Chapter Fifty-Eighth Bloody Battle of Great Harmony Eleven
"Let's take a rest here." Jiang Xuan called to the sheepherder Lao Li who was leading the way. Because each person's foot strength was different, the team of soldiers behind him had already stretched into a "long snake", and they were supporting each other in twos and threes.
Climbing up the mountain path, you can't see the end of the queue at a glance.
Jiang Xuan and the shepherd walked in front, and took the lead to walk up the hilltop, where they saw flat land. Seeing the open surroundings and the shade of trees, they immediately decided to rest here for half a day, not only to avoid the noon sun, but also to wait.
The stragglers caught up.
The weather in May and June can be described as hot or cold. It is a good season with pleasant climate. However, the climate in the mountains is very different from that of the outside world. It has been very hot since noon, and when the sun goes down, the temperature has started to drop again.
Feeling cold when sleeping.
The soldiers walked up to the top of the slope one after another and each chose a shady place to rest. Slowly, they were placed in the queue, and the servants responsible for commanding the ordinary soldiers also gathered in front of Jiang Xuan. They led by Baihu Heqiu and reported to the camp.
Details.
"General Soldier, we have counted and found that there are seventy-nine people missing today. Counting those who fell ill and left the team four days ago and escaped at night, there are a total of four hundred and eighty people missing." He Qiu couldn't help but sigh after he finished speaking.
There were fewer and fewer soldiers, morale was low, and it was difficult to travel.
Jiang Xuan and his men arrived at the boundary of Hunyuan. According to the plan, the guide led the way into the mountain from Tianfeng, which is the main peak of Mount Hengshan. However, as soon as they entered the mountain, they received bad news. The mountain road in Tianfengling was damaged due to rain a few days ago.
There was a landslide and the road was blocked by falling rocks.
Everyone had to turn around and go back, detouring dozens of miles and entering the mountain through the steeper Qiangfeng collar. In order to reach their destination within the scheduled time, Jiang Xuan's men had to travel more than 120 miles a day.
On the mountain road, many soldiers couldn't bear it and fled in the dark.
In addition, there was a large temperature difference between day and night in the mountains, and some soldiers were disobedient and drank raw water without authorization. As a result, they suffered from wind-cold symptoms and high fevers, and had to be left where they were.
"Go down with the order, rest for an hour and continue on your way."
Seeing that Jiang Xuan did not comment on the desertion and was eager to continue on his way, He Qiu asked, "Why don't we let the brothers rest for a while? They really can't walk anymore."
"Jiang doesn't know about the situation of the brothers, but you have to know that if we are late for half a day, Datong will have to stay for another half day." Jiang Xuan said his pain to the superior in a serious voice.
He Qiu was very stubborn this time. As an officer like him, he was closest to the soldiers on the way, so he could see every word and deed of the soldiers. If he continued like this, all the soldiers would be gone.
"In my humble position, I really don't want to contradict the Commander-in-Chief, but my brothers really can't hold on any longer. If all the people under my command are gone, how can we fight against the Tatars?"
During the conversation, the superiors and subordinates looked at each other, but they refused to give in and insisted on asking the superior to take back the order. In the end, Jiang Xuan made a compromise and allowed three hours of rest, but he had to walk at night.
After the servants dispersed, the sheepherder Lao Li came to Jiang Xuan and handed over the water bag in his hand, and Jiang Xuan took it.
"Um, that's what soldiers think. You're the one who rebelled, and it's you who will be rehabilitated later. What are you trying to do?" Taking advantage of the break to drink water, Lao Li started to talk about Xian Tian.
Jiang Xuan couldn't help but smile bitterly when he heard this. As the saying goes, banditry is as easy as combing comb, and soldiers are like goads. In the eyes of ordinary people, the reputation of soldiers is not even as good as that of bandits. What kind of feelings of family and country? Everyone is burning, killing and looting.
, there is no difference between a nest of snakes and rats.
"Oh, there are some things that we don't understand either." Jiang Xuan felt the coolness on the tip of his tongue, but there was bitterness in his heart.
"It's okay to be confused. If you are confused, your life is worthless. God will not accept it."
"I hope that's the case. How much distance do we still have to go?"
The shepherd was wearing a small fur coat, hunched over, like a sharp old hunting dog. He pointed around and replied: "The most difficult road has been passed. Go over there, go down the mountain and walk out, and we can reach the forest."
The village is closed."
Jiang Xuan nodded and listened silently. He didn't know what was going on in Datong now. Is my brother okay? Is His Majesty still okay?
........
"Hurry up and help me up!" Chongzhen shouted to the soldiers around him, just before a cannonball hit him and knocked him unconscious.
The Qing army organized several waves of offensives within two days, blocking the middle of the moat east of Datong in one fell swoop. Then, ladders, rams and other equipment came one after another, and Hedu threw all non-Manchu banner troops into the battlefield with the intention of dismantling the east gate.
Line of defense.
Chongzhen held his head and saw several soldiers carrying a huge tree to throw it down the city, so he hurried forward to help.
"Bring in the kerosene!" The giant tree fell down, knocking down the Qing soldiers who were climbing up the outer wall. Seeing that the crowds under the wall were all rebels, Chongzhen hurriedly ordered the soldiers to bring in the kerosene.
The Qing army's ladder was higher than the city wall. The soldiers cut the ropes, and the huge ladder slab fell down and was placed on the top of the city of Datong, paving a "heavenly road" straight into the city.
Except for the Qing soldiers who were possessed by hooked ants, the rest of the Qing soldiers climbed the ladder to the top, held their shields in front, jumped up the ladder, and confronted the spears and spears protruding from the city wall. The leading Qing soldiers were stunned for a moment
Somewhat timid, he stopped moving forward, but was pushed hard by the person behind him, and he fell onto the opposite gun head with his chest puffed out.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, the descendants swarmed up, trampled on the former's body, flew into the city wall in a few steps, and slashed left and right in the Ming army defending the city. Blood and flesh flew everywhere in an instant.
Chongzhen saw that the city head on the right was unstable and that someone seemed to be climbing on the wall, so he hurriedly led his soldiers to support.
The Qing army who took the opportunity to step into the city wall was obviously outnumbered, but fearless. They threw their torches everywhere with the intention of setting fire to them. After several Ming soldiers were cut down, they were caught off guard. They had spears on the left and right.
Several people were surrounded, but the Ming army soldiers kept retreating and no one came forward.
"Hahahaha! Mr. Kansi! Did you see it? They are scared." One of the Qing soldiers had disheveled hair and was speaking sloppily in Mongolian.
"Go back alive and find Lord Baylor to receive the reward!" Kanxi, who was leaning against him, said in a deep voice.
"Datong officers and soldiers, if you are advancing or retreating, kill!" The wall road was so congested that Chongzhen saw that the soldiers were frightened by a few captives. They climbed up on the spot and raised their arms and shouted wildly. As soon as the backbone arrived, the Ming army stopped retreating and stood tall.
The spear moved forward.
The sloppy man who had just screamed was stabbed to death three times in a row. Kansi roared, threw the hand ax at the crowd, raised his buckler and struck the muzzle of the gun in a bull stance, and rushed into the crowd with the broken gun body.
The soldier who broke his spear fell backward, and several of them were trampled to death by their colleagues.
The crazy behavior of the Kanxi people cleared a space beneath their feet, and Qing soldiers continued to climb up the Datong city wall on ladders.
"Who dares to kill this beast for me!?" Chongzhen shouted loudly when he saw the menace of the coming men. He was brave enough to be defeated by ten thousand men. However, the soldiers in front just retreated and no one responded.
"Someone dares!"
The visitor turned out to be Zhang Wan, who had been injured in the arrow tower before. His forehead, wrapped in gauze, was bleeding outward.
After receiving the medical officer's permission and knowing that his time was running out, he secretly slipped out of the wounded soldier's room and went straight to the city wall to kill the enemy. Hearing His Majesty's call, he immediately answered.
"Get away!" Zhang Wan pulled away the retreating infantry one by one, slipped through the gap in the crowd, and faced Kanxi face to face.
Kanxi let out a "drink" and rushed towards Zhang Wan, but he was swayed by Zhang Wan. Zhang Wan, who was bare-handed, circled behind Kanxi, used all his strength, tightly hugged Kanxi's waist, and they fell off the city wall. This chapter has been completed!