"See the big handsome!"

"No courtesy, sit down!" Pang Yue motioned for Chen He to sit down, "How is the morale of the officers and men in the Huashan battalion?" Over the past few years, you have had a lot of tasks, but it's not easy! ”

"Don't worry. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 The horizontal and vertical work undertaken by the Info battalion is nothing more than the work of paving roads, building bridges, and building fortifications, which is much easier than the robes of the rest of the battalions that go into battle to kill the enemy. The morale of the soldiers was the same as at the beginning of the expedition, and there was no degradation at all. ”

"That's good!" Pang Yue nodded, "Have you read all the plans that the General Staff Department transferred to you the day before yesterday?" Is the task assigned to the Huashan battalion in the plan clear? ”

"Hui Dashuai, I've already watched it. After that, the general summoned more than 1,000 officers in the battalion and carefully analyzed them, and the tasks were all understood. ”

"According to the meaning of the General Staff Division, if our army can attack the city of Guangzhou this time, it will be the best if we can follow the method of breaking the city that was used in Guangzhou at the beginning. Not only is the time required short, but the casualties of the whole army can be reduced as much as possible. What do you think about this? ”

The method of breaking the city that Pang Yue said was used in Guangzhou was the blasting method. At the beginning, in the face of Guangzhou Xiongcheng, Pang Yue did not order a strong attack, but first let the Huashan battalion carry out earthwork, dig tunnels to the root of the city wall, and then use gunpowder blasting to make a big hole in the north city wall. In this way, the army of Huguang Town was able to take Guangzhou with minimal casualties in a short period of time.

"In fact, before the General Staff Division officially issued the plan, the last general had already considered this matter. Taking advantage of a little free that day, the last general also went to the surrounding area of Jingzhou City to inspect the terrain. But ....."

"But what?"

However, Jingzhou City is adjacent to the Yangtze River, and there are many ditches around the city. The moat is also much wider and deeper than that of Guangzhou. It may not be easy to carry out earthwork here. What's more, our army is not sure now. Whether the Qing captives in Jingzhou City have been informed of the details of our army's attack on Guangzhou, and whether they will take countermeasures to disrupt our army's excavation process. ”

Listening, Pang Yue was thoughtful.

Since he had the experience of attacking Guangzhou last time, he certainly hoped that this successful experience could be replicated this time. According to the landforms around Jingzhou that he had seen with his own eyes, and hearing Chen He say this, he immediately realized that his beautiful idea was about to fail.

This shortcut cannot be taken. Then the city can only be taken by the way of the dignified. Although in the tentative attack the day before yesterday, the battalions of Huguang Town showed a skillful degree of cooperation and sufficient combat power, even if they attacked strongly, they may not be able to break through the city. And so it goes. Casualties will inevitably increase.

"Don't worry about it, although it is not easy to use the blasting method, it does not mean that our army has no way to take the Tartars in the city. The day before yesterday, our troops carried out a tentative offensive. Didn't you also beat the Tartars in a panic? Even if this siege can't take a shortcut to digging tunnels. All the soldiers of the Huashan battalion will also cooperate with the rest of the battalions to take Jingzhou in a dignified way, just like the day before yesterday. Let the Tartars of the city die convincingly. ”

Pang Yue smiled silently, pondered for a while, and then asked Chen He about his views and analysis of the tasks of the Huashan Battalion in the remaining plans. After some inquiry, I have a rough idea in my heart.

"You're well prepared." Pang Yue said, "In the afternoon, our army will launch the first round of attacks, and in a little later, our army will hold another military meeting." Determine the final scenario and assign tasks. I've already sent someone to inform you, so you can wait here for a while. Do some preparation. In this siege, the task shouldered by the Huashan battalion can be described as light and indispensable. When the time comes, above the military discussion, you will definitely be indispensable to speak as an expert. ”

"The handsome man has won the award, but the last general will not dare to be it!" Chen He smiled modestly.

After a while, there were many footsteps outside the tent. The battalion officers of Huguang Town, as well as the main generals of the loyal battalion such as Gao Yigong, arrived one after another to participate in the last formal military meeting before the siege.

......

The war clouds outside Jingzhou are dense, and Wuchang and Hanyang, which are hundreds of miles away, are also overwhelmed by black clouds.

The two cities of Wuchang and Hanyang, which are only separated by a river, have been densely fortified outside the city. Standing at the head of the city and looking around, I saw the red flag waving and the figure was full of people. The bleak and cold murderous aura shrouded it, and it was about to erupt.

Luo Xiujin can be regarded as rich in experience and battle-hardened, but after just watching a few glances, he can't help but feel an indescribable sense of oppression.

Yesterday, the Ming army's naval division defeated the Wuchang naval division on the Yangtze River in the south, and then advanced by land and water to Wuchang and Hanyang. More than 30,000 troops set up camp outside the city and guarded the main road, and the sound of people roaring and neighing came directly into the city, and the morale was self-evident.

On the other hand, the morale of the Qing army in the city was low, and on the previous few military meetings, Zhang Guozhu, Wei Shouzhi and other general soldiers of several towns either did not say a word, were hesitant, or shirked and dodged on the grounds of insufficient preparation. For generals, this is still the case, and the sergeants and soldiers in the army can be imagined.

Although Luo Xiujin was helpless and angry, he could only judge the situation, give up the plan to take the initiative, and ordered the four gates to be closed and the city to be firmly defended.

"These damn Southern Barbarians are really bastards!" After finishing another meaningless military discussion, Luo Xiujin turned back to the study and scolded without caring about decency.

In addition to Luo Xiujin in the study, there was also one of his confidants. Although Luo Xiujin did not name names, and only generalized as a "southern barbarian", this staff member still knew very well who the people who were scolded.

"Damn Southern Barbarians" are nothing more than Zhang Guozhu, Wei Shouzhi and others, although they have shaved their heads and joined them, but compared to Luo Xiujin, a person from Liaoyang and a native of the Han Army, who was inlaid with a blue flag, the Southern Barbarian is still a Southern Barbarian after all.

It is also impossible for Luo Xiujin not to attack. He had seen this kind of passive war avoidance before, but this kind of atmosphere had always belonged to the Ming army. Back then, when he was still a member of the Ming Dynasty, he was tired by the atmosphere of the Ming army, and he was frightened enough, and wanted to change a more down-to-earth way of living, so he took refuge in the most uneducated wild boar skin. Unexpectedly, after more than ten years, he regained the feeling of fear he had back then. What's worse is that now, as a feudal official, he has the responsibility of defending the territory, and the burden on his shoulders is far from being comparable to that when he was a bare-pole scholar.

"Your Excellency?" The staff waited for Luo Xiujin to calm down a little and said tentatively.

"What?"

"Just half an hour ago, a messenger came from the west, bringing a letter from King Zhishun."

"Letters?" A glimmer of light flashed in Luo Xiujin's eyes, but all of them were extinguished in an instant, and the upright body retracted back into the Taishi chair, and said slowly, "King Zhishun sent an envoy to deliver a letter at this time, what good can he do?" Food or soldiers? That's it, the situation has come to this, and the governor is also a lice who is not afraid of itching, and he is a scoundrel, so let's read the letter first. ”

The staff handed over the letter, Luo Xiujin quietly opened it, read it at a glance and ten lines, sighed and threw it on the table: "Won the battle? Not bad. But since he won the battle and had most of the soldiers and horses in Hubei, why did he ask for help from Bendu? He is afraid that he has not yet received the letter of the Governor asking for help. ”

He took a sip of the tea bowl and said with a wry smile: "There is some grain, as long as he can send someone to transport it, Ben Du will not be stingy." As for the soldiers and horses, Wuchang and Hanyang are especially busy taking care of themselves, where is the spare strength to support Jingzhou? ”

The staff read the letter, pondered for a moment, and then persuaded: "Don't worry, adults, the students secretly think that since King Zhishun can win first, it means that the Pang thief's department is not as brave and invincible as rumored. As long as you deal with it carefully, although it is not easy to win, it may not necessarily fall behind. This time, King Zhishun sent an envoy to help, and the wording in the letter did not mean urgency, so it was nothing more than for the sake of safety, and it also showed that the situation around Jingzhou was far from being saved. And now Wuchang and Hanyang are being pressed by the thief army, and they can't draw troops and horses to support Jingzhou, which is the truth. As long as the adults make it clear in their reply, King Zhishun will naturally understand and will not be too reluctant. The duty of an adult is to guard Wuchang and Hanyang without losing it. ”

"What the Governor said, the Governor knows. There is King Zhishun in Jingzhou on the left, even if the governor does not send reinforcements, it will not be possible to go wrong for a while. But now the governor is most worried about Wuchang and Hanyang. Tens of thousands of thieves came to the city, fierce and aggressive. However, the general soldiers of several towns in the city are just the opposite, or panicked, or greedy for life and afraid of death, trying to avoid the war, where is there still the slightest appearance of the court officials and soldiers! When he came to the governor, he also talked about him and repeatedly prevaricated, he was really a bunch of bastards who only knew how to eat and drink! It's really hateful! If you want to rely on them to stick to Wuchang and Hanyang, I'm afraid it's a fool's dream! If it weren't for the right time to employ people, the governor would have to go to the court to punish him severely! ”

"Your Excellency, please calm your anger. Although it is difficult for the general soldiers of Zhang, Wei and other towns in the city to have the determination and courage to fight, after all, there are more than 10,000 troops under their command, and it is still enough to defend the city. Wuchang and Hanyang have been the battles of the soldiers since ancient times, with a significant status, and the city is high and the pool is deep. Although the thief army outside the city claims to be 100,000, it is only 30,000 or 40,000 after all, and they are all the remnants of the thieves, which is really a rabble, so it is not easy to attack? Since all the commanders and gentlemen have said that sticking to it is the best, it is not impossible for the adults to go with the flow and focus on defense. When the thief army has been under the city for a long time and the spirit is gone, our army can launch a counterattack in due course. Besides, didn't the adults already send envoys to Beijing and Jiangxi to ask for reinforcements? As soon as reinforcements arrive, the situation can be reversed. ”

"I hope it can be as Mr. said," Luo Xiujin was still worried, "but the reinforcements of the Beijing division are far from quenching the thirst, and most of the soldiers and horses in Jiangxi are in the hands of Jin Shengheng and Wang Deren. Although the Governor had sent an envoy to ask for help, he did not have much hope. In the final analysis, it is better to rely on others than on oneself, and whether we can hold Wuchang and Hanyang depends on us to save ourselves. ”

At this time, Luo Xiujin was in a hurry, if Wuchang and Hanyang were lost, then he would also become the second feudal official to lose his land after Tong Yangjia since the Manchu Qing Dynasty entered the customs. At that time, what will the imperial court do with him? It must be known that when Tong Yangjia died after the city was broken, the court did not pursue it too much. Can you only follow in their footsteps? (To be continued.) )