my days with tyrants

Chapter 376 Xiaoling Guard

Cangbo Gate.

The commander of the Xiaoling Guard, Mei Shunchang, silently watched the red color that was constantly looming in the distance under the night.

That is Moling Pass, which is still in battle...

In fact, it is no longer just Molingguan.

There Hu Zizhao personally commanded the [-] imperial battalion, plus the command of the generals from all over the country who welcomed the king's division, a total of [-] troops stormed Moling Pass.

But Moling Pass is only the core of the battlefield.

The reason why it became the main target there was only because of the water transportation of the Qinhuai River.

Of course it was impossible for Hu Zhaozhao to push a [-]-kilogram cannon to the outer wall. Artillery of this level could only be transported by water. He could either take the Yangtze River and land on the bank, and then push it to the nearest outer wall city gate for bombardment, or it could only be transported from Dangtu. Take the Guxi River to enter Shijiu Lake, then take the Yanzhi River to enter the Qinhuai River, and finally take Molingguan to the outer wall. Even after blasting the outer wall, you can continue to water transport to the inner city to prepare for bombardment of the inner city wall.

Therefore, Hu Zhaozhao's troops heading north from Dangtu divided into two groups, attacking Moling Pass and Lishui, and even had to deal with spontaneous attacks by the people along the way.

There are too many troublemakers.

At least according to the standards of those great Confucians in the Jianwen Dynasty, the current Yingtian Mansion is considered to be full of troublemakers.

Even Lishui, which can be said to be a well-known place of prosperity, is also true. After all, as a peripheral county of the capital, most of the young and middle-aged people in Lishui go to the capital to work during their slack, and the new education introduced from the capital has also been popularized.

The smooth occupation of Dangtu was only due to the disparity in strength. The local people of Dangtu knew the consequences of resistance, and Dangtu was not a fortress, but the Sanshan Fort downstream.

There is no need to resist.

Let them hit the Three Mountain Fort.

But now when Governor Hu started to attack the capital, the troublemakers in Dangtu, Lishui, Gaochun, Wuhu and other places started to act. They, who are familiar with the situation around Shijiu Lake, directly drove small boats to continuously attack Governor Hu's logistics transportation That's it.The latter's logistics and transportation are handled by the local gentry upstream who welcome the master. Tu goes eastward to Shijiu Lake.In this case, Governor Hu had to allocate part of the line to protect this line, especially a few key points. For example, not long ago at Tianshengqiao, his convoy was attacked by mobsters and many transport ships were burned.

In fact, although his military strength is less than 15, but with those so-called loyalty, there are [-] people who actually participated in the attack on the capital...

The gentry in Jiangxi, even Huguang, including Anqing and other places, especially those who have cultivated and studied their families, are now joining the ranks of loyalty like carnival.

They have no way out.

If Hu Zizhao loses this time, they will wait for Yang Feng to come back, and then take them out one by one for bloodletting.

He can't lose.

It can be said that he is the last hope of the landlords.

In this case the landlords must go all out.

It can be said that what Yang Feng wants is being realized, and the anti-Yang forces hidden in various places are being agitated because of Hu Zizhao's overwhelming momentum. Those who were not courageous before have the courage, and those who originally wanted to be first and foremost also feel that it is time to place a bet After all, at least from the perspective of Hu Zizhao's marching process, this is completely devastated. Even if we apply historical examples, this is also Wang Junlou's boat going to Yizhou, and Jinling's king's spirit is sadly withdrawn.

Just wait for Yang Feng's Qianxun Iron Lock to sink to the bottom of the river.

Return to Hengjiang?
Since ancient times, no one who has crossed the river with an iron rope has won.

Not only the landlords, but also some of the hereditary officers of the guards began to join. After all, Yang Feng was stricter than Zhu Yuanzhang in restricting the power of the guards' officers.

The time is still short, and many people have no time to react, after all, Hu Zizhao marched too fast.

Next, if the capital city continues to be besieged, even if it is still unable to open it, more hidden anti-Yang forces will still jump out to join. It is normal that the capital city cannot be opened for a short time. Everyone knows the defense level of the capital city. It can't be opened in a short period of time, but that's just because the investment is not enough. If this is the case, everyone will help, 10 people can't open the capital, 20, 30, 50?
Not enough cannons?

Among those old families who farm and study and pass down their families, who can't build a few cannons with the copper coins buried in the ground?
Not enough soldiers?
Who doesn't have hundreds of clans who are young and strong?

If you want soldiers, you have soldiers, if you want cannons, you have cannons. Anyway, if you lose, your land will be divided by him.

Without any hope, of course I dare not go all out, but now the capital is surrounded, and Jianwen's army has all reached the capital.

Don't you dare?
Even not only the gentry, including those generals who hold military power, will reveal their true colors in the process. Those who dare to oppose Yang will of course join the Jianwen Dynasty. Even if they dare not vote for the Jianwen Dynasty, they can delay the rescue to the capital, and then Sit back and watch Jianwen's army break through the capital.Including those who are ambitious, they can also wait for the Jianwen army to break through the capital. It is not a good thing for the country if a capital is broken, but it is very beautiful for the town.

Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty was captured again and again, and all the feudal towns were happy.

Similarly, if the capital of the Ming Dynasty was captured, how many vassal kings and general soldiers would be happy in various places?
Of course, these have nothing to do with Commander Mei and his soldiers. They were only put here for vigilance because of the lack of troops in the Beijing camp. Each guard is composed of elites.Because of limited resources, the remaining military households gradually began to become militias, and they did not even require daily training. A guard keeps about 1000 people in the camp every day, and the rest can do whatever they need to do.

So now the Cangbo Gate is Commander Mei leading a thousand soldiers.

As for him being Zhu Yuanzhang's grandson, his mother is Lao Zhu's eldest daughter, Princess Ningguo, and his father, Mei Yin, is noble but not good at military affairs.

At present, Fengyang stays behind.

But his mother is respected after all. Although she is actually the second daughter, her sister, Princess Lin'an, is a concubine, so she is actually the head of the princess. He is none other than him.

"Commander, Duke Cao is here!"

Commander Mei said to Qianhu next to him.

Mei Shunchang hurriedly looked along the city wall, and saw Cao Guogong leading dozens of servants on horseback under the kerosene lamp, and the guard soldiers on the city wall saluted one after another.

He hurried forward.

"Is there anything unusual about this Cangbo gate?"

Li Jinglong said.

"This place faces the mountains, and the river outside the door. I don't think the bandit army should come here."

Mei Shunchang said with a smile.

Strictly speaking, the two of them are also relatives, his mother and Li Jinglong's father are cousins.

"You still have to be careful, don't disturb Xiaoling."

Li Jinglong said.

As he said that, he turned around and bowed his hands towards Xiaoling, but at this moment, at the points of kerosene lights representing Chaoyangmen, the fiery red suddenly exploded, and in the fiery red, something could even be seen blown away, and then The fiery red color went out, and the original kerosene lights also disappeared. Among the original rows of kerosene lights on the city wall, an incongruous gap immediately appeared...

Li Jinglong and Mei Shunchang looked at each other.

Almost at the same time, in the darkness outside the city, flames sprayed out one after another.

Many soldiers who were caught off guard fell immediately...

"Enemy attack!"

The servant next to Li Jinglong shouted.

At this moment, the sound of explosions from Chaoyang Gate began to shake their eardrums.

Of course, they can't care about it anymore, because countless enemies outside the city have rushed into the light of kerosene lamps, and because the Cangbo Gate is facing the mountains, there are not many residents in the east, only some masons quarrying stones Congregation, these have already withdrawn to the city, it is obvious that these enemies have hidden in advance.However, this does not mean that they can make a surprise attack quickly, because there is water outside the Cangbo Gate, otherwise it is called Cangbo. Like a small lake.

Those enemies that suddenly poured out of the blackness were all barebacked and long knives, rushing into the light of the kerosene lamp like a group of moths to the flame, and at the same time rushing into the water of the canal river.

The Xiaoling Guard soldiers who reacted on the city wall opened fire immediately.

Although there are no heavy artillery here, there are enough old-fashioned rapid-fire guns. Under the protection of the parapet, the soldiers stretched out the muzzles of the rapid-fire guns from each perforation, and bombarded the enemies who rushed into the river.

The latter immediately fell in pieces.

But this can't stop them. These guys, who seem to be countless, are crazily moving forward against the rapid-fire cannonballs like suicide. To those flaming muzzles, under the stormy cannonball bombardment, piece by piece became the same dead body.

But after all, this is not a Maxim machine gun, and it cannot stop this kind of death charge, especially since these guys are shirtless and can run at full speed without carrying any weight.

Soon someone rushed across the canal river, and then threw the rope upwards, but grenades were dropped on the city wall, and these people kept falling in the flames of the explosion.

And in the darkness behind them, the cover's magic guns were still firing.

But it's just to disturb the defenders, after all, the latter is behind the parapet, and the outer wall is indeed rammed earth, but the parapet is made of blue bricks, and bullets can't penetrate it.

"These lunatics!"

Li Jinglong on the city wall couldn't help but sigh with emotion when he heard the shouts outside that were obviously not in Ming language.

"Ma's, it's Sa Da'er, the high-ranking official who used to receive the salary of Jinyiwei, escaped because of the assassination of Yang Feng, and now all these bastards have gone to the south."

Mei Shunchang, who was lying on the perforation of the female wall, looked at an enemy general who charged bravely and said.

The latter is also shirtless, with both hands cutting a saber, and has rushed into the Yunliang River.

"Commander, reinforcements have arrived!"

shouted an officer.

At this time, relying on the fearlessness of death, the enemy troops outside had already begun to climb the city wall.

But then the defenders began to throw Molotov cocktails down. This thing is now a standard preparation. In order to facilitate breaking, concrete is even specially laid under the city wall, but the main purpose is to protect the roots of the rammed earth city wall from being soaked. But by the way, also throw Molotov cocktails to the defenders.Glass bottles and even porcelain bottles with burning cloth strips smashed on the concrete below, and then turned into flames that exploded. The enemy troops below were instantly ignited by the raging fire.

Even those who were already climbing the city wall, after all, the flames were so high that some bold soldiers even leaned out and fell on the city wall.

There are even worse ones holding bottles and pouring oil down.

There is fire everywhere down there, and as long as you get a little oil on you, it will be ignited by the flames.

The bare-chested enemies swat in the flames in horror, and then screamed in the burning.

"So fast?"

Mei Shunchang was stunned for a moment.

Then he looked back at a group of people dressed in mixed clothes, all with cold weapons in their hands, especially crossbows, which looked more like armed people nearby.

but……

"Which guard's?"

Li Jinglong's servant shouted.

"General, the little one came here from Lishui to transport grain. The boat is on the river behind. He just happened to come over to help."

The leader pointed to some ships behind and said.

The tax and grain transportation around the capital is still the grain chief system. Although the corvee has been cancelled, but because of the short distance, especially the unimpeded waterways, the grain chiefs from all over the Yingtianfu area still organize young and strong to transport to the capital, but they are transported according to the transportation volume. subsidy, and then basically take the money to go shopping in the city and bring it back, so the people are still very willing.As for the transportation outside Yingtianfu, it has been fully commercialized. The transportation company bills at the warehouse and collects the freight when it is shipped to Beijing. There is no need to pay taxes, and there is priority right of passage.

So merchants like it very much, after all, they can carry some private goods more or less.

Merchants are also responsible for the military rations to the north and other mountainous areas, but they also have a time limit.

It is true that they can make money at will, and they also acquiesce in bringing in private goods, but they must also bear responsibility.

If the deadline is missed, the person will be beheaded and the house will be ransacked.

Therefore, if there is a real possibility of delay, merchants will ensure that the military rations are delivered even if they purchase locally at high prices.

"It counts as your loyalty."

Jia Ding said.

Li Jinglong was stunned for a moment, and the servant quietly made a gesture.

At this moment, those people arrived at the bridle path and hurried up along the bridle path, but when they were walking almost halfway, the servant suddenly shot the kerosene lamp post on the city platform...

On top of these lampposts is a fifty-pound oil drum. On top of the oil drum are the wick and glass cover. The lampposts are fixed on the outside of the city platform, including those on the city wall.

Drain oil directly downward if necessary.

Of course, the effect of being hit by him is the same. In the oil barrel pierced by bullets, kerosene poured down directly, and then fell on the horseway under the astonished eyes of those people, and then flowed down the black brick horseway , the leader looked at the servant in astonishment.The latter smiled coldly, then took the torch handed by his companion, and threw it at his feet. The next moment it turned into a sea of ​​flames, and the leader looked at him with venomous eyes in the flames.

Then he rushed up like a madman with a body full of fire.

But within a few steps, he couldn't bear it because of the burning fire, and fell down on the road screaming.

And those behind jumped out of the horse path with their bodies covered in flames.

But the kerosene above the head was still falling, and was even blown away by the wind and turned into raindrops. Then, before it fell, it was ignited by the rising flames and turned into a rain of fire...

"Those boats actually belong to our family."

Jia Ding turned to Li Jinglong and said.

(End of this chapter)