When the first ray of sunlight shone on the horizon, the Taiping troops on the city wall did not see the black siege troops, but saw the dust flying all over the sky. Before dawn, 20,000 Huaihai navy militiamen began to attack from a few kilometers away.
Trenches were dug on the east and north sides of Yangzhou City.
By daybreak, the Huaihai Navy had already dug the communication trenches and was digging the first horizontal encirclement trench. According to Dong Shuheng's plan, after the first encirclement trench, he would continue to dig vertical communication trenches and advance to a distance of 500 meters from the city wall before digging again.
After the second encirclement trench, the infantry and militiamen dug through the Taiping Army's trenches and occupied the Taiping Army's trenches.
When Zeng Lichang rushed to the city wall, he almost lost his breath and breathed out a mouthful of blood. It turned out that the Taiping Army was best at digging trenches. Whenever they attacked the city, they dug and pushed under the enemy's city wall, then hollowed out the bottom of the city wall and buried explosives to blow it down.
The city wall and then the city were captured. This method has been tried and tested repeatedly.
Unexpectedly, the Huai Navy was more capable than them. They dug outside the range of the artillery. With tens of thousands of troops, they didn't even make a tentative attack. They dug up the soil as soon as they came up.
"Dirty Dong Shuheng is a coward who only dares to steal chickens and dogs!" Zeng Lichang cursed in his heart.
"Fire at their trenches." Zeng Lichang shouted to the city wall guard beside him.
"Yes, General." The guard agreed reluctantly.
"Bang bang bang..." Continuous gunfire sounded. The iron ball hit the low wall made of earth above the trench with huge kinetic energy, and immediately sank into the soft soil, splashing a lot of dust. The trench
The militiamen inside were startled by the sound of cannons, but soon resumed excavation operations under the command of officers.
These trenches were determined by Dong Shuheng and his counselors from the military service room after repeated calculations on the sand table. The angle and length issues were fully considered, in order to prevent artillery bombardment from the tower.
The artillery on the city wall can only hit the low wall in front of the trench no matter which direction it attacks. Unless the Taiping Army now has mortars or mortars, there is a certain probability that the artillery shells can be hit into the trench, and
It had to be an explosive bomb. If it was just a big iron ball, there was no way it could cause many casualties to the Huaihai Navy.
Zeng Lichang quickly stopped the artillery fire, but failed to fire again. He could only watch as the Huaihai Navy continued to advance the trenches towards the city wall.
For two consecutive days, the Huai Navy did not fire a single shot into the city. They just kept digging trenches. Zeng Lichang sent the Taiping Army in the trenches outside the city to make several sneak attacks, but before they could get close to the Huai Navy's trenches, they were attacked by the Huai Navy.
The muskets were fired back, but the Huaihai navy even fired their guns while hiding in the trenches, with only their heads exposed.
Zeng Lichang was so angry at Huai Haijun's tactics that he was speechless.
…
In the Yuan Family Garden in the north of the city, Qishan also heard the sound of cannons on the Yangzhou city wall in the past two days.
"Laifu, do you think the Huai Navy can capture Yangzhou City? Why have I only heard the bandits firing artillery in the past two days? Dong Shuheng doesn't seem to have any artillery. This Yangzhou City is high and deep.
, how can he attack without artillery?" Laifu was also a domestic slave beside Qishan. He was a clever man and always followed Qishan.
"Speaking to me, haven't you always said that Dong Shuheng is very clever? Just let him jump around. Anyway, you are still guarding the Peking University camp as before."
"Well, what you said makes sense. Has Dong Shuheng sent this month's regular payment?"
"It was delivered on time on the first day of the new year. It was all checked and stored in the warehouse. The Yishui Yingyang is still new and packed in five big boxes. Master, I have to say that this Dong Shuheng is really filial to you. He sends you rare things every now and then.
Here comes the item, the MSG in the glass bottle that was delivered a few days ago. I heard that it is hard to find in Sijiu City! It is said that using this thing to make soup and cook dishes not only tastes delicious, but can also strengthen the body and prolong life.
." This Laifu also received bad benefits from Dong Shuheng. Now that I have the opportunity, I naturally want to say a few good words for Dong Shuheng.
"You talked so much today, are you taking advantage of others?"
"The benefits I received are all thanks to you, sir. Let's regard it as the reward you gave me. Sir, how about I ask Miss Feng Xian'er from the theater troupe to come and give you a tap on your leg?"
"Well, you go ahead!"
…
Let’s talk about why there are no generals in Beida camp coming out to make trouble. After all, they have nothing to do with the attack on Yangzhou. On the one hand, Qishan promised that the credit for conquering Yangzhou will be distributed to everyone. On the other hand, now
The rest cannot be beaten, they are heartless, and they know it in their own hearts.
Finally, their business with Huaihai Company is now booming, and the entire Beidaying has become a trading market. Huaihai Company provides them with goods at low prices, and they have domestic slave soldiers transport them back to their respective hometowns for sale. The profits are quite huge. Huaihai Company's products
They are all high-end goods, such as refined salt, monosodium glutamate, canned seafood, biscuits, ironware, bicycles, rickshaws, individually sold rubber-covered wheels, rubber-soled shoes, ponchos, strong machine-made cotton cloth, and lighters that can be lit by the dozen. They are cheap and convenient.
of matches...
These things are in short supply when brought to Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Mongolia. An ordinary lighter can be exchanged for two horses on the grassland. Later, they can also bring back local specialties: minerals, cattle, sheep, horses, wool, leather, etc. and sell them back.
Huai Haijun. Most of these generals of Beida Camp are hereditary. Their families are generally very influential in the local area, which brings them great convenience in transporting goods. They reported a reason for transporting supplies to Beida Camp, and even taxed them.
No need to pay. It can be said that everyone gets what they need and the cooperation is very pleasant.
On the third day, the Huai Army's excavation operation finally came to an end, and the field troops gathered forward along the trenches. At the front were the commandos with shotguns in their hands and grenades on their bodies. They would be responsible for the task of attacking the trenches.
In the evening, the general offensive began. The militiamen dug up the connection with the trenches of the Taiping Army. The commando team threw grenades into the opponent's trenches nearby. Before the smoke and dust from the explosion cleared, the soldiers of the commando team charged with shotguns.
Entering the trenches of the Taiping Army, without waiting for a clear view, a blind shot was fired at the front of the trenches.
The Taiping Army also knew that the other side was about to dig in, and many soldiers gathered together to block Huai Haijun's attack near the gap. However, the dense team was staggered by Huai Haijun's grenades.
When the remaining people reacted, the dense steel balls from the Huaihai Navy's shotguns came out. In the narrow trench, the shotgun's shooting surface had almost no blind spots. Only a few Taiping soldiers fired their own bullets.
.Most of the people were wiped out in the first wave of attacks.
Before dark, the Huai Navy had captured the Taiping Army's trench defenses outside the Yangzhou city wall at a small cost.
The militiamen helped the artillery battalion deploy 36 short and thick mortar cannons along the trench into the Taiping Army's own trench. It was less than 300 meters away from the city wall. The mortar cannon shells could already hit the Yangzhou city wall.
Dong Shuheng ordered the artillery to fire five test rounds at the city wall. Although the accuracy of the shells fired by the 360 mm caliber mortar was a bit poor, every hit on the city wall made the city wall shake.
At this time, the defenders on the city wall began to panic. They did not see the opponent's cannon, but saw the opponent's artillery shells flying out of the trenches one by one. The artillery on the city wall launched a counterattack, but could not hit them at all.
At this time, Zeng Lichang began to regret a little. He should have evacuated earlier, which would be more reliable and reduce unnecessary sacrifices. In the past few days, he did not even see his opponent, and he was captured by the opponent outside the city.
In the trenches, other people's cannons are now hitting our city wall, but we can't even see other people's artillery.
He has been numbed by Huai Haijun's inconsistent fighting style in the past few days. He would rather attack the strong camp of Beida Camp than fight with this group of Huai Haijun. He even felt that the other party was humiliating him.
Own.
In the Yangzhou government office, Zeng Lichang summoned most of the Taiping Army officers.
"Everyone, you have all seen the fighting style of the Huaihai Navy in the past few days. If we continue to fight like this, we will be defeated by the Huaihai Navy sooner or later. What I mean is that we should make plans to evacuate as soon as possible."
"The King of Heaven also means that we can return to defend Tianjing. There is no need to defend Yangzhou. When our Western Expedition and Northern Expedition are successful, we will get Yangzhou back sooner or later."
All the generals below were silent. Although the Taiping Army fought all the way north and south and abandoned many cities, the prosperity of Yangzhou City made them somewhat reluctant to part with it. Many generals occupied gardens in the city. After several years,
The life of heavenly beings and masters. Now asking them to give up makes them feel somewhat uncomfortable.
"Then it's decided. Everyone, go back and prepare to break out to the south at midnight tonight."
Zeng Lichang did not tell his subordinates that Huai Haijun had sent him a letter. If this matter spread, it would most likely arouse the suspicion of his superiors.
However, he still ordered the troops not to carry property with them and not to set fire to the city when breaking out of the siege in accordance with the agreement with the Huai Navy.
On the fourth day, the young man who had been guarding the city wall all night discovered that the Taiping soldiers who had been watching him were gone. Only then did everyone react. Those who were smart quickly went to tell the respected elders in the city.
It was already daybreak, and Dong Shuheng finally received news from the city. At this time, the frontline troops sent liaison soldiers to report: "President, the city gate is open, and the people in the city have come out to ask you to lead the army into the city to take over the overall situation."
Dong Shuheng still had some unfinished ideas, as his mortars had not yet worked. He originally planned to blow down a section of the city wall during the day to shock the Taiping Army in the city, but he did not expect that Zeng Lichang's guy could run so fast and be so stealthy.
So Dong Shuheng ordered the vanguard troops to enter Yangzhou City first, take over key positions in the city, and maintain public order.
He himself gathered his troops, and they prepared to conduct an invasion of the city to give the Yangzhou elders a good impression.
The Lu family originally started out as a salt merchant and was a big family in Yangzhou. When Changmao attacked Yangzhou, he and several other big families agreed to reward Changmao in order to persuade him to retreat. However, several families had deep grudges against the Qing government.
I want to let the Taiping Army directly enter the city.
Ludley was originally opposed to this. After all, the quality of the Taiping Army could not be judged just by its slogans. However, there were not many defenders in the city at that time, and no one was willing to defend the city.
When the Taiping Army entered the city, it was fine for the first two months and no offense was committed against the people. However, after Lin Fengxiang and Li Kaifang led the army in the Northern Expedition, Zeng Lichang began to implement Tianjing's tricks in the city. First, he separated men's and women's libraries and controlled everyone.
Then the family property was confiscated. Of course these people were unwilling, so many people were killed by the Taiping Army, and some could not bear the insult and committed suicide.
But Ludley persisted. He believed that the Taiping Army would not stay in Yangzhou for long, so he kept a low profile and tolerated it. Sure enough, one day a young man dressed like a domestic servant found him. The man said that he was a representative of the Huai Navy.
Allow yourself to help with something…
On the eighth day of July, all the Taiping troops suddenly withdrew. The man found him again and asked him to take the lead in presiding over the order in the city. Huai Haijun was preparing to enter the city. Ludley was a little uneasy. He didn't know if he was going to send a wolf from the front.
The tiger comes from behind.
However, the city must always be guarded by troops. I hope that the Huaihai Navy is really the disciples of Yangzhou as they say.
He asked some young men to open the city gate. After a while, a small group of Huai Navy soldiers entered the city and took over the city gate and key parts of the city. Those soldiers did not say a word, they were just carrying out the orders of their superiors.
There was an imaginary robbery, but there was no attempt to occupy a house.
These soldiers were uniformly dressed and behaved well. They were obviously a well-disciplined force. Now Mr. Lu really wanted to know who brought this young soldier from Yangzhou.