In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 896 An Unprecedented Experience

As February arrived, the winter chill did not lessen; instead, it intensified.

The wind howled through the mountains and forests outside Liaodong, blowing the snow on the trees into the air, turning the whole world into a white expanse.

Anugan Mountain, located less than 200 li east of Sanwanwei in Liaodong and near the Xiaoqing River, was one of the main strongholds for exchanges between the Jianzhou Jurchens and Liaodong.

The Huligai tribe was stationed here.

They initially lived in the lower reaches of the Songhua River, but later, during the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, as the weather in the north became increasingly cold, they gradually migrated south and eventually arrived near the Xiaoqing River.

This account of the Jianzhou Jurchens shows that they maintained an open attitude towards the outside world.

They not only traded with Liaodong, but also frequently crossed Liaodong to go to the grasslands and communicate with the grassland people.

In the last conflict, Huligai's tribe was one of the main forces attacking Baisong's tribe.

But when the Ming army arrived...
They had received advance warning and fled into the mountains early on.

This prevented Lu Yunyi's troops from pursuing the enemy, forcing them to focus their attacks on the isolated tribes.

At this time, a simple camp was set up in a sheltered spot at the Anugan Mountain Pass. There was not much preparation done; only some tents were laid out and some scout rendezvous points were established.

Because if you go any further in, you will enter the Anugan Mountains.

As the Huligai tribe, which has always maintained vigilance

Even in winter, many scouts and sentries might be deployed.

The central command tent was an ordinary tent, not very big, but it was crowded with people at the moment.

Lu Yunyi stood in front of the sand table in the center, surrounded by the generals of the Duoyan Three Guards and his trusted confidant, Wang Xingbang, the commander of the new city guard.

All eyes were on Qin Yuanfang.

The snow still clung to him as he hurriedly arranged things on the sand table.
The information gathered that day will be presented in its entirety.

Before long, Qin Yuanfang finished setting up the sand table and straightened up.

"General, these are the locations of the outposts my unit has identified so far, a total of six."
They are distributed along the three roads leading into the mountains.

One of the roads is the one in front of us, which is also the fastest and easiest to travel, with four outposts located along it.

The other two routes are: one is a detour from the foot of the mountain to the west, but the terrain there is narrow and may only allow entry for about a hundred people.

Moreover, there's a strong wind there now, and people can't open their eyes once they go inside. They also don't know how long it is.
After the brothers went deeper and found traces of the outpost, they decisively retreated.

The last route took us through dense forest in the mountains, but we didn't find any outposts.

However, they discovered a supply route and tracks left by carts and horses, leading them to deduce that there was also an outpost on the mountain, and that it was still in use.

At this point, Qin Yuanfang pursed his lips and said in a deep voice:
"It was from the discovery of this outpost that the forward scouts and their staff concluded that all the outposts discovered so far were in use."

It can be inferred that the Huligai tribe is far more elite and cautious than the Wanyan Jueluo, Kuyala, and Mukun tribes we previously eliminated.

"Unable to penetrate deep into the Anukan Mountains, the advance scouts could only make speculations."

According to the staff's calculations, Huligai's tribe may have nearly 10,000 members, scattered in various gathering points.

Considering the weather here, the number of people at each of Huligai's gathering points will not exceed three thousand.
More likely, the number will range from several dozen to a thousand.

Lu Yunyi nodded solemnly after hearing this.

"That's right, a thousand people might be too many, around five hundred should be the most concentrated force."

"General, you are wise!"

Seeing them talking amongst themselves, the generals of the Doyan Three Guards looked completely bewildered.
Even Azashiri and Tuoluhuchaer were having trouble keeping up with the pace.

Taking advantage of their pause, Azashili looked at Qin Yuanfang and asked:

"General Qin, where did you get the number of people at each gathering point you just mentioned?"

"I don't quite understand."

Qin Yuanfang raised her head and looked at him blankly, only to be met with even more blank eyes.

He immediately realized that the three guards of Duoyan had not received professional scout training.
Because they have always lived in groups on the grasslands, they do not understand the lifestyle in the mountains and forests of Northeast China.

He looked at Lu Yunyi, and after seeing Lu nod in approval, he said in a deep voice:

"Lord Azashiri, the number of people at the gathering point was estimated by our staff based on the distribution of the prey."

Experiments have shown that in a forest area with a radius of five miles, there might only be one or two large mammals such as roe deer or wild boars.

There are more small mammals, such as rabbits and pheasants, perhaps ten to twenty in number.
In addition, there were some miscellaneous ground squirrels, etc.
The meat available within a five-mile radius is only enough for five to ten people to barely survive by hunting.
Including the food reserves, the number could reach thirty to fifty people.

Using this as a sample, expanding the scope further, the population that could be supported within a radius of 100 miles would only be between 600 and 1,000.

This is just speculation; the actual number of people who can be supported is even smaller.

Because of the deep snow in winter, hunters face difficulties in tracking and movement, and the larger the area covered, the lower the success rate of hunting.

"Therefore, if the nearly 10,000 people of Huligai's tribe were to gather together without sufficient food reserves, they might lose 80% of their numbers in just one winter."

Based on previous information, the Jianzhou Jurchens' grain reserves were never complete.
Therefore, they could only disperse their people as much as possible throughout the Anukan Mountains.
They adopted a survival strategy of small gatherings, frequent hunting, and limited food supplies to try and survive the winter.

As soon as Qin Yuanfang finished speaking, the military tent fell silent, and everyone looked shocked.

There was only one thought in my mind.
Can you still play like this?
Without even seeing the enemy, how could they have thoroughly investigated them just by hunting?
After the initial shock, Tuoluhuchaer's pupils contracted to their maximum size, and he suddenly felt a dryness in his throat, as if he wanted to drink some water.

Although he had mentally prepared himself,

The Three Guards of Doyan might not be a match for the Northern Pacification Commandery.

But he didn't expect the gap to be so big.

We can't tell anything from the previous raids on a few small tribes.
But now, true heroes emerge in times of crisis, and the gap widens in an instant.

He thought about it carefully in his mind.
If the three tribes of Duoyan wanted to ascertain the enemy's distribution and troop strength,
This may be achieved by removing the watchtowers and conducting on-site investigations deep into the mountains.
Although both methods can achieve the same goal, as a military commander, he knew how different they were.

"I admire you!"

Azashiri let out a long sigh and murmured,
He felt a sense of relief.
Thank goodness these are friendly forces; if they were enemy forces, he couldn't imagine how he would have dealt with them.

Moreover, if this was the case against the Jurchens, who were not accustomed to warfare, how much more so against the steppe soldiers who were frequent warriors?
There will inevitably be more methods, and the tactics will become more sophisticated.

Lu Yunyi glanced around, quite satisfied with their reactions, and said calmly:
"This is just basic training for the scouts. If there is an opportunity in the future, the three guards of the Doyan Army can come to the capital to study. Of course, the road needs to be repaired."

Azashiri's eyes widened suddenly, and before anyone else could react, he bowed deeply.
"Thank you for your guidance, sir. On behalf of my people, I express my gratitude to you."

Lu Yunyi waved his hand:
"Looking at the present, what is the General Staff's opinion on dealing with Huligai's troops?"

Beside him, Zou Jing stood quietly, holding a document in his hand, and spoke in a deep voice:
"Due to the enemy being too dispersed, the General Staff does not support this advance."

"reason."

"Judging from the locations where the enemy troops are planned to be deployed, our army would need to be divided into at least ten units to wipe them out in one fell swoop."
The soldiers of the Doyan Three Guards were not adept at dividing their forces for combat, and the military strategies of their commanders at all levels were also not outstanding, resulting in insufficient ability to respond to crises.

A hasty start to war would only increase casualties.

Upon hearing this, many generals showed their displeasure.

But they didn't say anything, because they had seen this simulation by the General Staff many times, and it was always pretty accurate.

"What would happen if we went deep into the Anugan Mountains and wiped out the Huligai tribe?" Lu Yunyi asked.

"We will win, but the number of casualties will be around five hundred."

Zou Jing's voice was completely flat, as if he were talking about something completely unrelated.

Tuoluhuchaer frowned slightly. Five hundred people had been killed or wounded. They were divided into ten teams, but one team had no more than fifty casualties.

Thinking of this, his expression turned strange, and he said softly:
"General, the casualties of this unit are only fifty, but the gains far outweigh the casualties. I think it is worth a try."

Azashiri also realized what was happening.

"Ten thousand against ten thousand, only five hundred died, and we got so much good stuff, it's such a good deal!" he quickly added.

"My lord, the soldiers of the Three Guards of Doyan are not afraid of death, and I also think it is worth a try."

Before Lu Yunyi could speak, Zou Jing spoke calmly:
"According to the plan, there will be three more large ministries of the same size, so at least a thousand people will be lost before we even reach Korea."

Tuoluhuchaer, however, was completely unconcerned:

"What does it matter if a thousand die? The money and food we get are enough to feed and drink tens of thousands of people."

Azashiri was more reserved, and said softly:
"This is the first time the Doyan Three Guards have fought in such a snowstorm. Their previous battles were against small tribes, so they had gained some experience."
However, if we do not fight against these major forces, our tactics may stagnate.

Moreover, there are three more to come.
"We can't keep dodging; otherwise, the return journey will be unsafe." Azashiri looked at some of the generals in the tent, his expression questioning. Immediately, someone spoke up.

He was a chiliarch in his thirties named Ariza.

"General, no war is without casualties. Getting our people used to the winter battlefield sooner is more worthwhile than anything else."

"If we arrive in Goryeo and lack experience in fighting enemies in winter, we'll be in real trouble."

"Yes, General, the Goryeo people are far more elite than the Jurchens."

If we're afraid now, how will we get through this encirclement?

The crowd chattered amongst themselves, their belligerent nature readily apparent.

This is because they all benefited from previous battles against the enemy.

from their perspective,
Nothing beats the speed of robbing.

Zou Jing did not speak again.
All eyes turned to Lu Yunyi, who was standing in front of the sand table, their faces filled with anticipation.

After a while, Lu Yunyi finally spoke:
"The entire army is divided into ten divisions, and the General Staff formulates operational strategies strictly in accordance with the combat practices of each thousand-household unit!"

"Rest well today, and advance tomorrow!"

"Within three days, thoroughly clean up Huligai Village and collect all its money and valuables!"

The voice was firm and resounding, carrying a chilling aura, while the faces of those present showed excitement.
Each of the generals stood tall with sharp eyes.

"Yes!"

Lu Yunyi nodded:
"Prepare yourselves. We'll have plenty of good food and drink today, so don't skimp on the food."

"Yes!"

The military order was given, and the peaceful atmosphere of the entire camp vanished instantly, replaced by tense order.
Teams of soldiers braved the wind and snow to transport military supplies and prepare food.

The staff dispersed to various locations, entering each thousand-household unit to formulate detailed battle strategies.

Meanwhile, the scouts explored the Anukan Mountains even more deeply, determined to find out all the outposts.

Most of the soldiers stayed obediently in their tents, maintaining their weapons and wiping their long swords, preparing for tomorrow's battle.

It was past midnight.

The gale raged through the mountains and forests like a pack of ferocious beasts, emitting sharp howls and whipping up the snow on the ground, forming white vortexes in the air.

The makeshift camp trembled in the fierce wind, and the curtains of the military tents rattled loudly.

Every now and then, a flurry of snowflakes would be swept into the tent, only to disappear instantly upon landing on the ground.

Lu Yunyi stood in front of the central command tent, letting the fierce wind blow in his face.

He stood tall and straight like a pine tree, gazing at the snow-covered Anukan Mountains in the darkness.

Wang Xingbang, standing beside him, pulled his cotton coat tighter around himself and said with a frown:

"General, with such fierce wind and snow, advancing tomorrow will be difficult."

Lu Yunyi narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing a subtle change in the gale:
"Xingbang, although the wind is strong, the snowfall is showing signs of weakening."

I predict that the snow will be much lighter tomorrow, which will be the perfect opportunity to advance.

"Pass on my order: have all soldiers prepare to march at any moment tonight!"

Wang Xingbang was taken aback, then a surge of joy welled up within him, and he quickly clasped his hands in acceptance of the order:

"Yes, General!"

After saying that, he turned and hurriedly went into the camp to arrange for messengers to notify the various units.

Two more hours passed, and it was the beginning of Mao Shi, which is around 5 a.m.

Before dawn, the wind and snow subsided considerably, just as Lu Yunyi had predicted.

Although it was still bitterly cold, the wind was no longer as fierce as before, and the snowflakes were only falling sporadically.

The entire camp was abuzz with activity as soldiers scrambled out of their warm beds, quickly donned their armor, and checked their weapons and equipment.

The cooks also quickened their pace, starting fires and preparing hot meals for the soldiers who were about to go to war.

The camp was brightly lit and bustling with activity.

While everyone was preparing, the vanguard scouts were the first to leave the camp.

Qin Yuanfang stood at the head of the line, his eyes cold and stern.

He glanced at the more than three hundred scouts behind him and said in a deep voice:
"Brothers, this mission is of utmost importance."

We must take advantage of the darkness and calm winds to eliminate all outposts in the shortest possible time, clearing the way for the main force to advance into the mountains.

Now, let's split into three groups and set off!

At a command, the scouts split into three groups.

Like three arrows released from a bow,
They sped off in all directions toward the Anukan Mountains.

Qin Yuanfang led this route,
Take the fastest and easiest route.

They moved lightly, leaving a trail of shallow footprints in the snow, and soon arrived near the first outpost.

Qin Yuanfang hid behind a boulder, carefully observing the situation at the outpost.

The outpost was small, consisting of only a few thatched huts. A bonfire burned in the outermost hut.
Several Jurchen soldiers sat around a fire, warming themselves and talking in hushed tones.

Through the telescope, one can easily see the fatigue and lethargy on their faces.

Qin Yuanfang looked around strangely, and after checking several times,
They finally confirmed that there were no other watchtowers nearby, nor were there any other people observing.

"Aren't we overestimating them?"

Qin Yuanfang muttered to himself, turned his head slightly, and made a gesture to the soldiers behind him.

"near!"

The soldiers understood, drew their long swords from their waists, crouched low, and slowly approached the outpost.

When they were still a dozen steps away from the outpost, Qin Yuanfang was already prepared to give orders.
However, the Jurchens failed to detect anyone approaching in the darkness.

They didn't find anything even after the soldiers sneaked into the courtyard.

A hint of absurdity flashed in Qin Yuanfang's eyes. Without hesitation, he stood up and shouted:
"kill!"

The soldiers, who had already taken their positions, moved swiftly, rushing into the outpost like tigers descending a mountain.

The Jurchen soldiers were terrified by the sudden appearance of these people.
Some people even felt like they were dreaming and pinched their thighs hard.

When the long sword truly fell, three people died instantly.

They then realized that it really was an enemy attack.

But these thoughts only lasted for a moment. The long sword fell, and blood splattered on the snow, instantly staining the ground red.

The nine people in the room all died in less than ten breaths.

Qin Yuanfang entered the outpost and ordered the soldiers to search carefully, but they found no valuable intelligence. Instead, they obtained some silver.

Qin Yuanfang frowned as he looked at the few taels of loose silver piled on the ground:
"What the hell is this outpost?"

After going through all that trouble to carefully feel my way up here, this is it?

The scouts exchanged bewildered glances, concluding that the General Staff had likely overestimated the Jurchens.
With this level of military capability, probably not that many people would have died.

"Keep advancing and quickly eliminate the remaining outposts!"

"Yes!"

And so, Qin Yuanfang led his scouts on a series of unstoppable advances.
They eliminated four outposts along the road in the shortest possible time, without lifting a finger.

The other two scouts also brought good news, having successfully taken down their respective outposts.

When news of the clearing of all outposts reached the camp...

A strange glint flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes. He waved his hand and gave a deep order:

"All troops, advance into the mountains along the best roads!"
Heading towards the assembly point predicted by the General Staff!

(End of this chapter)