Done! Your Majesty is going to prostitute me for free!

Oh, this is bad! When Yin Hongsheng heard that the enemy planned to launch a surprise attack on the city at 1:30 pm, he felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on his heart. It was so heavy that he could hear the roar of his heartbeat. He had a premonition of impending disaster. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his eyes revealing anxiety and uneasiness, and asked about the key to the allocation of troops during the night attack.

Someone whispered back, "The key is to catch them off guard and strike when they are least prepared! When everyone is sound asleep, we will send some fake troops to disrupt their formation, and then we will launch a sudden attack like lightning, causing them to lose their balance and fall to the ground, unable to stand."

However, the situation at the moment was not optimistic. The people of Shun Army had been awakened from their dreams. If they wanted to create chaos by setting fire again, the effect would certainly be greatly reduced. Hong Sheng gritted his teeth, frowned, and a trace of determination flashed in his eyes: "Even if the effect is not good, the fire must be set! Because the firelight is our signal for attack, it is our horn!"

At this time, there was a burst of noise in the recruit camp, and people woke up one after another. Set fire? Wouldn't that be telling others that we are going to take action? Hong Sheng was worried, but then he changed his mind and made up his mind: "We can't take action directly now, but we can set a fire and let the women create some chaos, which is also a way."

Ma Chaoxing was chewing on some dry food, muttering quietly: "What should we do next? We can't set a fire in broad daylight, right? Isn't this telling the enemy that we are going to take action?" Hong Sheng looked around, seeing all the young recruits, and his heart was filled with worry. The military regulations strictly prohibited the lighting of fires at will, and setting a fire at this time would be tantamount to seeking death.

Hong Sheng pondered for a moment and said, "We don't have any good chances now. We can only place our hopes on the women. I hope they can be more capable."

Ma Chaoxing asked worriedly: "Will this delay the battle? If the women fail to create chaos in time, our plan will be ruined."

Hong Sheng sighed and said helplessly: "There is no other way, we can only act according to circumstances. I hope that Marquis Jingnan can understand our difficulties and will not blame us." After that, Ma Chaoxing hurriedly finished his breakfast, drank a sip of cold water, and quietly returned to the tent to assign tasks to the female family members.

As the night deepened, everything was quiet except for the rustling of the treetops by the breeze. The commanders of the new recruit camp were already extremely anxious. Before the first hour of the Chinese lunar calendar, they ordered the troops to assemble and prepare to set out. The new recruits were all very nervous. Someone whispered, "What about our families after we leave? What should we do with them?"

"Yes, what will they do if the Ming army comes?" Most of the new recruits had just joined the Shun army, and many of them came with their families. They were full of worries at the moment.

Seeing this, the generals hurriedly comforted everyone: "Don't worry! After you leave, Lady Hong will be responsible for the defense of the camp, and Queen Gao's Loyalty Camp will also help take care of it. Don't worry about the safety of your families."

"Any more questions? If not, let's go!" the generals urged.

Although Hong Sheng and his companions were reluctant, they had no choice but to follow the team and slowly march towards Daming Prefecture. In the night, their figures looked particularly thin and small under the faint starlight.

In the early morning, everything was quiet, even the moon had hidden in the clouds. Countless soldiers were marching on the flat road under the faint starlight, their footsteps and breathing intertwined, forming a dull war song.

Suddenly, a scout came to report: "General, there is a situation ahead!"

"Stop!" Huang Degong immediately ordered the entire army to stop. His eyes instantly became sharp, as if he could see through everything.

The scout continued, "Two miles away, we found bandits gathering, including infantry and cavalry, but we don't know the exact number yet."

Degong's face darkened and he began to think about it. At first, he suspected that Hong Sheng had betrayed him and leaked the night attack plan to Li Zicheng. But he thought about it again and felt that it was not right. If Li Zicheng knew about it, he would definitely ambush us near the camp and wait for us to fall into his trap.

"Have the thieves noticed us?" Degong muttered to himself, with a hint of doubt and vigilance in his eyes.

The scout was unsure: "It's hard to say, maybe they have already noticed it."

Degong nodded and ordered the whole army to line up, advance slowly and keep the formation unchanged. At the same time, he sent out scouts to closely monitor the surrounding movements to prevent the enemy from attacking. His eyes revealed a kind of firmness and courage, as if he could move forward bravely no matter what difficulties he faced.

Shortly after the Ming army scouts left, the Shun army also received the intelligence. Yan Tianlu was also stunned when he heard that the Ming army infantry appeared two miles away. He was first surprised that the Ming army actually came to attack; then he wondered why the attacking troops only had infantry and no cavalry. You know, they had already learned that Ji Zisheng led thousands of Guanning cavalry into Wei County!

"Didn't you see the Ming army's cavalry?" Tianlu asked the scout, with a hint of confusion and uneasiness in his eyes.

"Not yet!" the scout replied.

"Okay! Report to the emperor immediately! Ming army infantry were found five miles northwest of our camp, but the exact number is unknown." Tianlu gave the order decisively. His eyes revealed a firmness and determination, as if he could face any difficulties head-on.

After the scouts left, Tianlu said to the herald officer: "Order all units to line up and prepare for battle, with the infantry in front and the cavalry on both wings to protect. Just defend and don't pursue. Those who disobey the order will be executed!" He was worried about being ambushed by the Ming army, so he strictly prohibited the pursuit. His voice was sonorous and powerful, revealing an unquestionable majesty.

As Degong's main force slowly advanced, the two armies met unexpectedly in the wilderness. The starlight was dim, and everything was shrouded in haze, as if the whole world was covered by a mysterious veil.

Seeing the shadow swaying in the distance, Degong ordered the entire army to stop and prepare for battle. His eyes revealed a calmness and composure, as if he could calmly deal with any enemy.

Degong had been on the battlefield for many years and was familiar with Zhang Xianzhong's bandit troops, but he had not fought against Li Zicheng's troops many times. The failures in the previous battles gave him a deep understanding of Li Zicheng's tactics. He knew that Li Zicheng's deployment in field battles was very unique and did not follow common sense.

In a field battle, most armies would place elite infantry at the front to prevent the collapse of new recruits from triggering a chain reaction that would lead to the defeat of the entire army. However, Li Zicheng did the opposite, placing new recruits at the front, with Shun army infantry following behind, cavalry protecting the two wings, and placing old camp troops in the center as backup. This tactic was designed to restrain the Ming army.

If the Ming army broke through the front line of new recruits, they would pursue the victory and even fight for each other's heads for credit. At this time, the infantry of the Shun army would go forward to contain the main force of the Ming army, while the old camp's troops would go around to the rear of the Ming army to launch a sneak attack. This tactic was tried and tested, and Degong suffered a lot.

"General, shall we fight?" Weng Zhiqi asked, his eyes revealing a mixture of anticipation and anxiety.

"No hurry, wait a little longer." De Gong replied, his eyes revealing a calm and composed look.

"What are you waiting for?" Weng Zhiqi asked puzzledly.

"Wait until dawn, wait until the fire in their camp starts." Degong's voice was calm and firm, as if everything was under his control. He was not in a hurry to attack, and Tianlu did not act rashly. The two armies faced each other strangely in the wilderness, as if they were waiting for a decisive moment.

Not long after, there was a sudden cry from the rear of the Shun army: "There's a fire!" "It seems to be in the new recruit camp!" "My wife is still in the new recruit camp for confinement!" "Hurry up and put out the fire!" When the new recruits of the front army heard that their homes were on fire, they immediately became a mess and turned around to go back to put out the fire. Their eyes revealed a kind of anxiety and panic, as if the whole world had collapsed.

Your Majesty, General Yan Tianlu discovered a team of Ming troops in the northwest. Although the exact number of people is still unclear, the two armies have quietly encountered each other in the vast wilderness and are on the verge of a formal confrontation. The air is filled with a tense atmosphere of impending storm.

"Hurry up and pass the order down, the whole army speeds up!" Li Zicheng gave the order without hesitation, his eyes were like torches, and every word revealed his unquestionable firmness. At this moment, he had to concentrate, and any slight negligence could become a fatal rift.

However, at this critical moment, a burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence of the command post, "Your Majesty, it's bad, there's a fire!"

Just as the army arrived at the city of Daming Prefecture, news of a fire suddenly came from the rear camp, like a huge rock suddenly dropped into a calm lake.

"There's a fire?" Li Zicheng turned around abruptly, his sharp eyes penetrating the noise, staring straight in the direction of the fire, his brows furrowed.

"Your Majesty, look... it looks like it's the new recruits' camp!" After careful identification, Jing Changhao's tone was full of helplessness, sympathy and sadness, as if he could smell the burnt smell and see the frightened faces of those young soldiers.

When they attacked Beijing, a fire broke out in Liu Fangliang's camp, burning all the food and weapons, causing them to rush to attack the city and ultimately fail. Now, when they were besieging Damingfu, they encountered a fire in the camp again, which seemed like a cruel mockery of fate.

The first fire could be attributed to negligence, but the second fire was undoubtedly a heavy warning bell for lax military discipline. Li Zicheng was so angry that he stamped his feet, with an anger that could not be concealed in his voice: "Fang Liang, this guy, ruined my big plan again!"

Before he finished speaking, a deafening explosion suddenly sounded all around him. Boom! Then, screams of killing rang out everywhere, as if the gates of hell suddenly opened, releasing endless noise and chaos.

Jing Changhao was horrified and shouted hurriedly: "Hurry up and find out what's going on!" Upon hearing this, the messenger immediately jumped on his horse and galloped away like an arrow.

Li Zicheng was silent for a moment, a look of determination flashed in his eyes, and he ordered again: "Continue to attack the city!" His voice pierced through the noise, firm and powerful.

"Your Majesty!" Jing Changhao hastily dissuaded him, his tone somewhat anxious, "The situation is unclear now, so let's wait and see what's going on before taking any action."

Li Zicheng smiled slightly, and that smile contained an indescribable confidence and calmness: "The Ming army is just bluffing. I know their details."

"But..." Jing Changhao wanted to persuade him again, but was interrupted by Li Zicheng with a wave of his hand.

"My words are orders. Pass the order..." Li Zicheng drew the sword from his waist, pointed the tip of the sword directly at Daming Mansion, and his voice resounded through the sky, "Attack the city!"

Li Zicheng at this moment was no longer the same person he was when he attacked Beijing. After experiencing the baptism of failure, he became more calm and more resilient. Especially in the art of war, he firmly believed that any tricks would be futile in the face of absolute military strength!

Although Huang Degong's men were well-equipped and slightly more powerful, their strength was far less than half of theirs. Moreover, the terrain outside Damingfu was complex, and it was extremely difficult for them to break through the Shun army's defense line!

As the order was issued, tens of thousands of Shun troops surged like a tide, carrying siege equipment on their shoulders or pushing them by hand, and marched straight to the city of Damingfu. The Ming troops on the city had already prepared and were ready, like a group of tigers ready to attack.

The city wall of Damingfu is 35 feet high and 25 feet wide. It is made of bricks and stones and is extremely solid. There are towering towers on the four gates, and there are corner towers on the four corners. The top of the city is covered with artillery platforms and strong barriers. There is also a river outside the city, which is 90 feet wide and 45 feet deep, like a natural moat, guarding this magnificent city.

This city is really easy to defend but difficult to attack, and it can be compared with Xi'an City! Li Xingzhong's bravery in defending the city was also one of the reasons why Li Zicheng surrounded it but did not attack. He knew very well that to conquer such a strong city, he had to pay a huge price.

Boom! The artillery on the city wall was the first to fire, and the shells poured down like raindrops, with destructive force. Crack... Puff! The huge shells destroyed the siege equipment, and the small shells injured countless soldiers, and the blood dyed the ground red.

The Shun army's simple shield carts were also severely damaged, with heavy casualties. However, the number of casualties was still a minority after all. Most of the Shun army hid behind ladders, shield carts, trench bridges and chariots, like a group of tenacious ants, advancing step by step to the moat.

At this point, the power of the artillery was greatly reduced. The Shun army quickly pushed the trench bridge into the river. In a blink of an eye, more than 20 trench bridges were built, like bridges leading to victory.

Then, more than a dozen ladders were set up, and the siege troops swarmed in. Wearing steel helmets and armor, holding swords, spears and shields, they passed through the artillery fire and rain of arrows, crossed the trench bridge, climbed the ladders, and approached the top of the city. Their figures were looming in the smoke, like a group of fearless warriors.

There were also soldiers who were responsible for digging out the walls and bricks hiding under the ladders, using special tools to pry the bricks and stones. Their movements were swift and powerful, like a group of hardworking ants, contributing their own strength to conquering this strong city.

Li Zicheng never relaxed his vigilance during the siege, as he was well aware of the importance of weapons, especially the siege weapon, the siege ladder, which was one of the weapons he carefully prepared.

"Fang Liang, the collapse method is not a panacea. Equipment such as trench bridges and ladders are quite effective!" Li Zicheng watched the actions of the siege troops and admired them in his heart.

"Then why didn't you use it when you attacked Beijing?" He asked with a twinkling in his eyes but a calm face, thinking about another question in his mind: If you had used these devices instead of just the Collapse Method when you attacked Beijing, maybe you would have succeeded.

Jing Changhao saw through his thoughts and explained, "Your Majesty, Beijing's walls are high and the moat is wide. It is difficult to manufacture suitable equipment in a short period of time. Especially the moat bridge! Beijing's moat is 17 zhang wide. It is too difficult to build a bridge that is 17 zhang long and can bear the weight of the ladder."

After hearing this, Li Zicheng looked at Jing Changhao with some guilt: "It was me who neglected Zongmin, don't take it to heart." There was some self-blame and guilt in his tone.

Jing Changhao hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, your words are too polite. I dare not say that." His tone was full of awe and loyalty to Li Zicheng.

The Ming army on the city wall was not afraid of the Shun army's fierce attack. Under the command of their generals, they fought back bravely like a group of ferocious beasts.

"Pour kerosene!" Following the order, the Ming army soldiers poured kerosene down one after another. Kerosene is the most effective weapon for wooden ladders. Although the ladders are not easy to burn after being soaked in water, they will immediately burn once they are touched by kerosene, which will deter the soldiers attacking the city.

"Hurry up and throw logs and rocks at the diggers below the city!" the generals of the Ming army shouted. They knew that the soldiers digging bricks were the weak link of the siege troops. Once they were eliminated, the siege troops would lose important support.

"The enemy soldiers are fierce, soldiers, throw grenades, pour kerosene and pour gold juice!" another general also shouted. They used all means to stop the attack of the Shun army.

"Shoot! Shoot!" The Ming army soldiers responded to the general's call. They pulled their bowstrings and shot arrows at the Shun army under the city.

"Bah! Is that how you use a hand cannon? Wait until they get close before you shoot!" An experienced Ming army officer loudly reprimanded the soldiers around him. He knew that the power of the hand cannon was limited and he had to wait until the Shun army got close before shooting to achieve the greatest effect.

Soldiers from both sides kept falling down during the attack and defense, while reinforcements kept joining the battle. Life and death were just a matter of a moment, and the situation on the battlefield changed rapidly! War was cruel, and every life was as fragile as grass. Blood dyed the earth red, and broken limbs and bodies were everywhere. The air was filled with the smell of blood, gunpowder, kerosene, and burning armor, which made people want to vomit.

However, the Shun army's siege was getting more and more fierce. They wrapped the ladders with wet quilts and raised their shields to charge up like a group of brave warriors who were not afraid of difficulties. The Ming army also pushed the rolling logs down fearlessly in an attempt to drive the Shun army back.

"Ah!" A Shun soldier who was hit screamed and fell from the ladder. He was silent in an instant. His figure fell to the ground like a fallen leaf, and there was no life left. Bang! Whoosh! Outside the moat, the Shun army's covering troops were scattered. They shot bullets and arrows at the top of the city wall and harvested the lives of the defenders. Their attack was as fierce as a storm, making it difficult for the Ming army to resist.

The Ming army on the city wall also fought back in the same way. They used all means to stop the Shun army's attack and tried to defend the fortified city.

However, while Li Zicheng was attacking Damingfu, the Ming army was also besieging the Shun army's camp. In the east of the city, there were Huang Fei and Ma Degong, in the west of the city, there were Qiu Yue and Tian Xiong, and in the north of the city, Huang Degong led the team himself! They were like a group of ferocious wolves trying to completely destroy the Shun army's camp.

Boom boom boom! Grenades continued to explode, smoke filled the Shun army camp and fell into chaos. The Ming army's attack was as fierce as a storm, making it difficult for the Shun army to resist.

"Kill!" The ambushed Ming army suddenly rushed out, threw grenades, jumped over the trenches, and tried to enter the camp to set fire and create chaos. Their attack was as fast as lightning, catching the Shun army off guard.

The Ming army's master chef, Zhao Tiezhu, was a burly, dark-faced middle-aged man. He pulled the fuse of the grenade, and the rumbling sound instantly exploded in the rebel camp, making it as chaotic as boiling dumplings. The sound of cannons rumbled, shrapnel flew everywhere, and there was an indescribable strange smell that rushed straight into the nose. It was a unique smell of gunpowder and soil, which was disgusting. The new recruits were so scared that their faces turned pale, their calves trembled, and they were panicked. They had never seen such a scene before! Their eyes were full of fear and helplessness, like a group of lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

It was dark, and the camp was filled with smoke, like a maze. The new recruits were running around like headless flies smelling a foul smell, just wanting to find a safe place to hide. Their hearts were beating like drums, and every step seemed to be on the edge of death. Even the old soldiers, although they seemed calm on the surface, were more afraid than the new recruits. Especially those veterans who had suffered defeat in Beijing, they knew that the most terrifying thing on the battlefield was the scene of the army being completely routed. Once this started, it would be impossible to stop it. People squeezed and stepped on each other, and life and death were just a matter of seconds. Their eyes revealed a deep despair, which was a manifestation of endless boredom and helplessness towards the war.

Someone asked, knowing that the rout was so terrible, why did they let the new recruits take the lead? The reason behind this was very cruel, it was simply using the new recruits as cannon fodder, letting them die first! Once the new recruits were in chaos, the infantry behind them rushed up with knives, but their target was not the rebels, but the new recruits who were running around! At this time, this scene was playing out in the rebel camp, and the ugliness of human nature and the cruelty of war were exposed at this moment.

Suddenly, with a "click", the rebel general Gu Kecheng raised his sword and killed a fleeing recruit. He shouted: "Anyone who dares to retreat without permission will be killed!" Gu Kecheng was eight feet tall, with broad shoulders and a round waist, a face full of flesh, and a bloodthirsty light flashing in his eyes. Then, he ordered his men: "Pick up your weapons and fight the Ming army!" His personal soldiers, all holding torches and weapons, flashing with fire and shouting loudly, immediately drew the attention of the recruits back. This trick really worked. When the recruits saw Gu Kecheng and his elite troops, they calmed down a little, picked up their weapons, and followed the officers to counterattack the Ming army. The flames of fighting were rekindled in their eyes, although this flame was full of despair and helplessness.

The Ming army's attacks on the east and west sides of the city were not going well. After throwing all the grenades, a new problem arose: how to rush into the rebel camp? It turned out that outside Li Zicheng's camp, a deep and wide ditch was dug, and neither the soldiers nor the horses could pass through. Some soldiers even joked, "Is this thief Li a rat spirit? Why did he dig such a deep ditch?" Everyone was troubled by this matter, frowning, with helplessness and anxiety in their eyes.

At this time, a warrior stood up. His name was Zhao Yong. He was a fierce general in the Ming army. He was burly and his muscles were as hard as iron. "Can a living person be suffocated to death by urine? Let's build a human ladder!" He shouted loudly, his voice full of determination and courage. But many people were afraid of heights. You pushed me, I pushed you, and no one wanted to go up. In the end, a few warriors were kicked down, and the others followed to build a human ladder. They clenched their hands, gritted their teeth, and approached the rebel camp step by step. Just as they were about to climb up, the rebels discovered them and counterattacked. They were in groups of more than a dozen or dozens of people, holding weapons and besieging, and many Ming soldiers who fell into the ditch were killed. The rebel archers were in high places, hiding behind swords and shields, and arrows rained down. The Ming army was crying for their parents, and the scene was in chaos.

The Ming army outside the trenches were not to be outdone, and they showed their weapons to fight, but the trenches were too wide and they could not reach the enemy. Only bows and muskets could be used to shoot from a little distance, and the others could only dodge arrows and shout slogans to cheer. After a while, the rebels' artillery fired, and smoke rose up. The Ming army outside the trenches fell to the ground one after another and retreated. Their eyes were filled with fear and despair, as if they had seen the coming of death.

Qiu Yue and Tian Xiong hid behind the earth slope and discussed why they lost. Qiu Yue was a thin and haggard middle-aged general. He was so angry that he pounded the ground with his fists: "This ditch is too deep. We don't have a ladder. How can we get in?" His voice was full of helplessness and anger. Tian Xiong was a burly man with a resolute face. He also sighed: "Yes, if we continue to fight like this, we will all die here!" The two were discussing the withdrawal of troops. Qiu Yue suddenly said: "Wait!" Tian Xiong was stunned and looked at him in confusion. Qiu Yue's eyes flashed with a hint of joy: "Reinforcements have arrived!" Before he finished speaking, a group of panting Ming soldiers ran over and reported that they had found several passages to the rebel camp. Although there were no ditches, they were well guarded. Qiu Yue was unhappy when he heard it. Their mission was to harass the rebel camp, but now they were trapped by the rebels.

Tian Xiong advised him: "The rebels are not fools, they must be heavily guarded. Let's retreat, the general will not blame us." His voice was full of fatigue and helplessness. Qiu Yue thought about it and ordered: "Change half of the arrows into rockets, shoot them into the rebel camp, and then form a battle array and retreat north to meet the general." His voice revealed a kind of firmness and courage, as if he had made plans for the worst. Tian Xiong heard it and immediately went to convey the order. The two of them came to set fire, and there was plenty of kerosene, so it was easy to change arrows. After a while, the rockets were ready.

Once ignited, the rockets soared into the sky, like stars, and fell into the rebel camp, and suddenly caught fire. When the night wind blew, the fire became more fierce, and the rebel camp was full of flames and smoke. The firelight illuminated the faces of the Ming army soldiers, and their eyes showed both the joy of victory and the uncertainty and worry about the future.

Yan Tianlu heard that the east and west sides of the city were on fire, and he was confronting Huang Degong, but he did not look panicked at all. He was a tall, dignified middle-aged general, with a wise light in his eyes. "It's okay, Gu Kecheng and Sang Dongxu are guarding the east of the city; Li You, Wu Ruyi, and the people from the Loyal Camp and Hong Niangzi are in the west of the city. We just need to hold on." He said lightly, revealing a calmness and confidence in his voice. The two armies confronted each other like this, and the defending side always had the upper hand. The attacking side would easily get confused and reveal flaws as soon as it moved. Yan Tianlu was not clear about the enemy's situation, so he did not dare to act rashly. His eyes revealed a deep worry and caution, as if he was thinking about the next move.

Suddenly, someone came to report that the Ming army infantry was gathering in the west of the city, and it seemed that they were going to outflank them. Yan Tianlu sneered, "Want to launch a sneak attack? I have my own countermeasures." His voice revealed a kind of disdain and confidence. The two armies were in a stalemate, waiting for an opportunity. As the night deepened, the atmosphere on the battlefield became more tense and depressing, as if a bigger storm was about to come.

Yan Tianlu asked loudly, "Where is General Luo Wenbin now?" His voice sounded particularly anxious in the morning air, and the worry between his brows was like substance, difficult to conceal. Li Zicheng's instructions before the expedition echoed in his mind: "You must lead the vanguard troops first, and General Luo Wenbin will follow to prevent the Ming army from encircling us from both wings and cutting off our retreat." This was not only an order, but also a trust and confidence in Yan Tianlu.

In the horizon, the darkness before dawn was like the fog on the battlefield, which gradually dissipated under the morning light. The sky in the east was turning pale, heralding a new day, and also a day that would decide the outcome. As the light grew stronger, the grass and trees on the ground gradually showed signs of vitality, but Yan Tianlu felt heavy in his heart. He picked up the telescope and carefully observed the enemy situation in the distance. The Ming army was clearly visible in the morning light, with flags flying and a strict formation, which made him frown.

He was thinking that although the morale of his 20,000 elite soldiers was high, Huang Degong was a tough opponent. Although Huang Degong had suffered a series of defeats recently and did not seem to have an advantage in terms of military strength, Yan Tianlu knew that he was cunning and tenacious. What worried him even more was that his right-hand man Ji Zisheng was missing and he could not find him after searching for a long time. At this critical moment, every general was indispensable.

Time was running out, and Huang Degong would not give him too much time. Seeing that the sky was getting brighter and brighter, Huang Degong waved the iron whip in his hand and shouted loudly: "Three armies, listen to my orders, follow me to kill the enemy!" His voice was like thunder, resounding through the sky. With his order, the gunners fired their guns at the same time, and the deafening sound instantly ignited the fighting spirit of the soldiers.

"Kill! Kill!..." The shouts of the Ming army came one after another, like a tide. The two armies approached quickly, and the air was filled with tension and killing. Yan Tianlu knew that he could not hesitate any longer. If he delayed, something would happen, and once the morale was frustrated, it would be difficult to recover. He decisively ordered: "Pass the order down, attack!" His voice was firm and powerful, as if it injected an invisible force into the soldiers.

The soldiers of Shun army responded to the call and rushed towards the enemy like a tide. The shouts of "Woohoo...Woohoo..." came one after another, which were the horns before their charge. When the two sides approached, the shouts turned into the deafening sound of "kill". The main forces of the two armies launched a fierce battle in the wilderness, with chariots leading the way and infantry following closely behind. Cannons and bird guns took the lead, followed by hand guns and crossbows. When the weapons met in close combat, the spears and shields collided with fierce sparks and deep scars. The sword and shield players of the Ming army were even more brave. They held the shield in their left hand for protection and the short sword in their right hand to kill the enemy. Those without armor were killed with one blow, and those with armor had their hands holding weapons cut off.

The Shun army's new recruits were inadequately equipped and quickly defeated by the fierce attack of the Ming army. But Yan Tianlu was well prepared. He ordered the second echelon of infantry to meet them and issued a strict order: "Anyone who retreats without authorization will be killed!" These infantrymen fought bravely, forcing the new recruits to turn around and fight again. The new recruits were shocked but had no choice but to charge again. When the two armies clashed again, the sound of killing shook the earth, and the entire battlefield seemed to be burning with fire.

Meanwhile, under the city of Damingfu, another battle was also going on fiercely. The Shun army had already made a lot of efforts to attack the city. Some soldiers climbed up the ladders and tried to capture the city walls; others dug into the walls to consume the enemy's defensive supplies such as rolling logs and stones. Li Zicheng strictly ordered that the city must be taken within half a day, but the progress of digging the city walls was obviously not keeping up. Jing Changhao knew this very well, but he did not give up the digging work, because he knew that doing so could consume a large amount of enemy supplies, thereby reducing the pressure on the ladder troops.

As expected, as the number of rolling logs and rocks decreased, the pressure on the ladder troops was greatly reduced. Seeing this, the Ming army hurriedly adjusted their tactics, giving priority to attacking the Shun army soldiers on the ladders, and temporarily putting aside the troops digging the city wall. But at this time, an unexpected change occurred in the city - the south gate suddenly opened, the drawbridge suddenly fell, dust flew, and then the sluice gate was also opened, and the fortified city was exposed!

The Shun army was stunned, but they also reacted quickly and rushed into the city with cheers. "Charge! The Ming army surrendered!" they shouted excitedly. However, when they approached the city gate, they found that the Ming army had retreated, leaving only the empty city waiting for them.

Although General Guoyi Ma Shiyao was full of doubts and worried that this was a trick of the Ming army, the soldiers who were eager to attack the city had no time to care about these. They rushed into the city, first controlled the outer city and the Wengmen, and then continued to attack deep into the city.

The shouts of "Kill!" resounded over the city of Damingfu again. However, when they entered the city, they found it extremely desolate. Even in the height of summer, there was no sign of life. The grass and trees were withered, and there were few people, as if the city had been forgotten by time.

At this moment, many white spots suddenly appeared in front of them. "What is that?" someone asked curiously. "It's silver!" The frontline soldier picked up a piece and said excitedly after testing the weight. But soon a general reminded: "Everyone be careful, this may be a trick of the Ming army!"

However, the soldiers were so obsessed with the silver that they refused to listen to the advice. They looked around and found that there was no one around except the shadowy figures of the Ming army on the top of the city. "I saw it first, why should it belong to you?" "I have the highest position, so the silver belongs to me!"... They fought fiercely for the silver and lost their minds.

At this time, the messenger came hurriedly and reported to Ma Shiyao: "General, our army has broken through the outer city and the city wall and successfully entered the city!" However, Ma Shiyao had no time to take care of these, his heart was full of worries and uneasiness. Because he knew that this victory came too easily, and there might be a huge crisis behind it. He looked at those soldiers who were crazy for silver, and an ominous premonition surged in his heart. This battle may be far from over.

"Oh, what a great opportunity!" Upon hearing the urgent report from the spies, Ma Shiyao's eyes flashed with greed and determination. He slapped his thigh with joy, and his rough voice resounded throughout the tent, "Pass the order down, all the troops follow me, and charge into the city! Fortune and wealth are sought in danger. If we don't fight now, when will we fight?"

Upon hearing this, the messenger showed a look of envy and worry on his face. He hesitated for a moment, but still spoke up to remind him, "But... I heard from the vanguard that silver was scattered all over the streets of the city, as if it was free. Could this be a bait set by the enemy?"

"What?" Ma Shiyao's face suddenly changed as if dark clouds covered the sun. He stood up suddenly, his eyes blazing with fire. "Quick, pass the order, have the whole army withdraw from the city immediately! Quick! This is clearly a trick of the enemy. They want to launch a surprise attack while we are picking up silver!"

He secretly thought that the Ming army in the city must be setting a trap for them to fall into. If the Shun army lost its composure due to greed, the consequences would be disastrous.

However, what Ma Shiyao did not expect was that what really caused the Shun army to fall into chaos was not the Ming army in the city, but the order to withdraw issued by himself.

At this time, the Shun army entering the city numbered more than 3,000 people. They were not just there to pick up silver on the streets, but were divided into two elite groups under the clever deployment of Hao Yaoqi.

One group of people was busy collecting scattered silver coins on the street, while another group was rushing down the stone steps like a tiger descending from a mountain, heading straight for the city wall. Their goal was clear - as long as they occupied the city wall, the sluice gates, suspension bridges, city gates and other strategic locations would fall into their control.

Speaking of Hao Yaoqi, this man is definitely not an ordinary person. He was originally an ordinary flag-bearing soldier in the Dashun Army. Later, because of his bravery and fearlessness, he was recognized by the old King Gao Yingxiang and promoted to a general. He has a rough personality, but he is extremely brave in battle. He is a real "workaholic". Whether in the late Ming Dynasty or the Southern Ming Dynasty, Hao Yaoqi was a famous general.

Under the leadership of Hao Yaoqi, the Shun army entered the city rapidly. Not only did they quickly control the city gate, they also launched a fierce offensive against the Ming army on the city.

"Listen up!" Hao Yaoqi's voice was like thunder. He waved the big knife in his hand and shouted passionately, "Five people form a team, the front holds swords and shields, the back holds spears, and rush up one team after another. The first one to climb the city wall will be rewarded with 100 taels of silver and promoted three levels! If he dies, he will be compensated with 30 taels of silver. I, Hao Yaoqi, will keep my word and send it to his home!"

"Yes, sir!" When the Shun army attacking the city heard this, their morale was instantly ignited. They responded in unison, and their voices shook the earth.

Following Hao Yaoqi's order, the first group of Shun troops rushed towards the steps of the city wall like an arrow from a bow. The Ming troops on the city wall suddenly felt unprecedented pressure. They had to guard against the Shun troops outside the city and deal with sudden attacks from inside the city.

The first group of Shun troops were advancing like a hot knife through butter and were about to climb the city wall. However, at this critical moment, the Ming army on the city wall shot out their spears, blocking their way like an impenetrable wall.

"The musketeers fire their guns, the crossbowmen release their arrows!" Upon seeing this, Hao Yaoqi immediately issued new orders. The Ming army defending the city suddenly felt unprecedented pressure, and their defense line began to crumble.

The Shun army was about to climb the city wall, but the Ming army was quick-witted and pushed heavy stones down the steps. The first group of Shun soldiers were hit by the stones, screaming one after another, and they fell to the ground and died on the spot.

"Second team, go!" Hao Yaoqi continued to give orders to attack the city expressionlessly, his eyes revealing determination and resoluteness.

However, the same method led to the same result. The second team was also knocked down by the rolling log and fell to their death. Hao Yaoqi's face became increasingly ugly, but he did not give up. Instead, he continued to give orders: "The third team, go!" "The fourth team, go!" "The fifth team, go!"

The casualties were increasing, and Hao Yaoqi's heart was bleeding. But he was gambling, gambling that the defenders had limited rocks and logs. Every five lives sacrificed would be exchanged for a log or a stone. This price was acceptable to him, but it was fatal to the Ming army.

Just when the two sides were in a stalemate, Ma Shiyao's order came from outside the city: "Captain Hao, General Guoyi Ma Shiyao has ordered that there is an ambush in the city and you should withdraw your troops!"

When Hao Yaoqi heard this, his eyes widened like bells and he roared, "What did you say? You want me to withdraw my troops? I'm almost on the city wall!"

The messenger was afraid that Hao Yaoqi would get angry, so he quickly explained: "It was not me who said that. It was General Ma Shiyao's order..."

"Don't use him to pressure me! A general is not bound by military orders when he is away from the battlefield!" Hao Yaoqi didn't buy it at all. He glared at the messenger, as if he wanted to vent all his dissatisfaction.

Seeing this, the messenger pointed to the city gate and said, "General Ma Shiyao is worried that there is a trap in the city, and has ordered the army not to enter the city." He paused and added, "If we don't withdraw now, once the Ming army's reinforcements arrive, you, Captain Hao, will be in danger."

Hao Yaoqi had no choice but to order a retreat, as he knew that once the Ming army's reinforcements arrived, they would be in an even more dangerous situation.

The Shun army began to retreat, the front army became the rear army, and the rear army became the front army. They retreated towards the city gate in an orderly manner. However, at this moment, the Ming cavalry in the city suddenly rushed out.

The sound of horse hooves shook the earth, and the momentum was fierce. The Ming cavalry attacked like a violent storm, catching the Shun army off guard.

"Run! The Ming cavalry is coming!" A cry of surprise rang out, and Hao Yaoqi's troops were immediately thrown into chaos. They were already unsure, and now they had no will to fight when they heard they had to retreat. Add to that the charge of the Ming cavalry, and they were in even greater chaos.

Before the people in front could run out, the people behind rushed forward and trampled each other to death. The sounds of trampling, shouting, begging for mercy, and cries for help intertwined like a desperate song. The area near the city gate was in chaos!

Hao Yaoqi did not expect the Ming army to counterattack at this time, and Ma Shiyao outside the city did not expect that something unexpected would happen in the city. He looked at the chaotic scene in the city, and a strong sense of uneasiness surged in his heart.

"Attack with all your strength! Those outside the city, intensify the siege, those inside, follow me to the city gate!" Ma Shiyao quickly adjusted his tactics. He knew very well that he could not retreat at this time, and only attacking could break the deadlock!

"Kill!" Thousands of people shouted in unison, the sound was deafening. They rushed to the city gate like a tide, vowing to capture the city.

What is an elite army? It is not an army that is well-equipped, has superior combat effectiveness, and charges into battle, but a group of people who can go against the tide in a defeated army! Ma Shiyao's troops are such an elite army!

He led thousands of people to rush to the city gate, and bravely advanced despite the pressure of the fleeing soldiers. The shouts of killing shook the earth, and the fleeing soldiers were also infected by this momentum, and they picked up their weapons to fight against the Ming cavalry.

Hao Yaoqi was especially furious. He vented all his anger on the Ming army, as if he wanted to turn all his resentment and humiliation into swords and kill the enemy.

Li Xingzhong was stunned when he saw this scene while riding on his warhorse. He did not expect that the infantry of Shun Army would be so brave and dare to fight against the cavalry. He fired a few arrows symbolically, and then turned around and retreated with the cavalry.

Ma Shiyao wanted to order a pursuit, but suddenly shut his mouth. He knew that he needed to think more calmly at this time. He looked at the smoke and chaos in the city, and a strong determination surged in his heart.

"All units should deploy along the streets to prevent the Ming army from counterattacking. Once the defense line is established, assemble on the spot and then seize the city wall!" He gave the order decisively. His voice was firm and powerful, as if it injected infinite strength into the soldiers.

The Shun army began to move in an orderly manner. They set up defense lines along the streets to prevent the Ming army from counterattacking. At the same time, they also began to gather troops to prepare to capture the city wall again.

Under the attack from both inside and outside, the southern gate tower of Damingfu and the nearby city walls were quickly occupied by the Shun army. Then, the two sides launched a fierce hand-to-hand fight on the city wall. They slashed with swords, stabbed with spears, and shot with arrows, fighting desperately for every inch of land.

Time passed by minute by minute, the southern wall of the Daming Mansion had been completely lost, and the east and west walls also entered a white-hot battle. Firearms were discarded due to overheating, and the arrows of the crossbows were all shot out. Soldiers from both sides began hand-to-hand combat, and they wrote the cruelty of war with their lives and blood.

The victors cheered and continued to attack the enemy; the losers fell in a pool of blood, with their comrades dying with their eyes wide open beside them. Only those who have experienced the cruelty of war can deeply understand the preciousness of life and the fear of death. However, in this cruel war, both the Shun army and the Ming army showed amazing courage and indomitable fighting spirit. They fought for their respective beliefs and ideals, and did not flinch even in the face of life and death. This war is not only a military contest, but also a contest of will and faith. The final result will determine the ownership of this city and the direction of history. (End of this chapter)