Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 269 Cangzhou Blockade
Inside Zhu Cilang's central army tent outside Cangzhou City, a military meeting was being held intensively on how to stop the Qing army from breaking out and annihilate the main forces of Duoduo and Hong Chengchou outside the city.

The host of the meeting was still Zhang Huangyan.

As the newly appointed military council chairperson by Zhu Cilang, Zhang Huangyan has become an important figure in the military council.

This was not only because he was eloquent, but also because he once led his troops to intercept the remnants of the Qing army led by Jin Li, and personally brought back thousands of Qing army heads.

It was because of his deployment that Lin Changfeng's troops were able to pursue the Shangqing army. This battle made Zhang Huangyan's reputation in Zhu Cilang's army rise to a higher level.

In fact, Zhang Huangyan did not expect that his plan to attack the Qing army stronghold in northern Shandong would immediately achieve results.

But at this time, he turned the situation around with his sudden military achievement and won the attention of Zhu Cilang.

Even many veterans in the army were originally full of doubts about him.

Now, this victory has undoubtedly made him dispel doubts and become one of the core figures in the army.

Taking this opportunity, Zhang Huangyan took the initiative to ask Zhu Cilang to continue to preside over the next round of military meetings.

Zhu Cilang originally planned to let other generals take turns presiding over the meeting, but in view of Zhang Huangyan's outstanding performance, he finally decided to postpone the opportunities for others and let Zhang Huangyan continue to preside over the meeting.

"Cangzhou City is composed of two walls: the inner city and the outer city."

Zhang Huangyan pointed at the map and gently tapped the defense position of Cangzhou City with a bamboo stick:

"The outer city has a circumference of more than ten li, and the inner city has a circumference of more than five li. The city walls are tall and strong, and Hong Chengchou had specially reinforced the city defenses.

Even if we concentrate our artillery fire, it will probably take thirty to fifty days to create a breach."

He raised his head and glanced at the generals, then continued:

"If there are more than 10,000 Qing troops stationed in the city, a hasty attack will only cause huge losses to our troops and may even be fruitless."

After hearing this, all the generals nodded in agreement.

Zhang Huangyan continued to explain, turning the bamboo stick in his hand to the other side of the map, pointing to the west of the outer city of Cangzhou City:
“This is the moat, very close to the canal, and it is the key to Cangzhou’s defense.

If we can cut off their escape route from here, we can seize the initiative before they can act."

Later, Zhang Huangyan mentioned the Qing army's musketeers:

"According to Kong Youde, who surrendered, there are still about 3,000 musketeers in the city, some of whom are equipped with large muskets.

But Kong Youde himself was not quite sure of the exact scale, because he had just broken through and entered the city. Currently, with the troops at his disposal and Hong Chengchou's trust, he occupied an important position in Cangzhou City."

Although Zhang Huangyan had presided over military meetings many times, he still felt a little nervous when faced with many experienced generals, especially Zhu Cilang's personal participation, and the presence of veterans such as Zhang Mingzhen, Chang Denggui and Lin Changfeng.

However, he still kept his composure and continued to state his point of view.

"Your Majesty." Chen Fu said with a confident tone:
"As long as I am here, if the Qing army dares to break out, I will drive them into the canal and let them die one by one."

Chang Denggui heard this and nodded in agreement:

"Admiral Chen is absolutely right. Now that Shandong and northern Zhili have largely been recovered, our cavalry only needs to be stationed around the city walls. If the Qing army dares to come out, they will be annihilated."

Zhang Mingzhen also spoke immediately afterwards:

“If General Chen and I join forces and advance by land and sea, a mere three thousand musketeers will be nothing to us.

Furthermore, we have a total force of nearly 50,000. Even the most elite Qing army would be unable to resist. Even if Dorgon came in person, I'm afraid it would be difficult for him to win in a head-on confrontation."

Chen Fu and Zhang Mingzhen did not care about the so-called main force of the Qing army.

Even if there were three thousand musketeers or even more in the city, they would not be afraid.

The Ming army had repeatedly demonstrated its ability to suppress musketeers in previous battles, and when they joined forces, their total strength approached 50,000, making it impossible for the Qing army in the city to resist.

However, Chang Denggui expressed a different opinion at this time.

He slowly stood up, walked to the map, picked up a bamboo stick, pointed to the inner and outer city areas of Cangzhou City, and said in a deep voice:

"Although the Qing army's musketeers are not a problem, Kong Youde is a person worth being vigilant about."

He turned his head to look at Zhu Cilang, his face solemn, and continued:
"Your Majesty, Kong Youde is one of the few Han Chinese military commanders in the Qing army. Although he has surrendered in name only, he has held high positions in the Qing army many times and is deeply trusted by Hong Chengchou.

Now that he has entered Cangzhou City and holds some military power, if we trust him, I'm afraid something might happen."

Zhu Cilang pondered for a moment and nodded, indicating that he agreed with Chang Denggui's judgment.

He understood that although Kong Youde had been loyal to the Ming Dynasty, he had surrendered and defected many times and had long had a bad reputation in both armies. If he trusted him completely, it might lead to serious consequences.

"Admiral Chang is right," Zhu Cilang said slowly.

"Kong Youde is a man who cannot be trusted. We must take the risk of his betrayal into account in our operational deployment.

If he joins forces inside and outside the city, the Qing army inside the city may choose to break out at the most critical moment. We must not only prevent the Qing army from breaking out, but also guard against internal coordination."

As the military meeting progressed, the generals offered suggestions and ideas on how to effectively blockade Cangzhou City and ensure that the Qing army had no way to escape.

As the vanguard general, Lin Changfeng proposed to Zhu Cilang:

“Your Majesty, although Cangzhou City’s defenses are strong, the defenders are not a monolithic entity.

We just need to cut off their food supply and starve them of food. The morale of the people in the city will surely drop significantly.

Even if they didn't attack the city, the Qing army wouldn't be able to hold out for long."

Zhang Huangyan took over the topic and added:

“Yes, although the Qing army has a strong city defense, if they lose their supplies, chaos will surely break out in Cangzhou City.

We can first send a small force to cut off their food supply, while at the same time sending out cavalry to block their escape route from the moat to the canal."

"Your Majesty, I believe that Kong Youde would not be able to respond so easily under Hong Chengchou's strict surveillance.

This was most likely a ruse by Hong Chengchou and Duoduo, whose purpose was to lure our troops into the outer city and, with the help of the city walls, prevent them from pursuing the main force of the Qing army in time."

Chang Denggui stood in front of the map, tapping the outer city of Cangzhou with his finger, a hint of worry in his tone.

Zhu Cilang followed Chang Denggui's instructions and his gaze fell on the city.

The outer city of Cangzhou was extremely vast, and the situation inside the city was complex, making it extremely easy to defend. Even if the Ming army broke into the outer city, it would still be a long way from truly capturing Cangzhou.

The inner city is tall and solid, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Even if the outer city is taken, the inner city will become a fortress of stubborn resistance.

"General Chang's concerns are not without reason." Zhu Cilang pondered:
"Regardless of whether Kong Youde sincerely surrendered, the sheer size of Cangzhou City alone makes it impossible for us to completely blockade it.

If the main force rashly attacks the outer city, it will be difficult to stop the Qing army's breakout with only the troops outside the city."

He recalled the historical Kong Youde and still had doubts about his true intentions, but this did not affect his judgment.

"As for whether Kong Youde feigned surrender, I believe it is irrelevant. He may have been manipulated by Hong Chengchou, but he simply believed he was being manipulated. Whatever the truth, we must not rush into the city. Otherwise, as General Chang said, the enemy may use the city walls to isolate the battlefield and wear down our army."

Zhu Cilang paused, his eyes fixed, and continued:

“If the Qing army wants to evacuate successfully, it must cross the Haihe River and the Grand Canal.

However, these rivers are not shallow streams that can be easily swam across. Therefore, the navy must strictly block these two river channels and there must be no omissions.

He looked up at Zhang Mingzhen and spoke in a firm tone.

Zhang Mingzhen immediately agreed, and Zhu Cilang then looked at Zhang Huangyan and motioned him to continue.

Zhang Huangyan received the order, bowed slightly, and then sorted himself out a bit before continuing:

"According to our current intelligence and the clues provided by Kong Youde, there are still more than 10,000 Qing troops in the city, about half of whom are Manchu Eight Banners soldiers, and the other half are a mixture of Baoyi soldiers and Green Camp soldiers.

In addition to Kong Youde, the Green Camp army also includes Nan Yikui and others, and these people also seem to be willing to surrender."

He pointed with a bamboo stick at the various defense zones of Cangzhou City marked on the map and continued his analysis:
“The military supplies in Cangzhou City are very sufficient, and there are more than 10,000 war horses.

In addition, there are hundreds of craftsmen and two firearms workshops in the city, with no shortage of resources such as artillery, muskets, ammunition, and armor.

The Qing army's advantage in supplies was enough to support them in holding out for a long time, and even in preparing for a breakout."

Zhang Huangyan's eyes were like torches, and his voice became more solemn:
"Moreover, most of these Qing troops are veterans who have been through many battles, with rich combat experience and strong fighting capabilities. They are in a critical situation now. If we underestimate the enemy and advance rashly, it is very likely that our soldiers will suffer heavy casualties."

Hearing this, all the generals in the tent looked at each other, and the atmosphere became solemn for a moment.

Zhu Cilang frowned slightly, feeling a little heavy in his heart.

Although the situation in the Ming Dynasty had gradually stabilized, Chen Fu lost 20,000 elite troops in the Battle of Gemashan, which left Zhu Cilang and the generals with lingering fears.

Next, they had to try their best to avoid large-scale casualties and quickly take over key areas such as Shandong and northern Zhili.

Chen Fu, who had been listening, could not help but say:
"I would like to ask for your permission. If the Qing army dares to break out of Cangzhou City, I will lead my troops to drive them all into the moat!"

Chang Denggui took over the conversation and said calmly:
"I also suggest setting up a tight blockade outside Cangzhou City and mobilizing our cavalry as an ambush. If the main force of the Qing army makes any movement, the cavalry can quickly attack, encircle and annihilate them."

Zhang Mingzhen also agreed:
“Although Cangzhou is strategically located, our army is well-equipped. Now that all our troops have gathered, even if the Qing army boasts 10,000 main forces, no matter how formidable the Manchurian Eight Banners are, they will find it difficult to resist our encirclement.

We can first trap them in the city. If they don't fight, that's fine. But if they dare to break out, they will be courting their own destruction."

Zhu Cilang nodded silently, his expression calm.

Zhang Huangyan thought for a moment and added:

“Our army’s reconnaissance cavalry has already begun operations in the surrounding area, focusing on monitoring the moat and canal.

At the same time, we must further strengthen our naval forces to prevent the Qing army from breaking out at night or by water."

Zhu Cilang nodded in approval and then ordered:

"General Chang, General Zhang, be sure to set up a tight net around the city, leaving no loopholes on land or water.

Zhang Huangyan, you continue to be responsible for monitoring the movements in the city, especially paying attention to Kong Youde's movements.

If there are any unusual movements, please report them immediately."

Zhu Cilang regained his composure, his gaze fell on Zhang Huangyan, and he said softly:

"Keep talking."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Zhang Huangyan bowed slightly and moved the bamboo stick in his hand toward the north side of Cangzhou City on the map.

"After the Qing army broke out of Cangzhou City, they had to cross the Haihe River to the north and the Grand Canal to the west.

If the Qing army tries to break out from these two points, they will fall into our encirclement.

Unless reinforcements arrive or they can buy enough time, this road is undoubtedly a dead end."

He paused for a moment, then pointed to the south and said:
"And the south of Cangzhou is where our main army camp is located. If the Qing army breaks out from here, it will be like walking into a trap.

Duoduo and Hong Chengchou are both experienced generals, and it is unlikely that they would choose to risk fleeing south."

Having said this, Zhang Huangyan's expression became even more solemn. He moved the bamboo branch to the west side of the map and continued his analysis:

“Therefore, the Qing army’s greatest possibility of breaking out is in the east of the city.

The terrain here is complex, with crisscrossing rivers and undulating hills, making it easy to hide.

Our army cannot deploy defenses quickly here, and if the Qing army chooses to break out from here, it will be difficult for our army to annihilate them in a short period of time."

After hearing this, all the generals nodded. Chang Denggui spoke first:

"General Zhang's analysis is very thorough. The dense network of rivers to the east makes it difficult for us to deploy our defenses quickly. If we don't prepare early, the Qing army might use this opportunity to escape."

Chen Fu also immediately interjected:
"Since the east is densely networked with rivers, we should mobilize our elite troops in advance and set up ambushes at key locations. If the Qing army indeed chooses to break out from the east, we can annihilate them in one fell swoop."

Zhu Cilang pondered for a moment and nodded:

"Indeed. The west is indeed a weak point. We must strengthen our defenses. Mobilizing elite troops for an ambush is a feasible option."

But we cannot completely rule out the possibility of other directions, and we need to ensure that there is enough force to deal with it everywhere."

After hearing this, Zhang Huangyan continued:
"Your Majesty is absolutely right. The Qing army is now trapped. Breaking through is only a matter of time.

Although the east is the direction they are most likely to choose, if we only deploy heavy troops in the east, they may change their route.

Therefore, I suggest that we set up checkpoints at all key exits from the city and strengthen the blockade of waterways, especially the canals and the Haihe River, so that they will not have any chance to escape."

Zhu Cilang nodded and said, "This strategy is feasible."

Chang Denggui saw this and said,
"Your Majesty, I am willing to lead my troops to the east to set up an ambush, which will surely block the Qing army's retreat."

Zhu Cilang smiled slightly and nodded:
"General Chang, your courage is commendable. You will be in charge of the eastern defense. I will also allocate a unit of elite cavalry to assist you in case of any emergencies."

Chen Fu also clasped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to take charge of the south and ensure that the Qing army cannot break out from here."

"Okay, I'll leave the south to you." Zhu Cilang was full of trust in Chen Fu's confidence, and then looked at Zhang Huangyan and said:
"As for the defenses to the north and west, you must strengthen your vigilance, especially the navy, which must be on high alert. We cannot allow the Qing army any opportunity to cross the river."

Zhang Huangyan immediately bowed and said, "I understand. I will take strict precautions to ensure that the waterway blockade is foolproof."

Zhu Cilang's expression was firm, his eyes swept across the faces of the generals one by one, and he said slowly:
"Everyone, the battle of Cangzhou is of vital importance to the overall situation. If the Qing army succeeds in breaking through, it will not only bring us huge subsequent troubles, but may also affect the war situation outside the Great Wall.

We must defend it with all our might and not allow the Qing army any chance to escape."

(End of this chapter)