In the early morning, a thick mist filled the Qinhuai River and shrouded the inside and outside of Jinling. It didn't gradually dissipate until the sky brightened. As winter gets stronger, the climate becomes colder. Especially in this winter morning, the humidity and cold in the south of the Yangtze River is very uncomfortable and even torturous for some northern soldiers.
Of course, the imperial court had done enough preparations for the war. Taking into account winter operations, there was an adequate supply of warm clothes and charcoal for heating, which meant that the soldiers did not have to endure the cold and wind to fight. In addition, this time the army marched smoothly and pushed forward smoothly. Under the victory, the morale of the army was stable and morale was high. Now that soldiers are surrounding the enemy's capital, almost all the Han soldiers are waiting to break the city so that the war can end, the spoils of war can be harvested, and rewards can be obtained.
As the de facto economic center of the southern region, Jinling has long been famous for its wealth. As a conqueror setting foot on this land, it is inevitable that the soldiers would not be fascinated and want to take advantage of the opportunity to make a fortune. It is understandable.
In addition, most of the soldiers who defeated Shu in those days achieved great results in Chengdu, which aroused the envy of a large number of people. Now, some people are already planning to imitate the Chengdu story. For most soldiers, they work tirelessly and risk their lives to participate in battles. From a spiritual perspective, although it has some propaganda effects of being loyal to the emperor and serving the country and making meritorious deeds, it is mostly for rewards and trophies.
Therefore, Jinling is right in front of us, easily accessible, and does not require much encouragement. The desire and morale of the Han army soldiers are very high. From dawn, smoke began to rise in the huge Han army camp. After that, all the armies and camps were eating and moving on time, and officers at all levels were doing the final mobilization work.
As the commander-in-chief, Li Gu also promoted the affairs of the army and held a military meeting before the siege. The arrangements for the siege have been made and explained a long time ago. They will attack on three sides, with Shi Shouxin taking overall command. Zhang Yongde will attack the south, Yin Chongke will attack the north, and Zhao Yan will attack the east.
Therefore, Li Gu held this pre-war meeting with only one topic, military discipline. Li Gu was particularly concerned about the morale of the army, and he also had a panoramic view of the soldiers' expectations for the destruction of the city. A Confucian commander like Li Gu would never allow this.
During the military meeting, the prince Liu Yang had to sit down at the bottom. Li Gu was in command and said seriously: "The deadline has come and Jinling has not yet surrendered. We will launch an attack today!"
"Yes!" All the generals responded in unison, with high momentum.
"But!" After looking at everyone, Li Gu sighed and said, "I'm very worried about something, and it's almost a heart attack!"
"I don't know what has caused the generalissimo's worry. Can the general and others share the worry?" Shi Shouxin cooperated appropriately and asked following the words.
Li Gu said: "The states in the south of the Yangtze River are the land of fish and rice. The land is fertile and the people are prosperous. Especially Jinling, where wealth is accumulated and gold and silk are gathered. What I am worried about is that the army will break the city, the soldiers will be seduced by it, and their behavior will be difficult to restrain. , the military discipline has been destroyed, the use of this famous city will be destroyed, and I will not be able to explain to the court in the future, so I am worried!"
After saying this, everyone was silent. Today's Han generals, especially senior generals, are very few who are completely illiterate and ignorant of etiquette like in the early days. He somewhat understood what Li Gu wanted to express, but he didn't answer for a while.
Over the past dynasties, no one has ever sent out troops to fight without making any real mistakes. Especially in the face of a fat city like Jinling, not to mention the officers and soldiers at the bottom, but also the middle and high-level generals and colonels, how can they not have expectations?
Noting the reaction of the generals, Li Gu was not surprised, but continued: "Before the Southern Expedition, His Majesty warned that the people of Jiangnan, also the people of the Han Dynasty, were only temporarily sheltered in Jinling. The king's army went south to help those in need and welcome them. Return to the court. The war has resumed, and the swords and soldiers are facing each other. Your Majesty is also very concerned about the people of Jiangnan who may be harmed. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has sent an imperial edict to reward the army, and once again emphasizes that His Majesty’s holy will is to strictly enforce military discipline..."
"This is easy, Generalissimo, don't worry!" Zhao Yanjin suddenly said: "The Han Dynasty has its own military discipline, and the three armies can abide by it as usual. Anyone who breaks the law will be dealt with according to military law, that's all!"
"What Governor Zhao said is true. We must obey His Majesty's edict and obey the Generalissimo's military orders!" Shi Shouxin followed.
Under the leadership of Shi and Zhao, others such as Zhang Yongde also expressed their willingness to obey military orders, restrain officers and soldiers, and enforce strict military discipline.
Seeing this, Li Gulao showed a smile on his face, and then said solemnly: "I was ordered to pacify the south and command the army to attack the country. The soldiers came to use their lives and marched to the enemy's nest. The isolated city of Jinling cannot be used as a vanguard. It is bound to break it and conquer the city. On that day, there are three things that the officers and men of the three armies should keep in mind.
First, the chief ministers of Jinling should offer prisoners to Tokyo and hand them over to His Majesty and the imperial court. The officers and soldiers must not be lightly humiliated;
Secondly, on the day the city is breached, the soldiers and people in the city, that is, the people of the Han Dynasty, are not allowed to kill or insult;
Thirdly, for the meritorious service of the soldiers in battle, the imperial court will have its own rewards after the war. The warehouses in the city are not allowed to be taken without authorization, and the property of the people is strictly forbidden to be invaded.
These three cases should be reported to the entire army. Anyone who violates them will be punished according to military law! "
When he mentioned the words "military punishment", Li Gu also looked murderous and majestic, making people dare not look away. The generals present naturally did not dare to object and responded in unison: "I will obey the order of the Generalissimo!"
Since Liu Bang entered Guanzhong and left behind the allusion of "Three Chapters of Agreement", many people in later generations have followed suit according to the times and circumstances. Three agreements are enough, but too many can't be remembered. In fact, this is just a basic method. Beyond these three examples, there are many loopholes that can be exploited. However, being able to do these three points is already a sign of strict military discipline.
Sitting aside, Liu Yang said nothing from beginning to end, but silently watched and thought about Li Gu's method of controlling the general. I couldn't help but feel a little emotional. The originally gentle and kind-hearted Mr. Li was so powerful and capable when he controlled the arrogant and powerful generals. It seemed that he had learned...
In the imperial court, next to Emperor Liu, what he could always see was that the officials, civil and military ministers, were respectful and submissive to his father and did not dare to disobey him. This was accumulated through more than ten years of strengthening the monarch's power and martial arts popularity. Authority is not something that can be learned easily. In fact, Emperor Liu rarely used tricks and conspiracies to enhance his authority in recent years.
As Commander Li Gu issued the order, the Han army moved vigorously and resolutely. The officers and soldiers of the various armies involved in the siege mobilized in an orderly manner, showing their fangs. At the same time, people on Jinling City responded in a hurry and made mistakes while busy. But inside the palace city, when they heard the beating of war drums outside the city, Li Yu completely extinguished all luck.
That night, Li Yu did not sleep. Together with his uncle Jingda and several grown-up brothers, they discussed the outcome of the country at the back of the clock. Although they did not speak outright about the future of the family, a consensus was reached.
When he learned that the Han army had been dispatched in large numbers, the siege ordnance had been launched, and no words of persuasion were made to persuade him to surrender, Li Yu believed that the Han army was indeed telling the truth, and he had no time to hesitate any longer.
So, under the eyes of the clan brothers, Li Yu personally wrote a letter of surrender with a sad mood. His tears wet the cloth and the ink was a little scattered. After stamping the seal, he handed it to Wang Shu Li Jingda, who asked him to leave the city and submit the surrender form.
When the white flag was erected on the top of Jinling City, it also announced the demise of the "Southern Tang Dynasty". From the time when its first master Li Min proclaimed himself emperor and founded the country to when Li Yu surrendered, Fan won the country for twenty-six years.
