Done! Your Majesty is going to prostitute me for free!

"Boom! The thunder sounded! The thunder really sounded!" Outside Xuanfu Town, the originally tranquil sky suddenly became turbulent and covered with dark clouds, as if it was the roar of nature, foreshadowing that an unprecedented storm was about to come.

In the big tent of the central army, General Duoduo was lying on a soft wool blanket, enjoying a rare rest time. However, the earth-shaking thunder outside and the panicked shouts of the guards instantly broke his tranquility. He sat up with a start, his eyes sharp, walked quickly outside the tent, and looked up at the unpredictable sky. You don't know until you see it, you will be shocked. The originally clear sky has now become dark clouds, and the thunder is getting closer and closer, as if the sky is angry. The whole air has become damp and filled with a sense of oppression.

"Tenth Prince, we haven't attacked the city for several days. Are we going to try again today?" A royal guard in iron armor stepped forward and asked, his eyes full of anticipation and anxiety.

That's true. Duoduo led his troops to attack the city for several days in a row, but the Ming army's firearms were too powerful. They used kerosene, grenades, and large rocks and logs. Xuanfu Town was like a copper wall and iron wall, and they couldn't bite it at all. In the past few days, although the casualties were not particularly serious, the Han and Mongolian Eight Banners lost more than 4,000 people, and the Manchu Eight Banners lost several hundred, adding up to nearly 5,000. Especially those double-armored warriors, one less death is one less, they are all Solon's elite, the Eight Banners' sharp knife troops are their weapons for attacking cities and strongholds.

Do you know the Suolons? They were the indigenous people who lived in the middle and upper reaches of the Heilongjiang River at the end of the Ming Dynasty, in the forests and grasslands, such as the Wild Jurchens, the Donghai Jurchens, and the Sheng Jurchens. The conditions where they lived were extremely poor and their lives were primitive, so they were all strong and had amazing endurance. When the Jiannu (the Qing army) went to war, they often captured them to serve as soldiers, and made them wear two layers of armor, called "dead soldiers", and always made them lead the charge. Strangely enough, although these Suolons were uncivilized, they were quite happy to be captured. They would be very obedient if they were given some rewards, and they were even more ferocious when fighting.

"How many death warriors are left in the Bordered White Banner?" Duoduo asked his guards with a frown, a hint of worry in his eyes.

"Reporting to the prince, there are still 974 people who can fight." The guard answered respectfully, with a hint of firmness in his voice.

Duoduo nodded, feeling a little relieved. With these people around, he felt confident. The Ming army defended the city, relying on the strong walls and powerful firearms. But now that a heavy rain is coming, can their firearms still be used? What a joke! Even if the Ming army has a way to prevent rain, their firepower will definitely be greatly reduced. In addition, the fire attack is useless in rainy days! So, although rain is not good for siege, it is a great opportunity for them!

"Pass the order down, all troops gather immediately and prepare for battle! Heavy rain is coming soon, so don't bring firearms!" Duoduo's voice resounded through the sky, and his eyes revealed a determination and firmness.

Upon hearing this, the guards immediately ran out to pass on the order. Soon, the soldiers of the Eight Banners had gathered, their morale was high, and they were ready to go. The floating bridge and the ladder were also ready, just waiting for the order. The death soldiers rushed to the front, wearing double-layer armor, holding sharp blades, and revealing a bloodthirsty madness in their eyes. Behind them were the archers, who were holding strong bows and crossbows, ready to fire deadly arrows at any time. Behind them was the large army of the Eight Banners, holding swords, spears, and halberds, ready to support at any time.

Looking inside Xuanfu Town, General Zhu Fenghui stood on the top of the city wall. He was wearing black armor, his skirt and armor fluttering in the wind, and the red tassel on his helmet fluttering. He held a telescope in his hand and looked into the distance with a serious face. He had been praying for sunny days these days, but it rained. Lieutenant General Li of the Fifth Army Camp and Guerrilla General Ding Yi also stood beside him with worried faces. Ding Yi looked at the Rumi gun (a kind of firearm) in his hand, sighed and said, "This gun is useless when the rain comes."

"Lord Yan (a respectful title for Zhu Fenghui), how are we going to defend the city today?" Ding Yi asked worriedly.

Zhu Fenghui knew that he couldn't make a scene at this time. He was the backbone of Xuanfu. If he made a scene, the army and the people would be in chaos. So he immediately ordered: "Quickly move the small and medium-sized artillery into the city gates, set up tents on each city wall to shelter from the rain, wrap them with oilcloth on the outside, raise the inside, and prepare enough gunpowder and projectiles."

Although there was oilcloth at that time, which was cloth coated with tung oil, Zhu Fenghui was still worried: "Putting up tents is equivalent to telling the enemy our defense focus." So he added: "Put up more tents on the east, west, and south walls, especially in places with fewer cannons. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!" The soldiers and civilians immediately got busy. They moved all the supplies to the top of the city and fixed them in place according to Zhu Fenghui's order. Although they were a little flustered, they gradually calmed down under Zhu Fenghui's calmness.

Duoduo was watching all this from a distance with a telescope. When he saw the densely packed tents on the top of the city, the corners of his mouth twitched, and he felt a little desperate. Zhu Fenghui was such a difficult person! No matter what strategy he used, he could break it. What was he going to do now that the rain was coming? But the arrow had to be shot!

Duoduo stood still and took a deep breath, waiting for the arrival of wind and rain like a stone sculpture. The wind was getting stronger and stronger, and the flags were fluttering. He tightened his clothes and looked into the distance, only to see dust flying, dark clouds and rain gradually approaching the city. Duoduo smiled: "Hahaha! This is really God's help!" His heart was full of anticipation and enthusiasm, as if he had seen the dawn of victory.

On the top of the city wall, Zhu Fenghui was wearing black armor, her skirt fluttering in the wind, and the red tassel on her helmet dancing. The general's flag and tent were also whistling in the wind, as if they were fighting against the wind and rain. The soldiers and civilians were ready for battle with shields, bows and crossbows, spears, and swords, and their eyes revealed a kind of firmness and bravery. The drizzle gradually turned into a downpour, and the city wall became slippery. The north wind was howling, the rain was heavier, and the vision became blurred. But the defenders of Xuanfu did not waver. They held their posts and prepared for the upcoming battle.

At this moment, a Ming soldier suddenly shouted: "The Jiannu are coming! They are starting to attack the city!" With a loud bang, nine cannons fired from the tents, smashing the Jiannu's pontoon bridge and ladders into pieces. The Jiannu suffered heavy casualties, and the ground was stained red with blood. But the Jiannu did not retreat. They seemed tireless, and the pontoon bridge and ladders continued to move forward.

Zhu Fenghui drew his bow and shouted loudly: "Brothers! Today we must fight to the death! Never give up!" His voice resounded through the sky, inspiring the hearts of every soldier defending the city. They knew that this was a life-and-death battle, and only by doing their best could they protect their homes. So they responded to Zhu Fenghui's call, rushed towards the enemy with weapons in hand, and fought a desperate battle with the Jiannu. In this stormy battle, the defenders of Xuanfu showed amazing courage and perseverance. They used their flesh and blood to build an indestructible line of defense.

Suddenly, a loud noise like the collapse of heaven and earth exploded, as if nature itself was roaring, announcing the start of an unprecedented battle. On the high city wall, the artillery roared like an enraged beast, accompanied by the roars of thousands of soldiers, and the shells whizzed towards the enemy like angry fire dragons, cutting through the sky and leaving behind a series of fiery tracks.

Those huge solid shells, with destructive force, smashed the enemy's siege equipment. As long as a piece of wood was broken, the whole equipment was like a body without a soul, instantly turning into scrap metal. And those dense hundred-bullet bullets were directed at the Jiannu soldiers. The lead bullets penetrated the armor as easily as cutting tofu. Large groups of people fell to the ground. Life seemed so fragile at this moment.

However, the Jiannu soldiers were really desperate, with a kind of crazy fire burning in their eyes. Despite the heavy casualties, they still pushed the siege equipment forward bravely, as if they didn't know what fear was. The warriors of the Eight Banners of Han rushed to the front. They carried heavy siege equipment on their shoulders and approached the city step by step. Every step seemed to measure the distance to victory with their lives.

Following closely were the soldiers of the Eight Banners wearing double-layer armor. They stared with wide eyes, like a group of hungry cheetahs, waiting for the ladder to be erected so that they could climb up and step on the city wall. Behind them, except for a few soldiers holding shields to protect themselves, most of them were archers, but they did not use the light bows of cavalry, but the hard bows used by infantry, which were powerful and had a terrifyingly long range. With the conical arrows specially designed to break armor, even thick cotton armor could not stop them, like the sickle of the god of death, ready to harvest lives at any time.

The rain curtain was like a curtain, covering the whole world in a hazy state, adding a bit of tragic color to the battle. Seeing that the Eight Banners Army was about to reach the moat, the second round of artillery bombardment began again. But this time, General Zhu Fenghui noticed something was wrong. The sound of the artillery was not as loud as before, and the enemy's casualties were also less. He felt a pang in his heart and frowned, wondering if there was something wrong with the artillery. He quickly ran to the position of the Red Cannon and saw that there was a big problem!
The nine cannons fired at the same time, and the power was so great that the makeshift tents were blown away, and the tarpaulins were torn into pieces, flying all over the sky like a group of uncontrolled butterflies. It was not just the Red Cannons, many medium and large cannons encountered this problem, as if they were strangled by an invisible force. Only the tents of the small cannons and the bird gun soldiers were relatively stable, like lighthouses in the wind and rain, holding on to the last position.

Although the defenders on the city were startled, they quickly stabilized their position. The artillerymen quickly covered the gunpowder boxes with rain cloth, and re-erected the tents in groups of three or five, and reinforced them with spare rain cloth, just like putting on a layer of raincoat for the artillery. At this time, a Ming army soldier shouted loudly: "Quickly bring dry cloth and paper! Prepare a few more cans of kerosene!" As soon as this order was passed on, the people under the city also took action. They wrapped themselves in dry cloth and paper, carried kerosene cans, and rushed to the city in the rain. Their figures were looming in the rain, like a group of fearless warriors.

The artillerymen finally felt relieved after getting these things. They used cloth and paper to dry the water in the barrel, and made some simple torches with coarse cloth and wood, dipped them in kerosene, lit them, and repeatedly put them in and out of the muzzle to heat them, trying to evaporate the water vapor inside. The firelight reflected their resolute faces, and their eyes were full of unyielding and determination.

At this busy time, the Eight Banners Army had already pushed the pontoon bridge and ladders to the edge of the moat. The splashing sound of water and the painful cries intertwined like a tragic symphony. Although the heavy rain greatly reduced the power of the Ming army's artillery, it also brought difficulties to the march of the Eight Banners Army. Their artillery could not be used, and the road was muddy and difficult to move. Coupled with the burden of the double-layer armor, they looked clumsy, like a group of giant beasts trapped in a quagmire.

The rain was getting heavier, and both the city and the city were in trouble. But the Eight Banners Army did not give up. They finally built a floating bridge over the moat, and the Jiannu soldiers rushed up with howls. Their tools flew in the air and hit the city walls, and the walls trembled as if they would collapse at any time. The defenders did not say anything nonsense, rolling logs and stones fell like raindrops, the enemy screamed, and the air was filled with a strong smell of blood.

But this was only the first wave of the offensive, and the Eight Banners troops behind continued to rush up. The ladders were getting closer and closer to the city wall, and the reward for being the first to reach the city wall inspired the Eight Banners warriors to climb up desperately. Their eyes were full of greed and enthusiasm, as if they had seen the dawn of victory. The Ming army used silver to boost morale, and they shouted loudly: "Killing a Jiannu will reward you with 20 taels of silver!" Even the common people under the city joined the battle, picking up blue bricks and smashing them on the enemy's heads. Their figures jumped in the rain, like a group of angry flames.

Although one civilian was unfortunately beheaded by the enemy on the ladder, and his blood splashed into red spots in the rain, he used his life to bring down the enemy. His sacrifice inspired more people to take up arms and join the battle to defend their homeland.

The spearmen of the Ming army stood on the city wall like a dense forest, using their spears to resist the enemy's attack and not let them get close to the city wall. Their figures looked particularly tall and mighty in the rain, like a group of fearless warriors. But the enemies who were prying bricks from the city wall below were still a headache, their movements were agile and powerful, like a group of cunning foxes.

Duoduo was so cunning. He came up with a strategy of attacking from both sides, letting the enemies on the ladder pin down the defenders, and then the enemies below the ladder took the opportunity to pry open the city wall. Now the Ming army's firearms were ineffective, and it was particularly difficult to defend. Even the fire attack method was useless. Seeing this situation, General Zhu Fenghui was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot. He frowned, and his eyes were full of anxiety and helplessness.

He quickly thought of a way to deal with it, and ideas flashed through his mind like lightning streaking through the night sky. Finally, he made up his mind and ordered: "Pour tung oil on the ladders! But don't light the kerosene first, pour it directly on the base of the city wall!" As soon as this order was given, the morale of the defenders was boosted again, and they seemed to see the dawn of victory.

The tung oil made the ladders slippery, and the Jiannu soldiers could not even climb steadily and fell down one after another. Their screams and curses intertwined together, like a dirge of failure. In this way, the defenders could concentrate on dealing with the enemies who were prying the city wall below. Their spears and swords flashed coldly in the sun, like a group of angry death gods.

This method really worked. The defenders regained the upper hand, the Jiannu army's offensive was thwarted, and the crisis of the city wall was temporarily resolved. Their cheers echoed in the rain like a song of victory. The Eight Banners Army fell into confusion and frustration, their eyes were full of loss and despair, as if they had seen the end of failure.

The soldiers under the city were also desperately digging bricks and breaking the walls. Their situation was equally difficult. Sweat and mud were intertwined on their faces, forming winding ditches, which set off their resolute and unyielding eyes. On the edge of the city wall, Zhu Fenghui was really smart. He cleverly built a slope. This side was high and raised, like a towering hill, and the other side quietly sank into the water of the moat, like a hidden dragon.

On weekdays, these soldiers could rely on the weak friction between the soles of their shoes and the ground to barely stand on the slope, using all their strength. However, once it rained heavily, the slope became slippery, as if it was covered with a thick layer of grease. Even a nimble person would fall flat on his face. What's worse, kerosene was bubbling down the wall, making the slope even more slippery, as if it had become an unconquerable zipline.

"Ouch...Ouch...Ouch!" The soldiers' cries came one after another as they struggled, trying to find a foothold on the slippery slope.

"Why is it so slippery!" a soldier howled. His hands tightly grasped the mud beside him, but it was no use. He could only watch himself slide towards the moat little by little.

"It's too slippery, come and help me!" Another soldier also cried for help. His feet were no longer under his control and he began to slide down involuntarily.

As dozens of soldiers climbed up the slope, their hands and feet were covered with kerosene, which was like the devil's saliva, tightly adhering to their skin. Before they could stand firm, they slipped into the moat one by one. The cold water swallowed them instantly, and they struggled in the river, as helpless as drowning people.

However, in this despair, there was a group of soldiers who stood firm on the slope with their firm belief and extraordinary wisdom. It turned out that General Tudor had thought of this trick before attacking the city. He ordered the soldiers who were digging bricks to tie wooden sticks to their feet and stick the sticks into the soil when they reached the slope. In this way, they could stand firm with each step. They were like nails nailed on the slope, standing firm no matter how fierce the wind and rain.

"This method is only for emergency use, not a long-term solution!" Duoduo put his hands behind his back and sighed. His eyes revealed deep worry, he knew that this battle was much more difficult than he had imagined.

The defenders on the top of the city were all excited, their eyes burning with fighting spirit. Spears were densely lined up next to the ladders, like sharp barriers, and they would stab the enemy as soon as he showed his head. The common people nearby were also not vague. They carried bricks and logs, aimed and threw them down. Although their movements were clumsy, they were full of strength. The archers drew their bows and arrows, their eyes were like torches, and they shot at anyone they saw, and the arrows poured down like raindrops.

The enemies under the city were also inspired to fight. Their bowstrings kept ringing, and from time to time, Ming soldiers fell from the city wall, falling like a kite with a broken string. However, this did not make them retreat, but instead aroused their fighting spirit.

Suddenly, the rumbling of artillery sounded again, the sound was deafening, as if it was going to swallow up the whole world. The casualties on both sides increased all of a sudden, and the artillery fire was like the roar of a demon, ruthlessly devouring lives.

Zhu Fenghui climbed up the broken wall and looked down, and he understood. These enemies attacked the city with thousands of soldiers, and set up more than 20 ladders, divided into four teams to attack. The first team climbed the ladder, the second team dug the wall, the third team provided support, and the fourth team provided cover. Their formation was strict, like an iron barrel, and no one could see a flaw. However, the problem was with the second team. They seemed to have seen the weakness of the Xuanfu city wall, and they all gathered at the city gate to attack that weak spot.

It turned out that the gate was not as flat as the wall, but concave inwards, and that flat area became the enemy's foothold. They hid there and pried the bricks hard, their movements were swift and powerful, as if they wanted to raze the wall to the ground.

The bricks fell one by one, and the defenders' faces became more and more solemn. They knew that once the wall was breached, the consequences would be disastrous. Then the adobe began to loosen. The rain made the hard soil soft, and the enemy dug it away with shovels and threw it far away. Their movements were as precise and efficient as machines, which was shocking.

"Brothers, come and help! The enemy is hiding here!" a defender shouted loudly, his voice full of anxiety and helplessness.

"Take my brick!" An ordinary man just stuck his head out to throw a brick, but was shot in the face by an enemy arrow and died on the spot. His body fell from the city wall like a piece of rag, which made people feel sad.

"Let's fight!" The defenders knew this was a life-and-death battle. They ignored the rain of arrows, lifted up rolling logs and rocks, leaned forward and threw them down. Their movements were as swift and powerful as a tiger descending from a mountain, as if they wanted to smash the enemy into pulp.

"Ah!" Screams echoed from the city walls and below. The Ming soldiers who were shot by arrows endured the pain and continued to throw things, their eyes revealing a firm belief and unyielding will. The enemies below the city also ignored their injuries and continued to dig at the wall, vowing to break through the wall. Their movements were repeated tirelessly like machines, as if they wanted to dig through the wall.

The storm raged across the battlefield. The awnings on the top of the city walls could not withstand the force. Some were blown over, and some were broken. The firearms and gunpowder inside were soaked by the rain and could no longer be used. The bird gun soldiers had no choice but to throw away their guns and pick up other weapons to bravely move forward. Their figures seemed so thin and firm in the wind and rain, like unyielding backbones.

Zhu Fenghui hurriedly pulled the guerrilla general Ding Yi and shouted: "Learn your troops out of the city and kill the enemy!" His voice was full of anxiety and determination. He knew that the battle had reached a critical moment.

Ding Yi was stunned for a moment, but soon realized the urgency of the situation. He nodded heavily, waved his hand and led more than a thousand Ming soldiers away from the city wall. Their figures were as swift and powerful as a tiger descending from a mountain, as if they were going to tear the enemy into pieces. The reserve troops behind them immediately filled in, their eyes revealing firm belief and unyielding will.

Generally speaking, when attacking a city, the enemy will not attack the gate directly, because there is a urn inside the gate, which is surrounded by enemies from all sides; even if there is no urn, there are knife carts waiting to block the gate. If the enemy breaks through the gate, they can push the knife cart to block it. Even if the knife cart is useless, they can still set fire to attack. Both sides know these principles.

These enemies also knew this, so they dug the wall not to enter the city, but to break the wall and rush in when the wall collapsed. Their plan was so cunning and vicious that people could not help but marvel at it.

There is only one gate to the east of Xuanfu, and you have to pass through the city wall to get to the city gate. The guards then raise the pound gate to open the gate. This is a tedious and complicated procedure, but it is particularly important at this critical moment. Ding Yi led the soldiers to the city wall to get their weapons and rushed to the city gate. Their figures were as swift and powerful as the wind.

"Form a formation!" Ding Yi shouted loudly, his voice resounding through the sky like thunder.

With a swish, the soldiers quickly divided into three teams and lined up neatly: the gunners guarded the cannons, the shield soldiers guarded the back, and the spearmen lined up at the back ready to charge. Their formation was strict and orderly, like an indestructible barrier.

"Pass the order! Raise the gate!" Ding Yi shouted again, his eyes revealing firm belief and unyielding will.

As soon as the superiors heard the order, they immediately sent people to raise the gate. Their movements were swift and powerful, as if they were going to raise the thousand-pound gate in an instant. Ding Yi took the opportunity to boost morale: "Before, we could only fight three arrows to repay the court because we were owed wages. Now the situation is different! The court has paid the full military pay and said that if you kill an enemy, you will be rewarded with 20 taels of silver. If you die on the battlefield, you will be compensated with 50 taels of silver. They also take care of our relatives. Our names are also in the Martyrs' Shrine. This is the highest honor!" His voice was as warm and inspiring as the spring breeze.

"Do you still want to escape this time?" Ding Yi asked loudly, his eyes revealing expectation and determination.

"Don't run away! Fight the enemy to the death!" A soldier shouted loudly, waving his shield, his voice full of determination and courage.

"Yes! Fight to the bitter end!" The other soldiers responded one after another, their voices resounding through the sky like thunder. "Fight to the bitter end!" The voices of more than a thousand people resounded through the sky, their faith and determination seemed to break the sky.

"Okay!" Ding Yi wiped the rain off his forehead, put away his knife and put it back into the sheath, picked up his spear and turned to face the city gate. His figure was as majestic and determined as a god of war, as if he was determined to defeat the enemies one by one.

The Eight Banners soldiers at the city gate had already heard the sound of the capstan turning, and knew that the gate was about to open, so they all waited there with their weapons in hand. They were like hungry cheetahs waiting for their prey to appear, and they would rush in as soon as the city gate opened.

The sound of the capstan suddenly stopped, and then the city gate slowly opened. At that moment, it seemed as if the whole world had stopped, with only the slowly opening city gate remaining.

"Charge! This is the time to make achievements!" Hundreds of Eight Banners soldiers rushed in with shields and weapons in hand, and started a fierce fight with the Ming army. Their figures were as swift and powerful as a tiger descending from a mountain, as if they were going to defeat the Ming army one by one. However, the Ming army did not show weakness, and they brandished swords, spears, and halberds to fight the enemy to the death. This battle was as cruel and tragic as hell, and it was impossible not to be shocked.

"Kill!" With deafening shouts, hundreds of Jianlu soldiers rushed towards the open city gate like a tide. The sun shone on their hideous masks, reflecting a faint cold light, and their eyes flickered with the desire for victory. Although they knew that there was a city wall behind the city gate, they still charged without hesitation, because occupying the city gate meant that they had a basis for advance and retreat. Even if the worst result was, they could tear down the wall and dig out the bricks as a last stand. However, the surface of the moat was gloomy, as if silently warning that if they fell into it, there would be no possibility of survival.

The leading lieutenant, who was a burly man with a face full of flesh, suddenly had his pupils shrink as he stepped into the city gate. The scene before him made his heart tighten: hundreds of Ming soldiers, like a solid wall of iron and steel, holding large shields, with spears pointing straight to the sky, standing still, like door gods, exuding an inviolable aura. The lieutenant's heart almost jumped out of his chest. Just as he was stunned, his sight was attracted by a row of black cannons in front of him. There were more than 20 cannons, with the muzzles pointed at them. Next to each cannon stood a Ming soldier, holding a matchlock, with a firm look in his eyes, as if ready to ignite the fire of destruction at any time.

"Retreat! Retreat!" The commander's voice was filled with fear that could not be concealed. He turned around to flee, but found himself drowned by the soldiers who were rushing in like a tide. The eyes of these Eight Banners soldiers were full of desire for military merit. When they saw the city gates open, they thought victory was just around the corner, and they all rushed forward with all their might, fearing that they would fall behind and miss the opportunity to make merit. This temptation was stronger than any order!
The people in the front wanted to retreat but couldn't, while those behind were still pouring in. The city gate instantly fell into chaos, like a boiling oil pan.

At this time, in the Ming army camp, thousands of soldiers, under the command of the artillery, squatted in unison and covered their ears with their hands. Suddenly, three cannons made a deafening roar, one of which ejected a solid iron ball, and the other two poured out a hundred bullets. The solid iron ball, with amazing power, whizzed through the city gate and landed dozens of steps away. Its power was so great that it was not due to insufficient gunpowder, but because the muzzle was pressed too low. These two cannons seemed to carry the anger of countless people and blasted a bloody path in the enemy camp.

The Jianlu who were hit by the solid bullets felt their bodies lighten, their minds went blank, and the ground beneath their feet seemed to lose its gravity, and they fell limply. The soldiers who were hit by the hundred-bullet bullets had shocking wounds all over their arms and shoulders, and blood gushed out like a fountain. They rolled on the ground in pain, wailing one after another, and the city gate instantly turned into a pool of blood.

"Line up and leave the city!" Ding Yi, a tall and determined general, picked up a sharp armor-piercing spear and rushed out of the position first. The rest of the soldiers followed closely behind, crossed the artillery position, quickly formed a formation, and charged out of the city.

In the front were the shield soldiers, holding their heavy shields high, forming an impenetrable line of defense. Behind them were the spear soldiers, with their spears sticking out from the gaps in their shields like sharp blades out of their sheaths. Behind them were the cavalry and shield bearers, holding sharp blades, ready to fill in the gaps in the battle line at any time.

The Ming army was divided into groups of fifty and, facing the counterattack of the Jianlu, they charged out in groups one after another like an unstoppable torrent.

The Jianlu were not to be outdone, and quickly reorganized their troops and launched a fierce counterattack. Those heavily armored infantrymen, wearing heavy armor, took heavy but firm steps. They used their armor to push away the spears with their left hands, and chopped the wooden handles of the spears with their right hands. After two chops, cracks appeared on the wooden handles, and after a few more chops, they broke, and the spears instantly became useless sticks.

However, the Ming army did not fall into chaos. The shield soldiers used their shields to firmly block the enemy's attack, while the soldiers behind them drew their swords from the gaps in their shields to slash or took the spears behind them, raised them high, and stabbed the enemy's upper body and head.

This was a real close combat. Although the heavily armored soldiers had amazing defense, they were slow to move and consumed a lot of physical strength. One-on-one combat might be manageable, but on the battlefield, there were so many people and so little space that there was nowhere to hide, so they could only fight head-on. Moreover, although they had armor as shields and swords were difficult to penetrate, armor-piercing spears and blunt weapons could easily break through their defenses. However, although blunt weapons were good, wielding them for a long time would also make people feel exhausted.

A heavily armored soldier of Jianlu dodged the spear of the Ming army by leaning sideways, snatched the shield with his left hand, and slashed fiercely with the knife in his right hand. The Ming soldier holding the shield was slightly weaker, and he was reluctant to discard the shield, but he was unable to resist the opponent's attack, and saw that the shield was about to be taken away. After one slash, the blood dyed the blade red, and the murderer grinned and prepared to slash again.

"Be careful!" Ding Yi was quick-witted and swung his sword to save the soldier. The spearman also moved as fast as lightning, thrusting out his spear and then retracting it, not giving the enemy any chance to counterattack.

With a swish, a spear accurately pierced Jianlu's shoulder, and blood flowed down the tip of the spear. Jianlu turned sideways and knocked down the shield soldier, snatched the shield and stabbed back.

"If you don't die, stab me again!" There is no sympathy or mercy on the battlefield, only endless killing and unwavering courage.

"Ah! My face!" Three or four Ming soldiers surrounded a heavily armored Jian Lu. A spear accurately pierced his face. He screamed and fell to the ground. Before he could swing his sword to fight back, his right arm was pierced by the spear and deeply stuck in the mud. The spearman had no time to make up for it, as new enemies had already rushed up. He kicked the opponent's weapon away, held the spear tightly, and waited for battle.

The Ming army reorganized their ranks and rushed forward to meet the Jianlu's attack. The Jianlu who fell to the ground were just glad that they were still alive, but suddenly their feet were grabbed and they were dragged. A Ming soldier held a horse lance, raised it high, and smashed it on his head.

With a "puff", brain and blood splattered everywhere. No matter how thick the armor was, it couldn't stop the heavy blow of a blunt weapon, let alone a blow to the face without armor protection. The head of this Eight Banners warrior who had fought for many years was like a smashed mud ball, and he lost his life in an instant.

"Heh!" Two Ming soldiers spat on his body, disdain and hatred flashing in their eyes, then bravely moved forward and continued to engage in this brutal battle.

The brave general, wearing armor, stood like an iron tower in the city gate. His eyes were firm, as if he could penetrate the heavy rain curtain and look directly at the surging enemy. In front of him was a solid defense line built by soldiers holding shields. Raindrops gathered into beads on the shields and quickly slid down, revealing their cold and determined faces. In the middle were spearmen. They were like sharp sword tips, pointing directly at the enemy formation. The spears flashed cold light in the rain, and each one was ready to go, ready to meet the coming storm. The rear troops cleverly looked for opportunities and used various methods to support the front line. They were either hiding under the city walls or lurking beside the city gates, waiting for the best time to attack.

Heavy rain poured down, thunder roared, as if the heavens were cheering for the battle. Under the city of Xuanfu, the shouts of killing were deafening, interweaving with the sound of rain into a chaos. The battle at the city gate was particularly fierce, and the enemy troops approached step by step. Their figures were looming in the rain, like a group of bloodthirsty ghosts. Some people even used ladders to climb the city wall. Their movements were agile and decisive, and every step was on the edge of death.

At first, the soldiers on the ladders were unable to move because of the tung oil and kerosene. The slippery ladders were even more difficult to climb due to the oil stains. The Ming army thought that this would stop them, but they did not expect that heavy rain would come and the oil stains would be diluted by the rain, which temporarily restored some grip on the ladders. The enemy soldiers finally broke through the obstacles. They gritted their teeth and climbed up step by step. All they had in mind was the victory flag on the city wall.

The first person to climb the city wall was an Eight Banners warrior. He was tall and strong, with a resolute face, and his heart was full of excitement and determination. He dreamed of inheriting a high position by conquering Xuanfu, and moving from humbleness to glory. Under the temptation of the position of Zuoling, which was passed down from generation to generation in his family, he risked his life to buy time and space for his subsequent companions. However, the armor-piercing spears of the Ming army were like an iron wall to him, and only the gaps under his ribs and armpits could become a breakthrough. Blood gushed out, staining his battle robe red, but he still fought tenaciously, and his figure looked particularly tall in the rain.

The soldiers around were all stunned. They saw the Eight Banners warrior holding his spear tightly in both hands and shouting loudly: "Brothers, hurry up!" His voice penetrated the rain curtain and spread throughout the battlefield. On the other side, a Han Eight Banners soldier also shouted loudly to the Ming army guards on the city wall: "Surrender and you will live, resist and you will die!" This shout resonated with the people, and five or six Eight Banners soldiers followed closely and climbed onto the top of the city wall. They waved their swords and were not in a hurry to kill the enemy, but intended to contain the Ming army and create opportunities for subsequent reinforcements.

A Ming soldier rushed over holding a huge mace, his eyes full of anger and determination. At close range, he didn't need to aim, and swung the mace down. With a loud "clang", the helmet of an Eight Banners soldier was dented, red and white objects splattered, and the mace flew out of his hand. Seeing this, the other Eight Banners soldiers immediately swarmed over and killed the Ming soldier with their swords. Their movements were swift and cruel, as if they were performing a bloody dance.

The battle on the top of the city became more and more intense. Although the Ming army injured many enemy soldiers with armor-piercing spears and blunt weapons, the ladders were firmly controlled by the enemy. The speed at which they climbed the city walls was much faster than the speed at which the Ming army killed the enemy. As the number of enemy troops continued to increase, the soldiers defending the city began to show fear, and their eyes revealed anxiety and panic.

The defenders were divided into four parts: the soldiers of the Five Camps led by Zhu Fenghui, who had experienced the battles in the capital and were determined, and were the backbone of the city defense; the troops under Ding Yi of the Xuanfu Border Army, who had strong combat effectiveness but were small in number and inadequately equipped, had been sent to the city gate to resist the enemy; the defenders of Xuanfu Town and neighboring cities were mostly garrison soldiers, whose weapons were old, their combat effectiveness was low, and they were prone to cowardice and escape; there were also temporarily recruited civilians, some of whom were brave enough to not fear life and death, while others were timid and lost their composure at the sight of blood.

Faced with well-equipped enemy forces, the morale of the defenders began to waver. It became extremely difficult to kill the enemy, and it often took several times the number of casualties to defeat one enemy. Seeing the enemy troops gathering in greater numbers, the soldiers defending the city began to gradually retreat, their eyes filled with despair and helplessness.

At this moment, there was a subtle sound of breaking through the air, and three or four ropes quickly wrapped around the ankles of the enemy soldiers. Zhu Fenghui shouted loudly: "Use the crossbow!" He pulled the rope with his hand, and the iron hook on the crossbow tightly wrapped around the enemy's feet. The two pulled together, and the enemy fell to the ground and was killed by the Ming soldiers who arrived later. The use of the crossbow frustrated the morale of the enemy. They had to guard against the spear attacks on their upper bodies and the rope traps under their feet at all times. After a while, seven or eight enemy soldiers were entangled by the crossbow, dragged in front of the Ming army, and cut into pieces by random knives. Their screams sounded particularly shrill in the rain, as if they were playing a melody of death for this battle.

A civilian picked up a stone and threw it at the enemy soldiers on the ladder. Although his action was clumsy, it was full of determination and courage. Although the stone temporarily destroyed part of the structure of the ladder, the battle did not stop. The two sides were still in a fierce offensive and defensive confrontation, and casualties continued. The rain and blood intertwined and flowed on the city wall, forming a shocking picture.

The battle lasted for half a day, and it was getting dark. Continuing the battle would only increase unnecessary casualties. Duoduo rang the golden gong for retreat with a gloomy face, his heart filled with resentment and anger. The rain gradually stopped, but his mood became heavier, as if he was pressed by a huge rock and couldn't breathe.

"Prince Shishi, will we continue the siege tomorrow?" Haoge asked in a low voice. His mood was obviously low, and his eyes revealed fatigue and helplessness. Duoduo's Bordered White Banner and the Plain Blue Banner suffered heavy casualties. Although there are no specific statistics, the severity of the situation can be seen from the battlefield.

"No." Duoduo replied in a deep voice, his voice revealed firmness and determination. He knew that continuing to attack the city would only lead to more soldiers' deaths, and this was not the result he wanted.

After Oboi and Tulai exchanged a worried look, Oboi could not help but ask: "But tomorrow is the ten-day deadline set by Prince Yu. If we don't attack..." Before he finished speaking, he was frightened by Duoduo's angry eyes.

"Zhu Fenghui is defending so tightly, how can we attack? If you want to attack, let the Bordered Yellow Banner go first next time!" Duoduo's voice was full of anger and dissatisfaction, and his eyes seemed to be able to spit fire.

Oboi was frightened and retreated back. He did not dare to say another word. He could not even conquer Duoduo, so what could he do? He could only accept this fact silently, his heart filled with helplessness and frustration.

Hauge walked on the muddy road, his steps were heavy and slow. He sighed and said, "We have been unable to capture Xuanfu for a long time. Will we return empty-handed this time?" His voice revealed reluctance and loss, as if all hope was shattered at this moment.

Duoduo stopped, looked east and thought for a moment before saying, "There are still Baoan, Yanqing and other places to attack in the east. If Xuanfu cannot be taken, we can only move there." His voice revealed firmness and determination, as if he had already made plans for the next step. He knew that although this battle was difficult, it would not stop them from moving forward. They would continue to fight until they achieved final victory.

Under the dim light, Haoge's face looked as cold as ice in winter. His eyes were deep, as if they could penetrate the night and look directly at the unreachable Baoan and Yanqing. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, and the two place names "Baoan and Yanqing" flowed between his lips and teeth, like two hard bones to chew, which made him feel mixed emotions. He thought to himself: Do we really have to chew these two hard bones? Victory is good, but if we lose, the price will be no joke. Moreover, in terms of money and food, the sum of these two places is not as rich as Xuanfu.

His eyes swept outside the tent. In the night, the lights of the military camp were dotted like stars scattered on the ground, reflecting the tired figures of the soldiers. They had besieged Xuanfu for nearly ten days, and the blood of their brothers had dyed the land red. Would it be too hasty to give up easily at this time?
Duoduo sat aside, taking in everyone's expressions, his mind as clear as a mirror. However, what could he do? Continuing to attack would only add a few more cold bodies. Perhaps, changing direction would not only replenish food and grass, but also boost morale. After all, the warriors of the Eight Banners had been fighting for many days in a row and urgently needed a victory to boost their spirits.

"Okay, everyone, gather at the central military camp in one stick of incense!" Duoduo's words were crisp and clear, and he strode away, leaving everyone behind to ponder on their own.

The night was as dark as ink, but the lights in the central army tent were bright, and the atmosphere was so solemn that it was almost suffocating. The powerful leaders such as Duoduo and Haoge, as well as the brave generals such as Tulai and Aobai, sat in a circle, and everyone's face was full of seriousness. On the side, a general who was counting stood upright, his voice low and powerful.

"Reporting to the Tenth Prince, Prince Su, and all the gentlemen, in today's attack on Xuanfu, twenty-two brothers of the Bordered White Banner were killed, forty-one were seriously injured, and eighty-nine were slightly injured; the loss of the Plain Blue Banner was even more serious, with forty-nine killed, thirty-three seriously injured, and sixty-six slightly injured..." When talking about the Eight Banners of Han, the general paused slightly, as if hesitating, and finally continued, "The Eight Banners of Han suffered the heaviest casualties, with nine hundred and sixty-one killed, two hundred and eighty-nine seriously injured, and more than five hundred slightly injured."

After hearing this, Haoge secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "Fortunately, the losses of our Manchu Eight Banners are still within a controllable range. The Han Eight Banners were originally used to charge into battle, so some losses are not a big deal."

As soon as these words came out, everyone in the tent looked at each other, but no one responded. Although Haoge's words were harsh, they were also true. The Han Eight Banners, as the Han troops among the Eight Banners, usually farmed and hunted, and charged into battle during war, like consumables on the battlefield.

Although Duoduo was unhappy, he also knew that this was not the time to worry about these things, so he pretended to cough twice and changed the subject: "Ahem, don't say these things that affect unity. What is the situation of the Ming army? How many casualties?"

"The Ming army's casualties defending the city were about half of ours, but many of them were civilians."

"Okay, you can go down." Duoduo waved his hand, signaling the general who had reported the number to retreat.

With the general's departure, the tent fell into silence again.

Haoge poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and broke the silence: "Uncle Tenth Prince, what should we do next?"

Although Duoduo was the commander-in-chief, he was not in a hurry to express his opinion. Instead, he turned to ask Aobai and Tulai: "What do you two think?"

The two veterans smiled at each other and shook their heads: "We all listen to the Tenth Prince."

They knew clearly that Duoduo was trying to put the blame on them. However, they were not the kind of people who could be manipulated by others, so they would not take the bait easily.

Seeing that they were not fooled, Duoduo turned to Haoge and asked, "What does Prince Su think?"

Haoge pondered for a moment and said slowly: "I think we can't give up Xuanfu easily."

"Oh? I'd like to hear more about it." Duoduo pretended to be surprised.

Haoge took another sip of tea to moisten his throat, and continued: "We have besieged Xuanfu for many days, but the Ming army has not seen any reinforcements, and even no spies have been found. What does this mean? It means that the Ming court is unable to rescue. We just need to continue the siege, and the day when the city will fall is just around the corner."

Duoduo smiled slightly and asked, "That being said, the Ming court has stored hundreds of thousands of shi of grain in Xuanfu, which is enough to support them for several months. Although we have seized some grain from Longmenwei, the supplies for the large army still need to come from Shengjing, which consumes a lot of manpower and material resources."

Haoge responded calmly: "Don't worry, Uncle Ten, I haven't finished speaking. I think we can split our troops into two groups: one group continues to besiege Xuanfu, and the other group attacks Bao'an and Yanqing to the east. This will not delay important matters, and we can also achieve multi-line operations."

After saying this, Hauge looked around, waiting for everyone's response. His eyes revealed determination and expectation, as if he had seen the dawn of victory. (End of this chapter)