The next morning, another troop transport ship arrived, and Deng Chun's infantry number reached 5,000.
Escorted by cavalry and using mules to pull chariots, they followed the Ling River to the southeast of Jinzhou City.
The situation here is a little complicated.
The east, west, and south sides of Jinzhou City are surrounded by rivers, and there are mountains on the other side of the rivers in the east and south. The Linghe River flows southeast and passes between the two mountains, and there are Jinbingzhai Forts on the mountains on both sides.
Wanyan Talan is worthy of being a veteran. He has been operating in Jinzhou for three years and has built a three-dimensional defense system that integrates cities, forts, rivers, and mountains.
Li Jinyi's army was on the southwest side, and he planned to cooperate with Deng Chun to first capture the mountain fortress south of Jinzhou City.
Although Li Jinyi had more soldiers, Deng Chun had a larger official position and more senior qualifications. He went to discuss with Deng Chun personally.
"There are three mountain strongholds in the south of Jinzhou City, and there are earthen walls between the mountain passages," Li Jinyi said, introducing the situation. "Each mountain stronghold has not many defenders, but there are two wooden bridges in the south of the city. Once our army attacks the mountain stronghold, the Jin soldiers in the city will
You can quickly cross the bridge to increase troops for rescue. You can also cross the river from the east and west and send cavalry to attack our army's flanks."
Li Jinyi had been here for several days and even drew a simple defense plan for the enemy.
Deng Chun pointed to the map and said: "Three mountain strongholds attacked at the same time. Two of our troops arranged a vehicle formation based on the river, so that the enemy cavalry could not attack and interfere from the flanks. By the way, Your Majesty also asked me to bring a big gift."
"What kind of gift?" Li Jinyi asked.
Deng Chun smiled and said: "A bunch of heads."
Even if there are sufficient artillery, the Ming Navy ships also have a small number of small return guns installed specifically to throw smoke bombs at enemy ships.
Soon, several small return guns were dismantled from the ship.
The cavalry escorted the naval gunners to the outside of Jinzhou West City and began to project "gifts" into the city.
It’s all about the brain!
There were the heads of Gao Biao who was strangled to death by Yang Zaixing, and the heads of tycoons from various ethnic groups who were killed by Wanyan Zongfu.
These heads were plastered with lime to prevent rot, and each head was packed in a bag. Many words were written on the bag with a brush, including the name, position and other information of the owner of the head.
"put!"
The heads placed in cloth bags one by one were thrown into the city of Jinzhou by return cannons.
Most of the Jurchen soldiers did not know Chinese characters, and neither did the soldiers of all ethnic groups. They opened the cloth bag curiously and saw the heads in the bag. Although they could not identify who they were, they still had a vague guess that the friendly forces had been defeated.
!
"This...this is Li Jing, Li Jing of the Li family in Liaoyang!" an officer exclaimed, pointing to the head.
In the early years of the Jin Kingdom, there really was a Bohai general named Li Jing, and he was obviously recognized at this moment.
There were also literate Khitan generals who picked up the cloth bag and read: "Gao Biao, son of the Gao family in Chenzhou, deputy privy envoy of Guangning Prefecture, commander of the military and horse capital at Hesuguan Road, and governor of Fuzhou..."
"Da da da da!"
There was a sound of horse hoofbeats, and Wanyan Shengdu personally led the Jurchen cavalry, galloping and shouting along the way: "Hurry up and hand over the bag, no one is allowed to keep it secretly. These heads are all fake, and they are an intimidation strategy by the Southern thieves!"
Of course, no one dared to hide it privately, and they had to hand over the bag and head honestly.
However, the news that Wanyan Zongfu was defeated and the generals of Hesu Pavilion were killed spread quickly among the defenders in the city.
Wanyan Talan pointed at the pile of heads collected: "Yu Liduo is so confused that he randomly traps and kills the generals of various tribes and doesn't know how to deal with the beginning and the end!"
Wanyan Xiyin said: "The situation was urgent at that time. It's not like you don't know the thoughts of the powerful commanders of various ethnic groups. If you don't strike first, when the main force of the Ming army approaches the city, the troops in Huesuguan City will inevitably rebel."
Wanyan Talan said angrily: "Then how should we fight now? The morale of the army has been weakened!"
Wanyan Xiyin was speechless.
…
South of the city.
A young officer in his teens rushed to the city tower and said: "Father, the Hosuguan Road may be gone. The Ming army used artillery carts to throw more than a dozen heads, all of which were the heads of heroes from all ethnic groups!"
Xiao Zhongxuan frowned: "Which one did you recognize?"
The young officer's name was Xiao Anjie. He said: "I haven't seen it with my own eyes, but I heard what others said. But some generals recognized Gao Biao, Da Pan, Li Jing and others. They were indeed powerful men from all ethnic groups." Head and Yinliduo have been defeated, how can Jinzhou City be defended? Father made plans early in the morning!"
Xiao Zhongxuan is Xiao Zhonggong's biological brother, and their mother is the princess of Liao Kingdom.
When Emperor Tianzuo fled, the last armed force was led by Xiao Zhonggong.
Xiao Zhongxuan stayed to protect his mother, but was first captured by the Jin soldiers. Later, Xiao Zhonggong and Emperor Tianzuo were captured by the Jin soldiers. Both brothers were forced to pay gold and showed extreme loyalty to the Jin Kingdom.
A few years ago, Xiao Zhonggong fought to the death with the Ming army and was killed on the battlefield by the Ming army.
As a member of the Liao clan, their country and family were ruined by the Jin. Are they really loyal to the Jin?
Xiao Zhongxuan said: "Your grandmother, aunt, mother... they are all in Beijing. If you and my son rebel, our family will definitely die!"
Xiao Anjie asked back: "Does father think the Jin Kingdom can still win? If we resist stubbornly and wait until the Ming army reaches Shangjing, what will happen to my grandmother and mother?"
Xiao Zhongxuan was extremely entangled and felt in a dilemma.
Xiao Zhongxuan grew up in exile and was a prisoner with his mother for several years. It was not until his elder brother was also captured by the Jin that the two brothers took refuge in the Jin country together.
Their character is extremely cautious, fearing that if they make the slightest mistake, the Kingdom of Jin will seize the opportunity and punish them.
Let's put it this way, whether Xiao Zhongxuan was a civil official or a military general, he did not dare to corrupt a penny in the Jin Kingdom. When he was governing the place, he did not allow small officials to be corrupt. And he never stood out in the limelight. When he walked in the state and city he governed, the people Don't even know him.
Historically, he served as the prefect of Shuozhou and Luzhou, and the Han people in both places built shrines for him.
How can someone who is too cautious to even commit corruption dare to raise an army to rebel?
"Father, do you really want to be loyal to the Jin Kingdom?" Xiao Anjie asked, "Have you forgotten how the Jin people massacred the Khitan people? Have you forgotten how the Emperor of Liao died in humiliation when he was imprisoned by the Jin soldiers? ?And how the concubines and princesses of Daliao were divided and humiliated by the Jurchen barbarians?"
Xiao Zhongxuan's tone became calmer: "Don't act rashly. Even if the Ming Dynasty is to come, we shouldn't be the ones to start the rebellion. As long as we don't start the rebellion, the family will be safer. If someone rebels, we can just follow the trend."
"You have to remember that even if you vote for the Ming Kingdom, you must not make it public. We are all people of the subjugated country. We are all clansmen of the Liao Kingdom. No matter which country we live in, we will be jealous of everyone. If you are convicted, you will die.
The clan is exterminated.”
"If my father and I serve as officials in the Ming Dynasty in the future, we must not take bribes, disobey orders, get involved in party disputes, or harass the people. We will do whatever the emperor asks us to do. We are loyal ministers in the Jin Kingdom, and we are also loyal ministers in the Ming Kingdom.
Loyal ministers. As long as you are loyal to the emperor and love the people, you can gain the trust of the emperor."
Xiao Anjie said happily: "Father, has he agreed to the Ming Dynasty?"
Xiao Zhongxuan nodded: "Follow the trend."
While he was talking, a messenger rushed over: "General Xiao, the southern thieves are about to attack the stronghold. You should immediately lead the Khitan troops to rescue them!"
Xiao Zhongxuan was really good at pretending, and his brother died fighting for the Kingdom of Jin.
Among all the generals in Jinzhou, Wanyan Talan trusted Xiao Zhongxuan the most.
Three mountain strongholds in the south were all attacked by artillery fire.
This morning, thirty artillery pieces were shipped with the head. In addition to the twenty artillery pieces in Li Jinyi's hand, there were fifty artillery pieces to be dragged to attack the mountain.
Under the constant bombardment, the morale of the Jin soldiers stationed in the mountain stronghold dropped sharply.
The Jin cavalry came out of the city from the east and west sides, hoping to attack and harass the Ming army's flanks. However, several hollow chariot formations were placed there, and the Jin cavalry did not dare to continue the attack after hundreds of casualties.
Xiao Zhongxuan led his troops to the mountain stronghold, and the Jurchen general stationed there told him to obey no matter how hard he beat him.
However, the work is done but the effort is not achieved!
Xiao Zhongxuan had already informed his officers on the way there with his troops. The priority was to preserve their strength and not to fight to the death with the Ming army attacking the mountain. When it was time to fire arrows, when it was time to flee, they fled.
The fight lasted from mid-morning to afternoon, and all three strongholds were lost.
Xiao Zhongxuan fled back to the city with the "remnant soldiers" and immediately ran to plead guilty. He knelt in front of Wanyan Talan and said: "The last general is guilty and has no shame to come to see the marshal. Please kill the last general to frighten the troops."
Of course Wanyan Talan couldn't kill him, so he even supported him with his own hands and said, "General Xiao, please rise. You are not wrong, it is the Southern bandit who is very capable of fighting."
Xiao Zhongxuan said: "It is still because many heads were thrown in in the morning, and it is widely spread in the army that the city of Hesuguan City has been lost. Now the soldiers under the general's command all feel that our army will be defeated, so their morale is low and they dare not fight. Otherwise, they will be regarded as southern thieves
Even with sharp firearms, it is impossible to capture the stronghold in half a day."
These words were all true, and Wanyan Talan had no choice but to believe them, because the morale of the Jurchen soldiers was also low.
After the Ming army occupied the southern mountain stronghold, they attacked the eastern mountain stronghold the next day and quickly uprooted the remaining two mountain strongholds.
At this point, all Jinzhou's peripheral defense fortifications were captured.
Another day passed, and there were three people around but one was missing.
And on the mountains to the east and south, they set up artillery from a high position and fired randomly into the city to intimidate.
Every day, a large number of cavalry were sent to shoot letters urging surrender into the city. The letter promised that as long as the rebels surrendered to the Ming Dynasty, their past mistakes would not be held accountable, and the Ming army would only kill the Jurchens!
While shelling, they persuaded them to surrender.
After several days, the Han, Xi, and Khitan people were all ready to make a move.
On the seventh day of the three-sided siege, the Ming army began to formally attack the city. Under the cover of artillery, siege equipment was pushed forward one after another.
Just as the Ming army climbed the city wall, Xiao Shunxian, a general of the Xi tribe, suddenly launched his troops and rushed towards the nearby Jurchen soldiers.
There is chaos here, and another Han general takes action.
The commander-in-chief of the Han army, Wang Bolong, was still loyal to the Kingdom of Jin, but his officers and men did not think so. Especially for middle- and low-level officers, who could they not sacrifice their lives for? Why did they have to hang themselves from a tree?
Wang Bolong was a high-ranking official and well-paid, well-dressed and well-off, and could even marry a lady from a wealthy family in the Bohai Sea. These middle and low-level officers did not have the generous treatment that Wang Bolong received!
"How dare you disobey military orders!" Wang Bolong roared at the approaching Han soldiers.
An officer shouted: "Young man of the Han family, don't sacrifice your life for the golden dog anymore. The Han emperor is going to conquer the world, and from now on everyone will serve as soldiers for the Han emperor. Kill him!"
A few days ago, the Han cavalry in Liaodong crashed into a car formation and suffered heavy losses.
They have been frightened by the Ming army, and now that the city is about to be destroyed, how can they still be willing to accompany Wang Bolong to death?
The Han soldiers turned their spears one after another and attacked their commander.
Wang Bolong was horrified and shouted: "I also want to surrender. Follow me and serve the Emperor of the Han Dynasty..."
"kill!"
Several of the soldiers around Wang Bolong suddenly rose up and started attacking from behind.
Wang Bolong, who was wearing strong armor, was only injured. He wanted to say anything more, but he was knocked down by the soldiers and pinned to the ground and wiped his neck.
Soon, a soldier raised his head and said: "I have killed the Jin Kingdom general Wang Bolong. Follow me and capture the city gate to receive the reward!"
On the south side of the city, Xiao Zhongxuan followed the trend and ordered: "Khitan soldiers listened to the order, put down their weapons, and opened the city gate."