Chapter 261 There is a price to pay
After listening to Huang Chunyao's story, Chen Cao didn't get angry. He just kept banging on the table. Zuo Liang's temperament is understandable. This guy's behavior will be considered opportunistic in later generations. He wants to be in one thing. To maximize one's own interests, one must not offend others.
"This guy still wants to sell it for a price, really he doesn't know the power of our firearms?"
Chen Cao raised his eyebrows: "If Zhong Xi fails to station troops, even Xu Chengqing will not spare him."
"When the students entered the camp, they saw that the soldiers were all equipped with firearms, but they were just three-eyed blunderbuss and bird blunderbuss that we had eliminated several years ago."
"Report..."
A school lieutenant walked up to the lobby and said, "Sir, General Tang Bing led the Longwu Army to Changzhou County."
As soon as the Longwu Army arrived, Chen Cao's troops in Suzhou were as high as 100,000. He used 100,000 firearms troops to defeat the 30,000 garrison troops in Changzhou Prefecture. Even if Zuo Liangyu's 30,000 troops were added, it was no more than enough. 60,000 is simply killing a chicken with a knife.
Tang Kainian and Mangui arrived hand in hand. They all paid homage to Chen Cao and then sat down at the map table.
Chen Cao didn't waste any time and went straight to the point: "Although Fu Wang's army broke through Huaiyuan, it was blocked at Fengyang City. According to reports, the imperial court mobilized as many as 200,000 people from the north and south to encircle Fengyang. In order to make Fu Wang To get out of trouble and support the pressure from Nanjing, I decided to move closer to the west and strive to reach the city of Nanjing before the beginning of July."
Except for Man Gui, a foreigner, the attendees were all Chen Cao's core members, especially Tang Yannian. When he heard that he would arrive at the gate of Nanjing before the beginning of July, he felt as if he had been given a shot of blood. He quickly stood up and clasped his fists: "Mr. , the last general is willing to be the vanguard, mobilize the headquarters of the third division of the Wu Army, and defeat the enemies of Wu Jin first."
Several division commanders also opened their mouths to grab the credit. Chen Cao pressed his hands to signal for silence, and then said: "Xu Chengqing's army was originally stationed in Zhenjiang, but for some reason it suddenly settled in Changzhou Prefecture. Such military orders are absolutely nothing. It’s a good thing, for safety’s sake, it’s safest to move in two directions.”
As he spoke, Chen Cao motioned for Huang Chunyao to come forward. Huang Chunyao nodded and pointed at the map with his teaching staff: "The Longwu Army sent a unit to attack Jiangyin first, cooperate with the navy in fighting, and after capturing Jiangyin, surrounded Wujin County from the north;
Another part of the Dingwu Army advanced towards Zuo Liangyu's headquarters in Zhongxi from the southwest. My father-in-law just wanted to keep an eye on it. If the opponent made any moves, he would strike. The remaining troops of the Longwu Army would cooperate with the Dingwu Army. They set off from Qiao and headed directly towards Wujin County. "
This style of play is actually a very conservative one. According to the experience of Dingwu Army in taking Suzhou in one day, Wujin County cannot be compared with Suzhou City at all. It will take less than one day to break the city, but considering Xu Chengqing’s With a large army stationed in Wujin, the enemy must be on guard. In order to protect the precious soldiers under his command, Chen Cao had no choice but to adopt the safest tactics.
"Everyone, go down and prepare, we will set out tomorrow..."
...
"Chen Ni's soldiers are all firearms troops. Although there are cavalry, their horses are only used for traveling, and there is no serious cavalry soldier;
In addition, the Duke of Guo said that if they could concentrate their troops and rush to their formation with one force, their firearms would be useless at close range and they would have to fight hand-to-hand, and then they would be able to fight. "
Xu Chengqing listened to the general next to him carefully relaying what Xu Hongji said, and nodded solemnly. He had never underestimated Chen Cao's Dingwu Army. On the contrary, he had been studying tactics after arriving in Wujin these days. Able to defeat the Dingwu army with one blow.
"Commander, the rebels are in formation."
"I wonder if You Shiwei's army has arrived."
Xu Chengqing murmured, and then gathered his thoughts. Wujin County is five meters high. It should be no problem for 30,000 people to occupy the city for three days. However, before the great pressure of Suzhou City being destroyed in one day, he really Unexpectedly, Suzhou, which is second only to Nanjing, could be defeated so quickly. So, can the Wujin County under your feet be able to block the opponent's first attack?
"They are all firearms troops. They don't know how to climb up the city. Are the city gates blocked?"
Faced with Xu Chengqing's loud shouts, the general beside him said: "According to the instructions, everything was sealed with earth, stone and mud tiles, and the soil was tamped. All the things on the city that should be defended have been completed. They are just waiting for the rebels to take the initiative to attack." city."
An orderly soldier came in a hurry, and a guerrilla hurriedly rushed to Xu Chengqing's side after receiving the report: "The general is in serious trouble, Jiangyin city has been destroyed."
In just four words, Xu Chengqing was actually a little flustered. Jiangyin, together with more than 10,000 young men recruited, was actually defeated so quickly.
"Send someone quickly to carefully investigate the specific situation."
Xu Chengqing looked at the Dingwu Army arrayed in the distance, then turned his head: "The artillery is ready..."
There are more than 3,000 kilograms of Hongyi artillery. They were just bought from the red-haired people. Xu Hongji generously gave Xu Chengqing three of them, plus the anti-Folang machine cannon and the old-fashioned general. Xu Chengqing’s artillery Da Fifty Clan, just to have a good fight with Chen Cao in Wujin.
The attack of the three Hongyi cannons was indeed very far, reaching as high as three miles. This was also the limit that the Fo Lang machine gun could not reach. However, Chen Cao did not know that the front position of the former army was three miles away from the city.
Three cannons fired, and before Chen Cao could react, the shells flew towards his position and exploded immediately.
The bombs used were still flower bombs, and it seemed that Xu Chengqing was not ambiguous at all.
"I don't know if Chen Cao was killed."
Xu Chengqing's idea was also wishful thinking, but it did not kill Chen Cao, but it affected dozens of Dingwu troops, and more than 20 people were killed on the spot.
Chen Cao was so frightened that he quickly told the army to retreat one mile.
"There are actually red barbarian cannons on the Goudoshi City."
Only the Red Yi cannon can shoot such a distance, and it weighs more than three thousand kilograms. Otherwise, the distance is not enough. After Chen Cao realized what he was doing, he asked Ning Guoxing to pull up the field cannon. Naturally, he would have to weigh heavily on them from a distance of four miles. A blow to let them know why the flowers are so red...
"Dong dong dong..."
The only three P-1 105 field guns fired the only ten shells after several salvos. However, under the telescope, Chen Cao clearly saw that Wujin's enemy tower was blown to pieces, and hundreds of people were killed. The surrounding soldiers were affected.
Xu Chengqing was flustered. He didn't know what method his opponent used to throw the cannons so far. Only the five thousand Hongyi cannons that could hit them from four miles away.
"They only have at most three large red cannons..."
This is the conclusion Xu Chengqing drew from the sound of the first salvo. If Chen Cao had enough artillery, he would not have stopped after firing only ten rounds.
But even so, the entire east gate tower had collapsed, and no one could stand anymore. His soldiers also suffered heavy casualties, and he himself was affected by the blasted gravel, turning his face into a mess.
"Hurry up to the city wall, the rebels may be about to storm the city."
However, what surprised Xu Chengqing was that the rebels in his eyes just returned to the previous three-mile formation and never took action again.
"Kill..."
More than a thousand soldiers in garrison uniforms carried ladders and rushed towards the city wall. These were the Suzhou town soldiers recruited by Chen Cao following Huang Chunyao's suggestion. They were not deliberately used as human shields. This time they were just a human shield. Bo probed, he wanted to find out what other methods Xu Chengqing had.
Arrows and artillery were fired. When the town soldiers rushed under the city wall, the musketeers on the towers opened fire one after another. The wave of town soldiers suffered heavy casualties and then retreated in panic without Chen Cao's order to retreat.
But only Chen Cao could clearly see the defensive tools on the top of Wujin City through the telescope. Then he turned to look at Song Che beside him and said: "Tiger Crouching Cannon, Three-Eyed Cannon, Bird Cannon, and many general cannons." ;" He said with a smile: "It seems that Xu Hongji still thinks highly of me."
The number of soldiers recruited into the town and guard posts totaled 10,000. Chen Cao not only had problems with the number of soldiers, but also all of the 10,000 soldiers he surrendered were carefully selected and strong. After receiving the resettlement allowance, they were better off than under the previous generals. Be obedient.
Just when Chen Cao was about to issue an order, Zhao Xin quickly rushed to the front of the formation and shouted: "My lord, something serious has happened..."
Chen Cao frowned, and Zhao Xin said urgently: "The second division under surveillance by Zuo Liangyu in Zhongxi was attacked by Zuo Liangyu. The Zuo army has more than 30,000 troops. The second division could not resist and has retreated to Gaoqiao."
Chen Cao's heart tightened. He suddenly felt that the Wujin County in front of him was a big bait: "Yunsheng, what do you think?"
The reason why Chen Cao was willing not to panic was that both divisions of the Dingwu Army now had war horses, so they could rush back to Wuxi within one day even if they marched in a hurry.
Huang Chunyao's mind turned quickly: "It was reported that Xu Chengqing's initial order was to be stationed in Zhenjiang Prefecture, and he suddenly stationed in Changzhou Prefecture. Could he be using himself as bait?
In addition, when Zuo Liangyu's military students went there before, they were around 30,000, which is pretty good, right? "
"Tune the tiger away from the mountain..."
Chen Cao said it himself, and then looked at Wujin County in the distance: "You are really brave. It seems that there are still capable people in Nanjing..."
The Longwu Army did not have enough war horses, and its subordinates, like the Second Division of the Dingwu Army, were basically composed of new soldiers. In the past, only the First Division of the Dingwu Army was able to fight, and it was still a fully-organized one. After thinking about it, Chen Cao still decided Decided to let Song Che return for support.
"Shixiu, you lead the First Division back to Gaoqiao. The Second Division is all new recruits. You must not let Zuo Liangyu take advantage of this."
Song Che didn't hesitate, nodded and turned his horse's head to leave.
Chen Cao looked at Wujin County in the distance and sneered: "I want to see what Xu Chengqing is capable of...
Ning Guoxing, Shenwu Cannon is ready..."
..
You Shiwei was temporarily transferred from Yulin and was directly promoted from deputy commander-in-chief to commander-in-chief. This time he transferred 50,000 troops to secretly march eastward from Liyang. They were not discovered by the scouts from behind until they reached Zhongxi where Zuo Liangyu was stationed.
Zuo Liangyu originally wanted to sit on the mountain and watch the fight between tigers, but the arrival of You Shiwei made him determined to deal with Chen Cao. Wouldn't eighty thousand people beating ten thousand people be like an adult beating up a child?
