Red Mansion: Seizing Jiangdong, starting with pirates

Chapter 82: Yangzhou Internal Response

The war in Zhili was raging, and a world of chaos was inevitable.

People all over the world were watching, waiting for the outcome of the battle between the government army and the Prince of Jin.

Even Kah Khan of the grassland was watching this war silently. Once there was a change in the Central Plains, he would take the opportunity to go south and take back the fertile land of his ancestors in Liaodong.

While everyone's attention was drawn to Zhili, Fang Yong quietly launched a military mobilization.

This is what Wu Sheng said about Fang Yong.

"Short-sighted, cowardly dog."

At that time, Fang Yong had just surrendered to the imperial court.

On October 20th, all the food and fodder had been prepared, the army had been fully trained, and they were ready to go to war.

On that day, Fang Yong began a general mobilization. He ordered Ma Laohei to lead 80,000 elite troops to attack Xuzhou. Wu Yuan was also sent there to assist.

In addition, Fang Yong also handed over his one thousand heavy cavalry to Ma Laohei. In the large plains in Xuzhou and other places, the heavy cavalry can exert extremely strong combat capabilities.

On the other hand, Fang Yong was preparing to lead his troops to attack Yangzhou personally.

He personally led 50,000 elite troops to attack by land, and his general Zhang Yuan led 30,000 sailors to attack by water. Gan Ba was responsible for defending the home.

The dark cloud of war loomed over Yangzhou.

Zhang Yuan marched along the waterway at a slightly faster speed and approached Yangzhou first.

But Zhang Yuan did not launch a direct attack.

The reason is that Yangzhou City’s defense system is quite complete, even stronger than one can imagine.

Yangzhou is located on the north bank of the Yangtze River, bordering the Yangtze River to the south, Gaoyou to the north, Hailing to the east, and Jinling to the west.

The city is surrounded by three walls and there is a joint water defense outside the city.

The so-called three cities within the city are Song Dacheng, Baoyou City and Song Jiacheng.

These three sets of city defenses were built by Zhao Gou during the Southern Song Dynasty to guard against the southward advance of the Jin army. They include extremely strict defense facilities such as urn cities, towers, enemy towers, police stations, and battlements.

The city is defended by waterways, with the Grand Canal surrounding it in the southeast, a moat in the north, and two moats in the west.

It can be said that the big city is inside the small city, and the small city is inside the old city. There is water outside the old city, and there is a ditch outside the water.

With such strict defensive measures, if Zhao Gou had not fled in advance after hearing the news of the approaching Jin army, causing chaos in the city, the Jin army would never have been able to enter Yangzhou so easily.

Facing such a strong city, a strong attack is the worst option. The best way is to open the city from the inside when the enemy is unprepared.

It is said that in the city of Yangzhou, a group of people, about five or six hundred in number, wearing black clothes and masks, holding steel knives, walked silently towards the water gate at the east gate of the city.

These five or six hundred people include two hundred from the Zheng family, one hundred and fifty from the Wang family, one hundred from the Wu family, one hundred from the Jiang family, and fifty from the old Huang family.

Although the other three companies did not directly send personnel, they also provided a large amount of intelligence and financial support.

The leader of this team was Huang Wenzhou, the son of Huang Jiangchun, once one of the eight major salt merchants in Yangzhou.

After the Huang family was wiped out by Duke Shanguo, Huang Wenzhou escaped and took refuge with Fang Yong.

The iron materials needed for Fang Yong to make armor were obtained through the help of Huang Wenzhou; the officials who were contacted to overthrow Duke Shan also used the Huang family's account books.

Therefore, when attacking Yangzhou this time, Fang Yong arranged for Huang Wenzhou to sneak into Yangzhou in advance, contact relatives and friends, and open the city from the inside.

Huang Wenzhou lived up to everyone's expectations. After entering the city, relying on his father's connections, he quickly contacted the seven major salt merchants in Yangzhou City. By promising various benefits, he successfully gained the support of the seven companies.

Now it was time to lead men to raid the land and water gates on the east side of Yangzhou City at night, open the water gates, and lead Zhang Yuan's army into the city.

Now Wang Ziteng has led his army away, and there are only 5,000 soldiers left in the city. Once Zhang Yuan's army enters the city, victory will be certain!

Under the cover of night, Huang Wenzhou led his men quietly across Tongji Street and came to a blue brick arch cave named Yanyue Cave, which was famous for its shape resembling a Yanyue moon.

After passing here, you can go directly to the East Gate. However, just when Huang Wenzhou led his men into the gate, he saw fences suddenly fall from the exits on both sides, and a large number of soldiers walked out from both sides, using tall wood to prop up the iron bars, and then without saying a word, they shot arrows directly.

A large number of sharp arrows shot in from the gaps, and Huang Wenzhou's men were suddenly in chaos. They were unable to escape, and for a moment, there were howlings everywhere and blood flowed like a river.

Everyone was trapped in the Yanyue Cave, unable to move forward or backward. In just half a quarter of an hour, hundreds of people around them were killed or injured, leaving only dozens of people alive.

Huang Wenzhou was hit by an arrow in the thigh and passed out.

Not far away, on the Zhenhuai Tower, Yangzhou prefect Wei Yinghong listened quietly to the sounds coming from below.

Sitting next to Wei Yinghong were Lin Ruhai, the Imperial Censor of Yangzhou Salt, and Ji Quan, the garrison commander of Yangzhou.

On the opposite side were the seven salt merchants who were forcibly called over. Each of them sat in their chairs trembling with fear, listening to the screams below, all seven of them were terrified.

It's just that five of them are real and two are acting.

Wei Yingda glanced at the seven big businessmen expressionlessly and said calmly:
"As a businessman, although the pursuit of profit is the most important thing, one must also consider safety. You are all prominent families with prosperous businesses and rich assets. Why do you want to risk your life for a small profit? Tomorrow, the money needed by the army will be sent to the Lin Mansion for inventory. Let's put today's matter aside for now. What do you think?"

The seven salt merchants dared not refute at this moment. They all nodded in agreement like quails.

Wei Yingda waved his hand, and the seven people fled away.

On the way down the stairs, they happened to meet two soldiers carrying Huang Wenzhou, who was covered in blood. The seven salt merchants became even more terrified.

Upstairs, after the seven people left, Wei Yinghong became serious.

Wei Yinghong stood up, picked up the wine glass, and asked Lin Ruhai and Ji Quan earnestly:

"Ru Hai, General Ji, I'll leave the matters of pay and city defense to you."

As he spoke, Wei Yinghong bowed deeply and drank the wine in the glass in one gulp.

"Don't worry, Hongda (Lord Wei)."

Lin Ruhai and Ji Quan said this in unison, and then drank together.

Wei Yingda looked at the bright moon outside and murmured:

"We don't seek fame and glory, but we do our best to defend our territory."

outside world.

Zhang Yuan led his troops and waited until dawn, but still no signal came from the city.

He secretly thought that Huang Wenzhou was in great danger.

As expected, I received news from Manager Xue in the city early in the morning.

"Military intelligence leaked, Huang Wenzhou was arrested..."

After hearing the news, Zhang Yuan sighed and stopped waiting. He ordered his men to slaughter pigs and cattle as rewards for the entire army and immediately launch boats to attack the city.

There were 30,000 naval forces, and more than 400 to 500 large and small warships, with thousands of sails covering the sky, competing to cross the current. There were tower ships, wheel ships, Cangshan ships, large-wing ships, fighting ships, folding ships, and rushing ships, etc.

The ships were divided into two waves. One wave attacked the east gate of Yangzhou with all their strength, while the other wave made a feint attack on the north gate of Yangzhou to divert the attention of the Yangzhou defenders.

Ji Quan, the defender of Yangzhou, was very nervous when he saw the enemy troops attacking from two sides.

To be honest, he is thirty-five years old this year, and the position of garrison commander is all thanks to his ancestors. Although he has read military books and experienced many battles, he mainly cooperated with others and has never really commanded an army himself.

This battle is the first one he personally commanded.

Therefore, Ji Quan was extremely nervous, fearing that he might not do well and lead to the fall of the city.

At that moment, Ji Quan climbed up to the city wall, personally observed the enemy situation, and deployed troops.

(End of this chapter)