The first night attack killed and injured more than a hundred refugees. The remaining people were driven away by the defenders with firecrackers, bows and arrows before they even climbed onto the city wall.
On the 18th, the Qi army's artillery launched a more intense bombardment on the south gate, and Shenhuo Feiyao also joined the battle. The south gate wall was very strong, and the Ming army could not retreat, and the bombardment had little effect.
Pu Gang was furious and called a craftsman from the workshop to ask if they could use hot air balloons to fight.
The craftsman hesitated, saying that the wind was too strong, that it might rain in the next two days, and finally that the Ministry of Works had not issued the latest hot air balloons to the Sixth Corps.
Pu Gang and Xing Zhongyi were both a little angry when they thought that the Sixth Corps was raised by their stepmother.
"A dead horse is a living doctor. First, raise the observation balloon, throw a few grenades, and scare Zuo Liangyu to death!"
"But, without a bomb launcher, it's impossible to hit..."
At noon, under everyone's expectant gaze, a golden hot-air balloon slowly rose into the sky from the Qi Army camp.
This kind of balloon used for observation and reconnaissance is available in every corps. It is usually just used as a mascot because reliable bomb delivery devices have been under development.
A thin observer soldier carried two bundles of gunpowder packets, a dozen grenades, and a large stack of leaflets. Under the gaze of tens of thousands of people on both sides, he slowly climbed up to the sky like a snail.
The Ming army on Binyang Gate witnessed this rising monster. After a brief period of panic, they immediately began to shoot arrows and blunderbuss into the sky. The two sides were several miles apart. No matter whether they were heavy arrows, light arrows or fire blunderbuss, the range was too short. Can't reach the hanging basket.
The firing angle of the red-coated artillery furlong machine gun at the head of the South Gate City was not enough, which further showed that the army's artillery was completely suppressed by the Qi army and had been cleared out as early as yesterday's shelling.
Half an hour later, accompanied by several crackling explosions, two flashes of fire broke out in Jiangxia City, like two sparks splashing in a frying pan. They soon returned to calm, and then fell from the sky, and thousands of copies of the Supreme Emperor's Southern Expedition Message floated down.
At this time, the messenger came forward and said that due to the sudden change in the wind direction, the workshop applied to let the balloon land on the ground first to prevent the hot air balloon from being blown away.
"That's it?" Pu Gang and Xing Zhongyi looked at each other.
After another half an hour, the hot air balloon slowly landed back to the open space of the Qi Army camp. The thin lookout soldier was shaking with cold. He stomped his feet and sneezed as soon as he jumped off. The two cavalrymen in charge of guarding laughed.
The effect of the bombing was very unsatisfactory. Because the height was too high, there was no bomb launcher, and the throwing accuracy was impressive. Most of the grenades and gunpowder fell on the houses behind Binyang. It is estimated that more people were killed and injured today than the Ming army. Much more.
"Fortunately, he didn't throw the grenade on our heads. How about blowing it up again tomorrow?" Pu Gang discussed with the training officer.
"It can't be blown up. Do you remember what the Supreme Emperor said in Shenyang?"
Before the army marched south, the Supreme Emperor had given repeated orders that the Sixth Corps should accept Hankou, Jiangxia and Wuchang as "completely" as possible.
There are many shops here, making it the most prosperous place in central Chu. It is also a water and land transportation hub. Its complete reception will be extremely important for maintaining Daqi's rule in Huguang in the future.
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"Then let's continue the night attack. Wait until the Ming army is exhausted, and then let the soldiers make a surprise attack. This way we can capture it in one fell swoop!"
Although the effect of the air strike was mediocre, it frightened the Ming army in the city, and the riots in the city did not subside until the evening.
Pu Gang was reluctant to use his troops to fill the gap. The main force of the Qi army had not yet entered Huguang, and it was still unknown when it would arrive on the battlefield. The forward casualties would be too high and the successors would be weak, which was a taboo for military strategists.
The Chinese army's headquarters decided to continue organizing night raids on the refugees, and the scale was larger than before, increasing from 800 to 2,000 people.
In view that all the civilian ladders around Huangpi had been confiscated, and the trees in the nearby mountains and forests had long been cut down by the Ming army, making it impossible to build more siege equipment, the auxiliary soldiers rushed to Yunmeng County early to collect ladders.
In the early morning of the 20th, long ladders were transported from Yunmeng one after another and piled up in front of the Qi army's tent. Engineers and refugees were busy tying the ladders tightly. Artillery continued to bombard the south gate. The Ming army at the top of the city had no place to stand.
Like the previous days, the refugees began to climb the city in the middle of the night, and they still chose Nancheng.
The artillery continued to provide cover. This time the sound of artillery continued throughout the night and gradually stopped at dawn.
At dawn, Xing Zhongyi woke up from his half-asleep state. The messenger hurried in and said that the Qi army had invaded Jiangxia and was fighting in the streets.
"Where did it come from?"
"It seems that the attack was through Binyang Gate. Some say it is through Tongxiang Gate, and some say it is through Wusheng Gate."
"Who attacked?"
The messenger was hesitant, because there were already rumors outside. Some said they were refugees, some said they were the first battalion, and some said they were the second battalion.
"As a messenger, major military affairs must be seen with your own eyes and heard with your own ears, and you must not spread it at will. It is a small mistake on your part to disturb the military's mind! Be sure to find out clearly before reporting!"
The instructor warned the messenger and asked him to continue asking.
The guard took out half of the steamed bun leftover from last night and handed it to Shangguan. Xing Zhongyi started to eat it while drinking tea.
After breakfast, he led the guards out of the camp. There was an uproar outside, and it was said clearly that the Sixth Corps had captured Jiangxia last night and was attacking Wuchang.
Xing Zhongyi ignored these people and rode his short green horse ahead. The guard brought the binoculars and handed them to the trainer.
The weather was sunny, with smoke billowing on the roads under the four city walls. Jiangxia lay in the sun in the distance, and the white sky looked like a mirage.
Xing Zhongyi walked another hundred steps toward the mirage. The guards advised him to step back because this place was already within the artillery range of the Ming army. Before the chief instructor could speak, the two trainee instructors who followed him said first:
"If you don't go to the front line and stay with the soldiers, how can you be a good instructor of Daqi!"
Xing Zhongyi looked at the two slightly immature faces, said nothing, turned to the guard and said:
"How many people returned from the night attack?"
"We haven't retreated yet and are trapped in the trench under the city. General Lu of the First Battalion has led his soldiers to support us. They are fighting fiercely with the Ming army."
Xing Zhongyi and Lu Ba are very familiar with each other, and they often drink together.
During the Battle of Linqing, Lu Yang was still a fire fighter, but now he is a rising star in the Sixth Corps.
"Move forward."
Before he could finish his words, there was a loud sound, and an iron ball hit hard five or six steps away from Qing Ma. Fortunately, the impact point was a piece of sand, and there was no ejection. There was a burst of soil smoke on the ground. The Ming army used a solid ball. The shell did not explode.
However, the guards around the trainer burst into flames, and everyone immediately shouted, holding the green horse involuntarily and retreating.
After just a few steps, another cannonball fell behind them. When the two novice training officers heard the sound of the cannon, they were so frightened that one of them threw away the slogans and leaflets he was holding, while the other had already moved. I couldn't help but squat in the pit and cry.
Xing Zhongyi waved his hand and said to the guard: "Take them back!"
Then two more cannonballs flew in, hitting more accurately, but fortunately they were both near misses.
Xing Zhongyi and his party walked to a place not far from Hongshan. A stretcher was carried from the opposite side, followed by a guard carrying a flint-haired short musket.
Xing Zhongyi's heart skipped a beat. Among the Qi army, only officers above the rank of general officer had guards.
The person on the stand was covered by a black antelope military flag riddled with bullet holes. Only his calves wearing military boots were exposed, and his body remained motionless.
When the stretcher passed by Xing Zhongyi, a guard following behind suddenly shouted:
Disciple! Disciple! …”
That person was Lu Yang's guard Liu Yi.
"How's Mr. Lu?"
"Wood things, wood things..."
Henan soldier Liu Yi quickly denied it.
Xing Zhongyi got off his horse and suddenly unveiled the military flag, and Lu Yang's face appeared.
The two eyes were open, fixed, and lost their luster. The yellow complexion turned pale. With his mouth slightly open, he died.
"This is the suicide note I left for the president."
Liu Yi reached out and took out a piece of dirty paper from his arms.
The letter was a piece of parchment commonly seen in the Qi army, with several large characters crookedly written in pencil on it, and the intermittently penetrating force penetrated the back of the paper.
The second night attack still failed. The refugees suffered huge casualties. The Ming army was powerful and had Franji instructors. Please tell Mr. Pu that you must be cautious when climbing the city. My son is four years old this year. I beg the court to raise him...
On February 20, the first year of Guangde, the hour was first engraved in Changchun Temple.
There was silence all around. Xing Zhongyi stood for a while, gently closed the deceased's eyes, and waved the stretcher to pass.
He got on his horse and, regardless of the fact that everyone was lagging behind, galloped towards the main tent of Pugang Central Army.
