Chapter 59: Mining And Probing Attacks
“To change the ecology of a region, one must enter the game themselves.” Wu Fei looked at the end of the winding river flowing before him. The stream originally flanked by shrubbery had already become an artificial dam. This dam turned the surroundings into taro fields, and beside the dam next to the golden toad stone statue, the prints of farmers’ straw sandals were densely packed.
In Wu Fei’s plan, he wanted the barbarian tribes south of Yongji Pass to step into the “tusi” era with certain farming capabilities.
To achieve this goal, in addition to providing them with a certain quantity of iron plows and such ironware, he also instilled feudal values.
Under the value system of the lord masters, fishermen and hunters who are harder to tax are lowly people. Farmers bound to farmland and artisans bound to workshops are the people worth protecting.
Such hierarchical differences are very clear characteristic distinctions between feudal and savage.
Wu Fei: “If the status of farmers remains behind those who hunt in primitive tribes; then the iron plow will eventually be reforged into wolf-tooth clubs and iron swords.”
Of course, if people don’t learn from teaching, they will definitely learn from events.
The Wu Family Army can only create a farming and war model dominated by Da Yao Kingdom people in this region, continuously bullying local barbarian culture through water sources and trade, producing contradictory frictions in communities, to transform the local barbarians culturally and institutionally.
Here, Wu Fei had considered the situation of a certain type of people, namely traveling merchants like Yu Bai recommending Da Yao landless farmers to these tribes. Wu Fei’s expected goal was to have these farmers teach those barbarians to reclaim and farm, but this was only his subjective wish.
Just like in his previous life, the Eastern overseas cultural propaganda department subjectively wanted Confucian Academies to represent culture going out. But objectively, others don’t accept it! What can you do about them?
There is the saying “refuse the respectful toast and drink the punishment wine.” Therefore, when promoting culture to the barbarians, don’t always offer respectful toasts; prepare punishment wine when it’s time to give it.
The farmers who went outside the pass, like the “marriage alliance princess,” bear the mission of cultural communication. This mission sometimes makes people feel aggrieved and fatal.
Wu Fei had to secure a retreat for them outside the pass. A place where they could quickly flee to safety and hold the line, a place where they could counterattack and take revenge after defense.
Thus, Wu Fei lit a “lighthouse” for this purpose.
Fen Xing City was built two hundred li south of Yongji Pass. It relied on the eastern foothills of Chilian Mountain, and this place had only one river flowing downward into the Ling River.
Wu Fei chose this place not only because he personally conducted detailed strategic considerations, but also because he brought in some feng shui masters, who after repeated measurements, confirmed this place as the location of “imperial aura.”
Although to the east of this place is endless primeval jungle, there are no more undulating hills, and another five hundred li further is the coastline. Theoretically, with sufficient future development, after this forest is all felled, it will become alluvial plains suitable for farming.
A point that can radiate control over a piece of virgin land developable by agriculture has “imperial aura.” Because this land is too far separated from Da Yao’s inland by mountains, the “imperial aura” is broken, only a small piece. But it is enough to carry the “imperial way” radiating the surroundings.
Therefore, in this expedition, Wu Fei’s biggest strategic layout was to establish a fortified city here!
After all, it can’t be that every time they exit closed-door cultivation, they mobilize troops from inside the pass to the north of Ling River for confrontation, right? The first time is necessary investment to open the route, with military protection needed to complete construction at various water points and supply stations along the way; but the second and third times, having too much military strength stationed in the region would be waste.
Now with “Fen Xing City” as the strategic pivot outside the pass, Wu Fei could station a thousand economically applicable military forces here permanently. Then, using this as a base point through garrison deterrence, he could maintain about five thousand vassal army’s military strength. After this adjustment, it could greatly save the cost of the next military operation opening the pass.
Only by continuously reducing the military mobilization cost within the control line can they truly push across the Ling River, sweep horizontally south to the “Li Huo Sect” this reactionary daoist sect…… cough cough cough, break mountains and fell temples.
……
This is a fortified city one hundred fifty zhang long and one hundred zhang wide. The material for building the city walls is wood that began to be felled and piled in a certain place to air-dry last year, as well as stone material quarried from a small hillock on the foothills of Chilian Mountains. The city walls are two zhang high, not an Eastern-style defense system. Eastern city walls’ defense relies on thick walls where people, vehicles, and horses can pass above. This city’s wall high points can only allow two people to pass, and its defense focus is the tall buildings connected to the walls. The tall buildings use very solid materials, allowing cannons good shooting angles to sweep the opposite side.
This is more like a Western fortress, its advantage being cheaper than Eastern cities. Eastern city walls require massive stone and very labor-consuming ramming earth layers.
The disadvantage of such a Western fortress is that it can only defend against enemies with relatively low civilization levels; once enemies have cannons and catapults set up at close range, the fortress will be very dangerous.
Of course, it’s not just this lone castle; there are some auxiliary fortresses surrounded by relatively shorter walls to prevent cannons from reaching directly under the main fortress.
Around all auxiliary fortresses, there is a ditch that is very annoying for attackers.
The overall ditch layout has many ditches converging into the moat around the main fortress. The ditches are like the character “half,” and the three drawbridges on the moat are like the three forks of “half,” corresponding respectively to the three sections where the city gate ditches converge. At the city gate, relying on the drawbridge as the traffic point, they can go to any section of the outer ditches at any time.
When attackers besiege any auxiliary fortress, the main fortress can send troops to support based on the enemy’s troop strength in that ditch area.
Specifically, the city gate has three drawbridges, corresponding to the three sections delineated by the ditches; during attack, lower a certain drawbridge, and the garrison main force rushes out to kill the small number of enemies divided by the ditches, then shoot crossbow bolts across the ditches to attack people in the auxiliary fortress.
Unless the enemy has sufficient troops deployed adequately on both sides of every ditch, they will face the main fortress’s situation of “you on the left bank, I’m on the right bank” “you on the right bank, I run to the left bank.”
Wu Fei poked a knife into the rock barrier of the city wall; the granite blocks sparked against the iron sword.
The soldiers building the city beside him carefully accompanied throughout: if the inspection is unqualified, they would be on the list for first-year garrison.
Wu Fei nodded, then entered the city. There were three wells inside the city, with a few small fish swimming in the wells, indicating the water is live.
Wu Fei stood at the high point of the left wing city battlement, gazing at the great river twenty li away. Wu Fei: Having built this city beyond Da Yao’s territory, there is now the fact of guarding the fence and feudalism.
At this time in the city stronghold, the soldiers’ camp had already begun processing beef. These were cattle that died en route during transport, while more livestock were settled in the dedicated stables inside the city, and reclamation action would start next month.
Wu Fei: All the tasks that should be done are done; before the year ends, probe a bit.
…Probe dividing line…
Shu Tian Calendar, year 29, November, south of Ling River, this is standard behind enemy lines for Da Yao. A unit of over two hundred armored soldiers under the Wu Family Army advanced through dense grass jungle. They began raiding for supplies in reverse.
This unit’s composition was very strange. Among them, forty-five were human race from the north, the rest were troops composed of hunters from various southern border tribes summoned.
Last year the main force army and Li Huo Sect confronted across the river; at that time Li Huo Sect mobilized very actively, but this year they seemed lax. Wu Fei thought this wouldn’t do, so he decided to use small units to penetrate south of Ling River.
For Wu Fei, even if this attack failed, he could bear the war cost. The biggest loss would be “morale,” but with their exit closed-door cultivation nearly ending and about to return soon, a drop in “morale” was no problem.
Wu Fei, who planned this special operation, gave thick rewards to participants; all captured heads would be calculated at three times the merit of the “pass defense battle.” The merit gained by the accompanying southern border auxiliary armies could be exchanged for cattle and sheep, or for ranks. After all, forming southern vassal army for Wu Family Army was inevitable, with many vassal army officer slots; vassal army members getting merit could absolutely exchange for statuses satisfying them.
Of course, most of these southern border tribe hunters hadn’t thought of that yet. They were still calculating for their own level’s needs.
A horned people’s head is worth two for one fifty-jin black pig. A mountain imp’s head is worth one cow. As long as hunters capture them, these livestock can be immediately sent to their tribes.
In these tribes, often one pig or sheep can decently exchange for a wife.
Anyway, this probing unit collectively held the mindset of establishing merit and achievement, beginning infiltration combat.
November 23rd, this two-hundred armored soldier unit familiarly blocked a main road south of Ling River, blocking two war elephants.
Here the guides played an excellent role, judging the number of war elephants and whether there were accompanying forces from the elephants’ foot distances and depth in the mud—not unworthy of being hunter-born.
A few minutes later, under the pressure of spear throws, both war elephants charged into the death zone of caltrops. Although the elephant drivers and spear-riding handlers fought to the death, they ultimately died with the war elephants falling. From the number of silver ornaments on them, these elephant drivers were equivalent to northern cavalry captains’ level. (Similar to Western knights)
After this battle, this batch of light armored soldiers quickly withdrew.
On the battlefield, only corpses simply covered with banana leaves remained, as well as war elephants without tusks; the silver ornaments were also taken, and these things would be packed and sent to the north shore of Ling River that night.
This “spoils” is split half. —For such allocation, Wu Fei’s reason was: in robbery, even the lookouts get a share of the money, right? Without your bamboo raft express service on call by the river, you couldn’t transport spoils across the river, nor replenish arrows.
The death of the two war elephants and drivers was discovered by the tribe two days later; this tribute supplied to Li Huo Sect being attacked made all tribes panic-stricken.
Then more accidents happened, averaging once every two or three days, and these tribes also spotted this unit that crossed from the river north. After this unit discovered their tracks leaked, they directly massacred villages and silenced along the way.
For the “simple” southern tribes, this was the first time they felt the “cold wind” sent from Da Yao on the north shore.
After the 27th, Li Huo Sect’s “flying yaksha tribe” blocked this group of river north people, but—couldn’t win.
Flying yaksha tribe’s five hundred warriors, in fifteen queues total, charged down one after another to fight them, but these river north people’s armor was tough and arrows sharp; flying yaksha tribe’s warriors suffered over half dead and wounded.
Flying yaksha tribe, in the southern border hundred tribes roster, is the fifteenth category; faces no different from humans, hair mainly red, black, brown yellow; high nose bridge (hooked), deep eye sockets; of course, the most characteristic is having a pair of bat wings.
Wu Fei: If not confirmed their diet is mainly fruits and tree sap, almost thought they encountered vampires.
For such flying tribes, Wu Fei had paid much attention beforehand from southern border hundred tribes intelligence; just this “ability to fly” alone can play many tactics, crow people are very useful.
Unfortunately, this tribe’s reputation in southern border is the “cowardly” label; other tribes just treat them as “farting to add wind” existences, failing to let this tribe play their due “guerrilla” role.
For example, this successive charge interception of river north two hundred armored soldiers was not without bravery! Facing iron armor knife formations and foot-held crossbows, these unarmored flying tribe were almost like constantly skewered on steel stakes before barbecue.
After that battle, basically no flying tribe patrolled the skies anymore, considered traumatized.
…Killing provoked fury…
In Li Huo Sect, in Yun Qie Valley, lights were still brightly lit at this time.
However, in the holy land cave, the lights inside became dim and blood-red.
The various tribe leaders forced into the cave wailed miserably within, unknown if due to gu worms acting up or pain from lights burning their innards.
These tribe leaders were punished because they were now incompetent trash in the Li Huo Sect sect master’s mouth.
Wu Family Army could afford river confrontation, but for Li Huo Sect this was unacceptable. After all, their tens of thousands logistics system couldn’t handle it.
Last year Li Huo Sect to hold the confrontation, stimulate various tribes’ combat power, set traps along the river, consumed massive jade marrow, spirit fish, spirit grass, precious ores; refined “enchanted powders” “healing medicines” “burst pills” and such materials were in constant consumption.
Due to lack of management talent, the tribes controlled by Li Huo Sect although obedient, couldn’t provide economic feedback. Only northward attacks to plunder was the way to “monetize traffic.” But these years, they couldn’t plunder anymore, especially unable to launch black tide against the north.
Wu Xiao Que now viciously waved sharp claws, while sneaking claws when not prepared; Li Huo Sect this sect master confirmed his important blood food was tainted, temporarily unable to punish Wu Xiao Que, so vented fire only on his own subordinates negligent in river guard.
In the cave, after one tribe leader was soul-drawn and refined, the other tribe leaders below who also participated in river guard trembled looking at the old ancestor.
At this time the lit remnant soul was still defending, its corpse burning smoke outlining such scene:
A nine-headed bird circled around Ling River, and near the nine-headed bird often were several kites, under kites connected by one line, suspending black bamboo-made incendiary bombs.
This river guard tribe three days ago obeyed orders to pursue that two hundred armored soldier unit, chasing all the way to the river bank, but encountered southern Wu Family Army relief force blocking.
The scene in the smoke was like this: when large batches of southern border barbarians rushed into Ling River trying to pursue the crossing Wu Family Army armored soldiers, the nine-headed bird in the sky intimidated the southern border tribes, its grappling hook constantly grabbing swimming tiger leopards trying to cross the river, directly lifting to sky then tearing apart and dropping.
And when the southern border tribes’ commander, namely the current lit remnant soul’s master, ordered building wooden rafts and erecting bamboo spears to counter the nine-headed bird’s strikes.
This nine-headed bird would wait until the rafts crossed halfway, use wind to pull the kites, then use wings to cut the black firecrackers hanging from kites, then beautifully dive to grab, finally fly toward the tribe’s river-crossing rafts, throwing this “black firecracker” down.
And these firecrackers would be precisely thrown above the wooden rafts, bursting out countless black fire oil; the fire oil wouldn’t extinguish even on water surface, igniting the rafts. Flames like flowing lantern flowers, drifting downstream on the river surface.
The remnant soul didn’t know it was already dead; pain made it think it was still suffering, arduously defending the terror of the water-deep fire-hot scene.
But such sophistry soon ended; the remnant soul was thrown into the burning lamp fire, becoming a human-face shaped light. The jumping human face in the lamp fire forever changes in fear and pain.
In the cave, after long silence, came a terrifying, hehehe laughter: “Wu Family, Yuan Chang! Knowing the name makes it not difficult, not difficult…”
Countless lamp fires in the cave constantly repeated, forming eerie echoes.
…Wu Family Army thus returned, coming back upper half of next year…
Behind Yongji Pass, Ang Ri saw blue pills one by one; these pills could substitute ash flow pills.
Ang Ri looked at the person who gave this item, didn’t thank, but asked: “Bi Fang Fire was originally with you.”
San Gu didn’t deny.
Ang Ri: “What do you want me to do.”
San Gu: “Here, we should form an alliance.”
Ang Ri: “You want to do something behind the general’s back? Sorry, I don’t want my tribe’s hard-found refuge to disappear again.”
San Gu’s pupils flashed a bit of gold, then: “Not asking you to betray.”
Then San Gu slowly said: “I need an ally; his (Wu Fei’s) intelligence in southern border now all goes through Panlong Association (Xiao Qing); you know, I don’t like that snake woman. I think what Panlong Association can do, your tribe can too, but your contributions under the general are far insufficient.”
Ang Ri: “My tribe wants to recuperate and end the hidden ailments on our bodies.”
San Gu: “In this era of great contention, where is there recuperation; I need a powerful ally, or a sacrifice.”
Ang Ri took a deep breath, pondered.
San Gu: “If you ally with me, I have a way to help you resolve your tribe’s hidden dangers.”
