Chapter 32 The last rival in the second quarter

Zhu Yuanzhang's judgment was correct.In the several battles with Chen Youliang, the cowardly Zhang Shicheng remained on the sidelines, especially in the decisive battle of Poyang Lake, Zhu Yuanzhang went out all over the country, and Nanjing was almost empty. Aid Chen Youliang. The counties and counties controlled by Zhang Shicheng extend from Shaoxing in the south to Xuzhou in the north, Hao and Si in the west, and the sea in the east, with a distance of more than two thousand miles between the north and the south.After occupying such a vast territory, Zhang Shicheng gradually lost his aggressiveness and indulged in the corrupt life of the small court. He only hoped to keep this foundation and no longer have higher demands.However, in troubled times, not striving for progress can only mean being wiped out.

After eliminating Chen Youliang, Zhu Yuanzhang's next attack target was Zhang Shicheng.In October of the eleventh year of Longfeng (AD 1365), Zhu Yuanzhang mobilized a large army and launched a large-scale war against Zhang Shicheng's troops.On October 17th, Xu Da, Chang Yuchun and others led a horse-buoyed boat division, marched by land and water, crossed the Yangtze River, and planned to capture Huaidong.In April of the second year, Huaidong Xiping.The first phase of the campaign is over.On the second day of August in the twelfth year of Longfeng, Zhu Yuanzhang's army began to attack western Zhejiang, and soon captured Hangzhou, and then Shaoxing and Jiaxing surrendered without a fight.The second battle plan was declared complete.

After capturing Huzhou, Xu Da led his troops northward and joined forces with his generals to attack Pingjiang.Pingjiang was besieged for several months, there were no reinforcements outside, and there was a shortage of food and grass inside.Zhang Shicheng risked his life to break through the siege twice, but failed.The Lord of Pianan, who had been slack for many years, regained his heroic qualities at the end of his life. After the city gate was broken, he led 20,000 to 30,000 remnants in street fighting. After failing, he fled back to the mansion, burned his family to death, and hanged himself. But Zhu Yuanzhang's army who rushed in rescued him and sent him to Yingtian.

Zhu Yuanzhang ordered someone to bring this old opponent to the palace.After all, he had once been a "Son of Heaven", and Zhang Shicheng disdained to be a minister again, it was not polite.Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to chat with him and express his heroic pride with good words, but he remained silent.He refused to eat even if he was offered something to eat.Zhu Yuanzhang was so angry that he ordered people to carry him to Zhuqiao, beat him with forty sticks, and beat him to death, "died with a royal stick forty".In this way, Zhu Yuanzhang's last strong enemy was eliminated.