Anti-Qing: Starting from the Jintian Uprising

Chapter 355 Yi: As long as I have no morals, no one can morally blackmail me!

Li Yi rode his horse to the outskirts of the battlefield, not far from the Yellow River.

He asked as he raised his telescope to observe the battlefield.

"What is the situation now?"

The specific strategic arrangements and military mobilization for this battle were all made by Li Yi himself.

If he wanted to make the next arrangements based on the battlefield situation, he naturally had to understand the battlefield situation first.

As soon as Li Yi finished speaking, Zuo Zongtang, director of the Operations Department of the General Staff who was responsible for statistics on the battlefield situation, began to recount to Li Yi the course of the battle.

"Reply to your Majesty's words."

"In this battle, the Qing army first retreated northwards but was blocked by our navy, stranded on the south bank of the Yellow River and unable to cross the river. Then, taking advantage of the opportunity when the Qing army was blocked by the Yellow River, our main force marched quickly from Taoyuan Town and Dongping Prefecture to the battlefield, completing the encirclement of the Qing army."

"Afterwards, our soldiers first defeated the Qing army's Shengbao's blocking force, and then launched a general attack on the Qing army's main force under the cover of artillery fire."

"It's just a pity that our army was a little slow in launching the offensive, and the remnants of the Qing army took the opportunity to escape to the Yellow River embankment."

"The Qing army deployed artillery on the Yellow River embankment, attempting to take advantage of our army's fear of the Yellow River embankment and put up a desperate resistance."

"Our army also had concerns about the Yellow River embankment, so we slowed down the final work of this battle."

Facts have proved that Yi guessed correctly. The Tang Dynasty was indeed cautious about the Yellow River embankment.

Li Yi nodded slightly and said.

"Well, I understand."

"Director Zuo, do you have any suggestions for the upcoming battle?"

After hearing this, Zuo Zongtang thought for a while and then spoke.

"In reply to your Majesty, I believe that our army has achieved its goal of annihilating the main force of the Qing army in this battle, and it can be said to be a great victory."

"Next, we might as well persuade the remnants of the Qing army who are stubbornly resisting on the Yellow River embankment to surrender."

After hearing this, Li Yi fell into deep thought.

"What's the reason?"

Zuo Zongtang continued.

"First, if we persuade them to surrender, we can protect the Yellow River embankment."

"Otherwise, I am worried that if the remnants of the Qing army trapped on the Yellow River embankment are desperate and destroy the Yellow River embankment, it may cause another flood in the Yellow River."

"If our Tang Dynasty wants to provide disaster relief in the future, it will require another huge investment."

"Secondly, if we can make the Qing demon chieftain surrender to the Tang Dynasty, it will greatly facilitate the Tang Dynasty's continuation of the Northern Expedition."

"It can conquer the entire Zhili, Shanxi, and even the areas outside the Great Wall with just one order."

"Thirdly, if we can give birth to a Qing demon chieftain, it will definitely greatly increase the prestige of our Tang Dynasty and play a very positive propaganda role in politics."

After hearing this, Li Yi had to admit that what Zuo Zongtang said made sense.

The Qing Dynasty could blow up the Yellow River dike once, and if they were desperate, they could blow it up a second time.

Even after the Yellow River dike was blown up, the first to die were the Qing troops on the dike.

But who knows, Qi Yi is willing to risk his life to cause trouble for the Tang Dynasty?

Also, even though the Qing Dynasty lost the support of the people after it blew up the Yellow River dike.

But after all, the Qing Dynasty had been in power for two hundred years, so it still had some political influence.

If we can capture Yi alive, the benefits will outweigh the disadvantages!
Of course, even if the Qing Dynasty really wanted to blow up the Yellow River dike, Li Yi was not afraid.

Li Yi is a qualified military commander. When making strategic plans, it is impossible for him to only consider military factors.

Geographical factors will also be taken into consideration in advance.

The reason why Li Yi chose Dongping Prefecture as the battlefield this time.

In addition to making it convenient to take advantage of the natural barrier of the Yellow River to encircle and annihilate the Qing army.

In fact, it is also related to Dongping Lake!
Dongping Lake is connected to the Yellow River and has the function of discharging flood water.

With Dongping Lake there, even if the Qing Dynasty was really crazy enough to blow up the Yellow River dike again, the impact of the flood would be controllable.

It will also be much easier for the Tang Dynasty to carry out disaster relief in the future.

Also, it is true that the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River are indeed an above-ground river.

But this does not mean that the surface of the Yellow River is really much higher than the ground.

This river on the ground is actually equivalent to sea level.

Especially the section of Dongping Lake, because it is connected to the canal, this section of the Yellow River has a relatively small difference in height between the river surface and the ground.

In addition, with Dongping Lake as a low-lying point for flood discharge, even if the Qing Dynasty blew up the Yellow River dike here, the direction of the flood could be predicted.

Therefore, although the Tang army was somewhat cautious about the Yellow River embankment, they were not that cautious.

If possible, Li Yi would naturally be unwilling to bombard the Yellow River embankment.

Although the Yellow River embankment could be rebuilt after the war, it would cost money.

But if there is really no other way.

Even if it is the Yellow River embankment, it must be attacked.

At worst, we can just rebuild it after the war!

In any case, the Tang Dynasty had evacuated the people around the battlefield before the war, so even if the Yellow River burst again, the impact would be relatively controllable.

Li Yi spoke up.

"Very good, let's do as Chief Zuo said and prepare to send people to persuade the Qing army to surrender."

"Of course, all units of our army must also be prepared to storm the Yellow River embankment if the Qing army refuses to surrender."

Upon hearing this, all the generals clasped their fists in agreement.

Suddenly, Li Yi seemed to remember something and spoke.

"By the way, didn't our army carry a batch of secret weapons newly developed by the Foshan Arsenal in this battle?"

"It's just right. If the Qing troops on the Yellow River embankment refuse to surrender, we can give them a try."

……

The Qing army was trapped on the dike and was surrounded by the Tang army.

A mood of despair and pessimism is spreading in the army. "Now that the war has reached this point, what should our army do next?"

Yi looked worried and asked for advice.

Baojun, Ruilin and other military ministers on the side were all silent for a while.

Under the current circumstances, let alone them, even if all the elite members of the Eight Banners of Huang Taiji and Dorgon's generation were brought over, they would not be able to come up with any good solution.

Suddenly, Lin Ronglu, the eunuch who was serving Yi, made a suggestion.

"Your Majesty, I have a plan that may work."

Upon hearing this, Yi spoke hurriedly as if he had grabbed a life-saving straw.

"What is the method? Tell me quickly!"

Lin Ronglu heard this and spoke.

"In my opinion, the reason why the Tang bandits have not yet launched an offensive against our army is because they are afraid to attack the Yellow River embankment."

"We might as well use the Yellow River levee as a threat to force the Tang thieves to open a hole in the blockade and allow us to retreat northward."

Lin Ronglu’s words have been made very clear.

The Qing army’s only way to survive is on the Yellow River embankment.

The Yellow River embankment can be used to threaten the Tang army. Either the Tang army will let the Qing army go north, or the Qing army will blow up the Yellow River embankment.

Die together with the Tang army!
When Yi heard this, his eyes suddenly lit up and he nodded vigorously.

"Good! Good! Good!"

"Xiao Rongzi, this is a brilliant idea. Let's do it."

"If I am able to escape this time, I will definitely reward you handsomely."

Just at this moment, a Qing soldier came to report.

"Your Majesty, the Tang army has sent an envoy to request an audience."

Upon hearing this, Yi spoke without hesitation.

"Okay, go and bring the person over!"

As soon as Yi finished speaking, the Qing soldier turned and left, and soon brought a Tang official over.

The Tang official walked up to Yi without any greeting, but just looked at Yi, who was wearing a dragon robe.

The actions of the Tang official angered the important officials of the Qing court around him, and a group of people began to yell at him.

"How dare you! You cannot look directly at the Emperor!"

"You thief, why don't you show your respect? Aren't you afraid of death?"

"Who gave you the guts to not bow to the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty?!"

"..."

However, this Tang official did not take the anger of the Qing court to heart.

He snorted coldly and spoke directly.

"I came here today on the orders of my king to deliver an ultimatum to you Tartars."

"As the old saying goes: Heaven is merciful and kind, and the earth is generous and capable of bearing all things. The situation in the world is now clear, and it is inevitable that the Tang Dynasty will take over the world."

"My king is kind and does not want to commit more murders under the current circumstances, so I will give you Tartars one last chance."

"If you Tartars come to your senses and surrender, my king will show mercy and spare your lives, giving you a chance to live."

"But if you refuse to repent and do not know the destiny, and you resist to the end, my army will launch an offensive, and those who resist will not be spared!"

Upon hearing this, the Qing court officials became even more angry.

"How dare you! Who told you to speak to the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty like that?"

"You thief, you really don't know etiquette, you really deserve to be killed!"

"..."

While cursing, they even pretended to come up and beat up the Tang official.

But Yi raised his hand to stop him.

Yi threatened expressionlessly.

"Go back and tell the Tang thieves that I am the emperor of the Qing Dynasty. How can I fall into the hands of thieves?"

"I will never surrender until I die!"

"I am right here. If he has the guts, just send troops to attack. I will take them all."

"As long as you Tang thieves can accept the result of the Yellow River bursting its banks again!"

Upon hearing this, the Tang official's expression changed immediately and he shouted angrily.

"Tartar, you are unworthy of being a ruler. How dare you threaten the Tang Dynasty with the Yellow River embankment?!"

When Yi heard this, he was not angry, but instead spoke sarcastically.

"Have you Tang thieves not always said that the emperor of the Qing Dynasty is a Tartar chief? That's right, I am."

"I am a Tartar chieftain, not the ruler of the Central Plains. What does it have to do with me whether the Yellow River bursts its banks? I am only concerned about the survival of my Qing Dynasty and my Eight Banners!"

"It's just that I, a Tartar chieftain, can ignore the Yellow River, but your king claims to be the ruler of the Central Plains, can you not take the Yellow River seriously?"

Yi now seems to be in a desperate mood.

As long as I have no morals, you can't use morality to blackmail me!

The expressions of the Tang Dynasty officials were constantly changing.

Upon seeing this, Yi thought that he had grasped the weakness of the Tang thief, and continued.

"Go back and tell your king that if he wants the Yellow River embankment to remain intact, it's very simple. Just let me and my Qing soldiers cross the river."

"If he doesn't agree, I will blow up the Yellow River levee, let the Yellow River flood the prefecture again, and drag tens of thousands of people to be buried with my Qing Dynasty."

"I want to see if Li Yi, the ruler of the Central Plains, really loves his people as much as he claims!"

Yi is really shameless now.

However, now that he has reached this point, face is not that important.

(End of this chapter)