Entrepreneurship in the Late Tang Dynasty

Chapter 119 Eight Strokes
Soon, a Nanzhao general with a beard climbed the mountain carrying an iron spear. Behind him, hundreds of Nanzhao warriors clad in leather armor covered the entire mountainside.

When Cuan Tu saw this person, he hurriedly went to greet him, because the general opposite him was Meng Zhaoluo, a distant relative of the Nanzhao Kingdom's ruler, Chief Long.

Meng Zhaoluo is now forty years old. Twenty years ago, he was not only the first warrior of the royal family, but also the bravest warrior in the army. Twenty years later, although he still wears iron armor and carries an iron spear, he is no longer as strong as he used to be.

At this moment, he hurriedly climbed to the top of the mountain, panting heavily. Upon seeing Cuan Tu, his first question was:

"How many Tang soldiers have arrived? Where have they advanced to?"

Cuan Tu proudly smiled at Meng Zhaoluo:
"Master Baiya, the Tang army has been defeated by me."

Baiya was Meng Zhaoluo's fiefdom, and these royal descendants were all addressed as "fiefdom lords" by their subordinates.

Meng Zhaoluo paused for a moment, then pulled Cuan Tu aside and looked down the mountain. He saw that the Tang army was indeed huddled in the bushes at the foot of the mountain, in a chaotic mess.

In the blink of an eye, Meng Zhaoluo cried out in alarm and was about to lead his men down the mountain when he suddenly saw thick black smoke rising from the direction he had come from.

In an instant, Meng Zhaoluo's vision went black, and he almost fell to the ground, but fortunately Cuan Tu was there to help him up.

Cuan Tu stared blankly at the black smoke rising in the southwest. If he wasn't mistaken, that should be the riverbank camp where they had landed.

Before Cuan Tu could realize what was happening, he was slapped hard across the face, so hard that he spat out a bloody tooth.

This was a blow from Meng Zhaoluo. As a top warrior of Nanzhao, even though his strength was not as great as before, this angry blow was something Cuan Tu could not withstand.

At this point, Meng Zhaoluo was furious and pointed at Cuan Tu's nose, shouting:

"Fool, you've killed me!"

Cuan Tu felt dizzy and swayed for a moment before fainting.

Looking southwest, the black smoke grew thicker and thicker. Meng Zhaoluo realized that his retreat had been cut off, and the Tang army was clearly coming to surround him in these mountains.

I was really careless!

Sure enough, soon the Tang army below the mountain also saw the black smoke rising from the southwest. With the sound of horns and suonas, Tang troops appeared from the north, east and south sides of the mountain.

This time, the entire Tang army, fully armored and armed with swords and crossbows, roared up the mountain, ready to fight!

……

As thick black smoke billowed into the southwestern sky, Zhao Huai'an led his elite troops to the north side of Yinban Mountain.

Upon arriving, Zhao Huai'an selected a relatively open valley as his campsite and ordered Zhao Liu to supervise the baggage handlers, servants, and villagers in cutting down nearby trees to build the camp.

This is something Zhao Huai'an learned from Zeng Guofan in later generations. It's not the phrase "build strongholds and fight a dull war," which is a very dull thing from a military perspective, because the first principle of military strategy is to be mobile and flexible.

Setting up a camp wherever you go is not only time-consuming and laborious, but it also makes you vulnerable to being bogged down by enemy forces.

However, there is one thing Zhao Huai'an can learn from this: an army is unstable without a stronghold.

After arriving at Yinban Mountain, Zhao Huai'an only glanced at the terrain before realizing that this battle would be difficult. Since it was going to be a continuous battle, his army needed a rear camp so that the officers and soldiers would have a place to stay.

Having served in the army for so long, Zhao Liu was very experienced in matters of setting up camp and managing supplies, and Zhao Da still entrusted him with this task.

Then he himself led about ten militiamen up the hillside where Wang Jin was, in order to observe the enemy's formation.

When Zhao Huai'an arrived, he saw Wang Jin shouting loudly to boost morale, while Wei Jingang, standing below him, had an arrow stuck in his iron armor and looked ashamed.

Clearly, Wang Jin and his team's attack on the mountain had not gone smoothly.

Wang Jin, not seeing Zhao Huai'an come up, was shouting:

"They could come at any moment. Do you brothers want to wait for them to arrive so you can attack the mountain?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huai'an deliberately coughed, and seeing that everyone was looking over, he laughed and said:
"You guys played well."

All the generals, including Wang Jin and Han Tong, immediately bowed when they saw Zhao Huai'an. After being called to stand up, they surrounded Zhao Huai'an.

Wang Jin felt a little ashamed at this moment, and he clasped his hands in a fist and said to Zhao Huai'an:

"Dudu, our army has lured the Nanzhao army away from the mountain and now surrounds them at Yinban Mountain. However, I did not expect the enemy's arrows to be so sharp. Even if our army were to attack the mountain in full armor, we could not withstand a single arrow."

Zhao Huai'an was horrified. Even iron armor couldn't stop the arrows. What kind of precious bow was that? Did this Nanzhao army have so many precious bows?
Then Wang Jin explained the situation: it wasn't that the Nanzhao soldiers had good bows, but rather that these Nanzhao soldiers were truly fearless.

Every time Bao Yi would charge uphill in full armor, the enemy archers would rush down and only attack with heavy arrows when they got within thirty or forty paces.

In Wang Jin's words:
"This Nanzhao army's bows and crossbows are not powerful, but they are accustomed to shooting at close range. They will not shoot unless they are within fifty paces. The arrows they use have an arrowhead of six or seven inches, shaped like a chisel. Once they go in, they cannot come out. Those of our army who are hit by them fall down immediately."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huai'an immediately became alert, because he knew the defensive capabilities of his heavy infantry. Let alone shooting from within fifty paces, even shooting from within ten paces would be difficult to penetrate the three layers of armor of the heavy infantry.

In fact, everyone in the army praises their Baoyidu for its strong fighting capabilities, but what exactly makes them so strong?
First, they were highly skilled in combat. The main force of Baoyidu consisted almost entirely of warriors from various vassal states. These were all professional soldiers, while the opposing Nanzhao army was basically a combination of farmers and soldiers. The truly combat-capable soldiers were the Juzi from various tribes. These people were similar in nature to the Tang army's elite soldiers, except that they were selected from the farmers and soldiers to leave their jobs.

Secondly, their fighting spirit was unwavering, a testament to Zhao Huai'an's efforts. Ever since Zhao Huai'an began training his troops at Baishu River, he had always emphasized the physical fitness of his army, requiring each unit to possess the ability to fight continuously. Just like the Wei Wuzu of that time, starting with Zhao Huai'an, officers and soldiers had to run around the camp every day with their armor on their backs to hone their physical strength and willpower.

Therefore, in several skirmishes, the Nanzhao army suddenly discovered that a heavy infantry force had infiltrated and circled around to their rear, which directly broke their understanding of heavy infantry.

It is precisely because of this kind of daily physical training that Bao Yidu's favorite tactics are flanking and flank attacks.

They would use mobility to penetrate into the enemy's weak points, and then deliver a fatal blow with heavy infantry.

This tactic is best suited for horseback riding or mule transport, which allows for long-distance maneuvering and penetration. This not only extends beyond simply achieving tactical objectives but also enables its use as a strategic force.

Unfortunately, Bao Yi did not yet have the resources to assemble a heavy infantry force on horseback or with mules.

Only the Huaixi Army, which cut off the grain transport tax back then, had the strength to support thousands of mule soldiers.

Besides his skills, tactics, and resilience, Bao Yi's third strength, which is his true hard power, is his iron armor.

Zhao Huai'an's rise to power began with three sets of Tibetan iron armor, and he has always focused on accumulating iron armor ever since.

Not only were three layers of armor provided for the brave warriors in the army, but the helmets used by ordinary officers and soldiers were also extremely hard, with only the two eyes exposed, so that they could not be penetrated by spears and arrows.

These heavily armored infantrymen, in addition to their full armor, often carried various heavy weapons, such as octagonal clubs, maces, or long-handled double-edged axes. Therefore, other troops in Xichuan privately referred to Baoyi as the "Hard Army."

Not only is their fighting style tough, but it's tough in the literal sense!

But now, what did Zhao Huai'an hear? His proudly armored infantry couldn't withstand the enemy's crossbows! This made Zhao Huai'an curious about the enemy's bows.

Seeing the generals' anxiety and shame, Zhao Huai'an smiled and comforted them:

"Why the rush? The enemy is surrounded on the mountain; do you think they can sprout wings and escape? Take it slow!"

As he spoke, Zhao Huai'an stepped forward and began to observe the Nanzhao army's positions on Yinban Mountain.

The entire Yinban Mountain range stretches vertically from north to south, with two hills, one in the west and one in the northwest, where the Nanzhao army set up camps.

Then, between the two hills, you can see a small wooden stockade from time to time. There may only be a few people on it, but because it is located on a slope, it is very difficult to attack.

In addition, the Nanzhao army also set up two military camps on the eastern slope of the enemy's Yinbanshan position, ready to support the two hills to the west and northwest at any time.

Then, at the foot of the southern side of the Yinbanshan position, there is a wild rice field, which was probably scattered by some of the local tribesmen.

On the south side of the rice paddies, another battalion of Bao Yidu, namely the eight detachments led by Chen Fahai, was deployed there, thus joining the other two battalions to pincer attack the enemy's Yinbanshan position.

However, there was a problem with Chen Fahai's choice of location: the south side of Yinban Mountain is close to the Dadu River, and the terrain there is already very low.

No matter what troop movements Chen Fahai's battalion made at the foot of the mountain, they could not hide it from the enemy's eyes on the mountain.

On the west side of Yinban Mountain, there is only an extremely narrow mountain path leading to Xiaoling, followed by cliffs and the surging Dadu River flowing to the west.

Therefore, Wang Jin had not previously deployed personnel on the west side. Zhao Huai'an observed all of this and interpreted the information in his own way.

This also shows that after fighting for so long, Zhao Huai'an's military skills have grown rapidly, which is inseparable from his being a highly qualified person.

To become an outstanding general, you can't just study military books and strategies. You need to understand astronomy, geography, and human nature. These qualities together constitute your battlefield decision-making ability.

Zhao Huai'an already possessed such qualities in his previous life, and now, after several months of intense military command, he has become even more adept at it.

Now, after seeing the situation on the battlefield, this is what Zhao Huai'an is thinking.

Although Zhao Huai'an had just told his generals that he was in a hurry, he was actually quite anxious.

At this time, the enemy had deployed a thousand troops on the mountain. If he wanted to surround them, he could certainly kill them. However, the problem was that the battle in Hanyuan Valley could break out at any time.

According to Yang Qingfu's strategy, the first move in this battle would definitely be for the Huangtou Army to attack Hanyuan City in the valley.

But we know the importance of Hanyuan City, do you think the Nanzhao army doesn't know that? So once the battle for Hanyuan City begins, the enemy will definitely send reinforcements, and at that time, Yang Qingfu will also need to increase his troops.

Thus, each side fought once, and the decisive battle broke out.

But here's the problem: Bao Yidu was originally deployed at Yakoupo, tasked with flanking the Nanzhao army's rear. Now, Zhao Huai'an doesn't even know whether Yang Qingfu knows about his deployment, let alone waste time here.

Therefore, Zhao Huai'an was in a hurry. He had to take down the enemy forces on this mountain in a short time and then quickly return to reinforce the pass.

So we definitely have to fight this mountain, but we need to think carefully about which direction to attack from.

First, we must rule out Chen Fahai to the south, because there is a wild rice field in front of them, and there is no other obstruction.

If the main attack is launched from here, the enemy can take advantage of the high ground and shoot down any soldiers and officers who charge up the mountain. Attacking the mountain from this direction would result in too great a loss.

Furthermore, attacking the mountain from the north is also not feasible, because the slope on this side is steeper. When Bao Yidu attacks the mountain, he wears armor and is inherently less agile. If they were to attack from this side, they wouldn't even be able to climb the slope.

Thus, the most suitable direction of attack is the east side of the hillside, where the cross section is longer, which is conducive to the deployment of troops, and the slope is also very suitable. The only concern is that the enemy has also taken this into account, so they have set up two outposts on the mountainside on this side.

Therefore, attacking directly from here would make the tactical intent too obvious.

Therefore, Zhao Huai'an thought for a moment and then made the following arrangements:

"Chen Fahai's eight units will be divided into three groups, attacking in shifts to distract the Nanzhao army. Meanwhile, Wang Jin in the north will continue to wave flags and shout slogans, while secretly drawing some elite troops to the east to join forces with Han Tong there to attack the enemy's two outposts on the mountainside. It is necessary to launch an attack at the same time."

Zhao Huai'an's military strategy was quickly delivered to Han Tong and Chen Fahai on the opposite side. After they were instructed to repeat the military order to the messengers, the messengers told the two generals that once they heard the sound of suona horns from the north, all units should launch an attack simultaneously.

So Zhao Huai'an waited patiently, but suddenly, he faintly heard a noise from the north.

Listening more intently, one could hear faint drum and horn sounds appearing and disappearing intermittently, gradually becoming clearer.

Zhao Huai'an was taken aback; he hadn't expected the battle in the northern valley to break out so quickly.

Without further hesitation, he drew his sword, "Cangfeng," and pointed it at the Yinban Mountain ahead. Behind him, Niu Li, along with a band of military musicians, vigorously played the suona.

The powerful and desolate sound of the suona startled countless birds that circled on the mountain. Then, the Baoyi Army from the north, east, and south all launched an attack on Yinban Mountain at the same time.

Do it all at once, second time tired, third time exhausted.

This was Bao Yidu's second attack on the mountain!

……

Yinban Mountain, southern slope.

When Battalion Commander Chen Fahai told Xu Yao and Hua Hong that their attack was merely a feint, both of them were indignant.

It wasn't that they had a problem with Zhao Huai'an, but rather it was a kind of self-respect among martial artists.

They are all skilled warriors, and who is more noble than whom? Why should they carry a palanquin for someone else?
Therefore, when Chen Fahai ordered Xu Yao and Hua Hong's troops to launch a feint attack, both generals had the same thought:
"Hmph, what's this talk of a main attack and a feint? The one that gets up the mountain first is the main attack!"

Xu Yao and Hua Hong were not ordinary warriors. One of them was a general of the Zhongwu Army, with a face full of tattoos, and he was the most fearless in battle.

The other Hua Hong, despite being younger, already possessed the qualities of a hero. He was not only physically strong and valiant, but also generous and charitable, which earned him the respect of his subordinates.

Of the eight loyal generals, Hua Hong was the first to suppress the Dongchuan soldiers below him.

At this moment, Hua Hong, holding a shield in his left hand and a horizontal sword in his right, wearing double armor, leaped like lightning, leading the charge and rushing onto the wild field ahead.

Fortunately, the sun had been strong these past few days, and the wild rice paddy had been baked hard, so Hua Hong was running barefoot across the paddy field as swiftly as the wind, without any hesitation.

This young, loyal general actually chose to charge barefoot up this rocky mountain; he truly has feet of steel!

Behind Hua Hong, more than thirty warriors from eastern Sichuan followed closely behind. Like Hua Hong, they charged up the mountain with swords in their right hands and left side, showing no fear.

Most of these soldiers from eastern Sichuan came from the Bazhong area or the mountain tribes of Rongzhou and Luzhou in the southwest. They had grown up in the mountains and were all capable of climbing to the heavens. At this moment, they were even faster than Hua Hong.

The Nanzhao army on the mountain was unsure which side the Tang army was attacking. Seeing the Tang army's fierce offensive, they dared not be careless and immediately began to hurl logs, rocks, and arrows down.

Hua Hong was among the first to break out of the rice paddies and climb the mountain.

He led about ten warriors from eastern Sichuan, and they crossed a mountain ridge, where a pile of logs and rocks rolled down on them.

Without hesitation, Hua Hong jumped back the way he came, narrowly avoiding the rock.

However, two warriors from eastern Sichuan were not so agile. One had his leg broken by a rolling log and fell to the ground, while the other was hit directly on the head by a rock. Even his iron helmet could not save his life, and he collapsed on the spot.

Just then, a squad of archers rushed up from behind, and led by their captain Hu Honglue, they fired upwards at the Nanzhao soldiers who were showing their faces.

Suddenly, the number of rolling logs and falling rocks decreased significantly. Hua Hong made a quick decision and took advantage of the gap to rush up the hillside in one breath, where he then engaged in a fierce battle with the Nanzhao army.

With Hua Hong leading the charge to block the enemy, Xu Yao and Lu Zhongyuan led their elite troops to charge forward.

Seeing the fierce attack from above, the battalion commander Chen Fahai was overjoyed and personally snatched the wooden mallet, beginning to beat the cowhide drum vigorously.

If his brothers are unwilling to launch a feint attack, does Chen Fahai really want that?

Opportunities are always earned, as Jiang Hu always says!
So Chen Fahai pounded even harder, and he roared:

"Gentlemen, advance! Fight bravely and display your might!"

More and more soldiers of Baoyidu rushed up, and then the Nanzhao army retreated step by step until they finally reached the top of the mountain, where there was nowhere left to retreat.

Just as Hua Hong, Xu Yao, Lu Zhongyuan, and Hu Honglue thought they were about to achieve great success, they suddenly heard shouts from the mountaintop. Then, they saw many Nanzhao soldiers scattering down the mountain.

At this moment, seeing the enemy general's head being held in the hand of a burly man who was shouting and yelling, Hua Hong and Xu Yao were both angry and anxious, cursing the Nanzhao general as a piece of trash.

But if they knew that Meng Zhaoluo, a member of the Nanzhao royal family, had once killed thirteen warriors with his iron spear in his youth, they might not have looked down on him so much.

In reality, if that Angzang man hadn't been so skilled that he snatched the iron spear from Meng Zhaoluo's hand, even if he were old and frail, he would never have died so quickly!
All I can say is that the haughty man was truly formidable.

Soon, Hua Hong and Xu Yao also reached the top of the mountain. They originally thought that the one who was so powerful and mighty was either Han Yaozi in the army or Wang Jin, who was unparalleled in archery, horsemanship, and spear fighting.

But who would have thought that what they saw was Huo Yanchao? The monk who came down the mountain?

At this moment, Hua Hong and Xu Yao, these two former loyal and brave generals, had only one thought in their minds:
"Of all the heroes in the world, Bao Yi alone possesses eight out of ten!"

From this point on, the two generals dared not be arrogant anymore, realizing that Baoyi was a place where hidden talents lay.

At this moment, as Bao Yidu captured the Yinbanshan position, even more intense and heavy drumbeats resounded in the Hanyuan Valley to the north.

This time, the drumbeats were even more rapid!
(End of this chapter)