November 19, early morning.

The entire Kaifeng City was shrouded in a mass of death, sorrow and despair.

Since yesterday afternoon, the flood suddenly surged out from the mouth of the Yellow River, and in less than an hour, it completely submerged the surroundings of Kaifeng City.

The water outside the city is more than a foot deep, and the city is blocked by a city wall, which can temporarily block most of the stagnant water, but the amount of water that seeps in is enough to accumulate several feet on the ground.

At this depth, even though it is impossible to drown adults directly, the people can no longer sleep in their beds at night. But if there is only one story in the city, the height of the bed will definitely be submerged.

Cooking food has also become a luxury, and it can only be "hung in a kettle and cooked", and most of the surplus grain that is too late to be rescued will be soaked in water, and the firewood and straw will basically be used up and destroyed.

In the early months of the siege of the city, the corpses that starved to death and died in the battle could not be disposed of, or the corpses that were only buried shallowly, were blistered in large water for a few days, and the plague broke out.

Gao Mingheng, the governor of Henan, climbed high and stood on the city tower, looking at this ocean, and stayed awake all night.

All night, he walked around the city walls without knowing how many times, and finally collapsed from exhaustion, but his eyes were still round, his muscles were tired, and his brain could not sleep.

"I, Gao Mingheng, finally had to starve to death here, contracted the epidemic and die, I knew that this was the case, it was better to go up to the wall in person and be killed by Li Zicheng's dog thief with an arrow.

Could it be that I also have the heart to dig up the river and drown the thieves and die together, and God wants to retribution, but why should it only be on our heads! Why didn't Li Gou suffer this curse together! ”

Gao Mingheng was in a trance, and he actually leaned against the female wall buttress and talked nonsense.

It turned out that he had been surrounded for so long, and he also had the idea of digging a river and drowning thieves. It's just that it hasn't reached the last desperate step, and the defenders in the city don't dare to organize death squads to break through and dig embankments, so it has not been implemented.

This is not a black him, nor is it a black Li Zicheng, in history he and Li Zicheng have done things to destroy the embankment of the Yellow River.

It's really a battle to this point, and I'm already red-eyed, and I just want to completely kill the other side at any cost, and I can pay as much as I want. After all, everyone knows that if the Yellow River is dug up, as long as Li Zicheng still wants to Kaifeng, it will be a defeat for both sides, and the self-loss of killing 1,000 enemies will be at least 800.

It's just that in this life, because of the butterfly effect, Li Zicheng gave up taking Kaifeng, and he didn't have the ability to take it, so he chose to destroy it completely.

Therefore, although Gao Mingheng also has the intention of digging the river, he has no chance to implement it, not that he has a good conscience. (Let's explain, lest the peasant army fans say that I only black Li Zicheng.) I have a bowl of water, and there are people on the official and military side who want to dig the river, and it is not only the peasant army who thinks so. ）

Gao Mingheng was in despair, and soon another desperate news came to oppress him.

"Gao Futai, Gao Futai! How did you get here? The last generals all sent people to the governor's yamen to look for it, and they all said that you had not returned from patrolling the city all night, but it was easy for people to find it. ”

Gao Mingheng looked in the direction of the sound with his eyes blankly, and saw a military general with a tall and strong skeleton, but thin muscles and protruding meridians, without armor, only carrying a saber, panting and climbing the steps of the city tower, it was Chen Yongfu, the chief soldier of Kaifeng.

Chen Yongfu was not like this originally, he was also a burly and strong man, but now there are only skeletons and meridians left, and the skin and flesh are attached to the muscles and bones, which is all hungry.

As the chief soldier, Chen Yongfu has a lot to eat in the past few months, but the meat is basically not eaten, he supervises the battle every day and consumes a lot, and after a long time, even some of the muscles are broken down and energized-

At this point, all those who have been healthy in later generations basically know that if you only eat carbs and no protein, you will lose muscle after practicing for a long time. Although people in the late Ming Dynasty did not know the scientific truth, they could still understand the common sense of life.

Gao Mingheng fanned his dry lips: "Didn't the thieves all retreat?" What could be worse? ”

Chen Yongfu took a few breaths and sighed: "It's the news of the Zhou Palace, Your Highness is afraid that it is not good, after all, Your Highness is very old, and he has been besieged for a long time, I am afraid that he will not be able to bear it." Futai, why don't you go and have a look? ”

Gao Mingheng's mood sank, and another sense of powerlessness came to his heart.

Zhu Gongfang, the king of Zhou, is considered to be the virtuous king among the many vassal kings today, after all, he does not spare his family wealth, he has taken out all his savings, and the army defended the city, and the granaries of the palace have been completely opened to supply military rations.

But after all, Zhu Gongfang was born in the eighth year of Wanli (1580), and he is sixty-two years old this year.

After Gao Mingheng accepted this reality, he sighed together: "Your Highness is a virtuous king, it's a pity, what else can we do now?" But fortunately, he died of illness, and he died at the end of his life, not a trap, and the court would not blame us and others. ”

Chen Yongfu also sighed: "My lord, do you still have the heart to think about what the imperial court thinks of us?" We ourselves can only resist for ten days and half a month more than King Zhou, and sooner or later we will either starve to death or be infected with the epidemic, what are we afraid of?

If you think that there is still hope for survival, it is better for the last general to send someone to tear down some timber from the house and temporarily build some rafts to see if you can fall from the city wall and cross the water to break through.

When you go outside, you can always have a way to live, find a mouth to eat, I am afraid that I am only afraid that the Yellow River will burst, and the radius will be at least 100 miles, or even hundreds of miles, and it will be inhabited and extinct, and it will be difficult to find food. And if it really abandons the city and crosses the water and flees, leaving behind the army and the people, then it is really possible for the court to be guilty. How many people can be carried away on a raft? ”

After Gao Mingheng was reminded by Chen Yongfu, his mood was up and down again.

He was desperate at first, and he didn't think about survival. Chen Yongfu mentioned that he demolished the house to make a raft to cross the water, which gave him hope of life, and then he was given up on the sin of the military and civilian vassal kings who fled alone, and poured cold water on him.

According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty and the temperament of Emperor Chongzhen, the city was flooded, and it is not completely forbidden to escape, but you must not only escape as an official, you have the responsibility to organize the people to survive.

Gao Mingheng thought for a while and became more and more irritable, so he tried to quickly cut through the chaos and asked:

"Then let's see if it is possible to rescue King Zhou, Your Highness, if you can escape all the way to Shou County along the Bianshui, and ask for medicine, we will have an explanation. I don't know if Lang Zhong of the palace has seen it, what is His Royal Highness's illness? How long can it be delayed? Is there still salvation? ”

Chen Yongfu: "Actually, there is no serious illness, it is nothing more than qi and blood failure, and dampness and evil wind have entered the body." If you have a good life and recuperation, and then have a diet and warm supplement, it is possible to delay it for a year and a half. As for the cure, after all, the age has also arrived, and Lang Zhong said that it is impossible to cure it. ”

Gao Mingheng heard that the prince was saved, at least he could temporarily prolong his life, and more desire to survive rose in his heart, after all, there was a way to live, who wanted to wait for death.

"Let's go, then let's go to the palace first." Gao Mingheng's eyes recovered some light, and he was about to check the situation.

But at this moment, a battalion garrison at the head of the city who was responsible for the defense of the East Gate Tower suddenly shouted to Futai and the general soldiers: "My lord, the general town, look! Another army of thieves is approaching! A string of firelight is approaching in the sky! ”

Gao Mingheng and Chen Yongfu glanced at each other, their faces full of incredulity.

Chen Yongfu: "How is that possible? Can the thieves flood the city before attacking the city? Even if you have to wait for the city wall to collapse, it can't be so fast. ”

Gao Mingheng: "Where did the thieves come to take out so many ships at once?" This is impossible, he thinks he is Zhao Xiangzi or Wang Ben or Guan Yu! ”

But the unbelievable is incredible, the facts are in front of them, and the two and the soldiers are still nervous for a long time.

Because the sky was not yet dawn, and the vision was not clear, it was not until the fleet had sailed for more than a quarter of an hour, and there were only two or three hundred steps left near the city wall, that it seemed to be a large ship that was faintly visible.

Some nervous soldiers were almost about to release arrows, and even ignited the only two Franc machines left, but fortunately, Chen Yongfu had insight and hurriedly stopped: "Don't release arrows!" Thieves can't have such a good ship! Could it be the reinforcements of the imperial court? ”

The incoming ship finally approached within a stone's throw of the place, and a group of scolders on the boat began to shout: "Listen to the defenders of the city, we are the sailors under the command of Huguang Shenfutai, and we broke through the pursuit of the thieves a few days ago. Hurry up and open the city gate, our Zhang Zongzhen has transported the military rations reinforced by Shenfutai! ”

"It's reinforcements!"

"There's food!"

Many officers and soldiers who were already dizzy from hunger suddenly came to their senses.

Some officers were almost about to command the opening of the city gates, but they immediately remembered that the city gate holes had already been blocked, and after the water rose yesterday, General Chen sent people to strengthen the blocking of each gate and fill it tightly with earthwork.

If the gate was really opened, the water level outside the city would still be seven or eight feet higher than inside the city, and I am afraid that most of the people would be drowned.

After some tossing, Chen Yongfu took the lead and asked people to prepare hanging baskets and hoist the officers and some grain bags on the ship outside the city to negotiate and confirm their identities.

If it is confirmed that it is a friendly army, organize people to remove some earthwork at the location where the gap in the city wall has been smashed, and then remove some earthwork to form a slope reinforcement inside and outside the gap. If the height of the top of the slope is only a few feet higher than the water surface, it is convenient for grain ships to dock directly.

After about a stick of incense, Zhang Mingzhen, the chief soldier of coastal defense, finally went to the city in person and met Gao Mingheng and Chen Yongfu.

Before Zhang Mingzhen came, Shen Shuren did not explain that he wanted to dig people.

After all, Shen Shuren couldn't predict that "Li Zicheng will definitely dig the Yellow River, and Kaifeng will be temporarily unsuitable for human existence", so he can't say more requirements.

However, after all, Zhang Mingzhen has been following Shen Shuren for several years, and at the beginning of the year, he and Zheng Chenggong personally participated in the task of transporting grain to Shanhaiguan by sea, and then went to Bijia Mountain to rescue the retreat of the besieged Ming army in Tashan Xingshan, and also fought a bloody battle with the Tartars.

Since then, Zhang Mingzhen has also pondered the taste, knowing that the top boss Shen Shangshu and the eldest son Shen Futai seem to like to win people's hearts and expand their descendants in this troubled world.

So Zhang Mingzhen also had this idea, and wondered if he could help win over some more people whenever he had the opportunity. Although he is a little self-determined, he believes that if Lord Futai is here, he will also rescue more loyal soldiers.

After a brief meeting between the two sides, Zhang Mingzhen took the initiative to throw an olive branch: "Gao Futai, Chen Zongzhen, you are all righteous people who defend the lonely city, and you are naturally admired."

My family's Shen Futai was also ordered by His Majesty, and after the defeat of Yang Ge's old Zuo Liangyu Sun Chuanting, he still rescued Kaifeng alone, and finally repelled Li Zicheng by luck.

Now Kaifeng is like this, this year, hundreds of miles of people around the country have not harvested, I think that even if Shenfutai uses Jiangnan Cao grain to transport reinforcements, it will not be able to save hundreds of thousands of people for half a year-

At least before the autumn harvest next year, it is impossible for Kaifeng to get grain from the surrounding areas. Even if the autumn harvest is not necessarily available, now the flood has not receded, and there is no manpower to block the Yellow River. Otherwise, how can spring ploughing?

In the long run, you can still evacuate as many people as you can. ”

Gao Mingheng and Chen Yongfu had been shaken before, but at this moment, they found that there was a way to live, and there were people carrying grain in, Gao Mingheng inevitably wanted to have the best of both worlds.

He thought for a while and said, "This official has the responsibility to guard the land, and he can't abandon the people for the time being. Mr. Chen, it is better for you to lead a part of the army, escort King Zhou out of the city first, go south along the Bianshui, and find a proper place to seek medical treatment. ”

Chen Yongfu also wanted to be embarrassed, afraid that he would be said to be a deserter, so he hurriedly humbled himself: "The last general is the chief soldier, how can he escape first, or send a garrison to escort the prince first, and then transport away some injured and sick brothers."

Since Mr. Zhang has brought military rations, this Kaifeng City can still last for a while, and we must beware of thieves going and returning......"

When Zhang Mingzhen heard that they had also started the idea of food support from the Huai River and Yingchuan for a long time, he couldn't help but be disgusted and reminded:

"The grain in Gaofutai, Chen Zongzhen, this Shou County and other places was originally the military food prepared by Shenfutai for the decisive battle with the thieves. Now there is still a surplus, all relying on Shen Futai's clever calculations, he defeated the thief in advance and forced him to retreat.

If these grains are transported back to the south, they will have to be consumed with more twists and turns, so they will be used to reinforce Kaifeng nearby. But if the stored grain in Shou County is eaten, Shen Futai will definitely not spend manpower to transport grain to Kaifeng.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Kaifeng, rather than staying in this lonely place where food is scarce and unable to engage in production, it is better to transport the young and strong and soldiers out and get food on the spot where there is abundant food! The last general also said bluntly that the grain in Shou County will definitely not be able to supply hundreds of thousands of people until next year! It can only be a temporary relief! ”

Gao Mingheng's old face flushed, and he also knew that he was in a state of wanting food now, and he couldn't ask too much. There are so many people, it is true that they can't be saved, and being able to save some of them is already a lot of kindness.

So after urgent negotiations between the two sides, the conditions were finally reached: Zhang Mingzhen continued to transport grain to Kaifeng to prevent too many people from starving to death. And every time you unload the grain and return home, you can take as many people as you can to move to a safe place.

As for who to pull and who not to pull, Zhang Mingzhen has the final say, and Gao Mingheng does not interfere.

Priority was given to the nearly 20,000 Kaifeng defenders under Chen Yongfu, picking veterans and transferring strong, and then it was the turn of the young and middle-aged people.

If the children cannot walk and jump on their own, and those who are too young to die on the road will not be lucky, and the others who are easy to survive will be transported after they are finished.

Zhang Mingzhen also agreed that the next time he came to transport grain, in addition to grain, he would also transport some lime, and the defenders in the city could also find a way to raise it to see if there was any lime that had not been flooded.

When the hungry soldiers and refugees retreated, they had to be sprayed with lime to prevent the outbreak of plague on the ship. These are also the tricks that Zhang Mingzhen learned from Shen Futai, which are very useful for preventing epidemics when the sea is intensively transporting troops.

In the afternoon of the same day, Zhu Gongfang, the king of Zhou, who was seriously ill, was rescued by Zhang Mingzhen first, and also set up a fig leaf for the retreat.

Zhu Gongyu was lying on the sickbed, carried away by the whole bed, and when he saw Zhang Mingzhen, he was also in tears: "This king is already this age, what else can I save, it is better to let this king return to his roots and live in peace on the spot." ”

Zhang Mingzhen said expressionlessly: "The prince wants to live in Kaifeng, I'm afraid it won't be available, this Kaifeng is full of floods, and the soldiers and people who died have been thrown into the water." Let's go and meet King Lu and King Fu with peace of mind. The rest of the kings of Henan, as long as they were still alive, were all rescued by Shen Futai. ”

Zhu Gongqi has been isolated from the world for a long time, and he doesn't know what is happening outside, and he is also moved when he hears this.

"In the end, the Ming Dynasty actually relied on these young people to save him, and when the king was on his deathbed, he would definitely say to His Majesty the great virtue of calming the Taiwan."