Chapter 219: Sword Pointing to Jiangnan [Subscribe]

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Chen Ming rushed to Anqing City, but Huang Zhenggang was unable to rescue Anqing. His counterattack on Anqing was frustrated. Later, he was defeated by the Anqing Fuhan Army supported by reinforcements, and had to retreat to Tongcheng. After Chen Ming had Anqing as his base, he confidently and boldly attacked Wannan, planning to attack Nanjing and attack Jiangnan. The actions triggered by this series of wars were comprehensive.

For example, Green Camp in Shandong Province partially changed the route south to Kaifeng, heading to Linqing and then to Huai'an. The reinforcements from Fujian, Zhejiang and Guangdong are also desperately advancing towards Jiangnan. Jiangnan's own soldiers and horses will not mobilize any more soldiers and soldiers to run to Henan.

When Chen Ming defeated Jingzhou and Wuchang, the threat of the Fuhan Army was still like the floating clouds in the sky, 'a distant dream but an elusive one'. But now the Fuhan Army has really arrived on the edge of Jiangnan, sweeping across southern Anhui and pointing directly at Jiangning City.

It was unlucky for the Qing Dynasty that the braid-cutting case occurred in Zhejiang and flourished in Jiangsu and Shandong. After a month of fermentation, it became more and more intense. It's not that many people actually had their pigtails cut off by 'ghosts', but that an influence penetrated into the hearts of millions of people through rumors. Just like the rumors about the braid-cutting case, it has changed from the initial intention of seizing money and killing people to "it is the will of heaven that the Manchu Qing Dynasty should die." This has a great impact on the people and public opinion in Jiangnan.

In the original historical time and space, without Chen Ming and the Fuhan Army, when the Manchu Qing Dynasty ruled the country, it would have spread from Jiangnan to Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, and Jiangxi in less than half a year. , the scope of the impact is staggering. But at this time, who doesn't know about Chen Ming, his Fuhan Army, and the Fuhan General's Mansion behind them? This is ‘God’s will’. God brought misfortune to the Manchus.

Nowadays, Jiangnan is in a state of turmoil and the people's hearts are in turmoil. The gentry and landlord class were still loyal to the Manchus. As Chen Ming led his troops eastwards, the governor of Liangjiang and General Jiangning repeatedly signaled the wealthy gentry underground to donate money and food. Nowadays, everyone in Jiangnan knows that Chen Ming's team is punished based on the amount of donations they make to the gentry, landlords and merchants.

However, the salt merchants in Yangzhou and the merchants in Suzhou, Hangzhou and Songjiang successively raised six to seven million taels of silver and more than 300,000 dans of grain and rice for the Manchu Qing Dynasty. These people are really extremely rich. For example, in the Huizhou Prefecture, after the Fuhan Army filtered through it, Chen Ming made the conditions very loose, and still squeezed out a huge amount of silver comparable to the amount of gold and silver obtained by the three towns of Wuhan.

It’s true that Huizhou has been filled with gold and silver. If the Fuhan army swept through the entire south of the Yangtze River, how much money would they get? Just thinking about it is intoxicating.

The mark of 100 million taels of silver does not seem to be very difficult.

"The Qing court has millions of soldiers. Can they all arrive in front of us at once? How many men and horses are there in just two rivers?"

"The Governor-General of Liangjiang has jurisdiction over the second battalion of Fubiao, which controls the three governors, the first governor, and the ninth general soldier. He also has jurisdiction over the Jiangning City Guards First Association, Yangzhou, and Yanqi second battalions. The three governors of Jiangxi, Anhui, and Jiangsu have two battalions each of Fubiao. Jiangnan Admiralty There are five battalions to be raised. The total is calculated to be less than one yuan and 80,000 men, and half of them have been beaten by us and are running away." By the middle of Qianlong's reign, the shortage was already quite large. Of course, the empty pay at this time cannot be compared with that of the late Qing Dynasty, but it is not unusual for the number of 10,000 people to be 20 to 30% less. It is said that there are 70,000 or 80,000 people, but it would be thankful to have 60,000. As for those who can be pulled out to see the battle, there will only be fewer.

"What are the flag soldiers in Jiangning City and Jingkou like? We also saw them in Chizhou, useless snacks.

There is also the Governor's Yamen of Water Transport in Huai'an. The Governor-General of Water Transport has jurisdiction over the three battalions of Banner, Green and Caobiao, as well as Huai'an City Guard Camp, Haizhou Camp, Yancheng Navy Camp, Donghai Navy Camp, and others all over Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu, and Huizhou. Caoliangwei and stations in eight provinces of Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Hubei and Hunan. The total strength can be as high as 20,000. But how many are there specifically on the boundary between Liangjiang and Jiangjiang? How many of these people can actually fight? "

The Caoding combat power of the Governor of Caoyun is not even as good as the ordinary green camp. On that transportation artery, which is related to people's livelihood and stability, even if you roll around, you will be covered with oil and water. Who is still working hard?

The Fuhan Army had already defeated Anhui and Jiangxi Provinces. The Green Battalion led by Huang Zhenggang was the most capable group in Jiangsu. Now it was defeated twice. It retreated to Tongcheng and contained Anhui. Gao Jin and Rong Bao again The remaining troops swarmed into the south of the Yangtze River. The land of the south of the Yangtze River is now very empty. Why don't you just let the army roam freely?

On the seventh day of March, Chen Ming captured Taiping Mansion and Jiangning Town the next day. On the ninth day of March, Chen Ming's troops arrived outside Jubaomen in Jiangning to station troops outside the city. The surrounding Qing troops were like rats whose tails were stepped on, rushing toward Jiang Ning crazily. Chen Ming has already destroyed a whole city in Jingzhou. Without mentioning the special historical and political significance of Jiangning, if we say that Mancheng in the southeast of Jiangning City is going to be destroyed by Chen Ming again, haha, the Qing government will really have no face. Saved.

A foreign dynasty that has lost its dignity is the most dangerous dynasty. The destruction of Jiangning City will cause a shock far greater than that of Jingzhou, Wuchang, and Anqing. It is difficult to imagine what subsequent impact events will occur across the country.

Troops were stationed outside Jubao Gate. It was raining at the foot of Zhongshan Mountain. Chen Ming did not immediately launch an offensive against Jiangning City. Instead, he sent a cavalry battalion to attack Jingkou [Zhenjiang]. Later, with Huang Jie as the commander, he attacked Yangzhou with four battalions. . Chen Ming once again raided the surrounding areas, instead of rushing to break through Jiangning City.

Before the Fu Han army arrived, Gao Jin spent a lot of money to recruit tens of thousands of brave civilians into the city. In addition to the garrisons transferred from various places, the garrison flag soldiers and the 3,000 Han army that had been re-recruited before, the number of soldiers defending Jiangning City reached nearly 30,000. This is a terrifying number, but the Qing army with such a large number of troops, Gao Jia and Rong Bao, did not dare to launch a small test attack on the Fu Han army outside Jubao Gate when Chen Ming divided his troops to attack the city from north to south.

They were like a coward with a sharp blade, looking at the robbers who broke into their homes and ate and drank unscrupulously, and did not dare to take a step forward easily, for fear of attracting the attention of the robbers and causing themselves to suffer a catastrophe. The sharp blade in his hand could not give him a sense of security at all.

One part of Jiujiang, one part of Anqing, and then divided into Yangzhou and Jingkou, the remaining main battle team under Chen Ming was less than 10,000 people. Of course, the logistics troops have expanded to 15,000 to 16,000 people. The army swept through Hubei, Anhui, and Jiangxi. More or less people from various provinces, counties, and cities joined the Fu Han Army, but the combat effectiveness of these people was very worrying. In Chen Ming's eyes, they were just laborers. He could not surround the huge city of Nanjing with only the army of less than 10,000 people under his command, and Chen Ming did not need to completely surround Jiangning City.

Outside Jubao Gate, at the foot of Zhongshan Mountain, this is the main camp of the Fu Han Army. Yifeng Gate, Guanyin Gate, and Yanziji in the north of the city are the three sub-camps set up by the Fu Han Army. Among them, Yanziji is located on the riverside, and it is the gathering place of the Fu Han Army's surface ships.

The eyes of the whole country are all on Jiangning, and the war in Henan seems to have stopped a little. The one on the dragon throne in Beijing City is no longer angry about Mingrui's death, but suppresses his anger and allows Yunnan to negotiate with Myanmar. This is not because the Qing Dynasty was weak, but because Myanmar was on fire in the rear. They had conquered most of Siam before, and now Siam's resistance was getting stronger and stronger. Myanmar didn't want to rely on a victory to fight the Qing Dynasty.

Emperor Qianlong personally went to Mingrui's house to offer wine and posthumously named him Guolie. The Qing-Myanmar War ended. The former Minister of Counsellor Elden'e was executed by slow slicing, becoming the only official of the second rank or above who was fortunate enough to be slow slicing in the Qianlong Dynasty. At first, Qianlong wanted to kill his whole family. But considering the special situation of the Qing Dynasty, this was exempted. This guy was a minister of counselor. He was dawdling, breaking up, missing opportunities, and willing to lead the enemy, which was no different from a traitor. The military minister in Beijing and the Ministry of Justice made a final decision. His father was imprisoned for life, and his uncles, brothers, nephews, etc. were sent to Yili and given to the Eleuth soldiers as slaves. The former governor of Yunnan, Tan Wuge, was executed, and all his relatives were also sent to serve as soldiers. This was a very unsatisfactory end to the Qing-Myanmar War.

It was just that Qianlong really couldn't take care of Myanmar. Jiangnan was going to be destroyed, and the Qing Dynasty's money bag was going to be gone.

It was already March, and the cavalry from Jilin and Heilongjiang had already arrived in Kaifeng Prefecture, and the cavalry from the south to fight Mongolia had also entered Henan Prefecture, and the pressure on the Fu Han Army in the north and east increased dramatically. At this time, the news that Chen Ming's troops entered Jiangning and swept across Jiangnan was passed to the general's mansion. Chen Hui hurriedly ordered people to announce it to the local area, and the newspapers also interpreted this change in a row. In a general summary, that is, the Qing Dynasty's money bag was going to be gone, their food bag was gone, and there was no money or food, and the Qing court was going to be finished.

This statement was just to fool the common people who followed the crowd, but it was really a shot in the arm for the Fu Han Army, which was under increasing pressure.

In addition, the cavalry's southward march certainly greatly increased the Qing army's combat effectiveness, but it also made the Qing army's burden heavier. It is not even halfway through March yet, and the food supply of the Qing army on the front line in Henan can still be guaranteed. However, as time enters April, Anhui and Henan are short of food and rice, and the Qing army has something to laugh at.

There are tens of millions of people in northern Anhui and eastern Henan. It is hard to imagine how they can survive the difficult April when they are oppressed and exploited by the government and the Qing soldiers.

The Hunyuan Sect, whose headquarters is located in Luyi, has established a newly established militia in Guyang Town, the border between Henan and Anhui.

Its leader is Yang Ji. He is a famous doctor in Luyi, and is a top doctor in the entire Chenzhou Prefecture. He is kind and generous. He has traveled all over eastern Henan and northern Anhui for decades, and his reputation is very good. Therefore, in less than half a month, the number of people in this militia has increased to thousands. Many of them are men from northern Anhui. His deputy is Fan Mingde, also a famous local doctor.

At the same time, Liu Song also set up a militia. On the surface, Liu Song was a landlord in Luyi. Just like Zheng Zhilun in Yuzhou, Liu Song also used this to cover up his identity. As a gentry, it was more logical for Liu Song to recruit people to establish a militia. And the number of people soon reached 500.

When the eyes of the whole world were on Jiangning, Liu Song, Yang Ji, and Fan Mingde were also staring at Jiangnan. When the Fu Han Army broke through Anqing, they thought that the Fu Han Army could break into Jiangnan, but who knew that this scene would come so quickly.

How long? Only half a month. Chen Ming led the Fu Han Army not only to break into Jiangnan, but it seemed that the government in Jiangnan had no extra troops to resist their siege in the short term. This time the Chen family made a lot of money!

"The General's Mansion wants us to cut off our braids when we start the uprising, and to publicize cutting braids when calling on the followers, and to spread more rumors about cutting braids before and after the uprising." Liu Song's voice was a little heavy, and he was holding the letter sent by Liu Zhixie. "As long as we do this, the General's Mansion will support us with 200 sets of armor and 1,000 swords and guns." Liu Song remembered clearly that Chen Hui had promised him that they could not do anything about the armor, and only gave them 100,000 taels of silver, half of which would not be available until they officially started the uprising.

"I was wondering how the news of cutting braids could spread so widely and so quickly, it turns out that they were behind it." Yang Ji and Fan Mingde suddenly realized.