In this battle, the development of the situation was more optimistic than they expected. Not only did they successfully capture Liping City in less than two hours, but more importantly, the casualties in this battle were extremely limited.
The stage of climbing the city wall that originally suffered the heaviest casualties, due to the support of artillery and muskets, the casualties of the heavy armor sword and shield soldiers were very few. The only casualties that occurred were the close combat on the top of the city.
Even if the soldiers who boarded the city in the early stage were sword and shield soldiers wearing heavy armor, casualties would still be inevitable.
But this number is still limited.
As for the purge operation after entering the city, there will also be sporadic casualties, but overall the number is not large.
So when Hao Bainian and others entered the city and heard the preliminary statistics of casualties, they couldn't help but smile.
In this battle, the New Army of the Tang Dynasty lost less than twenty people to death and only fifty people were injured.
This number is almost negligible for a force with more than 4,000 people, especially since they are fighting a difficult battle.
As for the casualties of the Ming army in the city, they were huge. According to incomplete statistics from the New Army of the Tang Dynasty, at least more than 300 Ming troops were annihilated. Most of the Ming army's casualties occurred on the top of the city.
Killed by sword and shield soldiers.
Many of the heavy armor, sword and shield soldiers who participated in the battle were almost covered in the enemy's blood after a single battle. Many of them killed more than two enemy soldiers, and some of the extremely brave ones were able to kill and injure more than a dozen enemy soldiers.
The remaining Ming troops either took off their uniforms and fled to civilian houses in the city, or surrendered on the spot and became prisoners.
In this battle, more than 500 prisoners were taken.
After Hao Bainian and Li Chunjing entered the city, they found that the Ming court officials in the city were just as fond of committing suicide as the officials in Xingquan Mansion.
Many high-ranking officials such as the prefect and tongzhi committed suicide in various ways at the moment the city was breached. Those who did not commit suicide also disguised themselves and fled to unknown places. The only officials who surrendered were low-level miscellaneous
fish.
This made Hao Bainian and the others quite disappointed. They originally thought that after taking Liping Mansion, they would be able to capture a high-ranking official, but they did not expect that all they would get was their corpses.
Damn it, why are all these officials of the Ming Dynasty so stupid that they would rather commit suicide than surrender!
Hao Bainian did not think about it. These officials themselves did not want to commit suicide, but for the sake of the entire family, teachers and friends, they would never surrender, or even abandon the city and escape.
The moment the city fell, they had only one choice left, which was to die for the city, so that they could save the lives of their entire family.
As for surrendering to the puppet Tang traitor army, there is no need to think about it.
These officials are all knowledgeable. Maybe ordinary people in the countryside will think that these pseudo-Tang rebels are very powerful and will be attracted by three meals a day to become soldiers. However, these officials know that these pseudo-Tang rebels
He may be a little more arrogant now, but he won't be able to stand still for long once the imperial army arrives.
Surrendering to the puppet Tang thief army and becoming a thief is not just a matter of seeking death, not only ruining one's reputation for life, but also bringing the entire family into the abyss.
Rebellion is a crime punishable by the Nine Tribes.
They would rather die than bear such a crime!
However, some low-level officials, especially those in the eighth, ninth and even lower ranks, do not have too many concerns. Many of them are local officials from Liping Prefecture and their families are here.
, surrendering will not put much psychological pressure on them.
As for surrendering to the Tang Dynasty and becoming an official of the Tang Dynasty, it is not that no one did this. Some people did this in Xingquan Prefecture, and naturally there will be people in Liping Prefecture as well.
So soon after Hao Bainian and others entered the city, they saw seven or eight low-level officials of the Ming Dynasty who had expressed their intention to submit to the Tang Dynasty.
Regarding these low-level officials of the Ming Dynasty who had surrendered, the Tang Dynasty had always adopted the attitude of using them if they could and kicking them aside if they were not.
What the Tang Dynasty really needed was the surrender of senior officials of the Ming Dynasty, and their surrender was not really because of their outstanding abilities, but because the surrender of senior officials could bring great political influence, especially among the scholarly class.
of influence.
This point can directly reflect how many talents the Tang Dynasty can recruit to serve it.
Although the Tang Dynasty did not need great literary scholars and did not need them to write poems or articles, the talents the Tang Dynasty needed at least had to be literate.
Whether it is the many civil servants needed by the cabinet or the officers needed by the New Army of the Tang Dynasty, they all need a lot of people who are well-read and literate.
Although the officers of the New Army of the Tang Dynasty are all trained by themselves, this training must have a solid foundation. The martial arts school does not provide enlightenment education. They directly teach astronomy, geography, and military theory.
Those who can understand and learn.
Therefore, although the Tang Dynasty today does not need a large number of those who are experts in imperial examinations and those who are good at writing eight-legged essays, the Tang Dynasty does need a large number of people who are well-read and literate, especially young scholars.
Once senior officials of the Ming Dynasty, especially Jinshi officials with orthodox imperial examination backgrounds and high-ranking officials, defected to the Tang Dynasty, the additional impact would be considerable, because senior civil servants in this era were never just
It represents him alone, and behind him are his relatives, friends, classmates, teachers and students, and behind him is a large group of people.
This also means that the scholar class will open an opening to the Tang Dynasty, giving the Tang Dynasty more reasons and confidence to recruit young scholars to serve for it, and even cause more Ming Dynasty officials to surrender.
After all, surrender requires someone to take the lead and speak out.
It is a pity that no one is willing to surrender and stand for the Tang Dynasty.
Although it is said that Li Xuan also issued some documents in the name of Su Jiakang, trying to create the illusion that Su Jiakang was sincerely surrendering to the Tang Dynasty, but no one is stupid. It can be guessed from the fact that Su Jiakang has never appeared in public. I'm afraid
Although Su Jiakang was captured, he still did not sincerely surrender.
So many people, especially the scholars in Xingquan Mansion, are waiting and watching!
Senior officials would rather die than be captured, let alone voluntarily surrender. Although the few remaining low-level officials voluntarily surrendered, it was of little use, so Hao Bainian was too lazy to talk nonsense to them and promised them that they would
As long as you follow the pace of the Tang Dynasty, you will inevitably have a lot of glory and wealth, so these people will be sent away.
Of course, actual benefits will also be given to them, such as promotion!
In the Ming Dynasty, they might only be eighth-grade, ninth-grade or even inferior officials, but the Tang Dynasty readily gave them promotions and made them rich. The eighth-grade officials were promoted to seventh-grade, and even sixth-grade and ninth-grade officials.
Promoted to seventh grade and so on.
For example, among those who surrendered, the one with the highest official position was the eighth-rank county magistrate. Although this person seemed to be unwilling to surrender, just to save himself and his family's lives, the officials who came with the army were also very important.
He was generously promoted to the rank of Tong San of the sixth rank.
The man was unexpectedly at a loss. This surrender brought him from the eighth level to the sixth level. This was a four-level promotion!
Of course, if he knew that in the Tang Dynasty, anyone who could read and write could easily become a sixth- or even fifth-grade doctor, he would not know what he would think.
There is nothing else in the Tang Dynasty except that there are many official hats. From the ninth-rank village chief, to the second-rank minister and even the cabinet bachelor, Li Xuan can come up with a lot at any time.
If anyone who is talented or has great political influence comes to join him, Li Xuan will immediately throw out a lot of official hats for you to choose from.
There are many official hats, so you are so willful!