King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 501 Night Attack

Zhu Jinghong has always been vigorous and resolute in commanding operations, and has always punished those who resisted orders.

Soon he discovered several other problems and issued separate orders.

Although there are minor glitches, the situation is under control, so overall the battle is progressing smoothly.

The Ming army kept firing, and the Junggar defenders on the tower were miserable. They didn't even dare to show their heads.

After all, if there are too many people gathered together, everyone will be killed if hit by a cannon, and no one dares to go out to look for death.

"Go, the artillerymen return to the city wall and fire back at me!" Tibur issued the order.

Seeing the city's artillery being destroyed, Tibur's heart was bleeding. He would naturally do something at this moment. He couldn't accept just being beaten.

Under his strict orders, the artillerymen returned to their positions one after another, began loading and executing the firing steps.

Boom, boom... the gunfire from Junggar also began to sound.

However, because the artillery was really old, it could be said that it was basically inaccurate. The remaining dozen or so artillery fired a salvo, but two of them exploded and injured many of our own people.

However, the next salvo of the Ming army hit the city wall again, causing large casualties as before.

At this time, Zhu Jinghong, who could not hold himself back, had arrived at Yulin Zuowei's position, where he could see more clearly from a closer distance.

Through the telescope, Zhu Jinghong could clearly see that the enemy wall defenders had been completely suppressed and did not dare to show their heads at all.

This is good news for the next attack, which can greatly reduce casualties.

"Commander, if you keep bombarding like this, the city wall will be destroyed by him!" Jiang Qingsheng shouted.

The sound of gunfire was everywhere, and it was really hard not to speak loudly.

Zhu Jinghong said in a deep voice: "Instruct all the guards...according to the battle plan, after the cannons on the city wall are removed, each guard will fire their own cannons and bombard them. They will mainly attack with catapults. It does not necessarily have to fire out the predetermined cannonballs!"

There are only three thousand rounds of artillery shells fired today, which is already very "luxury" in this era, but overall it is not many, and artillery shells must be used as sparingly as possible.

But the catapult is different. You can find stones everywhere, and you can just hit them all day today.

The higher the progress of the artillery shells, the more lethal it will be. If it can be saved, the generals will certainly not object. After all, this thing can be of great use during a general attack.

After giving these instructions, he rode towards the other guards, all of which had completed their scheduled tasks.

At this time, all the artillery on the southern city wall of Hami had been destroyed and turned into a pile of scrap metal.

The defenders on the city wall had suffered thousands of casualties, and there were even more casualties among the people inside the city.

The cost for the Ming army was the consumption of more than 1,900 artillery shells and the casualties of 15 soldiers.

To put it simply, this was actually an asymmetrical battle. The strength of the Ming army exceeded Tiebul's expectations, and even exceeded the expectations of other generals and soldiers.

They originally thought that the Ming army's cavalry was already a strong force, but they didn't know that its infantry was also ridiculously strong, firing off cannonballs as if they were free of charge.

The city of Hami was originally shrouded in fear, but now, shaken by the sound of this barrage of artillery fire, and frightened by the large-scale destruction caused by the artillery fire, pessimism and fear are spreading to a deeper extent.

In particular, more than 70% of the defenders on the city wall were young and strong men. The bombardment triggered a large number of people to flee, forcing Tibur to kill hundreds of people before temporarily stabilizing the morale of the army.

Finding that the Ming army had no offensive intentions, Tibur arranged a large number of soldiers to the base of the city wall, which was convenient for support and safe enough.

On the city wall, he only left a small number of soldiers to defend and observe the situation.

On the Ming army side, Zhu Jinghong returned to the military tent, only to find Qiqige waiting outside. Of course, Nuomin was also accompanying her at the moment.

"Master Thirteen, you are back!"

This was said by Qiqige. Her reaction was faster than that of Nuomin, which made the latter feel uncomfortable.

Not to be outdone, Nuo Min trotted forward and hugged Zhu Jinghong, and then said: "Thirteenth Master, I have prepared meals, including your favorite roast leg of lamb, and..."

"It's so rich, thank you for your hard work!" Zhu Jinghong patted Nuo Min.

After all, Qiqige has not yet left the cabinet, so how can she compare to a "veteran" like Nuo Min, who doesn't know what to do at this time.

Her idea was very simple, that is, to rely on the big tree of Zhu Jinghong and fight back to Yili to avenge her father and brother. It would be best if she could kill those thieves with her own hands.

She will never forget that sunny afternoon when her relatives died one by one. She will never have peace in her life without revenge.

Today she wanted to get some cooperation capital for herself by persuading her to surrender, but unfortunately her plan came to nothing.

And the only capital she has left now is her own body, so Qiqige wants to devote herself to Zhu Jinghong.

She also grew up in the palace, so she naturally understands the power of pillow style, especially for Zhu Jinghong, a lustful person.

Thinking of this, Qiqige strolled forward, took Zhu Jinghong's other arm, and then said: "Thirteenth Master, we haven't seen each other for a long time. I have a lot to say to you!"

Zhu Jinghong said calmly: "Don't call me random names. Your family has rebelled against the Ming Dynasty, so you can no longer call yourself a minister!"

"My father was deceived and coerced by a villain. He has always been loyal to the Ming Dynasty and to His Majesty the Emperor in his heart!"

Zhu Jinghong smiled and immediately replied: "Haha... You can really make up stories!"

"What I say is true. If you don't believe it... Master Thirteen, please touch me!" When she said this, Qiqige and Zhu Jinghong pressed closer.

"This……"

When he said this word, it showed that he was somewhat moved. This is actually a normal reaction of a man.

At this time, Nuo Min couldn't help but said: "Qiqige, what are you talking about... How can Master Thirteen be that kind of person!"

Qiqige responded: "Is it okay for me to tell the truth to Master Thirteen?"

It could be heard that there was dissatisfaction in Qiqige's tone because he felt that Nuo Min's control was too lenient.

That's all if Princess Ruoxiang said this. You Nuomin has no name or status, why should you talk about me... Qiqige was even more dissatisfied.

Because of a man, these two sisters, who had a good relationship with each other, have become discordant in their hearts.

"Brother Thirteen, let's go in!" Nuo Min took the initiative to open the curtain.

"Okay... go in, let's go in together!" Zhu Jinghong said with a smile.

The days of marching and fighting are boring, but it is actually pleasing to see the fighting spirit of these two girls.

Of course, there are not many people in the world who can treat Nuomin and Qiqige as ordinary girls.

No matter Nuomin or Qiqige, their family backgrounds are not generally strong. Ordinary people can't hide when they encounter them, let alone two people flirting together.

In the military tent, as the two women took turns taking turns, Zhu Jinghong couldn't help but drink a few more drinks.

The war is about to begin. As a coach, drinking at this time is rare in the past.

The reason why he dared to act like this was entirely because he was confident and believed that there was no threat to the defenders in Hami City.

"Thirteenth Master, we have been separated for two years...I will never forget you. You looked so heroic on the polo field that day..."

"I have never met a man as brave as you in my life..."

"Back in Junggar, I will miss you all the time..."

Inside the tent, Qiqige was already lying in Zhu Jinghong's arms, her almond-shaped eyes were blurred and she held her head high, talking to Zhu Jinghong what was in her heart.

Although he knew it was fake, Qi Qige's acting was so real that it still made Zhu Jinghong's heart beat.

As for Nuomin, she had fallen asleep next to her because she was persuaded by Qiqige to drink too much.

"Master Thirteen, I am sincere, why don't you understand!" When she said this, Qiqige grabbed Zhu Jinghong's hand and brought it directly into her heart.

This made Zhu Jinghong recall what happened two years ago again, and sighed that Qiqige was more mature than two years ago.

After playing with it for a few times, Zhu Jinghong took his hand out and said immediately: "Of course I believe you!"

As soon as she said these words, Qi Qige rushed forward again, and Zhu Jinghong also fell down.

Just as he was enjoying the charming atmosphere, Yu Hai's report came from outside. It turned out that there was thick smoke coming out of Hami City.

Zhu Jinghong was never vague when it came to business matters, so he immediately pushed Qiqige away and quickly left the camp to check the situation.

After Zhu Jinghong left, Qiqige, who had been enthusiastic just now, immediately regained her aloofness and put on her clothes.

She really risked everything to achieve that step. Zhu Jinghong's departure made her both happy and disappointed.

At this time, her expression was complicated. She felt that she had lost too much, and lamented the impermanence of life. At the same time, she also resented her enemies.

Speaking of outside, the fire in the city was caused by the Jin Yiwei, and the sound of attacking artillery made them plan the operation.

It was a pity that the fire was extinguished not long after it burned, but it also played a very good role in making people in the city even more panicked and frightened.

Seeing Zhu Jinghong appear, a staff officer immediately rushed over to report: "Commander, Commander Yulin Zuoweijiang has come to report that tonight he will send soldiers to the east of the city to plant explosives... to blow up the city wall!"

Now that all the Ming troops are stationed in the south of the city, and they have made such a big noise today, the attention of the defenders in the city has been attracted.

If you go to destroy the east city wall, you will have an unexpected effect.

"Send an order to the four northern guards. At midnight tonight, they will each send several teams to place gunpowder on the west, north, and east city walls. Whoever can blow down the city walls will be rewarded heavily by me!"

Since we want to blow up the city wall, we might as well attack all three places together. As long as we send enough people, the probability of success will be greater.

When the staff officer was about to deliver the order, he heard Zhu Jinghong's instruction: "Forget it, let the four commanders come over to discuss the matter!"

Zhu Jinghong felt that this style of play was very promising, so he decided to discuss it carefully.

For him, it is not difficult to capture Hami City quickly. What is difficult is to reduce casualties as much as possible, and he despises victory with human lives.

"Yes!"

At noon, the cannon bombardment had stopped, but the catapults kept running, throwing stones against the city wall.

It wasn't until evening that all this stopped, allowing peace to return to the land outside the Great Wall.

But even so, the Hami defenders did not dare to slack off at all. They still kept their armor and swords in hand, ready to deal with the Ming army's surprise attack at any time.

During this period of fighting, they were really scared, especially the Ming army's surprise attack, which simply cast a shadow on the Junggar people.

But people are not machines. If your nerves are tense for a long time, you will get tired and even slack off.

Time gradually passed, and soon it was approaching midnight. The soldiers of the Ming Army had already set off an hour in advance with gunpowder.

They were as careful as possible, taking advantage of the slackness of the Junggar defenders and cautiously approaching the city wall.

As soon as the feint attack on the southern city wall begins, they will begin digging and place gunpowder to blow the wall down.

Digging under the local city wall is like doing things with your head in the air, so the military merits you get are the most abundant.

Although most people will be afraid, there are always some people who will risk their own lives just to climb up.

Therefore, those who appear under the walls of Hami can be regarded as absolute warriors.

Moreover, on the military position, although the artillery was ready, the entire battlefield was still quiet.

Feeling the final silence, Zhu Jinghong asked: "Where are you aiming?"

"The part of the city wall that was broken during the day, we are all heading towards that place tonight, trying to destroy the city wall!" Jiang Qingsheng replied.

The current artillery power is still not enough, and it is unrealistic to blow down the city wall, so Zhu Jinghong did not answer the call.

"Commander, it's time!" Liu Fang reminded, he couldn't wait to see the result.

After sitting on the chair, Zhu Jinghong took the tea cup from Yu Hai and said, "Let's get started!"

"Fire!" Jiang Qingsheng ordered immediately.

As the first artillery shell was fired, artillery everywhere in the position opened fire, causing continuous rumblings.

As many as five hundred artillery shells will be fired tonight, more than half of which are incendiary bombs. After hitting the city wall or crossing the city wall, fires will be ignited everywhere.

The Junggar army, which had already rested, climbed up the city wall one after another to prepare for the Ming army to launch a general attack tonight.

Although a general attack tonight is unrealistic, no one can guarantee that it will not happen. After all, Zhu Jinghong's tactics are unpredictable.

Of course, in order to make the most of the trick, the Ming army lit up a large number of torches before firing the artillery, and it looked as if they were really going to launch a general offensive.

Not only were the people in the east, but the ladders and carriages were also moving, which scared the Junggar people and sent more people to the city wall.

During the feint attack here, the remaining soldiers scattered in three directions, northwest and east, were intensively carrying out excavation operations.

Their job was simple, which was to dig a hole in the city wall and install gunpowder packets inside.

Hami's city wall is a rammed earth wall, which becomes very brittle after being exposed to wind and sand for a long time. It is not too difficult to excavate it with professional tools.

However, there were still people walking around on the city wall from time to time, so they did not dare to move too much and could only dig with extra caution.

According to the previous plan, the artillery bombardment would take more than a moment, and their digging time would only last that long.

If they continue to dig after the bombardment stops, the danger increases exponentially.

This time, each of the four North Guards sent five teams. As long as one of them could blow down the city wall, it would be worth making such a big splash tonight.

The quarter of an hour was quickly approaching, and as the cannons everywhere stopped, Zhu Jinghong also put down his tea cup and waited quietly.

Not only him, but also the four North Guards, including the generals in the Beijing camp, as well as the staff officers at the scene, were all waiting for the next explosion.

But it’s not that fast. The end of the gunfire means no more digging. Next, explosives and fuses have to be placed, and then they are lit.

This process actually didn't take long. It only took about five minutes before the first explosion was heard.

The explosion came from the direction of Beicheng. Tibur was stunned for a moment, and then realized something.

So he immediately ordered a partial division to rush to the north city as soon as possible for reinforcements. At the same time, he ordered all city walls to be strictly guarded and to detect whether there was an ambush by the Ming army.

Obviously Tibur realized that the current situation was very bad, and the Ming army's raid was in the direction of Beicheng.

Even Tibur himself wanted to rush to the north of the city immediately.

Just as Tibur was about to leave, he heard an explosion from the west, followed by another to the north and then to the east...

At this moment, Tibul was going crazy. He could no longer understand what was happening and where the Ming army was going to attack.

Today was the first night of guarding the city, and they encountered such a complicated situation, which made Tibul unable to restrain his despair.

Even he was like this, not to mention the generals and soldiers below, and despair and panic were spreading to an even greater extent.

Soon Tibul received the news that two places on the west city wall were blown down, two gaps appeared on the east wall, and one part of the north wall collapsed.

This result left Tibur stunned. He probably understood the Ming army's intention tonight.

While scolding the Ming army for their cunning, Tibur immediately ordered people to repair it and strictly ordered the walls to be built before dawn.

(End of this chapter)