De'an Mansion, Suizhou City.
On the extremely solid city wall, a high-flying banner with the word "Zhou" has been raised at this time.
This city stuck in the throat of Zaosui Corridor is the northern land gateway carefully built by Li Zicheng. The original thin old city wall has been doubled in thickness, which is enough to withstand long-term bombardment, and three holes have been excavated outside the city. A trench was built, four branch cities were built, and an inner city wall was built in the city to prevent the generals in the city from being able to defend the city after the outer city wall was blown down by enemy artillery.
But it was such a fortified city with three floors inside and three floors outside that could have withstood a long-term siege, but it was defeated by Wu Shifan in just three days!
Wu Shifan's method of conquering Suizhou is simple to say, which is to use the "Returning Regiment" composed of former gentry from De'an Prefecture who fled to the Zhou Dynasty to attack and plunder the Fubing farm outside Suizhou City, forcing the Fubing soldiers inside Suizhou City to fight to defend it. home.
Isn't Li Zicheng's military system the Fentianfu military system? Shouldn't he be able to enclose the land if he wants to divide it? Hubei is not close to the sea, there is no white land that the Qing Dynasty moved along the coast, there is no Sichuan where only a few people were massacred, and there is no fertile wilderness in the Northeast. Therefore, Li Zicheng could only engage in stockpiling, which meant encircling the land of the gentry and landlords and giving it to the soldiers. And he had no money to pay compensation. Although he also followed Li Zhongshan's method and used urban land in Hankou and Wuchang to supply the gentry who were willing to cooperate. But at this time, Hankou and Wuchang were not as good as Nanjing, Suzhou, and Guangzhou, plus Li Zhongshan Chuang's reputation was not as good as that of the Ming Dynasty, so many Hubei landlords and wealthy people resisted Li Zicheng's enclosure. After the failure, they either ran to Nanjing or Xiangyang.
Most of those who ran to Xiangyang were used by Wu Sangui. Either become an official of the Wu family, or become a soldier of the Wu family.
Of course, the soldiers of the Wu family also have land rights, but they are usually given to farms in Sichuan. After serving as soldiers for a certain number of days, they can organize a group to go to Sichuan to cultivate fields under the organization of the Wu family - now Sichuan is already a wilderness, and there is no group formation. If it is developed, it will be easy to kill the jackals, tigers, leopards and giant pandas!
However, for those Hubei gentry who ran away from Li Zicheng's territory, it was not ideal to serve as a soldier for Lao Wu for a few years and then go to Sichuan to farm. At the same time, he had to serve in the army for generations. What they wanted most was to follow him. Wu Sangui fought back to his hometown to take back his family's property.
Now, isn't their chance coming? At least those Hubei gentry from De'an Prefecture have a chance!
Under Wu Shifan's order, all the soldiers from the De'an Prefecture among the guards were gathered together to form a "returning regiment", and the first group went to Suizhou City to cause destruction.
The soldiers of Prince Zhong's Mansion in Suizhou were also caught off guard. Before they had time to fortify the walls and clear the country, and transport their families and food into Suizhou City, the returning regiments came!
Seeing that their home was about to be demolished, the soldiers loyal to King Li Zhong naturally couldn't bear it. Moreover, the number of returning troops from Wu Zhou was not large. It did not look like a large-scale attack. In addition, During this period of time, there were also rumors in De'an that Wu Sangui was about to die, and that the two "silly sons" of the Wu family were going to fight among themselves. Therefore, the soldiers and generals of Prince Zhong's Mansion in De'an took it a little lightly, and took their troops to expel the returning regiments from Wu Zhou. They probably thought that there was some big trouble within Wu Zhou, and the troops stationed at the border I lost control and came here to rob!
As a result, some of the troops sent out by Suizhou were ambushed and suffered heavy losses, and some of them returned to Suizhou City with the refugees mixed with the returning group. The army led by Wu Shifan followed closely and fought at the foot of Suizhou City, and started immediately storm. The Suizhou garrison, which had already suffered a lot of losses due to fighting out of the city, had to rush to fight. An inattentive returning regiment was caught off guard and lost a city gate, allowing Wu Shifan's army to rush into Suizhou City. !
Although Suizhou's Prince Zhong's soldiers still relied on the inner city wall and the government office fortified city to resist for two days, they were eventually defeated by Wu Shifan. The Suizhou Fortress, which Li Zicheng had worked so hard to manage, immediately fell into the hands of the invading Wu and Zhou armies. Wu Shifan's stronghold in Hankou was captured!
The interior of this impregnable Suizhou Fortress is not large, with only a dozen streets, the widest of which is a main street running through the city from north to south. At this time, the only people marching on this street were large groups of Wu and Zhou soldiers. The tall mules and horses coming from the northwest, pulling bronze cannons cast by the Wu family's gunsmiths, rumbled past on the street. Although snowflakes were falling from the sky, the temperature had already dropped below freezing. But from officers to soldiers, everyone was sweating profusely and showed no intention of slowing down. The team of soldiers wearing bamboo hats and raincoats stretched from the north to the south of Suizhou City, in an endless stream, as if there was no end.
Wu Shifan, the grandson of the Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty, also wore a bamboo hat and a raincoat, riding a horse and standing on a high ground outside Suizhou City, holding a telescope and looking south. Accompanying him was Wang Pingfan, the Pingdong general appointed by Wu Sangui. This Wu and Zhou army was commanded by Wu Shifan and Wang Pingfan.
From time to time, a messenger would come galloping from the front and loudly report the latest military information. The staff officers following Wu Shifan and Wang Pingfan would immediately record it and then report the important information.
"Your Highness Taisun, the vanguard cavalry has rushed to Pingli City in Anlu County, where they also captured a Tangma from Prince Mingzhong's Palace. Through interrogation, it was learned that Hanyang Gate, Pinghu Gate, Wenchang Gate, Wusheng Gate in Jiangxia, Wuchang Prefecture Both the gate and the Wangshan Gate have been captured by my warriors of the Great Zhou Dynasty! Yellow Crane Tower Zhou Banner Hunting!"
Wu Shifan burst out laughing: "Well done to Shuangyu, he has captured five city gates in Jiangxia! Wang Pingdong, it seems we can report victory to my grandfather again!"
Wang Pingfan also looked indescribably proud, "What Taisun said is absolutely true. It seems that the thunderous attack launched by our Zhou Dynasty has been successful. Li Zicheng is finished this time! When Huguang is captured, The Qing army in Jiangxi and the Geng army in Zhejiang will definitely surrender to the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the unification of the world will be just around the corner. At the end of the day, it will be the Great Zhou Dynasty. I wish my grandson a good congratulation!"
Wu Shifan nodded slightly, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by a look of arrogance: "Notify the three armies that the heavenly soldiers have succeeded in attacking Jiangxia, and half of Jiangxia is owned by me. Send an order to speed up the march. Our army will march day and night. We will go straight to Hanyang, then cross the river and enter Jiangxia, laying the foundation for my great Zhou Dynasty in one fell swoop!"
"Long live! Great Zhou Wansheng!"
The surrounding staff officers and guards cheered!
"Long live the report, His Royal Highness the Emperor Taisun sent an envoy to report the victory!"
On the top of Madame City on the edge of the Han River in Xiangyang Fucheng, Wu Sangui, who was leading the civil and military officials below to inspect his navy, suddenly heard the news of the "Emperor's Grandson"'s victory. He quickly looked back and saw the prince Wu Yingxiong standing there. He took a wooden box from an imperial guard, tore off the seal and took out a booklet inside. Then he threw the wooden box to a eunuch, opened the booklet and read it. After a few glances, he was satisfied. He said: "Father, Shihuan is avenging Shijue's victory this time. The five gates of Jiangxia City and the Yellow Crane Tower were all knocked down by Shijue! What a great victory!"
"Hahaha!" Wu Sangui finally burst out laughing.
When he received the news of Wu Shifan's victory over Suizhou before, he just nodded slightly and even felt a little uneasy. Because conquering Suizhou only broke through the northern gate of Li Zicheng's territory, it did not guarantee that a knife would penetrate the enemy's heart. And Wu Shijue's raid on Jiangxia is the key to success or failure!
Because as long as Wu Shijue can control the docks and city gates of Jiangxia Linjiang, Wu Shifan's North Army will be able to cross the river on the grain ship brought by Wu Shijue after capturing Hankou Town (Hankou is just a commercial town without strong city defenses) Jiangxia City.
Once Wu Shifan's army enters Jiangxia, the Battle of Jiangxia will be a complete victory.
Once Jiang Xia succeeds, the troops of Prince Mingzhong on the forts along the Han River and the Yangtze River will have no choice but to abandon the forts and run away or surrender.
In this way, the navy that Wu Sangui had finally put together could move east along the Yangtze River!
Thinking of this, Wu Sangui turned his head and looked at the countless warships moored on the Han River, which was relatively narrow in winter. The smug smile on his face could not be concealed.
After Wu Sangui captured Hunan and Xiangyang, he began to build his own navy. At the beginning, Wu Yingxiong and Wu Guogui built the navy in Dongting Lake and Xiangyang respectively. After the "Li Fuchen's Relief" incident, he suffered from the lack of navy. Wu Sangui, who was in trouble, formally established the Navy Commander's Office, and appointed his two sons-in-law, Xia Guoxiang and Hu Guozhu, as the left and right governors respectively, one to take over the Xiangyang Navy and the other to take over the Dongting Lake Navy.
After continuously collecting and building ships and training sailors in the past two years, the Wu family's northern and southern naval armies have, at least in size, overwhelmed Li Zicheng's navy and the Ming Dynasty Yangtze River Navy.
The combined strength of these two naval armies has exceeded 30,000, and the number of large and small warships they possess has exceeded 800!
Moreover, Wu Sangui also handed over all the sub-cannons captured in previous battles with the Qing Dynasty to the navy, and built many heavy matchlock guns that could be mounted on the side of the ship and fired.
Regardless of firepower or numbers, the current Wu Zhou navy can be called a powerful force!
This time Wu Sangui's Eastern Campaign was much more confident than Cao Mengde's in history!
Moreover, Wu Sangui played smartly and attacked Jiang Xia at the beginning!
In addition, in Jiangxi and Zhejiang, there are also Jieshu and Geng Jingzhong who will raise troops to respond to him. If all goes well, Wu Sangui might be able to push him to the gates of Nanjing. This will almost catch up with Chen Youliang back then!
However, Wu Sangui will not learn from Chen Youliang. He will attack slowly and steadily, first taking over the entire Hubei, then driving the Ming army out of Jiangxi, then taking over Guangdong, and then attacking Anqing. Step by step, he will approach Nanjing!
Just push it steadily through the Ming Dynasty and it will lead to a dead end!
Thinking of this, Wu Sangui turned his head and said to Wu Yingxiong: "Boss, pass the order. The army will set off tomorrow. Let's go to Jiangxia, kill Li Chuang, and avenge your grandfather, Chongzhen and the others!" He gritted his teeth, "I have finally waited for this day. Got it!"
"Yes, Father!"
"Your Majesty, I am so happy, so happy!"
Lin'an Palace. Geng Jingzhong, who was frowning in his palace and calculating how many days he had left to be emperor, suddenly heard "you are happy" and raised his head to see that the person who announced the good news was his own military advisor Yu Renying - he is now Yu Renying. The first assistant is Yu Zhongtang!
However, the performance of this central court was actually not very good. Ever since he became the central commander, the land of Jingguo has been dwindling and its soldiers have been dwindling! When he first came here, Dajing also had five state capitals in Zhejiang and Anhui and several state capitals in Fujian. It was a complete "quarter wall"!
But now Anhui's territory has been lost, and Fujian is about to do so. Fuzhou has been conquered by Zheng Jing, a local snake in Fujian!
What's even more frightening is that Liu Jinzhong, the ruthless Northern King, also captured Huzhou and Jiaxing Prefectures in Zhejiang Province, and his troops were directed at Lin'an Prefecture, the capital of Dajing!
A quarter of the world in Dajing seems to be over!
Once the Dajing was over, wouldn't Geng Jingzhong become the king of subjugation?
There is no good end to the country's subjugation!
Just when I was scared, Yu Renying came to announce the good news.
Of course Geng Jingzhong would not give this incompetent minister a good look - he must be a wise king himself! Why would such a wise king end his country? Needless to say, it must be because the ministers are all ministers of subjugation!
But just as he was about to get angry, he saw a familiar face - that was Shang Shuying!
Seeing Shang Shuying, Geng Jingzhong couldn't help crying. Shang Zhixin was still his good brother! He is now the emperor, but his good brother...
"Shuying, is that you? It's great that you can come! By the way, where did you go? Didn't you let the devil Li Zhongshan capture you?"
Shang Shuying also had tears in her eyes. If men and women hadn't been close to each other, she would have had a hug with Geng Jingzhong and cried: "Your Majesty, I have been hiding with the Emperor of Zhou these days. I have also been granted the title of Princess Pingnan. "
"Are you Wu Sangui's lobbyist?" Geng Jingzhong suddenly became a little unhappy.
He didn't feel that he should be a head shorter than Wu Sangui - Wu Sangui was the emperor, he was also the emperor, and everyone should be equal. But that Wu Sangui always sent people to appease him, the Dajing Emperor, saying that he would make him a prince.
But if he wants to be king, he can just stay peacefully in Nanjing. He is the Eastern King of the Ming Dynasty! What was he rebelling against?
Now, after going around for a long time and becoming king for Wu Sangui, isn't this a fool's errand?
Moreover, in the Ming Dynasty, the people of the country discussed politics, and the emperor had a vase. When you are the king of the Ming Dynasty, there is actually no real emperor above you! There is no such thing as being with a king like a tiger!
But Wu Sangui had a real emperor, and he also had an eldest son, the Crown Prince, and a second son, King Qin. If you were to go the other way, you would have to bet, and if you bet 50% of the time on the wrong bet, you would lose it!
Isn’t this too exciting?
"Your Majesty, don't be angry, just listen to what I have to say!" Shang Shuying saw that Geng Jingzhong was about to get angry, so she quickly persuaded her, "Now the Ming Dynasty is coming to an end. The Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty gathered more than 200,000 land and water troops this time, and followed the Han We marched into the Yangtze River and the Yangtze River, and also contacted the army of King Kang of the Qing Dynasty, planning to annex Li Zicheng’s territory first, and then join the Qing army in Jiangxi to march into Nanjing! Your Majesty, this is also your opportunity!"
"What chance do I have?" Geng Jingzhong frowned, "Wu Sangui has unified the world, am I not the king of subjugation? What chance do I have?"
"Your Majesty, don't think so!" Shang Shuying said with a smile, "First of all, there is a difference between surrendering to the Ming Dynasty and surrendering to the Zhou Dynasty. You are a traitor to the Ming Dynasty, and you will be punished if you are caught!"
Geng Jingzhong glared at Shang Shuying: "You too!"
"Yes, yes," Shang Shuying nodded, "but to the Emperor of Zhou, you are the hero who destroyed the Ming Dynasty. The Emperor of Zhou is our elder, and the Prince of Zhou is our elder brother. We In the Great Zhou Dynasty, are you afraid that you will not have glory and wealth?"
That's you. Geng Jing said loyally: I was the emperor! It’s hard not to be suspicious of this!
"In addition," Shang Shuying lowered her voice again, "after the Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty destroyed the Ming Dynasty, he would not necessarily come to destroy Jing without stopping. Besides, the great general of the Ming Dynasty, Li Zhongshan, was a hero and would not be destroyed so easily. Maybe the Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty and Li Zhongshan will defeat both sides, and then Dajing may have a chance!"
"This." Geng Jingzhong was a little moved.
Yu Renying on the side said: "Your Majesty, I have just received a secret report from Jiangxi. Wu Shijue, the prince of Chu in the Great Zhou Dynasty, imitated Lu Ziming during the Three Kingdoms period and led a group of elite soldiers disguised as merchants and sailors. They boarded hundreds of grain ships and attacked Hanyang Gate in Jiangxia. The dock is successful, Jiangxia was captured ten days ago, and now Jiangxia may have been captured!"
"Ah, so powerful?" Geng Jingzhong also showed joy, "Then, here is our chance to counterattack the Ming army in the southeast!"
"Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty, don't hesitate, fight back!"
Geng Jingzhong nodded: "Quick, go and invite the state leader Yue Le into the palace!"
(End of chapter)
