I

The guard general of Lianshanguan is called A Lin, whose name means "mountain". He is an inconspicuous Eight Banners general.

But this general was very cautious. He heard that "Naudai" was back, so he came to the shore in person, sent only a small boat across the river, and ordered: "Only Naudai Beizi is allowed to cross the river, with at most two of his personal followers. The rest of the soldiers must be confirmed by me." Come back after you identify yourself as Beizi!"

The boat rowed to the other side. Lin Zhidong heard this and understood that it was no longer possible to cheat.

Even if they don't pretend to be Naodai, the Manchu enemy generals guarding the border will find other ways to verify.

"Come here to carry the shellfish, and the rowers will also come to help." Lin Zhidong said.

When all three Tatars came ashore, Lin Zhidong drew his sword out of its sheath and hacked the person in front of him to death. The other two Tatars were also hacked to death by the dragoons.

A-Lin could see clearly from across the river and sneered: "Strictly guard the city and don't go out!"

Lin Zhidong sighed: "Tatar slaves are not all fools. I'm afraid this trip will be in vain. Go back!"

There was also some particularity to the withdrawal of troops. Lin Zhidong deliberately withdrew all the way south along the river bank. This gave the enemy the illusion that they were coming from Tongyuan Fort, not from Caohe Fort.

The Manchu general A Lin, although he seemed calm, was already turbulent in his heart: Tongyuan Fort was actually lost!

Not only Alin, but also the ordinary Tatar soldiers looked fearful.

Lianshan Pass and Caohe Fort are all small checkpoints and small fortresses.

Facing the incoming army, only Phoenix City and Tongyuan Fort can withstand it. Phoenix City and Tongyuan Fort were both lost, and Lianshan Pass was the next target. How could they hold it?

But it was said that Lin Zhidong led his troops to withdraw south. After withdrawing several miles, he went into the mountains and forests again. It took a full day to go to the northeast to join the main force of the dragoons.

"Old Lin, we met some Han people in the ravine." Bian Hui, the missionary officer hiding in the mountains, said.

Lin Zhidong asked: "Are there still Han slaves in the mountains?"

Bian Hui shook his head and said: "They are not Han slaves, they are Han people under the rule of the Tatars. You can go out of the mountains sixty miles north of Lianshanguan, close to Liaoyang and Shenyang. I heard from those Han people that they were kidnapped from Beizhili , were placed in the valleys to open up wasteland, and the Tatars did not turn them into serfs. There were more such Han people in Weining and Qinghe. They mainly cultivated the barren land in the mountains, and they could turn in a lot of money to the Tatars every year. food."

"Have the lives of the Han people been very difficult in the past two years?" Lin Zhidong asked.

Bian Hui said: "Many people died of starvation. Dorgon lacked military rations, so he followed the old slave's method and stipulated how much food each Han citizen should pay. If he couldn't pay it in one year, one person from each family would be killed. If he couldn't pay it in two years, the whole family would be killed. Light!"

Lin Zhidong gritted his teeth and said, "Tatars are hateful!"

Bian Hui put a saddle on the war horse and said: "Bring all these Han people back, it will be considered that the trip was not in vain."

"Who said we were going to withdraw?" Lin Zhidong said with a smile.

Bian Hui said: "The military rations we brought have been exhausted. If we don't leave, we will starve. Do you still want to stay and look for opportunities?"

Lin Zhidong said: "Each of us has an axe. What did we bring for it? We went into the mountains to chop down trees to make ladders! The wall of Lianshan Pass is not high and there are not many defenders. They climbed up unexpectedly at night."

"Where's the food?" Bian Hui asked.

"Kill the horse!" Lin Zhidong said firmly.

More than two thousand dragon cavalry led the Han people they encountered in the mountains and plunged deeper into the mountains in the northeast.

These Han people were familiar with the terrain and knew how to go around the northern part of Lianshanguan. Even if there are no Han people to guide the way, it can still be bypassed. There are three valley passages, and it is easy to find them if you look carefully.

After walking around for a day and night, Lin Zhidong asked the soldiers to cut down trees and kill the relatively thin horses when they were hungry.

A Lin was nervous at Lianshan Pass for three days. Suddenly, a Tatar soldier rushed to report: "The southern barbarian army is besieging Caohe Fort!"

This news frightened Arin, but at the same time he felt a little lucky.

To their horror, the Datong Army captured Caohe Fort, and their next target must be Lianshanguan. Fortunately, the Datong Army did not come directly to attack Lianshan Pass.

The Tatar soldiers at Lianshanguan actually relaxed collectively when they learned that the Datong Army was in Caohe Fort.

They know that they must die, and that it is better to die later than to die early. Moreover, after confirming the position of the Datong Army, I can sleep peacefully in the past few days without having to be in constant fear all day long.

Even the cautious Arin began to relax and brought out wine and meat for his family to eat.

After eating and drinking enough, we waited for the Datong Army to come and fight, and then the whole family defended the border together to the death. There is no way they can escape. If they escape, they will reach Shenyang and Liaoyang. If they escape back, they will definitely be beheaded. It is a serious crime to abandon the pass without fighting.

In the entire Lianshanguan, whether it was the Eight Banners soldiers, the bannermen and their families, they all fell into a state of starvation and waiting to die.

Anyone who has wine hidden in his home must take it out and drink it all.

Many Tatar soldiers were drunk all day long, and Alin did not stop them from punishing them. He just sent people to stand guard a few miles southeast. Once there is any trace of the Datong Army, the whole army will defend the border to the death, so enjoy it until then.

A Lin never expected that Lin Zhidong would come out of the mountains to the north!

At night, Guancheng was completely silent.

Arin stipulated that drinking was only allowed before dark, and no one was allowed to drink after dark.

As a result, many Tatars got drunk in the evening.

The wooden ladder made by cutting down the tree is very heavy and the water has not yet dried. The Datong Army carried dozens of wooden ladders, quietly climbed down from the mountain, and approached the northeast wall step by step.

Lianshanguan is a small fortress, so small that it only has one gate.

There wasn't even a city gate in the direction of Lin Zhidong's night attack. There are also defenders on guard duty, but they are all facing the southeast. The sentries here are all taking a nap, and some are even drinking secretly.

The wooden ladder was erected on the city wall, only more than four meters high. Lin Zhidong easily climbed up with his troops.

The nearest sentry was warming himself by the fire on the tower, leaning against the wall and sitting with a wine can beside his leg.

Moreover, he was snoring and had obviously fallen asleep.

The Datong army cautiously touched it. The Tatar sentry opened his eyes in confusion, looked at Lin Zhidong drunkenly, and raised his finger to point at him: "You..."

Lin Zhidong squatted down, covered the sentry's mouth, and wiped his neck with the knife.

After walking on the city wall for a while, a Tatar sentry finally spotted them: "Enemy attack, enemy attack!"

"kill!"

The Datong Army immediately launched an attack and rushed into the city along the stone stairs from the northeast and northwest.

In groups of ten, they kill everyone they see.

In the darkness, the Tatars had no idea how many people were coming. The Eight Banners soldiers and the bannermen and family members who had retreated into Guancheng ran out of the house in panic. Some were so drunk that they didn't even know how to run away.

Lin Zhidong shouted a reminder: "Catch a few more alive, don't kill them all!"

The entire Lianshanguan, including the bannermen and their families, has less than 2,000 people. As for the dragoons who attacked at night, there were more than two thousand in number, and it was a complete one-sided massacre.

Some Tatars also escaped, but it didn't matter.

The next morning, the dragoons, who had eaten horse meat for several days, happily ate to their full stomachs.

After resting for half a day, the cavalry without horses stayed to guard the pass. The cavalry with horses divided into two and escorted the prisoners to Tongyuan Fort and Caohe Fort.

A Lin was also caught and was tied up and taken to Tongyuan Fort.

It wasn't until he saw the flag on the tower that Alin exclaimed: "Is Tongyuan Fort still there?"

Lin Zhidong laughed loudly: "Untie the prisoners and let them go over and report the news!"

More than a dozen prisoners, including A Lin, were let go and fled frantically towards the three cities of Tongyuan Fort.

The three cities of Tongyuan Fort are built on three tripods, leaning against each other as horns.

The general's name was Fulehun, who was born in the Shumulu family. According to his seniority, he was also the nephew of Yangguli, the fierce general of the Later Jin Dynasty.

When the Qing Dynasty captured Tongyuan Fort, Shu Wangshan and Alai led 800 troops to garrison it. Later, Mina led 400 troops to strengthen the defense. It wasn't until the Qing Dynasty captured Phoenix City that the garrison here was reduced to 300 people, and the focus of defense shifted south to Phoenix City.

Today, most of the Tatar defenders in Tongyuan Fort are descendants of soldiers under Shu Wangshan, Alai, and Mina.

Shu Wangshan was Yangu Li's uncle, and today's Fulehui is Shu Wangshan's grandson.

"Hang them up!"

As soon as A Lin was hoisted to the city, Fulehun asked: "Why are there enemies in the north?"

A Lin cried: "The mountain passes are gone, Caohe Fort has been besieged for many days."

Fulehun was speechless for a moment, his legs were weak and he couldn't stand.

Lianshan Pass is gone, Caohe Fort is surrounded, and Phoenix City has fallen, which means that the three cities of Tongyuan Fort have become a dead place!

After repeated inquiries, Fulehun learned the specific situation. There were not many Datong troops in Lianshanguan, and only a few hundred cavalry came to Tongyuan Fort.

Without enough time to discuss with the other two guard generals, Fuller Hui directly ordered: "The warriors of the Eight Banners, as well as the bannermen, immediately took their families to retreat north. They only took a few rations and livestock, and gave up all other belongings, taking advantage of the Nanmanzi encirclement. Rush out before!"

This does not mean abandoning the city, but breaking out with the Eight Banners soldiers and Eight Banners civilians.

Counting the Tatars who escaped from Phoenix City, including the old, weak, women and children, there were more than 4,000 Tatars in Tongyuan Fort.

In the three castles, the cries were loud, and many Tatar civilians were unwilling to abandon their belongings.

Fulehun personally led his troops into battle, hoping to drive away the hundreds of enemy cavalry and create a passage for the Tatars in Tongyuan Fort.

Seeing the Tatars coming out of the castle, Lin Zhidong showed a smile on his face and said to his soldiers: "Back away a little further before fighting. Don't fight the Tatars back to Tongyuan Fort."

The real effect of the surprise attack on Lianshanguan was to panic Tongyuan Fort. The Tatars in Tongyuan Fort either waited to be surrounded or died, or they immediately chose to break out.

As long as there is a glimmer of hope, the Tatars will definitely break through. Who wants to be trapped in the castle and wait for death?

After the Lianshan Pass was opened, half of the strategic significance of Tongyuan Fort was lost. Even if the Tatars choose to hold on, the Datong Army can advance from Caohe Fort and Lianshan Pass, but the rear may be attacked at any time.

Several hundred dragoons retreated more than ten miles north.

Fullerhun asked all Tatars over the age of twelve to take up arms and fight, and even Tatar women formed an army. If they want to survive, they have to rush over with all their strength.

Lin Zhidong took out his telescope and looked at the chaotic Tatar marching formation. He couldn't help laughing and said: "The Tatar general is crazy. Please retreat further. The longer the march takes, the more chaotic the enemy will become. It is best to drag it to the vicinity of Lianshan Pass." beat."

From the raid on Lianshanguan to the deliberate release of the Tatars back to Tongyuanbao, Lin Zhidong has been playing psychological tactics.