Volume 4 is in the ascendant Chapter 481: Seizing the City of Baidi
Because the road was narrow, the Wancheng Division led by Zhao Yun was originally the rear guard. Half a day after Huang Zhong arrived at Qu Tang, they also arrived at Qu Tang Pass. At this time, Huang Zhong had already completed the incorporation of the troops.
Liu Zhang's policy in Yizhou was lenient. Although the administration was not well organized, fortunately the oppression of the people was not high. It was no better than in a peaceful and prosperous era. However, if it was worse in a chaotic era, it was definitely not worse than the warmongering princes.
Unfortunately, that was all, and Liu Zhang did not use it to further publicize his gratitude - to be precise, Liu Zhang did not have the ability to let local tyrants publicize his gratitude among the people.
Not to mention cultivating the sense of honor and collectivism among the people of Yizhou, Liu Zhang had no understanding or communication with the civil and military officials below the core layer. The middle and low-level officials cared more about their immediate superiors than they cared about the Marquis of Shu.
It can be said that the foundation left by Liu Yan was wasted...
This is also why in history, after Yizhou was occupied by Liu Bei, there were indeed several civil and military officials who died for Liu Zhang, but the people accepted it very indifferently. It was not until they discovered that the taxes and military service in Shu were much higher than those in the Yizhou period, and their lives were really affected, that they began to miss Liu Zhang.
Moreover, Liu Zhang had no ability to judge people. Most of the time, he did not use their strategies or listen to their advice during his lifetime as civil and military officials who died for him. Otherwise, Liu Bei would not have been invited to Yizhou.
On the contrary, a group of important officials in Yizhou who were deeply trusted by Liu Zhang behaved in a shocking way!
The most famous among them is Wu Yi, who was in the top 3 of Yizhou Prefecture and was a relative of Liu Zhang. Even in the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period when "surrender after defeat and capture" was very common, Wu Yi's performance in the romance left a strong mark.
In the novel, after Wu Yi was captured, Liu Bei asked him whether he would surrender, and Wu Yi replied with eight words very firmly...
I have been captured, why don't I surrender? -- I have been captured, you ask me whether I will surrender or not, do you look down on me? Why shouldn't I surrender!
He is arguably the toughest man in the Three Kingdoms...
Liu Bei was probably also impressed by this tough scolding and was immediately overjoyed .
Now that I think about it, Zhuge Liang felt guilty when he scolded Wang Lang, saying, "I have never seen such a shameless person." After all, he also met Wu Yi at that time...
At this time, Zhao Yun had just entered Qutang Pass when he heard Huang Zhong say that Wei Yan had led three regiments to the nearby Baidi City!
"Baidi City is in a dangerous location. I hope Wenchang won't act impulsively?" Zhao Yun asked with a little concern.
"Don't worry, Zilong. The current commander of Baidi City is a member of the Gan family. He was ostracized before, so he brought his troops to guard Baidi City. Originally, Baidi City was just a small city for checking caravans, with a standing garrison of no more than a thousand people. The resistance will not be too fierce." Huang Zhong had already inquired about the situation.
Zhao Yun also breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this - Qutang Pass was only the first test, just the beginning.
It is not realistic to capture Yizhou directly, but they cannot stay in Kuimen, or in other words...if the results of the battle are only preserved in Kuimen, they can only withdraw to Chu after the flood season!
There is one thing that both Yan Yan and Wu Jing, who has become a mess, had analyzed correctly before - the transportation of materials from various counties in Jingzhou, through Xiling Gorge to Zigui, and from Zigui through Wu Gorge and Qutang Gorge to Kuimen, was very unfavorable.
If we were only transporting grain, we could get a bushel and a half of rice out of one stone. This is all thanks to the various transport vehicles of the Ministry of Works, and the abundant animal power. Oxen and horses are used on roads where they can be used!
Otherwise, I'm afraid I can only get half a bucket...
Of course, the Wancheng 1st Division and the Xinye 1st Division, as the first armies to be reorganized and carried out foreign wars, were undoubtedly the elite troops on the front line of the Chu State. For the elite troops of the Chu State, military supplies could not be limited to food.
Not only does the training of elite soldiers itself require nutritional support, but the grassroots generals are already practicing Qi, and their requirements for food intake and dietary nutrition are also higher!
Because they need to consume a certain amount of meat, eggs, fish, fruits and vegetables, the daily military ration expenses of the Chu army during daily training are seven or eight times that of ordinary armies of other princes. Infantry is more expensive than other cavalry!
The original standard of military rations for a single soldier was one dan per month. Because the Chu army also had to consume large amounts of meat, eggs, fish and vegetables, the weight of their military rations was only one and a half dan, but it was worth nearly ten dan of rice. The current standard "dan" of the Chu State was slightly reduced from the previous eight dou.
Of course, the transportation cost will not increase by seven or eight times, which means that the value of the transported items is higher, but the weight is only increased by half...
There is no rule that you have to eat what you transport!
However, the problem is that if the Chu army is used for transportation, the rations of the Chu army responsible for transportation will also be much more expensive. If the people are mobilized... the cost will be three times higher than before!
After all, a large number of workshops are recruiting people now, and labor has suddenly become valuable. The days when the General's Mansion was just starting out and there was a large labor force just by providing meals are gone forever.
Three times, the people still did it out of patriotism, especially when they knew that this was to transport grain for the expedition against Yizhou, so they were willing to do it even if they could earn less!
Although if they really had to starve to death, they could naturally eat "compressed grain bricks". The elite troops of the Chu State did not lack the quality of hard work. Taking in the minimum amount of nutrition and maintaining physical strength were also part of their regular training.
However, if the minimum consumption is maintained for a long time, the body of the Qi warrior will not be able to bear it, and the strength of the Ji-made soldiers will also decline...
If the supplies were normal, the 25,000 elite soldiers left in Kuimen would be equivalent to the consumption of 100,000 elite soldiers.
The entire Chu State had less than 200,000 soldiers trained to elite standards, and an additional 100,000 standing garrisons in various locations.
In other words, if these two divisions stayed in Kuimen, it would be a considerable expense for the State of Chu.
Especially the Hanshui Weir project in Wudang is also under construction, which is a big source of money and grain!
Under such circumstances, even if the State of Chu had a lot of grain reserves, it would not be able to supply two large grain-burning households for a long time.
Unless... you can get food locally - get food and fodder in Yizhou.
At least grains that "take up a lot" such as rice should be collected locally as much as possible, and then only meat and eggs will be transported in the form of dried or pickled products, which will put much less cost pressure.
Moreover, the Chu people must be stable, the spirit of Baixue must be established, and "eating the locals" cannot mean "eating the enemy". Ordinary people in Yizhou cannot be treated as enemies, and they cannot be killed, burned, looted, and supplied like Dong Zhuo's former subordinates did in Guanzhong...
In this case, the limit of the flexibility is that some taxes can be "credited" to the people, but it should not be more than double. Alternatively, dried meat, gold and silver can be used to purchase stored grain from the people!
In other words, unless they could capture a few counties, Zhao Yun and Huang Zhong would have no choice but to retreat along the same route, no matter how smoothly the battle went.
This is also why Huang Zhong directly agreed to Wei Yan's attack on Baidi City - given Wei Yan's temperament, it is not surprising that he would ask for a fight, but given Huang Zhong's style, he would not agree so hastily if he did not have a purpose.
Of course, part of the reason was that the news he received in Qutang Pass made Huang Zhong feel relieved.
Otherwise, even if Huang Zhong agreed, he would order Wei Yan to leave two regiments to guard Qu Tang Pass, and he would personally lead most of the soldiers to attack Baidi City!
After all, Baidi City itself is easy to defend but difficult to attack. Even if there are not many defenders, there is a danger of capsizing in the ditch if you are careless.
But now that the defender is Gan's man and was previously excluded, the last bit of risk has been reduced to a very small level...
When Wei Yan led his men to Baidi City, they found that Gan Mao was actually waiting to greet them ten miles outside the city... No, to fight against them!
Looking at the square formation of thousands of people, Wei Yan already understood Gan Mao's meaning.
If they really wanted to defend to the death, they would definitely defend the city walls of Baidi City. How could they possibly come out to meet the enemy?
"Second battalion commander, step out!" Wei Yan called out his second battalion commander Liao Hua.
"Here!" Liao Hua shouted with full energy.
"You go and announce your name, and then fight with the enemy's main general... Remember, the enemy is a clan member of Governor Gan after all, and his martial arts are not as good as yours. He doesn't have any determination to win now, so don't cause any deaths." Wei Yan whispered to Liao Hua later.
After all, Wei Yan is now one of the top 20 soldiers in the Chu army, and he is young and energetic. Naturally, he is unwilling to go up and fight with Gan Ning's relatives!
Although Wei Yan has only just come of age, he has been a general for a long time and has his own dignity. Liao Hua is only sixteen years old, younger than Wei Yan. He was only a dubo before, but when the system was reformed, he was praised by Wei Yan for training sergeants and soldiers, so he was promoted one level and became a battalion commander. Otherwise, dubo should normally be a company commander after the reform...
"Here is Liao Hua, the battalion commander of the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Regiment, 1st Division of the Great Chu Xinye Army. Do you dare to fight the enemy?" Liao Hua revved his engine and came directly to the front of the two armies.
Among the front-line troops of the Chu State, most of the Dubos are gilded generals. Only in the garrisons of various places can you see wooden and stone Dubos. Liao Hua is naturally also a gilded general!
Although Liao Hua was still young and not a genius, he was born in a good time - when the General's Mansion was stationed in Jingzhou and the State of Chu had not yet been officially established, Liao Hua rushed to the Naxian Hall to join the army and became a dubo. He even lied about his age for this. Fortunately, he looked mature, and later when the state was established, he was promoted to Liujin with a buff.
Gan Mao on the other side didn't understand what these confusing names were. He just saw that the other party was just challenging him, and he knew in his heart that the other party also understood what he meant.
"Although I, Gan Mao, have been ostracized by incompetent people and have only a few hundred defenders under my command, my loyalty is evident to the world. Even if the Marquis of Shu is deceived by treacherous people, I will defend Baidi City to the last moment. Come... fight!" Gan Mao first found an excuse for himself.
The general idea is "I am excluded" and "I have no soldiers under my command", and the reason for this is that "the Lord of Shu employs treacherous people", and now this loyal and good man has to fight the enemy to the death...
Then, within twenty rounds, Gan Mao was stabbed to the ground by Liao Hua's three- pointed knife .
"Ah! I'm tied up... Don't surrender to save me!" Gan Mao shouted while being tied up, and he cooperated to take back his armor.
As for Gan Mao's personal soldiers, they had already begun clamoring to surrender for their commander, and some even rushed forward... and knelt on the ground, begging Gan Mao to preserve his useful body and not to resist anymore!
Other defenders?
How could an 18th-tier army that had not been in battle for a long time and had never killed an enemy withstand such a shock!
Once they had an excuse... no, a legitimate reason, they all surrendered immediately.
Wei Yan couldn't stand it anymore, so he asked people to stop the drama, and directly issued a military order, recruited Ji Zao's soldiers, and entered Baidi City...
