Crazy at the end of the Ming Dynasty

On the eighth day of June in the 15th year of Chongzhen, Kaifeng City.

The poisonous sun in midsummer made people sweat profusely, but the soldiers on duty on the city wall still did not dare to relax.For these soldiers, sweating is still light, and many of them have already sweated a few times.

But these soldiers are still suffering and dare not take off their armor.Although the peasant army outside the city was only besieging, they still fired a burst of firearms and bows and arrows from time to time.

Moreover, those firearms, bows and arrows are still very good, and the number is astonishing. Several times they fought against the city of Kaifeng, and the peasant army firmly held an overwhelming advantage.

In the end, Gao Mingheng, the governor in charge of the city defense, and Chen Yongfu, the commander-in-chief, were also completely discouraged. They ordered that the artillery, blunderbuss, and bows and arrows on the top of the city should not be fired at will, unless the thieves attacked the city.On the one hand, it saves the ammunition division, but on the other hand, it really can't shoot at the peasant army.

But in private, these soldiers are all slandering: Why are those thieves so well equipped?Who is the official army?Seeing the densely packed camps of the Peasant Army behind the trenches surrounding Kaifeng City dug by the Peasant Army, every soldier guarding the city felt that something was wrong. It was very difficult to defend Kaifeng City!

"The master is here!" A loud voice suddenly came from a distance.

The soldiers on the top of the city immediately raised their chests and stomachs, bracing their spirits to welcome the arrival of the general soldier Chen Yongfu.

Chen Yongfu looked at the soldiers whose skin was tanned and discolored in front of him, and quickly greeted them: "Don't be too polite! Relax! Relax!"

There is no shade at all on the top of the city, so the number of soldiers suffering from heat stroke these days is increasing day by day.Up to now, it is difficult to arrange even the manpower on duty during the day, so every soldier here is Chen Yongfu's treasure.

"Hurry up and bring the rice soup up, and let the brothers drink a few more sips to cool off the heat." Chen Yongfu greeted behind him.

Only Chen De, the son of Chen Yongfu, the little general of Shenjian, commanded a dozen of his own soldiers to come forward carrying two large buckets of rice soup.

"Thank you, Marshal!" The soldiers immediately cheered and jumped up, and they immediately surrounded the barrel.You sipped and I drank the cow one by one.

Looking at the satisfied expression of the soldiers, Chen Yongfu felt his nose a little sore.The cool food and medicinal materials in the city have long been used up, and there are no such things as mung beans.Even the food is not much left. The rice for making rice soup today was rewarded to Chen Yongfu by His Royal Highness Zhou Wang a few days ago.

"Hey! I don't know how long this city can survive?" Chen Yongfu is very pessimistic now.

……

There was a sudden commotion at the city gate below the city head.Chen Yongfu, Chen De and the others immediately walked to the other side of the city wall.They looked down intently, only to see an official from the Kaifeng Mansion leading a group of yamen servants and escorting a heavily tied prisoner to the gate of the city.And there are people all around watching the fun.

"...such a traitor, a thousand cuts will not relieve his hatred..." The official's shout passed through faintly.

Chen Yongfu asked beside him, "What happened?"

Mr. Qian who was guarding the city wall happened to know, so he hurriedly reported, "That's Officer Huang Tui. The prisoner is a blacksmith in the city. A few days ago, the blacksmith made hundreds of arrowheads privately. The hungry people sneaked out of the city when they went out to pick green plants. They were found by our brothers. Today is the official Huang Tui who is in prison."

Chen Yongfu nodded, he had also heard a little about this matter.In particular, I was deeply impressed by Huang Peng and Huang Tui, because he was the most radical combatant among the officials, and he was a representative figure who was at odds with the peasant army.

After reading the charges.A gang of wolves and tigers erected the blacksmith, and then nailed his limbs to the city gate with long nails.Seeing such a "wonderful" execution.There was a burst of applause from the crowd watching the excitement.

"Yes! Such a rebellious thief should be punished!" Chen De, who watched the execution, was equally excited.

But Chen Yongfu remained silent.The people in the city of Kaifeng have already colluded with the peasant army outside the city. The hearts of the people are not stable. Is the city still strong?This really made Chen Yongfu frown.He could only smile wryly in his heart.

After a while, the blacksmith nailed to the city gate no longer struggled.I saw Huang Peng, the pusher, then erected a big white flag at the city gate, on which he wrote: "Heroes of Bianliang, I would like to set up this flag from my visitors."

Immediately, someone shouted: "I belong to the Zhou Palace. Our lord is willing to return the five hundred guards of the palace to the command of Governor Gao."

"Okay! Hero!" The applause broke out from the people watching the excitement all around.

With a leader, there is a follower: "I am from Zhangfu in the east of the city. My master is willing to send 58 members of his family to join the army and guard Kaifeng together."

"Good! Hero!"

……

"I am Li Jiu, a ranger in Nancheng. I am willing to bring 13 of my brothers to join the army and guard Bianliang together."

"Good! Hero!"

……

The atmosphere is getting warmer and warmer.In a short period of time, the pusher Huang Peng gathered thousands of people.Mr. Qian next to Chen Yongfu was also flushed with excitement, and he said to Chen Yongfu: "Commander! The morale is high! There are so many people willing to help us defend the city, and the thieves will definitely not be able to get in. Coupled with the reinforcements from the imperial court, we It’s saved! It’s saved!”

Chen Yongfu smiled back at Mr. Qian, and at this time, he must give confidence to the soldiers guarding the city.But Chen Yongfu knew the real situation in the city. Kaifeng City was originally a big city with several 10 people. Nearly a million people were crowded into a square inch of land at once.

The most important prerequisite for defending the city is sufficient food, but the food stored in Kaifeng City can only supply the millions of soldiers and civilians for less than two months.Now this news has not been widely circulated, but as soon as it is spread, it will immediately cause panic in the city, and at that time the city will be even more difficult to defend.

Chen Yongfu looked at the endlessly flowing Yellow River outside the city.The high dams on both sides bound the yellow dragon.The level of the Yellow River has far exceeded the ground of Kaifeng City, and it has completely formed a hanging river.But now the mother river of Kaifeng City is completely useless.

Today's Kaifeng City has become a commercial city, and most of the grain used in the city is transported through the Yellow River wharf.If the enemy army besieging the city is only tens of thousands or 10,000+, then the enemy army does not have so many troops and can completely control the road from Kaifeng City to the Yellow River Wharf.

But the current peasant army has millions of troops, and they have already used their troops to cut off this short lifeline.Kaifeng City can only send dead soldiers who are familiar with water at night to communicate with the outside world by swimming in the Yellow River, but it is absolutely impossible for grain transport ships to dock.Therefore, looking at the rolling Yellow River, Chen Yongfu can only feel that it is so far away. (To be continued..)