Fa Zheng was startled and replied: "Nowadays, the Western Qiang are very interested in joining the Sichuan army. However, our cavalry is inferior in strength, so we choose to rely on the powerful Han Sui. If we can capture the Xianling Qiang, the Qingyi Qiang will definitely surrender. Others will waver."
The tribe will also join... No."
Fazheng suddenly frowned: "If the Tsing Yi Qiang and the Swinging tribe surrender, the Western Qiang will be extremely empty now, and other Qiang tribes will also worry about their families, cattle and sheep, just like the Tsing Yi Qiang have not dared to rebel against Ma Chao because they are worried about the grassland.
, those Qiang tribes will have to surrender, and the entire Thirteen Western Qiang tribes will be under our control."
"Yes, and more than that, with the support of the Xiqiang tribe, we can control the horse farms and pastures of the Xianling Qiang, the second largest tribe of the Xiqiang, and form our own prairie cavalry. This time I will let those swaying
The Qiang people are completely cut off from their return."
"However, this matter is not easy." Fa Zheng said.
"Oh, tell me Xiaozhi, what's so difficult about it?" Liu Zhang asked.
Fa Zhengdao: "First, the Xiqiang grassland is far away, how can we get there? How can we not be discovered by the Xiqiang and Xiliang troops.
Second, although the Xiqiang is empty, the Xianling Qiang has gathered 30,000 people to prepare to annihilate the Xifengchi and Baima Qiang. If it is found that the old camp is lost, 20,000 people can gallop back to help. How can we fight the enemy?
Third, and most importantly, now that we are being attacked by an army of 200,000, our infantry has only more than 40,000, and the cavalry has only more than 20,000, all of which are newly attached Xiliang soldiers and Qiang soldiers. The morale of the army has been greatly reduced.
Unstable, I believe that as long as they are defeated in the battle with the Xiliang army, these people will definitely surrender.
How can we still divide the Western Qiang troops? If we divide the troops less, it is impossible to capture the old camp of Xianling Qiang. If we divide the troops too much, what will we do? If we are to break through the dangerous fortress in the north of Hanzhong and gain a Western Qiang, the gain will outweigh the losses, and it will not be possible at that time.
I can’t keep the so-called horse farm and pasture.”
"It makes sense." Liu Zhang nodded: "Since Xiaozhi has said so, no one can guess that our army will really divide our troops into the Xiqiang. This will increase the chance of victory. Xiaozhi, I only ask you.
"
Liu Zhang looked at Fa Zheng and said: "I don't distinguish between infantry. Five days after the Xiliang army arrived, they separated 10,000 cavalry and left 10,000. Can you hold Hanzhong for a month?"
"How can 10,000 unstable cavalry attack Xiqiang?"
"I just ask you if you can defend Hanzhong."
"Yes." Fazheng said loudly: "I will set up defenses on the wooden platform, Shangguan, and Iron Dragon in the shape of a "pin". Ten thousand cavalry will rush to support. The Xiliang army is not cohesive and gallops through the mountains again. They can't even think of taking a step forward.
"
"Okay, that's no problem." Liu Zhang said with a smile: "More than that, Wu Ban has recovered from his injuries. I have ordered him to bring 10,000 soldiers from Hanzhong to support you. This time I will end the war within two months.
To completely stabilize Northern Xinjiang, didn’t you say that Hanzhong’s grain and grass can last for two months?”
"As for the first and second points you mentioned." Liu Zhang smiled and said: "If I send a force of 5,000 people, under the banner of Dongzhou elite troops, to attack Tianshui, what will happen to Ma Teng and Han Sui?"
Fazheng pondered and said: "Tianshui is the place where the Xiliang army's food and grass are transferred. If the army is out and the defense is empty, the Xiliang army will definitely panic, and Ma Teng and Han Sui will definitely come back for reinforcements."
"No." Liu Zhang denied: "There are only 5,000 people, and Ma Teng and Han Sui have not yet reached the point of returning reinforcements. This time, Han Sui will not give up easily. He will march secretly to the boundary of Tianshui County and then give way."
The Xiliang army found that it was too late for them to return for reinforcements. They had only one option, which was to mobilize the Qiang people to rush for reinforcements. At this time, the only Qiang people they could mobilize were the Xianling Qiang people."
"In this way, Xianling Qiang's lead over Xiqiang is destroyed." Fazheng said in shock.
"That's right. Is it still dangerous to attack the Xianling Qiang Lao Camp at this time?"
"If the lord doesn't take away the ten thousand cavalry, who can attack?"
Liu Zhang raised his head, glanced at Fazheng, and smiled: "Xiao Zhi, have you even forgotten? We still have Xiao Furong's 40,000-and-a-half-mile army."
Fazheng was suddenly startled, and then he remembered that Xiao Furong's barbarian army originally planned to guard Shangguan Mutai and other places after their defeat at Yangping Pass, and strangle Ma Chao to death at Yangping Pass.
Later, Ma Chao was defeated, and he thought that the barbarian army would block Ma Chao's return, but Wei Yan took the lead. No wonder Liu Zhang kept asking Wei Yan if 6,000 men could stop the defeated troops of Xiliang, and he did not hesitate to move Ma Yunlu out to lure Xiliang
The army attacked and killed.
It turned out that it was all to free up Xiao Furong's barbarian army and march towards Xiqiang.
Fazheng now fully understands it. Looking at the map, the southern chain of the Western Qiang is full of mountains. The mountains are heavy and the terrain is steep. However, the Western Qiang are different from the Huns and Wuhuan people. Most of them do not live by water and grass, even if they live by water and grass.
, changes are not that frequent, and there must be an old camp.
The Qiang people have their own Qiang village, which is not a simple tent.
Qiang villages are generally built high in the mountains, so the Qiang people are called "the people in the clouds". Some large-scale Qiang villages also have watchtowers (called Qionglong by the Qiang people). In ancient times, these watchtowers were equivalent to modern ones.
The fortress is made of stone flakes and yellow soil, and is more than three feet high. It was built without drawings, hanging wires, or pillar supports. It was all based on superb skills and experience.
The watchtower construction is stable and durable. It is an important place for the large Xiqiang tribe to defend themselves against enemies and store grain and grass.
The existence of watchtowers and Qiang villages has determined that the migrant surnames of the Qiang people are far inferior to those of flat grassland peoples such as the Xiongnu and Wuhuan.
The mountains in the southern vein of the Qiang land gave the Wuxi people just enough space to perform. This specialized mountain troop equipped with white-barrel guns, under the cover of Liu Zhang's Hanzhong army, could sneak into the heart of the Qiang land with ease.
Of course, this is just what Fazheng thinks. Only people who stow away know whether the truth is easy or not.
The army was stationed in the northern fortress of Hanzhong, and five thousand troops were sent to sneak attack the Xianling Qiang soldiers in Tianshui.
The Korean and horse armies marched south.
At first, they wanted to block Ma Chao but did not annihilate them. It was because of Ma Teng and Han Sui that they went south, but they were outrun by Ma Chao and failed. However, due to some strange combination of circumstances, the Xiliang army came anyway.
"My lord, if you say this, I have confidence in my heart. Please rest assured, lord, Fazheng will definitely defend the northern fortress of Hanzhong even if he risks his life."
Liu Zhang patted Fazheng on the shoulder and nodded: "Okay, let's summon the generals to discuss the matter."
Huang Zhong, Wei Yan, Gao Pei, Hu Che'er, Pang Rou, Yang Ren, Liu Wei, Guan Yinping and other generals arrived one after another. They were all full of energy. Liu Zhang smiled and asked: "You all know that the Xiliang army is invading
Got the news."
"Xiliang child, here to die again,"
"Zhu Ming, why are you so mad? The Xiliang army numbers as many as 200,000." Liu Zhang said seriously.
Zhu Ming said disdainfully: "So what if it's two hundred thousand? It's just a native chicken and a dog's ears."
Liu Zhang nodded. Although he was arrogant, he passed the most important thing as a soldier. He was not afraid and dared to fight.
Liu Zhang recalled the military meeting he held when he was defeated by the Xiliang Army for the first time. Every general, including Zhu Ming, frowned and looked downcast, feeling that there was no chance of victory at all and the future was gloomy.
Now, the general's self-confidence comes from the courage of the soldiers. Judging from the high spirits of Zhu Ming and other generals, we know that the soldiers are in good condition. As long as the soldiers dare to fight, no matter how aggressive the Xiliang army is, they will be aggressive when charging.
In the past, we could only attack the city honestly.
"Okay, to be honest, this time the Xiliang Army invades with 200,000 troops. Don't be careless. Most of the opponents are cavalry. As soon as the city gate is opened, they will be defeated for thousands of miles. Courage and caution must be installed in the minds of soldiers at the same time, especially
You generals.
Before I talk about the strategy for facing the enemy, I would like to emphasize a military discipline. No one can go into battle privately without orders from me and Xiao Nao. Anyone who violates this rule will be killed regardless of victory or defeat."
Liu Zhang looked around at the generals coldly and stared at Gao Pei and the reckless men. "Some of your generals will blush and thicken their necks after being scolded for a few times. Even if they are beheaded, they will go out and fight. For such people,
I don’t care how many military exploits you have performed in the past. If you go to war without authorization, you will kill the whole family."
Gao Pei and the others felt their foreheads stiffen and their whole bodies felt cold.
Liu Zhang smiled and said: "When it comes to being scolded, who among you has been scolded more than me? What kind of butcher, tyrant, no one has a surname, not a human being, selfish, cruel and shameless, how many of you have been scolded? Have you ever seen me?
Have you ever been angry?"
Liu Zhang said to Gao Pei and others, and Guan Yinping beside him blushed, selfish, cruel and shameless, as if he had scolded him.
"But at that time, the lord seemed to be angry. It was really shameless to speak so loudly at this time." Guan Yinping thought silently in his heart.
"Okay, no more words. Just remember four words and don't be impatient." Liu Zhang said with a serious look: "This time the Xiliang army is coming. After discussing with Xiaozhi, I made the following arrangements. Yang Ren will be guarded by ten thousand troops.
At the pass, Wu Ban, who is about to arrive from Nanzheng, leads 15,000 troops to guard Mutai, Gao Pei leads 3,000 troops to guard Tielong, and the three parties present the title..."
"Why?" Gao Pei said loudly: "Tielong has no battles to fight after going to Guanmutai."
"Why are you so impatient?" Liu Zhang glanced at Gao Pei coldly: "I just told you not to be impatient, and you just hit the point of the spear?"
Gao Pei lowered his head.
Liu Zhang glanced at Gao Pei angrily and said: "You know it's very important, do you know? If one side of Mutai Shangguan is lost, you must hold on to the iron dragon, flank the enemy with the other side, and wait for an opportunity to seize the lost pass. How good are you?
Do you understand the importance?"
"Understood." Gao Pei thought to himself, it's so important.
"Hey, I don't feel at ease seeing you like that, so I'll let Zhu Ming guard you and go back to Nanzheng by yourself."
"I will guard, I will guard, and I will guard with all my heart." Gao Pei agreed repeatedly.
Liu Zhang glanced at Gao Pei, turned around, and continued: "Fazheng and Liu Quan led 20,000 troops and garrisoned in the center of the Pinzi pass to rush to the rescue of the critical pass and coordinate the defenders. General Huang Lao and Hu Che'er led
The cavalry is stationed out of the pass, responsible for attacking the flank of the Xiliang army, and supporting the Pingzi pass.
If one of the checkpoints is lost, the outer cavalry and the central army will attack from the front and back, and the checkpoint must be recaptured in the shortest possible time. If the checkpoint cannot be recaptured, Fa Zheng and Liu Wei will retreat to the Iron Dragon and guard the remaining two checkpoints. Do you all understand?"
"clear."
Liu Zhang glanced at Wei Yan. Wei Yan did not speak and his face was calm. Liu Zhang was slightly surprised.