Guide to Traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty.

Chapter 823 0818 [Follow the trend]

The next morning, another troop transport ship arrived, and Deng Chun's infantry reached 5,000.

Escorted by cavalry and using mules to pull chariots, they followed the Ling River to the southeast of Jinzhou City.

Things are a bit complicated here.

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 two mountains, and there are Jinbingzhai fortresses on both sides of the mountains.

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, fortresses, rivers, and mountains.

Li Jinyi's army was on the southwest side and planned to cooperate with Deng Chun to first capture the mountain fortress south of Jinzhou City.

Although Li Jinyi had many 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 each mountain passage," 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 stronghold, the Jin soldiers in the city will You can quickly cross the bridge to increase troops for rescue, and you can also cross the river from the east and west and send cavalry to attack our army’s flanks.”

Li Jinyi has been here for several days and even drew a simple defense map of the enemy.

Even if there are sufficient artillery, there are also a small number of small return guns installed on the ships of the Ming Navy to throw smoke bombs at enemy ships.

The cavalry escorted the naval gunners to the outside of Jinzhou West City and began to project "gifts" into the city.

Deng Chun pointed to the map and said: "Three 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."

"This...this is Li Jing, Li Jing of the Li family in Liaoyang!" an officer pointed at the head and exclaimed.

Deng Chun said with a smile: "A bunch of heads."

Soon, several small return guns were dismantled from the ship.

The heads were plastered with lime to prevent rot, and each head was packed in bags. There were many words written with a brush on the bag, including the name, position and other information of the owner of the head.

The heads packed in cloth bags were thrown into the city of Jinzhou by return cannons.

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 tribes. 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."

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.

Of course, no one dared to hide it secretly, so they handed over the bag and head honestly.

There were the heads of Gao Biao who was strangled to death by Yang Zaixing, and the heads of marshals from various ethnic groups who were killed by Wanyan Zongfu.

"Ta-ta-ta-ta!"

It’s all brains!

Most of the Jurchen soldiers did not know Chinese characters, and the soldiers of all ethnic groups also did not know Chinese characters. They opened the bag curiously and saw the heads in the bag. Although they couldn't identify who they were, they still had a vague guess - the friendly forces were defeated!

However, the news of Wanyan Zongfu's defeat and the death of the generals of Hesu Pavilion spread rapidly among the defenders in the city.

There were also literate Khitan generals who picked up the bag and read: "Gao Biao, son of the Gao family in Chenzhou, Deputy Privy Envoy of Guangning Mansion, Commander of the Military and Horse Command at Huesuguan Road, and Military Envoy of Fuzhou..."

"What kind of gift?" Li Jinyi asked.

Wanyan Talan pointed at the pile of heads collected: "Nianli Duo is so confused that he randomly traps and kills generals from all races and doesn't know how to deal with the head and tail!"

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 hide it privately. These heads are all fake and are an intimidation strategy by the Southern thieves!"

"put!"

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 drop 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. I just heard what others said. But some generals recognized Gao Biao, Da Pan, Li Jing and others. They were indeed powerful and handsome men from all ethnic groups." Head. Yinliduo has been defeated, how can Jinzhou City be defended? Father made a plan early!"

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 captured by Jin Bing first. Later, Xiao Zhonggong and Emperor Tianzuo were captured by the Jin soldiers. Both brothers were forced to pay money and showed extreme loyalty to the Kingdom of Jin.

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, his country and family were destroyed by the Jin people. Are they really loyal to the Kingdom of 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: "Father, do you 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 wasn't until their elder brother was also captured by the Jin that the two brothers joined the Jin Kingdom.

They are extremely cautious in character, 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 servant or a military general, he would not dare to be greedy for a penny in the Kingdom of Jin. When he was governing the place, he did not allow small officials to be corrupt. Moreover, he never stood out in the limelight. When walking in the state and city he governed, the people did not even recognize 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 so easily?

"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 were the concubines and princesses of Daliao 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, our family will be safer. If someone rebels, we can just go with the flow."

"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 clan members of the Liao Kingdom. No matter which country we live in, we will be suspected everywhere. Once convicted, we will die. The clan was destroyed.”

"If my father and I serve as officials in the Ming Dynasty in the future, they 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 they are loyal to the emperor and love the people, they can gain the emperor's trust."

Xiao Anjie said happily: "Father agreed to the Ming Dynasty?"

Xiao Zhongxuan nodded: "Follow the trend."

As they were talking, a messenger came running over: "General Xiao, the southern bandits are about to attack the mountain stronghold, you must lead the Khitan soldiers to rescue them immediately!"

Xiao Zhongxuan was really good at pretending, and his brother died fighting for the Kingdom of Jin.

Among the generals of various clans 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 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 left the city from the east and west sides, hoping to attack and harass the Ming army's flanks. But 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 without the effort!

Xiao Zhongxuan had already informed his officers on the way there with his troops. The priority is to preserve your strength, and don't fight to the death with the Ming army attacking the mountain. When it's time to release arrows, it's time to flee and flee.

From mid-morning to afternoon, 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 Wuyan has come to see the marshal. Please kill the last general to frighten all the armies."

Of course Wanyan Talan couldn't kill him, so he even supported him with his own hands and said, "General Xiao, please get up. 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, even if they are Southern thieves, Even with sharp weapons, it’s 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 occupying the southern mountain stronghold, the Ming army went to attack the eastern mountain stronghold the next day, and quickly uprooted the remaining two mountain strongholds.

At this point, all Jinzhou's peripheral defense fortifications had fallen.

Another day later, there were three people around but one was missing.

They also set up artillery on the mountains to the east and south and fired at random into the city to intimidate them.

Every day, a large number of cavalry were sent to shoot letters of surrender into the city. The letter promised that as long as the traitor surrendered to the Ming Dynasty, all past mistakes would not be investigated, and the Ming army would only kill 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.

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.

Wang Bolong, the commander-in-chief of the Han army, was still loyal to the Kingdom of Jin, but his soldiers did not think so. Especially for middle and low-level officers, who can't they work for? Why do you have to hang yourself from a tree?

Wang Bolong was a high-ranking official, well-paid, well-dressed and well-fed, and could even marry a lady from a wealthy family in the Bohai Sea. These middle and low-level officers do not have Wang Bolong's generous treatment!

"How dare you disobey military orders!" Wang Bolong roared at the incoming 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. 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 general.

Wang Bolong was horrified and shouted quickly: "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 something more, but he was knocked down by the soldiers, pinned to the ground and wiped on 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!"

Over in Nancheng, Xiao Zhongxuan followed the trend and ordered: "Khitan soldiers obey the order, put down their weapons, and open the city gate."

(End of this chapter)