Chapter 8: Hard to march

Zhang Shougui was so concerned about artillery. After the greetings, he immediately said, "General Chen, can I let me see it? I have long wanted to see it since you used artillery in Tubo."

"No problem!" Chen Wanrong agreed very readily: "Liu Fuqing, let General Zhang open his eyes."

"As for the order!" Liu Fuqing responded, stood behind the cannon and began to activate the cannon.

The sound of a cannon was too small, and Zhang Shougui might not believe it. Chen Wanrong said, "Let the cannons together."

There were hundreds of artillery here. After receiving the order, the gunners took their place. Wang Shaohua waved the flag and shouted: "Prepare! Let it go!"

As soon as he finished speaking, hundreds of shells appeared in the air and flew into the distance. The scene was quite spectacular. Zhang Shougui was very surprised: "This is this..."

This scene was the first time he encountered in his life. Although he had the precious qualities of Mount Tai falling before his eyes, he was still surprised.

A ball of fireballs flashed, and the deafening explosion sounded, which was even more powerful than the thunder bombing. Zhang Shougui was even more surprised. After the explosion, Zhang Shougui woke up and shook his head: "What a big momentum, it's really amazing. General Chen, I'll go up and take a look." He raised his steps and wanted to leave, but shouted at Chen Wanrong: "General Zhang, don't have to go forward. Use this!"

He handed a pair of telescopes to Zhang Shougui, and Zhang Shougui took them in his hand. After looking at them, he was confused. Chen Wanrong had to explain to him: "This is a telescope that allows you to observe the scenes in the distance. In the past, after we fired the cannon, we had to go up to observe. With this thing, we didn't have to go there again."

"How to use this?" Zhang Shougui was very curious.

"If you use this, just put it on your eyes." Wang Zhongsi explained to him: "Just look at me!"

Zhang Shougui followed his words and put the telescope in front of him. When he looked, he saw a tender face in front of him, sticking out his tongue at him. His huge tongue seemed to lick his eyes. He couldn't help but be frightened. He hurriedly took the telescope away and looked at Wang Zhongsi. He saw Wang Zhongsi blinking his eyes, looking at him with a naughty look.

"Wang Zhongsi, stop teasing!" Chen Wanrong knew that Zhang Shougui had teased Wang Zhongsi and reminded him: "General Zhang, just look in the distance, don't look here."

Wang Zhongsi put his hands in his ears and fanned his head proudly.

Zhang Shougui acted as he said. When the telescope passed, he saw one pit after another bounce. I don’t know how many of them were. Some of them were still new and old, and he was surprised: “It’s amazing. If this thing is bombarded against the Turkic cavalry, it must be people and horses. The Turkic people have encountered disaster stars now!”

His thoughts coincide with Chen Wanrong's, and they are the same as heroes!

After putting the telescope on, Zhang Shougui rolled up his sleeves and said, "General Chen, can you teach me?"

"General Zhang needs to learn, so there is no problem. Liu Fuqing, please introduce the use of artillery to General Zhang." Chen Wanrong's deep-type Li Longji's intention was to require Zhang Shougui to have a comprehensive understanding of artillery and use artillery more efficiently next year.

Liu Fuqing felt honored and said, "General Zhang, please!"

Zhang Shougui smiled and said, "Sir Liu, don't call me a general, don't treat me as a general, just be a soldier. Only in this way can I learn the essence."

Chen Wanrong teased: "General Zhang, listen to you, it seems like our artillery soldiers like to hide their own personalities."

Graham took over the conversation and said, "You have the wisdom to know yourself."

Chen Wanrong punched him on the shoulder, which was considered an answer, and everyone burst into laughter.

Under the guidance of Liu Fuqing, Zhang Shougui began to learn how to operate artillery. He learned very seriously and meticulously, which made everyone nod and praise him.

Famous generals have their own valuable qualities!

Yumen Pass, a familiar name, will remind people of the famous saying "The spring breeze does not cross the Yumen Pass". However, Yumen Pass is very important to China and is a strategic location connecting the Western Regions and the central area of ​​China.

Yumen Pass was first placed during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. At that time, Huo Qubing, who was only twenty years old, went to the Hexi Corridor twice, defeated the 240,000 Xiongnu army entrenched in the Hexi Corridor, cut off the right arm of the Huns, and had to escape north. There were no Xiongnu in Longxi, which greatly improved the strategic situation of the Western Han Dynasty.

After the decisive battle in Mobei, the Xiongnu were defeated and the Western Han Dynasty began to manage the Western Regions. Emperor Wu of Han then established two passes of Yumen Pass and Yangguan. The Yumen Pass of the Tang Dynasty was no longer the Yumen Pass in the Western Han Dynasty. Its location was somewhat different. It had been moved to 240 kilometers east of the Yumen Pass in Han and was built on the Hulu River.

The reason for moving so is that the strategic location here is better, and it is a real transportation hub, connecting to Jiuquan in the east, to Dunhuang in the west, to Guazhou in the south, to Yizhou in the northwest, to be the throat of the Western Regions.

The mountains and rivers are surrounded by mountains and rivers, and the situation is dangerous. There are mountain passes, river estuaries, and there are many beacon towers. It is a place that military strategists must fight for. In the Tang Dynasty's frontier poet Cen Shen wrote in "The Song of the General of Yumen Pass", "Yumen Pass is lonely, with yellow sand and white grass withered for thousands of miles. The south is adjacent to Quanrong and the north is connected to Hu. The general is unpredictable. The five thousand armored soldiers are brave and powerful, and there is nothing to do in the army but they are happy."

It is a good idea to tell the dangers of Yumen Pass.

Yumen Pass is 160 meters north and south, 155 meters east and west. The city wall is made of rammed loess and surrounded by a moat, which is very strong. It has two city gates, east and west.

Geshuhan was standing on the west city tower, looking at the Tang army passing by the city gate. At this moment, the Tang army rolled west, with no head in front and no tail in the back, like a divine dragon.

Yumen Pass is at the Hexi Corridor and the Western Regions. It is very cold at this time, with the cold air being pressing. The north wind blows hard on the face as if you are cutting flesh with a knife, which makes people unable to stand it.

Perhaps because he stood for too long, the armor on Geshuhan was decorated with a thin layer of ice chips, which shone in the sun, as beautiful as crystal.

Not only are there ice chips on the armor, but also the head and face are covered with a layer of thin ice. From a distance, it looks like an ice sculpture.

Tang Jun passed through the city gate and Geshuhan were similar. The only difference was that because of the marching, the ice chips on their bodies could not stop falling down and made a slight sound.

The north wind was like a knife, which was unbearable. However, the Tang army was full of morale, with people like dragons and horses like tigers, and they were proudly passing through the West City Gate and heading towards the Western Regions.

"Young Master, it's time for us to leave," Zuoche reminded Ge Shuhan. As soon as he spoke, the thin ice on his face fell off one after another, hitting the ground, making a sudden sound.

Zuo Che is skilled in martial arts and good at running. He has always cooperated with Geshuhan on the battlefield. This time Geshuhan is leading troops to the Western Regions, so he naturally has to follow him.

Ge Shuhan nodded and said, "It's time to leave!" He slapped his hands on the armor, laughing and said, "Zuoche, I haven't had such an experience for many years. We are back to the Western Regions!"

Zuoche did not laugh: "Young Master, are you still laughing? In the bitter and cold land of the Western Regions, how can Chang'an be comfortable!"

"Comfortable?" Ge Shuhan rolled his eyes and his eyes were lit and lit up: "A man who only wants to be a comfortable man, is worthy of being a man? A man is to challenge these difficulties and difficulties and defeat them in battle. He is a man! He is a real man! If you are greedy for comfort, go back to Chang'an now."

Zuo Che hurriedly smiled and said, "Young man, I'm just talking casually, don't be angry. I'll go wherever you go. Who asked us to cooperate without interruption?"

Geshuhan nodded in praise, got off the city tower, jumped onto the war horse, and left the city and rushed west.

There are two roads to the Western Regions, one is the south line and the other is the north line. The south line exits Yangguan and the north line exits Yumen Pass. If you walk the south line, leaving Yangguan is the sand moraine of Puchanghai. Puchanghai is what we are talking about now. Although Lop Nur during the Tang Dynasty did not have desertification, there were many deserts around it, which was inconvenient to move forward.

Not far from Puchang Sea, it is the Tulunchi Desert, which is very difficult to walk. In contrast, take the North Line, leave Yumen Pass, head northwest, arrive at Yizhou (now Hami), then go west to Xizhou, turn southwest to Yanqi Town, and then go west to Anxi Protectorate.

The distance to the North Line is longer, but there is no desert, so it is relatively less difficult.

The road that starts from Yumen Pass, travels northwest, arrives in Yizhou, and then turns west is called "Yiwu Road". When China first started to operate the Western Regions, there was no such road. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, this road began to be opened. According to historical records, "There are many sandy moraines from Dunhuang to the country, and the road cannot be recorded in the road. Only human, animal, skeleton and horse manure are used as tests. There is also strangeness. Therefore, when merchants and travelers come and go, they often take Yiwu Road clouds." It is precisely because Yiwu Road was opened that Yumen Pass was only 240 kilometers east of the gate.

Although the northern line is easier to walk than the southern line, it is still much more difficult. As soon as you leave Yumen Pass, the soldiers are attracted by the completely different Western styles and can't help but talk.

"This is the Western Regions. I have wanted to come and see it for a long time, but I didn't expect it. I only have a chance now!"

"The scenery is good, but it's a bit bare and too desolate."

"It's still bearable to be desolate, but it's too cold. Look, the sun in the sky is high, but we have a layer of frost! This is the first time I've encountered such a strange thing."

"The Western Regions have changed a lot. We have to wear jackets in the morning and shirts at noon."

"It's already noon, do you dare to wear cloth shirts?"

"Cold? A cold bird!" A loud voice sounded, and it was Ge Shuhan who rode a war horse and rushed over. Before the people arrived, the voice arrived and cursed, "You can't stand this little cold air. You will still fight a bird fight when you arrive in the Western Regions!"

"General, we just talk. If there is a war, we are not afraid at all." A soldier explained immediately.

Geshuhan pulled the reins, and the horse slowed down and said, "Just this little cold is considered a bird! I remember one time, we fought with Dashi. At that time, it was very cold. When the fight was finished, many people's blood clotted into ice, and they couldn't even take off their clothes, so they could only wash it with hot water."

"Is this really the case?" The Tang army had not arrived in the Western Regions yet, and did not know the situation in the Western Regions, so they still didn't believe it.

"What's this?" Zuo Che's voice raised Lao Gao: "There are even more powerful people. A soldier was so unlucky that the stick in his crotch also clotted blood together. He scalded with hot water and was afraid of pain, and peeled with his hands. There was no way, so he could just rely on his wife to cover it with her breasts!"

"This... you are so good at joking!" The soldiers didn't believe it.

Geshuhan nodded and said, "This is true, I didn't lie to you. The army was a joke for a while."

"General, how long does it take to cover it?" A soldier calculated with his fingers.

Ge Shuhan asked back: "Do you have to care about the affairs between the couple?"

"Haha!" A burst of hilarious sounds, and the soldiers were very happy. The march became much lighter.

Leng is just a small problem encountered during the journey west. The biggest difficulty is that the road is bad. After leaving Yumen Pass, there is a good road and a station. However, not long after, there was no decent road. Looking at the endless front, the soldiers couldn't help but become confused: "How can I go?"

Compared with the southern line, the biggest advantage of the northern line is that there is no desert. However, the roads are not smooth and often change with water and grass, which is still a big problem for marching.

At this moment, a team of scouts rushed over and announced Geshuhan's order loudly: "I heard clearly: the general has orders, and you will not be wrong to find a place with horse manure and corpses!"

The Silk Road was praised by later generations. It was a channel connecting Eastern and Western civilizations and promoted exchanges between the East and the West. However, the cost was very high, and the burials on the ground were proof of this.

"That's right! There are corpses and horse manure, which means someone has walked by." The soldier who received the order suddenly realized.

With a sense of direction, the problems are much easier to deal with, and the soldiers are no longer confused. They are looking for horse manure and corpses, and not long after, they see a looming road. The soldiers can't help but praise: "The general is still powerful, and even this is a way."

"It goes without saying that the general was born in the Western Regions and fought wars in the Western Regions. He was naturally very familiar with the Western Regions."

"Huh!" A strong wind blew, and a black scattered from afar.

"No, the wind is rising! Hurry up, cover your nose and mouth with cloth!" Someone immediately shouted. This was the order issued by Geshuhan to the army during the march, mainly to teach them how to deal with emergencies on the road.

Such wind and sand come at any time. If they don’t understand something, it will be too late to send orders.

The soldiers hurriedly took out the cloth and covered their noses and mouths. Not long after, the wind and sand arrived. The dust and strong winds all over the sky made people feel the idea of ​​floating up.

Although the wind and sand were fierce, it could not stop the Tang army from moving forward. Riding the wind and sand, the Tang army went forward and drove towards the Western Regions.

"What the hell is this? It's so cold!" Husaiyin's face turned blue and his nose was red. He kept rubbing his hands and jumped a few times from time to time.

"Sir, this place is so cold. How do they hold on? Or is it better for our hometown, not cold." A worker complained while pointing to the Turkic artificial trencher.

In the Middle East, the climate is hot and it will not be cold all year round unless it enters the desert. Husai is not afraid of heat, but is afraid of cold. When he arrives in the desert, he is looking for trouble.

"Come on the bowl of horse breasts, you need to burn them." Hussein couldn't stand it, and he couldn't help but think of the steaming horse breasts that could keep the cold.

"Here, here!" A Turkic man who was in charge of serving him came over with a bowl of hot horse breasts and held them in his hands: "Sir, this is the horse breasts you want."

"Ah, horse breasts! It's so great!" Hussein was as excited as if the beggar saw the ingot, and couldn't help but chant like a poet. He caught his hands, and a warm feeling was transmitted to his hands, and then from his arms to his heart. It felt so wonderful.

He put the horse's breasts to his mouth and took a big sip. He couldn't help but sucked in the air: "It's hot, it's hot! It's so hot!" While saying contradictory words, he drank all the bowl of horse's breasts.

After a bowl of steaming horse breasts, a warm current was surrounded by a stomach and intestines, which was particularly comfortable. Hussein was very satisfied: "Give them some drinks."

"Thank you!" Those big food workers were very grateful. It was indeed enjoyable to drink hot horse breasts in such cold weather.

"Don't thank me. You guys hurry up and finish the work, so we can go back so that we won't suffer here!" Hussein rubbed his hands.
To be continued...