"I didn't expect that in just two months, Zu Dashou would make Ningyuan impregnable. The city was covered with red cannons, and there were Xuanda, Gansu, and Shanxi frontier troops to help, as well as the Juehua Island Navy. I heard that even his company The garrison from Shanhaiguan has been mobilized. There are at least 30,000 garrison troops in the city, and they are all elite soldiers. I'm afraid Ningyuan will be difficult to fight."
"Commander Deng's words are wrong! The war is about to begin. Don't build up others' ambitions and destroy your own prestige! I have 450,000 soldiers and horses in Kaiyuan. Mongolia, Jurchens, Han people, and Koreans all surrender to the Ping Liao Marquis. The army can be cut off by throwing whips. Flow. Ancestor Dashou has Hongyi cannons, so why don’t our army have them? Besides, Marquis Pingliao is personally commanding this battle. It can be said that the right time, place, people, and people all depend on me. It’s just a small town! How can I say that!”
On February 21st of the first year of Chongzhen, Wanghai Temple in Jinxi, Huludao.
Wanghai Temple is located at the eastern end of Huludao, close to the Liaohai Sea. Less than ten miles to the south is the famous Lianshan Bay in Jinxi.
In a Zen room facing the east and facing the sea, Liu Zhaosun was seen wearing a cassock, sitting quietly on a futon, holding a Buddhist bead consecrated by Master Juekong, the old abbot of Wanghai Temple.
His eyes were closed tightly, his lips moved slightly, and he muttered something.
According to Master Juekong, as long as you hold this magical instrument and recite the Diamond Sutra devoutly, you will be able to move Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and pray for blessings.
So Ping Liaohou borrowed three hundred taels of silver from Kang Yingqian.
When he handed the three hundred taels of silver to the old abbot, Kang Yingqian threatened the old monk that if it didn't work, he would turn around and demolish the ruined temple.
Master Juekong quickly returned the silver to Lao Kang.
Liu Zhaosun was on the battlefield in western Liaoning. It was impossible for him to leave the army behind and fly across the Liaohai Sea to save Jin Yuji.
As a husband, this is all he can do for his wife now.
However, as the leader of this 400,000-man army, such a performance seems too absurd.
If they hadn't known in advance that today's theme was the Battle of Ningyuan, everyone would have thought that Marquis Pingliao had seen through the world of mortals and had the desire to become a monk at Wanghai Temple.
While Liu Zhaosun closed his eyes and recited sutras, his men around him were not idle.
Kang Yingqian, Deng Changxiong, Mao Yuanyi, Wang Zengbin, Ma Shiying and others are arguing over tomorrow's siege operation.
According to the intelligence obtained by Liu Xingzuo, Wang Zaijin and Zu Dashou, two assassins, have been doing a lot of hard work in Ningyuan these days. They drove tens of thousands of Liao people to build fortifications day and night.
On the road from Shanhaiguan to Ningyuan, there was an endless stream of cattle and carriages transporting grain, grass and weapons, stretching for dozens of miles.
Emperor Chongzhen, who had just ascended the throne, stopped repairing Wanshou Palace and Kunning Palace, and used the intercepted silver coins to increase Liao pay.
Stimulated by the two million taels of silver, the morale of the border troops was greatly boosted and they showed strong combat effectiveness. They no longer cowered in Shanhaiguan and rushed to reinforce Ningyuan.
Except for the Jizhou frontier army, which retreated to the pass due to the sudden illness of its commander-in-chief Man Gui, the rest of the frontier army was dispatched to Ningyuan City to reinforce western Liaoning.
The strength of the Ming army in Ningyuan City is increasing day by day.
At the moment when Marquis Ping Liao was meditating, the strength of Ningyuan's border army was estimated to have reached 40,000.
"Commander Mangui is really loyal and didn't cheat us at the critical moment!"
Wang Zengbin lamented loudly that in this battle in western Liaoning, the cavalry regiments came out in full force. After several battles, the more than 7,000 fine cavalry under his command had almost no casualties. Thinking that he was about to face off against the frontier cavalry, he felt somewhat nervous.
"With the withdrawal of Jizhen, the pressure of the Ningyuan battle will be reduced, but Mangui will be in danger. The new official will take office, let alone the new emperor who ascends the throne. His chief military officer may be exhausted."
Ma Shiying shook his head and sighed, and looked out the window worriedly. He saw rippling blue waves in the Liaohai Sea, densely packed tents on the coast, and no end in sight.
After Yuan Chonghuan was promoted to the second-in-command in Kaiyuan, Ma Shiying took over the responsibility for external liaison matters and had several dealings with Man Gui.
Among the many generals in Kaiyuan, apart from Ping Liaohou, Ma Shiying had the best relationship with Mangui.
Ma Shiying knew very well that as the chief military officer of Jizhen, Mangui's willingness to give up aid to Liao this time was already the greatest help to Kaiyuan's army. He couldn't be allowed to rebel directly within the pass, right?
"Liao Town has strengthened the city wall, made it taller and deeper, built a new watchtower and turret in front, and built a war horse wall behind the city wall, presumably to facilitate the border troops' elite cavalry to attack at any time. The fortifications inside the city cannot be seen, and all the fortifications outside the city have been rebuilt. Repairs. They seem to have also hired Franji instructors to help them operate cannons and build fortifications. Kaiyuan saw these Franji people with a telescope on the mountains outside the city at night. "
Deng Changxiong pointed to a schematic diagram of Ningyuan city defense hanging on the wall and reported to everyone.
This map was jointly drawn by members of the Intelligence Bureau and the Second Guards Ye Busuo. They lurked on Hongshi Mountain outside Ningyuan City for three days and were almost discovered by Ye Busuo of Liao Town.
"Zu Dashou led his servants to arrest spies in the city every day. Wang Zaijin also took out some silver to reward the people, asking them to report the spies and get rewards if they were caught. The more than 20 people who were lurking in Ningyuan from the Intelligence Bureau suffered all casualties, and only one escaped. I don’t know if anyone rebelled. It is said that after the war started, Wang Zaijin would seal all the city gates with huge rocks to prevent anyone from entering or exiting. They also burned all the houses and fields in the villages around Ningyuan. In Zu Dashou’s words, Kaiyuan was not allowed to The army left a grain of food behind. The people from Thirteen Mountains went to Ningyuan several times to beg for shelter, but Wang Zaijin refused because they hindered the defense of the city. The navy on Juehua Island transported some of the refugees to Mopanshan Island, and no food was given. Thousands of refugees are left to fend for themselves. It seems that these people are determined to defend Ningyuan."
Everyone shook their heads after hearing this. Zu Dashou was indeed more effective than his two younger brothers. Judging from this posture, he wanted Kai Yuan's army to get a bloody blow in Ningyuan.
Mao Yuanyi was one of Ping Liaohou's think tanks, and he was one of the makers of the plan for the western Liaoning campaign.
The court's reaction was so great that it far exceeded Mao Yuanyi's expectations and was incredible.
"I heard that Emperor Chongzhen ordered to stop the construction of the palace and invest all the money for the palace construction in the battlefield in western Liaoning. He even cut off the military pay for quelling the She'an Rebellion and directly asked the Ministry of War to transfer it to Wang Zaijin. All opponents in the court were dismissed from office. Put him in jail and hand him over to Xu Xianchun. Zhu Youxiao is just a 16-year-old boy, how can he have such courage? "
After hearing this, Chief Instructor Senti couldn't help but cursed:
"The street boy! He wants to fight with us at all costs, but he is the cheap one like Zu Dashou!"
Everyone looked worried, Kang Yingqian smiled evilly:
"Hahaha, it's because you are taking Chongzhen for granted."
"It used to be said that Zhu Youxiao only knew how to do carpentry work and never studied. It seems that these are all false rumors. Looking at this posture, he is not trying to rescue Liaoxi. He is clearly trying to force Zu Dashou to die and take the opportunity to regain control. Liaoxi, if you don’t believe it, just look at it, this time the ancestral army will be at the front and serve as cannon fodder.”
"My expectation is good, the Beijing camp has also been dispatched..."
Kang Yingqian felt proud when he saw that everyone was listening to him attentively. He was about to make some more explosive revelations. At this time, the Buddhist beads in Marquis Pingliao's hand suddenly made a snap sound and landed on the slump.
Everyone immediately stopped talking and followed the sound.
Going to see Liu Zhaosun slowly opened his eyes.
"Have you all discussed it? How to attack Ningyuan?"
Everyone was silent.
Liu Zhaosun stood up from the futon and walked slowly to the Ningyuan City Defense Map.
"Since you haven't decided yet, why not listen to what I have to say."
Liu Zhaosun took out the whisk given to him by Master Juekong and pointed to Ningyuan City on the map with his hand.
"Zu Dashou wants to use his giant cannon to defend the city and engage in a decisive battle with Kaiyuan's army in Ningyuan, killing and injuring our army. I will fulfill his wish and fight him head-on!"
"Gather all the auxiliary soldiers and civilians accompanying the army to build a shield car day and night. The front baffle of the shield car must be thicker than eight inches, and the middle must be filled with sand. We will attack the city in three days!"
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