Li Ji rushed to Yongning County before lunch on the 23rd, and as he did last time on the Yiyang line, he directly stationed four thousand soldiers at the four gates outside Yongning City, and stationed one thousand soldiers at each city gate, regardless of priority.

The soldiers only set up makeshift tents, they had no intention of spending the night outside the city, the firefighters quickly lit a fire and boiled hot water, and the soldiers ate dry food with hot water.

Li Ji personally patrolled outside the four city gates to appease the tired soldiers.

On the twenty-third day of the lunar month, it is the traditional stove day, also known as the small year, it is the last festival before the new yuan, which is equivalent to the rehearsal of the new year, on this day, the people not only have to sweep the dust, but also prepare some special food to worship the god of the stove, in order to get a bumper harvest of grain in the coming year, do not worry about eating and drinking.

The food of worshipping the god of the stove varies from place to place, the north is generally a bowl of dumplings, or a sugar melon, and in the south, it is a large pot of steamed rice flour "to send the stove to the stove", the first bowl of the stove is to sacrifice to the god of the stove, but in the era of food scarcity, whether in the north or the south, the god of the stove just received the hearts of the people, and the food was returned to the people for their own consumption as usual, and it is said that after eating these foods enjoyed by the god of the stove, the children will be particularly smart.

The people in Yongning City, when the soldiers came to the city, whether they had the intention of spending the New Year, Li Ji didn't know, but when he saw the soldiers eating dry food with hot water, he didn't feel good in his heart, so he announced in public: As long as Yongning City is taken, the army will rest for a day, and let all the brothers spend the New Year in the city.

The soldiers of the first regiment, all born in poor families, listened to Li Ji's words, and immediately rejoiced, and some soldiers asked Li Ji that once the city was broken, he would eat a whole piece of sugar melon.

Li Ji laughed, touched the soldier's head, and solemnly told him: After entering the city, you can eat sugar melons, and don't break your belly when the time comes.

The soldiers were laughing, and the nervousness before the siege did not affect their desire for food and their longing for the festival.

After Li Ji's inspection, he also used dry food, let the soldiers rest for most of the hour, and let the soldiers start to attack the city at noon and before the turn of time.

The soldiers of the four thousand households approached the city gate almost at the same time, so that the Ming army defending the city was confused, and they did not know where the main attack direction of the Liukou was, and the two hundred households prepared in the city did not dare to move for a while.

Li Ji's tactics, as always, first used the advantage of the rifle in range to suppress the defenders at the head of the city, but in order to save bullets, the soldiers did not fire a salvo, but used a burst of fire, as long as they saw the defenders outcropping, there would be a few bullets to greet him.

The battle lasted for a pillar of incense, like a textbook battle, the defenders suffered a big loss in front of the rifle, heavy casualties, Wang Zheng, who was guarding Xicheng, was unprepared for a while, and was also shot, fortunately he was only injured in the arm, not too serious, and he could continue to command the battle at the head of the city.

In fact, there was nothing that needed to be directly commanded, including Wu Dalie, in order to avoid greater casualties, the Ming army temporarily withdrew from the city, leaving only a few observers at the corners of the city wall to continue to monitor the rogues outside the city.

The commanders of the gates were with the soldiers, and they could not organize the soldiers to fight back, the rogues were far away from the range of bows and arrows, there was no artillery in the city, and all the people could only stare dryly, but there was one benefit, although the soldiers suffered heavy casualties, they were not yet defeated, and they did not completely lose confidence, as long as the lord was in general, the soldiers had the backbone in their hearts.

But this kind of completely passive, even casualty battle, the soldiers in the city have never heard of it, and fear hangs over everyone's heart, but no one dares to say it.

Wu Dalie was dragged by the guards, reluctantly left the city, staying less than thirty steps below the city, he barely suppressed the shock in his heart, sent the seriously wounded soldiers back to the rear for treatment, and then gathered the surrounding soldiers together, but with a smile, "Don't worry, the rogue has no siege equipment, although the firearms are sharp, but they can't climb the city, as long as they hold on for a few days, the rogue lacks food and grass, and will inevitably retreat." ”

The soldiers only then found out that the rogue has been attacking the city for so long, and there is not even a simple ladder, and he was too nervous just now, and he didn't even find it, but the adults are still careful, and they can see through the key at a glance, and the rogue is the rogue is the rogue robber!

The Ming army talked a lot for a while, Wu Dalie saw it in his eyes, but he didn't stop it, just now the firearms of the rogue, even he was shocked, the pressure on the soldiers' hearts can be imagined, the soldiers can talk to reduce the pressure in their hearts, especially the words of contempt for the rogue.

Although Wu Dalie is not a general, he still knows military common sense, and he is likely to be punished unexpectedly if he despises his opponent on the battlefield, but he can't care about it now, since he can't assassinate the rogue with a knife and gun, then use words to fight the rogue Kou, only in this way can the soldiers get rid of fear and gradually raise their morale.

Li Ji didn't care about the defenders at all, the defenders at the head of the city disappeared, not only was he not depressed, but he was happy in his heart, he personally commanded the soldiers outside the southern city, strengthened the strafing efforts, and drove away the Ming army observation soldiers on the head of the city.

After a fierce burst of gunfire, there was really no human figure on the city, taking this opportunity, the two soldiers hidden behind the gunman, at the speed of a hundred meters of sprint, rushed to the city gate hole, there is no moat outside the south city, the terrain of a horse and a flat river, more than 100 steps away, if you want to release water, I am afraid that you have just untied your belt, two soldiers have been hiding in the city gate hole, this is a blind spot, the bow and arrow on the city can not shoot into the city gate hole at all, unless the city gate is opened.

The gunners stopped shooting at the city for the time being, and without the defenders, there was no need to waste bullets.

The two soldiers of the Mandate of Heaven were very skilled in gluing the gunpowder bag to the city gate, and when they saw that it was a wooden door, they were very happy in their hearts, at least it was much easier to deal with than the iron gate, and their hands and feet were very fast, and after a while, they pulled the fuse to the entrance of the city gate, which happened to be still in the city gate, and the defenders at the head of the city could not see it at all.

The gunners a hundred paces away, knowing that the two soldiers were about to ignite, began to shoot at the city, not even a shadow would be spared.

The observer soldiers at the head of the city, just now took advantage of the fact that the rifle stopped firing, and secretly glanced at the city below, but the rogues did not approach the city gate, but were still a hundred steps away, obviously had no intention of climbing the city, and when they heard the gunshots, they hurriedly hid behind the city wall, and even rolled and jumped off the city.

Li Ji didn't wait long, he heard two loud noises from the city gate, his heart moved, and he was busy checking it, the city gate was only a hundred steps away from the gunners outside the city of the Heavenly Mandate Army, and the soldiers with good eyesight could see it clearly.

The soldiers who were aiming at the city just now have already turned their gunners at this moment, and as long as the general gives the order, they will immediately rush to the city, maybe they are the first people to enter the city!

"Report to the general, the city gate is not ...... It was not blown apart, and the subordinates looked at it, and they seemed to be unmoved...... "The soldiers who went to check the city gate were so tired that they were panting, and their faces were also very indignant.

"How is it possible, two gunpowder packets can't blow up a wooden door?" Li Ji frowned, and finally understood, "The city gate must have been blocked by a boulder, it seems that the Ming army in the city is determined to defend it!" ”

"General, what should I do? Do you want to send someone over again? ”

"Since the city gate is blocked by boulders, no amount of gunpowder packs can be exploded," Li Ji shook his head and looked at the city with a cold gaze, but the defenders were frightened by the rifles of the Heavenly Mandate Army, and no one could see the city, like a dead city.

The Mandate of Heaven army attacked the city, for the county town that was not a strong city, usually as long as the defenders at the head of the city were suppressed, and then the city gate was blown open with a gunpowder bag, the soldiers could rush in, however, under the city of Yongning, this trick failed, and the defenders blocked the city gate with boulders, even if the city gate was blown up with dozens of gunpowder bags, the city gate still could not be opened.

It would be good if the ladder was prepared in advance, at least it could be attacked, and the people of the Han Qing Bureau sent a message that the city was just barely piecing together a thousand soldiers, and if it was attacked, it would definitely be possible to take Yongning!

Can't you take Yongning without a ladder?

Li Ji looked at the city gate cave very disappointed, and at the end of the city gate hole, a thick wooden door blocked his view......

Do you just give up?

Li Ji originally regarded Yongning as Yiyang, hoping to take the city before the arrival of the Grand Governor, but he now knew that this wish might be difficult to come true.

His thoughts, perhaps only he can understand, with the appearance of young people such as Liu Zongmin and Li Xin, he, the commander of the fourth battalion, was gradually covered up with brilliance, Liu Zongmin and Li Xin are still young, and there are opportunities, but he is old, and he may be retired at any time and take off the camouflage uniform of the Heavenly Mandate Army.

If it weren't for the fact that he met the Metropolitan Governor and retired from the army, he would not have been able to ask for it, but now, the Heavenly Mandate Army is rising strongly, and even he himself dare not imagine the future achievements.

Military merit, in the Mandate of Heaven Army, only military merit can be convincing, and only military merit can get the opportunity to be promoted!

Li Ji withdrew the troops outside the southern city, returned to the camp tent by himself, sat on the horse, and his soldiers hurriedly served tea, "General, the cool breeze has been blowing under the city for so long, let's drink a cup of hot tea!" ”

"Cool breeze?" If it weren't for the extremely trusted personal soldier, Li Ji must have thought that this personal soldier was mocking himself, he shook his head, did not take the tea, but got up and left the camp, just fell into a deep disappointment, his brain was stunned for a while, if he went out to let the cool breeze blow, maybe he could come up with a way to break the city.

After all, I am old, and I can't compare to young people! Li Ji himself felt that he was really a little confused just now, but now that he was blown by the cool breeze, his mind was much clearer.

Yongning City must be taken, no matter what method is used, after thinking for a while, Li Ji finally thought that when it gets dark, he may be able to climb the city by using a rope with a hook.

Darkness can give the Mandate of Heaven the greatest cover!

However, after nightfall, the Ming army did not relax its vigilance, the Mandate of Heaven army used hooks, and before they could climb the city, they were discovered by the Ming army, who not only cut the rope with a quick knife, but also threw rolling logs and stones from the city, injuring many soldiers of the Mandate of Heaven.

Li Ji saw that the city had been prepared, so he withdrew the soldiers and returned to the camp, and was angry, so he immediately sent a team of soldiers to cut down trees in the mountains overnight to build a ladder, hoping to wait for dawn before attacking the city.