The Song Dynasty on the Sand Table

Chapter 250 Jianghu
The Jin army has started building catapults again; in any case, catapults are essential.

The rebels' wooden plank formations could only be broken through by using catapults.

At this point, the benefits of the tens of thousands of craftsmen and laborers who came with the army became apparent. With ten thousand people working together to build trebuchets, fifty more were produced in just a few days.

The forest west of Jiaoshui County has been almost completely cut down. The wind rustles through the few remaining trees, as if saying, "You think you can just do whatever you want because there are no laws protecting forests in this era? Don't I have any human rights?"

Guwei glanced at the last few large trees in the grove and frowned: "This is bad, all the trees around here are going to be cut down."

Bali Yuanshan: "After all these trees are made into catapults, we won't be able to build a large number of catapults in a short period of time. We'll have to transport the wood from a very far place."

Guwei looked displeased.

These days, urbanization is still relatively low, and human destruction of nature is minimal. There's no shortage of trees, but transportation capacity is weak. Finding forests isn't difficult, but transporting large quantities of timber from elsewhere requires significant transportation capacity, which is a major problem.

"In other words, we can't afford to lose this battle again." Guwei: "Alright, next time, let's win in one fell swoop."
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"Report!" In Jiaoshui County, a scout stood in front of Gong Erniangzi and Yue Wenxuan: "The trees around the Jin army camp have been almost completely cut down. After this forest is gone, the nearest forest is ten miles away. It won't be so easy for the Jin army to replenish their catapults."

Yue Wenxuan laughed upon hearing this: "Ha!"

See, this is the advantage of "fighting within one's own territory".

The land between Changyi County and Jiaoshui County was not originally a border area, but rather part of the interior of the Song Dynasty. After thousands of years of cultivation by the Chinese nation, this area is mostly rural and farmland, with only a few patches of forest.

Where would you find so many trees to craft siege weapons for?
The Jin army had previously oversimplified the issue of "exchanging catapults".

Gong Erniangzi smiled, but her thoughts were different from Yue Wenxuan's. As a general, she was thinking about the battle. She immediately whispered, "Since the Jin bandits are running out of trees to cut, they won't easily abandon the catapults and retreat in the next battle. They are very likely to want to decide the outcome in the next battle."

Wu Jialiang: "That's my opinion too. The Jin invaders will probably use the Iron Pagoda next time."

Zhang Yong grinned: "That's for the best. In the last battle, the Jin cavalry didn't even have to move before it was over. Da Shu was still complaining that it wasn't enough. His heavy musket didn't even have a chance to fire a single bullet. Hahaha, he was so anxious."

Wu Jialiang spread his hands and laughed: "My brothers Guan Sheng and Yu Fanwen were also extremely anxious. Before they could get into the hand-to-hand combat, they had no chance to use their skills."

Yue Wenxuan: "You need to tell them to switch to firearms as soon as possible, otherwise, they will have fewer and fewer opportunities to use their skills in the future. In future wars, there will be fewer and fewer situations where swords are used. They might as well practice with muskets and bayonets."

Wu Jialiang said with a bitter face, "I've tried to persuade them once, but Brother Guan Sheng said that the bayonet is too narrow and not easy to use. His nickname is Guan Sheng with a big knife. If he were to use a bayonet, he would have to change his name to Guan Sheng with a thin knife. I'm afraid the heroes of the martial arts world would laugh their heads off if they told anyone."

Everyone laughed: "Hahaha! He's a general in the Royal Guard now, why should he care what the heroes of the martial world say?"

Wu Jialiang said solemnly, "Although we have been away from the martial arts world for a long time, our names are still remembered."

They were chatting happily when a head popped up beside them. The man was pale-faced and beardless; it was none other than the Thirty-Two Eunuchs. He cautiously asked, “Esteemed righteous men, I have a question that has been on my mind for a long time. Since so many heroes are here, I’ll venture to ask: where does the term ‘jianghu’ (江湖, the martial arts world) come from? It’s called ‘not ashamed to ask those of lower status.’” Before he could finish speaking, Yu Fanwen swung his fist, and with a loud “bang,” gave the Thirty-Two Eunuchs a black eye: “Using ‘not ashamed to ask those of lower status’ here? Are you looking for a beating?”

The thirty-second eunuch covered his eyes and said, "I was wrong, I was wrong, I spoke carelessly... It should be 'Seeking the wise and asking questions'."

Yue Wenxuan thought to himself: This is an interesting question. I want to know where the term "jianghu" comes from. When I was a child, I read martial arts novels and I always wondered why the world where the heroes lived was called "jianghu".

Believe it or not, this question is really challenging!

Even Hanlin Academician Qi Chongli was stumped by the test and couldn't answer it for a while.

Wu Jialiang smiled and said, "The origin of the term 'jianghu' is actually quite easy to understand. Since ancient times, lawless people have often relied on rivers and lakes to deal with government troops. For example, Zhang Rong of Liangshan Marsh relied on the eight hundred li of Liangshan Marsh to resist government troops and Jin bandits. There are also many water bandits in Dongting Lake, and Xiaolangdi on the Yellow River has been a den of water bandits since the Eastern Han Dynasty... and our Song... cough... and that famous bandit Song Jiang, who also piled up grain on his boats and caused chaos along the rivers and lakes... So, that's how the term 'jianghu' came about, specifically referring to places that the imperial court can manage to a certain extent, but cannot completely control."

Thirty-two old men: "What about the bandits?"

Wu Jialiang: "The Green Forest is a remote mountain forest, a place that the imperial court can't even touch."

After his explanation, Yue Wenxuan suddenly understood. So that's how it is. Indeed, professional slang still needs to be explained by professionals in the underworld.

Qi Chongli: "You all seem quite relaxed. In a military council meeting discussing how to deal with the Jin invaders, you actually have the leisure to chat about the martial arts world and outlaws?"

Everyone laughed: "Relax, don't be so nervous and scare yourself."

Qi Chongli frowned: "I dare not relax. Gong Yishi said that the Jin bandits will definitely use the Iron Pagoda next time they come. Although the Great General Cannon is powerful, after calming down and thinking about it carefully, I think it is not good for fighting cavalry. I'm afraid it can't stop the Iron Pagoda."

His earnest words had barely faded when Zhang Dashu's simple voice rang out from the side: "It's good that the Ironclad Cavalry is here. I've been waiting for them. If they hadn't come, I wouldn't have been of any use."

"Hahaha!"

Gong Erniangzi, Wu Jialiang, and Zhang Yong, the rebel leaders who had seen heavy muskets, all laughed.

But Qi Chongli and the thirty-second eunuch, the two newcomers, couldn't laugh.

At that time, they had no idea that the advent of heavy muskets would sweep heavy armor into the dustbin of history...

While the leaders were having a meeting, in the rebel army's camp, Zhang Wazi, who had just been promoted from a scout to a regular soldier, was rubbing his face against a rifled musket. He had gone from a lowly scout to a regular soldier, a remarkable leap in rank.

(End of this chapter)