At this time, in Xuzhou, Chongzhen was anxiously waiting for news.
Because Chongzhen has played all the cards in his hand, Huang Degong, Lu Zhenfei and even Fengyang Governor Ma Shiying have tried their best, but it is still unknown what decision the Jiannu Union will make.
To be honest, the price paid by the Ming army and civilians in counterattacking this time was extremely high.
More than 3,000 people were killed by the border troops in the Ten Towns alone, and more than 10,000 people were injured. The people who went out to pull out wheat seedlings were continuously attacked by Jiannu and the Eight Banners Mongolian and Waifan Mongolian cavalry, resulting in more than 30,000 casualties.
There is also the navy, which has lost more than thirty bird ships so far, and more than 1,600 officers were killed.
These are only the casualties in Xuzhou. The Xia Zhen Ming Army, Pizhou Ming Army and Fengyang Fu Ming Army must also have suffered casualties, especially the border troops in Xia Town and Pizhou Town. The number of casualties will not be small.
Because Chongzhen gave these two towns a death order.
The so-called "at all costs" means that even if the frontier troops in the two towns are wiped out, even if Xia Town and Pizhou are lost, they must cling to the Jiannu in front of them and never let them return for reinforcements!
So both Li Zicheng and Dorgon were right, this was really a desperate move.
For this fierce counterattack, Chongzhen really put all his bets.
Then again, as long as you can win in the end, no matter how much money you bet, you will still make money, and you will make blood money, because as long as you survive this hurdle, the rest of the matter will be easier to handle.
But what’s frustrating is that we still don’t know how the slaves will choose?
Or maybe Chongzhen was not sure whether Jiannu had a hidden back-up plan?
Three days have passed, and there is still no definite news. Chongzhen's anxiety is getting worse day by day, so he keeps pulling Huang Zongxi, Du Yinxi and other scholars and officials to review the battle situation in Xuzhou.
Chongzhen asked again: "Gao Banban, how many kilograms of green seedlings have you received so far?"
Gao Qiqian hurriedly said: "If we go back to Long Live Lord, we have received a total of 180 million jins of green seedlings with roots and mud removed so far. However, another batch of green seedlings will be shipped back to the city before evening, and the total number will definitely exceed 200 million jins by then.
"
Chongzhen nodded and said: "One acre of green crops is one hundred catties, and two hundred million catties is two million acres."
This is estimated through repeated calculations. One acre of green seedlings weighs about 100 kilograms.
Huang Zongxi said: "In other words, at least two million acres of green crops are gone."
Du Yinxi said: "The arable land in Xuzhou is as high as four million acres. Even if there is a discount, the total acres of farmland owned by Jiannu will never be less than three million acres. After two million acres, there are still one hundred acres."
Ten thousand acres.”
Zheng Sen continued: "If you harvest two stones per mu, that's two million stones!"
Huang Zongxi added: "Based on the supply of three buckets per ding per month, it is enough to support an army of 400,000 for a year and a half!"
"Then it's over." Chongzhen's face darkened instantly, "If we can't destroy the remaining one million acres of farmland, the establishment of slaves will be enough to last until next year's winter wheat matures."
Huang Zongxi said: "Eight hundred Yiding scout cavalry have been dispersed near Guide. So far, no Jiannu army has been found to come back for reinforcements. This shows that Jiannu is also hesitant, so we still have enough time."
Gu Yanwu said: "Even if the Jian slaves come back, Xuzhou's water transportation has been opened up, and grain and rice from Huai'an Prefecture and even Yangzhou Prefecture will continue to be imported into Xuzhou, so this protracted war will still be fought."
"Too optimistic." Chongzhen said worriedly, "Once the slave army returns to Xuzhou, it will definitely restore the blockade trenches and forts on the west bank of the Yellow River. By then, water transportation will be interrupted again, and at least water ships will definitely not be able to reach Xuzhou."
Cao ships are not like naval warships. Naval warships have oars and sails and can move independently, but canal ships cannot.
There is no problem when the canal boat is sailing with the current, but when the boat is sailing against the current, it must be pulled. If both sides of the Yellow River are under the control of Jiannu, how can the trackers pull the fiber? Then they are not looking for death.
Zhu Cijiong said with a dark face: "Then destroy this million acres of farmland at all costs!"
"His Royal Highness Prince Ding, do you know what you mean by doing whatever it takes?" Huang Zongxi said with a sudden change of expression, "That will mean the death of one hundred thousand or even hundreds of thousands of old, young, women and children!"
Zhu Cijiong said: "No matter how high the price is, it is worth it."
Huang Zongxi said angrily: "The people are the most important, the country is the second most important, and the emperor is the least important. If a court is reduced to relying on the sacrifice of the people to survive, then..."
Zhu Cijiong said angrily: "Then what? Huang Zongxi, what do you want to say?"
Chongzhen looked even more embarrassed, but this is the reality. When things go well, everything seems to go smoothly, but when the situation is in adversity, everything seems to be out of order.
There can also be fierce conflicts between princes and scholars.
This has never happened in the past half year or so.
"That's enough, stop arguing." Chongzhen could only suppress the quarrel between the two.
Looking at the anxious Chongzhen, Li Xiangjun suddenly felt distressed and immediately advised: "Your Majesty, Jiannu must be more troubled than us at this time, because they will take greater risks if they return to Xuzhou."
Chongzhen said: "That being said, Jiannu has always dared to take risks."
Lao Nu concentrated all his troops together in the Battle of Sarhu, Huang Taiji used all the country's troops in the Battle of Songjin, and this time Jian Nu also used all his troops. They were all dangerous and desperate.
What's even more annoying is that Jiannu actually won the first few adventures he took.
Therefore, things like national destiny are sometimes really mysterious and cannot be denied.
Therefore, no one can guarantee that Dorgon will not risk his life and return to Xuzhou.
In short, until the final answer is revealed, Chongzhen will continue to be anxious.
While anxious, Chongzhen secretly swore in his heart that as long as he got through this, he would never be able to repeat this situation again, because it was too tiring to bet all his fortune against others.
If he kept betting against others like this, Chongzhen seriously doubted that he would live to be fifty.
What kind of strong psychological quality do you have to be able to withstand such psychological torture?
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Three great eunuchs including Chongzhen, Zhu Cihong, Zhu Cijiong brothers, Wang Chengen, Lu Jiude, and Gao Qiqian, Huang Zongxi and dozens of other scholars are still there.
Yinxi and other officials were also suffering.
Everyone was anxiously waiting for Jiannu's reaction.
However, Jiannu did not respond immediately.
This torture lasted until midnight that night.
In the early days of childhood, the old, young, women and children who had gone out to pull out young seedlings returned to Xuzhou one after another.
Naturally, Chongzhen would not let them return to the city, and temporarily arranged them at a gun platform outside the city. Anyway, there were enough gun platforms outside the city to accommodate everyone. Besides, it was already summer, so sleeping in the open was okay.
Around the beginning of the Chou period, Jin Xuan and Navy Commander Zheng Hongkui returned to Xuzhou at the same time.
Then the two of them came to Chongzhen's residence and reported their findings to Chongzhen.
The first person to walk in was Zheng Hongkui: "Your Majesty, when our navy's scout fleet entered the junction of Guide Mansion and Xuzhou, they received a group of Dashun remnants who were fleeing for their lives."
"At that time, a group of Mongolian cavalry was chasing them."
"The navy's scout fleet repelled the Mongolian cavalry and rescued the remnants of Dashun."
After a pause, Zheng Hongkui continued: "These Dashun remnants told us that they were ambushed by the main force of Jiannu on the way to Guide Mansion, and the 50,000-strong army had collapsed."
"Fifty thousand people?" Huang Zongxi said, "Did they say who the general is?"
Zheng Hongkui said: "As I said, the general is Liu Zongmin, the number one general under the bandits."
Huang Zongxi said: "Your Majesty, this is interesting. Jian Nu actually ambushed the pseudo-submissive army at this time. What's even more interesting is that the pseudo-submissive army actually attacked Guide Mansion at this time?"
Zhu Cijiong said: "Something unknown must have happened between Pseudo-Shun and Jiannu."
Xu Yingwei said: "We might as well make a bold guess. Jiannu wanted to set up a trap before returning to Xuzhou. He took advantage of Pseudo-Shun's eagerness to pursue and kill someone who turned around? Then Pseudo-Shun really fell into Jiannu's plan."
"I don't think so." Huang Zongxi shook his head and said, "There is no way a hypocrite would have such good intentions to pursue slave-building for us."
Xu Yingwei said: "What if the hypocrisy is not for us, but just to take advantage and seize the opportunity to gain virtue?"
"Well, this possibility does exist." Huang Zongxi nodded and said, "I don't think the hypocritical emperor, Prime Minister Niu Jinxing, and the left military advisor Song Xiance are far-sighted figures. They may really have such small thoughts."
Xu Yingwei said: "Then the question now is, after Jian Nu plotted against the puppet army, should he return to Xuzhou or take the opportunity to rebel against Kaifeng Mansion?"
Huang Zongxi said: "It's hard to say, both are possible."
As soon as he finished speaking, Jin Xuan walked in with a dusty face.
"Jin Qing!" Chongzhen asked urgently, "Have you found anything there?"
"Your Majesty." Jin Xuan cupped his hands and said, "I'm afraid Jiannu will withdraw his troops!"
"What?" Chongzhen didn't hear it clearly at first, or maybe he actually heard it clearly, but he just couldn't believe it, so he had to confirm it with Jin Xuan before he could rest assured.
Jin Xuan repeated with a serious face: "Your Majesty, Jian Nu is about to withdraw his troops!"
When he said it the first time just now, Jin Xuan still used the word "I'm afraid", but when he said it the second time, he no longer used the word "I'm afraid" because he was already sure that Jiannu had indeed withdrawn his troops.
"Jiannu has withdrawn his troops!" Chongzhen stood there stunned.
Happiness came so suddenly that Chongzhen was a little at a loss.
Huang Zongxi, Du Yinxi, Zheng Sen and other officials also looked at each other in confusion.
When Jiannu did not retreat, they all hoped that Jiannu would retreat. But when Jiannu did retreat, they couldn't believe it. The human mind is so complicated.
"Haha, Jiannu has withdrawn his troops!"
It took a long while before Chongzhen finally reacted.
In his excitement, Chongzhen hugged the person closest to him.
"Jiannu has retreated, Jiannu has finally retreated!" Chongzhen was so excited that he roared twice, only to realize that the person he was hugging was actually Li Xiangjun, who was already blushing with embarrassment.
