Ming Empire

Chapter 242 Breaking through the South Gate
Jiannu, who were hiding outside the city, did not find the Ming army charging under the cover of artillery in time. The thick smoke produced by the explosion of the artillery blocked out the sky and seriously affected the vision.Therefore, when the Ming army rushed near the city wall, the defending Jian slaves realized that something was wrong.

However, it was already too late. A Ming army of 50 people rushed to the front, holding a few big bags in their arms, using the power of the artillery to continue shooting and the cover of thick smoke, when the Jiannu inside and outside the city had no time to respond Rushed to the south gate outside the city gate.They built a few bridges with ladders, and after crossing the moat, they quickly rushed to the city gate and stacked several large square bags in their hands into the city gate.More than [-] explosive cannons are stacked close to the city gate to form a hill.After the fuse was ignited, these daredevils quickly retreated to the other side of the moat through ladders.

At this time, about [-] musketeers and [-] cavalry guards had rushed outside the south gate.The [-] cavalry and [-] musketeers were divided into two wings to guard the safety of the [-] musketeers who were responsible for the siege mission. At this time, they had already handed over the Jiannu who had reacted outside the city.Some of the Jiannu who received the warning in the city rushed to the top of the city, but there was too much smoke, and they couldn't fully see the situation below the city.

Just as the Jiannu inside and outside the city were scrambling to prepare for the siege of the Ming army, a huge explosion came from the direction of the south gate of the city gate.There were nearly fifty explosive packs, and each explosive pack was about twenty catties of gunpowder. The explosive power generated by the explosion of thousands of catties was very great. Half of the gate tower collapsed, all the Jiannu hiding in the city gate were blown to death, and some Jiannu generals on the gate tower were crushed under the ruins, dying or being injured.

Because the city gate was well repaired, there was basically no major damage except for some broken bricks.The ancient city walls were still very solid, and there was absolutely no tofu dregs. The air waves generated by the explosion diverged to the two directions of the city gate with space, and the damage to the city gate was greatly reduced.It’s just pity for the Jiannu hiding in and near the city gate. Many of them were killed or injured by the huge explosion before they understood what was going on. Yes, they temporarily lost their hearing, and they couldn't come back to their senses for a long time.

The high-hanging suspension bridge was also shattered into pieces by the huge explosion shock wave.

Following this huge explosion, the horn of charge sounded from the position of the Ming army. Except for some troops guarding the position at the rear, as well as sailors and soldiers, all the other troops jumped from the position and rushed toward the south gate of Liaocheng. .

At this time, many temporary bridges have already been erected on the moat.The musketeers and cavalry who were already close to the south gate alternately covered the city gate that had been blasted open, rushed across the moat from these temporary bridges, and rushed into the messy south gate city gate.The sound of musket fire followed, and those Jiannu who were lucky enough not to be killed fell under the musket fire of the Ming army one by one.

The first wave of musketeers and cavalry guards entering the south gate of Liaocheng was very fast, and within a short time they wiped out all the remaining thousands of slaves near the gate who had already messed up their square inches.After eliminating these Jiannu, they did not continue to charge, but guarded near the city gate, using all favorable terrain to prevent Jiannu's possible counterattack.

And the follow-up troops rushed into the city continuously to consolidate the defensive force inside the already occupied city gate.

Coincidentally, after the vanguard troops attacked the south gate of Liaocheng, a strong wind began to blow, and the black smoke that enveloped Liaocheng was quickly blown away.The black smoke was blown away quickly, which was more conducive to the Ming army's shooting.The canal passed through the city of Liaocheng, and the warships wandering on the canal also quickly approached the south gate, using the artillery on the warships to support the Ming soldiers who attacked the city.

Before formulating the siege plan, Cao Yue didn't think too much about the safety of the people in the city. He knew that when the city was broken, the people would surely suffer. .When he ordered the troops to attack, he didn't ask them to take into account the safety of the people. In the case of a disadvantaged force, he could try his best to win the war. This was the only thing he needed to consider.

As long as Liaocheng can be successfully captured, the lives of the remaining people will be guaranteed.If the siege fails and Jiannu wins in the end, the people of Liaocheng will still suffer. Jiannu who has suffered heavy losses will definitely not let the people of Liaocheng go.

Near the south gate, there were still many Jiannu guards, but under the fierce artillery bombardment of the Ming army, they did not dare to stay on the city wall, and most of them looked for places to hide.When the Ming army blasted the city gates and entered the city, they were still in chaos, unable to organize an effective defense.

The houses blown up by the artillery became obstacles for the Jiannu cavalry to counterattack, but these obstacles did not bother the attacking Ming army too much. The musketeers could use these obstacles as a shooting cover to effectively kill Jian slaves who fought back.

As more and more Ming troops crossed the moat from the temporary bridge, the defense line of the Ming army in the south gate city gradually stabilized, and the follow-up troops began to attack the city.Still cavalry, infantry and musketeers cover each other and advance alternately.On the wall of the south gate, there were already at least [-] musketeers and thousands of infantry defending. They were ready to meet the counterattack of the slaves on the wall.

The news that the south gate was breached also reached Cao Yue immediately.

After hearing this news, Cao Yue was not too excited. He knew that such a siege direction would definitely work when it was used for the first time.Several days of artillery bombardment has made Jiannu dare not stay on the top of the city, but Jiannu did not block the city gate with mud and rocks, and the use of an astonishing amount of explosives can completely blow up wooden or even iron city gates. open.

As long as the city gate is blown open, it will not be a problem to capture the south gate.

However, Gao Jie, Huang Degong, Liu Liangzuo, Li Chengdong and others were stunned to break through the south gate guarded by Jiannu so quickly. They couldn't understand why Jiannu was so vulnerable, and why the Ming army broke through the south gate so easily?

It's just that Cao Yue didn't have time to explain anything to them. He had already asked all the troops except the third guard division, artillery and navy to join the ranks of attacking the city.Cao Yue wanted to see how the south gate was breached by our Daming army, and Dorgon, who was retreating into the city, was going to defend it.

Theoretically, if the city gate is broken, the city will fall hard, and Cao Yue thinks so too.

Jianshou is mainly cavalry, and the space in the city is even more narrow, which is not conducive to the large-scale actions of cavalry.But musketeers can still line up and shoot collectively, which is no less powerful than hiding in trenches.

(End of this chapter)