Ming Empire

Chapter 78 The Troubled Cao Brothers

Cao Yue was very happy that his idea was supported by his mother and second brother Cao Chao, and the main elders in the family also expressed their support.

With stable financial resources, Cao Yue felt that it was time for him to flex his muscles.

It is rare to have a few days of leisure, and Cao Yue also nests in the mansion, so that he can rest, and discuss further changes in the family with his mother and second brother Cao Chao by the way.Because he is a person ahead of the times, although Cao Yue is young, his views on these matters are more unique than anyone else.

Many of Cao Yue's suggestions made Wu and Cao Chao very surprised. However, Cao Yue was smart since he was a child. He has been outside for a few years. He has learned more and his mind is more active than theirs.

Different from Cao Yue's enjoyment, at this time, the slave-building dignitaries in Shengjing were full of bitterness. This year, they had a miserable life, especially Dorgon, who presided over the affairs of the slave-building dynasty.

Duo Duo came back after losing the battle, and the Han army he led was almost wiped out, which surprised Duo ErGun and couldn't believe it.

Dorgon is very clear about the ability of his younger brother.This time Duoduo led his army to raid Datong, and it was a long-distance attack in a world of ice and snow, which was extremely unsuitable for the Ming army to fight. Dorgon originally thought that even if Duoduo could not break through the fortified city of Datong, he could at least hit hard By the way, Cao Yue made Daming Nine Sides miserable, but unexpectedly, Duoduo came back disgraced by Cao Yue.

Just after passing the Outer Great Wall, Duoduo's troops were attacked several times, and each time they suffered heavy losses. Moreover, Duoduo's troops did not deal any blows to the sneak attackers, and did not even find the opponent's whereabouts.From this point of view, the opponent is well versed in the method of fighting in the ice and snow, and may not use horses to march, but have other tools, otherwise they would not be so elusive.

In addition, Geng Zhongming's nearly ten thousand horses were almost wiped out by the Ming army led by Cao Yue under the city of Datong.This was not the result of Geng Zhongming's entire army being wiped out when he led the attack on the city, but that the Ming army took the initiative to go out of the city to meet them.How could such a result not make Dorgon stunned?he
It is really hard to imagine how the Ming army wiped out Geng Zhongming's men.

After Duoduo led his army back to Shengjing, Dorgon also inquired about the matter in person. He questioned Geng Zhongming for several days, especially about the battle in Datong City.He also talked a lot with Dodo, and he must clarify everything.

Soon, Dorgon understood that the key to Cao Yue's victory was the continuous shooting of firearms.But Geng Zhongming didn't see clearly how the Ming army managed to shoot continuously.Uninterrupted shooting is very lethal to the Qing soldiers who rushed to kill, Dorgon knows this very well.

Previously, Dorgon hardly paid much attention to the lethality of the Ming army's firearms on the Qing soldiers. It has also been proved in actual combat that the lethality of the Ming army's muskets on the Qing soldiers is negligible, but now, the situation seems to have fundamentally changed. The change.

Dorgon knew that in the Battle of Songshan, Hong Chengchou and Cao Bianjiao led the remnant army to support them hard, and fought a few beautiful counterattacks in the middle, which is also the reason for the same tactics.After Cao Yue broke Shengjing, Dorgon also learned about it in many ways after he came back. He knew that Cao Yue also used the continuous shooting of muskets to repel the counterattack of soldiers and horses inside and outside the city in front of the palace.

From these incidents, Dorgon understood that the firearms tactics of the Ming army had developed at a deeper level, and the Qing Dynasty had to be on guard.

But Dorgon still didn't fully understand how the Ming army's muskets changed.Is it a change in tactics or an improvement in musket technology.

Before that, Dorgon disdained the firearms of the Ming army, but agreed with the power of the artillery.Therefore, there is a certain amount of artillery in the Qing army, but there is no musket battalion. Almost everyone believes that the muskets, which are the same as burning sticks, are not as powerful as the swords in the hands of the Qing soldiers.But now, Dorgon no longer thinks so, he feels a huge threat.

It's just that he hasn't personally experienced the power of muskets' uninterrupted shooting, so he always has some doubts.

And Duoduo had never personally seen the power of continuous firing of muskets. He thought that this was just an excuse Geng Zhongming made for his defeat, and the power of the Daming Army's musket battalion could not be so great.Duoduo was very annoyed by Geng Zhongming's defeat. He thought that without Geng Zhongming's defeat, maybe the north of Daming would have been messed up by him, and Beijing might have been broken by him.

Although Duo Duo confessed to Dorgon that he was attacked by the Ming army along the way, he just thought that Cao Yue's use of troops was a bit different and he was an excellent general.He attributed the main reason to Geng Zhongming's incompetence, and strongly demanded that Dorgon kill Geng Zhongming, but Dorgon did not agree to Duduo's request.

Although Dorgon didn't fully believe Geng Zhongming's explanation, he also agreed with what Duduo said that this was just an excuse Geng Zhongming made for his defeat, and he still had to be on guard against the new tactics of the Ming army's muskets.

"Brothers Cao Yue and Cao Bianjiao really need to be careful not to be careless!" After discussing the countermeasures with Duo Duo, Duo Ergun reminded Duo Duo: "Maybe, they are brothers after us. toughest opponent."

"Brother Fourteen, although Cao Bianjiao and Cao Yue brothers are capable, they are still not our opponents. It can be seen that Cao Yue still dare not lead his army to pursue after defeating Geng Zhongming." Duo Duo was young, and he would never take it easy Acknowledging defeat, in front of Dorgon, he said with pride: "Later, let's see how I defeat them."

"Fifteenth brother, don't be careless, we have all suffered a big loss, and we can no longer follow their ways!"

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Like Dorgon and Duduo brothers, Li Yan, who led his army to the north of Yulin, Shaanxi, was also discussing Cao Yue with his wife Hong Niangzi who had just returned.

It's been a year since Hong Niangzi met Li Yan.Although there are horses, entanglements and food donated by Cao Yue, the trip for Hong Niangzi is still very difficult.The weather was severe and the road was difficult. It took Hong Niangzi nearly a month to find Li Yan's team.

Li Yan was very pleasantly surprised by Hong Niangzi's return, because there had been news that Hong Niangzi was unfortunately arrested and fell into Cao Yue's hands.Hearing this news, Li Yan was very anxious. Regardless of the severe cold weather, he accelerated his pace of marching eastward, preparing to attack Datong and rescue the red lady.If he hadn't led the army to advance in spite of the severe cold, he would not have met Hong Niangzi so quickly.

After the two embraced and wept for a while, Li Yan also asked about the situation of Hong Niangzi's trip.

"Ma'am, I heard that you fell into Cao Yue's hands. I was very anxious as a husband. I immediately led the army to rescue you. I didn't expect you to be out of danger." Li Yan looked very excited, "Tell me quickly, how did you escape from the tiger's mouth?" ?”

Hearing Li Yan's question, Hong Niangzi's expression suddenly became awkward...

(End of this chapter)