Jushi Fort was the old capital of Hengsai Army during the Tianbao period of the Tang Dynasty. It was built on a stone mountain by the river. The terrain was dangerous, easy to defend and difficult to attack. August 1st Middle School    ★W√W』W√.

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After decades of hard work, the Giant Stone Fort has become a key place to guard the entry and exit of the grasslands of Yinshan. Thirty years ago, the Tang Dynasty, whose national strength was declining, gave up a large area of ​​land in the western part of Yinshan, and the Uighurs became the owner of this land. The Giant Stone Fort also fell into the hands of the Uighurs.

The Uighurs hired famous Persian craftsmen to comprehensively improve the Giant Stone Fort. The Persians replaced the original earth and brick walls with stone walls, and added several dark forts and watchtowers to double their defense. Twenty years ago, the Tubo people expanded their sphere of influence to the west of Yinshan and had fierce conflicts with the Uighur Khanate. The two sides fought fiercely around the Giant Stone Fort for several months. In the end, the Tubo people conquered the Giant Stone Fort at the cost of 30,000 casualties and expelled the Uighurs from Yinshan. Half a year later, the Uighurs formed an alliance with the Tang Dynasty, and the Tang army cut off the food route of the Tubo people. The Uighurs gathered 200,000 troops to capture the Yinshan, and the Tubo people had to retreat in a hurry.

The tralas or tribe occupied the Giant Stone Fort at that time. The then patriarch Sinuka lost his father since childhood and grew up with his mother. His displaced childhood life left an indelible shadow in his heart. When he grew up, Sinuka was extremely lonely and insecure. After obtaining the Giant Stone Fort, he decided to do his best to rebuild it and make it his eternal destination.

He hired a Nestorian from Byzantium as the chief supervisor, so in addition to the Central Plains and Persian style, the stone fortress also added the style of Eastern Roman. The stone walls two feet thick and nine feet high, towering towers, indestructible fortresses, and secret doors and secret passages in the castle... All of this exhausted Sinuka's financial resources and made his tribe unable to bear the endless labor.

Halfway through the renovation of the Stone Fort, Sinuka suddenly died of illness. People speculated that he died of a dissatisfied conspiracy. Sinuka left with regret. The Stone Fort returned to the hands of the Uighur royal court. Zhangxin Khan, who had just ascended the throne, hoped to turn the Stone Fort into the throat of the fortress in the south of the Khanate. Under his push, the renovation of the Stone Fort was finally completed.

Perhaps it was Sinuka's arrangement in the spirit of heaven. A year later, his widowed wife became the most beloved princess of Changxin Khan. Zhangxin Khan actually followed the advice of his favorite concubine to move the den to the bank of the Xian'e River. The northward movement of the royal court turned the Giant Stone Castle from the hot southern gate of the Khan Kingdom into an optional useless vacant rib. Another year later, Sinuka's younger brother was elected as the patriarch, and the Giant Stone Castle was returned to the hands of the danla or the man as a reward from the Khan.

Park Eun-jun, who was in full swing, defeated Tara Or Ren's cavalry three times in a row, forcing Tara Or Ren's cavalry to trap the last stronghold - Jushi Fort. Park Eun-jun led his army to surround Jushi Fort. In addition to his own Flying Tiger Camp, there were Chen Mingyi's Xiaofeng Camp and Zhang Ren's cavalry camp. In addition, Park Eun-jun also incorporated 3,000 Iron-Ming Ji surrendered, tied up 2,000 slave soldiers, plus 2,500 clan soldiers of Lin Luohu, Lin Hanlie and his son, and the total force of the besieged city reached nearly 10,000.

Park Eun-jun's strategy is to surround but not attack, cut off water and food, and eliminate the fighting spirit of a man, forcing him to offer to surrender. A 10,000 army dug three trenches outside the Giant Stone Fort, built countless camps, and took the posture of a protracted battle.

Park Enjun did not ask for instructions when formulating the strategy of siege, and did not report the strategy to the staff afterwards. This aroused the alert from the senior management of the Xining Army. Zhuang Yunqing suggested that Yang Hao immediately remove Park Enjun from his position as the chief general in front of the enemy and summon him back to Feng'an. Ling Tong, and Li Tong also agreed.

In terms of the replacement, Ling Tong and Li Tong proposed that Jiang Tao, the commander-in-chief of the Leopard Battalion, take over, while Zhuang Yunqing advocated that Zhang Yannian would take over the front army. After Yang Hao consulted Zhang Yannian's opinions, he decided to appoint Zhang Yannian as the chief general of the front enemy and coordinate the army to attack Jushi Fort.

In order to prevent accidents during the handover, Yang Hao informed Park Enjun of an information in the name of the Staff Office: A minister from the Uighur royal court suggested that the troops went south to assist the Tara or tribe, and that Park Enjun should be prepared for the response. In the name of the Staff Office, he suggested that Park Enjun draw Xiaofeng Camp to the south bank of the Choi River sixty miles north of the Giorite Fortress to set up defenses. Park Enjun replied that he agreed to transfer Xiaofeng Camp to the north to set up defenses.

Then the General Staff Department and the Military and Political Department jointly transferred the Wenqian Army to ask Park Eun-jun and the chief officers of each battalion to convene a military meeting to Dongsai Town, 60 miles northwest of Yongfeng. Just as Park Eun-jun left the military tent and rushed to Dongsai Town, Zhang Yannian took over the front battalions as an enemy general.

The Dongsai Town Conference became a critical meeting for Park Eun-jun's mistakes. Park Eun-jun was forced to admit that after a winning streak, he did have mistakes such as inflated inner self-confidence, great contributions, and despising military rules and regulations. He made a profound review and resigned from his position as the chief general of the former enemy and was willing to accept any punishment.

Yang Hao accepted Park Enjun's resignation, but he still affirmed his contribution to the Northern Expedition of the Central Forest. Zhuang Yunqing proposed that he would replace Guan Suo as the Chief Staff Officer, and Yang Hao approved his request. At the same time, he changed Zhang Yannian to the main general of the front enemy, Chen Mingyi and Zhang Ren as deputy generals, commanding the various battalions to break through the Jishi Fort and complete the last battle in the Northern Forest.

After becoming the chief general, Zhang Yannian changed the tactic of Park Eun-jun's siege but not attacking, and changed it to a strong attack. He sent more than 3,000 troops a day for three consecutive days, and attacked in turn in twelve hours. Nearly a thousand casualties on the first day, 1,5 casualties on the second day, and 2,4 casualties on the third day. The corpses under the Giant Rock Fort accumulated like mountains and blood flowed into a river. All the battalions were exhausted, and they stopped attacking one after another, rested and waited for assistance.

Zhang Yannian became depressed and became bedridden.

Zhang Ren, the commander of the military commander of the Caval Cavalry, came to the Central Army to visit Zhang Yannian, but was blocked by the guards. Zhang Ren stood outside the tent and shouted: "I will not let you visit you, but my son will come to see me, don't you let me enter?" Zhang Yannian was afraid that he would say anything out of the ordinary, so he had to let him enter the tent.

Seeing that his father was lying on the soft couch, a hot towel was applied on his forehead, Zhang Ren came in by himself, and his father didn't even raise his eyes. Zhang Ren got used to his father's indifference to him, so he found a stool and sat down. Looking at his father's thin face, Zhang Ren was filled with complaints: "Why are you doing this? You have to take the chores that others can't hide, you have to take it on yourself."

After hearing this, Zhang Yannian sat up, his old face turned red, and he scolded: "Why am I here? Am I still for you?"

Zhang Ren whistled easily and said disapprovingly: "What about now? Is it difficult to ride a tiger?"

Zhang Yannian glared at him and snorted: "What do you know?"

Zhang Ren sneered: "I don't understand... Someone used the Giant Stone Castle as a whetstone to sharpen the rust on the knife, but if your elder brother sharpened the knife and was wiped out, how would you explain to others?"

"You--" Zhang Yannian was speechless for a moment. Zhang Ren's words were about his own pain. Fengzhou lacked food, and raising military rations has always been a headache. The military reclamation plan was delayed and put on hold because of Zeng Chongyang's chaos in politics, and it was still undesirable for one or two years. Park Enjun could not see this. He was greedy for big and demanding more, which caused the number of front-line troops to expand sharply. There were only more than 5,000 people in the Tara or tribe, and only more than 1,000 people could ride horses and shoot arrows. After several field battles, only hundreds of people retreated to the Giant Stone Fort.

To deal with such a few people, the three battalions of the Xining Army plus the Xinlin family is enough. There is no need to incorporate 3,000 Iron-faced Jile and 2,000 Slave Bound Army. Yang Hao had seen the combat power of Iron-faced Jile, and had thought about reorganizing some of them for his own use. But at this time, Iron-faced Jile was completely different from the iron army in the Battle of Feng'an in August. Iron-faced Jile's elite troops had already gone north with Manle, and the rest were all remnants who could not bear the heavy responsibility.

The soldiers in the middle of the forest did not understand Chinese, were scattered and rough, and there was no word "loyalty" in their hearts. If they were strong, they would submit, and if they were weak, they would rebel. Before Zhang Yannian took office, he asked Yang Hao for instructions on how to solve the thousands of Uighur soldiers recruited by Park Enjun. Yang Hao clearly told him that Fengzhou was narrow and the people were deserted, and the number of troops could not increase. He only planned to keep two battalions of the Uighur soldiers collected by Park Enjun. As for whom could stay and who could not stay, it depends on their performance in the Battle of the Giant Stone Fort.

Yang Hao did not explain in detail how to deal with the remaining people. Zhang Yannian understood that instead of letting them return to their hometown to make trouble and become a hidden danger in Fengzhou, it would be better to let them sleep under the Giant Rock Fort. This is the reason why he attacked Giant Rock Fort for three consecutive days. Within three days, most of the Uighur surrendered soldiers lost, and the Xinlin people were also severely injured. The three camps of Xiaoqi, Xiaofeng and Feihu were basically not injured.

Zhang Ren’s words are justified. Yang Hao used the Giant Stone Fort as a whetstone, which not only grinds away the excess Uighurs, but also grinds the Xining Army into a handy sharp blade. Now the first goal has been achieved, but what about the second goal?

The three-day strong attack and the casualties of thousands of people made Zhang Yannian see clearly that the Giant Stone Fort was much stronger than imagined. He could not feel sorry for his own people, but what about his own people? Do you have to watch his old subordinates who have followed him for many years jump into the fire pit? But if you don’t do this, how can you capture the Giant Stone Fort? If you can’t capture the Giant Stone Fort, how should you explain to the higher authorities?

Under the reflection of the winter sunset, the towering giant stone castle is like a giant beast squatting on the grassland. Its huge body and huge beast mouth have to swallow how many fresh life it will be?

"What kind of nonsense does not sharpen a knife? It's all nonsense!" Zhang Yannian tried his best to hide his frustration.

"Is it nonsense? You should listen to me finish your words."

"Hmph, what do you have to say? Can you still have a way to capture the Boulder Fort?"

"Oh, don't always look down on people, I really have a way." Zhang Ren's lips curled up slightly, and he spoke seriously. Zhang Yannian felt a little happy, but said, "That's really the sun comes out from the west."

The father and son always talk like this, and Zhang Ren didn't care at all.

"Do you dare to make a bet with me? If I win..." Before Zhang Ren finished speaking, he was interrupted by Zhang Yannian: "What if you lose?"

"I, if I lose, I will turn back to the right from now on. I will listen to you. I will not bet, prostitutes, or spend money randomly. I will be a good official and work, and I will be a good person. I will be a good person. I will be a good person. If I win, you..." Zhang Ren stuttered before he finished speaking. Zhang Yannian said impatiently:

"If you win, I will never ask about your affairs again in the future, and you will be able to do anything."

"Okay, then we'll make up for it."

"Tell me."

"I came to my camp yesterday, Brother Hao, who is the damaro or the nephew of the clan leader of the Giant Stone Fort. We are good friends. Before the war, he was doing business in Yongfeng. I advised him not to go back. He was worried about his mother and forced him to go back. Later, he was carried into the Giant Stone Fort. Last night, he slipped out of the city and begged me to let him and his mother go on a journey of life when the city was broken. I said that the military order is like a mountain. I dare not guarantee whether I can release people. However, if you cooperate with me to win the Giant Stone Fort, I will talk to the old man. He agreed and made an appointment with me to open a secret door in the west of the city to let me enter the castle, and led me to catch his uncle. With his help, the first meritorious destruction of the city this time."

Zhang Ren stammered. Zhang Yannian actually sneered and mocked: "You dare to bet with me just these things?"

Zhang Ren stared with his big eyes and was dissatisfied: "Why don't you dare to bet? Are you afraid that Brother Hao will deceive me? If I tell you something, you won't think so. Brother Hao's father turned out to be the leader of the Dala or clan, and his mother is one of the best beauties in the middle of the forest. His uncle coveted his mother's beauty, so he took advantage of his father's serious illness to poison him, and the medicine killed his father, and took the opportunity to occupy his mother. No one will avenge this deep hatred. Do you think Brother Hao will still lie to me?"

Zhang Yannian lowered his head and thought for a moment, and asked, "Is this what he told you?"

Zhang Ren curled his lips and said, "You are too careful. I knew about this seven or eight years ago. Just ask someone from the middle of the forest, who doesn't know? No matter how bad your son is, he is not a fool."

Zhang Yannian asked again: "The castle is so tightly guarded, how did he come out?"

Zhang Ren shouted, "My dear, you have a poor memory. Didn't you say that you secretly? You said that there are several secret passages in the Giant Stone Fort leading out of the city. There are too many people who can't enter, so it's not a problem for one or two people to enter or exit. If you don't believe it, you can go and have a look."

Zhang Yannian sighed and said, "Since you are fully confident, what else can I say?"

Zhang Renxi said: "I won't make you embarrassed. After the city is broken, the cavalry camp will neither occupy the silver treasury nor move food and grass. I just need to help Brother Hao kill his uncle to take revenge."

Zhang Yan snorted lightly, without saying a word. He picked up the cold towel and applied it to his forehead, and closed his eyes leisurely.

At the third update of that day, someone in the Giant Rock Fort opened a stone gate on the west side. The gate was only three feet wide, and the two of them were crowded when they were in and out side by side. Zhang Ren, who had already ambushed in the moat outside the castle, led 200 elite soldiers of the Cavalry Camp to enter through the small gate. From then on, until dawn, there was no movement in the Giant Rock Fort.

Zhang Yannian kept watching all this in secret. After the stone gate was closed, he closed his lips and said nothing. He stared at the gray-white stone castle like a stone statue, crouching like a wild beast.

At the beginning of the Chen Shi, there was still no movement in the Giant Stone Fort. Zhang Yannian had a gloomy face and ordered the Xinlin family and the Flying Tiger Army to prepare for a strong attack. Two thousands of soldiers had just finished lined up.

A white flag suddenly stretched out from a watchtower on the front of the Giant Rock Fort, and then the sound of drums and music was heard. Zhang Ren held a glass full of wine in his left hand, and hugged the slender waist of the beautiful Uighur girl with his right hand, and shouted sharply at the city. At the same time, the large iron gate on the front of the Giant Rock Fort slowly rose, and a team of soldiers from the Knights camp escorted the Dala or clan prisoners of war proudly walked out of the fort.

Zhang Yannian finally let go of his tense heart, and a rare smile appeared on his weather-beaten face.

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Chapter completed!