads were definitely the biggest constraint on the Han army's advance, but the impact of climate was not serious. After all, the soldiers and horses used were all from the southwest.
The person responsible for ensuring the supply of military supplies in the rear was Xue Juzheng, the envoy to Jiannan. Xue Juzheng was quite familiar with such matters. When he was the prime minister, he participated in every expedition.
However, the situation in the southwest was very different. He was in the rear, and he devoted more energy to building roads, digging mountains and building bridges when encountering water. It is foreseeable that if Dali can be successfully pacified this time, a more accessible road will be completed through the war to deeply connect Sichuan and Yunnan. Of course, the human resources invested in this aspect are also huge.
Of course, as a general who leads the army in combat, although logistics matters are important, he will not worry too much about the difficulties in transportation. As long as the supply of military supplies can be guaranteed, he will not pay much attention to other matters.
Therefore, Wang Renfan, who was blocked by Nongdong, was only thinking about how to defeat the defenders here and then attack Yangjumei City. After several fierce battles, the Dali army had completely adopted the method of huddled and defensive, and even the city gates were sealed. In addition, its military strength is still quite large. Even if the Han army has many sharp weapons, it is really impossible to defeat it.
This is not a question of combat effectiveness, but purely a matter of terrain. Nongdong is surrounded by high mountains on three sides and stretches across vast rivers. A city stands here and cannot be bypassed. The Nongdong is also a granary in Dali. There will be no shortage of food in the city for a short time. The work of strengthening the walls and clearing the fields was also done when the Han army moved south.
There may be difficulties in breaking the city, but it is not insurmountable, it just depends on the cost. As for the attack and defense of the walled city, after the unification war, the army of the Han Dynasty was considered rich in experience. How could it be really restricted to death by a mere alley city.
Wang Renfan has inspected the city's defense more than once, but he still habitually leads people to inspect it every day. The enemy city is very close to Hanzhai, and you can see it more clearly when you get up to the watchtower.
"General, I think this city is not too high. How about building an earthen city to attack it?" At this time, seeing Wang Rengan's expression of silence, a general beside him couldn't help but suggest.
In previous attacks, the Han army used this simple and unpretentious method to weaken the defender's biggest reliance on defense, but that also depends on the situation. Therefore, Wang Renfan shook his head: "This stupid method is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and there must be enough room for implementation. Furthermore, the enemy will not let our army build it leisurely. It is not suitable here!"
The best example of this type of warfare was during the Northern Expedition, when Murong Yanzhao led his troops to defeat Tanzhou. Moreover, the success was multi-faceted. Firstly, it was unexpected. Secondly, there were nearly 100,000 civilians accompanying him and there were sufficient manpower. Finally, during the construction process, he also fought with the Liao army and made a lot of sacrifices. In the end, it took half a month. Time has just built it.
Such high-cost operations cannot be copied casually. Of course, it’s not impossible to imitate it here, but it’s just too time-consuming.
The last thing Wang Renfan wanted to see was to be delayed under this city for a long time. It was not that he was worried about being trapped in enemy territory for a long time and facing danger. He was simply worried about the enemy's capital. Moreover, it would be a loss of face for him if he was prevented from saving money by a small Nongdong Mansion.
"Judging from the offensive and defensive results in the past few days, the enemy's will to resist is very resolute. If we rush to break it, even if we win, it will cause heavy casualties to our army..." It seems that he felt Wang Renfan's impatience. , another general said to him in a reminding tone:
"Furthermore, the order given to us by the commander-in-chief was only to contain the Dali army and attract its attention. Now that both sides are fighting fiercely here, it can be said that the goal has been basically achieved. Why should the general be eager to win? If there are mistakes or injuries, Big, I’m afraid I can’t explain it!”
Hearing this, Wang Rengan raised his eyebrows and couldn't help but cast a sidelong glance at the general who spoke. This person is also named Wang. There are quite a few generals named Wang among the generals who conquered Dali south this time, and the person who spoke was Wang Quanbin's nephew.
I have some understanding. Is this because I am afraid that my march will be too smooth and I will drive straight into the capital of Dali? The corners of Wang Renfan's mouth curled up slightly with slight disdain.
Wherever there are people, there are rivers and lakes, and the Southern Expedition Army is no exception. Wang Quanbin and Wang Renfan were also generals in Pingshu at that time. They were both under the command of Xiang Xun. After the war, they also made mistakes. The situation was somewhat similar.
The difference is that Wang Quanbin became famous earlier and had a higher prestige. In the Han Dynasty, he came from the Forbidden Army. Wang Renfan, on the other hand, made his fortune from a local place, climbed to high positions step by step, and became a general.
For Wang Quanbin, Wang Renfan was openly convinced, but deep down he still wanted to transcend. In this southern expedition, the troops were divided into two groups. Although Wang Quanbin's group was surprising, it was also risky. It was just a success. If it failed, it would be up to his Eastern Route Army to turn the tide.
Therefore, no matter what aspect he considered, Wang Renfan had no reason to slack off when it came to marching into the army. The reason for quickly destroying the buildings was to consider the overall situation of the war. We should not place all our hopes on Wang Quanbin's long-distance attack.
However, this person's suggestion still reminded Wang Renfan and asked him to calm down a little. His recent behavior was indeed a little impatient.
After scanning the generals around him, Wang Renfan said calmly: "The commander-in-chief and I made an appointment to meet at the foot of Yangjumei City. The two marches were a combination of good and strange, supporting each other. Marching on the west route is difficult and unpredictable, as long as we are. Time is blocked here, do we still need to rely on the commander-in-chief to come from the west to help us? When Wang Shi defeated Shu, the road to Sichuan was dangerous at every step. If we hadn't come all the way, what would this city be?"
Wang Renfan's arrogance also aroused a bit of morale. There is no need to be so hesitant in building a deserted alley. However, pride is pride. How to continue to fight this battle to destroy the city has to be carefully considered.
After thinking for a while, Wang Renfan pointed to the city not far away and said coldly: "There are many fortresses in the Central Plains, but they finally surrendered under the iron heel of the Han army. They are just building buildings, trying to stop me. It is simply delusional."
After saying that, he directly ordered the several generals around him: "It's time to give full play to our advantages in ordnance. Take out all the rockets, gunpowder and kerosene bombs in the army, and urge the craftsmen to give them more They have three days to build as many thunder cannons as they can, and then let the soldiers rest for three days. After three days, the city will be destroyed!"
"Yes!" Seeing Wang Rengan give the order, the others no longer objected.
For this southern expedition, the Han army was naturally well prepared. After all, many things had been hoarded for many years. Moreover, in previous armament updates, the imperial court also allocated many sharp weapons, such as rockets, thunderbolts and other lethal weapons. Among the auxiliary personnel accompanying the army, in addition to the auxiliary soldiers and civilian husbands, they were craftsmen recruited from the entire southwest region.
It is precisely because of so many preparations that no matter how dangerous the terrain Dali is, with sufficient preparations and strong strength, the Han army can still push through.
Of course, no matter how sharp the weapon is, it only has a supporting role after all. In the end, it all depends on the person. The progress of the East Route Army was smooth, but it was also hard work. After several battles broke out, the Han Army suffered a lot of attrition, with more than 2,000 people.
This is the reason why the soldiers in the southwest have adapted to this land and environment. If troops are transferred from the north, even if Dali is finally captured, half of the soldiers on the expedition will be cheated.
After walking down the watchtower and walking towards the commander's tent, the high-standing banner was blowing violently in the autumn wind. Wang Renfan glanced at the banner of the ambassador. The same character "王" was embroidered on it, but it was not the same person.
Wang Quanbin was thinking about Wang Rengan, and Wang Rengan was not worried about the progress of the West Route Army. Although he wanted to take credit, he did not want to see the West Road incident fail. After all, it was a matter of overall concern.
