Zhang Fu didn't personally send Shao Yun out of the house, that would be too eye-catching, he asked the steward Zhao San to take Shao Yun to leave through the back door, Shao Yun didn't shirk, said goodbye to Zhang Fu, and followed Zhao San out.

The noon sun shined through the door and window on Zhang Fu's young and resolute face, and what he had seen and heard in the past two days, especially Shao Yun's arrival, made him finally make up his mind. However, Shao Yun just came to pass the word, and someone will contact him in the future, although Zhang Fu is a little dissatisfied, but since he has embarked on this road, Zhang Fu has no choice.

The next morning, Shao Yun left Zunhua City in a light car.

Tongzhou.

After a month, Sheng Yong once again came to the city. Looking at the towering city walls of Tongzhou City, it is impossible to say that Sheng Yong does not regret it, if he had insisted on it for a few more days, maybe the situation would have been different, but it's a pity!

Although there was a fire burning in his heart, Sheng Yong had no impulse at all, he first sent scouts to reconnoiter around to avoid a sneak attack by the Yan army, and then ordered his subordinates to start camping, and the location of the camp was selected in the southeast corner of Tongzhou City, which was close to the canal, and now that the river is thawing, Zhigu City can go north to support at any time, and take 10,000 steps back to say, even if it is defeated, it is easy to retreat along the canal.

Sheng Yong is a clever person, and since the last failed siege, he has been thinking about how to attack the city faster. Since Tongzhou City had no moat, Sheng Yong ordered people to pour water on the Wugang car, and then pushed it forward as a bunker for the siege soldiers. In this way, the soldiers who failed in the siege could hide behind the Wuhan Iron and Steel cart and rush up after resting enough.

Seeing this, Fang Sheng of the city head immediately ordered the city head to fire the cannon and release the rocket, but it had little effect, the tiger squat cannon was indeed powerful, but it was only for the human body, and it was of little use to the Wuhan Iron and Steel car with embedded steel plates, even if it penetrated the Wuhan Iron and Steel car, it rarely injured the soldiers behind; The WISCO car was watered, and there were buckets inside, and even if the WISCO car caught fire, it would be quickly extinguished. What's even worse is that there are more tiger squatting cannons under the city, and the soldiers on the city can't raise their heads. Moreover, these tiger squat cannons are also mixed in the middle of the Wuhan Iron and Steel vehicles, and the attack effect of the tiger squat cannons at the head of the city is very poor.

Looking at the Wuhan Iron and Steel car gradually approaching, Fang Sheng and Sun Yan are a little helpless, the tiger squat cannon is an elevation attack weapon, although it can hit farther on the city wall, but it can do nothing about the near target, as the Wuhan Iron and Steel car gradually approaches, the tiger squat cannon on the city can not hit the tiger squat cannon under the city, and the defenders on the city are beaten and cry wolf.

The tiger squat cannon is a relatively new weapon, Zhu Di's hands are extremely limited, and they are basically deployed in the cities of Beiping and Tongzhou, but he does not have professional talents under him, and he does not know much about the tactics of the tiger squat artillery. Sheng Yong is different, he has professional gunners sent by the imperial court martial arts and engineering colleges, and he has some research on ammunition loading, range, and elevation angle, although it is very rough in Zhu Yunwen's opinion, but it is already the most advanced technology in this era.

When the Wuhan Iron and Steel cart was pushed to a distance of more than ten zhang from the city wall, the tiger squat cannon under the city also stopped roaring, because the angle could not be reached. Fang Sheng and Sun Yan were overjoyed, and immediately ordered the soldiers to go to the city to guard, but the soldiers who went to the city pointed out in panic, Sun Yan looked at it, and couldn't help but look like earth, it turned out that there was a row of Wuhan Iron and Steel cars behind him, which was slowly advancing towards the city wall, and he immediately understood, and when these Wuhan Iron and Steel cars were in place, then the tiger squat cannon behind it would immediately roar towards the city.

Fang Sheng and Sun Yan glanced at each other, and couldn't help but turn pale, both of them were veterans of the battlefield, but they never thought that the siege battle would be like this, if Sheng Yong also attacked the city like this last time, I am afraid that Tongzhou City would have been broken a long time ago, this Sheng Yong, I haven't seen him for two months, and it has become so powerful?

Just on the city, the two were helpless and hesitated, but the morale of the Sheng Yong army under the city was greatly shocked, they had never fought such a siege battle, and there were almost no casualties, so they advanced to the city. When the Wuhan Iron and Steel car arrived at the bottom of the city, a whistle sounded, and all the Wuhan Iron and Steel cars stopped, and then the soldiers behind the car shouted and held various tools such as siege ladders to start the final siege battle.

Fang Sheng and Sun Yan were not surprised, as long as the enemy began to attack the city, then it would be a short encounter, and the tiger squat cannon would not have much effect, they ordered the soldiers to hide well and wait for the enemy to climb up before attacking. But to their surprise, arquebuses appeared in the perforations of the Wuhan Iron and Steel carts under the city, and continued to suppress the defenders at the head of the city.

Looking at the troops in the distant camp that continued to reinforce the city, Fang Sheng and Sun Yan had no choice but to use the last weapon, which was the explosive pack. As the explosives package exploded under the city and near the Wuhan Iron and Steel Vehicle, the Sheng Yong Army under the city also cried wolf, hiding near the Wuhan Iron and Steel Vehicle or lying on the ground.

Looking at the tragic situation under the city, Sheng Yong was unmoved, and ordered the tiger squat artillery to continue to suppress the city, and the troops under the city continued to attack the city.

Tongzhou siege is considered to be the beginning of the siege of firearms, although Ping An in the siege of Baoding, also used a large number of tiger squat artillery, but on the one hand, the number of tiger squat cannons is insufficient, on the other hand, Sheng Yong creatively used the tiger squat cannon, Wuhan steel car, arquebus combined siege method, this simple and effective siege method, greatly reduced the loss of the siege party, made the siege more difficult, so that the world had to find a better way to defend the city.

Although the tactics created by Sheng Yong are indeed effective, casualties cannot be avoided, especially when the defending side has tiger squat cannons and explosives bags, but compared to Sheng Yong under the city, Fang Sheng and Sun Yan's firearms are too few, and the number of explosives is also insufficient. In the end, the two sides still launched a brutal battle for the city, and on the first day of the siege, Sheng Yong's army attacked the city twice, and finally fell short under the desperate counterattack of the defenders.

So in the afternoon of the same day, Fang Sheng and Sun Yan had to ask Beiping for reinforcements, and in the letter asking for help, they asserted that Tongzhou would be broken in three days at most.

Zhu Gaochi, the prince of Beiping, was shocked when he heard the news, and after consulting with Zhang Wu, the main general of the rear army who stayed in Beiping to recuperate from his injuries and did not go south, he sent a letter of help to Zhu Di, and at the same time, he also asked Zhu Gaochu at Xifengkou Pass for help, so that he could lead the Mongolian army south to rescue Tongzhou.

On the way back to Beiping, Zhu Di received a message from the prince and was shocked, once Tongzhou was lost, the whole strategy would be frustrated. If Sheng Yong occupied Tongzhou, no amount of cavalry could do anything. He immediately ordered Zhu Gaoxu of Xifengkou Pass to contact Mongolia to go south as soon as possible, and at the same time ordered Zhang Fu and Jiang Yu to lead their troops south to harass Sheng Yong.

At night, the camp of Shengyong.

Due to the unusually smooth siege, all the generals were very excited, Zhang Hantian even asked to participate in the siege, and patted his chest and said that the city could be broken in one day, and others such as Zhuang De and Chu Zhi also asked for battle. Looking at the high morale of the generals, Sheng Yong was a little crying and laughing, the order given to him by the imperial court was to let him feint under the city to attract the Yan army to reinforce Tongzhou, and then the imperial court would plot against the guards of Xifengkou Pass to prevent the Mongols from going south, but what now? If the city is not attacked tomorrow, or if the intensity is weakened, it is easy for the Yan army to suspect that this is a trap. If the city is attacked at this intensity, at most two days, Tongzhou City will be broken, which will destroy the strategic plan of the imperial court.

Sheng Yong remembered in his mind the strategy that Guo Key, the commander of Beiping, had said to himself, and in his heart, he agreed with Guo Key's idea, but he was attacked and did not dare to write against the plan of the imperial court, and Guo Key's book has not been answered. Thinking of this, Sheng Yong left Zhang Hantian, Zhuang De and Chu Zhi behind, and made the others retreat.

After everyone sat down, Sheng Yong pondered for a moment and said: "Everyone, the last siege failed, this time General Ben worked hard and came up with this tactic, but unfortunately General Ben regretted it a little. ”

"Regrets?" Zhuang De, who was in charge of the siege, was a little puzzled: "Why? This tactic is very effective, tomorrow, at most, the day after tomorrow, the city can be broken. ”

"But," Sheng Yong smiled bitterly: "But the imperial court ordered General Ben to feint to attack Tongzhou and contain the Yan army......"

After listening to Sheng Yong's relays of the imperial court's orders, everyone looked at each other, and Zhuang De asked tentatively: "Then, general, we attacked the city too fiercely today, destroying the imperial court's plan?" ”

"It should be, today's siege method, within three days, this city will be broken. Our army did not besiege the city, so now the Beiping and Yanshu people must have received information, so they will definitely know that it is too late to unite with Mongolia to enter the customs, so they will inevitably change their plans, which will make the imperial court very passive. ”

......

"Damn, general, since this is already the case, then we will not do anything," Zhang Hantian, who was tall and tall, jumped up and said loudly: "Tomorrow we will go all out to break through Tongzhou City!" ”

Sheng Yong looked at his favorite general and said with a smile: "This general has also thought about it, but how to explain it to the imperial court?" ”

Chu Zhi, who had not spoken, slowly stood up and arched his hand: "General, the last general has an idea, I don't know if it is feasible, and I hope that the general will ruling." ”

"General Chu, you have always had a lot of ideas, what did you think of this time?" Sheng Yong was overjoyed.

"That's the case, just now the last general thought about it carefully, with all due respect, the idea of the imperial court is too taken for granted, the general should have written to oppose it at that time, and rebelled against the general of Xifengkou Pass, how can it be so easy? And when will the rebellion be successful? Could it be that if we can't do it in a month, our army will have to wait in Tongzhou for a month? What if two months, three months are not successful? ”

"The plans of the imperial court are all made by a group of scholars, which is unrealistic."

"General Chu, be cautious!" Sheng Yong said in a low voice, and then involuntarily looked around.

Chu Zhi smiled nonchalantly: "General, even in front of the emperor, the last general has to say this, not to mention that the emperor is the king of the Holy Ming, and he will not be as knowledgeable as the last general." ”

"Alas, you have to be careful when you speak, continue to say what you think, don't interrupt."

"Well, so even if there is no new tactics of General Right, this situation will appear sooner or later, it is very likely that the Mongolian army has entered the pass, and the defenders of Xifengkou have not succeeded in rebelling, wouldn't it be even more misleading?"

"Therefore, the last general thinks that it is best for the guards of Xifengkou to be able to rebel, but they can't expect too much, and they still have to be based on fighting. What Han Tian said just now is right, we will take Tongzhou City immediately, and then," Chu Zhi paused and said in a low voice: "We attack Beiping, which is not considered a violation of the imperial court's edict, but only turns the decisive battle of Tongzhou into a decisive battle in Beiping." ”

"So, okay?" Sheng Yong was a little confused.

"General," Zhuang De stood up, hugged his fists and said: "Now General Zuo has been awarded the title of Marquis of Yongyi, but the general is still white, if he doesn't make a decision again, when the army gathers, it must be General Zuo as the leader, how can the general deal with himself?" And the Yanshu people saw the defeat, where would there be such a good opportunity in the future? ”

"This," Sheng Yong was also stunned for a moment, and finally slapped the table: "In this case, General Ben also fights, Zhang Hantian,"

"In!"

"You lead people to patrol around to prevent the Yan army from sneaking up, if you let go of a soldier, wipe your neck yourself."

"Haha, General, the last general will definitely do it!"

"Zhuang De, Chu Zhi, the two of you take turns to organize the siege of the city, tomorrow morning, General Ben will stand on the head of Tongzhou City."

"Yes, General!"

Sheng Yong looked at the backs of the three of them, not worried about the war, but he was thinking in his heart about how to explain this matter to the imperial court.

On the night of April 8 in the second year of Jianwen, Sheng Yong, the general of Pingyan, attacked Tongzhou City overnight, and on the ninth day, Tongzhou City was broken. The guard general Fang Sheng was killed, Sun Yan was captured, and the 15,000 defenders in the city were killed about 10,000, and the rest were taken prisoner. In this battle, Sheng Yong's army suffered more than 10,000 casualties, and the number dropped to more than 80,000.

In the early morning of the 9th, Sheng Yong sent a war report to Baoding's Ping'an, Geng Xuan of Shanhaiguan, and Guo Jian of Zhigu, and wrote to the imperial court to report the victory, saying that the Tongzhou army was vulnerable and broke the city in one day, and the right general was attacking Beiping, and asked the imperial court to send reinforcements.