Xu Fu talked secretly with Mr. Shen for half an hour in Shen Yi's Chinese army tent.
However, the matter of asking for information only accounted for a small part of the conversation. Most of the conversation between the two people was still about the logistical supplies of the Huai'an Army and the ownership of Liulichang's management.
Now, because Liulichang's glass-making technology is becoming more and more mature and its output is slowly increasing, the overall glass price in the Jiankang market has dropped a lot. However, Liulichang can make huge profits every day it monopolizes this technology. It is almost a business that directly prints money, so even Shen Yi values Liulichang very much.
He did not allow people from the inner court to get involved.
Therefore, he took this opportunity to talk to Xu Fu and clearly told Xu Fu that he would not let go of Liulichang. Unless His Majesty the Emperor issued an imperial edict, no one could take away the right to operate Liulichang.
Xu Fu only rested for one night in the Chinese army. Early the next morning, he said goodbye to Shen Yi and left the Huai'an army camp.
In the next two or three days, the Huai'an army continued to attack Yandu. However, after three days, although all armies relied on their artillery superiority to repeatedly attack the city tower, the defenders in the city resisted tenaciously. , there was still no way to break through the capital of Northern Qi.
Three days later, Shen Yi ordered a temporary truce. Several generals once again met in the Chinese army's tent and bowed their heads respectfully to Shen Yi.
After Master Shen waved to several people to sit down, he asked: "After these three days of fighting, our Huai'an Army has completed the test of Yandu. You should have a good idea of Yandu."
"Let's stick to the old rules and talk about our opinions."
Having said this, he looked at Ling Su.
General Ling stood up, bowed slightly and said: "Mr. Shen, the war has actually been going very smoothly these days. Chen Atai, a member of the Qianhu family under the command of the last general, climbed up the city tower twice in two days and fought fiercely with the Qi army. The distance was broken. The city is not too far away, I believe it, so I just need to keep fighting like this."
He paused and said in a deep voice: "Yandu will definitely be conquered years ago."
It's already mid-September, just three and a half months before the New Year's Eve.
Facing a powerful city like Yandu, with a large number of defenders in the city, Lingsu was quite confident that he could give this deadline.
Mr. Shen looked at the other two people, and Su Ding looked at Xue Wei silently without saying a word.
He was showing humility to Xue Wei. After all, the two had a subordinate relationship earlier. Although Su Ding's actual status in the Huai'an army is now higher than that of Xue Wei, he still maintains a considerable degree of respect for Xue Wei.
General Xue was not polite and said: "Mr. Shen, General Mo has been on the battlefield these days. He has watched the war for three consecutive days. With the virtue of these defenders in Yandu, even if they have five Thousands of people are guarding the city, and the general is confident that he can capture the city for the imperial court within two months!"
After Xue Wei finished speaking, Su Ding stood up and lowered his head and said: "Mr. Shen, after Yandu was surrounded, it was already in the pocket of our Huai'an army. But in the past few days, it seems that the Qi defenders in the city have , at least 20,000 to 30,000 people, or even more..."
"The general believes in the combat effectiveness of our Huai'an Army and also believes in what General Ling and General Xue say. However, if we continue to fight hard and fight to the end, I am afraid our army will suffer heavy casualties."
"The last general's suggestion is to surround the capital of Yan, and then allocate part of the force to clean up the remnants of the Northern Qi forces in the pass."
He looked at Shen Yi and said: "There is more than just a city like Yandu in the pass. When Duke Shen recovers all the cities in the pass and looks back at Yandu, the defenders in Yandu will probably surrender. Already."
Shen sat in his seat, touched his chin and thought for a while, then looked at Yandu City on the map.
What I have to say is that after several years of war, the three generals under his command have all experienced and trained. Now they are very sharp at the military level. Although their opinions are different, they are not too big. The problem.
Mr. Shen thought for a while, then looked at the three people and said in a deep voice: "In my opinion, the left army and the right army will each be divided into 20,000 people and handed over to their respective lieutenants to take them to the other prefectures and counties in the pass. , the remaining troops surrounded Yandu, but we still have to attack the city when it is time."
"Just think of it as military training."
Shen Yi looked at the map in front of him and said slowly: "While you are attacking the city, I will find a way to contact the defenders in the city and try to open the gate of Yandu at the minimum cost."
Having said this, Shen walked out of the big tent without thinking about himself. He looked at Yandu City not far away and said slowly: "According to the intelligence, Emperor Zhaowu of Zhao Kai is still in the city..."
"This should be the reason why the defenders are still holding on."
If Emperor Zhaowu of the Northern Qi Dynasty had withdrawn from Yandu early with those Zhu Li Zhenren and ran outside the pass, then it is foreseeable that the defenders of Yandu will never have the fighting will now, and maybe Yandu will still be able to fight. Without being surrounded, they opened the city gates and surrendered.
Mr. Shen looked up into the distance and said in a calm voice: "I want to see how long these abandoned children can hold on..."
…………
In the blink of an eye, two months passed.
It was early November in the 18th year of Hongde's reign, and winter was approaching.
Yandu is already very far north, and it gets colder here much faster than in the south, and the Huai'an army, almost all of which are from the south, is already a little uncomfortable at the moment.
Shen Yi is also actively preparing cotton-padded clothes for the Huai'an army for the winter.
At this time, more than two months had passed since Yandu was besieged by the Huai'an army.
For more than two months, in addition to surrounding Yandu, the Huai'an army basically attacked the city every few days, and the time of the attack was also variable. Sometimes they would retreat after half a day of fighting, and sometimes they would retreat. It can last for several days, or even ten days.
How long the fight lasts depends entirely on the general's mood. It can be said that there are no rules at all.
This made the defenders of Yandu miserable. After more than two months, they all had a psychological shadow.
On the ninth day of November, Chen Atai of the Right Route Army once again climbed onto the Yandu Gate Tower.
At the same time, Zhong Ming, from the left army, also put on his armor and climbed up the tower in person.
Here at Xue Wei, General Xue became interested and personally directed the siege. After two days of fierce attack, the siege ram successfully broke open the south gate of Yandu, and the vanguard army was able to enter the barbican city!
However, if you only enter the Wengcheng of Yandu, you will have to fill in at least thousands of lives before it is possible to break open the city gate. With the cooperation of artillery, several hundred-household battalions of the vanguard army also climbed onto the city tower and fired the bows on the Wengcheng. The crossbowmen slashed them one by one!
On this day, the Huai'an army attacked the city from all sides and achieved almost all results.
Mr. Shen, standing with Su Ding, looked at the crumbling Yandu City. He looked back at General Su behind him and suddenly smiled: "I remember that I didn't give the general order for today's general attack. Why are you three? We have a tacit understanding today."
Su Ding bowed slightly and said with a smile: "Shen Gong Mingjian, everyone is jealous of this achievement of being the first to get there. When they see the other troops attacking fiercely, the other troops will naturally be unable to sit still."
Mr. Shen narrowed his eyes and wanted to speak. A messenger rushed over and almost knelt down in front of Shen Yi. He said loudly: "Commander, General Xue led his troops to attack the city in the south. The Yongding Gate has been opened!"
Shen Yi nodded slightly and said, "I understand."
Not long after the messenger left, two more messengers arrived in front of Shen Yi one after another.
"Report!"
"General Zhong has broken through the East Gate and Chaoyang Gate has been opened!"
"Chen Atai of the Right Army led his troops to break through the city, and Fucheng Gate was opened!"
The good news was delivered one after another.
Mr. Shen looked up at Yandu City. He seemed a little excited, but he was also very calm.
Because he had already been mentally prepared for this day.
The day Yandu is surrounded, Yandu will definitely be broken, but sooner or later.
Shen Yi was silent for a long time before looking back at Su Ding. At this time, General Su was looking at Yandu. Su Ding, who had always been calm, was already in tears with excitement.
Su Ding bowed his head respectfully and clasped his fists: "General, congratulations to Duke Shen, you have defeated the capital of Yan today and you are done!"
Shen Yi turned back to look at Yandu, and then smiled with relief: "Yes, once the city is destroyed, our Huai'an army will be done."
Mr. Shen took a deep breath, and it was only then that he became excited: "I have begun to look forward to what Emperor Zhaowu will look like when he sees me."
As soon as Shen Yi finished speaking, another messenger rushed over. He half-knelt in front of Shen Yi, lowered his head and said: "Commander, there are fires everywhere in Yandu City!"
Shen Yi looked up at Yan Du and snorted.
“Expected.”
"Instruct all armies to enter the city as soon as possible and clear out the remnants of the Northern Qi Dynasty."