Zhu Yuanzhang in the cellar

Chapter 308 Close the door and beat the dog
On the walls of Beijing, the Qing army was on high alert.

The people who were queuing to enter the city outside finally understood why the city gates were closed.

They had previously dispersed from their queue because the Qing army had closed the city gates and ordered them not to approach, but they still lingered around the city gates, waiting for them to open.

However, just as some people sensed something was wrong and left early, while others were still observing, a large group of people suddenly appeared in the south.

Unlike the Qing army's colorful full-body cotton armor and pointed hats, the Ming soldiers' attire was simply a padded inner jacket, an outer cloth armor, and a conical helmet, commonly known as a flying saucer hat.

Although more than a decade had passed since the Manchus occupied the Central Plains, and the Han people had long forgotten the Ming soldiers' attire, they saw the Qing soldiers' uniforms every day.

Upon discovering an army that was clearly different from the Qing army, and considering the unusual behavior of the Qing army in the city that began this morning, it was obvious what was going on.

Upon seeing the arrival of the Ming army from afar, the people scattered and fled in all directions, and the area inside and outside Yongding Gate in the southern part of Beijing was quickly emptied.

The vanguard was naturally led by Li Dingguo, Bai Wenxuan, and the thirteen families of Kuidong.

After arriving at their destination, they set up camp on the spot, which was roughly in the area of ​​Dahongmen, south of Yongdingmen in later times, about four kilometers away from the city.

Although these places flourished in later generations, in ancient times, apart from Yongdingmen, the areas inside and outside Zuo'anmen and You'anmen were desolate wastelands with no inhabitants, only some handicraft workshops.

As a result, the surrounding area is visibly desolate, overgrown with weeds and shaded by trees. Various wild animals can be seen from time to time. Apart from the relatively well-maintained roads and transportation, it is just a wilderness.

The Ming army set up camp here, about seven or eight li to the east and seven or eight li to the west, which roughly controlled the Dongtieying Street, Linhong Road, and Jiaomen Road in what would later become Beijing.

The Liangshui River flows through the camp, and a large contingent of Ming troops went upstream along the Liangshui River to control the upper reaches and prevent the Qing army from poisoning the river.

This tactic is an old tradition, used as early as the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, and there were also several instances of poisoning the Jin army during the Southern Song Dynasty.

Moreover, even if the Qing army did not poison the water, it would still be troublesome if the Tartars controlled the water source and cut off the water flow, leaving the Ming army without drinking water. Therefore, controlling the upstream of the water source was inevitable.

The Ming army moved in an orderly manner, while the Qing army on the city wall continuously carried supplies onto the wall, including gunpowder, rolling stones, logs, lime and other items.

People were constantly moving up and down the city walls. The Qing army commander, Ebilun, wearing armor and with his famous Ebilun sword hanging at his waist, kept shouting, "Hurry up!"

Qing troops came and went around the city, and soon a large amount of defensive equipment was piled up on the city wall. One after another, red-coated cannons were pushed to the crenellations and their direction was adjusted to aim at the Ming army camp.

However, the distance is too far, exceeding the range of the red-coated cannons, so for now, the cannons are only being adjusted to prepare for a surprise attack on Yongdingmen.

Both sides were very busy from noon to evening.

The Qing army was busy piling up supplies on the city walls in preparation for defending the city, while the Ming army was busy setting up camp. The two sides seemed to be doing their own thing and not interfering with each other.

No one even went out of the city to negotiate. Both sides understood each other's bottom line and knew what the outcome would be, so they maintained a tacit understanding—it was a fight to the death!
soon.

The sky gradually darkened.

The Ming army built simple fortifications, with tents densely packed together, blocking out the sky and stretching as far as the eye could see.

Around 7 p.m., at the end of the 5-7 p.m., Old Zhu's group finally arrived in the southern suburbs of Beijing, roughly the area around Heyi Street and Donggaodi Park in modern Beijing.

When I got out of the car, it wasn't completely dark yet; the world was shrouded in a gray haze. A bright moon rose in the east, and twinkling stars adorned the night sky, making it dazzling and radiant.

A gentle spring breeze blew, lifting Zhu Yuanzhang's long hair that hung down his temples and the hem of his dragon robe, giving him an indescribably graceful appearance.

Old Zhu looked around; the soldiers around him stood still, waiting for his orders.

"Have Fu Youde and Feng Sheng come over."

"Yes."

Jiang Huan, who was standing nearby, agreed.

He then used a walkie-talkie to contact several generals.

When Zhu Di came to the Southern Ming Dynasty, he brought with him Zhu Di, Xu Da, Li Wenzhong, Fu Youde, Feng Sheng, Lan Yu, Tang Shengzong, and Lu Zhongheng.

These individuals were among the top-ranking generals in the founding of the Hongwu Emperor's dynasty, and their abilities and strength were beyond question.

At this moment, Zhu Di led a Ming army to Shaanxi and then Shanxi. Wu Sangui had been driven to Xuanfu. Zhu Di was seizing the time to capture Xuanfu and cut off the Qing army's retreat.

Xu Da stayed in Yunnan, Li Wenzhong stayed in Nanjing, and Zhu De was accompanied by Fu Youde, Feng Sheng, Lan Yu, Tang Shengzong, Lu Zhongheng and a few others.

Before long, Fu Youde and Feng Sheng in front, and Lan Yu, Tang Shengzong and Lu Zhongheng behind, all rode up to them.

Upon approaching, they all dismounted, knelt on one knee, and said, "Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty."

"Well, get up."

Old Zhu waved his hand.

Zhu Yunfeng then took out a table and chairs from under the car next to him.

This vehicle has been modified to resemble a large RV. Except for the fact that it cannot start without power, it has everything inside, including a bedroom, shower room, toilet, air conditioner, refrigerator, and projector.

There is also a large luggage space below, which is filled with various tables, chairs and benches. There is even a sunshade that can be opened on the side of the vehicle, so you can camp outdoors.

After the tables and chairs were set up, Old Zhu sat in the main seat, tapped the table, and said, "Come and sit down, everyone."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Several people gathered around and sat down to one side.

Zhu Yunfeng also sat down next to Lao Zhu, placing his laptop, tablet, and several bottles of chilled Red Bull and other beverages on it.

Although the car couldn't start without gasoline and a charging station, the solar charging panels and battery on it could store electricity when not in use, powering the refrigerator and air conditioner, thus ensuring the comfort of Lao Zhu and Zhu Yunfeng.

Old Zhu opened a bottle of Red Bull, took a sip, and felt the cool sensation. He smiled and said, "When you're traveling, without high-speed rail, airplanes, or trains, it's good to drink some of this to refresh yourself."

"Yes, the taste is quite good."

“We can drink it normally, but unfortunately we don’t have a refrigerator, so we can only occasionally ask His Majesty to give us a bottle or two.”

"Thinking back to how tough it was fighting in the war, there was never any iced drink available back then."

The group laughed and joked as they picked up chilled Red Bulls and started drinking.

As founding generals of the Hongwu Emperor, their later fate and end were naturally clear to them. Therefore, by clinging to Zhu Biao's coattails, they were now spared from the danger of losing their lives.

With their lives no longer in danger, and still serving as generals of the Hongwu Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang was the first to enjoy modern-day benefits, and they were naturally the second group to receive them.

Today, Hongwu World is vigorously developing thermal power, and is even building nuclear power plants. Nanjing no longer has a shortage of electricity.

Every household in the area has purchased various modern appliances, such as refrigerators, air conditioners, and color TVs. They have also carried out modern renovations, providing employment opportunities for the modern community while also enhancing their own comfort.

So they don't lack luxury goods, such as all kinds of beverages, expensive wines, and clothing.

They even secretly acquired some luxury cars and expensive watches in modern times, showing signs of corruption.

But from another perspective, Old Zhu was happy to let them do it this way.

As the saying goes, "We'll drink from the golden cup together, but show no mercy to those with sharp blades," as long as you behave and don't cause trouble, wealth and honor will be bestowed upon you without question.

Besides, the Ming Dynasty is not short of money now.

Because the Ming Dynasty traded with modern my country using resources from the entire world. Theoretically speaking, the entire Hongwu world belonged to the Ming Dynasty; it was just that other countries temporarily retained control.

When the ships and cannons of the Ming Dynasty arrived, it was officially incorporated into the rule of the Ming Dynasty. The entire East Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia are now part of the Ming Dynasty's territory.

Everyone knows how abundant Australia's resources are. In addition, the Ming army has already marched into the Middle East and seized a large amount of crude oil from the Middle East for the Ming Dynasty. It can be said that the Ming Dynasty is falling into a resource trap from top to bottom.

Unfortunately, this resource trap is inexhaustible.

It is predicted that within the next two or three decades, the Hongwu Ming Dynasty will become a developed country, with a soaring GDP, a population of over 100 million, and per capita income several times higher than that of my country.

These official predictions posted on the forum have made the hundreds of thousands of engineers and architects who came to participate in the development extremely envious.

no way.

This is a matter of course.

The Ming Dynasty had a small population but abundant resources, and it fully embraced modern technology and industrial capabilities.

They've already become incredibly wealthy just from exporting resources, not to mention the development of industry within the Ming Dynasty itself, which will eventually sell industrial products to other countries and even other parts of the Ming world.

Therefore, under the influence of advanced productive forces, food and wealth will be continuously provided to the Ming Dynasty, and it is normal for these Hongwu generals to enjoy the benefits first.

Zhu took a sip of Red Bull, then picked up his tablet and said, "I've already spoken with the Fourth Prince. He's almost at Xuanfu. Zheng Chenggong has also been heading north and is about to reach Shanhaiguan. So the next step is to cut off Xifengkou and completely thwart the Tartars' intention to return to the pass."

"Right now, the Tartars are probably still thinking about fighting a decisive battle with our ancestors. Even if they can't win, they can retreat to the border. Little do they know that our ancestors' strategy was already to annihilate them."

Zhu Yunfeng, standing beside him, looked at the footage captured by the drone on his tablet and said with a smile.

"These cavalrymen are really troublesome. They'll definitely scatter and flee after the battle tomorrow. If we can't stop them, they'll run back. Why don't we launch a night raid on their camp?"

"No, they are too scattered. How easy is it to wipe them out in one go? If there is a change in one place, there will be changes everywhere. If they scatter and flee, it will be even more troublesome to kill them."

"How about we launch a feigned attack on the city tomorrow during the day, and then suddenly unleash a barrage of artillery and missiles when they've assembled, followed by an ambush to send them to their deaths?"

"This method is worth a try. It's just a matter of not knowing how the Tartars will deploy their artillery. But no matter how they deploy, it will be under our control. We can adjust the artillery accordingly."

"But in that case, we might still have to let Li Dingguo and his men attack the city first. Speaking of which, I quite like that kid Li Dingguo; he's quite capable in battle."

"Didn't His Majesty want them to accumulate combat experience? This might be an opportunity. After all, we can't rely on them for everything. What will happen if we leave?"

The generals immediately began to discuss and brainstorm ideas.

Actually, taking Beijing was easy, but annihilating the Qing army was a real challenge.

In the Battle of Chongqing and the subsequent battles in Jiangnan, the main force of the Qing Dynasty was basically annihilated.

Shang Kexi, Geng Jimao and others died, and the governors-general and governors of the Qing army in various places, as well as the garrisoned Eight Banners, were almost completely wiped out.

At this time, Beijing and its surrounding areas only had more than 200,000 Green Standard Army soldiers temporarily recruited, plus tens of thousands of Green Standard Army soldiers and 40,000 Manchu Eight Banner soldiers who were originally in Beijing.

Then there were the border troops recalled from beyond the Great Wall and Mongolia, the Eight Banners and Green Standard Army stationed there, and the Mongolian reinforcements that were almost tricked into coming from Mongolia, totaling about 100,000 men.

Finally, there was Wu Sangui's Guan Ning cavalry.

This guy can really run fast.

He traveled from Yunnan to Sichuan, then from Sichuan to Shaanxi and Shanxi, and now he has reached Xuanfu, covering a total distance of more than 2,000 kilometers. He is only 100 kilometers away from Changping, Beijing. It can be said that he has traveled from south to north through most of China.

Basically, all things considered, the total strength of the Qing army was approximately 400,000. This was far stronger than the situation at the end of the Ming Dynasty, when Emperor Chongzhen had virtually no army.

After all, the Ming Dynasty was already rotten to the core, gradually corrupted to such an extent that it was beyond repair.

The Qing Dynasty, on the other hand, was founded when the country was relatively strong. The capital, which was suddenly attacked, was not as powerful as the late Ming Dynasty in terms of national strength, officialdom, or the general populace. Naturally, it still had some strength and means.

Zhu's side actually had fewer troops than the Ming army.

The Southern Ming army was divided into numerous warlord factions, including Li Dingguo, Bai Wenxuan, the Thirteen Families of Kuidong, the Tusi (local chieftains) of the Southwest, the rebel armies of various places in Jiangnan, and Zheng Chenggong. There were hundreds of forces of all sizes, with a total number of about 200,000 people.

The troops were not only scattered but also lacked unified command, and basically fought independently.

If Zhu De hadn't united them into a cohesive force and temporarily placed Li Dingguo and Bai Wenxuan in command, it would have been uncertain whether they could have won against Yue Le's 30,000 Qing cavalry.

At present, there are about 200,000 Green Standard Army troops guarding the city of Beijing, and a large number of cavalry are also deployed in the surrounding areas such as Changping, Shunyi, Sanhe, Wanping, and Yanqing.

Since cavalry were unable to defend cities, using them for surprise attacks in the open was a common tactic employed by the Manchus.

So how to deal with these cavalrymen as well is a problem.

Zhu Di sent Zhu Di to Xuanfu to cut off the route from Zhangjiakou to southern Mongolia. Zheng Chenggong went to Shanhaiguan to cut off the route from the Tartars to Liaodong.

However, there are more than just Xuanfu and Shanhaiguan around Beijing. These two roads are just the best main roads. In addition, there are Xifengkou, Gubeikou, Zhuangdaokou, Baimaguan, Qiangzilu and other exit channels.

Blocking all the passages and pulling the strings is no easy task.

Therefore, what Zhu Yuanzhang needs to consider now is how to achieve a complete victory in one battle, or even if he doesn't annihilate the Tartars in one go, how to intercept them after they escape.

Old Zhu pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly and said, "Lan Yu's idea is good. Starting tomorrow, let Li Dingguo and the others launch a feigned attack on the city to force the Tartar cavalry in the north to assemble and defend. But that's not safe enough. You will each take a thousand men to the various passes in the north to occupy them and prevent the Tartars from escaping. Even if the Tartars flee south, it doesn't matter. What I want is to keep all the Tartars inside the pass. After we eliminate the main Tartar force, we can deal with the few stragglers slowly."

"That's right, you have to close the door to beat the dog."

Zhu Yunfeng chimed in, "We can also use artillery to attack Yongding Gate, bombarding it a few times with low power to constantly put pressure on the Tartars and force them to call in reinforcements. The more Tartars there are in Beijing, the more effectively we can beat them."

"Hahahahahaha."

Old Zhu laughed and said, "Absolutely, absolutely! I almost forgot about the strategy of besieging a point to attack reinforcements, but Yunfeng..."

"Ok?"

"If Pipi listened to what you said, she would probably be unhappy."

"Eh."

Zhu Yunfeng suddenly remembered Pipi.

Pipi is an old dog, twelve years old this year. Although he is well cared for, the fur on his face has turned white.

So he said quietly, "I miss my Pipi a little. Let's finish this game and go back soon."

"Yes, I miss the Empress too. Let's finish this quickly and go home."

Old Zhu looked up at the night sky.

Actually, he hadn't seen Empress Ma for only half a year.

Because he came to Nanming in August, and it is only February of the following year.

But a day apart feels like three autumns; if you calculate it this way, it's been hundreds of years since we last met, and I really miss it.

Let's finish playing and go home as soon as possible.

Old Zhu saw that night had already fallen, a silver moon hung high in the sky, stars twinkled, and a gentle breeze was blowing, making him feel relaxed and happy. He couldn't help but think of his home far away.

(End of this chapter)