Chapter 1196 Homecoming
“Hey!”
“Hey!”
"rise!"
Opposite Caoqiao Pass, on the bank of Danshui River, civilians, auxiliary soldiers, and technical personnel of the engineering battalion of the Han army were shouting slogans.
The logs cut down from the surrounding area were simply processed and then transported to the water's edge, where they began to build structures along the water's edge.
Not only extends to both sides, but also extends to the water surface.
Not far from the shore, several stone cannons have begun to take shape.
Obviously, Feng Duhu did not want to let the soldiers directly cross the Danshui.
Instead, he plans to try the Han's stone cannon for long-range strikes first.
As for whether it can destroy Guancheng and Wubao of the Wei army on the other side, no one knows until they try it.
But there is nothing wrong with giving it a try.
As long as the opponent's defensive strength can be weakened as much as possible, the casualties of the soldiers can be reduced when the army is forced to cross.
The Han Dynasty today is no longer the Shu Kingdom that had no room for error.
Rather, he grew into a Ji Han who was feared even by Wei State and had the possibility of unifying the world.
Facing the dangerous Caoqiao Pass, the commander-in-chief was Guanqiu Jian, so there was basically no room for any clever tactics.
Feng Duhu only needs to set up his military formation in a dignified manner and attack according to his squad.
He believed that as long as Lu Xun really wanted to capture Xiangyang, Guanqiu Jian would sooner or later be in a dilemma.
By then, both Lu Xun and Guan Qiujian would definitely be more anxious than themselves, and much more anxious.
Lu Xun surrounded Xiangyang, and Guanqiu Jian was worried that Xiangyang would be captured.
Lu Xun captured Xiangyang, and Guanqiu Jian wanted to find a way to arrange a defense line along the Han River.
Seeing that everything was going on in an orderly manner, Feng Duhu felt very relaxed and even yawned.
The sun in May has become a bit fierce.
Especially around noon, I always want to take a nap.
Meng Yan, on the other hand, felt a little worried when he saw Feng Duhu carrying out such large-scale construction projects, and hesitantly walked to the pavilion erected for Feng Duhu:
"Zhongduhu, although the elixir water is in urgent need, wouldn't it be inappropriate to mobilize troops and mobilize people like this?"
The big sun was hanging in the sky. Feng Duhu was half-lying under the arbor, taking a nap with half-closed eyes and a fishing rod in his hand.
Looks like sleeping but not sleeping, looks like fishing but not fishing.
The posture is appropriate and feels comfortable.
As a qualified fisherman, when you have nothing to do, there is a river in front of you. If you don’t fish, how can you catch fish?
Of course, if conditions permit, it is not impossible to fish and fish at the same time.
After being disturbed by Meng Yan, Feng Duhu opened his eyes, glanced at the busy construction site in the distance, and said curiously:
“What’s wrong? Isn’t this a good job?”
The engineering battalion is also a technical unit after all.
Under their guidance, the efficiency has become much higher.
Meeting Feng Duhu’s confused look, Meng Yan quickly explained:
"The Central Protector has misunderstood. What the general means is, is the fee too high?"
Those who knew that they were crossing the Dan River, but those who didn’t know, seeing this posture, thought they were crossing a large river.
Since Meng Yan led the army, he has always followed the prime minister.
Who is the Prime Minister?
Someone who wishes he could break one penny into five pieces and spend it.
Even if the big man got rich later, the prime minister's picky temper could not be changed - he was afraid of poverty.
Although it is true that money will be spent where it should be spent, but where it can be saved, one more copper coin will certainly not be wasted.
Just like this time, if the prime minister comes here instead, it will probably be like the confrontation between Wugong and Shui, with the two sides going back and forth frequently to see if they can find opportunities and find a breakthrough.
At this special time, we are on the Han side. Even if the defense on the other side is tight, it is estimated that the prime minister can always be patient and wait quietly.
Wait until the Wei thief reveals his flaws, and then forcefully defeat the thief in one fell swoop.
Working hard and mobilizing people to carry out large-scale construction?
nonexistent.
How much money and food is wasted?
Like that extremely high chariot, every day there are soldiers hoisting telescopes, charcoal pens, notebooks and other things up and down, shouting incomprehensible terms from time to time.
There is also the stone cannon. You can tell at a glance that it is going to hit the other side.
But I don’t know what the Central Protector’s plan is. Those stone cannons come in two sizes: one large and one small.
The smaller one seems to have some changes compared to before.
Meng Yan didn’t know why Feng Duhu did this—just make them all larger, wouldn’t they be more powerful?
There are also those wooden shelves that continue to extend along the shore...
In Meng Yan's eyes, he felt that building a city here would probably be enough.
The Prime Minister’s tomb is on the mountain behind Wuguan!
In Nanzhong, everyone calls the prime minister Grandpa.
Meng Yan, who was born in Nanzhong, suddenly couldn’t sit still when he thought that his grandfather was staring at him from behind:
No, you have to ask clearly, otherwise you won’t know what to do.
After all, I have never fought such a wealthy battle in my life.
Feng Duhu yawned again, which made Meng Yan want to open his mouth to follow him.
After yawning, Feng Duhu pointed to Mazar next to him: "Sit down first."
“Thank you, the Protector of the Middle Kingdom.”
"On this hot day, I don't care about anything but let you run around. I should be the one to thank you."
Hearing what Feng Duhu said, Meng Yan felt a little embarrassed:
“Zhongdu’s words of defense are serious, and his words are serious. These are what the general should do.”
Jufu had been with Feng Duhu after all, so he knew Feng Duhu’s temperament, and he would do whatever the Zhongduhu arranged.
Meng Yan is different.
Although he also worked with Feng Duhu, first of all, he did not work together in the army, and secondly, he was not a superior or subordinate. The situation was very different.
More importantly, the prime minister whom Meng Yan followed in the early years liked to ask questions about military affairs, no matter how big or small, before he could rest assured.
Unlike now, the delegation of power by the Central Protector means that almost everything in the army has been let go.
As for supervision, inspection, and other matters in the military, they are basically the responsibility of the staff group.
Feng Duhu doesn’t care about the process, only the results.
He will only come forward unless there is something major or something that no one can decide.
Everything in the army is arranged in an orderly manner.
Sometimes Meng Yan also wonders, if the prime minister was like this at first and didn't have to work so hard, would he be able to live longer?
On the other hand, Feng Duhu, hearing Meng Yan’s self-effacing words, laughed and said:
"What should be done? This is inappropriate. In fact, I am lazy."
“There are some things that I should be keeping an eye on myself, but I’m too lazy to do anything and just keep watching, so I let you do it.”
Feng Duhu said mockingly:
“If the Prime Minister were here and saw me looking so tired, I’m afraid he would give me a whip with a whip.”
There was a bit of sadness in his tone.
It was as if the prime minister was calling him to come forward and show him a treasure. The scene was still before his eyes.
Feng Duhu dared to say this, but Meng Yan did not dare to accept it.
He just laughed dryly.
Feeling that there was some embarrassment between the two of them, Feng Duhu looked at Meng Yan sitting next to him. He seemed a little reluctant to let go, so he said no more.
“General Meng, what do those shelves look like?”
Meng Yan looked in the direction Feng Duhu pointed and blurted out:
“When I look around, I always feel like a ship.”
You don’t need to look at it at all, it just looks like a ship.
What makes Meng Yan feel strange is that those wooden frames are just like ships, but they are not ships.
Of course, it is not that ships have not been built these days, but the real ships are not the same as those frames set up in the water.
Feng Duhu nodded, pointed to the stone cannon that was beginning to take shape, and asked:
“General Meng thinks, if those stone cannons are mounted on those racks, can they be more powerful?”
Meng Yan, who had been thinking for many days but could not figure out the use of these wooden shelves, looked at Feng Duhu in great surprise.
“Zhong, Zhongduhu, you mean, move the stone cannons to these racks?”
There was disbelief in his tone, causing him to stutter a little.
He finally understood why stone cannons were not built in Dali.
But…
Why?
What are you picturing?
Make the stone cannon larger and place it on the shore. Wouldn't it be more powerful?
Isn’t this unnecessary?
Feng Duhu seemed to have noticed Meng Yan's doubts. He first moved his body and adjusted his posture to make himself more comfortable.
Then he said leisurely:
"General Meng, to be honest, if Lu Xun hadn't written to me personally, asking me to come, I would have been too lazy to move at such a mere Caoqiao Pass."
If it had been anyone else, it would have been too loud.
But this was said by Feng Duhu, so it was natural.
Caoqiao Pass is not a Wuguan Pass after all. The Han Dynasty has unique siege weapons and elite warriors who dare to fight. In addition, there is the cooperation of Lu Xun in the south.
As long as a qualified general comes and grinds it slowly, it may not be impossible - as long as Lu Xun can really capture Xiangyang.
And if Lu Xun had not captured Xiangyang, then there was no need for the Han to capture Caoqiao Pass at this time.
So if Lu Xun had not invited Lu Xun to serve as the Protector of the Han Dynasty and to control the internal and external military affairs, how many people would have been able to invite him?
“Who knows that the central capital protects the power of tigers?”
Meng Yan quickly praised him.
Feng Duhu laughed and scolded:
“I’m talking about business, I don’t want you to flatter me.”
“What is flattery?”
“What you are doing now is flattering me.”
Meng Yan laughed dryly again.
Feng Duhu did not change the topic any more and continued what he had said before:
“You heard me right just now, I asked them to make these racks just to test in actual combat what effect the stone cannon would have if it were fired on the ship.”
As for why it is not a real ship, of course it is because the Han Dynasty has not yet fully digested Wu's shipbuilding technology.
And those students have not yet returned to China, not to mention their boating skills.
There is also Danshui, no matter how it churns, it cannot compare to the great river.
So it can only be a half-water, half-land, fixed actual combat test.
Take it step by step, don’t rush.
For aircraft carriers in later generations, wouldn’t it be better to build a model on land first?
At least we can collect some data in advance, and at the same time let the gunner feel the feel of water ejection in advance.
But to Meng Yan’s ears, the point is not this, but...
“Dajiang? Zhongduhu is...”
He originally just wanted to come over and talk to Feng Duhu about the waste, but unexpectedly, he seemed to hear explosive news.
"It's the big river, what's the matter?" Feng Duhu said matter-of-factly, "If the Han wants to unify the world and realize the Three Stars, shouldn't he cross the river?"
Of course, we also have to cross the river.
But with the shipbuilding and ship-operating skills of Wu State, even if they can only learn half of it, plus Tongguan and Wuguan are both in the hands of the Han Dynasty.
It is already impossible for Wei State to use the big river to stop the Han Dynasty from advancing eastward.
So the main thing is to cross the river.
That's right, it was the Wu bandits who were beaten.
Feng Duhu pointed to the other side and said, "I won't get too involved in how to attack Caoqiao Pass this time. I'll leave it to you and General Ju to do the details."
“I am here just to let those students and the engineering camp create test data.”
Hearing this, Meng Yan was excited and said without thinking:
“It is enough for the Zhongduhu flag to be erected here!”
Feng Duhu couldn't help laughing again and pointed at Meng Yan:
“Stop flattering me! Are you done asking? Go back to work after asking.”
Meng Yan chuckled, stood up, bowed to Feng Duhu in a polite manner, and then turned around and left.
Stepping out of the pergola and back under the scorching sun, Meng Yan looked relaxed and even had the mood to look up at the sky.
Jufu, who had been watching from a distance for a long time, came over, took a look at the pergola in the distance, and then asked:
"What did Hezhong Duhu say? I'll see if it makes you happy."
Meng Yan and Ju Fu guard Wuguan together. They have worked together for almost three years and have long been familiar with each other.
Hearing Gofu's question, Meng Yan chuckled without trying to hide his relief.
It’s just that what he said was a bit meaningless:
“There is hope for the great Han Dynasty in Sanxing. Can you not be happy?”
Jufu looked Meng Yan up and down:
“The Han Dynasty has still been in the old capital for several years. Is it possible that you only now know that there is hope for the Han Dynasty to prosper?”
Meng Yan giggled again and said nothing.
Brother Ju, that’s because you haven’t worked with the Central Protector in the early years...
The Prime Minister likes to be upright and use his power to suppress others.
That Feng Gui... bah, no, the Central Protector is known for his cunning.
There is no way. From the day he came out of the mountain, King Feng Gui has been stepping on the bones of Nanzhong.
Moreover, Meng Yan has never forgotten the incident of crossing the border.
Unexpectedly, after talking with Zhongduhu now, I realized that I was looking at people with old eyes.
The Prime Minister did not pick the wrong person. Given time, the Central Protector will definitely be able to inherit the Prime Minister's legacy.
Meng Yan's thoughts were racing, and he suddenly remembered that he seemed to have a niece, a beggar?
Well, I have been away fighting for these years, and my brother and I seem to move around less.
After this war is over, we have to find a way to move around more.
After all...what happened in the past has happened so many years ago.
Over the years, not only have the lives of the people in Nanzhong become more and more prosperous, but my brother's family has become even more enviable.
Who can say whether the choice made back then was right or wrong?
Moreover, my niece not only married General Zhendong, but also gave birth to his eldest son, which made many people jealous.
What kind of barbarian girl?
She is obviously the head wife of Zhendong General Mansion!
Thinking of this, Meng Yan felt a surge of pride:
If it were after the Three Rise of the Han Dynasty, who would dare to say that the Meng family was still a native of Nanzhong?
“Let’s go and study how to cross the Dan River, defeat the Wei thieves, and capture Caoqiao Pass.”
(End of this chapter)