Desert Eagle Suletan Khan

His Highness the Prince of Qin swore an oath to capture Nanjing in ten days, and he was no ordinary man. On April 1st, his army arrived at the walls of Nanjing, and on April 2nd, he launched an attack. Nanjing was protected by the Yangtze River to the north, the Qinhuai River to the west, Xuanwu Lake to the east, and Zhongshan Mountain (also known as Zijin Mountain) to the southeast—all natural barriers safeguarding the city. Zhongshan Mountain, in particular, resembled a coiled dragon protecting Nanjing, hence the saying, "Zhongshan is like a coiled dragon, and Shitou Mountain is like a crouching tiger."

Chosiji was a meticulous man. Before launching a fierce attack on the city, he first ordered Vice Admiral and General of Xiangyang Yang Laijia to lead 15,000 naval troops on the Yangtze River, while Lieutenant General Liu Qingli, Garrison Commander Cheng Zhenbang, and Chen Dingye led 10,000 naval troops to patrol the Qinhuai River, completely blocking the enemy's escape route by water. Only then did he urge his 110,000 troops to attack the city. As the veteran general Xi Rimo had predicted, the outer city wall was dilapidated and easy to capture. In just one day, they broke through the outer Jinchuan Gate and Shangyuan Gate, forcing the defending troops to abandon the outer city wall and retreat to the capital.

Seeing the progress so smoothly, Chosiji smiled slightly and ordered the central army camp to be set up on Baitushan (now Mufushan) outside the capital. The reason for choosing this location was twofold: firstly, the mountain provided cover, and secondly, the mountain was adjacent to the outer city's three gates—Shangyuan, Funing, and Guanyin—making retreat convenient should the situation change. Ancient generals, before even considering advancement, always thought of retreat; this was the essence of their strategy. He then established a hundred interconnected camps, completely surrounding the capital.

At dawn on April 3, the young Prince of Qin was in high spirits and preparing to order an attack when Ba Bai, the commander of the ten thousand households responsible for guarding the central army, rushed into the tent and reported, "Your Highness, a messenger has been sent from the city, saying that they have come to surrender."

"Surrender?" Chosiji was taken aback, then burst into laughter. "Lang Tingzuo thinks I'm Zheng Chenggong!" He then summoned the messenger into his tent and, putting on airs, asked, "What brings you here?"

"I have been sent by Governor Lang to surrender!" the envoy replied humbly, his head bowed low, not daring to look up at anyone.

"Oh, does Lord Lang fear me?" Chosiji asked arrogantly.

"The Celestial Empire's military might is extremely fierce, beyond human power to stop. How can we not be afraid?" The envoy lowered his head even further.

"Hahaha~" Chosiji laughed loudly, "In that case, we will accept the surrender outside Zhongfu Gate tomorrow."

"Your Highness is wise. Although Governor Lang is willing to submit to the Celestial Empire, the generals still have reservations. It will take some time to persuade them. Please grant Governor Lang one month. He will surely leave the city and submit after one month," the envoy requested.

“A month is too long, I can’t wait. Go back and tell Lord Lang that he only has ten days. If he doesn’t surrender after ten days, then we will march into the city and kill him without leaving a single survivor.” After saying this, Chosiji didn’t even look at the messenger and waved him away.
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"Sss~" Lang Tingzuo sat upright in his chair, sipping his fragrant tea, savoring its mellow aroma, and took a contented breath. Despite being surrounded, the governor-general had regained his composure, methodically directing his troops in the defense of the city. To hold such a high position as governor-general, he naturally possessed considerable ability. Zheng Chenggong had suffered a heavy defeat at his hands when he led a large army to attack Nanjing. He had long ago devised a plan to abandon the outer city walls. Firstly, the outer city walls were dilapidated; secondly, his forces, including the navy, totaled only 34,000 men, plus 20,000 conscripted civilians, amounting to only 54,000. The outer city walls were too vast, with eighteen gates alone, making effective defense difficult with such a small force. It was better to concentrate the troops in the capital (inner city). In fact, the capital was not small either, with thirteen gates, but with proper deployment, the troop strength was barely sufficient. Although the outer city wall was abandoned, Zhongshan Mountain outside the capital was something that could not be abandoned under any circumstances. The governor, who had long resided in Nanjing, knew very well that Zhongshan Mountain was the highest point in Nanjing, guarding the city wall from Taiping Gate to Chaoyang Gate (Zhongshan Gate). If heavy artillery were placed on the mountain, it could even reach Xuanwu Gate and Shence Gate. Therefore, he ordered his deputy general Dong Cizhong to lead 5,000 elite troops to garrison Zhongshan Mountain.

After a long while, seemingly remembering the messenger who had returned to report, he slowly asked, "How did things go? Did the false king agree?"

"Reporting to the Inspector General, the false king has agreed to accept the surrender, but he will only give you ten days."

"Ten days? Uh~ ten days it is, let's postpone it for ten days first," Lang Tingzuo pondered for a moment and then asked, "How is the false king's demeanor? Does he show any arrogance on his face?"

"The false king is extremely arrogant, and even asked if you were afraid of him," the messenger said after thinking for a moment.

"Oh, and how did you answer?"

The humble man replied, "The Celestial Empire's military might is extremely fierce, beyond human power to withstand; how can we not be afraid?"

"Hahaha~ You answered very well, go and collect your reward," Lang Tingzuo muttered to himself after waving the messenger away. "Being arrogant because of victory will inevitably lead to carelessness, and there may be a chance to turn defeat into victory."
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"Pass down the order: rest for today, and launch a full-scale attack at dawn tomorrow. We must take Zhongshan in one battle," Chosiji immediately ordered after the messenger left.

"Your Highness already agreed to the surrender of the garrison, so why attack the city again?" Babai asked, puzzled.

“Lang Tingzu is extremely cunning, attempting to deceive me with false words. I feigned agreement to lull him into a false sense of security,” Chosiji explained calmly. “How did you know the envoy was feigning surrender?”

"Lang Tingzuo has been stationed in Nanjing for a long time and enjoys great prestige. He can simply surrender and decide his own fate. Why do we need to persuade the generals? He has been talking for a month. What else could this be but a feigned surrender?"

Babai suddenly understood and asked, "Since you've chosen Zhongshan as your main target, why are you stationing the central army at Baitushan? Wouldn't it be more advantageous to command from Xianhemen?"

“Back then, when Zheng Chenggong attacked Nanjing, his generals and commanders were stationed at Baitushan and fought a major battle with the Qing army outside Shence Gate. I deliberately erected the banner at Baitushan so that Lang Tingzuo would remember the past and think that our army still focused on Shence Gate as the main target of the attack,” Chosiji said with a smile.

"Your Highness's military strategy is divine; I admire you greatly!" Babai exclaimed with admiration.

Sure enough, when Lang Tingzuo heard from the messenger that the Wei army had given him permission to stay for ten days, although he felt somewhat relieved, he still dared not be careless. Upon learning that the false king's command tent was at Baitushan, he worried that the Wei army would follow Zheng Chenggong's original attack route and transferred General Hui Zhanchun's troops, which had been kept as reserves, to a location not far from Shence Gate.
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At dawn on April 4th, the heavy artillery of the Imperial Guard bombarded Shence Gate. Unlike other city gates in the capital, Shence Gate's barbican was not an inner barbican but an outer barbican, shaped like an "L". A folk rhyme goes: "Thirteen inside, eighteen outside, one bolt facing outwards", with the "bolt facing outwards" referring to Shence Gate.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" When the fierce bombardment reached Lang Tingzuo's ears, he was startled. "I didn't expect the false king to be so treacherous and untrustworthy, attacking the city before even arriving in ten days!" When he heard the cannon fire concentrated on Shence Gate, he couldn't help but rub his forehead. "Fortunately, I guessed that the main attack direction of the guards was Shence Gate, otherwise we would have fallen into their trap!" After saying this, he immediately ordered Hui Zhanchun to reinforce Shence Gate.

However, the main focus of the Wei army's attack was not Shence Gate, but Zhongshan. The strategy of capturing Zhongshan first and then breaking through the capital was a plan suggested by the veteran general Xirimo to Chosiji. His Highness the Prince of Qin wholeheartedly agreed and ordered Xirimo to lead 6,000 Mongol troops and 19,000 men under Liu Chaofu, the general of Xuzhou, to lie in ambush near Zhongshan. The plan was to attack immediately after the cannon fire from Shence Gate ceased. The Mongol soldiers would provide cover by firing arrows up the mountain, while the Xuzhou soldiers would be responsible for the assault. Chosiji placed his hopes for conquering Zhongshan on Liu Chaofu, firstly because Liu Chaofu was newly surrendered and eager to gain merit, and secondly because these Xuzhou soldiers were highly elite and capable of fighting tough battles.

The battle to capture Zhongshan began with an attack on Xiaolingwei. Taking advantage of the Wu army's unpreparedness, Tian Shao, a lieutenant general under Liu Chaofu, stormed into the walls of Xiaolingwei and continued his advance, capturing various parts of the garrison. Wu's deputy general, Dong Cizhong, led a counterattack but was defeated by Tian Shao. Next, the garrison army advanced towards the western peak of Zhongshan. This strategically important location allowed the Wu army to effectively fire down upon it using cannons and muskets. Despite numerous attacks and heavy casualties, the garrison army remained unable to break through.

On April 5th, realizing he had been tricked, Lang Tingzuo hastily dispatched General Hui Zhanchun's troops to reinforce Zhongshan through Taiping Gate, but they were intercepted by the troops of Xuan Youcai, the General of the Guards of Jizhou. Seeing reinforcements, Dong Cizhong led 1,500 elite soldiers out from the western peak. Liu Chaofu was furious and personally led his personal guards in a counterattack, greatly boosting the morale of the Xuzhou garrison and defeating the Wu army. Dong Cizhong was forced to lead his defeated troops back to the western peak, pursued relentlessly by the Guards. At this time, the Guards and Wu troops were mixed together, and the Wu troops on the peak dared not fire their cannons, allowing the Guards to seize the opportunity and charge to the summit. After a fierce battle, Dong Cizhong was killed by Liu Chaofu, and Zhongshan fell into the hands of the Guards.

"Send the order: move all cannons to Zhongshan and bombard Taiping Gate with all our might!" Upon hearing of the successful capture of Zhongshan, Zhuo Siji was overjoyed and immediately issued the order. Taiping Gate was the north gate of the capital, located at the junction of Xuanwu Lake and Zijin Mountain. It guarded the closest passage from Zhongshan to the city. The walls on both sides were built along the mountainside, enclosing Fuzhou Mountain to the west and Fugui Mountain to the east. The gate was situated between the two mountains, taking advantage of the natural defenses of the mountains and lake. Because it was located on the dragon vein of the Ming Dynasty, there was no moat. Under the concentrated bombardment, the eastern wall, known as the "dragon's neck," was quickly breached in several places, and the defending soldiers suffered heavy casualties. The guards swarmed in through the breach, and General Wu Huizhanchun led his troops to desperately intercept them, but was killed in battle by General Xuan Youcai of Jizhou.

On April 6, the Imperial Guards stormed into the capital through Taiping Gate, leaving Lang Tingzu with no choice but to lead his remaining troops to retreat and defend the Imperial City. On the morning of April 7, just as Chosiji was about to order an attack on the city, news arrived that the city's defenders had sent another messenger.

"Lang Tingzuo wants to surrender? Is this another trick?" Chosiji asked the envoy coldly.

"I dare not! I dare not! Governor Lang truly wishes to surrender," the envoy hurriedly replied.

“If that’s the case, go back and report to Lang Tingzuo, and immediately open the city gates and abandon your armor and weapons,” Chosiji sneered.

This time, Lang Tingzuo didn't dare to play any tricks. He led his ten thousand or so remaining soldiers, bare-chested and carrying thorns, to plead guilty. Zhuo Siji didn't make things difficult for him, allowing the defeated army to be scattered and replenished for their losses. He then ordered Lang Tingzuo to write letters to persuade the Wu army in Jiangnan and Jiangxi to surrender. Although Lang Tingzuo was nominally the Governor-General of Liangjiang (Jiangnan and Jiangxi), he actually had little control over Jiangxi. However, the letters of persuasion had a significant impact in Jiangnan. Baitalazhi, the General of Huiningchi, stationed in Chizhou, Xu Shihua, the Assistant General of Chizhou, and Wang Dacheng, the Assistant General of the Naval Battalion, led their troops to surrender. Local officials in Huizhou, Ningguo, and Guangde also submitted to Wei Daji. However, Liu Zhiyuan, the General of Zhenhai stationed in Zhenjiang, and Liang Huafeng, the Governor of Jiangnan, refused to surrender.

Knowing that Generals Liu and Liang were both seasoned veterans who, relying on their elite troops, would not easily surrender, Zhuo Siji, without further ado, led his army towards Zhenjiang. At this time, he had gained another 30,000 surrendered soldiers, bringing his total strength to 160,000. (End of Chapter)