Although Dorgon has not yet launched a full-scale attack on the four prefectures of Hebei, the more than 100,000 elite troops he personally controlled were like a majestic and towering mountain peak on the horizon, which made the Shun army stationed in Hebei feel worried.
It was so stressful that I couldn't breathe.
"Both Wu'an and Cheqi Pass have been lost!"
Liu Rukui was not shocked when he received the report of the unfavorable troops on the front line. Wu'an County and Cheqi Pass on the front line were protruding out and lacked barriers on the flanks. Liu Rukui was already ready to give up. Instead, Dorgon's main force suddenly
Appearing, Liu Rukui's heart, which had puzzled him for a long time, finally relaxed.
This black-faced general, accompanied by a group of local gentry staff, stepped onto the Cizhou city wall. Soldiers from the left army of the palace were stepping up the construction of defensive fortifications. In order to lose time, they poured down a large amount of ice water and mud.
, using the cold air of late winter in the first year of Guangzhong to freeze the water and mud into a solid ice wall.
The Dianzuo Army was one of the five elite armies in Dashun Field, second only to the Dianzhong Army personally controlled by the King of Jin. Although the troops brought by Liu Rukui to Cizhou, Zhangde Prefecture, were only a very small part of the Dianzuo Army.
However, the deafening sound of the soldiers fighting, the roar of the war horses neighing in the sky, and the Suizhou-made red barbarian cannons scattered on the crenellations of the city wall all made the local gentry feel that they should not be underestimated.
Wu'an and Cheqiguan have been captured by the main force of the Qing army. Everyone estimates that the Qing army going south this time will number at least 100,000 people based on their power.
Although the Dianzuo army was elite, there was a huge gap in strength between them and the enemy.
The local gentry all felt nervous and frightened because of this. Even a celebrity like Zhang Erqi couldn't help stroking his bun and sighed:
“If you can’t preserve the head and tail, let alone protect your hair!”
The gentry were worried that they had finally escaped from the north to the area controlled by the Dashun Army. Could it be that only a few months had passed and everyone would flee again?
Other newly recruited local soldiers, as well as some descendants of the Ming army from Henan and Hebei, as well as soldiers from the wealthy gentry and local bandits who were recruited by Liu Rukui, all also showed expressions of shock and fear:
One hundred thousand Eight Banners soldiers! Huang Taiji, who killed Lao Long live in Huolu, was just with one hundred thousand Eight Banners soldiers, right?
Everyone was worried that they would not be able to get all their waistbands. Only Liu Rukui and the veterans of Dianzuo Army who had fought to the death with the Manchus on the Baigou River remained calm.
Liu Rukui looked at the soldiers and laughed. He smiled very boldly. His dark face was like a big mountain standing in front of people. When he opened his mouth and showed his teeth, he laughed, as if a mountain was falling. It looked so disharmonious.
, but it is indeed full of majesty:
“These days, everyone is holding back their energy and getting angry a lot.
Lao Wansui died in Huolu, and everyone's hometown of Shaanxi was also lost to the Jin slaves. Some said that our emperor and our Jin prince had frightened the Manchurians and felt that they had suffered a loss, so they divided their troops to defend the Yellow River and did not dare to
Go forward and fight the Manchu soldiers.
Some people did not say so, but they had no idea in their hearts. They all thought that the Eight Banners soldiers were coming like wolves and tigers, and they thought that only by withdrawing from Henan could they defend it...
Oh, I, Liu Rukui, haven't read many books, but I know a truth. When we meet on a narrow road, the brave will win. There is no coward among the brothers in the left army, not in the past, not now, and never in the future.
What's more, our Twelfth Division of the Left Army! Our Twelfth Division used to be in Henan, Baigouhe, and Shenzhou. They were indispensable heroes in every battle!
Prince Jin put the Twelfth Division at the forefront of Hebei, which is a sign of trust in the brothers, and it is also an honor for our Twelfth Division to bravely defeat Dashun's Fifth Army!
Wu'an and Cheqi Pass were lost... This is true, but that was not because of how powerful the Qing army was, but because I, Liu Rukui, gave an order for everyone to take the initiative to withdraw their troops to Cizhou.
Cizhou is the headquarters of the Twelfth Division. Of course we will not retreat! How are we going to fight to defend Cizhou this time? We need to prepare for the collapse of the house, bankrupt the family, throw all the pots and pans in, and all the cooks and horsemen will go into battle! We must die!
In the city! If you die outside the city, you are a coward, a deserter, and not a hero of the Dashun Army...!"
Dashun's fifth field army, the basic tactical corps unit is the division level. Except for the Yulin Army of the Central Army, which does not use the name of a division, from the first division under Hao Yaoqi's command to the rear, there are the Front Army and the Rear Army.
, the designations of the Dianzuo Army and Dianyou Army have all been changed to numerically named divisions.
According to the order, Liu Rukui's unit is the 12th Division under the control of Dashundian Left Army.
As the commander-in-chief of the Twelfth Division, he shouted loudly on the city wall to mobilize before the war and boost the morale of the soldiers, which immediately had a significant effect.
Liu Rukui has always been a general who takes the lead and is brave and good at fighting. In other words, among the generals of Yuan Cong in the Dashun Army, there is no one who can reach the stage of becoming a prince and serving as a general today who does not take the lead and is brave.
A strong warrior who is good at fighting.
Liu Rukui's reputation among ordinary soldiers was extremely high, so after he spoke to boost morale, he immediately received warm cheers from the soldiers.
The soldiers cheered and moved forward. Many people rushed to and crowded in front of Liu Rukui. Because the crowd was too large and too turbulent, the dense crowds of people were blocked together, so that the soldiers behind and those in the distance could no longer see clearly.
Liu Rukui's appearance.
Several soldiers beside Liu Rukui simply set up the general, but everyone still felt that this was not conspicuous enough. Someone raised the shield, and four or five soldiers raised the shield high together, letting Liu Rukui stand
On these shields, they waved to soldiers in the distance.
The soldiers shouted excitedly, and many picked up their weapons one after another, banging their armor and shields while shouting:
"Long live Dashun! Victory for Dashun!"
Such a scene and such momentum made the originally gloomy atmosphere of Cizhou City suddenly boil. The soldiers were in high spirits and full of fighting spirit. Even the gentry, who were originally frowning and sighing, raised their heads in surprise and stood around.
The people around him seemed to be infected by such a warm passion, and they unconsciously showed confident smiles.
Zhang Erqi is a well-informed celebrity, but this is the first time he has seen such a general, such a soldier, and such a warm and exciting scene:
"Think back to the Hongwu Northern Expedition in the early days of our country. Wherever we went, the people were eating pots of pulp and the soldiers were full of vigor. It was nothing more than that! I will definitely write down the general's celestial appearance in my book today.
Do not let Chinese people forget the virtues of public equality."
Liu Rukui waited until the soldiers' enthusiastic emotions calmed down before getting down from the shield. He pushed aside the crowd, walked to Zhang Erqi's side and said:
"I followed Lao Wansui and raised the army just for the sake of having enough food to eat. I had no intention of being a prince for generations to come. The reason why I have reached this point is due to the current situation. It doesn't matter whether people in the future will remember me or not.
But I also ask you, sir, to write down the officers and soldiers who will be guarding the city in Cizhou today... write down everyone’s name, this may be too difficult for you, sir, please write down as many as you like."
Zhang Erqi looked at the general known as "Zaoying" in the Central Plains. Because of his simple words, he had another comment on Liu Rukui, who looked bold, brave, and straight:
General Liu was able to win the support of the soldiers of the Twelfth Division in this way. His love for the soldiers was indeed very different from that of the Ming Dynasty generals in the past.