"Whoever surrenders is not allowed to surrender will be killed." Several generals were still threatening the defeated soldiers. But the soldiers had no fighting spirit. On the ground were groups of Fubo Army men and horses, blocking them tightly. On the sea were Fubo Army warships. The gun doors were open, and the black muzzles were facing the coast. Not to mention food and grass at hand, there is even a lack of weapons, and it cannot be defended even if it is to defend to the death.
As the propagandists continued to use loudspeakers at the beach to shout propaganda such as "preferential treatment for prisoners" and "those who surrender will avoid death", almost all the defeated soldiers on the beach surrendered, and the defeated soldiers on Xiaoying Field became increasingly shaken. .
The old veterans whispered in private about surrendering, and gradually their voices became louder. The officers and generals did not dare to rebuke anymore for fear of provoking a mutiny. At this time, the sun was getting hotter, thousands of people had no roof, and it was difficult to drink water. By noon, there was chaos, and everyone was shouting that they were willing to surrender. In the end, even the generals no longer persisted and followed the defeated soldiers out in dejection.
Chen Renjie was unwilling to surrender, so he took off his armor and, followed by a dozen soldiers with good water skills, secretly entered the water from Xiaoyingchang in an attempt to swim out of the siege of the Kun thieves. He was quickly intercepted by a navy boat. They were beaten one by one with a scratching rod until they were dizzy and then dragged aboard.
Most of the officers and soldiers who tried to escape by swimming met a similar fate. Another fate was to be beaten to death or drowned in the sea.
"Team of ten, take off your armor, raise your hands above your head, line up one by one and come out with your bare hands." Several staff members wearing gray uniforms but without collar badges ran back and forth with loudspeakers and gave instructions in Mandarin. They were surrounded by Soldiers lined up neatly holding rifles with bayonets and a
The Foreign Affairs Commission ordered officers and above to come out of one channel, and ordinary soldiers to come out of another channel. After each team came out, they were bundled into groups of ten and walked onto the makeshift trestle. Transport ships were waiting for them, and one after another was filled and left. The wounded were temporarily left for treatment.
Jia Mofei monitored the entire process. He wanted to accurately count the number of government and military prisoners "offshore" today so that Lingao could be prepared to receive them.
By noon, a total of 5700 prisoners had been accommodated in Xiaoyingchang and the beach. Around Chengmai County and to the seaside, there were corpses of men and horses and discarded armor and weapons everywhere. The sea breeze blew from the sea, blowing away the smoke and the smell of blood that shrouded the battlefield.
The troops who had been fighting fiercely since the morning began to beat the return drum and the battalions began to gather in formation. Occasionally gunfire could be heard in the distance. Groups of infantrymen gathered under their battalion flags from all corners of the battlefield. Their faces were blackened by gunpowder smoke, their military uniforms were torn and stained with blood, and their chests were breathing heavily, but each of them wielded their weapons bravely and sang war hymns intoxicatedly.
Bundles of official and military flags were thrown in front of the camp. Countless flags, from the broken "Commander of the Three Services" banner, to the leopard tail flag, the twenty-eight constellations flag, the Five Elements flag that represents the military base... to the flag of General Qian's personal surname, all kinds of flags made of silk, satin and cloth. Piles filled the open space in front of the camp.
Groups of prisoners captured from various places were driven past the camp towards the seaside. The confiscated weapons, armor, and vehicles were delivered one after another. They were piled up like a mountain. The only regret is that very few livestock were captured. The Guangdong officers and soldiers did not carry a large number of mules, horses and camels like the northern troops during the battle. The cavalry was also scarce, and the horses were injured a lot in the battle.
Amidst the loud military songs, the officers who were excited because they had won such a big victory for the first time found a tall and impressive Mongolian horse and asked He Ming to ride on it to inspect the battlefield "to boost the power of the army."
He Ming declined very humbly: "I can't ride a horse."
But he still accepted the request to stand on the wall of the camp and receive the cheers of the soldiers. When he climbed onto the camp wall and waved to greet the participating troops, all the artillery in the camp fired at the same time. Then, naval warships at sea also fired salutes in celebration. The rumbling sound of artillery swept across the entire battlefield.
A great victory over Wei Aiwen, Dongmen Chuiyu... and many other veterans. They either served in the logistics department or directly commanded battalions, companies and battleships to fight. At this time, a feeling of tipsiness enveloped their hearts. The army they built with their own hands, relying on the powerful weapons and logistical support provided by the modern chemical industry, finally exploded with extremely powerful energy. This energy that transcends time and space will lead them to conquer Guangdong and revive China until the entire world bows under the "New Order" system.
There was no time to count the spoils, but the most important figures for the spoils and prisoners have come out: in addition to the prisoners captured at the seaside, 22,000 prisoners were captured from other places. Including the prisoners captured in the previous battles, the total number of prisoners captured was 1,000. above. They captured more than 200 horses, countless swords, guns and armors of all kinds, and more than 3,000 large and small firearms. As for the various baggage, it is almost impossible to calculate.
But He Rubin and Zhao Ruyi had not been caught yet. Near noon, news finally came: He Rubin ran away.
When He Rubin's team fled to Qiongshan, their horses were tired. After running dozens of miles, horses kept falling to death. Every time a horse fell to death, a soldier and servant gave up his own horse to them. Those without horses were left to resist. Running and fighting all the way. He barely escaped and traveled more than 20 miles. Because the staff couldn't support it anymore, the sound of killing behind them gradually faded away and could no longer be heard. He Rubin knew that although the enemy hadn't chased him yet, he would definitely not let him go, and there would definitely be people intercepting him on the rocky mountain in front. With more than a hundred people and thirty or forty scribes, he would definitely not be able to get through. Thinking that the 20,000-strong army when he went on the expedition now only had a few troops around him, the court would definitely not let him go. Thinking of this, he once again had the idea of killing himself.
Before he could figure it out, the yellow agricultural vehicle had already caught up with him. The M24O gun on the vehicle fired bullets like raindrops, and the cavalrymen and staff who were resting were shot and fell to the ground. For a moment, the woods were filled with loud cries and chaos. He Rubin and Zhao Ruyi were quickly helped onto their horses surrounded by their own soldiers. Song Ming led a dozen cavalrymen and fired a round of arrows to attract the attention of the people on the car. Only then did the others find an opening to mount their horses and escape.
However, horsepower and manpower are always not comparable to machines. It didn't take long for them to be overtaken by agricultural vehicles again - this time it was no longer one, but several. The machine guns and the semi-automatic rifles of the special reconnaissance teams on the vehicles would This small group of troops was defeated. Zhao Ruyi was cared for by his own soldiers in the melee. He abandoned his horse and fled into the jungle. He Rubin's horse had been beaten to death. He was either dead or running away. He was already desperate and drew his sword. He was about to commit suicide when Song Ming arrived and gave him his horse.
"General, mount your horse quickly." Song Ming's face was covered with blood and his helmet fell off. "Don't take the post road anymore, run to the seaside." As he said this, he whipped the horse's butt hard, and then he went up to fight with a bow and arrow.
Then several more soldiers came and fired arrows at the mobile team to attract their attention, which allowed He Rubin to escape again.
The staff members who were lucky enough to survive dispersed in a hurry. Some fled into the jungle and grass, some fell to the ground and pretended to be dead, and some sat by the roadside crying and pretending to be crazy. Lu Yizhong sprained his foot and had no time to get on his horse. He burrowed into the grass regardless of the situation, adopting an "ostrich policy" of focusing on his head and not his buttocks.
After the mobile team cleared the battlefield, they captured 14 staff members below Lu Yizhong and found 19 corpses of the staff members. More than ten people escaped. He Zhanran was killed in the melee, but Song Ming once again escaped the pursuit with a few soldiers.
The curtain of the Battle of Chengmai finally slowly came down. Of the 22,000 troops that Wang Zunde had assembled in Guangdong, there were only less than 4,000 left.
"...A total of 114 members of the foreign commission, generals, and military personnel above 1,000 generals were killed in the battle. 6,157 soldiers were killed in the battle, and 10,825 were scattered. Horses and mules were lost in the battle. There are only nine hundred and thirty-five oxen, and the baggage is useless."
——"Chongzhen Qiong Facts Record"
At noon that day, He Ming asked the soldiers to take turns eating. At the same time, a battalion was sent to approach Chengmai County. The gates of the county town were closed tightly, and an atmosphere of panic permeated the whole city. The 20,000 officers and soldiers collapsed in front of the city's officials and citizens. The defeat was so tragic and so fast that no one paid any attention to Cheng. There is no chance of anything left to chance with Mai's fate.
Now the entire garrison in the city is only five hundred officers and soldiers and several hundred drill warriors. Propaganda personnel from the Political Department of the General Staff held loudspeakers and kept shouting outside the city asking them to open the city and surrender immediately. The Fubo Army promised not to harm the people in the city. As for the officers and soldiers, they will be protected as long as they surrender.
Of course, there are also threats: "You must wait until dark to open the door and dedicate the city, otherwise the people in the city will not be able to see tomorrow."
The gentry met at the county government meeting to discuss countermeasures. The so-called countermeasures were nothing more than surrendering or defending the city.
The gentry and common people in the city are unwilling to defend the city - they have understood that since the officers and soldiers cannot defend the stronghold, how can Chengmai, a small town, defend it? Instead of dragging on and being massacred by the city in the end, it is better to surrender now, which is nothing more than a waste of food and money. As for Mr. Qian who was guarding the city, he had no intention of fighting to the end. Although he did not directly say whether he was willing to surrender, he never said a word.
Seeing that Mr. Qian did not hinder the surrender, the gentry decided to send people to the city to negotiate with the Kun thieves first. It would be best to persuade them not to enter the city. As for how much money is needed, the city must try to supply it. Song Zonghui volunteered to be the messenger. Just after noon, he came to the city with a little boy servant, and was about to lower the city when he suddenly passed Liu Jingxuan.
Liu Jingxuan whispered to him, asking him to try his best to negotiate a plan that would prevent the Kun thieves from entering the city.
"...The students heard that Wu Ling of Lingao has always been at peace with the Kun thieves. The Kun thieves have not entered the city. Wu Ling can also defend the court. No matter what the Kun thieves say, the old gentleman just agrees."
"What if they want the officers and soldiers in the city to surrender, but President Zhou Qian refuses?" Song Zong would be worried that the officers and soldiers would take the opportunity to mutiny and loot the city.
"Mr. Zhou Qian refuses to surrender, how can Chengmai be able to defend it?" Liu Jingxuan knew what he was thinking, and whispered, "Even if he robbed all the gold and silver in the city, he would still have gained an advantage over the Kun thieves... ...Just an Australian. Zhou Qian would never be so confused."
"I'm afraid that his soldiers will not understand justice."
"It's okay. The student talked to him last night. Each of his soldiers will be rewarded one tael of silver by the county, and the leader will be doubled. The total will be five taels. The student promised him another two hundred taels of silver. President Zhou Qian agreed. Just scraping by.”
Song Zonghui made a rough calculation and found that it was almost a thousand taels of silver. He knew that the bulk of the money would still come from the gentry in the city. But at this moment, I no longer care about cherishing money. I just want to spend money to eliminate disasters and send away the plague gods in and outside the city as soon as possible.
"...Besides, you can rest assured," Liu Jingxuan looked around and saw that there were no officers or soldiers patrolling, and his voice was almost lowered to a whisper, "Mr. Zhou Qian hopes that you can talk to Kun...the Australian, so that he can bring more than a dozen people with him." If the soldiers leave, he is willing to surrender these five hundred soldiers."
Song Zonghui nodded: "Okay, with these few words, I feel relieved. Old parents, please listen to the good news." At that moment, he sat in the big basket and was slowly lowered down by Lian Yong from the city.
Song Zonghui led his servants down to the top of the city and crossed the ditch. He did not dare to walk around and shouted as he walked. At that moment, a patrol took him to the headquarters of the 6th Infantry Battalion, which was responsible for surrounding and monitoring Chengmai County. Zhu Quanxing was commanding his men to search for the remaining soldiers, clean up the corpses, and collect weapons. When he heard that someone was coming to discuss surrender, he did not dare to neglect and ordered someone to bring them.
Song Zonghui was led into the "headquarters" by the soldiers. He was surprised because there were no tents here, just a temporary straw shed with a red flag erected outside and slightly tighter security on all sides.
Before entering, the guards searched him up and down before letting him in.
"This is our Battalion Commander Zhu," said the orderly who brought him over.
Song Zonghui didn't know how senior the battalion commander was, but he could see clearly in the city that there were about a thousand people in the Kunthi battalion. Compared with the officers and soldiers, they were probably guerrillas. He saw that the general in front of him was tall, with a beard and small eyes. He was wearing a gray uniform similar to that of a soldier, and his calves were tightly wrapped. The only difference from a soldier was that he had a saber hanging on his waist. He didn't expect that the leader of the Kun thief could be so simple, so he couldn't help but secretly admire him in his heart, and quickly bowed deeply:
"Chengmai County citizens Song Zong will meet with the general."
Zhu Quanxing saw that he was a well-maintained middle-aged man. Although his clothes were stained with mud, the texture and style were very particular. He should be a gentleman. He immediately said politely: "I am a major. Not a general."
"I am entrusted by the people of Chengmai County to see the general..." He immediately stated his intention, and finally bowed to the end, "I hope the general will make it happen."
"Well," Zhu Quanxing felt that he couldn't make the decision after hearing this - this involved government affairs, and even He Ming might not be able to make an immediate decision.
"I have to report this to the superiors." He asked an officer to send him immediately to the headquarters of the camp.
After Song Zonghui arrived at the camp, he was led to an independent shed and received a good reception. He could not help but be secretly surprised when he saw that the interior of the camp was very orderly and not inferior to the officers and soldiers at all. Because he always felt that the Kun thieves were just relying on the advantages of firearms, and they may not be as strict in running the army as the imperial court's management.
Wei Aiwen was responsible for the negotiations. Regarding the conditions put forward by Song Zonghui, Wei Aiwen generally agreed - basically in line with the idea issued by the Executive Committee regarding the seizure of prefectures and counties with the main focus of "clearing the skin, Macao and heart". Although this guiding policy is not absolute, the fact that the other party is now actively requesting cooperation is an excellent opportunity for implementation.
But it is absolutely impossible not to enter the city. After all, this is related to the actual control of the entire county.
"Is there any difference if my troops enter the city or not?" Wei Aiwen said, "I know what you mean. Mr. Liu just refuses to die in the city and commits suicide. Don't worry, we will naturally let Mr. Liu and his wife finish this mission peacefully. go home."
Such straightforwardness left Song Zonghui speechless. Of course, the other party was right.
"Always ask the general to be more lenient." Song Zonghui whispered, "The people are very grateful." As he said, he hinted that if Wei Aiwen could help negotiate the matter, he could give him money and a woman in private.
Of course Wei Aiwen didn't want his bribe, and the Cheka had recently made regulations that when negotiating and meeting with the indigenous people of this time and space, someone must be present to take notes throughout the process, and they must sign afterward. As a senator, there is no exception. Wei Aiwen ignored his words and simply stated his requirements and conditions.
All officers and soldiers marched out of the city and surrendered. Zhou Qian is always willing to leave, so he can be allowed to leave. All supplies and weapons kept by the officers and soldiers in the city must be handed over and shall not be concealed.
Chengmai will be opened to the city immediately and unconditionally.
After the opening of the city, the county government continued to be responsible for the city's security and administration.
The Fubo Army will send a number of troops into the city to clean up the stragglers in the city, disarm the city, and send all the warriors in the city home.
The whole county of Chengmai promised to supply a large amount of supplies and food to the Fubo Army. The specific types and numbers will be discussed after the city is opened.
Song Zonghui knew that the figure was not small, and he couldn't help but feel sad, but he had no room for bargaining, so he could only agree one by one. In the end, he only said very carefully: "Can the noble soldiers not enter the city? This way, Mr. Liu can have a Explain..."
"The troops entering the city are all in civilian clothes and do not display any banners," Wei Aiwen said. "Mr. Liu can always handle the situation, so there is no need to commit suicide, right?" He said with a smile, "I know you still want to bargain and ask us not to enter. City. But you should also know that as long as we are willing, we can chat with you in the lobby of the county government. "
Song Zonghui was startled and said quickly: "Yes, yes, the general is magnanimous and the people are grateful." He then added, "Mr. Liu must also be grateful."
"It doesn't matter whether he is grateful or not," Wei Aiwen laughed, "We have a long time ahead." v! ~!
