When everyone heard this, everyone was shocked. They shouted: "Nanjing? Zhu Youdong smiled and said: "Of course, why don't I come to Wuchang with so many troops?" Now our three armies have captured Wuchang, and the three armies of Jiang Chao, Liu Zhen and Feng Shuangli have not yet participated in the war. You don't really think I'm asking the army to come over just to watch the fun. ”

Looking at Zhu Youdong's serious expression, everyone understood that Zhu Youdong was definitely not joking. Zhou Chang said: "Your Highness, do you think about it again, now we are still so far away from Nanjing, and when we arrive in Nanjing, the soldiers will not have the strength to attack the city at all." ”

Wei Du suddenly said: "Why don't you have the strength to attack the city, we can let the local government prepare food for the army all the way, and we don't need to bring grain and grass at all." The other people who didn't know all looked at Wei Du, and some of them even blamed him, signaling him not to talk nonsense.

Zhou Dazhu said: "Your Highness, I know that you are bent on capturing Nanjing, so as to boost the hearts of the people." But now we are going to attack Nanjing, which is indeed a bit difficult. Is it to put the matter of fighting Nanjing for the time being? When we have managed Huguang well, it is not too late to seek Nanjing. ”

Anyang and Longsheng are now blindly following Zhu Youdong, and they don't care whether things are right or wrong, as long as Zhu Youdong says it, they will believe it. Suddenly, he said: "What else is there to consider, His Highness said that he wanted to fight, let's just fight, isn't it just a city." We have fought a lot of cities, are there any cities in the world that we can't beat? ”

Zhu Youdong said: "Okay, let's be quiet first, what are you worried about?" Let's come out of Sichuan and fight all the way to Wuchang, are we sure about defeating Wuchang before? Who can be 100% sure about war? When Shunzhi decided to withdraw Minzhuang and clear the wilderness against us, it was estimated that he was 100% sure, but what about the actual situation? ”

Wei Du said: "That is, if everything can be calculated, then we don't have to fight anymore." Everyone calculates every day, and then they feel that they can't be calculated, so it's good to just give up the city. Hearing Wei Du's words, the generals present looked sideways. How could the actions of tens of thousands of troops be decided so easily.

But when everyone saw Zhu Youdong's expression, they understood. What Zhu Youdong wants is not whether the army should go to Nanjing, but whether Zhu Youdong should go to Nanjing. As the place and power of the Restoration Army become bigger and bigger, it is estimated that it will become more and more difficult for Zhu Youdong to personally go out in the future. After all, a country is not just military, there are many other things.

Zhu Youdong is now going to turn his will into the will of the army. Let the army only move for his Zhu Youdong's will, instead of scrupling about what should and shouldn't. The army should not be mixed with politics, the process of the army can be delayed, but my Zhu Youdong's idea is the goal of the army.

Wei Du's words were very clear, and the other generals were shocked when they heard it. Now this is not a court, there is no should or shouldn't. Whether it should be or not is something that Zhu Youdong should consider, they are generals, and the thing they have to consider is how to do a good job of Zhu Youdong's goal.

Gou Xingwang was the first to say: "There is nothing to discuss here, since His Highness has decided, we will go to Nanjing." Zhou Dazhu also reacted, so he had to say euphemistically: "It's okay to attack Nanjing, but there are only 30,000 troops, isn't it too little." ”

At this time, everyone looked at Zhu Youdong and wanted to see what Zhu Youdong said. Zhu Youdong saw everyone and knew that everyone understood. Immediately, he didn't say much, and said: "Zhou Dazhu, you are not right, your army going to Jiujiang, after attacking Anqing, still have to set off to Nanjing." So we have nearly 50,000 people, and now with the sailors and soldiers, there are nearly 60,000 people in total. ”

Gou Xingwang said: "Even so, it is still not enough, and once the army goes out, none of us can guarantee that all the army will arrive." If something happens, the army won't be able to arrive on time. The army that arrived under the city of Nanjing would not have become a lone army. ”

Zhou Chang said: "Your Highness, why don't you take the army formed here in Wuchang to Nanjing?" Ma Weixing said: "No, these armies can't keep up with the speed of marching at all." When the time comes, it will startle the snake, so that Nanjing has precautions in advance, how can we fight? With these tens of thousands of people, it is impossible to defeat the city of Nanjing. ”

Zhang Changgeng, who was standing outside the house, said: "What the general said is reasonable, once the grass is startled, Nanjing City will be difficult to fight." Nanjing City has a total of three inner and outer city walls, and each city gate has an urn city. It is impossible to storm Nanjing, the only way to attack the city is to use tactics to sneak attack, deceive the city and make the defenders of the city surrender. ”

Zhu Youdong saw someone talking outside the house, and immediately looked over. Zhang Changgeng hurriedly said: "Zhang Changgeng, the puppet governor of Huguang in the Manchu Qing Dynasty, has seen His Royal Highness the Prison State. Only then did Zhu Youdong know that this person was Zhang Changgeng, and said, "You are Zhang Changgeng?" Zhang Changgeng said: "The villain is exactly. ”

Zhu Youdong said: "Then what can you say about the way to capture Nanjing City?" Zhang Changgeng said: "Your Highness wants to capture Nanjing City, and the only way to deceive the city is to do it." Zhu Youdong smiled: "Let's hear it." ”

Zhang Changgeng said: "It is impossible for His Highness to surrender, the defenders in the city are Lang Tingzuo's standard fu, and the Manchu Jiangning general Kakhamu are all loyal people of the Manchu Dynasty." If His Highness wants to sneak attack, but now the army is thousands of miles away. When the army arrived, there were not enough troops, and it was impossible to sneak attack at all. Therefore, His Royal Highness can only use the method of deceiving the city, taking advantage of the local loopholes along the way, letting the fine work sneak into the city first, and when the army arrives, he lies that the local army has come to Nanjing on business, so as to cooperate with the outside and seize the city of Nanjing. ”

After listening to Zhang Changgeng's words, Zhu Youdong said: "This is also a way, but this method is not good." The Qing army easily saw through it, and not many sergeants could not go on local business trips, and it was impossible for them to enter Nanjing at night. If you go to the city during the day, you won't be able to succeed. ”

Zhu Youdong criticized Zhang Changgeng's strategy for being useless in a few words, and immediately Zhang Changgeng knew that he was not good at scheming, so he had to retreat back. Zhu Youdong continued: "Regarding the march of the army, I am not worried about the Ming Army, but the prisoners of the Qing Army who are now going to be reorganized, they cannot keep up with the actions of the army. ”

Zhu Youdong looked at the generals in the room and said, "As for the method of attacking the city, I have already thought about it, just like everyone said just now." The most important thing is that our army can reach the city of Nanjing, and if the army does not reach Nanjing, we will capture the city gate, and it will be useless. Now everyone is trying to find a way to send all the reorganized Qing troops to Nanjing. ”

Gou Xingwang said: "Your Highness, if we surrender the Jiujiang Naval Division of the Manchu Dynasty, why don't we let the naval division's warship return to Wuchang." Then we will use all the ships of the sailors to carry the army. In this way, we will be able to transport nearly 30,000 troops to Nanking with only the ships of the sailors. ”

Wei Du said: "Can this catch up?" The sailor first went to Jiujiang, and then returned, and when all the troops were on board, it would take about three days to toss back and forth. It took four days for the sailor to travel from Wuchang to Nanjing, and it was too late. ”

Ma Weixing said: "Weidu, you have such a big breath, take a land trip to Nanjing from here, don't you have ten days to reach Nanjing?" Even if it takes seven days for the sailor, you can't be faster than the sailor. Wei Du said: "General Ma, have you forgotten that we still have more than 2,000 real Manchurian soldiers?" Not only that, but we also have tens of thousands of innocent soldiers. ”

Zhu Youdong suddenly thought of something, and said: "How can I forget this stubble, we don't have to worry too much about Nanjing, just swagger away." Everyone didn't understand why Zhu Youdong was suddenly so confident, and they all looked at Zhu Youdong.

Zhou Chang on the side said: "Your Highness wants these Qing troops to open the way in front?" Zhu Youdong said: "It seems that you also thought of it, but we still didn't think of it first." But when they attacked Wuchang, they had already thought of it. Wei Du heard Zhu Youdong praise himself, and immediately smiled. Zhou Dazhu also remembered that Wei Du had told him that he would use the Eight Banners to attack Nanjing.

Suddenly, Zhou Dazhu also said: "I also know that the Eight Banners can attack Nanjing, and Wei Du told me about it at that time." But how to use it, I don't know. Zhou Chang saw that Zhu Youdong didn't mean to speak, and suddenly said: "This is very simple, we now have a large number of Qing soldiers, and more than 2,000 Eight Banner soldiers." We directly let the Eight Banners lead the way in front, do you say that the local officials dare to entertain them along the way? ”

Gou Xingwang said: "Do you need to talk about this? It will definitely be a grand reception, just those grandson officials, seeing the real Manchurian soldiers, should not be offered up like their ancestors. Zhou Chang said: "That's right, after the army enters the city, let the Eight Banners take action and directly take down these officials." Isn't the city along the way useless to us? Our army can also go all the way unimpeded and directly reach the city of Nanjing. ”

Zhou Dazhu said: "There seems to be some truth in saying this, I think this can be done." Zhou Chang said: "Not only that, we also have the Qing soldiers who have just been captured, so that they will not change their uniforms and banners first." Let them swagger directly, and it is possible to enter the city of Nanjing. Even if it can't, but our army has already reached Nanjing, is Nanjing still difficult to attack? ”

Hearing Zhou Chang's explanation, all the generals were overjoyed and said, "Okay, in this way, we can really take Nanjing?" Even Yang Maoxun on the side said to Zhang Changgeng: "Is this true? If the Ming Dynasty really defeated Nanjing, there will be variables in the world. ”

Zhang Changgeng said: "Now there is this possibility, but it depends on what they do, if they really take Nanjing, the old man will escape with his life." Otherwise, when the Qing Dynasty returns, we will no longer have any life. ”

After listening to Zhang Changgeng's words, Yang Maoxun was suddenly shocked. Suddenly, he ran into the room, then knelt in the middle, kowtowed to Zhu Youdong and said, "Your Highness, the sin general is willing to make meritorious service and open the way to Nanjing for His Highness." ”

The room, which had been noisy just now, suddenly fell silent. Zhu Youdong looked at Yang Maoxun, who was kneeling on the ground, and said, "How are you going to open the way for the army?" Yang Maoxun immediately searched his stomach and said: "Back to Your Highness, the last general is willing to take the army and open the way for the army in front." The last general was the governor of Huguang, and it was said that Wuchang was defeated, and I led the remnants to flee to Nanjing. With this excuse, I believe that officials everywhere will not guard against me, after all, the lowly position is also a second-grade official of the Manchu Qing Dynasty. They wouldn't have thought that I had already done it anyway, and then the army would be back, wouldn't it be possible to get all the way unimpeded. ”

Yang Maoxun's words are very tempting. Suddenly, Zhu Youdong hesitated. Zhu Youdong thought for a while and said: "Okay, but you don't go directly to Nanjing, you first return to Gou Xingwang's command." With the surrendered troops, go to Guangji and Huangmei to enter Anqing. I believe that with your identity as the governor of Huguang, you will be able to pass unimpeded in Huguang. When the time comes, it will be up to you to deceive Anqing City. ”

Yang Maoxun didn't expect Zhu Youdong to only let him go to Anqing City, and he was a little disappointed, but he still accepted it happily. As long as Zhu Youdong uses him, it means that Zhu Youdong can already accept him. Other things will be talked about later, he is still a general after all.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Youdong continued: "Gou Xingwang, you and Yang Maoxun are in Anqing, after meeting Ma Weixing and Zhou Dazhu's department. You will lead the army through the Chizhou Mansion and go straight to the Ningguo Mansion. When Zheng Chenggong went on a northern expedition to Nanjing before, these places could be returned to the Ming anyway, which shows that people's hearts are still clear. ”

Zhu Youdong thought back to the map and said, "It is a little difficult for you to capture Ningguofu, but just passing by Ningguofu, there should be no problem." You go north into Yingtianfu, occupy the area of Liyang and Guangtong, and block the reinforcements from Zhejiang going north. In this way, the Qing troops of Zhejiang and Guangde Mansion wanted to go north, at least they had to make a detour for three or four days to buy time for the army to capture Nanjing. ”

Gou Xingwang said: "Your Highness, rest assured, the last general will definitely take all the reinforcements from these places and not let a single soldier go north." ”