Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

(The fleeing war elephant in the previous chapter was changed to being shot more than 20 times.)

Seeing Du Yingwu fleeing, the Annan army that surrounded them from several sides gradually laid down their weapons and surrendered.

Only a few diehards knew that they could not escape and would be liquidated even if they surrendered. Some of them led their troops to fight for their lives, while others abandoned their troops and ran away directly.

"Your Highness, our army has won!" Han Jing clasped his hands together.

"The enemy army is vulnerable," Zhu Kang was very happy. This was his first experience of a major war. "Quickly bring the doctor to treat the wounded."

Han Jing said, "I have sent someone to invite a military doctor."

The soldiers in front were still chasing and killing, and Zhu Kang was left with only more than 200 wounded soldiers to protect him.

There were tens of thousands of surrendered soldiers around, and Han Jing was afraid of something happening, so he asked the Annan general who had defected to receive them. All weapons must be thrown away, and then sit in the field, and no one is allowed to return to the edge of the field.

Zhu Kang walked to the body of a war elephant. There was a big hole on the top of the beast's shoulder, and it actually ran more than ten meters before falling down.

Han Jing drew his sword and cut off the leather rope of the war elephant armor, and found that it was a double-layer composite armor of leather and iron. He couldn't help laughing and said, "This armor has surpassed many elite soldiers of the Ming Dynasty."

Long Kan, who turned against his side in front of the battle, explained flatteringly, "A few decades ago, our war elephants encountered the Song army. The Song army used a powerful crossbow (Shenbi bow) to shoot elephants. When the war elephants rushed to the nearby area, they used swords to chop the elephants' trunks. The war elephants were frightened by the pain and stepped on their own people. Later, the war elephant armor was improved, and even the elephants' trunks were covered with leather armor. The country could only support more than 30 war elephants with all its strength."

It can be seen that the northern army of the Song Dynasty at that time was still very powerful. They did not collapse when the war elephants rushed in front of them, but instead organized soldiers to chop the elephants' trunks.

"Last time the Ming army came, why didn't Annan use war elephants?" Zhu Kang asked.

Long Kan said, "At that time, the elephant soldiers were taken to the south by the traitor Du to fight against Champa and Zhenla."

Zhu Kang no longer paid attention to the war elephants, but went to comfort the wounded.

At present, the number of Ming army casualties has increased to 4, all of whom died from arrows.

Several others lost too much blood and fell into a coma. Their companions are bandaging them urgently to prevent the wounds from continuing to bleed.

There are more than 200 people injured by arrows. In addition to the more dangerous excessive bleeding, two people happened to be shot in the eyes.

These are all the casualties of the Ming army, four people died, many people were in a coma, two people were one-eyed, and more than 200 people were shot by arrows.

After the general Long Kan, who defected, found out the situation, he was in awe and even fear.

It doesn't make sense. This is a battle of tens of thousands of people!

Why only four people died?

If Long Kan knew Qi Jiguang's record, he would understand that this situation is normal.

In the first battle of Qi's army, 308 Japanese pirates were killed in battle, 2 were captured alive, and the drowned Japanese pirates were not counted. 3 people were killed.

Then 1,500 Qi's army wiped out 2,000 Japanese pirates. 3 people were killed.

Crossed the sea to attack the island and wiped out more than 1,000 Japanese pirates. 13 people were killed.

Defeated thousands of Japanese pirates and beheaded more than 700. 0 people were killed.

Burned and drowned more than 3,000 Japanese pirates and beheaded more than 900. 69 people were killed.

The reason why 69 people were killed in the Qi family army was because the guide was bribed by the Japanese pirates and led Qi Jiguang to a solid camp where 4,000 Japanese pirates were stationed.

The terrain was extremely unfavorable to the Qi family army because it was the preset battlefield of the Japanese pirates.

When the troops were difficult to deploy and were ambushed and attacked, and many vanguard soldiers were shot and wounded, the Qi family army forcibly captured the enemy camp and wiped out 4,000 Japanese pirates! If you look at it this way, isn’t it more outrageous that only 69 people were killed?

In addition, the time when 13 people were killed, it was because they crossed the sea to attack the island and directly destroyed the nest of the Japanese pirates!

There was another battle where 16 people were killed, which was an even more ridiculous siege battle. Yu Dayou also participated in the battle. More than 6,000 Japanese pirates defended the 8-meter-high brick and stone wall...

The battle where 24 people were killed was first to capture four Japanese pirate camps, and then nine times to attack the Japanese pirates who fled to the mountains and wiped them out.

In all the battles of the Qi family army in the south, as long as the number of casualties exceeded 3, it was either a siege battle or an ambush.

In normal combat, the Qi family army had 3 casualties.

The Ming army was a firearm version of the mandarin duck formation, or a paddy field battle that was beneficial to itself. No matter how many Annan soldiers there were, it was difficult to besiege. Isn't it normal that only four people were shot to death?

The military doctor rushed from outside the Beijiang Road city with his apprentice and wound medicine.

Xie Hong also sent someone to come. He said that after surrendering the Annan navy, he would directly drive the boat to attack the city. Of course, he didn't take it down, but as Du Yingwu fled, the defenders in the city chose to open the gate and surrender.

After a while, Han Jing's deputy general Nie Luqing came back with the eunuch Du Yi who had defected: "Your Highness, this eunuch deliberately let his soldiers block our army's way, and actually let Du Yingwu escape!"

Du Yi panicked and argued: "General, I was the first to defect, how could I let Du escape?"

Zhu Kang asked the Annan officials to ask the surrendered soldiers, and the captured Annan Central Army soldiers all confirmed that Du Yi was the first to defect.

"Let him go, this man has merits and no faults." Zhu Kang said.

Nie Luqing said indignantly: "It was really him who blocked several passages, which prevented our army from pursuing quickly. I didn't lie. If your Highness doesn't believe it, you can ask the Ming soldiers!"

Zhu Kang had to ask his own soldiers in person, and everyone said that it was true.

Du Yi continued to argue: "I am also leading troops to chase and kill Du the thief, but the soldiers under my command are too chaotic and can't be restrained."

"Forget it, go and gather your own soldiers." Zhu Kang was too lazy to pursue it, and now was not the time to pursue it.

Du Yi's mind was very simple. He had feelings for the dead king and felt that Du Yingwu would be defeated, so he chose to defect before the battle.

But he also had feelings for Du Yingwu. If Du Yingwu's biological father hadn't taken him in, Du Yi would have starved to death when he was only a few years old. At the critical moment, he wanted to let Du Yingwu live.

Han Jing said: "Your Highness, we should send hundreds of elite soldiers to take the boat directly to Shenglong Mansion. Don't let the Du thieves regroup!"

Zhu Kang said: "You have full authority to make arrangements."

Han Jing not only took away five hundred elites and set off by boat, but also took away several surrendered generals under Du Yingwu's command.

They only carried one day's dry food and took a boat straight to Thang Long Palace.

Since Beijiang Road City was attacked by the navy led by Xie Hong, when Du Yingwu escaped, he did not dare to go to the dock outside the city to look for a ship. He led a few soldiers and ran for several miles before he found a fishing boat on the riverside. By the time he rowed back to Thang Long Palace, it was already too late.

Han Jing led 500 elite soldiers to the city and asked the surrendered generals to run outside the city to shout.

"I am Long Kan! The Du bandits have been completely wiped out. One hundred thousand tomorrow's soldiers will arrive tomorrow. Why don't you quickly open the city and surrender?"

"Open the city gate quickly. I am Du Yi, the supervisor. Du Yingwu has been defeated."

"Who is the defender of the city..."

Several Annan surrendered generals took turns shouting, and the soldiers guarding the city were shocked and confused. Some officers ran to inform Du Yingwu's brother Du Siwu.

Du Siwu was shocked when he heard the news. He didn't care about anything and ran away with the Queen Mother Li, the little king and the infant king brother. He no longer cared about too much wealth and only took away a box of gold and silver, his own family, several slaves and more than a hundred soldiers.

How can five hundred Ming troops block all roads?

When Han Jing learned the news, Du Siwu had already fled.

Queen Mother Li, who was only twenty years old, did not want to hide in Tibet for the rest of her life. On the way to escape, she said: "Why is the general running away?"

Du Siwu said: "My clan brother has aroused public anger, especially by killing more than ten ministers. How can the families behind those ministers just let it go?"

Empress Dowager Li said: "Du Yingwu's rebellion, what does it have to do with the general?"

"During the coup, I was the one who led the troops to garrison the palace city." Du Siwu said.

Empress Dowager Li said: "Both the general and I were coerced by traitor Du. What's more, the general's sister is Empress Dowager Du, and those Ming troops were invited by Empress Dowager Du."

Du Siwu was startled and clapped his hands suddenly: "That's right. Why should I run away?"

Empress Dowager Li added: "General and I share weal and woe, should we work together now?"

Du Siwu said: "What the Queen Mother said is absolutely true."

"Kill that little one!" Queen Mother Li said softly.

Du Siwu was dumbfounded: "The Queen Mother is talking about that baby?"

Empress Dowager Li said: "The late king only had three heirs. One has already died. If another one dies, my son will be the only son of the late king. Saving our mother and son means saving the general himself."

Du Siwu's mind was a little confused, but it seemed to make sense.

So, he really took action!

He forced the wet nurse to throw the baby into the river (accidentally falling into the water). While urgently ordering the soldiers to rescue the baby, he got angry and killed the wet nurse.

Then, holding the baby's body, he cried loudly, beat his chest and said that he was sorry for the late king.

Empress Dowager Li is young and beautiful, but has a snake-like heart.

But she really doesn't have much ambition, and she doesn't have much wisdom.

Historically, civil servants had united to remove Du Yingwu from office, which was regarded as eradicating a generation of powerful officials. However, Empress Dowager Li fell in love with an adulterer and recalled Du Yingwu to serve as an official. She completely ignored her own son, which led to Du Yingwu's bloodbath in the court.

A few days later, these guys returned to Shenglong Mansion and were immediately arrested and closely guarded.

Zhu Kang looked at the baby's corpse: "These two are quite cruel. How was the interrogation?"

Xie Hong said: "Those eunuchs and soldiers all said that the wet nurse accidentally let the baby fall into the water. It should be a drama. Even if others could see it, they would not dare to admit it, otherwise they would be suspected of being complicit. Of course, If we really beat him to death, someone would definitely confess. But that would be a trick, and the Annan officials would still doubt us. It would be best to make the Annan officials doubt that Li family."

Zhu Kang struggled and said: "Your Majesty means to establish a king. Now that the baby has been killed and only a single seedling is left, how should we respond?"

Xie Hong said: "It can be reported to the court that His Highness will marry the Li family, and he will be the regent of Annan."

Zhu Kang shook his head repeatedly: "I will not marry that femme fatale!"

Xie Hong said: "It's just a marriage. It doesn't have to be the same bed. It's just a name. The top priority is to stabilize the situation in Annan as soon as possible."

Zhu Kang cupped his hands and said, "Sir, please give me some advice."

Xie Hong said: "Internally, we should appease the civil and military officials. Those who performed meritorious service on the battlefield and those who were killed by Du Yingwu should be rewarded and granted titles. There is a rebel Shenli in the northwest who has captured Taiyuan Prefecture and claims that the clan wants to plot. Seize the power. In the name of Lord Annan, Your Highness should order the officials and gentry across the country not to join the rebels in rebellion."

"As for the rebel Shen Li, don't send troops to annihilate him for the time being. Let him continue to attack the state capital and make Annan officials anxious, and then send troops to annihilate him."

"Du Yingwu and the rest of the party ransacked all their homes and exterminated their families. Distribute their property to the officials and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty, especially the land. Only then can the people brought by His Highness feel at ease. Annan officials who did not accept His Highness as the regent, all You can beat the remaining thieves and confiscate their homes and distribute their property."

"In the city of Shenglong Prefecture, too many people were kidnapped by General Yang last time. The Lord of Annan moved local people, but only half of the population in the city was restored. You can send people to Guangzhou to recruit merchants, especially merchants and craftsmen. Distributed to shops and houses, it will help Shenglong Prefecture recover quickly, and it will also increase the Han population. "

"Also, reorganize Annan's remnant army. The Annan military generals who hold military power have ordered them to send young girls from their families to marry His Highness as his wives. By marrying those generals, His Highness can control the military power."

"After marrying the military general, there will be a large-scale imperial examination. His Majesty allowed Annan scholars to go to the Ming Dynasty for the imperial examination. After His Highness announced this, he asked for many Confucian scriptures from the Ming Dynasty. It is best to invite a great Confucian. In this way, Annan will The civil servants and scholars were also attracted."

"I heard that the temples in Annan have countless temple fields. If the rewards are not enough, they will accuse certain temples of being the remnants of the Du bandits, and seize those temple fields and distribute them to the Ming soldiers!"

"When Your Highness takes control of the situation in Annan, the system will be reformed next year. Following the Ming Dynasty, the government offices were changed to the cabinet, six ministries, and provincial systems. The army was changed to the capital command, general army, and inner and outer town systems. These reforms will make it easier for the Ming Dynasty to annex Annan in the future. ”

"The land system will not be changed for the time being. Especially land taxes, many of which are taken back to the central government and used as military expenditures. Now that Annan's army has been sharply reduced, do not restore the original troop strength during reorganization, which is equivalent to disguised disarmament. This can prevent Annan's army Secondly, if you reduce the land tax as appropriate, you will gain the reputation of kindness and the love of Annan officials and people. "

"Business taxes must be changed..."

Xie Hong spoke for more than ten minutes and only finished a general outline.

Zhu Kang was filled with admiration and said, "Sir, you are really a great talent!"

Xie Hong said modestly: "I served as the right chief envoy of the Ming Dynasty. Any chief envoy can feel at ease when he comes to Annan."