If there is one biggest difference between the grassland military culture and the Central Plains, it is probably the attitude towards the land.
In the traditional cognition of the Central Plains, "losing teachers" and "losing land" are often linked together. Land is the means of production, with people, technology and wealth attached to it. If you lose the land, it means you have lost these things.
But the grassland people don’t seem to value the land that much. Although there is a simple distinction between your pasture and my pasture, the difference in degree is too big. Don’t believe it? The Tatar people’s westward migration, which has lasted for more than a hundred years, is in progress.
There has been no interruption to this day. When faced with security threats, they decisively abandoned their old pastures and headed west to find new pastures.
The reason is probably because there is too much land on the grassland and too few people. The grassland resources are not that precious, the attachments on it are not valuable, and there is not much psychological pressure when abandoning them.
And this attitude of migrating at any time and giving up often can easily cause the accumulation of grassland tribes to be emptied in stages. After all, it is easier to give birth to civilization when they settle down.
Reflected on the battlefield, there is a huge difference in military technology.
The Khitan infantry were really not very good at attacking cities. This was the first feeling of Shi Junli, the envoy of Wansheng Huangtou Army.
Amidst the sound of war drums, they rushed forward in a swarm. They seemed to be fierce, but they only had that kind of momentum.
"Shoot!" The camp was not high, the walls were not thick, and there were not even many people standing on top of the walls, but the volleys of rifle and bow fire one after another still caused huge casualties.
"Where are the people from the Black Army? Why don't they come to guard the camp?" Li Congke asked angrily.
He held a rifle bow and called names one by one, and specifically selected the Khitan Military Academy members who were wearing iron armor for roll call.
The strong bows and big arrows shot fast and urgently, chasing directly at the door, causing considerable damage in a short time.
Perhaps, this is also the source of his arrogance. He is only twenty-three years old, but his archery skills are better than those of a thirty-three-year-old veteran. On the battlefield, he speaks based on his ability. If he is good, he is good, and if he is not good, he is not good.
Li Congke was very good. He raised his hand and fired an arrow. A Khitan military officer who was organizing people to fill the trench screamed and fell into the trench. His body was mixed with sandbags and became the material to fill the trench.
Of course he was not the only one who fell into the ditch.
Under the heavy fire of arrows from the defenders, the Khitans who rushed towards the trench carrying sandbags fell down in large areas. Some fell directly into the trench, while others fell outside.
After the Khitan soldiers who rushed in threw the sandbags, under the coercion of the chief, those who fell to the ground after being shot by arrows were thrown into the trench together with the sandbags.
Someone was injured but not dead. He fell into the trench crying and begging, but he was greeted only by sandbags falling like raindrops.
People were quickly buried at the bottom and became part of the consumables.
After the trench was filled, the Khitans' morale was greatly boosted. They endured casualties and quickly rushed to the trench wall.
Some people held up large shields to protect themselves, while others began to destroy the trench walls.
The defenders on the wall almost laughed out loud.
In defense and siege warfare, this was the first time in so many years that they encountered such a stupid enemy. They had no tools at hand, no equipment or vehicles. This was still a fortress attack. What would they do if they attacked a city?
Without any hesitation, the morale of the defenders was also greatly boosted. They drew their bows desperately and took the opportunity to kill a large number of enemies.
The Khitan also organized a group of shooters to approach under the cover of a large shield and shoot at the people on the wall.
There were constant casualties on both sides, and they kept falling to the ground screaming, but if you carefully calculated the casualty ratio, the Khitan people should feel shocked.
Abaoji was also watching from behind with a frown.
Even though the pre-war military mobilization was very successful, it was easy to build momentum and fade quickly. Everything on the battlefield ultimately depends on results.
"There have been more than a thousand casualties." Haili exclaimed from the side.
The casualties of a thousand people are usually hard to see for horse archers on the grassland, unless it is a life and death battle between tribes. But when the Han people really started their campaign mode, the casualties increased at an unbearable speed.
.
If such battles were fought a few more times, would the Eight Khitan Tribes still exist? Fortunately, most of the people who would be consumed would be ridiculed.
Several large holes were broken in the trench wall, and Xiren rushed up with a wooden ladder, climbing up like ants.
An ant indeed, a humble ant—
Xia Bing stood on the wall of the village, holding a long spear and stabbing it here and there. The Xi people who climbed the ladder fell to the ground one after another.
There were also people holding knives and axes, slashing repeatedly, and the screams of those who were clinging to the wall were earth-shattering. Their broken fingers fell to the wall with him, and were pierced by iron sticks and iron pear to death.
Siege warfare is so cruel and bloody!
The angry Xi Ren fired an arrow at the perimeter, and Xia Bing's corpse rolled down. But soon another group of people climbed up the wall, and the warriors of Wansheng Huangtou Army were so tough - they were desperate.
, among the warriors in troubled times, who hasn’t fought hard all the way?
The first wave of offensive soon exhausted its strength, and the Khitan people retreated like a tide. At this moment, the gate of the camp burst open, and the warriors of the Black Silk Army rushed out on horseback. Some of them dismounted to be on guard, and some of them held weapons.
, chasing the defeated Khitan troops and slashing at them, causing casualties wantonly.
The Khitan cavalry also dispatched. Angrily, they rushed straight into the black army leaving the city, trying to cover the retreat of their own troops.
Abaoji sighed secretly and didn't want to read any more.
Shi Lu's face was expressionless, as if he had expected it - indeed, he had already tried to attack the toad garrison before, and suffered a bloody blow.
But he didn't say anything, because there was no better way at the moment. My nephew wanted to capture Jingfan Village, so let him try. After trying, he knew he couldn't defeat him, so he gave up.
******
During the day of the 24th, the Khitans attacked three times, but without any success.
After nightfall, they attacked from the west and east directions, which was a place they had not tried during the day. The result was even worse. They were attacked at night by the defenders of the other two camps, causing heavy casualties.
Of course, the Xia soldiers were not well behind. It was brave to leave the camp, but the risk was also huge. Li Congzhang was surrounded by the Khitan people. After a fierce battle, he was able to escape, but he lost as many as six to seven hundred people.
Throughout the night, the Khitan people launched four offensives, all of which ended in failure. When the morning light on the 25th dawned in the east, Abaoji had to seriously consider whether there was any use in continuing to fight.
Shi Lu looked at his extremely haggard nephew and secretly sighed that a person's image would change so much at different stages.
The former Abaoji was a young and promising man who led an army to conquer all directions.
They attacked the Shiwei people and expanded their territory for hundreds of miles, forcing the Shiwei tribe to either surrender or move away to other places for pasture.
Fighting against the Tatars forced them to speed up their westward migration, away from the threat of the Eight Khitan Tribes.
Attacking the Wugu people forced them to split internally, and at least half of the clans surrendered - the pasture of the Wugu tribe was in the area of today's Hulun Lake.
The Lin people, Liubuxi and some other scattered tribes became slaves of the Khitan.
Even the Bohai Sea, a prosperous country in the east of the sea, was bitten off a large piece and was in danger. Abaoji once joked that he would swallow up the Bohai Sea in Xijing within a few years and go fishing on the Yalu River.
At that time, my nephew was so majestic and dazzling that everyone who saw him wanted to worship him.
But it had only been a few years, and Abaoji looked anxious, depressed, and haggard. His confidence was not very high, and his organization was a bit messed up. It seemed that he could never regain the feeling he had before.
Was it the growing strength of the Eight Tribes of Khitan that allowed Abaoji to catch up and make him successful, or was it that Abaoji made the Eight Tribunals of Khitan possible? Maybe both.
"Abaoji, in that stockade in the southwest, the guard Li Congzhang was injured, and the number of soldiers is less than 2,000. We might give it a try," Shi Lu suddenly said.
Abaoji's heart moved when he heard this, but in the end he shook his head and said, "No need."
Shi Lu couldn't bear it, and the blow his nephew received seemed to be quite big.
However, Abaoji forced a smile and said: "I have figured it out. The Khitan does not have the strength to confront the Xia Kingdom head-on. Now there is only one way -"
"What solution?" Shi Lu seemed to know Abaoji's choice and asked with a sigh.
"Run! Run north! Run as far as you want!" Abaoji said painfully: "I ran far away. I reached the Xia people's supply line for more than two thousand miles. I can no longer support myself and I have no interest in attacking the Khitans anymore."
At that time, I will send an envoy to the court and declare myself a minister. If the Xia people are unwilling to pursue me, they may agree, just like the story in the early Tang Dynasty."
Shi Lu was silent for a moment and suddenly asked: "Abaoji, do you know why the Xia people used infantry as their main force this time?"
"Their cavalry is not suitable for grassland warfare, so they mainly rely on infantry." Abaoji replied without thinking, but as soon as he finished speaking, he subconsciously frowned, seeming to realize something.
Shi Lu shook his head and said: "I'm afraid it's not that simple. I only figured it out recently, especially after the news came back from Xima Ge from the Monjie Mansion."
Abaoji thought of it almost at the same time and said with a sad smile: "Shao Shude has a good appetite! What a spirit!"
You actually ate from the bowl before sending out troops. Looking at the food in the pot, it’s ridiculous that Bohai sent troops to help the tyrants. You will be the ones who are going to be in trouble next.
"So -" Shi Lu sighed, stepped forward and put his arms around his nephew's shoulders, and said: "Withdraw. From the time Yun De Shi and Tela brothers began to build cities, cultivate millet, and smelt iron, it has only been three generations since then.
, resulting in the current huge situation. It is important to preserve strength now. As long as the Eight Khitan tribes are still there, it will probably take another three generations to become stronger. Moreover, after the Xia people leave, we can still come back. The pasture does not have long legs, so it cannot run away.
Even if the Xia people attack Bohai next, we still have a chance to turn defeat into victory."
"Uncle, you mean..." Abaoji's heart moved.
Shi Lu nodded lightly and said, "It's already late June. In two months, the weather will turn cold, and the Xia people will retreat in a hurry, causing chaos. Isn't this a God-given opportunity?"
There is a poem in the Tang Dynasty that says, "It's snowing in August." Although it doesn't snow every August, it is certain that the weather will become bad after late autumn. People in summer may not be able to adapt to the bitter cold climate of the grasslands.
, when the snow fell and the cold wind blew, hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses left in a hurry, which was perfect for the Khitan light cavalry to pursue.
"Uncle is mature and prudent, and his talent is far better than mine." Abaoji said sincerely.
If he hadn't gotten old, my uncle might have made greater achievements than me, right? I was born at the wrong time, and I'm talking about people like my uncle.
"Great sweat, Yu Yue." Haili, Yuwen and two people suddenly walked in. Yuwen looked anxious and opened his mouth wide, about to say something.
Haili calmly took his hand and said: "Great Khan, Huolu sent news from Yaonan City that he had fought several battles with the Xia people, but the results were not good. Please ask the Great Khan to withdraw his troops quickly to help. I am afraid of Xilou.
All the cities of the King of Yue were conquered by thieves."
Before Abaoji could say anything, Shilu's expression changed suddenly. He looked at Haili with inquiring eyes, and Haili nodded imperceptibly.
"Huo Lu is not such a person, and this is not what he can say." Abaoji noticed Haili's small movements, his face turned very pale in an instant, and he asked: "But Huo Lu has been completely wiped out.
?Or maybe the Xia people didn’t go to Yaonan Khan City at all?”
Yuwen looked at Abaoji and then at Haili, not knowing what to say.
The sea is silent.
"Is the North Tower still safe?" Abaoji suppressed the anxiety in his heart and asked.
Yuwen shook off Haili's hand and said, "How long have you been hiding it? What's there to hide?"
After that, he looked at Abaoji and said: "Great Khan, a few days ago, the Xia people raided the pasture near the Hun River. All the ministries were caught off guard and suffered heavy losses. I don't know what the North Tower is like, or I am not optimistic."
Abaoji's figure was shaky.
He cares about his tribe, cattle and sheep, and also cares about Yue Liduo. As the most dazzling genius of the Khitan, Babu Khan, at the age of thirty-six, he has not taken any concubines yet. He only has Yue Liduo, which is enough to explain a lot of things.
Already.
"Withdraw!" He ordered, not wanting to stay any longer.
Wanting to be safe, he turned around and left.
Abaoji took a step forward, took his arm, and said: "I will arrange the order of retreat. You can't mess around."
In the sea, Shilu breathed a sigh of relief almost at the same time.
As a master, you must not mess around at any time, and you must not act on impulse or emotion. The people below put your destiny in your hands, so that you can make decisions and then act, instead of acting on emotion, which harms everyone.