nanming man

Chapter 543
Shangqiu and Xuzhou were besieged, and Jiangbei Governor Gao Mingheng did not want to rescue them. In fact, he had already ordered Xu Dingguo and Liu Zeqing to reinforce the front line of Xuzhou and restrain the Qing army from attacking the city. However, the warlords of the two towns used various excuses to shirk. Advance, but burned the ships, and retreated the soldiers and horses north of the Huaihe River to the south of the Huaihe River.

Although Gao Mingheng was a supervisor, he couldn't command these warlords, and he didn't have many troops to mobilize. Except for Gao Jie's army in Xuzhou, there was only a direct descendant of more than [-] around him.

Now Xuzhou and Shangqiu are under siege, and the two towns along the Huaihe River are not very obedient. Gao Yihuan also sent him a message, asking him to guard against the two towns' rebellion, which made Gao Mingheng even more afraid to send troops to Xuzhou.

This Gao Yihuan didn't know what was on his mind. He had hundreds of thousands of soldiers in his hands, but he didn't move in secret. He reminded himself to guard against the betrayal of Xu Dingguo and Liu Zeqing, but he didn't give any substantive evidence. He was simply insane.

If Gao Yihuan hadn't sent him a lot of firearms, Gao Mingheng would have suspected that this family had ulterior motives.

Gao Yihuan's words caused Gao Mingheng to have doubts about the defense of the Huaihe line, so he did not dare to transfer his direct descendants, and Huang Degong, who was relatively obedient, to the front line. big problem.

Gao Mingheng wanted to go to Xuzhou, but he also knew that the Ming army was not an opponent of the Qing army in field battles. He might be surrounded by the Qing army for reinforcements if he sent troops there, so he could only give up the reinforcements and focus on operating the front line of Yangzhou, leaving himself a few cards.

To reach Yangzhou, the Qing army had to break through the Xuzhou and Huaihe lines of defense. He believed that as long as the last line of defense in Jiangbei was strong enough, it would be able to stop the exhausted Qing army.

Therefore, Gao Mingheng strengthened the defense of Yangzhou, mobilized the navy, and at the same time played to the court, urging Gao Yihuan to march in order to ensure that the Qing army could be stopped.

This battle is extremely important for the Nanjing court. As long as the Qing army is blocked, the Nanjing court will be able to stabilize its position.

Gao Mingheng went all out for this, but at the same time resisting the Qing army, he did not forget to remind Zhu Cihong from Shangshu that at all costs, Gao Jingzhong must be sent to join the war as soon as possible, and Gao Jingzhong should not be allowed to reap the benefits.

On October [-]th, the wind on the Huai River was cold, the sky was overcast, and snowflakes began to fall. The soldiers of the Ming army patrolling along the river looked up at the sky, and their expressions changed drastically.

At the end of October and the beginning of November, the weather on both sides of the Huaijiang River has turned cold, and the first heavy snowfall since winter began.

It is said that auspicious snow heralds a good year, and people should be happy, but the Ming army on the south bank of the Huai River is as mournful as a concubine.

It has been two months since the Qing army invaded the south. During this time, except for the two isolated cities of Xuzhou and Shangqiu in the north of the Huaijiang River, all other counties have fallen. It can be said that the war is raging.

At this time, south of the Huaihe River is another world. The atmosphere in each government is tense and depressing, but it is still peaceful.

There is such a difference because the Huai River blocked the Qing army on the north bank, making it impossible for the Qing army to cross and plunder on the south bank.

Now that the weather has become colder, the Huaihe River may freeze at any time, and once the Huaihe River freezes, the Huaijiang River can be crossed everywhere for thousands of miles. If the Qing army wants to go south, it will be impossible to prevent it.

On the third day of November, snowflakes have been falling for four consecutive days, and the Huaijiang River began to show signs of freezing.

At this time, beside the wharf of Huai'an City, there was heavy snow in the sky, and the officers and soldiers of the Jiangshui Division jumped onto the warships docked on the shore one after another, and began to pull up the anchor and prepare to raise the sails.

Zheng Hongkui, chief officer of the Jiang Waterproof Division, stood at the bow of the ship in armor, turned to his nephew Zheng Sen and said, "Damu, except for the warship, all other ships on the dock must be taken away."

Zheng Sen, who was wearing a suit of armor, said: "Don't worry, Commander, the last general will do it!"

After Qian Qianyi was imprisoned, Zheng Sen ended his studies in the Imperial College, but he did not return to Fujian, but went to Zhenjiang to join his fourth uncle Zheng Hongkui.

Originally, Zheng Hongkui didn't want to keep him. After all, Zheng Sen wanted to inherit the great business of the Zheng family, and that's not what he should learn. Play with the teacher.

Now the Huaihe River is about to freeze, and the navy will continue to stay in Huai'an. Once it is frozen, it can only be slaughtered. Therefore, Zheng Hongkui obeyed Gao Mingheng's order and prepared to raise anchor and sail back to Zhenjiang for defense.

If Jiangbei is completely lost, the Jiangshui division will be the last line of defense in Nanjing.

At this time, there was a sound of horseshoes, and a group of horsemen guarding a general was galloping forward, and behind them were a large number of soldiers with helmets on their heads and holding spears, running in line, looking murderous.

The first general was Dongping Bo Liu Zeqing, the great warlord stationed in Huai'an. He wore a phoenix-winged iron helmet on his head, a full-body armor that reached to his ankles, and a sword hanging from his waist. He galloped to the pier and reined in his horse. He asked in a deep voice, "Zheng Zongbing, what are you doing?"

Zheng Hongkui frowned slightly, gestured to Zheng Sen, and then stood on the side of the boat, "Marshal Liu, the Huaijiang River is about to freeze. Mr. Zheng was ordered by the senior supervisor to retreat to Zhenjiang, and then go north to help defend the Huaihe River after it thaws."

Holding the saber in one hand, Liu Zeqing said with a stern face, "No! What will happen to Huai'an City if the navy is gone! You must stay in Huai'an and help me defend the city!"

"This is the military order of the high governor. Besides, I am not under your control!" Zheng Hongkui was a little unhappy, what should he do if the ship is frozen when he stays in Huai'an?
After Zheng Hongkui finished speaking, he turned his head and said, "Start the boat!"

Liu Zeqing was furious, "In my territory, I am qualified to manage it!"

As he spoke, he waved his hand, and the soldiers and horses behind him were about to step forward to snatch the boat, but the boat stretched out a long pole and propped it on the shore, and the boat left the shore soon.

Zheng Sen saw that there were still many ships by the pier that were too late to take away, so he immediately made up his mind, "Fire the rockets and burn the ships!"

The soldiers on the warship immediately fired rockets and set the ships docked at the pier on fire.

Liu's soldiers were furious, but the boat went down the river and quickly picked up speed. Liu's soldiers could only stand on the shore and cursed, shooting arrows at the boat.

Liu Zeqing watched the soldiers chasing the ship, but the ship was as fast as a galloping horse, and his expression was gloomy. He originally wanted to keep the navy and take the opportunity to annex the troops, but he didn't want them to arrest them, and several ships were burned.

"Marshal, the navy is gone, what should we do?" Bai Yongfu looked at Liu Zeqing and asked.

Liu Zeqing's cheeks twitched, "The army has retreated into the city!"

After the Jianghuai division left, the weather along the Huaihe River became colder, and the Jianghuai region has entered a severe winter.

On November [-]th, hundreds of Ming soldiers stood on the frozen Huaihe River, hitting the ice with hoes and shovels. An old soldier slammed it a few times, stood up and said, "Hundreds of households will end in one night." It's seven inches thick, so it's useless for us to do it this way."

While talking, there was a slight tremor on the ice, hundreds of soldiers couldn't help standing upright, looking to the north, their expressions suddenly changed, and the first hundred households threw away their shovels and walked away~

"The Tartars are coming, run!" Hundreds of figures on the Huai River ran desperately, screaming in panic~

(End of this chapter)