met free Chapter 1406 Is this a delaying tactic?
Chapter 1406 Is this a delaying tactic?
Chapter 1406 Is this a delaying tactic?
In the 19th year of Chongping, summer, late June -
Ningyuan City
"Dong dong..."
The drumbeats were as dense as raindrops, and amid the rumbling sound, the entire battlefield was thrown into a state of excitement.
At this moment, under the towering city walls, a large number of Han soldiers wearing red uniforms and black armor, almost like red flames, holding armor and shields, came towards the city walls to besiege them.
Jia Heng was holding a monocular telescope in his hand at the moment, and through the telescope he saw a middle-aged general wearing blue foam-studded armor.
Jilharang!
Although I have never seen this Jurchen Prince Zheng, I can guess his identity from the prince's dragon robe he wears and the fact that he is surrounded by a large crowd.
"Boom!"
At this moment, as the apricot-yellow triangular command flags waved continuously, hundreds of cannons and guns carried by the Beijing Camp spewed out thick smoke and fired at the city walls. Bullets from the cannons and guns fell on the city walls like flowers scattered from heaven.
After a short while, screams and wails could be heard one after another.
The Han army's artillery fire began, and at this moment, it instantly submerged the entire city wall.
The first round of artillery fire begins!
Large numbers of Jurchen soldiers, in groups, could only rely on their previous combat experience and lie flat on the ground, trying to avoid this round of artillery attacks with loud thunder but little rain.
but……
After a short while, a large number of elite soldiers of the Eight Banners began to suffer terribly.
Because the shells that fell were clearly shrapnel, and as the shrapnel flew everywhere, a large number of iron nails scattered out. A large number of officers and soldiers were pierced by the iron nails and fell to the ground, groaning in pain.
Not long after, there were bursts of muffled groans coming from the walls of Ningyuan City, which made the soldiers lying on the ground feel frightened.
At this moment, behind the gate tower with red pillars and dark blue tiles, Jirgalang showed an anxious look on his face and said in a deep voice: "Where are our cannons? Fight back immediately."
This bombardment lasted for about half an hour.
Just as Ningyuan City was in chaos and full of wailing.
At this moment, the Han army in the Han Dynasty's capital camp was divided into ten teams, each team had about three thousand soldiers, and they were surrounding the city wall. At this moment, teams of soldiers were carrying wooden ladders, approaching the towering city wall and placing the ladders on the wall.
Amid the roar of artillery fire, a large number of Han soldiers approached the top of the city wall like a tide, and from the top of the city wall, rolling logs and stones were thrown down. Many Han army officers and soldiers, holding shields, climbed and rushed to the top of the city wall amid the rain of rolling logs and stones.
"Whizzing!!!"
Along with the sound of arrows being shot, arrows flew down like locusts, densely packed together.
The sound of "ding ding dang dang" was heard at this moment, accompanied by the sound of "pu chi" of arrows hitting flesh. The offensive of the Han army was frustrated, but soon, a steady stream of Han soldiers rushed to the top of the city, like waves hitting the rocks, surging up.
In an instant, the shouts of killing shook the earth.
Jia Heng's face was as calm as water. He put down the telescope in his hand. His eyes flickered under his sharp eyebrows. His face became calmer. He turned around and said to Cao Bianjiao beside him, "It is unlikely that we will achieve any results today."
Such a siege battle obviously cannot be decided in a day or two, and will inevitably be accompanied by a large number of casualties and other consequences.
Cao Bianjiao said: "Duke Weiguo, attacking like this will result in much fewer casualties than in the past."
"This kind of city defense doesn't require much skill. It's a test of both sides' troop consumption. However, my Red Cannon can suppress the firepower and reduce the pressure on the infantry attacking the city." Jia Heng said.
Cao Bianjiao had a thoughtful look on his face, and was obviously thinking about the coordination tactics between artillery and infantry.
It was not until noon that the sound of "clang clang" rang out, and a large number of Han troops retreated almost like a tide.
After all the generals returned to the military tent, they began to discuss today's siege plan.
After Jia Heng sat down on a lacquered wooden table, he looked at the officers below and said, "Generals, how many casualties did our army suffer during the siege today?"
At this time, the chief clerk Song Yuan said, "Duke Weiguo, our country's casualties today are about 500 to 600. I don't know about the Jurchens, but it is estimated that they are five times more than ours. Throughout history, there has never been a situation where the casualties on the side defending a city are several times more than those on the side attacking the city."
All the generals had happy expressions on their faces and were talking about it.
The Han army's artillery fire and musket offensive were completely reckless, so they were able to achieve success in the early stages.
Of course, this kind of consumption is obviously quite unbearable in a long-term offensive and defensive battle.
Moreover, the Jurchen troops in Ningyuan City will gradually adapt to the artillery support of the Han army, showing a diminishing marginal effect.
Jia Heng picked up the gavel on the table and tapped it gently, signaling the generals not to say anything else. He said thoughtfully, "We have already taken down the enemy's artillery and arrow towers. In the next few days, we will provide targeted support with artillery and guns. All the officers present here should lead their soldiers and fight to the death without any mistakes."
Upon hearing this, the officers and soldiers present responded in unison.
After all the generals dispersed, Chen Xiao looked at Jia Heng standing aside and said loudly, "Are you going to confront the Jurchens here?"
Jia Heng's face was as dark as water, and his eyes seemed to be full of thoughts. He said, "Besides this, there is no other way. Let's attack the city for half a month and see what happens."
A war to annihilate a country cannot be rushed.
Chen Xiao thought for a moment and said, "The Haizhou and Gaizhou guards should have led their troops to attack Liaoyang by now."
"The situation in North Korea should be about the same." Jia Heng paused and said in a low voice: "Now it depends on how the Jurchens respond. We will respond accordingly."
Chen Xiao nodded and said nothing more.
……
……
Jinzhou City
This city was also seized from the Han Dynasty by the Jurchens in the early years. After expansion and reconstruction, it gradually became a fortress for the Jurchens to defend Shengjing.
At this moment, over the city of Jinzhou, there was a Qing Dynasty dragon flag with a square embroidered dragon pattern and the word "Qing" in the middle, which swayed gently in the wind.
At this moment, Dorgon, accompanied by several horsemen, was patrolling back and forth on the city wall. Although he saw that the Jurchen soldiers around him were energetic and in high spirits, there was no less worry in his eyes and his heart seemed to be covered with a thick haze.
Because of Fan Xiandou's death, the entire Qing Dynasty fell into a brief period of confusion. Dorgon finally cheered up from his decadent mood. He did not stay in Shengjing City for long, but led the officers and soldiers in Shengjing City to Jinzhou City.
In the city of Jinzhou, there were about 100,000 Jurchen soldiers gathered at this moment. The flags covered the sky and the swords and spears were like forests. From afar, one could see the flashing lights.
This was a rare instance of the Jurchens sending a large number of troops out of Shengjing City since the founding of the country.
It can be said that all the capital of Shengjing City was taken out, and the older soldiers were also re-recruited into the army.
In this way, after several battles, the Jurchens now have few available soldiers.
Dorgon's eyes were bright under his thick eyebrows, but his face was tired. He said, "What do people in Ningyuan say?"
Ajige was silent for a moment, then said, "With only 30,000 soldiers, I'm afraid we can't stop them. In my opinion, it's better to retreat to Songshan and Jinzhou, fortify the walls and clear the fields. The Han army's food supply route will be longer, and the Qing will have a chance to seize the opportunity."
Dorgon shook his head and said, "It's not that simple. Jia Heng has many ingenious ideas. He must be thinking about protecting the grain route and won't give us any chance at all."
"A wise man can make mistakes even if he makes a thousand plans. Besides, the Han army is coming with an entire country's worth of troops, and they think they have a sure win. They may underestimate the enemy and advance rashly." Ajige said calmly.
Dorgon shook his head and said, "We cannot rely on the incompetence of the enemy commander."
"What about Ningyuan City?" Ajige frowned, worry in his eyes, and said, "We can't resist it at all. We can only delay it for a few more days and consume some of the Han army's artillery and ammunition."
Dorgon said: "My army will rush to support and defend the enemy outside Ningyuan City."
Ajige said in a clear voice: "There is really no need to defend Ningyuan City. It is better to gather our troops together and lure the enemy deep into our territory. As long as we defeat the main force of the Han army, our Qing Dynasty will recover the lost territory in no time."
If Huang Taiji were alive, he would probably follow Ajige's advice.
Although Ajige knew how to fight a war, he did not understand the political struggles and the people's hearts. Because of the fall of Haizhou and Gaizhou, the Manchu civil and military officials in Shengjing City had long been dissatisfied with Dorgon, but the state affairs were difficult, and obviously they could not say much else.
Dorgon nodded and said, "Try to defend Ningyuan City. If you can't hold it, you can retreat to Jinzhou City. If Jirgalang insists on defending Ningyuan, it will cost the Han army 100,000 troops."
Dorgon’s strategy cannot be said to be wrong, because there was greater room for strategic maneuver. Otherwise, all the troops would be concentrated on the Songjin line. If they were defeated again, what would they do?
Hearing this, Ajige was in no mood to persuade him any further and said, "Then wait for the military report."
Dorgon's face was as dark as water, his eyes were gloomy and uncertain, and he asked, "How about the North Korean route?"
Ajige's tiger eyes, deep beneath his thick eyebrows, asked, "Hasn't Man Dahai already sent troops to resist?"
Dorgon pondered for a moment and said, "I don't know whether this group is going to attack Shengjing or attack my old camp to cut off my retreat. Shengjing is now poorly guarded, and there are not many soldiers and horses defending the old camp either."
This is the thinking of a top strategist, who is able to guess the possible directions of North Korea's attacks and plan to take precautions in advance.
Ajige said in a clear voice: "Should our army send troops to Ningyuan City?"
Dorgon shook his head and said, "Now we can only wait for news from Ningyuan City. We don't have many troops here."
Ajige thought for a moment and said, "Dzungars and Khoshuts have already attacked in the northwest and Tibet."
Dorgon said: "Han has many soldiers and generals, so don't expect to cause any big trouble, but..."
Ajige's face showed a puzzled expression under his broken eyebrows, and he asked softly, "What do you mean?"
Dorgon pondered for a moment and said in a low voice: "However, the Han court is fighting on many fronts and it is obvious that it cannot last long. Therefore, as long as our army holds out until the end of the year, there will be a glimmer of hope for this war to turn around."
This was exactly the purpose of Dorgon's division of troops, to delay the advance of the Han army by defending the two checkpoints.
Hearing this, Ajige was puzzled and said, "This... is this a delaying tactic?"
Dorgon sighed, his eyes filled with worry, and said, "It's good to gather them in one place, but the Han army will also come in full force. With their fierce artillery fire, even if Jinzhou City is high and deep, how many days can it withstand the bombardment? By then, my army of more than 100,000 will gather in one place and be killed in one battle. There will be no escape, and my Great Muslim country will be destroyed."
All in all, the Jurchens' strategic depth was insufficient, and they simply could not meet the objective conditions to fortify their defenses, clear the countryside, and lure the enemy deep into their territory.
Otherwise, what would happen if hundreds of thousands of Han troops passed Ningyuan City, attacked Jinzhou, and headed straight for Shengjing?
It's really like a mountain pressing down on your head, like crushing an ant to death.
Ajige was silent for a moment, calming down his nervous mood, and asked: "Then what is your plan next, Fourteenth Brother?"
"Prince Zheng is going there with the determination to die. He will definitely fight to the last man and drag it out until the end of the year. If we can hold the Han army back for one more day, the pressure on the Songjin front will be less. Next, let's actively prepare for the battle." Dorgon showed regret on his face and said, "Wait until Ningyuan City consumes the Han army's spirit. Then, the Qing Dynasty will be at ease and turn defeat into victory."
In other words, let Jirgalang's troops serve as a nail to consume the Han army's time, energy and morale.
Ajige nodded thoughtfully, feeling a little heavy in his heart, and asked, "What about Liaoyang?"
"Let Lekedehun guard the city. Never let a single soldier of the Han navy attack Shengjing city." Dorgon said firmly with a calm expression.
At this moment, a hurried flagman came from outside and said, "Your Majesty, urgent news from Gaizhou."
Hearing this, Dorgon showed a hint of surprise on his face. Then, he took the military report, read it, met Ajige's gaze, and said, "Liaoyang requests reinforcements."
"Where can we get reinforcements at this time?" Ajige frowned and said in a low voice.
Dorgon couldn't help but sigh and said, "Yes, who has troops to reinforce us at this time?"
It can be said that the Qing Dynasty today is really short of military strength.
Shengjing also has an army of about 30,000 people, but they are used to maintain the safety of Shengjing. It is impossible to dispatch them unless it is absolutely necessary.
Dorgon said in a deep voice: "Send a message to Liaoyang, tell him to hold on and resist the Han navy, otherwise, you will be beheaded!"
Upon hearing this, the soldier clasped his fists towards Dorgon and turned away.
Dorgon then looked at Ajige and said with emotion: "It is really sad that the Qing Dynasty has only been established for a few decades and its fighting power is so poor."
Ajige sighed, "Life is not as good as it was when my brother was alive."
At that time, the Qing Dynasty had the potential to swallow up the world, but now the situation has changed. The Qing Dynasty is in decline and is suppressed in the city by the Han army.
……
……
Liaoyang City
Lekedehun was stationed in Liaoyang City at this moment, looking at the Han army surging towards the city with a large group of flaming flags.
The deputy general next to Leked said: "Your Majesty, why give it to the Regent?"
"If we don't send a letter for help, how can we let them know the situation our unit is facing now?" Lekedehun paused and said in a deep voice.
The deputy general nodded and said, "What the prince said is very true."
Lekedehun sighed and said, "How many casualties did the brothers suffer?"
The deputy general said, "Reporting to the prince, the casualties in the past five days have exceeded a thousand."
Lekedehun's eyes fell on the city wall and whispered, "More than a thousand casualties, how long can we hold out like this?"
"The Han people's artillery fire is really too powerful." said the deputy general.
Under Lekedehun's thick eyebrows, his tiger eyes fixed on the city wall that had been breached by the Red Barbarian cannons, and he said loudly, "These are all excuses."
The deputy general said, "How about I lead the elite soldiers out of the city and attack the enemy's artillery and gun teams? What do you think, Prince?"
Lekedehun paused for a moment, nodded, and whispered, "Don't be reckless. The enemy also has elite cavalry on guard."
At this moment, under the city of Liaoyang, on the open plains of a few miles away, you can see lush vegetation and eye-catching green.
Jia Fang stood on a low earthen hill, wearing a black cloak and holding a telescope in his hand, looking at the towering city in the distance, and said: "The Jurchens have been resisting stubbornly these days, and it has cost us the Han people a lot of effort."
As time passed, the Han navy also fired a lot of cannonballs and ammunition, almost blowing the city to pieces.
But these days, there is still not much progress.
Deputy General Deng Jianping said: "General Jia, Liaoyang City can't hold out for a month."
Jia Fang's clear eyes flashed with a fierce look under his sword-like eyebrows. He said, "It's hard to say. The general in the city has a calm temperament and is very methodical in deploying troops to defend the city. He is not easy to deal with."
"General, Prince Beijing has sent someone to summon you back to discuss matters." At this time, a knight came on horseback and said to Jia Fang.
Hearing this, Jia Fang said softly, "Go back."
With a shout of "Gee", Jia Fang, accompanied by his personal soldiers, rode his horse towards the central army camp.
At this moment, inside the central army camp——
Prince of Beijing Shui Rong, Admiral of Hebei Kang Hong, Admiral of Jiangnan Navy Wei Che and other officers gathered together to discuss military affairs.
This was already the fifth day since the Han army had attacked the city. Although the navy's red cannons had been used to attack Liaoyang City in the past few days, the situation was not ideal.
Prince Beijing Shui Rong said: "It has been delayed for a few days, we need to think about how to break the city."
Kang Hong frowned and said, "The Jurchens have nearly 20,000 soldiers stationed in the city. Even if our army has the help of red cannons, it will take more than a month or two to break through the city."
It is not easy to defend a city with nearly 20,000 soldiers.
Wei Che paused for a moment, then said in a clear voice: "In my opinion, if we step up the siege in the next few days, we may be able to capture the city in half a month."
After a while, a sturdy soldier wearing leather armor entered the military tent and said in a loud voice: "Lord Shui, General Xiao Jia is here."
While everyone was talking, they looked up and saw a young general with a stern face and tall stature walking into the military tent. At first glance, his demeanor and posture were quite similar to Jia Heng.
"My humble servant greets His Royal Highness Prince Beijing." Jia Fang said with a fist salute.
"General Jia is here, please sit down." Prince Beijing Shui Rong's gaze fell on Jia Fang's face, stared at her for a breath, and said with a smile on his face.
After a while, Jia Fang was seen sitting on a pearwood chair with a backrest not far away.
Prince Beijing Shui Rong said, "General Xiao Jia, I think you have seen the confrontation in the past few days. What do you think of the situation?"
Jia Fang nodded and said, "The situation is stalemate and our army has suffered too many casualties. We need to think of a way to break into the city."
Prince Beijing Shui Rong nodded and said, "Now I am asking General Xiao Jia to send troops to bypass Liaoyang City and harass the enemy's food supply route."
"Food route?" Jia Fang raised his eyebrows, his face showing surprise, and asked in a deep voice.
Prince Beijing Shui Rong cast an admiring gaze on Jia Fang's face and said, "Liaoyang is originally a small city. Although some food and fodder have been stored, they are still raising food and fodder and transporting them to the city in an attempt to confront our army for a long time. General Jia Fang can lead his troops to harass the enemy's food supply route."
Jia Fang's face turned serious, and he said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will definitely do my best."
Prince Beijing Shui Rong turned to look at Kang Hong and said, "General Kang, let's see if we can dig a tunnel to the city of Liaoyang in the next few days."
Kang Hong shook his head and said, "The defenders in the city are very smart. They dug trenches outside the city to divert water from the moat. I think they also dug trenches inside the city."
Prince Beijing Shui Rong looked thoughtful and said, "The defenders in the city are not easy to deal with. Let's organize the army today and attack the city tomorrow."
(End of this chapter)