Chapter 707: Compare the Goods and Throw Them Away (Ask for Monthly Votes)

At this point, Ju Jingren knew that he had to persuade Kato Kiyomasa to surrender, but he had to die with a clear conscience.

He asked with a sad face: "Tianshuai, can you tell me why I must go to Jizhou City to persuade Kato to surrender?"

Lin Tailai glanced at Ju Jingren. What other reason could there be? It's just a matter of trying to get the date. Let you, Ju Jingren, stir it a few times. If there is any chemical reaction, it will be a profit.

As long as I am willing, there will be no shortage of traitors on my side, and I won't feel bad if I use you, Ju Jingren.

While thinking, he replied: "At this time, Kato Kiyomasa retreated and defended, just like hiding in a hard tortoise shell, leaving no place for others to attack.

So the headquarters is just thinking of using all the methods available to see if they can pry open a gap. It is also the same reason to send you to persuade people to surrender. I didn't expect you to play a role."

Then Lin Tailai changed the subject and encouraged him: "But just now I saw that you are so eloquent and so good at persuading people. It would be a pity if you don't use this mouth to be a lobbyist!

Therefore, I have higher expectations for you. Please use all your talents and work hard to break the current deadlock!

The headquarters is preparing fine wine here, waiting for your safe return!"

Ju Jingren wanted to say back that if you are good at speaking and persuading people, you are not bad, Tianshuai.

But after thinking about it, he could only make a request and said: "Before I go to persuade them to surrender, I beg the Marshal to deploy the heavy artillery and bombard Jizhou City to boost my momentum."

"That's fine." Lin Tailai agreed, "My Ming Dynasty soldiers don't keep useless people! The headquarters promises that if you can come back alive, you will be the chairman of the Hamgyong Province Maintenance Association in the future!"

Since people are going to "die", they must be given some benefits, otherwise why should they be dedicated?

The next day, Lin Tailai ordered dozens of "heavy artillery" weighing more than 100 kilograms to be pushed out to prepare for bombardment of Jizhou City.

Compared with the configuration of more than 300 heavy artillery of Li Rusong's Corps, the dozens of artillery here are indeed not enough, but there is no way, they can't bring so many.

According to the original history, Kato Kiyomasa could calmly withdraw to Anbian, the southernmost end of South Hamgyong Province, and observe the situation there.

Then, seeing the rapid offensive of the Ming army in the early stage, after the Battle of Pyeongcheon, the Ming army temporarily stopped advancing, and Kato Kiyomasa's corps successfully withdrew to Seoul.

However, in this time and space, Lin Tianshuai moved too quickly and unexpectedly carried out a large-scale penetration, using seven days to reach the east coast from the west coast through the complex mountainous area.

Then he closed the door and beat the dog, directly cutting off the retreat of Kato Kiyomasa's corps that had penetrated deep into Hamgyong Province, and quickly annihilated Naoshige Kojima's corps.

At this time, Kato Kiyomasa could only gather all the 10,000 Japanese soldiers directly under him, and shrink in Jizhou to defend it, so as not to be defeated one by one.

After the preparations were completed, Lin Tianshuai gave an order, and dozens of artillery began to bombard.

Although it was not as loud as the more than 300 artillery pieces when attacking Pyongyang City, after the concentrated bombardment, the Japanese soldiers on the top of the city also had a small sense of shock.

The Japanese soldiers had never seen heavy artillery, let alone the scene of heavy artillery being used in a concentrated manner. With Japan's smelting technology and resources, it really couldn't afford to use heavy artillery clusters.

Even the main general Kato Kiyomasa was alarmed by the bombardment. He went up to the top of the city to take a look, and then was persuaded to go down.

Maybe everyone felt that Lord Kato, who was more than 1.8 meters tall and more than a foot taller than "ordinary people", was too prominent standing on the top of the city, and they were worried that the lord would become the target of the Ming army.

After the bombardment, Ju Jingren ran to the bottom of the city and shouted to enter the city for negotiation.

Relying on a familiar face, Ju Jingren was not killed directly. Kato's retainer Shobayashi Hayato, who was patrolling on the top of the city, reported to Lord Kato Kiyomasa for instructions.

At this time, Kato Kiyomasa was talking to his retainers about the heavy artillery outside the city. After all, it was the first time for them to see a group of heavy artillery bombardment.

Upon hearing that Ju Jingren came to negotiate, the retainer Iida Kyujiro said angrily: "The Nabeshima clan was completely destroyed, but this Ju Jingren was unharmed. He must have surrendered to the Ming army again! He even dared to come to our army and bark. We might as well kill him as a warning!"

However, another retainer Morimoto Rikishi advised: "We don't know much about the Ming army. We might as well let Ju Jingren in first and try to get intelligence about the Ming army from him, and then kill him."

Kato Kiyomasa, who was sitting in the middle, nodded and ordered: "Take Ju Jingren here!"

Then the Japanese soldiers in the city put down the hanging basket, pulled Ju Jingren from outside the city to the top of the city, and then tied him up and went to Kato's main camp in the city.

Ju Jingren was not idle after entering the city. He kept observing the situation on both sides of the road. After walking for a while, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

He could already judge that there were probably no residents in this small city at this time.

As for where the original residents in the city went, it was chilling to think about it. You know, Kato Kiyomasa's troops have always been known for killing civilians.

Then Ju Jingren was tied to the steps and saw Kato Kiyomasa sitting in the main room above, with a screen behind him that he didn't know where he got from.

When he betrayed the two princes of the Joseon Dynasty, when he first saw Kato Kiyomasa, Ju Jingren was also amazed at the tall, majestic and powerful Japanese pirate.

However, in recent days, I have seen Lin Tianshuai too much, and when I saw Kato Kiyomasa again, I suddenly felt that this person was just so-so.

Compared with Lin Tianshuai, Kato Kiyomasa was obviously smaller in length and thickness, and was "thin" to the naked eye.

But before he could see more clearly, Ju Jingren was firmly pressed to the ground to answer.

Iida Kujiro, one of the three outstanding retainers of Kato, stood up and scolded Ju Jingren: "My lord treats you very well and entrusts you to govern the Hamhing Mansion. How dare you surrender to the enemy!"

Ju Jingren responded loudly and sadly: "I advised Nabeshima Naomo not to attack at night, but he insisted on going his own way and the army was defeated!

Later I was captured because of this. As a Korean native, what could I do? "

Anyway, whether he ever advised Naoshima Naoshima, now there is no evidence to prove it! As long as you cry out for injustice with confidence, it will sound very credible!

Iida Kujiro looked at Kato Masakiyoshi and sat down again.

"Why are you here?" Kato Kiyomasa asked aggressively in person.

Ju Jingren replied: "Come to persuade Qing Zhenggong to surrender!"

Kato Kiyomasa seemed angry. He drew his knife and pointed it at Ju Jingren and shouted: "You dare to humiliate me with your arrogant words. I am planning to kill you in memory of Nabeshima and his son!"

Facing the tip of the knife, Ju Jingren only felt tired. He was walking on thin ice and might end up dead at any time.

Sometimes I think I might as well just die, then I won’t be so tired.

But his stubborn desire to survive still made him shout: "It was Lin Tianshuai of the Ming Dynasty who asked the villain to come. It was Lin Tianshuai of the Ming Dynasty who wanted to persuade Qing Zhenggong to surrender. The villain was just a messenger!"

The subtext is that the person who humiliated you by "persuading surrender" is Lin Tianshuai, not him, the traitor!

Although Kato Kiyomasa was very brave, he was not simply reckless. Hearing this, he put away his sword and asked, "Since you mentioned Lin Tailai, can you tell me more about what kind of person he is?"

I didn't plan to kill Ju Jingren now, but I also hoped to get some useful information from Ju Jingren.

Ju Jingren quickly introduced: "Lin Tianshuai is the general of the Ming army who entered the Ming Dynasty! He is also the first poet, literary leader in the Ming Dynasty, and the first warrior in the Ming Dynasty.

I wonder if Qing Zhenggong has ever heard of the imperial examination? It was a bottom-up selection process, and Lin Tianshuai ranked first in both the civil and military rankings.

All in all, Lin Tianshuai can be said to be a fierce general wearing armor, and a minister without armor."

Are there still people like this in the world? Kato Kiyomasa was stunned for a moment. Isn't this the kind of person his Lord Hideyoshi most wants to be?

But the best Lord Hideyoshi can do is pretend to be a minister. There is definitely no hope for a strong general, and he can't even pretend.

Thinking of something else, Kato Kiyomasa interjected and asked: "I heard that during the Battle of Hamhung, there was an unparalleled and invincible general in the Ming Dynasty, Ichibanjo. Could it be Lin Tailai himself?"

Although all the Japanese soldiers in Hamheung were wiped out, there were always a few who escaped, so Kato Kiyomasa had a little understanding of the situation in the Battle of Hamheung.

It is said that the general of the Ming army appeared during the day like a flashy official. He was so exaggerated and frivolous that Nabeshima Naoshige couldn't help but attack at night. Then in the early morning, a murderous general came to the city and broke into the city.

Could it be that the flamboyant minister during the day and the fierce general who came to the city in the early morning were actually the same person?

Ju Jingren did not deny it and replied: "Exactly."

Hearing this answer, the Kato retainers listening on the left and right all changed their colors.

It's like those weak public servants in the country suddenly transformed into the God-killing Blood Demon King. This scene is weird no matter how you think about it.

Seeing this group of Japanese being shocked by Tianshuai, Ju Jingren added a very crucial introduction just right:

"This Lin Tianshuai is tall and majestic. He became famous for his bravery as a young man and his marksmanship is extremely outstanding. Now he can command an army at a young age."

After hearing this, all the retainers suddenly looked at Lord Kato in unison.

If you only heard the words "tall and majestic, young and famous for his bravery, outstanding marksmanship, and commanding an army at a young age", you would think that he was talking about his own lord.

Kato Kiyomasa became famous as the "Seven Guns of the Seven Mountains" when he was twenty years old, but he is only thirty-one or twelve years old now.

Even Kato Kiyomasa himself couldn't help but compare in his mind.

Another retainer, Morimoto Rikishi, asked curiously: "What official position does Lin Tailai hold in the Ming Dynasty? What kind of power does he have?"

The systems of the Ming Dynasty and the Japanese state were so different that it was difficult for Ju Jingren to explain to the Japanese people in front of him what position Lin Tianshuai had in the Ming Dynasty.

He remembered some of the boastful words he had heard from his general Cui Wukui, and replied nondescriptly: "Lin Tianshuai's strength is roughly equivalent to that of a famous person in your country from 500,000 dan to 1 million dan. It's hard to calculate the exact amount.

One-third of the most prosperous and prosperous Jiangnan area in the Ming Dynasty was Lin Tianshuai's territory. "

All the Kato retainers took a breath. They were also famous young people with outstanding marksmanship. Their Lord Kato currently only had a territory of 190,000 koku.

Their status in this war is even more incomparable. Kato Kiyomasa is only the commander-in-chief of the Second Corps, while Lin Tailai is the general-general of the Ming army.

They originally thought that Lord Kato, who had "made everything from scratch" and became a famous figure in his twenties, was already an extraordinary figure. However, compared with Lin Tailai opposite him, it seemed that the effect of "comparing goods had to be thrown away" appeared.

Kato Kiyomasa had a straight face, feeling extremely unhappy and wishing he could give Lin Tailai a lesson.

He was conceited and unconvinced. The upper limit for people with the surname Lin was just because he was born in the Ming Dynasty, where the stage was bigger.

Anyway, Kato Kiyomasa didn't want to talk about Lin Tianshuai anymore, so he forced himself to start another conversation and asked: "How many soldiers and horses are there in the Ming army outside the city?"

Ju Jingren replied: "The whole army is said to be fifty thousand, but in fact there are thirty thousand, and they are all elite.

I wonder if Qing Zhenggong saw the artillery bombardment scene just now. That was only part of it. At least there were hundreds of artillery pieces not arranged.

This is the strength of the Ming army outside the city, but Qing Zhenggong is trapped in the isolated city, with no way of retreat, no reinforcements outside, and no prospect of victory. "

"Baga! How dare you disrupt our army's morale!" Iida Kyujiro jumped out again and scolded: "If the Ming army is really sure, just attack the city, why bother sending you to persuade it to surrender!

In Hamheung Prefecture, when did the Ming army ever give our soldiers a chance to surrender?"

Ju Jingren replied: "We haven't attacked the city yet, just because Lin Tianshuai cherishes his soldiers and doesn't want them to suffer too many casualties.

After all, this is for the Kingdom of Korea, not the Ming Kingdom's own business; moreover, the Ming army is on an expedition to a foreign country, and it is difficult to replenish troops. Lin Tianshuai tries to avoid more casualties as much as possible."

The implication is that if the Ming army attacks the city at all costs, it can still be captured.

Kato Kiyomasa said, "If Lin Tailai really has sympathy for his soldiers, I can completely give up Hamgyong Province and count it as his recovery.

But the Ming army must lift its offensive against Jizhou and open the passage to the south, so that our army can leave Hamgyong Province intact.

In this way, he can recover Hamgyong Province without losing a single soldier, isn't it wonderful?"

Ju Jingren declined politely, "Not appropriate, not appropriate, this way, Marshal Lin Tian will not be able to explain to all parties. And he will be considered as cowardly and indulge the enemy, which will damage Marshal Lin Tian's reputation."

Kato Kiyomasa snorted coldly, "Then we can't talk about it anymore, our army will defend the city and fight to the death.

Besides, the Ming army mobilized tens of thousands of troops and advanced so quickly, and it must have brought There won't be too much rations to bring, and it's not possible to collect them locally for the time being.

I wonder how long the Ming army can hold out with limited rations? "

Ju Jingren asked back: "Even if the Ming army outside the city retreats, where can Qingzhenggong, who is trapped in North Hamgyong Province, go? He still can't retreat to the south."

Kato Kiyomasa was a little crazy and shouted: "Even if there are 30,000 Ming troops, killing 1,000 a day will kill them all in 30 days!"

Ju Jingren didn't take Kato Kiyomasa's boasting seriously, and said: "In fact, I have a suggestion in private, and I hope Qingzhenggong will consider it."

"Why not say it directly!" Kato Kiyomasa said impatiently.

Ju Jingren was secretly happy in his heart. He had been laying the groundwork for a long time, secretly comparing Lin Tianshuai with Kato, constantly provoking Kato, and now it was finally time to close the net.

So he took the opportunity to say: "Lin Tianshuai has always been proud of his bravery. Would you consider fighting him in a duel?"

Kato Kiyomasa was very surprised. What era is this? Why are there still duels between generals? This kind of joke only exists in stories!

Ju Jingren said with full firepower: "Don't you think that this form is very retro and elegant?

And in the current situation, one side is at a disadvantage and can't see any hope of defending the city, while the other side has limited food and grass and is reluctant to pay casualties.

So using the main general to fight to solve the problem seems very naive, but it is actually a very reasonable choice for both of you!

What's more, facing such a pretentious person like Lin Tianshuai, wouldn't Qingzheng want to personally destroy his prestige and wipe his face?

As long as you can defeat Lin Tianshuai, Qingzheng will immediately become truly famous throughout the world, and your reputation will spread throughout the Ming Dynasty!"

Kato Kiyomasa: ""

Damn it! I was actually moved and really had the urge to duel with Lin Tailai.