Chapter 152: Expel the People and Charge the First
Shang Yi predicted that it was correct. Although he received news of Fengyang's loss and Hong Chengchou once again persuaded Duoduo to withdraw his troops, Duoduo did not give up on the capture of Yangzhou. Although Fengyang was lost, the Qing army's logistics line was basically cut off. However, the Qing army still had an advantage in military strength. As long as Yangzhou was captured, the logistics could be resolved and the counterattack of Fengyang was still the Qing army.
Therefore, Duoduo also decided to make a desperate bet, ordering Yibaitu, who retreated to Liuhe, and Ye Chen, who was stationed in Tianchang, to lead his army to Guanqiao and concentrate his forces to attack Yangzhou. At this time, the total strength of the Qing army also reached 110,000. At the same time, Duoduo also reached 110,000. It was also decided to use the last move of the Qing army: to drive the people first.
Before the Qing army entered the pass, they often used this trick, but after entering the pass, they basically did not use it much. First, it was because the public grievances caused by using this trick were indeed too great, and this time, the Qing Dynasty The purpose of the court was to permanently occupy the land within the pass, so Dorgon also asked the generals not to use it as much as possible; on the other hand, the Qing army's military operations within the pass were very smooth and they won many battles, so There is no need to use it again. But now Duoduo is forced to do nothing, so he thought of using this trick again.
Duoduo's decision was unanimously agreed by all the generals. In their opinion, this was the only way to defeat the merchant army and conquer Yangzhou. Although Hong Chengchou had some slight words in his heart, he did not dare to say any objection at this time. So it was decided like this.
Three days later, Ibaitu and Ye Chen both led their troops to Guanqiao. At the same time, the Qing army also captured six or seven thousand people in nearby villages and towns, and it happened to be a rush to the sky. Duoduo immediately ordered the war.
The Qing army first pushed out the artillery and arranged it in front of the formation, and then sent 10,000 infantry to launch another attack on the position of the merchant army. The captured people were also divided into two groups, one group stayed in the artillery position and acted as human shields. Another group was driven by infantry to serve as the leader.
There was a crying sound on the battlefield. Men, women, young and old were driven by the Qing army and slowly walked out of the Qing army's array. The situation was really miserable.
In fact, after the Qing army withdrew, Shang Yi thought that the Qing army might use the move to drive the people first. After all, this was a common trick used by the Qing army. Abatai used it when he attacked Shandong, and in Jianghuai After the war started, it was useless. The Qing army would not talk about humanitarianism and would not use it without reason. Moreover, in the past few days, Shang Yi has also received a report from scouts, knowing that the Qing army was arresting the people in the nearby villages, so Shang Yi was also sure that the Qing army would use this move to launch its last attack on Yangzhou.
At this time, all the soldiers in the merchant army also saw it very clearly. Shi Kefa's face was pale and his lips were trembling. I don't know what he was talking about? He wanted to fight Liu Zhaoji and Zhuangzi in this battle. Gu and others were also stunned and at a loss.
The soldiers of the merchant army had already started to curse at the Qing army. Only a few people who had experienced the war in Shandong that year smiled bitterly. Even Yalisandra and the foreign mercenaries felt very good about the Qing army's behavior. Indignantly, in the minds of Europeans who still retained a considerable chivalrous spirit, only barbarians could use this method. Among the entire army, only Shang Yi remained silent and just made a gesture to one of his guards.
A few Qing army cavalry and pegasus rushed to the position of the merchant army and shouted: "Listen, Ming army, these people are your compatriots and relatives. If you don't want them to die in your hands, you will immediately bow your hands.
Surrender, otherwise they will be killed by you."
But at this moment, I saw hundreds of prisoners of Qing soldiers escorting the merchant army. The faces of several cavalrymen couldn't help but change. I saw two soldiers of the merchant army holding a man a few steps forward.
He shouted, "Die Tartars, you can see clearly. This is Kong Xunting, the son of Kong Youde, and others, all of your Tartars. Go back and tell Dodo that if you want to change them, you will let all the people go.
You dare to kill our people, see how we deal with you."
It turned out that after Kong Xunting was captured alive by the merchant army, he did not kill him, but was imprisoned, just waiting for this time to use it. At this time, he also shouted: "Prince Yu, Prince Yu, I am Kong Xunting."
, save me quickly.”
After hearing this, these cavalrymen did not dare to take the initiative. They hurriedly pulled their horses back and reported to Duoduo.
After hearing this, Duoduo couldn't help but look as if he was too blue, and the other generals were speechless. Everyone knew that once the Qing army drove the people first, Shang Yi would definitely kill him with very cruel means in front of the formation.
These Qing army prisoners, and once the soldiers knew that Duoduo ordered the people to attack even though he knew that the merchant army would kill prisoners, would probably be shaken. But if the people were exchanged for these prisoners,
How to fight in the war? Although the Qing army could still capture the people, who knows how many prisoners the merchants still have? It would be endless to tear it down like this, but now I can't afford to delay it.
Therefore, all the generals focused their attention on Duoduo, because Geng Zhongming had even brighter eyes. He was not interested in the life and death of the Qing army prisoners, but there was Kong Xunting here. He was Kong Youde's only son, and Kong Youde was
Those who have made many contributions to the Qing court are still seriously injured but have not healed. Will so Duoduo save his son?
After a while, Duoduo did not make any noise. When Hong Chengchou saw it, he was about to leave the line and persuaded Duoduo to give up this attack and exchange the people for the prisoners. Duoduo suddenly jumped up from the chair and pulled out the
He took out his sword, pointed to the opposite side, and said, "Send the order and attack."
Then he waved his sword and said gloomyly: "Whoever dares to reveal half a word about what happened just now will be killed."
After the order was passed, the Qing army drove the people and slowly walked towards the positions of the merchant army. While the people were forced to walk, they burst into tears.
Shang Yi put down his telescope, came to the front of the prisoner, and said, "You all see clearly. It's not that I want to kill you, but that Duoduo doesn't want you anymore. After he becomes a ghost, he will settle the score with him."
At this time, Kong Xunting had already cried bitterly and said, "Shang Junmen, Shang Junmen, please send someone to tell Prince Yu again, he will definitely save me, and I will definitely save me."
Shang Yi said coldly: "Criminal Kong, just save money. Don't think that your father is a prince and treats himself as a scattered person. In the eyes of the Qing people, your father is just two dogs.
, keep it if you want, and throw it if you want. Given that you are a Han Chinese, I will take special care of you, so I will let Prince Kong be the first to go." As he said that, he turned his head and said loudly: "Start, give it to me."
Prince Kong Zitian.”
Amid Kong Xunting's crying, he was tied up by several soldiers and put a large iron plate on his butt, and then he was pressed to sit on a large round iron tube about two feet in diameter. Although Kong Xunting didn't know how the merchant army would torture him. But it was definitely not a good thing. At this time, he knew that he could not escape, so he cursed Duoduo at the top of his voice. The other soldiers also knew that their destiny could not be changed, so they all followed Kong Xunting. , cursed Duoduo.
Just as Kong Xunting was scolding, the soldiers behind lit the lead. With a "boom", Kong Xunting was thrown a distance of more than ten feet high, and at the same time he also let out a long shrill scream, and then he fell heavily. After the Qing army's prisoners realized how the merchant army planned to deal with them. They couldn't help but be scared to death, and their bodies shook like sieve. Then they were tied up by the merchant army's soldiers. Sitting in the cannon barrel, ten people fired out in batches.
In the Qing army's formation, although we could not hear the screams from the Qing soldiers in the sky, everyone was moved. No one expected that the merchant army would use this method to torture the prisoners. In fact, strictly speaking, , The pain of this method is far less than that of Lingchi, five horses split into corpses, but it can hit people up to a height of more than ten feet, and the momentum is very scary. With the miserable screams, it can indeed make many people frightened, and All the Qing army also saw it very clearly, and it was estimated that this matter would be leaked sooner or later.
Among the generals, two people were in a more complicated mood. Hong Chengchou took a step back and shook his head with a wry smile. He really couldn't figure out what kind of person Shang Yi was? But Geng Zhongming was I felt a chill. Although he didn't know that Kong Xunting was the first person, he could be sure that he was definitely one of them. Moreover, Duoduo had the opportunity to save Kong Xunting, but he allowed Kong Xunting to be tortured to death by the merchant army like this. I also felt sad that the rabbit died and the fox was born.
However, although the Qing army was terrified of such a result, the Qing army that went out to attack drove the people and advanced to the positions of the merchant army.
At this time, Shang Yi also ordered loudly in the formation: All artillery were ready to fire.
After hearing this, Shi Kefa hurriedly said, "Yiheng, you can't fire, you are all people from the Ming Dynasty!"
Shang Yi looked back at Yangzhou City and said sternly: "Shi Shi, would you just let us tens of thousands of soldiers put down our swords and guns and save them? There are still hundreds of thousands of people in Yangzhou City. If we In this way, they were controlled by the Qing captains. After the Yangzhou City was destroyed, wouldn’t these hundreds of thousands of people be buried? And there were still millions of people in Jiangnan, and the supervisor only wanted to make these thousands of people. Can you ignore these hundreds of thousands and millions of people?"
In the past, Shang Yi and Shi Kefa always had a friendly conversation. This was the first time that he was so terrified and fearful. However, Shi Kefa was speechless by Shang Yi. In fact, Shi Kefa knew in his heart that Shang Yi's approach was right. Yes, but this bend can't be turned.
Shang Yi ignored him and turned to the soldiers and said, "Brothers, the Tartars are driving our people to attack, and they will kill the people when they fire. I can't bear it, but think about it, if it's If the Tartars are restrained, then every time the Tartars will host the people's attacks, we must not let the Tartars be presented. For the sake of Yangzhou City and for the villagers in the south, we will not be bullied by the Tartars. It is necessary to fire. All we have to do is kill more Tartars and avenge these villagers."
The entire army also shouted in unison: "Kill the Tartars more and avenge the villagers."