Chapter 206: Catching Xiong Wencan Alive Lu Xiaoqiu occupies Zhaoqing
4331, November 15th, 8:50 in the morning.
Zhang Yuliang can clearly understand the minutes and seconds now, thanks to the advancement of technology.
He looked at the large clock that was as tall as a person standing in the military headquarters.
After the Hanzhong Bell Tower appeared, craftsmen quickly solved the problem of miniaturizing the bell tower.
Create a large spring-driven clock.
This technology is now used in weapons as time-delay fuses.
As soon as the grand clock appeared, it became a high-end machine and one of the must-have items for weddings in the upper class.
"Let the hot air balloons take off and they float to the top of Wuzhou City, just in time for the general attack."
Zhang Yuliang gave the order and the Eighth Army began to take action.
Zhao Xin's first division was responsible for the feint attack mission.
Niu Xiuqing, commander of the 1st Division Artillery Regiment, performs a hot-air balloon bombing mission.
After the emergence of hot air balloons, it was proved that this device is very safe.
Each of the regular armies of the Qin Army has an elite army that can skillfully use hot air balloons.
When they encounter an emergency mission using a hot air balloon, it's time for them to go to the battlefield.
This elite force of the Eighth Army is the First Division Artillery Regiment.
Niu Xiuqing is a fair-looking young man.
There was a big difference in skin color between him and the tanned soldiers around him.
Niu Xiuqing looked at the soldiers under his command and asked, "Do you know how to use the new bombs?"
The soldiers responded in unison: "Got it."
Niu Xiuqing pointed to a random person and asked him, "Tell me something."
The soldier was a little nervous when he heard the regimental leader's question.
He stumbled and said: "Find the target, twist it three and a half times, and drop the bomb immediately.
Three and a half circles can only be more, not less."
"Yes, you all remember it very clearly. You must remember that the fuse needs to be twisted three and a half times. You can do more, but never less."
Niu Xiuqing warned him again and issued the order.
"Lift off."
The hot-air balloon troops slowly took off, and soon the height exceeded the height of the Wuzhou city wall.
Niu Xiuqing adjusts the flame size of the hot air balloon.
Thanks to the invention of the alcohol blowtorch and the mining of kerosene.
The kerosene blowtorch now used on hot air balloons can easily adjust the size of the flame and control the height of the hot air balloon.
Following the southwesterly wind, the hot air balloon began to float towards the head of Wuzhou City.
Niu Xiuqing didn't know what the above considerations were, but he did not choose to use more powerful fire bombs, but only used giant bombs.
He saw the hot air balloon floating over Wuzhou City.
He and his companions lifted a bomb. It was a huge bomb, weighing more than 100 kilograms.
This is the most powerful conventional ammunition of the Qin Army.
There is no cannon to launch it, so we can only rely on hot air balloons to drop bombs.
The bomb was lifted onto the hot air balloon and placed on a special bomb release rack.
As soon as the switch of the bomb release rack is released, the bomb will be dropped from the hot air balloon.
Niu Xiuqing took out a tool that looked like a key and a wrench.
Insert the tool into the small hole on the back of the shell.
With a click, the tool matched the mechanical structure inside the cannonball.
He twisted the tool, keeping track of the number of turns.
"One lap."
"Two laps."
"Three circles."
"Three and a half circles."
"bomb."
While Niu Xiuqing was speaking, he turned on the switch of the bomb rack.
The front of the bomb release rack immediately opened, and the cannonball fell directly due to gravity.
Niu Xiuqing didn't have time to see the results of the bomb.
He immediately picked up another bomb and began to repeat the operation.
There are more than 400 hot air balloons in the sky, dropping bombs efficiently.
Wuzhou City began to suffer attacks from the sky.
More than one hundred kilograms of yellow explosive bombs.
It exploded on the ground and immediately formed a large deep crater.
Anyone dozens of meters around the crater will be killed by the shock wave of the bomb.
When the Ming army in Wuzhou City saw the power of bombs, they all became panicked and looked for places to avoid the shells that kept falling from the sky.
Many people have seen hot air balloons flying from the southeast to the northwest in the direction of the wind.
The Ming army ran desperately to the southeast. Wherever the hot air balloon flew, they would not be attacked by bombs.
The Ming army defending the city ignored the Qin army attacking the west wall.
They were all running for their lives to avoid the bombing of the hot air balloon troops.
When you encounter someone blocking the road ahead, you immediately draw your knife and open a bloody path.
The various units of the Ming army were unfamiliar with each other, so they crowded, trampled and fought against each other.
The entire Wuzhou City became chaotic.
Xiong Wencan heard a violent explosion coming from Wuzhou City.
He walked out of the room and saw that Wuzhou City was already a scene of purgatory.
The sound of bomb explosions was everywhere in Wuzhou City.
The explosions of bombs and the screams of the Ming army continued to sound.
The Ming army's camp and the red cannons on the city wall were the key targets of the yellow-clothed thieves' attack.
Xiong Wencan looked up at Wuzhou City and sighed.
"Heaven is going to destroy our Ming Dynasty. If Wuzhou is lost, Guangdong will not be able to defend it."
Xiong Wencan wanted to pull out Shang Fang's sword and cut himself with the sword.
He made up his mind several times but could not make up his mind.
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Su Xiong saw that the appointed time had arrived.
He immediately dispatched all the troops of the First Army to attack Wuzhou City.
The artillery regiment of the First Army no longer cherishes its cannons.
Cannonballs were continuously projected onto the Wuzhou city wall, and the bubble tube continued to heat up, so the cannon continued to fire before the barrel cooled down.
Su Xiong watched the troops attack Wuzhou City. This time, he clearly felt that the resistance of the Ming army in Wuzhou City had become extremely weak.
Chang Jiang Manyu, the third regiment of the second brigade of the first division of the first army, once again climbed to the top of Wuzhou city.
The last time he climbed to the top of Wuzhou City, except for him and a few others, everyone else died on the top of the city.
Jiang Manyu hoped that he could defend the city this time.
"Prepare grenades, and immediately use the bayonet after firing the rifle. Don't think about loading bullets."
Jiang Manyu taught the soldiers under his command the experience he summarized.
He saw that this was the Ming army on top of the city, which had become very sparse.
Jiang Manyu threw out all the grenades on his waist.
The only bullet in his rifle also hit an enemy.
When Jiang Manyu was about to fight the Ming army with bayonets, he heard a banging sound from behind.
The Ming army on top of the city was quickly repulsed.
Jiang Manyu didn't need to look back, he knew that the troops at the rear had already climbed onto the city wall.
This is good news, proving that they have control of this section of the city wall.
Just as Jiang Manyu was about to rush down the city wall, his expression changed, and he picked up the military flag and waved it toward the sky.
He had already seen that the hot air balloon troops in front were dropping powerful bombs one after another.
The soldiers on these hot air balloons would die miserably if they were attacked as Ming troops.
Waving the military flag and wearing their clothes had an obvious effect.
The hot-air balloon troops above our heads no longer drop bombs.
Jiang Manyu saw the hot air balloon troops flying overhead.
He immediately shouted loudly: "Everyone, follow me and catch Xiong Wencan alive."
Jiang Manyu shouted slogans, and he led the soldiers under his command and rushed into the city wall.
While he was charging, he had already reloaded his rifle with a bullet.
Veterans who are skilled in using rifles have the same movements as Jiang Manyu.
These veterans all know that the only way to protect themselves on the battlefield is the rifle in their hands.
Jiang Manyu shouted the slogan of capturing Xiong Wencan alive, which can best arouse the morale of the soldiers.
The first governor Yang He captured by the Qin army was still a dead man.
Squad leader Shi Dajian, had he not been injured and discharged from the army, he would have become a senior officer long ago, and he is doing well now.
The soldier Feng Sanqiu is now the admiral of Hanshui River and a high-ranking figure in the navy.
The regiment leader Zhou Dahu is now also a division-level officer.
Jiang Manyu felt that he had little hope of capturing Xiong Wencan alive. If he could find a body, it would be a great achievement.
But we can't let this big fish just run away.
He saw something special about the room in front of him.
There were bloodstains in other places in Wuzhou City, but there were no bloodstains near this area.
When Jiang Manyu saw the scene of broken limbs and broken arms everywhere in the city, he knew that the Ming army had encircled the camp.
The soldiers in Yingxiao have lost all sense, but they will actively avoid this place.
This must be a place of great fear in their hearts.
Only very high-level civil servants can make the Ming army feel fear from their hearts.
There was a camp roar nearby, and these Ming officials might not dare to run out.
Jiang Manyu led his soldiers to seal off the building, searching every room in the building without sparing any corner.
He led his troops in the latrine and caught a civil servant with white hair and wearing official uniform.
This civilian official's personal soldier has dug a big hole in the latrine.
Just as he was about to sneak into the pit, he hesitated when he saw the maggots and smelled the stench.
When the man saw Jiang Manyu walking in, he suddenly felt relieved.
He puffed up his chest and said in a straight tone: "The old Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, Xiong Wencan."
Jiang Manyu's eyes widened. He was not confident that he had captured Xiong Wencan, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, alive.
Xiong Wencan was immediately tied up and brought to the military headquarters to receive the reward.
The Qin army rushed into Wuzhou City, and the war in Wuzhou was over.
The Ming army could not stop the Qin army with its fortified city. Faced with rifles and machine guns, the only way out for them was to surrender.
Su Xiong and Zhang Yuliang left some people to screen the prisoners.
The main forces of the First Army and the Eighth Army launched an attack on Guangdong through the Xijiang Waterway.
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Lu Xiaoqiu set out from Leizhou Mansion, hoping to catch up with the main force.
He made some miscalculations and the main force marched too fast.
Lu Xiaoqiu couldn't keep up at all, but passed through the guards and wounded left behind by the main force.
He can also understand the direction in which the main force is heading.
When Lu Xiaoqiu came to Luodingzhou, he was warmly welcomed by Wen Chenglin.
Wen Chenglin told him that Commander Zhang Yuliang arranged for him to build ships here in Luodingzhou, and they built twenty more armed merchant ships.
This is a newly built armed merchant ship, which is stronger and more durable.
Lu Xiaoqiu took over these twenty armed merchant ships.
With these armed merchant ships, they no longer fear the warships of the Ming Navy on the waterway.
Lu Xiaoqiu waited for a few days for the soldiers to adapt to the armed warships.
He officially waited for the past few days for the logistics troops from Guangxi to arrive.
The logistics force replenished ammunition and soldiers for the 2nd Division.
They also brought a large number of explosive charges, which were extremely rare siege weapons before.
They also brought a letter from the Second Division congratulating Mi Yu from Qinzhou.
Mi Yu explained in the letter that he wanted to defend Yong'an Prefecture and could not bring the soldiers of the First Brigade of the Second Division to join the main force.
Lu Xiaoqiu also understands Mi Yu's choice.
He wants to take part in the Guangzhou Campaign with Mi Yu's regret.
After the armed merchant ships were trained, Du Xiaoqiu set out for Xijiang with the armed merchant ships and more than 60 repaired ordinary merchant ships.
The journey is smooth and there is no need to worry about enemies.
Lu Xiaoqiu's march was very fast, and the fleet soon entered Xijiang.
Xijiang is constantly patrolled by armed merchant ships of the Qin army.
They intercepted all ships that wanted to go to Wuzhou, and seized all the people and ships.
Lu Xiaoqiu learned from these people that Commander Zhang Yuliang had led the main force to surround Wuzhou City to the west.
He now has two options: join the main force to the west and attack Wuzhou City together.
Lu Xiaoqiu thought carefully and decided to give up this option.
He has arrived so late that the current Wuzhou City may have been captured.
The Xijiang River has been cut off, and Wuzhou City has lost its supply line.
It is now an isolated city and it is only a matter of time before it is captured by the Qin army.
With such a small number of people, they won't have much effect on the battlefield in Wuzhou City.
Lu Xiaoqiu's idea is to go east to Zhaoqing Mansion.
Occupy Zhaoqing Prefecture, and take one step further to reach Guangzhou Prefecture.
Once Guangzhou Prefecture is captured, the most elite area in Guangdong, other parts of Guangzhou will be easier to deal with.
Many cities will surrender because they have lost their organizational strength and become isolated cities.
These isolated cities were completely unable to stop the Qin army's attack.
Lu Xiaoqiu made up his mind and discussed it with the officers of the Second Division.
Everyone unanimously decided to attack Zhaoqing Mansion eastward.
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Lu Xiaoqiu took a boat and came to a tall city.
This is Zhaoqing City, an important town in Guangdong.
He arranged armed merchant ships and used artillery to continuously attack Zhaoqing City.
The soldiers on the transport ship also began to disembark.
After the soldiers disembarked, they formed a regiment into formation.
The artillery regiment began to set up artillery positions on the shore.
Lu Xiaoqiu received the news that the artillery positions had been deployed.
He immediately ordered the entire army to launch a fierce attack on Zhaoqing City.
The Ming army in Zhaoqing City was in chaos, and there were yellow-clothed thieves attacking Zhaoqing, which must mean that Wuzhou City had been defeated.
The Second Division Artillery Regiment began to suppress the Hongyi artillery and Ming troops in Zhaoqing City.
The Ming army in Zhaoqing City was not the elite Ming army in Wuzhou City, and there was no governor of Guangdong and Guangxi to supervise the battle.
They could not bear the casualties caused by the explosion of artillery shells, and many Ming soldiers fled down the city to avoid the shells.
Gu Tian, commander of the third regiment of the second brigade, led the commando team directly to the gates of Zhaoqing City.
"Hurry up and arrange the explosives to blow the city wall down."
The soldiers used engineering shovels to dig a hole under the city and bury explosive bags under the city wall.
The current yellow powder explosive bag contains thirty kilograms of yellow powder and is tied up with linen.
Explosive charges were lighter than siege mines and could be carried by a single soldier.
The power of its explosion was huge, far more powerful than the siege mines they used before.
After Gu Tian buried the explosive package, under his order, the soldiers uniformly pulled the delay fuse of the explosive package.
The explosive package began to emit white smoke.
Gu Tian blew the whistle in his mouth, and the harsh whistle sounded in the battlefield.
All the Qin troops who were attacking the city immediately turned around and ran away when they heard this sound.
There was a loud bang and a large amount of smoke and dust rose into the sky.
When the smoke and dust dispersed, only the city wall of Zhaoqing Mansion had been blown down.
"The whole army attacks."
When Lu Xiaoqiu saw that the city wall of Zhaoqing Prefecture was blown down, he immediately led the second division to launch a fierce attack.
The Ming army in Zhaoqing City became extremely panicked after seeing the city wall being blown down.
"The city wall collapsed and Zhaoqing City was destroyed."
There were many defenders in the city, as well as Ming troops from various places who came to support Wuzhou.
They all began to rob the ships on the Xijiang River and fled towards Guangzhou Prefecture.
Lu Xiaoqiu led the troops and relied on the power of rifles and artillery to smash all the Ming army's obstacles and occupy Zhaoqing City.
He did not rest and arranged some troops to maintain order in the city.
The Second Division pursued the deserters of the Ming Army and launched an attack on Guangzhou Prefecture.