prosperous age

"Add two more teams of divine aircraft to the city walls."

Li Chengliang ordered calmly.

Li Chengliang couldn't help but be shocked when he heard that the enemy commander had such a high prestige in the army.

He could already foresee that once the Burmese army began to attack Baoshan City, it would definitely be very aggressive at the beginning.

If we can't put down the opponent's arrogance at the very beginning, this battle will be difficult to fight.

Up to now, Li Chengliang still regarded his opponent as a brave and resourceful man, not knowing that the other party had secretly studied "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and considered himself an excellent commander, and had already arranged a psychological warfare against him.

I don’t know whether the challenge in front of your formation tomorrow will give Li Chengliang a surprise.

"Yes, Marshal."

Mu Changzuo behind him answered immediately.

Since the establishment of the Ming army, Zhu Yuanzhang attached great importance to firearms, so when talking about this period, it usually means that the army was equipped with a large number of firearms.

But in fact, firearms accounted for less than 10% of the army in the early Ming Dynasty.

After all, although firearms have a certain lethality, they are actually just that, and cannot be compared with firearms that were used hundreds of years later.

Especially after heavy artillery and machine guns were put into the battlefield, the war situation underwent tremendous changes.

In the current Ming army, the proportion of firearms units is actually only between 20% and 30%. This is the level of ordinary troops. Ma Fang’s army in Xuanda is also at this level.

The army that attached the most importance to firearms was undoubtedly Qi Jiguang's army, with a percentage of between 40% and 50%.

Among them, the proportion of firearms in Qi Jiguang's infantry battalion was the highest, reaching 55%, while that in the cavalry battalion was generally 40%.

The Liaodong Army originally commanded by Li Chengliang also had a relatively high proportion of firearms, close to 40%, mainly because the court allocated more firearms.

But after he arrived in the southwest, he found that the firearms equipment rate of the Ming army in the southwest was very low, less than 20%. Many troops were not even suitable for use when they were issued firearms and were all stored in warehouses.

After training, the army under his command now has only about 20% of its equipment ratio for firearms.

Due to the backwardness of firearms, firearms soldiers of this era were generally not trained separately, but were mixed into formations with other arms. The most famous one was naturally Qi Jiguang's Mandarin Duck Formation, which was fought all over the country.

However, Li Chengliang did not have time to train such a force. Just the coordination of positions could not be completed in a short time, so he directly formed the firearms unit into a separate army and concentrated it together for joint training.

For gunners, the natural thing is to train their proficiency so that they can complete the loading and firing of ammunition in the shortest time.

For the musketeers, it is the same, except that there is an additional three-stage shooting training.

Because firearms were so simple in this era, soldiers only needed to learn how to load and release them, so there was no difficulty at all.

It is not necessary for them to understand the principles of firearms, etc., as long as they know how to use them.

Regarding this kind of forced approach, it should be said that the firearms soldiers in Li Chengliang's hands are now considered an established army.

However, these firearms soldiers usually belong to various Ming army units.

In other words, each of the troops brought by Li Chengliang had its own Shenjiying.

Now it would not be too difficult for Li Chengliang to pull the Shenjiying to the city wall to participate in the defense.

Afterwards, Li Chengliang arranged for the city walls of Baoshan to be strengthened in the next few days and to report the movements outside the city at all times. Only then did he take Mu Changzuo down from the city wall.

"Marshal, are you overly worried about the bandits outside the city? Although the Burmese have been bullying the outside world in recent years, it is only because they have not provoked the Ming Dynasty.

I didn’t send troops to rescue Mengmi before because I was worried that those chieftains would cut off our retreat and make it difficult for us to take care of both ends. It’s not because I was afraid of them.”

Mu Changzuo began to explain.

Li Chengliang's reaction today was a bit too big, which made Mu Changzuo worried.

Of course, the most important thing is to be prepared for the possibility that Li Chengliang will not abide by martial ethics and put the blame on himself.

When Li Chengliang heard this, he was stunned at first, then he reacted.

After laughing, he said to Mu Changzuo: "My Lord, that's not what I meant.

It was only today that I learned that Mang Yinglong has such a strong appeal in Myanmar. Thinking that the Burmese army will surely fight bravely when attacking the city tomorrow, I mobilized troops to strengthen the defense to be prepared for any eventuality.

Although the Burmese army outside the city is powerful, we have tens of thousands of soldiers in the city, so how can we be afraid of them, hehe."

After saying this, Li Chengliang glanced at Mu Changzuo and continued, "The strategy for the war against Burma has long been determined. Now that they are advancing with unstoppable force, their morale is at its highest. There is no need for our army to fight to the death with the Burmese army.

It is enough to defeat the enemy at the lowest cost and prevent them from advancing further.

When the news from southern Myanmar reaches the Burmese army camp and they dispatch elite troops back to Myanmar for rescue, that is when our army will launch a full-scale counterattack. "

"I wonder if there is any news from the eldest master?"

Although Li Chengliang's words dispelled most of Mu Changzuo's doubts, he did not completely believe Li Chengliang.

If something really happened, who knows what Li Chengliang would do to protect himself.

He still has to be on guard against Li Chengliang at all times. This is the way the Yunnan Mu family protects themselves.

In fact, a few years ago, the Mu family had already been cautious about those civil servants because they found that they had been under investigation by the civil servant group.

Since then, the Mu family has been extremely vigilant about the officials sent to Yunnan by the imperial court.

Although he was more or less a beneficiary of the court's secret investigation of the Mu family, he was the tenth Duke of Qian, and the ninth Duke of Qian, his father Mu Chaobi was stripped of his title for a crime, so he was able to inherit the title of Duke of Qian in advance.

Now, Mu Changzuo put aside his worries and began to inquire about news from other battlefields.

In response, Li Chengliang just shook his head.

Li Rusong was ordered to go to Mengding Prefecture and lead troops to encircle the Burmese army's rear, but he never sent any news to Baoshan since he set out.

This was also the tacit understanding they had formed in Liaodong. Unless they achieved victory, they would never send messengers to send back battle reports.

Because if the war is still going on, it would be dangerous if the military intelligence reported to the central army was intercepted by enemy scouts halfway, as it would be equivalent to handing the entire battle plan over to the enemy.

Li Chengliang was aware of this, but Mu Changzuo did not. He was still used to the Ming army's pattern of reporting military intelligence to his superiors regardless of whether there was anything going on or not, and did not consider the difference between peacetime and wartime at all.

But this cannot be blamed on him. Apart from fighting against rebellious chieftains, there has never been a major battle like today in the southwest.

In Liaodong, war between the Liaodong Army and the Mongols and Jurchens could break out at any time.

"Marshal, do you want to send someone to take a look?"

Mu Changzuo asked in a low voice.

"No need."

Li Chengliang replied directly, "Lord Mu, don't worry. If there is anything, Song'er will send someone to report. If the plan goes well, there is naturally no need to report to Baoshan all the time.

The spies outside the city should report any news promptly, so as not to miss the best opportunity for counterattack. " Soon, the next day arrived.

The Ming army was on high alert on the city wall. Although they didn't know when the Burmese army would launch an attack on Baoshan, Governor Li had climbed up the city wall again yesterday to observe the enemy camp, so the generals defending the city naturally did not dare to slack off.

In the Burmese army camp, the Burmese soldiers in the front camp began to eat their battle meals early, preparing for the formal attack on Baoshan City today.

When the Burmese army in the front camp was preparing to go into battle and attack Baoshan City, the spacious royal tent in the middle camp was also filled with generals and officers from various camps of the Burmese army.

Although the main force of the central army has not yet arrived, the guiding ideology of the Burmese army is to occupy Baoshan as soon as possible and reach Kunming as early as possible, so they will naturally not continue to wait.

Two days ago, because the Burmese king had not arrived, the Burmese vanguard did not launch an attack on Baoshan, which had high city walls. Now it is different. The follow-up reinforcements have arrived, and naturally it is time to start a war.

"Today, Jingzong Zhen will lead the army to test the combat capability of Baoshan City."

The Burmese King Mang Yinglong sat at the top and directly stated his decision.

Jingzong was the vanguard that set out from Lujiang City. He had been resting here for two days, so it was natural that he would fight the first battle.

"The final general honors your order."

Jingzong had anticipated this arrangement and immediately stepped forward and clasped his fists to receive the order.

"Zongzhen, before this battle, General Xiangui will raid the city walls first to let the Ming troops know that I am kind and righteous."

At this point, Mang Yinglong slightly raised his head and looked at the top of the tent, and said with emotion: "God has the virtue of loving life, and I have no intention of killing people. I hope the generals in the city can understand my painstaking efforts.

If you can persuade the Ming army in the city to surrender, I will not treat General Xian unfairly and will reward him generously."

When Xian Gui below heard Mang Yinglong's words, he almost rolled his eyes.

Knowing clearly that the Left General of the Right Army Commandery of the Ming Dynasty was supervising the battle in the city, he still wanted to rely on high-ranking officials and generous salaries in Myanmar to persuade them to surrender. It seemed that Mang Yinglong had become too arrogant.

Yes, it just floated.

What is the official position of Zuo Dudu? He is a first-rank military general in the Ming Dynasty, the highest rank.

If we continue to confer titles higher, they will be the Three Dukes and Three Orphans.

Myanmar is just a tiny country. Only a fool would join his army unless he had something to hold against him.

But even though I think about it, I won’t say it that way.

Xian Gui quickly stepped forward and said respectfully under Mang Yinglong's seat: "Your Majesty, I will do my best to persuade the Ming generals in the city to abandon the dark and join the light, so that Your Majesty can fight to Kunming as soon as possible."

"Well, this king has always valued the generals on the line. If this matter is accomplished, this king will not hesitate to reward you. The fiefdom you want is naturally not a problem."

Mang Yinglong made a generous promise to Lan Gui.

Although Xian Gui's possibility of returning to Ming had been blocked, he would not be willing to give up nothing, so he only put forward two conditions when formally surrendering to Burma.

Firstly, his troops would still be under his command, and secondly, he hoped to obtain a fiefdom in Myanmar. He also wanted to be a chieftain, a real local emperor.

Yes, although he was considered a local emperor in Lujiang City, he was still subject to too many constraints.

In Yunnan, there were many people who held higher official positions than him, so he had to humble himself from time to time.

The chieftains in Burma are still better. There is only one Burmese king above them and their own people below them, just like an independent vassal state.

He could do whatever he wanted in his own fiefdom, and as long as he did not betray the Burmese king, the Toungoo Dynasty would not do anything to him and would completely ignore him.

Moreover, if he just waits for a few more years, even he, as a chieftain, will have a chance to be canonized by the Ming Dynasty and become a real chieftain lord with land, or even a vassal king.

However, his wish to ask the Burmese king to demarcate the territory for him as soon as possible so that he could become a chieftain was never realized.

Mang Yinglong did not agree to let him go to Burma at this time, but wanted to wait until the Burmese army defeated the Ming army and occupied Yunnan before determining his fiefdom.

When Xian Gui was at the foot of Baoshan City, telling the Ming army lecturer on the city wall about the various benefits of surrendering to Burma, how the Burmese unified the surrounding vassal states under the command of the wise Burmese king, and boasting that Mang Yinglong was a sage monarch that would appear rarely in a thousand years, what greeted him was the concentrated fire of six large general cannons under the personal command of Li Chengliang.

Yes, in order to fight this rebellious general, Li Chengliang directly mobilized the six bronze cannons on the city wall to aim at Xi Gui, aiming to kill him with one shot.

"Boom boom boom"

After six dull cannon shots, Xian Gui fell off his horse in panic, then crawled back to the Burmese army camp.

Artillery these days is really inaccurate. Even if you replace it with a Western cannon and have a skilled Western gunner, it is actually very difficult to accurately hit a human-shaped target two miles away.

Although six cannons fired at the same time, Xian Gui was lucky enough to escape the attack. The nearest shell was less than three feet away from him.

But apart from killing two of his personal soldiers, Xian Gui managed to escape back unscathed, although in a somewhat embarrassed manner.

On the top of the city wall, Li Chengliang, Mu Changzuo and Luo Rufang all sighed with regret.

As for this first Han general who surrendered to the enemy since the start of the war, they hated him to the core and dreamed of capturing him alive and skinning him alive.

With such a good opportunity, he actually escaped. It's impossible not to be angry.

As for the 3,000 elite Burmese troops who rushed up from the city with ladders, Li Chengliang did not take them seriously at all.

Seeing the Burmese army deployed such a small number of troops outside the town, Li Chengliang knew that they were just testing him.

Unless the siege is successful, the Burmese army may withdraw more troops from the main camp to participate in the battle. Otherwise, it will just be a test of the firepower of Baoshan City.

It’s just that Li Chengliang looked down on the Burmese army, but some people on the opposite side had a strong desire to fight for this.

"Your Excellency the King of Burma, there are cannons on the opposite wall. While the army is attacking the city and the other side is unable to take any precautions, how about I send my gunners to carry the cannons to the foot of the city to cover the army's attack on the city."

The person who was speaking was standing not far from Mang Yinglong. He was a Portuguese man with blond hair, blue eyes, deep eye sockets, a high nose, and a yellowish-dark complexion. One could tell from his old skin that he was not young anymore.

Well, the main reason why we can confirm that he is a Portuguese mercenary is that in the Indian Ocean, the most active Westerners are the Portuguese, and Spain has not yet extended its tentacles here.

The two major maritime hegemons, Britain and the Netherlands, had not yet risen at this time and were not worth mentioning at all.

"No, my friend, you have no need to feel uncomfortable taking my payment just because you haven't been in action for a few months."

Mang Yinglong smiled as he looked at Santos, the captain of the Portuguese mercenaries who was eager to fight.

He had met Santos in his early years, when he was still fighting for the unification of Burma.

In the rise of the Toungoo Dynasty, Portuguese mercenaries also played an important role.

Mang Yinglong can naturally deal with ordinary enemies easily.

However, if the enemy has the protection of the city walls, and if they cannot bribe the traitors to open the city gates, then Santos' Portuguese mercenaries will be the force that determines the outcome of the war.

However, this information was deliberately concealed by the Myanmar side.

The Ming Dynasty did not pay attention to Myanmar affairs, so naturally it did not know about it.

As for the mercenaries he hired at great cost, Mang Yinglong naturally had a bigger plan, which was to use the cannons they carried to blast open the walls of Kunming. (End of this chapter)