Zhu Yuanzhang in the cellar

Chapter 277 Attack on Kunming
Before Zhu Di arrived in Kunming, the entire Yunnan-Guizhou region was already in an uproar.

There is an undercurrent of unrest and conflicting information circulating among the people in Yunnan and Guizhou.

However, as the saying goes, Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan are inseparable. Since there is a place called Yunnan and Guizhou, why is there no place called Sichuan?

Because Sichuan suffered massacres by Zhang Xianzhong and the Manchus, its population was sparse. The once prosperous land of abundance, with tens of millions of people, was "empty of nine out of ten houses" and "without smoke for a thousand miles" by the end of the Shunzhi reign.

According to the "Veritable Records of the Qing Dynasty" and the "Archives of the Ministry of Revenue", the number of "male households" reported by the Sichuan government in the eighteenth year of the Shunzhi reign was only over 16,000, with a total population of less than 100,000.

Even if you remove the hidden household registrations, the total number of people probably wouldn't exceed three or four hundred thousand. It's like a vast, fertile land where not a single rooster crows.

Without people, there is naturally no way for news to spread.

The Yunnan-Guizhou region was mostly inhabited by local chieftains, with a large minority population, most of whom hid in deep mountains and forests, thus escaping the Manchu massacres.

Among them were many chieftains who were loyal to the Ming Dynasty. They spread the word far and wide, and the rebel forces in Yunnan and Guizhou were greatly encouraged. Many chieftains in various places declared their uprisings.

As for the Qing army, it was in a state of panic after a series of defeats. A large number of them gathered in Kunming. The nearly 200,000 troops were suppressed by the Ming army of less than 5,000 men and trembled in fear. They huddled in and around Kunming and dared not make the slightest move.

It was early morning, the sun was shining brightly, and the drone was a godsend in such weather. From high above, the entire city of Kunming was laid out before us, and the distribution of military camps and city defenses was clearly visible.

Outside Kunming, birds sang and flowers bloomed, but inside the city, Wu Sangui's face was filled with even more sorrow, especially after hearing from scouts that the vanguard of the Ming army had arrived at the city and had begun to set up camp.

In the end, he could not abandon his base in Kunming and chose to defend the city.

Zhao Tingchen and Lin Tianqing then left separately. Zhao Tingchen went north to Sichuan to seek Li Guoying's help, while Lin Tianqing went to Guangdong and Guangxi to ask the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, Li Qifeng, for military assistance.

No one expected the Ming army's offensive to be so fierce, conquering cities and territories along the way as if they never stopped to rest. As a result, the surrounding Qing forces were unable to provide timely assistance, and Kunming was soon besieged.

"Wu Sangui is a bit out of his mind."

Zhu Di got off the tricycle, looked at the majestic Kunming city standing beside Dianchi Lake, rubbed his sore buttocks from the bumpy ride, and couldn't help but say to Zhu Yunfeng beside him, "We're surrounded, why aren't we running away?"

Zhu Yunfeng was looking around at the scenery.

Ancient Kunming was incredibly beautiful. The sky was unbelievably blue, with drifting white clouds and a gentle breeze. The surrounding lawns were lush, and the forests were serene. It was summer and autumn, and the roadsides were adorned with clusters of flowers, all exuding a fragrant aroma.

A pavilion was built on the side of the official road about six or seven kilometers outside the eastern city of Kunming. There were some tea stalls around, but they were all empty now. The soldiers camped in the open space around them, and a few of them went into the pavilion.

Upon hearing Zhu Di's words, Zhu Yunfeng casually remarked, "People are all greedy and selfish. Wu Sangui betrayed his country for personal gain; he wasn't truly fighting for the Manchu dynasty, but for his own benefit. Now that he finally has Yunnan, he's also taken over most of Guizhou. Who would be willing to accept that?"

"Heh, that's because he has a narrow mind. You have to give up something to gain something. He doesn't even understand the principle of 'If you save the land but lose the people, you lose both. If you save the people but lose the land, you save both.' He still fantasizes about rebelling and seizing the world in the future. He's a complete waste."

"We can't expect everyone to have the courage to give up such a large territory. Throughout history, apart from that gentleman, how many people have been able to do it?"

"That's true."

Zhu Di plopped down on a bench in the pavilion, crossed his legs, placed a tablet on his lap, and then turned on the walkie-talkie, saying, "Send the video over."

"Yes."

The drone operators responded and immediately transmitted their footage to Zhu Di via wireless bridge.

Because the wireless bridge creates a small local area network, the video transmission is very fast.

Zhu Di casually clicked on one of the options and saw a drone flying over Kunming. In the distance, Dianchi Lake shimmered in the sunlight, a breathtaking sight, while the city of Kunming remained solemn.

Meanwhile, massive camps were erected around the city, with high fortifications, seemingly learning from the lessons of the Nanning city incident, as the city's garrison did not gather at the east gate.

At present, only a few enemies are guarding the East Gate. Most of the troops are scattered in the city, seemingly waiting for the Ming army to bomb the East Gate open so that they can engage in street fighting when the Ming army enters the city.

"It's interesting."

Looking at the Qing army's troop distribution on the tablet, Zhu Di said, "These guys don't think we're going to fight them in street battles, do they?"

Xu Da laughed and said, "After all, they know nothing about our true strength. If they knew that we could bombard their troop deployments without even entering the city, they probably wouldn't have dared to do it."

Zhu Di pondered for a moment and said, "Mount Tai, Wu Sangui is out of touch with reality and hasn't withdrawn from Kunming. If we launch a full-scale attack, Kunming will definitely suffer losses. I don't want to injure the city and its inhabitants. Do you have any good ideas?"

"Well"

Xu Da understood Zhu Di's meaning and pondered for a moment before saying, "The saying goes, 'To attack a city is inferior to attack its heart.' Your Highness, I believe we should first eliminate the camps surrounding Kunming. Make the fighting as intense as possible, bomb them as much as possible to intimidate them, and then simply blow up one of the city gates and shout into the city. In less than half a month, half of the city's garrison will have to flee. If we can assassinate Wu Sangui himself, the city will collapse in no time."

"Ah."

Zhu Di nodded and said, "Alright, then we'll do as Taishan says."

The Ming army set up camp about seven or eight kilometers outside the city. The soldiers, carrying assault rifles, set up sniper rifles on the surrounding high ground and began to unload tents and other supplies from the tricycles in an orderly manner.

Their tricycles were quite heavy, as can be seen from the bloggers who travel by bicycle in later generations.

The package included a large number of outdoor supplies such as tents, sleeping bags, wood-burning stoves, hand axes, and inflatable sleeping mats, which alone weighed more than 20 kilograms.

Then there were all kinds of bullets, marching rations, mortars, shells and other necessities. With the riders and soldiers on the bikes, each bike carried an average load of four or five hundred kilograms.

In other words, these tricycles were manufactured with high-precision industrial capabilities, and the level of materials and craftsmanship was already among the world's top in later generations.

Otherwise, given that a typical tricycle can only bear a load of two or three hundred kilograms at most, and that its materials are generally easy to break, it probably wouldn't last that long.

Even so, more than ten vehicles still broke down on the road.

In addition, these specially made mountain bikes also carry a large amount of supplies, with each bike carrying an average weight of about 300 kilograms including the soldiers.

There were a total of two thousand tricycles, three thousand bicycles, and various miscellaneous supplies, which added up to an estimated more than a thousand tons of baggage. One can imagine how arduous the journey must have been for the soldiers.

Upon reaching the walls of Kunming, every Ming soldier breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that they would no longer have to travel. As a result, everyone relaxed considerably, working in the camp amidst laughter and chatter, paying no attention to the distant city.

The Ming army brazenly set up camp right under the noses of the Qing army, and the garrison on the city walls kept reporting the news to Wu Sangui, causing Wu Sangui's mood to plummet.

The other party didn't treat him like a human being at all.

About an hour later, near noon, just as the Ming army had finished setting up their camp and were preparing to bombard the Qing army camp outside the city to annihilate them, the gates of Kunming opened and a knight galloped out.

This man was Zhou Wensheng, the prefect of Kunming, who was ordered by Wu Sangui to leave the city to negotiate with the Ming army.

At that time, Wu Sangui had already seized military and political power in Yunnan. In terms of military affairs, apart from the Governor-General of Yunnan Zhao Tingchen and the Yunnan Admiral Zhang Yong who held some troops, Wu Sangui controlled about 70% to 80% of the more than 200,000 troops in Yunnan.

In terms of politics, Lin Tianqing, the governor of Yunnan, was only the highest-ranking civil official in name. In reality, apart from him, all the prefects and magistrates in various places below the governor's office were appointed by Wu Sangui.

Therefore, all the government offices in Kunming were staffed by Wu Sangui's men, and Zhou Wensheng was also appointed by Wu Sangui. Now, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go out of the city to negotiate.

Like Hu Guozhu, he was skilled in both literature and martial arts. In his early years, he was a general under Wu Sangui. He loved reading and even passed the imperial examinations for Xiucai and Juren in the twelfth year of the Shunzhi reign, which showed that he was knowledgeable and became one of Wu Sangui's confidants.

But even the most trusted confidants can't compare to Fang Guangchen, Liu Maoxia, Xia Guoxiang, and Hu Guozhu.

Negotiations outside the city are risky, and it's difficult to send trusted advisors and sons-in-law. Since we need someone of high status, we can only send him.

At this moment, Zhou Wensheng took a deep breath and slowly walked to the front of the Ming army's formation.

The Ming soldiers on the outer perimeter pointed their guns at him, but the matter had already been reported to Zhu Di, who did not order the shooting but let him in. After a while, Zhou Wensheng was led to the outside of the pavilion, where Zhu Di, Xu Da, and Zhu Yunfeng were sitting around a stone table drinking tea.

The climate in Yunnan is so comfortable. It should be scorching hot in the north right now, but here in Yunnan it's only around 20 degrees Celsius. A gentle breeze is blowing, and the blue waters of Dianchi Lake are rippling in the distance. They are like tourists enjoying a spring outing, feeling very relaxed and happy.

"Your Highness, this man is said to be Zhou Wensheng, the prefect of Kunming, a Tartar."

Mao Xiang brought the man over and said.

Zhu Di took a sip of tea, looked the other person up and down without saying a word.

Zhou Wensheng broke out in a cold sweat.

The person before him possessed an extraordinary aura, sharp eyes, and the air of someone who had been in a position of power for many years. Could he be a prince, a remnant of the Ming dynasty? He cupped his hands and said, "May I ask which prince you are?"

"I am Zhu Di, the Taizong Emperor of the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Di said calmly.

He likes to say this about his identity, which is quite shocking and surprising.

As expected, Zhou Wensheng opened his mouth wide in disbelief, then chuckled and said, "You jest."

"Snapped!"

Zhu Di slammed his fist on the table and roared, "Who's joking with you? Tell Wu Sangui to come out and see me! I'll have him skinned alive! He dares to ruin the empire I left behind, let the Jurchens into the pass, and slaughter my Ming imperial family. Leave your head on his head and tell him I'll be waiting outside the city. If he dares to come out and die, I'll spare his entire family. Otherwise, his entire clan will be executed, and his whole family will be slowly sliced ​​to death. Now get out!"

"roll!"

Mao Xiang shoved Zhou Wensheng from behind, causing him to stumble. Zhou Wensheng, also a military officer, was startled by Mao Xiang's powerful strength and dared not say a word. He quickly left the Ming army camp, mounted his horse, and hurried back to the city to send the message back.

Although the news that the person who came claimed to be Emperor Taizong of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di, was indeed a bit too far-fetched, it was the only information he could obtain, so he had no choice but to report it truthfully.

Do you think he'll come out?

Zhu Yunfeng asked.

Zhu Di laughed and said, "If he comes out, I will respect him as a true man."

"Then they probably won't come out."

Zhu Yunfeng looked towards Kunming in the distance and sighed, "It's a nice city. I wonder how it will turn into a battle later. What a pity."

Time passed by minute by minute.

The Ming army originally planned to start the attack at noon, but due to this little incident, they rested a little longer.

The soldiers ate something and waited until a little after 1 p.m. before officially beginning preparations for the attack.

Wu Sangui, who was inside the city, was stunned to learn that the person outside the city was Zhu Di. He was furious and thought that the people outside the city were playing a trick on him, so he ignored them and waited for the attack.

The first offensive was launched soon.

Dozens of drones began hovering over Kunming, broadcasting messages into the city through loudspeakers.

"His Majesty the Emperor Taizong of the Ming Dynasty has personally arrived; those who stubbornly resist will surely face certain death."

"You are surrounded. Lay down your weapons and surrender on the spot, or you'll all be turned into bean paste."

"I'll give you ten more breaths. Ten, nine, eight."

The shouting didn't last long.

Because Zhu Di's purpose was to kill the Qing army, he did not expect them to surrender.

He had no intention of accepting surrender; even if they surrendered, he would have them all massacred.

Therefore, the Qing army only had three to five minutes to react.

The garrison inside the city stared blankly at the sky. Wu Sangui also came out of his mansion. He finally understood why the Ming army could detect his movements at any time.

People stared in astonishment at the sky above them. Some screamed in terror, some were shocked and unable to accept the fact, and others whispered among themselves.

Panic gripped the entire city of Kunming.

If given some time, I believe Wu Sangui would be able to stabilize the situation.

But the Ming army wouldn't give him time, even as Wu Sangui himself was still in a state of shock.

When the time comes.

"fire!"

Over the walkie-talkie, Zhu Di issued the order for a general offensive.

"fire!"

"fire!"

"fire!"

Each battalion's artillery, carrying more than 3,000 mortars, split into five routes and set up five artillery positions about five or six kilometers from Kunming, each aimed at one of the enemy's five camps.

The first camp was located in the southeast corner of Kunming, with Ma Bao, the Right Vice-General and Commander-in-Chief of Loyalty and Bravery, as the main general.

The second location was a camp in the northeast corner of Kunming, commanded by Zhang Zufa, the Left Commander-in-Chief of the Volunteer Army.

The third location is the East Gate of Kunming.

The fourth location was the Guan Ning Iron Cavalry Camp, located about two kilometers south of Kunming, commanded by Wu Yingqi, Wu Sangui's nephew.

The fifth location was the North City Camp, directly north of Kunming. This camp was the furthest from Kunming and the most difficult to attack. Its purpose was to form a pincer movement with Kunming, facilitating both offense and defense. The commander-in-chief was Wang Pingfan, a trusted general of Wu Sangui.

As the roar of cannons filled the air, countless shells rained down on the city and its surroundings, creating a series of loud "bang" sounds upon impact.

The mortars used by the Ming army were my country's most advanced PBP208 60mm mortars, made of lightweight titanium alloy, with a total weight of only about 7 kilograms.

Each shell weighs 1.5 kilograms. The range of a standard shell is over 3 kilometers, while the range of an ultra-long-range shell is around 7 kilometers.

For this reason, the tricycle carried more than 200,000 artillery shells. Although it could not compare to heavy firepower, its power was much greater than that of hand grenades, ensuring its lethality and making it more than enough to deal with armies in the era of cold weapons.

Under the continuous firepower of the Ming army, the camps inside and outside Kunming were bombed to pieces, and chaos and screams filled the air, causing great fear.

In an instant, the entire city of Kunming was in turmoil. Some were killed in the bombing, some fled in terror, and some stood there bewildered. Kunming and its surrounding areas were in chaos.

Within a very short time, the Qing army showed signs of complete defeat.

(End of this chapter)