It is said that the food routes were cut off, causing the soldiers to starve, but why did this happen?

What is the terrain near Wushan? Why can't we camp close to the city instead of exposing the flaws in the grain transportation?

After detailed questioning, Huang Li had already drawn a rough diagram on the paper. After thinking for a long time and getting a few details from Li Yue, Huang Li let Li Yue leave.

Now, Huang Li felt that he should have grasped several major reasons for Wushan's defeat.

Wu City is not an isolated city defense. There is also a walled city with Xishan Temple built outside the city, and a highland earth city in the northeast corner, forming a horned situation.

Although Wushan City did not have a moat, the trenches dug by the Qing army were a great obstacle to the Ming army. When the Ming army tried to fill the trenches, they suffered a lot of damage from artillery fire on the city.

If these difficulties can still be overcome, Huang Li believes that there are two disadvantages that must be resolved.

One is that although the Qing army held fast to Wushan, it did not huddle in the city like the Qing army led by Dong Xueli, and was completely passively defensive.

When the Ming army attacked Wushan City, Li Guoying sent troops out of the city several times to counterattack the Ming army's fortress. He also sent troops to attack the Ming army's grain transport team, interrupting the supply of the Ming army's front lines.

The reason why the Ming army could not camp close to the city was because the south side of Wushan City was very close to the river and was built on the mountain. There was not enough depth around it for the Ming army to build a camp.

The Qing army also had a navy, and it was impossible for the Ming army to use ships as depth and build a stronghold by the river.

Therefore, the Ming army chose to land in advance and set up camp on land separated from Wushan by the Daning River, and maintained smooth communication between the siege troops and the rear through pontoons.

In other words, the Ming army did not enter the riverside of Wushan City, that is, break through the west entrance of Wu Gorge.

It is precisely because of this arrangement that Li Guoying created an opportunity. Not only could he intercept the grain road, but he could also burn the pontoon bridge to block the Ming army.

"Why can't you defend the city honestly? This Li Guoying is really a bastard."

"If we want to win the Battle of Wushan, even if there is a close-in operation, the firepower cannot be too weak."

"Grain logistics is the top priority. How to shorten the grain pipeline and ensure logistics supply is really a big challenge."

Huang Li squinted his eyes slightly, his mind spinning rapidly, thinking about plans one by one, and rejecting them one by one, leaving only the ones that were slightly feasible, and then improved and changed them.

Although he does not agree with the counterattack against Wushan again, Huang Li also understands the mood of Yuan Zongdi and others. It is really tempting to be able to reverse the situation in one fell swoop.

It is already October 11th. Historically, the Xi'an Eight Banners and the Forbidden Eight Banners will arrive in Xingshan in early December. In other words, there are less than two months left.

"If we make preparations now and attack Wushan in a month, we may have a better chance of winning." Huang Li felt that his confidence should not be so lacking, but he could not cheer up.

"The stud is really too high." Huang Li lay down on the bed, feeling that his head was a little heavy. He had to have a good sleep to regain his energy and start thinking again.

………………

Huanglong Mountain, Xingshan County.

The military camp at the foot of the mountain has long been empty, with only a few hundred men and horses stationed temporarily to take charge of fire prevention and other matters in the military camp.

Li Laiheng, Duke of Linguo, once again walked out of the courtyard located on the hillside and looked up, extending from the military camp to the distant east.

Although he couldn't see anything, in Li Laiheng's mind, he seemed to be able to imagine the situation under Yiling City.

Countless Ming troops were filling up the moat and pulling out plum blossom piles. Guns and cannons were fired from the city, and arrows rained down. Soldiers kept falling, but others continued to fight without fear of sacrifice.

"It's been twelve days." Li Laiheng finally looked away and counted the time accurately again.

In fact, there is no need to calculate. He just has to draw a line on the wall every day, like a prisoner counting the days waiting for release. When he gets the definite news, no matter good or bad, he can be considered free.

Slowly walking to a big tree, Li Laiheng stared at the lines on the tree carefully, for no reason, just to calm down his mind.

In fact, including the marching time, the Ming army only had six or seven days at Yiling City. In such a short period of time, Li Laiheng also felt that it was unlikely to make significant progress and that it was probably a stalemate.

But this was already a desperate move. Two or three days after setting off from the army, he began to worry and his mind could not help but have random thoughts.

Several cavalrymen rushed from afar, attracting Li Laiheng's attention. He expected an urgent report from the troops on the expedition, but he also felt worried.

He just stood and waited until the cavalry climbed up the hillside and was informed by the soldiers that it was a messenger sent from Maolu Mountain. Li Laiheng breathed a sigh of relief with a complicated mood.

Soon, the report sent by the courier was put on the table, and Li Laiheng also sat back in the room and looked through it.

Although Huang Li went out with the army, he still left several drawings and asked craftsmen to build and test them.

"The projectile cannon has been tested successfully!?" Li Laiheng couldn't help but smile when he saw this report, feeling a little comforted in his heart.

"Two pounds of black powder can throw a ten-pound cannonball 150 or 60 steps, and the explosion can knock down all wooden targets within ten steps."

Taking a closer look at the test data, Li Laiheng chinned his head slightly. Although it was not particularly shocking, he believed that this was a relatively practical weapon.

The so-called projectile cannon is basically the same as the oil barrel cannon of later generations, also known as the heartless cannon, except that the caliber is more than doubled.

The projectile tube made of iron is first filled with the projectile charge package, and then the explosive, that is, the cannonball. At the same time, the fuse is lit, and the projectile charge package is used to explode to eject the cannonball.

In ancient times, one step was equivalent to 1.3 meters. The range of the projectile cannon was nearly 200 meters, and the explosion radius reached 67 meters.

Although the range and power are unsatisfactory, compared with the artillery of the time, this kind of projectile cannon is very light and easy to manufacture, and can be mass-produced and equipped with troops.

Li Laiheng once again picked up the test report of the second new weapon, which was called a rocket.

Although China was able to manufacture rockets that used gunpowder to propel flight during the Song Dynasty, they did not develop rapidly and failed to become practical weapons on the battlefield.

Flowers bloom inside the wall and red outside the wall. Just like the development of black gunpowder, rockets were probably introduced to India in the Yuan Dynasty or Ming Dynasty and were developed in a practical way by Asan.

In fact, the object of Ah San's imitation should be the Chinese firework called Sky Monkey, but it was enlarged dozens or hundreds of times, and the gunpowder barrel was changed to iron.
Chapter completed!