Chapter 256 Deterring Chongqing, where the king's flag arrives
Now, the Ming army's navy is more powerful. As long as the supply of ammunition and materials is sufficient, it is a decisive force... It can block the river, making it difficult for the Qing army to cross the river to attack south, and it can also land to cooperate with the army's march. The artillery on the ship can even more
Provide powerful fire support to the army.
Leaning back comfortably in his chair, Zhu Yongxing let out a sigh of relief. At this point in the war, the Ming army had fully grasped the strategic initiative. The Qing army put out fires everywhere and mobilized troops and horses, but it was already difficult to reverse the defeat.
Moreover, although Jingzhou is important, it has a fatal weakness. If it can be taken advantage of...
"Your Highness." Duan Wan'er, dressed in the attire of a female official, appeared at the door of the temporary staff headquarters, bowed and saluted: "The gentry have gathered at the Confucian Temple, I wonder if Your Highness has time?"
Zhu Yongxing shook his head helplessly, stood up and explained a few words to the staff, and said to Duan Wan'er: "I will change my clothes before I go to the Confucian Temple."
"Yes, I will serve His Highness to change his clothes." Duan Wan'er bowed and saluted again.
Visiting the Confucian Temple and sitting in the Minglun Hall were the only ways to attract gentry at that time. After three repetitions in Hunan, the society was still filled with a strong anti-Qing ethos. This was related to the fact that the remnants of the gentry in Huguang were still strong and their resistance was still serious.
During the Changsha shogunate period, Hong Chengchou used the gentry as a breakthrough point and carried out a very effective recruitment strategy. Many gentry passively avoided the world and no longer participated in anti-Qing activities; there were also many people who entered the shogunate and assumed various strategic tasks, which not only directly weakened and disintegrated the
The organic components of the anti-Qing armed forces also used their own actions as the eyes of ordinary people in society, which attacked the mass base on which the anti-Qing armed forces relied for their survival.
Zhu Yongxing's gesture of visiting the Confucian Temple in Xiangtan, Changsha, and Yuezhou was to regain the hearts of the people in Hunan and enable the ruling forces to penetrate deeper into Hunan. Moreover, many of the Hunan gentry also cooperated with the Huguang Green Camp soldiers who are still part of the Qing army.
There will be connections. Winning them over can also play a role in disintegrating, dividing, and winning over the Huguang Green Camp generals.
Judging from the current situation, the effect of Zhu Yongxing's approach is good. In Changsha, the strict military discipline of the Ming army was widely welcomed by the people, and the scholar-bureaucrats even regarded it as a grand event to see the dignity of Han officials again. Later history books recorded: "When the king entered Changsha,
Visit the Confucian Temple and sit in the Minglun Hall. Doctors, scholars, Confucian scholars, and clean attire will attract hundreds of people unexpectedly. They recommend gentry and deacons, and they are known for their majesty and dignity."
Zhu Yongxing wore a horsehair corrugated hat, a pure silk long-sleeved robe, and a yellow ribbon around his waist. His clothes were simple and elegant. He was praised by the gentry for his "behave" and "royal style". However, Zhu Yongxing felt that he was still wearing the same golden color.
The armor is more eye-catching and more awe-inspiring.
The carriage was moving slowly, and Zhu Yongxing was sitting upright, feeling quite restrained. Just as he reached out to untie his belt, Duan Wan'er had already reached out and stopped him with gentle words.
"Your Highness, please don't move. This will make you appear heroic and not lose your royal demeanor."
"I feel that a military uniform is the most majestic. Although it is a bit heavier, I don't want to take it off. It's nothing like this." Zhu Yongxing straightened his posture helplessly.
"The occasion is different. Visiting the Confucian Temple is not a review of the generals." Duan Wan'er pursed her lips and smiled. She stretched out her hand to loosen the yellow belt around her waist, "Does this feel good?"
"Well, I feel better." Zhu Yongxing patted Duan Wan'er's little hand and said, "Even if you don't say anything, I know that you are thinking about your brother. Well, if nothing unexpected happens, we should see you in Songzi."
Duan Wan'er nodded and glanced at Zhu Yongxing gratefully. She was a sensible woman, and she never mentioned her concerns in front of Zhu Yongxing. Although her relationship with Zhu Yongxing was not as simple as a boss and a subordinate, she knew
Serious. I know that I can't be arrogant because of favors, I know my duty, I know my brother has made great achievements, and I want to be a man.
"Don't always treat Zhiying as a child. He is a grown man. In such a turbulent era, it is time to show off." Zhu Yongxing smiled and teased: "You are worried about him, but he has no restraints outside.
, I wonder how happy it is?”
"Yes, if the wings are hard, how can we prevent him from flying?" Duan Wan'er sighed helplessly, "But who made me his sister! Well, when we meet this time, I have to urge him to get married.
.”
………………
The sun dispersed the light smoke-like mist covering the river surface, and the peaks on both sides also revealed their original colors. The river rushed down through the tight gorges, and small whirlpools appeared from time to time.
The warship swayed slightly and became stable again, but Duan Zhiying remained motionless on the helm, holding a telescope and looking at the situation in Tongluo Gorge.
After the Yangtze River Navy reunited with the Kuidong armies, they took a short rest and then headed up the river, heading straight for Chongqing. After a battle, the Qing Army's Chongqing Navy was defeated, and the remaining ships fled into the Jialing River, thus basically reducing the Qing Army in Chongqing.
The threat to Kuidong base was lost.
After that, the Yangtze River Navy was divided into two parts, one continued to monitor and contain Chongqing, and the other cooperated with the Qi Shuo army in combat. The squadron that monitored Chongqing was led by Duan Zhiying and patrolled back and forth on the river from Chongqing to Fengjie.
In July and December of the twelfth year of Yongli and the fifteenth year of Shunzhi (1658), the Kuidong Thirteen Family besieged Chongqing twice in order to contain the Qing army from marching south to Yunnan and Guizhou. The first time they were led back with their main force due to lack of troops.
Wu Sangui, who was defending Chongqing, was defeated; the second time, because Renshou Hou Tan Yi assassinated Fu Hou Tan Wen and led his troops to surrender to the Qing Dynasty, the overall situation of the battle was reversed.
Although the Kuidong Thirteen Family failed to attack Chongqing twice, the Qing army in Chongqing did not have much advantage, and the main direction of the Qing government's troops was always constrained by the rising Ming army in the southwest, both in terms of soldiers and supplies.
It is impossible to provide support to Chongqing.
For the Qing government, it was a heavy burden to ensure supplies to Chongqing through Gansu and Shaanxi and through Baoning. If the troops stationed in Chongqing were not the current 20,000 or 30,000 soldiers and horses but a hundred thousand troops, then
The Qing court's savings would be greatly consumed here, and it would be unable to fight the Ming army on other fronts.
Therefore, the Qing army in Chongqing did not have extra food and pay. It could not launch a strategic attack on the Kuidong Thirteen Family, nor could it cross the barren area to resist the slowly approaching Ming army in central Sichuan. In addition, it could not withstand the Yangtze River Navy's large ships.
With heavy artillery, the Qing army in Chongqing had to worry about being cut off from the Jialing River waterway and completely cut off from food and wages. After the Wu army retreated in Qian Province, the Qing army in Chongqing faced the threat of the Ming army attacking from Zunyi and Tongzi, and the situation further deteriorated.
The Ming fleet went up the river and approached Chongqing slowly but firmly. Gao Mingzhan, the governor of Sichuan, led the civil and military officials to the city tower and nervously looked at the approaching Ming fleet.
"Looking at the number of enemy fleets, they must not have many troops -" Gao Mingzhan twirled his beard and analyzed seriously: "This time they are here to intimidate us, not to attack us..."
"Congratulations, Governor."
"Your Excellency has hit the nail on the head. The enemy only relies on water superiority, how can he dare to land and attack?"
Amidst the sound of flattery, everyone felt a stone fall in their hearts, and their expressions became relieved. Since the defeat of the Chongqing Navy, the Ming fleet has been cruising frequently. It is probably because they do not want Chongqing to build another navy so as to maintain its superiority on the water.
Only this time, the Ming army ship anchored within sight of the Jintang Gate Tower, and Chongqing officials immediately fell silent.
Chongqing's city towers were within the range of the Ming army's long artillery, but the Yangtze River Navy had not carried out such unnecessary bombardments in order to save ammunition. But this time——
The fires shone one by one and clouds of white smoke rose up. The Ming fleet opened the curtain of shocking Chongqing with a powerful salvo.
"The artillery fire -" a Qing general stared at the river and muttered stupidly.
The Chongqing official standing on the tower did not react for a moment. When he heard the deafening sound of the cannon, the cannonballs were already whizzing down.
There were loud noises and smoke everywhere, bricks and tiles were flying from the tower, and rubble was flying around. The screams and wails were all drowned out.
The artillery fire stopped, but the chaos continued. Above and below the city, the Qing soldiers shouted in panic and ran around. The guards rushed to the tower and rescued the officers and generals amid the rubble.
Although the bombardment was powerful, the accuracy of that era cannot be complimented. Although dozens of solid cannonballs were aimed at the city tower, only a quarter hit the target, and the rest either hit the city wall or flew into it.
Within the city.
The city tower was badly damaged by the bombing, but it did not completely collapse, which allowed many officials to survive. Governor Gao Mingzhan was one of them.
The top official of Chongqing was rescued by the soldiers. His official hat was gone, his forehead was bleeding, his body was covered with dust, his face was bloodless, his eyes were dull, his lips were trembling, and he couldn't even speak.
Suddenly, there was another continuous thunder on the river, and the reloaded artillery fired another round of bombardment. Gao Mingzhan shuddered, and made a strange sound with unknown meaning in his mouth. He ran forward desperately, but his legs and feet did not obey him, and he almost
He fell down. Thanks to the support of his own soldiers, he quickly helped Gao Mingzhan to a safe area.
With a bang, the city tower finally collapsed. The wood, bricks and tiles turned into a pile of ruins. Thick smoke and dust rose up, covering the city gates, making it impossible to see anything clearly.
"Weigh anchor and return!" Duan Zhiying put down the telescope. After being shaken by this, he should be able to go east with confidence and participate in the Battle of Jingzhou.
The Ming fleet had sailed away for a long time, and the Qing army in Chongqing recovered from the chaos. Gao Mingzhan, with his head wrapped in white cloth, sat in a chair in despair, listening to the officials and generals who had also survived the disaster complaining, pleading and arguing.
"My lord, it is useless to defend Chongqing. We should report to the imperial court and retreat to Baoning."
"My lord, we should report to the imperial court and send reinforcements as soon as possible."
"Sending reinforcements, how many reinforcements should be sent? This is not a question of reinforcements, but depends on the navy. A large number of warships can compete with the enemy. It also requires the full cooperation of Huguang."
"It makes sense. The key to the current battle is the navy. When the Wei Kingdom attacked Wu, the navy was built here in Chongqing. When the Song Dynasty attacked Sichuan, the Lord of Shu thought that the road to Shu was difficult to reach the sky..."
"Still counting on Huguang? Stop dreaming. Therefore, this battle cannot be fought!"
Gao Mingzhan was different from Li Guoying in that he was a cunning and fierce opponent. When the Kuidong Shisan family attacked Chongqing for the second time, he abandoned the city and fled when he saw that the enemy army was strong. If Tan Yi hadn't rebelled, he would have been given a chance.
How could he still sit in the position of governor if he had no life-saving straw? Therefore, as soon as Li Guoying died, the Qing army in Chongqing became a coward. Gao Mingzhan even stated the difficulties and reported to the court, hoping that the court would order him to return to Baoning.
But now without this order, he can only hold on here.
These two rounds of shelling killed and injured more than a dozen officers and generals, but there were no statistics on the soldiers. If we only count the number of casualties, they are nothing, but the psychological blow to Gao Mingzhan and others was heavy and huge.
"Let's leave now!" Gao Mingzhan waved his hand feebly, "All matters will be discussed tomorrow." Now his mind was in confusion, panic and fear, and he felt that Chongqing was like a tomb, and he stayed here. However,
Just waiting to die.
In fact, Gao Mingzhan's premonition was correct. Chongqing was a strategic location for the Qing government. It could not only contain Kuidong, but also resist the Ming army in central Sichuan and prevent the Ming army from entering Shaanxi via Sichuan and threatening Beijing. However, Chongqing lacked troops and food.
It was not rich, and the navy was not strong either. It could only guard the city and had no actual attack capability.
But for the Ming army, by taking this nail, they could cross the river and continue north, from Baoning to Hanzhong, threatening Gansu and Shaanxi, thus opening up the western battlefield.
At this time, Kuang Guogong Pixiong led 5,000 Ming troops and 20,000 Shuixi native soldiers had left Zunyi, passed Tongzi, and approached Chongqing. The Ming army in central Sichuan, led by Jin Wang Li Dingguo, left Yibin and went to Luzhou, advancing by land and water, along the river.
Above, the military front is also pointing towards Chongqing.
The balance of the war tilted sharply. However, the Qing government mobilized troops and generals, but it still wanted to succeed. It had not shown signs of weakness. The result was that there were too many strategic points and insufficient troops to use, making it difficult to form an advantage over the Ming army. And the Ming Dynasty
The army's purpose is clear, whether it is to contain, feint to attack, or threaten, or to attack, and it always has a clear strength advantage in the local direction of the main attack.
What's more important is the support of the people, which was ignored by the Qing government, or turned a blind eye. The governor of Huguang reported: "The people in the mountains around Wenpuqi (Hubei, still named today).
When the soldiers marched in for the suppression, there were bandit camps in front of them and rebels behind them, which was extremely inconvenient." According to a report by Wen Dai, the minister of the Ministry of War: "The bandit soldiers have not yet arrived, but the people of Jiangxi and other provinces rebelled in Jianchang, Raozhou and other places and resisted.
Enemy Manchu officers and soldiers." In every province, especially wherever the Ming army went, a large number of Han people participated.
In the end, even the Qing court had to admit: "The soldiers and people of each province betrayed each other." This situation is no different from when the Qing army entered the customs as if they were in an enemy country! It is obvious that the Qing regime has not won the hearts of the people after twenty years of rule.
.The Qing court kept it secret, but it was an undeniable fact.
Among the increasingly large anti-Qing forces, there are many people who are being coerced. However, from a public perspective, opposing the rule of foreign ethnic groups in the Qing Dynasty and hating the corruption of local officials are in line with the wishes of the majority of the people, so let this war
It was cast in a strong color of national struggle.
The Qing government urgently mobilized and dispatched troops from various places, intending to take advantage of the natural dangers of the Yangtze River, center on Jingzhou, and focus on the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, extending and intersecting with individual areas in the south of the Yangtze River, Shandong, and Henan, forming a rather tight military offensive and defense.
Line of defense.
The idea is good, but Zhu Yongxing is not Wu Sangui. He will not stop advancing, and will not give the Qing court time to dispatch troops and generals and re-defense. The Qing court wants Jingzhou as the center, and he also responds tit-for-tat, mobilizing various Ming armies.
, stepped up action, and directed the troops towards Jingzhou.
"The thieves are so fierce that we have only a few troops", "Fake letters are spread to incite people's hearts, and soldiers and civilians in various provinces are betraying each other", "The thieves are becoming more and more rampant, and our army has not gathered, so it is difficult to resist", "the defense is very strong, and it is difficult to make progress"
"The thieves went up and down the river on the boat, fearing that the land and water would invade Jingzhou"...
When urgent memorials with similar content were sent to the Qing court one after another, making the ministers anxious, Zhu Yongxing commanded more than 100,000 land and sea troops to fight in succession, sweeping across northwest Hunan and southwest Hubei. He raised the royal flag and arrived at Songshan in person.
Zi supervises the battle. At that time, the two independent divisions left behind in Kuidong and most of the Yangtze River Navy moved forward by land and water and went eastward along the river. After capturing Yichang, they also came to join them.
At this time, the Qing army in Jingzhou had reached 30,000. There were green battalion soldiers coming from Wuchang, as well as Manchu and Mongolian reinforcements led by Dujue Luo Zhuman, first-class guard Bisang'a and others. The main general was Jing Kou Da.
General Leerjin was in charge, and he also had thousands of Manchu and Han officers and soldiers.
From the founding of Nurhaci until the Qing Dynasty entered the Pass, the emperor's brothers and nephews were the leaders of the Eight Banners and held military power, while Han officials and generals could only serve as deputies. Now, the Qing government still follows the traditional practice of selecting commanders-in-chief of all front armies.
People from the royal family. It goes without saying that these royal nobles were loyal to the Qing court, but their pampering and lack of combat experience were a fatal weakness of the Qing army.
For example, Leerjin, Belecani (Duduozi), etc. only knew how to collect the property of the local governor Si Dao and county magistrates, "intending to return home to make themselves rich." Prince Jian Labu stayed in Nanchang since he arrived in Jiangxi.
, did not dare to go to war; Dong E, the king of Xin County, was as timid as a mouse. Hearing that the Yangtze River Navy of the Ming Army was advancing along the Yangtze River, he hid in Jiangning and refused to leave.
Zhu Yongxing's royal flag appeared on the other side of Songzi, and troops came one after another. Warships gathered on the river, which immediately frightened Leerjin and other generals into hiding. Urgent reports were sent frequently, begging for reinforcements to come to help.
In fact, Zhu Yongxing only brought a division of the Qishuo Army transferred from Yuezhou and a division of the Jingshuo Army that had been serving as escort from Qian Province. The total strength was less than 30,000. The reason for his fanfare was to provide cover for the Zhengshuo Army.
, so that the conquering Shuo army could cross the river from Chenglingji downstream, encircle Jingzhou from the east, and cut off the land connection between Jingzhou and Wuchang.
When fighting along the river, the navy is most important, and this is clearly revealed at this time. Because of the strong naval deterrent, the strongholds along the river do not need to be heavily defended, and the Qing army does not dare to cross the river easily to attack. Otherwise, even if they can seize the territory occupied by the Ming army
The stronghold on the south bank will only be destroyed as long as the retreat route is cut off by the navy.
At this time, we can see the stupidity of Wu Sangui in history, or he was short-sighted and lacked courage. After occupying Yuezhou, he used a lot of manpower and material resources to build defenses inside and outside Yuezhou City: on the land side outside the city, he dug through
Three trenches, fortresses, pits, antlers, and cards were built to prevent the Qing infantry cavalry from attacking the city. At the mouth of the Dongting Lake gorge, stakes were set up to prevent the Qing Shui army ships from entering the lake. The defense was quite tight. (Unfinished)