The King of Zhao, the King of Zhou, their families, and the common people in the city all swarmed out of the city through the north gate.
These people knew very well that from the moment they defended the city, they could no longer surrender.
Li Zicheng had already set the rules.
Those who surrendered before the siege would not be killed by the Shun army after entering the city.
The city was captured after one day of siege, and all the defenders were killed, along with 30% of the civilians in the city.
After two days of siege, the city was captured, the defenders were killed, and 70% of the civilians in the city were also killed.
The city was captured after three days of siege, and then the whole city was massacred. All men, women, old and young were killed, and even the big yellow dog guarding the gate was skinned and eaten.
Daming Prefecture was defended for nearly two months.
Those who stay may not even have bones left!
After arriving outside the city, the people did not stop but continued to run, and only stopped slowly when they reached Huang Degong's army.
King Zhao got up and stepped down from the carriage. He came to Huang Degong and said, "You are Jingnan Bo Huang Degong, right?"
Although Huang Degong had never met King Zhao, he had heard of him from other people.
Looking at the teenage boy in front of him, coupled with his clothes and demeanor, he could already guess that he was the King of Zhao.
"May I ask, is this His Majesty the King of Zhao?"
"You guessed it right." King Zhao walked up to Huang Degong with a serious face, patted him on the shoulder and said earnestly: "You are very good, do a good job."
Huang Degong's scarred face twitched uncontrollably. "Your Highness, thank you for your praise. I have prepared a carriage. Please go to Wei County immediately to seek refuge."
King Zhao nodded, ran back to the carriage in the surprised eyes of everyone, and hid in the corner trembling.
After all, he was only a twelve-year-old boy, and it was courageous of him to behave like this.
After nearly 20,000 civilians left the city, soldiers in military uniforms began to leave the city.
They formed into squares of different sizes, passed through the city gate and the drawbridge and came to the moat.
Those who leave the city first cover those who leave later, while those who leave later try their best to maintain their formation under tremendous pressure.
The Ming army in Damingfu City had already been exhausted.
From the moment Li Zicheng moved his troops into the city for street fighting, they were facing an enemy several times their size.
If various obstacles and traps had not been set up in the city in advance, the Ming army in the city would have been defeated long ago.
Even so.
Their defense line was also compressed to the area around the north gate, and was only one step away from being lost.
"Kill!" Seeing the Ming army retreating outside the city, the Shun army in the city launched a final attack.
Only half of the Ming troops in the city retreated, and the remaining half were still defending on the city walls and near the city gates.
Outside the city, Huang Degong, Li Xingzhong, Wang Yongji and Gao Jie lined up their troops along the moat to cover the retreat of the Ming army in the city.
"Retreat quickly! Retreat quickly!" Li Xingzhong rode on his horse and shouted at the city gate at the top of his lungs.
With a bang, the city gate closed.
Immediately afterwards, the gate was lowered, completely blocking the city gate.
The Ming army on the city wall, led by Deputy General Ren Zhihua, shouted in unison: "A man should die on the battlefield and return wrapped in his horse's hide. We swear to live and die with the city."
Li Xingzhong stamped his feet angrily and said, "Loyal bones are buried everywhere in the green mountains, why should you return home wrapped in horsehide! I don't need you to show your loyalty, as long as you are alive!"
Although Ren Zhihua did not hear what Li Xingzhong said, between life and death he would try his best to choose life.
But reality doesn't give him a choice.
He is responsible for covering the rear.
If the bandits took advantage of the situation to pursue him when he was retreating from the city, his troops would surely be defeated.
Once this trend spreads, it will lead to the defeat of the main force of the Ming army outside the city.
The consequences are serious.
After careful consideration, Ren Zhihua decided to close the city gates and fight the bandits to the death.
After Li Xingzhong shouted several times, what responded to him was not Ren Zhihua, but shouts of killing and sounds of fighting.
Under the siege of enemies that were several or even dozens of times their number, the Ming troops on the city wall fell one after another.
but.
They neither retreated nor surrendered, but instead rushed towards the Shun army with weapons in hand, with a determined look on their faces.
Fight, bleed, die!
Deputy General Ren Zhihua looked at the few dozen people left around him and laughed, "Hahaha, brothers, did you enjoy killing bandits today?"
"Great!" Dozens of Ming soldiers gasped and responded loudly.
"Anyone want to surrender?"
"No!"
"Do you regret it?"
“No regrets!”
"That's fine. Although we failed to stop the bandits, this battle showed the momentum and dignity of the Ming army."
"We are willing to die for our country, and we are worthy of the court and Your Majesty."
"All the generals, listen to my orders, join me in killing the bandits and serving our country!"
"kill!"
The remaining Ming troops in the city raised their weapons, shouted slogans of charge, and resolutely charged towards the enemy.
(In history, Ren Zhihua was a native of Daxing, Shuntian, with the courtesy name Zhonghua. He passed the military imperial examination in the Bingxu year and served as the defender of Changping. In March of the 17th year of Chongzhen, Li Zicheng captured the capital, and Ren Zhihua hanged himself.)
After an unknown amount of time, the city gradually returned to peace.
Li Xingzhong led hundreds of cavalrymen and wandered outside the city for a long time before retreating unwillingly.
In order to prevent Li Zicheng from sending troops to launch a surprise attack, the common people walked in front and the Ming army provided cover in the back on the way back to Wei County.
Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians came in a mighty force, and the scene was very spectacular.
It was already nightfall when we returned to Wei County.
Huang Degong, Wang Yongji, Gao Jie and other senior generals of the Ming army sat in rows.
The King of Zhao and the King of Zhou went to bed early because they were young and had been frightened after a long journey.
Huang Degong spoke first: "Everyone, let's talk about the casualties first."
Wang Yongji coughed lightly, "One hundred and thirty-three Guanning cavalrymen were killed in the battle, and about two hundred were injured, both lightly and seriously."
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