At the same time that Huang Zide occupied Xiangyang, in the far north, a decisive battle had reached the most critical time. The Jokhang court no longer had the financial resources to support Hong Yan and his army of more than 100,000 people, and they were advancing inch by inch. Emperor Chongde first issued seven or eight holy decrees to Hong Yan, asking him to relieve the siege of Jinzhou as soon as possible; After discovering that Hong Yan was still moving slowly, and always reported some good news of "repelling the Tartars and not beheading" every day, Emperor Chongde, who couldn't bear it anymore, sent a prison army named Zhang Tianshi to Hong Yan, and the only task of this prison army was to urge Hong Yan to attack with all his strength on behalf of the emperor.

Hong Yan knew that the combat effectiveness of the elite in the Tartars was actually similar to that of the generals in the Jokhang Army. If it was only a small-scale battle, in fact, the Jokhang official army would not suffer too much loss. But if there is a large-scale decisive battle, the advantage of the Tartar army's average combat effectiveness will be very obvious. Moreover, for decades, the Tartars have won every battle against the official army, which has made the officials and soldiers from top to bottom full of fear of the Tartars. If this sense of fear persists, when it comes to the battlefield, the officers and soldiers will be timid before they fight, or even if they don't have to fight, they will be defeated. Hong Yan had been advancing slowly before, and constantly engaged in small-scale battles with the Tartars, in order to gradually improve the combat ability of his army and run in the command organization through small-scale battles that did not suffer too much, and on the other hand, he gradually eliminated the irrational fear of the Tartars. In Hong Yan's view, there is still enough food in Jinzhou City, and the current situation is not critical. Through small-scale battles, relying on the offensive and defensive positions, the fear of the Tartars of the officers and soldiers was slowly worn out, and the Tartars shed more blood. Although the number of troops in his hands is not more than that of the Tartars, even if it is a small-scale positional offensive and defensive battle, when defending, he can get the bonus of defensive facilities, and when attacking, he also has the technical advantage in siege equipment, and the exchange ratio is still at a disadvantage. But Hong Yan knew that the population of the Tartars was too small, and almost all the young and strong people were here. If such an exchange is compared to bloodshed, the tartar will not be able to hold it.

When Zhang Tianshi arrived in the barracks, after Hong Yan met with him, he gave Zhang Tianshi these ideas, and said: "Lord Zhang, when Dalinghe was in the past, our army was eager to relieve the siege, but the reinforcements were all broken by the Tartars, and our army suffered heavy losses, and Dalinghe City was still lost. We must not repeat the mistakes of the past today. After nearly a year of tempering, our army's combat strength has greatly improved, and the casualties accumulated by the Tartars are also not small. If it continues for a while, it will be difficult for the Tartars to support it. At this time, it is better to be safe. ”

But when Zhang Tianshi heard this, he sneered: "Governor Hong, the Holy Lord handed over all the elites of the world to the governor, and he emptied the world's wealth to support the governor, but it is not for the governor to hold on to the Tartars here." Now the rogue is rampant, successively capturing important towns and killing the prince, but the court can't come up with an army to suppress it. The governor also knows that if you hold on here, you will consume a lot of money and food every day. Where does all this money come from? Naturally, it came from the imperial court. Where did the money and food come from? Naturally, it was levied locally. But the rogue is rampant, the place is erosive, where is the money and grain in the imperial court, like Governor Hong you think, 'win with a long-term strategy'? Although it is difficult for the Tartars to support, can the imperial court still support it? Governor Hong, I tell you the truth, the money and grain of the imperial court are empty. Except for those hoarded in the hands of the Governor, from now on, not a grain of rice or a tael of silver will be allocated here by the imperial court. ”

Hong Yan heard this and was shocked: "How can this be? The grain and grass in the hands of this official can only last for a month. If the imperial court runs out of grain and grass, the more than 100,000 troops will collapse without a fight! ”

"If it drags on any longer, it will not be the more than 100,000 troops in the hands of the governor who will collapse without a fight, but the entire imperial court." Zhang Tianshi sneered, "When the entire imperial court collapses without a fight, even if the governor grinds the Tartar to death, what's the use?" And for whom did he die for it? This official came this time, and the emperor and Chen Shangshu both told the official: the imperial court could not let the 100,000 people under the governor's command drag to death. ”

The last sentence, Zhang Tianshi said it slowly in a very calm, even low tone, which sounded light, but only in this way was it even more creepy. As soon as Hong Yan heard this, he immediately understood that on the side of the imperial court, he and these more than 100,000 troops were almost outcasts.

"In that case, then why not just recall the army?" Hong Yan said.

"The emperor and the court naturally hope that the army can go back." Zhang Tianshi said, "But more than 100,000 troops, who have gone out for more than a year, but have returned in vain, who should bear this responsibility?" Does the Governor still want the emperor to come up and carry this black cauldron? When the emperor asked the governor how to deal with the affairs of Jinzhou, what did the governor say, and the governor should not forget it, right? ”

Hong Yan listened to it and was speechless for a long time. To be honest, when the news of the siege of Jinzhou came, Hong Yan was a little underestimated about the seriousness of the matter. At that time, he only knew that Jinzhou City had sufficient reserves and Jinzhou City was well defended, but he didn't think that the Tartars could hold on for a long time, so he wasn't particularly worried about it. even thought that the Tartars were going to take the opportunity to grab those manors near Jinzhou. Therefore, when Emperor Chongde asked him if he could save Jinzhou, he was very optimistic that he could save it.

Later, when he found that the situation was not quite right, he kept saying that the troops were insufficient and that he needed to increase his troops. Is there any intention to ask for a high price so that the emperor will retreat? It's a pity that the emperor really tried his best to concentrate the most elite troops in the whole world and the most food and salary for him. Now, you told the emperor that this battle could not be fought, and you had to withdraw, and the black cauldron wanted the emperor to carry it? How is this possible! Emperor Chongde has never been a generous king, do you really think he wouldn't dare to kill your whole family?

"Your Excellency the Governor, the only way to fight to the death is to fight to the death." Zhang Tianshi continued, "Even if you lose in the end, you can't break the siege." At least after a big battle, the Tartars can stop for a while. ”

Hong Yan also understood the meaning of these words. That is to say, it is hoped that through a big battle, the Tartars will also inflict a lot of casualties, so that they will not be able to fight again in a short time, so as to win respite for the imperial court. It's like the later Tessie, there was a famous admiral of the navy, when faced with a decisive battle with the main force, he explained the reason why he chose to take the risk of the decisive battle: even if we were defeated, they would be powerless for a considerable period of time. We have won the freedom of action for the Motherland for a long time.

But Hong Yan was not willing to "sacrifice for the country" like this, so he said again: "But the imperial court has held on for so long, if you hold on a little longer, maybe it will be ......."

Zhang Tianshi glanced at Hong Yan, shook his head, and said, "Governor Hong, the meaning of the emperor and the imperial court, the lower officials have already made it very clear. Your Excellency the Governor decides for yourself. ”

After saying this, Zhang Tianshi stood up, and Hong Yan also stood up. Zhang Tianshi arched his hand towards Hong Yan, said "disturbed", and walked out.

"Master, this person is really rude." When Zhang Tianshi left, an old servant beside Hong Yan couldn't help but say this.

"Alas!" Hong Yan let out a long sigh, "He expects that I won't have any good results in the future." ”

……

Early the next morning, Hong Yan called all the eight general soldiers under his command together and told them the news that the imperial court was urging them to march again.

"Generals, what do you think about this?" After introducing the meaning of the imperial court, Hong Yan asked.

A few general soldiers, you look at me, I look at you, and finally a person stood up and bowed:

"Your Excellency the Governor, our army is inferior to the Tartars. Relying on the battalion step by step, he can barely fight with the Tartars. If it is an easy decisive battle, I am afraid that the whole army will be in danger. ”

Hong Yan took a look, but it was Wu Changbo, the chief soldier of Ningyuan's regimental training. Wu Changbo is the nephew of the general soldier of Jinzhou Zu, and in the Liaodong Army, he has always been famous for his courage and good fighting. In the previous battles, he also made the most achievements. Now that he has stood up against it, the other commanders have also come forward one by one to say that this battle cannot be fought.

Wang Pu, the chief soldier of Datong, followed: "Lord Governor, this is a chaotic fate!" Those adults in the imperial court, hiding in the capital division, how do they know our difficulties here? ”

"It's just, don't you just want us to die?" Miyun General Tang Tong also echoed.

Hong Yan saw that everyone was against the decisive battle, and only Cao Hualong, the chief soldier of the ASEAN Association, was silent.

In the previous battles, Cao Hualong's combat exploits were second only to Wu Changbo, but he was also the general that Hong Yan relied on the most. Now seeing that he didn't speak, Hong Yan asked, "What do you think of Mr. Cao?" ”

Cao Hualong saw that Hong Yan was named, so he said: "What is the consideration of the imperial court, the last general does not know." Thinking about coming to the imperial court may also have his difficulties. The last general felt that the time had not yet come for a decisive battle with the Tartars. But in the end, everything will be left to the Governor. ”

Hong Yan listened, nodded and said: "The matter of the decisive battle, the court has made ...... decision"

……

And in Xiangyang, Huang Zide only stayed for one day. He left Tian Xiucheng and more than 5,000 soldiers and horses to garrison Xiangyang, and then took the rest of the troops and went south along the Han River. A day later, Huang Zide's troops occupied Yicheng County without resistance, and the county elders greeted him with pot pulp, and Huang Zide also ordered the troops to strictly abide by military regulations and not to harass the people. He also made He Zhangqi stay and defend Yicheng. Two days later, Huang Zide's scouts arrived at Zhongxiang City, and Zhongxiang's defenders immediately abandoned the city and fled, and Zhong Xiang went down without a fight. Since then, the situation has been similar, and no one in the various states and counties along the way has really taken a serious defense. However, ten days later, Huang Zide stood on the wall of Hanyang. Zuo Liangyu fled with his men to Wuchang across the Yangtze River. Relying on the Huguang Water Division, he confronted Huang Zide's department.