Win the Ding 1617

The day when Wu Sangui arrived in Beijing happened to be the moment when Zheng Zhilong escorted Wang Dehua's victory letter and his trusted little eunuch escorted the five clipper boats to land at Nigu Wharf with seasonal fruits, lychees and other reserved fruits. ?. .

On the same day, on the 14th day of the first lunar month in the [-]th year of Chongzhen, outside the city of Luoyang, thousands of miles away from Beijing, there were a forest of flags and a sea of ​​people and horses.Breaking out from the mountainous area in western Henan, Li Zicheng's troops went straight to Luoyang's camp, preparing to launch an attack on Luoyang City.

From the six-pound gun, the eight-pound gun, to the big Frang machine, etc., more than a hundred large and small artillery pieces are lined up outside the city of Xiguan outside Luoyang City. The "horse blocking wall" is about one foot long, and a trench is dug in front of the wall to lead water into the trench.This is the first line of defense in Luoyang, which can prevent enemy cavalry from approaching and force them to dismount and fight in wartime.Usually, large animals such as cattle, sheep and horses that are trafficked into the city can be placed here, so it is also called the sheep and horse wall.

The "horse blocking wall" surrounding Luoyang City has a circumference of more than 23 miles, and only some gates are opened on some official roads.After passing the East, West, South, and North Passes, thirty steps away from the main city wall of Luoyang, there is a deep moat, which also leads to the Dangshui or Luoshui into the moat.

On the inner side of the moat, there is also a "horse barrier wall" with a height of one foot, and the barrier walls of each pass are those that cross this horse barrier wall.There are also corner platforms and turrets at the four corners of the city, with a wide field of vision.It can monitor and bash attacking enemies from various angles.The four city gates are also built with urns, which makes Luoyang City extremely strong.

Looking down from the sky, on the north bank of Luoshui River, at the foot of Mang Mountain, stands the huge city of Luoyang.

The so-called four passes are Guancheng.It is generally an upright rectangular shape, or half the size of the main city, or a quarter of the size of the main city.They are all facing the direction of the city gates on all sides.After the population of a large city multiplies, a small city will basically be built outside the main city, connected to the big city by the gate road, and the distance is usually within two miles, or even only a hundred steps.The same is true for the Guancheng Luoyang City. Dongguan, Xiguan, Nanguan, and Beiguan guard the big city. Each Guancheng also has urns, moats, and trenches.In addition, there is a "horse barrier wall" on the periphery of Dongguan, which is one foot high. There are also parapet walls and trenches. It can be said that there are solid lines of defense around Luoyang City, and mutual support is also very convenient.

With such a rigorous and three-dimensional nursing service system, it is no wonder that such a heroic figure as Gao Chuang Wang Gao Yingxiang back then also returned home without a feather.Seeing the defense of Luoyang's city wall through a monocular clairvoyance, Zhang Nai, Li Zicheng's adopted son, stood in front with a red command flag in his hand, and looked back at the army formation behind.

There are more than [-] people, and the ground is endless.What's more, there are at least tens of thousands of people gathered under the city of Luoyang?Looking around, Zhang Nai saw dense crowds of people, waving flags, and waving weapons everywhere in Zhang Nai's field of vision. What he heard in his ears was the sound of passwords and shouts. In the blink of an eye, the voice gradually subsided. , Occasionally, the neighing of mules and horses could be heard.

Surrounded by hundreds of veteran battalion soldiers, more than a dozen people slowly came out from behind the army formation. Wherever they passed, there were earth-shattering cheers from the army formation, "King Chuang! King Chuang!"

After several months of rest and recuperation, Chuangying has reached an unprecedented level of strength. Not only all the old battalion soldiers are wearing iron armor, but also those outlying troops such as Xiaoqi and Majun are also armored, but they are just waiting for the dragon. Leather armor and cotton armor, but in this kind of weather, wearing leather armor and cotton armor is very suitable.

After all, the time is still relatively short, and there is no time to carry out scientific and rigorous organization of the expanded troops, let alone organize the army into standard battalions, front battalions, rear battalions, There is no distinction between the battalions of the left battalion and the right battalion, and the colors of the flags are not distinguished, but the team has appeared as a unit.As large as each team of cavalry, 1 person or 1 person per team of infantry.

Today's formation is a bit special. It is not like the usual attack on general counties or sieges. It is dealt with by a five-pronged army formation.Instead, the pawns were placed in the front, and those hungry people with incomplete weapons and no armor were placed in the second wave, and Zhang Nai's artillery unit was at the front of the queue.

A large flag several feet high stands in front of the army formation. The flag tassel is white, but it is made of horsehair.The flag gun is silver and white, but it is made of silver.The flag fluttered fiercely in the cold wind, displaying a big "Chuang" character in people's eyes, and the character "Chuang" was embroidered with black satin.

Under the banner, Li Zicheng was riding on his black barge horse, which was a very tall steed. The horse's body was dark gray with white spots, and its hair was curly and curly. The mane and tail were trimmed.Shen Jun is very.

Li Zicheng was still wearing a white felt hat and an arrow jacket made of Songjiang standard cloth, with a bow and arrow on his back and a sharp sword hanging from his waist.Whenever the cold wind howls, the flag billows and billows, and the red tassels on his red cloak and felt hat keep flying.

Beside him on the left side, several generals, Liu Zongmin, Li Guo, Yuan Zongdi, Liu Fangliang, Li Shuangxi, Hao Yaoqi and others stand with bright armor and swords on their backs.On the right hand side are Niu Jinxing, Song Xiance, Li Yan and others who came to seek refuge after breaking into the camp in Henan.

As far as the eye could see, there were soldiers and horses cheering towards him among the crowds.This is something that has never happened in the past few years since Tongguan Nanyuan was defeated, and Zicheng couldn't help but feel a little fascinated.

"How are the battalions and ministries prepared?" The fierce cold wind blew past, making Li Zicheng's fiery mind immediately sober.

"Return to Chuangwang's words. All the ministries have been prepared, and we only need to wait for Chuangwang's military order!" Liu Zongmin, who was honored as the general sentinel Liu Ye by the Chuangying camp, replied to Li Zicheng in a rough voice.

"Mr. Niu, Mr. Song, Brother Lin Quan, how do you think this Henan Mansion will be captured?"

As for the defensive force in Luoyang City, Li Zicheng had received definite information from the general Yuan Zongdi who was in charge of the preparations for the Luoyang Battle early on.There are no more than a few thousand soldiers and horses in the entire Luoyang city.In order to strengthen Luoyang's defense force, Wang Shaoyu, the head of Luoyang's garrison, ordered the transfer of about 2000 officers from the two groups of guards in Gongxian and Yanshi back to Luoyang to defend the city.The officers and soldiers transferred back from the officers and soldiers of Gongxian and Hexi divisions were led by deputy general Luo Tai and general Liu Youyi.These two people are greedy for life and afraid of death, cowardly as mice.I am afraid of Li Zicheng's peasant army, which is powerful and powerful in various parts of western Henan, as well as the soldiers under them.reason?These two men have been in arrears with the salaries of their officers and soldiers for six or seven months, and their morale is usually unstable.Now they are transferred back to Luoyang to defend the city, and let these hungry soldiers face the artillery fire of the peasant army and use it on the knife edge, which is of course even more unstable.After Yuan Zongdi learned that Wang Shaoyu ordered them to pass through Yanshi County, join forces from Yanshi County, and then drive back to Luoyang to defend the city, he had already sent secret agents to the city of Yanshi to secure Luo Tai and Liu Youyi's soldiers. Get in touch.Another group of reinforcements was the Shaanxi soldiers who killed the chief officer and mutinied in Tongguan last month due to lack of payment. There were about 600 people who fled to the territory of Shanzhou and were called to Luoyang by Wang Shaoyu to help defend the city.As for the hundreds of rebels who came from Tongguan, they were all fellow villagers in Shaanxi, so it was easier to communicate with each other. Yuan Zongdi had already arranged for someone to wait in Luoyang City to meet secretly.

At first Li Zicheng planned to send troops to ambush and intercept on the road, and wiped out the two official troops outside Luoyang City.Later, it was decided to fight ghosts and kill ghosts, and make the best use of the situation, so that the two life-saving Bodhisattvas who went to Luoyang became judges of death, and the city guards became sacrificers.

Although Yuan Zongdi had already secretly joined forces with Wang Shaoyu, the Luoyang garrison general in the city, but after all, there were thick gates across the city, his own strength was not enough, and those officers and soldiers who had been owed for a long time would not defect of.

What's more, the strength of entering the camp is not what it used to be, and Li Zicheng also hopes to use this Henan mansion as a huge whetstone to sharpen these newly defected troops.

When it was agreed to capture Luoyang in the Victory Village of Funiu Mountain a few days ago, in addition to capturing Luoyang, the land of the emperor's uncle, he could gain unprecedented prestige and prestige. In addition, Li Yan, who was called Lin Quan by Li Zicheng, pointed out to Li Zicheng the strategic significance of Luoyang. "Luoyang is in the middle of Henan. If Luocheng is not protected, there will be no Henan. If Henan is not protected, there will be no Central Plains. If the Central Plains are not protected, the throat of Hebei will be broken."

"King Chuang, the morale of our army is high, and today we can defeat the city in a single battle!"

"That's right, it's time for my rebel army to enter the city to rescue the people of Luoyang!"

Different from the statements of Niu Jinxing and Li Yan, Song Xiance, nicknamed Song Shorty, didn't say a word, sitting on his four-wheeled cart, just playing with his eating guy.

This Song dwarf is different from Li Yan who brought thousands of horses to join Li Zicheng, and even more different from Niu Jinxing who often explains the classics and historical codes to Li Zicheng. .Especially Li Yan, who came from a famous family in Qi County.But he is just a fortune teller on the streets of Bianliang, Kaifeng. To put it nicely, he hides in the divination witch and the market.

However, he also had his own way. When he came to seek refuge, he presented a prophecy in the picture of Tuibei without saying a word, "Li Jizhu, who is in disorder in Kyushu, the eighteenth child is the master of the artifact." This move immediately established His position in the camp.

Today, at the moment when the battle is about to be launched, he has brought out his housekeeping skills again.

divination.

Generally, there are four methods of divination, the yarrow method.Simplify the yarrow method, Qianqian hexagram method, and Taiji pill method. Song Xiance uses the yarrow method, the most difficult of the four.A few divinatory bamboos were dexterously swinging in his hands, making pleasant collision sounds from time to time.

Everyone in front of them saw him with a serious face. Based on the starting point of respecting ghosts and gods and keeping a distance, everyone from Li Zicheng down had eyes full of awe, and they waited with bated breath for the result of Mr. Song.Don't blame them, don't you see.Aren't many people who usually give a lot of speeches on the rostrum are also deceived by the so-called masters and experts?What's more, these uneducated peasant troops who live with swords and guns every day?

Only Li Yan sat smiling, with a disapproving expression.He is an orthodox Confucian child.Zi's ​​nonsense is strange, although divination can be considered extensive and profound, and it is supported by profound studies of the Book of Changes, but it is rash to put military and state affairs on a mere hexagram.

After a few sounds of reed bamboo, Song Xiance stopped his movements.He stroked his sparse beards and pondered.

Li Zicheng couldn't wait to say: "How about the military division? Is it bad or good?"

Song Xiance spoke, his voice fluctuated loudly and softly.Erratic: "Bi, Ji. Yuan Di. Yuan Yongzhen, no blame..."

The generals in front of them all opened their eyes wide while hearing the unfathomable, "What do you mean?"

Song Xiance remained silent.After Li Zicheng also asked for advice, he said with a smile: "What the hexagram says, this is the hexagram. Congratulations to King Chuang."...

Li Zi smiled when he was established, and all the generals in the hall also smiled happily, asking the military adviser to explain.

When everyone was waiting impatiently, Song Xiance shook his head and said: "Bi, people standing side by side are called Bi, for blind date, and getting closer. Yuan, the beginning of things is Yuan, for growth, and for creation. Yuan Yongzhen has no blame, There is nothing wrong with it.”

"Brothers, back then we followed King Gao Chuang and invaded Fengyang on the Lantern Festival and burned the ancestral tomb of Chongzhen's son from the old Zhu family. Today, it is the Lantern Festival again, so we captured his uncle Fu Wang alive in Luoyang , give him another big gift!"

After getting a good word from the famous magician Song Xiance, all the generals in the camp rode away one after another, and went to their own troops to prepare to attack the city.

Several healthy horses ran out of Li Zicheng's flag formation, and headed straight for Zhang Nai Pao Team at the forefront of the army formation.

"Master Zhang, there is an order for Chuang Wang! The artillery team fires!"

The command flag was waved excitedly by Zhang Nai. Accompanied by his military order, outside the city of Xiguan in Luoyang, there was a rumbling sound of guns, and the smoke filled the clouds.

. . . . . . .

If it weren't for Li Zicheng's barracks and soldiers coming to the city of Luoyang, the township eunuchs in the city would be preparing to spend the Lantern Festival at this time.Although the world has been in turmoil for a long time, Luoyang has gathered a large number of gentry and rich merchants because it is an important place for vassals. They live and eat extravagantly, and they even support opera troupes for entertainment.There are seventy or eighty troupes in Liyuan and twenty or thirty troupes in the whole city of Luoyang. In previous years, during the Lantern Festival, the sound of elegant and popular singing and gongs, drums and silk pipes could be heard everywhere in the city where there were lights.Every temple has a lamp shed.Lanterns are hung in the courtyards of big families and wealthy families, and painted lanterns are hung in front of the doors, and rockets and fireworks are vying to be set off.Fireworks are flourishing in many places in the city and in Guanxiang, with fire helmets, fire umbrellas, fire horses, braziers, cannons beating Xiangyang, five dragons fetching water, fireworks, fires, three rises and three falls, cannons flying squirrels, cannons lanterns, and water rabbits entering the water. Bo... Fighting for oddities and ingenuity, no expense spared.The most amazing thing is that lamps are lit all over the pagodas in various temples, floating with the wind, brilliant and sudden, connected with floating clouds, and chaotic with the scattered stars in the sky.

On the night of the [-]th day of the first lunar month, there are more people on the lower reaches of the month.Men and women flock to the streets, or bring wine to preach, set off fireworks, or reunite to sing and dance, fight elephants in tiger costumes, and sing along with the pipa.Around the time of the second watch, the female relatives of the wealthy family went out, the boy servants carried the lamps, and the maids and servants surrounded each other, clusters of flowers were clustered together, and the fragrance wafted into the nostrils.This kind of family members who don't live in three families or four households have to put down the car curtains and car curtains when they go out on weekdays. It is rare that there is a Lantern Festival every year, and they can boldly wander under the stars and moon, hovering in the lights, whispering and laughing Boom.This is called "walking all kinds of diseases", and you have to cross a bridge in a crowded way. It is said that you can get rid of back pain for a year.

However, this year is completely different from previous years. The mansions in various places in the city have become abnormally quiet, as quiet as a thousand-year-old temple.

Countless domineering figures in the past blocked up their houses with large baskets filled with bricks and stones, and kept chanting "Nanwu Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva", and promised a hundred thousand volumes of scriptures in their mouths. There are hundreds of thousands of monks, and there are countless vows and vows such as rebuilding temples and reshaping golden bodies.

From the beginning of the twelfth lunar month, the topic of discussion among people in Luoyang City will always fall on Li Zicheng's head. The real news and false legends are mixed together and fly all over the city.Although there are notices from the Luoyang sub-road patrol, the prefect of Henan Province, and the Luoyang garrison generals that rumors are strictly prohibited, but the more rumors are banned, the more rumors are banned.The civil and military yamen did not dare to overwhelm the common people, so they had to keep their ears to it.In fact, part of the news about Li Zicheng came from the civil and military yamen. )