Chapter 216: Battle of Chengdu 6
This strategy is just like the one where you cry wolf. You shout "wolf" every day, but when the wolf really comes, no one takes it seriously.
Qin Yiming and Ma Wanchun used this strategy, first tiring out the enemy, making them complacent and careless, and finally thinking that they were just trying to scare them.
But at the end, when they were most relaxed and most tired, the White Spear Soldiers launched an attack.
Charge! Capture Li Dingguo alive! The entire White Spear Army rushed up the city wall, shouting and screaming. The White Spear soldiers coordinated with each other, and one group of them rushed up the wall in one breath. Li Dingguo's last elite troops rushed up to fight the White Spear Army to the death. The White Spear soldiers not only had spears, but also short blades—essentially, triangular spears. This was designed by Fang Xinyu specifically for the White Spear Army. Today, White Spear soldiers wear modern composite armor, carry white spears, and carry triangular spears at their waists. In close combat, they draw the triangular spears and stab the enemy directly in the chest.
Their armor was lightweight, their physique was excellent, and they possessed the best weapons. Even after being rested in batches, Li Dingguo's elite troops were no match for them. These White Spear soldiers were determined to die, even willing to perish alongside the enemy. When they encountered a large enemy force, they threw grenades into the crowd, regardless of the presence of their own troops.
Fortunately, the White Spear Army's armor still offered some protection. At least few were killed by the grenades, though many were injured. Li Dingguo's troops, however, were not so lucky. Most of them lacked armor. Even if they did, it was heavy, and they hadn't rested well. They were no match for the White Spear Army. Grenade fragments pierced their bodies, leaving bloody holes.
Boom, boom, boom! The grenades never stopped. Each White Spear soldier threw all six grenades he had. It was like firing artillery in front of the crowd, and casualties were everywhere.
This strategy of killing one thousand enemies while injuring eight hundred of one's own wasn't Fang Xinyu's idea, but rather the joint work of Ma Wanchun and Qin Yiming. For the sake of the title, they risked everything; they had to take it down. These were the death squads they had chosen, each given 30 taels of silver as resettlement allowance. Furthermore, they promised that if they survived, they would be given official positions, their wives, and their children would be ennobled.
When they saw the huge pile of silver being handed over to their relatives, they made up their minds to die together with the Western bandits.
With such belief, they all had the courage to take out the grenades and prepare to keep the last one for themselves.
A white-pole soldier rushed to the front and shouted, "Xiao Cui! Take good care of my child! Don't remarry!" After that, he detonated a grenade and rushed into the enemy army.
The enemy knew he was going to die with them, so seven or eight of them simultaneously thrust their spears into him. Even though he was wearing armor, it wasn't completely covered. Seven or eight spear points pierced the White Spear Soldier's body. They worked together to lift him up with their spears, intending to throw him off the city wall, but it was too late. The White Spear Soldier had cut the fuse short, and before he could throw him off the city wall, the bomb exploded. Several of the Chuang Army soldiers were blinded, and blood was everywhere.
Seven or eight of them let go at the same time, and the half-body of the White Spear soldier fell to the ground below the city wall. Like the other soldiers, he became a victim of this era.
The White Spear Army at the back saw a group of Western Army soldiers struggling and shouting there, so they rushed forward and attacked these Western Army soldiers like cutting vegetables.
Li Dingguo knew the situation was hopeless and didn't want to waste his troops. He could only say to his men, "Brothers! Let's go! Follow me back to the palace!"
The rest of the Dashi Army obeyed orders and had to follow Li Dingguo to retreat into the city.
With this retreat, the entire Yinghui Gate essentially collapsed. The remaining soldiers either surrendered or were killed. Escape was practically impossible.
The White Rod Army was already blood-thirsty and would not let them go even if they surrendered. Those who knelt down to surrender would be shot to death.
Qin Yiming and Ma Wanchun arrived at Yinghui Gate. Ma Wanchun asked a sergeant, "Have you seen Li Dingguo?"
"General, Li Dingguo has already left with his men!" said the sergeant.
Ma Wanchun looked at Qin Yiming and said, "What do you think? Chase him or not?"
Qin Yiming said, "Why? Are you afraid of an ambush? At this time, can Li Dingguo still prepare an ambush? It's probably too late to escape!"
Qin Yiming rode forward and headed straight for Li Dingguo. Ma Wanchun saw Qin Yiming catching up, and he couldn't show weakness. So he took his elite troops and followed him.
Qin Liangyu was escorted into Yinghui Gate by the crowd. She was a little excited. She thought to herself: It seems that I can see the complete recovery of Sichuan before I die! If I can defeat Li Dingguo, my life will be complete!
Qin Yiming and Ma Wanchun's cavalry quickly caught up with Li Dingguo's troops. They were very close to the Tiren Gate, the eastern gate of the imperial palace, formerly the Shu Prince's Palace. However, Qin Yiming's cavalry quickly took a detour and arrived in front of Li Dingguo, blocking him.
Ma Wanchun stopped him from behind. Li Dingguo saw that he was blocked from front and back, and it seemed that he had no choice but to fight to the death. So he said, "Brothers! The final moment has come! Those who want to surrender, I will not stop them! Leave on your own! Those who do not want to surrender, just follow me and kill me, maybe there is still a way to survive!"
Some of the remaining Dashi Army soldiers were in despair, while others were determined to die, ready to face the national crisis together with Li Dingguo.
At this moment, dozens of Ma Wanchun's loud-mouthed soldiers shouted, "No one will be killed if you surrender! Only the ringleaders will be executed, and those who accomplices will not be questioned!"
"Those who surrender will not be killed! Only the ringleaders will be executed! Those who are complicit will not be questioned!"
After shouting this slogan many times, some desperate Dashi soldiers began to slowly lay down their weapons. Then, even more soldiers laid down their weapons. In the end, only Li Dingguo and his diehard followers were left holding weapons.
Seeing that it was effective, Ma Wanchun immediately asked the soldiers to take out food. Anyone who surrendered was immediately given steamed buns and then taken away.
So these surrendered soldiers left in an orderly manner, leaving only Li Dingguo and his diehards in the encirclement.
Looking at Li Dingguo, who only had 200 men left, Ma Wanchun laughed heartily and said, "Li Dingguo! Why don't you dismount and surrender? Maybe there's still a chance of survival!"
At this moment, a voice rang out from behind Ma Wanchun, saying, "Li Dingguo! You can live if you want! Let's have a one-on-one duel! If you defeat me, you can take these people away!"
I was sick yesterday and had a fever! So I won’t be updating for a day! Sorry!
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