Slaying the Qing: My Taiping Heavenly Kingdom

The Qing army's attack was completely disorganized, consisting almost entirely of a chaotic, swarming charge.

It certainly looks impressive.

However, such concentrated charges were only suitable for the era of cold weapons.

In the age of firearms, especially after the advent of automatic weapons, such an attack was practically tantamount to suicide.

The weapons used by the Qing army were also a wide variety of types.

In addition to traditional broadswords, spears, and bows and arrows, there were also firearms.

These muskets came in a wide variety of models. There were not only old-fashioned matchlock muskets, matchlock guns, and flintlock muskets, but also the latest percussion guns, and so on.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The Qing army's artillery also began firing, and after each cannon opened fire, it launched solid projectiles that bombarded the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's Imperial Guard ranks.

After landing, these projectiles bounced up and then slammed hard onto the ground.

However, the Guards' formation was not dense; they were relatively dispersed. Furthermore, most of the Guards soldiers were lying prone on the ground.

Apart from a very few unlucky soldiers who were killed by artillery shells, the casualties were not significant.

"Order the artillery battalion to open fire and wipe out the Tartar artillery!" Lieutenant General Chen Yucheng issued the order.

"Yes, Commander!" Colonel Sun Qiming replied.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The artillery battalion of the 1st Guards Infantry Division opened fire with 24 75mm field guns.

In an instant, the Qing army's artillery positions were engulfed in flames.

Violent explosions rang out continuously, and Qing army artillery pieces were constantly being blown to pieces.

Many cannons were also destroyed.

After the artillery battalion of the 1st Infantry Division of the Imperial Guards fired only three rounds of shelling, the Qing army's artillery had already been almost wiped out.

The entire artillery position was littered with mangled bodies.

The whole scene looked like entering hell.

When Zhejiang Provincial Commander Deng Shaoliang and General Rao Tingxuan saw this scene, they stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

"Admiral, the Taiping rebels' artillery fire seems to be quite intense!" Rao Tingxuan said with some concern.

Deng Shaoliang nodded: "Hmph! They're just a bunch of child soldiers. What use is powerful artillery fire, no matter how strong? In the end, the battlefield still depends on real fighting!"

"The Admiral is right!" Rao Tingxuan nodded repeatedly, looking very much in agreement.

However, they soon realized just how much impact powerful artillery fire could have on the battle.

After discovering that they had destroyed the Qing army's artillery fire, the Imperial Guard's artillery immediately shifted their target and began shelling the Qing army's infantry.

"Boom! Boom!"

One cannonball after another rained down from the sky, slamming heavily into the Qing army's attacking ranks.

A violent explosion rang out, shrapnel flew everywhere, and the lives of the Qing soldiers were claimed.

The shockwave from the exploding shells threw the Qing soldiers into the air. They were tossed high into the air like falling leaves before crashing to the ground.

"Boom! Boom!"

The Guards' 75mm field guns, 75mm mountain guns, and 120mm and 80mm mortars were all firing.

In an instant, cannonballs rained down on the Qing army's attacking ranks.

A large number of Qing soldiers were stunned and disoriented by the bombing.

The human body appears so fragile in the face of these shells.

Even if they were wearing armor, they would be blown to pieces. What's more, most Qing soldiers were only wearing uniforms.

The Imperial Guard's artillery opened fire wildly, and a continuous series of explosions rang out.

Many Qing soldiers were killed in the bombing, and their mangled corpses were scattered everywhere, looking extremely bloody and horrific.

Even more fatally, the morale of the Qing soldiers, which had been boosted by the generous rewards and official positions, completely collapsed at this moment.

If these Qing soldiers had previously acted like hungry wolves howling, then...

So now, it's like someone has poured a bucket of ice water over my head, chilling me to the bone.

The silver was very good, and the official position was very tempting.

But one's own life is undoubtedly the most important thing!

"Run! The Bolts' artillery fire is too fierce!"

"Someone help me! My leg has been blown off!"

The Qing army officers and soldiers were in complete chaos.

Many people turned and ran, no longer charging forward, but fleeing backward.

Upon seeing this, Deng Shaoliang became even more enraged and began to curse.

"A bunch of good-for-nothings, a bunch of cowards! Are they scared by the Taiping Rebellion's cannon fire? The imperial court has been raising soldiers for a thousand days, is this how they repay the imperial court?"

"Guards! Send my personal guards up to form a supervisory team. Anyone who dares to retreat without authorization will be beheaded on the spot!"

Enraged, Deng Shaoliang issued the order with a fierce expression.

"Yes, sir!" The captain of the personal guard accepted the order.

Deng Shaoliang's personal guards were all elite soldiers selected from the army.

Not only are they fierce, but they are also very strong in combat.

After being fed silver, he became even more loyal to Deng Shaoliang, faithfully carrying out any of his orders.

"Go back! All of you, go back!"

"The Admiral has ordered that no one is permitted to retreat without orders! Anyone who disobeys will be executed without exception!"

Deng Shaoliang's personal guards shouted at him.

A Qing soldier, looking terrified, scrambled back from the front.

But one of his personal guards immediately rushed forward, and with one swift stroke, the head flew high into the air.

Fresh blood gushed out from the severed neck.

"Ah! Ah!"

"Don't kill me! My mother is waiting for me to come back!"

The guards were like wolves and tigers, and in the blink of an eye, they had killed many Qing soldiers.

This terrified the other Qing soldiers as well.

Many people cried out and begged for mercy.

"Go back! Continue the attack! Otherwise, this will be the fate of these deserters!"

The captain of the personal guards roared.

With no other option, the other Qing soldiers could only continue their charge.

Moving forward means death, and retreating also means death.

It's better to die on the front lines than to die like that. That way, you won't have to bear the stigma of being a deserter. And your family might even be able to receive some meager compensation.

"Brothers, charge!"

"If you want to live, you have to defeat the long-haired rebels and kill them all!"

"If we don't kill all those Taiping rebels, we'll die! Let's fight!"

Among the Qing army officers and soldiers, there were many brave and fierce men, and not all of them were cowards who feared death.

Under the leadership of these men, and especially under the threat of the rear guard, the Qing soldiers had no other choice but to charge forward blindly.

"Commander, the Tartars have deployed their supervisory teams. They've started charging again," Colonel Sun Qiming reported.

"Hmph! Are the supervisory troops afraid of the Tartars but not of our artillery and bullets? As Han Chinese, yet risking their lives for the Tartars, their crimes are unforgivable!"

"Order, brothers, get ready! We'll engage when they get close!"

Lieutenant General Chen Yucheng snorted coldly.

There is no sympathy whatsoever for these Qing soldiers.

Even though we are all compatriots, these people, for whatever reason, have long forgotten their own identity.

When they chose to serve the Tartars and slaughter their own compatriots, they faced certain death.

With orders being issued one after another, the Imperial Guard soldiers were already prepared for battle.

The Type 5 heavy machine guns on the position were ready to fire.

The soldiers' Type 5 rifles were already loaded with bullets.

Even though it was the first time many soldiers had been on the battlefield, they were inevitably flustered.

Many soldiers even had sweaty palms.

But with the officers' reassurance, they gradually calmed down.

"Attention everyone, fire only when you are close. Do not fire without orders. Don't be nervous, just treat it like training."

"Qing demons are human too; a single bullet could take their lives!"

The officers shouted loudly.

This calmed down the soldiers.

"Kill them! Kill them all!"

Countless Qing soldiers, shouting loudly, charged toward the Imperial Guard's position.

As they drew closer, the Imperial Guard soldiers could even clearly see the fierce expressions on the faces of the Qing soldiers.

"Fire!"

When the Qing soldiers rushed to within fifty meters of the Imperial Guard's defensive line, Lieutenant General Chen Yucheng gave the order to open fire.

"Bang!"

Lieutenant General Chen Yucheng fired the first shot from his pistol.

And that was a signal to fire.

"Da da da!"

Rows of heavy machine guns began to spew out streaks of fire.