Phi-Fic Chapter 390: Another Attack on Yanzhou
Chapter 390: Another Attack on Yanzhou
He had good intentions in helping Zhao Hui make some money, but he never expected to be stabbed in the back.
Although Zhao Hui did not completely believe what Lu Yipeng said, he still decided to investigate carefully to find out how much profit Zhao Sheng had made from it.
Mr. Zhao, who still thought he had done a good thing, was completely unaware of Zhao Hui's investigation.
As for the good deeds he did for the disaster-stricken areas of Da Zhou, Zhao Hui completely forgot about them.
As an emperor, he would rather let the world down than let the world down.
The battle of Shangjun gave Zhao Sheng a lot of insights.
War is brutal killing. If you want to achieve firepower coverage, the economy is the cornerstone of war, otherwise it can only be filled with human lives.
Because of this, the 120 mortar came into being.
Although this artillery is a bit heavy, Zhao Sheng means to load it directly on a carriage, and after arriving at the designated location, the artillery can be fired directly on the vehicle.
At present, Zhao Sheng believes that this is the most cost-effective weapon.
Now let’s talk about the Yi people.
The Black Python Society's progress in smuggling weapons was quite smooth, but it was limited to conventional firearms and the like.
Although there are imitations, in actual use, they are far less sophisticated than those made in Luancheng.
This year, the Black Python Club learned that someone had started selling weapons similar to mortars on the market.
After secret investigation, it was discovered that most of these weapons came from the Wang family of Bingzhou, and the buyers were mostly the Xianbei Murong and Yuwen families. Of course, other forces also participated in the purchase.
"President, how about we contact headquarters and sell mortars as well?"
Ma Si looked at the huge amount of silver that had gone into other people's pockets, and felt so heartbroken that he couldn't bear it anymore, so he spoke hurriedly.
"Selling such weapons is not difficult. The key is how to control them in the event of a conflict."
Gongsun Mao frowned and spoke thoughtfully.
After hearing this, everyone in the Black Python Society fell silent for a moment, not knowing how to respond.
Soon, a secret letter was delivered to Zhao Sheng, which gave a detailed description of the investigation into the appearance of artillery in Yi Yu.
The person who delivered these letters was Zhao Yongsheng, who was mainly responsible for intelligence gathering and also led the Black Python Society.
"I've read Gongsun Mao's letter, and I personally think selling weapons is not a bad idea. If we don't do this business, someone else will naturally do it."
Zhao Sheng extended his hand to signal Zhao Yongsheng to sit down, steadied his breath, and continued, “Based on the intelligence we’ve gathered so far, the calibers of weapons produced in different places vary.
I suggest that this mortar be produced in Guangchang County, with a special caliber and high-quality explosives, but the quantity should not be too large. The next time we purchase shells, we can match their price."
The caliber is different from others, so that we can monopolize a group of customers. The key is that the power of the shells must be higher than that of the enemy. This is Zhao Sheng’s idea.
Zhao Yongsheng didn't have a deep understanding of weapons, so after hearing what Zhao Yongsheng said, he could only nod his head continuously.
Therefore, several parameters were modified on the drawings of the mortar manufactured in Shangjun, and the length of the shell and the propellant were also extended.
The same size shell could be fired farther and exploded with greater force, but it was still a front-ignition type shell.
The drawings were sent to Guangchang County.
Soon, the first batch of prototype guns were produced, which were small and light.
The range and power of the shells were in no way inferior to those on the Yiyu market, and could even be said to be superior. Crucially, the price was also quite affordable, practically matching the price of other companies.
As soon as the Black Python Society launched this weapon, 500 units were ordered immediately, and they were exchanged for horses and food.
"It seems that the Xianbei Murong family is really determined to attack Yanzhou this time. They are even willing to give up their food."
Gongsun Mao looked at the order in his hand and muttered to himself.
"Do we need to notify headquarters and pass this news to Yanzhou?"
Pei Xin took a step forward and asked.
"This matter must be reported. Go find Gongmen Jiadi and tell him the news. I will write a letter to the headquarters."
The headquarters that Gongsun Mao mentioned is the Luancheng Intelligence Bureau, which is where Zhao Yongsheng is.
The current military administrator of Yanzhou is Xing Shuren, and the officers and soldiers of Dingzhou do not have a good impression of him, including Zhao Sheng.
When the Langya army recaptured Yizhou, this guy was behind the scenes making trouble. Zhao Sheng still can't forget this incident.
Although he is not a vindictive person, he is definitely not a broad-minded person.
Luancheng would not keep the information that should be shared to itself. It gave it to Xing Shuren and sent it to the capital at the same time.
The purpose is to remind Yanzhou to strengthen its precautions.
Just after Guangchang County delivered the first batch of mortars, it received an order for 50,000 shells.
According to the Black Python Society's requirements, this batch of artillery shells also came from the Xianbei Murong family.
As a result, the explosives in the shells were replaced with ordinary black powder, which greatly reduced its power on the battlefield.
June.
The sky was clear and the sun was pouring down unhindered on the earth. The air was filled with an unusual heat, as if even the wind was tired and no longer wanted to caress this thirsty world.
In this hot summer, Murong, the leader of the Xianbei tribe, with great passion, summoned the leaders of several major tribes including Yuwen to plan a great cause together.
They decided to join forces and head straight for the rich but precarious Yanzhou, intending to find a chance for survival in this land.
Since the raging locust plague at the beginning of the year, it seems that another cruel trial has begun between heaven and earth.
A rare drought struck, and the northern cities were almost dry from being scorched by the scorching sun. For more than a month, the sky had not spared a drop of rain, and the rivers were becoming increasingly dry.
The once sparkling water surface is now reduced to a bare riverbed. Even the ponds hidden in the corners of the village have lost all traces of life and dried up into cracked memories.
At this moment when survival and challenges coexist, the Xianbei tribes united in rebellion, and the motives behind it were straightforward and cruel.
Capturing Yanzhou for food was just a strategic choice that went with the flow and came naturally in this battle for survival.
The army was ready to go, still following the ancient tactical wisdom and split into two groups.
The Western Army was still led by Murong Mang, marching from Chicheng, carrying 300 new mortars manufactured in Guangchang County.
The Eastern Army was led by Yu Wenhua himself and came from Fengning. Its heavy weapons were 200 new mortars and 200 mortars from the Wang family of Bingzhou.
Although the Eastern Army had a large number of artillery pieces, the Wang family's mortars were less powerful and had a shorter range. Most importantly, they were much heavier than the new mortars.
This time, they did not stop in Guyuan County, but sent secret guards to privately purchase food and transport it out of the city for supply.
Everything was carried out in extreme secrecy, but how could the passage of hundreds of thousands of troops be completely concealed?
When Xing Shuren learned the news, his first reaction was to defend himself.
He mobilized his troops out of the city to dig trenches, set up artillery positions, and wait for the arrival of the enemy.
Waiting for the opportunity to tire out might have been Xing Shuren's original idea.
He has guns and cannons, as well as the corresponding troops.
Even in a one-for-one fight, he was not afraid of the enemy's attack.
It’s not that he doesn’t know how to set an ambush, but the Yan army now has not only mortars, but also heavy weapons such as infantry guns, and long-range defense is too difficult.
The most important thing is that it is too troublesome to transport these ammunition and weapons.
Therefore, he believed that this method of defending directly outside the city was the most practical, and the damage to the city was almost negligible.