Crazy at the end of the Ming Dynasty

Use wine to dispel your sorrows and worry even more!Although drinking alcohol is prohibited in the army, Wu Shigong also knew that it would be bad if he was seen drinking by the soldiers of Runing Battalion, but that night, Wu Shigong and Liu Zeqing got very drunk.

Wu Shigong felt very unhappy.It is the reason why Yuan Heng died in battle.But the main reason is that Wu Shigong felt homesick.

Especially for his eldest son Xue Chenglin.After Xue Chenglin was born, Wu Shigong was not by his side for a long time, so now Wu Shigong's only impression of him is that he has been sleeping in the arms of the nurse, and he can't even remember his appearance.

Wu Shigong thought that Dengzhou City would be conquered soon.He will also bring his wife Xue Yufei and eldest son Xue Chenglin back to Runing for a family reunion soon.But he never expected that the situation in Dengzhou City would turn into a long-term siege, and he would stay here for an unknown amount of time, Wu Shigong suddenly felt extremely blocked and panicked.

In the early morning, Wu Shigong got up from his big tent.Wu Shigong's final situation last night was a little blurry, he only remembered that he insisted on going back to his camp.

The hangover feeling when he woke up was extremely uncomfortable, Wu Shigong sat on the bed for a while and felt that his body had recovered, so he put on his coat and got up.

At this time, Wu Shigong thought that since he missed his family too, the soldiers of the Runing Battalion must also be like this.Wu Shigong is going to tell Zhou Xun to write a family letter to each soldier and auxiliary soldier together with the literate soldiers in the army, and Wu Shigong will send these letters to their homes.There is no way to go home after fighting, and there is only so much Wu Shigong can do now.

As soon as I got out of the big tent, a cold wind blew, and it was already late autumn and early winter.The wind was also biting biting.Wu Shigong was shuddered by the wind, and he thought of the guard Yuan Heng again.He couldn't help tightening his clothes and sighed: "This person's death is like blowing out a lamp, it really goes out as soon as he blows it!"

The Ming army outside Dengzhou City was helpless, and the rebel generals in the city were also full of worries.In fact, it is not as optimistic as the Ming army outside the city estimated. There is not much food in Dengzhou City.

Denglei is not an area with a lot of production, and it has been drought for many years. The grain storage of the government and the people has dropped to a very low level.So after Kong Youde's rebellion, in fact, not much food was collected.

Coupled with the long-term siege of Laizhou City, bandits and refugees came to vote one after another.These military rations must be supported by the rations stored in Dengzhou City.The rebellion brought a devastating blow to the agricultural production in the whole territory of Denglai. The defeat of the Battle of Shahe and the Battle of Huangxian caused a large amount of military rations to fall into the hands of the Ming army. Therefore, the current Dengzhou city.There are only three or four months of military rations left.

But that's not the worst.Originally, Kong Youde's rebels were not very flustered.Because there are a large number of naval ships in the water city of Dengzhou City.In case Dengzhou City does not support.It is entirely possible to withdraw the rebels through those ships.So when the Ming army first arrived in Dengzhou City.The rebels still have the confidence to fight the Ming army again because the rebels still have a way out.

But the rebel generals never expected that the weather would turn abnormally cold immediately. In the past few days, a large amount of ice floes had appeared in the waters outside the water city, and the sea would be completely frozen in a few days.So now the ship is no longer able to go to sea.

The rebel generals like Kong Youde certainly didn't know that it was in the Little Ice Age.But they were cut off from the rear, and they were trapped in a desperate situation, and there was not much food in Dengzhou City, so they gathered together now.To discuss a way out.

"How many people are there in the city? How much food is there?" Kong Youde asked.

"Marshal, according to your order, I have checked the situation in the city these few days." Kong Youde's soldier captain introduced from the side, "There are more than 7000 of our soldiers in the city, among them we There are more than 900 of the old Liao army, more than 100 horses, more than 7000 family members of the old Liao army, and more than 800 coolies captured. And... there are more than 200 people in Dengzhou City .”

All the generals present here knew that the people in Dengzhou City mentioned by the captain of the personal army were the young women left behind by the rebels as military prostitutes.Kong Youde nodded, and continued, "Go ahead!"

"There are more than 200 shi of grain in the city, plenty of hay, and no shortage of horse food. In addition, there are more than 200 catties of preserved meat, more than 400 jars of wine, more than 600 shi of salt, and more than 3 catties of firewood. The amount of ordnance is sufficient. It can completely arm more than [-] people.”

"Stop talking so much nonsense. Just tell me how long our food reserves can last." A rebel general on the side interrupted and asked.

Few of those generals could read and write. Asking them to do math division would really kill them.So some generals also made a noise together, and they wanted to know the exact time they could last.

"Everyone be quiet!" Seeing the chaos, Kong Youde immediately yelled, "Old Kong, I asked an accountant yesterday to calculate the food in the city. Save some money, and it will last until the end of the first month of next year."

The rebels present here will be visibly relieved.A general expressed everyone's aspirations: "If those horses are killed, it will be enough to support the freezing of the sea in March next year. At that time, we can leave the sky high and the sea far away."

Kong Youde shook his head and said different opinions: "The horse cannot be killed. If the Ming army breaks through Dengzhou City within a few months, we can still gather [-] cavalry and find a way to rush out. This is also the case. One of our escape routes. If this escape route is blocked now, and God will be as weird as it is now in March next year, if the sea water does not freeze, then we really have no escape route."

"According to Brother Kong, is there really nothing we can do? From my point of view, we have surrendered! Find someone to discuss the conditions with the officers and soldiers outside the city. If the conditions are not excessive, we should go back to eat the military pay."

Suddenly hearing this suggestion, the room fell silent.Up to now, the rebels have proposed to surrender several times, but those surrenders are all for future fraudulent surrenders.And this proposal of surrender is the first real surrender proposed by the rebels.

Kong Youde hated this suggestion in his heart.Because he knew that he had swindled surrender so many times and deceived so many civil and military officials successively.If he really surrendered this time, even if Emperor Chongzhen let him go, those other officials would definitely not let him go.Therefore, among the rebel generals present, only myself, Geng Jingzhong, and Li Jiuzheng's son Li Yingyuan are absolutely unable to surrender.

However, Kong Youde could not deny this proposal, otherwise, there might be a firefight between the rebels in Dengzhou City right now.Even the other rebel generals present here will cut off their heads and send them to the Ming army outside the city to invite rewards.During these troubled times, people who believe in brotherhood are still in their mother's womb!

So after deliberating for a while, Kong Youde said: "It's good to go and find out. Arrange someone to go out, but there is also a condition for surrender. All of us here must be preserved, and the past will be ignored. If so, tell the officers and soldiers outside the city that we will fight to the death.”

"Also, everyone here, don't be anxious. There will be no food at that time, and the coolies and common people in the city will also be able to satisfy their hunger. We all came from hard times. Don't tell me Lao Kong, you don't know how to eat human flesh. As long as we are exhausted, we will leave immediately. That’s all for now. Old Geng, please stay here, I still have something to say to you.”

After the other generals had left, Kong Youde said to Geng Jingzhong: "Old Geng, you and I, plus Lao Shang who is now in Pidao, all started with Mao Shuai back then. After so many years, we are together I've drank, blushed and fought, but I haven't stabbed a knife in the back. So now I, Lao Kong, only trust you."

"In the current situation, even the people from Dongjiang Town can't fully believe it. You and I will each send out an army to guard the granary and the water city in the city, and then move the families of the old Liao army to the water city. Then Anyway, we all have a way out.”

Geng Jingzhong nodded, accepting Kong Youde's kindness.But he asked: "What about those who want to surrender?"

Kong Youde sneered, and replied: "Let them talk. It's good to let them die. I can see that those officers and soldiers outside the city want to take credit for our heads. Where are we?" They will accept our surrender. Even if we really wanted to surrender, they would not believe it. We used to play tricks too hard before.”

"Is that...?" Geng Jingzhong asked in a knife-slashing motion with his hand.

Kong Youde thought about it, and replied: "It's not necessary now. After all, you are still sitting on a boat, so the city can't be chaotic. But you can consider breaking through the siege a few more times in the future. You can't stay in the city, and you have to give it to those outside the city." The officers and soldiers used pressure to prevent them from attacking the city boldly."

Geng Jingzhong nodded again.It can kill people with a knife, and it can consume some soldiers in the city to save food. Kong Youde's strategy is quite good.

At this time, Wu Shigong had already arranged to send home letters.But I can't be busy with this right now.The Henan army must first drive to the south of Dengzhou City to build its own camp.Next, we will build the fortifications surrounding Dengzhou City.

That night, when the camp was roughly built, Wu Shigong gave an order to Yang Rusong: "Tomorrow, we will find some guides who are familiar with the local conditions. It is best to have someone who is familiar with the conditions in Dengzhou City. Let’s go outside Dengzhou City to observe the terrain.” (To be continued..)