Huangming

Chapter 424 The Lonely City Finally Falls, Death Is Imminent (Bonus Chapter for Donating to 'Fire Chicken Noodles Are Really Not Spicy')
The night was dark.

Inside the tent of the Ximen military camp, Tong Yangxing sat upright.

He had just returned from the palace and hadn't had time to change out of his armor.

He raised his hand to rub his temples, clearing his thoughts, and then called out towards the outside of the tent:
"Call Tong Guoyao here."

Before half a cup of tea had been brewed, the curtain was gently lifted.

Tong Guoyao was dressed in light cotton armor, and his face still carried a bit of youthful vigor, but there was a hint of tension hidden in his eyes.

Being summoned by one's grandfather at this hour is probably not an ordinary occurrence.

He bowed respectfully, his voice tinged with a hint of probing:

"Grandpa, it's so late, why aren't you resting yet? Did you call me here because you have something important to tell me?"

Tong Yangxing didn't speak, but just stared at him.

His gaze was like a knife chilled to ice, sweeping from Tong Guoyao's hair to the tip of his boot, making the back of his neck stiff and his palms gradually sweat.

Tong Guoyao subconsciously gripped the scabbard at his waist and forced a dry laugh:
"Grandpa, why are you looking at me like that..."

Could it be that my grandson has made a mistake during military training recently?

"Did I do something wrong that made you angry?"

Tong Yangxing only spoke slowly when Tong Guoyao's voice trembled slightly.

"You're an inside agent for the Ming army, aren't you?"

"boom!"

These words struck Tong Guoyao like a thunderbolt.

His face turned deathly pale instantly, his knees buckled, and he collapsed to his knees with a thud, his hands bracing against the cold ground, his voice trembling:

"Grandpa! Who...who told you this nonsense?"

My grandson has been with you in the Jin army camp since he was a child. How could he possibly be a Ming spy?
Someone must be spreading rumors; you can't believe them!

As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Tong Yangxing, and seeing that his grandfather's face remained expressionless, his heart sank lower and lower.

My grandfather was always calm and collected; he would never have said such a thing unless he had solid evidence.

Seeing his flustered appearance, Tong Yangxing slowly took out a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket and threw it in front of Tong Guoyao.

The note fell to the ground, and when one corner was unfolded, it revealed hastily written Chinese characters.

It was the secret letter that Tong Guoyao had secretly written to the Ming army a few days earlier, which contained details of the inner city's garrison deployment.

"Do you think that for the past six months, under the pretext of inspecting the outer city, you've been frequently sending letters towards Fushun without anyone knowing?"

Tong Yangxing's voice had lost its warmth.

"The letter you sent out with the hunter last month was intercepted in half by Amin's scouts. If I hadn't used my identity as a member of the Han Army Banner to suppress it, do you think you would still be alive today?"

Tong Guoyao was all too familiar with the handwriting on the note.

That was his handwriting.

Tong Guoyao stared at the half-sheet of paper, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she found that all her explanations were utterly powerless.

After a moment of silence, he straightened up and slowly stood up from the ground, the panic on his face fading.

In his eyes, there was a hint of fearlessness in the face of death!

"Yes, Grandfather, I am indeed an inside agent for the Ming army."

He looked up at Tong Yangxing, a hint of madness in his eyes.

"Our Tong family should have abandoned darkness and embraced the light long ago!"
Grandpa, look at the Jurchens now!
Ajige is dead, Amin is dead, the outer city has fallen, and the inner city is surrounded like an iron barrel. The Ming army's cannons are aimed at the city walls day and night. The Great Jin cannot hold out for more than a few days!
Does this mean our Tong family is destined to be buried with Huang Taiji?

Although you were among the first Han Chinese to surrender to the Jin dynasty and have the blood of many Ming people on your hands, it is not too late to turn back now!

The Ming emperor is magnanimous; as long as the city surrenders, past transgressions will be forgiven, and the Tong family will be safe!

"Let bygones be bygones?"

Tong Yangxing suddenly laughed, but his laughter was full of bitterness.

"Guoyao, you are too young."

The Ming emperor might tolerate me, after all, he wants to show his magnanimity, but the people of Liaodong will not tolerate me.

In the Battle of Sarhu, how many Ming soldiers did I kill with the Han Army flag?
How many families in Liaodong have been torn apart and killed by my own hands?
If I surrender, do you think those people will spare me?

He'd probably be hacked to death the moment he stepped out of the city gate!

"But we can't just wait to die!"

"Grandpa, you always say you want to protect the Tong family, but now the only way to protect the Tong family is to surrender!"

"Do you intend to bury the entire Tong family along with Huang Taiji in the soil of Hetu Ala?"

Looking at his anxious expression, Tong Yangxing suddenly sighed, his sigh filled with exhaustion.

"you're right!
I've lived most of my life, killed people, and committed many sins. Now that I'm dead, I'm dead.

But the Tong family cannot perish.

He slowly got up, walked to Tong Guoyao, raised his hand and patted his shoulder, his face contorted as if he were having an internal struggle.

"I can help you, I can help you achieve great things."

But Grandpa had one condition.

After the city falls, you must protect the Tong family, especially the elders and children of the clan, and ensure they suffer no harm.

Tong Guoyao's eyes widened suddenly, and the shock on her face instantly turned into ecstasy.

He originally thought his grandfather would kidnap him to see Huang Taiji, but he never expected that his grandfather would help him!
This not only saved themselves, but also gave the Tong family a way out!
He nodded hurriedly, his voice trembling with tears:

"Grandpa! Don't worry! Even if it costs me my life, I will never let the Tong family suffer any injustice!"

This achievement of breaching the city is enough to make Commander Xiong treat our Tong family well!

"it is good."

Tong Yangxing nodded, turned and walked to the tent, lifted a crack in the curtain, and after confirming that no one was outside, lowered his voice and said...
"The two Niru Ejen guarding the west gate, Tong Zhong and Tong Yi, are both from our Tong family. They received my favor in the early years and are our own people."

Three days later, at midnight, I will have them use the excuse of a troop rotation to replace the guards at the west gate with our Han Banner troops. Then you can lead the Ming army in through the west gate, and I guarantee you will successfully breach the city.

Tong Guoyao was overjoyed and said repeatedly, "Thank you, Grandpa! I will go and send a message to the Ming army to tell them to prepare! In three days, we will definitely take Hetu Ala in one fell swoop!"

Tong Yangxing looked at his excited appearance, a complicated expression flashing in his eyes.

But he quickly recovered.

"Alright, there's no time to lose, you should go and make the arrangements."

Remember, this matter is only to you, me, and Tong Zhong and Tong Yi; no fourth person can know.

"Grandson understands!"

Tong Guoyao nodded emphatically, bowed to Tong Yangxing again, and then walked briskly out of the tent.

soon.

Only Tong Yangxing remained inside the tent.

He watched the direction Tong Guoyao had left, the calm on his face gradually fading, replaced by a deep sense of helplessness.

He slowly walked to the desk, picked up the secret letter, and murmured:
"Guoyao, don't blame Grandpa... This is not the path that you or I could choose."

Tong Guoyao came out of her grandfather's tent and quickly returned to her own small tent.

He pulled out a piece of rough paper and half a charcoal pencil from under his pillow, and also found a small jar of black ink mixed with wood ash.

These were the items he used to communicate with the Ming army. They were usually kept very well hidden, but now they were displayed on the table without any attempt to conceal them.

"Three days later, at the third watch, Tong Zhong and Tong Yi, the garrison commanders at the west gate, acted as inside agents and opened the city gates to welcome the Ming army into the city..."

Tong Guoyao read in a low voice, the charcoal pencil gliding quickly across the paper, the handwriting somewhat messy due to her excitement.

If they could secure this achievement, not only would they be able to secure a good future in the Ming army, but the Tong family would also be able to completely shed the stigma of being "surrendered slaves" and would no longer have to be subservient to Huang Taiji.

After writing the secret letter, he folded the note and stuffed it into a hollow arrow.

Just as he finished tidying up, a light knock came from outside the tent. It was a Han army soldier he had contacted beforehand, who was also a Ming army spy planted in the camp.

"Is everything settled?"

The soldier asked in a low voice, his eyes scanning the area outside the tent warily.

Tong Guoyao nodded, placed the arrow into the other person's hand, and gave the order:

"This is the key to breaking through the city; send this message out immediately."

The soldier responded and turned to disappear into the night.

soon.

He took advantage of the change of guard among the patrolmen to climb up to the west gate.

When no one was around, he shot the arrow under a rock sixty paces away from the west gate.

Half an hour later.

Under the cover of night, the Ming scouts found the stone, drew their arrows, and ran quickly toward the Ming army camp.

At this time, the Ming army's central command tent was brightly lit by candlelight.

Xiong Tingbi soon received the top-secret intelligence from the scouts.

He looked at the secret letter written by Tong Guoyao and a smile immediately appeared on his face.

"It seems that revealing Ajige and Amin's heads today has really worked."

"Zu Dashou's move was not in vain."

Zhou Wenhuan, who was standing beside him, leaned closer to take a look at the secret letter, but his brows furrowed.

"Lord General, could there be a trap in this matter?"

Huang Taiji has always been cunning. What if this is a trap he set to lure the enemy, deliberately sending Tong Guoyao to deliver a false letter to lure our main force to the west gate, and then break out from the other gates...?

"So what if it's a trap?"

Xiong Tingbi raised his head and said confidently:
"Our army of 80,000 has surrounded Hetu Ala, and 200 breech-loading cannons are set up outside the city. Even if there is an ambush at the west gate, as long as the city gate is opened, our army will rush in and Hetu Ala will still be breached!"

"Any conspiracy or trickery is nothing but paper in the face of absolute power!"

"Send the order!"

Xiong Tingbi stood up.

"At the third watch three days from now, the entire army will assemble and launch a major attack on the west gate!"

Furthermore, have Chen Ce, He Shixian, Liu Xingzuo, and Li Hongji each lead their troops to strictly guard the east, north, and west gates, and increase scout patrols. Under no circumstances should the Jurchens be given the slightest chance to break out!

Zhou Wenhuan quickly fetched paper and pen, the pen tip scratching on the paper as he quickly wrote down the imperial edict.

He handed the imperial edict to Xiong Tingbi, who glanced at it, confirmed it was correct, picked up the seal on the table, and stamped it on the edict with a "smack".

"I'll send it out tomorrow."

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

late at night.

The inner city of Hetu Ala.

Simon.

Tong Guoyao gripped the sword at his waist, his palms sweating profusely.

He led more than twenty trusted followers and slowly walked along the base of the city wall toward the West Gate.

When he reached the city gate, he raised his hand and gave a secret signal to the shadows.

That was the "nine heavy, one light" gesture agreed upon with Tong Zhong and Tong Yi, but after waiting for a while, there was no response from the shadows.

"what happened?"

The trusted confidant beside him asked in a low voice, his eyes revealing unease.

Tong Guoyao frowned and gave the signal again, but there was still no response.

His heart skipped a beat, but he forced himself to suppress his doubts.

Perhaps Tong Zhong and his group were afraid of being discovered, so they deliberately hid themselves well.

He gritted his teeth and walked into the west gate.

The place was completely deserted.

Are Tong Zhong and Tong Yi afraid of failure?
Without thinking twice, Tong Guoyao ordered the city gates to be opened.

"Squeak~"

The old city gate hinges emitted a harsh, scraping sound that carried far into the night.

Tong Guoyao held her breath, watching as the city gate slowly opened a crack, and the faint sound of Ming soldiers' armor clashing could be heard from outside.

Just as he was about to shout "It's me," a chilling sensation suddenly shot up his spine and up to his head.

The chill didn't come from the night wind, but from the murderous intent lurking in the shadows.

"Enter the city!"

A loud shout suddenly rang out, and then hundreds of torches lit up at the same time, illuminating the open space outside the west gate as if it were daytime.

The Ming army's vanguard commander, holding his long sword high, led hundreds of elite soldiers in a neat formation as they charged into the city gate passageway.

"Come on!"

"Kill!"

The clanging of armor, the shouts of soldiers, and the crackling of burning torches instantly shattered the silence of the night.

suddenly!

"boom--!"

A deafening cannon blast suddenly tore through the night sky, and a dark shadow fell from the top floor of the West Gate Tower.

It's an iron gate weighing tens of thousands of kilograms!
The heavy iron gate, accompanied by a whistling sound, slammed onto the bluestone slabs of the passageway with a loud clang, sending sparks flying.

The Ming troops that followed were cut off outside the gate, while the more than 800 elite soldiers who rushed in were instantly trapped.

Before the Ming army could react, countless dark arrow holes suddenly appeared from behind the crenellations on both sides.

"Fire arrows!"

With a command given, a dense rain of arrows fell like a swarm of locusts, the arrowheads whistling through the air, instantly felling dozens of Ming soldiers.

The soldiers at the forefront had just raised their shields when several armor-piercing arrows pierced them, causing them to fall to the ground with screams, their blood instantly staining the bluestone slabs of the passageway.

"kill!"

Suddenly, the hidden doors on both sides of the passage were pushed open, and the heavily armored soldiers of the Eight Banners poured out like a tide.

Clad in three layers of iron armor and wielding spears over ten feet long, they advanced in dense formation.

Spears stood like a forest, their cold light gleaming. The Ming vanguard was squeezed into the narrow passage, with no room to even swing their swords, forced to retreat step by step, their screams echoing throughout. Just then...

Suddenly, countless torches lit up the city walls. Jirhalang, clad in black armor and wielding a halberd, stood atop the west gate tower and roared:
"Tong Guoyao! Do you think the Great Khan doesn't know you're a Ming army spy? Today is your death day!"

Tong Guoyao stood there, her whole body ice-cold.

He watched as the Ming army outside the city was blocked by rolling logs and boulders, and could only shout in vain through the heavy gate.

As he watched the more than 800 elite soldiers who had rushed in being surrounded by heavily armored soldiers, people fell one after another amidst the flashing swords and the smell of blood wafting into his nostrils, choking him so much that he could hardly breathe.

He then realized that he was not a "hero who conquered the city" at all, but merely a pawn used by Huang Taiji to lure the enemy.

A dead piece that can be used and then discarded.

Just as he was still thinking, an arrow came flying at him.

With a whoosh, it shot straight into his neck.

He desperately tried to grab the arrow, but could only spit out blood and suffocate to death.

however.

Even as he died, his eyes held doubt and resentment.

grandfather?

Why are you unwilling to grant your grandson's wish? Do you really want to lead the Tong family to be destroyed along with the Jurchens?

Nobody cares what a dead person thinks.

Because at this point, the situation changed again.

Suddenly, a deafening bugle call rang out from the south gate, shattering the sounds of battle at the west gate.

Three hundred Bayara cavalrymen, torches held high, rode out on horseback. The branches tied to their manes dragged on the ground, raising clouds of dust. From a distance, it looked as if a thousand troops were breaking out of the encirclement.

The Jurchen defenders on the city wall shouted in unison, lit bundles of straw soaked in oil, and pushed them off the wall one by one. The wall of fire rose more than three zhang high in an instant, engulfing the entire south gate in flames.

"Report!!"

A Ming scout rode a fast horse and galloped toward the banner of the military governor under the west gate of the outer city.

He dismounted before the platform and shouted the general's report loudly:
"My lord! The main force of the Jurchens is breaking out from the south gate, and their numbers are enormous, probably numbering in the thousands!"

Upon hearing the urgent report, Xiong Tingbi not only remained calm but also gave a cold laugh.

"Huang Taiji is quite cunning. He wants to use the bluff at the south gate to lure our army into dividing its forces, so that the ambush troops at the west gate can focus on besieging and killing our vanguard?"

He turned to look at Zhu Wanliang, his eyes sharp as knives.

"Zhu Wanliang, you lead your troops, carrying siege equipment, to reinforce the west gate immediately! You must break through the heavy gate and storm the city!"

"The rest of the battalions shall remain stationary!"

"Tell Chen Ce and He Shixian that the South Gate is just a feint by the Jurchens. If even one soldier leaves the camp without permission, he will be punished according to military law!"
however.

Huang Taiji's plan was very shrewd.

This far exceeded Xiong Tingbi's expectations.

He was neither genuinely planning to ambush the Ming army at the west gate nor intending to break out from the south gate. Those two locations were merely bait he had thrown out. The real escape route was hidden at the most inconspicuous north gate.

The strategy for breaking through this siege was devised by Fan Wencheng: "feint to the east while attacking the west, using the south as a feint and the north as the real target."

They lured the enemy to the west gate and launched a feigned attack at the south gate, using the chaos at both locations to distract the main force of the Ming army. Then, taking advantage of the weak defense at the north gate, they led their elite troops into the vast forests of Longgang Mountain.

The north gate of the inner city at this moment.

Huang Taiji was wearing heavy armor with yellow trim, his hand on the iron sword at his waist, with five thousand elite troops behind him.

He Heli's Eight Banners Bayara, Dudu's Plain White Banner Guards, and Engeder's Mongol Light Cavalry all wore their mouths and hooves covered with cloth, and even their breathing was extremely quiet.

The torches on the city tower fluttered in the wind, illuminating the tense faces on the tower.

They were all waiting for signals to come from the west gate and the south gate.

"Report! Ximen has succeeded! The Ming army's vanguard has been cut off by the heavy gate and is now trapped!"

The scout's voice pierced the night, carrying a hint of excitement.

A moment later, another rider came to report:
"The feint attack on the south gate has succeeded! The Ming army's southern camp has been mobilized and is sending reinforcements to the south gate!"

A glint flashed in Huang Taiji's eyes.

Fan Wencheng's plan was mostly complete. The strangulation at the west gate had entangled the Ming army's vanguard, while the smoke and shouts at the south gate had attracted Xiong Tingbi's attention. At this moment, outside the north gate, as usual, only a few scouts were wandering around.

"Open the city gates! The entire army breaks out!"

He raised his sword high, his deep voice piercing the howling north wind.

The heavy city gate slowly opened with the creaking of its hinges.

He Heli took the lead, leading three hundred Bayara to charge out.

Dudu followed closely behind, his guards holding round shields, forming a moving iron wall.

Engder's Mongol light cavalry, like a gust of wind, spread out to both sides along the city wall to scout ahead.

No one turned around.

Everyone knew that as long as they rushed through the north gate of the outer city and then crossed the woodland three miles away, they could escape into Longgang Mountain.

The area was densely forested and mountainous, making it impossible for Ming cavalry to catch up or for artillery to be transported in.

Just as He Heli's vanguard was about to rush out of the north gate passage of the outer city, he suddenly pulled on the reins, and the black horse under his feet reared up and let out a startled neigh.

The scene before them left everyone frozen in place.

What should have been an empty passageway was instead blocked by a dark array of cars!
Dozens of sidecars were lined up one after another, their wheels studded with sharp iron spikes, and stag antlers were strung between them. The ground was also covered with a dense array of barbed wire, like a lurking giant beast blocking all avenues of survival.

On the high platform behind the chariot formation, Chen Ce, the Ming general in charge of the Liaodong relief forces, wearing bright armor and holding a ring-headed weapon, smirked as he saw the Jurchen soldiers appear.
"Heh, trying to break through my lines? You're courting death! Fire!"

All I can say is that Huang Taiji's strategy was indeed very good.

It did indeed attract most of the Ming army.

However.
The Ming army numbered 80,000. Huang Taiji attracted a large number of troops, but there were still many Ming troops blocking the outer city of Hetu Ala.

With overwhelming combat superiority, all schemes and tricks are useless.

Whoosh whoosh~
The instant Chen Ce gave the order, countless arrows suddenly shot out from the gaps in the chariot formation. The dark rain of arrows swarmed in like locusts, accompanied by a sharp whooshing sound.

The cavalrymen at the forefront of the Red Banner had no time to react and were hit by arrows and fell from their horses. The "thud" of arrows piercing their armor and the screams of men and horses instantly broke the silence of the night.

"Charge the vehicle formation!"

He Heli was shot in the left shoulder by an arrow, the fletching deeply embedded in the gaps in his armor. Blood flowed down his arm, but he still roared as he drew his sword and commanded the Bayara heavy infantry to charge forward with their shields on.

but.

The heavy round shields blocked the rain of arrows, but they could not stop the Ming army's breech-loading cannons.

Suddenly, the sound of cannons boomed from behind the wagon formation. Gravel rained down like iron rain, tearing the charging Jurchen ranks into bloody alleys. Limbs and torsos flew everywhere, staining the snow on the ground red.

Just as Dudu was about to lead his troops to fill the gap, a shrapnel shot suddenly struck his thigh, shattering his armor and instantly soaking his trouser leg with blood.

He staggered and fell to his knees, the excruciating pain making his vision blur. His personal guards rushed over and helped him back.

"Taiji! We can't charge any further!"

"Master, there are more ambushes behind the chariot formation!"

Engdel suddenly pointed to the earthen slopes on both sides, his voice filled with panic.

Everyone looked up and saw countless torches suddenly lit up on the earthen slope, illuminating the densely packed Ming cavalry.

It was He Shixian's Liaodong Iron Cavalry!
They stood in neat formation, their iron hooves pounding the ground, the sound of their hooves rolling like muffled thunder, as if they were about to flank them from both sides.

Huang Taiji gripped the reins tightly, his face extremely grim.

how so!
Why are there so many Ming soldiers guarding the north gate to prevent him from breaking through?
His heart had sunk to the bottom.

Just then, a Mongol scout on horseback swiftly approached and shouted to Huang Taiji:
"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! The main force of the Ming army has been moved towards the west gate!"

It’s over.

Huang Taiji suddenly felt a dry mouth and throat.

Their escape route was blocked, and the main force of the Ming army was closing in. If they continued to fight, these 5,000 men would be trapped outside the north gate and die, unable to even return to the inner city!
"withdraw!"

Huang Taiji did not hesitate for long and made a decisive decision.

"The entire army must retreat to the inner city! Quickly!"

Huang Taiji understood.

If they cannot escape Hetu Ala, they will only face certain death.

Retreat would also mean certain death.

It's just that they'll die a little slower.

Faced with the choice between dying quickly and dying slowly, Huang Taiji chose the latter.

The moment the order was given, the Jurchen soldiers retreated like a tide.

The Ming army's arrows continued to rain down, and He Shixian's cavalry began their charge.

The Jurchen soldiers retreated while counterattacking, but their morale had already collapsed. Everyone was desperately trying to squeeze into the city gate. Even the usually fiercest Bayara soldiers couldn't care less about fighting and only wanted to retreat back to the inner city as soon as possible.

Huang Taiji entered the city, but there were still hundreds of people behind him who had not yet entered Hetu Ala.

but.

The Ming army was already catching up with them.

If the city gates are not closed, the Ming army will rush into the north gate.

He gritted his teeth and waved his hand sharply: "Close the city gates! Raise the drawbridge!"

The heavy city gates slowly closed, and the drawbridge was slowly raised.

They kept the Ming army's pursuit and shouts of battle, as well as hundreds of Jin soldiers, at bay.

Huang Taiji leaned against the wall inside the city gate, panting heavily, his armor soaked with sweat.

He looked at the remnants of his army around him. Of the five thousand elite troops, less than three thousand remained, all wounded and their faces filled with fear and despair.

but.

Now is not the time to rest.

There are still Ming army vanguards lingering inside the West Gate. If they are not eliminated as soon as possible, they will cause even greater chaos in the inner city sooner or later.

Therefore, he immediately led his troops to the West Gate.

Before they even got close to the West Gate, they heard the crisp sound of weapons clashing in front of them.

Huang Taiji looked up and saw hundreds of Ming soldiers backing against the city wall in the passageway of the city gate, forming an impenetrable hedgehog formation.

They were covered by round shields, their spears pointing diagonally upwards, and musketeers were hidden in the center of the formation. Every few moments, the sound of gunfire rang out, forcing the Han banner soldiers who tried to approach to retreat repeatedly.

"waste!"

Huang Taiji cursed under his breath.

The Han soldiers' hands were trembling as they gripped their swords, their eyes darting away from the Ming soldiers' spears. Despite their numerical superiority, they couldn't even break through a small formation.

"Heavy cavalry, charge! Break their formation!"

Fifty Bayara cavalrymen, clad in double-layered iron armor, responded to the call and spurred their horses forward, galloping into the Ming army's ranks.

The spearmen in front of the Ming army gripped their weapons tightly, their eyes filled with vigilance. But the moment the force of the warhorse struck the spear, a sharp cracking sound rang out.

The hardwood spears were snapped in two by the horses' hooves, and the Ming soldiers in the front ranks were sent flying like kites with broken strings, crashing heavily into the city wall and spitting out blood.

"kill!"

The roar of the Bayara cavalry was deafening. They brandished their sabers and charged through the gap in the hedgehog formation.

The Ming army's formation was thrown into chaos instantly. The musketeers were struck in the shoulder by sabers before they could reload their ammunition.

Without the protection of their formation, the spearmen were forced to fight individually and were quickly broken into small groups by the cavalry.

Huang Taiji, carrying a sword, personally charged into the melee.

His blade sliced ​​across the neck of a Ming soldier's rank, blood splattering on his face, the cold touch making him even more alert.

"Archery!"

He shouted towards the city wall, and the Eight Banners archers who were already prepared behind the arrow stacks immediately drew their bows, and a dense barrage of arrows fell like locusts, shooting down a large number of Ming soldiers who were trying to regroup.

In less than half an incense stick's time, the Ming army inside the tunnel suffered heavy casualties.

The remaining dozens of men were surrounded by the Bayara cavalry, their weapons long since fallen from their hands, their faces filled with despair.

As the last Ming soldier was felled by a saber, the area inside the West Gate finally fell silent for a while, with only the groans of the wounded and the crackling of torches.

Huang Taiji leaned on his sword, panting heavily, and the dull pain in his chest surged up again.

Just as he was about to order the cleanup of the battlefield, he suddenly heard a piercing whistling sound coming from outside the city.

That was the sound of Ming army cannonballs slicing through the air!
"hide!"

He shouted instinctively, but it was too late.

"Boom boom boom!"

Three cannon shells landed in succession inside the west gate, and the explosions instantly illuminated half of the city wall.

Several Bayara cavalrymen near the city gate were caught off guard and were blown away by the shockwave of the cannonball, their armor fragments and blood splattering all over the ground.

The Han soldiers standing nearby were terrified, covering their heads and shrinking into the corner, even dropping their weapons on the ground.

Huang Taiji was pinned down by his personal guards against the base of the city wall, surrounded by a deafening roar, and his vision began to go black.

He had barely recovered his senses when he saw Ming soldiers outside the city pushing several huge battering rams toward the heavy gate.

The front of the battering ram was covered with thick sheet metal and spikes. Each impact caused the heavy brake to groan and creak, and the iron bars of the brake body began to deform.

"Quickly! Stop the battering rams! Close the city gates!"

Huang Taiji roared, but the soldiers around him had already lost their will to fight.

The Han army soldiers scattered in all directions, and the Bayara cavalry suffered more than half of their casualties, making it impossible for them to organize an effective resistance.

"Bang!"

With a loud crash, the heavy brake was finally broken by the battering ram, slamming heavily to the ground and kicking up clouds of dust.

Outside the gate, countless Ming soldiers, carrying torches, surged in like a tide. Musketeers led the way, followed by spearmen, advancing step by step toward the inner city, shouting the slogan "Capture Huang Taiji alive!"

Huang Taiji's face turned deathly pale as he looked at the Ming army pouring in.

He staggered back two steps, barely managing to stand by grabbing the city wall beside him.

With the north gate blocked and the west gate breached, the morale of the garrison in the inner city had already collapsed.

Hetu Ala
It has already been breached by the Ming army!

today
Is this truly the day of my death, Huang Taiji?
ps:
Burned out!

Slaughtering the pig tomorrow!
(End of this chapter)