The first and second central marching armies were responsible for besieging the defenders of Jincheng, and the Taiyue marching army was responsible for sweeping the walled cities in the north of Zezhou and the south of Luzhou, blocking the passage of the enemy army in Luzhou to aid Jincheng in the south.

In addition to military operations, at the same time, a ruling order was established in Zezhou except for Jincheng, so that wherever the troops were swept away, the foundation would be rooted, and the Mongol army would never be given the slightest chance to counterattack.

Of course, the goal of the first phase of the Jinnan Theater was to seize the city of Jincheng in Zezhou Prefecture, but it was not so easy to achieve.

In addition to the severe cold weather of ice and snow after the beginning of winter, it is a severe test for the generals on both sides, on the one hand, the Mongolian army is constantly drawing troops and horses from Yanyun, Heshuo and the more distant Liaodong (Bohai) to fill in Luzhou, and spy on the opportunity to aid Jincheng from the south of Luzhou; On the other hand, in addition to the nearly 40,000 defenders, half of the nearly 200,000 women and children in Jincheng were Mugwu people who moved south.

The latter, in particular, became the biggest obstacle to the capture of Jincheng at this time and the end of the first phase of the war in southern Jin.

In recent years, more than 500,000 ethnic groups have migrated to the southern front, and the two prefectures of Jinnan and Zelu have become the center of gravity of the Mongolian army's operation in the hinterland of the Central Plains due to their prominent strategic geographical location, and a total of nearly 40 percent of the ethnic groups have been settled.

At the beginning of the preparation for the war in southern Jin, Han Qian, Li Zhihe and others thought that Wusu Dashi would withdraw these Mughuls in advance out of consideration for the preservation of the vitality of his clan.

This will greatly reduce the difficulty of attacking Jincheng and other cities.

However, Wusu Dashi did not act as Han Qian and the others expected.

Instead of evacuating the 200,000 Mengwu people in southern Jinnan in advance, Wusu Dashi concentrated them in the two male towns of Jincheng and Luzhou City, putting on a desperate posture and breaking the net.

Han Qian guessed that the reason why Wusu Dashi made such a decision was to see the rising power of the Chu Ting Shaozhuang faction, and at the same time, it was also to provide more powerful psychological support for Yang Zhitang and Yang Yuanyan to take risks.

No matter how merciful Han Qian was to the enemy generals in the past, and how merciful his subordinates were, for the Mengwu people who were besieged in Jincheng, the fall of Jincheng was also the best situation for them to be separated from their wives, the men all fled and were transferred to the hard labor camps, and the women and children could not escape the fate of being dismantled and resettled, and they might have to be monitored by the local township department in this life.

After the great victory of Yiguan, Han Qian arranged this for the more than 20,000 Mongol people captured in Pingyang Mansion, Jiangzhou Mansion and other places.

He did not want to commit a massacre, but given the serious and sharp antagonism between the Mughurs, he could only arrange it this way.

No matter how soft-hearted he is, he can't go north.

However, all this has determined that the besieged defenders and people in Jincheng will resist at this time is much stronger and more resolute than any enemy city captured by the soldiers and horses of Daliang in the past, and even the old and weak women and children in the city will participate in the defense of the city without hesitation.

In this case, if you want to storm and attack Jincheng quickly, the casualties are difficult to estimate, and the safest way is to use the overlapping trenches and camps to besiege Jincheng to the death, and wait until the day when the grain and grass in the city are cut off, the city will not be attacked.

However, Wusu Dashi had made full preparations before, and a large amount of grain and grass were harvested into Jincheng in advance.

There is also a more prudent way, which is to build a weir in the mountains south of Jincheng to store water and impact Jincheng.

As the state of Zezhou, Jincheng has a strong city and a higher terrain than the surrounding areas.

This decided that in addition to building a dam upstream to store enough water, it was also necessary to build a ring embankment around Jincheng to ensure that after the water washed down, the entire Jincheng could be immersed in it.

This will be a long-term and large project.

And once the water attack is carried out, the civilians in the city are also destined to suffer heavy casualties, but in any case, it is much better than filling in the lives of the generals who are loyal to the Great Liang and have made great achievements for the Great Liang.

Of course, in order to successfully carry out the water attack, in addition to besieging the soldiers and civilians of Jincheng inside and outside the city, it is also necessary to ensure that its Luzhou defenders cannot come to the south.

At the same time, it is also necessary to ensure that the situation on the southern front does not undergo earth-shaking changes.

Otherwise, the soldiers and horses of Daliang could only retreat south with hatred.

Of course, Wusu Dashi was also gambling, he bet that before the fall of Jincheng, the Chu army would send troops to attack Huaixi, in that case, Han Qian would have to draw a large number of elite combat forces from the northern front to the south to keep Huaixi, the foundation of the place.

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“…… In the market, the matter of the Queen Mother and the Liang Lord Han Qian was privately discussed, and His Majesty ordered it to be strictly forbidden, otherwise where would the Great Chu system be? ”

In the main hall of Changxin Palace, listening to the "indignant" admonition of Huang Huixiang, the head of the household, Qingyang's beautiful face turned blue with anger.

Lei Cheng once reminded her that there were people in the market talking about her old friendship with Han Qian, and she didn't particularly care about it at first, thinking that the palace ban was separated from the market by a two-story high wall, and as long as no one in the palace chewed the root of the tongue, it didn't matter.

If Zhang Ping hadn't personally caught it today, she wouldn't have imagined that some people would really be able to see the stitches and penetrate everywhere.

Zhang Ping originally thought that by dragging the palace attendant who was chewing the root of his tongue in front of the young emperor out and killing him with a cane, he would be able to cover up this matter, at least it would not make a fuss in the palace, and it would not leave too deep a shadow in the young emperor's heart; Unexpectedly, when he dragged the palace attendant to the Ban Courtyard on the east side of Chongxi Palace for execution, the Empress Dowager Ming Cheng just "bumped" into it and ordered the palace attendant to be sentenced to Ming Zheng.

With the law of Da Chu, the palace was punished with the crime of "great disrespect", and this palace attendant could not escape death, but the problem was that the Empress Dowager Mingcheng "unintentionally" stabbed the matter away, so Huang Huixiang asked the young emperor to issue an edict at this time to strictly prohibit the private privacy of the palace in the streets and alleys of the market.

The good intentions of the Empress Dowager Mingcheng, Huang Huixiang and others, Zhang Ping and Shen Yang and Yang En, who sat silently in front of the imperial case, naturally knew in their hearts.

And from the way the young emperor was so angry that his hands and feet trembled, he could also know how good the effect of their use of this trick was.

But what can they say?

Could it be that at this time they said that the person who spread the news had some ill intentions, and that the young emperor, who was only fourteen years old, could listen to it and calm the anger in his chest?

The young emperor was like a young wolf who was provoked to rage, just now he rushed into Changxin Palace angrily and smashed the clock dedicated to Han Qian's birthday, but the Empress Dowager Changxin couldn't stop it.

"Those who criticize the palace will be detained and punished for the crime of 'great disrespect'!" Sitting behind the imperial case, the young man who still looked thin bit his lip and said word by word, the green tendons of his hand holding down the handrail were exposed, and he couldn't wait to catch all the untouchables in Jinling City who chewed their tongues and divided them into five horses.

"Wechen obeys!" Jingzhao Yin Zhou Qinian stood up and said Chengzhi.

The young emperor has not yet been in power, and Jingzhao Yin Zhou Qinian directly stood up to accept the decree, which is unlawful.

Shen Yang, Yang En, and Zhang Ping frowned, realizing that the scene in front of them was not trivial, but they couldn't stand up to stop it. Could it be that Jingzhao Yin Zhou Qinian was asked to go back, and the Empress Dowager Changxin personally issued an identical edict, and then asked Zhou Qinian to stand up and accept the decree?

Qingyang's face was so angry that Du Chongtao, Zhou Bingwu, and Zhang Chao remained silent at the right time; And Gu Zhilong, who has not yet succeeded Zhou Bingwu as the Privy Council, but is already qualified to participate in the court meeting of the small court, is even more thoughtful......

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Qingyang was so angry that one Buddha ascended to heaven and two Buddhas destroyed the world, and finally suffered from the ministers to retreat, Bin'er also rushed back to Chongwen Hall angrily, and the palace maids and eunuchs retreated, and the huge Changxin Palace Parliamentary Hall was empty with dozens of flickering candles.

Seeing that Lei Cheng was still standing there, Qingyang asked angrily: "I'm really angry with the mourning family, what do you want to do with Huang E's cheap maid?" ”

"It's not what the Empress Dowager Mingcheng wants to do, it's really King Xin, King Shou and Duke Huanghua of Tanguo who want to send troops to Huaixi next." Lei Cheng walked closer and said in a low voice.

"How is that possible?" Qingyang stared at Lei Cheng in disbelief, and at this moment even suspected that Lei Cheng was using words to deceive her, and said sharply, "Without the instructions of the mourning family, Shen Xiang, and Yang Houye, Zhou Bingwu would have the courage to listen to their mercy?" ”

In Qingyang's view, even if Huang Hua completely colluded with Yang Yuanyan and Yang Zhitang, they also had the guise of Empress Dowager Mingcheng, but they still needed to get the forbidden army talisman from Zhou Bingwu before it was possible to mobilize the soldiers and horses of the Great Chu Forbidden Army.

Zhou Bingwu may have selfish intentions, but as a general of Da Chu, how could he not know that there is no national edict to discuss in the political hall, and he is complicit in the rebellion such as privately granting military talismans?

At that time, he is not afraid that the whole family will be escorted to the court by the guards and soldiers, and a person's head will be cut off and fall to the ground?

At present, the guards and pro-army seem to be headed by Du Chongtao, Zhang Han, Guo Liang and others, but when Shen Yang, Yang En and others led the reorganization of the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion of the guards and pro-army, one was to increase the number of military supervisors on a large scale to check and balance Du Chongtao, Zhang Han, Guo Liang and other generals, and the other was to dismantle the command of the army and sink it to the level of Du Yuhou to ensure the stability and loyalty of the guards and pro-army guarding Gyeonggi.

If the guards do not rebel or mutiny, the center is still in their hands, what can Yang Yuanyan, Yang Zhitang, and Huanghua do?

"Zhou Bingwu, Du Chongtao, Zhang Chao and others will not be at their mercy at this time, but if King Xin and King Shou send troops to invade Huaixi without authorization, cook the raw rice and then win His Majesty's support, what choice will Zhou Bingwu, Du Chongtao, Zhang Chao and Gu Zhilong do?" Lei Cheng asked, "If it weren't for the deep plan, they had finally put an eyeliner into His Majesty's side in the past few years, why did they take it out and sacrifice it so easily at this time?" At this time, they took great pains to arouse His Majesty's hatred for the monarch, and took great pains to destroy His Majesty's confidence in the Queen Mother, after all, there was a big plan! ”

"Han Qian has already expected this, so he has already dug a trap for them in Chuzhou?" Qingyang stared at Lei Cheng and asked.

"It was not easy for the monarch to besiege more than 200,000 soldiers and civilians of the Mengwu people in Jincheng this time, and it was not easy to drag the hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians of the Mengwu people in Luzhou, and it was not easy to persuade the lord of Shu to firmly establish the idea of harmony and friendship with Daliang unwaveringly. Jinnan may be able to postpone the capture, but it is a great harm for the Mughurs to get a chance to breathe, and the situation in the world has become complicated and weird," Lei Cheng said, "Even if it is expected that King Xin and King Shou may be in danger, the king still does not want to withdraw his troops directly from the northern front for the time being." At present, there are only 20,000 soldiers and horses in Chuzhou, and whether to increase troops in the future, or whether the strategic direction of Daliang should completely turn north to south, the king must adjust according to the results of the initial battle. The Queen Mother also needs to prepare in advance? ”

"What preparations do you have to make?" Qingyang sat on the cold brocade couch, and suddenly understood the conspiracy of Yang Zhitang, Yang Yuanyan and others, where could he come up with a complete countermeasure in a hurry?

Could it be that Yang Zhitang was summoned into the palace to reprimand him and ordered him to give up his adventurous plan to conspire with Yang Yuanyan to send troops to attack Huaixi?

"If King Xin and King Shou send troops from Yangzhou and Shouzhou to Chuzhou without authorization, the initial period will be quite smooth, and with Your Majesty's young spirit, it will be inevitable that Liang Chu will start a full-scale war. The Queen Mother and Shen Xiang may not need to prepare anything else at that time, just conform to the will of the emperor's heart. However, if King Xin and King Shou sent troops to Chuzhou and were frustrated by Zhao Wuji, then they wanted to escape the accountability of the Queen Mother and Shen Yang afterwards, and it was difficult to guarantee that they would not take risks. The Queen Mother should be on guard against this! Lei Cheng said.

"Since Han Qian has already guessed Yang Zhitang and Yang Yuan's intentions, he only uses Zhao Wuji's 20,000 soldiers and horses to defend Chuzhou, he also intends to show weakness, right?" Qingyang said, "If the Mourning family's guess is correct, even if Zhao Wuji only has 20,000 soldiers and horses available in Chuzhou, he can still kill King Xin and return home, right?" ”

Lei Cheng said: "What does the old slave think, the old slave doesn't dare to speculate, but the old slave wants the old slave to tell the queen mother, that's all." Next, Feng Yi will withdraw to East Lake, and Cai Chen will also recuperate in the house. The old slave has no big use for an old bone, just in the Changxin Palace, when the Queen Mother summons her, she will be ......"

With a little eyesight, even if you don't know the deeper plans of the Shouwang Mansion and the Xinwang Mansion, you can also know that even if the young emperor and the queen mother's mother and son do not turn against each other, they are not much different; And once Yang Zhitang returns to the center, he will inevitably pry His Majesty into power.

Han Qian was also not sure that Zhao Wuji's first battle in Chuzhou would be able to severely damage Yang Yuanyan and Yang Zhitang's ambitions, prevent trouble before it happens, or arrange it according to the worst plan, so Cai Chen chose to report illness at this time and cut off from Changxin Palace. This is also to ask Cai Chen to show Yang Zhitang and Yang Yuan their posture of seeing the wind and guarding his body, so as to ensure that no matter how the situation in Chu Ting changes, he will not be excluded from the core.

Qingyang sat behind the imperial case in despair, and thought for a long time, only to suddenly find that the situation had developed to this point, and she had no ability to change anything, but she thought sadly, even if she was as strong as Emperor Gaozu, who created the foundation of Great Chu, in her later years, she could not escape the bleak ending of violent death, son and wife, what could she struggle for?

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"Huang Huixiang and Huang Hua took advantage of the rumors of the palace today, I think they deliberately provoked His Majesty's dissatisfaction with the Queen Mother and hatred for Lord Liang, and they have a great plan!"

After Xue Ruogu resigned from the post of Yangzhou Assassin, he stayed by Shen Yang's side as a guest of honor, and was no longer qualified to haunt the palace and participate in the court meeting.

"Feng Yi visited my mansion a few days ago, and mentioned that if King Xin and King Shou rashly used troops against Huaixi, the Liang army would definitely fight back, and all the consequences would be borne by Da Chu," Yang En sighed lightly and said, "It seems that the Luoyang side has already noticed that the wind direction has changed on the Jinling side, and I even expect King Shou to be more patient......

"Since Luoyang has expected that King Xin and King Shou will make changes, then they only deployed 20,000 soldiers and horses in Chuzhou, which is very likely to be a trap?" Xue Ruogu exclaimed, "Shen is quite persuading King Shou not to act rashly!" ”

"What kind of trap is not a trap," Yang En sighed lightly and shook his head, "Han Qian just calculated that Yang Zhitang and Yang Yuanyan only had 40,000 soldiers and horses at most in the early stage of the attack, so he placed 20,000 elites in Chuzhou and fought the first battle with Yang Zhitang and Yang Yuanyan." Even if this is a trap, can Yang Zhitang and Yang Yuanyan not step on it? ”

"It takes all your strength to tie the chicken, not to mention that the Liang army is the elite of a hundred battles, and the Chuzhou army is said to be elite soldiers, and the strength is still doubled, but it has not been a hard battle for many years?" Xue Ruogu looked at Shen Yang expectantly and said, "Since a war with the Liang army is inevitable, we should give up the factional dispute. ”

Shen Yang shook his head and said, "Just like Yang Hou said, even if it is a trap, it has to be King Shou and King Xin who go first." Only King Shou and King Xin went first, and Du Chongtao, Zhou Bingwu, Zhang Chao, Zhang Ji and the Zheng family could follow. At this time, it is no longer a few of us who can change anything by giving up our prejudices, but we can only wait and see what happens. The only thing they can fight for Yang Zhitang may be Gu Zhilong, who is eager to gain a foothold in the center......"

Xue Ruogu thought about it, needless to say, the Zheng family, Zhang Chao, Zhang Han and even Zhou Bingwu all advocated maintaining the status quo, and even if the center had many disputes, a consensus was finally reached, and the resolution to start an all-out war with the Liang army did not know that it would take many twists and turns in the middle.

And by that time, the Liang army had already prepared for Qi on the southern front, right?

Perhaps King Shou and King Xin left the center and used troops without authorization, which was the best way to resolve the dispute and directly enter the all-out war.

It's just that the Liang army has 20,000 elites in Chuzhou, and it launched an offensive with 40,000 garrisons in Chuzhou and Yangzhou in the early stage, can it achieve the results worth looking forward to? Can Yang Zhitang convince Gu Zhilong to participate in their conspiracy?