After the military meeting, He Meng quickly issued an order to march to Dihua. He Meng guessed the intentions of the Russian army and ordered the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Cavalry Divisions to take charge of the transportation line from Hami to Turpan and ensure the absolute safety of the transportation line. The 4th and 5th Cavalry Divisions are responsible for the security of both flanks, and the Independent Cavalry Division, due to its familiarity with the terrain, is divided into 9 independent combat units with regiments as units, which are specially designed to deal with small groups of Russian cavalry that sneak attack, and at the same time undertake reconnaissance tasks.

It was too hot during the day for the troops to move. As soon as it was getting dark, the independent cavalry division, with the regiment as a unit, took the lead. Then the 4th and 5th Cavalry Divisions followed, and the 1st and 2nd Infantry Corps and logistics units and officers' families were on the road in large numbers. After dark, the temperature dropped rapidly, and the feeling of coolness quickened the march. Soon after the troops walked out of the grape ditch, they received a report from the cavalry unit on the right that they were harassed by a small group of Russian cavalry troops.

"Commander, it seems that the Russian army has no intention of fighting us head-on, but has resorted to sneak attacks and harassment operations. It is indeed a headache for the Russian army to change its mode of operation and not confront us head-on. He Meng said: "It is very likely that we will encounter a cunning opponent who is looking for our weaknesses. I am worried that the Russian army will abandon Dihua, avoid its edge, and deal with us. Not being able to do it is the most uncomfortable. Or the president has the foresight to stand firm in our westward expedition. ”

He Meng guessed that the Russian army was retreating from Dihua, but he didn't expect the retreat to be so complete. As the largest town in the west, Dihua has about 50,000 residents. Commander Kalinin ordered his troops to forcibly escort the people of the city to the west, and then burned the entire city. Let Dihua completely become a dead city. Kalinin's imagination was unleashed to the limit, and the level of brutality was unprecedented.

At this time, Kalinin stood on a high point outside the city. Be interested in admiring your own masterpieces. The city was blazing with flames and thick smoke. Outside the city, local residents walked slowly with the old and the young. Forcing them to leave their homeland, women wept bitterly, and men were filled with hatred. The crowd that was moving slowly suddenly fell to their knees in front of the city, and from time to time someone shouted: "Allah Almighty, please bless us with mercy!" Suddenly a large number of Russian cavalry came up, and they waved their horsewhips and whipped the crowd. Drive them on the road.

Kalinin was standing next to the commander of the Polish cavalry division, this guy originally wanted to be in the limelight and steal the lead, but he wanted a cavalry brigade. Two-thirds of the horses were reimbursed. The disadvantage of the division made the commander of the Polish cavalry division depressed. Kalinin said: "A certain general, our opponent is too terrible. I warned you to be extra careful. But your men are too greedy. The unauthorized ransacking of the oasis revealed his whereabouts. Otherwise there would have been no problems with this operation. ”

"Mighty Polish Iron Cavalry, we must make our enemies pay back double!" The commander of the Polish cavalry division said hatefully. Kalinin was in a good mood and said: "I believe that the great Polish Iron Cavalry will definitely be able to create brilliant results." A certain general, it's time for us to hit the road, let the Chinese clean up this mess! "Kalinin withdrew his headquarters and main forces to the city of Huocheng on the western border, and a Russian cavalry division was deployed in Yili, ready to maneuver at any time.

A few days later. He Meng led the army to the city and looked at the ruined Dihua City. He was speechless for a long time. "This group of scum who have lost their conscience is simply inferior to beasts," Deng Xiuhua beside him was filled with indignation. A small cavalry search detachment rushed from within the city. "Report to the commander, after searching that there is not a single local citizen in the city, 80 percent of the houses have been burned, and only one mosque is intact."

"It seems that the Russians are also afraid of offending Allah!" Peng Chuan Road. He Meng sneered and said: "The Russians are not afraid of offending Allah, but of offending the Muslims, if he burns down the mosque and church, he will have a grudge with the entire Muslim, the Russians are not fools." After the troops entered the city, He Meng issued an edict not to enter the mosque, let alone harass them. In addition, all the troops entered the city and rushed to repair the houses. The Western Expedition army became the first residents of Dihua City after the catastrophe.

The next day, He Meng held a military meeting of major generals, and he glanced at everyone and said majestically: "We have occupied Dihua, but Dihua City has become a ruin. The Russians were cruel and clever in their actions, and their aim was to make it impossible for us to gain a foothold and force us to retreat. But the Russians were wrong, because we are a strong-willed army that can fight well in a harsh environment, and the first task before us next is how to gain a foothold. ”

He Meng continued: "Now I will promulgate the military deployment. The 1st Division of the 1st Army was deployed in Changji and served as the western defense. The 2nd Division was deployed at Bukang and served as a defense in the northwest direction. The 4th Cavalry Division was stationed in Midong and was ready to defend the west and north. The 2nd Division of the 3rd Army was stationed at Qitai and served as the defense of the northern area. The independent cavalry division is still divided into regiments and mobile at any time. ”

He Meng paused and continued: "The 4th Division of the 2nd Army is stationed in Dabancheng and serves as the eastern defense, and the 5th Division and Artillery Division are stationed in Dihua. The 6th Division, together with the Army Reclamation Advisory Group, was pulled to the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, where Zuo Zongtang had reclaimed a large amount of farmland at the foot of the sky, and although the farmland now being reclaimed has been abandoned, we must make use of it as soon as possible. The officers and men of the 6th Division were asked to prepare for the military reclamation regiment to enter Xinjiang, plant vegetables as soon as possible, and ensure the supply of vegetables this winter. ”

"The 5th Cavalry Division entered the pasture at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, not only to meet the forage for the war horses, but also to reserve the forage for this winter and next spring. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Cavalry Divisions went all out to protect the unimpeded transportation line from Hami to Dihua. In the next step, the Russian army will definitely carry out large-scale harassment operations, and all departments must take strict precautions to avoid unnecessary losses. Whether we can gain a foothold in Dihua depends on whether we can resist the large-scale attacks of the Russian army this year and next! ”

Immediately after the end of the military meeting, the ministries went into action. The headquarters of the 1st Army is located in Changji, the headquarters of the 2nd Army is located in Dabancheng, and the headquarters is located in Dihua. On the same day, He Mengcheng took a turn in the city, and then ordered the 5th Division stationed in Dihua to transfer a regiment to Tianchi to cut wood. At the same time, the commander of the 5th Division was ordered to repair the burned houses in the city as soon as possible, so as to create conditions for the people to return and settle down in the future. He Meng didn't know that the people of Dihua were forcibly escorted to Kazakhstan by the Russian army, and 50,000 people arrived in the designated area along the way, and 30,000 people died.

According to Deng Zixuan's instructions, He Meng officially changed Dihua to the original name Urumqi. Hongshan is located in the center of Urumqi, on the east bank of the Urumqi River, like a giant dragon lying horizontally from east to west. The high dragon head stretches out into the river, and the cliffs are majestic and majestic. The Red Mountain is more than 900 meters above sea level, and the mountain is majestic and beautiful. Because the cliff at the west end is brownish-red, it is called Red Mountain. With its dangerous location and peculiar location, it was regarded as a sacred mountain by the ancients.

A few days later, He Meng and his wife, daughter-in-law and daughter climbed the bare Red Mountain. Mrs. Deng Xiuhua was pregnant, and He Meng supported her. Originally, He Meng didn't want his wife to climb the mountain, but Deng Xiuhua had to go up to see the pagoda on the mountain. The pagoda is next to the cliff on the west side, and it is very strange to see from a distance.

"This is Zhenlong Tower!" Deng Xiuhua panted and sighed. The righteous daughter Peony and the youngest daughter saw that the pagoda was close to the cliff and did not dare to come, so the guards accompanied them. He Meng said: "This pagoda is a blue brick structure, the tower is 10.6 meters high, and it is a six-sided nine-level blue brick solid tower. The tower was built in 1788, exactly 101 years ago. The cliff of the red mountain is called the tiger head cliff, whenever the sun sets in the west, the red light shines here, the whole peak is full of red light, just like the treasure light in the myth appears, and it is like the Yao Pond skillfully moving the red mountain. In the afterglow of the sunset, the shadow of the tower is obliquely long, showing a charming style, also known as the sunset of the tower shadow. ”

Deng Xiuhua said: "Looking at the pagoda, more than 100 years have passed, and it is still intact. It's a pity that there is not a trace of greenery on the mountain, and there is no grass. Standing on the edge of the cliff and looking at the rushing and roaring river below, Deng Xiuhua only grabbed her husband's arm and said: "It makes people dizzy, it's not raining now, and the river is soaring below?" ”

He Meng smiled: "It's dog days now, and the water coming from the river is mainly melted ice water from the Tianshan Mountains. The husband and wife looked at Urummu from afar, and Deng Xiuhua seemed to think of something: "Father-in-law Weishenme asked to change the name of Dihua to Urumqi?" He Meng said: "Urumqi Mongolian language means beautiful pasture,." In the 20th year of Qianlong, after quelling the Jungger rebellion, he built a fortification in Jiujiawan and officially named Urumqi. ”

He Meng briefly recalled: "In the 38th year of Qianlong, Urumqi was changed to the governor of Dihua Prefecture, and then it was called Dihua. The president's meaning, Urumqi meaning is more appropriate, so I specially instructed me to change Dihua to Urumqi to more highlight the characteristics of the Western Regions. At this time, the guard came over and said that the children were going to the east to see the artillery position, He Meng nodded in agreement, and asked Peony to take care of his sister.

The officers and soldiers in the east were transporting the cannons to the mountain, and the shouts of the officers and soldiers could be heard from afar. "Weishenme deploying artillery on the mountain?" Deng Xiuhua was confused. He Meng said: "Hongshan is located in the center of the city, and the location is excellent. I am going to arrange an artillery brigade on the mountain, which can carry out fire support and strikes in all directions from a high position, and the combat efficiency of an artillery brigade can be equivalent to that of an artillery division. ”

The husband and wife waited until the sunset to the west and witnessed the sunset in the tower shadow before turning back. (To be continued......)

PS: Although Dihua was occupied, the curtain of the Western Expedition seemed to have just begun.