From the city of Qiancheng to the Jihe River, there is no city in this area except for the city of Qiancheng.

Because the Great River (Yellow River) and the Ji River are often diverted, this area is a flooding area of the two rivers, which can also be said to be a discharge area.

For so many years, due to wars and technical reasons, the State of Qi did not build dikes and reservoirs on the banks of many rivers and rivers like Ji Kang did in the Yan Kingdom.

At this time, the big river was not called "hanging river" in Qi like Ji Kang's previous life.

If you want to build a city between the Great River and the Ji River, you can also do that.

But maybe when the flood comes down that day, it will cover you all.

The two cities of Qiancheng north and south were also built between the two rivers, a highland.

The second and third armies of the Yan army joined each other, day and night, rolling towards the Ji River.

On April 11, we set out from Qiancheng, and at noon on April 13, we arrived at the Ji River.

Standing on the edge of the Ji River, looking at the slowly flowing Ji River.

Zuo Zong, Hu Guiliang and other generals of the Yan Kingdom all raised their binoculars and looked at the opposite bank.

On the south bank of the Ji River, not a single Qi army was found.

The generals of the Yan army all looked at each other and laughed.

Zuo Zong said to Hu Guiliang:

"Commander Hu, it seems that the Qi army has not yet arrived, which is a great thing for our army. Although our army has come from afar, it is not yet time to rest. ”

"We should immediately let our soldiers build a pontoon bridge. After our army crosses the river, we will set up camp again and have a good rest. You see, is that a good arrangement? ”

After Hu Guiliang listened to Zuo Zong's words, he nodded.

said to Zuo Zongyan: "What Commander Zuo said is extremely true, under the condition that the enemy's movements are unknown, our army really cannot rest now. Hurry up! Order our army to requisition boats in the surrounding villages, cut down trees, and build pontoon bridges! ”

According to the military discipline of the Yan army at this time, the requisition of civilian boats and boats was mandatory in wartime.

However, the people had to be given vouchers and compensated after the war.

The more than 70,000 Yan troops did not care about fatigue and began to work on the north bank of the Ji River.

For the army, in this era, marching to war, if you encounter a river, you have to cross it quickly.

Avoiding being attacked by the enemy is often the difference between victory and defeat in a battle.

So how can you cross the river quickly?

If the river is shallow and the march is rushed, it can be directly intercepted and crossed. The interception here is not to block the water, but to say that it is directly stepping on a horse. The horseless foot soldiers had to walk slowly with spears or ropes.

Of course, this is very dangerous, once you encounter an enemy attack, it is very easy to fall into the rapids in the chaos, at least you will be washed away, or drowned, and even if you are lucky enough to survive, it is easy to get sick. But there is no way, it's so hard to go out and be a soldier.

If the river is deep and wide, you have to take a boat.

But if there are too many soldiers, and the wagons and horses take up too much space, the ferries are often insufficient. If you have to carry it back and forth dozens of times at a time, it is easier to be hit by the enemy halfway.

So the best thing to do is to build bridges. If you have a boat, you can take a pontoon, and if you don't have a boat, you can take a suspension bridge.

In this era, the technology of building pontoon bridges in Huaxia is already very mature.

"The Book of Songs, Daya, Daming" records: "Welcome to Wei, build a boat for the beam." The thing recorded here is the situation when Ji Chang, the king of Zhou Wen, set up a pontoon bridge on the Wei River in order to marry his wife.

The pontoon bridge is a temporary bridge made of wooden planks instead of piers with boats, also known as "boat bridge".

The so-called suspension bridge is a little more troublesome.

First of all, you have to send a good water person to swim to the opposite bank with the thick rope of the army, and then the rope is erected and fixed on both banks.

Then the soldiers cut down the bamboo and made rafts to place on ropes to make a drawbridge. If there is no forest nearby, then use a spear as a makeshift material, tie it up and put it on a rope, and then lay armor on it as a road emergency.

In order to avoid being hit by the half-crossing or the enemy setting up an ambush, the drawbridge will not be completely crossed after it is built.

Instead, they first sent elite troops to cross the river, and then set up a formation to guard and protect the troops crossing the river behind. Then, after each team, occupy the favorable terrain, set up a formation, and cross the river in turn.

Of course, the suspension bridge is not safe, and it is not possible to transport large trucks.

So if you have a boat, it's better to build a pontoon.

Just when the second and third armies of the Yan army were building pontoon bridges on the north bank of the Ji River.

The 150,000 army led by Damin, the commander of the Qi army, also traveled towards the south bank of the Ji River.

Originally, Damin personally led 50,000 Qi technical troops and was the vanguard at the front.

However, this Qi technical army led by the "second generation of officials" is no different from an ordinary Qi army. To put it mildly, even ordinary Qi troops can't compare.

At the beginning, the march was still okay, and when it was more than a hundred miles away from the Jihe River, everyone couldn't walk.

The commander of the Qi army, Damin, is so angry! Is this still the world-famous Qi Ji Army?

I wanted to forcibly order to move forward, but when I saw the appearance of the generals and soldiers of the Qi army, I couldn't speak.

What do you say? Every soldier and even a general staggered one by one, faltering.

Damin's deputy general, Wang Ting, has followed Damin for many years.

As soon as you look at the expression of the Lord General Damin, you can know what Damin is thinking in his heart.

When the adjutant general Wang heard this, he stepped forward and said to Damin: "General, let our army rest for the night." If they are allowed to march at night again, if there is a disturbance, they will "blow up the camp". ”

After listening to the words of the king, Damin sighed and said to the deputy general Wang: "I didn't expect that in just over 20 years, the Qi technical army of my Qi country would actually become like this!" Look, it's not dark yet! ”

The adjutant general Wang Ting shook his head and said to the main general Damin:

"General, the Queen Mother and the King, let Hou Sheng take charge of my Qi Skill Army...... Alas! Oh no! ”

Damin couldn't, so he could only order the Qi army to rest.

What Damin didn't know was that it was because of the rest of the Qi army that the final outcome of the battle was determined.

From noon on the 13th to early morning on the 14th.

The Second Army and the Third Army, which were the vanguard of the Yan Army, and even the engineers of each army, all the officers and men did not rest. Finally, two pontoon bridges and two suspension bridges were erected on the Ji River.

When the last plank of the four pontoon bridges and suspension bridges was lowered, Zuo Zong, Hu Guiliang and other Yan army generals all stared at them with red eyes and laughed.

Zuo Zong happily said to Hu Guiliang: "Commander Hu, our army will pass first." Your army will rest and be on guard first, and then come. ”

The soldiers who cross the river first will be at risk.

If at this time, the enemy army suddenly appears, you have to desperately resist and cover the subsequent army to cross the river.

Hu Guiliang did not shirk, and said to Zuo Zong: "Commander Zuo, let's arrange it like this." ”

Zuo Zong turned over his horse and said to the herald beside him:

"Order my second army to pass through the Ji River quickly. War horses and baggage passed on the pontoon bridge, and other soldiers passed on the suspension bridge. ”

"No."

Until noon, the entire Second Army crossed the Ji River.

and began to set up camp on the south bank of the Ji River.

In the afternoon, the Third Army also began to cross the Ji River.

At the same time, the Qi army, which had rested all night, was also about to come to the south bank of the Ji River.

The scouts on both sides discovered each other, and they all hurried to report to their commanders.

The cavalry of the Qi army came to the front of the main general Da Min and reported:

"General, the Yan army has been found ahead, the Yan army has crossed the Ji River, and now it has set up camp on the south bank. According to reports, the follow-up Yan army is coming through the pontoon bridge built, and the number of people is unknown. ”

Damin was taken aback and ordered, "Continue to investigate the movements of the Yan army." ”

"No." The scout rode away.

After the scouts who reported the message left, the veteran Damin closed his eyes.

Two lines of cloudy tears rolled down from his eyes.

At this time, Zuo Zong, who was on the south bank of the Ji River, also learned the news of the arrival of the Qi army.

I was also taken aback in my heart, and said to my adjutant general:

"God bless my Yan Army! If our army delays for another day, no, it will be half a day, and it will be troublesome to think about crossing the river again. ”

Zuo Zong's lieutenant nodded.

At this time, the commander of the Qi army, Damin, also knew that the Yan army had only built a pontoon bridge last night and had only crossed the Ji River today.

All of them regretted and said to the adjutant general: "If we knew this, our army should not have rested for a night!" ”

Since ancient times, time has been an important factor in victory or defeat on the battlefield.

No matter what you estimate, you can't overdo it.

The main force of the Qi army led by Damin, due to various reasons, did not rush to the south bank of the Ji River in advance; The Yan army led by Wang Shi overcame many difficulties and took the lead in crossing the Ji River.

In this back and forth, the scale of victory and defeat in the battle has begun to slide towards the side of the Yan army.