The firearms in the ambush area were discovered and seized by the Zhenjiang Army without any effort, which can only mean one problem: the strategy of luring the opponent out of camp to pursue and then use firearms to carry out mass destruction was discovered by the Zhenjiang Army.
For this reason, Sun Chuanshu felt very upset.
He was very careful, but still failed to catch a big fish, which greatly dampened the morale of the defenders. You know, there are not many opportunities like this, and the hope of being able to defend the city and revitalize it will also dissipate.
However, things that made Sun Chuanshu even more frustrated and desperate were yet to come.
At dawn the next day, the Zhenjiang Army's tactics suddenly changed dramatically. The Second Army, the Fifth Army and part of the Ninth Army surrounded Changzhou City on all sides.
The so-called encirclement does not mean approaching the city for an armed siege, but going around Changzhou City and cutting off all the nearby land routes and waterways leading to the outside world. On land, the Suppression Army dug trenches and ravines and set up checkpoints; on the water, the Suppression Army pulled iron locks and sunk ships to block the way.
In other words, the attackers were separated from Changzhou City by a certain distance and implemented a comprehensive blockade on the exchange of personnel and materials.
At the same time, Du Jian also sent someone to deliver a letter to Sun Chuanshu. The general content of the letter was as follows: General Sun, I know that you have stocked up a large number of firearms in the city and want to die with us. Sorry, I'm not fooled. From today on, Du will no longer attack, but will surround you to death! Isn’t there a lot of food in Changzhou city? Well, if I can’t finish it in a month, I’ll surround you for two months. If I can’t finish it in a year, I’ll surround you for two years. In short, I just ignore you and leave you alone. We divide our forces to attack Suzhou, and then go to Hangzhou. Until we have wiped out Li Zheng, Lao Jianhua, and I won't attack you. Let's see how long you can hold on guarding those useless firearms.
After Sun Chuanshu read the letter, he couldn't help roaring and tore it into pieces.
The rebels originally planned to use the water network to block the Xinjiang Army. Unexpectedly, the Zhenjiang Army instead trapped a city by cutting off water and land transportation.
Sun Chuanshu knew that Du Jian was not just talking. Once the Zhenjiang Army completes the gully defense line and the Iron Lock Crossing River and other fortifications, they only need to leave one main force, or even half of the main force, to completely block all the gas holes in the periphery of Changzhou, just like playing Go.
The rest of the troops sent their troops south and continued to attack Suzhou, Huzhou and other places until they captured Hangzhou.
By then, Sun Chuanshu and his tens of thousands of defenders will become a bunch of waste wasting food and grass, sitting here in the city of sleepiness, along with a large number of useless firearms.
-
"Daduhu, will Sun Chuanshu really come out?"
Facing Xiong Yunjie's question, Du Jian replied for Li Jiangyao: "Don't worry, our Lord has a clever plan. How often have we not led the enemy by the nose? As soon as my letter is delivered to the city, Old Sun will only have three ways to go." Choose. One is to sit back and wait for death, waiting for the food to be used up before surrendering; the other is to go crazy in anger, directly light the firearm, and lead people to blow up oneself; the third is to take advantage of our army not to completely seal off the land and water routes. Before, I took the initiative to go out of the city to fight and decipher our actions. If it were you, which one would you choose?"
Xiong Yunjie nodded: "That's true. If I were Sun Chuanshu, I would definitely fight hard. I would rather die in battle than die trapped."
Duan Jun continued: "Before the war started, because Changzhou was the rebels' supply base and had extremely rich material reserves, neither the enemy nor us ever considered solving the problem through siege. Sun Chuanshu's borrowing of firearms showed that The vicious intentions forced us to temporarily give up the plan of taking the initiative to attack, and instead put the strategy of besieging Changzhou on the table. This is probably something Sun Chuanshu never expected."
"The best thing is to adapt measures to local conditions." Du Jian said with emotion: "In other places, if you want to completely surround a city the size of Changzhou, it would be extremely difficult to do without more than five times the number of troops. And the special water network outside Changzhou The terrain has provided us with great convenience. We don’t need to rely on manpower to block it. We only need to go far away and isolate bridges, ferries and roads, and Changzhou City will be completely cut off from the outside world.”
Xiong Yunjie responded with a smile: "I'm not bragging. As soon as the fortifications are built and these key nodes are guarded, the Fifth Army's strength of two to three flags will be enough. In other words, at most two to thirty thousand soldiers and horses can guard them." There are more than 40,000 rebels in Changzhou City."
"So, Old Sun will definitely come out to attack." Du Jian said loudly: "Either destroy our fortifications, or simply break through and flee south."
Li Jiangyao said at this time: "You are right. There are two problems we have to face now. One is to be prepared to lure the snake out of the hole and attack the enemy head-on. The other is how to properly deal with the threat of firearms in the city."
Facing these two questions raised by the Protector, the three generals frowned at the same time. Fighting the enemy head-on is nothing to them, as it can solve the threat of firearms. Sun Chuanshu, in particular, may have buried firearms throughout the city in advance. Just waiting for the Zhenjiang Army to enter the city, the desperate soldiers lurking in the dark will provide them with weapons. There is really nothing they can do to light a fire.
At this time, a man standing in the army of officers suddenly said: "Daduhu, I can give it a try."
Li Jiangyao and others followed the sound, and it was Lei Yu, the second young master of Perak Hall, who was speaking. He continued to speak: "Most of the firearms in Sun Chuanshu's hand are unfinished thick wire materials. If you want to destroy the city, , kill and injure the soldiers attacking the city, the placement, as well as the method and rhythm of lighting must be very particular, otherwise it will not be able to produce a powerful effect. "
Li Jiangyao's eyes lit up and he humbly asked for advice: "You mean, controlling and lighting those firearms requires specialized methods, or even people who are familiar with firearms?"
Lei Yu nodded: "When my eldest brother sent the firearms out of Suzhou, he sent a few veterans to accompany him. I estimate that their task was to assist the rebels in placing firearms in Changzhou City. If you can give me a copy For the detailed city map, I can try to follow the doorway of Perak Hall and roughly mark the locations where firearms are placed in the city. When we enter the city, let me lead a group of bold and careful soldiers to go in early and be sure to threaten the firearms. Dismissed!"
"That would be great." Li Jiangyao turned around and ordered: "The Intelligence Department immediately provided Lei Yu with a map of Changzhou City, and also selected 500 people from the White Robe Army to learn from him how to dismantle protective weapons. The method must be mastered within two days!”
"Yes!" Han Wenhao and the intelligence officer responded in unison.
Li Jiang looked at Du Jian and others from a distance, and laughed loudly: "It's up to you how to welcome General Sun next."
-
Amid the melodious sound of horns, fifty large mixed phalanxes of infantry and cavalry were advancing steadily forward.
The fierce flag swayed in the wind, and the dragon pattern embroidered on the flag was lifelike.
In front of this majestic military formation is Yueyang City, an important town in the south of the Yangtze River.
"Fortunately, I came back in time, otherwise I would have missed the first battle of the Qinglong Army crossing the river."
Under the commander's flag, two young generals wearing Mingguang armor rode side by side. It was Murong Xue, the commander of the Qinglong Army, and Xu Youchang, the deputy commander of the Zhenjiang Army.
After listening to Murong Xue's words, Xu Youchang couldn't help but laugh and said: "Why bother with so much? In this first battle, it's you or me who fights, isn't it the same?"
"It's different," Murong Xue glanced at him with a smile: "One chance to beat up the rebels is one less chance. You have already wiped out most of Lao Jianhua's main force, why don't you leave some for me?"
Xu Youchang looked at the Yueyang City in the distance and said with a smile: "What an injustice. Jiang Yao took all the meat, and I only gnawed a few bones. You, just drink some soup."
Murong Xue shook her head helplessly: "To be honest, the brothers of the Zhenjiang Army shouldered the heaviest burden in putting down the rebellion in the south. We and the Suzaku Army should be grateful to you. The imperial court should be even more grateful to you."
"What does one family say about two families?" Xu Youchang responded: "Didn't I tell you before? The suppression of the rebellion by the Zhenjiang Army is not for the imperial court, let alone the emperor Li Bing. We are here to lead He Jingming Seek justice and earn a peaceful life for the people all over the world."
Murong Xue nodded silently, and then said: "That's why Jiang Yao decided that after capturing Hangzhou, the Xinjiang Army will return to Western Xinjiang. Friends, what about you? Aren't you going to stay in the imperial capital? That's where you were born and raised. The Xu family’s business is still there.”
Xu Youchang smiled faintly: "The Xu family is all gone, so what's the point of a huge family fortune? My roots are in Xijiang, in Guimo, and I look forward to going back early every day. And..."
He paused briefly and said softly: "I also want to find an opportunity to visit the Western Continent and experience a different world."
Murong Xue knew that Xu Youchang said that he wanted to go to the Western Continent not just to experience the foreign world, but more importantly, there was someone there who made him miss him.
Looking at the good brother's face full of vicissitudes of life and perseverance, Murong Xue suddenly felt a little sad in her heart, and couldn't help but sigh: "Oh, fate plays tricks on people, and none of us can escape the mercy of fate. In the end, we have to pursue it so hard. What did you ask for? What did you get?"
Xu Youchang turned his head, looked at him silently, and said after a long time: "Murong, I can't answer your question, but Jiang Yao once said something to me, which may be able to inspire you."
Murong Xue gently stopped the reins and asked curiously: "What did Jiang Yao say?"
"Once, the two of us were sitting across from each other, having a drink and chatting about life. Jiang Yao was a little drunk at that time." Xu Youchang said quietly: "He told me that everything in this world is just a game for him. Dream. Friendship, grudges, hatred, gains and losses, seemed to be taken for granted, but also seemed to be fleeting. He had doubts, pain, and even thought about giving up completely, but in the end, he chose a way to face all confusions. and incomprehensible methods.”
"No matter what fate arranges, the ups and downs, if you savor it carefully, it's worth your time to come here."
