Li Guoying abandoned the army and fled, and the soldiers in the Qing army camp did not have the fighting spirit to continue to resist, and opened the camp and surrendered after receiving a guarantee that the Ming army would not kill prisoners.

Although the Ming army was the victor, the army was equally exhausted and had no idea of pursuing Li Guoying by boat. For the next three days, the Ming army was repairing its troops, searching for the Qing troops hiding in the mountains, and at the same time screening the captured prisoners. This time, the Ming army captured eleven Qing generals such as Wang Mingde and Hu Wenke, stationed in Guangyuan, Baoning and Hanzhong, and even one general was originally a Xi'an defender, and most of these generals and most of their subordinates were transferred to Chóngqìng by Li Guoying from their respective defense areas in the previous six months.

"A total of 472 soldiers of our army were killed and seriously wounded this time, of which less than half were Zhao Qianhu's subordinates, who were killed by Zhao Liangdong; The auxiliaries lost 330 casualties, most of whom were killed by the Qing army after falling behind. After Ren Tang and others counted the numbers, they reported to Deng Ming in front of his hospital bed: "There are more than 500 people who are injured and bedridden, and they are recovering." ”

Deng Ming nodded, the wounded who can survive the first three days, there is still a lot of hope for survival, and the Ming army now implements a lot of health regulations formulated by Deng Ming, such as cleaning wounds must be done with boiling water, and bandages must also be boiled in boiling water, and they must be changed every rì. Some of the wounded were Ming officers and soldiers who had been captured for a time, and after the war, the Ming army rescued hundreds of prisoners of war from the Qing army, and many of them were beaten.

"More than 1,800 Qing troops were killed, and now more than 1,500 people are wounded, and our army has also treated them in accordance with the orders of the admiral, and also cleaned their wounds and changed their bandages every day." From the beginning of Huangzhou, Deng Ming ordered the treatment of the wounded of the Qing army, and he also knew that the people below would definitely be a little out of shape in the execution, and they would definitely not treat them and his own wounded equally. However, Deng Ming did not require them to do perfectly, this is just a big principle, in Deng Ming saw that these people are Chinese, most of them are former poor people, that is, many of the soldiers of the Qing army were also forcibly recruited.

"In addition to these wounded Qing troops, our army captured a total of 24,000 prisoners in this battle, including 18,000 auxiliaries, and among the remaining 6,000 or so soldiers, 280 were Li Guoying's standard battalion guards; More than 600 Guizhou reinforcements from Wang Jinbao and Daniel Zhang were all their own soldiers; The rest are from chóngqìng. ”

After Ren Tang finished his report, he stopped and waited aside, waiting for Deng Ming's order.

Deng Ming thought for a while and ordered: "Wang Jinbao and Daniel Zhang's personal soldiers were escorted to Jianchang and handed over to General Di for disposal. Let's take a look at the others and see how many are willing to go to Chengdu with us. ”

The follow-up screening work went on for a few more days, and seven days after the battle, Deng Ming had recovered a lot and was able to start processing more reports.

During this period, the captured Qing army imprisoned Zuo Du and Gao Mingzhan together, and one of them was found to have ordered the torture of a Ming prisoner, which Deng called the crime of killing prisoners unforgivable. The pro-soldiers who carried out this order were singled out and locked up with the reinforcements from Guizhou, and in the future they would be sent to Jianchang by Deng Ming. The soldiers sent to Jianchang will definitely become slaves, and as for the generals themselves, they will be handed over to the relatives and friends of the captive who were killed, and they will execute them to avenge the victims.

After screening, more than 1,500 of the more than 5,500 Chóngqìng soldiers were the general's personal soldiers, or had family members in Chóngqìng, Boryeong and other places.

"I plan to put back these more than 1,000 Qing soldiers and the 300 Li Guoying's standard camp guards." Deng Ming told the guards his plan, when Gao Mingzhan led the troops to attack Chengdu, there were only peasant soldiers in western Sichuan, so Deng Ming did not dare to leave the captured Qing army in Chengdu for fear of accidents, but now Deng Ming has tens of thousands of Zhejiang volunteers in his hands, and he is not afraid to leave more than 4,000 former Qing army armor.

It's just that the last more than 1,000 people, either worried about their families, or have been raised by the Qing generals for a long time, Deng Ming feels that bringing them back to Chengdu is also an unstable factor, so it is better to let them go. The guards were already very familiar with Deng Ming's temper, knowing that Deng Ming did not plan to kill prisoners, nor did he plan to spend food to feed these enemies who might flee at any time, and letting it go was naturally the only choice - Jianchang's side had just accepted several thousand Qing troops, and it was probably too much to send another two thousand in the short term, and it would also pose a certain threat to the safety of Feng Shuangli's army, and it was already quite a lot to send hundreds of Daniel Zhang and Wang Jinbao's personal soldiers.

"It's just Li Guoying's standard camp guard, I'm afraid it's not appropriate to let it go, right?" Zhao Tianba said: "Why don't you sell these 300 people to the Tibetans in Sichuan?" It's good to change some yaks. ”

Deng Ming shook his head: "The fiercest resistance this time is Li Guoying's standard battalion, there is no difference between selling them to Tibetans and killing them, and they will not surrender in the future." This time I let them go back just to let them know that as long as I don't kill the prisoners of our army like Daniel Zhang and Wang Jinbao, I won't want their lives. ”

Of course, Deng Ming will not let them go back in vain.

Ten days after the battle, Deng Ming put on his armor again and ordered the captured Qing general Zuo Du to be brought to meet him.

A total of 14 people were brought into the camp, of which 10 were Qing generals such as Wang Mingde and Hu Wenke, and four were prisoners of the First World War in Chengdu led by Gao Mingzhan.

"Governor Gao, General Soldier Wang." Deng Ming ordered that chairs be prepared for these prisoners, and after they sat down tremblingly, Deng Ming said to them unhurriedly: "After my careful inspection, you have no bad deeds in the past, so I plan to let you go back." ”

Immediately, there was a sound of compliments in the tent, especially Wang Mingde's group, which shouted even louder. For thousands of years, not surrendering after being captured was a dead end, so Wang Mingde and others have been fighting between heaven and man since they were captured, and they felt that it was difficult to choose between their own lives and the safety of their families in the hands of the Qing court. But after these people saw Gao Mingzhan, they found that the governor of Sichuan and the other four people seemed quite calm, and after meeting, Gao Mingzhan immediately told Wang Mingde that Deng Ming provided them with the food they needed but never persuaded them to surrender, and it seemed that he had no intention of killing them.

After the colleague who killed the prisoner was kidnapped and executed by Deng Ming, Wang Mingde and the others were frightened again and felt that the end was near. But Gao Mingzhan still didn't take it seriously, saying that that guy was to blame, as if Tan Yi was also handed over by Deng Ming to Yuan Zongdi for murdering Tan Wen and brought back to Fengjie, but he was always very polite to Gao Mingzhan and others. Just like the time when Gao Mingzhan was tied to the boat and exhibited to Chóngqìng, Deng Ming also told Gao Mingzhan in advance that this was a last resort for fear that he would jump into the river and escape, whether before or after, Gao Mingzhan had never been abused in Deng Mingjun.

"In addition to letting you go back, I also plan to let go of your own soldiers and henchmen, these people have been raised by you, and I don't feel at ease if I stay in Chengdu." Deng Ming then told Wang Mingde and others another piece of good news.

"The Admiral is benevolent and righteous, and the guilt will be remembered in the five," Wang Mingde stood up excitedly and bowed to Deng Mingda.

Hu Wenke and others behind Wang Mingde also jumped up and kowtowed to Deng Ming: "The Admiral is really the reborn parent of the criminal general, in this life and this life, I will never dare to be an enemy of the Admiral." ”

"Alright, alright, is it interesting to say that this kind of thing that you know is a lie?" Deng Ming waved his hand to interrupt Wang Mingde's statement, and everyone in the camp knew that these Qing generals would definitely continue to fight with Deng Ming after they returned: "But I won't let people go in vain, I want you to pay the ransom for your men." ”

After speaking, Deng Ming took out a list and read it to everyone. In addition to gold and silver, Deng Ming also accepted cloth, pig iron and other materials, but he didn't want the other party to exchange weapons for it, because he knew that Li Guoying would definitely not give it: "...... In addition to these, if it is a farm tool, I know that the governor of Sichuan and Shaanxi transported tens of thousands of hoes, sickles, axes to chóngqìng, as well as a large number of ploughing cattle and iron ploughs, which were originally intended to be used to reclaim military camps in chóngqìng, Baoning and other places, and now his 20,000 auxiliaries are in my hands, and these guys are useless to the governor of Sichuan and Shaanxi. Then give me an ox, a plough and a harness, and two hoes, a sickle, or an axe, and I will return one man. ”

Shut down

Seeing Deng Mingshi open his mouth, Wang Mingde and the others were stunned and couldn't say a word. However, because Gao Mingzhan had been with Deng Ming for a long time, he knew that bargaining would not anger Deng Ming, so he spoke for Wang Mingde and others: "Admiral, one person is not worth so much, the lower officials feel that one cow for two admirals has made a lot of money." ”

"Of course you won't exchange an ox for an auxiliary, even if a cow can be exchanged for ten people, I don't think you will come to me; But I'm talking about your own soldiers, who have followed you for many years and are loyal to you, and I don't want much at all, can the oxen criticize you and help you fight? Deng Ming was not worried that the other party would not be replaced, Wang Mingde and the others may have thought that it would be better to survive at first, but now they must have Long Wangchuan, and they want to save their henchmen and personal soldiers, so that they will not be the commander of the bare pole after they go back: "In this way, if you send ten oxen, ten sets of harnesses and iron plows at a time, I will return ten of you, and I will not want the remaining hoes and sickles, which is a discount for you." ”

After finishing speaking, Deng Ming didn't talk nonsense with Wang Mingde, so he sent them out of the camp and ordered the sailors to take them to Futu Pass and put them down.

"How likely does the Admiral think Li Guoying will agree?" After Gao Mingzhan and them were sent away, Ren Tang asked.

"I think it's very big, these people are different from Zhao Liangdong, they are Li Guoying's real henchmen." After interrogating the captives in the past few days, Deng Ming knew that Chóngqìng's Qing army had been almost swept away, that the 1,000 Qing soldiers who remained in Chóngqìng were reinforcements from Guizhou, and that more than 1,500 of the 3,500 Qing soldiers who fled back were Daniel Zhang and Zhao Liangdong. Even if you don't count the combat effectiveness, just in terms of numbers, the number of guest troops in Chóngqìng City is higher than that of Li Guoying's descendants: "Even if Li Guoying is good at winning over people's hearts, can this kind of lord and weak minister strong form rest assured?" ”

In this battle, Deng Ming fought against 11,000 Qing troops with 8,000 soldiers, and eliminated 7,500 of them, which is almost equivalent to every Ming army destroying an enemy; In terms of total strength, it defeated 30,000 Qing troops with 24,000 Ming troops, almost nine-tenths of the enemy's army.

However, now Chóngqìng still has 4,500 Qing troops in armor, Deng Ming is not sure that he will use more than 7,000 soldiers to conquer Chóngqìng, and eliminate Li Guoying and Zhao Liangdong in street battles, since Deng Ming does not plan to attack Chóngqìng immediately, then it is not a big deal to let more than 1,000 Qing soldiers go back.

"Li Guoying emptied the troops of Guangyuan and Hanzhong, and even the garrison of Xi'an went to chóngqìng." The interrogation of the captives allowed Deng Ming to confirm his judgment, and the entire supply line of the Jialing River of the Qing army was extremely empty: "We will return to Chengdu to digest the fruits of victory, if Li Guoying dares to continue to stay in Chóngqìng to guard the heavy troops, I will really go out of the Sword Pavilion to attack Guangyuan and Hanzhong; If he retreats to Boryeong, then chóngqìng will be able to get it without a fight, and it is imperative that he get his hands on the farm tools he has brought with him, otherwise he will definitely burn everything and slaughter the cattle when he retires. ”

In Deng Ming's view, Wang Mingde and the others had other advantages of letting them back, that is, when they encountered danger again in the future, most of them would not fight to the death with the Ming army, and they could publicize the Ming army's policy through their mouths, so that the Qing army would not dare to harm the Ming prisoners.

……

"A few of you have lost your teacher and humiliated the country, and you still have the face to come back to see the governor! I dare to act as a lobbyist for Deng thieves and ask me for armaments! After learning that Gao Mingzhan, Wang Mingde and other descendants returned safely, Li Guoying was overjoyed at first, but when he listened to the request of Wang Mingde and others, he was immediately furious.

Wang Mingde didn't argue, just hugged the calf of the governor of Sichuan and Shaanxi and cried: "The sinner is incompetent, and he has failed the trust of the governor, but many of the thieves who fell into the camp are good men of our army, I beg the governor to have mercy." ”

If Wang Mingde and the others can get their henchmen and personal soldiers back from Deng Ming, and have the opportunity to regroup and train new troops as much as possible, Li Guoying will also plead with the imperial court for the sake of these use values; But if Li Guoying refuses to agree, then they will become useless, and if the imperial court really wants to punish the governor of Sichuan and Shaanxi, he will definitely stay out of the way.

"The soldiers of the guilty generals are actually the soldiers of the Governor." Hu Wenke hugged Li Guoying's other boot, and also cried to tears: "Does the Governor still remember the pro-Wei Qianzong of the guilty general?" A few years ago, when Liu Wenxiu attacked Baoning, he was in the army of the Governor and killed the enemy for the Governor. The Governor had praised him personally, and he always remembered it! ”

Gao Mingzhan had no one to ask for it from Deng Ming, so he didn't squeeze into Li Guoying's boots, but on the way back, Gao Mingzhan and others had already made an offensive and defensive alliance with Wang Mingde and them: Gao Mingzhan and his gang helped Wang Mingde and they persuaded Li Guoying, and Wang Mingde will be responsible for helping Gao Mingzhan say good things in the future, and also helping the other three generals who were captured in Chengdu to regain their military establishment, military salary, and status.

"Deng Ming'er is greedy for small profits, and even agreed that we will exchange the ploughing cattle for the captured soldiers, which is really a blessing for the court and the governor." Gao Mingzhan said from another angle: "Your Excellency the Governor will go all out to rescue the captured soldiers, and you will definitely make the soldiers love them wholeheartedly and swear to fight to the death for the Governor." ”

Li Guoying glanced at Gao Mingzhan, and he was really angry: "After Hugh is going to say something, if the court knows that the official compromised with the traitor and agreed to Deng Ming's conditions, then the position of governor will almost be done." ”

"Your Excellency the Governor is wrong with this, how can it be that the Governor has compromised with the thief? Obviously, the Governor knew that Deng Mingnai was a scheming man who coveted the small profits in front of him, and lured him with small profits. As a result, Deng Ming really entered the coffin, and put the soldiers back for a few cows. Gao Mingzhan immediately replied, seeing that Li Guoying was silent, Gao Mingzhan hit the railroad while it was hot: "Don't worry, Your Excellency, as long as we send Deng Ming some more sickles, he will definitely agree to do what Your Excellency Governor said." ”

Li Guoying knew that there were many hidden dangers in this matter, and the impact on the morale of the army was unpredictable, but he really needed this group of soldiers. Now Chóngqìng are all military generals and troops returning from Guizhou, and Daniel Zhang and Zhao Liangdong have been able to compete with Li Guoying. If there are no generals who can contain them, then most of the military salaries allocated by the imperial court will inevitably be taken away by them, and more newly trained new troops will be controlled in the future.

"Although Zhao Liangdong and their appearance is good now, who dares to say that they will not be arrogant in the future?" Li Guoying pondered in his heart, this hidden worry has been troubled for several days, and he glanced at Wang Mingde and others who were crying bitterly at his feet: "Deng thief's means of figuring out people's hearts are not under his bravery, if I flatly refuse these people's pleas, not only will I cut off my arm, but also fall into a bad reputation, Daniel Zhang, Zhao Liangdong and they may also have a sense of sadness for the death of a rabbit and a fox; Moreover, if I refuse today, then Wang Mingde and they will definitely hold a grudge against me, and if the court really wants to punish them, they will definitely want to bite me. Doesn't save his henchmen when he sees death, destroys his wings, loses a bad reputation, and takes the blame on himself, this is ...... Am I trying to free up the position of Governor of Sichuan and Shaanxi for someone else? ”

As for the standard camp guards, they are Li Guoying's heart, even if they don't change to other people, Li Guoying has to try to save his standard camp guards.

"This idea was not me, it was your clever plan, and it was you who guaranteed that Deng Ming would keep his word." After Li Guoying thought clearly, he pointed to Gao Mingzhan and said: "It's up to you to talk to Deng Ming, and you will come forward to replace people with ploughing cattle and farm tools, if this matter is done, the governor will beg the court for mercy for you, if you mess up, you are deceived by Deng Ming, the person is not saved, or the court finally blames, you can throw yourself into the river." ”

……

Wu Chenming and the other captured Ming soldiers have been in a complicated mood since they were rescued by friendly forces, and they always feel as if they have done something shameful and unsightly.

Today is the first time that Deng Ming came out to see the whole army after the war, and he let hundreds of Ming officers and soldiers who were once captured line up in front of the three armies, and Wu Chenming, as the person with the highest rank in the captured Ming army, was even named by Deng Ming on the stage.

"Twenty miles of deception, reorganizing and counterattacking, this not only requires the soldiers to fight side by side, but also needs to keep secrets." Deng Ming said loudly to the soldiers in the audience: "In this battle, hundreds of our brothers were left behind and unfortunately captured, and they gritted their teeth and refused to confide in our military plans, so that the enemy army would always know nothing about our plans until it was too late. I don't know how you are, anyway, I ask myself, I may not be willing to sacrifice my life and not say a word, and I can't resist torture for long. ”

Learning from the referee of the boxing match in his previous life, Deng Ming raised one of Wu Chenming's hands high and shouted to the soldiers in the audience: "This is our common victory, let us cheer to these heroes who returned safely!" ”

On the same day, Deng Ming, despite his injuries, asked Wu Chenming and other three hundred Ming troops to gather together and agree with them with tea instead of wine.