Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3630: The trenches lock the moon and hide the sharp blades, the Qiang cavalry waits for the thunder

The early morning sun shines on the southern foothills of Taihang Mountains.

The summer heat is gradually rising.

The sun had only been up for a short time when people on the ground could feel its warmth.

The troops led by Jiang Jiong had to stay for a medium to long term, so they also built a camp in the Tuyuan area north of the river. The cavalry did a good job in the camp training, whether it was new recruits or veterans, and their basic skills were relatively solid.

A standard cavalry camp.

There are trenches on three sides and a natural loess fault on one side.

The dug trench was about an arrow's distance away from the camp's wall fortifications.

The earth from the trench was piled on the inside to raise it and form a low wall.

Behind the low wall are some obstacles such as stakes and chevaux de frise, and then the tent camp is further back, which is divided into three areas. There are passages and open spaces between each area, and guard posts are built.

These are basic operations and there is nothing special about them.

Humans are not like ferocious beasts with ferocious claws and fangs. If they lie down anywhere, other weaker creatures will retreat. With such a circle of fortifications, both humans and horses will have a sense of "security" psychologically and will rest better. Even though they know that such a sense of security may not be obtained by fortifications.

Of course, cavalry are still cavalry, and it is impossible for them to rely on huge civil engineering projects. Therefore, a wide cavalry passage was left in the camp so that they could be deployed at any time when needed.

Jiang Jiong's troops were relatively few in number, and a forceful attack on Cheng Yu's camp would cause great damage, but they were enough to intercept Cheng Yu's advance or to harass him. Therefore, Jiang Jiong divided the troops in the camp into three parts, one for attacking and harassing, another for preparing for battle and repairing the toenails in Taihang Mountain, and the last part for resting and daily training.

Although each group of cavalry consists of only three to four hundred people, as long as there is no head-on combat, Cheng Yu's Cao army soldiers have no way to use two legs to block four legs on the front line.

They occasionally fought each other and suffered some injuries on both sides, but the scale was not large.

But everyone knows that the current situation is only temporary...

……

……

Jiang Jiong was in trouble, and Cheng Yu was also in a headache.

There are many trees in the area between the southern foot of Taihang Mountain and the river, so the camp is naturally more abundant in terms of materials. The felled trees can be dragged by war horses, but war horses cannot do too much heavy labor, otherwise they will lose weight easily.

Humans are different.

Cows and horses have time to leisurely chew grass, but others can only work overtime.

Especially Cao's army.

The cavalry led by Jiang Jiong had some horsepower for assistance, while Cao's army was basically composed of infantry, and all work had to rely on manpower.

The surrounding woods were filled with soldiers and laborers who were logging and dragging the felled wood back. The ground was scratched with shallow grooves by the dragged wood. There were no pulleys or processed wood, so it was very heavy to drag. The huge friction of the bark on the ground could even break the dragging rope.

Those assigned to do this kind of work are worse than oxen and horses. It only takes half a day for the skin on their shoulders to be worn out, and their flesh and blood will be stuck to the hemp ropes.

Even the task of fetching water was considered easy...

Everyone can be lazy, but the workload will not automatically decrease just because some people are lazy, so someone still has to do the work.

So, who will do it?
If they are a family, it is bound to be the one who can't stand dirt and slovenliness the most, usually the mother. If they are not a family, they become the ones who are most likely to be bullied.

Therefore, in Cao's camp, the "newcomers" naturally had to do the heaviest and most tiring work.

Cheng Yu saw it, but didn't care.

From a big perspective, Cheng Yu had to consider the outcome of the entire battlefield, and had no extra energy to correct and deal with some trivial disputes. From a small perspective, this contradiction was between the soldiers of Cao's army, with soldiers fighting soldiers and the lower levels biting the lower levels. Could it be that Cheng Yu should care about who got bitten more?
Although officials in Shandong Central Plains like to be called the parents of the people, this "parent" is not very similar to the parents in the family. When parents in the family see their children being bullied and have no food to eat, most of them will be angry, anxious, and think of ways to solve the problem. But the "parent official"...

When Cheng Yu encountered Jiang Jiong, he also tried to break through, but unfortunately, the speed of his soldiers' movement could not achieve the effect he originally expected. Although he could use some soldiers to intercept Jiang Jiong's cavalry, the cavalry's movement speed could quickly find another route and open up a new front.

Now Cheng Yu and Jiang Jiong are in a stalemate. Both sides lack the means to make the final decision and are preparing their own means.

……

……

Jiang Jiong squatted on the mound. He held a straw stick in his mouth and wore a leather armor instead of heavy armor. He looked like an ordinary military student. He stared in the east in a daze, and no one knew what he was thinking.

At the bottom of the mound, there were several of Jiang Jiong's followers, leading their horses and chatting and laughing in low voices.

In the past two days, due to the stalemate between the two sides, there have not been any major conflicts, and the soldiers have been somewhat more relaxed.

Moreover, Jiang Jiong was born in Longxi, and his way of commanding soldiers was similar to that of the early generals of Xiliang. In addition to the further studies over the years, Jiang Jiong now has both the courage to lead the troops in attacking the enemy formation and the strategy to think about the battle situation and design countermeasures.

Jiang Jiong knew that there was no such thing as getting something for nothing in this world. If you want it again and again, it will basically be in vain. So Jiang Jiong did not think of relying on the few troops under his command to overcome difficulties and annihilate Cheng Yu.

If there were more flat lands and there was no need to consider logistics and food routes, the cavalry's range of activities could naturally be expanded a lot. But now, restricted by the need to guard the ferry and pass to the west, Jiang Jiong cannot leave and does not have much room for maneuver.

Since the battle between the two sides began, all the arrangements of the Cao army have been in line with the rules, and there is nothing special about them. However, since yesterday, the Cao army seems to have made some moves. The soldiers no longer compete with Jiang Jiong's scouts for battlefield space, but retreated to the camp and behind the camp. I don't know what they are doing...

Jiang Jiong couldn't figure out what the purpose of Cao Jun's doing this was, but he was sure that it was used against him.

While Jiang Jiong was thinking, several Qiang-looking leaders came striding towards him. In Jiang Jiong's team, there were Qiang people and Han people. Although the Qiang and Han people were separated in the team according to the order of the General of the Cavalry, the innate gathering effect still made the Qiang and Han people gather together unconsciously. It was just like in later generations, when they heard the local accent in a foreign land, they could not help but be enthusiastic.

After all, the Qiang people had maintained their tribal traditional customs for hundreds of years before Fei Qian sneaked into Guanzhong. It is not possible to completely reverse and eliminate them within two or three years. After all, a transition period is needed.

As soon as they saw these Qiang military officers coming, Jiang Jiong's guards knew they were coming to find Jiang Jiong. Because of the confrontation between the two sides over the past two days, these Qiang leaders and military officers have become somewhat uneasy, and they are also muttering to each other, which is very different from the Han military officers who just follow orders.

The cultural level of the Qiang people is even lower than that of the Han people.

Even in some Qiang tribes, the custom of using knots to record events and using shamans to pray is still preserved.

For these Qiang people, they have no idea about justice in the world and the unification of the country. Their understanding of the war is just that if they win, they will get spoils and rewards, and they can go home to buy cattle and sheep, or bring more items to their families and clansmen, etc., which are material benefits.

So without fighting or spoils of war, the Qiang people could no longer sit still. Then, according to Qiang custom, they came to find their "big boss" Jiang Jiong.

It's not that they want to oppose or threaten, but they want to get some explanation from the "big boss" before they can communicate with the Qiang people around them.

Several Qiang people murmured to each other at the bottom of the earthen mound for a while, and seemed to be pushing each other around. Then one of the older Qiang leaders stood up, saluted Jiang Jiong, and shouted, "Respected leader, we have something to say to you..."

Jiang Jiong took a look and spat out the grass root, "Okay, come up."

Several Qiang people walked up the hill and saluted Jiang Jiong, "Dear leader..."

"That's enough," Jiang Jiong waved his hand, "You don't need to be so polite. You know my habits. I don't do anything fancy. If there's anything, just say it."

The older Qiang leader smiled and said, "Chief, you are also from Longxi like us... We will not hide anything from you... In our opinion, even if we win the battle against Cao's army, if we cannot move forward... we will not have any good achievements and spoils... We are here in response to the call of the cavalry. Wherever the cavalry general tells us to go, we are willing to obey his orders. We have fought on the battlefield and have never retreated or been afraid... But now, we are neither fighting nor leaving, just wasting time here... I wonder how long this war will last, respected chief?"

Jiang Jiong squinted his eyes, looked at the Qiang people, and then suddenly laughed, "What are your plans? Just tell us. We are all straightforward. Don't beat around the bush! Don't you trust me?"

Several Qiang military officers looked at each other, then touched their chests as a salute, "Of course we trust you, leader... We have also talked to some brothers, and we will fight Cao's army without hesitation. Even if our heads are chopped off, it is the will of the gods... But sitting here and waiting will get us nothing... Leader, you also know that we came out to fight just to bring spoils to our people at home... Now, now..."

Facing Jiang Jiong's gradually colder gaze, the Qiang Military School couldn't help but lower their voices. The other leaders behind the older Qiang also lowered their heads to avoid Jiang Jiong's gaze, and each of them looked somewhat embarrassed.

"Come on, tell me, what do you want to do?" Jiang Jiong asked, "Just say it. Don't hesitate like a woman."

"...We discussed it and decided that if we just sit here and do nothing..." The Qiang leader lowered his head, "We want to go back to Heluo and be under the command of the General of the Cavalry... There is nothing to do here anyway, and when the battle is over... our merits and spoils will be less than those of the Qiang people in Heluo... Our tribesmen will laugh at us to death... It's not that we don't obey military orders, it's just that just sitting there and waiting is really..."

The older Qiang leader finished speaking hesitantly. Even though he was the leader elected by everyone, he couldn't help but look extremely embarrassed at this moment. He looked away, not daring to meet Jiang Jiong's intimidating gaze.

Jiang Jiong stared at them for a while, then suddenly laughed, "I understand, I understand! I understand, I understand!"

Jiang Jiong waved his hands, "We are all men from Longyou and Longxi, how can we not understand what you are talking about? I am the leader now, but I was promoted recently, it's not worth mentioning... But I have been in Longxi before, and I know your problems... So, do you want to hear what I think?"

The Qiang leaders nodded silently.

Jiang Jiong grinned, but there was more sarcasm in his smile, "I can understand your thoughts! But, have you ever thought about this? Over the years, you are not the only ones who went out to fight, right? There must have been many people like you who went out to fight and brought spoils back home and to their tribesmen, right? But have you ever thought about this? After so many years, after so many people brought so many things back home and to their tribesmen... have you changed now? Hmm? I mean, like the Han people... "

Jiang Jiong opened his arms, "Look, the Han people are undergoing the same changes right beside you... They are all in Longxi, on the same land, and under the same sky..."

The sarcasm on Jiang Jiong's face became more and more obvious. "To be honest, I understand, but I think your idea is stupid! Why stay here? Don't you know how to charge forward and fight to the death? It's your life anyway! Why wait here? Isn't it because I want to save more brothers' lives and win more battles with you? ! Is this wrong? It's true that if you wait here, there will be no spoils and no merits in your hands now, but are you sure there will be no spoils in the future? Or will you be under the command of the Hussars when you return to Heluo, and you can choose any spoils and merits? You are thinking too well!"

Jiang Jiong did not show any courtesy to these Qiang military officers.

Because for these Qiang military schools, they might not be able to understand polite words, but they could understand the more harsh words that Jiang Jiong said at the moment.

Jiang Jiong ignored their feelings and continued to talk: "There are rules to leading troops to fight. It's not just charging forward! Well, even if I send you forward now, are you sure you can win? Can you defeat those Cao troops? You don't even know what the Cao troops are doing now. If you can win a battle like this, you are dreaming!"

Jiang Jiong came out of Longxi, and his experience and vision naturally improved. Although he was not a famous general who would go down in history, he was at least certain that he had a certain amount of military talent. In history, Longyou and Longxi were not valued by the Han Dynasty's high-level officials, and Jiang Jiong became a victim of the war between warlords. But at this moment, he talked about the progress of the war, which at least gave him an idea of ​​70% of the situation. He showed his confidence, which infected the people around him.

Jiang Jiong's voice gradually became louder, and he opened his arms. "My lord, the General of the Cavalry has fought all the way from north to south, and has he ever been defeated? You thought Beigong was very powerful back then, but what about now? Now the world, Cao's army is no longer viable, Shandong is no longer viable, and we are waiting for my lord, the General of the Cavalry, to lead us to achieve the final great feat! And now you are still nitpicking, thinking that this is fat and that is thin, what do you want to do? I don't know how many people want to follow my lord to achieve great things! If you think this is not good or that is not good, just go home! Don't think that we need people like you just because you have participated in our training and gained some skills! 」

The Qiang military school was scolded until his face turned red, and he murmured, "That's not what we meant..."

They say that this is not what they mean, but this is what they actually mean.

It’s like they say they want to go back to Heluo, but actually they don’t really want to go back.

The tribal alliance model that the Qiang people are accustomed to has lasted for hundreds of years, and tribal alliance is, in a sense, an exchange of interests, and the so-called covenant is nothing more than common interests at a specific time.

Although many Qiang people have participated in the training under Fei Qian and accepted Fei Qian as their new "spokesperson for God", the inertia of "negotiation" or "exchange of interests" still remains in these Qiang people. They come to Jiang Jiong not because they want to turn against Jiang Jiong, but because they almost instinctively want to gain more "benefits".

It's like the cut cake in later generations.

There is nothing wrong with Qiegao itself. There are different foods in different parts of China, and different ways of cheating people. For example, the creation of "Lvdagun" out of nothing, the selling of "pig head meat" in marinade as meat, etc., are actually the same problems, but the only thing that makes "Qiegao" unique is the lack of cross-cultural and cross-ethnic management.

What if we change it to a Han Chinese selling chegao and try the same method?

It’s not that they don’t understand, they are just pretending to be stupid.

Because the payoff from playing dumb is higher.

Jiang Jiong stared at the Qiang military academy students, "Now, I am mainly building such a heroic cause, to create such an incredible miracle, but you are thinking about this little achievement, this little spoils... Why can't you take a longer-term view? If there is nothing today, there will definitely be nothing tomorrow? And who knows, the gains here may be greater than those in Heluo!"

"Really?!" The Qiang military school's eyes suddenly lit up, "Captain, are you serious?"

Jiang Jiong smiled coldly, revealing his ferocious white teeth, "I have a very good sense... I don't know what evil these Cao soldiers are planning... Believe me, you will definitely fight next!"