Hongwu Survival Guide

Chapter 209 Micang Road

The vast Qinling Mountains, with Hanzhong as the boundary, enters Guanzhong in the north, there are Qishan Road, Chencang Road, Baoxie Road, Tangluo Road, Ziwu Road, and entering Shuzhong in the south, there are Jinniu Road and Rice Road. Cang Road, there is Lychee Road.

Bazhou, an important traffic node in the southern section of Micang Road, has been repeated many times in history, and the battle is fierce.

This is October twenty-sixth.

Bazhou City was built on a river bend with a notch facing west. The city is two feet high and has five thousand guards. It is easy to defend but difficult to attack.

The sixty-foot-wide Bahe River bends to the north bank, where Chang Yuchun, the deputy general of the Ming Dynasty, led his army to station. He came from Xingyuan Road to attack key points and pulled out the stronghold. The cumulative loss of more than a thousand soldiers, there are still [-] at present. Yu Jingbing.

This is the third day of the battle between the two sides.

The winter morning in the Qinling Mountains was cold and humid, and the offensive launched before dawn had lasted for more than half an hour. Under the overlapping of shouts, fighting, and screams, many soldiers on both sides of the attack and defense had forgotten the cold and went into battle shirtless.

On the north bank of the Bahe River, in front of the Ming army.

Chang Yuchun, who was covered in iron armor, stood under the banner with a saber in his hand. His majestic and heroic posture not only made the surrounding Ming soldiers look up to him, but even the Xia Kingdom defenders in the city on the other side would feel worried every time they looked at a rumored killing god of the Ming Dynasty. A little timid.

On the gentle Ba River in winter, the Ming army, which is good at construction, had laid six pontoon bridges in the past two days, so that every time the Xia army sent daredevils out of the city in the previous two nights, it was still too late to destroy, thus greatly weakening the barrier function of the Ba River.

What the Bazhou defenders can rely on at the moment is only the two-zhang city wall built near the river.

Next to Chang Yuchun, former Xia Guoxing Yuan guard Liu Sizhong noticed from a distance that a familiar subordinate Baihu on the opposite bank was stabbed down the wall by several spears, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

Faced with Ming oppression, Liu Sizhong and other Xingyuan generals decided to surrender the city on September [-].

Only two days later, Chang Yuchun made a decision to go further and go south to Micang Road to capture Bazhou.

Liu Sizhong also understands that this opportunity is so good that he will not accept the fate of his foreign ruler. If Chang Yuchun doesn't take advantage of the situation and go south, it will be more difficult to enter Shu after Xia Guo strengthens the defense along the Mi Cang Road.

The problem is, not counting the soldiers and civilians who were responsible for supplies along the way, of the 1 soldiers led by Chang Yuchun when he went south, only [-] were direct descendants of the Ming army, and the other [-] were all his subordinates. The most capable half of the army.

It is conceivable that most of the people who have been lost along the way are also their own subordinates.

As a general, Liu Sizhong actually knew that it was customary for him to be called back to attack the former master after he surrendered, but he couldn't let his subordinates consume all of them.

Not to mention the sporadic losses of various military camps along the way before, but the repeated battles to lay the pontoon bridge in the past two days, I lost more than [-] brothers on my side.

Looking at the current onslaught, if it continues continuously, the loss in one day may exceed a thousand.

Thinking of this, Liu Sizhong couldn't help but glance at Chang Yuchun.

Liu Sizhong knew that the Ming army had a better way to attack the city.

However, when the words came to his lips, he hesitated a little, but Liu Sizhong still swallowed the words.

This well-known killing god in the Ming army, just getting along with the opponent, he would inevitably feel frightened. Otherwise, he would not have chosen to surrender under the oppression of the Ming army before. At present, Liu Sizhong really does not have the courage to argue with the opponent.

Ugh……

Anyway, just don't let yourself go into battle.

Chang Yuchun actually noticed the change in Liu Sizhong's expression, but pretended not to.Although because of the lord's repeated teachings, he treated Liu Sizhong preferentially, but in his heart, he despised this kind of person who dedicated the city and betrayed the lord.

If he hadn't worried that there would be reinforcements coming from the middle of Shu, and he needed a quick decision, this word would not have consumed more than half of Liu Sizhong's 1 people, and he would not have given up.

Thinking of this, Chang Yuchun looked towards the top of the city again.

After taking this Bazhou, most of the Micang Road will be open. On the way south to Shu, you only need to pull another hundred miles away, which is far less dangerous than Langzhong County in Bazhou.

What Chang Yuchun was thinking at the moment was more about Jinling, whether the lord would take advantage of the situation and enter Shu.

It's all at the door!
Since his protagonist is wise, he probably won't miss it. This is also Chang Yuchun's confidence to continue going south to Xingyuan.

Even if...

Even if the lord has to wait a little longer, he is not disobedient. The decree sent last month is to let him open the road to the south. This... all the way to Bazhou, the lord can't say that he is too diligent?

Just as he was thinking, a few people walked through the army formation. The first one was a red jacket with a full set of black leather armor, but it was Tu Xiao.

Half a year later, this surveying and mapping officer who didn't know that he had been promoted again for the time being has long since lost the culture that was not much in Mingzhou. On the contrary, he looks more like a general who has experienced many battles.

in fact……

It's not bad for Tu Xiao to reach out right now.

Chang Yuchun spoke in person, picked someone to teach Tu Xiao riding and shooting, and occasionally did it himself.

Because like it.

Ok.

In other words, it should be called reliance.

From the hot air balloon that accidentally flew during the Battle of Dadu, to Shanxi, Shaanxi, and even Xingyuan before, Chang Yuchun only felt that Tu Xiao was like his lucky star, making everything go well for him.

That's right, this battle is getting worse and worse.

Dull.

Chang Yuchun couldn't help but think of the reverse grassland plan that was being implemented in the north. He felt that leading the cavalry to raid the grassland over and over again was what he was good at. He should have led the army when they raided Kaiping. I don't know why the lord sent him here. Shaanxi.

When the work here is over, you must talk to the lord and ask for the errand over there.

Chang Yuchun didn't want to make more military achievements, but Chang Yuchun just wanted to have a good time.

Tu Xiao approached, cupped his fists and said, "General, everything is ready."

"Go ahead, don't keep your hands, just repair it after the wall collapses," Chang Yuchun said, turning to Liu Sizhong on the other side: "General Liu, you send another 1000 people as a cover, and remind the soldiers in front of the battle to be smart later." Dodge in time."

Liu Sizhong quickly agreed and went down to make arrangements.

About a quarter of an hour later, more than a thousand Ming soldiers crossed the pontoon bridge again and arrived at the foot of Bazhou City. Some of the soldiers carried square cloth bags of unknown purpose on their backs.

In the city of Bazhou, the defenders did not pay attention to the additional thousand enemy troops.

Because behind the camp of the Ming army, there are three strange big balls painted with horrible portraits, which slowly swell up in the flames, rise slowly, and then slowly press towards Bazhou City.

This……

God!

However, this is actually just a threat.

blindfold.

The Ming army didn't expect to repeat it again and again. Most of the defenders were scared and defeated at the beginning, but it was because the city was too big.In a small city like Bazhou, as long as the guard is determined enough, he can still stabilize the situation.

The same is true.

In the face of the riot caused by the hot air balloon, the Bazhou defender led his personal guards to cut down more than a dozen soldiers who wanted to flee in a hurry, and soon regained the stability of the collapse that was about to spread at the top of the city.

However, the big picture is set.

With the sound of a rush of gongs, the Ming army, which was on the offensive, suddenly began to retreat. While ordering the troops not to slack off, the cautious general of Bazhou was about to order his subordinates to call in bed crossbows, intending to try to take the weird big ball back. Shoot it down, and suddenly, there is a loud explosion.

boom--

Amidst the trembling of the sky and the earth hanging upside down, a large gap appeared in a section of the city wall on the east side of the north gate.

Then came the Ming army pressing on again, and the neatly prepared shouts: "Those who surrender live, those who do not surrender die; those who surrender live, those who do not surrender die..."

It's not Chang Yuchun's style to be so soft after the city has been broken.

However, Chang Yuchun also understood that the reinforcements from Central Shu could arrive at any time, and he had seized Bazhou by himself, so he had to stabilize the situation as soon as possible and make a counterattack.

In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary to adopt gentle means to a certain extent.Of course, since the main defender in Bazhou refused to surrender before, he couldn't stay later.

So when it was approaching noon on this day, the Ming army not only successfully occupied the city of Bazhou, but also quickly repaired most of the city walls that they had blown up.

During this period, the expected reinforcements from Central Shu did not come, but the Jinling messenger arrived!

His Majesty the Emperor approved the early start of the war against Shu.

Not only that, but the messenger also brought an official document that Daming would allocate land according to military age and merit.

When the news spread, the whole army was excited about it, and even the soldiers of Xingyuan, who had just surrendered not long ago, began to gear up, wishing they could go straight to Chongqing tomorrow.

Seeing that the army's morale was available, Chang Yuchun immediately decided to go a step further, capture Langzhong, and completely open up the Micang Road.

……

Jinling.

October twenty-seven.

Zhu Yuan entered the imperial city when it was near Sizheng, and soon learned that Chang Yuchun had conquered Bazhou.

This is the seventh day since the imperial court received that Chang Yuchun won Xingyuan and made the decision to conquer Shu in advance.

What Zhu Yuan is most uncomfortable with is the communication in this era.

After receiving the military report on October [-], a decision was made. According to previous estimates, various orders were issued that afternoon and arrived at Xingyuan, where Chang Yuchun himself was, that is, Hanzhong. Not surprisingly, it should be October [-].

This is a calculation made based on the time when the previous military report was sent back.

Speaking of which, it is not that there is no faster way of communication.

Carrier pigeon!

This was enabled early in the Song Dynasty.

There is no shortage of official homing pigeons in Jinling.

However, homing pigeons have too many limitations.

Like, not without the possibility of getting lost.

For example, the security of sending messages is not high. You don’t know who sent the message. What if the enemy breaks through the city and catches your own carrier pigeons to release false news?

Therefore, important information is still delivered by people.

This time, the next day, it was known that Chang Yuchun had arrived in Keba Prefecture, and it was through the carrier pigeon that the message was sent.

This kind of military newspaper that does not involve major decisions, even if it is late, wrong or even missed, has nothing to do with the overall situation.

The conference room of the Zuodong Pavilion of Fengtianmen.

Zhu Yuan still listened to the discussion between Lao Zhu and the ministers in the room without interrupting much, with a pen in his hand and some paper in front of him, occasionally writing records.

This situation made both the left minister Li Shanchang on the opposite side, and the other central ministers on both sides of the conference table who were recently entangled in this weird 'conference room' feel a little... suddenly enlightened.

Oh!
It turned out to be like this.

No wonder everyone is sitting here recently, always feel that there is something missing in your hand!
After discussing with the ministers about the follow-up dispatch of troops, arrangement of supplies and other matters, Lao Zhu looked at his precious 23rd grandson again, and asked habitually, "Yuaner, what else do you think?"

Zhu Yuan smiled and shook his head: "The army has done everything that should be done, and I have nothing to say nonsense. Ancestor, I just think that we can include Shuzhong in the next first 'three-year plan'." , Shuzhong not only has thousands of miles of fertile and fertile fields, but also various other resources are very rich. In addition, the takeover of Shuzhong should be based on appeasement."

Old Zhu nodded: "I told Yuchun again in every letter this morning, as long as Lord Xia comes and surrenders in time, I will definitely treat him with courtesy."

Zhu Yuan thought for a while, and then said: "My ancestors, the middle of Shu is rich and prosperous. Taking it early will only benefit Daming a lot. However, after this time, no matter whether it is Saibei or Yunnan, unless they voluntarily surrender or provoke, otherwise, they will benefit immediately. Fighting opportunities, we still have to exercise restraint, and in the next three years, it is best for Ming Dynasty to focus on economic development and lay a solid foundation."

This is not the first time Zhu Yuan mentioned it, and Lao Zhu nodded again: "You said that, and I think the same way, I still want to accumulate food..." At this point, Lao Zhu thought of one, and said with a smile: " Speaking of which, Yuan'er, what's the matter with that...steam engine, did someone talk about you again at the court meeting yesterday, and the Pingzhang mansion is brightly lit all night, you don't know how to be frugal and spend too much money?"

"I'm wronged," Zhu Yuan yelled with a smile, and said, "Those craftsmen are busy day and night, and it's also for the future of our Ming Dynasty. Well, those who don't know...forget it. Ancestor, I was thinking about choosing a time, That being the case, let's... on the second day of the next month, I would like to invite the ancestors, princes, princes, and all the central officials to watch a demonstration at my home..." There was a short pause on purpose, and Zhu Yuan glanced around before continuing: "... ...a demonstration of what the future of our Ming Dynasty should look like."

(End of this chapter)