Emperor Chongzhen was too extreme.

Chapter 116 The Dragon Banner Presses Forward, Covering the Sky and Earth (1 words)

As the royal procession continued its advance.

Xiao Hongzi also came to Zhu Youjian's carriage again and bowed to report:
"Your Majesty, just now there were two or three thousand Confucian scholars who gathered outside to cause trouble. I have already dealt with them all. Shall we continue on our original route?"

Zhu Youjian nodded, seemingly unconcerned about the commotion outside.

He simply focused intently on studying the maps of several coastal border cities and their information within the carriage, planning his next move.

It was to be expected.

After this incident, the reaction of the powerful and wealthy families throughout Shandong was inevitably shock, followed by a greater focus on him.

As the royal procession drew ever closer to the sea.

Some people might then conclude that his goal is to go to sea, and then take some further actions.

Thinking of this, Zhu Youjian pointed out two adjacent coastal cities on the map to Xiao Hongzi:

"Take three thousand soldiers and, in my name, take control of these two cities to prepare for crossing the sea to Dongjiang Town."

"If anyone in the city dares to resist, they shall be executed immediately."

Xiao Hongzi glanced at the map, cupped his hands in acknowledgment, and said, "This servant understands."

immediately.

After Xiao Hongzi stepped out of the carriage and counted his three thousand men, he immediately headed towards the coastal city.

Three thousand men is not a large number, but most of them are new recruits from the Beijing Garrison.

But in the current situation, it's enough to get by with impunity.

on the one hand.

No matter where the emperor's name led him, local officials, who were nominally still loyal to the Ming Dynasty, dared not obstruct him.

On the other hand, they were incredibly fast.

Although the emperor did many things and killed many people after entering Shandong.

But in reality, only a few days had passed.

Therefore, these three thousand men were more than enough to launch a surprise attack on two unprepared cities.

at the same time.

In a nearby city.

Kong Yinchang sat in a secluded and elegant room, leisurely sipping fragrant tea.

Inside the room, a middle-aged man stood obsequiously serving them.

This man was Wang Zhongliang, the most powerful local gentry in the city.

now.

Seeing that Kong Yinchang, who was almost two cycles younger than him, seemed to be in a good mood, Wang Zhongliang leaned closer and said with a fawning expression:

"Young master, I presume the matter has been accomplished by now."

"Then King Jie and King Zhou, facing so many of our disciples who are sages, will certainly not dare to act rashly."

"Perhaps even those among his personal guards have already been punished under immense pressure."

"In this way, as long as their advance is halted, the young master's plan will surely succeed, and the scourge upon our Great Ming Dynasty will be eliminated!"

Kong Yinchang, recalling his brother's teachings, frowned upon hearing this: "What do you mean by 'the tyrants Jie and Zhou'?! You should be called His Majesty!"

Wang Zhongliang hurriedly knelt down: "I am guilty! I am guilty!"

Seeing the other party's humble demeanor, Kong Yinchang nodded, his tone softening slightly:
"Get up. I don't need to worry about the effort you put in inside this time."

"After the new emperor ascends the throne, I will inform my brother to set up a sage school in this city, and you, Wang, will be in charge of managing its affairs."

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhongliang kowtowed repeatedly, his words of gratitude flowing freely from his mouth.

In this city, he could be considered a prominent figure.

But in front of the second young master of the Duke of Yansheng's mansion, he was no different from a stray dog ​​on the roadside.

As Wang Zhongliang kowtowed, he couldn't contain his overwhelming joy.

After the emperor died, the Wang family was able to completely climb up the ladder of the Kong family's influence.

By the time.

Several times more wealth than they already have is about to be poured into the Wang family.

In fact, we should thank the emperor for this.

Otherwise, how could he possibly get such a good opportunity?
at this time.

A sudden commotion came from outside the room. Wang Zhongliang was startled, then his face lit up with joy.

"Young master, it must be a servant from the manor who has come to report the good news. I will be right back."

Kong Yinchang nodded, picked up his teacup, and continued to savor the fragrant tea.

For Kong Yinchang

What we are considering now is actually the subsequent arrangements.

The fact that the emperor was able to successfully gather two or three thousand Confucian scholars this time was due to the emperor's own tyrannical behavior, which aroused public outrage.

Another point is that he himself was behind the scenes, and he also used the help of some gentry.

Wang Zhongliang, whom we just discussed, is the best example.

These people will definitely need to be rewarded.

Otherwise, who will listen to the Confucius family in the future?!

The two or three thousand Confucian scholars who caused trouble should also be rewarded.

When you add it all up, it turns out to be quite a large expense.

Overall, it's all worth it.

After the emperor's death.

Having learned from this experience, powerful families across the land would inevitably choose an innocent child to succeed as emperor the next time they elected one.

When the constraints are lifted, the Kong family's status in Shandong will be further enhanced.

The flesh that was cut off can be replenished in no time.

Thinking about these things, Kong Yinchang couldn't help but nod secretly.

But at this moment.

Wang Zhongliang, who had just left, suddenly stumbled into the room, shouting, "It's terrible, young master!!"

"Those two or three thousand scholars, along with some of my respected Confucian scholars from Shandong, were all slaughtered by the emperor!"

"What did you say?!"

Kong Yinchang was stunned when he heard this.

In shock, the antique teacup, worth hundreds of taels of silver, slipped from his hand and shattered on the ground with a bang.

"Absolutely true, young master!"

"They say the corpses have covered the land outside the city!"

Upon hearing this, Kong Yinchang shoved Wang Zhongliang aside and stormed out the door.

They didn't even bother with the carriage; instead, they led several fast horses to the scene of the incident.

This was so shocking that he even suspected it was a case of misinformation spreading by mistake.

He needs to see for himself what happened before he can believe it.

But when Kong Yinchang arrived at the scene and actually saw the piles of corpses...

His mind went blank for a moment, and he couldn't even utter a single word.

The older attendants around him trembled as they watched the scene unfold: "How dare he!"

"These are two or three thousand disciples of a sage!"

Only then did Kong Yinchang snap out of his daze and roar at the people around him, "Shut up!"

Say it.

Kong Yinchang suppressed the turmoil in his chest and immediately led his men towards Qufu.

This matter was far beyond his control, and he had to tell his elder brother about it as soon as possible.

Inside the residence of the Duke of Yansheng.

Even though it was late at night.

But Kong Yinzhi still hadn't fallen asleep.

He was sitting in the ancestral hall, reading books by the bright light, while waiting for news of the incident.

no way.

Although Kong Yinzhi was confident about the outcome, nothing was settled until he received a concrete response.

Just as Kong Yinzhi was pondering, Kong Yinchang suddenly burst in with a panicked expression.

All of a sudden.

Seeing his younger brother's condition, Kong Yinzhi knew that something was wrong, and it was a big deal!
But he still forced himself to remain calm and asked, "What happened?"

"Brother! Those two or three thousand Confucian scholars were all slaughtered by the Emperor! They couldn't even stop the Emperor's procession! I saw it with my own eyes!!"

Hearing this, Kong Yinzhi's heart skipped a beat.

But he was already nearing forty, and his life experience and temperament were far beyond what ordinary people could compare to.

After the initial shock subsided, he immediately demanded, "Which direction did the imperial procession go? Are they heading straight for Qufu?!"

Kong Yinchang paused, hesitated for a moment, and then replied, "No, it seems the imperial procession continued towards the sea."

Listen to this answer.

Kong Yinzhi stopped talking and began pacing back and forth in the ancestral hall with his hands behind his back.

When he first heard that the emperor had executed all those Confucian scholars, he thought that the emperor was planning to take advantage of the situation and march directly to Qufu, carving a bloody path through the enemy lines.

If that's the case.

Then the Kong family would have to unite with several other prominent families in Shandong to directly confront the Emperor.

No matter how dire the consequences of this action may be.

No matter how bad the consequences of doing so may be.

The Kong family and other prominent clans had no other choice.

But here's the thing.

After ruthlessly killing those people, the emperor surprisingly chose to continue walking towards the sea.

What exactly does the emperor want to do?
Kong Yinzhi began to mentally rehearse the scenario repeatedly.

The emperor wants to disrupt maritime trade?!
Although Shandong's maritime trade is not as developed as that of the southeast and the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region, it is not bad overall.

Although the Kong family couldn't extend their reach into maritime trade, Kong Yinzhi knew the strength of that side.

If the emperor wants to easily disrupt maritime trade, it will certainly not be effective in just one or two days.

He might be able to take one or two coastal cities through a surprise attack.

But once the imperial carriage is stationed there, the emperor will surely die within three to five days under the combined attack of the entire Shandong province.

Although Kong Yinzhi also wanted the emperor to engage in maritime trade and then die.

But what happened today made Kong Yinzhi no longer dare to underestimate the emperor.

We must give a deeper look at what they have done.

This is something that most people can understand, so it's impossible that the emperor couldn't have foreseen it.

If he really wants to mess with the maritime trade...

It would be better to take Hebei from the capital first.

Then they gradually advanced from Hebei to the Shandong coast.

That might be a more realistic approach.

If it wasn't about disrupting maritime trade, then what was the emperor's purpose in going to the coastal regions?!

Kong Yinzhi paced faster and faster, his mind racing along with him.

suddenly.

Kong Yinzhi suddenly had a flash of inspiration, thinking of a place that was extremely easy to overlook.

He then instructed the servant beside him, "Quickly, fetch the map of the coastal area!"

Upon hearing this, the servant immediately brought over a map.

After studying the map and considering some recent rumors, Kong Yinzhi's face showed an expression of understanding.

Seeing this, Kong Yinchang quickly stepped forward and asked, "Brother, have you figured out why the emperor has been heading towards the coast?"

Kong Yinzhi nodded slightly: "The Emperor of the Ming Dynasty has a longer-term vision after all."

"If I'm not mistaken, his purpose in heading towards the sea was to reach Dongjiang Military Town."

Kong Yinchang was somewhat puzzled: "Brother, what is the emperor doing in Dongjiang Military Town?"

After taking a deep breath, Kong Yinzhi slowly explained, "Have you heard the recent rumors that the Later Jin are planning to attack Dongjiang Military Town?"

Kong Yinchang was taken aback. He hadn't really paid attention to this rumor, but he did recall hearing someone mention it once.

Even if the Later Jin wanted to attack Dongjiang Town, what did that have to do with the emperor?
Does he still want to go to Dongjiang Town to fight against the Jin?!

He already has enough headaches to deal with in various parts of the Ming Dynasty, how could he possibly have the leisure to indulge in such trivial matters?

Is he worthy? !

With this question in mind, Kong Yinchang said, "Brother, this can't be."

Kong Yinzhi shook his head: "Regardless of whether it is possible or not, judging from the direction the imperial carriage is heading, this is the most reasonable deduction."

"Even if that makes some sense, the problem is that Mao Wenlong, the commander of Dongjiang Town, has always been at odds with the imperial court, hasn't he?"

Because Mao Wenlong had never gotten along with the powerful and influential families in Liaodong and Shandong.

Therefore, some officials in the court would often take the opportunity to impeach this person when they had nothing else to do.

Therefore, it is well known that Mao Wenlong was at odds with the imperial court.

This situation does exist.

Kong Yinchang couldn't understand why the emperor would dare to go to Dongjiang Town at this time.

Kong Yinzhi shook his head again: "The fact that we were not on good terms before does not mean that we are not on good terms now. Since His Majesty dared to go to Dongjiang Town, he must have made some private agreement with Mao Wenlong."

"I suspect that the real reason for the Emperor's visit to Shandong was that Mao Wenlong had secretly reported to the Emperor beforehand about the invasion of the Later Jin."

"Therefore, His Majesty wanted to send people to reinforce Dongjiang Town, and after holding off the Later Jin offensive, he would choose another direction to retreat back to the capital."

"This is probably why the imperial procession, after entering Shandong, disregarded everything and headed straight for the coast."

After listening to his elder brother's explanation, Kong Yinchang fell into deep thought.

Regardless of whether this speculation is reasonable or not.

Judging from the fact that the emperor's carriage kept heading towards the coast and that he ruthlessly slaughtered thousands of Confucian scholars.

Only in this way can it be explained.

After a pause, Kong Yinchang asked, "Brother, the Emperor's move was indeed unexpected, but was it a good or bad move?"

at this time.

Kong Yinzhi had completely calmed down and said with a faint smile, "A foolish move."

"I can guess somewhat of His Majesty's intentions in making this move."

"Before leaving the capital, he must have thought that since the Ming Dynasty was in complete turmoil, it would be better to focus on external affairs."

"After all, if they can successfully resist this attack from the Later Jin, they can accumulate some more prestige."

"Using this reputation, I can slowly plot and do many things."

Kong Yinchang hesitated for a moment: "Brother, can the emperor's move succeed?"

Kong Yinzhi affirmed, "Absolutely impossible."

"He absolutely cannot hold Dongjiang Town. Although I am reluctant to admit it, the Later Jin has already gained momentum, which is an indisputable fact."

"The major battles in Liaodong over the years and the incident on Juehua Island last year are the best examples."

"Although I don't know how he defeated the Tuolu in Shaanxi, in terms of fighting bravery, the Ming army is far inferior to the Later Jin."

"His Majesty must think of the Later Jin as being as easy to deal with as the captives on the grasslands."

"Even if we take a step back and assume that we managed to defend Dongjiang Town by sheer luck and at a heavy cost."

"How could the powerful families in various regions just stand by and watch him successfully return to the capital with that remnant of his army?"

Hearing his own elder brother say that.

Kong Yinchang felt reassured: "Brother, what should we do?"

Kong Yinzhi took a sip of tea and said calmly, "Let's just wait and see."

"To put it bluntly, if His Majesty really went to Dongjiang Military Town, all that awaited him was death."

"So it's better to let him go sooner rather than later, so he won't stay in Shandong and cause trouble."

Say it.

He slowly savored the tea in his cup.

After finishing his tea, Kong Yinzhi seemed to remember something and spoke again:

"By the way, Yinchang, go and inform the Zhang and Tian families, who are in charge of maritime trade, and tell them to keep a close eye on the Emperor's movements."

"It would be best to weaken their strength further before the Emperor sets sail."

Kong Yinchang nodded vigorously: "I'll go right now."

As for how to weaken it, that's too simple.

There's no need to do it openly; just sink a few ships, and the number of troops the Emperor can take to Dongjiang Town will be greatly reduced.

As for supplies, naturally none of them would fall into the emperor's hands.

If we just hide somewhere for three to five days, will the emperor have time to tear the land up and search for us?
In the blink of an eye.

Two or three days have already passed.

Xiao Hongzi led his three thousand men on a relentless offensive and had already taken control of the two coastal cities that Zhu Youjian had ordered him to capture.

Some of those who disobeyed were simply killed to save trouble.

Kong Yinchang, who had already arrived at the coast, also received this news.

However, he was not discouraged; on the contrary, he became even more convinced that his brother's judgment was correct.

The emperor's ultimate goal was Dongjiang Town; otherwise, he wouldn't have targeted these two cities closest to Dongjiang Town at this time.

As for the two cities, Kong Yinchang gave up on them.

It's just two cities. The rest of the country should unite and keep an eye on things so that the Holy Journey doesn't get any more supplies and ships.

In any case, once the emperor goes to Dongjiang Town, regardless of whether he can withstand the Later Jin's attack, death is the only thing waiting for him.

Ever since.

The coastal areas fell into an eerie calm for a short time, and Zhu Youjian's entourage encountered no further obstacles.

at the same time.

North Korea.

King Li Zong was holding a banquet with several close confidants in his palace.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, the atmosphere in the room naturally became more lively.

Li Zong's strategist Zhang Zecheng seized the opportunity to flatter him, saying, "My lord, your use of a borrowed knife to kill is truly ingenious!"

“Once the Later Jin takes over Dongjiang Military Town and then our Joseon takes over, we can use the convenient location of Dongjiang Town to control the Ming Dynasty.”

"Whether it's plundering merchant ships or invading the interior, it will be a piece of cake for my Joseon!" King Yong waved his hand. Although he was quite pleased with the flattery, as the king of a country, he couldn't show it too much on the surface.

After waving his hand, he asked his trusted general, Li Hu:

"Li Hu, when did the Later Jin army set off?"

Li Hu stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "My lord, they set off for Dongjiang Town last night, and they should be able to successfully land on the island in two or three days."

"Including the time for the siege, it would take at most half a month for them to report their victory."

Li Zong nodded.

The Later Jin side acted swiftly.

Upon receiving the message, mobilization began immediately.

In just a few days, they sent an army of over 10,000 men.

Yi Jong personally observed this army as it passed through North Korea.

Their morale and equipment far surpassed those of ordinary armies.

I'm afraid that once we reach Dongjiang Town, we can conquer that already fragile city in less than two days.

And the news of victory would probably not take more than half a month to reach North Korea.

Thinking of this, Li Zong paused for a moment before saying, "Prepare to take over Dongjiang Town."

"I will finally understand!"

immediately.

Li Zong then looked at everyone in the room and laughed heartily, "Gentlemen, once General Li Hu truly takes over Dongjiang Town, it will be time for you all to realize your grand ambitions!"

Upon hearing this, even more hearty laughter erupted from inside the room.

They had long been prepared to figure out how to take a piece of flesh from the Ming Dynasty.

The only thing standing in their way now is time.

Time flies.

Another day has passed in the blink of an eye.

Zhu Youjian's imperial procession finally arrived today at the two coastal cities that had been taken over by Xiao Hongzi.

Upon seeing the imperial procession arrive, Xiao Hongzi hurriedly went to Zhu Youjian's carriage to report:

"Your Majesty, after this servant has taken stock over the past two days, I have found that there are enough ships to carry Your Majesty's procession to Dongjiang Town, including both cities."

"However, we are short of food supplies. They may not be enough to sustain us for too long. They will be exhausted in half a month at most."

no way.

The journey from Shaanxi back to the capital, and then from the capital back again, takes only three days in total, so it's impossible to gather much grain.

After searching the area, Xiao Hongzi didn't find much food.

Zhu Youjian ignored Xiao Hongzi's words and directly gave the order:
"Don't worry about that. Now, let's prepare for the sea crossing and head to Dongjiang Military Town immediately."

There isn't enough food to eat?
We'll use war to sustain war; we'll just plunder.

"Yes! This servant will take care of it right away!"

The task of ferrying 10,000 people across the sea is naturally not something that can be accomplished in a short time. It requires hundreds of boats of all sizes.

Fortunately, Xiao Hongzi had made preparations in advance, and the imperial entourage was also experienced in this matter.

So after working hard for most of the day, the group finally boarded the ship and sailed away from the port towards Dongjiang Town.

Meanwhile, countless eyes from powerful families in Shandong, who had been intently watching the imperial procession, quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Once the emperor goes to Dongjiang Town, everything will be much easier.

As the imperial procession set sail, everyone's vigilance instantly relaxed.

Just as Zhu Youjian's imperial procession was slowly approaching Dongjiang Town.

At this moment, Dongjiang Town has entered a state of highest alert.

As the intelligence reports had predicted, the Later Jin attacked.

Mao Wenlong, clad in armor, stood atop the watchtower, his gaze narrowing slightly as he watched the Later Jin army steadily approaching from the sea.

Although cannons had been set up on the shore to bombard the Later Jin ships, they had little effect.

It was clear that the Later Jin army would soon successfully land.

Mao Wenlong drew his cleaver from his waist and ordered, "Have all soldiers retreat and defend the city with all their might!"

"Yes!"

The Later Jin army was extremely capable in open field battles; to fight them in the open field was tantamount to suicide.

For the tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians in Dongjiang Town, defending the city to the death was their only way to survive.

In an instant, military orders were passed down from top to bottom.

The city of Dongjiang was mobilized at top speed, solely to withstand the enemy's impending attack.

On the city wall.

The generals looked at the Later Jin army swarming towards them on the mudflats in the distance, and their faces were all ashen.

Regarding the Later Jin army.

This was the first time any of them had ever confronted them in this way.

In the past, it was usually a large group leading a small force to harass, then they would fight and run away.

Now, it's a pure head-on clash!

As for whether the Ming Dynasty's army could actually withstand the Later Jin, these generals had absolutely no idea.

Although a mobilization meeting was held in Dongjiang Town two days ago, the soldiers showed unprecedented morale when they saw the grain and silver from the imperial court that they had never seen before.

But having no confidence is having no confidence.

Amidst the somber atmosphere, Chen Jisheng, standing beside Mao Wenlong, let out a sigh: "General, do you think His Majesty will send someone to rescue us?"

Mao Wenlong gripped the machete tightly in his hand.

He has answered this question countless times in recent days, and countless people have asked him about it.

Although his answer was always the same: Dongjiang Town is very important in His Majesty's plan, even if His Majesty cannot come in person, he will surely send people to provide assistance.

But in reality, Mao Wenlong wasn't entirely confident either.

He became even more pessimistic after hearing that unrest had begun to break out in various parts of the Ming Dynasty.

The country was in turmoil, and powerful families joined forces to resist.

How should Your Majesty send troops to reinforce Dongjiang Town under these circumstances?!

Mao Wenlong really couldn't think of a single solution.

However, in order to maintain morale, Mao Wenlong still spoke loudly when faced with Chen Jisheng's question:

"His Majesty will surely send reinforcements to us! We just need to hold off the first wave of attacks."

But to his surprise, Chen Jisheng shook his head with a wry smile at this moment:

"General, don't lie to us. We've all heard about the nationwide turmoil in the Ming Dynasty. His Majesty can't possibly come here."

Mao Wenlong paused, about to say something, when he heard several of his other confidants speak up:

"General, speaking of which, our Ming Dynasty's emperor is truly capable. He has only been on the throne for two months, yet he has already driven all the powerful and wealthy families in the country to the brink of desperation."

"It's a pity that we were too hasty in the end. If we had been more gentle, we might have been able to see the Ming Dynasty rise again in our lifetime."

"But no matter what, this emperor is definitely to our liking!"

"Even the emperor is risking his life against powerful clans for the Ming Dynasty, how can we be afraid of death?!"

This statement came out.

The oppressive atmosphere was instantly eased, and the generals looked at each other and smiled.

"General, now I understand why you suddenly changed after your trip to the capital. If I saw such a courageous emperor, I would be willing to risk my life for him!"

"Get the hell out of here!" Mao Wenlong couldn't help but laugh and curse when he heard his subordinate's words.

Upon hearing this, all the generals burst into laughter, despite the formidable enemy at hand.

The soldiers defending the city saw that the generals of the military town not only showed no fear, but also laughed heartily, which boosted their morale instantly.

After they finished laughing, the expressions on the generals' faces turned serious again.

However, this time, there was a greater sense of determination amidst the solemnity.

Kong Youde cracked his neck and asked Mao Wenlong, "General, do you think the emperor can defeat those powerful and aristocratic families?"

Mao Wenlong narrowed his eyes as he watched the Later Jin army approaching the city, but did not reply.

Mao Wenlong's adopted son chimed in, "We absolutely have to win! I'm waiting for the emperor to defeat those bastards and then bestow posthumous honors upon us all."

"Is the emperor going to forget about the people of Dongjiang Town?"

Mao Wenlong spat: "I can tell you right now, absolutely not."

immediately.

Mao Wenlong turned to look at the group of generals behind him: "As for whether we can win or not, we'll only know after we fight!"

"Everyone! Everyone, guard your assigned spots!"

"Yes!"

The generals roared in unison and quickly departed.

And at this time.

Wu Nag, the commander of the Later Jin army, looked at the military town that was not far in front of him and let out a disdainful sneer.

Morale seems pretty good, but the pure difference in strength cannot be easily bridged by morale alone.

After fully donning the armor.

Vunag did not immediately issue the order to attack the city.

Instead, he rode a similarly heavily armored warhorse to a relatively safe spot in front of the city walls, where his voice would still be heard, and shouted loudly:

“Mao Wenlong, you have repeatedly violated my Later Jin territory over the years. Although this has greatly displeased my Later Jin, my master considers you to be somewhat brave and has therefore ordered me to give you a chance before the battle.”

"If you are willing to surrender to my Later Jin with the entire Dongjiang Town now, I can spare your lives."

"Otherwise, Juehua Island will suffer the same fate as your Dongjiang Town last year!"

"Fuck your mother's cunt!"

"You damned Jurchen! I'll fuck your mother to death!"

Faced with Wunag's psychological warfare, he was met with shouts of abuse from the city walls and a barrage of arrows.

But seeing the arrows flying towards him, Wunage simply spurred his horse and quickly retreated.

A cold smile crept across his lips as he waved to his troops:
"I promise you that there will be further rewards after the city falls, and your swords will not be sheathed for three days!"

"Siege!"

As soon as Wunage finished speaking, the Dongjiang military town erupted in a deafening battle cry.

War is extremely cruel.

It's not like the strategic planning and decisive victories in historical novels, nor is it like the romantic tales in novels where one side is fighting a war while the other side has the mind to indulge in some romantic thoughts.

All that war can bring is bloodshed and piles of corpses.

Just like what is happening in Dongjiang Military Town now.

It only took one day.

The town of Dongjiang was now filled with nearly a thousand corpses and countless wounded.

Although this number doesn't sound like much.

However, the actual number of soldiers in Dongjiang Town was only a few thousand, which was already quite terrifying.

If it weren't for the possibility of the city being massacred after a defeat, the casualty ratio alone would have been enough to cause the city to collapse.

all in all.

Mao Wenlong underestimated the strength of the Later Jin army.

Although the Later Jin also lost at least three thousand corpses in yesterday's battle.

But most of those dead were slave soldiers who had swarmed the city walls; the number of the truly elite Later Jin soldiers who died was probably less than five hundred.

Take advantage of this precious breathing space.

Mao Wenlong also quickly gathered a group of generals together to listen to their reports on the military situation in the city.

Mao Wenlong's adopted son, Mao Chenglu, was the first to step forward and hurriedly report:

"General, we have very few arrows left in the city, and most of our defensive equipment has been used up."

Upon hearing this news, everyone's hearts tightened.

no way.

Although Mao Wenlong brought back a lot of grain and silver, these defensive supplies were something that Dongjiang Town was severely lacking.

Yesterday, the Later Jin launched a continuous attack for a day and a night, which made their already meager reserves even worse!
If the remaining supplies are also used up, their casualty rate will become even more terrifying.

But before everyone could fully accept this bad news, another general stepped forward and said:

"General! The eastern city wall has been breached by the Later Jin army's cannons, and this morning Later Jin soldiers forced their way into the city through the breach!"

"Although those soldiers have been successfully killed, there is no time to repair the breach in the city wall. If the Later Jin launches another fierce attack, the eastern city may be the first to fall!"

Upon hearing this, the generals' hearts clenched again.

They are already doing everything they can to defend the city.

From yesterday until now, they have all been fighting hard, without even having time to close their eyes.

Even though they had tried so hard, they still couldn't stop the decline in the slightest.

Can this city really be defended?

Originally, everyone thought they could hold out for at least ten days or half a month, but no one expected that the city would be breached on the very second day.

Dongjiang Military Town, to put it bluntly, was just a stronghold.

This city is inherently unsuitable for defense!

A sense of pessimism was spreading among the crowd.

Deputy General Chen Jisheng of the military garrison quickly stepped forward: "Although the military garrison has suffered heavy casualties, the morale in the city has not been affected!"

"Now, even the elderly, women, and children are coming out to defend the city. With everyone united in our efforts, we will definitely be able to hold the military town!"

Hearing this, the morale of the group was somewhat restored.

But to everyone's surprise, just as everyone was about to encourage each other to persevere...

Mao Wenlong stepped forward and said, "Dongjiang Town cannot be defended."

Although Mao Wenlong was unwilling to admit it, the reality was starkly right in front of him.

If he could be given a city with abundant resources and strong walls, he was confident that he could outlast Wunag.

But reality didn't give him that chance.

And most importantly.

His original plan was to use his own life to hold off the Later Jin's attack and hold out until His Majesty sent reinforcements. At that time, it wouldn't matter if he died.

Mao Wenlong knew that Dongjiang Town was very important in His Majesty's plan, and he had to protect it for His Majesty.

But judging from the current situation...

The rebellion of powerful clans across the Ming Dynasty has already overwhelmed His Majesty, leaving him with no time to attend to Dongjiang Town.

Even if he fought to the death and held on, as long as the Later Jin sent reinforcements, Dongjiang Town would still face annihilation.

If that's the case, what's the point of guarding Dongjiang Town?
Instead of doing that, we should think about how to fight our way out before everyone collapses.

Mao Wenlong knew.

Under the current circumstances, he himself certainly wouldn't survive, and many generals and soldiers in the military town also saw no hope of survival.

But what he had to do was use his own life and the lives of these people to exchange for the lives of some people so that they could leave Dongjiang Town alive.

Thinking that His Majesty would no longer send troops to garrison Dongjiang Town.

Without further hesitation, Mao Wenlong wiped the blood from his face and continued speaking without stopping:

"After the city falls, everyone will die."

"Rather than die under the Jurchen's sword, we should lead the remaining soldiers to fight them and fight our way out."

He looked at his deputy, Chen Jisheng, and continued:
"Chen Jisheng, you go and unite the people in the city now. I will lead my men out of the city gate to fight Wunage to the death and draw enemy fire for you."

"At that time, you should lead the rest of the men to seize the ships and send as many people as you can!"

"If you can leave Dongjiang Town alive, take these people directly to the capital to find His Majesty. Do not stay in the mainland."

"I don't know about other places, but in the capital, His Majesty can definitely save your lives."

"At that time, you will focus on assisting His Majesty. If you can fight against those powerful clans together with His Majesty, you will have a chance to avenge us."

Hearing Mao Wenlong's resolute words about facing death, the generals' eyes instantly reddened.

Chen Jisheng knelt down immediately: "General! I'll take men to stop the Jurchens! You take the people and leave!"

Mao Wenlong turned and left immediately: "Stop talking nonsense! This is a military order! Anyone else who dares to risk their lives with me, come with me!"

Seeing Mao Wenlong's resolute back, the group exchanged glances and immediately followed him.

Chen Jisheng knelt on the ground, gritting his teeth and trembling.

But after only a moment, he quickly got up and went to do as Mao Wenlong instructed.

He couldn't waste the lifeline his comrades had fought so hard for the people of Dongjiang Town!
It didn't take long.

Mao Wenlong then gathered two thousand members of the suicide squad in the city, while the remaining soldiers and civilians were all taken to the other side of the city by Chen Jisheng.

After Mao Wenlong leads his two thousand men out to draw the Later Jin's attention, Chen Jisheng will lead his men out to seize a boat and escape.

now.

Looking at the two thousand people in front of him, Mao Wenlong didn't say much, but simply swept his gaze calmly over them.

He recognized every face among these people, but because he was old, he couldn't remember some of their names.

But whether it's a name or not is no longer important.

Before long, Mao Wenlong and all these people will become dead bodies on the ground.

Thinking of this, Mao Wenlong was momentarily dazed.

He recalled the dream he had after entering the capital, and he saw again the young man who shouted at him, "I won't give up until I'm made a marquis!"

But a dream is just a dream.

Mao Wenlong shook his head, trying to banish these fleeting memories from his mind.

Looking at the soldiers in front of him who were ready to die with him, he drew his sword from his waist and was about to order the city gates to be opened.

But then he saw the soldier responsible for observing the enemy situation from the watchtower running towards him on all fours, shouting incessantly:
"General! General!! So many ships have come from behind us! And...and so many dragon banners are being raised!!"

In an instant.

All of everyone's attention was drawn to what the lookout had said.

Mao Wenlong was stunned for a long time before he came to his senses: "What did you say?!"

The messenger was so excited that he was slurring his words, only repeating things like "ships" and "dragon banners."

Upon seeing this, Mao Wenlong disregarded everything else and hurriedly led his men toward the watchtower in the city.

After he climbed the watchtower and picked up the binoculars to see what had happened, he was trembling all over and could no longer make a sound.

In the binoculars.

Hundreds of boats of all sizes are rolling in from the sea behind Dongjiang Town.

For a while.

The dragon banner pressed forward, covering the sky and the earth!
(End of this chapter)