Zhang Shougui continued to lead his soldiers forward, an indescribable feeling in his heart. There was regret, annoyance, unwillingness, and helplessness.
He finally understood why Wang Juan had emphasized that the soldiers should learn. At present, the soldiers of the Great Tang were basically literate, but when it came to calculations, they could only do simple addition and subtraction. When it came to spending money, they could understand how to spend it.
But this clearly did not meet Wang Juan's requirements. At the very least, Zhang Shougui was not satisfied that his soldiers only had this little bit of education. From this battle, he could see that the more soldiers that could fight on their own, the greater the number of units at the bottom, the higher the fighting power of the army.
Zhang Shougui, who had not encountered any resistance for the time being, looked at the model and thought to himself, Just what level do I have to reach to meet Wang Juan's requirements?
Li Longji was also asking Zhang Xiaobao. He was in Zhang Xiaobao's room. Zhang Xiaobao had withdrawn back to Highland 737, so he didn't have many soldiers left. In total, he had just over four thousand soldiers, including his personal guards.
But he felt that it was worth it. If he added in the two brigades that had attacked, how many soldiers would he have left? Eight thousand was already enough. Using around seventeen thousand soldiers, he had managed to destroy more than ten thousand of the enemy's soldiers.
The enemy was the vanguard, so they had a large supply of provisions and ammunition. Moreover, the price his side had to pay was the logistics, not the main force. It wasn't that the logistics weren't formidable, but that the military selection was based on the number of soldiers on each side's main force and the position they occupied.
Thus, Zhang Xiaobao was very happy, and so was Li Longji. Wang Juan's good performance showed that he had a good eye for people, but he also wanted to know how far Wang Juan wanted the soldiers to learn.
Thus, he went to Zhang Xiaobao to ask.
"Tell me, what kind of soldiers does Cuckoo want? How long do they need to learn to pass? "
"That'll be difficult. It'll take some time, and it'll probably take several decades to realize." Zhang Xiaobao did not give a specific answer, as there were some things that could not be said.
He knew what kind of soldiers Wang Juan wanted. It was a real individual combat system, not like the current special forces in front, where a few people were in a group, with a radio, and within the range of the artillery.
Instead, with individual mechanical assistance equipment, one person could connect with the satellite in the sky. Under the situation of interference, they could launch a strong electron beam and call for the launch of their own missiles. When they were within the range of their own electron control, they could manually guide the landing point of the missile.
There were a lot of things to learn. Other than shooting, there was also the simple maintenance of one's own auxiliary machinery, electronic equipment malfunction detection, data encryption, concealment, and concealment. One also had to strengthen the psychological training.
No matter how good the equipment was, there would be times when there would be problems. For example, if an electromagnetic bomb exploded in the sky, all the electronic equipment in the area would be burned out.
Then, as a qualified warrior, he had to determine his own position without any assistance and stay there for a long time. At critical moments, everyone was the commander on the battlefield.
With the current education system and technology, even if something was suddenly made, how many people would be able to use it?
Li Longji didn't understand, so he asked again, "Why is it difficult?"
"Because what Cuckoo wants is to be able to complete the tactical plan as soon as the map is brought over. When the three of them randomly meet, they can immediately launch a three-point cross attack. When they encounter turbulence, they can make their own swimming tools and give them a glider, and they can immediately find a place to take off. With a hot air balloon, they won't make any mistakes while flying. They can adapt to any terrain, be familiar with all weather conditions, be proficient in at least four languages, be able to calculate the basic elements of the ballistic trajectory, use the radio to send out messages, and at the same time, intercept the enemy's information, and so on."
Zhang Xiaobao gave some examples.
Li Longji and Weiwei opened their mouths and waited for Zhang Xiaobao to finish. They looked at Zhang Xiaobao and asked, "Xiao Bao, are you talking about people?"
"Cuckoo can do it. I'm a little worse than her. After all, there are specializations in each field. If I were to team up with her, the effect would be better."
Zhang Xiaobao spoke the truth. If he didn't have this ability, he would have been captured long ago.
Li Longji couldn't say anything now. He looked at the sand table and muttered to himself, "Zhang Shougui ah, it's not easy. After scheming and scheming, in the end, he still fell for it because of his personality. If I were him, I would fight it out with all of you. I definitely wouldn't have charged into Mount Huangshan.
Not only is that a death trap for him, it's also an ambush for the central army. A large amount of supplies have been lost, including what the soldiers carried. The cannons have also been lost. This is all thanks to the fact that we were fighting the natives and determined that they wouldn't be able to use cannons. If only Cuckoo and Xiao Bao didn't insist on using cold weapons … "
"Your Majesty, please stop muttering. If we had the same equipment, would we have lost so many people? My Logistics Association is in charge of logistics, not piling up lives. These cannoneers are for them to use. Not only is it a waste, but it's also useless. "
Zhang Xiaobao admitted that a good weapon could obtain a certain advantage, but he didn't believe that a good weapon would guarantee victory, unless it was a nuclear weapon.
"Then … if it were you, how would you fight?" Li Longji asked. He knew that Cuckoo still hadn't taught them much about cannons. One reason was that most of the cannons made of good steel were used on the ships. Another reason was that she was worried that if she taught too many cannons, some people would have ill intentions.
This was especially the case for the cannons in the capital and the palace. They were monitored layer by layer. The generals and civil officials were all present, and the Zhang Family and Wang Family had also arranged for people to monitor them. He himself had also sent out eunuchs to monitor them. Those things were truly deadly.
Li Longji wanted to ask how the cannoneers were arranged when attacking.
Zhang Xiaobao thought for a moment, then said, "Cannoneers are used to attack the enemy's command center and the stubborn counterattack. In other words, they are used to attack the enemy's firing points. They are also used to cut off the enemy's defensive line from the front and back.
Covering fire is actually used to suppress the enemy, to provide a short gap for the enemy to counterattack. If it were me, after I finished covering fire, I would focus on a certain line and repeatedly attack until all the enemies in that line are wiped out.
Then, our army would charge through that line. Once we're there, it's simple. The cannons have to be used flexibly. Don't treat them like a massive object. "
"Xiao Bao, you also understand economics? Didn't you specialize in economics? "Li Longji was very curious.
"Am I stupid? No matter how stupid I am, after spending every day with Cuckoo, I've learned pretty much everything I need to learn." Zhang Xiaobao turned his head away.
"Oh, right. You can learn from each other. I didn't say that you couldn't pass it on." Li Longji gave his own understanding.
Zhang Xiaobao didn't say anything, which could be considered a tacit agreement.
Turning his head back to the sand table, he said, "Tell the people below not to do too well in their defense. The enemy doesn't have any more cannons. On the 737 high ground, if Zhang Shougui wants to fight, we'll just roll down boulders. When the boulders are gone, we'll roll down logs. When the logs are gone, we'll retreat and give him the high ground."
"Yes, rolling down boulders and logs. Little Young Master, where will we retreat to when the time comes?" The messenger was also in a very good mood, so he asked another question.
"Retreat to the side and conserve our energy. If he chases, we'll just run for our lives. You messenger, what are you blindly asking for? Hurry up and go. "Zhang Xiaobao waved his hand.
The messenger shook his head and ran off.
Li Longji also stood up and patted his butt. "We are going back to rest."
*****
The moment Li Longji arrived at the entrance of the central sand table, he heard the warm applause. Raising his head, he saw Fan Zhu and the others bowing to express their gratitude. They had risked their lives to come to the central sand table and take a look at it before going back to rest.
Zhao Hanzhang lowered his head and found a corner to sit down. He placed his hands between his legs and remained silent.
Li Longji patted Fan Zhu and the others on the shoulders and said, "Not bad. This was originally a high ground that could have been handed over at any time, but you actually made it the center of the battle. Continue to work hard."
Fan Zhu and the others nodded. They circled around the sand table, greeted the crowd, and then jogged out one by one. It seemed like they were looking for a place to eat and then go to sleep.
Li Longji slowly walked over to Zhao Hanzhang's side and asked, "What are your thoughts?"
Zhao Hanzhang lowered his head and said nothing. Li Longji wasn't in a rush either. After a while, Zhao Hanzhang raised his head and said, "With advanced weapons, what one should learn is control, not risk it. A lone army penetrating deep into enemy territory is a great taboo for a strategist. One must be extremely cautious."
"Mm!" Li Longji replied. "The current Great Tang is different from the past. In the past, in order to achieve victory and achieve one's goal, one didn't care about the deaths of a few people. They even had the common people prepare their own weapons and armor.
But now, the people of Great Tang are worth money. Cannonballs and bullets are just money. Money can be earned, but where can one find lives? Even though Cuckoo and Xiao Bao were willing to pay any price when they gave their orders, the last thing they wanted was for the people of Great Tang to be sacrificed.
Think more about it in the future. Even if you're fighting against the natives, there's no need to be too hasty. If you need ammunition, send it over later. If you need provisions, send it over as well. Remember, remember. "
Zhao Hanzhang quietly listened. When Li Longji was done, he said, "Cuckoo and Xiao Bao are going to fight against Duoshi. I … I want to be the vanguard once more. I guarantee that I'll be steady."
"Let's talk about it later. Let's see if they agree." Li Longji couldn't make a decision, so he patted Zhao Hanzhang's shoulder and said, "Go eat something first and have a good night's sleep. When you wake up, come here and take a look."
*****
While others were summarizing their experiences, Zhang Shougui was doing the same.
Four hours later, he led his exhausted 4500 men to the base of Highland 737. Looking at the model of Highland 737 on the sand table and the flag fluttering in the wind, he asked the messenger, "How many days of food do we have left?"
"Reporting, according to the previous ration, we still have two days. If we cut it in half, we still have four days."
"Go around it and don't attack. We'll cut food in half. Go twenty li and find a slope to set up camp." Zhang Shougui hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he didn't dare attack Highland 737. Even though he could tell from the flag that Zhang Xiaobao was on the mountain, there was a high chance that Zhang Xiaobao would be declared dead if he attacked.
"Reporting, we've discovered that Zhang Shougui's forces have taken a detour around the base of the mountain. Please make your decision," the messenger reported.
"Ha, they ran? They probably don't have enough provisions, the soldiers are tired, and they don't have any cannons. They want to rest, but how can that be? Pass on my order. One thousand men go down and chase after them. Don't really catch up. Send another one thousand men to coordinate with them. If the enemy leaves behind some troops to cover their retreat, then surround them. Small victories can lead to great victories. "
After giving out his order, Zhang Xiaobao happily smiled and said to the other members of the Inner Courtyard, "Did you see that? This is the first chapter of the harassment strategy, the initiative to attack. There's also the second chapter, the initiative to attack, and the third chapter … "
"Little Young Master, what's the difference between the two?" someone from the Inner Courtyard asked.
"One emphasizes attacking, while the other emphasizes taking the initiative. I'm just messing with you. What's the point of being so serious? The real strategy is to not let the enemy have an easy time, depending on the situation.
When the enemy wants to rest, we have to keep them busy. When the enemy wants to find wild vegetables to eat, we have to let them smell the aroma of meat and smack their lips. When the enemy doesn't have any clothes to wear, we have to change out of them in an hour. In any case, we have to do whatever we can to disgust them. "
Zhang Xiaobao cheerfully explained.
The people from the Inner Courtyard nodded, believing that the Little Young Master was right. They had to attack both physically and mentally. Even if the enemy managed to escape in the end, they had to leave behind some residual effects.
While they were rejoicing, Zhang Shougui was cursing, "Slut, Zhang Xiaobao, you slut, I'm already like this, and you're still like this. Just what do you want to force me into? Leave five hundred people to cover the retreat and increase the speed of the march. "
Fifteen minutes later, a messenger ran back. "Reporting, we've successfully surrounded the enemy's rearguard. The pursuing troops have not engaged in battle."
"Then that's right. Send another one thousand people to circle around and continue the pursuit. Send five hundred people to the troops responsible for surrounding the enemy's rearguard. If the enemy leaves behind any rearguard, continue the encirclement."
Zhang Xiaobao knew that his wife's twenty thousand main force was still in Mount Huangshan, responsible for building the fortifications and restricting Zhang Shougui's movements. Even if he didn't pursue, it didn't matter. But if he could do something, then he could. Disgust others was also good.
"Little Young Master, why are we surrounding them and not destroying them? Are you afraid of increasing casualties? "an Inner Courtyard member asked.
Before Zhang Xiaobao could answer, another Inner Courtyard member spoke first. "I say you're Erbiao, and you really are one. What's the point of killing five hundred people? The troops left behind to cover the retreat are only for the sake of dying. All the food on them has definitely been given to others.
Little Young Master wants to keep them and let them starve. Starvation is boring, so they'll naturally find a chance to fight for their lives. If we open the path and let them join up with the main force, will Zhang Shougui give them food to eat? If we give them too little, they won't be able to recover. If we give them too much, they'll have even less food left. "
"You're the one who's Erbiao. If you keep talking about me, I'll get angry with you. Do you think the Little Young Master's schemes are as simple as you think? In truth, the Little Young Master has another plan. It's to confuse Zhang Shougui.
The weather is getting colder, the autumn leaves are yellow, and the autumn rain is continuous. We'll use the environment to deal with Zhang Shougui. When he hunts, he consumes bullets and only eats wild vegetables, making it difficult to replenish his strength. Isn't that right, Little Young Master? "
The Inner Courtyard member called Erbiao turned his head and asked Zhang Xiaobao.
"The two of you are too formidable. Even I didn't think of it. In truth, my plan is very simple. I just want a few of them to run out and send a message to their main force. Cuckoo and I have always hoped that their radios would be unblocked, but we don't think that's possible. Wang Yi's sniper battalion is still working.
If they don't send a message, they still have eighty thousand main force. How much strength do we have to use to fight them? We'll draw the enemy's main force over, and then we'll think of a way to delay the rest of the army in Hangzhou. Once we finish off their main force, what will they fight for? "
Zhang Xiaobao smiled as he spoke to the two, and then he gave a long sigh. War was far too difficult to fight. Strategically, one could look down on the enemy, and tactically, one could consider and scheme against the enemy, but how could the gap in weapons be so easily made up for?
"Goddamnit, no matter what, I can't let others learn my weapon techniques. Although in the end, the ones fighting in war are people, the quality of weapons can't be denied. Once I make the tractors, I'll have them research the tanks.
It doesn't need to be able to withstand a lot of armor-piercing bullets, as long as it can withstand bows and large sabers. The tanks also don't need to be equipped with long-range cannons. I just need to leave some firing ports and place a few machine guns. Right, that's actually called an armored vehicle. "
Zhang Xiaobao mumbled, but his voice wasn't soft. Everyone in the Inner Courtyard heard him, and they were all very excited, anticipating the birth of a good weapon.
Zhang Shougui was also excited. To be more precise, he was excited. When a person was forced to a certain extent, they would often become even more spirited. He was currently in such a situation.
After dispatching fifteen hundred people to cover the rear three times, he finally led the exhausted troops to a hillside where water flowed through. For the time being, they could be considered to have settled down.
"Zhang Xiaobao, I'll remember you. In the future, even if you invite me to a meal, I won't go. We're comrades, so why are you forcing me? Unless you're cooking your own seafood, the abalones have to be four heads long, the sea jellyfish have to be next year, and the oysters have to be wild, I really won't eat. I won't give you face, but I'll do as I say. "
Zhang Shougui was also given a piece of corn. It was roasted, and he plucked the kernels one by one, tossed them into his mouth, and chewed with all his might, not even stopping him from speaking.
The other generals in the room also became dissatisfied with Zhang Xiaobao. Look at you, Zhang Xiaobao, you're tormenting our General Zhang to the point of insanity.
*****
In the end, the Great Tang general Yang Sixun was able to determine the situation of the vanguard. When a portion of the central army was still in Hangzhou and had not come ashore, they received a report.
The contents of the report showed that a radio relay station had lost contact with all the other troops. The main vanguard force had rushed to the front line of Mount Huangshan. The last news the other portion received was that a brigade had been crippled by the enemy and was surrounded.
'Emergency, outside my relay station, more than a hundred enemy troops have appeared and are searching for us. My station will fight with our lives on the line.' This was the last news they received. When they sent a message to the relay station, there was no reply.
After Yang Sixun received this news, he closed his eyes and thought for a full hour. Just when everyone thought he had fallen asleep, he opened his eyes and sent a report to the other generals, calling for an impromptu meeting.
All the generals, except for the vanguard general, left the room together after half a day of meeting and gathered outside the door of the central sand table.
Li Longji had just woken up, taken a bath, and gotten a massage. He was in the middle of burning incense in a corner of the central sand table when he saw a group of people appear at the door. He stood up in surprise and asked, "Esteemed guests, this is …?"
Yang Sixun took a step forward and said, "Your Majesty, we were not prepared enough and hastily accepted the challenge. We request a ceasefire and seal the sand table. Once we have thought things through, we will begin again. I hope that Xiao Bao and Cuckoo will agree."
"Eh? Seal the sand table? Then Cuckoo's military examination …? "This was the first question that came to Li Longji's mind.
"Just like vanguard Zhang Shougui admits that he is in a difficult situation, we also admit that Cuckoo is fully deserving of being the champion of the military examination."
Yang Sixun did not ask for the specifics, but the meaning of his words was clear. Even if the sand table was sealed, his group of generals would not discuss the battle on the sand table.
"Oh? That's fine too. Call Zhang Shougui over and ask him, haha. "When Li Longji thought of Zhang Shougui's current situation, he couldn't help but laugh.
Zhang Shougui was called over. After hearing the words of the generals, he lightly nodded his head with an extremely unsightly expression. His voice trembling, he said, "I am the vanguard, the vanguard … I am currently … fine, I agree that Cuckoo is the champion, and Xiao Bao is the champion. Whoever disagrees can take my position and continue the battle."
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