Success comes to those who are prepared, and this sentence is also applicable on the battlefield. Predicting the enemy's aircraft first, planning thoroughly, etc., should all fall into this category.
Shang Kexi's combat characteristics of focusing more on defense and less on field battles were actually advantageous against the Ming army. Zhu Yongxing and the General Staff analyzed and studied in advance the Jin King Li Dingguo's two attacks on Guangdong, and were defeated twice by the fortified city, and were defeated by the enemy.
Examples of successful counterattacks lead to a more optimistic conclusion.
For example, in the Battle of Zhaoqing, the Qing army adopted several tactics to defend the city: lowering elite soldiers on ropes outside the city, counterattacking the siege soldiers, seizing or destroying siege ladders, and digging deep trenches parallel to the city walls in the city.
, after the tunnel dug by the Ming army penetrated into the city, hand-to-hand combat began; troops were sent out of the city to raid and seize the tunnel entrance...
In Xinhui, when the Qing army was in danger, they adopted inhumane tactics and drove the people in the city to use them as human shields, forcing the kind-hearted Li Dingguo to choose a method that could relatively reduce casualties to achieve his strategic intentions.
That is to use less artillery fire, only surround without attacking, and rely on hunger to win victory.
From this we can see that the reason why Jin King Li Dingguo was defeated in Zhaoqing was because the number of artillery was too small and the power was not strong; when attacking the city, no trenches were dug to trap the enemy, giving the enemy a chance to counterattack; even if the hole attack technique was used, it was not a tunnel.
Blasting, but the traditional penetration of the city. It is almost the same in Xinhui, except that there are more artillery, but it cannot exert its full power.
The Battle of Zhaoqing lasted for more than a month, and the Battle of Xinhui lasted for half a year. In Zhu Yongxing's opinion, this was the biggest mistake, which gave the Qing army time to adjust and reinforce. If the tactics are appropriate and the preparations are sufficient, the Yunnan offensive can be repeated.
The speed with which a city can be conquered may not necessarily be impossible.
Therefore, the first priority of the Ming Army in the Eastern Expedition was to divide the troops with a small number and maintain a numerical advantage. Only when they can encircle and trap the city to death can they safely use various siege techniques. The second is to have sufficient firepower. Even at critical times,
It can remove the heavy artillery on the battleship and suppress the artillery fire on the enemy city; the last thing is tunnel blasting. It is one thing if you know that you have this trick, but it is another thing whether you can prevent it. Tunnel blasting was used in the late Ming Dynasty.
In actual combat, it was completed during the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and it was continuously used through the Anti-Japanese War and the Liberation War. Its effectiveness and vitality are beyond doubt.
The battlefield situation is changing rapidly. Tactical methods are also emerging in endlessly. Shang Kexi is still using the methods of a few years ago, copying old experiences and old routines. It would be weird if he doesn't fail! The fall of Gaozhou was obviously just the first unexpected failure.
But Shang Kexi has not clearly realized the seriousness of the danger. And it is getting closer and closer.
…………
History seems to be on the track of repeating itself. After the Ming army regained Gaozhou, they faced Xinhui, an important town in the south of Guangzhou. Xinhui, with its high walls and deep trenches, once blocked the advancement of Jin Dynasty King Li Dingguo, and now this bloody battle will happen again.
A fight, a futile defeat?
Gaozhou, state government.
The commander-in-chief of the Eastern Expeditionary Army, Wang Mabao of Ruyang, the chief of staff of the Eastern Expeditionary Army, Zhenshuo Bowu Sansheng, and his trusted staff member Zheng Fengyuan, were discussing carefully with Zhu Yongxing's secret letter.
"The key is still here, 'take it urgently, go straight to Guangzhou, and don't make the same mistake again', which means that taking Xinhui is the top priority and must be done at any cost. Don't imitate the benevolence of the ladies of the Jin Dynasty." Ma Bao pressed himself.
To understand, use your finger to cross over the key words you think.
Wu Sansheng was silent for a while, then shook his head slightly and said: "I'm afraid it's not that simple. Brother Ma, please look at this secret letter. There are also words in this secret letter: "Whoever can relieve the worries of an orphan will be remembered in his heart."
On, "Don't be cold to the heart of the hero". What does this mean?"
"What do you mean?" Ma Bao asked with some confusion: "Isn't it a word of encouragement?"
"I'm afraid that's not the case." Zheng Fengyuan's thoughts gradually became clearer and he said, "If the Qing army repeats its old tactics in Xinhui, and our army ignores it and only focuses on seizing the city, I'm afraid it will damage His Highness's reputation for benevolence.
But if our army is timid, it will go against His Highness’s intention of rushing to capture Guangzhou and march directly to Guangzhou.”
Wu Sansheng seemed to understand somewhat, but he was not very sure yet, so he asked tentatively: "That's why Your Highness told me in a secret letter, asking us to find a solution on our own?"
Ma Bao touched his chin, feeling a bit in a dilemma.
"Your Highness's letter has already stated it implicitly, so why bother thinking about a solution?" Zheng Fengyuan smiled slyly and said, "Don't make the same mistake again, which is to ask us to attack Xinhui violently. Don't be as kind as the wife of the King of Jin. Then, if there is no
It's good for people to hold accountable. If there are disputes about things, His Highness will punish him to calm the public opinion. It's just a punishment, hey, it doesn't hurt to accept it first. Since His Highness has his gratitude in his heart, he will not make the hero suffer.
If you are promoted in the future, you will be able to achieve great success."
Although Zheng Fengyuan didn't explain it very thoroughly, both Ma Bao and Wu Sansheng understood clearly. Zhu Yongxing was looking for someone who could "take the blame" for him. The new club was bound to win, and the sooner the better, but he did not directly do it.
Instead of issuing orders, he urged them through secret letters. If during the siege, the people suffered heavy casualties and even caused criticism, Zhu Yongxing would naturally not be responsible. And the person who "takes the blame" will naturally be punished, but he will be demoted first and then promoted.
Punish first and then reward, Zhu Yongxing made it clear in his secret letter that he would never forget this hero who was willing to bear the infamy for him.
"I see." Prince Ma Bao of Ruyang suddenly realized and said with a faint smile: "As the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Expedition Army, I naturally have to bear responsibility."
"Brother Ma has become the king of the county. He is only one step away from the prince. How can you shoulder the responsibility?" Wu Sansheng expressed his dissent and shook his head and said: "Brother Ma, I will command the army at the foot of Xinhui City.
Just share your worries with His Highness."
"How can this happen?" Ma Bao hurriedly tried to argue, "A certain person was promoted from a prince to a county king, but he was granted the title in vain. How can he be promoted too quickly when he is promoted to a prince? In this Eastern Expedition, victory is already expected, if there are no minor mistakes.
, I’m afraid it won’t be easy for His Highness to deal with. No promotion or reward, Your Highness is at ease, and I am at ease too.”
"That's not what you're saying." Wu Sansheng said, "If Brother Ma has no fault, not being promoted this time is just an accumulation of merit, so why add stains? It's up to me..."
The two were arguing, and the guards outside the house came to report. Jin Crown Prince Li Sixing was outside asking for an audience.
"You two adults don't need to fight. The general who attacked Xinhui may have been found." Zheng Fengyuan slapped his thigh and said with a smile: "The King of Jin defeated Xinhui. Isn't it natural that his son should avenge this revenge? But,
Let’s see if the Jin Crown Prince knows what’s going on.”
Since it is a secret message, it is naturally inconvenient to show it to others. This is the reason why only Ma Bao and Wu Sansheng are fighting. If the generals were told clearly, everyone would be willing to do so, but it would expose Zhu Yongxing's intentions and undermine his benevolence.
name.
Now Jin Crown Prince Li Sixing is here. His identity is enough, but with euphemistic and obscure explanations, I wonder if he can understand and have the determination to wash away the shame of his father.
……………
"Laughed, laughed." Long Er hugged the cute baby and showed it to Zhu Yongxing. His smile was brighter than the baby's.
Zhu Yongxing touched his daughter's tender hands and looked at the big black eyes. There was also the extremely satisfied smile after eating and drinking, and his heart was extremely happy. From the red and wrinkled appearance, it gradually grew wider,
She became whiter, fatter, and more lovely. When I saw her, all the worries in my heart disappeared.
"I also want a daughter." Long Er sat next to Zhu Yongxing, teasing the little one, and whispered in Zhu Yongxing's ear amidst the girl's giggles.
Zhu Yongxing smiled slightly, touched Long'er's waist with one hand, squeezed it dishonestly, and joked: "Aren't you afraid? How painful it is to give birth!"
The birth of Mengzhu really frightened Longer. He was covered in cold sweat and screamed in heartbreaking pain... But time is a good healer, especially for this little baby who is getting cuter and cuter as he grows, and his envious heart slowly returns.
Overwhelmed the fear.
"For Your Highness, I can bear it." Long Er leaned closer to Zhu Yongxing, "Sister Zhu said, it's not that painful, just bear it and it will pass."
Zhu Yongxing's hand moved to Long'er's buttocks. He chuckled and said, "Eighteen this year? Well, she's pretty good-looking. I want to be a mother."
"Yeah!" Long Er responded shyly.
Zhu Yongxing still wanted to tease her, but there was a gentle knock on the door. He had no choice but to pat Long Er and said, "Wait for me tonight!"
Long Er blushed and gave Zhu Yongxing a white look, then picked up the little girl and hurried away.
Zhu Yongxing sat upright and waited for the clerk to place the documents he had brought on the table. Then he gathered his thoughts and read them one by one.
The small imperial court in exile in Burma finally shrank. Hundreds of people were sent back to Yunnan Province in batches by the Burmese. Most of them were the original imperial guards, as well as servants, servants, singers and other people who followed the officials of the Ming Dynasty. To put it bluntly, they were all
Although they were insignificant, the Burmese and Zhu Yongxing had the same idea. They both wanted to weaken the small imperial court and make it easier to control.
Although there are no important figures among these people, and they have no authority when speaking, Zhu Yongxing is not prepared to place them randomly, but escorts them in batches, or escorts them to Ha Tien and Mekong provinces, and Zong Shouyi arranges them. This should be troublesome
The smallest and most secure.
This was the first document. Although what Zhu Yongxing wanted to see most was the information about the Eastern Expedition, he couldn't find it after browsing it, so he had to read it one by one.
The next one is from the Ministry of Finance, about the latest data on grain borrowing from business groups and private individuals. Needless to say, borrowing is a war bond of real money; grain borrowing is mentioned, because Zhu Yongxing played a small trick.
Another currency that may be circulated in the future - IOUs.
Issuing banknotes is one of the important financial resources of modern countries. Although Zhu Yongxing knows it, now is not the time to implement it. After all, the outcome of the war has not yet been determined. At least for now, the situation of Qing Dynasty being strong and Ming Dynasty weak has not changed. Therefore,
The credibility of banknotes is seriously insufficient. Forcibly introducing them will only make people doubtful and fluctuate.
Therefore, the government still uses silver coins and copper coins as currency, and uses IOUs or IOUs to covertly bear part of the financial pressure. It is normal to borrow and repay food, but the price of food is completely different now and in the future. As long as the situation worsens
As things get better and better, more and more areas are opened up, and the price of food can only fall, not rise. This invisibly allows the government to make a steady profit.
And an IOU for one stone of grain is always worth one stone of grain, and will not be like a piece of waste paper like a treasure banknote, and the people will not have any resistance. Moreover, the IOU can be offset against taxes after two years, which invisibly makes the people who have the IOU more valuable.
It is hoped that the Ming army will win to protect its own interests. IOUs can continue to be distributed to the people. When the time is right, IOUs will be linked to gold and silver currency and appear in a new form. Perhaps paper money will emerge.
Of course, this is still a long way off, but at present it has alleviated financial pressure, allowing the Ming army to support the immigration and development in Sichuan, and to launch a large-scale Eastern Expedition. On the surface, the Eastern Expedition was based on the slogan of saving the people, but it also contained hidden meanings.
Two other purposes.
The first is to severely attack the Qing army in Guangdong and Guangxi, strive to defeat or weaken Shang Kexi, the nearest threat, and push the front outward to ensure the stability of Yunnan Province; the second is to improve or expand the sources of wealth. You know, in the Ming Dynasty,
In the last years, the wealth of Guangdong Province was about ten times that of Guangxi, and the level of cultural development was unmatched by the three provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi.
From borrowing money to borrowing grain, he thought about banknotes, finance, taxes, and Guangdong. Zhu Yongxing couldn't help but smile bitterly. The things he cared about most always moved there involuntarily.
Not sure if Ma Bao and others could understand the hidden meaning of his secret letter, Zhu Yongxing tapped on the desk gently, feeling that he was becoming more and more hypocritical. Although this was proposed by Yicheng and Zhang Weihan, for
Zhu Yongxing, who had a great future, could continue to maintain a good reputation, but Zhu Yongxing accepted this suggestion and used a secret letter instead of an order to instruct Ma Bao and others in disguise to attack Xinhui at any cost.
In the view of Yicheng and Zhang Weihan, Zhu Yongxing's reputation has been very good so far, why not continue to maintain it? If the capture of Xinhui leads to the death of a large number of civilians, Zhu Yongxing only needs to punish the general who "takes the blame" lightly.
, and made some expressions of support and kindness, which not only does not damage Zhu Yongxing's reputation for kindness, but may also make him more praised by others.
Zhu Yongxing did not feel entirely guilty for his hypocrisy. It was unavoidable that the war would harm the civilian population, but he made the decision to storm the city regardless of the cost, but even he himself did not know whether it was right or wrong.
Victory is the goal, and you can do whatever it takes to achieve the goal. It's not that Zhu Yongxing doesn't have this idea, but he still tries hard to maintain certain principles. This is also the problem that makes him feel entangled and contradictory.
At that time, King Li Dingguo of Jin could not bear to harm innocent people and adopted the strategy of besieging Xinhui for a long time. However, it was also this strategy that caused Xinhui to be besieged for a long time and ran out of food. In the end, the Qing army in the city massacred the residents for food.
As a result, Xinhui "had been besieged for half a year, half of them died of starvation, half of them were killed for food, and half of their children were plundered. There was chaos and chaos from heaven, and nothing could be more miserable than this."
If Li Dingguo had hardened his heart and attacked the city with all his strength, the people would have suffered casualties, but wouldn't it have been possible to save more people and prevent the people of Xinhui City from falling into the cannibal hell? If the Qing army in Xinhui used the same trick again and succeeded, what would happen in the future?
Will the Qing troops elsewhere follow suit and cause more casualties among the people?
Zhu Yongxing fell into self-questioning and thinking for a long time, but could not get the final answer.