The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 371: Drumming and Singing
On the tenth day of the siege, the fighting reached a fever pitch.

Zhang Chun organized and launched the largest offensive since the Jingnan Campaign. Thirty thousand rebels, along with refugees, launched a fierce attack on Yongding Gate. Under the threat of the rebels, the refugees continued to build pontoon bridges and push shield carts across the moat.

There was no winner that day. The corpses piled up more than ten feet high under the city. The defenders suffered 500 casualties, and the rebels suffered more than 2,000 casualties. At dusk, the rebels took advantage of the night to flee to the camp.

That night, the Kaiyuan army launched a night attack on the city and captured a thousand heads. The next day, the rebels returned and retaliated against the Kaiyuan army.

The rebels drove more refugees to fill the moat and attack the city. The floating bridge on the moat was burned by the defenders. The river was filled with the bodies of soldiers killed on both sides. The river water turned dark red and all the fish and shrimp died.

The refugees carried wooden planks to build a pontoon bridge again. At the same time, hundreds of red cannons and Portuguese cannons were set up on the other side of the moat. The artillerymen pushed the cannons close to bombard the city walls to provide cover for the construction of the pontoon bridge.

The artillery on both sides targeted the other side's artillery.

The Kaiyuan army's artillery was more powerful, but outnumbered. Zhang Chun sent servants to guard behind the artillery and ordered them not to retreat. Anyone who retreated would be shot to death by the servants with bows and arrows.

The rebel artillerymen, with no way to retreat, had to fight Kaiyuan to the death on the spot, enduring the fear of iron balls whizzing past and smashing their comrades into meat paste.

Both sides were blood-thirsty, with no way out, and could only fight to the death.

Suddenly, there was a dull explosion from the top of the city wall, and screams were heard all around. Liu Zhaosun's heart skipped a beat, he knew that the cannon had exploded.

A General Cannon weighing a thousand pounds that was pulled from the Shenji Camp, like a frog that ended its hibernation, half-crouched and suddenly jumped up. The cannonball had long disappeared without a trace, and the barrel smashed into a wooden gun carriage next to it before it stopped.

Wood chips were flying everywhere, and two people were immediately scratched by the wood chips, but fortunately they were not injured in vital parts of the body.

Seeing that Yongdingmen was about to be at a disadvantage, the Duke of Protectorate ordered the dispatch of gunners and artillery from other city gates to provide reinforcements.

"Lord Protector, you've sent all the gunners away. What if the rebels attack other city gates?"

Qiao Yiqi asked worriedly.

Liu Zhaosun waved his hand, signaling Qiao Yiqi not to speak for the time being.

~~~~~
Zhang Chun knew that he had nowhere to retreat, so he brought in more red cannons to fight against the artillery on the city walls. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, so they simply stopped paying attention to each other and pointed their guns at the enemy infantry again.

Floating bridges were built one after another, and the refugees were driven by the rebels, like rolling waves, rushing towards the city walls one after another. Following closely behind the refugees were huge shield carts and ladders. The sound of muskets on the city walls gradually became sparse, and more and more ladders were built on the city walls. The rebels swarmed up the Yongding Gate.

Shen Lian was killed in the battle, Lin Yu was seriously injured, and nearly half of the central army guards were killed or wounded. Yongding Gate was in danger, and the city wall of Wengcheng was about to fall. Liu Zhaosun led the last reserve team, rushed to the top of the city, and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the rebels who were climbing up. The Duke of Protector of the Country fought ten people at once and was stabbed several times. After cutting off the third goose-feather knife, his body was already exhausted. The rebels who had already rushed to the top of the city began to retreat.

After this battle, all of Zhang Chun's servants were killed or wounded, and the morale of each group of troops was low and they had no intention of fighting again. More importantly, Wang Erhu led reinforcements to approach the capital and would soon cut off the rebels' retreat.

Zhang Zongbing finally realized that his end had come. "God damn Wu Xiang, he's been traveling for thirty days on a ten-day journey and still hasn't arrived. He's killed me."

"You must capture him alive. I will skin him alive."

Liu Zhaosun leaned on his incomplete goose-feather knife and looked around. The city was a sea of blood and corpses. On the other side of the moat, Zhang Chun's big banner fell to the ground, and countless defeated soldiers stepped on it, raising clouds of dust from the ground.

"Reinforcements arrived, and the rebels retreated."

A line of black spots appeared on the distant horizon. The black spots became more and more numerous and larger. The Duke of Protectorate raised the telescope and looked towards the east. A ferocious black tiger flag appeared in Liu Zhaosun's sight.

"Alright, the Third Army has arrived. Those who are able to fight, follow me out of the city and pursue them. Do not let the rebels escape!

Liu Zhaosun jumped on his horse, raised his lance, and shouted loudly to his men.

On that day, Wang Erhu led a large army to arrive in the capital. On the second day of December, the half-month-long defense of the capital finally ended. With the arrival of reinforcements, the Kaiyuan army immediately launched a counterattack, and the troops inside and outside the city attacked the rebels from both inside and outside.

The remaining troops under Zhang Chun had already become frightened birds and did not dare to fight the Kaiyuan army in the field.

The rebels collapsed in the field battle and fled westward. Zhang Chun was unable to suppress them and had to follow the rebels in fleeing towards Shanxi. The bandits there were very rampant. There might have been a chance of survival if they had gone there, but if they stayed in the capital, they would be in great danger.

Wang Erhu and Qi Jin led their troops in pursuit westward along the post road. Ten miles west of Baoding Prefecture, they overtook the retreating soldiers, beheaded 5,000 of them, and killed and wounded countless others. Finally, the remaining less than 3,000 rebels scattered and fled in all directions.

More than 5,000 rebel heads were transported back to the capital by horse-drawn carriages. After the Duke of Protectorate sent people to inspect them, he announced to the people of the capital that these were all heads of the Jiannu army. The 5,000 heads aroused the frenzy of the people of the capital.

The heads of the rebels were built into a Jingguan and piled up in front of Yongding Gate, which shocked the people greatly. Many people did not even dare to look at the Japanese pirates with ferocious expressions.

The officials from the Ministry of War came to verify the results and went through the motions, then returned to the yamen to report that all the heads were undoubtedly rebels.

Since Emperor Tianqi had been killed by Liu Zhaosun, fortunately Emperor Chongzhen rarely summoned ministers alone, and many people did not even know the existence of the new emperor.

But now, the battle of the capital is finally over, and the city of Beijing is back in the hands of Liu Zhaosun. The Duke of Protector of the Country will continue to implement his iron-blooded policy, starting with the liquidation of the rebels.

~~~~~~
On the third day after Shen Lian's death, Liu Zhaosun finally repelled the rebels and began preparing a fine coffin, selecting a prime feng shui site to bury his old subordinate. He knew that everyone would leave him, and in the end, he might be the only one left. This was what it meant to be alone.

Four days later, on the seventh day after Captain Shen's death, the Duke of Huguo ordered Shen Lian's body to be sent to the imperial mausoleum for burial. Zhu Youjian was dead, and the Suoyi Guards began to spread the news that Emperor Tianqi was shot by a stray arrow from the rebels and unfortunately passed away.

Pei Dahu sent people to hide the body of Emperor Tianqi, and then found a eunuch who looked similar to Zhu Youjian, killed him with a knife, and burned him beyond recognition.

Liu Zhaosun personally presided over Shen Lian's funeral. At the funeral, while everyone was off guard, Zuo Miaoqing raised a knife and committed suicide, falling in front of Shen Lian's tomb.

Liu Zhaosun was moved by Zuo Miaoqing's strong character and loyalty, and ordered her to be buried together with Shen Lian in the imperial mausoleum.

"Brother Shen, Miss Zuo, Madam, I have already slain the rebels and will give you a grand funeral in due course. Your heroic spirits are not far away, please bless me to ascend the throne and become emperor."

"When I become emperor, I will kill them all. Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Three days later.

Zhang Yan, Shen Lian, and Zuo Miaoqing were buried in the unfinished imperial mausoleum. The Minister of Works refuted this as "violating the ancestral system." Liu Zhaosun raised his goose-feather knife and struck down the three of them.

One hundred and twenty human heads were piled in front of the imperial mausoleum, forming a small hill.

Liu Zhaosun filled the soil personally, and Shen Lian and Zuo Miaoqing were buried in the side room of the imperial mausoleum. After going to the underworld, Captain Shen will continue to guard the imperial lady.

Liu Zhaosun knelt in front of the tomb. After an unknown amount of time, his eyes were still bloodshot, like a mad beast.

Qiao Yiqi and others stood in the distance, looking at the Duke of Protectorate with sad faces.

Liu Zhaosun talked to himself facing the tomb. He spoke in a low voice so that only he could hear it.

The paper carriage and buildings were set on fire, and the fire grew bigger and bigger, illuminating the entire tomb.

Liu Zhaosun took a large stack of Xingchunzhai skirts and jackets from Qiao Yiqi, all of which were the latest styles.

The skirt and jacket were thrown onto the fire, crackling and emitting a faint fragrance.

These were Zhang Yan's favorite styles during her lifetime. She was afraid that Liu Zhaosun would blame her, so she never bought them. She wished she would die without wearing them.

Liu Zhaosun asked Qiao Yiqi to go to West Street and buy fifty pieces and burned them all for his wife.

"You are all dead, and I am dying soon. Wait for me, I will be with you soon."

Emperor Wu Ding summoned Master Craftsman Lei, who was in charge of the construction of the empress's mausoleum, and ordered him to build a spacious main room in the imperial mausoleum, prepare more tribute and food, and bury him there after his death.

"Build another tunnel leading to the palace, and I will come to visit Zhang Yan often."

The Thunder Master took the order and left.

After everyone had dispersed, Liu Zhaosun walked step by step into the depths of the tomb, holding the golden bowl used to summon souls.

"Soul, come back! Leave your constant dryness,
Why are you in all directions?
But it’s a bit ominous to stay away from that place!

Soul, come back! The East cannot be trusted.

A thousand feet tall, but only the soul is sought.

In ten days, there will be more gold and stones.

If they all get used to it, their souls will be released.

Come back! I can’t leave you here.”

The surroundings of the tomb were dyed red by the fire, and Liu Zhaosun chanted the ancient Chu Ci to summon the soul.

He sang and danced like Zhuang Zhou, who had lost his wife.

Until he was exhausted, he fell asleep beside Zhang Yan's coffin.

That night, he had a very long dream.

In the distant future, Liu Kan led his army to conquer a distant country and was invincible. Liu Zhaosun and Zhang Yan floated in the air hand in hand, smiling at their son.

(End of this chapter)