In the morning of the 13th day of the ninth month of the AD year.
The Ming Dynasty officers and soldiers from the brigade finally appeared on the streets of Jiangling Fucheng!
The capital of the Wu and Zhou dynasties was now ruled by the Ming army. These Ming soldiers are all "old brothers" from Guangdong. Although they are not very tall, their uniforms are neat and their armor is shiny. In particular, some of the "iron armored soldiers" wear breastplates made of crucible steel, which makes them look even more impressive. People feel that the momentum is amazing.
Twenty to thirty thousand of these "old brothers" entered Jiangling in separate groups in a neat and calm manner, marching on the main streets. Military boots hit the bluestone pavement with a neat roar. Under the saucer-shaped helmets, all the tanned young faces were tense and serious, no one was talking to each other, no one was looking around, they were just moving forward solemnly. The officers walking at the front of the team had their chins almost raised to the sky. "Proud" was written all over their faces, as if they wanted to tell everyone who saw them that I was the real deal. Heavenly soldiers!
This army, from the officers to the soldiers, is full of vigor. Even to the Jiangling people who are used to the elites of Wu and Zhou, this army looks particularly fierce and elite! It’s no wonder that the new recruits of the Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty were defeated miserably by them, but the two old Wu family members (Wu Yingxiong and Wu Guogui) were even more straightforward... and followed the Thirty-six Strategies!
And before escaping, he even expressed his surrender to the Ming Dynasty!
Although Wu Yingxiong could still call himself emperor behind closed doors and continue to live happily for a few years, in name, they were all ministers of the Ming Dynasty.
The grand duke and emperor Zhu Heji of the Ming Dynasty was also considered "forgiving" and made Wu Yingxiong the king of Pingxi and Wu Guogui the general of Pingxi.
They were also allowed to continue to possess the three provinces of Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan. Although these three provinces are now sparsely populated backwaters, they only have a population of 4 million or more than a million people. . But it is still better than the original situation of only Yunnan Province... This reaction has not caused "losses" yet.
After receiving the "trailer" paid by Zhu Heji, Wu Guogui did not stay in Jiangling or Yuezhou for long. On September 10, he led 20,000 elite soldiers and 80,000 family members, boarded a westbound ship, and retreated to Guizhou. ——Wu Guogui did not take away all the troops, but dismissed 30,000 of them and only took away the remaining 20,000.
Most of the soldiers he dismissed were Huguang soldiers. Their families and properties were in Huguang, and they would not be willing to follow them to Yunnan and Guizhou. There was no point in taking them with them reluctantly.
Those brought by Wu Guogui, in addition to the servants of various generals, were some Yungui soldiers.
After Wu Guogui's troops evacuated, Zhu Heji immediately sent troops to occupy Jiangling, Yuezhou Erfu and Jingmen Prefecture. At the same time, he also sent troops to Yichang, Shinan, Changde, Yongshun, Lizhou, Chenzhou, Baoqing, Hengzhou, Yuanzhou, Jingzhou and other state capitals are advancing - these state capitals are all territories abandoned by Wu and Zhou Dynasties. Of course, the Ming army will have no difficulty in capturing them. After successfully capturing these state capitals, the "small goal" of capturing Huguang was basically completed.
As for the big goal of "trapping" Kangxi and then turning the Qing sage into Emperor Shun of the Qing Dynasty or Emperor Chongzhen of the Qing Dynasty, we still need to continue to work hard.
On the tower of the Meridian Gate of the Imperial City of Jiangling Prefecture, Zhu Heji and Zhuge Sanhe, who had just arrived in Jiangling Prefecture through Jingmen Prefecture, stood with their hands clasped together, waiting for the Army's Third, Fourth and Fourth Towns, who were marching in an armed parade in Jiangling City. The elite soldiers of the Seventh Town arrived at the school field outside the Meridian Gate.
And a flag of "The world is for the common good" and a flag of the sun and the moon are fluttering on the Meridian Gate Tower of Jiangling Imperial City, fluttering in the wind!
The elite soldiers from the three towns who completed the armed parade began to enter the school grounds outside the Meridian Gate one after another. Seeing their neat formation and high morale, Zhu Heji showed a very proud smile: "You are indeed an old brother! With these elite soldiers from the three towns, the world Where can’t I go?”
Zhuge Sanhe said with a smile: "Your Majesty, this is not the time to be proud. Although we have been successful in the battle of Huguang, the battle to bring peace to the world has just begun!"
Zhu Heji said with a smile: "Kangxi has already been trapped... The Wu family's troops have withdrawn again, and our hundreds of thousands of troops are free. Are you afraid that we can't defeat Kangxi?"
Zhuge Sanhe smiled and said: "Yes! We will win. But who will fight a losing battle? If Kangxi does not send troops to rescue Xiangyang... then the battle to bring peace to the world will not be easy to win. Got it!"
Zhu Heji already somewhat understood what Zhuge Sanhe meant, "Prime Minister, do you have another clever trick passed down from your ancestors? Tell me quickly!"
Zhuge Sanhe smiled and said: "It's not like there is any clever plan. I just want to remind the emperor that you should not miss the auspicious time to officially ascend the throne... Now that Huguang has been leveled, Erwu has surrendered, and the world is divided into north and south. . It’s time for you to return the favor and officially ascend the throne!"
Zhu Heji originally wanted to hold the enthronement ceremony on the first day of July, but he did not expect that the Battle of Huguang took a long time, so that the good day of the first day of July was missed. And another auspicious day after the first day of July is the first day of October.
If we make another mistake, there will be no good days during the year.
However, Zhuge Sanhe obviously did not persuade Zhu He to return to Nanjing because the first day of October was particularly good.
Zhu Heji smiled and said, "Prime Minister, do you mean that if I leave Huguang, it will be easier for Kangxi to take the bait? Could it be that if I return to Nanjing, he will not be afraid of the hundreds of thousands of troops here in Huguang?"
Zhuge Sanhe smiled and said: "Your Majesty, Xiangyang is not that easy to fight! Historically, the siege of Xiangyang between Mongolia and Song Dynasty lasted for almost six years before it was over.
Although we have magical weapons such as sugar pills, heavenly weapons, and steel armor, Xiangyang's city defense is indeed very strong!
Moreover, after Wu Yingxiong moved the capital to Xiangyang, he spent a lot of effort to strengthen it. Therefore, if our siege is frustrated, it is very possible to use the long siege method. But if we want to encircle Xiangyang for a long time, we won't need so many troops. "
"Is Xiangyang really that difficult to defeat?" Zhu Heji was still a bit unbelieving.
Zhuge Sanhe Su Rong said: "Xiangyang City has been known as Xiangyang made of iron since ancient times, and its solidity is evident!
And the most powerful thing about this iron city is not how tall and thick the city walls are, but the moat in Xiangyang... not the moat, but the moat! "
Moat lake means that the moat is as wide as a lake!
It can even be said that Xiangyang City is a city built on an island in the lake.
It is almost impossible to fill in Xiangyang's "moat lake".
If the "protection lake" cannot be filled up, even if the city wall is blown down, it will be difficult to launch an attack.
Therefore, in fighting such a city, strong firepower may not necessarily be effective. The key to success or failure lies in the psychological endurance of the city defenders against shelling and long sieges.
Zhuge Sanhe said again: "We can bombard Xiangyang for a while, and then release the news that you will go north to Shandong to attack the pseudo-Confucian sage Kong Yuqi after the enthronement ceremony...Kangxi will probably think that we have given up. Take Xiangyang quickly, and then use a long siege to trap Xiangyang to death."
"What if Kangxi still doesn't take the bait?" Zhu Heji asked.
Zhuge Sanhe said: "Then you really need to go north to Shandong!
When the time comes, Kangxi will not dare to face your troops directly, but he will have to try to save Shandong from danger. This is the only way to encircle Wei and rescue Zhao. "
Zhu Heji laughed loudly: "Okay, just follow what the military advisor said!"
…
When the news that Zhu Heji returned to the court and had set off to return to Nanjing reached Jingzhao Mansion. Emperor Kangxi was getting sick—probably because of the anger of the rebellious officials and traitors below.
He lay in a daze for several days and at one point had a high fever. The fever went down after taking the garlic medicine I got from the stick.
But the illness was gone as fast as silk threads, when several ministers from the South Study Room came together to report the good news to him. He was having a very strange dream.
In the dream, for some reason, he climbed up to Jingshan Mountain behind the Forbidden City in Beijing and stood under a crooked-necked tree, with only Mr. Guizi beside him...
When he was about to ask Xiao Guizi what happened. Little Guizi's father-in-law's voice full of surprise rang in his ears: "Long live my lord, I'm so happy... Good news came from Xiangyang City! And Zhu Ni has also left Huguang!"
