Chapter 315 Total Victory

Chapter 315 Total Victory

In the eyes of the Tatar commander and a few clear-headed Tatar nobles, the Wei soldiers had likely already dug a trap, just waiting for them to change course and attack the seemingly easy passes and garrisons.

Furthermore, there are objective reasons why those seemingly easy passes and garrisons were small in scale, had few personnel, and were not considered their main targets.

Currently, these passes may indeed be easier to conquer compared to the three major passes, but what happens after they are conquered? Given the objective conditions of those passes and garrisons, breaching them would actually be the simplest step for the Tatars.

Whether the Tatar soldiers, who have considered choosing the easy path over the difficult one, can quickly enter the pass after breaking through it, whether they can seize wealth after entering, whether they can safely withdraw with their wealth, and even whether they can briefly establish a fortress and maintain their advantage within the pass, are all currently unknown.

They spoke these words without any selfish motives, but unfortunately, none of the Tatar nobles, who were not very bright and unwilling to objectively assess their own intelligence, took their warnings to heart.

Some even shouted, "Since you think so, then you might as well stay here with your people!"

As the saying goes, good advice is hard to persuade a damned ghost. Since the other side doesn't believe them, the Tatar commander and a few clear-headed Tatar nobles naturally can't force them to listen.

Not to mention that those who can enter the commander's tent are all powerful Tatar nobles, even the leaders of medium-sized tribes who are not yet qualified to enter the commander's tent for discussions have already lost control of the other party, haven't they?

It's not just these guys shouting here who have the idea of ​​"getting a bargain"; let them all test the waters.

Just as they told these guys, they didn't believe that the Great Wei border army would let them slip through unguarded.

Not to mention that they might not be able to enter the pass smoothly, even if they could, the Wei border army would definitely surround and intercept them.

By then, they would have gained little benefit, but their military strength would have been greatly depleted. Naturally, the rich lands of the Central Plains would not be available for them to divide up prematurely, given their losses and weakened strength.

The Tatar commander and a few clear-headed Tatar nobles said all they wanted, but did not take any forceful action to stop anything.

When forcing others to take the lead is no longer an option, getting fools blinded by greed to do it voluntarily is not such a bad thing.

Despite their seemingly heartfelt and earnest advice, which was actually a deliberate act of indulgence, more and more Tatar tribes chose to abandon the difficult path and attack the passes and garrisons that they had previously given up.

However, just as the Tatar commander and some nobles had predicted, the Great Wei had already made corresponding preparations for the strategies that the Tatar soldiers might choose after their setbacks.

The Tatar tribal leaders who thought themselves clever and were the first to choose to attack other passes and garrisons all encountered heavy blows from the Wei soldiers at the passes and garrisons they selected.

Although some of them did manage to breach the outer defenses of the passes and garrisons and successfully penetrate into them, what awaited them after they entered was not a smooth path, but rather a trap set by the Wei soldiers.

Although these less important passes and garrisons did not possess the kind of new weapons that could frighten their horses and cause mass casualties with a single explosion, the Wei side did not neglect the security of these passes and garrisons.

Although the homemade bombs that were easy to transport and could be used for long-range attacks with catapults were difficult to make, the Zhenbei Army still had a rich stockpile of raw materials for making them.

First transport, then mix, then bury at designated locations, and finally ignite with rockets when needed—isn't this just a simplified version of a homemade bomb?

Not to mention they could also place oil barrels inside passes and garrisons in advance to further amplify the scale and power of the explosion and fire.

The Tatar soldiers who had finally broken through never dreamed that what awaited them was not the panicked Wei soldiers, their families, or ordinary civilians, but rather a series of passes and garrisons where non-combatants had already been orderly evacuated, but which were riddled with traps.

They charged into the passes and garrisons with wild laughter, only to be surrounded by explosions and flames at the height of their triumph, leaving the Tatar soldiers both bewildered and helpless.

Although some people saw the situation was not good and decisively retreated, it was clear that only the small group of people who had come in later were able to retreat.

Although they managed to escape by sheer luck, given their morale and numbers, they no longer posed any threat to the Wei garrison, whose casualties were not high and whose morale was high due to their great victory.

Those Tatar soldiers who were a step behind them, among those who chose different passes or garrisons, six or seven out of ten encountered similar fates to them. The remaining small group encountered similar fates to some of the other Tatar soldiers who were the first to change course.

They failed to capture the passes and garrisons of the Great Wei by acting quickly enough, and were instead driven back to the outside of the passes by the Great Wei soldiers who had somehow upgraded their weapons.

These passes and garrisons have several advantages. First, their terrain makes them historically easy to defend and difficult to attack. Second, due to severe shortages of military equipment in the past, their city walls and gates have been built to be exceptionally sturdy. Third, they have recently acquired a new batch of improved cold weapons, which has significantly enhanced the overall strength of the soldiers.

Speaking of this, we have to mention the artisans who made weapons. Because of the research and production of firearms, a separate team was formed. So, while the artisans who made cold weapons were working hard, the artisans who made firearms were also constantly producing results.

After the three major passes acquired firearms, these improved cold weapons were naturally distributed to other passes and garrisons where the pressure was not so great.

With these resources, and the raw materials to make homemade bombs, they could mix them together to kill the enemy. Naturally, these small passes and garrisons had the confidence to resist and massacre Tatar soldiers.

Those Tatar soldiers who tried to sneak over and take advantage of the situation were caught off guard and encountered a tough battle.

As for the second group of Tatar soldiers who, along with the first Tatar tribes to flee, chose the same pass, they first encountered the defeated remnants of the army, and then witnessed the thick smoke and flames rising in the distance.

Some people, as a result, regained their composure and recalled the analyses and speculations made by the Tatar commander and a few nobles about the soldiers of the Great Wei. However, a small group of people felt that the soldiers of the Great Wei must have run out of ideas by now.