Wujiang, the governor of Yong'an, saw that Al Jing'a was defeated with the remnants of the army, and fled back to Yong'an like a lost dog, and knew that something was wrong. Although he knew in his heart that he couldn't count on these people, Yong'an's only regular troops were now them, and there was no one else to help him defend the city.

Wu Jiang set up a banquet in the yamen, and had to comfort Al Jing'a with good words: "Victory or defeat is a common thing in soldiers, and generals don't have to care too much." The most important thing now is how to defend the city from bandits. "As the governor of Yong'an, he can't escape, if the local governor escapes, the Qing court will all behead him, and this aspect is very strict. His family's net worth and life are all in Yong'an, and the thousand soldiers of Aljinga are the only ones he can rely on.

"Lord Wu, don't worry, although Yong'an City is not big, the city defense is still relatively strong. The bandits will not be able to take this city for a while, and I have sent a letter to Lord Ulantai asking for support. As long as we hold on here, Lord Ulantai will definitely come to our rescue. Aljing's words were not so much to comfort Wu Jiang, but actually to comfort himself. In the battle of Guijiang Ferry, he was already frightened by the Taiping army, and could only hope for the support of Ulantai.

In fact, Ulantai is bent on attacking Jintian, where can he control them.

"This is the best, the old man has informed the squires and wealthy merchants in the city, let them have the money to contribute, and it is estimated that they can recruit a brave man of more than 500 people to assist the adults in defending the city." Wu Jiang used all the resources he could mobilize.

"There is one thing I still have to report to Lord Zhizhou, in order to prevent the Taiping army from using the buildings under the city to attack the city. We have ordered the soldiers to demolish the houses under the walls and bring their belongings into the city. "After all, Wu Jiang is a civil official, he is the number one in Yong'an, and he is also his boss in name. No matter how arrogant Al Jing'a is, he has to inform Wu Jiang about doing things.

Wu Jiang was still a little uncomfortable when he heard this, he knew the virtue of those soldiers under Al Jing'a, he couldn't fight, but he had first-class methods to disturb the people. said that they moved into the city, I am afraid that it has already entered their pockets. This is a robbery of people's money, how different is this practice from banditry? But he didn't dare to offend Al Jing'a at this time, so he could only lick his face and say: "Extraordinary times are extraordinary means, and the general did the right thing." ”

The two were discussing how to defend against the Taiping army during the banquet, when a soldier came over and reported: "Two lords, the big thing is not good, the brothers on the city wall have found that hundreds of people have appeared on the lookout ridge in the east. ”

This news made Wu Jiang and Al Jinger immediately fidget, and the two no longer had the heart to drink, and came to the city wall east of Yong'an. Looking up, there was indeed a faint movement of the flag of the Taiping Army on the Lookout Ridge. Although the number of people is small, it has already made Arjinga's heart tremble.

"Set fire to the houses, and all the people will withdraw, and all the gates will be blocked." Arjinga was now nervous when he saw the Taiping army, and he couldn't wait to find a turtle shell to hide in. He didn't expect the Taiping army to come so quickly, he abandoned his baggage and fled back day and night, but as soon as he arrived on the front foot, the Taiping army followed on the back foot, and it was less than a day before and after.

Wu Jiang saw that he was so nervous, and he was also uneasy in his heart. He is a civilian official who does not understand military affairs, and he has no bottom in his heart. "General, do you want the brave men to put all their firearms on the city wall?"

"Of course, put it all up, and defend the city with these firearms. Your Excellency, do we have enough food? "Arjinga is planning to hold on for a long time.

"Enough, the grain that just came up is piled up in several warehouses, enough for us to use for a year and a half." Wu Jiang replied. Yong'an does have a lot of grain, it is the golden autumn season, the surrounding villages just handed over the imperial grain, including other places to be transported to the provincial capital Guilin grain is piled up in the warehouse.

The Qing army was very busy in Yong'an City, moving this and that. The Taiping army was also busy setting up camp at Lookout.

The vanguard troops of Luo Xuan and Yang Xiaoshan, who came first, were only 400 people, and the others were left to Xiao Chaogui and others to transport food, artillery and other military supplies. When they first arrived in Yong'an, they did not recklessly lose the city gate, but chose to station at Lookout Ridge, the highest outside the city, and took this strategic place in their hands first.

"This Qing soldier is really stupid, all of them are cowering in the city, how can they defend the city? This lookout ridge is so high that they can directly bombard the city wall by setting up artillery here, and they will lose. Luo Xuan observed the layout of the Qing army's Yong'an city defense and said disdainfully.

"Outline, when are we going to attack the city?" Yang Xiaoshan blinked, as if he had thought of something, and asked deliberately.

"Xiaoshan, this is not in a hurry, we have few people here, and we don't have siege weapons. I asked my subordinates to hurry up to make ladders and other battle equipment, and wait for the large army of Xiao's division to arrive before attacking the city. "Luo's outline idea is still relatively safe.

"What if I'm going to attack the city tonight?" Yang Xiaoshan smiled mysteriously.

"Xiaoshan, this is not a joke, this Yong'an is not an ordinary small county town. You see, there are cannons on the walls of the city, and there are spears that carry them, and the number of them is several times that of us. We'll be thankful that they don't attack, so we'll wait until everything is ready. Luo Xuan hurriedly stopped Yang Xiaoshan, feeling that his idea was too risky.

"I mean the siege, and I didn't say I had to take it, you see." Yang Xiaoshan still decided to try his own strategy, he covered his mouth with his hand, leaned over to Luo Xuan's side, and quietly explained the plan he had just thought of.

After listening to this, Luo Xuan slapped his thigh and praised again and again: "Clever plan, toss and kill these demons." Xiaoshan, you have a really good head, you have come up with this trick. ”

That night, the moonlight was hazy, and from time to time a cloud drifted to block the moonlight. The hill caused the soldiers to beat the drums vigorously, and the horses dragged the stones and rolled against the stone-paved road outside the city, causing a lot of movement. Finally, firecrackers were set off, and the soldiers shouted loudly from the sidelines, making an offensive stance.

Arjinga, who was in charge of the defense of Yong'an City, had already become a frightened bird, mistakenly thinking that the Taiping army was preparing to attack and steal the city at night, and hurriedly ordered his subordinates to fire back with guns and cannons. For a time, the flint on the city wall flashed, and it was extremely lively.

When the guns of the Qing army were great, Xiaoshan let people retreat. When the Qing army was about to die down, Xiaoshan asked his subordinates to repeat their old tricks and feint to attack Yong'an. Back and forth, the soldiers guarding the city were exhausted and half dead, and a lot of gunpowder bows and arrows were wasted. Al Jing'a didn't know it, and thought that he had successfully blocked the Taiping army from attacking the city several times, and was ready to repay the service to Wujiang in Zhizhou.

Luo Xuan admired Xiaoshan's "masterpiece" and couldn't help but admire: "Xiaoshan, you are really a thief." Yong'an's firearms fight one more time, and our chances of winning Yong'an will increase by one more point, how many brothers will have to be sacrificed in the future, you are so smart. ”

Yang Xiaoshan said modestly: "That's because the Qing Demon suffered a big loss from us before, I expected that they were very afraid of us attacking the city, so they used a feint to consume their gunpowder, it's not that I'm smart, it's that the Qing Demon is too stupid." This strategy can only be used once, and if they look at last night's battlefield during the day, they will definitely find out that they have fallen for our plan. ”

Two days later, Xiao Chaogui arrived with a large group of people. Yong'an City was heavily surrounded by the Taiping army, and it was just around the corner.