Amidst the heavy rain, countless soldiers in full armor silently approached Xingyang City. They jogged forward in order to maintain their strength along the way. When they reached a place more than a hundred feet below Xingyang City, they reorganized their ranks, and then the sound of horns penetrated the rain curtain and thought about all directions. Inspiring and starting to attack.
Zheng Rentai, who returned to the top of the city again, looked at the heavy armored infantry approaching like a tide. His face was as dark as water, and he was worried. He turned and walked down the city.
Since the defeat in the Battle of Banzhu, the navy's combat power has aroused his greatest fear. He has also begun to pay attention to the use of firearms that he had not paid attention to before, and he has been exploring it a lot.
Among them, what worried him the most was the navy's siege tactics.
From ancient times to the present, siege of a city has been an extremely difficult task. As the saying goes, "encircle it ten times, attack it five times, and divide it if twice the number". No matter how elite the army is, no matter how superior the force is, when facing the enemy, When defending an isolated city, it is inevitable to lose troops and lose vitality. There are many examples in history books about holding on to an isolated city and repelling powerful enemies.
The reason for this is probably that the city walls are high and thick, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. In addition, with the unity of the people and the unity of one mind, the weak can defeat the strong and the few can defeat the many.
But the advantage of a high city and thick walls was lost in front of the navy...
Although the Navy was not part of the Army of the Tang Dynasty, every time it used troops overseas, it would report the battle situation and results to the Ministry of War. The Ministry of War would then briefly summarize the results and include them in the Dibao. They would be published in accordance with the court's decrees. The world, so Zheng Rentai has discovered many naval warfare tactics and characteristics from Di Bao in Xingyang City in the past few days.
Facing a solid city, the navy never piles up troops and attacks without regard to casualties like traditional siege warfare. Instead, it uses gunpowder to blow up the city walls, destroy the defenders' defenses, and then concentrate its troops to break into the city through the gap in the city. , completely destroying the defender's defense system from point to point...
The power of gunpowder is enough to tear apart mountains and rocks, destroy heaven and earth. How dare Zheng Rentai stay on the city to command operations when the enemy is attacking?
If the enemy happens to choose to bury the gunpowder on the city wall under your feet, and when the gunpowder detonates, you will have to go to heaven...
Therefore, before the enemy troops arrived at the city, he withdrew the city head first, and tried to send people to contact the enemy's charge troops again, willing to surrender the city.
There is a huge difference between voluntarily surrendering and having to surrender after the enemy breaks the city...
However, before he could send his men out of the city, he heard a sudden burst of fighting, which reached his ears even above the heavy rain.
The enemy's siege has begun.
…
Zheng Xuanguo led dozens of soldiers out of the city gate from the east city and galloped northward along the official road. The whip was whipped on the horse's buttocks, and the horse under his crotch was galloping with all its strength and galloped towards the Yellow River. The rain was on his face. When the call came, Zheng Xuanguo had no choice but to press his upper body tightly against the horse's back, squinting slightly and looking at the road ahead, but he did not dare to slow down even half a minute.
He naturally understands what his father is worried about. Although the "city massacre" has not happened for many years, the navy's attack on Xingyang City is just a battle for imperial power. In the end, whoever wins and who loses is a family, which is unlikely. Doing such crazy things...but what if?
The blood inheritance of the Zheng family cannot rely on "possibility", but must be foolproof.
Personal life and death, honor and disgrace are small matters, but endangering family inheritance is a big matter!
The war horse galloped, and the oncoming rain hit his eyes. Zheng Xuanguo did not dare to close his eyes completely. He was afraid that the horse would lose control and step into the potholes on the road, so he could only hold back and gallop forward.
Distraught.
Xingyang City is not far from the Yellow River, but due to heavy rain, the official road was extremely muddy. The speed of the war horses was hindered, and it took an hour to reach the shore. The Yellow River was turbulent and the turbid waves were rolling back. Zheng Xuanguo led his soldiers to rush westward along the river embankment. After walking for more than ten miles, they discovered the naval fleet stationed in the center of the river in the distance, shrouded in heavy rain.
The mighty ships were standing next to each other. The hulls undulated and swayed slightly with the current, and the sails were completely lowered. They looked murderous and arrayed.
Before Zheng Xuanguo arrived, there were already groups of navy scouts blocking his way...
"I am Zheng Xuanguo, the legitimate son of the Zheng family in Xingyang. I have come to see General Liu Rengui on my father's orders. I have something important to discuss. Please go and report it as soon as possible without delay!"
Zheng Xuanguo stopped his horse and said loudly.
Unexpectedly, one of the other party's scouts came out of the crowd, came not far from Zheng Xuanguo, and replied: "The general has an order, and we are attacking Xingyang City now. There is nothing to discuss! Unless the Zheng family in Xingyang is willing to surrender, otherwise, Your Excellency Please come back."
Zheng Xuanguo opened his mouth, and rainwater poured into his mouth, causing him to cough and anger rising in his heart.
But now, how dare he delay?
He could only stand up and dismount, endure the humiliation, gritted his teeth and said: "Then go and report to Liu Rengui, the Zheng family in Xingyang... is willing to surrender!"
When setting off, my father's intention was already very clear. He was willing to stop the navy from attacking Xingyang City at all costs, so as to avoid unpredictable serious consequences and endanger the inheritance of the Zheng family, which naturally included surrender.
He originally wanted to bargain, but Liu Rengui was so determined that he didn't care about the huge casualties that might result from the sudden attack on the city, and wanted to hold the Zheng family in Xingyang tightly, unable to stand up.
Again, Liu Rengui can ignore it, but Xingyang Zheng family cannot...
Since the opportunity is lost, there is no need to expect any initiative. Just lie down and play around with it.
The scout then nodded with satisfaction: "Follow me!"
Let Zheng Xuanguo leave the accompanying soldiers here, take Zheng Xuanguo to the shore alone, board a small boat and row to the middle of the river, come to the flagship, climb the deck along the rope, and enter the cabin.
The light in the cabin was a little dim. Liu Rengui, dressed in military uniform and wearing a golden sword, was sitting on a chair by the window, browsing a document. When he saw Zheng Xuanguo entering, he put down the document in his hand and raised his eyes.
Zheng Xuanguo didn't dare to make excuses. Since he had decided to surrender, why did he need to pretend to be strong and brave?
He simply knelt down on one knee and performed a military salute: "I am Zheng Xuanguo, the legitimate son of the Zheng family in Xingyang. On the orders of my father, I have come to offer the city."
Liu Rengui was noncommittal and asked, "I wonder what your father would like to say before leaving?"
Zheng Xuanguo said: "My father has said that the Crown Prince of the East Palace is the righteousness of the country and the righteousness of the country. However, the Zheng family was deceived and coerced by other Shandong aristocratic families before, so they acted disloyally. Now they regret it and are willing to offer money and silk to the whole family. Grain and fodder will help the navy advance westward and eliminate rebellion."
"Ah!"
Liu Rengui sneered: "Your Shandong family has already sent all its young men to Tongguan in order to shake up the country and subvert the government. How much silk, grain and fodder can you donate now?"
Zheng Xuanguo urgently needed to defend himself, but Liu Rengui had already shaken his head and said in a deep voice: "But since Mrs. Zheng has sincerely repented, how can His Majesty care how much money you give in terms of grain and silk? As long as you have such loyalty. Come here!"
There were soldiers entering outside the gate, and Liu Rengui ordered: "Send an order to all armies to stop attacking the city. All the troops that have entered the city will reorganize on the spot and tighten defense. After the defenders in the city disarm, they will take over the defense of the city gates. "
"Here!"
The soldiers withdrew and went to deliver the order.
Zheng Xuanguo was covered in cold sweat and was filled with fear. Following Liu Rengui's order, it was obvious that the navy had broken through the city wall and entered the city. If he had been a step late, he might not have had to surrender... The Zheng family has been running Xingyang for hundreds of years and regards it as the foundation of family inheritance. Naturally, it is The city's defenses are extremely important. They monitor the four gates and reinforce the city walls almost every year, but now they were easily breached by the navy.
Now that the well-defended city wall has been breached, it is obvious that the defenders in the city cannot stop the approaching navy. If they continue to fight to the death, the only way to achieve victory is to destroy the entire army...
Liu Rengui's tone became gentler and he said with a smile: "Master Zheng, please get up. Come and have a cup of tea with me. When the front is settled, we can enter the city with me."
Zheng Xuanguo said: "Here."
He stood up, sat down on the chair next to Liu Rengui, and took the tea from the soldier with a somewhat depressed expression.
Since his father sent him to meet Liu Rengui to plead with him to withdraw his troops, he would naturally be held here as a hostage. Otherwise, why would Liu Rengui believe that the Zheng family in Xingyang was willing to surrender? This is actually risky. If Liu Rengui is determined to capture Xingyang and destroy the Zheng family, then he, Zheng Xuanguo, will be the first to be killed and sacrificed to the flag.
Fortunately, it seems that Liu Rengui only wants to get Xingyang and has no intention of killing the Zheng family in Xingyang...
But he also knew that from now on, the Zheng family in Xingyang would completely seclude themselves from the Shandong family. What were once close allies suddenly became mortal enemies. And because Xingyang guarded the east of Luoyang, it would become the front line in the game between the imperial court and the Shandong aristocratic families.
I don't know how many of the Zheng family's children will fall in this bloody battlefield.
Liu Rengui took a sip of tea, looked at Zheng Xuanguodao's face, and said with a smile: "Master Zheng, there is no need to be so depressed. Although the Zheng family has been extinct from the Shandong family, as long as the entire Shandong family is destroyed in this battle, Zheng Zheng will not be endangered. The foundation of the Zheng family will actually be a good opportunity for the Zheng family to develop and grow. How can you know that it is a blessing in disguise?"
Zheng Xuanguo is a smart man. Wen Yan was stunned for a moment and then understood the meaning of Liu Ren's words. After thinking about it carefully, it was indeed true.
If the imperial court can completely annihilate and wipe out all the Jin kings who are entrenched in Tongguan, then the Zheng family in Xingyang will become the forerunner for the imperial court to clean up the mess, eating up the interests of the original Shandong family in various places and growing rapidly... This time because of supporting the Jin king The huge losses suffered will be made up in the shortest possible time.
But I don’t know if His Majesty’s current policy towards aristocratic families will be as harsh as rumored...
He lowered his head and said in a low voice: "If you do something wrong, you will be punished. Zheng has no complaints... But now that he has realized his past mistakes, he will naturally do his best to change and make up for them. From now on, Xingyang Zheng All members of the family, from top to bottom, will serve His Majesty and will never regret it even if they die."
Since the surrender is irreversible, it is natural to show the most sincere attitude and try our best to recover the losses in the past.
