In terms of the situation of the local battlefield alone, the Qing army in Nanchang is actually very sure that it will be able to continue to hold on, even if it is destined to be difficult to protect the city, drag the Jiangxi Wu army for a period of time, and let the Jiangxi Wu army pay a certain price in the siege war, there is absolutely no problem. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

There are two reasons, first of all, Nanchang was once the main battlefield of the long-term tug-of-war between the Qing army and the Taiping army, not only there was a lot of grain and grass, but also the Qing army was heavily stationed, and the city defense facilities were also reinforced and improved several times, and a large number of strong fortifications were built outside the city, which stifled the large and small roads outside the city and various key points, even if it could not be defended, it could force the Wu army to uproot these peripheral fortifications one by one, and then they could launch siege operations.

The second important reason is that the preparation of the Wu army in Jiangxi is not sufficient, and the Wu army Liu Mingchuan and Wang Guocai, who hastily withdrew from the Dongxiang area, cannot even guarantee a stable supply of grain and grass, not only to give priority to attacking Fuzhou, Fengcheng and other places to seize grain and grass, but also to intercept the Qing army that rushed to Nanchang from the southwest of Jiangxi to reinforce the Qing army, and it is simply impossible to attack Nanchang with all its strength within a certain period of time, and it is naturally difficult to form a fatal threat to the well-defended Nanchang.

On the local battlefield, the Nanchang Qing army can still hold out for a while, but from the overall battlefield, the Nanchang Qing army is already a grasshopper after the autumn, and it is destined to not be able to jump for a few days. Unless a miracle occurs, it is only a matter of time before Nanchang City is breached by the Wu army, and there is no hope that the salted fish will turn over.

The situation is indeed destined to be so, the Jiangxi Wu army and the Taiping army joined forces to hold the line of Jiujiang and Hukou, blocking the northern line of the Jiangxi Qing army, the main force of the Wu army in Huguang blocked the west, and the main force of the Taiping army blocked the east, and the Qing army of Liangguang in the south was not only insufficient in strength, but also threatened by the Wu army and the Taiping army, and there was no way or strength to help the Qing army in Jiangxi. If the Qing army in Nanchang wants to protect itself, the only hope is the other Qing army teams in Jiangxi Province.

Jiangxi Ma Xiuru did a certain death struggle, and the Jiangxi Qing army in Ji'an, Yuanzhou and Ganzhou also rushed to Nanchang for reinforcements, but they were all killed and retreated by the Wu army as soon as they approached Nanchang, and had to flee in embarrassment. The Jiangxi Wu army, which continued to recruit rebels and strengthen its strength, also took the surrender of troops as the vanguard, successively captured the two cities of Jianchang and De'an, dredged the land grain route, laid a solid foundation for the long-term siege of Nanchang Jiancheng, and completely shattered Ma Xiuru's dream of relying on the Qing army in the province to save himself.

After the Wu army and the Taiping army turned the enemy into friends, the Jiangxi Wu army not only no longer had to worry too much about the back stab from the Taiping army, but could concentrate all its efforts to give priority to dealing with the stubborn Nanchang Qing army, and the Wu army's grain fleet could also send grain, grass and ammunition to the Nanchang front line through Poyang Lake and the Ganjiang River waterway, and the Jiangxi Wu army did not even need to forcibly attack the city.

The food in Nanchang City is quite sufficient, but no matter how much food there is in the city, it is a bite to eat less, and the two provinces of Huguang and Guangzhou have been known as Huguang as early as the Ming Dynasty, and the world is full, which will not have the burden of grain. Not to mention the erudite and talented Ma Xiuru, even an ordinary Qing soldier understands this truth.

It is precisely because he knows that Nanchang will sooner or later fall into the clutches of the Wu army, and no matter how desperate he struggles, he is doomed to be hopeless, Ma Xiuru, who is loyal to the Manchu court, took over the secret edict issued by the empress dowager of the two palaces and the devil six and others, and according to the arrangement of the devil six and others, sent a secret envoy to Hukou to contact the Taiping army, and took the initiative to request that Nanchang City be dedicated to the Taiping army against his will, and he was also ready to dedicate Nanchang City to the Taiping army without playing any tricks.

However, even so, even if he acted under the secret edict, Ma Xiuru still did not dare to make this matter public, because Ma Xiuru knew very well that once the gentry, soldiers and civilians in the city knew that they were going to dedicate Nanchang City to the Taiping army, the city would definitely be turned upside down immediately, and the scolding was everywhere.

Because the Taiping army killed the rich and helped the poor, won the support of the poor people, and lost the heart of the gentry and landlords; And the banner of the Wu army was not only brazen to the extreme Qing monarch's side, but also never blindly killed big households and fought landlords to please the poor people. The lesser of two evils, the landlords and gentry who fled from all over Jiangxi to the provincial capital for refuge naturally made a smart choice.

"The two Queen Mothers, the six princes, you really roasted Weichen on the stove!"

Lamenting this heartfelt sentence, Ma Xiuru also secretly instructed several henchmen who knew the inside story early on, asking them to open the east gate that was not attacked by the enemy as soon as the Taiping army entered the city, and let the officials and gentry in the city who were unwilling to surrender to the Taiping army escape from the city. At the same time, Ma Xiuru also kept an extra eye, and hid the secret edict written by the devil six himself in a safe place that only his son knew, so as not to turn their faces and deny people in the future, cross the river and tear down the bridge to detain all the black pots on their heads, and then affect their children and grandchildren.

After making these arrangements, Ma Xiuru no longer paid much attention to the affairs of the city, and sat and pondered every day, waiting for the Taiping army to come to receive Nanchang. Fortunately, because of the continuous fighting, the Wu army also temporarily slowed down the attack on Nanchang, and the patience was only to pull out the Qing army fortifications outside Nanchang City one by one, and the sharpening of knives and chopping woodmen gradually swept away the barriers outside the city, but it was also cheaper Ma Xiuru was able to wait quietly.

In the middle of the night of April 26, when the third watch was halfway through, Chen Qian, a confidant of Ma Xiuru guarding the Nanchang Waterway Gate, suddenly sent someone to send an urgent report, saying that a fleet suddenly appeared in the lower reaches of the Ganjiang River, heading directly to Nanchang, and at the same time, the camp of the Wu Army Kingdom Caibu stationed outside the north gate also had abnormal movements, and it seemed that it was in a hurry. Ma Xiuru didn't dare to slack off when he heard the news, and hurriedly led his own soldiers to hurry to the waterway gate to check the situation.

The mysterious fleet came quickly, Ma Xiuru had just boarded the waterway gate, and the fleet, which was mostly composed of civilian ships, had already entered the field of vision of the waterway gate defenders, and also lit a large number of torches to let the Qing army see their appearance clearly, but raised the monocular to see only one glance, and Ma Xiuru immediately saw that the flag hoisted by the fleet was indeed the military flag of the Taiping army.

I must have never dreamed that the Taiping Army Navy Division would suddenly come to Nanchang, and the Wu Army Kingdom Talent Department stationed in the north of Nanchang City certainly didn't have time to set up any obstacles such as water fences and iron cables to prevent the Taiping Army fleet from approaching the Nanchang Water Gate, and the Taiping Army fleet, which was almost unarmed, also took the opportunity to drive directly to the Nanchang Waterway Gate, and shouted loudly for the first member of the general, "Listen to the people in the city, go and tell your governor Ma Xiuru that our Taiping Heavenly Kingdom army is coming!" ”

"Tell Ma Xiuru that this official is Zhong Tingsheng, a general under Wei Jun and Wei Guozong, who was invited to receive Nanchang on the order of Wei Guozong! As long as you keep your promise and surrender in Kaesong, no matter who is in Nanchang City, you can live or leave voluntarily, we will not kill a single person, and we will never rob you of your money and food! Fast! ”

"Quick! The demon soldiers who surpass the little demon are coming, and it will be too late if they don't open the door! Tell Ma Xiuru that if he doesn't keep his word and tricks us into running for nothing, we will immediately help surpass the little demon and attack the city! When the time comes, Nanchang City will be broken, and all the consequences will be borne by you! Open the gates! ”

The eyes of everyone in the waterway gate were focused on Ma Xiuru's face, and many of them who didn't know were shocked and incredulous, Ma Xiuru lost a lot of weight, and two lines of tears slowly flowed on his cheeks, and he choked up for a long time before he barely said a word, "Open...... Gate, let them in. ”

"Lord Futai!" Chen Qian, a confidant general, was the first to kneel down to Ma Xiuru on both knees, and said with a crying voice: "Lord Futai, we can't open the city, we can't surrender, we can still fight, we swear to live and die with Nanchang City!" ”

"It's useless." Ma Xiuru shook his head painfully, choked and said: "Wu thieves are besieging the city, we have no reinforcements, and the food in the city can't last long, rather than letting you die in vain, it is better to open the city and surrender to Changmao and save your lives." Also let ....... ”

Choked up and said this, Ma Xiuru finally couldn't help crying, and said against his will: "Let Nanchang City do its best for the Qing Dynasty, and play the most critical ......and effective role in the future of my Qing Dynasty, ...... the most critical and effective role ......." ”

"Lord Futai, but can we still fight?"

Many Qing soldiers cried like Chen Qian, but Ma Xiuru shook his head even more painfully, crying: "Don't say it again, open the city gate!" Open the waterway door! This is the order of this governor! Also ......, my last order! ”

It is also thanks to the fact that the Qing troops guarding the waterway gate are all Ma Xiuru's Fu Biao, who is the most loyal to Ma Xiuru and receives the most favor from Ma Xiuru, so Ma Xiuru's order was implemented. Unable to resist Ma Xiuru's insistence, Chen Qian could only cry and rush to the subordinates who controlled the gate to order, asking his subordinates to turn the winch to lift the iron fence of the water gate, and the Qing soldiers who controlled the winch were also in tears, crying and turning the winch with difficulty, and pulling up the iron fence under the water gate little by little............

The Taiping army on the water under the city was obviously a group of greedy people who were afraid of death, even if the water gate had been pulled up, they did not rush into the city, but sent two small boats to check the situation first, and after confirming that there was no ambush in the city, Zhong Tingsheng, who commanded the army, waved his hand and let the boat full of Taiping soldiers rush into the city. At the same time, the Wu Army's Kingdom Talent Division, which had left the camp in a hurry, had just finished assembling outside the camp and was hurrying south......

The cheers of the Taiping soldiers who successfully landed on the land in the city gradually sounded under the city, and the screams of fusion were gradually heard in the city of Nanchang, and Ma Xiuru, who successfully lured the wolf into the house, burst into tears. After hesitating for a moment, Ma Xiuru trembled and took out a fold, handed it to Zhao Shouqian, a confidant he brought from the governor's yamen, and took out a small medicine bottle from his arms, and finally said to Zhao Shouqian: "Ke Li, that's my widow, please, no matter what you think, you must send it to the capital." ”

"Dong On, what are you going to do?!"

Zhao Shouqian exclaimed, found that the situation was not good and quickly wanted to stop it, but it was too late, Ma Xiuru had quickly pulled out the cork of the medicine bottle in his hand, poured all the arsenic in the bottle into his mouth, and swallowed the arsenic in his mouth before Zhao Shouqian and Chen Qian stopped it. Chen Qian, Zhao Shouqian and other cronies couldn't stop it, so they could only kneel down in front of Ma Xiuru and cry loudly, but Ma Xiuru said with tears in his eyes: "Leave me alone, if you want to go, leave quickly, you just need to remember that I dedicated Nanchang to Changmao in order to be loyal to the emperor." ”

"Lord Futai-!"

Zhao Shouqian, Chen Qian and others cried heartbreakingly, but Ma Xiuru had a calm face, just staring blankly at the city, waiting for the moment when he died of poison. However, looking at it, Ma Xiuru gradually opened his mouth, because Ma Xiuru suddenly found that after the Taiping army that entered the city from the Shuidao Gate landed, it was directly towards the Fuzhou Gate to the south......

The strong dizziness effect caused by arsenic poisoning made Ma Xiuru couldn't help but stumble, and after barely holding Chen Qian's shoulders to stand firm, before losing consciousness forever, Ma Xiuru's heart flashed the last thought of his life, "What are you doing with long hair?" If you don't come to me to take over the city, what are you going to Fuzhou Gate for? ”

"There is a Wu thief outside the Fuzhou Gate!"

If Ma Xiuru could hold on for a while, he would have been able to know the answer and understand the reason, but unfortunately, Ma Xiuru would never have heard this scream.

…………

Although the wind and water brought great difficulties to the Taiping Army's sailors to go up the river, under the great temptation of seizing a provincial city, the Taiping Army's sailors led by Zhu Changchun still crossed the Qiaoshe Town north of Nanchang at the beginning of the fourth watch, ensuring that the Taiping Army's sailors could rush to Nanchang at dawn. As a result, it was also at this time that the Taiping Army's sailors finally encountered the first Wu army's river patrol boat.

"Brother of the rebel army, don't get me wrong, we are the Taiping Army, the Taiping Army that has turned enemies into friends with you! We were ordered by Wei Guozong to bring the army to help you fight Nanchang! We are not here to fight you, you can see clearly, except for the soldiers, we have no artillery for water warfare on our ships! ”

According to Wei Jun's prior instructions, Zhu Changchun personally came forward to negotiate with Wu Jun's scouts and shouted out these words. However, Zhu Changchun was greatly surprised by the Wu army scout's smiling answer - the Wu army scout actually shouted with a smile: "Brother of the Taiping Army, thank you for your kindness!" But no need, we have already taken Nanchang City! ”

"Nanchang has already been taken?" Zhu Changchun was dumbfounded, and subconsciously shouted and asked, "When did you take Nanchang City?" ”

"Just tonight!" The Wu army scout replied loudly: "But our General Wang and General Xiao said that you came so far to help us fight Nanchang, we have to thank you no matter what, they have prepared a banquet in the camp, and I will thank you in person when you arrive!" ”

"Really?" Zhu Changchun asked in surprise.

"What are you lying to you for? If you don't believe me, you can go to Nanchang now to see if we have already taken the city? Did I prepare wine and dinner for you to thank you? ”

Of course, Zhu Changchun would not believe the nonsense of the Wu army scouts, and he gritted his teeth and ordered to continue to advance, but because he found out from the tone of the Wu army scouts that the Wu army was definitely prepared, Zhu Changchun, who had just reconciled with the Wu army, of course did not dare to rush forward rashly, and cautiously ordered the fleet to be cautious and slow, and retain physical strength to prevent accidents, so when the Taiping army sailors arrived at Nanchang City, the time was already early in the morning of the next day.

Of course, it was also at this time that Zhu Changchun discovered that the Wu army scouts he had met near Qiaoshe Town before were indeed not fooling him, and the Wu army had indeed entered Nanchang City from the Fuzhou Gate, the south gate of Nanchang, although some sporadic gunfire could still be heard in the city, but the Wu Army flag had already been planted on the Nanchang city wall. At the same time, Wang Guocai, the general of the Wu army, who was waiting outside the north gate of Nanchang with his army, really sent an envoy to invite Zhu Changchun to the camp for a banquet.

I also have to praise Zhu Changchun's courage, after receiving Wang Guocai's kind invitation, Zhu Changchun, who was puzzled, in order to find out the truth and reasons, despite the repeated opposition of his subordinates, gritted his teeth and landed in front of the Wu army's position, and sat and drank with Wang Guocai in front of the two armies. And then don't say it, after introducing each other's identities, Wang Guocai said excitedly: "Zhu Changchun? I've heard your name! In fact, the two of us should have fought again, that time you had already entered Wuchang City, and I stupidly entered the city to fight Snake Mountain, as if I was fighting with you. ”

"General Wang has a good memory, yes, that time the two of us fought a battle in Snake Mountain, in my impression, the general you are in the Qing Demon ......, I'm sorry, I said it's smooth." Realizing that he had slipped his mouth, Zhu Changchun hurriedly apologized, and then said again: "In my impression, General, you are the best in the Green Battalion. ”

"What if you can fight again? You were kicked out of the city that time? Wang Guocai sighed, then raised his glass and said: "Brother Zhu, don't mention the past, now our friends, come, have a drink, without your help this time, we really don't know when we will be able to take Nanchang City this time." Thank you so much, I remember this favor! If I have the chance, brother, I will definitely double it back! ”

After touching a cup with Wang Guocai in great confusion, Zhu Changchun asked tentatively: "Brother Wang, you said that we helped you take Nanchang City?" How can we help? Before our army arrived, you had already taken Nanchang City? ”

Wang Guocai smiled, and wanted to smile reservedly, but he couldn't help laughing out loud and said: "Brother Zhu, if we didn't know that Ma Xiuru's miscellaneous people wanted to dedicate Nanchang City to you, and took the opportunity to send someone to pretend to be your fleet, would it be so easy to deceive the waterway gate of Nanchang?" And then can you take Nanchang City? ”

"You're pretending to be our fleet to trick you into opening the gates?"

Zhu Changchun was taken aback, and after seeing Wang Guocai nodding with a smile, Zhu Changchun hurriedly asked again: "How do you know that the Qing Demon is going to dedicate Nanchang to us?" ”

"Of course, we Jiujiang have heard it carefully." Wang Guocai shrugged his shoulders and said with a smile: "You escorted Ma Xiuru's envoy to the Dharma field to be beheaded, that miscellaneous person is greedy for life and afraid of death, and keeps shouting on the road that he is going to sacrifice Nanchang City, and our meticulous work is not deaf and blind, can we not hear such important news?" ”

Zhu Changchun was completely dumbfounded, and Wang Guocai said with a smile again: "Originally, we couldn't believe that there would be such a thing, but when our meticulous work saw that miscellaneous piece being escorted into your Chinese army camp, our brother Liu in Jiujiang immediately became suspicious, and while strengthening the reconnaissance of you, he sent someone to warn us." Later, when I heard that you were going to send a sailor to send military supplies to Anren, Brother Liu immediately knew that this matter could not be faked, so he quickly gave us an idea to pretend to be you to deceive and open the city gate, and specially sent some civilian ships from Nankang Mansion to us for backup, so that we could transport more soldiers into the city. ”

With a bang, the wine glass in Zhu Changchun's hand fell to the ground, and Wang Guocai also smiled even more happily, while asking people to change the cup for Zhu Changchun, he personally filled Zhu Changchun with wine, and said with a smile: "Brother Zhu, you Wei Guozong really can't use his brains, and I don't want to think about how we can believe that you will send someone from Hukou to send military supplies to Anren?" The neighboring city of Raozhou is in your hands, what military supplies does Anren need will not be transported from Raozhou Mansion, why do you spend so much effort to send it from Hukou? Isn't this clearly telling us that you are coming to receive Nanchang, and by the way, telling you when you are ready to start? ”

If it weren't for Wei Jun's strict order not to allow Zhu Changchun to fire the first shot before leaving, Zhu Changchun would really want to pounce and strangle Wang Guocai to death! However, Wang Guocai still refused to give up, and asked someone to take out a copy of "Yu Shi Mingyan" compiled by Feng Menglong in the Ming Dynasty and hand it to Zhu Changchun, and said with a smile: "By the way, Brother Zhu, this book is given to Wei Guozong, please read the twenty-fifth volume of this book carefully, and he will be able to understand why Ma Xiuru, the traitor, dedicated Nanchang to you." ”

"Volume twenty-five? What was said above? Zhu Changchun, who was illiterate, asked vigilantly.

Wang Guocai finally put away his smile, rarely showed a serious appearance, and replied: "The name of the volume is Yan Pingzhong's two peaches killing three soldiers, and it tells the story of three fools who died for two peaches, Ma Xiuru just wants to treat Nanchang as a peach and lure you and my two armies to continue the war." ”