"Lessons will only be learned after defeat, and the level of official position is not a criterion for judging ability." Zhu Yongxing didn't dare to despise these two people, so he said very seriously, "King Zhao must listen to me, and you can't despise these two people." ”

"Yes, the words of His Highness will be believed by this king." Zhao Wang Bai Wenxuan's face became solemn, paused, and asked: "Your Royal Highness has the intention of entering Sichuan, I don't know if there is a candidate?" ”

Zhu Yongxing was silent, he had weighed it repeatedly, and the most desired candidate was Li Dingguo, the king of Jin. On the one hand, the development of Sichuan is also the meaning of transferring Li Dingguo out of Yunnan Province. It's just that he hasn't tried it yet, and he doesn't know what Li Dingguo thinks, so it's not easy to say.

"King Jin may be the best candidate." Bai Wenxuan saw that Zhu Yongxing was silent, so he continued: "If the King of Jin is unwilling, then it is better to send another army into Sichuan, this king and the King of Jin will work together to contain the Qing army in Yunnan, and they will also do their best to help the army entering Sichuan." ”

Zhu Yongxing thought about it, glanced at Bai Wenxuan meaningfully, nodded with a smile, and said: "King Zhao's words are reasonable, there are two famous generals in Yunnan Province, King Zhao and King Jin, and the army entering Sichuan has no worries, and I can also attack Guangxi with peace of mind." ”

"His Royal Highness is heroic and intelligent, first there was the battle of Tengchong, and then there was the crusade against Annam, and he was able to make Siam good, and won the service of all the local officials in Yunnan Province." Bai Wenxuan suddenly became a little emotional, and looked into the distance far-reaching, "This battle is even more invincible, invincible, and more prestigious." It is even more rare that His Highness is kind-hearted, there is a pension for the dead soldiers, there is support for the disabled, and the people under his rule are also free from the suffering of harsh government——"

Zhu Yongxing's eyes flickered, and he listened quietly, wondering what Bai Wenxuan's praise meant.

"In this way, my former soldiers of the Great Western Army can be cleaned up." Bai Wenxuan let out a sigh and laughed, "Your Highness is temporarily leaving Yunnan Province. The conquest of Guangxi is really the best policy. It would be better if the border between Yunnan and Burma was garrisoned with capable generals to deter the Burmese people from being rude to the Lord. ”

Zhu Yongxing tasted some flavors, and said with a smile and tentatively: "I can trust King Zhao." Don't worry about the copper and iron pass, Mu Bang, or you can change the general to garrison. ”

Bai Wenxuan smiled, stretched out his thumb and gestured, and said: "Your Highness's words, this king will not say more." ”

Zhu Yongxing smiled heartily, Bai Wenxuan was obviously moving closer to himself, what was right-handed, what was terrifying to the Burmese. To put it bluntly, he sent his own cronies to block the news of the small court in Burma, so that the will unfavorable to him would not be transmitted.

Of course, although Zhu Yongxing does not fully trust Bai Wenxuan, he must make a close move, and he can't let people's hot faces stick to a cold ass, not cold.

"King Zhao, I intend to establish a military academy for a long time." Zhu Yongxing sighed: "It's just that the war is complicated, and the armies are far apart. It can only be replaced by a military force. If the battle is over, there should be a period of recuperation. I am ready to officially set up a military academy in Yuanjiang, I don't know what King Zhao wants? ”

"It is good to build a military academy, so that generals at all levels can be taught by His Royal Highness, which is a great plan for a thousand years." Bai Wenxuan agreed without thinking, as if he had already made a decision, but in a joking tone. "Hehe, in this way, this king will not be jealous of the generals under the jurisdiction of His Highness."

"As soon as King Zhao said this, I was relieved." Zhu Yongxing smiled knowingly, what Bai Wenxuan said about the big autumn plan meant something. But if he doesn't say it, he will naturally not defend it.

……………

In the marching procession, Li Dingguo, the king of Jin, and Li Sixing, the prince of the dynasty, were marching side by side.

"Father, the child still has to obey orders in His Highness's army, so you will tell Your Highness, don't manage the child too much, and lose many opportunities to make meritorious achievements." Li Sixing saw that his father sometimes frowned, sometimes stunned, sometimes sighed, I didn't know what Lu Dao was thinking, the young man couldn't bear it, so he said the complaint in his heart.

Li Dingguo, the king of Jin, raised his eyebrows and said lightly: "This is the meaning of His Royal Highness's care." ”

"The child knows the way." Li Sixing sighed a little helplessly and said, "Your Highness is afraid that the child will make a mistake, and it will not be easy to explain it to his father." ”

"Now that you know the way, what are you complaining about?" Li Dingguo shook his horsewhip lightly and said absentmindedly: "I am already a hereditary prince, and I will lose your official title in the future?" ”

"This-" Li Sixing secretly rolled his eyes and defended: "Even if you attack the knight, if you don't have merit in hand, if you don't have a few medals that you can get your hands on, it will be looked down upon, and the child will feel that he can't raise his head." Liu Zhen and Ma Zide are also attacked, but they are still desperately grabbing credit! ”

"Young man-" Li Dingguo, the king of Jin, said casually, and then realized that his son was the same, he couldn't help but glance at Li Sixing, shook his head slightly, paused for a moment, and then smiled with relief, and said: "Wu'er should also earn merit with a knife and a gun, and not be an incompetent person who inherits the shadow of his ancestors." I will tell your Highness that my family will have a place to gallop. ”

"Thank you, Father." Li Sixing laughed heartily and added: "The child will not disgrace his father's reputation." ”

Li Dingguo, the king of Jin, smiled slightly, slowly fell into contemplation again, and after a long time, he asked seemingly casually: "What do you think of His Royal Highness Min?" ”

"His Royal Highness Min-" Li Sixing was stunned for a moment, he didn't know how to answer for a while, he thought for a while, and then said: "Amazing, everything seems to be in his calculations, this Annan, and this Yongchang, Longwei Pass-"

"I'm not asking about marching to war." Li Dingguo waved his hand lightly and pondered for a while before asking more accurately, "I am asking His Highness Min to act as a person and have a temperament. ”

Oh, Li Sixing thought about it again and said, "Benevolence, benevolence." Father, didn't you see that those disabled soldiers and veterans were properly settled in Annam, and the women offered by the Zheng family and the Mo family were also confiscated and assigned to the veterans as wives. His Royal Highness also started to build a martyr's shrine in Annan Furang, hoping to let the martyrs enjoy worship forever. ”

"Annan? Hehe, it will also be the territory of the Ming Dynasty in the future. Li Dingguo laughed twice, smiled again, sighed softly, and said, "Although my father has not seen it, he has heard of it. The land and land have been cashed in Annan, which makes the soldiers under his father quite hot. There are also those local officials, competing to give back. Why? is also tempted by profit, and wants to spread out in Annan and get the land and the people. Fortunately, most of those soldiers were our soldiers of Daxi, and they were properly settled in Annam. It's a good result. ”

"Hey, hey." Li Sixing suddenly laughed twice, and when he saw his father staring at him, he lowered his head and said: "Your Highness once said that in the future, don't mention the Great Western Army, the Great Shun Army, and the Zheng Army, all of which are anti-Qing and anti-riot Ming kings. When this battle is over, they will be given numbers. Since then, it has been called by the number number. ”

"Number? And how is this called? Li Dingguo asked suspiciously.

"I don't know about this." Li Sixing smiled and shook his head to indicate that he didn't know.

Li Dingguo pondered for a long time, and said thoughtfully: "It's okay like this, but it's a good move to eliminate the view of the portal." Although the barriers in my heart are still there, I am far from being able to have the mind and vision of His Royal Highness Min. Since His Royal Highness Min does not take our past as a grievance and treats his soldiers well, why should I be a wicked person in vain? ”

"Father. What are you going to do? Li Sixing asked in surprise.

Li Dingguo, the king of Jin, glanced at his son and shook his head slightly, he would not understand the twists and turns in this. Looking at Zhao Wangbai Wenxuan's speech performance, there is an obvious tendency, should he also express it? I have always been worried that the name of the Great Western Army is not right, and my subordinates will not get good results, but now this worry can be alleviated a lot.

His Royal Highness Min has a righteous name in hand. The martial arts strategy is also admirable, and it is also benevolent. Let's wait and see, for now, let's talk about this battle after it is fought.

……………

The masculinity of Dali is contained in Cangshan, and the softness is hidden in Erhai Lake. Standing on the castle tower, you can see the mountains, the sea and the wilderness. The color of the remnant snow on the top of the mountain has deepened, and the new snow has not yet fallen, and the mountains are majestic. Verdant and full of life. On the sea, mist rises and white sails dot. Under the city, a moat is less than two feet deep. Slowly flowing from west to east, the poplar trees by the river have been glowing golden, as if reminding people that Dali also has golden autumn.

The scenery is picturesque, but it is difficult to solve the fear and boredom of Lu Guisheng, the prefect of Dali. The Ming army continued to march along the main road, set up a village outside the city, and waved flags, pressing a boulder on Lu Guisheng's heart. At Mopan Mountain, this traitor defected to the enemy and reported to Wu Sangui the secret of the ambush set up by Li Dingguo, the king of Jin, so that the Ming army fell short and suffered heavy casualties. With the blood of the Ming army soldiers to stain his crown, Lu Guisheng was awarded the post of prefect of Dali, which can be described as complacent. But he didn't expect that the days of being an official would be so short, and in less than a year, the Ming army counterattacked.

Of course, Lu Guisheng will be shocked and inexplicable, from Yongchang sending people to ask for reinforcements, to the Ming army is about to come to the city, just more than ten days can be described as a sudden change in the situation. Yongchang is a strong city, and it is heavily defended; Xiaguan is dangerous, one husband is closed, and ten thousand people are not open. But it was like paper paste, and the time for the Ming army to march was three or two days, and it was won in one or two days.

It was such an incredible siege and such a rapid advance that the change in the battle situation completely exceeded the expectations of Lu Guisheng and others, and it was even more unprepared and difficult to parry.

The defenders of Dali were only 3,000, and sent 2,000 reinforcements to Yongchang, but they were defeated by the Ming army on the way, and most of them were lost; After the suppression, the town was aided by Erhaiwei (now Xiangyun), but it was defeated at Xiaguan with more than half of the casualties. Yao An's town should still be on the way, but the Ming army has already come in a surge, and it doesn't even give the Qing army time to reorganize the defeated troops and strengthen the city.

The city is broken, and my family and I will die! Lu Guisheng knew that the rebellion and surrender to the Qing Dynasty had been done too thoroughly, and there was no way back. Not to mention that he told Wu Sangui that the ambush of Mopan Mountain of Li Dingguo, the king of Jin, failed; After he was awarded the prefect of Dali, Li Dingguo also sent Wang Yingqi to persuade him to return to justice, but he sent Wu Sangui to be killed. Such a resolute rebellion is naturally hated by Li Dingguo, and there is no reason to forgive.

Alas, Lu Guisheng sighed, pretended to patrol the circle, and then walked down the city. Yongchang, Jiancheng also; Xiaguan, natural risk also. The Ming army can easily break it, this Dali, I'm afraid it's difficult to defend! It's just that as the prefect of Dali, abandoning the city and absconding is also a death. It's better to survive in the dead and persist desperately, maybe you can wait for Yao An's suppression of Qianzhen to help.

The city of Dali is already a piece of chaos, the soldiers are not enough to make up for the people, and the government and the Qing soldiers are forcibly conscripting the city to go to the city to resist the enemy. The doors of the houses and courtyards were violently kicked open, and the people were driven out into the streets, whips and sticks flying, and cries rang out in a ball.

Lu Guisheng was even more depressed in his heart, although he also knew that these people who had not fought were of great use, but one more person in the city would give him more confidence. When he was patrolling the city just now, he saw many Qing soldiers with fear on their faces, and he knew that under the offensive of the Ming army, the morale of the army was already extremely low.

When he arrived at the house, Lu Guisheng's mood did not improve. Although the family members are attentive, they cannot hide their worries and fears. The Ming army came too fast, and there was no time to transfer the family, Lu Guisheng sighed, secretly called his cronies and servants, and explained for a while. The servant took the order and departed.

has been trapped in the city, so he can only make the most difficult arrangements, Lu Guisheng wants to secretly send his wife and children out of the city, hiding in the people's homes, hoping to be spared. But he didn't know that there were already people in the city who were eyeing him and his family, and wanted to use it to make meritorious contributions.

There are many white people in Dali, and many dwellings also have national characteristics. There is a saying: the Bai people are "big tile houses, empty cavities", and the Hakka people are "thatched houses, oil and incense". It means that even if the Bai people cut down on food and clothing, they must build a strong and comfortable house. Even if the guest lives in a simple thatched house, the food is not sloppy, and the thatched house often smells of oil.

Therefore, building a decent house often becomes a major event for the Bai people to spend their whole lives. They pursue spacious and comfortable residences, with families as units as their own courtyards, which should have functions such as lodging, cooking, worshipping ancestors, receiving guests, storing grain, and raising livestock.

In a house full of Bai characteristics, several officials just slammed the door and left. The master hurriedly closed the door and locked it, and turned back to the wing. Gently called twice. A rope was thrown off the beam, and the two came down one after the other, and they were Duan Zhiying and Gao Chongyi.

"Is this Ming army flying, it's too fast, and it almost can't enter the city." Gao Chongyi's face was full of wind and frost and tiredness, and he sat in the chair. Obviously, he was exhausted by the rush of the past few days.

Duan Zhiying is young, and he usually practices martial arts, which is better than Gao Chongyi. He looked at the owner of the room, a thin old man in his fifties. Anxiously asked: "Elder Zhang, the Ming army broke through the city very quickly, we need to step up the arrangement, so as not to miss the opportunity!" ”

The old man nodded, sat in the chair and thought about it, his eyes were half-open and half-closed, and he slowly showed a cynical smile, and said slowly: "It doesn't take too much effort to fish in troubled waters." When the city is in turmoil, more than a dozen people can see the opportunity and it can be done. Or, if you make it bigger and help the Ming army break the city, wouldn't it be more creditable? ”

"Help the Ming army break the city?" Gao Chongyi shook his head with a wry smile and said, "Time has passed, and it is no longer the same. The dynasty pacified Yunnan, and the court was strict with the whites, and the whites were willing to be obedient to the people. Although there are a lot of people in Dali City, most of my white people have not been accustomed to war for hundreds of years, how can they still fight? ”

The eager light in Duan Zhiying's eyes flashed, and he couldn't help but sigh when he thought of the current situation of the white man.

"If you can't fight, you can give advice." Zhang Weihan twisted his beard and said: "The streets and streets of Dali City are flowing water, and every family raises flowers. The water comes from Cangshan, flows eastward through the side ditch of the street in the city, and enters the sea after leaving the city. There are a total of nine water holes in the east and west city walls, all of which are in the open place, and are protected by iron fences, and cannot be entered or exited; However, there is an unexpected hole at a hundred paces in the northeast corner, which has dried up for a long time, and is covered by weeds and thorns, and can crawl through. ”

Duan Zhiying's eyes lit up, then frowned again, and said, "The defense of the city is strict, how to notify the Ming army?" If you sneak out of this hole, I am afraid that the Qing army will notice it and will not succeed. ”

"Hehe, I have my own way of contacting, but it falls on it." Zhang Weihan stretched out his hand and pointed to the patio, where there was a birdcage with two small birds glowing with purple and blue luster.

Of course, Duan Zhiying and Gao Chongyi knew this little bird, it was the messenger of the people's family, and its voice was crisp and loud, and it crowed earlier than the rooster. And it flies very high, and is also known as the "divine bird of the road to heaven". It's just that what this little bird can do, the two of them are still confused.

……………

The ancient city of Dali was built in the fifteenth year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1382 AD), with a radius of 12 miles, the city wall is two zhang five feet high, and two zhang thick. There is a gate in the east, west, north and south, and there are city towers, and there are corner towers at the four corners.

However, after hundreds of years, the ancient city has gone through wars such as Shadingzhou, the entry of the Great Western Army into Yunnan, and the entry of the Qing army into Yunnan, and most of the fortifications of the ancient city have been broken. Although there are ditches in the south and north of the city, the terrain is high in the west and low in the east, the slope is very large, it is difficult to store water, and the water depth in most sections is only one or two feet. The only thing that hindered the Ming army was the dilapidated city wall.

After interrogating the Qing army captives in Xiaguan, Dali's reality has been fully grasped by the Ming army. After the army arrived at the city, they first set up camp in case Yao'an's reinforcements arrived during the siege. Then the artillery surveyed the position, concentrated in the east of the city, and after the sappers tested the soil, they also began to make demolition trucks, preparing to blow open the city gate and capture the city.

"Your Highness, this place is not clay, but sand, and the more you dig it, the more it collapses, and the water will rise in three feet." Wang Xie, the captain of the engineering corps, regretfully reported the results of the inspection to Zhu Yongxing, "The blasting truck is being manufactured smoothly, and six vehicles can be built tomorrow, which is enough to blow up the city gate." ”

Zhu Yongxing was not surprised, nodded with a smile, and said: "There are no more than 3,000 Qing soldiers in the city, as long as the city gate is blown up, their courage will be lost." Well, the engineer corps is going to be expanded into a battalion, and the time has been tight for a few days, and there has been no time to recruit along the way, and it will take a few days to rest and recuperate after capturing Dali, so you should hurry up and do it! ”

"Yes, Your Highness." Wang Xie bowed and retired.

Yao An's suppression of the former town was only 3,000 soldiers, and even if he arrived, he was not the opponent of the Ming army. And the defense of the important town of Chuxiong was empty, and only the Fufu Town of Wuding Mansion was left nearby to mobilize. In this way, the Ming army's feint into Chuxiong will inevitably cause a shock in Kunming, which can more effectively contain the Qing army attacking Yuanjiang. (To be continued......)