November 28, Changsha. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

With the continuous loud noise, a "dragon" formed by billowing smoke and dust swayed up from between Xiangchun Gate and Xinghan Gate in the north of Changsha City. In the smoke and dust in the sky, a huge gap loomed.

The cheers of the Qing army outside the city were earth-shattering, and the Ming army at the head of the city was in a panic.

"The city is broken! The walls are all down......" panicked cries rose and fell on the walls, and panic spread like a plague. Some of the officers shouted for bullet press, and their voices were quickly drowned out by the panicked shouts.

The artillery of the Qing army had also caused damage to the city wall before, and at such times, the defenders at the head of the city would organize people to temporarily repair the breach with earth, stone and sandbags and other things, and then repair it overnight after repelling the attack of the Qing army. Today, however, the situation is different, as the walls have been damaged many times before until they finally erupt in full force today. The gap was bigger than ever, and a large section of the wall between the two gates had completely collapsed except for the roots, and I am afraid that it could no longer be filled.

"Now it's okay, I will definitely take this city today!" The position of the Qing army, Geng Zhongming breathed a long sigh of relief, and there was some regret in his tone, "I didn't expect He Tengjiao's old man to be so tough this time, and it took our army a month to take it." Even if you win, it's not glorious to say it. ”

Kong Youde didn't respond to Geng Zhongming's words, but just said lightly: "Yuntai (Geng Zhongming), you personally led the army to the south to outflank, this time you must not let He Tengjiao escape." ”

Geng Zhongming and Kong Youde have been old comrades-in-arms for many years, they were robes when they were in Dongjiang Town, and the two rebelled together in Shandong in the fifth year of Chongzhen. After many years of dealing, they have cultivated a lot of tacit understanding with each other. Hearing Kong Youde's order at this time, Geng Zhongming didn't say anything superfluous, and immediately personally led the cavalry of his headquarters to bypass Changsha City and outflank it to the south.

......

"Lord Governor, the city can't be defended! Withdraw! ”

"Yes, Lord Duxian, it's too late if you don't leave!"

......

One after another generals came to He Tengjiao in a state of embarrassment and hurry, and many of them even had obvious blood stains on their faces, hands and armor. The shouts of killing from the north became more and more intense, and it was clear that the battle line was constantly moving south.

He Tengjiao sat in the lobby, his eyes were a little fluttering, and with endless unwillingness, he muttered to himself: "Why can't you keep it?" He lived up to the grace of God and was in vain for a product to seal the territory......"

In order to defend Changsha this time, He Tengjiao also paid most of his efforts. not only took the lead in taking out most of his savings to reward the whole army, but also often went to the front line to greet the soldiers defending the city. It is precisely because of his persistence that the hearts of the people in the city have not dispersed, and these soldiers and horses who have neglected the battle formation have been able to hold on to this day. Unexpectedly, it still fell short. This strong sense of frustration that tried his best but still couldn't succeed made He Tengjiao deeply shocked, and he couldn't relax for a while.

"What are you still doing? Don't hurry up and protect Lord Governor to retreat south! Dong Ying preemptively took one of He Tengjiao's arms and yelled at the rest of the generals present.

"That's right! Protect the Governor and retreat south! Wang Jincai stepped forward and took He Tengjiao's other arm.

"Bold!" After He Tengjiao came back to his senses, he scolded angrily, wanting to break free, but how could he win the general.

"Protect the Governor and retreat south! Protect the Governor and retreat south! The concerned voices of the generals resounded in the hall one after another, and soon drowned out He Tengjiao's protests and angry denunciations.

......

After the defense line of the Ming army in Changsha along the first line of the northern city wall was broken, the panic and fear that had been accumulated in the hearts of the soldiers of each battalion for many days also broke out in full force like the collapsed city wall, and the combat effectiveness was not as good as that of the Qing army on the opposite side, and they were soon defeated and retreated.

As the vanguard of the Qing army, Hao Xiaozhong's troops did not care about the defeated Ming army that broke and fled in all directions, but went straight to the core of the city - the Huguang Governor's Palace.

After a series of modest battles, more than half an hour later, Hao Xiaozhong's troops occupied the Governor's Palace, which was already empty, and the official documents scattered throughout the palace showed that the master was embarrassed when he retreated.

"Damn, I still let He Tengjiao run away!" Hao Xiaozhong, who failed to get the first credit, slashed at the pillar in the lobby of the Governor's Mansion in frustration.

At this time, the Ming troops who had not had time to rein in the south in various parts of the city surrendered one after another. There are only a few places where there are still some sporadic battles. The streets and alleys of the city were full of panicked and fleeing figures and cries of fear.

The main generals in the city, such as Wang Jincai, the chief soldier of the Changsha army, Dong Ying, the chief soldier of the Dubiao battalion, and Wu Chengzong, the chief soldier of the Fubiao battalion, led their own elite to protect He Tengjiao and other officials before the main force of the Qing army entered the city, and went south from the south gate of the city, breaking through the obstruction of the Qing army's rangers.

But before they could run far, the three thousand elite cavalry of Geng Zhongming's headquarters bit up from the side like hungry wolves, although the number was much smaller than that of the fleeing Ming army, the combat effectiveness was not comparable to these frightened birds. More than 3,000 horsemen stabbed into the waist of the Ming army like a sharp sword, and blood and screams suddenly fell on the front. The Ming army's column, which was not very neat and tight, seemed to have been hit by a huge hammer, and it became even more messy and loose.

Wang Jincai, Dong Ying and others led the army to fight and retreat, but the speed of retreating south slowed down all of a sudden. Under the shroud of panic, many soldiers' psychological defense completely collapsed, and they fled for their lives from the brigade, most of them were killed by the Qing army rangers patrolling the periphery of the battlefield.

The two armies marched south for a mile or twenty, and when they came to an abandoned village, it was already evening. At this time, the follow-up main force of the Qing army led by Kong Youde also caught up, making the battle completely unsuspenseful.

In this last battle, except for Wang Jincai who successfully escaped with a small number of soldiers and horses, Dong Ying, Wu Chengzong and other generals surrendered to the Qing army in a desperate situation. He Tengjiao, Wu Jinxi, Fu Shangrui and other local officials in Huguang of the Ming Dynasty were all captured.

"Sin General Dong Ying, see King Gongshun!"

"Sin General Wu Chengzong, see King Gongshun!"

……

In an open space at the entrance of the village, Dong Ying, Wu Chengzong, and other generals knelt in a large area, from the general army, deputy generals, and staff generals to guerrillas.

Kong Youde didn't look at them, and walked directly to the captured civilian officials who were being held under a big tree. Compared with the generals who took the initiative to kneel, these civil officials maintained the reserve of some scholars and local officials, although most of them were pale with fright, but they still tried to maintain their composure. One of the people wearing a first-grade immortal crane official robe was even more fearless, sitting on a stone steadily, twisting his long beard, and looking at Kong Youde lightly.

"If you are not mistaken, this is Lord He Duxian He, right?" Kong Youde hugged his fists, and his tone was quite polite.

"He Tengjiao, a scholar of the Ming Dynasty and the governor of Huguang, is here, but the former Ming general Kong Youde is here?" He Tengjiao replied lightly and asked rhetorically.

Kong Youde's face changed slightly, but he returned to normal. He was too lazy to fight with He Tengjiao like this, and said, "It's rare that Lord He still remembers Kong." The lord is known as a virtuous name among the southern ministers, and Kong has long heard of and admired him. Today's defeat is not the fault of adults, but the number of pseudo-Ming Qi has been exhausted. Up to now, I hope that adults can recognize the current affairs, conform to the way of heaven, and submit to my Qing Dynasty. In this way, the adults will be able to continue to benefit the people of Li in the future, and will not let the hard work and ambitions of the past be wasted. ”

He Tengjiao laughed, and after laughing, he said: "Let's not talk about Huayi's distinction, let's talk about the good and evil of human nature, what Jiannu has done since the end of Wanli and the rebellion, which one is not similar to a beast and arouses the anger of people and gods?" He Mou lost his land today and was already incompetent, if he succumbed to the captivity in order to survive for a few days, wouldn't there be another shamelessness on top of his incompetence? General Kong Shen doesn't need to say more, why is he old and decayed, and he can't recognize the kind of current affairs that General Kong Shen knows! ”

This mouthful of "General Kong Shen" heard the murderous intent in Kong Youde's eyes, and He Tengjiao still looked at him lightly.

Looking at each other for a moment, Kong Youde couldn't help but sigh secretly in his heart. He has been on the battlefield for a long time and has read countless people, whether the person in front of him is really meaningless or fake, he can see it at a glance. And today, He Tengjiao is afraid that he is determined to die.

"He has decided to die, and I hope that Kong Shen will be fulfilled!" He Tengjiao stood up, a long beard fluttered messily in the wind, and his thin figure looked sad and lonely, revealing a kind of determination.

Kong Youde was silent for a moment, did not continue to persuade him to surrender, asked his soldiers to find a piece of white silk, and said: "Since this is the case, then Kong has no choice but to fulfill Master He." However, Kong Mou has always respected scholars and is unwilling to use swords and axes, so how about sending Lord He on the road in this way? ”

"Why not? Do it! He Tengjiao smiled indifferently.

Before the execution, He Tengjiao first kowtowed three times in the direction of Hengzhou, the capital of Xingdu, and then looked to the east, sighed three times "It's a pity", and then calmly went to death.

…………

After occupying Changsha, Kong Youde left a part of his troops to garrison here, and the main force of the army only rested for one night and then rushed straight to Hengzhou without stopping.

The 3,000 elite cavalry led by the general officer of the left wing under Kong Youde, the national security officer, had arrived at the city of Hengzhou more than 20 days ago. The Ming army in Hengzhou did not go out of the city to engage in large-scale field battles with it, but only closed the city gates and held on.

There is no way to break the city, but it is not in a hurry. Because he learned from the sentinels who arrived earlier that Emperor Longwu had not fled and was still in the city. Not long after, he really saw Emperor Longwu's banner of the Son of Heaven appear at the head of the city, and everywhere he went, he ushered in bursts of cheers like waves. In addition, Line Guoan also saw the flags of the Changde General Army and the Dian Battalion General Army, and it was obvious that these two troops had arrived in Hengzhou before him.

In the following 20 days, Emperor Longwu and the Ming army in Hengzhou City did not break through, and there were no relevant attempts, and it seemed that they were determined to defend to the death. However, this also happened to fulfill the wish of the line Guoan, as long as Emperor Longwu was dragged in Hengzhou and waited for the main force led by Kong Youde to arrive, he would be considered to have successfully completed the task.

On this day, Line Guoan received a report from Tangma that came from the north overnight, saying that Kong Youde had taken Changsha and would probably arrive at the city of Hengzhou in the last two days. Xian Guoan was immediately overjoyed, and in this way, the first merit of capturing Emperor Longwu was probably indispensable to his head. However, before he could rejoice for long, there was an urgent report from Tanma that night, saying that a large number of Ming troops had been found in the south and were rushing towards Hengzhou.