Chapter one hundred and sixty-five: mercy does not hold soldiers
After learning the news that Wu Shigong and the others were about to go on an expedition again, the families of the officers on the city wall staged a tearful farewell scene with the officers. Wu Shigong also watched his wife and son who were weeping and refused to leave for a long time...
Although Qin Liangyu is actively seeking war, she is not stubborn. Although Qin Liangyu takes the initiative to volunteer as a vanguard this time, she still wants to squeeze enough benefits from the court. After all, the poor life of the white-pole soldiers has been long enough.
Therefore, Qin Liangyu did not immediately break camp and set off. Instead, he kept complaining to the court and Sun Chengzong and asked the court and Sun Chengzong to add a batch of mules, horses and food. In order to regain the four cities of Yongping, the court and Sun Chengzong basically satisfied Qin Liangyu's demands.
Even in the end, he made an exception and opened the south gate of the capital and delivered a batch of supplies to Qin Liangyu from the capital.
Seeing that his request was basically met, Qin Liangyu officially announced to break camp and set off. It was already mid-February. Because this was a unified action, Wu Shigong and his main officers also accompanied Qin Liangyu and obeyed Qin Liangyu.
unified command.
However, not long after setting off, Qin Liangyu ordered the army to slow down their march. Then she sent messengers to the surrounding cities and groups of soldiers to the countryside to recruit young people nearby. Moreover, Qin Liangyu also ordered that
These young men prepared their own weapons, tools and dry food and set out with the army.
Wu Shigong was greatly surprised when he heard Qin Liangyu's order. Isn't this a blatant attempt to pull a young man? As a modern-thinking Wu Shigong, he had never thought before that the regular army of the Ming Dynasty could so blatantly pull a young man near the capital.
Strong men. And what is even more exaggerated is that it is fine not to pay the village men, but if these village men are required to prepare their own weapons, tools, and food, isn't this pushing these village men to death?
These days, Wu Shigong also had some friendship with Qin Liangyu, so he stepped forward to persuade him: "General Qin, aren't you afraid of causing a civil uprising if you keep doing this?"
Unexpectedly, Qin Liangyu turned around and shouted loudly: "What nonsense! If you are loyal to your country, why should you divide the army and the people?"
Then Qin Liangyu felt that his tone was a bit heavy, so he lowered his voice and explained to Wu Shigong: "This time we set out to recover the four cities of Yongping. Those four cities are located on the border and were originally built very solidly. In addition, there are Tatars
The army is stationed."
"Although my subordinates are brave, their numbers are indeed too small. Including your army, there are only more than 8,700 people. I wish I could divide one of them into two."
"My sons are going to fight the Tatars. What can we do if we don't have the strength? We rely on these young men to do the heavy work. To attack a fortified city, we also need these young men to dig trenches and fill in moats."
"I have no choice but to do this. These young men can only bring ten or eight days' worth of food with them at most, and I will provide them with enough food. When fighting in the future, I will try my best to protect their safety."
"Do you think it is so easy for us to attack these four fortified cities this time? According to my opinion, we will definitely not be able to attack them in less than half a year. Besides, the troops following us will also be recruited in this way
Young and strong people. They don't treat these young and strong people as human beings, and they kill them at will. In comparison, the young and strong people who stay with me are relatively good."
Wu Shigong was speechless by Qin Liangyu's words. He understood that the young men brought in were just to be coolies and cannon fodder. But compared with the losses of his own army, Wu Shigong also knew that Qin Liangyu's actions
That's correct. There's no way around it. A soft-hearted person can't be a general at all. Kindness can't lead an army!
In the end, there were more than 3,000 young people sent from nearby cities and young people caught in the countryside. Although Wu Shigong looked at those young people with sallow faces and thin muscles, he felt that they were relatively pitiful. However, Wu Shigong still urged him
Grouping these young men into groups, they immediately took over the menial tasks of setting up camp, cooking, etc. done by their own soldiers.
At this time, what Wu Shigong didn't know was that near their march, there was an old acquaintance of Wu Shigong in Guide Mansion, Hou Xun, who had been resurrected by Emperor Chongzhen and was now the Minister of War.
After the Tatars entered the customs, Hou Xun led an army to station in Changping to protect the imperial tombs of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty. At this time, there was a soldier beside him who was very trusted by him-Zuo Liangyu.
We have already known that Zuo Liangyu was dismissed from his post by Yuan Chonghuan, the then governor of Liaodong, in the first year of Chongzhen after the mutiny in Liaodong to demand pay. However, because Zuo Liangyu did not participate in or instigate the mutiny, he waited until Yuan Chonghuan's anger subsided.
After that, Zuo Liangyu was quickly reinstated, and Zuo Liangyu also served under the guerrilla general Cao Wenzhao.
After the Tatars entered the pass, Zuo Liangyu followed Cao Wenzhao to rescue the capital, and fought with meritorious service in the battles of Yutian, Fengrun and other four cities. However, when passing through Changping, Cao Wenzhao sent Zuo Liangyu to
When Hou Xun went to ask for food and grass, Zuo Liangyu, who was very martial in spirit, was attracted by Hou Xun, who had special hobbies. Hou Xun asked Cao Wenzhao for Zuo Liangyu, and Zuo Liangyu, who was very ambitious in fame,
He stayed with Hou Xun and became Hou Xun's personal soldier.
Not long after, Zuo Liangyu, who was very much admired by Hou Xun, was promoted by Hou Xun to be the assistant general. A few days before Zuo Liangyu became the assistant general, he went to Hou Xun's bedroom to "talk all night".
The next morning, I really don’t know whether Zuo Liangyu came out with her anus covered!
From then on, Zuo Liangyu began to embark on the history of his fortune under Hou Xun's favor and promotion.
What Wu Shigong didn't even know was that near where he was marching, there was an official and the King Qin army he recruited, who would become famous in the history of the late Ming Dynasty. That was Lu Xiangsheng and his Tianxiong army.
Lu Xiangsheng is from Yixing. Although he is from the south, he is good at both civil and martial arts. In addition to being diligent in studying, he also studies military books and practices martial arts. It is said that his sword for practicing martial arts weighs 136 kilograms. This is much more than Guan Yunchang's
The Qinglong Yanyue Sword weighing eighty-two kilograms!
Lu Xiangsheng won the imperial examination at the age of twenty-two and served as the head of the Ministry of Household Affairs. At the age of twenty-seven, he was appointed the prefect of Daming. After the Jin army entered the customs, Lu Xiangsheng recruited more than 10,000 people in Daming Prefecture.
He assisted in the defense of Beijing and made a small contribution. He also left a reputation for Lu Xiang in the court as a military commander.
Not long after, Lu Xiangsheng was promoted to right political advisor and deputy envoy, responsible for rectifying the military equipment of the three prefectures of Daiming, Guangping, and Shunde. Based on the more than 10,000 people he recruited, he strictly enforced military discipline, strengthened military training, and greatly improved the military's appearance. Finally, he built
A powerful force in the imperial court in the late Ming Dynasty came out - the Tianxiong Army.
At this time, Amin, who was ordered to lead the blue flag and stationed in the four cities of Yongping, was of course aware of Huang Taiji's sinister intentions. At this time, he was talking to his deputy Shuotuo and Gushan'e Zhennamu.
Tai, Turge, Tang Gudai and Baduli discussed how to defend the four cities of Yongping.
As soon as the military meeting began, the outspoken Badu Li said: "Master Beile, although we, Xianglan Banner, are stepmothers, we are all sons and daughters of the nation. Our nation is originally an eagle on the grassland, and we are very particular.
They were just riding and shooting, but now they are framed by those four cities. When the time comes and they fight hard under the city, our son with the blue flag will definitely suffer a lot. The lives of the slaves belong to Lord Baile.
It’s okay to leave it to Lord Beile, but Lord Beile has to think about it. Without the support of his servants, Lord Beile will have a hard time in front of King Khan in the future!”
Seeing Badu Li's words getting more and more heart-wrenching, Deputy Commander Shuo Tuo immediately stopped him and said, "Stop talking nonsense. You don't even have a handle on your words." Badu Li closed his mouth angrily.
Then, Shuotuo turned to Amin and said: "But what Baduli said still makes sense. There are nearly 300 people in each Niulu of other banners, but our Xianglan Banner only has more than 200 people in each Niulu. Our Xianglan Banner has just over 200 people per Niulu.
The flag has only five thousand soldiers and horses in total."
"There are only more than 3,000 Mongolian soldiers who cooperate with us in raising the blue flag. These Mongolians are useful when fighting against the wind, and they are also good at burning and killing. But in the event of a war, they are just herdsmen.
"
"And the more than 2,000 Ming troops who surrendered to us are even more worrying. When the Ming army comes, it's good that they don't fight back! But we have to face tens of thousands, ten
There are tens of thousands of Ming troops, but we have to divide our troops to defend four cities. This battle is indeed difficult to fight!"
After listening to Baduli and Shuotuo's words, Amin touched the bald scalp in front of his head in annoyance. He said: "King Khan has an order, and we can't do it if we don't abide by it. Let's make two preparations."
Then, Amin, Shuotuo and the generals of the Houjin Army discussed it. Finally they decided: Namutai, Turge, Tanggudai and others will lead a thousand soldiers with blue flags to cooperate with a thousand Mongolian troops and
One thousand surrendered to the Ming army and defended the first city, Luanzhou City.
Amin took the main force with the blue flag and guarded Yongping City behind as backup. Shuotuo led some soldiers to defend the two cities behind. In addition, Shuotuo would take the property and mules and horses captured from the four cities with him.
If the first two cities cannot be defended, immediately take these things and withdraw outside the pass.
In addition, Baduli led 800 soldiers with blue flags and 1,300 Mongolian troops to take the initiative to attack and delay the actions of the Ming army as much as possible through night attacks and robbery of food roads. It would be best if the Ming army could be
One or two of his troops will be defeated. And Amin will also ask the Khan King Huang Taiji outside the pass for help and ask him to send some reinforcements.