On July 25 of the second year of Hongwu, the Tang Dynasty Imperial Imperial Military Conference.

The Imperial Military Council was the highest military council of the institutionalized Tang Dynasty, presided over by the Son of Heaven himself.

According to the Tang system, the military order department was the military division's office, and the military and political department was the military department. However, in addition to the military commander of the military division and the official of the military department, there are also the three ministers of the political affairs hall.

Today's imperial military meeting, there are Wen Tianxiang, Chen Shuzhen, Jiang Jun three military commanders, Lin Biju, Yang Hanming, Cui Mu three political affairs hall chiefs, as well as the military department Shangshu Dulie, Shilang Wutu.

plus Li Luo and Cui Xiuning, a total of ten people.

"If you want to restore the Central Plains, you must first restore Guanzhong. If you want to restore Guanzhong, you must first restore Hanzhong. "This is what Li Luo said to several lieutenants of the Military Division's Mansion.

Wen Tianxiang is particularly in favor of this sentence.

Why do you need to restore Guanzhong first?

Because in the land of the north, only the central can really be defended!

If you cross the river first to restore Jiangbei and Henan, then how to deal with the cavalry heavy group of the Yuan army in Jiangbei?

The Northern Yuan Army and the annihilated Southern Yuan Army are actually two concepts.

The Southern Yuan army was dominated by the traitor army, supplemented by the Tusi barbarians, and the Mongol cavalry was the least. The Yuan court lost 700,000 troops in the south, which seemed to be greatly damaged, but the main losses were the traitor army, the Tusi army, the Bagan servant army, as well as the Dali army and the Tubo army, and the eastern Liao clan army.

As the core and main force of the Yuan army, the Mongol Semu cavalry lost no more than tens of thousands.

But the main casualties of the Tang army were caused by these tens of thousands of Mongolian cavalry.

But what about the North? There were also hundreds of thousands of Mongol cavalry.

Especially after the Yuan court unified the Great Mongolia, there were more than 700,000 Mongolian cavalry, and there were 400,000 elite cavalry in northern China alone.

The Xiongnu Empire and the Bald Empire both had hundreds of thousands of cavalry and fought fiercely with the powerful Han and Tang dynasties for a hundred years. And Meng Yuan was obviously stronger than the Xiongnu and the Bald.

The Tang army now has 60,000 firearms soldiers and 90,000 cavalry, including 10,000 Mongolian cavalry who surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, and they are still stationed in Yingzhou, and Li Luo is not at ease to let them fight against the Yuan army.

You can't leave no cavalry on the mainland, right? The cavalry that can be used for the Northern Expedition is up to 70,000 people. As far as these 70,000 cavalry can be used for the Northern Expedition, the cavalry is not as good as the cavalry of the Yuan army.

Of the 60,000 firearms soldiers, only 50,000 could be used in the Northern Expedition.

In addition to this, there are traditional infantry and sailors. The naval division could not go ashore to fight, and the infantry had to leave 150,000 soldiers and horses to defend the fifteen states on the mainland.

In other words, the maximum strength of the Tang Army's Northern Expedition was more than 400,000, which was only half of the Northern Yuan Army.

And the one used to restrain the heavy cavalry group of the Yuan army can only be 50,000 firearms soldiers. Just these tens of thousands of firearms soldiers have consumed all the gunpowder production capacity of the Tang Kingdom.

In particular, the source and purification of nitrate is too limiting to production.

In fact, it has been so long since the end of the Southern War, but the gunpowder accumulated by the Tang Army is still less than two million catties, with an average of thirty catties per firearms soldier.

What is the concept of a soldier's thirty pounds of medicine?

At most, after a few months of fighting, the gunpowder will run out!

Moreover, the firearms are too dependent on logistics and move too slowly. In the northern plains, where the cavalry is dominant, it is really too risky to fight against the cavalry of the Yuan army, which is huge in scale and fast in mobility.

The Yuan army suffered so many losses in firearms, it was impossible to charge with cavalry stupidly. Then the results of the firearms corps will not be as good as before, and the difficulty of the battle will increase exponentially.

If the cavalry of the Yuan army used harassment and blockade tactics, how long would the Tang army, which was dominated by infantry troops, consume energy in the plains?

Doesn't divide troops, moves more slowly, cares about the head, and has a hard time completing tactical and strategic plans. But once the troops are divided, they will be broken by the concentrated forces of the Yuan army, which has the advantage of mobility and geographical advantages.

Therefore, it is difficult to defend Jiangbei without obvious military superiority. Even if it is defeated, it will not be able to establish a solid local government.

Even if the Yuan army can't beat it, can't it run? A county you set up today may be killed tomorrow by the cavalry of the Yuan army, which comes and goes.

How to break?

The reason why Zhu Yuanzhang crossed the river and crossed the Northern Expedition openly was because the Ming army had a large number of cavalry at that time, and it already had an overwhelming advantage over the decadent army that was unfamiliar with cavalry shooting at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, and the Yuan army at that time was still killing each other, regardless of the Ming army's Northern Expedition.

Why did Li Luo dare to do this?

Even if the Tang army fought smoothly, the Yuan army in the Western Regions would continue to be drawn over, and the Yuan army could also drive more Han people to be cannon fodder and consume the Tang army's gunpowder.

Once it falls into the quagmire of the Jiangbei Plain and has a major defeat, the nascent Tang State may be completely destroyed.

The stakes were too great for him to gamble.

Therefore, it can only be restored to Guanzhong first.

Guanzhong is surrounded by mountains and rivers, Jincheng is thousands of miles, and has four dangerous passes of Tongguan, Wuguan, Dasanguan and Xiaoguan, so it is called Guanzhong.

Since ancient times, Guanzhong has been in a state of command, easy to defend and difficult to attack, looking at the world, deploying military force in all directions, Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui and Tang dynasties based on this, and then became a hegemon.

Beat the level, control the four levels, and use the terrain in the level to instantly break the deadlock and revitalize the game! Moreover, there are many Han people in Guanzhong who are good at horsemen, and there are a large number of pastures, and if you take Guanzhong, you can form 100,000 cavalry!

Today, the four major passes in Guanzhong, except for Wuguan, which is in the hands of the Tang Army, the other three are in the hands of the Yuan Army. Coupled with the fact that the Yuan court deployed more than 100,000 troops in Guanzhong, it was almost impossible to capture Guanzhong.

In particular, Hanzhong and Dasanguan were in the hands of the Yuan army, and the plot to attack the north in the south was too much of a loss in terms of geographical advantages, and it was difficult to take advantage of it even if it was several times the advantage of troops.

The so-called danger of Jincheng is not just talking.

Hanzhong was originally part of Sichuan and Shu, but after Kublai Khan occupied the Central Plains, he keenly discovered the importance of Hanzhong, so he deliberately assigned Hanzhong to Shaanxi, making Shaanxi even more impregnable.

Now Hanzhong and Dasanguan are in the hands of the Yuan army, and they can only be outwitted.

"Zitong, tell me about the latest situation in the Yuan Court." Li Luo said to Cui Xiuning.

Cui Xiuning opened a booklet and said to everyone:

"Under the rule of the northern Yuan Dynasty, the population of farmers and herdsmen according to the household statistics was more than 4.8 million. Zhuse has a registered population of more than 500,000. There were more than 8.3 million official slaves and private slaves, more than 3.6 million military households, and an estimated 4 million to 5 million displaced people. ”

When Cui Xiuning said this, everyone's faces were a little ugly.

When the Mongol Yuan did not occupy the north, there were more than 50 million people in the north. Now it's only in the early 20 millions, and that includes the Mongol Semu people. In this way, there are less than 20 million Han people in the north, including homeless slaves.

Thirty or forty million people were lost! Cut it in half!

What's even more ridiculous is that the number of tax-paying peasant households in the household department is only more than 4 million! However, there are more than 8 million slaves who are not counted as taxpayers! There are also four or five million homeless!

What is this?

There are only more than 4 million "free people" who can pay taxes, does it mean that the income of the Yuan court is very small?

Definitely.

Contrary. Yuan Ting's income is not only a lot, but also a lot!

This is what makes the Yuan Dynasty special.

Because, so many slaves also have output, and most of their output has to be handed in. Slaves work hard as cattle and horses, and it is impossible to be lazy, and the output can be less?

It's just that it's not a regular tax for the household department of the imperial court.

Cui Xiuning continued: "The territory of the original four khanates has a population of about 32 million. This is the latest count of the Yuan Court's household department, which may not be accurate. The vast majority of these people are Semu people, and a few are. ”

"With the addition of four million Goryeo, more than two million of the four great ulus of Liaodong, the number of people controlled by the Yuan court should be about 60 million."

Sixty million is less than the seventy million in the fifteen states of the Tang Kingdom today. Moreover, of the 60 million population of the Yuan court, the original four khanates accounted for most of them, including the Goryeo people.

At least in terms of population, the Tang State has a clear advantage.

"In terms of troops, the Yuan court can also mobilize 1.4 million troops. However, there were 300,000 cavalry in the former four khanates. There were 800,000 soldiers and horses in the north, 100,000 soldiers in Goryeo, and 200,000 in the four great Ulus of Liaodong. ”

"For the time being, our army does not need to take care of the Western Yuan Army, the Liaodong Army and the Goryeo Army, but only the 800,000 troops under the direct control of the Northern Yuan Court."

"Of these 800,000 people, there are 150,000 Mongol cavalry, 260,000 Semu cavalry, 140,000 Kirkin troops, 170,000 Jelimu troops, and 90,000 New Han troops."

"Originally, there were not many Yuan troops in Guanzhong, but recently the Yuan court has been increasing troops in Guanzhong, and now there are 150,000 Yuan troops in Guanzhong. There were 70,000 Mongol cavalry, 50,000 Kirkin troops, and 30,000 Jelimu troops. The more it dragged on, the more Yuan troops in Guanzhong became. ”

After Cui Xiuning finished speaking, he concluded: "In short, Guanzhong is not easy to fight, but it can be defended after fighting." Jiangbei is not easy to fight, and it is not stable to stand down. ”

Li Luo said: "In the middle of the pass, it is the general location, and there is no need to discuss it." Tell me, how to hide the Yuan Court? ”

"Bluffing on the Yangtze River and along the coast, making a gesture of crossing the river or landing, I think it is difficult to hide from the Yuan court."

From the fact that the Yuan court has continued to increase troops, it is known that Kublai Khan was well aware of Li Luo's strategic goals and the weakness of the Tang army.

Wen Tianxiang said: "Then really cross the river and really land!" Just don't bluff, the Northern Expedition is divided into three routes! ”

"Wait until Guanzhong is in hand, and then withdraw the other two ways. However, although this is a conspiracy, the loss is very large. ”

Chen Shuzhen and Jiang Jun also believe that if they really cross the river, they will really land.

In fact, Li Luo also thought so. I just don't get noticed. Obviously, this style of play will increase a lot of casualties.

Moreover, the other two may fail.

However, in addition, there is no other way to drag the Yuan army to reinforce Guanzhong.

Li Luo said this to several lieutenants, and gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

"Then do it! The sailors carried 100,000 people to land in Qilu and threatened Dadu. The Yangtze River Naval Division covered 200,000 people to cross the river and attack Jiangbei. 120,000 people attack Guanzhong! ”

"The Eastern Route Army will definitely not be able to defeat it, and after landing, it will rely on coastal defense. The Middle Route Army did not divide its troops, took out the posture of crossing the Huai River to capture Luoyang, firmly nailed the Jiangbei Yuan Army, and prevented them from reinforcing Guanzhong. ”

"Mr. Wen, the middle route army will be handed over to you, and if the Yuan army still reinforces Guanzhong, it will simply take Huainan."

Wen Tianxiang commanded: "Obey the order!" However, the Middle Route Army has 200,000 men, and the stakes are very high, so I ask Your Majesty to allocate 20,000 firearms soldiers. Otherwise, the minister was not sure to bring the army back to Jiangnan. ”

His request was not excessive. Jiangbei has a heavy cavalry group of the Yuan army, with 100,000 cavalry in Huainan and 780,000 in the Han army. There were fewer firearms soldiers, and the infantry-based Tang Army was alone and could easily be defeated.

Why is there the most Chinese army? Because the Yuan army facing it is stronger, it is also necessary to maintain the offensive and push all the way north, otherwise it will not be able to contain the Yuan army and not support Guanzhong.

"Exactly! Dial you four firearms brigades. Li Luo agreed to Wen Tianxiang without hesitation.

"Chen Shuzhen, the East Route Army will be handed over to you. After landing, you can defend, with the support of naval guns, I will only give you 10,000 firearms. ”

Chen Shuzhen received the order: "Obey the order!" ”

Li Luo said: "This Western Route Army, I personally set out to fight, with 50,000 people from Wuguan to Shangluo, Lantian into the Guanzhong. With 70,000 people, he entered Hanzhong from Jianmen and captured Dasanguan. Jiang Jun, Wuguan will hand over the deviant division to you, and allocate you a firearms brigade and 10,000 cavalry. ”

"Yes!" Jiang Jun also received a military order.

Wen Tianxiang frowned and said: "Your Majesty drove the expedition in person to overcome difficulties, but only led 70,000 people, is it too little?" In case there is a mistake, then my Datang is in danger! ”

Hanzhong is very difficult to fight, and Dasanguan is not easy to fight, as the emperor only led 70,000 people to attack the strategic place heavily defended by the Yuan army, it is too risky.

Others also expressed concern about Li Luo's adventure.

Yang Hanming said: "Please increase your majesty's troops by 30,000, and the garrisons in each state would rather be less than let your majesty take risks." ”

Li Luo said with a smile: "There are only more than 100,000 soldiers and horses left in the fifteen states, which is already very empty, and it is not appropriate to transfer more soldiers and horses to prevent the Haisong Dynasty from attacking." Gangneung's defense cannot be sloppy either. Besides, I have two dark moves in Han, which can come in handy. Zitong, you tell Zhu Qing to listen. ”

Cui Xiuning also smiled, "There are 50,000 yuan troops in Han, and the commander's staff Qingshan is from the Tang Dynasty." ”

Castle peak? Everyone is a little puzzled, how much of a role can a staff member play? But when I think about it, I don't think it's that simple.

Cui Xiuning continued: "Whether he can play a role is still unknown. However, there is still an anti-Yuan rebel army in Qinling, Hanzhong, who resists shaving their hair, and has long been secretly returned to the Tang Dynasty. The leader is nicknamed the Tiger of Hanzhong, his name is Tang Mu, he has more than 10,000 soldiers and horses, and our people help him train soldiers in his army. ”

The crowd understood. Qingshan, the staff of the commander of the Yuan army in Hanzhong, was a Tang person, and Tang Mu, a rebel army in the Qinling Mountains, also secretly returned to Tang. As soon as these two are combined... You can do a lot of things!

Why is Hanzhong dangerous? Because it guards the ancient road between Sichuan and Shaanxi. If you want to pass through the Baoxian Ancient Road, you must capture Hanzhong.

When they hear this, they have a bottom in their hearts.

"The summer grain has been beaten, and the success is not bad. Enough for hundreds of thousands of troops to fight for several months. This time, Datang wants to really set the capital... Changan! Li Luo said with confidence.

"Congratulations to me on the victory of the Tang Dynasty! World War I collect Guanzhong! Everyone stood up and said.

On the second day, one after another secret orders flew out of Jiangling City, the entire Tang army began to move, and the grain, grass and gunpowder began to operate.

The Tang Kingdom, where the people's morale was high, was like a huge war machine, slowly starting to move.

…………

On 15 August, the 200,000-strong army gathered on the south bank of the Yangtze River suddenly began to cross the river.

Such a big movement, of course, has already alarmed the Yuan army. The Yuan army was overjoyed and immediately abandoned the north bank and let the Tang army calmly cross the river.

There was no intention to stop the Tang army from crossing the river on the north bank at all!

The purpose is obvious, first release the Tang army, which is mainly infantry, so that it can be annihilated.

The Yuan army dreamed of marching south, but it was hateful that they could not cross the river without a sailor. At this time, the Tang army took the initiative to cross north, and it was too late for them to be happy, where would they stop it?

Along with this, the Tang Army's naval divisions collected a large number of merchant ships and carried 100,000 Tang troops north. The Yuan army was pleasantly surprised, and while quickly reporting to Dadu, he was ready to fight.

On the same day, Li Luo personally led an army of 70,000 into Jianmen Pass and drove directly to Hanzhong. As a partial division of the Western Route Army, Jiang Jun led 50,000 soldiers and horses from Wuguan to the north.

In 3984, in the Mid-Autumn Festival of August in the second year of Hongwu, the Tang Tingbing soldiers divided into three routes and attacked the Yuan in a big way. Those who have invaded the north from the south since ancient times have not been as prosperous as they are today!

This was the first time that the Tang State took the strategic initiative to attack Mengyuan. Because the date of sending troops was on August 15, it was known as the "Mid-Autumn Northern Expedition" in history.

There was no edict to go on the expedition, no proclamation was issued, and it seemed to be a posture of a surprise attack.

A surprise attack, of course, could not be done. But Tang Ting's low-key large-scale dispatch of troops did give the Yuan court the feeling of a sudden attack.

It took several days for the 200,000 troops of the Tang army to cross the river, and Chen Shuzhen's army also arrived in the Qilu Sea. At this time, Li Luo's army was still marching slowly on the North Shu Road of Jianmen.

And Kublai Khan, who is in the capital, has already received the report.

"Hahaha, good, good!" Kublai Khan laughed, "Li Luo, this wolf cub is good, and he finally couldn't help but take the initiative to come out." Boyan, in addition to Hanzhong to defend to the death, Jiangbei and the belly let them come! It's better to let them go hundreds of miles deeper! ”

Boyan smiled: "Congratulations to the Great Khan, minion!" The Great Khan had been waiting for Li Luo to take the initiative, and he really came. ”

An Tong was also very happy: "This north is like a grassland, my Dayuan iron horse gallops like a white-haired wind, Li Luo still thinks it can be like the south?" How many iron horses did Da Yuan have in the south? This time, we must destroy his hundreds of thousands of troops! ”

Kublai Khan smiled, "Li Luo should personally lead the army to attack Hanzhong." Hanzhong has defended the ancient road of 400 miles, and there are many soldiers and horses, which is indeed easy to defend and difficult to attack. However, reinforcements are still needed. Guanzhong, can't be lost! ”

Boyan comprehended, but An Tong asked, "Great Khan, why don't you just put Li Luo in the Guanzhong and take the opportunity to kill him?" ”

"You minion, why don't you look like your grandfather Mu Huali at all?" Kublai Khan said with some hatred, "Guanzhong was my base back then, and I have been in Guanzhong for more than ten years, and I know the dangers of Guanzhong. ”

"If Li Luo captures Guanzhong and blocks Tongguan Xiaoguan, it will be difficult for the Dayuan Iron Cavalry to enter. Guan Zhong really became the meat in his mouth. Guanzhong is in the hands of the rebels, so is it still possible? That's when the wolf got into the hunter's tent! ”

"I'm not afraid of him fighting Jiangbei, I'm not afraid of him fighting Dadu. He has few cavalry, it is useless to win two battles, he cannot take root, he cannot send officials to take over the place, and sooner or later he will be defeated. But Guanzhong is different, do you understand? ”

An Tong was ashamed, and quickly knelt down and said: "The words of the Great Khan are like the revelation in a dream, like the wisdom of the sea that moistens the dry stream, and the slave wants to sing gratefully, and the ashamed wants to cry. ”

Boyan said: "Great Khan, there are a lot of soldiers and horses in Guanzhong, but the minions still feel uneasy." The army in Henan and Jiangbei could not move, did it send an order to the soldiers and horses of Hedong and Shanxi Province to cross the Yellow River to support Guanzhong? ”

As the "hinterland" area of the Yuan court, Hedong Shanxi Province stationed more than 100,000 soldiers and horses, and there were 70,000 cavalry alone.

Kublai Khan frowned, "I'm afraid it's too late." The Yellow River between Shaanxi and Hedong is notoriously irritable and notoriously difficult to cross. How many days will it take for them to cross the Yellow River? The cows are ready to give birth. ”

At that time, the Yellow River was not like later generations, with a large amount of water, not to mention cattle and horses.

Boyan was silent. The Great Khan is right, most likely it's too late.

However, there were 150,000 troops in Guanzhong, 50,000 in Hanzhong, and Dasanguan was also in the hands of Dayuan. In fact, it is difficult for the rebels to enter Guanzhong.

Just in case, and because he was jealous of Li Luo, Kublai Khan still issued an order to the Yuan army in Hedong and Shanxi provinces, asking them to find a way to cross the Yellow River as soon as possible, support Guanzhong, and ensure that nothing goes wrong.

At the same time, Kublai Khan sent several cowardly guards to gallop through Guanzhong, and solemnly warned the generals in Guanzhong that they must guard the pass and not move without authorization, so as not to be taken advantage of by the rebels and fall into tricks.

It can be said that Kublai Khan's response was perfect. He even considered that the Tang army used tricks to earn Hanzhong, and sent guards to supervise and advise.

……

The north of Hanzhong is the Qinling Mountains, and the ancient road of praise and oblique that the soldiers must fight for in ancient times winds through the Qinling Mountains. The ancient road starts from Baogukou in the south and reaches the valley mouth in the north, stretching for more than 400 miles.

After the Baoxian Ancient Road, through Hanzhong, you can reach the Sword Gate.

It is said that the ancient road is the earliest dug by Xia Yu, very ancient, it is the main road between Qin and Shu, Qin destroyed Shu, and entered Sichuan from this road.

At this time, in the depths of the Qinling Mountains, which are dozens of miles away from the mouth of Baogukou, on the steep West Ridge, there is a cottage with puffs of cooking smoke.

This is the cottage of Tang Mu, the famous "green forest thief" in Hanzhong, the "green forest thief" in the sonic boom pass.

Tang Mu was a rebel army in the anti-Yuan Dynasty, but he was active in Bashan before, and there were no more than 1,000 people. However, more than half a year ago, the Yuan court forced the Han people to shave their hair and keep braids, and the Shaanxi people who were unwilling to give in thought that they had "lost their ancestors" and rose up to resist and flee, making the team of Tang Mu, the tiger of Hanzhong, snowballed to tens of thousands.

Tang Mu also suppressed several powerful traitors at the beginning and copied their grain stocks. However, he lost the battle with the Yuan army, and could only flee after being defeated.

When he was on the road, a person claiming to be the envoy of the Tang State suddenly appeared, suggesting that he abandon Bashan and occupy the Xiqiling of the Qinling Mountains.

Tang Mu had already intended to vote for Tang, and he was immediately overjoyed. He followed the advice of the envoys of the Tang State and led his troops to occupy Xiqiling.

Xiqueling is obviously a place carefully selected by the envoys of the Tang State, which is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Since Tang Mu occupied this place, the Yuan army has returned from many encirclements and suppressions.

Moreover, the envoy of the Tang State also helped Tang Mu train the rebel army, and after more than half a year, the rebel army of tens of thousands of people was reborn as strong, and it was no longer the rabble before.

That's not all, Tang Mu also successfully attacked the Yuan Army's Hanzhong Arsenal Bureau under the guidance of the powerful envoy of the Tang State, obtained a large number of weapons, and his strength soared.

Now, the envoy told him that it was finally time to do it.

In the cottage hall, there were more than a dozen men sitting at this time, and the man with thick eyebrows and big eyes among them was Tang Mu, the tiger of Hanzhong.

The three closest people around him were all white-faced young men, who were the so-called envoys of the Tang Kingdom.

"General, calculate the time, Your Majesty should be about to arrive at Jiameng Pass. It's time for us to take the valley. An envoy said, "It will take me a day to arrive on these dozens of miles of mountain roads." ”

"Good! Then the general will immediately set out with his troops! Tang Mu stood up suddenly.

Another envoy slapped his hands and smiled: "The general is loyal and resolute, he is really a good general of the Tang Dynasty, and when His Majesty arrives, he will be reused!" ”

Tang Mu said with a smile: "Then I will accept the good words of the special envoy." ”

PS: Hey, there are too few recommended votes, if it's convenient for you, vote for the recommendation, crab crab. Good night!