Zhou Zhi suddenly attacked Jiangnan with troops and won the battle. He was very happy.
After the Ming army captured Zhenjiang, there were actually many Song troops near Zhenjiang who didn't know the news. They all received orders from Wang Fang to "help" the people in the "arduous" task of "strengthening the walls and clearing the wilderness."
Of course, with such an arduous task, it is normal for some small frictions, collisions, and disputes to occur during the process, right?
It's normal to have some casualties, right?
So when the Ming army dispersed the troops in ranked units and asked them to deal with the scattered Song troops, they saw a scene that made them extremely angry.
Everywhere you can see the Song army robbing people of their property, wives, daughters, and food. You can also see the Song army slashing and killing people with their swords. You can even see some beasts insulting women right on the roadside. .
The soldiers of the Ming army could not bear it anymore and immediately drew their swords and stepped forward to kill the Song army, rescued the people, and escorted them to resettle inside and outside Zhenjiang City.
In Dantu, Xinfeng, Danyang, Yanling, Lucheng, Jintan and other places within Zhenjiang Prefecture, traces of the Song army doing evil were discovered, and they were all killed by the Ming army without any surprise. Some of them were annihilated, and a few were captured by the Ming army and driven back.
It can be considered that the Ming army dispatched early. These Song soldiers did not have time to cause more serious damage to the local area. The extent of local damage was limited and generally within the controllable range.
Zhenjiang Prefecture is dealing with it here, Zhou Zhi divided his troops to attack Jiankang Prefecture, and also sent a team of troops to rush to Dusong Pass immediately. If Dusong Pass has been occupied, then station it on the spot. If not, then find a way to capture it. Dusongguan.
On the Jiankang Prefecture, since Li Xianzhong led the main force to leave, the first batch of 20,000 new troops recruited by Lin'an have been replaced. The new capital commander is Mao Teng, a veteran general of the original Forbidden Army. This man is quite powerful and has served in the army. Zhong had a reputation for bravery, so he was favored by Chen Kangbo at that time and promoted to the governor of the capital.
However, although this person has a reputation of being brave, he is quite mediocre in his behavior and has no courage. He belongs to the category of muddle along.
The purpose of polishing one's skills is for self-preservation, not for advancement. Everything is based on self-preservation as the highest premise, and this principle will never be shaken for other things.
So when he heard that the Ming army had achieved a decisive victory in the Jinghu Theater, he was very panicked, worried that the Ming army would go down the river to attack Jiankang Prefecture.
No one knows better than him the level of these soldiers and generals in Jiankang Mansion. The elite soldiers from Sichuan and Sichuan in the Second City of Xiangfan are no match. The soldiers and generals on his side will probably run faster than him once the battle starts. .
Under such circumstances, Mao Teng was already worried and very uneasy. When he heard that the Ming army suddenly went south to capture Zhenjiang Prefecture, and that a Ming army was launching an attack on Jiankang Prefecture, he was shocked.
Jiankang Prefecture also received an order to retreat south to Lin'an to set up defenses. They were preparing at the time, but they did not expect that the Huainan Ming Army actually went south to cross the river.
What's even worse is that as soon as the magistrate of Jiankang Prefecture and his legal partner heard that the Ming Army was coming, he immediately packed up his things and ran away regardless of the situation in Jiankang Prefecture.
Before leaving, he said one sentence, saying that he was a civilian official and did not know how to fight. Warring was a matter for military men. The task of civilian officials was to manage the places conquered by military men. Now that there was a war, he had to leave here and give up the stage. Give Mao Teng a good show.
You must defend Jiankang Prefecture to protect the army and the place. I believe in you. I have confidence in you. You can definitely create miracles!
A new storm has emerged, how can I stand still (meaning run away)?
Then he ran away.
Even the officials of the entire Jiankang Mansion, large and small, ran with him. They ignored the task of strengthening the walls and clearing the country, and went south quickly.
Gu Rong
Are you kidding? The chief officer has already run away. Why don't they run away? Will you be a loyal minister who died for the Song Dynasty?
With just a meager monthly salary, you don’t have to work hard, and you can’t work hard. How can you make money if you work hard?
The calculations of the bureaucrats are loud and clear.
Jiankang Prefecture has always been home to many rich and powerful families. They had heard about the revolutionary and liquidation policies of the Ming Dynasty for a long time, and they felt that they could not survive. They originally planned to retreat with the officials and the army, but when they heard that the Ming army was coming, they Regardless of whether the belongings that had not been packed were fragile, they all fled with the magistrate.
In the end, deserters also appeared in the army. They obviously had no confidence in this battle and no confidence in their superior officers. Later, even junior officers deserted and ran away.
The military order to retreat south has not yet been issued, but the army has begun to behave in such a way that it is enough to prove that this army cannot fight.
Mao Teng understood this.
After thinking about it for a few times, he believed that the Ming Dynasty's wave of Huainan Ming troops crossing the Yangtze River and going to the south of the Yangtze River was going to destroy the Song Dynasty. The coming troops were definitely the main force of the Ming army. He would definitely not be able to resist it, and a counterattack would be impossible. Securing the capital is a problem.
The Song army's strategy of going south to defend Lin'an failed before it was attacked by the Ming army. The great loss of military strength was obvious. Once the three towns in the south of the Yangtze River collapsed, the defense force of Lin'an Prefecture was directly cut in half. The Ming army was afraid that it would Go back to the old way.
The Ming Dynasty spared the Song Dynasty last time, but what about this time?
Mao Teng felt very confused.
Run away. Even if you run to the ends of the earth, you can't escape from the clutches of the Ming Dynasty. The Song Dynasty is gone and the whole world belongs to the Ming Dynasty. Where else can he run?
He heard that during the First Ming-Song War, his predecessor abandoned the army and ran away. Later, after the war, he was executed by the whole family and ended up miserable.
He didn't dare to fight or run away, and the outcome would not be very good. No matter how he thought about it, he felt that the court was really treating him very badly.
otherwise……
Should I just surrender?
Although the Ming Dynasty said it wanted to clean up the upper class and carry out liquidation, I have always been an officer in the Forbidden Army. Apart from bullying the soldiers, devouring military pay, and purchasing land, I have never done anything harmful to nature.
If it doesn't work out, I'll hand over part of my land to the Ming Dynasty as a pledge of surrender. I heard that the Ming Dynasty also has a land redemption policy. Since I can't resist, I will just be an obedient citizen. Maybe I can even earn a small officer. It's a good time, right?
At least there is no need to fight bloody battles and die in battle.
The main court did not treat Mao Teng very well. He was still a mid-level officer in his forties. If the situation had not changed suddenly, he would not have been the commander-in-chief.
Although he is now the governor of the capital, Chen Kangbo, who promoted him to the position and was kind to him, was killed. Now he is replaced by a man named Yu Yunwen who he is not familiar with. He is worried that he will kill him after he escapes or is defeated. Become the unlucky guy.
After thinking about it, Mao Teng felt that there was really no way out, and the only way that was best for him was to surrender.
And as long as he restrains the army, stabilizes the place, and hands over the entirety of Jiankang Mansion to the Ming army, he might be able to achieve some success.
