The Suzhou soldiers pursued all the way, and there was no trace of the Qing soldiers in the vast night. Hong Chengchou's personal soldiers rode horses and galloped, escorting him to Jinling to escape, and he went around the city along the way, resolutely not entering the city. At such a speed, Suzhou soldiers naturally can't catch up.

Hou Xuanyan sent his own soldiers, rode lightly and gave orders, so that Yan Yingyuan in front did not have to chase anymore, collected the captured and routed soldiers, and seized the cities along the road. The guards in these places are extremely lax, and they have just been cleared, and after the shaving order was issued, many people have long wanted to rebel. As soon as the Suzhou army arrived, many cities opened their doors overnight and surrendered, and they were restarted.

It's just that this greatly slows down the speed of the army's pursuit, Zhang Mingzhen frowned, and after holding back for a long time, he finally opened his mouth and questioned: "Commander, if we take over the towns along the way, and wait for the chase to Nanjing, I'm afraid that the flood thieves have already arranged a defensive position." It's better to leave it alone, wait for Nanjing to be taken, and then go back and clean up the mess. ”

Hou Xuanyan sighed and said, "Lord Zhang, the battle situation has reached this point, and we can't take Nanjing." Although I also want to recover Nanjing, go south to meet the saint, and guard half of the country to prepare for the Northern Expedition. But the situation is stronger than people, you see our soldiers and horses, chasing to the city of Nanjing has long been the end of the crossbow. When the time comes, the Qing troops of the Eight Banners will cross the river, and with the defenders of Nanjing, we will be in danger. ”

Zhang Mingzhen felt a sharp pain in his heart, no one could understand the desire for victory of these ministers who had lost the country. Even if it is Hou Xuanyan, compared with them, it is slightly inferior.

Hou Xuanyan just wanted to comfort a few words, but there was a noise from the people in front of him, and the horses neighed and shouted in a mess, and he didn't know what he had found.

The two men stepped forward on horseback, only to see many war horses parked on the side of the road in front of them. Hou Xuanyan's face changed, there were not so many war horses in Suzhou, he hurriedly stepped forward, and saw Xia Wanchun hanging his head and squatting on the ground with the torch.

"What's going on?"

Xia Wanchun looked up and saw that it was Hou Xuanyan, and he was even more depressed. A hint of shame flashed across his face, and he lowered his head and said nothing.

Hou Xuanyan jumped off the horse, walked closer, and asked the deputy general next to him, "What's the matter?" ”

The adjutant general also looked ashamed, stomped his foot, and said, "Alas! Speaking of not afraid of the commander's jokes, we laid down Changzhou, and the fathers and elders in the city put up lanterns and welcomed us into the city at night. He also took us to the Changzhou school field, where there were 3,000 war horses, and General Xia was overjoyed and took us out of the city on horseback, wanting to pursue the flood thieves. ”

Speaking of this, Xia Wanchun raised his head with a complicated face.

The adjutant general glanced at him and said, "Who knew that our brothers would not be able to ride horses." When they came here, they didn't see the shadow of the thief, but they fell from their horses a lot, and were trampled to death by the brothers who came later, and wounded even more..."

Hou Xuanyan patted him on the shoulder, pulled up Xia Wanchun on the ground, and said, "The northerners are good at riding horses, and the southerners are in charge of boats." This time, I should buy a lesson, and give me a good training after I go back, if I don't do it next time, I can deal with you by military law. ”

Xia Wanchun nodded heavily, and then raised his head and regrouped his men.

Hou Xuanyan pulled him and said: "Poor Kou Mo chase, I have already ordered Yan Yingyuan to stop, let's hold Changzhou is a big victory." When the time comes, recruit new soldiers, gather the anti-Qing righteous army, and strengthen the troops and horses, you can cross the river to attack Yangzhou, and you can slowly advance Jinling. ”

Zhang Mingzhen also saw the strength of the Suzhou soldiers at this time, and it was indeed not suitable to chase them to Nanjing, and when the time came, it would be difficult to escape back if they were surrounded by people. And his soldiers are all soldiers of Songjiang Prefecture, and they are more deficient than those of Xia Wanchun.

Hou Xuanyan felt that the atmosphere was wrong, and said with a smile: "Looking at your dejected appearances, those who don't know still think that we have fought a big defeat, you must know that although the results of the battle cannot be expanded, we have also defeated 100,000 Qing soldiers." In this field, not only Suzhou was saved, but also the entire territory of Changzhou was recovered. Since then, Suzhou has a peripheral guarantee, and it is no longer a lonely city under the noses of the Qing soldiers.

Quickly get moving, collect the Qing soldiers, and shave off the braids of those who are willing to surrender. After taking the first step, it is impossible to succeed in a war. This is destined to be a tortuous and dangerous road, and you must remember that victory is not arrogant or discouraged, so as to have the opportunity to achieve this miraculous feat. ”

Zhang Mingzhen, Xia Wanchun and others were convinced, and they couldn't take Jinling and were not angry, so they bowed down to Hou Xuanyan and said: "What the commander said, we will keep it in mind." ”

The sky was slightly bright, and the morning sun was shining in the early post-war morning, and the soldiers and horses along the way were disposing of the corpses.

Groups of captives were escorted into nearby towns for co-optation, and Hou Xuan advanced to the Changzhou Mansion, where there was almost no fighting.

In just a few months, it has changed hands three times, but there is no trace of war. Looking at the flattering smiling faces of the gentry officials in the city, Hou Xuanyan couldn't be happy.

"Changzhou will be on the front line of resistance to the Qing Dynasty in the future, you are all the fathers and villagers of Changzhou, you have the responsibility to defend the land, and the responsibility will be very heavy in the future."

An old man with gray sideburns said with a smile: "Don't hide it from the Governor, our hometown of fish and rice in Changzhou, there are mines and salt wells, but there are no soldiers who can fight. The government soldiers are weak, and they have been deprived of military salaries by the officials, and they have long existed in name only. If we want to defend the city, even if we kill all the people in Changzhou, we can't stop the army from pressing the border, and I hope that the governor will garrison more soldiers and horses. Although we cannot afford to send troops, we have no hesitation in paying for our troops. Hundreds of thousands of fathers and elders in Changzhou have kowtowed to the governor. ”

Hou Xuanyan sighed in his heart, damn, I said how to look at these soft bones so kindly, it turns out that they all have mines at home.

Next, the gentry witnessed the change of face of the governor Xiaohou, and saw him pick up the old man Wang in Changzhou with a smile on his face, and said: "The old man, please, Changzhou is also the territory of my Ming Dynasty, we have the responsibility to defend the land, and we can't afford this kind of gift." ”

The color in Wang Changshun's eyes flashed, he was used to seeing such so-called commanders who supported the army and respected themselves, how could they have any ambition to recover the country, they all only wanted to make a profit.

As long as this young governor is fed, Changzhou will still be our world, regardless of whether you come from Manchu or Han.

Hou Xuanyan pursed his lips, smiling subtly and restrainedly, this overseer who is in charge of the power of killing millions of people is like a scholar next door at the moment, shy and kind.

The shy Governor of Xiaohou raised his eyes and looked around, and said secretly in his heart: "I originally wanted to take Hangzhou as a knife, but since you have a mine at home, this Changzhou will not be able to leave for a while." ”

"Someone."

"What does the Governor command?"

"Go to Suzhou to give an order, and Hong Yixun will bring troops to Changzhou, and we will give all the gentry in Changzhou a peace of mind."

When the soldiers heard this, the doubts between their eyebrows flashed, and they turned around and left. It's just that I'm still muttering in my heart: Hong Yixun has been following the commander, when will there be soldiers...

After Hou Xuanyan finished speaking, he smiled kindly at everyone, the gentry were satisfied, Wang Changshun bent down and said: "Let's prepare a banquet, a glass of wine, and hope that the governor will appreciate his face." ”

"Haha, then I'll bother!"