Although they took the initiative to withdraw the garrison on the Huangshan Fort, Lin Fengxiang and Wu Ruxiao trapped the Wu Jiajun's attitude was very resolute, and the new camp had just seen the prototype, and the Taiping army had already divided its forces to start digging deep trenches, and the trenches four miles away from the city were still north to the Yangtze River and south to the Henghe, making it clear that Jiangyin City was completely cut off from the land connection with the outside world.

What made Wu Chaoyue and Zhao Liewen very helpless was that the local people of Jiangyin also volunteered to join the work of digging trenches, and the people of Jiangyin, who had been poisoned by the tyranny of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, gathered in groups of three or five, and rushed to the construction site with their own dry food tools to help the Taiping army, which led to the rapid progress of the Taiping army's siege fortifications, and the trench was basically dug in only one day. Then the Taiping army quickly began to build earthen ramparts and sentry posts, and the construction speed was also extremely fast.

During this period, Tai Wenying and Zhao Dezhen and other Qing army civil and military officials did not not suggest that Wu Jun take the initiative to attack and sabotage and obstruct the construction of the Taiping Army. ”

didn't dare to divulge the secret of the serious shortage of ammunition from the army, Wu Chaoyue was speechless, but Zhao Liewen found an excuse and said: "Tai people, it's not that Lord Wu is unwilling to go out of the city, it's that our army came from afar, the soldiers are tired, and they urgently need time to rest. However, please rest assured, when our sergeants rest for a few days, Lord Wu will definitely lead the army out of the city in person. Smash the encirclement of the long hair in one fell swoop! ”

Knowing that Wu Jun Lianyong came to Jiangyin by land, Tai Wenying, Zhao Dezhen and others did not have any suspicions. nodded and accepted Zhao Liewen's explanation, but Zhao Dezhe, the grain station in charge of grain and grass, reminded again: "Lord Wu." With all due respect, it's best to start quickly, the situation of grain and grass in the city is not optimistic. ”

Wu Chaoyue nodded, feeling more and more bored in his heart, Yang Wending, who knew the inside story, understood Wu Chaoyue's thoughts, and also shared some troubles for his future grandson-in-law, so he turned to Mo Zai, the magistrate of Jiangyin, and asked: "Jiangyin County, Jiangyin City." What is the situation of private grain stocks? Can you call on the wealthy families in the city to donate some more grain and grass to help the army? ”

It was Mo Zai's turn to have a sad face, and replied with a sad face: "Lord Futai, it's not that the lower officials are unwilling to do their best, but the rich gentry in Jiangyin City may not be able to take it out." During the previous Jiangyin War, in order to prepare for Lian Yong, the lower officials had already called on them to donate once, and later repelled the long-haired Futai Lord You recruited troops to Zhenjiang to participate in the war, they donated again, this time you go back to Jiangyin to defend the city. In order to recruit and strengthen the defenders, they donated a third time. In more than four months, they donated money and grain three times, and the autumn grain outside the city had not yet had time to be harvested and put into storage, so they were asked to donate it a fourth time. I'm afraid they are also powerless. ”

Yang Wending was disappointed, but he secretly hated his new boss Yiliang for blindly commanding and sabotaging his Jiangyin grain incident. Tai Wenying over there said, "Master Mo." Try again, you can just tell them. If they don't want to donate, we may have to force it! ”

Mo Zai was even more bitter when he heard it. Fortunately, Wu Chaoyue immediately objected and said: "We must not threaten to forcibly levy, we are guarding Jiangyin for the sake of peace and security for the people, not for the sake of harming the people!" And by doing so, isn't it tantamount to telling the longhairs outside the city that we are short of food and grass, and strengthening the longhairs' determination to besiege the city? ”

Mo Zai, who didn't want to be pointed out by Wanfu, hurriedly nodded in agreement, but Tai Wenying and Li Tianchao and other green camp generals didn't think so, and quietly pouted to express disdain, secretly scolding Wu Chaoyue for being a **** archway, and hypocrisy. However, Zhao Liewen was reminded by Wu Chaoyue's words, and hurriedly turned to Wu Chaoyue and said: "Weiting, since you don't want Changmao to find out about our grain and grass situation through clues, then why don't you think of a way to create some illusions, so that Changmao thinks that there is enough grain and grass in Jiangyin City, and that we can't be exhausted by besieging the city and cutting off food, so as to induce Changmao to change tactics and win the enemy-breaking fighter for our army?" ”

Zhao Liewen's words in turn reminded Wu Chaoyue that with the advantage of city defense in hand, Wu Chaoyue was not afraid of the Taiping army's frontal siege of the city, nor was he afraid of the Taiping army's tunnel siege tactics, and he was not afraid of the Taiping army's opportunistic methods to launch a sneak attack. And if you want to crack the clumsy but correct tactics of the Taiping Army, the best way is to induce the Taiping Army to take the initiative to change its strategy, move to expose flaws, and give Wu Jun a chance to practice courage to break the enemy in a battle!

Creating the illusion of sufficient grain and grass is undoubtedly a good way to induce the Taiping army to give up the siege, and it has never been difficult for Wu Chaoyue, who has a bad nature, to cheat and deceive, only after a moment's calculation, Wu Chaoyue immediately said to Yang Wending: "Grandfather, please immediately send someone to buy all the salt in the city, buy as much as you can, and there is nothing left!" ”

"Buy salt? Why? We're not short of salt, are we? Yang Wending asked suspiciously.

Wu Chaoyue didn't want to explain the reason in front of too many people, but just urged Yang Wending to act quickly, Yang Wending had no choice but to immediately order Mo Zai to carry out this matter, and Wu Chaoyue hurriedly said to Mo Zai: "Mo County Order, is there any reliable gentry in Jiangyin City, please come to see me tomorrow." Remember, it must be a reliable gentry. ”

Mo Zai was quite effective, and it didn't take much time to send out the errand to buy out the salt in the large and small shops in Jiangyin City, which naturally caused the price of salt in the city to skyrocket, and the people continued to talk about it, but fortunately, although salt was important, it was never as important as food, so in addition to creating some inconvenience to the people's lives, it did not cause any turmoil. And on the second day, Mo Zai personally led a Jiangyin gentry named Huang Zhisheng to Wu Chaoyue.

Judging from Mo Zai's introduction, this Huang Zhisheng is quite reliable, a landlord and a wealthy family, showing talent and fame, and dreaming of being the champion among the people, during the Taiping army's two attacks on Jiangyin, they robbed his manor outside the city, and he also donated money and grain three times to help the Qing army resist the Taiping army. At the same time, Huang Zhisheng also showed extraordinary admiration for Wu Chaoyue, a Daotai adult, and when he looked at Wu Chaoyue, who was only eighteen years old and became a four-grade Daotai, his eyes were full of stars. It is the ideal person to carry out the special mission of Wu Chaoyue.

made a promise that Huang Zhisheng would help him get things done. On the table, the court gave Huang Zhisheng an official, and in exchange for Huang Zhisheng's overjoyed kowtow to thank him. Wu Chaoyue then ordered: "Huang Xiucai, please go out of the city on behalf of the Jiangyin gentry to meet the long-haired pseudo-prime minister Lin Fengxiang, and say that there is a shortage of grain and grass in Jiangyin City, and the government has forcibly requisitioned grain from the people, and you will soon be out of food and unable to live." Your gentry in Jiangyin have obtained the consent of Mo Xianzun, and you will be the representative to go out of the city to negotiate with Changmao, and ask Lin Fengxiang to allow the innocent people in the city to go out of the city and surrender for the sake of heaven's virtue of good life. Finding your own way ...... survive. ”

"Lord Wu, no!"

Before Wu Chaoyue's words were finished, Mo Zai was already dumbfounded, and Huang Zhisheng categorically refused, and said loudly: "Lord Wu, how can I wait for Confucius and Mencius to surrender to Long Hair?" There is a shortage of food and grass in the city, so I will donate and lose, although Xiaosheng's family is mediocre. But he is also willing to tighten his belt and donate five stones of grain to Wang Shi, ...... no, Xiaosheng is willing to donate another ten stones of grain! ”

Wu Chaoyue laughed when he heard this. smiled and said: "Huang Xiucai, your heart to serve the country is certainly admirable. But how do you not want to think about it, if there is really not enough food in the city. How could I send you to tell Longhair such important news? I did this just to coax Longhair and create a fighter for the imperial army to break through Longhair. Got it? ”

Huang Zhisheng listened to it for a while, and then suddenly came to his senses, clapped his hands and smiled: "Master Wu, a clever plan, the student remembered that there is such a clever plan in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and the loyal ministers of the Yuan family used this trick to deceive the traitor Cao Cao." ”

Clapping his hands and praising him, Huang Zhisheng's face changed again, and said: "But the plan of judging and matching seems to have been discovered by the traitor Cao Cao, and the thief Cao planned and killed many loyal soldiers of the Yuan army...... ”

"The reason why the trial plan failed was because Yuan Shao's army couldn't defeat Cao Thief, but I don't have any problems here." Wu Chaoyue smiled and said: "What I lack now is just a loyal and brave man who dares to go out of the city to deceive me with long hair, Huang Xiucai, I don't know ...... you." ”

"Students are willing to go!" Huang Zhisheng kowtowed without thinking about it and said: "The student and the long-haired don't share the sky, and they are willing to sacrifice their lives and forget their lives, and go out of the city to lure the long-haired people for Lord Daotai, and they must have said that the long-haired pseudo-prime minister agreed to the people in the city to go out of the city and surrender!" ”

Wu Chaoyue was overjoyed when he heard this, first praised Huang Zhisheng for his loyalty to the country, and then pointed out some details of Huang Zhisheng's abduction, and finally handed over the letter written by Zhao Liewen to Huang Zhisheng, and sent someone to immediately send Huang Zhisheng out of the city to contact the Taiping army. As a result, after Huang Zhisheng left, Mo Zaicai said with a pale face: "Lord Wu, Changmao is besieging the city, and there is not enough grain and grass in Jiangyin City, why did you deliberately send someone to tell Changmao about this situation?" ”

"Do you think Longfur will still believe me?" Wu Chaoyue smiled and asked: "When I was in Jiangning, I deceived three times, and Chang Mao was hit three times, is it possible that Long Mao is a fool, and will he believe what I say to them again?" Will you still believe the so-called important military information that I deliberately leaked? ”

Mo Zai finally came to his senses, and hurriedly patted Wu Chaoyue on the back, praising Wu Chaoyue's strategizing and winning thousands of miles away. But Mo Zai was still a little worried, and asked cautiously: "Lord Wu, if Changmao really believes Huang Zhisheng's words, or if Changmao really agrees to let the people in Jiangyin City go out of the city and surrender, then what should I do?" ”

Wu Chaoyue smiled and replied: "If Changmao won't learn a lesson and really believe that there is not enough food and grass in the city, then I will find another way to deceive them again." If Longfur really promised to let the people of the city go out of the city and surrender, that would be even better. ”

After that, Wu Chaoyue added in his heart, "Then I will really let the old and weak women and children go out of the city and surrender, and save food for the army." ”

…………

As Wu Chaoyue expected, the Taiping army, which had suffered countless losses, said that they would no longer dare to believe Wu Chaoyue's words this time, so after Huang Zhisheng came to the Taiping army camp with a letter asking the people to go out of the city and surrender, although Lin Fengxiang personally met him, he immediately became suspicious after reading the letter. Then Lin Fengxiang did not immediately reply to Huang Zhisheng, but just kept Huang Zhisheng in the camp temporarily, and at the same time hurriedly sent someone to Shuizhai to invite Wu Ruxiao to discuss.

Like Lin Fengxiang, after reading the so-called letter of invitation from the people brought by Huang Zhisheng, Wu Ruxiao's first reaction was also absolutely unbelievable, and the second reaction must be a shameless trick to surpass the little demon. Then after a detailed analysis of Wu Chaoyue's intentions, a terrible thought suddenly appeared in Wu Ruxiao's mind, so that Wu Ruxiao couldn't help but blurt out: "Could it be that there is enough grain and grass in the city." Beyond the little demon deliberately strengthened our determination to besiege the city, so he deliberately sent someone to lie to us that there was not enough food and grass in the city? ”

"I'm worried too." Lin Fengxiang nodded. With a gloomy face, he said: "Our army is besieging the city and cutting off the road, although it can cut off the supply of food, grass and ammunition beyond the little demon. But if there is enough food and grass in Jiangyin City, as long as the little demon insists on not fighting and continues for a long time, it will be us who will be dragged down. ”

Wu Ruxiao also nodded, and then said: "But we have repeatedly interrogated the captured Qing Demon captives, and we have also learned about the situation from the local people in Jiangyin, and they all say that the granary in Jiangyin City is very small, and there is not much food to hoard?" Now that the autumn grain has not been harvested, there should be insufficient grain in Jiangyin City? ”

"But they don't know how much food there is in Jiangyin City." Lin Fengxiang reminded.

Wu Ruxiao was silent. After a moment, he said, "Scratch your tongue!" Grab your tongue by all means! Whether the food in Jiangyin City is sufficient, only the people in the city now know, scratch their tongues and ask for confessions, they will definitely be able to find some clues. ”

Lin Fengxiang agreed with Wu Ruxiao's proposal, and said: "Now there is a messenger in our camp who has just come out of the city, and the messenger who delivered the letter has not left yet, but he is the messenger, and it is ...... torture him to extract a confession. ”

"The messenger sent by the transcendent demon still needs to be polite to him? Prime Minister Lin Cheng. How many times has the Transcendence Demon deceived us with the trick of the messenger? When you meet a shameless and treacherous person like him, what kind of benevolence and morality do you need to talk about? ”

Wu Ruxiao's words naturally doomed Huang Xiucai's tragic fate, but don't say it, no matter how coercive and tempting the Taiping soldiers were. Huang Zhisheng, who was tortured to extract a confession, was beaten and bruised all over his body, and he never changed his words, insisting that he had never seen Wu Chaoyue. It's not that he was instructed by Wu Chaoyue to go out of the city to deceive, there is really not enough food in Jiangyin City. He couldn't open the pot in his house for three days. But......

But the more this is the case, the more Lin Fengxiang and Wu Ruxiao don't believe it! They have been deceived by Wu Chaoyue's death more than once. I have long kept the term 'dead' in my heart, so can I continue to suffer? Keep getting fooled?

The pedantic talent Huang Zhisheng's mouth can't be pried open, but other people are easy to pry open, that night, the Taiping army caught a Xiang Yong who ran out of Jiangyin City, and the reason why the Xiang Yong who was forcibly conscripted into the city to help defend was a deserter was very simple - missing his wife and children in Huashu, he also surrendered immediately after being captured by the Taiping Army, and took the initiative to hand over his weapons.

This Xiangyong was naturally treated well by the Taiping Army, and was personally received by Lin Fengxiang's favorite general Ou Zhencai, and returned the favor, and this Xiangyong also truthfully confessed to the Taiping Army what he knew about the situation in the city - the price of grain in the city has indeed risen a lot, but their Xiangyong's food ration has never changed, but the Jiangyin government suddenly began to buy a large amount of salt the day before yesterday, and at the same time, the pickles they ate were also cut by half.

"There is no shortage of food in the city, only a shortage of salt?"

This was Lin Fengxiang and Wu Ruxiao's first reaction after seeing Xiang Yong's confession, but the number of times they had been deceived was too much, and Lin Fengxiang and Wu Ruxiao didn't dare to make a decision no matter how suspicious they were. But fortunately, in the afternoon of the next day, the Taiping soldiers caught a Jiangyin Xiangyong who quietly went down to the city to fish in the Henghe River to improve his food, which once again proved the confession of the previous Xiangyong, Lin Fengxiang and Wu Ruxiao couldn't help but shake again, "Is there really no shortage of food in the city, only salt?" ”

What really dealt a fatal blow to Lin Fengxiang and Wu Ruxiao was that on the night of the second day, the Taiping Army patrol caught a big fish on the road to Changzhou - a messenger sent by Yang Wending, the governor of Jiangsu, to Changzhou to contact Yiliang, the governor of Liangjiang, and also found a letter written by Yang Wending to Yiliang from him! At the same time, the messenger also truthfully confessed, saying that he was not the only messenger who went out of the city to contact Yiliang, and that another messenger also went out of the city and went another way with him to contact Yiliang.

After reading Yang Wending's letter to Yiliang, Lin Fengxiang and Wu Ruxiao suddenly despaired, Yang Wending personally told Yiliang that the food in Jiangyin City can be used for more than five months, but the salt is insufficient, even if the salt is collected all over the people, it is only enough for the soldiers to spend about 30 days at most, so Yang Wending asked Yiliang to find a way to send some salt to Jiangyin as soon as possible to alleviate the urgent need in the city! At the same time, if possible, it is better to send some more gunpowder to Jiangyin.

Although it is not entirely bad news, Lin Fengxiang and Wu Ruxiao are both disappointed, because they are both old people during the Jintian Uprising, and the Qing army at that time also aimed at the weakness of the Taiping army's lack of salt, desperately blocked the salt road, and deliberately did not allow the Qing soldiers to carry too much salt with them, so as not to be captured by the Taiping army. But the Taiping army still gritted its teeth and persevered, boiling soil and boiling salt and eating chili peppers, and the lack of salt in the Qing army in the city was not only far less serious than that of the Taiping army, but also because of the proximity to the salt-producing areas, it was relatively easy to replenish the fine and slight salt, so it was simply wishful thinking to kill the Qing army by cutting off salt!

There was no choice, Lin Fengxiang and Wu Ruxiao could only trap Wu Chaoyue's mind to death, and began to think about other strategies to break the city. Then soon, Wu Ruxiao hesitated and said to Lin Fengxiang: "Prime Minister Lin, otherwise, let's use the old way, send the brothers of the earth camp to dig tunnels to bury gunpowder, blow up the city wall and kill into the city to clean up and surpass the little demon." ”

Lin Fengxiang was far more hesitant than Wu Ruxiao, and said after a long time: "The demon soldiers who surpass the little demon are extremely difficult to deal with, even if they successfully blow up the city wall and enter the city, I'm afraid it will only be a bitter battle." ”

"It's far easier to fight than when you have enough ammo to surpass the little demon." Wu Ruxiao said: "Beyond the little demon is currently short of ammunition, we still have hope of winning if we fight hard, but when the ammunition and foreign guns he bought from foreigners are transported to Shanghai, and the demon soldiers are fully equipped, then if we want to break him, we will definitely only pay ten times the price now!" ”

After hesitating for a moment, Lin Fengxiang finally made up his mind, gritted his teeth and said: "Tell the brothers in the earth camp to do it immediately, and then there is it, do everything you can to consume more ammunition beyond the little demon first!" (To be continued.) )