"Well, that's a good idea." Zhang Xianzhong stroked his long beard and said with satisfaction: "Nengqi, you just do it." Send everyone out, figure out Li Yan's southbound route, and delay Li Yan's southward speed. If there is a chance to cut off Li Yan's grain route, they can get food, but they can't get gunpowder projectiles. ”

At this time, he remembered the gunpowder again, and immediately added: "By the way, let all places be vigilant, when it is really unstoppable, we must burn the gunpowder arrows and other ordnance, and we can't let Li Yan take it away." ”

Xu Yixian suggested again: "Your Majesty, if Li Yan only uses these 10,000 soldiers and horses as a vanguard, and there is a large army behind him, maybe Changsha will also be in danger, so he should consider moving the capital earlier." ”

Zhang Xianzhong said casually: "If that's the case, then let's go to Sichuan." I was going to go to Sichuan at the beginning, but Li Yan and Li Zicheng were entangled in the north, so we picked up a big bargain for nothing. We have enjoyed it in the Huguang land for two years, and it is not a loss. It's still good in Shudi, there are mountains on the periphery, and no matter how powerful Li Yan's artillery fire is, he basically can't use it. ”

He was originally born in a rogue, and he is very familiar with the migration of various places. And he doesn't care about the public opinion, the people talk about it casually, and he can't hear it anyway, and the ministers under him have long dared not speak at will. As for the influence of history, later generations commented that he didn't think about it at all. Therefore, a situation like Chongzhen's relocation of the capital from Beijing to Nanjing is looking forward and backward, thinking about the east and afraid of the west, it is impossible for him to happen here as Emperor Daxi, and he can walk with his feet.

However, Zhang Xianzhong was still a little reluctant to let him be a dragon court for two years, and he didn't want to leave so disgraced. He ordered: "Wenxiu, you come to take charge, Miluo River, Laodao River must be organized." In addition, our sailors in Dongting always have to create some trouble for Li Yan and give us a long face. Anyway, our Daxi is also a big country, so we must make some noise, and we will not be blinded in vain. ”

Zhang Wenxiu hugged his fists and agreed, and then proposed: "Father, do you want to send a message to Li Zicheng and ask him to send some people over to help in the battle." We've helped them so much, it's time for them to do something. ”

Zhang Xianzhong nodded and said, "That's right, they should be allowed to do some work." To deal with Li Yan, you have to join forces, and you can't rely on one family alone. ”

Zhang Xianzhong discussed and established here, and then the whole system began to operate, mobilizing grain, grass and military resources, concentrating troops from all over the country, and preparing for a major operation.

And the officials, some of whom began to brazenly solicit bribes from the businessmen's subordinates, were prepared to advance and retreat together with Onishi. Some of them act as if they don't know anything, or sit in the office as usual, and these are ready to stay and live a normal life. Others are paying attention to collecting all kinds of information, these are trying to get some information in hand, thinking that they can make some meritorious deeds, so that they can also prosper in the new dynasty and go to the next level.

However, the vision of Zhang Xianzhong and others was completely unrealized. Although they also began to use carrier pigeons to transmit messages, and the speed of information transmission was much faster, Li Yan's troops made rapid progress, and continued to move south at a speed of nearly 100 miles every day. It can't be said that Zhang Xianzhong's subordinates are greedy for life and afraid of death, but in the face of the bombardment of twelve four-and-a-half-inch guns, no city can hold out for a day.

Moreover, Li Yan's troops didn't care about the flanks and rear roads at all, but just rushed along the official road in the direction of Changsha. This team carried hundreds of wagons loaded with ammunition and arrows, and the soldiers carried two days' worth of dry rations, and all other grain, grass and other materials were purchased on the spot.

The silver dollars they carried, because of their exquisite production, full portion, easy to carry and easy to identify, were recognized by the locals of Huguang, especially by the common people. Of course, this also stems from the fact that Huguang itself is a grain-producing area, and Zhang Xianzhong's rule is also effective for local security, making the grain price in Huguang cheap, which makes Li Yan's tactics feasible. Otherwise, if the grain and grass are forcibly requisitioned on the spot, it will also have a certain negative impact on the future rule.

On the twenty-eighth day of the lunar month, ten days after going south from Wuchang, Zhou He arrived at the Laodao River with his southbound troops. They did not continue south, but camped more than ten miles from the Laodao River.

First of all, Zhang Xianzhong's troops had been deployed in large numbers on the south bank of the Laodao River, and they could no longer cross the river as easily. Secondly, this place is close enough to Changsha, and Zhang Xianzhong's troops seem to be almost assembled, so it is appropriate to fight here. As for the fact that they deliberately retreated more than ten miles to camp, it was not because they were afraid of being attacked by Zhang Xianzhong's troops, but because they wanted to leave enough space for Zhang Xianzhong's troops so that Zhang Xianzhong's troops could cross the Laodao River and form a decisive battle with them.

At the same time, Zhou He scattered some of his troops and continued to buy food and firewood from the surrounding people. The purpose of their coming here is to surround Zhang Xianzhong, so they must be well prepared. Although according to the plan, the follow-up large army will arrive soon, but anything can happen on the battlefield, and they must be more prepared than planned in order to be invincible. They still have plenty of ammunition, and there is no shortage of drinking water, and the only thing they worry about is food, grass and firewood.

At this time, hundreds of wagons of the army had slowly surrounded a walled city with a circumference of several miles, and the cavalry troops were on guard all around. Baggage soldiers and some soldiers were busy unloading ammunition, while others were loading sandbags to form a protective wall and artillery bunker around the perimeter of the baggage trucks. After all, the kinetic energy of artillery projectiles is not enough to withstand with a baggage wagon alone.

Zhou He watched the soldiers move in an orderly manner, and his slightly nervous mood relaxed a lot. He instructed his soldiers: "Go and see if the pigeon team is ready." Tonight to send a pigeon letter to Wuchang, if something happens to the pigeon, we can only die here. ”

Zhou He led his subordinates to prepare in an orderly manner to resist Zhang Xianzhong's siege, but Zhang Xianzhong in Changsha City led the cup.

"Damn! All of them should be damned! Zhang Xianzhong angrily scolded: "There are countless towns along the way, tens of thousands of elite soldiers, and a distance of 500 miles, which can't even be stopped for ten days!" It's a shame! ”

Zhang Wenxiu, Zhang Kewang and others didn't dare to speak, and they didn't know what to say. Zhang Nengqi's performance this time was too disappointing, they were originally preparing to fight somewhere north of Changsha, but the troops had not yet been assembled, and the enemy had already come to Changsha City. Even the defense of the Miluo River was not ready, the speed of Li Yan's troops was too fast.

Zhang Xianzhong scolded and finally stopped. Ordered: "Kewang, Wenxiu, take your troops, cross the river immediately, and surround Li Yan's troops for me!" Inform Nengqi and order him to gather his troops within five days and block the north for me! No matter how many people Li Yan sends over, before the encirclement and annihilation here is completed, if he puts another enemy south, Lao Tzu wants his head! ”