Chapter 67 Persuading General Zheng to exchange wine and meat for Liangzhou

The mighty generals Zheng Yufeng and Li Kui drank happily after a meal, only to realize that they still had so many things they wanted to do but didn't do. Hearing Li Kui say this, Zheng Yufeng put down the wine bottle in his hand, clasped his hands into fists and said: "General Li, I, Zheng Yufeng, am also a sensible person, when it comes to this, if I am confused, I will not be a big husband." Just because the general treats me like this today, in the future, I will only look forward to the general. ”

"Good! General Wang. In the future, we will work together to build this Hehuang area and do some practical things for the people here. Li Kui was of course happy to see Zheng Yufeng so refreshing.

"But General Li, you see that I'm already a waste, and I really can't help you!" Zheng Yufeng's expression was a little gloomy.

"Huh! Are you talking about you missing a calf? Li Kui said, "It's okay, go to Yaogang in the future, let our hospital there install a prosthetic leg for you, and you can still walk." Now wherever you go, just take my steel-spring carriage. ”

"Can you still put on a prosthetic leg?" Zheng Yufeng's eyes sparkled.

"Of course," Li Kui comforted him, "we also have a kind of wheelchair in Yaogang, those whose legs are blown up, they sit in a wheelchair and walk around with their hands rocking, without delay." Later, you will find out when you go to the kiln gang. Regarding your treatment, I will report to the kiln gang. You can rest assured that we will not treat those who have contributed badly. ”

Having a drink with Li Kui made Zheng Yufeng hope alive again. But he was so weak that he fell asleep after drinking a bottle of wine.

The medic came in and said, "He's too weak to drink so much." ”

"I also know," Li Kui said, "but he doesn't want to live without drinking, and it's useless to keep a good body." If you need to change the medicine, change the medicine. As long as he wants to live, his injuries will heal quickly. ”

Li Kui walked out of the room, and the general's wife outside the room was about to kneel down for Li Kui again. Li Kui hurriedly helped him up and said, "In the future, we will be a family, let alone be so polite." You take care of the generals. The days to come will get better slowly. ”

Seeing that the general's wife was flushed and coughing, Li Kui said to the military doctor: "Military doctor, do you think the lady is sick with the same disease as the emperor's princess?" ”

The military doctor came over and looked at it and said, "It's because the lungs are not good, let's take some sulfonamides." ”

The military doctor brought out some sulfonamides for the general's wife and told her how to take them. The general's wife was moved to tears and said, "I know that it won't be long after I get sick like this. I'm alive because I'm afraid I'll die, and the children will be left alone. ”

The military doctor said: "Don't be afraid now, the medicine in your hand is a special medicine, just take it for a few days." The emperor's princess is also a disease like yours, and she was cured by taking our medicine. ”

After Li Kui went back, he sorted out his thoughts and dictated a telegram about the situation here, which was sorted out by the staff officers, and sent telegrams to Ningde, Chen Yufeng, and Yaogang respectively. The telegram concluded by saying that the most urgent task here is to reassure the people as soon as possible so that the people here can understand us. Then you have to face the Mongol raids. Ask the kiln gang to send someone to set up the ticket number and business name here. Because it's a place with a lot of potential. If conditions permit, it is hoped that the company will consider dredging the channel from Huangshui and Datong River to the Yellow River. If the waterway is opened, it will be a place of wealth and stability.

Kiln Gang Command Center.

After reading the telegram sent back by Li Kui, Zhang Zhimu said to Yan Xing: "Second uncle! I usually think Uncle Kui is a careless man. I didn't expect that there was really a talent for generals! ”

"Huh! Li Kui is a careless person. In the past, when we went down Niutou Mountain to do business, Li Kui led people down the mountain, and we rarely suffered losses. Yan Xing said with some envy, "I didn't expect him to have the opportunity to show himself." ”

"Huh! Second uncle. Are you a little overwhelmed right now? ”

"Of course!" Yan Xing said, "Don't worry, I know the severity, and someone has to do the things at home." ”

Lu Chengxiang, who read the telegram, said: "I will immediately organize a semicolon to go to Xining. It used to be a terrible place, but now it is ours, and we must send a good man there. The wool, sheepskin, and cordyceps are all good things. ”

"And good horses!" Yan Boju did not forget about the horse.

"However, we have to pay attention to what Uncle Kui said about dredging those rivers." Zhang Zhimu said.

"The key is to see how well they dredge from Lanzhou to Baotou. This section is passed, and our tugboat can go up, and we can drive the dredging boat over. Then drill upstream to the entrance of Lanzhou to Huangshui. Then go upriver to dredge the Huangshui and Datong River. Then the Hehuang area can be connected with Shanxi. Lu Bingyi was very excited, "I think so, after I arrived in Xi'an this time, I turned around and went to Xining to have a look." ”

"Yes, I should go." Lu Chengxiang said, "I'll go over with Mr. Lu to have a look." ”

"I see Zhimu, you can also go and see it! Let's all go check it out. Of course, Yan Boju didn't want to be left behind.

"I'm afraid I won't have time." Zhang Zhimu said, "When I arrived in Xi'an, let's talk about it when I see Uncle Chen and Mr. Ouyang He." ”

When Ningde received Li Kui's telegram, he had already led his team on the way to Shandanwei (Shandan). After they left Zhuang Langwei in the front, Wang Yi cooperated to persuade the defenders of Gulang Qianhu, reorganized them, and left some men and horses to garrison.

When Ning De led the brigade to the northwest to Liangzhou Wei (Wuwei), he ran into trouble. Ning De and Wang Yi wrote letters to persuade them to surrender, but Li Ping, the mighty general guarding here, vowed not to surrender. Ning De knew that the location here was very important, and he didn't want to destroy the city here, because it was they who would be stationed in the future, and the destroyed city needed to be repaired by themselves. Besides, Ningde also wants to die less. Because along the way, Ningde felt more and more that the land here was vast and sparsely populated, and he wanted to keep more people as much as possible. Later, Wang Yi said: "General Ning, I will go to the city to work hard, if it doesn't work, we can't delay too much time." Siege the city as you want! ”

Wang Yi's words reminded Ning De, "General Wang, you go to the city and talk to their mighty generals, if you can do it, it's best, if not." We'll get rid of him! ”

"Get rid of him?" Wang Yi didn't understand.

"There you go! You'll find out when the time comes. Ningde said.

Wang Yi rode a horse and led a few people to the east gate of Liangzhou Wei (Wuwei), and his own soldiers shouted to the defenders on the city tower: "Listen to the city, our mighty general wants to talk to your general!" ”

It happened that the mighty general guarding the city was at the east gate. He and Wang Yi also knew each other, and when he saw Wang Yi under the city, he was furious and drank: "Wang Yi, you are a puppet, you betrayed the prince, you still have the face to see me under the city." ”

The scolded Wang Yi was ugly, but Wang Yi still held back his anger and said, "General Li, we are also old acquaintances." Don't say it so badly, I don't want the brethren to bleed anymore. Lord Chuang has already arrived in Xiangyang, and it is useless for us to fight to the death here. Leave a way for your brethren to live. If we had worked hard, I wouldn't have made such a choice. ”

Wang Ping was not moved by Wang Yi's words, but the soldiers in the city understood the situation in front of them, and there was some commotion. Wang Ping saw that this was not going to work, so he stretched out his hand to take the bow and arrow handed by his own soldiers, and was about to shoot Wang Yi with a bow. Wang Yi knew that Wang Ping's arrows were extremely accurate, but he couldn't run at this time. If you run in the back, you will inevitably be hit by an arrow. Without waiting for Wang Ping to shoot an arrow, Wang Yi heard a "pop" of gunfire in the distance behind him, and saw Wang Ping suddenly tilt his head and fall backwards, and his body fell under the battlement and disappeared. Wang Yi didn't understand what was going on, and the figures of the soldiers in the city suddenly disappeared.

Although Wang Yi didn't know what was going on, he knew that it must have something to do with what Fang Cai Ningde said, so he hurriedly turned his horse and ran back. Seeing that Wang Yi was back, Ning De smiled and said, "I saw it with a telescope, and that friend of yours wanted to shoot you with a bow and arrow." I let the snipers shoot him to death. ”

"Ahh Wang Yi was taken aback, "Beat him to death so far?" ”

"Huh! It's okay to go any further. Ningde said, "In the future, you will understand the power of our sniper rifles." You see, what happens to that guy when he dies in the city? ”

"Hey! Wang Ping's bow and arrow is famous, but it's a pity. Wang Yi said, "Let's wait for the things in the city, it is estimated that Wang Yi will be in turmoil when he dies." There is a high probability that they will surrender. ”

Sure enough, after noon, three officers of the Dashun Army came out of the city and came to the front of the battle to see General Wang Yi by name.

Wang Yi came out to see that he still knew one of the three officers. The three officers gave Wang Yi a salute and said, "General Wang, our general was just killed by you. Brethren let us come out and ask you, what should we do? ”

"Hey! You have all seen which one I killed Wang Ping. It was because Wang Ping was so angry that he shot me with a bow and arrow, and the brothers behind him shot me for fear that I would suffer a loss. Wang Yi said, "The reason why I took the risk to persuade you is because I know that the prince has already arrived in Xiangyang from the ancient road of Shangyu, and the prince knows that it is useless to fight, so why should we let the brothers shed blood." It's to let everyone have a way to live. ”

"We want to ask, what will the kiln gang people do to us if we lower our words?" One asked.

"If nothing else, at least everyone can have dry three meals a day, they can eat enough, and they will have broth at every meal." Wang Yi said.

"Is this true?" Some people don't believe it.

"By the way, let's stop talking here. We've just finished eating, so come with me and take a look at the kitchen. Wang Yi pointed with his hand, "I guess you haven't seen meat for a few days, come and relieve my hunger." ”

The three of them glanced at each other, swallowed their saliva, and followed Wang Yi to the back. They saw that the broth was indeed boiling in the cauldron behind them. Wang Yi said to the men, "Come, cut a piece of meat!" ”

Wang Yi asked them to sit down around a platform and poured a bowl of wine for each of them. The three of them sat in front of the stage, all looking at the wine bowl. Wang Yi smiled and said, "Hehe, drink!" Look at your worthlessness. ”

The three of them laughed, and they took a big sip of the bowl without politeness. One touched his mouth after drinking and said, "Alas! Now it's kind of suppressing the craving. ”

"It's not to blame the brethren!" Wang Yi said, "There are too many people in our Dashun army, and there is not enough food at all. Two meals a day is still too thin. That's how King Chuang saved a lot of people. Although I have demoted the kiln people, I still have to thank the prince Chuang. ”

"Do they eat these every day?" One asked.

"It's impossible to eat meat every day, but the food is full, and there is broth every day." Wang Yi said, "Look at the faces of the soldiers in the kiln? If the soldiers can't eat enough and can't eat well, the officials in the kiln will not let them. ”

"Their clothes are also made of good material." One looked a little greedy.

"If you fall, we'll pick some young and strong ones to stay in the team. Those who are old and weak are left as garrisons. The garrison gave them the land, and they didn't have to pay anything for three years. The original garrison soldiers continued to be retained. Wang Yi said.

"I also want to be a soldier, and I can't pay grain if I have land." One said.

"It's not promising!" Wang Yi said, "Do you still want to compare with those old and weak? ”

"Huh!" All three of them laughed embarrassedly. At this time, the man brought a plate of meat. The three of them devoured it. After eating a plate of meat and drinking a bowl of wine, all three people stood up. One asked Wang Yi: "General Wang, what do you say?" If we don't go back, they should be in a hurry. ”

"Huh! Do you know they're in a hurry? Wang Yi said, "You go back and let everyone line up and go out of the city to accept the adaptation." ”

"That's it!" The three men went over and led their horses, turned over on their horses, and turned them back.

Seeing the three of them leaving, Ning De came out and said, "Okay! General Wang exchanged a piece of meat and three bowls of wine for Ping Liangwei. ”

"Huh! In fact, they already want to surrender. Wang Yi said, "This piece of meat and three bowls of wine just make the matter real." ”

The mighty general who guarded Pingliang also concentrated the soldiers of the surrounding guard castles in Pingliang. More than 7,000 soldiers surrendered out of the city this time.

Ningde: They selected 2,500 people from here to take them away.

Ningde they continued westward and came across the next place that was Yongchangwei (Yongchang County). The solution here went smoothly, and the mighty general who defended the city knew that he was invincible, so he asked the officers and soldiers defending the city to surrender, and he committed suicide himself. When Ningde dealt with Yongchangwei's side of affairs, he sent a group of people to the north, took Wang Yi, and came to Zhenfanwei (Minqin).

Zhenfanwei (Minqin) is surrounded by desert on three sides, guarding the Great Wall. No matter how Wang Yi persuaded them to surrender, the mighty generals guarding here resolutely refused to surrender. There was no way, the Yaogang People's Army decided to warn them with heavy artillery.

The 130 guns fired a total of two shells, blasting a hole in the rammed wall. However, the mighty general defending the city was unmoved, and he ordered all the officers and soldiers to make up their minds to fight to the death. But the general only thought that he wanted to be loyal to Li Zicheng, but he didn't expect what the soldiers thought. As a result, the original Ming Dynasty soldiers he was retained suddenly shot to kill. Then the soldiers surrendered the city. More than 5,000 soldiers surrendered here.

The Yaogang People's Army took a thousand soldiers from here, and the other soldiers stayed here as a cantonment army.

Before they arrived at Shandanwei, they received a telegram from Li Kui on the way. Ningde didn't expect Li Kui and their side to go so smoothly. He sent a telegram to Li Kui to congratulate him, but also advised Li Kui not to touch the Mongols first. asked him to wait for the people to arrive at Jiayuguan and then look at the situation and act in unison. Li Kui telegraphed back, expressing his obedience to Ningde's arrangement.

Shandanwei (Shandan County) is located in the middle of the Hexi Corridor and is a necessary place on the Silk Road. Location is important. The defenders here are also very stubborn, the army is pressing, no matter how much persuasion is forced, they will not surrender, and the warning will not be effective. There was no way, Ningde ordered heavy artillery to blast a gap in the eastern city wall, suppress it with mortars and machine guns, and send soldiers to rush into the city. After a day of bloody battles, he broke through the sixteen castles of Shandanwei. In all the cities combined, only more than 3,000 people were captured, and more than 3,000 soldiers of the Dashun army were killed. The mighty general of the guard was also killed in the chaos of the army.

After Ning De entered the city, he looked at the dead bodies everywhere, and couldn't help but sigh and say to Wang Yi: "Alas! There were so few people here, and so many people died. ”

Wang Yi's eyes were also red, and he said, "This general just doesn't open his mind, and he can't help it." In the future, when there are more people elsewhere, let's allocate some more. The location is so important that the Mongols are to the north. ”

Before leaving Shandanwei and marching into Gansu Town (Zhangye) in Ganzhou, Ning De led a large group of men and horses to rest. Because the town of Gansu in front was the center of the defense of the Hexi region. Gansu Town is one of the nine sides set up by the Ming Dynasty. There are five guards here on the left, middle and right, and Shandan Wei is only a guard in Gansu Town. Gansu Town also has jurisdiction over thousands of households in Zhenyi and thousands of households in Gaotai. There are a total of 52 fortresses in the five guards of Ganzhou. There are also forty-four forts in Gaotai. Now there is a general Guo Yi of the Great Shun Army in charge of guarding. It turned out that more than 40,000 horses were stationed here. It is estimated that there are at least 50,000 officers and soldiers in Dashun who fled here.

Before the march, Ningde convened a meeting of officers above the division level. Ning De pointed to the map and said, "The front is our main pass." If you solve the problem here in Ganzhou, the rest of the things will be easy to do. However, the Ganzhou in front was guarded by a general Guoyi. He had tens of thousands of horses in his hands and possessed so many castles. I don't think the average person will surrender. But we killed too many people here in Shandanwei, which made me feel very sorry. Let's see what else we can do in front of us to reduce the number of deaths? ”

Zhao Jinli said: "When we went down to the castle of Shandanwei, we found that they had a lot of firearms here. Later, I asked, there were more firearms in Ganzhou. All of them were configured by the Ming Dynasty for the defense of the west, including the general cannon, the second general cannon, the third general cannon, the black mouth gun, the King Kong leg, the pig iron pomegranate cannon, and the quick robbery. Now they have all been obtained by the Dashun army. We didn't let them play here at Shandanwei. When we arrived in Ganzhou, we had to suppress their firearms. Otherwise, we will suffer some losses. ”

Someone said: "In the past, if we fired two shots with heavy artillery, the defenders would be frightened and surrender." But now you can't do it without moving. I wonder if we can scare them with ***? ”

Ning De hurriedly stopped and said, "*** That thing is too terrible, try not to use it unless you have to." I'd like to leave that thing for the Mongols. ”

Wang Yi quietly asked Zhao Jinli: "What is ***?" ”

"I'll tell you more carefully when I have time, that thing is terrible!" Zhao Jinli said on Wang Yi's ear.

Wang Yi said: "I suggest that we don't attack one castle after another, because there are too many people who die like that. If General Guo Yi can be forced to surrender, the other castles will not have to be fought. ”

"Yes!" Ningde said, "Let's hit Gansu Town first." If the defenders of the other castles come out to reinforce us, we will destroy them outside the city. ”

"But there's one thing we need to be aware of. There are still a lot of cavalry on the Ganzhou side, and they will not use cavalry to defend the city. Therefore we shall guard against them charging us with cavalry on the road. Wang Yi said, "Our brigade is dragging too long, don't let them cut off our grain and grass." We are getting farther and farther away from Lanzhou, and the transportation is inconvenient. Without food and grass, our army is in turmoil. ”

"What General Wang reminded is that the grain and grass of our brigade will stay in Shandanwei this time. When we have laid down Ganzhou, we can just let the grain and grass behind keep up. Ningde admires Wang Yi very much. He thinks about the problem comprehensively.

Zhao Jinli: They are not incomprehensive in their consideration of the problem. They think these things are out of the question. That is to say, they are not afraid of robbing grain and grass. They are too confident in their weapons and abilities.

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Mt. Fuji erupted, Japan was earthquaked. --Progress of "Memories of the Southern Song Dynasty".