Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 222: Praising King Dong and Cursing Zhu Yuanzhang

Guard captain Li Xiaowu hurriedly left and ordered all 200 people.

Everyone shouted slogans to dismantle the 36-pound cannon and transport it up, which took a long time. The barrel of the cannon was heavy and dangerous on the way up the mountain, and several people were injured.

The cavalry battalion in Wusimai is responsible for protecting land transportation lines.

The transport ships could transport it to the canal, but then they had to rely on animal power and manpower.

Li Shiyao's action of burning Jurong City caused a lot of trouble for himself. Otherwise, many supplies can be requisitioned directly from Jurong City.

This is probably the power of a small strong wall to clear the field!

……

Before sunset, the two parties were in peace.

It was not until noon the next day that the Li Jiajun's camp was completed and the supplies and food were in place, before they launched a trial attack.

There were no ants or people driving out to fill up the moat. The two sides just exchanged guns and cannons, with arrows flying randomly.

The Li family army made a temporary shield car to protect the musketeers.

Dozens of artillery pieces were also pulled out. Unfortunately, the cannonballs had little effect when they landed on the city wall. Even the 24-pounder cannon only peeled off a few layers of bricks, and there were countless layers inside.

It's like a 60kg boxing champion punching a 120kg opponent who is blocking his face.

"Lord, Jiangning's city wall is too thick."

"It's careless. Tell the artillery to only hit the crenels and gate towers, so the city wall doesn't have to waste firepower."

Jiangning City is a traditional Chinese-style fortified city with an astonishing thickness, more bricks and less rammed earth.

It is said that more than 3 million bricks were used, and the people of the Qing Dynasty had one brick per person and still had a surplus.

If you connect so many bricks together, you can circle the Blue Star!

The city wall is several feet high and several feet thick, and its cross-section is a trapezoid that is close to a square.

In the whole world, only the capital city can rival it.

"Today is not to attack the city, but to test the firepower of the Qing army. Let the militiamen experience it, and recruit a group of good marksmen to kill the Qing army."

This was an unconventional siege battle that was not very intense but consumed a huge amount of gunpowder.

The afternoon gradually came to an end.

The Li Jiajun suffered more than 100 casualties, and the Qing army defending Jubaomen suffered more than casualties.

Rifled gun mini bullets can shoot at two hundred meters or even three hundred meters. The Qing army's shotguns could hit a maximum of 100 meters.

Therefore, most of the casualties of the First Army were caused by the artillery at the top of the city.

The Li Jiajun's artillery lived up to expectations, using 12-pounders to destroy more than ten Qing artillery pieces on the city wall, as well as dozens of crenelations.

Standing on the top of the peak, overlooking the Jubao Gate with black smoke coming out, Li Yu said:

"Get ready to blast."

……

General Jiang Ning respected the Tao and conducted a low-key inspection of the Jubaomen city wall after the sun went down.

He also asked about the details of the offensive and defensive battles and was greatly shocked.

He hurried to the governor's office:

"Zhitai, the Thief Chief's guns are far sharper than our Eight Banners force. They are more accurate than those of Junggar and Jinchuan."

"Confident?"

"It's true."

"Okay, I will write a note jointly with you. Report to the Emperor. Although the Jiangnan bandit chieftains are not many, their firearms are extremely elite."

Chongdao sighed:

"What should I do?"

"What are you afraid of? There are many White Lotus soldiers, but their weapons are crude. The Jiangnan bandit soldiers have powerful weapons, but they have few people. There is nothing to worry about."

"Please give me some advice."

"Haha, no matter how sharp the firearm is, someone must hold it. When the heavenly soldiers arrive, they will fight with the main force of the thieves. As time goes by, the officers and soldiers from all provinces attack from all sides and attack their lairs. How can the thieves be undefeated?"

"What about Bai Lian?"

"Use elite horse teams to patrol around, cut off their food routes, and wait for opportunities to strike. Once they reveal their flaws, you can win with one strike."

"Zhi Tai is truly a famous general."

……

"Lord Chong, you are too modest. You once traveled to the northwest and became famous beyond the Great Wall."

A harmonious group, mutual business success.

Li Shiyao was very satisfied and felt that it was very comfortable to partner with such a veteran of Shangsanqi.

With his strength, he would not allow anyone to decentralize power.

Jiangning City temporarily mobilized 6000 young men to go up the city wall. They did not give any money, but only promised to wait until the traitors retreated.

Such empty promises are naturally unpopular.

However, Li Shiyao was meticulous in his work and distributed the heads directly to various neighborhoods. He could not shirk the pressure and put the pressure directly on the most junior subordinates and gentry.

Finally, 6000 strong men were gathered together, and they climbed up the city wall dejectedly.

They were under the command of the Green Camp Soldiers and the Eight Banners Soldiers. If they were slightly dissatisfied, they would be insulted and whipped.

Naturally, the people in the city are in fear every day. They inquired about each other privately, but they did not believe the news coming out of the Yamen.

They are all citizens of the Qing Dynasty and have lived in the city for several generations.

Who doesn’t know what kind of virtuous character Yamen is?

Unless you spend some money and ask from the clerk, you can trust it by 7 points.

If the police officers took the initiative to sound the gong along the street to announce the situation, it would be the same as saying "p".

Jiangning people are not easy to cheat!

……

The unrest and anxiety among the people gave Liu Qian, who lives on Xihuamen Street, an opportunity to operate.

He rented a three-bedroom house, and the landlord was the bookkeeper of Fuguo County Government Office.

Although his rank is not high, he can talk the talk on the street and is a real local snake.

The house is in a good location and has everything you need.

It had been vacant for a long time and had not been rented out. After the middleman introduced it to Liu Qian, he immediately generously paid the full year's rent, instantly confirming his identity as a foreign businessman.

As the war started, the city began to strictly check their identities.

Naturally, there is no need to inspect the house of the county bookkeeper’s house in detail.

Two government officials came to the door, knocked on the door politely, asked a few questions, and signed in to leave.

The young government official couldn't help but say:

"We didn't even go in to check how many people were living there."

The elderly yamen servant squinted his eyes and asked:

"Do you suspect that there is something wrong with this Mr. Niu?"

"Not really."

"Although this Mr. Niu has the head of a deer and eyes like a rat, he doesn't look like a good person. But you can't pretend to be rich and noble."

"I'm worried that if the verification is sloppy, what will happen to the second master when he returns~"

……

The elderly yamen servant suddenly stopped and said seriously:

"I dare not say what will happen to the second master. But if you seriously enter and check this house today, the third master (the chief bookkeeper) will think that you are deliberately provoking his authority, and he will definitely punish you."

The young government officer was dumbfounded and wondered what this meant.

Seeing how clueless he was, his partner sighed:

"Do you think that checking Master San's tenants is for the safety of his property?"

"Yeah."

"If you do this, it will be seen as someone behind the scenes who wants to suppress the Third Master and let you take the lead in finding excuses for him. Do you understand?"

"understood."

"Your father and I were partners back then, and we have a good relationship, so I'm serious about reminding you. Remember, don't touch anything involving the master, no matter what you think is good or bad."

"Didn't you teach me yesterday to be discerning and take more pictures of horses?"

"I'm afraid you'll be kicked by the horse."

……

Liu Qian, the director of the Intelligence Agency, considers himself a merchant trapped in Jiangning.

He goes out to meet guests every day and eats and drinks with local businessmen. "The hospitable and generous Mr. Niu (pseudonym) soon made a group of fair-weather friends.

First we talked about business, and then naturally we talked about the current war.

Businessmen are a well-informed group. They are inextricably connected with the officials and have smooth channels.

After attending more wine parties, the unfamiliar Jiangning Mansion gradually formed a concrete outline in Liu Qian's mind.

From the city walls to the garrison, from the official offices to the wealthy gentry households, especially the people's sentiments in the city.

His carriage would pass by a rice store every day and take a look at the price of rice on the wooden sign.

There are also a few commercial streets where there are no "white men", restaurants and brothels.

These can reflect the tilt of the balance of war.

If the price of rice is stable and wealthy people gather, it means that the Qing army has an advantage.

If the price of rice rises every day and the commercial streets are deserted, it means that the Li Jiajun is about to enter the city.

In the afternoon, Liu Qian would also find an ordinary teahouse and sit there for half a day.

Listen to the complaints of tea drinkers and observe the lives of ordinary people in the city.

He lived near Xihuamen, close to Mancheng. Therefore, there are often bannermen coming and going, and we can also understand some situations.

At present, he has not found an opportunity to tinker.

Although some news was spread that the Han people in the city were colluding with the bandit chieftains and preparing to betray the whole city, the effect was not obvious.

If rumors want to enter people's hearts, they need to be credible and cannot be too false.

For now, Li Jiajun's attack on Jubaomen is still far from being able to attack Mancheng.

... Li Yu inspected many terrains outside Jiangning City and couldn't make up his mind for a while.

Let’s not talk about the Wengcheng after breaking through the city gate.

Even if they were suppressed by artillery fire, the elite risked their lives to climb the city wall and control the city gate.

What should we do after the subsequent troops enter the city?

Disperse and annihilate the enemy?

In the huge Jiangning City, thousands of soldiers are like pepper noodles.

It is feasible to concentrate the attack, focusing on the Governor's Palace and Mancheng.

But the risk is still too great. What if I get caught in a street fight and get locked up and beaten?

This depends on the fighting will of the Qing army and the quality of the generals who command the troops. Li Yu doesn't dare to bet.

After discussing with Lin Huaisheng and other battalion commanders for a long time, everyone agreed that it was best to kill a large number of defenders and partially destroy the city but not enter the city.

At that time, the Qing army will either make a crazy counterattack to block the gap, or they will lose their fighting spirit and break out of the city.

In this way, it is most beneficial to Li Jiajun!

Li Yu adopted this suggestion and prepared to implement it gradually.

……

The first step is to bombard Jubao Gate from the top of Yuhuatai Mountain.

After the two 2-pound guns were in place, the firing angle was adjusted to the highest level, and a leisurely bombardment began under the sun.

After firing 5 rounds, rest for a while to let the artillery cool down. After half an hour, continue firing 5 rounds.

Li Yu stood on the top of the mountain, watching with joy.

A shell fell into the city, causing smoke and dust to billow. Even the gate building of Jubaomen was hit and a corner collapsed.

He praised:

"Cannon is truly the god of war."

Everyone was shocked, and although they had objections, they did not dare to speak.

Especially a group of infantry officers, thinking that in the end the battle will be fought by our infantry brothers, holding up their guns to clear the field.

The artillery observation post stopped the continued bombardment, and after calculating for a while, reported new bombardment data.

He also opened the medicine bag and poured out half a catty of gunpowder.

It is hoped that the impact point of the cannonball can be controlled before and after Jubaomen.

After some adjustments, the range of the cannonball has been slightly shortened.

There is a one-third chance of falling in the treasure gathering gate area.

The city gate tower was overwhelmed and collapsed.

The city walls began to become pitted, and the Green Camp soldiers fled away from this death zone in fear.

Li Yu put away the telescope and sighed:

"Just two or three rounds per hour will be enough. Don't fix the time. Maintain deterrence."

"I am afraid that Jiangning City will not collapse even if all the artillery shell stocks are exhausted, and it will be too late to temporarily cast heavy siege artillery on the spot. The responsibility lies with me. I was careless. I did not expect that Zhu Yuanzhang spent so much money on the capital."

"The only solution now is to blast the tunnel."

……

A tunnel was dug all the way to the bottom of the city wall, and a thick coffin filled with gunpowder was stuffed inside.

Boom, blow the city wall into the sky.

As a time traveler, I naturally know that some people have done this in history.

Dong Wang is a miner and has solid professional knowledge. But Li Yu didn't understand, so he had to find professionals.

His subordinates Wang Liu and Zhao Erhu were both miners in Changxing Coal Mine.

Wang Liu was sent to Huizhou Coal Mine for development, and his contacts were not very close.

Zhao Erhu is his die-hard loyalist and has become the deputy captain of the militia. He can take the lead at this time.

"Send someone to look for Zhao Erhu and ask him to bring more brothers who can dig tunnels."

At critical moments, the importance of professionals is shown.

Zhao Erhu took a group of old brothers from Changxing Coal Mine and spent two hours around the city looking for a suitable location.

First of all, avoid the city gate barbican.

Choose a city wall that is relatively thin to ensure the blasting effect.

If the excavation site is too close to the city wall, it will be discovered by the Qing army, so suddenness cannot be guaranteed.

If it is too far, the amount of excavation work will double.

Finally, a location in the south of the city was chosen. It is about 2 and a half miles away from the city wall.

This place used to be a small market, but the owners ran away.

Using the cover of houses to dig tunnels will not arouse the suspicion of the Qing army.

There were many steel shovels in the supply camp, all of which were allocated to Zhao Erhu and the dozens of miners under his command.

More than 400 strong soldiers were recruited and dug forward according to their instructions.

……

The next day, Zhao Erhu climbed out of the tunnel with a solemn expression, covered in mud and water, looking like a marmot.

He ignored the dirt and came to the handsome tent:

"Lord, I need a lot of wood to support the tunnel."

Li Yu was stunned:

"All the wood in the baggage camp is yours to allocate, isn't it enough?"

"Far from enough."

"Don't be impatient. Sit down and talk slowly. What difficulties did you encounter?"

"The underground layer in Jiangning is like a huge black-faced steamed bun. The soil is too soft! It collapses wherever it is excavated! It must be reinforced while digging."

"How does it compare with Changxing Coal Mine?"

"It's not comparable. It's completely different. In the mining area, the distance between the supporting wooden beams was ten feet, and the density was only increased in a few areas."

"What about Jiang Ning?"

Zhao Erhu smiled bitterly:

"If the distance is more than 2 feet, it will collapse."

"Then can the tactic of digging tunnels and blasting continue?"

"Yes, it just takes time, at least ~ at least 12 days."

……

Li Yu nodded slowly, cracked an egg and handed it to him, gesturing for him to eat it.

"Someone is coming."

"What are your orders from the foster father?"

"Deploy 500 soldiers and cut down trees nearby. If there are not enough, we will demolish the houses."

Li Xiaowu went out immediately, and the camp quickly became noisy.

There are very few mature forests around Jiangning City, and they have all been cut down. People in the Qing Dynasty didn't know how to protect the environment, so they cut down trees and made firewood.

In this regard, it is not as green as Suzhou Prefecture.

Li Yu's first step in starting a business was to promote coal cakes throughout the government and not to cut down trees.

So the soldiers instead began demolishing the houses.

The outer city has many houses and is densely populated. At this time, most of the people ran away to avoid the fighting.

The vacant houses were demolished and the beams and main columns were removed. The damage caused by war was inevitable.

The Qing army in Jiangning City also discovered the smoke and dust from the demolition of houses.

They didn't suspect anything, because they would dismantle it if they were replaced, and using local materials was an essential skill for the army.

To feed so many people, a huge amount of firewood is needed.

Therefore, some of the people standing guard on the city walls began to rejoice in the misfortune.

……

"It's better now. The gentry will be heartbroken."

"Who says it's not the case? These shops outside Diaocheng are quite valuable."

"How valuable is it?"

"Just like that place where the smoke comes from, a shop costs at least 300 taels. And you may not be able to buy it if you have money."

"Hey, hearing you say that makes me feel better."

In 1770, six years ago, the chemist Lavoisier discovered the "Law of Conservation of Matter":

In any material system that is isolated from its surroundings, its total mass remains the same regardless of what changes or processes occur.

The two soldiers in Jiangning City have mastered and used the "Law of Conservation of Emotions" proficiently.

To put it simply, when one group of people in the world are happy, another group of people will be sad. All emotions are conserved.

The share of happiness on this planet is fixed. The more you are happy, the less happy I am.

The shops were smashed and the gentry were very sad, but the people who were forced to go to the city were happy.

In the same way, there is also the "Law of Conservation of Wealth".

It has an unexplainable complex connection with the previous law.

Our ancestors seemed to know nothing, and yet they seemed to know everything!

Therefore, it actually makes sense to say that the Qing Dynasty looked down upon the inventions and creations of foreigners and regarded them as "skills and tricks".

No matter what foreigners invented, we can find similar existences in the Qing Dynasty.

In the wisdom of our ancestors, everything is included.

Lavoisier counted it as a ball, but he was beheaded!

Even Louis XVI was beheaded!

This is the result of not reading the Analects of Confucius.

……

(End of this chapter)