Zhu Yuanzhang captured Hezhou in one battle, and there was no possibility of any change in the overall situation of Jiangbei.
All that's left is to chase death and expand the victory.
The first is Tujian, north of Hengjiang River. There are still more than 20,000 defeated troops. They must be wiped out and they cannot be allowed to escape back to the south of the Yangtze River. This task has been given to Xu Da.
Then there was the Yuan army at Jiming Mountain. Zhu Yuanzhang sent Fei Ju and Geng Zaicheng, followed by Lingyang Pass, where Lao Zhu sent the Wu brothers.
After issuing several orders, Zhu Yuanzhang did not do it himself, but sat in the Liyang County Yamen.
The seat of Hezhou Prefecture was located in Liyang, so this city could become Heyang again.
The original magistrate's office was burned down, and Zhu Yuanzhang could only live in the county government temporarily. However, this was also a temporary residence, because Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes had set on the south.
"Chongba, are you going to cross the river?"
Ma's voice rang in Zhu Yuanzhang's ears. Lao Zhu turned around quickly and saw his wife's pregnant belly. He was both distressed and grateful.
"Why are you always disobedient!"
Ma laughed softly and said, "Husband and wife are of the same mind. At this point, can you pretend that nothing has happened?"
Just one word made Lao Zhu lower his head.
Immediately, he clenched his fists again, his eyes flashing with excitement.
"Sister, we really don't care about these 100,000 yuan army. We just care about whether we can devour it in one gulp. Yuan Ting is finished. It has been doomed since the removal of Tuituo. We have been thinking about it for a long time, and I am afraid that what will happen next
It’s up to the red scarf heroes to fight against themselves.”
Ma didn't speak, just held her waist and listened silently.
She knew very well that all her husband needed was someone to listen to. Originally, Zhang Ximeng was here and the two of them could discuss it. Now that Zhang Ximeng had crossed the river in advance, she should come over, even if it was just to listen.
If a person is under too much pressure, he needs to vent.
"If we cannot cross the river, or if we cross the river too late, we can only guard the land of Huaixi. We will be an inconspicuous prince and will be destroyed sooner or later. But once we cross the Yangtze River and occupy Jiqing, the worst is
Half of the country. We are still sure of this. If you cross the river, you will become a dragon. If you don't, you will be a worm!"
Ma nodded slightly. She thought for a while and then said slowly: "Mr. Zhang has crossed the Yangtze River and won several battles. Yuan Tatar is nothing more than that. You don't have to worry."
Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head and smiled bitterly, "Sister, do you think we are worried about the Tatars? I have already said that these 100,000 yuan soldiers are just a dish. What really worries us is what kind of strategy we will implement after arriving in Jiangnan.
Only then can we gain a firm foothold and win people's hearts!"
Ma smiled and said, "This is not what I, a woman, can say, but our policies in Huaixi will not work?"
Zhu Yuanzhang pondered and said: "It's hard to say whether it will work. We have asked many people. Jiangnan is densely populated and merchants gather. If we continue to grant grain fields like Huaixi, I'm afraid there won't be much transferable land. Also, Jiangnan
Most of our wealth is in the hands of wealthy businessmen. How do we deal with the relationship with them? If we don't do it well and we can't collect the money, we won't be able to support such a big business!"
"Also, these 100,000 yuan army will capture at least tens of thousands of prisoners. After crossing the river, there will also be many prisoners. We currently have 50,000 to 70,000 soldiers and horses, and the number of troops and horses exceeds 100,000. Right in front of us... 100,000
What an army!" Zhu Yuanzhang even laughed bitterly. "With so many people, so many mouths, and so many thoughts, how can we manage them well? Not only must we manage them well, we must also find ways to expand our foundation and have a bigger business.
Land, more people, more people... To be honest, more than three years ago, we were still the Kitchen God sticking to our legs, and people moved around. If one person is full, the whole family is not hungry. Now we have so many things to worry about.
Things are so complicated and messy, this is much more difficult than a big war."
Zhu Yuanzhang put his hands in his hands and smiled helplessly, "To be honest, we don't even know what to do."
Ma smiled and said, "One person is short-sighted. It's up to you. Even if you think about it, you won't have a clue... After all, you still have to use more talents and let people help you. This is the kingly way."
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled bitterly: "Why don't we know? But if everyone is like Mr. Zhang, we don't have to worry. But people's hearts are separated from each other, how can we rest assured?"
Ma sullenly thought for a while and said, "If you don't worry, why don't you use people? If you worry about the mess, why don't you cross the river? I'm thinking, you still have to face the difficulties. If you don't understand anything, just follow me.
When Mr. Zhang discusses, he always has an idea. Even if he doesn't, he knows who has an idea."
When Mr. Ma said this, he actually laughed again, "I finally understand. You and Mr. Zhang have been separated for a long time. You have lost your backbone and are in disarray."
Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned and could only smile helplessly. Since the twelfth year of Zhizheng, although he and Zhang Ximeng had been separated briefly, they had basically stayed together.
To put it bluntly, he talked much more with Zhang Ximeng than with his wife... After all, he came back from a busy day and didn't have much energy except sleeping.
But once you get up, there are countless career and economic opportunities, and endless military, political and national policies.
Since the Yuan army attacked Hezhou and he led troops and horses to help, he and Zhang Ximeng were separated. The two only exchanged a few letters during the period.
It happens to be a critical moment, and I feel really uneasy when I don’t have anyone around to have a good chat with!
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, and then said hurriedly: "Sister, this is just for the two of us to talk about. Don't let anyone know about it. If it gets to Mr. Zhang's ears, we will lose face. You were drunk last time
, but it said a lot of things.”
Ma couldn't help but laugh. She didn't expect her husband to be afraid of this... "I know, last time, it was not just a moment of anger. Now you are rising step by step. After crossing the river, even if you call yourself king and emperor, it is reasonable.
Whether you want it or not, I can't stop you. As long as you are sincerely good to me and good to my children, you will have a conscience."
Lao Zhu was so shocked that he didn't know what to do, and shook his head repeatedly, "Sister, don't think too much, we don't mean that, we really don't!"
Ma chuckled lightly, "I know you don't have it! Okay, I'm tired too, go ahead and get busy!"
Mrs. Ma was holding the table but did not stand up for a while. Zhu Yuanzhang quickly stretched out his hand to support his wife.
"You have to be careful, this kid is really good at teasing others."
Ma smiled calmly and said, "That's it. Children are always the flesh that falls off the mother's body. How can you fathers understand if you don't carry the child for ten months? I can tell you, no matter what, you must pamper this child well."
Wait, do you understand?"
Lao Zhu nodded quickly, "Don't worry, we are almost thirty, and in an ordinary family, we would be considered a child of old age. If you don't spoil him, who will you spoil? When he can speak, let Mr. Zhang teach him, and then
When he is older, we will teach him how to handle government affairs, arrange for him the best teacher, and let him inherit our family business smoothly..."
Lao Zhu escorted his wife to rest, and when he turned around, Xu Da came.
"Your Majesty, except for a few who jumped over the river to escape, all the Yuan troops on the Hengjiang River have been captured. There are more than 19,000 people in total. As for Tu Jian, he committed suicide."
"Killing himself? Forget it, he is a loyal minister, so just give him a coffin!"
"No, he, he's not dead!"
"Not dead?" Zhu Yuanzhang was shocked, "If you cut your throat, can you still be alive?"
"He, he didn't want to cut it, he just scratched a layer of skin, shed some blood, and frightened himself into unconsciousness."
When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he was stunned for a moment and couldn't help but laugh: "Okay, that's great! Since he can't die, we will give him a way to live and send him to be locked up with Gong Bosui and others so that he can reform."
Xu Da agreed to go down and make arrangements. Lao Zhu added: "Remember, find a good doctor for him and bandage the wound on his neck. If it becomes suppurative, it will be bad. If you want to die, you will not die. If you don't want to die, you will be sent away."
Life, that would be bad."
"knew!"
Xu Da readily agreed.
As soon as he got down, another news came from Lingyang Pass.
"Your Majesty, the Yuan army at Lingyang Pass has gone towards Luzhou. It seems they are planning to join Zuo Junbi!"
Lao Zhu was startled, Zuo Junbi!
He knew that Zhang Ximeng had subdued the Chaohu Navy, and Zuo Junbi had occupied Luzhou and had been fighting against the Chaohu Navy. Logically speaking, Zuo Junbi should be destroyed.
What's more, he has taken over this Yuan army, which means he is willing to die in the right way.
However, the main task now is to cross the river, and we cannot divide our troops to go to Luzhou.
Lao Zhu thought about it again and again, and finally said: "Let Zuo Junbi live a peaceful life for a few days, and then we can deal with him when we are free!"
The Yuan army at Lingyang Pass ran away, and the ones at Jilong Mountain could not be spared. If this fish was gone, Zhu Yuanzhang would regret it to death.
At this time, it was militia marshal Chen Yexian who was stationed at Jilong Mountain.
Coincidentally, he is also from Haozhou.
It can only be said that God favors this place, and it has become the cradle of fierce men.
Unlike Zhu Yuanzhang, Chen Ye first embarked on the path of working for Yuan Ting and killing the Red Turban Army.
For such a person, Lao Zhu wished he could kill him with one blow.
But he also understood that Chen Yexian still had so many people under his command. If he were to be killed, the people below would definitely be distraught. It was hard to say whether they could handle it properly.
"Send someone to tell Chen Yexian that as long as he surrenders, we will give him a way to survive!"
Zhu Yuanzhang sent someone to deliver the letter, but after being there for half a day, there was no reply, whether it was a surrender or a fight, nothing happened!
At this moment, Lao Zhu and Xu Da also rushed to the foot of Jilong Mountain.
"Come on, Chen Yexian is still lucky, he should be beaten hard!" Xu Damian was ready to ask for an order, but Zhu Yuanzhang still stopped him.
It would be better to leave this kind of matter to Hu Dahai.
As expected, Hu Dahai was overjoyed after receiving the order. He immediately led his troops in person and stormed the partial stronghold. An hour later, the partial stronghold was captured.
After another half an hour, Chen Yexian's men were holding a French flag. He and his men raised their hands in the French military salute, dejectedly, came down from the mountain and surrendered to Zhu Yuanzhang.
"When you were working for Yuan Tatar, you wouldn't have thought that today would happen, would you?"
Chen Yexian's face was full of bitterness, "The sinner is blind and does not know the Lord. Please be noble and give the sinner a chance to live!"
Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, "We said we wouldn't kill you, so how could we break our promise and get fat! But let me tell you, you are not blind, but heartless!"
Chen Ye was so frightened that he was sweating and collapsed on the ground. He was speechless and did not dare to say anything.
Lao Zhu didn't bother to look at him, "Take it away!"
Someone took Chen Ye away first. At this moment, someone suddenly ran over in a hurry and shouted loudly from a distance: "Higher position, higher position! What a happy event!"
Zhu Yuanzhang turned around suddenly, and a soldier who was delivering the message jumped off his horse, knelt down on one knee, raised his face and said: "Your Majesty, Mr. Zhang sent someone to deliver the message. I respectfully invite you to cross the river!"
"What? Please let us cross the river?"
"Yes, the navy ambushed the Tatar navy on the Yangtze River, burned hundreds of warships, and won a great victory on the river, which was enough for our army to cross the river smoothly!"
"Okay!" Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but yelled, laughing up to the sky, "Send the order, prepare to cross the river immediately... We want to see Mr. Zhang immediately!"