A small soldier of the frontier army in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 615 Blood River
Old Bainiu: I'm home, starting tomorrow, normal updates will resume.I don't know why today, my whole body is weak and dizzy.

……

The mobile army, mighty and mighty, cavalry of one color, they were divided into groups. Wen Fangliang's Zuoying army went north along Huailaiwei, crossed Tumu Fort, Jiming Post, Xuanfu Town, and went straight to Zhangjiakou.

Generals Li Guangheng, Gao Shiyin, Zhong Xiancai, and Han Chao of the Jingbian Army, together with Li Yunshu and Wang Zheng, led the army directly to the west of Huailai City, crossed Fanshan Fort, Heishan Fort, Meiyusuo, and Taohua Fort, and headed for Weizhou.

Then they divided into two groups in Weizhou. Zhong Xiancai and Wang Zheng went to Datong, Li Guangheng, Gao Shiyin, Han Chao, and Li Yunshu, crossed Weizhou City, Guangling County, Lingqiu County, Pingxingguan, etc., and went directly to Taiyuan Prefecture. Pingyang Mansion.

The Jingbian Army dispatched a total of about 1 soldiers and horses, and the rest were fine cavalry from Datong Town or Shanxi Town. Something big happened, Xuanda is about to change.

As the iron cavalry galloped, Wen Fangliang's Zuoying army passed along the Yanghe River and passed outside the southern gate of Xuanfu Town. Many officials and civilians climbed up the city wall, watching with fear the torrent-like cavalry in the distance, spreading from the south, The fiery red flag fluttered in the cold wind.

The Sun Moon Waves Flag, which looks like the signature of the Jingbian army, is naturally a great boost to morale in the eyes of one's own side, but in the eyes of the enemy, it is very intimidating. It really is an elite frontier army, even the most powerful among the frontier army. Seeing the momentum of the elite Jingbian army, many people immediately lost the confidence to fight.

The cavalry continued to pass by the official road outside the city, hitting the hard ground with their iron hooves. The momentum seemed to destroy everything. Many people looked at each other with pale faces. Looking at the direction they were running, it was Zhangjiakou!
Yongning Hou Wangdou, is he really going to do it?How could he be so bold?The sky is bright and the sun is bright, and the army is dispatched to fight?

The Jingbian army came too fast and too suddenly. After receiving the news, the tyrants in the city, merchants, officials, and even the Gu Palace were in chaos. Many people were shouting and questioning angrily. The way is over, are they unable to dissuade them, or have they joined forces with Wang Dou?

In the panic, only Zhang Guowei murmured: "I know that the thief Wang Dou will not let it go."

At the same time, he was thankful that he did not participate in this business war. He had a premonition that this time, there would be a lot of trouble, many people would die, and a lot of blood would be shed.

Wen Fangliang's horse infantry, when they passed Xuanfu town, they didn't stop, they directly crossed Shaling Fort, Ningyuan Station Fort, and forced Zhangjiakou. Countless people were alarmed as they passed by, but they still hadn't reacted. The torrent of cavalry has already rushed forward.

In the afternoon, at the end of the day, Wen Fangliang and his party, in the cold wind, faintly saw Zhangjiakou Fort sitting on the flat plains in the field and surrounded by three mountains in the distance.

The limit of the cavalry is about three hundred miles a day and night, and usually two hundred miles a day. Although it is freezing, the distance from the east road to Zhangjiakou is almost a hundred miles. Wen Fangliang's Zuoying is not a professional cavalry, but Jingbian The soldiers were well-trained, and they arrived outside Zhangjiakou Fort in the afternoon of the same day, only artillery, and they were a little behind when marching.

A few miles away from the fort, Wen Fangliang looked out from a hill on the east bank of the river. Xuanfu Nanping the capital, and then dug the desert. The throat of the south, so the castle is also very strong.

The city is located on the west bank of the Qingshui River. In the fourth year of Xuande, Zhang Wenchu, the commander, built the fort. On Thursday, the city wall was two feet and five feet high.

In the 16th year of Chenghua, another pass city was built outside the north wall of Zhangjiakou Fort. On Friday, the city wall was two feet high. In the eighth year of Jiajing, Zhang Zhen, the commander, rebuilt the castle and perfected the layout. The battlements and towers were added and covered with bricks.

The final Zhangjiabao, two forts in one, with a fort within a fort, is somewhat similar to the layout of Shunxiang Fort.

"There are two gates in Zhangjiakou, Yongzhen Gate in the east and Cheng'en Gate in the south, both of which have Wengcheng..."

The speaker was a handsome young man, less than [-] years old, with a strong Hebei accent. His name was Liu Jun. He was a secret agent under the Intelligence Department. He had worked in Zhangjiakou for a long time and even acted as a local businessman. He is in charge, so he has a good understanding of the local situation.

At this time, he was wearing Confucian scholar's clothing, which was also his identity concealment. After all, in the Ming Dynasty, scholars were always respected and brought convenience to various actions.

Hunting the cold wind, his sleeves fluttered, and he breathed a heavy white breath. He pointed to a map on a big horse and explained in detail to Wen Fangliang and others: "...the entire castle is long from east to west, short from north to south, and has 58 piers outside. , there are 31 fire road piers, and the Nei Mie Lu Tai and other poles..."

He said: "Households in the city circle, Wucheng Street, Beiguan Street, Dongguan Street, Xiguan Street and other places outside the inner fort. In the southeast corner of the city wall, there is Kuixing Pavilion, the tallest in the city, and the garrison office in the castle was built by you."

"...Everyone's houses have collapsed, and there are many Beiguanshangbao, many of which are rented official warehouses. Also, Xiaobai Mountain, and Taiping Mountain not far from Dajingmen, there are also many merchants' collapsed houses. According to information, these collapsed houses In the house, there are a lot of grain, rice, cloth, cotton, tea, salt and other commodities stored. In the Liaodong War, the thieves and slaves were defeated and needed a lot of grain and grass. The request of the thief slave is ready to be transported to the territory of the Eastern Prison..."

Wen Fangliang snorted coldly, the soldiers were fighting bloody battles in front, but these merchants dragged their feet behind, collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country, they really deserved to die.

He used binoculars to look at Zhangjiabao not far away. Before the action, the Sentinel Battalion and the Intelligence Department had already informed Zhangjiakou of the information properly. .

Along the way, Huoludun was calm along the way. Perhaps, according to those soldiers, they were only taking precautions against the Tartars in the north. For the town troops coming from the south, everyone didn't know whether to set off beacon smoke.

After all, for those pier soldiers, the high-level movements are too far away from them, and it is impossible for them to understand and respond appropriately. If these officers and soldiers are just passing through the border, and they set off smoke, they will be the ones who will be unlucky in the end.

In the cities along the way, not to mention everyone's reaction speed, they were alarmed and sent messengers to communicate with each other. There were also Jingbian soldiers who stopped at night, leaving Wen Fangliang and others more processing time.

It is almost the twelfth lunar month, and it is the golden time for business. In Wen Fangliang's binoculars, Zhangjiakou Fort on the west bank of Qingshui River, no matter the east gate or the south gate, are full of merchants, boats and vehicles, which shows that the business is very prosperous.

By the end of the Ming Dynasty, there were more than [-] large commercial cities across the country. Shanxi occupied Taiyuan, Pingyang, and Puzhou. Pingyang, Ze, and Lu were the richest in the world. The fort is the center of business smuggling in the frontier fortress, and its prosperity is not inferior to that of Pingyang and Puzhou.

Right now, there is a peaceful atmosphere inside and outside the castle, and some people inside have no idea that a catastrophe is imminent.

After looking at the map, I recruited the generals of the camp to discuss with Zanhua. A few miles ahead, there is a pontoon bridge leading directly to the Yongzhen Gate on the east side of Zhangjiakou Fort. The river is neither wide nor deep. The river is completely frozen, but the ice surface is slippery. Of course, Wen Fangliang will not skip the bridge, but walk on the river ice.

According to the prior arrangement, he quickly ordered: "There is no defense in the fort. This is God's help for my soldiers of the Qinglong Battalion, Mr. Sun Qian and Mr. Tian Qian. You two will immediately lead the first-class troops in your department to cross the pontoon bridge. With the momentum of the ear, seize the Yongzhen Gate in the east and the Cheng'en Gate in the south, and control the situation of the castle for my army in the rear!"

The two generals from the front and the left of the left battalion received orders loudly, and immediately led the first-class troops in the department to rush. bridge.

But at this time, the pedestrians and merchants outside the fort started a commotion, and everyone shouted in a panic: "The army has passed."

"There are officers and soldiers coming, they are guest soldiers."

All of them dodge incessantly, and a piece of chicken flies and eggs hits them.

Most of Ming's officers and soldiers are not good people, they kill good people and take meritorious service, and robbing property is just a trivial matter, no wonder they are terrified.

Fortunately, these cavalrymen ignored them, as long as they didn't swagger in the middle of the road and blocked their way, they would be fine.

And seeing these murderous and imposing officers and soldiers rushing past, some sharp-eyed people recognized the Jingbian army again. After all, the Jingbian army's sun, moon, and wave flags, eight-petal hats of one color and iron pointed helmets of one color The young and strong elite soldiers are so easy to recognize, and the equipment and temperament are too unique, and they have heard more in the rumors.

Ji Jia of the Jingbian army, the passers-by heard a lot, and they were a little relieved, but they suddenly came to Zhangjiakou, and they were all fine cavalry... After the cavalry passed, there were inevitably discussions and speculations all over the place, and some of the merchants inside were pale Well, they certainly knew about the East Road, they never thought that Marquis Yongning's revenge would come so soon.

For a moment, they looked in the direction of the fort, feeling uneasy and anxious.

"Follow-up army to keep up!"

After the two commander-in-chiefs rushed away with the first-class army, Wen Fangliang continued to order, and subconsciously looked to the southwest. Although the general arranged for him to come to Zhangjiakou, he did not go directly to the lair of profiteers, but searched their smuggling dens and obtained them. Caibo shops are also a joy.

……

"Where did the officers and soldiers come from? No notice has been received..."

Gao Jinzhong, the guard of Zhangjiakou Fort, happened to be on the Kuixing Pavilion at the southeast corner of the city wall at this time.

This pavilion is used for Wanghuolou and Wanghuolou, and because Kuixing is the first star in the Big Dipper, it belongs to Kuixing, one of the 28 constellations, and dominates the rise and fall of the literary movement, so Gao Jinzhong will take a walk in Kuixing Pavilion when he is free, and look at the wind. , a bird's-eye view of the whole city, while being high-spirited, it also has the meaning of being a bit of literary luck.

Right now, he was staring blankly at the other side of the Qingshui River, how many cavalry came rushing in black, especially their imposing manner, which made people feel chilling at first sight.

At first, Gao Jinzhong hoped that the cavalry would go directly north, but later, he saw those cavalry rolling across the pontoon bridge, and their goal was Zhangjiakou Fort.

He muttered in his mouth, not only him, but also the followers around him were at a loss, not knowing what to do.

(End of this chapter)