To the south of the Hong Dynasty, across the broad Tianfeng Plain, is a large hilly area starting from Pengshan City. Continuing to the south is the main vein of the Pengshan Mountains, which almost seems to have erected a high wall to the south of the entire Hong Dynasty.
It looks like a high wall but is not a real wall, so there is always a gap, and this gap is now the biggest pass that attracts the attention of the whole country: Pengshan Pass.
The existence of Pengshanguan has almost witnessed the most tragic experiences of the Hong Dynasty in hundreds of years.
Every catastrophe within the Hong Dynasty began with the destruction of Pengshan Pass. Then the vast number of Yunyan barbarians will follow this gap northward, sweeping the entire Tianfeng Plain along the way. After eating and drinking, they will directly force Shunning, the capital of the Hong Dynasty. Then the royal family moved to Beining City in the north of the Hong Dynasty with the Imperial Yunzong, and the world of the Hong Dynasty could only fight on its own and became a wanton hunting ground for the Yunyan barbarians.
Of course, the Hong Dynasty can still survive and has never been destroyed by Yunyan. At every critical moment, Shangbang Mingyuan will send envoys over. After negotiation and warning, Yunyan's barbarians will return to Pengshan with a full load of singing and dancing. South of Guan. The Hong Dynasty was able to recuperate and recuperate.
This goes on and on.
In fact, it cannot be said that the royal family and ministers of the Hong Dynasty were all about living and doing nothing. The solution is to think a lot and work hard enough, but the gap in strength cannot be overtaken by just a few decades of cultivation. In many cases, it is even impossible to recover to the previous time. How can this person resist the Yunyan Barbarian who has become stronger and stronger after the Hong Dynasty?
But this time things seem to be slightly different. At least the war at Pengshan Pass has lasted for more than half a year. Although it is in danger every day, it can always stand firm. With a grinding mill that creaked but could always turn, it kept grinding away the flesh and blood of both parties.
Half a year doesn't seem like a long time, but it's not short either. And it was able to hold on to Pengshan Pass for more than half a year without breaking. This is already the longest record in the history of the Hong Dynasty.
It was also during this period of more than half a year that Hong Chao was able to intensively make unprecedented arrangements for the Tianfeng Plain.
Build forts, fortifications, and strong walls to clear the countryside. Claimed to be arming the entire Tianfeng Plain.
It seems like a simple sentence or two, but in fact it is a kind of coping method that is also cruel to oneself.
The Tianfeng Plain has rich soil and water, and has always been the main planting area for grain and other crops in the Hong Dynasty. Just a strong wall and clearing the field can be regarded as killing one thousand enemies and damaging one's own eight hundred. This is also the reason why the Hong Dynasty immediately issued a ban on alcohol and restricted the sale of grain even before Pengshan Pass was breached.
Because soon the Tianfeng Plain, the largest food producing area, will be turned into a scorched earth where soldiers are raging. If you save more food now, you might be able to save one more person in the future.
Today, the Tianfeng Plain is the area most affected by the people in the Hong Dynasty. The government office is already evacuating people. However, only the old, weak, women and children can leave, and all men under the age of fifty are not allowed to leave. Whether they are farmers, traders or merchants, they are all treated equally and all stay to serve the army.
Of course, the truly wealthy families had already gotten the news and left Tianfeng Plain, and only the vast majority of the middle and lower classes were really trapped.
Every day, cries and lamentations can be heard from all the official roads in Tianfeng Plain almost day and night. It's hard to leave our homeland, and this separation may mean that heaven and earth are separated forever, and the future is uncertain, and everyone will have to feel sad.
Going south along the Tianfeng Plain, one gradually feels the intense fighting spirit and anxiety.
Nowadays, several military villages behind Pengshan Pass have expanded into a large group of military villages. Almost all the hilly areas between Pengshan City and Pengshan Pass were utilized. The total number of garrison troops has also increased from tens of thousands before to 130,000 today.
As for the Pengshan Pass, which has been full of blood so far, it can be said that every brick and stone has been soaked in blood.
From the day when Yunyan's barbarians invaded, more than half a year has passed, and nearly 40,000 of the most elite soldiers of the Hong Dynasty have left their lives at Pengshan Pass.
And the Hong Chao side, which took advantage of the geographical advantage, suffered such heavy losses, and the Yunyan side, which attacked the pass, naturally suffered even greater losses. It is conservatively estimated that at least 60,000 to 80,000 lives were lost under the pass.
It is impossible for other countries to afford this level of consumption. Only Yunyan Manzi is not a problem.
Because the people of Yunyan, regardless of gender, old or young, can all be called warriors. Strong physique, tall body, and a lifestyle that combines nomadic herding and farming. Yunyan babies only have less than five years to reach adulthood. The people of Yunyan are very fertile. Twins and triplets, which are rare in Hong Dynasty, are very common in Yunyan. One child is rare.
With a large number of people, they mature very quickly, and their large size consumes a lot of food. Once the population expands beyond the capacity of the land, changes will be needed. Either expand the land or reduce the population.
Yunyan and Hong Chao were both subordinate states, and the size of the land was set aside by the superior state, and they did not have the ability or dare to change it. So we can only take the latter path: reducing the population.
And population is the cornerstone of rule. Killing people for nothing will lead to rebellion.
Therefore, there is another saying called "the holy will of heaven". Taking the will of gods as the shackles of the soul has been rooted in the hearts of all Yunyan people since childhood. Once the time comes for war, that is when the gods decree that the Yunyan people will sacrifice.
Sacrifice your own bravery, but also sacrifice the blood of your enemies.
Fighting for the gods without fear of death is the highest honor!
Even being able to die in a holy war is the biggest dream of most Yunyan people.
So at Pengshan Pass, if the soldiers of the Hong Dynasty were brave and risked their lives, then the people of Yunyan were crazy, a kind of madness originating from the spiritual level of fanaticism!
After being disemboweled, he can still strangle his opponent with his own intestines, and even if he has no arms, he can still jump up and bite him with his mouth. Even when he was about to die, he would laugh ferociously, defend his opponent, and let his companions behind him keep up with the slashing. This scene was played out almost every day at Pengshan Pass.
So much so that this madness is also infecting the defenders at Pengshan Pass. That cruel, beast-like look appeared in the eyes of many veterans. And this may be one of the reasons why this pass has been able to hold for so long.
The tallest Zhenguan Hall in Pengshan Pass is the military office of Zhao Panshan, the highest official in Pengshan Pass. From the beginning of the war to now, Zhao Panshan has never moved even in the most critical moment. His general's flag is the biggest stabilizing stone for the more than 30,000 people on the entire pass.
At this time, the old Zhao Panshan's resolute face in the hall had a hint of sadness that was rarely shown outside. The same is true for the three remaining lieutenants under him. It's just that in addition to the sad look on everyone's face, there is more of a determined and fierce look.
"Is there any way to remedy the situation of the city wall?"
(End of chapter)
