Back in the military tent, only Lü Yi, Lü Changhe, Zhuo Ying, and Nan Jiyun were present. Even Nie Yuan and Yue Qingtian had been dispatched to inspect the camp.
After handing the list to Liang Xiao, Lü Yi said excitedly, "Including the longbows and Shenbi bows from the capital, along with the skilled archers, our army is now equipped with twenty thousand longbows, twenty thousand Shenbi bows, and one hundred trebuchets, more than enough for our needs!"
Liang Xiao also wore a pleased expression.
The skilled archers from various regions numbered ten thousand, bringing the total troop strength to two hundred and ten thousand.
Sixty thousand were cavalry, and the remaining one hundred and fifty thousand were infantry and logistics soldiers, with most of the logistics personnel being utilized to assist in operating the Shenbi bows.
This brought the total number of longbow, Shenbi bow, and other crossbowmen to over sixty thousand!
With the Shenbi bows operated by teams of three, the ranged force alone comprised one hundred thousand. Another ten thousand were dedicated to logistics, and the remaining forty thousand were heavy infantry and chariots.
This was the strongest lineup Da Gan could muster to attack Helan Mountain. Purple sandalwood was scarce, and the production of bu ren jia (armor) and mo dao (swords) was time-consuming and could not be supplied in the short term.
The military provisions, salt, fodder, horse salt, and medicinal oils for horses sent from all regions were sufficient for two hundred and ten thousand soldiers to sustain themselves for over a year!
They all left the camp together to personally supervise training.
"Before we recapture Helan Mountain, all of you must remain at peak alertness. Our camp is fifteen li from the barbarians. The enemy can reach our fortifications in less than half an hour for a surprise attack. No soldier can afford any carelessness!"
Lü Yi personally ascended the platform to address the troops, and the army stood in solemn silence.
Fifteen li was a distance where battle could commence at any moment!
"Marshal! The barbarians are afraid and dare not come out. Let us attack!"
The soldiers below clamored, their faces filled with fervor.
The great victory at Yanzhou, coupled with the decisive win in the plain battle, had made them realize that the barbarians were not invincible!
Lü Yi waved his hand, "We must not be hasty! The barbarian encampments are quite sturdy. Our army must engage them in a war of attrition until their provisions run out and they are forced to retreat! Our army controls the Tianjiang River, allowing for constant water transport of supplies. If the barbarians try to transport grain from the desert, our cavalry can conduct surprise raids!"
"Attrition?" The soldiers below pondered, then ultimately agreed, "Then let us wear them down!"
Having secured the vital passage of the Tianjiang River, which had fully thawed, the army's water supply was not an issue!
"Excellent! Continue with normal training, guard against surprise attacks from the barbarian cavalry, and remain ready for battle at all times!" Lü Yi's face showed a subtle smile.
After Lü Yi departed, the entire military camp continued its operations as usual.
Da Gan's military camps were arranged in a "square formation," with the main forces in the center and surrounding camps radiating outwards. The perimeter was reinforced with numerous watchtowers, chevaux de frise, and wooden palisades, protected by heavy infantry to provide cover for the longbow and Shenbi bow units, ready to strike any attackers.
Even in the event of a surprise attack, the camp could quickly restore order and counterattack the enemy.
At night, "canine auxiliaries," or military hunting dogs, assisted the soldiers in patrols, strictly preventing enemy infiltrators from entering the camp.
In addition to the main army camp, Liang Xiao had also established corresponding "auxiliary camps," or outer camps surrounding the main one. In the event of a night attack, these camps could launch attacks from the enemy's rear.
This followed the principle outlined in the Wei Gong Bing Fa: "If thieves attack the main camp at night, the outer guards, upon seeing the enemy engaging the main camp, should immediately beat drums and shout to strike the enemy from behind, seizing the opportune moment for a decisive victory."
Besides patrol units, the camp also had dedicated night watchmen, each leading five swift horses, who patrolled ten li outside the fortifications to provide early warnings of enemy movements. When sentinels detected approaching enemy forces, these riders could swiftly report back to the camp. The besieged camp would then beat drums to signal the alert, indicating the direction of the attack, while simultaneously warning other camps to strengthen their defenses and dispatch reinforcements. The drumming would continue until the enemy attack concluded.
Facing nomadic peoples like the barbarians, establishing fortified encampments presented the ultimate test for an army, proving far more challenging than confronting other types of enemies.
Upon witnessing Liang Xiao's camp layout, Lü Yi was greatly impressed and allowed Liang Xiao to proceed with the arrangements, making only minor adjustments to certain details to achieve perfection.
The square formation of the Da Gan military camp thus blocked the eastern gap of Helan Mountain. The soldiers trained daily, showing no signs of immediate offensive action.
The Right Virtuous King routinely dispatched scouts to probe the Da Gan military camp. Upon receiving their reports, he was utterly bewildered.
"Is he truly prepared to engage us in a stalemate for a year or two, preventing our withdrawal?"
The barbarian commanders' expressions were grave.
If this attrition continued, the barbarian army might not be able to outlast the Da Gan forces!
Furthermore, the close proximity of their camps created conditions for mutual surprise attacks.
Should they choose to withdraw and dismantle their fortifications, the Da Gan army could pursue and inflict significant damage upon them.
"Our camp fortifications must not be abandoned under any circumstances. Otherwise, allowing them to occupy this area would effectively seal the passage through Helan Mountain, which is tantamount to capturing Helan Mountain!" the Left Virtuous King declared gravely.
The Right Virtuous King, with a face full of anxiety, asked Tuoluotu, "What about the Guishuang Dynasty?"
Tuoluotu replied, "Ambassador Harmuqi has already sent a rider back to inform them. I believe the Guishuang Dynasty will seize this opportunity to continue dispatching troops to Da Gan's western border! In another three months, the Peacock Dynasty should also coordinate with the Sun Moon Army to attack Da Gan's southwest!"
The Right Virtuous King then felt relieved and sneered, "Liang Xiao and Lü Yi intend to drag our army into this attrition, but are they not also being dragged here, unable to disengage themselves?"
All the generals echoed his sentiment, their faces hardened.
They had been infuriated daily by seeing Liang Xiao loitering outside their camp.
Moreover, the White Robe soldiers were fast, and Liang Xiao, riding his renowned horse, was even faster, making him impossible to catch!
"Marshal! That little bastard Liang Xiao is back again, parading with the White Robe soldiers to show off!!"
A messenger galloped in with the report, and the Right Virtuous King's anger flared. "Send troops to pursue and kill him! Bring the ballistae to shoot him!"
Five li outside the barbarian encampment, Liang Xiao sensed trouble and immediately ordered, "Retreat! These bastards have brought out the ballistae!"
The White Robe soldiers, following Liang Xiao's lead, turned their horses and retreated, unwilling to engage in prolonged combat. Even as they fled, they kept looking back.
As long as the enemy's ballistae couldn't keep up, Liang Xiao would lead his men back, drawing his Setting Sun Bow to shoot at men and horses.
The barbarians, weary of the constant harassment, could only slowly advance with their ballistae, which had a range of about a li.
Just as the barbarians had pursued for five li, earth-shattering shouts echoed from the distance. The barbarians looked and saw six thousand White Robe soldiers rushing from afar, poised to charge.
"Quick! The main army must be mobilized to intercept!"
The Right Virtuous King was startled and quickly dispatched troops.
Fifty thousand barbarian cavalry successively emerged from the camp.
The White Robe soldiers then followed Liang Xiao back to the military camp, leaving the barbarians cursing in the distance.
The Right Virtuous King, looking at the fruitless expedition, became enraged. "This is simply too much of an insult!! We cannot always allow this brat to harass us with his troops. Establish a cavalry detachment of ten thousand men to patrol outside the fortifications daily, bringing ballistae to repel the enemy!"
The Right Virtuous King narrowed his eyes and said in a deep voice, "They are miles away, and it seems they detected our ballistae in advance. How exactly did they see them..."