Dragon Sea Empire

Yan Siqi stepped forward and spread out the map on his messy desk: "Where did the Zhenghuangqi soldiers appear?"

The messenger looked at the map: "10 miles northwest of Gulezhai and 20 miles south of Jiefan City, the No. [-] Militia Battalion in Quanzhou was burning down the wheat fields there, and a group of Zhenghuang Banner cavalry attacked them,"

Yan Siqi said, "When did it happen?"

"Yesterday at noon, Major Zhang ordered me to go back to the camp overnight to report the military situation to you. Commander Zhang has already led people to strengthen the fortifications in Gulezhai, preparing to meet the enemy. He also asked you to send the rapid-fire firearms there."

Yan Siqi turned his head and said to the captain of the guard without hesitation: "Let the war department send an order that the five rapid-fire firearms posts on the front line of Hetuala rush to Gule village immediately, and order the cavalry battalion of the fifth division to immediately reinforce Gule Walled, "

"The cavalry battalion is still clearing out the Jurchen Tartars in Abdali Hill,"

"By the way, then quickly send someone to pass the order, and order them to set off immediately after receiving the order, and send out all the staff officers of the old battalion's combat department and the cavalry posts directly under the standard battalion, and send the order to each unit: the whole army immediately sends an order to Hetuala The battalion is assembled," Yan Siqi grabbed the helmet and armor that had just been taken off: "Mother, it seems that the decisive battle with the main force of the Eight Banners depends on our Eastern Route Army."

The captain of the guard asked: "My lord, what about Hetuala City?"

Yan Siqi stood still, raised his head and thought for a while: "Order: The first and second regiments of the First Infantry Division, and the First Regiment of the Artillery Brigade, start bombarding the city of Hetuala with all heavy firearms from noon today. They all sent to the front line to bombard the south gate, and told Cao Tai, acting commander of the First Division, that Hetuala City must be captured in two days, just two days, and told Lin Feiyang that logistics supplies were difficult and artillery shells were limited, so let him go first. The solid ammunition and the explosive ammunition are saved to be used on Nurhachi's head,"

According to seniority, Lin Feiyang is the nephew of Lin Xiao, the director of the company's security department. He is currently the deputy commander of the artillery brigade and the chief artillery officer of the East Route Army.

……

The Zhenghuang Banner cavalry that Zhang Pan's troops encountered had three cattle with 600 cavalry. They were the vanguard sent by Nurhachi to prevent the loss of Jiefan City. The main brigade of the Eight Banners was still west of Jiefan City and outside Fushun Pass. It takes two days to reach Salhu.

Yan Siqi's measures to strengthen the defense of Gule Village have not been effective for the time being. Zhang Pan divided the cavalry battalion of the Fifth Division who came for reinforcements into four teams, and sent them around Jiefan City as a reconnaissance force. The troops worked day and night to strengthen the fortifications of Gulezhai. Soon, the cavalry scouting team he sent encountered the cavalry advance team of the West Route Army, a heavy cavalry regiment with 600 cavalry, and two light cavalry battalions of the cavalry brigade. The militia cavalry battalion composed of Shandong thieves and horse thieves totaled 2200 people and more than 5000 horses. Led by hunters and ginseng pickers in Liaodong, they overtook Nurhachi's army and rushed to the vicinity of Gule Village.

At the same time, the exact news that Nurhachi's army had returned to Jiefan City was also delivered by the cavalry to the Hetuala camp.

When the Chinese Army started its crusade against the Houjin War, it had long ago decided that the combat strategy was to force the Eight Banners soldiers to fight head-on. , For the same reason, the purpose of burning and killing Houjin's lair was to destroy the food and grass supplies of the Houjin Eight Banners. Unless Nurhachi gave up everything he had gained from the 40-year campaign, the Eight Banners soldiers had to fight the Chinese army head-on.

Now, the war against Houjin has entered the most critical time.

Zhao Tie, who was in the Kuandian camp, received an urgent report from Shenyang three days ago, and couldn't sit still anymore, and rushed to Hetuala with the standard battalion directly under him and a temporary battalion of the Marine Corps.

……

When the Chinese army's general attack on Hetuala City began, Nurhachi's golden tent appeared outside Jiefan City, and the Eight Banners who stayed behind in Jiefan City flocked out of the city, kneeling down on both sides of the road and in the wheat fields to welcome them. Monarchs, their gods and fathers.

Nurhachi left the brigade and only took his personal guards "Ba Yala" soldiers. He traveled day and night, and finally rushed back to Jiefan City. He scanned the surrounding area of ​​Jiefan City and the constant The farmland stretching to the edge of the dense forest in the distance; these farmlands have all been burned by the Chinese army rangers now, and what is left is the dark, off-white ash all over the fields, which can be used as fertilizer for crops in the coming year, but this year's grain harvest Don't count on it.

"Khan, King Khan, send troops to drive away the pirates,"

"Help, King Khan,"

Mang Gurtai, Huang Taiji and other generals of the Eight Banners called for the battle one after another. Nurhachi blushed and frowned and rode into Jiefanhan Palace without saying a word.

In the evening, the vanguard of the main force of the Eight Banners retreating from the direction of Liaoshen set up camp outside Jiefan City according to the prescribed position. More than half of the troops were still on the way, and 5000 cavalry from the Zhengbai Banner were in the rear, constantly fighting with the Chinese army. The cavalry engaged.

Nurhachi sat on his throne without speaking for a long time. He seemed to be meditating with his eyes closed. All the generals around him held their breath, not daring to disturb the thinking of the founder of the post-Jin Kingdom.

Suddenly, Nurhachi opened his eyes, pointed to the south and said, "Huang Taiji, quickly send scouts to inquire about the news about the old city of Hetuala." Ertai, lead the headquarters to the south of Gule Village, occupy if you can fight, and surround if you can't fight."

"...quickly fill in the new Eight Banners of Haixi into the Xianglan Banner, don't wait for the training to be completed, and set off for Gule Village immediately,"

"Divide old and young women and children into two parts, one part will be moved to Jiefan City, and the other part will be transferred to Yehe tribe. All men who can hold weapons, regardless of their age, will be incorporated into the guards of Jiefan City. The original Jiefan City will stay behind. The soldiers with the yellow banner went south to Gule Village, "

"Haven't the Mongolian cavalry arrived yet? As soon as they arrive, let them go south immediately, and the rest of the troops will rest on the spot. After the brigade is assembled, I will send troops to conquer myself,"

……

The old city of Hetuala has two inner and outer cities. The circumference of the outer city is 9 li. There are three gates, the north gate and the east gate. The city wall is 5 feet high and built with a mixture of upper stones. The inner city originally lived with Nurhachi's family and relatives, and the outer city lived with Manchu Eight Banner soldiers. Outside the north gate of the outer city, blacksmiths and bowsmiths lived separately. The largest number of residents reached more than 9 households.

The city wall is made of mixed earth, stone, and wood. It is only nine feet high, and two adults can easily climb over it with the help of each other. Such a city wall is completely incomparable with the Nanjing city wall. , is totally a toy.

Xianyou Palace, Dizang Temple outside the city, Jiangtai and Xiaojun Field in the northwest have already become the camps of the Chinese Army. Under the command of Cao Tai, the temporary commander of the First Division, the Chinese Army first blocked the west gate of the outer city with intensive firepower. , Covering soldiers dug a hole in the corner and buried [-] catties of explosives, and then, with a loud noise, a large section of the Hetuala city wall collapsed, and after several consecutive blasts, the north gate and east gate were also opened.

The Eight Banners soldiers guarding the city had long planned to fight to the death, unable to fight the enemy with firepower on the city wall, they lay in ambush in the streets and alleys of the city, waiting for the Chinese army to rush in and engage in hand-to-hand street fighting.

The three regiments of the first division rushed in from three blast holes in the east, west, and north, and started street fighting with the remaining Eight Banners soldiers. The three regiments all used light field artillery and grenades to clear the way, and rushed to the center of the city desperately.

The Prince Consort’s Mansion, Armor Manufacturing Field, Bow and Arrow Manufacturing Field, Cangxi District and other places in the outer city were successively occupied by the Chinese army, and the gates of the inner city were also blasted open by cannons. There were hand-to-hand battles between the two armies in the Khan Palace, Eight Banners Yamen, Town God's Temple and other places. In order to defend the birthplace of their own prosperity, none of the Eight Banners surrendered.

After fighting fiercely for a whole day after breaking the city, the first division has not yet fully occupied the inner city of Hetuala, and the outer city has basically been occupied.

Yan Siqi came to supervise the battle overnight and ordered the troops to start the night battle regardless. He had just received the news that Nurhachi had arrived in Jiefan City.

"We must hurry up. Nu Chief will call soon. I have brought 1000 sailors, marines and Ryukyu regiments, and they will all be engaged in the night battle. The battle must end before dawn,"

After a night of blood and gunpowder, the inner city of Hetuala was completely in ruins.

The city of Hetuala was completely occupied by the Chinese army. All 2000 Eighth Banner soldiers and thousands of Eighth Banner family members were killed. Only dozens of people were seriously injured and captured. The Chinese Army also lost more than a thousand soldiers and more than [-] were injured.

Yan Siqi ordered: "Burn down all the buildings in the city and completely raze Hetuala." He thought that if the battle was unfavorable, the Chinese army would have to retreat to Kuandian to understand that this Hetuala city must never be left behind by Nurhachi. The army quickly burned the city of Hetuala completely, and also used gunpowder to blow up the Khan's palace, and even filled up the "Khan's well", which was said to be inexhaustible for thousands of troops.

The work of destroying the city was handed over to the militia battalions. The main force of the first division and the support troops of the Marine Corps took the time to make corrections in the camp.

At this time, another urgent report came from the outpost of Gule Village: Nurhachi's fourth son Sibeile Huang Taiji's troops had appeared to the north of Gule Village.

Yan Siqi looked at the soldiers of the first division who were resting after two days and nights of fierce fighting, and said angrily, "The Tazi soldiers raised by my mother are very fast. Nu Chief has only been in Jiefan for one night, and now he is launching an attack."

He looked at the officers around him and ordered loudly, "Zheng Zhihu, what are the Cavalry Battalion of the First Division doing?"

Zheng Zhihu stood up and replied: "The Cavalry Battalion of the First Division just returned to the camp last night."

"Have all the cavalry of the West Route Army crossed the river?"

"They also arrived at the camp last night. They are resting. They have been on the road for ten days in a row. The men and horses are very tired, and they need to replenish ammunition. They can only be dispatched after a day at the earliest,"

Yan Siqi frustrates his hands and said: "Most of the troops in front of us have to rest for a day before they can leave. There are still some infantry troops who have not returned. The cavalry battalion should stay and prepare for the decisive battle. Alas, we have to use the new marines first. "