The Xianbei people defeated the Southern Xiongnu in Meiji, and then entered the Great Wall. They were blocked by the Luliang Mountains and were unable to advance eastward to Taiyuan. The 50,000-strong army went south along the Yellow River on the west side of the mountains and headed straight for Longmen.
The Yellow River Dragon Gate, also called Yumen, is located at the exit of the Yellow River Gorge at the junction of the northwest of Hejin City in Shanxi Province and Hancheng City in Shaanxi Province.
According to legend, when Dayu was controlling floods, he ordered Yinglong to dig a mountain pass and open the mountain pass for more than a hundred steps. The floods came out and there were cliffs and broken walls on both sides. Only the dragon could cross it, so it was named Longmen.
The story of the carp leaping over the dragon's gate is also told here.
There are two mountains here, sandwiched by the Yellow River, which is less than 40 meters wide. The West Yumen Mountain is 892 meters high, and the East Yumen Mountain is 891 meters high. There is less than 150 meters between the two mountains, which is the remaining vein of the southern foothills of Luliang Mountain.
As soon as you leave Longmen, the Yellow River bed suddenly widens. The river surface is twenty miles wide. The water flow is slow, vast, and open and spectacular.
Well, the vast scenery was what Liu Xiang imagined. It was the twelfth lunar month of winter and the Yellow River was frozen. At a glance, it was all bare ice. This is probably why He Lian chose to go south along the Yellow River.
Longmen must be guarded, otherwise the Xianbei cavalry will rush into the east of the river and it will be difficult to contain them.
He now has 5,700 cavalry, 600 soldiers, 800 crossbowmen, 3,000 civilians capable of fighting, and 5,000 laborers recruited in Pishi County. More than 15,000 soldiers and civilians are building forts on the east and west banks.
, the two military camps are backed by mountains and face rivers, 40 meters apart, and serve as mutual aid.
It was difficult to excavate the earth and rocks in the harsh winter, so Liu Xiang ordered people to use planks as troughs and upright trees as pillars to build an ice city. Multiple deer antlers were erected above the river and on both sides of the camp, and water was poured below to solidify the ice. It was extremely stable and would not be pulled down by the lasso.
"The general's method is indeed brilliant. Within two days, we will be able to build a fortified city and a dangerous pass. The Xianbei people will never be able to get through." Bao Hong flattered him with a smile.
"Speed up, the enemy's vanguard has broken through Beiqu County, which is less than two hundred miles away from our army. We need to be prepared for the cavalry to rush in, so as not to be caught off guard." The Xianbei army is about to arrive. Their marching speed is very fast. The Yellow River is frozen and the natural chasm has become a road. Originally, the Xianbei army is approaching.
It is a difficult section of road sandwiched between the Luliang Mountains and the Northern Shaanxi Plateau. However, due to the season, it has become a passage for the Hu people to quickly go south.
"Fortunately, the general had the foresight to dispatch troops decisively and hurry up, otherwise it would be difficult for our army to occupy the natural danger of Longmen." Bao Hong was really lucky that he could occupy the favorable terrain and this battle would be much easier to fight.
Liu Xiang was actually very surprised why Xianbei would take this route to go south at this time. This was not a good choice. It could only be walked here in the severe winter. The time window was very narrow. Many people would freeze to death if they marched during this season. Moreover, once
As the war prolongs and the temperature warms up, the ice will become fragile and the retreat will be blocked.
Too risky.
Therefore, when grassland peoples go south, they usually take Taiyuan to Hedong, or they go to Jun to Liangzhou. These two routes are their regular routes.
Something is abnormal, what is the reason?
Liu Xiang was thinking. He felt that this was very important. By finding out the reasons, he could understand the enemy's strategic intentions, seize the opportunity and take the initiative, and the war would be much easier to fight.
While he was thinking, Su Wei came to report: "To inform the general, there is someone outside the camp who claims to be the infantry captain Cao Cao and wants to see the general."
Cao Cao?
"What is he here for?" Liu Xiang was a little confused: "Bring him in."
Not long after, Cao Cao entered the tent and bowed to see him: "Cao Cao, the infantry colonel of the Northern Army, paid homage to General Zhenbei and received the imperial edict. He came to the army and obeyed his orders."
"Brother Meng De, there is no need to be polite. We said goodbye the year before last and we haven't seen each other for a long time. How are you?" Liu Xiang observed Boss Cao. He is thirty-two this year and seems much older than two years ago. Mainly
His temperament has changed a lot. He seems to have lost his edge and become a real middle-aged man.
Being beaten up by life? You shouldn't. His father is a great farmer and is in charge of the agricultural tax. A second-generation dude like him has a smooth journey and has been promoted and made a fortune. How can there be any ups and downs?
That's when you're old enough.
In fact, Lao Cao was two years older than Han Ling Emperor Liu Hong, and he was indeed not too young. Among the founders of the Three Kingdoms, he was the oldest. Although Sun Jian was the same age as Lao Cao, Liu Xiang believed that Sun Ce was the founder of the Wu Kingdom.
After all, Sun Jian is a general who strives for military success.
"Thank you, General, for your concern. I have been appointed as an infantry captain of the Northern Army by imperial edict to assist General Zuo in his campaign against Xianbei." Cao Cao took out the document and seal and asked Liu Xiang to check it. He was filled with emotions. The rebel leader had not been there for two years.
See, the general who has become the Han Dynasty Zhenbei has changed so much that he feels that he is old. When he was young, he clamored to be the Han general who conquers the west, and he seems to be becoming more and more imitative.
Liu Xiang checked that everything was correct and started to get down to business: "The Xianbei forward is less than two hundred miles away from our army. I intend to set up a stronghold here to block the enemy's army. Brother Meng De must sort out the military affairs as soon as possible and lead an infantry battalion of 600 soldiers to garrison the Hexi camp.
I will send Commander Ma Rixi, the archery commander, to lead four hundred crossbowmen to help."
"The general will obey the order."
"Brother Meng De, go and do your work. After we have defeated the barbarians, we can talk to you again."
Cao Cao went down to take over the infantry camp, led Ma Rixi and the Northern Army's 1,200 regular soldiers, and stationed them on the west bank of the Yellow River. The west camp was a small village, thirty paces wide and less than a mile long.
Liu Xiang led 3,000 civilians and 400 crossbowmen to guard the east bank of the river. The east camp stretched for five miles to the south, most of it outside Longmen. The cavalry and civilians were all stationed in the east camp.
On the 12th day of the twelfth lunar month, two days after the Han army's camp was built, the Xianbei vanguard arrived at Longmen. More than ten thousand cavalrymen camped along the river bank. The camp was vast, stretching for more than ten miles, from Longmen to the north all the way to Shimen Gorge. They were preparing for
The troops and horses that arrived later prepared to station themselves.
Liu Xiang did not send troops to interfere. He established the camp here to delay time. The coldest time had arrived. A large amount of wood was prepared in the camp as fuel. He also prepared grease for the soldiers to apply on the exposed skin to prevent
Frostbite, determined to use a strong fortress to consume the enemy's strength.
The people who should really be anxious are the Xianbei people. By taking this route to the south, they have laid hidden dangers. In another month, the temperature will warm up, and they cannot afford to wait.
The more anxious the enemy is, the more uncertain we will be. Except for the reconnaissance scouts and the lookouts on the mountain, Liu Xiang has not sent anyone else out. In this weather, he does not want to compete with the Xianbei people who freeze to death in a field battle.
There are still many dead. Let the enemy suffer this kind of pain. It is better for our army to guard the fire pond to keep warm.
He calmly waited for the barbarians to attack the camp. He prepared fun things and entertained the guests from afar.
On the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the Xianbei army gathered together. From Shimen Gorge to Longmen, they were densely packed with barbarians, horses, cattle and sheep. Liu Xiang was drooling when he saw it, and he was very sorry.
"Those Xianbei people are really prodigal. The horses that have starved to death these days are enough to form a cavalry regiment, right?"
"General Qi, the scouts who were sent out captured many prisoners. After interrogation, they found out the reason why the Hu people went south in the cold winter." Tai Shici went into the tent to report.
"explain."
"Last month, there was a grassland white disaster. Many livestock froze to death in Xianbei in the west. Chanyu and Lian took the opportunity to encourage Xianbei and some miscellaneous people to go south to plunder. They were going to go straight to Hedong to grab a lot of big ones. There were many people willing to follow him.
.”
The white disaster is a heavy snow disaster. The temperature is cold and many people and livestock will freeze to death. Not only that, the pastures will also be covered with heavy snow. The livestock will not be able to break through the heavy snow, and a large number of them will gradually starve to death.
A large number of livestock died, and the Xianbei and Zahu people who relied on grazing for a living were short of food. If they wanted to survive, they had to go south to plunder, either to take back enough food, or to die part of it so that the scarce food could feed the remaining people.
The disaster was quite pitiful, but why should the Han people pay for the disasters caused by the Hu people? So he wanted to block these Hu people at Longmen and prevent them from going south.
"Longmen is a good place. There is a poem to praise it: The Yellow River comes from the west to conquer Kunlun, and it roars thousands of miles away and touches Longmen. Those barbarians are here in Longmen, and their blood has flowed into a river. Downstream of Longmen is a river twenty miles wide.
No matter how much it flows, it won’t get clogged.”