Chapter 679 Terrain
After Liu Sui’s head was found, someone was found to sew it up.
Shao Xun ordered the collection of fine coffins, murder weapons, and property in Yewang City, and gave them to Liu Runzhong, who ordered him to transport his son back to Shangdang for burial.
In addition to this matter, the Shangdang battle situation is particularly important.
On the seventh day of October, after the army had rested for a day, Shao Xun left Wang Que'er to take charge of the wild king, mopping up any remnants of enemies that might exist in the wilderness, and supervising the war in the direction of Zhiguan. , the main force of the Yi Congjun, more than 10,000 people, and more than 10,000 miscellaneous soldiers from all walks of life, marched north to Shangdang.
At this point in the battle, he still refused to stop.
Most of the Xiongnu court was also a little panicked, and there was bound to be a reaction. Maybe it was time to make some decisions that were difficult to make before.
Before Wang Queer’s pursuit battle was over, Quyang King Liu Xian had already arrived at Zhiguan to supervise the battle. He might have brought soldiers, horses and grain with him - there shouldn’t be a lot of them. Gein transported grain from Hedong to Zhiguan. To pass the pass, you need to cross the entire Wangwu Mountain. There are many dangerous passes in the road, and the loss is heavy.
As for Shangdang, I just received news this morning: Liu Yao personally arrived at Danzhu Ridge, and his vanguard has arrived at Bazi's tomb.
Danzhu Ridge, also known as "Changping North Mountain", is the boundary mountain between Changzhi Basin and Jincheng Basin. It is named after Danzhu, the eldest son of Yaofeng.
Danshui flows out of it, meanders southward, exits Taihangxing, and runs through the entire Jincheng Basin. Its name is also related to Danzhu.
Of course, there are also rumors that the names of Danzhu Ridge and Danshui originated from the Battle of Changping - "Qin pitted Zhao soldiers and bled Danchuan, hence the common name Danshui."
Bazi Tomb ( Shao Xun asked many people where the name of today's Bagong Town came from, but none of them could find out.
In the end, it was the Hujie people from Shangdang who told him this "history": Duke Xianggang of Jin attacked Ba and moved Bazi here. At first, Bazi City was established, but later it was abandoned, and Bazi was buried here.
Shao Xun was a little surprised and asked his staff whether Jin Xianggong really attacked Bashu? No one heard it.
Perhaps it’s a case of spreading rumors.
But this is not the point. The point is that Liu Zhao failed to move north, so he retreated to Xuushi County (today's Gaoping). He was defeated and fled all the way to Bazi's Tomb, where he was overtaken by Liu Yao's vanguard.
Of course, this does not mean that Liu Zhao is good at fighting. In fact, his father Liu Runzhong has taken all the strong men south with him, leaving Liu Zhao mostly old and weak. It is normal that he cannot defeat others.
As for why he didn’t raise his troops to go north, firmly guard the Jincheng Basin, and spy on the Changzhi Basin behind Danzhu Ridge, to be honest, Liu Runzhong wanted to go south to make great contributions and gain wealth. After all, he stayed in Gaodu and the Xu family. No credit.
The situation in Shangdang is critical, and of course Shao Xun will not delay.
Even if he can't take the entire Shangdang, he will firmly eat the Jincheng Basin, and then plan to conquer the basin later.
The dangers of the Taihang Mountains are difficult to appreciate unless you are there personally——
On the seventh night of the seventh lunar month, the army stayed overnight in the ancient city of the country of Yu.
This city is just outside Taihang Xingkou. It was built by Uncle Xie (Ji Dan), the son of King Wu of Zhou Dynasty. During the Northern Wei Dynasty, Xie City still existed.
There is Xie Terrace in the south of the city, Xieshui (a tributary of Qinshui River, which no longer exists today) in the west of the city, and Xie Pavilion seven or eight miles southeast, which is the name of this place - Xie State was later destroyed by Zheng State. The descendants of Uncle Xie took "Yu" as their surname, and Xicheng was the birthplace of the surname Yu for later generations.
On the eighth day of October, a group of vanguard soldiers and horses went upstream along the Danshui River and entered Taihangxing.
Shao Xun asked Liu Runzhong and Liu Quan and his son to get on his carriage and go together in the afternoon on the eighth day of the lunar month.
"The towering Taihang Mountains are daunting. Without Gongji (Liu Runzhong), I really don't know when I would be able to enter Bingzhou. The mountains and rivers inside and outside do not deceive me." Shao Xun lifted the curtain of the car. Open, looking at the towering mountains on both sides, he sighed.
There are pro-military guards on the left and right sides of the carriage.
On the dilapidated post road, horse-drawn carriages occupied almost all the road. The pro-army troops walked into the rocks on both sides. They were swaying and unsteady. If they were not careful, they might fall down. .
As for the traffic conditions, don't say anything else.
Liu Runzhong and his son led more than 10,000 cavalry to the south. They were really light troops advancing quickly. They relied entirely on mules and horses, and they didn't even bring grain carts. They were completely determined to prey on the big households.
“Ming Gong is in the Central Plains, across the eight wastelands, and his talents and strategies are astonishing.” Liu Runzhong said: “The Huns are a small country, how can they withstand the troops of a big country? Just rely on their strength. The terrain of the mountains and rivers is just a matter of survival. If I offer the party, the Xiongnu will lose the advantage of the land. It will be easy to destroy the imperial army."
Shao Xun glanced at him.
My uncle-in-law is in a much better mood.
A few days ago, he found Liu Ya from his son and stabbed him dozens of times on the spot. Then he cut off the head and heard that it was going to be made into a skull wine vessel, and the trunk and limbs were given to the soldiers for food...
Damn, there are anthropomorphic creatures everywhere!
"It's your credit, it's yours, no one can take it away." Shao Xun stopped the carriage and simply led the two of them down for a walk. It was too stuffy in the car and there were no shock absorbers. , causing pain in the butt.
A pass city loomed ahead. Shao Xun knew that it was called Tianjing Pass (also known as "Taihang Pass"). It was first built in the Yuanshuo period of the former Han Dynasty and has been repaired in the past dynasties.
They are still several miles away from Tianjing Pass, and the walking path is full of dangerous trails and narrow passes.
Shao Xun stopped for a while and turned to look back.
A few miles back from the carriage, Yangchangzaka (alias Taihangxing) was crowded with people and flags were flying.
At this time, if someone is blocking Tianjing Pass in front, and someone is occupying the ancient city of Wei State behind, blocking both ends, it is simply a rhythm of annihilation of the entire army.
The Xingdao is two or three steps wide, and the narrow part is even less than two steps - later Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty returned to Luoyang from Bingzhou. He spared no effort in the people's efforts and ordered the excavation and widening of Taihangxing, but the width of the road was only reduced to three steps. (four to five meters).
It’s such a narrow road, so what if you come with 100,000 soldiers? I can't let go.
There are always only a few people who come into direct contact. The defenders are too defensive.
This is the difficulty of attacking the passes, because they are built based on the terrain, which is much more difficult than attacking a city.
"Gongji, this is your contribution." Shao Xun pointed to the winding mountain path and said: "I have been in the mountain for two days and have walked less than forty miles. These forty miles If we attack here by force, we don’t know how many soldiers and horses will be killed. In fact, you don’t need to go south. It would be better for the whole army to go north to attack Danzhu Ridge than to go south to Ye Wang.”
Liang Gong remained silent. This is a subtle accusation against him.
Shao Xun glanced at him again, secretly thinking that he still had a bit of a temper, just like Liu Ye who had never been trained.
Then he stopped talking.
When the sun sets, we finally arrive at Tianjingguan.
The banner with the word "Hou" flying high on Guancheng is obviously occupied by the Heiyi Army.
There are three wells and springs in front of Tianjing Pass, which are called "Tianjing Spring". It is said that they are "huge and unfathomable". There are already soldiers here fetching water, washing horses, and burying pots to make rice.
Shao Xun climbed directly to Tianjingguan City, overlooking the mountains.
This pass is located at the highest point of the Taihang Pass. It is an uphill road forty miles from the ancient city of the State of Wei to the north of the pass; more than thirty miles north from Tianjing Pass, it is a downhill road. After leaving the mountain, walk another ten miles. A few miles away, you can reach Gaodu (now Jincheng), Liu Runzhong's hometown.
It is really not easy to take the dangerous pass of seventy or eighty miles without any blood. In the end, the united front work has been done well.
On the 11th, the army continued to move north.
******
As the vanguard, the mule army entered the mountain half a day in advance.
More than 1,300 soldiers, each with a mule and a riding horse, carried several days of dry food and marched all the way.
Not long after Shao Xun entered the mountain, they crossed Tianjing Pass.
Leaving Taihangxing on the afternoon of the ninth day of the lunar month, under the leadership of the guide, we rushed to Gaodu and stationed outside the city.
The Jie people gave them some dried meat - don't get me wrong, this is beef and mutton. Due to the lack of fodder due to the locust plague, they slaughtered livestock in large quantities.
On the tenth day of the lunar month, more than a thousand people walked northeast along the post road for dozens of miles, and saw a flat basin in the distance, which was the legendary Bazi City and Bazi Tomb-so far, the city, All the tombs are gone, only the name of the place remains.
Jiang Ke rode up a gentle slope and looked to the north.
Liu Zhao built a camp, with a large flag erected in the camp and soldiers walking around.
The Huns army cannot be seen on the left and right, and only a few rangers are active.
"Xu Yu!" Jiang Ke shouted.
"The general is here." Xu Yu responded.
"Take three hundred people northward, without entering the camp, and head towards Huushi County. When you encounter the enemy, come back." Jiang Ke ordered.
Xu Yu took the order and left. After a while, three hundred people changed their mules and mounted them, rolling up a large plume of smoke and dust, and headed north.
Jiang Ke led the remaining thousand people and quickly arrived outside the camp.
“But Master Wang?” someone shouted from the high wall of the camp.
"The mule army, Jiang Ke, rushed here for reinforcements under the orders of Liang Gong. Is Liu Sheren here?" Jiang Ke asked.
Liu Zhao is a member of the shogunate, and this is his official position. As for the identity of Liu Runzhong's son and the tribe's commander, he is not an official.
The gate of the camp opened quickly, and Liu Zhao walked out, escorted by dozens of people.
Jiang Ke also got off his mule and walked forward.
Some soldiers opened their bags and took the official seal and the official letter of troop deployment, while the Jie people's guide came forward to negotiate.
Liu Zhao had never seen Jiang Ke. After listening to the guide, he read the official seal and official letter. After receiving the letter, he immediately smiled and said: "Commander Jiang is entering the camp. I have prepared meals——"
"No rush." Jiang Ke waved his hand and said: "What's going on in the north?"
Liu Zhao's face suddenly turned ugly, and he said bravely: "Liu Yao is building a fortress on Danzhu Ridge. The military commander Hu Yanshou is entrenched in Huushi County, with thousands of people plundering people, cattle and sheep everywhere. The people have fled, and I have asked people to resettle them in the mountains. It is very difficult and they are in urgent need of relief."
Jiang Ke knew what he was saying.
Thousands of Xiongnu soldiers could not be driven away. Liu Zhao really had no strength at hand. They were probably mostly old, weak, women and children, with few strong men.
"How powerful is Liu Yao?" Jiang Ke asked again.
"I don't know." Liu Zhao replied honestly: "It should be no less than ten thousand people."
"I think the maximum number is ten thousand people." Jiang Ke thought for a while and said, "If there are more soldiers, , How can we build a fort on Danzhu Mountain?"
"The governor is right." Liu Zhao nodded repeatedly.
“Any news from Pingyang?”
"We captured two rangers yesterday. It is said that there are large numbers of Huns soldiers on the Wuling Road. We also say that Pingyang will transport grain and grass to Jinyang regardless of losses," Liu Zhao replied.
"Who is leading the troops on Wuling Road? How many people are there?"
"I don't know."
Jiang Ke sighed and asked three questions.
Wuling Road leads to Pingyang, which is a dangerous mountain road crossing the Wuling Mountains.
To put it simply, Wuling Mountain separates the Yuncheng Basin (Hedong County and Pingyang County, located in the west) from the Jincheng and Changzhi Basin (Shangdang County, located in the east) from east to west. There are not no roads, but most of them are The mountain road requires climbing over mountains and ridges, similar to Taihangxing.
Danzhu Ridge separates the Jincheng and Changzhi basins - the two basins face each other in the north and south across the mountains.
From the Changzhi Basin (where Shangdang County is located) to the north, you have to cross the endless mountains to reach the Taiyuan Basin (where Jinyang is located).
This is the terrain of Bingzhou, which is composed of large and small basins. There are mountains between the basins, some of which are very dangerous.
The mountains and rivers inside and outside are not without reason. They have been very conducive to defense since ancient times.
Seeing that Jiang Ke didn't speak, Liu Zhao thought for a while and said, "There are rumors that Liu Cong went to Wuling Road in person."
"What?" Jiang Ke was a little surprised.
Is this going to go eastward from Wuling Road, directly into Gaodu, and cut off the return route of Liang Gong’s army? Can he do it? Is there enough food and grass?
Jiang Ke didn’t quite believe it, but he immediately called the messenger to deliver the news back.
At the same time, he looked at Liu Zhao and said: "Immediately send people to investigate westward, and there must be no mistakes."
(End of this chapter)