The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 356 The Battle of the Jungle
The ninth day of February.

The second largest city of the Haixi Jurchen Huifa Department, a multi-walled city built on a mountain, Tang Yin routinely visited the top of the city for inspection.

As far as the telescope can reach, camps can be seen everywhere, and there are also a large number of soldiers setting up tripping ropes and other things at the foot of the mountain, and the other side is even building some bunkers with local methods... Apparently the Jurchens have also appreciated the power of the Daming artillery, and began to look for it. There are some relatively safe ways to deal with Daming's flowering cannons.

"Bohu, is there any news?"

Xu Jing ran to the top of the city.

He first looked around at the North Korean soldiers with godless faces, and then looked at Tang Yin with a mournful expression.

Tang Yin shook his head: "No, the people who were sent out, whether they were from our country or from North Korea, were prevented from going out. Two North Korean messengers were captured by the other party, and their bodies were sent outside the city early this morning. Show off."

"Punish your heart!" Xu Jing cried with a mournful face.

Tang Yin said with a helpless expression: "I told you not to come, it will be difficult for you to leave now, alas, there are only less than three days of food left in the city, and then you may have to kill horses, eat bark, and grass roots ..."

Xu Jingdao: "It can't be so miserable, can it?"

"It's good if you don't reach the point where people cannibalize each other. The drought in North Korea is serious. Why do you think these soldiers came to Duobi City with red eyes? Isn't it because of stuttering? Now I'm talking about eating enough. Cash in, I don't know if they're going to mutiny in times of crisis."

Tang Yin's complexion was pale and bloodless, giving people a feeling that he had already lived enough.

Xu Jingdao: "But the Jurchen Tartars have never attacked the city. Is this trying to trap us to death?"

Tang Yin nodded and said: "They went through several sieges before, and found that the terrain is not good for them. We still have artillery, and there has been no siege in the past four or five days. Maybe they are waiting for reinforcements."

"Then why don't we break through?" Xu Jing was very anxious, "Our people, if they go out, they all have horses and run fast, right? Don't care if they are Koreans or not."

Tang Yin quickly looked around, and reprimanded in a low voice: "These words are heard, are you trying to cause mutiny in the army?"

Xu Jing lowered his head, as if admitting his mistake.

But then Tang Yin's tone softened and said: "It's not that I haven't thought about breaking through, but it seems that we have no way to go back to Daming. It seems that there are some opportunities only in the way... But the Jurchens' cavalry are not vegetarians. If they want to escape, they are afraid." No one can go away."

"Then... is it just waiting to die?"

Xu Jing looked sad, sitting on the brick beside him, he didn't look like a scholar at all, he looked like a poor beggar, the clothes on his body looked dirty after being touched all the way, and there were some holes, At this time, he seemed to have no regard for personal hygiene.

Just when the two were relatively silent.

Pu Yuanzong led a few people to the top of the city, and said eagerly: "Tang Shang sent, found out... Jiannu's defense is the weakest in the east."

Tang Yin said: "I didn't ask you to check which side is the weakest, but which side has the most food."

"us……"

Xu Jing also stood up.

Tang Yin said with firm eyes: "If you can't get out of the city, you can only stick to it and wait for help. It's not an option to procrastinate like this. You have to fight out. As long as you can repel one or two enemy bandits and grab their food, that's fine."

"That...that's pretty good." Xu Jing swallowed.

Tang Yindao: "This trick only works once. When they find out our intentions, they will hide the food far behind and won't give us a chance, so we must win with one blow."

"it is good!"

Even Pu Yuanzong and the people he brought seemed to cheer up.

……

……

When Wang Shouren arrived in Shenyang non-stop, it was already February [-]th.

When he arrived in Shenyang, Lin Ting, who had set off a few days earlier than him, was still on the way... It also had something to do with Wang Shouren and his party traveling lightly.

The first thing he did when he entered the city was to pay a quick visit to Lu Wan to discuss sending troops.

Lu Wan said calmly, "Uncle Xinjian has worked hard all the way, let's take a rest first, and then talk about dispatching troops."

Wang Shouren said: "Your Majesty asked me to come to Liaodong to lead the troops to fight. Now the Ming envoy team and the North Korean troops who escorted him back to the court have been trapped in Duobi City for many days. How can we not help?"

"Ugh!"

Lu Wan sighed heavily, "It's not that you don't want to help, it's that neither His Majesty nor Duke Lai have any further orders. Besides, isn't the cannon you brought still on the way?"

Wang Shouren said disapprovingly, "Lin Lizhan brought heavy artillery, which was used to destroy cities and villages. I can use some light artillery here. Please send the cavalry over. I want to lead troops to conquer tonight."

"In such a hurry?"

Lu Wan never thought that Wang Shouren would be so eager.

He was thinking too.

You are a newborn calf, it’s fine to work so hard before Weininghai, but now you’re Uncle Xinjian, how can you still be so energetic?No matter how awesome you are, can you still be a Xinjian Hou?
"Afterwards, I asked Zhang Yong, Eunuch Zhang, the guarding officer, to tell you that it will take until the morning of the day after tomorrow to send troops. Uncle Xinjian should rest first. I will also send people to spy on the military situation as soon as possible...Speaking of which, this officer is very concerned about how many people you have. The situation in Wall City is also very worrying."

While Lu Wan was expressing his concern, he told Wang Shouren to "calm down".

Wang Shouren asked, "How is the situation in Duobi City?"

"I don't know." Lu Wan replied very simply, "There has been no news for more than ten days, but no reports have been received at night, saying that the Tartars are all heading east, and all ministries have sent people there."

"Yeah yeah……"

Just as he was talking, Zhang Yong trotted all the way into the meeting hall.

He was still out of breath as he spoke: "Uncle Xinjian, we meet again."

Wang Shouren looked at Zhang Yong. He hated eunuchs to disrupt the country in his bones, but he also knew that eunuchs were too deeply bound to the Ming ruling group, and they were a group that had to be contacted.

But because Cao Shun left him a very bad impression before, he was only perfunctory in terms of etiquette to Zhang Yong.

"...It's time to use troops. Our family also thinks so. Uncle Xinjian has finally come. With His Majesty's imperial order, the transfer of troops is a matter of one sentence. Tomorrow morning, the troops will be transferred to you, that is, the artillery side..."

While Zhang Yong was talking, Lu Wan was giving him winks.

Lu Wan is also reminding Zhang Yong, should we discuss the tone before we speak?
I just said that it will take two more days, you just give him the troops tomorrow morning?This hastily dispatched troops, something went wrong, he Wang Shouren died on the battlefield or patted his ass and left, isn't it our responsibility?
Wang Shouren cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Eunuch Zhang and Lu Zhongcheng, for your help, then I will go back and wait first, and lead the troops out of the city tomorrow morning."

……

……

Wang Shouren went back to rest.

He was also really tired.

This Lu Wan sent people out of the door, and when he came back, he saw Zhang Yong walking there, giggling.

"Eunuch Zhang, it's not a good thing to be in a hurry to transfer troops to this man. It is said that he has made his own way, and he doesn't even have a supervising army. He can do whatever he wants. This kind of use of troops...is prone to accidents." Lu As a civil servant, Wan also wants to control the military power alone, but feels that it is easy for one person to control everything, and it is easy to lose the rein.

This kind of worry is even more serious for a young and vigorous upstart.

Zhang Yong said with a smile: "That's because you don't know the characters of their father and son... Our family knows that it is his father who is the number one scholar. Although he is currently nesting in the Imperial Academy, his heart is higher than the sky. That Zhang Mr. Wang Bo'an has a good vision, and Wang Bo'an is a talented person."

After hearing this, Lu Wan felt very uncomfortable.

It means, he is awesome, but I can't?

In terms of achievements and background, it seems that I, Lu, are not as good as that kid... Even when he was governor, he was earlier than me.

But I, Lu, don't want him to lead the army, is it because I'm jealous of him?

Zhang Yong seemed to feel that his words hurt others, and said with a smile: "This battle should be fought quickly, can't Tang Bohu sing in Duobi City alone? Calling to fight Jianzhou, it's two calls It's been a month, and the army hasn't moved at all, Tang Bohu has already gone back and forth to North Korea!"

Lu Wan sighed: "Wang Bo'an wants to lead his troops deep into the hinterland of Jianzhou, and what he does is no different from that of Tang Yin. I'm afraid that the soldiers will not give their lives."

"Hey!" Zhang Yong sighed, "Let's see how to adjust it! You must satisfy His Majesty and Duke Lai."

……

……

What Lu Wan worried about did not happen.

In the afternoon of that day, regarding the dispatch of troops and generals to follow Wang Shouren into the expedition, Lu Wan conscripted from various places to Shenyang. The [-] troops stationed in Shenyang, plus the local garrison in Shenyang of about [-], had already been contended for. It's too late.

"It's fighting..."

After Zhang Yong went to coordinate, he came back and complained to Lu Wan, "Lu Zhongcheng doesn't know that in order for those soldiers to go to war with Uncle Xinjian, the generals of each battalion, not to mention some generals or guerrillas, are those with a hundred households and small banners. Also fighting."

Lu Wan said, "Just because it's Jianzhou?"

Zhang Yong shook his head: "It's not necessarily true, maybe everyone thinks that Uncle Xinjian is Mr. Zhang's direct descendant, and following Uncle Xinjian has a future."

Lu Wan was annoyed after hearing this.

Wang Bo'an, as the coach of the airborne team, is so popular because he is Zhang Zhou's direct descendant... I mean, am I right?

Or do you think I'm incompetent, and I took you on a trip to Huangshui, and the people in Jizhou basically took all the credit for me?

"Also, our family heard from Uncle Xinjian that Mr. Zhang and Marquis An Bian will visit Shenyang City in person in a few days, and they may bring a Chinese army along... Lu Zhongcheng, we must hurry up." Zhang Yong Look very excited.

There is probably a feeling that Shenyang needs a gathering of talents.

Lu Wan said: "There is nothing wrong with Jizhou people this time."

Zhang Yong shook his head and said, "Who knows? Mr. Zhang may transfer a group of people from Jizhou to cooperate with him when he goes north... Don't say that Lu Zhongcheng said it from our family, our family only heard some gossip."

"Where did the gossip come from?" Lu Wan frowned.

Zhang Yongdao: "Of course it came from the court."

Lu Wan took a breath.

He suddenly realized that he was the one with no foundation in the court, and everything depended on Zhang Zhou's appreciation and support.

Not only did Zhang Yong have military merits, but he was also endorsed and supported by big bosses in the court. Even if Zhang Yong returned to the capital, he probably started as a eunuch of the Imperial Horse Supervisor... Lu Wan suddenly realized how important military merits are to him.

……

……

On the morning of February 2000th, Wang Shouren took the troops from the Beijing camp he brought with him, and cooperated with more than [-] fine cavalry selected from Shenyang, Liaodong, with two horses per man, [-] light guns and [-] improved rifles. Mother artillery, embarked on a journey.

His goal is clear.

Send troops directly from Yahuguan Pass, and directly attack Hetuala City, the old nest of Jianzhou's guards, from the South Road.

When Wang Shouren went out to fight, he didn't even explain his purpose clearly to Lu Wan and Zhang Yong, what he was after was a surprise victory.

After Lu Wan and Zhang Yong personally participated in Wang Shouren's swearing-in, Zhang Yong was still muttering when he came back: "He said he was going to go out of Yahu Pass, so he didn't mean to go directly to the main city of the Jurchen?"

Lu Wandao: "After the capture, we have nothing to do."

"Hehe." Zhang Yong didn't seem very worried, "The Jurchens have at least six or seven thousand regular soldiers around the main city. If you add those temporary recruits and those who can hold weapons, you can make up two or three thousand soldiers." Ten thousand people are not a problem. It is still a bit difficult to directly capture cities with 3 people."

Lu Wan sighed: "But until now, His Majesty has not asked us to send troops..."

Zhang Yongdao: "Speaking of it is quite anxious. How about... let's find a way to remind me?"

"Who are you urging?" Lu Wan frowned.

"Of course you can't urge His Majesty, but Mr. Zhang, hasn't he left Shanhaiguan? Or he doesn't want to go to the front line at all, and deliberately waits for us to solve the problem?"

Although Zhang Yong admired Zhang Zhou very much.

But from his point of view, he felt that since Zhang Zhou was already the Duke of Lai, he was still the number one capable man around the emperor, so why should he go to battle in person?
Besides, there are so many powerful people in Liaodong, and it is not Dayan Khan who has 10,000+ elites, but Jianzhou Jurchen, which is not worth the risk now.

It is best for the people below to finish the battle, and Zhang Zhou himself can lead the military exploits in the rear.

……

……

Two days later, Wang Shouren led his troops out of Yahu Pass.

It was on the day he left Yahu Pass that he received news from Duobi City... Tang Yin was still alive and the city hadn't been captured, but the situation was very bad.

Qianhu Anruning, the general defending the Yahu Pass, said: "The merchants from the Dong'e tribe said that a few days ago, they saw Jurchen troops gathering in the direction of Duobi City, and said that almost one of them had been guarded in the city. Halfway through the month, if the food was not raided by the defenders in the city to go back, the food would have been exhausted long ago."

"What now?" Wang Shouren frowned.

An Runing shook his head: "I don't know now. After North Korea sent troops, the Jurchen tribes, especially those with cottages, stepped up their defenses. There is no food production in winter, and even hunting has stopped. It seems that they are waiting for this The result of the First World War."

Wang Shouren said coldly: "The result of this battle is to annihilate them all. From now on, Jianzhou will no longer set up prison guards. From now on, the north of Liaodong will also be the territory directly under my Ming Dynasty. The local officials will be changed to Liu officials."

"This……"

An Runing was obviously not qualified to ask about such important military affairs, so he just received Wang Shouren a little bit, and sent Wang Shouren off to the expedition.

"Tomorrow Yahuguan will send troops together, go east, and stop after hitting one or two villages." Wang Shouren arranged tactics.

An Runing hastily said: "Uncle Xinjian, forgive me, but I don't have such authority to dispatch troops in humble positions."

Wang Shouren said: "Just listen to me. Even if there is any accident in this battle, if you withdraw to the Yahu Pass, the Jurchens will not dare to attack... Even if they do come, and the Yahu Pass is breached, it is definitely not you fault."

"Then...that humble official takes orders."

An Runing didn't know whether Wang Shouren was qualified to issue such an order.

However, the generals in Liaodong, especially the military households far away from the emperor, never had the opportunity to migrate south of Shanhaiguan.

This is why Liaodong soldiers are willing to follow Wang Shouren to the expedition.

It is that people go to high places and water flows to low places.

……

……

Wang Shouren thought that he could use the routine he used to deal with the Weining Haihuo Screening Department and go straight to Hetuala.

But he miscalculated.

Wang Shouren also made mistakes.

It's not that his tactics are bad...but that his environment doesn't allow it.

When he led his troops out of Yahu Pass, he found that the terrain of Jianzhou was far more complicated than he had imagined.

It was also because the Liaohe Plain was occupied by the Ming Dynasty, and Jianzhouwei was only in the mountains and valleys next to the plain. There were many rivers here, and the rivers were rushing. Even though it was still freezing cold, the ice surface was very thin. Horses simply could not carry artillery through.

And then the road is too difficult to walk.

There are many mountains, and the ups and downs, even if there are horses, the speed of the team after passing the Yaful Pass is not even as fast as the infantry.

Originally, they were carefully preparing for the surprise attack, thinking that Hetuala could be reached in two days at most, but it snowed again the next day, making the road even more difficult.

Moreover, their whereabouts were discovered by sentries hiding in various places... The plan of the surprise attack was in vain.

When the general Li Ling was marching that night, he went directly to ask Wang Shouren for instructions: "Major General, although Hetuala is less than [-] miles away, it will take a day to arrive. If we attack by force, there is no way to get there." With help from everywhere, our situation will be very difficult."

Li Ling never went to Weininghai with Wang Shouren.

But Li Ling is a member of the Datong faction. He was transferred to the Beijing camp to train artillery, but he is not from the Yanwutang, he is equivalent to a marginal person in the Yanwutang.

If it weren't for being transferred to Liaodong to follow Lu Wan to the grasslands, he might also have the opportunity to enter the Yanwu Hall.

Li Ling also wanted to make contributions, but he seemed very wise, not as impulsive and courageous as Wang Shouren's use of troops.

Wang Shouren looked at the surrounding silver-covered forests, and said, "I have passed four or five strongholds along the way, and none of them have been pulled out. Do you want me to pull out those strongholds step by step? If this continues, I'm afraid it will take a month or two." , and may not be able to rush to the city of Dowall."

Li Ling followed the guide of the Jianzhou Guard, and he said: "You two military masters, it's not that you deliberately tripped up. Our place's large army is not as good as a small group of people. Especially the Jurchen, their horses don't know Why, it is easier than others to go through the dense forest... we must be careful of being attacked by someone."

Wang Shouren said: "The plan remains the same. We will be stationed tonight, and we will head towards Jianzhou Acropolis tomorrow morning, and attack the city before sunset!"

……

……

The ideal is always very happy.

But the changes came faster than Wang Shouren imagined.

Before Hetuala arrived, more than 2000 cavalry from the Jianzhou Guard had already arrived from Hetuala, as if they were going to fight Wang Shouren in a decisive battle.

Originally, even the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty thought that the Jurchens were suicidal.

But when Wang Shouren surveyed the terrain in front of him, he found that the mountains were so undulating that he couldn't even hit them with artillery. In addition, the Jianzhou guard cavalry were scattered everywhere to ambush...

Wang Shouren began to understand that Jianzhou Wei wanted to fight guerrilla warfare with him, so even if he could reach Hetuala through the terrain in front, he would lose troops, not a few.

(End of this chapter)