usatvline Chapter 20 Gao Yingxiang's Attack on Xi'an
Chapter 20 Gao Yingxiang's Attack on Xi'an
The imperial court intended to suppress the bandits.
Huang Taiji, who was entrenched outside the Great Wall, would not sit idly by and wait for his own pacification of the internal strife.
In historical records, the imperial court always had to quell internal rebellions.
At the most critical moment, it was always Huang Taiji who marched south to force the emperor to abdicate.
This forced Emperor Chongzhen to recall troops to protect the capital.
Yang Sichang's plan ultimately failed because of this.
Historical records indicate that Yang Sichang's funds for 120,000 additional troops during the suppression of the rebellion were obtained through increased taxes.
This not only makes the people's tax burden exceptionally heavy.
They have not yet been able to wipe out the peasant army.
Ultimately, this led to the complete reversal of public opinion.
This only exacerbated the decline of the Ming Dynasty.
This is why Li Zicheng was able to command hundreds of thousands of people with a single call to arms.
To quell the rebellion, external pressure must be faced.
I need an army.
This army does not need to have the ability to defeat the Qing army's southward advance.
As long as we can buy enough time, that's enough.
Just then, Zhou Liang approached Zhu Youjian and said, "Your Majesty, wouldn't 150 people be a bit too few?"
"Can the account be cleared?"
Zhou Liang answered yes.
Zhu Youjian continued, "Development needs to be done step by step. As for the encirclement and suppression, we need to wait until winter, which is four months away."
……
Xi'an, Shaanxi.
Outside the military camp.
A middle-aged man, dressed in armor but slightly thin, knelt on one knee.
Behind them were all burly Ming soldiers.
Before him stood a eunuch holding an imperial edict, who read aloud: "Imperial Edict to Hong Chengchou, Governor-General of Five Provinces:"
The bandits are rampant, causing immense suffering to the people. Therefore, you are hereby granted the sole authority to wage war, commanding all land and naval forces across five provinces, and fully authorized to plan and suppress them. Any soldier who disobeys orders may be acted upon at your own discretion, with executions carried out before reporting to the emperor.
"I urge you to wield your divine power and swiftly bring peace to the land, thus relieving my anxieties day and night. Respectfully yours."
Hong Chengchou shouted, "Your humble servant obeys the decree."
The generals accepted the imperial decree with both hands, and the eunuch then left, after which the generals rose.
Hong Chengchou knew a little about the affairs of the imperial court, and the Minister of War, Zhang Fengyi, was concerned about Zhang Xianzhong's capture of Fengyang.
He failed to produce a plan in a timely manner and was eventually beheaded by the emperor.
Yang Sichang, the newly appointed Minister of War, proposed a bandit suppression strategy of "four main points, six corners, and ten-sided net" after taking office.
They also increased their troops by 120,000.
Now that the official document from the imperial court has been issued, it means...
Yang Sichang's strategy for suppressing bandits became the main direction of the imperial court for the foreseeable future.
As the governor-general of five provinces, he naturally obeyed orders.
However, the implementation of the Ten-Sided Network plan will have to wait until around the beginning of winter.
There are still four months until winter.
this time.
He still cannot let his guard down; Gao Yingxiang and his associates will not sit idly by and wait for their doom.
General Cao Wenzhao stepped forward: "Governor Hong, I've never heard of this Yang Sichang before. Is this plan feasible?"
"The peasant army will definitely know about this plan."
Compared to the physiques of generals like Cao Wenzhao, He Renlong, and Ai Wannian, Hong Chengchou appeared rather thin and frail.
But Hong Chengchou's imposing presence overwhelmed these burly generals.
Hong Chengchou said calmly, "I have seen Yang Sichang's plan. There is no problem with it. Even if the peasant army knows about it, it will be of no use."
"In the end, they were just a band of bandits. If they couldn't move around, they would be wiped out sooner or later."
"However, it will still take nearly half a year before the Ten-Sided Network plan is implemented."
"During this period, they may launch a counterattack, so you need to be extra cautious and not be careless."
Cao Wenzhao, He Renlong, and the others exchanged glances, bowed, and clasped their hands in a fist salute: "Your subordinates understand."
……
Hong Chengchou knew that the peasant army would launch a counterattack, so he tried his best to deplete the Ming army's fighting strength.
Weaken the encirclement capabilities of the ten-sided net as much as possible.
What Hong Chengchou did not expect was...
The peasant army is becoming increasingly arrogant.
On the city wall of Xi'an, Hong Chengchou looked into the distance, where the camps stretched for hundreds of miles.
Gao Yingxiang and his men actually attempted to attack Xi'an, which was something he hadn't expected.
Cao Wenzhao, dressed in armor, hurriedly walked to Hong Chengchou's side.
"It has been found out that Gao Yingxiang mobilized almost all of the peasant armies in order to deal with the imperial court's 'Ten-Sided Net'."
"With the combined forces, the total number is 200,000."
Hong Chengchou nodded in agreement: "Let's hold back for now. Xi'an is not comparable to Fengyang."
"If they try to force a siege, we will annihilate their entire army."
Xi'an is a city of towering peaks.
He was in complete command, and even if Gao Yingxiang had a combined army of 200,000, he would not be afraid.
Cao Wenzhao, standing to the side, then spoke up: "Governor-General, since Gao Yingxiang and his men have delivered themselves to our doorstep, why don't we seize this opportunity and wipe them out in one fell swoop?"
Why wait until winter?
Clearly, Cao Wenzhao wanted to fight.
Hong Chengchou was not surprised, as Cao Wenzhao was his most valiant general.
They are known for their fierceness, cunning, and ruthlessness.
He rose through the ranks from a junior officer position.
However, Hong Chengchou shook his head at Cao Wenzhao's request to fight.
"They don't care about attrition at all; we must not act rashly in this battle."
"We must not jeopardize the imperial court's plans."
Prioritize the overall situation.
As long as they hold Xi'an, Gao Yingxiang and his men will have no way to stop them.
However, if we were to leave the city to engage in battle, things would inevitably change.
After numerous battles, Hong Chengchou knew that although the peasant army was just a group of refugees, it was an army formed by the people.
But there are many capable people in this army.
Emperor Taizu Gao was once a general in the Red Turban Army.
Therefore, this group should not be underestimated.
If something goes wrong and ruins the court's plans, I will inevitably be punished.
……
three days later.
Gao Yingxiang and the others watched as Hong Chengchou and his entourage remained outside the city.
His brows were also furrowed.
They were not afraid of facing the imperial army's elite forces, nor were they afraid of losing battles.
I'm afraid of one thing.
No war.
As a peasant army, they had no base of operations and relied mainly on plunder for food.
This is why they need to travel to different places; if they stop, they won't have enough food.
We are not afraid of losing battles; defeats can hone the army.
Anyway, there are plenty of oppressed people in the world, so they don't lack soldiers.
The worst thing is that if there's no war, the military pay will just be wasted.
They don't have a deep family fortune and can't withstand the drain.
"Keep challenging them."
"If Hong Chengchou still does not come out of the city to meet the enemy, then we will move our troops to attack Pingliang."
"We can't stay here any longer."
Zhang Xianzhong nodded: "Understood."
"Go, bring the coffin we dug up!"
……
At the foot of Xi'an city.
With a loud thud, General He Renlong, who was on guard duty on the city wall, watched this scene unfold.
He frowned.
What does "carrying a coffin" mean?
Immediately afterwards, Zhang Xianzhong's adopted son, Liu Wenxiu, began shouting, "Where is Hong Chengchou? Let him see what this is!"
Looking at this scene, He Renlong replied, "What do you mean by bringing a coffin? Are you burying yourselves in Xi'an?"
After he finished speaking, laughter erupted.
Liu Wenxiu smiled slightly.
"Really? This coffin has quite a history; it contains the ancestor of that little emperor."
Upon hearing this, He Renlong's expression changed drastically.