On October 25, Tian Geyao handed Xie Niancheng's letter to Liu Sen at Liu Sen's headquarters in Meishan.

Liu Sen is about forty years old this year, how can he bear to receive a letter with such content from a young man? After a few strokes, the letter was crumpled into a ball and thrown to the ground: "Dog, it's too deceitful!" ”

After knowing the news that Chengdu had fallen into the hands of the revolutionary army and that Tian Geyao's troops had been defeated, Liu Sen's first reaction was to strictly block the two news, but within a few days, it still spread among Liu Sen's troops.

This is, of course, a credit to the Secret Service.

There are also rumors in the army: "If you go to the revolutionary army to be a soldier, you will be paid five oceans a month, and your family will be able to share five acres of land!" ’

Liu Sen knows how powerful these rumors are.

On the way from Ya'an to Meishan, in just a few days, the troops fled five or six thousand people.

After arriving in Meishan, Liu Sen had to pull all the troops into Meishan City and send his cronies to guard the four gates, which stopped the momentum of the soldiers fleeing.

Liu Sen didn't think about defecting to the revolutionary army, he got the news from Lianghu and Jiangxi, and after the old warlords over there defected to the revolutionary army, they were basically still guaranteed to lead the troops, and even be promoted. But Xie Niancheng's letter made it clear that even the above officers had to be dismissed, how could Liu Sen be willing to accept it?

Liu Sen instructed the adjutant to serve tea to Tian Geyao, "Lao Tian, tell me how you defeated the battle in Deyang that day?" What is the combat effectiveness of the revolutionary army? ”

Tian Geyao said in a low voice: "Lao Liu, it's not the majesty of the kid surnamed Xie who I grew up, our Sichuan army, and the soldiers brought by the doll, can't fight." ”

"Why. Lao Tzu doesn't believe that their soldiers are heavenly soldiers! ”

"Lao Liu, tell you this. On that day, more than 10,000 people under my command fought the revolutionary army head-on. They were about 10,000 people, and they were able to crush my men with just one cannon and one charge. ”

The combat effectiveness of Tian Geyao's troops, Liu Sen knew in his heart: "Lao Tian, it shouldn't be, what the hell is going on, you are so angry." ”

"They have a lot of guns, a lot of machine guns, and the firepower is too strong, and the soldiers are not afraid of death...... I estimate that they have a total of 100 cannons. There are also hundreds of machine guns! When the charge came, the infantry had bayonets and the cavalry had sabers, and they all came with their heads straight. ”

After hearing this, Liu Sen was silent.

In terms of equipment, his troops were the best in the Sichuan army, and the rifles used by the infantry were all new-style rifles, and each regiment had six heavy machine guns. In addition to the infantry, there was also an artillery regiment equipped with twelve seven-five mountain guns. But if what Tian Geyao said is true, the revolutionary army has hundreds of guns and hundreds of machine guns. I really can't fight.

When Liu Sen was in a dilemma in Meishan, Xie Niancheng led the main force to fight.

The revolutionary army camped in Pengshan, which was more than 30 miles away from Meishan, and left two battalions of Su Xiangzhi and Su Wanyun in Chengdu. In addition, the militia cooperated to guard the troops of Yang E in eastern Sichuan.

October 26. Liu's soldiers found that Meishan City was surrounded.

Liu Sen walked around the city wall. About ten miles outside the city, there were ranks of the revolutionary army in every direction.

"Arrogant, too arrogant, there are only half of my soldiers, and I dare to besiege the city?" Liu Sen sighed all the way along, then turned his head to look at the subordinates who followed behind him, and asked who dared to go out of the city to feel the truth and reality?

Several division commanders behind him were silent, their families were all in Chengdu, and now they don't know if they have fallen into the hands of the revolutionary army, if they are in the hands of the revolutionary army, who would dare to go out to fight the revolutionary army?

Liu Sen was furious, "Liu Tie, you take the spy regiment and the cavalry regiment to knock down the hill outside the West Gate for me!" Senior Commander Li, you follow Liu Tie to fight out. ”

Liu Tie is Liu Sen's nephew, so he naturally took the order to go, and Division Commander Li also went down to the city tower to gather the troops in the somewhat complicated eyes of several other division commanders.

These five regiments can be regarded as the elite of Liu Sen's department.

Things turned out beyond everyone's expectations.

After the cavalry regiment left the city, before it had time to line up, the shells weighing more than 30 pounds of 105-mm howitzers smashed over with a huge whistling sound.

After the grenade exploded, shrapnel flew and dozens of shells fell, and a large number of people and horses fell.

Liu Sen, surrounded by guards, fled off the city wall.

Naturally, the sortie plans of these regiments were canceled.

Back at the headquarters, Liu Sen couldn't believe it.

"Where did the cannon come from? What cannon, can it hit so far? ”

The 105-mm howitzer position of the revolutionary army was ten miles outside the city, and the people in the city were naturally invisible.

There are people in Liu Sen's troops, "Commander, judging from the craters, the caliber of this cannon is at least 100 millimeters, and there should be eight to 12 guns." ”

The officers were silent when they heard this, the revolutionary army has such a large-caliber heavy artillery, and now it is besieging the city, the general situation is not good.

"Commander, the enemy has retreated."

At the forward command post of the revolutionary army ten miles north of the city, Huang Xue reported to Xie Niancheng.

"Okay, order the troops, bring Liu Senbu's family members to the north gate, and tell Xu Geng, as long as the city head dares to shoot, let the artillery shell Meishan City for ten minutes!

Long before boarding the boat on the shore of Dongting Lake, Xie Niancheng called Guangzhou and asked Kong Lingying to send a boat to send the heavy artillery left in Meiling to Chengdu through the guò waterway, Kong Lingying agreed, and as a result, Xie Niancheng came back from fighting Deyang, and the heavy artillery had been pulled to Chengdu, which directly led to the doubling of Xie Bu's combat power.

The 17th Army's 85 field cannons, 105 howitzers, and 120 mortars all had a range of more than 5,000 meters, while Liu Sen's 75 mountain guns had a range of only 3,000 meters.

In the evening of that day, the defenders of the north of the city saw more than 1,000 people coming from afar, all of whom were holding huge signs with the names of officers and soldiers of Liu.

Seeing these people getting closer and closer, the officers defending the city did not dare to make their own decisions, "Hurry up...... Go and report to the commander. ”

Liu Sen and a group of senior officers hurriedly went up to the city wall.

The division commanders picked up the binoculars and looked at them, and immediately someone cried: "My father, my father is inside." ”

Liu Sen's family fled to his hometown in Chongxian, a hundred miles away from Chengdu, and was also arrested by the revolutionary army. Trembling and pitiful. Liu Sen could see clearly in the telescope.

"Despicable! Vile! ”

Liu Sen gritted his teeth but was helpless.

Seeing that the people in the city did not open fire, the soldiers of the revolutionary army, who were mixed with the people, drove the family members on. It was only two hundred meters away that it stopped.

Some soldiers of the revolutionary army picked up the bullhorn and shouted: "Everyone in the city listen, you have been surrounded, and our revolutionary army commander Xie said, 'The Chinese do not fight the Chinese', so Commander Xie will not give everyone a way to live." ”

"You lay down your arms, and the officers above the company may go home at once; Those below the company are willing to join the revolutionary army. We welcome with both hands, and those who do not want to join the army will be given travel expenses to go home. ”

"If you stubbornly resist and continue to oppose the revolutionary army, you will be a counter-revolutionary, Commander Xie said, if you are stubborn to the end, you will destroy the nine clans!"

"Give you three days to think about it, and after three days you don't go out of the city and surrender. We will kill all the families of the counter-revolutionary soldiers, confiscate all their property, and then attack the city! ”

After saying these words, the old men, women, and children of the city. also picked up the microphone and shouted.

"Son, surrender, the revolutionary army counts. In Chengdu, there is no crime in autumn. ”

"Daddy, Daddy, come home......"

"Master. Just listen to the revolutionary army, woo woo woo ......"

There were cries and shouts under the city.

Who has no parents, wives and children?

The officers in the city were silent. None of them gave the order to fire outside the city.

Liu Sen was the first to go down the city.

The officers who returned to the headquarters looked at Liu Sen, whose face was pale, and no one dared to speak.

Chinese people value filial piety the most, and now that their parents are in the hands of others, who dares to say that they will fight out, don't they want their parents' lives?

Someone finally spoke: "The revolutionary army shouldn't kill innocents indiscriminately, right?" Why don't we break through from the south gate at night and go to find Liu Wuguang? ”

"Are you from the Revolutionary Army? How do you know they won't kill? ”

"Take refuge in Liu Wuguang? Xikang is so poor, what did the brothers go to eat? ”

The first bird was robbed of white by his colleagues and was silent.

If it weren't for the harsh conditions for the surrender of the revolutionary army, the officers would have surrendered long ago.

Liu Sen thought about it and decided to negotiate with the revolutionary army to see if he could negotiate better conditions.

The north gate of the city opened, and Liu Sen's younger brother Liu Lin held a white flag and walked towards the position of the revolutionary army.

After receiving Liu Lin, the people in the forward position were directly sent to the military headquarters.

Surprised by Xie Niancheng's youth, Liu Lin bowed: "Commander Xie, I am Liu Shuai's younger brother Liu Lin, and I have come to discuss peace matters." ”

Xie Niancheng said: "You should already know the conditions, right?" Lay down your arms and ensure the personal safety of you and your families, and the integrity of your property in Chengdu and your hometown...... Isn't that enough? ”

Liu Lin said: "If we lay down our weapons, if your army turns its face, who will we talk to?" Besides, the officers of our department are all soldiers, and if they leave the army, they will have no way to live. ”

Xie Niancheng didn't want to waste time: "Liu Lin, you must know that I gave you the opportunity to surrender because I didn't want to touch the blood of my compatriots...... I pledge with the credibility of the revolutionary army that as long as you lay down your arms, you will be guaranteed the safety of your person and property. As for the way out in the future, you officers all have family property, how can there be no way to live? You go back, my conditions will not change a word. ”

"If you don't surrender after three days, exterminate the Nine Clans and confiscate all your property, you will do what I say, send off the guests!"

Hearing the murderous words brought back by Liu Lin, Liu Sen and the officers were really a little helpless.

"What is that surnamed Xie, send a report to Wang Zhongzheng and Jiang Wei, saying that we are willing to participate in the revolution, and ask them to give us a number!"

Liu Sen ordered.

The wording of the replies from several bigwigs of the Socialist Party was different, but the meaning was the same: Xie Niancheng has full authority to deal with the affairs of Sichuan, and if he wants to adapt it, he will find Xie Niancheng. The Socialists are not stupid, and no one will give Kawauchi a few warlords.

After receiving such a callback, Liu Sen and his subordinates were helpless.

On October 29, according to the requirements of the revolutionary army, Liu Sen assembled his team and walked out of the north gate with his bare hands.

Of the more than 30,000 Liu Sen's troops, 26,000 were absorbed by the 17th Army, and the rest who smoked big cigarettes or were in poor physical condition were paid travel expenses and sent home.

The whole army of the 17th Army was concentrated near Chengdu and began to reorganize.

Under the deterrence of the powerful force of the revolutionary army, the local authorities in the territory of the former Liu Sen and Tian Geyao all expressed their obedience to the leadership of the revolutionary army, and the old bureaucrats in various localities voluntarily left their posts and went to Chengdu to be examined or fled with their families, while the police stations and armed forces departments in various localities were established in the shortest possible time and took control of local law and order.

The envoys of Liu Wuguang and others also gave up waiting and waited and prepared to ask to see Xie Niancheng. (To be continued......)