Chapter 14 The Real Purpose of the Northern Expedition
When the army is out there, the first priority is defense, and the second is attack.
He also said that before the army moved, food and grass would go first.
Since the Anbei Army's Northern Expedition began, Su Ce had gained some insight. Teams of carriages pulling grain and grass had dug deep ruts in the grassland, leaving roads behind wherever the baggage passed.
Su Ce heard from the baggage team that the former army had penetrated 700 miles into the grassland, and was now confronting Jiuhu in the middle of the grassland. This big battle could not be won in a few months.
Many people and craftsmen have come to Yuanqiu garrison these days. Four to five hundred people suddenly poured into Yuanqiu garrison and began to cultivate and cultivate the surrounding areas. The land that Su Ce originally planned to grow vegetables was now covered by shacks.
The purchased seeds and agricultural tools were also distributed to the people.
The army was still confronting Jiuhu in the north, and a large amount of supplies and people from Guannai Road and Hedong Road began to pour in from the rear along the north bank of Wuding River for a hundred miles.
This grassland is generally square in shape, higher in the north and lower in the south. The north is bounded by the Langyan Mountains that traverse the east and west, the west is the desert, and the east is the Qianren Mountains. The northern highlands account for one-third of the grassland. The grassland with a radius of thousands of miles is now divided.
Divided into two parts, north and south,
Now the Jiuhu who used to occupy the southern grasslands have been compressed in the central part. One hundred thousand Anbei troops are supporting millions of Jiuhu. There are small-scale battles every day. There are many Jiuhu, but most of them are herdsmen, women and children, and the army has only
There were less than 200,000 young men. Last year, Anbei's army lost 40,000 men. Jiuhu was also in a bad mood. One hundred thousand young men fell on the north bank of Wuding River.
In addition, not enough food was plundered last year, and during the snowy winter, 40,000 to 50,000 old and weak people were expelled and eliminated in the garrison group of the Anbei Protectorate.
Although the Jiuhu were numerous in number, their elite troops were exhausted. A hundred thousand frontier troops were encamped in the central grasslands. No one dared to move except for small-scale cavalry raids.
Of course, Jiuhu was forced to do nothing, but Daqian was happy because the strategic goal was almost achieved.
Taking advantage of the confrontation, Daqian transferred 400,000 people from Guannai Road and Hedong Road to take over the Anbei Protectorate. The refugees from each road were gathered and went to the central grassland to guard the border. The refugees crossed the river with the craftsmen and generals.
, all the way north, pouring into the grassland like ants moving.
These people will build a large camp, ten military villages, and at least a hundred beacon towers, as well as farm buildings during the snow-covered period from May to November.
As soon as the snow season arrives, the entire army of the Anbei Prefecture Protectorate will be stationed in the central part of the grassland, and from then on they will firmly control the land with the richest water and grass in their hands.
The area is large, but the people are sparse. The Zhechong Prefectures of various provinces in the north have deployed their troops for training since April and are stationed in Anding County. It is estimated that it will not be long before they cross the Wuding River and join the Anbei Army.
Take Jiuhu to the northern highlands.
Apart from their great talents and great strategies, Su Ce could not think of any words that could describe the ambitions of the emperors of Daqian.
There are more than 300,000 troops, one million refugees, and 400,000 ordinary people. This kind of population migration is closely linked. Every step must not be missed, otherwise the tragedy of eleven years ago may happen again.
Now Su Ce is a little envious of the choices of other people in Xiaohe Fengsui Fort. If he had joined the Anbei regular army, he would probably have gone to the central grassland to fight against Jiuhu. How could he be like himself now, having to go to Yuanqiu with a group of men every day?
On the outskirts of the garrison, hunting wolves and bears was not only hard work, but we also had to guard against vipers awakening in the bushes.
I was bitten by a viper on the grassland. Due to the strong poison, I could only cut off the bitten limb. Whether I could survive would depend on whether the bleeding could be stopped.
It was already very hot at the end of May, but Su Ce did not dare to take off the sheepskin wrapped around his legs. He did not want to be bitten by a viper.
I saw a den of wolves a few days ago and killed most of them, while seven or eight others ran away.
The military orders from the Anbei Prefecture have arrived at Yuanqiu garrison, and these people will go to the central grassland with the government soldiers from Guannai Road in August to participate in the battle to drive away the Jiuhu.
Regardless of whether one cherishes one's life, after joining the army, no one wants to watch others make meritorious deeds, while one can only follow the carriages to transport grain, grass and baggage.
The civil servants who came from the mainland were also former soldiers, but their pot-bellied appearance did not indicate that they were strong soldiers who had trained for two years in Zhechong Mansion.
I just had to endure everything and get over it. After the adobe houses were built and the people's farmland was reclaimed, I could go north.
"Garrison leader, the returning baggage team has just brought news that a small group of wolves were killed twenty miles north of the garrison. They were probably driven over by us and were easily dispatched by the baggage team. What do you think of us?" A cavalryman rode a horse.
I found Su Ce and brought a piece of news. He was a young cavalryman with hair on his mouth, and he was still a baby.
Although Su Ce was just nineteen, this did not prevent Su Ce from treating his subordinates as children.
At the age of eighteen or nineteen, Su Ce would have just graduated from high school and entered college in his previous life, but in this life he has already shouldered the heavy responsibility of guarding the border and defending the country.
"Okay, I understand, Liu He, you ride back first and stew all the wolf meat. The legs of the brothers running outside these days have become thinner." Su Ce wiped his chin, and his stubble had already appeared.
, this beard thing, the more you shave, the more you shave.
"Master of the garrison, I can't finish the stew!" Liu He said mischievously. Su Ce was very good to them. He never lacked meat when he came to the garrison. Su Ce would take a group of people out to hunt every two days.
Every time I come back, I always bring deer, bison, wolves, badgers, rabbits, pheasants... these prey from the grassland and shrubs.
Su Ce hit Liu He's thigh with the stick in his hand that was used to scare off grass and scare snakes. Without any force, he smiled and cursed: "You bunch of foodies, when did I run out of your meat to eat? The excess is for the common people who are cultivating outside."
food."
Liu He was not annoyed. He smiled naively and got on his horse: "Yes, everything you said is right!"
When we returned to the fort, the sun had just set, and the entire Dome Castle was filled with laughter and laughter. The wolf broth that had been boiling for two hours spread the fragrance to every shack in Dome Hill.
Now it is time to clear the land in time for farming. When the farming is completed, these shacks will be turned into adobe houses.
Before Su Ce returned to Yuanqiu, he saw the pot-bellied immigration official waiting for someone under the watchtower on the slope.
Before Su Ce came near, Liu Tian, the relocation officer from afar, saluted. As soon as he sat up the hill, he heard Liu Tian's hearty laughter: "Haha, I thanked the Su garrison chief on behalf of the people.
It's been a long time since we've seen a fisherman, and I've gone to the paperwork. The success of the people's peace is indispensable to Master Su."
When Su Ce heard the words of thanks, he frowned. For a meal of meat, less than two taels were given to the people's bowls. To thank himself for a meal of meat, Liu Qianmin, who had a high self-esteem, was not this character.
Otherwise, why didn't Su Ce stay at the fort these days and go hunting outside? Why didn't he stay at the fort? He felt uncomfortable watching this guy.
Looking at Liu Tian's chubby face and swaying belly, he looked quite happy, but I'm afraid he didn't finish his words.
"Liu Qianmin, you might as well say it straight if you have something to say!" After joining the army, Su Ce didn't like to make twists and turns. It would be easier for everyone to go straight.
"That's what happened. Lord Su, why don't you eat first and listen to me slowly!" Liu Tian didn't say anything here, but pulled Su Ce and walked into the fort.