The moon was dark, the wind was high, and the sky was filled with clouds. Wang Qianyu smiled, God is here to help tonight!
When the sun just set, the mountains were still bright, and it was no exaggeration to say that there were thousands of rays of light. But it had only been dark for a while, when suddenly there was a gust of wind, dark clouds were gathering, and it was about to rain.
The weather in the mountains is so changeable.
Wang Qianyu is now the Youyi envoy of Feng'an Army.
He was good at cavalry warfare and was given an important task as soon as he arrived. He was transferred to the Feng'an Army to make up for the temporary vacancy of You Yi Envoy. For this, he was very grateful to the commander, and at the same time he held his breath and wanted to do something
He should make some achievements and let his peers see that he didn't get to the position by taking someone's backdoor.
At midnight, the soldiers had rested for a while. Wang Qianyu saw that it was almost time and immediately ordered the attack in batches.
The method of fighting was still the same. In the first wave, elite soldiers sneaked in, attacked and killed the Tubo night guards, and caused chaos. In the second wave, they beat drums, lit fires, and shouted to kill in all directions. In the third wave, Wang Qian led
Yu Qin took the lead, and as the main force that made the final decision, he completely eliminated the organized resistance of the Tibetans.
The battle started quickly.
Since the elite troops had been transferred north, the rear of Zhuanglang Valley was very empty. The first wave of hundreds of elite soldiers encountered little resistance and went straight to the largest tent.
More than ten Tubo soldiers rushed out of the tent. They were also very surprised to see the Tang soldiers falling from the sky.
"Fire the arrow!" The leader of the team was shooting out an arrow, and his colleagues also drew out their riding bows. Arrows flew everywhere for a while, and almost all of them were lying on the ground.
It's a pity that there is no crossbow, otherwise it would be more efficient to kill people!
The team members rushed into the tent first, avoided the oncoming spear, and cut it down directly, causing screams.
They are all veterans who are numb to killing. They have all kinds of psychological preparations and countermeasures before entering the tent. They calmly respond to oncoming attacks and even kill the opponent. This is the experience of veterans.
A fire has been lit outside, and every detail inside the tent is reflected.
The captain kicked away the body of a half-grown man lying at his feet. This man was covered in silk and silk, and he must have been a descendant of a noble Tibetan man. It was a pity that he died in obscurity on such a night.
If history could change, perhaps this young man would still have the opportunity to grow up, lead the rise of Tubo in the Six Valleys, annex Shoumo, control Liangzhou, and be canonized by the Central Plains court, making him powerful in all directions.
It's a pity that there is no if.
Raindrops began to fall and the killing continued.
There were disheveled Tibetans rushing out of tents everywhere, some even without weapons, stumbling on the grass.
Occasionally, there were a few people huddled together, holding weapons and nervous. Whenever anyone approached, they would immediately use their weapons to greet them, whether they were one of their own or the enemy.
But on such a chaotic night, the Tang army was killing people in an organized manner, and most of the people who ran in front of them were Tubo people who had no choice but to choose their own way. I don't know how I feel about dying so aggrievedly by one's own sword.
More Tang Army soldiers rushed in.
The surrounding mountain ridges rang with the sound of intensive drums and shouts of killing, and arrows were fired from time to time, making the Tibetan people even more panicked.
Why do generals like to attack at night in battle formations?
This is the reason. In the dark, suddenly attacked, mentally nervous, without distinguishing between ourselves and the enemy, and not knowing how many enemy troops are coming. Anyone who can maintain order and repel the enemy troops under such circumstances is subject to strict military laws.
's strong army.
The Shuofang Army has a set of regulations. There are rules for who is responsible for defense and who is responsible for support. Those who run around and shout will be shot with arrows. Therefore, when the Tuoba clan of Youzhou attacked the camp at night, many sergeants had already woken up.
, but under strict military orders, they did not dare to make any noise, and forced themselves to lie in the quilt bag and continue to sleep, unless an officer came to give them an order.
The Tubo people don't even have a stronghold wall, and the main force is not around. If they encounter a surprise attack, they will die.
There were numerous black shadows everywhere in the dark night, and they dispersed in shock.
Several Tibetans who were forced into panic jumped directly into the river. A hail of arrows flew from the bank. The people floated in the water for a while and then disappeared.
Some people hid in tents, only to be doused with oil and set on fire. The heavy rain could not extinguish the fire on their bodies, and the human-shaped fire ball rolled on the ground screaming.
There was even a young Tibetan boy who was trampled mercilessly by the horses' hooves. He lay on the ground and breathed in pain. His broken ribs pierced his lungs, and every breath he took was filled with blood foam. His eyes gradually blurred, and the war horses galloped by, and the horses' hooves splashed.
Mud water splashed all over his head and face.
After the morning sun rose, Wang Qianyu led his horse to the camp.
The bodies had not yet been cleaned up, and the camp was in a mess, with pools of blood and mud everywhere.
Wang Qianyu was unconscious, stepping over a severed arm, kicking away a corpse with an angry look, and looked at the trembling prisoners gathered in the middle of the camp.
Most of them are women and children.
In nomadic tribes, in theory, all adult men under sixty must go to war, and they are all fighting forces. The prime ministers and governors have to fight, and the war ahead is very urgent, so naturally they have been drawn again and again, and most of the adult men have been taken away.
The women, children, cattle and sheep left behind have now become spoils of war.
"Inform the infantry at the rear and speed up to receive it." Wang Qianyu ordered.
He felt that since there were so many horses in the northwest, could it be possible to select some ordinary riding horses that were not suitable for war horses and equip them with some of the infantry so that they could keep up with the marching speed of the cavalry?
I just don’t know how much food consumption will be increased and whether the commander is willing.
The cavalrymen who had finished their rest sent some men to stay behind to guard the prisoners. Wang Qianyu continued on his way with more than 300 cavalrymen.
They walked very scattered along the way, attacking and killing any Tibetan people they encountered to ensure that the news of the attack on Zhuanglanggu tribe spread as late as possible.
The next target is the Hongyuan Valley located near Changsong County. However, we may need to wait for the cavalry of the general army to act together. Three hundred cavalry is still a bit small.
******
The battle outside Liangzhou City suddenly became fierce, and Lord Umu had to send out more Uighur cavalry.
It wasn't that he was enraged because he fell into the trap, he wasn't that shallow.
In fact, he lost his patience. Through the recent non-stop fighting, he was keenly aware of the Tang army's intentions, and seemed to be deliberately holding them back, and then launching some conspiracy.
He immediately thought of the Guiyi Army and the Suzhou Long Family, and suddenly woke up.
He was ready to run. Fighting hard was not the Uighur style.
But when it came to the matter, I still hesitated after all. This trip, I did make some money, mainly the plundered Dingkou and cattle and sheep from various tribes in Liangzhou, which can greatly enrich Ganzhou's strength. But I can't eat the fattest piece.
Meat, after all, is a bit unattractive.
Lord Umu set his sights on his former ally Liugu Tubo.
The Liugu tribe, which originally had more than 10,000 troops, faced off with the Xinquan Army in the Haomen Valley area. Small and medium-sized battles occurred from time to time, and some were consumed.
As they marched north towards Liangzhou, they were severely beaten several times by the Tang army's cavalry and suffered heavy losses.
Nowadays, the morale is low. The most powerful Yangfeigu tribe has been expelled from its old nest, and its strength is not as good as before. The other tribes have faint signs of opposing them, and there are also problems with internal cohesion.
Lord Wumu thought about it and thought that if he could not capture Liangzhou, he might as well plunder some of his allies and then withdraw to Ganzhou.
Stealing allies is an old tradition of the Uighurs.
But thinking is one thing, and actually operating it is another. They shrink a little to the south, and the Tang army with a keen sense of smell immediately expands the scope of their activities, and constantly sends small and medium-sized cavalry forward to fight with their cavalry deployed on the periphery.
Fight.
The Momo people seemed to have been inspired, and they had been tamed and docile by the Tang people. They kept sending cavalry southward, and their fighting spirit was so high that Lord Wumu had to send a large group of cavalry to drive them back.
But in this case, retreat seems to be even more out of the question. The small towns, goods, cattle and sheep they looted are still stationed in the Xida River Valley and Dongda River Valley in the south. The transportation speed of these trophies is very slow.
, completely incomparable with the Uighur cavalry that came and went like the wind.
On the third day of April, the hesitant Lord Umu finally made up his mind to retreat.
He became increasingly worried about the Guiyi Army and the Long Family attacking Ganzhou.
Although there are still many troops left near Jiedan and Ganzhou City, the Han, Tubo and Qiang people who farm the land can also be temporarily armed, but it is not safe after all.
If the Guiyi Army and the Long Family start a fierce attack, they can dispatch 20,000 to 30,000 troops. The threat is quite great. Since they have reaped the benefits, this dispatch of troops is not considered in vain, so retreating in batches is a more realistic option.
As for what to do with the Liugu Tubo after they retreat, of course they need to "persuade" them to leave together.
Without the protection of the brave and capable Uighur cavalry, Liugu Tubo was bound to be defeated and became the Tang army's military exploits. Rather than that, it would be better to take the property, cattle and sheep, take refuge in Ganzhou first, and wait until the Tang army withdrew.
Just kill him and come back.
Is it possible that the Jiedushi of the Tang Dynasty always stationed the army in Liangzhou? Lord Wumu didn't believe it.
Just like Ganzhou faces the threat from the Long Family and the Guiyi Army, Shao Shude, the king of Lingwu County, must also face the threat from other forces in the Central Plains. He cannot stay in Liangzhou forever and will definitely leave. This is an opportunity.
"Master Mani, is it too early to retreat now?" Lord Wumu asked, feeling the April evening breeze in Liangzhou and feeling depressed.
"Khan, I would like to ask why this war is so difficult?" Mani asked in return.
"The Tang people sent a large army." Lord Umu said.
"Did they really send a lot of people? Are there more people than us?"
"A little more."
"As Khan said, the troops sent by the Tang Dynasty were only slightly larger than ours, and most of them were infantry. So why were they able to force Khan back?"
"They have Liangzhou City to rely on to recruit the Momo tribe and fight steadily. There is also food stored in the city, so they can hold on for a long time and cannot defeat them in a hurry."
"Khan has understood the essence, and Pindao has nothing to add." Mani said: "A lot has been achieved in this battle. Khan is worried about returning to the rebel army and the Long family, so he might as well retreat. Take Liu Gu Tubo with him.
Let’s go back and deal with the Long Family and the Guiyi Army first. After we have no worries, we can then send troops to Liangzhou to capture it. Without Liangzhou City, it will be difficult for the Tang people to gain a foothold in this area.”
"What if the Tang army comes after Ganzhou?"
"You can send envoys in advance to repair it and temporarily surrender. The Tang people are good at face. As long as they surrender, their troops will definitely retreat." Mani said: "So many Dingkou, cattle and sheep were captured this time, and the Liugu and Fan tribes retreated."
When he goes to Ganzhou, the Khan only needs to conquer them. If the household registration in Ganzhou exceeds 200,000, he can recruit 50,000 soldiers. After a few years of rest and recuperation, when there is enough money and food, he will gather troops to attack Suzhou and wipe out the Longjia tribe.
If we attack and destroy the Guiyi army again, our strength will greatly increase. With this strength, it will not be difficult to attack Liangzhou again."
No one is stupid.
If it were a novel or a film or television drama, most of them would have exaggerated how much the Uighurs despised the Tang army, how arrogant they were on the battlefield, and how the Tang army endured humiliation, suppressed emotions, and waited for the moment of joy when the outbreak reversed.
But in reality, the Uighurs would not do this! They would not lose their minds. They have their own war philosophy and their own fighting style. In fact, as Monk Mani said, Lord Umu chose a safer path.
strategy.
Historically, the Ganzhou Uighurs also first solved the troubles in the west. After eliminating their worries, their strength increased greatly, and then competed with Xixia for Liangzhou. From 1008 to 1009, Xixia attacked Ganzhou five times and was defeated. On the sixth time, even
Because of unfavorable weather conditions, Li Deming directly recalled the army. This showed that his confidence was seriously lacking and he had to cease war with the Uighurs for more than ten years.
People from the Central Plains understand this principle, and people from the grasslands also understand it.
Since there was no way to easily defeat the Tang people and seize Liangzhou City, Monk Mani suggested that he should give it up as soon as possible and take back the goods, cattle, sheep, and dingkou that he had already obtained, so that he could slowly digest them and improve his strength.
From a strategic perspective, there is no problem, and it is in line with the prairie people's tendency to grab a handful and leave without lingering.
"Then just follow what the Master said and send envoys to make a truce with the Tang people." Lord Umu said, "It's better to check their tone first."
