Fan Wencheng had already thought of a countermeasure and immediately replied, "Prince Rui, there are three countermeasures."
"First, if Miyun cannot be captured in a short period of time, then the Ming court must have deployed heavy troops in Miyun. Prince Rui only needs to feint on the spot and continue to tie down the main force of the Ming army. Wait for Prince Yu (Duoduo) and Prince Su (Haoge) to capture Xuanfu before making plans."
"Second, bypass Miyun, enter the pass to plunder, and attract the main force of the Ming army."
"Third, go to Shanhaiguan and join forces with Prince Zheng's (Jirgalang) Blue Banner to attack Wu Sangui and force him to surrender. However, this is a bad strategy. Prince Rui should not use this strategy unless it is absolutely necessary."
Dorgon thought for a moment and bowed deeply to Fan Wencheng: "Mr. Fan is able to plan and win battles thousands of miles away. I admire you."
Fan Wencheng smiled slightly, bowed, and turned to leave.
He was only responsible for giving advice, while the specific military deployment was decided by the bannermen themselves.
As the door closed, Dorgon stood up with a serious expression.
Seeing this, the others stood up and waited for Dorgon's orders.
"Dodo, Hauge!"
"Here." Duoduo and Haoge stood up at the same time.
"Immediately lead the troops out of the city to Dushikou and attack the city according to the original plan. I will allocate more than 70% of the baggage and siege equipment to you. You must capture Xuanfu Town within ten days."
"After taking over Xuanfu Town, lead the troops southwards and aim at Juyong Pass!"
"Understood." Although Hauge had conflicts with Dorgon, they were limited to internal affairs. This time when fighting outside, he had to obey Dorgon's orders.
"Ajige."
"exist."
"According to Mr. Fan's wishes, my troops will postpone their entry into the country for five days. Send a fast horse to deliver this message back to Shenyang."
As Dorgon issued military orders one after another, the entire Daning quickly became busy.
Although the Eight Banners soldiers who were drinking and eating meat were somewhat reluctant, they immediately packed their bags and equipment and rode out of the city with the team.
Tens of thousands of cavalrymen were like a sinister poisonous snake in the dark night, walking on the winding and rugged road, going further and further away.
......
boom!
Inside Shanhaiguan, Wu Sangui, who was handling military affairs, stopped writing because of the sound of artillery fire.
"What's up?"
Soon, a messenger ran in in a panic: "The Jiannu's Blue Banner and Red Banner are gathering, and it seems that they are going to attack the pass."
"What?" Wu Sangui stood up directly.
He stretched out his arms, and several soldiers nearby immediately took the armor and began to put it on him.
"How many Jiannu people are there?"
"The number...the number is unknown." The messenger swallowed.
Wu Sangui's eyes widened with anger: "Come here, give him twenty military sticks."
"Please calm down, sir. The enemy has flags flying high and I really can't count their number." The messenger pleaded with a sad face.
With a gloomy face, Wu Sangui pushed away the soldier who was helping him put on his armor, picked up his weapon and rushed out.
Arriving in the yard, Wu Sangui looked directly east.
There is a beacon tower on the high ground of Bianqiangzi, ten miles east of the city.
It is eight meters high and has a circumference of nearly sixty meters at the bottom. There is a smoke tower on top and barracks at the bottom.
Once the garrison troops discovered the enemy, they would raise smoke during the day and fire with artillery at night to convey the enemy situation.
At this time, smoke rose from the beacon tower and the roar of artillery was loud.
Obviously the number of enemies is beyond imagination.
Wu Sangui immediately climbed up the city wall and used his clairvoyance to look into the distance.
Sure enough, countless Eight Banners soldiers were gathering in the distance.
These Eight Banners soldiers were sturdy, with bright armor and sophisticated weapons. The horses they rode were fat and strong. At first glance, they were the elite among the elite.
At the front of the army was the moat bridge, a floating bridge that could be pushed by wheels. The moat of Shanhaiguan was 16 meters wide and 8 meters deep, so if you wanted to attack the city, you had to cross the river first.
There were siege ladders placed next to the trench bridge, and heavy armored infantry stood behind the ladders ready to go.
The aerial ladder is not an extended version of the ladder. If it is described with modern terms, it is very similar to an aerial fire truck.
At the bottom are the wheels, above the wheels is the frame, and the carriage is protected by wooden boards and iron sheets around it.
Above is the ceiling, which is made of the same material, but with an extra layer of water-soaked quilt or some non-flammable material.
The ladder can be folded and unfolded after reaching the designated position. The iron hook on the ladder will be firmly hung on the city wall. The ladder will not be pushed down unless the ladder is destroyed.
Behind the siege ladders stood rows of soldiers, wearing cotton armor, holding a variety of weapons, waiting for orders.
Further back were chariots and artillery pieces. The oxen and horses pulling the chariots were leisurely chewing fresh grass, oblivious to the impending war.
The soldiers on the Shanhaiguan city wall held their weapons angrily, as if facing a powerful enemy.
These Guanning troops were all of Liao origin and had fought with the Jiannu for many years.
During the decades of fighting with the Jiannu in Liaodong, more or less all of their relatives died at the hands of the other side, so they could be said to be a family feud.
Wu Sangui had already put on his armor. He put down his clairvoyance and looked in the direction of Yipanshi. There were two main passes in the Shanhaiguan area, one was Shanhaiguan and the other was Yipanshi. These two places had open terrain and were good places to deploy troops.
At this time, there was smoke rising everywhere. Although no artillery sounds could be heard, martial law had definitely been imposed there.
"Send the flag signal and order all troops to defend the city strictly." Wu Sangui ordered, and then issued another order: "Order the cavalry to get ready and wait for my order."
"Yes!" The messenger left quickly.
The city wall of Shanhaiguan is 41 feet high and has a circumference of 1,528 feet (14 meters high and 7 meters wide). It is the highest and strongest wall east of the capital.
The sides and top of the wall are covered with bricks and white lime mortar, and the lower part is built with three layers of stone slabs, which is the so-called "earth-built brick package".
The core of the wall is made of rammed clay in layers, making it extremely strong.
There are various watchtowers and turrets on the city wall. There is a lookout hole in the lower middle of the battlement above. The battlement is built with battlement stones, and the center is equipped with a crossbow fulcrum and artillery mount.
Wu Sangui picked up the clairvoyance and looked outside the city again. He still couldn't believe his eyes.
Shanhaiguan is easy to defend but difficult to attack, and is a natural barrier among natural barriers. The Guanning Army is an elite force that is not only good at defending cities, but also good at field battles.
How dare the Jiannu come?
What was Dorgon thinking?
"General, how about we use the red cannon to see if we can defeat the Jiannu?" asked Hu Xinshui, a general beside Wu Sangui.
"Fuck!" Wu Sangui said unhappily. He pointed to some inconspicuous marks in the distance and said, "The defenders of Shanhaiguan have already marked the points in advance. Every autumn, the defenders conduct test shooting, and the ranges of bows and arrows and various firearms are marked to facilitate the accuracy and lethality of shooting during war."
"Wait, wait until the Jiannu reach the designated location, then you can attack after seeing my flag."
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