Chapter Twenty-Three: Shi Tao Sends Treasure Defensive Strategy

Zhang Zhimu and Chen Yufeng looked at each other, because the friendship with Zhou Yuji was not too deep after all, if Zhou Yuji came to talk about union or ask for help, it would be normal, I didn't expect that the dignified general soldier of the army would come for this matter this time. Zhang Zhimu said: "Lord General Soldier, it is no problem for us to arrange some personnel for the adults in the kiln gang. But my lord, when Shanxi is facing a threat, you have the safest soldiers there. ”

Zhou Yuji smiled bitterly and said, "Hmph! I'm right, Zhang Dongjia. Don't you know what we're like? We have received news that now the trilateral governor Sun Chuanting has been defeated, and the last bit of strength of the Ming Dynasty has been exhausted. This time, Governor Sun also transferred a lot of soldiers and horses from Shanxi, and we were already short of troops. The imperial court supplied less than half of the military rations, and we had to figure out the shortage. After I took over, I wanted to vigorously rectify military affairs, but it was difficult to return. If the whole of Shanxi is fully defended, it will not be enough everywhere. I think that you kiln gang has the ability to resist Li Zicheng. ”

Chen Yufeng asked puzzledly: "We also all know that Governor Sun Chuanting has injured his vitality, and Li Zicheng will definitely take the opportunity to occupy Shaanxi." Shaanxi is finished, it will be our Shanxi. The lord still has some soldiers and horses in his hands, and he can also organize his armaments during this time and ask for some assistance from the imperial court. Focus on holding a few support points, first consume some of Li Zicheng's vitality, and then we will have a chance. I see that you hold the partial pass, we hold the kiln post, Jiang Zongbing holds Datong, and Li Zicheng will not dare to attack Beijing again. We're going to kill them here, can't we? ”

Zhou Yuji smiled and said, "Can I not know this truth?" However, I am the chief soldier appointed by the imperial court, and I am needed to defend any point in Shanxi, as you said, we only have the initiative to guard a few points. But in that case, if Li Zicheng doesn't kill me, the court will kill me. If I lose Jinyang (Taiyuan), I won't be able to keep my head even if I keep all the other places. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Lord Commander, I think the general will be unaffected by the king's life outside. If you divide your forces to guard everywhere, you won't be able to defend everywhere. Why don't we make sure today, we will resolutely hold the kiln post, your soldiers and horses, resolutely hold the partial pass, and Jiang Zongbing will hold Datong. In this way, we still have a live chess move in Shanxi. ”

Zhou Yuji shook his head with difficulty, saying that he couldn't do it.

The atmosphere was a little depressing for a while. Zhang Zhimu knew that according to the original historical records, after Zhou Yuji died in battle, his wife led his troops to continue the struggle and not surrender, and was burned alive. Unexpectedly, Zhou Yuji let his family hide in the kiln today.

In order to break the embarrassing atmosphere, Zhang Zhimu said: "Lord General Soldier, I heard that your lady is a civil and military all-rounder, don't you keep her by your side to help you, don't you rest assured that she will be sent to Yaogang?" ”

Zhou Yuji replied: "If it is the general trend, a woman's family can't change anything?" As the officials of the imperial court, we should be loyal to the imperial court, but we are a woman's family, so let's leave a way for them to live. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Thank you for your trust in us, and we will do our best to do what you have entrusted us with." But don't adults know that Li Zicheng has two inevitable goals when attacking Shanxi, one is Jinyang, and the other will be our kiln gang? ”

"I know this, but if you kiln people can't stop Li Zicheng, then there's nothing to say. Let's all accept our fate. Zhou Yuji said: "However, I feel strange when I come this time, there is no sign of any preparation on your periphery, and you still have a painless meeting." Aren't you worried? Isn't this like what you kiln people do? ”

Zhou Yuji's words made everyone happy.

Zhang Zhimu explained: "Lord General Soldier, how come we don't know the danger of the situation. But if we build walls everywhere now, there will soon be a secret report to Beijing that we are suspected of rebellion. In addition, if we openly build fortifications, it will also cause panic among everyone. So we are all quietly preparing. ”

Zhou Yuji breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Ou! If you are prepared, the hope of our Shanxi is in you. ”

Chen Yufeng said: "Lord General Soldier, you are our Lord General Soldier, we should rely on you." ”

Zhou Yuji smiled bitterly, waved his hand and did not speak.

Zhang Zhimu said: "Lord Zhou, let's give you a bottom." After getting the news of Sun Chuanting's defeat, we sent two warships to Tongguan, and if the situation in Tongguan was tense, we would send a few more warships to Tongguan. Our warships are now equipped with steam engines and mortars. It can provide artillery support to Tongguan on the Yellow River, and it can be said that the entire Yellow River is along the river, within one or two miles. Our artillery fire can be covered. In this way, a large part of Tongguan can be supported by artillery fire. You can also get the support of our material personnel, I think there are our warships, and it is difficult for Li Zicheng to capture Tongguan. I'm afraid that the weather will be cold and the Yellow River will freeze, and after our warships withdraw, Tongguan will be difficult to hold. ”

"I think Li Zicheng will take the whole of Shaanxi and finally occupy Tongguan. We still have a few months to go. After Zhou Yuji finished speaking, he asked again: "And the telegram we talked about last time, why didn't you inform me?" ”

Ouyang He knew that everyone had forgotten to tell Zhou Yuji about this, and Yuanchang said: "The telegram between us and Lingshui Wharf has been communicated a long time ago, but when we studied it later, we felt that there was nothing urgent in normal times. This thing is very useful, but if there is a war, others will cut the telegraph wire for you first, so when something really happens, this thing is not very useful. We didn't take it too seriously. ”

Zhou Yuji stopped doing it and said, "Oh, you don't know, this thing is too useful." It's just that we're afraid that people will find out, so we can do it secretly. I'll figure it out. ”

Chen Yufeng said: "Okay, let's drink today, tomorrow we will study how we cooperate in wartime, and then let Zhou Zongbing see how the telegram is used." ”

Chen Yufeng and Ouyang He accompanied Zhou Yuji to the restaurant first, and Zhang Zhimu also wanted to meet Shi Tao and them. When he left Zhou Yuji, Zhang Zhimu felt a little uncomfortable, how could this former heroic general soldier be defeated first without fighting momentum, and he did not have the momentum that the general soldier who was defending one side should have. Is it true that history says that there is moisture?

Shi Tao: There were more than 200 people they brought back from the kiln this time. These people were all arranged to wait for dinner in another restaurant in Yaogang. After Zhang Zhimu entered, everyone stood up.

Zhang Zhimu saw that the food was on the table and did not move, and he was very upset, and said, "I'm really embarrassed to let so many people wait for me alone." Master Zhou Yuji, the chief soldier of the party, came over, and I had to go to see the chief soldier, please understand. "These people have never communicated with Zhang Zhimu at close range, but I didn't expect Zhang Zhimu to be so polite. They all said: "Mr. Zhang has a lot of things, it doesn't matter, it's understandable." ”

At this time, Shi Tao introduced the situation to Zhang Zhimu in front of everyone.

Shi Tao They were visiting the smelting yard, and when they passed by a material yard, a worker wearing a set of work clothes and only two eyes left, suddenly looked at Shi Tao and asked, "Is it Shi Tao's brother?" ”

Shi Tao was stunned, he didn't expect that there was still someone here who knew him, and hurriedly said, "It's me." You are ......"

The worker took off his hood and mask and said, "I'm Li Jingwen." ”

Shi Tao took a closer look, and it turned out to be really Li Jingwen. This Li Jingwen joined the navy with Shi Tao, and he was two years older than Shi Tao. We were together when we were training in the water army. This person is very righteous, bigger than Shi Tao, and often protects Shi Tao. Li Jingwen was promoted earlier than Shi Tao, but because of his participation in the internal struggle of the navy, he was caught by others for the crime of forming a party and plotting rebellion, and was almost killed, and was later sent to the smelting field to smash stones. Shi Tao: They thought that Li Jingwen and they were all dead a long time ago.

Shi Tao was puzzled and asked: "Many people here have come out to do things in the kiln, and some of them are already doing well, why are you still doing this here?" ”

Li Jingwen lowered his head and said: "The people of Yaogang know that there are still many talents here, and the people of Yaogang have also seen my files, and the people from Lingshui Wharf have come over several times to persuade me to go out and do things. But I felt that without a pardon from the imperial court, there would be no difference between going out and running away now. I always felt that as long as I had a breath left, I could wait for the day when the court granted an amnesty. I can go home with dignity. If I go back like this, my family will be involved. ”

Shi Tao said: "My brother, you are so confused, you don't know that the imperial court has long been unable to take care of here, no one cares about your affairs here, and now the imperial court is full of messes, how can anyone think of you people." ”

Li Jingwen said with tears in his eyes: "Of the more than 30 people who came in together, only six or seven of them died, did they all die unjustly?" ”

Shi Tao said: "Brother, don't say it. Take off your clothes and come with me in a moment, the kiln is in great need of someone like you who knows how to sail now. Don't be here to get along with yourself. If you have any grievances, go back and tell me, no one in the court will listen to you. ”

Li Jingwen said: "Actually, I have figured it out this paragraph, and I can't stay here anymore." But when I think about it again, I didn't agree to people who invited me like that. What kind of face do you have to say that you want to follow others? ”

Shi Tao said, "Okay, brother." There are a few more people with you, and I will take them away this time, and I will take away those who don't want to go. ”

"Count me as having seven, you don't have to fight, they are all willing to go. And there are many other people here who have figured it out, and they are all many former officials. We can read the "Kiln Gang Weekly" here every day, and the more we know about the outside world, our hearts will be alive. Now that you know the leaders of the kiln, can you take them all away? "Li Jingwen is quite righteous.

Shi Tao said: "You can rest assured, as long as it is a talent, the kiln gang will be needed." If there are too many people, I can talk to the leaders here in the smelting yard first, and ask them to send a few cars to send everyone to the kiln gang together, and I promise to let Mr. Zhang meet everyone. ”

Li Dong from the smelting field of course agreed with Shi Tao to take them back to the kiln, but they didn't expect Li Jingwen to go back and let more than 230 people leave together. Li Dong and the others saw that these were all former officials, so they agreed to let them go. Because the people who are locked up in labor here are either felons or officials, the density of knowledge here is very high.

Li Dong sent a long line of carriages and dragged these people to follow Shi Tao and them back to Yaogang.

After listening to Shi Tao's introduction, Zhang Zhimu stood up and bowed his hand to everyone and said, "I welcome everyone on behalf of all the kiln gang people." I don't have time to talk too much about you today, because I have to accompany General Zhou Yuji soon. I would like to assure you today that you will be given an opportunity to display your talents. If one day people don't like it here, leave. I promise you, you won't leave because you can't do what you can. As for the situation of your own family that you are worried about, we will slowly bring them all to the kiln in the future, so don't worry about it at all. ”

In order to stabilize these people more quickly, Zhang Zhimu asked Lu Bingyi to call the literati who came to Yaogang first to accompany them to drink and eat. This time, they introduced their situation in person, and the concerns of these newcomers were quickly dispelled.

These first people to come to the kiln gang used to beat stones with them, but now everyone has their own busy things, and what is even different is that kind of mental state, which is completely different from them, which is also very stimulating to them. It made them regret it, why didn't they come out and do things earlier.

When Zhang Zhimu left these people, he said to Shi Tao: "Thank you Shi Tao, you sent me a baby." ”

At this time, Zhang Zhimu thought in his heart, if he really wanted to sleep, someone would send him a pillow. We are just short of officials who will take over Shanxi in the future. We must train them well, and many of them have been magistrates. With the cooperation of the army, they will definitely be able to come forward to manage the locality.

The next day, Zhou Yuji, Chen Yufeng, and Ouyang He studied together how to contact support and other things in the event of a war. Yaogang promised to support some more ** and grain. After lunch, Zhou Yuji took people away.

After Zhou Yuji left, Zhang Zhimu returned to the command center with Chen Yufeng, Ouyang He, Yan Boju, and Lu Chengxiang.

Chen Yufeng said: "Zhimu. Mr. Ouyang and I have researched and there are two things that we need to prepare for now. One is the official who will take over in the future; One is that in the future, the focus of our army will not remain here in Yaogang, and it may all be on the periphery. The security guards on this side of the kiln gang must be in charge of special personnel. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "The first thing you said, we have studied it a long time ago, and I am also thinking about it. Many of us have been officials in the kiln gang before, and this time we have come from the smelting field, and I think they will have some changes in their thinking after living and working in the kiln for a period of time. Ideally, they can agree with our philosophy and send them out to be officials. We don't have to worry about it, because we're going to be in military control for a while. They are only in charge of local affairs, and there should be no major problems. At the moment we can't train them publicly, and it won't be good if the news leaks out. The second question, as I think so, is that we need to set up an armed police force, which is similar to the previous military service. There are more and more people in the kiln. Huang Yukun's management team has a former county magistrate official who is very talented, but he can't show it in Yaogang, because there are too many officials who are bigger than him in Yaogang. I want to create a system where we all have to follow. That is, to establish the kiln's own yamen. This yamen needed the police to help carry out their official duties. I would like to ask Yan Bo to concurrently serve as the director of this public security bureau, because Yan Bo can be selfless, he is a person who can pull down his face and is old, and ordinary people dare not disagree. Only in this way can our new yamen establish its prestige. ”

Zhang Zhimu's suggestion was recognized by everyone. Yan Boju also said happily: "Okay, it's time to set up some rules." I have to do this offending thing. I suggest that Yang Jing's kid be my deputy, and with him, our armed police force can be opened. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Our kiln gang model, in the future other places will follow suit, we will first make an example in the kiln." In the future, there will be no major events in our army, and the task is to fight a war with foreign countries. ”

Lu Chengxiang said: "Don't just think about those cities, there are still many mines in Shanxi that the imperial court have, and we have to take them over." ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "We are going to take over the mines of the imperial court. But remember, that's not the kiln's own. We will distinguish this point in the future, and in the future, the court will belong to the entire Shanxi, and we must distinguish these two accounts. ”

Lu Chengxiang and Yan Boju didn't seem to think so, Yan Boju said: "What we occupy is ours, what are the two accounts?" ”

Zhang Zhimu smiled and said: "We occupy Shanxi, so all the land is ours?" In the future, we must have the consciousness of sitting in the world, and we must first distinguish the interests of individuals, places and our company, otherwise we will be chaotic. Of course, it is not clear in a short period of time during the war. ”

Lu Chengxiang said: "According to what you said, there will be a battle in winter, and I think you will go north a little earlier this time, because the new garrisons of Hukou and Zhangjiakou want to see you." If you don't go, it's not going to be easy for us to buy horses. Besides, if we have such a big project in Zhangjiakou, you should also go and see it. ”

Chen Yufeng said: "Zhimu, I think you can go there, and Ouyang He and I can stay at home and keep an eye on the affairs of Tongguan." Besides, you also have to communicate with General Jiang of Datong to communicate things, and if we fight, we will also decide how to cooperate. ”

Ouyang He said: "Let's set some things about our defensive strategy today. Although we can't do it in a big way yet, there are some things that need to be done before they freeze. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to wait until it freezes and then dry. And then there is the matter of Xiurong's defense, do you need to be included in the scope of our defense? ”

As he spoke, Ouyang He opened a curtain on the wall, revealing a large picture almost as big as the wall. This is the floor plan of the entire kiln gang, which is also densely painted with various colors and icons, Zhang Zhimu knows that it is a map of different defensive facilities and troop distribution, and Chen Yufeng and Ouyang He have spent a lot of energy on it.

Ouyang He pointed to the picture and said: "The first phase of our Yaogang construction Bagua City has already expanded a lot. Our development is a little faster in the south. To the east and north of the kiln are mountainous areas, where we can defend a few commanding heights, and then place two barbed wire fences and minefields, which will be easy to defend. Because Li Zicheng has many people, he can't show it here. Our defensive focus is on the west and south sides. Our defensive circle, counting from our posts, is three miles to the east and north, four miles to the south, and five miles to the west, including the Kiln Gang Academy. We are going to build three barbed wire fences, and set up a formation between them. In front of the barbed wire, we dug a lot of stumbling pits, and also buried some cement piles two feet above the ground, and the cement piles were blocked with wire ropes as thick as little fingers. These tripping pits and tightropes were all designed to deal with the onslaught of Li Zicheng's large number of cavalry. As long as the speed of their large cavalry impact is limited, it is a target for us not to be strong. These are our experiences. Even if they rush over and encounter the barbed wire, we can electrify, so it is useless how many of them encounter the grid, even if they cross the first barbed wire, they will encounter ** array. There are also two, three iron nets and ** arrays. Between every barbed wire fence were our infantry trenches. At the end were the defensive trenches of our infantry. This is our perimeter line, and we try to keep the enemy out of the perimeter as much as possible. ”

Ouyang He stopped the baton in his hand and said, "We have to dig out the pits of the cement piles and the wooden stakes of the iron mesh before freezing. ”

"With such a large defensive range, are we enough to defend the troops?" Zhang Zhimu asked.

Ouyang He said: "There is no problem, this is because after we have automatic rifles, we have modified our defensive strategy, if we don't have automatic rifles, we will shrink the defense." In this way, we can take advantage of our weapons and try to keep the enemy as far away as possible, and our construction will be less damaged. Besides, the roads on our side are very smooth, and it is easy to provide support from all sides. I'm not worried about the defense of our kilns. ”

Zhang Zhimu knew that the biggest question Ouyang He wanted to ask was Xiurong's matter, and asked, "How far is our defense line from Xiurong's north gate?" ”

Ouyang said: "Our kiln gang is eight miles away from Xiurong, and the edge of our defense line is only four miles away from Xiurong. Our 120 heavy mortars can block the north gate of Xiurong. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "If we build a fort along the road leading to Xiurong, on the side of the road one mile in front of our defense line, will we be able to keep the road between Xiurong and our kiln gang unblocked?" ”

Ouyang He said: "If Mr. Zhang wants to connect Xiurong and defend with our kiln, our kiln gang has the ability to ensure that this road is unblocked." I think there are two ways, one is to build a fort to provide artillery support; The other is that we patrol back and forth in armored four-wheeled carriages. Our horses also had to be armoured, and our soldiers were equipped with rifles, so that ordinary people could not get close to us. ”

Lu Chengxiang asked, "What if they send cavalry to rush over suddenly?" ”

Ouyang He said: "So we also have to build some tripping pits and cement wire tripwires on both sides of the road in advance. Stop the speed of the cavalry and we will win. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Then make up your mind, if the war is tight, we will take over Xiurong's defense." I want to do the work of Xiurong Zhixian. ”

Ouyang He said: "Okay, we want your words." We'll do the rest. ”

Yan Boju said: "Now Xiurong borrows the light of our kiln, and life is better than in other places. Let's keep it and manage it together after the war. ”

Lu Chengxiang said: "Yes, the land on both sides of the road between Xiurong and Yaogang was almost bought by me." In another year, we will have shops on both sides of the road. That's good. ”

Chen Yufeng said: "In this case, Zhimu, Mr. Lu and Yan Laoshi will go north a little earlier and come back a little earlier." ”

Lu Chengxiang said: "It's easy for us to go north now, we don't need to take his big caravan, our goods have basically been sent to Kill Tiger Kou and Zhangjiakou a long time ago, there are our shops there, so we don't need to sell things." Just tell them what to buy. Now that the road is better, the back and forth is much faster. ”

Just when Zhang Zhimu and the others were about to go north, they didn't expect that Li Yunhe sent him a surprise.

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Mechanics of Materials, Theoretical Mechanics, Elastic Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics. --Progress of "Memories of the Southern Song Dynasty".