Nanming Engineer

Chapter 438 Attack

September [-]th, light rain, Chenshi.

As soon as the sky turned pale, there was a commotion in the mountains at the tail of Luliang Mountain.

The gang leader was busy distributing the prepared meals to each soldier. There was enough wheat rice, cooking cakes, pickles to accompany the meal, and even jerky, so that everyone could be full.The ones with higher grades can have more portion, and the ingredients of jerky are better.

For people in the Eight Banners, this kind of breakfast is very common and nothing out of the ordinary, but for the Han army and Mongolian soldiers, it is very rare. People eat it and whisper in their mouths, saying that the nobles of Manchuria sent it today. Mercy, eating so well, is it going to make everyone work hard?

The main generals Tang Tong, Bai Guangen, and Liu Fangming of the Han army had complicated expressions, and they were thinking more than the little soldiers below. At the military meeting last night, the Regent decided on today's attack strategy, and they will devote all their efforts to the battle. , crushing the small Shiling Pass with the pressure of Mount Tai.

It is inevitable for the Han army to fight forward.

To put it bluntly, it is to serve as cannon fodder and consume the firepower of the Ming army. Although firearms are of little use on this rainy day, the regent wants to be on the safe side. After all, every soldier in the Eight Banners is valuable and there is no waste. The Eight Banners will not be put into use until the weapons are fully developed.

As for the strength of the Shiling Guanming Army, they have already heard that they defeated Nikan, cut off Liu Zeqing's head in hand-to-hand combat, and drove Zuo Menggeng to escape to Daizhou.

Now let them lead the way.

In the words of the regent, this is an honor, and those who make merit can have a future.

If there is a choice, few of them want this future. Get up, it’s too different.

After breakfast, the time came. Opening the gate of the camp, several people led the soldiers and horses, and drove out of the camp first as if they were going to the execution ground. The three soldiers and horses joined together and pushed towards the Guancheng.

Behind the Han army, the Mongolian soldiers and the Eight Banners soldiers and horses followed in file. The flags of various colors covered the sun and the sky, and the already weak sunlight was even paler.The flag spread under the thick clouds, reaching the sky. The mountains were full of people, and the reflection of weapons was everywhere. The footsteps of tens of thousands of people trampled on the mud, like a majestic battle song, straight into the sky. Go, the army following the mountain to the open space in front of Shiling Pass, like a moving mountain, crushed with unstoppable coercion.

Li Tingyu led Lin Ziying, and set up defenses behind the two low walls in front of the Guan wall. There was another ditch in front. Langji cannons are mounted in the openings on the low wall, and the gunpowder and barrels are carefully covered with tarpaulins. Everyone is carrying mountain crossbows, and some who are good at archery hold bows and arrows. In this kind of weather, it is not easy to use.

"Don't be afraid! Boy, when I was in Sichuan, Ma Ying always led 3000 of us to guard the sword pavilion. Facing tens of thousands of people from Hauge, we never gave in!" Veteran Ma Qijin comforted those around him with a loud voice. Some nervous recruits, and even more nervous rebel soldiers, held a piece of grass in their mouths, grinding their teeth calmly: "Don't look at the number of Tatars, the number of people is useless! When the fight starts, we still have to fight." It's not like a cannon hits a target accurately. Hold your crossbow, right! Just hold it steady. When the superior gives an order, you shoot with all your might. If you shoot this arrow, it will always hit someone. After shooting, change the box. This thing shoots effortlessly, much better than bows and arrows."

He patted the mountain crossbow, and said: "It is said that the Tartars are three-headed and six-armed, are you afraid?"

Someone wanted to nod, but then realized something was wrong and shook his head again.

Ma Qijin waved his big hand and said, "Afraid of a bird! If you want to survive on the battlefield, you must not be afraid of death. The more you are afraid of death, the faster you will die. Listen to me. When the battle starts, don't think about anything. Just stare at the tartar in front of you, stare him in the eye, stab him with a gun, chop him with a knife! Remember how you practiced during training, hit him!"

He took a sip, spat out the grass roots, and pointed backwards: "Did you see those supervising teams? Whoever dares to run will be the first to die. We all have names on bamboo cards. If you can recognize them, die!" There is no martyrdom treatment for the family, and death is for nothing, why bother? Fighting Tartars are desperate, the Liangguo Guild will support our family, we are afraid of a bird!"

The rookies turned their heads to look at the supervising team standing behind, thinking about his words, their faces became calm, and they clenched the weapons in their hands. Although no one spoke, the flustered emotions gradually dissipated.

Ma Qijin was very satisfied and proud of his teaching, so he picked up another piece of grass, hummed a little song and carefully wiped away a drop of rainwater from the mountain crossbow in his hand.

Inside the low wall, the veterans stabilized their positions calmly. Although out of the 1 people deployed outside the city, [-] were rebels, but like the Kuizhou army, they were as silent as a rock in the rain, quietly waiting for the eruption at that moment .

On the wall, Wang Huan sat on a stone like a millstone, looking at a person in front of him.

This man was dressed in a Confucian shirt, with a long beard, a square face with big ears, and a dignified appearance. He stood there with awe-inspiring demeanor. He was the former Prince Shaobao of the Hongguang Dynasty of the Ming Dynasty and Wang Duo, a scholar of the Wenyuan Pavilion.

Wang Duo was fifty-eight, old, although his body was strong, but he was a little stooped, with white hair on his head, he and Wang Huan looked at each other, his heart was like waves, and he couldn't control himself.

This is the world-famous Duke Liang of the Ming Dynasty. He is so young. Could it be that he is really old?

He said a few words on the scene, then handed Dorgon's letter, and then shut up. For this young man, he always felt that there was a compelling edge piercing himself. In the stomach, it seems that once you say it, you will have a sword on your body, so you can't speak nonsense.

Wang Huanzhan glanced at the letter, smiled, and threw it aside.

Seeing his actions, Wang Duo was secretly startled, and thought about speaking a few words of persuasion, after all, if you are a lobbyist, you still have to strive for success in persuading him to surrender.

Before he could speak, Wang Huan spoke first.

"Mr. Wang's calligraphy is outstanding. He and Dong Qichang are called the double walls of the Ming Dynasty. There is a saying that Mr. Wang is famous in the south and north, and there are few people who stand side by side with him." Wang Huan said with a smile, his expression was like a spring breeze.

Wang Duo was stunned for a moment, and then he said: "This is a false praise from a friend in court, how dare you take it? Your lord is laughing at you."

"Then the titles of Crown Prince Taibao and University Scholars that Emperor Hongzhi gave you are not fake, right? How many people can match the position of Super Grade?" Wang Huan asked immediately, his tone still friendly.

"Uh..." Wang Duo was at a loss for words, and an ominous cloud rose in his heart. He hurriedly said, "This...my lord, I came here this time to persuade you to surrender under the order of the regent. My lord An extremely intelligent person should know the practical things, the Ming Dynasty hangs down like a rotten tree, and the Qing Dynasty rises like the rising sun, as the saying goes..."

He had just finished speaking and was about to enter the drama when he saw Wang Huan stand up and walk past him to the side of the wall facing the battle.

"Yes, persuading to surrender...Dorgon also said in his letter that it is so generous to designate our Han army as the king of Xiliang!" Wang Huan raised his head and looked up at the sky: "My lord, the king of Xiliang, How old is the official?"

"The leader of the Han army, standing shoulder to shoulder with Wu Sangui, Kong Youde and other heroes, is an excellent title." Wang Duo hurriedly said: "The regent admires the Lord very much. As long as the Lord can surrender, the King Regent will definitely..."

Wang Huan interrupted him rudely, his tone a little higher: "The army is overwhelming, the eyes are full of weapons, and the black clouds are overwhelming the city... I am very pleased with what Mr. Wang said."

Wang Duo was not alert to the change in Wang Huan's attitude toward him, and was still immersed in his role as a lobbyist and tried his best. He quickly echoed: "It's very true, what I said is all for the sake of your father-in-law. I don't think of all the giants in the big cities." Ba, how many good generals and advisors have been spared under the iron heel of the Qing Dynasty. I have no intention of belittling the prince, but what is the point of hitting a stone with an egg? Your Majesty has tens of thousands under his command, give them a way out, and avoid the pain of having swords across their necks. It is even more meritorious, my lord..."

Wang Duo was eloquent, getting better and better, talking one after another, but suddenly found that the people around him looked at him with strange eyes, half smiles but not smiles.

He pursed his open mouth and looked at Wang Huan in horror.

Wang Huan stood there, alone and proud, the robe under the iron armor was blown by the cool wind, dancing gently with the red tassel on the top of the helmet, the white armor and red cloak, like a white pine tree.

Ma Wannian walked up with a smile, and whispered in his ear: "Soon, Lord Wang, it won't hurt."

The knife flashed, and the head fell to the ground.

Wang Huan walked over, picked up Dorgon's persuading letter, took a brush from the guard, dipped it in Wang Duo's blood, wrote a few words on the letter, and threw the pen on the ground , smiled and said: "Give the head and the letter to the servant he brought, and go back to Dorgon."

The two men who came with Wang Duo were nearby. They were so frightened when they saw Wang Duo being killed that they received the order, shook their heads, accepted it, and fled out of the city like flying.

The Qing army was outside the pass, forming a formation in the drizzle. A forward of the Han army stepped forward to fill in the ditch he had dug a few days ago and remove the wooden fence to facilitate the next attack.

Dorgon's golden armored cloak stood under the king's banner with a group of princes and generals, surrounded by tens of thousands of guards, and there were many soldiers, like a river and sea surrounded by oceans.

Sending Wang Duo to persuade them to surrender is the last hope of avoiding war, even if this hope is not great.

If Wang Huan can be deterred by the threat of soldiers approaching the city, and join other Ming Dynasty generals, then Dorgon's camp will have one more capable general. The so-called heroes cherish each other, which is what it means.

After waiting for a while, Wang Duo's head arrived, along with a few words written in his blood.

Dorgon looked at the heads in the box and unfolded the letter paper.

"If you don't die, go back to Liaodong!" Several bright red characters appeared on the paper with dragons and phoenixes dancing.

Dorgon smiled and waved his hand.

"attack!"

(End of this chapter)