Chapter 10, The Lady in Action

From a certain perspective, Che Li Bu Hua can be considered the executioner of the Great Yuan Dynasty

Although Tuo Tuo has returned to the capital, the work of suppressing banditry must continue

Is this person also at the point of being unable to hold on any longer, truly unable to hold on?

The Master said: "Some have indeed spoken of this, yet others feel that reinforcing the city walls is too exhausting. The Yuan court, by repairing the rivers and converting them into currency, has lost the people's hearts, making it difficult for the righteous army to further enslave the common folk"

Mr. Ma pondered silently, then nodded vigorously, committing it to memory

Madam Ma immediately agreed, as she was well aware of Zhang Ximeng's capabilities and even recognized that he was wholeheartedly planning for their family's benefit, not as an outsider. Madam Ma then prepared a battle coat for Zhang Ximeng and took him to the city of Haozhou

Zhang Ximeng gritted his teeth and spoke fiercely, outlining many key points for defending the city in one breath. He was no longer an outsider with a god's-eye view; he was a participant burdened by the blood feud of his parents, determined to defeat the Yuan army at all costs

Is it that Jia Lu is too incompetent, or that Zhu Chongba is just too lucky, truly under the protection of dragon energy

Zhang Ximeng carefully observed the situation both inside and outside the city, pondering for a while, he could only say: "Madam, the moat needs to be cleared, and it is necessary to build an emergency wall about eight feet high. However, since it is a temporary construction, I fear it will not be able to withstand the Jia Lu, and we can only strategize within the city."

Perhaps it was because this person had large feet, walked quickly, and was well-informed, that in less than an hour, she managed to clarify the situation outside. With a worried expression, she hurried back to discuss it with Zhang Ximeng

According to the latest news, Jialu has 50,000 troops, Yue Gecha'er has 10,000 elite Mongolian cavalry, and they have also gathered no less than 50,000 more. Adding to this the 30,000 from Chelibuhua, the total number of enemy troops exceeds 100,000!" When Ma spoke these words, his face was pale, and his eyelids kept twitching

The moat of Haozhou was originally over 1 zhang deep, but at this moment, due to silt accumulation, some areas have already become level.

Zhang Ximeng also abandoned his plan to compete with Guo Zixing, focusing entirely on the impending great battle

Only Peng Da and Zhao Jun, along with their remaining troops, fled to Haozhou to seek refuge with Guo Zixing

First, the army marched south from Xuzhou, passing through Suzhou, in a grand and imposing manner, heading straight for Haozhou

Until death, Sesame Li remains a muddled fool

Hmm! Zhang Ximeng pointed and said, "These houses near the city wall must be demolished to clear a distance of thirty zhang. The army of Jialu will certainly not lack artillery such as the Huijun cannon and the Pile cannon; a single city wall cannot withstand them. Moreover, Jialu will definitely dig tunnels into the city... digging trenches along the inner side of the city wall, and then building a low wall. Behind the low wall, there will also be trenches... Layered defenses, no matter how many troops Jialu has, they will all perish at the foot of Haozhou City!"... digging trenches along the inner side of the city wall, and then building a low wall. Behind the low wall, there will also be trenches... Layered defenses, no matter how many troops Jialu has, they will all perish at the foot of Haozhou City!

Moreover, Jia Lu is not an ordinary civil official; he can mobilize over ten thousand people to systematically repair the river, and he can similarly mobilize the same number of individuals to attack Haozhou

Haozhou is located near the Huai River. Since the breach of the Yellow River, the entire Jianghuai region has become a flood-prone area, suffering from severe water disasters, silted waterways, and an abundance of sediment.

The commonly perceived discord between the Han and Mongolian people manifests not only in overt conflicts but also in subtle rivalries. Jia Lu, a remarkable figure in water management, possesses high moral standing and reputation, and is indeed capable of suppressing Yue Ge Cha Er.

What can Zhang Ximeng say? It is not merely a problem; it is simply a case of being critically ill!

Compared to these matters, the petty affairs of those grain merchants and Guo Zixing's small schemes are all insignificant. Therefore, there is an eagerness to reunite with Zhu Chongba's son-in-law and father-in-law, as if they are one loving family

It is said that when a hundred million people come together, it is boundless and endless, like mountains and seas, how can it be taken lightly

Of course, it would be false to say that Che Li Bu Hua had no merit at all; his forces just happened to burn down the Huangjue Temple, causing Zhu Chongba to lose his last foothold and forcing him to seek refuge in Haozhou, where he became a member of the Red Turbans

Even Zhang Ximeng felt his heart racing, his whole body cold as ice

Madam, is it possible that no one proposed to strengthen the city in the past

After more than a month of defense, Zhi Ma Li was defeated by Tuo Tuo, who breached the city and beheaded him, resulting in the death of his entire family

Zhang Ximeng speculated recklessly; with Old Zhu absent, he had no sources of information. However, it is fortunate that there is still the Ma family.

Although he saw through Guo Zixing's inherent weakness, as long as Zhu Chongba was capable enough, Guo Zixing would still bow his head. The only issue was that he knelt down too quickly, leaving Zhang Ximeng somewhat bewildered

In addition to incorporating mountain bandits and water pirates, Jia Lu also ordered a severe reprimand of Che Li Bu Hua, while instructing him to lead troops in response and jointly besiege Haozhou to atone for his crimes and achieve merit

They have formulated a relatively secure plan for advancement

It is now the end of the twelfth year of the Yuan Zhizheng era, and a year and a half has passed since the uprising led by Liu Futong. In the early stages, the rebel army was like a raging tide, capturing cities and territories, flourishing everywhere.

So many?" Zhang Ximeng was taken aback and hurriedly inquired. Ma's face turned pale as he nodded. Most people have never witnessed the terrifying scene of tens of thousands gathered together in their lifetime, let alone over one hundred thousand fierce and formidable government troops!

Sesame Li responded to Liu Futong's uprising, but he never expected that the court would actually send a large army, choosing to attack him, Sesame Li, instead of Liu Futong. What was even more dire was that the commander of the troops was none other than Chancellor Tuo Tuo

The most unfortunate among them is Li Er, the sesame merchant who occupies Xuzhou

Although leading troops and managing rivers cannot be equated, one should not underestimate the abilities of Jia Lu

Some besieged Liu Futong, while others engaged in a tug-of-war with Xu Shouhui, fighting with great enthusiasm

This is not the first time that Ma has mentioned his stepmother, and it seems that Guo Zixing is also someone who fears his wife

Zhang Ximeng felt a chill run down his spine. Ma Shi noticed Zhang Ximeng's concern and tried to ask: "Young sir, have you identified the issues?"

"Little sir, what do you think we should do?" Mr. Ma also understood that their lives were at stake, so he eagerly said, "If you have a good idea, tell me, and I will go find my godmother!"

Along the way, Jialu sought to persuade the rebels to surrender, adopting conciliatory measures towards the bandits and outlaws scattered everywhere, promising that as long as they submitted to the court, past offenses would be overlooked

However, as the Yuan court reacted, a fierce counterattack ensued. As mentioned earlier, the leader of the Northern Red Turbans, Bu Wang San, was killed, and the Southern Red Turbans also found themselves in a bitter struggle

It is well known that a solitary city is difficult to defend. It is preferable to occupy the surrounding cities and coordinate with each other. Even if it is not possible to capture them, it is advisable to construct some fortifications outside the city, serving as mutual support.

This Che Li Bu Hua was originally sent to eliminate Guo Zixing. However, he was too timid to directly attack the city of Haozhou, instead allowing his troops to plunder the common people, kill the innocent to claim merit, and deceive the Yuan court.

Madam, is it not possible to have several tens of thousands of soldiers in the city repair the walls?

Zhang Ximeng pondered repeatedly, feeling a sense of trepidation, with his hair standing on end

Surround it with ten, attack it with five. Jia Lu is very clear that without sufficient military strength, it is impossible to capture Haozhou

Little Sir, this time the Yuan soldiers number at least over one hundred thousand, which is more than double the previous reports!" Mr. Ma's voice trembled.

With the esteemed title of Chancellor, Tuo Tuo led hundreds of thousands of troops to launch a major offensive against Xuzhou. The reasoning is quite simple: this location is a crucial point of the Grand Canal. With continuous disasters in the north and the Yellow River breaching its banks, the Yuan Dynasty relied on the southern grain supply. If Zhimali were to cut off the Grand Canal, would the Yuan court not fight back fiercely?

In the city

Madam, at present, the benefactor is with the general. Could you lead the young man around the city wall to see if there are any possible solutions?

His lack of understanding does not imply that others are also unaware

Unexpectedly, the emperors of the Yuan Dynasty, led by Wanyan, immediately issued an edict to summon Tuo Tuo back to the capital.

Zhang Ximeng was greatly astonished, what kind of reasoning is this

This is not all; Haozhou City has not been raised or reinforced, nor have the sheep and horse walls been repaired, and no trenches have been dug... It is completely in a posture of lying flat and taking hits. Zhang Ximeng is dumbfounded; he truly does not know how Haozhou was defended in history

Zhang Ximeng stepped onto the city wall, looking around both inside and outside, and suddenly felt a tingling sensation on his scalp

The group of Red Turbans in Haozhou is not particularly large. The Yuan court dispatched two ministers, one Han and one Mongol, namely Jia Lu and Yue Gecha'er

If it is said that at this moment, Tuo Tuo is marching south, there is almost no resistance left in Haozhou. With a single push, continuing southward, the Heavenly Emperor Xu Shouhui would also be in a precarious situation

The reason for being called "Sesame Li" is that during a year of disaster, he took out a warehouse of sesame from his home to aid the victims, thus his reputation spread, and he gained the support of the people

I really don't know what Guo Zixing has been doing for more than half a year since he occupied Haozhou

The sudden arrival of Guo Zixing caught Zhang Ximeng off guard

As a result, Jialu gathered tens of thousands of miscellaneous soldiers, effectively doubling his military strength

Be serious, this is war

At this time, the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty did not yet understand the implications of this action. Not long after, there would be another occurrence in Gaoyou City, and the consequences of that event would be beyond what the Yuan Dynasty could bear

It is not easy to besiege cities and build castles, which may be understandable; however, why has even the moat not been cleared?

Unfortunately, Guo Zixing did not do either of these two things

Little Sir, I understand

Zhang Ximeng truly seems to have lost his senses; shirking responsibility and shifting blame is understandable to some extent. However, to abandon the city defenses and wait for the soldiers to come and kill him is something that Zhang Ximeng cannot comprehend.

Mr. Ma subtly hinted, merely stating: "Originally, there were five great generals in the city, and now there are two more... The common people often say that too many dragons do not control the waters"

Tuo Tuo's successful campaign in the First Battle greatly pleased the emperor, who not only bestowed upon Tuo Tuo the title of Grand Preceptor but also issued an edict to construct a memorial temple in Xuzhou to honor Tuo Tuo's achievements