Chapter 62: Ten Times to Surround

Two Huai'an City.

"The Capital Battalion is still dragging its feet; what exactly do those nobles want to do?"

Zuo Zuo Guangen asked angrily, scaring a group of eunuch faction younger brothers to tremble.

Everyone knows the truth; last time in the personnel appointment of the Ministry of War, they played the noble group, and people definitely want to find an opportunity to get it back.

The Capital Battalion arrived at the battlefield and chose to work without effort, which is the noble group looking for them to give an account.

If both sides can talk about the conditions, the Capital Battalion can immediately work. If the talk breaks down, it is not too late to suppress the rebellion after Two Huai'an falls.

As long as it does not affect the Emperor's overall situation of reforming salt administration, the gain or loss of a city or a place is not important to the nobles.

But the eunuch faction cannot; it was them who moved to force the Jianghuai noble families to rebel. If they cannot quickly control the situation, the Pure Stream faction will definitely hold onto this matter.

Especially since these eunuch faction bigwigs are still in Two Huai'an City, everyone is a person who cherishes life, and there is still a lot of glory and wealth that has not been enjoyed, so they are reluctant to die for the country

Abandoning Two Huai'an City to run away would have too severe a political impact; even if one didn't die, one would still lose a layer of skin.

"Left Chancellor, the nobles are squeezing us at this time merely for their own interests.

If the conditions aren't too excessive, it might be better to agree to them first; everything should prioritize the big picture!"

Gu Gu Yuansong advised tactfully.

Currently, the Eastern Depot is powerful, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard has no choice but to rely on them. But in essence, the two sides still have a cooperative relationship, not a superior-subordinate one.

As the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he only needs to be responsible to the Emperor.

Topics that others dare not bring up, Gu Gu Yuansong can say out loud.

"Hmph!"

"Bullshit big picture!"

"There will always be a day when this Chancellor's will is the big picture!"

"That bunch of damn nobles only know how to bully honest people.

The fact that the last matter wasn't fulfilled was entirely due to the civil official faction's extreme opposition, and this Chancellor had no ability to force the hundred officials to agree.

If they have the ability, they should go look for trouble with the civil officials; how can they keep the account on this Chancellor's head!"

Zuo Zuo Guangen cursed incessantly.

After venting the resentment in his heart, Zuo Zuo Guangen, with reason regaining the upper hand, had to seriously consider the conditions proposed by the nobles.

In the early days of the founding of the dynasty, the Chief Military Commission controlled by the nobles had the power to appoint and dismiss military officers below Rank Three, and also had significant influence over the appointment and dismissal of military officers above Rank Three.

As it developed into the later stages, these powers were gradually eroded by the Ministry of War.

The Chief Military Commission's appointment and dismissal of officers below Rank Three must first be approved by the Ministry of War, and then reported to the Cabinet for stamping and the Directorate of Ceremonial for red-marking before it can take effect.

More often than not, the Ministry of War would snatch the work of the Chief Military Commission, draft a list of officers needing adjustment themselves, and submit it directly to the Cabinet.

As for the appointment and dismissal of officers above Senior Rank Three, it has now become a matter of court recommendation, with the Emperor making the final decision.

The noble faction wants to insert a large number of their own children into the Southeast Army, so they certainly cannot follow the current procedures, otherwise the Ministry of War would definitely intervene to obstruct it.

"Forget it, it's just a batch of blank military appointment documents; tell them this Chancellor agrees!"

Zuo Zuo Guangen said with a hardened heart.

Issuing blank appointment documents in advance without going through the Ministry of War and the Cabinet, with the candidates for the positions all unknown, is certainly against the rules.

Once the matter is exposed, it will inevitably trigger a huge uproar in the court.

The Pure Stream faction hates him to the bone, and with a ready-made handle delivered into their hands, they will certainly take the opportunity to attack.

However, the breach of contract last time led to a decline in the trust of the cooperation between the two sides.

No matter how many benefits are promised, it's useless; they are now at the stage where they won't release the hawk until they see the rabbit.

If they keep their promise afterward and implement the officer appointments proposed by the nobles, then everyone will cooperate to complete the procedures.

If the procedures don't work, they will just take the blank documents from before, fill in the names, and directly arrange for their children to take up their posts.

Zuo Zuo Guangen has thought it through; his reputation is already ruined anyway, so it doesn't matter if it gets a bit smellier.

At worst, he will take the initiative to attack upon returning, using the pursuit of rebel remnants as an excuse to launch a political purge against the Pure Stream faction first.

If you can't solve the problem, solve the person who creates the problem.

Once all the opponents are finished off, no one will naturally pursue his violation of procedures.

……

Yangzhou City.

"Battalion Commander, the enemy is challenging us from below, and the insults are very nasty!"

Wu Dage said indignantly.

"I heard it; isn't it just saying we are all shrinking turtles, and by the way, greeting the commander's entire family.

What's there to be angry about? If the enemy loves to curse, let them curse.

Pass the order down, there is no need to pay attention to the enemy's challenge.

Whoever feels uncomfortable can just curse back at the enemy on the city wall."

Li Mu said indifferently.

It's just a few insults; his powerful inner heart can fully withstand it.

Besides, they are greeting the commander's entire family, what does that have to do with him?

Yangzhou is a large city, and no matter how noisy it is outside, the Marquis of Marquis Wuyang, who resides in the inner city, cannot hear it.

If you can't hear it, it's equivalent to it not existing.

As a qualified subordinate, one certainly cannot take such annoying matters to add trouble for one's own commander.

It's estimated that they have watched too many plays, and the rebel army outside is still fantasizing about the defenders going out to duel with them.

Little do they know that after the promotion of firearms, the backward combat mode of dueling has been eliminated by the times.

After despising the rebel army in his heart, Li Mu went on to appreciate the scenery on the city gate tower.

The murderous atmosphere on the battlefield added a different kind of charm to the misty Yangzhou.

……

Rebel camp.

"Gentlemen, the enemy commander is a turtle; challenging them has no effect, let's prepare to attack the city!"

Kong Dou Yutang urged.

The siege of Yangzhou City has lasted for nearly half a month, and except for Huang Huang Renlong's initial angry mobilization, the rest of the time has been in a standoff.

As time passed, the number of rebel troops gathered under the city walls increased dramatically.

No one can say clearly how many troops there are, but judging from the scale of the camp, the number is no less than three hundred thousand, and they claim to have a million.

Theoretically, they have reached the "ten-to-one siege" ratio, but in actual operation, they cannot achieve a total annihilation at all, and even breaking through the city is beset with difficulties.

There are men, women, old, and young in the army, and the proportion of young and strong is not high; many people have brought their families along.

This is the biggest drawback of forming a team with local clans as the core.

Without a stable rear, everyone has to take their families with them.

The commander cannot refuse, otherwise the soldiers below might mutiny at any time.

"Mr. Kong, the walls of Yangzhou are solid, and a few siege weapons are probably not enough.

It just so happens that the rebel army in the south has broken through Nantongzhou; why don't we make siege weapons while waiting for them to come and reinforce us."

A middle-aged man who looked like an accountant suggested.

"Chief Cui, time waits for no one!

The Beijing camp has started to move, and the rebel army in Two Huai'an certainly won't be able to hold on; defeat is only a matter of time.

The court's reinforcements are rushing in from all directions.

If we cannot quickly break through Yangzhou and seize Nanjing before the court's reinforcements arrive, the subsequent battles will be hard to fight!"

Kong Dou Yutang explained helplessly.

Talking strategy with a bandit leader makes him feel aggrieved just thinking about it.

Yet the leaders in the rebel army are mostly people with low cultural levels, so no matter how aggrieved he feels, he can only teach them slowly.

"Gentlemen, this leader thinks Mr. Kong's proposal is good; it's better to break through Yangzhou as soon as possible.

The supplies consumed by hundreds of thousands of troops every day are a huge number; logistics can support us for twenty days at most."

Huang Huang Renlong said slowly.

The position of leader was won by providing grain and fodder for the army.

At the beginning, he felt quite majestic.

After a few days, this thought was gone.

The consumption of grain and fodder was really too great; even if he controlled Taizhou City, he felt immense pressure to provide so much food.

"Forget it, for the sake of Leader Huang, let's attack the city!"

Chief Cui said unhappily.

Taking from others makes one's hands short, eating others' food makes one's mouth soft.

In the world of bandits, loyalty must be observed.

……

(End of chapter)