Chapter 117 If the enemy can go, I can go too!

As the saying goes, “The Yellow River has a hundred harms but one benefit that makes it rich”, and “The Yellow River makes the Hetao rich, and the front Tao is rich as well as the back Tao”. Therefore, the scope of the Hetao refers to a relatively wide area. In addition to the Hetao, there are also the Qiantao, Houtao and Xitao.

This area is a rare area suitable for farming outside the Great Wall, and is a valuable forward base for the Central Plains Dynasty. If this area is well managed, the food produced will be enough to supply an army of tens of thousands of people. Moreover, it is very close to the Yinshan Mountains, the core area of ​​Mongolia, which will put great pressure on Mongolia. Its defensive effect is far greater than that of the Great Wall.

What Li Hu actually took over were the western and northern territories, as well as the plateau area, while the former territories were still in the hands of the Mongols.

“Chi Le Chuan, at the foot of the Yin Mountains. The sky is like a dome, covering the four fields. The sky is vast, the fields are boundless, the wind blows the grass low and cattle and sheep can be seen.” The “Chi Le Chuan” sung in the Yuefu poetry is the Qiantao area. Under the protection of the Daqing Mountains in the middle of the Yin Mountains, the desert wind is difficult to cross and the cold currents from the plateau stop here. With the irrigation of the Yellow River, this place has become a fertile plain.

When the Yellow River flows through the Hetao region, the sediment content is not that high, the water is relatively clear, the flow rate is relatively slow, the water surface is wide and calm, and the river surface is shallow, so it can freeze over in winter and allow vehicles and horses to pass through. In this case, the Mongols can also take advantage of the weather to travel unimpeded on the Yellow River.

After a rare night of rain, the south bank of the Yellow River was lush green and full of vitality.

Just when Emperor Yongchang was paying his respects to the retired emperor, Li Hu arrived at the bank of the Yellow River.

Across the river is the former Ming Dongshengwei, but unfortunately we do not have the ability to capture Dongshengwei at the moment.

Li Hu sat on his horse, his eyes fixed on the black spot in the sky, which was a goshawk.

On his left, Chen Qiang held a telescope towards the other side of the river, observing the Mongolian defense situation.

Behind him rode ten strong personal soldiers.

Thousands of cavalrymen rode around him.

At this moment, the goshawk let out a sharp cry, swooped down from the sky, and circled above the Yellow River.

Li Hu understood that this beast was a trained falcon of the Mongols on the opposite side.

He took out a martial arts ring from his saddlebag and put it on his thumb, took off the bow on the horse’s back, pulled out an arrow from the quiver, aimed at the goshawk, then took a deep breath, and then slowly exerted strength with both arms. With a “creaking” sound, the bowstring was slowly pulled. Under the incredulous gaze of Chen Qiang, his personal soldiers and thousands of cavalrymen, the bow was pulled into a full moon. Li Hu’s hand suddenly loosened, and the arrow went out like a meteor. An eagle’s cry was heard, and then the goshawk fell from the sky and landed on the river.

Thousands of cavalrymen cheered loudly!

Chen Qiang swallowed his saliva. The distance was definitely more than sixty feet!

Li Hu smiled and made a suggestion in the military report. In addition to garrisoning in the hinterland, it was also necessary to build a border wall to defend against the Mongolian tribes on the other side of the river, that is, to build a number of camps and forts along the river to form a complete defense belt.

When we take over the Qiantao Plain and drive the Mongols to the north of the Daqing Mountains, the land under our feet will be truly safe.

In this battle, Li Hu led his army to pursue and kill nearly 20,000 people, beheaded and captured nearly 20,000 people, liberated more than 100,000 serfs, captured tens of thousands of war horses, and hundreds of thousands of cattle and sheep. The government army lost less than 2,000 people, and more than 3,000 Mongolian surrendered, and won a great victory.

Li Hu now has more than 40,000 troops under his command, including nearly 30,000 Shaanxi patrol battalions that have experienced the baptism of war, more than 5,000 elite cavalry from Yulin, and more than 10,000 Mongolian surrendered soldiers. It can be said that he has a strong army.

There are still more than 100,000 serfs who are willing to die for the court. If possible, we might as well fight a battle this autumn to eliminate the threat from the north forever.

Thinking of this, Li Hu sighed deeply. Originally, he wanted to give advice to the emperor in the military newspaper, but when he thought about the character of the emperor’s family, he didn’t want to be “relinquished to a cup of wine”. With an empty treasury, he decided to take it slow.

At this time, a guerrilla general came riding up to Li Hu, pulled the reins, jumped off his horse, and reported loudly: “General, another group of Ulanqab League cavalry crossed the mountain pass, attacked herders, and looted livestock.”

Li Hu’s eyes flashed coldly: “Did you catch him?”

The guerrilla general said: “A few of them escaped. General Xie Jing is interrogating them.”

Li Hu: “Let’s go and take a look.” He squeezed his legs together and urged his horse straight to the Houtao Plain.

Chen Qiang, his personal soldiers and the cavalrymen followed closely on horseback.

The Qiantao Plain is protected by the Daqing Mountain, while the Houtao Plain is protected by the Lang Mountain. The Yellow River flows out of the Xitao Plain and creates a fan-shaped plain at the foot of the Lang Mountain. After entering the Houtao Plain, the Yellow River splits into two routes, flowing through the southern and northern edges of the plain respectively. In this section, the North River is the mainstream and the South River is the tributary. During the Dashun Dynasty, the Yellow River was no longer divided into two rivers, the South and the North, but into three branches, the South, the North and the Middle. Now the South River has developed into the mainstream and the North River has become a tributary, which is completely reversed.

In other words, the Beihe River, which has become a tributary, is no longer a barrier to the Houtao Plain. The Ulanqab League can cross the mountain pass and attack the Houtao Plain at any time without waiting for the Yellow River to freeze.

In addition, the early Great Wall was built along the Yin Mountains and the Helan Mountains, making full use of the terrain of these two mountain ranges. But later, the Central Plains dynasty’s control over the north became increasingly weak, and the Hetao section of the Great Wall retreated to the Yulin line, and the Hetao section completely fell into the hands of nomadic peoples.

Although Li Hu sent troops to guard the main passes, the cavalry of the Ulanqab League was still able to cross some mountain passes and reach the Houtao Plain.

Including this time, this is the third wave of Ulanqab League cavalry that has crossed the mountain pass and attacked herdsmen.

The sun has set to the west.

The herdsmen drove their cattle and sheep to the riverside to drink water and eat grass, and tents were set up on the grassland in the distance.

Wang Daniu was leading a team of personal soldiers to accompany the second prince to view the scenery.

The second prince was walking when he suddenly stopped and looked into the distance.

The sound of horses’ hooves was urgent, and the dust raised by the horse team of thousands of people rolled up into a yellow dragon several miles long on the post road along the river, rolling and making a terrifying momentum!
Amidst the shouts and gasps, the cavalrymen pulled the reins one after another and the horse teams stopped one after another.

It’s Li Hu! With a “humph”, the second prince turned and walked towards a luxurious tent.

Wang Daniu: “Hurry! Follow me!”

The guards first saluted Li Hu and then chased after him.

Li Hu had already dismounted. “Marshal!”

Wang Daniu walked up to Li Hu and said softly, “Someone from Ulanqab League is coming.”

Li Hu looked at him.

Wang Daniu: “He is a Mongolian nobleman who can speak Chinese. He said he came to redeem someone.”

“Ransom?”

Li Hu sneered and strode inside.

In the side tent, several Mongols stood in the middle of the tent.

The nobleman became a little impatient and was about to turn around and leave.

There was a sound of uniform footsteps running, the tent curtain was lifted, and then Xie Jing led two teams of generals in helmets and armor, running in with swords in their hands, and stood solemnly on both sides.

Li Hu strode in and sat down on the chair in the middle.

The personal guard brought a bowl of tea.

Li Hu picked up the tea bowl, took a deep breath of the tea fragrance wafting from the tea bowl, and then took a sip gently.

The noble could not help but look at Li Hu and said, “General Li, the Hetao area is where our Mongolian ancestors have been herding horses and sheep. You Han people call yourselves a ‘country of etiquette’, but you led your army to invade our Mongolian territory and kill our Mongolian people. How is that different from being a robber?”

Li Hu did not respond to his question, but just said coldly: “Kneel down.”

The noble: “What?”

Li Hu: “Kneel down.”

The nobleman was furious: “I am a Mongolian envoy, why do you want me to kneel down?”

Li Hu glanced at him, took a sip of tea slowly, and asked, “Who can prove that you have been here?”

“You!” The nobleman was so angry that his eyes turned red.

Xie Jing took a step forward: “Kneel down!”

All the generals shouted in unison: “Kneel down!”

The Mongolians behind him felt their legs go limp and they all knelt down.

The noble had no choice but to grit his teeth and kneel down.

Li Hu put down the tea bowl: “I don’t want to, and won’t, argue with you about those trivial matters. Go back and tell your people that this is the territory of Dashun. Anyone who dares to invade my territory and kill my people will be killed!” As he said that, he reached for the quiver of command.

“slow!”

The nobleman was anxious, “Their ancestors have been herding horses and sheep here for generations, and they accidentally entered the Dashun border. Oh, it was those untouchables who started it first, we can pay compensation! There is no need to do that because of some untouchables.”

“Broken in by mistake?”

Li Hu interrupted him rudely, “Those filthy cat princes from the Ikh Ju League have long since fled to your Ulanqab League. Don’t you know what’s happening here? Now you say you strayed in by mistake? It’s too late!” He threw the command arrow to the ground.

A personal soldier picked up the command arrow and strode out.

The noble stood up suddenly and said, “In that case, let’s meet on the battlefield!” Then he turned and left.

A cold light flashed in Li Hu’s eyes, and a cold voice came out of his mouth: “Thank you Jing!”

Xie Jing: “I am here!”

Li Hu: “If the enemy can go, I can go too! Don’t the Mongols like to go south to raid the valleys? Now their main force has been tied up in Datong, let’s let them have a taste of being raided!”

Xie Jing’s eyes lit up: “Yes!”

Li Hu stood up and said, “Tell the soldiers that only half of all the spoils need to be handed over. The more you grab, the more you get. Loot as much as you can! Let me get rich too!”

Xie Jing and all the generals laughed silently.

Li Hu: “Don’t they look down on those ‘lowlifes’? Pass the order down. Anyone who is not afraid of death and wants revenge can follow the government cavalry to the Ulanqab League to take revenge and complain. Whoever grabs the woman will own her, as long as he can bear it and bring her back.”

Xie Jing and others laughed again.

The part about beating grass in the valley was deleted.

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(End of this chapter)