Chapter 140: Heavy Punch Strikes Out (Part I)

「Not far west of Wine Spring City, Jiayu Pass will definitely be the site of this decisive battle. After this battle ends, we could go there to pick up bones and get rich—who knows how many will die, sigh! 」

Enjoying Ana Ye's massage, reclining comfortably in the grand master's chair and humming with satisfaction, Fang Chongyong couldn't help but sigh.

Anyway, Jiayu Pass isn't his stage; Fang Chongyong has decided to just lie low in Sand Prefecture.

Now, with nothing to do, pointing at the rivers and mountains, he rather enjoys the feeling of someone who has come ashore watching a poor soul struggle in the water.

Fang Chongyong is indeed a novice when it comes to facing the enemy in battle—he can't even lift a sword or draw a bow. He also knows his limits, so he might as well just scrape by; better to live shamefully than die nobly.

But when it comes to military strategy, Fang Chongyong has actually gained deep insight, able to integrate terrain into the art of two armies facing off, and he's begun to see some of the tricks.

Fang Chongyong roughly knows what the terrain is like around Jiayu Pass.

In short, that place is an excellent 'burial ground'; if fighting really broke out, no number of lives would be enough to fill it.

"Tsk tsk, you sound like you're telling the truth, but you're just boasting again."

Ana Ye snorted, then sighed, her expression softening as she asked worriedly, "My lord, you won't go again, will you? You won't lead troops on campaign again, will you?"

"Of course I'm not going—no matter what, I'm not going."

"Even if Ji Ge knelt before me, I still wouldn't go."

Fang Chongyong quickly waved his hands and said boldly.

He's not Ji Ge—what overtime is he talking about? And overtime isn't done like that; you'd die doing it!

"Not going is good—it's really too dangerous. Hexi hasn't seen such fierce fighting in a long time."

"Every day you're out fighting, I can't sleep a wink."

Ana Ye said with lingering fear.

During this time she's been anxious, waking many times at midnight dreaming of Fang Chongyong covered in blood, waving goodbye to her.

"Whether there will be fighting here in Hexi, I don't know."

"But if this time we can hurt the Tibetans, Hexi will probably enjoy a long stretch of peace."

"That wouldn't be a bad thing."

Fang Chongyong gave Ana Ye insincere comfort, not a word of it true.

Often, worries that serve no practical purpose are just an extra burden.

There's no need to let a local girl from Hexi worry all day over national affairs.

In fact, the opposite of what Fang Chongyong just said. He feels that all border garrisons, including Hexi, will soon enter an 'age of military merit involution'!

Although large-scale wars around Hexi won't increase, small-scale conflicts will certainly not cease.

Forget about idle peace and such!

Because as the Fubing system collapses and the recruitment system spreads, the imperial court's financial pressure will only grow; correspondingly, military pay and rewards will dwindle, while the cost of maintaining troops will actually increase!

On one hand, the professional level and combat strength of the Long March troops will become unprecedentedly strong thanks to related support systems, providing an objective basis for border commanders to gain military merit;

On the other hand, military expenses will account for more than eighty percent of the imperial court's expenditures, and the ratio will surely rise year after year without limit.

Thus, border garrison commanders must constantly provoke the surroundings and nurture bandits to be self-reliant in order to obtain more military funding and supplies!

This demands that they have more military merit as backing to go to the court and ask for money.

How can one earn merit without fighting?

How can one ask for money, grain, and supplies without having earned merit?

How can one get promoted and rich without slaughtering enemies like hemp?

Moreover, as Ji Ge's threshold rises, his expectations for military merit will only grow higher; an ordinary victory will become just a speck in his life that doesn't even splash a drop of water.

Only a great victory that destroys a nation, or expanding territory in a previously unattainable position, will excite Ji Ge.

Thus, the arrival of a chaotic age is probably not far off.

If someone can still live peacefully now, then burning incense and bowing to Buddha in thanks for heavenly blessings is absolutely correct.

Fang Chongyong's gaze was deep and far-reaching; as he stared intently at the study door, his languid posture formed a stark contrast.

Just then, Zhang Guangsheng quietly pushed open the study door, entered, and bowed with clasped hands, saying: "My lord, the local gentry and the Hu merchants from the Western Regions have jointly invited you to a feast, and it's at the old residence of the Zhang clan."

"Hmm, tonight dress formally and go with Yan Zhuang; you just need to discuss matters with those people."

"It's time to find you something proper to do—definitely don't get stage fright."

Fang Chongyong lightly waved his hand, appearing nonchalant.

Seeing that Zhang Guangsheng still had something to say, Fang Chongyong shook his head and said:

"In this confrontation with the Tibetans, our advance and retreat are measured—we can truly be said to have awed the Western Regions!"

"Those people have come to discuss new rules with us. Since they're asking for a favor, they ought to show the proper attitude of supplicants."

"As the official who controls Sand Prefecture's military authority, I too should have my dignity."

"Come when summoned, leave when waved off—yet they treat me like a fawning stray dog!"

"Just tell them that I, the official, have just returned from campaign to Sand Prefecture and need to rest; it's inconvenient to see guests."

"Whatever the matter, discussing it with you is the same; when the time comes, just bring out the agreement you've worked out and show it to me."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Guangsheng stifled his excitement, clasped his hands, and bowed deeply to Fang Chongyong.

He then received the order and departed.

After he left, Ana Ye curiously asked, "My lord, is your dignity really this big? It seems completely unlike your usual way of doing things."

"If you don't have a bit of arrogance, people won't believe you."

"Many things are just strange that way—if you're approachable, they don't believe you, thinking that humility must hide an agenda."

"Only by putting on an aloof, superior attitude can you show your nobility."

"Not going is normal; going would be improper."

"After months of hard work, having killed so many Tibetans, now is the time to reap the fruits of victory."

"From now on, Sand Prefecture's military and civil affairs will be whatever I say."

Fang Chongyong said in a cold tone words that made Ana Ye both alarmed and incredulous.

Through these several military campaigns, Fang Chongyong had already proven to people from all walks of life in Shazhou his ability to control the army.

In a border garrison, without an army, you have nothing—no matter how much money you have, it all belongs to someone else. Only now did Fang Chongyong truly shake off the embarrassment of being a "lone-rider Inspector," bringing both military and civil affairs of Shazhou under his control.

Now that he controlled the army, wasn't it only natural for local prominent families and great Western Region merchants alike to approach him in a low posture?

There was no reason to indulge these people.

"Heh, I can't tell—you've really become quite impressive now!"

Ana Ye made a sarcastic remark, her mouth saying one thing while her body said another.

"Yes, but those are all useless."

Fang Chongyong pulled a large sheet of paper from his robe like a magic trick, handed it to Ana Ye, and said:

"Starting tomorrow, I will strictly carry out a study plan.

Whether it's reading and studying or physical training, whether it's military strategy or swordsmanship and archery, all must keep up.

Strict time management! No wasting time! All entertainment, completely forbidden!

You must supervise me. If I violate the rules, you may take a ruler and strike my palm!"

Fang Chongyong wore a peculiar earnestness on his face, moving to behold.

"You're already an Inspector—why are you still studying these things..."

Ana Ye was rendered speechless time and again. Had Fang Chongyong still not realized that he was already a high-ranking court official?

"You don't understand. All those things are illusory—wealth, official rank, beauties, imperial favor, connections. These things could vanish in an instant someday.

Only one's own abilities are real and solid.

I can be merciful to the weak, but I cannot beg for the strong's charity.

Without studying and without training, how can one grow stronger?"

Ana Ye was struck by these words. After a long while, her gaze gradually softened, and she took the initiative to grasp Fang Chongyong's hand, saying, "I'll remember. If you slack off from now on, I'll smack your palm."

……

After the Ming dynasty, Jiayu Pass became renowned as the westernmost point of the northern Great Wall. To praise it as "the First Pass Under Heaven" would be no exaggeration.

However, the Jiayu Pass of the present had not yet built a garrison fortress. Only a few beacon towers had been erected at certain key positions, most of them remnants from the Han dynasty.

The Tang dynasty's northwestern defense system, by contrast, favored "mobile defense," treating the Hexi Corridor as a single whole.

Therefore, the facilities near Jiayu Pass mostly served troop movements and traveling merchants and passengers, so they were far from "impregnable."

Black Mountain to the north and Wenshu Mountain to the south formed a great canyon running along the Taolai River—this was also the main route from Suzhou to Guazhou, and at its widest point it was over twenty li across!

North of Black Mountain lay a vast desert. To detour from Guazhou to Suzhou, one could take this route, but only with camels, not horses. There were no supply points along the way, no oases, and a journey of up to a hundred li—making it quite risky.

Between Wenshu Mountain and the Qilian range to the south lay the great canyon that held the Taolai River, with the eastern side of the river dozens of meters higher than the western side! The canyon was nearly six hundred meters wide, a breathtaking sight—this was Jiayu Pass's natural defensive line.

The canyon not only had a great elevation drop but was also very steep, with cliffs that looked as though carved by blades and axes. Only at the southernmost point was the terrain somewhat level. The Great Tang had built a wooden bridge here called "Tiansheng Bridge," wide enough for only two people to cross abreast.

Either take the heavily guarded great canyon, or cross the Tiansheng Bridge, where one man could hold it against ten thousand. In an era before a garrison fortress was built, how to defend Jiayu Pass was a headache-inducing dilemma for whichever side held the east or the west.

The Tang and Tibetan armies had already clashed on this battlefield many times. Whether along the Taolai River or at Tiansheng Bridge, both sides had engaged in close combat, each winning and losing, and for the moment neither could get the better of the other.

However, today the situation changed—the Tibetan army began to mass!

On a relatively high hill southeast of Black Mountain at Jiayu Pass, the Hexi Jiedushi Wang Zhongsi was observing the battle and directing the overall situation, accompanied by several senior military commanders.

"Jiedushi, the Tibetan army is trying to turn the tables on us!"

The brawny man who spoke was Ma Yuanqing, Deputy Commander of the Chishui Army, who had served here for many years—far more senior than Wang Zhongsi.

He pointed at the wooden palisade in front of the Tang army's line below the hill and said.

In front of the palisade, a line of chevaux-de-frise had also been laid out to fix the basic shape of the formation, so it wouldn't scatter at the first charge of Tibetan cavalry.

The width of the Jiayu Pass canyon was sufficient for tens of thousands to deploy in formation, so it greatly tested a commander's tactical skill.

"Kill as many as come—it's no matter."

Wang Zhongsi waved his hand and said calmly.

He had deliberately left an opening, leaving the desert area to the north unguarded. If the Tibetans were smart enough, they would surely send troops on a flanking march from the north, cross a hundred li of desert, detour to the Tang army's rear, and then attempt to crush the Tang center army.

Meanwhile, the canyon's front would see round after round of bloody, grueling combat.

Although the Tang army did not deploy "pure units" like the later Song army—where troop types were fixed and irreplaceable, greatly reducing combat flexibility—it still had clear divisions of labor among its main forces, with each arm performing its own function rather than everything being thrown together haphazardly.

The various corps were divided by function into bowmen, crossbowmen, garrison teams, assault vanguard teams, cavalry, shock troops, surprise troops, and more. These troop types often had one soldier skilled in multiple roles, serving whatever function the battle required, and the soldiers' tactical proficiency was very high.

Under normal conditions, when the Tang army fought in positional battles, each time combat unfolded:

When the enemy was at one hundred and fifty paces, the crossbowmen opened fire;

When the enemy was at sixty paces, the archers began shooting;

When the enemy closed to twenty paces, the bowmen and crossbowmen, after firing, took up blades and clubs (modao or clubs) and advanced together with the assault vanguard teams to attack.

Once the heavy infantry engaged the enemy's infantry and cavalry in close combat, the surprise troops, cavalry, and shock troops were not permitted to act rashly.

If the front-line infantry's battle did not go well, the shock troops, surprise troops, and cavalry could then advance to meet the enemy and attack, while the heavy infantry fell back, regrouped, and prepared to reinforce.

If the shock troops, surprise troops, and cavalry's attack went poorly, all infantry (including, besides the heavy infantry armed with modao, the sword-and-shield troops who defended against ranged weapons like arrows, and the light infantry carrying short weapons) had to fight in coordination with the cavalry simultaneously.

Such regulations were numerous and extensive in length.

So how to fight in front of the lines actually followed fixed rules—the basic routines were just those. Even a complete layman who knew nothing could follow the "tactical manual" by rote and fight convincingly.

This part, in fact, was not where the difficulty of commanding battles lay.

Because when armies faced off on the battlefield, this was only how things went under normal conditions.

Regrettably, on the battlefield... so-called "normal conditions" were actually quite rare, while "irregular conditions" were everywhere.

This was much like how no two leaves in the world are exactly alike—war had no fixed routines, only wooden-headed, obstinate mediocre generals.

When encountering special circumstances, it greatly tested a commander's tactical adaptability.

You cook whatever ingredients you have on hand, and you cook whatever dish the guest's "taste" demands—there was no fixed way of fighting, nor any rigid rules as foolish as marking the boat to find the sword.

Wang Zhongsi's formation this time entirely abandoned those lightly armored infantry, and also dispensed with large numbers of archers and crossbowmen. These bows and crossbows and such things had extremely limited effect against the heavily armored infantry that the Tibetans took pride in.

Within a distance that could inflict casualties, an archer or crossbowman could only loose a single arrow — by the time of the second arrow, the Tibetan heavy infantryman's axe would already be hacking into his face.

This time Wang Zhongsi massed the modao squads for concentrated use, resolved to first hold the line, then use lightly armored infantry to carve a bloody path through to the Tibetan army's center.

"Sword-and-shield soldiers, hold the palisade steady, do not attack rashly, draw the Tibetan heavy infantry in to assault. Once the Tibetan cavalry mobilizes, let our light cavalry go over and harass them with bows and arrows. The Tibetans have no horseback archery skills — just keep them at a distance and wear them down."

Wang Zhongsi said to Ma Yuanqing.

The decisive factor in this battle was probably on the Tibetan army over by the desert. If the Tibetans did not have this move, or arrived too late, then they could wait to die!

The Tang army had installed several hundred bed crossbows on the cliffs south of Wenshu Mountain, on the east bank of the Taolai River! When the time came, they would rain down ten thousand arrows from on high, shooting the Tibetan defenders on the opposite riverbank into sieves! After that, the elite of the Chishui Army would fly across the Taolai River via Tiansheng Bridge, then press in from the Tibetan army's southern flank!

This force would drive straight into the Tibetan army's center — then there would be quite a show to watch.

Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank!

The Tibetan heavy infantry's full body armor clanked and swayed as they marched in neat formation toward the Tang army's wooden palisade. The Tibetans seemed to have no interest in anything fancy either; they apparently saw through the Tang army's stratagem, or perhaps simply did not care much in their hearts.

Because as long as they pierced through the Tang army's main force's battle line at Jiayu Pass, all the Tang army's maneuvering elsewhere would become useless effort!

Brute force conquers all skill!

"Kill!"

The Tibetan heavy infantry charged forward, and the Tang army's modao met them — weapons meant for killing horses now used to kill men. Both sides exerted their full strength, each determined to put the other to death!

Clang!

The sound of blades scraping across armor rang through the sky, and the bloody slaughter began.

Seeing the two armies' lines interlocking like dogs' teeth, with the Tibetans even breaking through slightly in localized spots, Wang Zhongsi still maintained his composure and ordered Ma Yuanqing: "Take the Chishui Army elite now and fly across Tiansheng Bridge."

"Orders received!"

Ma Yuanqing turned and left immediately.

Wang Zhongsi then turned to the newly appointed commander of the Doudou Army, Dong Yanguang, and said: "Take the Doudou Army main force and set up defenses north of Jiayu Pass near the desert. Do not let a single Tibetan through!"

"Orders received!"

Dong Yanguang also turned and departed.

Wang Zhongsi continued standing on the hilltop watching. He saw the two armies' battle lines trading blow after blow, blood spraying everywhere. Those soldiers of both armies who had been full of life and vigor just moments ago fell one after another, and more men from behind continuously filled their places.

Anyone who saw it would be moved — but no one could make them stop.

"The compassionate do not command troops" — nothing could describe it better. A commander's heart was always the most ruthless; in their hearts, there was only the word "victory."

There will be at least one more chapter during the day. Double monthly tickets — send them all over. If monthly tickets exceed five thousand, there will be extra updates during the National Day holiday next month.

(End of this chapter)