The scorching sun is baking the land of the Central Plains, the red fields are thousands of miles away, the rivers are dry, birds are hard to find, and human figures are rare.
But under the city of Nanyang, the largest military town in southwestern Henan, it was a different scene.
Nanyang City has been completely surrounded by tens of thousands of bandit troops, and the shouts of death from the city walls are earth-shattering.
The prefect Wang Jiazhen, the county magistrate Yao Yunxi, and the commander-in-chief Zhang Guoqin were really frightened when they saw this scene.
The three people and their surrounding subordinates only saw a large banner with the Chinese character "General" hanging on the mound outside the city.
Everyone was wondering, if it goes according to what the flag says, could it be Zhang Ni's song?
Didn’t the imperial court dispatch 200,000 troops to Huguang to encircle and suppress the rebels?
Why did the bandits spread to Henan despite the continued suppression?
Moreover, this bandit army is so powerful. How come the bandit army is suppressing more and more people?
Incredible!
But this scene before me...
It’s impossible not to believe it!
Could it be that both Hong Chengchou and Sun Chuanting regarded "invasion and suppression" as "driving out"? ? ?
As a result, the bandits in the Huguang area are gone, and they have all gone to Henan!
Moreover, the bandit army besieged Nanyang, which meant that the first line of defense composed of Xichuan, Dengzhou, and Xinye had been penetrated by the bandit army.
But no matter what, Nanyang must not be lost. This is one of the five major military towns in Henan!
If Nanyang is lost, it means that a group of people will lose their heads!
His Royal Highness the Prince has warned civil servants and generals in the war zone through the "Jingshi Daily" that they must abide by the regulations in the war zone, otherwise they will bear the consequences.
There are many details in this regulation, but for the civil servants and generals of Nanyang, there is only one.
Nanyang is a first-class military town and must be defended for a hundred days!
Short of this time limit, if the army recaptures Nanyang, those who presented the city will be punished and their families will be beheaded.
In other words, we must do everything we can to survive for three and a half months.
Otherwise, even if the bandits outside the city don't kill him, he will eventually be killed by the court.
The civil and military officials in the city knew this very well, so they did not dare to surrender easily, otherwise it would be all over if they were caught by the army.
Nanyang is very close to Huguang, but far away from the Yellow River, which means that the rebel army cannot use water attack.
Although there is a White River flowing through this place, it is not as good as the Yellow River. Moreover, in summer, the water in the river is extremely scarce and has become a small stream, almost drying up.
Everyone in the city can rely on well water to sustain their livelihood. As long as there is no shortage of water, it is completely possible to persevere.
The most important thing is that when the King of Tang was taken away by the Jin Yiwei, he left 200,000 taels of silver and 10,000 shi of food for the government.
This is enough for the three thousand defenders in the city to hold on for a year. With money, food, and no shortage of water, there is no need to surrender.
For the garrison officers and soldiers, the rebels came to attack the city only for the money and food in the city. Those things belong to them, why should they be distributed to the rebels?
Therefore, the defenders' will to resist was very tenacious and they repelled no less than twenty attacks by the rebels. Dead bodies were everywhere outside the city. Under the high temperature, the stench soon began to emit.
The prefect Wang Jiazhen, the county magistrate Yao Yunxi, and the commander-in-chief Zhang Guoqin were not weaklings who were greedy for life and afraid of death. They ordered the people in the city to remove the door panels so that the officers and soldiers could defend the enemy at the top of the city.
Nanyang is not as good as Luoyang and Kaifeng, but it is the seat of the government after all, and the city walls are relatively tall and intact, and there are many troops and sufficient ordnance. As long as reinforcements can arrive within three months, they will definitely be able to relieve the siege.
Wang, Yao, and Zhang firmly believed that Sun Chuanting and Hong Chengchou would lead their troops to rescue the siege as soon as possible after learning that Nanyang was besieged. This was a good opportunity to gather the main force of the bandit army to annihilate it.
The imperial court has said that rewards will be given based on merit, so no one will be unmoved by such a great contribution. It's just a question of when the reinforcements will arrive.
Retreating the enemy is a matter for both of them. The civil and military officials in the city only need to grit their teeth and hold on.
Of course, perseverance is also very difficult, and you can't get through it just by talking about it.
"Report~! Second General! The dog officer army is holding the city and our army's attack on the city has been thwarted!"
"Yeah! Pass the order to the general, retreat and repair!"
"Got the order!"
Zhang Dingguo stood on a mound, looked at Nanyang City in the distance with a telescope, and began to calculate the pros and cons in his heart.
Since splitting forces with his father in Gucheng, the partial division he led has been operating in the area north of the Han River.
However, the officers and soldiers did not take the bait as expected, and neither Hong's nor Sun's soldiers came to pursue their troops.
Zhang Dingguo was worried that if he returned hastily, he would be besieged by the government troops and the entire army would be annihilated.
Before getting the secret order from his father, Commander Zhang Xianzhong, it would be better to remain aloof from his father's troops.
After hearing that the main force of the rebel army had entered Sichuan, Zhang Dingguo met his eldest brother Zhang Kewang.
Zhang Kewang led his troops to attack Fancheng first, but failed.
He was also at a loss as to where to go next.
Zhang Kewang felt that if the officers and soldiers learned that his father had led the main force of the rebel army into Sichuan, they would immediately follow him and pursue him.
The two brothers can lead their troops to attack important towns such as Xiangyang to contain the pursuit of the government troops.
However, Zhang Dingguo felt that this was impossible because Fancheng to the north of the Han River was so tightly guarded, let alone Xiangyang on the other side.
Zhang Dingguo believes that the current plan is to cross the mountains and lead his troops into Henan, and take advantage of the large number of disasters in Henan to expand his troops and strengthen his momentum.
After the Ming Dynasty ordered the dog officers and soldiers to leave Sichuan to help the Central Plains, they could lead their troops back to the Huguang area with sparse troops and begin to attack cities and territories.
However, Zhang Kewang believed that in this way, their two troops would be far away from his father's main force and would not be able to contain them.
The best thing is to continue fighting south of the Han River so as to be able to meet and support the father's main force at any time.
Both brothers felt that their idea was correct, and they discussed it for a day, but neither one could convince the other and had to part ways.
Zhang Dingguo led his troops to march into Henan, generally operating in the area of Nanyang Prefecture and Runing Prefecture.
Correspondingly, Zhang Kewang led his troops to attack the area north of the Han River in northern Huguang.
The two parts echo each other and rely on each other.
That's what it means, but it's hundreds of miles away, so it's impossible to respond in time during wartime.
Zhang Kewang is very flattering and is deeply liked by his father.
Zhang Dingguo was good at fighting and was highly regarded by his father.
On the surface, the two treat each other as brothers, but privately they disapprove of each other.
After the separation, Zhang Dingguo led his troops down the Baihe River to sneak attack on Xinye.
Guard general Wang Ximing led his troops to resist, but failed to support and fled. The rebel army won the victory.
After getting a good start, Zhang Dingguo did not underestimate the enemy and advance rashly. Instead, he ordered his troops to replenish supplies in Xinye and then gather Liu Min nearby.
An army of 20,000 people was organized. These days, as long as there is food in hand, there will be as many soldiers and horses as possible.
There are also young and strong people in Liu Min. These people are not willing to drink porridge, let alone suffer from hunger.
As long as he is influenced a little, he can be used for his own purposes, and it is perfect to be used as a vanguard.
Moreover, Zhang Dingguo was also very good at understanding people's hearts. After hearing that Nanyang was the place where the Tang king established his vassal, he shouted the loud slogan "Fight Nanyang, capture the Tang king, divide the money, and fill the belly"!
Liu Min is mostly illiterate, but once he hears this simple and easy-to-understand slogan, he will understand it and make his imagination run wild.
Zhang Dingguo even sent his confidants to spread the news among the army that the Tang palace contained ten thousand taels of gold, one million taels of silver, five hundred thousand stones of grain, countless jewels, and hundreds of beauties.
After being stimulated by these remarks, the whole army felt as if they were in a state of shock.
Because there are many locals in Buqu who know the general situation of King Tang.
The specific details may be difficult to find out, but it is known to everyone that the Tang Dynasty king was rich.
The King of Tang was a vassal king who was enthroned when the Ming Dynasty was founded. After more than two hundred years, God knows how much gold and silver treasures will be accumulated in the mansion.
Even if 20,000 people fight in, each person can get hundreds of taels of silver!
Let the king of Tang be rich and unkind!
All the wealth and wealth collected over the past hundred years must be vomited out at once!
His whole family must be put to death in Ling Chi, in order to satisfy people's hearts!
Live in the palace of Prince Tang!
Eat Tang Wang’s food!
King Huatang’s money!
Playing with Tang Wang’s woman!
Oh ~ yes!
Women cannot be executed!
These concubines are still useful...
Just do it!
This slogan is everyone’s dream, and with unremitting efforts, dreams can come true!
An army of 20,000 marched to the outside of Nanyang City in a mighty manner and began to besiege the Tang Dynasty King's lair.
After three consecutive days of fighting, Nanyang City showed no sign of being breached, which made the rebels feel discouraged.
Zhang Dingguo, on the other hand, was not anxious at all, and there was no hint of impatience in his expression.
Nanyang is not Xinye!
Want to capture Nanyang in three days?
Why not just persuade the general to surrender?
"The second general! The last general is incompetent!"
Zhang Guangcai led his troops to attack the city but failed, so he had no choice but to come again to plead guilty.
"It doesn't matter! It doesn't matter! We can attack again tomorrow!"
Zhang Dingguo was very generous about this and had no intention of blaming him at all.
"Second General, it's not that the last general is timid. It's just that the Nanyang City Wall is tall and the defenders are stubborn. I'm afraid it will be difficult to capture it in the next few days!"
Zhang Guangcai knew that Zhang Dingguo was a brave and strategic general who was considerate of his subordinates and would not get angry easily, so he spoke out what was in his heart.
"Haha! General Zhang, the main purpose of our army entering Henan is not to attack the city, but to build momentum! It will give the illusion that the main force of the rebel army is aggressively attacking in Henan, and then force the dog officers and soldiers to come to help. In this way, my father's commander The pressure will be greatly reduced, and then our army will march from Henan into Huguang."
Zhang Dingguo had not announced his plan to the surrounding generals before, because he was also afraid that his troops would fight alone. When the situation was unfavorable, some people would choose to surrender to the officers and soldiers.
"The second general is wise! The last general is ashamed!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Guangcai immediately understood that this plan of attacking from the east to the west was indeed a good one.
Based on this, it would be best if Nanyang City could be defeated, and it wouldn't hurt if it couldn't be defeated.
The siege soldiers that the second general asked him to choose were all newly recruited Liu Min, and few of his old subordinates were used at all.
These people are all people who don't regret dying. Even if they are all dead, they can still recruit a group of new people to join the army in another place.
"Okay! Go down and rest, we will fight again tomorrow!"
The strategy formulated by Zhang Dingguo was to "avoid the reality and attack the fictitious" and attack Henan, which revealed that its military strength was relatively empty.
The tactic is to use the method of "killing with a borrowed knife", that is, recruiting Liu Min to consume the soldiers and horses of the official army.
As long as a large number of old subordinates are not lost, this partial division can always maintain a certain combat effectiveness.
When you gain power, you can make waves in Henan, and when you lose power, you can escape like a golden cicada.
Therefore, Zhang Dingguo would not mind even if two or three thousand people were killed or injured in a single attack.
Because Henan is the hardest hit area, Liu Min can have as much money as he wants, and he can just raise money after all of them are dead.
Zhang Dingguo is now particularly looking forward to receiving news of the coming reinforcements from the Dog Officer Army, so that he can lead his troops south to join his father's commander.
If there is no news, then you can keep attacking Nanyang until the city is captured!
It would be a great pleasure to think that after breaking the city and confiscating the Tang Dynasty King's wealth!
At least it can greatly supplement the rebel army's food and military pay, and make timely repairs.
Some people had previously spread rumors among the army, saying that the King of Tang had been taken to the capital by Jin Yiwei, and that his family property had also been taken away.
In this regard, Zhang Dingguo had already sent people to execute those who spoke freely in public. These people were all the secret work of the government and soldiers.
We must not let a few black sheep affect the previous loud slogan!
After hearing about it secretly, Zhang Dingguo roughly understood that the king of Tang had indeed been taken to the capital.
But this news cannot be leaked out, and the whole army must be convinced that they can have enough to eat and drink by conquering Nanyang.
If the soldiers below are disappointed, not only will the morale of the army be shaken, but morale will drop sharply, there may also be a situation where the inside should be coordinated with the outside.
For the current plan, we need to fight first to see if the enemy can be defeated. If the enemy can be defeated, then leave. If not, then leave.
Even if Nanyang really cannot be defeated, you can still attack Nanzhao, Yuzhou, and Wuyang north of Nanyang. If that doesn't work, you can also attack Runing Prefecture eastward.
Anyway, the troops in Henan are empty, and the only troops can only be used to defend various cities. The dog officers and soldiers are simply unable to engage in field battles with the rebels.
Then the rebels can do whatever they want. If the Dog Officer Army dares to fight, it will be a dead end. In one battle, the entire army will be annihilated, and even the city will be lost.
"The thieves are retreating!"
"The thieves are retreating!"
"The thieves have retreated..."
Hearing the shouts of their companions, the defenders at the top of the city finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Three consecutive days of fierce attacks really left them exhausted.
Although the equipment of the bandit army is no different from that of beggars, they cannot withstand the overwhelming numbers of people.
After a group of them were retreated, another group rushed up, as frightening as the waves crashing against the shore.
With such hard resistance, no one knows how long Nanyang City can hold on.
However, they say that the bandits are extremely cruel and will be disemboweled if caught.
The officers and soldiers were willing to enjoy this "preferential treatment", so they could only resist desperately.
Zhang Guoqin, the chief military officer, knew the combat power of his men, and his troops were not Sun Chuanting's Qin army.
Only by using Shenzi's method can he stick to it for a hundred days, but he hasn't figured out a specific method yet.
However, judging from many days of observation, the bandit army should lack fire guns, otherwise the female wall would have been destroyed long ago.
Since the other side will only use ordinary soldiers to consume the official army, then Nanyang City may really not be captured by the bandit army.
It is impossible to take the initiative and stick to it for one day.
Maybe when the rebel army suffers too many casualties, they will withdraw on their own.
Zhang Guoqin was not willing to be beaten passively. This posture was really miserable.
But he really couldn't defeat him when he went out of the city to fight. He was unwilling to surrender, let alone die in battle.
The defenders had killed so many traitors, and even if they were willing to surrender, it was doubtful whether the other party would agree.
This group of thieves is really a very vicious group of people. Anyway, there is no shortage of water and food in the city, so it is better to stick to it.
If you can break the city, then you have nothing to say.
But if Nanyang cannot be conquered, they can only stare at it.
Zhang Guoqin did not believe that the bandit army could break through Nanyang City by heaping lives on people.
Anyway, the headquarters doesn't have any field missions, so it's just a waste of time.
He wanted to see who defeated whom first...
