The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 595: Battle with Chu
On February 26, the first year of Guangde, at dawn, about half an hour ahead of schedule, the Antelope Corps launched a general attack on the Jiangxia defenders.

At the beginning of the morning hour, before daybreak, Chief Officer Pu arrived at Binyang Gate to inspect the battlefield situation.

All the Ming army positions and fortresses around Jiangxia were destroyed more than ten days ago. Except for a very small number of people who died in battle, most of the more than 2,000 Ming troops stationed in the outer positions surrendered to the Qi army.

Ma Jinzhong watched the outer positions fall and did not dare to go out of the city to rescue. The two waves of Ming troops sent out of the city before fought against the Qi army in the field, but both collapsed at the first touch.

Ma Jinzhong still had tens of thousands of troops under his command. He did not pin all his hopes on foreign aid, but actively prepared for war, raising the city walls and sending more able-bodied men to guard the city.

According to General Ma's experience, except for Zuo Liangyu himself, the other colleagues who joined him in the Northern Expedition were basically unreliable, because over the years, the Ming army had experienced countless situations where "they remained as still as a mountain when their allies were in trouble."

A few days ago, when the Ming army was ready for a fight to the death and waiting for the Qi army to attack, Pu Gang only sent refugees to fight.

Some refugees attacked Binyang Gate every night. Although they failed to take it, they disturbed the Ming army all night long.

Another group of refugees, like tireless ants, gathered dirt and rocks, effectively leveling the trenches, horse pits, and horse troughs that the Ming army had previously deployed beneath the city walls. Engineers cleared the mines and cannons on either side of the trenches, along with the densely packed horse traps and caltrops.

Before the war, any shield carts and artillery of the Qi army could cross the floating bridge over the moat and reach the bottom of the Binyang Gate city wall unimpeded.

This actually means that the Ming army has been defeated.

"let's start!"

As the chief officer of the Antelope Corps waved the black flag in his hand, the order for the general attack was quickly conveyed to all participating soldiers by the battalion commanders and team leaders.

Two hot air balloons, each larger than a shield truck, hovered one thousand meters above the Huangpi River, carrying out reconnaissance missions.

Amidst the cotton-like clouds, the hot air balloons seemed like anchors sinking deep into the seabed, firmly controlling the battlefield beneath the clouds.

This is their home ground.

Inside the hanging basket, a lookout wrapped in a cotton robe held a telescope in his hand. Like a god, he looked down at the Jiangxia battlefield from the sky through the thin morning mist.

Another soldier, also dressed in bulky clothes, was waving a red flag that was longer than himself, trying his best to convey enemy intelligence to the ground lookouts.

Rumbling cannon sounds came from beneath the clouds, as if the entire earth was thundering. The three arms of infantry, cavalry, and artillery started moving almost simultaneously, roaring like spring thunder.

Hundreds of artillery pieces on both sides of the Huangpi River poured shells towards the Binyang Gate according to pre-marked positions.

The shrill whistling sound of shells tearing through the air could be heard everywhere, and the milky white smoke formed by the artillery firing was like blooming cotton, covering the mountains and fields.

The pungent smell of gunpowder spread southward along the river bank. Soon, the white smoke and pungent smell of all people were blown away by the cold morning breeze. The five battalions of the Fifth Corps, totaling 1,500 musketeers, like ants pouring out of their nests, quickly approached the four gates of Jiangxia in a not very dense formation.

One thousand spearmen and one thousand sword and shield soldiers formed two tighter phalanxes. These soldiers who used cold weapons were in two different eras from the front-line musketeers - from a tactical perspective - following the musketeers was the cavalry battalion of the Fifth Corps.

Five hundred cavalrymen, bearing red antelope pennants on their backs, rushed out from the rear. As they neared the end of the infantry formation, they split into two black torrents, moving like molten iron towards the infantry flanks. They did not participate in the siege, but instead covered the battlefield flanks, ensuring that their own army would not be suddenly attacked by the enemy on either flank during the offensive.

A battalion of artillery, positioned parallel to the central army's main tent, remained stationary, providing methodical fire support to their comrades in front. A battalion of musketeers, in skirmish lines, scattered around the artillery, guarding against possible attacks from behind.

Two days before the general offensive began, all the Night Guards and Tang Horses of the Fifth Corps were released. The Night Guards were responsible for scouting the area within fifty miles around, while the Scout Horses carried Pu Gang's letter for help to Henan, Shandong and other places for help.

Except for the Chamber of Commerce and workshop staff who stayed on the south bank, and the two guards standing beside him to protect him, Pu Gang had sent out all the soldiers who could fight.

Just last night, Yebushou discovered that Ming army reinforcements had appeared in the directions of Zhudian and Yingcheng, with a number of more than 10,000 people, mainly infantry.

The Ming troops on the east and west sides were closing in, and to the south was Jiangxia City. No matter which way he went, he would face a brutal battle. Of course, he could also flee directly to the north, but retreat was not an option for Pu Gang.

What if they retreated north? Pu Gang knew that, given Zuo Liangyu's temperament, he would pursue the Ming army and sweep forward. Morale would be low, and whether they could defeat the Ming army was beyond question. The people of Huguang would suffer further damage from the war, leaving many fields barren and irrigation systems abandoned. It would take three to five years to restore the land.

After some thought, things finally became simple.

"Attack with all our might and capture Jiangxia City before the Ming reinforcements arrive!"

Pu Gang and Xing Zhongyi discussed it and decided to immediately launch a general attack on Jiangxia City. Only in this way would there be a glimmer of hope.

~~~~
Liu Yi held a rifle, aimed at the soldiers in front of him, and rushed towards Bin Yang and others.

After Lu Yang's death, Liu Yi decided not to be a guard anymore, so he became the new captain. In this battle to climb the city wall, his first battalion was still at the forefront.

Whether it was the Qi army's artillery or the rifles equipped by ordinary soldiers, their effective range far exceeded their opponents, and the battlefield soon became one-sided.

At the same time, less than forty miles away from the battlefield, the most destructive land artillery, the "Tyrant", was approaching the Jiangxia battlefield.

The retired emperor wanted Zuo Liangyu to experience the true wrath of an emperor.

Da Qi's science and technology are constantly innovating, and new technologies emerge every few days. At present, the workshop's standardized digital size specification design concept has been implemented in the workshop's production. The Tyrant artillery shells weigh an astonishing 50 kilograms and have a range of up to 3,000 meters. With just one shot, half of the county government office can be overturned.

Thanks to the further development of workshop technology, the current straight gun mount structure has been eliminated, and the gun-supporting part and the ground-affecting part have an angle so that more recoil can be transmitted to the ground.

The elevation mechanism uses threaded technology, allowing the gunner to adjust the angle more accurately when firing, thereby improving the hit rate.

~~~~~~
At the Yunmeng County government office, Deng Changxiong, commander of the Second Corps, put down an urgent report with a gloomy expression on his face.

"Why are there so many Ming troops suddenly here?"

"They were all ambushed by Zuo Liangyu. A lot of friendly troops have also arrived, including the artillery regiment transferred from Henan. There is also a cavalry battalion that was sent to Liaodong for reinforcements, but it turned back and headed to Jiangxia. I heard from their commander that the Fifth Corps is still holding on in Jiangxia! They should go and reinforce them."

"Reinforcements?"

Deng Changxiong was puzzled and muttered to himself.

"Where are their instructors? Are they allowed to do whatever they want?"

"Forget it, there's still fighting going on in the south, and there are people from Da Qi. I, Deng Changxiong, will go and help out first!"

Deng Changxiong slammed the table and called the instructor, and the two began to discuss the next blocking battle.

West of Jiangxia, in Macao Temple Town, the resolute Wang Zengbin said in surprise after listening to the scout's report:

"You mean, the entire Jianghan Plain is in chaos?"

The scout replied, "Yes, there are at least five detachments of the corps. Some of them, like us, were originally going to fight in the north, but now they are all fighting the Ming army, and the battle is intertwined. The Ming army we encountered today came from Xianning and seems to be heading to Jiangxia. There is news that General Pu was surrounded as soon as he entered the city..."

"The cavalry regiment cannot sit idle. Liaodong is guarded by the navy and three main corps, which is enough to knock Zheng Chenggong's balls out. Immediately call the officers of each battalion to discuss matters. The cavalry must always charge to the front. We cannot fall behind."

"General Wang, does the instructor want to come and sit in on the class?" the messenger asked cautiously.

"No need. The military situation is urgent. Just assume that the instructor has attended the class."

——The new book "I Was the Prime Minister in the Late Ming Dynasty" has been signed. It is cold and murderous, and the protagonist has no morals or integrity. If you like it, you can recommend it for collection.

(End of this chapter)