"Hey, I just want to take a look. I haven't been out since the war started. Besides, I'm alone, so I don't have anything to worry about. But you, my eldest brother, look hesitant. I'm afraid it's someone at home.
Is there anyone?"
"Hey, to be honest, my wife is about to give birth to a baby. I'm thinking about getting some rice and making some rice soup to feed her, but I'm worried about what might happen if I go out."
"Easy to say, easy to say, I'll help you~"
"That's it. I'll give you the brand, so don't cheat on me."
"Brother, please don't worry and give me the sign~ Didn't I tell you that when you go out, take half a catty of rice first? You can just go and get it~"
"Okay~"
The two of them walked closer together, and the Jurchen soldier said: "I am his younger brother, and this is my cousin. I will go out and take a look. You can just give the rice to my cousin."
With that said, two Ming soldiers directly weighed out half a kilogram of rice and handed it to the middle-aged man. Then, they asked the Jurchen soldiers to go into a hanging basket and hoisted it out from the hanging basket.
There were several men who went out together. Unlike the others, this Jurchen soldier's purpose was to escape. Once he went out, he would never come back.
Others just wanted the pound of rice, so they trembled next to the hanging basket when they went down, not daring to look around.
On the city wall, Ma Xiaoquan and Zhao Shujiao stood together. The latter asked in a low voice: "Master Deacon, which one of those men is there?"
Ma Xiaoquan made a gesture with his mouth and said: "The one looking around and crossing his chest, well, that's him. His behavior shows that he is familiar with the road and is not afraid. According to common sense, we Han people have no protection measures in such a situation."
Come on, you must be scared out of your wits. Look at the other ones, which one is not shaking?"
Zhao Shujiao took a closer look, nodded and said, "That's true, sir. If that's the case, why do you want to let that person go?"
Ma Xiaoquan smiled and said: "How long can our food and grass last?"
"About two months."
"Well, how many days do you think the food in Huang Taiji's hands will be enough for him?"
"Looking at how quickly they attacked yesterday, and they have more people than us, it should only take a month."
"Then if Huang Taiji knew that a lot of our food and grass had been burned, would he fight to the death or wait for us to run out of food and grass?"
Zhao Shujiao shook his head: "The general doesn't understand what the deacon means, but I hope you can give me some advice."
"Well, there's no point in giving advice. It's just that General Zhao has been busy dealing with the Jurchen army these days. He can't get enough rest. General Zhao, please look far away. The Jurchen camp is more than a mile away from us. If the Jurchens attack, we will
The speed of their cavalry should be very fast, but their food and grass will also be consumed faster. Why did Huang Taiji choose this time to attack us? It is because they are short of food. If they don't attack, they will be in chaos.
"
"Oh, what do you mean, Mr. Deacon, that we have to spend time with them?"
"Smart~" Ma Xiaoquan gave Zhao Shujiao a thumbs up. The latter chuckled and scratched his head, a little embarrassed.
"After all, we still have food and grass to transport in the pass. As for the Jurchens, what should they do if they can't grab it? They eat sheep and horses, but can they eat it every day? What should they do after eating? So in the end they really had no choice, so they
They will withdraw their troops. Of course, at this time, the Jurchens are very powerful. With Huang Taiji's agitation ability, if you make promises to them, such as giving money and food to women, those Jurchens will definitely pounce on you like hungry wolves.
Look at that guy, he looks like he’s going to run away, so just let him run away. When he goes back, he spreads false news to Huang Taiji. If Huang Taiji takes it seriously, it would be interesting, but I think with Huang Taiji’s mind, at most
After three days, you will understand, but if we waste them every day, our chances of winning will increase."
"Well, the deacon is really powerful. This has made you think of it, so let's wait and see~"
As soon as Zhao Shujiao finished speaking, the Jurchen soldiers opened their legs and ran towards the Jurchen camp. Although Ming soldiers kept shouting behind them, it was already too late.
Seeing the Jurchen soldier disappear in front of his eyes, Ma Xiaoquan burst into laughter. Then, the soldiers pulled all the men outside the city back in hanging baskets and rewarded them with half a catty of rice each.
In front of the Jurchen camp, Cato saw a Han-looking man running towards this side from a distance. Without saying a word, he opened his bow and nocked an arrow to shoot.
"Don't shoot, don't shoot, it's me, it's me~~" the Jurchen soldier shouted in his ethnic language.
Cato frowned, put down his bow and arrow, and ordered: "Go and bring that man up~"
When someone brought him over, Cato squinted at the person in front of him and deliberately asked in the dialect of his tribe: "Who are you?"
During the years of fighting, most of the Jurchens could speak Chinese, and some Han people could also speak the Jurchen language, so Cato deliberately asked in the dialect, just to see if the other party could understand.
The Jurchen soldier hummed and quickly replied in the same ethnic dialect: "I am a spy sent by the Great Khan to ambush in Jinzhou City. I have something important to report to the Great Khan."
Cato nodded and asked again: "What's the matter? Let's talk about it here~"
"Okay, I set fire to the grain storage area in Jinzhou and burned a lot of their grain."
Cato was stunned: "Are you sure it's burned?"
"It's absolutely true. If the general doesn't believe it, he can take me to see the Khan~"
Cato thought for a while and ordered: "Go and tie him up and press him in to see the Khan~"
"Yes~~"
At this time, Huang Taiji was in the main camp trying to figure out how to solve the food and grass problem. If this situation continues, Jinzhou City will definitely not be defeated. People have been sent to Shenyang for reinforcements. As soon as those people arrive,
Food and grass, which were already in short supply, must have become even more scarce.
"Well, unless someone can deliver us some food and grass, or set fire to the Ming army's food and grass, we will fight to the death."
At this moment, someone came outside the door asking to see him, saying that he had brought someone with him.
Huang Taiji called people into the camp to take a look and smiled.
"Cato, did you tie him up?"
Cato nodded.
"Relax, he is a spy I specially sent to hide in Jinzhou. I thought you were dead, but I didn't expect you were still alive."
After being untied, the soldier half-knelt on the ground respectfully and said: "Blessed by the immortal God, the little one survived. Dahan. Last night, the little one set fire to a certain granary of the Ming army. A lot of it was burned. Little one."
I made an estimate and it should be enough for half a month."
"Half a month, so much?" Huang Taiji was stunned and stood up.
The next moment, another spy came from outside the main camp to report that Jinzhou City had heard that a lot of inedible food had been swept out this morning, and it seemed that it had been burned yesterday.
The emperor was so happy that he quickly asked the spies to get up, gave him a seat, and said, "Are you sure you have been burning for half a month?"
"It's absolutely true, but after all, they are in the pass, and it is possible to allocate food."
Huang Taiji laughed: "Don't worry, don't worry, they are also short of food now, haha, they are also short of food."
Immediately, Huang Taiji ordered to continue the attack on the city today and not to slack off to speed up the Ming army's consumption of food and grass.
On Jinzhou City, Ma Xiaoquan and Zhao Lijiao saw the Jurchen Army gathering soldiers from a distance. The latter said: "It seems that Huang Taiji was fooled. They are trying to speed up our consumption of food and grass."
Ma Xiaoquan smiled and said: "Then we will use the strategy, but the Jurchen soldiers are not good at it. We have to defend it next. I will not participate. I have not recovered yet."
"Okay~"
After burning incense, the Jurchen army blew the horn of attack, and then several groups of Jurchen cavalry came out. The cavalry was followed by infantry, and the infantry was followed by the archers.
The role of the Jurchen cavalry was to find out what was going on. Relying on the speed of the cavalry, they just circled in front of the city to find out the Ming army's firepower.
Zhao Shujiao had already ordered his men to prepare the four-eyed iron fire blunderbuss, and was waiting for the Jurchen cavalry to come over and carry the pot to him in one fell swoop.
This four-eyed iron fire gun is improved from the ordinary fire gun. Not only does it have a longer range, but it is also more powerful. More importantly, the previous fire gun can only hold one iron bead at a time. Now this four-eyed iron fire gun can
But it can hit four with one shot. Although it is not as accurate as a single fire gun, it is still incredibly powerful.
Waiting for the Jurchen cavalry to approach, Zhao Shujiao gritted his teeth and shouted "Hit me", and then the bangs and bangs of firecrackers continued to sound, and the Jurchen cavalry under the city were knocked off their horses one by one.
The Jurchen army was not stupid either. When they saw that the Ming army had used fire blunderbuss, the cavalry quickly retreated, and the infantry followed up and raised their huge shields. The iron beads of the fire blunderbuss hit the shield, making a bang-bang-bang sound.
Since Ma Xiaoquan would not participate in this battle for the time being, the post of chief adviser fell to Ji Yong.
Ji Yong was a eunuch who belonged to Wei Zhongxian, but compared to Wei Zhongxian's weakness and ignorance, Ji Yong still had some military acumen. In addition, he received benefits from Ma Xiaoquan, so his relationship with Ma Xiaoquan was still good.
After receiving the news of the large-scale attack by the Jurchen Army, Ji Yong also knew not to neglect. Although he was a bit of a rogue, he also understood the truth of the destruction of a country and a family.
Immediately, Ji Yong ordered the commander-in-chief Zuo Fu and the deputy commander-in-chief Zhu Mei to go to the battlefield to supervise the troops.
Ji Yong is very courageous. Although he has been a eunuch for a long time and is not as strong as a normal man, but he has been supervising the army for so long, Ji Yong has also developed some small skills. Among other things, he can pull a bow and arrow.
.
With a "buzz" sound, Ji Yong shot an arrow. An infantryman not far under the city wall missed a gap and was hit in the shoulder by Ji Yong's arrow. Although the person was not killed, the arrow was not accurate.
It shows that Ji Yong has some abilities.
"My father-in-law is good at archery~" Commander-in-Chief Zuo Fu said flatteringly.
"Okay, no more nonsense, let's separate the warlords, don't slack off, the Jurchen army is brave~ we have to be careful."
"Yes~~"
The war became more and more intense. Cannons were constantly ringing on Jinzhou City, and arrows and rocks were falling continuously. The Jurchen army under the city was scattered one wave, and another wave came again. It seemed that there was no end to the fight.