Episode 1 Kanas Lake Fortress

Kanas Lake, this lake is in the shape of a narrow crescent, running north-south, 24 kilometers long, the widest point is only more than 2 kilometers, the area is ten times the Tianshan Tianchi. Kanas Lake is flanked by mountains, forests, and melted snow water flows into the lake. The surface of the lake is rippling with blue waves, reflecting the mountains on both sides, and the scenery is very beautiful. The lakes and mountains of northern Xinjiang are originally amazing, but the lakes and mountains of Kanas Lake can be called a treasure among them. Later generations had such a saying: Kanas Lake is the only Swiss scenery in Asia.

But this place, at this time, was not as famous as later generations. At this time, the most famous scenic spot in the two regions is Tianshan Tianchi. However, the Tianshan Tianchi cannot be compared with Kanas Lake in terms of area or beauty. The main advantage of Tianchi is that it is located in the vicinity of the political, economic and cultural centers of Xinjiang and the transportation is convenient, only a few kilometers away from the Great Plains under the mountain, and dozens of kilometers away from Changji and Dihua. Nearby dignitaries and tourists can easily approach Tianchi.

But Kanas Lake is like a more beautiful, noble, and mysterious maiden, hiding herself in a curtain, and making it unapproachable with the mountains and mountains. Although Tianchi is also a mountain lake, it is only more than 20 kilometers away from the plain area. However, Kanas Lake is far from the nearest plain area, but it is separated by more than 80 kilometers of lofty mountains, and only a winding mountain road can be reached in the middle, which is easy to defend and difficult to attack. In many places, it is a one-man affair and a thousand people are not open.

What's more, Kanas Lake is not only inaccessible, but also closer to the border. From here to the west to the border of Kazakhstan, it is only 14 kilometers. To the Russian border to the north, it is only about 40 kilometers. From here to the city of Altay, the administrative center of the Altay region, there are 180 kilometers - 80 kilometers of high mountains, plus 100 kilometers of plains.

It was this that made Guangwu choose Kanas Lake as his last stronghold. The 80-kilometer overlapping mountain range made it difficult for large forces to approach. Moreover, it is only a dozen kilometers close to the border of the Soviet Union, and although it is a mountain road, it can also be said that it is close at hand, and it is only a short walk away. If the situation is not right, it can immediately withdraw into the territory of the Soviet Union. Moreover, this place still belongs to the scope of northern Xinjiang, and Guangwu is stationed here, and he still stays in the "Ili Kingdom" and does not go into exile. As he himself said, this is a symbol, symbolizing that the Soviet army has not failed in northern Xinjiang, and symbolizing that the Ili Kingdom still exists.

The location is safe, the withdrawal into the Soviet Union is convenient, and it is still in the territory of northern Xinjiang, which is precisely why Stalin considered and agreed.

……

In fact, there is another reason why Guangwu chose this place, or knew about it.

In the 80s of the 19th century, after Zuo Zongtang recovered the two Xinjiang, the two Xinjiang established a provincial system and became the "new Xinjiang Province". Many places that were previously inaccessible have been developed. After World War I, the world prospered, and the atmosphere of pleasure swept the world, and the Northern Qing Dynasty was no exception. At that time, it was just in time for the golden period after the Wuxu Reform, and the railways and highways to the northwest were opened to traffic one after another. The arrival of modern means of transportation such as trains and automobiles has allowed these dignitaries to get rid of the situation of traveling for a few months or a year and a half in the past, and many princes and nobles in the hinterland, and even royal family relatives, have begun to popularize "long-distance travel".

The Qing Dynasty royal nomadic origin, the end of the Qing Dynasty, almost every emperor is very fond of traveling and hunting in the border area, and Mulan autumn hunting is the rule of the Qing Dynasty royal family. In addition to playing and relaxing, maintaining the martial spirit of the Qing Dynasty, the autumn hunt was also an important opportunity for the emperor to meet with the local minority princes and contact with them. In the past, due to transportation reasons, the emperor could only go to the Northeast and Inner Mongolia nearby, but now with trains and automobiles, it has become more convenient and important to go to the autumn hunt and meet the princes of the two regions.

The scenery in northern Xinjiang is beautiful, and the railway and highway have just been opened, so it has naturally become a place where the princes and nobles of the Qing dynasty flock to it. In order to tie up with these royal relatives in the capital, and even more so to tie up with the long live lord who may come to their own jurisdiction, the local officials in northern Xinjiang have all resorted to their own means. In particular, the magistrates of the Altay region are even more exceeding. In addition to the "local specialties" such as gold and mink, Altay is best known for its stunning natural scenery. The Altay prefect looked for some of the most beautiful places in his own jurisdiction, and then built a large number of buildings, built villas and mansions, built mountain roads, and built various supporting facilities for life and pleasure, similar to the later "clubhouse".

In the entire Altay region, the most charming scenery is Kanas Lake. Therefore, the Altay Palace built for the emperor was selected in the Kanas Lake Scenic Area. Because it is necessary to build the palace in a place with the best scenery and the best view on the lakeside, and there is a steep slope, it is very difficult to build, so the Altay prefect is looking for a foreign designer. After the foreign designers came to see the site, they were also overwhelmed by the lakes and mountains that are comparable to Switzerland, and directly suggested that the prefect design the palace in the form of a European-style castle, so that it can better blend in with the surrounding lakes and mountains. The prefect was also very satisfied with the watercolor renderings drawn by the foreigners, and immediately approved it.

In addition to a palace, several luxury villas have been built on the shores of Kanas Lake. The palace was for the emperor, and the villa was for the magnates of Beijing. In order to match the castle of the palace, several villas were also built in Western style. A castle and several villas are reflected in the charming lake all year round, forming a unique scenery of Kanas Lake. Until the fall of the Northern Qing Dynasty, the names of several of the most powerful and powerful people in the Northern Qing Dynasty were written on the deeds of several luxury villas on the shore of Kanas Lake.

When Guangwu was still the prince, he accompanied his father Emperor Xuantong to hunt in the northern part of the autumn hunt, once went to the Altai Mountains, and stayed in the palace on the shore of Kanas Lake. Although Guangwu had only been to Kanas Lake once, he was deeply impressed by that place. Guangwu is not a person who only likes to have fun, he is still very good at military affairs. In addition to the beautiful scenery, the strongest feeling of the Kanas Lake area is the impregnable military geographical location, as well as its extremely special strategic location. Kanas Lake is located in the northernmost part of northern Xinjiang, close to Kazakhstan in the west, Russia in the north, and Outer Mongolia in the east. The small environment is easy to defend and difficult to attack, but the large environment is accessible in all directions. In peacetime, this is a resort. But in extraordinary times, it's an impregnable fortress.

Now, Guangwu almost believes that it was arranged in the dark that allowed him to return here after many years, so that the place he fancied when he was a teenager can play a role again.

……

It has been three days since Guangwu moved into the Kanas Lake Palace. August is the most beautiful time for Kanas Lake. Looking out the window at the snow-capped mountains and the swans cruising on the lake, breathing in the cool mountain air with the fragrance of pine forests, listening to the heavy footsteps of Soviet soldiers moving things in the corridor, and the sound of Russian laughter, this abruptness made Guangwu fall into an illusion, as if he didn't remember where he was.

Because it has only been a few days since I moved in, all kinds of materials and equipment are still being transported into the castle one after another. In the past two days, the Soviet officers commanded the soldiers to work inside and outside the castle, tidying up the rooms, placing things, and setting up binoculars, searchlights, and machine guns in some windows of the castle to monitor the lake and mountain roads to prevent the Ming army from sending people to assassinate them.

The security of the entire area of the palace was guarded by Soviet troops. The Soviets stationed two battalions here, with a strength of about 800 men, and the formation was a regiment. One of them lived in the castle, and the others were stationed in several villas around the castle, guarding the road to the castle.

Guangwu moved here from the city of Altay, and the pressure on the security of the Soviet army was suddenly relieved. In the city of Altay, if you want to protect the safety of the royal palace, you can't do it without a few regiments. But to defend this isolated mountain castle, two battalions were more than enough.

Suddenly, it was dark in front of him, and a huge thing blocked the window, and Guangwu frowned and saw that it turned out to be a 37mm machine gun. A winch had been erected on it, and the Soviets were shouting a trumpet to get this big creature to the top of the castle. The machine gun fell to the ground and was dragged up by the steel cable. Guangwu looked out carefully, two kilometers away on the other side of the lake, there was also a villa among the trees, and an anti-aircraft gun was also erected on the terrace of the villa.

The castle was built along the canyon by the lake, and in such a location that it could be said that the bombers could do nothing against it. But the Ming army will definitely come to try their luck, so the necessary air defense measures are still indispensable.

These Soviet-made weapons, as well as a large amount of materials and equipment, were brought in directly from Kazakhstan in the west. The transportation to Kazakhstan here is much more convenient than the transportation to the Altay Plain in the south. When Guangwu came, he first landed on the eastern border of Kazakhstan by plane, and then drove along the mountain road into the Kanas Lake Palace. Even if one day you can't hold on here, you can easily retreat from this mountain road to Kazakhstan.

Of course, if the Ming army wants to break through the 80-kilometer mountains and mountains to fight here, even if it is not impossible, it will not be ten years or eight years. This is destined to be a place that can be held for a long time. Nearly 100 kilometers of mountain barriers, as well as a steady stream of convenient supplies from Kazakhstan and Russia, coupled with the high-power radio station set up here, the Kanas Lake Fortress is destined to become an insurmountable fortress, like a nail, forever stuck in the flesh of the Ming army. As long as this fortress is still here, the northern frontier of the Ming army will never want to live in peace.

Guangwu leaned on the windowsill, looking at the magnificent scenery at a glance, thinking like this in his heart, and slowly felt a lot better.