MTL - I-Chapter 998 994 [Buryat Mongols]
Chapter 998 994 [Buryat Mongols]
West of Nerchinsk, more than a dozen small boats went down the river.
"Woo!"
In the mountains and forests, a copper whistle suddenly sounded, three short and two long, followed by two long and one short. Hearing the whistle, the boats docked and stopped, and a scout came after a while.
Chen Yutai saluted the friendly troops who landed, and said: "The First Battalion of the Third Regiment of the Second Brigade of the Fourteenth Division of the Datong Army, Chen Yutai, the sergeant of the reconnaissance post stationed in Yaksa by the Anton Governor's Mansion, which department is the commander?"
The officer who came by boat was called Yue An, and after declaring his family name, he said, "We came from the grassland. Have you finished fighting Nerchinsk?"
"I just won it two days ago, and I am resting, and I am about to attack Chita," Chen Yutai asked, "How is the battle in Mobei?"
Yue An said: "The Mongols in Mobei have suffered a series of civil strife in the past few years, and their strength is already very weak. When our Datong army killed them, the Mongols did not fight at all, and took us around around for two full months. I haven’t even touched a hair. I’m sure there are no Mongols in the east, so let me come and see if you need reinforcements here.”
Mobei Mongolia has a large desert Gobi belt, and the place where people can live is divided into three parts: west, middle and east.
The eastern part is centered on Hulun Lake, and there are many grasslands, especially Hulunbuir Grassland is the most abundant. In addition, there are a large number of mountain grasslands. According to the height of the mountain, the growth season of the grass is different, and the Mongolian herdsmen conduct seasonal nomadism.
This area directly threatens Northeast China. Genghis Khan relied on this area to attack the Kingdom of Jin. Other places in Mobei can be ignored, but the Hulunbeier Grassland must be taken. If the Hulunbuir Grassland is occupied, the Northeast will be stable.
Yuean came along the Onon River, and after passing through the mountain pass, it was only a hundred miles away from Nerchinsk.
That is to say, if there is a rebellion in Hulunbeier in the future, Nerchinsk can also send troops. Follow the river for more than a hundred miles, cross the mountain pass and walk the Onen River, mostly mountainous grasslands along the way, you can reach the north of Hulun Lake. Similarly, if there is chaos in Nerchinsk, the Hulun Buir Grassland can also send troops.
Li was resting in Nerchinsk for two days, and then sent 500 troops to fight Chita.
Due to time constraints, it is already the limit to win Chita this year, because there will be no supplies after winter.
Not all prisoners of war from the enemy's reinforcements were killed. The Cossacks and the servants each kept ten. While tortured, he told them that the two with the most accurate information would be spared death and would serve as the guides of the Datong Army in the future.
Under repeated torture, a few stubborn ones just want to die quickly, and most of them just say whatever they ask.
Because they all went to support Nerchinsk, there are only 20 Cossacks and 30 indigenous servants left in Chita, and the rest are all women and children.
More than 400 miles of waterways will be reached in less than ten days.
Chita is obviously easier to fight than Nerchinsk. There is only a single castle, and there is no design of the mother-child castle. The city wall is shorter and thinner, but the area is also larger, and the Cossacks set it as a stronghold earlier.
When Li Zheng arrived here, he couldn't laugh or cry. Chita had already been besieged.
"Da da da da!"
Hundreds of Buryat Mongolian cavalry, seeing the fleet of the Datong Army, rushed over in a panic, ready to fight at any time from a long distance away.
"Who can speak Mongolian?" Li Zheng asked.
Yue An who came from the grassland said: "Li Duhu, I will say something."
Li Zheng said: "Go and negotiate."
Yue An disarmed his weapon, and after landing, he raised his hands to show that he had no malice.
A Mongolian nobleman rode forward and said, "I am Balahubu Taiji Harabin. Are you the legendary Datong Army?"
Buryat language belongs to the branch of Mongolian language. Although communication is a bit difficult, the basic meaning can still be understood.
Yue An said: "The hateful Rakshasa ghost invaded the territory of the Celestial Dynasty and killed the people of the Celestial Dynasty. His Majesty the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty was angry and sent troops to conquer. Nerchinsk has been captured by our army. You have also been invaded by Rakshasa ghosts. We have the same enemies as each other, so we should be friends."
Harabin was surprised: "You conquered Nerchinsk? Did the Rakshasa ghosts escape?"
Yue An said: "The Rakshasa ghosts have all been killed."
"Great!" Harabin was overjoyed.
Yue An continued: "You used to be subordinates of the Tuxietu tribe of Mongolia. The Tuxietu tribe has long been defeated by the Celestial Dynasty. From now on, you should submit to His Majesty the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty. As long as you surrender, the Celestial Army will protect your safety."
Harabin was quite vigilant, and asked: "Will the Celestial Dynasty invade our pastures and plunder our herdsmen like Rakshasa ghosts?"
Yue An laughed and said: "The Celestial Dynasty will occupy several Rakshasa ghost castles and station some soldiers. This is to prevent the Rakshasa ghosts from counterattacking. If the land around the castle is suitable for reclamation and farming, we will occupy part of it, and the rest of the pasture will remain. Belongs to the Mongols. Your Majesty has already decided to set up the Beihai Protectorate here, and the Mongolian tribes will be divided into multiple protectors. If you can’t inherit the tribe, you can take some of your clansmen to move north and reproduce in the pastures occupied by the Raksha ghosts. Your Excellency will be appointed as the protector by the Celestial Dynasty."
"Do you want to pay taxes?" Harabin asked again.
Yue An said: "There is no need to pay taxes, but we have to pay tribute horses to Beihai Governor's Mansion every year. Don't worry, there are not many war horses that need to pay tribute, and we will bring salt, iron pots, cotton cloth and other materials. trade freely. With these items, the Mongols can live better.”
Harabin said: "This is a big deal, I need to go back and report to my father."
"Of course, you can discuss it." Yue An laughed.
Harabin rode forward to meet Li Zheng, knelt on one knee and said, "Balahubu Taiji Harabin, meet the general of the Celestial Dynasty!"
"Get up quickly!"
Li Zheng helped this Taiji up with his own hands, and praised: "You are really a young hero, and he must be the most powerful warrior among the Buryats."
Yue An translated beside him, and Harabin was delighted to hear it.
In fact, he is already in his twenties, and he has weathered the storms of the Northland. He looks like he is in his thirties or forties. How can he be a young hero?
Li Zheng beckoned for a flintlock musket with two packs of ammunition: "The sword is for a hero. Seeing such a heroic Mongolian man as Your Excellency, how could he not bring a gift that fits your status? This firecracker, I will give it to you." friend!"
Harabin took the musket, couldn't put it down, and stroked it repeatedly.
Of course he has seen the power of muskets, and now that he owns one, he is instantly happy. He thinks that the Chinese are friends enough to give gifts as soon as they come, unlike Raksha ghosts who only know how to rob.
Moreover, Harabin has three brothers, and he is the second eldest. Yue An's words had already moved his heart. After driving away the Raksha ghosts, he took some of his clansmen to move north and own their own grassland to prosper. Wouldn't it be better than nesting in the Balahubu?
For the Mobei and Lake Baikal regions, it is nothing more than the establishment of the Protectorate.
The Datong army stationed in important cities, and broke up the Mongols into various guards. Through military, political, economic and religious rule, it is ruled in many aspects, and the ministries are not allowed to merge with each other. Whoever dares to annex other people's pastures is a public enemy.
Basically, it is like learning how the Manchu Qing ruled Mongolia, but there is no Mongolian prince, only large and small Mongolian guardians.
"Da da da da!"
A Mongolian cavalry came running, hissing and shouting: "Taiji, the Raksha ghost wants to escape!"
"Chase!"
Harabin got on his horse and led his troops to catch up without thinking about talking to Li Zheng.
The Datong army had no horses, so Li Zheng couldn't catch up, so he led his soldiers to take over the castle.
But hundreds of Buryat Mongolian cavalry besieged Chita City for more than half a month. There were only 20 Cossacks and 30 servants in the city, but they repelled the attacks of the Mongols many times. More than 80 of these Mongols were killed or injured under the city.
The Cossacks who were defending the city did not take it seriously in the face of the Mongol siege.
Now the Datong Army is here, although only 500 troops are sent, but they still have artillery. When the Cossack defenders saw the artillery coming ashore, they knew that Nerchinsk had fallen, so how could they dare to hold on? Just ride the horse and run away.
Hundreds of Mongolian cavalry chased fifty enemy troops.
The Cossacks and servants all had war horses. While running away, they turned around and fired arrows. Several Mongolian cavalry fell from their horses one after another.
The archery can continue, but the musket cannot be reloaded when fleeing on horseback.
Chita is surrounded by mountains, and the flat area is not large.
The Cossacks and servants rode horses and could only escape from the narrow river bank. After fleeing for several miles, there was a swamp of reeds in front of us, so we had to steer into the valley on horseback.
In the end, they abandoned their horses and walked on foot, fighting in the dense forest.
After half a day, Harabin returned covered in blood. In this pursuit, nearly a hundred of his men were killed or injured, all of which were caused by the sniper guns fired by the Cossacks in the forest. As a result of his battle, he only killed 8 Cossacks and 11 indigenous servants, and captured a few, and the rest of the enemies all ran away.
Seeing Li Zheng again, Harabin felt that his face was dull, and asked: "My lord general, the Raksha ghosts are very powerful. Can I exchange my horse for a firearm? I can deal with them when I meet them in the future."
Li Zheng comforted: "Although the Raksha ghosts ran away more than ten times, they lost their horses and no boats. Presumably, few of them can leave the mountain alive. As for the horses for firecrackers, I have to ask my superiors, the Datong Army." Commanders cannot dispose of ordnance at will."
Harabin is a straight person, but he couldn't tell that Li was perfunctory, and said excitedly: "The price is negotiable, how about ten horses for one firecracker?"
"I'll go back and ask for instructions." Li Zheng smiled.
Ten horses can be exchanged for one gunpowder, of course it is possible, as long as the gunpowder is stuck.
Without ammunition, a firecracker is just a stick of fire.
For the Datong Army in the north, merchants can transport grain and grass, but they transport their own weapons. Merchants are strictly prohibited from carrying any hot weapons.
Historically, the Cossacks fought Chukchi for hundreds of years. Primitive tribes like Chukchi even learned how to smelt iron and use guns and artillery during the war, but they still couldn't learn how to make gunpowder.
Harabin left with a bag of refined salt, which was a gift from Li Zheng to the Balahu patriarch.
The Datong army drove the Cossacks away, and the news spread quickly throughout the Balahu tribe. The patriarch brought his son to visit him in person. After some exchanges, Balahubu was willing to submit to the emperor of the Celestial Dynasty.
The tribes further to the west also gradually heard the news that they were going to come to Chita to ask the Datong Army to send troops when the snow would melt in the coming spring.
As long as they can drive away the Rakshasa ghosts, they are willing to take the lead in attacking the city, and will serve the emperor for generations!
(end of this chapter)
