Chapter 432

"Wei Chen is ashamed. Please punish him!"

After the martial arts show, Li Junxian and Su dingfang came to apologize to Li Shimin at the same time. Although they tied, they lost a game after all, and they lost too thoroughly when they lost.

"What's the crime of the two Aiqing? Today, Japan is just practicing martial arts, and winning or losing is just to sum up the gains and losses." Li Shimin said with a smile. He was very happy to get such a peerless battle array today. He knew that the infantry had a natural disadvantage when facing the cavalry, but the Macedonian square array could draw with the same number of cavalry, What a surprise.

"You Aiqing, how about this square array?" Li Shimin turned to Li Jing and asked.

Hou Junji shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, this square array has a single situation and obvious advantages, but the disadvantages are equally serious. Once you break through the flanks and rear wings of this square array, you will lose all."

Hou Junji can naturally see that the spear used in the Macedonian phalanx is too long to turn. Once it is broken by the enemy, it will be disastrous.

Li Jing agreed: "it is the single formation that makes it easy to train, and when you go to the battlefield, there are cavalry to protect the flanks and rear wings."

The attack power of the Macedonian phalanx is too amazing. On the battlefield, Datang also pays attention to cooperative operations, but it is only the cooperation of a small team of people. However, there has never been a whole army as a collective like the Macedonian phalanx. The power that erupts is too powerful.

Li Shimin nodded. He saw the power of the Macedonian phalanx with his own eyes and immediately believed what Merton said about the strength of the Alexander empire.

Hou Junji retorted: "this long gunman bears too much weight and moves slowly. The battlefield changes instantly. How can he give consideration to everything? Once the army is defeated like a mountain, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Li Shimin immediately fell into a dilemma. On the one hand, he really liked the powerful attack power of the Macedonian phalanx, on the other hand, he was worried that he would be defeated like the Macedonian phalanx in history.

Merton bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this matter is an excellent solution. The so-called long-term attack will lose. Although the Macedonian square array has strong attack power, slow movement and inflexibility, it is also true. But let's change our angle. What if we use the Macedonian square array for defense?"

"Defense?" they frowned and looked at Merton in surprise.

Merton turned to Li Junxian and said, "General Li, on the battlefield, general Su formed the Macedonian square into a circle and stood firm for help. Are you sure to break through?"

Li Junxian subconsciously looked back at the gun forest still standing proudly in the martial arts arena. He couldn't help but say with lingering fear: "under the same strength, even if you fight dry cavalry, I'm afraid you can't break this array."

For this, even Li Shimin and Hou Junji couldn't help nodding. Once the Macedonian array was formed, it was like a huge hedgehog.

Li Jing's eyes flashed and vaguely guessed Merton's plan, but he didn't point it out. Instead, he looked at Merton with great interest and wanted to see Merton's ability.

Merton takes a deep breath into the airway: "As the saying goes, before soldiers and horses move, food and grass go first. Our officers and men of the Tang Dynasty have traveled thousands of miles to Tuyuhun, and the grain route is the top priority. If the grain transportation troops are trained according to the Macedonian square array, once Tuyuhun attacks the grain route, everyone holds a spear and forms a Macedonian square array. Even if Tuyuhun's cavalry sneaks on the grain route, he will be beaten to the head and blood to ensure that food and grass are not lost."

As soon as Merton's voice fell, the hearts of the people suddenly opened up. Sure enough, what the Mohists are best at is to stick to it. In this way, the defense ability of the troops escorting grain and grass has been greatly improved, and the risk of grain and grass being robbed has been greatly reduced. Even if they are really besieged, it is enough to protect themselves.

Li Shimin was so excited that he couldn't help himself. In this era, the importance of food and grass is self-evident. Since ancient times, many wars have been lost on food and grass. The lessons in history can be seen everywhere in the wars of Changping, Julu and Guandu. As an emperor, Li Shimin naturally knows how important food and grass are.

Moreover, it is difficult to transport grain and grass in the western regions. Once there is a loss of grain and grass, it is almost impossible to replenish again. It is almost a lost situation. If not, Li Shimin will not issue national bonds and build a brick road to Longyou under the condition of insufficient national strength.

"The old minister thought it was very good." Li Jing nodded with appreciation.

In this way, the Macedonian phalanx formed into a circular array stayed in place. In this way, the poor mobility of the Macedonian phalanx was solved perfectly and became a perfect defensive force all the time.

Hou Junji still shook his head and said, "in this way, escorting grain and grass can only be beaten passively. Rangers only need constant riding and shooting harassment. Even the strongest defense line can't hold."

Although Hou Junji is a tough egg, he also points out the biggest disadvantage of all infantry. In the face of cavalry, they can only be defensive. The so-called long-term defense must be lost is indeed a big taboo for all infantry.

Merton immediately showed his signature simple and honest smile and said, "what Hou Shangshu said is that he can only be beaten passively. Naturally, he must not be beaten. So the boy came here today, he didn't bring another weapon, which can just solve the current situation of grain transportation troops being beaten passively."

"Oh!" Li Shimin was immediately interested. Merton's offering of the Macedonian phalanx had surprised him, and he had never been disappointed with anything Merton offered.

Merton arched his hand at pound and said, "father Pang, please return what the boy brought when he came."

Pound nodded and stretched out his hand. Soon, two small eunuchs carried a box in front of the people. Merton bent over to open the box and suddenly a crossbow appeared in front of the people.

"Bow and crossbow?" Li Jing's heart moved.

Bows and crossbows are indeed a sharp weapon of infantry. However, most bows and crossbows with long range are very heavy and need to be operated by many people. If they are ordinary bows and crossbows, they are not as fast and convenient as bows and arrows.

"Weichen's bow and crossbow is not an ordinary bow and crossbow. It's called divine arm crossbow. This bow and crossbow is simple to operate. Weichen adds a Mohist mechanism to it, and only one person can string it easily. The most important thing is that the effective range of this bow and crossbow can reach 300 steps."

"Three hundred steps!" everyone was surprised. They looked at Merton incredulously. They should know that the range of bows and arrows in this era is only one hundred steps, and the real lethality is only fifty steps. The range of three hundred steps is enough to change the form of the whole war.

Li Shimin suddenly stepped forward, looked at Merton ferociously and said word by word: "are you sure it's 300 steps?"

Merton immediately looked innocent, pointed to the bow and crossbow under his feet and said, "this bow and crossbow is here. Your majesty will know as soon as you try."

Li Shimin couldn't wait to pick up the crossbow. Under Merton's instructions, he easily loaded a crossbow.

"This is the collimation, your majesty. Just aim the collimation at the target and pull the trigger." Merton prompted.

Unfortunately, Li Shimin's mind was full of 400 step range. He didn't care about this. He picked up the bow and crossbow and pulled the trigger at the martial arts arena.

"Buzz!"

When everyone heard the sound, they could feel the strong attack power of the crossbow. In an instant, the crossbow roared out under the trace that everyone could hardly see.

"Go and explore the range." Li Shimin took the crossbow, pointed to the direction of the crossbow, and ordered Li Junxian.

"Yes!"

Li Junxian took command and immediately rode away.

Soon, Li Junxian rode back, holding a crossbow and arrow in his hand, and said to Li Shimin with ecstasy: "tell your majesty, a total of 320 steps."

"Three hundred and twenty steps!" Li Shimin took a breath. The divine arm crossbow was several times the range of the bow and arrow.

"Congratulations, your majesty, on getting this good bow." the people also congratulated in unison.

Li Shimin laughed, loaded the crossbow again and pulled the trigger.

"Buzzing!" the sound of bow and crossbow strings continued.

The farthest direct can reach as many as 400 steps at a time. The lethal power of the divine arm crossbow is huge. The crossbow and arrow Merton used to drill has no blade at all, but can be nailed to the tree within 200 steps.

Moreover, compared with bows and arrows, bows and crossbows are easy to operate and labor-saving. When firing bows and arrows, it depends on arm strength. If a normal Bowman bows and arrows 15 times in a row, he must rest, otherwise he will damage his muscles. However, for bowmen, as long as he can string up and pull the trigger, he can attack continuously. Li Shimin has fired crossbows and arrows more than 10 times in a row without any feeling of fatigue.

Moreover, this divine arm crossbow can be operated by one person. It has a complete range and can crush archers.

Li Jing also sighed again and again: "the world knows that Mohism is good at guarding the city, but it didn't expect that Mohism is also unique."

Merton nodded: "attack instead of defense, defense instead of attack. Attack and defense are one. However, both ink attack and ink defense are to protect the Tang Dynasty."