Both personnel and materials are enough to support this battle. Let alone 40,000 enemies, even if there are more, they will not be able to break through the Dongjiang Army's full defense.
In view of the fact that the Ming army in Liao Town was fearful of the enemy, Guo Dajing considered relying on the strength of Dongjiang Town to withstand the Jianlu attack on his own, although the possibility was very slim.
In other words, Dongjiang Town may be able to resist 60,000 to 70,000 Jianlu and Mongolian soldiers. This is of course a severe test, but Guo Dajing is at least 50 to 60% sure.
The biggest advantage of the Dongjiang Army's defense lies in its solid fortifications and sharp weapons. According to the usual ratio of offense and defense, it can withstand twice or three times the number of enemies.
Now that the enemy and our forces are equal in strength and the gap in weapons is even more obvious, Guo Dajing is more confident in winning.
Standing on the high general platform, even without a telescope, the situation of the enemy and ourselves in the defense area can be clearly seen.
Breathing out the thick white mist, Guo Dajing stood upright with his back straight, his hand pressing the hilt of the knife at his waist, and his helmet tassel fluttering in the wind, like a picture of an iron horse fighting.
Times have changed, Jianlu will be defeated, and it will be a disastrous defeat.
Guo Dajing pursed his lips slightly, narrowed his eyes, and revealed a sneer.
And - Guo Dajing turned towards the capital, his sneer containing contempt.
Chongzhen, what you can't see is that the Dongjiang officers and soldiers who have been deprived of food and pay are about to start a bloody battle with Jianlu.
It's not for your throne, it's not for your throne, they are for survival, they are protecting their homes and their loved ones.
I can’t see the heroic soldiers fighting for the country, I can’t see the hungry people everywhere waiting for food, I can’t see the crumbling Ming Dynasty...
Hide in the magnificent palace, dream of your wise dream, and run towards the lonely road of death!
Guo Dajing ordered the messengers to wave the flags. In the cold wind, the flags were waved, which elicited responses from the defenders below with flags waving, as well as the roar of mountains and tsunami of "Victory, Might".
Winning, mighty.
Guo Dajing's chest filled with pride, he slowly drew out his saber, pointed it forward with all his might, and it seemed that he could chop the incoming prisoner into pieces with one blow.
………………
Capital.
Chongzhen in the palace was still "diligently" handling government affairs, but he didn't know that the Ming Dynasty was already in crisis, and he was accelerating the process of the building's collapse.
The common people didn't care whether the emperor was diligent or extravagant. The affairs in the Forbidden City had nothing to do with them. They only cared about their own belly and their own lives.
Whether it's the disaster in the northwest, the hard-working people in other places, or the people in the capital, the people all have the same thoughts.
He Guizhong had just placed three sentinels sent from Dalian. He didn't know the specific tasks, but he could tell that these three people were smart and capable.
He did not know that these three people were sent to Zunhua, Santunying and other places to survey the terrain, which would be the main battlefields of next year's war.
Pushing open the courtyard door, He Guizhong walked in. The light snow that had just fallen in the courtyard had been swept away and piled up in the corner.
He Guizhong was used to it and walked straight through the courtyard without looking at the business situation in the front hall and entered his room.
Taking out the secret letter, He Guizhong sat at the table and baked it on a candle. When the handwriting appeared on the back of the letter paper, he read it carefully.
A very simple way to write secretly is to write it with milk and it will be almost invisible after it dries. The simplest way to reveal the characters is to bake it with fire.
There was a gentle knock on the door, and He Guizhong quickly put the secret message under a book, coughed dryly, and said, "Come in!"
Xiaocui walked in with tea in her hands, her expression was respectful, she came forward, offered the fragrant tea, and said softly: "Shopkeeper, please use the tea."
He Guizhong's face softened slightly, he chinned slightly, took the teapot, poured the tea himself, and said, "Is Xiaolong feeling better?"
Xiaocui hurriedly bowed and said, "It's already done. He helped sweep the snow in the courtyard."
He Guizhong drank tea and said slowly: "We are still fellow villagers. We don't have to worry about driving you away. We are happy to work here, but we must abide by the rules."
"Thank you, boss." Xiaocui was overjoyed. After saying thank you, she changed her words and said, "Thank you, master. I will send my younger brother over now to thank you for your kindness."
Finally having a place to live, Xiaocui is willing to work as a slave or a maid for the sake of her brothers. Moreover, through observation over the past few days, it turns out that this shopkeeper is not only from Liaodong, but also very easy to get along with.
Now that she has received the promise, Xiaocui is completely relieved, feeling both happy and grateful.
He Guizhong waved his hand and said: "There is no need to come here in a hurry. Let him take good care of him and wait until he is well again."
He turned around and looked at Xiao Cui. She was a very thin girl, but her features were not ugly, but her clothes were a bit shabby.
He Guizhong reached out and took out two pieces of broken silver, handed them to Xiaocui, and said: "Let Awang take you to buy some clothes tomorrow. I usually help in the front hall. I don't need anyone to wait on you here."
Xiaocui also felt that she was dressed in a very disgraceful manner, biting her lips slightly in embarrassment and twisting the corners of her clothes so hard that her fingernails turned white.
There is no need to talk about wages, food and accommodation are provided, and there is no need to endure hunger and displacement in the ice and snow. This is Xiaocui's greatest happiness.
Moreover, she felt that she couldn't do anything and was very useless. Cooking would taste more delicious than the chef in the front hall? Waiting on people, the boss said that it was not necessary.
"Okay, you go down!" He Guizhong said warmly: "From now on, you can still call me boss, no need to call me boss."
"Yes, the slave family knows." Xiaocui bowed and bowed before retreating.
He Guizhong looked at Xiaocui's back and sighed softly.
During the war in Liaodong, Liao people were destroyed and displaced, and even those who fled to the hinterland had a difficult life. Although the court had some resettlement measures, it could not take care of them all.
There should be many Liao citizens like Xiaocui and Xiaolong. However, the siblings were undoubtedly lucky to have met He Guizhong.
After gathering his emotions, He Guizhong took out the secret letter again, read it carefully, thought about it for a long time, lit it on the candle and burned it.
This is a letter written by Guo Dajing, explaining several tasks.
There are two most important points. One is to find a way to set up a contact point near Shanhaiguan, and preferably to establish a relationship with the officers and soldiers stationed there;
The second step is to make preparations to rescue or kidnap the eunuch Zhao Guang, that is, to find out the situation in Nanhaizi and arrange the manpower.
He Guizhong didn't quite understand Guo Dajing's intention, especially the eunuch Zhao Guang. Did he know any secrets in the palace, or was it of some use?
But this task is not difficult. Nanhaizi is not only a royal garden outside the capital, but also a place where eunuchs are assigned. Those eunuchs who are not in power guard the garden, take care of animals, and take care of flowers, plants and trees.
Because of this, the guards there were very lax. Unless the emperor's concubines went to escape the summer heat or go hunting, they would be closely guarded by the Forbidden Army.
Therefore, the disappearance of a few eunuchs is nothing. Maybe they just jumped into the "sea" and drowned!
As for setting up a liaison point in Shanhaiguan City, He Guizhong thought it would not be difficult. He didn't want to know Guo Dajing's deep meaning.
He Guizhong knew about the "King Qin" operation, but at that time it was just an idea. He did not expect that Guo Dajing was working so hard, spending manpower and financial resources, and really making various preparations.
Moreover, from Zunhua, Santunying, Qinhuangdao, to Shanhaiguan, and eunuch Zhao Guang, Guo Dajing's arrangements became more and more specific, and his appetite seemed to be getting bigger and bigger.
In addition to this more important task, Guo Dajing also asked He Guizhong to prepare for public opinion. Obviously, rumor-mongering, Guo Dajing's advantage project, must also start to be used in the capital of the Ming Dynasty.
He Guizhong sat at the table and thought for a long time, reorganized the work to be done, then stood up, got dressed, opened the door and walked out.
Find a few storytellers, and then arrange the manpower to spread rumors in teahouses and restaurants, or post leaflets. This is the idea proposed by Guo Dajing.
Although it is not now, He Guizhong must prepare in advance, within a month, which is the time limit set by Guo Dajing.
It should be the end of the Nanguan Defense War. If there is any news, let the court know or let the people in the capital know.
He Guizhong opened the door and walked out, preparing to go to another contact point in Beijing to hand over the work to them.
In the yard, Xiao Cui was burning charcoal, and the wind wheel was shaking vigorously. After the charcoal was burning, he used tongs to put it into the copper hot pot.
"Boss, do you want to go out?" Xiao Cui saw He Guizhong coming out and quickly stood up and said hello.
He Guizhong nodded and said, "Do your business, I'll go out to buy some things."
When he reached the courtyard gate, He Guizhong stopped again, turned around and said, "Let's have dinner with the guys. You don't have to wait for me to come back."
"Yes, the slave family understands." Xiao Cui bowed and agreed, waiting for He Guizhong to go out and closed the courtyard door.
After a while, Awang came from the front hall, and Xiaocui relayed what He Guizhong said. Awang nodded and took the hot pot to the diners.
"Sister." Xiaolong opened the door and walked out slowly.
Xiaocui hurried over to greet her and said with concern: "It's cold outside, what are you doing out here? Go back to the house quickly."
Xiaolong grinned and said, "The room is very stuffy. I'm going to come out and get some fresh air."
Xiaocui wrapped Xiaolong's cotton-padded jacket and told him, "Go to the charcoal fire, stay there for a while and then go back!"
Xiaolong's illness has not been cured, but he is no longer seriously injured. He is just weak. He was helped by his elder sister to the place where the charcoal was being burned. He felt warm and watched her busy work.
This should be the best year the siblings have ever spent. There are meatball dumplings, hot-boiled mutton, roast mutton, and other dishes that they can’t even name.
The more this happened, the more uneasy the siblings became. Xiaolong thought that after his illness was cured, people would no longer care about him, and there was nothing he could do.
Xiaocui had similar thoughts, although she didn't know whether Boss He took them in because of the pity of the Liaodong folks or because he had other motives.
But it was really frightening for her and her little brother to be homeless outside and suffer from hunger.
"Boss He said that we can stay in the future." Xiaocui shook the wind wheel vigorously and happily told her brother the good news, "Let me go to the front hall to do work."
Xiaolong laughed happily and asked, "What about me?"
Xiaocui didn't know, but she comforted her smoothly: "When you get better, Boss He will also arrange your work."
Xiaolong nodded vigorously. He was not afraid of hardship or exhaustion. He was only afraid of wandering without a fixed place and the feeling of going crazy with hunger.
Awang returned to the backyard with a hot pot. After changing the charcoal fire, he smiled and said to his sister and brother: "Use these charcoals first, so you don't have to work anymore."
"Thank you, Brother Wang." Xiaocui smiled and bowed to express his thanks.
Awang glanced at Xiaolong and said with a smile: "Boy, you look very energetic. I'll give you a bowl of hot noodle soup, and a few cloves of garlic, and you'll be sweating. Everything will be fine tomorrow."
Xiaolong quickly thanked him, watched Awang carry the hot pot to the front hall, and asked curiously: "Sister, he is also from Liaodong?"
Xiaocui said: "Yes, they are almost the same in this store."
"Is it because we are good to us because we are all from Liaodong?" Xiaolong guessed and said, "I think it must be like this."
Xiaocui was not sure, but when her younger brother said this, she nodded vigorously in agreement, making her younger brother happy.
Liaodong is a very distant name, and the impression of their hometown has become blurred over the years. The siblings only know that it has been occupied by the murderous Jianlu, and they can never go back.
But they didn't know that there was another piece of land in Liaodong where Liao people lived. Although it was not big, even though it was under the attack of Jianlu, the people lived better than them.
………………
Jianlu finally launched, with the Zhenglan Banner and two thousand Mongolian soldiers led by Mang Gurtai in the vanguard, the Dorgon brothers leading the two white banners behind, and Huang Taiji leading the rest of the troops to charge into the formation and rush to Nanguan in a mighty manner.
Tens of thousands of Jianlu and 5,000 Mongolian vassals, carrying more than half a month's worth of food and grass and thousands of carts and equipment, had a smooth journey and were not attacked or blocked by the Dongjiang Army.
After passing Xiaoheishan and Shiheyi, the Jianlu generals including Mang Gurtai heaved a sigh of relief.
The terrain here is relatively dangerous, and it was the battlefield where the two red flags were intercepted last time, resulting in heavy casualties. However, the enemy did not build a position here, let alone send troops to stop the attack.
Except for the roadblocks on the road and the few landmines planted, there are no other obstacles.
This situation is somewhat abnormal, but if you think about it carefully, it is not abnormal.
The enemy has obviously gathered its forces and is preparing to go all out at Nanguan to resist the attacking troops.
In other words, the enemy intends to fight to the death at the Nanguan Defense Line. For this reason, they do not want to lose their troops elsewhere.
"Is there any conspiracy to lure our troops deeper?" Huang Taiji had some doubts after leaving two thousand troops to garrison at Shiheyi. "It's like plagiarizing the retreat like the two red flags."
Fan Wencheng was also thinking about this problem. When he heard Huang Taiji's inquiry, he hurriedly said: "Back to King Khan, I think the possibility is unlikely. First of all, the sea water is frozen and it is very difficult for ships to dock; secondly, our army is in an important place."
Garrisoning troops ensured the safety of the retreat."
Huang Taiji left two to three thousand troops to garrison Gaizhou Acropolis, Xiongyue Station, Shihe Station and other offshore important places. Even tens of thousands of Dongjiang troops were able to resist.
The first point mentioned by Fan Wencheng is also very critical. Ice in the offshore sea makes landing very difficult.