weaving

Chapter 1163: Future Pros and Cons

The nights in the fifth month of the lunar calendar are particularly short.

Ding Qirui and Yang Wenyue once again ended the meeting in gloom. The army began to fire artillery continuously, and the hazy night began to brighten dimly with the "rumbling" sound of the enemy's artillery.

On May 14, the weather was still as sunny, hot and dry as usual. The confrontation between the reinforcements of Ding Qirui and Zuo Liangyu and Li Zicheng's bandit army in the Zhuxian Town area had entered the fourth day.

It was also from this morning that the rebel army began to launch a fierce artillery attack on the government troops’ garrison…

The rumbling artillery bombardment lasted from early morning to afternoon. The area in front of the Chuang army camp was filled with smoke, while the government army camp was filled with flying dust. There was no moment of peace.

The government army did not have many firearms, especially cannons that could fire far. Only the Baoding army guarding the northwest of Shuipoji had some cannons, but they did not have much gunpowder, so the sound of cannons was sparse and could not be compared with that of the rebel army.

The rebel army seemed to have an endless supply of gunpowder. They kept firing cannons, and the fire became more and more intense. Sometimes the cannons even reached the street of Shuipoji behind the government army camp.

However, not all of the bullets fired from the cannons of the Chuang army were iron shells, but mostly stone shells, which shows that they were not idle when they were lurking in the Funiushan Mountains!

But even so, the artillery of the rebel army caused great panic among the government reinforcements. Many government troops huddled in trenches or behind solid earth walls, and there were very few people in the tents.

In addition to the threat posed by the rumbling sound of artillery fire, the government troops also had difficulties in obtaining grain and firewood. Many officers and soldiers who went out to collect firewood and food were killed or captured by the cavalry led by Hao Yaoqi.

As a last resort, they had to use local materials. They dismantled the doors and windows and the wood from the houses in Shuipo Village and the surrounding villages to cook. They also killed any injured mules and horses to satisfy their hunger.

  However, these difficulties can still be overcome for the time being, but water shortage is the number one problem facing them right now!

The muddy water in the ponds surrounding the government army camp had been almost drunk dry by them, and there was no water source available within a dozen miles behind the camp. However, there were still two wells in Shuipo Village that could still draw some water.

But how can these two mere wells support an army of hundreds of thousands?

Although the government troops dug hundreds of wells in various camps, very little water was produced. Most of the water was mud, which was completely unfit for drinking directly, and it took too long for the water to settle.

Some officers and soldiers were so thirsty that they secretly went to collect horse urine to drink. However, the horses in the army did not drink enough water, so they produced very little horse urine, which was particularly smelly.

Ding Qirui and Yang Wenyue were both very panicked about this, and the usually calm General Zuo Liangyu was even more panicked now. He knew better than anyone else that the morale of the army was already very unstable.

  He was even more worried that his side would suffer a crushing defeat in Zhuxian Town!

Zuo Liangyu knew very well that the imperial court was extremely jealous of him, but they were wary of the large number of people under his command and could do nothing about him for the time being.

If, in today's battle at Zhuxian Town, he were to suffer a crushing defeat and his entire army be routed, then his future would be ruined as well, and he might even lose his life.

Just as Ding Qirui and Zuo Liangyu worried, fear, complaints and pessimism of failure were indeed pervasive among the generals of the government army. Ding Qirui had called the generals to meetings many times, but they could not come up with any decent solutions. No one dared to make a clear proposal on whether to fight or not, as everyone was afraid of being held accountable for what they said today.

During the days of stalemate with the Chuang army, Ding Qirui, Yang Wenyue, Zuo Liangyu and others sent people to bypass Chenliu County and go to Kaifeng Prefecture to make contact, but none of them returned and no response was given...

  No one knows whether those who were sent out have arrived in Kaifeng safely!

The longer there was no response, the more afraid and anxious Ding Qirui, Zuo Liangyu and others became. Their anxiety and worry also affected the lower-level officers and soldiers.

In the reinforcement barracks, people were often heard cursing, saying that they were brought to this desperate situation by the generals of each camp, with no food, no grass, no water, and no reinforcements, and now they were afraid they would die here.

  However, they forgot that they were the reinforcements coming to relieve Kaifeng from danger!

Some people even say that it is easy to survive without food and grass, but without water, you will die of thirst, which is really too uncomfortable...

There were quite a few people who had these complaints, but in the beginning, everyone just cursed in their hearts. However, as the situation got worse day by day, a few people began to curse in a low voice, and then more and more people started cursing, and it evolved into shouting loudly.

Ding Qirui, Yang Wenyue, Zuo Liangyu and others all saw these situations, and sometimes even heard the soldiers' curses...

If it were any other day, they would have ordered the execution of a few people to suppress the riot. However, now that things have come to this point, the morale of the army has been shaken, the upper and lower ranks have gradually become alienated, and there is constant suspicion among the various camps.

  They no longer dared to rely on killing to eliminate complaints!

They all knew very well in their hearts that ninety-nine out of a hundred people now had complaints. If they tried to use coercion to maintain morale, it would probably easily lead to a mutiny.

…………

On the night of the 20th, the situation of the Ming reinforcements in Shuipoji became even more critical due to the continuous bombardment by the Chuang army. Yang Wenyue and Zuo Liangyu rushed to Shuipoji and came to Ding Qirui's central military tent to discuss matters, but still no results were achieved.

After the meeting, Zuo Liangyu came out from the north gate of Shuipo Village. Feeling full of resentment and doubts, he returned to his own camp in a depressed mood.

Although there were trenches dug outside Zuo Liangyu's central army camp, as well as some temporary earthen forts, small bunkers, watchtowers, etc., a very thick earthen wall was temporarily built outside Zuo Liangyu's central army tent, facing the direction of the Chuang army, to prevent stray bullets from hitting the tent when the Chuang army approached.

There were many military tents and shacks of various sizes set up around his central military tent, and it was really densely covered with sentries, but the entire old camp was silent. Under the half-moon, people were walking hurriedly, and the general's flags were waving. Except for the occasional neighing of war horses and the sound of chewing wheat straw or pea stalks, there was no other movement.

  This shows that he was able to be a general who could suppress bandits, and he had some skills in commanding the army!

Zuo Liangyu dismounted outside the camp gate, looked around, and without saying a word, strode towards his own central military tent. The soldiers on duty outside the tent and in front of the camp gate stood in shock, and his personal generals stood in two rows, holding their breath and crossing their hands, and did not dare to move freely until he walked into the tent.

Although the generals who came to greet him stood silently on both sides, each of them had many questions in their hearts. They secretly peeked at his expression from the corner of their eyes, hoping to judge the future of the army from his face...

(End of this chapter)