Emperor Ming Dynasty

Chapter 814
There are many factors that determine the outcome of a war, but Gao Yigong feels that this war is sure to win.

In terms of diplomacy, because of supporting the Oirat Mongolian firearms, it hastily broke through the city of Tomsk, causing the Rakshas and the Mongols to fight against each other, and they fought endlessly in the Yenisei River Basin.

Of course, all the food and grass supported by Gansu, Shaanxi and other provinces are in place, which is also an important reason for his confidence.

Unfortunately, just as he was preparing to march, Li Dingguo from Yunnan, as the new general of Qinghai, took office in Turpan.

"Hey, aren't you the general soldier of Qinghai? Why did you come to Gaochang?"

Turpan has been renamed Gaochangfu.

Gao Yigong was indignant: "I deserve credit for co-authoring."

"You think I will?"

Li Dingguo refused to let him, and said calmly: "Yunnan chieftains are like cutting melons and slaughtering chickens, not to mention how enjoyable it is, who would not be tired of traveling all the way to the northwest to eat soil?"

"Hmph!" Gao Yigong sat down, stared at Li Dingguo for a while, and then sighed: "I knew that the Yaerqiang Kingdom has such a great contribution that a certain person can't bear it."

"As long as you know."

Li Dingguo's skin was much tanned, and he became more energetic, his eyes were bright:
"If it weren't for seeing that you have been operating in the northwest for many years, wouldn't the imperial court only send me to share the credit?"

"You have to know, this is a country, a country divided into territories."

When the Yarkand Khanate flourished, it included Kashgar, Yarkand, Khotan, Yingjisha, Aksu, Ushi, Turpan, Yanqi and Fergana, the vast southern Xinjiang area, and millions of imperial people.

Such a huge contribution, even if there are uncles and sons who come to help out one after another, but the amount is not enough, it can still make him die.

Gao Yigong was unwilling, but he could only obey the arrangement.

After all, Li Dingguo is an acquaintance, or a friend who was also captured, much better than those strangers.

After he figured it out, he rolled his eyes: "You owe me a favor."

Li Dingguo smiled lightly and said, "You and I are so familiar, why do you need to talk about this?"

"I heard that the Yarkand Khanate has an army of [-]. Do we have enough manpower?"

"It shouldn't be that much." Gao Yigong said calmly: "Although the land in the six cities is fertile, most of the taxes come from trade routes."

"According to the merchants, most of the country's soldiers and horses are cavalry, with few or no firearms."

"Pure cavalry?" Li Dingguo squinted his eyes, and his smile gradually flooded: "Isn't this just sending you to death?"

Li Dingguo is experienced in the application of firearms.

In the mountainous terrain with complex terrain, only firearms can sweep Wuji, which makes the chieftain terrified.

And the cavalry wearing muskets is even more powerful.

"Look, this is a short gun specially made for cavalry. In the past, only generals had it, but now every cavalry has one."

The short gun in front of him was only one foot long, but it looked hideous and terrifying, with a rough barrel and a pleasing cold touch.

"The imperial court has spent a lot of money on you."

Li Dingguo said with emotion.

"Hey, watch this again."

As he spoke, several cannons covered with red cloth revealed their true faces.

The huge tires and the slender barrel make people feel a special sense of beauty, and can't help but want to get close to it.

"This is?"

Li Dingguo touched it, raised his head, his face was full of curiosity.

"Shaowu-style artillery."

Gao Yigong raised his chin and proudly said: "The name of this cannon is no longer Hongyi Cannon, but Shaowu Style Cannon, which is light but powerful."

As he spoke, he stepped forward and pushed Li Dingguo's hand deep into the gun barrel.

A sense of spiral lines came from his fingertips, which made Li Dingguo shudder.

"This is called rifling." Gao Yigong said excitedly: "The artillery has tried it. With this rifling, the accuracy is higher and the power is greater."

As he said that, he patted the cannon and said flauntingly: "Before Beijing tested the cannon to amaze other countries, the imperial court has already sent ten to Turpan, just to deal with the Yarkand Khanate."

"I have what the Beijing camp has, and I have what the Beijing camp doesn't have."

"You know, how long have I been preparing? How long has the emperor been preparing?"

Li Dingguo was silent.

Short guns and artillery, these are the advantages of the Ming army, and they are also the basis for crushing Yarkand.

Even, if it wasn't for the fear of being overwhelmed, the imperial court would have prepared to sweep the Oirat Mongolian tribes directly.

"Now that you're all ready, let's go as soon as possible!"

Li Dingguo said with a smile: "The cavalry is under my command, and the artillery is left to you."

"If you want to be beautiful, you should stay in Gaochang!"

Gao Yigong laughed and cursed.

Although there are [-] soldiers and horses under his command, he must prepare a strong enough army to guard Hami and Turpan in case of emergency.

Therefore, in this battle, Li Dingguo and Gao Yigong could only lead [-] troops to carry out the act of destroying the country.

Everyone is full of confidence due to adequate preparation.

To the south of Anle City is Chalishi Lake, which is called Bosten Lake in later generations.

It is seventy miles long from east to west and forty miles wide, with a drainage area of ​​nearly [-] square kilometers. It belongs to a mountain subsidence lake, and the main source of water supply is Kaidu Lake.

Of course, the endless reeds that impressed the Ming army the most, flying around in shock, and groups of waterfowls make people yearn for it.

Naturally, there is a small city gathered here, which is the seat of Yanqi State, a famous historical city, which is now called Yanqi City.

There are no more than a thousand families living in the lake. Because of this lake and its location at the southern end of the silk route, merchants gather and live happily.

The arrival of the army disturbed the small town.

However, after replenishing the water source, the army continued southward.

After passing through the famous iron gate, the next step is Yuli City, a city that rose because of a river.

So, next, they saw the foundation of conquering Yarkand - the Tarim River.

"It's only a few feet wide, and it's surging, the Tarim River!"

Gao Yigong immediately stood by the river, and the endless Tarim River, like a meandering dragon, lay across the desert from west to east, bringing rare moisture and oasis.

The vast desert is thus divided into two, and a green belt runs through the desert, bringing a lot of life and plants.

It's a lifeline.

"The people of Yuli regard this river as their mother river, not only the people of Yuli, but the huge Yarkand also thrives because of the river."

Gao Yigong pointed to the river excitedly: "The baggage and patients are loaded on the river. The army walks west along the river, and the capital of the Yarkand people is Shache."

"Along this river, as long as you walk along this river, not only do you not have to worry about lack of water, but you don't have to worry about getting lost."

"Because those cities are built on both sides of this river, let's kill them all the way."

What a way to save worry and effort.

Li Dingguo admired it: "This is also the reason why you went south first and then north."

As he spoke, he raised his eyes to the east: "I heard that this river will flow into the Puchang Sea (Lop Nur) to the east, but I don't know how wide it is."

"You will see me after you finish fighting Yarkand."

At this time, the Tarim River was not as dry as it would be in later generations. Its surface was as wide as two or three miles, extending to both sides of the river bed, and a large number of small lakes gathered on both sides of the Tarim River like scattered pearls.

It is precisely because it maintains sufficient water volume that its carrying capacity is trusted and it is an important assistant for the army to march.

Ships one after another, loaded with food and supplies, slowly went retrograde on the river.

After getting rid of a lot of cumbersomeness, the Ming army was obviously relieved, and moved westward more easily.

To the west of Yuli City, there is hardly a city.

On the contrary, on the northern edge of the Tarim Basin, there are a series of small cities such as Luntai, Laochi, Kuxian, Baicheng, and Aso scattered.

But Gao Yigong didn't pay attention to it, and went straight to the destination - Shache.

For such a large-scale march and a journey of thousands of miles, anyone who is not a fool will know its purpose.

This news spread throughout the Western Regions like a bird.

In Oirat Mongolia in the Tianshan area, the Durbert, Junggar, and Heshuote tribes began to discuss countermeasures because of the war in southern Xinjiang.

The in-laws of the two, the prestige Oqiertuhan, sat on the wolfskin chair. He looked at the shrewd He Shuoqi and the mighty Batur.

After a long time, seeing the two of them getting impatient, he said slowly, "Ming people sent troops to Yarkand to go west along the Tarim River. What do you think?"

"How about a sneak attack on Turpan?" Batur couldn't help but exult, "It's very fat there, much better than the Russian city of Tomsk."

"I heard that people have always had a lot of money. If you grab this one, you can live happily for several years."

"No." He Shuoqi gritted his teeth and said, "The Russians are still staring at us. If the army goes east and we sneak up on others, Russia will come to sneak up on our house."

"For the time being, it doesn't matter whether we can grab it or not, even if we do, what if they don't sell us muskets in the future?"

"Then grab a craftsman to do it."

"How do you know there are craftsmen?"

Seeing that the two were quarreling, Oziertuhan squinted his eyes and didn't stop it.

After a long time, he slowly said: "The Ming people are not so easy to sneak attack. They have many cities, and it is difficult for us to take them down."

"In addition, the people of Yarkand sent envoys to form an alliance."

As soon as these words came out, several people fell into silence.

He Shuoqi tentatively said: "Yerqiang lacks energy, I'm afraid we will lose this battle."

"It's not a good idea to form an alliance to fight Mingren. They have mastered our gunpowder."

Durbert's department is located on the Yenisei River, and it belongs to the Russians. It has the best attitude towards the Ming people and is the closest.

Gunpowder alone is enough to keep it in good faith.

Batur from the Junggar tribe touched his chin at this time, thinking of the city of Kashgar. Taking advantage of his illness and killing him, he took down this city, and the gains from it were incredible.

Oziltu Khan glanced at Batur, saw him lost in thought, and asked, "What's your idea?"

"Just watch it, we have to concentrate on dealing with the Russians."

Batur pretended not to care about Taoism, but he couldn't restrain his desire no matter what.

Although most of southern Xinjiang is a desert, it can't stand it because of its developed handicraft industry and agriculture. It has come and gone with the Oirat Mongolian tribes, gaining the upper hand, and even occupying the Ili River Valley.

If you take advantage of the fire and take Balkhash and Yili, you will make a lot of money.

Oziltu Khan narrowed his eyes, seemed to think of something good, and smiled: "Let's do this, let's deal with the Russians first."

After all, it has become a consensus that the two do not help each other.

At this time, the Yarkand Khanate, whose capital was Shache, heard that the Ming army was coming along the Tarim River, and suddenly turned pale with fright.

At this time, the ruler of the Yarkand Khanate was Abdullah, a figure who reunified the Eastern Chagatai Khanate from Turpan, and the "Lord of ZTE" of the Yarkand Khanate.

In fact, after he ended the split of the Yarkand Khanate 30 years ago, he was already getting old, and he began to get close to his favorite ministers, suspicions abounded, and domestic forces began to fight.

After all, whether it is the Ming and Qing Dynasties in the east, the Oirat Mongolia in the north, the Kazakh Khanate in the west, or the Mughal Empire in the south, they cannot be provoked.

Involution is an inevitable result.

If there is no Ming Dynasty, in less than two years, that is, in 1655, the Junggar tribe will go south, cross the Tianshan Mountains, and occupy the fertile Ili River Valley and the Balkhash Lake area.

Yarkand ended in a disastrous defeat and retreated back to southern Xinjiang.

Frankly speaking, Yarkand is a traditional half-nomadic and half-agricultural country in the Cold Weapons Age, while the Junggar tribe is a nomadic tribe that has half-stepped into the Firearms Age.

This is just a fiasco of cold weapons, not the system, or the reason for productivity.

The Qing Dynasty in history was the product of the transition from the era of cold weapons to the era of hot weapons.

This half step was never crossed.

system?Or thought?

No, but benefits.

When the cold weapons are completely eliminated, the Han people who occupy the majority of the population will master hot weapons, which will subvert the use of force, and cause the order of the small clan to collapse.

Therefore, for the sake of power, he never took half a step back, and tried to work hard until he was beaten to death, but it was too late.

Far away.

"Too much deceit." Abdullah Khan was very angry: "I thought that Turpan would give in and peace would be exchanged, but I didn't expect that they were pressing every step of the way. The Ming people even dared to covet Shache. We Chagatai The Khanate must give it a look."

If it weren't for the full treasury and the prosperity of the armored soldiers, Abdullah felt that the Khanate had returned to the internal and external troubles it had experienced 30 years ago.

Facing the invasion of the Ming army, the Yarkand Khanate immediately made preparations for war.

"Rise up the army, gather all the troops, I want to destroy the Ming army and retake Turpan."

From Kashgar, to Shache, and then to Khotan, the oases thousands of miles away in southern Xinjiang received the orders of Abdullah Khan, and a steady stream of soldiers and horses gathered in Shache City.

And this is exactly what Gao Yigong wanted.

Riding a camel unhurriedly, he smiled at Li Dingguo and said, "The huge Tarim area is divided into six cities, and there are many scattered oases."

"If we were to subdue them one by one, we don't know that we will be successful in the Year of the Monkey."

"Only after completing the first battle, quickly and decisively wipe out its main force, and bring the Yarkand Khanate into court rule, then the Oirat Mongolia will not find a chance to take advantage of the fire."

"exactly."

Li Dingguo glanced back at the cannon, and his eyes were full of affirmation: "If it is true as reported in the intelligence, then the Yarkand Khanate is indeed not worth mentioning."

(End of this chapter)