Chapter 27 Sweeping the World Northern Expedition to the Central Plains
Zhu Yuanzhang attacked Zhang Shicheng in October of the 25th year of Zhizheng (1365), and captured Tongzhou, Xinghua, Yancheng, Taizhou, Gaoyou, Huai'an, Xuzhou, Suzhou, and Anfeng counties in one fell swoop, driving out the forces of Soochow.
Jiangbei area.
In May of the 26th year of Zhengzhi, Zhu Yuanzhang issued a proclamation to denounce Zhang Shicheng. In November of the same year, Hangzhou and Huzhou surrendered to Zhu Yuanzhang, and Pingjiang became an isolated city. So Zhu Yuanzhang surrounded Pingjiang with heavy troops and launched the Battle of Pingjiang.
Zhang Shicheng was capricious, greedy for enjoyment, and very indulgent to his subordinates.
After Zhu Yuanzhang cut off Zhang Shicheng's wings and arms, he formed an encirclement of Pingjiang from the north, west and south, in order to implement his strategic policy of besieging Pingjiang and attacking its heart.
On November 25, the strategic deployment of the siege of Pingjiang was completed: Xu Da Tuen Fengmen, Chang Yuchun Tuen Huqiu, Guo Xing Tuen Loumen, Huayunlong Tuen Xumen, Tanghe Tuen Changmen, Wang Bi Tuen Panmen, Zhang Wen Tuen
The west gate is the north gate of Kangmaocai Tun City, the northeast gate of Geng Bingwen Tun City, the west gate of Qiu Cheng Tun City, and the northwest gate of He Wenhui Tun City.
Zhu Yuanzhang's army made no mistakes throughout the deployment, and the people were very happy. Xu Da's troops successively defeated Zhang Shicheng's peripheral army at Yinshan Bridge in Catfish Kou, and burned more than a thousand Zhang Jun's warships in Guandu.
Under Zhu Jun's intimidation, Songjiang Prefecture and Jiading Prefecture surrendered one after another in the first month of the 27th year, making Pingjiang even more isolated.
Zhu Jun built a long siege outside the city, erected wooden towers, and built a three-story enemy tower overlooking the city. Each floor was equipped with crossbows, muskets, and Xiangyang cannons to attack day and night.
After eight months of siege, Zhang Shicheng's army was exhausted and many soldiers surrendered. Zhang Shicheng failed to break through the siege twice.
On the last day of the siege of Pingjiang, Zhang Shicheng's younger brother Zhang Shixin was supervising the battle at the top of the city. He still did not forget to enjoy himself. He sat on a silver chair and drank. The people serving on the left and right handed him peaches. As a result, before the peach could reach his mouth, a cannon hit him on the head.
Beaten to pieces.
In September, Xu Da's troops attacked Fengmen, Chang Yuchun's troops attacked Changmen, and Zhang Shicheng's troops surrendered Tang Jie, Pan Yuanshao and others.
Zhang Shicheng led his remaining troops to fail in street fighting, and Zhu Jun occupied Pingjiang. Tongzhou, Wuxi and other places surrendered one after another, and the Zhou regime was destroyed.
In this battle, Zhu Jun adopted the "Lock City Method" of long-term siege against Pingjiang, which had become isolated. This put Zhang Jun in the predicament of running out of food and exhausted troops, waiting for death. He conquered Pingjiang in one fell swoop and captured Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui in order to march north to destroy Yuan Dynasty.
A solid foundation was laid.
At the same time as the Battle of Pingjiang began, Zhu Yuanzhang sent Liao Yongzhong to Chuzhou to pick up Han Lin'er, the king of Xiao Ming, to Yingtian, but when he was crossing the river on Guabu, the bottom of the boat was leaked, and King Xiao Ming sank to the bottom of the river.
Then, Zhu Yuanzhang announced that he would no longer use dragons and phoenixes to mark the year, and called the twenty-seventh year of Zhizheng (1367) the "Yuan Nian of Wu".
In the first year of Wu, Zhu Yuanzhang appointed Tang He as the general to conquer the south and attack Fang Guozhen, who had been separatist in eastern Zhejiang for many years. Later, he appointed Hu Tingrui as the general to conquer the west and He Wenhui as the deputy general to attack Fujian. In the same year, Fang Guozhen surrendered.
In this way, Zhu Yuanzhang's momentum overwhelmed the world. Everyone knew that the world was in his hands. Countless small forces defected one after another. The army won without fighting wherever it went, and all the enemy troops surrendered!
But the civil servants and generals under Zhu Yuanzhang were all frantically trying to persuade him to hold the founding ceremony of the country immediately.
These proud soldiers are all looking forward to what kind of title they can get!
One day Xu Da visited Prince Wu's Mansion. When he came to the door, he said directly to Zhu Yuanzhang: "Brother, you should have proclaimed the emperor long ago. You will be enthroned and proclaimed the emperor before Chang Yuchun and I go on the expedition. In this way, the prestige of the Northern Expedition will be reduced."
Bigger!
Zhu Yuanzhang looked expressionless and glanced at Xu Da: "Who asked you to say this?
"No, no one, isn't this a good thing, brother?"
Zhu Yuanzhang did not speak. Xu Da took a look and continued to persuade: "Brother, for so many years, you have always pushed back and forth on proclaiming the emperor. In the past, we understand! Brother is afraid that the tree will attract trouble and be targeted by the rebels all over the world.
, but you can’t push anymore!
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the lobby and still said nothing.
Xu Da walked up to him: "Brother, as long as I send troops to the Northern Expedition, Yuanting will definitely be defeated, and it is impossible for the world to be without a king for a day! Isn't it?"
"One more thing, brothers are eagerly looking forward to the founding of the country!"
Zhu Yuanzhang took a deep look at Xu Da and said: "Brothers are all so anxious that they can't help but want to be the founding fathers, princes and prime ministers!
"The emperor is not in a hurry about proclaiming himself emperor, but the general is!"
Xu Da also heard Zhu Yuanzhang's dissatisfaction and asked cautiously: "Brother, isn't this appropriate?"
Zhu Yuanzhang stood up: "It should! It absolutely should! But why don't you think about it for us?
"Once we claim the title of emperor, we will have to confer a lot of titles! There are hundreds of generals with outstanding merits. Who doesn't want to be a duke or marquis! They will definitely compete with each other and compete for position and glory!"
"How do you want us to settle it? If others don't say anything, just say you Xu Da! What title do you want to be granted? Do you want to be crowned king?"
Xu Da was immediately at a loss: "I...I, I"
"I, I, I! You can't say it anymore! Besides you, there are also Li Shanchang, Chang Yuchun, and Liu Bowen. How can you seal them?"
Xu Da waved his hand quickly: "Don't ask me about this or anything, we don't care about right and wrong.
Zhu Yuanzhang glared at him: "Oh! You also know that there is not only good fortune here, but also right and wrong?"
Seeing that Xu Da didn't dare to answer, Zhu Yuanzhang said helplessly: "Let's wait a little longer for Kaiyuan to become emperor! Later is better! Later is better! Let's go, let's go! Why are you causing trouble!"
"Hey, brother, we have one more thing..."
Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyebrows: "When you came in just now, you only wanted to talk about one thing!"
"Let's remember something again!"
Zhu Yuanzhang took a deep breath and said, "Say it!"
Xu Da looked at him carefully: "Brother, when you become the emperor, we don't care what others grant you! But you have to make your sister-in-law the queen!
Zhu Yuanzhang's face darkened: "Why are you so worried!"
Xu Da stood up and looked directly into Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes: "We know that there are many women behind the palace, and they are all younger and more beautiful than my sister-in-law. Once you become the emperor, I'm afraid there will be more of these concubines!"
"But there is no woman in the world who is more virtuous than our sister-in-law! Brother, you can't treat your sister-in-law badly when you become the emperor!"
The more Zhu Yuanzhang listened, the darker his face became and he shouted: "Let me tell you! We are the sun, and your sister-in-law is the moon! The sun and the moon move in the sky! They remain unchanged forever!"
When Xu Da heard this, he laughed and said, "With this, we can concentrate on the Northern Expedition!"
"roll!"
"Why!"
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Xu Da who ran out happily with a dark look on his face, shook his head and laughed angrily!
On October 21st of the first year of Wu Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang appointed Xu Da, the prime minister on the right side of the book, as the general to conquer the captives, and Pingzhang Chang Yuchun as the deputy general. He led an army of 250,000 and marched north to the Central Plains!
During the Northern Expedition, the "Edict to the Central Plains" was issued, which proposed the program of "expelling the barbarians, restoring China, establishing principles and discipline, and relieving the people", thus inspiring the people in the north to rise up against the Yuan Dynasty.
Zhu Yuanzhang made another deployment for the Northern Expedition, proposing to take Shandong first to remove the Mongolian and Yuan barriers; march to Henan to cut off its wings, seize Tongguan and occupy its threshold; and then march to Dadu.
Then send troops to the west, Shanxi, northern Shaanxi, Guanzhong, and Gansu can sweep down.
The Northern Expedition army moved according to plan. Xu Da led his troops to take Shandong first, then marched westward, captured Bianliang, and then marched to Tongguan.