Jinzhou, Governor's Mansion.

Zu Dashou, who was dressed in golden mountain armor, sat behind the public case, listening to the rumbling cannons outside the city.

Since the Qing soldiers repaired the city of Yiju and reclaimed the surrounding barren fields, they began to attack Jinzhou. Most of the piers and forts outside the city have fallen, and the battalion of the Qing soldiers is getting closer and closer to Jinzhou City. This is like a rope around Zu Dashou's neck, which makes Zu Dashou feel more and more suffocated.

Zu Dabi came in from the outside, and the cotton armor on his body had two holes, but there was no blood.

"There are only four piers left outside." Zu Dabi said casually, sat down by himself, picked up the herbal tea on the coffee table and began to pour it. After two sips, he finished the tea and began to spit out the tea leaves in his mouth.

Zu Dashou looked at this brother, who was called 'Zu Er's madman', and frowned: "You went out?!" ”

Zu Dabi patted his body and said loudly: "It's okay, there is still chain mail in it, but it was shot by the Qing soldiers with two arrows." Fortunately, I ran fast, otherwise I would have been beaten to slag if I had let the firearms battalion of the Qing soldiers rush over. ”

Zu Dashou saw that Zu Dabi was fine, so he was relieved and said: "Without my general order, you will not be allowed to go out of the city in the future!" ”

"Got it," Zu Dabi said listlessly: "It's useless to go out, they have a lot of people, and the cannon is farther than ours." Unless it is fighting behind the city, it is also a death to go out. ”

Zu Dashou smiled bitterly: "After so many years, they still don't know this truth?" I'm afraid we won't be given a chance to fight behind the city's back. ”

"What does the court say?" Zu Dabi asked.

Zu Dashou said dejectedly: "What else can you say? Stick to the treatment. ”

"But it's been two months, and I haven't seen any reinforcements." Zu Dabi complained dissatisfied.

Zu Dashou touched his white beard and sighed: "The Qing soldiers have already divided their troops to the south, Songshan and Xingshan are too busy to take care of themselves, where can they send troops to rescue us?" Let's wait for Hong Hengjiu (Hong Chengchou). ”

"Let's hope he'll come soon." Zu Dabi said: "We don't have much grain and grass, and even less firewood and charcoal. ”

Zu Dashou leaned on the back of the chair and said helplessly: "Boil, when you can stay up." ”

Zu Dabi knew what Zu Dashou meant, and he had nothing to object. Their ancestral family is already worthy of Daming, and there is no need to lose the lives of the whole family for Daming. And there is Zu Kefa's righteous son on the Qing court's side, which is also cheap. The only thing to worry about is the Qing Emperor Hong Tai, when Zu Dashou ran back from the Dalinghe Fort, he refused Hong Tai's surrender several times, and killed and injured many Qing soldiers in the ten years of battle, and I don't know what the result was after they surrendered. So this is the last option, there is no way out.

"Okay," Zu Dabi stood up and said, "I'll go back and rest." It is estimated that the Qing soldiers are also here today, and they should not attack again. ”

"Well, there you go." Zu Dashou nodded in agreement. He listened attentively at this time, and found that the artillery fire outside the city had indeed stopped.

In the past, the Qing soldiers were good at field warfare, that is, taking advantage of the large number of cavalry. When they encountered Jiancheng and cannons, they had no choice, and they were defeated several times in Jinzhou and Ningyuan alone. However, since the fourth year of Chongzhen (the fifth year of Tiancong), the cannons of the Qing soldiers have increased year by year, and the caliber has become larger and larger, and the power has also increased. If it weren't for the fact that there were a lot of soldiers in Jinzhou City, and the city was strong, it would be impossible to hold on for long.

Beijing, Platform.

Although it is called a platform, this is a large hall of Yuntai Gate. Emperor Chongzhen summoned Chen Xinjia, the secretary of the military department, here.

"Chen Qing," Emperor Chongzhen asked, "What is the situation in Jinzhou?" ”

Chen Xinjia replied: "Your Majesty, Hong Chengchou, the governor of Jiliao, has left Shanhaiguan and arrived in Ningyuan, commanding Songshan, Xingshan and other armies nearby, guarding against captives and rescuing Jinzhou. ”

Chongzhen asked again: "Then Jinzhou may hold on?" If Jinzhou is lost, Songshan and Xingshan will not be defended, and then Ningyuan will be attacked by the enemy, and the mountains and seas will be restless. Liaodong, the shoulder and arm of the Beijing Division, the loss of Liaodong, and the police in the mountains and seas, the Beijing Division was shocked overnight. Liaodong must not afford to lose. ”

Chen Xinjia bowed and replied: "Hong Chengchou sent a letter saying that Jianyu was menacing, not only besieging Jinzhou, but also dividing troops to attack Songshan and Xingshan. He said that in order to save Jinzhou, it is necessary to send another large army to help, and the defense of Jiliao is still difficult, and it is difficult to make progress. ”

"Then the military department planned to send reinforcements to rescue Jinzhou." Chongzhen said immediately.

He still has some confidence now. Zhang Xianzhong has been greatly injured and fled into the mountains, as long as he works harder, he can destroy the culprit who destroyed the good situation! And Luo Rucai's gang was also surrounded in the area of Huguangxing Mountain and Fang County, and extermination was just around the corner. So he now feels that everything is going in a good direction, the internal rebellion can be quelled soon, and the rest should be to focus on solving the Jian Prisoners who are constantly stirring up trouble in Liaodong.

Chen Xinjia replied: "The minister has already asked the household department, and now the household department has no money and no food, and Liaodong does not have much grain in stock, even if there are reinforcements, they can't be sent." ”

Chongzhen's face darkened suddenly, and he had no money and no food. If it is discussed by the court, the only result is to let him pay his money.

Chen Xinjia raised his eyes and saw that the emperor's face had changed, so he immediately said: "Your Majesty, for the sake of today's plan, we can only let Jinzhou, Song, Xing and other places stick to it first." After this year's autumn grain and three salaries are collected, the food and salary of the reinforcements can be gathered, and the troops can be sent to the rescue at that time. ”

Chongzhen frowned and said, "Can Jinzhou hold on?" ”

Chen Xinjia hurriedly explained: "Jinzhou City is high and deep, and there is Zu Dashou sitting in the town to defend the enemy, so it should be able to defend it for a while." If Jinzhou is not restrained, Jianyu will not dare to go south rashly. As long as there are large soldiers gathered in Song and Xing, then there should not be many Jianyu in the south of Jinzhou. In this way, for Jinzhou, there is still a way to get help, and it should be no problem to stick to it for a while. ”

Chongzhen nodded and said, "It seems that this is the only way to go." Send an official document to Hong Chengchou and Zu Dashou, and let them support each other and stick to help. If the reinforcements arrive before the city is trapped, the crime will be punished! ”

"Obey." Chen Xinjia bowed down to accept the order.

Chongzhen instructed again: "Urge Mr. Yang again, let him exterminate the thieves as soon as possible, there are still many things in the court that depend on Mr. Yang." ”

"Yes, the minister will send a letter to the Yang Cabinet Department."

"Well, Chen Qing will go down to work." Chongzhen asked Chen Xinjia to step down.

After Chen Xinjia went out, he picked up the pen and asked Wang Chengen to lay out the rice paper, and wrote the four big characters "Destroy Kou Xue Shame" on it. He looked at these four big characters in one go, and felt that destroying Jianyu and restoring the ancestral foundation, Zhongxing Daming was in front of him. He put down his pen and nodded and smiled in satisfaction.