Although the main brigade of Shi Dakai's department and the Hukou elite sent by Lin Qirong did not participate in the battle, nor did they watch the battle at the scene, but just seeing the embarrassed appearance of several absolute elites of the Taiping army such as Ji Qingyuan and Huang Guisheng when they fled back, the soldiers of the Taiping Army were already in an uproar, and at the same time, rumors spread everywhere, and the morale and morale of the army fell wildly. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

The most difficult thing to ride a tiger is, of course, Shi Dakai, who was still vowing to capture Wu Chaoyue alive in the morning, and immediately retreated as soon as he brought the main force across the lake, which must have hurt his morale too much, and also hit his prestige too much, and if he fought according to the original plan, he would be too unclear about the enemy's situation, too risky, and he might have to suffer a big loss if he was not careful.

As a last resort, Shi Dakai could only temporarily adjust his strategy, and adopted a compromise method to pull the main force of the Taiping Army to the east gate of Jiujiang City, and set up a camp in the area of Shenjiacheng, which was convenient for retreat and water, and did not dare to covet the most prosperous and prosperous south gate city outside Jiujiang City, and also took the initiative to abandon the open terrain in the southeast of Jiujiang, which was conducive to siege operations, and only dared to attack the east gate of Jiujiang, which was the poorest and also had complex terrain.

(Note: At that time, neither Lake Baishui nor Lake Biwa in Jiujiang existed, and there was a complex terrain of many low-lying areas outside the East Gate.) ）

It was not until the Taiping army set up camp that the Taiping army sent a very vague and general information, reporting that the Wu army on the lotus hill was a direct army brought by Wu Chaoyue from the Hubei provincial capital, and the leading general was directly Wu Chaoyue's pro-military battalion officer Wu Dadao, who was equipped with foreign guns I don't know, and I don't know what weapons and equipment there are, how many soldiers don't know, how many troops like this don't know, I don't know when it was established, I don't know what battles have been fought before.

"Rubbish! What's the use of such news?! ”

After scolding, he threw the detailed report on the ground in great annoyance, Shi Da opened his face and stopped talking, Zeng Jinqian and Zhang Suimou picked up the detailed report without saying a word, and then Zeng Jinqian said: "The Wing King is eight thousand years old, and our detailed work is not for nothing, at least it has been found out that the demon soldier general on the lotus hill is the pro-military battalion officer Wu Dadao who surpasses the little demon, which is enough to explain a lot of problems." ”

"yes." Zhang Suimou also said: "From ancient times to the present, overseas in the Kingdom of Heaven, every commander of the army must be the best equipped and most well-fed, and such an important position as a pro-military battalion officer will definitely not be easily replaced." ”

"So just because the general of the demon soldiers on the lotus ridge is Wu Dada, we can basically be sure that the demon soldiers on the lotus ridge are likely to be the direct pro-military battalion that surpasses the little demon, so they are qualified to equip the continuous shooting foreign guns."

From this, we can conclude that the number of fast-firing foreign guns in the hands of the Transcendence Demon will definitely not be too much, otherwise, why would the Transcendence Demon use the pro-military battalion to protect his personal safety to guard the Lotus Ridge and cover the transfer of the people on the streets outside Jiujiang City? Wouldn't it be enough to directly send an army of demon soldiers who are also equipped with repeating foreign guns? ”

After careful calculation and found that Zhang Suimou's analysis was reasonable, Shi Dakai nodded, and his face looked a little better, but Zeng Jinqian refused to let Zhang Suimou be beautiful, and added: "Also, we can also see one thing from this, that is, the little demon beyond is not at ease with the other demon soldiers under his command, worried that they will not be able to hold the lotus hill, and give us the opportunity to annihilate his demon soldiers outside the city, so he has to use his own barracks." ”

Hearing this, Shi Dakai's face looked a little better, and his confidence returned to his body, and said: "It makes sense, and it is not impossible to surpass the little demon's pro-military camp, no matter how powerful the continuous shooting foreign guns in their hands are, can they have the power of our artillery?" And can it hit farther than our artillery? ”

Zhang Suimou and Zeng Jinqian nodded yes together, and Shi Dakai suddenly had such a thought, and asked: "Is there any way to temporarily block the pro-soldier camp beyond the little demon from the city so that they can't return to the city, and create an opportunity for us to break through Jiujiang and capture the little demon?" ”

"It's ......." Zeng Jinqian and Zhang Suimou complained bitterly together, and they both said that Yiwang is 8,000 years old, don't you want to embarrass us? The barracks that surpass the little demon pro-barracks are so powerful, how can we stop them from returning to the city? Dig a trench and build a fence to surround it, and the pro-soldiers who surpass the little demon are idiots, can you run away when you see that the situation is wrong?

Fortunately, Shi Dakai is also a person with brains, and he quickly shook his head and said, "Impossible, how important is the pro-military camp?" After covering the transfer of money and food outside the city, the pro-military camp beyond the little demon will definitely return to the city immediately, and we have little chance to stop them outside the city. ”

After that, Shi Dakai took the initiative to say: "Let's discuss how to break the city, beyond the little demon's pro-military camp is so powerful, it may not be possible to capture him alive, but as long as we can break through Jiujiang City, it is not bad to kill the grain, grass and ammunition that the little demon has hoarded in the city." ”

Unconsciously, Shi Dakai had already lowered the difficulty of this Jiujiang War by one level, and he didn't dare to have any extravagant hope of taking the opportunity to kill his old enemy Wu Chaoyue. However, this self-knowledge also relieved the two great strategists Zhang Suimou and Zeng Jinqian, and soon Zhang Suimou said: "Yiwang, if you want to break through Jiujiang City as soon as possible, it is obviously not possible to rely on the ant-attached attack and the crypt siege alone, and the only way should be to follow the example of the little demon and use gunpowder to directly blow open the gate of Jiujiang City." ”

"This trick is a good trick to surpass the little demon, I'm afraid it's very difficult for us to succeed, right?" Shi Dakai frowned and said.

"Under the cover of a crypt siege, you can suddenly blow up the city gates, so you can be more sure." Zhang Suimou said: "Tomorrow, we will first explore the leylines outside the city with great fanfare, find a suitable place to pretend to build a fort, and in fact start digging a tunnel to the bottom of Jiujiang City. ”

Speaking of this, Zhang Suimou paused, and then said: "With the treacherous cunning that surpasses the little demon, we will definitely not be able to hide from his eyes, but this is also our purpose, as long as he believes that we are preparing to attack the city through tunnels, we will definitely take precautions against the city gate, and then we suddenly use gunpowder to blow up the Jiujiang city gate and enter the city, and the success of the certainty can be much greater." ”

After thinking about it carefully for a while, he found that Zhang Suimou's plan was not only certain, but even if he missed, he would definitely lose a lot, Shi Dakai immediately adopted it and said: "Just do it, explore the leylines tomorrow morning, start to build forts and dig tunnels in the afternoon, take the opportunity to secretly prepare for war, and start doing it tomorrow night!" ”

"The Wing King is eight thousand years old, isn't it too urgent to attack the city tomorrow night?" Zeng Jinqian cautiously asked: "Is it better to dig a few days of tunnels, so that the transcendent demon can be completely taken lightly, and at the same time, the siege equipment is fully prepared, and then it is more certain to do it?" ”

After hesitating for a moment, Shi Dakai changed his tone and said: "Then let's do it the night after tomorrow, we can't delay it too much, and we have to prevent it from surpassing the little demon and sending the main force of the Eastern Expedition back to Jiujiang." ”

…………

In the early morning of the next day, after transferring the people and materials and money and food in the most prosperous town outside the south gate of Jiujiang as much as possible, Wu Da Da really withdrew to Jiujiang City with Wu Chaoyue's pro-military camp at the first time, and Shi Da Kaibao did not send troops to intercept - nor did he have the courage to send troops to intercept it, but honestly sent people to explore the leylines outside the east gate of Jiujiang with great fanfare, and forged the illusion of preparing to attack the city with tunnels.

The soil in the Jiujiang area is very thick, and the Taiping Army's earthen battalion officers did not spend much effort to find a place suitable for digging tunnels more than a mile away from the east gate, and after the news was reported to Shi Dakai, Shi Dakai immediately dispatched troops and sent a large number of auxiliaries to build siege forts outside the east gate of Jiujiang, establish anti-artillery fortifications, and take the opportunity to start digging tunnels. At the same time, trees and bamboo forests were cut down, and siege equipment such as flying ladders and trench bridges were built in a hurry, and the established siege plan was implemented step by step.

It's a pity that when Wu Jun meticulously dug tunnels for the Taiping Army and sent them into Jiujiang City, Wu Chaoyue saw through the disguise of the Taiping Army with just one glance, and said with a sneer: "It is also said that Shi Dakai is the most enlightened leader in the long hair, and he can appoint Confucian scribes, and the two staff officers under his command, Zhang Suimou and Zeng Jinqian, are extremely smart and resourceful, and now it seems that it is nothing more than that." ”

"King Zhennan, what's wrong? It's rare to see you so lightly? Staff member Dai Wenjie asked with a smile.

"It's not that they underestimate the enemy, it's that they are purely brainless." Wu Chaoyue sneered and said: "Shi Dakai ventured across Poyang Lake to fight a decisive battle with us, the retreat route is not safe enough, and our main force of the Eastern Expedition and the rear reinforcements may also arrive quickly, you must fight quickly, and you can't waste too much time." Shi Dakai even used the slow tactics of tunnels to siege the city, and a fool could see at a glance that the tunnel siege was fake, and the other siege tactics that covered him were real. ”

"King Zhennan is scolding, but I can't see Shi Dakai's true intentions at a glance." Dai Wenjie smiled bitterly and said: "Except for a genius like you, King Zhennan, I am afraid that there are few people in the world who can see the true intention of Longhair to dig tunnels at a glance. ”

After laughing at himself and patting himself again, Dai Wenjie asked curiously: "King Zhennan, what tactics does Changmao plan to use to attack the city?" ”

"I'm not an immortal, so I can even guess what method Changmao used to attack the city?" Wu Chaoyue smiled, and then said: "But Changmao's intention is very clear, that is, he wants to paralyze us and make us take it lightly, we just need to be vigilant, especially at night, so we don't need to worry about it." ”

Dai Wenjie nodded as if he didn't understand, but Wu Chaoyue held his chin with his fist and calculated, and said in his heart: "If I were Shi Dakai, I would definitely hurry up and attack the city, no matter what, I would try my luck first, of course it would be best to take Jiujiang, and if I can't take it, I can quickly retreat to Hukou to ensure the safety of the main force." ”

"This can't let Shi Dakai get his wish, my troop carriers are all primitive sailboats, and the speed of the ship is easy to be disturbed by the wind and waves, it would be a pity if Shi Dakai slipped away in advance, I have to find a way to stabilize him as much as possible, let him slow down the siege, and delay some more time."

Cheating and abduction has always been Wu Chaoyue's strong point, and soon, another vicious idea quickly brewed in Wu Chaoyue's mind. Then Wu Chaoyue also quickly ordered: "Spread Liu Ming to see me." ”

…………

So, not long after it was dark, a man who claimed to be the secret envoy of the Jiujiang Wu Army miraculously appeared in front of the Taiping Army outside the city, and directly asked to meet Shi Dakai, saying that there was a confidential matter to report to Shi Dakai in person.

When Shi Dakai asked about the envoy's intentions, the envoy of Wu Jun replied respectfully: "Back to Lord Zhang, the villain's name is Duan San, and he is the confidant of Duan Pei, the subordinate general under the command of Liu Mingchuan, who is a registered admiral, and has been ordered by General Duan of my family to submit a secret letter requesting the surrender ....... ”

"Hahahaha!" Before Duan San's words were finished, he was interrupted by Zhang Suimou's laughter, laughing, Zhang Suimou also waved his hand and said, "Come on, push this demon soldier out and cut it." ”

The left and right guards were ordered to step forward to take people, Duan San was of course frightened, and hurriedly struggled and shouted: "Lord Zhang, what crime did the little one commit?" Why kill me? Why kill me? ”

"Why did you want to kill you?" Zhang Suimou laughed and said: "Of course, because of the holy decree of our Wing King's eight thousand years old, the Wing King said, if you are here to ask for surrender, don't ask too much, just cut it with a knife, and then throw your head under Jiujiang City, and ask the Transcendent Little Demon to play less tricks and surrender!" ”

"The adults misunderstood, the small one is not a fraudulent surrender, the small one is really here to surrender!" Duan San hurriedly shouted: "My lord, you can ask King Shiyi to recall carefully, when he first led his troops to fight Wu Chaoyue, did General Duan Pei Duan of my family once serve under his account?" Have you ever met the Stone Wing King? ”

Zhang Suimou listened to this, hurriedly waved his hand to stop the guard, and asked suspiciously: "Your general Duan Pei, once stayed under our Yiwang tent?" Have you ever seen our Wing King 8,000 years old? ”

"Yes, yes, that's it." Duan San nodded again and again, and explained: "At that time, General Duan of my family was confused, and followed his fellow villager Liu Ming to the army of King Shiyi to surrender to him, and gave Wu Chaoyue as an internal response, and met King Shiyi, and also received the benefits of King Shiyi, and he has always remembered it in ....... ”

Still didn't wait for Duan San to finish speaking, Zhang Suimou's face had changed again, and he interrupted Duan San with a hideous expression: "You still have the face to mention that incident back then?" Push it out and chop up this capricious demon soldier and feed it to the dogs! ”

"Spare your life! Spare your life! The villain didn't participate in the events of the year, it has nothing to do with me, it has nothing to do with me! ”

Duan San was even more distraught when he heard it, and his voice begging for mercy was full of crying, but unfortunately Zhang Suimou didn't listen at all, and the guards directly dragged Duan San to the tent door, Duan San was in a hurry, and hurriedly changed his words and shouted: "My lord, Wu Chaoyue knows that it is fake for you to dig tunnels to attack the city, and he also knows that you are going to attack the city by other methods!" ”

"Slow!" Zhang Suimou subconsciously opened his mouth to drink the guard, and asked Duan San, "What did you say?" Beyond the little demon knows that we are digging tunnels to attack the city?! ”

"Yes, yes." Duan San nodded again and again, and said, "Wu Chaoyue, he personally said to our General Duan, it is false that you are digging tunnels to attack the city, and it is true that you are going to use other methods to attack the city." ”

"What's going on?" Zhang Suimou hurriedly asked.

"It's not very clear what the specific situation is." Duan San said with a sad face: "But the little one brought our General Duan's letter, which may be very clear. ”

Zhang Suimou did not hesitate, and immediately asked the guards to search for the letter from Duan San's body, and when he took the letter and looked at it, he saw that the letter was indeed written with the words 'Petition to His Royal Highness the Wing King to be personally revealed', and the inscription was the words 'Duan Pei'.