"Listen to the people below the city. The Protector has an order! Everyone retreats immediately and is not allowed to take another step forward! No one is allowed to approach the moat! Otherwise, they will be punished for treason and will not be killed!"
Twelve Kaiyuan training officers followed the chief training officer Senti, each holding a loudspeaker and shouting loudly at the people approaching the moat, giving a final warning to the cannon fodder.
"Turn around and capture the thief Zhang Chun. He will be promoted to commander and rewarded with thirty thousand taels of silver!"
The Kaiyuan trainer and the rebels faced each other tit for tat and offered a higher reward.
"Don't listen to Liu Thief's nonsense, rush over. They only have 2,000 people. We have 200,000 people. Rush over. Rush into the capital and let you grab money and food!"
Zhu Liang, escorted by two Zhang Chun servants, came to the moat again and howled at the top of his lungs at the cannon fodder.
"Better your legs and feet! After filling in the trench, everyone goes to the city to get two bricks. Only two bricks. After getting them, go back to the big tent to eat meat and drink wine. After the city is broken, follow the military men to steal the money and women!"
After Zhu Liang finished speaking, he hurriedly rode back to the rebel formation.
Just as the two sides were exchanging words, the people filling the trenches who had been miserable just now suddenly became full of life, and their eyes looking up at the Yongdingmen city wall began to be filled with some kind of longing.
Liu Zhaosun was keenly aware of this change, turned to Qiao Yiqi and said:
"Supervisor Qiao, it seems these people can only be used as cannon fodder."
Since both Wang Conzhi and Han Zhenyi were transferred to Shaanxi, Supervisor Qiao, who had always been immovable, naturally had to be immovable this time - he was responsible for commanding the artillery battalion troops.
"The Lord Protector means that we can fire cannons?"
Along the way these years, Qiao Yiqi's conscience has not faded. He never thought that one day he would fire artillery to bombard people.
Liu Zhaosun comforted this old subordinate and said:
"They were common people before, but now they have become traitors. Do these cannon fodders really think that Kaiyuan's military knife can't be lifted? I want to see what other tricks Zhang Chun has up his sleeve!"
"Rebel artillery!"
Liu Zhaosun raised his telescope and looked in the direction of Qiao Yiqi's finger. In the large formation behind the dense shield vehicles, artillery pieces slowly appeared.
Zhang Dong, who was standing next to him, said quickly: "Guo Guogong, these are the French cannons brought by the rebels from Liaoxi and Hebei, and the red cannons hidden by Zu Dashou."
Liu Zhaosun frowned. After the capture of Jinzhou, Zu Dashou's group of Franji instructors who were good at firing guns disappeared. Along with the instructors, more than a dozen red cannons disappeared.
In the past two years, Coin Yiwei has been searching all over western Liaoning and northern Zhili, but he has been unable to find him. Unexpectedly, he was hidden by Zhang Chun.
"Zhang Chun, this old fox, hides so deeply!"
While talking, Qiao Yiqi had already begun to direct the firing. Behind the crenellations of the Yongdingmen city wall, artillerymen from Kaiyuan Artillery and Shenji Battalion were loading shells one after another. Civilians were busy carrying iron balls and gunpowder to the top of the city, and bamboo whistles were heard from the top of the city. The 12-pound field guns at the top of the city raised their muzzles one after another, shifting their bombardment targets from the previously moving crowd to the opponent's artillery that had just appeared.
Thanks to the in-depth processing of gun barrels in the workshop, the accuracy of firing field cannons has been improved to a higher level than that of Hongyi cannons, which also makes duels between artillery possible.
The cannon fodder approached the moat, but instead of stopping, they began to build a pontoon bridge on the opposite side of the moat. In order to attract the rebels to attack the city, the Kaiyuan Army did not implement the strategy of strengthening the wall and clearing the field this time. Liu Zhaosun was unable to burn every forest around the capital. , so the rebels could get enough wood under the city to make siege equipment such as carriages, ladders, and pontoons.
Following the order from Supervisor Qiao, the hundreds of French cannons and general cannons on the top of the city opened fire one after another, targeting the people on the other side of the moat who were building pontoon bridges. The cannonballs were dense like raindrops, pouring on the heads of the cannon fodder.
Amidst the earth-shattering roar, the Yongdingmen city wall shook slightly. Qiao Yiqi felt that the masonry under his feet might collapse and shatter at any time. This section of the city wall was completely submerged by the white barrage. Qiao Yiqi coughed violently while eager to know the effect of the shelling.
"Qiao Jianjun used his military skills to defeat the thieves with one shot. I admire him!"
The training officer Huang Youlun, who was encouraging mobilization in the artillery center, looked at the white smoke and praised.
"Where were the thieves defeated? Where? Why didn't I see them?"
Qiao Yiqi stretched his neck out of the crenel, staring at the white barrage and looking around. Just as he was about to turn around and ask Huang Youlun for a telescope, suddenly a cold arrow flew over the city with a whoosh, and the big arrow flew close to Qiao Yiqi's scalp.
Two soldiers immediately stepped forward and dragged Supervisor Qiao back. A row of firecrackers raised their firecrackers and fired at random in the direction of the cold arrows.
"Let me go. I am the supervisor of the army. I must be as immovable as a mountain! Let me go!"
Everyone was just stunned, wondering where the arrow came from. It should be noted that the rebels were still on the other side of the moat at this time, and it was impossible to shoot the arrow from under the city.
Qiao Yiqi pushed away the two soldiers who were supporting him and was furious. At this time, Zhang Dong hurried over with several coir raincoat guards and whispered to Supervisor Qiao:
"The craftsmen in the city are so anxious that they will jump over the wall. Does the Lord Protector know?"
Qiao Yiqi said calmly: "Everything is under the control of the Protector. Don't worry, he has arranged for Chief Yang and others to deal with the spies!"
"Get out of the way quickly, don't delay my official business."
After Qiao Yiqi said that, he ignored Zhang Dong and turned his attention back to the artillery in front of him.
At this time, the three rounds of shelling were over. The cannon fodder who had been in high spirits just now finally calmed down. No one was shouting to cross the river to capture Liu Thief. Hundreds of mutilated corpses were left on the moat, and some were injured. The undead cannon fodder rolled and wailed by the river, and fell into the muddy and difficult-to-walk moat.
"Don't retreat, keep charging! You will win when you cross the river!"
Zhang Chun's servants hid behind the carriage and shouted hysterically. They brandished their spears and stabbed them. Suddenly, they shot out from the carriage, killing the people who were trying to retreat.
Some servants used rifle bows to shoot the fleeing people. This group of supervisors quickly attracted Qiao Yiqi's attention. The immovable Qiao supervisor randomly ordered heavy artillery to cover the enemies behind the carriage.
The long-silent Hongyi artillery and twelve-pound field artillery finally showed their power. Like violent beasts, they roared and threw heavy iron balls into the sky, smashing them on the other side of the moat, knocking out the heavy and difficult-to-walk carriages. It was riddled with holes, the tumbling iron balls plowed bloody grooves through the ranks of the servants, and the flying sawdust caused secondary damage to these poor people. After the first round of shelling, more than 20 servants were killed on the spot.
Before the servants could recover, the second round of shelling came like a violent storm.
Familiar recipe, familiar taste, familiar picture.
Most of Zhang Chun's servants came from their ancestral home in western Liaoning. Such horrific bombardment undoubtedly evoked their distant and terrifying memories. It was like uncovering the scars of these poor men and making them feel the fear of death.
"Run away!"
At this time, the supervising team did not care about supervising the formation. Everyone screamed and ran back. They just wanted to escape from the artillery range of the city as soon as possible and escape to a safe distance in the rear.
The rebels' first round of attack ended hastily.
Liu Zhaosun looked at the scene of the cannon fodder escaping, and began to think about what tactics Zhang Chun would use in his next attack. What was certain was that it would not be an ant attack.
The capital city is high and deep. As long as there is no internal response and no help from siege equipment, it cannot be captured without the death of tens of thousands of people.
The group of people in front of him were just a mob. Zhang Chun's prestige was really limited, so he couldn't bear too many casualties.
The rebellion in the second year of Tianqi was the last crisis Liu Zhaosun suffered since he traveled through time. Of course, this was just a crisis.
In Yongdingmen Urn City, the firecrackers from the 14th Guards Corps have been assembled. This firecrackers unit of less than a thousand people is responsible for long-range firepower output and is the key force to guard Yongdingmen.
Behind the fire rifle soldiers, a thousand spearmen were also assembled and on standby. They were the last line of defense at Yongdingmen. By the time the spearmen fought, it was basically certain that the outer city of the capital would soon be captured by the rebels.
~~~
On Chaotianmen Street, Yang Tong, the chief officer of the Suppression Soldiers, restrained his terrifying iron hook and led a group of Suppression Soldiers into a T-shaped alley.
After going around several alleys, the group came to a remote and quiet courtyard.
A big yellow dog tied at the entrance of the alley was about to start barking when the Zhenfu soldier walking in front took out a short crossbow from his arms and fired two poisonous arrows. The yellow dog foamed at the mouth and fell to the ground.
"Highlight all the tricks. This is a big fish. Zhang Dong and the others just tortured it out. Lao Ma confessed this location. This is just following the clues."
After Yang Tong introduced his plans to his subordinates, he winked at the soldiers in front, and two lean subordinates stepped forward and knocked on the courtyard door.
Bang bang bang!
After a while, the sound of a door opening and the click of weapons clashing came from the wing in the courtyard.
Yang Tong had been in the army for a long time and was quite familiar with the sound of Jin Ge. He quickly made a gesture to signal the Zhenfu soldiers ambushing on both sides of the courtyard gate to prepare for battle.
There were heavy footsteps in the courtyard, and then a man's shout.
"Who?"
Yang Tong replied angrily:
"I was introduced by Lao Ma, a leather buyer!"
"I don't know, you're in the wrong place!"
Yang Tong chirped, but did not give up:
"Lao Ma! Lao Ma from the workshop wheel hammer, I am his brother, from Jinzhou."
The courtyard became silent again. The other party hesitated for a while, then the courtyard door suddenly creaked, and a ferocious face poked out from behind the door.
The Thousand-year-old Zhenfu soldier took out his waist card and waved it in front of that face:
"We are town guards, conducting routine inspections. Did you find any strange faces today?"
The other party touched his forehead, quickly glanced behind him, and said impatiently:
"Several soldiers, this army is in chaos. They set fires everywhere. They never went out and didn't pay attention. All the money has been paid. If there is nothing else, please..."
After saying that, he closed the courtyard door. Yang Tong took a step forward and pressed his feet against the door that was about to close.
"Your accent doesn't sound like you're from the capital, and your face is tight. Are you new here?"
The vicious man forced a smile and said: "What kind of language are you talking about? I have lived here last year and don't like to move around. The military master thinks it is normal to meet each other..."
"Open the door and go in and take a look,"
The other party's expression suddenly changed, and he smiled at Yang Tong and said, "It's easy to talk, please come in."
As he pushed the door open with his left hand, his right hand suddenly exerted force.
"Get out of the way!"
Yang Tong quickly drew his neck, and two short arrows whizzed past his face, hitting a Zhenfu soldier behind him. The Zhenfu soldier was hit by an arrow in his left shoulder and fell to the ground with a groan.
"Catch them alive!"
Yang Tong roared, took out the iron hook from under his empty left sleeve, and swung it at the opponent.
When the big man saw that Yang Tong had no weapons and had only one arm, he relaxed his vigilance towards Yang Tong. Unexpectedly, there were iron hooks on everyone's arms.
He couldn't dodge, and the iron hook went from bottom to top, slicing his chin and making a big gash on his cheek.
"ah!"
The big man howled, pulled out a short knife from his waist, and stabbed Yang Tong's neck with great pain.
Yang Tong didn't give him any chance to fight back. He kicked the man in the heart and kicked him into the courtyard door. More than a dozen Zhenfu soldiers immediately attacked and hacked the man to death with random swords.
Everyone was stunned. In the garden behind the courtyard gate, there were several corpses lying strewn about, all wearing the uniforms of Kaiyuan Zhenfu soldiers.
"Two people guard the courtyard door, two people go to the back door, and the others follow me into the house to search! Change to short knives and short blunderbuss, and follow me in to search. If you find someone, shoot and kill!"
After Yang Tong finished speaking, he pulled out the short gun from his waist and began to skillfully load the fixed ammunition as he walked.
