The two pieces of information in Li Zicheng's hands came from Jiang Xuan, the chief soldier of Datong, and Wang Chengyun, the chief soldier of Xuanfu, strictly speaking, these are not two ordinary messages, but a secret descent.

The table not only expresses the determination of the two men to surrender, but also lists the number of garrisons and the deployment of troops in the two places.

Li Zicheng could not fully confirm whether Jiang Hao and Wang Chengyun were sincere in their obedience, so he asked the people of the Han Qing Bureau to thoroughly investigate the garrisons in Datong and Xuanfu.

After dawn, the army left Ningwu and quickly went north along the official road on the bank of the Sanggan River, driving directly to Datong, along the way Shuozhou, Mayi, Shanyin, Andong and other prefectures and counties, and health stations, all surrendered without a fight.

In Datong City, the army is being actively reorganized for war, acting on behalf of Wang Zhu Chuan? donated materials and ordnance to the treasury, and sent an escort army to resist with the Datong garrison.

At this time, Wei Jingying, the governor of Datong, had sores on his feet and couldn't walk, and the city defense was completely handed over to the chief soldier Jiang Huang, and Jiang Huang asked Zhu Chuan? Contribute money and food to help the army, while letting the county kings in the city help defend the city, in front of the acting king Zhu Chuan? swore to defend the city.

Out of the palace of the king, Jiang Hao privately gave the money and food of the palace to his cronies, and sent 200 soldiers to the west gate to assist Zhu Yi, the king of Yongqing, to defend the city.

On 1 March, Li Zicheng led the main force to Datong City.

The army was encamped, and Li Zicheng took Niu Jinxing and his own soldiers to the city to inspect.

Datong city is slightly square, each side of the city wall is close to four miles, the total circumference is more than fourteen miles, the outside of the city wall is wrapped with a huge strip of stone, the inner city is not visible, under the visual inspection, the city wall is as high as four zhang, the thickness does not want to know, there are fifty-four watchtowers on the city, ninety-six nest shops, the outside is surrounded by the moat of three zhang wide.

In addition to the west gate, there are urn cities outside the city gates.

Although it is not as steep as Ningwu Pass, Datong is really a fortified city, and if you want to storm it, it will not only take time and effort, but also the casualties of the soldiers will not be less.

Niu Jinxing held the reins of a horse in one hand and a long beard in the other, and recited the words "This city is really the same as the iron city, and the author is Guo Hugong." ”

Li Zicheng was stunned for a moment, and he didn't know why, so he said, "What? ”

Niu Jinxing put the reins in front of him and bowed to Li Zicheng, "The emperor can know that the Datong city wall was built by Xu Da during the Hongwu period. ”

"Sir, you mean that Guo Hu spent a lot of silver, but it was useless?" Li Zicheng didn't think so, if it weren't for the general trend, these forts would definitely be able to hold back the enemy soldiers, he frowned lightly and said, "Didn't Jiang Jiu secretly send it to the table?" Why are the four gates closed, and the city is waiting for it? ”

"The emperor doesn't have to worry, since Jiang Huang gave the city to the emperor, there will be no fake surrender," Niu Jinxing stretched out his hand to the city and said, "If the minister's estimate is good, Jiang Huang will definitely open the west gate!" ”

"Why?"

Niu Jinxing stroked his long beard and said with a smile, "The emperor has no idea, Datong has four gates, only there is no urn city outside the west gate!" ”

"Huh?" Only then did Li Zicheng remember that there was indeed no urn city outside the west gate of Datong, and as long as he put down the suspension bridge, he could receive the entry of the Heavenly Mandate Army outside the city.

However, will Jiang Hao open the West City Gate?

At this moment, He Xiaomi came to report, "Your Majesty, someone has sent this message!" He held an unopened message in both hands.

Li Zicheng took it, tore open the seal, unfolded it, and a smile appeared on his face, he handed the message to Niu Jinxing, "Sir, look at it, how credible is this information?" ”

Niu Jinxing took a look, it turned out to be a message sent by Jiang Xuan, Jiang Huang said in the message that although he had the intention to surrender, the acting king Zhu Chuanqi in the city, the governor Wei Jingyu, the chief soldier Zhu Sanle, the governor of the grain Lang Zhongxu Yousheng, etc., as well as many middle and lower-level officers, were all sworn to defend the city.

But Jiang Hao has already controlled the West Gate, although the lord of the city will be Zhu Yi, the king of Yongqing, but most of the military schools guarding the city gate are his cronies, as long as the Mandate of Heaven Army comes to the West Gate, he can accept the Mandate of Heaven Army into the city at any time.

Niu Jinxing closed his eyes and brushed his long beard, suddenly opened his eyes, and said, "Look down at the minister, Jiang Huang's words are true, Datong City is broken, it's just a matter of time, at this time, if Jiang Huang doesn't want to be martyred, there is only one way to surrender!" ”

Li Zicheng nodded, Jiang Hao wanted to open the West City Gate, which was exactly the same as Niu Jinxing's original judgment, besides, even if Jiang Huang opened the city gate falsely and earned some soldiers of the Heavenly Mandate Army to enter the city, he would slaughter these soldiers, and it would still be useless to the general trend, and Datong City was broken, and it was already unstoppable.

He glanced at the majestic city wall, and felt a lot of emotion in his heart, if what Jiang Hao and Wang Chengyun said was true, Datong and Xuanfu would soon fall into the hands of the Heavenly Mandate Army, and the Jingshi would be far away?

He muttered, "According to the sir, when will we attack the city?" ”

Niu Jinxing didn't pretend this time, but arched his hand and said, "Back to the emperor, since Jiang Hao is in the dark, it is better for us to attack the city at night!" ”

Li Zicheng bowed slightly, and said, "Then let the soldiers rest for a day, start attacking the city tomorrow night, and take Datong as soon as possible!" ”

Niu Jinxing said with a smile: "If the emperor wants to take Datong as soon as possible, tonight is the best opportunity!" ”

"Tonight?" Li Zicheng was stunned for a moment, and then said, "Sir, is it saying that when the Heavenly Mandate Army first arrived in Datong, the people in the city were panicked, and it was really an excellent opportunity to attack the city?" ”

"The emperor is right!" Niu Jinxing arched his hand again, and said, "If it is a forcible siege, it may not be a good opportunity at this time, but with Jiang Hao answering from the city, the situation is different......

Li Zicheng thought for a moment, shook the reins of his horse violently, and shouted, "Go back to the camp!" ”

Back at the camp, the camp tent was almost completed, and Li Zicheng sent out a military order to prepare dinner for each battalion as soon as possible, and after dark, start attacking the city!

Although the commanders of the battalions and regiments did not understand why the emperor attacked the city overnight, they could only obey the military order, and the battalions and regiments quickly got busy.

The sky was just dark, Li Zicheng personally ordered the third battalion of Qin Danian to attack the north city, the fourth battalion Li Jibu to attack the south city gate, the seventh battalion Song Wen Department to attack the east city gate, the rest of the fifth battalion and the sixth battalion temporarily stood still, the cavalry of the first battalion Liu Yunshui department acted as a response outside the city, and the independent battalion Li Xinbu would attack the west city gate, but it would take half an hour to attack the city.

Li Xin didn't know why the emperor asked him to delay the siege of the city, the sound of guns and cannons at the three city gates made him anxious, he waited for half an hour in torment, Li Zicheng came to the independent camp and whispered a few words to Li Xin.

Li Xin was stunned for a moment, and then gave a military salute to Li Zicheng, "The emperor can rest assured, the minister will take Datong tonight!" ”

The independent battalion had already been prepared, and with Li Xin's order, more than 40,000 soldiers of the eight regiments rushed to Xicheng almost at a speed of 100 meters.

The ladder of the transporters had not yet arrived, and the vanguard had already fired arrows into the city.

The Li Mu Division of the First Regiment was the first to be formed, and it was regarded as the team of the independent battalion, and Li Mu was the first to take the lead, but after less than a quarter of an hour, he was dumbfounded.

But there was a commotion above the city, and then the west gate was opened, and even the drawbridge was lowered, and a moat appeared on the moat.

Could it be that the Ming army wants to go out of the city to fight? Tens of thousands of soldiers of the Mandate of Heaven are coming to the city, and at this time, there are still people who dare to go out of the city to die? Have they forgotten the city of Taiyuan?

Li Mu is still hesitating, there are already heralds in the rear who have come to summon the message to enter the city, and our people will answer in the city!

I see!

Li Mu did not hesitate any longer, personally led the first regiment on the suspension bridge, into the city gate hole, although the city gate was wide open, but there were no soldiers and horses at the city gate, under the light of the torches, the city gate was dark and swarthy, and nothing could be seen clearly.

Li Mu was about to enter the city, but was stopped by the thousands of household officials beside him, "General, the situation in the city is unknown, and the general should not enter the city at this time!" ”

Is there a fraud?

Li Mu hesitated for a moment, but laughed, "Rabbit cub, don't you want to snatch the credit of Lao Tzu for being the first to enter the city?" He said to the soldiers behind him, "After entering the city, seize the city heads on both sides as soon as possible, and control the city gate and drawbridge in your hands." ”

Seeing that they couldn't be dissuaded, the officials of the thousand households had to follow behind Li Mu, and the soldiers rushed to the city gate like a tide.

Torches were suddenly lit inside the city gate, and among the chaotic figures, someone said loudly, "I am Jiang Xuan, the chief soldier of Datong, Zhu Yi, the king of Yongqing, has been shot to death, and now the city gate is full of our people!" ”

Li Mu didn't know that Jiang Hao sent a secret surrender to Li Zicheng, only that Jiang Hao was a person from the Han Qing Bureau, but he still kept an eye on it, and after entering the city, he quickly established a defensive formation at the city gate, and the soldiers who responded to the soldiers outside the gate entered the city, and then forcibly occupied the city head and controlled the drawbridge in his hands.

After all these arrangements were over, knowing that the overall situation had been decided, Li Mu summoned Jiang Hao, bowed his hand to him, and said with a smile, "Thank you, brother, Datong has fallen, and my brother has made a great contribution!" ”

"The Mandate of Heaven Army is like a broken bamboo, and the Mandate of Heaven of the Huaxia Kingdom is returned!" Jiang Hao arched his hand to Li Mu and said with a smile, "I don't know which general my brother is?" ”

"It's easy to say, it's easy to say," Li Mu returned the salute, "Li Mou, the commander of the first regiment of the Lower Independent Battalion!" ”

"It turned out to be General Li, look up for a long time!" Jiang Hao bowed and saluted, "I don't know when the Emperor of Huaxia Kingdom will arrive?" ”

Li Mu's face changed suddenly, and he said angrily, "The emperor is naturally in the rear, how can he be in danger?" He said, "Let's go, I have to think about entering the city next!" ”

Jiang Hao was bored, so he had to retreat to the side and let Li Mu control the city gate.

The soldiers of the independent battalion in the back swarmed in, and when Li Xin entered the city, he breathed a sigh of relief, and in less than half an hour, the Heavenly Mandate Army took Datong, and he remembered a sentence that the soldiers pointed to!

Li Xin knew that when the Heavenly Mandate Army stormed the gates of Datong, most of the defenders in the city were in the city, and there would not be many soldiers in the barracks.

He left the 7th Regiment to guard the West City Gate, and let Li Mu lead the 1st Regiment and the 8th Regiment to reinforce the South City Gate; Fang Deng led the 2nd Regiment and the 6th Regiment to reinforce the North City Gate; He personally led the third, fourth, and fifth regiments from the main road in the city to the east gate.

Jiang Hao was idle and bored, and packed up one or two thousand of his cronies, but he went straight to the palace of the king, and before the Chinese emperor entered the city, he wanted to make new contributions.

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