Now, the Ming army is more prosperous, and as long as the supply of ammunition and materials is sufficient, it is a decisive force...... It can not only block the river, making it difficult for the Qing army to cross the river to attack southward, but also board the 6th to cooperate with the 6th Army on the march, and the artillery on the ship can provide strong fire support for the 6th Army.

Leaning back comfortably in the chair, Zhu Yongxing breathed a sigh of relief, the war has reached this point, the Ming army has completely grasped the strategic initiative, the Qing army is fighting fires everywhere, and the soldiers and horses are transferred around, but it is already difficult to save the defeat. Moreover, Jingzhou is important, but it has a fatal weakness if it can be used well......

"Your Highness." Duan Wan'er, dressed in a female official's uniform, appeared at the door of the temporary staff headquarters, bowed down and saluted: "The gentry and all the beings have gathered in the Temple of Literature, I wonder if Your Highness will have time?" ”

Zhu Yongxing shook his head helplessly, got up and explained a few words to the staff officers, and said to Duan Wan'er: "Wait for the orphan to change his clothes, and then go to the Confucian Temple." ”

"Yes, my subordinates are changing clothes for His Highness." Duan Wan'er bowed and saluted.

The Temple of Literature, sitting in the Minglun Hall, was the only way to attract the gentry at that time. After three repetitions in Hunan, there is still a strong anti-Qing atmosphere in society, which is related to the fact that the remnants of the gentry in Huguang are still strict in their resistance for a while.

During the Changsha Shogunate, Hong Chengchou used the gentry as a breakthrough and carried out a quite effective strategy of appeasement. Many gentry were passive and avoided the world and no longer participated in anti-Qing activities; There were also many people who entered the shogunate and undertook various strategic tasks, not only directly weakening and disintegrating the organic forces of the anti-Qing forces, but also using their bodies as a watchhorse for the ordinary people in society, and striking a blow to the mass base on which the anti-Qing forces depended for their survival.

Zhu Yongxing's gesture of paying homage to the Confucian Temple in Xiangtan, Changsha, and Yuezhou was to regain the hearts of the people in Hunan and enable the ruling forces to penetrate deep into Hunan. Moreover, many of the Hunan gentry are also related to the Huguang Green Battalion generals, who are still part of the Qing army. Winning them can also play a role in disintegrating, dividing, and winning over the generals of the Huguang Green Battalion.

Judging from the current situation, Zhu Yongxing's effect is good. In Changsha, the strict military discipline of the Ming army was widely welcomed by the people, and the scholars even took it as a grand event to revisit the prestige of Han officials. Later, the history books contained: "The king entered Changsha and visited the Temple of Literature." Sitting in Minglun Hall, the doctors and students are clean and clean, and there will be hundreds of people unexpectedly. Recommend the gentry deacon, and the majesty is magnificent. ”

Zhu Yongxing wore a horsehair corrugated hat, a pure silk robe with large sleeves, and a yellow ribbon around his waist. But Zhu Yongxing felt that the golden armor was more eye-catching. It's even more awe-inspiring.

The carriage moved slowly, and Zhu Yongxing was sitting precariously, feeling quite restrained. Just stretched out her hand to untie the belt, Duan Wan'er had already reached out to stop her.

"Your Highness, don't move, so that you can look heroic and royal."

"Lonely feels that a military uniform is majestic, although it is heavier, but he is reluctant to take it off. What is like this? Zhu Yongxing reluctantly straightened his posture.

"The occasion is different, and the Temple of Literature is not a parade general." Duan Wan'er pursed her lips and smiled. Reaching out and loosening the yellow belt around his waist, "Does this feel good?" ”

"Well, it's more comfortable." Zhu Yongxing patted Duan Wan'er's little hand and said, "If you don't say it, Lone also knows that you are thinking about your brother." Well, if there are no surprises. You should be able to see it in Songzi. ”

Duan Wan'er nodded and glanced at Zhu Yongxing gratefully. She is a sensible woman, she misses it in her heart, but she never talks about it in front of Zhu Yongxing. Although the relationship between her and Zhu Yongxing is not as simple as that between her boss and her subordinates, she knows the severity. I know that I can't be pampered and arrogant, I know my duty, and I know my brother's intention to make contributions and be a big husband.

"Don't always think of Jiyoung as a child, a big man, in such a turbulent era, it's time to show it." Zhu Yongxing smiled and teased: "Are you worried about him, what about him, there is no restraint outside, I don't know how happy he is?" ”

"Yes, his wings are stiff, can he still fly?" Duan Wan'er sighed helplessly, "But who made me his sister!" Well, this time, I have to urge him to get married. ”

…………………

The sunlight dissipated the light smoke-like mist that shrouded the surface of the river, and the peaks on both sides of the river also revealed their original colors, and the river rushed down in the tight bundle of the mountain gorge, and small whirlpools appeared from time to time.

The warship shook slightly, and then stabilized, but Duan Zhiying did not move at all on the helm, holding a telescope to look at the situation in Causeway Gorge.

After the Yangtze River Naval Division joined the Kuidong Army, they rested for a while and then went up the river and pointed directly at Chongqing. After a battle, the Qing army's Chongqing naval division was defeated, and the remnants of the ships fled into the Jialing River, so that the Chongqing Qing army basically lost the threat to the Kuidong base.

After that, the Yangtze River Naval Division was divided into two divisions, one continued to monitor and contain Chongqing, and the other cooperated with the Shuo army. The detachment that monitored Chongqing was led by Duan Zhiying, patrolling back and forth on the river from Chongqing to Fengjie.

In the twelfth year of Yongli, in July and December of the fifteenth year of Shunzhi (1658), the thirteen families of Kuidong besieged Chongqing twice in order to contain the Qing army from going south to Yunnan and Guizhou. For the first time, because of insufficient troops, he was defeated by Wu Sangui, who led the main force back to Chongqing; The second time was because Renshou Marquis Tan Yi assassinated Fuhou Tan Wen, led his troops to surrender to the Qing Dynasty, and led the overall reversal of the Zhanì campaign.

Although the Thirteen Families of Kuidong failed to attack Chongqing twice, the Qing army in Chongqing did not have much advantage, and the main direction of attack of the Qing court was always restrained by the rising Ming army in the southwest, and it was impossible to support Chongqing in terms of soldiers and materials.

For the Qing court, it was a heavy burden to go to Ganxi and Shaanxi to ensure the supply to Chongqing through Baoning. If the army stationed in Chongqing was not the current 20,000 or 30,000 soldiers and horses, but 100,000 troops, then the savings of the Qing court would be greatly depleted here, and it would not be possible to fight the Ming army on other fronts.

Therefore, the Qing army in Chongqing had no surplus food and salary, and could neither launch a strategic offensive against the Thirteen Families in Kuidong, nor could they cross the barren area to resist the slowly approaching Ming army in Sichuan. Coupled with the large ships and heavy artillery that could not resist the Yangtze River Naval Division, the Qing army in Chongqing had to worry about being cut off from the Jialing River waterway and completely cutting off food and wages. After the Wu army rebelled in Guizhou Province, the Qing army in Chongqing faced the threat of the Ming army attacking from Zunyi and Tongzi, and the shape deteriorated further.

The Ming fleet traced the river and approached Chongqing slowly but firmly, and Gao Mingzhan, the governor of Sichuan, led the civil and military officials to the tower. Nervously looking at the Ming fleet that was coming.

"Looking at the number of the enemy's fleet, there must not be many troops--" Gao Mingzhan twisted his beard and analyzed matter-of-factly: "This time I came to intimidate again, not to attack our ......."

"Lord Governor."

"In my lord's words, the enemy only has a superiority on the water, how dare he attack on the 6th?"

There was a lot of flattery. A stone fell to the ground in everyone's hearts, and their faces were soothed. Since the defeat of the Chongqing Naval Division, the Ming fleet has often cruised back and forth, probably because it does not want Chongqing to build another naval division, so as to maintain its superiority on the water.

Only this time, the Ming army ship dropped anchor within the field of vision of the Jintangmen Tower, and the officials in Chongqing were immediately silenced.

Chongqing's castle tower was within the range of the Ming army's long artillery, but the Yangtze River Naval Division did not carry out such a senseless bombardment in order to save ammunition. But this time-

The fires shone brightly. White smoke rose up, and the Ming fleet lifted the curtain of shock to Chongqing with a mighty salvo.

"It's fired—" A Qing army general glared at the river and muttered stupidly.

The Chongqing officials standing in the city tower did not react for a while, and when they heard the deafening sound of cannonballs, the shells had already smashed down.

There was a loud noise everywhere, smoke and dust everywhere, bricks and tiles flying on the towers, and rubble flying around. The screams and wails were all drowned out.

The artillery fire stopped, but the chaos continued. Up and down the city, the Qing soldiers shouted in panic and ran around. The guards hurriedly rushed up to the city tower and rescued the officers and generals in the rubble.

Although the bombardment was mighty, the accuracy of that era was not flattering, although dozens of solid shells were aimed at the city tower. But only a quarter hit the target, and the rest either hit the walls or flew into the city.

The castle tower was bombed badly, but not all of it collapsed, which allowed many officials to survive. Governor Gao Mingzhan is one of them.

This supreme governor of Chongqing was rescued by his own soldiers, his official hat was gone, blood flowed on his forehead, his body was covered with dust, his face was even more bloodless, his eyes were dull, his lips were trembling, and he couldn't even speak.

Suddenly, another thunderclap sounded on the river, and the reloaded artillery was bombarded again. Gao Mingzhan's body trembled, a strange sound came out of his mouth, and he ran forward desperately, but his legs and feet did not obey the call, and he almost fell. Thanks to the support of his own soldiers, he hurriedly took Gao Mingzhan to safety.

With a bang, the tower finally collapsed, and the wood, bricks and tiles became a pile of ruins, and a thick cloud of smoke and dust rose up, covering the city gates, and nothing could be seen clearly.

"Anchor, return!" Duan Zhiying put down the binoculars, and after this shock, he should be able to go east with confidence and participate in the Battle of Jingzhou.

The Ming fleet had been away for a long time before the Qing army in Chongqing recovered from the chaos. Gao Mingzhan wrapped his head in a white cloth and sat in a chair in despair, listening to the same immortal officials and generals complaining and pleading and quarreling.

"My lord, it is useless for Chongqing to defend it, so you should go to the imperial court and retreat to Baoning."

"My lord, you should go to the court and send reinforcements."

"Send reinforcements, how many reinforcements? This is not a question of reinforcements, but depends on the naval division, a large number of warships, which can compete with the enemy, and at the same time needs the full cooperation of Huguang. ”

"It makes sense, the key to the battle now is the sailor. When the Wei State attacked Wu, he built a sailor here in Chongqing; When the Song Dynasty attacked Sichuan, the lord of Shu thought that it was difficult for Shu to go to the blue sky......"

"Still counting on Huguang? Stop dreaming. So, this battle can't be fought! ”

Gao Mingzhan is different from Li Guoying, he is a cunning and fierce opponent. When he attacked Chongqing for the second time in the Thirteen Families of Kuidong, he saw that the enemy army was strong, so he abandoned the city and fled. If Tan Yi hadn't rebelled and gave him a life-saving straw, how could he still sit in the position of governor? Therefore, as soon as Li Guoying died, the Qing army in Chongqing became a turtle with a shrunken head, and Gao Mingzhan made it even more difficult to state and played the imperial court, hoping that the imperial court would order him to return to Baoning. But now without this order, he can only hold on here.

These two rounds of shelling killed and injured more than a dozen officers and soldiers, and the soldiers were not counted. If you only count the number of casualties, it is nothing, but the psychological blow to Gao Mingzhan and others is heavy and huge.

"Let's disperse!" Gao Mingzhan waved his hand weakly, "All kinds of matters will be discussed tomorrow." "His mind is now in chaos, frightened and frightened, and he just feels that Chongqing is like a grave, and he stays here. It's just waiting to die.

In fact, Gao Mingzhan's hunch was not wrong. Chongqing was a strategic location for the Qing court, which could not only contain Kuidong, but also resist the Ming army in Sichuan, preventing the Ming army from entering Shaanxi through Sichuan and threatening Beijing. But Chongqing was short of soldiers. The food is not abundant, and the sailor is not strong, so he can only defend the city, and has no actual ability to attack.

But for the Ming army, taking this nail can cross the river and continue northward, from Baoning to Hanzhong, threatening Ganshan, thus opening up the western battlefield.

At this time. Kuang Guogong Pi Xiong led 5,000 Ming troops and 20,000 Shuixi native soldiers out of Zunyi, passed Tongzi, and approached Chongqing. The Ming army in Sichuan was led by Li Dingguo, the king of Jin, out of Yibin, went to Luzhou, and advanced in parallel with Shui6, going up the river, and the front of the army also pointed to Chongqing.

*******************************************************************

The scales of war are sharply tilted. However, the Qing court dispatched troops and generals, but it still sought success. There is no shrinkage to show weakness. As a result, there were too many strategic points, and the number of troops was insufficient, and it was difficult to form an advantage over the Ming army. The Ming army, on the other hand, had a clear purpose, either to contain, or to feint, or to threaten. or the main attack, always having a clear superiority in forces in the direction of the local main attack.

More importantly, the people's support was ignored by the Qing court, or rather turned a blind eye. The governor of Huguang reported: "The people in the mountains around Wenpuqi (Hubei, still known today). All the accumulation, traffic against thieves, now the soldiers are entering and suppressing, there are thieves in front of the camp, and there are rebels in the back, which is very inconvenient. According to Wen Dai, the squire of the Ministry of War, reported: "The thieves have not yet arrived, and the people of Jiangxi and other provinces have rebelled in Jianchang, Raozhou and other places to resist the enemy Manchurian officers and soldiers. "Everywhere the Ming army went, a large number of Han people participated.

In the end, even the Qing court had to admit that "the soldiers and civilians of the provinces betrayed each other." This situation is no different from when the Qing army entered the customs as if it were in an enemy country! It is obvious that the Qing regime ruled for 20 years and did not win the hearts of the people. The Qing court was secretive, but it was an undeniable fact.

In the growing anti-Qing ranks, there were many people who were coerced, but from the perspective of the people's hearts, opposing the Qing Dynasty's foreign rule and hating the corruption of local government ** was in line with the wishes of the majority of the people, and it gave this war a strong color of national struggle.

The Qing court urgently mobilized and dispatched troops from various places, intending to take advantage of the natural dangers of the Yangtze River, with Jingzhou as the center, focusing on the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and extending and intersecting with individual areas south of the Yangtze River, Shandong, and Henan, forming a rather tight military offensive and defensive line.

The idea is very good, but Zhu Yongxing is not Wu Sangui, he will not stop his troops and will not give the Qing court time to transfer troops and redeploy the defense. The Qing court wanted Jingzhou as the center, and he was also-for-tat, urging all the Ming troops to step up their actions, and the troops were directed at Jingzhou.

"The thieves are very strong, and our troops are single", "Spreading false documents, inciting people's hearts, and the soldiers and people of all provinces betray each other", "The thieves are rampant, our army has not gathered, and it is difficult to resist", "The defense is quite strong, and it is difficult to forge ahead", "The thief ship goes up and down the river, and the water is afraid of 6 people attacking Jingzhou".........

When the emergency recitals of similar content were sent to the Qing court one after another, making the auxiliary ministers anxious, Zhu Yongxing commanded more than 100,000 water and 6 armies to fight Lianke, and the momentum was like a bamboo, sweeping northwest Hunan and southwest Hubei. At that time, the two independent divisions left in Kuidong and most of the Yangtze River Water Division 6 advanced together, went down the east of the Yangtze River, and after conquering Yichang, they also rushed to rendezvous.

At this time, the Qing army in Jingzhou had reached 30,000, including the green battalion soldiers who came from Wuchang, as well as the Manchu and Mongolian reinforcements led by Dutong Jueluo Zhuman and the first-class guard Bi Sanga, and the main general was the Jingkou general Le Erjin, who also had thousands of Manchu and Han officers and soldiers under his command.

From the founding of Nurhachi to the entry of the Qing Dynasty, the emperor's brothers and nephews were the masters of the Eight Banners, and they were in charge of the army, and the Han officials and generals could only serve as deputies. At present, the Qing court still follows the traditional practice of selecting commanders of various armies, all of whom are members of the imperial family. The loyalty of these royal nobles to the Qing court is needless to say, but their pampering and lack of combat experience are a fatal heel of the Qing army.

For example, Leerjin, Belezani (Duoduozi), etc., only know how to collect the property of the local governor and the county officials, "hoping to go home for the sake of prosperity"; Since Prince Jane Rabu arrived in Jiangxi, he stayed in Nanchang and did not dare to fight; Xinjun Wang Dong E was as timid as a mouse, and when he heard that the Ming army's Yangtze River Naval Division was advancing along the west, he hid in Jiangning and did not come out.

Zhu Yongxing's Wang Qi appeared on the other side of Songzi, and the army also came in a steady stream, and the warships on the river gathered, which immediately frightened Leerjin and other generals to close their doors. Urgent reports were sent frequently, begging for reinforcements to come to help.

In fact, Zhu Yongxing only brought a division of the Yanshuo Army transferred from Yuezhou, and a division of the Jingshuo Army that had been serving as an escort from Guizhou Province, with a total strength of less than 30,000. And the reason for his fanfare was to cover the Zhengshuo army, so that the Zhengshuo army could cross the river from the downstream Chenglingji, take Jingzhou from the east, and also cut off the 6 road connection between Jingzhou and Wuchang.

Fighting along the river, the sailor is the most important, and it will be revealed at this time. Because of the strong deterrence of naval divisions, the strongholds along the river did not need to be heavily defended, and the Qing army did not dare to cross the river lightly to attack. Otherwise, even if the stronghold on the south bank occupied by the Ming army can be captured, as long as the retreat route is cut off by the naval division, it can only be destroyed.

At this time, you can see Wu Sangui's stupidity in history, or rat eyes, and he has no courage at all. After occupying Yuezhou, he used a lot of manpower and material resources to build fortifications inside and outside the city of Yuezhou: on the side of 6 roads outside the city, he dug through three trenches, built fortresses, and set up pits, antlers, and cards to prevent the Qingbu cavalry from attacking the city. At the mouth of the Dongting Lake Gorge, piles were set up to prevent the ships of the Qingshui Army from entering the lake, and the garrison was quite tight. (To be continued......)

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