If you don't fight for a long time, the army will become lax.

Especially those grassroots officers and ordinary soldiers, who have experienced war and those who have not experienced war, are completely different people.

Li Xiao wanted to let more people see what the war was all about, so Sun Zhijie's subordinates became a hodgepodge.

The 3rd and 4th Divisions, which had not been in battle for a long time, sent the most troops, and each division produced a regiment.

The first division was the most capable of fighting, but only two battalions were produced.

The 2nd Division, which was far away in Fujian, was good at tropical mountain warfare, and this time it also produced a battalion.

The General Staff, which was born out of the military department, mobilized three tractor brigades to transport supplies to the troops.

The armored forces came out with two armored infantry battalions, whose task was not to participate in the battle, but to protect the transport contingent.

Let these troops who do not belong to each other on weekdays, or even never meet each other, twist into a rope, Sun Zhijie has a lot to do.

The cautious Sun Zhijie decided to conduct a joint drill before going abroad to fight. At the very least, let the troops know their role in this team.

Don't fight anymore, you don't know what you're going to do.

Sun Zhijie postponed his time abroad, and Li Xiao agreed.

The Chechens can't run away, and so on doesn't matter.

Li Xiao can afford to wait, but he can't afford to wait for Vatutin, who is in Uralsk.

He has two of Russia's most elite Guards Rifle divisions in his hands!

This time, he defeated many competitors to get the position of commander.

If this battle is fought, he will immediately become the second largest figure in the military after Kutuzov.

After all, the Russians have lost too many battles over the years.

Now there is a general who can win battles, and he will definitely become a big hero that people look up to.

Russia is now learning from the Ming Dynasty in its entirety, and even the military merit system of the Ming Dynasty has been copied from it.

In fact, Russia originally had its own military merit system, but it was all false titles such as knighthood.

There aren't many bonuses and in-kind rewards.

Where is it like Daming, it is net and affordable, and it is not a virtual thing at all.

In addition to giving land to the house, it is a silver coin for white flowers.

As for what title, Daming doesn't have a title now.

Those guys who originally had knighthoods are not doing well now.

The court seems to have forgotten about such a thing, there are many hereditary titles, and the old man is dead and his son is waiting to inherit it.

But the imperial court did not issue official documents to prove its legitimate inheritance.

As for the title and such a thing, the court forgot to send it, and those guys didn't dare to ask for it.

After all, the throne of the greatest hereditary title of the Ming Dynasty.

Now that even the emperor of the Zhu family has disappeared, who dares to mention the matter of his title.

Now the Ming Dynasty has no source of taxation even for the vassal king!

For the first time, the vassal kings united, and they trembled and took a fold.

If they had been on such an excerpt before, it would probably have made them doomed.

Because the emperor disliked the connection between vassal kings the most!

In the past, the feudal kings were trapped in their fiefdoms, and when they wanted to leave a city, a group of people would follow. The process of leaving the vassal king out of the city, whether it is shit or fart. All of them were recorded and presented to the Emperor.

But now there is no such problem at all, if the vassal kings want to. It is not impossible to come to the capital for a walk and go to the Fengxian Hall to worship the ancestors.

However, the cost is at your own expense.

Even the vassal kings were willing to spend money, and it was not a big problem to live in the palace. After all, the palace is still considered the property of the Zhu family.

As a descendant of the Zhu family, it's no problem to go in and live there.

The court's reply to the vassal kings was very simple, if you want money, you have to earn it yourself.

Anyway, in the future, you, the descendants of the Zhu family, need to support yourself with your own profits and losses. The imperial court no longer gave the vassal kings a silver coin.

However, on the contrary, the imperial court also relaxed the restrictions on the descendants of the Zhu family.

Except for the vassal king himself, who could not go abroad, as long as the descendants of the Zhu family completed the necessary procedures, they could run around the world without barriers.

The son of the king of Chu, with the wealth accumulated by the palace of Chu for many years, contracted several oil fields in Arabia.

Now he is rich and has become an oil tycoon in the new era.

Russia is also now de-knighted, anyway, what the Ming Dynasty does, Russia will do.

The nobles who lost their land in the war are now less down than dogs.

Ordinary people regard knighthoods as jokes.

Especially in Central Asia, the newly occupied land of the empire, the old farmers who cultivated the land were likely to be nobles who had previously held titles.

Today's Russians believe more in silver coins with white flowers, as well as large tracts of fertile land.

And military merit is the easiest and fastest way for ordinary people to obtain these things.

Soldiers all crave war, because only by fighting can their value be maximized. to get everything they want!

"Vatutin, we still have to wait for the Ming army. Otherwise, once the mountain is closed by heavy snow, our logistics supply is likely to go wrong.

When the time comes, we will be trapped in the snow and ice. Without the Chechens to fight, we ourselves will freeze to death and starve to death! ”

Regarding the idea that Vatutin wanted to set aside the Ming attack, Deputy Commander Tumenov was firmly opposed.

In his opinion, this time the joint troops. It's best to let the Ming people take the lead!

"Tumenov! Can't we fight without the Ming people?

We are not confronting Israelis armed to the teeth. Nor are they Prussians who can fight well!

They are nothing more than a bunch of bedbugs in the Caucasus Mountains!

Could it be that our Praetorian Guards warriors are still afraid of them?

Lads, tell the deputy commander, are you afraid? ”

"Don't be afraid!"

"Don't be afraid!"

A group of staff officers shouted with their fists raised.

"Tumenov, look at the enthusiasm of the lads. Never mind! Since you don't think you should attack, then you stay with a regiment and take care of the logistics of the whole army.

By the way, wait for the arrival of the Ming allies.

If they still come!

We'll leave early tomorrow morning and head to Grozny. ”

"Commander!"

"Don't say it, it's an order." Vatutin's tone was unmistakable.

"Yes!" Seeing that Vatutin was already very unhappy, Tumenov could only reluctantly agree.

After all! The man is the commander.

"Deputy Commander, do you want to send a telegram to Moscow?" His henchman Konstantinovich asked cautiously.

"Forget it! Even if it is sent to Moscow, the result is the same.

No one in Moscow takes the Chechens seriously at all, as Vatutin said. In their opinion, the Chechens are nothing more than bed bugs in the Caucasus mountains.

Just stick out two fingers and squeeze like that, and those bed bugs will be squeezed to death.

But none of them have been to the Caucasus, and they don't know how cruel the Caucasus Mountains are.

Will the people who survive here be easy to deal with?

Okay Konstantinovich, since let's manage the late stage. Then cheer up and set off tomorrow.

I'm going to give the lads something good to eat today, no matter what!

Perhaps, this is the last hot meal that some of them will ever eat. Tumenov's words were a little discouraged.

Konstantinovich looked at his backer very strangely, what made Tumenov, who could fight well, like this?

"Go ahead! Get some good food for the boys. With a sad look on his face, Tumenov walked back to his tent.

A tent in winter is not much different from nothing.

Moreover, the Russians will not make a fire, so they can only get a cast iron stove supported by the Ming Dynasty in the tent.

A large shovel of lumps of coal was thrown into the hearth, and orange flames burned brightly in it.

In a short time, the water in the tin pot boiled. The white vapor curled up, and the smoke was a little itchy on the face.

Tumenov thought for a while and rubbed his face. Stand up and go to find Geng Jingzhong, the liaison of the Ming Dynasty.

Konstantinovich did his best to pull out all the sheep from the neighborhood. Finally filled the boys' bellies!

The lads complained about such a good meal without alcohol!

Good boy!

Tomorrow we will go out to fight, who will dare to give wine to drink.

Konstantinovich could only persuade, saying that when he came back from the victory, he would have wine to drink.

Not only is there wine to drink, but it is also the wine of the Ming Dynasty.

When the officers and soldiers heard Konstantinovich say this, they were looking forward to entering the Caucasus now and killing the Chechens.

Then he came out with Dudayov's head and drank celebratory wine!

Early the next morning, the front search battalion departed.

Two Guards Divisions, along two main roads, entered the Caucasus Mountains.

When it first started, everything went well.

Although the road is not too easy to walk, it is not difficult to walk.

The snow is pressed against the coniferous pine forest, and the sun shines on it beautifully.

The pond in the forest is frozen very strong, let alone walking, even if it is a horse-drawn carriage.

The water was frozen into a verdant green, like huge pieces of jade.

Russian soldiers, scattered through the woods like an outing. As he walked, he looked around vigilantly, trying to spot the legendary Chechens.

The officers and men of the Guards Division, they were all Muscovites of native origin.

Before they came here, none of them knew where the Caucasus was. Not to mention, someone has seen the Chechens.

In their opinion, with authentic Daming equipment. It will not be a problem to defeat those Chechens, after killing all those Chechens.

With the honor of the victors, with the supreme exploits of war, returned to Moscow.

Accept the enthusiasm of the girls, enjoy the rewards of Her Majesty the Empress, and spend the rest of your life among wine and beauty.

On the first day of the march, the march advanced more than twenty kilometers in the direction of the Caucasus.

That's the distance on the map, and it's actually more than double the amount of mountain trails you've taken.

For this marching distance, Vatutin was satisfied.

After all, it's a mountain road, and you can't be too harsh on these Moscow-grown boys.

At night!

Vatutin's sentry was very carefully arranged, and they were all mixed with light and dark sentinels.

The nearby woods were all mined, and in the dark forest, it was impossible to see the markings at night.

This was the idea of the Ming army observers, and landmines could not only kill and injure enemy troops, but also be a sharp weapon for early warning.

As long as there is a mine explosion, it will definitely be an enemy attack.

Vatutin admired the advanced experience of the Ming army's military observers, and asked his subordinates to do the same while it was still dark.

Soon!

A small minefield was formed in the forest, and although it did not play a role in killing and injuring a large number of enemies, it was more than enough for early warning.

The military observers of the Ming army also warned that the mines should not be planted in this way.

You have to mark it well, and you have to get up tomorrow.

Stockpiles cannot be depleted in this way when logistics cannot be quickly replenished.

Vatutin listened to it and thought so!

Night soon fell, and the Russian army found shelter from the wind and set up camp.

In the forest, there can be no shortage of wood.

In every campsite, there are piles of bonfires burning.

After nightfall, it's too cold in the mountains. A bubble of urine spilled on the ground, and when it burst up, it had turned into ice ballast.

Even in the face of the campfire, the soldiers did not feel any warmth.

Vatutin's treatment is naturally better than that of the soldiers!

At least he had a tent to live in, but the inside of his tent was the same as in Tumenov's tent yesterday.

There is only one tin stove!

Pine wood burned inside the stove, and a strong pine smell lingered inside the tent.

Vatujin reached out and poured a bowl of hot water into the tin kettle, and there was nothing more popular than hot water at this time.

The hot water melted by the snow is a little clear and sweet in the mouth.

Vatujin drank a bowl and felt warm all over.

And the two military observers of Daming drank the strange-tasting ginger soup. In awe of the Daming cuisine, Vatujing took a sip and immediately thanked this kind of drinking product that claimed to be able to ward off the cold.

Taking advantage of the heat on his body, after inspecting the sentry, Vatujin looked at his watch. It's already ten o'clock in the evening!

Taking off his coat, Vatutin fell asleep on the marching bed.

It seems that he had just fallen asleep when he heard an explosion.

Then, several more explosions were heard.

Vatujing woke up suddenly, but he didn't expect the words of the Ming military observer to really come true. Those Chechens who came to sneak attack must have been blown up by landmines.

The explosion was an order, and all the soldiers woke up from their sleep.

They searched for cover, pointing their guns at the black hole in the forest.

As soon as they find or feel that there is anything that can be done, they will shoot them flatly.

In the dark night, the gunshots rang out like popping beans.

Vatujing listened attentively, and it was all the sound of gunshots. Occasionally, it is mixed with the sound of a Maxim heavy machine gun!

It's so dark, what can you do?

Vatutin was suspicious that the bastards were disgusted with the heavy bullets and wanted to run out of bullets first.

"Stop shooting!" It was all the gunfire of their own people, and not a single enemy gunfire could be heard.

Vatutin's order was passed down, and it wasn't long before the gunfire around him stopped.

After about an hour, Vatutin could not stand the cold of the Caucasus mountains.

The order could only be given for the soldiers to go back and continue sleeping.

I also got back into the tent and got ready for a good night's sleep.

Damn, being made such a fuss. A full two hours of sleep less.

Just over an hour of sleep, the explosion sounded again. When it approached, there was a loud burst of gunfire.

This time in a different direction, Vatutin had to pick up his rifle and go out to see what was going on.