The overall layout of the capital city of the Ming Dynasty was convex, with the inner city to the north. It was built in the Yongle period of the early Ming Dynasty. The layout of the city was symmetrical and the streets were wide and straight.
To the south is the outer city. Since it was originally built independently by merchants, the buildings in the city are messy, with numerous shops and narrow and congested streets.
Later, due to the gradual expansion of the scale, the walled city was built during the Jiajing period, which was indeed inferior to the inner city wall.
But it is still about seven to eight meters high, with a top width of nine meters, and is covered with blue bricks. It is comparable to Taiyuan, Luoyang and other important towns.
This time, the intruders filled in the ten-mile-long moat to the south and built dozens of siege ladders. They stormed for three days, but they still could not break the city. Instead, they once again suffered tens of thousands of casualties.
However, the Ming army's defense for three days seemed to be very comfortable and they did not feel any pressure. It can be seen that the soldiers have indeed changed completely.
The morale of the Chuang army fell into a slump again.
Inside the Chinese military tent.
Facing King Chuang's roar, all the civil and military officials remained silent.
"Why aren't you talking? Aren't they all shouting on weekdays? Now they are all mute?"
Li Zicheng panted heavily and hammered the table, like a defeated bull.
"Brother, it's not that brothers don't work hard, it's just that this capital is too damn difficult to attack."
Liu Zongmin grimaced, and everyone else nodded frequently.
"Do you still need to say this? If it were easier to fight, that kid Zhu Cixi would have become a prisoner under my command!"
"Your Majesty, please calm down. According to my observation over the past three days, if you want to break the city, I am afraid that it is only possible to gather the elite soldiers from all departments and attack in turns..."
"fart!"
"That's nonsense!"
Before Li Yan could finish his words, all the generals in the tent were yelling at each other, as if they were stepping on their tails.
Even the Red Lady remained silent and was unwilling to risk the lives of her old brothers by attacking them.
"Your Majesty, the elites of each department are all veterans who have fought with your Majesty for many years. They are the foundation of our army. They must not be used to waste them in such a forceful attack. Otherwise, the soldiers will become resentful and disloyal. In the end, even if we capture the outer city, the gain will not be worth the loss."
Niu Jinxing quickly stood up and said.
These words simply spoke to everyone's hearts, once again eliciting a wave of applause and agreement.
In fact, King Chuang agreed with Li Yan in his heart. However, despite the public opinion, he could only nod his head and said: "What the Prime Minister said is absolutely true. Let's drop this matter and don't mention it again."
"The king is wise!" everyone sang in unison.
"In this case, we can only send people to negotiate again."
Li Yan sighed in his heart and suggested again.
After three days of fighting, the morale and combat effectiveness of the Ming army were getting higher and higher day by day, and there was no shortage of troops.
In this situation, if you want to break the city, no matter how many new soldiers you have, it will be useless. You have to be elite warriors who dare to die.
But the generals still wanted to preserve their strength and were unwilling to send out elites, so he gave up hope of breaking the city.
This time, no one opposed Li Yan's suggestion.
Even the two bitter rivals Niu Jinxing and Song Xiance didn't say anything.
"It seems that's the only way it can be."
Li Zicheng nodded. In fact, he didn't have much hope now. He just wanted to blackmail him and run away.
The envoy was still the same as last time, a surrendered prefect named Liu, but he returned within an hour.
"Liu Shenzhan, how did the little emperor reply?"
Everyone looked at the prefect surnamed Liu.
"Back to the king, the young emperor did not refuse directly, but asked Military Advisor Li and his wife to go to the city to talk together, otherwise there will be no need to talk."
After Magistrate Liu finished speaking, everyone looked at Li Yan and his wife, who were also a little surprised.
"Haha, it seems that Brother Li is really famous. Even the little emperor couldn't help but want to meet him, admire him, admire him!"
Song Xiance chuckled, cupped his hands and said.
Although he was flattering, how could Li Yan not understand the meaning of his words? However, there is no way to explain this kind of thing.
"Commander, Red Chief, the little emperor asked you two by name to come to negotiate. What do you two think?"
Li Zicheng looked at the two people and asked.
There was no trace of any discoloration on his face.
"Back to your Majesty, don't just go to the city to negotiate. For the great cause of our rebel army, Li Yan will not hesitate even if it involves swords and fire!"
"It is my duty to be the last general!"
The couple clasped their fists and answered, obviously neither of them thought that the little emperor wanted to trick them into entering the city and then get rid of them.
As for why they were named as a couple to negotiate, I couldn't figure it out for the moment.
"Commander..."
"Sister Hong..."
On the other hand, the Red Lady's subordinates were quite worried and wanted to dissuade them, but they were stopped by the Red Lady.
The couple were already ostracized in the rebel army. If they refused to negotiate, they would be classified as people who were greedy for life and fearful of death. Once they were labeled as such, they would never be able to raise their heads in the rebel army in the future.
"Okay! Brother Li and Sister Hong are worthy of being true heroes with extraordinary courage. I, Mr. Li, really did not misjudge the two of them at the beginning. If the negotiation is successful this time, I, Mr. Li, are willing to marry you two."
Li Zicheng stood up quickly and praised loudly, saying that he was so heroic in the end.
He really admired the courage of the two of them. If it were him, he would never dare to enter the city.
When Brother Gao was arrested, he was killed for three days and three nights, and more than 3,000 cuts were made. Thinking about it makes his spine run cold.
"Your Majesty, this is a wonderful compliment. My husband and I must not accept it."
The couple hurriedly said modestly, but they were quite moved in their hearts.
Although others were a little jealous and unhappy, they all praised him one after another.
But in his heart, he wished that the little emperor would kill the two of them so that they could divide their army and horses.
After a toast.
The two of them rode out of the camp and headed towards the city wall.
But when she didn't go far and looked at the city wall so close, the red lady couldn't help but ask.
"Ms. sir, are you telling me that the little emperor really wants to trick us into entering the city and then kill us? Why don't I go alone, and you don't want to go..."
"Don't worry, madam. The little emperor is the king of a country and will never do such a thing that damages his reputation. What's more, what's the benefit of killing my husband and I?"
Li Yan smiled and shook his head.
In fact, he really wanted to go to the city to talk to the little emperor.
He believed that with his sharp tongue, he would be able to convince the little emperor to agree to peace talks.
After all, it would be unhelpful for both parties to continue this stalemate. Once Jian Nu takes the opportunity to enter the border, everyone will be finished.
"Having said that, it's just that the little emperor is said to be only fourteen years old."
The red lady was still a little worried after thinking about it.
After all, a fourteen-year-old boy is immature and moody.
Li Yan frowned slightly when he heard this, and then said: "That's good. Later, when my husband comes to the city alone, you wait outside. If you are a prostitute, no one else will say anything."
"How does this work?"
The red lady immediately refused.
The couple argued all the way to the city, but the red lady finally couldn't get her husband to agree to stay outside.
"They must be Li Yan and Hong Niangzi, right?"
Just as Li Yan was about to introduce himself, Zhou Yuji, who was on top of the city, took the lead and asked.
"Yes, it's me and my wife. May I ask the general's name?"
Seeing his extraordinary bearing, Li Yan immediately raised his hand and asked.
"I am the loyal and righteous uncle of the Ming Dynasty, Zhou Yuji, that's right!" Zhou Yuji raised his voice with a cold face and his hands behind his back.
"It turns out to be General Zhou. I've heard of the general's name a long time ago. It's truly a blessing to meet him today!"
The couple did not expect that he was Zhou Yuji, so they both dismounted and clasped their fists, obviously admiring him greatly.
Zhou Yuji couldn't keep his face this time, so he had to hold his fists in return and salute. After saying a few polite words, he ordered the two hanging baskets to be put down.
"Master Li, why don't you come up, Madam?"
"General Zhou, my wife is a prostitute. It's very inconvenient. I'll just let the next person go to the city to negotiate. I hope you'll forgive me!"
"Li Zhuangshi, I'm afraid this won't work. His Majesty's decree is to invite you and your wife to come to the city together. If your wife doesn't come, you will have no choice but to invite her back."
Zhou Yuji shook his head. It was not that he wanted to make things difficult for the two of them, but that he had to carry out His Majesty's orders.
"That's fine!"
Li Yan had no choice but to compromise.
The red lady was worried at first, so she immediately got on the hanging basket after hearing this.