Chapter 390: Intercept and Chase
Chapter 390: Intercept and Chase
Five hundred miles south of Shanshan County is the famous Altun Mountain Canyon. The canyon runs across the Altun Mountains and is about 150 miles long. The mountains on both sides of the canyon are majestic and steep. The canyon is at a high altitude, with strong winds and sand, and no grass grows. It is extremely desolate. However, this canyon is the only way for Tuyuhun to go to Shanshan.
Even in later generations, this is still the only passage from southern Xinjiang to Qinghai. National Highway 315 passes through this canyon. Later, a highway was built in the canyon, and the natural barrier became a thoroughfare.
Yin Shishi led 8,000 soldiers to build fortifications on the north side of the canyon and built a beacon tower on a mountain dozens of miles away to monitor the Tuyuhun army in the canyon.
It was extremely difficult to station here. The logistics transport team alone used 10,000 camels to transport food, supplies and water from Shanshan City to the mouth of the canyon.
The soldiers were bored and had to wait patiently day after day. Fortunately, there were plenty of supplies. Although it was boring, they were not sad.
After more than a month's long journey of more than 2,200 miles, Xiao Xia led 20,000 cavalrymen to arrive at the Gas Grassland. The Gas Grassland is today's Huatugou, the last stop from Qinghai to Ruoqiang.
The main reason was that the Tuyuhun people walked slowly, which caused Wang Junkuo's team to walk slowly as well. Xiao Xia led his army to catch up with Wang Junkuo's team at Kuli Lake. They continued to follow the Tuyuhun army from a distance, 150 miles away, which took almost three days to walk. Because the distance was far enough, the Tuyuhun army never noticed that the Sui army was following them.
Twenty miles ahead is a lake, Sabize, the last freshwater lake of this journey. In fact, three hundred miles northwest, there is a larger lake, also called Sabize. The names of these two lakes have the same meaning, the lake of the Subi people.
In the late Tang Dynasty, as the climate gradually became colder, the supply of fresh water decreased, and Sabize gradually turned into a saltwater lake.
It was April, the sun was shining, the weather was pleasant, and the Gas grassland was full of colorful wild flowers, looking particularly vibrant.
Xiao Xia ran to a high place, raised his telescope and looked into the distance.
In the distance is a deep blue lake, which seems to merge with the deep blue sky. On the west bank of the lake are rolling mountains.
The east and south banks of the lake are lined with endless tents and flocks of sheep as numerous as clouds.
At this time, the scouts in front came back on horseback and reported, "Your Highness, there are a large number of herdsmen living along the lake, about five tribes."
Xiao Xia nodded. These five tribes were the supply tribes along the way. They were taken away by Fu Yun and not left for him. Fu Yun should be crossing the Grand Canyon, and he used Sabize as a logistics base.
"How many troops are there?"
"About three thousand people!"
Xiao Xia immediately ordered: "Order Pei Xingyan, Luo Shixin, Wang Junkuo, Xue Wanjun, and Xue Wanche to come see me!"
Soon, five generals rode their horses to Xiao Xia, bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Highness!"
Xiao Xia said slowly: "There are tens of thousands of herdsmen living in Sabize ahead, and there are 3,000 troops stationed there. You will each lead 3,000 men from your own unit to annihilate the 3,000 Tuyuhun troops, control the herdsmen and the sheep, and prevent them from escaping. Those who surrender will be spared, and those who resist, whether Qiang or Xianbei, will be killed without mercy!"
"Follow the order!"
The five generals each led 3,000 cavalrymen from their own troops and attacked Sabize from all directions. Xiao Xia led 5,000 men to cut off the retreat route from behind.
The shouts of killing were deafening. The sudden attack of the Sui army caught the Tuyuhun army and herdsmen off guard. They were having lunch, and many soldiers couldn't even find their horses. The Sui cavalry came and attacked, and they had no choice but to kneel down and cry for mercy.
Some soldiers rose up to resist, but were immediately killed without hesitation by the Sui army who were itching to kill. Even if they later realized that something was wrong and raised their hands to surrender, it was too late. As long as they resisted, they had to die regardless of whether they surrendered or not.
Groups of herdsmen were terrified and tried to flee with their families. Teams of cavalry passed by them, shouting, "The Sui army will not kill civilians! The Sui army will not kill civilians!"
The herdsmen then felt relieved and hid in their tents, waiting for their fate.
In just half an hour, the fierce battle was over. The Sui army occupied the Gas Grassland, and the millions of sheep became the spoils of the Sui army. Xiao Xia got the news that Tuyuhun King Fuyun led 12,000 troops with hundreds of nobles and concubines to the north of the canyon yesterday morning. Xiao Xia nodded secretly. According to the previous deployment, Yin Shishi must block the Altun Mountain Pass after capturing Shanshan City. It is unknown whether Yin Shishi will be in time.
Xiao Xia immediately sent a team of scouts to the canyon to gather information.
Yin Shishi led 8,000 troops and waited in the north of the canyon for half a month. Many generals lost their patience and believed that the Tuyu army had been completely wiped out in the West Sea. They all advised the commander to abandon the garrison and return to Shanshan City. The same was true for blocking the enemy in Shanshan City.
But Yin Shishi remained unmoved. He knew very well that if they blocked Tuyuhun at Shanshan City, they would be able to retreat westwards to Qiemo and Khotan, and Tuyuhun would spread to the Western Regions. On the contrary, only by intercepting them at the Altun Pass could they completely keep Tuyuhun out of the Western Regions.
At this time, news from Qiemo City also came. Xu Min had just arrived in Qiemo City when an internal conflict broke out in the city. The Qiang soldiers all wanted to return to their hometowns, but were suppressed by the Xianbei commander. The two most clamorous soldiers were killed, which angered the soldiers. A thousand soldiers rebelled and killed the commander, opened the warehouse, divided the food and went home. On the way, they met the Sui army. Xu Min sent people to negotiate with them, and all the thousand Qiang people surrendered to Xu Min.
It seems like a coincidence, but it is actually inevitable. Tuyuhun could not hold its old nest in the West Sea and kept retreating westward. The Xianbei nobles did not care, but the soldiers' families were all in the West Sea. How could they be willing to be so far away from their hometown? Shanshan was far enough, and they had to go to the even farther Qiemo. This made the Qiang people completely collapse. As winter passed and spring came, it was time to return home, and the Qiang people became restless.
The Sui army camp was at a low altitude thirty miles away, while the altitude of the Grand Canyon was four thousand meters. The soldiers could not bear to be stationed at the high altitude for a long time, so only five hundred soldiers were left at the mouth of the canyon to monitor the valley at all times and pay attention to the beacon towers on the mountain. Yin Shishi also built a beacon tower at the mouth of the canyon. When the beacon tower on the mountain was lit, the beacon tower at the mouth of the valley would also be lit.
Early that morning, the soldiers were having breakfast when they heard someone outside the tent shouting, "The beacon is lit!"
The soldiers ran out of the tent, and Yin Shishi also walked out of the tent, only to see three beacons lit in the direction of the valley entrance.
"finally come!"
Yin Shishi immediately shouted, "Order the entire army to prepare for battle!"
"Dang! Dang! Dang!"
When the bell rang, eight thousand soldiers rushed out of the tent to assemble and began to march towards the mountain pass more than thirty miles away.
Tuyuhun King Fuyun had led his army through the canyon for three days and three nights. They were only forty miles away from the exit. Everyone was exhausted. It was still dark, so Fuyun ordered the entire army to rest by the roadside.
Half of the 10,000 sheep they brought had been eaten, and Fu Yun sent someone back to notify the soldiers to deliver supplies.
As soon as the soldiers sat down, there was a commotion in front of them. Fu Yun said to the guards beside him, "Go and see what happened?"
The guard ran away quickly, and soon came back, reporting nervously: "Khan, a beacon was found on the mountain, and it has been lit!"
Fu Yun was shocked. This place was still five or six hundred miles away from Shanshan City. It was impossible for his army to build a beacon tower here. So where did the beacon tower come from?
Could it be the Sui army? Impossible, how could the Sui army come to Shanshan? The nearest Dunhuang is 1,700 to 1,800 miles away.
But if it wasn't the Sui army, how do we explain the beacon on the mountain?
The eldest son Murong Shun said: "Father, it should be the beacon arranged by our army to remind Shanshan City that we are coming, and Shanshan City arranged the army to come to greet us in advance with food and supplies."
His son's idea was beautiful, but it was also possible. Fu Yun thought about it and ordered the captain Tuoba Tongdao: "General Tuoba, lead 2,000 troops to the valley entrance to see if there is anything unusual. If there is anything unusual, come back and report in time!"
"Follow the order!"
Tuoba Tong immediately led two thousand soldiers to the valley entrance.
(End of this chapter)