Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 185: The Green Camp rebels and attacks the city

Under the cover of night, the Ming army camp south of Wuchang City was still ablaze with lights. Under orders from officers at all levels, countless soldiers emerged from the tents of the two most elite battalions in the central army in front of the palace and quickly formed up.

At this time, the Tianqi Army cavalrymen in the camp had also organized their troops and left the camp early. Although they could not assist in the army's night attack, they could ambush the Qing cavalry who broke through the chaos outside the city, and quickly join the battlefield after the city was broken.

Amidst the whistling wind, the side door of the central military camp in front of the palace was slowly opened as the soldiers on duty pushed carefully. Hundreds of horse heads with muzzles muzzled emerged from the darkness one after another, flanked by the armored soldiers of the Tianqi Army.

Not only the mouths of these war horses, but also all four hooves were covered with thick cotton cloth. The sound they made when stepping on the ground was very small and was completely covered by the sound of the wind. If the scouts sent by the Qing army did not get close to conduct reconnaissance, they would not be able to discover them at all.

The soldiers of the central army in front of the palace followed closely. Under the cover of night, they quietly passed through the darkness on the side of the camp and quickly entered the trench position outside the moat on the south side of Wuchang City according to the predetermined plan.

Gu Defu led his flag team and followed closely behind the Tianqi Army's armored cavalry. The wind was very strong at night, and except for the slight sound of horses' hooves and boots stepping on the ground, the entire team made almost no other sound.

They were only wearing a layer of armor, with a thin cloth over it to prevent the armor from reflecting light and greatly reduce the sound of the armor vibrating. Inside the trench, Chang Denggui had already stored the rest of his equipment.

Soon, the first batch of thousands of soldiers from the central army in front of the palace mounted their horses one after another and, under the cover of the cavalry dispersed to the periphery, avoided the Eight Banners cavalry who were scouting and harassing from time to time outside the central army camp, and entered the trench position.

Zhao Zhengdong led a team of armored soldiers and quickly passed through the dark trench. Gu Defu's figure was also hidden by the darkness. When he saw Zhao Zhengdong coming, he spoke softly to Sun Da beside him:

"The commander is here. You stay here and watch over the brothers. There must be no mistakes!"

"Yes!" Sun Da immediately responded with a bow.

After Gu Defu finished speaking, he immediately walked towards the direction where Zhao Zhengdong was coming from and quickly went to meet him. Zhao Zhengdong had come to inspect the team. When he saw Gu Defu, he immediately asked:
"Are all the brothers ready?"

"Report to the captain, everything is ready, no one is left behind." Gu Defu answered in a low voice, then leaned over and asked:
"Brother, are we really going to fight tonight?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhengdong's face immediately turned stern. He said in a deep voice, "Whether to fight tonight or not, wait for orders. Do not act rashly!"

After hearing this, Gu Defu naturally knew that he had said too much and immediately said, "Yes!"

"Remember to have the brothers stay in the trenches. If you encounter a Tartar night raid, wait until they enter the position before counterattacking. If you encounter an unexpected situation outside the plan, the specific actions will be yours, but you must not pursue them without authorization, and you must not allow the Tartars to succeed in their surprise attack."

Gu Defu and another flag commander nodded simultaneously. Although the main force of the Qing army was within the city, they had stationed numerous ambush troops and scouts outside the earthen walls. They could very well learn about the situation outside the city, and it wasn't impossible for them to launch a night attack under cover of darkness.

However, they had already reached the earthen wall during the day and were very familiar with the terrain on both the north and south sides of the moat. In the trench position, even the battle-hardened Eight Banners soldiers might not be their opponents.

After Zhao Zhengdong finished speaking, he continued to walk forward along the trench with his personal guards, while Gu Defu waited until the other party's figure was completely swallowed by the darkness before turning around and returning to his own flag team.

In the dim night, tiny sparks of fire flickered on the outermost earthen wall of Wuchang City, flickering in the night breeze before quickly returning to their original state. Across the dark plain, aside from the clatter of horse hooves, the surroundings were completely silent.
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At this time, in the central tent of the Ming army, a group of generals under Zhu Cilang were gathered around a long table covered with a "contour topographic map". This was a new map drawn by the Jinyiwei, which took more than a year and used the latest map drawing methods, at a huge cost of manpower.

However, this is not a true "contour map". The so-called contour lines are drawn only by visual inspection and the simplest proportional measurement, and the accuracy is questionable.

But compared to the "abstract" maps originally used by the Ming army, this was already a significant improvement. The main roads around Wuchang City, the distribution of mountains and rivers, as well as important towns and water sources were all accurately marked.

Inside the central army tent, all the generals were waiting for Zhu Cilang's order. Although no action had been launched in Wuchang City yet, with the army breaking through the Yangma Wall, Wang Tizhong and Wang Deren's last worries had disappeared. The two men's rebellion and the army's night attack were only a matter of days.

Zhu Cilang looked around, then pointed at the map on the table and said:
"The military intelligence reported back by the night watchmen surrounding Wuchang City is accurate. The number of Eight Banner soldiers on the city walls has more than doubled. Every night outside the city, more elite Qing scouts appear on the front lines.

"The Tunqi army is probably adjusting its defenses right now, and there should be considerable chaos throughout the city walls. This presents an opportunity for us. Wang Tizhong and Wang Deren will certainly not miss this opportunity. If we wait until the Tunqi army has finished adjusting, things will become difficult."

"Tunqi is playing by completely unconventional means. Adjusting at this time means he's realized something, or he simply doesn't trust those Green Camp soldiers."

After listening to Chang Denggui's front-line briefing, Zhou Shixian, the head of the Jinyiwei, immediately explained:
"Furthermore, this should also indicate that our internal supporters in Wuchang City have not been exposed. Our original strategy of internal and external cooperation can still be implemented. The core combat power of the Qing army in Wuchang City is still those thousands of Eight Banners soldiers. As long as the city walls fall, they will not be a threat."

Zhu Cilang nodded in agreement, then glanced at the map again. With the army breaching the Yangma Wall, Wang Tizhong and Wang Deren could rebel at any moment. Time was running out. A day later, Tunqi's defenses would adjust further, making their rebellion even more difficult.

Once Wang Tizhong, Wang Deren and others were transferred away from the Baoan and Wangshan city gates, the troops he had ambushed outside the city would become meaningless.

Thinking of this, he looked up at Chang Denggui and asked, "How are the preparations of each unit going now? Have they all entered the reserve position?"

"The two battalions and four thousand-man headquarters of the central army in front of the palace have just entered the trench position outside the moat. They have already prepared torches, trench bridges, ladders and weaponry needed for a strong attack. As long as the signal is given from the city, they can launch an attack immediately.

In addition, the troops in the north and east of the city are also ready and mobilized. As soon as your majesty gives the order, Chen Fu and Tian Jianxiu will be able to immediately take action and contain the Qing troops in the two areas.

After hearing this, Zhu Cilang smiled slightly, with a satisfied look on his face. Although the Left and Right Palace Army were not his old teams and had been supplemented with a large number of new recruits, their combat effectiveness was very strong. This showed that under the current training system of the Palace Army, as long as there were enough veterans and rigorous training, the performance of the new recruits was not inferior to that of the veterans, and their strength was also trustworthy.

"The troops in the north and east of the city can harass and test the Qing army, but they must not initiate a surprise attack. If there are any Tangma coming over there, they must immediately send the information to me."

Zhu Cilang paused, then continued, "Tonight is the most critical night. If no signals of rebellion are received from the Baoan Gate and Wangshan Gate towers tonight, Wang Tizhong and Wang Deren's situation will probably become even more difficult.

At that time, I'm afraid we'll have no choice but to activate the backup plan, attack from three sides simultaneously, bluff Tunqi directly, and then look for other opportunities. As long as Wang Tizhong and Wang Deren are not replaced, we still have a chance to cooperate with them from inside and outside and capture Wuchang City."

Wang Tizhong and Wang Deren were extremely important in this operation. If an accident occurred, Zhu Cilang would most likely have to spend another half a year, with an additional 20,000 to 30,000 casualties among soldiers and civilians, before he could finally capture Wuchang City.

"My Lord Prince Consort, is Wang Tizhong on the Baoan Gate tower really reliable? If he pretends to rebel and sets a trap for us, then the thousands of elite troops we sent out, and even the tens of thousands of troops who will raid later, will be in danger." Hao Yongzhong suddenly frowned and asked.

In fact, this was not just his question. All the generals of the Right Army under Tian Jianxiu were worried about this problem. Chang Denggui's most elite thousands of soldiers were the main force of this battle. He did not completely trust the two traitors, but it was not appropriate for him to stand up directly on such matters.

"If this is a trap set by the Qing army, not only the troops attacking the city from Baoan Gate and Wangshan Gate, but also the troops in the north and east of the city will be in great danger. If the troops attacking at night are ambushed by the Qing army, they will have almost no ability to fight against the Eight Banners soldiers in the field under the earth wall." Liu Tichun also said.

The generals who came from the remnants of the Dashun Army clearly did not trust Wang Tizhong and Wang Deren. This also caused the generals of the original Palace Army to have concerns, but they did not show it.

"Wang Tizhong should be reliable. He is a smart man and should know that even if he betrayed me, the Qing army in Wuchang is actually like a grasshopper in autumn and will not be able to jump for a few more days. There are no troops to be sent to Xiangyang.

If I fail to capture the city immediately and instead station troops to besiege it, then this so-called meritorious official will also be in danger. Even if Tunqi succeeds in defending Wuchang City, as long as he fails to achieve a major victory, he will at most receive a promotion.

But the Tartar officials are still oppressed by the Manchus. How can they be compared with the titles of marquis and earldom that I have bestowed upon them?"

Zhu Cilang finally made the final decision, "Besides, nothing is certain on the battlefield. While the Central Army in front of the Palace crosses the river to attack Baoan Gate and Wangshan Gate, the Left Army and the Right Army will also take swift action. Furthermore, the Central Army in front of the Palace has arranged for support and cover, so there will definitely be no major accidents."

However, he paused slightly, then shifted his gaze from Hao Yongzhong to Chang Denggui, and emphasized again:

"Right now, compared to Wang Tizhong and Wang Deren feigning rebellion and using Tunqi to counterattack, I am more worried that after they are replaced, Baoan Gate and Wangshan Gate will lose control. Even if I send tens of thousands of troops to storm the city, I am afraid it will be in vain and the losses will be even greater."

After these words were spoken, the generals did not dare to say anything else. Zhu Cilang looked at their expressions, then put his hands behind his back and knocked hard on the table a few times. Then he glanced at the dozen or so generals gathered around the long table and said:
"This night attack will involve three main armies, coordinated with each other. The troops in the south, in front of the palace, will launch the first attack and will be the main attack direction. This will not change. The north and east sides of the city will be used as a diversionary force, ensuring they can evacuate at any time and repel the Qing army's assault.

The success or failure of the Wuchang battle will depend on tonight and tomorrow. Do you have any objections to the arrangements made by the various units?"

Zhu Cilang was well aware that his plan carried many risks, but it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Historically, fortified cities like Nanchang and Guangzhou, similar in size to Wuchang, were difficult to capture as long as the defenders were well prepared.

Therefore, Zhu Cilang made such a decision after weighing the pros and cons. He wanted to take advantage of the opportunity when the main force of the Qing army led by Dorgon was defeated and the people in Wuchang were in panic, and to cooperate internally and externally to quickly capture this important military town and shock the world again.

"We will follow the orders of His Majesty!" All the generals in the big tent responded one after another, and then immediately returned to their respective troops according to the deployment in the plan, waiting for the battle signal from Wuchang City.
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At the same time, under the fierce offensive of the Ming army, especially the Palace Army broke through the Sheep and Horse Wall during the day, the Qing army in Wuchang City was even more panicked. In order to ensure the smooth implementation of the action at night, Wang Tizhong and Wang Deren seized the opportunity and sent people to spread rumors everywhere.

As a result, all kinds of rumors soon spread in the city. Some people said that after the Ming army broke through the Yangma Wall, it would only take half a month to break through the first earth wall. Others said that the Ming army had reinforcements on the way, with a minimum of 30,000 to 50,000 and a maximum of more than 100,000, and it was impossible to defeat them all.

Furthermore, with the help of Wang Tizhong and Wang Deren's servants, some gossipers even claimed to have overheard from the Tartars that the Ming army besieging the city actually numbered 300,000 to 400,000 men, with hundreds of 1,000-jin cannons.
Although these rumors have no basis, they are extremely credible in the current situation. Many people even refuse to believe those that are true, and choose to believe the most outrageous ones. When they spread them secretly, they add fuel to the fire, making them completely alarmist.

But that’s the human heart!
In the second half of the night, Wang Deren quietly came to the tower of Baoan Gate. He had some ability to survive in this chaotic world. It was easy for him to avoid Tunqi's eyes and get from the camp to the tower.

However, he looked up at the dark night sky outside the window, and then at the soldiers patrolling back and forth outside the door, and his heart was still anxious. Before the time was right, he could only pace back and forth in the brick house on the city wall, thinking about the various unexpected situations that might be encountered after raising the flag of rebellion, as well as the subsequent response strategies.

Ma Zhenfeng was dressed as a servant at this time. He was standing in the corner of the room on the city wall, next to the door. Beside him were two elite night soldiers. These were all the men he brought into the city.

At this time, his eyes never left Wang Deren. The success or failure of that man determined his fate.

Wang Tizhong, Wang Deren and the other Green Camp generals and their troops who were originally in the city had not had time to change their guard due to time constraints. However, the six towers of Wuchang City were now filled with nearly two thousand Eight Banners supervisory armored soldiers, and each of them was extremely vigilant, staring at the movements on the city walls to prevent any Green Camp soldiers from rebelling or escaping.

This was already the limit of the troops he could station. He had to leave some soldiers in the city. If he wanted to defend Wuchang City, he had to rely on the Green Camp Army. He had no other choice.

In the past few days, the Ming army has made breakthroughs one after another, and the various Green Camp troops in the city have had considerable doubts about Tunqi's command. Many Green Camp generals have complained privately.

As the saying goes, "conquering the heart is the best way", this is actually the reason why Zhu Cilang was willing to spend so much manpower and material resources to attack the city for a period of time.

Of course, Wang Tizhong had already firmly resolved to defect, so this didn't have much of an impact on him, only strengthening the resolve of him and his trusted associates. But for the rest of the Green Camp, it was likely a far more serious matter.

You know, if Wang Tizhong and Wang Deren had rebelled a month ago, those Green Camp generals would probably have come to kill him to seek credit and reward, and he would have been killed for sure.

But now, seeing that he was so stubborn, these people might not really try their best to carry out Tunqi's orders. In fact, many people were even thinking of backing off.

Wang Tizhong thought of this and turned to look at the dozens of servants guarding the house. He felt a little more at ease. These elite soldiers under his command were all elite soldiers who had fought in many battles for many years. Even against those Eight Banners soldiers, they were not inferior.

However, he still had to wait a while until all the Eight Banners soldiers who had been relieved of their duties fell asleep. Then, the number of enemies he had to deal with would be reduced by half.

As long as he could kill those Eight Banners soldiers, the hundreds of soldiers on the city wall would all follow him. These were his troops, and they had no time to interfere. Then, holding the security gate for an hour or two and supporting the royal army outside the city would be no problem.

At this moment, the sound of armor plates vibrating suddenly came from far away. Through the crack in the door, Wang Tizhong quickly saw another team of patrolling Eight Banners soldiers passing by outside the door, and his heart couldn't help but skip a beat.

He was nervous as he faced the Eight Banners soldiers. However, after so many years of fighting on the brink of death, Wang Tizhong wasn't so vulnerable. He remained calm and waved his hand, calling the servants to his side.
Soon, it was the second half of the night. Zhao Zhengdong was on guard in the trench position with his soldiers. He was lying on the side of a bunker built with stone bullets. On his left and right were soldiers from a flag team. They were all on high alert and did not dare to relax at all.

In front of him, on the edge of the moat, there was another bureau, with three flag teams of ambushing troops, ready to launch a night attack at any time. Further behind him was the main force of this night attack army. Chang Denggui was in the position at this time, personally directing the army's actions.

Although the Ming army's trench position was not far from the Qing army's city wall, it was already the territory actually controlled by the Ming army. The Qing army occasionally appeared, but they were only gathering military intelligence. The assault team composed of thousands of palace-front troops was now hiding very secretly and there was almost no possibility of being exposed.

Zhao Zhengdong had been guarding here for most of the night and had patrolled back and forth three times, but he still didn't see the signal he was longing for on the top of the city wall. In fact, because the night was too dark, he couldn't even see a single figure.

He was a little anxious, because at his level, he already knew that tonight was the best opportunity. If he missed it, more people might have to die in the future to achieve the same effect.

"What the hell are these sons of bitches doing?" Zhao Zhengdong withdrew his gaze from a distance and cursed in his heart to vent his dissatisfaction.

"Look, Captain, there seems to be a signal from the tower ahead."

Zhao Zhengdong had just looked up at the sky when he heard the reminder from his personal guard. His eyes widened, and then he immediately stuck his head out and looked towards the city wall as if by reflex.

“Woo, woo, woo~~~”

"Kill, kill, kill—"

Under the cover of night, chaos suddenly broke out inside and outside the Baoan Gate and Wangshan Gate towers of Wuchang City. Wang Tizhong and Wang Deren successively led their servants to launch a surprise attack on the Eight Banners vests on the towers, and at the same time sent out a signal of rebellion from the top of the city walls.

As soon as the two men gave the signal of rebellion, Zhu Cilang's army deployed in the south, north and east of the city immediately launched a three-pronged attack. The Ming army artillery positions in the north and east of the city quickly fired shells at the city walls with great momentum.

Of course, in such a dark situation, except for the first volley that the Ming army artillery had prepared early, the rest of the volleys were not only extremely slow, but also almost did not hit the city walls of Wuchang.

As for the Ming army artillery positions in the south of the city, most of the shots fired were blanks. Zhu Cilang made such arrangements just to use the light and sound of the artillery fire to interfere with Tunqi's judgment.

Soon, all the Qing troops in Wuchang were urgently mobilized. Perhaps because the panic in the city had been building up for a long time, there were even several incidents of soldiers escaping from the city walls by lowering themselves down from the city gates that had been blocked for a long time. The Qing soldiers guarding the city were all in danger.

The Ming army launched a sudden attack, which directly disrupted Tunqi's defense rotation plan.

He was indeed courageous, but Zhu Cilang did not give him any time at all. In desperation, he could only dispatch part of the remaining Eight Banners soldiers and horses in the city to the upper city just in case. He personally summoned the remaining Eight Banners main forces in the city to prepare to respond from the center.

(End of this chapter)