As the spies returned one by one, a more comprehensive message was returned.

Hong Chengchou led the remnants of the 160,000 army and was heading towards Anqing City.

In Anqing Mansion, Zheng Chenggong summoned Chen Yonghua, He Wenxing, Wang Wenqi, Wan Li, Zhou Quanbin, Huang Ting and other major generals to discuss the war.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Zheng Chenggong spoke: "Hong Chengchou's heart is not dead, and he is now leading an army of 160,000 to kill Anqing. Changru, how many soldiers and horses does our army have, and how much ammunition, bows and arrows, etc. are left? ”

Wang Zhongxiao heard that he was busy and said: "Back to the general, Anqing originally left 5,000 soldiers and horses, and our army returned 22,674 people before, but more than 6,000 of them were seriously injured, more than 2,500 people can recover after a period of recuperation, and the rest ......."

Wang Zhongxiao did not continue, Zheng Chenggong felt a pain in his heart, and nodded silently.

"Our army now has 21,000 men capable of fighting. In the previous battle with the Qing army, there were more than 100 Shenwei generals who could not be used because of the continuous firing for a long time, and there were only a dozen artillery pieces left. The situation with muskets was similar. Bows and arrows are better, and our army is more proud of its inventory of bows and arrows because more and more people use muskets. ”

Hearing Wang Zhongxiao's announcement, Gu Chaojian stood up and said: "General, Anqing has few soldiers and horses, not many guards, and the Qing army still has more than 100,000 soldiers and horses. Xia Guan thought that it was the best policy for the general to return to Nanjing and gather troops and horses to rescue Anqing. ”

Wang Wenqi, Huang Ting and other generals said in unison: "Please also ask the general to leave early, and the last general is willing to defend Anqing and wait for the general's rescue." ”

What does it mean to go back to Nanjing to gather soldiers and horses?

Gan Hui is leading an army of 50,000 to attack Jianghuai, and now he has conquered Yangzhou, Yancheng and other places.

It's okay that I didn't attack at first, but now you tell me how to give up, and how will the people in Yangzhou, Yancheng and other places think of me.

Now Gan Hui can't be recruited back, not only can he not retreat, but he must also take advantage of the fact that the Qing army is gathered here and try his best to capture the city, so as not to waste my previous mistakes and reduce losses.

Soldiers and horses need to be left behind in other places, and the only one who can dispatch is the sailor.

However, the best thing for the sailors is to fight at sea, and when they are called to fight on land, they are simply attacking the enemy's strengths with their own shortcomings.

What's more, sailor training is not as easy as a land soldier.

Just like the army has expanded from 20,000 soldiers and horses to more than 200,000 now, but the sailor division has only expanded to 70,000 from 40,000 to Zheng Cai.

Whether it is modern or ancient, it is very expensive to accompany a qualified sailor.

There are no soldiers and horses to rescue, and I went back to Nanjing, but it was a nice saying, but in fact, I was told to escape.

When Zheng Chenggong heard the generals say this, he slapped the table angrily, "Now Anqing is in danger, but you told me to flee without permission." Do you want Anqing, what do other soldiers think, and what face will I have to command the army again? ”

"General, the situation is critical now, and if anything happens to you, there will be no one to lead a large army to resist the Tartars. Please put the big picture first. ”

"Please take the overall situation first!"

Zheng Chenggong knew that the generals were for their own good, and they were also sincerely thinking about the whole army, so he said in a soothing tone: "Anqing is the gateway to Anhui, Anqing is not guaranteed, not only is Anhui in danger, I am afraid that even the Nanjing and other places that were conquered before will be unstable, so the blood shed by the soldiers before will be in vain." Anqing is bound to defend to the death, so there is no need to mention the matter of leaving the city, I swear to live and die with Anqing, and I hope that the generals will help. ”

"The Great General"

Seeing that the generals had to persuade again, Zheng Chenggong waved his hand and said, "There is no need to say any more, Wang Zhongxiao and Chen Yonghua stayed." Everything else goes down and prepares. The Qing army will soon attack the city. ”

Knowing that the general had made up his mind, the generals didn't know that they couldn't persuade him, so they retreated and gathered the soldiers to go to the city to prepare to defend the city.

The generals went down, and Zheng Chenggong said to Wang Zhongxiao: "Changru, summon the young and strong people in the city to help defend the city." Now that we don't have many firearms left, you should send more people to collect oil and gold juice. At the same time, he demolished all the houses near the four gates, and brought me the stone bricks to the city. Now that the situation is urgent, I can't take care of it so much. You post an announcement, all the losses, after the war, my Zheng Jiajun will compensate them. ”

"Yes, General!" Wang Zhongxiao hurriedly went to gather the young man.

"Fufu, wait a minute, I will write you the formula of gunpowder, and you will send someone to find all the materials for gunpowder and find a hidden place to mix it. It was too late to manufacture artillery and muskets, and the blacksmiths of Anqing could not make qualified ones. You make more grenades to defend the city. Zheng Chenggong said.

The black powder formula developed by Zheng Chenggong called Song Yingxing and Feng Chengshi has always been a secret of the highest level.

All gunpowder was synthesized on Kinmen Island and then transported to various places to make grenades, artillery shells and other firearms.

Even when Zheng Chenggong's troops and horses were at their most urgent, he did not mobilize the 3,000 sailors stationed in Kinmen.

"Yes, the lower officials must make proper arrangements." Chen Yonghua said.

As the orders were delivered, various instruments were carried up to the city.

Two hours later, the Qing army reached Anqing City.

Zheng Chenggong sent Wang Zhongxiao to be responsible for organizing the people and equipment to defend the city, He Wenxing and Huang Ting guarded the west gate, and Wanli defended the north gate of Anqing City; Zhou Quanbin guarded the south gate, Wang Xiuqi guarded the east gate, and Zheng Chenggong himself stationed at the west gate to supervise the battle.

Looking at the confined city gate, Hong Chengchou ordered Ao Bai to lead more than 10,000 cavalry to run back and forth outside Anqing City, and at the same time ordered the soldiers to recruit the guards in the city.

"Don't kill the city, don't surrender, slaughter the city when the city is broken!"

Seeing the Qing army arrogantly boasting outside the city, Zheng Chenggong was originally worried that the soldiers would suffer heavy losses and low morale because of the previous bloody battle.

What Zheng Chenggong didn't expect was that the soldiers of the Zheng family army at the head of the city did not show a trace of fear.

After a bloody battle, Zheng Jiajun became more calm.

Seeing that the soldiers of the Zheng family army were so calm, Zheng Chenggong was relieved.

No noise! No nervousness! No fear!

Zheng Jiajun quietly watched the shouting of the Qing army outside the city.

Hong Chengchou stood in front of the Qing army, and saw rows of Zheng Jiajun standing at the head of Anqing City, but there was no sound.

It's scary.

Hong Chengchou poured a word from the bottom of his heart that frightened him - immobile as a mountain!

Zheng Jiajun is now like a calm volcano, seemingly calm and harmless, once it erupts, the hot magma will kill people.

Ao Bai ran back and forth in front of the city many times, and the soldiers with loud voices shouted surrender, scolded and ridiculed the streets two hundred meters in front of the city, but the city did not react at all.

Let Ao Bai feel like a circus monkey, like a fool.

Seeing that it was useless to provoke the generals, Hong Chengchou summoned Ao Bai back, and then waved his hand, "Siege!" (To be continued.) )