In the ambush south of Pyinmana, the Ming army won a complete victory. Talong only took two hundred cavalry to break through the encirclement, and 55,000 Toungoo soldiers. In addition to more than 20,000 people who died in the battle, the remaining 30,000 Toungoo soldiers , In a situation where he was so exhausted that he couldn't even hold a knife or gun, all were captured by the Ming army.
These captives caused Mu Qiyuan the most headache.
Originally, Mu Qiyuan didn't want to kill and surrender. Although they were a foreign race, they were of the same kind of Han people.
However, more than 30,000 Toungoo soldiers will not only consume a large amount of food, but also leave a large number of soldiers guarded. This will seriously affect the Ming army’s great cause of conquering Burma; if they are released, they may join the Toungoo army at any time. To become an enemy of the Ming army, as long as Talong is still there, everything is possible.
If these Toungoo prisoners of war were put on the battlefield again, then Mu Qiyuan's plan to consume Toungoo's army would be completely bankrupt. This was the result of the victory achieved under the circumstances of the Ming army's extreme efforts and must not be left in vain.
In the end, Mu Qiyuan obeyed Chen Zizhuang's suggestion and killed all these Tongyu soldiers on the grounds of "protecting the interests of the powerful and colluding with the powerful."
Talong took two hundred cavalry soldiers and fled to Dongyu City, only to rest.
Toungoo City was the first capital of the Toungoo Dynasty and the foundation of the Toungoo Dynasty. It is 200 miles south of Pyinmana, but there are only 5,000 defenders in the city.
Talon knew that Tongyu City could not be defended at all. It was only a matter of time before the Ming army broke the city, but the Ming army went south, and Dongyu was the only place to pass. With Dongyu City blocking, the speed of the Ming army's southward movement could be slowed so that he could There is plenty of time to rectify Toungoo’s armaments.
Tarong symbolically comforted the guards in the city and encouraged him to defend the city and make contributions to the country. However, he left Dongyu City and continued to go south on the grounds of gathering the southern army in a decisive battle with the Ming army. The army converged.
Mu Qiyuan wiped out the main force of Tarong south of Pymana, but there was no main force of the Tongyu Army north of Pymana. He asked Chen Zizhuang to leave a regiment of soldiers to garrison.
The army rested for two days in the Gongla area. After the Ming army and the grain, grass, and other heavy troops from Pingmana City arrived, the Ming army began to move south along the Xidang River. As the front army, Lin Chengxiang's 20th Army had already set off one day earlier.
The Twentieth Army did not march rapidly. The Ming Army is now advancing layer by layer, just like Zhuge Liang's attack on Wei.
Lin Chengxiang expanded the search range and swept all the sides of the route the army was advancing. He, the former army, was actually the vanguard of the Ming army.
In the afternoon of the fourth day, Lin Chengxiang rushed to Dongyu. Instead of attacking the city immediately, he set up a large camp on the north side of Dongyu City. He planned to let the soldiers rest for one night and attack the city after dawn.
After dinner, Lin Chengxiang summoned the three division commanders and the staff of the army to discuss the method of siege tomorrow.
"Military seat, Toungoo City has only five thousand defenders. We have 30,000 troops. As long as you besie the city on all sides and blow up the city walls or gates with artillery, you can naturally wipe out the defenders." Sun Ke, commander of the 60th Division, said that The most common method of siege by the Ming army, but the premise is that the Ming army must have superior forces, otherwise, even if the city is broken, the defenders can concentrate their superior forces and break through from a certain point, making it difficult to achieve the goal of complete annihilation.
Lin Chengxiang nodded slightly. He had just arrived outside Dongyu City and checked the surrounding terrain in the afternoon. He was not very familiar with the situation inside the city. If Sun Ke's ideas were approved by everyone, he decided to adopt it.
"Military seat, I can also encircle three deficiencies, and bury an ambush outside the city. The area outside the city is empty, which is more suitable for annihilating the enemy, and it will not harm the people in the city, nor will it damage the facilities and property inside the city. "Lu Yufeng believes that the destruction of Toungoo City is affirmative. Since Toungoo City is about to belong to Ming Dynasty, the facilities in the city should be protected.
Lin Chengxiang cast an admiring look at Lu Yufeng. Yes, the city has not been broken yet, so he is thinking about future governance, talents!
It is indeed a good way to siege the city. When the city is broken, the hope of escape for the defenders in the city can quickly dissolve their will and determination to defend the city.
"But, don't Tongu people see such an obvious strategy?" Li Yuanjiang, the commander of the 59th Division, felt that there were some problems. The generals of Tongyu had experienced battles, and they should be well-versed in the art of war.
Lin Chengxiang looked at Lu Yufeng, "Since you proposed the plan, let you answer it!"
"Haha, Li Shizuo knows something about Sun Tzu's art of war, thirty-six strategies. This is a book of Han warriors. It is a precious wealth accumulated by the Han people for thousands of years. It has only been a few years since Tongyu was founded. How can these warfare of the Han people? They fight, It depends on more people than fewer people, or on officers and soldiers who are not afraid of death." Lu Yufeng is not afraid of others saying that he is open.
"Ah..." Li Yuanjiang cast an inquiring look at Lin Chengxiang.
"Ao, Yufeng really understands Toungoo. The people of Toungoo are fighting. That's almost the case," Lin Chengxiang added. "Furthermore, the soldiers of Toungoo knew that there were ambushes outside the city. They also came out of the city. Could it be that they were waiting inside the city? Death? They have the possibility of escape after leaving the city."
"Military seat, do the soldiers of Dongkuu really drink poison to quench their thirst?" Sun Ke is still a little unbelief, aren't these Dongyu people quite capable of fighting? How could they be so stupid
"It should be," Lin Chengxiang is about to make the final battle plan. The Ming army has a huge advantage in numbers and firearms. Talong who can be used to fighting is all annihilated and dusty, let alone the small town of Dongyu. "If Tongyu City is broken and they stay in the city, there are only two ways, either surrender or die. Sometimes, even if they surrender, they will die."
At this moment, one of Lin Chengxiang's soldiers came in quietly and whispered a few words to Lin Chengxiang.
"Really? Bring people in!" Lin Chengxiang's eyes sparkled instantly, and he thought in his heart that if all goes well, Dongyu City would already belong to Daming when Mu Qiyuan came to Dongyu.
After a while, a middle-aged man dressed in a gray coat of ordinary people, with his personal soldiers entered the hall, "see Lin Junzuo! See the three divisions!" The visitor did not kneel, but parted with the three of them. Arched his hands.
Lin Chengxiang carefully looked at the person who came and was sure that it was a strange face, "Come, sit down, there are no outsiders here, just say anything!"
"Yes, army seat!" The visitor took a seat under Sun Ke's head and said, "There are 50,000 people in Dongyu City. Among them, there are more than 10,000 Han people and those who think they are Han. The Han people are in Dongyu. The city is often exploited and bullied by the Burmese people. This time the Ming army came to Toungoo. The Han leaders in the city organized a 500-man death squad to help the Ming army seize the city gate."
"Capture the city gate? The leader of the Han people?" Lin Chengxiang didn't care about the Han people's help to seize the city gate. With the power of the Ming army's artillery, it was not difficult to seize the city gate. What he was pleased was the Han people's heart.
"Military seat, now the Ming army is stationed outside the north gate, and the main force of the Dongyu army is also placed at the north gate. We can start the attack at the east gate to meet the Ming army entering the city." The investigator named Chen Zhishan added. .
"Well, a good idea," Lin Chengxiang nodded, "When can you get ready?"
Chen Zhishan said decisively: "We are ready and ready to take the Ming army into the city at any time. If the military seat is willing, we can open the east gate of the east city by Wednesday night."
"Already ready? Did you know that we were coming?" Lin Chengxiang was a little surprised. The Ming army marched at a very fast speed. During the sweeping along the way, there were still many villages and towns who didn't know that the Ming army was coming. How did the Han people know that the Ming army had already come
"You don't need to be suspicious. There is Da Ming's investigation in the city. I knew that the Ming army was here." Chen Zhishan seemed to blame Lin Chengxiang for forgetting his identity as an investigator. So brothers are sure that the Ming army is not far from here."
"Oh," Lin Chengxiang let out a sigh, "How is the morale of the Dongyu Army? Are they capable of fighting?"
"Returning to the army seat, the five thousand defenders in the city are all of Talong's elite. Talong has also condoned the defenders in the city. Now their morale is high, and there should be no signs of surrendering to the Ming army in a short time."
"Well," these reasons should be credible, Lin Chengxiang thought of another question, "Now that the four gates of Dongyu City are closed, how did you get out?"
"With ropes, don't forget the army seat. The villain was born under investigation." Chen Zhishan once again revealed his identity. "There are three people out of the city this time, and two others are guarding the ropes. Once the defenders move, they will definitely I can find that if there is no change, we will climb the rope back to the city later.” Chen Zhishan paused, apparently to dispel Lin Chengxiang’s worries, “Even if the villain can’t enter the city, it’s okay. If there are our people in the city, we can still make contact with lights. ."
There are some special skills in investigating, Lin Chengxiang doesn't want to ask any more, he still cares about entering the city, "Are these Han people reliable?"
"The army can rest assured that they are absolutely reliable, and there are also our people involved. In the event of an accident, our people will definitely know."
"Then how do you seize the East City Gate?" Lin Chengxiang couldn't say that all hopes rested on these Han people. If their plans were not secret, wouldn't he be busy in the middle of the night
"The five-hundred death squad, armed with sharp blades, disguised as people who helped defend the city, approached the city head, and there were also Han people in the east city gate defenders. We thought it was unintentional. It should not be a problem to win the city gate.
"Now that you are ready, let's tonight!" Lin Chengxiang knows this kind of confidential matter, the longer it takes, the easier it will be exposed, "but my army needs to be dispatched, and the deployment can only be completed before the third shift."
"Then we will open the east gate at the third shift."
Lin Chengxiang thought about the whole plan. His only worry was whether the people in the city could win the East City Gate. After all, they were the people and did not have strict training. "Well, in order to cooperate with you to snatch the East City Gate, we will start from the North Gate. Attack the city at the same time as Simon, attracting the defenders."
"Military seat, we are also preparing to set fires around the city, so as to attract some defenders. Then there will be fewer defenders at the city gate, and we will be more likely to successfully seize the city gate." Chen Zhishan's Although he was still in shape, his eyes were shining with excitement. In front of his own people, he didn't have to hide it. If the Han people in the city could seize the East City Gate, then the investigation would be the first contributor to the Ming army breaking the city.
Lin Chengxiang sorted out the entire plan again and felt that the plan was feasible, "It is so good, I will arrange soldiers outside the East City to respond."
"Military seat, we use the fire light as the name, if the east city gate is on fire, we will seize the east city gate."
"A word is settled, Brother Chen will go back soon and prepare."
"Military seat..."
When Lin Chengxiang saw Chen Zhishan he wanted to say something, he just said, "What is the problem with Brother Chen?"
"It's not a problem," Chen Zhishan hesitated for a moment, and when Lin Chengxiang was watching him, he said the voice of the people in the city: "The Han people in the city have a request. If the Ming army breaks the city, you must protect their property."