I

Jizhou.

Hong Chengchou said to several generals: "There are still more than ten thousand soldiers in the city, but there is not much food left. I originally thought that by joining Li Chuang, he could send some food as soon as possible, but now it is obviously of no avail. Let's talk about it. How should we fight this battle?"

In the past two years, Hong Chengchou has been farming in Jizhen, but there has been a severe drought for two consecutive years.

Moreover, there were rebels and thieves all over the surrounding areas, and Hong Chengchou had to suppress the mob, so the food he managed to collect was wasted.

Jiang Zhu, the deputy commander who escaped from Liaodong, said: "We can only break out. After breaking out, we can go to Shanhaiguan and join forces with Li Chuang to attack Huang Taiji. Then Li Chuang will have to give him rations. Or, after breaking out, we can go south directly." , go to Shandong to join forces with Zuo Liangyu."

Jiang Zhu never thought of defecting to Zhao Han because he was born as a general in Hunan.

All his family's land was distributed to military households by Zhao Han. The men in his family were taken away to mine, and the women in the family were also forced to remarry.

It can be said that Jiang Zhu and Zhao Han have a sworn hatred!

Wang Tingchen said: "I think we should hold on and eat when the army rations are gone... The longer we stay here, the greater the chance of Li Chuang's victory. Maybe we can kill the old thief (Huang Taiji)!"

Hong Chengchou actually preferred to stick to it.

The Manchu and Qing troops were sent out very hastily and there was no time to send out all their troops.

Huang Taiji only had 40,000 troops in hand, Hauge and Dorgon each received 10,000, and the remaining Eight Banners troops were still gathering in Liaodong. Although Hong Chengchou didn't know the specific number, judging from the speed at which the Manchus sent troops, he could guess that the opponent must have insufficient troops.

There are more than 10,000 soldiers in Jizhou. If they work together, they can defend until the Manchu partial division runs out of rations.

Li Zicheng's 80,000-strong army is very likely to defeat Huang Taiji!

Cao Bianjiao said: "If you defend for a long time, you will definitely lose. Tang Tong and Bai Guangen are looking for the wind to surrender. There may be people in Jizhou City who want to surrender. We can defend for three days and five days. After ten days and a half, what if someone secretly communicates with the Tatars?"

Although these words are ugly, they make sense.

The officers and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty fought for many years, and many times they had the upper hand. Some people escaped for no apparent reason, and some surrendered for no apparent reason.

"It was my poor arrangement and a big mistake in hiring people." Hong Chengchou had to admit his mistake, because all the generals had resentments in their hearts.

Tang Tong was brought by Hong Chengchou from Xuanhua. He believed that this person was trustworthy, so he arranged to defend Lengkou's direction. Unexpectedly, he surrendered without even firing an arrow. Hong Chengchou was responsible for knowing others but not knowing.

Cao Bianjiao stood up and pressed his sword: "The two partial armies of the Tartar thieves joined together, and their strength was only 20,000. Including Tang Tong and Bai Guang'en who surrendered, the strength was less than 30,000. Tang Tong and Bai Guang'en were both incompetent, but a night attack on these two men would be too big. If the camp is in chaos, the entire army will collapse. When the time comes, take the opportunity to kill the Tatars. If the Tatars camp is in chaos, they will attack fiercely. If the Tatars are still in chaos, they will retreat to the city. Regardless of whether you are defending or leaving, win the battle first!"

"Yes, let's win one first and then talk about it." Wang Tingchen nodded in agreement.

Hong Chengchou asked: "Who is willing to lead troops to attack at night?"

Cao Bianjiao smiled and said: "Since it was my idea, I should go for the night attack. You guys can be prepared. Once the Tatar camp breaks into chaos, all the troops in the city will come out to kill the thieves."

After discussing the details, Hong Chengchou finalized the matter.

Cao Bianjiao immediately selected the best soldiers in the army. After nightfall, he led more than 400 cavalry and more than 500 infantry out of the city to attack the camp.

After many battles, Cao Bianjiao's cavalrymen now only have more than 400 left.

The night attack went very well.

Although Tang Tong actively contributed ideas and meritorious services, his troops had no fighting spirit. Moreover, they felt that there were Qing troops stationed in the city, so the defenders did not dare to leave the city for a sneak attack.

Unprepared, Cao Bianjiao led his cavalry into the camp, and the infantry set fire to and killed the enemy camp.

Tang Tong woke up in the middle of the night and fled on horseback in fright.

"Father, save me...ah!"

Tang Tong vaguely heard his son's screams, but he couldn't care less. If his son dies, he can be regenerated, but if he dies, he will have nothing. He gallops madly towards the Qing army camp.

The camps of Tang Tong and Bai Guangen were serialized together, but the Qing army camps were separated by a long distance.

Bai Guangen's reaction was similar to that of Tang Tong. He mounted his horse and fled towards the Qing army's camp.

There were probably more than two thousand defeated troops, and they all fled to the Qing army camp. The outskirts of Dorgon's camp were disrupted. Dorgon was so frightened that he ran towards Hauge and ordered his soldiers to blow trumpets to assemble.

Dorgon was very powerful in political struggle, but as for civil affairs and military affairs, to be honest... it was quite embarrassing.

He was attacked by Cao Bianjiao at night at Xifengkou and was almost hacked to death on the spot. Now he has become a frightened bird. He will run away before anything happens, and he does not dare to gather troops where he is.

"Blow the trumpet, blow the trumpet!"

"Woooooo~~~~"

The Qing army camp was in chaos. Cao Bianjiao blew the horn. According to the established plan, the army in the city should fight out together.

"Open the city gates and send out troops!" Hong Chengchou was overjoyed.

Jiang Zhu said, "Supervisor, the Tartar camp may not be in chaos yet, so we can wait a little longer."

It's really not that messy.

Dorgon's camp was in chaos but not broken, and was dispersing into multiple groups.

Hauge has already gathered his troops and is heading towards Cao Bianjiao.

Of course, if the Jizhou defenders take the opportunity to attack, they will have a certain chance of winning.

But no one wanted to take the risk, not even Jiang Zhu.

Wang Tingchen was originally dispatching troops to fight, but his subordinates were trembling with fear. The king's courtiers all rushed out of the city gate with their servants. His generals were still hesitating, but they watched the generals attack alone.

"Asshole!"

Wang Tingchen rode out for a while and suddenly felt something was wrong. He turned around and was immediately furious.

"Zhuzi is not enough to plan, go back to Beijing to pick up your family first!" Wang Tingchen took two hundred family members to the south, neither supporting Cao Bianjiao nor returning to the city to stand firm.

Cao Bianjiao charged and killed several Manchu nobles in a row. The elite infantry he brought out were all dead, and there were only three hundred family cavalry under his command.

So far in the fierce battle, the friendly army has not come to support, Cao Bianjiao already knows what's going on.

"Breakout to the south!"

The small group of Qing soldiers who had just gathered were quickly dispersed by Cao Bianjiao. Before Hauge and Dorgon led troops to encircle, Cao Bianjiao rushed out of the enemy camp in a thrilling manner, leaving only more than 160 riders around him.

When Wang Tingchen heard the sound of horseshoes behind him, he immediately ordered his servant to rein in his horse and stop.

"Wooooow!"

The horn sounded, and Cao Bianjiao came to join him in search of the sound.

"Why don't you come to support!" Cao Bianjiao asked angrily.

Wang Tingchen explained: "I'm out of the city, and all the generals refuse to follow. How can I support you?"

Cao Bianjiao said depressedly, "What's your plan next?"

Wang Tingchen said: "I want to go back to Beijing first, take my family away, and then go to the south together. It's good to go to anyone, anyway, you can't stay in the north. Once Jizhou falls, the Tartar bandits will plunder everywhere, and even attack Shanhaiguan from behind. , Li Zicheng will definitely lose this battle!"

"You can still go back to pick up your family, but I can't even go home!" Cao Bianjiao became more and more angry.

Wang Tingchen and his servants belong to the Three Thousand Battalions of the Ming Dynasty Jingbing.

During Zhu Di's period, this army was the strongest cavalry in the entire Ming Dynasty. Later, it rotted away. When Wang Tingchen first led the troops, he saw the enemy running away after hearing the news.

Wang Tingchen had no choice but to learn from the frontier generals, relying on embezzlement of military salaries, equipping his cavalry, and turning part of the three thousand battalions of the Ming Dynasty into his own private servants.

As a result, the fighting power has increased greatly.

Wang Tingchen himself, as well as the relatives of his servants, are all inside and outside Beijing at this moment.

They were so eager to return home that they didn't want to stay in Ji Town for a long time.

Hundreds of cavalry ran south for a while, and soon went west towards the capital.

Run to dawn, stop and rest.

Cao Bianjiao asked, "Who is going south to vote for?"

Wang Tingchen said: "We all have enmity with thieves, do you still dare to rely on Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong?"

Cao Bianjiao said: "Zuo Liangyu is not a candidate. If he is in danger, he may sell us at any time."

Wang Tingchen said with a smile: "Then go through Shandong and join Jiangxi Zhao's bandits!"

...

Jizhou City.

Hong Chengchou was very angry and reprimanded the generals who dared not fight.

What else could he do but impotent rage?

The next day, Jiang Zhu opened the door and surrendered, and the rest of the generals also surrendered.

Jiang Zhu had no psychological burden, his family was ruined by Zhao Han, and he only occupied a lot of farmland in Ji Town. This is where his only remaining family business is located. Surrendering to the Manchu Qing will save his life, save his family business, and keep his troops!

Hong Chengchou was arrested by Hauge, and he did not commit suicide, surrender, or go on a hunger strike.

Hauge and Dorgon went into the city to rob, and then kidnapped the nearby people as civilian husbands, and looted all the way in the direction of Shanhaiguan.

The defenders at Shanhaiguan were taken away by Li Zicheng, leaving only Ma Ke with 5,000 soldiers to garrison.

While defending Guancheng, Ma Ke sent someone to report to Li Zicheng.

Fort Yong'an.

"Your Majesty, it's not good, the Tartars are attacking Shanhai Pass inside the pass!"

"Step up the siege!"

A few days ago, Li Zicheng got the news that there were two Manchu divisions crossing the Great Wall to attack Jizhen.

Li Zicheng felt that Hong Chengchou was capable of playing, and it shouldn't be a problem to defend for two or three months.

Unexpectedly, in less than half a month, the army of Jizhou was already destroyed!

Li Zicheng didn't dare to divide his troops back to defend Shanhaiguan, he could only believe that Ma Ke could hold it. He has attacked Yong'an Fort for 46 days, and he must do his best today.

Tens of thousands of soldiers attacked the city in turn, rushing forward without risking their lives.

The hot oil, gold juice, and rolling logs of the Qing army had long been exhausted, artillery and firecrackers were fired continuously, and the walls of Yong'an Fort were also bombed in two places.

But just can't get in!

The Dashun army attacked wildly, and the Manchu Qing army gave up their lives to defend. The intensity of the war far exceeded the battles in the south.

In this day alone, the total casualties on both sides exceeded 8,000.

Huang Taiji's heart was bleeding, more than 600 Manchurian flag soldiers died today. Several times, the surrendered generals like Wu Sangui couldn't stand it, and they let the Manchu heavy armored infantry go up to carry it hard.

"Withdraw!"

At night, Li Zicheng's entire army retreated, and it was meaningless to continue fighting. It would be more beneficial to return to Shanhaiguan to defend.

When Huang Taiji heard the news, he immediately sent cavalry to chase after him.

However, Dashun's elite did not leave any flaws, and even withdrew their troops in an orderly manner. If it were Da Ming's official army, they would have retreated halfway and fled.

The war situation changed again.

Li Zicheng and Ma Ke were trapped in Shanhaiguan, Huang Taiji led troops to the outside of Shanhaiguan, Haoge and Dorgon led troops to block Shanhaiguan.

(PS: Regarding Li Zicheng’s military discipline of the Dashun Army, it can be divided into two stages. When Beijing was first occupied, Qiu committed no crimes, and the people in the capital were very willing to marry their daughters to Dashun soldiers, and they were proud of it. After the defeat of a piece of stone, The military discipline of the Dashun Army deteriorated rapidly, and they robbed and even raped women during the retreat. Yang Shicong’s record should be the most credible. His wife, second concubine, and daughter committed suicide, and he had a deep hatred with Li Zicheng. Too good to be true.)