Desert Eagle Suletan Khan

The weather was cold, and heavy snow was falling from the sky. Chen Zhanyuan, the governor of Jinzhou, led the yamen runners to the city wall again, carrying more than a dozen pots of hot fish soup and bean cakes. This governor was a good official who loved the people like his own children and never imposed extra taxes. In years of famine, he would rather not pay taxes than force the people. Wang Guotai, the general of Liaonan, intended to forcibly recruit the people to repair the city. He proposed that the soldiers catch fish and shrimps and use the nearby salt marshes to pickle dried fish as food for the laborers. This angered the general town, and he ordered the local officials to take the yamen runners to organize the fishermen to implement this matter as a disguised punishment. Others did not take it seriously, but he really took the yamen runners to take turns to catch fish and shrimps, pickle dried fish, and distribute them to the poor people and the soldiers guarding the city for free. Chen Zhizhou was not only good to the people, but also to the soldiers guarding the city. From time to time, he ordered people to boil fish soup, bake cakes, and reward the soldiers on the city wall.

"Governor, you are here", "Thank you, Governor" ... The soldiers guarding the city have become accustomed to the extra meals and expressed their gratitude one after another.

"Soldiers defend the city for the country, it's their duty~ their duty~" Chen Zhanyuan yelled with his neck stiffened like a country bumpkin, his voice was loud, and he had no official bearing. He was not an official, he was a farmer in Linhai, Zhejiang, and his father Chen Dade led the villagers to open up wasteland in Liaodong and was awarded the title of county magistrate. After his father died of acclimatization, he took over his father's position and became an official. Although he was an official, he never forgot his roots and was very good to the people.

Most of the soldiers were rough men. After expressing their thanks, they said nothing more. They took their bowls to drink soup and held bean cakes in their hands to eat. The prefect watched happily on the side.

"Zhou Zhi, look~" Suddenly a soldier guarding the city pointed outside the city and said to Chen Zhanyuan.

Chen Zhanyuan looked in the distance and saw a large army of several thousand people coming. However, due to the distance, he could not see the flags clearly.

"Could it be that His Royal Highness the King of Chu has returned in triumph?" the captain on duty asked doubtfully.

"No, His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu has only been gone for two months. Even if the Qing army in southern Liaoning does not stop fighting, it will take time to conquer Korea. Not so fast." Chen Zhanyuan frowned and said to the captain: "No matter where the troops come from, you must immediately organize the soldiers to prepare for the defense of the city. Without the order of me and Yang Youji, the city gates are not allowed to be opened. I will go to find Yang Youji." After saying that, he immediately rode his horse to the central army camp of Yang Hui. Although this man was a civil servant, he was a great horseman. After a while, he rushed to the central army camp. The camp was already in a panic.

"Why are you panicking?" Chen Zhanyuan asked.

One of Yang Hui's personal soldiers answered cryingly: "My general was invited by the Jin garrison to attend a banquet at Zhongzuo the day before yesterday. He was suspected to have been poisoned and died on his bed."

"What!" Chen Zhanyuan's forehead was buzzing. He tried to calm down and shouted, "This matter must be kept secret. Just tell others that the general is ill. Protect the general's body and don't let anyone get close. Quick! Beat the drum to gather the generals."

When the drums sounded, the generals who were not on duty rushed to the camp. Chen Zhanyuan told the generals about Yang Hui's death from poisoning, and asked them to keep it secret to avoid shaking the morale of the army. He also ordered all the officers to lead their troops to the city wall for defense. Because Yang Hui had always won the hearts of the army and the people, his subordinates were willing to obey his command. He also ordered the yamen runners to organize more than a thousand young and strong men in the city to help defend the city, so the military force was sufficient.

The Qing army came from afar and did not prepare sufficient siege equipment. After firing a few shots, they used ladders to climb the city wall. However, the people in the city burned the ladders with kerosene, resulting in dozens of casualties.

"Huh? Logically speaking, the enemy general should be dead by now, and the defenders should be in chaos, but it doesn't look like there's no one in command. Could it be that the enemy general is not dead?" Lai Tuku was puzzled and talked to himself.

"Don't worry, General. We have a lot of soldiers. The reason they haven't been able to capture the city is that they lack equipment. Once ladders, goose carts and other equipment are built, it will not be difficult to break through the city," said Mu Shenghui, the general of Yunyang.

"Encircle Jinzhou tightly and don't let anyone escape," Lai Tuku howled like a wolf.

The Qing army quickly built siege equipment, and Lai Tuku ordered the Eight Banners Han army under his command to dismount and shoot on foot to cover Mu Shenghui's infantry siege. However, due to the command of an honest official like Chen Zhanyuan, the people on the top of the city were united, and they could not capture the city even after several days of siege.

"I heard that the enemy general named Yang Hui was a brave but foolish man. I didn't expect that the rumor was not true and he is so good at defense!" Lai Tuku said with a bitter face.

"This is not Yang Hui's power. Jinzhou Governor Chen Zhanyuan has always loved the people like his own children and is very popular. With him here, the soldiers and civilians in the city will certainly obey his orders and it will be difficult to remove him," said Gu Si, the garrison commander of Fuzhou. "Haha, garrison commander Gu must have a way to break the city. Why don't you teach me?" Lai Tuku looked at Gu Si and smiled, a smile that was both cruel and encouraging.

"I have a plan, but I wonder if it's feasible? People in the city probably don't know about my rebellion yet. It would be better for me to lead the Fuzhou Camp to pretend to rescue and trick the city gates into opening," Gu Si suggested.

"Great idea! Let's do this," Lai Tuku trusted his employees and agreed immediately.

The next day, Mu Shenghui led his troops to attack the north city. Suddenly, the rear formation was in chaos, and a group of soldiers rushed to the north gate. Caught off guard, the Qing army outside the north gate was in chaos and was killed and dispersed by that group of soldiers.

"I am Gu Si, the garrison commander of Fuzhou. I am here to support Jinzhou on the orders of General Wang. General Wang's troops will be here soon. Open the city gate quickly," Gu Si shouted towards the city.

The sergeant reported to Chen Zhanyuan. Chen Zhizhou looked carefully and saw that it was really Gu Si himself. He asked, "Does Guard Gu know where these Qing troops came from?"

"I heard that the Dengzhou navy of the Qing army landed at the Shiheyi Wharf with some cavalry and infantry. After learning about it, General Wang ordered me to rescue them on a fast horse. His army will be here soon. Open the city gate quickly, it will be too late!" Gu Si shouted, and the Qing army's cavalry appeared faintly in the distance.

"Open the city gate!" Chen Zhanyuan no longer hesitated and ordered the city gate to be opened.

As soon as the gate was opened, the soldiers of Fuzhou Camp rushed in. When the last soldier entered, the captain guarding the gate was about to order the gate to be closed when Gu Si's sword arrived. It was so sharp that the sword light, which was condensed from countless deaths, cut off the captain's head. Gu Si's subordinates controlled the gate, "Jia~Jia~Jia~" Jin Zhong, the commander of the Han army with red flags, led 500 cavalrymen to rush in, followed by dense Qing troops.

"Traitor!" Chen Zhanyuan's eyes widened with anger, he drew his sword and rushed towards Gu Si.

"Chen Zhizhou, I know you are an honest official. Just surrender and I will spare your life," Gu Si sneered.

"Bah! The people of Jinzhou have finally had a peaceful life, but they are being tortured by you again," Chen Zhanyuan cursed and yelled.

After all, he was a civil servant, so how could he be a match for the military general who had killed countless people? After fighting for only a few rounds, Gu Si took advantage of an opportunity and killed him with one sword.

Xue Xun, Qu Zhonghe, Jin Jun, and Liu Guang led 60 warships to attack the Zhongzuo Guards' water fort and customs. They thought there would be a fierce battle, but the three sentry boats and eight warships converted from fishing boats fought in twos and threes, as if there was no one in charge. They were soon sunk by the Qing warships one by one. Some of them even raised the flag of surrender when they saw that they were in trouble. When Qu Zhonghe, the guerrilla of the Rongcheng Navy Camp, led his men to land in a small boat and entered the water fort, they found that Jinzhou garrison Jin Weifan had been dead in bed for a long time. No wonder the navy of the Guards was so vulnerable.

The 100 customs officers were originally set up by the Ministry of Revenue to collect taxes, and they were not very powerful. Under the bombardment of the Qing warships, their morale was shaken. Soon, Xue Xun and Qu Zhonghe led their troops to break through the city gate.

The entire territory of Jinzhou thus fell into the hands of the Qing army. (End of this chapter)