Zhu Yuanzhang attacked Zhang Shicheng in October of the 25th year of Zhizheng (1365), and captured Tongzhou, Xinghua, Yancheng, Taizhou, Gaoyou, Huai'an, Xuzhou, Suzhou, and Anfeng counties in one fell swoop, driving out the forces of Soochow. Jiangbei region.
In May of the 26th year of Zhengzheng, Zhu Yuanzhang issued a proclamation to denounce Zhang Shicheng. In November of the same year, Hangzhou and Huzhou surrendered to Zhu Yuanzhang, and Pingjiang became an isolated city. So Zhu Yuanzhang surrounded Pingjiang with heavy troops and launched the Battle of Pingjiang.
Zhang Shicheng was capricious, greedy for enjoyment, and very indulgent to his subordinates.
After Zhu Yuanzhang cut off Zhang Shicheng's wings and arms, he formed an encirclement of Pingjiang from the north, west and south, in order to implement his strategic policy of besieging Pingjiang and attacking its heart.
On November 25, the strategic deployment of the siege of Pingjiang was completed: Xu Da Tun Fengmen, Chang Yuchun Tun Huqiu, Guo Xing Tun Loumen, Huayunlong Tun Xumen, Tanghe Tun Changmen, Wang Bi Tun Panmen, and Zhang Wen Tun The west gate is the north gate of Kangmaocai Tun City, the northeast gate of Geng Bingwen Tun City, the west gate of Qiu Cheng Tun City, and the northwest gate of He Wenhui Tun City.
During the entire deployment of Zhu Yuanzhang's army, he made no mistakes and the people were very happy. Xu Da's troops successively defeated Zhang Shicheng's peripheral army at Yinshan Bridge in Catyukou, and burned more than a thousand Zhang Jun's warships in Guandu.
Under Zhu Jun's intimidation, Songjiang Prefecture and Jiading Prefecture surrendered one after another in the first month of the 27th year, making Pingjiang even more isolated.
Zhu Jun built a long siege outside the city, erected wooden towers, and built a three-story enemy tower overlooking the city. Each floor was equipped with crossbows, muskets, and Xiangyang cannons to attack day and night.
After eight months of siege, Zhang Shicheng's army was exhausted and many soldiers surrendered. Zhang Shicheng failed to break through twice.
On the last day of the siege of Pingjiang, Zhang Shicheng's younger brother Zhang Shixin was supervising the battle at the top of the city. He still did not forget to enjoy himself. He sat on a silver chair and drank. The people serving on the left and right handed him peaches. As a result, before the peach could reach his mouth, a cannon hit him on the head. Beaten to pieces.
In September, Xu Da's troops invaded Fengmen and Chang Yuchun's troops invaded Changmen. Zhang Shicheng's troops surrendered Tang Jie, Pan Yuanshao and others.
Zhang Shicheng and his remaining troops failed in the street battle, and Zhu Jun occupied Pingjiang. Tongzhou, Wuxi and other places surrendered one after another, and the Zhou regime perished.
In this battle, Zhu Jun adopted the "locking city method" of long-term siege against Pingjiang, which had become isolated, so that Zhang Jun was trapped in the predicament of running out of food and troops and waiting for death. He conquered Pingjiang in one fell swoop and captured Su. Zhejiang and Anhui laid a solid foundation for going north to destroy the Yuan Dynasty.
At the same time as the Battle of Pingjiang began, Zhu Yuanzhang sent Liao Yongzhong to Chuzhou to pick up Han Lin'er, the king of Xiao Ming, to Yingtian. However, when he was crossing the river on Guabu, the bottom of the boat was leaked, and King Xiao Ming sank to the bottom of the river.
Then, Zhu Yuanzhang announced that he would no longer use dragons and phoenixes to mark the year, and called the twenty-seventh year of Zhizheng (1367) the "Yuan Nian of Wu".
In the first year of Wu Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang appointed Tang He as the general in the southern expedition to attack Fang Guozhen, who had been separatist in eastern Zhejiang for many years. Later, Hu Tingrui was appointed as the general to conquer the south, and He Wenhui was appointed as the deputy general to attack Fujian. In the same year, Fang Guozhen surrendered.
In this way, Zhu Yuanzhang's momentum overwhelmed the world. Everyone knew that the world was in his hands. Countless small forces defected one after another. The army won without fighting wherever it went, and all enemy troops surrendered!
However, Zhu Yuanzhang's civil servants and generals were frantically "persuading" Zhu Yuanzhang to hold the founding ceremony of the country immediately.
These proud soldiers are all looking forward to what kind of title they can get!
One day Xu Da visited Prince Wu's Mansion. When he came to the door, he said directly to Zhu Yuanzhang, "Brother, you should have proclaimed the emperor long ago. Now you will ascend the throne and proclaim yourself the emperor before Chang Yuchun and I go on the expedition. In this way, the prestige of the Northern Expedition will be even greater." Big!
Zhu Yuanzhang looked expressionless and glanced at Xu Da: "Who asked you to say this?
"No, no one, isn't this a good thing, brother?"
Zhu Yuanzhang didn't say anything. Xu Da took a look and continued to persuade him, "Brother, for so many years, you have been pushing and pushing the idea of becoming emperor. In the past, we understand! Brother is afraid that the tree will attract trouble and be targeted by the rebels all over the world. But you can’t push anymore!
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the lobby and still said nothing.
Xu Da walked up to him, "Brother, as long as I send troops to the Northern Expedition, Yuan Ting will definitely be defeated, and the world cannot live without a king for a day! Isn't it?"
"One more thing, brothers are eagerly looking forward to the founding of the country!"
Zhu Yuanzhang took a deep look at Xu Da and said, "Brothers are all so anxious that they can't help but want to be the founding fathers, princes and prime ministers!
"The emperor is not in a hurry about proclaiming himself emperor, but the general is!"
Xu Da also heard Zhu Yuanzhang's dissatisfaction and asked cautiously, "Brother, isn't this appropriate?"
Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and said, "You should! You absolutely should! But why don't you think about it for me?"
"Once we claim the title of emperor, we will have to confer many honors! There are hundreds of generals with outstanding merits. Who doesn't want to be a duke or marquis? They will definitely compete with each other and compete for position and glory!"
"How do you want us to settle the matter? If no one else talks, just say you Xu Da! What title do you want to be granted? Do you want to be crowned king?"
Xu Da was immediately at a loss: "I...I, I"
"Me, me, me! You can't say it anymore! Besides you, there are also Li Shanchang, Chang Yuchun, and Liu Bowen. How can you seal them?"
Xu Da quickly waved his hand, "Don't ask me about this or anything, we don't care about right and wrong.
Zhu Yuanzhang gave him a look, "Oh! You also know that there is not only good fortune here, but also right and wrong, right?"
Seeing that Xu Da did not dare to answer, Zhu Yuanzhang said helplessly, "Let's wait for Kaiyuan to proclaim himself emperor later! Later is better! Later is better! Let's go, let's go! What's wrong with you!"
"Hey, brother, we have one more thing..."
Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyebrows and said, "When you came in just now, you only had one thing to say!"
"Let's remember something again!"
Zhu Yuanzhang took a deep breath and said, "Speak!"
Xu Da looked at him carefully: "Brother, when you become the emperor, we don't care what others grant you! But you have to make your sister-in-law the queen!"
Zhu Yuanzhang's face darkened: "Why are you so worried!"
Xu Da stood up and looked directly into Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, "We know that there are many women behind the palace, and they are all younger and more beautiful than my sister-in-law. Once you become the emperor, I'm afraid there will be more of these concubines!"
"But there is no woman in the world who is more virtuous than our sister-in-law! Brother, you can't treat your sister-in-law badly when you become the emperor!"
The more Zhu Yuanzhang listened, the darker his face became and he shouted, "Let me tell you! We are the sun, and your sister-in-law is the moon! The sun and the moon move in the sky! Eternal and unchanged!"
When Xu Da heard this, he laughed and said, "With this, we can concentrate on the Northern Expedition!"
"roll!"
"Why!"
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Xu Da who ran out happily with a dark look on his face, shook his head and laughed angrily!
On October 21st of the first year of Wu, Zhu Yuanzhang appointed Xu Da, the prime minister on the right, as the general to conquer the captives, and Pingzhang Chang Yuchun as the deputy general. He led an army of 250,000 and marched north to the Central Plains!
During the Northern Expedition, the "Edict to the Central Plains" was issued, which proposed the program of "expelling the barbarians, restoring China, establishing principles and discipline, and relieving the people of Sri Lanka", thereby inspiring the people in the north to rise up against the Yuan Dynasty.
Zhu Yuanzhang made another deployment for the Northern Expedition, proposing to take Shandong first to remove the Mongolian and Yuan barriers; march to Henan to cut off its wings, seize Tongguan and occupy its threshold; and then march to Dadu. If we send troops further west, Shanxi, northern Shaanxi, Guanzhong, and Gansu can sweep down.
The Northern Expedition army moved according to plan. Xu Da led his troops to capture Shandong first, then marched westward, captured Bianliang, and then marched to Tongguan.
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