Volume 1: Birth! Seven time travelers Chapter 171: Fateful Sarhu (I)
"Your Highness, Yang Jinglue, the latest batch of food has arrived in the rear, and the current stockpile is enough for the entire army to use for two months. In addition, according to your Highness's request, the production of three thousand stones of fried noodles has been completed and mixed with salt and packed into food bags. It is enough for our soldiers to eat for three days between battles!"
"All types of military uniforms and weapons have been distributed and the entire army has completed its change of uniforms."
"The officer exchange system has been implemented for a month. Officers at all levels in the army have served in at least four military towns and have a clear understanding of the combat effectiveness of the entire army."
"All officer indicia have been completed, and the entire army can now recognize the ranks of officers through the indicia."
"The flags and drums of the entire army have been unified. All soldiers can move upon receiving orders and stop upon receiving orders."
"Military doctors have been deployed and all kinds of medicines and surgical instruments are in sufficient stock."
"In the past month, the scout team has explored all the terrain along the Hun River and Suzi River outside the border wall."
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"In summary, Your Highness, Yang Jinglue, the mobilization of the entire army has been completed. The morale of all units is high, and they are all ready to fight to the death!"
"Good!" Zhu Youdong stood up and said, "Generals, you have worked hard. Next, I would like to invite Mr. Yuan to explain the tactics to you. Come on, bring up the map."
After Zhu Youdong sat down, Yuan Keli stood up and walked to the huge Liaodong topographic map in the middle of the conference room. He waved the thin wooden stick in his hand and accurately pointed to the location of Shenyang.
"Everyone, at present, except for the Korean army that helps us garrison Kuandian, the remaining 95,000 troops of our dynasty's expedition to Jianzhou are all concentrated here. After gathering in Shenyang, our army rested here for more than a month. Now, the entire army's weapons, military rations, equipment, medicines, and morale are all complete."
Then Yuan Keli's baton began to move eastward: "More than 120 miles east of Shenyang is Fushun. This place was conquered by the Jiannu last year. Except for those who died in battle or were killed, all the other soldiers and civilians have been captured and taken to the rear of the Jiannu. In addition, after our army arrived in Shenyang, no one was allowed to cross the east of Shenyang, so this place is now an empty city.
Forty miles east of Fushun is Fushun Pass, and once you pass this pass, you are outside the border wall.
After leaving Fushun Pass, continue eastward along the Hun River for more than 20 miles to reach Sarhu. After Sarhu, the upper reaches of the Hun River are in the north, while the Suzi River in the south merges into the Hun River.
The confluence of the Hunhe River and the Suzi River forms a triangular peninsula. Sarhu is at the front end of this peninsula, the real core of the peninsula. The Jiannu built Jiefan Village here. Starting from Jiefan Village, going south along the Suzi River, there are Gule Village and Maerdun Village in turn. After these three checkpoints, it is Hetuala on the banks of the Suzi River.
The information currently gathered by our scouts is that this winter, Nurhaci did not dare to disband his so-called elite Eight Banners, and the entire Jiannu army of more than 60,000 able-bodied men have been reinforcing the defenses of Jiefan Village and doing various exercises during this period.
In summary, if our army moves eastward at this time and Jiannu wants to fight us in the field, then the battlefield can be basically determined to be in Sarhu. If Jiannu dare not come out to fight us in the field, then we will have to break through three camps along the Suzi River and then reach Hetuala. "
Watching Yuan Keli talking in the center of the conference room, Zhu Youdong, as a time traveler, only felt that history was really full of fate.
This land is called "Liao", of course, it comes from the largest river in this land, Liaohe River. There are many rivers under Liaohe River, one of which is called Hunhe River - also called Shenhe River, Xiaoliaohe River.
As the saying goes, "the north of the water is yang", Shenyang, as the name suggests, is a city on the north bank of the Shenyang River.
Shenyang is located in the core area of the Liaozhong Plain, but if you go far to the east, especially after passing Fushun, you will arrive at the transition point between the Liaohe Plain and the Liaonan Peninsula.
The topography of peninsulas around the world varies greatly, but there is one thing in common: peninsulas must have mountains, otherwise they cannot extend into the sea.
Therefore, after Fushun, the terrain of the entire Liaodong gradually changed from a plain area to a mountainous and hilly area.
This is also the reason : the Han people have never been interested in land that is not a plain and not suitable for farming.
Similarly, this is why the Jianzhou Jurchens had to expand westwards after they became powerful: how could the mountainous and densely forested peninsula migration area compare to the large plains and open areas like Shenyang and Liaoyang?
Specifically speaking, after leaving Fushun Pass, we entered the mountainous area. In the 17th century, it was terrifying to think about a 100,000-man army marching in the mountainous area. How long would such a large army have to be stretched into a line? How could the logistics be so good to ensure that the entire army had enough food on the rugged mountain road?
Fortunately, there are two rivers outside Fushun Pass, one is Hunhe River and the other is Suzi River.
In Liaodong, almost all rivers freeze from November to March or April of the following year . Therefore, as long as the army marches in this season, it is entirely possible to advance quickly on the river: the river surface and the riverbank shoals can provide a wide and flat enough road for the march.
Therefore, whether it is Du Song in the historical plane or Zhu Youdong in this time and space, to attack the Jianzhou Jurchens who have already become quite powerful, they can only march in the winter when the rivers have not yet thawed, and can only advance along the rivers of Hunhe and Suzi River! The geographical location and terrain determine the marching route, which will never be changed by human will.
In the original historical plane, Du Song was the main force and marched along the Hun River. He planned to turn to the Suzi River and march towards Hetuala after reaching Sarhu. This was not a problem. But I don't know what was going on in this brave general's mind. He shouted that he wanted to take the first place before he set off. Then he advanced all the way and left the other three friendly armies far behind.
This was not enough. After arriving at Sarhu, he heard that the enemy was repairing the fortress in Jiefan Village. He even divided his 30,000 troops again: 20,000 to guard Sarhu, and 10,000 to cross the Suzi River to attack Jiefan Village - the result was of course that the whole army was annihilated.
In short, since the Ming army's route of advance is actually fixed, then for Nurhaci, the options he has to deal with are actually fixed as well. He must also make efforts around the Hunhe River and the Suzi River: he must defend the city, just a little behind the junction of the two rivers: Jiefanzhai.
If you want to fight a field battle, you should go just in front of the confluence of the two rivers. This place is relatively open and flat. After the river freezes, the width of the entire battlefield can reach more than 10 kilometers, which is enough for fighting. This place became the Dahuofang Reservoir in the 20th century. Now, it is Sarhu. Whether it is a reservoir or a Hu, it actually clearly shows that this place is a depression with high sides and low in the middle.
Considering the fact that the Jurchens lacked firearms and heavy equipment, why would Nurhaci be so foolish as to think of fighting a siege?
The only choice is a field battle, and the only battlefield is Sarhu! This is the fate of history!
