Zhu Yuanzhang in the cellar

Chapter 278 The Fall of Kunming
This time, the Ming army might not have enough of other things, but they would definitely have enough cannonballs.

Although the power of a 60mm shell is far less than that of a 155mm heavy howitzer, it is still the most advanced military product in modern my country.

By 2032, given the poor state of the military manufacturing industry in the United States, and with Commissioner Smith's layers of exploitation, very little money will actually be available for the research and development of high-precision military products, making it difficult to produce more advanced weapons and equipment.

Putting aside other things, my country's sixth-generation fighter jets are now in mass production, and there are two models, designed and manufactured by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and Chengdu Aircraft Corporation respectively.

In contrast, the US is still stuck in PowerPoint presentations even in 2032.

In this situation, falling behind at one step leads to falling behind at every step. Whether it is high-end aircraft manufacturing or low-end artillery shell manufacturing, my country has already reached the forefront of the world, and it is no exaggeration to say that it is already number one in the world.

Even the most outdated J-10 fighter jet would be a force to be reckoned with in second- or third-tier countries. For example, the saying goes, "A bosom friend afar brings a six-to-zero victory."

Therefore, even though it was only a 60mm shell, it was lighter than the shells of other countries, but more powerful.

Its accuracy is unparalleled, with almost zero error within a three-kilometer range and only a few meters error within a five- to seven-kilometer range, making it a godsend for light infantry combat in the field.

Under such intense artillery fire, the Qing army was completely unable to resist and was bombarded and scattered in all directions.

At the southeastern Ma Bao camp, which was closest to the Ming army, a large number of soldiers were killed or stunned by the relentless bombing. Dust flew everywhere, stones flew everywhere, and occasionally, severed limbs and broken arms would fall from the sky.

"Run!"

"Divine punishment! It's divine punishment! Run!"

"Surrender, we surrender."

"Father, Mother, I don't want to die, I don't want to die."

"It really is Emperor Taizong! He called out to us from heaven before, but we wouldn't listen. Now, ah!"

Screams echoed throughout the various camps as Qing soldiers cried out for their fathers and mothers, fleeing in panic and confusion, creating utter chaos.

Even many generals were killed by the bombs. Under firearms, there is no distinction between generals and soldiers; they are treated equally.

The intense artillery fire lasted for more than ten minutes, during which the entire city of Kunming was like a living hell, with countless Qing soldiers killed or wounded.

Wu Sangui, who was inside the city, was terrified by the bombardment and fled from his residence toward the west gate.

He didn't actually know the Ming army's attack methods, only that the Ming army could kill his troops from a great distance, so he hastily made temporary arrangements.

When the Ming army arrived, they always attacked whichever city gate was closest to them. Given their arrogant attitude, Wu Sangui chose to concentrate his forces mainly near the East Gate.

But it's just nearby, not close to the East Gate.

Many soldiers hid in nearby houses. Only a small number of troops were deployed above the east gate as bait. Once the Ming army finished bombing and rushed into the city, there would be an opportunity for close-quarters street fighting.

Most of the camps outside the city were arranged in the same way, with troops usually placed in the central and rear camps, and not many troops around the camp gates, just waiting for the Ming army to break in.

Although Wu Sangui knew that the Ming army seemed to have eyes in the sky, he had no way to stop them and could only hope that his plan would succeed.

However, he still greatly underestimated the strength of the Ming army.

The ample artillery shells nearly leveled the fortifications outside the city, and the east gate was indeed blown down, but the Ming army did not enter the city, instead continuing to maintain a deterrent effect.

The most terrified people at this moment were the Qing soldiers who were lying in ambush in the houses near the East Gate.

Shells rained down all around them, exploding around them every now and then. Even though they weren't hit directly, the dust falling from the rafters and the constant tremors from the ground while they were hiding in houses and dwellings filled them with terror.

This fear of the unknown is the most frightening thing.

Because no one knows if a shell will land on the house where they are hiding, blow them to pieces, and leave no trace of their bodies.

Therefore, during the long bombing, they were physically and mentally exhausted, enduring the fear in their hearts, which was extremely agonizing.

But the ordeal didn't last long.

After the first three-minute shelling, many soldiers panicked, ran out of the houses, and shouted as they ran to the rear.

The supervisory team was able to maintain order at first.

However, under the continued artillery fire, even the rear command posts began to exhibit this phenomenon, turning around and fleeing.

Lacking artillery training, many people felt their eardrums rupture; how much more so would they feel fear if they experienced artillery fire up close? Even the most mentally strong person would be terrified.

By the time the second and third rounds ended, most of the soldiers near the east city had fled, and the remaining soldiers could only hide in their rooms, too afraid to come out.

It was only at this point, when Wu Sangui was being escorted by his personal guards and fleeing towards the west of the city, that he remembered to withdraw his troops. If the bombing continued, his army of over 100,000 men would be completely annihilated.

"Quickly, sound the retreat! Sound the retreat! Withdraw from Kunming!"

Wu Sangui, exhausted, shouted as he listened to the continuous sounds of cannons coming from inside and outside the city.

“Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding!”

The crisp sound of the bronze gong rang out loudly, but the intense sound of cannon fire drowned out the signal to sound the retreat, making it difficult for the Qing army to form an effective command.

Some people were running away, some were holding their positions, and others were running around aimlessly.

Not only the Qing army, but the entire city of Kunming was in chaos. In addition to the Qing soldiers, even the people in the city were fleeing in all directions in a panic.

Startled horses galloped through the streets and alleys, knocking down pedestrians. The fleeing civilians and soldiers were huddled together, indistinguishable from one another.

Under the barrage of artillery fire, everyone panicked. In a desperate struggle to find a way to escape, Qing soldiers even resorted to violence, drawing their swords and slashing at civilians and their own comrades.

"Get out of here, all of you get out of my way."

"The Ming army has entered the city! The Ming army has entered the city! Run!" "Pah! You damned Qing dogs, you've finally met your match!"

"It's Emperor Taizong! He's definitely going to skin Wu Sangui alive!"

"What are you doing? We're all brothers, huh!"

“Anyone who is your brother and tries to stop us from escaping is an enemy.”

The west, north, and south gates were already extremely congested, with fleeing civilians and retreating soldiers surging together.

Before the Ming army even entered the city to launch an attack, the Qing army inside the city had already collapsed and was fighting amongst themselves.

"Vulnerable!"

Outside the city, observing the chaotic scene of Kunming under the bombardment via drone, Zhu Di curled his lip, expressing his disdain for Wu Sangui.

Zhu Yunfeng laughed and said, "In ancient feudal society, those who could survive with a casualty rate of 10% were already considered elite. The Yue Family Army, which could continue fighting with a 90% casualty rate until the entire army was wiped out, was a minority. Most of the time, both sides would charge at each other, and whoever couldn't hold on first would lose. If Wu Sangui could withstand such intense bombardment without collapsing, then he would be a military genius incarnate."

"Yeah, indeed."

Zhu Di agreed, saying, "Perhaps I overestimated him, Mao Xiang."

"Your Highness."

Mao Xiang hurriedly stood up and bowed.

"Order to cease bombardment. Soldiers shall pursue the Jurchen Tartars in small squads, maintaining a safe distance. Do not engage in street fighting within the city; instead, hunt them down outside the city."

"Yes."

"Send a few more battalions to occupy the city wall first. Use drones to observe whether there are any enemies inside or outside the city wall. The main task of the troops going up the city wall is not to kill the enemy, but to protect themselves. If one of them is cut down by a Tartar with a knife while carrying an assault rifle, even if he is only injured, it will be shameful, you know?"

Zhu Di then gave another order.

Climbing the city wall was not about entering the city, but about seizing the high ground and launching a siege against the Qing army inside the city from a commanding position.

But the premise is to protect yourself first.

Otherwise, if a group of fully armed modern soldiers were killed or wounded by someone wielding cold weapons, Zhu Di would definitely be scolded by Zhu Yuanzhang.

He couldn't afford to lose this person.

"Yes!"

Upon receiving the order, Mao Xiang immediately set about carrying it out, even personally leading a group to the East Gate.

By this time, the east gate had been destroyed by artillery bombardment.

In the era of cold weapons, there were cannons, and ordinary cannons really couldn't bring down city walls.

Because the city walls during the Ming and Qing dynasties were built with rammed earth and bricks, while the cannons of the cold weapon era used solid shot.

Moreover, it has low power and a low firing rate; a cannon often takes two or three minutes to fire one shot.

Therefore, the city walls are perfectly capable of withstanding an attack of solid shot.

However, modern artillery is not only powerful but also has a high firing rate, capable of firing more than ten shells per minute.

This is still a mortar.

If it were a super-high-speed artillery vehicle, it could fire hundreds of thousands of shells per minute, which is quite astonishing.

Under the continuous and powerful bombardment, the ancient city walls and gates could not withstand it. The explosions and vibrations caused the city walls to collapse, revealing huge gaps.

The mortar fire stopped, and Mao Xiang and his men were several kilometers away from the city. By the time they rode over, the dust had mostly settled.

Smelling the dust, gunpowder smoke, and a faint stench of blood in the air, Mao Xiang and his men saw only ruins; the entire east gate, including the walls on both sides, had collapsed.

The city gate tower and city wall bricks and tiles were scattered all over the ground, and you could vaguely see that there were many corpses inside.

According to the drone's observation, the surrounding area was completely deserted.

Mao Xiang waved his hand, and the soldiers behind him rushed forward and entered the city. They then climbed up the city wall from the other side of the city tower stairs, which were still barely accessible.

By this time, most of the Ming army had gone to pursue the Qing army outside the city. They rode bicycles in groups of three or five, indiscriminately firing at the fleeing Qing soldiers.

The remaining few entered the city, climbed the city walls, and began to control the situation. They continuously picked off soldiers dressed in Qing army uniforms and slaughtered the Manchu Tartars in the city, just as the Tartars slaughtered Han Chinese civilians.

Time passed quickly, and after about half an hour, the chaos gradually subsided.

Because Zhu Di's army was too small, only four thousand men, and although they were equipped with modern weapons, they did not accept surrender and killed any Qing soldiers they saw, so there was no large-scale surrender.

This means that hundreds of thousands of pigs are being slaughtered right now. Naturally, the pigs are charging forward and running away for their lives, wishing they had more legs.

Although many people did die, even with guns, marksmanship is still important.

During World War II, it took an average of tens of thousands of bullets to kill one person, so as time passed, most of the Qing soldiers escaped.

There's nothing we can do about it unless everyone is a sharpshooter, but that's unrealistic.

Even so, a rough estimate suggests that the initial bombardment combined with the subsequent gunfire still resulted in tens of thousands of Qing soldiers killed or wounded, roughly 20,000 to 30,000, which was more significant than the casualties caused by the Battle of Mopanshan, which was meticulously planned by Li Dingguo.

Under these circumstances, Kunming was captured in the blink of an eye!

(End of this chapter)