The Empress Temple is located on a high ground extending to the north from the mountainside on the west side of Shimen Mountain. Although it is dilapidated due to the war, it occupies a large area, and the twisted courtyard walls are still there. There are also main halls and several rooms in the temple. House available.
The Qing army stationed more than 3,000 soldiers and horses here. In addition to Niulu Zhangjing who led 300 Eight Banners warriors to supervise the battle, there were also 1,000 Korean soldiers. The rest were all the God's Blessing Army under the command of King Kong Youde. .
They stored all their military supplies in the Empress Temple, and all kinds of artillery, large and small, were deployed on the ground outside the temple, including large and small French cannons, mortar cannons, tiger crouching cannons, nine-headed birds, etc.
Many of these were captured by the Qing army from Liaoyang, Shenyang, Guangning, Dalinghe and other cities. Previously, slave chief Huang Taiji used these firearms and artillery equipment when he established Wuzhenchaoha in the fourth year of Chongzhen.
Later, Kong Youde and Geng Jingzhong came across the sea and brought not only many small artillery and muskets, but also craftsmen who made cannons and advanced firearm concepts. Huang Taiji believed that it was God's blessing for the Qing Dynasty. Kong Youde's ministry named him God's Blessed Army.
During this war, Kong Youde stayed in the camp to accompany Prince Rui Dorgon. Geng Jingzhong was personally commanding the Empress Temple, and he was also responsible for the entire defense line in the mountains and hills around the Empress Temple.
King Zhishun Shang Kexi was sent to the East Shimen by Dorgon, and led the troops and artillerymen of the Tianshu Army under his command to assist Prince Su Hauge in the battle to kill the enemy.
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"Please cheer up, Mingren's artillery array is standing on the opposite side, don't dare to be vague!"
A Qing general in his forties, wearing fine armor, was patrolling along the artillery position outside the Empress Temple, shouting loudly at the Tianyou Army and Korean Army stationed here from time to time to boost morale.
This Qing general was also tall, with a full beard and a few scars on his face. He looked quite ferocious, but he was the general of Kong Youde who accompanied Dorgon, Prince of the Qing Dynasty and Shuorui, into the Ming Dynasty in the 11th year of Chongzhen. What a success.
Behind him were more than ten personal retinues, all wearing bright and dark armor, and their faces were filled with a strong aura of hostility.
He Chenggong was deeply appreciated and valued by Kong Youde, so he was ordered to lead a group of soldiers and horses alone to fight the last time he invaded. However, he suffered heavy losses in the battle between Gaoyang and Julu, and more than half of his troops were lost.
However, fortunately, he was fighting with Prince Su Hauge. Although he lost his troops, Hauge's Zhenglan Banner did the same. Because of this relationship, he was not punished, but he was not able to fight against the invaders. What are the benefits of profiting from it?
So after so many years, Zhang Cheng has been promoted from the rank of a thousand-year-old general to the second-grade Wandu commander-in-chief with the title of commander-in-chief of support and suppression troops, with tens of thousands of troops under his command.
But He Chenggong is still a Jia La Zhangjing of the God's Blessing Army, and it took nearly two years of management for the Jia La Zhangjing he commanded to regain its former glory. He is also very ambitious.
During this siege of Jinzhou, He Chenggong specially found his own general, Wang Kong Youde, and requested to accompany the army in the battle, hoping to achieve some military success in the Battle of Jinzhou and enhance his status in the God's Blessed Army.
Because of this, he did not dare to be careless and was always on guard. Every time he inspected the gun emplacements in person, he would carefully inspect each emplacement, especially the protective trenches and low walls in front of each emplacement.
The Niangniang Temple artillery array occupies a large area, so there are many and long low walls, and the responsibility of protecting it is very heavy.
And the main force guarding this section of the low wall is him, the soldiers of the Jia La Han Army and the Korean Army. As for the three hundred Eight Banners soldiers, the supervising team stayed here to monitor their operations. Perhaps, the Ming Army They also engage in hand-to-hand combat when behind the low wall.
Along the undulating low wall, you can constantly see Han and Korean soldiers armed with matchlock guns or blunderbuss. Only a small number of them are cold soldiers holding shields and swords in preparation for close combat.
Under some low walls, at regular intervals, there are piles of gray bottles and cannons.
The artillery formations here are all laid out along the trend of the mountains. Various artillery pieces are leveled and erected at appropriate locations, and trenches and walls are dug in front of the artillery pieces according to the trend of the mountains.
Looking closely at the officers and soldiers, there is no big difference between the dress of the Tianyou Army and the Eight Banners cavalry. The armored soldiers are also wearing cotton armor and iron armor. However, the armor rate is still far behind the Tianyou Army and the Manchu Eight Banners soldiers.
However, the armor of those Korean soldiers is somewhat different. Their iron helmets are very similar to those of the Eight Banners of Manchuria and the Ming Dynasty soldiers. The top of the helmet also has a sharp point, which is quite like a modern lightning rod. However, the sharp pole on the Korean soldiers' helmets It is three-pronged, while the Ming and Qing helmets are single-pronged.
Of course, the armor of the Qing army originated from the armor of the Ming army. In fact, both the Qing and North Korea were deeply influenced by Chinese culture. They admired and studied Chinese culture and regarded Chinese culture as orthodox.
The Korean generals who were placed at the Empress Temple had bright red long cotton armor with many iron leaves embedded on the arms and upper body of the armor. The armor leaves were densely packed, as if they were covered with medals.
Their ordinary soldiers only wore short cotton armor, which was also bright red in color. There were only some copper bubbles nailed on the surface of the clothes, and there were no armor leaves on the inside and outside.
He Chenggong patrolled all the way. As if he were a master, he comforted and encouraged the Tianyou Army and the Korean Army at each artillery position and behind the low wall, and boosted their morale from time to time.
Suddenly, an angry curse came: "The Southern Barbarians are about to attack the mountain, please give me some mental points!"
Then there was a sound of whipping, and He Chenggong took two hurried steps, only to see his deputy commander-in-chief Geng Jingzhong, King Huaishun of the Qing Dynasty, accompanying Zhengbai Banner Niulu Zhangjing Niuerjia on a defense inspection.
Nuerjia was in his twenties. Although he did not look particularly tall and powerful, he was still extremely strong. When he cracked his whip, veins appeared on the back of his hands and wrists. As long as he was hit on the head and face by his riding crop, he would be injured. A trace of deep red blood.
He Chenggong was still a little angry, but it all disappeared at this moment. Like a well-behaved hunting dog meeting its master, he stepped aside, bent down, clasped his fists and said, "I've seen Niurjia Niulu, I've seen him. King Huaishun.”
This is what it is like to live under someone else's roof. Although Geng Zhongming is the King Huaishun of the Qing Dynasty, even the slave chief Huang Taiji respects him very much, but among the orthodox Manchu Eight Banners officers, they really don't take them seriously.
A mere Niulu Zhangjing with a white flag could be superior to him. Even his subordinates had to greet Niulu Zhangjing before they could greet him. They were like second-class citizens.
Geng Zhongming seemed to have adapted to this. He glanced at He Chenggong, nodded to him, said nothing more, and continued to patrol with Nuerjia behind his hands.
Most of those who were beaten and scolded by him were obedient and obedient. Even if they had some complaints, they dared not speak out.
Even King Huaishun didn't say anything. Boshiku and Niulu Zhangjing in the Tianyou Army, or the deputy lieutenants, staff officers and other officers in the Korean Army saw it and just pretended not to see it. They didn't want to do it for some small soldiers. Offend this Niu Lu Zhangjing in the Zhengbai Banner.
What's more, this is still on the verge of war, and if you don't do well, you will be labeled as slack in defense.
A Korean soldier was kicked and felt angry. After Niurjia, Geng Zhongming and others walked over in a swagger, he spat on the ground and muttered in Korean: "Damn, savages!"
Nuerjia seemed to hear some movement. He turned around suddenly and looked at the Korean soldier for a moment. The scars on his face were shaking, making him look extremely vicious.
The Korean soldier was so frightened that he trembled all over and hurriedly packed up the matchlock gun in his hand!