weaving

Chapter 275 Sha Zhongwang is Yan Qingrong's Person

Yesterday was National Day, the whole country celebrated,
I was also drunk, without a single word!
It's five o'clock today, but thank you brother Meng,
You and I both love Ming, only dreaming!
Reward I love too,
Brother Meng thinks of himself,
Riwan is not good,
I only have two days of fun!
~~~~~~~~~~
Outside the South Gate of Dushikou Castle, a hundred large wooden stakes stand, and a small wooden stake is placed on top of it, with bloody human heads hanging on it.

Zhang Cheng sent an order to hang up the [-] heads of bandits who had been cut off on the eighth day of the lunar new year, and hang them outside Nanguan for ten days to show the public as an example!

When it was getting dark, no one moved outside the South Pass. According to the rumors of those merchants living in the South Pass, every night in the middle of the night, they would hear bursts of pleading weeping.

Although, everyone laughed and scolded them for being too timid to hear the sound of the wind as the sound of ghosts crying. They were purely scaring themselves.

But for many years since then, the military households in Dushikoubao still dare not haunt the area outside Nanguan at night alone.

…………

On the tenth day of the fifth lunar month, eight miles north of Dushikou Castle, was the Beizhazi Pass, the most important defensive site on the Shangbei Road of Xuanfu.

In June of the fifth year of Xuande, because the Tatars repeatedly violated Kaiping and the national power was weak at that time, Xuanzong moved Kaipingwei to Dushicheng on the advice of his ministers, and abandoned the three hundred miles outside.

As a result, Dushikoubaocheng became the forefront of the capital, "controlling the north and south", while Beizhazi Pass was the frontier and throat of Dushicheng's defense.

"Xuanfu Town Records" records that "Beizhakou" is eight miles north of Dushikou City, the gate of the dam, "two mountains stand in front of each other, and only one can ride alone."

Zhang Cheng led Chen Zhong, Zhang Guangda and other generals, accompanied by fellow acquaintance Jin Xinpeng, his ministers Yan Qingrong and Xue Liangqing, and others, and they were inspecting this pass.

The group of them passed through Beizhazi Village, where a hundred households guarded and cultivated the surrounding land. Zhang Cheng just looked around and went north to the pass.

This Beizhazi pass is an important defense system. It is composed of Guancheng, Shuiguan, attached wall, and pier connected to the Great Wall. Because the pass is located on a high terrain, it is similar to a stone platform, so it is also called Dushitai. .

According to the system, it should be guarded by a general with a total of more than 100 soldiers, but this is only in name at this time. In reality, this general has only more than [-] people.

It is only responsible for checking whether there are any prohibited goods in the past business travellers, and taking advantage of the opportunity to smother them. If they are really interested, they only have the ability to warn the castle. It is only a dream to expect them to guard this pass and wait for help.

When Liu Guangwu was there, he sent [-] battalions under his command to guard this pass, as well as Xizha Pass and Dongzha Pass, each of which was guarded by a hundred generals.

But those two places are not as convenient as this Beizha Pass, there are very few business travelers in the past, and the defense is even more neglected.

On a rather high hill next to the Beizha pass, there is a watchtower covered with bricks. For the needs of defense, this watchtower, which is nearly four feet high, has no stairs.

There is only a gap in the south, which is nearly three feet high from the ground. There are two stones protruding from the gap, and a hanging ladder is hung on it. board.

The bottom of this watchtower is solid, and there is bluestone paved ground only where the hanging ladder comes up. The inside is quite spacious and can accommodate nearly 50 people. There is a window.

The general who is stationed here is called Sha Zhongwang, who looks very simple and honest. He stood beside a straight ladder and said to Zhang Cheng very humbly: "General, you can climb to the upper roof here, and you can have a panoramic view of the pass. .”

Zhang Cheng walked up to the straight ladder and climbed up, only to see a terrace above, surrounded by a chest-high parapet, covered with bricks inside and out, and a tent was propped up on the terrace, presumably for the night watchman. Used by sergeants.

Walking to the edge of the watchtower, leaning on the parapet and looking out, you can have a panoramic view of the surrounding Great Wall and Beizhazi Pass.

In the 23rd year of Jiajing, Weng Wanda, the right servant of the Ministry of War, was appointed as the military governor of Xuanda, Shanxi, and Baoding. Because the borders at that time were often harassed by the Alta tribe, which caused heavy losses, Weng Wanda asked to build the side wall.

"History of the Ming Dynasty" records: "Shanxi starts from the bank of the Yellow River in Baodezhou, passes through Biantou, and arrives at Laoying for 250 miles. Datong West Road starts from Yajiao Mountain, Lizhong North Second Road, and reaches Dongyanghe Zhenkoutai in the east at 640 miles. Xuanfu starts from the west Yanghe, Lizhongbeier Road, east to Yongning, four seas and 23 miles, every 920 miles, are all forced by giant bandits, the danger is outside, the so-called extreme edge."

"History of the Ming Dynasty" also praised: "Wanda is meticulous in planning, good at hooking and schooling, the walls are near and far, the moat is deep and wide, and the song is as appropriate. The bandits dare not commit light crimes, and those guarding inside the wall can farm and herd in leisure time, and the side expenses are also paid. Japanese province."

Looking down from the top of the watchtower, Zhang Cheng could clearly see this section of the Great Wall. He reckoned that it could be more than two feet high, four feet wide at the top, and more than one foot wide at the base below.

And the Guancheng at the nearby Beizha pass is also a panoramic view. The gate is narrow and steep cliffs stand on both sides. When the gate is closed, it is impossible to open it.

Not far away, the Baihe River flows through. At the narrow part of the Baihe River next to the Guancheng, a water pass stands there. It also takes advantage of the mountain to build a pass wall. There is an iron gate in the middle, which does not block the flow of the river. Pass, but not people and boats.

Looking at the Great Wall and the pass below, Zhang Cheng was silent, just like this. If the guards are well-equipped and attentive, why should they be afraid of captives and offenders?
He asked in a deep voice, "Where is the gatekeeper?"

Sha Zhongwang knelt down on one knee, and replied in a deep voice, "Here is Sha Zhongwang, the general guard of Beizhazi. Please show me, General?"

Zhang Cheng turned around and looked at Sha Zhongwang in front of him, and asked, "How many soldiers are there in Beiguan?"

"Returning to the general, Sha Zhongwang was ordered to guard Beiguan, Xiguan and Dongguan. In total, there should be 440 sergeants in the first division and four bureaus. In reality, there are 190 sergeants, including 99 guards in Beiguan, and [-] soldiers in Xiguan and Dongguan. Fifty!"

Sha Zhongwang replied in a deep voice, seeing that his reply was neither humble nor overbearing, neat and clear, Zhang Cheng was very satisfied, and he continued to ask: "Sha Zhongwang, how many brave soldiers do you think it takes to defend these three places?" pass?"

Sha Zhongwang was taken aback for a moment, and after a moment of contemplation, he said: "Report to the general, if you have a strong army, one is enough."

Zhang Cheng nodded. He waved his hand to tell Sha Zhongwang to retreat, then turned his head to look at his fellow commander Jin Xinpeng, and they walked to the edge of the top platform together, looking at the mountains and pass outside.

Zhang Cheng asked softly: "Master Jin, do you understand Sha Zhongwang?"

"Returning to the general, this Sha Zhongwang was originally Yan Qingrong's subordinate. In the ninth year of Chongzhen, the Tartars invaded from the North Road. The general who was originally stationed here was charged with breaking the customs. Sha Zhongwang was the man who retreated. He was promoted to this guard.

This person really knows loyalty, he has been in the army for many years, but unfortunately the food and pay are not enough, and the soldiers are fleeing seriously, everyone seems to have not seen this, and there is nothing they can do about it. "

Zhang Cheng understood that this Sha Zhongwang belonged to Yan Qingrong, and it was inconvenient for him, Jin Xinpeng, to say too much, but generally speaking, Sha Zhongwang was quite qualified as a leader.

And Zhang Cheng is also very optimistic about him, but he still needs to continue to observe.

(End of this chapter)