Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

The Changsha City Wall during the Northern Song Dynasty was built by the Ma Chu regime of the Five Dynasties.

The series of regime changes at that time perfectly reflected the chaos of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms: Ma Xihe killed Ma Xiguang, the Southern Tang Dynasty destroyed Ma Xihe, Liu Yan drove away the Southern Tang Dynasty, Wang Jinkui killed Liu Yan, Pan Shusi killed Wang Jinkui, Zhou Xing Feng killed Pan Shusi, Zhang Wenbiao rebelled after Zhou Xingfeng died, Zhou Baoquan killed Zhang Wenbiao again...

On average, the boss is replaced every two to three years, and in the most intense period, the boss is replaced every six months.

Prime Minister Zhong chose Changsha as his capital after many considerations.

Judging from the strength of the city walls and the number of people, Jiangling is the first, Yueyang is the second, and Changsha is the third.

But Jiangling and Yueyang were both on the banks of the Yangtze River, facing the front of the Ming army.

Then the only choice is Changsha. The population of other places is not enough to make the capital.

Why did Zhong Xiang not shrink his troops and retreat to Changsha for a decisive battle when he was attacked from all sides, but divided his forces to defend Xiangyin and Hengyang?

Because as long as the capital city is left, there is no doubt that it will be defeated. The population and resources will be controlled by the enemy, and the defenders will lose their determination to fight to the end!

Changsha's city wall is made of rammed earth and has no wall tiles.

The Changsha City Wall that Xin Qiji carved was not built until the Southern Song Dynasty.

Yang Hua, the Chu general who had just surrendered, took the initiative to ask Ying to be the pioneer. Among the elite Chu troops under his command, only those whose homes were in the counties of Tanzhou were retained, and all other natives were sent back to their hometowns - except those who voluntarily stayed and performed meritorious services.

This approach can, on the one hand, put the surrendering troops at ease, and on the other hand, it can also save food and grass.

"Boom!"

Still fifty miles away from Changsha, thunder suddenly sounded in the sky, and then raindrops fell extremely quickly.

The soldiers who were marching all looked at the sky and cheered.

After a long drought, there is rain, and this year's rice crop will be saved. Although the drought for so long is destined to fail, this rain will not destroy the rice harvest after all.

Yang Hua quickly asked his soldiers to camp to take shelter from the rain, which did not stop until nightfall.

Shortly after breaking camp the next day, it started to rain again.

It falls for a while, stops for a while, falls for a while, and stops for a while, which vividly reflects the face of summer showers in the south.

The vanguard force led by Yang Hua finally arrived more than ten miles north of Changsha, planning to sweep and clean up the countryside outside the city the next day.

But in the middle of the night, it started pouring rain again.

It rained all day and all night!

The water level of the Xiangjiang River has not only recovered, but has also risen higher and higher. For this to happen, heavy rains for one day and one night are obviously not enough. It is very likely that heavy rains are falling in the upper reaches of the Xiangjiang River.

…

Hengyang.

Zhong Xiang looked at the rain and felt irritable. It was already the sixth day.

It started to rain, and both warring parties were very happy, because many soldiers could not bear the heat, and people fainted from heatstroke every day.

It's cool and refreshing after the rain, just right for a decisive battle!

But God seemed tired of the blood, and the showers quickly turned into heavy rains that lasted all day. Over the next few days, it felt as if someone had poked a hole in the sky, and the rain would come and go.

People nearby risked their lives and went to the rice fields to open up the rice fields in the rain.

This is the jointing stage of rice. It won’t work without water, but it won’t work if the water is deep. Water with a depth of 3 to 5 cm is most suitable.

If the gap is not opened for drainage, there will be big problems with this year's rice!

The reconnaissance outposts of the coalition forces would catch a "specialist" from time to time. After interrogation, they would say that they were farmers who came to plow their fields and release water.

In the end, they stopped arresting them altogether, but only one person was allowed in each field, and they were only allowed to bring a hoe.

Both sides are short of food, and no one wants to disrupt agricultural production.

There are farmlands everywhere around Hengyang City. Even the battlefield area that was flattened by the army has become muddy and difficult to walk under the heavy rains for days.

People will get stuck and have to move forward with bare feet, let alone the hooves of a war horse.

Yang Zaixing also looked a little anxious as he looked at Hengyang City in the rain. He came all the way to loot the Chu army's granaries, and even looted the people of the Chu state. The food and grass depended on local supplies. If it continued like this, there would be no food.

It’s raining at the wrong time!

A large number of drainage channels were dug in the military camp. Many tents could not withstand the heavy rain, and even people and supplies were soaked by the rain.

The bow strings are all loose and there is no strength to draw the bow.

The most frightening thing is the alternation of dryness and wetness, which will definitely affect the bow glue. Many bow bodies on both sides will be scrapped and have to be taken back and re-glued for repair.

"Your Majesty, urgent report from Changsha!"

When Zhong Xiang opened the letter, his expression suddenly changed drastically. He held back a breath before he cursed angrily: "Zhong Xu, this bastard, missed my big deal!"

Changsha has not been lost yet, but the emperor's brother Zhong Xu unleashed a very cool ultimate move.

Originally, the Changsha garrison only knew that Xiangyin had fallen and had no idea how it was lost. However, some of the Chu soldiers dismissed by Bai Qi were inevitably loyal and loyal, so they secretly ran back to Changsha to deliver the news, bringing back the news that Yang Hua, Chen Xin and others had surrendered to the enemy.

In Changsha City, the military morale was in great chaos.

The second prince Zhong Ziyi and prince Zhong Xu, who stayed behind in the capital, were so shocked that they looked like they were about to rebel and surrender to the enemy.

Yang Hua has already rebelled, who else can't rebel?

Zhong Xu quietly found Zhong Ziyi and said: "Li Herong's hometown is in Songzi. He, Yingxuan and Hu Yuan are all old acquaintances. Hu Yuan kidnapped the prime minister Xiancheng and surrendered to the enemy. Will Li Herong also learn from Hu Yuan? He should be accepted immediately We have military power and don’t give him the chance to surrender to the enemy!”

Zhong Ziyi was only fourteen years old, but he still had the ability to think in a panic: "But what if Li Herong suddenly killed him without thinking of surrendering to the enemy, and provoked other generals to surrender to the enemy?"

"No killing for now, just house arrest!" Zhong Xu said.

Li Herong was not a simple man. He raised his own troops and captured four counties, and then took his territory to defect to Prime Minister Zhong.

However, all the territory established by Li Herong was occupied by Li Bao last year.

Zhong Ziyi was still hesitating.

Zhong Xu said: "Li Herong's soldiers all fled from the north of Dongting Lake, and the soldiers' hometowns were all occupied by thieves. They were defeated and fled in a hurry, and their wives, children, and children were all in their hometowns. Why didn't your majesty dare to let Li Herong live in his hometown? He Rong guards Xiangyin, but puts them all in Changsha? Is it because he is afraid that Li He Rong's soldiers will be homesick and defect to the enemy! Li He Rong may be loyal and righteous, but what about his soldiers?"

"But with Li Herong under house arrest, his soldiers will be more likely to rebel." Zhong Ziyi said.

Zhong Xu said: "First trap Li Herong, and then ask Li Herong to order all his soldiers to hand over their armor."

"But Li Herong's soldiers are the main force defending the city. How can we defend Changsha if we take away their armor?" Zhong Ziyi asked.

Zhong Xu said: "Recruit the young and strong men in the city as soldiers, and give these soldiers and armor to the young men."

Zhong Ziyi was hesitant, so she went to see Queen Yin.

The Yin family came from a wealthy family in Dingzhou. She was not Zhong Xiang's first wife, but was forcibly married by Zhong Xiang after he started his army.

Zhong Ziyi's biological mother died young and she lived with the Yin family when she was ten years old. Although mother and son are not related by blood, they get along very closely. Yin also taught Zhong Ziyi how to read and write poetry.

"What are the instructions from the Queen Mother?" Zhong Ziyi asked after explaining the situation.

Yin actually wanted to surrender, but after looking at Zhong Xu, she didn't dare to tell the truth. She just said, "You can make your own decisions."

Zhong Ziyi and Zhong Xu left quickly, made some arrangements, and then sent someone to summon Li Herong.

Li Herong was patrolling the city in the rain. He went to see him immediately after receiving the order. When he entered the house, he found that something was wrong. He looked at the soldiers surrounding him and asked Zhong Ziyi and Zhong Xu: "You two actually want to surrender the city to the enemy?"

This was not an honest thing to do. Zhong Ziyi immediately lowered his head, not daring to look at her.

Zhong Xu said, "General Li and his soldiers are all from the north of Dongting Lake, and General Li has an old relationship with those rebel generals. In order to protect Changsha, we have to detain the general."

Li Herong was almost furious: "Your hometown, Dingzhou, has also been occupied by the Ming Dynasty. Could it be that you will surrender to the enemy? Your Majesty's hometown has also been occupied by the Ming Dynasty. Could it be that your Majesty will also surrender to the enemy?"

"Da Chu belongs to the Zhong family, so naturally he will not surrender to the enemy," Zhong Xu said. "When the enemy army is defeated, the general will be cleared. But before that, the general will stay in this house. The general's subordinates, All soldiers must also give up their armor and be placed together in the camp and not allowed to go out."

Li Herong was so angry that he laughed, laughed and shed tears, and said in frustration: "What a great Chu, he belongs to the Zhong family. I only know this today. Take me to gather the soldiers, it's good if you can save their lives." .”

Li Herong's troops were summoned in the rain. After realizing what had happened, they were so angry that they almost mutinied on the spot.

But their leader was held hostage, and they were surrounded by friendly forces. They had to throw away their weapons and take off their armor one by one.

The other generals were stunned by Zhong Xu's operation.

How shocked were they?

No one even came to remonstrate. Everyone kept silent and started to have other ideas in their minds.

Queen Yin of Da Chu quietly called her brother Yin Ming and said: "Zhong Xu disturbs the morale of the army, and Changsha will not be able to defend it. You secretly send people to contact the Ming army and find an opportunity to offer the city to surrender. Maybe you can save our Dingzhou Yin family."

Yin Mingdao was embarrassed and said: "Sister, Mrs. Zhong treats me, Mrs. Yin, very well. This is really..."

But Mrs. Yin said: "My Yin family has been a scholar for generations, how can I always be a thief? I was also forced to marry by Zhong Xiang. In the past few years, I have carefully educated his second son, and I have abided by women's ethics and benevolence. If you didn't make a plan early, Dingzhou Yin The clan will be in danger of being exterminated!"

"I listen to Sister!" Yin Mingdao was convinced. This concerns the entire family.

Bai Qi was staying in the camp with a headache. The sudden heavy rain for days completely disrupted his battle plan.

Not only was it difficult to fight in the rain, but the Xiangjiang River surged and the water flow was so fast that subsequent grain and grass were not dared to be transported by ship. It would be even more difficult to transport it by land.

At this time, the cronies sent by Yin Mingdao arrived.

After hearing the news brought by this person, Bai Qi's first reaction was that it was fake. The Yin family must be pretending to surrender to lure the Ming army.

Only two hours later, another general sent someone over and gave the same message.

Within two days, Bai Qi received five envoys, all of whom came to contact him and surrender.

Bai Qi convened a meeting with the generals: "The more people want to surrender, the more I think it is a fake surrender? Could it be that Zhong Xu deliberately acted for us?"

Yingxuan, Yang Hua, Chen Xin and a group of other generals were unable to confirm whether this was true or not, because it was too outrageous.

It's hard for normal people to understand Zhong Xu's cool moves.

Wang Yuan said: "Regardless of whether it is true or false, just take the troops to the city and try it, and be fully prepared."