Chapter 320: Confrontation between the Two Armies
The capital city cannot be saved. The number of soldiers who came to fight against the enemy is too small. They are taking a risk by coming here. It would be great if they can hold Tianjin.
When we first arrived, Zhao Cheng had instructed us to recapture the capital if possible, but forget it if we couldn't. It would be fine as long as we could hold the landing point of Tianjin, but the Jianlu were in a state of collapse. This whole journey was like using cheats, and the advance was incredibly smooth!
Unexpectedly, they easily reached the foot of the capital, but they were powerless to do anything as they watched the Forbidden City fall.
"We're lucky enough to be able to protect ourselves. If they send out all their cavalry, we will never be able to reach the capital so smoothly! The new tactics have not been tested yet. We haven't come into contact with tens of thousands of cavalry!" said General Zhou.
"But we did defeat several thousand cavalrymen, and the Bordered Blue Banner was beaten to a pulp by us." Mao Jiu said.
"We were launching a surprise attack and an ambush. Now they have tens of thousands of cavalrymen! They also have hot air balloons watching us. Our every move is under the surveillance of the Jianlu! There are still countless Han troops left. What can we use to fight?" said General Zhou.
They were now caught between a rock and a hard place. The Jianlu Eight Banners had no support, and the people had been massacred by them because of Zhao Xiaofei's policies. While the Kenan Army was well-trained and had powerful ships and artillery, they were still haunted by the previous defeat. They lacked both arrogance and confidence.
If they were defeated in the cities of Hengzhou and Tongzhou, they would immediately retreat to Tianjin and hold their ground waiting for reinforcements.
But a miraculous scene happened. They arrived at the foot of the capital as easily as taking a stroll. The Eight Banners of the Jianlu Army were like dominoes, falling all the way.
There was a light radio in the army, and the news was transmitted to Chengdu as soon as possible.
Zhao Xiaofei was stunned when he saw the telegram. What was going on? It was so difficult before, but now it was so damn easy? God, are you kidding me?
After thinking for a while, Zhao Xiaokun traveled back to the present day to discuss things with his elder brother. He returned to the present to see his children and be with his wife. Meeting Zhao Xiaofei and explaining the situation, Zhao Xiaokun said, "It seems the previous terrorist actions worked! Mutual distrust between the Jianlu and Han officials and civilians led to this outcome. Now is a great time to reclaim the territory north of Shanhaiguan! Quickly have Gao Jie and Huang Degong march north!"
"I hope they can be obedient, I'm afraid Huang Degong will have some ideas!" said Zhao Xiaofei.
"Now that the Empress Dowager in Nanjing has lost her power, they can only obey orders obediently." Zhao Xiaokun said.
So Zhao Xiaofei traveled back in time and asked the Nanjing court to issue an imperial decree, ordering Gao Jie and Huang Degong to go north to support General Zhou.
Dorgon was in Changping County, commanding his army back to Shengjing. When he heard that the Ming army did not dare to enter the city to put out the fire, he felt relieved. He immediately ordered his cavalry to strike back and test the bottom line of the Kenan army!
Everyone says the Kenan Army is powerful, so I always want to give it a try. Is it that Duoduo and Ajige are not good at commanding, or is the Kenan Army really the nemesis of the Eight Banners?
Dorgon then summoned the leaders of the Plain Red Banner: Mandahai (the seventh son of Daishan), Lekedehun (grandson of Daishan); the leaders of the Bordered Red Banner: Luokoduo (the eldest grandson of Yuetuo), Nikan (the third son of Chu Ying); the leaders of the Plain Blue Banner: Doni (the second son of Duoduo), Bolo (the third son of Abatai), Yuedong (the fourth son of Abatai); and the leader of the Bordered Blue Banner: Jirgalang (the sixth son of Shurhaci) to discuss the matter in the big tent.
"Tell me! Don't just think about making money. The Ming army has less than 30,000 people, but we were scared and fled the capital. How will the people of the world view us?" Dorgon said.
"The Ming army has flying weapons, but ours can't fly as high or as far as theirs! If we go to the front, we will definitely be seeking death?" said Nikan.
Bo Luoman Dahai and Yue Dong both agreed, but Donny objected, "Don't they have the courage to fight?"
"What's the situation now? Don't you have any idea? We are running out of food and have suffered heavy losses. Do you only remember personal grudges? The Qing Dynasty must preserve its strength! None of us will forget the humiliation the Ming army has brought us, but now is not the time!" Man Dahai said.
"You have all made enough money, slaves and animals, but these have made you lose the courage of the Qing warriors! If you don't go, I will go!" Donny said.
"Donny! If you go to Zhenglan Banner, there won't be many men left!" said Dorgon.
Dorgon felt that if everyone went, the 20,000-odd Ming troops would be insignificant. However, if only Doni's Zhenglan Banner went, they would suffer a lot, even if they didn't die.
"Regent! Please let me go!" Donny said with a salute.
"Alright! I'll have the Emperor dispatch some cavalry from the two Yellow Banners to assist you. We can't let the Ming army take the capital so easily!" Dorgon said. He knew that with the current strength of the Eight Banners, it would be no problem to destroy this small army. However, that required the concerted efforts of all the Qing banner leaders. However, these bastards were all looking to make fun of him and dethrone him from his position as regent, so no one wanted to move.
Since Dorgon had spoken, the other flag owners had no choice but to allocate some troops from their flags to Doni.
So Donny gathered 30,000 troops and prepared to launch a counterattack.
Thirty thousand cavalrymen arrived outside Chaoyang Gate in two hours. After several days of preparation, General Zhou and his men were already ready.
With the main camp as the center, they provided food and some of the civilians who had escaped to help them dig six trenches, each two meters wide and three meters deep.
The first three trenches were very close together, designed to stop cavalry. They were lined with vertical bamboo sticks, and anyone who fell into them would die.
The last three trenches were farther apart, primarily to allow archers and musketeers to shoot the Eight Banners at an effective distance. Furthermore, there were valuable items hidden beneath these three trenches for the Eight Banners Army!
In addition, the people around the area dug countless traps, and the Ke Nan Army spread countless caltrops and buried tens of thousands of mines.
The hot air balloons had already risen, ready to strike the enemy camp in the middle at any time.
Donny went straight to Chaoyang Gate with anger and revenge in his heart.
A fierce battle between 30,000 Ming troops, a mixed force of cavalry and infantry, and 30,000 Eight Banner cavalry was about to break out. Nearby, thick smoke billowed from the capital. The fire was raging beyond control. Some civilians who hadn't been enslaved or killed by the Eight Banners also fled the city. They hid in corners and watched the scene unfold.
Donnie controlled his anger. He had wanted to fight the Kenan Army for a long time. First, he wanted to get revenge. Second, he wanted to fight the Kenan Army to prove his strength.
Donnie ordered, "Fire!"
The messenger waved the command flag, and more than a dozen red cannons opened fire.
The Kenan Army, however, seemed unhurried, as they were busy adjusting their firing angles. After the Jianlu Eight Banners' artillery had fired a round, the Kenan Army's artillery fire began to unleash its might!
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