Although there are mortars, the trebuchets have not been removed, and related ammunition is also being produced.
It's just bulky, has a short range, and is difficult to move. But in terms of cost, the trebuchet is still the cheapest weapon.
Moreover, used for the defense of fixed gun positions, the trebuchet is also very powerful in throwing bombs at a strike distance of one to two hundred meters.
Two or three miles of mortars, one or two miles of Hongyi cannons, about two hundred meters of trebuchets, a hundred meters of heavy muskets, fifty meters of light muskets...
A layered covering strike has been formed. If the Jianlu attack in a dense formation, they will suffer a fierce blow from front to back, extending for two or three miles.
Moreover, the blocking positions composed of trenches, deer villages, horse barriers, and wooden stakes were also tighter. Although there was no barbed wire, the effect was not inferior.
Guo Dajing is very confident in frontal defense. The only area that needs to be treated with caution is the coast. If it is winter, there is a high possibility of an attack by the enemy through the ice.
In addition to arranging defense lines along the coast, the role of the navy is also very important. A sea and land attack will defeat the enemy's attempt to encircle the enemy.
Similarly, when the sea water freezes, the defenders can also plant wooden stakes to form an interception line of defense and launch an effective defense.
In short, the Nanguan defense line has been carefully considered, and it is almost impossible for Jianlu to break through.
Even so, Guo Dajing and Li Weiluan were serious and strict during their inspections, and they had to rectify even the slightest shortcomings.
On the one hand, the inspection and improvement of defense fortifications was on the one hand. Guo Dajing also inspected the military camp, ate and lived with the soldiers, listened to their voices, and made up for the deficiencies in logistics.
"This fat pig -" Guo Dajing didn't expect that in a few months, the piglets raised by the army had grown very obese, and they could be slaughtered for meat during the Chinese New Year.
Raising pigs consumes food, and ordinary people are not allowed to raise them. But the army is different. Tens of thousands of people eat and drink in a big pot, and it is impossible to get it just right. It is normal to have some leftover food.
Coupled with washing the pot with water and removing pig grass, these pigs are not picky about food and are growing well.
"You have done a good job of raising pigs. You must have worked very hard." Guo Dajing put away his surprised expression and praised the several cooks and pigherders: "When we kill pigs during the Chinese New Year, I will cut more meat for you."
A big-bodied cook grinned widely and said, "Thank you, General. The children at home are looking forward to eating meat and egg dumplings during the Chinese New Year, and their mouths are full of oil after biting them."
I see that your crotch is about to leak out. With your figure, you look like a cook. I wonder what it looked like before and whether it developed during this period.
Guo Dajing smiled and nodded, feeling very satisfied.
At least, it is clear from the inside that the soldiers can be well fed. And in the Ming Dynasty, how many military towns were able to do this?
Really, after fighting bloody battles, the soldiers who defended their homes and country could not have enough to eat or wear warmly. How could the emperor have the nerve to give orders, and how could the carnivorous and despicable court boss be so shameless and impassioned?
In Jinzhou, or even Guanglu Island, Guo Dajing had already begun to provide preferential policies and treatment to the soldiers.
Conditions are better now. In terms of non-staple food, in addition to fish and other seafood, there are more sheep and pigs, as well as ducks, goose eggs.
Although the frequency of eating is not very high, being able to eat one or two meals of broth every month is something that soldiers could never imagine before.
Being physically strong is the basic requirement for soldiers. Think about the officers and soldiers in other military towns who lack food, pay, and even don't have enough to eat. How can we expect them to have strong combat effectiveness?
The reality of the Ming Dynasty will be fully exposed when the Jianlu troops plunder the capital. The tens of thousands of Jianlu troops who penetrate deeply are invincible, and the Qinwang troops in various places are unable to fight. There are actually simple but complicated reasons.
Multigrain pancakes, radish, kelp and shrimp soup, and the officer's treatment was an extra salted duck egg. Guo Dajing ate very deliciously. Although the food in the military camp was simple, it was full, which was much better than that in ordinary people's homes.
"Mustiller training and riding training in the army must be carried out constantly and unremittingly." Guo Dajing took the soup bowl and did not waste any cake scraps. He reminded the officers while eating.
Wang Qian nodded vigorously and said: "General, don't worry, the whole army is training and has basically mastered it. Even the cooks have not fallen behind. We must meet the standards."
That fat guy can use a heavy musket, and the meat can effectively buffer the impact of recoil.
Guo Dajing pursed his lips slightly, shook away his distracting thoughts, and said: "As soon as the war starts, I will recruit militiamen to come to help. It is not necessary that they can go into battle to kill the enemy, carry the wounded, transport supplies, and see the blood on the battlefield.
of."
Zhang Pan looked up at Guo Dajing and said, "I'm afraid this will cost a lot of food, right?"
"The food can still support us." Guo Dajing said: "The key is that the benefits of doing this are definitely worth it."
In each village, all men and women of appropriate age, as long as they are not physically disabled, must be incorporated into the militia and receive military training. Simple formation exercises, lance assassination and crossbow shooting.
Moreover, according to Guo Dajing's proposal, Chen Jisheng approved that the militiamen must have weapons at home, and the militiamen must have wicker helmets and half-length wooden protective armor.
It is unlikely that militiamen will directly participate in combat. They are mostly used as a supplementary source of soldiers to master some military skills and shorten the training time after joining the army.
But the more important thing is to create an atmosphere among the people, so that they always remember the general environment they are in, know that there are powerful enemies peeping outside, know who is protecting them, and know that these peaceful days are hard-won.
Deploying militiamen to assist in the war instead of participating in the war will firstly reduce the pressure on the army, and secondly increase the courage of the militiamen.
Guo Dajing did not mention the last point, otherwise he would have said "next year", a term that all generals would know well.
If there is an opportunity next year to go straight to the base of Jianlu and smash the area under his control to pieces, Guo Dajing will mobilize all the militiamen and the common people who can push carts and transport goods.
Every time Jianlu went to war, there were almost always domestic slaves following them with carts and loaders to carry back the loot.
Guo Dajing also wanted to learn this trick, not only to destroy the Jianlu-controlled area, but also to let the militiamen and the people carry out a large movement.
Whoever brings it back will own it, and whoever picks it up belongs to whoever picks it up. Whether it is gold, silver, or other items, they are given generously to the people. I believe it will greatly stimulate their enthusiasm.
The role of the militia also includes guarding prisoners, transporting grain and supplies, etc. Guo Dajing can summarize it with a new term, which is "supporting the front."
The outbreak of war in a short period of time allowed Guo Dajing to conduct a training exercise for the militiamen, or a rehearsal for "pre-support".
Zhang Pan saw that Guo Dajing didn't care about the consumption of food, so he knew that Guo Dajing was confident, so he didn't say anything more.
In more than half a year, the changes in the army were shocking, and Zhang Pan was deeply touched. If Dongjiang Town's weapons and equipment were the strongest among the entire Ming Dynasty's army, he would definitely accept it without humility.
It has been almost two years, and Zhang Pan remembers clearly when Guo Dajing joined the army and immediately devoted himself to the war to aid Korea.
It was also during the war to aid Korea that Guo Dajing rose to fame, which brought about gratifying changes in Dongjiang Town and achieved exciting results.
Step by step, one change after another, Zhang Pan looked back on the situation in Dongjiang Town two years ago, and it really seemed like he was dreaming.
As the old saying goes, "Convince people with virtue", Guo Dajing used facts to convince people.
The army is getting stronger and stronger, the situation in Dongjiang Town is getting better and better, and the lives of the soldiers and civilians have also been improved visibly. These are all visible and tangible facts, and they are all the achievements of Guo Dajing.
"You still have the book of war in your arms?" Zhang Pan suddenly caught a glimpse of Guo Dajing and saw the pages of the book exposed when he lowered his head. He couldn't help saying with admiration: "You can't let go of the book. The general is really eager to learn, and it is worth learning from the general."
Guo Dajing chuckled, reached out and took out the book from his pocket, put it on the table, and said, "What military book? It's a leisure book that Guo used for entertainment."
"Jin Ping Mei", written during the Wanli period, is known as the most wonderful book of the Ming Dynasty.
In "The Plum in the Golden Lotus", after the prosperity of the prosperous era came to an end, the people died and died, just like the Ming Dynasty, which prospered and then declined, accumulated many shortcomings, and headed towards the end and destruction.
Guo Dajing may not have such a deep understanding and perception, so he didn't tell lies, he just used it to entertain himself in his spare time.
Gu Hao
Zhang Pan and others obviously did not know that there were indescribable descriptions in "Jin Ping Mei". At that time, being able to read was very powerful, and their admiration for Guo Dajing did not diminish.
"Night study in the army is quite effective." Zhang Pan said with a smile: "If nothing else, those who have been in the army for more than a month can write their own names and recognize dozens of commonly used words.
This is very proud.”
Dozens of commonly used words are basically related to military affairs, such as "southeast, northwestern" and "front, back, left, and right" that express directions.
The little things add up, and if you can continue studying at night for a year or two, after the soldiers retire and return to their hometowns, they will at least be able to meet the conditions for working in the supply and marketing station.
Guo Dajing did not require too much knowledge. He would be completely satisfied if he could read the government notices.
Not only night schools in military camps, but also night schools in villages have the same expectations. The improvement of cultural knowledge may not have a very beneficial impact in the short term, but it is a way of accumulating energy and focusing on future development.
Prepare.
The so-called accumulation and accumulation, what you have learned is your own, and you will find how useful it is when you use it. In this regard, it is not advisable to rush for quick success.
It cannot be said that I know hundreds of words, can write dozens of words, and can do simple arithmetic, but I have to see the immediate benefits and benefits.
You have to think about it this way, how many people are there in the entire Ming Dynasty, how many of them can write their own names, and how many of them are too big to read a basket of characters?
Guo Dajing believes that this is the normal mentality. You should be full of pride and pride in your own learning and progress, and in surpassing others.
However, Zhang Pan and others don't quite understand why Guo Dajing did this. This is an original creation. From ancient times to the present, even in the peaceful and prosperous times, the government has never taken such a measure.
Although the investment in making people literate and letting Qiu Ba learn culture is not much, this kind of thinking is definitely incomprehensible.
If Guo Dajing were to answer, it would be very simple. He is transforming and moving towards a society he is familiar with.
……………
Everyone has their own imaginary world, ranging from the living environment of a family and a room to the large scale of a county, a place, and even the appearance of a country.
Guo Dajing was working hard to implement it, Chongzhen was dreaming of Pingliao's dream, and Huang Taiji also completed the first phase of the conquest of the Chahar tribe and led the victorious division back to Shenyang.
From the dispatch of troops in February to September, the Hou Jin army attacked the Xierga, Xibotu, Ying and Tangtu roads on the east side of the Xilamulun River Basin, and then pursued them to the southern foot of the Daxingan Mountains.
Although Huang Taiji did not dare to go further into Chahar and dealt a fatal blow to Hu Duntu, Hu Duntu lost his hometown of Chahar, and the Haraqin tribe, Ordos, Abahai and other tribes all surrendered to Hou Jin.
For the Chahar tribe, they have no homeland and can only compete with the right-wing Mongolian tribes for pasture outside Xuandawai in order to gain a foothold.
For the Ming Dynasty, the surrender of the Mongolian tribes such as Haraqin to the Houjin Dynasty made it possible for the Houjin Dynasty to bypass the Kanning defense line, and the fragile northern defense line faced a huge crisis.
For Huang Taiji, not only did he plunder tens of thousands of people and hundreds of thousands of cattle and sheep, but he also basically eliminated the threat to Houjin from the Chahar tribe.
By attacking North Korea first and then Mongolia, Huang Taiji finally realized his first strategic plan after ascending to the throne and got rid of the unfavorable situation of being besieged on all sides.
I don't know when the idea of plundering the capital came up. Maybe it's just a vague idea now, or maybe the great famine next year will force him to take risks.
What you see is mostly green colors, trees, weeds, crops, swaying in the wind, seeming to be cheering and applauding.
Having long since walked out of the inaccessible grassland and desert, the haggard scene has been replaced by the current full of vitality. Huang Taiji is riding a horse, feeling very happy.
"Xian Dou." Huang Taiji turned his face slightly, summoned Fan Wencheng to his side, and asked: "The two red flags failed to attack Jinzhou, and the losses were considerable. Big Baylor cannot escape the blame!"
After entering the Houjin ruling area, Huang Taiji received a report from Daishan and learned that Jinzhou had been occupied by the Dongjiang Army and that the attack by the two red flags had failed.
Seeing that we can return to Shenyang in two or three days, we must make a specific decision on how to deal with this matter.
Fan Wencheng bowed on his horse and said respectfully: "When Da Beile heard that the enemy had occupied Jinzhou, he decisively dispatched his troops to attack. Although he was defeated, he was thinking about Dajin and was understandable."
Huang Taiji frowned slightly, a little unwilling to accept it, but after a while, he breathed a long sigh of relief, nodded gently, and said: "Xian Dou's words are very true. Big Baylor really takes the overall situation into consideration and does not think too much about personal gain. Very
rare."
Because of the defeat of the two red flags, Huang Taiji may not want to take the opportunity to suppress the big Belle Daishan. But now the four big Belles are at odds with each other, especially Amin and Mang Gurtai, who are full of fear and guard against Huang Taiji.
Although Dai Shan was also dissatisfied with some of Huang Taiji's policies, he still understood the general situation and tried his best to consider Hou Jin's future.
It can be seen from the strength of the troops attacking Jinzhou that they are all men and horses of the two red flags.
Although Mang Gurtai and Amin also have tasks, one is to demolish Jinzhou, Dalinghe and other cities, and the other is stationed in Liaodong, they can still accomplish it by deploying two to three thousand people.
However, Zhenglan Banner and Xianglan Banner did not send out a single soldier, which clearly illustrates the problem. If there were more troops to attack Jinzhou, the outcome might be different.
Therefore, Huang Taiji could not punish Daishan and push the originally neutral Dabeile to the side of Mang Gurtai and Amin.
Not only could he not be punished, but he could also be comforted with kind words, and even rewarded for his decisiveness in sending troops to Jinzhou.
Fan Wencheng stopped talking and believed that Huang Taiji would make a wise choice. Sure enough, what Huang Taiji said did not disappoint him.
After pondering for a while, Fan Wencheng bowed and said: "King Khan, the two red flags have more than 10,000 troops. They failed to attack Jinzhou. The enemy's strength is growing, which deserves vigilance."
Ten thousand Jianlu cavalry were enough to cross the battlefield and defeat several times or even ten times more Ming troops. But that was in a field battle, and attacking fortified areas was another matter.
In the Battle of Ningyuan and the Battle of Ningjin, tens of thousands of troops were deployed, but they still failed to achieve their goals and win.
If it was in western Liaoning, it would not be a surprise if Jiancheng's heavy artillery attack failed. But the attack was on Dongjiang Town and Jinzhou, which he had just recovered. Huang Taiji was also a little surprised by the defeat of the two red flags.
Thinking of Amin's losses during the conquest of North Korea, Huang Taiji narrowed his eyes slightly, chinned his head slightly, and said: "The development of Dongjiang Town is indeed a bit unexpected. It should be because the Ming court's support has increased! There are actually some
You have to be impressed by the Hongyi cannon!"
Daishan's report was not very detailed, but there were red barbarian cannons and sharp firearms in Lushun Fort.
"Jinzhou is not as far away as Ningzhou. If Dongjiang Town is allowed to firmly occupy Jinzhou, the threat will be great." Huang Taiji waved his horsewhip lightly and asked: "Xiandou, do you think it is more appropriate to launch the attack after the autumn harvest or in the middle of winter?
?”
Launched after the autumn harvest, more food can be obtained after victory, but the river is a great obstacle to the march of the army and the transportation of food and supplies.
If launched in winter, these obstacles will no longer exist. If the enemy digs trenches for watering or a moat, it will also be ineffective, but the supplies captured will be less.
Fan Wencheng just thought about it for a moment and then said: "King Hui Khan, I think it would be better to launch it in winter."
The reason cannot be explained in detail, Huang Taiji will definitely understand. If you explain it too much, it will make Huang Taiji look stupid.
Huang Taiji nodded and said: "It's exactly what I want. As for the troops to attack Jinzhou, it's hard to decide who to send and how many to send!"
It’s not easy for Fan Wencheng to make a recommendation. This involves a conflict between Houjin’s senior management and is not something he can comment on lightly.
"It is not appropriate for King Khan to conquer in person." Fan Wencheng thought for a while, then bowed and said as if he was not answering the question.
Huang Taiji's personal expedition to the Chahar tribe was to restore the impact of the defeat in the Battle of Ningjin on his prestige. More importantly, military operations had a great chance and certainty of victory.
But attacking Jinzhou was another tough battle that Jianlu was not good at. First there was Ningyuan, and then there was Ningjin. Fan Wencheng, just in case, advised Huang Taiji not to go in person.
Huang Taiji did not comment, he just looked at Fan Wencheng thoughtfully and said no more about the matter.
Fan Wencheng felt a little uneasy and persuaded Huang Taiji not to conquer Jinzhou personally, as if he thought that the attack on Jinzhou would not succeed. This was to boost others' ambitions and destroy his own prestige. I wonder if Huang Taiji was unhappy about this.