From the Western Jin Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty for more than 1,600 years, Zhongxiang (now Jingmen area) has been the county, state and government seat of successive dynasties. Because it is the hometown of Emperor Jiajing of Ming Shizong, Ming Shizong was born and raised here, and the name of Yuci County is "Zhong Xiang", which means "Zhong Ju Xiangrui". In the tenth year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty (1531 AD), the imperial Chengtian Mansion was one of the three famous mansions in the country at that time (Shuntianfu - now Beijing, Yingtianfu - now Nanjing, Chengtianfu - now Zhongxiang), which was once the economic and cultural center of Jianghan and Huguang.

The initial attack was aided by intelligence work, and it was also an unpreparedness to fight the Qing army, and the progress of the Shuo army can be described as smooth. However, after the soldiers commanded Zhong Xiang, although the speed of the march was still very fast, the connection between the various departments was tight, and the long-range and short-range scouts and horses came and went to reconnoitre, and the cautious attitude was revealed.

As they got closer to Zhongxiang, the advance of the Ming army began to slow down, and the number of scouts sent became more frequent. Until the soldiers occupied the two counties and towns bloodlessly, they still did not see the shadow of the Qing army. Not only that, but the yamen and the treasury were also empty, the officials ran away, and there were very few things.

"Give up the county town and gather troops to defend the capital city?" Liu Tichun and others had this suspicion, but they didn't dare to be so sure.

When the Ming army inquired from house to house, finally a pro-Ming common man secretly pointed out and found a county official hiding at home. From his mouth, he finally asked what was going on.

"It's simple, if you break Zhongxiang, you will have all of them, and the surrounding states and counties will be emptied, so if you don't go, you won't be able to divide the troops."

As soon as this kind of discussion came out, it was immediately approved by the vast majority of people. In this expedition, attacking the city and plundering land is not the main purpose, but robbing the population and materials to strengthen oneself is the long-term plan.

"The defense in Zhongxiang City has been strengthened, and there may be reinforcements from elsewhere." Chief of Staff Wang Yougong still calmly analyzed, "It is not okay to patronize the siege city." There must also be reinforcements and reinforcements. ”

"If it is a waterway, the Qing army of Wuchang can go north from the Han River; If it is by land, only the Qing army in Jingzhou can reach it the fastest. Liu Tichun ordered people to spread out the map and began to discuss with the generals.

"According to the time, the Qing army in Jingzhou should not have arrived yet." Hao Shaoqi stretched out his hand and roughly measured it, and said, "It's the first attack on the city." Or do you want to send reinforcements first, or do you want to block reinforcements while attacking the city? The waterways should also be guarded against, and if the troops are divided into two parts, I am afraid that the siege force will not be enough. ”

"If you set up a barrier to the shipwreck downstream of Zhongxiang, you may be able to delay for some time." Yang Laijia, as the commander of the temporarily formed naval division, knew that the current force was difficult to fight, so he cautiously proposed to build a deterrent plan.

"Is it here?" Wang Yougong carefully looked at the bend of the Han River on Yang Laijia's finger, and said thoughtfully: "What if my army changes the direction of the siege-" His hand swept past Zhong Xiang and stopped to the south of Zhong Xiang. "The whole army is gathered here to block the reinforcement road of the Qing army in Jingzhou, and it can echo with the sailor division to resist the enemy coming from the water."

Everyone fell into deep thought, and none of them expressed their stance on this mentions.

"Feasible." Hao Shaoqi slapped his thigh and said: "The whole army is assembled, if the enemy reinforcements arrive, they can be blocked or annihilated first according to the situation; If enemy reinforcements do not arrive. and besieged the city with all their might. The river here is narrow and narrow, and the sailors set up obstacles. Army artillery can also make it difficult to advance. ”

If you still follow the direction of attack from north to south, if you are unfavorable, you will retreat, which is naturally the least risky, and the city is not much sure because of the uncertainty of the Qing army's reinforcements; Go around to the south of Zhongxiang. Completely blocked the Qing army's reinforcements, the whole army can be divided or united, and can be fought or blocked, but if it is unfavorable and retreats, it is obvious that it will not be so satisfactory.

The stakes are not small. But compared with Zhong Xiang's big fat - Liu Tichun thought about it for a long time, and under the aggressive gaze of the generals, he gritted his teeth and made a decision.

…………….

The detour of the Shuo army appeared to be very cautious, but the generals of the Ming army found that the defenders of Zhongxiang had no intention of going out of the city to attack, and-

"The gates are blocked?" Liu Tichun was surprised.

Kneeling in front of the generals was a Qing soldier captured by the Ming army scouts, although the city gate was blocked, but the Qing army defending the city would not protect this situation. They hid some men and horses outside the city, so that they could spread the news to the outside world, and they could also send people out of the city to report the situation in the city to Wuchang and Jingzhou.

After confirming it again, Liu Tichun waved his hand and ordered the soldiers to escort the prisoners away, and then smiled at the generals, "Zhang Changgeng, the dog officer, doesn't know soldiers at all, but he commands blindly. ”

"A guy with a dissatisfied, half-bottle dangling." Hao Shaoqi sneered: "Well, I should have read the book of soldiers, but unfortunately I haven't really fought." Those who know how to fight will not do this, and the city gate is certainly the focus of the battle between the two armies, but it also has its usefulness. ”

"In this way, our army can dig tunnels without worrying about the enemy defending the city and attacking, and we don't have to worry about the enemy and reinforcements in the city." Wang Yougong sneered and said: "This is really a place of self-destruction, we have left a way for the enemy to live, but none of them want to run." ”

…………

"Don't you know, Lord Governor, that it is a mistake to block the gates?" General Zhong Xiang looked at the Ming army outside the city very depressed, changed from cautious to fearless, drove past the city, and set up camp in the south of the city.

The adjutant general did not have much combat experience, although he felt that the main general was correct, but this was the order of the governor, under the supervision and supervision of the prefect in the city, and according to Zhang Changgeng's temperament, even if he won the battle, the end of disobeying the order would be miserable.

"Be careful, sir!" The adjutant carefully reminded him, "Even if the Governor's order is inappropriate, it is not something you can disobey. The prefect is already at odds with you, if you are caught and sued in front of the governor, what can you do? ”

The guard sighed softly, paused for a long time, and said faintly: "Perhaps the rebel general made the governor have to make this strategy to block the city gate, but it also stopped some people from opening the city to meet the enemy. It's just—well, forget it, let's concentrate on defending the city, and the rest, let's wait for reinforcements to arrive! ”

"Do you want to send someone out of the city to send the latest information to the reinforcements?" The adjutant general tentatively built a yì road.

"Wait for the enemy to drive over, and then observe and observe." The defenders were still somewhat uncertain about the Ming army's intentions, and the whole army was attacking the city; or to monitor the city, and divide troops to attack reinforcements; Or is it a deliberate illusion that is followed by action?

"The enemy army is not besieging the city, so the troops may not be enough, right?" The adjutant general watched from afar, estimating the number of Ming troops.

"If it is a normal attack and defense, the enemy army really does not have much advantage in numbers. Not to mention the siege. The guard was both an explanation and a teaching, and he still valued this subordinate very much, "but the city gate was blocked, which made the enemy have a lot less to worry about." Not to mention leaving too many troops outside the city gates. ”

Under normal circumstances, the attacking side's remaining troops at the gates of the city need to prevent the defenders from going out of the city to counterattack, so they need to have strong strength. If the number of troops is not several times that of the city, it will not be possible to completely surround the city. If there is a forcible encirclement and internal and external communication is cut off, the forces will inevitably be very dispersed. This will expose the weak points and be attacked by the defenders of the city.

………………

The purpose of the Ming army was to conquer Zhongxiang and take all the money and materials in the city. Therefore, the siege was not made. Letting go of some deserters will not have much impact. However, Zhong Xiang blocked the city gate, but unexpectedly gave the Ming army the actual effect of besieging the city.

Annular moats surrounded the city gates; blocking the river and draining the moat, rendering the moat ineffective; Chop down trees and build scaffolding, and make ladders...... Under the smoke screen of intense siege preparations, the engineering units began to quietly dig into the tunnels. Because it is close to the river and lake, the tunnel is dug and supported to prevent landslides from hurting people.

After constant combat drills. For the selection of the location of the excavation tunnel, how to dewater and drain the water. How to construct under various soil conditions, the moisture-proof sealing of gunpowder, and several ways of detonation, the engineers of the Ming army have very rich experience.

So, although the military campaign did not carry heavy artillery, most of the cities had to be captured. Tunnel blasting is still assured. This is also indispensable to the credit of the intelligence department, as well as the information provided by the thirteen soldiers who fought here.

The meticulous and comprehensive work of the staff group also benefited the generals of the Shuo Army, who realized that in terms of operations, the rise of the Ming Army in the southwest was not accidental. They are indeed advanced and unique in formulating plans and commanding military affairs. Although their methods of warfare are not all outdated, some of them are indeed no longer suitable for the current army, especially those equipped with flintlock pistols and bayonets.

If you don't accept it, you can't learn it. Many generals realized that the establishment of military academies was not simply to win over the hearts of the people and divide their original mountaineering. The gap does exist, and this has to be admitted. If, after all weapons and equipment are equipped with new weapons, the combat methods and command routines remain the original tradition, it will be inevitable that the position will be replaced by others.

"Fujian Province has been completely recovered." Yang Laijia sat on the boat and sighed at Hong Fu: "I don't know when I will be able to go back?" ”

"It's not the time to go back." Hong Fu looked disapproving, "The water master is no worse than the Zheng family, where is our place?" Here, there is a shortage of water war talents, and even if you retire and return to your hometown to farm and fish, it is not comparable to ordinary people. ”

"You know the rules of the army?" Yang Laijia scolded with a smile: "Still farming and fishing, is there any interest?" ”

"Hey, hey." Hong Fu smiled and said, "Then sell some strength, let's get a prince or something, it's majestic and decent enough!" ”

"Do you still want to be a prince? Well, that's a big deal. Yang Laijia kicked Hong Fu with a smile and a smile, and his face suddenly became gloomy, "This Tartar is really not a thing, get us to the hinterland, and we can't smell the smell of the sea." I also made a coastal relocation, and some relatives came all the way to join me, telling me about the tragic things over there, and the family was ruined! ”

Hong Fu sighed, "Who says it's not!" Do you have relatives and friends who are suffering? If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have rebelled - no, the guts of the anyway! ”

"This move should be the right move." Yang Laijia thought about it and said: "The Zheng family is in turmoil, so it is inevitable to kill some people. The prince didn't learn anything else, but the old prince's killing decision made him learn everything. Well, this is also a tradition of the Zheng family. Every time you change your family, it is a group of people who fall to the ground. ”

"It's not like it used to be." Hong Fu sneered: "The Ming army occupies Fujian Province, can those Fujian soldiers of the Zheng family have the heart to return to their homeland?" If he dares to kill, others will dare to run. His Royal Highness Min is a responsible master, when Lao Wang was alive, the Marquis of Zhongyong dared to take him in, not to mention that now it is Zheng Jing, a hairy boy? ”

"Well, that's it." Yang Laijia nodded in agreement, "This is the best of the other, His Royal Highness Min has the righteousness of the court, and the Zheng family is afraid that it will fall." ”

"With an opponent like His Royal Highness Min, both the Tartars and the Zheng family are enough." Hong Fu pursed his lips and said, "Look at it, at most a year, the south of this river will be all the world of the Ming army." Even that Wu Sangui is afraid that he will surrender anyway. Well. Of the three Han family princes, he is the only one left, right? ”

"Wu Sangui, hehe, the smuggled tea has gone to Henan." Yang Laijia smiled and said, "You guy, you have received a lot of benefits from the tea merchants, right?" ”

"Raising a family, no way." Hong Fu smiled and spread his hands. "You don't know about this, Tong Guoyao doesn't know about it, the court is all open and closed, fooling around with money and food, as long as Wu Sangui doesn't help each other, he dares to do it against the court?"

"People's hearts are scattered, and this day is going to change!" Yang Laijia lay down on the boat, raised his eyes and looked at the sky, as if smiling.

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The heart has changed, the sky has changed!

It was not only the anti-Qing beacon fire that burned south of the river. illuminated the hearts of the people who missed the Ming Dynasty, and the Han officials who were originally attached to the Manchu Qing and served for them also began to turn against each other. Yang Laijia and Hong Fu were just one of them, and the Guangxi general Sun Yanling was forced by the Ming army to change his banner anyway, which shook the Qing court even more.

On September 21 of the sixteenth year of Yongli (the first year of Kangxi), Sun Yanling took his family and received Zhu Yongxing's edict and left Guilin. Rushed to Nanning to take up his post. The Syrian Gong Ma Weixing led the army into Guilin and began an intense reorganization training. The army was thus completely organized. However, the three divisions were stationed in Guilin, Hezhou, and Shaoguan, and could not be assembled and dispatched for the time being.

On September 26 of the sixteenth year of Yongli (the first year of Kangxi), perhaps when the Qing court received an urgent report of Sun Yanling's rebellion, Li Sixing, the son of the Jin dynasty, led the expeditionary army from Shao Wu's oath to attack Jiangxi, and broke Jianchang (Jiangxi Nancheng) in a battle. Bing Feng pointed directly at Fuzhou, an important place known as "leading the rivers and lakes and controlling Fujian and Guangdong".

Fuzhou is also known as "the far suburbs of Nanchang and the close neighbors of Fujian and Taiwan", and if it is not coded, Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi Province, will face a direct threat. At that time, the Qing army in Jiangxi was in Ganzhou, and the other was reinforcing Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and the troops in the province were quite empty. Dong Weiguo, the governor of Jiangxi, hurriedly asked the imperial court to send troops to rescue. and urgently dispatched troops from Yuanzhou, Ji'an and other places to the provincial capital to help defend.

In order to plan for the westward movement of the Shuo army, Ma Bao, the king of Wei, ordered the general soldiers Wang Sancai and Yan Weilong to go out of the water pass and feint to attack Wenzhou. The sailors also launched an attack on the coastal areas of Zhejiang, so that Zhejiang officials hurriedly exclaimed: Ninghai, Xiangshan, Xinchang, and Yuhang counties "thieves are swarming and competing to attach themselves to the enemy."

At that time, Jiangsu and Zhejiang had the most Qing troops, but the Ming army in Fujian Province took a feint to contain the situation, and the coastal areas of Jiangsu and Zhejiang were frequently attacked and disturbed, and they were almost completely trapped. In the face of the offensive turn of the Ming army, the Qing army in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Zhejiang could only do limited support and response. Counselor Military Escort Commander Sang Ji and Deputy Commander Xi Bu led an army of 15,000 troops from Quzhou, Zhejiang, to the south to reinforce Fuzhou.

However, the well-prepared expeditionary army let the enemy know what it means to attack and plunder like the wind, report back and forth, reorganize the men and horses, and rush to reinforcements, and these times were enough for the expeditionary army to achieve the first battle plan of entering Jiangxi.

Broke Fuzhou in three days, and two days later attacked Raozhou (now Shangrao area), connected Dongshan, Yujiang (now Yingtan area) and other counties, and built fortifications in the Hengfeng area to meet the Quzhou Qing army that went south; The main force advanced along Wannian and Leping to Qamdo (now Jingdezhen).

……………

The door was slammed open, and several soldiers entered, raising their eyebrows and waiting for the commander's orders.

"General Zhao, the prince wants to see you, please come with me!" Wu Sangui's bodyguard Zhang Jianpi didn't smile, stepped forward and hurriedly arched his hand.

With a sigh, Zhao Liangdong put down the book in his hand, got up and straightened his clothes, and walked out of the house. The sun was dazzling, and he squinted his eyes for a moment, then slowly widened his eyes, stretched his arms, and said comfortably: "The weather is good, it's a good day on the road." ”

Hehe, Zhang Jian sneered twice, stretched out his hand and signaled, "Since General Zhao understands people, then please!" ”

Zhao Liangdong smiled lightly, and said as he walked: "What did the pseudo-sect do again?" The prince is in a hurry to buy it with a certain family's head, something must have happened, right? ”

"It's okay to sue you." Zhang Jianman said indifferently: "Guangxi Sun Yanling is righteous anyway, Guilin has been occupied by the Ming army; The land of Jingxiang was plundered by thirteen families, and five cities have been connected; The Ming army entered Jiangxi from Fujian, and even broke Fuzhou and Raozhou; The Ming army's naval division was fierce, and the coastal areas of Jiangsu and Zhejiang were in an emergency. ”

Zhao Liangdong's footsteps paused, frowned, he had been detained for a long time, and the news was not clear, but Zhang Jian's account still shocked him.

"The pseudo-sect chamber fruit is very human, Nanming is immortal, and this person is also descended from the sky!" Zhao Liangdong sighed and shook his head again and again, and then said with a smile: "Sun Yanling has surrendered, and the Ming army in Yunnan Province and Gui Province has become a flanking attack, no wonder the prince is in a hurry!" Haha, it is a great honor for a certain family to be able to please the pseudo-clan with the head of a certain family! ”

"Daniel Zhang, Wang Jinbao, and you, are the people who the Min clan will want to get rid of quickly." Zhang Jian rolled his eyes and said disdainfully: "If you repent now, you can still save your life." The prince can send you to Guangzhou, and life and death are decided by His Royal Highness. ”

"Repentance?" Zhao Liangdong suddenly showed a mocking smile, turned his head and said to Zhang Jian: "Then has the prince repented?" First descended to the rebellion, then to the Qing army, and then to the Southern Ming, what is the taste of these three family slaves? ”

"Fart! It's really shameless, tie me up and beat me. Zhang Jian was furious, and with a wave of his hand, several powerful soldiers rushed up, knocked Zhao Liangdong to the ground, and tied him with ropes.

"Haha, haha......" Zhao Liangdong was beaten and his face was covered in blood, but he still kept laughing, and scolded foul language, "Wu Sangui, don't you have the face to come to see me?" For the sake of Chen Yuanyuan's bitch, you sold the Zhu family, what now, do you want to give your wife, daughter, and granddaughter to the pseudo-clan to flatter and curry favor......."

"Gagged, shut his dog." Zhang Jian was furious, kicked Zhao Liangdong in the face fiercely, and ordered the soldiers to plug Zhao Liangdong's mouth and drag him away.

............. (To be continued......)