Chapter 389 Northern Expedition, Northern Expedition
"Gao Zefu's ancestral home is Zhongwei, Tieling, Liaodong. He was promoted to the commander of the 40th Division due to his meritorious service in the third year of Chongzhen. Deputy Division Commander Tang Wei, his ancestral home is Ningyuan Qianwei, Liaodong. He was promoted with Gao Zefu in the same year. Chief of Staff Huang Hua, his ancestral home is Weinan, Shaanxi. He was transferred to the chief of staff of the 40th Division in the fifth year of Chongzhen. .”
As he spoke, Zhao Xin raised his head and glanced at Chen Cao in his seat. Seeing no response, he continued: "The official document sent by Wang Xiaojie to the Governor's Mansion stated that both Tang Wei and Huang Hua died in battle on the beachhead at Jiangqiao Ferry. Gao Zefu I organized the dead soldiers to use explosives to blow up the Qing army's defensive position, and then charged in person with a gun. When fighting the Qing army, I was injured by the opponent. According to the report of our company's spies, Li Shihan was destroyed in the defensive position. Then he ran away, which was exactly what Wang Xiaojie said."
"Where's Zhang Cai?"
Chen Cao suddenly spoke, and Zhao Xin was stunned for a moment. He turned his head for a long time before saying urgently: "Zhang Cai established the Central News Agency in Beijing at the request of the emperor. Both Zhang Cai and Zhang Pu are in Beijing."
"Xin Zhao."
"Your Majesty..."
"Send the official document from the Governor's Office to Zhang Cai and tell him that I have only one request. The deaths of Tang Wei and Huang Hua must be publicized. The injured Gao Zefu must also be publicized so that our soldiers' bravery and fearlessness can be promoted. If you want to write it down, tell Zhang Cai that he only has two days, and after two days I will let everyone in Nanjing know about this battle across the river."
"I'll go right away..."
Chen Cao stood up, looked around at the important ministers standing in the Taiji Hall, and said after a long time: "Having peace with Jiannu for a long time will make us people in the south think that we will rule across the river with them like the former Song Dynasty. I am not Zhao Gou , there will be no sycophants like Jia Sidao in the court, what do you think?"
As a diehard, Huang Chunyao was the first to go out: "I invite your Majesty to make the Northern Expedition..."
Xu Fuyuan, Zou Weilian, Chen Yan and others came out one after another: "Your Majesty, please make the Northern Expedition..."
There were loud noises, all of which were petitions for the Northern Expedition. Chen Cao raised the corners of his mouth and stared at the ministers in the palace. After he calmed down, he said: "Gentlemen, since ancient times, it has been smooth sailing from the north to the south. Looking at it, For thousands of years, our imperial court in China has fought from the south to the north. The only one who finally won the victory was Emperor Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty;
I...
Determined to personally conquer the slaves in the north and restore peace to the world..."
All the ministers in the palace bowed and raised their hands, and sang in unison: "Your Majesty the Holy Might..."
"The prince will be ten years old in the next year. I will take him with him during this Northern Expedition. As for the capital, where is Zhang Fengnian?"
In the corner of the hall, a middle-aged man wearing a new military uniform walked steadily out of the queue. It was Zhang Fengnian, the commander of the pro-army army at that time. However, everyone knows that this Zhang Fengnian has always been the commander of the Shanghai Garrison District. When did he enter Beijing?
"Your Majesty Zhang Fengnian is here..."
In a standard military salute, Chen Cao nodded slightly: "From now on, the Nanjing Garrison Headquarters will be established, with Zhang Fengnian as the commander and three divisions in charge. When I personally conquer, the safety of Nanjing will be left to you."
Zhang Fengnian stood at attention again and saluted: "Your Majesty, please rest assured that I will live up to your Majesty's expectations."
After arranging everything, Chen Cao asked everyone to go back and prepare for the Northern Expedition. When he returned to the palace, he quickly explained some important things to Queen Li Xiang.
The next day, the whole of Nanjing was filled with righteous indignation. Then the story of the Shenwu Army's 40th Division crossing the river was spread throughout the streets. By the afternoon, hundreds of thousands of people in Nanjing came to the They patrolled the streets until they reached Hongwu Gate, shouting slogans to expel the Tartars.
"People's hearts are available..."
Chen Cao was on the tower of Hongwu Gate, but he did not show up. After saying these words, he led people back to the palace.
Early in the morning on the third day, the palace issued a proclamation, which was about the Northern Expedition. The last sentence of the proclamation, "Expel the Tartars and restore China," was still vivid in my mind.
The Dingwu Army and the Longwu Army have all assembled and will cross the river from Dashengguan to Xijiangkou in the north of the Yangtze River in two days, and then go north to Chuzhou Fengyang and other places.
The well-prepared war machine began to activate. Under the supply chain of the foreign trade group, logistics supplies and equipment for nearly 400,000 people from the two armies began to be continuously transported from Dasheng Pass to Xijiangkou, and as many as 300,000 civilians.
.
"His Majesty has led the army to march in person and is on his way."
Wang Xiaojie handed the official document to Yuan Shizhong, and then looked at the marching officers and soldiers on both sides: "How far are we from Yangzhou?"
"The forward troops are estimated to be less than ten miles away. I received a report from Han Shun's command an hour ago that the 1st Group Army has crossed the Yangtze River and may arrive at Yangzhou City before our army."
Wang Xiaojie nodded and shouted loudly: "Give the forward troops an order to shoot at the foot of Yangzhou City ahead of the 1st Army."
Taking credit is a good thing, it proves that those who fight have the intention to fight.
During the fierce running, Zhang Qin'an's troops of the 32nd Forward Division did arrive in Yangzhou earlier than Weng Linzhi's 1st Army, but in exchange they fell behind in artillery and other heavy siege equipment.
Zhang Qin'an looked at the Yangzhou city wall that was visible to the naked eye not far away, and couldn't help but sneer: "If we capture Yangzhou city first, hey, I heard that your majesty has already conquered it personally, which will be a big contribution."
"Master, the Tatars dug dozens of deep trenches outside the city."
Zhang Qin'an raised his telescope, and sure enough, there were countless trenches in front of Yangzhou City, which were densely packed like cracks. This caused great difficulties for the troops attacking the city.
"how to spell?"
Zhang Qin'an frowned, and a marching staff officer said: "Master, if we wait until all the major troops arrive, Yangzhou City can be destroyed by a few rounds of field artillery directly under the army."
Zhang Qin'an looked at the staff officer coldly, and then sneered: "Idiot, the big army is here, our 32nd Division still has oil and water to fish for? The people in the 1st Army are not good at it, and the number of field artillery under Weng Linzhi's command is no less than ours. "
Deputy Division Commander Liao Pindong said: "Our artillery is still behind, why not organize a manpower charge first and see how the Tatars are deploying?"
"That's all we can do," Zhang Qin'an nodded: "First send a battalion up to explore the truth."
With the sudden artillery and gunfire, the officers and soldiers of the 32nd Division marching in the extremely difficult trench position were caught off guard. The rain of throwing weapons and arrows in the sky also killed and wounded all the officers and soldiers who were retreating.
A battalion sent out only came back with more than a hundred men.
Zhang Qin'an said with a cold face: "The Tatars of Dog Day are waiting for us here. Stop charging and wait for the artillery. If this continues, many people will die. The Yangtze River has been crossed. We can't stumble here. Go, we will Report the situation here to the military immediately."
.
"Commander, not far away are the friendly forces of the 32nd Division of the Shenwu Army."
Weng Linzhi looked at the officers and soldiers of the 32nd Division who died in Jiannu's ambush, then turned back and said: "Go, pull out our field artillery and Shenwu artillery, and blast them."
The victory of the Dantu Battle was also thanks to the Shenwu Army. The defeats of Li Shihan and Bao Chengxian made Li Yongfang lose the confidence to guard the Yangtze River defense line. Furthermore, the strength of the Qing army was horse warfare, and most of the firearms troops came from Liaodong. And the northwest recruits mainly ethnic minorities and Han people.
Li Yongfang did not go to the city to command. At this moment, he had just deployed Yangzhou's defense. After shrinking his troops, he was determined to fight the Ming army in Yangzhou City. After all, street fighting was more difficult for his 150,000 Han troops and Eight Banners than fighting on the plains. They are much more cost-effective for shooting.
The thundering sound of artillery suddenly rang out, causing the teacups on Li Yongfang's tea table to clink. Not long after, a primary school student ran into the Yangzhou Governor's Yamen in panic.
"Consort, the Ming army has begun shelling the city wall."
Li Yongfang took a deep breath, and then said: "Let Yang Lianmaha and Li Shihan defend the city well, and then warn Li Shihan that the head of Yangzhou City is his last retreat. Without my order, anyone who dares to leave their post without permission will be killed without mercy. "
"yes..."
Not long after, Yang Lianmaha, the general at the head of the city, ordered artillery to fire back and started a large-scale artillery battle with the 1st Army.
Casualties on both sides began to mount.
Putting down the telescope, Weng Linzhi frowned: "Jiannu's artillery can't hit far, so we underestimated them. How many Shenwu cannons did the foreign missions in Shanghai sell to these guys?"
"Commander, why not mobilize all the artillery in the army?"
Weng Linzhi looked at the 34th Division troops a few miles away on the left, and then shook his head: "That's not necessary, our artillery is also behind. It seems that Yangzhou is a tough nut to crack. You have to die to take it down. Send the order, our troops will assemble." Then he surrounded Yangzhou from the east and told Kang Sui to let his troops go and capture Jiangdu first;
We are going to cooperate with the Shenwu Army. "
.
After Chen Cao crossed the river, he led the Dingwu army eastward towards Yizhen. On the way, he met the messenger soldiers hurriedly coming from Yangzhou.
Walking into the temporary camp, the staff officers from the Dudu Mansion were racking their brains to draw a picture. Zhao Xin followed Chen Cao: "Wang Xiaojie and Weng Linzhi joined forces and bombarded Yangzhou. When the 1st Army arrived earlier, An artillery battle was launched, and both the enemy and us suffered casualties. After the large-scale artillery battle, the section of the city wall on the west side of Yangzhou was blown up by artillery. The Shenwu Army launched a charge, but they were all repulsed by the Jiannu defenders."
"Is Yangzhou very big?"
Faced with Chen Cao's rhetorical question, the clever Zhao Xin gave up: "Your Majesty, you don't know. The soldiers guarding the city had dug dozens of deep trenches in all directions of Yangzhou City. The soldiers had to cross these trenches when charging." The trench became a huge obstacle. If we walked in the trench, the slaves at the top of the city would use return artillery to hurl heavy fire oil, causing heavy casualties to our army."
"These tricks?" Chen Cao frowned and looked at Xin Zhao: "Isn't this our previous fighting method?"
Zhao Xin said embarrassedly: "It's true, but I guess that the trench warfare method was taught to them by the foreign envoys in Shanghai, otherwise they wouldn't have done it."
Chen Cao walked back and forth for a few steps, and then ordered: "Send an order to Wang Xiaojie and Weng Linzhi, tell them not to act rashly, and wait until I arrive with a large force to let the slaves in Yangzhou taste the power of our cannons;
Also, let Weng Linzhi send troops to harass the rear of Yangzhou. It would be best if Daishan could be lured over. "
"Yes, I will do it now..."
