1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 550 Collapse
All the forces in the Ming Dynasty thought that the war between the Ming and Qing would come to an end in July, and the two sides would use the Yangtze River as the boundary to maintain a situation of separation between the north and the south.Because, with the arrival of summer, a large number of Eight Banners soldiers were unable to tolerate the heat, which led to rampant epidemics in the army.After asking for instructions from Beijing, Duoduo led the main force of the Eight Banners back to the north and stationed in Cangzhou and Baoding, Hebei, and prepared to wait for autumn and winter to attack Li Zicheng's Dashun army in Yuezhou, Jingzhou and Changde.

However, on September 9, Liu Liangzuo, the uncle of Guangchang stationed in Zhenjiang, suddenly attacked the Zhenjiang navy, captured Zheng Hongkui, the general soldier of Zhenjiang, and led the Qing army across the river to quickly cross the river.The coach of the Qing army, Le Ke Dehun, led the Manchurian Eight Banners Zhengbai Banner, Xianghong Banner and Eight Banners Han Army with more than 15 armored soldiers, and supervised tens of thousands of troops including Li Chengdong, Zhang Tianfu, Zhang Tianlu, and Li Qifeng to occupy Zhenjiang.

It is reasonable to say that Liu Liangzuo was deeply favored by the emperor, and because he followed the Yangtze River defense line, he should not have easily surrendered to the Qing army.However, at the beginning of September, Hong Chengchou, who had just been appointed to appease the governor of the South, came to Yangzhou. In addition to many entourages and staff and a large number of blank letters, he also came with a special person, Shanxi Ningwuguan Deputy General, Third Class Participate in the leadership of Liu Liangchen.

The reason why this Liu Liangchen is a special person is because his elder brother is Liu Liangzuo, uncle Guangchang of the Ming Dynasty!
Liu Liangchen, the former Liaoyang guerrilla of the Ming Dynasty, was subordinate to Zu Dashou and guarded the Daling River.In the fourth year of Chongzhen (1631), the army was defeated in the battle of Dalinghe and failed to keep the minister's festival.In the seventh year of Chongzhen (1634), he was awarded the third-class captain of light vehicles, and was attached to the Han Army Xianghuang Banner.Last year, he entered the customs with the Qing army and was awarded the third-class participation in the collar.In February of this year, he followed Azige to attack and plunder the northern part of Shanxi, and was awarded the deputy general of Ningwuguan.

Hong Chengchou specially recruited Liu Liangchen from Ningwuguan. He planned to give it a try to see if Liu Liangzuo could be recruited to surrender. He didn't have much expectations. some rumors.Unexpectedly, Liu Liangchen just crossed the river to meet his brother for a while, and soon persuaded Liu Liangzuo to surrender.

The reason why Liu Liangzuo surrendered so simply was that a few months ago, he had asked someone to write a letter to Hongguang, requesting that he be enshrined.Gao Jie died, Liu Zeqing was defeated and fled, now only Huang Degong and Liu Liangzuo are the only ones Hong Guang relies on as pillars.The problem is that Huang Degong was conferred the title of Marquis of Jingnan earlier because of his support for the King of Fu, and he overwhelmed the other three Jiangbei towns in terms of title.Later, he was stationed in Taiping, specializing in the affairs of suppressing thieves. After making some contributions, he was appraised by the Hongguang court in Nanjing.

But Liu Liangzuo has always been a little uncle, how can this make him not feel jealous.However, he sent a letter to Hongguang to ask for the title of Duke, but was stopped by many officials in the court, saying that he had no great achievements, and that he often plundered troops all over the country, and he was also impeached for the crime of not leading troops strictly.If Ma Shiying hadn't tried his best to withhold the impeachment statement from the officials and sent a message to comfort Liu Liangzuo, at that time, he would have wished to lead his troops into Nanjing City and tear those talkative officials into pieces.

Later, Huang Degong found out that he asked someone to write a letter to ask him to be the duke of the state, so he laughed at him, Huama Liu (because Liu often rode a variegated horse, so he was called Huama Liu), a vulgar and rascal, and even asked for a title for no merit. , It's easy to laugh.When I see him one day, I will definitely play a full set of state honors, let him come to worship and salute, and learn how the grandeur is like.

When Liu Liangzuo heard about it, he became even more angry from embarrassment, and resentment arose in his heart, ashamed of him.

Therefore, when his brother Liu Liangchen sneaked into Zhenjiang and lobbied him to surrender to the Qing Dynasty, he hesitated at that time.Later, Hong Chengchou promised that if he voted for the Qing Dynasty, Liu Liangzuo could be named Duke of the State, and he would not be lower than the rank of Duke of Bafenzhen (the seventh rank of the Qing Dynasty).

After Liu Liangzuo received Hong Chengchou's promise, he no longer hesitated. On September 9, he led his troops to attack and kill other troops of the Ming Army in Zhenjiang City and the Zhenjiang Navy camp.Because he had been stationed in Zhenjiang for more than two months, after beheading several officials and generals who were unwilling to surrender to the Qing Dynasty, he easily occupied Zhenjiang, and accidentally captured Zheng Hongkui, the general soldier of Zhenjiang who was staying overnight in the Hongyi Courtyard in the city.

When attacking the naval camp in Zhenjiang, because the city took the lead in chaos, the navy was startled, and most of the navy officers and soldiers escaped from the water stronghold by boat and went straight to the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.Afterwards, Liu Liangzuo immediately supported the Qing army on the north bank of the Yangtze River across the river.

After crossing the river, the commander of the Qing army, Le Ke Dehun, thought that the number of the main force of the Eight Banners was small, and the number of surrendered troops was too large, and that it would be difficult to conquer Nanjing. He wanted to defend Zhenjiang, and he wanted to keep this foothold on the south bank of the Yangtze River. After the main force of the Eight Banners in Beijing went south again , before considering attacking Nanjing.

However, Hong Chengchou strongly urged Luck Dehun not to delay for a moment, and immediately drove the surrendered army to attack Nanjing with lightning speed, and did not allow the Hongguang court to take a breather.

Luck Dehun immediately listened to Hong Chengchou's suggestion. On September 9, the governor Liu Liangzuo led more than 17 soldiers and horses, followed by tens of thousands of troops including Li Chengdong, Zhang Tianfu, Zhang Tianlu, and Li Qifeng, and rushed towards Nanjing. .

On September 9, Liu Liangzuo attacked Qiaotou Town and recruited more than 18 men from his subordinate Zhou Yishen.

On September 9, Liu Liangzuo's troops attacked Longtan Town and met Tian Xiong, the general of the Left Association of Huang Degong's Department, but was defeated by the opponent and lost thousands of troops.The rear team Zhang Tianfu arrived, but still couldn't.In the evening, Li Chengdong, Zhang Tianlu, Li Qifeng and other ministries rushed to Longtan one after another. All the troops attacked together, but Tian Xiong was exhausted and retreated to Qixia.

On September 9, the Qing army continued to advance westward, and when they reached Qixia, they encountered more than 20 main forces of Huang Degong's department, and Liu Liangzuo's department collapsed again.

Li Chengdong, Zhang Tianfu and other ministries rushed forward to attack, but they were all repelled by Huang Degong, blocked in Qixia County, and failed to advance an inch. On September 9, Luck Dehun led the Eight Banners army to Qixia, and the army besieged the city again, but was stubbornly resisted by Huang Degong's troops, and finally failed to recover the city.

On September 9, Luck Deqing ordered Liu Liangzuo, Li Chengdong and other surrendered troops to bypass Qixia and attack Nanjing directly.In the afternoon of the same day, when the Qing army entered Yanziji, they met Ma Degong, the general of the Right Association of Huang Degong's department, and Liu Liangzuo's department collapsed again.Li Chengdong, Zhang Tianlu, and Li Qifeng saw that Liu Liangzuo's troops were all defeated when they encountered the enemy all the way, so they couldn't help showing contempt.

Embarrassed, Liu Liangzuo was worried that he would not be reused by the Qing army in the future, so he immediately suggested that the Eight Banners Gushan Ezhen, who was in charge of the formation, could send people into Yanziji, and he would surely be able to recruit the defender Ma Degong.

In the evening of that day, Liu Liangzuo sent people into the Yanzi Jima Degong Camp, claiming that hundreds of thousands of Eight Banners of the Qing army had already crossed the river, and they also carried dozens of red-clothed cannons, and they would arrive soon.If they do not surrender to the Qing army, when the army arrives and the artillery bombards them, the entire army will surely be reduced to ashes.

Ma Degong was already panicked when he saw the Qing army suddenly attacking the city of Nanjing, but when he heard Liu Liangzuo's emissary say that hundreds of thousands of Qing troops had crossed the river, and there were cannons in red, he was already terrified.Then, that night, he led the whole army to surrender to the Qing army.

The Qing army suddenly crossed the river, captured Zhenjiang, and rushed all the way. After receiving the news, the city of Nanjing was in chaos.

On September 9, when Huang Degong blocked the Qing army in Qixia, Emperor Hongguang took his wife, Ma Shiying and a few other ministers, quietly opened the city gate, and went west to Liu Kongzhao, Taiping Mansion.

And Zhao Zhilong, the chief garrison officer in Nanjing, began to contact Xu Yunjue, Duke of Wei, Zhang Guobi, Duke of Bao, Zhang Gongri, Marquis of Longping, Li Zushu, Marquis of Linhuai and other nobles, preparing to raise the flag to surrender when the Qing army arrived.

On September 9, Li Chengdong, Liu Liangzuo, Ma Degong and other surrendered troops attacked the city of Nanjing. Luck Dehun, who was in charge of the battle, was marveling at the tall and strong Nanjing city wall, and worried about how much time the surrendered troops would lose in the siege. However, several gates of Nanjing City were opened from the inside.

Xin Chengbo Zhao Zhilong, Minister of Rites Qian Qianyi and more than [-] officials, big and small, all went out of the city and knelt down to welcome the Qing army into the city.

Seeing this, Luck Dehun immediately hesitated. The capture of Zhenjiang was already a great achievement.Accepting Hong Chengchou's suggestion, he planned to steal the city of Nanjing with a group of descendants to show off his military power. He never thought that he would capture the most important capital of Ming Dynasty immediately.Why, before our army attacked the city, you came out and asked to surrender?
Is it a surrender?Planning to lure our army into the city so that we can catch the turtle in the urn (this description seems wrong) and annihilate our army?

Hong Chengchou was stationed in Zhenjiang at this time, thinking that there was nothing to ask for backup, Le Ke Dehun could only look left and right at Li Chengdong, Liu Liangzuo, Ma Degong and other surrendered generals, but he was secretly vigilant, could it be that the Ming army in Nanjing City and these The descending army has made a connection, and is planning to set up an ambush in Nanjing City, and cooperate with the inside and outside, and capture all the soldiers of the Eight Banners here?
In the end, Le Kede ordered people to detain dozens of Ming officials such as Zhao Zhilong and Qian Qianyi in the camp, and then asked Li Chengdong to lead the troops into Nanjing to confirm whether there was an ambush.

On September 9, after a day of repeated searches, Li Chengdong went out of the city to inform Luck Dehun that there was no ambush in the city, and that the soldiers and civilians in the city were indeed "sincerely" surrendering to the Qing Dynasty.

Luck Dehun was overjoyed immediately, he didn't expect Prince Yu to return to the north, break through Nanjing, and the great achievement of destroying Ming Dynasty would fall on his head.Then, it is not unthinkable that the Dorobeile in him may take advantage of the trend to be promoted to King Doro, or even Prince Heshuo.

However, considering that the number of Eight Banners soldiers under his command is small, and there are still tens of thousands of Huang Degong's troops in Qixia outside Nanjing City who are still resisting.Luck Dehun then ordered all the Qing troops to garrison at key positions outside Nanjing, and demolished a section of Nanjing city wall and several city gates.At the same time, a fast horse was sent to report to Beijing.

However, when the people of Nanjing saw that the Qing army had not entered the city, they thought that the Qing army had strict discipline and would not offend the people. The resentment and fear they had had in their hearts about the Yangzhou massacre that happened a few months ago gradually disappeared.Some flattering gentry officials organize various military labor activities every day, and they are all satisfied with whatever the Qing army does.

On September 9, when the Qing army captured Zhenjiang and led the army westward to attack Nanjing, dozens of Zheng's ships that escaped from the Zhenjiang navy camp encountered eight Qi ships who were here to collect immigrants in Songjiang Prefecture. country ship.

Luo Rucheng, the commander of the Ryukyu Fleet, immediately changed his color when he heard that the Qing army had crossed the Yangtze River and captured Zhenjiang.Damn, such a wide Yangtze River is naturally dangerous, and there are absolutely superior naval ships, it even allowed the Qing army to cross the river with ease.This Daming seems to be really hopeless.

Immediately, a fast liaison ship was sent to the north to notify Changshan Island.

(End of this chapter)