In the early morning, a thick mist filled the Qinhuai River and shrouded the inside and outside of Jinling. It gradually faded and dissipated until the sky brightened. As winter became stronger, the climate became colder, especially in this winter morning, the humidity and coldness in the south of the Yangtze River were not suitable for
For some northern soldiers, it was very uncomfortable and even painful.
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, so that the soldiers did not have to endure the cold and wind to fight. In addition, the advance went smoothly, and all the way
It is fair to say that after victory, the morale of the army was stable and morale was high. Now that the troops were surrounding the enemy's capital, almost all the Han soldiers were waiting to break the city so that the war could end, the spoils of war could be harvested, and rewards could 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 would like to take advantage of the opportunity to make a fortune. It is understandable.
In addition, most of the soldiers who defeated Shu in the past achieved great results in Chengdu, which aroused the envy of a large number of people. Now, some people are planning to imitate Chengdu's story. For most soldiers, they have worked hard and risked their lives.
Risking one's life and participating in the battle, from a spiritual perspective, it certainly has some propaganda effect of being loyal to the emperor, serving the country, and making meritorious deeds, but more of it is 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 officers and soldiers are very high. From dawn, smoke began to rise in the huge Han army camp.
All military camps eat and carry out activities on time. Officers at all levels carry out motivational exercises and do the final mobilization work.
As the commander-in-chief, Li Gu also promoted the affairs and held a military meeting before the siege. The arrangements for the siege had already been made and explained. They were to attack on three sides, with Shi Shouxin taking overall command, Zhang Yongde attacking the south, and Yin Chongke
Attack the north of the city, and Zhao Yan attacks the east of the city.
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 city's destruction. A Confucian commander like Li Gu
, will never be allowed.
During the military meeting, the prince Liu Yang had to sit down at the bottom. Li Gu, who was in command, 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 spirits.
"But!" After looking at everyone, Li Gu sighed and said, "There is something that makes me very worried, almost heartbroken!"
"I don't know what has caused the generalissimo's worry. Can the general and others share his worries?" 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 the wealth is accumulated and the gold and silk are gathered. What I am worried about is that the army will destroy the city, and the soldiers will be seduced by it, and their behavior will be difficult to restrain.
, military discipline has been damaged, and the use of this famous city will be destroyed once, and I will not be able to explain it to the court in the future, so I am worried!"
After saying this, everyone was silent. Today's Han generals, especially the senior generals, are as completely illiterate as they were in the early days. There are very few people who don't know etiquette. They understand what Li Gu wants to express to some extent, but
, didn’t answer the call for a while.
Over the past dynasties, no one has ever sent out troops to fight without making any 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 in Jiangnan were also the people of the Han Dynasty, and they only took shelter in Jinling temporarily. The king's army went south to help the people in danger and to welcome them.
Returning to the court. The war has resumed, and the swords and weapons 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 His Majesty’s holy will 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 dares to violate it 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, command troops to attack the country, and relied on the soldiers to use their orders to attack the enemy's nest. The isolated city of Jinling cannot be used as a vanguard, and 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 when the city is breached, the soldiers and people in the city are the citizens of the Han Dynasty and cannot be killed or insulted;
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. The property of the people is strictly forbidden to be invaded.
These three cases should be reported to the entire army, and any violations will be punished according to military law!"
When he mentioned the words "military punishment", Li Gu also looked murderous and majestic, which made people dare not turn their attention. 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 circumstances. Three agreements are enough, but too many will be difficult to remember. In fact, this is just a basic rule.
In addition to 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 didn't say anything from beginning to end. He just watched silently and thought about Li Gu's method of controlling the general. He couldn't help feeling a little emotional. It turned out that Li Gong, who was gentle and gentle, was able to control the arrogant and fierce soldiers.
General Shi was so powerful and capable, he seemed to have learned...
In the imperial court, next to Emperor Liu, what he could always see was that his 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 monarchy and martial arts popularity.
Authority is not something that can be learned easily. In fact, Emperor Liu rarely resorted to tricks and conspiracies to enhance his authority in recent years.
As Commander Li Gu issued the order, the Han army moved swiftly 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, on Jinling City, people responded in a hurry and made mistakes while busy, while inside the palace city,
When he 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 and the future of the family at the back of the clock. Although they did not speak outright, a consensus was reached.
When he learned that the Han army had been dispatched in large numbers, siege weapons had been launched, and no more 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 wrote a letter of surrender in person with a sad mood. His tears moistened the cloth and the ink was a little scattered. After sealing the seal, he handed it to Wang Shu Li Jingda.
, let him 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, it was twenty-six years since Fan conquered the country.