Chapter 59 Preparations for the Huaiqing Campaign
This tunnel is very deep. In addition to the torch lighting, there are also lighting holes one after another directly above. The sunlight shines directly down, like lights.
The ground and dome are several feet wide and three feet high.
This height is sparse and ordinary in the back. But in this era, it is very lenient. And He Xi also felt that there were certainly many places here covered with soil. But there are still many places where it is rocky.
To dig out hundreds of meters like this is a very large project.
Digging so deep without any deviation, these holes above the head are not just ventilation holes. It is also used for positioning. There is concrete paved ground above your head and below your feet.
Although He Xi also knows that the quality of cement in this era is simply incomparable to the quality of cement in later generations. In future generations, these cements will be substandard products. At this moment, He Xi still had the feeling of flashing back to a construction site in later generations.
And walk in the front. Ge Tiangong stopped He Xi and said, "Teacher, it's not safe in front."
He Xi looked at the dome above his head. It was no longer the same. It was supported by layers of thick wooden boards. Under the wooden plank was a two-story scaffolding. There were people on it using various tools to excavate the soil and masonry, and at the same time digging out a certain space, and then using wooden heads to lift it up.
Just dig in little by little.
He Xi didn't know who invented this method. It seems that the working principle of the shield machine is similar to that of later generations. It also supports the dome while digging, and reinforces it with cement and steel bars at the back. Just grind it in slowly.
After He Xi saw this, he was sure that the people below were doing a good job, at least they didn't lie to him.
He Xi asked Ge Tiangong: "How long will it take to repair this section of road?"
Ge Tiangong said: "There are still about five months. In fact, there are not many big projects left, and other projects have been completed. There are only a few tunnels and bridges left. And these places cannot be built quickly at all. It’s not like now, no matter how we arrange it, there are only these people.”
"However, the disciples have arranged for people to use the sidewalk to transport the rails. Construction of the Datong section has already begun."
"I can assure you that by this time next year, this railway will run directly to the Yellow River."
Seeing this, He Xi secretly thought: "It will take another year. It will take another year."...
This year requires patience.
Of course, He Xi's patience does not mean doing nothing.
At this moment, fighting is taking place from Yulin, Yanmen Pass, Jingjing, along the Yellow River, Jinan, and even to Penghu on the sea. Ye Chen has even proposed a campaign in Hanoi and a direct attack on Huaiqing Mansion. Launched the Huaiqing Campaign.
The key to this battle lies in the importance of Huaiqing.
Huaiqing is the Jiaozuo of later generations.
Location is very important.
Huaiqing is sandwiched by the Taihang Mountains, Wangwu Mountains and the Yellow River, forming a long and narrow area. It seems closed, but it is actually connected in all directions. It leads directly to Shangdang in the north. During the Battle of Changping, the King of Qin personally went to Hanoi to encourage soldiers and civilians to go north to support.
It leads directly to the east of the river from the west. And Hedong is the path of the Yellow River, which is just across the river from Shaanxi.
Although it faces the Yellow River in the south, the Yellow River in this area is not the lower reaches of the Yellow River. The river course is fixed and cannot be said to be an above-ground river. That's fine. What's more important is that there are many famous ferries here, such as Mengjin. It was also the place where King Wu met with the princes when he was conquering Zhou.
In other words, cross the Yellow River from here and go straight to Luoyang. It can be done.
More importantly, the road from the southeast to Shanxi. The most convenient way is to enter Shanxi via Huaiqing or Zhangde, and take the Taihang Eight Meridians. Now as long as the Northern Army captures Huaiqing, all the southeastern part of the Taihang Mountains will be owned by the Northern Army.
If the Southern Army wants to have any training with Shanxi, it will either go to Hedong or Shaanxi. In short, it’s a big circle. Many things in Shanxi will not be convenient.
He Xi felt that Ye Chen's move could not be said to be bad.
But there are also great dangers. After all, as mentioned in the previous article, Huaiqing Mansion is located near mountains and rivers, and there is only one gap on three sides, that is, there is only a gap on the east side. Once the lone army goes deep, the enemy can also catch turtles in the jar.
He Xi knew that this was the Conquest of the South Army and Ye Chen's dissatisfaction. He had to agree.
In comparison, the strategic focus has shifted to Shaanxi. In fact, it will be very detrimental to the Conquest of the South Army. The Conquest of the South Army previously controlled a much larger force than the Beijing court. If the decisive battle starts in the Central Plains. A few decisive battles between Huanghuai and Jianghuai would be enough to attack Nanjing.
Ye Chen's idea is feasible in military terms.
There are two problems. The first is military risk and the risk of the Yellow River. The risk of a decisive battle.
How to prevent the Confederate army from using water to replace troops and turning thousands of miles of plains into a marsh country. How to be sure that the decisive battle will be won. Even if it’s not Xu Da, it’s Fu Youde. Let Ye Chen speak for himself, even Ye Chen can't guarantee that he will be able to defeat Fu Youde.
In fact, the military risk is secondary. After all, Beijing has now established a firm foothold and is no longer afraid of defeat, although a defeat will severely damage its vitality. But there is already a possibility of recovery, unlike before the Battle of Hejian, once defeated, the overall situation will be irreversible.
The political risk is the greatest.
In other words, if Ye Chen wins three decisive battles and finally destroys Nanjing, how should the court check and balance Ye Chen's reputation and strength?
This is the most important.
He Xi and Zhu Xiongying had not discussed it, but they actually had a tacit understanding.
He Xi would not suppress Ye Chen to prevent him from making meritorious deeds, but he must not give all the power in the army to Ye Chen. He Xi couldn't tolerate it, let alone Zhu Xiongying.
Opening up a second battlefield also gives another person an opportunity to make a contribution. In the future, the Western Army may have a slightly weaker momentum than the Southern Army, but it will still be enough to contain them. Coupled with other means at He Xi's disposal, it is absolutely impossible for the nobles to form a whole group.
Don't look at anything else, just look at the countries in the world that are still under military governments, and you will understand why these soldiers cannot be allowed to take charge of power.
Many things need to be done in advance. You cannot wait until the situation has been formed before you think of taking action. It will be too late.
Ye Chen may or may not understand this situation. But all the generals of the Southern Conquest Army were probably dissatisfied. Without him, this blocked their opportunity to make meritorious deeds. For these generals, military merit was everything to them. This situation is going to arouse public outrage.
The emotions below must be let out.
The Battle of Huaiqing is also on the agenda. Cut off Hanoi, drink from the Yellow River, overlook Luoyang, cut off the roots of Shanxi, and cut off the backbone of the Central Plains. If Qu can do well. It would be great if the Zhengxi Army and the Zhengnan Army could meet at Tongguan.
He Xi could not stop the Huaiqing Campaign, he could only control the scale and time.
If the westward march is very smooth, then the Battle of Huaiqing will have to wait and be fought. Nowadays, the progress of the westward advance is slow. I am afraid that we will have to wait for the railway to be repaired before we can move south in a large scale. Then the Beijing court will have energy and can naturally focus on the Huaiqing war.
He Xi secretly decided that the focus of this year's war would be the Battle of Huaiqing.
------
In Taiyuan City, Geng Bingwen suddenly stood up and coughed, spitting out a large pool of blood on the ground. Upon seeing this, Geng Rui immediately went to support Geng Bingwen and said, "Father, how do you feel?"
Half of Geng Bingwen's injuries were arrow wounds and nothing else. It was Qu Neng who shot him with an arrow outside Yanmen Pass. When I was young, injuries like this were nothing. But Geng Bingwen is now over sixty.
This arrow seriously injured Geng Bingwen.
But another reason is anger.
In the battle of Sanggan River, Geng Bingwen fought hard and tried his best. Not to mention all the tricks, at the end it was a sixty-year-old veteran who personally killed seven in and seven out. This can be regarded as stabilizing the morale of the military.
Otherwise, under the circumstances, as soon as the cavalry collapsed, the Northern Army cavalry would have dared to chase the defeated troops and rush into Yanmen Pass.
If this is the case, Shanxi will be in danger and Taiyuan will be in danger.
But no matter how much effort Geng Bingwen put into this battle and how resentful Qu Neng was, this battle was essentially a defeat. Because he was plotted by the other party from the beginning.
The right time and place are not with me.
If someone else takes action, the entire army will probably be wiped out. But Geng Bingwen only lost
There were more than 10,000 fine cavalry, and many of the Northern Army's cavalry were lost. Just because the Northern Army controlled the battlefield, some wounded received timely medical treatment.
Overall casualties were much less than those of the Confederate Army.
