Although he had an absolute advantage in terms of military strength, Liu Xingzhi still deployed his troops very carefully.
The soldiers of each department gradually advanced with the vehicles, cannons and carts they brought, preparing to form a barrier outside the city gate first, and then the musketeers lined up to block the enemy's cavalry attack with a rain of bullets.
The total circumference of Zunhua City is more than six miles. The city base is thirty feet thick and three feet six feet high. There are more than 1,300 crenellations on the city wall.
There is a city gate on each of the east, west, north and south sides of the city. There is a moat outside the city gate, which is two feet deep and three feet wide.
Zunhua City was demolished and redesigned by Qi Jiguang, the prime minister in charge of military training in Jizhen. The rebuilt Zunhua City was shaped like the futou worn by the ancients, so it was also called Fu City.
When it comes to a fortified city and wide trenches, Zunhua City is definitely up to standard.
But if Jianlu wanted to defend the city, his biggest disadvantage was the small number of troops. There were only 800 unarmored soldiers in a company, and only 200 people could be divided into one wall.
Fan Wencheng stood on the city wall and carefully observed the newly arrived enemy troops outside the city. The more he looked, the more frightened he became. He found that the enemy's equipment looked very familiar, even though they were under the banner of Liao Town.
"Sir." A soldier came to report, "Sir Ingourdai led the cavalry to attack and has already opened the city and rushed out."
"What?" Fan Wencheng was shocked, and sweat immediately poured down his forehead.
Although Huang Taiji valued him very much, Fan Wencheng was still a second-class person and was not respected by Manchu officials. Even discrimination was common.
Moreover, at this time, Fan Wencheng was only in Huang Taiji's literary library. He was also called a study official, a civil servant, a student member, and a scholar. He had no formal official title, but was equivalent to giving advice and suggestions, and had no real power.
Therefore, Ying Erdai, as the commander-in-chief of Zunhua, decided to take the initiative without consulting him. If you respected him, you could at most ask for his opinion.
Ying Erdai's idea is also very simple. Defending the city is not the strength of his own army, and his troops are not large. If the enemy seals the city, he will be quite passive.
Although the enemy has a large number of troops, the Jianzhou warriors are unparalleled in cavalry and shooting, and are invincible in field battles. It should be possible to defeat the enemy before the enemy has completed their arrangements and preparations.
Five hundred armored soldiers rushed out from the west gate. After a little preparation, they turned around and charged towards the north gate along the city wall.
"Charge, kill!" Jianlu howled, his fierce look revealed, and he rushed towards the Dongjiang army like a hungry wolf.
More than a thousand infantrymen were already in formation and pressing towards the city gate. With the early warning of the cavalry, they quickly changed direction, with the vehicles in front and the musketeers behind, ready for a battle.
"Fire!" Unsurprisingly, the heavy muskets on both wings became the first weapons to roar.
If a heavy lead bullet is hit, whether it is a man or a horse, the victim will fall down. Even if he is wearing heavy armor, his protective effect will be greatly weakened.
The cavalry led by Ying Erdai did not charge straight over, but changed their route, passing the blocking vehicles diagonally, and shooting the enemies with bows and arrows. Then, after bypassing the obstacles, they would attack in a roundabout way or shoot with bows and arrows.
Jianlu was knocked to the ground one after another, and Jianlu's formation also showed signs of chaos.
Boom, boom, boom!
The front baffles of the three Fran locomotive guns suddenly fell down, revealing the black holes of the muzzles, which roared in the burst of fire and fired hundreds of pellets towards Jianlu.
A group of cavalrymen fell down, and the Jianlu team became more and more chaotic.
The arrows flew across the sky and were fired almost simultaneously with the light muskets. Both sides suffered casualties in the exchange of fire. However, the rapid bombardment of the Fran cannon made the Jianlu who were getting closer pay a greater price.
Light and heavy muskets and Fran cannons fired continuously, and the density of firepower was an unprecedented experience for Ying Erdai and the Jianlu cavalry.
However, this experience is the call of death, the swing of death's scythe.
Including Ying Erdai, all the Jianlu were aware of the differences in their opponents, their fighting styles, and the advantages and disadvantages of their weapons and equipment.
They had fought many battles, but no Ming army was so stable, and no Ming army's guns and artillery were so sharp, and their rate of fire was unimaginably fast.
Jianlu who had participated in the Jinzhou Campaign might have some experience, but Ying'erdai's troops had no such experience.
However, it was too late to withdraw from the battle and leave the battlefield at this time. A hasty retreat would only result in more casualties under the attack of muskets and artillery.
But Jianlu's shock didn't end there. After paying a lot of casualties, he finally passed the infantry battle formation and was about to attack the flank of the battle formation again when a large group of cavalry suddenly charged in.
Fighting against chaos with strict control and fighting individuals as a group, the Five Hundred Flying Cavalry seized the opportunity and suddenly joined the battle group under the leadership of Liu Qishi.
As the Jianlu cavalry passed by the battle formation, the musketeers quickly rolled up and opened a battle line similar to a line. They fired heavily at Jianlu with their light and heavy muskets.
There were muskets on the flanks and cavalry on the opposite side. From time to time, the screams of people and the neighing of horses could be heard. Ying Erdai was worried and deeply regretted, knowing that his recklessness and underestimation of the enemy could have fatal consequences.
This was definitely not an ordinary Ming army, it was the elite of the elite. Seeing the infantry advancing forward without fear, skillfully handling guns and shooting, Ying Erdai felt fear in his heart.
But the matter is already here. When the cavalry is about to collide, there is no difference between pulling out the horse to avoid it and committing suicide.
"Kill!" Ying Erdai roared loudly and accelerated his horse speed.
The cry of killing rang out in the enemy's and our cavalry's ranks. There was no timidity or fear, and no shrinking back. The cavalrymen bumped into each other amid the hail of arrows and bullets.
The screams, the neighing of horses, the clash of weapons and the horrifying sounds of flesh penetration did not seem so harsh amidst the constant roar of guns and artillery.
But life and death only happen in a moment. Either you die or I die.
Under the glaring gaze, the knife flashed coldly, flesh and blood splattered, and the lives of the people and horses were fragile and fleeting, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Ying Erdai watched helplessly as the Jianzhou warriors, whose riding and archery skills made him proud, were cut down and fell off their horses in the fight with the enemy's cavalry.
Although the enemy is also suffering casualties, this is not the result that Ying O'erdai wants. The enemy's troops are superior. If they cannot be defeated, if they continue to fight like this, their own army will undoubtedly be defeated.
A group of captives strayed into the distance. They were the troops led by guerrilla Li Sizhong. His intention was obvious, to distance himself from the enemy's musketeers to avoid continuous damage from the flanks.
It was a good idea, but the timing was wrong and they lacked understanding of the tactics of the flying cavalry. A group of flying cavalry immediately seized the opportunity and attacked suddenly. Three teams of cavalry rushed through the wall and hit Li Sizhong's flank.
Jianlu, who turned his horse around and was too late to attack, lost speed and was quickly defeated by the fierce attack of the cavalry wall. Even Li Sizhong was killed.
Ying Erdai was covered in blood and wheezing, with only a few dozen riders left around him.
In the confrontation with the flying cavalry, Jianlu suffered considerable losses. But the greater casualties were caused by the continuous attacks of muskets and artillery.
The enemy's cavalry regrouped and reorganized, watching eagerly, and were ready to charge again.
The musketeers did not stick to their positions like the usual Ming army, but kept approaching, constantly using lasing lead bullets to cause casualties to their own troops.
Such an army has no fear at all, but is full of confidence and eager to fight.
The rumble of horse hooves came closer and closer, and hundreds of cavalrymen circled the city and appeared in Ying Erdai's sight.
Attacked from both front and back, not only is defeat certain, but it is also difficult to escape and survive.
Ying Erdai gritted his teeth, but felt helpless and dejected. He reined in his horse and ran away into the distance, unable to even return to the city. Hundreds of flying cavalry roared away, chasing him mercilessly.
Boom, boom! There were two explosions in succession, the ground was shaking, and the city walls seemed to be shaking.
The east and south gates of Zunhua City were blown open by gunpowder carts. Before the smoke cleared, the infantry had already charged in.
There were only 300 unarmored soldiers left in the city. The Dongjiang Army, which was almost ten times the number of the enemy, entered the city. To describe it as crushing was not an exaggeration.
A flying cavalry galloped through the west gate, sealing off the Jianlu's last hope of escaping.
"Get out, get out!" Fan Wencheng shouted loudly, but his heart was filled with despair and sadness.
It was too fast, there was no time to react.
Although Ying Erdai underestimated the enemy, Fan Wencheng was still surprised and surprised that hundreds of cavalry were defeated so embarrassingly and so quickly.
The city cannot be defended for sure, and the most they can do is resist with all their might and inflict more casualties on the enemy. Fan Wencheng has understood that even if Ying Erdai does not take the initiative to attack, the outcome will be the same.
The gunshots rang out like exploding beans. The musketeers who rushed into the city advanced steadily along the streets and started fighting with the stubborn Jianlu prisoners.
Blood spattered, flesh and blood flew everywhere, several prisoners screamed and fell to the ground, but Fan Wencheng miraculously did not get hit.
His face and body were stained with blood, and he waved his weapons in vain and despair, howling like a dying dog.
The black muzzle of the gun was raised again, and flames burst out in Fan Wencheng's desperate eyes.
A heavy lead bullet hit his chest. Even with the armor, there was still a bloody hole, revealing his wolfish heart and dog's lungs.
"There are too many enemies, and the firearms are also sharp..." The big traitor fell down slumped, staring with eyes like dead fish. That was his last consciousness.
Yes, there were too many musketeers pouring into the Dongjiang Army.
Three hundred captives were scattered on the city wall. They hurriedly went down to the city to fight against the incoming Dongjiang army. They were soon covered by the hail of bullets that came from the front. They had little chance for melee combat, and they all fell to death in a splash of flesh and blood.
"Come into the city, General Cheng." There were still sporadic battles in the city. Liu Xingzhi could no longer hold himself back and extended an invitation to Cheng Baolin.
Although Cheng Baolin did not witness the whole battle, the city was just recaptured, and his mouth opened wide with shock and disbelief on his face.
Liu Xingzhi just shouted once, looked at Cheng Baolin's silly look, shook his head slightly, and walked towards the city gate under the guard of his own soldiers.
Cheng Baolin finally woke up, urged his horse to catch up, and complimented with a dry smile: "Your army is really brave and good at fighting. The captives are like chickens and dogs, and they are vulnerable."
It's fair to say that the Jianlu, who were like chickens and dogs, beat the crap out of thousands of their own troops.
Liu Xingzhi smiled lightly and said: "This is nothing. In the battle of Zhenjiang Fort, Deputy Commander Guo destroyed the city in one day and annihilated thousands of Jianqi. The Jianqi garrison in Zunhua was less than a thousand, which was really arrogant.
"
Cheng Baolin smiled bitterly and sneered, knowing it was embarrassing.
Jianlu dared to do this because he looked down on the Ming army in the mainland. However, the Ming army in the mainland was indeed low in combat power, and they couldn't admit it even if they wanted to.
Entering the city, you will see a battlefield that has not yet been cleaned up. Swords, guns, flags, blood and corpses can be seen scattered everywhere on the streets.
"Find Fan Wencheng, dead or alive." Liu Xingzhi remembered something and ordered an officer, "This big traitor was named by Deputy Commander Guo."
Watching the officers follow the order and leave, Liu Xingzhi led his troops to the governor's office and casually said to Cheng Baolin: "Deputy Commander Guo hates traitors the most, and Fan Wencheng is the most famous. Others include Ning Wanwo and Luo Xiujin.
Waiting for others."
"Traitors who betray the country should be cut into pieces by a thousand cuts." Cheng Baolin gritted his teeth and expressed his hatred for the enemy. "We will catch all the traitors who surrendered and became captives in more than a dozen cities and hand them over to Deputy Commander Guo."
Liu Xingzhi glanced at Cheng Baolin and said with a smile: "Master Liu sent General Cheng to recover the cities that had surrendered to slaves. Didn't he say that he had internal support? General Cheng, can you work hard and send two thousand soldiers to accompany the general?"
Cheng Baolin immediately patted his chest and said, "This is Cheng's mission, and we have no shirking responsibility."
Cities like Panjiakou, Malanyu, Da'ankou and other cities are no more than fortresses in scale, with few Jianlu in charge, and the surrender of troops and generals is both the first and the second, so it is unlikely that they will sacrifice their lives for Jianlu.
Cheng Baolin had this confidence, especially because Liu Xingzhi promised him 2,000 troops. This was not an invincible Ming army from the mainland, but a tiger and wolf army that recovered the cities. It was not just easy to capture, but the credit was in vain.
Liu Xingzhi implemented Guo Dajing's combat intention. After occupying Zunhua, he swept through the surrounding small towns that surrendered and moved all the people away, forming a battlefield similar to a no-man's land.
During this process, the surrounding Ming troops were expected to come to help, but Guo Dajing was not prepared to use them, nor did he trust them, so he still had to complete the battle against Jianlu alone.
As for these so-called friendly troops, they pick some insignificant tasks and send them away. As for the credit, you can share some of the credit, as long as they don't cause trouble.
When Liu Xingzhi led his people to the governor's Yamen, all the fighting in the city had ended, the gunfire stopped, and thousands of Dongjiang troops entered the city and began cleaning the battlefield, inventorying warehouses and other finishing work.
The soldiers brought one of the Taoist priests and one of the doctors who were captured in the Yamen. Liu Xingzhi inquired about them and had them escorted to identify Fan Wencheng and the Jianlu officers.
Liu Xingzhi took a look inside the yamen, and then ordered his men: "Tomorrow at the latest, Deputy Commander Guo will arrive with his main force, so hurry up and clean up this place."
He randomly selected a courtyard in the yamen as a temporary headquarters, and arranged residence for Cheng Baolin and hundreds of his remaining soldiers.
Soon, officers from various ministries rushed to report that since Cheng Baolin was not around, Liu Xingzhi's work became more convenient.
After the Jianlu captured Zunhua, they burned, killed, and looted the surrounding areas until they reached Qian'an County. The large amount of money and materials they obtained, as well as a population of 20,000 to 30,000 people, were concentrated in Zunhua City.
The two to thirty thousand people were unfortunate but also lucky. They were rescued by the Dongjiang Army and did not have to be driven to Liaodong with heavy casualties to be slaves to the Jian captives.