Before Nanyang was surrounded by bandits, Wang Jiazhen sent someone to send urgent documents to Kaifeng, hoping that Henan Governor Lu Daqi would receive them.
However, the superiors could only send the documents to the capital. Except for the defenders from various places and the troops escorting the disaster to the east, there were no troops to mobilize in Henan.
Reinforcements are few and far between. Not only will they not be able to break the siege of Nanyang, they may also be severely damaged by the bandits.
If we come too much, we will risk abandoning the two important towns of Luoyang and Kaifeng.
Wang Jiazhen knew very well that even if he gave up Nanyang, the court would not let Lu Daqi give up Luoyang and Kaifeng.
No matter how strong the rebel army is, as long as they keep those two big cities, the official army can maintain the battle line south of the Yellow River.
Once Luoyang or Kaifeng falls, I am afraid that the whole of Henan will be in danger.
If Lu Daqi tried his best to protect the two cities, he would not be able to send troops to rescue Nanyang.
As for how to defeat the enemy...
As the prefect, Wang Jiazhen was helpless, as were the county magistrate Yao Yunxi and the commander-in-chief Zhang Guoqin.
There were so many traitors outside the city, and they were holding huge banners. Maybe Zhang Ni was among them.
Zhang Ni led tens of thousands of troops from Huguang into Henan. So the good news reported by Hong Chengchou and Sun Chuanting some time ago was not true?
After thinking about it, the three of them did not dare to express their thoughts easily.
If the good news is true and Zhang Xianzhong's troops were not wiped out, then it would be a misunderstanding.
With the personalities of Sun Chuanting and Hong Chengchou, they would not do such ridiculous things.
Using the method of killing good people and taking credit for deceiving the prince because of his youth and ignorance doesn't seem to be very effective anymore.
According to the "Jingshi Daily", His Royal Highness the Prince returned from his study tour in the immortal world and was prompted by His Majesty Emperor Taizu Gao.
Otherwise, all taxes and fees in Henan would not be exempted. Long Live Lord has never made such a benevolent move before.
Tax exemption is tax-free, but it cannot solve the problem of disasters throughout Henan.
According to the arrangements of the imperial court, people in the disaster-stricken areas of Henan were to be relocated to Shandong and Southern Zhili.
The calamity here in Nanyang is not too great, but it's okay to say. Mainly in areas along the Yellow River, implementation is very difficult.
Wang Jiazhen was fairly honest as an official and was serious about his work, but under natural disasters and facing tens of thousands of disasters, his personal abilities would not play much of a role.
Some of the disaster miners were placed in various cities, some have been moved to Huguang, and some have entered Runing Prefecture eastward, hoping to transit to the west of South Zhili.
Most of the disasters floating around Nanyang may have been hijacked by Zhang Ni and became rogues. Zhang Guoqin, the commander-in-chief, could see clearly.
Most of the thieves who came to attack the city were in ragged clothes, sallow and thin, looking like beggars, and their weapons were mainly sharpened spears.
This is not an army of thieves, it is clearly an army of beggars.
The real elite of the bandit army did not come to attack the city at all, but held down the formation from the rear.
Zhang Guoqin also had a general understanding of Zhang Ni's tactics through these days of defense.
The purpose is simply to use a large number of Liu Min to consume the defenders first, leaving a smaller number of elite soldiers for last use.
The general inside the city was named Zhang, and the leader of the thieves outside the city was also named Zhang.
However, Zhang Guoqin did not intend to take refuge with his murderous brother unless it was absolutely necessary.
Despite the fact that there are bandits all over the city now, Nanyang City is in a precarious stage.
Once the 200,000 troops fighting in the northern part of Huguang move north, the tens of thousands of thieves will rebel and scatter in all directions.
The rebels dared to besiege Nanyang confidently because they thought that the invading officers and soldiers would not be able to move northward for a while.
When reinforcements appeared at the last moment, the defenders inside the city did not care, and the rebels outside the city did not count.
Both sides are betting!
If the defenders win the bet, the rebels will have to run away in despair.
The bandit army won the bet, and the defenders were about to face disaster.
Zhang Guoqin knew that the combat power of his troops was not high, and if they went out to fight in the city, they would be wiped out by the bandits.
Since the imperial court has strictly ordered to stick to Nanyang, there is no need for our troops to take the initiative to attack.
No matter how weak the army's combat power is, they still remember their skill in resisting the enemy.
Being surrounded and beaten by rogue bandits was a bit miserable, but it was still much better than being slaughtered.
This bandit army is short of artillery, and cannot resort to flooding. There is no shortage of anything in the city, so just wait for reinforcements.
Reinforcements don't come for a month, and they don't come for two months, but they should come after three months, right?
No matter how fierce the war in Huguang is, you can't stop coming for half a year, right?
Nanyang is not far from Gucheng where the bandits have revolted. Since Zhang Ni can come quickly, Sun Chuanting and Hong Chengchou should also lead their troops to rescue the siege as soon as possible.
Perhaps it was because there were so many rebels in the Huguang area that it was difficult for reinforcements to rush to Nanyang in time.
At this point, Wang Jiazhen and others can only speculate like this.
Although it is understood that the defenders cannot defeat the rebels outside the city, they should also be prepared to hold on for a long time.
The huge Nanyang City would not have been captured by the bandit army in ten days and a half.
If this is the case, it can only mean that the officials have surrendered to the enemy and the defenders are incompetent.
So far, through Wang Jiazhen's secret observation, there seems to be no sign of anyone being timid and begging for surrender.
The city has sufficient food and grass and weapons. As long as everyone works together, they can hold on for several months.
Moreover, according to His Royal Highness the Prince's instructions in the newspaper, extra lime has been prepared to disinfect various places and dispose of corpses.
Wang Jiazhen was not a civil servant who knew the military. Based on his understanding from all aspects, he did not think that the rebel army could capture the city in a short time.
Even after dark, the city was still brightly lit, and the lights were clearly visible from miles away. The purpose was to prevent the rebels from coming to attack the city at night.
However, the siege of this band of thieves is also very regular. They only attack during the day and then rest at night, without disturbing the defenders at all.
This made Zhang Guoqin confused. They all said that Zhang Ni was cunning and cruel. Since he was attacking a city, he had to break the city as soon as possible.
After three or four hours of fighting, the rebel army rested for most of the day.
It’s clear that he didn’t try his best!
What's the point? ? ?
Does Zhang Ni have other plans, or should he wait for the defenders to take the initiative?
No matter what, it was impossible for the defenders to attack the enemy.
Zhang Guoqin would not do such a stupid thing.
He only had 3,000 soldiers and horses under his command. There were not many horsemen in the first place, and he lost hundreds of soldiers while defending the city.
It is very difficult to hold on to the city, and to go out to meet the enemy is to seek death.
Whether you come to attack or not, the defenders will not go out to fight.
No matter how you tease me, I will always stay on the defensive!
Since sticking to Nanyang means success, there is no need to go out to fight in the field to retreat from the enemy.
Zhang Guoqin did not dare to fight, and the prefect Wang Jiazhen and the county magistrate Yao Yunxi did not know how to fight.
None of the three people were willing to take the initiative to attack, so the defenders were able to stop quietly.
You attack, I will defend!
If you don’t attack, I’ll just keep doing it!
If Nanyang is not lost, everything will be fine.
If Nanyang is lost, the whole family will have fun.
Since most of the thieves outside the city are just a mob, our chances of winning are very high...
The dignified officers and soldiers did not dare to attack in the face of the bandit army. If the censor found out about this, he would definitely write a book.
As long as His Highness the Crown Prince is wise, it is okay for the censors to rack their brains.
Henan has become corrupted to this extent, and anyone with a discerning eye can see it, and we must not make any more mistakes.
The current policy is to protect as many cities as we can.
There are Liu Min outside the city, but if Liu Min is still there, there will be dangers everywhere.
The south has a smaller population and the situation is much better than the more densely populated north.
"Good" does not mean peace, but that there are fewer Liumin than in the north.
There are only one or two million rumin in the south, while the number of rumin in the north is more than double that in the south.
This is the number of Liu Min who survived after a batch of deaths. Before that, there were even more Liu Min.
The crops had already failed, and there were still millions of mouths waiting for relief. How could the court cope?
The only way is to "drain traffic"!
A large number of Liumin from Henan will be introduced into Shandong and South Zhili!
But the road is long, and Liu Min who can walk thousands of miles away is a strong person.
Those who fell on the road were sick, hungry, old, or young.
If you don't want to go to other places, you will linger in the local area.
Eventually they will become bandits and become a serious nuisance to the imperial court.
Once Henan becomes the second Shaanxi, it will breed millions of bandits.
That cannot be suppressed overnight...
Thinking of this, all the prefects, county magistrates, and generals everywhere are not afraid.
No matter how powerful the army is, they will never be able to deal with dozens or even hundreds of times the number of rogue bandits.
If Henan is ravaged by rogue bandits, the north will surely suffer greatly.
At this time, the Donglu army will attack the pass again, and the country and the country will be in danger.
The great Ming Dynasty is now in decline due to internal and external troubles.
Even His Majesty is unconscious, relying on a young prince to supervise the country.
It was because Liu Min believed the news that Emperor Chongzhen had passed away that he rebelled under Zhang Ni's instigation.
If it were a prosperous age, it would be easy to say that the successor would be young enough.
In this current situation, I am afraid that the bandits from various places who had accepted the imperial court's invitation to peace would revolt one after another when they heard that the emperor had died.
What's there to be afraid of, the little prince with a yellow mouth?
The bandit leaders will be eager to try, gearing up, trying to push the Ming Dynasty, and then divide the world with others.
Local officials did not know what was happening in the capital and could only get a glimpse of it from the news published in the "Jingshi Daily".
Regardless of whether there is evidence or not, believe what the newspaper says.
At this time, I would rather believe that it exists than believe that it does not exist.
At least His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has exempted all taxes in Henan.
For other things, we can only take one step and look at it.
In the world like Henan, even when Emperor Chongzhen was still awake, he was helpless.
"Report to the Second General! The newly recruited soldiers complained repeatedly, saying that the attack on the city for days was in vain, and asked for a rest!"
Faced with this group of lazy men who wanted to take advantage but were unwilling to sacrifice their lives, Zhang Guangcai was afraid that strong suppression would cause a mutiny among his troops, so he hurriedly came to report.
"Hmph! Since you have joined the rebel army, you must enforce orders and prohibitions, so you cannot make mistakes! I have given my general's order to attack the city today. Anyone who disobeys in the end will be killed without mercy! Anyone who retreats first will be killed without mercy! Anyone who makes noises will be killed immediately. He will not be pardoned! Anyone who stirs up trouble will be beheaded without mercy! If there is any disobedience, kill him as a warning to others!"
Zhang Dingguo will not be merciful to the newly recruited soldiers. If these people are used well, they will be of great use. If they are not used well, there is no need to continue to maintain a group of useless people.
If you listen to yourself, you will be a dog and you can be rewarded with some bones.
If you don't listen to yourself, you are a pig, just pick up the knife and kill it!
"There are many wounded soldiers! They need to be recuperated and treated!"
"I'm tired! I'm exhausted!"
"We will attack the city again in ten days!"
"This is a very good idea!"
Faced with Zhang Guangcai's order, the newly recruited soldiers not only did not buy it, but made a pair of excuses, and there were also a large number of people who agreed and applauded, and did not take the military order seriously at all.
"Whoever dares to resist the order will be killed without mercy! Draw the bow!"
Zhang Dingguo's subordinates, all of them, are not good-natured. They are all evil-loving and ruthless people, far more vicious than these newly recruited Liu Min.
Zhang Guangcai is actually not someone who is easily bullied in the eyes of everyone. He has at least a hundred lives in his hands. If he had not needed to consult Zhang Dingguo, he would have ordered his subordinates to take action.
"Zhang! How dare you threaten me???"
"That's right! I don't believe you dare to shoot an arrow!"
"Grandpa will not attack the city today!"
"That's it!"
"Into your mother!"
In terms of verbal threats, the new soldiers are not afraid of the old soldiers at all. They don't know anything else. They have never been afraid of anyone by shouting. If they were really as timid as mice, they would not join the rebels and come to besiege the official army. .
"Fire the arrow!"
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."
Zhang Guangcai knew that if he didn't give these people some blood, these bastards wouldn't obey their orders. In that case, let them have a taste of his own power.
Under the repeated opening and closing of the archers, hundreds of new soldiers holding spears soon became targets, and then fell to the ground after being hit by arrows, screaming in agony.
"ah……"
"Ouch~!"
"Run!"
"The surname is Zhang..."
After a shower of arrows, even the recruits who were not injured by the arrows were so frightened that their faces turned pale and their whole bodies trembled, and they did not dare to mention rest.
They finally understood that this rebel army might be more ruthless than the official army, treating them like chopping melons and vegetables, eating and drinking at will.
"After beating the drum, everyone comes forward! If there are still people who hesitate to move forward after the three drum beats, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Zhang Guangcai shouted to everyone with a stern face. After learning this lesson, these previously stubborn recruits should wake up a little. If they still want to resist, he doesn't mind shooting them all.
At the beginning, most people were still waiting and watching. After the first tom drum sounded, no one came to the front of the formation.
When the second drumming started, some people, afraid of being shot on the spot by the supervising team, left the crowd and stepped forward alone.
When the third drum sounded, most of the people reluctantly walked to the front of the formation and prepared to attack the city.
"No one left standing will be left behind!"
The remaining two to three hundred people still hoped that the law would not lead to punishment. Zhang Guangcai gave the order, but in the blink of an eye, they were shot dead by the rebel archers.
"You listen to the order! The first person to plant our flag on the city will be rewarded with a thousand taels of silver and promoted to the third level! Our army conquers this city. If you don't seal the sword for three days, you can take all the money and women! Think about the government The oppression of you, think of your family members who starve to death, the dog officials and the dog officers and soldiers are all hiding in the city! You have revenge and complaints! Give me a blow!"
Where there is punishment, there is reward. Zhang Guangcai reiterated the conditions of the reward so that the siege soldiers could clearly hear the benefits they could get.
"kill!"
The recruits started running towards Nanyang City carrying the newly built ladders, shields made of bark and wicker, and spears one foot long.
Refusing to fight is death, retreating is also death.
Rather than that, it is better to try to attack the city.
If the dog officers and soldiers cannot hold on, won't the women and money in the city belong to themselves?
Most of the recruits came to attack the city with this idea in mind, which was also their main hope of joining the rebel army.
If you can't get women and get money, why should you still be a rebel in the game?
Being a rebel means eating a lot of meat, drinking a lot of wine, sharing a lot of money, and playing with women as you please!
