Xie Ming

Chapter 205 Food Problem
The enemy army provided support with more than fifty tiger squat cannons, and the siege firepower increased dramatically, and the defense pressure in the northern section of Baoding City increased sharply!
Xiao Jingchuan saw the situation clearly, analyzed the circumstances, and determined that the opponent's large artillery was delayed!
Therefore, he hurriedly ordered Master Liu to rush to the west gate to pass on the order, to replace Xu Jizu's troops, and to go out of the city, detour around, and take the opportunity to destroy the Jiannu's artillery and supplies!

at the same time!

At the northern part of the city, Chang Ting called Pei Zhong and urgently dispatched soldiers to start adjusting the angle of the city defense artillery!

Half a quarter of an hour later, all preparations were completed!
Just two hundred steps outside the city, it was time for the enemy's tiger squat cannon to change its shells!
Suddenly, Sun Peizhong shouted loudly, echoing throughout the North Gate!

Dozens of city defense cannons between the battlements were loaded with ammunition and ignited!
Boom boom boom!
Thunder suddenly exploded!
Resounding through the sky, shaking the heaven and earth!
Even though the aim of these old gun barrels is not high, they can’t withstand the powerful concentrated fire!

Immediately, the area two hundred steps to the north was in an uproar!

The Tiger Crouching Cannon and the corresponding artillery of the enemy formation were instantly blown to pieces. The scene was horrifying!

After the explosion, the scene was scorched earth and flames shot into the sky!

With this one move, most of the enemy's tiger squat cannons were blown up!

There were only a dozen or so families that managed to escape the disaster!
See this!

Ajige was extremely angry, his eyes were bloodshot!
He immediately ordered Barton to organize the Jixi Han army and launch a full charge!
Because there were nearly 10,000 soldiers and horses pressing forward, the east and west gates of the city were also affected for a while!

In order to deploy the battle formation, the three city gates of Baoding Prefecture have now started fighting with the enemy!

Another quarter of an hour!

The time has come to six quarters after noon (12:30)!

When Master Liu was ordered to rush to the west of the city to pass on the message, Xu Jizu's troops had already engaged in a battle with the enemy soldiers under the city who were surrounded and attacked from both wings!

Upon hearing the general's order, Li Hongsheng immediately assembled his troops and went into battle.

In the midst of the panic, Xu Jizu and his troops hastily replaced the city defenses.

After receiving the secret order, Ji Zu did not dare to delay for even a second, so without waiting for any rest, he rushed to the south gate in a hurry!

When they arrived at the South Gate, Xu Jizu jumped onto the more than 500 war horses that had been allocated to Pei Zhong's troops in the city. He took the lead and rushed out of the city with his troops!
They ran eastward, marching in a large circle. In the blink of an eye, all the soldiers disappeared from everyone's sight!
"Changting, listen, the east and west sides of the city are probably already engaged in battle with the enemy!"

"Don't rest, quickly inform Wang Chuanwu in the east of the city and Li Hongsheng in the west of the city!"

"Tell them to save their ammunition and use bows and crossbows to deal with the current situation as much as possible!"

"The tough Jiannu soldiers and Wu Sangui's Guanning Army have not yet been defeated!"

"We must save some ammunition as a backup plan!"

Just as Changting rushed back from Peizhong, Xiao Lang gave another order.

After hearing this, Changting took two deep breaths, and without further delay, he quickly took the order and went off to pass on the message!
The Baoding Prefecture blocking battle began at 10:45 am on that day.

Under the command and deployment of the enemy commander Ajige, all the Han army flags and miscellaneous soldiers joined the battle!

These Han troops from western Ji that had recently surrendered to the Qing attacked in waves without stopping!
To the north, east and west of Baoding Prefecture, corpses were piled up like mountains under the city walls. The battle situation was extremely tragic!
Especially under the North Gate, this kind of attack method!
By the evening of the sixth day, the moats and chevaux de frise outside the city had been completely destroyed!
The enemy soldiers were like a tide, risking their lives to climb up the city walls by climbing ladders!
However, under the joint efforts of Xiao Jingchuan's troops, the generals and soldiers from various units persevered until 12 o'clock in the evening, and finally did not allow the enemy to make any progress!

On the evening of the sixth day, at 19:45, three quarters past the hour of Xu.

As night falls, visibility decreases and the sky gradually darkens!
On the North Gate City Wall, Xiao Lang and Pei Zhong were commanding the troops from the city walls. Their soldiers were brave and had fought off dozens of attacks from the enemy!

The battle lasted until late at night, and the enemy Han army soldiers, under the order of Barton, took advantage of the darkness of the night and launched another large-scale attack.

Xiao Lang ordered the soldiers to put up torches on all four sides of the city, and to use kerosene and hay to make fire attack equipment, and then throw it down along the city!
In a short time, the number of enemy soldiers burned to death and injured was countless!
After the enemy troops withdrew, Xiao Lang sat down against the wall!

The attack and defense of Baoding lasted for a whole day. Ajige used the wheel tactics and staged attacks. Although it caused heavy casualties, it also made the soldiers defending the city complain bitterly!

The troops led by Xiao Lang were having a hard time making ends meet. From the start of the battle in the morning until this evening, they had not been able to eat or drink at all!

"General!"

"Come, have a drink of water!" Death Star pulled out a water bag from his waist. Seeing that he could finally take a breath, he hurriedly handed it to Xiao Lang.

Tons, tons, tons!
Xiao Lang raised his hand and took three big gulps. "Ah!"

"This can't go on like this!"

"What time is it now?!" Xiao Lang asked.

"General!"

"It's about four quarters past ten o'clock!" The star of death returned.

"Well, Changting?"

"Has Changting come back?!" Xiao Langxun asked.

"General, Lieutenant General Gu has not returned yet."

"What do you want? Just tell me!" On the other side, Mr. Liu spoke.

"it is good!"

"Master Liu, while the enemy troops are withdrawing temporarily, go to the city to find Ma Minglu."

"Tell him to assign soldiers to cook, boil water, make soup and prepare dishes for me!"

"Bring us all the meat we can find!"

"Make it up and distribute it to the soldiers in each section of the city, so that the brothers can take turns to have a hot meal!"

"At this moment, we can't let our soldiers go through this with empty stomachs!"

"A hungry soldier cannot win a battle. We must make sure everyone is well fed at this time!"

"Tell Minglu to dispatch more people and do it quickly!" Xiao Lang gave the order.

"Yes! Got it!"

"I'll go right away!" Master Liu bowed, took the order and went down the city wall through the path above!

Speaking of eating, that place!
Five miles outside the north gate, the Jiannu camped inside the central army tent.

At this moment, Ajige was also planning for the soldiers' rations.

Inside the tent, two of his powerful generals, Bartong and Legge, as well as Wu Sangui and Wu Guogui, were all discussing matters inside the tent.

When talking about the problem of food and fodder in the camp, Ajige sat upright at the table, wielding a meat knife in his hand. His fat hands were covered in oil. He used the knife to cut a piece of meat from the mutton leg on the plate, tilted his head back and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing it vigorously.

"Your Majesty!"

"I'm afraid our army doesn't have enough food and fodder right now!"

"The rations that our 8,000 Guanning troops carry with them are only enough for one meal!"

"Tomorrow we will run out of food!" Wu Sangui was deeply worried and reported it.

Upon hearing this, Ajige just frowned slightly, pointed with the blade and asked Barton on the other side.

"Barton, how are the warriors of our Qing Dynasty?!"

"Is there anything left to eat?!" Ajige asked.

"Oh, my Lord!"

"The soldiers of the Manchu army probably only have three or two meals left!"

"It should last until the day after tomorrow!"

(End of this chapter)