In the early morning of the next day, the cold breeze blew through the bright sun, and the late autumn sky was exceptionally clear and lofty.

Outside the small town of Dantu in the northern suburbs of Zhenjiang Prefecture, 100,000 horses and horses were assembled, the warships on the riverside were like clouds, and the siege equipment was like rain.

The blue-edged gold-embroidered Jiaojiao flag that symbolizes the water character camp covers the sky and the sun, and a big flag on the big boat where Hou Xuanyan is located faces the wind, and the eight characters of "Building the Northern Expedition of the Army, Invincible" are written.

Hou Xuanyan looked at the railing, this uniform had not left his body for a long time, and his face was a little tired, but he couldn't hide his excitement.

Zhu Dadian said on the side: "Commander, cross the river!" ”

Hou Xuanyan nodded, and the quaint and desolate horn sounded, spreading far away by the riverside in the crisp autumn weather.

This was the first battle of the southerners' northern crossing, and the significance was far greater than the siege of the city, so Hou Xuanyan ordered a big fanfare to announce the beginning of the counteroffensive with the Huanghuang division.

With the sound of the horn, 100,000 soldiers and horses boarded the ship, and tens of thousands of people were responsible for transporting baggage by the river. It is not too much to describe the entire riverside as a sea of people.

In Yangzhou City, Melle Zhangjing Li Shutai's face was pale, and his hands trembled slightly. He is not a coward, but the garrison of Yangzhou City is indeed desperate. Killed 800,000 people, how could the people have no hatred, guarding such a Yangzhou city, he was always worried about the people in the city, and even felt that it was more terrible than the Ming army outside the city. These days, the Ming army on the south bank is ready to move, and all kinds of texts are flying all over the sky, announcing to the world that they are about to go on a northern expedition.

Beside him, stood a middle-aged man with a goatee, his name was Zhang Tianlu. Duoduo led his army south, Zhang Tianlu and his younger brother Zhang Tianfu led 3,000 troops to surrender, and Duoduo incorporated them into the Han army with yellow flags. His younger brother Zhang Tianfu followed Duoduo to fight Changzhou, but was burned to charcoals by a fire, Zhang Tianfu stayed in Yangzhou, always thinking about avenging his younger brother.

He pinched his beard, looked at Li Shutai in front of him and said, "My lord, Hou Xuan has always been scheming as a thief, and every time he fights, he is sneaky and extremely damaging. This time there was a lot of fanfare, and everyone in the world knew about it, and I think there was fraud in it. ”

Although Li Shutai was a Han Chinese, he was the most favored Han in the Manchu Qing Dynasty. His real name is Li Yanling, born in Tieling, Liaodong, and began serving Nurhachi at the age of twelve.

Nurhachi killed all the Han people in Liaodong, but he liked this Li Yanling very much, and gave him the name Li Shutai. The name Li Yanling, in the eyes of the old chief, still has too much Han charm. Li Shutai listened to him much more pleasantly, and after changing his name, Nurhachi also married his granddaughter to him.

Li Shutai did not live up to the old chief's kindness, and followed Huang Taiji to fight in the east and west, and his hands were stained with the blood of his compatriots, in exchange for wearing a flower feather.

As soon as he heard Zhang Tianlu's words, he turned his head with a laugh and asked, "What tricks do you say he has?" After the seven counties of Yangzhou Prefecture in Jiangbei, there is no danger to defend. He has 100,000 men under his command, and what more intrigue do he need. ”

At this moment, a soldier looked panicked, rolled into the room, half-knelt on the ground, and said, "Dutong, the Ming army has crossed the river." ”

Li Shutai stood up, slapped the table, and said, "Take my armor and go to the city to defend against the enemy!" ”

He didn't have the slightest intention of keeping along the river, his men were all northerners, and they weren't used to boating. These people were all dizzy on the boat and were eliminated by Duoduo, and there were no people who crossed the river to Jinling.

Zhang Tianlu was dressed neatly in military uniform, and followed Li Shutai, who had changed his clothes, and hurried to the city tower. By the time they climbed to the city tower, they could already faintly look at the banner of the Jiangshui Battalion.

Li Shutai glanced at it, immediately sighed, and said to Zhang Tianlu: "It seems that you have miscalculated, where is he going to have any tricks, he thinks he has eaten us." Why haven't you received reinforcements yet? ”

Zhang Tianlu took a sip and scolded angrily: "These wall grasses, seeing that the Ming army is strong, don't pay attention to the messengers we sent at all. Several of them had already gathered their troops and were ready to flee to Shandong. ”

Li Shutai had already seen the figure of the vanguard Northern Expeditionary Army, followed by the black cannon, his face was solemn, and he said loudly: "I heard that Hou Xuan played this person, he was the most ruthless, and none of the people who were caught or surrendered by him had a good end." Now that we are gone, Yangzhou City cannot be defended, since it is so better to take advantage of their undecided position and rush out with me, maybe there is still a glimmer of hope. ”

His subordinates are all Han soldiers of the Zhenglan Banner, and Li Shutai has a very high status and is the deputy commander of the Zhenglan Banner. This is unique in the Eight Banners of Manchuria, this Meler Zhangjing is also the position of deputy capital, not the deputy capital of the Zhenglan Banner in the Eight Banners of the Han Dynasty, but the deputy capital of the entire Zhenglan Banner. After Li Shutai shouted, the soldiers on the tower of the city agreed with a sigh, and Li Shutai saw that the people's hearts were available, and they might not be able to fight. He knew that if he defended the city, he would inevitably be bombarded to ashes by artillery. It's better to use your own strengths and attack the weaknesses of others. He still has a lot of trust in the field combat ability of his subordinates. 100,000 southern soldiers, in his opinion, there is nothing to fear, with Huang Taiji, they won more with less than the battle.

And he went down to the city, and all the defenders on the towers went down with him, and there was no one to defend the city. A moment later, the city gate was opened, and 30,000 people rushed out of Yangzhou City and went straight to the Northern Expeditionary Army.

Hou Xuanyan really didn't expect that they would give up Yangzhou City and have the courage to go out of the city for a decisive battle. Thinking of Shi Kefa in the turtle shrinkage city again, Hou Xuanyan sighed and said: "It's not for nothing that the Tartars can hit Jiangnan, although there are many sheep, they are not the opponent of dogs and wolves after all. There are cabinet supervisors like Shi Kefa and He Tengjiao, and good Han family sons, who were brought into a group of two-legged sheep by them. ”

Zhu Dadian said with a smile: "Li Shutai's courage is commendable, but it's a pity that they met the wrong opponent, and our Northern Expeditionary Army is not a two-legged sheep to be slaughtered." ”

Seeing that the Qing soldiers in Yangzhou City were getting closer and closer, Hou Xuanyan pulled out his sword and raised his voice: "Today is the first battle of the Northern Expedition, to kill the blood of the Han family's sons, we will kill them in a dignified manner!" ”