Just when Wu Shigong was preparing to set out for the battle, the commander of the Dalinghe City, the chief soldier Zu Dashou and the deputy marshal He Kegang were standing on the wall of Dalinghe City at a loss, looking at the camp of the Houjin army outside the city.

Originally, Zu Dashou was extremely confident in defending Dalinghe City. In the battle between the Houjin army and the Ming army, although in the field battle, the Ming army was almost broken by the Houjin army, but for the defense of the city, the Ming army still had a strong psychological advantage.

Up to now, the Later Jin Army conquered the cities of the Ming Army, except for those that the Ming Army voluntarily abandoned, basically the Later Jin Army sent internal responses, mixed into the city and broke the internal and external combinations. There are few examples of direct attacks on the next important Ming Dynasty city.

At that time, Zu Dashou was even more optimistic that he thought that the Houjin army would not besiege Dalinghe City for a long time, because the time when the Houjin army besieged Dalinghe City was already close to the autumn harvest, and the soldiers in the Houjin army had to go back to do farm work.

As for Zu Dashou, who has artillery and a strong city, and has more than 10,000 soldiers and more than 20,000 people who built the city in Dalinghe City, as well as four months' military rations stored in the city, Zu Dashou believes that the Houjin army will definitely meet under Dalinghe City.

But what they didn't expect was that the Houjin army did not attack the city hard, they played with patience, outside the city of Dalinghe, the Houjin army dug three trenches, built two earthen walls, established a strong camp, and besieged the city of Dalinghe strictly.

What Zu Dashou didn't know was that the last time the Jin army entered the customs and looted a large number of Han laborers, these laborers are now used as slaves to farm for the Manchus. The soldiers of the Houjin army didn't have to be distracted to take care of their family's harvest at all, they just needed to fight in Dalinghe City with peace of mind.

But after the Jin army changed its tactics, the Ming army in Dalinghe City was blinded. This field battle out of the city is to send you to death, but what about staying in the city? It's only four months old! When this is the enemy, the most poisonous strategy is to run out of food!

Zu Dashou and He Kegang knew that the superintendent Sun Chengzong would not abandon them in Dalinghe City. But they also knew in their hearts that among the generals in Liaodong, there were no generals who had the courage and ability to dare to fight with the Houjin army in the field. That Zhao Shujiao has already died in battle! That Man Gui has also died in battle!

But Zu Dashou and He Kegang still did not despair, because the Ming army in Shanhaiguan was not without hard work, and they had already organized two rescues, but unfortunately, they were all defeated by the Houjin army in the field battle, and they did not succeed in rescuing Dalinghe City.

However, the Houjin army also successfully took advantage of the mentality of the Ming army in the city of Dalinghe, they also disguised themselves as the Ming army, organized a fake rescue, and when Zu Dashou personally led the Ming army in the city to join the inside and outside, they immediately fell into the layers of encirclement of the Houjin army. If it weren't for Zu Dashou's personal soldiers desperately rescuing, and Zu Dashou's fate was good, he would definitely not just be injured and retreat to Dalinghe City.

However, this time the troops were sent from within the city, and the most elite personal soldiers in the hands of Zu Dashou were also damaged, and the confidence of the Ming army was also greatly damaged, and the Ming army in Dalinghe City was no longer able to attack the Houjin army outside the city.

And these days, the food in Dalinghe City has been exhausted, the wood in the city has basically been burned, and even the mules and horses in the city have been basically slaughtered. There is no food, even the heavenly soldiers and generals have not folded, not to mention the Ming army, which also has an absolute advantage in the field.

He Kegang looked outside the city and asked Zu Dashou: "General Soldier, the battle has been fought until now, and we have all reached a dead end. Whether this is defending the city or breaking out, you have to have an idea! ”

When Zu Dashou heard this, his brows immediately tightened. In fact, there should be another option, that is, to surrender to the Houjin army outside the city. And Huang Taiji has also sent letters of persuasion to the Ming army in the city several times, promising that as long as the Ming army surrenders, he will give the Ming army generals and soldiers in the city extremely favorable conditions.

Kezu Dashou knew that He Kegang would never surrender. But Zu Dashou was a little hesitant, the vast majority of the Ming army in the city were Zu Dashou's descendants, and there were dozens of Zu Dashou's sons and nephews who served as generals at all levels in the Ming army in the city.

If Zu Dashou sacrifices all this, he just wants to live and die with Dalinghe City, and Zu Dashou really can't be ruthless. However, if he surrendered to the Houjin Army, which had always been regarded as a barbarian by the Liaodong Army, Zu Dashou would definitely not be happy in his heart.

After thinking for a while, Zu Dashou said: "This is without a horse, how can you break through?" Even if there are horses, if you look at the ditch and earthen wall outside the city, we still can't rush out, so let's stay in the city and wait for help. ”

"But it's not a way to keep going, and this reinforcement doesn't know that the Year of the Monkey will come!" He Kegang said.

"Not necessarily, Inspector Sun will definitely not give up on us. Besides, outside the city, only Wu Xiang has the qualifications to lead the army to rescue us. He'll do his best, he's my brother-in-law, after all. ”

"Wu Xiang? ...... your brother-in-law? I felt that what I said might stimulate Zu Dashou, although He Kegang and Zu Dashou were more familiar, and the two of them usually spoke more casually, but He Kegang still stubbornly stopped his words in Zuihou.

"Do your best!" Of course, Zu Dashou knew what his old partner was going to say, and he shook his head with a wry smile. To tell the truth, Zu Dashou has little confidence in his brother-in-law whether he has the ability to rescue him.

"If you stay up, you and my sons in the city will definitely have nothing to say, but what about this food?" He Kegang then asked.

However, He Kegang was a little surprised to find that Zu Dashou did not answer his question. Zu Dashou turned around instead, and looked at the city.

Following Zu Dashou's gaze, He Kegang found that Zu Dashou was looking at a group of people in the city. Although the people had been hungry for a long time, the group still carried the wood and bricks needed to defend the city.

For a moment, He Kegang was a little unbearable, but immediately, he was hard-hearted again. In order to be able to fight the Houjin army outside the city, someone must make sacrifices.

When Zu Dashou's gaze turned to He Kegang, He Kegang also nodded slightly. Zu Dashou immediately instructed the captain of the personal soldiers behind him: "Go to the city to find some old and weak people to start the knife first." Remember! Do it clean! ”

……

Zu Dashou was not disappointed, because the supervisor Sun Chengzong did organize 40,000 Ming troops, and under the leadership of the general soldier Wu Xiang, he came to the rescue of Dalinghe City again.

Kezu Dashou was disappointed again, and when he knew that the Ming army came to the rescue again, the Houjin army immediately organized 20,000 troops to block it.

But this time the battle did not start at all. When Wu Xiang saw the Houjin army facing him, before he had yet to fight, Wu Xiang took the lead in escaping. Seeing the actions of his commander, the Ming army immediately collapsed. Later, the Jin army took advantage of the situation to cover up and kill, and the Ming army immediately covered the field.

But what is funny is that Wu Xiang, who took the lead in escaping, did not escape, he was besieged by the pursuing Houjin army, and the situation was extremely dangerous.

It was at this time that the only bright spot in the whole war appeared. Wu Xiang's son, Wu Sangui, who was only 16 years old, led the only dozens of family members around him to rush into the encirclement of the Houjin army, and even rescued his father Wu Xiang.

And this move, because this was the only bright spot in the Ming army's battle, was reported to the court by Sun Chengzong. As a paranoid believer: a filial son is a loyal minister; Emperor Chongzhen, whose filial son is a brave general, immediately remembered Wu Sangui's name firmly. Since then, Wu Sangui has also taken the elevator for promotion.

For more publicity, Wu Sangui's reputation of bravely crowning the three armies immediately spread all over the country under the great publicity of the Ming Dynasty court. Of course, Wu Shigong would not have gotten the news so quickly. However, if Wu Shigong knew that Wu Sangui had gained the reputation of the three armies of Yongguan in this way, he would definitely laugh off his big teeth.

But Wu Sangui's reputation could not save the Ming army in Dalinghe City. Supervisor Sun Chengzong is at a loss. Although the number of soldiers was lost again, the number of Ming troops in Liaodong was still greater than that of the Later Jin army.

But these defeated soldiers also lost their basic courage, and they only dared to stay in the fortified city, and behaved like the walking dead every day. Rely on these people to fight? Even the most optimistic person doesn't think it's going to be successful.

Sun Chengzong knew that it was definitely unrealistic to rely on these Ming troops to rescue Dalinghe City, and he was now looking forward to the Ming army in the pass to rush to Shanhaiguan as soon as possible to fight to the death with the Houjin army in Dalinghe City again.