In the residence of the generals in Tongguan, Li Zicheng and his generals were sitting separately, and the atmosphere was gloomy and gloomy.
Yesterday, the cavalry army sent by Li Zicheng to attack the Huben Army's grain transport team escaped back. 120,000 people were killed and only 70,000 people escaped. Li Zicheng's subordinates, Hao Yaoqi and Liu Fangliang, both died in the battle. According to the Ma army,
The captain said that both generals were killed by Li Zhi's rockets.
The number of 120,000 people turned into 70,000. Not all of the 50,000 people lost were killed by Li Zhi's bombing. Li Zhi's grain transport team only killed more than 10,000 people, and the remaining 30,000 people felt that
The situation of the Chuang army was not good, so they dispersed on the way to escape and hid in the mountains to escape. Only 70,000 people still had confidence in the Chuang army and fled back to Tongguan.
The Ma Army was the elite of the Chuang Army. The Tiger and Ben Army's grain transport team, which had only 10,000 people in their attack, all came back defeated, and half of their men were lost in one fell swoop. The losses were heavy.
What is even more frightening is that the generals of the Chuang Army, Hao Yaoqi and Liu Fangliang, died in battle. In addition to Liu Zongmin, who died in the battle some time ago, three of the most important generals in the Chuang Army have died. After the news spread, the hearts of the Chuang Army were filled with confusion.
People kept leaving the team and fleeing.
Now, the main force of Li Zhi's West Route Army of 30,000 people has approached Tongguan with a fierce force. And it won't be long before Li Zhi's grain transport team of 10,000 people will arrive at Tongguan. By then, 40,000 Tiger Ben troops will besiege Tongguan with new weapons. Li Zicheng
I am worried that the Tongguan wall will not be able to stop Tianjin people.
While everyone was worrying there, Li Zicheng's nephew Li Guo stood up, raised his hands and said: "King Chuang, now that our army has been newly defeated, people are panicking, and even if they defend Tongguan, they cannot defend the city wall. It is better to retreat to Shaanxi and retreat to Xi'an to make a long-term plan."
"
"It's six hundred miles from Tongguan to Xi'an. Li Zhi's troops have penetrated deep into Guanzhong. Maybe we can set up an ambush and attack."
However, before Li Guo finished speaking, he suddenly heard a clear voice of objection.
"No!"
Everyone looked around and saw counselor Li Yan standing up.
"What General Zhi said is deeply inappropriate."
"Our army has retreated eight hundred miles from Kaifeng to Tongguan. In addition, the Ma army was defeated in Shaanzhou. Now is the time when morale is shaken. How can we retreat? If we retreat at this time, rumors will inevitably spread among the army? I
Most of the people who broke into the military camp were newly attached hungry soldiers. Even the infantry and cavalry troops were mostly surrendered officers and soldiers who had been in the camp for two or three years. They were not an iron-clad team. These people were brave when the wind was favorable, and when they fled against the wind, they were brave.
When the time comes, I’m afraid everyone will have to escape.”
"If King Chuang continues to flee westward, I'm afraid he won't be able to go very far, and the soldiers in the army will disperse. By then, the 300,000-strong army will be getting smaller and smaller. How can we withstand Li Zhi's pursuit?"
Li Guo pondered and said: "However, now that the cavalry army has been defeated, it has no fighting spirit. Most of the two hundred thousand infantry are hungry soldiers, how can they stop Li Zhi's rockets? When Li Zhi's 40,000 people gather below Tongguan, the light will
A rocket can shoot us down."
Li Yan said loudly: "That's exactly it!"
"So now, there is only one way to surrender to Li Zhi."
After hearing Li Yan's words, the generals in the hall looked surprised.
Looking around the audience, Li Yan said: "Li Zhi equalized land tax and developed industry and commerce in Tianjin, and he had a kingly image. He put an end to tax evasion by the gentry, but did not kill them all. Therefore, the people under his rule were in order, and everyone knew that
Public morality and observing the rules. The common people will not be afraid of evil people's attention when fertilizing their fields, and they will not be afraid of cunning and cunning coveting when capable people develop industry."
"Although the Jiangbei Army is now confronting Li Zhi, I think Li Zhi has the potential to sweep the world. Waiting for time, the Jiangbei Army will definitely not be Li Zhi's opponent. I think Li Zhi will control the world in the future, which is not surprising.
.”
When everyone heard Li Yan's words, they looked at each other.
Li Yan said loudly: "Although our Chuang army is the enemy of Li Zhi, we are also the enemies of the gentry. If King Chuang leads an army of 300,000 to surrender to Li Zhi, he will definitely be able to establish a palace under Li Zhi and become a general.
. And the generals who broke into the army can also become bureaucrats in Tianjin, and they will grow with Li Zhi's career."
"If King Chuang surrenders to Li Zhi, by the time Li Zhi takes control of the world, King Chuang will probably achieve more than just separatizing one and two barren provinces. Even making him a prince may not be impossible."
After hearing Li Yan's words, the generals of the Chu army began to whisper.
Obviously, at this difficult moment, Li Yan's words were very tempting and made the generals feel a little moved. Surrendering to Li Zhi sounded impossible before, but now it may not be an obvious way.
However, the generals were moved, but Li Zicheng was not. Li Zicheng was not someone who wanted to be inferior to others.
Among the rebels in the late Ming Dynasty, Li Zicheng was the only one who was unwilling to surrender to the army. Historically, no matter how difficult Li Zicheng's situation was, he would never accept the army's offer.
Li Zicheng asked coldly: "If you don't kill all the gentry, will you be a lucky person?"
Li Yan cupped his hands and said: "King Chuang, the Chuang army has been completely defeated by the bloody massacre of rich families over the years. The officers and soldiers of the Chuang army cannot change their habit of being thieves. They only know how to rob people and do not know the rules. When the war situation is favorable, then
They scramble to be the first, and when the battle is unfavorable, they run like wolves and swine. How can they fight with Li Zhi's iron army?"
After hearing Li Yan's words, Li Zicheng's face became darker and darker, and later he was full of anger.
In Li Zicheng's eyes, Li Yan had always advised him not to kill the gentry, and now he was praising Li Zhi for not killing all the gentry. This was to find a way out for the gentry when the world's gentry was desperate.
The gentry were shameless and greedy, and colluded with the government to oppress the people. Now that the people were cornered and rebelled, it seemed that the gentry's rule could no longer continue, at least in the north where famines continued. And Li Yan repeatedly asked Li Zicheng to surrender Li Zhi, that is
He wanted the Chuang army that slaughtered the northern gentry to perish and let Li Zhi, who reformed the gentry, grow stronger.
Li Zicheng had been bullied by the gentry since he was a child. How could he listen to Li Yan now that he was able to lead the hungry people in the world to avenge themselves?
"Come here! Capture Li Yan who has confused the morale of the army!"
When Li Yan heard what Li Zicheng said, his eyes widened and he was so shocked that he could not speak. The generals who were whispering in the hall did not expect that Li Zicheng would suddenly capture Li Yan, and they looked at each other in shock.
Several personal guards immediately rushed forward and held Li Yan down.
"I thought that you had contributed to the proposal of 'equalizing the land and eliminating taxes', and I had tolerated you in every possible way. I never expected that you would confuse the morale of the army at this critical moment and cheer for the officers and soldiers. Take him away and kill him!"
The guards sang loudly and pushed down the bloodless Li Yan.
"In the future, anyone who dares to surrender will be like Li Yan!"
When the generals in the lobby saw this scene, they all shook their heads and sighed.
There was one less person in the lobby, and the senior management of the Chuang Army looked a little depleted.
Niu Jinxing, Li Zicheng's chief adviser, coughed, stood up and said, "King Chuang, at this time, the only way is to retreat to Xi'an."
Li Zicheng said loudly: "Good!"
After a pause, Li Zicheng said: "If Xi'an cannot be defended, we will escape into the mountains and do what we did when we hibernated in Shangluo Mountain!"
