Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 106: Defeat the Qing Army
To the east of Fengyang City, while the Ming army launched fierce attacks in the north and south directions, deafening explosions broke out on the west and south walls. The Qing troops in these two places were also subjected to fierce attacks from the Ming army's artillery fire.

Although the Qing army had been prepared, they were suddenly attacked at night. Many soldiers who were already confused were still caught off guard after waking up.

However, most of the defenders in these three places were Eight Banners soldiers, and the baoyi soldiers were almost all elite soldiers who had fought in many battles. Their combat effectiveness and fighting will should not be underestimated, and they reacted very quickly.

Of course, the Ming army's night attacks in the west and south were just a lot of noise with little action. Although armored soldiers and even cavalry from the Beijing camp were dispatched to these two places to bluff, they were basically small-scale raids.

Although the Qing army had surrounded Fengyang City on three sides by digging trenches, the encirclement in the military sense was by no means a tight and airtight blockade.

In other words, it was not impossible for the Ming army in the city to break out. In front of the moat outside Fengyang City, there were traps deployed by the Qing army and earth walls built, but the most crucial thing was actually the tens of thousands of highly mobile Eight Banners cavalry.

On the south side of the eastern battlefield, on the earth wall next to the trench, the Qing army's attack was continuous, with muskets and artillery firing continuously and arrows being shot continuously.

However, as the number of volleys increased, the casualties of soldiers continued to increase. The Qing army's counterattack no longer had the initial orderliness and its power was greatly reduced.

Under such fierce attack, the vanguard soldiers suffered heavy losses. Hundreds of soldiers were killed or wounded, falling to the ground and screaming. The formation and command of the charging team became chaotic.

The armored soldiers who jumped into the trench and fought in the front were unable to break through quickly due to the fierce counterattack of the Qing army. The Ming and Qing sides continued to exchange deaths on the edge of the trench.

Reinforcements of the Qing army were coming from other places, and the Ming army's troops were also coming in continuously. Zhu Cilang deployed more than 2,000 troops and launched a surprise attack on the trench that was less than one mile long.

Not only that, on the two earthen walls outside Fengyang City, countless artillery pieces were ready to fire. As long as the Qing army attempted to encircle the city from both wings, they would be subjected to intensive attacks, which allowed the more than 2,000 soldiers and horses in the night attack to be used to their full potential.

After all, Duoduo had already made preparations and sent his elite Eight Banners soldiers to garrison the trenches. Without the local advantage in manpower, even if Zhu Cilang also sent out elite troops, it would be difficult to quickly defeat the enemy.

This is the key to defeating the strong with the weak. Overall weakness does not mean local weakness.

Once Zhu Cilang has determined the feasibility of something, he will not hesitate, but will act with absolute confidence and courage to achieve his strategic goals.

Meanwhile, on the northern battlefield, the Ming army's charge bugle continued to sound, and the Ming soldiers in the trenches continued to charge forward. If they couldn't defeat the Qing army in one fell swoop, they would have to suffer more casualties in the future.

Ma Zhenfen was not frightened by the fierce counterattack of the Qing army. He determined the position of the Qing army through the flashes of fire produced by the muskets and artillery fire above the trenches, and launched a roundabout surprise attack on those Qing troops who relied on earth walls for defense.

As the number of artillery and musket fire increased, the Qing army's counterattack power on the earth wall gradually began to weaken, and more Ming army armored soldiers entered the trenches, waving their weapons and rushing towards these stubborn enemies with howling.

At this time, Zhao Zhengdong had already rushed into the trench with his soldiers. Around him, there were deafening shouts of killing, and the wounded soldiers from both armies who fell to the ground were wailing and screaming. There were also the sounds of muskets and arrows shooting, and the sounds of mines exploding mixed together.

At the same time, the Qing army soldiers who had hurriedly assembled also began to cross the trenches and go into battle. The long spears of the Eight Banners soldiers kept extending and thrusting on the earth walls and in the trenches. The armored soldiers of the Ming army who were rushing in the front were quickly stabbed and fell down, but the armored soldiers behind them immediately attacked.

More than 2,000 elite Ming troops have suffered hundreds of casualties since the launch of the surprise attack, and the Qing army has also suffered heavy losses at this time. Although the Ming army soldiers rushing in the front will soon be stabbed by the oncoming Qing army spears, many of them launched a counterattack and also killed many Qing soldiers.

The wounded Eight Banners soldiers fell to the ground screaming, and most of them were killed by the Ming army that continued to attack before they could be dragged back.

In front of Zhao Zhengdong, shouts of killing and the sound of gunfire shook the sky, and flames flashed all over the trenches. Many musketeers and archers of the Qing army were scattering. Because the distance was close enough, the lethality of the muskets and arrows with armor-piercing spikes was very astonishing.

However, although the Eight Banners soldiers were brave in close combat, compared with the Palace Army and the Beijing Camp, which had undergone rigorous night training and had improved diet and stronger night vision, they were restricted in night combat and could not fully exert their combat power.

Although they had been through many battles, most of them were fought during the day. There was not enough light at this time, it was dark and they could not see clearly. In the extremely tense situation, these Eight Banners soldiers kept making mistakes, and the defense line revealed more and more flaws.

In the dark night, the Qing army archers behind the trench were still shooting arrows at the Ming army armored soldiers attacking on the edge of the earth wall, becoming the main force to block the Ming army from a distance. Many musketeers quickly changed to swords and guns and charged in the dark, and the two sides then fought together.

Zhao Zhengdong saw the battle situation in front, and then shouted and sent out a group of armored soldiers, asking them to continue to intensify the offensive. The officer leading the troops was Gu Defu, who had always wanted to make merit and be transferred to the Tianqi Battalion after the Battle of Huaibei.

These narrow trenches limited the manpower of the Ming and Qing armies. Although the fighting between the two sides was very fierce, the overall casualties were not large because the battle line was not fully deployed.

In the trenches that were sometimes bright and sometimes dark, with flickering flames, Ming soldiers poured up continuously. The Eight Banners soldiers inside fought continuously under the fierce attack of the Ming army, suffered heavy losses, and gradually began to lose their strength.

But further away in the trench, behind the low earthen walls built at the intersection of the trench, the firepower of the Eight Banners soldiers was still very strong, and most of the earthen walls were mounted with a cannon. The Ming army's continued offensive was quickly blocked. Under the cover of such firepower, the retreating Eight Banners soldiers fought and retreated at first, but soon launched a counterattack.

However, as more and more Ming soldiers continued to pour into the trenches, this weak counterattack did not work and was directly repelled.

Zhao Zhengdong brandished his spear, urging the armored soldiers behind him to continue charging, his face filled with anxiety. He had to open a gap and break through as quickly as possible. If he hadn't been commanding, he would have already led his soldiers forward.

The fighting power and stubborn will to resist of these Eight Banners soldiers were beyond his imagination. They were definitely not comparable to those of Geng Zhongming's troops in the previous Battle of Huaibei.

Soon, a series of artillery fire erupted from the earth wall in front of him. Many of the Ming army soldiers who climbed up the trench and wanted to find another way to attack from the other side were hit by artillery shells before they could gain a foothold, and fell into the trench in piles.

Not only that, many Qing army archers and musketeers also guarded the intersection of the trenches in front and fired at the rushing Ming army soldiers.

Fortunately, the French cannons and general cannons that the Qing army had originally set up on the earth wall could not be moved, otherwise the Ming army would have suffered even greater losses. You know, the artillery is high above and so close, facing the unprotected Ming army, it would be a one-sided massacre.

Those Qing soldiers who had not been involved in the battle also rushed out at this time. The trenches were filled with flashes of fire, the sounds of guns and bowstrings, and shouts of killing.

Although most of the more than 2,000 armored soldiers that Duoduo had secretly sent had been transferred to the south, the remaining nearly 1,000 soldiers were well prepared and caused considerable trouble to the Ming army's night attack.

However, the construction period of these trenches was not long, and the earth walls were not very strong. Although the Qing army did not allow the Ming army to advance directly, their situation at this time was already precarious.

In the face of the Qing army's obstruction, the Ming army, on the one hand, took a detour through the criss-crossing trenches and broke through the Qing army's weak defenses. On the other hand, officers at all levels ordered armored soldiers carrying clay pot mines to move forward.

Faced with the attacks of the Qing army's artillery and arrows, many armored soldiers either stuck to the inner wall of the trench or lay on the ground. As soon as the sound of the artillery passed or when the Qing army archers fired a volley, they ignited the various mines they carried on their waists and threw them at the blocking enemies.

Dozens of mines were thrown into the narrow areas above and below the trenches. These bombs, of varying types but incredibly lethal, quickly exploded among the blocking Eight Banners soldiers. A series of flashes of fire erupted, and lead bullets and fragments of the mine shells flew everywhere. Countless Qing soldiers were hit, and screams shook the air. The Eight Banners soldiers, torn by lead bullets and mine shell fragments, had their limbs broken, their hearts pierced, their faces scratched, and even pierced. Some rolled on the ground, others ran in panic, constantly colliding with those around them. Some of the baoyi soldiers began to collapse and retreat.

Under such a large-scale attack, not only the Eight Banners soldiers on the second city wall, but also many Ming soldiers who threw landmines were hit by the Qing army's arrows. The landmines in their hands fell directly to the ground, blowing up themselves and even their comrades around them.

However, if one wanted to quickly break through the Qing army's defenses, such casualties were completely unavoidable. Even if the timing was wrong, the troops were weak, or the strategy was wrong, even if the lives of the soldiers were sacrificed, a breakthrough might not be achieved.
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On the watchtower of the second earthen wall of Fengyang City, Zhu Cilang saw flashes of fire in the east and south directions, and frowned slightly.

At this time, the pitch-black night sky had turned a yellowish color due to the countless flames ignited by the fierce battle. The dense sounds of gunfire and shouts of killing were heard one after another, and the fighting inside and outside the trenches became more and more intense.

"Your Majesty, Duoduo sent a large number of soldiers and horses to lurk in the trenches in advance. The same is true for the east, south, and west. Although our attack on the south has achieved certain results, there are still many Qing troops in the trenches on the north side. I am afraid it will be difficult to complete the roundabout encirclement within the originally planned time." Chang Denggui looked at the military report just delivered by the scouts and said worriedly.

Zhu Cilang expected Duoduo to be prepared, but he didn't expect him to prepare so quickly and so thoroughly. It seemed that he had suffered a psychological trauma from the previous beating.

The combat effectiveness of the Eight Banners Armored Soldiers should not be underestimated, especially since they are still on the defensive. He narrowed his eyes and made a quick decision:
"Duoduo is courting his own death. The more troops he hides, the more it will prove his incompetence if he loses the battle.

The most crucial thing now is that the roundabout attack from the north can be successfully completed. The south is already in chaos. Without reinforcements, it will be difficult to break the deadlock for a while."

"Your Majesty, I beg you to fight!" Lin Changfu finally spoke up. He hadn't been able to successfully launch his attack the last time, and he still remembered it. "The Qing army is only struggling to survive. If I lead the troops in a single attack, we will surely defeat them."

Zhu Cilang nodded when he heard this. Before the time came, he was calm and steady. Now that he had already taken action, he naturally would not hesitate. In this kind of surprise attack where the troops were not superior, the most taboo tactic was to add fuel to the fire. He then ordered Lin Changfu:

"Lin Changfu, you will lead my imperial camp and immediately reinforce us. We must, at all costs, penetrate the Qing army's deployment from the flank and inflict as much damage as possible on the Qing troops in the trenches before their reinforcements arrive.

Remember, we must do this at all costs. As long as the call to retreat hasn't been sounded, anyone who dares to desert will be executed immediately without mercy!

"Yes!" Lin Changfu immediately bowed in response, then turned around and went down the city with a few personal guards.

After Zhu Cilang ordered the dispatch of reinforcements, he immediately ordered Chang Denggui:

"The Heavenly Cavalry Battalion must be dispatched in advance and must do their utmost to intercept the Qing army's reinforcements."

"I accept your order!"

Although the Ming army launched a surprise attack, they had the advantage in terms of manpower and their barracks were very close to the trenches, so reinforcements could arrive quickly.

In other words, in addition to a quick victory, the Ming army had to send out cavalry to block the attack in order to ensure the safe withdrawal of the attacking troops. Otherwise, the final result would most likely be a tactical victory but a strategic defeat.

The soldiers under Lin Changfu had already been waiting in the open space between the two earth walls. They quickly crossed the trench with wooden boards. In the absence of any obstruction from the Qing army, they covered the distance of more than 50 steps in the blink of an eye.

This army was also reinforced. Zhu Cilang specially transferred the six most elite combat soldiers from Chen Fu's training camp to reinforce them. He was worried that when this reserve force was finally sent out, there would not be enough troops to support the battlefield.

On the dimly lit land, amidst the sound of bugles and the vibration of armor plates, a new wave of Ming army soldiers quickly rushed in. They did not scatter, but directly attacked one point in order to break through the Qing army's defense line as quickly as possible.

The Ming army archers in the trenches were also shooting at the Qing army in front of them, but in order to avoid hurting their own people, they had to shoot at targets farther away. The dense rain of arrows provided considerable cover and delayed the Qing army's offensive.

As the casualties increased, Zhao Zhengdong had already rushed to the front line, and Gu Defu was also beaten back by the Qing army's counterattack. The two were fighting hard with the armored soldiers around them.

He once again led the charge and just as he rushed forward, he saw Gu Defu, Chen Tao and their soldiers being fiercely attacked by dozens of Qing spearmen. In the narrow trench, the Ming army armored soldiers, who were at a disadvantage in terms of manpower, had to retreat again and again and fell one after another.

Zhao Zhengdong shouted loudly, charging forward with his spear in hand, throwing the hatchet at his waist as he charged. The soldiers behind him, under the orders of the officers and the supervisory team, also charged forward like crazy. Their situation had improved slightly now that they had the cover of the corpses piled in the trenches.

The darkness and the loud noises amplified the soldiers' fear, a fact common to any army of this era. The pitch-black night, the deafening explosions, the flickering flames, and the shrill screams were enough to drive soldiers into a mental breakdown amidst the chaos.

In such an environment, as casualties continued to increase, even the elite Ming troops would fall into great fear. If there were no supervisory teams, many soldiers would probably have become defeated.

In the concentrated attack of hundreds of armored soldiers in the imperial camp, a hole was quickly torn in the Qing army's defense line. Zhao Zhengdong saw in the trench that more than a dozen Qing army armored soldiers in front of him fell down screaming. The Qing army that blocked him head-on was finally exhausted. He was overjoyed, waved his hand, and continued to attack forward with the armored soldiers around him.

Through the consumption and probing of the previous charges, as well as the sound of gunfire from the earthen wall in front, he has basically determined that the Qing army's artillery fire has been greatly weakened after the previous multiple volleys. As long as he persists in charging a few more times, perhaps he can achieve a major breakthrough without consuming the strength of an entire flag team.
Another round of charge began, and Zhao Zhengdong personally led the thirty or so soldiers gathered under his command to charge forward. Due to the limitations of the terrain, there were still thousands of Ming army armored soldiers behind him, and they were unable to fully participate in the battle.

As the power of the Qing army's guns, artillery and arrows in front of them decreased significantly, the remaining Qing army in the trenches retreated again and again under the fierce attack of the Ming army. Under the heavy casualties, the Qing army was no longer able to stop the Ming army's continued attack.

Zhao Zhengdong led his armored soldiers and formed a strange temporary formation. They swung their swords and spears repeatedly, slashing and stabbing, killing any Qing army armored soldiers they encountered.

Behind him, a steady stream of armored soldiers were following quickly. Because the trench was narrow, some musketeers and archers could not wait for the way to be cleared in front of them, so they climbed directly onto the ground and scattered their weapons at some of the Eight Banners soldiers who were also in panic.

Under Lin Changfu's fatal blow, as one point was broken through, the entire Qing army line fell one after another like dominoes.

The Eight Banners soldiers who had just been fighting bravely quickly lost their original morale in the face of defeat. Faced with the swift attack of the Ming army, the remaining Qing soldiers panicked and began to flee to the east, south, and north.

"Uuuuuu——"

The Ming army's bugle call sounded, and Lin Changfu and Lin Changfeng commanded the army to pursue the defeated Qing army.

What they have to do now is to organize troops to pursue quickly and prevent any form of counterattack by the Qing army. Then, based on this, they can drive the remaining Qing army remnants to attack the south, organize a powerful attack, and completely defeat these Qing troops.

In wars at this time, the greatest casualties often occurred during the pursuit. Although the Ming army had suffered considerable casualties during the assault, as long as they defeated the enemy, the subsequent casualties would be almost negligible.

At the same time, Chang Denggui's Tianqi Battalion has also appeared on the battlefield. They will firmly restrain the Eight Banners Cavalry who are the first to come to support.

(End of this chapter)