News of the fall of Jiujiang soon spread to Nanchang Prefecture. Jiangxi Governor Meng Yunhe quickly summoned dozens of officials including Nanchang Prefecture Governor Huang Naiyunhe, Jiangxi Inspector Yan Hongwei, and Jiangxi Commander-in-Chief Tan Datong to discuss countermeasures. (Read the novel here.
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But after discussing for a long time, everyone still couldn't come up with any results. In the end, they had to focus on the boss, Jiangxi Governor Meng Yunhe. Meng Yunhe looked at everyone and secretly cursed in his heart. These guys are usually very talkative.
He is good at arguing, but he fails at a critical moment.
Meng Yunhe thought for a while and then said slowly: "Comrades, the traitor Pang Gang is still occupying Jiujiang, and his troops are pointing directly at Nanchang. At the moment, Nanchang only has more than 10,000 troops. I don't know if it can withstand the traitor's offensive.
After much thought, the officials decided that what Yan said just now makes sense. Why don't we send people to Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and other places to ask for help? "What do you think?"
The prefect Huang Naiyun hesitated and said: "I'm afraid it's hard to save a fire from afar. It will take at least a month until the reinforcements from the three provinces of Jiangsu arrive. But judging from the enemy's marching speed, it is estimated that they will be able to reach our Nanchang city in two days.
Can we hold on for that long?”
At this point, everyone's eyes turned to Jiangxi Commander-in-Chief Tan Datong. Tan Datong's head shook like a rattle, "Sir, please don't look at me like this, Old Tan. Old Tan, I am self-aware. If I really fight against Pang Gang,
, it would be good if our Nanchang could resist for seven days, but it is impossible to expect to resist for a month."
The inspector Yan Hongwei was very unhappy and said: "General Tan, the art of war says: To siege a city, the attacking side must have five times more troops than the defending side to have a chance of winning. Now the traitor Pang Gang only has 40,000 troops.
You have 15,000 soldiers and horses in your hands, how can you not be able to defend it for even a month?"
Yan Hongwei's words were very rude. After hearing this, Tan Datong became angry and said with wide eyes: "Master Yan, I have never read military books, and I don't know what it means to besiege a city. But if
If the soldiers and horses are so useful, the Tatars have entered the border frequently in recent years. I have never seen the Tatars use five times the force to besiege our Ming city. On the contrary, it was easily captured by thousands of Tatar soldiers.
A city with tens of thousands of soldiers. Let’s not talk about anything else, let’s talk about the city of Beijing. It is the important place in the capital and the seat of the emperor. It has a capital of 150,000. However, less than 60,000 Tatars came the year before last, so the emperor ordered people to enter.
King Jingqin. Can you tell me, Old Tan, what exactly is going on?"
"You...you...arrogant...domineering!"
Although Tan Datong was a rough old man, his mouth was not forgiving. Yan Hongwei was so angry that he was trembling with anger. He pointed at Tan Datong and shivered for a long time but was speechless.
Seeing Yan Hongwei trembling with anger, everyone on the side was not in the mood to blame Tan Datong for being rude and rude. Now it is no different than in the middle of the Ming Dynasty. The status of military commanders has been rising with the deterioration of the Ming Dynasty. Let's just say that
Zuo Liangyu, who was driven out of Hunan by Liu Zongmin and has now retreated to Jiangsu, although he was defeated by the bandits in Jiangnan and fled, it was because he had tens of thousands of troops under his command. Instead of punishing him, the imperial court promoted him
He is a general who "pacifies thieves".
Civil and military officials from all over the country were mixed in joy and anger after hearing such news. The civil servants lamented the loss of civility, but the military generals were delighted with the improvement of their status. Although all parties reacted indifferently, one thing is certain, that is, in the past, a seventh-grade
The days when county magistrates could point at the noses of third-grade ginseng generals and yell at them have passed. Now the Ming Dynasty has reached an era where whoever has the bigger fist is justified.
Seeing everyone's reaction, Yan Hongwei also knew that Tan Datong now had 15,000 troops in Nanchang. He really couldn't do anything to him, so he could only snort and ask: "Since Mr. Tan said he can only hold on for seven days, why don't you
Mobilize the young and strong men in the city to defend the city together. Not long ago, the bandit army of more than 100,000 invaded our Jiangxi province, but we were jointly repelled by brave soldiers from several provinces and villages. Now that the traitor Pang Gang has attacked, we will continue as before
Can’t we mobilize Xiangyong again!”
Tan Datong shook his big head and said: "Master Yan, how can you compare Pang Gang with that bandit? It's not like you haven't heard of Pang Gang's name. It's not like I, Old Tan, have the ambition of others to destroy my prestige. Go and find out."
.[Just read the novel~] Who among the people in the city doesn’t know the reputation of General Pang? He is a master who can make the Tatars fearful. Just because of this, I guess not many people are willing to come to our aid."
Everyone's faces suddenly looked a little ugly. Although Tan Datong's words were ugly, they were rough and unreasonable. Pang Gang's reputation was indeed there. In the battle of Julu, he followed Lu Xiangsheng and fought to the death with the Tatars. Although Lu Xiangsheng died in the final battle,
But they also caused huge casualties to the Tatars. Since the year before last, the Tatars have never entered the customs to plunder. This cannot but be said to be without Pang Gang's contribution.
And Pang Gang is not comparable to Li Zicheng and his like. Li Zicheng, Liu Zongmin and their like can do nothing but destroy and scrape the land. But Pang Gang is different. Shandong under his rule is now as prosperous as
That was famous throughout the Ming Dynasty. Even the barbarians were doing business with him. His refined salt business had spread all over the country. As his strength soared, salt merchants from all over the Yangtze River were lamenting. Now even the capital city
What we sell is also refined salt produced in Shandong.
The annual benefits of refined salt alone to Shandong are no less than 7 to 8 million taels of silver. Although Pang Gang earned so much money, he did not amass money. Instead, he used it to build bridges, pave roads, and relieve disaster victims.
In Zhufu Township, in Shandong, Pang Gang's reputation is much better than that of the current saint. After several years of influence, people there only know about Pang Gang but not about Chongzhen. Many military households and even civilians have set up memorials for Pang Gang at home.
How can the immortal tablets be compared to the rogue bandits who only know how to burn, kill and plunder?
Moreover, the last time Liu Zongmin invaded Jiangxi, he was met with desperate resistance by the gentry and people in the south of the Yangtze River. It was because Liu Zongmin did not do anything about human affairs and did not stop him from burning, killing and looting. This aroused the common hatred of all the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River. But this time
When he first entered Jiangxi, Qiu did not commit any crime. I heard that even Pang Gang, the prefect of Jiujiang who surrendered to him, did not do anything to him. Instead, he reinstated his official position and still served as his Jiujiang prefect. In this way, the gentry and wealthy people from all over Jiangxi
The households and the people basically had no resistance to Pang Gang and his troops. Anyway, they had lived a good life, and the Zhou army would not touch them even when they came. They had to eat hard to fight the Zhou army.
Yan Hongwei was anxious, "It won't work this way, and that won't work either. Are we just going to hand over Nanchang to the traitor Pang Gang? Mr. Tan, as the saying goes, eating the emperor's salary and being loyal to the emperor are all things that matter. As a minister of the Ming Dynasty, now
The enemy troops are pressing down on the territory, you can’t just ignore it!”
Tan Datong's eyes widened: "Who said that I, Old Tan, don't care? Anyway, I only have these troops. When Pang Gang comes, I will fight with him to defeat him."
Seeing the quarreling among the people below, Governor Meng Yunhe knocked on his somewhat swollen head and shouted: "Okay, everyone, stop arguing. As officials of the imperial court, the emperor sent us to guard the pastoral side. We should do our part."
To be loyal to you, Mr. Yan, you quickly write official documents to Nanjing, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui and other places to request them to send reinforcements. As for whether they will come or not, you can only leave it to fate. Mr. Tan, you immediately summon soldiers Ding Xiangyong
Go up to the city wall and guard it closely, vowing to live and die with the city!"
"Yes, obey!"
Seeing that their boss had made the decision, everyone had no choice but to obey.
Three days later, Pang Gang led more than 40,000 Arjuns to the gates of Nanchang City. Pang Gang was not polite. With a big move, 40,000 troops immediately surrounded the huge Nanchang City and sent people to shoot in with bows and arrows.
They wrote a letter of persuasion to surrender, stating that if they did not surrender before noon tomorrow, they would attack the city immediately.
In the signing room of the governor's yamen in Nanchang City, Meng Yunhe, who was furious, slapped the table and said angrily: "Humph, what an arrogant tone. If we don't open the city to surrender at noon tomorrow and start bombarding Nanchang, he thinks our Nanchang city wall is vegetarian."
Is it?"
After seeing the letter of persuasion to surrender written by Pang Gang, Meng Yunhe was finally furious. In his more than 20 years of official career, he had never seen such a outrageous letter of persuasion to surrender, not to mention that in his opinion, it was a
What about the surrender letter from the disloyal and unjust traitors?
"Come here, tell Tan Datong to teach that arrogant man a lesson!"
It was getting brighter the next day, and the rising sun still had a green and moist smell, as if it also carried the fragrance of grass. However, no one could appreciate all these beautiful things, because a war was about to begin.
open.
At 1 o'clock in the morning, Meng Yunhe led officials from all levels of Nanchang Prefecture up to the city wall. At this time, the city wall of Nanchang was filled with soldiers and temporarily recruited rural warriors. When he saw Meng Yunhe and others coming up, Commander-in-Chief Tan Datong
He hurriedly led several officers to Meng Yunhe and said uneasily.
"Sir, why are you here? The Zhou army is about to attack the city!"
"General Tan, watch your words." Yan Hongwei, who was standing behind Meng Yunhe, couldn't help but interject: "Don't forget, those in front are the traitor Pang Gang's men, not the Zhou army."
"yes!"
Seeing that Yan Hongwei had caught the loophole in his words, Tan Datong helplessly said yes.
Seeing that he had regained the game, Yan Hongwei's proud look flashed across his face. Meng Yunhe frowned and glared at Yan Hongwei, implying that he was still picking stones among the eggs at this time, and then turned his head again.
He looked at Tan Datong and asked softly: "General Tan, are the thieves planning to attack the city?"
Tan Datong shook his head and said: "I don't know, I don't know, but there is still a quarter of an hour before noon, so I guess it will be soon."
Meng Yunhe didn't say anything, but looked around. He saw pots of gold juice burning around him and piles of rolling stones and logs. There were more than a dozen squatting tiger cannons not far away, and he couldn't help but nodded with satisfaction.
(To be continued)
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