Ming Zuo

Chapter 826 The Second Battle of Fengyang

In the autumn of the eighth year of Chongzhen, the northwest rebel army returned to the Central Plains, which actually represented a split within the rebel army.

Li Zicheng did not follow the various ministries, but stayed in northern Shaanxi.

This represents the awakening of Li Zicheng's self-consciousness, and it also means that he can stand up to other leaders of various ministries.

Destroying Zhu Ming's ancestral mausoleum and eliminating Cao Wenzhao will bring endless benefits to the Northwest Rebels.

After nearly a year of development, the scale of the Northwest Rebel Army has become extremely large.

This time, when it left Tongguan in the east, the place it passed was like a flood, which was unstoppable.

Traveling eastward, the team was full of dust, forty miles wide, and more than a hundred miles back and forth, with the old and the weak in the middle, and the best riders outside.

It doesn't look like diverting escaped bandits, it's more like an invincible master parading the territory.

Zuo Liangyu and Zu Dabi who were in Henan came here after hearing the news, wanting to get some credit.But they were still seventy miles away, seeing the momentum here, the two generals dared not get any closer.

Zuo Liangyu stroked his beard with trembling hands.

He knew that those mud legs were already an unmatched force for him.

Zu Dabi was even more troubled, and immediately turned around to find Lu Xiangsheng to report the situation.

At this time, Lu Xiangsheng had already arrived in Ruzhou, planning and waiting for the arrival of reinforcements.

At the same time, he was waiting for his staff to return.

The staff did not disappoint him, and after more than a month of haste, he returned home in a hurry.

"Proprietor, luckily, the student came back with the artifact."

What was displayed in front of Lu Xiangsheng was a large row of cannons flickering with cold light.

At first glance, these artillery pieces are different from those used by the Ming army.

The gun barrel is slender and the gun body is clean and clean. It rests on a wooden frame with two wooden wheels that are one person high. The back rests on the ground against the curved frame.

And when the frame is lifted up and combined, it can be dragged and walked on the horse, without delaying the marching speed.

Lu Xiangsheng was so curious that he stepped forward and bent down to lift up the wooden shelf.

Just a lift, inevitably look surprised.

"This cannon is so light!"

Although he has been in the military many times over the years, Lu Xiangsheng is still a literati in the end.With his strength, he can lift the cannon by himself, which is enough to explain a lot.

The artillery produced by the Ming army can never do this.

Zu Dabi also tried it himself, and was even more amazed.

"I really don't know how the Shandong rebels built this cannon, but I don't know how powerful it is?"

Immediately, soldiers stepped forward to operate the demonstration.

Seeing that a cannon went out for a distance of three or four miles, and the walls and trees were destroyed in the places it passed, and it was a mess, everyone was even more dumbfounded.

Lu Xiangsheng was overwhelmed, stroked the cold and hard barrel, and finally gained some confidence.

"With the blessing of this artifact, it will be easy to put down the bandits."

The generals below all had strange faces.

This cannon was bought from Shandong, and it is obvious that Shandong's own artillery is even better.Even if we use this artillery to defeat the Northwest Rebel Army, how will we face the Shandong New Army in the future?
All of a sudden, different thoughts arose in the hearts of many people.

Lu Xiangsheng didn't notice it, but began to devote himself to the intense work of suppressing thieves.

He knew very well that the land in Henan was rotten, but Huguang still had vitality, so no matter what, the Northwest Rebels could not be allowed to go to Huguang.

Therefore, he deployed a large number of troops in southern Henan to form a tight line of defense.

After Gao Yingxiang and others returned to Henan, they went around to attack, but the disaster situation in Henan was not much better than that in Shaanxi, and the things they could grab were very limited.

Under such circumstances, the northwest rebels naturally focused on Huguang.

However, Lu Xiangsheng's arrangement was strict and his command was proper. After several battles, the Northwest Rebels had nothing to do.

Several leaders discussed it, since there is no hope of going south, they should simply go east.

They set their sights on Fengyang again.

"Since Shandong Zuo Menggeng returned Fengyang to the imperial court, then if we go to fight, it's not considered a problem with him, and he has no reason to seek our bad luck."

"As long as we attack Fengyang again, let's see how the emperor of the Zhu family still has the face to live in this world?"

The leaders discussed it properly, and immediately led the army to go east.

When Lu Xiangsheng got the military situation, he was really frightened.

When Fengyang was breached for the first time, it had already caused an uproar, causing people to lose their minds.If there is a second time, the Ming Dynasty will probably exist in name only.

He hastily mobilized his best troops and rushed to Fengyang in the starry night.At the same time, the magistrate of Fengyang was ordered to guard the city no matter what.

In this battle, Gao Yingxiang and others made serious military mistakes.

They dragged their families and led their actions, but the speed was very slow, and Lu Xiangsheng was ahead of them.

On the eighth day of the first lunar month, Lu Xiangsheng, who was braving the wind and snow, finally arrived in Fengyang.

He didn't go into the city either, he just lined up on the west bank of the Huaihe River, apparently with the intention of living and dying with Fengyang.

In the afternoon of that day, Zhang Xianzhong's troops arrived late.

Seeing that the Ming army had already lined up, but there were not many of them, Zhang Xianzhong couldn't help underestimating the enemy, and immediately sent his army to attack.

Lu Xiangsheng saw that Zhang Xianzhong's troops were in disarray in the formation, so he did not let the newly purchased artillery shoot, but commanded Zu Dabi, Tang Jiuzhou and others to fight to the death.

After fighting fiercely all afternoon, Zhang Xianzhong's troops suffered heavy losses and retreated slowly.

Lu Xiangsheng received the supplies from Fengyang and gained a firm foothold.

In the early morning of the second day, Gao Yingxiang, Lao Huihui and others arrived one after another.The army is overwhelming, and the sight cannot reach the end.

When the officers and soldiers saw this scene, many people felt apprehensive and fearful.

Lu Xiangsheng was as firm as iron, and he rode his horse in front of the army.

"My generation eats the king's salary and is loyal to the king. Defending the family and defending the country, eliminating rebellion, the king's way lies in punishing evil and avoiding changes. Invincible, who can fight the enemy?"

His impassioned speech inspired the morale of the Ming army.Although their number is only one-tenth of the Northwest Rebel Army, they are still willing to fight.

"On the opposite side is Lu Xiangsheng, the prime minister of the five provinces of Laoshizi?"

Gao Yingxiang rode on the steed, put his hands up his eyes, and saw all the battle formations of the Ming army.

Since the uprising, the highest official of the Ming court they have killed is only Cao Wenzhao.

If the prime ministers of the five provinces can be killed today, who has the final say in this world is not necessarily the case.

"Such a small number of people dare to block us, it is really a dead end. We stand shoulder to shoulder, and the pile of people will pile him up to death."

Old Hui Hui was gearing up and was the first to act.

The cavalry under his command walked out slowly and began to press forward.

As soon as he moved, Gao Yingxiang, Zhang Xianzhong, Yiziwang, and Zhuangtianwang also started to move, and the entire battlefield immediately became restless.

Lu Xiangsheng's palms were full of hot sweat, and he stared at the Northwest Rebels slowly approaching with piercing eyes, with only one thought in his mind.

"The victory or defeat is only here!"

"My lord, there is someone behind me!"

Lu Xiangsheng was startled by his subordinate's cessation of shouting, and he hurriedly turned his head to look.

As a result, on the other side of the Huaihe River behind, a dozen cavalrymen were stationed on the bank, looking over here.

Looking at each other across the river, he saw it very clearly.

The dozen or so cavalrymen were wearing the military uniforms of the Shandong New Army.

Is Shandong going to take advantage of the fire again?

Lu Xiangsheng's heart inevitably became clouded.

(End of this chapter)